Ye Mian was angry.

By the afternoon, the sun had cooled. The yellowish beams cast upon the skin felt devoid of any warmth. The tense atmosphere at the Ye residence had finally returned to normal, though Ye Haisheng remained restless, knocking on Ye Mian’s door every so often to ask if she wanted a drink, a snack, or a stroll outside.

Ye Mian agreed to everything. Among all emotions, guilt is often the most agonizing, second only to hatred. Although she did not feel her father owed her anything, she knew he needed to do something for her right now, or he wouldn’t be able to sleep at night.

True to form, Ye Haisheng was delighted, following the memories of her childhood to lead Ye Mian through the entire ancient town. It seemed all ancient towns were alike; in the middle of the bustling streets, there would always be an old shop selling silver jewelry, each with different decor but all boasting traditional craftsmanship.

Ye Mian had only meant to glance, but a thick, gleaming silver hoop on a wooden display stand caught her eye. It was just a simple, thick-surfaced ring meant to clip onto the ear—steady, cool, and easy to imagine on someone else. She didn’t have pierced ears, but Jiang Chen did, and it suited his striking features perfectly. After some hesitation, she waited until Ye Haisheng was busy looking at a tea set, then doubled back to ask the price. It wasn’t expensive—only a little over a hundred yuan—and it came with a glowing jewelry box. She quickly paid for it. After a moment’s thought, she picked out a simple silver pinky ring and, instead of having it wrapped, slipped it onto her little finger. It was a perfect fit.

The afternoon hours stretched long and idle in the gentle winter breeze. Ye Haisheng bought many things for Ye Mian, and she, in turn, bought several interesting local snacks.

By evening, the wind had died down. The thin, golden dusk settled in. The sunset, unobstructed by city skyscrapers, reached the water town with a gentle, sweeping grace, lining every inch of the snow with a warm, golden hue. Ye Mian suppressed the excitement trembling within her at the sight of such beauty and took a few photos to send to Jiang Chen.

[Good Sleep: Look, it’s truly beautiful. It would be perfect if you were here too.]

Jiang Chen was usually busier during the day than at night, and the last two days of the year were no exception, yet he still replied quickly.

[Jiang Chen: Should I come over?]

Ye Mian was choked by his simple, blunt response. With her eyes and thoughts entirely on her phone, she failed to notice the uneven bluestone pavement and nearly tripped. Winter was not like summer; a minor tumble could lead to agonizing pain. She pursed her lips and stopped, replying earnestly before focusing on the road again.

[Good Sleep: Don't. Please don't turn yourself into a handsome man with a limp; that’s too taboo.]

As soon as she sent it, she thought of that novel, *The Forced Deep Love of the Disabled Young Master*. Once she accepted that premise, the image of Jiang Chen in a wheelchair stuck in her mind like gum. On the surface, she remained composed, but inwardly, she was ranting. *When will this trope finally go away?!*

“...”

Upon receiving the girl's message, Jiang Chen took off his glasses, looked out the car window, and lowered his eyes with a faint laugh. In Wencheng, with the New Year approaching, traffic was incredibly congested, and the vehicles moved at a snail's pace. The driver suddenly reminded him, "Boss, we're stuck in traffic. We might be a bit late."

"Understood."

Jiang Chen relaxed his brow, his slender fingers tapping the screen, and he smiled silently.

The sunset faded into twilight, and the sky began to darken. When Ye Mian returned home and set down her shopping bags, she checked her phone.

[Jiang Chen: But I cannot resist the temptation.]

Seeing the text from him, she froze, her mind blank. She checked repeatedly to ensure she hadn't misread, confirming that Jiang Chen meant exactly what he said. Then she opened the photo she had sent, checking it carefully to ensure there was nothing provocative in it. She fell into deep thought.

*No.*

*What temptation can’t he resist??*

*We both speak the same language, so why couldn't she understand him???*

A breeze drifted in from the hallway. Ye Mian pushed aside her wild thoughts and asked with genuine, dazed curiosity.

[Good Sleep: What temptation?]

The man replied faster than before.

[Jiang Chen: The temptation of the scenery.]

Ye Mian: "..."

*Fine.* It was her own mind that was too dirty. It was a good thing she hadn't said anything presumptuous; otherwise, she would have died of shame right there.

The street lamps in front of the small courtyard flickered to life, lining the canal like stars as the dusk deepened. The darkness of night blanketed the sky. After dinner, Grandma Ye and Ye Haisheng decided to go for a walk to digest. Before leaving, Ye Haisheng wanted to take Ye Mian along, but seeing his daughter lying comfortably on the sofa playing games, he held his tongue. He only slipped into the kitchen to warm some milk and cut up a small plate of fruit for her before heading out.

Ye Mian looked at her father's back with a sigh, thinking that this princess-like life of hers would probably last for a while.

Before she could lose herself in thought for too long, a notification sound chimed from her game. Ye Mian looked down to see that a former classmate had logged on and invited her to join a group. Seeing her own "Silver" rank, she decided it was better not to embarrass herself. She clicked the decline button and sent a system-generated reply.

[Sorry, I'm busy today. Let's play together next time!]

Ye Mian didn't usually have time for games; today was an exception. While scrolling through short videos, she had seen a high-octane game highlight and, remembering she had an account, felt the urge to play a few rounds. She was a poor student with fancy stationery—she had bought several beautiful skins, but she wasn't familiar with the heroes' skills.

After a moment of thought, she switched to WeChat, opened the chat with Jiang Chen, and sent a message.

[Ye Mian: Are you done with work? Do you have time? Want to play a game with me?]

If she recalled correctly, playing the same game was the universally accepted best way for long-distance couples to communicate. Besides, she really wanted to play with Jiang Chen.

"Ding-dong—"

The message was answered quickly.

[Jiang Chen: Which game?]

Ye Mian knew this meant he had essentially agreed, so she quickly sent the game name and the team invitation. Sure enough, the man replied that it was fine.

Ye Mian logged in, collected her rewards, and waited. Within five minutes, someone joined her team. The avatar was a "suit-wearing thug," and the nickname was [Handsome Guy].

Ye Mian looked at it in surprise, unable to believe that Jiang Chen would use such a cheesy avatar and name. She joked, "You're quite aware of your own looks, aren't you!"

The "Handsome Guy" turned on his microphone. A childish, crisp, young boy's voice rang out: "Thanks for the compliment, but you sound a bit too old—you must be an old aunt in your twenties. We can't play together. I'm logging off."

Before Ye Mian could react, the avatar disappeared with a "ding-dong~," leaving her alone, disheveled in the wind.

... ?