Time blurred in the snowy weather.
Shen Lingxi didn’t know how long had passed.
She only felt dizzy and light, like a snowflake.
Once it landed, it melted.
She also felt incredibly sleepy, too tired to even open her eyes.
In the dim light, she clung to Fu Jinglan’s neck, barely having the strength to speak.
Lazily, she called his name, “Fu Jinglan.”
“I want grilled eel for dinner tonight.”
“Fresh eel, cut into pieces, grilled over charcoal until the meat is tender and juicy.”
“Mm.”
Fu Jinglan hovered above Shen Lingxi, his voice low and hoarse, his breathing still uneven. “Anything else?”
Shen Lingxi kept her eyes closed, her long eyelashes wet with tears, clumped together in strands.
Her lips were red, slightly swollen, and her throat was also hoarse. “Grill two pieces of tree-ripened durian too.”
“Okay.” Fu Jinglan leaned down and kissed her lips—so sweet. “What else does the little white rabbit want to eat?”
Shen Lingxi truly felt she was about to faint from exhaustion.
Her voice was as faint as a mosquito’s hum, and her face unconsciously nestled into Fu Jinglan’s chest. “Mm… and mulled wine. On snowy days, you have to make mulled wine with flowers and fruits…”
As soon as she finished speaking, Shen Lingxi truly fell into a deep sleep.
Fu Jinglan wasn’t in a hurry to leave. He kissed Shen Lingxi gently, one spot at a time.
He kissed almost every inch of her soft, pink little face.
“Shen Lingxi, you’re so adorable.”
Like a soft, fluffy little cake.
Fu Jinglan cherished her for a while longer before wrapping her in a blanket, carrying her to the bedroom next door, and calling Aunt Hui to clean up the room.
At the end, he emphasized, “From now on, use waterproof mattress protectors at home.”
When Shen Lingxi woke up, it was already dark outside.
The snow was lingering, with only a few scattered flakes drifting in the night sky.
She was in an unfamiliar room, with no sign of Fu Jinglan beside her, though there seemed to be traces of him having slept there.
Her phone was charging on the bedside table—a thoughtful gesture from Fu Jinglan.
Shen Lingxi checked the time: 6 p.m.
Just as she put down her phone, Aunt Hui knocked and entered, holding a small tray.
The tray was delicate, holding a glass of juice and a small pink pill.
Aunt Hui pursed her lips. “Miss Shen, please take the medicine.”
“Take it early for better effect.”
Even if Aunt Hui didn’t say what the medicine was, Shen Lingxi understood.
It’s fine. Fu Jinglan was afraid of trouble, but she was even more afraid—she was still a child, after all.
Shen Lingxi’s expression remained calm.
First, she unplugged her charging phone, then opened the camera and started recording.
Only then did she pick up the pink pill and speak to the phone:
“Look carefully, Mr. Fu. No switching pills, not vitamin C, and definitely not folic acid.”
Shen Lingxi placed the pill in her mouth, bit it, and swallowed it with a sip of juice, tilting her head back.
Finally, she opened her mouth wide for Fu Jinglan to see. “Swallowed. Aunt Hui is here with me the whole time. It’s all real, no tricks.”
She ended the recording and sent it to Fu Jinglan.
As he wished.
“Miss Shen,” Aunt Hui asked Shen Lingxi, “Mr. Fu has business tonight. What time would you like to have dinner?”
So Fu Jinglan wouldn’t be back for dinner.
Having just taken the medicine, a bitter aftertaste lingered in her mouth, and Shen Lingxi lost her appetite.
“I’ll eat later.”
As soon as Aunt Hui left, Shen Lingxi buried herself in the blanket, her face pressed into the pillow.
First, she sobbed quietly, then cried loudly, her sobs echoing in the room.
She felt so sad, though she couldn’t quite explain why.
She just wanted to cry her heart out.
After crying, Shen Lingxi took a shower, put on her coat, and left the villa.
The snow had stopped, crunching underfoot with each step.
Deerwood Manor remained a scene of opulence, overlooking the North Island below, where cruise ships on the sea shimmered with dazzling lights, beautiful as a dream.
Tonight, someone was proposing, with drones forming a massive, silver-glittering wedding dress in the sky.
“So beautiful.”
Shen Lingxi watched for a while before starting to play in the snow alone.
The air after the snow was especially crisp and sweet, and Shen Lingxi couldn’t help but feel happy.
Her own happiness was what mattered most.
Shen Lingxi walked quite far. Deerwood Manor was vast, with many villas, most of which she had no idea what they were used for.
Like the one in front of her, with its transparent glass walls and bright lights inside.
A family of four sat inside, enjoying a warm and cheerful dinner.
Shen Lingxi recognized three of them.
The elder and distinguished one was the former governor, Fu Jinglan’s father, Fu Chonghuai.
With his back to Shen Lingxi, wearing a gray shirt and an even darker gray vest, exuding an air of aloof indifference, was Fu Jinglan.
Across from him, dressed in a black French-style dress, was Jiang Qingyan.
The other young and beautiful woman must be Fu Jinglan’s mother, right?
For a long moment, Shen Lingxi stood frozen in the snow, as if she had forgotten to breathe, forgotten herself.
When she finally snapped out of it, she shrugged it off with a smile.
What did it have to do with her?
Shen Lingxi looked up at the sky and couldn’t help but sigh, “The snowy night is so beautiful~”
As the wind blew, snowflakes drifted from the treetops into the night sky, as if reaching for the stars.
Shen Lingxi felt a bit cold, rubbing her hands together and muttering nonchalantly to herself:
“Even though they’re sitting neatly together at the table for dinner, I’m not jealous at all, hmph~”
“I’m going back to eat too.”
At that moment, Shen Lingxi desperately wished for the year she had to spend by Fu Jinglan’s side to pass quickly.
She wanted to leave him tomorrow.
Just as Shen Lingxi turned to leave, Jiang Qingyan happened to spot her outside the window not far away. Their eyes met for a second.
Jiang Qingyan immediately picked up some food and placed it into Fu Jinglan’s plate.
At the same time, she stuck her tongue out at Shen Lingxi proudly.
It was also at that moment that Fu Jinglan turned around. Outside, the snow lay white and pristine, the trees and grass quiet, with not a soul in sight.
Fu Jinglan turned back, set down his chopsticks, and pushed his plate aside.
It contained the food Jiang Qingyan had given him.
Fu Jinglan stated plainly, “I don’t eat food others put on my plate.”
Fu Chonghuai didn’t usually live at Deerwood Manor. He had come today to have a meal with Zhuang Tongtong and Fu Jinglan and discuss some political matters.
Just as Fu Jinglan had taken his seat, Jiang Qingyan arrived.
Shen Lingxi hurried back to the villa’s dining room.
Aunt Hui began serving the meal: fresh grilled eel.
Grilled to a golden brown, perfectly charred durian.
Red wine was simmering, infused with Eureka lemon, cinnamon, strawberries, blueberries, flower petals… the aroma was already wafting through the air.
These were all things Shen Lingxi had mentioned to Fu Jinglan when she was half-asleep.
She remembered, and so did he.
In addition, the table was set with Shen Lingxi’s favorite Wagyu beef and various small desserts.
But her heart still felt heavy.
Perhaps it was the cold weather. Shen Lingxi blew warm air into her palms. “Cheer up, time to eat.”
She took a bite of the eel, but the flavor fell a bit short.
Pointing at the remaining half piece of eel, Shen Lingxi said, “You, go do a handstand and reflect on what’s missing.”
“The durian shouldn’t slack off either. Go do a handstand.”
“And the red wine, what are you staring at…”
While Shen Lingxi was muttering to herself, Fu Jinglan had already arrived at the dining room entrance. Aunt Hui took the brown coat he had removed and quietly stepped aside.
Fu Jinglan walked over with light steps.
He picked up Shen Lingxi’s chopsticks, took the half-eaten eel she had left, and placed it into his own mouth.
“What are you mumbling about all by yourself, little bunny?”
Shen Lingxi was startled, suddenly meeting Fu Jinglan’s perfectly sculpted face.
Why had he returned so suddenly? It seemed they had just started their meal.
Shen Lingxi lifted her chin. “You, you go do a handstand as punishment too.”
Just looking at Fu Jinglan made her angry.
In the afternoon, his hair had been soft as he panted by her ear, but now he had slicked it back into a stylish pompadour.
Like a peacock showing off its feathers.
Fu Jinglan picked up a silk handkerchief to wipe his mouth, smiling as he asked Shen Lingxi, “Why should I be punished? Was I not satisfying enough this afternoon?”
“Or is dinner not to your taste? Shall I drive you to a seaside restaurant instead?”
The most luxurious restaurants in Beizhou were all gathered along the coast.
You could enjoy the meal while taking in the view.
Shen Lingxi blinked, unable to pinpoint the source of her unhappiness.
“Because you’re not good, not gentle.”
Ah, so she was sulking over what happened this afternoon.
It was Fu Jinglan’s first time too, and he hadn’t quite gotten the hang of it, hurting her a few times.
Fu Jinglan leaned down, his arms resting on the back of Shen Lingxi’s chair. Beneath his shirt and vest, the powerful lines of his back muscles were faintly visible, covered in red marks left by Shen Lingxi’s manicured nails.
Bent at the waist like this, Fu Jinglan whispered softly into Shen Lingxi’s ear:
“Was I not gentle when I wiped your stomach and your back, hmm?”