It was evening by the time they exited Bin South Airport. Rain was falling. The Yu family driver had been waiting for them for half an hour.
The moment they settled into the car, the increasingly heavy raindrops began a frantic symphony against the windows, heralding the storm to come.
The roadside lights wove sheets of rain curtains through which the black car glided steadily.
Binnan Town was surrounded by mountains on three sides and bordered the sea on the fourth. Autumn came early here; the chaotic rain had long since extinguished any lingering summer heat, leaving the air damp and cool.
Mei Ran couldn't suppress a sneeze into her hand.
"Could you turn on the heater, please?"
"Of course!" the driver responded quickly.
In the next moment, a black jacket settled over her shoulders. Feeling enveloped by a wave of warmth, she smiled at the man beside her before turning back to focus on the game on her phone.
Her earbuds were in, her attention wholly absorbed by the mahjong tiles on her screen. She'd started playing "Happy Mahjong" on the plane and her luck had been fantastic, winning hundreds of thousands of Happy Beans in just over two hours. The only downside was that just as she was hitting her stride, her phone battery had given out and shut down.
The phone she was now using belonged to Fu Shijin, but she'd logged back in with her own account, ready to dominate the table again.
Fu Shijin had been utterly tormented by her the night before, forced to get up twice in the middle of the night to cool off on the balcony. Each time he'd returned to bed, she'd unconsciously burrowed into his embrace, and he hadn't had the heart to push her away. It was utterly... excruciating!
Feeling a bit weary, he rubbed his temples and leaned his head on her shoulder, breathing in her fragrant scent as he closed his eyes.
Feeling the added weight, Mei Ran shifted closer, letting him rest more comfortably.
She felt a tiny pang of guilt for causing his insomnia last night, though she had already been 'punished' in various ways before they'd left—their tardiness nearly causing them to miss their flight.
At that thought, Mei Ran leaned down and planted a kiss on his cheek. The corner of his mouth curled into a smile, and he took one of her hands, resting it on his own thigh.
With only one hand free for gaming, she fumbled a bit. Her opponent in the game, possessed by the spirit of a broken record, kept urging her, "Hurry up! I'm waiting so long the flowers are wilting!"
Her finger slipped, discarding a good tile.
The system notification flashed: Fireworks... lost 8880 Beans.
Mei Ran was just about to hit Restart when several Weibo notifications popped up from the top of her screen. Tapping on them, she skimmed through, seeing quite a few not-so-strange messages.
Soon, she found the source—a post from a Weibo user named "Evening Breeze":
"OMG! I saw my idol Fu Shijin in Hong Kong the other day, and you'll never guess who was with him! It was Ni Hao Hao Xiang Xiang! She's genuinely beautiful, drop-dead gorgeous! And her voice is incredibly lovely! She's literally goddess-level, absolutely made for heaven with my idol!"
Evening Breeze? Mei Ran looked down in thought. Wasn't that the girl she'd stepped on earlier, who'd then DMed her?
Unexpectedly, this message had been forwarded quite widely. A Weibo account with just over a thousand followers shouldn't normally have that kind of influence. Mei Ran scrolled further down and soon discovered the reason, which surprised her.
Fu Shijin Global Fan Club: In the North there is a lady fair, solitary and unrivalled under the skies. One glance she makes cities fall, another kingdoms sway [heart] // Evening Breeze: OMG... made for heaven!
The fans' comments beneath showered her with praise, making Mei Ran increasingly embarrassed as she read. Just as she was about to exit, her finger accidentally tapped 'Like'—the raised thumb icon gave a firm wiggle and immediately turned a bright, fiery red.
She didn't pay much attention and backed out directly.
Distracted, by the time the car pulled up before the gate of the Yu family compound, Mei Ran was down to only a hundred thousand Beans left in her account. The man resting against her shoulder had woken at some point and was watching her with a pair of beautiful, playful eyes.
Seeing her shake her head in frustration and bite her lip, he couldn't help but find it amusing. Gently gripping her chin, he turned her face towards him, his kiss light and brief, careful not to deepen it.
The stone lions flanking the gate stood imposingly, polished gleaming bright by the rain. Servants with large umbrellas were already waiting beside the car.
A deep blue umbrella shifted slowly beneath the low eaves. "This rain is really heavy!" Mei Ran exclaimed.
"It sure is!" The steward leading the way chuckled warmly. "Miss Ran, Master Yu has been talking about you since early morning. Imagine how happy he'll be to know you've brought your boyfriend along!"
Mei Ran glanced quickly at the man beside her, just as he looked back at her.
Though they weren't displaying any overtly intimate gestures, their relationship was obvious to anyone with eyes.
Old Master Yu rushed out at the sound of voices from outside. "Thinkthink, you're here."
His eyes fell on the person standing beside Mei Ran. The joy on his face mingled with surprise. "And this gentleman is?"
Mei Ran quickly introduced the two.
Fu Shijin politely greeted the old master, and the group made their way inside. Shortly after, a servant came in with tea.
The Old Master first inquired about Mei Ran's recent situation. Finding everything was well, he stroked his white whiskers with a satisfied nod. "Your father says his flight is delayed. He might only arrive tomorrow morning."
Mei Ran's phone had still been off; she naturally didn't know about this. "No wonder. I thought he'd be here before me."
Old Master Yu smiled affectionately, then turned his attention fully to Fu Shijin. "Young Fu, what do you do for a living? What's your family like?"
Mei Ran held her tea cup, using its rim to gently stir the silver-needle-like leaves, listening as he humbly and politely answered each question in turn.
The Old Master was sizing him up on her behalf.
His answers seemed to satisfy the old man, who thought for a moment before asking, "Do you play chess?"
Fu Shijin nodded. The Old Master immediately pressed on, "Then how about a few games with this old man?"
"Thinkthink," the Old Master added, "I have no idea what state Shengsheng's gotten the kitchen into. Go lend her a hand."
"Shengsheng is back?" Mei Ran asked.
Hadn't she said her schedule was packed and she wouldn't be back until tomorrow?
"She came back yesterday," the Old Master said. "She insisted on cooking a meal for me herself. Her culinary skills... I really dare not compliment them!"
After Mei Ran left, the atmosphere in the room shifted subtly. The Old Master had someone set up the chessboard. "Let's begin."
He had immersed himself in the art of chess for years, refining his skills to a profound, masterful level. He skillfully unveiled one hidden, perilous maneuver after another, advancing relentlessly. Yet this young man remained perfectly calm and composed. Quietly, he navigated each danger, defusing them one by one—yet he only defended, never attacked. His steady mind and noble bearing were truly rare.
A man's chess style reflects his character. After just three games, the Old Master swept his sleeve and smiled once more. "Let's end it here."
Fu Shijin inwardly sighed with relief. He knew he had passed this test.
After chatting for a while longer, the Old Master asked someone to bring over a worn-out photo album. He carefully washed his hands before opening it with the utmost care, revealing the deep fondness he held for its contents.
"This is Thinkthink when she was three," he said, pointing to a photo of a little girl in a short skirt. "She was playing in the backyard with Yusheng and tripped. See? Tears are still glistening in her eyes."
Fu Shijin examined it with intense focus, refusing to miss a single detail. The exquisitely beautiful, doll-like little girl gazed confusedly at the camera, her small pink mouth puckered, her knee slightly scraped and flushed pink. His heart felt abruptly wrenched.
That was a time he could never partake in. All he could do was use photographs to glimpse shadows of her past.
The Old Master closed the album, his tone earnest and weighty. "Thinkthink and her mother both grew up under my watch. I treasure them like my own daughter and granddaughter... That she brought you here to meet me shows she's made her choice. And reality has proven her eye for judging people is good."
Fu Shijin felt deeply moved, waves of warm, gentle emotion churning inside him. Steadying himself, he spoke, "Mr. Yu, I have a rather impertinent request."
The Old Master hastily hugged the album tighter, his eyes rounding and his white whiskers trembling. "Don't even think about eyeing these photos!"
Fu Shijin laughed softly. "You misunderstand."
"I've heard you are one of Binnan's top-ranking master tailors, and that you only create wedding dresses. I..."
"Aren't you the least bit curious what the Old Master might say to your man?"
Steam and savory aromas swirled in the kitchen. Yu Sheng took a little spoon to taste the broth, finding it too mild. She added another pinch of salt.
Mei Ran was long since immune to phrases like "your man." She thought for a moment. "I have faith in him."
"Look at you, all sweetness," Yu Sheng scoffed lightly. "Spare the lonely single some mercy, please! Thank you!"
"But, speaking of which, doesn't Ye Qihan seem interested in you?"
Yu Sheng seemed to jump as if electrified, her voice leaping at least an octave higher. "That playboy Casanova? Surrounded by a swarm of buzzing butterflies? Him, pursuing me? I spit my utter contempt a hundred thousand miles his way!"
That big a reaction? That was even more suspicious. Mei Ran suppressed a laugh, her tone innocent. "I only said he 'seemed interested' in you. I never said he was pursuing you."
Yu Sheng: "..."
"Anyway," she fumed, tossing the ladle aside and shaking a fist upward, "don't ever mention that man in front of me again! Right now, I'm just focused on winning the championship. When I do, I'll give him a taste of his own medicine!"
Mei Ran suddenly remembered something. "Didn't you say you still had to record 'The Voice of China's Greatest Singer'? How come you came back today?"
"Don't even mention it," Yu Sheng sighed. "All thanks to your lovely cousin. She disappeared without a word a while back, making the whole crew wait for her, not a word of explanation. Then, heaven knows what she fed the producers—the whole thing just floated away without a sound. A few days ago, she asks for more leave again! Record? Record what?! We can't record our nails!"
She bared her teeth dramatically. "It's a level of star tantrums I'd be ashamed to pull, but she wields it with such ease! She owes everything she has today to the MR name. Damn it! I really wish I could rush up and tear that hypocritical mask right off her face!"
"Here's my opinion," Yu Sheng turned, placing a hand on Mei Ran's shoulder, her tone utterly serious. "Sweetie, everyone has their limit of tolerance. You've already tolerated her long enough, haven't you? No matter what happened in the past, you can just wipe the slate clean, okay?"
"Besides," she added emphatically, "if she actually wins the championship in the end—if she does it on real merit, I have nothing to say. But if she's blowing in on MR's wind… I swear I'd spit blood! It's disgusting!"
A rich smile bloomed on Mei Ran's lips as she offered a semi-joking consolation. "Then how about this: Before the finals, I'll expose the lie that she's not MR. That way..." She deliberately drew out her words meaningfully. "Once you win the championship, you can go 'do as you please' with that Mr. Ye."
Yu Sheng blushed and glared at her. "You'd better keep your word!"
As they had as children, Mei Ran interlocked their little fingers for a seal of promise. "Better now?"
Yu Sheng happily hugged her. "Awesome!"
"As a reward," she suddenly lowered her voice, winking suggestively, "how about I arrange for you two to share a room tonight?"
Images flashed across Mei Ran's mind, the echo of his words—"Next time I definitely won't let you off"—still ringing faintly in her ears. She fell silent… then silent some more.
Yu Sheng leaned closer again. "Don't tell me you still haven't crossed that final threshold."
"Shengsheng!"
"It can't be?! I can believe you resisting, but I have serious doubts about *him* holding back."
Weren't all men under heaven the same on this?
Yu Sheng gleaned her answer from Mei Ran's expression and lowered her voice slightly more. "Aren't you worried about causing him some… physical discomfort?"
Mei Ran silently mumbled to herself, *But I feel it's natural we should reach that point now… However, he…*
A man's mind could indeed be hard to fathom.