Snow fluttered down in a hushed rush. An old, leafless tree in the courtyard bore a cloak of snow on its branches, when suddenly, with a soft *snap*, one of its sparse, slanting limbs broke.
The two pairs of intertwined gazes finally broke apart.
“Why did you come back so suddenly?” Mei Ran bit her lower lip, asking the question again.
The man suddenly bent down, pressing his forehead against hers, holding still for a long moment before murmuring softly, “I missed you.”
Even though it seemed his heart held a garden bursting with the blossoms of spring, his tone was deceptively light and casual, spoken near her ear as if it would scatter with the wind.
“Have you had lunch yet?”
Their noses were touching now too. The warm breath from Mei Ran’s words naturally mingled with his, and she suddenly felt a peculiar fluttering in her chest.
“No.”
As the warmth from his forehead and nose receded, the next moment his lips brushed against her eyelids. “Ranran.”
His voice sounded remarkably hoarse.
“Right now, I feel more like… eating something else.”
Mei Ran blinked in confusion. Before she could react, he scooped her up by the waist. Carrying her inside, he even managed to use one hand to lock the door behind them.
From the steady, powerful, yet slightly out-of-control rhythm of his heartbeat against her ear, she understood. Something she had been vaguely anticipating seemed about to happen.
Sure enough, he set her down, cupped her face directly, and pressed her against the door as he began to kiss her — his expression of feeling was more frank and unrestrained than any time before, lacking careful restraint, instead being open and audacious… a courtship.
Mei Ran pushed him away, panting, her face already flushed beyond recognition. “I… I should take a shower first.”
The man responded with a low “Mhm,” releasing her only after a long pause.
The sound of water started in the bathroom. Mei Ran searched around, muttering in annoyance to herself, “Where is that rose essential oil I bought before? I can’t find it…”
Ah, ah, ah!
She was so focused she didn’t hear the doorknob turn. By the time she realized, the tall, straight figure was already standing before her. Mei Ran stared at him wide-eyed, her clear gaze full of questions.
A faint flush seemed to linger on the man’s handsome face. He walked over unhurriedly. “I just remembered… I need a shower too.”
“So,” he concluded swiftly, “let’s shower together.”
Mei Ran’s legs turned weak right there in the bathroom. After washing, barely wrapped in a towel, when he carried her out and placed her on the bed, she felt as if all strength had been drained from her body.
“Ranran,” she heard his soft chuckle above her amidst her dazed consciousness. “I haven’t even started properly yet.”
Mei Ran: “……”
The concentrated flush on her neck rapidly spread across her entire body.
…
“Don’t be afraid. It’s me.”
Mei Ran’s brows furrowed with pain, her toes curling slightly. The sheets beneath her were already rumpled beyond recognition, twisted into intricate floral patterns.
A few small white flowers she had earlier picked up under the tree fell from her hair, scattering...
The ebb and flow of the tide was the rhythm pulsing within her body — passionate and powerful at the peak, and sometimes so tenderly lingering as it receded. She felt every part of her slowly melting into that rising heat.
Finally, the sea calmed. The beach was left with many shells, tinted a soft pink by the enchanting glow that suffused her.
So, being intimate with someone you loved felt this wonderful.
The man was still placing intermittent, feather-light kisses, calling out “Ranran” with each one. Mei Ran grasped his hand, their palms fitting together, warm and comforting. She drifted into peaceful sleep.
In the dimly lit bedroom, they slept curled together in satisfied embrace, oblivious as the sun outside faded into the moon.
Mei Ran’s eyelashes fluttered; she tried to open her eyes but seemed unable to. She was simply too exhausted, her strength thoroughly depleted.
“Awake?”
She mumbled an affirmative noise, nuzzling against his chest. “Sleepy.”
“Want to sleep a bit more then?” The voice falling over her hair was soft and magnetic.
“What time is it?”
“Eight-twelve.”
“At night?!” Mei Ran’s drowsiness fled instantly.
Fu Shijin chuckled. “Otherwise?”
“Did anyone come looking for me for dinner?”
“Aunt Zhou came by once. You were still asleep, so I didn’t wake you.” The amusement on his brow was unmistakable, even letting out a soft laugh. “She knows I’m here with you.”
“What did she say?”
Fu Shijin thought for a moment, quite seriously. “Quite a lot. What aspect do you want to know about?”
Mei Ran: “Forget it.”
She could imagine.
“Hungry?”
“Not hungry.”
A low rumble answered for her.
Mei Ran glanced down sheepishly, changing her tune. “A little.”
He seemed to be in excellent spirits, his gaze growing deeper. “Me too.”
Old Zhou’s wife, apparently overjoyed, had forgotten to leave them dinner. Sitting on a chair by the window in the small kitchen, Mei Ran watched the slightly blurred silhouette of the figure near the stove, bathed in the soft lamplight, a smile unconsciously curving her lips.
Dinner was simple. Fu Shijin cooked a large pot of noodles with two poached eggs. They sat closely together, eating one bite at a time, sharing the bowl.
Though the noodles were plain, what spread between their lips and teeth was an undeniable, intensely sweet intimacy.
Mei Ran lived in a separate courtyard, some distance from the main house, so few people usually came by. Thus, the night felt exceptionally quiet. This small kitchen had been specially arranged for her. Old Zhou’s wife doted on her, always fixing her nourishing dishes every time she returned.
How could a stomach pampered so easily be satisfied with just noodles? Dragging her sore, weak legs, she rummaged inside and found a piece of marinated beef in the refrigerator. Instantly, delight lit up her face.
“Let’s have a barbecue.”
The induction cooker and grill plate were ready to hand. Mei Ran used a small knife to slice the beef into thin pieces, neatly arranged on a white porcelain plate. To offset the richness, she also washed half a basket of lettuce and a plate of strawberries.
Fu Shijing handled the grilling. He had never done such things before. After sacrificing a few pieces of beef, his movements, while not yet skilled, began to take proper shape.
The beef was already well-seasoned, and soon a fragrant aroma filled the room.
The small kitchen had no heating. Mei Ran brought over a small charcoal brazier from somewhere, threw a few pieces of charcoal inside, blew into it, and soon fiery red tongues of flame emerged.
She washed her hands, sat at the table, and took a deep breath. “Smells wonderful.”
The meat on the grill sizzled enticingly. Fu Shijin tossed a piece of lettuce onto it to absorb the excess oil, then deftly picked up a piece of beef with his chopsticks and brought it to her lips.
Mei Ran bit in the whole piece. The rich juices of the meat spread across her tongue — perfectly charred on the outside, tender on the inside. She closed her eyes in satisfaction, nudging his arm. “More.”
Fu Shijin fed her several more pieces in succession. Worried she might have indigestion later in the night, he firmly refused to give her more. He himself preferred light meals and only moved his chopsticks a few times before putting them down.
The charcoal in the brazier burned brightly, red like agate. The room began to warm up. Mei Ran rubbed her hands together, exhaled, and placed the small brass kettle beside her on the brazier.
“What’s that?”
“Herbal tea,” she said. “For calming and restoring.”
Truthfully, wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a small flask of warm wine right now?
A harsh winter, a snowy night, and your dearest love by your side — could there be anything happier in this world?
Mei Ran suddenly remembered something and laughed. “What do you think Aunt Zhou’s reaction will be tomorrow when she discovers the beef she had prepared has vanished without a trace?”
She looked like a child who had pulled off a small mischief, a glint of playfulness in her eyes.
“I’d like to know too,” he suddenly grasped her hand, leaning half his body towards her. “Her reaction tomorrow when she discovers a certain big, live person has vanished without a trace as well.”
Mei Ran blinked, tilting her head. “What do you mean?”
“Ranran.” Those deep eyes so close before her seemed on the verge of dripping with tenderness. “Come back to France with me.”
Old Zhou’s wife’s reaction came much faster than they had anticipated. Mei Ran had just arrived at the airport when her call came.
Listening to her rapid-fire speech, Mei Ran was surprised. “My father is back.”
“Yes!” Old Zhou’s wife said. “He just arrived home not long ago.” She quickly remembered the purpose of her call. “Where are you? I looked all over but couldn’t find you…”
Mei Ran hesitated for a moment. “I’m at the airport right now.”
“The airport?!” Old Zhou’s wife’s voice rose sharply.
Fu Shijin glanced at her. Mei Ran met his gaze, a flicker of uncertainty crossing her expression.
“Think Think.” Mei Hongyuan’s gentle voice came through the phone. “Are you with Shijin?”
“Yes.”
“Think Think, please hand the phone to Shijin. I’d like a few words with him.”
“Uncle.”
Mei Ran then listened as he responded with several “Mhm”s, followed by, “Please don’t worry, Uncle. I will take good care of her.”
Then, the phone was returned to her.
“Think Think,” Mei Hongyuan’s voice said. “Dad knows what’s on your mind.”
*In this life, Dad will walk a very long road with you, but in the end, I cannot accompany you to the very end. I cannot shelter you from all of life’s storms, large and small. That’s why I have encouraged you to be independent, to get accustomed to days without Dad by your side.
But now you’ve found the person you’ll spend the rest of your life with. Dad believes he will protect you well too.
Leave the calculations and dealing with such matters to us. You can still live simply and happily.*
How could Mei Ran not understand?
“Dad,” her voice was soft, yet carrying a stubborn firmness. “I know you’re afraid I’ll be wronged, that you want to handle everything perfectly for me yourself. But you can’t keep sheltering me forever. I’m not a flower in a greenhouse… This situation began because of me, so it should be me who ends it.”
Silence stretched on the other end. Finally, he relented.
Mei Ran put away her phone. The man beside her stood up. Their gazes met, and she already understood the thoughts in his heart from his eyes.
“I’ll go back with you,” he said, helping her put on her coat.
Her personality was more like her gentle mother’s, inheriting her philosophy of ‘avoiding contention.’ Combined with her father’s airtight protection all these years, Mei Ran had very little experience in handling conflicts with others. Going to France with him might have been a hurried, impulsive decision. But returning to the Mei family — this determination was unprecedentedly firm.
At the Mei residence, Old Madame Mei was still in a towering rage. Mei Qingyuan was being scolded as if he were a worthless grandson, not daring to draw a deep breath, silently bearing her finger-pointing accusations, all the while waves of resentment churned inside him.
Having such a narrow-minded mother who cared only for momentary venting was truly his misfortune.
Old Madame Mei gradually ran out of steam and began weeping for her deceased husband. Then she clamored about taking the matter to several elder clansmen, demanding they judge and uphold justice on her behalf.
Her words hadn’t even cooled when footsteps sounded outside the window. Shortly after, an elderly maidservant attending her entered. “Third Elder Uncle is here.”
The old lady seemed to have met her savior. A sharp, bright light instantly flashed in her aged, sunken eyes. “Quick! Show him in!”
The maidservant said, “Third Elder Uncle and several other elders are in the Council Hall. They request your presence.”
Mei Qingyuan’s eyelids suddenly twitched, a vague sense of foreboding stirring. Indeed, as soon as he stepped out the door, he noticed the light snow that had been drifting had suddenly transformed into a heavy flurry. The old lady charged forward with vigorous steps, not even waiting for an umbrella, and soon left the courtyard. He hurriedly trotted after her.
Third Elder Uncle was the senior elder of the Mei family today, with snow-white beard and eyebrows, but he looked spirited and carried great authority.
As soon as Old Madame Mei entered the Council Hall, without even clearly seeing those present, she began her tearful lamentations. “Third Elder Uncle, you must uphold justice for me!”
Mei Qingyuan, following behind, saw the stern, solemn expressions of the seated elders. His heart sank. Though he wasn’t a shrewd man, his years in municipal offices had taught him to read people. They didn’t look like they were here to ‘uphold justice,’ but more like they were coming to call to account.
His gaze shifted to Mei Hongyuan, who looked impassive, yet exuded a chillingly severe aura. Mei Qingyuan shivered, a thought exploding in his mind:
*It’s over, it’s over. Tonight, I’m afraid we’re going to lose all dignity here.*
As the eldest son and current pillar of the Mei family, Mei Hongyuan had countless eyes watching him. Added to his vow to the Old Master to take good care of his widow, no matter what he did openly, it would attract criticism. It was precisely this that had emboldened the old lady, allowing her to run rampant in the Mei family for years.
Since seniority prevented him from directly overstepping, the only recourse was to summon elders whose seniority could override hers. Every elder present, in terms of standing and seniority, ranked above Old Madame Mei.
Looking at this shrewish woman before him, Third Elder Uncle sighed inwardly.
*She truly is from the countryside, petty, and unfit for such a grand family. Even after all these years in the Mei household, she hasn’t changed at all. Back then, I was the most vehemently opposed to this marriage, but I couldn’t withstand her sweet talk and manipulations!*
Just then, the curtain was lifted, and Old Zhou’s wife entered. “Miss Ran and her husband have returned.”
Snowflakes swirled with the wind as Mei Ran and Fu Shijin walked in together. Mei Ran first greeted each elder in the room politely, then introduced, “This is my fiancé, Fu Shijin.”
Fu Shijin conducted himself flawlessly. Combined with his exceptional appearance and appropriate speech, his first impression scored at least a ninety in the elders’ minds.
Seeing everyone’s attention drawn elsewhere, Old Madame Mei was momentarily stunned. Uncertain whether to continue her fake tears or stop, she gaped, simply exhaling some of the stifling anger in her chest.
“Explain what this is about,” Third Elder Uncle said, looking at Mei Hongyuan. “You wouldn’t have invited us old fellows here just for a reunion chat.”
Mei Hongyuan smiled slightly, glancing at his daughter.
Mei Ran nodded at him.
She recounted the events calmly and concisely, her words precise and resonant, gaining strength as she spoke, though with a slight tremble and hint of tears in her voice. “My father and mother shared a deep marital bond. To this day, my father has remained unmarried. Yet, now he’s being slandered with rumors of keeping a mistress, and I, as an ‘illegitimate daughter’ born outside the marriage. This completely fabricated slander has affected my work. The stock price of Mei Group has plummeted repeatedly. Both personal and public reputations have suffered damage. And the architect behind all of this is Mei Mengran.”
Hearing this, the elders’ expressions changed drastically. Having retreated from worldly affairs for years, they never imagined things could have gotten this… serious.
Third Elder Uncle asked coldly, “Qingyuan, where is that adopted daughter of yours now? Why isn’t she here? Could it be that as a big star, she can’t spare a glance for us anymore?”
Mei Qingyuan stammered. “She’s… she’s in the hospital.”
The old lady also sensed something was off, and half her bravado evaporated. “She’s seriously ill, lying in the hospital right now. It wasn’t intentional that she didn’t come.”
“Oh?” Third Elder Uncle’s white beard quivered as he smiled slightly. “Previously, I heard she was hospitalized due to a suicide attempt. And later, I heard you threw a teacup at Mei Ran in a fit of rage?”
Why was it always her faults being highlighted?
Old Madame Mei glossed over the truth. “She was disrespectful to me first. I just flew into a temper on the spot.”
The elders seemed to hear a joke. Third Elder Uncle’s voice was gritted out from between his teeth. “Disrespectful?”
He looked at Mei Ran. “Ranran, explain to me exactly how she was ‘disrespectful’ to you.”
“She insulted me verbally, saying I forced Mei Mengran to attempt suicide, and even tried to brush aside the matter of the ‘illegitimate child’ accusation. I argued with her on principle. When she ran out of words, she simply threw a teacup at me.” Mei Ran even pulled up her sleeve, revealing her wrist.
The elders were seated somewhat far, but Fu Shijin, right beside her, saw clearly at a glance.
So, his woman wasn’t entirely weak and harmless either; sometimes, she could show her claws.
That mark wasn’t from scalding tea at all. It was clearly from his own kisses.
But, she hadn’t specified how that redness came about. In the eyes of the elders, they probably assumed it was indeed from scalding tea water.
Third Elder Uncle slammed the table with a bang. “As the matriarch of the household, not only do you fail to cherish younger generations, you even physically harm them! You! Do you have anything more to say?”
The sharp slap of his hand left the old lady momentarily stunned. “If she hadn’t harmed our Ranran first, how could I have…”
In her panic, she lashed out illogically. “Mei Ran! Don’t forget your life was saved by our Ranran!”
Third Elder Uncle had also heard about her youthful secrets. Though he believed sentimentality wasn’t necessarily bad, witnessing her doting on Mei Mengran all these years, he had turned a blind eye. Mei Mengran *had* indeed saved Mei Ran. But constantly dangling this as leverage had lost all decency.
“Mei Née Zhao,” Third Elder Uncle said pointedly, gesturing towards Mei Ran, “Take a good look. This is the genuine first-born granddaughter of the Mei family, the daughter of our esteemed eldest branch. And of course,” his tone turned stern, “if you do not consider yourself part of the Mei family, that is a different matter entirely.”
By now, even someone as coarse-nerved and slow to react as Old Madame Mei sensed something was deeply wrong. She threw herself on her knees with a thud, wailing loudly. “Husband! Do you see? They’re trying… to drive me to my death!”
Mei Ran watched this coldly, not an ounce of sympathy in her heart. Instead, it felt like a heavy stone had been removed, bringing a slight feeling of relief.
Mei Hongyuan chose this moment to speak. “Elders, before my father passed, he made me swear to treat his widow well. Over the years, I believe I have upheld this vow without guilt in my heart. However, her actions are truly disheartening… I, Mei Hongyuan, can tolerate and concede, but I cannot allow my daughter to suffer wrongs alongside me.”
“Back then, Father only asked that she be treated well. I never made a promise to him to preserve his widow’s position as the household matriarch. It was only because my wife passed early, and I lacked a consort to manage the household, that she remained in that role… Today, I ask our elders to bear witness…”
The room fell completely silent, only Mei Hongyuan’s weighty voice resonating. As he finished his last sentence, the old lady seemed as if her bones had been snatched away, collapsing to the floor, her face drained of color. Recovering slightly but abandoning all face, she crawled to Third Elder Uncle’s feet, reaching for his trousers.
Third Elder Uncle barked coldly, “Are the servants attending her all dead?!”
Servants quickly rushed forward to pull the old lady away.
Third Elder Uncle asked, “Mei Ran, what do you think of your father’s proposal?”
“I find it highly reasonable,” Mei Ran said. “I am still young and lack experience, insufficient to shoulder such a great responsibility. But Aunt Huiyuan was raised since childhood by our grandmother’s side, intimately familiar with the Mei household’s workings. She would be most suitable to manage the household affairs.”
The ‘grandmother’ she referred to was the legitimate Madam Mei of that era.
Old Madam Mei had a son and a daughter: eldest son Mei Hongyuan and younger daughter Mei Huiyuan.
In her youth, Mei Huiyuan fell in love with a destitute painter. Facing her father’s fierce opposition to the match, the Old Master even severed father-daughter ties unilaterally. In the second year after her elopement, the painter died in a car accident. Thereafter, she wandered alone in foreign lands, never marrying her whole life.
One could imagine the effort Mei Hongyuan had expended to persuade her to return and manage the household.
“Qingyuan,” Third Elder Uncle asked again, “Do you have any objections to your mother stepping down as household matriarch and moving to the Side Courtyard?”
Mei Qingyuan swallowed hard. Despite the midwinter chill, cold sweat drenched his back layer by layer. “This…”
Old Madame Mei shot a fierce glance his way. He shuddered again, stammering for a long while without forming a coherent answer.
Mei Liangzhi, who had been standing by the entrance, walked in. “In front of our esteemed elders, I also wish to say something fair.”
Both the old lady and Mei Qingyuan looked at him.
“I believe this decision should have been made a decade ago,” Mei Liangzhi said with a light smile. “I’m not favoring anyone, simply addressing facts. Everyone present has witnessed what has transpired these past years. Who is right and who is wrong, I don’t need to spell it out; it’s clear in your hearts. Let me speak of my own experience. The year of the university entrance exams, the only major I applied for was the Economics Department at B University. Yet, later I received an acceptance letter from People’s University. I have to say, at first I thought heaven was playing a joke on me. Who could have imagined…” He slowly turned his gaze in a certain direction. “…that someone had arbitrarily altered my application choices.”
Mei Qingyuan wished he could bury his head in the ground. He, too, had been pressured by the old lady.
“Without my knowledge, my life was altered. All because my own grandmother heard that a career in government would glorify our family name…”
“I originally planned to retake the exams, but she accused me of filial impiety, of blatantly defying her, so I went to People’s University. But afterwards, unbeknownst to her, I took the postgraduate entrance exam for the economics department,” he said with a self-deprecating smile. “Life is in your own hands. You cannot let the ignorant notions of others, even blood relatives, easily ruin it.”
“Ranran, I admire your courage. And,” he added, speaking slowly and deliberately, “I personally fully agree with Uncle’s decision.”
Mei Qingyuan clenched his fists, fingernails digging into his palms. Summoning a sudden burst of lonely courage, he stated, “I… I also agree!”
The old lady trembled with rage from head to toe. “You… you! Are you rebelling? Treating me like this… may heaven strike you with thunder!”
“Attendants!” Third Elder Uncle made the final decision. “Take Mei Née Zhao back. Post a few people to watch her, lest she runs around spouting nonsense in her madness.”
This was essentially house arrest. Realizing the tide had turned irrevocably, the old lady’s vision blackened and she fainted — a genuine faint this time.
The farce finally drew to a close.
Mei Hongyuan was busy seeing the elders out. Mei Ran, parched and exhausted as if after a hard-fought battle, was about to get a drink of tea when, taking just one step, her legs buckled. Fortunately, Fu Shijin reacted swiftly and caught her.
“What’s wrong?”
His arm around her waist was steady and strong. The warm breath grazing her ear felt ticklish. Involuntarily, Mei Ran remembered certain scenes from not long ago. He clearly did too, whispering near her ear, “Still feeling very uncomfortable?”