Chapter 18

The sky was overcast, and a few scattered snowflakes danced in the air, falling to the ground and quickly disappearing.

Ji Mingfei walked up the long steps of the cemetery with one hand in his pocket and the other carrying a black paper bag.

A cold wind, mixed with snowflakes, ruffled the damp, stray hairs in front of her eyes. Ji Mingfei stopped to rest for a moment, gazing at the endless distance, exhaling a puff of warm white breath.

At first glance, the silent cemetery had only two or three people standing in front of the tombstones. In this sacred place of death, the only thing that made it feel alive was the evergreen plants, which added a touch of life to the bleak depths of winter.

Ji Mingfei rested twice before standing in front of the tombstone she had missed day and night. She had never felt so exhausted, and her longing became even more urgent as her body was burdened.

She placed a bouquet of white carnations in front of the tombstone, bent over and carefully wiped the black marble steps clean, then moved her heavy body to sit on the steps and arrange the offerings.

"Mom, I've come to see you! You must have missed me since I last visited. I don't work in the same place anymore, so I can't come back to see you often."

I've listened to you and been trying hard to find a partner. Maybe I'm just unlucky; I always seem to meet the wrong people. My boyfriend from university broke up with me after graduation. His family arranged a job for him, and he said he didn't want a long-distance relationship.

After I started working, I dated a few more people. Some only wanted to date and not get married, while others felt it wasn't a good fit after hearing about my family situation. I even almost dated a married man.

Ji Mingfei gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"Mom, I don't want to get married anymore. You always say, 'Hurry up and find an alpha to take care of me,' but has Dad taken good care of you? How long has it been since he last visited you after you passed away? I'm not saying this to upset you, but there are many ways to build a family, and marriage isn't the only option."

There's one more thing I made without consulting you. I'm pregnant, with an alpha I don't know. I later found out she's a high-ranking executive at her company, but I didn't tell her. I want to raise the child alone; in a few months I'll have a family.”

The snow was heavier than when she first arrived, and soon a thin layer of snowflakes covered Ji Mingfei. She opened her black umbrella and leaned against the cold tombstone, sitting alone with her mother.

…

Ji Mingfei had just returned from the cemetery that afternoon, and she hesitated whether to go see her father. Not long after her mother's death, her father had remarried and had another child; he probably didn't even remember she was his daughter anymore.

In a daze, Ji Mingfei found herself carrying a fruit basket to the building where she had lived for over a decade. The kitchen light was on on the second floor, and a strange woman was busy cooking. She had never seen the woman her father had remarried; she had only heard that a relative had introduced her, and that she had a child with her.

Ji Mingfei went upstairs and found that the original red-painted door had been replaced with a fingerprint security door. The brand-new door, which looked out of place with the peeling paint and mottled stairwell, was like a heavily fortified city wall, refusing to let anyone in.

Ji Mingfei mustered her courage and knocked on the door, followed by the sound of children making noise inside. After a while, someone opened the door, and the head of an eight or nine-year-old boy peeked out from the crack.

"Who are you looking for?" he asked.

Judging by his age, he wasn't her father's child with that woman. Ji Mingfei suddenly realized that this home, which she used to come and go freely, no longer belonged to her.

Ji Mingfei put down the fruit basket, said nothing, and turned to leave.

A middle-aged woman's voice came from behind, scolding the child, "Why do you keep opening the door? Who bought this stuff...?"

As Ji Mingfei came out of the stairwell, she heard a window upstairs opened and a familiar voice calling her from upstairs, "Feifei!"

She didn't turn around; instead, she quickened her pace.

The next morning, Ji Mingfei checked out of the hotel and took the earliest train back to Takito.

…

Around 7 a.m. on New Year's Eve, Chu Yue was dragged out of bed by her mother. Buying New Year's goods, putting up couplets, and preparing ingredients for frying, stir-frying, and cooking kept her extremely busy.

"Mom, why are you preparing so much stuff? What era are we living in? I don't want to eat leftovers every day." Chu Yue, wearing the bright red cotton-padded jacket her mother wore at her wedding, collapsed on the sofa, too exhausted to move.

"You're so young, yet you're not as nimble as an old lady like me. You can't even handle this little bit of work. With your stamina, you're a director? You'd collapse from exhaustion if you couldn't even oversee one project! I've told you so many times to exercise more and stop just eating and sleeping!"

Mrs. Chu walked over with a rolling pin, kicked Chu Yue's foot, and said, "Today is New Year's Eve. Call An'an over for New Year's Eve dinner tonight. They promoted you to general manager of the new company, so you have to do something to show your appreciation."

"Huh?" Chu Yue frowned. "Mom, the general manager of Shanhe is not as high-ranking as the group's project director. I've actually been demoted this time."

"Then we should definitely treat them to a meal! We should proactively acknowledge our mistakes at work and demonstrate our determination to improve! We'll look forward to returning to headquarters when the opportunity arises."

"..."

Seeing that Chu Yue was sitting still, Chu's mother turned back and called her, "What are you daydreaming about so early in the morning? Go call An'an and tell her to pick her up and come to our house for dinner later."

"Mom, shouldn't she be spending the holiday with her family today? If I bring her here, what will happen to Aunt Liu?"

"Of course we'll bring them all over together! You're so clueless, how did you become a director!"

"..."

What does this have to do with the director?!

Chu Yue, wrapped in her clothes, slumped into the sofa. "I'm not going."

"Why not go? You and An'an have been playing together since school, and after graduation you went to work at her dad's company. Even if An'an has feelings for you, if you don't take the initiative to approach her, are you expecting her to throw herself at you?"

Chu Yue suddenly jumped up from the sofa and said, "It's this one you're talking about, I can't go."

"..." Mrs. Chu was stunned for a moment, then leaned closer and whispered, "You don't like her?"

"dislike."

"You're inseparable from her all the time, even your work is intertwined... Aren't you just making people misunderstand?" Mrs. Chu sternly reprimanded her daughter.

Chu Yue slapped her thigh in frustration, "I'm helping her manage the company, not getting involved. How come your words take on a different meaning?"

Mrs. Chu shook her head, muttering as she walked towards the kitchen, "I don't understand you young people these days."

Chu Yue sat on the sofa, arms crossed, lost in thought. She had been back for several days and wondered if Ji Mingfei had gotten past her parents. She had wanted to message him several times to ask about the situation, but she was worried that her family would see it and disrupt her plans.

She opened the app she had just downloaded on her phone, "Bitter Coffee That's Sweet Even Without Sugar," but the homepage hadn't been updated.

Chu Yue dialed Deng Jie's number and got up to walk to her room.

…

On New Year's Eve, every household lit up their lights, and the sound of firecrackers rose and fell from downstairs.

Ji Mingfei sat in the unlit living room, watching with envy the lively festive scenes of the neighbors across the street.

The phone screen on the table suddenly lit up.

Ji Mingfei snapped out of her daze and picked up her phone.

Happy Lunar New Year's Eve!

Upon seeing the congratulatory text message from Chu Yue, a smile slowly appeared on Ji Mingfei's face.

She thought for a long time, but still replied with the same message, "Happy New Year's Eve!" She wanted to send something else, but felt that showing too much concern would be going too far, so she didn't say anything more in the end.

"Have you got a meal yet?"

"Yes, I've already eaten."

"What did you eat?"

"Are you asking such detailed questions?"

Ji Mingfei held her phone for a long time, but didn't receive a reply from Chu Yue. She must be busy! Ji Mingfei comforted herself with this excuse.

She touched her protruding belly, wondering if the little one inside was hungry; she didn't feel particularly hungry herself. The takeout she ordered for lunch wasn't very good, and she only ate a few bites before throwing it away. Then she took a nap, and after waking up, she just sat on the sofa, not wanting to watch TV or use her phone.

Ding ding.

Someone knocked on the door.

Ji Mingfei looked up at the front door, but remained seated. She knew she had no relatives or friends here, and her colleagues had all gone home; no one would knock on her door.

You must have knocked on the wrong door.

Ding ding.

The knocking sounded again.

Ji Mingfei hesitated before standing up and slowly walking towards the entrance. Could it be a thief breaking in during the New Year? She nervously swallowed and searched for defensive tools within her sight.

My phone suddenly vibrated.

Startled, Ji Mingfei quickly covered her phone and looked down to see a message from Chu Yue.

"Open the door"

"..."

Ji Mingfei took two seconds to react before walking over and peering through the peephole at the door.

Chu Yue stood at the door, wearing a thick, long coat and carrying a huge bag.

Ji Mingfei pressed the doorknob, staring in disbelief at the woman who had seemingly fallen from the sky outside the door.

"Mr. Chu... why are you back? It's only New Year's Eve today..."

Chu Yue looked at Ji Mingfei, who hadn't left the house in who knows how long. He was unkempt and seemed to have lost weight.

"I'm in my most vulnerable period," Chu Yue replied expressionlessly.