Chapter 19 is a WeChat message...
The next morning, the world outside the window was still a pure white. Xia Zhiyao woke up earlier than Zhou Yue.
She didn't wake him, but instead made coffee in the kitchen. Her movements were as efficient as ever, but she lacked the leisure of yesterday. After pouring the coffee into a cup, she stood by the window, her gaze passing over the white snowfield and landing on the distant treeline. She was lost in thought for a long time.
Zhou Yue slowly woke up, stretched, washed up and came out to see her squatting by the fireplace, packing a few clothes and scattered items into her suitcase.
"Awake?" She didn't turn her head, her tone indifferent.
"Hmm." He rubbed his hair as he walked over, smiling lazily. "You're packing so early? Didn't you say you were leaving at noon?"
"Finish tidying up as soon as possible." She pointed to the dining table. "I've made the coffee, and breakfast is on the table."
Zhou Yue didn't go to look at the breakfast. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her from behind, half-hanging on her, his body still warm from just waking up and a little lazy: "Then sit down and eat with me."
Xia Zhiyao was held so tightly by him that she couldn't move. She could only put down the clothes in her hands, turn around and glance at him: "How old are you? Why are you still holding onto me like this?"
He chuckled softly, resting his head gently on her shoulder, "It'll be worth it if I hug you a little longer."
She didn't reply, but reached out and nudged him, though she didn't actually push him away.
The firelight from the fireplace illuminated her profile. Looking at that moment, Zhou Yue suddenly felt that he would rather stay here than return to the city.
Halfway through his meal, Zhou Yue suddenly looked down and reached into his pocket. When he opened his palm, he revealed the pull tab from the sparkling water bottle from yesterday.
Xia Zhiyao was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled: "You still kept it?"
“Then we must keep it,” he said firmly, as if reiterating an important fact. “It’s the ring you gave me.”
He held the small silver ring in his hand, his eyes serious as if he weren't joking, but a triumphant smile played on his lips: "Wait until I... get you a real diamond ring."
Xia Zhiyao lowered her head and stirred the bacon in the plate with her spoon. She didn't look at him immediately, but the corners of her mouth still couldn't help but curve slightly.
Breakfast was packed up slowly, as if no one was in a hurry to start. Xia Zhiyao didn't close her suitcase until only the red embers remained in the fireplace.
Zhou Yue helped her carry the suitcase to the door. Pushing the door open, a gust of cold mountain wind rushed in. The outside was as clean as a sheet of white paper. The wheels rolled over the snow, leaving a straight track.
He drove steadily down the mountain, the heating was on full blast, and a thin layer of fog covered the windows. Xia Zhiyao leaned against the passenger seat, watching the cedar trees and rocks recede into the distance.
Zhou Yue noticed her silence and her absent-mindedness: the way she looked at her phone, the few seconds of distraction when fastening her seatbelt, and the focused gaze she gave out the window while listening to music.
He wanted to ask, "Is something wrong?" but then thought that since she wouldn't say, he shouldn't ask for now.
As the car drove out of the town, Xia Zhiyao glanced back. The grove of trees was still there, and the snowdrifts under the eaves of the wooden houses were beginning to melt. The place where they had said they would "come back sometime" last night had now been quietly silenced by reality.
Zhou Yue turned his head to look at her. Her eyes were calm, but they seemed to be covered by a silent mist. The sunlight after the snow was bright and dazzling, and the entire road down the mountain was slightly shiny.
No one mentioned whether "goodbye" meant separation, nor did anyone ask whether they would have to face the old stories and restart their lives in that city after returning.
Only the sound of wheels rolling over ice and snow gently reminds you that the holiday is over.
But night has not yet fallen.
As evening fell, the car drove into the edge of the city, and darkness descended. The snow had not yet melted, and the streetlights cast a hazy glow with moisture.
Instead of going home, they turned into a retro little restaurant in the city, a place they had passed by but never entered. A handwritten blackboard menu hung at the door, and the doorbell rang, giving it a touch of old-fashioned European street style.
By the window, a warm glow was cast by a dim chandelier. Beside the oak table, a vase of dried hydrangeas stood quietly. The air was filled with the aromas of coffee, baking, and the scent of an old veneer sofa, creating a soft and gentle atmosphere that seemed to slow down the night.
The waiter handed them the menu, and the two looked down at it, the light casting a tranquil honey hue on their faces.
Zhou Yue spoke first: "Would you like to try their red wine braised beef? The reviews say it's delicious."
"OK."
After ordering, they waited quietly, while car lights passed by outside the window, creating a bustling rhythm unique to the city. But inside the glass window, it was as if they were enveloped by this warm light, creating a world even quieter than a wooden cabin in a snow-capped mountain.
Xia Zhiyao lowered her head and played with the coaster, her fingertips tracing circles along the edge, without saying a word. Her expression seemed calm, but her focused yet somewhat aimless movements suggested that she was trying hard to maintain an emotional balance.
Zhou Yue glanced at her, but did not break the silence. He simply touched the back of her hand lightly, with a touch so light it was almost like a question mark.
She glanced at him, a faint smile appearing on her lips. The smile came so quickly, almost like a reflex, that she deftly withdrew her hand, lowered her head, picked up her water glass, and took a sip.
The glass of water paused at her lips for a moment, her gaze falling to the window, as if she were staring at another world through the glass.
For a moment, Zhou Yue was suddenly in a daze.
She wore a simple black sweater with the cuffs slightly rolled up, and her long hair was loosely tied up, revealing only a glimpse of her fair skin behind her ears. She wore minimal makeup, her lips were very light, which made her face appear clean, serene, and even somewhat unapproachable.
Under the dim light, she looked like a painting gently frozen in time. Zhou Yue suddenly felt an urge to pull her into his arms, yet he wasn't sure if it was the right time.
Just then, the phone on the table vibrated slightly. Zhou Yue glanced down and saw a familiar contact name pop up on the WeChat video call: "Mom".
Without thinking twice, he answered the phone, his tone as lazy and familiar as ever: "Mom, I'm eating. Guess who I'm with right now?"
As he spoke, he raised his eyebrows and turned the front-facing camera of his phone towards Xia Zhiyao beside him.
Xia Zhiyao was cutting her steak when she paused, and just as she looked up, she bumped into the camera. A surprised exclamation came from the other end of the screen.
"Oh my, Zhiyao's here too?!"
In the picture, Zhou's mother is on the sofa at home, her hair neatly styled, looking dignified and energetic.
"Auntie," Xia Zhiyao greeted with a smile, her tone polite and gentle, "It's been a long time."
“That’s right,” Zhou’s mother said with a smile, her voice warm and friendly. “I was just talking to your mother the other day, saying that you’re too busy and never home.”
Xia Zhiyao smiled and said, "Yes, there's a lot going on at the company, and I'm always traveling for work."
"Going on a business trip to New York this time? Oh my, this child, she's been so capable since she was little, and now she's a real superwoman who flies around everywhere." Zhou's mother's tone revealed her heartfelt admiration. "But no matter how busy you are with work, you must take care of your health, you know?"
"Yes, I'll be careful." Xia Zhiyao's smile became more sincere. "Auntie, how have you been lately? Are you still playing badminton?"
"I'm playing now, but without you by my side to steal the ball at the net," Zhou's mother couldn't help but tease with a laugh. "If you were in Beijing, come back and play with me again."
"Then I'll definitely keep you company when I get back."
As they were talking, Zhou's mother suddenly squinted, as if she had noticed something: "Hey, Zhiyao, what's wrong with your hair? This color..."
Xia Zhiyao was slightly taken aback, then turned her head and glared at Zhou Yue, her tone helpless yet smiling: "This? It's a one-time spray, it'll come off with a wash, there's a party today."
Zhou Yue casually drank his water beside him, like a child watching a commotion.
“You two already have a good relationship, it would be good if you could keep in touch more often,” Zhou’s mother continued, her tone devoid of any other meaning, more like the advice of a familiar elder to a younger generation.
"You know that Sister Yao is already a very capable and powerful woman in the industry. Don't always be so carefree. If there's anything you don't understand or your plans are unclear, just ask her for advice."
She spoke naturally, as if it were a matter of course between elders, without any other meaning, but she just happened to touch on Xia Zhiyao's sensitive spot.
“Auntie, you’re exaggerating,” Xia Zhiyao said with a smile, shaking her head, but a hint of helplessness flashed in her eyes. “I was just lucky. I wouldn’t dare to accept the word ‘asking for advice’.”
While exchanging pleasantries with Zhou's mother, Xia Zhiyao secretly glanced at Zhou Yue out of the corner of her eye.
Sure enough, his expression changed instantly when his mother mentioned these caring words.
The gentle expression that had just been smiling suddenly turned somber, as if a switch had been flipped. The light in her eyes dimmed, her lips tightened, and she seemed shrouded in shadow.
“Then don’t be modest,” Zhou’s mother said gently, but with a hint of seriousness. “Zhiyao, you’ve always been more mature than Yueyue since you were little. As his mother, I won’t hide it from you. Although he’s stubborn, he’s actually a bit impetuous at heart. It’s not easy being out there.”
She paused, as if considering her words, "I know you have a broad vision and high aspirations, and you are usually very busy, but if you have some free time, please give him some pointers and help him avoid taking too many detours, I would be extremely grateful."
Xia Zhiyao smiled slightly and replied softly, "Don't worry, Auntie."
"Okay, okay." Mrs. Zhou nodded, then paused, "I know you have a broad vision and high aspirations, and you're usually very busy. But if you have time, please give him some pointers and help him avoid taking too many detours... As his mother, I would be extremely grateful."
Xia Zhiyao smiled gently, her expression tender and faint: "Don't worry, Auntie."
"Okay, okay." Mrs. Zhou nodded in satisfaction.
Xia Zhiyao smoothly picked up the conversation: "Then Auntie, you and Zhou Yue can continue chatting."
The video feed turned to Zhou Yue, and Zhou's mother immediately changed her tone, rambling on about her younger brother's application for graduate school, reminding him to keep an eye on the materials and recommenders, her tone filled with natural concern and habitual arrangements.
She didn't hang up the phone until she finished giving her instructions.
The moment the phone screen went dark, the warm light from the table filled his eyes again, but it couldn't dispel the gloom. Zhou Yue lowered his head and casually put the phone aside.
Xia Zhiyao looked at his lowered eyes and the tight lines of his lips. She gently placed her fingertips on the back of his hand and stroked it lightly.
“Don’t take it to heart,” she said softly. “Your mother is just concerned about you. Besides, now is indeed the most crucial time for your brother to apply for graduate school.”
“I know you don’t like others arranging your life.” Xia Zhiyao paused, looked up at him, and smiled self-deprecatingly. “Aren’t all mothers like that? My mom is the same. She calls me in the middle of the night without a care in the world and just cries.”
Xia Zhiyao seemed unwilling to let the atmosphere remain tense. She cut a small piece of cod from her plate, picked it up with her fork, and held it to his lips with a playful smile: "Here, have a bite."
Zhou Yue leaned forward slightly, about to open her mouth, but she smiled, flicked her wrist, and put the piece of cod directly into her mouth, chewing slowly, and deliberately let out a soft sigh: "Hmm, it's really delicious."
Zhou Yue stared at her for a long while before raising an eyebrow and chuckling softly. The gloom in his eyes seemed to have been partially revealed, showing a hint of helplessness and doting.
Zhou Yue finally spoke, his tone indifferent, as if he were bringing up old grievances: "She's really funny. She made a special call to arrange for someone to take care of me, so that I would take care of my brother and you would take care of me?"
Xia Zhiyao lowered her eyes, twirled the water glass between her fingers, took a sip of water, and didn't immediately respond. She simply said calmly, "It's quite normal. Your mother is so close to my parents, it's only natural for her to mention it casually."
"Then will you take care of me?" Zhou Yue asked casually, his tone half-joking, but his eyes lingered on her face for a moment without him noticing.
Xia Zhiyao snorted softly, glanced at him sideways, and curled her lips into a smile: "I took such good care of you, I even took care of you in bed."
As soon as she finished speaking, she casually picked up her water glass, took a small sip, and remained calm, just like her sharp remark from before, which only caused a small ripple on the glass before returning to stillness.
Zhou Yue paused for half a second, then the corners of his lips slowly turned up, his eyes carrying a mischievous glint, yet also a hint of sweetness after being provoked: "Hmm, he took good care of her... quite well. How about we take care of her some more when we get home tonight?"
Halfway through the meal, Xia Zhiyao suddenly put down her chopsticks, as if she had remembered something, and casually asked, "By the way, how's your family doing lately?"
Zhou Yue took a sip of water, casually leaned back in his chair, and smiled slightly, as if amused by the question.
"What else can happen?" He chuckled softly, as if telling a joke that had nothing to do with him. "It's still the same. My parents are always competing to see who has the biggest company, who has the most lavish annual party, and who posts the most presentable content on social media."
His tone was light and casual, like a casual chat over tea, but behind that nonchalance lay a subtle sense of loss.
Xia Zhiyao didn't interrupt, but simply rested her chin on her hand, quietly watching him, gesturing for him to continue. She understood that if Zhou Yue didn't express these emotions, they would remain stuck in his heart, like an insurmountable obstacle.
Zhou Yue's tone still carried a faint smile: "If my brother's application goes smoothly, he'll also be studying at Columbia. My mom is so happy this time. Look how successful my son is, much better than your daughter who only knows how to indulge in romance and art all day long..."
Zhou Yue's smile faded as he changed the subject. After the divorce, his parents each started new families and had new children. His father had a daughter, and his mother had a son.
As a result, comparisons became the norm. Who had better grades, whose school was more prestigious, who would be more successful in the future, and even who looked more like a relative from which side of the family could be used for evaluation.
Even his excellence became a bargaining chip in their rivalry. His father would say that it was because of the good genes on his side, while his mother would argue that her upbringing and genetics had the upper hand.
His own efforts and achievements were easily broken down and categorized, becoming reasons for others to argue about who was better.
He was always left aside, like a quiet observer, watching the two families, each warm yet distinct, as if either side could function perfectly well without him.
The lights on the dining table were warm, but the rising steam from the soup bowl couldn't dispel the chill hidden deep within his expression. He lowered his head and took a sip of soup, as if using the warmth to carefully suppress the icy feeling in his heart.
But as Xia Zhiyao listened, she felt a subtle pang of sadness welling up in her heart. She could tell that the more casually he spoke, the heavier the emotions behind them became, sinking deep into his bones.
He was used to it. He was used to being compared to others at home, used to "excellence" being the minimum standard, used to having someone placed in front of him as a reference point—younger, more outstanding, more in line with his parents' expectations—and even his strengths were divided in two, used to claim credit for whose genes.
Zhou Yue put down his cup, looked up at her, and smiled faintly: "So, luckily I ran away early. Otherwise, if I had endured a few more years, I would really be in a mental hospital."
He spoke as if it were a joke, his eyes showing his usual playfulness and lightheartedness, as if all his restraint was just something to talk about over tea.
The dim light fell from the side, illuminating his slightly tired face. His usually smiling eyes were now quietly looking at her, bright but thin, as if they would shatter at the slightest touch.
Xia Zhiyao suddenly felt a tightness in her chest. Zhou Yue, in the eyes of others, had always been an elite with a restrained sharpness, excellent, self-controlled, and calm. He seemed to always be in control and never needed to rely on anyone.
But it was precisely in these unexpected gaps that Xia Zhiyao truly saw him, the one who was deeply hidden, vulnerable, and stubborn.
Xia Zhiyao lowered her eyelashes, concealing the tenderness that welled up in her eyes for a moment: "Then... what do you want to do in the future?"
Zhou Yue paused slightly, as if he hadn't expected her to ask this suddenly. After thinking for a moment, he said, "What do you want to do..." He looked up at her, "I want to be happier, and I want a place where someone will be waiting for me when I go back."
He spoke slowly and gently, pausing slightly before finishing his last sentence, his voice so soft it was almost drowned out by the restaurant's music, "...that's enough."
In that instant, Xia Zhiyao felt as if something had silently struck her chest, and her breath hitched slightly.
When she returned to her apartment at night, it was already dark. She took a hot shower and walked barefoot back to her room. Suddenly, her phone on the bedside table lit up with a WeChat message from Zhou's mother.
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