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Fragments of memory stretched infinitely in her dreams.
Seven years ago, during that sweltering summer, Xu Wu met Zhou Jin Ye for the first time.
Xu Wu was brought from Jiangcheng to Lingjing by Lin Qingya to live with the Wei family. After her father’s death, no relatives wanted to take care of her, and custody was granted to Lin Qingshuang. She moved from afar into a stranger’s home. Lin Qingshuang worked long hours, and Xu Wu kept everything bottled up inside, rarely opening up to others.
Without friends or familiar faces in this new city, she spent most days alone in her room.
Later, Lin Qingshuang enrolled her in tutoring classes.
Every day, Xu Wu walked to and from the tutoring center on her own.
That day, the temperature was exceptionally high.
The midday sun scorched the ground, with no breeze in sight. The incessant buzzing of cicadas made it hard to breathe.
As usual, Xu Wu finished her tutoring session and headed home. The scorching sunlight reddened her skin.
She felt dizzy and disoriented.
Quickly opening the door, she rushed into the kitchen without even putting down her bag and poured herself a glass of cold water.
Taking a sip, she felt like dry grass meeting rain—revitalized instantly.
Walking out of the kitchen, she noticed a stranger in the living room.
It was an unfamiliar boy.
In her rush earlier, she hadn’t noticed.
The young man dressed in all black, one hand casually tucked into his pocket, leaned lazily against the doorframe. Unlike the oily, wannabe-cool types she’d seen back home, even this simple pose looked extraordinary on him.
He was on the phone, talking to someone.
From a few meters away, Xu Wu heard a girl’s voice over the phone saying, “Let’s break up.”
“Alright,” he replied, a lazy smile spreading across his face, as if indifferent to the breakup.
At her school in Jiangcheng, Xu Wu had seen many early romances. Most couples were sweet and loving when together but cried their hearts out when parting ways.
But this boy was different. He agreed to the breakup decisively, showing no sadness. As soon as the other person finished speaking, he hung up.
Sensing her gaze, he slightly turned his head and lifted his eyes toward her direction.
Their eyes met.
Unprepared.
A flicker of panic crossed Xu Wu’s eyes. She realized she was standing in the living room, having unintentionally overheard their conversation.
When she first came to the Wei household, Lin Qingya introduced her stepfather’s family. He had a son—a year older than her—who wasn’t home because he was traveling.
Lin Qingya had mentioned earlier that her “brother” might return today, but the exact time was unknown.
Since arriving here, Xu Wu had been cautious, trying not to bother anyone.
And now, she had rushed into the kitchen without noticing him and overheard his phone call. Had he seen everything?
Beads of sweat trickled down her neck, a wave of heat spreading through her spine, trembling every cell like flames engulfing her body.
Xu Wu discreetly tightened her grip on the glass, forcing herself to calm down. She softly spoke, “Brother.”
The young man held his phone, momentarily stunned, observing her nervous movements.
Then, his eyes curved into a smile. Sunlight streamed through the glass door, illuminating his relaxed features.
With a tone that was three parts nonchalant and seven parts meaningful, he said, “Where did you fall from, ‘Little Miss Lin?’”
“…”
Xu Wu was momentarily speechless. Time seemed to freeze, leaving only the white noise of the air conditioner humming in the background.
After a long pause, Zhou Jin Ye broke the silence, “Wei Ming, I didn’t know you had a sister.”
Xu Wu realized there was someone behind her. She had called the wrong person.
Pausing briefly, she turned around. The person wore gold-rimmed glasses, exuding a scholarly demeanor. Her grip on the water glass didn’t loosen, “Brother.”
“Mm.” Wei Ming set down a large bag of snacks without looking up, a faint smile on his face.
“Jin Ye, did your girlfriend reply? She sent it to me.”
Zhou Jin Ye shrugged and walked over, “Don’t worry about her.”
“How was it? You didn’t answer her calls after a full day of flying yesterday. Did you explain things to her?”
A boy wiping sweat emerged from the bathroom.
“It’s over. What’s there to explain?” He said lightly.
Passing by Xu Wu, the faint scent of wood lingered as he brushed past her.
She prepared to greet them and retreat to her room.
But the boy wiping sweat stopped her.
“Brother Wei, I didn’t know you had such a pretty sister.” Seeing Xu Wu in the room, he opened a bag of snacks and greeted her warmly, “All these are courtesy of Zhou Jin Ye. Sister, we’re your brother’s friends—feel free to eat.”
Xu Wu looked at Wei Ming.
Wei Ming seemed to sense her hesitation, “Come and eat.”
With permission, she put down her bag, sat down, picked up a jelly cup, and quietly listened to their conversation.
“Li Qingyang, you lost the bet.” Wei Ming also sat down.
Zhou Jin Ye sat beside her, casually grabbing a drink, “What did you bet on?”
Li Qingyang replied, “We bet whether you’d break up before or after summer vacation. I bet after, Wei Ming bet during.”
“Heh, what’s there to bet on?”
Zhou Jin Ye popped open the soda cap, bubbles fizzing loudly in the can.
“It’s interesting. Your girlfriends come and go, none lasting more than a month or two. I thought this one might last longer—I lost the bet.” Li Qingyang sighed.
“You walk through a sea of flowers yet remain untouched. Why do you even bother dating?”
Zhou Jin Ye lowered his eyes, deep in thought.
Li Qingyang teased, “I’m curious—out of all those, not one caught your eye?”
Beside her, the young man smirked, drawling, “Not born yet.”
Li Qingyang shot him a glare, “You heartbreaker!”
The air conditioning blew cool air, and the group’s interactions were lighthearted.
Xu Wu relaxed and couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
Her laughter drew the attention of the three boys.
Xu Wu had a serene beauty—her features weren’t sharp or striking but soft and gentle. When she smiled, it was like the pale winter moonlight—clear, faint, and tender.
Li Qingyang softened his voice, addressing her, “Sister, don’t you think I’m right?”
Xu Wu poked her jelly with a spoon, smiling faintly, “Mm.”
Zhou Jin Ye tilted his head back, taking a sip of his drink. From where he sat, her eyes seemed veiled in mist—faint stars shimmering dimly.
Her likeness struck a chord within him.
“By the way,” Li Qingyang turned to Xu Wu, “what’s your name?”
“Xu Wu. Xu as in making a wish, Wu as in fog.”
Zhou Jin Ye sat sideways, musing, “The character ‘Wu’ has a unique meaning.”
“Fog rolls in twilight, star rivers float.” Leaning slightly, his deep black pupils reflected her image like water, “Ethereal—it suits you perfectly.”
His words resonated deeply with Xu Wu.
The same phrases her father used when naming her.
The air conditioning was just right, the cool air moderate.
Suddenly, she was transported back under the eaves of her old home.
On a summer night, the breeze was comforting as she listened to her father recount stories from her childhood, repeating the meaning behind her name.
Amidst their conversation, she unconsciously shifted closer.
In her memory, they were close enough that she faintly smelled the fruity aroma of his drink, similar to her jelly.
________________________________________
The room was pitch black.
The air was filled with the fruity scent of incense.
Xu Wu woke from her dream, drenched in sweat.
Overwhelming memories flooded her dreams—scenes blending reality and illusion.
In her dream, she chased a scent through endless fog, finding no exit, no person, only a sudden downpour and a man’s hoarse voice.
“Xu Wu, you say you don’t like me, and that’s it? What am I to you? Breaking up so easily!”
…
It took Xu Wu a while to compose herself. She got out of bed, feeling her way to the curtains and opening the window.
At six o’clock, the sky was still dark.
It had rained all night.
Morning’s chilly wind carried damp mist indoors, blowing away the fruity scent.
Xu Wu regained clarity.
Her phone on the bedside table buzzed with a WeChat notification. She picked it up while heading to the bathroom.
It was the landlord’s message. She replied with an “OK” emoji.
Switching to another interface, she scrolled through rental listings. The first few were far from her company and inconvenient, so she skipped them.
As she scrolled further, a listing caught her eye.
She was looking at a unit in Yiming Garden—not only close to her company but also in a good location with parks nearby.
Soon, she began discussing the property with the landlord.
________________________________________
At two in the afternoon, Xu Wu grabbed her briefcase and hailed a taxi to a private horse ranch in the suburbs.
In the morning, she had reorganized all the materials related to Boheng Technology’s incident and finalized the plans. Afterward, she started contacting people close to Lin Dongyu.
Everyone in the industry knew how much Lin Dongyu doted on his only daughter, a painter. After graduating, he opened a studio exclusively for her.
Through connections from Shu Ke’s circle of acquaintances, Xu Wu reached out to Lin Dongyu’s daughter. After visiting her studio for two or three days, she managed to secure an opportunity to meet Lin Dongyu.
Getting out of the car, she first messaged Lin Dongyu’s assistant, asking her to wait.
The horse ranch was far from the skyscrapers, surrounded by vast open fields enclosed by white fences.
The early autumn sunlight bathed the grass in golden hues. Soon, a man in a suit approached.
He politely asked, “Miss Xu?”
Xu Wu nodded.
Following the assistant, she walked deeper into the ranch.
The ranch was vast, taking about five minutes to reach the inner area.
Lin Dongyu emerged, already dressed in riding gear. With some gray hair at his temples, his physique remained robust despite his age, exuding a commanding presence.
Who would’ve thought such a man could be a doting father?
The assistant addressed Lin Dongyu, “Miss Xu is here.”
Lin Dongyu glanced at her indifferently, sitting down and ignoring her.
Xu Wu understood why Lin Dongyu acted this way. Not only had his team deviated from the client’s vision, but they also released a pre-sale advertisement without permission, damaging the company’s image. Even the most patient person would be upset.
She stepped forward and reintroduced herself, “President Lin, hello. I’m Xu Wu from Lingmei’s PR department.”
Lin Dongyu looked at her, lowering his gaze to adjust his sleeves. “My youngest daughter mentioned you these past few days. I didn’t expect you to come all this way.”
Xu Wu smiled politely, “President Lin exaggerates. Boheng will always be Lingmei’s most important client. I’ll treat this matter sincerely. Regarding the mishandling of this project, I apologize on behalf of Lingmei and my colleagues.”
“Hmph, do you think an apology can restore my company’s image?” Lin Dongyu retorted sharply.
“Sorry,” Xu Wu said as she pulled out a prepared proposal from her briefcase and handed it to Lin Dongyu.
“We were negligent with Boheng’s previous project. This is a revised plan based on your company’s needs. Considering our long-standing partnership, I hope you’ll give us another chance.”
Seeing her earnest expression, no matter how much he tried to make things difficult, she remained composed and sincere.
Finally, Lin Dongyu accepted the proposal.
Xu Wu breathed a sigh of relief.
Lin Dongyu glanced behind him, “Jin Ye, you’re just in time. Come take a look.”
The sound of footsteps rustling through the grass approached.
A figure brushed past her, the breeze stirring the ends of her hair. Her expression froze momentarily.
The man before her wasn’t dressed in the formal attire from the forum days ago. Instead, he wore casual dark equestrian gear, black gloves on his hands, white pants paired with long black boots accentuating his legs. His tousled bangs framed his handsome face, and for a moment, Xu Wu felt like she was seeing his younger self.
Zhou Jin Ye—what was he doing here?
He lifted his eyelids, his gaze lingering on her face for a few seconds before coldly shifting away, as if she were a stranger.
“You shouldn’t let me see your company’s business—I might not be able to keep my mouth shut ,” Zhou Jin Ye said with his usual nonchalance.
Lin Dongyu chuckled, “You haven’t changed a bit. I missed the forum last time—I didn’t get a chance to see you. But your temper is still the same.”
Zhou Jin Ye smirked, “Well, I’m here now, aren’t I? I managed to squeeze some time out of my schedule to visit you. When it’s time to play, we play—don’t you agree?”
“Alright, alright,” Lin Dongyu said as he skimmed through the proposal in his hands. He then turned to Xu Wu, his expression softening slightly, “Miss Xu, since you’re already here, why don’t you join us?”
Xu Wu pursed her lips and shook her head politely, “Thank you, but I don’t know much about horseback riding. I’ll wait here for you.”
Lin Dongyu glanced at Zhou Jin Ye, “My youngest daughter has mentioned Miss Xu quite a few times. She says you’re very clever—you remember the colors and meanings in her oil paintings after just one lesson. And coincidentally, we have someone here who’s quite skilled in equestrian sports. You should take this opportunity to learn from him.”
“This is President Zhou, founder of LUNAR.”
“Not only is this guy an excellent driver, but his equestrian skills are also top-notch,” Lin Dongyu added with pride.
It seemed Lingmei still had a chance. For the sake of work, Xu Wu agreed.
Turning to Zhou Jin Ye, she said politely, “Then I’ll trouble you, President Zhou.”
Hearing those two formal words, Zhou Jin Ye let out a faint laugh. “I haven’t even agreed yet, have I?”
Lin Dongyu looked at him, “So what do you think?”
Xu Wu felt awkward. She should’ve come yesterday or perhaps tomorrow—any day but today when she’d run into him.
She remained silent, standing aside. After a long pause, Zhou Jin Ye finally spoke, “Well, since you’re already here, might as well.”
Lin Dongyu stood up, “Alright then. My wife has some riding outfits she hasn’t worn. Let my assistant take you to change.”
________________________________________
Xu Wu chose a relatively relaxed-style equestrian outfit.
“This suits you quite well,” Lin Dongyu said as he held the reins of a brown horse, watching her emerge after changing.
“Thank you,” Xu Wu replied.
Zhou Jin Ye was selecting a horse nearby. Hearing her voice, he glanced over. The tailored equestrian attire accentuated Xu Wu’s figure perfectly, and upon closer inspection, he noticed how much thinner she had become.
He led a black horse over to her. “This is a Friesian horse—it’s perfect for beginners. Gentle and friendly.”
After a brief pause, Xu Wu accepted the reins, “Thank you.”
Lin Dongyu glanced at them before mounting his chosen horse and riding off into the distance.
“Do you know how to mount?” Zhou Jin Ye asked.
Xu Wu answered honestly, “No.”
Zhou Jin Ye demonstrated once, then crouched beside the horse. “Come here. Step on the stirrup and climb up.”
It took Xu Wu nearly ten minutes to finally sit properly on the horse.
Before she could ask what to do next, Zhou Jin Ye effortlessly swung himself onto his own horse.
Xu Wu hadn’t reacted yet when the horse instinctively moved forward a couple of steps. She leaned back slightly, and the familiar warmth seeped through her clothes. The faint scent of wood filled her nose, while warm breath brushed against her ear.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Behind her, Zhou Jin Ye chuckled softly. “Xu Wu, after all these years, you still fall right into my arms?”
Realizing their proximity, Xu Wu quickly grabbed the reins and shifted forward slightly. Turning her dark head toward him, she murmured, “Sorry.”
He extended his long arm, wrapping it around her waist, and placed his hands over hers, correcting her grip on the reins. “Hold it like this.”
His palm brushed against the back of her hand, and Xu Wu’s eyelashes fluttered. Calmly, she said, “Thank you.”
Zhou Jin Ye’s deep gaze lingered on the crown of her head as his fingers curled slightly.
Then, he grasped the reins on either side of her hands, his voice low. “Hold on tight.”
With that, Zhou Jin Ye flicked the whip, and the horse surged forward with a powerful gallop.
In the distance, Lin Dongyu sat atop his horse, resting and watching the pair on horseback.
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