Chapter 62: A Day Feels Like Three Autumns, and Sparks

Since their argument a few days ago, the relationship between Cheng Simin and Shi Ying had grown cold and distant.

The bed-and-breakfast team was highly satisfied with the new wine label design. No changes were made during the meeting, and the next day, Shi Ying began arranging for printing and production. With bottle labeling, distribution, and a series of events at the winery following one after another, he was swamped. He barely had time to go home to sleep, often spending nights either at the winery or at the bed-and-breakfast.

For four whole days, aside from work-related updates, they hadn’t seen each other at all.

On the last day of the holiday, Cheng Simin put on her mask and went out after lunch. In the afternoons lately, she’d been riding her electric scooter around town, mostly lingering near Banshan Elementary School.

The first time she rode over, she was quite nervous. She wore a baseball cap, a face-covering balaclava, black-rimmed glasses, and an oversized worker’s padded jacket that could’ve fit two of her, fearing someone might recognize her on the street.

She twisted the throttle all the way, speeding up to over 50 kilometers per hour. The storefronts blurred into streaks, and she didn’t find any two-story cold noodle shops. During her reconnaissance, she nearly crashed into an elderly man in an electric wheelchair and fled amidst a torrent of curses.

But after going there multiple times, she became familiar with the area, almost completely mapping out the route described in Cheng Jiabao’s diary. Yingying Cold Noodles, Craving Cat Snack Shop, Little Red Riding Hood Stationery Store, and the drainage ditch 100 meters outside the back gate of Banshan Elementary School, where many students played hide-and-seek.

Cheng Simin acted like a criminal casing the joint, observing but never doing more than looking.

Sometimes, when passing by Yingying Cold Noodles, her heart would race as the shop curtain lifted, fearing that Chen Xiaofen or Cheng Jiabao might step out. But when she saw unfamiliar faces, her fear would fade, replaced by an indescribable sense of loss.

She didn’t want to delve too deeply into why this loss occurred or where it came from.

That afternoon, Cheng Simin took another spin around the elementary school. Still not caught by her mother or sister, she decided to try a new route. On her way back, she unexpectedly passed by the pet store Cheng Jiabao had mentioned.

She stopped her scooter and peeked through the shop window. Inside the glass door, clusters of mice scurried around acrylic villas, nibbling on food and digging through wood shavings. There were many varieties—gray ones, yellow ones, long-tailed ones, short-tailed ones, and even some larger than a palm, with black-and-white milk-patterned fur that made them look like tiny cats.

The little creatures were undeniably cute, with chubby bodies, pink paws, and tiny mouths, far removed from the grotesque image of rats in old cartoons like Black Cat Sheriff .

Out of boredom, Cheng Simin stood outside for a while. Unsatisfied, she parked her scooter, took off her gloves, and entered the store for a closer look.

As expected, about ten minutes later, she walked out carrying a curly-haired golden bear hamster. Along with the cage, food bowl, wood shavings, bath sand, and some hamster feed, she spent over a hundred yuan.

The warm air from the heater inside the shop made the atmosphere cozy, and people tended to make impulsive purchases in such conditions.

But once she stepped outside and felt the cold wind, Cheng Simin immediately regretted her decision. She pushed the door open again and asked the shop owner if she could get a refund.

The pet store owner, likely accustomed to customers like her who changed their minds, glared and pointed to the large characters on the counter.

“Live animals, no returns or exchanges.”

Seeing Cheng Simin’s awkward expression, the owner seized the opportunity to upsell: “How about this? Buy a female hamster to pair with it. These things can breed, and after they give birth, you can sell the babies at the school gate. Kids love them these days—you’ll recoup your investment in two months.”

On the way back, the lonely male hamster nibbled on pumpkin seeds hidden in the wood shavings. Cheng Simin, tears streaming down her masked face, despised herself. She vowed that tomorrow, she absolutely wouldn’t wander around the elementary school again. Absolutely not!

When she returned to the Huanghe Garden building on her scooter, it was exactly 5:30 PM. After dinner, she still had time to join the square dancing session. With the recent cold weather, fewer people were dancing. It wouldn’t be long before the annual square dance gatherings disbanded completely once heating season began.

As she stepped into the elevator, her phone vibrated—it was the design fee transferred from the winery’s corporate account.

After deducting personal income tax, the 20,000-yuan payment left her with 17,360 yuan, which somewhat soothed the pain of her impulsive pet purchase.

Holding her phone, Cheng Simin hesitated for a moment before opening Shi Ying’s chat window.

Logically, she could use this as an excuse to invite him over for a nice meal and perhaps rekindle their romantic connection.

But in their chat, aside from work-related matters, neither of them had exchanged a single casual word in days.

Shi Ying had given her space to cool off, while she remained silent, bottling up her emotions.

Their romantic relationship was still new, and Cheng Simin was hesitant to make any rash moves, fearing that if they met, they’d end up arguing again.

After all, during their last fight, she’d boldly claimed she wasn’t upset. But what about now? Only days after confirming Cheng Wei’s death, she’d already mourned and grieved. Not only did she investigate Chen Xiaofen and her sister’s daily routines, but she also impulsively bought a hamster she didn’t need.

It was a blatant slap in her own face.

If Shi Ying found out, he’d probably mock her. She wasn’t sure if she’d stubbornly defend her pride or lose her temper.

Standing there holding her phone, she exited the elevator and passed apartment 1201. Cheng Simin deliberately slowed her pace. If it weren’t for the security camera in the corner, she’d have pressed her ear against Shi Ying’s door to see if he was deliberately avoiding her.

What kind of romance was this? It felt bland and empty. Having a partner seemed lonelier than being single. Even during the holiday, she hadn’t had a sweet date. What was the point of having a boyfriend?

Depressed, she carried the hamster cage back to her own door, rummaging through her bag with her left hand for the keys while kicking a cardboard box at the entrance with her right foot.

Bending down, she saw a large box of pomelos and kiwis.

Lately, boxes of food had frequently appeared at her doorstep. Two days ago, it was pure milk and two chickens; yesterday, goose eggs and a large pack of frozen shrimp.

No need to guess—it was definitely Shi Ying.

After not seeing him for several days, he must miss her too, right? Honestly, the saying “a day feels like three autumns” when lovers are apart held true. She missed his face—not just his face, but everything else.

Ever since their mutual exploration a while back, Cheng Simin had discovered a whole new world. Shi Ying’s fingers weren’t just aesthetically pleasing, with delicate joints worthy of being photographed as screen savers. His wrist strength was impressive, especially when using two fingers—shaking, thrusting, curving.

The sensations were beyond what her short hands could achieve, even with a hundred years of practice.

And then there was his waist, chest, physique, and the warmth and scent of his kisses.

By the time she opened her door, Cheng Simin’s mouth was dry, and her heart was racing. First, she introduced the hamster to Beibei (her cat), then turned around to squat and bring the fruit inside.

Closing the door and looking at the boxes of food scattered around the house, Cheng Simin steeled herself and called Shi Ying.

In relationships, someone always has to make the first move after a fight. Since Shi Ying had already given her plenty of opportunities, she shouldn’t stubbornly hold onto her pride. Missing her boyfriend wasn’t shameful, was it?

She’d read plenty of wuxia novels, but clearly, she hadn’t achieved the path of detachment. It was time to reconcile.

The first call didn’t go through, but within seconds, Shi Ying called her back with a video call.

Clicking to answer, Cheng Simin shouted, “Hello!”

In the video, Shi Ying was hiking through the desert in a brown mountaineering jacket, his feet sinking deep into the sand. Behind him were a herd of camels and rolling dunes. In the distance, a group of people sat on thick, colorful carpets beside an artificial water source, shouting loudly into their phones propped up on white tablecloths.

At the sight of Shi Ying’s face, Cheng Simin’s heart began pounding. Normally, his style leaned toward refinement, but under the setting sun of the desert and his rugged attire, he exuded a wildness and purity she hadn’t noticed before.

Initially, Cheng Simin was impatient, holding her phone casually at chest level, recording her face from an unflattering angle.

But as Shi Ying’s face became clearer in the frame, she covered the lower half of her face with her hand, subtly moving to the balcony where the light was softer. Holding her phone, she adjusted to her most photogenic angle, her voice softening as she said, “Um… are you still busy? Is it convenient to talk?”

“It’s fine. Go ahead.”

That morning, the bed-and-breakfast had invited a top-tier influencer with millions of followers to promote tourism. The itinerary included a desert banquet, camel rides, and a live-streamed product showcase.

To maximize exposure, the entire staff of the bed-and-breakfast had mobilized. Shi Ying had come to meet Zhou Rong the previous day to discuss last month’s sales figures but ended up staying to help the influencer’s team.

He’d held reflector boards for the influencer as they changed outfits over a dozen times in the desert in the morning. At noon, he dressed up as a “handsome ethnic minority” wearing a headscarf and leading camels. By evening, after finally taking a break and eating instant noodles at a desert restaurant, the influencer’s assistant called him back to the livestream venue to deliver Parisian sparkling water to the thirsty influencer.

All this hard work was for a mere 120 seconds of brand exposure during the livestream, showcasing their winery’s sparkling wine without even including a purchase link.

But none of this was enough to interrupt his attention to his girlfriend’s voice.

During their time apart, he’d drafted dozens of messages to Cheng Simin, but as he wrote, the tone shifted toward psychological counseling or dispensing philosophical advice.

There was no emotional value, just problem-solving approaches.

Rereading them, he realized he sounded like a know-it-all. To avoid coming across as patronizing, he deleted all the messages.

It seemed patience and silence had paid off. Though the longing could only be numbed by work, at least Cheng Simin hadn’t ordered him to break up with her yet.

“Oh, I don’t have anything important to say. Just that the design fee came through. If you’re at home, I thought I’d invite you over for something to eat and drink. Let’s celebrate.”

After all, it was his food filling her fridge these past few days. She needed to clear it out before it spoiled. Food and drinks were secondary—the main goal was to continue their romantic studies tonight. They hadn’t finished the “lesson” from their last encounter.

Who would want to work overtime when they could cuddle with their girlfriend?

Shi Ying wanted nothing more than to fly to Cheng Simin’s place right then. Just as he was about to agree, the influencer’s assistant called him again. Seeing he didn’t pick up, the assistant rushed toward him.

As the person chasing him appeared in the camera’s frame, Shi Ying pretended not to notice and quickened his pace, walking briskly forward.

“Alright. I’ll start heading back now, but don’t rush. It’ll take me about an hour to drive back. If you’re hungry, eat first. Don’t wait for me—I’ll just eat leftovers.”

“That doesn’t feel right. We should celebrate together…” Otherwise, it would seem disrespectful.

Before Cheng Simin could finish, the person chasing him in the video jumped in frustration, yelling at the top of their lungs, “Hey! Waiter, I’m calling you! Tall guy! Why are you running? Do you think you’re the only one with long legs? Are you a national-level athlete or something?”

The video suddenly cut off due to poor signal. After thinking for a moment, Cheng Simin sent Shi Ying a message: “Is work keeping you busy? Don’t force yourself.”

A few minutes later, Shi Ying replied with a meme of a cartoon dog lying on the ground, crying.

“Sorry, I’ve been caught. The livestream ends at midnight, and I might have to stay here tonight.”

“What a terrible livestream. It’s unbearable. So much yelling, repetitive nonsense, restocking items, ‘Dear viewers, make sure to place your orders today! This deal won’t be available after tonight!’ Ugh, I want to throw their stupid phone into the water.”

“Cheng Simin, I miss you so much.”

“Let’s take a day off tomorrow and go on a date.”

“Let’s not fight anymore. Don’t think I’m rambling. These past few days have been so hard. I feel like I’m dying, and I don’t have anyone to confide in.”

Cheng Simin’s melancholy mood, which had lingered for days, briefly dissipated after this video call. She resonated with Shi Ying’s words. Who knew which would come first—the unexpected or tomorrow? Between lovers, sparks mattered. If they could kiss, they shouldn’t fight. If they could reconcile, they shouldn’t hold grudges.

Since they both wanted to see each other, why wait until tomorrow?

If the mountain wouldn’t come to her, she’d go to the mountain.

Pulling up the input box, Cheng Simin instructed him: “Shi Ying, forget tomorrow. My desire to see you can’t wait even a minute. Send me your location right now.”