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Shen Tang lost herself in thought while washing her face, staring at the mirror covered in droplets of water. She couldn’t remember whether she had already used facial cleanser, so she decided to wash her face again.
Her phone vibrated in her pocket ten minutes later—another alarm reminding her it was time to leave.
As she combed her hair, she glanced outside the window.
The world was blanketed in white snow.
Shen Tang quickly walked over to the window. It had snowed during the night.
She wasn’t sure about the road conditions and worried if she’d be able to catch her flight. Pushing aside any lingering melancholy, she quickly got ready. Grabbing the car keys, she hurriedly wheeled her suitcase toward the door.
But just as she reached the doorway, she hesitated. Running back to the dining room, she stopped in front of the plate of cold oatmeal shrimp.
Shen Tang took out two more plates and carefully transferred the shrimp from one plate to the other, arranging them into the words “hehe” followed by an exclamation mark.
Today was New Year’s Eve. Would he come back?
Her driver was already on vacation, so she had no choice but to drive herself to the airport.
At five o’clock in the morning on this winter day, the sky was pitch black, and the roads were still covered in untouched snow.
Glancing at the villa in the rearview mirror, Shen Tang reflected that Jiang Cheng Yu always used to return to the villa no matter what—even on New Year’s Eve, he never stayed overnight at the old house.
But now… where was he? The old house? Another apartment? Or perhaps… another woman’s bed?
The thought startled her. How bitter she must sound.
Even as she resented him, she couldn’t stop thinking about him.
The longing became tangible in this moment. She craved an embrace, a kiss, or even just for him to see her off in the courtyard.
Trapped in the snare of love, there was nothing anyone could do. Until today, she had always believed she would be the exception.
Jiang Cheng Yu learned that Shen Tang had returned to Beijing in the afternoon. At the time, he was busy building snowmen in the courtyard of the old house.
After over an hour of work, he had built four small snowmen.
“Uncle.” Li Zheng came running out of the house with quick, tiny steps.
They had divided their tasks clearly: he built snowmen in the yard, while she directed him remotely from inside the house.
It was freezing outside, and Jiang Cheng Yu frowned at his niece. “What are you doing out here?”
Li Zheng crouched beside him mysteriously and handed him her phone. “Auntie is trending again. Last night she was in Beijing, and early this morning she left.”
She gossiped, “Did you two have a fight? She finally came all the way here, and you didn’t even go see her.”
Jiang Cheng Yu was baffled. He had spoken to Shen Tang on the phone yesterday evening. She said she was filming and needed to memorize lines. How could she suddenly appear in Beijing?
“It’s just marketing hype,” he said dismissively.
“Auntie, you’re deceiving yourself. Are you saying anything that doesn’t align with your expectations is fake news? This video was taken by a fashion blogger who happened to run into Auntie when leaving the hotel this morning. Both of them were rushing to catch flights and coincidentally took the subway to the airport together. The roads were too snowy for cars last night, so Auntie took the subway.”
Li Zheng opened the video for Jiang Cheng Yu to watch.
It was New Year’s Eve, and the subway was unusually empty, filled only with people hurrying home for the holiday.
An older woman sat next to Shen Tang and struck up a conversation. She mentioned that her daughter was a fan of Shen Tang and asked Shen Tang to wish her a happy new year on behalf of her daughter.
“Aren’t you going home for the New Year?” the woman asked kindly.
Shen Tang smiled softly, a rare expression. “Yes, I’m heading home now.”
The video cut to a scene of Shen Tang arriving at the station. In the final shot, she was alone in the crowd, pushing her suitcase further and further away.
During this time, Shen Tang’s drama had been wildly popular, and any small detail about her life easily trended online. Even the blogger probably hadn’t expected this post to go viral.
Half the comments expressed envy for the woman’s daughter, praising the mother for being open-minded enough to help her daughter bond with her idol.
“Did you upset Auntie?” Li Zheng shivered from the cold, her teeth chattering as she spoke.
Jiang Cheng Yu didn’t respond. He exited the trending page and handed the phone back to his niece.
He patted her head. “Go back inside before you catch a cold.”
Li Zheng tilted her head and looked Jiang Cheng Yu up and down. It seemed there really was tension between them. If Jiang Cheng Yu hadn’t watched Shen Tang’s hit drama, they must’ve had a serious disagreement.
“Uncle, if you hadn’t upset Auntie, she wouldn’t have stayed in a hotel instead of coming to see you.”
She stuffed her phone into her pocket. “Uncle, don’t take this personally, but you’re so stingy. You can’t even buy her cosmetics. If you weren’t my uncle, I’d tell Shen Tang not to bother with a man like you.”
Jiang Cheng Yu ignored her.
Li Zheng pulled her hands back into her sleeves and picked up the cutest snowman. “You should reflect on this.”
Jiang Cheng Yu glanced at the snowman in her hands. “What are you planning to do with that?”
“Bring it inside to play with, duh. What else?”
“It’s over twenty degrees Celsius indoors. It’ll melt.”
“I’ll put it in the fridge.”
“...”
Li Zheng rolled her eyes and carried the snowman inside.
Jiang Cheng Yu put his gloves back on and continued building snowmen.
By the time he reached the fifth snowman, he held a small piece of carrot in his hand, turning it over repeatedly.
In the past, no matter when Shen Tang came to Beijing, how long she stayed, or whether she went back to the villa or stayed in a hotel, he had never cared or asked questions.
Even when she hadn’t contacted him for three months while filming, he hadn’t thought anything of it.
There had never been any unnecessary attachments.
“Uncle, put the carrot on the snowman’s nose!” Li Zheng shouted.
Snapping back to reality, Jiang Cheng Yu finished building six snowmen, arranged in three neat rows.
He took a short video of them. After nearly two hours in the freezing cold, his entire body was numb.
Brushing the snow off himself, he sent Shen Tang a voice message: [Happy New Year.]
Ten minutes passed without a reply.
It was bitterly cold in the yard, so Jiang Cheng Yu lit a cigarette and went inside.
Li Zheng was watching a show, her dark eyes darting around mischievously. “Uncle, come watch TV.”
Jiang Cheng Yu had already finished watching last night and didn’t have the habit of rewatching shows.
“Want to play tennis?” he asked his niece.
Li Zheng was feeling generous today, perhaps because Jiang Cheng Yu was being ignored by Shen Tang. She readily agreed.
Just then, a car pulled into the courtyard.
“Who’s that?” Li Zheng knelt up and peeked through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
The car stopped, and Fu Cheng Lin stepped out.
Fu Cheng Lin and Yan He Yu had grown up alongside Jiang Cheng Yu, frequent visitors to their grandparents’ house. Coming here felt like coming home.
Yan He Yu was getting engaged in a few days, but he had been too busy to visit recently.
“How come Fu Cheng Lin’s here now? Did you two make plans?” she asked Jiang Cheng Yu casually while subtly adjusting her clothes and hair.
“No plans,” Jiang Cheng Yu replied, fetching tennis rackets. “Looks like he didn’t want to stay home either.” Home would mean being nagged, so coming here was a way to seek peace and quiet.
Fu Cheng Lin strode into the house, holding his coat.
Within seconds, Li Zheng had composed herself and waved at him with an obedient smile, pretending to be the perfect young lady.
She made small talk. “How did you know Uncle was here?”
Fu Cheng Lin placed his coat on the sofa and answered her meaningless question: “I was on my way to my grandfather’s house and saw your uncle’s car in the courtyard.”
“Oh,” Li Zheng said.
His grandfather’s house was also in this compound.
Jiang Cheng Yu came out with the tennis rackets. “Want to play?”
Fu Cheng Lin wasn’t particularly interested in tennis, but he was bored anyway, so he nodded.
Li Zheng grabbed a handful of nuts and happily trailed behind them. She borrowed a racket from her uncle and, after much hesitation, gently nudged Fu Cheng Lin forward with it pressed against his waist.
Fu Cheng Lin paused mid-conversation with Jiang Cheng Yu and turned to look at Li Zheng.
Li Zheng smiled innocently, popping another nut into her mouth with her other hand.
Fu Cheng Lin sighed inwardly, dismissing her behavior as childish playfulness.
He remembered the last time they had talked on the phone for over three hours until his phone died. The memory still haunted him. He had even dreamed about chatting with her that night, gossiping about Jiang Cheng Yu and Shen Tang.
The tennis court, designed for two players, now felt cramped with three people standing on it.
Li Zheng looked pleadingly at Jiang Cheng Yu. “Uncle, don’t you want to watch Shen Tang’s drama?”
Her meaning was clear—you could leave now.
But Jiang Cheng Yu didn’t pick up on her subtle hint. “I’ll keep you company and play.”
Li Zheng rolled her eyes several times in her mind. How clueless could he be?
Fortunately, not long after, the housekeeper brought out Jiang Cheng Yu’s phone. Someone was calling him.
Jiang Cheng Yu handed his tennis racket to Fu Cheng Lin, thinking it might be Shen Tang calling.
But when he glanced at the screen, it was a business acquaintance.
Meanwhile, in Haitang Village, Shen Tang was busy preparing the New Year’s Eve dinner. This year, she personally cooked three dishes: her late grandmother’s favorite dish, her grandfather’s preferred meal, and the oatmeal shrimp.
She hadn’t yet had time to learn how to make the dishes she liked from the chef.
Finally, she prepared a mushroom soup.
Three dishes and a soup—this was their modest New Year’s Eve feast for two.
“Grandpa, would you like a little yellow rice wine? I asked the doctor, and they said it’s fine to drink occasionally.”
Grandpa was in high spirits today, so he didn’t hesitate. “Alright, half a glass then.”
Shen Tang fetched the wine warmer and opened a bottle of yellow rice wine.
She also planned to drink some herself, to keep her grandfather company.
As the wine warmed, the phone in Grandpa’s bedroom rang.
Usually, only she called his number. His phone stored just three contacts: hers, her brother’s, and Chen Nan Jin’s.
Her brother’s family was having their New Year’s dinner, so if there were any matters, they’d simply call out from the courtyard.
No need to guess—it was Chen Nan Jin calling.
Pretending to be busy warming the wine, Shen Tang said, “Grandpa, your phone is ringing.”
“Oh, alright, let me see who it is.” Grandpa picked up his cane and shuffled slowly toward the bedroom.
Chen Nan Jin had just finished eating the New Year’s Eve dinner with his family, who were all gathered inside enjoying the festivities. Using the excuse of smoking, he stepped outside to call his father.
“Dad, Happy New Year.”
Grandpa sat on the edge of the bed. “Thank you.”
Chen Nan Jin paused, his cigarette hand trembling slightly. The bittersweet feeling was indescribable.
He and his father had grown so distant.
“Dad, how’s your health?”
“It’s good. You should take care of yourself too.”
In the living room, Shen Tang listened to her grandfather’s intermittent conversation. His words were polite but distant, and she couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.
She disliked this holiday meant for family reunions and wasn’t fond of watching the Spring Festival Gala either.
When she was thirteen, she watched the gala with her grandfather. Back then, she didn’t know the program lineup or pay attention to related news. To her shock, she saw her father on TV—the man she had always hoped would return to celebrate the New Year with her.
Chen Nan Jin, his wife, and Chen Yi Nuo appeared together on stage.
He was on the screen; she was in front of the television.
The distance between them was just one screen—but in reality, it was insurmountable.
It was on that very New Year’s Eve that she came to the sobering realization that no one wanted her anymore.
Though only thirteen, she felt as though she had lived half a lifetime already.
Shen Tang finished warming the wine and poured two half-glasses.
By the time her grandfather finished the call, he emerged from the bedroom.
This year’s New Year’s Eve dinner was set up casually on the coffee table. “Grandpa, sit here,” she placed two cushions on the sofa for him to lean against, while she sat cross-legged on the carpet.
Neither of them mentioned the recent phone call.
Shen Tang raised her glass and clinked it with her grandfather’s. “For the first toast, let’s wish Grandma happiness and health wherever she is.”
“Good, good,” Grandpa repeated twice.
Shen Tang took a small sip of the yellow rice wine, unable to discern its flavor. Setting the glass down, she began serving dishes to her grandfather.
Their New Year’s Eve dinner for two always felt quiet and somber. Grandpa turned on the TV, not caring about the channel, just wanting some cheerful sounds in the background.
Raising his glass again, Grandpa proposed another toast. “For the second toast, let’s wish that we, grandfather and granddaughter, remain happy and worry-free, so your grandmother doesn’t have to fret over us.”
Shen Tang smiled softly and nodded firmly.
Grandpa also served dishes for his granddaughter. He mentioned the drama currently airing: “I watch it faithfully every day, never missing an episode. In the show, didn’t those two kids get married in the end?”
Shen Tang chuckled. “No spoilers.”
“You child,” Grandpa wasn’t in a rush to know the outcome, or else he’d lose something to look forward to. “Tang Tang, Grandpa is just curious—once someone enters the entertainment industry, do they often avoid marriage?”
Shen Tang understood what worried her grandfather—that she might not marry, leaving her alone after he passed away.
“Grandpa, don’t worry. I want to get married. I haven’t set any rigid rules for myself, like waiting until I’m thirty or my career stabilizes before marrying. If I meet the right person, I’ll marry.”
“That’s good.” Grandpa was genuinely delighted, and his appetite even improved compared to usual.
He praised Jiang Cheng Yu effusively: “That young man Xiao Jiang is excellent—modest, easy to get along with, and he truly cares for you. Look how hard he chased you, even coming to our house.”
Grandpa took a small sip of wine. “Grandpa thinks he’s reliable. If I were to entrust you to him, I’d feel at ease.”
Shen Tang thought to herself, no matter how great he was, he didn’t believe in marriage.
In his heart, there was no room for her.
________________________________________
It wasn’t until evening that Shen Tang noticed Jiang Cheng Yu’s New Year’s greeting message. She was watching TV with her grandfather during a commercial break and absentmindedly scrolled through her phone.
Her trip back to Beijing had made headlines—he must’ve seen the trending post.
Following proper etiquette, she replied with four words: [Happy New Year.]
Not a single word about her return to Beijing.
Deep down, her pride waited for him to ask why she hadn’t contacted him upon arriving in Beijing.
Jiang Cheng Yu was still at his parents’ place. After staying up all night, he had just woken up from a two-hour nap. When Shen Tang’s message came in, he had barely opened his eyes.
After waiting for so long, all he received was her perfunctory New Year’s greeting.
After taking a hot shower, Jiang Cheng Yu called Shen Tang.
Sitting by the floor-to-ceiling window in his bedroom, he could see the six snowmen he had built in the yard earlier that afternoon.
The phone rang for nearly half a minute before Shen Tang answered.
“Hello.”
Her tone was neither warm nor cold. Jiang Cheng Yu chose not to dwell on it. “Where are you now?”
Shen Tang retreated to her bedroom and closed the door. “At home.”
Jiang Cheng Yu: “Didn’t you say the crew wasn’t taking a break for the holiday?”
“They changed their minds.”
Shen Tang offered no further explanation.
With such an atmosphere, it was no wonder the conversation died.
Jiang Cheng Yu rested his forehead on his hand, falling silent.
Shen Tang also remained quiet, showing no signs of relenting.
Both knew she had returned to Beijing.
They were waiting for the other to bring it up.
Seeing that he wasn’t speaking, Shen Tang said, “Then I’ll hang up. I’m watching TV with Grandpa.”
Jiang Cheng Yu pressed lightly on his temples, his head still throbbing despite the nap. “Shen Tang, it’s New Year’s Eve. Can we not have unpleasantness? Don’t be petty with me.”
“I’m not being difficult or petty.”
Jiang Cheng Yu let out a helpless laugh. Even as she gave him the cold shoulder, she stubbornly denied it.
This was the second time they had fallen into discord.
“I’m the man; I should yield to you. But Shen Tang, everything has its limits. You came back to Beijing without telling me. I understand you’re busy and didn’t have time to meet me. But now you’re acting distant. What did I do to upset you?”
Shen Tang had been holding in her grievances all day, and now she vented: “Your absence last night upset me. How many nights have you stayed out when I wasn’t around? Am I supposed to assume you’re with someone else?”
Jiang Cheng Yu was both amused and exasperated. “You’re the only one I have outside.” Realizing the implication of her words, he reacted slightly slower. “You stayed at the villa last night? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I asked when you’d come home. You said you were at your parents’ and would return soon. I expected you back quickly, but by morning, you still hadn’t shown up.”
As for the trending post showing her leaving a hotel early that morning, the roads had been too slippery, and her driving skills weren’t great. Fearing she’d miss her flight, she parked her car at a nearby hotel and took the subway to the airport.
Jiang Cheng Yu: “Why didn’t you call me then?”
“It was barely five in the morning, still dark. For all I knew, you could’ve been in someone else’s bed.”
“...”
Her sharp words could leave anyone speechless.
Jiang Cheng Yu tried his best to speak kindly: “Didn’t I say there’s only you? Where would I find someone else?”
Shen Tang remained silent.
“It wasn’t technically staying out—I spent the night at my parents’ house.” Jiang Cheng Yu assumed her silence meant she was still upset. Waiting all night for him and finding him absent—her feelings were understandable.
After a moment of silence, he softened his stance. “I had planned to go home last night, but I ended up watching your drama until five in the morning, catching up to the latest episode.”
He asked her, “Did you come back to Beijing for some event?”
Shen Tang replied indifferently, “No events.”
“Did you come specifically to see me?”
“What else would I come for? Apart from you, there’s no one else for me there.” Her voice sounded less angry than before.
“This time, it’s my fault.” Jiang Cheng Yu spoke softly, trying to soothe her. “Next time, I’ll visit you so you won’t have to travel back and forth.” Missing their chance to meet was regrettable no matter how he looked at it.
“You should’ve told me beforehand so I could pick you up at the airport.”
“I wanted to surprise you.”
Holding the phone, Jiang Cheng Yu suddenly found himself at a loss for words.
All the frustration from the afternoon evaporated.
He didn’t know when it started, but Shen Tang’s every word and action had begun to tug at his emotions.
Deep down, he disliked this feeling of being controlled by someone else.
On the other end of the line, Shen Tang was reflecting. Why had she lost control earlier, sounding like a suspicious wife questioning her absent husband?
Anger, resentment, jealousy—all swirled within her.
She shouldn’t have acted this way.
This wasn’t her nature.
But today, she had truly experienced anxiety and loss at not seeing him. Her possessiveness toward him had never been so strong.
This wasn’t a good sign for her.
For a while, the phone line was silent as both parties were lost in thought.
Jiang Cheng Yu: “Have you eaten your New Year’s Eve dinner?”
Shen Tang: “How’s the drama?”
They spoke simultaneously.
Shen Tang responded first: “I ate long ago.”
Jiang Cheng Yu talked about the series: “In the latest episode, you broke up with your boyfriend who went abroad. Will the two of you reconcile in the end?”
He had never watched a drama with such genuine emotion, not skipping even the opening or closing credits. “I noticed a bridal shop scene in the ending credits.”
Shen Tang explained earnestly: “There’s no reconciliation—it’s a bittersweet ending. The bridal shop scene belongs to another couple. One condition I had for accepting this role was not filming scenes involving wearing a wedding dress or getting married.”
Jiang Cheng Yu casually asked: “Why such a condition?”
Caught up in the moment, Shen Tang blurted out: “The first time I wear a wedding dress will be for my own wedding—to show my husband.”
Immediately, she regretted her words.
Marriage was a taboo topic between her and Jiang Cheng Yu.
True enough, after her words sank in, Jiang Cheng Yu fell silent.
He gazed at the six snowmen standing quietly in the garden.
Until this moment, he had never thought about their future together—or whether they might one day separate. If they did part ways, who would she fall in love with? Who would she marry?
He had never considered these questions before.
Silence needed to be broken eventually, and Shen Tang spoke up: “I made the oatmeal shrimp you usually like. If you have time, go back and put it in the fridge. I’m afraid it might spoil if left out too long.”
Jiang Cheng Yu snapped back to reality, touched by her thoughtfulness. “When did you learn to make oatmeal shrimp?”
“I learned from the chef at the hotel. The taste is mediocre, but you can make do.”
What started as a pleasant surprise now turned into a mix of heartache and guilt for Jiang Cheng Yu. He said, “Let me finish chatting with you first. I’ll go back tonight and eat it.”
Shen Tang wanted to end the call. She realized sadly that throughout her life, she had always sought affection from others. As a child, she begged her parents for love, only to be disappointed.
Now, unconsciously, she kept seeking love and marriage from Jiang Cheng Yu.
And that made it even more unattainable.
Why bother?
“Happy New Year. Wishing you all the best next year. I’ll go watch TV with Grandpa.”
Jiang Cheng Yu didn’t want to hang up yet. “I built six snowmen for you.” A symbol of smooth sailing.
“I’ll put them in the fridge first and give them to you when you return to Beijing.”
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