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Dr. Liang suddenly felt inspired to stay up late on New Year’s Eve. The four of them—one dog included—sat in the living room, chatting about everything that needed to be said. Shang Zhitao, who had been busy for several days straight, was still exhausted and couldn’t help but yawn, her eyes growing hazy.
Dr. Liang found her endearing. Even though she was so tired, she still sat upright on the sofa, maintaining her poise. Dr. Liang thought that Luan Nian had fallen for someone rare.
And indeed, he had.
Luan Nian had always been picky. Whatever he liked had to be unique and the best, and his friends were no exception. After spending just a short time with Shang Zhitao, Dr. Liang could already understand why Luan Nian loved her.
As for Luan Nian, he sat flipping through a magazine, occasionally glancing at Shang Zhitao. When he saw her yawning, he kicked her lightly: “We’re staying up late. Don’t slack off.” He said this more for Dr. Liang’s benefit, as he was clearly unhappy about her idea of staying up.
Dr. Liang kicked Mr. Luan: “Forget it, I’m tired.” Then she turned to Shang Zhitao: “Tao Tao, go to sleep.” She pulled her up and led her to the guest room: “This is Luan Nian’s room—he’s only stayed here once. Make do for the night.”
“What about me? Where am I supposed to sleep?” Luan Nian asked Dr. Liang.
“You sleep in the smaller room.”
“I’m not sleeping in the small room. Why should I?” In one stride, he entered the room: “Shang Zhitao, come in.”
“Then I’ll sleep in that room.”
Shang Zhitao felt uncomfortable sharing a room with him while his parents were around. Luan Nian grabbed her by the collar: “That room has rats, fifty centimeters long. And cockroaches, fist-sized.” He pulled her into the room and closed the door.
“Aren’t you being rude?”
“How is this rude?”
“Sleeping in the same room with elders.”
“? Are we doing anything improper? Will we never sleep under the same roof after marriage?” Luan Nian asked her.
…
The word “marriage” made Shang Zhitao freeze. But Luan Nian acted as if nothing had happened and tapped her head: “Hurry up and sleep!”
Shang Zhitao didn’t know whether to leave or lie down, feeling rather awkward.
Luan Nian stood up, picked her up, and tossed her onto the bed: “There really are cockroaches in that room.”
After turning off the light, he held her close and teased her: “Why do you have so many silly rules?”
Shang Zhitao wanted to retort, but he covered her mouth with his hand: “Sleep!”
Luan Nian didn’t want to pretend to be a gentleman or be bound by those formalities. He knew what kind of people his parents were—they would be delighted to see Shang Zhitao sleeping in the same room as him, and even happier if they went to register their marriage the next day. That way, they could finally hand him over.
They truly adored Shang Zhitao. Luan Nian could tell, especially Dr. Liang. She wasn’t always like this. Luan Nian could distinguish between Dr. Liang’s polite surface and genuine affection.
Shang Zhitao was utterly exhausted. She turned over to face him, nestling her head into the crook of his arm and slipping her legs between his, a comfortable sleeping position she had discovered the previous day. She smiled faintly to herself.
“Luan Nian,” Shang Zhitao called softly.
“Hmm?” Luan Nian responded quietly. It was as if they were worried about the poor soundproofing in the old house, though in reality, their voices were so low that even they could barely hear each other. They sounded like two children giggling in the dark.
“I like Dr. Liang,” Shang Zhitao said.
“And not my dad?”
“I like him too.”
“What about me?”
“I like you.”
Shang Zhitao’s voice grew softer and softer until she finally drifted off, content. Luan Nian listened to her soft breathing in the darkness and soon fell into a deep sleep himself.
When they woke up the next morning, Dr. Liang and Mr. Luan had gone to visit friends. Dr. Liang sent Luan Nian a message: “Let the young ones go out and have fun.”
“Where do you want to go?” Luan Nian asked Shang Zhitao as they headed out.
Shang Zhitao felt a bit nostalgic for the mountain scenery, his bar, and the stars and moon visible from the floor-to-ceiling windows: “I want to go to the mountain. It must be so peaceful now. Is the bar still open?”
“It’s open. Let’s go.”
The bar manager had been with Luan Nian for nearly ten years. He loved being on the mountain, which was why Luan Nian’s bar was open 365 days a year without fail. Strangely, no matter the season or weather, there were always people visiting the bar. Some drove long distances with their laptops and books, spending hours there until evening. For a while, the bar manager found it odd and remarked to Luan Nian: “Why are there so many lonely people?”
At the time, Luan Nian couldn’t answer him because he too was lonely.
Luke still remembered the mountain road. Even before they arrived, he was already excited, spinning in circles in the back seat. Once they reached the destination and the car door opened, he bolted out. First, he ran to the small path where Luan Nian often scolded him for peeing, claimed the mountain as his own, and then dashed toward the bar. Luan Nian had already opened the door and was waiting inside. Luke rushed in, saw the bar manager, and jumped up, barking: “Where’s my meat? Where’s my meat?”
Dogs really do have excellent memories.
The bar manager glanced at Shang Zhitao, then at Luke, unwilling to believe it: “I thought I’d never see you two again!”
Luan Nian shot him a cold look, and he fell silent, taking Luke to eat some meat. The last time Luan Nian had been here, he suddenly brought some meat and told the bar manager, “Luke will definitely come.”
Shang Zhitao smiled and turned around, spotting the large painting hidden in the shadows.
In the painting, they stood on a street in Lhasa, youthful and radiant.
She stared at the painting in disbelief, thinking she would never see it again. Those photos she had tucked between the pages of books were now placed on the upper shelf of her bookcase, along with those memories that had been shelved away.
How beautiful they looked in the painting.
It was from that year—Luan Nian leaving work late at night, driving out of the office. That day was Qixi Festival, and he had endured a soul-crushing traffic jam. The streets were bustling with people; young women held flowers and leaned against their boyfriends, and everywhere was lively. But there was one high school girl sitting under a bus stop sign, holding a book and reading, completely detached from the surrounding excitement.
That was 22-year-old Shang Zhitao, hopping off the bus and rushing into the elevator lobby, lifting her leg to stuff a thick Business English textbook into her backpack.
The breakdown came unexpectedly.
Luan Nian flew to Lhasa early the next morning, standing amidst the bustling crowd to gaze at the photography studio where their photos still hung. The shop owner said he had never taken better photos than those.
He stayed in Lhasa for three days alone, then went to Linzhi. There, he revisited their impromptu trip—the journey he cherished most in his life.
Shang Zhitao gazed at the photo for a long time before finally saying to Luan Nian, “Look at this—if you knew how much I loved you back then, wouldn’t it have been better to treat me kindly?”
“Shut up.”
Luan Nian refused to entertain her teasing and walked behind the bar: “What do you want to drink?”
“Anything’s fine.”
Shang Zhitao enjoyed watching Luan Nian mix drinks.
He was always wild, his bartending movements unrestrained, yet when he bent down to carve ice, he became intensely focused. Shang Zhitao leaned on the bar, watching him. He took a long time mixing the drink, and when he finally brought it out, there was an icy moon floating in the glass, surrounded by a deep blue liquid that resembled poison.
“What’s this drink called?”
“Moonlight Guides the Way Home.”
Luan Nian rarely displayed such romance, and the few times he did, they were all for Shang Zhitao. When she sipped the drink, it was the sweet-and-sour flavor she loved, though it subtly went to her head.
“It’s good,” she nodded, walking behind the bar. “I want to try making a drink too.”
“You know how?”
“A little.”
Over the years, Shang Zhitao had picked up new skills. She learned aerial yoga while helping He Yun recover postpartum, pole dancing to pass time with Shang Zhishu, and later dabbled in mixology on her own.
Her father always teased her about being restless, but she justified herself: “I’m broadening the scope of my life.”
Her hands moved swiftly through the air, shaking the ice cubes in the glass. Luan Nian watched her mimic his technique, and after a while, she presented a drink with a white base. He asked her, “What’s this called?”
“Pure as Snow,” she winked, naming it casually. Yet the drink inside resembled the snow clinging to the mountaintops outside, fitting the scene perfectly.
Carrying her glass to the window, she sipped her drink, idly passing the first day of the Lunar New Year. The mountain was so quiet that even the fall of a single dry leaf could be heard.
“I’ll take you back to Ice City tomorrow,” Luan Nian said. “You can catch the tail end of the New Year celebrations.”
“Alright. Do you want to come over for dinner?”
“What do you think?” Luan Nian gave her a lingering glance. After a pause, he added, “If my parents visit your home sometime soon, would that be convenient?”
“Huh?”
Shang Zhitao couldn’t process it immediately, not understanding why Dr. Liang and the others would visit her home.
Luan Nian understood traditions, though he wasn’t well-versed in them. If two people wanted to get married, it was customary for both sets of parents to meet. They would sit together, discuss things openly, and clarify the young couple’s future plans.
Shang Zhitao was too naive to notice his intentions.
“Would it be okay?” Luan Nian asked her.
“Yes.” She finally caught on. “Are we… talking about marriage?”
Luan Nian glanced at her but didn’t respond.
He had rented a plot of land on the mountain and planned to plant roses there. When the roses bloomed, he intended to give her an entire garden.
And just like that, the topic passed.
Luan Nian escorted Shang Zhitao back, and they shared a formal meal at her home. Her parents were already familiar with him, and the four of them sat together without any sense of distance. They laughed and chatted, and Luan Nian drank a bit with Old Shang.
Old Shang still enjoyed trying to get him drunk, but every time Luan Nian reached six liang, he pretended to pass out and slumped over the table. Eventually, Old Shang realized what was going on but didn’t expose him.
Luan Nian stayed with Shang Zhitao until the eighth day of the Lunar New Year before returning to Beijing.
After the holiday, Shang Zhitao decided to explore a new business track while also representing another company’s advertisements. Once again, she threw herself into endless work.
She consulted the channel manager about the new track, and he introduced her to two second-generation entrepreneurs, suggesting she practice with a few accounts. Shang Zhitao obediently followed his advice, diligently practicing.
Though she was busy, she no longer forgot Luan Nian as she used to. After meetings or client visits, she would send him messages—sometimes to discuss problems, sometimes just to flirt. Luan Nian’s replies remained brief, but he often called her directly after receiving her messages, chatting briefly.
Shang Zhitao frequently told him, “I miss you.”
He often replied, “Mm, I know.”
“Do you miss me?”
“Mm.”
“Tell me directly if you do.”
Luan Nian would always pause for a moment before saying, “I do.”
They truly began dating, like other couples, after both had crossed the age of thirty.
Their relationship was steady, neither rushed nor anxious. They intended to spend a lifetime slowly savoring this love.
Sometimes, late at night after both had finished work, they would make a bedtime call. Occasionally, they argued over the phone because Luan Nian still expressed his opinions bluntly and lacked tact. But these were just arguments; Shang Zhitao didn’t take them to heart because she fully understood who Luan Nian was.
At the end of March, Dr. Liang and Mr. Luan visited Ice City.
Not wanting Shang Zhitao’s parents to feel burdened, they gathered at their old pub for a meal.
The four elders were all wonderful people, chatting and laughing together. At the end, Dr. Liang said to Da Zhai, “I know Luan Nian has a difficult personality. I hope he hasn’t caused you any unhappiness.”
“No. Luan Nian is very polite.”
“That’s good.” Dr. Liang nodded. “If they get married, are there any customs here? Like dowry?”
Old Shang shook his head. “My daughter is priceless. I’m marrying her off, not selling her.”
“We understand. If the two children reach that point, rest assured that we will treat Tao Tao well.”
And so it was settled.
Shang Zhitao, sitting nearby, secretly asked Luan Nian, “When are we going to tell everyone we’re getting married?”
Luan Nian just smiled and said nothing.
He was brewing a lifelong romance.
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