At three o’clock that same night, Xue Shen lay in bed, unable to fall asleep.
The curtains of the window facing his bed were drawn open, framing a crescent moon within the panes. Such a moonlit night reminded him of a person from many years ago and the dreams they had shared.
Yu Mo used to wear a thin platinum bracelet on her wrist—so delicate that one wouldn't even notice it without looking closely. Only when she moved her wrist would it catch the light, emitting tiny, scattered glimmers.
The first time they sat together for a class committee meeting, that thread-like bracelet had shimmered on her slender, pale wrist, swaying its way right into his heart.
For her sake, he played basketball every day at noon on the court outside the girls' dormitory. Even when he accidentally hit someone else with the ball, girls would still scream frantically for him. His friends were utterly confused; they couldn't understand why he’d switched from soccer to basketball every noon, only to suddenly throw the ball down mid-game and drag them back to the soccer field.
But he couldn't say a word. How could he, Xue Shen, have a secret crush on someone?
The school had several cafeterias, but he and his best friend, Zhang Wei, only went to one—even though it was the one he had hated most in middle school. He went because Yu Mo and her friends always ate there, and always at the same table.
Every time Yu Mo finished her meal and washed her lunchbox, she would store her things in a locker in the cafeteria. He found a seat right next to those lockers. Every time she passed him to reach her locker, he would mischievously stick out his foot to trip her.
He told Zhang Wei, "Let's make a bet. I'll trip her once every day. At first, she'll definitely be furious, but then she'll get used to it. One day, when I stop tripping her, she'll definitely feel a sense of loss."
The sixteen-year-old boy looked at him with boundless admiration. "Holy crap, Xue Shen. No wonder all those girls love you."
In truth, every time he locked eyes with Yu Mo and saw her eyebrows arch in anger or her eyes widen, he was so nervous he barely dared to breathe. He was terrified that the next day she wouldn't show up at that cafeteria at all, or that she would simply turn and walk away.
He didn't know what she was thinking, but he wanted to know so badly.
During the winter break of their freshman year of college, he went to the train station to pick her up as she returned home from her university in the south. That was their first meeting after officially becoming a couple. Yu Mo’s "green-skin" slow train wasn't scheduled to arrive until two in the morning, but he arrived at the station to wait at six in the evening.
The mid-winter cold was brutal. Back then, the station didn't have twenty-four-hour shops. He waited in the freezing wind on the plaza for seven or eight hours. His body went numb from the cold, yet his heart felt incredibly hot—so hot he wanted to strip off his clothes and shout from one end of the plaza to the other just to vent the heat inside him.
When Yu Mo finally emerged from the exit, he pulled her into his arms. Their heartbeats thundered, yet neither dared to look up.
Older men and women holding small signs swarmed them, hawking their services: "Need a hotel? Twenty yuan a night, we have hot water."
Blushing, the two of them ran away.
Neither said where they were going; they just held hands tightly and walked along Huaihai Road. There wasn't a soul on the street, save for the occasional cyclist wrapped head-to-toe in a scarf and hat, whizzing past them.
They looked at each other and burst into laughter. They didn't know why; they just wanted to laugh. They even felt like laughing at the traffic lights at the intersection.
They turned right from Huaihai Road onto Jiefang South Road. A short walk ahead was a small street-side garden. By unspoken agreement, they walked into the center of the garden, away from public view.
That was the first time Xue Shen kissed Yu Mo.
Both their lips were icy, yet they couldn't stop trembling. They could only press them together tightly, their breaths hot against each other's faces.
Then, Xue Shen discovered an instinct he never knew he had. He pressed his warming lips against hers, moving lower and lower. He had an inexhaustible passion, peppering Yu Mo’s neck with kisses until it was covered in marks. His entire body trembled slightly throughout.
He leaned close to her, breathing in her youthful scent, and whispered, "Why do you smell so good?"
Thinking of this, Xue Shen’s eyes grew red. He rested his arm over his eyes and asked that girl in his mind, "Mo Mo, have I really lost you?" His voice was hoarse, choked with a sob. "But we are one. How could we ever be apart?"
At four o'clock, as the moon was about to set, he climbed out of bed. He changed out of his silk pajamas, put on a specially made leather apron, took out his tool kit, and began to meticulously oil Yu Mo’s antique cabinets.
Yu Mo was a strange person in some ways; she had a particular love for antiques. She said she liked the traces left on them; she was a person who clung to the past.
She had been gone for four months. Her antiques had to be kept in perfect condition, every carving carefully maintained. When she came home, she would know that this was always her home, and that someone was waiting for her.
The lights in the early morning always seemed exceptionally bright. He bent his back and lowered his head, letting his hair hang down. Every corner and every lattice had to be tended to with care. Otherwise, Yu Mo would arch her brows and scold him: "No, Xue Shen, you're slacking off again."
At six in the morning, he sent Yu Mo a text: *Mo Mo, what should I do about your favorite antique cabinet? I don't know how to maintain it. Didn't you tell me you'd hold onto it even during an earthquake?*
At eight in the morning, his driver, Xiao Wang, called him, speaking with great respect. "President Xue, I've arrived downstairs. You told me to call you at eight sharp."
He had no choice but to get up, his head throbbing with a splitting ache.
On the way to the company, he saw through the window of the Mercedes that the magnolias on the street had already withered. He realized with a start that it was time to eat *qingtuan* again.
He instructed Xiao Wang, "Once we get to the office, wait downstairs. My assistant will come down and go with you to buy *qingtuan*. You know which shop—it’s the same one every year. Once you’ve bought them, deliver them to my mother-in-law’s house in Longcheng. I won't assign you anything else today."
Xiao Wang quickly turned back to acknowledge the order. "Understood, President Xue."
Xue Shen rubbed his aching forehead and added, "Don't say a word you shouldn't say."
"Don't worry, sir."
When the girl at the front desk saw him step off the elevator, she hurried over in her high heels to open the door, standing respectfully to the side. "Good morning, President Xue."
Xue Shen nodded and strode into his office, leaving behind a faint scent of wood and herbs.
His assistant, Lin Zhu, rose quickly from her seat, notebook in hand, ready to verify his schedule for the day.
Lin Zhu had a long, oval face and narrow, upturned eyes—a very memorable look. She was a capable woman who had been Xue Shen’s assistant since the company’s inception.
Xue Shen turned to her and said, "Put everything else aside for a moment. Go buy some *qingtuan*. Xiao Wang is waiting for you downstairs. Follow the usual standards."
Lin Zhu paused. So it was *qingtuan* season again. She felt she hadn't been attentive enough as an assistant.
She set down her notebook and replied, "Yes, President Xue."
Year after year, it was as regular as clockwork: first *qingtuan*, then loquats, followed by crabs, mooncakes, then osmanthus wine and New Year's goods. It was more punctual than the changing of the seasons.
What else could drive a man like Xue Shen to do this for years on end if not deep affection? Was this not the most enduring form of confession? Lin Zhu believed Xue Shen was perfect. She liked Yu Mo, too; she hoped that all the good things in the world would last and that all lovers would find their way to each other.
She felt a touch of inexplicable sadness that even the spring sunshine couldn't dispel.
***
At the same time, Yu Mo was in the reception room at Zhongfu, preparing to sign a contract with a client.
A small round table was covered with the client’s various identification documents and paper contracts. The client and his wife sat opposite her.
The client appeared to be in his thirties or forties—an ordinary-looking man. Despite the twenty-degree weather, he wore a drab, thin down jacket, looking as if he were either very sensitive to the cold or simply didn't care about his appearance.
Yu Mo was verifying the documents. The interest rates and policies had been explained clearly, and the credit check was fine. Only the final step of signing remained.
She couldn't help but feel a bit excited, smiling at the clients and offering them tea.
The problem arose when she checked the spouse’s ID card.
The woman sitting across from her had a round face, almost no bridge to her nose, and a hairline that sat nearly at her eyebrows. However, the photo on the spouse’s ID showed a long, thin face with a high forehead. Aside from their gender and approximate age, these two women had almost nothing in common.
Yu Mo sighed inwardly and said to them, "Please wait a moment. I need to go to the office to get some materials."
She was still too thin-skinned to embarrass someone to their face.
It was against regulations for a client to borrow money without their spouse's knowledge, and it would be a major headache if the spouse decided to pursue the matter later.
She went to the office, found Lily, pulled her aside, and explained the situation in detail.
Lily listened and gave a dismissive smile. There were some things she couldn't say—after all, they weren't close enough for heart-to-heart talks, and there was no need to invite trouble. In their line of work, everyone had their own way of getting things done.
She thought for a moment and said, "Yu Mo, weren't you desperate to close a deal? This one is practically in your mouth. Think carefully. In this industry... well, it depends on how you look at it."
Yu Mo shook her head. "I don't want to do it. I'd rather not close the deal at all."
Lily looked at her, finding Yu Mo’s high-mindedness a bit laughable but not surprising. A flower grown in a greenhouse was bound to be different from wild flowers like them. She just didn't know how long this greenhouse flower could maintain its "pure as snow" attitude.
She tossed her head and said, "If you've decided you don't want it, then hand it over to me. I'll split the commission with you."
Yu Mo shook her head. "I don't want it. Let's just act as if I never heard about this."
Lily patted her arm and hurried off to meet the clients.
Failing to close her first deal left Yu Mo’s mood in flux. After work, she spent two hours doing "ground promotion," exhausting herself until she was too tired to think about anything else before wobbling her way home.
As she got off the bus, a gust of wind blew, and she couldn't help but wrap her trench coat tighter. Spring weather was fickle. The old saying that people dress haphazardly in the third, eighth, and ninth lunar months really did have some truth to it.
Under the streetlamp at the entrance of the residential compound, she caught sight of a figure. Despite the temperature, he was wearing a short-sleeved shirt, shorts, and a pair of flip-flops. His exposed limbs were long and powerful. He wore an unremarkable black T-shirt, but his chest looked solid. Standing there casually, he possessed a sort of effortless handsomeness.
It took a second look for Yu Mo to recognize him as Qi Lian.
He ignored everyone else, head down as he played with his phone. The light from the streetlamp cast deep shadows across his high nose and brow bone. He looked unapproachable. Yu Mo hesitated—should she go up and say hello, or pretend she hadn't seen him and walk away?
In that moment of hesitation, Qi Lian looked up and saw her.
She greeted him with a bit of awkwardness. "Qi... Lian. What a coincidence. Are you waiting for someone?"
Qi Lian put away his phone, stretched his neck, and said, "Yeah. Let's go."
Yu Mo took a few steps to keep up, thinking perhaps they were just heading the same way.
Just then, her phone rang. She took it out and saw it was a video call from her mother. Her heart tightened. She looked around; fortunately, the light was dim.
Walking beside her, Qi Lian sensed her sudden stiffness and moved a few steps away to give her space.
Yu Mo answered the video call and called out sweetly, "Mama."
Yu Mo’s mother was a gentle-spoken woman. She asked softly, "Where are you, Mo Mo? It's so late and you're not home yet?"
Yu Mo replied with a giggle, "Oh, I ate too much for dinner, so I came down for a walk. Otherwise, I won't be able to sleep tonight."
"Stay safe. We received the *qingtuan*. It was very thoughtful of you both, especially Xue Shen."
Yu Mo paused for a second. Something roared through her heart, tugging at her nerves, making her unable to speak for a moment.
Qi Lian walked with long strides, but to wait for Yu Mo, he strolled leisurely, glancing at her from time to time. He had never seen an adult call their mother with such a pampered, childish tone, using the doubled "Mama." He’d only seen the neighborhood kids do that. He almost felt like laughing.
Between her and her mother—one gentle, one acting like a spoiled child—he couldn't help but think that her father was a man to be envied. At least, he had never seen a family like that in his circles.
For some reason, he felt that this girl was meant to be like this—delicate and pampered—not the disheveled mess he kept running into.
He kicked a pebble on the road, sending it rolling.
Yu Mo hung up the phone and saw Qi Lian a few steps away. She smiled and closed the distance. "That was my mother."
"Mm," he said. Then he asked, "You're not a local?"
"I'm from Zhejiang. What about you?"
"I'm a Jinning local." He thought for a moment and added, "Do you know what this relocation housing area looked like before the high-rises were built? It was all farmland. The soil was fertile; anything you planted would yield a harvest. The river next to the compound used to be crystal clear. All the boys from around here would play in the water. There were ponds between the fields that were filled with lotuses in the summer. When the wind blew, you could smell the fragrance from far away."
Just then, a breeze blew by. She wondered if it was the same kind of wind that once blew over the lotus ponds. She tilted her head to look at Qi Lian. His gaze was heavy as he stared into the distance. She had previously sensed that he wasn't much of a talker, but it seemed it just depended on whether he felt like it.
She teased, "So, you're a 'relocation millionaire,' Qi Lian. Isn't such a chance for sudden wealth a good thing? So many people wish for it."
He looked into her eyes, his gaze unfriendly. "There were at least several thousand farming households here. It’s been nearly ten years since the demolition, and I’ve never heard of a single family still living a life of 'sudden wealth.' Those who haul sand, move bricks, or drive—they’re still doing exactly what they were doing. Seventy-year-old grandmothers are still sweeping the streets. At the very worst, they used to have a few acres of land; they’d always have a bite to eat. Now, there are plenty of spendthrifts who can't even afford a meal. Those old tile-roofed houses, the century-old trees in the courtyards, the neighbors of decades... they're all gone."
He looked a bit sorrowful, pointing vaguely into the air. "This place has truly become a mess now, filled with all sorts of lowlifes. And it won't get any better."
Yu Mo didn't speak. She thought of his WeChat profile picture. She understood the attachment people had to their homeland and the desire to hold onto memories. She felt a deep sense of empathy, and her eyes grew slightly warm.
After a moment, she said something simple and perhaps a bit foolish: "I always believe that our past selves still exist in another place. They haven't disappeared."
Qi Lian kicked the pebble he had been toyed with, sending it flying.
Yu Mo caught a faint, lingering scent from him.
He returned to his silent self.
They walked in silence to the base of Yu Mo’s building. She suddenly realized something and asked, "Were you specifically waiting for me at the gate?"
Qi Lian shoved his hands into his pockets and replied nonchalantly, "Just walking off my dinner, same as you. Besides, I don't like people causing trouble around here."
Yu Mo felt he sounded like a bossy child when he said that, but of course, she didn't say it out loud.
She stepped into the hallway first. With a stomp of her foot, the sensor light actually turned on—an unexpected surprise.
The light on the second floor also lit up. She was a bit puzzled. "Such good luck today." She turned to ask Qi Lian, "Do you think the one on the third floor will light up too?"
Qi Lian was a few steps below her. He looked up at her and answered, "It will!"
When they reached the third floor, the light was indeed on.
She turned back to him again. "And the fourth floor?"
A hint of a smile appeared in Qi Lian’s eyes. The coldness in his expression vanished, and even his voice carried a touch of lightness. "It will."
Yu Mo ran up the last few steps to the fourth floor, and the light flickered on as expected. She looked back at Qi Lian, her eyes wide with wonder. "Tell me, is it because my luck is exceptionally good today, or are your words golden?"
Qi Lian nodded. "My words are golden."
"Then quickly, wish for me to strike it rich!"
Qi Lian played along. "I wish for you to strike it rich."
Yu Mo laughed to herself, her small face lit up by the hallway light. She said, "I don't think I've told you my name yet, have I? I'm Yu Mo. 'Yu' as in 'therefore,' and 'Mo' as in 'jasmine.'"
Qi Lian nodded, then turned to head back downstairs.
As he walked out of the building, he took out his phone and typed the characters for "Jasmine." So, it was the "Mo" with the grass radical.
She was just like a jasmine flower—small, white, and fragrant.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 绿皮火车 | Green-skin train | Old-fashioned, slow-speed trains in China, typically painted green. |
| 三九寒天 | Three-nine cold | The coldest period of winter in the traditional Chinese calendar. |
| 青团 | Qingtuan | Green glutinous rice balls, a seasonal snack for the Qingming Festival. |
| 地推 | Ground promotion | Marketing or sales activities conducted in person on the street. |
| 动迁小区 | Relocation housing | Residential compounds built for people displaced by urban redevelopment. |
| 金口玉言 | Golden words | An idiom meaning words that are precious, authoritative, or likely to come true. |
| 艹字头 | Grass radical | The radical (艹) used in Chinese characters related to plants/flowers. |
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