"She was going through so much back then, and I had no idea. It’s reached the point where no matter how hard I try now, I can’t even catch a glimpse of a thousandth of her past." Jiang Weifeng lowered his eyes, his expression unreadable, but Gu Xiang was instantly stunned.
Having known him for over a decade, Gu Xiang had seen every side of Jiang Weifeng.
He could be reckless and unruly; when they ran into their headteacher while cutting class, everyone else would hide, but he never showed a hint of fear.
When he lost at a game, he would lose his temper and smash his keyboard. When a friend was in trouble, he would step up with unwavering loyalty. When he performed stunts on his skateboard, he was the picture of high-spirited confidence, drawing screams from the crowd.
All of those were him, yet Gu Xiang had never seen him like this.
If he had to describe it, the only thing that came to Gu Xiang’s mind was a cloud on an autumn afternoon—heavy and drifting.
Jiang Weifeng gave a deep, lingering smile. "You ask why he has to lose? Because I must win."
As he spoke, he let out a soft sigh.
For a few seconds, he let down his guard, appearing uncharacteristically uncertain. But in the next heartbeat, when he looked back at Gu Xiang, his gaze had turned as sharp and predatory as a leopard’s. "In my book, there are only two possible endings to this."
Gu Xiang asked, "What are they?"
"His defeat," Jiang Weifeng said with a smirk.
"And the other?"
Jiang Weifeng’s eyes grew profound. "Still his defeat."
"The only difference between the two is time."
In the distance, massive clusters of clouds gathered. Light burst from behind them, creating a sense of armored, solitary readiness.
Gu Xiang punched Jiang Weifeng lightly on the arm. "Anyway, man, I’ve got your back."
Jiang Weifeng responded by swinging a foot and kicking Gu Xiang in the calf. He turned his face away so Gu Xiang couldn't see his expression, muttering two words: "Get lost."
With that, he turned to leave.
Gu Xiang winced in pain but didn't forget to shout, "Where are you going?"
Jiang Weifeng waved a hand without looking back.
Thinking back, he was a man with a stubborn streak who had never begged anyone for anything.
But that day, on the way back from watching the stars in the suburbs with Lin Jiang, the song *Making Love Out of Nothing at All* had been playing in the car.
Lin Jiang had suddenly asked him, "When we watched that movie, you said Mr. Smith lost. Why?"
He had replied, "Because he loved her, so he was willing to bow his head for her."
But after a moment of thought, Lin Jiang had said, "That’s not right."
She said, "Bowing your head for love isn't losing."
Jiang Weifeng would probably never forget the way Lin Jiang looked that day—so peaceful, so serene—yet her words had felt like a fatal blade.
A gentle blade.
His mind was constantly in motion, like a candle flame flickering and urged on by the wind. He entered the studio, walked up to the director, and asked, "Director, not finished yet? What are your plans for tonight? How about we grab dinner?"
The director was a dedicated professional. While everyone else went for boxed lunches after wrapping up, he still had to double-check the commercial footage.
Seemingly surprised that Jiang Weifeng was suddenly offering an invitation, he looked up with a start. "Don't you usually avoid social obligations like the plague?"
Jiang Weifeng shook his head, his tone earnest. "Eating with you doesn't count as a social obligation."
The director chuckled at that. "Alright then."
Jiang Weifeng smiled, looking as bright as the brilliant sunlight outside the window.
***
At the same time, Lin Jiang rushed to Cheng Yunchuan’s apartment at top speed.
Before she even reached the door, she heard the sound of things smashing and a woman’s hysterical screaming.
Without a second thought, Lin Jiang ran inside. The moment she stepped through the door, she felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.
Cheng Yunchuan’s hair was disheveled as she sat slumped on the floor amidst the wreckage. She was holding a shard of broken glass against her throat, blood snaking down from her palm and dripping onto her clothes and the floor. When she saw Lin Jiang, she panicked, the veins on her forehead bulging. "Lin Jiang, don't come over here!"
But Lin Jiang couldn't move a muscle.
Because there was someone else in the room.
Zhang Juntao turned his head. Seeing it was Lin Jiang, he smiled—a refined, elegant smile. "Oh, it’s Lin Jiang. It’s been so many years. How have you been?"
His voice was soft and gentle, just like when he hosted charity programs on TV and spoke to children in orphanages—it even carried a hint of paternal coaxing.
Lin Jiang forced the words out of her throat. "What are you doing here?"
Hearing this, Zhang Juntao adjusted the glasses on the bridge of his nose, his smile unchanging. "Yunchuan and I had a little argument. I just came by to see her today."
"Don't call me that!" Cheng Yunchuan screamed, on the verge of a total breakdown. "Get out!"
Zhang Juntao shook his head at her words, wearing an indulgent expression as if he simply "didn't know what to do with her." He turned to Lin Jiang with a meticulous smile. "It seems she’s still angry with me. Very well, I’ll leave for now and come back to see her another day."
As he spoke, Zhang Juntao took two steps closer to Cheng Yunchuan. "I’m leaving then? Remember to call me if you need anything."
Cheng Yunchuan only shrank back further, the glass shard grazing her pale neck. Zhang Juntao didn't seem to care; he smiled and stood up to leave. As he passed Lin Jiang, he paused. "Lin Jiang, I think I saw you a while back, at Wanda Plaza."
Lin Jiang clenched her fists tightly, forcing herself to meet his gaze bravely. She even managed a smile. "Is that so? What a coincidence."
Zhang Juntao was of average height, about 175 centimeters, with a very upright posture and a cultivated air. He looked completely harmless, even approachable.
Hearing Lin Jiang’s response, he gave a warm smile. "I didn't expect you and Yunchuan to still be in touch." Zhang Juntao patted Lin Jiang on the shoulder. "That’s wonderful. I’m truly envious."
With that, he smiled and walked away at a leisurely pace.
The moment she heard the door close behind him, Lin Jiang could no longer hold herself up. Her legs gave way instantly, and she had to lean against the wall to keep from collapsing. She rubbed the shoulder Zhang Juntao had just touched with all her might, trying to erase any trace of him.
On the other side of the room, Cheng Yunchuan broke down in tears. "How can he act like nothing happened? How can he just come to find me in broad daylight? What do I do? It’s like this hasn't affected him at all! But my private messages... so many people are already attacking me!"
She pulled her knees to her chest and sobbed. It was hard to imagine that she had once been such a brave and candid girl. "What do we do? Are we really unable to beat him?"
Cheng Yunchuan’s words felt like needles pricking her skin. Lin Jiang clung to her last shred of rationality and called Shen Yan.
Shen Yan rushed over immediately after taking the call.
"How could he not be anxious? If he weren't anxious, he wouldn't have come to see you. If he truly had a clear conscience, he would have left everything to his lawyers," Shen Yan analyzed for Cheng Yunchuan.
Lin Jiang helped bandage Cheng Yunchuan’s wounds and comforted her as well. "That’s right. He just wants to see us panic right now. We can't fall for his trap."
Cheng Yunchuan looked as if she had lost her soul. "But I’m so scared."
Lin Jiang reassured her, "Don't worry. If necessary, I will stand up and speak out too."
Shen Yan frowned at those words. "Don't panic. Let’s take this one step at a time. He wants us to be anxious, so we’ll make him anxious too."
These words were like a wake-up call.
Cheng Yunchuan bit her lip hard, a look of grim determination slowly returning to her eyes.
***
Lin Jiang fell ill as soon as she returned from Cheng Yunchuan’s place.
Between the ongoing situation and not having had a good night's sleep for days, plus the shock of seeing Cheng Yunchuan so distressed, she was consumed by both anxiety and anger. After Shen Yan dropped her home, she collapsed onto the sofa, barely able to get back up.
That evening, while she was drifting in and out of sleep, her grandfather called to ask if she wanted to come home for dinner.
Lin Wei had made sweet and sour fish and braised pork. Her grandfather sounded in high spirits over the phone, teasing her by describing how the whole house was filled with the aroma, making his mouth water just smelling it.
In the background, she could hear Xu Mingjuan occasionally scolding Lin Wei.
Lin Jiang forced herself to sound cheerful, lying that she was "eating with Qianqian right now." She hung up quickly after a few words, afraid they would detect the sob in her voice.
Jiang Weifeng returned on the afternoon of the third day after he had left.
When he entered the bedroom, looking travel-worn, Lin Jiang was still bleary-eyed. She asked him, "Am I dreaming, or is this real?"
Seeing her dazed state, Jiang Weifeng’s heart melted. He immediately kicked off his shoes, climbed onto the bed, and pulled her into his arms without a word.
One kiss could dissolve a thousand sorrows.
When they were both nearly breathless, Lin Jiang pushed him away. "My fever just broke."
Jiang Weifeng pressed his lips against her forehead to check her temperature. "What happened?"
"Just stay away from me, I don't want to give it to you," Lin Jiang said, pushing him again.
Jiang Weifeng only pulled back a fraction, his arms still holding her tight. He smiled. "Too late."
Then, looking into Lin Jiang’s dazed eyes, he gave a low, deep laugh. "I’m already burning up."
Lin Jiang felt a chill on her chest; she hadn't even realized when he had unfastened her clothes. He continued to clear away obstacles as he moved down, kissing her incessantly. Wherever his breath wandered, a fire ignited.
As the song goes—*A kiss to overturn all sentient beings, a kiss to save a soul.*
It seemed the lyrics hadn't been lying after all.
Despite having been busy for three days and the exhaustion of travel, he still seemed to have endless energy, thoroughly wearing Lin Jiang out until she felt boneless.
Ah, what a night.
***
Lin Jiang didn't wake up until ten the next morning.
She stumbled groggily into the bathroom, only to find Jiang Weifeng standing under the shower, his hair covered in soap suds. Her sleepiness vanished instantly. She slammed the door shut, but then, unable to let it go, she feigned a fierce tone that lacked any real bite. "You really treat this place like your own home, don't you?"
After saying that, she lay back on the bed and pulled out her phone. Within moments, her brow was furrowed tight.
Jiang Weifeng happened to come out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. Seeing her staring blankly, he asked, "What’s wrong?"
"Cheng Yunchuan... she posted photos of her injuries last night." Lin Jiang’s gaze was hollow.
Jiang Weifeng walked over quickly. "And then?"
"Zhang Juntao reacted very fast this time. He issued a denial early this morning..." Lin Jiang swallowed with difficulty. "Look at what he posted."
Jiang Weifeng frowned as he read Zhang Juntao’s Weibo post:
*Regarding the photos Ms. Cheng posted on social media last night, I find them hard to believe. Before the court reaches a verdict, I find it necessary to provide some clarification to prevent my family from being harmed.*
*First, I was indeed in a relationship with Ms. Cheng. My wife passed away ten years ago, and our relationship was entirely consensual; there are no hidden circumstances. Second, the photos are fabricated; we will settle everything in court. Finally, regarding Ms. Cheng’s two posts, "sexual assault" and "violence" are simply not facts. We were together for nearly four years. If things were truly as she claimed, how could an ordinary person endure that for four years?*
*Beyond my public persona, I am just an ordinary man, a son, and a father. Until the truth comes to light, I will try my best to avoid conflict, but I will never allow myself to be slandered.*
...
Zhang Juntao’s long post was practically airtight. At the end, he had even included several intimate photos of himself and Cheng Yunchuan.
In an instant, the tide of public opinion on Weibo shifted drastically. Netizens swarmed in, hurling vicious insults at Cheng Yunchuan. Even the bloggers who had previously spoken up for her were now being bombarded.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 温柔刀 | Gentle blade / Tender knife | A metaphor for something that seems soft or kind but is actually harmful or fatal. |
| 衣冠禽兽 | A beast in human clothing | An idiom for a refined-looking person who is actually cruel or immoral. |
| 社会性死亡 | Social death | The phenomenon of being completely ostracized or ruined in the public eye. |
| 万达 | Wanda Plaza | A well-known chain of shopping malls in China. |
| 糖醋鱼 | Sweet and sour fish | A traditional Chinese dish. |
| 红烧肉 | Braised pork | A traditional Chinese dish. |
| 一吻便颠倒众生，一吻便救一个人 | A kiss to overturn all sentient beings, a kiss to save a soul | Lyrics reflecting the power of a kiss. |
