The faint light of dawn filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and the rich aroma of coffee drifted through the sealed space.
Ji Qikun sat at the long, narrow dining table, a ceramic spoon in his hand that had just scooped up a mouthful of oatmeal.
"…Even though the ingredients are the same, strangely enough, the taste is different," he said with a smile. "When I woke up and saw you weren't there, I thought you’d left."
"Are you trying to kick me out?" Wei Zhi teased intentionally.
"Of course not. You can stay as long as you like," Ji Qikun replied, his smile widening. "After all, we’ll soon be a family in the eyes of the law."
The natural veins in the marble countertop were like fine threads; between the grey and white, there were large patches of blackened crimson.
He lowered his head, slowly stirring the milk and oats with his spoon. The liquid swirled around the grains, drawn into a white vortex created by Ji Qikun’s whim.
"When my parents were still around, I rarely had a decent breakfast," he said slowly, his expression calm. "Eating together like this, in such a simple and warm way, was a dream that felt out of reach back then."
Wei Zhi looked up at him.
"I never told you why I was raised by my uncle," he said. "When I was eight, my father went to prison for a hit-and-run. Perhaps unable to endure the torment of life behind bars, he committed suicide in less than six months."
"He was a coward."
"And my mother remarried shortly after my father died. So, I moved into my uncle’s house. Ironically, it was only after moving into someone else’s home that I realized what I craved was the very thing others took for granted as their daily routine."
Wei Zhi took his hand and said with great solemnity, "Now you have me."
"Yes, now I have you by my side," he whispered. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but I’m always afraid this is just a beautiful dream, that one day I’ll lose it."
"You have family, you have friends. Every time I see you talking to someone else, my heart fills with fear. You’re not like me… your world doesn't just consist of one person."
Ji Qikun gripped her hand back. Wei Zhi heard a trace of vulnerability in his low voice.
"They aren't the same as you, of course," she comforted him. "You are the only one I love most."
"…And how will you prove that?"
Ji Qikun looked up, his eyes as beautiful as ever. His pupils were dark and clear, flawless like glass beads.
That morning, Wei Zhi deleted every contact in her phone except for her family.
***
"You didn't have to come," Weng Xiuyue said, her expression complicated as she looked at the man who had arrived at the gates of the Jiangdu Academy of Fine Arts before her.
Zhang Kaiyang grinned. His T-shirt and jeans allowed him to blend in perfectly with the students passing by.
"Let’s go. Where do you want to start the investigation?"
Since their last meeting, Weng Xiuyue had consulted a lawyer and finally decided to file a lawsuit against Ji Qikun for abuse.
However, the chat logs alone weren't enough to prove a pattern of abuse. After receiving Weng Xiuyue’s call, Zhang Kaiyang had volunteered to accompany her to look into Mei Man’s social circle.
This wasn't part of his official duties, so he was doing this on his day off.
Weng Xiuyue was dressed in a black gown today, her hair neatly pinned back, her makeup—from eyes to lips—impeccable. Aside from the bloodshot veins in her eyes that she couldn't hide, there was no sign that she was currently enduring the agony of losing a daughter. Zhang Kaiyang had heard that she was even insisting on going to work; just as he was using his time off to help her, she was using her spare time outside of work to run around seeking justice for her daughter.
He couldn't imagine what was going on in her heart. He only knew that the pain she suffered was no less than that of any other victim's family he had met, yet she could still force herself to maintain a daily routine. Her inner strength was beyond his imagination.
Beyond sympathy, there was admiration. Both emotions were the reason he had come here today.
In the principal’s office, they met with Mei Man’s counselor.
"…In school, they were the recognized 'Golden Couple.' Both students and teachers liked them very much. Ji Qikun joined the student union in his freshman year and was elected student council president by a unanimous vote in his junior year. Mei Man was naturally excellent as well; her academic performance was among the top in her year, and she represented the school in several national competitions, winning awards."
The counselor sighed, her face full of regret.
"…When young people date, arguments are inevitable. But who would have thought it would end like this?"
"In your eyes, this was just a lovers' quarrel?" Weng Xiuyue couldn't hide the anger in her voice.
The counselor looked embarrassed.
Zhang Kaiyang cut off Weng Xiuyue’s next words and asked the counselor good-naturedly, "May I ask if Mei Man showed any noticeable changes after she started dating Ji Qikun?"
"Noticeable changes?" The counselor thought for a moment. "I heard from her studio professor that Mei Man’s painting style changed significantly. Other than that, I didn't notice anything."
"Alright, thank you." Zhang Kaiyang picked up a pen, tore off a sticky note he carried with him, wrote down a number, and handed it to the counselor. "If you think of anything else, no matter how small, you can call me."
The counselor took the note.
Zhang Kaiyang and Weng Xiuyue stood up one after the other. The principal, who had been listening from a leather swivel chair, also stood up. He subtly expressed a request for Weng Xiuyue to contact them by phone in the future rather than visiting the campus in person.
"We deeply regret what happened to Mei Man, but we also hope you can understand that our work isn't easy. This has a negative impact on the school," the principal said apologetically.
This visit yielded no valuable leads.
A twenty-two-year-old female college student somehow had no friends. The few people she had once been close with had all lost contact with her one or two years ago.
"At first, I thought she was a nice person, but after getting to know her better, I felt our personalities didn't click."
"Sometimes, the smallest, most nonsensical things would make her fly into a rage."
"Mei Man… I don't know if I should say this. But she really was quite different in private compared to her public image."
"Her grades were good… but many of the things she did were just bizarre."
In contrast, when Mei Man’s classmates mentioned Ji Qikun, they were unanimous in their praise.
"Even though Senior Ji comes from a wealthy family, he never looked down on those less fortunate. Whenever there was a donation drive, he was always the one leading the way with the largest contribution."
"That guy was very popular among us guys too. After all, he has a good family background, he’s handsome, has great grades, and he’s good at sports. A bunch of girls in school chased after him every day. To be honest, who wouldn't want to live a life like that, where everything is set to easy mode?"
"When Mei Man started dating the president, half the girls in school were green with envy."
Having heard these biased accounts, it was no wonder Weng Xiuyue had lost her temper so easily in front of the counselor.
Her fury had been smoldering in her chest for a long time.
Zhang Kaiyang understood a mother’s unconditional trust in her daughter, but he also had to seriously weigh the testimony of others.
If one person was lying, could so many people all be lying?
Today’s investigation seemed destined to end in disappointment. But Weng Xiuyue didn't believe the testimonies found so far and insisted on staying on campus to continue her search.
"Auntie Weng…"
Zhang Kaiyang called out to her but didn't know how to persuade her. Weng Xiuyue’s wary and defensive gaze suggested she already knew what he was thinking.
Just then, the phone in Weng Xiuyue’s handbag suddenly rang.
"…Hello?" Weng Xiuyue answered.
A moment later, her expression changed. She looked at Zhang Kaiyang, pulled the phone away from her ear, and pressed the speakerphone button in front of him.
An urgent female voice came through the phone.
"…Auntie Weng, don't believe what they say. They don't know anything at all!"
Zhang Kaiyang immediately noted down the incoming number while signaling Weng Xiuyue to turn on the call recording.
"Who are you?" Weng Xiuyue asked.
"I—I’m a friend of Mei Man’s, but I can't tell you who I am. I know why Mei Man didn't have any friends later on. It was all Ji Qikun’s fault!"
The girl said indignantly:
"I met Mei Man right when the semester started. Back then, everyone liked her because she had a great temper and was very pretty. When Mei Man and Ji Qikun got together, it was Ji Qikun who pursued her first. At first, we all thought Mei Man was very happy. Even though she distanced herself from us after starting the relationship, we just thought she was ditching her friends for a guy. We teased her about it but didn't take it to heart."
"But about a year into their relationship, things gradually started to go wrong. First, Mei Man unilaterally deleted many of our WeChat and QQ contacts without any warning. Then, she started making bizarre phone calls to question and accuse us of things we didn't even remember."
"I received a call like that too. At first, I was angry, but later I just felt it was strange. I tried to find Mei Man to get an explanation, but she was never alone. Every time Ji Qikun was around, she refused to talk to me."
"Until last year, Mei Man suddenly added me on WeChat using an unknown number. She told me she wanted to break up with Ji Qikun because she couldn't stand his controlling nature. That’s when I found out that Ji Qikun had been controlling her contact with the outside world. Not only that, he forced her to make those nonsensical phone calls and intentionally provoke people—like pouring a cup of coffee over someone’s head—just because Ji Qikun thought it was 'interesting.'"
"Once the person who got soaked lost their temper at Mei Man, Ji Qikun would step in as a 'mediator' to negotiate, demanding that Mei Man apologize for it. I was stunned when I heard Mei Man say that—I couldn't imagine there was actually such a person in this world!"
Weng Xiuyue’s hand holding the phone was trembling uncontrollably.
"Why didn't you tell me this in person?"
"…I’m sorry, Auntie Weng." The girl’s voice became timid and guilt-ridden. "You know Ji Qikun’s family background, and he’s such a psychopath. I’m worried I’ll be targeted for revenge. So… I’m sorry, Auntie Weng. I can only tell you this much, and I hope it helps you a bit."
Zhang Kaiyang heard that the girl was about to hang up. Ignoring everything else, he hurriedly called out, "Wait a moment!"
The sudden male voice startled the other party, giving Zhang Kaiyang the chance to ask the most important question.
"Do you know why Mei Man obeyed these orders from Ji Qikun?"
"At first it was because of love. She thought it was love." After a moment of silence, the girl said in a mocking tone, "But later… I only know she said, 'There is no other way.'"
"That’s all I know."
This time, the call truly ended.
"…Can you help me find her?" Weng Xiuyue looked up at him.
Without an official case being opened, Zhang Kaiyang couldn't use his police powers to track someone down.
But he hesitated under Weng Xiuyue’s gaze. After a moment, he said:
"I’ll try."
***
After sharing breakfast, Wei Zhi was supposed to go to work at the gallery.
But because she happened to mention that "the corners of the bag are worn" when she picked up her purse, Ji Qikun suggested taking her to the mall to go shopping.
"Then I’ll call the manager to ask for leave…"
Ji Qikun pressed down on her hand as she reached for her phone and smiled. "No need. I’ll just send him a message."
The largest luxury shopping plaza in Jiangdu was a place Wei Zhi wouldn't have dared to enter before meeting Ji Qikun.
Now, every time they entered a different luxury boutique, different sales assistants wore the same attentive expressions, following them closely and enthusiastically explaining the new arrivals for the season.
Ji Qikun didn't care about trends; he only cared if it was a new arrival. He knew that the money he paid included the brand designers' control over the season's fashion.
He only cared if it was a big brand, if it was new, and if it complemented him.
His criteria for choosing people, however, didn't seem to be the same.
"What do you think of this one?"
Wei Zhi walked up to Ji Qikun holding a new Chanel bowling bag.
He just gave it a casual glance and said with a smile, "It suits you well. Let’s get this one."
A handbag costing nearly thirty thousand yuan—Ji Qikun bought it without blinking.
That evening, Ji Qikun took her to a business gala. Wei Zhi was dressed entirely in the new items bought today. At first glance, she looked no different from the other female companions, but between bags, there was a distinction between Hermès and Chanel; and between people, there was a world of difference.
When Ji Qikun conversed with others in French, she could only cling to his arm like a decorative object and smile.
The women in the ballroom were mostly of three types: those with degrees from places like Stanford, those born into wealth or status, and those with surgically enhanced faces and seductive figures, either slender or curvaceous. There was a final, rare type—those who carried Hermès casually, dressed in a more androgynous style, no longer needing to flaunt their bodies or faces.
All Wei Zhi had was a degree from a second-tier domestic university, an impoverished family background, and a heart that had been tainted by poverty and suffering.
This wasn't the first time she had accompanied Ji Qikun to a gala, but every time, she felt the same sense of self-deprecation.
"Are you overthinking again?" Ji Qikun’s magnetic voice sounded from above.
Wei Zhi snapped out of it and found him staring at her with a half-smile.
"I just feel…" Wei Zhi hesitated for a moment. "Will I embarrass you?"
"Of course not," Ji Qikun said. "They all admire my courage in choosing an ordinary person. Do you know what they call us?"
"…What?"
In Ji Qikun’s narrow eyes, there was a stillness that hid an undercurrent, like a vortex concealed in the darkness of night, silently pulling in everything that came near.
"True love."
***
After the gala ended, at Wei Zhi’s request, Ji Qikun dropped her off at the Wei family home.
When she returned, Wang Lin was organizing stock in the grocery store. With her frail arms, she stood on her tiptoes, lifting a heavy cardboard box high to place it on the top shelf.
Wei Zhi silently took the box from her, stepped onto a nearby crate of drinks, and set the item properly on the top shelf.
"Xiao Zhi, you…" Wang Lin smiled awkwardly, wiping her hands on her pant legs. She swallowed her worried questions and instead offered a fawning smile. "Have you had dinner? Shall Mom cook a bowl of noodles for you?"
"No need."
Wei Zhi spoke coldly, pushed open the wooden door, and walked into the inner room.
In the empty inner room, her folding bed stood quietly by the balcony. Two bedroom doors were tightly shut. From one came the characteristic irritable shouting of Wei Lai playing games online; the other was exceptionally silent—Wei Shan was likely still fighting his battles at the mahjong table.
This kind of life had lasted for twenty-six years.
Wei Zhi unfolded the bed and changed into her loungewear. She took the handbag Ji Qikun had bought her today, along with the packaging box and the receipt, and photographed them one by one. She listed them on Xianyu at thirty percent off the original price. Then, she searched for the same model on Taobao and bought a high-quality counterfeit.
She liked bags because they were easy to sell, didn't have sizes to worry about, and had many fakes available. Clothes were harder to move; size was one issue, but the hardest part was finding a replica that looked convincing enough.
Most of the clothes Ji Qikun gave her hung in their original state on a simple garment rack, while the bags squeezed haphazardly into a storage bin were all the replicas she had bought later.
In less than ten minutes, the bag she had just listed was purchased.
The buyer was a regular customer who knew her special requirements and confirmed receipt immediately. A large sum of money flowed into Wei Zhi’s account.
She took out her Huawei phone and entered the "Private Space"—a secondary system. The phone’s home screen was littered with a dazzling array of online lending apps.
After checking them one by one, Wei Zhi selected one that was about to become overdue. She took the money she had just received, combined it with the money she had earned from food delivery recently, and paid it all in.
Even so, it was just a drop in the bucket.
The high interest was like a giant beast, chasing her as she fled blindly in no particular direction.
She had once thought she would never be like Wei Shan, burdened with debt because of gambling, nor like Wang Lin, dragged down because of her weakness. Those two had long since become "dishonest persons" on the credit blacklist due to overdue loans. She had once thought she was far removed from them.
Four years ago, Wang Lin was diagnosed with a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). She needed to take the targeted drug Imatinib. A box of imported Imatinib cost 23,500 yuan, and Wang Lin needed to take two boxes a month.
Wei Shan would never pay that money. If Wang Lin knew the real price of the medicine, she would choose to give up.
Wei Zhi could not give up.
She knew her mother was an ignorant and weak woman; she hated her far more often than she loved her.
But it was still love.
Though it was an iron chain around her neck, it was still love.
Loathsome love. Bitter love. Hurting love.
She lied and said she had medical insurance, taking over the task of buying the medicine so Wang Lin wouldn't get involved.
Love pushed her toward the cliff; love forced her into a dead end; love suffocated her, yet she couldn't let go.
The speed of repayment could never catch up with the speed of interest. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't see the end of the despair. Unknowingly, she had accumulated over a million in debt.
Of the nearly 7.5 billion people on Earth, how many could change the fate they were given at birth?
The children of the poor remain poor; the children of the rich remain rich. The unfortunate remain unfortunate; the happy remain happy. Wealth continues to accumulate, while suffering continues to be passed down.
She wanted to change her fate.
She wanted to break free from the suffering fate had bestowed upon her.
She refused to simply accept her lot in life.
"So it’s 'true love'…"
In the brilliantly lit ballroom filled with clinking glasses, Wei Zhi had murmured to herself.
She looked up into Ji Qikun’s eyes, a smile gradually spreading across her face.
"No wonder you are able to save me," she said.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 江都美院 | Jiangdu Academy of Fine Arts | The university where Mei Man and Ji Qikun studied. |
| 金童玉女 | Golden Couple | Lit. "Golden Boy and Jade Girl," an idiom for a perfect, attractive couple. |
| 辅导员 | Counselor | A university staff member responsible for student welfare and administration. |
| 闲鱼 | Xianyu | A popular Chinese second-hand marketplace app. |
| 华为手机 | Huawei phone | A brand of smartphone. |
| 隐私空间 | Private Space | A feature on Huawei phones that creates a hidden, secondary system. |
| 伊马替尼 | Imatinib | A targeted therapy drug used to treat certain types of cancer (GIST). |
| 胃肠道间质瘤 | Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) | A type of tumor that occurs in the gastrointestinal tract. |
| 失信人员 | Dishonest persons | Refers to people on China's social credit blacklist for failing to pay debts. |
| 魏来 | Wei Lai | Wei Zhi's brother. |
| 魏杉 | Wei Shan | Wei Zhi's father. |
| 王琳 | Wang Lin | Wei Zhi's mother. |
