Xidu City lies in the northern region. Compared to the warm humidity of the southwest in Jincheng, the winter in Xidu is noticeably drier and colder, with snowfall guaranteed every single year.
This year has been no exception.
On the afternoon of the second day after Jiang Fei and Lin Moli returned to Xidu City, snowflakes began to drift down from the sky—and not just a light dusting, but big, fluffy flakes the size of goose feathers.
By evening, the white snow was swirling gracefully down into the expansive grounds of the Cui family estate. Jiang Fei stood in a modestly sized courtyard, taking in the beautiful scene of the falling snow.
This courtyard was the finest one within the entire Cui family compound. Though its footprint was not particularly large, the scenery was by far the most exquisite.
In the courtyard sat a small pond, its banks crowded with pink-blossomed plum trees now in full bloom. Goldfish swam leisurely in the water below. On any ordinary day, this courtyard would never be made available to just anyone. Only the most honored of guests were worthy of being lodged here by the Cui family.
And now, although Jiang Fei’s official status was something akin to being the family’s prospective son-in-law, he had been treated as a guest of the highest honor and warmly invited by the Cuis to stay in this very courtyard.
After all, a person whom young elites like Mu Zhaoyang and Yang Feng were so eager to flatter and defer to was someone the Cui family could scarcely hope to associate with under normal circumstances.
Jiang Fei had always been fond of snowy weather. His reason, however, was not the pseudo-literary notion that snow proves the sky isn’t empty. It was simply that, having grown up in the south, he could count on one hand the number of times he had ever seen snow, and even then it had always been a light flurry that never accumulated on the ground. Throughout his school years, Jiang Fei had harbored one particular wish: to spend a snowy winter in the north.
Moreover, Jiang Fei had been obsessed with martial arts fiction since he was a child. The image of warming a pot of wine beneath a blossoming plum tree during a snowfall, a sword resting across his lap—just picturing it evoked an antique, classical elegance.
Of course, today Jiang Fei had not heated wine. He had merely brewed a pot of tea in the courtyard, and by now the water inside was bubbling at a rolling boil. And the most beautiful scenery he was admiring was not the snowflakes or the plum blossoms, but the breathtakingly beautiful woman at his side.
Lin Moli had not rushed back to Jincheng. Instead, she had remained in Xidu City with Jiang Fei. This time, her maternal grandfather had managed to pull through his health crisis. But once his condition stabilized, he would still require Jiang Fei’s personal medical treatment to ensure the old ailment would not trouble him again for a long while. Since Jiang Fei needed to stay in Xidu, Lin Moli had simply decided to stay as well, temporarily setting aside her busy work schedule. She let her assistant manage things for the time being, treating this as a rare, hard-earned vacation for herself.
Lin Moli and Jiang Fei sat close together beside a small red clay stove. She was the one tending to the tea brewing atop the stove. Her mood seemed exceptionally fine, as buoyant as Jiang Fei’s own. Perhaps it was because of the lovely scenery and the romantic atmosphere of being with the person she cared for, or perhaps it was because, on this trip back to Xidu, Jiang Fei had displayed such remarkable skill and won the approval of her family.
Lin Moli was wearing an elegant silver-gray business suit with a slim skirt, her long, straight legs clad in black leggings with the texture of sheer stockings. Over it all she wore a long black coat for warmth. Her lustrous black hair was casually yet elegantly twisted up into a becoming chignon. She exuded an aura that was both noble and crisply professional.
An occasional chilly breeze would sweep through, sending snowflakes and plum petals dancing in the air. It stirred the steam rising from the teapot into wisps and tugged playfully at the loose strands of Lin Moli’s hair.
Jiang Fei silently savored this tranquil and harmonious scene. Breathing in the fragrance carried on the wind, he couldn’t tell if it was the scent of plum blossoms, the aroma of the brewing tea, the subtle perfume clinging to Lin Moli beside him, or perhaps a blend of all three. Jiang Fei felt as if he might truly become intoxicated by it all.
Were there any finer moments in this world than this?
This return to Xidu had not deepened the bond between Jiang Fei and Lin Moli—their connection had already reached its deepest point back in Jincheng, a level where they could rely on each other completely and would do anything for one another.
Yet, while this trip to meet Lin Moli’s family at the Cui estate might not have deepened their feelings, the nature of those feelings had nonetheless shifted just a little. It was akin to how a couple deeply in love finds their mindset subtly changed after meeting each other’s parents.
The sensation was somewhat like the difference between being engaged and finally receiving the marriage certificate.
“When I was little, before I started middle school, I lived right here in this family compound rather than with my parents. So every winter, I would sit here with my grandfather, watching the snow and the plum blossoms, brewing tea just like this. It’s been many years since I last did that,” Lin Moli remarked with a touch of nostalgia.
“Well then, from now on, every winter, I’ll come back with you to Xidu to enjoy the snow and flowers together,” Jiang Fei said with a warm smile.
Hearing this, Lin Moli felt a surge of sweetness in her heart. She tilted her head and asked with a smile, “Really?”
“Of course I mean it. Have I ever lied to you?” Jiang Fei took a sip of the piping hot Tieguanyin tea. Lin Moli’s lovely face was slightly flushed from the cold, her fair skin showing a rosy glow—pink peeking through the white, just like the plum blossoms amidst the snow. The sight was utterly charming.
“Besides, the plum blossoms and the snow are so beautiful; I’d very much like to come see them again myself,” Jiang Fei added with feeling. “And of course, the person beside me is even lovelier.”
Lin Moli laughed softly and shot him a playful glare but said nothing. After a moment, she spoke again: “Mu Zhaoyang keeps bringing up that his Zhaoyang Pharmaceutical wants to partner with our Jiang Pharmaceuticals on certain products we manufacture. What are your thoughts?”
Jiang Fei shook his head. “I already told you, you’re the one making the decisions on this. Company matters have always been under your charge. And this time, since the other party is an old acquaintance, a friend of yours, it’s all the more reason for you to handle it yourself.”
Lin Moli blinked, tilting her head with a teasing glint in her eye. “Are you jealous?”
Jiang Fei said nothing.
Naturally, he wasn’t jealous. He wasn’t so lacking in self-confidence, nor did he harbor any doubts about Lin Moli. He had no fear of someone else stealing her away. However, he was genuinely curious about her past.
He had never imagined that Lin Moli came from such a distinguished background. Even if she wasn’t royalty from a true elite clan, she certainly qualified as a wealthy second-generation heiress, or an official’s daughter, in the eyes of ordinary people.
And yet, in all the time he had known her, Jiang Fei had never detected a trace of spoiled arrogance in Lin Moli. There was absolutely no hint of her privileged upbringing.
As expected, seeing Jiang Fei remain silent, Lin Moli smiled softly and began to reminisce about many stories from her childhood.
She and Mu Zhaoyang had known each other since they were young. Although they had never been in the same class growing up, they had attended the same high school. Both had served on the student council and had crossed paths there. Back in high school, Lin Moli was already renowned as the campus beauty, a classic “school flower,” while Mu Zhaoyang, with his handsome looks, was naturally one of the school’s most prominent figures. Some busybodies had even tried to play matchmaker between them. But they had never actually been together. So there was a shared history there—memories, but nothing more.
As for the young master of the Yang family, Yang Feng, Lin Moli knew even less about him, nor did she have any idea how he and Cui Qingxuan had gotten together. That particular heir to the Yang family fortune had been sent to study in Europe from a young age and had received a Western education.
“Well then? Still jealous?” Lin Moli asked, giving Jiang Fei a sidelong glance.
Jiang Fei chuckled. “Hmm, no more jealousy. Since there truly was nothing between you two, then it makes even more sense for you to handle this matter. I have complete faith in you.”
Lin Moli shook her head helplessly, lifting the teapot off the small stove. “Speaking strictly in terms of intelligence, both Mu Zhaoyang and Yang Feng are undoubtedly clever men. They’re highly adept at business; otherwise, they wouldn’t have achieved what they have today. But emotionally speaking… the way those two behaved yesterday left a bad impression on me. I have no desire to partner with either of them.”
Jiang Fei understood exactly what Lin Moli was referring to.
The “bad impression” stemmed from their shamelessness. One had swiftly pivoted from open hostility to surrender, choosing to capitulate to Jiang Fei purely for the sake of profit. The other, even more desperate to curry favor with Jiang Fei, hadn’t hesitated to let his own fiancée feel wronged and forced her to apologize.
Such individuals, while shrewd and perhaps capable of thriving and outlasting others in the cutthroat world of business, were decidedly unlikable.
“It’s your call,” Jiang Fei said once again.
“Let’s wait a little longer. I’ll send someone to evaluate this Zhaoyang Pharmaceutical and gather more data first,” Lin Moli said after a moment’s thought. She lowered her voice and added, “If Zhaoyang Pharmaceutical proves to be solid and its various aspects are in good order, then it’s not out of the question for our Jiang Pharmaceuticals to collaborate with them within Qinchuan Province. After all, in Qinchuan, Zhaoyang Pharmaceutical is something of a local powerhouse; their sales channels and connections are quite well-established. Entrusting our Qinchuan sales operations to them could save us considerable effort.”
A decision regarding Mu Zhaoyang was quickly formed. As for Yang Feng, there was nothing for Lin Moli to decide.
The Yang family’s business interests had no overlap whatsoever with Jiang Pharmaceuticals. If there ever were to be any intersection, it would only be in the future, should Jiang Fei decide to venture into the restaurant industry. That possibility was still a long way off.
Yang Feng’s eagerness to ingratiate himself with Jiang Fei stemmed entirely from the latter’s significant influence within military circles, a fact well known to anyone aware of Jiang Fei’s background. Yang Feng simply wanted to connect with Jiang Fei in order to gain secondary access to military-scion figures like Han Xu and Yang Zaixing from the Qinchuan Provincial Military Command. Such connections would give him considerably more standing and leverage among the truly top-tier young elites of Qinchuan.
Time passed slowly. The snow fell harder and harder, blanketing everything inside and outside the courtyard in a world of pristine white. The sky gradually darkened, and the pot of tea had been nearly finished.
Jiang Fei felt that the ambiance he had been cultivating was just about right. It was time, perhaps… to retire for the night.
After all, this woman, Lin Moli, had prepared herself months ago and had already agreed to give herself to him completely. Yet one delay after another had pushed things back, leaving Jiang Fei without the right opportunity to make his move. Lin Moli remained untouched.
This had weighed on Jiang Fei for a long time; he felt rather useless about it. The lady was ready, she had even said yes—so how could he have procrastinated this long without actually going through with it?
Lin Moli had probably been inwardly chiding him for ages by now, hadn’t she?
And this trip back to Xidu, where he had already met her family, presented the perfect chance to strike while the iron was hot. If he let this opportunity slip by again, who knew if he’d have to wait forever.
Just as Jiang Fei was pondering how best to broach the subject of it getting late and whether they should perhaps head inside to sleep, the courtyard’s aged wooden gate suddenly creaked open.
Creak—
In walked a woman who looked to be in her fifties or older. Jiang Fei had learned her identity the day before: she was the longtime housekeeper of the Cui family, known as Mama Wu. She had been the one to look after Lin Moli’s daily needs when Lin Moli lived here as a child, and thus shared a special bond with her.
“Mama Wu, what brings you here?” Lin Moli quickly rose to greet her on the veranda, brushing snowflakes from Mama Wu’s coat.
Mama Wu carried two bundles in her hands. She handed one to Lin Moli, saying, “This is a change of clothes for you, Miss. Your nightclothes are inside as well. Knowing you’re fond of familiar things, I included the sleepwear you used to wear back then. It should… still fit.”
Then she handed the other bundle over as well, her face wreathed in smiles. “And this is a change of clothes for the young master. Everything was bought new and has already been washed once.”
Taking the two bundles, Lin Moli felt her cheeks warm at Mama Wu’s use of the term “young master,” but she said nothing in protest.
Indeed, by now, everyone in the Cui household, from top to bottom, already regarded Jiang Fei as the family’s prospective son-in-law. And to be fair, that view was not incorrect. The moment Lin Moli brought Jiang Fei home and introduced him as her boyfriend, that designation became official.
Nevertheless, having never navigated such a situation before, Lin Moli still felt a bit embarrassed.
“Thank you, Mama Wu. You should head back and rest now. Your legs aren’t good; you need to keep them warm in this cold weather,” Lin Moli urged.
“This morning, after the young master treated my legs with acupuncture, they feel so much better! He’s truly the most amazing, divinely skilled doctor I’ve met in all my decades!” Mama Wu said cheerfully. Yet she turned to leave almost immediately, adding, “You and the young master should also turn in early.”
Lin Moli watched as Mama Wu’s figure disappeared from the courtyard and the old wooden gate swung shut once more. Only then did Jiang Fei stand up, taking Lin Moli’s hand and leading her toward the house.
“What are you doing?” Lin Moli’s face grew even redder.
“Turning in early,” Jiang Fei replied with a mischievous grin.
“Resting is resting. Why do you have to grin like that? It gives me the creeps,” Lin Moli murmured, her face still flushed. She walked over to the side and began unwrapping the bundles, taking out the clothes inside and placing them on the bed. Pretending to be busy tidying them, she kept her back to Jiang Fei and said, “You go take a shower first.”
The grin on Jiang Fei’s face widened.
Watching Lin Moli’s back as she busied herself with the clothes, she looked so virtuous and demure—a complete departure from her usual commanding corporate-warrior persona. The sight of her shapely figure, the curve of her hips beneath the silver business skirt, and those long, straight legs was unbelievably alluring. The heat within Jiang Fei surged a few more degrees.
“Better save something like a ‘couple’s bubble bath’ for another day… no need to rush everything at once. For now… I’ll just take that shower!” Jiang Fei reined in his amorous thoughts and quickly stepped into the bathroom.
