The crescent-shaped curtain wall brimmed with pink and white roses, half-embracing the ceremony stage and the slightly lower band platform.
Rose petals carpeted a winding path, curved tables staggered artfully at every bend, with rows of transparent chairs lining the way.
Elegant music drifted through the clear afternoon sky.
The emcee’s voice rang out solemnly: “Please take your seats, everyone. Mr. Li Han and Miss Pei Ziying’s engagement ceremony will begin in ten minutes.”
Xia Zhuxi sat in a chair on the outer side of the second row, hands clasped together as she stared at her phone.
She mostly used WeChat for work, so she wasn’t too familiar with the nuances of the QQ interface. It took her trying out every feature before she got comfortable with it.
Her account info hadn’t been updated since high school graduation. Her profile picture was a snowflake against a pitch-black background. She had only two friend groups: the default “My Friends” and a custom one labeled “1.”
Nestled quietly in “1” was a squirrel avatar with puffed cheeks—the one she’d added two hours ago, belonging to Shen Jingsong.
Xia Zhuxi tapped on the little squirrel. The friend profile popped up. Nothing had changed. Just like nine years ago, Shen Jingsong’s QQ profile—from nickname and avatar to signature and space name—had never been altered.
The nickname field read: Why Not
The signature was lyrics from the song 《Why Not》:
You actually understand my feelings
Singing this song for you, no particular style
It simply means I want to bring you joy
I’ll thaw the frozen river for you, be a moth to your flame
A photographer passed by in the aisle, the sunlight from his reflector hitting Xia Zhuxi’s eyes and making them sting. She closed them and rubbed. She’d heard that song countless times—could recite the lyrics from memory, even play it on guitar. But the audience she longed for most would never hear it.
She knew exactly who Shen Jingsong’s QQ nickname and signature were for. And that person was now…
The speakers hummed to life as the emcee announced loudly: “Please welcome Mr. Li Han to escort his beautiful bride-to-be.”
Pei Ziying, resplendent in a pink gauze gown, smiled radiantly as she took her fiancé’s arm.
The guests erupted in warm applause. Balloons and white doves soared into the sky. The massive LED screen played a montage of Li Han and Pei Ziying’s moments together, while the emcee recounted their love story with heartfelt emotion.
The ceremony reached the ring exchange, and fresh applause burst forth.
The emcee continued: “I’m sure all our friends and family have the couple’s best wishes prepared. Now, let’s play a little game—pass the flower! Whoever ends up holding it when the drum stops will share their blessing for the happy pair!”
Xia Zhuxi snapped back to attention, remembering the task Pei Ziying had assigned her during yesterday’s rehearsal. She picked up a white rose and waited for the emcee to raise the drumstick, then passed it to the first guest in the back row.
Boom-boom-boom-boom—the rose zipped from hand to hand. Xia Zhuxi’s eyes followed the flower until they landed on a figure in white at the very end of the row.
The drum stopped. The flower halted. Slender, pale fingers claimed the rose. Petals brushed past a slim waist before coming to rest at chest height.
Xia Zhuxi fell silent. Shen Jingsong rose, her lips curving faintly, her gaze serene. “Congratulations to President Li and Director Pei on your engagement. May you enjoy a century of harmony.”
A murmur rippled through the crowd. Many guests were from the entertainment industry:
“Isn’t that the actress who always plays ancient drama supporting roles? She looks decent in person.”
“From Qifeng Media, right? Know why they won’t give resources to someone who looks the part?”
“Nice one, President Wei. Your gossip game’s sharper than mine, and I’m a producer.”
“Heh, won’t even have dinner for 100,000. Doesn’t know her own league. No connections in this circle, acting all high and mighty? Dream on.”
The snide whispers buzzed like flies in Xia Zhuxi’s ears. She frowned in disgust.
The emcee beamed: “Thank you for that lovely blessing, miss. Let’s keep going.”
Pei Ziying took the microphone, her tone delighted. “Xiao Shen’s blessing was too plain—zero sincerity! Everyone knows the drama 《Linglang Immortal Bond》 that aired recently, right? Xiao Shen played a singing courtesan in it, and her voice was amazing. How about she gives us a live performance?”
Many guests cheered in agreement. Some called Shen Jingsong by name, urging her to sing on the band platform below the ceremony stage. Others demanded she dance while singing, with a penalty drink if she flubbed it.
The words “song” and “courtesan” pierced Xia Zhuxi’s ears like needles. She instinctively worried for Shen Jingsong, but the woman remained utterly composed, as if the jeers had nothing to do with her.
“Could I have the microphone, please?” Shen Jingsong smiled politely.
Xia Zhuxi took it from the emcee, walked past him to Shen Jingsong, then turned to face the crowd. “This is my sister’s engagement—a huge occasion. Of course she’ll sing something that matches the joyful vibe. I’ll play piano, Sister Jingsong. You follow my melody—sound good?”
Surprise flickered in Shen Jingsong’s eyes, quickly replaced by a warm smile. “Perfect. After you.”
The guests grew even more excited: “Xia God plays piano? Come on, show us what you’ve got!”
Xia Zhuxi wasn’t actually very skilled at the piano. She’d only picked up the basics from her music teacher while learning guitar, and she knew just a handful of pieces. The one she was about to perform with Shen Jingsong was among them.
She bent down to invite Shen Jingsong onto the stage. The band cleared some space, and Xia Zhuxi led her to center stage before taking a seat at the piano herself.
Her fingers danced lightly across the black and white keys. A bright, lively rhythm flowed forth, and the familiar melody was so catchy that many of the guests found themselves humming along without realizing it.
The prelude came to an end, followed by a brief moment of silence. Shen Jingsong smiled and parted her lips, her clear, melodious voice filling the air:
Spring’s warm blossoms sweep away winter’s sorrow,
A gentle breeze carries the scent of romance.
Every love song suddenly brims with meaning—
Right here in this moment, I suddenly see you.
Right here in this moment, I suddenly love you.
The sun shone brightly, the grass gave off a fresh scent, and white doves circled gracefully over the lawn.
Balloons and lights adorned the stage, while the piano and voice blended in perfect harmony.
The guests were utterly captivated. A few children who’d come with their parents got so excited that they dashed up to the stage and offered flowers to Shen Jingsong, their childish voices piping up: “Fairy sister, you sing so beautifully!”
Xia Zhuxi’s fingers leaped across the keys, her chin bobbing to the rhythm. She glanced toward the center of the stage, where Shen Jingsong was holding the bouquet and looking right back at her. The two shared a smile, and Shen Jingsong’s voice grew even softer and sweeter:
Listen to me, take my hand, walk with me—
We’ll create a life of happiness.
Listen to me, hand in hand, let’s walk together—
Entrust your whole life to me.
Don’t look back to yesterday;
Tomorrow, we’ll grow old side by side.
~~~
Up on the ceremony platform, Pei Ziying watched in silence, her face betraying no emotion. She frowned ever so slightly—an almost imperceptible twitch—and a flash of irritation in her eyes vanished in an instant.
Li Han grinned as he watched the piano playing and singing below. He draped an arm around his fiancée’s shoulders. “Yingying, look how thoughtful Xiao Xi is. This is the best blessing we’ve gotten today.”
“Yeah, the little one’s really grown up,” Pei Ziying replied, forcing a smile. Her gaze fell on his hand draped over her shoulder, and she shrugged it off just a fraction.
~~~
The sunlight faded, and fragments of stars began to sparkle in the twilight glow.
A cool evening breeze swept in. Xia Zhuxi had stolen the show that afternoon, and now a crowd surrounded her, pressing drinks on her one after another.
She had a decent tolerance for alcohol, but she couldn’t withstand the relentless barrage. From a distance, Xia Mama spotted the flush rising in her daughter’s cheeks and swooped in to rescue her.
“Thanks, Mom,” Xia Zhuxi mumbled. She was feeling dizzy now, everything swimming in double.
“The banquet’s still full of your sister and brother-in-law’s important guests. Don’t go causing any trouble if you’re drunk—head back to your room first.”
Xia Zhuxi’s head was spinning, but her ears caught every word clearly. She pressed her lips into a tight line, curved her eyes into a smile, and nodded. “Okay.”
Today was her sister and brother-in-law’s big day. She couldn’t afford to cause even the slightest mishap.
She understood that perfectly.
As a child, Xia Zhuxi had thought her parents disliked her because she didn’t study hard, because she loved karting and was always getting into fights that required her parents to show up at school.
So in high school, she buckled down and improved her grades. She won prize money in karting races, and her teachers praised her for helping classmates. She figured that would earn her a bit more affection from her parents.
But it didn’t. In place of scoldings came only cold indifference—and the occasional flicker of attention when she hit a high note, like the time she broke the F3 record and Papa Xia praised her in front of guests, tossing out a casual couple of congratulations along with everyone else.
You can’t level a bowl of water. No matter how fast the latecomers chase, they might catch up to the distance but never the lost time. Love isn’t fair, either. To those who aren’t loved, even the best efforts fall short. To those who are loved, even the worst is just fine.
Xia Mama’s health had been fragile ever since Xia Zhuxi was born. She’d always relied on traditional Chinese medicine to keep herself going.
It was always Pei Ziying who accompanied her to pulse readings. But one morning, when Pei Ziying couldn’t go, she asked Xia Zhuxi to step in. When Xia Mama saw it was her, a flicker of disappointment showed in her eyes, though she said nothing and simply entered the clinic in silence.
The old expert was blunt to a fault. Spotting Xia Zhuxi, he turned to Xia Mama. “This your youngest daughter? The one who nearly dragged your whole family to death’s door?”
Xia Zhuxi froze.
That was when she learned she’d been a premature, difficult birth.
Xia Mama’s water had broken suddenly. Papa Xia had rushed her to the hospital, only to get sideswiped by a speeding dirt truck that blew through regulations. The entire Pei family—three of them—had been in the car at the time. They all nearly died.
Xia Mama suffered the worst of it. The crash combined with the preterm labor triggered massive hemorrhaging. Though they snatched her life back from the jaws of death, her organs were badly damaged and had to be removed, leaving her with chronic illness.
Xia Mama had laid it all bare to Xia Zhuxi: “We only ever wanted Ziying.
“Your father and I took every precaution, but you happened anyway. The doctor said my constitution was too weak for an abortion, so we had no choice but to keep you. Then came that car crash… Sigh. Your birth brought disaster on us with that accident—and yet you still love cars so much.
Xiao Xi, your name was given by a high monk from White Dragon Temple back in our hometown. You were born under a killing star, one that harms your closest kin. The monk said this name would help suppress that killing energy.
A bitter taste rose to Xia Zhuxi’s lips. She didn’t want to dwell on those memories anymore.
Her head spun even more fiercely now, the entire restaurant seeming to whirl around her in circles. She braced herself against the wall and blinked hard, desperate to sharpen her vision. Spotting a waiter, she called out, “Excuse me, where are the elevators?”
The waiter pointed down the hall and offered to escort her. Xia Zhuxi waved him off and staggered ahead on her own.
Every step drained her strength.
She caught sight of the elevator sign and rounded the corner, forcing her heavy eyelids open as she approached.
Her heels buckled at the turn, but a pair of slender hands steadied her from the front. A clear voice, like a cool breeze sweeping away her exhaustion, murmured, “Where are you headed? Let me take you there.”
Xia Zhuxi’s vision swam in a hazy glow, yet Shen Jingsong remained breathtakingly beautiful. Her elegant features merged with memories of that summer nine years ago—youthful innocence faded, replaced by a captivating, mature allure.
Supported by Shen Jingsong’s arm, Xia Zhuxi leaned into her side. Hidden from view, she clenched her fist in longing for an embrace she dared not claim. Her fingers trembled before falling limp. “Thank you.”
Shen Jingsong’s hair felt impossibly soft against her cheek, carrying a faint, snowy fragrance that cooled her senses and soothed her soul. Her restless heart found solace at last; the dizziness lingered, but the discomfort had ebbed.
Silver stilettos and polished brown loafers whispered across the soundproof carpet, halting before a door. Shen Jingsong spoke softly: “Room card?” Xia Zhuxi gestured to the pocket on her blouse. Shen Jingsong hesitated.
A faint rustle of fabric followed, then a soft beep as the door unlocked.
Xia Zhuxi sank into the vast white bed in a fog, the covers drawn over her. Sleep clawed at her, eyes reduced to slits against the warm orange lamplight. A gentle voice drifted to her ears: “Drink some water before you sleep, okay?”
Her parched lips met cool relief, warm water sliding down her throat.
Something soft brushed her forehead: “Mm, no fever. I’ve asked my assistant to pick up some motion sickness pills and stomach meds—they’re under your pillow. If you’re still feeling off when you wake up, make sure to…”
~~~
The eight o’clock fitness alarm shattered the evening quiet, jolting Xia Zhuxi awake.
She sat bolt upright in the strange room, disoriented for several heartbeats before it clicked: she was in Jingyue Grand Hotel. Downstairs in the restaurant, her sister’s engagement banquet was in full swing.
She’d knocked back too much wine earlier, and someone had carried her here—Shen Jingsong! Shen Jingsong had brought her back… But where was she now?!
Barefoot, Xia Zhuxi swung her legs off the bed. The pillow tumbled to the floor, exposing a small plastic bag on the nightstand emblazoned with the Kangle Pharmacy logo.
She set the meds aside and lurched toward the door, stumbling into a cabinet corner. Pain lanced through her toe and up her spine to her scalp. “Ow—hiss—”
A breeze lifted the sheer curtains, revealing the balcony’s glow from an aromatherapy lamp. A slim figure in white caught Xia Zhuxi’s eye.
Her heart stuttered. Holding her breath, she hobbled forward despite the throbbing.
“Sister Jingsong?”
The deep blue night sky framed flickers of orange candlelight. Amid the reds and blues, Shen Jingsong stood out in pristine white. She turned toward Xia Zhuxi, wind rippling the sheen in her eyes. Hurriedly, she dabbed at the corner of her eye. “Sorry, the stars were so beautiful… I lingered a bit too long. I’ll head out now.”
In that fleeting moment, Xia Zhuxi glimpsed the tears.
Why was Shen Jingsong crying?
For Pei Ziying?
Pei Ziying was marrying a man, whispering barbs behind her back, humiliating her at the ceremony—yet here she was, weeping for her. Why?
It was Xia Zhuxi who’d come to her rescue today. It was Xia Zhuxi who thought of her endlessly, night and day.
Nine years of bottled resentment had fermented into a cauldron of bitterness, and Shen Jingsong’s tears were the drop that made it overflow.
Why?!
Xia Zhuxi blocked the doorway. “Do you still like my sister?”
Shen Jingsong stepped back, stirring the candle flame. She met Xia Zhuxi’s gaze and shook her head. “She’s getting married.”
“Marriage is a beautiful thing. I wish her all the best.” Shen Jingsong’s face was serene, her words effortless.
Xia Zhuxi advanced a step, voice firm: “Shen Jingsong.”
Shen Jingsong looked up, their eyes locking.
The remnants of alcohol kindled a fire in Xia Zhuxi’s chest.
Her gaze burned into Shen Jingsong’s. “Marriage… want to try it with me?”
