Volume One, Chapter 14: A Lifelong Affair

“What do you mean by nonsense?” Meng Huaijin’s eyes darkened unpredictably as he glanced at her. “What do you think you would say?”

Shu Wan was somewhat surprised by his attitude today. Before coming, she had prepared herself to be scolded for being drunk, but unexpectedly, she wasn’t reprimanded.

“Nothing,” she said, lowering her head to eat her porridge. Suddenly, she grew confident. “I think I have decent drinking habits. When I’m drunk, I just sleep it off.”

Meng Huaijin’s face darkened, and his cold gaze almost pinned her down. “If you dare drink again, I’ll throw you straight into the trash bin.”

“!!!”

Shu Wan felt as if she had been possessed. Her eyes widened, but she quickly returned to normal, muttering silently inside: You wouldn’t dare.

After the meal, Meng Huaijin continued working overtime. Shu Wan, bored, started building a snowman in the empty lot downstairs.

Snow was still falling, fluttering lightly — not heavy.

It was the weekend, and the open space was empty, covered by a thick blanket of pure white snow.

Shu Wan paced back and forth energetically, spending over an hour sculpting a nearly perfect snowman.

Especially its face — the contours were sharp and distinct, the lines elegant yet fierce, the posture bold and unrestrained, with a hint of proud disdain for the world...

Even Shu Wan felt a bit dazed, recalling when she could carve a face so vividly and expressively.

“Not cold?”

Unexpectedly hearing a voice, Shu Wan quickly smoothed the snowman’s face. Looking up, she saw Meng Huaijin standing not far away.

He wore the same coat from yesterday, tall and upright in the icy snow, resembling a sentinel — resolute and sharp, like a poplar tree standing firm on the northwestern border.

Shu Wan suddenly thought bitterly: If only he could endure the snow with me...

Shaking her numb hands, she quickly withdrew her thoughts and smiled with eyes curved in warmth. “Not cold.”

The man strode over, glanced at the snowman she had built, and sneered, “You call this a face?”

“It’s not painted yet.”

Lowering her eyes, her eyelashes trembled involuntarily. After a long moment, she used disposable chopsticks to carve ordinary eyebrows, eyes, a nose, and a mouth on the head.

When finished, she clapped her hands and said, “Let’s go home.”

Meng Huaijin expressionless, tossed her a pair of his gloves, then turned to shield the wind with his hand as he lit the cigarette clenched between his teeth, stepping ahead.

Shu Wan was stunned. After a few seconds, she reacted and quickly put on his large gloves.

Then, she took out a men’s scarf she had tucked into her bag when leaving home. She hurried to catch up, gently jumped up, and wrapped the scarf around Meng Huaijin’s neck from behind.

“Thank you for saving Grandpa Chen. This is the best birthday gift I’ve ever received,” she finally said what she had wanted to say since entering his office.

Meng Huaijin didn’t respond to the topic, casually glanced at the scarf he had seen last night, and muttered, “Ugly,” but didn’t take it off. “Is this all you have to thank me?”

“I’ll give you more in the future,” Shu Wan vowed.

His gaze swept over the girl’s serious expression indifferently, and he continued walking forward.

“When’s your birthday?” Shu Wan tilted her head and asked.

A cold, curt voice replied, “I don’t celebrate birthdays.”

She shrugged, thinking, I could have guessed.

Since she couldn’t catch up to him anyway, she stepped in his footprints and broad strides in the snow, hopping along behind him.

Meng Huaijin reached the car and looked back at this scene. His ordinarily impassive face showed a hint of incredulity.

Youth was strange; even walking a few steps could be turned into a new game by her. He really didn’t understand what was so fun about those footprints.

Compared to six months ago, she seemed even taller now. Meng Huaijin suddenly felt a meaningless sense of achievement.

Before this, he never imagined he could raise Meng Xian’s daughter, his niece, to be so... proper.

---

Not long after New Year’s Day came the final exams. After finishing and then attending an extra week of classes, Shu Wan finally had a real holiday, just a few days before the Spring Festival.

Meng Huaijin never told her his birthday, but Shu Wan learned from Meng Chuan that it was the Northern Little New Year, the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month — exactly the day she had off.

For this, Shu Wan had taken half a month’s time to learn how to make a cake at a bakery. She finally mastered it and bought ingredients to keep at home, waiting to bake a cake for Meng Huaijin’s birthday.

But... he went out that day!

After midnight, he still hadn’t returned. Shu Wan sulked, glaring at the cake she had made three times over before she was satisfied.

It wasn’t until one a.m. that the door finally opened.

Dejected, she stared at the man reeking of alcohol and smoking a cigarette. For the first time, she boldly snatched the cigarette from his mouth, crushed it, and threw it into the trash.

For the first time, she questioned him sternly, “Why did you come home so late? Where were you?”

Unexpectedly, Meng Huaijin, still awake so late, casually tossed his coat to her and glanced at the stubbed-out cigarette in the bin, showing no anger. “Shu Wan, who gave you the nerve?”

The girl pouted, flung his coat back at him, and without a word, went into her bedroom and locked the door.

Meng Huaijin’s face darkened, wondering if he had been too indulgent with her lately.

At that moment, his peripheral vision caught the untouched cake on the dining table.

The creamy white frosting gleamed softly under the light, and on its smooth surface was a cartoon figure — both silly and cute.

Her mother had called several times during the day. He was busy and didn’t answer — probably asking about his birthday.

Now that time had passed, no wonder the girl dared to snatch his cigarette and get mad at him.

Studying the girlish cake, Meng Huaijin raised an eyebrow slightly and, expressionless, scooped a small piece into his mouth.

Too sweet. He didn’t like sweets.

He ate more than half of the six-inch cake.

---

Hearing footsteps by the door, Shu Wan quickly pulled the blanket over her head.

“Are you asleep?” came a calm, steady voice.

She snorted and didn’t answer.

“If not, make me a bowl of sobering soup.”

“...”

Still wearing her shoes, Shu Wan turned over, got out of bed, and opened the door to face the man’s composed, elegant, and quiet gaze.

Feeling righteous, she spoke with confidence: “Who told you to drink? I’m not making it.”

She even talked back now.

Meng Huaijin smiled faintly, taking advantage of his height to ruffle her hair carelessly. “Why are you mad? Did I ever say I don’t celebrate birthdays?”

Shu Wan watched that fleeting smile, like a shooting star, barely there. For several seconds, her pupils didn’t move.

So he really was handsome when he smiled — like spring arriving overnight, pear blossoms blooming on thousands of trees.

But it was too brief, so brief it felt like an illusion.

She withdrew her gaze and touched the top of her head he had just tousled, unwilling to admit defeat. “If you say so, then I was just wasting my effort...”

“The cake’s not bad.” Predicting her lengthy argument, he preempted her.

Shu Wan looked at the table and saw more than half the cake was gone. Smiling slightly, she headed to the kitchen to make the sobering soup.

Meng Huaijin went to the balcony, lit another cigarette, and watched her busy figure. His voice was calm as he asked, “Your mother was unwilling to let me bring you to the Meng family before. The Spring Festival is coming. What do you want to do?”

Shu Wan knew he had deliberately kept her away from the Meng family for the past six months.

---

But the New Year was near — a time for family reunions. The Meng family was pure and traditional, with strict values. Meng Huaijin couldn’t avoid going back.

If Shu Wan didn’t go with him, she’d have to spend the holiday alone.

“I’ll go with you,” Shu Wan said. “Where you are, I am.”

Since she was under Meng Huaijin’s guardianship, dealing with the Meng family was inevitable. Moreover, outwardly, she was still the “outside granddaughter” of the Mengs. Cutting off all contact wasn’t realistic.

This decision would later fill Shu Wan with regret. If given another chance, she would rather spend that Spring Festival alone.

Some things, like water once spilled, cannot be gathered again; there’s no turning back.

---

On New Year’s Eve, Meng Huaijin was busy until noon before giving himself a break. When he brought Shu Wan to the Meng residence, it was already afternoon.

Though she had been there ten years ago, Shu Wan had long forgotten the place. As the car slowly entered, she saw once again the villa exuding extraordinary grandeur and solemnity.

Madam Meng had been anxiously waiting at the gate. When Meng Huaijin got out, she warmly linked her arm with his, both complaining and unable to hide her joy.

“You, if you were any later, you’d be eating New Year’s Day dinner instead of New Year’s Eve. Been transferred to Beicheng for half a year, how many times have you come back? Your mother has been dying to see you — like climbing a mountain.”

Meng Huaijin said nothing, asking, “Where’s my father?”

“He’s playing chess in the study with your eldest brother.”

Her gaze shifted to Shu Wan, who was getting out of the car behind. The woman’s smile froze for a moment before softening again. “So this is Shu Wan, right? Ten years gone, all grown into a young lady.”

Shu Wan smiled faintly and politely greeted, “Grandmother.”

Madam Meng scrutinized her for a long while, then affectionately took her hand, leading her inside. “You take after your mother.”

Shu Wan glanced at Meng Huaijin nearby before replying, “Yes, I look like my mother.”

Madam Meng’s lips twitched silently. “Since you’ve come to Beicheng, come visit often. Don’t let outsiders think we don’t welcome our granddaughter. Actually, it’s because your mother back then…”

“Mother,” Meng Huaijin interrupted coldly, “Let her rest first.”

Without waiting for Madam Meng’s reply, he instructed the maid beside him, “Prepare the room opposite mine. Take the young lady there to rest.”

Shu Wan looked at him uneasily at first, but felt much relieved when she heard her room was right across from his. She turned and left with the maid.

---

“After all these years, she never contacts the Meng family. My son has a big heart, taking on such trouble. And for the past six months, he’s kept it all under wraps — afraid I’d treat her poorly? I don’t like her mother, but I understand the child is innocent. Can I just swallow this?”

Madam Meng spoke softly.

“Do you want to have a good New Year or not?” Meng Huaijin’s reply was cold and unequivocal.

“...Alright, alright, I won’t say that. Then I’ll say something else.”

“You’re not getting any younger. Isn’t it time to think about marriage? During the New Year, let’s settle this, son. You’re always with a half-grown girl — what kind of image is that? People might think she’s your... Well, just bring home a daughter-in-law quickly.”

Shu Wan stopped at the second-floor corner, staring steadily at the first floor. Meng Huaijin’s profile faced her direction, expression unreadable. She didn’t hear his reply.

The guest room was spacious, all newly furnished, soft and fragrant. She lay quietly on the bed, holding her breath for a few seconds.

Her mother was the Meng family’s adopted daughter. What past grievances or conflicts existed between them, she didn’t know, and no one had ever told her.

But since Meng Xian didn’t contact them, she must have her reasons. Shu Wan didn’t dwell on it, nor did she care much about their opinions of her.

Yet, if she didn’t mind those things, why did she now feel a tightness in her chest, difficulty breathing, and a restless heart?

Shu Wan stared blankly at a withered tree outside the window for a long time.

After an unknown length of time, the door was knocked. Before she could respond, someone turned the knob and opened it from outside.

Meng Huaijin half-entered, his gaze sweeping over her. His eyes were deep and dark. “What’s wrong?”