After returning from National Day vacation, Bai Yun Sheng became busy once again. The professor from his studio was well-known in the industry and was negotiating a contract with a foreign jewelry brand. Bai Yun Sheng, having accompanied the professor several times, had started to make connections with the company.
During that period, he seemed to have no regular schedule, and they barely saw him. Some nights he didn’t return to the dorm, and when he did, he’d sleep all day. One evening, Zheng Su Nian was in the studio, his eyes aching from drawing, and remembered that Bai Yun Sheng had come back to the dorm around eight that morning.
The dorm room was dark. When Zheng flipped on the light, he heard a groan from the bed.
Bai Yun Sheng popped his head out from under the covers, eyes still closed. “What time is it?”
“Five thirty,” Zheng replied, placing a takeout box on Bai Yun Sheng’s desk. “Come down and eat something. You’ve slept all day.”
Bai Yun Sheng wrapped himself in his blanket and dragged himself out of bed, curling up in a chair to eat. Zheng cleaned up his drawing supplies and suddenly remembered. “Didn’t you say Gu Yun Jin was coming this month? When is she arriving?”
“The day after tomorrow,” Bai Yun Sheng mumbled, still groggy. “My professor’s project is on hold for two days, so I’ll spend time with her.”
Since returning from Dali, Xue Ning had been casually dropping by to see Bai Yun Sheng and had even started networking with his studio professor. Over the past few days, Bai Yun Sheng had explained bits and pieces, and Zheng had pieced together what the project was about. The foreign brand had previously collaborated with his professor on an “Oriental” jewelry series. This year, they wanted to expand into fashion by incorporating qipao elements into their new collection. Somehow, Xue Ning’s father had secured the contract for the fabric suppliers, and now all they needed was a famous qipao tailor for the design.
Bai Yun Sheng had confidently assured his professor that he could get a renowned tailor from Suzhou, Master Chu, to join the project.
“That’s Yun Jin’s master,” Bai Yun Sheng explained to Zheng. “The old man is pretty stubborn. Whether it works out or not depends on Yun Jin.”
Zheng found it strange. “There are plenty of qipao tailors in China. Why put yourself through all this trouble?”
Bai Yun Sheng shook his head. “This brand is new to the Chinese market, and they don’t understand all the intricacies. They just want a reliable middleman. If I can pull this off with Master Chu, and with my professor’s recommendation, I might get the chance to design the accessories for the collection.”
Zheng, having grown up in a simpler environment, didn’t fully understand the complexities. He was used to focusing on his own work, without needing to navigate such complicated social dynamics.
“If it works, great. If not, let it go,” he added. “I’ve dealt with stubborn old-timers before. Don’t push it if it’s not meant to be.”
“That won’t do,” Bai Yun Sheng said, checking the time as he packed his things to leave. “This is a rare opportunity. If I miss this, I might not get another chance.”
Gu Yun Jin's train was scheduled to arrive at dawn. After more than four years, there still wasn’t any public transportation available at that hour. Zheng Su Nian drove from his house to the school area, and while it was still dark, he dropped Bai Yun Sheng off at the train station.
Beijing West Station was always bustling. Even in the pitch-black early morning, people were coming and going with large bags. Zheng Su Nian found a spot to park the car and watched as Bai Yun Sheng entered the arrival hall.
Back when he was learning to sketch, his teacher taught him the art of observing people. He would stand on the street, watching women, men, the elderly, and children—not just their hairstyles or clothing, but their expressions too. As he watched, he would imagine: this young woman, perfectly made up and well-dressed, with calculating eyes—what kind of person might she be? And the man sitting on the steps, crying while eating cold food—was he mourning for his family, or for his own fate?
Then, when he sketched, the figures would come alive, full of joy and sorrow, no longer just flat representations on paper.
And what about this place?
The train station at four in the morning. The people getting off the trains were weary, yet their faces were filled with ambition. They didn’t yet know that this city could either elevate them or devour them. Travelers, homesick after being far from home. Even from the back, Zheng could sense Bai Yun Sheng’s anticipation for a long-awaited reunion, though there were surely unspoken plans and calculations in his heart as well.
After waiting a little longer, Bai Yun Sheng emerged with a girl by his side.
“This is my roommate, Zheng Su Nian,” Bai Yun Sheng introduced. “Thank goodness for him, otherwise there wouldn’t even be a car at this hour.”
Gu Yun Jin was beautiful, though entirely different from Shao Xue. She looked tired, likely from the overnight trip, her face bare of makeup, but she still smiled warmly as she greeted Zheng. “I’ve seen you on video calls. Yun Sheng talks about you all the time.”
Zheng opened the trunk and motioned for Gu Yun Jin to get in the car. As Bai Yun Sheng placed the luggage in the trunk, he grinned like a lovestruck fool. “Isn’t she gorgeous?”
Zheng couldn’t even look at him. “Get lost, you show-off.”
Gu Yun Jin was clearly the efficient and low-maintenance type. She only had one bag, and despite being reunited with Bai Yun Sheng after some time apart, she maintained her composure in front of Zheng. At this hour, the roads weren’t yet congested. The street trees had long since lost their leaves, leaving the roads wide and barren.
Zheng kept his eyes on the road, but tilted his head slightly to the side. “Yun Sheng, take your girlfriend around the city for the next couple of days. If you want to see the Great Wall or anything like that, let me know. I can drive you. Just don’t trust those random flyers or tour guides on the streets.”
Gu Yun Jin, understanding the gesture, quickly responded, “That’s too much trouble for you. I’m just here to see him. Whether we go sightseeing or not is secondary.”
Zheng couldn’t help but tease, “You’re really making it easy for him. We roommates are starting to feel sorry for him.”
Bai Yun Sheng, proudly wrapping his arm around Gu Yun Jin, retorted, “Ignore him. He’s entangled with some girl—I don’t even know what her name is—and now he gets all grumpy whenever he sees anyone in a relationship.”
Gu Yun Jin gently pinched his waist. “Stop talking nonsense. Where else could you find such a good friend?”
With no traffic, it only took half an hour to reach the hotel. As Zheng reversed the car into a parking spot, he suddenly remembered that Shao Xue’s school was just around the corner.
Back when the guys in their dorm weren’t yet part of the studio, they would always rush to their morning foundational classes. On days when attendance wasn’t being strictly checked, they would all stay in bed until noon. Zheng had no idea what the atmosphere at Shao Xue’s school was like, but since he was already in the area, he felt an urge to drop by.
When he arrived at the school gate, it was six o’clock sharp.
Having not slept well the previous night, Zheng found a parking spot, turned off the engine, and sent Shao Xue a text: “I’m at your school’s entrance.”
Then, he leaned back in the seat and dozed off.
He didn’t know how long he had been asleep when, still half-conscious, he heard cars coming and going around him. By the time Shao Xue called him, it was already past ten.
His sleeping position had been awkward, and he woke up with a painful crick in his neck. Shao Xue’s bright voice on the phone jolted him awake. “Su Nian? Are you still here?”
“I’m still here. I dropped someone off this morning and happened to pass by.”
“Don’t move, don’t move,” Shao Xue said amidst a flurry of background noise. “I’ll come find you. I’m just heading out anyway.”
His car wasn’t far from the school gate, and Shao Xue recognized the license plate. Within ten minutes, she appeared, bundled up in a striking red coat as she emerged from the gate.
She climbed into the car, bringing a chill with her, and even as she buckled her seatbelt, she playfully teased, “You didn’t have anything else going on, right? Thanks for the trouble.”
Zheng had the heat running in the car, and dressed only in a light sweater, he shivered when the cold air she brought in hit him. “Quit pretending. I saved you quite a bit of trouble this time, didn’t I?”
Shao Xue chuckled awkwardly but quickly composed herself. “Do you know where I’m headed?”
“You want me to take you somewhere and I’m supposed to guess?” Zheng laughed, amused. “Let me guess—you’re going to Tongzhou. I’ll drive you there, and you can take a bus back.”
Shao Xue slapped his arm. “No, I’m going to see Qiao Mu Jie.”
Then, with a mysterious grin, she leaned in. “Qiao Mu Jie just had a baby.”
Zheng didn’t react immediately. The light ahead turned red, and he abruptly hit the brakes. Startled, Shao Xue pinched his waist hard.
That pinch snapped him back to reality. Why did that feel just like how Gu Yun Jin pinched Bai Yun Sheng?
When Dou Si Yuan and Fu Qiao Mu got married, they bought an apartment on the Fourth Ring Road, right along Chang’an Street. Qiao Mu had thought it was too expensive at the time, but Dou Si Yuan, who was paying off the mortgage every month, would always tell her, “This place is going to go up in value.”
Shao Xue later found herself wondering where Dou Si Yuan had gotten that insight. “A fool with great wisdom,” she thought.
Zheng’s driving had improved. Aside from that sudden brake, the rest of the journey was smooth. When they arrived at the apartment complex, Shao Xue led the way, clearly familiar with the area.
"Have you been here before?" Zheng Su Nian asked.
"Yeah, they invited me over when they first moved in," Shao Xue replied.
Dou Si Yuan had bought a lower-floor apartment, and as soon as they reached the building, they could hear a baby crying upstairs, loud and heart-wrenching. When they walked in, Dou Si Yuan was in slippers, sweating profusely as he heated up milk for the baby.
"Oh my goodness," Shao Xue said, watching the scene unfold like it was some kind of exotic spectacle, "Fatherhood has really changed your whole vibe."
"Vibe?" Dou Si Yuan didn't even treat them as guests, too focused on the baby to offer water or anything. "More like the vibe of a stay-at-home dad."
Motherhood had certainly transformed Fu Qiao Mu too. She was no longer the student she once was, now commanding her little household with authority, running Dou Si Yuan ragged. Finally, when the baby stopped crying, she was drenched in sweat without having done much else.
Shao Xue and Zheng Su Nian had already helped themselves to water and were sitting on the couch, snacking on sunflower seeds. Seeing them relax, Shao Xue couldn't help but ask, "Qiao Mu Jie, didn’t your parents come to help with the baby?"
"They did," Fu Qiao Mu replied, holding her back with a slight groan. "At first, I didn’t want them nagging, so we hired a nanny. Now that we’ve settled into a routine, my mom’s coming over the day after tomorrow."
They’d had a baby boy, and it was Sun Qi Rui who picked the name. He had been lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to an IV, and spent his free time scribbling on newspapers. Before he passed, he called his two students over and said that if they ever had a child, they should name them Dou Yan Xi. It was a name that would suit both boys and girls, and it was far better than the random suggestions Shao Xue had thrown out.
He had said this with a smile, and just two days later, he was gone.
The boy was quite handsome, with a round face and bright eyes, and he smiled at Shao Xue with a wide-open mouth. He had inherited all of Fu Qiao Mu’s best features.
"Of course, if he looked like Dou Si Yuan, it’d be a disaster," Fu Qiao Mu teased, which prompted Dou Si Yuan to come out of the kitchen, still wearing an apron, to defend himself.
"You two can be the judges," Dou Si Yuan complained, gesturing dramatically, "Here’s your ‘career woman’ who goes on and on about gender equality, constantly emphasizing her immense contribution to the family while endlessly oppressing me. You know, it’s not like men chose to be unable to give birth—it’s biology! But for this, I’ve been blamed and sacrificed so much. Honestly, I wish I were like a male penguin, just sitting there, hatching the egg, and ruling the roost."
Zheng Su Nian grinned, enjoying the show. "So, Si Yuan Ge, are you saying married life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be?"
"Not exactly," Dou Si Yuan waved a hand, "I just wish Qiao Mu Jie would be a little more considerate, instead of always bossing me around and making me feel like I’ve lost my manly dignity."
"Go wash the diapers," Fu Qiao Mu commanded.
"Yes, ma’am."
Baby Dou Yan Xi babbled happily, catching Shao Xue’s attention. His pupils were large, and he stared innocently at her with wide black eyes. She reached out her hand, and the baby immediately grabbed her finger.
"He’s just like you when you were little," Fu Qiao Mu said with a laugh. "Shifu told me that when they went to visit you after you were born, you grabbed onto Su Nian’s finger and wouldn’t let go."
Shao Xue looked confused, but Zheng Su Nian vaguely remembered it.
On the way back to school, Shao Xue suddenly asked, "Su Nian Ge, have we known each other for eighteen years?"
"You tell me. However old you are, that's how long we've known each other."
She pondered for a moment. "So, what do you think I am to you?"
Zheng Su Nian was left speechless.
It seemed like a casual remark, and when he didn’t answer, Shao Xue didn’t press the issue. Chang’an Street was crowded, and Zheng had to stop and go in the traffic. The car was warm, and before long, Shao Xue had fallen asleep beside him.
He didn’t say anything then, nor did he ever tell her later. But on October 3, 2007, while on the train to Dali, under the starry sky, he closed his eyes and imagined what she might look like on her wedding day.
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