Gu Yun Jin was woken by the noise of a sales pitch.
The train attendant, a young girl with two braids, was enthusiastically explaining how educational her world puzzle was. A child nearby begged their parents to buy it, but the parents scolded, “You never play with what you have. Why do you always want something new?”
Bai Yun Sheng leaned over and whispered, “You’re awake? We’re almost there.”
Still groggy, Gu Yun Jin’s mind was foggy as she stared blankly at the attendant. Seeing her interest, Bai Yun Sheng continued, “They’re still selling these after all these years. I used to pester my mom for one when I was a kid, but she never bought it. Now, when I see them, I don’t even want one anymore.”
Gu Yun Jin nodded. When the attendant came closer, she waved her over.
“How much?”
“Eighty.”
Gu Yun Jin picked out a box with intact packaging and handed over a hundred yuan.
“What are you doing?” Bai Yun Sheng was confused by her sudden action, only realizing what had happened when the change was handed back to her. “We don’t need this…”
“We do,” Gu Yun Jin insisted, pocketing the change and giving the attendant a look that said, “Yes, we do.”
The young attendant, delighted to make a sale, quickly pushed her cart away.
Bai Yun Sheng was still a bit stunned as he walked out of Qingdao train station with the large puzzle box in his arms. The coastal city’s air was salty and damp. He had booked a hotel near the sea, and as they entered the room, Gu Yun Jin’s first words were, “This must’ve been expensive.”
He had expected her to say that. As he placed her luggage down, Bai Yun Sheng couldn’t help feeling a little annoyed that she underestimated him. “Your boyfriend makes decent money now. I wouldn’t have had the guts to bring you here if I couldn’t afford it. And that car of mine—hey, where are you going?”
He tossed the puzzle onto the bed and followed Gu Yun Jin out the door.
“To see the ocean,” Gu Yun Jin replied, wearing a rare, pretty dress. “I’ve never seen the sea before.”
He had taken this time off specifically to go to Qingdao with Gu Yun Jin. After knowing each other for so many years, he had always known that she wanted to see the ocean. After earning some extra money from a recent business deal, he thickened his skin and asked for this leave, feeling guilty for all the years they’d spent apart in a long-distance relationship.
It was the perfect season in Qingdao.
The horizon stretched endlessly, and the green trees and red walls of the Badaguan area stood out vividly. Gu Yun Jin took off her shoes and waded into the sea, her toes sinking into the soft sand. Bai Yun Sheng sat further away, watching her bounce and skip around. Absentmindedly, he reached for a cigarette.
Halfway through pulling it out, he put it back, stood up, and walked a few steps to grab a piece of paper rolling across the beach.
A young man, out of breath, ran over and sighed in relief when he saw the paper in Bai Yun Sheng’s hand.
“Thank you, thank you,” the man said as he carefully folded the paper and put it into his pocket. “Scared me—I thought it was going to blow into the sea.”
“The wind’s strong,” Bai Yun Sheng replied, handing it back. “It looks like a receipt.”
“Yeah, it’s a receipt from the photoshoot.” He pointed behind him. “I’m an assistant; the photographer’s over there shooting a wedding.”
The beach was far from the popular swimming area, with only a few young explorers around. The assistant gestured toward some protruding rocks, where a bride stood, her wedding dress glinting in the sunlight.
Gu Yun Jin returned, holding her shoes.
“What’s going on?”
“Nothing, they’re shooting wedding photos over there,” Bai Yun Sheng said, pressing her shoulders gently. “Let’s take a look.”
“What’s there to see?” Gu Yun Jin complained as he guided her forward, though she went along with it. “It’s just a wedding. Who hasn’t seen one before…”
Her words trailed off as they neared the photoshoot.
The bride was stunning, with long limbs and a graceful waist. Her wedding dress was simple but elegant, with smooth lines around the shoulders that were both refined and gentle.
It was a magical garment, one that could transform a woman into the most beautiful version of herself for that special moment.
The azure sea and sky stretched in the background, while in the foreground, a couple stood side by side. The sea breeze tousled their hair. Bai Yun Sheng said, “If only I could marry you.”
“What kind of talk is that?” Gu Yun Jin punched his shoulder lightly. “I’m not going anywhere.”
After returning from Qingdao, things between Gu Yun Jin and Bai Yun Sheng eased considerably.
Business continued to grow, and Bai Yun Sheng had never felt so content in his life. Gu Yun Jin turned the living room into a studio and occasionally took on jobs making qipaos. When she wasn’t doing commercial designs, she accepted small, low-budget commissions. Sometimes, young girls would come to her with photos that left Bai Yun Sheng amazed.
“They say these are called cosplay outfits,” Gu Yun Jin explained while working. “Kids these days really know how to have fun.”
Bai Yun Sheng couldn’t help but feel like he was getting old.
But he wasn’t old, not really. At twenty-four, his career was still on the rise. After finishing a busy day and looking up at his apartment’s lit windows, he felt at peace. On days off, he would take Gu Yun Jin to have dinner with Zheng Su Nian, and the three of them quickly became close.
Deep down, though, he knew it wasn’t enough.
The legacy of the Bai family was always in the back of his mind, constantly reminding him that he wasn’t moving fast enough. His goal wasn’t to spend his whole life under Xiao Yi, working for “Qian Yi Jewelry.” No, his goal was to revive his family’s century-old brand, “Bai Ji.”
His father had watched Bai Ji stores close down one by one. Now, it was up to him to reopen them.
Meeting Xue Ning’s father was a complete surprise.
It happened at a small gathering of Suzhou businessmen in Beijing. Suzhou merchants were fewer than those from Zhejiang, and a gathering like this was a rare opportunity. Suzhou businessmen, unlike their more aggressive Zhejiang counterparts, tended to be older and more focused on traditional industries, prizing stability above all.
The jewelry industry, after all, was both traditional and stable.
Bai Yun Sheng, being young, stood out in the crowd. After mingling for a while, a middle-aged man looked him over and said, “You’re Bai Yun Sheng, right? My daughter has good taste.”
Bai Yun Sheng froze, his spine stiffening.
The man raised his hand and gestured for him to follow. “Let’s talk over here.”
Bai Yun Sheng had had an open and honest conversation with Xue Ning after securing the contract. He had spoken gently, trying not to hurt her feelings, but still ended up wounding the proud daughter of a wealthy family.
“Don’t think you’re irreplaceable,” Xue Ning had said coldly. “You get the contract and then turn your back on me?”
“With all your qualities, you’ll definitely find someone who likes you without needing threats.”
“Threats?” Knowing full well that she had been threatening him, Xue Ning was still furious. “This opportunity was my gift to you. I’m not like you, Bai Yun Sheng. I have so much to give, I could even throw a bone to a dog. Consider this payback for the favor you did me by lending me your jacket.”
Bai Yun Sheng’s hand, clenched under the table, relaxed. He forced a smile. “Yes, you have so much. Why trouble someone like me, who has nothing?”
She stood up, slapped him, and stormed off. When he returned to the dormitory, Pei Shu asked, “What happened to your face?”
After a brief pause, Bai Yun Sheng glanced at the cat sprawled in the wardrobe. “Erhei scratched me.”
From that point on, there had been no further contact between him and Xue Ning.
Bai Yun Sheng knew he hadn’t handled it well, and he admitted it. He knew he had wronged Xue Ning, and he accepted that too. But now, facing her father and being complimented with “My daughter has good taste”—what was this all about?
Xue Ning’s father, Xue Jiang Pan, had the air of someone who had ventured into business during China’s early reforms.
Xue Jiang Pan began, “I’ve bought jewelry from your family before.”
Bai Yun Sheng was stunned.
“It was when your grandfather was still running the business,” Xue Jiang Pan continued slowly. “I was very sick as a child. My family was superstitious and believed I needed a jade talisman for protection. My mother pawned her silver bracelets to buy me a jade Guanyin pendant.
“Your grandfather was a good man. When my mother didn’t have enough money, he gave her a discount.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Bai Yun Sheng finally responded, “My grandfather always believed in the saying ‘Good deeds bring good fortune.’”
Good deeds bring good fortune.
But it was all a lie.
Xue Jiang Pan continued, “As soon as Ning Ning mentioned that your surname was Bai, that you were from Suzhou, and that your family was in the jewelry business, I pretty much figured out who you were. I’m aware your family’s fortunes took a downturn and that you’ve fallen on hard times.
“You don’t fancy my daughter, and I’m not holding a grudge.”
Bai Yun Sheng felt a little awkward. “Xue Ning is amazing—I'm the one who isn’t worthy of her.”
“Let’s skip the useless talk,” Xue Jiang Pan said directly. “I’m a businessman, and I deal in money. The fabric industry is heading into a dead end, and I can’t keep up with new trends. After some thought, I realized traditional industries are more stable. I recently got involved in the jewelry business, and I want to find someone with roots in it to help me.”
“The fabric industry under your management is well-established. How could it be struggling?”
“You seem to understand all industries quite well,” Xue Jiang Pan chuckled. “But times have changed. The Changshu industry is stagnant, unable to create brand appeal. I think it’s time for a change.”
“A brand appeal?”
“Back when we started, we were all poor. No one cared about clothing brands; anything wearable would do. But now, the clothes produced there are almost synonymous with shoddy quality. There are only a handful of noteworthy brands. What we are experiencing today is the result of choices made thirty years ago.”
Bai Yun Sheng nodded in agreement.
“I’m getting old, and I don’t need to break new ground. I’d rather retire behind the scenes. The internet is beyond my reach now; it’s better to stick to traditional local industries.”
He gave Bai Yun Sheng a meaningful look. “You’re working so hard because you want to revive the Bai family brand, right?”
As a seasoned businessman, he could see right through Bai Yun Sheng’s ambitions.
“I’ve chosen you not just because your surname is Bai, but because your current accomplishments show me your potential,” Xue Jiang Pan lowered his voice. “You have a brand and heritage, which are exactly what I lack right now. The name will remain Bai Ji, but I’ll be the one funding it.
“Otherwise, when do you think you’ll be able to make a name for yourself, going at it alone?”
Bai Yun Sheng hesitated. “But what about my current boss…”
“Heh,” Xue Jiang Pan let out a small, contemptuous laugh. “You’re still too naive. You see him as a benefactor, but have you ever considered how he sees you?”
Bai Yun Sheng replied, “Let me think about it.”
For about a week after that, Bai Yun Sheng was distracted.
He couldn’t eat properly, and he tossed and turned at night. When Gu Yun Jin asked him about it, he wouldn’t say. He spent hours sitting in his car, smoking half a pack of cigarettes.
It wasn’t until Gu Yun Jin received a call from Master Chu’s family that he snapped out of it.
“Critical condition?” Bai Yun Sheng was surprised. “There wasn’t any warning, was there?”
Gu Yun Jin paused as she packed her suitcase.
“Ever since I made that half-western, half-eastern qipao, he said he wanted to sever our master-disciple relationship.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“What was there to say? It’s already done. What good would it have done to burden you with more worries?” Gu Yun Jin shook her head. “I’m catching a train this afternoon. Whether or not he’ll see me, I’ll kneel at his door if I have to.”
Bai Yun Sheng stubbed out his cigarette, gritting his teeth. “I’ll go with you.”
Xiao Yi hadn’t approved his request for time off, and they nearly got into a shouting match over the phone. After suppressing his frustration for so long, Bai Yun Sheng finally snapped: “Yi-ge, I didn’t even take a single day off during the National Day holiday. Now my girlfriend’s mentor is gravely ill—out of respect and decency, I need to go see him.”
Xiao Yi retorted, “So, you’ve grown wings, huh? Now you think you can…”
Click!
The call ended abruptly.
Xiao Yi kicked the sofa in anger. “That ungrateful dog!”
Their journey was spent on an overnight train.
The mountains outside the window flowed like rivers, and the starry sky above flickered like a campfire. Bai Yun Sheng followed the path of the stars, heading back to his homeland, to the place where he was born and raised.
It had been so long since he had returned to the southern side of the Yangtze River that he found himself unable to sleep. The starlight cast a faint glow on the ground, and from some compartment, a low, melancholic song played.
He knew this song. Back when they graduated from university, he and a few other boys had howled it in a KTV—
“I’m afraid I won’t have the chance / To say goodbye to you / Because maybe we’ll never meet again / Tomorrow I’ll be leaving / From this familiar place and from you / As we part / Tears will fall…”
He closed his eyes and hummed softly along, “Keep walking, without turning back.”
They made it in time to see Master Chu one last time.
Gu Yun Jin had been raised by Master Chu since she was young, having grown up away from her parents. To her, he was like a father. As the old man lay on his deathbed, he called her to his side, his voice trembling as he spoke.
Gu Yun Jin cried uncontrollably as she listened, and on the train ride back, she didn’t say a word to Bai Yun Sheng.
Sensing that something was wrong, Bai Yun Sheng repeatedly asked her what was going on. Finally, when he pushed too hard, tears suddenly streamed down Gu Yun Jin’s face. Grabbing the front of his shirt, she sobbed, “Master said that you and I aren’t suited for each other. He said we won’t have a happy ending.”
Even on his deathbed, he couldn’t offer a few kind words. Bai Yun Sheng, who had never had much of a relationship with Master Chu, couldn’t help but feel a pang of resentment.
Still, he pulled Gu Yun Jin into his arms.
“I’ll prove him wrong,” he said, trying to comfort her. “I’ll show him how well I’ll take care of you.”
Bai Yun Sheng despised how he was making promises that he didn’t entirely believe himself.
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