Bai Yin could see the cold edge in Chen Huaixiao's eyes. The pent-up anger and discomfort over the past days seemed to have dissipated quite a bit at this moment. Even if Chen Huaixiao didn't do anything, just having him say those words put Bai Yin at ease.
The man before her gave her a sense of security she had yearned for all these years.
"Actually, it was all a long time ago. That person left long ago and I don't know where he went," Bai Yin tried to say lightly, "And it only happened once. Afterwards I went back to my grandmother's house and never saw him again."
Chen Huaixiao listened in silence, using a calm expression to conceal his nearly explosive emotions.
He knew Bai Yin was a lonely orphan girl. In his memories, she was thin and small, like a little sparrow that didn't get enough to eat.
Even someone as cold-hearted as Chen Huaixiao would feel pity seeing her then.
What kind of bastard...would bully her like this.
Chen Huaixiao kept rubbing her trailing hair with his fingertips, repeating in a low hoarse voice: "Back then, you should have told me."
"Chen Huaixiao, let's not talk about this anymore. It's all in the past."
Chen Huaixiao couldn't let this go, but he saw Bai Yin was unwilling to say more about it, so he didn't ask further.
That night, Bai Yin had Chen Huaixiao soak in her bathtub to wash off the fatigue from his travels.
Chen Huaixiao was not in high spirits, and was silent most of the time.
Bai Yin tried every trick to make conversation and joke with him, chatting about the funny things that happened on the variety shows.
Chen Huaixiao only responded perfunctorily with a word or two, but didn't laugh.
Seeing the man was like a cold, unyielding slab of lead that she couldn't get a word out of, Bai Yin rolled her eyes and stopped talking.
In the thick night, the two of them lay back to back on the bed.
After a few minutes of awkward silence, Chen Huaixiao took the initiative to hug her from behind.
Bai Yin turned to reciprocate, but Chen Huaixiao stopped her. He just held her tightly from behind...
"We won't do anything tonight," Chen Huaixiao kissed her shoulder and whispered gently in her ear, "Go to sleep."
...
The next day when Bai Yin woke up, sunlight streamed through the gauze curtains onto her drowsy face. She reflexively reached out her arm to feel for the person beside her.
There was nothing there.
Bai Yin sat up. In the room there was no trace left of Chen Huaixiao's presence, making her feel as if his sudden visit last night was just a dream.
Could it really have been just a dream?
After washing up, Bai Yin went downstairs. Tang Xu and Yang Zhao Lin were having breakfast. She greeted them cheerfully, "Morning! Let's go pick tea leaves together later!"
Seeing Bai Yin in much higher spirits, Yang Zhao Lin said, "Oh? Did something good happen? You seem so happy."
"Do I?" Bai Yin poured some coffee. Sitting in a bamboo chair, she said, "I'm always like this."
"No you're not. The last couple days you had a long face, looking like someone owed you eight million bucks. But today after waking up, your eyes and eyebrows are full of smiles. Did you have sweet dreams last night?"
Bai Yin took a sip of the rich, aromatic coffee and said, "I have a habit of getting attached to places. I haven't been sleeping well this half month, but last night was the soundest sleep."
Yang Zhao Lin sighed, "Sleep really is important, huh."
"Mm," Bai Yin agreed.
□□ is also very important.
In the afternoon, under the show's arrangements, the guest stars went up to the hillside tea plantation to pick tea leaves.
Bai Yin's mind wandered as she wondered whether to directly ask the director's team if Chen Huaixiao had also come to the small town. But on second thought, she decided not to, in case it raised suspicions.
Oh well, what did it matter.
...
After Bai Yin moved her grandmother to the north city for medical treatment, her uncle Zhao Xiu Wen brought his family and logically took over her grandmother's old house that was left behind.
But because he had gambled away all their family property, the old house was also mortgaged by him, and they were only staying there temporarily for now.
Every day, Zhao Xiu Wen's wife Lv Lan complained about him, "If you can't earn money again, our whole family will be homeless!"
Zhao Xiu Wen squatted in the yard smoking sullenly, extremely vexed in his heart, "What can I do about it!"
Lv Lan came out wearing a floral apron around her waist, pointing at him fiercely with a spatula and scolding, "Isn't your niece still in town? Why don't you go ask her! She's a big celebrity now, about to be on TV. Just take a little bit from her, it would be enough for our whole family to live better for some days!"
"Didn't I go ask her already? She drove me out! That girl has a nasty temper, she hasn't changed one bit!"
"No matter how nasty her temper, she's still your niece. You're her uncle by blood. Take out the same tough attitude you had when you used to beat her!"
"She's a grown woman now, I can't possibly still beat her!"
"Why not? Those who don't listen must be punished." Lv Lan huffed, "No matter what celebrity she is now, she's still your niece and must be obedient."
Just as she finished speaking, several strange men burst through the yard gate. The man in the lead wore a floral shirt - it was Zhu Qiang, the debt collector to whom Zhao Xiu Wen had mortgaged the house.
"Brother Qiang, why are you here?" Zhao Xiu Wen's expression changed drastically as he hurried over, bowing and scraping, "We're almost done gathering the money. Please give us a bit more time."
Of course Zhu Qiang was not in a good mood either, lazily saying, "This house, I've already sold it to another boss. You have half an hour to pack up your things and get lost."
"What, you sold my old house! How could you do this! Isn't this going back on your word?"
Zhu Qiang was formerly a local ruffian. Seeing Zhao Xiu Wen dare to talk to him this way, he walked up and gave him a resounding slap, making him stumble back several steps and fall to the ground, "What's your old house? This house now belongs to me. The sale is legal and proper. I can sell to whoever I want, that's my prerogative. Get out, get out immediately!"
"Brother Qiang, you're making my whole family homeless!"
"Not my concern. A debt must be paid, that's only right. If you don't pack up and scram, I'll have my men help you pack. Don't blame me for not warning you if anything gets broken."
Zhao Xiu Wen was scared witless and immediately called for Lv Lan to pack up their luggage in the house.
"Brother Qiang, who bought the old house... This house has been passed down in our family for generations..."
Zhu Qiang tilted his head, gesturing towards the gate.
Zhao Xiu Wen looked in the direction he indicated. A black sedan was parked at the entrance.
The car window slowly rolled down, revealing the cold, hard side profile of the man inside.
Zhao Xiu Wen walked out, asking across the half-lowered window, "You...who are you? Why did you buy our family's old house?"
Chen Huaixiao's cigarette-holding fingertips rested on the window edge. He flicked off some ash without even looking at Zhao Xiu Wen directly, and said flatly, "I'm Bai Yin's husband."
"Oh my, what a disaster for the family temple when the daughter-in-law is flooded. My niece's husband..."
Before he could finish speaking, Zhu Qiang walked over and kicked Zhao Xiu Wen, kicking him so he reeled back a few steps and fell on the ground again, "Is Chen also someone you can casually claim as a relative? Watch how you speak..."
Zhao Xiu Wen didn't dare cause trouble again. He could only plead with Chen Huaixiao to give them a few more days.
Chen Huaixiao's expression was blank as his fingertips flicked the lighter cap: "You have 20 more minutes to leave this town."
"Did you hear that?" Zhu Qiang grabbed his collar viciously, "Don't let me see you in town again, or you'll regret it!"
Zhao Xiu Wen hurriedly told his wife to pack up their luggage and take everything they needed from the house.
When they were lugging their bags and packages out of the old house, Chen Huaixiao got out of the car and came before Zhao Xiu Wen.
"Oh right, one more thing."
Zhao Xiu Wen looked at him apprehensively, "What...what else do you need?"
"The man who bullied Bai Yin many years ago - I want to know his name."
Zhao Xiu Wen was shocked that he was dredging up these old grievances from so many years ago.
"It was so long ago! I...I've forgotten!"
"Is that so?"
Chen Huaixiao's mouth corner tugged up in a cold smile. "Since you've forgotten, then for the rest of your life, you can suffer the consequences in his stead."
Although he was smiling, his tone carried an icy threat.
Zhao Xiu Wen had long been scared out of his wits. "I'll...I'll tell you. His name is Dong Cheng. Now he's a small contractor in South City, doing quite well for himself. Makes good money and has bought several houses back home, drives an expensive car whenever he goes back."
Half an hour later, Zhao Xiu Wen led his family and left the old house.
Zhu Qiang stood at the entrance, carefully asking, "Boss Chen, any other instructions?"
"Get some people to clean up the rooms."
"Yes, sir!" Zhu Qiang immediately agreed and found several local women to thoroughly clean every corner of the two-story building inside and out.
Chen Huaixiao stood by the courtyard's skylight, looking up at the small patch of sky.
Back then, that girl liked to practice dancing here.
Sunlight would spill over her slender, wing-like form. Her sweat-dampened white clothes clung tightly to her skin.
Every move was etched into Chen Huaixiao's memories.
Those years she struggled fiercely in her cocoon must have been so stifling and hopeless.
Chen Huaixiao took out his phone and called Shen Bin in a low voice.
"Help me look into someone named Dong Cheng, a real estate contractor in South City."
"Yes, sir." Shen Bin respectfully acknowledged, then asked, "What should I do after finding him?"
"Use any legal means. I want him..." Chen Huaixiao clenched his fist tightly, forcefully suppressing the trembling, "To regret being born into this world."
...
That night, Chen Huaixiao called Bai Yin to the old house.
When she had brought her grandmother to the north city, the old house had already been taken over by her uncle's family.
Later she also heard the house was mortgaged by him. Bai Yin didn't dare tell her grandmother about it, afraid it would worsen her illness.
But when she came to the white-walled black-tiled Hui style building in the moonlight, she didn't see any trace of her uncle's family.
Only a motorcycle was parked under the tree, as she had hoped to see every weekend.
Bai Yin walked up to the motorcycle and gently stroked the black grip with her smooth, delicate fingers, eyes shimmering with emotion.
It was as if she could see her teenage self again.
How she had loved everything about that man back then.
His motorcycle, the helmet on it, his black T-shirt drying in the yard...
Even without seeing him in person, just seeing these objects would make her heart thump faster.
This was where Bai Yin grew up. Everything here - every plant and tree - reminded her:
How much she had liked Chen Huaixiao in those years.
Bai Yin hesitated, not quite daring to go inside.
Chen Huaixiao sat on the steps of the building next door, legs apart, wearing a casual gray sweatshirt and jeans. Without his usual polished look, he seemed more boyish.
He still wore the black jade earring she had given him years ago, glinting coolly under the moonlight.
"You dug it out and are wearing it again? That earring is so old."
"I'm sentimental."
He snorted softly, "Don't you want to go inside and have a look?"
Bai Yin gazed at the crescent moon on the eaves, stretching lazily, "No need."
Chen Huaixiao frowned, "Why not?"
"Don't want to go in and see familiar things and scenes. Chen Huaixiao, the past cannot be pursued."
From her eyes, Chen Huaixiao could see this woman would not cling to old objects. She only looked ahead.
There was no old affection in her eyes, only the future.
"What a past that cannot be chased." Chen Huaixiao's mouth hooked into a cold smile: "I almost forgot, the past is what you most want to abandon."
It was foolish of him to have bought this mansion for her.
So stupid.
...
Chen Huaixiao got up and sat on the motorcycle, stepped on the engine, and the motorcycle roared before driving away.
Bai Yin hurried to catch up: "Chen Huaixiao! You called me over in the middle of the night, you...you should at least take me back!"
Chen Huaixiao didn't look back as he sped away, soon disappearing at the end of the long street.
Bai Yin was at a loss for words, only able to walk on the uneven stone road in her high heels.
In the deep of the night, the ancient town was quiet and deserted since it wasn't peak tourist season.
As Bai Yin walked out of the long street and turned a corner, she saw the man had turned his motorcycle around and drove back, taking off his helmet with a dissatisfied look as he gazed at her.
Bai Yin curled her lips, dissatisfied: "Why did you come back?"
"Afraid someone might kidnap and sell you off as a daughter-in-law up the mountains."
"Being someone's daughter-in-law is still being a daughter-in-law, you jerk."
Chen Huaixiao tilted his head to glance at her: "Are you sure?"
"Very sure."
"Then I'm leaving." Chen Huaixiao put his helmet back on.
Seeing that he really intended to leave, Bai Yin kicked a stone at her feet and shouted: "Chen Huaixiao! You really are a dog."
Chen Huaixiao was just teasing her after all. He got off the bike, properly put the helmet on for her, and led her to the vehicle: "Alright, I didn't come all the way south to argue with my wife."
Bai Yin gave his beloved motorcycle a kick.
"That's enough."
She kicked it again.
"Bai Yin!"
"Does that hurt?"
"It hurts your foot."
Chen Huaixiao directly picked her up and put her on the motorcycle.
"Go slowly."
Chen Huaixiao stepped on the engine, and Bai Yin firmly hugged his waist.
Through the thin fabric, the scorching heat of his body transferred over to her.
Back then, she had only dared to hold him like this when sitting on his bike, with a proper excuse.
Chen Huaixiao sped up, and he could also feel the young madam hugging him even tighter.
"Chen Huaixiao, have you given rides to other girls before?"
"No."
"I don't believe you."
"Believe it or not."
Bai Yin's hands loosened a little: "What about Qin Yao?"
"Not her either."
"Oh, none of my business."
Chen Huaixiao looked back: "Why did you ask then?"
Bai Yin shrugged: "Doesn't matter, when she comes back, the title of Mrs. Chen can be returned to her."
"You want to give it to her?"
"That would be to your liking, right?"
Chen Huaixiao sped up again, the gusting wind forcing Bai Yin to cling tightly to him as she panickly cried: "Chen Huaixiao, slow down..."
In just over an hour, Chen Huaixiao had driven back to the gates of the old mansion.
Before Bai Yin could react, Chen Huaixiao carried her off the bike without putting her down. Once inside, he headed straight for the room that used to be hers.
The room had already been rearranged according to her former living habits, with brand new bedsheets and covers.
After entering, Chen Huaixiao threw her onto the bed, grabbed her collar, and kissed her forcefully.
Bai Yin bit his lip hard and taunted: "Thinking of your first love again, can't help yourself huh."
"I'm very clear about who I want now." Chen Huaixiao's expression was slightly cold as he attacked more aggressively: "Bai Yin, for this lifetime...I only want you."
