Jiang Yan finally made a beautiful three-dish meal with soup: potato stew, sautéed greens, and a tomato egg soup.
The colors were vibrant, and the aroma was delightful. Lin Tiao ate until she was full and then put down her chopsticks. She picked up the ice cola from the table, took a small sip, rubbed her belly in satisfaction, and unreservedly praised him, "Your cooking is even better than my mom's."
Jiang Yan didn’t eat much. He had stopped before her. Hearing her words, he just squinted and smiled. He then took a tissue from the side and lightly wiped the corner of her lips, saying, “You’ve eaten enough.”
"I'm full." Lin Tiao leaned back in her chair lazily, her eyelids drooping. Her fingers tapped rhythmically on her belly, looking like a cat that had eaten well and was ready to nap.
Jiang Yan smiled faintly, picked up the empty plates, and went into the kitchen.
Lin Tiao heard him and helped carry the remaining dishes. The two of them stood side by side by the sink, speaking in low voices.
The room was dimly lit, and the transparent window reflected their two figures—one tall and one short.
By the time they finished cleaning up, it was just after 8 PM.
Jiang Yan washed his hands, then grabbed a clean towel from the nearby cabinet and handed it to her to dry her hands. He softly asked, “Let me take you home?”
“Stay a bit longer.” Lin Tiao held his hand through the towel, gently squeezing the space between his thumb and index finger. “I want to stay with you a bit more.”
Jiang Yan suddenly smiled. “Okay.”
Since it was still early, they went upstairs. Jiang Yan found a movie, a suspense thriller with a high rating.
The movie started. Jiang Yan turned to the side and turned off the lights to set the mood.
On the coffee table were the strawberries he had bought that evening.
The strawberries were plump and bright, their color vibrant for the season. The moment she bit into one, juice burst out, and the sweetness was perfect.
Lin Tiao ate two, then remembered someone else was sitting beside her. She casually offered him one, “Do you want one?”
In the dim light, the strawberry she held appeared and disappeared with the changing brightness of the screen. Jiang Yan leaned his head toward her, and just as the screen went dark, his lips brushed against her hand instead of the fruit.
Lin Tiao froze, and she could hear his low chuckle. She pushed his head away and muttered, “What are you laughing at?”
He didn’t respond. Instead, he tilted his head slightly, bit the strawberry from her hand, and his warm, soft lips brushed against her fingers again.
His deliberately slow movements, no matter how you looked at it, easily gave rise to many suggestive thoughts.
Lin Tiao, inexperienced in romance, had no way of retaliating. In frustration, she threw the fruit plate into his lap and grumbled, “Eat it yourself.”
“No.” He returned the plate to her hands, his voice deliberately lowered, making it sound ambiguous and affectionate. “You feed me, it’s sweeter that way.”
The movie lasted two hours, and by the time it ended with the tragic conclusion, Lin Tiao was a little pensive.
The film began with the discovery of a nameless male corpse in a hotel, and the mystery unraveled to reveal a horrific massacre that happened ten years ago, involving a family of four. When the police captured the suspect and publicly interrogated him, Lin Tiao expected some shocking revelation. But instead, the man blamed his distorted psychology on an unhappy family life, where his parents favored sons over daughters.
At the end of the film, the director released an anonymous interview. Several women spoke about their troubled family lives, living under the shadow of traditional male-preference, leading to emotional scars.
One interview left a deep impression on Lin Tiao: “I can’t deny that my parents love me, but I also can’t ignore that all my insecurity and inferiority come from them.”
As the closing song played, Jiang Yan was about to turn the lights back on when Lin Tiao’s voice interrupted, “My dad is a good husband and a good leader. I always thought he was also a good father.”
Jiang Yan turned on the light, and seeing her red-rimmed eyes, he didn’t say anything but simply pulled her into his embrace.
“He’s actually a good father,” Lin Tiao said, “But it seems like he want a son and not me.”
That late-night argument between Fang Yi Song and Lin Yong Cheng had always been like a thorn in Lin Tiao’s heart. It was there, impossible to ignore.
The room was silent for a moment.
“Actually, it’s normal for older generations to have a preference for sons over daughters,” Jiang Yan gently patted her back. “It’s a mindset that’s been ingrained for centuries, and we can’t change it. But I can promise you that it won’t happen in our house.”
He gently lifted her chin, leaned down, and softly kissed her forehead, his words full of tenderness.
“Whether it’s a boy or a girl, as long as it’s from you, I will love it.”
Lin Tiao’s eyes reddened again, and his lips moved down to kiss the corner of her eye. His thumb followed, wiping away the tears.
“Don’t cry,” he whispered.
Jiang Yan pulled her close, his head resting on her neck as he spoke softly, “Here with me, I only have you, and I only like you.”
Her sobs broke out, hot tears slipping down into his clothes.
This was the first time Jiang Yan had seen her cry—sobbing quietly, with a hidden voice, feeling hurt and wronged.
He held her, hearing her cries, feeling his heart twist painfully.
Lin Tiao didn’t stay much longer.
The next day was New Year's Eve, a time for family reunions. Lin Yong Cheng and Fang Yi Song returned from out of town the night before, but when they arrived home to find the house empty, they hurriedly called Lin Tiao.
At that moment, Lin Tiao had just finished crying, being held by Jiang Yan with a hot towel pressed to her eyes.
The sharp ring of her phone broke the peace.
She recognized the ringtone as the one she had set for her parents. She went outside to take the call. After a brief conversation, she promised to return soon.
When she hung up, Jiang Yan walked over, gently touched her still-red eyes, and said, “Let’s go. I’ll take you home.”
It was already late outside. Lin Tiao refused, “I’ll take a taxi home.”
He didn’t agree. He put on a black down jacket from the rack, then took her jacket from her and said, “It’s the duty of a boyfriend.”
—
During the New Year period, many nearby shops and delivery businesses take a break, but the taxi service operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year without pause.
Jiang Yan called for a taxi.
By the time they reached the alley, the driver had already arrived. He was smoking with the window rolled down. When he saw them, he quickly extinguished the cigarette and leaned out the window. "Is this your ride? The phone ends with xxxx?"
"Yes."
Jiang Yan opened the car door. After Lin Tiao got in, he followed and sat down.
The driver started the car. As he glanced at the passengers in the rearview mirror, it was clear they were both quite young. Out of concern, he asked, "Why aren’t you two going home for the holidays?"
Lin Tiao responded with a short "Ah," then said, "We’re on our way back now."
"Oh, okay," the driver replied, keeping his hands on the wheel. After turning out of the narrow street, he cheerfully continued, "Where are you two from? Brother and sister?"
Lin Tiao: "..."
Jiang Yan: "..."
The atmosphere became tense.
The driver, realizing he might have said something wrong, asked, "Aren’t you siblings?"
"No, we’re not siblings."
Before Lin Tiao could explain, the driver interrupted with certainty, "Then you must be a couple, right?"
Lin Tiao: "..."
Jiang Yan: "..."
The driver added, "You two look much more handsome than my own kids." His tone was somewhat dismissive but filled with affection. "Though looks aren’t everything. My kids may not be the most attractive, but they’re really good people, and their grades are excellent."
Lin Tiao: "..."
She thought to herself: Uncle, what do you mean by that?
"Explain yourself clearly, or I’ll give you a bad review."
Lin Tiao wanted to laugh but was also frustrated. She didn’t respond right away. Jiang Yan hadn’t spoken since they got in the car.
But the driver seemed to have an incredibly strong sense of composure. He kept talking, regardless of whether anyone responded, and even put on some music to lighten the mood.
As the car passed through the deserted streets, the music played briefly in the background.
"Good day, today is a good day..."
Luckily, the journey wasn’t long, and since it was New Year’s, the roads weren’t crowded. In just over 20 minutes, the car stopped.
Lin Tiao, feeling her head hurt from the loud, old-fashioned music, quickly jumped out of the car when it stopped.
Jiang Yan stayed behind to pay.
"That’ll be 18.80, but since it’s the New Year, let’s round it to 18," the driver said, looking at the young man. "Do you want to pay by Alipay or WeChat?"
"Cash," Jiang Yan said, pulling out a black wallet and handing over a 20-yuan note.
The driver reached for the money, but Jiang Yan didn’t let go.
After a few seconds of hesitation, Jiang Yan let go of the money and said calmly, "We’re not siblings. And we’re not a brother and sister pair."
The driver stared at them with confusion. Jiang Yan raised an eyebrow, met the driver’s puzzled look, and said proudly, "We’re a couple."
Later that night, the streets were all lit up. The lights were bright, making the night look almost like daytime.
Jiang Yan walked Lin Tiao all the way to her building. Tall plane trees lined the streets, their branches bare in the winter. Under the streetlights, small shadows danced on the ground.
"Go on up," he said, hands tucked into his pockets.
Lin Tiao tugged at his coat zipper and asked tentatively, "Are you really not coming home for the holidays with me?"
Jiang Yan scoffed and reached out to ruffle her hair. "If I went with you, I’m afraid your parents would kick me out."
Lin Tiao frowned, not saying anything.
Jiang Yan could tell what she was thinking and slid his hand down to pinch her cheek. "Tomorrow I’ll go to Guan Che’s house."
"Really?"
"Yeah," he nodded. "I go every year. Guan Che’s dad and mine were classmates, and they used to be really close. His mom also takes good care of me."
Seeing that he was sincere, Lin Tiao felt a bit more reassured. "Okay, then I’ll head up."
"Go ahead."
Lin Tiao turned around, glancing back at him a few times as she walked. When she reached the second floor, she looked out the window and saw him still standing downstairs. She opened the window and called out his name.
"Jiang Yan."
He looked up, narrowing his eyes. "What’s up?"
"It’s getting late. Go back soon," she said, standing in the window with most of her figure visible. "I’ll be home soon."
Jiang Yan looked up at her and nodded. "Okay."
He turned and walked away toward the exit of the complex.
The road was lit up, and the tall shadows stretched out in the night. The young man walked with steady steps, his figure upright.
Lin Tiao watched him for a while, then took out her phone and snapped a picture.
The empty road seemed to stretch on forever, with Jiang Yan’s figure growing smaller, surrounded by bright lights that felt distant from him.
She sighed lightly and, after he disappeared from view, she turned and walked back upstairs. As she was about to get into the elevator, she realized she hadn’t taken it yet.
The wind picked up, and the snow began to fall, continuing until morning.
---
The next morning, Lin Tiao opened the curtains to find the entire complex covered in snow, a vast white scene, with traces of snow on the rooftops.
Fang Yi Song and Lin Yong Cheng were up early, taking advantage of their rare day off to prepare breakfast.
When they knocked on her door, Lin Tiao had just finished washing up.
"Awake? I thought you’d still be asleep," Fang Yi Song said, wearing casual clothes instead of her usual work attire. Her wavy hair was casually tied up, and her expression was gentle. "Come on, breakfast is ready."
Lin Tiao smiled, shaking out her clothes. "I’ll change and be right out."
"Okay."
The family of three sat together at the breakfast table, enjoying a harmonious atmosphere.
Lin Tiao bit into a rice ball and, without thinking, glanced at her parents. She couldn’t tell if something was off, and although she was full of questions, she didn’t ask.
After breakfast, Lin Yong Cheng rolled up his sleeves and went to clean up in the kitchen.
Lin Tiao and Fang Yi Song sat in the living room chatting, mainly about school and the recurring topic of relationships.
Since middle school, Fang Yi Song had regularly talked to her about dating, not to stop her, but to prevent anything inappropriate for her age from happening.
This year, Lin Tiao answered differently.
She was as honest as ever about her parents' open-mindedness. "I have a boyfriend now."
Fang Yi Song wasn’t surprised and asked, "Is he from your class?"
"Yes," Lin Tiao said, meeting her mother’s gaze and feeling a bit shy as she touched her nose. "He’s my deskmate."
Fang Yi Song patted her head with a gentle smile. "He must be a good boy."
At that moment, Lin Tiao thought of Jiang Yan.
She remembered his words, his actions, and who he was.
A smile tugged at her lips, and light sparkled in her eyes.
"He’s the best guy I’ve ever met."