Chapter 38

On such a rare snowy day, the world was veiled in a hazy mist, lending everything an especially desolate yet romantic air.

The restaurant was filled with the aroma of coffee and toasted bread, languid and leisurely.

Jin Zijin cut her food slowly, then lifted her gaze to Wen Yan across from her, anticipation rippling in the depths of her eyes. “The forecast says the snow scenery over at Beishan is beautiful right now, and the mountain closure period has started too. There won’t be many people; it’ll be quiet.”

She smiled. “How about we go ice fishing today? You’ve got tomorrow off anyway.”

Wen Yan was a little surprised. She set down her glass of milk. “You’re not busy lately? You can spare the time?”

“All the big contracts that needed signing at the end of the year are signed; all the meetings that needed holding are done too. What’s left is just some paperwork, and that can be handled online.”

Jin Zijin’s tone was relaxed, with the contentment of someone stealing half a day of leisure from life. “Let’s just treat it as a short vacation. I can keep you company too.”

Wen Yan thought it over. Ice fishing plus a hot spring did sound tempting, so she nodded. “Sounds good. We can try it.”

“Then it’s settled.” Jin Zijin’s brows and eyes curved; she immediately picked up the tablet beside her. “I’ll have the place at the mountain resort prepare things. We’ll head out after breakfast.”

However, plans never kept up with changes.

Just as the two of them had changed into their outdoor clothes and were ready to leave, Jin Zijin came out of the bathroom with a frown, her face carrying a rare trace of annoyance and helplessness.

She walked up to Wen Yan, pressed her lips together, and still decided to be honest. “Um... sorry to ruin the mood, but my period came early.”

Wen Yan froze for a moment, then reacted at once. There wasn’t the slightest hint of annoyance at the disrupted plan on her face; instead, she immediately asked with concern, “How do you feel? Is anything uncomfortable?”

As she spoke, she naturally reached out and laid her warm palm over Jin Zijin’s lower abdomen.

“I’m fine; I’m in great shape. It never hurts much anyway.” Jin Zijin shook her head, trying to seem relaxed. “It’s just... maybe I can’t soak in the hot spring. As for ice fishing...”

“Then we’re not going.” Wen Yan cut her off, her tone gentle but unyielding.

She wrapped an arm around Jin Zijin’s waist and, with a little force, lifted her into her lap so she sat sideways there.

“Not hurting and not getting chilled or catching a cold are two different things.”

Holding her close, Wen Yan spoke near her ear, calmly analyzing the situation. “It’s this cold outside, and during your period your body is in a special state with blood loss and hormonal changes; your resistance will be weaker than usual.”

“No matter how much I want to play, I would never gamble with your health.”

She paused, then turned and placed a light kiss on Jin Zijin’s cool cheek, softening her voice even more. “We’ll go next time, okay?”

“When the weather gets warmer, or when you’re at your best, there’ll be plenty of chances.”

Jin Zijin leaned against her chest, the reassuring clean scent on Wen Yan’s body lingering at her nose. After a moment of silence, she asked in a low voice, “You... won’t think this is disappointing? We’d already planned everything.”

“No.” Wen Yan answered without the slightest hesitation. She drew back a little and looked into Jin Zijin’s eyes, serious. “Being able to tell me you’re not feeling well on your own means you’re discussing it with me; you’re respecting our shared plans, and even more, trusting me.”

“I’m very happy you didn’t choose to hide it or force yourself just because you didn’t want to ruin the mood.”

She held Jin Zijin’s face, her thumb gently brushing over that delicate skin; clear cherishing shone in her eyes. “That means that in your heart, our communication and your real feelings matter more than one trip.”

“How could that be disappointing? I’m happy enough as it is.”

Jin Zijin looked into her clear, candid eyes, and the faint discouragement brought on by the sudden change in plans was smoothed away at once.

She pressed closer to Wen Yan and muttered softly, “But I promised you something and didn’t do it... won’t you be even a little disappointed?”

Wen Yan instantly understood the little desire hidden in her words—to be cared about.

She straightened her expression at once and replied honestly and gently, “Of course I would. When expectations come to nothing, there’s bound to be some disappointment.”

Then her tone shifted, her eyes brightening again with firm anticipation for the future. “But when I think about how next time we can play without any worries, enjoy ourselves to the fullest, and make up for this disappointment twice over, that disappointment turns into anticipation.”

She looked at Jin Zijin and asked softly, “Next time, we’ll definitely have a lot of fun, won’t we?”

“Yes.” Jin Zijin met her gaze and nodded hard. The last trace of gloom in her heart vanished completely.

She held Wen Yan’s face and kissed her first, her voice muffled sweetly between their lips and teeth. “Wen Yan, you’re so good.”

Wen Yan accepted the kiss. After a while, they parted with their foreheads resting together, and she laughed softly. “You’re even better to me.”

The two of them stayed cuddled together for a while longer before canceling the outing.

Looking at the suddenly freed-up stretch of time, Jin Zijin asked, “Then... since we’re free all day now, does Doctor Wen have any plans?”

Wen Yan thought for a moment, then her eyes lit up. “Since we have time, how about we pick out a cat bed and a climbing frame for the kitten? There are still a lot of pet supplies we need to prepare.”

The night before, the two of them had taken a little time to discuss it and decided to adopt this kitten as a new bond between them.

“Good idea.” Jin Zijin readily agreed and immediately grabbed the tablet computer.

The two of them squeezed together on the bed, heads touching, and began browsing the dazzling array of pet product pages.

“What about this cloud-shaped bed? It looks so soft.”

“Will the color be too light? If the kitten gets it dirty, it won’t be easy to wash.”

“Then how about this one? It has a little tent; it feels safer.”

“Isn’t the size a bit small? It won’t fit when she grows a little.”

“This cat tree has so many functions, and it even has a lookout platform and a hammock...”

“Would it take up too much space in the living room? But the corner in the study seems like it could work...”

They carefully compared materials, sizes, and designs; occasionally one of them would laugh softly at a cute little toy, and the discussion was serious yet warm.

It was as if they weren’t choosing pet supplies at all, but arranging a room for some important new member of the family.

As they browsed, Jin Zijin suddenly thought of something and turned to ask, “By the way, have you given the little one a name?”

“Not yet,” Wen Yan said, shaking her head as she looked at her. “Why don’t you name her?”

Jin Zijin thought seriously, her fingertip unconsciously tapping her chin. “Mm... her eyes are round and bright, like fine amber... how about ‘Amber’?”

At that, Wen Yan couldn’t help laughing softly.

“What are you laughing at?” Jin Zijin raised a brow.

“Nothing.” Wen Yan leaned closer, amusement flashing in her eyes. “I thought you’d pick something sweeter, like... ‘Honey.’”

Jin Zijin blinked slightly. “Why Honey?”

Wen Yan’s smile deepened, her gaze landing softly on her face as she said meaningfully, “Because... just like you, she makes people feel sweet inside the moment they look at her. She’s adorable.”

Jin Zijin’s face heated at her straightforward sweet talk, but she couldn’t hide the corners of her mouth from lifting.

She cleared her throat and announced solemnly, “Fine. Then I’ll listen to you. Let’s call her Honey.”

“Okay, Little Honey.” Wen Yan went along with it easily and kissed her cheek.

——————

Another Friday.

After the snow, the sky had cleared; it was a pure, transparent blue, and sunlight spilled down without obstruction, bringing a bit of luxurious warmth to the cold winter day.

Wen Yan finished her morning class and went straight to the pet hospital.

Little Honey’s observation period was over, and all the examinations showed she was healthy. Today, she could officially be brought home.

After completing the tedious but thorough procedures, Wen Yan carried the airline crate out of the hospital.

The kitten inside seemed to know she was leaving and let out a few uneasy little meows.

Her amber eyes peered through the bars, curious yet wary as she studied the unfamiliar world outside.

Wen Yan bent one finger and gently tapped the crate door; her voice was so soft even she hadn’t noticed it. “All right, Little Honey, don’t be afraid. Mommy’s taking you home.”

The words had barely left her mouth when a sleek black Audi A8L slid silently to a stop beside her.

The rear window lowered, revealing Li Yue’s capable, gentle smile. “Miss Wen, President Jin asked me to pick you and... the young lady up and take you to the group.”

Wen Yan was truly taken aback. “How did you know I’d be here?”

Li Yue smiled. “President Jin figured you’d be done with class around this time and would have picked up the kitten by now, so she specifically had me wait here. Please get in.”

Wen Yan softened at that and nodded, carrying the cat carrier into the car.

The interior was warm and clean, with only the faintest hum of the engine.

She carefully placed the carrier on the seat beside her. Just as she sat down, her phone buzzed.

It was a message from Jin Zijin: “Did Li Yue pick up you and our daughter?”

Wen Yan couldn’t help laughing and replied, “Mm, she’s here. Why did you even send a car? Do you miss your little girl that much?”

Jin Zijin replied almost instantly, full of righteous confidence: “Of course! This is the first child in my life. How could I not be anxious? [righteously confident.jpg]”

Wen Yan could practically imagine her expression and shook her head, amused.

Jin Zijin sent another message: “I still have a short meeting to wrap up over here. Take Honey to my office first; lunch has already been arranged. You two eat first, no need to wait for me.”

Wen Yan: “Okay, you go ahead and work.”

Jin Zijin: “Mm, I’m going to the meeting now.”

Wen Yan: “Okay.”

After the brief exchange ended, Wen Yan lowered her head to look at the airline crate by her feet. Inside, a little fluffy ball was trying to paw at the door.

She muttered to herself in a tone of amused resignation, “Little baby, come on; I’ll take you to find your ‘mama.’”

After saying that, even she thought the scene felt strangely familiar.

She remembered the internet dramas the young intern Qiu Bo in the department had been obsessed with lately; things like “running away with a baby,” “a fiery pursuit of the ex-wife”...

Now, in this situation, it did look a little like she was “carrying the child” to find another parent and demand “a status.”

Amused by her own absurd association, Wen Yan pressed her lips together and laughed softly.

——————

Top floor of Hengxing Tower, president’s office.

After Wen Yan came in with the cat carrier and saw Little Honey turning in circles inside, pawing at the bars a little anxiously, she sent Jin Zijin a message asking whether she could let the kitten out for a bit of fresh air first.

Jin Zijin replied very quickly: “Yes. Just don’t let her touch anything dangerous, and don’t let her run out into the hallway.”

With permission granted, Wen Yan carefully opened the carrier door.

Little Honey first poked out half her head warily, looking around for a long while before cautiously crawling out.

The unfamiliar spacious room and the overly simple, cold style of the decor seemed to make her a little afraid; she didn’t dare go exploring, and instead only circled close to Wen Yan’s leg.

In the end, she leaped lightly onto Wen Yan’s lap, curled herself into a tiny furball, and let out a thin, dependent little mew.

Wen Yan’s heart melted beyond belief.

She reached out, her fingertips gently combing through the kitten’s soft, fluffy back fur; Little Honey quickly began purring with contentment.

Perhaps because her grandfather had been from the military and the family had a stern tradition, there had never been any custom of keeping pets at home.

Whether the Wen family or the Wang family, they all seemed to have tacitly accepted this life without furry little creatures.

Wen Yan herself had never once considered raising a pet. It wasn’t that she thought she couldn’t take care of one; more than anything, it was a subconscious resistance to the inevitable parting that would come one day.

She had grown used to a long-standing, cautious pessimism.

Yet this time, she had so naturally accepted this little life, and even wanted to take on this long-term responsibility voluntarily.

It was incredible.

Was it because... the kitten looked a little like Jin Zijin?

Or because being with Jin Zijin had given her a different kind of courage and expectation for the “future” and for “long-term”?

Wen Yan lowered her eyes to the warm little life on her lap and murmured, “Little Honey, so well-behaved, so cute.”

She couldn’t help taking out her phone and recording a short video.

In the video, the kitten nestled in her palm, eyes half-closed, her purring clearly audible.

Secretary Li Yue knocked and came in, bringing an exquisite and abundant lunch, which she thoughtfully placed on the coffee table in the sofa area. “Miss Wen, please enjoy. President Jin’s meeting is almost over.”

“Thank you.” Wen Yan thanked her, then temporarily settled the kitten into a soft cushion nest in the corner of the sofa and prepared to eat.

But as soon as the kitten touched the cushion, she reflexively jumped back onto Wen Yan’s lap and clung tightly to her.

Wen Yan had no choice but to stroke the frightened little Honey on her lap and begin eating with one hand.

Halfway through the meal, faint noises of an argument drifted in from outside the office, as if someone were quarreling.

Li Yue’s low voice tried to stop them. “Miss Zhang, President Jin is really in a meeting. There’s a guest in the office, so it’s not convenient for you to go in right now...”

A young, crisp voice answered, carrying obvious petulance and saying it without the slightest politeness, “A guest? Hah, what guest can go into my sister’s office? I insist on seeing for myself!”

Immediately after, the thick office door was pushed open rather roughly from outside.

Wen Yan’s hand, holding her chopsticks, paused. She raised her eyes toward the door.

A young girl who looked to be in her early twenties and dressed in stylish, bright clothes stormed in; her makeup was exquisite, her clothes expensive, and her face carried the boldness of someone untempered by hardship, along with a strange anger.

Her gaze swept over the large office like a searchlight before locking firmly onto Wen Yan, who was eating in the sofa area.

Wen Yan looked back calmly, and almost instantly pulled the other party’s identity information from her memory.

Jin Zijin’s maternal aunt’s only daughter; her younger cousin, Zhang Qingchi.

She had seen her in some materials and group photos from the Jin family before; Wen Yan never forgot a face.

When Zhang Qingchi saw Wen Yan’s face and the fluffy creature on her lap that clearly did not belong in this cold, sterile office, her eyes widened at once. “You?”

The surprise in her tone was quickly replaced by a complicated mix of contempt, hostility, and a certain “I knew it” feeling.

Wen Yan tilted her head slightly. There was no expression on her face; she merely looked at her quietly, with a trace of faint puzzlement in her eyes.

Little Honey on her lap also seemed to sense the unfriendly atmosphere. She stopped licking her fur and tilted her little head too, staring warily at the intruder.

Arms crossed, Zhang Qingchi sized Wen Yan up and down, then let out an unmistakable snort through her nose. The corners of her mouth hooked up into a mocking curve. “Oh? So it really is just like the rumors say; you’re quite the schemer.”

“You got yourself into the house so fast, and my sister even let you bring a cat in!”

Wen Yan: “...”

She slowly set down her chopsticks.

If her comprehension and hearing weren’t wrong, that clearly wasn’t a friendly remark.

And this hostility without cause... where exactly was it coming from?

————————

The nicest thing about how the two of them get along is that they really do have mouths, [laugh-cry] but that’s also because Wen Yan has been accepted again and again, which is why she can say these things.

And every time Jin Zijin says something, Wen Yan accepts it too.

[head pat]

Today’s script: a fox spirit comes to demand recognition. (Ah, no [panda face])