Master Five Lullabies

 （An elder above purity, beneath the High Mountain Flower, the divine altar.）
 In summer 2021, it was Jiang Tan's first encounter with Zhou Yingzhun. 
 The man grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a shady corner, "Jiang Tan, there's a shortcut right here, will you take it?" 
 Upon hearing that, Jiang Tan looked up at him. 
 Jiang Tan loved Zhou Yinghuai. She loved his refined gaze when he lightly laughed, always composed, never captivated by emotions. But it wasn't tender-hearted devotion, rather an unspoken agreement. 
 Ironically, it was Jiang Tan who broke the rules and allowed herself to fall, covered in heavy snow, her voice was crisp and cold: "Zhou Yingzhun, don't just like. Love!" 
 The man's eyes were faintly aloof, a rare display of seriousness: "Tantan, I simply do not possess such a thing." 
 She left him on a snowy night, Zhou Yingzhun did not utter a word to keep her, but the lights stayed on all night. 
 In summer 2023, Jiang Tan's startup began to take shape, while the once low-profile man now attended all sorts of meetings, dominating the headlines, revealing his wealth as well as his charisma. 
 Jiang Tan looked at the mole near his eye corner, lightly touching the screen, a lump forming in her throat. 
 Meeting at the conference table, they were now just strangers. Jiang Tan argued with his subordinates, but was defeated each time. He, on the other hand, spectated from a higher position with an indifferent look. 
 When the meeting ended, Jiang Tan gritted her teeth and packed up, while Zhou Yinghuai, with a slight lift of his eyebrows, said nonchalantly, "Jiang Tan, it's been a while." 
 Jiang Tan left without turning back. 
 Finally, during a cup-and-toast night at the Yangshan port, an intoxicated Jiang Tan settled in a corner, Zhou Yingzhun approached nonchalantly with a cigarette in his mouth, holding a pair of high heels in his hand. 
 Under the public eye, the most indifferent man bent down to help her put on her shoes. 
 Breaking into sobs, she said, "Zhou Yingzhun, you don't love me, why do you appear in my dreams?"
 His gaze turned gloomy, and after a moment, he softly replied, "Tantan, then can I light a firework in your dream as an apology?" 
 Regardless of whatever else life offers, I am only fond of you. 
 I will beg her to turn around, I will ask her to love me. 
 Utter composure, profound obsession. 

A Spring Night's Entanglement

"Yes," Zhou Yinghuai said, "If moving out would make you happier, I'll do as you say."


You can't force a rose to bloom only for you, occupying and monopolizing all of her time.


She's long been shining brightly - her life does not belong to you, Zhou Yinghuai, alone.


This is something Zhou Yinghuai understood after spending an entire night sitting in the Buddha Hall.


Jiang Tan never imagined that Zhou Yinghuai would say something like this.


She hadn't dared to hope for a truly equal conversation between them.


She was always on the back foot—cornered, step by step, by Zhou Yinghuai. Even though his pressure was cloaked in kindness and gentleness, it made her feel as if everything was her own choice.


"So...when will you move out?" Jiang Tan asked, tightly gripping her chopsticks, head down. Her gaze fell upon the magnolia hairpin on the table and her eyes moistened for reasons she couldn't explain.


"When do you want me to move out?" Zhou Yinghuai said, "I could do it today."


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