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

"So..." Jiang Tan was not satisfied with this answer, "If I had children, would you really not change at all?"


"It's not that there would be absolutely no change," Zhou Yinghuai paused, seemingly pondering seriously. His tone was very certain, "I might become even more insecure."


"Insecure?" Jiang Tan was surprised, "Why would that be?"


The streetlights on the highway cast a mottled play of light and shadow that fell on Zhou Yinghuai's finely sculpted face.


Jiang Tan heard him say, "Because my Tantan is a very kind girl, Tantan loves Yuanyuan so much, she would probably love a child that is fully blood-related to you, right?"


"I don't know if I could love them the way you do, no, I should say, it's not possible for me to love them as much as I love you." Zhou Yinghuai's smile at the corners of his lips was faint as he gently and deliberately said, "Tantan, I can't love anyone the way I love you."


Chapter 197: It's Me Asking You to Love Me_1