It was te at night. Bai Peiwen drove his car, speeding along the winding mountain road toward Wui. The mountain breeze hit him head-on, bringing the chill of mid-autumn seeping into his colr. There were no pedestrians or vehicles on the winding road; the night was so quiet, so desote, so deep, with only the sound of the car′s tires crushing the night.

  After leaving Han Yan′s house, Bai Peiwen had been driving aimlessly, circling the city and its outskirts. He hadn′t had dinner and didn′t feel hungry; his mind remained trapped in a state of painful despair. His head was heavy, his thoughts confused, and his heart, gripped by waves of twitching pain, was draining every nerve. Now, he was driving up to the peak of Wui Mountain.

  He didn′t clearly know what he was going there for, only that the turmoil in his heart and the burning heat in his head needed to be taken to a quiet pce to calm down. As the car neared the peak, he stopped and turned off the engine.

  He got out of the car and stood in the grass by the roadside, gazing at the valley, faintly unduting under the moonlight. The mountain wind swept up from the valley below, rustling softly, hauntingly, carrying a sorrowful, lonely feeling that echoed and reverberated through the mountains and fields. A crescent moon, obscured by drifting clouds, appeared and disappeared, and the yers of peaks in the valley followed the moon′s shifting light, at times clear, at times blurry, at times bright, at times hazy.

  He leaned against a eucalyptus tree and lit a cigarette. Blowing out smoke, he stared silently at the valley, lost in thought. In his mind, Han Yan’s face still lingered, along with her eyes—like a dream, like mist, filled with resentment and sorrow, as if they were weeping and speaking. He couldn′t recover from the impact of Han Yan′s truthful confession.

  Since he was twenty, Bai Peiwen had encountered many girls, including daughters from noble families and young dies from prominent households. However, he always regarded love with both caution and reverence. Therefore, he preferred to let marriage be deyed day by day rather than settle for an unconsidered union.

  His parents, especially after his father passed away, had often been upset by his stubbornness. His mother, in particur, became more proactive regarding his marriage, as she held the traditional view of passing on the family line in high regard. Bai Peiwen, being an only child, was frequently subjected to his mother′s stern questions: “You! After all these years, what kind of woman will you finally settle for?”

  "A purest, most ethereal, most perfect." He said it dreamily, picturing a fairy that could not be found in the mortal world. Thus, to find this fairy, he deyed marriage for a long time, but the idol in his heart was not something ordinary could possess. He was almost disappointed. Old Madam Bai arranged a long series of dates for him, introducing countless socialites, but all he found in them was the smell of makeup and artificiality.

  He sighed and said to Madam. Bai, "Spirit! Mom! I want someone with spirit!"

  "What is'spirit'?" Old Madam Bai said angrily. "I think you're just looking for someone with a fox-like charm!"

  Bai Peiwen had always been very filial to his mother, never willing to go against her wishes. But on this matter, mother and son had argued countless times. Bai Peiwen stubbornly waited, waiting for that rare, serendipitous opportunity—until finally, he met Zhang Hanyan. How ecstatic he was! How many restless, sleepless nights he spent thinking of her constantly, day and night. Her image lingered in his mind—her every smile, her soft and gentle words, her delicate and timid grace, and her fragile, enchanting beauty. He couldn't help but chase after her, eager and desperate to have her. That desperate desire burned within him like a fire, tormenting him at all times.

  Han Yan, Han Yan, Han Yan... He spent every day mulling over this name, a name that had become the embodiment of an idol, representing everything perfect, pure, spiritual, and extraordinary! That Cinderel, that Cinderel figure! He was eager to crown her, but today′s conversation had shattered his perfect fantasy of her, like a diamond with a fw. He wondered if this fw could ever be removed.

  Han Yan! He painfully gazed at the sky. Why did you have to tell me all this? Why? You′ve destroyed everything beautiful, shattered it all, Han Yan! The night grew deeper, and the mountain wind grew cold and eerie. The soft murmurs of the pine trees and bamboo were mournful, so sorrowful.

  In the distant woods, an unknown bird kept calling, surely a lonely creature mourning the loss of its mate. He stood there, letting the mountain wind brush past him, the night dew soak his clothes, the moon and stars snting and falling... Until his entire pack of cigarettes was finished and his legs had become sore, stiff, and numb.

  He dropped the st cigarette button from his hand and got back into the car. He had to return. Although he was thirty years old, Mrs. Bai′s family rules still couldn't be ignored, and he didn′t want to make his mother anxious.

  He started the car and said to himself, "That's it. Treat this as a nightmare. After all, she went from being a dancer to a factory worker. With such a background, she was never meant to be a marriage partner. Just think of how my mother would react. Forget it. Don′t think about it anymore. Just treat it as a nightmare, a brief interlude in life. It's all over."

  Driving the car, he began heading home. The decision brought a sharp, tearing pain to his heart, and he knew that this pain would linger for a long time. He couldn't simply shake off the image of Han Yan in a moment. The car glided swiftly through the night, passing the wooden "Pine Bamboo Bridge," and his home was now within sight.

  It was a newly built house, located amidst a tea garden, designed by Bai Peiwen himself.

  He had originally studied architecture in university. He had always wanted to give the house an elegant name but had never been able to think of one. The car stopped at the entrance. Not wanting to wake Mrs. Bai, he didn't dare honk the horn to call the gardener, Lao Zhang, to open the door, so he used his own keys to unlock it and entered.

  The living room lights were still on. He paused for a moment, realizing that Gao Lide hadn't gone to bed yet. He thought to himself as he parked the car and opened the door to the living room. But what he saw immediately was Madam Bai sitting upright on the sofa, staring at him without blinking.

  "Oh, Mom, you're still up?" he said, pausing for a moment.

  "Do you know what time it is?" Old Madam Bai asked.

  "Yes, I'm te coming back," he replied, a bit uneasy, walking over to the cabinet to pour himself a gss of water. "What's the matter?" Old Madam Bai's sharp gaze was fixed on him.

  "Nothing much, just a social engagement," he replied vaguely.

  "Social engagement?" She stared at him intently. "Just say it. You've never been able to hide anything from me! What's going on with you tely? You're absent-minded all day. Are you in love?"

  Bai Peiwen froze for a moment. Looking at Old Madam Bai, he knew he could never keep any secrets from her. Old Madam Bai was a clever, capable, and bold woman. In her youth, she had been a beauty, born into a prestigious family, and Bai Peiwen's father's entire career had been supported by her. Therefore, in the family, Mrs. Bai had always been an authoritative figure. Both Bai Peiwen and his father held her in deep respect, awe, love, and obedience. Bai Peiwen, being an only child, had spent more time by her side, and naturally, he had developed a sense of almost worshipful admiration for her because Mrs. Bai was noble, stern, and possessed both the strength and authority to lead.

  "Love?" He twirled the teacup in his hand. "It's not that serious."

  "Then, what kind of girl is she?"

  "Don't mention it. It's already in the past," he said softly, staring at the cup in his hand, feeling the tearing pain inside him intensify.

  "Oh." Old Madam Bai kept her gaze fixed on him, not missing the sorrow in his brow and eyes.

  "What happened? Did you lose her?"

  "No," he quickly replied.