A Surprise Arrival

“At least there’s still me. Coming?”

Lin Wanzhao stared at those words from Yu Qingkong, her mind momentarily going blank. She felt every pulse of her heart quicken slightly, as if a layer of gentle, warm sunlight had just washed over her.

They were completely ordinary words, but in her eyes, they felt incredibly… comforting.

After sending the message, Yu Qingkong waited a bit and opened an app to check flight tickets. Seeing no immediate reply from Lin Wanzhao, she turned her attention back to the television with her family. An anti-Japanese war drama was playing, and it seemed to have reached its climax. However, no matter how intense the plot on screen got, she couldn’t bring herself to care. Every few minutes, her gaze drifted right back down to her phone.

After a while, Zhuang Silu turned around to look at her: “Qingkong, who are you chatting with? You’re barely watching the TV. Is it something urgent? You’ve got your brows knit tightly.”

Yu Qingkong snapped her head up, gripping her phone tightly as she shook her head: “Just a friend. Frowning tightly? Not at all…”

She offered a quick smile to smooth it over.

Just as she finished speaking, her phone screen lit up with a notification from Lin Wanzhao.

“Is it really okay for me to come? Then… let me check if there are still flights available to your city…”

Seeing this, Yu Qingkong immediately replied: “I just checked. There are.”

She quickly forwarded the flight details she had looked up: “There’s a flight tomorrow morning at 10:30 AM. What do you think? If it works, book this one. Once you land, just take a taxi straight to my place. It’s probably too late to buy coach tickets, and it’s not a comfortable ride anyway. I’ll send you the exact address in a moment.”

“Great! I’m buying the ticket right now!” Lin Wanzhao replied, attaching a joyful, laughing emoji.

A moment later, another text popped up: “But let’s keep my identity a secret for now. Don’t tell your parents that I’m your boss. Just say I’m a friend. Otherwise, I’m afraid they’ll be overly cautious and tense around me, which would make the atmosphere incredibly awkward.”

Yu Qingkong thought about it and realized she had a point, so she agreed.

Lowering her phone, she turned to Yu Minghui and Zhuang Silu, speaking deliberately: “I have a friend—a woman—who ended up on her own for the New Year. Her family went on a trip without her. I only found out today that she’s still in Shengcheng, so…”

“That’s so pitiful! Spending the Spring Festival all alone?” Before Yu Qingkong could even finish, Yu Minghui interrupted with a sympathetic sigh. In the Yu household, such a thing was entirely unheard of unless an unavoidable emergency had occurred.

“Yeah, her relationship with her family has never been great,” Yu Qingkong nodded, “To put it bluntly, her parents are quite emotionally detached. They only care about her performance and achievements, never giving her any emotional support.”

“Sigh, what kind of family raises a daughter like that? Honestly, a family like that is worse than having no family at all.” Zhuang Silu shook her head repeatedly in disbelief, cracking sunflower seeds as she grumbled.

“Exactly, worse than having none. So, how does she plan to spend the New Year? Just completely by herself?” Yu Minghui chimed in, building on his wife’s comment.

“She was planning to spend it alone, but I didn’t think that was right. So, I invited her to come over to our house.” Yu Qingkong watched her father’s reaction closely.

“Of course, let her come! Roughly what time will she get here?” Zhuang Silu grabbed another handful of sunflower seeds, turning her gaze toward Yu Qingkong.

“She’s taking a morning flight tomorrow—the exact same flight I took today.” Yu Qingkong replied.

“Alright. Do you know what kind of food she likes? If you do, let me know so I can prepare,” Zhuang Silu continued, “We wouldn’t want her to sit down only to find a table full of dishes she can’t stomach. That would be terribly embarrassing for us.”

This was exactly how Yu Qingkong’s family was—always naturally putting themselves in others’ shoes.

“She likes potatoes, and as for meat, she isn’t picky at all.” Yu Qingkong laughed, recalling how Lin Wanzhao had explicitly mentioned wanting a massive meat feast before.

“Got it, then I’m sure the New Year’s Eve dinner will suit her tastes. Tell you what, I’ll go clear out a room right now so she has a place to stay,” Zhuang Silu clapped her hands clean, stood up, and headed toward the stairs. “Since we invited her, we can’t let her stay at a hotel. Spending the New Year alone in a hotel in an unfamiliar town is even worse than staying huddled in your own house in your own city.”

“Thanks, Mom.” Yu Qingkong smiled warmly as she watched her mother’s retreating back.

“Thanks for what… Oh, right, there are still a few cupcakes I made this morning in the fridge. They won’t keep for too long. You and Qingyu share them and finish them up.” Zhuang Silu paused at the stair landing, turning around briefly to remind them before heading up.

Yu Qingkong nodded with a smile, then walked into the kitchen with Yu Qingyu.

Just as she reached out to pull open the refrigerator door, her phone vibrated with a message from Lin Wanzhao.

“Look, I got it!” Followed by a screenshot of her flight confirmation.

Yu Qingkong smiled, leaning against the counter as she typed: “Perfect. Tomorrow when you walk out of the airport, take a taxi straight here. I don’t think you’d be comfortable on the long-distance coach, and tickets are likely sold out by now anyway.”

“Will do!” Lin Wanzhao’s excitement practically radiated through the screen, though she quickly followed up with a worried question: “By the way, are your parents strict or scary?”

Yu Qingkong replied: “Not scary at all. My dad is essentially a giant kid. My mom might seem fierce on the surface, but she’s actually not at all. She’s just… a softie with a sharp tongue.”

“Sis, are you texting someone again?” Yu Qingyu, who had opened the fridge, leaned against the door and peeked over at her.

Yu Qingkong glanced at her, pulled her thoughts back, and nodded: “Yes, the friend who’s coming tomorrow.”

“Oh…” Yu Qingyu nodded thoughtfully, “The same one you were texting during dinner earlier?”

“Yes.” Yu Qingkong didn’t deny it.

Yu Qingyu broke into a knowing smile: “It looks like she’s a very special friend. I haven’t seen you this happy in a long time. Hey, is she pretty?”

“She’s quite pretty. Why do you ask?” Yu Qingkong shot her a look.

“Just curious, that’s all,” Yu Qingyu said, placing a cupcake into Yu Qingkong’s hand, “Here, I’ll let you have the one in the rainbow wrapper!”

With that, Yu Qingyu spun around and left the kitchen, humming a little tune.

Yu Qingkong turned the cupcake over in her hand, not entirely catching her sister’s underlying drift. She took a bite, walked out of the kitchen, and sat back down on the sofa to continue watching TV.

On the other end, the moment Lin Wanzhao successfully booked her flight and finalized her plans, she bounded off her bed, threw on a casual outfit, and bolted out the door.

Driving to the largest nearby shopping mall—one that remained open even during the Spring Festival—she began hopping from store to store, meticulously picking out gifts. After all, one couldn’t visit someone’s family empty-handed. She spent over two hours browsing, selecting items with a level of precision and care far exceeding anything she had ever bought for herself.

Upon returning home, she began tearing through her wardrobe to pack. Within minutes, clothes were scattered all over the floor. The housekeeping maid had only recently organized the place, but in a matter of moments, Lin Wanzhao had turned it right back into what looked like a textile recycling plant.

Outfit A? No, too stark and aggressive. Elders might find it uninviting.

Outfit B? No, too many rips and holes. There’s a high chance an elder will try to sew them shut for her.

Outfit C? Perfect. Vibrant and red. Elders always love a festive, celebratory color!

Finally, she pulled out the chosen outfit and laid it aside for the next day, packing the remaining clothes into her suitcase. Even though she was going to meet someone else’s family, Lin Wanzhao felt far more excited than she ever did when visiting her own.

The next day.

When Yu Qingkong woke up, it was only a little past 6:00 AM. On a normal day off, she would have rolled over and gone right back to sleep, and she certainly had the capacity to do so.

But today, no matter what, sleep eluded her. She kept her eyes shut for a long time, but her mind remained incredibly sharp. Perhaps it was because she had a constant anticipation humming in her chest; in truth, she hadn’t slept well the entire night. Every time she opened her eyes, she couldn’t help but check the clock.

It always seemed to go that way—when you have nothing on your mind, time flies past like a blur. But the moment you desperately want it to hurry up, it drags its feet like a snail, moving at an agonizingly slow pace.

Giving up on sleep, Yu Qingkong slipped out of bed, freshened up, and went down to the kitchen to help her mother.

The wait stretched from morning to noon, and from noon into the afternoon. Finally, around 4:00 PM, Yu Qingkong’s phone rang with a call from Lin Wanzhao. She had been in the middle of peeling onions and garlic for her mother, but the instant the phone rang, she dropped everything, wiped her hands, and pressed the phone to her ear.

“Qingkong, I think I’ve arrived at the place you described, but there are so many houses here. Which one is yours?” Lin Wanzhao’s voice sounded thoroughly perplexed.

“Number 87. Just tell the driver to stop there, and I’ll come out to get the gate for you.” As she spoke, Yu Qingkong walked briskly out of the house.

The moment she pulled open the iron front gate, she spotted a glossy black sedan pulling up ahead. The car door opened, and Lin Wanzhao stepped out.

The driver climbed out as well, walking to the back to retrieve her luggage from the trunk.

Dressed in a long gray wool coat and over-the-knee leather boots, Lin Wanzhao looked exceptionally tall, elegant, and effortlessly striking. From a distance, she carried a slight aura of aloofness—even her brief exchange with the driver appeared poised and casual. However, the exact millisecond her eyes landed on Yu Qingkong, her entire demeanor shifted completely.

“Qingkong!” Lin Wanzhao practically jogged over to her, her face lighting up with a radiant smile, “I’m here!”

“Mm. It was a long journey, are you tired?” Yu Qingkong walked over, took the suitcases from the driver, thanked him, and set them aside before turning back to look at Lin Wanzhao.

“Not tired at all! Look at me, I’m bouncing around like a energetic grasshopper.” Lin Wanzhao laughed heartily, brimming with vitality.

To be accurate, she couldn’t feel tired even if she wanted to. The mere thought of seeing Yu Qingkong had kept her adrenaline pumping. Any residual fatigue from the trip had entirely evaporated.

“What an analogy…” Yu Qingkong shook her head with a chuckle. Then, looking down at the multiple large suitcases at their feet, she blinked in surprise: “Why did you bring so many bags? Anyone would think you’re permanently moving in.”

“Can I move into your house then?” Lin Wanzhao grabbed one of the suitcases while Yu Qingkong lifted the other two, tilting her head with a playful grin.

Yu Qingkong turned her head to look at her: “Compared to your apartment, my house has practically nothing to offer. Wouldn’t moving here be a downgrade?”

“But didn’t you say that even if there’s nothing else, there’s still you?” Lin Wanzhao countered instantly. Distracted by her own words, her boot caught on a stray pebble, causing her ankle to twist slightly.

Yu Qingkong quickly caught her arm, gently warning: “Watch your step… I’ll take care of the bags, just walk carefully.”

“Oh… Are your parents and sister inside right now?” Lin Wanzhao asked, suddenly feeling a bit nervous.

“My mom is busy in the kitchen. My dad just went out—a neighbor slaughtered a sheep, so he went to buy half of it so we can make a lamb hotpot tonight. My sister also stepped out to drop something off for a friend,” Yu Qingkong explained with a reassuring smile, “Don’t worry, they’re very welcoming. Even though I said my mom has a sharp tongue, she only saves that for family. To guests, her mouth is practically coated in honey.”

“So I count as a guest on the outside then?” Lin Wanzhao arched an eyebrow.

“That’s not what I meant…” Yu Qingkong found herself at a loss for words, simply pointing toward the front door: “Let’s go inside.”

“Okay.”

A moment later, the two stepped into the house.

Lin Wanzhao tiptoed inside, discreetly scanning the beautifully renovated interior. She leaned in close to Yu Qingkong’s ear, whispering: “Actually, I wanted to ask you earlier… didn’t you say your family lived in the countryside?”

“Yes, what about it?” Yu Qingkong looked at her sideways.

“I thought it would be the kind of place hidden deep in the rugged mountains…” Lin Wanzhao muttered, looking around the comfortable, modern main hall.

“The rugged mountains?” Yu Qingkong stared blankly for a second before bursting into laughter, “Director Lin, did you honestly picture my family living in a leaky mud brick house, sleeping under heavily patched blankets, cooking over a primitive wood stove, fetching water from a well by hand, and spending our days cutting wild grass for pigs and chopping logs?”

“No… Well, alright, maybe I did picture something a bit like that…” Lin Wanzhao admitted sheepishly, crouching down to unzip one of her bags.

“We did live like that when I was a kid, but not anymore. Though our old ancestral house is still standing,” Yu Qingkong noted.

“Really? Is it far?” Lin Wanzhao’s eyes lit up with curiosity.

“Not terribly far. About a twenty-minute drive followed by a half-hour walk. Why?” Yu Qingkong asked.

“I want to go! I want to experience real countryside living!” Lin Wanzhao’s face was a picture of pure excitement.

“Alright, my dad will probably head back there in a couple of days to check on things. We can go together then.” Yu Qingkong felt entirely helpless against her enthusiasm. This was typical of a city person full of romantic notions about rural life. Even though Lin Wanzhao’s family hadn’t always been wealthy, she was still fundamentally raised in the city.

“Fantastic! I want to catch river crabs when we go.” Lin Wanzhao was still thinking about the river Yu Qingkong had described before.

“Sure.” Yu Qingkong smiled. Taking a few steps toward the kitchen, she cleared her throat and called out: “Mom, my friend is here!”

“Oh, she’s here?!” The moment Yu Qingkong’s voice faded, Zhuang Silu emerged from the kitchen.

Hearing her footsteps, Lin Wanzhao hastily smoothed down her hair and adjusted the hem of her coat.

The second Zhuang Silu stepped into the hall, Lin Wanzhao stepped forward with a warm smile, bowing slightly: “Hello, Auntie! I’m Lin Wanzhao, Qingkong’s friend!”

“Wanzhao…” Zhuang Silu sized her up carefully. Suddenly, her face broke into a massive grin: “What a beautiful name, and you look absolutely stunning—just like a movie star!”

“You flatter me, Auntie,” Lin Wanzhao smiled elegantly, pulling a small gift bag from her luggage and presenting it, “Happy New Year, Auntie. I wanted to give you this small token to wish you a prosperous year ahead!”

“Oh dear, child… why did you bring a gift the moment you arrived?” Zhuang Silu wiped her hands frantically on her apron, “This is too generous, I feel bad taking it.”

“Please don’t say that. I’m the one who should feel bad for imposing on your family during such an important holiday,” Lin Wanzhao said warmly, “Please open it, Auntie, and see if you like it.”

“Well…” Zhuang Silu still hesitated to accept it.

“What’s wrong? Do you dislike me, Auntie, and that’s why you don’t want to accept it?” Lin Wanzhao lightly took her arm, knitting her brows in a mock-hurt expression.

“No, no, not at all! I’ll take it, I’ll take it!” Panicking slightly, Zhuang Silu shook her head and quickly opened the bag. Inside was an exquisite little box, and nestled within it lay a stunningly crafted brooch.

“Do you like it, Auntie?” Lin Wanzhao asked.

“This is absolutely gorgeous!” Zhuang Silu held the brooch, her face beaming with delight.

“Haha,” Lin Wanzhao laughed softly, “Beautiful things belong with beautiful people.”

Zhuang Silu looked Lin Wanzhao up and down once more, entirely charmed: “My goodness, what a sweet-talking girl you are!”

“Not at all, Auntie. I’m just speaking the absolute truth.”

“Sigh, if only you were my daughter…” Zhuang Silu looked at her with pure, maternal affection.

“Hey, Mom, aren’t my sister and I enough for you?” Yu Qingkong chimed in, slightly stunned.

“Enough? A person can never have too many daughters to dote on,” Zhuang Silu shot Yu Qingkong a playful glare before turning right back to Lin Wanzhao with a soft smile, “Look at this girl, she’s as lovely as a flower. It really would be wonderful if she were my own…”

Lin Wanzhao dipped her head, an amused smile playing on her lips.

“An absolute visual-aristocrat…” Yu Qingkong muttered under her breath, amused by her mother’s blatant favoritism.

“Yes, so what? What’s wrong with appreciating a beautiful face? It’s not like we’re committing a crime…” Zhuang Silu cleared her throat defensively.

“You’re entirely right.” Yu Qingkong scratched her head, yielding entirely.

Turning back to Yu Qingkong, Zhuang Silu instructed: “Right, Qingkong, why don’t you head over to Old Li’s shop down the street and buy some sparklers? They were so much fun last year, let’s light some together tonight.”

“Sparklers? Let me check the attic storage first,” Yu Qingkong thought for a moment, pointing upward, “I remember we had quite a few boxes left over from last year. Let me check if they’re still there and usable. If they are, buying more would just be wasteful.”

“Leftovers from last year? Alright, go take a look then. I’ll head back to the kitchen to finish up.” Zhuang Silu said.

Yu Qingkong nodded and turned toward the stairs. Seeing this, Lin Wanzhao quickly followed: “I’m coming too!”

Yu Qingkong paused at the base of the stairs to wait for her, and the two climbed up to the attic together.

Because the attic was strictly used for storage and not meant for living, it only had basic concrete flooring and no proper decoration. However, everything was organized meticulously, keeping the space quite clean. Because the windows were small and placed high up, the light was dim, casting a somewhat moody shadow across the room.

“Instead of taking a proper rest, what are you doing following me up here to dig through storage?” Yu Qingkong pulled open a drawer, closed it, and opened another, rummaging through the contents.

“Because I want to. What, are you going to stop me?” Lin Wanzhao said playfully, swaying slightly as she watched Yu Qingkong pull out two boxes of sparklers.

“How could I ever stop you?” Yu Qingkong smiled. Opening one of the boxes, she drew out a single sparkler, “Let me see if these will still light.”

Pulling a lighter from her pocket, Yu Qingkong walked to the open space in the center of the room. With a crisp click, a small flame erupted, and she held the tip of the sparkler over it.

With a sharp fizzle, the sparkler ignited into a beautiful, brilliant shower of tiny golden sparks.

“Give it to me, let me try…” Lin Wanzhao’s eyes widened, her hand stretching out instantly.

Yu Qingkong smiled gently, handing the glowing wand over to her. Looking at Lin Wanzhao’s childlike excitement, she softly murmured under her breath: “Lin, age three.”

“I heard that.” Lin Wanzhao said playfully, her gaze fixed entirely on the shifting sparks.

Yu Qingkong simply chuckled, setting the remaining boxes down as she stood to the side, quietly watching her. The soft, shifting glow of the sparks bathed Lin Wanzhao’s face in a warm radiance, making her eyes look incredibly bright and her flawless smile even more enchanting. Watching her, Yu Qingkong’s lips curved upward into an involuntary smile.

“Why are you staring at me like that?” Lin Wanzhao suddenly turned her head, catching her gaze with a soft laugh.

Yu Qingkong didn’t look away this time. Fiddling with the lighter in her hand for a beat, she arched an eyebrow: “What, I’m not allowed to look?”

“Of course you are, it’s just…” Lin Wanzhao stepped a fraction closer, her pink lips pressing together slightly.

With the distance between them suddenly melting away, their breath mingled in the quiet room. It felt as though a flame far brighter than any sparkler had suddenly ignited between them.

“Just what?” Yu Qingkong’s gaze descended to her lips, feeling every nerve in her body instantly set ablaze.

“It makes me want to kiss you…” Lin Wanzhao murmured, a mischievous yet tender smile dancing in her eyes.

Yu Qingkong held her gaze for a split second before suddenly leaning forward, capturing her lips in a firm, tender kiss.

The moment that familiar softness met her lips, Lin Wanzhao felt her consciousness instantly pulled under, as if falling into a pleasant, endless depth where her body and soul surrendered entirely to the sensation. However, just as the kiss deepened, the sharp sound of the attic door creaking open cut through the silence—

Startled, Lin Wanzhao snapped her eyes open, instantly breaking away from Yu Qingkong as both of them whipped their heads toward the doorway.

There stood Yu Minghui, his frame filling the entrance. Yu Qingkong felt the hairs on her arms instantly stand up as a cold sweat broke out across her neck.

Her throat tightening, she forced out a syllable: “Dad?”

“Ah, I came up to find a large wooden board to chop the lamb leg on out in the courtyard. Your mom won’t let me do it in the kitchen—she says the lamb is too big for the small cutting board and it’ll make a mess,” Yu Minghui explained, poking his head further into the room before his eyes settled on Lin Wanzhao, “And this is…?”

“Hello, Uncle… I’m, um, Qingkong’s friend, Lin Wanzhao.” Lin Wanzhao stammered, her heart hammering so hard against her ribs that her brain felt completely scrambled.

“Oh, right! You’re the friend!” Yu Minghui smiled warmly, pointing toward a corner, “Let me grab that board first.”

Lin Wanzhao nodded dumbly, a whirlwind of panicked thoughts racing through her head.

Letting out a slow breath to steady herself, Yu Qingkong spoke up: “Let me help you find it.”

“Yes, Uncle, what does it look like? I’ll help too.” Lin Wanzhao added hastily, stepping closer to Yu Qingkong’s side.

“No need, no need! I see it right here.” Yu Minghui’s sharp eyes had already spotted the sturdy wooden plank leaning against the far wall.

“Oh…” Yu Qingkong watched him hoist it up, nodding slightly, “Good thing you found it.”

“Alright, I’ll head back down first then.” Yu Minghui turned around with a chuckle, carrying the board down the stairs.

“Okay.” Yu Qingkong replied.

Lin Wanzhao finally let out the breath she had been holding, her racing heart slowly settling down. Yu Minghui hadn’t said anything out of the ordinary and seemed entirely unfazed. From the looks of it, he probably hadn’t caught them in the act, right?

Yu Qingkong exhaled deeply, her shoulders dropping. That had been an incredibly close call.

However, just as they both let their guard down, Yu Minghui’s booming voice echoed from the stairwell outside: “Qingkong, step outside for a moment. I have something I need to ask you.”