Chapter 1

The firecrackers on the street corner blasted incessantly; every household had hung chinese knots and red lanterns. Soon, the festival was about to be celebrated.

He Yunhan stood inside her office with her arms crossed, faintly looking out the window.

On the desk behind her, her phone buzzed ceaselessly. A moment of silence followed, and she turned around and opened WeChat.

Mother He had sent voice messages, “Yunhan, when are you coming back? Your father, that filthy shameless man, brought his mistress home. You still don’t care?”

He Yunhan took a deep breath and gazed at the message for a long time. She took her coat, switched the lights off and left.

Owing to the celebration of the festival, there weren’t many cars on the road. Through the car window, He Yunhan saw people walk past in twos and threes on the street. Everyone appeared to be extremely happy with a smile on their faces. Quite many came out with their whole family to buy New Year goods.

The car drove for half an hour. On reaching the destination, she opened the door and walked in.

Dim lights, and indulged in the life of luxury[1].

He Yunhan sat alone on the counter of the bar and bought a drink for herself. The owner of the bar was a young woman known as Tian Yue and she had perm wavy hair. She chewed her gum as she said, “What? Came again to buy drinks from this jie? A little pitiful. Did mom and dad fight again?”

He Yunhan furrowed her eyebrows, “Don’t worry, give me wine.”

Yue jie shook her head, “You can pull it down, alright? Come on, how many cups have you already drunk? More? How old are you, hm? Youngsters mustn't be this gloomy. We can’t handle the matters of the last generation, and if we try to, we’d always have a headache. You haven’t even been in a relationship, nor do you understand the matters of love and affection. You don’t mix with people close to you either, it’s hard to explain.”

He Yunhan spun the wine glass, “They weren’t like this before.”

In their childhood, their parents were obviously affectionate with each other and they never quarreled. Even if they had a small conflict, they wouldn’t let it stay overnight, rather they would solve it before the night gets over.

However, since Father He started his career, everything had changed.

Tian Yue knew what she was thinking, “It’s quite normal. This person— when he was poor, he acted like one. Once rich, he changed towards extravagance. Environment impacts a person, no one can resist the lure of this world to change their original intentions. Oh dear, looks like the festival is soon going to be celebrated. You’re also 23, it’s time for you to fall in love.”

He Yunhan’s voice was dull, “You know about me.”

Tian Yue was silent.

He Yunhan had contact barriers.[2]

From an early age she wasn’t fond of people touching her, so much so that even holding hands with the same sex would raise goose bumps. She would resist it through and through.

Older age improved it a little; although holding hands was still uncomfortable, she could tolerate it. But that’s also the biggest bottom line.

She had visited a psychologist; some said that she had severe mysophobia, while quite many said that she was a typical case of autism involving intimacy and expression.

Unexpectedly the atmosphere became extremely stiff and Tian Yue quickly diverted the topic, “I know of a particular individual who’s especially funny and extremely lively. She’s a sunshine, and she’s also inside the entertainment circle, even then her innocence was preserved. It just so happens that she came here today. I’ll introduce her to you.”

He Yunhan sneered.

Innocent?

Are there any innocent people in this world?

It’s not visible outside only because it’s hidden deep enough, that’s all.

While talking, the door of the bar was pushed open.

Yue Jie [3] raised her head, and her eyes lit up as she saw who came in, “Here, FengYu!”

Speak of the devil, and here she is.

Standing at the door was a woman wearing a long down jacket with snowflakes stuck on her head and cheeks red from the cold. She rushed to come over with large bags in her hand, “Yue Jie! Look, I brought you something. What’s up?”

He Yunhan drunkenly raised her head slightly to look and felt the person in front of her was a little familiar.

She was very pretty.

Even though it seemed as if she was wrapped in a hemp ball.

She had long and narrow eyes, the color of her iris as dark as grapes and the hair on her forehead was a bit moist. The shape of her eyes was very unique, the corners of her eyes were slightly raised; pure within and yet carried the trace of a woman’s unique charm. She smiled at Tian Yue to greet her, brimming with youthful passion. She was at the peak stage of her life.[4]

Tian Yue was very elated, “And are these delicacies from hometown?”

This person in front of them was Qin Yi’s trainee, Xiao Fengyu. Although she hadn’t yet made her official appearance, she had already gained popularity as a green leaf in the entertainment circle as a celebrity dancer by means of small videos and movies on Weibo.

Xiao Fengyu took off her scarf, “Tomorrow, I’ll be going back home.”

Yue Jie: “Ah, Grandma and jiejie must miss you, right?”

Xiao Fengyu was a little embarrassed, “Say no more, this might just be my charisma? It’s been so long and yet, the two women still love me so much. They still have to see me to cure their lovesickness.”

Tian Yue was amused as she smiled, “Oh my, this little mouth of yours.” She sized Fengyu up, “Did you grow again?”

Xiao Fengyu removed her long down jacket and dusted snow off her head. She didn’t answer, but instead stood up straight and slightly stuck out her chest, “Jie, don’t you think some other place also grew?”

Tian Yue: “. . .”

She was unexpectedly teased by this little girl.

Fengyu was indeed growing again.

Tian Yue looked at Fengyu carefully. Her body had matured and become more curvaceous, she no longer had the features of a child like before and her once-round chin had sharpened. Just… this child had grown up too fast. Only 18 and this kid is already over 170 cm, would she perhaps take the model route in the future?

Xiao Fengyu glazed sideways at He Yunhan, who was sitting beside her. This person looked familiar, ah. Why not return back home on new year and instead buy a drink here?

Tian Yue happily followed after her without a word to chat. Xiao Fengyu apparently loved to laugh and gossip a lot.

He Yunhan at first felt agitated; Xiao Fengyu was constantly smiling in front of her, she seemed to be extremely happy to talk with Tian Yue who was also laughing merrily.

The lights were too bright.

The smiles were unpleasant.

Tian Yue wiped the glass, “Fengyu, can you help jiejie for a while?”

Xiao Fengyu smiled and nodded, “When were you so polite?”

Tian Yue pointed at He Yunhan, “She drank too much, you help me take her home ba.[5] I’ll arrange a driver for you at the door. I can’t go out.”

Fengyu paused and looked at the person resting their head on the bar counter.

She lowered her voice, “Who is she? Why is she a little familiar?”

Tian Yue cheerfully said, “She’s also in the entertainment circle, maybe in the future you both might come across each other.”

This little demon, is gossiping all she can think about and not even recognize another person? He Yunhan couldn’t understand her.[6]

The evening wind blew, cooling down the weather a little.

The car arrived at the destination soon. After getting out of the car, Fengyu cautiously supported He Yunhan.

Since He Yunhan was powerless, she could only lean against Fengyu.

She knew Xiao Fengyu; even though her fame was close to nothing, several companies were attentively watching her for she was a promising star.

He Yunhan knew that she was a capable person with a lot of skills at the age of 18 and studying in college but she wasn’t sure of other things related to her.

The address that Tian Yue gave was He Yunhan’s house she bought herself.

When they arrived, Xiao Fengyu stared at the single-family villa. She stared blankly at the villa in surprise.

Oh my lord! This jiejie is a rich person!

While travelling, Tian Yue especially called to tell Xiao Fengyu to be extremely careful and take good care of He Yunhan and make sure she sleeps comfortably.

She helped He Yunhan inside the room. Xiao Fengyu originally wanted to leave; however, seeing her frowning and looking uncomfortable, she paused and washed her hands. So as to make He Yunhan sleep comfortably, she deliberately took off her clothes.

This was Yue Jie’s request, she must follow it.

He Yunhan looked at the ceiling with her eyes open for a long time.

Gradually…

She found that something was wrong.

She lowered her head, looked inside the quilt to look at herself and gasped as a chill ran down her spine.

Where… are her clothes?

Besides underwear, she didn’t have anything on.

Who did this???!!!

She instantly called Tian Yue. Tian Yue laughed, “You were carried back by Xiao Fengyu. But the clothes, you must have taken them off yourself while you were in a daze, ba? Who would dare to touch you ah?”

Call ended, He Yunhan hence covered her body with the quilt, her sharp gaze swept across the room, ultimately fixing on the cabinet. A chain bracelet was lying on top of it.

Xiao Fengyu simply didn’t care about the bracelet. But when she came back, she discovered that she didn’t know where she had lost her bracelet. Fengyu tried to find it for a long time but couldn’t, so she could only believe that she was unlucky.

During the Spring Festival, Xiao Fengyu went back home for a happy new year.

A year later, she had just returned back to the company when she received a phone call from President Su.

Su had always been the boss of Qin Yi Entertainment company and had a very close relationship with Xiao Fengyu as she always took care of her.

Xiao Fengyu beamed, “Su Qin jiejie, what is it?”

On the other side, Su Qin flipped through pages, “He Yunhan, do you recognize her?”

Xiao Fengyu was stunned and thought for a moment, “I don’t know her.”

Su Qin paused for a moment, “This is strange. Okay, hang up first.”

She raised her head and looked at He Yunhan sitting on the sofa opposite to her. Inside Su Qin’s eyes, there was a slight trace of embarrassment, “Yunhan, are you certain it’s Fengyu?”

He Yunhan nodded and spread out her hand. In her hands was a bracelet with a piggy pendant hanging from it, “This is her style, right?”

Su Qin looked at the piggy pendant and frowned, “But she said…”

He Yunhan, “what?”

Heh, are you now embarrassed?

After a moment of silence, Su Qin slowly said, “Fengyu said she doesn’t recognize you.”

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FOOTNOTES:

[1]The original line was: 昏暗的灯光，酒醉金迷。

=>”昏暗的灯光”means dim lights.

=> “酒醉金迷” Lit.Dazzling with paper and gold. It’s an idiom and meaning is as suggested by the words in the translation.

[2]Yue Jie means “older sister yue” where “jie” / "jie jie" means “older sister” (referring to Tian Yue). I chose to keep it in Pinyin since it sounded better that way.

[3] Phobia of touch, hence contact barriers.

[4] The phrase was, “正是花一样的年龄” which would literally mean, “she was of the same age as a flower” but figuratively it means something similar to, “she was at the prime time of her life”?? A drunk chinese speaker also said that she was at the pretty stage of her life aND he supposedly didn’t know what a flower means anymore haha :) Keyword is “similar” I tried :’) if you know a better way to translate this, please dm me on twitter ;-;

[5]Modal particle. Here, it’s used to soften the tone, otherwise it means nothing.

[6] Original text:“ 这个小鬼，是不是心思都在吃上了？” what it might mean here: “this little demon, is gossiping and talking about entertainment circle all she can think of? And not even recognize another person?”or something on those lines qwq Literal meaning of it is: "This demon, is eating all she can think about?" (If anyone has a better tl option, dm or @ me ^-^ I would be glad to correct/improve myself.)

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TL NOTE:

The updates of this novel are probably going to be 1 chapter per week since I’m prioritizing quality over quantity at the moment, so please bear with me. If there are any errors/corrections, or if you want to give feedback or have queries regarding anything (only constructive criticism allowed, I’m new to this so please be lenient ><), hit me up on twitter (my dms are always open). I will turn this novel into an epub once it's completed. Please don't repost my translations (especially on Wattpad) or I WILL stop translating this novel or lock it up like other translators. For re-translations or any other query, please contact me.

The ways by which you can contact me: Twitter, by commenting, using FAQ (please mention my name if it's for me) or discord server. I'm more likely to reply to discord/twitter faster.

TRANSLATIONS BY Meraki (@jiyushishusband on twitter)

EDITED BY Haru (@pool_xiaochi on twitter)

PROOFREAD BY 3sha (@mirawxsimp)