The Boss is Reborn with his Little Fairy

In early November, after a fresh snowfall, Wen Ke’an moved to a new city.

“This room is a thousand yuan per month, with a private bathroom and balcony. You won’t find a better deal in this area, so think it over,” the rental agent said, looking at the girl in front of him, who wore a hat and a mask. “If you think it’s suitable, you should pay the deposit soon. There’s someone else coming to see it this afternoon. If you pay, I won’t show it to them.”

Looking around briefly, Wen Ke’an noticed the room was small and shabby, but it had all necessary furniture. After days of house-hunting, this was the best value she’d found.

“How much is the deposit?”

Seeing potential, the agent’s attitude improved. “The deposit is one month’s rent.”

After paying the deposit, Wen Ke’an moved in the next day with her luggage and signed the contract with the agent.

Paying a three-month deposit plus the agent’s fee, she spent five thousand yuan altogether.

Wen Ke’an had nearly eight thousand yuan in savings when she arrived. After paying, she was left with a little over two thousand yuan for living expenses.

“Here are the keys. Keep them safe,” the agent said after signing the contract, handing her the keys.

The room was as cold as outside, with no heating.

Wen Ke’an, sensitive to cold, had hands red from the cold while carrying her luggage. The agent, noticing, turned on the room’s air conditioner for her.

“Electricity and water charges are reasonable here, so don’t hesitate to use the AC,” the agent said. “It’s going to get colder soon; without it, you’ll freeze.”

Wen Ke’an knew the agent was exaggerating slightly. Though winters here were indeed cold, freezing to death was unlikely.

As the room warmed up, Wen Ke’an removed her mask and scarf. Instantly, she noticed the agent’s eyes change.

“What happened to your face?” the agent hesitated but asked quietly.

Wen Ke’an had kept her face well covered, leading the agent to assume she was just very cold. It never occurred to him her face was disfigured.

Realizing his question might be inappropriate, the agent scratched his head awkwardly. “Take your time settling in. I’ll leave now.”

After the agent left, Wen Ke’an gently touched her face. Once smooth, it now bore a large, palpable scar from a car accident a few months back. She had survived, but her face was permanently scarred.

Standing quietly for a while, Wen Ke’an eventually began to unpack her belongings as dusk settled outside.

Wen Ke’an only brought one suitcase; she didn’t even have bedding for tonight. Fortunately, there’s a small supermarket nearby.

Wen Ke’an quickly tidied up her things and went out to buy a set of bedding.

The neighborhood is an old one, with dilapidated houses. Some alleys don’t even have streetlights, making them frighteningly gloomy. In the past, Wen Ke’an would never dare to walk through such alleys at night, but now her courage has grown. Perhaps it’s because she no longer fears death, so ghosts hold no terror for her.

Sometimes she has extreme thoughts, wondering if death would allow her to reunite with her family in heaven, so she wouldn’t have to suffer alone in this world.

After buying her items from the supermarket, Wen Ke’an returned home as snowflakes began to fall. She dragged her new bedding home.

By now, it’s already quite late in the evening, and few people are out in the cold winter night.

The path home remained dark, occasionally interrupted by stray cats darting past. Wen Ke’an walked on, expressionless.

At a certain corner, she suddenly heard someone gasping in pain.

She paused, sensing a faint scent of blood in the air.

Driven by curiosity, she looked ahead.

In a dimly lit corner, there was an injured man.

The darkness obscured his face. He was seriously injured, and the bitter cold of the winter night meant he wouldn’t survive if he stayed there.

But whether he froze to death or not had nothing to do with her.

Sensing her approach, the man suddenly turned his head, locking eyes with her.

“…….”

Wen Ke’an glanced at him indifferently. She didn’t speak or help him. She looked away and, as if nothing had happened, continued walking home with her new bedding.

Back home, however, she remained distracted.

She never saw herself as overly compassionate, yet she couldn’t stop thinking about the man in the corner. Perhaps it was his gaze, or maybe it was his similarity to her own misery.

At ten o’clock, Wen Ke’an got up and dressed.

She decided to go check on him.

Anyone seeing this would think she’s crazy—going out at night to find a man whose intentions she couldn’t be sure of.

Wen Ke’an thought herself crazy too.

But she wasn’t afraid. She no longer feared death, let alone an injured man.

Outside, the snow fell harder and the temperature had dropped.

This time, Wen Ke’an didn’t wear gloves or a scarf. Her hands and ears quickly turned red from the cold.

If the man was still there, he’d probably be frozen stiff by now.

She thought silently, retracing her steps to the corner.

Sure enough, he was frozen stiff.

Wen Ke’an lowered her gaze and looked at him for a while, then slowly squatted down beside him. With the faint moonlight, Wen Ke’an could vaguely make out his facial features. He looked quite handsome. She wondered why he had ended up in such a state.

He was only wearing a thin jacket, which was particularly dirty.

He had an odd fishy smell, as if someone had pelted him with eggs.

While Wen Ke’an was examining him, the man suddenly opened his eyes.

His gaze was sharp and wary.

From his eyes alone, Wen Ke’an could tell he wasn’t a good person.

She wasn’t afraid of him. She stared at him blankly for a while, then softly asked, “You’re not dead yet?”

“…….”

In the small corner of the night, the two of them stared at each other.

It was quite eerie.

“……”

Wen Ke’an didn’t know what she was thinking, but she ended up bringing the injured man back to her home.

The air conditioner was still on, and although the rental apartment was simple, it was warm.

“There’s only one bed, you can rest on the sofa.”

After saying that, Wen Ke’an looked at the filthy jacket he was wearing. In the end, she tossed him a small blanket, “Take off your clothes, don’t dirty the sofa.”

It was very cold tonight. Wen Ke’an had felt dizzy ever since she got back. She had already been feeling unwell, and now it seemed she had caught a cold. After going out in the cold tonight, she wasn’t in great shape; her head hurt.

After taking some cold medicine, Wen Ke’an snuggled into her bed and fell asleep.

When she woke up in the morning, the man was still asleep. Wen Ke’an walked over to the sofa and placed a finger under his nose.

He wasn’t dead; he was still breathing.

Now that it was daylight, Wen Ke’an could see the man’s features more clearly. He must have cleaned himself up a bit after she fell asleep last night. His face and body looked much cleaner than before. His arms were covered in bruises, as if he had been beaten.

Despite having an attractive face, he had a close-cropped haircut that made him look like he had just gotten out of prison.

Seeing that he was still asleep, Wen Ke’an did not disturb him. She tidied up a bit and prepared a few resumes. She needed to go out and job hunt. After all, she only had 3,000 yuan left; if she didn’t find a job, she would soon starve in her rental.

Wen Ke’an hadn’t done well in college and only got into a standard third-tier university. She didn’t like her major. She had once hoped to live off dancing, but a car accident not only scarred her face but also injured her leg. She would never dance again.

After three interviews, Wen Ke’an decided to work for an e-commerce company as an assistant to a livestream host. The job hours were long, but the pay was decent. She had four days off a month and earned 5,000 yuan.

At present, the job is in need of employees. The company’s leader told her that if she decides to join, she could come in tomorrow to complete the onboarding. Wen Ke’an wanted a job that she could start quickly, so she directly agreed to start working the next day.

Having found a job, Wen Ke’an finally breathed a sigh of relief.

On her way home, she saw an elderly lady selling roasted sweet potatoes at the entrance of her residential area. The aroma of the roasted sweet potatoes was sweet and enticing, and after a moment of hesitation, Wen Ke’an bought two.

“You look new here, did you just move in?” The elderly lady had been selling sweet potatoes at the entrance for many years and was familiar with many residents.

“Yes, I just moved in recently,” Wen Ke’an replied softly.

“Are you working around here?” the elderly lady asked.

“Yes.”

“This neighborhood isn’t very safe at night. If you’re by yourself, it’s best not to go out after dark,” the elderly lady kindly warned. “I heard someone saying that there were some hooligans seen beating people up in the neighborhood last night. The property management here doesn’t dare to handle such matters.”

Wen Ke’an was slightly taken aback before saying, “Got it, thank you.”

When Wen Ke’an returned home, the previously injured man had already woken up. It seemed he had leg injuries as well, and she noticed he had applied simple bandages to his wounds.

His deep black eyes were sharp as he gazed at her, perhaps wondering why a stranger would rescue him and bring him to her home.

Wen Ke’an couldn’t care less about what he thought. She placed the other roasted sweet potato she hadn’t eaten on the coffee table in front of him and said, “Bought this roasted sweet potato from outside. It’s not poisoned.”

“…….”

After giving him the roasted sweet potato, Wen Ke’an completely ignored him and went about her business. It was already late, and there wasn’t much food at home. After eating her roasted sweet potato, she felt almost full, so she washed up and went to bed.

On her first day of work, the leader required Wen Ke’an to arrive at the company by 7:30 AM. She got up early and left without even having breakfast. Before leaving, she glanced at the man in the living room. He was already awake and visibly hadn’t slept well, with significant red veins in his eyes.

The first day at work was quite hectic. The company was small, with a total of only about thirty people. Wen Ke’an, working as a live-stream assistant, was mainly responsible for two streamers. She was busy the whole day without even having time to drink water.

Her cold worsened over the past few days, and taking medicine didn’t help.

After returning home, Wen Ke’an didn’t have a proper meal, just some biscuits, and took her medicine before going to sleep.

When she woke up in the morning, she felt her head was aching more severely, and she was sweating profusely with little energy. She struggled to sit up, and the man sitting beside the sofa had woken up. He handed her a cup of warm water, “Take a day off. You have a fever.”

Wen Ke’an took the water and replied calmly, “It’s fine. Taking some fever medicine will do.”

This was the first time they had spoken in days.

Wen Ke’an couldn’t afford to skip work; it wouldn’t look good to be absent on her second day at the job.

Additionally, full attendance for a month brings in five hundred yuan. If I don’t go today, I won’t be able to maintain perfect attendance.

Wen Ke’an took some antipyretics, got up to wash up, and continued to go to work.

The workload was still heavy. Perhaps the medicine was kicking in, Wen Ke’an felt slightly better at work compared to how she felt when she first woke up in the morning. By the afternoon, her supervisor noticed something was off and told her to leave early and rest at home.

Wen Ke’an went to a nearby clinic to get a small injection for her fever and picked up some medications. This cold had already cost her two hundred yuan.

Without much appetite in the afternoon, she didn’t feel like eating. After leaving the small clinic, all she could think about was going home to sleep.

The temperature outside was dropping rapidly. On her way home, Wen Ke’an’s feet became numb from the cold. She hadn’t been living there long, having been preoccupied with work, and hadn’t had time to buy a pair of fitting winter shoes.

When she got home, the lights were still on.

As soon as Wen Ke’an opened the door, she smelled the aroma of home-cooked food from the kitchen. She rarely cooked for herself and usually bought food to bring home.

It was the man cooking in the kitchen.

After changing into her slippers, she went to the kitchen to take a look. His arm injury hadn’t healed yet, so his movements while cooking were quite slow.

She arrived just at the right time; he had just finished cooking.

Wen Ke’an glanced at the dishes. They didn’t look appealing, suggesting he probably wasn’t used to cooking.

“……. ”

Although the food didn’t look good, it smelled pretty nice. Wen Ke’an, who originally didn’t plan to eat, actually started to feel a bit hungry.

At the dining table, he served her rice and placed it in front of her.

The two of them ate in silence, without saying a word.

After a while, Wen Ke’an looked up and saw him staring at her. She was taken aback. Before she could say anything, he spoke: “Gu Ting.”

He was telling her his name.

Wen Ke’an lowered her eyes slightly and softly said, “Wen Ke’an.”

“…….. ”

There wasn’t much conversation between Wen Ke’an and Gu Ting. She didn’t ask him to leave, and he didn’t voluntarily go. After a few days, Wen Ke’an learned that Gu Ting had just been released from prison after serving several years. His injuries were from an old enemy. Fresh out of prison, he had little money, and with injured legs, his mobility was limited.

They seemed to establish a kind of unspoken agreement. Wen Ke’an went to work during the day, and by the time she got home in the afternoon, Gu Ting had already made dinner, waiting for her to eat. His cooking improved day by day, and the meals became tastier.

Their life, though unusual, seemed to gradually settle into a routine.

With the Gregorian New Year approaching, the company was getting busy. As a salaried worker, overtime had become the norm. The company’s competitiveness was fierce; many people even volunteered to work extra hours. The end of the workday had shifted from seven or eight in the evening to eleven or twelve at night.

These days, Wen Ke’an can’t even guarantee enough sleep. She only falls asleep around one or two in the morning and has to get up at five or six to wash up and get ready for work. After staying up late for so long, Wen Ke’an can clearly feel her body is unable to take it; she often experiences a rapid heartbeat and cold sweats.

It was already ten o’clock at night, and everyone was still working overtime at the company.

Wen Ke’an felt unwell and wanted to go home early. However, she was unexpectedly stopped by her team leader.

The team leader, a woman in her forties, glanced at Wen Ke’an and gave a low warning, “Manager Wang has a bad temper. If you dare to leave early, you can forget about keeping this job.”

“…….”

Perhaps this is the life of a corporate worker, always wanting to quit but still biting the bullet and working overtime.

Wen Ke’an finally left the company at eleven thirty. There was no one on the road. The surrounding area was eerily quiet.

All the streetlights in the neighborhood had gone out. The moonlight brightly lit up the alleyway. As Wen Ke’an walked into the alley, she heard footsteps behind her.

Her heart tightened, and she turned around cautiously. To her surprise, it was Gu Ting behind her.

Wen Ke’an was stunned for a moment before asking, “What are you doing here?”

“It’s not safe for you to be alone,” Gu Ting replied.

Wen Ke’an understood his intention. He was here because he was worried she might encounter danger returning home so late.

She looked at him for a while before softly saying, “Thank you.”

Wen Ke’an and Gu Ting’s relationship had gradually turned into that of ordinary housemates, their exchanges becoming more frequent. From a certain perspective, Gu Ting was now her only friend.

In recent years, her parents had passed away, and her only best friend had also died. She had no relatives or friends around, and it seemed she was the only one left. After so many days of getting along, Wen Ke’an realized that Gu Ting’s current situation was quite similar to hers. He had just been released from prison, and his parents had also passed away.

In some ways, they were really the same, equally tragic.

Gu Ting’s injuries were gradually healing, and he had started looking for work to make a living. But with a criminal record, regular companies were generally unwilling to hire him.

Finding a job wasn’t easy for Gu Ting, but he eventually found work at a construction site. The work was tiring, but the pay wasn’t bad, and the requirements weren’t high. They didn’t mind his criminal background.

With the job secured, it wasn’t appropriate for Gu Ting to continue staying there. One morning, Wen Ke’an woke up to find Gu Ting packing his things.

“Are you leaving?” She asked, looking up at him softly.

Gu Ting paused at her words before replying, “Yes, thank you for taking me in during this time.”

“……….”

By the time Wen Ke’an returned from work, Gu Ting had already left. Before leaving, he even cleaned the place, leaving it spotless. He didn’t have much when he came, and he didn’t take much with him when he left.

Now the house was empty, and she was alone again. Wen Ke’an adjusted her mood slightly and continued her daily routine of going to work and coming home, as if Gu Ting had never appeared in her life. But sometimes she would think of Gu Ting, remember the meals he cooked. They had no contact information for each other and just vanished from each other’s worlds like that.

On New Year’s Day, there was a company gathering. Wen Ke’an wasn’t good at drinking but ended up having some at the insistence of her colleagues. The alcohol didn’t seem to affect her at first, but by the time the gathering ended and she was on her way home, she felt the alcohol kick in, making her dizzy and her stomach uncomfortable.

Luckily, her home wasn’t far. She didn’t let her colleagues send her back; instead, she walked slowly through the cold and windy streets. Many kids were out with their parents, shopping and preparing for the New Year.

Wen Ke’an couldn’t walk any further and sat on a park bench to rest. The alcohol made her somewhat sentimental, and she couldn’t help but think of the days when her parents, best friend, and other friends were still around. Back then, she was as happy and carefree as the kids she saw.

She hadn’t intended to cry, but before she knew it, her face was wet with tears. Maybe she was feeling sad. But what did it matter? There was nobody left who would care whether she was sad or not.

Wen Ke’an tried to stand up and head home, but her legs felt weak, and she nearly fell. At the crucial moment, someone reached out to steady her. She hadn’t seen the person’s face but instinctively said, “Thank you.”

The person didn’t reply. When Wen Ke’an looked up, she was surprised to meet a familiar gaze.

It was Gu Ting.

To be honest, Wen Ke’an was quite surprised to see Gu Ting here.

“Have you been drinking?” Before Wen Ke’an could speak, Gu Ting asked.

“Mm.” Wen Ke’an responded softly.

Gu Ting didn’t say more; he looked at her for a moment and then said, “Shall I take you home?”

Gu Ting’s ankle was still injured, so he couldn’t walk fast, which suited Wen Ke’an just fine. What would normally take fifteen minutes to walk took them thirty minutes together.

Back at her place, Gu Ting asked her to rest on the sofa and fetched her a glass of warm water.

“Drink some water,” he said, handing the glass to her.

Wen Ke’an obediently drank the water.

“You should get some rest. You have to work tomorrow,” Gu Ting said. He then intended to check the kitchen for anything he could prepare for her breakfast, but as he turned, she lightly tugged at his sleeve.

Wen Ke’an thought Gu Ting was leaving and looked up at him for a moment before softly saying, “Can you stay a little longer?”

Wen Ke’an lowered her eyes slightly and didn’t look at Gu Ting’s reaction. She spoke to herself, “Can you talk with me for a while?”

Gu Ting didn’t actually leave.

Due to the effect of alcohol, Wen Ke’an couldn’t remember what she had said to Gu Ting. She only remembered that she seemed to have fallen asleep while talking.

After coaxing her to sleep, Gu Ting left her house.

Wen Ke’an woke up late in the morning. Despite having a headache, she still had to get up for work.

The time to pay rent was approaching, along with various other small expenses, making it hard for Wen Ke’an to save much money. She now had less than 5,000 yuan in her pocket. However, something good had recently happened: her performance at work was good, and the company decided to give her a 200-yuan raise each month.

Pushing through the morning work, it was finally lunchtime, a chance to take a break.

Wen Ke’an usually ate lunch at the company. Her workplace was in a small commercial area where prices were relatively high. Some shops charged as much as 30 yuan for a bowl of noodles. To save some money, Wen Ke’an preferred to eat at an affordable small restaurant.

The meals at the small restaurant were inexpensive. Though the taste wasn’t great, it was enough to fill her stomach. Most of the people eating there were construction workers from nearby sites or low-income workers who couldn’t afford takeout.

Wen Ke’an often went to eat with her colleagues. Today, she was with three female colleagues.

On the way to the small restaurant, they had to pass by a construction site. It was noon, and although it was still very cold, the sun was bright and the sunlight was glaring.

“I tell you guys, have you noticed there’s a really handsome man at the construction site over there? He’s genuinely good-looking, though there’s one small downside; he seems to be lame!”

“I’ve seen him too, haha, it’s a pity. Having such a handsome face, who would’ve thought he has a bad leg.”

“Our company’s ‘Black Girl’ likes him. She’s even planning to pursue him these days. According to her, even though he has a bad leg, he has good genes. If they really get together, their children would definitely look beautiful!”

“Haha, hasn’t Black Girl thought about what if the kids take after her?”

Wen Ke’an quietly listened to her colleagues’ chat. She usually doesn’t like to talk much in the company, and her colleagues are already used to it.

“Quick, look, the handsome guy is over there!”

“I have to admit, his features are really handsome. It’s such a waste for such a good-looking young man to work at a construction site!”

Hearing her colleagues, Wen Ke’an glanced over there instinctively. Standing there was a man in a work uniform, a bit dirty, but very familiar.

Wen Ke’an’s steps suddenly paused. Standing on the nearby construction site was Gu Ting.

Gu Ting clearly saw her too. He even smiled gently at her, as a greeting.

“Hey, was that handsome guy smiling at us just now?”

“Huh? Really? I wasn’t looking that way just now.”

The Chinese New Year was approaching, and shops along the road were decorated with couplets and festive characters. Red lanterns were hung on street lamps, adding a special festive mood.

On her way home, Wen Ke’an passed by a newly opened flower shop. The flowers inside were particularly beautiful, and she couldn’t help but stop for a moment.

She had wanted to buy some flowers to take home, but after checking the price, she hesitated. One bouquet was ten yuan, which could buy her a meal.

After some thought, she decided against spending the money.

Her home was unheated, cold as outside. Wen Ke’an didn’t even know what to eat, and since she wasn’t really hungry, she decided to skip the meal.

Just after she finished her bath, she heard a knock on the door.

Peeking through the small door viewer, Wen Ke’an saw it was Gu Ting.

She opened the door, and the next second, a large bouquet of flowers appeared before her. It was the white roses she had wanted but didn’t buy from the flower shop.

“Why are you here?” Wen Ke’an took the flowers and looked up at him.

He had been working at the company recently and had gotten much tanner.

Gu Ting smiled and said, “It’s almost the New Year, so I came to see you.”

“And I wanted to discuss something with you.”

Wen Ke’an was taken aback. “What is it?”

Gu Ting looked at her seriously and said, “Can I continue staying with you?”

“I’ll pay the rent.”

This year, Wen Ke’an didn’t spend the New Year alone. Her home was filled with more warmth.

Gu Ting bought some groceries, and they made a lavish New Year’s Eve dinner together.

Gu Ting moved in, and they officially became roommates. Wen Ke’an bought a large curtain for the room to divide it in half, giving each of them their own space.

In the past, Wen Ke’an would never have imagined having the courage to live in the same room with a guy. But now, she didn’t find it particularly difficult to accept living with Gu Ting.

Winter gradually passed, and the weather warmed up.

Wen Ke’an’s work and life settled into a routine. Sometimes she still felt life was boring, living just for the sake of living. But she no longer thought about whether she should die every day; she was learning to slowly love life.

She continued to live with Gu Ting, who took good care of her. He finished work earlier than her and often had dinner ready when she got home. They ate together in the afternoons.

Gu Ting had gradually learned her preferences, and she had come to know his tastes. Their communication also increased over time.

They interacted naturally, almost like a couple.

Sometimes she even wondered if their relationship had surpassed that of mere roommates. The metaphorical glass wall between them had thinned considerably, but they both maintained a polite distance, never breaking it.

By June, the weather had become extremely hot.

Wen Ke’an’s work situation changed with a new boss who had a worse temper and constantly picked on employees. As a result, Wen Ke’an frequently worked late.

What bothered Wen Ke’an the most was the harassment she faced from her new boss.

The new boss was an overweight, unattractive older man who harassed many of the young female employees. Several new graduates had quit after a few days because they couldn’t stand him.

Wen Ke’an’s salary had increased to six thousand, and she endured a lot for this job. But her work had become increasingly difficult, and she started considering finding a new job.

The turning point came on a rainy afternoon when Wen Ke’an forgot her umbrella after work. She was stuck at the bus stop and considered taking a taxi but decided to wait to save money.

As it rained, a black car stopped in front of her.

Inside was her overweight boss, who smiled at her and asked if she wanted a ride home.

Wen Ke’an wasn’t foolish; she knew he had bad intentions. She declined, but then a man got out of the car, grabbed her wrist, and tried to force her into the car.

Ever since Wen Ke’an started living on her own, she always carried a small knife in her bag. During a struggle, she pulled out the knife and fiercely stabbed the man’s hand.

Blood gushed out immediately, and both the man and the chubby boss in the car were stunned.

The man, shocked that a frail girl had hurt him, snatched the knife from her and raised his hand to hit her. But in the next moment, a man appeared behind Wen Ke’an. It was Gu Ting, who had come to pick her up.

That was the first time Wen Ke’an saw the crazed side of Gu Ting.

He wielded a stick with a ruthless gaze and attacked viciously. The chubby boss and his companion, seeing that Wen Ke’an had help, hurriedly drove away.

Wen Ke’an, drenched from the rain, returned home. Gu Ting placed a dry towel on her head and gently helped dry her hair.

As he dried her hair, Gu Ting looked down and apologized softly, “I’m sorry, you lost your job because of me.”

“It’s okay.”

In fact, losing that job brought Wen Ke’an a bit of relief.

It was still raining outside.

Gu Ting took a quick shower. When he came out of the bathroom, he saw her sitting by the window, holding a bottle of wine.

Knowing her for so long, Gu Ting knew she had a low tolerance for alcohol and would get drunk easily.

Gu Ting walked over to her and asked, “Are you upset?”

“I feel like drinking a bit,” Wen Ke’an said.

Gu Ting didn’t stop her. Instead, he brought another bottle of wine and said, “I’ll join you.”

Wen Ke’an’s tolerance really was poor. She was already a bit tipsy after half a bottle.

“You know,” she muttered, staring at her reflection in the window and the prominent scar on her face, “I wasn’t ugly before.”

“You’re not ugly now,” Gu Ting replied.

Wen Ke’an smiled faintly, her beautiful eyes locking onto his. After a while, she said slowly, “I wish I had met you earlier.”

If she had met him when she was at her brightest, most confident, and beautiful, she would have pursued him. Everyone used to say she was beautiful and danced well. She had always been a happy, confident girl until the car accident that brought misfortune to her and her family.

Now she felt insecure, believing she was flawed and unworthy of love. Though she liked him a lot, she didn’t dare to confess.

“My dad is gone, my mom is gone, and Chu Chu is also gone,” Wen Ke’an started tearfully. “I’m all alone now; I have no family.”

Gu Ting softly comforted her.

It was a form of release. Eventually, Wen Ke’an cried until her eyes were swollen.

Finally, exhausted from crying, she calmed down.

Gu Ting gently patted her back to soothe her. “No more crying.”

The room grew quiet, and Wen Ke’an fell asleep on his shoulder. Gu Ting looked at her for a long moment, and while she slept, he dared to lightly hold her hand.

He whispered, “An’an, why don’t you try relying on me?”

Gu Ting also had his regrets.

He never imagined that during the most miserable and humble days of his life, he would fall in love with a girl, a girl he wanted to spend his entire life with.

Wen Ke’an and Gu Ting confirmed their relationship.

There were no flowers and no formal confession, they just naturally got together.

Wen Ke’an found a new job which was less stressful than her previous one, with regular hours and no overtime. Gu Ting continued working at the construction site, where the work was tough but the pay was decent. As their lives gradually stabilized, they moved into a better apartment.

The apartment had one bedroom and one living room, with a beautiful small balcony.

Wen Ke’an hadn’t been fond of growing flowers before, but after her mother passed away, she gradually took up the hobby. The balcony filled with flowers felt like her mother was still there.

Days passed one by one, and every morning Wen Ke’an would check her flowers on the balcony.

Sometimes, Gu Ting would help water the plants, and they thrived.

One day, after Gu Ting made breakfast, he saw Wen Ke’an excitedly running towards him in her pajamas, her eyes curved in a joyous smile. “The sunflowers on the balcony have bloomed,” she said.

Gu Ting noticed she was becoming happier.

This was a good thing.

As summer slowly turned to autumn, the trees by the roadside began to turn yellow.

One day, Gu Ting deliberately went home an hour early and bought some flowers, intending to visit Wen Ke’an’s parents’ graves.

It was her parents’ death anniversary.

They took a three-hour bus ride to the cemetery, bringing fruit and cookies.

Wen Ke’an remained calm, but Gu Ting noticed her slightly reddened eyes. On the way back home, he held her hand tightly the entire time.

At the entrance of their residential area, a shop was holding a lottery event. As Wen Ke’an and Gu Ting passed by, a sales clerk stopped them.

“Miss, would you like to try the lottery? The first prize is a three-day family trip to Sanya, everything included!”

“Family?” Wen Ke’an was taken aback and then mumbled, “But I don’t have a family.”

…

Wen Ke’an went to bed early after returning home; she had no appetite and didn’t feel like eating. When she woke up, it was already daylight.

Gu Ting had woken up earlier and had gone out to buy breakfast for her. He brought back soybean milk and deep-fried dough sticks, her favorites.

“Hey, An’an.” During dinner, Gu Ting suddenly called out to her.

Wen Ke’an looked up slightly, “Hmm?”

Gu Ting was visibly nervous, his hands were slightly trembling.

Just as Wen Ke’an was about to ask him what was wrong, she heard him speak seriously, “An’an, can you give me a home?”

—

Wen Ke’an and Gu Ting got married.

They obtained their marriage certificate.

Since there were not many acquaintances in this city, Wen Ke’an didn’t plan on having a wedding ceremony.

However, she was still very happy.

In this cold and indifferent world, she now had a husband and a home.

Wen Ke’an and Gu Ting continued with their daily routines of going to work and coming back home, but life felt somewhat different; it gradually started to look hopeful. They planned to save up for a house, and by next year, they intended to have a baby.

On New Year’s day, Gu Ting held a make-up wedding ceremony for her at home.

He personally made her a beautiful wedding dress.

That day, Gu Ting decorated the home beautifully and bought many of her favorite flowers.

They didn’t invite anyone; it was just the two of them celebrating their wedding.

Gu Ting told her that their life would only get better. Once they had their own house, they could get a cat and a dog, and they would have a baby who resembled both of them. Then, they would watch their baby grow up and grow old together.

He also said he would always be with her for every New Year to come.

—

Wen Ke’an woke up to the sounds outside.

There was a lot of noise and celebration going on outside. She sat up in bed and instinctively looked around the room. The room was large, gracefully decorated, completely different from the shabby little room they had when they got married.

It took Wen Ke’an a good while to realize that she had just been dreaming.

She dreamt of her past life.

Suddenly, the door opened, and Gu Ting walked in.

Seeing she was awake, he softly asked, “Why did you sleep so long?”

As he spoke, he reached for the cup on the bedside table, intending to let her have some water. But as he approached the bed, Wen Ke’an suddenly leaned over and hugged his waist.

Gu Ting looked down at her and gently asked, “Did you have a nightmare?”

Wen Ke’an didn’t respond to his question but instead called him in a muffled voice, “Ah Ting.”

“Yes?”

“Husband.”

“I’m here.”

Before Wen Ke’an could speak again, their bedroom door was suddenly opened by someone. Standing at the door was a chubby little bundle of joy. The little one was dressed especially festively today, wearing a red sweater, and had a small red dot on his forehead, placed by someone. His chubby little hand was holding a red lantern.

“Ah, Mama, you’re awake!”

Seeing Wen Ke’an awake, the little one was overjoyed and ran toward her.

Before Wen Ke’an could react, she found a soft little treasure in her arms. Looking down at the little one, Wen Ke’an saw that he was growing up and increasingly resembling both her and Gu Ting. Just as Gu Ting had said, their baby looked like both of them.

The little one raised his head and gave her a kiss, then said in a sweet voice, “Mama, while you were still asleep, Auntie Chu Chu came to see you and brought you many New Year’s gifts.”

“Mama, is Auntie Chu Chu your best friend?” he asked seriously.

“Yes, she is Mama’s best friend,” Wen Ke’an answered.

Not long after Wen Ke’an finished speaking, her phone rang. It was a video call from Chu Han. Wen Ke’an answered it.

“An’an, you’re finally awake! I came by this afternoon to see you, but you were sleeping the whole time!” Chu Han said with a smile. “Did you see the gifts I brought you?”

“I just woke up; I’ll have a look in a bit,” Wen Ke’an replied with a smile.

“Alright, since we live close by, I’ll visit you again tomorrow.”

To stay close to her best friend, Chu Han had specifically bought a house near Wen Ke’an’s. She currently lived there with Xie Huaiyan.

The two best friends chatted for a while as the sky gradually darkened. Chu Han’s parents seemed to have arrived; she glanced back and said, “I have to go now, An’an. My parents are here.”

“Okay.”

“Oh, wait!” Just as they were about to end the call, Chu Han suddenly shouted.

Wen Ke’an paused, “What is it?”

“I haven’t wished you a Happy New Year yet this New Year’s Eve!”

“Happy New Year, An’an!!!”

Listening to Chu Han’s voice, Wen Ke’an couldn’t help but feel happy.

Ever since they became friends in their teenage years, Chu Han would wish her a happy new year every Chinese New Year. Over the years, they had been companions for more than a decade.

Wen Ke’an smiled and said, “Happy New Year!”

On this New Year’s Eve, Gu Ting’s father, Qiao Shang’er, and her parents all came to her home.

The living room outside was bustling with activity.

Wen Qiangguo and Gu Hao were cooking in the kitchen, while Qiao Shang’er, Liu Qing, and Xiangxiang played together.

Little Xiangxiang always knew how to make the elders very happy.

Besides Chu Han, Wen Ke’an received many gifts from friends. There were local specialties sent by Jin Ming and some New Year gifts from Fu Huan, Qi Qing, Sha Yi, and Shi Chu.

With the sound of firecrackers outside, Wen Ke’an took Xiangxiang to the balcony to watch the fireworks.

Before long, Gu Ting also joined them.

Soon, Wen Qiangguo and Liu Qing followed. Finally, Gu Hao was pulled over by Qiao Shang’er.

“The fireworks are so beautiful!” Xiangxiang exclaimed at the sight of the fireworks.

“Is it only the fireworks that are beautiful?” Qiao Shang’er teased Xiangxiang.

Xiangxiang’s eyes twinkled, and she loudly replied, “Grandma, Grandpa, Grandpa and Grandma, and Mommy and Daddy are all beautiful!”

Outside, the fireworks lit up the night sky. Wen Ke’an slightly tilted her head to look at Gu Ting beside her.

She reached out and quietly held his hand.

Gu Ting looked down at her.

Wen Ke’an’s eyes curved as she smiled at him, then looked up at the fireworks again.

She smiled and couldn’t help but say softly, “It’s wonderful.”

Author’s Note: The side story about Anan is finished.

The next side story will be about Chu Han.

Thank you for your support. There’s a little red envelope for this chapter!