Volume One, Chapter 13: The First Time Someone Said This About Him...

Commissioner Xu murmured softly to himself. Such a coincidence? Sharing the same name as Jin Nian’s newlywed wife? Could there have been a mistake? With this thought, sitting before Lu Zhenhua’s courtyard gate, Commissioner Xu slapped his thigh vigorously. “Old Lu! Old Lu! Don’t be so heartbroken just yet, Nian An she…”

He turned his head, but Lu Zhenhua was nowhere to be seen beside him.

The words “maybe it’s nothing” stuck in his throat.

Puzzled, he muttered, “Where did he go? How did he vanish in the blink of an eye?”

After searching the area without any sign of Lu Zhenhua, Commissioner Xu had no choice but to return home with his wife, who had just finished her counseling work.

He thought to himself: What could possibly happen to a grown man? Besides, Old Lu is proud; probably doesn’t want me to see him breaking down in tears.

He decided to wait until tomorrow—to give Old Lu a surprise.

On the country road, Lu Zhenhua moved like a soulless puppet, his steps unsteady—staggering left, then veering right. He kept murmuring, “Nian An is the luckiest…”

“The luckiest…”

From afar, he looked like a madman, a drunk staggering without direction.

Yet he pressed forward.

Walking, then running.

Half an hour later, drenched in sweat with bloodshot eyes, he arrived at the riverbank entrance. Ignoring the extinguished lights, he resolutely knocked on the door of the ferry ticket office.

“Open up! Open up!”

“Who is it? We’re closed. Come buy tickets tomorrow,” came the impatient voice of the staff inside.

“Open the door, or I’ll kick it down!”

The voice inside flared up, “You little bastard! If you’ve got the guts, try it! I’ll have the patrol drag you off tomorrow!”

Bang.

The door was indeed kicked open.

The loud crash made Wu Yong’s eardrums tingle, instantly wiping away his sleepiness.

That little bastard! Not afraid of jail at all!

Just as Wu Yong was about to slip on his shoes and grab the wooden stick beside his bed to beat the intruder, Lu Zhenhua had already barged in.

In the dark, those fierce, bloodshot eyes radiated killing intent, making Wu Yong gulp involuntarily.

Holy hell!

Could this be a murderer?

Clutching his stick tightly, Wu Yong silently vowed to strike first if the man came any closer.

“Did someone jump into the river today?”

“Seems like there was one.”

A sharp pain struck Lu Zhenhua’s chest, but he refused to give up. “What’s the name?”

“How should I know?”

As Lu Zhenhua hurried forward, Wu Yong swung the stick swiftly. Caught off guard, Lu Zhenhua took a solid hit.

Instantly, thick, sticky blood flowed from his forehead.

Seeing the blood, Wu Yong nearly fainted.

But the man’s burning gaze scared him into staying conscious.

Lu Zhenhua, unfazed by the blow, grabbed the stick with both hands and lifted his legs, breaking the thick wooden rod in half.

Wu Yong was completely terrified, collapsing to his knees, crying and begging for mercy.

“Who knows? Who do you think knows?” Lu Zhenhua pressed.

“Yongshi, I really don’t know, but I know who does—I’ll call them for you.”

“Hello? Zhao Jun? Did anyone jump off your ship today?”

A pause on the other end, then a firm denial: “No.”

Everything blurred before Lu Zhenhua’s eyes. Tears of joy streamed down his face.

But the happiness barely lasted a second before a younger voice interrupted from the phone: “How can there be none? Didn’t that Shen An’an jump…?”

Before the young man finished, the call was abruptly cut off.

The beeping tone was like a death knell in the dead of night. Lu Zhenhua’s tall frame collapsed with a thud.

The man on the phone said Shen An’an, not Shen Nian’an—a single character difference that meant two entirely different people!

But on the brink of a mental collapse, Lu Zhenhua didn’t notice the subtle distinction.

An’an…

Our An’an…

Watching Lu Zhenhua’s shattered state, Wu Yong cautiously asked, “Call again?”

After a long pause, just as Wu Yong thought Lu Zhenhua had fainted, he hoarsely replied, “Call!”

He gave Wu Yong a number, but the call went unanswered.

Before Wu Yong could ask more, Lu Zhenhua suddenly stood, pulled ten yuan from his pocket, placed it on the table, and staggered out.

Once outside, he broke down, wailing.

“Ah! Ah!…”

His cries were filled with utter despair!

Inside, Wu Yong slowly set down the phone.

Forget it. A grown man with a gaping head wound who hasn’t uttered a sound but now cries so bitterly must have encountered heartbreak. No need to call the police or have anyone come for him.

Dawn broke, painting the sky pale.

Shen Nian’an slept soundly through the night, utterly unaware that her Uncle Lu wept for her with a broken heart.

Her clothes were a bit soiled from yesterday. Taking a dress from her suitcase, she intended to wear something more practical, but all the clothes in the suitcase—except for the one on her—were frilly dresses in soft pastel colors.

With no other choice, she picked a random dress and put it on, grabbed her toothbrush and cup, and limped outside.

If she remembered correctly, the washbasin was on the west side of the courtyard.

Following her memory, she turned on the faucet and began her morning wash.

Almost done, her father Si and Jin Nian returned from their morning exercise.

Jin Nian noticed the splash of pink in the courtyard first, his brow furrowing. Before he realized it, he was already at Shen Nian’an’s side.

“Don’t need your feet anymore?”

The sudden male voice behind her startled Shen Nian’an so much she almost dropped her cup—and swallowed some mouthwash.

Annoyed, she spat out the water and turned to glare at Jin Nian.

“Jin Nian, I just sprained my ankle. I’m not some helpless invalid!”

“And Jin Nian, mind your own business! Remember your place!”

“You… have no right to boss me around!”

With that, Shen Nian’an gave Jin Nian a round back of her head and walked away.

Their father, who had witnessed the whole scene, chuckled softly. Placing a hand on Jin Nian’s shoulder, he spoke with the tone of an experienced man: “Son, that’s not how you pursue a woman. You can’t be so harsh, you have to…”

Jin Nian brushed his father’s hand away, his expression grave. “Dad, I don’t like An’an!”

An’an twisted her ankle because of him. He was just being responsible!

But it seemed she didn’t need his care.

Moreover, after changing clothes, she looked even younger.

“Huh?” Their father was confused. “You don’t like her, yet you call her An’an?”

“A name, just a code.”

“Dad, don’t say things that cause misunderstanding—it’s bad for your image!”

With those two remarks, Jin Nian turned and went inside.

He quickly caught up to Shen Nian’an, calling out, “An’an.”

She frowned slightly but didn’t turn around before Jin Nian appeared before her.

With a serious expression, he apologized: “Sorry, my behavior caused you trouble.”

An apology?

She had thought he was going to scold her again.

Her brows relaxed, and she replied just as earnestly, “If you know you caused trouble, then don’t do it again. It’s annoying.”

Annoying.

The first time anyone ever called him that…

Jin Nian felt inexplicably upset.

But he pressed his lips together, said, “I won’t,” and stepped aside.

Shen Nian’an nodded and returned to her room.

Jin Nian, seeing her enter, also turned and went inside.

Their father, entering just behind, smiled knowingly at the two separated figures.

“You stubborn brat! Wait till the girl runs off—you’ll be the one crying!”

Five minutes later, their mother’s voice called from outside.

“Breakfast is ready.”

Shen Nian’an stepped out of her room and bumped right into Liu Jinyue, who had just come downstairs, sporting panda eyes.

Liu Jinyue screamed, “Why are you coming out of that room? Weren’t you…”