The snow fell silently throughout the night. After a long journey and an evening filled with joy, Mu Wan was still groggy when she woke up the next day. She curled up under the down comforter, slowly opening her eyes to a world outside that was now blanketed in white.
Liu Qianxiu was already awake. The bedroom was spacious, with a fire crackling in the fireplace. Nearby, there was a European-style sofa and coffee table, resting on an intricately patterned rug.
He wasn’t sitting on the sofa, though. Instead, he was by the floor-to-ceiling windows, which had a rug laid out with a low table and two cushions. Dressed in a simple robe, Liu Qianxiu was quietly meditating.
Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, a thick layer of snow covered the forest, with only small patches of green peeking through. The man sat there, serene, his eyes slightly closed, his expression calm—like a figure in a traditional ink painting, the scene exuding a sense of timeless tranquillity.
From her vantage point, Mu Wan could see Liu Qianxiu just below her. She shifted slightly, trying to get a better view of him. The slight movement under the snowy white comforter caught his attention, and his eyelids fluttered as he opened his eyes.
His dark eyes were clear and bright. He turned his gaze toward the bed, meeting her smiling eyes.
“You’re awake?” Liu Qianxiu unfolded his legs and rose from the floor. His tall, slender figure stood upright, like a pine tree growing from a cliff.
“Yes.” Mu Wan replied, lying flat on the bed, looking up at him. “The snow is so heavy.”
Liu Qianxiu climbed into bed, and through the down comforter, he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her hair. Their bodies pressed together as they both gazed out at the snow.
The room was scented with incense, but it couldn’t compare to the fragrance that clung to Liu Qianxiu—an enticing mix of a clean, masculine scent and the faint aroma of sandalwood, a blend that was both alluring and cool.
With nothing pressing to do and no hunger, they stayed in bed, watching the snow. Liu Qianxiu was well-suited for such quiet activities, but Mu Wan couldn’t sit still. She turned her head toward him, and just as Liu Qianxiu glanced up, she leaned in to kiss his lips. After the kiss, she quickly turned away.
She chuckled quietly to herself for a moment before Liu Qianxiu, realising what had happened, caught her by the shoulders. Instead of turning her around, he leaned in closer, his breath warm against her ear. Mu Wan’s heart skipped a beat as he nibbled on her earlobe.
The touch was gentle, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin of her earlobe, sending a shiver down one side of her body. She let out a surprised “Ah!” and tried to move away, but before she could get far, he had her securely in his arms. She started laughing, and Liu Qianxiu kissed the back of her neck.
The moment his warm lips touched her skin, Mu Wan’s eyes widened, and she let out a soft sigh.
“What are you up to?” she asked.
Liu Qianxiu turned her around, their eyes meeting. His gaze was clear as he softly replied, “You started it.”
Mu Wan grinned, owning up to the playful accusation. “I did. Is that not allowed?”
He listened quietly to her teasing, and before she could finish, he cupped her face in his hands, leaning in to kiss her gently on the lips. The tender kiss softened her remaining words into a quiet murmur.
For a moment, her dark eyes turned hazy. Mu Wan was always susceptible to his sudden affectionate gestures, each one feeling like a torch dipped in honey that he ignited with a touch.
She laughed, burying her face in his chest. “Liu Qianxiu, I’m hungry.”
They got out of bed, and while Liu Qianxiu went to the kitchen to make breakfast, Mu Wan wandered around the villa. Finding herself bored, she eventually bundled up in a down coat and scarf and headed outside.
The snow had fallen thickly but had stopped by now, and the sun was out. The fresh, white snow reflected the sunlight, making the entire world seem bright and dazzling.
Mu Wan carefully stepped down from the porch, her snow boots sinking into the snow, which reached up to her ankles. The snow was about four to five centimetres deep, not too shallow, not too deep—just perfect for walking on.
The snow in front of the villa was untouched, perfectly smooth. With her hands clasped behind her back, Mu Wan waddled like a little penguin, leaving a trail of footprints behind her.
She circled the villa, as if enclosing the house within her path. After one lap, her body warmed up, and she walked over to the kitchen window, where she could see Liu Qianxiu cooking eggs.
He was wearing a dark blue sweater, his tall, lean figure moving gracefully as he flipped the eggs. His expression was calm and cool. Mu Wan stood by the window and tapped on the glass. When he looked up and saw her, the dark depths of his eyes gradually filled with warmth.
Mu Wan smiled at him through the glass. The reflection of her face also appeared on the window, merging with his. She watched for a moment, then pulled down her scarf, revealing her rosy nose and lips.
Pressing her hands against the glass, Mu Wan blew a puff of warm air onto it. The white mist clouded the glass, and she straightened up to draw a heart with her finger.
This was a game Mu Wan used to play with her mother when she was little. Every winter morning, before heading off to school, she would tap on the window and send her mother a heart.
Now, with her dark down coat, her long, wavy hair tucked under a knit hat, and her red lips and slightly reddened nose, Mu Wan looked like a little hamster, smiling within the heart she had drawn.
But soon, the cold cleared the mist from the glass, erasing the heart. Mu Wan’s face fell slightly as she quickly breathed onto the glass again, redrawing the heart. When she looked back into the kitchen, Liu Qianxiu was no longer there.
“Huh?” Mu Wan said in surprise, searching for him through the glass. Just as she was about to give up, she heard the door open and saw Liu Qianxiu walking toward her.
He was carrying a small bucket and a brush, items Mu Wan didn’t recognize. She tilted her head to look at him, just about to speak. In an instant, Liu Qianxiu bent down to set the items aside, then reached out and pulled her scarf back up, wrapping her face in its warmth again.
“Are you cold?” he asked, noticing her red nose from blowing on the glass earlier.
With her face now warm again from the scarf, Mu Wan blinked, her long lashes seeming to catch a bit of frost. She shook her head, pointing at the glass. “The heart I drew for you disappeared.”
Liu Qianxiu glanced at the spot she pointed to. The clear glass still showed faint traces of the heart she had drawn. His eyes softened, and he crouched down to open the small bucket.
Mu Wan bent down as well, watching curiously. Inside the bucket was red paint. She watched as Liu Qianxiu dipped the brush into the paint and then lifted it to the glass.
Following the faint outline she had left, he carefully redrew the heart with the red paint. As the brush moved across the glass, her reflection in the window was once again encircled by the heart.
Mu Wan looked at the red heart, then turned to smile at Liu Qianxiu. After setting the brush aside, he took her hand and led her back into the house, saying, “Now it won’t disappear.”
Filled with warmth, Mu Wan hugged him from behind as they walked. Liu Qianxiu allowed her to cling to him, her face rubbing against his back as she whispered sweet nothings. Liu Qianxiu continued forward, his dark eyes reflecting the snowy landscape outside, as well as a deep tenderness.
The villa’s kitchen was similar to the one in Liu Qianxiu’s Nan Feng apartment, with an island in the centre and a dining table nearby. Mu Wan sat on a high stool, facing the window with the red heart as she ate, a silly smile on her face. Liu Qianxiu handed her a glass of freshly warmed milk, and she happily drank most of it. After finishing, she looked up at him and said, “Why don’t we go explore the town later?”
Since they were on a trip, staying inside all the time didn’t make much sense. They had seen the snow, so it was time to visit the town and experience some local culture.
“Alright.” Liu Qianxiu agreed.
The manager of the Liu family’s Finnish branch was quite considerate. Knowing that Liu Qianxiu and Mu Wan wanted some time alone in the villa, he had arranged for the driver and staff to stay in town, ready to assist whenever needed.
After Liu Qianxiu contacted the driver, it wasn’t long before the car arrived. Finland’s snow season was long, and the locals had their ways of dealing with it. The car’s wheels were fitted with chains to prevent slipping.
Given the current amount of snow, the roads were still safe for driving.
The driver was a Chinese man who had lived in Finland for a long time and knew all the best places to visit in the area. Finland is the home of Santa Claus, and even in a small town like this, there were many Santa Claus-themed attractions, including a park with reindeer.
After getting out of the car, Mu Wan and Liu Qianxiu strolled through the park, where Mu Wan even took a photo with a reindeer. She had never celebrated Christmas before and didn’t have any particular feelings about it, but being in this setting, she couldn’t help but be swept up in the festive atmosphere.
After they finished exploring the park, Liu Qianxiu took Mu Wan to a nearby small restaurant.
This was likely the largest restaurant in the small town. Although it wasn’t crowded at lunchtime, it was notably quiet. Finns generally aren’t very talkative, so everyone ate their lunch in peace, enjoying the tranquillity.
The Finns spoke Finnish and Swedish, and the waitress who approached them was dressed in traditional clothing. Just as Mu Wan was about to ask if she could speak English, Liu Qianxiu had already started conversing with her in Finnish.
“What would you like to eat?” Liu Qianxiu asked Mu Wan after motioning for the waitress to wait a moment and handing her the menu.
Mu Wan was taken aback and said, “You order for me. I’m not picky.”
She hadn’t eaten Finnish food before and couldn’t really pick out anything special. Judging by Liu Qianxiu’s fluency, he seemed to know his way around. She watched him as he spoke with the waitress, who nodded and then left.
Liu Qianxiu set the menu aside and looked up to find Mu Wan staring at him. With her hands propped under her chin, her eyes blinked at him with curiosity. He took a sip of lemon water and asked, “What’s on your mind?”
“You speak Finnish too?” Mu Wan asked, recalling how he had spoken German in Austria and now Finnish here in Finland. Did he know the language of every country where the Liu family had a branch?
“A little.” Liu Qianxiu replied.
His modest “a little” reminded her of a movie where the male lead claimed to “know a little.” which somehow always managed to reassure people.
Once again, Mu Wan was smitten by Liu Qianxiu.
She gazed at him intently, and when Liu Qianxiu met her eyes, she smiled, her eyes practically speaking for her.
“What are you thinking?” Liu Qianxiu asked, lowering his hand.
“I have such great taste.” Mu Wan replied.
He didn’t quite catch her meaning and looked at her, the tone of his voice rising slightly with a questioning “Hmm?”
“I found myself such a wonderful man.” Mu Wan said, her eyes sparkling.
He listened quietly as she spoke, his gaze softening as he reached out to stroke her head. She let out a playful “Ouch!” as his hand gently pushed her head down, and then she burst into laughter.
As she laughed, something tugged at the corner of her coat. Mu Wan turned her head to see a little boy of about three or four years old standing beside her.
The boy was Caucasian, with snow-white skin, chubby cheeks, and long, curly black lashes that framed a pair of deep blue eyes like the ocean.
Mu Wan had never seen such a beautiful little boy before.
When she looked down at him, the boy seemed to realise he had mistaken her for someone else, and his parents quickly came over, calling his name.
Mu Wan didn’t understand Finnish, but the boy’s parents apologised to her for the disturbance. Mu Wan indicated that it was fine, and Liu Qianxiu translated for her. The boy’s parents apologised once more before leaving with their son.
“What’s his name?” Mu Wan asked, the boy’s name still echoing in her ears.
Liu Qianxiu repeated it, and Mu Wan tried to mimic the pronunciation but couldn’t quite get it. She eventually gave up and asked, “What does it mean in Chinese?”
“Starlight.” Liu Qianxiu translated. “The town often sees the Northern Lights, and even on nights without them, the starlight is beautiful.”
“Is that why he was named after the beautiful starlight in the town?” Mu Wan said, glancing back at the boy, her mind still captivated by his striking blue eyes.
“Yes.” Liu Qianxiu confirmed.
“Then our child’s name should also reflect Chinese cultural heritage.” Mu Wan suggested, suddenly excited. She looked at Liu Qianxiu with anticipation. “You’ve read a lot of books. Why don’t you come up with a name?”
After speaking, Mu Wan furrowed her brows, realising she was making an unreasonable request. It was a spur-of-the-moment idea, and even if Liu Qianxiu was well-read, he couldn’t possibly come up with a name just like that.
“Maybe we should think about it at home. Otherwise—”
“Li Zhi.” Liu Qianxiu interrupted.
Mu Wan stopped mid-sentence, blinking as she processed his words. “That’s for a boy, right? What if it’s a girl?”
“An Zhi.” Liu Qianxiu replied.
Li Zhi (来之) and An Zhi (安之). The full phrase comes from the saying, “If it comes, let it; if it goes, let it be.” symbolising acceptance and peace.
The names sounded beautiful and carried a deep meaning.
Mu Wan looked at Liu Qianxiu, smiling as she asked, “Did you already have these names picked out?”
“Yes.” he admitted.
Mu Wan licked her lips, gazing at his calm expression. Tilting her head, she asked, “When did you come up with them?”
Meeting her bright, smiling eyes, Liu Qianxiu answered quietly, “When I fell in love with you.”
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