The Early Spring - Chapter 109

Chapter 109 - Frost

Shang Zhitao walked Luke through the long, quiet night for a very long time.

The snow fell harder and harder that night, eventually turning into the grand snowfall Lumi had wished for. It had been far too rare for Beijing to see heavy snow in those years; when an occasional blizzard struck, it painted the entire city a brilliant, pure white beneath the night lights.

Snow fell upon Shang Zhitao's hat and scarf, gradually accumulating into a soft layer. Luke loved the snow; he would pause now and then to bury his snout into the drifts to take a sniff. But he wasn't happy, occasionally turning his head to look back.

Shang Zhitao wanted to hail a cab, but getting a ride on a snowy night like this was nearly impossible. So she phoned Sun Yu: "Could you come pick me up?"

Sun Yu had never seen Shang Zhitao in such a wretched state.

She looked as if she had just emerged from a severe frost, her entire body still wrapped in a lingering chill. Luke lay in the back seat, devoid of any vitality.

"I failed the promotion," Shang Zhitao said to Sun Yu. "I prepared for so long, thinking I would win. But I lost."

Sun Yu listened to her quietly; on a night when snow fell, driving was painfully slow. Pedestrians had vanished from the streets, leaving behind a tranquil silence amidst the swirling wind and snow. Whenever it snowed, she thought of Sun Yuanzhu, and so did Shang Zhitao. After a long period of quiet, Sun Yu finally said to her, "Taotao, why don't you come to my company as a Vice President? You see, we'll likely secure our Series C financing next year. This is also thanks to..." Sun Yu glanced at her, deliberately avoiding the name Luan Nian: "I think with your current capabilities, you wouldn't have any issue working as a professional manager at any company. Look at your time in the Northwest—you managed such a large team and handled the project so exceptionally well. How about I have HR talk to you about compensation? You can give HR your desired salary, and let them evaluate it."

Shang Zhitao shook her head: "Thank you, but I don't want to go."

"Then what do you want to do? You look so broken right now. You know I can't afford to lose another friend, right?" Sun Yu choked back a sob: "I've only just begun to recover a little. Please don't do anything foolish to scare me again. I might not be able to handle it."

"I won't," Shang Zhitao shed tears once more: "I'm just a little sad about the breakup."

Shang Zhitao's phone wasn't muted. After taking a shower and getting into bed, she found herself completely unable to sleep, so she sat by the windowsill to watch the snow. Having just experienced a massive breakdown, the void in her heart couldn't be filled no matter what. Her phone remained silent the entire time. Shang Zhitao had always known that Luan Nian would not reach out to her. He was too lazy to look back or seek answers; if you came to him, he would wait for you, and if you left, he would simply move on to other things.

Shang Zhitao had never imagined a breakup could bring such intense heartache. She still ate her meals, yet the food tasted completely bland; she rarely tried to binge-watch a show, yet she couldn't register what was playing on screen; she was clearly washing clothes, yet constantly forgot to turn off the faucet.

Sun Yu stayed by her side through the weekend. She knew the simplest solution was to call Luan Nian and have him take Shang Zhitao away, which would make Shang Zhitao feel better. But she couldn't do that, because next time, Shang Zhitao would only hurt even more. An unhealthy relationship had to be broken down before it could be rebuilt, though Sun Yu had no idea whether they would ever rebuild it again.

On Sunday night, Shang Zhitao suddenly remarked to Sun Yu: "I've always known he would never say anything extra to me. No matter what happens, he will never take the initiative." She then took a shower, applied a facial mask, and prepared herself for work the next day.

Lumi hadn't managed to make her trip to Bingcheng. Seeing Shang Zhitao at her workstation on Monday, she circled around her twice and praised her: "Goodness, who is this gorgeous beauty? Is this my Flora Shang?"

Shang Zhitao offered her a subtle smile: "Does my makeup look alright?"

"Absolutely top-tier!" Lumi pinched her cheek: "This delicate little face—how can it make people so envious?"

The two teased each other for a bit, then stood up to buy coffee. On their way, they bumped into Luan Nian, who was just walking out of a meeting. He carried that familiar, pleasant, crisp scent, which made him seem even more cold and detached in the winter air. Neither of them looked at each other. Lumi reached out her hand to greet Luan Nian: "Luke, just finished a meeting?"

As if he hadn't heard a word, Luan Nian stepped into the elevator and stood near the front. He wore a grey suit jacket made of fine material paired with a black turtleneck sweater, which made his tall frame look all the more imposing. An awkward silence filled the elevator, making Lumi feel rather uncomfortable. She tried to strike up idle conversation: "Luke, where did you go to have fun over the weekend?"

"A gathering."

"Gatherings are great! I go to gatherings all the time. How about we go clubbing together sometime?"

Luan Nian stopped engaging in small talk with her, making Lumi curl her lip.

Shang Zhitao didn't know if everyone behaved like this after a breakup, instantly turning into complete strangers who no longer exchanged a single word. She had zero desire to speak with Luan Nian; nor was she afraid of running into him at the office. She wouldn't go out of her way to avoid him and would walk past him normally, yet she no longer spoke to him, avoiding even eye contact.

In mid-December, Old Shang took a fall, so Shang Zhitao took leave and flew back to see him.

Old Shang was truly unfortunate. Missing his footing on the stairs, he suffered a comminuted fracture in his left foot and lay in bed groaning with pain. Seeing Old Shang like this broke Shang Zhitao's heart, and she scolded him: "Mom said you fell because you were skipping down the stairs. How old are you to still be skipping around like that!"

As she spoke, tears welled in her eyes. Her fingertips gently brushed against his plaster cast: "Tell me, doesn't a fall like this hurt? Even a young person would need three to five months to recover from a break like this, so you better prepare for half a year!"

"I bought you a wheelchair and crutches. You have to listen to the doctor completely, and do your physical therapy exactly as prescribed. Do you hear me?"

Seeing his daughter genuinely upset, Old Shang didn't dare talk back playfully anymore. He let out a weak laugh: "Alright, alright. Your dad's body is in great shape. What takes others three to five months will only take me two months before I walk right in front of you."

Big Zhai glared at him from the side: "You better shut your mouth! You rely entirely on that glib tongue of yours every single day!"

Shang Zhitao helped Old Shang change his clothes, but Old Shang felt awkward and twisted away uncomfortably: "Get your mom to do it, get your mom." Now that his daughter was grown up, a father had to maintain proper boundaries. Shang Zhitao went to find Big Zhai, only to see her secretly wiping away tears inside the room.

Shang Zhitao suddenly felt a deep wave of guilt toward them.

They had always indulged her every whim. When she only liked learning calligraphy, they let her write; when her academic performance was average, they accepted it without pressure; when she wanted to attend university in Nanjing, they sent her off; and when she wanted to work in Beijing, they supported her move.

Old Shang had always said: "I only have this one daughter in my life. If I don't spoil her, who else am I supposed to spoil?"

Old Shang would also add: "If I don't spoil my own daughter, should I go spoil someone else's?"

"A daughter should be raised with love and care. Our Taotao has never been hit since she was little, yet she didn't turn out domineering or arrogant at all. She works at such a prominent company and achieves fantastic results. Raising this daughter was completely worth it."

Every time Shang Zhitao heard Old Shang brag, her face would flush with embarrassment. She always felt she wasn't the absolute best daughter; she was simply fortunate enough to have exceptional parents.

After spending two days at home taking care of Old Shang, her high school classmates invited her out for a meal. Once she dressed up, she headed out. In truth, they gathered like this every year during the holidays, but during her visits over the past two years, Old Shang had packed her schedule so full that she missed two reunions.

Her high school classmates maintained very close bonds. Many had attended university in Bingcheng, while others returned here after graduation; only a few were actually drifting about in distant cities. Bingcheng wasn't overly large, and everyone finished work early. With a single phone call or a shout in the group chat, anyone who could make it would show up, no matter how far away they were.

Snow was abundant in Bingcheng, falling every two or three days; sometimes, a single snowfall would last for two to three days straight. They met at a barbecue restaurant in the old district because it was close to Shang Zhitao's home.

He Yun was Shang Zhitao's best friend from high school. She had attended the police academy for college and was now working as a low-level household registration officer at the Bingcheng Municipal Bureau. Seeing her show up with a heavily pregnant belly this time, Shang Zhitao was quite surprised: "When I mailed you roasted duck a few days ago, you didn't mention you were pregnant at all."

He Yun pointed to her tummy: "Your nephew wanted to eat it."

"You already know the gender?"

"The doctor told me to prepare blue socks."

The high school classmates who remained in Bingcheng were mostly married, yet they enjoyed a relatively free and simple, happy life. Shang Zhitao had built up her alcohol tolerance a bit, so she sat by the barbecue shop's window, sipping drinks and chatting with everyone. They talked about their recent lives, and He Yun patted Shang Zhitao's shoulder, saying: "Among our high school classmates, the only guy who's single and has great conditions that I know of is Xing Yi from the class next door."

"That school heartthrob?" another classmate asked.

"Yes, exactly. He works for the government. I bumped into him once when he came to our bureau on official business."

As Shang Zhitao listened to everyone chat, she turned her head and saw the warm city lights gleaming through the snow of the old district. The white puffs of breath from pedestrians along the street drifted upward, while street vendors selling popsicles arranged over a hundred boxes of frozen treats along the ground. Suddenly, the thought struck her that she really ought to come back.

While one's parents are alive, one should not travel far.

She could return here, use the hundreds of thousands of yuan in savings she had accumulated over the years to make a down payment on a house of about 120 square meters, and start a warm, vibrant life anew.

The decision was made in that very instant.

They drank a lot of alcohol that day, to the point that almost everyone ended up slightly tipsy, except for the heavily pregnant He Yun. Shang Zhitao felt like she hadn't been this lighthearted in a long time. Leaning against He Yun's shoulder, she said to her: "I feel like we've traveled back to when we were seventeen."

"At seventeen, you didn't know a single thing about the world!" He Yun chuckled, knocking her lightly on the head.

Indeed, seventeen-year-old Shang Zhitao had been somewhat naive. No matter who achieved something great—whether it was ranking first or winning an award—she would sincerely applaud them from the bottom of her heart. Her classmates used to whisper behind her back: Is Shang Zhitao a bit simple-minded? Why isn't she jealous of anyone?

There was even a boy who handed her a love letter, which terrified her so much that she asked He Yun: "He's not trying to harm me, is he?"

There were so many memories. As everyone shared stories at the table, they couldn't help but erupt in helpless laughter.

It was nearly eleven o'clock at night when Tracy's call came through. She said to Shang Zhitao: "I originally wanted to speak with you in person today, but Josh mentioned that you took leave because a family member fell ill. Is everything alright?"

"My dad just didn't walk down the stairs properly and fractured his left foot. He's resting up now. Thank you for your concern, Tracy."

"I called you regarding two matters. The first is that this year's company annual gala needs a colleague from the Planning Department to plan and organize it. I discussed it with Josh, and he recommended you; as for the second matter, I originally wanted to tell you face-to-face, but I simply couldn't wait any longer." Tracy was clearly in a wonderful mood.

Doing the math quickly, Shang Zhitao figured half a month would be more than enough time to execute a corporate annual gala, so she agreed to Tracy's request: "Then what is the second matter?"

"This year, the company added a new Special Contribution Award, which carries rewards equivalent to those for appointed experts. The only difference is that an expert's stock options vest over three years, whereas the Special Contribution Award takes effect immediately." Tracy paused briefly before continuing: "The Special Contribution Award is granted to non-expert employees who have worked at the company for over five years, maintained an A+ performance rating for the last three cycles, managed more than three company-level projects, and led an S+-level project. This year, only you and Frank qualify across the entire company. So, Flora, congratulations."

The snow fell heavily over Bingcheng that night as Shang Zhitao listened quietly to Tracy's words. She didn't even realize that tears had silently slipped down her face, and because the weather was so freezing, the tears froze right onto her cheeks.

"Tracy," Shang Zhitao's voice sounded slightly hoarse: "Thank you."

"You earned this yourself, Flora. You don't need to thank me. If you truly want to thank something, then thank your own perseverance through every single day of the past six years."

"But Tracy, there's something I want to tell you. Can you keep it a secret for me?"

"I can. You can trust me completely."

"I want to resign. I'm being serious. If the company bestows this award upon me, the company will incur a loss, and you'll also have to bear the pressure caused by the departure of a core employee." Shang Zhitao didn't want to bring any trouble to Tracy; after all these years, Tracy had always treated her with utmost kindness, and Shang Zhitao deeply respected her.

"How about you take the stock options first before making a decision? As you know, Lingmei's stock is exceptionally valuable."

"I've already made up my mind to leave."

"Then just accept it. You don't need to worry about anything else."

Tracy was a highly assertive and rational HR manager. When others repeatedly intruded upon her territory and altered her rules, her instinct was to fight back. Having climbed to her current position in the corporate world, no one was a pushover. While fighting against fate was endlessly entertaining, fighting against people was even more so.

"I..."

"Accept it. Don't worry about the rest." Tracy thought to herself, Screw it all, it's not my money anyway. She was already fully prepared to strike back.

"Tracy, thank you." Shang Zhitao's nose was numb from the cold, and she cupped her nose with her hands. Her tears and running nose froze together, making her look thoroughly disheveled.

"I'll keep this secret for you, from everyone."

"Alright, thank you."

Shang Zhitao hung up the phone, feeling as though she were moving through a dream. She didn't ask Tracy why the company had suddenly introduced a Special Contribution Award this year; she simply felt that this award had arrived at just the right moment. It felt like a celebratory firecracker launched in advance for her wrapping up her life in Beijing, giving her a triumphant send-off as she prepared to leave that city.

The next day, Shang Zhitao took Big Zhai to look at properties. She set her sights on a 146-square-meter apartment with a down payment of around 500,000 yuan and a monthly mortgage under 5,000 yuan—an amount she could easily afford. She finalized the purchase that very day.

Big Zhai stood by, utterly bewildered, and asked her: "What are you buying a house for?"

Standing by the curb, Shang Zhitao pulled her down jacket tight and helped Big Zhai adjust her scarf properly before slowly muttering: "If I don't buy a house, where would I live when I come back? If I keep crowding in with you two, wouldn't the neighbors talk? They'd say Old Shang's daughter worked away from home for so many years without making anything of herself, only to end up squeezing in with her parents." She let out a soft laugh after finishing her sentence.

"You only come back a few days a year, who cares what others say!"

"No, Mom," Shang Zhitao wrapped an arm around her mother's shoulders: "What I mean is, I'm coming back to work in Bingcheng."

Big Zhai froze in place. Nearly sixty years old, she suddenly stood on the sidewalk and broke into tears.

She had been gone for ten years, drifting from Nanjing to Beijing like duckweed without roots. Only here in Bingcheng did she feel her feet firmly planted on the ground—here lay her family, her friends, her childhood and youth, along with the heavy snowfall she loved so dearly.

And even after enduring countless severe frosts, there were always wild weeds that would sprout anew in the coming year.

Just like her.