No matter how beautiful the spring breeze is, it can't compare to your smile. People who have never seen you will never understand.

When we arrived at Xu Jue's villa halfway up the mountain, the snowflakes flying in the sky were becoming more and more dense, fluttering down as if they were going to cover the entire world.
Xu Jue drove the car into the garage of the villa, then he got out quickly, went around to the other side and opened the door for me. He didn't say anything, just covered the roof of the car with his hands and waited for me to get out.
I suddenly became nervous. Although Xu Jue and I were no longer strangers strictly speaking, we were not familiar enough to enter his house at will, not to mention the possibility of meeting his family.
Xu Jue is so smart that he probably saw my nervousness and concerns a long time ago, and said calmly: "I live alone here, and my assistant Yu Ze comes to help occasionally."
He just said a few simple words, but for some reason, I suddenly calmed down, got out of the car, followed him, crossed the large courtyard, and walked towards the three-story villa.
This is a villa hidden in the lush green hillside, with white walls, black tiles and horse-head walls. This quaint and unique architectural style is unique in a modern city like City C.
I couldn't help but look back at the courtyard that I had just ignored. Sure enough, the huge courtyard was planted with only pine, cypress and green bamboo, standing proudly in the snow, with a majestic and majestic style, just like their owner.
"This is Hui-style architecture." Xu Jue opened the door and walked straight in.
“I know.” I nodded. “There are many buildings like this in my hometown.”
I didn't tell him that it was this familiar architectural style that made me feel completely at ease and like I was back home.
He didn't seem surprised, turned around and took two steps forward, then disappeared behind a stone wall. I looked at the dark green stone wall and was stunned. He actually built a screen wall in the gate of the villa in the same way, but I actually admired his meticulous attitude in everything he did.
I turned around the screen wall and found that there was a different world inside. There was a high patio above my head. It was probably covered with a glass roof, so the snow could not fall in. There were a few clumps of Xiaoxiang bamboo planted in the patio. The green bamboo branches reflected the plain white walls unique to Hui-style architecture, which actually gave rise to a sense of Zen.
I looked up to see the snow falling above the patio.
Xu Jue turned around and looked at me, with a hint of smile in his eyes: "I designed it."
Oh, yes, I almost forgot that he is an architect. How could a confident man like him let others design the villa he lives in?
"Do you like it?" he asked suddenly again, with a warm smile in his eyes that I had never seen on his face before.
I was stunned. I never knew that someone like Xu Jue, who was as cold and icy as frost on a branch in winter, would smile like this, like a spring breeze blowing gently, sweeping away all the coldness. When he didn't smile, you thought he was as cold as ice. After he smiled, you had forgotten all his coldness.
"Of course, the most important thing about your house is that you like it." I suddenly realized that I had lost my composure and quickly said, "Whether I like it or not is not important."
"Maybe, it's important?" he murmured softly.
"Ah?" I looked at him in confusion. He had turned around and was walking quickly forward. I thought, maybe I heard it wrong.
The sky was dark and snowy. I followed Xu Jue into the living room. The simple black and white tones and square furniture made it as rigid as he was.
I stood in the living room a little awkwardly, and Xu Jue walked to the kitchen on his own: "I'm hungry, what do you want to eat?"
“No, no need…”
"Then let's have dessert." He said without question, "I bought it yesterday but I don't want to eat it anymore. You can eat it for me so I don't have to throw it away again."
Oh, so it’s just about helping him finish the leftover food. That won’t be so stressful.
I quickly answered, “Okay.”
However, after a long time, Xu Jue walked out of the kitchen quickly with empty hands, looking anxious, as if something very important was missing.
I had never seen Xu Jue look so nervous, so I quickly asked, "What's wrong?"
"Are you looking for this?" Someone slowly walked down the escalator from the second floor, holding a plate with a piece of cake on it.
When the man saw me, he was obviously surprised, but he walked over to me calmly and stretched out his hand: "Hello, I'm Yu Ze, Xu Jue's friend."
"Assistant." Xu Jue corrected him while walking straight towards Yu Ze and took the plate from his hand without saying anything.
I was about to reach out my hand to Yu Ze, but Xu Jue suddenly walked between me and Yu Ze, blocking my outstretched hand. I had no choice but to withdraw my hand awkwardly and said, "Hello, I'm Su Moli."
"Su Moli? Is it the Moli in 'What a beautiful jasmine flower'?" Yu Ze smiled and ignored Xu Jue.
"Yeah." I nodded.
Yu Ze turned around, smiled at Xu Jue, and said meaningfully: "The fresh and elegant jasmine flowers go well with your Hui-style house. Xu Jue, isn't it time to move a pot of jasmine into your yard?"
"How do you know there is none in my yard?" Xu Jue turned his back to Yu Ze, motioned me to sit on the sofa, and then carefully placed the cake on the coffee table in front of me.
"When did you do it?" Yu Ze crossed his arms and walked in front of Xu Jue and me, saying with interest, "I didn't know."
Xu Jue answered sparingly, "Yesterday."
"Fast enough, that's your usual style." Yu Ze looked back at me and said to Xu Jue, "But you've really surprised me recently! Not only did you make tiramisu yourself, you also invited girls to your home. If I remember correctly, you made a cake yourself when you were in the United States four years ago. Bringing a girl home, this is the first time in all the years I've known you."
After Yu Ze finished speaking, he looked at me and then at Xu Jue with a smile. I suddenly realized that he probably misunderstood the relationship between Xu Jue and me.
So this cake was made by Xu Jue himself? Then why did he say that he bought it yesterday and didn't want to eat it?
I looked at the delicious-looking cake on the coffee table and my face suddenly felt hot. But Xu Jue still looked very reluctant to explain.
"No, no..." I explained anxiously, "Xu, Xu...the teacher is just helping me with my homework, so..." I don't know why I suddenly felt that the more I explained, the more unclear this matter became. There are obviously many places to go for tutoring, so why did I have to follow him to his house?
"Oh..." Yu Ze nodded and made an expression of "I see", but I could clearly hear the disbelief in his tone.
"You can go home now." Xu Jue calmly ordered Yu Ze to leave, and I secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Unexpectedly, Yu Ze sat down on the sofa in a cool and neat manner, and said as if he was arguing with Xu Jue: "Are you in such a hurry to get me out? Then I won't leave. I just want to try out what a 100-watt light bulb feels like today."
I was so confused, feeling that there was no way to explain this misunderstanding. The living room suddenly fell silent, and I was so embarrassed that I didn't know what to do.
Since I was a child, I have developed a strange habit. The more embarrassing the situation is, the more I want to eat, as if food can dispel the embarrassing mood.
So, under the gazes of Xu Jue and Yu Ze, I couldn't control myself and picked up the fork from the plate and stabbed the cake.
At that moment, Xu Jue seemed to be struck by lightning, and suddenly shouted softly: "Don't move!"
But it was too late. I dug in with my fork, and when I pulled it out, a ring was picked out from the fork!
I was completely dumbfounded. Xu Jue and Yu Ze were also stunned. However, Xu Jue's expression seemed to be a bit angry and embarrassed, while Yu Ze's face showed an expression of gloating and enjoying the show.
But none of them spoke, they just confronted each other in silence, and the atmosphere suddenly became very strange.
I had to pretend to cough in an attempt to break the deadlock: "Um..."
I turned my head to look at Xu Jue: "Um, did you accidentally drop the ring you were wearing into the cake when you were making it?"
After I asked, I realized something was wrong. The ring I was picking up on the fork was clearly a women's diamond ring, and the diamond on it was as big as a pigeon egg, so shiny that it dazzled my eyes.
I blinked and muttered in confusion: "Why, why is it a women's diamond ring..."
As if he could finally hold it in, Yu Ze burst out laughing, and with a gloating glance at Xu Jue who was staring at the ring nervously, he came closer to take a look: "Come, let me see, how did this naughty diamond ring get into the cake by itself..."
Yu Ze took a closer look and suddenly exclaimed in an exaggerated tone: "Ah, this ring is engraved with words..."
As he said this, he turned his head to look at Xu Jue and reached out to take the ring on the fork.
Xu Jue, who had been motionless just a moment ago, suddenly stretched out his long arm, snatched the ring with lightning speed, and quickly threw the ring and the cake into the trash can next to him, saying nonchalantly: "You took the wrong cake."
Yu Ze said nothing, just looked at Xu Jue and gave that meaningful smile again.
It was as if I suddenly got the idea and understood what was going on.
In the morning, Xu Jue was clearly going to give flowers to a girl, so of course, the ring was also going to be given to that girl. As for why the ring appeared in the cake, that was easier to explain. It was played that way in TV dramas. When a boy wants to propose to a girl he likes, he always likes to hide the diamond ring in the cake to give the girl a surprise.
However, Yu Ze just mistakenly took the piece of cake that contained the diamond ring, so in the end this piece of cake was placed in front of me, and it ended up turning into a "shock".
However, Xu Jue was such a conceited and proud person that he certainly would not admit in front of Yu Ze and me that he was in love with a certain girl, so he "destroyed the evidence" out of anger.
But, it is such a waste of such a beautiful ring to just throw it away.
When I thought about this, I couldn't help but reach into the trash can.
"You, what are you doing!" Xu Jue seemed to be extremely frightened. He stood up and tried to snatch the trash can from me.
"Help you find the ring!" I said, understandingly, "I knew it this morning. You were going to give flowers to a girl. You must be planning to give this ring to her, right? In fact, it's not shameful to admit that you like a girl."
"You..." Xu Jue looked at me with burning eyes, veins faintly visible on his forehead.
"Haha..." Yu Ze couldn't help laughing out loud as if he had been holding back for a long time. He stretched out his long legs and pushed the trash can next to me. He looked at me and Xu Jue with a smile and said meaningfully, "I think you two probably have some misunderstandings. You can take your time to look for it and talk about it. I suddenly remembered that I have something else to do, so I'll leave first."
Yu Ze stood up and walked out the door quickly, as if he was escaping from a world war that was about to begin. I held the ring I found in the trash can in my hand, and suddenly I felt that the atmosphere in the living room, where only Xu Jue and I were left, became unprecedentedly weird.
Xu Jue didn't come to snatch the ring from me again. What's even more strange is that the words engraved on the inner ring of the ring were "I Love You Su Moli"!
I stood there in a daze. The living room was so quiet that I could hear my heartbeat. Xu Jue was leaning against the wall looking at me. Outside the window, I could vaguely hear the rustling of falling snow hitting the pines, cypresses and bamboos. I suspected there was something wrong with my eyes.
"You're not mistaken, Su Moli," he said, "I love you."
I think my expression must have been one of shock and disbelief.
He said as if he was angry: "That's right, Su Moli, I love you, probably from a long time ago, but I just found out two days ago. There's nothing wrong with admitting it, although at first I also felt that my love for you was too unbelievable. But, I, Xu Jue, have never been afraid to admit my feelings, so the fact is, I like you, Su Moli."
He said it so confidently and confidently that I knew he wasn't joking. Besides, he really had no reason to joke with me like that, but...
"How, how is it possible..." I subconsciously wanted to refute him, "You clearly..."
"What about me?" He looked me straight in the eyes, as if he was a bit frustrated, or like a weird kid who had his secret exposed. He simply confessed, "Yes, I admit that I asked my advisor for help in changing your major, even though I used to disdain using personal relationships. The 10 million laboratory was donated for you. And, early in the morning, I drove a convertible full of flowers like a madman, to give it to you. I got up at five in the morning to make the cake myself, and I put this ring in it to surprise you..."
He paused and said, "Su Moli, if there is anything else I have done for you or want to do for you, I will tell you when I remember it." He said it so frankly and directly, as if he did those things openly and aboveboard, and only I, who knew nothing, was sneaky.
It turns out that he has done so much for me? I clearly understood every word he said, but I still couldn't react. Xu Jue liked Su Moli, which was simply a fairy tale.
But he walked closer to me, looking down at me condescendingly, so close that I could almost feel his breath.
His voice was low and hoarse, but it sounded like the rustling of falling snow, as if it was trying to seep into people's hearts.
He said, "Su Moli, maybe you don't know that I used to focus on my studies and didn't know how to pursue girls. So I had to read some books and watch some TV dramas on this subject, and did some research and statistics on this subject. I found that now, to pursue a girl, it's nothing more than giving her flowers, a house, a car, and a diamond ring. The flowers and the diamond ring have been given to you, and you've seen the house and the car. If you don't like them, I can buy a new car and build a new house for you. But I don't understand, whether two people love each other, isn't it a necessary and sufficient condition that they have 'mutual understanding'?"
He paused and said, "Ah, yes, there is another way, which is to hold a grand proposal ceremony in public and in front of everyone. Although I think this method is like a clown's grandstanding, if you like, I can reluctantly give it a try."
He finished speaking, paused for two seconds, then leaned forward to look me in the eye, his nose almost touching my forehead. He looked at me intently and said, "So, what about you? Su Moli?"
His fresh breath ruffled my bangs, and I subconsciously leaned back to distance myself from him: "I..."
I was speechless. I clearly wanted to reject him outright, but inexplicably I couldn't bear to do it. Such a proud and arrogant person said such compromising words to me, how could I have the heart to reject him outright?
But I know clearly that there is only room for Chu Yubai in my heart, and no room for anyone else, even though Xu Jue is also very good.
"Xu Jue!" I looked up and looked into his eyes. "You are right. Whether two people love each other has nothing to do with flowers, diamond rings, houses or cars. Whether two people love each other, mutual understanding is a necessary and sufficient condition, so..."
I paused. I don't know why, but I looked into his eyes, those clear black and white eyes, and I couldn't say the words "I'm sorry".
"You only have Chu Yubai in your heart." He already understood everything, and said with a self-deprecating smile, "Su Moli, can you tell me? Compared with Chu Yubai, what is the difference between me and him?"
I remained silent. Chu Yubai is the boy I have liked since I was 14, and Xu Jue is just a stranger who suddenly said he liked me when I was 19. I have never compared them in my heart, so how can I know the difference?
"You've never compared, right?" Xu Jue seemed to see through my heart and said knowingly, "Because, in your heart, there's no comparison between Chu Yubai and me."
I bit my lip and said nothing.
"Then let me help you compare them." He looked at me with clear and sad eyes. "In terms of academics, he was admitted to Yale and I studied at Harvard, so we are on par with each other. Wealth probably doesn't mean anything to you, so let's not compare. In terms of appearance, I think I am better than him, so, Su Moli, tell me, why can't I enter your heart?"
After he asked the question, he suddenly froze, as if he had remembered something extremely important. A strong sense of frustration gradually emerged in his eyes as he looked at me.
He sighed softly and said, "Oh, Su Moli, I forgot that you have face blindness."
He kept looking at me while he said this, his deep gaze seemed to penetrate into my heart: "So, this face that I thought was the only one that could surpass Chu Yubai has become meaningless in front of you, right?"
Such a proud person looked at me with such sadness, and I suddenly felt more guilty than ever before.
The Xu Jue I knew should not be like this. He could be sharp-tongued, cold and aloof. I didn't care no matter how harsh and strict he was to me. But when he peeled off his hard exterior and looked at me with such fragility and sadness, I could no longer say anything cruel.
"No..." I lowered my head, not daring to look into his eyes again, "You are no worse than Chu Yubai. It's just... it's just that he saved my life, he met me before you, and he has lived in my heart before you, so..."
"You don't have to say anything." Xu Jue interrupted me quickly, turned his head away and stopped looking at me, "No one can go back to the past and change history, so I can never save the you of the past, and I can never meet the you of the past first. I can never win over the Chu Yubai in your heart."
When he said this, he seemed to have regained his usual calmness and composure, and there was no emotion in his tone. However, at the end, there was a slight tremor in his voice.
He said: "Su Moli, you are so cruel..."
Outside the window, the snow was white, as if the cold snowflakes were drifting into my heart. My heart couldn't help but shrink slightly, as if a faint pain spread from the left chest. I sat there motionless as if I was cast a spell.
"Su Moli, it's okay if you don't let me enter your world." Xu Jue turned his head slowly, regaining his usual cynical look, and said with a nonchalant smile, "Then please disappear from my world too."
I stood up woodenly and walked out quickly, not daring to look back, afraid to see his sad and lost eyes, afraid that I would suddenly soften my heart.
He is right. Since my world is closed to everyone, what qualifications do I have to walk around in other people's world?
Xu Jue felt that he must have been possessed by a ghost.
After Su Moli left, he did not get angry or heartbroken like a normal person because of the rejection of his confession. He looked at the falling snow outside the window, and all he could think about was, it was snowing so heavily, there were no buses on the mountain, and it was hard to get a taxi, how would Su Moli go back to the city? Would that stupid Su Moli be in danger?
Even though he knew that she didn't have him in her eyes at all, his heart and eyes were still full of her. If he wasn't possessed by a ghost, then what else could it be?
As if in a fit of anger, Xu Jue opened a glass of red wine, sat by the window, looked at the snow falling all over the sky, held the wine glass filled with red wine, but did not raise his head to drink it for a long time.
After a long time, he finally understood why he was reluctant to take a sip even though he wanted to drown his sorrows in alcohol.
Half an hour after Su Moli left, a strong wind blew outside the window and the sky was so gloomy that it seemed as if night was about to fall. The strong wind added fuel to the snow, and snowflakes danced all over the sky. Looking out from the room, it was all white outside the window and visibility was extremely low.
Xu Jue almost subconsciously put down his wine glass and reached for the car keys on the coffee table.
It was not until this moment that he realized why he was just holding the wine glass stubbornly but refused to drink a sip of red wine. It was because he still had to drive out to find Su Moli, and he was worried about her walking alone on the snowy mountain road.
When Xu Jue grabbed the car keys and rushed out the door, he realized that his heart was beating so fast. He was almost losing his mind due to the unprecedented panic and anxiety. Would she get lost? Would she run into a bad guy? Would she step on the snow and fall down the mountain? Would she...
Wild thoughts probably describe Xu Jue at this moment. He finally realized what it felt like to worry about a person. The first thing he thought of was all the bad things that might happen to her, and he prayed fearfully that those bad things would never happen to her.
On that windy and snowy afternoon, on the winding mountain road with visibility less than ten meters, Xu Jue drove the car as fast as he could, looking for a girl named Su Moli, even though she didn't have eyes for him at all; even though there lived an immortal Chu Yubai in her heart; even though he knew that he might never be able to defeat Chu Yubai.
But what could he do? In the face of her safety, his self-esteem and pride, which he had once thought were the most important and more important than his life, suddenly seemed worthless.
It turns out that love is such a cruel thing, which can easily make him, who is so proud and conceited, lose all his weapons and be defeated.
It turns out that love is such a beautiful thing. Even though there is an immortal Chu Yubai in Su Moli's heart, even though she sticks to her and Chu Yubai's little world and refuses to come out or let others come in. However, Xu Jue still wants to stand as close to her as possible, even if it's just to see her smiling face.
It doesn’t matter if I am not in your world, as long as you are in my world, Su Moli.
No matter how beautiful the spring breeze is, it can't compare to your smile. People who have never seen you will never understand.
January 19, 2016, blizzard, my name is Su Moli, and I got lost in the mountains.
An hour ago, I almost staggered out of Xu Jue's villa. The sky was so gloomy as if the night was about to fall. The strong wind blew snowflakes in my face. The wind and snow blinded my eyes and I couldn't help shivering. I don't know why, but my heart seemed to be snowing, cold and damp. Whenever I thought of the look in Xu Jue's eyes when I left, somewhere in my heart seemed to be gently pulled by something.
But I know I can't turn back.
I wrapped my coat tightly, lowered my head, and walked forward woodenly against the wind and snow. In that pure white world, the winding mountain road seemed to have no end.
I don't know how long it took, but my hands and feet gradually became numb and my whole body was cold, as if even my breath was cold. What's worse, as I walked, there was suddenly no road ahead. I looked up and looked around blankly. In my blurred vision, there was nothing but white snow and lush trees. It was only then that I realized that I had strayed into the woods and lost my way.
I wanted to go back along the same path I had come from, struggling to walk through the knee-deep snow. However, perhaps in a very cold environment, one's physical strength would be consumed very quickly, and I didn't walk far before I gradually lost my strength. At the moment when my consciousness was about to become completely blurred, I remembered the phone in my bag.
I desperately used my stiff hands to take out my phone from my bag and tried hard to turn on the screen. However, no matter how hard I pressed, the screen remained deathly dark. I don't know when, the phone ran out of battery and turned off automatically.
I staggered and fell to the ground in the snow. My vision gradually became blurred and my eyelids felt as if they weighed a thousand pounds. But I knew I couldn't sleep. If I fell asleep now, I would never wake up again.
But I can't die. If I die, who will help Chu Yubai fulfill his dream?
I gritted my teeth and used all four of my limbs to crawl on the snow, trying to get out of the sunlightless forest. I told myself that no matter what, I had to follow the footprints to crawl out. Even if I crawled back to the road, it would increase my chances of being rescued.
Su Moli, you can't die yet. Chu Yubai's dream hasn't come true yet. How can you die?
On this cold winter day with raging snow and wind, I used up every bit of strength in my body, crawling on the cold snow, trying to move forward, as if I had endured for a century. But in fact, I knew that I only crawled a dozen meters away.
Suddenly, my limbs, which had been numb from the cold, began to feel a long-lost warmth. I knew that this was an illusion and that I would soon fall into a coma from hypothermia.
Am I going to die here?
I closed my eyes unwillingly and completely lost consciousness. I felt as if I had fallen into an extremely cold and chaotic world. Everything was white. The sounds of wind and falling snow in my ears gradually disappeared, and I fell into a terrifying silence.
I don’t know how long it took, but suddenly a warm and anxious voice came from afar, like a sharp needle piercing through the dead silence and coming to me: "Jasmine, Jasmine..."
Who is it, who is calling my name, so cautiously, so gently as water, so panicked?
I used up the last bit of my strength and slowly opened my eyes. In my blurry vision, amidst the white snow, that dark blue figure stood alone and almost hurt my eyes.
Is it you, Chu Yubai? Is it you who came into my dream to see me?
"Chu Yubai..." I struggled, calling him by his full name as usual, trying to bend the corners of my stiff lips to smile at him, "I'm going to die, right? You come to take me away, right? I know, you are in my dream..."
"You won't die." He answered firmly and resolutely, but I could hear the trembling in his voice.
"It's okay..." I tried to keep my eyelids open and looked at him, "It doesn't matter even if I die..."
Because that way, I can be with you forever.
"I won't let you die, Su Moli." He unbuttoned his coat and wrapped me, who was frozen like a popsicle, tightly in his arms. He hugged me as if he had used up all his strength. "Su Moli, you will not die. I will not allow you to die."
"Chu Yubai, I'm tired..." I lay in his arms, greedily feeling the warmth from his body, and felt drowsy.
This is indeed a beautiful dream. In the dream there is the familiar warmth and Chu Yubai who loves me as always. If this is the feeling of death, I can accept it with pleasure.
I smiled and slowly closed my eyes.
"Su Moli, don't sleep!" I heard him shouting in my ear, "Su Moli, I won't allow you to sleep!"
His tone was so fierce and overbearing, but in the end he became choked up. I heard him say, "Su Moli, I beg you, don't sleep, don't sleep..."
I'm sorry, Yubai, I really want to open my eyes and see you again, but maybe I have used all my energy in waiting for you, so now that you are here, I need to rest.
My consciousness gradually became blurred. In a daze, I felt someone wrapping clothes around me and rubbing my hands and feet with snow desperately, trying to help me restore my body temperature.
I don’t know how long it took, but a slight warmth slowly spread from my limbs to my left chest. It was so warm, was this heaven?
I closed my eyes and murmured subconsciously: "Yubai, I'm going to see you, right?"
He didn't say anything, but just carried me on his back, stumbling forward in the snow. He held me so tightly, as if he would never let go.
I felt relieved. Now, no matter where she goes, Su Moli can be with Chu Yubai forever.
I leaned on his back and fell into a deep sleep peacefully. The whole world finally fell silent.
It seemed as if a century had passed, and I was surrounded by a warm atmosphere. I felt safe and comfortable like a baby returning to its mother's womb. I gradually woke up, and the moment I opened my eyes, what caught my eye was the navy blue figure leaning towards me, his eyes fixed on my face.
I subconsciously called him: "Chu Yubai..."
He said nothing, just looked at me and smiled. As he smiled, tears began to glisten in his black and white eyes.
This must still be a dream, right? Even in a dream, was he still so worried about me? He must be terrified, right?
I gently pulled his sleeve, trying to comfort him: "Chu Yubai..."
But he suddenly took me into his arms, and held me tightly for a long, long time, not refusing to let go, as if if he let go I would be blown away like snowflakes by the wind.
I heard his fast and strong heartbeat, so clear, so real, not like a dream at all. I struggled to lift my head from his arms, slowly turning my eyes to look around, the hum of the car engine, the black leather seats, the low-key and luxurious interior decoration, it was the white sports car.
I bit my lip gently, feeling a little pain. All this was not a dream, and the person who was hugging me tightly at this moment was not Chu Yubai, but Xu Jue.
"Xu Jue." I struggled slightly.
He stiffened as if he had been shot. Then he slowly let go of me and turned his head away without looking at me.
It turned out that at that moment when I was on the verge of life and death, I thought it was Chu Yubai who came to see me, but it turned out that it was Xu Jue who saved me. He braved the heavy snow to find me in the forest, desperately helped me to restore my body temperature, carried me back to the car, and tried every means to revive me. I don't know how he did it, but I know that everything he did for me just now required risking his life.
"Thank you." I remembered that I had mistaken him for Chu Yubai when my consciousness was blurred. I felt so guilty that I didn't know what to say, "I'm sorry..."
"It was me who brought you to the mountain and drove you away, so I am responsible for your safety," he turned his head to look at me, "You don't have to thank me, let alone apologize."
He tried his best to look indifferent. I don't know why, but the more he acted like that, the more sad and guilty I felt. The image of him finding me in the forest kept coming to my mind. He was so anxious that even his voice trembled and he started to sob.
I clearly remember that he said at that time -
"Su Moli, I beg you, don't sleep, don't sleep..."
Such a proud person, but because of me, easily said the word "please", how can it not make people feel a little sad?
I quietly raised my eyes to look at him, only to find that he was only wearing a thin navy blue sweater, and he wrapped his coat around me.
I quickly handed him his coat: "Please wear it. I'm not cold anymore."
He glanced at me, took the coat, and then covered me with it again: "The air conditioner is on in the car."
He seemed uncomfortable, paused and added: "I'm not cold."
"Oh." I wanted to say thank you to him, but those two words were too light for everything he had done for me, so light that I couldn't say them out loud.
I couldn't find anything to say, so he became even more silent. In the small car, the only sound was the faint sound of the air conditioner.
After a long while, he gently turned his body, took out a bottle from his sweater, and handed it to me: "Drink it."
It was a small bottle of foreign liquor. I was stunned for a moment before I realized that he had been using his body temperature to warm the bottle of liquor for me!
I stood there in a daze, and my nose suddenly felt sore.
"There's nothing else in the car except this bottle of wine. You can replenish your energy." His eyes fell through the windshield on the distant snowflakes dancing in the sky, and he said firmly, "The snow has blocked the road, and the car can't move. We have to get out of the car and walk. We must get back to our residence before dark."
He spoke so calmly, but I could hear the danger from his few words. Maybe he was in such a hurry to go out that he forgot to bring his cell phone. So, even if he carried me out of the forest, we were still trapped in the car. Once the gas ran out and there was no heating, the consequences would be disastrous. So, we could only take the risk and walk up the mountain.
He said it so nonchalantly, maybe he just didn't want me to worry.
"Okay." I took the bottle, tilted my head back and took a few sips. I don't know if it was a psychological effect, but the warm wine flowed into my stomach and my whole body seemed to warm up instantly.
I handed him the bottle and motioned for him to drink some, but he silently put the bottle into his trouser pocket.
"Xu Jue, I..."
"You don't have to say anything." He nodded knowingly and said, "When you were in the most danger and needed help the most, the only person you thought of was Chu Yubai. So, I know, there is only Chu Yubai in your heart."
His clear eyes fell on my face, and there seemed to be infinite sorrow in his clear eyes, but in the blink of an eye, he returned to normal, smiled, and said: "Don't worry, I don't have any other purpose in doing this, I just... don't want you to die because of me. It's just that I am willing to accept the loss, and it's nothing that I, Xu Jue, can't afford to lose. If you don't want to, I won't force you."
He was so frank, and that made me feel even sadder.
"Are you ready? We're about to get out of the car." As he said this, he quickly opened the car door and got out.
I got off the car right after him. The only feeling I had was cold. The strong wind whistled with snowflakes and almost made me lose my balance. Xu Jue reached out and held me up.
"Your coat." I quickly took off his coat and gave it to him.
He held my hand without saying anything: "I'm fine."
"No," I also became stubborn, "In this weather, wearing only a sweater, do you want to die?"
"Su Moli, I don't want to die, because I still have something very important to do." He stood in the snow, squinting at me, "If you want us to walk out of this alive together, just listen to me."
Then, without waiting for my answer, he turned his back to me and half squatted down.
I knew he was going to carry me on his back. I froze in my tracks, trying to convince him that I could walk on my own.
But he seemed to be able to see through my heart. Without looking back, he said without question: "If you go alone, you will slow me down."
Maybe it was the snowflakes falling on my eyelashes, I suddenly felt wet in the corners of my eyes. The person in front of me had his pride and self-esteem, so even if he was worried that I would freeze to death if I walked in the snow for too long, he had to express it in such seemingly unkind words.
I didn't argue with him anymore, but just lay on his back without saying a word.
That dark evening, he carried me on his back, trudging forward in the snow. All I could do was to lie on his back tightly, hoping to use my body to block the raging cold wind for him, even if it was just a little bit.
The snowflakes blinded my eyes, and the coldness once again invaded my limbs, as if there was only a little warmth left in my left atrium. The sound of the wind in my ears seemed to gradually fade away, and I could only hear the "squeaking" sound of Xu Jue stepping on the snow step by step.
In a trance, I heard Xu Jue calling my name, still with a bit of gnashing teeth: "Su-Mo-Li, my wish ticket has not been used yet, you can't die, do you hear me?"
I leaned on his back, and before I completely lost consciousness, I whispered, "Okay..."
After a long, long time, I woke up again, and was woken up by Xu Jue. Yes, this time, I recognized his voice immediately, cold as frost, with a bit of gnashing of teeth, calling my name over and over again: "Su...Moli, Su Moli...you...wake up, don't sleep..."
"You won't die. I haven't paid you for your tutoring yet." The surroundings were warm as spring. We must have arrived at Xu Jue's villa halfway up the mountain. I tried hard to open my eyes, and the snowman-like figure came into view.
His hair and eyelashes were all covered with frost, his thin navy blue sweater was soaked by the snow and iced over, his thin lips were pale purple, he knelt in front of the sofa, staring at me with his bright eyes, and when he saw me wake up, the corners of his mouth slowly curved up, and the next second, he fell to the ground with a thud...
"Xu Jue!" I called out subconsciously and reached out to pull him. He fell to the ground motionless, his limbs were cold, and even his breath became weak. My heartbeat became panic, but my mind was unusually clear. I had to restore his body temperature immediately!
I quickly took off his soaking wet clothes, wrapped him tightly with a blanket and quilt, and turned the air conditioner to the highest setting. However, for a long time, he remained motionless with his eyes closed.
Time passed by minute by minute, and an inexplicable sense of fear slowly rose from the bottom of my heart. I was terrified and called him in a lost voice: "Xu Jue, Xu Jue..."
Without any hesitation, I pulled back the quilt and hugged him tightly, trying to warm him with my body temperature, just like he had done for me in the snow before.
While doing all this, I was almost in a clear state of mind.
I told myself that this had nothing to do with love between men and women. He risked his life to save me, so I would do whatever it took to wake him up. In this way, Su Moli and Xu Jue would owe each other nothing. That was all.
Outside the window, there was the sound of falling snow, and occasionally, the sound of branches being broken by the snow. I hugged Xu Jue tightly, and time seemed to have stopped at that moment, until I heard that cold and careless voice: "Su Moli, you are about to strangle me to death..."
Although he said this, he did not struggle, but rested his chin on my shoulder obediently like a child.
I heard his low, contented laugh and suddenly reacted, and hurriedly let him go. Since he already had the energy to complain about me, that should mean that everything was fine, right?
I lowered my eyes, not daring to look at him, and my face suddenly became hot. He probably also noticed that I was only wearing shorts and a vest under the blanket. He was silent for a few seconds, wrapped the blanket tightly around himself, stood up, and said awkwardly: "I'm going to change my clothes. You can choose any room on the second floor to sleep."
I stood still.
He walked out a few steps, looked back at me, sighed softly and said, "I will stay on the first floor tonight and will never step foot on the second floor. Are you still worried about this?"
I stood there, with my head lowered even lower, wanting to say that I didn't mean that, but my face was getting damn hotter.
"What?" He suddenly walked towards me, stopped very close to me, and looked at me sideways. "Are you so scared of me? Do you want me to sleep in the car in the garage?"
"No, no need..." I walked around him and trotted upstairs.
That night, I thought I would suffer from insomnia, but I had no dreams all night, and I didn't wake up until dawn. The snow had stopped, and the golden sunlight shone on the snow outside the window, so bright that it blinded my eyes. Everything last night seemed like just an illusory dream.
I called a taxi using an app and the driver told me that he could wait for me at the foot of the mountain.
I tiptoed downstairs, and when I saw Xu Jue still sleeping soundly on the sofa on the first floor, my body felt like it was pierced by a sharp arrow and nailed to the spot.
He actually did as he said and did not go up to the second floor, even though there were so many rooms on the second floor.
This person who seems to be indifferent to everyone actually turns out to be a warm person sometimes.
On that sunny winter morning, I left without saying goodbye as if I was escaping, afraid that I would not be able to help but look back at that cold but unpleasant person.