Around 3:30, she arrived at the flower market.
The flower markets in Nancheng are generally larger and livelier than those in other cities. The early morning flower markets mainly cater to suppliers—at that time, trucks of all sizes haul away flowers, either for local Nancheng flower shops, Flower Street vendors, or for company orders. Some even come from neighboring cities like Licheng and Dongcheng.
By the afternoon and evening, the market mostly serves individual customers.
The flowers on Flower Street become more refined. As soon as Wen Yang walked through the gate, she was greeted by the fragrance of jasmine, mingled with the scent of roses and a faint hint of osmanthus.
She raised her camera and started snapping photos as she strolled along. Outside a honeysuckle flower shop, the owner was offering free honeysuckle tea, made with a blend of jasmine and honeysuckle. The jasmine balanced out the bitterness of the honeysuckle, making the aroma rich and pleasant.
Wen Yang bought two packets of the owner’s premixed flower tea.
Then she continued deeper into the market.
Inside Flower Street, there was a shop that specialized in cultivating roses. It was the most visited by customers, and Wen Yang had been here a few times before. This time, she specifically came to observe the shop’s layout.
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Rv oyp cwkzv zkjl y aspl tyaeld—jdsod yp vbl xspv clywvkqwz aspl tyaeld kd Lydnbldt.
Eld Zydt pvsse swvpkel vyjkdt rbsvsp sq vbl pbsr qsa y obkzl.
Mbld pbl oyzjle kd. Pwakdt vbkp plypsd, xydu dlo aspl hyaklvklp bye clld nwzvkhyvle, lprlnkyzzu vbl “Ylaxyke Vakdnlpp” aspl, obknb oyp wdkiwl vs vbkp pbsr. Eld Zydt oyzjle wr yde cltyd rbsvstayrbkdt kv.
Llmv vs bla, vbl pbsrjllrla oyp nbyvvkdt okvb y xkeezl-ytle ywdvkl.
Mbl osxyd rknjle wr y cswiwlv sq rkdj-czwl asplp yde oyp nbsspkdt qzsolap. Mbl pbsrjllrla ypjle, “Eblal’p uswa eywtbvla-kd-zyo? Pked’v pbl nsxl okvb usw vseyu? R alxlxcla vbkp kp bla qyhsakvl hyaklvu, aktbv?”
Mbl osxyd plzlnvle ydsvbla cswiwlv, rywple, yde alrzkle, “Yx, pbl’p clld cwpu zyvlzu.”
“Zsw’al pwnb y tsse xsvbla-kd-zyo, nsxkdt blal prlnkyzzu vs rknj swv asplp qsa bla. R sdzu pyhle vblpl clnywpl usw nyzzle xl. Xvblaokpl, vblu’e byhl clld vyjld yoyu cu nwpvsxlap vbkp xsadkdt. Lso kq ydusdl oydvp vs saela, vblu’zz byhl vs oykv wdvkz vbl eyu yqvla vsxsaaso.”
Mbl osxyd pxkzle yde pyke, “Mbydjp. R pyo sd uswa psnkyz xleky vbyv vbkp hyaklvu oyp pvkzz yhykzyczl vseyu, ps R nyzzle.”
“You hardly come to Nancheng—I had to let you know. Last year you weren’t even here, and still ordered several bouquets that I delivered to your place in the Bay District. I remember it all.”
Zheng Guili smiled and continued picking flowers.
While taking photos, Wen Yang overheard the conversation and recognized Zheng Guili’s voice. She paused, then turned away to photograph a different batch of roses in other colors. The last encounter had been a coincidence, and she hadn’t planned to meet again this time.
She finished taking pictures and was about to leave.
But the shopkeeper looked up and spotted her, and immediately said to the woman still choosing Mermaid Princess roses, “Guili, your daughter-in-law is here! I was wondering—you two always show up one after the other!”
Wen Yang’s steps faltered.
Zheng Guili turned and saw her.
The shopkeeper had a loud voice, and many people buying flowers looked over. Zheng Guili clearly seemed delighted when she saw Wen Yang and immediately greeted her: “Yangyang.”
Wen Yang smiled slightly and greeted her naturally, “Auntie, buying flowers?”
“Mm, look how beautiful the Mermaid Princess is this year.” Zheng Guili walked over holding the flowers to show her. Seeing the gentleness in her eyes, Wen Yang smiled and looked at the pink-blue roses.
Two years ago, Zheng Guili had come to Nancheng, and the two of them had strolled Flower Street arm-in-arm while Cheng Yanyu followed behind. They had come into this very rose garden. Wen Yang had been stunned by the Mermaid Princess roses and wanted to buy some immediately, but someone had already reserved the entire stock. Cheng Yanyu had gone to negotiate and managed to buy two bouquets from that person at a premium.
Later, Zheng Guili made a point of establishing a good relationship with the shopkeeper—not only to make it easier to buy flowers, but also in hopes that the following year there would be more Mermaid Princess roses set aside for Wen Yang.
She had thought those memories were buried and locked away, that she wouldn’t recall them easily. But seeing Zheng Guili here brought them rushing back. She could still vaguely remember how she felt when Cheng Yanyu came back with those two bouquets. Everyone was looking at her with envy.
Wen Yang came back to herself and smiled at Zheng Guili. “Auntie, the flowers are beautiful, but I don’t like them as much anymore this year. I prefer a different type now.”
Zheng Guili paused at that.
The two locked eyes. Over the three years they had known each other, including the two years of marriage, they had become quite familiar. Zheng Guili was highly sensitive and emotionally perceptive. She immediately realized Wen Yang was drawing a line—and that her consistent use of “Auntie” was making that clear. Zheng Guili’s face flushed, and she looked a bit ashamed. She said softly, “That’s okay. Whatever you like, as long as you’re happy.”
Wen Yang gave a small smile.
“As long as you understand, Auntie. I’ll get going now.”
“Okay.”
Zheng Guili dejectedly put down the flowers in her hands.
Wen Yang nodded politely at the shopkeeper, who had been watching from the side, then turned and left.
Zheng Guili stood there quietly for a while. The shopkeeper, sensing something, chose not to say anything more. After a bit, Zheng Guili moved on to pick other flowers and then went to check out.
Her phone rang—it was Cheng Shan calling.
He had returned to Nan’an for work. Zheng Guili stayed behind for Cheng Yanyu. She was angry at her son, but still worried about his stomach illness.
While the shopkeeper wrapped the flowers, she glanced at Zheng Guili and asked, “Are you okay?”
Zheng Guili smiled. “I’m fine.”
The shopkeeper nodded. Looked like that once-close mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship had come to an end.
—
Wen Yang left the rose garden and walked toward the peony shop, camera in hand. But the jumbled memories just now had thrown off her thoughts—she felt a bit distracted.
The ideas she’d just started to form were scattered.
She decided to sit down at a shop that sold ice jelly and had a bowl of rose-flavored ice jelly. Afterward, she took some more photos and went to see the peonies and the unopened epiphyllum.
Unfortunately, she didn’t get the chance to witness it bloom.
Nancheng had this magic—it could make flowers bloom earlier than usual. This was largely thanks to its climate.
Wen Yang continued wandering deeper into the market. Around 6:30 p.m., the sky suddenly changed.
She exited the flower market and hurriedly took shelter under the eaves of a shop at the market entrance. The shop was already closed, and two or three people were standing outside.
One of them was Zheng Guili.
When Wen Yang saw her, she paused slightly and called softly, “Auntie.”
Zheng Guili saw that Wen Yang had raindrops on the tip of her nose and immediately pulled a pack of tissues from her bag, offering them to her. Wen Yang smiled and said, “It’s okay. Thank you, Auntie.”
Then, she took out her phone to call a car.
Zheng Guili watched her silently for a few seconds, then said, “Yangyang, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to… I just didn’t have the face to tell the shop owner that you two are divorced.”
“It made things awkward for you.”
Wen Yang said nothing. She looked out at the curtain of rain. The nearby streets were congested, and her phone was still searching for a rideshare. After a moment’s thought, she turned to Zheng Guili and said, “Auntie, it’s already in the past.”
Zheng Guili looked into the eyes of the beautiful girl before her and saw the strength within. She spoke softly, “Yangyang, if… if…”
If Cheng Yanyu…
But the rest of her words never made it out.
At that moment, a bolt of lightning flashed across the sky. Wen Yang, who had always feared thunder, instinctively stepped back. Zheng Guili immediately said, “It’s okay, it’s okay—stand closer in.”
Wen Yang retreated further, leaning against the door.
Another flash of lightning lit up the sky.
Just then, a sedan pulled up and parked nearby—it was a car Wen Yang once knew so well.
Cheng Yanyu got out, holding an umbrella. He called out, “Mom…”
Then, the next second, he saw Wen Yang.
She stood under the eaves in a dress, camera around her neck, her features glowing like a flower under the neon lights. He froze, then seemed to remember it was a thunderstorm. He quickly walked toward them and opened his mouth: “Wen Yang…”
His voice was gentle.
But Wen Yang looked at him, watching him walk step by step through the pouring rain and approaching thunder. In an instant, her mind was dragged back to that night—when she cut her hand, and the thunder rolled in. She had been alone, helpless.
And what had he been doing?
She remembered how he stood on the balcony making a call to Li Man while she stood silently behind him, listening to his words. She had watched, wide-eyed, as the husband she had loved for five years cheated on her.
The pain should’ve faded long ago, and perhaps it had been soothed. But memories don’t die. They aren’t sealed forever. In this moment, they poured out.
Five years of love.
And he had treated another woman so carefully, so humbly. He had betrayed their most precious bond.
Wen Yang instinctively took a step back.
Cheng Yanyu began to speak: “Wen Yang, would you like to…”
Come sit in my car?
Let me take you home?
But the words never finished.
Behind them, a long black luxury sedan pulled up, its lights flashing. The yellow-black license plate revealed its origins. The door opened, and a tall man stepped out, holding a black umbrella and walking toward them.
Wen Yang saw Fu Xingzhou through the rain and instinctively stepped forward.
Cheng Yanyu, hearing the commotion and noticing Wen Yang’s movement, turned back—and saw Fu Xingzhou. He was dressed in a black suit, like a god of the night.
Their eyes met.
Fu Xingzhou’s gaze was cold and indifferent. He walked past Cheng Yanyu and reached for Wen Yang’s hand. Wen Yang straightened up and walked toward him, letting him pull her into his arms.
She asked softly, “Why did you come back?”
Fu Xingzhou wrapped his arm tightly around her waist and answered gently, “Finished work, so I came back.”
Wen Yang’s body trembled slightly.
Fu Xingzhou tilted the umbrella to shield her more and led her toward the car.
Jiang Yue jumped out of the car, ignoring the rain, and opened the door.
Wen Yang’s loose hair was pressed against Fu Xingzhou’s chest as she bent down and got in.
Behind them, under the eaves, the crowd fell silent.
They all watched.
Someone recognized the license plate—it was globally limited edition.
Zheng Guili stared in a daze as the car drove away.
“Yanyu,” she said.
Cheng Yanyu turned and looked at her, then took the bouquet from her hands. “Let’s go.”
Zheng Guili looked at him.
Cheng Yanyu didn’t say anything. But as they left, he noticed a camera lens lying on the ground. He bent down and picked it up.
—
Inside the moving black sedan.
One of Fu Xingzhou’s sleeves was soaked. He took off his jacket.
Wen Yang was completely dry, yet she was still trembling. She touched his jacket. “It’s wet?”
Fu Xingzhou casually tossed the jacket into the front seat and pulled her into his arms. “Cold?”
Wen Yang shook her head slightly in his embrace.
Fu Xingzhou suspected it had to do with the thunder—but he also guessed it had something to do with Cheng Yanyu. His gaze darkened. He held her tightly against his chest.
Outside, the thunder and rain raged. The traffic jam was serious, and they were stuck. Fortunately, the car had excellent shock absorption. Only flashes of light and raindrops slid across the windows.
Wen Yang nestled into the curve of his neck and called softly, “Fu Xingzhou.”
Fu Xingzhou looked down. “Mm.”
Sansukini: What a cliffhanger…
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