The wealthy and powerful families of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau were all superstitious. Or rather, it wasn’t just the old-money elite. From wealthy businessmen handling tens of millions in transactions to junket operators laundering gambling money, or even the owners of small rice noodle shops – whether they were in business or not, everyone believed in feng shui, auspicious omens, lucky signs, and taboos.
The first time Ying Fan was invited to visit Deep Water Bay, all she had to do was eat, drink, and stroll around the garden. Then, in the afternoon, more than a dozen sales associates from several luxury brands arrived, all dressed in suits and wearing white gloves. They pulled up in Mercedes-Benzes, carrying dozens of shopping bags.
It was Ying Fan’s first time shopping like this. When she bought a Hermès bag, she had to spend a million on other items first in order to build up her purchase history. She had never known that, for another kind of customer, simply walking into a boutique could mean receiving private, after-hours treatment – or that they need not even visit the store at all. One phone call was enough, and the sales associates would bring the merchandise over as casually as if they were carrying a basket of groceries.
Still, Ying Fan had seen her fair share of the world. So although inwardly she was feeling equal parts delight, nervousness, and shock, she maintained a perfectly calm expression. She kept thinking to herself that she had to preserve Ying Yin’s dignity. She couldn’t embarrass Ying Yin, or Ying Yin might be looked down upon by her in-laws in the future.
But Wen Youyi was both gracious and warm in her choice of words. “Sister, let’s pick out something to wear for the wedding together. Those two young people are such a handsome and beautiful pair – we can’t let ourselves be outshone by them.”
When Ying Fan first heard Wen Youyi address her in such an intimate yet humble manner, her first instinct was to politely decline. But then she felt that doing so might make her seem petty and small-minded, so she accepted the form of address with composure. After hearing it all morning, she gradually became accustomed to it.
And so, for the entire afternoon, Ying Fan was attentively and impeccably waited upon by those polished, glamorous sales associates. Shoes, dresses, suits, jewelry, handbags – whatever she wanted.
They even helped arrange her hair and offered suggestions on which hairstyles would best suit her. They wrapped strands of pearls around her neckline again and again, patiently adjusting differences of barely a millimeter. Every movement they made carried a waft of perfume, and their hands were so gentle that the experience was even more soothing than a massage, leaving a pleasant languor seeping into her very bones.
There were even several boutiques among them that Ying Fan had visited not long ago. She was actually more willing to spend money than Ying Yin was, but many of the styles she tried on today had not been on display when she visited those stores previously.
Of course, she wasn’t about to ask why she hadn’t seen them during her last visit. The sales associates would undoubtedly have given her a meticulous and courteous explanation, but asking such a question would only be exposing her own lack of experience and making herself look foolish.
The second time she was invited to Hong Kong, it was to look at properties.
Once again, Wen Youyi accompanied her, taking her to view several spacious luxury apartments in Hong Kong, as well as villas with gardens nestled among the bays and hills of the Peak. Every one of them boasted sweeping views, fragrant flowers drifting through the air, and stringent security.
Wen Youyi linked her arm through Ying Fan’s and said, “Although Yinyin and Ah-Shao live on the mainland now, there’ll inevitably be times when work transfers bring them back to Hong Kong. Compared with Ping City, Hong Kong may be a little smaller, but it has its own comforts. Once you have a place here, whenever you miss Yinyin, you can come and stay with her anytime.”
The villa with a courtyard that Ying Fan owned in Ping City did not have much of a view to speak of, so in Hong Kong, she chose one with an exceptionally high vantage point: overlooking the sea and spanning more than two hundred square meters. Wen Youyi signed the paperwork, and the property was registered under Ying Fan’s name, legally gifted to her.
It was the same when they returned to Ning City. In truth, travelling between Ping and Ning was extremely convenient, and Ying Fan had never really considered buying property in Ning City. But Wen Youyi was simply too thoughtful, and she found herself unable to refuse.
These two properties were worth an enormous amount of money, and Ying Fan’s heart practically began to pound at the thought of it.
It wasn’t until their third meeting that Wen Youyi finally brought up the matter of their bazi – the Eight Characters of their birth dates.
Old Hong Kong families were particular about weddings. The parents of both sides were expected to arrange a meeting, sit down face-to-face, and properly discuss all the details. Before the wedding itself, there was also a whole series of traditional rituals to go through: formal betrothal, the presentation of engagement gifts, sending wedding cakes and tea, distributing the cakes, and the shangtou hair-combing ceremony.
The various gifts and offerings had to come in even numbers, for good things came in pairs, and everything had to be arranged at an auspicious hour so that the entire process would proceed smoothly and bring good fortune.
Having a master compare the birth dates and bazi of the bride and groom was practically an essential step for old-fashioned families in Hong Kong. The auspicious times for the betrothal ceremony, the formal presentation of gifts, and the shangtou ceremony – even the exact time on the wedding day to go and fetch the bride, when she should leave the house, and when they should set off for the church – were all calculated from this.
After Ying Fan sent Wen Youyi a photo of the birth certificate containing her exact time of birth, a thought suddenly crossed her mind:
What if their bazi turn out to be incompatible?
Ying Yin was on the phone with her when she asked the question, and immediately burst out laughing.
Ying Fan immediately became suspicious. “What are you laughing at? Is he with you?”
Ying Yin obediently replied, “No. It’s just Junyi with me.”
She had just gone to Lishan’s company to watch a rough cut of When Snow Melts It Turns Green, and was now on her way back.
There were indeed some major stars – veteran Best Actor winners or evergreen superstars who had remained at the top for years – who, having suffered enough from being used merely to prop up their co-stars in collaborative productions, only to have their own scenes heavily cut, would negotiate for final cut approval in their contracts.
But clearly, no one could expect such special treatment when working with a director as renowned as Li Shan. When he invited Ying Yin to watch the rough cut, he was obviously not asking for her opinion on the editing; he was simply letting her have an early viewing. There were two sections where the recorded audio had minor flaws, and after careful consideration, he asked her to re-record the dialogue for those parts.
The moment they stepped out of the dark editing studio, Junyi suddenly shivered and rubbed her bare arms beneath her short sleeves.
Tiwen had been there as well.
The three women didn’t say a word. They simply walked silently down the corridor. It wasn’t until they entered the lift that Tiwen abruptly said, “I think it works.”
Although her words came completely out of nowhere, the other two knew exactly what she meant.
The moment Junyi heard her say it, it was as though she had suddenly come back to herself. Two streams of tears immediately rolled down her face. Her tightly pressed lips trembled twice before she threw herself onto Tiwen’s shoulder and burst into loud sobs.
“Why are you crying?” Ying Yin was startled by her reaction.
“Xueqing… Xueqing… it’s too tragic…” Junyi sobbed uncontrollably, clutching her chest. “My – my heart hurts, That scene…”
Whenever she thought of the image of Yin Xueqing, dressed in a wedding gown, walking alone into the depths of the snowy wilderness before lying down there, Junyi felt as though she couldn’t breathe. The tears came flooding back.
Ying Yin and Tiwen had no choice but to comfort her, both flustered and amused. One patted her shoulder while the other handed her tissues.
After blowing her nose, Junyi looked at Ying Yin through watery eyes. “Aren’t you sad?”
“A little,” Ying Yin admitted honestly.
“You didn’t get too immersed in the role?” Junyi sniffled.
“Once filming was over, I watched it from the perspective of an audience member.” Ying Yin pressed her lips together and said gently, slowly, “I’m no longer in that world.”
Tiwen still had to return to Hong Kong to deal with work, so the three of them went their separate ways in the car park.
“Shouldn’t you be setting a date for the wedding and the marriage registration soon?” Tiwen teased with a smile before they parted.
“There’s no rush yet.” Ying Yin’s expression immediately tightened.
Although she and Shang Shao had already secretly held a small wedding ceremony in a chapel, she was still a rather shy bride. Whenever the subject of marriage came up, it still sent little ripples through her heart.
“When are you going to try on wedding dresses?” Tiwen eagerly joined in. “Remember to invite me. I’m telling you, Auntie is definitely going to prepare the most beautiful wedding dress in the entire world for you. By then, my cousin won’t be able to take his eyes off you.”
Ying Yin pressed her lips together, biting lightly on one of them as a smile spread across her face. Thinking of that little church in England – of Shang Shao standing at the end of the light, staring at her without blinking as she walked towards him step by step – she couldn’t help leaning close to Tiwen and whispering with a smile, “He said I was so beautiful, I looked like a dream.”
Tiwen immediately broke into a violent coughing fit, clutching her chest and going, “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!”
Junyi’s tears had barely dried when she immediately pressed, “What? What did you say? What is it that I’m not allowed to hear?”
Ying Yin shot her a sidelong glance. “I was afraid it would ruin your experience of Yin Xueqing’s tragic aesthetic.”
Junyi immediately shut down. “Is this some private conversation between the boss and the boss’s wife?”
Ying Yin was defeated by her and had no choice but to repeat what she had said.
Junyi’s eyes widened. Her face flushed red with disbelief. “Mr. Shang is actually that good at sweet talk!”
Even after they got into the car, she still looked as though she had been struck by lightning. Shang Shao had arranged a dedicated chauffeur for Ying Yin, available whenever she needed one, so Junyi no longer had to drive and instead sat with Ying Yin in the back seat. Her mind wandered from one thought to another, and when she heard Ying Yin calling Ying Fan, she unconsciously perked up and began listening.
Ying Fan asked, “If their bazi are incompatible, or if they clash, would the engagement be called off?”
Holding her phone, Ying Yin let out an amused sigh. “That’s not going to happen.”
“You think you know everything,” Ying Fan said, worrying in advance.
“Good thing I didn’t tell you when we were dating, or you’d have spent months worrying yourself sick over this.” Ying Yin tapped her fingertips against her phone case. “I’m hanging up. I’ve got plans tonight.”
Junyi asked, “What is Auntie worrying about this time?”
Ying Yin answered flatly with two words: “The bazi.”
Her phone started vibrating again. She answered it, and Ying Fan immediately continued, speaking with absolute conviction. “I’m telling you, if your bazi really aren’t compatible, or if they say marrying him will damage your fate or shorten your lifespan, then I won’t let you marry him either. You have to live to be a hundred.”
“Oh, please.” Ying Yin rolled her eyes heavenward with a laugh and a sigh. “Give it a rest.”
“The name you changed to, that mole on your ear…”
Before Ying Fan could finish, Ying Yin hung up.
Junyi glanced at her and followed up, “What if your bazi really are incompatible? No, no, they probably read physiognomy too, right? You’ve got the face of someone destined for great wealth and honor.”
She was starting to ramble nonsense.
“That fortune-teller also told me that I should know when enough is enough,” Ying Yin suddenly said. “That when the moon becomes full, it begins to wane.”
“Does Mr. Shang know?”
“He does.”
“What did he say?”
“He said he wanted me to always be full.”
Ying Yin’s lips curved slightly. “He said it that day when I was drunk. He was carrying me on his back, walking through the snow on the way back to that little wooden cabin in Aqiap. I suddenly sobered up. I looked at the hazy moon in the sky and thought I was dreaming.”
When the car returned to the seaside estate, Junyi immediately headed for the stables. Recently, she had become obsessed with playing with Rich, and Rich had become equally fond of playing with her.
The moment she got out of the car, she made a beeline for the stables. But when she ran into Shang Shao, she stopped, stood properly, and greeted him in a perfectly well-behaved manner.
“Hello, Mr. Shang. Hello, brother-in-law.”
Having said that, she was already impatient to run off when Shang Shao called after her, “Stop.”
Naturally, when he told someone to stop, it was effective. Just one calm, unhurried word.
Junyi immediately halted and turned around.
The smile in Shang Shao’s eyes – and even his tone – carried the faintest trace of uncertainty. “What did you just call me?”
“Brother-in-law,” Junyi replied. “That’s what the fans all call you. Mr. Shang is the absolute gold standard of brothers-in-law.”
Although what she said was a complete jumble, it didn’t stop Shang Shao from nodding and accepting the title.
“Have Uncle Kang give you a red packet.”
Oh my god!
A change-of-address gift, falling straight from the sky!
Junyi immediately brightened up, but then said, with a bashful air that was somehow both coy and tactfully clever, “Oh, I couldn’t possibly… You two aren’t officially married yet…”
Shang Shao saw right through her. The corner of his lips lifted slightly as he said, “When it’s official, there’ll be an official red packet too.”
Junyi was absolutely over the moon. She ran into the stables, threw her arms around Rich’s neck, and gave him an enthusiastic rubdown. Rich had no dignity whatsoever, letting her play with him like a dog.
Taking a shortcut through the courtyard, then crossing the nearly hundred-meter-long transept-like hall of the house, Shang Shao returned to the third floor. By then, Ying Yin had already taken a quick shower and was sitting on the long bench in the bathroom, drying her hair.
Shang Shao had genuinely meant it when he complained that her bathroom was so small he could barely turn around in it. After all, just one of his bathrooms was over fifty square meters. One of its floor-to-ceiling windows had been cleverly designed to let in plenty of sunlight while still ensuring complete privacy. Everywhere the eye could see was lush greenery.
Ying Yin sat sideways before the window, her head tilted as she gently blotted the droplets of water from the ends of her hair with a towel.
The afternoon sunlight enveloped half her body, casting a soft, hazy sheen over the slender curves of her figure, smooth and warm like polished jade.
Hearing Shang Shao’s footsteps, she looked up. The bath towel that had already been loosely wrapped around her slipped open, and she instinctively pressed it against her chest with one hand.
There was laughter in Shang Shao’s breath as he walked over and took the towel from her. As he gently dried her hair, he asked, “Is this your way of welcoming me?”
Ying Yin opened her arms. The bench was low, and she wrapped them around his legs, resting her face against his waist.
The curve of her slightly bowed back revealed the delicate outline of each vertebra.
Shang Shao tossed the towel aside and placed his palm against her back, stroking slowly downward as he bent to kiss her.
“Have you lost weight recently?”
Ying Yin had no choice but to admit, “So I’ll look better in my wedding dress.”
Shang Shao curved his lips. “You’re working so hard at it. What am I supposed to do, then?”
Still holding him around the waist, Ying Yin buried her face against him and laughed quietly.
After laughing for a while, she said, “Auntie asked my mum for our birth details. She said she wants to have our bazi calculated.”
“Mm. It’s to choose the dates for the marriage registration and the wedding.”
“She knows we secretly went off and held that little ceremony ourselves. Wasn’t she angry with you?”
“She was.” Shang Shao pressed his lips together.
“Does that count as being rebellious?”
Shang Shao nodded and replied with gentlemanly politeness, “Thanks to you, I’ve become extremely rebellious.”
That only made Ying Yin laugh harder.
Shang Shao let her cling to him and laugh, then picked up the hairdryer from the pale marble countertop. Switching it to a gentle, warm setting, he began drying her hair.
Ying Yin’s hair was in remarkably good condition. Considering how frequently it was subjected to styling and other treatments in the entertainment industry, it was practically a miracle. She had also recently had a smoothing treatment, so once the hairdryer was turned on, her hair became wonderfully sleek, each silky strand slipping through Shang Shao’s fingers.
She also had a great deal of hair – thick and abundant – and drying it took quite a while. When she did it herself, her arm would start aching after only a few minutes of holding up the hairdryer. Today, with someone else doing the work for her, Ying Yin happily left it all to him. She buried herself against his chest, closed her eyes, and began to grow drowsy in the warmth of the afternoon sun.
Once Shang Shao had finished drying her hair, he placed his palm around the back of her neck and gently kneaded the pressure points with his fingertips.
Ying Yin felt a wave of tingling pleasure travel up from the base of her neck. She suddenly shivered and let out a soft, puppy-like whimper. “That feels so good.”
Shang Shao laughed when he heard that. Then, as though something had occurred to him, his gaze darkened slightly.
“Why don’t you say that in bed?” he asked mildly.
Ying Yin: “…”
The bath towel slipped from in front of her and fell to the floor, her body pressed against his suit trousers. Outside the window, the lush green scenery was washed in golden sunlight, and everything was so quiet that Ying Yin suddenly felt embarrassed. Even though nothing had happened – he had merely massaged her neck for a while – she still lowered her head, her ears burning hot.
Shang Shao gave a quiet laugh. “What are you doing?”
Ying Yin hurriedly escaped from his arms, grabbing the bathrobe hanging nearby as she went. Tying the belt around her waist, she said, “Hurry up, I need to do my makeup. We’re going to be late.”
They had plans that evening. A few of the “good-for-nothing drinking buddies,” as Shang Shao called them, were coming over from Hong Kong.
She went into the walk-in wardrobe to do her makeup, while Shang Shao sat on a sofa nearby. He looked as though he were resting with his eyes closed, but there was a slight furrow between his brows.
Ying Yin knew that he was actually thinking about work.
“What if our bazi are incompatible?”
“Hmm?”
“What if the master looks at them and says our bazi clash? What then?”
“He won’t.”
“How do you know?”
Shang Shao lifted his eyelids. “Because our marriage is already an established fact. The whole world knows about it. He’s not going to say something that spoils the mood.”
He said it casually, as though even someone entrusted with divining the secrets of heaven had to know how to read the situation when standing before him. To Shang Shao, it seemed only natural.
“But what if?” Ying Yin persisted.
“There is no ‘what if.’”
“What if there is?” Ying Yin stood up and took down the slip dress that the maid had ironed for her. As she slipped it on, she said, “For example, what if being with me doesn’t bring you enough prosperity in business?”
What she had actually wanted to say was that she might bring him bad luck, but the words felt too weighty. Somehow, she felt that even saying them in jest might genuinely harm his fate, and she couldn’t bear to say them aloud.
The dress was close-fitting, with a concealed zip running up the back. When she had pulled it halfway up, Shang Shao took over.
“Then maybe Uncle and Auntie will change their minds,” Ying Yin said, turning her face slightly to the side. The dangling end of the diamond necklace at the back of her neck glittered like a tiny ponytail made of carats of diamonds – delicate and distinctive.
She was saying it deliberately.
She knew that the reason Wen Youyi had only asked for their bazi after helping choose the wedding attire and gifting Ying Fan the properties was to reassure Ying Fan and put her worries to rest.
But suddenly, Ying Yin wanted to hear Shang Shao coax her.
“My mum might change her mind too and refuse to let me marry you,” she added, deliberately trying to scare him.
Shang Shao lowered his gaze, a faint smile curling at his lips. There was simply nothing he could do with her.
“Too late,” he said lazily, every word certain. “Now that you’re already mine, the only option is to spend money to change our fate. There’s no splitting us up.”
