Chapter 1

The tail end of September carried the sweet fragrance of osmanthus blossoms, drifting in through the half-open window in delicate wisps. Li Lehe felt that she was probably the happiest person in the entire world. The crystal chandelier in the living room had been adjusted to the softest, warmest light. A brand-new white lace tablecloth covered the dining table, specially changed by her mother for today's celebration. A ten-inch cream cake sat right in the center. The words “Happy 13th Birthday, Lele” were written in crooked pink icing, squeezed together haphazardly. Li Lehe had chosen the design herself. At the time, she'd said, “The more elaborate, the better!” The cake decorator had taken her words seriously and made a cake so extravagant that it was almost over-the-top. It had three tiers, each with a different fruit filling. At the very top stood a tiny sugar figurine with a ponytail, wearing a little frosting dress identical to the one Li Lehe was wearing today. That had been her request, too. “Lele, make your wish! Make your wish!” her mother, Zhou Wan, urged, clapping her hands. Fine lines appeared at the corners of her eyes as she smiled. Li Lehe clasped her hands together and closed her eyes, murmuring her wish under her breath. The candle flames danced across her face, illuminating a fair, soft-cheeked little face that still retained a touch of baby fat. Her eyelashes were long, casting a small fan-shaped shadow beneath her eyes. Her nose wasn't particularly high, but the tip was small and delicately rounded. Her lips were naturally pink and looked soft and dewy even without lipstick. “Done!” She opened her eyes, puffed out her cheeks, and blew out all thirteen candles in a single breath. “Whoosh—” “That's my girl!” Zhou Wan exclaimed, leading everyone in applause. Her father, Li Caiwen, held up his DSLR camera and rapidly pressed the shutter several times. “This one looks great. This one too. Oh, Lele, give me a smile. Yes, just like that!” Li Lehe obediently grinned, revealing two tiny canine teeth. “Sis! Sis, come over here!” she called toward the kitchen. Li Yuan’an emerged from the kitchen carrying a plate of freshly cut fruit. She was dressed in a simple white T-shirt, her hair casually tied back, revealing a slender, fair neck. At seventeen, she was at the age when girls seemed to shoot up almost overnight. She was another two centimeters taller than she had been the previous year, and her figure was already beginning to take on the subtle contours of a young adult. “What's the rush? The cake isn't going anywhere.” She placed the fruit platter on the table. Her voice was calm and indifferent as usual, but the slight curve of her lips betrayed her good mood. “I want a picture with you!” Li Lehe threw herself over and hugged her sister’s arm. “Quick, quick, quick! Dad, take our picture!” Li Caiwen raised the camera and looked at his two daughters through the viewfinder. The elder daughter was calm and reserved, while the younger one was lively and exuberant. One was quiet, the other energetic. Yet whenever they stood together, the intimacy and unspoken understanding between them looked better than any deliberately posed family portrait. “Closer. A little closer,” he instructed. Li Lehe rested her cheek against Li Yuan’an’s shoulder, her eyes curving into crescent moons as she smiled. Li Yuan’an lowered her eyes and glanced at her. She slipped an arm around her younger sister’s waist, her hand resting lightly against it. But her fingers curled ever so slightly, as though she were afraid Li Lehe might run away. “Perfect! Absolutely perfect!” Li Caiwen happily pressed the shutter again and again. Zhou Wan came over to look at the camera screen and clicked her tongue in admiration. “Our Lele is so adorable. And Yuan’an is beautiful too. The two sisters are prettier than the other.” “Of course. Just look at who their father is,” Li Caiwen said, unusually cheeky. Zhou Wan shot him a look. “Lele wasn't born by me.” She said it casually, without the slightest trace of resentment, as naturally as if she were saying, “The weather is nice today.” Li Lehe was used to hearing it, too. She had known ever since she came to this family at the age of seven that she wasn't her mother's biological daughter. But to her, knowing that was no different from knowing that she was thirteen years old that year. It was simply a fact, devoid of any emotional weight. Because she had never once felt that there was any distance between herself and this family. Her father would secretly slip her extra pocket money whenever she came first in her class. Her mother remembered every one of her preferences—even contradictory little details, like how she hated eating carrots but loved carrot cake. And then there was Li Yuan’an— Li Lehe couldn't imagine there being a better older sister in the entire world. “Come on, let's cut the cake!” She eagerly volunteered to make the first cut. “Careful. Don't cut yourself.” Standing behind her, Li Yuan’an held a hand protectively near her waist, as though she were afraid Li Lehe might lose her balance. “I'm not three years old!” Li Lehe protested, but the knife in her hand trembled slightly, and the first slice she cut came out crooked and lopsided. She pushed the ugliest piece in front of herself, then carefully cut a second slice and placed it neatly on a plate. She even deliberately set a strawberry on top before carrying it over to Li Yuan’an with both hands. “Sis, this one's for you! It's the biggest piece!” Li Yuan’an looked at the strawberry. Li Lehe knew that she loved strawberries. Every year, the strawberries on the birthday cake were specially saved for her. “Thank you, Lele.” Her voice was very soft. “Mom, this one's for you! Dad, this one's yours!” Like a busy little bee, Li Lehe distributed all the cake neatly and properly before finally sitting down to eat her own crooked slice. Cream had gotten onto the tip of her nose, but she didn't notice at all. Her cheeks were puffed out as she ate with gusto. Zhou Wan laughed and reached for a tissue to wipe it away, but Li Yuan’an had already beaten her to it. She reached out and gently brushed the cream from the tip of Li Lehe's nose with her thumb. The gesture was so natural, as though she'd done it a thousand times before. Li Lehe flashed her a grin, revealing teeth smeared with cream, then lowered her head and continued gobbling down her cake. “Slow down. No one's going to steal it from you,” Li Yuan’an said, though there wasn't the slightest hint of reproach in her voice. “Lele, come on, look over here at Dad!” Li Caiwen raised the camera again. Li Lehe still had cake in her mouth, her cheeks puffed out like a hamster's. She turned toward the camera and held up a V sign. Click. That photograph was later developed by Li Caiwen and kept in his wallet. Whenever he met someone, he would proudly show it off. “My daughter. Isn't she adorable?” Of course, that was all in the future. The cake was finished. It was time to open the presents. Zhou Wan had given her a white lace dress, with tiny flowers embroidered along the hem. It was so delicate and pretty that it looked like something a princess in a fairy tale would wear. The moment Li Lehe opened the package, she let out a delighted “Wow!” and immediately tried to pull it over her head. “Go change in your room! Go change in your room!” Zhou Wan scolded her with a laugh. “How old are you now? And you're still changing clothes in front of everyone.” “What’s there to be afraid of? We're all family!” Li Lehe declared confidently, but she still hugged the dress to her chest and went thump-thump-thump up the stairs. Less than two minutes later, she came thump-thump-thumping back down. The white dress fit her perfectly. Its skirt billowed as she ran, making her look like a flower in full bloom. “Does it look good? Does it look good?” She spun around in the middle of the living room. “Beautiful, beautiful!” Zhou Wan's eyes grew slightly red. “Our Lele really looks like a little bride.” Li Lehe didn't notice the emotion in her mother's voice. She had already pounced on her father's present. Li Caiwen had given her the latest model of a smartphone. When she opened the box, Li Lehe's eyes widened. “Dad! Isn't this way too expensive?” “Your mom approved the budget.” Li Caiwen jerked his chin toward Zhou Wan. “She said you're starting middle school, so you should have your own phone.” “Mom!” Li Lehe threw herself at Zhou Wan again and hugged her. “I love you so much!” “Alright, alright, don't squeeze so hard. These old bones of mine...” Zhou Wan laughed as she patted her back. The last present was from Li Yuan’an. The box wasn't large, but it had been wrapped with extraordinary care. The pale pink wrapping paper was tied with a delicate bow. Anyone could tell that a great deal of thought had gone into it. Li Lehe's hands were trembling as she opened it. The moment she lifted the lid, she froze. It was a stuffed bear. No. It was a huge stuffed bear. Of course, the box couldn't possibly have contained it. Inside were a card and a key. The card read: “Storage room. The cabinet at the very back.” Li Lehe let out a scream and sprinted toward the storage room without even putting on her shoes. Li Yuan’an followed behind her at an unhurried pace, but she couldn't hide the smile at the corners of her lips. The storage room door was pushed open. The cabinet at the very back was opened— A giant, milky-white stuffed bear, a full five feet tall, sat quietly inside. It had a round, plump belly, an adorably goofy expression, and a little red bow tied around its neck. It was even taller than Li Lehe herself. “SIS!!!” Li Lehe's scream nearly blew the roof off. She rushed over and dragged the stuffed bear out of the cabinet, burying her entire face in its soft belly and rubbing against it again and again. Then she turned around, her eyes slightly red, and looked at Li Yuan’an. “How did you know I wanted this?” “Last time we were at the mall, you stared at it through the display window for ten minutes.” Li Yuan’an leaned against the doorframe, her hands tucked into her pockets. Her voice remained as calm and indifferent as ever. “You looked back three times every few steps when we left. You really thought I didn't notice?” Li Lehe's nose tingled. She really had wanted it that time. But after seeing the four-digit price tag, she'd been too embarrassed to ask for it. She had thought no one had noticed that little wish of hers. “Siiis—” She drew out the word before throwing herself at Li Yuan’an, hanging onto her with her whole body. Li Yuan’an caught her, one arm wrapping around her waist while her other hand protected the back of her head, afraid she might bump into the doorframe. “How old are you, and you're still acting spoiled?” That was what she said, but she still held her tightly. “I just wanted to act spoiled!” Li Lehe buried her face in the crook of her sister's neck, her voice muffled. “Sis, thank you. I love it so much. I love it, I love it, I love it!” “As long as you like it.” Li Lehe lifted her head from her sister's shoulder and looked at her with sparkling eyes. “How long did you save your allowance for this?” “What are you asking so many questions for?” “Did you spend all your allowance on it?” Li Yuan’an didn't answer. She simply reached out and ruffled her hair. “As long as you're happy.” Tears suddenly slipped down Li Lehe's cheeks. “Hey, why are you crying?” Li Yuan’an frowned and wiped away her tears with her thumb. “You don't like it? If you don't like it, I'll return it.” “I like it! Who said I don't?” Li Lehe buried her face against her again, tears soaking Li Yuan’an's shoulder. “I'm just...too happy...” Zhou Wan and Li Caiwen stood at the doorway of the storage room, watching the sisters embrace. They exchanged a glance and smiled. “The sisters really are close,” Zhou Wan said softly. “They really are.” Li Caiwen raised his camera and snapped another picture. “Close enough to make anyone jealous.” That night, Li Lehe insisted on moving the stuffed bear onto her bed. “Lele, this bear takes up half the bed. Are you even going to have room to sleep?” Zhou Wan asked, caught somewhere between laughter and helplessness. “I'll hug it while I sleep!” Li Lehe declared confidently. “It's so big. It must be super comfortable to cuddle!” In the end, Li Yuan’an had to step in and negotiate. “Put the bear at the head of the bed and use it as a backrest. Sleep on your side and just wrap one arm around it.” Li Lehe decided the plan was perfectly reasonable and obediently followed her instructions. She lay in bed with half her body resting against the stuffed bear's arm. The blanket was pulled up to her chin, leaving only her small, fair face exposed. Li Yuan’an stood at the doorway of her room and turned off the light, leaving only a small night-light glowing. “Good night, Lele,” she said. “Sis.” Li Lehe stopped her. “Hmm?” “Today was the happiest day of my life.” Li Yuan’an stood in the doorway for several seconds. The dim, yellow light from the night-light fell across her face, revealing the faintest hint of a smile. “Go to sleep, Lele,” she said. She turned and went back to her own room, closing the door behind her. Then she sat down at her desk. A dark blue diary lay open on the tabletop. The page before her was still blank. Li Yuan’an picked up her pen and thought for a long time before finally beginning to write. Outside the window, the moon was perfectly round. Moonlight spilled into the room, falling across the side of her face. She wrote with intense concentration, every stroke deliberate and careful, as though she were completing something incredibly important. But what she wrote, no one knew. At least, no one knew tonight. In the room next door, Li Lehe quickly fell asleep with her arms wrapped around the stuffed bear. Her breathing was slow and even, and a faint smile lingered at the corners of her lips, as though she were having a wonderful dream. The glow of the night-light illuminated her face, while the shadows of her eyelashes fell beneath her eyes like two tiny fans. Her lips were slightly parted, revealing the faintest hint of pink. Quiet. Beautiful. Completely defenseless. Like a perfectly ripened fruit hanging from a branch, waiting for someone to pluck it. Everything about this night was perfect. The cake. The presents. Her family's smiling faces. Her sister's embrace. Li Lehe thought that thirteen would surely be the best year of her life. What she didn't know was that this “best” had only a few hours left. Some fairy tales always shatter without warning the very moment the clock strikes midnight.