The late autumn sky always seemed so vast and azure, occasionally dotted with a wisp of white cloud, the wind blowing gently. The lawn in the Ou family garden remained verdant, though the few maple trees in the distance had already turned crimson, their deeply flushed leaves swaying softly in the sunlight, rustling faintly.

The soup in the earthenware pot bubbled gently, simmering with soft gurgles, and a ladle periodically skimmed off the rising white foam.

“Young Mistress, you should rest now; let me handle this.” The kitchen maid said with unease, attempting to take the ladle from Yin Xia Mo’s hand.

“No need, it will be ready soon.” Yin Xia Mo murmured, turning the heat down even lower. The tiny bubbles continued to churn, and the broth had become fragrant and milky white. “Go check on Chef Liu and see how the other dishes are progressing. Remember, they must be light—absolutely no irritating seasonings.”

“Yes, Young Mistress.”

The kitchen maid retreated silently.

After a while longer, Yin Xia Mo finally turned off the heat, covering the pot to keep it warm. She lifted her head and looked out through the kitchen window, gazing toward the two figures beneath the maple trees in the garden.

In the autumn light and shadow.

Those two figures appeared so perfectly tranquil.

She watched quietly, a serene smile gradually curving the corners of her lips. Time flew by so fast; it had been nearly a month since Ou Chen and Xiao Cheng were discharged from the hospital without her realizing it.

Tending to their diet and daily routine every day, watching their health gradually improve, her own heart grew calmer and calmer. Life had become so simple, as if all the turmoil had suddenly vanished. Such peaceful days were something she hadn't experienced in a very long time.

“Young Mistress, the meal is ready. Shall I go invite the Young Master and Young Master Cheng to dine?” the kitchen maid asked deferentially. Since this beautiful mistress had arrived, the Ou residence, once so cold it seemed uninhabited, had warmed up. Although the mistress wasn't overly talkative, she managed the household affairs with meticulous order and extreme care, and she was always polite to the staff. Consequently, not only did the regular maids like her, but even Butler Chen treated her with the utmost respect.

“I’ll go.”

Yin Xia Mo took off her apron, washed her hands, and said to the kitchen maid:

“It’s a bit chilly. Could you wait until you see us coming back before plating the food and setting the table, alright?”

“Yes, Young Mistress.”

The maple leaves were drunk with color.

The autumn wind carried a slight chill, but the sunlight was abundant, its warming rays piercing through the foliage to illuminate the two people seated beneath the maple trees.

Ou Chen wore a thick, black sweater, and around his neck was a deep green, hand-knitted wool scarf. He sat nestled in a chair covered with a quilted blanket, staring intently at the company reports displayed on the laptop screen in his lap, his expression as composed as if he were in his office.

Yin Cheng wore an equally thick orange sweater, a white hand-knitted scarf around his neck, and a heavy white woolen hat atop his head. A thick blanket covered his lap, making him look especially snug against the crisp autumn air. He looked down, flipping through an album, occasionally gazing into the distance with a faraway look. His face was still somewhat pale and frail, but the smile at the corner of his lips was extraordinarily peaceful.

“It’s time to eat.”

A soft voice came from behind them. Both Ou Chen and Yin Cheng turned their heads to see Yin Xia Mo approaching them, smiling warmly.

“Xiao Cheng, put the album away, it’s time for dinner.”

“Okay.” Yin Cheng closed the album in his hands and said with a smile, “Sis, there are so many albums, we could start a library. It would take months to look through them all.”

“Your brother-in-law specially arranged for people to buy those from various countries because he was afraid you’d be bored,” her gaze shifted gently toward Ou Chen, and she said with a warm smile, “Who knew he’d buy so many at once? You can blame him if you have complaints.”

His fingers froze over the laptop keyboard.

Ou Chen stared blankly at the shutdown confirmation dialog box.

Brother-in-law...

This was not the first time he had heard her use that title when addressing Xiao Cheng, yet every time he heard it, his heart experienced a sharp, tightening flutter.

“Are you cold out here? Should I get you a few more layers for tomorrow? The doctor said you both need fresh air and sunshine daily, but you can’t catch a cold, so you must be careful yourselves.” The autumn breeze felt cool, and Yin Xia Mo was slightly worried.

“You told me and brother-in-law to dress like polar bears, how could we be cold? Sis, feel my hand, it’s even sweating!” Yin Cheng playfully held out his hand to her; indeed, his fingers were warm, and his palm held a slight sweat.

“Sweating means you’re more likely to catch a cold; don’t let the cold wind hit you.” She pulled the blanket higher, draping it over Yin Cheng’s shoulders to envelop him completely. Then she looked at Ou Chen, who was closing his laptop, and said quietly, “Are you still handling company matters?”

“Just checking occasionally.”

The concern and worry in her eyes caused a warm current to flow through Ou Chen’s heart. Since his surgery, she had been caring for him meticulously, cooking the things he liked, walking with him every day, and even after Yin Cheng was moved out of the ICU, she had never neglected him while taking care of Xiao Cheng.

Even the scarves...

She had knitted one for him and one for Yin Cheng simultaneously.

Ou Chen unconsciously touched the deep green wool scarf around his neck. When she was knitting it stitch by stitch in the hospital room, he had assumed it was for Yin Cheng; he had believed her heart held only Yin Cheng. But she had given it to him.

“Don’t let yourself get too tired,” she said softly, her tone carrying no command, only continued care. “Your body needs time to recuperate.”

“Alright.”

Ou Chen shifted his gaze away from her face, stood up, and closed the laptop. Yin Xia Mo reached out and said:

“I’ll take that for you.”

Without waiting for Ou Chen to react, she took the laptop from his hands, her gesture as natural as a wife performing a routine task.

“Your most important jobs are eating and resting. Leave all the tiresome chores to me,” her smile was as bright as the sun. “Make sure you both eat plenty today!”

The dining table was laden with steaming dishes.

The aroma wafting from one earthenware pot was particularly rich, yet simultaneously light and non-greasy. Yin Cheng wrinkled his nose curiously, took a sniff, and asked:

“It smells so good, what is it?”

“It’s pigeon soup,” Yin Xia Mo ladled a bowl out, placing it first in front of Ou Chen, then scooping another for Xiao Cheng. “You made this before, how can you not recognize the smell?”

“It must be because your method is different, that’s why it smells incredibly fragrant.” Yin Cheng quickly sipped a mouthful with his small spoon and praised it repeatedly. “Ah, it’s wonderful! Sister’s pigeon soup really is delicious!”

“Hmm...”

Yin Xia Mo also tasted it delicately, frowning slightly.

“No, it’s not as good as when you used to make it. Something feels off. But it’s the exact method you used for pigeon soup before, how could it...”

“No way! It’s delicious!” Yin Cheng protested.

“It is delicious.”

Ou Chen said quietly, concentrating on the bowl of soup Xia Mo had served him.

“Sis, look, brother-in-law also says so.”

Yin Cheng smiled at Ou Chen, then looked at his sister, whose brow was still slightly furrowed in thought. He continued, “Maybe it’s the earthenware pot, Sis. The one at home has been used for many years; the soup cooked in it develops a familiar flavor. But even without that familiar taste, today’s soup is still very tasty!”

“Is that so,” Yin Xia Mo smiled too, shaking her head. “No wonder I felt like something essential was missing. It’s a pity I couldn’t bring the pot from home.”

Ou Chen gazed at her silently. When her eyes turned to meet his, he lowered his gaze again, avoiding her. A piece of fish was placed on the plate before him, and her voice drifted into his ear:

“Pigeon soup is very helpful for surgical wound healing, but you must eat more fish too; it’s nutritious and low in cholesterol.”

“Sis, you’re about to become a nutrition expert.” Yin Cheng teased.

“Yes, I’m working hard in that direction.” Yin Xia Mo also placed some fish on Xiao Cheng’s plate, saying with a brilliant smile, “In the future, I’ll be an excellent nutritionist and keep you both incredibly healthy.”

“Then…” Yin Cheng hesitated for a moment, “You aren’t going back to the entertainment industry?”

“I’m not going back.” Her reply was completely calm.

Yin Cheng stared at her, momentarily stunned.

“Why?” Ou Chen’s voice was low. “You always wanted to…”

“Now, all I want is for our family to live together happily and healthily,” Yin Xia Mo smiled and served another bowl of soup to Xiao Cheng. “Cooking for you both every day, watching your health improve day by day, is satisfying and utterly blissful. Heh, even if there were tigers in the entertainment circle, they couldn't drag me back.”

“Sis…”

Yin Cheng’s eyes grew slightly red. Yin Xia Mo reached out and gently stroked his hair, saying,

“Hurry up and eat, it won’t taste good when it gets cold.”

After lunch, Yin Cheng returned to his room to rest. Ou Chen walked downstairs. Butler Chen followed behind him, carrying the laptop. As they passed the terrace, Ou Chen paused.

In the warm, golden sunlight.

Yin Xia Mo was seated in a wicker chair, head bowed, knitting a scarf. The scarf was thick and long, the color of a forest green. Sunlight shone around her, enveloping her in an aura of profound peace and tranquility. It wasn't until she slightly moved her shoulders and looked up that Ou Chen snapped out of his stunned gaze.

“You… you’re knitting another scarf?”

Ou Chen awkwardly tried to mask his distraction.

“Yes, winter will be here soon,” she smiled, as if his presence was as natural as blue skies and white clouds. “Your scarf and Xiao Cheng’s might be a bit thin, so I wanted to start knitting them early.”

“You were sick for so long before the surgery, and you’ve been working hard ever since the operation. If the scarves aren't warm enough, you can buy new ones. You need to focus on resting,” Ou Chen gazed at her.

“Knitting isn’t tiring at all. Hmm, but don’t worry, I will rest well, because I need full energy to take care of you both,” she said, smiling. She noticed he wasn't wearing the thick sweater she had advised, but the black suit he usually wore to the office. “Are you going out?”

“I have a board meeting for the Group this afternoon that I must attend.”

“The wind is cold today; could you wear an overcoat as well?” Yin Xia Mo asked softly, her eyes fixed on the scarf around Ou Chen’s neck. Since she had given him that deep green scarf, he wore it almost every day. A faint ache surfaced in her heart; perhaps this was one of the reasons she had chosen to knit his scarf first.

“Yes, Young Mistress.”

Butler Chen bowed respectfully and immediately headed to the cloakroom to fetch the Young Master’s overcoat.

Left alone, Yin Xia Mo looked down at the green scarf she was knitting and said hesitantly, “Will this color be too monotonous?”

“What?” Ou Chen hadn't quite understood.

“I mean the color of the scarf,” Yin Xia Mo thought for a moment, then added, “I’ll pick a different color for you next year.”

Next year…

Ou Chen froze, his deep green eyes fixed intently on her.

Will she still be here next year?

“Don’t work too hard.”

He took the overcoat from Butler Chen and put it on. Her fingers inadvertently brushed against his cheek. Ou Chen’s body stiffened momentarily, but she merely smiled, her expression as composed as if nothing had happened.

“Come home early.”

After seeing him off at the door, she gave this final, earnest instruction.

Come home early…

During the entire afternoon board meeting, Ou Chen’s mind was mostly elsewhere, replaying the expression on her face when she said those words.

Home…

It had been over a month since their discharge, and it seemed Yin Cheng hadn't mentioned the divorce agreement at all. She appeared to have completely accepted him as her husband, performing nearly perfectly every duty a wife could offer her husband.

The formerly frigid Ou residence suddenly felt warm, like a real home.

She personally knitted warm sweaters and scarves, meticulously researched recipes, strived to prepare meals that both followed the doctor's instructions and pleased him and Xiao Cheng. Every evening, she chatted and laughed with them, then forced them to sleep early. Yet, when he woke late at night, he often found her in the study poring over nutrition guides or searching on the computer for post-operative recovery notes.

She was truly like a wife…

Because of her presence, the once lifeless Ou residence seemed to have sprung back to life, no longer cold or lonely. She radiated a warmth like the sun, making him want to fly to her like a moth, even if only for a fleeting moment.

By the time the board meeting concluded, dusk was beginning to settle.

The black, stretched Lincoln sedan moved slowly through the congested traffic. The shifting light from outside the window cast Ou Chen’s profile in deeper shadow.

The night deepened.

The extended Lincoln glided into an area of ordinary residential buildings. Ou Chen instructed the driver to stop and got out of the car himself. Lights shone from the windows of the houses—it was dinnertime, and the scent of cooking food drifted everywhere.

This was where Xia Mo and Xiao Cheng used to live. Ou Chen looked up at the window that remained dark. He had stopped here many times before, silently watching the warm lights from downstairs. But back then, Luo Xi was often at her place, and he was merely a lonely shadow below.

Now, she didn’t live here anymore.

She was in his and her home, perhaps cooking now, or perhaps waiting for him to return. When he left that morning, she had told him to come home early…

His thoughts remained tangled and chaotic. Ou Chen gave a faint, bitter smile in the twilight. Perhaps he didn't want to face clarity too soon.

She would be so happy to see that old earthenware pot.

Ou Chen thought this, quickening his pace. Besides, she was waiting for him to eat; if he was too late, she might worry.

However—

In the night as smooth as flowing water, Ou Chen’s steps suddenly halted, and his body froze stiffly.

Beneath her former apartment building.

A white BMW was parked there.

A figure as thin as paper stood silently before the car. That person looked up at the window, which had long since gone dark, as if standing there for a very, very long time. In the moonlight, it was as if a faint mist pervaded the air; the face turned upward looked like a petal drained of color—pale, transparent, yet still possessing a startling radiance.

As if sensing footsteps.

That person unconsciously turned his head. The moment he saw Ou Chen, his dark pupils contracted sharply. After a long pause, he slowly closed his eyes, a hint of mockery curving his lips, as if mocking Ou Chen, or perhaps just mocking himself.

“What are you doing here?”

Ou Chen said coldly, his tone guarded, like a lion seeing something that shouldn’t be on its territory.

“And you? Shouldn’t you be with…” A sharp pain shot through his heart, and Luo Xi could not finish the sentence. He managed to conceal his emotions, staring blankly ahead. “Why aren’t you disappearing from my sight quickly? Have you come to gloat?”

Why was he here?

Should he tell Ou Chen that he had been coming here every day since he was discharged?

“Gloat…”

Ou Chen slowly savored the word, then fell into a long silence. This silence instantly charged the atmosphere with tension. Luo Xi’s fingers clenched into fists at his sides, his knuckles turning slightly white from the pressure.

“If it weren't for the fact that you just had a kidney removed, I would land this punch squarely on your face!” Suppressing the surging anger in his chest, Luo Xi’s fists remained tightly balled.

“So you already know.” Ou Chen said.

“Yes, I know,” Luo Xi’s voice was cold as ice. “I always thought that Young Master Ou, despite being domineering, at least operated honorably. I never imagined you would resort to such despicable means—using a kidney to blackmail her into marrying you! Don’t you find yourself utterly shameful?!”

“Didn’t you also use suicide to blackmail her? Because she was marrying me, you used your own death to make her carry the cross of guilt for the rest of her life. Don't you find yourself equally shameful?!” Ou Chen retorted coldly.

In the lonely night.

The two men faced each other coldly, like two lions consumed by hatred; the war could only end with the death of one. “Besides, you are wrong. As long as I can be with her, I never cared whether the means were despicable and shameless or bright and upright,” Ou Chen said expressionlessly. “Now I can tell you, during the filming of Zhan Qi, everything I said to you was a lie.”

“What?”

“She did come to see me before that, but she didn't agree to any transaction with me. However, you suspected her. You thought she made some unspeakable deal with me, which is why Zhan Qi suddenly took such an unexpected turn.”

A loud boom echoed in Luo Xi’s mind!

He remembered how Ou Chen had hinted that the film Zhan Qi continued because Xia Mo had agreed to some kind of deal. And it was precisely because he suspected Xia Mo that he had become so sharp and even proposed breaking up with her.

“You are truly shameless.”

The anger in his chest could no longer be restrained. In his fury, Luo Xi forgot about Ou Chen’s physical condition and swung his right fist toward Ou Chen’s cheek, the air tearing with the force of the blow! Ou Chen sharply turned his head, and the fist grazed past his face, but Luo Xi’s knuckles still left a patch of red on his skin!

“Even if you use such vile methods to make her break up with me, will she come to like you? Ou Chen, I’m telling you, Xia Mo will never love you! She didn’t before, and she won’t now! Even if you force her to marry you!” In his rage and despair, Luo Xi’s voice grew colder.

“Is that so?”

Ou Chen rasped. A coolness from the night wind swept across his chest. He took a deep breath and straightened his back calmly.

“But I believe that only I can bring her the most happiness,” Ou Chen gazed at him. “And what you bring her will only be pain.”

“…”

Luo Xi didn't want to say another word. The absurd and ridiculous feeling made it unbearable for him to stand there with Ou Chen for another second!

“You lost the ability to love someone long ago. Since being abandoned by your mother, your heart has been sealed off,” Ou Chen said indifferently.

“You investigated me.” Luo Xi scoffed; this was truly in line with Ou Chen’s usual style.

“Yes. You are an insecure person who desperately lacks a sense of completeness, which is why a few insinuations from me were enough for you to doubt her and wound her. What you need is a woman who stays by your side every moment, making you feel constantly secure. Xia Mo is not that person; there are many things in her heart that are more important than love. Even if you hadn't misunderstood each other then, in the storms of the entertainment industry, you would eventually have suspected her due to your own insecurity, and the harm to her at that time would have been far greater.”

“Moreover, during the most difficult and agonizing period before the kidney transplant, what did you offer her besides repeated suspicions and the final heavy blow of threatening suicide? My methods might be vile, but at least I gave her the kidney she needed most.” Foam Summer III