Lu Jin’an didn’t dare move a muscle. He tried calling her name. “Gu Nianyi.”
The girl didn’t respond. She was still lost in sleep.
Her arm remained draped across his waist.
A plush doll lay wedged between them.
“Crying even in her sleep.”
Lu Jin’an gently reached out with his left hand and wiped the tear from the corner of her eye.
As if she’d heard him, another tear fell, but then the corners of her mouth curved into a lovely smile.
“Smiling about what?”
Still no answer.
The girl in his arms gradually relaxed her furrowed brows. She hugged both the doll and Lu Jin’an a little tighter.
Her smile was infectious. A sense of peace settled over Lu Jin’an, and he drifted off to sleep soon after.
Gu Nianyi dreamed.
In the dream, it was her birthday, but she was all alone.
Her parents ignored her. Her grandparents had forgotten. Even Ming Yue paid her no mind.
She bought a little four-inch cake and squatted by the roadside, eating it through her tears.
After what felt like forever, Ming Yue showed up to apologize. Then her grandparents called.
And there was a man.
His figure was tall and straight, every movement carrying a sense of solemn dignity. When he turned, a warm smile lit his face.
Clean and healing—like the gentle winter sun melting into the cold light of day.
He set down his gift and left.
The light was hazy, as if filtered through a soft, warm lens.
She couldn’t make out his face.
Finally, Lu Jin’an arrived. He crouched down in front of her and gently wiped away her tears.
He took her hand and led her home.
Cypress View Pavilion had been transformed into a birthday party venue. Pink and white balloons floated everywhere, along with her favorite kitten decorations.
Cartoonish letters adorned the walls.
【Gu Nianyi, happy birthday.】
【Welcome to this world.】
Nian Gao came bounding toward her. She nipped at Gu Nianyi’s pant leg and tugged her toward another room.
Gu Nianyi pushed open the door and froze at the sight before her.
The entire room was overflowing with gifts, piled high like a mountain.
She unpacked them until her arms ached—and there was still a huge stack left.
Nian Gao sprawled at her feet, meowing softly to keep her company.
Warm yellow sunlight bathed her. No one to bother her. It was her world alone.
The happiness didn’t end abruptly. No one came to ruin it. No party poopers in sight.
Everything felt so real. So perfect.
Gu Nianyi slept soundly through the night. Yesterday’s heartache faded away with the typhoon.
She realized she’d shifted positions in her sleep. The spot beside her was empty.
She reached out and felt it—no lingering warmth.
The bathroom was silent. He’d probably already left for work.
Better this way. No awkward encounters.
Gu Nianyi hadn’t blacked out. She remembered everything clearly. She’d buried herself in Lu Jin’an’s arms and sobbed.
No— he’d pulled her into the hug first.
Aaaah! She wanted to explode. How was she supposed to face him now?
She couldn’t. Not at all.
He’d seen her crying. He’d learned the truth about her birthday. He’d glimpsed her vulnerable side.
Her tears had even soaked his shirt.
It was like adding another embarrassing memory to her collection. The more she thought about it, the worse it got.
Gu Nianyi bolted out of bed. She still had to go to work.
The daily grind called.
She rushed through her morning routine. As she left the master bedroom, she collided straight into someone’s chest.
She didn’t need to look up. The familiar woody scent wrapping around her told her everything.
Gu Nianyi kept her head down, her voice barely above a whisper. “Lu… Dr. Lu, you’re still home?”
Lu Jin’an glanced at her flushed neck and gauged her mood. She seemed to have pulled herself out of the sadness.
“I’m tied up today. I’ll be back late tonight—no need to wait up.”
“Okay. Drive safe.”
In her heart, Gu Nianyi hoped he wouldn’t come back for a while. Just like those early days of their marriage.
She stood frozen in place, waiting for the man in front of her to leave first.
But Lu Jin’an was waiting for her.
An oddly tense stalemate hung in the air.
She waited for him to go ahead. He waited for her to go with him.
Finally, Gu Nianyi couldn’t take it. She headed downstairs and detoured to feed Nian Gao.
Lu Jin’an saw right through her little ploy. The corner of his mouth twitched upward. “I already fed Nian Gao.”
He’d topped off her bowl after getting up.
“Then I’ll clean her litter box,” Gu Nianyi said.
Lu Jin’an caught her wrist. “The housekeeper will take care of it.”
“Then I’m off to work—I’m about to be late!” Her eyes darted everywhere as she snatched her bag and bolted out the door.
All that was left for Lu Jin’an was the firmly shut front door.
She really was thin-skinned. Yesterday’s embrace had been an accident—one he’d initiated.
And now she couldn’t even bring herself to look at him.
What was he going to do about this?
Lu Jin’an didn’t have time to dwell. He’d scheduled an early meetup with Lin Qianyu. There were more important things to handle today.
He dialed his number. “Where are you?”
Lin Qianyu picked up, still bleary-eyed. He checked the time—ten minutes to eight. This was brutal.
“Bro, I don’t even get up this early for work. The mall doesn’t open till ten.”
Lu Jin’an’s brows furrowed slightly. “Get moving. Go line up early.”
Line up? What an obscure concept.
“Queueing” wasn’t even in Lu Jin’an’s vocabulary.
Back in school, whenever Lin Qianyu lined up for something hot, Lu Jin’an would just mock him: “Bored out of your mind?”
And now? Here he was, planning to queue two hours early.
Marriage had changed him completely.
Lin Qianyu grumbled. “Bro, are you hearing yourself? Lining up? You, Dr. Lu?”
Lu Jin’an didn’t waste breath on banter. “Hurry up.”
Lin Qianyu dragged himself out of bed, grumbling all the way. He’d just gotten back from overseas, and everyone was acting weird.
Lu Jin’an. Xie Yunting. Unbelievable.
Back in school, those two had been ascetic as monks. Now, pushing thirty, they were chasing skirts like eager young lads.
He threw on a shirt at random, shaking his head at the sheer weirdness.
In the dead of night, Lu Jin’an had called out of nowhere, asking him to tag along shopping for a doll.
All because Lin Qianyu had posted it on social media.
He’d been stunned. Double-checked the caller ID. For a second, he’d thought it was a scam and downloaded the national anti-fraud app on the spot.
By eight-thirty, Lin Qianyu pulled up at Prosperity Peace Neighborhood. The line snaked in a massive S-shape, looping around itself endlessly.
He spotted Lu Jin’an right away, standing tall amid the crowd.
Broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist. Even without his usual icy expression, shrouded in morning mist, he cut a strikingly handsome figure.
His presence stood out like a crane among chickens—completely at odds with everyone else.
The queue was mostly teens and twenties: couples, girls. Lu Jin’an was the lone outlier in his age bracket.
A guy pushing thirty, joining the fun.
Lin Qianyu eyed the ever-lengthening line. He’d underestimated Esther’s pull.
Years later, and a new release still had the whole city turning out. People were even dragging suitcases.
No wonder it was the undisputed king of the plush world.
His ex had been obsessed.
Lin Qianyu sidled up to Lu Jin’an and launched into a dramatic wail. “I skipped breakfast for this. You’re buying me a feast.”
Lu Jin’an shot him a sidelong glance. “Does President Lin really need one free meal?”
Lin Qianyu shoved a hand in his pocket, striking a roguish slouch. “Oh, I need it. Not like you, Dr. Lu, with your empire. I won’t make it hard—full banquet spread, every cuisine under the sun. Wings from the sky, beasts from the land, fish from the sea. Piece of cake, right?”
The picture of unseriousness.
The official store wouldn’t open until ten. He’d shown up an hour and a half early, braving wind and rain. Anyone would call that true friendship.
Lu Jin’an lifted an eyebrow. “Sure. No problem. I’ll stuff you till you burst.”
Lin Qianyu: “…”
How the hell had this guy gotten married? That poker face had to have fooled some poor girl.
Rose had skirted South City in the wee hours of the night, downgraded to a tropical storm. The rain wasn’t as bad as feared.
The Meteorological Bureau’s frenzy had peaked and passed.
Gu Nianyi had rushed out the door too fast and forgotten her eye-depuffing trick with the egg. Her puffy eyelids stood out glaringly.
Shen Lingyun noticed right away. “Yi Yi, what happened to your eyes? They’re all swollen.”
Gu Nianyi scrambled for an excuse. “Drank too much water before bed last night.”
Shen Lingyun: “As long as it wasn’t your husband who upset you.”
She couldn’t stand seeing her gentle big sister mistreated.
“It wasn’t.”
Gu Nianyi had a packed day ahead: reviewing the typhoon’s path and monitoring the aftermath.
A new cold front was gathering over Siberia, due to hit South City by month’s end.
All of it needed close tracking.
Once she got busy, last night’s mishap faded from her mind.
The green icon in the corner of her screen stayed still. No messages from Lu Jin’an.
Why would he message during work hours? They didn’t chat idly.
She’d been tipsy last night. Hadn’t pushed him away. He’d just gotten off shift, mind foggy. That was all there was to it.
Gu Nianyi put it behind her and dove into work.
After an eternity of waiting, the Esther store finally swung open amid a wave of anticipation.
The line surged with excitement. Lin Qianyu glimpsed hope.
But it inched forward for only five minutes before grinding to a halt again. With the crowd too massive, staff announced they’d let people in by batches.
Two girls who’d just joined the line behind them kept stealing glances at Lu Jin’an.
They’d noticed him the moment they arrived.
His height and looks were just too striking—sharp contours, high nose bridge.
No need for comparisons; he was top-tier among top-tier. Even his back and aura alone made him unforgettable.
The girls whispered to each other.
“Definitely buying for his girlfriend.”
“No ring, so he’s not married. He’s not chatting or making calls with anyone, so he probably doesn’t have a girlfriend either.”
“In summary, it’s probably for his niece. Go ask him—opportunity knocks but once.”
The analysis was thorough, as if she’d watched a dozen detective shows.
Encouraged by her friend, the long-haired girl mustered her courage. “Hi, can I add you on WeChat?”
Lu Jin’an took a big step forward, deliberately putting distance between them. His brows furrowed. “No.”
His tone was as cold as an autumn rain, laced with a frosty chill.
Rejected, the long-haired girl sheepishly put away her phone. The short-haired girl chimed in, “We won’t bother you. We just want to get to know you.”
Lu Jin’an had already responded politely once. Now, he had no desire to waste more words.
Seeing this, Lin Qianyu spoke up. “He’s just like that. There’s no way he’ll give out his contact if he doesn’t want to. He’s got a wife—adding him might mean kneeling on a washboard when he gets home.”
Lin Qianyu was used to this sort of thing from childhood. Despite Lu Jin’an’s aloof expression, plenty of girls still wanted to chase him.
Maybe it was global warming. People were afraid of the heat and needed some ice to cool down.
“Ah.” The two girls’ gazes flicked back to Lu Jin’an’s hand. His ulna protruded prominently, veins clearly defined.
There was no wedding ring on his bony ring finger.
The long-haired girl said, “Universal rejection template.”
The short-haired girl took another look at the two men in front of her, a new suspicion forming in her mind. “Maybe it’s…”
The girls exchanged a glance and instantly understood each other.
Speaking of marriage made Lin Qianyu suddenly remember something. He had never seen Lu Jin’an’s marriage certificate. “Show me your marriage certificate. I feel like you had a fake wedding.”
It had been a sunny afternoon. Lin Qianyu was in a meeting when Lu Jin’an tossed a wedding invitation into their group chat.
Lin Qianyu thought his phone had been hacked—a virus link sent automatically. He didn’t click it.
Only when Xie Yunting spoke up did he open it and see the wedding photo. He was so shocked that his phone slipped from his hand and hit the floor.
Marriage certificate?
Lu Jin’an pulled out his phone and scrolled through his photo album. It was filled with hospital documents, but no photo of the certificate or their wedding portraits.
He vaguely remembered getting the certificate and casually tossing it onto the center console after leaving the Civil Affairs Bureau.
Once home, he’d put it in a drawer—or somewhere. He couldn’t recall exactly.
As for the wedding ring, it was inconvenient during surgeries, so he’d never considered wearing it.
Lu Jin’an locked his phone and then unlocked it again. He tapped into Gu Nianyi’s Moments. Her life was simple; she rarely posted personal updates.
Among the scant few posts were pictures of Nian Gao, scenery, dolls, and food. No selfies.
His finger hovered over their chat window. 【You there?】
Gu Nianyi was working on a PPT when the avatar in the bottom right corner started flashing. Her heart suddenly thudded heavily, its rhythm thrown into disarray.
Why was he messaging her during work hours? What did he want to say?
Amid her quickening heartbeat, she replied. 【Here. What’s up? Dr. Lu.】
Lu Jin’an: 【Do you have a photo of the marriage certificate saved?】
Gu Nianyi’s heart settled. 【No. Why?】
See? She wasn’t the only one who hadn’t saved it. Lu Jin’an tapped lightly. 【Nothing.】
Lu Jin’an wouldn’t message her just to chat idly. It must be something for the hospital, and he didn’t want to trouble her.
Gu Nianyi remembered she’d sent one to Ming Yue. 【Dr. Lu, I found one.】
The red document cover gave her a sense of déjà vu from another lifetime.
They’d gotten married just a few months ago, but it felt like ages had passed.
Other people put their heart into it—two marriage certificates. She seemed to have hers safely tucked in her bag.
【Got it.】
Lu Jin’an saved the photo and flatly refused Lin Qianyu. “No.”
Lin Qianyu said, “You… over a marriage certificate? You’re so stingy. It’s not like I’m trying to steal your wife.”
Lu Jin’an lifted his eyelids, shooting him a piercing glare. His ink-black eyes carried a chilling aura that sent shivers down the spine.
Lin Qianyu hurriedly backpedaled. “My bad, my bad.”
The gloomy sky suddenly cleared, the sun peeking out as temperatures rose. The line felt even more torturous now.
Lin Qianyu asked, “How’d you end up coaxing your wife like this? You’re finally taking it to heart?”
He couldn’t figure it out. What had happened to make the ever-efficient Lu Jin’an spend time buying dolls?
Was this what it meant to care?
Lu Jin’an thought of Gu Nianyi from the night before—her tears falling onto his shirt, her shoulders trembling faintly as she suppressed her sobs.
His steps faltered, his gaze deepening. “I don’t want her to cry.”
Cry?
Lin Qianyu latched onto the key word and started speculating. “You two fought? Did you yell at the poor girl? Dr. Lu, you’re heartless. Such a nice girl… No, you must’ve bullied her. Why else would she call me in the middle of the night? Dr. Lu, you beast—even after marriage, you can’t do that.”
Righteously indignant, he grew more agitated, his voice rising unconsciously. Nearby people started glancing their way.
Lu Jin’an’s brows furrowed slightly as he fixed Lin Qianyu with a stare. “Go see a neurologist.”
He was calling him crazy? Unacceptable.
Lin Qianyu pressed, “Then why was she crying?”
Lu Jin’an snapped, “Shut up.”
Bringing Lin Qianyu along had been a mistake.
Of course, Lin Qianyu didn’t listen. “So she was upset, and you felt bad for her.”
Felt bad? He wasn’t sure. He just didn’t want her to cry.
Lu Jin’an stepped into the store. “No.”
He couldn’t tell these dolls apart. To him, they all looked the same.
“Any particular ones?”
Lin Qianyu explained, “These are blind boxes. The really cute ones come as limited editions—that’s what everyone’s queuing for.”
Hunger marketing, as expected. This world couldn’t escape it.
Lu Jin’an got straight to the point with the staff. “One of each.”
Not many people bought that many. The staff confirmed, “All of them? Regardless of size or style?”
Lu Jin’an nodded. “Yes.”
The man pulled out another photo. “Do you have this one?”
He’d once glimpsed it as Gu Nianyi’s phone wallpaper. There wasn’t one like it in her doll collection at home.
The staff shook their head. “No, it hasn’t been released domestically.”
Lin Qianyu leaned in. “I’ll get it for you—even the out-of-print ones.”
He was all too familiar with Esther. His ex-girlfriend had raved about it, and he’d often brought some back from abroad to coax her.
With a sleazy grin, he asked, “Dr. Lu, are you finally taking it to heart?”
Lu Jin’an went to pay, his finger hovering in midair. “No.”
He just didn’t want her to cry. That was all.
He then instructed the staff to ship them to another address.
After the hug, Gu Nianyi seemed to be avoiding him on purpose. She wouldn’t meet his eyes, and their already sparse dinner conversations dwindled even further.
Every night, she dragged her feet before bed, as if they’d gone back to the nights before their marriage.
Lin Qianyu was efficient. In less than a week, he’d obtained the limited domestic editions and even the out-of-print overseas ones.
While Gu Nianyi was at work, Lu Jin’an brought all the dolls home. Mimicking what he’d seen other girls do online, he placed them in their transparent boxes and arranged the Doll Room.
He waited at home with Nian Gao.
The man held out some cat strips and crouched down to tempt her. “When your mom gets back, lead her upstairs, got it?”
Nian Gao meowed in agreement. After all, you don’t bite the hand that feeds you.
The sunset’s afterglow spilled across the windowsill.
Gu Nianyi arrived home bathed in the evening light. Nian Gao impatiently tugged at her pant leg, leading her upstairs.
The cat stopped in front of the door to the second spare bedroom and pawed at it.
It was almost exactly like the scene from her dream. Gu Nianyi took a deep breath and pushed the door open.
Unlike the dream, her eyes were met with a room full of Esther dolls—big ones, small ones, in all different colors and styles.
By the window stood a white floor swing.
Nian Gao hopped onto it, setting it gently swaying.
The pink evening glow lit up the scene before her: all her favorite dolls. Gu Nianyi stared, dumbfounded.
Until a clear, cool voice came from behind her. “Birthday gift.”
Lu Jin’an stood in the doorway, not wanting to interrupt her joy.
This was the birthday gift he owed her—a husband’s duty.
He had fulfilled it.