Volume 1, Chapter 179: Restoring to the Original Appearance

“Come on, Mom...”
The fierce wind roared past her ears.
Before her eyes were three dark figures: two large and one small.
Sang Wan’s breath was warm; moments ago, she had been skiing with a horse stance every three steps, but suddenly, as if enlightened, she felt at ease.
When she finally saw the three clearly, Sang Wan shouted, “Lou Ye, I can’t stop, Lou Ye...”
Her mind raced, recalling what the coach had just said.
Shift your weight backward.
Feet apart in a V shape.
And… what else was it?
But the speed was too fast; Sang Wan had no time to think.
She watched helplessly as Lou Ye dropped his ski poles and moved onto her slope.
She threw herself into his arms.
And successfully knocked him down.
Lou Ye fell onto the snow.
She nestled into his embrace.
Through thick ski gear, the sharp scent of pine filled her nostrils. Her pounding heart slowly calmed.
Surrounded by white snow,
in the arms of the one she loved most.
Watching the breath mist before them, Lou Ye felt the sky above unusually clear and blue, his mood indescribably joyful.
Not wanting to get up, Lou Ye ripped off his gloves, loosened his collar, and pulled Sang Wan close. “Was it fun?”
Sang Wan nodded.
Putting aside the brief unease before skiing, the entire process afterward was filled with exhilaration.
Though only lasting tens of seconds, recalling that focused rush forward felt wonderful.
“Come on, I’ll teach you!”
Lou Ye stood and pulled Sang Wan up, leading her to take the cable car back to the starting point.
One taught casually,
the other learned earnestly.
Having overcome her mental hurdle, Sang Wan suddenly realized skiing wasn’t as difficult as she had imagined.
By evening, she was skiing intermediate slopes with ease.
Before sleeping that night, Sang Wan discussed the next day’s schedule with Lou Ye.
“I’ll get up early to take Xiao Mu to kindergarten, then head to the office. You can leave at your usual time, okay?”
“Why can’t we go together?”
“...The kindergarten entrance is always crowded. Lin Chaochao used to pick him up for a while, and Lu Jinnian even took him to the parent-child sports day. If you show up again, I’m afraid it’ll cause gossip.”
“Alright. I accept. Anything else?”
“I start work an hour earlier, so I can leave an hour early to pick him up. I’ll cook at home and wait for you to come eat, how about that?”
Looking up to Lou Ye with a pleading smile, Sang Wan coaxed.
Lou Ye sighed, turning back to pull her close. “Then tell me, how are you going to make it up to me?”
???
“Make it up for what?”
Sang Wan looked puzzled.
They just couldn’t go to work together anymore; everything else remained the same, right?
Lou Ye’s palm slid in confidently, his voice deepening, “No morning cuddles with my wife, no seeing her sweet smile during afternoon traffic, no holding hands... all this emotional loss, don’t I deserve compensation?”
“...”
Sang Wan tilted her head and kissed him. “Then, how about a physical compensation?”
Her chest trembling slightly, Lou Ye’s low voice carried a smile. “Wife, you’re getting naughty!”
Outside, heavy snow swirled.
Inside, passion blazed like spring.
A night without dreams.
The alarm rang early. Sang Wan instinctively turned it off and snuggled into Lou Ye’s arms.
His muffled chuckle came just as there was a soft knock on the door.
Outside, Xiao Mu’s clear voice called, “Daddy Ye, is Mom awake?”
???
Sang Wan was instantly awake.
After a few chaotic minutes, the Ferrari sped out of the hillside villa.
Her mind still echoing with Xiao Mu’s greeting, Sang Wan glanced in the rearview mirror at the little one. “Who woke you up this morning?”
“Daddy Ye.”
“What did you two do?”
“He took me upstairs to work out.”
“??? What did you do?”
“Warm-up on the treadmill for five minutes, then Daddy Ye had me box for ten minutes. He said eight-pack abs are a man’s standard, so I should start training young.”
“...”
Calling him “Daddy Ye” so naturally.
Xiao Mu’s eyes sparkled like stars.
The two most important men in her life—no blood relation—yet their relationship was much better than she had imagined.
Sang Wan’s smile spread warmly to her eyes.
In the back seat, Xiao Mu quietly asked, “Mom, after this week, can I stay with Dad again?”
The traffic light turned red and Sang Wan stopped the car, turning to look at her. “What’s wrong? Aren’t you happy staying with Mom and Daddy Ye?”
“No. I like Daddy Ye.”
Xiao Mu shook her head and explained softly, “Grandma went abroad, Auntie doesn’t come often, so Dad’s all alone. He’s so lonely...”
Her eyes full of reluctance, Xiao Mu whispered, “I want to stay one week with Mom, one week with Dad. Mom, is that okay?”
The child who once accepted anything as long as she was happy seemed to have suddenly grown up.
She knew how to see with her eyes, feel with her heart, and make her own decisions.
Sang Wan’s smile was gentle. “Of course.”
The car drove toward the Lu family villa, but Sang Wan didn’t get out.
Xiao Mu went inside with her little backpack, followed by Housekeeper Wang.
The brightly lit villa was spotless, and the few servants who used to work at the Lu family came to the window, each casting grateful looks.
Sang Wan knew Lu Jinnian had brought them all back.
Even if Xiao Mu didn’t mention it, soon he would bring him home.
She sensed a gaze watching her from a window upstairs. Sang Wan deliberately didn’t look up, waiting until Xiao Mu got back into the car before turning and driving away.
The red Ferrari streaked like a flame, disappearing into the snowy expanse.
Lu Jinnian stood by the window for a long time, lost in thought. When he finally came back to himself, he turned and went downstairs.
“Sir...”
Housekeeper Wang approached cautiously, “You and the young master are rarely home during the day, so we...”
“Xiao Mu will be back in a few days. You can start cleaning and preparing for the New Year.”
Lu Jinnian’s voice was firm. “Restore the house to how it used to be.”
How it used to be.
Wang instinctively glanced at the vase on the kitchen island.
The bouquet of Juliet roses in it had nearly dried out by the time she arrived yesterday.
The servants exchanged looks before she boldly asked Lu Jinnian and then took care of it.
Now, Wang was uncertain—how far back did Lu Jinnian want to restore things?
“Change the flowers in the vase daily, to those... the lady liked.”
“Everything in the living room, master bedroom, and bathroom—remove it all and return to the original colors and styles...”
“And... put back all the photos that were on the shelves before.”
“I’ll stay at the company these days. Call me when it’s ready...”
The everyday details she thought she never noticed suddenly felt so vivid in her mind.
But the thought of never truly returning home burned like a fire in Lu Jinnian’s heart.
After giving the orders, he strode out of the house.
Housekeeper Wang moved quickly, finishing the preparations by Thursday.
At night, when Lu Jinnian returned home, he saw a house renewed yet still filled with the same air as when Sang Wan was there.
On the pristine kitchen island, fresh pink Juliet roses bloomed brightly, paired with green yellow warblers, brightening the entire living room.
On the shelves in the distance, photos of their happy family life—just the three of them—and pictures of Xiao Mu growing from infant to boy.
Turning around, the wedding photo of him and Sang Wan hung on the wall.
A faint lemon scent filled the air.
Lu Jinnian walked to the dining room. On the table were the dishes Sang Wan used to cook, all his and their son’s favorites.
Under the bright light, everything seemed to return to a year ago—
When Sang Wan was still here, before she fell ill.
Illness.
His hand paused mid-reach, and a flicker of hope sparked in Lu Jinnian’s eyes.