Madam Gu was both angry and anxious: "Child, if you don’t fight for it, even a good marriage will slip away. Do you know that your grandmother found a master who said you’re a perfect match with An’an? It’s a rare opportunity. You are too kind-hearted, always willing to sacrifice yourself for others. Your grandmother feels for you."

Gu Chengzhao frowned and looked at Madam Gu: "Mom, what master? Since when did you start believing in this?"

Madam Gu gave a light cough to cover her embarrassment: "Believe it or not, it’s up to you."

Na Amo gently patted Gu Xianning’s head and said softly: "Although I really like An’an, I can tell that An’an only sees Aning as a brother. I agree with Aning’s approach; true love is about giving her freedom."

Madam Gu sighed several times within a short period: "That’s the only way."

Just now, An’an was about to kneel down, probably wanting to break off the engagement. Aning did it first, saving face for everyone. I have to say, Aning truly has the gentlemanly demeanor of the Gu family.

If they are truly destined, there will be opportunities in the future. If not, even an engagement would be a doomed relationship. Let’s see how things unfold in the future.

——

Snow wrapped around the plum blossoms floated into the window. Shen You’an stood in front of the desk practicing calligraphy, but her brush deviated slightly.

The moment the ink blotted, she paused, her fingers brushing the pen as she reflected on her momentary distraction.

Beside her, Yu Yisen’s voice came: "An’an, the worst thing when practicing calligraphy is to be distracted. If your heart is unsettled, it’s better not to practice for now."

Shen You’an threw the ink-stained tissue into the porcelain dish and looked up towards the courtyard where snow chased the plum blossoms, her gaze clear and calm.

A flutter of the heart is merely a triggered unknown variable in the emotional system.

She thought indifferently, redipping the ink. Yet as she began to write again, almost instinctively, she wrote the word "moisture."

Yu Yisen glanced at the bold character on the paper, raised an eyebrow, and looked at Shen You’an with curiosity in his eyes.

"In calligraphy, it’s essential to cultivate the heart first. The pen reflects the heart’s intentions, and the writing echoes the heart’s voice. The ancients said that in calligraphy, there should be space to ride a horse in the sparse areas, and no wind could pass through the dense areas. Everything has its space. This moisture character starts appropriately, but it softens at the end. It shows your heart is preoccupied and you have admirations."

Shen You’an pressed her lips lightly. Outside, she could summon the wind and call the rain; yet before her elders, she was just a seventeen-year-old girl. Her feelings exposed by an elder, she felt a bit shy.

Yu Yisen’s gaze was gentle and understanding as he spoke slowly: "The word ’emotion’ is never a hindrance to learning or self-cultivation, nor is it a mistake that needs hiding. You are wise and rational, used to organizing everything, but the human heart is not a rigid inscription. With wind, with snow, and a sudden heartbeat, that is the essence of living calligraphy." 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

"You don’t need to blame yourself for a moment of distraction, nor rush to suppress this feeling. First observe its actions, then discern its spirit, like grinding ink or sharpening a brush — see where this snow comes from before deciding whether to let it cover the branches or let it drift with the wind. Following your heart is the best rule."

Shen You’an muttered: "Following the heart is the best rule...."

"But if you know there’s no future, should you continue?"

Shen Qiunong sat by the window. Even though she couldn’t see the scenery, she maintained a posture of looking out.

Upon hearing, she chuckled: "When plum meets snow, it blooms; when the heart encounters feelings, it stirs. It’s the law of nature. An’an, you are smart and rational, always inclined to keep everything under control, leaving no room for change. But life has no fixed measure, not even the seasons are immune to sudden snow, let alone the fate of two people.

"Living in predictions of the future is a betrayal of the present."

Shen You’an lowered her eyes to the moisture character on the paper, her fingertips lightly touching the ink mark.

After a moment of silence, the hesitation in her eyes faded slightly, and her voice carried a calm sense of release.

"Grandfather, Grandmother, I understand. I shouldn’t use an unoccurred conclusion to sentence the present emotion to death."

Shen Qiunong beckoned, and Shen You’an walked over and knelt by her side.

Shen Qiunong liked to touch Shen You’an’s face as if engraving her granddaughter’s face into her heart.

"You’ve been with us all this time, and that’s enough. From now on, let go and do what you need to do. Go see those you want to see. This life is short; don’t leave regrets."

This New Year, with her grandparents’ company, was the happiest Shen You’an had spent in her memory.

They wrapped dumplings together, watched the Spring Festival Gala, set off fireworks, and her grandparents gave Shen You’an a thick red envelope.

"This is New Year’s money. Place it under your pillow for good fortune and protection against evil, ensuring peace."