It Began with Him

Jiang Zhiye took over the Jiang family of Beicheng at seventeen. By twenty-six, he held absolute power in Beicheng, and the media respectfully called him the Young Master of the Jiang family.

Jiang Zhiye, the young master of Beicheng's Jiang family, and Xu Qingyan, the youngest daughter of Jiangnan's Xu family. Jiang Zhiye had been surrounded by women, yet never let any of them get close. He changed girlfriends more often than he changed clothes and had no interest in delicate, dependent women.

Xu Qingyan was exactly that kind of delicate beauty. She had loved Jiang Zhiye for nine years, and she was the only one who knew it. She had never told a soul. Two years ago, when Jiang Zhiye's grandfather was diagnosed with liver cancer, he wanted to see his grandson settle down. So Jiang Zhiye married Xu Qingyan, his childhood betrothed. There was no grand wedding, just a marriage certificate. The first thing Jiang Zhiye said to her that day was, "Be a pretty ornament and don't meddle in things that aren't your concern." For the past two years, Jiang Zhiye had been surrounded by rumors of affairs. At last, one day, Xu Qingyan gave up trying to warm his cold heart.

Jiang Zhiye, let's get divorced. I'll set you free, and you set me free.

In the first month after the divorce, Jiang Zhiye acted as if nothing had happened. In the second month, he started missing the hangover soup she used to make. In the third month, as he looked through all the things she'd left behind, he found five thick diaries.

August 16, 2014, sunny

Today I went to ask my teacher about learning to paint and met a young man. I'd never seen anyone look so good in a leather jacket. My teacher said his name was Jiang Zhiye and that he'd taught him in Beicheng before. He was in Jiangnan on business and had come to visit. My teacher proudly said he was the most talented student he'd ever taught. He just doesn't paint anymore because he's so busy.

September 17, 2014, light rain

Today my teacher opened a package. It was a painting by Jiang Zhiye, showing the bustling streets.

3,280 diary entries over nine years, and her love hadn't faded in the slightest.

Jiang Zhiye searched for Xu Qingyan like a madman. Xu Qingyan's good friend Lu Ming told him, "You have no right to look for her anymore."

Jiang Zhiye searched for four years.

Four years later, Jiang Di and her boyfriend Ji Yuchuan came to Jiangnan and took a trip to Wujiang. They went to check in at the largest teahouse in Wujiang. While Jiang Di was taking pictures of the lotus flowers in the courtyard, a server across from her accidentally spilled water while refilling a guest's cup. The guest called for the owner. Jiang Di spotted Xu Qingyan in a qipao. She secretly took a photo and sent it to her cousin. Jiang Zhiye was in the middle of a bidding meeting. His phone kept ringing, and he was about to turn it off. But when he saw the photo on the screen, he lost his composure. He immediately suspended the meeting and flew to Wujiang. The next day, a customer ordered 32 servings of the teahouse's signature tea and asked the owner to introduce and brew it.

As soon as Xu Qingyan entered, she saw Jiang Zhiye. She didn't even look at him, just introduced the tea as she brewed it. After brewing all 32 cups, she finally told him the teahouse's rule: whoever orders the tea must drink the first cup of every kind. Jiang Zhiye drank all 32 cups of tea and said, "I just wanted to see more of you."

Theme: Rekindling an old flame