Lin Hening was in a good mood today. Early in the morning, he got a call from his father, Lin Youyu, who told him that their business negotiations in the Philippines had been successful. Lin Corporation had formed a partnership with the other company, and on the day of the press conference, their stock prices skyrocketed. Everything was thriving.
Lin Youyu mentioned that he would be heading to Switzerland next and would return to Yunzhou next month. He also asked if Lin Hening had received the package he had mailed a few days ago. Before hanging up, he reminded his son that the Winter Solstice was coming up and that it was as important as the New Year—he should remember to eat dumplings.
Lin Hening took the advice to heart. Especially when, during lunch break, he overheard his assistant Xiao Wei and some court officers passionately discussing what dumpling fillings were the best.
That reminded him of the meat buns that Gu Fei had brought him. The dough was fluffy, soft, and chewy, but the real highlight was the filling—so fresh, so fragrant.
Lin Hening could say, without exaggeration and as an objective fact, that it was the most delicious meat filling he had ever eaten.
How was it made? What kind of magic ingredient did it contain?
Then he remembered the small wontons that Xia Zhile had gifted him last time. Wanting to return the favor, he suddenly got the idea to make dumplings for Xia Zhile.
If he was going to do it, he was going all out. Lin Hening decided he would make everything from scratch, including the dumpling wrappers. He searched online for tutorials on kneading dough and rolling wrappers. The key to good dumplings, however, was the filling.
Since this was his first time making such an important dish, he had to do it right. It had to be perfect.
So he sent a message to Gu Fei, asking what kind of filling was in the buns he had brought to the hospital last time.
Gu Fei replied in less than a minute: [Beef and onion filling. You like it?]
Lin Hening responded honestly and enthusiastically: [It was amazing.]
[Would the same filling work for dumplings?]
Gu Fei: [Yes.]
Gu Fei: [Do you want to order Winter Solstice dumplings? I can make them, cook them, and deliver them to your place.]
Lin Hening was deeply moved by Boss Gu’s keen and enthusiastic service. He sent a smiling emoji and wrote:
[No need, no need. I want to try making it myself. Can you teach me how to season the meat filling? You don’t have to tell me your secret recipe, just the basics will do.]
Lin Hening waited five minutes, but Gu Fei didn’t reply.
Did he overstep?
He swore he had no intention of stealing trade secrets!
His phone rang—it was Gu Fei.
Lin Hening quickly picked up, and Gu Fei said, “A beer salesman just came by.”
Then he asked, “Have you ever cooked before?”
Lin Hening thought about his specialty dish: “Does scrambled eggs count?”
Gu Fei: “…”
Gu Fei recalled Lin Hening’s large, open-concept kitchen—beautiful, with a black-gold granite countertop, every inch radiating luxury.
How could he let that go to waste?
Gu Fei decisively said, “When do you have time? Come to my restaurant. I’ll teach you in person.”
Lin Hening, who was also worried about wrecking his kitchen, happily agreed, “Thanks!”
The next day, right after work, Lin Hening stopped by Xinghua Restaurant and took a box of caviar out of his trunk for Gu Fei.
“I don’t like this stuff, so I’m giving it to you.”
Lin Hening had no love for this “status symbol” of the wealthy. His father adored it, so he had to pretend he did too.
This box had been shipped all the way from overseas.
Gu Fei thanked him and set the box aside.
Lin Hening didn’t see Fatty or Zhou Zhou—only two part-time workers were in the shop. It happened to be a slow business day.
Gu Fei asked if Lin Hening had store-bought dumpling wrappers. Rolling up his sleeves, Lin Hening said he’d make them from scratch.
Gu Fei fell silent for a few seconds. As a man skilled at reading people, Prosecutor Lin instantly deciphered the expression on Gu Fei’s face—five big words: “All passion, no skill.”
For a complete beginner, after mastering scrambled eggs, the next logical step should be tomato and egg stir-fry.
A baby who can’t even roll over yet wants to be an astronaut?
At least Lin Hening was self-aware about his overambitious leap.
Gu Fei: “Start by making the dough.”
Truly a master—bold and fearless! That steady gaze and composed demeanor made Lin Hening feel like he could master this in one night, stomp over New Oriental (a culinary school), and punch Michelin in the face!
Gu Fei taught patiently, starting with precise measurements—how many grams of flour to how much water. Thanks to the accuracy, there were no disasters, boosting Lin Hening’s confidence.
Then came seasoning the meat filling—nothing too complicated, just scallion-ginger juice, salt, MSG, and the like. But wrapping the dumplings was the real challenge. Watching Gu Fei do it made it seem effortless, but when Lin Hening tried, the difficulty level skyrocketed.
“If the dumplings leak while cooking, they turn into wontons,” Gu Fei said, demonstrating how to fold pleats and shape them into smooth, plump little parcels.
Aside from his good looks, Lin Hening prided himself on his quick learning ability, and soon, his dumplings started looking decent.
Instructor Gu was pleased. “Boil them in hot water. Add a bit of salt to prevent sticking. Are you making these for your dad?”
Lin Hening focused on the water temperature. “I’m making them for Xia Zhile. Isn’t it the Winter Solstice today?”
Gu Fei’s grip on the rolling pin tightened slightly.
Lin Hening glanced at him. Gu Fei said, “The water’s boiling.”
“Oh.” Lin Hening dropped the dumplings into the pot. Then, as if remembering something, he asked, “Do you know how to make cheesecake?”
Right after asking, he realized how dumb the question was. Gu Fei ran a Chinese restaurant—he probably didn’t do Western-style baking.
Gu Fei: “Yeah.”
Lin Hening had to give him a thumbs-up.
Actually, Xia Zhile’s birthday was coming up. A birthday needed a cake. The past two years, Lin Hening had always bought one from the best bakery, but after his dumpling success, he felt emboldened—surely cheesecake would be a piece of cake too.
The dumplings were ready—steaming hot, round, and plump, looking absolutely delightful.
Gu Fei asked if Lin Hening wanted to try one. Lin Hening thought it’d be better to share them with Xia Zhile.
After packing them up, Lin Hening heard Gu Fei ask, “Heading straight home?”
Lin Hening: “Going to Xia Zhile’s place.”
Gu Fei paused, surprised. “You two don’t live together?”
“Nope.”
Just then, Gu Fei got a call, and Lin Hening was about to leave. But as he stepped outside, Gu Fei called after him.
“Prosecutor Lin.”
“Hm?”
Gu Fei said, “The roads are slippery in the snow—drive carefully.”
Lin Hening smiled. “Got it.” He noticed Gu Fei wearing a down jacket and curiously asked, “Going out?”
Gu Fei nodded. “My mom’s here. I’m heading to the bus station to pick her up.”
Seeing that the snow was coming down heavily and that it was on his way, Lin Hening asked, “Want a ride?”
Gu Fei said, “Thanks.”
Then, he got into the Bentley a step ahead of Lin Hening.
Xia Zhile asked with concern, “Drink it while it’s hot. Are you still cold?”
An Nian held the ginger sugar water in both hands, and her pale little face gradually turned rosy. “Thank you, Zhile-ge. I’m not cold anymore. Sorry for the trouble—my car broke down.”
“What are you talking about? Good thing I ran into you. Otherwise, what would you have done in this heavy snow?” Xia Zhile said with a smile. “I even made some soup for you. It’s simmering on the stove—I’ll go check on it.”
An Nian was both surprised and touched and followed Xia Zhile into the kitchen.
It was an open kitchen. While Xia Zhile checked the stove, An Nian stood outside the bar counter and took a deep breath. “It smells so good!”
Xia Zhile smiled. “It’ll be ready soon.”
An Nian hesitated. “Zhile-ge, maybe I should have it another time.”
Xia Zhile paused. “Why? What’s wrong?”
An Nian forced a smile. “I don’t want to bother you. Today is the Winter Solstice—you’re not spending it with Mr. Lin?”
Xia Zhile’s expression dimmed. After a moment, he said, “You’ll probably laugh, but today has been pretty awful for me.”
An Nian quickly asked, “What happened?”
Xia Zhile sighed. “There’s fierce competition in my department. Two doctors—both highly educated, experienced, and well-connected—are fighting me for the deputy director position. Every day is a constant battle, both openly and behind the scenes. Today, the hospital director made a surprise inspection, and somehow, those two teamed up against me.
“Although I barely managed to get through it with my expertise, I still stuttered and hesitated in my responses. The director even frowned at me.
“I hate their scheming, but I hate my own incompetence even more.”
“Those two backstabbing bastards!” An Nian suddenly cursed, making Xia Zhile jump in surprise.
Seeing how furious An Nian was—so angry he looked ready to fight for him—Xia Zhile’s own anger miraculously disappeared, replaced by a deep warmth.
It was true: when you’re mad, if someone else is even madder for your sake, your own anger fades.
Especially someone like An Nian, who was usually so gentle and soft-spoken, who always seemed weak and helpless when facing Wang Tu, but could get this worked up for him.
Xia Zhile found it adorable—An Nian wasn’t even good at cursing. His face was red from the effort, and the words he came up with were so mild they barely hurt.
An Nian stepped inside the bar counter, his eyes filled with distress. “Those guys who rely on dirty tricks instead of skill will never have a good ending. You’re amazing, Zhile-ge. You’re a doctor who has saved countless lives. A deputy director title is nothing—you’ll become a director, then a vice president, and one day, you’ll be the most renowned professor in cardiothoracic surgery!”
Something dropped into Xia Zhile’s heart, sending ripples across his soul.
When he finished work, the nurses mentioned it was the Winter Solstice, but he had no desire to call Lin Hening. Lin Hening hadn’t reached out to him either.
Xia Zhile felt frustrated. He wanted to be alone but also hated the loneliness. Sitting and staring at the air made him feel like a lunatic. Going to a bar alone would just be awkward.
Thankfully, there was An Nian.
On this freezing, snowy night, this warm, kind, and delicate boy was here with him.
Then, Xia Zhile noticed that An Nian was barefoot. His heart ached instantly. “Put on some slippers! You’ll catch a cold—you’re not strong.”
An Nian huffed. “I am so strong!”
Xia Zhile scoffed. “Yeah, right. Back in school, you were always in the infirmary.”
He had been reading medical books since he was young, so the school doctor liked him a lot. He had worked as an assistant in the infirmary for all three years of high school.
An Nian lowered his eyelashes. “I was faking.”
Xia Zhile froze. “Why?”
An Nian didn’t answer. He just looked at him, biting his lower lip.
Xia Zhile’s heart pounded wildly. He already knew the answer but asked anyway, “Was it to see me?”
An Nian’s eyes suddenly turned red. He tried to hold back, but in the end, big tears rolled down his cheeks. “Senior… I really…”
Xia Zhile panicked. “Nian Nian, don’t cry!”
An Nian sobbed. “Senior, I really couldn’t help it. I like you so much. From the first day of school, when you gave that speech as the student council president, I fell in love with you at first sight!”
Xia Zhile was shaken to the core.
An Nian threw his arms around him. “I thought I could forget you. I thought if I had a boyfriend, my feelings for you would fade. But I can’t. I still think about you. I still love you. I regret it so much—if I hadn’t gone to Ruitan Hospital that day, I wouldn’t have run into you again, and I wouldn’t be suffering like this.”
“Nian Nian, I—”
Before Xia Zhile could finish, An Nian cupped his face with both hands and kissed him, tears streaming down his cheeks.
Xia Zhile’s whole body went rigid.
His hands, raised in shock, didn’t push An Nian away. Instead, they lowered gently to wrap around his fragile back, holding him with infinite tenderness.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
A slow, rhythmic applause echoed from the doorway.
It was like a thunderclap above their heads.
Xia Zhile turned his head in horror.
His legs instantly went weak, as if he had seen a ghost.
“…H-Hening?!!!”
