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It turned out that storms were not as frightening as they seemed.

This was the conclusion Mo Mo Zhang reached after turning off her phone and instructing Dong Fei to forward only client calls to her—one week had passed since then. The endless reports in newspapers and online, the sympathetic or scathing comments—if you simply didn’t look at them, they might as well not exist. The two men with the most destructive power had already been dealt with that night; looking back now, perhaps that wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

Nian Qing Zhang had come to her office in a fury, but instead of cursing her out this time, she clung to her and wept bitterly. Nian Qing insisted she would go to the police station again, to admit that she herself was the victim, but Mo Mo stopped her. During this, Hao Tang stood by hesitantly, but said nothing.

Dong Fei, ever the warm-hearted girl, now looked at her with such sympathy and pity that she took it upon herself to bring Mo Mo tea and water, leaving Mo Mo with nothing but a wry smile.

At this point, she no longer brooded so much over her parents’ passing. If they were still alive, they would probably be so exasperated with her that they’d die all over again.

Life passed uneventfully; aside from not meeting clients in person and avoiding face-to-face interactions, Mo Mo truly felt her current life wasn’t bad at all. The only inconvenience was that, whether going to the supermarket or the market, she had to wrap herself up tightly—but thankfully, the weather wasn’t hot yet, so on the street she didn’t look like an alien.

Business at the advertising agency had picked up substantially, especially with male clients. Mo Mo thought, at least she’d gotten some benefit out of this; all in all, it was a fair trade! One afternoon, while Dong Fei was out meeting clients and she was working on designs inside, Uncle Hu came to her office. Mo Mo stood up from behind her desk in surprise, realizing it had been a long time since she’d turned on her phone.

Uncle Hu was leaving the city to spend his retirement back home. The news surprised Mo Mo—she had never considered that Uncle Hu even had a hometown; for as long as she could remember, he’d been here. Suddenly, she felt at a loss—one less person who cared for her. Their farewell dinner was set at Yong An Restaurant; perhaps because the news was so sudden, Mo Mo was careless and forgot her usual disguise. Fortunately, Uncle Hu was a broad-minded man; despite all the whispering and gossip, he didn’t show her the slightest hint of disdain.

He looked at her with his usual gentle eyes. “Mo Mo, I’ve watched you grow up since you were a child. No matter what happens, I’ve always truly cared for you. I want you to live well—otherwise, I wouldn’t have arranged that blind date with Xiang Zuo.”

He spoke with some hesitation, and the mention of old memories made Mo Mo feel all the more reluctant to part. Only then did she realize—why hadn’t Uncle Hu looked for Nian Qing? He was right; since childhood, though her sister was the more obedient one, Uncle Hu had always favored Mo Mo between the two twins. He’d always brought her more snacks and toys when visiting, and her little girl’s vanity was quietly satisfied. Remembering this, she looked up again, her eyes stinging with unshed tears. The once-robust Uncle Hu, who used to lift her onto his shoulders and joke about making her his goddaughter, now wore the frost of age at his temples. He had once been slightly plump, his face naturally gentle, but now his gaze was distant, as if recalling every scene from the past.

“You’ve always been a thoughtful child. My only worry is that you’re too sentimental, and you end up suffering for it.” For a moment, a shadow—almost despair—passed over the old man’s face, and Mo Mo’s heart suddenly felt heavy. This might be their last meeting; though there was no blood relation, as a family friend, he had played a fatherly role in her life. Now, with her own father gone, this bond felt all the more precious.

“Don’t worry, I can take good care of myself.” As she spoke, her eyes grew moist. In this world, who else would sincerely say such words to her, who else would remember to exhort her even as they were leaving?

Uncle Hu sighed, as if weighed down by unfulfilled ambitions. “Mo Mo, you and Nian Qing are good sisters, and I know your feelings for each other run deep, but…” He paused, as if torn by concern or by regret. “You can’t always put your sister first in everything.”

Mo Mo looked up, thinking she caught a fleeting hint of something in his words, but it slipped away too quickly for her to grasp. The old man continued, “If Xiao Song were still here, I’d truly hope the two of you could be together. But…”

His sorrowful, lonely face struck a pang in her heart.

“You and Xiao Song grew up together, even went to university together and cared for one another… After he passed, you flew all the way back from England just to comfort his mother. I’ll never forget that kindness as long as I live.”

“Uncle Hu,” Mo Mo’s heart ached at his words, and she felt uneasy; as the younger generation, she could hardly bear such gratitude from an elder. “That was what I ought to do.”

But the old man shook his head. “There’s no such thing as ‘ought to’ in this world. After that, Xiao Song’s mother was bedridden, and you took a leave from school to look after her until the very end. Even a real daughter might not have done as much. Now that I’m leaving, I don’t know if I’ll ever see you again… Mo Mo, please take care of yourself, and don’t do anything foolish.”

She’d caught it! That fleeting doubt—did Uncle Hu know about her ‘foolish’ act? What had she done that left this old man so troubled and concerned? She was about to ask when a loud, polite greeting sounded behind her.

“Miss Zhang! What a coincidence meeting you here!”

Mo Mo turned around. It was Chen Hao, marketing manager at China Resources! A few months ago, their agency had won the China Resources logo bid, thanks in part to Jia Kai Song, who had personally treated Chen Hao to dinner—with Mo Mo present. Though no one mentioned the bid at the time, everyone understood what was going on. Mo Mo still remembered Chen Hao’s eyes lighting up when Song Jian Kai hinted that Hangyuan was looking for a new office supplies supplier for the next year. Thinking of this, she felt a wave of gloom—Jia Kai Song had done so much for her, and yet, what had she brought him?

Despite her melancholy, her face showed no delay in response. “What a coincidence!”

“Actually, President Song will be joining us soon…”

The moment she heard ‘President Song’, Mo Mo stood up at once. He was the last person she wanted to see—well, second to last. No matter what, she couldn’t stay. Cutting off Chen Hao, she quickly said, “We were just about to leave…”

She turned her awkward smile back to Uncle Hu, who, seasoned by life’s storms, could see her anxiety plainly. Though their dishes weren’t all served yet, he graciously stood up. “Mo Mo, take good care of yourself.” With that, he called the waiter to settle the bill.

Mo Mo refused to let him pay, almost dragging him by the hand to the door. “Uncle Hu, this dinner is my way of bidding you farewell; I simply can’t let you pay.” The old man smiled helplessly, indulging her as always. “Such a child…”

While they were waiting for the bill, another greeting sounded behind them. “Chen Hao.”

The man who had been standing beside Mo Mo and had not yet found a seat turned around, then said to her, “My girlfriend is here—let me introduce you.”

At that moment, Mo Mo could only wish the bill would arrive faster; she was tempted to throw down two hundred yuan and leave the change, but still had to turn and force a smile. That smile barely formed before it froze on her face. Two women of similar height approached. To her surprise, she recognized one of them!

Shoulder-length curls, a round face, dressed head-to-toe in designer brands—when the woman saw Mo Mo, she too looked startled. But her surprise quickly gave way to smug satisfaction. At that expression, Mo Mo knew trouble was brewing. Glancing around the table, she saw nothing handy to defend herself with—she could only grab her handbag.

The bag was a structured, blue commuter-style leather one, not small in size and adorned with metal fittings—it would surely hurt if used to strike someone. If Fan Ting Ting so much as said a word out of line, Mo Mo was ready to make her face intimately acquainted with the bag. As she plotted, she kept one eye on Uncle Hu’s retreating figure.

Sure enough, as soon as Fan Ting Ting saw Mo Mo, her steps quickened, as if afraid Mo Mo would escape. Without a word, she curled her lip.

“Last time, you went rabid like a mad dog—now I see you were sore because someone hit your weak spot.” The most effective attacks always needed an accomplice. Fan Ting Ting shot a knowing look at Chen Hao’s girlfriend. “See her? She’s the hottest name in town these days—her photos are everywhere. And not even clothed in them!”

Chen Hao, to his credit, maintained composure—his face awkward, but he quickly responded. The relationship wasn’t deep, and with the difference between men and women, he could only rest his hands awkwardly on Fan Ting Ting’s shoulders, trying to guide her away. “Our private room is upstairs, let’s go.”

Fan Ting Ting shrugged off his gesture, lifting her chin toward Mo Mo. Her words had been loud enough for most of the restaurant to hear, and many people were now looking their way. Strangely, though Mo Mo still gripped her hard leather bag, she suddenly remembered what Jia Kai Song had said that night: “Even cavemen don’t resort to brawling anymore!” The thought made her let go of her impulse for violence, and she curled her lips into a smile.

“So what if I’m not clothed? Even my toes are better-looking than your face!”

Originally, Jia Kai Song had taught her to use a different comparison, but she’d settled for toes instead, showing some restraint. Still, it was enough to enrage Fan Ting Ting. In the end, wasn’t it just that Jia Kai Song liked her for her looks? If she looked like this, would he have ignored her for three years, despite her pursuit?

With old and new grudges flaring, Fan Ting Ting’s hand shot out, grabbing a teacup and flinging it. Mo Mo hadn’t expected her to break the rules—weren’t they past the days of fighting? Why attack without warning? Secretly cursing Jia Kai Song for making her drop her guard, she winced as the cup struck her face.

Whether by intention or accident, Fan Ting Ting’s hand trembled—tea splashed over Mo Mo’s face, and the heavy ceramic cup struck her as well. No reason to endure further. Wiping her drenched face to clear her vision, Mo Mo swung her bag in a wide arc, aiming for Fan Ting Ting’s face. But before it landed, a man’s shoulder intercepted it solidly.

There was a loud thud as her bag struck his shoulder. Mo Mo was about to curse the meddler, but before she could, a scream sounded—Fan Ting Ting had lunged at the table but lost her footing. The round table was unsteady, and Fan Ting Ting, not a small woman, toppled it as she fell. The dishes, ordered for Uncle Hu’s farewell, hadn’t even been touched—most landed right on Fan Ting Ting.

Mo Mo was stunned. Was the one who’d interfered actually on her side? The man who had intercepted her bag turned around—Jia Kai Song stood there, his expression complicated and unreadable.

“Jia Kai Song! Why did you push me?!” Fan Ting Ting, dragged to her feet by her friend, shrieked in fury.

Jia Kai Song, wincing in pain, glared at the equally bedraggled and dripping Mo Mo, then turned to Fan Ting Ting. “If you ever lay a hand on her again, I don’t care who your mother is—I won’t be so polite.” With that, he grabbed the still-stunned Mo Mo by the hand and strode out of the restaurant without looking back.