Ski into Love – Esther Yu, Lin Yi

Wei Zhi was a comic artist with delicate, porcelain-like skin and stunning beauty, exuding both elegance and a mischievous charm. With her natural beauty, she could easily take shortcuts to success, but she was determined to rely on her talent. She spent her days hunched over her computer, meticulously drawing her comics, and even in her dreams, she was surrounded by the characters she created.

Despite her dedication, her boss always took her work for granted, frequently calling her to attend inexplicable dinner gatherings. This time, Boss Wang once again asked her to join a dinner, claiming it was with an investor and she needed to get there immediately. Unable to defy authority, Wei Zhi rushed to the scene.

However, during the dinner, she overheard the investor admitting that they had never even seen their comic style but were only interested in their promising data, which was why they were offering an investment. Disappointed, Wei Zhi suddenly received news that a short video about their studio had gone viral, accusing their team of being irresponsible and claiming that some of their comic characters were AI-generated.

Wei Zhi was shocked by these false accusations — she had personally hand-drawn every single stroke — how could someone throw dirt on her like this? Wei Zhi tried to explain the situation to her boss, but he refused to listen, immediately instructing her to issue a public apology and pin the blame on her assistant for the alleged AI generation. Wei Zhi strongly disagreed — the assistant was innocent, and she refused to let her take the fall.

Furious, the boss reminded her that the comic was no longer just her personal work but represented the company's collective effort. Because of her refusal to comply, the boss coldly dismissed her on the spot. With her job lost, Wei Zhi had no choice but to find another way to make a living. She printed out her previous works and set up a street stall near an anime exhibition, hoping to sell her comics.

Yet her former boss was relentless, even filing a complaint against her for infringement, causing her stall to be suddenly searched and investigated. Just when she was at her wit's end, a young man with strikingly handsome features appeared. This man was Shan Chong. In the past, Shan Chong had worked part-time in a plush bear costume, and two mischievous kids once spilled ice cream all over him.

Wei Zhi had fiercely scolded the kids and then carefully wiped the ice cream off the "bear's" costume. At that time, Shan Chong, hidden beneath the thick headgear, was extremely grateful to Wei Zhi and deeply imprinted her adorable face in his memory. Now, seeing his former benefactor struggling, he naturally stepped in to help — not only did he buy a large number of her comics, but he also purchased her second-hand drawing tablet without hesitation.

As Wei Zhi was leaving the exhibition, she was captivated by a huge screen on the wall, which played a video of Shan Chong skiing. His movements were smooth, powerful, and incredibly cool, instantly capturing her heart. Wei Zhi had never imagined skiing could look so stylish, and a sudden inspiration struck her — what if she reworked her comic and made the male lead a skilled skier? The story would undoubtedly become even more interesting.

She excitedly shared the idea with her best friends, who all supported her decision. Although she had just experienced a massive career setback, she still felt fortunate to have such wonderful friends by her side. To gather more creative inspiration, Wei Zhi signed up for a ski training class. Coincidentally, Shan Chong recognized her at first glance during the class. Upon hearing her name for the first time, he immediately claimed her under his wing and voluntarily became her coach. At that moment, Wei Zhi was still unaware that this cold and handsome young man had already taken a liking to her days ago.

Perhaps all handsome men with a cool demeanor have a warm heart deep down. However, Shan Chong showed no enthusiasm toward the beginner Wei Zhi. He constantly increased the difficulty of her training without prior notice and often made sarcastic remarks. For example, he once asked her whether talent or hard work was more important. Wei Zhi thought for a moment and answered that hard work was more valuable.

Unexpectedly, Shan Chong retorted that, in fact, Wei Zhi did have a talent for skiing — because her slightly chubby figure provided thicker fat, making her more resistant to falls. Wei Zhi couldn't believe she had just heard such an outrageous answer, but being thick-skinned and resilient, she quickly shrugged it off. Soon, they entered the training area. Shan Chong, with zero mercy, set ambitious training goals for Wei Zhi.

However, every step she took ended up with a hard fall. Her body had countless intimate encounters with the ground, especially her poor hips. After countless tumbles, Wei Zhi secretly made up her mind to shorten her training time as much as possible. She discreetly called her best friend, Jiang Nanfeng, asking about her skiing experience and what her coach was like.

To her shock, Jiang Nanfeng gushed with excitement, saying she adored her coach because he was very caring, considerate, and never let her fall. Hearing this, Wei Zhi instantly questioned — was her best friend really practicing skiing? Later, in the restroom, Wei Zhi’s ski goggles got splashed with water. Unable to find her glasses cloth, she was momentarily at a loss. Just then, someone wearing a mask handed her a glasses cloth.

Wei Zhi froze when she noticed the person's wristband — it was identical to the one on the poster of the skiing prince she had been mesmerized by. Her eyes widened in disbelief. Although her best friend always joked that she was face-blind, she could never forget the young man's wristband from the poster. Wei Zhi clutched the cloth like a treasure. Meanwhile, Shan Chong watched her reaction, confused, unaware that she hadn’t recognized him as her coach.

After a night of rest, Wei Zhi didn’t give up. She returned to the training ground the next day, showing up on time for her class. Shan Chong was surprised — he had assumed that after yesterday’s falls, she would have quit by now. But seeing her again, he silently resumed his role as her personal coach. Wei Zhi, remembering how indifferent he was the day before, did not seem particularly enthusiastic toward him. However, she remained polite.

Watching her lukewarm attitude, Shan Chong immediately realized that Wei Zhi still hadn’t recognized him. With a helpless shake of his head, he decided to wait patiently until she finally figured it out. Later, when Wei Zhi and Jiang Nanfeng took the cable car together, Jiang Nanfeng casually asked about Wei Zhi’s coach. The moment she heard the answer, she immediately understood who Shan Chong was — he was the very poster prince Wei Zhi had been obsessed with.

Amused, Jiang Nanfeng chose to keep this a secret but still kindly advised Wei Zhi to get along better with her coach, subtly hinting that a good relationship would be beneficial for her training. Meanwhile, after firing Wei Zhi, Boss Wang noticed the rising popularity of skiing and instantly ordered the team to wrap up Wei Zhi’s original comic series Farewell Song.

In light of the skiing craze, Boss Wang instructed the team to shift their creative direction to focus on winter sports content. Although the team members were dissatisfied, they ultimately chose to comply with the boss’s demands to avoid suffering the same fate as Wei Zhi.

This time, Wei Zhi and her best friend set off for training again. While they were on the cable car, Wei Zhi coincidentally heard Shan Chong and another coach’s phone ring at the same time. It turned out that the coach group chat had caught wind that Shan Chong had recently recruited a cute and soft newbie girl, so they urged him to add Wei Zhi to the group chat.

However, Shan Chong pretended not to notice and deliberately ignored it. That day, the training took on a new mode. A long-time rival who had always doubted Shan Chong's title as the "King of Skiing" appeared on the mountain, intending to challenge him to a duel. Everyone's eyes lit up — they finally had a chance to witness the elegance of the ski king up close. The crowd instantly turned into enthusiastic cheerleaders, eager to see the showdown.

Shan Chong agreed to the challenge without hesitation. Upon seeing his opponent wearing an extremely cool pair of ski goggles, Shan Chong immediately thought about how Wei Zhi never even had the heart to buy herself a decent pair of goggles. On a whim, he declared that if he won the match, he wanted the opponent's goggles as his reward. Within minutes, Shan Chong effortlessly secured his victory.

Without any hesitation, he walked up and directly took the goggles off his opponent's head as promised. Jiang Nanfeng was present at the scene and recorded the entire thrilling competition on her phone. She initially thought that once Wei Zhi saw the video, she would instantly recognize that the skillful young skier in the video was the very poster prince she had been obsessed with.

However, to her disbelief, Wei Zhi watched the video in awe and raved about how amazing the ski king was — without realizing that her coach was the same person she had been crushing on. The next morning, Shan Chong showed up early at the training ground, holding the ski goggles he had won in the competition, intending to give them to Wei Zhi as a surprise.

However, when he overheard Wei Zhi still clueless about his true identity and fantasizing about her "poster prince," he was left completely speechless. In the end, he chose not to give her the goggles. The person who challenged Shan Chong was Dai Duo, a free-spirited and charming skier who always ended up losing to Shan Chong, which left him slightly bitter. Unable to swallow his defeat, Dai Duo vented his frustration to Shan Chong's sister over the phone.

Soon after, Shan Chong received a call from his sister, who was an avid comic fan. The first thing she complained about was how the art style of her favorite comic artist, Ah Zhai, had suddenly changed. Then she curiously gossiped about why Shan Chong had taken Dai Duo's goggles. Shan Chong wasn’t interested in Dai Duo's complaints but was instead intrigued when his sister mentioned the change in the comic style.

Glancing toward Wei Zhi in the distance, he wondered if she was working on a new story inspired by their time here. Wei Zhi, still unaware that Shan Chong was the "poster prince," continued to grumble about his poor coaching ability, claiming that his bad temper and lack of professional teaching skills were the reason she kept falling. On top of that, she shamelessly expressed her desire to get in touch with the ski king and obtain his contact information.

However, fate intervened. One day, by chance, Wei Zhi spotted the exact same wristband on Shan Chong’s arm — identical to the one her "poster prince" wore. In an instant, her face flushed red. All the complaints and grumbling she had made earlier now seemed like a huge embarrassment, given that the person she admired was the one she had been bad-mouthing all along. Wei Zhi stammered an apology and questioned why Shan Chong didn’t reveal his identity earlier.

Shan Chong was utterly speechless. Out of everyone in the entire training ground, she was the only one who didn’t recognize him — and he was her coach, no less. It was hard to find a more "visually impaired" person than her. Regardless, the misunderstanding was finally cleared up, and Shan Chong secretly rejoiced.

Wei Zhi had always worried that the ski king wouldn’t like a fan like her, but Shan Chong wished he could tell her — she had no idea how long the ski king had secretly admired her. One day, Wei Zhi accidentally sat on her little turtle plush toy and ripped it apart. Without hesitation, Shan Chong personally sewed it back together for her.

When his roommates witnessed the "ski king" skillfully threading a needle and patching up a plush toy, they were completely dumbfounded — as if they had discovered a whole new side of him. The next day, when Wei Zhi received her perfectly repaired plush toy, her roommate specifically reminded her to cherish it — after all, this was a handmade item from a true legend.

Ever since Wei Zhi discovered Shan Chong’s true identity, she became even more enthusiastic about skiing. Whenever she had free time, she would suggest making Shan Chong the male protagonist of her comic series. However, Shan Chong rejected her every time—he always acted based on his own mood and had no interest in any so-called "male lead aura. "She never expected that signing up for skiing lessons would lead her to meet the ski prince from the poster.

This realization energized Wei Zhi every day. One day, Shan Chong suggested that she invest in professional sports gear, such as ski clothing, boots, and goggles. Previously, Wei Zhi had been reluctant to spend money on such things, but now that she was serious about training, she decided to splurge. She went shopping for equipment with her best friend and Shan Chong. It was her first time in a ski gear specialty store, and many things were unfamiliar to her.

When she saw Shan Chong asking the shopkeeper if they had protective pads, the shopkeeper nodded mysteriously and quickly returned with two silicone pads. Wei Zhi's eyes widened in shock. The flesh-colored silicone pads were firm and oddly sensual, making her blush. Were these… chest pads for protection? When the shop owner asked Shan Chong which size he wanted, Shan Chong glanced at her seriously before calmly choosing the largest size. Wei Zhi nearly fainted.

Seeing her expression, Shan Chong quickly clarified that they were just regular knee pads and told her not to misunderstand. While shopping for clothes, Shan Chong ran into Hua Yan, another one of his students. Relying on his strong connections, Hua Yan always spoke boldly and never held back when talking to Shan Chong.

When he saw Wei Zhi, he shot her a glance filled with ambiguous meaning and casually asked the people beside him if she was Shan Chong’s new little junior. Shan Chong picked out a pair of ice skates that he believed would be perfect for Wei Zhi’s current training. Without hesitation, he took them from a spot right next to Hua Yan and handed them to Wei Zhi.

To keep Hua Yan from getting upset, Shan Chong immediately offered to teach an additional training session. Hua Yan, delighted, eagerly agreed. Meanwhile, Wei Zhi stood there sulking—shouldn’t Shan Chong at least consult her before making training arrangements with other students? Frustrated, Wei Zhi called him out on the spot, saying that he was completely unreliable. She even declared that she would no longer train at this ski resort and would find another place to practice.

That night, Wei Zhi vented her anger by drawing two sulking little figures in her comic. Just a few days ago, she had been overjoyed to discover that Shan Chong was the ski prince, but today, she was fuming, her lips pouting so much they could reach the sky. The next morning, having stayed up all night drawing, Wei Zhi overslept.

She immediately called her best friend to ask if she wanted to train together, but her friend had just gone through a thrilling night of "tangled bedsheets" and was suffering from lower back pain, so she flatly refused. Wei Zhi put on her ski gear, grabbed her snowboard, and headed out alone. Today was supposed to be Shan Chong’s lesson with Hua Yan, so Wei Zhi, still fuming, decided to practice by herself.

Following the training videos that Shan Chong had previously sent her, she clumsily ventured onto an advanced ski trail. Shan Chong had repeatedly warned her never to go there without proper skills, but at that moment, Wei Zhi was too angry to care and completely ignored his advice. As a result, her phone slipped from her hands and fell to the ground. On her way back, she lost her balance and took a nasty fall.

When Wei Zhi woke up, she found herself lying safely in a hospital room. In her dream, she had thought it was the end for her, even imagining someone who looked just like Shan Chong coming to take her away. She had assumed he was an angel sent by God to escort her to the afterlife. Fortunately, when she opened her eyes, she realized she was still alive. Shan Chong, sitting beside her, did not scold her much.

After the nurse examined her and placed a bandage on the injured heel, she was discharged. Since Wei Zhi had trouble walking, Shan Chong simply carried her on his back. It had been a long time since she felt the sensation of both feet leaving the ground—especially on such a steady and reliable back. She felt incredibly safe. When Jiang Nanfeng heard that Wei Zhi had fallen, she rushed over in a panic.

Through Jiang Nanfeng, Wei Zhi learned that Lao Yan and a few others had gone to the venue to investigate. It turned out that the substitute coach Wei Zhi had temporarily switched to had left as soon as the training session was over, leaving her alone on the ski trail, which led to the accident. Outraged, Lao Yan decided to confront the coach for leaving his junior sister in danger.

Fearing that Shan Chong would get into a fight and lose his coaching qualifications because of her, Wei Zhi quickly tried to stop him. However, Shan Chong calmly explained that there was no problem—because he no longer had any qualifications to lose. Back at home, Wei Zhi browsed through old videos and records of Shan Chong. She couldn’t understand why someone so skilled had retired. She felt a deep sense of regret.

If she wanted to know the truth, she would have to ask him directly. However, she didn’t press the issue. Exhausted from the day, she quickly fell into a deep sleep. The next day, Shan Chong took the initiative to pick Wei Zhi up for training. Considering her injured foot, he specially found an electric scooter—it was much better than carrying her the whole way. Today was the scheduled PK (challenge match) between Lao Yan and Wan Tong Hall’s Lao K.

Lao K arrived with a group of disciples in a grand and imposing manner. However, Shan Chong had no interest in participating himself and simply let his own student compete in his place. Within less than three minutes, the Wan Tong Hall disciples were completely defeated. Humiliated, they left in shame. Afterward, Shan Chong had a brief warm-up match with his own student. This was the first time Wei Zhi had the chance to watch him compete in person.

She was amazed by his agility, swift reflexes, and the sheer elegance of his movements. His every move was effortlessly cool. By the time the match ended, Wei Zhi was nearly moved to tears—this was the hero she had always admired, and now, he had become her coach. It was almost too good to be true. Wu Dajing, who had once been Shan Chong’s coach, happened to visit the ski resort that day and saw the match.

He encouraged Shan Chong to return to professional training. Last year, Shan Chong had suffered a minor mistake that led to a back injury, which still left lingering aftereffects. After retiring, he had taken on various jobs, such as distributing flyers and working in sales. Yet, in the end, he realized that nothing brought him the same joy as soaring down the slopes.

If there was any happiness after retirement, it was meeting Wei Zhi—this mischievous, lively girl who had brought him so much joy and excitement. Training at the ski resort was only a temporary break. Wei Zhi and Jiang Nanfeng decided to leave the next day and planned to visit the ice rink to say their goodbyes. Jiang Nanfeng even arranged for Wei Zhi and Shan Chong to have some alone time together.

That evening, Wei Zhi and Shan Chong had hotpot together, but she noticed that Shan Chong seemed a bit down. He admitted that he had never had a student like her before—one who hadn’t even properly learned to ski before deciding to leave. It seemed that his coaching abilities were rather limited. Wei Zhi was preparing to return to her creative work. Before leaving, she sent a message to a longtime fan who had been supporting her for years.

This fan had admired Wei Zhi for a long time and had repeatedly asked to become her apprentice. This time, Wei Zhi finally agreed to meet. Back in her room, Wei Zhi accidentally spotted the small turtle-shaped protective gear on the sofa. This had been a gift from Shan Chong, but now, it was time to return it. She called Shan Chong, only to find that he was still downstairs and hadn’t left yet. Wei Zhi took the small turtle and went downstairs, asking him if she could keep it as a gift.

Wei Zhi and her best friend Jiang Nanfeng were about to leave. Before departing, Wei Zhi and Shan Chong had a farewell meal together. Although it was only a few days of training, they had formed a precious friendship. Shan Chong took Wei Zhi home, and downstairs, she suppressed her overwhelming emotions and hugged him. At that moment, Shan Chong almost teared up—someone who was usually serious and reserved had actually been moved.

Lao Yan and Jiang Nanfeng had spent the night together. Although he was also a charming and warmhearted guy, he had developed feelings for her that he shouldn’t have. Lao Yan waited outside Jiang Nanfeng’s house for a long time until she finally arrived. When their eyes met, Lao Yan suddenly found himself at a loss for words, stammering. It was Jiang Nanfeng who calmly asked if he was upset because she hadn’t informed him of her decision to leave.

Lao Yan felt a sting in his nose as emotions surged. Seeing Jiang Nanfeng’s expression, he understood the unspoken rules between them. Since he had known the rules from the beginning, he shouldn't be reluctant to let go at the end. Lao Yan didn’t say anything more. Before leaving, he asked if he could at least see her off, but Jiang Nanfeng refused. The next day, Lao Yan was visibly absent-minded at the training ground.

After much hesitation, he finally gathered the courage to send Jiang Nanfeng a WeChat message, asking if she could give him another chance to get to know her again. But the moment he sent it, he discovered that he had already been deleted from her contacts. Being deleted so quickly broke Lao Yan’s heart. What Jiang Nanfeng didn’t know was that this wasn’t actually the first time they had met. Many years ago, they had been classmates.

Back then, the radiant Jiang Nanfeng would stand on stage giving speeches, and Lao Yan had silently admired her from afar. But as time passed, they drifted apart. He never imagined that years later, they would reunite at the ski training ground. At that time, Lao Yan had been so happy he could hardly believe it. Wei Zhi had previously arranged to meet up with a fan for a short trip to the northeast.

Unexpectedly, that fan turned out to be Shan Chong’s younger sister, Shan Shan. When Wei Zhi got off the car and saw Shan Shan sitting in a wheelchair, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. However, Shan Shan greeted her cheerfully and took out their first-ever photo together. It was from when they met at an anime convention.

Back then, Shan Shan’s love for Wei Zhi’s artistic style and encouragement had given Wei Zhi confidence in her own choices. Shan Shan took Wei Zhi to visit her favorite childhood spots and introduced her to the local specialties. Wei Zhi was overjoyed. In this snow-covered city, she felt an inexplicable sense of warmth and happiness. Shan Shan also recommended a cozy and clean local inn right next to her home.

That night, Wei Zhi sat under the warm glow of a bedside lamp, peacefully sketching her comics while still immersed in the joy of the day. The next morning, Shan Shan continued showing her around. They took photos in the small forest and played in the snow. Meanwhile, Shan Chong had taken a long leave from training to return home and rest.

When he heard that his sister was out taking photos in the woods, he felt uneasy and immediately went over to check on her—only to unexpectedly run into Wei Zhi! Seeing Wei Zhi’s back, Shan Chong felt a sour ache in his heart. Perhaps it was fate—how could he meet her again in his hometown? Wei Zhi was taking photos when, through the camera lens, she suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar figure.

Focusing her gaze, she realized—it was really him! That evening, Shan Shan invited Wei Zhi to visit their home. It was her first time meeting Shan Chong’s family. His parents were incredibly kind, which explained how they had raised such a bright and optimistic girl like Shan Shan, as well as Shan Chong, a coach with such strong principles. Shan Chong’s parents were warm hosts, but Wei Zhi wasn’t quite used to the local cuisine.

Later that night, feeling a little hungry, she stepped outside—just in time to run into Shan Chong. Without hesitation, Shan Chong took her out for hotpot.

After dinner, Shan Chong and Wei Zhi went for a walk to help with digestion. Nearby, someone was setting off fireworks. Excited, Wei Zhi ran over to watch but didn’t notice a firecracker being lit right beside her. In a split second, Shan Chong covered her ears to protect them from the noise. At that moment, Wei Zhi’s heart raced wildly—she was so thrilled that her idol had so considerately shielded her ears.

After an unforgettable night, it was time to part ways. Wei Zhi dragged her suitcase and took a photo of the small cabin from the night before as a memento. She looked regretfully toward Shan Shan’s house when she suddenly heard someone calling her from behind—it was Shan Shan and Shan Chong! The two of them were in the car, ready to personally drive her to the airport.

Wei Zhi’s gloomy face instantly brightened, and she happily carried her luggage over. All good things must come to an end. After leaving the airport, Shan Chong felt a sense of loss. His sister showed him a photo she had taken of the two of them earlier. Through the camera lens, they looked like a perfect match—such a great pair! Shan Chong smiled, and his sister caught that fleeting expression.

She could tell that her brother really liked the talented Wei Zhi. Dai Duo and the coach arrived at Shan Chong’s house one after another. The two had been old neighbors for years, and Dai Duo had always kept in touch with Shan Shan—their relationship was very close. During dinner, the coach kept trying to persuade Shan Chong to return to the competition scene, but he seemed extremely resistant to the idea.

His mother also didn’t want him to compete again. In his last match, a minor mistake had nearly resulted in a broken back. For the sake of her son’s safety, as a mother, she couldn’t bear to see him continue with such high-risk training. As night fell, Shan Shan sat alone by the window, gazing into the vast darkness outside, lost in thought. In reality, her brother’s injury was partly because of her.

Back then, in order to raise money for Shan Shan’s expensive prosthetic limb, Shan Chong had intensified his training, hoping to win a competition as soon as possible. However, he overexerted himself and suffered a severe back injury, ultimately forcing him to retire. Thinking about it now, Shan Shan still felt deeply saddened. Shan Chong was incredibly talented at skiing, but it was a pity that he had to give it up halfway.

Wei Zhi returned to Shanghai, where Jiang Nanfeng’s older brother, Jiang Yiming, personally drove to pick her up. Jiang Yiming was also a returnee from overseas, but his admiration for Wei Zhi remained as unwavering as ever. This time, he arrived at the airport early, prepared with flowers and gifts, publicly expressing his enthusiasm. This caused many onlookers to cheer him on, encouraging a proposal. Embarrassed, Wei Zhi quickly hid in the car. Wei Zhi came from a wealthy family.

Her mother was a typical workaholic, and in Wei Zhi’s memory, her mother had always been a strong, career-driven woman who rushed to work every day, never having time to play with her. Instead, it was her beloved manga books that had always been there, silently accompanying her and filling the void left by her mother’s absence. Perhaps without her mother’s strong financial support, she wouldn’t have been able to pursue her passion for art for so long.

With graduation approaching, many of her peers were busy job hunting, while Wei Zhi continued drawing in the library. She wanted to dedicate her life to creating comics, but her mother was determined for her to return to the family business as soon as possible and become an accountant. As Jiang Yiming drove Wei Zhi home, he noticed that she kept holding her phone, smiling to herself.

Sneaking a glance, he saw that a WeChat contact named "Shifu" kept sending her messages. Curiously, he tried to probe his cousin for information, but she refused to reveal anything.

Wei Zhi arrived in Shanghai and immediately noticed how different the temperature was compared to the Northeast. Just yesterday, she was building snowmen there, but today, she could wear a light jacket. Jiang Yiming took her to the seaside, enthusiastically talking about his professional knowledge, while Wei Zhi remained silent, lost in her own thoughts.

She reminisced about the excitement and happiness she felt when she met Shan Chong in the Northeast, but now that she was back home, she found the sky without him felt empty. As she thought about it, she was on the verge of tears. Meanwhile, Shan Chong went on vacation with his friends, following his plan to start a new journey. On the other side, Wei Zhi attended a family dinner with Jiang Yiming’s parents.

Their two families had watched each other's children grow up and knew each other well. Since Jiang Yiming's family was also well-off and highly regarded Wei Zhi, they believed their union would be perfect. However, Wei Zhi had never harbored romantic feelings for Jiang Yiming, whereas he remained as passionate as ever. Taking advantage of the family gathering, he made a special effort to impress her.

Jiang Yiming’s mother deliberately brought up childhood memories, mentioning how Wei Zhi often visited their home and once called Jiang Yiming handsome. Wei Zhi immediately refuted it, saying that was all in the past. Her mother shot her a disapproving look. Wei Zhi’s mother had never had any expectations for her academic achievements, but seeing her graduate from university only to continue drawing comics—completely ignoring the family business—made her feel that Wei Zhi was being foolish.

She frequently tried to stop Wei Zhi from picking up her pen to draw, so Wei Zhi did her best to avoid her mother. After dinner, Jiang Yiming insisted on driving Wei Zhi home. He noticed that she was distracted throughout the meal, constantly holding her phone and only half paying attention. It made him suspect that she had someone she liked. Wei Zhi found an excuse to refuse his offer and took a taxi instead.

During their time apart, both Wei Zhi and Shan Chong felt incredibly lonely, as if their phones were their only connection. They would feel anxious when they didn’t see a message from the other and ecstatic when they received a reply. Wei Zhi even dreamed about Shan Chong, where the two of them embraced happily, and she eagerly anticipated a romantic "kabedon" from him. But just as the moment was about to happen, reality pulled her back.

With one in the South and the other in the North, when would their paths cross again? Wei Zhi continued working on her comic, but her mother couldn't help but worry about her marriage. She had selected several candidates, with Jiang Yiming being the most outstanding. However, Wei Zhi seemed completely uninterested, especially during their last dinner when she kept staring at her phone, as if she had no intention of engaging in the matter at all.

Completing her work alone proved to be a challenge for Wei Zhi. She began reaching out to former team members she had collaborated with in her previous company. However, after she was dismissed, many of them had moved on to new jobs. Having switched industries, they no longer wanted to return to comic creation, viewing it as an exhausting field that could only be a hobby at best. Without her creative team, Wei Zhi felt deeply saddened.

She thought about her mentor, Octopus Sensei, who had once given her invaluable guidance and advice. Now that he was no longer by her side, she wondered if he was doing well in the company. During the day, Wei Zhi went to meet her former colleague "Elephant. " Upon hearing Elephant’s refusal to collaborate, Wei Zhi, though disappointed, still returned the hand-drawn sketches she had treasured. Seeing the letter Wei Zhi left behind, Elephant reminisced about their time working together. Finally, she picked up her phone and called Wei Zhi—she had decided to continue working with her.

The company that fired Wei Zhi had been performing poorly lately. Although Wu Manman took over as the writer for "Fei Zhai" (Fat Otaku), the original creator of the "Li Ge" (Farewell Song) concept was Wei Zhi. As a result, many details lacked the deep emotional connection needed. When Octopus Sensei talked to her about it, Wu Manman, feeling sensitive, assumed he was criticizing her creative flaws. Reacting defensively, she snapped back at him and then stormed off.

Shan Chong invited Wei Zhi to Xicheng for ice skating, but she was still focused on her work. Meanwhile, Wu Manman sought out Elephant, hoping she could help with the company’s next project. However, Elephant had already chosen to work with Wei Zhi and had no intention of collaborating with Wu Manman. By accident, Wu Manman learned that Wei Zhi's next project was related to skiing. Determined to prove her abilities, Wu Manman decided to work on a similar theme.

Realizing she had accidentally spilled the news, Elephant immediately informed Wei Zhi. However, Wei Zhi didn’t mind—she wasn’t concerned about having the same theme, as it was the story that truly showcased one’s skills. Wei Zhi wanted to travel to Xicheng for inspiration and initially tried to discuss it with her mother. However, her mother strongly disapproved of her career, believing that the comic industry was struggling and that Wei Zhi had already spent years on it without significant success.

She reminded Wei Zhi that at twenty-five, she was at a critical age and hoped she would focus on something more practical, like other ordinary girls. Since the conversation with her mother didn’t go well, Wei Zhi decided to leave quietly on her own. Jiang Yiming, seeing how upset Wei Zhi was after the argument with her mother, couldn't stop worrying about her. He pulled Jiang Nanfeng along to check on her.

Jiang Nanfeng noticed that Wei Zhi had taken her newly ordered skateboard with her and immediately guessed that she must have gone back to Xicheng. At Xicheng Airport, the moment Wei Zhi got off the plane, she saw Shan Chong. It felt like a dream. Overjoyed, she ran straight to him and excitedly hugged her shifu. Shan Chong was also delighted and immediately took her back to the training base. Among the group, Wei Zhi paid special attention to Lao Yan.

Strangely, he didn’t mention Jiang Nanfeng at all—weren’t they always very close? Regardless, this time in Xicheng, Shan Chong seemed different from his usual cold and serious self. Instead, he was more cheerful and even spoke more gently to Wei Zhi during training. Outside of practice, the two of them joined the others for tea and played Truth or Dare. Shan Chong treated her with extra care, and the group as a whole looked after their little shimei.

Surrounded by such a happy atmosphere, Wei Zhi found herself bursting with inspiration, producing an endless stream of new works every day. Being in Xicheng gave Wei Zhi many new insights into her comic characters, and her drawing style became more refined. The skaters at the rink noticed a Weibo address in her work and began speculating whether a comic artist was nearby.

Only Shan Chong understood that Wei Zhi had fully tapped into her potential under the influence of her surroundings. Given enough time, she was sure to create something outstanding. The time spent in Xicheng was the simplest and happiest. When exhausted from drawing, Wei Zhi would go to the training ground to skate with her shifu. When she wasn’t tired, she would continue working on her comics. In her free time, she even learned how to brew coffee.

One day, she carefully prepared her first-ever cup of coffee and excitedly presented it to Shan Chong, sweetly calling out for him to come and drink it. Shan Chong was nearly melted by her warmth, and from then on, he wore a smile on his face every single day.

Shan Chong knew that Wei Zhi was working on a story about a "Ski Prince. " To provide her with more rich material, he specially introduced her to a legendary figure in the skiing world. When Wei Zhi first heard about someone skydiving from a plane and then continuing to snowboard upon landing, her eyes widened in shock. It turned out that those seemingly agile and graceful athletes trained with such intensity.

If not for their deep passion, their training would truly be a matter of life and death. Shan Chong actively sought out top professionals for Wei Zhi, even leveraging his own connections to introduce her to valuable resources. However, Wei Zhi thought to herself that she already had the perfect inspiration for her male protagonist. Every time she saw him, every expression and smile of his made her happy.

During the day, she trained in skiing with her shifu, then continued working on her comic. She enjoyed every moment of the process—it was her source of inspiration. One of Shan Chong’s friends accidentally took a candid photo of him and Wei Zhi together. The two of them were smiling sweetly, looking perfectly in sync. By mistake, instead of sending a planned video to Shan Chong, his friend accidentally shared the photo in their group chat, triggering a heated discussion.

Everyone was very enthusiastic about the little shimei by Shan Chong’s side, showering praise on the beautiful couple. Seeing the endless stream of comments below, Wei Zhi turned red with embarrassment. Jiang Nanfeng sent Wei Zhi a WeChat message, telling her she would receive a huge surprise in five hours. Wei Zhi went to Shan Chong’s room next door to borrow a car so she could pick up Jiang Nanfeng.

Since Shan Chong's door wasn’t closed, when she walked in, she happened to see him stepping out of the bathroom in his pajamas, fresh from a shower. Wei Zhi unintentionally caught sight of a long scar on his chest and gasped in shock—how did he get such a long scar? Shan Chong immediately pulled his shirt up to cover it, handed her the car keys, and said nothing more.

When the two best friends met at the airport, they hugged each other excitedly, almost bursting with joy. But just as they were about to celebrate, Jiang Yiming suddenly stepped out from behind Jiang Nanfeng. It turned out he had rushed over from Shanghai as well! Jiang Nanfeng secretly whispered to Wei Zhi that if it weren’t for Jiang Yiming’s help, the person she’d be seeing now would have been her terrifying mother instead.

Jiang Yiming was so happy to see Wei Zhi that he could barely blink. He had taken a long leave just to stay with her and immediately booked a room nearby after promising that he wouldn’t interfere with her work. Wei Zhi, knowing about Jiang Nanfeng’s relationship with Lao Yan, asked her outright if Lao Yan had mentioned her.

Jiang Nanfeng didn’t hold back and asked Lao Yan directly, but Wei Zhi admitted that although he hadn’t brought her up, it seemed like he was deliberately avoiding the topic. That night, Wei Zhi added a scar identical to Shan Chong’s on her comic’s male protagonist’s chest. She was very curious about how her shifu got that scar—could it have something to do with his retirement?

Meanwhile, one of Shan Chong’s friends used a nearby-friend feature on an app and discovered that a local comic artist was working on a skiing-themed story. Not only that, but the character had a scar on his chest. He immediately guessed that it must be Wei Zhi’s alternate account and excitedly showed his phone to Shan Chong. Seeing that Wei Zhi had based her male lead on him, Shan Chong secretly felt delighted.

The next day at the training ground, Jiang Yiming’s presence threw off the previously well-ordered practice schedule. He constantly hovered around Wei Zhi, showering her with praise for everything she did. He even went up to Shan Chong and warmly introduced himself as Wei Zhi’s childhood friend. Wei Zhi’s face turned red with embarrassment—dealing with someone this outrageous was really too much!

But since Jiang Yiming was so used to sticking to her side, Wei Zhi could only let him be. That evening, to welcome Jiang Nanfeng, Wei Zhi treated everyone to a roasted whole lamb feast.