When Spring Awakens - Chapter 1

After the Dragon Boat Festival, the summer heat gradually rose in Nanquan City. The leaves of the plane trees crowded together in layers, their lush green hues vibrant under the sunlight that dappled the ground, casting mottled shadows like the peeling bark of the trees.

It was rush hour, and the sidewalks were filled with people, their shoes trampling over scattered bits of tree bark and fragmented shadows.

Wen Wanbing hurriedly made her way through the crowd.

Her phone rang, an unfamiliar number. She answered and held the phone to her ear.

“Hello, is this… Ms. Wen Wanbing?” A very poised woman’s voice came through, speaking slowly, even stumbling slightly when saying her name. “This is Solo Diving Center.”

The opening sounded like a sales pitch. Eager to find Wen Xing, Wen Wanbing didn’t wait for the other person to finish before declining, “Sorry, not interested.”

The caller continued as if talking to herself, “Your daughter is here at Solo.”

From sales pitch to scam.

With people bustling around her, Wen Wanbing lost patience and coldly interrupted again, “I’ve been single my whole life.”

A soft, muffled laugh escaped from the other end.

Frowning, Wen Wanbing hung up.

After passing through security and swiping her card to enter the subway station, her phone suddenly vibrated again. Glancing at the caller ID, she answered, “Mom.”

Her mother, He Xiuying, sounded frantic, her voice choked with tears, “Shuishui, Xingxing is missing! At the little park, I just gave someone directions, and when I turned around, she was gone. She’s been scratching her hand all day today. She didn’t even wear the GPS watch you bought her. I’ve searched the area twice and can’t find her. What do we do?”

Wen Wanbing’s heart sank. Wen Xing had autistic tendencies easy to lose, hard to find. She brushed the hair from her forehead, forcing herself to stay calm. “Did you call the police?”

“Yes, yes.”

Quickening her pace down the subway stairs, Wen Wanbing said, “Keep looking around the nearby streets. I’m on my way.”

He Xiuying repeatedly agreed.

As Wen Wanbing looked at her phone, she remembered the earlier call, it hadn’t been a scam.

Just as she was about to call back, her phone vibrated twice more.

This time, it was a text message and a multimedia message.

[“This little friend named Wen Xing is at Solo Diving Center in Nanquan City. Please come to pick her up.”]

The multimedia message showed Wen Xing holding a mochi, her grape-like eyes looking at the camera as she smiled shyly.

The photographer’s hand was partially in the frame, slender fingers holding a slip of paper.

Wen Wanbing zoomed in and read the words on it.

Two years ago, she had used her salary to custom-make a star-shaped pendant necklace for Wen Xing, with a hidden compartment containing this very slip of paper, details about Wen Xing’s condition, along with her name and contact information.

She had also bought a smartwatch, so the slip in the pendant had never been needed.

So much so that Wen Wanbing had momentarily forgotten about it.

She replied: [“I’ll head over now. Sorry about earlier.”]

The other person sent back a single period clearly displeased with her two rude interruptions. Wen Wanbing ignored it, replying with a “Thank you,” then searched for Solo’s address.

Nanquan City’s first diving center with a calm-water training pool and themed photo pool, located at the Nanquan Sports Center.

Just three stops away. Wen Wanbing called He Xiuying to update her: “Go home and rest. I’ll go get her.”

He Xiuying, exhausted from searching, agreed.

Twenty minutes later, Wen Wanbing stopped in front of the diving center.

At the entrance of the diving center stood two cartoon resin sculptures, one on each side. To the left was a mermaid reclining in a round fish tank, and to the right, a diver perched on the edge of another tank.

The store’s sign had playful design elements: the tail of the letter “s” was shaped like a fish fin, “ol” resembled goggles and an oxygen tube, and the last “o” was a round bubble with a highlight that rotated clockwise.

All details Wen Xing adored.

Wen Wanbing stepped inside and approached the front desk, asking, “Did you happen to find a six-year-old child here?”

The receptionist stared at her for two seconds before responding, “One moment, please,” then picked up a walkie-talkie. “Teacher Hu, the parent is here.”

After a crackle of static, a woman’s voice came through the speaker. “Have her come to the break room.”

The voice didn’t match the one from the phone call earlier.

“Got it,” the receptionist replied, setting down the walkie-talkie and pointing further inside. “Apologies, I can’t leave my post. Please head straight down this way, turn right, and go to the end.”

Wen Wanbing nodded. “Alright, thank you.”

Turning right led her down a hallway. The left wall displayed an array of trophies and certificates, while the right featured posters introducing the coaches.

Wen Wanbing skimmed them briefly before hurrying into the break room.

Her eyes swept the space, finally landing on Wen Xing by a five-meter-wide glass window. The tension that had gripped her the entire way here finally eased. She walked over and called softly, “Xingxing.”

Wen Xing glanced at her briefly before turning back to the window. “Auntie, fish.”

Just then, the child grew excited, pressing both hands against the glass.

Wen Wanbing followed her gaze.

Beyond the window lay the bottom of a themed pool. Light filtered through the water, casting shimmering reflections over coral reefs and artificial rock formations. Tiny bubbles rose in delicate streams, creating an ethereal scene.

A flash of iridescent blue glided between the rocks long, seaweed-like hair swaying with the current, a slender figure undulating with graceful elegance, the flowing tail of a mermaid tracing gentle arcs like the train of an evening gown.

Only then did Wen Wanbing realize what Wen Xing meant by “fish.”

A mesmerizing mermaid.

A fleeting glimpse, yet enough to stir the heart, so beautiful it was impossible to look away.

“Are you her guardian?”

Wen Wanbing turned toward the voice, noticing a young woman nearby. She had a petite square face framed by a layered mullet cut, almond-shaped eyes, and a gentle demeanor.

Her photo was on the coach posters, with a rather distinctive name: Hu Jiao.

“I’m Wen Wanbing, her aunt,” she introduced herself.

Hu Jiao nodded. Considering Wen Xing’s subdued reaction to Wen Wanbing’s arrival, she suggested, “Just to be safe, could you show me your text messages, call history, and a photo together?”

Wen Wanbing complied, pulling up the requested items on her phone.

“Your family is all so good-looking,” Hu Jiao remarked, pointing to a group photo of three. “Is this her mother?”

The woman in the photo bore some resemblance to Wen Wanbing, though unlike Wen Wanbing’s cool, detached aura, her demeanor was much softer.

Wen Wanbing’s long lashes fluttered slightly as she tucked her phone away. She swallowed hard before forcing out a quiet “Mm,” then changed the subject. “Thank you for today, and for looking after her. Let me send you a token of appreciation.”

Her words were polite but devoid of warmth, as if ticking off a checklist.

Pepper was taken aback for a moment before explaining, “I didn’t really look after her. It was my friend who found her standing at our door. It was too hot, and she was worried the child might get heatstroke, so she coaxed her inside. At first, we thought she was a customer’s child, but she wouldn’t answer any questions. Luckily, my friend was patient. Later, the little girl showed us the note inside the pendant, and we realized she had gotten separated from her family.”

Hearing this, a flicker of surprise passed through Wen Wanbing’s eyes.

Pepper didn’t notice and continued, “So it was my friend who stayed with her the whole time. She only handed her over to me when she went to shoot the promotional video. As for the red envelope,”

“Old Hu~ the photographer is looking for you.”

A woman’s voice came from behind, magnetic and alluring, like a thin, soft veil, carrying a slightly familiar lazy tone that brushed past her ears.

“Ah, my friend’s here. You two talk. I’ve got something to take care of, so I’ll leave first.” Pepper pointed behind Wen Wanbing and hurried off.

Wen Wanbing turned in the direction she had indicated.

In her line of sight, the approaching woman was draped in a towel, her fair, slender legs crossed as she walked with a swaying grace. Fresh out of the water, her long hair was still damp, softly draped over her chest.

The swimsuit, the same color as the mermaid’s tail fin seen in the diving pool minutes earlier, hugged her figure beautifully, faintly visible beneath the slightly open towel.

Wen Wanbing lowered her gaze and looked away.

The woman adjusted her towel, bent down, and extended her hand toward Wen Xing, palm up.

On it lay a plump, lustrous pearl.

Judging by its quality, it wasn’t cheap.

“Guess what this is?”

This time, Wen Wanbing recognized the voice, it was the person who had called her earlier. Her eyes involuntarily flicked to the woman’s face.

A striking, radiant beauty overwhelmed her senses.

Her features were sharply defined and three-dimensional, with a particularly attractive nose, narrow bridge, high root, and smooth lines, a small mole perched on the tip, adding a touch of charm to her allure.

Wen Xing, who rarely responded to interactions, reached out and spoke haltingly, her words not entirely clear: “Pearl.”

“Correct~” Fu Junxue made as if to place the pearl into Wen Xing’s palm.

Wen Wanbing raised her hand to block it.

Fu Junxue lowered her gaze, subtly studying the hand before her.

The skin wasn’t flawless, clearly the hands of someone who worked. The fingers were long, the veins and bones on the back sharply visible, like mountain ranges beneath a glacier.

But the skin was pale, almost cool-toned under the overhead light, making every blemish stand out.

Below the thumb was a scar.

Faint in color, nearly circular, as if left by a burn long ago.

The back of her hand brushed against Fu Junxue’s fingertips. Wen Wanbing curled her fingers slightly and lowered her hand, saying, “Thank you, but we can’t accept this.”

Fu Junxue still handed the pearl to Wen Xing, casually remarking, “This is for her. Whether she can accept it should be her decision.”

Hearing this, Wen Wanbing looked up, her gaze directly meeting the other woman’s eyes.

Dark and deep, with finely upturned outer corners, they were both alluring and profound, captivating with every shift of her gaze.

It felt like they had locked eyes for a long time, though in reality, it was only a few seconds.

Wen Wanbing was the first to look away. She conceded, “Xingxing, say thank you to the auntie.”

Wen Xing twirled the pearl in her hand, not looking up, and said in a childish voice, “Thank you, Auntie.”

“You’re welcome~” Fu Junxue looked at her and suddenly changed the subject, “So you’re the one, the lifelong singleton?”

Her tone remained the same, but the words were drawn out, curling at the edges. The first half sounded like she was coaxing a child, while the latter dripped with teasing.

Wen Wenbing ignored the remark, gently patting Wen Xing’s head as she said evenly, “We should get going.”

She thanked her again, “Thanks for today.”

Fu Junxue suddenly interjected, “Weren’t you going to send a red packet as thanks?”

Wen Wenbing froze for a moment, she had completely forgotten about that.

It was also the first time she’d encountered someone who didn’t even pretend to refuse a red packet, let alone bring it up themselves.

It made sense, but it still caught her off guard.

Especially since, just a minute ago, this same person had generously gifted Wen Xing a pearl.

“How should I send it?” Wen Wenbing asked, unable to resist giving Fu Junxue another glance.

Coincidentally, Fu Junxue was looking right back at her.

The moment their eyes met, Fu Junxue smiled faintly, mischief dancing in her gaze. “My phone isn’t on me right now, but you can add me on WeChat using the number you contacted earlier. Send it through there.”

Wen Wenbing nodded.

Fu Junxue bent down to say to Wen Xing, “See you next time~ little star~” Straightening up, she added, as if worried Wen Wenbing might forget again, “Don’t forget to add me.”

“…”

Wen Wenbing immediately took out her phone and sent a friend request, her lips pressing together briefly as she muttered, “Remember to accept.”

Fu Junxue let out a soft, amused hum.

It sounded much like the muffled laugh from their earlier phone call. Wen Wenbing looked up and, sure enough, saw an unguarded smile playing at the corners of Fu Junxue’s lips.

Like a flower blooming boldly.

The kind with thorns.

For some reason, Wen Wenbing felt like every exchange with this woman was a sparring match.

“Engraved in my heart,” Fu Junxue drawled, her smile radiant and utterly, shamelessly charming.

“…”

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