The hospital was quieter that Sunday afternoon. The cold was already seeping in through the cracks in the windows, and the hallways seemed shorter, as if winter had shrunk the spaces.
Yuyan waited until the movement at the nurses' station calmed down before approaching Xiaoqing. Her friend was reviewing charts with concentration, a pencil held between her teeth.
— Xiaoqing… — she called, hesitant.
The other lifted her eyes immediately. One quick glance was enough to notice something was different.— Hm? What is it?
Yuyan tucked her bangs behind her ear, unsure where to begin.— I wanted… to ask you a favor. Tomorrow was supposed to be my shift, but… could you cover it for me?
Xiaoqing raised an eyebrow, suspicious, but didn't question her right away. She put the papers away, closed the clipboard, and crossed her arms.— And why, exactly, does Miss Lin need Monday free?
Yuyan blushed. She squeezed the pen in her hand as if it could serve as a shield.— It's… an important date.
Xiaoqing looked at her for a few more seconds, then a slow smile began to spread across her face.— Ah… I see.
— It's not what you're thinking… — Yuyan tried, but her own voice betrayed her.
Xiaoqing chuckled, slipping the pencil into her coat pocket.— Of course it is. But don't worry, I'll cover your shift. I just want one thing in return.
— What?— Details. All of them. Afterwards.
Yuyan couldn't hold back a timid smile. She thanked her with a quick nod and walked away, her heart beating out of rhythm.
Later, at home, she picked up her phone. She wrote a short message to her friend:"Thank you, truly. You have no idea how much this means."
The reply came almost instantly:"Oh, I can imagine. Go, Yuyan. He deserves it. And so do you."
Her heart warmed. Tomorrow no longer seemed so distant.
The cold wind swept through the open hallways of the university when Yuyan arrived, short steps, her heart racing. The bag with the scarf was clutched to her chest like a secret.
Soon she spotted Li, hurrying down a staircase with some papers in hand. She approached, trying to keep her voice steady:— Professor Li… could you tell me where Professor Wen's office is?
He stopped for a moment. His gaze dropped to the bag in her hands, then back to her blushing, timid face. He didn't ask anything. He just let out a discreet, almost proud smile.— Of course. Come with me.
He led the way, guiding her through echoing corridors. Yuyan walked in silence, her palms damp with nervousness, her steps almost stumbling.
When they reached the door, Li turned to her. He didn't say a word, only tilted his head slightly in a gesture of encouragement, before discreetly walking away down the hall.
Yuyan's hand trembled as she knocked on the door.
— Come in — answered the calm, unmistakable voice.
Wen was at his desk, correcting some papers. The pale afternoon light streamed in through the window, bathing the room in shades both golden and cold. When he lifted his eyes and saw her, he froze completely.
— Yuyan…? — the name slipped out as though he was afraid he was dreaming.
She entered slowly, the scarf pressed tightly in her hands. She walked closer, unable to smile just yet.— Happy birthday, Professor Wen.
He blinked, startled. His gaze flickered between the gift and her face.— How did you… know?
Yuyan only lowered her eyes, not answering. The silence said more than any explanation.
Wen opened the bag and pulled out the black scarf. His fingers brushed the wool as though the touch was too precious. He was visibly moved, but before he could say anything, Yuyan gathered her courage.— May I…? — she murmured, holding out her hand.
He only nodded, almost voiceless.
Delicately, Yuyan stepped closer and lifted the scarf. Her hands trembled slightly as she wrapped the wool around his neck. In the gesture, her fingers brushed lightly against his skin, sending a shiver that made Wen hold his breath.
When she finished tying the knot, she looked up. She found his gaze so near, so fixed, that her heart seemed to stop.
— Thank you… — Wen whispered. — It's the most precious gift I've ever received.
For a moment, there was no winter, no corridors, no time. Only the two of them.
To break the silence, Wen took a breath and adjusted his glasses.— Come. I want to show you a little of the university.
They walked side by side through the corridors. Students passing by stopped discreetly to stare: the ever-reserved professor now accompanied by a young woman with a shy gaze and a hidden smile. Some whispered, others just watched quietly.
Yuyan blushed more with every look, but Wen walked calmly, as if wanting to tell the world there was nothing to hide.
Farther back, Li appeared at strategic spots, pretending to read documents or answer his phone. From time to time, he discreetly raised his device and snapped quick photos: the two walking together, Yuyan tucking a strand of hair, Wen leaning slightly to listen to her.
The images flew within seconds to Xiaoqing, who responded with a chaotic sequence of emojis: hearts, fireworks, even flames."They look amazing! More photos! More photos!"
Li suppressed a laugh in the middle of the corridor, shaking his head."You two are impossible," he typed, before sending another photo.
In the inner garden, beneath trees stripped bare by winter, Wen stopped. The sky was heavy, as though holding back the first snow. He turned to Yuyan, the scarf still around his neck, and said softly:— Thank you for coming. — He paused. — Would you… have dinner with me tonight?
The world seemed suspended for an instant. Yuyan's heart raced, but, shyly, she only nodded, the blush climbing to her ears.
Wen smiled — small, but filled with relief and hope.
The wind blew, and a solitary leaf fell between them. It was almost time for the snow.
The cold of the afternoon thickened as Wen and Yuyan left the university. The black scarf still held the recent warmth of her hands, and he adjusted it slowly around his neck as though it were a ritual gesture. They walked side by side across the campus. Some students stopped to observe — the reserved professor and the young nurse. Wen didn't mind. Yuyan, timid, kept her eyes lowered, but there was a faint smile hidden on her lips.
The restaurant chosen was small, discreet, with yellow paper lanterns lighting the tables. Wen ordered hot soup, she chose chrysanthemum tea. The conversation was calm, made of pauses and glances.
— I don't usually… celebrate birthdays — he said, in an almost confessional tone. — But today… is different.
Yuyan lowered her eyes, her fingers interlacing on the table.— Different good?
He smiled faintly, the light glinting across his glasses.— Different unforgettable.
They ate slowly, each gesture carrying an intimacy they still didn't dare to name. When they left the restaurant, night had already spread like a mantle over the city.
Then it happened.
A light flake landed on the sleeve of Yuyan's coat. Then another, and another. The first snow of winter was falling.
They stopped, in silence, like children before a miracle. The sky seemed to open in luminous particles, descending without hurry.
Wen lifted his eyes to the sky and spoke softly, almost like reciting an old secret:— There's a fable I once read as a child… They say that when the first snow falls, whoever stands by your side in that moment carries the memory forever. Because winter keeps love in the silence of its flakes.
Yuyan felt her heart race. The snow touched her hair, the cold burned her cheeks, but inside there was only warmth.
Wen turned to her. He adjusted the scarf around her neck, leaning close enough that his breath brushed her skin. For a moment, he let his hand rest on her cheek before bowing to place a slow kiss on her forehead — tender, laden with something no words dared confess.
Yuyan closed her eyes. The world seemed to stop.
They walked in silence to the door of her house. The neighborhood lights flickered, reflected in the snow that already covered the ground. Wen stopped at the gate, his hands in his pockets, his eyes fixed on her.
— I need to tell you something — he said, serious. — In a few days, I'll be traveling. A conference in another city. Two weeks.
Her heart tightened, but she only nodded.— I understand.
He tried to smile, but there was a discreet weight in his eyes.— But… I'll come back.
Yuyan lowered her eyes, hiding the blush.— I'll wait.
There was a long silence. Then Wen leaned forward once more and murmured:— Thank you… for this birthday.
He turned and walked away slowly, disappearing down the snow-covered street.
Yuyan stood still at the gate, her heart still trembling. She raised her hand to her face, where the warmth of his kiss refused to fade.