He wants to adopt a younger sister, but his aloof wife disagrees.

In the early morning in Niseko, Hokkaido, the world is covered by a thick layer of tranquil white snow.

Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto the tatami mats of the "Flying Snow" villa, refracting a crystal-clear glow. After a night of heavy snowfall, the forest outside the window had transformed into a magnificent palace, with heavy snowdrifts hanging from the treetops, occasionally breaking off under their weight and creating a fine mist of snow.

The temperature inside the villa was consistently warm.

Jiang Che had already woken up. He was wearing a set of dark gray cotton loungewear and was standing in the open kitchen preparing breakfast. In the frying pan, a thick omelet was taking shape, the golden egg yolk coating the eel pieces, emitting an enticing aroma. In the clay pot next to him, Hokkaido's specialty scallop congee was bubbling away.

"morning."

A soft sound of footsteps came from behind.

Shen Qingge came out.

She wasn't wearing a yukata today, but instead a finely crafted cashmere knit dress in a soft oatmeal color, which made her look exceptionally gentle. The dress clung to her figure, outlining the graceful curves of her waist and hips. She held a glass of warm water in her hand, her long hair casually draped over her shoulders, the ends still curled lazily as if she had just woken up.

Because she had just woken up, she wasn't wearing makeup. Her skin was so fair and almost translucent in the morning light that you could even see the fine downy hairs on her cheeks. Her phoenix eyes, which usually shone with a sharp light, were now half-closed, showing a hint of lingering sleepiness, with slightly reddened corners, exuding an unconscious charm.

"It smells so good."

Shen Qingge walked behind Jiang Che, naturally wrapped her arms around his waist, pressed her cheek against his broad, warm back, and gently rubbed against him: "What did you do?"

"Thick omelet, and your favorite miso soup."

Jiang Che turned off the stove, turned around and pulled her into his arms, lowering his head to place a kiss on her smooth forehead, his movements practiced and gentle: "Did you sleep well last night?"

"Hmm, the pillows here are very comfortable." Shen Qingge tilted her head back, looking at Jiang Che's well-defined jawline, and gently drew circles on his chest with her fingers. "But... it's even more comfortable to hold you."

Jiang Che chuckled, grabbed her mischievous fingers, and kissed them: "Acting cute so early in the morning? Hmm?"

"Is that not allowed?" Shen Qingge raised an eyebrow, a hint of arrogance in her eyes. "I'm your wife, I have special privileges."

"Fine, you're the queen, you can say whatever you want."

Jiang Che affectionately pinched her cheek, then looked towards the stairwell: "Go wake that little pig up. We're going skiing today, and the slopes will be crowded if we're late."

"I'll go call them."

Shen Qingge, carrying a water glass, walked gracefully toward Su Xiaoruan's room.

I pushed open the door, and the room was warm and cozy.

Su Xiaoruan was fast asleep, wrapped in her blanket, curled up in a ball, with only her rosy cheeks and a few messy strands of hair showing. She was still tightly clutching the pink teddy bear in her arms, muttering something in her sleep.

"Fried chicken...delicious..."

Shen Qingge shook her head helplessly, walked to the bedside, and reached out to pinch Su Xiaoruan's nose.

"Ugh... I'm so suffocating..."

Su Xiaoruan frowned, struggled to wave her hands, suddenly opened her eyes, and gasped for breath.

"Awake?" Shen Qingge looked down at her with a smile on her lips.

"Sister?!" Su Xiaoruan sat up groggily, rubbing her eyes. She looked at Shen Qingge, whose makeup was exquisite (actually, she was bare-faced but looked beautiful as if she were wearing makeup), and then glanced at the heavy snow outside the window. "What time is it?"

"It's eight o'clock. If we don't get up soon, the ski resort will close."

"Ah! Skiing!"

Hearing those two words, Su Xiaoruan instantly woke up. She threw off the covers, jumped out of bed, and stomped barefoot on the floor: "I want to go! I want to build a snowman! I want to go skiing!"

……

After breakfast, the three of them began changing their gear.

This is not just a sport, but also a silent "show".

Shen Qingge chose a pure white one-piece ski suit. It was from Moncler's haute couture collection, with an extremely fitted cut and a special cinched waist design, paired with a wide black belt, perfectly outlining her tall, 1.72-meter figure and S-shaped curves. The neckline was adorned with a luxurious silver fox fur collar, making her small face appear even more refined and aloof.

She tied her long hair into a neat high ponytail, put on a pair of black goggles, and looked both professional and domineering, like a queen on a snow-capped mountain.

Su Xiaoruan chose a cherry blossom pink two-piece ski suit. The pants were overalls, giving her a playful look. The top was puffy and a cute pink color. She wore a white knitted hat with two big pom-poms on it, and with her face full of collagen, she looked like a vibrant girl straight out of a manga.

As for Jiang Che, he chose an all-black professional ski suit. There were no flashy embellishments, only smooth lines and top-quality fabric. Wearing it, he stood tall and straight like a pine tree, exuding a calm and restrained masculine aura.

"Let's go."

Jiang Che lifted the three of their skis as easily as lifting a few feathers.

A private car took them to Grand Hirafu Ski Resort in Niseko. It boasts some of the finest powder snow in Japan, with snow as soft as cotton.

At 10 a.m., the sun was shining brightly.

The three of them stood at the starting point on the mountaintop.

Looking out, the rolling snow-capped mountains gleam under the blue sky, and the famous Mount Yotei (known as "Ezo Fuji") is clearly visible in the distance, a magnificent sight that takes your breath away.

Wow—it's so beautiful!

Su Xiaoruan, wearing goggles, shouted excitedly.

"Will it slip?" Jiang Che squatted down to check Shen Qingge's braces, asking Su Xiaoruan without looking up.

"Of course!" Su Xiaoruan patted her chest. "I used to learn from a coach! Although I'm only a novice, I'm still pretty good at snowplow braking!"

"That's good."

Jiang Che stood up and, after confirming that Shen Qingge's equipment was correct, turned to Su Xiaoruan and helped her fasten her snow boots.

"Stay close to me and don't go into the wild snow area. The snow here is very deep, and it's hard to climb out if you fall in," Jiang Che warned.

"Okay!"

Su Xiaoruan looked at Jiang Che, who was squatting in front of her.

Even with a helmet and goggles, only the lower half of his face was visible, but his focused expression still made her heart race.

"Brother, you're so kind."

She said it silently to herself.

"Alright." Jiang Che patted her helmet. "Let's go."

Shen Qingge was clearly an expert.

She braced herself with her ski poles, leaned forward, and glided away like a white lightning bolt. Her movements were elegant and fluid, her weight transfer seamless, drawing perfect S-shaped arcs on the ski slope.

"Wow! Sister-in-law is so handsome!" Su Xiaoruan exclaimed.

"You go too." Jiang Che pushed her.

Su Xiaoruan carefully began to slide.

It went smoothly at first, but this was an advanced slope, and the incline was steeper than she had imagined.

The speed is getting faster and faster.

"Aaaaaah! I can't stop now!"

Su Xiaoruan panicked, and her standard snowplow braking motion went awry, her two feet started to fight each other.

"Lower your center of gravity! Carve snow with the inner blade!"

Jiang Che's voice came from behind, steady and powerful.

But before he could catch up, Su Xiaoruan had already lost her balance.

"Bang!"

She plopped down on the snow, kicking up a cloud of snow, and rolled around twice like a snowball before stopping.

"Ugh...it hurts..."

Su Xiaoruan lay in the snowdrift, raising her head somewhat disheveled, her face covered in snowflakes.

A black figure suddenly stopped beside her.

Jiang Che made a clean stop, snowflakes billowing from his skis. He took off his skis, strode over to Su Xiaoruan, and knelt on one knee.

"How are you? Where did you fall?"

His voice was full of anxiety as he reached out to brush the snow off her and check her arms and legs.

"It's nothing...it's just that my butt hurts..." Su Xiaoruan pouted, feeling a little aggrieved, with tears welling up in her eyes.

Jiang Che breathed a sigh of relief, and after confirming that there were no fractures, he smiled somewhat helplessly:

"Idiot. I already told you to lower your center of gravity."

He reached out and grasped Su Xiaoruan's gloved hand:

"stand up."

Su Xiaoruan stood up with his help, but her legs were still a little weak, and she subconsciously fell into his arms.

Jiang Che caught her steadily, put one arm around her waist, and let her lean against him.

"Hold on tight."

This scene was witnessed by Shen Qingge, who had slid halfway down the mountain and then turned back up.

She stopped a short distance away, supporting herself with one hand on her ski pole, and took off her goggles.

In the sunlight, her stunningly beautiful face remained expressionless, but her phoenix eyes narrowed slightly as she gazed at the two figures clinging tightly to each other.

Although she knew it was her brother helping his sister.

Although she knew that Su Xiaoruan had fallen and needed someone to take care of her.

but……

Watching Su Xiaoruan practically cling to Jiang Che, watching Jiang Che gently wipe the snow off her face, and even patting her back lightly to comfort her.

An emotion called "possessiveness" grew wildly in Shen Qingge's heart like vines.

That was her man.

Even if it's her younger sister, it's not allowed.

Shen Qingge took a deep breath, put her goggles back on, pushed off with her ski poles, and slid across.

"How is it? Did you break it?"

Shen Qingge's voice was cold and clear, carrying a hint of chill that was barely perceptible.

Hearing the sound, Su Xiaoruan quickly scrambled out of Jiang Che's arms, scratching her head somewhat sheepishly, "It's nothing, it's nothing! I just slipped and fell on my bottom! The snow's thick here, it doesn't hurt!"

"It's good that you're alright."

Shen Qingge slid to Jiang Che's side, naturally reached out and took his arm, separating him from Su Xiaoruan by a little distance.

She turned to look at Jiang Che, her red lips slightly curved, her tone carrying a hint of provocation:

"Mr. Jiang, it's no fun teaching kids to ski all the time."

"Hey, you high-ranking gangsters, dare to have a match with me?"

Jiang Che was stunned for a moment.

He looked into Shen Qingge's eyes, which he could feel burning even through her goggles, and instantly understood.

This woman is jealous.

Moreover, it was the kind of jealousy that was subtle, haughty, and imperceptible.

Jiang Che's smile deepened.

He liked her possessive nature.

"OK."

Jiang Che turned to Su Xiaoruan and said, "Xiaoruan, why don't you skate around in this beginner practice area for a while, or go to the rest area over there and have a hot cocoa? Your sister-in-law and I will go skate around up there."

"Huh? But I..." Su Xiaoruan was about to say that she wanted to go too.

But when she saw Shen Qingge's ambiguous smile, she instantly chickened out.

"Okay! I'm going to get some cocoa! You guys go ahead! Be careful!"

Su Xiaoruan obediently stepped back.

Jiang Che and Shen Qingge exchanged a smile, then turned around and glided towards the cable car at the top of the mountain.

……

At the summit, the Black Diamond Ski Run.

The slope here is close to 45 degrees, almost vertical, with a vast forest below.

The cold wind howled, swirling up the powdery snow on the ground.

Shen Qingge stood on the edge of the cliff, looking down, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Are you scared?" Jiang Che stood beside her, side by side.

"Scared?" Shen Qingge chuckled lightly. "I've already weathered the storms of the Shen Group, what's a little snow to me?"

"Shall we...begin?"

"start!"

Before she finished speaking, Shen Qingge had already rushed out.

This time, she didn't hold back.

She moved with incredible speed, like a white falcon swooping down the steep snow slope. Each turn stirred up huge waves of snow, her graceful figure captivating all who beheld her.

Jiang Che followed closely behind.

He didn't rush to overtake her, but instead maintained a distance of half a body length behind, like a guardian, always watching over her safety.

Two figures, one in black and one in white, darted across the snow-capped mountain.

The wind whistled in my ears.

Adrenaline surged.

Shen Qingge felt an unprecedented sense of exhilaration. Here, there were no endless documents to process, no cutthroat business battles, only speed, only the wind, and the man who had always been following her.

There is a sharp turn when you are almost at the foot of the mountain.

Shen Qingge wanted to make a beautiful carving, but her snowboard slipped because of a patch of ice buried under the snow.

The body instantly lost its balance.

Just as she was about to fall.

A strong arm reached out from behind and wrapped around her waist.

The immense inertia caused the two of them to fall onto the snow and roll several times.

Finally, it stopped.

Jiang Che is below, Shen Qingge is above.

The two lay in the thick snowdrift, panting heavily. White mist swirled between them.

Jiang Che took off his goggles and looked at the woman pressing down on him.

Her cheeks were flushed from the intense exercise, and her eyes shone as brightly as the stars in the sky. A few strands of hair clung to her face, disheveled yet breathtakingly beautiful.

"Did you win?" Jiang Che asked with a smile, his chest heaving.

"draw."

Shen Qingge took off her goggles and tossed them aside.

She looked at the man beneath her.

Looking into his deep eyes, which reflected the blue sky and himself.

The jealousy and displeasure in my heart transformed into intense desire at this moment.

Jiang Che.

"Um?"

"You were... hugging Xiaoruan too tightly just now." Shen Qingge poked his chest with her finger, her tone carrying a hint of grievance and domineering.

Jiang Che was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing.

He took her hand and kissed it.

"That was to help her up."

"I know." Shen Qingge lowered her head, her forehead touching his. "But I still don't feel well."

"So how are you going to punish me?"

"I'll punish you..."

Shen Qingge suddenly leaned down and kissed his lips.

In broad daylight (even though there were hardly any people around), in the freezing cold.

Her kiss was passionate and domineering, carrying a sense of asserting dominance. Her tongue pried open his teeth, conquering and claiming the warmth of his mouth.

Jiang Che did not resist; instead, he reached out and held the back of her head, deepening the kiss.

Snowflakes landed on their faces and melted instantly.

The kiss lasted a long time.

They only separated when they were both somewhat short of breath.

Shen Qingge lay on his chest, listening to his heart pounding like a drum, and a satisfied smile appeared on her lips.

"Now, we're even."

……

At noon, we rested in a wooden cabin halfway up the mountain.

The fireplace was burning, and the room was warm and cozy.

Su Xiaoruan was holding a cup of hot cocoa, sitting by the window looking outside.

Her eyes lit up when she saw Jiang Che and Shen Qingge walk in.

"Brother! Sister! You're finally back!"

The two walked to the table and sat down.

Shen Qingge took off her ski jacket, leaving only her tight-fitting quick-drying undershirt, revealing a figure that was the envy of many. Her face was flushed with the glow of exercise, and she looked radiant.

Jiang Che, on the other hand, looked refreshed and invigorated.

"Here, hot milk." Su Xiaoruan fawned over two glasses of milk.

"Thanks."

Jiang Che took the milk, took a sip, and then naturally took the gloves that Shen Qingge had taken off and placed them by the fireplace to bake.

Su Xiaoruan felt a pang of sadness as she looked at the unspoken, intimate atmosphere between the two of them.

She actually saw it from the window.

I saw them embracing and kissing in the snow.

Although they were far apart, the sweet scent could be smelled from several kilometers away.

Su Xiaoruan lowered her head and bit her straw.

"Su Xiaoruan, you'll have to get used to it."

"They are a married couple. That's normal."

"It's enough for you to be by his side and watch him smile."

She kept brainwashing herself in her mind.

"Xiao Ruan, are you still skating this afternoon?" Jiang Che turned to ask her.

"I'm not sliding anymore!" Su Xiaoruan shook her head. "My butt hurts! I'm going shopping this afternoon! I heard there are lots of fun things to do in the shopping street here!"

"Okay, I'll go shopping with you."

……

The afternoon was spent in the town of Niseko.

The place is full of exotic charm, with all sorts of handicraft shops and dessert shops lining both sides of the street.

Jiang Che acted as both a laborer and a card reader.

Su Xiaoruan started her shopping spree.

"This glass wind chime is so pretty! I'll buy it!"

"I'll buy ten boxes of this Hokkaido-exclusive Shiroi Koibito!"

"I want to give this little fox keychain to my roommate!"

Jiang Che carried several bags, yet maintained an elegant pace. Shen Qingge linked arms with him, occasionally picking out a small trinket or two she liked.

When she reached the entrance of an antique jewelry store, Shen Qingge stopped.

In the shop window, there was a brooch.

It was a snowflake brooch inlaid with sapphires, with a unique design and exquisite craftsmanship, emitting a faint blue light.

"You like it?" Jiang Che noticed her gaze.

"Hmm, it's quite unique." Shen Qingge nodded. "Like the snow here."

"Let's go in and take a look."

Jiang Che pulled her into the store.

Ten minutes later, the brooch was pinned to the collar of Shen Qingge's coat.

"This is for you," Jiang Che said, looking at her. "My spoils from today's battle."

Shen Qingge touched the brooch, her smile more dazzling than any gemstone.

Su Xiaoruan, who was standing next to her, looked at this scene with a hint of envy in her eyes.

"Brother, I want a present too!" Su Xiaoruan pouted.

"You bought so many snacks and that's not enough?" Jiang Che glanced at her sideways.

"That's food! I want the kind that I can wear!" Su Xiaoruan pointed to Shen Qingge's brooch.

Jiang Che smiled and took a small box out of his pocket.

"I prepared it for you a long time ago."

Su Xiaoruan opened it with delight.

It's a bracelet. It has a small pink pearl and a cute little bunny on it.

Although it wasn't as valuable as the sapphire brooch, it suited her perfectly and was full of girlish charm.

"Wow! Thank you, bro!"

Su Xiaoruan happily put on the bracelet and dangled it on her wrist: "It looks so good!"

She looked at the rabbit on her wrist, then at the snowflake on Shen Qingge's chest.

Although they are different, they were both gifts from my brother.

Is this a kind of...fairness?

……

We returned to the "Zuowanglin" inn in the evening.

Dinner was sukiyaki.

The top-grade A5 Wagyu beef is tossed in a sweet and savory sauce, coated with sterile egg yolk, and melts in your mouth.

After we finished eating, it started snowing again.

Shen Qingge was a little tired and went back to her room to rest early.

Jiang Che dealt with a few emails in the living room. When he was about to go back to his room, he found Su Xiaoruan sitting on the tatami in front of the French windows, hugging her knees and watching the snow.

The room was dark, with only a faint light reflecting off the snow outside the window.

Her back view looked somewhat lonely.

Jiang Che walked over and sat down next to her.

"Why aren't you asleep yet?"

Su Xiaoruan turned her head and looked at Jiang Che.

Her eyes shone brightly in the darkness.

"elder brother."

"Um?"

"I have something to say to you."

Jiang Che's heart skipped a beat.

He remembered that night at the masquerade ball.

"Speak."

Su Xiaoruan took a deep breath, turned around, and faced Jiang Che.

She reached out and grabbed Jiang Che's sleeve.

"Brother, I know you love your wife. I also know that my current role is only that of a younger sister."

"but……"

Su Xiaoruan's voice trembled slightly, but it was unusually firm:

"I will grow up."

"I will become excellent, beautiful, and charming."

"One day, I will show you not just your younger sister Su Xiaoruan, but a woman Su Xiaoruan."

"so……"

She looked up, leaned closer to Jiang Che, and gently kissed him on the cheek.

"This is the deposit."

"In this life, I will not marry anyone but you."

After saying these "outrageous" words, Su Xiaoruan didn't dare to look at Jiang Che's reaction. She jumped up like a frightened rabbit, rushed into her room, and slammed the door shut.

Jiang Che sat in the darkness and touched the wet hickey on his cheek.

He wasn't angry.

There was no sense of helplessness.

His eyes became somewhat deep and complex.

The snow outside the window was falling even harder.

It's as if they want to cover up all the secrets of this world.

Jiang Che stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the snow falling all around him.

"Silly girl."

He said it softly to himself.

"The road ahead is still long."

"but……"

"Since you're so persistent, then... let me see your determination."

He turned and walked towards the master bedroom.

There, his lover was, and he found his home.

Next door, there are his concerns, his... future (perhaps).

That night, the snow in Hokkaido fell exceptionally gently.