Beneath ancient plum trees and swaying bamboo, childhood laughter echoed through carefree days—the moment when their fates first intertwined. She possessed an effortless allure rather than timidity, her silhouette framed against the breeze with cascading hair and porcelain-smooth skin. Xu Qingfan's eyes snapped open. Twenty years had dissolved in an instant, catapulting him backward to 2002. That year, azure skies stretched endlessly, clouds gleamed pristine white, and wind sang through the air. That year, his childhood sweetheart remained by his side, their parents' faces showed no weathering, and ambition's weight hadn't yet settled upon his shoulders. That year, he was six and she was five, both young enough to marvel at the world as snow danced through the seasons.