Disabled Childhood Sweetheart: A Humble Puppy Begs for the Young Lady's Pity

In 2008, when the online video industry was still in its infancy, Zhou Jingchen keenly seized the business opportunities presented by the booming trend and led Xingyao Company to make strategic moves and officially enter the online film and television track.

As autumn transitions into winter, Xingyao's on-demand video platform "Xinghe Films" officially launched.

Galaxy Films boasts a massive film library, offering free online viewing of TV series, movies, animations, and other content. It has rapidly grown into a film and television platform that integrates community, content, and traffic in the early days of the Internet.

The website experienced a surge in traffic as soon as it went live, and within two months, it had delivered an outstanding performance.

During that period, Zhou Jingchen often took Wenxi to various cocktail parties and industry gatherings, introducing her to celebrities and capital tycoons from all walks of life.

Everyone in the industry knows that she has the backing of Xingyao, possessing both talent and financial resources.

Riding on this halo, Wenxi has successively secured many commercial endorsements and participated in the filming of music videos for several popular singers.

Later, when Xinghe invested in a movie, Zhou Jingchen personally recommended Wenxi to the director for the role.

But when he went to visit the set, he found that the script included a kissing scene, and his face immediately darkened.

It was this filming experience that made Wenxi realize that she was not interested in becoming an actress.

First, intimate scenes were inevitable in the film, and many films at the time were quite explicit, with overtly suggestive shots. Plus, Zhou Jingchen was incredibly jealous; let alone kissing scenes, even if she just hugged or cuddled with another man, he would react like a rabid dog.

Secondly, she had a brief experience of celebrity life. Going out required layers of sunglasses and masks to conceal her identity; she was constantly surrounded by cameras, her private life was endlessly squeezed, and she had no freedom whatsoever. Wenxi still prefers a more carefree life.

Third, industries that rely on youth are ultimately unsustainable.

After much deliberation, Wenxi decided to dedicate herself to the dance industry.

While she still had popularity and fame, she founded her first dance institution in Linshen – Joyful Dance Art Space.

Jiang Qi was quick-witted and in charge of student recruitment for the organization. Leveraging Wenxi's reputation, she successfully recruited a large number of students for the studio.

Wenxi's business is thriving.

In the spring of 2010, Zhou Jingchen drove Wenxi and Xiang Qin back to Pingjiang.

There are two important things to do on this trip: first, to move Wen Zhiting's ashes back to his hometown of Pingjiang, so that he can return to his roots; and second, to visit his old friends and relatives and reunite with his childhood playmates.

"It's been over ten years..." Xiang Qin said softly, holding her daughter's arm as they stood at the entrance of Kangshi Lane.

This old town area has not yet been demolished, but it has already been included in the planning, and time is running out.

The three stepped into the familiar courtyard, pushed open the decaying and mottled wooden door, and the rustling dust silently told of the changes over the years.

Zhou Jingchen went to Grandpa Zhou's house across the street and sorted through his old belongings one by one. He carefully put the items that were worth keeping into a wooden box.

Wenxi and Xiangqin entered the house. The living room was still the same as it was back then, but the furniture, which had been smashed by debt collectors, was broken and the place was in a mess.

Several old photos were scattered on the ground. Xiang Qin bent down to pick them up and gently brushed away the dust.

The photo had long since yellowed, but her lover's face remained clear. Her fingertips traced Wen Zhiting's eyebrows and eyes in the photo, her eyes welled up, and tears silently streamed down her face.

The two single beds in the secondary bedroom that Wenxi and Zhou Jingchen used to share are still placed side by side.

Wenxi opened the drawer, inside lay her high school lyric book, some odds and ends, and a thick diary.

"Let me see." Zhou Jingchen suddenly reached out from behind and snatched the diary away.

Wenxi hurriedly tried to snatch it back, shouting, "Give it back to me!"

He held the notebook high, a smile playing on his lips, and looked down at her: "I want to see what's written in my sister's diary."

Wenxi's cheeks flushed, and she reached out to pinch his waist, gritting her teeth and scolding, "Zhou Jingchen, do you want to die?!"

In the end, she managed to snatch the diary back and kept her secret tightly under wraps.

In the room, the familiar desk, the side-by-side beds, the old wardrobe—everything was right there, yet everything had changed, and time had passed.

Xiang Qin was sorting through Wen Zhiting's belongings in the master bedroom, while in the second bedroom, Zhou Jingchen gently held Wen Xi in front of the desk.

He was tall and imposing, exuding a certain aura of authority. When he looked down at her, his dark eyes were unfathomable, filled with an intense and unyielding affection.

"Do you remember when I tutored you at this very desk in your third year of junior high?" The man's voice was clear and deep. His features still retained the outline of a young boy, but he was more mature and composed than before, and his charm was even greater.

"I remember." Wenxi's long eyelashes trembled slightly. "Who would have thought that you deliberately failed your high school entrance exam, and ended up going to the Second High School with me..."

He gazed at her intently, a slight smile playing on his lips, his long, narrow eyes filled with a gentle joy.

Wenxi's heart skipped a beat, and her eyes widened abruptly: "You...you didn't do this on purpose, did you?"

"You deliberately did poorly on the test, just so you could go to the same high school as me?"

Zhou Jingchen raised his hand, gently pinched her chin with the base of his thumb, and placed a light kiss on her soft, rosy lips:

"What do you think, you silly boy?"

In order to get into the Second High School with her in a legitimate and unsuspecting way, he deliberately took several cold showers before the high school entrance exam, making himself catch a cold and fever, so that he could legitimately fail the exam.

During that time, he deliberately pretended to be lost and sad, and his performance was flawless.

Wenxi grabbed his collar, both angry and amused: "Well, well, you've been so scheming since you were little, with one trick after another... You're so wicked."

He cupped her face in his hands, leaned down and kissed her, his words muffled as he spoke: "I've used every means at my disposal to stay by your side."

"Sister, I never said I was a good person."

How could a boy who has been disabled since childhood and is withdrawn and taciturn not have darkness and prejudice in his heart?

While studying in the United States, a university professor once commented on Zhou Jingchen: "If he wanted to, he could attack the internal networks of any country in the world at will and become a high-IQ criminal."

Over the years, if it weren't for the careful upbringing by Wen's parents and Grandpa Zhou, he might have really gone down another extreme path.

When facing Wenxi, his humble yet obsessive possessiveness grew wildly at all times.

He was well aware that he was selfish and narrow-minded, and was never a broad-minded person.

To keep her firmly by his side, he told countless lies: he subtly suppressed his rival in front of Aunt Xiang; he feigned pitifulness and sought sympathy in front of her, lying with ease; he took advantage of her soft and kind heart, step by step, to forcefully possess her and completely encircle her into his world.

Zhou Jingchen was never a gentle and cheerful young man.

He had possessiveness since childhood, and when he was fifteen, he developed unsavory thoughts about her. After that, his mind was filled with nothing but shameful obsessions and desires.

His little princess, however, is forever clean, pure, bright, and dazzling.

"Have you packed everything?" Xiang Qin's voice came from outside the door, interrupting the tender atmosphere inside.

Wenxi's breath hitched slightly from his kiss, her cheeks flushed, and her lips glistening with moisture, like flower petals touched by morning dew.

"Go outside." She gently nudged him.

The three stayed in Pingjiang for a few days, and Xiang Qin took them to visit some of their old neighbors.

In the residential building allocated by the factory back then, Aunt Qin's home was filled with acquaintances. Everyone was filled with emotion upon seeing each other.

"I never imagined that you two would actually end up together. When we were kids, we were inseparable in the alley, holding hands wherever we went."

"The little magpie was so chubby when it was young, it was so adorable, its flesh jiggled around."

"She was really naughty back then. She used a rope to hang our chicks upside down by one leg. If I hadn't come back in time, the chicks would have been killed by her."

"She also likes to pull down people's pants. Old Fang's kids, and Old Jiang's kids, haven't they all had their pants pulled down by her? This kid loves to play pranks on people."

"One year, it seems Master Zhou took Jingchen somewhere to get her leg checked. She didn't know, and when she got home and couldn't find her little brother, she went door to door, wiping away tears, asking, 'Auntie, have you seen my little brother?' Her little face was so tearful, so wronged and sad..."

"The little magpie has found herself a little husband."

"Jingchen has been smart and good at studying since he was a child. Now he has really become a big boss. He has made something of himself."

"Xiaoqin, you're really going to have a wonderful life now. You have a son and a daughter, and you'll have a grandson to keep you company in the future. You'll never have enough happiness."

"Sigh, it's such a pity that Zhiting left us so early. We only found out later how much he had sacrificed for the factory. Thinking about it now, I feel so guilty..."

After catching up, the elders began to ask questions:

When are you planning to have children?

"Have the baby sooner rather than later. Your mother is still young and can help you out."

Wenxi and Zhou Jingchen sat awkwardly in the middle of the crowd, listening to the adults talk about their childhood stories. They would occasionally glance at each other and smile awkwardly.

……

Wen Zhiting's ashes were eventually interred at Lishan Cemetery in Pingjiang City.

After years of wandering and hardship, his soul was finally able to return to his homeland and be laid to rest.

They went to visit Grandpa Zhou together. Zhou Jingchen specially had a new tombstone erected, and the young couple knelt down side by side and solemnly kowtowed three times.

Zhou Jingchen gazed at the tombstone, his voice low and solemn: "Grandpa, thank you."

Thank you for taking me in, thank you for raising me, thank you for protecting and loving me along with the Wen family parents, and for teaching me to be good.

Over the next two days, the three of them visited various relatives.

When the Hongxing Machinery Factory went bankrupt, the Wen family was left with huge debts, and many relatives avoided them, even making sarcastic remarks.

Xiang Qin did not hold a grudge, only saying: It is a favor if someone helps, and it is their right not to help.

She still brought her daughter and son-in-law, along with gifts, to visit, sit down for a short chat, and was very courteous.

Xiang Qin has always remembered the help and financial assistance she received from Wenxi's uncles, aunts, and other relatives when the Wen family was at its lowest point.

The money owed was returned in double; the words of thanks were repeated again and again.

Upon learning that Uncle Wenxi's youngest son was studying at a university in Linshen and was graduating today and planning to look for a job, Zhou Jingchen immediately called He Li and arranged for him to intern at Xingyao.

My aunt is elderly and has a meager income; my uncle suffers from diabetes and has a difficult life. Before leaving, Wenxi and Zhou Jingchen left some money for each of their families as a token of their goodwill.

After days of travel, Xiang Qin was a little tired. After the young couple sent her mother back to the hotel to rest, they went out to meet Fang Haoyu and Jiang Xiaoya.

The gathering was held in a private room at an elegant restaurant in Pingjiang.

Zhou Jingchen and Wen Xi arrived first and ordered the food in advance. Shortly after, Fang Haoyu and Jiang Xiaoya entered one after the other.

"Little Magpie!" Jiang Xiaoya was dressed fashionably, wearing a white dress with a camel suede jacket and ankle boots, holding a seven or eight-month-old baby in her arms.

She smiled brightly, stretched out one arm, and gently hugged Wenxi.

"I'm sorry, my mom was supposed to help me take care of the baby, but something came up at my aunt's house, so I had to bring the baby with me."

Wenxi casually asked, "Where's your husband?"

"We're divorced." Jiang Xiaoya said calmly.

After many years of not seeing each other, old classmates reunited, and after taking their seats, everyone's heart was filled with excitement and emotion.

The baby in Xiaoya's arms was chubby and fair-skinned. He was a mixed-race baby with light gray-blue eyes, long and thick eyelashes, and a cute and adorable appearance.

Fang Haoyu hugged it for a while, then passed it to Zhou Jingchen like a game of musical chairs.

Zhou Jingchen looked slightly at a loss, moving cautiously as he looked down at the tiny life in his arms, his eyes unusually gentle and tender.

Jiang Xiaoya looked at Wenxi, a mischievous smile playing on her lips: "You two finally ended up together."

"What kind of talk is that?" Wenxi gently nudged her arm.

"They were always flirting and being all lovey-dovey when they were kids, don't think I didn't notice."

No way.

"What do you mean no? The way you two get along is exactly like a wife and husband. You get angry all the time, and he immediately tries to coax you in a low voice... Fang Haoyu and I never do that."

As the waiter came in to serve the food, Jiang Xiaoya lowered her voice and asked curiously, "Who confessed first?"

Wenxi answered softly, "Him."

"See, I knew he liked you all along! I told you to be brave back then, but you wouldn't listen..." Xiaoya sighed softly, "Luckily, you've finally gotten together, so it's a case of all the hardships finally paying off."

Wenxi took the baby from Zhou Jingchen's arms. The baby was small and soft, with a pacifier in its mouth, and was quiet and well-behaved.

A strange tenderness welled up in her heart, and she gently poked the baby's delicate cheek with her fingertips, a gentle smile unconsciously spreading across her lips.

"When are you planning to have children?" Xiaoya asked.

"Let's talk about it after the wedding. I don't want to wear a wedding dress while I'm heavily pregnant," Wen Xi laughed. "You all absolutely must come to the wedding."

"When?"

"May."

After meeting with friends, Zhou Jingchen drove Wenxi slowly through the streets of Pingjiang.

The two went to Haiping Park together, a place they frequented most during their childhood.

The park has been renovated, with several new exquisite pavilions built, and the old, dilapidated walls have been painted clean white.

Only the tall old locust tree by the wall remains standing tall and unchanging through the years.

The two strolled hand in hand in the garden when Wenxi suddenly tiptoed and whispered in his ear:

"Do you remember when you were little, you hurt your arm and needed to pee, and I was the one who helped you hold it..."

Zhou Jingchen's ears suddenly turned red, and he forced himself to say, "I don't remember."

"Tch." She shook off his hand and quickly walked to the big locust tree.

Wenxi carefully examined the tree trunk, her eyes scanning up and down as if searching for something.

"What are you looking for?" Zhou Jingchen followed.

"Find the word."

"What character?"

"The words I carved when I was little..." She looked up, her eyes suddenly lighting up as she excitedly pointed to a spot on the tree trunk: "Found it!"

Zhou Jingchen leaned closer and saw a line of crooked characters carved on the tree bark, still clearly legible despite years of wind and rain:

Princess Wenxi and her prince Zhou Jingchen

The man froze, holding his breath as he stared at the words, remaining motionless for a long time.

"Did you carve this?" Zhou Jingchen asked softly.

"yes."

"When was it engraved?"

She scratched her head and muttered softly, "When I was little, so many years ago, I don't remember exactly how old I was."

"Why did you carve that sentence?" He swallowed hard, his gaze falling on her pretty face.

"Have you forgotten? Once when we were playing here with Fang Haoyu, he asked you, 'Wenxi is a princess, so are you a prince?' I blurted out, 'What prince has a limp?' You got angry immediately, went home on your crutches, and ignored me completely."

At this point, she gave a soft snort: "That little cripple has quite a temper."

"Later I guessed that you were unhappy because of that sentence, so I secretly carved this on the tree. I originally wanted to take you to see it and cheer you up, but after a good night's sleep, I completely forgot about it."

Zhou Jingchen stared blankly at her, gradually losing his composure.

My heart felt warm, aching, sour, and swollen, as if a light had suddenly been lit in the long darkness.

He was once bewildered, uneasy, insecure, and anxious, and he desperately thought that he could never be her prince.

He didn't know that when his little princess was very young, she had carved these words on a tree, recognizing him as her prince.

When the little princess realized her feelings in college, she wanted to confess to him and be with him, even though he was still a cripple at the time.

His most insecure, most fearful, and most hated disability was nothing to her.

From the very beginning, she liked the lame boy and the disabled puppy.

The world suddenly fell silent, with only the roar of my heartbeat in my ears.

"Zhou Jingchen, there's a swing over there!"

Wenxi suddenly seemed to have discovered a new continent and excitedly ran over.

She wore a beige dress, paired with clean white cotton socks and sneakers. Her long, black hair fell smoothly down, and she had willow-leaf eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, and skin as white as snow.

Sitting on the swing, she turned around and smiled, her eyes curving upwards to reveal two small, bright white canine teeth, as vibrant as the blooming roses in spring.

Wenxi gently swung her slender, fair legs, her eyes sparkling with a sweet smile: "Little dog, come help me push the swing!"

In a single sentence, it was as if time had turned back, the stars had shifted, and the two of them were instantly transported back to their youth.

Zhou Jingchen walked behind her, gently stroked her with his palm, and the swing slowly began to swing.

"Higher! I want it even higher!"

"Whoosh—I feel like I'm flying!"

"It's too high, too high! I'm scared, Zhou Jingchen, stop pushing it..."

Finally, he bent down, lifted her steadily from the swing, and held her tightly in his arms.

In springtime, the park is filled with the fragrance of grass and trees, and all things are full of gentle vitality.

Wenxi wrapped her arms around his waist, gently pressed her face against his chest, and softly called his name:

"Zhou Jingchen".

"Um?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"I think, maybe... I loved you a long time ago."

He lowered his head, touching the top of her head, his voice gentle:

"Little princess, me too."

-

You are the unreachable light, and I am the shadow crawling on the ground; without light, there is no shadow. — Zhou Jingchen

I was born a pampered princess, proud and arrogant, never bowing my head even when mired in hardship. Everyone can see me at my most vulnerable, except him. Because he is the one I love. —Wenxi

(End of text)