First, then, love.

Time is like this pot of pork rib soup, bubbling and rolling forward as it simmers over a low flame.

Winter is finally coming to an end.

The remaining snow piled up by the roadside began to melt. The melting snow was colder than the snowy days. The wind blowing on the face carried a biting, damp chill, and the wind blowing across the river could freeze a person to the bone.

But the room remained warm and cozy.

It's the weekend, 9 a.m.

A sliver of warm winter sunlight peeked through the gap in the curtains, which weren't fully drawn, and fell on the large black leather sofa in the living room, with tiny dust particles suspended in the air.

The room was quiet.

He Zheng leaned back in one corner of the sofa, his long legs casually draped over the edge of the coffee table.

He was wearing gray cotton lounge pants, his upper body was bare, and the pink scar on his left shoulder had turned dark red.

Holding a pair of scissors, he was bending down, intently trimming the calluses on the web of his right hand.

Having handled a gun for years, his calluses were too hard. Last night in bed, he accidentally scratched Shu Yao's delicate lower back, and she kicked him with red eyes.

Early this morning, the dignified captain of the special police force sat here obediently, smoothing and removing calluses.

The nail clippers made a crisp sound, scattering crumbs all over the floor.

Shu Yao curled up in his arms like a boneless cat.

She was wearing a cream-colored silk slip dress with He Zheng's oversized black knitted cardigan over it, the hem of which covered her thighs.

His head rested on his firm abs, his long hair falling loosely, obscuring half of his face.

Holding a freshly brewed, steaming cup of black coffee in my hands, I sip it slowly, the bitter and mellow flavor spreading in my mouth, awakening my groggy senses.

"Could you please stop cutting? It's making my teeth ache." Shu Yao shifted her body, finding a more comfortable position, her back pressed tightly against his chest.

"If I don't cut it, I complain that it scratches my skin; if I do cut it, my teeth hurt. Why are you such a difficult woman to please?" He Zheng snorted coldly, complaining as he stopped what he was doing.

He threw the scissors onto the coffee table.

He stretched out his long arm, grabbed her slender waist, and lifted her up a little.

His chin rested naturally on the top of her head, and the newly grown dark stubble brushed against her hair, a little prickly.

"Drinking so much black coffee, are you going to ruin your stomach again?" He looked down at the cup in her hand, his brows furrowing. He snatched the cup away and placed it on the coffee table.

"I was sleepy. Who told you to stay up so late last night, like an animal?" Shu Yao retorted confidently, her eyes still carrying a hint of sleepiness and allure. She reached out and pinched the hard flesh on his waist without any politeness, but couldn't get it off.

He Zheng's Adam's apple bobbed, but he didn't respond to the question.

He was definitely a bit too rough last night. There's been less work at the police station these past few days, and he had nowhere to vent his energy. Plus, she was wandering around the living room in that awful black silk nightgown. No wonder he couldn't resist.

A series of crackling sounds came from the balcony.

The weather is nice today, so I left the sliding door a crack to let in some air.

The God of War was lying on the anti-corrosion wooden floor of the balcony, his two front paws tightly holding a huge beef bone with meat on it, looking at it with great relish, drooling all over the floor.

After the princess finished eating the cat treats, she strolled gracefully to the God of War.

The cat stared at the blood-stained cow bone for a while.

Then, without warning, it stretched out its furry front paws, revealing its sharp claws.

"Snapped!"

A crisp, solid punch landed directly on the God of War's black nose.

The God of War was stunned, and the bone in his mouth fell to the ground with a "clatter".

It whimpered pitifully, stood up, its massive body resembling a small black mountain, head bowed, as if trying to get its revenge.

The princess was not intimidated at all. She arched her back, and the hair on her body stood on end like an upside-down feather duster, emitting a threatening hissing sound from her throat.

"Meow—!"

The God of War immediately cowered, tucking his tail between his legs. He didn't even want his favorite bone anymore, and slunk away to the corner of the balcony, lying on the ground pretending to be dead. His huge body was curled up into a ball, looking as utterly miserable as could be.

The princess swished her tail haughtily, jumped onto the top shelf of the cat tree, and surveyed her territory from above, just like the true queen of the house.

Shu Yao leaned against He Zheng's chest, watching the cat and dog's daily chasing and biting, and couldn't help but laugh out loud, her shoulders shaking with laughter.

"Captain He, how come the soldiers you trained are so cowardly? They can't even beat a cat. Aren't you ashamed?" She nudged the man behind her with her elbow.

"A good man doesn't fight with a woman. The God of War was just letting it have its way. If they really fought, that stupid cat wouldn't even be enough to fill the God of War's teeth," He Zheng stubbornly insisted, his face dark as he tried to save face for his old friend, inwardly cursing the dog for being spineless.

"Really? Then I'll have Qiaoqiao bring her hot-tempered male cat over another day, and see if the God of War dares to come at me," Shu Yao said, deliberately trying to provoke him.

"If you dare bring a stray cat back, I'll throw you out with it."

He Zheng threatened her fiercely, but his hand slid down her waistline to her flat stomach, gently kneading it through the silk fabric to relieve her slight soreness.

Shu Yao snorted softly, offering no resistance and letting him take advantage of her.

The two of them nestled on the sofa, bickering intermittently.

Time seemed to slow down at that moment.

The rare warmth of the winter sun shone through the panoramic glass, bathing the two of them in its glow and casting two overlapping shadows on the carpet. The warmth dispelled all the chill.

Shu Yao closed her eyes, listening to the steady, powerful heartbeat of the man behind her.

It was right next to my ear, like a war drum, or the most potent sleeping pill.

*

Winter is coming to an end.

That terrifying experience on New Year's Eve seems like a long time ago.

Wang Qiang was sentenced to prison, the broken cello was repaired and replaced with top-quality strings, and the scab on her hand fell off, with new pink flesh growing, leaving only a very shallow mark. He Zheng would apply scar removal cream to her every night.

Everything is getting better, and life is back on track.

Shu Yao opened her eyes and looked at the cow bone abandoned by the God of War on the balcony.

She turned around, wrapped her arms around He Zheng's waist, and buried her face in his broad, warm chest.

I took a deep breath.

It was filled with his scent: the cool aftershave and a rough, wild hormonal aroma.

She used to despise this taste, thinking it was as coarse as he was.

Now, however, it has become the calming incense she is most obsessed with in her life.

Looking back on that platonic first love that lasted two years, it feels like looking at flowers through frosted glass, or like drinking a glass of cooled water.

Safe, bland, yet cold and lifeless, devoid of any vitality, unable to stir up any waves.

And He Zheng.

He was a fire, a raging fire that could burn her to the bone and flesh.

He was rude, barbaric, and unreasonable.

But he would appear out of nowhere on a snowy night and kick a thug away; he would warm her cold feet in the middle of the night; he would sit on a small stool and clumsily apply rosin to her; and he would assert his dominance over her without any scruples on a training field covered in mud.

All her pride and affectation crumbled before his unreasonable favoritism, leaving her utterly defeated, yet willingly so.

She doesn't need a gentle, refined gentleman who will only hold an umbrella for her.

She needs a bandit who can protect her amidst gunfire and pin her against the wall for a passionate kiss.

"He Zheng".

She nestled in his arms, whispering his name, her fingers tracing circles on his firm abs.

"What are you doing? Don't touch me like that. You're responsible for putting out the fire yourself." He Zheng lowered his head, rubbed his chin against the top of her head, grabbed her mischievous hand, and continued to pat her back rhythmically.

"From now on, you must come back unscathed from any mission you undertake."

Her voice was a little tense, carrying an undeniable domineering tone.

"If you lose even a single hair, I'll smash all those lousy potted plants you've been growing, replace the God of War's dog food with cabbage stalks, and then I'll abscond with the money from the cello and find a younger gigolo than you."

He Zheng chuckled softly, his laughter deep and resonant.

"Fine, I agree."

He tightened his arms around her, holding her tightly in his embrace, with such force that he almost wanted to meld her into his very bones.

"Even if I were to report to the King of Hell, I would have to ask you for leave first. If you don't approve, the King of Hell can't take me away. This pretty boy will never have a chance in his life."

The two embraced quietly.

Outside the window, an unidentified winter bird flitted across the bare branches, startling a clump of snow from falling.

The sunlight grew stronger, completely dispelling the chill and gloom from the room.

He Zheng lowered his head.

His rough, thin lips landed on the top of her head and gave her a light kiss.

His breath brushed against her hair, hot and carrying a deep longing.

He was silent for a while.

"Shu Yao".

He suddenly called her by her full name, his voice deep and solemn, devoid of his usual roguishness and unruliness.

Shu Yao lifted her head from his embrace, her peach blossom eyes filled with a hint of doubt as she looked at him.

"What's wrong?"

He Zheng stared into her eyes, his dark pupils as deep as the sea, reflecting her image.

"After the New Year, come with me to the North."

He spoke slowly and deliberately, each word carrying immense weight, resounding powerfully in the air.

"Go see Grandpa."