Wait until the snowflakes fall, and I shall be here for you to claim as your bride.

Although Jin Yulian was also a schemer—she deceived me into taking the blame for her brother—compared to the plot Ling Xue devised, hers was minor in scale.

I gazed at her delicate and lovely face, finding it hard to imagine that such a calm and composed exterior could mask someone capable of orchestrating such a grand scheme. Her mindset was extraordinarily stable, truly embodying the kind of person who remains unshaken even as Mount Tai crumbles before them, or as deer stir to the left without a flicker in their eyes.

What I found incredible was why she would take a liking to me. If she intended to deceive me, I was hardly worth the effort she put into it.

Noticing my foolishly fixed stare on her face, Ling Xue grew a bit uneasy and teased, “Have you really been knocked silly?”

Absentmindedly, I nodded. Ling Xue walked over and lightly flicked my forehead with her finger. Unexpectedly, she touched a wound, and I couldn’t help but cry out in pain, “That hurts! What are you doing?”

Ling Xue exhaled deeply and patted her chest, saying, “Thankfully, you feel pain—that means you’re not completely knocked silly. If you were, I’d be in trouble.”

Curious, I asked, “Why?” Ling Xue smiled sweetly and replied, “I just said I liked you. If you were knocked stupid, then Ayun would definitely reject you, and I’d have to take responsibility. That would be unfortunate for me.”

Seeing her innocent expression, it was hard to believe she was the mastermind behind Jin Yulian’s company’s near bankruptcy.

Among the women I knew, Sister Yang and Sister Li were the eldest; then came Sister Ye, Jin Yulian, and Ayun. Ling Xue had once been my classmate and was about my age, making her the youngest among them.

Of course, Lin Xiaoyu was even younger, but she was like a little sister to me, with no such intentions.

Silently, I reviewed all the women I knew in my mind, and honestly, my favorite was Jin Yulian. Meeting Sister Ye and Ayun was more by chance, and as for Ling Xue, I never dared to entertain such thoughts, even in my dreams, because she was a proud Snow White, while I wasn’t even as significant as a dwarf.

Initially, I was angry at Ling Xue for plotting against Jin Yulian’s company and blamed her for not clearing my name at the time. But upon reflection, I understood her actions.

She had done nothing wrong back then. She got drunk to catch my attention, hoping I would help her, giving her a chance to explain past misunderstandings.

Who would have guessed Jin Baoqiang’s lust would ruin everything? So even if Jin Baoqiang ended up in jail, it was his own fault.

In truth, I took the fall for Jin Baoqiang. Since I was willing to do so, Ling Xue saw no need to complicate matters further. Her few words were clear: “If you are not strong, no one will be brave for you. If you do not smile, no one will cry with you.”

Ling Xue believed I was not strong because I lacked the courage to face the truth in many situations. For example, when I tried to pull her away that day and she misunderstood me, I chose to avoid explaining and simply fled.

Similarly, I took the blame for Jin Baoqiang because I sacrificed my basic principles for money and desire; thus, it was no injustice to myself. As Ling Xue said, “If you do not love yourself, no one will cherish you.”

Her quietly entrusting others to take care of me already filled me with gratitude.

Did she really like me? Could I really marry her? Honestly, if Ling Xue was willing to design such a grand plot for me, then she was truly the one who cared for me. But I was not worthy of her...

Unconsciously, I drifted into a hazy sleep. In my dream, Ling Xue became my bride. As I held her and prepared to go to bed, the bed suddenly collapsed, and I plunged into a pitch-black abyss...

I woke up drenched in cold sweat, only to find Ling Xue asleep beside my hospital bed.

I was deeply moved. Staying up all night was exhausting. She was a wealthy heiress, yet she chose to stay by my side, proving her genuine affection.

Though the ward had air conditioning, I worried she might catch a cold and wanted to cover her with my jacket. Just as I draped it over her shoulders, she woke up suddenly. She had only been dozing, not truly asleep.

Seeing her open, confused eyes, I said, “Be careful not to catch a chill. There’s nothing more to worry about here. You should go back and rest, or you’ll wear yourself out.”

Ling Xue glanced at me and nodded. “Mm, looks like you’re really alright now. Then I won’t foolishly stay with you any longer.”

She stepped in front of me, and a faint fragrance drifted into my nose, stirring all kinds of thoughts. She bent down, her hands gently caressing my cheeks. I felt her fingers were soft and smooth, but a little cold...

Ling Xue whispered, “I’m going back now. Remember, when the snowflakes fall next year, wait for me to come and marry you...”

I wanted to speak, but she had already stood and floated away.

As her beautiful figure disappeared at the door, it felt like a dream. I reached up to tap my forehead, and the pain from the wound reminded me it was not a dream.

So Ling Xue had always liked me. She was waiting for me to marry her. This was no dream... I was overwhelmed with joy.

I glanced at my phone. It was already past four in the morning, and sleep eluded me, so I idly scrolled through messages.

One alert caught my attention: “Ye Jiangxue, the eldest daughter of the Ye Group in Huadu, has been missing for three months, along with a large sum of the company’s cash…”

I remembered the beautiful woman I rescued from the reservoir was also named Ye Jiangxue. Looking closer, the message included her photo. That familiar, beautiful face—surely it was the same woman I saved.

So Sister Ye was the eldest daughter of the Ye Group in Huadu. She had gone missing, along with the company’s funds.

I couldn’t help but recall the strange car accident that night. Could it have been an attempted murder?