The next morning, Cecilia Ye received a call from her grandfather.
"Grandpa Rivers," she answered, and at the sound of his voice, she couldn't help but sound a little sad, like a kitten finding comfort in her family after being wronged.
"Cecilia, where have you been staying these past few days? Your grandma and I haven't seen you in so long," her grandfather asked.
Cecilia Ye sniffled quietly. Thinking about how, once she left, she might seldom see her grandparents anymore, she felt a wave of melancholy.
"Grandpa Rivers, I'm staying at a friend's place. She's my best friend, and we're working on a painting together these days, so I'll come see you a little later, okay?"
She fought back her tears and forced herself to sound cheerful.
"Alright, alright. The New Year is coming soon. When you're back, I'll make dumplings for you," her grandfather promised.
"Grandpa Rivers, are you sure you finally learned how to make dumplings?" she teased.
"Of course! I've been practicing these past few days."
The old man felt his heart ache for Cecilia Ye. Every time he thought of that video of the little girl, he felt a pang of anxiety and sorrow.
"Okay, I'll be back in a few days," Cecilia Ye replied.
She hung up. She needed more time—for her emotions to settle, for her to be able to pretend everything was normal, to face Fu Zhiyan calmly, without bursting into tears for no apparent reason. Then she'd come home for New Year and keep her grandparents company.
Julian Jarvis was quick and efficient. The very next day, he picked out two places and drove over to take them on a tour.
One spot was near Shuiyun Residence. That area around Yang Lake was full of galleries and exhibition spaces, naturally giving rise to a lot of art-inspired shops.
There were already two or three studios in the vicinity. Julian Jarvis, harboring a bit of selfishness, hoped Cecilia Ye would choose somewhere close so he could see her more often.
The apartment was lovely and spotless—a two-bedroom with excellent natural light. Two walls of the storefront were entirely made of huge glass windows. Cecilia Ye liked it right away.
But it was very close to the old family home, which gave Cecilia Ye pause.
"No rush, we can check out the other one," Julian Jarvis said patiently. He had always paid close attention to Cecilia Ye's affairs and of course knew what had happened that day, but saw no point bringing it up and making her sad again.
Seeing Cecilia Ye set her mind on leaving Fu Zhiyan made him oddly relieved—he never liked that guy anyway.
The other property was much farther out, near the edges of the city, nestled in a high-end residential area.
Within that neighborhood was a little section of villas: small, simple two-story houses along the lakeside.
Each villa, built of vintage red brick and with a hint of European design, stood some distance from the next—almost like stumbling into a quaint little town in England.
Julian Jarvis parked the car in front of a petite villa. The moment Cecilia Ye laid eyes on it, she was enchanted. It was quiet, beautiful, with a compact garden in front of the two-story house.
"Cecilia, this place is gorgeous!" Even Mia Moore gasped in delight. Living here would be so peaceful—far from the city's hustle, perfect for settling down and painting.
Julian Jarvis walked ahead and effortlessly unlocked the villa's door.
The first floor had large floor-to-ceiling windows. It was winter, so the small garden was void of flowers, only bits of greenery dotted about.
Dry climbing vines tangled up the red brick walls. Come spring, she imagined, the whole wall would be thick with creepers. A white sun umbrella opened at the junction between the wooden floor and the little garden.
The living room was massive and unfurnished—exactly as Cecilia Ye hoped. She could turn it into a studio, set up a simple tea and coffee bar, and let the wooden floors shine warm in the sunlight.
A couple of small tables and chairs outside would let guests rest and sip coffee when they needed a break.
Seeing the joy on Cecilia Ye's face, Julian Jarvis smiled too. "Come on, let's check out the upstairs."
The second floor was only half as big, since part of it had been designed into an open-air rooftop terrace.
There was a semi-open dining area and two rooms.
Cecilia Ye loved it—she could live upstairs, cook a little here and there, set up a bedroom and even a walk-in closet, and enjoy the night breeze out on the terrace anytime she wanted.
"There's also a tiny attic, actually, but you have to climb a ladder from the terrace," Julian Jarvis added, clearly quite familiar with the place as he leisurely showed Cecilia Ye around.
The three of them walked out onto the terrace. From its edge, you could see the nearby lake, where lots of locals were strolling or playing in the snow.
The weather was still icy, so Cecilia Ye kept a red scarf wrapped tightly around her neck. The wind on the terrace was strong, whisking away her every breath in little white clouds.
Mia Moore frowned in thought for a long time, then finally clapped her hands. "Wait, bro—this is your place, isn't it? You brought me here two years ago!"
"Yeah, it's mine. But it's been empty this whole time," Julian Jarvis confirmed.
Cecilia Ye looked at Julian Jarvis. She really liked this place at first sight, but if it was Julian Jarvis’s property, she felt a little awkward.
Seeing her hesitation, Julian Jarvis smiled. "Take it. You like it, don’t you? It’s a waste to keep it empty. You moving in is perfect—and I get to collect rent, too."
"Seriously? You're still charging rent, bro?" Mia Moore exclaimed.
Julian Jarvis shot her a cool glance. "If I didn’t, do you think Cecilia would accept?"
He hit the nail on the head. "Of course I’ll pay rent," Cecilia Ye said honestly. "Honestly, it’s a relief. I feel safer knowing it’s yours."
At least she wouldn’t need to register her information or anything. If Fu Zhiyan tried to find her, it wouldn’t be so easy.
Of course, it wasn’t certain Fu Zhiyan would even come looking.
So, the arrangement was settled.
By then, darkness had fallen and the streetlights blazed as rush hour clogged the roads. The closer they got to downtown, the heavier the traffic became.
Cecilia Ye pressed her head against the car window, watching the slow-moving traffic below. The snow still hadn't melted, and everything was damp. Pedestrians hurried by, their quick paces kicked up little clouds of white breath.
She thought that, before long, she would be one of them—living an ordinary, simple life.
Doing what she loved for work, heading out early to buy groceries, welcoming visitors at the studio during the day, taking evening walks after dinner.
Someday, when her baby was older, she’d walk her to kindergarten each morning.
That would be wonderful. If she had never become part of the Fu family, perhaps this ordinary life would've already been hers.
At a red light, Julian Jarvis’s hand rested on the steering wheel. Mia Moore had dozed off against Cecilia Ye’s shoulder, her breathing gentle and soft.
"Cecilia, if you think of anything you need for the place, just tell me," Julian Jarvis said, checking the rearview mirror.
Cecilia Ye snapped out of her daze, her voice low. "It's alright. After the holidays, I can go shopping myself—I don’t want to trouble you."
"No trouble," Julian Jarvis smiled. "Just let me know and I’ll have someone take care of it."
Seeing he wouldn’t take no for an answer, Cecilia Ye nodded. By then, her baby would be bigger anyway, and it might not be so convenient for her to go out. "Thanks, Julian Jarvis."
He chuckled softly. "No problem. We’re friends, aren’t we?"