She was a woman meticulous down to the strands of her hair. Her carefully created look, from outfit to hairstyle, even her nails were freshly done. The most beautiful makeup, the most beautiful clothes, the most beautiful self, clearly well-prepared for this rendezvous. Her every move was controlled, even her slight smile maintained a perfect curve. Occasional stiffness came from nervousness and importance, but the elegance and grace in her every move were also evident. A glance, a smile, full of admiration and love, yet just right, not excessive nor discomforting to the other party. In the view, the western restaurant was brightly lit and decorated, everywhere was bright, guests shed their heavy coats, wearing thin clothes, happily conversing inside, cheerful and lively. A gust of cold wind blew, swirling tiny snowflakes into view, hitting face-on, melting instantly upon contact, bringing a chilly touch. "Miss, would you like to come in?" The waiter standing at the door, with a warm and bright smile, greeted Nora Scott standing still outside the glass window. Nora slightly tilted her head, her lips gently curling up, as she put her sunglasses back on. She pressed down the brim of her hat, put her hands in her pockets, and walked away against the unexpected wind and snow. Inside, warm and cozy. "Mr. Langley, I have just one question." The woman put down her knife and fork, her sweaty palms slightly clasping together, she looked up, earnest and cautious, staring at the emotionless man across, as if he wore a mask. She asked, "Do I have a chance?" Crushing on him for years, finally meeting during a matchmaker date, she mustered up the courage. The knife and fork fell onto the plate, making a slight clinking sound. Pedro Langley lifted his eyelids, his gaze landed on her, calmly and politely saying, "Sorry." The coldness and gloom enveloped him since he sat down, unknowingly faded a bit. "It’s okay, it’s my honor to have you here either way." The woman smiled appropriately, seeming unsurprised, instead as if she let out a sigh of relief. Years of insistence, just wanting a result, if there’s hope it’s a blessing, but if it ends here, it’s an account to herself. Pedro Langley gave her an unexpected glance. Meeting his gaze, the woman was startled, not knowing whether to be comforted or self-deprecating— Not until now did he finally actually look at her. After a while, the woman exhaled gently, her previous tension and caution disappearing, her manner more composed. She picked up her knife and fork again, but paused, looking curiously at the man opposite, thinking, ’Even if I die, I want to die knowing,’ and simply asked, "I heard you’ve always been single, is it because you haven’t found the right one, or do you have someone in your heart?" After a brief pause, Pedro Langley’s lips tensed momentarily. The atmosphere solidified instantly, even breathing felt like it had shards of ice in it, the woman inevitably regretted a little. At that moment, Pedro Langley said, pausing between each word, "Someone in my heart." The woman was taken aback, not knowing what to say. She thought, if Pedro was single, the reason must be the former. Otherwise, with his status, ability, appearance... who couldn’t he get? He was only pursued by others. Yet, matters of the heart are always inexplicable. After a long time, she regained her composure, smiling, "She must be wonderful." Her eyelids lowered slightly, then lifted, catching a glimpse of the snow outside the glass window. A figure flashed in Pedro Langley’s mind, before the overpass, then standing in a crowd in the square... but in the end, it was that wide, waving back saying goodbye five years ago, overlapping with the present image. She always left so decisively. A turn, a wave, as if never to meet again. He heard his own voice, "Stubborn and bad-tempered, not exactly good." Not expecting such an answer, the woman blinked in surprise. Stubborn and bad-tempered? Then she saw the man’s lips slightly curve, the gloom, indifference, and aloofness between his brows disappeared, his gaze gradually becoming gentle and soft in the light. He said, "Yet, among those I’ve met, only she is irreplaceable." There will be no such times again, full of her youthful exuberance that year, most recklessly young, most doing chivalrous deeds in the martial world. There will be no such woman again, who broke into his world with her brilliance of blades and swords, love at first sight, fulfilling all his wishes and future. She is one of a kind. In five years, he met many people, none like her, not even a little bit. Even more, no one can replace her. The woman seemed to hear her heartbeat, echoing, pounding, as if trying to break through the chest. Just calmed down, the palpitations seemed rekindled at this moment. Yet soon, reason and reality forced her to suppress them. Then, all surprise, unwillingness, transformed entirely into relief. She hadn’t lost in vain. In one’s lifetime, how lucky must one be, to meet such an "irreplaceable" person? The woman said, half-lamenting, half-envying, "How wonderful." The next moment, she raised her wine glass, her lips curled up, smiling relaxed and sincere. "In the new year, may you end up together, hand in hand for life." Wishing the one she admired for years to find love and everlasting happiness. May she, after this blind date, resolve her feelings and embrace the future. The night deepened, falling snowflakes, large and large, like endless cotton in the sky. Bidding farewell to the blind date, Pedro Langley let the driver leave first, walking alone on the joyful, bustling street. The passing crowds, streetlights, bare branches with lights, decorated storefronts along the street... all reminding people that this was the last night of the calendar year, and the new year’s ambiance pervaded every corner of the streets and alleys. In a trance, Pedro Langley seemed to hear a familiar voice among the noisy crowd. There was a momentary bewilderment, the short sound seemed like an illusion. He lifted his gaze to search, and just with one glance, he saw standing in the crowd, a figure with one hand holding a bag, the other hand in a pocket, raising an eyebrow and smiling gently towards him. The shop behind her had wisps of white smoke, people in layers in front of her, but nothing could hinder her presence. The moment he lifted his gaze to see her, only her figure remained in his vision. The face under the removed sunglasses falling within the interweaving light, enveloped in a faint halo, smiling brightly, an allure making charming cities fall. The earthly life, lights among thousands of homes. In a flash, all returned to color, with bright hues. The wind’s sound reached his ears, as if hearing her breakup words across years— "This is just a segment of time, insignificant in your life." In the long river of his life, it indeed was just a time. A brief few months, compared to his decades of life, insignificant. However, just this period of time was enough to make his twenty-odd years of time and memory pale in comparison. Nothing could compare to the time spent with her. His palm covered his left forearm, through the fabric, seemingly feeling the sting of the unhealed wound. Pedro Langley looking at the figure standing ahead, the cold, tense corners of his lips, slowly curled up, spreading a smile that seemed to melt this snow welcoming the new year. Suddenly thinking of those words he made up when dealing with her at the Virtue Retreat that day— "Do good deeds, then you shall have your heart’s desires." If doing more good deeds, wholeheartedly kind, could make his wishes come true, he would not mind doing good for a lifetime. But all his heart wishes for, is her being by his side, safe and sound all her life. He lifted his leg, walking toward her.