Arc 1Shan Ye Pursues Fan Jin

Shan Ye pursued Fan Jin despite Fan Jin’s repeated refusals, while a trip to Osmanthus City brought Shan Ye face to face with Fan Jin’s past and family. The arc ended with Fan Jin bringing Shan Ye’s ring to his hotel before dawn and agreeing to breakfast with him.

  • Shan Ye met café owner Fan Jin after a car accident and began visiting the shop, gradually realizing he had fallen for him.
  • Shan Ye pursued Fan Jin with flowers, coffee orders, and personal notes, then learned Fan Jin was single and confessed that he liked him.
  • After Fan Jin saw Shan Ye at a gay bar, Shan Ye explained his feelings, but Fan Jin said he did not like men or Shan Ye, then let him stay the night.
  • Shan Ye continued pursuing Fan Jin and accompanied him to care for sick Yaoyao, where he confessed that Fan Jin was the first person he had ever liked.
  • Shan Ye traveled to Osmanthus City with Yu Chuan, rejected Yu Chuan’s romantic interest, and met Fan Jin and his grandmother there.
  • Shan Ye visited Fan Jin’s family home, learned about Fan Jin’s parents and loneliness, and told Fan Jin he was the only thing he was missing.
  • As Shan Ye prepared to leave Osmanthus City, Fan Jin brought his forgotten ring to his hotel before dawn and accepted his invitation to breakfast.
Chapters 1–25 Vol. 1 Read

Ch. 1Of course you have to take responsibility for rear-ending me

After Shan Ye’s new car was rear-ended, he confronted the calm driver and followed him to a nearby coffee shop to handle the insurance. Shan Ye discovered the driver owned the shop and asked him to make a latte, leaving the two together at the counter.

  • Shan Ye argued with his mother about a failed blind date while stopped at a red light.
  • A black sedan rear-ended Shan Ye’s newly purchased car, and the driver apologized but remained composed.
  • Shan Ye and the driver agreed to move their cars and discuss the insurance at a nearby coffee shop.
  • Shan Ye learned the driver owned the coffee shop when the server greeted him as the boss.
  • The driver put on an apron and asked what Shan Ye wanted, and Shan Ye ordered a latte and asked if he would make it himself.

Ch. 2I accidentally drank your water

Shan Ye met Fan Jin after a traffic accident and became captivated by him, but their first meeting ended without them exchanging contact details. Shan Ye returned to campus to teach, unaware that many extra students had come to see him.

  • Shan Ye admired Fan Jin at the café, scalded his throat with hot coffee, and accidentally drank Fan Jin’s water.
  • Fan Jin arranged to handle the car repairs through insurance and had his employee contact Shan Ye when the repairs were finished.
  • Shan Ye introduced himself to Fan Jin and learned his name, then left to teach without getting his contact information.
  • Shan Ye rushed back to campus and taught a translation class attended by far more students than were on his class list.

Ch. 3I think I'm about to fall in love

After rejecting his blind date, Shan Ye returned to the café to see Fan Jin and found a way to join its WeChat group. The next morning, he visited Fan Jin again and told Tan Yi'an that he thought he might be falling in love.

  • Shan Ye politely rejected his blind date and headed back to the café, where he learned the owner’s name was Fan Jin.
  • Shan Ye paid for his earlier order and joined the café’s WeChat group after learning Fan Jin was away.
  • Shan Ye told his mother he had someone in mind, though he had neither Fan Jin’s contact details nor any sign that Fan Jin knew he liked men.
  • After dreaming about Fan Jin, Shan Ye dressed carefully and went to the café the next morning.
  • Shan Ye ordered an iced Americano from Fan Jin, watched him prepare it, and messaged Tan Yi'an that he might be falling in love.

Ch. 4His hands were so beautiful

Shan Ye grew increasingly fascinated by Fan Jin and spent the day at his coffee shop watching him work. When a little girl called Fan Jin her second daddy, Shan Ye feared Fan Jin was married, but Zhang Nan clarified that she was a friend’s daughter, leaving Shan Ye relieved that he still had a chance.

  • Shan Ye told Tan Yi'an that he had found someone he liked, then watched Fan Jin at the coffee shop until Fan Jin noticed him.
  • Fan Jin went to the cemetery and returned home, where he suffered another sleepless night and wondered why Shan Ye had visited the shop again.
  • Shan Ye arrived before the coffee shop opened the next morning and spent the day grading assignments while admiring Fan Jin's hands and trying to make conversation.
  • A little girl named Yaoyao came into the shop and called Fan Jin her second daddy, making Shan Ye fear Fan Jin had a family.
  • Zhang Nan told Shan Ye that Yaoyao was Fan Jin's friend's daughter, and Shan Ye felt relieved that he still had a chance.

Ch. 5Was he seeing someone?

Shan Ye spent the day with Fan Jin and Yaoyao, growing closer to Fan Jin while wondering about their relationship. He left the café with Fan Jin’s phone number, then saw Yaoyao greet her father and Fan Jin smile at them.

  • Shan Ye learned that Yaoyao called Fan Jin Dad because her father had told her to, and he wondered if Fan Jin was dating a man.
  • Fan Jin joined Shan Ye and Yaoyao for lunch after Zhang Nan offered to watch the café, and Shan Ye tried to learn more about Fan Jin.
  • Shan Ye touched Fan Jin’s wrist while offering to pay, then quickly let go when Fan Jin gave him a cool look.
  • After lunch, Shan Ye failed to add Fan Jin on WeChat but got his phone number before returning to the café.
  • A man arrived at the café, Yaoyao called him Dad, and Fan Jin smiled as the man lifted her into his arms.

Ch. 6I like him

After suspecting that Fan Jin was romantically involved with Yaoyao’s father, Shan Ye took Tan Yi'an’s advice and decided to pursue Fan Jin instead of relying on guesses. He began making his presence known through daily coffee orders and arrived at the shop with flowers.

  • Shan Ye found the coffee shop’s WeChat account, but Zhang Nan told him it was a shop account and that he managed it.
  • Shan Ye suspected Fan Jin and Yaoyao’s father were a couple because Yaoyao called Fan Jin Dad and had drawn them together as a family.
  • Tan Yi'an urged Shan Ye to ask Fan Jin whether he was single and pursue him if he was not taken.
  • Shan Ye decided to pursue Fan Jin and ordered coffee every day, adding increasingly personal notes for him.
  • On the weekend, Shan Ye bought a box of fresh flowers and brought them to Fan Jin’s shop.

Ch. 7He saw the red moles on his collarbone

Shan Ye brought flowers to Fan Jin’s café and spent the afternoon arranging them, while Fan Jin quietly looked after him. After the café was filled with Shan Ye’s arrangements, Fan Jin made him a latte and caught him tearing petals from a rose.

  • Shan Ye brought a box of flowers to Fan Jin’s café, and Fan Jin helped him carry it to the storeroom.
  • Shan Ye noticed two red moles on Fan Jin’s collarbone while they lifted the box.
  • Shan Ye pricked his thumb on a rose thorn, and Fan Jin gave him a bandage and asked Zhang Nan to help with the arrangements.
  • Shan Ye finished arranging flowers for the café, and Fan Jin noticed how their bright colors changed the minimalist space.
  • Fan Jin made Shan Ye a latte, then caught him plucking a petal from one of the roses.

Ch. 8Didn't you just want to come to my place?

Shan Ye accompanied Fan Jin to retrieve his repaired Audi A6, then drove him home while hoping to spend more time with him. Fan Jin recognized Shan Ye’s eagerness and asked if he had parked nearby because he wanted to come to his place.

  • Fan Jin received a call, invited Shan Ye along, and took him to a car dealership where Shan Ye’s Audi A6 had been repaired.
  • Shan Ye offered Fan Jin a ride, and Fan Jin agreed to get in the car.
  • Shan Ye asked why Fan Jin had rear-ended him, and Fan Jin admitted he had been distracted by a painful call with his grandmother about marriage and family.
  • Fan Jin entered his Spring Breeze Alley address into Shan Ye’s phone, and Shan Ye drove him to a cramped parking lot near his apartment.
  • Fan Jin invited Shan Ye to come along and asked if he had parked there because he wanted to visit his place.

Ch. 9He lit my cigarette

Shan Ye visited Fan Jin’s spotless home, learned that he was single, and grew more certain of his feelings for him. The chapter ended with Shan Ye teaching a class and smiling at a student’s translation about love at first sight.

  • Fan Jin welcomed Shan Ye into his home and told him he had spent ten years in the military.
  • Fan Jin lit Shan Ye’s cigarette, and the two talked about their work and personal lives.
  • Shan Ye asked whether Fan Jin was seeing anyone, and Fan Jin said he was single.
  • Shan Ye went home pleased with his visit, told his mother he liked Fan Jin, and treasured the bandage Fan Jin had given him.
  • Shan Ye taught his university English class, where a student suggested translating a sentence as “love at first sight,” which struck a chord with him.

Ch. 10I really wanted Boss Fan to comfort me

Shan Ye visited Fan Jin’s crowded coffee shop for its new latte, but seeing the roses he had arranged crushed in the trash, he changed his order and left upset. He ended up in Tan Yi'an’s car, still guarding his bitter Americano.

  • Shan Ye brought cookies to Fan Jin’s shop and met Yaoyao’s biological father, who was helping behind the counter.
  • Shan Ye learned that the man had knocked over the vase of roses he had arranged, and Fan Jin said he had not put the flowers there.
  • When Fan Jin prepared to make Shan Ye’s Crimson Mist Latte, Shan Ye changed his order to an iced Americano.
  • Shan Ye paid Fan Jin fifteen yuan and left without saying goodbye, then kicked a tree in frustration.
  • Tan Yi'an spotted Shan Ye by the roadside, invited him into his McLaren, and Shan Ye insisted the coffee was his.

Ch. 11Caught by Boss Fan at a gay bar

Shan Ye went to a gay bar with Tan Yi'an and fled when he spotted Fan Jin there. He hid in a hallway, but Fan Jin found him and stood over him as the chapter ended.

  • Tan Yi'an teased Shan Ye about his interest in the café owner, and Shan Ye admitted he had caught his eye.
  • Shan Ye ignored an unfamiliar text, blocked the number, and discovered his flash drive was missing before teaching class.
  • Tan Yi'an picked Shan Ye up in his flashy supercar and took him to a quiet bar, which Shan Ye learned was a gay bar.
  • A young man flirted with Shan Ye while Tan Yi'an entertained another man, and Shan Ye thought of Fan Jin as his preferred type.
  • Shan Ye spotted Fan Jin near the bar entrance, ran into a hallway, and tried to wait until he was gone.
  • Fan Jin appeared in front of Shan Ye as he smoked in the hallway.

Ch. 12Urgent! What do I do if my crush thinks I'm a playboy?

Shan Ye panicked when Fan Jin found him at a gay bar with Tan Yi'an and feared Fan Jin would mistake him for a playboy. After losing track of Fan Jin, Shan Ye decided to go to his home immediately and explain himself.

  • Shan Ye dropped his cigarette when he saw Fan Jin in the hallway and struggled to explain why he was there.
  • Tan Yi'an arrived carrying a bunny-eared boy and invited Fan Jin to join them, making Shan Ye worry that Fan Jin would judge him.
  • Fan Jin told them to have fun and left, and Shan Ye failed to find him outside.
  • Shan Ye told Tan Yi'an that he liked Fan Jin and wanted to take things slowly, then decided he had to explain everything to Fan Jin that night.
  • Shan Ye resolved to go to Fan Jin's home and clear up the misunderstanding.

Ch. 13I confessed to him

Shan Ye confessed his feelings to Fan Jin and was firmly rejected, but the two talked through a misunderstanding about Fan Jin’s text and Shan Ye’s dropped belongings. After Fan Jin initially told him to go home, he changed his mind and let Shan Ye stay the night.

  • Shan Ye waited three hours outside Fan Jin’s home, then helped Fan Jin carry the drunken Xu Jing inside.
  • Shan Ye told Fan Jin he was gay and liked him, but Fan Jin said he did not like men or Shan Ye.
  • Shan Ye questioned Fan Jin about visiting a gay bar, teased him about his red ears, and reaffirmed his attraction.
  • Fan Jin returned Shan Ye’s flash drive and asked why he had not replied to his text; Shan Ye realized he had mistaken it for spam and blocked the number.
  • Fan Jin first told Shan Ye to go home, but after Shan Ye asked for a ride, Fan Jin changed his mind and told him to stay the night.

Ch. 14His first night at his place

Fan Jin let Shan Ye spend the night at his home, while privately struggling with his attraction and belief that he could never love anyone. Shan Ye tried to contact him the next day, but Fan Jin refused his WeChat request and left him unanswered.

  • Fan Jin made up the couch for Shan Ye, who stayed over while Fan Jin reflected on his isolation and growing feelings for him.
  • Shan Ye left before dawn, and Fan Jin found his neatly folded quilt after waking.
  • Xu Jing questioned Fan Jin about letting Shan Ye stay, then left to return to his daughter Yaoyao.
  • After teaching and sleeping, Shan Ye found Fan Jin's WeChat account and sent a friend request.
  • Fan Jin told Shan Ye over the phone that he had seen the request but did not want to accept it, then hung up.
  • Shan Ye asked Fan Jin to accept his request, but Fan Jin did not respond by the next morning.

Ch. 15Does Fan Jin like me too?

Shan Ye openly pursued Fan Jin at the café, where Fan Jin served him a rose latte but denied that Shan Ye could like another man. When Yaoyao developed a fever, Shan Ye returned to drive Fan Jin to her, taking the chance to spend more time with him.

  • Shan Ye visited Fan Jin’s café in a pink sweater and flirted with him while Zhang Nan watched in surprise.
  • Fan Jin made Shan Ye a latte decorated with a rose, then hid in the kitchen while Shan Ye drank it and left with the café’s umbrella.
  • Zhang Nan asked Fan Jin whether Shan Ye had feelings for him, but Fan Jin insisted that Shan Ye would not like another man.
  • Xu Jing called to say Yaoyao had a fever, so Fan Jin prepared to go check on her despite having no car and facing heavy rain.
  • Shan Ye returned to the café, insisted on driving Fan Jin to Yaoyao, and chatted with him during the ride.

Ch. 16So even Fan Jin could get shy

Shan Ye joined Fan Jin in caring for the feverish Yaoyao, then confessed that Fan Jin was the first person he had ever liked. Fan Jin rejected his belief in love at first sight, and Shan Ye left as Xu Jing returned home.

  • Shan Ye accompanied Fan Jin to Xu Jing’s apartment and helped give the sick Yaoyao water before she fell asleep.
  • Fan Jin told Shan Ye that Yaoyao’s biological father was the man who had visited him, and Shan Ye asked whether Fan Jin had ever wanted a child.
  • Shan Ye teased Fan Jin about having his baby, then confessed that Fan Jin was the first person he had ever liked.
  • Fan Jin said he did not believe in love at first sight and told Shan Ye to leave; Shan Ye departed when Xu Jing returned with dinner.
  • Xu Jing noticed Fan Jin sitting silently with a cigarette and remembered how Fan Jin had endured a snakebite during a military exercise without telling anyone.

Ch. 17I miss Fan so much

Shan Ye agreed to travel to Osmanthus City with his colleague Yu Chuan while missing Fan Jin, who was at the hospital because his grandmother needed a minor operation. The chapter left Shan Ye arriving in the south and Yu Chuan beginning to suspect Shan Ye was attracted to men.

  • Shan Ye agreed to join Yu Chuan on a National Day trip to Osmanthus City after days of rain and missing Fan Jin.
  • Shan Ye called Fan Jin and learned that Fan Jin's grandmother had undergone a minor operation, so Fan Jin could not travel with him.
  • Shan Ye left Muzhou with Yu Chuan and recognized the coffee as coming from Fan Jin's café, but learned that Zhang Nan had been working there.
  • Shan Ye and Yu Chuan arrived in Osmanthus City and checked into a hotel beside Osmanthus Creek.
  • Shan Ye insisted on booking separate rooms, and Yu Chuan began to infer that Shan Ye was distant from relationships with women.

Ch. 18One sentence was all it took to win him over

Shan Ye worried that Fan Jin was avoiding him, but Fan Jin explained that he had been on a plane and was visiting his hometown with his grandmother. Reassured by Fan Jin’s brief call, Shan Ye enjoyed the rest of his trip with Yu Chuan, whose attentiveness began to seem increasingly personal.

  • Shan Ye tried to call Fan Jin, but his phone was switched off, leaving Shan Ye hurt and worried that Fan Jin did not care about him.
  • Yu Chuan invited Shan Ye to dinner, where Shan Ye received a text from Fan Jin explaining that he had been on a plane and asking whether Shan Ye had called.
  • Shan Ye called Fan Jin and learned that he was visiting his hometown with his grandmother; Fan Jin told Shan Ye to stay safe, cheering him up.
  • Shan Ye explored Osmanthus City with Yu Chuan over the next two days, while Yu Chuan gradually showed him more attention.
  • On a boat ride, Yu Chuan complimented Shan Ye’s smile and brushed petals from his shoulder, making Shan Ye uncomfortable with the tenderness in his gaze.

Ch. 19His heart only had room for him

Shan Ye went sightseeing and hiking with Yu Chuan, who confessed his interest and asked for a chance. Shan Ye rejected him by admitting that Fan Jin was already in his heart, but Yu Chuan insisted he would compete for him, leaving Shan Ye longing to return to Fan Jin.

  • Shan Ye bought pastries to bring home for Fan Jin, Zhang Nan, and Tan Yi'an, while Yu Chuan brought him Pineapple Cake and invited him to hike the next morning.
  • Shan Ye spent the evening missing Fan Jin and wishing he could return to Muzhou, though Fan Jin still had not messaged him.
  • Yu Chuan and Shan Ye hiked through the Osmanthus Forest and reached the summit at sunrise.
  • Yu Chuan told Shan Ye he was happy with him and asked for a chance, but Shan Ye explained that he had someone in his heart: Fan Jin.
  • Yu Chuan accepted Shan Ye's feelings but said he would compete for him, while Shan Ye rejected Yu Chuan's jacket and kept checking his phone for a message from Fan Jin.

Ch. 20What are you doing here too?

Shan Ye unexpectedly reunited with Fan Jin in Osmanthus City while Fan Jin was taking his grandmother up the mountain. Afterward, Yu Chuan admitted he would help Shan Ye pursue Fan Jin because he knew Shan Ye only had eyes for him.

  • Shan Ye recognized Fan Jin on the mountain path and introduced Yu Chuan to Fan Jin's grandmother.
  • Fan Jin left with his grandmother, and Yu Chuan asked Shan Ye whether Fan Jin was the person he liked.
  • Yu Chuan pointed out that Fan Jin had seen him helping Shan Ye with his jacket, but Shan Ye insisted Fan Jin would eventually become interested in him.
  • Shan Ye and Yu Chuan stopped at a rice noodle shop, where Shan Ye thought happily about Fan Jin and his hometown.
  • Yu Chuan said he would help Shan Ye and accepted that he had no chance because Shan Ye only saw Fan Jin.

Ch. 21I just wanted to see you again

Shan Ye called Fan Jin after their chance meeting in Osmanthus City and asked him to meet again. They walked together, and Shan Ye tried to explain his trip with Yu Chuan while teasing Fan Jin about being nervous.

  • After returning to the hotel with Yu Chuan, Shan Ye called Fan Jin to ask how his grandmother was doing.
  • Shan Ye invited Fan Jin to meet outside his hotel, and Fan Jin agreed.
  • Shan Ye met Fan Jin beneath the ginkgo tree and told him he had wanted to see him again.
  • Shan Ye bought coffee and hot milk, noticed Fan Jin's unusually warm skin, and teased him about being nervous.
  • When Fan Jin reacted coolly to Yu Chuan's jacket, Shan Ye explained that they were traveling together and said their meeting in Osmanthus City felt meant to be.
  • Fan Jin nodded as Shan Ye talked about his trip and how much he liked the city.

Ch. 22Can a man be Fan Jin's wife?

Shan Ye visited Fan Jin with Yu Chuan and learned from Fan Jin’s grandmother that Fan Jin had become quiet and withdrawn after his mother died. As Grandma urged Fan Jin to marry and bring someone home for New Year, Shan Ye worried that he could never give Fan Jin the family she wanted.

  • Fan Jin accepted Shan Ye’s WeChat request, though he admitted to himself that he had not meant to accept it.
  • The next morning, Shan Ye and Yu Chuan followed Fan Jin’s address and visited his home, where Fan Jin and Grandma welcomed them.
  • Grandma told Shan Ye and Yu Chuan that Fan Jin had barely smiled or talked since his mother died, and said she wanted him to marry so he would not be lonely.
  • Shan Ye worried that being a man meant he could not build a family with Fan Jin, while Yu Chuan tried to reassure Grandma that many young people married later or not at all.
  • Grandma pressed Fan Jin to marry and bring someone home for New Year, and Fan Jin replied that they would talk about it later.

Ch. 23I have everything but you

Shan Ye and Fan Jin spent time with Fan Jin’s grandmother, whose worries about Fan Jin’s future left Shan Ye wondering whether he should let him go. While they prepared lunch together, Fan Jin shared that both his parents had died, and Shan Ye told him that he was the only thing he lacked.

  • Fan Jin’s grandmother urged him to find someone to care for him, and Yu Chuan tactfully suggested that a partner did not have to be a woman.
  • Fan Jin reassured his grandmother, and Shan Ye and Yu Chuan stayed for lunch after she invited them.
  • Shan Ye joined Fan Jin in the kitchen, where Fan Jin complimented the flower-shaped scar on Shan Ye’s wrist.
  • Shan Ye asked about Fan Jin’s parents, and Fan Jin revealed that his mother had died when he was eighteen and his father had also passed away.
  • Fan Jin said he had nothing and that Shan Ye would not understand, but Shan Ye replied that Fan Jin was the only thing he was missing.

Ch. 24I can't bear to leave, I just want to cling to you

Shan Ye spent time with Fan Jin and Grandma before learning that he and Yu Chuan had to return to Muzhou the next day. Reluctant to leave Fan Jin, Shan Ye asked to see him again, while Fan Jin stayed behind with Grandma for two more weeks.

  • Shan Ye praised Fan Jin's cooking and helped him clean up after dinner.
  • Yu Chuan told Shan Ye they had to return to Muzhou the next day, and Shan Ye asked to stay longer because he did not want to leave Fan Jin.
  • Fan Jin said he would remain with Grandma for two more weeks, while Shan Ye sulked and followed him around the house.
  • Shan Ye asked Fan Jin if he could visit him in Muzhou and whether Fan Jin would miss him, but Fan Jin told him to leave.
  • Shan Ye and Yu Chuan said goodbye to Grandma and Fan Jin, and Grandma told Fan Jin she liked Shan Ye and was glad he had such a cheerful friend.

Ch. 25The ring

Shan Ye arranged to meet Fan Jin before leaving Osmanthus City, using the ring he had deliberately left behind as an excuse. They shared an early breakfast together, and Shan Ye prepared to leave for Muzhou with their relationship still uncertain.

  • Shan Ye told Fan Jin that he had left his ring at Fan Jin's place and arranged to collect it before leaving the next morning.
  • Fan Jin waited outside Shan Ye's hotel before dawn with the ring carefully sealed in a bag.
  • Shan Ye saw Fan Jin from his window, rushed downstairs, and thanked him for bringing the ring.
  • Shan Ye and Fan Jin talked and smoked together, and Fan Jin turned cold when Shan Ye mentioned that someone else would probably drive him to Muzhou.
  • Fan Jin accepted Shan Ye's invitation to breakfast, and they ate fried dough sticks, soy milk, and soup dumplings together.
Arc 1 of 2
Arc 1 of 2