Chapter 74

Behind them was a vibrant tapestry of brilliant fiery trees against a broad, warm-hued sky. In the foreground, the cool, composed silhouette seemed to melt into the velvety backdrop of the night, accompanied by a delicate and fragile one.

The first time Michelle Xia kissed a man was when she was twenty, though her physical age was twenty-four. It was during her first winter in this world and subsequently her first spring. The nights bridging winter and spring were chilly, and her hand found warmth tucked inside the pocket of a man's coat, held securely by his grasp. The world outside was filled with the raucous noise of fireworks; sharp and jarring, but to her, it was as if she heard nothing.

Alex Ye's first kiss came at twenty-nine, just four months shy of turning thirty. By then, he had built a little family - Michelle, Lizzy, and