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Became a National Couple with My Ex Side Story · Main Couple (Finale): When He Stayed Three Minutes Longer on a Winter Night

——Parallel Timeline: What if he had stayed three more minutes on that winter night?

1

February 18, 2015. New Year's Eve. North City Airport.

As night began to fall, the whole city was wrapped in a chilly mist.

After a flight of more than ten hours, Bian Xu walked out of the airport, handed his suitcase to the driver, and had just gotten into the back seat when he received a call from home.

"Why aren't you here yet? We've already made the dumplings, just waiting for you to come back and cook them."

"Just got in the car. No need to wait."

"You only come back once a year, and even then we can't have a full family reunion for New Year's Eve dinner, what does that say?"

Bian Xu moved the phone away from his ear, waited until the voice stopped, then brought it back.

"What do you want me to do about air traffic control? Why don't you go ask the sky why it picked New Year's Eve to get all foggy?"

The voice on the other end was speechless. He cut in with, "Alright, I’m on my way," and hung up the call. Then he leaned back and closed his eyes to rest.

The car pulled out of the airport, heading toward the old Bian family home.

About an hour later, when the car stopped again for the umpteenth time in traffic, Bian Xu lazily lifted his eyelids and glanced at his watch.

"Are you purposely steering into traffic jams?"

The driver gripped the wheel nervously.

"I thought taking the side roads would be quicker, no traffic lights. I didn’t expect this…"

Bian Xu sighed and turned to look out the window.

Suddenly, he noticed a girl dancing in the circular plaza behind a fenced area.

Through the iron fence, he could faintly make out that she was wearing a white practice outfit, dancing classical ballet.

Someone dancing ballet on a school field on New Year’s Eve, had to be either full or bored out of her mind.

Bian Xu raised an intrigued eyebrow.

"Where is this?"

The driver glanced over.

"That’s the North City Dance Academy’s affiliated high school."

Bian Xu looked at the traffic up ahead and pointed toward the curb.

"Pull over there."

The driver parked by the side of the road.

Bian Xu rolled down the window and looked outside again.

Under the dim yellow lights, the girl balanced on one foot, extended the other leg in a side kick, and lifted both arms as she turned in a graceful spin.

Soft arms, a long neck, delicate ankles, features that seemed fragile but carried a quiet, unbreakable strength. It was a strange and beautiful contrast.

When her dance ended, the girl stayed in place, panting.

Bian Xu slowly looked away, closed his eyes, and replayed the scene in his mind. His index finger tapped his knee—once, twice and a melody formed in his head.

Inspired, he opened his eyes with a sense of urgency and nodded toward the driver.

"Let’s go."

"We might not be able to, looks like there’s a commotion up ahead, it’s still blocked…" The driver turned back with a hesitant look. "How about I get out and check? Please wait a moment."

Bian Xu frowned slightly and gave a casual two-finger wave, signaling him to go.

The driver shut off the engine and stepped out.

Bian Xu sat for a moment with his elbow resting on the window edge, but his patience ran out. He opened the door and got out, stretching his neck. When he looked up again, he saw the same girl inside the fence.

She wasn’t dancing anymore. She was squatting on the ground, hugging her knees with her head down, shoulders trembling. It looked like she was crying.

He was too far to be sure, and could only see her back but it sparked his curiosity.

Dancing alone on New Year’s Eve might mean dedication.

Crying alone in a school field on New Year’s Eve told a different story.

He glanced at the nearby gate, which was slightly ajar, and pushed it open. Walking toward the girl, he looked down at her, a bit intrigued.

She was so focused on crying that she hadn’t noticed his approach. Her sobs continued.

"Hey—" Bian Xu, who rarely involved himself in others’ business, stumbled even over how to address her. The word miss nearly turned into kid. "Classmate?"

The girl suddenly looked up, startled, and immediately stood.

Bian Xu took in her tear-streaked face and asked: "What are you crying about?"

"I…" She hurriedly wiped her tears with the back of her hand and grabbed her coat from the ground. "Sorry, uncle, I’ll leave right away…"

"?"

Bian Xu blinked slowly and glanced down at what he was wearing, a neatly tailored suit, chosen because he had just met with a conductor before boarding the flight. He also recalled the rather harsh tone he'd used just now, no wonder she mistook him for a security guard trying to kick her out.

"Little girl," Bian Xu let out a short laugh, "you’re calling a twenty-year-old 'uncle'? What do you call someone in their thirties, grandpa?"

The girl paused mid-motion as she put on her down jacket. Maybe she had cried so hard earlier that she couldn’t see clearly through her tear-filled eyes. Now she looked up and carefully examined his youthful face, then pressed her lips together awkwardly and gave him a small bow.

"Sorry…"

Bian Xu was about to say something else when he noticed the driver outside the fence waving energetically at him, signaling that the road was clear.

He glanced down at the embarrassed girl still wiping her tears, then took the pocket square from the breast pocket of his suit and handed it to her.

The girl looked up, confused.

"Uncle’s gift. Wipe your face." Bian Xu placed the handkerchief in her palm and walked away without waiting for a reply.

2

July 14, 2015 — 2:00 PM — Nanhuai Dance Center

It was the height of summer. The sun blazed overhead, distorting the air with heat ripples that made everything in the distance look like it was shrouded in mist.

Nearly six months after that New Year's Eve, Bian Xu returned to China from Europe once again, this time at the joint invitation of the Nanhuai Ballet Company and the Nanhuai Opera House to prepare for a musical production.

From the airport to the dance center, the staff member accompanying him chatted endlessly about the history and development of both institutions. Bian Xu’s ears were practically numb by the time they arrived, and his expression had grown frosty.

But the staff member, unaware, seemed to think a little storytelling was the perfect distraction for a tired traveler.

He continued cheerfully, only getting to the present situation after finishing the history lesson: "The young dancers and orchestra members are already in the theater waiting to take promotional photos. Would you like to greet everyone first or go get changed for the shoot?"

"Let’s greet them," Bian Xu replied dryly. "I’ll ask if they had a good breakfast, if they’re full from lunch, what time they get off work, and where they plan to eat dinner together."

The staff member seemed to catch the sarcasm and awkwardly led him to the dressing room.

After changing into formal tails, Bian Xu followed the staff member through the double doors of the theater.

The musicians in the orchestra pit immediately stood up when they heard someone enter.

The ballet dancers on stage all turned to look at him as well.

Bian Xu walked through the audience seating to the front of the stage and shook hands with the conductor in the pit.

"Hello. Bian Xu."

There was a murmur of whispers on stage.

The staff member clapped his hands to quiet everyone down.

"Everyone, please quiet down. This is—"

"No need for introductions," Bian Xu interrupted, scanning the packed stage. "Let’s just get started."

The musicians and dancers took their positions, and Bian Xu sat down at the piano bench.

The photographer positioned at the tripod started directing the groups for their poses. After several group shots were taken, he gave an "OK" hand gesture.

The dance company director checked the group photo and confirmed it looked good.

"Everyone can go backstage and rest now. Maestro and Mr. Bian, would you like to stay and go over the close-ups?"

Bian Xu was just about to wave it off, but the conductor answered first and stood up, so he nodded as well.

This conductor, with more experience and age, had ties to Bian Xu’s grandfather. Before leaving for this trip, the old man had reminded Bian Xu to cooperate fully with the production.

Being in this field meant dealing with people, something Bian Xu had grown tired of. He’d already decided to step back after this year. But for now, his performance career wasn’t over yet.

He patiently walked over to the tripod, where the photographer had pulled up his close-up shots.

"Whatever, you guys pick."

"How about this one?" The photographer pointed at a photo on the camera screen. "The expression is great. There’s a bit of the stage corner in the frame, but it can be cropped. Is that alright?"

"Fine." Bian Xu glanced at the photo’s corner and opened his mouth to agree but then paused. His eyes narrowed slightly in thought. He pointed at the dancers in the corner. "Zoom in."

The photographer enlarged the image.

The high resolution clearly revealed the face of one ensemble dancer at the very edge.

A memory from New Year’s Eve suddenly came flooding back.

Bian Xu narrowed his eyes curiously. But after another glance or two, his confidence wavered. After all, he hadn’t followed up on that girl after returning home that night. He had just written a song and moved on. He didn’t know her name, never went back to that school, and over half a year had passed. The memory wasn’t exactly vivid anymore.

Besides, one was in North City, the other in Nanhuai, it would be too much of a coincidence if they were the same person.

"Mr. Bian, is there a problem with this photo?" the photographer asked.

Bian Xu didn’t answer. Instead, he turned to the dance company director.

"Is this one of your new dancers?"

"Yes, she just passed the audition last month."

"Where’s she from?"

"The affiliated high school of the Beijing Dance Academy."

So it really was that kind of coincidence.

Bian Xu gave a disbelieving smile, stared at the girl in the photo for a few more seconds, and asked: "What’s her name?"

"Liang Yixuan."

Bian Xu nodded slowly and repeated the name, syllable by syllable: "Liang. Yi. Xuan."

3

July 31, 2015, 1 PM, Nanhua Dance Center

It was a scorching sunny day. The sun was so bright it hurt to keep your eyes open. Even the tall buildings looked hazy in the heat.

Bian Xu arrived at the theater alone. As soon as he entered the auditorium, he noticed a group of people in the audience who weren’t supposed to be there, female dancers from the Nanhua Ballet. They were probably using their lunch break to come watch the excitement.

As Bian Xu walked into the orchestra pit, the conductor joked, "Look at all these girls showing up just for you."

Bian Xu glanced at the audience and asked, "All these count as a lot?"

"Oh wow, listen to you," the conductor laughed. "You know how many single female dancers we’ve got in the whole company? And there are already about twenty of them here. What, did you expect a full house?"

Bian Xu didn’t respond and got started with the rehearsal.

All afternoon, people came and went, some dancers left for rehearsal, while others came in afterward. The theater was constantly bustling.

At 3:30, the conductor called for a short break and encouraged everyone to grab some refreshments.

Bian Xu wasn’t interested in the snacks. He stepped outside for some fresh air, took a walk, and when he came back, he noticed a young girl peeking through the theater doors.

He watched her from a distance for a moment, then smirked and walked up behind her.

"Hey, little girl. What are you looking for?"

Liang Yixuan spun around, startled, just like that night on New Year’s Eve. He had clearly startled her again.

"I’m not looking for anyone…" she said, shaking her head and hiding her hands behind her back.

Bian Xu drawled, "Oh? I didn’t say you were looking for someone."

Liang Yixuan bit her lip in embarrassment, eyes down, unsure of how to respond.

Feeling a bit sympathetic, Bian Xu turned away and gave a small smile. "Looking for me?"

Liang Yixuan nodded awkwardly, eyes still on the ground. "Mr. Bian… do you remember me?"

He looked down at the top of her head and raised an eyebrow. "You expect me to recognize someone just from the top of their head? What, do you have horns growing or something?"

Liang Yixuan quickly straightened up and lifted her head.

"Ohh…" Bian Xu squinted at her face, then frowned. "Nope. Don’t remember you. Who are you again?"

She looked disappointed and shook her head. "Never mind, sorry to bother you." She gave a polite nod and turned to leave.

Bian Xu clicked his tongue. "If you’d just called me ‘uncle,’ I’d have remembered you."

Liang Yixuan paused, turned back, and let out a relieved sigh. "So you do remember me." She walked back and respectfully held out a handkerchief with both hands. "I came to return this."

Bian Xu looked down and raised an eyebrow.

"I washed it."

"But don’t you think it’s a little late now?"

Liang Yixuan said awkwardly, "That day, you left so quickly I didn’t get your contact info. Later, I asked around at school, but everyone said no one by your name worked there. I didn’t know how to find you…"

Seeing how serious she was, Bian Xu chuckled. "Did I blame you for that?"

She blinked and then remembered something. "Oh, I actually recognized you the first time you came to the dance center over two weeks ago. I brought it then, planning to return it. But I heard you weren’t coming that day…"

"So now it’s my fault?" he teased.

"No!" she waved her hands. "It’s my fault. I should’ve asked one of the teachers to help me get in touch with you. But I figured you probably didn’t care about the handkerchief, so I didn’t rush."

"Who said I didn’t care? That’s a family heirloom."

"Really?" Liang Yixuan looked up in surprise.

"Why else do you think I remembered you for six months?"

Her expression shifted quickly, part disbelief, part embarrassment, part awe because he sounded so serious that it was hard not to believe him.

"I should’ve returned it sooner, then." She held it out again.

But Bian Xu didn’t take it. Instead, he asked, "Little girl, are you an adult yet?"

She shook her head. "Still six months away."

"No wonder you’re so easy to fool."

"…"

He gently pushed the handkerchief back toward her. "Keep it. Think of it as a souvenir."

"A souvenir?"

"What? You don’t want it?"

"No, no, Mr. Bian’s things are definitely valuable." Liang Yixuan quickly accepted it and said politely, "Thank you, Mr. Bian… I’ll head back now."

Bian Xu nodded and turned to re-enter the theater. Just as he stepped inside, a staff member rushed up to him and handed over a phone. "Mr. Bian, a call for you."

He glanced at the caller ID—"Xu Yifeng"—and answered.

"Hey, bro! About that song I asked you for《rosabella》have you thought about it? I really think I can sing it well. Please just let me have it."

"Talk to me in six months. Even if I gave it to you now, it couldn’t be released."

"What? Why not?"

"It wouldn’t look good."

"Come on, bro, that’s just avoiding the issue. That song’s lyrics are always going to be controversial, no matter how many years pass."

"That’s different," Bian Xu replied, glancing in the direction where Liang Yixuan had left. "At least by then, the female lead will be an adult."

4

August 8, 2015, 3 PM, Nanhua Dance Center

Smoke spread across the stage, filling the theater with a hazy atmosphere.

Today was the combined rehearsal of the orchestra and the dance troupe. After finishing a full run-through, Bian Xu left the orchestra pit and went to rest in the audience seats. As soon as he sat down, a young girl came over with a bottle of water and said, "Mr. Bian, thank you for your hard work. Please have some water."

During the rehearsal, the dancers were all dressed in their official performance costumes. Bian Xu looked at her outfit and recognized her role.

"You’re part of the corps de ballet?"

The girl, flattered, nodded shyly. "Yes, Mr. Bian."

"So all of you in the corps have light roles?"

"..."

The girl glanced toward the lead dancers who were listening to the teacher’s feedback and said, "Relatively speaking, yes, we have a bit more free time…"

"Then why are you the only one free?" Bian Xu glanced behind her.

Following his gaze, the girl looked back to see the other corps dancers discussing their positions. She blushed and said, "I’ll go focus on my work right away…"

Bian Xu leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. Faintly, he could hear the girl chatting with the others—

"Oh my god, Bian Xu is so scary. I got so nervous I accidentally brought the water bottle back with me again."

"What happened?"

"They think I’m not doing my job."

"Didn’t Teacher Qin tell you to bring him water? Go explain to him!"

"No way, I’m too scared. Whoever’s brave, you go…"

"I’m not brave either. Yixuan, you go. Haven’t you talked to him before?"

Liang Yixuan’s voice was muffled: "...He probably just doesn’t want to drink. Better not bother him."

Bian Xu opened his eyes, cleared his throat.

The girls noticed and looked over. He raised his hand, adjusted his bow tie, and cleared his throat again.

Ten seconds later, Liang Yixuan came over holding a bottle of water. "Mr. Bian, Teacher Qin asked us to bring you some water."

Bian Xu lifted his eyelids and looked at her. "So, you guys have no initiative on your own?"

"..." Liang Yixuan seemed caught off guard and slightly speechless. "I did notice your throat wasn’t feeling well."

Bian Xu took the water. As Liang Yixuan turned to leave, he called after her, "Liang Yixuan?"

"Yes?" she turned back and nodded.

"Do you know where I’ve seen your name before?"

Liang Yixuan looked confused. "Where?"

"In the list of people who bought my vinyl records through back channels after you left Nanhua Ballet."

"……" Liang Yixuan froze in front of him, as if struck by lightning.

Bian Xu slowly opened the water bottle cap and smiled. "Little girl, you’re not being honest."

5

August 15, 2015, 9 PM, Nanhua Dance Center

A light drizzle fell from the sky, making the whole city look like it was blurred by rain and fog.

The performance had ended successfully. As Bian Xu was getting ready to leave the theater, he was suddenly surrounded backstage by a group of female performers wearing makeup.

"Mr. Bian, are you leaving already?" the girl at the front asked.

Bian Xu glanced over them and said, "What’s the matter?"

"We want to get your autograph…"

"Go be a fan in showbiz then," Bian Xu raised his hand to refuse and started walking around the group to leave. After a few steps, the girl at the front stopped him again.

"Mr. Bian," she seemed to gather her courage, "If it’s not about being a fan, can it be something else? I want to exchange contact info with you…"

"You can think about that here for a while."

"…"

Bian Xu said that and headed toward the elevator. Halfway there, he saw Liang Yixuan struggling to carry a prop chair, hurriedly following behind the dance troupe staff.

The staff saw him from a distance and called out, "Mr. Bian."

Bian Xu stopped and asked, "Your troupe doesn’t have any support staff?"

"Huh?"

He pointed to Liang Yixuan. "Even minors are being used as laborers? Should I help you hire some backstage help?"

Liang Yixuan shook her head quickly. "No, it’s not the teacher who asked me to do this…"

The staff quickly turned back and took the prop chair from her. "Sorry, I was just talking to someone earlier and little Liang helped me for a moment, then I forgot."

With her hands free, Liang Yixuan pressed the elevator’s down button for both of them.

The staff said to Liang Yixuan, "You’re done here, you can go back now."

Bian Xu raised an eyebrow.

Liang Yixuan nodded. Just as she was about to leave, she paused and looked at Bian Xu. "Mr. Bian, are you going back to Europe?"

"Yes."

"Then…" she seemed a bit hesitant, finally saying, "Safe travels."

Bian Xu noticed she didn’t quite mean to say that.

"You’re wishing a plane traveler ‘safe travels’?"

Liang Yixuan pressed her lips together. "I said it wrong…"

"Well, why not say it again properly?"

The elevator doors dinged open, and the staff held the door. "Mr. Bian?"

Bian Xu gave a cold glance. "Does this elevator have a last run?"

"Oh, right. I’ll go down first." The staff looked at the two and stepped inside.

Only Bian Xu and Liang Yixuan were left outside the elevator.

Liang Yixuan hesitated for a long moment but didn’t say anything. Bian Xu shook his head. "Forget it. Wait until you’re older and have learned more words before you come and wish me again."

Liang Yixuan’s eyes flickered slightly.

"What? Can’t learn?"

"No, I can," she looked a bit nervous, "I… I’ll learn and come back when I’m ready…"

The next elevator arrived quickly.

Bian Xu glanced at the opening doors and saw Liang Yixuan still standing there, as if she might move only if someone pushed her. He sighed, "I’m leaving now. How will you get here then?"

Liang Yixuan seemed to finally get his meaning. Without another polite word, she left a quick "Wait for me" and rushed to the dressing room.

Bian Xu stood there waiting for three minutes. He saw her come back hurriedly with a pen and a thick notebook, panting, "I actually wanted to get your autograph too…"

"Just an autograph?"

Liang Yixuan looked up at him carefully. "I could ask for other things too…"

Bian Xu smiled slightly, took her open notebook and uncapped the pen. Just as he was about to write, a familiar female voice suddenly called out, "Wake up! It’s time to get up—!"

Startled, he looked up. The scene in front of him suddenly shattered— the elevator, the hallway, Liang Yixuan waiting for his autograph — all dissolved into tiny sparkling bubbles.

When he opened his eyes again, above him was the chandelier on the ceiling.

A hand was shaking him gently.

"If you don’t get up soon, I’m going to be late. Don’t you want to see me off to work?"

Bian Xu lazily turned his head and saw Liang Yixuan.

Not the seventeen-year-old Liang Yixuan, but the almost twenty-three-year-old Liang Yixuan.

"What’s wrong?" Liang Yixuan said, seeing how lost he looked. She pressed the back of her hand gently against his forehead. "Are you feeling unwell?"

Bian Xu stared at her for a while, then shook his head and held her hand in his palm.

"No, I just had a dream."

It was because after his interview yesterday, right before sleeping, he kept thinking about the host’s last question— about the possibility of starting over with Liang Yixuan — so he dreamed of another timeline.

No wonder, whether it was a winter night or a summer day, indoors or outdoors, all the scenes were covered in a hazy, misty blur.

And he could only meet Liang Yixuan during those few days she had mentioned in her diary, never in any other continuous days.

Remembering the last scene in his dream, Bian Xu suddenly threw off the blanket and got out of bed.

"Where’s your diary?"

Liang Yixuan pointed to the nightstand.

"In the drawer. Why?"

Bian Xu opened the drawer and glanced at the diary’s cover.

The Liang Yixuan in the dream was holding this same notebook.

He found a pen, picked up the diary, and said, "Liang Yixuan, want me to sign this for you?"

Liang Yixuan was surprised.

"Why would you sign it for me?"

"We’ve known each other so long, haven’t I signed something for you yet?"

Though he said that, Liang Yixuan didn’t really understand why she needed her husband’s autograph…

Seeing how serious he looked, she hesitated but nodded.

"Okay, then sign it…"

Bian Xu uncapped the pen, flipped to a blank page, and signed his name with bold, sweeping strokes. Then he added a line of numbers below it.

"If you’re signing, why write your phone number too?" Liang Yixuan asked, confused.

Bian Xu looked up at her.

"So you can find me."