Chapter 90

Zhenzhen pulled Xi Junjie by the hand and went straight to a double seat. After sitting by the window, she carefully took the lunchboxes from Xi Junjie and placed them on her lap, afraid they might spill.

Seeing that Zhenzhen was only occupying half the seat, Xi Junjie couldn’t help but feel a little pained. “I could’ve held the lunchboxes myself, you know.”

“No,” Zhenzhen said righteously, “we still need to hold hands.”

Just then, Mingbei happened to be walking past her. When he heard what she said, he slipped and almost fell. One hand clung to the handrail while the other tightly gripped the paper bag, his face turning pale from fright.

Wang Xinwen, supporting her belly as she sat down, looked up and burst out laughing at Mingbei’s disheveled state. “How are you this clumsy?”

Mingbei cautiously made his way to the back and sat beside Wang Xinwen, eyes fixed on the pair in front. He saw Xi Junjie sitting right on the edge of his seat, leaving half the space for Zhenzhen. Zhenzhen, seemingly afraid he’d fall off, was tugging his arm, trying to pull him back. The two wrestled for a bit before finally settling into place.

The two were sitting so close their shoulders touched. Though the seat backs blocked the view of their hands, it was obvious they were holding hands underneath. Mingbei let out a deep sigh—grandma’s mission was proving way too hard. He had thought girls were supposed to be shy, blushing just from a simple touch. But what was up with his bold and clueless little sister?

Seeing that there weren’t many people around, Wang Xinwen slipped her arm through Mingbei’s and leaned her head against him, speaking in a soft voice, “What are you sighing about now?”

Looking down at his delicate little wife, Mingbei suddenly remembered how, back when they were dating, it was Wang Xinwen who had chased after him. He reached over and pinched her nose. “How did you have the nerve back then to come up to a guy and say you wanted to be together?”

Wang Xinwen gently rubbed the calluses on his palm with her fingertips. “What’s the big deal? If I’d been too shy to speak up, who knows whose man you’d be now.” She stretched out her hand and intertwined her fingers with his, giggling sweetly like a girl who had never had a child.

Mingbei’s attention immediately shifted away from Zhenzhen—not that he didn’t want to care, but clearly, Zhenzhen was the one taking advantage. Didn’t she keep reaching for Xi Junjie’s face with those little hands of hers? This girl was too bold. Mingbei made up his mind—if grandma asked, he’d just say Xi Junjie never touched Zhenzhen’s hand. Grandma probably wouldn’t think to ask whether Zhenzhen touched him.

Opening the still-warm paper bag, Mingbei discovered there was even a fork inside. His impression of his future brother-in-law instantly improved. He speared a piece of rib and held it to Wang Xinwen’s mouth. “Want a couple bites? It’s still about half an hour till we get to school. You’ll be starving by then.”

The delicious smell made Wang Xinwen’s stomach growl. She took a bite—crispy, flavorful, and not greasy at all. She had no idea how Xi Junjie managed to fry it so perfectly. She took another bite, then offered some to Mingbei, and the couple fed each other, finishing over half the bag by the time they’d passed seven or eight stops.

As more and more people got on, even the seats at the back filled up. Wang Xinwen packed the ribs away, and Mingbei handed her a bottle of hot water.

When the bus pulled up in front of the school, Zhenzhen and Xi Junjie got off one after the other with their lunchboxes. After helping Wang Xinwen off and steadying her, Mingbei looked up and saw the two of them already halfway through the school gate. He stared blankly for a moment before turning to Wang Xinwen. “Why are they rushing off like that?”

“To ditch us, obviously,” Wang Xinwen said knowingly, giving Mingbei a playful pinch. “Zhenzhen knows what she’s doing. You stay out of it.”

“She might know, but I don’t,” Mingbei sighed gloomily. “You think, as someone about to become a father, will my dad kick me next week when we go home?”

Meanwhile, Zhenzhen was happily skipping into the cafeteria, completely unaware that her blunt, straight-shooting fourth brother was stressing out over her. Xi Junjie placed the lunchboxes on the table, and they went to wash their hands and grab bowls and chopsticks.

With Zhenzhen watching expectantly, Xi Junjie opened the lunchboxes one by one: crab roe lion’s head meatballs, fried squab, sweet and sour ribs, chestnuts with bok choy, and superior broth conch. The containers and plating might not have been as refined as the lunch earlier, but just the aroma told Zhenzhen it wasn’t lacking in taste at all.

Xi Junjie bought two bowls of rice, placing one in front of Zhenzhen and handing her a pair of chopsticks. “The steam in the boxes might have affected the flavor. Try it and see.”

“Mhm!” Zhenzhen nodded eagerly, picking up a crab roe meatball and popping it into her mouth. Tender and juicy, the crab roe was rich and fragrant. One bite and her mouth was full of savory goodness—she immediately went for another.

Seeing how much she enjoyed it, Xi Junjie smiled in satisfaction and placed some greens from the meatball box into her bowl. “These were stewed with the lion’s head, they’ve absorbed the meat flavor. Give it a try.”

Zhenzhen’s mouth was too full to talk. After she swallowed, she quickly stuffed the greens in—they were indeed soft, rich with meat aroma and a faint hint of crab flavor.

She took a bite of rice, then picked up a glossy sweet-and-sour rib. The outside was tangy, the inside a perfect blend of savory and sweet. The meat was fall-off-the-bone tender, and the sauce rich and fragrant. Even the bones were so soft that biting into them released a burst of juice.

“This is so good.” Zhenzhen looked at Xi Junjie with stars in her eyes. “How can you cook this well? After this meal, I don’t think I can eat in the cafeteria for a whole week.”

Xi Junjie scooped some superior broth conch into a bowl for her, his gaze so gentle it seemed sweeter than the glaze on the ribs. “Have some soup. Don’t choke.”

The conch, poached in broth, was tender and crisp, paired with the umami-rich soup. One sip and Zhenzhen’s appetite grew even more.

When they first arrived, the cafeteria wasn’t too crowded. But as lunchtime hit, more and more students poured in, including those from the French, journalism, and economics departments.

The French majors were used to seeing Xi Junjie reserve seats for Li Mingzhen and were somewhat mentally prepared. But for the male students from the other two departments, this was a bolt from the blue. Their year already had a wide age range, with some students nearly thirty, married with kids. Someone like Zhenzhen—young, beautiful, and a top student—was incredibly rare. Many had secretly written her poems in their diaries. Now that their dream girl was clearly taken, a lot of them stood there in a daze, forgetting even to get their food.

So while Zhenzhen was eating happily, she gradually noticed more and more people filling the tables around them. Half the guys sat diagonally across from her, trying to confirm if she and Xi Junjie were just siblings. Meanwhile, half the girls sat across from Xi Junjie, clearly there just to watch him eat. Teenage hearts are always full of poetry—though not many girls dared confess their feelings, plenty weren’t shy about stealing glances. Every time Xi Junjie picked food for Zhenzhen or smiled at her, there was a chorus of subtle clinks from girls biting their spoons.

Zhenzhen was so focused on eating the dishes that by the time she wanted to eat some rice, she realized she was already full. She glanced over at Xi Junjie, who elegantly placed the last bite of rice into his mouth. Not only was his bowl spotless without a single grain left behind, even his lips and fingers were perfectly clean, without a trace of oil.

Zhenzhen looked at her own bowl, still more than half full of rice, and felt a bit troubled. This was still an era of rationed food supply, and refined grains were rare. In the cafeteria, only a few students managed to get rice and steamed buns—most had to make do with cornbread and pickled vegetables. If she threw the rice away, it wouldn’t just draw stares from others—she wouldn’t even be able to forgive herself.

Seeing her stare at the rice with a troubled look, Xi Junjie raised an eyebrow. “Can’t finish it?”

“Mm.” Zhenzhen held up three fingers and looked at him pitifully. “The crab roe lion’s head meatballs you made were just too delicious—I ate three of them, and now I’m so full.”

Chuckling softly, Xi Junjie handed her a folded napkin. “Go wash your hands. Leave the rest to me.”

Seeing there were still plenty of leftovers, Zhenzhen assumed he was going to pack the rice into a lunchbox, so she took the napkin and went to the sink to wash her hands and face. When she returned, still patting her face dry with a handkerchief, she was shocked to find that Xi Junjie had taken her leftover rice and was calmly eating it with the vegetables.

She sat back down across from him, unconsciously wiping away water droplets from her cheek with the handkerchief, and said a little sheepishly, “But… I already ate from that. It’s not really clean.”

“It’s fine,” Xi Junjie said, his gaze briefly lingering on her red lips before his smile deepened. “Actually, it tastes even better this way.”

“You shameless thing.” Zhenzhen lowered her gaze and shot him a playful glare.

Xi Junjie let out a low laugh and beckoned her over. When Zhenzhen leaned in, he whispered in her ear, “Back in the summer, I was by the lake and overheard you and your sister-in-law saying I was good-looking.”

Even though she had said as much to his face before, having him overhear it from behind her back was still incredibly embarrassing. Zhenzhen instantly wanted to run away. As if sensing her panic, Xi Junjie reached out and gently held her wrist, continuing in her ear, “I feel very lucky because you like me. And honestly, I think you’re really beautiful too. You’re the only one I’ve ever dreamed about.”

Although their classmates nearby couldn’t hear them, the sight of Xi Junjie holding Zhenzhen’s wrist was hard to ignore. A whole group of people nearly dropped their spoons in shock.

In that moment of heightened awareness, Zhenzhen clearly sensed all the expressions around her—surprise, heartbreak, unwillingness. She turned to look at Xi Junjie’s lips just inches away, swallowed hard, and tried to shift her gaze upward to his long, curved eyelashes.

Xi Junjie’s gaze followed hers closely. Their eyes met, and he suddenly smiled. “Zhenzhen, why are you so adorable?”

Couldn’t he tone it down a little in front of everyone? Didn’t he hear the clinking of spoons around them? Could he not consider the feelings of all those poor hearts crushed by unrequited love?

Xi Junjie finally let go of her hand, and Zhenzhen dropped back onto her bench, her cheeks warm to the touch. She didn’t quite understand it—she hadn’t felt this shy even when she was the one who confessed or held his hand. Why did just a few words from him now make her blush so hard? After thinking it over, she concluded—it had to be because of his face!

Watching Xi Junjie earnestly finishing the rice she couldn’t eat, Zhenzhen felt a sweet warmth blooming inside. Such a handsome face—she wondered when she’d get the chance to kiss it.

After the meal, Xi Junjie took the cleaned lunchbox back to the dorm and then accompanied Zhenzhen for a walk around the track to help digest. The sun had been out all day, and though it had set by now, the evening wasn’t too cold.

A group of a dozen or so boys were reciting poetry aloud from the bleachers. Zhenzhen glanced over and recognized several familiar faces. This was a golden age for poetry; poets weren’t limited to literature majors—students from law, economics, and foreign languages had also joined the poetry club. Some were even getting published in magazines and gaining minor fame.

As Zhenzhen’s eyes swept across the bleachers, Xi Junjie took her hand and said, “I want to apply to join the student council.”

Zhenzhen drew her gaze back to him and met his eyes. “That’s a great idea.”

“Really?” Xi Junjie’s face lit up at her support, his smile tinged with shyness. “I want to gain some experience in management and build connections. It’ll help with my future career.”

Zhenzhen immediately nodded, thinking of the current student council president. “If you’re set on joining the Foreign Ministry, then yes, you definitely should.”

“What about you? Thought about joining any clubs?” Xi Junjie’s lips curved into a smile as he gently squeezed her fidgeting hand. Thinking back on everything that had happened in the past couple of days felt surreal. Just yesterday, he had been trailing behind her onto a bus, too nervous to even say hi, watching her from afar. And today, here they were, walking hand in hand. Happiness had come so suddenly it felt unreal.

Zhenzhen pondered seriously for a moment. Last semester, her studies had kept her too busy to even contribute to the class newsletter. If she could, she’d like to join a suitable club—after all, college life shouldn’t be just about studying. Even in this era, it should still be vibrant and full.

After a brief silence, she finally said, “Then I’ll join the student council too—either the publicity or arts department.”

“The arts?” Xi Junjie looked intrigued. “What can you do?”

“Not telling you!” Zhenzhen answered playfully, sticking out her tongue at him. “I’ve got plenty of secrets—you’ll just have to discover them slowly.”

They walked two more laps around the track before Xi Junjie walked her back to the dorm. Just as he started reading a book, he called up to her from downstairs. Zhenzhen looked out the window and saw two familiar thermoses in his hands. She quickly grabbed her empty one and went down.

When she returned with the hot water, Guo Xiaoqiao came bouncing over excitedly. “Zhenzhen, I saw you and your guy having dinner in the cafeteria!”

Zhenzhen smiled, tucking the thermos under her bed. She turned and pinched Xiaoqiao’s cheek. “You’re everywhere, aren’t you?”

“So you’re admitting that French major is your boyfriend now?” Guo Xiaoqiao teased, winking. “He’s bold—grabbing your wrist in the cafeteria like that!”

Though Xi Junjie had been fetching hot water for Zhenzhen every day, before they officially got together, she’d always just said he was a classmate when asked by her roommates. She hadn’t given him a proper title—until now.

After rinsing her cup and making herself a fresh pot of tea, Zhenzhen came back to find Guo Xiaoqiao still pressing her with questions. She finally gave in with a helpless smile. “Yes, he’s my boyfriend now. Seriously, where does all your curiosity come from?”

Guo Xiaoqiao giggled, covering her face. “Mainly because you both look so good. Sitting there and gazing at each other—I was blushing and my heart was pounding just watching you two.”

From the top bunk, Xu Jiajia poked her head down and grinned. “If you’re that jealous, go get a boyfriend yourself. What are you getting all flustered over Zhenzhen’s romance for?”

“Ah, you don’t know.” Guo Xiaoqiao stomped her foot. “Anyway, watching those two makes me more excited than when I’m with my own partner. You don’t know, I couldn’t close my mouth the whole time during dinner tonight.”

Zhenzhen shot her a look, black lines forming on her face. So this girl treats her life like a soap opera, huh? She sure knows how to have fun.

Seeing Guo Xiaoqiao so excited, Sister Wei Yujin appeared worried. She pushed her glasses up on her nose, put down the book in her hand, and looked at Zhenzhen seriously. “Did you and your partner hold hands in the cafeteria?”

“Ah?” Zhenzhen was stunned for a moment, then laughed casually. “No, he just held my hand and neck while talking to me.”

“You young ones don’t know moderation. Back in the day, that kind of action would get you dragged out for a public display.” Wei Yujin looked at Zhenzhen with concern. “Even Xiaoqiao saw it, so surely others did too. What if someone reports it to the teacher?”

“Sister, you’re thinking too much.” Zhenzhen knew Wei Yujin meant well, worried that she might get into trouble. After all, the chaotic times had only passed two or three years ago, and some things still felt like nightmares. Zhenzhen comforted her with a smile. “The policies have changed now, and the atmosphere has improved. Those things won’t happen again. Besides, Xi Junjie and I are in a proper relationship, not doing anything inappropriate. Even if someone reports it to the school, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

Universities have been the quickest to embrace changing social trends, partly because they are the first to receive new thoughts and policies, and partly because after all those years of turmoil, they despise the kind of people who report others behind their backs. The teachers are all working hard to teach what they know, and some even go to the dorms in the evening to continue teaching for hours. In such an atmosphere, dark-minded individuals simply have no place to thrive.

Perhaps influenced by Zhenzhen’s fearless attitude, Wei Yujin sighed in relief but still reminded her, “In the future, try to hold hands when no one’s around. The cafeteria is full of people. Aren’t you embarrassed?”

Zhenzhen burst out laughing, covering her face while looking at Wei Yujin. “No way, I’m just naturally thick-skinned.”

A few days later, Zhenzhen heard rumors from Mr. Wang about the situation. Apparently, someone had reported them to the school. Some said they were holding hands in public and being inappropriate, while others complained that they were eating too much meat, wasting food.

When the school leadership received the reports, they were both amused and angry. They were astonished that there were still students who would report others like this. When students were first admitted, many had written about their family connections, boasting about who their fathers and grandfathers were and what activities they’d participated in, trying to use these connections to gain a spot at the prestigious university. In the end, the higher-ups had personally intervened, ensuring that such personal information would not be used as admission criteria, and the restriction on students’ backgrounds was lifted. Now, even children of capitalists, landowners, and rich farmers could attend as long as their grades met the admission threshold. The school had thought that after such changes, students would see the trend of social openness, but they had not expected that some would still cling to outdated ideas.

Thus, the students who had reported them were shocked to see Li Mingzhen and Xi Junjie still happily walking together across campus, eating together in the cafeteria. Meanwhile, those who had secretly reported them were individually summoned for talks, and even a class leader lost their position because of it.

Although the school didn’t make the matter public, many students caught wind of the situation, and soon, many who had been hiding their relationships became more bold, at least no longer needing to be on the lookout while holding hands.

Soon, the winter break arrived, and Zhenzhen eagerly tidied up the empty courtyard when she returned home. Mingnan and Mingdong’s schools had already let out, and they were preparing to bring the children to the capital for a family reunion.

Mingnan and his wife had come to visit in the summer with pancakes and dumplings, but Mingdong and his family, who lived farther away, had never been to the capital.

According to plan, Mingdong and Guihua would bring the children to Ice City to meet Mingnan’s family, and then they would all take the train to the capital together. Mingnan knew where the family lived, and since Roubao and Doubao were both grown now, they could help carry things, so he hadn’t sent a telegram about the arrival date.

They had already planned to come during the holiday, and the house had been prepared in advance. Since the heating pipes had been installed, the warmth started as soon as the weather turned cool, and the room was cozy without the mess of a stove. Looking out the large windows at the raging north wind, the black-and-white television inside was playing an old movie, and Grandma Li peeled an orange while talking to Wang Sufen. “Look at how good life is now. No worries about food or clothing. When I was young, I couldn’t even imagine a life like this.”

“Don’t just talk about yourself. I couldn’t imagine it either when I was young.” Wang Sufen, wearing reading glasses, looked at Grandma Li. “Mom, how did we get so lucky? If it weren’t for Zhenzhen, we probably wouldn’t have such a good life now.”

“That’s for sure. At least Mingnan and Mingbei wouldn’t have made it to university without Zhenzhen helping them review and do practice problems. That’s why they’re in such good schools now.” Grandma Li put a slice of orange in her mouth, and the cool, sweet juice filled her mouth. She smiled contentedly, chewing loudly. “This orange must be bought by Zhenzhen. She picks the best fruits.”

Remembering Zhenzhen’s abilities, Wang Sufen quietly smiled. “She hasn’t planted an orange tree that bears fruit all year round in the yard yet, but it’s not bad.” Then, with some concern, Wang Sufen looked at Grandma Li. “Mom, do you think Zhenzhen’s special ability is something Xi’s family should know about?”

Grandma Li waved her hand. “That’s none of your business. Zhenzhen knows what she’s doing. If she thinks it’s necessary to tell him, she’ll say it. Don’t worry too much.”

“I just worry that if he finds out, he might treat Zhenzhen badly, thinking she’s some sort of monster.” Wang Sufen recalled how people used to avoid such things, and even those who raised fox spirits for fortune-telling wouldn’t dare to take on the job openly.

Grandma Li finished the orange and picked up another one. “If he’s that kind of person, Zhenzhen definitely won’t marry him. Don’t worry, Zhenzhen knows what she’s doing. She has good judgment.”

“What? Zhenzhen is going to marry someone?” Li Muwu entered the room with a dark face, lifting the door curtain. “Is it that brat from Xi’s family trying to steal my daughter?”

Wang Sufen was so startled that her heart was pounding. She clutched her chest, glaring at him. “Stop grumbling and just speak properly!”

“If we don’t speak properly, my daughter is going to be taken away by the neighbor to be his wife.” Li Muwu couldn’t sit still. “What’s so good about that kid?”

“His face is nice,” Zhenzhen entered the room, lifting the curtain with a smile on her face, looking at Li Muwu’s dark expression. “He’s so charming. I get so happy just looking at him.”

Li Muwu looked at his daughter, who was both beautiful and tall, and all his anger vanished in an instant. “Well, uh, just don’t rush to get married, okay? What if you meet someone even better looking in the future?”

At that moment, Xi Junjie, who had just arrived with a box of knife fish, stood in the doorway. “…”