Chapter 85

Over at the Li household, dinner was a harmonious and cheerful affair, but next door, Xi Junjie felt like he was sitting on pins and needles. From the moment he got home, Xi Changbo had been watching him with great interest, staring so intensely that his once fair face seemed to have darkened under the pressure. After dinner, as Xi Junjie helped clean up the dishes, he couldn’t wait to escape back to his own little courtyard. But even so, he couldn’t shake off the tail following behind him.

“Dad!” Watching Xi Changbo enter the room behind him, Xi Junjie called out, half annoyed and half embarrassed, “What exactly do you want?”

Xi Changbo was holding a purple clay teapot, looking delighted. “I just want to see how my son’s personality suddenly changed. Smiling so brightly at people he’s not familiar with—that’s a first!”

“What do you mean changed? I’ve always been like this.” Xi Junjie sat at the desk, pulled out a magazine he subscribed to from his backpack, casually turned on the desk lamp, and adopted the posture of someone diligently studying.

Leaning over the desk, Xi Changbo took a loud slurp of tea from his pot and chuckled at him, “Putting on a show in front of me? You’re underestimating your dad.”

Stretching lazily, Xi Changbo wandered over to the side tea table, rinsed out the teapot, filled it with spring water delivered from Xishan, plugged in the kettle, and started fiddling with the tea utensils on the tray.

Once the water boiled, Xi Changbo quickly rinsed the tea leaves. The first two brews were used to rinse the small teapot, and only on the third brew did he leisurely pour a cup.

After sipping the tea, he glanced at Xi Junjie, who seemed buried in his studies, and immediately lost interest. “You’ve been at school all week. Can’t you relax a bit when you’re home? Come over and chat with me for a bit.”

Xi Junjie paused, sighed, then closed the magazine, stood up, and sat across from Xi Changbo. He washed a teacup for himself and poured some tea. “What do you want to talk about?”

Xi Changbo lit up, waggling his eyebrows in a gossipy manner. “Why are you so friendly with Uncle Li next door?”

“Am I?” Xi Junjie smiled faintly. “I’ve always been polite to your friends.”

“Feels different,” Xi Changbo said, thinking it over. “You’re normally just courteous—maybe a 30-degree smile, clearly keeping your distance. But with Uncle Li? That smile nearly wrapped around your ears! Come on, be honest with your dad. Are you sweet on that girl from next door?”

Xi Junjie lowered his eyes and took a sip of tea. “What girl?”

“Huh? You really don’t know?” Xi Changbo looked surprised. “The tall, slender, fair-skinned one with big eyes that always seem to smile—really pretty girl.”

Hearing Xi Changbo praise Zhenzhen’s looks, Xi Junjie’s usually stoic expression cracked. A huge smile spread across his face before he quickly lowered his head to sip tea and hide it. After downing three cups in a row, he finally managed to control his expression and looked up blankly. “Huh?”

Xi Changbo stared at him in exasperation. “You’re such a terrible actor.”

Just then, footsteps sounded outside. Xi Junjie immediately stood up as his mother, Ling Xiulan, entered. Seeing the look on her husband and son’s faces, she instantly knew Xi Changbo was once again teasing their son for amusement.

Xi Junjie had a calm and reserved nature, while Xi Changbo loved to joke and poke fun. Every time Xi Junjie came home, Xi Changbo managed to provoke him into a sulky silence. Thankfully, Xi Junjie had a good temper—he never lashed out, only stared expressionlessly at his father until the man got bored and gave up.

“What are you two chatting about?” Ling Xiulan sat beside Xi Changbo.

Before his father could speak, Xi Junjie quickly said, “We were talking about my final exams last semester. I ranked first in my French major and got a first-class scholarship.”

“That’s wonderful.” Ling Xiulan beamed at him. Though Xi Junjie had often earned perfect grades while studying in France, achieving top marks at one of the country’s best universities and getting a first-class scholarship was still something to be proud of.

Even Xi Changbo looked proud, though he couldn’t help being snide. “He spent so many years in France—if he couldn’t get first place, that’d be embarrassing.”

Ling Xiulan gave him a reproachful look. “What kind of thing is that to say to your child? A French major doesn’t just study the French language. You should learn to praise him more.”

Xi Changbo was about to scoff again when Xi Junjie calmly added, “I came second in the International Relations major.”

Now fully satisfied, Xi Changbo grinned. “That’s more like it. I knew my son wouldn’t fall short. But if you did so well in both majors, how come you only got a first-class scholarship? Doesn’t your school offer top scholarships?”

Xi Junjie paused, then explained, “There were only three spots for the top scholarship. One went to a girl who ranked among the top in all three of her majors—overall, her performance was better than mine. Another went to a law student who not only ranked first in his major but also founded our school’s Student Congress and served as the student union president. The last one went to someone who had excellent grades and founded the school’s largest club.”

Xi Changbo nodded in approval. “Once you’re in university, it’s not just about grades anymore. Teamwork, student council work—those things matter too. They’re key to building your future network and developing your career skills. You’re not aiming for a research career, so you shouldn’t just bury your head in studying—join more activities.”

“Exactly, your dad’s right.” Ling Xiulan said as she peeled an apple, then sliced it into small wedges and placed them in a dish. “Besides, there are a lot of girls in the student union and clubs. Interacting with them at work lets you see their character. You should fall in love during college.”

Having spent several years in romance-rich France, Ling Xiulan had adopted a more open mindset. She often thought her son was too hard on himself. But looking at that handsome face of his, she also worried—what kind of beauty could possibly crack the shell around her son’s heart?

Just thinking about how her nearly twenty-year-old son had never had a crush made Ling Xiulan sigh. “Junjie, tell Mom—do you like any girls?”

Xi Junjie poured her a cup of tea without saying a word.

“Come on, tell Mom your little secret?” Ling Xiulan looked at him pitifully.

Seeing her sigh and moan while her eyes sparkled with nosy curiosity, Xi Junjie firmly shook his head. “Mom, stop worrying about me.”

Because he had been too good-looking since he was little, people—classmates and elders alike—always liked to touch his face. Over time, he’d developed a habit of keeping a straight face with everyone. But the more he acted like this, the more Xi Changbo and Ling Xiulan loved teasing him. Such a young guy acting so serious all the time—how boring was that?

Seeing her son being completely uncooperative, Ling Xiulan finally let it go. She munched on the apple while curiously scanning the room. Suddenly, her eyes landed on a row of elegant orchids by the window. Each one was refined and graceful, clearly nurtured with great care. She was stunned. “When did you move these orchids back home? They’re gorgeous! Hey, what are these varieties? I don’t think I’ve ever seen them.”

Xi Junjie had always been territorial. While he was away, neither Xi Changbo nor Ling Xiulan ever entered his room. Cleaning and organizing the space had always been his responsibility.

At the Xi residence, raising flowers and birds had always been something Ling Xiulan enjoyed doing. In the past, Xi Junjie’s room contained nothing but tea and books—flowers and plants had never been part of it. Ling Xiulan couldn’t help but feel puzzled. She had only been away for two or three months, and now her son seemed to have developed a new hobby?

Looking at the pots of orchids, each with a unique charm, Ling Xiulan beamed with a hint of pride and looked at Xi Junjie. “Is it because of all the time you’ve spent with your mother that your taste has improved?”

Thinking of the wild ducks in the garden pond, Xi Junjie didn’t respond. He found the tea slightly bland, so he boiled another pot of water to brew a fresh pot.

After changing the tea for both Xi Changbo and Ling Xiulan, Xi Junjie said, “These orchids were gifts from a friend, so even if you really like them, I can’t give them to you.” Seeing the slight disappointment on Ling Xiulan’s face, he kindly offered a suggestion. “Mom, if you have time, maybe raise a few more ducks—or even try a few different kinds. I think pigeons and pheasants are pretty good too.”

Ling Xiulan instantly smiled. “Great minds think alike! Just the other day I bought a batch of pigeons to release into the back garden. But your grandfather said I bought the wrong kind—meat pigeons instead of carrier pigeons. I figured, I wasn’t really planning to have them deliver messages anyway, so meat pigeons or carrier pigeons, it doesn’t matter. I’ll just keep them in the garden for fun.”

“Meat pigeons?” Xi Junjie raised an eyebrow. “Are they fat?”
—

At five in the morning, Xi Junjie turned off his alarm and put on a pot of hot water before getting dressed. It was already chilly in the capital’s early mornings after October. After dressing, he brushed his teeth and washed his face with the warm water, and even remembered to apply some men’s moisturizer in front of the mirror—a product he’d bought with overseas Chinese coupons at the overseas Chinese mall.

He glanced at his watch. It was only 5:12. He opened his door and saw the sky beginning to lighten. Then he headed toward the garden. By the time he ran from the backyard to the front gate at 5:29, he was holding a large cage.

Seeing the locked gate, he set the cage down, unlatched the bolt, and opened the door to find Li Mingzhen already waiting outside.

Xi Junjie greeted her with a bright smile and handed her the cage. “We have way too many meat pigeons at home—we can’t finish them all. Here, try some.”

Having accepted something from Xi Junjie, she naturally felt the need to reciprocate. She’d already given him quite a few orchids, and giving more felt repetitive. After a brief pause, her eyes lit up. “Over the summer, I built a roasting oven myself. I was just planning to test it today. If it turns out well, I’ll let you try it.”

Hearing that he might get to taste a dish cooked by Li Mingzhen herself, Xi Junjie was both thrilled and a bit shy. “You’re going to cook for me?”

Seeing his eager expression, Mingzhen grinned. “The oven’s not that big—it can only roast three ducks at a time. I’ll give you one to see if it tastes like the ones at Quanjude.”

Though he hadn’t even seen a feather yet, Xi Junjie was full of confidence in her. “I bet it’ll be even better than Quanjude.”

After placing the pigeon cage in the gatehouse, Mingzhen and Xi Junjie, following the habit formed over the summer, ran a lap around Beiyang. As the sky grew bright, Mingzhen stopped and offered an apologetic smile. “I’m heading to the market today to see if there are any fresh poultry. I might not be able to practice French with you.”

“That’s okay. Actually, I’ve been living here for a while now, and I still don’t know where the market is,” Xi Junjie said, hoping for more time alone with her. “If you don’t mind, can I come with you? Show me around, and I can help carry things too.”

“Sure! I just didn’t expect you to be interested in the market.” Mingzhen looked at Xi Junjie’s tidy outfit and couldn’t help but laugh. “You don’t look like you belong there.”

“What’s not to match?” Xi Junjie blushed slightly. “When I have my own family someday, I’ll have to go to places like that regularly.”

Mingzhen didn’t catch the hint in his words. As she led Xi Junjie to the market, she mentally scanned the area, already familiar with where the fattest chickens, ducks, and geese were sold.

She had built that oven in the garden precisely because of the two wild ducks Xi Junjie had given her. They’d sparked the idea of roasting duck at home. But it had been hot back then, and she’d been learning medicinal cuisine from Mr. Zhang, so the ducks ended up as soup. Since then, the oven had gone unused.

At the market, Mingzhen didn’t linger at the outer stalls. She headed straight to the poultry section with Xi Junjie. A middle-aged man was loudly selling white ducks, with three other poultry animals tied up nearby.

Though they looked like a handsome young couple, the vendor didn’t try to overcharge. Mingzhen bought three white ducks and two roosters and didn’t ask for them to be butchered. Instead, she tied their legs and put them in a wicker basket the seller gave her. Seeing the two handles on the basket, Xi Junjie quickly grabbed one and eagerly said, “Let me help you carry it.”

After breakfast, the lakeside at Beiyang grew lively again. Li Muwu came out carrying a fishing rod and bucket. He went to his usual spot but didn’t start fishing right away. Instead, he looked around to see if Xi Changbo was there.

Xi Changbo had come out later than usual that day because Ling Xiulan had gone off in high spirits to check on her meat pigeons, only to find that ten of the fifteen were missing.

As she stormed around with a feather duster looking for weasels, Xi Junjie calmly finished his milk, wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, and said, “I took the pigeons.”

Hearing that it wasn’t a weasel, Ling Xiulan finally relaxed. She stuck the duster in a vase and sat across from Xi Junjie, looking at him curiously. “What did you take the meat pigeons for?”

Xi Junjie put down his handkerchief and stood up, speaking calmly. “I gave them to someone.”

“Who’d you give them to so early in the morning?” Ling Xiulan asked, curious. But seeing that Xi Junjie was expressionless and busily tidying the table without a word, she didn’t press further. After all, she knew her son well—if he didn’t want to talk, no amount of questioning would get an answer.

“Well, giving them away is fine.” Ling Xiulan didn’t mind. “I’ll just buy a few carrier pigeons to keep your grandfather from teasing me.”

Though she didn’t care much, Xi Changbo felt something was off. He kept questioning Xi Junjie but couldn’t get a word out of him. Frustrated, he picked up his fishing rod and headed out.

When he finally spotted Xi Changbo in the distance, Li Muwu eagerly waved him over. Xi Changbo placed his stool beside Li Muwu, preparing his bait while asking curiously, “Why are you so happy today?”

Li Muwu didn’t want to just blurt out that his daughter had good grades—it needed some buildup. He shook his head dramatically, then said slowly, “I heard my daughter reading French in the courtyard this morning. Seeing how hard she studies just makes me happy.”

“French?” Xi Changbo looked surprised. “If I remember correctly, didn’t you say your daughter was majoring in journalism?”

Seeing that Xi Changbo was interested, Li Muwu couldn’t wait to boast. “My daughter’s quite capable. She’s studying three majors—journalism, French, and… and…” He’d memorized her majors all night but still got stuck when the moment came.

He furrowed his brow, struggling to recall. When it came to bragging about his daughter, he always took it seriously.

“Economics?” Xi Changbo guessed.

“Yes, Economics Department.” Li Muwu chuckled and gave his own head a light slap. “Look at my memory—couldn’t even get the words out when they were right on the tip of my tongue.”

“I don’t know much about the other majors, but if it’s French…” Xi Changbo gave a proud smile. “My son came in first place in the French major.”

A nearby fisherman overheard and turned around with a grin. “Top of the class at Imperial Capital University? That’s incredible. Old Xi, you really ought to celebrate with your son when you get home.”

“You know what that boy’s like—he’d never want to bother with all those fancy events.” Xi Changbo replied with obvious pride.

Seeing how Xi Changbo had already launched into showing off, and his own daughter hadn’t gotten any attention yet, Li Muwu suddenly got anxious. “Well, my daughter placed first in the Journalism major too!” Seeing the surprised looks coming his way, Li Muwu didn’t bother holding back and blurted everything out in one breath: “She even got the top scholarship.”

“So the recipient of the top scholarship Junjie was talking about last night was your daughter?” Xi Changbo burst into laughter. “My boy mentioned that yesterday…” But halfway through his sentence, Xi Changbo suddenly recalled something—didn’t Xi Junjie act like he didn’t know the Li family girl yesterday? Yet they were in the same major, and he knew she got the scholarship? How could he not know her? That rascal must’ve been pulling one over on me again.

At this point, Xi Changbo had completely lost interest in fishing. He set his rod aside, grabbed his stool, and moved closer to Li Muwu with a friendly grin. “Old Li, your daughter’s grades are amazing—way above the average. This is such a proud moment for your family. You really ought to throw a celebration!”

Seeing that Li Muwu looked a little tempted, Xi Changbo quickly added, “How about I bring my wife and son along to help you celebrate? I mean, we’ve lived next door all this time and never once had a proper meal together.”

In Beicha, it was normal for neighbors to drop by each other’s homes for meals, so Li Muwu readily agreed, “Come over to my place for lunch today. Bring your wife and kid—we’ll make it a lively gathering!”

“Great!” Xi Changbo stood up. “I’ll go tell my wife and have her prepare a few gifts for the elders too.”

“No need to go through all that trouble. It’s just a meal!” Watching Xi Changbo hurry off, Li Muwu scratched his head in slight confusion. “Why’s he being so polite all of a sudden?”

Xi Changbo rushed home, set the fishing rod and bucket aside, then headed straight for the backyard. He grabbed Ling Xiulan, who was watering the flowers, and said, “Get ready. We’re having lunch at the Lis’ next door.”

Although she knew her husband often fished with the neighbor, the sudden lunch invitation still surprised Ling Xiulan. “What’s the occasion? Should I prepare a gift?”

Xi Changbo hesitated before replying, “Make it a nice one. The girl next door is also attending Imperial Capital University—she’s the one who got the top scholarship.”

The moment she heard that, Ling Xiulan perked up. She stopped watering the flowers and feeding the ducks, and hurried back into the main house. She spent over half an hour grooming and dressing up, and also prepared a generous gift.

While Ling Xiulan was doing her makeup, Xi Changbo headed to Xi Junjie’s room to inform him they’d be attending a private lunch gathering. Xi Junjie, having been to many such events with his father, quickly changed into casual wear, looking effortlessly relaxed and stylish.

Once the mother and son were ready, Xi Changbo led them out the door. Just as Xi Junjie was wondering why they weren’t driving, he saw his father knocking on the neighbors’ door knocker.

“Old Li, we’re here!” Xi Changbo called out.

Xi Junjie: “…”