HYAT - 36

“Shameless and hypocritical Shen Lutcha,” after careful consideration for several seconds, suggested, “Mr. Ji, when are you free? Su Zan and I would like to treat you to a meal.”

She turned her head slightly and added, “My maternal grandfather’s family is very grateful to you.”

Ji Qinghe was not someone devoid of grace. Although these actions were merely simple favors and not troublesome, if Shen Qianzhan insisted on believing he went to trouble, he neither confirmed nor denied: “I’m not free recently.”

People came and went at the entrance of the inpatient department. He reached out and lightly held her left shoulder, ushering her to the inner side of the flower bed: “To free up the third day of the Lunar New Year, Ming Jue compressed all my work into the period before the New Year.”

Shen Qianzhan was somewhat surprised: “You’re not going back to Xi’an for New Year?”

Ji Qinghe gave her a deep look: “Do you really want me to rush between two places?”

No?

The way he asked, it would be awkward for her to nod or shake her head, wouldn’t it?

Shen Qianzhan was embarrassed, somewhat afraid to meet his gaze: “If you’re too busy with work, you can have Ming Jue tell me, and I’ll adjust the time.”

Ji Qinghe asked: “Are you afraid of tiring me out?”

The tone of this sentence was a little floaty. Before Shen Qianzhan could fully taste its meaning, he unceremoniously completed the second half of the sentence, which hung in his heart: “Without doing anything else, you won’t get tired.”

Shen Qianzhan scoffed, not responding.

She understood.

On this point, Ji Qinghe was definitely no gentleman; he particularly enjoyed taking verbal advantage of her. However, his jokes were always subtle and sophisticated, never vulgar.

Coupled with his attractive appearance, his dirty talk sounded like flirting.

In public, he appeared refined and detached, serene like a pine forest or cold bamboo. Only Shen Qianzhan knew what kind of alluring male fox would emerge, radiating charm inside and out, once Ji Qinghe was ignited.

Shen Qianzhan escorted Ji Qinghe to the entrance of the inpatient department. After watching him get into the car, she knocked on the passenger side window.

Ming Jue responded by rolling down the window.

Shen Qianzhan tossed a pack of cigarettes into the car, squinting slightly, and said in a negotiating tone: “Give your boss more work, let him out less before New Year, and I’ll give you a big red envelope for New Year.” After speaking, she took a step back, provocatively raising an eyebrow at Ji Qinghe, who was indistinctly visible through the car window in the back seat.

See? You joke with me, and I can joke with you too.

________________________________________

After seeing Ji Qinghe off, Shen Qianzhan returned to the ward to inquire about the situation from her father.

After she left, Dr. Fei had discussed the surgical risks and precautions with her maternal grandfather’s family.

Shen Qianzhan hadn’t done her homework and found her father’s retelling a bit difficult to follow. She turned and saw her mother comforting her maternal grandfather, her heart sinking like well water, not even a ripple stirred by the wind.

On the way home, she was unusually silent.

The varying melodies and accompaniments in the car, sometimes light, sometimes dynamic, only served to highlight the cold, rigid atmosphere among the three of them.

Her father thought she was bothered by Su Zan’s help. He had been pondering all the way and finally broke the silence just before they reached home: “Little Su’s father will thank him for that.”

Shen Qianzhan snapped back to attention, looking at her father through the rearview mirror, and said, “I wasn’t thinking about that.”

She found the music too loud and turned down the volume: “How were your and Mom’s physical exam results before the New Year?”

Her father replied, “Your mom’s blood pressure is a bit high, but everything else is normal.”

Shen Qianzhan hummed, then asked, “Where was your cyst before? Did you follow medical advice and have a re-examination after six months?”

“I’m keeping an eye on it. Your mom and I are in good health; don’t overthink things just because you went to the hospital.” Her father’s words were dismissive, but his eyes showed a hint of a smile: “Your dad didn’t care about the family when he was young, but he had a sudden realization in his old age. He can’t help you much in other aspects, but managing the household has been quite effective these past few years. You can rest assured in Beijing; I’ll definitely take good care of your mom, and she won’t lack any meals.”

Her mother scoffed, immediately refuting: “Not lacking any meals? How many days have you actually managed my meals?”

Her father also argued: “Why didn’t I? It’s because you complained that my cooking wasn’t good.”

Her mother: “Eating fish every meal, who can stand it?”

Shen Qianzhan smiled, not interjecting to mediate.

The car passed through the guard post. As it drove into the underground parking lot, the view momentarily darkened.

The straight beam of warm ginger-colored headlights illuminated the last days before the New Year, making them colorful and vibrant.

________________________________________

Three days before Chinese New Year’s Eve, Qiandeng officially went on holiday.

Shen Qianzhan had no work to attend to, enjoying her time off at home.

In the mornings, she accompanied her mother to the supermarket; in the afternoons, she indulged in movies. Evenings were spent either shopping or being coerced by her father into playing mahjong, losing a small fortune.

This continued for several days, leading up to Chinese New Year’s Eve.

That afternoon, Shen Qianzhan woke up groggily and instinctively scrolled through Weibo—the country was peaceful, the weather favorable, and the little star next door was still spending money to trend on hot searches.

She yawned, disinterested, and switched to WeChat Moments.

Compared to Weibo, WeChat Moments had a stronger New Year’s vibe. Industry colleagues were either diligently preparing for the New Year’s Eve gala or diligently picking their feet, getting ready for the holiday.

Su Lanyi had once again chosen to vacation abroad this year, posting a bikini photo by an infinity pool while reminiscing about drinking iced beer with the heating on in Beijing.

Xiang Qianqian, embroiled in a lawsuit, missed out on the New Year’s Eve gala, posting a photo with her dog waiting for dinner, harmonious and warm.

Lin Qiao’s WeChat Moments, apart from eating, drinking, and having fun, never strayed from her computer. She posted a picture of her computer on a bay window, in active work mode, bitterly complaining that she was still poring over documents on New Year’s Eve.

Su Zan...

Wait a minute?

What was that jerk Su Zan doing?

Shen Qianzhan instinctively sat up and zoomed in on the photo he had just posted on WeChat Moments.

Su Zan was holding a fish as long as his forearm, grinning from ear to ear. But that wasn’t the point; the point was the background in the photo, which was identical to her kitchen.

Damn it!

Was that how her father “thanked” Su Zan two days ago?

She scrambled out of bed and headed to the dining room.

In the dining room, Su Zan was nestled between her parents, happily making dumplings. Seeing Shen Qianzhan, he showed no sign of panic or shortness of breath. He wiped his hands clean and went to get her a gift.

Shen Qianzhan’s questioning gaze turned to her father, silently asking: What’s going on?

Her father understood, calmly continuing to make dumplings while directing her to the kitchen to get a steamer: “Why are you glaring? Arranging for Little Su to work overtime on the third day of Lunar New Year, leaving him alone in Beijing this year, even ordering takeout on New Year’s Eve.”

Shen Qianzhan, completely unaware that Su Zan had to work overtime on the third day of Lunar New Year: “...”

Given Su Zan’s status as the ‘prince’ of Qiandeng, if he wanted to go on vacation abroad, would she dare to schedule him for overtime?

Shen Qianzhan, left speechless, glared furiously at Su Zan, who was trying to bribe her with a gift. The latter trembled, urging her to open it and see if she liked it, then stammered an addition: “Mr. Ji is coming soon too.”

Shen Qianzhan: “...You’re dead, you little traitor.”

Her father saw her rudeness and scolded: “How are you speaking? Is this how I usually teach you?”

“Little Su was invited by me, and Mr. Ji was also invited by me. If you’re angry, take it out on me.” Her father’s face showed a slight flush of anger, as if genuinely upset: “Who spoiled this temper?”

Shen Qianzhan, feeling utterly wronged, said nothing and turned to go back to her room.

Su Zan looked worried: “My fault. I should have asked Sister Zhan before I came. She really seems angry.”

Her mother, who understood her daughter very well, said calmly: “She’s just a paper tiger, all bluster. Do you think I wouldn’t know if she was really angry? She probably went back to put on makeup. She always says her face is the essence of life, and she can’t walk past a mirror without stopping.”

Su Zan: “...” Right.

________________________________________

Shen Qianzhan, whose behavior was predicted accurately, was applying foundation to her face. She woke up this morning, put on a glow-inducing mask, and then indulged in an afternoon nap to rejuvenate, all for the sake of looking beautiful for the New Year and maintaining eternal beauty.

She applied light makeup, from refining her eyebrows and eyes to sculpting her contours, making her features look gentle and radiant.

Thinking that Ji Qinghe was coming soon, Shen Qianzhan felt awkward. She hesitated for almost ten minutes between wearing pajamas or changing clothes, finally putting on a sweater and a long skirt with a sullen expression.

Her self-consciousness was truly relatable.

When Shen Qianzhan came out again, her mother had already started steaming dumplings, and Su Zan was changing shoes at the entrance, preparing to go downstairs.

She asked, “Has Ji Qinghe arrived?”

Su Zan had just slipped on his shoes and nodded: “I’ll go pick up Mr. Ji.”

As a guest, Ji Qinghe was coming.

Shen Qianzhan didn’t put on airs. She grabbed a coat and silently put on her small leather boots: “I’ll go too.”

Inside the elevator, Su Zan pressed the floor button. Seeing that she was in a relatively good mood, he proactively explained: “Uncle enthusiastically invited me.”

Shen Qianzhan glanced at him: “I didn’t know you were staying in Beijing alone this year.” If she had, she and her father would have done the same thing. Shen Qianzhan’s reaction just now was precisely because Su Zan had brought her too many surprises recently, making her subconsciously associate seeing Su Zan with bad things.

“Mr. Ji was also earnestly invited by my father,” Su Zan swore with a raised finger: “If I’m lying, I won’t get a girlfriend next year!”

Shen Qianzhan retorted: “You didn’t get a girlfriend this year either.”

As they spoke, the elevator reached the negative first floor. Ji Qinghe stood at the entrance. The moment the elevator doors slid open, he looked up, his gaze deeply fixed on Shen Qianzhan.

He held gifts in both hands, his head slightly tilted, holding a phone to his ear. The other person must have said something, as a smile bloomed in his eyes, gentle, like a feather lightly brushing her heart.

Su Zan quickly stepped forward to help carry some gifts.

Ji Qinghe freed a hand, took the phone, and said in a low, deep voice, “Then, that’s it for now?”

Shen Qianzhan nodded at him as a greeting.

The elevator whistled upwards. He intermittently smiled and conversed gently. It wasn’t until the elevator reached the twenty-seventh floor that he spoke up to interrupt: “I have to hang up now.”

Shen Qianzhan couldn’t control her eyes and glanced at him curiously. Noticing her gaze, Ji Qinghe unhurriedly added: “Ji Lin, want to say hello to Auntie Spiderweb?”

Shen Qianzhan’s curiosity immediately shattered. She looked at Ji Qinghe with a face full of resistance, practically wanting to engrave “No, I don’t want to” on her forehead.

That child from the Ji family was simply her life’s nightmare.

She opened the door, stepping aside to let Su Zan enter first. She then lagged a step behind, waiting for Ji Qinghe to finish his call and getting him slippers.

The inviting aroma of food, prepared to welcome guests, wafted out from the crack in the door. Shen Qianzhan waited for Ji Qinghe to change his shoes, then entered the house with him.

Her parents put down their cutlery to welcome the guests first. Ji Qinghe had met them at the hospital, so they weren’t strangers upon meeting again. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Shen Qianzhan was in charge of entertaining the guest, while her parents returned to the kitchen to continue preparing the feast.

Shen Qianzhan’s small den had not been entered by anyone other than herself for many years. She recalled the routine, perfunctorily leading Ji Qinghe to familiarize himself with the house layout. Perhaps her greeting posture wasn’t sufficient; as Ji Qinghe passed the balcony, he took her wrist, which was reaching to turn on the overhead light: “No need to turn on the lights. I’m not here to look at the house anyway.”

His palm was warm, and when he held her wrist, it pressed down on her watch strap buckle, causing a sharp pain in her wrist bone.

She winced, pulled free from his grasp, and took two steps back to close the window.

The weather today wasn’t great; the upper floors were windy, making it feel cold and constricted.

“I haven’t brought anyone home before, so I’m not very good at entertaining,” she said as she closed the window, gesturing for him to return to the living room: “Do you want to sit on the sofa for a bit?”

Ji Qinghe neither confirmed nor denied, following her back to the living room.

Su Zan had brought out a tea set and was brewing tea. Seeing Shen Qianzhan leading Ji Qinghe back, he tactfully moved to the single sofa: “Mr. Ji probably hasn’t spent many New Year’s Eves outside, has he?”

“On the contrary,” Ji Qinghe had recently taken a liking to Su Zan, which also made his attitude towards him much friendlier: “The Ji family’s New Year’s spirit is faint; it’s the same no matter where we celebrate.” He seemed to find a suitable opportunity and made a very formal greeting: “I hope I haven’t bothered you too much?”

“No,” Shen Qianzhan gave him a half-smile: “The first funds haven’t arrived yet, so how dare I say you’re bothering me?”

The teapot water boiled. She knelt on a soft cushion, brewing and pouring tea: “I haven’t thanked you yet for introducing the doctor to my grandfather last time. Today’s a good chance to return the favor, so I don’t have to keep thinking about it.”

A stray strand of hair fell across her temple, and she casually tucked it behind her ear. As she pushed the teacup towards him, she looked up and asked, “What did that kid tell you afterward?”

Shen Qianzhan’s topic jumped too quickly, but Ji Qinghe deduced from the words “that kid” that she was asking about Ji Lin.

He rubbed the rim of the cup, his gaze lingering on her naturally red lips for a moment, and said, “I apologize to you on Ji Lin’s behalf.”

Although Shen Qianzhan didn’t have a good impression of Ji Lin, it was for good reason, and she had never blamed Ji Lin. She completely misunderstood where his apology on behalf of someone else came from: “Children’s words are innocent; I didn’t take it to heart. Your apology, on the contrary, makes me seem petty, quibbling with a child.”

Ji Qinghe’s eyes lowered slightly, his gaze fixed on her face, and he smirked: “That’s what he said in the end.”

Shen Qianzhan was puzzled: “What did he say?”

Ji Qinghe: “Ji Lin said he misjudged people back then and offended his ‘little auntie,’ asking me to apologize on his behalf. He also said that if there’s ever an opportunity, whether you want his Transformers or Marvel heroes, he’s willing to compensate you.”

Shen Qianzhan felt her headache starting again: “Where did this ‘empty nest’ rumor come from?”

Ji Qinghe’s long fingers stroked his chin, and he vaguely asked, “Empty nest? I clearly remember it was full.”