It was almost dawn when Shang Luo got tired and fell asleep in the car. The car audio was off, and the inside was very quiet. No one spoke.
Shang Huaizhou drove slowly.
Jiang Li held a few cute animal figurines in her arms. Her slender fingers lightly tapped the head of a small dog from time to time. Her gaze was fixed outside the car, though it was unclear what she was looking at.
At a red light, Shang Huaizhou’s side glance fell on her face. The warm yellow streetlight from outside the window spilled across her soft features, even the fine baby hairs on her cheeks were clearly visible, making it hard not to look at her twice.
He had always found it strange—she had been fair and soft since she was a child, and as she grew up, her skin only became even more delicate.
It was as if she had been raised in milk—smooth, fair, and soft. How exactly had she been taken care of like that?
Jiang Li rested her chin on her right hand, watching the crowd on the street outside. Even though it was already past midnight, the Qixi Festival atmosphere was still lively.
Her slender fingers didn’t stay still either—she tapped the ceramic kitten’s ears, then gently touched its round little face, playing happily.
Shang Huaizhou’s mood also improved slightly. “That happy?”
Of course she was happy. Tonight had been very rewarding.
But then she thought about how several years of her savings had been spent by Shang Huaizhou, and she felt a little heartache again.
Jiang Li quietly took a breath and still politely smiled. “Of course. First, I should thank Mr. Shang for taking time out of his busy schedule to accompany us shopping.”
Although part of it was due to Grandpa Shang’s pressure, Shang Huaizhou had still spent several hours with them and even carried bags the entire time. That was rare.
Shang Huaizhou looked at her faint smile for a few seconds but didn’t respond. When the light turned green, he looked away and continued driving.
Jiang Li turned back to look out the window. There wasn’t much to talk about between them.
Nearly two hours later, the car slowly entered the Shang family residence.
After parking, Shang Luo was still asleep in the back seat. Jiang Li gently called her twice.
Shang Luo slowly woke up, rubbed her eyes, and shook her slightly dizzy head before half-asleep walking back to her own courtyard.
Jiang Li got out of the car and went to the trunk. Just as she reached up to open it, Shang Huaizhou’s long arm stretched over hers.
“I’ll do it,” he said.
Jiang Li didn’t refuse. She couldn’t carry all those bags alone anyway, especially the ones Shang Huaizhou had bought impulsively.
She stepped aside, took her small bag, and picked out a few lighter ones to carry.
Grandpa Shang heard movement in the courtyard and looked out from the floor-to-ceiling window. He saw the two of them getting out of the car together, with Shang Huaizhou carrying bags of different sizes.
The two walked one after another into the house, occasionally exchanging a few words. No matter how he looked at it, it seemed harmonious.
The people involved were unaware, but those inside the house could see it clearly.
Grandpa Shang smiled in satisfaction and said to Old Zhang, “See? I told you. These two kids clearly have something going on. Look at them walking together—how well matched they are.”
In a good mood, he continued proudly, “That old Jiang even said the girl isn’t interested in dating. Look at them—obviously a couple in love.”
Old Zhang watched for a long time but still couldn’t see where the “in love” part was.
Clearly, Jiang Li and Shang Huaizhou kept a polite distance, with not much interaction between them.
Grandpa Shang, however, was very confident. Hearing the sound of the password being entered, he straightened his clothes and sat properly on the sofa, pretending to watch TV attentively.
Shang Huaizhou entered the password, opened the door, and let Jiang Li go in first.
The living room was brightly lit. Grandpa Shang and Old Zhang were still awake.
Grandpa Shang heard the sound of the door opening and turned to look over.
Shang Huaizhou took a brand-new pair of women’s cotton slippers from the top shoe cabinet and placed them in front of Jiang Li.
After changing into the slippers, Jiang Li walked through the entrance and into the living room. She did not expect Grandpa Shang to still be awake at this hour. Sitting beside him, she asked, “Grandpa Shang, why are you still awake so late?”
Grandpa Shang coughed lightly. “When you get old, you sleep later.”
Shang Huaizhou slowly walked into the living room with his long strides and lazily lifted his eyelids. “Isn’t the normal symptom of menopause sleeping early and waking early?”
“……”
Grandpa Shang almost lost his breath from anger. No doubt, if anything happened to him one day, it would definitely be because Shang Huaizhou angered him to death.
Jiang Li knew this was not the right situation to laugh, but she truly did not expect that even after so many years, Grandpa Shang and Shang Huaizhou still argued like this.
During dinner earlier, they had already traded sarcastic remarks several times, and she had struggled very hard not to laugh then too.
Jiang Li took out an embroidered sachet from one of her bags. “Grandpa Shang, this is for you. It helps with sleep.”
Then she handed another one to Old Zhang beside him. “Grandpa Zhang, this one is for you too.”
Old Zhang happily accepted it and thanked her.
Grandpa Shang looked at the delicate sachet in his hand, delighted. Then he glared at Shang Huaizhou and said, “Our Jiang Jiang is thoughtful. Unlike some people who were born with mouths that can’t speak properly. If you can’t talk nicely, then talk less. No one will think you’re mute!”
“……”
Shang Huaizhou glanced at the sachet in Grandpa Shang’s hand but said nothing. He simply walked upstairs with his usual elegant steps.
Grandpa Shang pointed at Shang Huaizhou’s tall back. “Ignore him. Such a terrible attitude! In the future, you should manage him more and stop him from becoming even more arrogant!”
Jiang Li understood the first half and completely agreed—terrible attitude indeed.
But the second half confused her.
What did he mean by “in the future, you should manage him more”?
It sounded strangely wrong, as if she and Shang Huaizhou had some special relationship.
While Jiang Li was still thinking about those words, Grandpa Shang waved for one of the housemaids to bring her upstairs to rest.
The maid brought Jiang Li to the room she had stayed in years ago when she lived with the Shang family. It had barely changed. Even her old belongings were still there.
Her study desk was still against the wall, and her middle school review books and comic books still sat on the shelves.
It was as if she had never left all these years and had always lived there.
But at the same time, it was also different.
There were now many additional items in the room—men’s things. On her small bookshelf were also many business and finance books.
There were even several shopping bags by the wall. Jiang Li recognized them immediately—they were the antiques Shang Huaizhou had bought tonight.
The maid smiled lightly. “Young Master Huaizhou has been using this room these past few years. The old master was worried you wouldn’t be comfortable in another room, so he still arranged this one for you.”
Then she added politely, “The bedsheets were prepared according to the colors you liked before. Please see if there’s anything else you need.”
Jiang Li liked simple, plain colors. Even after so many years, Aunt Luo still remembered her preference. It warmed her heart.
“Everything is perfect. Nothing’s missing. Thank you, Aunt Luo.”
After chatting briefly with her, the maid left.
Jiang Li knew Shang Huaizhou’s room was next door. Back then, Grandpa Shang had arranged for her to stay in this room so she could easily ask Shang Huaizhou questions whenever she struggled with schoolwork.
And it really had been convenient.
During the three years she lived there, whenever she encountered a problem she could not solve, she would take her textbook to him. Their balconies were connected, so she could directly walk from her balcony into his room without wasting time.
The weather in Beijing had been very nice lately. Even after midnight, a curved moon could still be seen near the eastern horizon, as if it had just risen. The sight was beautiful and calming.
Jiang Li stepped onto the balcony and used her phone to take a picture of the moon. The hazy effect turned out very nice.
Feeling satisfied, she turned to go back inside when her eyes accidentally swept toward the neighboring balcony.
Shang Huaizhou had appeared there at some point.
He had already showered and was wearing a dark blue robe. His hair wasn’t fully dry, and the styled hair from earlier had fallen naturally over his forehead, forming casual-looking bangs.
His long arms rested on the railing as he looked into the distance.
Just as Jiang Li looked over, Shang Huaizhou turned to look at her too.
Jiang Li put away her phone and greeted him naturally with a nod. “Aunt Luo said this room has been yours these past few years. Sorry for taking over your space.”
An apology was necessary. Shang Huaizhou disliked people touching his belongings, much less staying in his room.
“Mm,” he replied.
“……”
Jiang Li had not felt awkward at first, but that simple “mm” instantly made everything uncomfortable.
She pointed behind herself awkwardly. “I’ll go back inside first.”
“Mm.”
Jiang Li quietly let out a breath and politely said, “Good night.”
Back in the room, Jiang Li took out pajamas, underwear, and toiletries from her suitcase.
After washing up, she still felt completely awake. She took out all the little ornaments from her bags.
She arranged them neatly across the table. In less than ten minutes, the small round table was completely filled.
Shang Huaizhou walked in from the balcony side and, through the glass door, saw Jiang Li sitting on the fluffy carpet with her back facing him.
The small table in front of her was covered with ornaments.
She rested one hand under her chin, looking very focused.
After thinking for a few seconds, she picked up her phone and took pictures of the decorations one by one. After taking photos, she lowered her head again and quickly typed something on her phone.
Over and over again.
Shang Huaizhou became curious about what she was doing. He pushed the door open and walked inside.
Jiang Li was concentrating so deeply that she did not notice him entering.
He did not speak immediately. Instead, he bent slightly behind her tall figure and watched for a while, though he still could not figure it out.
After a moment, he finally asked, “What are you doing?”
Jiang Li jumped slightly at the sound and turned around. Seeing that it was Shang Huaizhou, she relaxed again.
“I’m naming them,” she replied.
Naming them?
She was giving names to a pile of decorations?
That was certainly unusual.
Shang Huai Zhou watched Jiang Li working with interest.
Jiang Li picked out several groups of small ornaments. Each group looked like a “family,” complete with houses, pets, chickens, ducks, cows, sheep, and even fences. Everything was neatly arranged.
It really looked like something real.
Shang Huai Zhou found it a bit strange. He had been following her all night—when did she manage to pick so many things? He didn’t even notice.
Looking closely, each ornament had its own unique detail, but they were still similar in style. Jiang Li had taken these scattered items and turned them into little families. Somehow, it gave Shang Huai Zhou a warm feeling inside.
He asked, “Do you need help?”
A hint of surprise flashed in Jiang Li’s gentle eyes. Then she shook her head. “No, I’m done organizing.”
Being interrupted like that made her lose her inspiration. She couldn’t think of names anymore, so she decided to continue later when she returned to Diannan.
Shang Huai Zhou had long noticed that Jiang Li liked fluffy pets. In her “little families,” each group even had a cat.
He reached out to pick up the nearest white ceramic cat.
But before his hand could touch it, Jiang Li suddenly bent down and wrapped both of her fair, slender arms around the ornaments like an eagle protecting its food. She turned to look at him and said, “Don’t touch them. I finally got them properly ‘returning to their roots’ as a family.”
“Return to their roots?” Shang Huai Zhou repeated word by word. This phrase sounded unusual in this context.
“Mm-hm~” Jiang Li hummed in response.
Before he could fully process what she meant, he saw her carefully selecting items from the pile with great seriousness.
He roughly understood what she meant, but still asked, “What’s the difference? They all look the same. As long as you don’t mix up gender and age, isn’t it fine?”
“There’s a huge difference!” Jiang Li already knew he wouldn’t understand.
She picked up a little yellow duck and showed him. “Look, the baby duck has a small red heart on its left wing, and the mother duck also has one in the same place. I specifically chose them based on matching details and color patterns.”
Shang Huai Zhou’s gaze followed her fingertip. There really was a tiny red heart—so small it could only be seen if you looked carefully.
To think she could notice something like that—and even turn it into a whole system of “families”—a faint warmth appeared in Shang Huai Zhou’s dark eyes.
Jiang Li then picked up a child figurine and compared it with a mother figurine, pointing out their similarities.
Looking closely, they really did resemble each other.
What others might see as just minor design details, Shang Huai Zhou, listening to her soft explanation, suddenly imagined a complete “home” in his mind. The curve of his lips deepened slightly as he looked at her.
They were very close. Shang Huai Zhou was slightly bent over, while Jiang Li had turned toward him as she spoke.
Her voice was soft and gentle, with a slightly sweet Jiangnan accent. It felt like a light feather brushing his heart again and again.
Her curled eyelashes looked like small fans. Her slightly moving lips were clearly reflected in his dark eyes. Her breath and faint fragrance mixed in the air between them, along with a light floral scent.
Shang Huai Zhou’s body slowly tensed. His eyes darkened, no longer as cold as before. He looked away from her face, stood up, his throat moving slightly as he swallowed, then walked around the small table and sat on the sofa in front of her, trying to suppress the emotions he could barely control.
Jiang Li finished naming the ornaments, took photos, and began packing them into boxes.
Then she looked up and asked, “Do you need something? It’s already so late.”
Shang Huai Zhou lowered his head, unlocking his phone. “Jiang Jiang, give me your private WeChat.”
Jiang Li looked at him in surprise—why was he calling her “Jiang Jiang” again?
Before she could answer, Shang Huai Zhou happened to look up, and their eyes met.
After a brief pause, he let out a soft “hmph” and said, “If you don’t want to, forget it.”
“I’ll give it to you.” Jiang Li replied immediately. It wasn’t a big deal anyway.