“Qin,” Li Sangyue stood up, still not quite used to calling her by her first name.
“Oh? Isn’t this the young lady who came to our house the other day?” Grandma had a sharp memory and recognized her instantly.
Bajiao ran out and then back again. Curious about Qin Nian, the cat began circling her trouser legs. Qin Nian froze, paralyzed with fear, and cast a pleading look toward Li Sangyue. She was genuinely terrified.
Li Sangyue quickly shooed Bajiao away and invited Qin Nian into the courtyard, bringing over a chair for her to sit on. Qin Nian looked down at the chair, suppressing the urge to pull out a disinfectant wipe. It was not that the chair was dirty; it was simply her germaphobia. The last time she visited Li Sangyue’s home, she had wiped down the sofa before sitting.
“Did you drive here alone? Do you have business in the village? Have you eaten? If not, have a bite with us. My grandma just made beef shen. It is very fragrant and a specialty here in Taining. It is hard to find elsewhere.”
The whole table looked at Qin Nian with curiosity. The mischievous Bajiao approached again, gravitating toward the person who seemed most afraid of him. As soon as Li Ningjun saw Qin Nian’s face, her pupils constricted sharply. Her gaze turned dangerous in an instant, and she slowly set down her chopsticks.
“I drove over directly this morning,” Qin Nian hesitated for a moment before continuing, “I have not had lunch yet.” Despite being scrutinized by everyone, she remained composed.
“That is perfect then; you will eat with us.” Li Sangyue went inside to get some utensils.
Grandma chatted with Qin Nian enthusiastically. She had felt it was a pity they could not keep her for a meal last time. “Are you and Xiaoyue very close? A few days ago, Xiaoyue’s eldest aunt came by and said she saw you two at the neighborhood entrance. She thought you were Xiaoyue’s friend, though Xiaoyue later denied it. Did you come specifically to see Xiaoyue today? What is your name? What is your zodiac sign? It was so rushed last time; I did not get a chance to chat. I remember there were several of you, all on motorcycles.”
Elderly people enjoy a lively house and love to pepper guests with questions. Without a hint of impatience, Qin Nian replied with a smile, “Grandma, my name is Qin Nian. I was born in the Year of the Dragon. I am thirty-six this year.”
Since her birthday fell at the very start of the New Year, her zodiac sign was the Dragon. She had to return to Shanghai tonight. Because she could not stop worrying about Li Sangyue, she wanted to come see her. Additionally, she wanted to see Taiyang. Over the past few days, she had been trying to find topics to chat about on WeChat, hoping to learn as much as possible about the mother and daughter’s life over the years. Whenever she tried to ask about Taiyang’s other mother, Li Sangyue became very defensive and refused to elaborate.
Grandma was surprised. “I really could not tell. I thought you were only twenty-seven or twenty-eight.”
“Grandma, nowadays anyone who is not married and has not had kids looks young,” Tuanjie interjected while eating.
Lin Yin disagreed. “Not necessarily. Some people are just born looking young. Look at Auntie; she looks thirty at most.”
The topic shifted to Li Ningjun. She would be fifty next year, yet it did not show at all.
“Exactly. I feel so guilty calling her Auntie, but calling her Sister would mess up the seniority.” Villagers often said Li Ningjun and Sangyue did not look like mother and daughter but like sisters. Li Ningjun looked young, and Sangyue did not look twenty-five; she looked eighteen.
“Was it you who bought five thousand pounds of cherries in our livestream?” Tuanjie asked Qin Nian. Five thousand pounds was no small amount.
“It was me. Your cherries are large and sweet. My colleagues at the office all asked for the link.” This was something Fan Rou had told her later.
Tuanjie slapped her thigh. “We have group-buy prices! You could have saved a lot.”
“Sangyue told me as well.” Qin Nian had actually wanted to give Li Sangyue money directly but worried she would not accept it or might misunderstand her intentions. Of course, she did have her own motives. Tuanjie stared at her for a long time before falling silent. Well, the lady was clearly wealthy; she did not need to save a few pennies.
Qin Nian did not explain. Her focus was entirely on Li Sangyue. Seeing that Li Sangyue had not come out of the house for a while, she kept glancing in that direction, wondering if she would get a chance to speak with her privately today. Taiyang did not seem to be home either. Is she eating at school for lunch? It was quite a distance from the village to the county town; Li Sangyue probably would not pick up the child until the afternoon.
Li Sangyue grabbed clean utensils and turned around, nearly colliding with her mother who had followed her in.
“Mom?” Her mother’s expression seemed off.
Li Ningjun pulled her into the room. “Who is that person?”
“Huh?” Li Sangyue was confused.
“The one outside.”
“The person who bought five thousand pounds of cherries. Her surname is Qin.” She had told her mother about this earlier. “Mom, what is wrong?” She felt worried.
Li Ningjun knew her daughter well and could tell she was not lying; Sangyue really had not known this Qin Nian before. “Do you not find her familiar?” At first glance, Li Ningjun felt that Taiyang looked remarkably like Qin Nian.
Li Sangyue thought for a moment. “She does look a bit familiar, but I cannot remember where I have seen her.” She did not dare tell her mother she had experienced a suggestive dream where the Alpha pheromones smelled just like Qin Nian’s. She was shy and could not bring herself to say it. Besides, if her mother knew, she would only worry more. Her pheromones were already unstable enough; she did not want to complicate things. Furthermore, she knew nothing about Qin Nian, and saying such things could lead to misunderstandings.
Li Ningjun was more than happy that she did not remember. “If you cannot remember, then forget it. Why did she come today? Just showing up out of the blue.” Hopefully, it was just a coincidence. If Qin Nian was the person who had violated Sangyue back then, she would surely tear her to pieces.
Li Sangyue did not know either. “Just for a visit, I guess,” she speculated.
Li Ningjun remained uneasy and warned her daughter, “She is an Alpha. Do not get too close to her, especially during this period.”
“I know, Mom. I will be careful.” She was well aware of her physical condition; her heat cycle would be dangerous. Li Ningjun said no more, and the two walked back out together.
Bajiao had discovered that Qin Nian was afraid of him, so he purposefully rubbed against her legs. If Li Sangyue had not come out when she did, Qin Nian would not have been able to stay seated.
“Bajiao, go play somewhere else. Do not be a nuisance.” Li Sangyue shooed the cat away again.
The fat cat finally stopped circling her, and Qin Nian breathed a sigh of relief. “Is his name Bajiao?”
“Yes. Bajiao was born to a local stray. He was the only one to survive the harsh winter, so my grandma brought him home. She named him too. He has been with us for seven years, the same age as my daughter. My daughter is best friends with him.”
She served Qin Nian a bowl of beef shen. She did not know if Qin Nian would like it, but since she was here, she might as well try. Homemade food used generous, fresh ingredients; a bowl like this would not be cheap at a restaurant. Qin Nian took a bite and liked it. She was quite open-minded about food, and because the utensils were brought by Li Sangyue, her germaphobia was slightly eased.
“Taiyang likes cats?” Perhaps she could try to overcome her internal fear.
“She does. She loves cats and dogs, but our house is small, so we do not have room for many.” Actually, they could have built a doghouse in the corner of the yard. Taiyang had asked for a puppy many times. Li Sangyue had taken her to see litters, but Taiyang had not taken a fancy to any. She wanted a rural Pastoral Dog, saying her classmate’s little yellow dog was smart and affectionate. Those dogs were rare in Taining. Her classmate’s dog had been bought from Guangxi. When she inquired, they told her that all the puppies for this year had already been reserved.
Talking about these things, Li Sangyue could not stop herself. She realized she was rambling about domestic trifles and stopped abruptly, worried Qin Nian would not be interested. Qin Nian wanted to ask more, but seeing that Li Sangyue had stopped and everyone was looking, she held back.
“Miss Qin is not a local?” Li Ningjun had finished eating and was staring at Qin Nian with an unfriendly gaze.
“I am from Shanghai.” She knew this was Li Sangyue’s mother.
“Is this your first time in Taining, or have you been here before?”
Qin Nian sensed something. She replied honestly, “I was here once, seven years ago.” Li Sangyue’s mother had likely noticed something. If she chose to deny it now, she might never have the chance to be near Li Sangyue and Taiyang again. Although what happened seven years ago was not intentional, it was still her fault. She could not deny it.
Li Ningjun suddenly clenched her fists; her teeth gritted so hard they nearly shattered. She wanted to throw a punch right then and there. Back then, she had broken the nose of the club owner, but even then, she could not get a name.
“You have been to Taining before?” Li Sangyue was still oblivious to the gravity of the situation.
Qin Nian immediately said, “Yes, I have. And I expect I will be coming here often in the future.”
“Traveling back and forth must be exhausting.” Li Sangyue assumed it was for work.
“With someone here worth the trip, it does not feel exhausting at all.” Using a clean pair of chopsticks, Qin Nian picked up some cold salad from a distant plate and placed it in Li Sangyue’s empty bowl. She had noticed that Li Sangyue loved the cucumbers and peanuts in the salad.
“Oh, does Xiao Qin have a partner?” Grandma asked. The two elderly women had failing eyesight; they had not even noticed the resemblance between their great-granddaughter and Qin Nian.
“Not a partner yet.” Qin Nian smiled, her eyes fixed on Li Sangyue.
Li Ningjun could not listen to any more. She could not explode and accuse Qin Nian of being the one who hurt Sangyue here. People had finally stopped talking about that incident, and she would not let those ugly words reach Sangyue’s ears again.
“If not a partner, then someone you like,” Grandma assumed.
“You could say that.” Putting the past aside, she did have feelings for Li Sangyue.
Li Sangyue was not surprised that Qin Nian had someone in mind. Qin Nian was beautiful and clearly well-off; she must have many suitors. At thirty-six, it was normal to have a preference. In the village, people Qin Nian’s age already had children in middle school.
Grandma asked, “Only starting to date now? Does your family not pressure you?” In the village, a woman over twenty-five was considered an old maid and faced daily nagging.
“They do, but they respect me. I did not want to marry so early.”
“Thirty-six is not young anymore. It is time.”
“Grandma, that is her business. Do not worry about it.” Li Sangyue knew not everyone enjoyed her grandma’s lecturing.
“Fine, fine, I will not say it,” Grandma agreed with a laugh. She turned to Qin Nian. “I know you young people do not like hearing this. Do not mind an old woman’s rambling, Xiao Qin. Come visit often. We have plenty of food. Next time, I will have Xiaoyue’s mom catch some big fish from the river for a stew. It is delicious.”
Qin Nian enjoyed the lively atmosphere. “Then I will not be polite, Grandma.”
“No need for politeness! Come whenever you like.”
Knowing her grandmother would not stop once she got started, Li Sangyue finished her meal quickly and pulled Qin Nian out to pick peaches. Qin Nian said she wanted to pick a few boxes of fresh yellow peaches and flat peaches to take back to Shanghai. Conveniently, Li Sangyue’s trees were ripe. She had planned to pick them for sale anyway. These were early-ripening varieties: large, thin-skinned, and sweet. She picked only the best.
Li Ningjun followed them up the hill. Midway, she made an excuse to send Li Sangyue to the other side of the slope. Once she was sure Sangyue was out of earshot, she turned and grabbed Qin Nian by the collar, her fist already raised. “Was it you who violated my daughter at the Boyue Club seven years ago?” Her fist was barely two inches from Qin Nian’s face.
Qin Nian had practiced free sparring and considered herself decent, but her instinctive attempt to block was easily dismantled by Li Sangyue’s mother. She was pinned, unable to move. She was certain that if she struggled, the woman would snap her neck. She could not lie or make excuses. The only way forward was to tell the truth and beg for forgiveness.
“It was me who marked Sangyue. I was in my rut, and I mistook her for a worker at the club. I am sorry. This is my fault, and I take full responsibility. Please believe me, I never intended to hurt her. I only found out the truth and learned about Taiyang’s existence a few days ago. I want to do everything I can to make it up to Sangyue and Taiyang.”
Li Ningjun was not interested in excuses. She looked ready to kill. “Bullshit! You are a criminal. You have two choices for redemption: either you die by my hand, or you rot in prison.”
Qin Nian quietly gathered her strength. “Auntie, please calm down.” What did Sangyue’s mother do for a living? Her strength was incredible; she was clearly trained. Yet the background check had not mentioned Li Ningjun having such skills.
A sound came from the path; Li Sangyue was returning. “If you do not want to die, stay away from my daughter,” Li Ningjun hissed before letting go. By the time Li Sangyue arrived with a half-basket of large yellow peaches, the two had resumed their normal composure.
The packing boxes were in the small warehouse. Li Sangyue offered both regular and gift boxes; she used the gift boxes for Qin Nian. The trunk was packed full, and two more boxes were placed in the backseat. Grandma also packed two large watermelons and several melons in bags for Qin Nian to take. If the blueberries had been ripe, Grandma surely would have picked a bucket of those too.
When Qin Nian tried to pay, Li Sangyue refused. “Last time was business; this time is a personal visit. It is a gift. Do not mention money.”
Qin Nian smiled and tapped away on her phone. A moment later, Li Sangyue’s phone vibrated.
“Alipay received: 10,000 Yuan.”
“Wait, you,” Li Sangyue immediately tried to send it back.
Qin Nian held her hand down. “Keep it. I will be angry if you return it.”
“Ten thousand is too much! These fruits and boxes are not worth that much. I cannot take this.”
“I think they are worth it. That is enough; no returns.” Qin Nian got into her car.
Li Sangyue looked at her helplessly. “Is your money burning a hole in your pocket? Giving it away for nothing.”
Adding a few more zeros would not be enough to compensate for my mistake, Qin Nian thought silently.
“I will head out then. I will come see you again next time.” If she did not leave now, she feared she would not be able to bring herself to go.
Li Sangyue waved. “You are welcome anytime. Drive safely; the road out of the village is a bit rough.”
She had made a new friend.