“Xiao Zhi, you’ve arrived.” Grandpa Xu lay on the rocking chair on the balcony, smiling and waving at Shi Zhi. “Come here, let Grandpa have a look at you.”
Shi Zhi walked over and knelt before the old man, a smile blooming on his face. “Grandpa, I’ve come to see you.”
“Good, good.” Grandpa Xu took Shi Zhi’s hand and looked him up and down, frowning. “Why have you lost so much weight? Have you not been eating properly?” Turning his head, he instructed Xu Yining, who had followed them inside: “Xiao Zhi needs a quiet environment for his painting; don’t bother him for no reason. If you’re too busy with the company to take care of him, hire a maid for him. He needs to eat three meals a day on time.”
Xu Yining sat on a nearby chair and listened to the lecture seriously. “I know, Grandpa. I know you dote on him; how would I dare not take good care of him? It’s just that once he gets busy with work, he loses track of time. His days and nights are always inverted, and he doesn’t listen when I tell him.” Having said that, he gave Shi Zhi an affectionate look, acting as if he were at his wit’s end with him.
“It must be that you aren’t paying enough attention,” Grandpa Xu disagreed. He looked at his seated grandson and then at the kneeling Shi Zhi, sighing. “Don’t you know to get a stool for Xiao Zhi? Can’t you see he’s uncomfortable kneeling? You’re only concerned with your own comfort.”
Xu Yining let out a laugh, not taking it to heart. He joked: “Clearly, he’s the one who wanted to be close to you, yet it ends up being my fault. It seems he’s the one who’s your real grandson.”
Grandpa Xu glared at Xu Yining and stroked Shi Zhi’s hair. “Xiao Zhi, sit down and talk with me.”
“It’s okay, Grandpa, I’m not tired.” Shi Zhi tilted his head up and said playfully, “I can see you more clearly this way.”
Xu Yining smiled and said to Shi Zhi, “Wifey, you should sit down, otherwise Grandpa will say I’m bullying you.”
Shi Zhi ignored Xu Yining and asked Grandpa Xu about his health: “Grandpa, how have you been lately? Do your legs still hurt? The weather has been nice lately; how about I take you to stay at Xizhu for a few days?”
Xizhu was the small building Shi Zhi’s parents had left him, located in the suburbs of An City. It was by a lake and was very suitable for spring outings and recuperation.
Grandpa Xu had injured his legs during hard labor when he was young. Now that he was older, besides his weak heart, his legs were also failing him; he had been in the nursing home since last year.
When Shi Zhi and Xu Yining first got together, Xu Yining hadn’t come out to his family yet; only Grandpa Xu knew about their relationship. The two had taken Grandpa Xu to Xizhu during the summer break of their junior year, and the old man had loved it there.
Shi Zhi had deep feelings for this open-minded and kind old man. If there was any regret or reluctance in breaking up with Xu Yining, it was Grandpa Xu, who had given him the warmth of a family. The old man’s health was poor; it was evident he was forcing himself to hold on. In the little time he had left, Shi Zhi wanted to take him to the places he loved.
“I won’t trouble you,” Grandpa Xu said, knowing his own condition. He didn’t want to place too much emotional burden on the younger generation. Looking at Shi Zhi, he said, “It’s quite good here; someone takes care of my food and drink, and if I’m bored, the staff talks to me. I lack for nothing now; my only regret is that I won’t be able to see you two get married.”
“Grandpa, you’ll live to a hundred,” Shi Zhi said, lowering his head so the old man wouldn’t see the emotion on his face.
Grandpa Xu shook his head, indifferent. “Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the norm. I’ve already enjoyed many things I shouldn’t have enjoyed; I have no more regrets. These past few days, I always dream of your grandmother. She says she’s a bit lonely.”
“Grandpa…”
“Grandpa called you here today for no other reason than to see you. I wouldn’t be at peace if I didn’t get a good look at you.”
But seeing you, I’m even less at peace.
Grandpa Xu sighed, stroking Shi Zhi’s hair. “Xiao Zhi, if Yining does something wrong to you… you… just humor him (ràng ràng tā), he…”
Grandpa Xu didn’t continue; he knew that, in the end, he was being selfish and biased.
Xu Yining, who hadn’t said much, took on a dejected expression. His lips moved as he whispered, “Grandpa…”
“Forget it, you two go back.” Grandpa Xu didn’t look at either of them again. He gazed at the spring colors outside the window and said softly, “It’s the right season now; you should go out more. There’s no need to come back for a while.”
Just after they left the room, Xu Yining’s phone rang. Seeing the message, his expression shifted several times. He made an excuse to leave Shi Zhi and went outside to make a call.
Shi Zhi stood in the courtyard, staring blankly at the winter jasmine that had just begun to sprout.
“I have something to say to you,” Wang Suzhen’s voice came from behind him.
Shi Zhi turned. “Auntie.”
Wang Suzhen looked at Shi Zhi with a complex gaze, her voice devoid of any warmth. “There’s a problem with the investment the company has been negotiating recently. Provide another ten million.”
Shi Zhi froze upon hearing this, not reacting immediately to the other party’s “matter-of-fact” tone.
Seeing Shi Zhi’s dazed look, Wang Suzhen assumed he didn’t want to provide the money. Instantly, her anger rose, and suppressing her inward loathing, she said, “It’s just for an emergency, it’s not like we won’t pay you back. Besides, you and Yining are about to get married. Once married, we’re one family. If the company gets better, won’t you benefit as well?”
Shi Zhi was utterly speechless. Leave aside the fact that he and Xu Yining weren’t getting married—even if there were no problems in their relationship, he didn’t have ten million right now.
“I don’t have it.”
“What?” As if not expecting Shi Zhi to refuse, Wang Suzhen froze for a moment. She quickly reacted to what he had said and spoke dismissively: “How could you not have it? Your parents left so many paintings and calligraphies; just selling a few would be enough.”
The other party was an elder, so Shi Zhi explained patiently: “Those works are in a trust; I can’t take them out until the time is right. Furthermore, they are my parents’ mementos; I can’t possibly sell them for money.”
“So many particulars… the people are already dead, why keep those things?” Wang Suzhen pursed her lips. “Your parents were really something too; if they were giving things to you, why set so many restrictions. Dead people trying to manage the affairs of the living…”
“Auntie!” Shi Zhi interrupted her, his voice carrying a rare trace of emotion. “I respect you as an elder; you can speak about me and I will bear it. But please do not speak of my parents that way. They owe you nothing. I cannot provide ten million, and I will not provide it. Find another way.”
Wang Suzhen had managed the company for years and was used to being in a position of authority. She hadn’t expected to be shamed by a junior—and the junior who had “led her precious son astray” to boot. With “old and new grudges” overlapping, she turned into a rage of embarrassment.
She lashed out indiscriminately: “To speak to me like that… truly uneducated! Yining provides you with good food and drink; you eat ours and use ours, and now when we just ask you to sell two items from dead people for an emergency, you dare to pull a face at me. Truly, ‘born but not raised.’ Leading Yining down a crooked path… it’s a waste that he stands up for you so much!”
Shi Zhi suddenly felt that some forms of persistence held no meaning. Everyone has their own weaknesses and non-negotiables. Shi Zhi could care for Xu Yining’s past kindness and Grandpa Xu’s health, agreeing to give Xu Yining time and not rushing to reveal the truth to his family—but Shi Zhi could not remain silent after his parents were belittled.
“I didn’t lead Xu Yining astray.”
Wang Suzhen frowned. “What?”
“I didn’t lead Xu Yining astray. I didn’t need to lead him; he was ‘bad’ to begin with.” Shi Zhi looked at Wang Suzhen and said coolly, “I didn’t eat or use the Xu family’s things for free; I also lent the Xu family ten million. Furthermore, I have my own income and can support myself.”
Amidst Wang Suzhen’s stunned silence, Shi Zhi continued: “Whether the Xu family company becomes better has nothing to do with me, nor do I care, because I’ve broken up with Xu Yining. We have already broken up, the only thing left is—”
“Shi Zhi!” Xu Yining, gripping his phone, stood at the courtyard gate with a dark face, stopping him from continuing.
Wang Suzhen looked at her son’s crestfallen appearance, then at the expressionless Shi Zhi. She gave a “ha” and asked Xu Yining: “What did he say? You’ve broken up? You’re breaking the engagement? Is that right?”
Xu Yining didn’t speak, only staring at Shi Zhi intently, his face filled with complexity.
A mother knows her son best. Seeing Xu Yining like this, there was nothing Wang Suzhen didn’t understand. She said mockingly to her son, “Is this your choice? This is the ‘correct choice’ you insisted on?”
Xu Yining had been under Wang Suzhen’s forceful education for years and feared seeing this expression most. At this moment, his heart felt even worse than when he heard Shi Zhi say he wanted to break up. He clenched his hands into fists and stared deathly at Shi Zhi.
Wang Suzhen never knew when to stop while she was ahead. Seeing her son’s defeated look, she felt a thrill of victory. She said, “You argued with your mother and resisted her for this kind of person? Is this your so-called ‘ability to decide for yourself’? Is this the ‘freedom’ you wanted?”
With a grim face, Xu Yining drove to Yuelan Residence. He slammed the car door and walked toward the elevator without looking back.
Shi Zhi got out of the car behind Xu Yining. The apartment was bought by Xu Yining; he had the right to choose whether to return or not, but they were no longer suited to continue living together. It seemed he needed to find an apartment first. Should he stay in a hotel until he found a new place?
Shi Zhi was thinking about things and didn’t notice they had reached the door. Xu Yining used his fingerprint to open the door and stepped aside to let Shi Zhi in first. As soon as Shi Zhi entered, the door was slammed shut with great force from behind.
The vibration caused a figurine displayed in the entryway to fall to the floor. Shi Zhi frowned as he looked at the shattered figurine.
Xu Yining had endured the whole way, and now he finally exploded. He stared at Shi Zhi and roared: “Why? Why did you say those things? Didn’t you promise me? Didn’t you promise to give me time? Why did you say those things!” As he spoke, he smashed a fist into the wall. A picture frame on the wall fell and shattered into pieces.
Shi Zhi had thought that after Xu Yining heard Wang Suzhen’s disrespect toward his parents, he would apologize on her behalf regardless. But instead of an explanation, he was met with Xu Yining’s interrogation.
He asked in confusion, “Did you not hear what your mother said?”
“I heard it, but so what!” Xu Yining didn’t feel there was anything wrong at all. Still emotional, he spoke without thinking: “Isn’t what my mother said the truth? Your parents are dead; why do they still need to manage the affairs of the living!”
Xu Yining’s words were like a heavy sledgehammer smashing into Shi Zhi’s chest.
Shi Zhi froze on the spot, staring at the man before him in shock. It was as if… he had never known Xu Yining at all.