Chapter 10

Yan Yisheng turned and saw the person a short distance away, her smile stiffening. “Z-Zhou Lang! What a coincidence.”

Zhou Lang came over with her tray and sat down without a shred of ceremony. “What were you two just saying?”

Yan Yisheng backpedaled furiously. “Nothing, nothing.”

Zhou Lang didn’t expose her. “Oh. Long time no see.”

With that, her gaze settled on the woman sitting across the table.

At this moment Ji Xiunian’s snow-white cheeks were flushed, her head lowered as she nibbled a half-eaten steamed flower roll, pretending the person who’d just spoken wasn’t her.

Zhou Lang looked away, lips curving.

Back all this time… and finally, one blush out of her.

“Long time no see,” said Yan Yisheng, never one for silence. “You only just got back into the country?”

“A while ago now. Didn’t she tell you?”

“Her? Oh… Niannian and I haven’t called in ages either.”

“I see.” Zhou Lang, knocking the flower roll out of Ji Xiunian’s hand with her chopsticks as she spoke, went on evenly. “Still at Ning University?”

Honestly… it had gone cold, and she was still eating it.

Ji Xiunian looked at her, startled.

Zhou Lang, expressionless, picked the egg from her own bowl and placed it in Ji Xiunian’s.

Ji Xiunian stared at the egg, bewildered, but Zhou Lang only arched a brow, signaling her to eat up.

Yan Yisheng had just answered a message, head down. “Mm. Out in the field on a research project.”

Zhou Lang: “Oh, sounds fun. So many years—do you have time for dinner together soon?”

Yan Yisheng: “Dinner? Sure! I just got back; the old classmates have already arranged a get-together, a welcome-home feast for me. Venue’s booked. Will you come?”

“I will. Send me the time and place.”

“Great, I’ll add you on WeChat.”

Zhou Lang stood with her tray. “Not convenient to take my phone out. Here—have her forward you my contact. I’m off. Talk later.”

Without waiting for a reply, she clicked away on her high heels.

Yan Yisheng: “…”

“Nothing going on,” my foot! They’ve even added each other on WeChat!

“Ji Xiunian! Do you even consider me a friend anymore?!”

“It’s not what you think.” Ji Xiunian stood too. “Don’t overthink it. I’ll forward you her contact later.”

“Hey, why are you rushing off? Guilty conscience?”

“Am not.” Ji Xiunian looked back. “Oh, and I won’t be going to the reunion.”

Yan Yisheng: “You. Are. Dreaming!”

Saying it’s all in the past, yet adding WeChat the moment she turns around!

And that egg!

These two shameless women! Pulling their little maneuvers right in front of her, thinking she couldn’t see!

That weekend, Ji Xiunian at last had half a day free.

A few days earlier, her Eldest Brother Jiang Wei had come back from his unit and asked her to bring Ji Anyang back to the Jiang Family Old Residence for dinner.

Ji Xiunian’s mother had died early, and her maternal uncle had passed a few years ago, so she hadn’t been back this way in a long time.

Jiang Wei wasn’t her blood cousin—he was a child adopted by her maternal uncle. He’d tested into a national defense program at university, enlisted after graduation, and been stationed at the border all these years, only recently transferred back to Mingchuan.

In the early days, his wife, unable to bear a husband absent year-round, had divorced him amicably; their son stayed with him.

They arrived at nine sharp.

Commands rang out from the Jiang family courtyard. “Attention! Thirty push-ups. Begin!”

Ji Xiunian opened the gate. “Eldest Brother, training Little Lan this early?”

Jiang Lan lit up at the sight of her. “Paternal Aunt!”

“Hold it! Did I say you could stop?”

“Eldest Brother, come on!”

Ji Anyang: “Maternal Uncle!”

Jiang Wei beamed. “Anyang’s here too! Come, let Uncle see how much you’ve grown.”

Then he turned stern again for his son’s benefit. “All right, half day off today. You’ll make it up to me tonight.”

Jiang Lan, meanwhile, had latched onto Ji Xiunian, whispering, “Paternal Aunt… that game console you promised me—did you buy it?”

“Bought.” Ji Xiunian tapped his head. “But there are limits. If your dad finds out, you’ll get another beating.”

“Okay, okay, okay!”

Jiang Lan, only in middle school, was all youthful energy; he pounced on Ji Anyang. “Brother! Let’s play shooter games!”

For once, Ji Anyang’s face broke into a smile. “Sure.”

The two half-grown boys played in the courtyard.

The Jiang family’s small courtyard was their own design; facing the yard stood a tea house, where the two adults sat drinking tea and talking.

“Eldest Brother, what’s the plan now that you’re back?”

“Not leaving. Once Little Lan starts university, I’ll go back.”

“Then you’d better give this place a good cleaning.”

“Mm. Don’t you worry about me. You, though…”

“Me?” Ji Xiunian smiled faintly. “I’m fine. A while back, a leader at our college helped connect me with a specialist. Anyang’s surgery is scheduled for the National Day holiday.”

“This child’s constitution is too weak—he’s suffered so much these years. What about his father’s side? Has the boy’s father ever asked after him?”

“No. It was made clear at the time. He acts as if he has no son, and Anyang’s affairs are none of his business anymore.”

Jiang Wei was quiet a moment. “And you? What’s your plan?”

Ji Xiunian: “I’m fine as I am.”

Jiang Wei sighed. “Niannian, it’s not that I’m set on marrying you off. But I truly wish there were someone to look after you. I have a comrade-in-arms, a Mingchuan native—good man, warm and open. Have a meal with him tomorrow?”

“What? No.” Ji Xiunian refused. “Tomorrow I’m taking Anyang to the hospital for a routine checkup.”

“No need!”

The youth had run over at some point, face sheened with sweat, expression earnest. “I’m grown up now. Stop treating me like a child… You should go.”

“I don’t want to.”

“It’s one meal!”

“I really don’t want to!”

“Mom! Just go!”

Ji Xiunian didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Eldest Brother!”

Jiang Wei looked at her, his expression settling into gravity. “Niannian. Listen to your Eldest Brother for once. Would I ever harm you?”

The Jiang family had taken him in, fished him back from nothing. Before the grandparents passed, they’d both told him: look after your sister.

Watching her live all alone all these years—it ached in his chest.

“Well…” Ji Xiunian, a lifelong stranger to lying, could only drag out Yan Yisheng in desperation. “I’ve already made plans with Yisheng. Class reunion tomorrow.”

“That Yan family girl? I don’t believe you.”

“Would I ever lie to you?”

Ji Xiunian had no choice but to call Yan Yisheng. “Yisheng, send me the time and place for dinner tomorrow.”

On the other end, Yan Yisheng was still reeling: here she’d been plotting how to drag Ji Xiunian out by force, and the woman volunteered?!

Surely not—she must be going to rekindle an old flame!

She answered vaguely. “Then I’ll count you in when I book. Tons of people in the group chat asking if you’re coming.”

Hanging up, Ji Xiunian spread her hands, helpless. “Satisfied now?”

Jiang Wei studied her. “Class reunion, hm… Go see if there’s anyone suitable. Develop something.”

Ji Xiunian laughed despite herself. “What is going on in your head?”

Ji Anyang: “Old classmates are good. You know what you’re getting.”

Ji Xiunian swatted his head. “Little brat, big ideas.”

Sunday.

Yan Yisheng was on the phone at the entrance; the moment she spotted Ji Xiunian, her eyes lit up. “Dressed this pretty—trying to outshine me?!”

Ji Xiunian wore a European-style beige dress with a high waistline, hair half-braided into a low ponytail, light makeup, peacock blue earrings at her ears—willowy as an orchid, her presence serene and graceful.

She sighed. “My Eldest Brother made me change.”

Jiang Wei had cooked dinner himself the night before. Ji Anyang had had a wonderful time, and Ji Xiunian hadn’t gone home—she’d stayed at the old residence. That morning, on her way out, Jiang Wei had seen the white trousers she wore and insisted she change into a dress.

Yan Yisheng nodded. “Ah. Brother Jiang Wei still frets so.”

She didn’t buy it for a second… Clearly it was for meeting an old flame.

Relax—she’d seated the two of them together!

“When’s dinner? Why aren’t you going in?”

“Still early. Some of them came too soon—they’re dancing in the hall. We’ve booked the whole venue today anyway, so I figured let them dance. The music’s already on.”

“Want me to wait with you?”

“No, no. You go in first.”

Ji Xiunian didn’t insist. Inside, she found it just as Yan Yisheng had said: music spilling like water, the dance floor full of paired figures swaying together, the mood just right.

She stood in the dimmer light at the edge, idly playing with her phone.

She happened to see a WeChat Moments post from Zhou Lang—a reposted financial policy piece.

So she tapped into her profile.

She’d actually looked once already, yesterday… The old Zhou Lang had been the spoiled Eldest Miss type, following only new limited-edition bags and fashion shows. Now there was nothing but financial policy, market research reports… all work content.

Utterly stiff and dull.

This was not the Zhou Lang of her memory.

She was staring blankly at her phone when someone came up behind her. “What are you looking at?”

Ji Xiunian jumped, stumbling back two steps, her high heel missing its edge—Zhou Lang’s hand caught her elbow. “Guilty conscience?”

“…Thank you.”

Ji Xiunian dodged the question, tucking the phone back into her bag, though her gaze lingered on what she’d glimpsed.

Zhou Lang was wearing a dress today too… In the past she’d mostly seen her in professional attire or office-style suits. This was the first time since their reunion she’d seen her in a dress.

She was very fair, her proportions exquisite; the black gown bared her level shoulders and slender collarbones, her lipstick a bold maple-leaf red—cool and blazing at once.

For a while, neither spoke.

Until someone approached nearby, greeting them with a smile—and no sooner had the greeting ended than the man asked Ji Xiunian, “Long time no see. Will you honor me with a dance?”

Zhou Lang gave a cold laugh.

Still the same… The world knew she was vivid and thorned like a rose, and so never dared pick her lightly. But Ji Xiunian was slender and soft, approachable, inviting closeness.

Back in school, Ji Xiunian’s suitors had always outnumbered hers.

Ji Xiunian shook her head. “No, thank you.”

But refuse one, and the next was already waiting.

Yan Yisheng stayed outside the whole time, waiting on guests.

Tired of repeating refusals.

Zhou Lang came to her side. “Need help?”

Ji Xiunian started. “What?”

Zhou Lang said nothing. Her right arm swept around behind her waist, so that from a distance… it looked as though she’d pulled her into an embrace. But her palm never actually landed, hovering a careful distance away.

Those veiled glances instantly hardened into something tangible—then snapped away, astonished, shaken.

From afar, her gesture looked so simple, so direct—like a cold proclamation:

—Tonight, her time belongs to me.

Their past… had after all made some noise.

And so no one else came near.

Zhou Lang let go. “There. Peace and quiet restored.”

Ji Xiunian’s ear-tips burned. “Thank you.”

Zhou Lang’s expression was cool. “Mm.”

Her clenched fist quietly loosened, brushing once across her hem—wiping the sweat from her palm.