Gao Sijin kept stressing that he didn’t need Feng Na’s support, but she still hovered close, looking completely uneasy and not giving him any room to refuse. She latched right onto his arm.
“What if your headache makes you fall? I’d be so worried about you.” Feng Na pressed her soft pink lips together, her words gentle yet surprisingly firm. “So, Brother Sijin, just let me hold onto you properly.”
“Fine… alright…”
And so, the two of them made their way toward the building where Gao Sijin’s home was.
The residential complex was even older than Gao Sijin—at least thirty years old.
He’d lived here since he was six. It was no stretch to say this place held all the memories of Gao Sijin’s youth.
Every time he came back, countless “firsts” surfaced in his mind unbidden. Some memories were happy, others full of regret. No matter how grand or luxurious a house Gao Sijin might live in later, this would always be his real home.
You could see all the splendor the world had to offer, but your hometown was still the most beautiful place of all.
After he moved to Tokyo in the future, Gao Sijin planned to spend two months every year coming back to visit.
“I still remember walking out the front door, catching Bus No. 6, and heading to Chuncheng Provincial Experimental Middle School on Panshi Road. I remember my first crush, too. She and I kissed in the second-floor hallway. She’d just been chewing strawberry gum, so my first kiss tasted like strawberries. I’ll never forget that taste.”
Feng Na was little more than a stranger he’d just met not long ago, yet Gao Sijin always felt like telling her stories about himself.
And Feng Na not only didn’t mind, she wore an enraptured look while listening. He had to admit, Feng Na was an excellent listener.
“We’re here. This is my place.” Reaching the base of the building, Gao Sijin took out his keys.
“Can I come up to your home for a bit, Brother Sijin?”
Feng Na tilted her head, making a cute expression.
Every time Gao Sijin saw her do that, he couldn’t help but picture a little puppy fawning over its master.
More than once, he’d actually felt the urge to pat her on the head.
“Sure. You’re just in time to taste my aunt’s cooking, too. I’m not bragging, but plenty of Michelin restaurant chefs can’t hold a candle to her.”
“That really sounds exciting, Brother Sijin.”
Gao Sijin had to admire Feng Na a little—admire her guts for not showing a hint of stage fright, even though she was about to meet a stranger.
That was something Gao Sijin could never pull off in a million years.
The building had no elevator. Gao Sijin and Feng Na made their way slowly up the dim, narrow stairwell.
In truth, Gao Sijin had imagined this scene countless times before. Only, in his daydreams, the leading lady wasn’t named Feng Na—she was called Yu Qingxue. He’d even pictured all the different ways Yu Qingxue and his aunt might get along when they met. He personally felt that, compared to Yu Qingxue’s wild and flighty personality, his aunt would probably prefer someone as docile and earnest as Feng Na. His aunt was actually a very traditional person.
“Aunt, I’m home!”
Standing outside the door, Gao Sijin could already catch the aroma of a freshly cooked meal.
About twenty seconds after he knocked, the door swung open.
Time had stolen the black from his aunt’s hair. Now the hair at her temples was graying, marking her as someone in her sixties.
Because Gao Sijin worked in Bincheng, he could only come home once every three to six months. Each time, his aunt looked noticeably older. Watching the person closest to you grow older was like having a thief with a twisted sense of humor break into your home. It wouldn’t steal everything at once—just a little bit each time. Gao Sijin had no way to stop this thief. He could only stand by, helplessly watching…
Still, Gao Sijin would never show sadness in front of his aunt. It would only make her worry. So he made a habit of smiling, even when he had to fake it.
“Er Bao’s back.”
[T/N: Er Bao (二宝) literally means “Second Treasure” or “Second Baby.” It is an affectionate nickname used by the family, indicating Sijin is the second-born/youngest child of the household.]
In this whole world, only his aunt and his cousin ever called him by that childhood nickname, Er Bao.
Feng Na was right there at his side, arm still looped through his.
His aunt blinked, a little taken aback.
“Where’s my head? Er Bao called ahead last time and made a point of saying he was bringing his wife home.”
“Aunt, actually, she’s not—”
But before Gao Sijin could explain, Feng Na stepped forward and took his aunt’s hands.
“Hello, Auntie. My name’s Feng Na. Sijin and I are planning to get our marriage license this year.”
“That’s just wonderful.” His aunt was beaming so wide she couldn’t close her mouth.
She’d always been dropping hints in Gao Sijin’s ear about wanting to see him have children.
And as far as his aunt could see, Feng Na was clearly the top pick. Even with her dyed blonde hair, she didn’t give off the slightest worldly, rebellious vibe. Instead, her whole being seemed to radiate an almost ethereal grace and lively youthfulness.
“You two sit down. I’ve still got dishes on the stove.”
His aunt headed back into the kitchen.
His cousin came out of his room. He, too, froze up for a second when he got a look at Gao Sijin’s girlfriend.
“Hey, Little Brat. You found yourself a good wife.”
“Hello, Brother!”
Feng Na immediately put on an obedient, sensible look and bowed to Gao Sijin’s cousin—her movements crisp and natural, like she’d already fully settled into the role of Gao Sijin’s wife.
“Tch. Talk about a flower stuck in a pile of cow dung.”
He said it like an insult, but the cousin looked happier than anyone else in the room.
That was just how he was. He never expressed his feelings the normal way, and Gao Sijin was just the same. They both tacitly hated anything mushy or awkward.
His cousin was a pretty remarkable guy. He’d thrown away a job at a Japanese company with a salary of a full nine million yen a year so he could come home, fulfill his filial duties, and see his uncle off. After that, he’d never gone back to J-Country. A bunch of other things happened later, leaving him staying at home. Nowadays, his cousin did outsourced Japanese translation for several game companies. In a good month, his income could even break past ten thousand yuan.
About ten minutes later, his aunt brought out a freshly cooked spread: red-braised pork, lamb-stuffed pies, and pickled cabbage with sliced pork belly. Gao Sijin had traveled far and wide, tasted food from all over the country. But he still thought Northeast cooking was the best, and his aunt’s dishes were a priceless delicacy nothing else could match.
Gao Sijin pulled out another chair for Feng Na. She seemed to have blended right into the family, like she’d always belonged there.
There was no alcohol in the house. Neither his aunt nor his cousin liked drinking, and as it happened, neither did Gao Sijin.
Compared to booze, cola was the one true god.
Gao Sijin picked up a piece of the fresh red-braised pork with his chopsticks. His aunt’s cooking skills just kept getting better and better.
“Your name’s Feng Na, right dear?”
“Yes, Auntie.”
“You’re such a pretty thing.”
His aunt looked at Feng Na, a kind, doting smile staying firmly on her face.
Meanwhile, his cousin started rattling off all the embarrassing things Gao Sijin had done as a kid. Hearing those stories, Feng Na couldn’t stop giggling.
Gao Sijin ate his meal, wondering what it would be like if the person coming home with him today had been Yu Qingxue instead.
Looking at the genuinely happy expressions on his aunt’s and cousin’s faces, Gao Sijin realized he’d missed his chance to clear the air and tell them that Feng Na was actually just a regular friend.
