“Well—”

Xu Ye smiled. “I was planning to head up on the 28th, but one day earlier is no problem. My best friend’s coming with me — he’s also starting university in Shanghai.”

Jiang Meilin followed up: “Your parents aren’t going with you?”

“I told them not to bother. It’s just registration — no need to make a whole production out of it. Jiangzhou to Shanghai is a long way.”

He seemed to catch the flicker of concern on her face, so he added: “Don’t worry, Auntie Jiang. I’ll get Qingqing settled at her school first, make sure she’s sorted in the dorm, and then head to mine.”

Thunk.

Chen Hansong set his bowl down on the table with a sharp crack, stood up without a word, and went to sit on the couch.

The man who had an entire bank branch calling him Branch President Chen sat there and couldn’t find a single thing to say.

Xu Ye read the room, made quick work of the rest of his dinner, and stood up. “Auntie Jiang, it’s getting late — I should head off.”

Jiang Meilin rose too. “I’ll walk you out.”

“You don’t have to—”

“I wanted to talk a little more,” she said.

“…Alright then.”

The two of them left the villa together. The living room fell quiet — just father and daughter now. Chen Hansong wasted no time: “Qingqing. Tell me the truth. Are you doing all this just to get at me, or have you actually developed feelings for this Xu Ye?”

Qingqing went still for a moment.

Then said nothing.

Out in the car, the atmosphere was entirely different.

“Xiao Xu, why don’t you drive?”

“Sure.”

She watched him settle in. “You don’t drive like someone who just got their license.”

Xu Ye smiled. “Maybe I’ve got a natural talent for it.”

Jiang Meilin took the opening. “Why didn’t you just wait and get your license during university? Between the summer job and the driving course — wasn’t that a lot?”

“It was fine. I have plans for university, and I figured anything I could get out of the way early, I should. Better to front-load it.”

“Already mapping out your university years,” she said, smiling slightly. “You really are more mature than most people your age.”

Xu Ye wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so he just smiled.

All of that, she’d been working up to something. Now she decided the moment was right.

“Xiao Xu. I want to ask you something directly — where exactly do things stand between you and my daughter?”

“We were friends before. Now we’re probably closer than that — good friends, I’d say.”

“And after that?”

Xu Ye was quiet for a beat. “I know what you’re really asking, Auntie. And I’ll be honest with you — it’s not like that possibility doesn’t exist.”

Jiang Meilin smiled. “You’re very straightforward.”

“Mainly because anything else I said, you wouldn’t believe anyway.”

“You should know — Qingqing has never really had friends, not since she was small. Your coming into her life has been both a good thing and a… complicated one. The good is obvious — she finally has someone. But the complicated part is…”

“You don’t know what my intentions are,” Xu Ye said.

She paused, then nodded slowly.

“Auntie, I mean what I say. Whatever I promised before still stands, even after we’re in Shanghai. I won’t do anything that isn’t appropriate for where we are right now.” He paused, then continued. “Honestly, before I ever set foot in your home that first time, I’d never really felt the gap between me and other people. But after that visit, I understood just how different her world is from mine. That said — I’m still young, and I think the future has a lot of room in it. When the day comes that I have the means, the standing, and the confidence to actually pursue your daughter, that’s when I’ll do it. Until then, we’re just good friends. Can you trust me on that?”

Jiang Meilin hadn’t expected him to say so much. After years in the professional world, she’d met every kind of person — and she could usually tell, without much effort, what was real and what was performance.

What Xu Ye had just said felt real. It was persuasive in the way that only genuine things are.

Something she’d been holding knotted up inside her quietly came loose. “Xiao Xu,” she said, “when that day comes — I’ll be on your side.”

“It might come sooner than you think.”

He turned and glanced at her, that loose, unguarded grin spreading across his face.

Jiang Meilin felt the corner of her mouth lift.

She thought she was beginning to understand how this boy had ended up being her daughter’s first real friend.

That evening, Xu Ye asked Qingqing to send him her ID number so he could buy the train tickets in advance.

After she sent it, she couldn’t help asking: “What did you and my mom talk about out there?”

“Nothing much. She just asked me to look after you in Shanghai.”

“Liar. You’re making things up again.”

“I’m not making anything up. There are still plenty of high-speed rail seats — I should be able to get us all together. Let’s meet at eight-thirty the morning after tomorrow. Auntie Wang will drop you off?”

“Yeah.”

They wrapped up after a few more lines, and Xu Ye called Qin Zhiwei.

The call connected.

“Zhiwei, change of plans — we’re going to Shanghai on the 27th.”

“The hell? We agreed on the 28th.”

“My girlfriend’s coming with us on the 27th.”

“Bullshit. I don’t believe you.”

“Swear to God. If I’m lying, I’ll never watch adult videos again for the rest of my life.”

“Bro. That is a serious oath.”

“Send me your ID number. I’m buying the tickets tonight. Come to my place before eight on the 27th.”

“How are we getting to the station?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll sort it.”

“…Fine.”

The next day, Xu Ye went back to the countryside with his parents to visit his grandparents on both sides — a trip they’d been putting off because there’d simply been no time until now.

When the grandmothers heard he was leaving for Shanghai the next morning, both immediately produced a red envelope to press into his hands. He’d been comfortable taking his aunt’s money, but his grandmothers’ — that felt different. He kept trying to refuse.

Both old women were immovable. They shoved the envelopes at him until Zhang Hong finally stepped in and accepted on his behalf, announcing loudly: “When you’re working and earning your own money, you’d better come back and take care of your grandparents properly.”

“Obviously.”

Back home that evening, Xu Ye started packing. Zhang Hong hovered, checking his bag several more times after he’d finished.

“Do you want your dad to drive you to the station tomorrow?”

“No need, I’ve already arranged a car.”

“Whatever you’re wearing, wash it the same day. In this heat, clothes left overnight start to smell.”

“I know.”

“You’ve always been a day student — I don’t know if you’ll adjust to dorm life.”

“I’ll adjust.”

“Once you get there, let me know you’re safe.”

“Yeah.”

“I hope the food agrees with you.”

“University canteens have everything.”

“If money gets tight, just ask.”

“Okay.”

“And tomorrow—”

“Mom. Mom. If you keep going I’m not going to get any sleep tonight. I’ll be fine — I’m not three years old.”

“So now I’m nagging, is that it.”

Xu Ye steered her toward the door, then cupped her face in both hands and kissed her on the forehead. “Goodnight, old lady. Love you.”

“You little brat.”

(End of Chapter)