As soon as he got home, Xu Ye booked a high-speed rail ticket back to Shanghai for around one o’clock the next afternoon.
Money in hand, he planned to head over to miHoYo on Tuesday and lock the whole thing down — no need to leave room for anything to go sideways.
Monday meant work for both Zhang Hong and Old Xu, but they both came home for lunch early. Old Xu had more flexibility at his office, so he handled the market run and got the rice going; Zhang Hong took over the stir-fries once she was back. The lunch table came out packed: four dishes and a soup, all things Xu Ye loved.
“From now on, if it’s only a three-day break, don’t bother coming home. A day’s gone just on the round trip, and I spend the whole time worrying about you on the road. And the tickets can’t be cheap either, right?” Zhang Hong was back at it over lunch.
Xu Ye smiled. “It’s really not that much.”
“Have your dad drop you at the station later. He’s been at that office long enough that showing up late doesn’t cost him anything.” [TL: 老油条, literally “seasoned old fried dough stick” — a jaded veteran of a workplace who knows exactly how much to do to get by.]
“Sure.”
Old Xu was more than happy to. He cleared the table after lunch and did the washing up on his own. Zhang Hong had to be back at her office by 1:30, so she didn’t linger — she was out the door on her little electric scooter in a rush.
Xu Ye went back to his room, got his things in order, and when the time was close, father and son set out for the station together.
Old Xu was in a good mood; he chattered at Xu Ye about all sorts of things on the way.
“Your mom’s definitely hitting the change. Her temper gets worse by the day…”
“That fruit shop of yours — save telling your mom for New Year. She works harder than I do. Now that you can stand on your own, she can quit early and take it easy for a while.”
“How are things with that girlfriend of yours? She hasn’t dumped you, has she?”
“Son, listen. In a relationship you’ve got to be honest. However you are day to day, that’s how you should be with her. Put on an act now and the marriage won’t be happy — that’s a promise.”
“I’m talking to you.”
Xu Ye rolled his eyes. “Dad. If dating were a class, I could probably be teaching you. So save the worrying.”
“You little punk.”
“Also. From now on, if you’re short on money, stop swiping it out of Mom’s purse. Just text me. I’m running a small business now.”
Old Xu shook his head. “Your mom’s sharp. I’ve been dipping into that purse every few days for cigarette money. The moment I stop, she’ll start suspecting I’ve got a stash somewhere.”
“Cut back on the smoking.”
“Can’t quit at this point.”
“I know you go to that foot-massage place with Lao Wu every month. Legit ones, fine. Whatever you do, stay out of the shady ones. Mom finds out and she’ll blow the marriage up over it. I’ll say it now — if you two divorce, I’m going with her.”
Old Xu bristled instantly. “When have I ever gone to a shady place?”
He rushed to explain. “Lao Wu’s got a cousin. Lost his sight in an accident when he was about ten. Runs a foot-massage place over by the little park now — a blind-masseur outfit. [TL: A recognized profession in China, historically a common trade for the visually impaired.] Business isn’t much, so me and Lao Wu go over to give him some custom.”
Old Xu wasn’t a man of great abilities, but his character was rock-solid.
He and Zhang Hong had been married as long as they had, and it had never come to raised voices. Even when they bickered, Old Xu usually just went silent — he never shouted.
There was one particular day Xu Ye still remembered clearly. Early in middle school, a classmate had swiped a pack of cigarettes from home and brought them to school. After the bell rang, the kid had turned to the group of them and asked who dared take one.
Middle-schoolers, of course — young and stupid. Seeing a few of the others already ducked into an alley blowing clouds, Xu Ye had asked for one too. Lit it. Played the seasoned smoker.
He hadn’t taken more than two puffs when Old Xu caught him. Old Xu, who never lost his temper, went off — grabbed Xu Ye by the ear and half-dragged, half-shouted him all the way home.
Xu Ye had felt gutted. Getting hit in front of his classmates was humiliating enough. What made it unbearable was that Old Xu smoked himself — so why the fury over his son doing the same? At the dinner table that night, still refusing to yield, Xu Ye had choked down a bowl of plain rice with tears in his eyes and hadn’t touched a single dish.
He was hiding away in his room afterwards, still sulking, when he heard Old Xu’s voice ring out at Zhang Hong: “Why didn’t you put any food in his bowl? Why didn’t you put any food in his bowl?!”
Xu Ye hadn’t touched a cigarette since.
On the way, Xu Ye had his dad pull over once. He’d spotted a shop selling radish pancakes still open.
Radish pancakes were one of Jiangzhou’s signature street snacks. Even where you could find them elsewhere, the flavor never quite matched the Jiangzhou original.
The owner had just finished a fresh batch when Xu Ye got out. He paid twenty-five yuan for the whole tray, took the bag, and climbed back into the car.
Old Xu figured they were for his roommates, and didn’t ask further.
At the station, once he was through the gates and onboard, Xu Ye put in his earbuds, put on some music, and drifted to sleep. Five long hours later, the train finally pulled into Hongqiao Station.
He took the subway straight to the Conservatory. It was already past seven by the time he reached the girls’ dorm. Standing outside the building, he called Chen Qingqing to come down.
Chen Qingqing had already asked him the night before — she knew Xu Ye’s ticket was an afternoon one and he wouldn’t get in until evening. She’d assumed he’d head straight back to his own campus. She hadn’t expected him to come find her.
“These are radish pancakes I brought back from Jiangzhou. Bought them right off the pan. They’ve gone cold by now, but I tried one after I got off the train — still edible. Share them with Zhang Ruowei and the others.”
“You must be exhausted.” He looked worn down — probably from a full afternoon on the train. She said it almost offhand.
Xu Ye put a smile back on his face. “Not really. Slept the whole way. Just look a bit rough.”
“Then don’t take the subway back. It’s too slow. Just grab a taxi. Don’t try to save the money.”
“Got it.”
Xu Ye smiled. “It’s Christmas on Thursday. Do you want me to come over?”
She shook her head. To his surprise, she said, “No.”
“Why not?”
“Coming here takes so long. I went to your school that one time and I was worn out on the way back. If you come Thursday, then what about Friday? You’d have to be up at dawn to rush back.”
Xu Ye grinned. “Oh, so you’re worried about me.”
She rewarded him with a flat look and a soft huff. “I am not.”
Chen Qingqing when she was embarrassed — Xu Ye could look at it forever. He held his arms open, smiling. “One hug. One hug and I’ll go.”
She looked up at him, glanced sideways to check that hardly anyone was around, gave a small nod, and stepped forward twice — right into his arms.
“I’m heading off now.”
“Mm.”
He gave a wave, turned to go, walked a dozen or so steps, then looked back — she was still standing at the dorm entrance, unmoving.
He waved again, calling over. “Go on up. It’s cold out.”
Only then did she turn and go back inside.
(End of Chapter 162)