A quarter of an hour later.
Xu Ye finally got Chen Qingqing as far as her front door.
Chen Qingqing was about to get out when Xu Ye caught her wrist. “Wait a second. Don’t be in such a hurry.”
“What?”
“Your lipstick’s smudged. Let me wipe it off, or your mom will see.”
As he spoke, Xu Ye reached over and wiped away the lipstick mark at the corner of her mouth.
Chen Qingqing made a small complaining noise and threw him a dirty look, but before she got out of the car she still reminded him, “It’s dark. Drive slowly.”
“Mm. Go to bed early. I’m going to bed early tonight too.”
“Why?”
“I had a dream last night. You were halfway out of your clothes and then I woke up. If I go to sleep early tonight I might manage the same dream again.”
Chen Qingqing heard that, immediately raised both small fists and pounded them on Xu Ye’s arm a good dozen times, and only then shoved the car door open and walked into the house without looking back.
Xu Ye watched her as far as the living room, then turned the car around and went straight home.
“Dad? What are you… doing here?”
Chen Qingqing had been about to say why haven’t you gone yet, but realizing that would give her away she changed it hurriedly.
Chen Hansong looked his daughter up and down and got to his feet. “Where did that boy take you to eat? Why are you back this late?”
“Just talking with a few friends. We got talking and it got late.”
“Friends?”
Chen Hansong had rarely heard the word friends from his daughter’s mouth before.
Chen Qingqing explained quickly, “It’s the boss Xu Ye met when he did a summer job before. The two of them run a factory together now.”
“Come home earlier in the evenings from now on.”
Chen Qingqing had been perfectly happy, and hearing that she was instantly unhappy. Her small face set hard, back to the cold state it had been in before, and she dropped a “You don’t need to worry about me, I’m going up” and went straight upstairs.
“I…”
Chen Hansong sat there with his mouth open, unable to get a word out.
Jiang Meilin held back a laugh, with the air of somebody watching a fire from the far bank.
Seeing that Chen Qingqing had gone upstairs, only then did Jiang Meilin say, “Can you get lost now?”
“My daughter makes me angry, and now you want to make me angry too?”
“Get lost!”
Chen Hansong answered with great firmness. “Fine, I’ll get lost. I’ll be back again tomorrow.”
…
Xu Ye got home.
Old Zhang and Old Xu still weren’t in bed. The two of them were sitting on the sofa watching television.
Seeing Xu Ye come back, Old Zhang immediately started in on him. “Why are you back this late today?”
“I had dinner with friends.”
“A dinner that ran past ten?”
“After we’d eaten I took Qingqing out for a drive.”
Old Xu pointed at the fridge. “Your mom cut some fruit, it’s in the fridge. Have some.”
“I’m full already.”
“Have a few pieces. She only just cut it.”
Once Old Zhang gave the word, Xu Ye had no choice but to take the fruit plate out of the fridge, sit down on the sofa and eat a few pieces for form’s sake.
Old Xu saw Xu Ye put the plate down after only a few pieces and even said with a laugh, “Have some more. Don’t be shy — treat it like your own home.”
Xu Ye’s eyes went round.
He was just about to say something.
Smack!
Old Zhang’s palm came down hard on his thigh. He was only wearing shorts, so the slap landed straight on bare skin, and Old Xu bared his teeth with the sting of it.
Old Zhang picked up the remote and switched the television off, swearing at him. “If you can’t talk properly, shut your mouth. Go to your room! Go to sleep!”
Old Xu felt like weeping without tears. “I was only teasing my son.”
“Is my son yours to tease?”
“Before he was born, wasn’t it you who said let’s have a son to play with?”
“…”
Xu Ye had his shower and lay down on the bed.
He had barely unlocked his phone when he saw that Qin Zhiwei had sent several messages.
Qin Zhiwei: “They’ve already settled it in the group — the class reunion’s on the fifteenth this month.”
Qin Zhiwei: “That dumbass Li Nan messaged me privately asking what your situation is.”
Qin Zhiwei: “What should I say back?”
Xu Ye rolled his eyes and sent a voice message straight back. “Why say anything back? Get out of the group while you can, or there’ll be endless crap later on.”
Qin Zhiwei: “I only watch it for the entertainment these days.”
Qin Zhiwei: “I’ll just say I’m out working a summer job and don’t have time to go.”
Xu Ye: “Suit yourself. Don’t tell me about anything that happens in that group from now on. Your old man doesn’t have time to deal with those birdbrains.”
Qin Zhiwei: “OJBK.”
Once Xu Ye had replied, he remembered that Friday was the tenth and sent Wang Yuxin a message as well. “Taking you to a film on the afternoon of the tenth.”
Wang Yuxin didn’t reply.
At this hour she was already asleep.
The girl was very obedient about it. Term time or holidays, her hours were exactly the same as they were at school.
Xu Ye exchanged a couple of messages with Chen Qingqing, said good night, then put the phone on the bedside table to charge, yawned, rolled himself up in the quilt and went to sleep.
…
Xu Ye hadn’t expected it either.
First thing the next morning, he had only just got out of bed.
His aunt delivered Wang Yuxin to the house.
The girl had grown taller again, and prettier if anything, but she wasn’t as cute now as she had been when she was small. Xu Ye actually still preferred the way she had looked in primary school — back then her voice had that little affected lilt and her face was round and soft, and pinching it felt so good it was almost too much.
“Xu Ye gege~”
Seeing Xu Ye come out of his room with his hair like a bird’s nest, Wang Yuxin called out at once. Xu Ye answered her and greeted his aunt while he was at it.
His aunt was getting ready to leave by then, and before she went she took out a wad of cash and pressed it into Zhang Hong’s hand. Zhang Hong wouldn’t take it, his aunt insisted on giving it, and the two of them pushed it back and forth like a pair of tai chi players for a good long while. Xu Ye couldn’t be bothered watching any more and went straight into the bathroom to wash.
Wang Yuxin followed him in. “Xu Ye gege, what film are we going to see on Friday?”
“Monkey King.”
“Just the two of us? Is Qingqing jiejie coming?”
“What do you think?”
“Auntie says you’re out working a summer job again?”
“I’m not working a summer job. I’m a boss now.”
“Are you going in to work in a bit?”
“Mm.”
“Can you take me with you?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Damn it, why is my hair such a mess?” Xu Ye looked at himself in the mirror, pulled his T-shirt off over his head as he went and handed it to Wang Yuxin. “Take this outside, don’t get it dirty. I’m washing my hair.”
Wang Yuxin did as she was told, and before long she came running back. “Xu Ye gege, why can’t you take me with you?”
“That’s not a place you can go.”
“Why?”
“There’s no why.”
“Auntie and Uncle are both going to work. If you don’t take me I’ll be at home on my own.”
“Then be good and do your homework at home.”
“I don’t want to.” Wang Yuxin started wheedling. “Xu Ye gege, I’m begging you, just take me with you. My mouth is very tight, I definitely won’t make trouble for you.”
“All right, all right. How is your mouth like a machine gun? I’m washing my hair. Go wait outside.”
“Oh.”
“Wait. Pass me the shampoo first.”
“Oh.”
“Xu Ye gege.”
“What.”
“I think I got the wrong one.”
“The wrong what?”
“I took the body wash for the shampoo.”
“Wang! Yu! Xin!”
“Ha, I was teasing you.”
“Wang Yuxin, you wait. When I’ve finished washing my hair I’ll show you.”
Wang Yuxin wasn’t a bit frightened. She stuck her small tongue out and ran off.
(End of Chapter 260)