First thing the next morning.

Xu Ye was taking Chen Qingqing back to Shanghai.

Before they left Old Zhang would not stop fussing at him. Xu Ye knew what that meant at a moment like this: she did not want him to go. So he laughed it off without a care. "All right, all right, Mom, that's enough. The first half of the year is short. I'll be back for the summer."

Old Zhang gave him a look and took Chen Qingqing's small hand. "Qingqing, you keep an eye on him. If he misbehaves out there, you call me and I'll set him straight for you."

"Okay." Chen Qingqing nodded, smiling, and gave Xu Ye a look at the same time that said: Hear that? You behave yourself out there.

Xu Ye ignored it.

His parents saw the two of them off downstairs. Xu Ye had Chen Qingqing get in the car first, then took Old Zhang's face in both hands, kissed her on the forehead and got in, thoroughly pleased with himself.

"There's something wrong with you."

Old Zhang laughed and wiped the spit off her forehead. Seeing that Xu Ye and Chen Qingqing were both waving at her, she put a hand up too and told them to drive safely, and then stood down there watching until the car had gone out of sight before she turned and went back in.

"Do you want to sit in the back? It's roomier back there, and you'd have it to yourself, so you could sleep. I'll switch with Zhiwei later on anyway."

Chen Qingqing said, "I'll move to the back later."

"Okay."

Xu Ye drove over to the supermarket Qin Zhiwei's family ran. Qin Zhiwei's father, Qin Wenliang, saw him arrive and hurried outside to shout up at the windows. "Zhiwei! Zhiwei! Xu Ye's here, get down here."

"Coming, coming."

Qin Zhiwei heard it and came running down the whole way with his suitcase.

Wang Mei came down after him with a large bag of snacks she had gotten ready well in advance, and stuffed it into the car. Then…