The twenty-first was Minor New Year in the south.

They'd expected to be in Jiangzhou by three or four in the afternoon. But the expressway was jammed solid, and it was after nine at night before the two of them crossed into the city.

Xu Ye dropped Chen Qingqing off at Red Leaf Estate first, said a quick hello to his mother-in-law, then headed straight home.

He'd told Old Zhang first thing that morning that he'd be home today. No messages had come to him, but from four or five in the afternoon on, she'd been messaging Chen Qingqing over and over, asking when they'd get in. Xu Ye knew his parents were most likely still sitting at home waiting, and very possibly hadn't even eaten dinner.

He rushed back to his own complex, ran upstairs and threw open the door.

Sure enough, his parents were sitting bolt upright on the sofa, phones clutched in their hands. Old Zhang let out a long breath at the sight of him.

A mother worries when her child goes far from home. Here was the old saying, made flesh.

Xu Ye laughed. "Traffic was terrible. We should've been here this afternoon. Mom, make me something to eat, quick. I'm starving."

"You took Qingqing home, right?"

"I dropped her off first, then came back."

They hadn't eaten, just as he'd guessed. Still talking, they were already in the kitchen heating up the food. Xu Ye carried his bags into his room, replied to Chen Qingqing on WeChat, then opened the company group chat and @-ed everyone. "Sound off in the group when you get home."

Qin Zhiwei had come home a few days earlier. Old Qin saw him pull up in Xu Ye's car and asked what was going on. Xu Ye had switched cars and handed this one over for Qin Zhiwei to drive, his son told him. Old Qin was floored, and the very next day he told Old Xu all about it.

While Old Zhang was heating the food in the kitchen, Old Xu made a trip downstairs. The moment he…