Chapter 61

I’m not sure if it’s good or not, so I ate it again in the evening. The corners of her mouth were broken, and she was coated with the homemade herbal paste that Wangmu had given her, and she couldn’t move, and she licked it like a cat.

Xiang Feiran squinted at it, it was hard to say whether it was torture or comfort.
Wangmu’s medicine is said to be effective in reducing fire and swelling, removing stasis and skin healing. When Wangmu took it, Xiang Feiran personally helped Shang Mingbao apply it in front of them, wiped a little on his fingertips, and rubbed it on Shang Mingbao’s lips. He was too indifferent, like doing an ordinary thing, Renyang looked up at it for a long time with her little hands up, and said in a tone that had found a pattern: “Professor Xiang and Ajia are so good.” ”

She may want to say that the relationship is really good, but at the age of preschool, she is ashamed to describe the emotions of adults, so she classifies them as “really good”.

No one corrected her when she was a child.

When he was done, Xiang Feiran handed the vial of ointment back to Wangmu, and as he got up to leave, he patted his palm against the back of Renyang’s head and patted it gently, as if some kind of encouragement. He is a person who does not coax children, and it is the first time that Renyang has been treated like this by him, and his heart is happy and shy. She’s just right, isn’t she? Professor Xiang is complimenting her on a good point.

At night, he didn’t go to bed in two rooms, and it was nearly eleven o’clock when he packed his luggage, and Xiang Fei didn’t write his thesis for the first time, but turned off the lights very early. Shang Mingbao was held in his arms and talked to him in the dark.

Xiang Feiran is not a person who talks much, most of the time when he listens to her and wants to kiss her, thinking about the corners of her ointment-coated mouth, his breath stops, and he rubs his fingertips together, and slowly increases his strength, as if he is telling something else instead of kissing.

In the end, Shang Mingbao couldn’t help it, and leaned over to kiss the corners of his lips and his lips. It was like a chase game, until Xiang Feiran couldn’t control it anymore and sucked on her lower lip and hooked the tip of her tongue.

As for how it got out of control and evolved from kissing to something else, no one can remember.

He said, in a hoarse voice: “Eat again.” ”

When Shang Mingbao was prostrate down, he turned on the light to Feiran, and the tip of his palm penetrated into her hair.

Unlike the ambiguous light that closes the curtains in the afternoon, the ceiling lamp is so bright that it can’t hide the shadows. Perhaps the darkest in this room are Xiang Feiran’s eyes.

Just by staring at her crimson sweaty face, I felt an unfamiliar electric current passing through it.

Shang Mingbao only lit the fire and didn’t put out the fire every time, but this time it was different, this time she wanted to continue, there was a wound, so she could only change it to Huh, but Xiang Feiran took over the initiative. He seemed to be unable to bear it any longer, frowning, holding his breath, staring at her pale, rosy lips, and quickly solved himself.

Shang Mingbao had a bit of liquid splashed on the tip of her nose. After a moment of dazed confusion, she leaned forward and brought her face close to his.

Her upturned nose touched his, rubbing gently against him, transferring the annoying liquid to his nose.

The warm, humid scent between them became more intense as they held their breath, Xiang Feiran’s eyes fell to her, meeting her gaze as she engaged in this childish act. After a moment, his usually expressionless face lost control, and his kiss seemed like it might consume her.

The morning they left was foggy. Tashi drove them in his Buick business vehicle up the winding mountain roads for over three hours. After a late night of partying, Shang Mingbao fell asleep on Xiang Feiran’s shoulder as soon as she got into the car. She woke up when they crossed the pass, observing Xiang Feiran’s expression and noticing his furrowed brow, indicating he was still awake.

“Xiang Feiran?” Shang Mingbao tugged at his sleeve, “What are you thinking about?”

Xiang Feiran opened his eyes and asked, “Which should we choose for the apartment, mine, the hotel, or the one on West 56th Street?”

“……”

Shang Mingbao didn’t expect him to be considering such a question with such seriousness. Her mind raced with thoughts, and her ears reddened in response.

“I don’t know…” she replied quietly.

Xiang Feiran kept his arms crossed, a classic pose for him when catching up on sleep in the car, and began analyzing, “Hotels have more formality, my place is cozier, and West 56th Street has more sentimental value.”

Shang Mingbao suppressed her frustration: “There’s no need to be so meticulous about this!”

“Why not?” Xiang Feiran glanced at her, “Do you want to be casual about it?”

Shang Mingbao: “……”

Seeing her annoyed expression, Xiang Feiran smirked, “If you want to be in the Upper East Side, your butler might have a different opinion.”

Tashi, focusing intently on driving, asked, “What are you discussing?”

Xiang Feiran replied, “Where to have the group meeting.”

Shang Mingbao added, “Where to do group work!”

The two voices sounded simultaneously—one calm, the other more forceful—but to Tashi’s ears, they seemed the same. He genuinely said, “Xiang is really responsible for his students.”

Xiang Feiran: “……”

Shang Mingbao could only cover her flushed face with one hand.

After picking up their stored luggage at the resort hotel, Tashi drove them straight to the high-speed rail station.

The sky was gray when they arrived, but today it was a high, clear blue with distant clouds, giving a surreal feeling. After bidding farewell to Tashi, Shang Mingbao looked up at the sky again before walking with Xiang Feiran into the waiting hall.

This time, she didn’t have any souvenirs, but the torn sleeves of her windbreaker, the scuffed toes of her hiking boots, the soreness in her calves, the pain in her shoulders, the ugly apples from Wangmu, the “Ajia” taught to her by Renyang, and the bag of dirt and seeds collected from her shoes and pants were all her trophies.

At the departure hall for flights to Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and international destinations, the separation was imminent.

Shang Mingbao’s flight was first, while Xiang Feiran had to wait until midnight. After passing security, she was taken to the boarding gate, where they hugged amidst the crowd for a long time until the announcement for boarding. Before heading toward the first-class aisle, Shang Mingbao asked him, “Can you still afford the hotel?”

Xiang Feiran was momentarily stunned, realizing this was her choice. He smiled, his warm breath tickling her ear, “Who are you underestimating?”

Shang Mingbao pulled away, waved goodbye, and turned to leave. Hearing him call “babe” from behind, she turned around, without any confusion about why he called her, and rushed back into his embrace.

He held her much tighter than before, his arms wrapping around her, his cool lips pressing against her ear and temple for a long time.

He finally asked the question he had been holding back, one he had never voiced before: “Will you miss me?”

Hong Kong was such an exciting city. The last time she left him for Hong Kong, she disappeared from his life for three years. Although her anxiety and longing seemed absurd, the pang in her heart was beyond his control. He was someone who, having been bitten by a snake, feared even the rope of the well.

Shang Mingbao impulsively said, “Come back to Hong Kong with me and cancel your ticket to New York, okay?”

Xiang Feiran laughed, holding her even tighter in her childlike invitation: “And then?”

“Then have dinner with my older brothers and sisters, let them all meet you, just like Second Sister—everyone is as nice as her.”

Xiang Feiran’s large hands tightly embraced Shang Mingbao’s head and waist. He wanted to say yes, agree to all her whimsical thoughts and unrealistic dreams. The words were almost out of his throat, but he pressed his lips together and said, “Later.”

The word “later” was enough to make Shang Mingbao happy.

She relied on the word “later” and felt joyful all the way.

Her older sister Shang Mingxian and the driver came to pick her up. When they saw Shang Mingbao, they looked her over from head to toe: “You’ve gotten tanned.”

These words, once as taboo as “getting fat,” were now happily accepted by Shang Mingbao, who replied, “Yes, the UV rays at the plateau are very strong.”

She wanted to say that Xiang Feiran was an exception, probably born with it, never getting tanned, always maintaining that cool skin tone.

But as the words were on the tip of her tongue, Shang Mingbao woke up and modestly said, “Some people are naturally not tanned.”

Shang Mingxian glanced at her and asked with a smile, “Who?”

Shang Mingbao got into the car, shaking her head, “I won’t say, I won’t tell you.”

By the time the car arrived at Deep Water Bay, it was evening. She was going home, and Shang Shao was also heading back, caught by Shang Mingbao near the Flamingo Lake’s heart island.

This is a gift from Shang Yuye to Wen Youyi. The flamingo is known for its one mate for life, symbolizing fidelity and elegance, and is meant to provide Wen Youyi with some comfort during moments of boredom. However, in the end, these birds became toys for five children, and the caretaker is always anxious, fearing that one of the young masters or misses might overfeed them.

Shang Mingbao approached with his hands behind his back, intending to scare him, but after thinking it over, he hesitated and simply called out, “Elder Brother.”

A lantern cast a faint glow, gently swaying in the evening breeze. Shang Shao sat under the pavilion with a tea tray on the table beside him. His white shirt was tinged with the night’s hue, and his suit jacket was draped over the chair, indicating that he had just returned from work.

He preferred peace and had not kept the butler around. Coming here right after work showed he had something on his mind.

Shang Mingbao sat beside him, noticing that he poured tea for her, and asked, “Was Tibet fun?”

“It wasn’t Tibet; it was Yunnan,” Shang Mingbao corrected him. “Tibetan areas are not just Tibet.”

Shang Shao still kept his eyes lowered and smiled, “Go on.”

Shang Mingbao cleared her throat and confidently shared a few observations about the Tibetan areas, looking like a child reporting what they had learned on their first day back from kindergarten.

After a few stories, she stopped, “I won’t say more. I’ll save the rest for dinner.”

She was nervous, her palms sweating, feeling like she was wasting his time with trivial matters, just as she did when she was younger.

Shang Shao listened carefully, smiled a little, and his gaze softened but remained limited.

“Did your boyfriend return to New York?”

“Mm.” Shang Mingbao nodded obediently.

After the nod, the air fell silent.

…………

Shang Shao’s smile seemed more amused, “What? Do you think you can fool anyone?”

In front of him, Shang Mingbao gave up resisting and slid to her knees, “Don’t tell Mom!”

“You’re twenty-two; having a relationship isn’t a bad thing.”

Shang Mingbao stomped her foot in frustration, “I’m twenty! I’m not even twenty yet! Nineteen years old! Elder Brother!!!”

Shang Shao was surprised and apologized smoothly, “Sorry.”

With so many siblings, it was hard to keep track, and in his view, age lost significance once one was an adult.

Shang Mingbao’s voice was flat, “That’s not how you apologize.”

Shang Shao was skilled, “How much do you want? Let Uncle Kang transfer it to you.”

Shang Mingbao eagerly took advantage, “How did you figure it out?”

“It’s not hard to see; it’s hard to miss.”

Shang Mingbao, used to his vague way of speaking, returned the question, “Oh… well, it’s not hard to see you have worries; it’s hard to miss that you have worries.”

Shang Shao wasn’t prepared to share corporate matters with a younger sister and instead asked nonchalantly, “What’s it like being in a relationship?”

Shang Mingbao tilted her head skeptically, squinting and observing him with peripheral vision, “You actually care about this?”

“To keep you in check.”

Shang Mingbao counted on her fingers and described her feelings: “As long as I’m awake, I’m always thinking about him. Even when I’m asleep, I naturally dream about him. I worry about him, think about him, and if we’re together, I don’t need to find meaningful things to do; just being quietly together makes me happy. And…” She hesitated, mumbling, “And some other things…”

Shang Shao understood, a faint smile at his lips.

Shang Mingbao nudged, “Elder Brother, at New Year’s, Mom mentioned a girl was getting close to you?”

“Mm.”

“What’s the situation now?” Shang Mingbao peeked at him, hoping to hear his plans.

Perhaps his plans could give her some courage.

“Nothing much.”

“It’s been so long,” Shang Mingbao blinked, “still no progress?”

It’s been almost four months since New Year’s!

“No rush.” Shang Shao gave her a vague response.

Shang Mingbao gathered her courage, “Are you afraid Mom and Dad won’t agree? Because they want to arrange a marriage for you.”

Shang Shao looked at her, “Are you afraid of this?”

“Aren’t you afraid?”

“Shang Yuye’s assets don’t dictate my actions, why should I be afraid?”

Shang Mingbao was stunned, “Inheritance rights, board of directors, shares, trusts… can’t they control you?”

Shang Shao smiled briefly and stood up from the chair, “If you’re thinking about your own problems, then start with your own cards, babe.”

He looked down, “No one can be your precedent. Shang Yuye’s cards are not the same as what can actually be played. What you value might not be what I care about. What do you think?”

Shang Mingbao stared wide-eyed, not blinking, feeling a storm in her chest.

What? Does this mean that even billions in assets aren’t enough to control him? From the way he spoke, it seemed like the things that put him at the top of the pyramid were not his strength or will but a burden.

Shang Shao pointed to the tea table, “Let’s go. Time for dinner.”

Shang Mingbao exhaled lightly and said, “If I tell Dad about this, how much will he pay me?”

Shang Shao: “…”

“If you don’t want me to tell Dad,” Shang Mingbao extended her delicate hand, chin high, “then double the amount?”

Shang Shao fell into an oddly silent moment, “Little sister, some dirty money isn’t worth earning.”

“What’s wrong? Information gaps are the essence of all profitable ventures.” Shang Mingbao said proudly.

Shang Shao was both gratified and amused, giving her a sidelong glance, “If you’re going to put it that way… let’s talk about Xiang Feiran.”

Shang Mingbao felt like she was struck by lightning, her head shaking and expression freezing in an instant.

“Now, can you go eat dinner obediently?”

Throughout the rest of the journey, Shang Mingbao clung to him like a shadow: “How did you find out? How did you figure it out? Who told you? Was it Second Sister? Or Sophie?”

Shang Shao nodded: “So Mingzhuo knows too. Sophie didn’t report it but remained loyal to you. But that’s beside the point. You’re alone in New York; she has a duty to supervise.”

Shang Mingbao nearly cried: “Big Brother, I’m sorry. I don’t want your money anymore. Please stop trying to get information out of me…”

Shang Shao tried to suppress his laughter, but his expression remained unchanged: “Deal.”

“Then tell me, how did you know?” Shang Mingbao pouted.

It was naturally deduced from the phone call with Wen Youyi, and Mingbao’s current lovesick appearance confirmed his suspicions.

Shang Shao had no intention of frightening her, and casually invented: “He left a strong impression on me. I mentioned it casually just now to trick you, didn’t expect it to be true.”

“………………”

Shang Mingbao held back the words “dog man” on her tongue with great effort.

Shang Shao smiled slightly, glancing at her: “Your taste in men isn’t bad.”

·

When Shang Mingbao made the video call, Xiang Feiran had been at the airport writing his thesis for five hours.

He went to get a new glass of warm water, first confirmed his expenses for the next three months and current savings, then opened a booking app to compare luxury hotels on Manhattan Island.

A WeChat video request popped up. Xiang Feiran swiped right to answer and was unexpectedly greeted by Shang Shao’s face on the screen.

Wearing a shirt, looking stern and composed, his demeanor was unchanged from three years ago in the hospital.

Xiang Feiran choked on his water, spilling hot water all over himself from the thermos. He coughed violently, and nearby travelers looked over, surprised to see the usually cold and quiet man with slightly reddened ears.

Shang Mingbao’s cheerful voice came from the other end: “Feiran gege, last time you mentioned that investing a certain amount would be considered a significant contribution to botany and could lead to having a new species named after you?”