Chapter 79

Although she was nearing graduation and often visited Ning City, Shang Mingbao was still strictly governed by her older brother’s curfew rules because she stayed at Shang Lu’s place. As the silver Porsche 911 drove up the hill, Shang Mingbao saw her brother on the balcony of the study on the second floor, smoking.

Clearly, her brother was nervous about tomorrow’s proposal.

“Is it possible that Ke Yu won’t agree to me?” Shang Lu brushed off the ash from his cigarette.

Shang Mingbao: “Have you lost your mind? Teacher Ke loves you so much.”

“Do you think he loved me before?”

“He did.”

“But he still left.”

Shang Mingbao hesitated.

When it comes to feelings, those involved are often confused, while outsiders see clearly. Back then, their love was so deep that their breakup wasn’t due to a lack of love, which made it very painful. Shang Mingbao knew that Ke Yu had said many harsh and unkind things, all directed at Shang Lu. After their separation, Shang Lu, who had seemed like an indomitable god to Shang Mingbao, had exiled himself to the Pacific Ocean to chase whales, facing storms and near-death experiences.

Shang Lu’s hesitation about Ke Yu’s love on the eve of the proposal was understandable. When love runs deep, one can still turn away; how could it be that today it’s surely unshakable? This is the instinct of someone who has been hurt.

But…

Shang Mingbao raised her voice, “You know best whether Teacher Ke loves you. If even you doubt it, then who can prove his love?”

Shang Lu was stunned, ash falling from the cigarette.

After comforting her anxious older brother, Shang Mingbao took a shower and jumped into the temperature-controlled pool under the moonlight. After swimming two laps, she headed towards the long edge of the pool, pushed up her goggles, and gazed at the floating algae glowing on the dark sea surface.

Both her brother and Ke Yu were brave enough to say “I love you” again amidst the ruins and scars.

Shang Mingbao pressed her damp face against her arm. If she and Xiang Feiran were to break up, even if they met again, everything would probably never return to how it was. She closed her eyes, thinking about how the postdoc called her “teacher’s wife” today, and how Xiang Feiran was wiping Odin’s paws at the entrance while she stood in the living room, with the sunset’s golden light and the laughter of children downstairs behind her. These two fragments felt so long that, as she thought about them, she almost fell asleep in the warm blue water.

The next day, except for Shang Mingzhuoo, who was in the U.S., the whole family had gathered. After a birthday lunch and a short rest, Wen Youyi asked Shang Mingbao to accompany her for a walk and, seemingly casually, asked, “Have you been in New York for so long without being in a relationship?”

Shang Mingbao replied smoothly, “I’ve been in relationships, but they didn’t last.”

Wen Youyi didn’t understand why Shang Mingbao insisted on keeping her relationship with Xiang Feiran a secret. Over the years, she had had to play along with the deception. Perhaps it was because Shang Mingbao had grown up, but when asked, she no longer showed the same fluster, fear, and shyness as before.

Wen Youyi wanted to tell her that her eyes back then had pleaded: “Mom, please don’t ask and don’t break us apart.” Now those eyes only held calmness.

Wen Youyi joked, “Your elder sisters are not interested in marriage. What about you? When you were little, the most important thing was to become a bride.”

Shang Mingbao linked her arm with her mother’s and replied, “I still want to, but there’s no rush.”

With a meaningful “oh,” she added, “Mommy, are you anxious to marry me off? Do you want to introduce me to someone?”

Wen Youyi was slightly taken aback and looked at her daughter’s expression. “If you’re willing, Mommy actually has someone in mind.”

Shang Mingbao maintained her composure and acted coquettishly, “I’m willing, but good men are so few these days. I might not find one on my own. If Mommy helps me choose, they’ll surely be the best. But—there’s no rush, we can talk about it later.”

At this point, Wen Youyi subtly hinted again, “Now that you’re grown up and have your own studies and career, you might meet a good person along the way. If you really like them, it doesn’t matter if their family background is slightly less than ours.”

She patted her daughter’s hand and said, “If you’re unsure, bring them to me, and I’ll help you assess.”

In the warm sea breeze, Shang Mingbao lowered her eyelashes and cheerfully answered, “Got it, I’ll bring them to you when I find them.”

Wen Youyi knew her very well—or perhaps her youngest daughter was the easiest person in the world to read. She wasn’t willing to miss even the slightest flicker of excitement, longing, or hesitation on her face—but there was none. Her daughter responded as if Xiang Feiran didn’t exist in the world.

After walking around and giving Shang Lu a few more tips, Wen Youyi and her husband left, giving the space to the younger ones.

Around two in the afternoon, Xiang Feiran drove over from the botanical garden.

Last night, because of Shang Mingbao’s plea, he had helped debug for the neighboring team’s postdoc until 3 a.m. He had come to the lab as usual this morning and only had a short nap of twenty minutes at noon.

Because he was going to meet her siblings, Xiang Feiran had carefully chosen to wear a suit. Driving out of the bustling city, the view suddenly changed when he came out of the highway checkpoint. The deep blue sea sparkled in the sunlight, and the road followed the mountains beside the sea, offering a broad view that lifted his spirits.

As he was about to enter the internal roads of the residential area, Xiang Feiran stopped the car with the hazard lights on and lit a cigarette.

He was nervous.

Confirming this feeling, he paused while extinguishing the cigarette and gave a self-deprecating smile.

The sea breeze blew in, dispersing the tobacco smell from the Mercedes and tousling his hair. As he climbed the mountain, through the dappled shadows of the trees, he started to regulate his breathing and heartbeat.

Ning City was vast, with luxury estates springing up, but this area called “Yun Gui” had consistently ranked first. Xiang Feiran didn’t care much about these things; he only knew because Xiang Weishan had considered sending Xiang Lianqiao here for retirement. However, compared to the moist seaside, Xiang Lianqiao preferred the warmth and freshness of the mountains.

After driving through two checkpoints and nearly forty minutes of winding mountain roads, he finally saw the white buildings scattered according to the mountain’s contours.

Clearly, this area, enclosed by the wealthy at the top, was as large as the botanical garden.

At the top of the mountain, a white wall framed the courtyard, and a metal plaque with the Cantonese pinyin of “商” (Shang) indicated that this was the Shang residence.

Xiang Feiran parked the car on the slope, got out, and was greeted and announced by the staff. From a distance, he heard a call, looked up, and saw Shang Mingbao waving at him from the second-floor railing before running away. Less than a minute later, the outdoor observation elevator descended, and Shang Mingbao ran out.

She led Xiang Feiran inside, introducing him to everyone.

“Brother Xiaodao, this is my boyfriend Feiran.”

Ke Yu nodded with a smile, thinking that Mingbao was not blind after all. She must have been temporarily blinded when she liked Zhong Ping.

He had just moved his Cannes Best Actor trophy back in May. As the top male actor in the country, Xiang Feiran couldn’t help but notice him on the omnipresent billboards. Now, seeing him in person, he appeared down-to-earth with a slight air of distraction.

Shang Mingbao teased him, “Brother Xiaodao, you’re so nervous, it shows on your face!”

Ke Yu was indeed flustered. He immediately took a deep breath and hurriedly said, “Excuse me, I need to find a place to practice.”

Once he was out of sight, Shang Mingbao chuckled triumphantly. “Do you know, he’s so good at speaking on the Cannes stage, yet he’s so nervous about proposing.”

Soon, they met the birthday guest of honor.

Shang Lu appeared much more sharp-edged than Ke Yu, with a defiant expression and sculpted features. After Shang Mingbao’s introduction, he extended his hand and said, “Welcome. I often hear Babe mention you.”

After chatting with the two of them for five or six minutes, Shang Lu hurriedly excused himself. “Sorry, I have something important to do today.”

Shang Mingbao blinked and said, “You have something big to do today.”

Shang Lu took a deep breath, patted Xiang Feiran on the shoulder, and said, “Make sure Babe takes good care of you.”

As soon as he was out of sight, Shang Mingbao tightened her grip on Xiang Feiran’s hand and explained, “Feiran, he’s not in the best mood today. Please don’t take it personally.”
Xiang Feiran, after a brief pause, smiled and sighed, “It’s nothing. Don’t overthink it.”

Shang Mingbao suddenly regretted inviting him because there were very few guests tonight. Two actors were their circle friends and collaborators, another pair were friends of Shang Lu and were familiar with her older brother, Shang Shao. Besides them, Xiang Feiran was the only outsider. But he neither mingled in the entertainment industry nor was adept at socializing like those in business circles. To put it plainly—he was the only one not belonging to any circle.

Was pulling him out of the lab just for such a dull occasion?

She introduced him to everyone, and when they reached Shang Shao, Mingbao looked to her older brother with hope.

Shang Shao put down his glass and chatted with him about his situation since returning to the country. It was a typical social small talk. Xiang Feiran responded briefly, and just as someone else came to speak with Shang Shao, the meaningless conversation was naturally interrupted.

Shang Mingbao pulled Xiang Feiran away, eager to protect him from the business talk, and said urgently, “He’s heartbroken, he fell for a very bad woman, so he’s moody. I don’t like to deal with him anymore, and you shouldn’t either.”

Xiang Feiran shook his head with a smile, “It’s hard for me to connect your brother with heartbreak.”

“Well…” Shang Mingbao pondered and nodded, “Just think of it as him being used by someone. Anyway, I didn’t like his last girlfriend, but I couldn’t say it because she seemed so cheerful and sunny. If I said I didn’t like her, it would feel like I was at fault.”

Xiang Feiran patted her hair, “Who else hasn’t been introduced?”

The earlier tension had dissipated, and after relaxing, he found it rather amusing, as his nervousness had clearly been unnecessary.

Shang Mingbao counted on her fingers, “And the eldest sister—”

Eldest sister?!

The dramatic change in Xiang Feiran’s expression didn’t escape her eyes, “Your eldest sister, what about her?”

Shang Mingbao took a deep breath and pushed him towards the second floor, “My eldest sister is a bit scary, colder and less approachable than the others. There’s a study upstairs with tens of thousands of books; you can stay there and avoid this boring social event!”

As she opened the study door, Shang Mingxian, who was on the phone inside, turned around.

Shang Mingbao was already tense and gasped when she saw her, exclaiming, “Eldest sister?!”

Why did she have to take a phone call in the study!

Xiang Feiran squinted his eyes.

She had shoulder-length hair, a neat professional outfit, a smile that preceded her words from years in the service industry, and her signature high heels.

This woman was more than just vaguely familiar.

The “acting general manager” of Qili Hotel’s Spring Canyon location… eldest sister?

Xiang Feiran tilted his head and directly addressed the person involved, Shang Mingbao, with a meaningful look.

Shang Mingbao immediately slid into a kneeling position, with a compliant smile, “My eldest sister, well, works in the hotel industry…”

Shang Mingxian ended her call and immediately saw through the situation. She sneezed before speaking, raising an eyebrow, “Who’s been talking about me?”

Shang Mingbao pointed skyward with both hands, “Not me!”

Shang Mingxian pointed at Xiang Feiran, “You?”

Xiang Feiran, “?”

Shang Mingxian smiled, pushed off the sunken sofa, and made two steady, deliberate taps with her high heels, “So, have you experienced our Las Vegas branch? You’re the only lucky customer of Qili to date.”

Shang Mingbao nearly knelt in response—no need to bring that up too!

Without her mentioning it, Xiang Feiran also realized, curling the corner of his lips in a smirk, “You’re making me blush.”

“Not at all,” Shang Mingxian extended her hand to him, “I should apologize for not introducing myself properly.”

She accompanied them on a leisurely tour of the entire house, chatting as they went, and it had already been an hour by the time they finished. It was winter, four in the afternoon, the sun’s last warmth. Shang Mingbao went to change into swimwear for a swim, while Shang Mingxian and Xiang Feiran stayed in the hallway, admiring the original paintings on the walls and waiting for her.

“Babe has loved swimming since she was young, but she couldn’t swim due to heart issues and only played golf. After her surgery, she takes every chance to swim.”

Xiang Feiran nodded, “She’s very good at freestyle.”

Shang Mingxian laughed, “Yes, I can’t keep up with her. Mingzhuo told me you’re quite the academic genius.”

The term “genius” is an exaggeration, Xiang Feiran smiled, “Far from it.”

“Mingzhuo is the smartest in our family; if she says so, then to us, you’re a genius.”

At this point, Shang Mingbao, now dressed in a one-piece swimsuit with no sensual elements, had returned. It was winter, so she wore a thick bathrobe over it and looked up at Mingxian, “Aren’t you swimming?”

Shang Mingxian waved her off, “No, I’m not as obsessed as you.”

The guests were all in the garden on the first floor drinking. Shang Mingbao removed her robe, warmed up with some stretches, and jumped into the water. After swimming back and forth, she listened for any inappropriate topics discussed by Shang Mingxian.

Shang Mingxian laughed, “I won’t talk anymore, you little spy.”

Shang Mingbao “hmph” and breathed deeply underwater.

The winter sunlight filtered through the water’s surface, creating a soft glow, and the rhythmic sounds were all she heard. She felt happy to see Shang Mingxian and Xiang Feiran chatting so much, swimming to the other side in one breath.

Little did she know she had relaxed too soon; after a while, Shang Mingxian began to probe.

“Are you a local from Ning City?”

“Yes.”

“Do you speak Cantonese?”

Xiang Feiran replied to her in Cantonese, sounding authentic and pleasant, utilizing his voice and charisma better than Mandarin.

“You’re so tall, I originally thought you were from the North. It seems your parents’ genes are really outstanding.”

Xiang Feiran slightly lifted the corner of his mouth and simply said, “You’re flattering me.”

Shang Mingxian realized he didn’t want to discuss that topic and naturally shifted the subject, asking, “I’ve always heard Mingbao say that you study botany. What exactly does botany study?”

Xiang Feiran briefly introduced it, and Shang Mingxian appeared to understand vaguely, “So, there are many directions. What do you research?”

“Plant taxonomy, genome evolution, and some aspects related to biodiversity and biogeography.”

Shang Mingxian said, “You explain it more complicated than Mingzhuo did. Mingzhuo once told me that, in summary, you’re studying why plants flower.”

Xiang Feiran smiled, somewhat defeated by her persistent questioning, “During the Cretaceous period about 130 million years ago, plant species suddenly experienced explosive diversification and prosperity, which contradicts the slow evolution of natural selection. This phenomenon is known as Darwin’s abominable mystery. Currently, the academic community generally believes that this plant species explosion is closely related to the appearance of flowers, but how flowers ‘appeared’ or what evolutionary process flowering plants underwent before their appearance is still unknown.”

Shang Mingxian smiled, “You’re quite the storyteller, but Mingbao and Mingzhuo both say you’re very cool.”

Xiang Feiran: “…”

It’s because, faced with such kindergarten-level questions, he doesn’t know how to answer and can only temporarily serve as a ‘100,000 Whys’ popular science book.

Shang Mingxian asked, “I think you explained it well. Why didn’t you choose to become a professor at a university?”

“Good question.”

Xiang Feiran paused for a moment and said淡淡, “The amount of talking needed for an undergraduate class is the sum of all my words for a week.”

Shang Mingxian: “…”

Clearing his throat, he asked, “I also heard Mingbao say that you know many types of plants. Are botanists like that?”

“Not necessarily. Each taxonomist has their own specialty, and often, experienced plant enthusiasts know more than professors in the lab.”

Shang Mingxian glanced at the garden, “Can you identify the trees and flowers in the garden?”

Xiang Feiran: “…”

Suddenly, the casual inquiry turned into a test of ability.

“Sorry,” Shang Mingxian adeptly retreated to advance, “I’m just very curious about you because babe describes you as omnipotent, unique in heaven and earth.”

At this point, with Shang Mingbao’s credibility and eyes at stake, Xiang Feiran had no choice but to look down from the second floor and identify: “Lobelia.”

“Of course.” Shang Mingxian smiled, “These two lobelias were also given by babe, costing six million, shipped from Japan. It’s her small token of warmth for the housewarming.”

“Boxwood, rosewood, sandalwood, padauk, sandalwood rosewood, Indian padauk.”

“Wait a minute.” Shang Mingxian stopped him, “Wait a moment…”

Pressing the service bell, a servant came up and heard her instructions: “Call the person in charge of horticulture.”

Shang Mingxian said, “You’ve already mentioned more than I know. Let’s get a professional to see if these names have more meaning.”

Xiang Feiran smiled, “Please.”

After a while, the horticulturist arrived, and Shang Mingxian instructed: “Listen to these names and see if they are correct.”

The horticulturist nodded, unsure of the situation but listened with great seriousness.

“Fortune tree, hemlock, Japanese black pine, yew, Japanese tea plum, iron holly, small-leaf evergreen oak, fragrant mimosa, drunken fragrance, agarwood, silver wood…” Xiang Feiran stopped here, “These are all precious tree species, well maintained here.”

The horticulturist nodded as if finding a kindred spirit.

“As for flowers, there are too many types,” Xiang Feiran pointed out, “but that old peony should be over a hundred years old and is very rare.”

Moreover, although peonies are distributed in the eastern provinces, their cultivation is highly challenging. The high temperature and humidity here are not conducive to their growth and flowering. Planting a flower that once bloomed in the Qing and Republic eras here is, without a doubt, an act of indulgence and confidence.

The horticulturist looked surprised and turned to Shang Mingxian. Shang Mingxian sighed and smiled, “That was a gift from me. I didn’t expect that. To be honest, when I bought it, the seller told me it was over a hundred years old, but I didn’t believe it. I only did it as a favor. I didn’t realize I was the one who lacked vision.”

Xiang Feiran nodded, “The national color is hard to find. I hope to see it in bloom next time.”

Once the horticulturist left, Shang Mingxian apologized, “There are many people in the world who seek fame and fortune. Honestly, I feel babe is easy to fool, maybe because of the elder sister’s nurturing attitude, always worried.”

“No need to be concerned,” Xiang Feiran thought she was too polite, “I often encounter people testing me on site.”

Usually, he ignores them.

Shang Mingxian poured him tea and asked, “You’re so smart and accomplished. Do you ever feel that babe isn’t smart enough?”

Xiang Feiran lifted his eyes, “Mingbao is very smart.”

Mingxian clasped his hands together, “Among ordinary people, she is naturally not stupid. Compared to researchers like you, she falls short. Mingzhuo often complains about us. Perhaps if you discuss professional issues with babe, she might not understand.”

“She’s not stupid,” Xiang Feiran repeated, “When she talks to me about jewelry design, I also don’t understand. Besides…”

He looked at Shang Mingbao, swimming freely in the deep blue pool. “Being able to make yourself and others happy is the smartest talent.”

Shang Mingxian was stunned. She had originally planned to ask about his family background, what his parents and relatives did, their annual income, whether he felt pressure from Shang Mingbao’s spending habits, and his views on certain gender issues in society. These questions might be considered rude, intrusive, or sharp when meeting someone for the first time, and Shang Mingxian understood that. She wanted to see what kind of person this young man was.

With his statement, all her questions vanished.

The person who excels in art undoubtedly possesses high talent, emotional impact, and expressiveness. This was Xiang Feiran’s reflection that evening.

It was a proposal blunder. When both parties proposed at the same time and presented identical rings, even the usually unperturbed Xiang Feiran couldn’t help but laugh.

An O. Henry-style proposal. A Macchi-style gift proposal.

But Ke Yu’s words were so touching.

He said that meeting her was the best thing that ever happened to him.

He said that meeting her, loving her, and being loved by her were such wonderful things that he could actually experience them twice in his life.

Xiang Feiran was more focused than when competing or attending any academic conference.

He envied the ability to openly express love under such public scrutiny and admired the ability to convey love so clearly.

Even someone who had always remained detached from the social circle and indifferent to marriage was drawn into the atmosphere, noticing only when Shang Mingbao’s tears wet his shoulder that she was crying.

She was draped in his suit, her head resting on his shoulder, lips pressed tightly together, but the scorching tears flowed uncontrollably.

Xiang Feiran lifted his hand, embraced her arm in front of her family, and slowly tightened his hold.

A proposal could have such power, moving everyone present to tears and solemnity. Marriage seemed to be a grand culmination— not only a destination for people living together, but also a destination for economic and benefit combinations, a destination where property and relationships are legally protected, and also… a destination for people in love.

When this thought crossed his mind, Xiang Feiran tightly closed his eyes and clenched his fist.

He felt a sense of confusion and pain that was out of place and even desecrated the occasion.

After the proposal, fireworks and champagne marked the end of the night. Guests said their farewells, and Xiang Feiran was the last to leave. Shang Mingbao walked him to the car. It was just the two of them, with the streetlamp casting light on the black Mercedes. She was saying goodbye, returning to Hong Kong the next day. Xiang Feiran stood by the car but hesitated to get in.

Under the streetlamp, her figure was suddenly embraced by him.

“You cried so much today. Was there even a single tear shed for yourself?” His breath brushed her ear, tinged with long-suppressed impatience.