Chapter 80

On New Year’s Eve this year, because it was the first reunion after Xiang Feiran’s six years abroad, everyone gathered in the mountains for the New Year’s Eve dinner at Xiang Lianqiao’s insistence.

Xiang Weishan’s third wife, who felt she owed Xiang Feiran nothing, attended the banquet gracefully, holding their daughter, who had just started learning to speak.

“Call your brother,” she said, poking the child’s chubby cheek.

The child, who already had an older brother from a different mother, looked at Xiang Feiran for a while and, with some hesitation, called out, “Bro… Bro.”

She reached out her short arms, wanting to be held.

“Oh, she wants her brother to hold her… Feiran, would you like to hold her?”

Xiang Feiran extended his hand and took the child from her mother’s arms.

Xiang Weishan’s wife, Zheng Ao, had been steadily making her mark in the academic world in the United States for many years. Her Ph.D. advisor and Professor Tryon were from the same school, and when Xiang Feiran was pursuing his Ph.D., Zheng Ao had once visited him on behalf of Xiang Weishan. She was kind and allowed Xiang Feiran to call her “Aunt.”

The child was quite heavy, and once she was in his arms, she naturally nestled against his shoulder. Everyone was surprised and pleased, saying that Shining liked her brother.

Shining was the little sister’s nickname, and she had many brothers, both from different mothers and fathers.

Zheng Ao’s eldest son was still in high school in the U.S. and, naturally, was not there for New Year’s Eve. Like Zhou Yao, he was pushed by his parents to accumulate resources and build a resume, but he wasn’t happy during his growth. It was said that he had taken a two-year break from school due to depression and saw a psychologist weekly.

Xiang Weishan disapproved of him, and even apart from the step-son status, he didn’t have a good opinion of his ability to handle pressure, having already concluded with a verdict of “incapable of taking on the responsibility.”

It was still early, and Xiang Weishan was in the study practicing calligraphy with Xiang Lianqiao. In the living room, only Zheng Ao and the nanny were present.

Shining was restless in Xiang Feiran’s arms, wriggling like a twisty dough, and tried to grab Xiang Feiran’s face with her little hands, which he gently pressed down.

Zheng Ao came over and adjusted her daughter’s clothing, smiling, “You were much better behaved than Shining when you were little.”

When Xiang Weishan and Tan Shuoyue were in the U.S., Zheng Ao was an undergraduate. She had talent and joined the laboratory in her sophomore year, so people outside now refer to Zheng Ao as Xiang Weishan’s junior. The two had a prior acquaintance.

Once a certain status is reached, such trivial matters are not worth clarifying or debating; a smile suffices. Zheng Ao, not avoiding the topic, said to Xiang Feiran, “I often saw your mother when she came to visit senior brother. Sometimes she brought you along.”

Senior brother referred to Xiang Weishan.

“I remember the first time I saw her, I was too intimidated to speak. She was so beautiful, even though she had just come back from the field, wearing a jacket and work pants, with an orange neckerchief, looking worn out. Her shoes even had mud on them. But as soon as she appeared in the hallway, her aura was so striking that people couldn’t take their eyes off her.”

This was Zheng Ao’s first mention of Tan Shuoyue. Xiang Feiran looked at her and unconsciously asked, “Did you… have much contact with her?”

“Not much,” Zheng Ao said with a smile. “At that time, I was just a twenty-year-old girl, busy every day helping senior students, washing test tubes, and didn’t have many chances to talk to her. Once, I made a mistake, and just thinking about getting scolded by the boss made me cry all night. Your mother saw it and, after asking me a few questions, quickly fixed the bug. I said to her, ‘Senior sister, you’re just like a heroine from ancient times.'”

Xiang Feiran was momentarily stunned, then his gaze softened. “She was like that.”

Zheng Ao continued sharing more stories about Tan Shuoyue. Concerned that Xiang Feiran might be tired from holding the child, she took their daughter from his arms, soothing her with soft sounds.

Shining, perhaps tired, was taken to her room by the nanny, leaving the living room much quieter.

Zheng Ao spent the remaining time discussing academic issues with Xiang Feiran. Although their specialties were different, her questions were very thorough, and she brought up several recent papers, showing that she had specifically paid attention to this field.

In the end, she leaned forward, legs crossed, and sighed contentedly with a smile, saying, “Senior brother often says it’s a pity with you. We are surrounded by talents who have received top-notch research training, who can endure loneliness and have exceptional execution skills. But why is there still such a difference in heights? We always think that having a certain flair for research is very important. Some ideas, no matter how many times you experiment, you won’t find the answer, but someone with a sense can often figure out the crux just by simulating it in their mind.”

She looked into Xiang Feiran’s eyes and said, “You’re still young, entering the golden twenty years of a scientist’s career. If you’re interested, why not come to ‘Weishan Life’ and take a look?”

During the festive season, Xiang Feiran had no intention of creating a tense atmosphere and simply replied, “You flatter me.”

Although Zheng Ao had limited interactions with him, she could infer from Xiang Weishan’s frequent anger that Xiang Feiran was not easily swayed.

After marrying Xiang Weishan, Zheng Ao did benefit, but the majority of the company’s shares were still firmly in his hands. The future of these shares was crucial. Zheng Ao knew that her own son was already out of the picture, and with Shining still young, if left to her, the company might have been in trouble long ago. The remaining players were Zhou Yao and Xiang Feiran.

Although Xiang Weishan’s ex-wife had cashed out twenty billion and left, she hadn’t given up on supporting her own children to rise. She was convinced that Xiang Feiran, despising the family business stained with his mother’s pain and tears, would refuse to be part of it and had already begun celebrating with champagne, acting as if ‘Weishan Life’ was already in her pocket.

Zheng Ao understood her husband’s temperament well: he was absolutely narcissistic and arrogant, and there was no way he would hand over control to his third wife, who had joined the family mid-way, was divorced, remarried, and had a child from a different surname. The only option now was to persuade Xiang Feiran to join the fray.

She had an advantage over the ex-wife and Xiang Weishan: Tan Shuoyue’s death was unrelated to her, she was innocent, and had been cared for by Tan Shuoyue multiple times—

“I am someone your mother took care of while she was alive,” was a very subtle psychological hint.

Zheng Ao was patient. Even when Xiang Feiran lightly declined, she simply smiled with regret and said, “Alright, then let’s talk when you have time.”

As the elevator descended, Xiang Weishan pushed Xiang Lianqiao’s wheelchair out. Shining had also woken up, making cooing sounds and searching for her mother, making the living room lively again. After a while, Xiang Qiucheng and her husband arrived. Although everyone maintained a formal distance, during the New Year, mutual concessions created a somewhat harmonious atmosphere.

Xiang Feiran, sipping tea and seeming the most distracted, only bent his fingers to playfully tease the child’s chin when she crawled towards him.

He wondered absentmindedly if Shang Mingbao had been as cute when she was young.

After the New Year’s Eve dinner, various greeting calls and video messages poured in.

As Xiang Feiran was already in the system, he wasn’t as detached as he had been as a student. His greetings were concise and composed, reminding people of his distinguished background and upbringing.

His two postdoctoral researchers also sent text messages, wishing him explosive funding for the next year and hoping he would recruit a few more Ph.D. students and perhaps even an associate researcher to further consolidate their position.

After the New Year, they suspected they had inadvertently rubbed an Aladdin’s lamp, as Xiang Feiran’s funding truly exploded. Not only was his project approved for a major fund, but he also received a substantial sponsorship.

“Wow, five million!” The labs were amazed, having never seen such a sum. What does that mean? Some researchers couldn’t even accumulate this much in their projects.

During those days, Xiang Feiran’s research group and dormitory were bustling with activity. Everyone firmly believed that staying close to Professor Xiang would bring good fortune, and Xiang Feiran, overwhelmed, finally returned to the habit of locking doors when entering and leaving.

When he saw the sponsor in the lab director’s office, Xiang Feiran maintained a blank expression.

Wang Baiyan greeted him, “Hi, Brother Feiran.”

The lab director, official website and internal magazine editors, and deputy director were all present. The deputy director, skilled in social interactions, smiled and said, “Oh? So you know each other?”

Wang Baiyan explained casually, “Just a few encounters. I admire Professor Xiang’s disinterest in fame and profit.”

Social sponsorship needs to be publicized and serves as a publicity window. During the group photo, Xiang Feiran declined to be in the spotlight, leaving the limelight to Wang Baiyan and the director.

Afterwards, Wang Baiyan expressed a desire to tour the lab and botanical garden, and Xiang Feiran accompanied him alone.

“You won’t be angry, will you, Brother Feiran?” Wang Baiyan asked with interest.

“Why would I be angry?” Xiang Feiran’s expression remained indifferent, with a faint smile that wasn’t quite a smile. “You support scientific research, so I naturally welcome it.”

“Babe is doing well in Queensland. I happened to visit her and that town, what’s it called—Ridge?” Wang Baiyan tapped his temple as if trying to remember. “It’s quite interesting and has hot springs.”

Xiang Feiran stopped in his tracks. His dark eyes showed no sign of fluctuation, but his face was very cold.

Wu Baiyan tucked his hands into his pockets and smirked slightly. “Don’t get me wrong, of course she won’t invite me to soak in the hot springs. We just visited the local market and jewelry trade fair, went mining, and toured her studio. Oh, right, babe has done these things with you too, so it should be nothing new.”

Because Shang Mingbao had taken him to do these things, the images were even more vivid, surfacing as Wu Baiyan spoke.

“Wu Baiyan,” Xiang Feiran said coldly, “if you think these things will anger me, you can go back to your mansion in Manhattan and cry in your mother’s arms. Leave adult matters to adults.”

Wu Baiyan clearly bit back a curse, smirking dismissively. “Sorry to disappoint you, but I’ll be in Hong Kong and Singapore for the next year. If babe doesn’t find you when she’s back in Hong Kong, it’s probably because I’ve already made plans with her.”

Xiang Feiran remained unmoved. “If you like her, I suggest you compete with me fairly, rather than using these low tricks.”

“Compete? Why should I compete with you?” Wu Baiyan maintained his smile. “Aren’t you against marriage? Oh, right, babe asked you to reconsider your anti-marriage stance, and you agreed. Do you think she’ll wait for you forever?”

Seeing Xiang Feiran’s momentarily furrowed brow, Wu Baiyan was surprised. “Really? Didn’t she tell you she has a deadline? To be honest, you won’t make it. Cherish the time you still have with her, Brother Feiran, because soon she won’t be yours.”

Shang Mingbao set a deadline?

It didn’t matter; it was understandable. But… how long? Three years, two years, or… only one year?

He couldn’t help but speculate, and within him spread a dense uncertainty, like dust.

Why didn’t his treasure tell him? Why did she tell Wu Baiyan?

“Brother Feiran, to be honest, I admire you personally. I remember when I first met you, I was probably only this tall.” Wu Baiyan gestured casually.

“Why did I recognize you immediately that year in the attic? Frankly, someone like you is hard to forget. I did see you as a competitor before we both knew babe. I didn’t like you from the start.

“Compete with you fairly? That’s a joke. This competition started long ago, from the moment you were born and I was born, from the choices of our grandfathers, our parents, and our own choices—power, wealth, the ways we make and spend money. Why should I compete with you? You’re not even qualified. Do you really think a salary of less than a million a year, or millions in recruitment fees, can make her happy?”

“Really? You look so unhappy. Didn’t anyone tell you this before I mentioned it? Didn’t you think about it yourself? Oh, I forgot, you’re against marriage and don’t think about the future. But have you thought about it now? If you have, you might as well think deeper. You ask why I should compete with you? I should thank you. If she were interested in someone with a comparable background, I’d have a headache. But she’s interested in someone destined to be out of the picture, you’re blocking others for me. Once you’re gone, I’ll be the only one who truly understands her.

“You’re great, standing at the peak of Mount Everest, but unfortunately, you like the moon.

“And to answer your question, yes, I like her. The way she likes you will someday appear in the way she likes me.”

Within half an hour, the news that Xiang Bo had beaten his sponsor spread throughout the plant research institute.

Chat groups went wild, with some saying it was not obvious, others commenting that the sponsor’s nose might be broken, and some noting that the deputy director and director looked pale and on the verge of exploding. The only consensus was that Xiang Bo must have had a reason for hitting someone, and it was definitely the other party’s fault.

Insiders said that the beaten sponsor did not call the police or make a fuss, nor did he withdraw his sponsorship, but Xiang Bo’s self-criticism and salary penalty were inevitable.

When Xiang Feiran returned to the lab, the two postdocs didn’t dare utter a word and buried themselves in their work. The meeting scheduled for 3 p.m. was thought to be canceled, but unexpectedly, Xiang Feiran still called them.

After summarizing the progress and difficulties of the past week, it was time for the Aladdin’s lamp wish moment. One postdoc mentioned a shortage of certain samples, unavailable domestically. Xiang Feiran promptly drafted an email to Professor Qiu Yuan, who he had interacted with at a previous conference.

The two postdocs exchanged glances as they reviewed the draft email and slowly gave a thumbs up. This wasn’t the first time he had coordinated samples or data for them. As a PI, it was part of his job, but the postdocs had originally thought he would be a quiet, solitary figure who only spoke a few words in a week. However, they were surprised that wherever he sent an email, there was a response, which left everyone quite puzzled.

After the meeting, Shang Mingbao’s call came in.

The two postdocs noticed the “babe” caller ID and thought they might finally see his mood improve, but instead, their boss hung up the call.

“Leave first,” Xiang Feiran said, flipping his phone screen down.

The postdocs quickly packed up their notebooks and cables and left. The projector source was disconnected, but the projector was still on, displaying a pale blue screen.

Unwilling to hear Shang Mingbao question him about why he hit someone, he was in an unstable emotional state. If he heard any hint of Wu Baiyan’s favoritism from her, he was unsure what he would say.

Xiang Feiran went to the window, opened the old aluminum window, and tapped a cigarette in his palm.

Outside, the kapok flowers bloomed, a fiery red in the late spring afternoon. Xiang Feiran looked at the flowers, rested the cigarette on his lips, and quietly smoked it to the end.

After finishing, the second call came in. Xiang Feiran extinguished the cigarette on the old building’s wall, took a deep breath, and answered the call.

“Why didn’t you answer the phone just now?” Her voice was light and cheerful.

In Queensland, the time was two hours ahead of domestic time. Shang Mingbao had finished her work for the day and was on her way home. Passing through a local market, she picked out some fruits and asked the vendor if the oranges were sweet with a hint of sourness.

“I was in a meeting,” Xiang Feiran said, turning his back, leaning against the windowsill. After she finished talking with the vendor, he called out to her, “babe.”

“Hmm?”

“I miss you.”

Shang Mingbao, who had been absorbed in selecting oranges, straightened up, her concern evident. “Did something happen?” she asked worriedly.

“No,” Xiang Feiran said with a smile, his hand gripping the half-burned cigarette. “Why do you ask?”

“You sound unhappy,” Shang Mingbao replied, standing in front of the fruit stall, her long hair tousled by the evening breeze.

Her ability to see through his facade was unnervingly natural.

Xiang Feiran paused, realizing that Wu Baiyan hadn’t yet reported his actions.

He quietly said, “It’s because I miss you so much and can’t see you that I’m unhappy.”

Shang Mingbao felt a wave of shyness, playfully holding an orange against her cheek.

The sweet fragrance of the orange and its cool touch mingled with Xiang Feiran’s words in her memory.

“I miss you too,” she said softly, using the orange as a shield.

Her breath, so close to the phone, lightly brushed Xiang Feiran’s ear.

“If…” Xiang Feiran hesitated, “If I can’t figure things out, how long will you stay by my side?”

Shang Mingbao’s body stiffened, her lashes lowering as she lied. “Forever, until the day I stop loving you or you stop loving me.”

She didn’t want to reveal her own deadline because she had experienced the anxiety of constantly being on a countdown, like a sword hanging over her head.

She didn’t want him to feel pressured by this sense of urgency.

What she didn’t know was that the sword was now hanging over Xiang Feiran’s head.

Shang Mingbao laughed lightly, “Why bring this up again? We already talked about it in the specimen room.”

After chatting for a while longer, the wind grew cooler, and she prepared to end the call. At the end, she heard Xiang Feiran say, “I love you, babe. No matter what, I love you.”

He rarely said those three words because they carried weight, not just sweet talk.

Shang Mingbao felt her eyes well up suddenly and quickly turned her back to the wind to prevent her tears from being blown away.

Carefully choosing a bag of sweet oranges and grapefruits, she walked to the end of the parking lot and got into her car.

She lingered on his words, “I love you.”

A few days later, Wu Baiyan, who had been to Australia two weeks prior, appeared again. He had medical tape on his nose, and bruises on his lips and forehead, looking quite menacing.

Shang Mingbao was startled and, seeing him standing at the entrance without knocking, she almost reached for her pepper spray, thinking he might be a troublemaker.

In the pitch-black night, with only a couple of lights visible, she recognized him and felt a wave of relief. “Wu Baiyan! You scared me!”

Seeing his bruised face, she was even more shocked. “Were you robbed?”

Wu Baiyan didn’t blink. “Yes, I was robbed.”

Shang Mingbao pulled out her keys from her open tote bag. “Why didn’t you have Sophie let you in?”

Wu Baiyan covered the lock hole with his hand, his eyes looking down at her with an intimidating presence.

Shang Mingbao was puzzled. “Are you sick or something?”

“Yes, I’m sick.”

Shang Mingbao clicked her tongue in frustration. “So, what do you want, Mr. Wu? Do you want me to call the police or find you a doctor?”

“I hope…” Wu Baiyan paused, “I hope you’ll try me instead of waiting for Xiang Feiran.”

With a clatter, the key fell from Shang Mingbao’s hand onto the asphalt.

“I’m sick. I’ve liked you for a long time, but didn’t realize it, so I didn’t take it seriously. I’ve lied to you many times. I don’t have any real love from Czechoslovakia; that country has long since dissolved. Shang Mingbao, you’re really easy to deceive. I’ve always had ulterior motives because my mother wanted to connect with your family. You knew I didn’t want you to keep your distance, so I told you I didn’t like you. I’m really a good person, listening to you talk about your love with Xiang Feiran for four years, giving you advice, accompanying you to cheer up, comforting you, and being your emotional punching bag, sending you to see him again and again. All this wasn’t because I wanted to be friends with you, but because I like you. Do you understand?”

“I don’t understand,” Shang Mingbao said instinctively, her eyes wide, “Your confession is as confusing as when cheese says she likes me. Do you understand?”

She was disoriented, her gaze reflecting her confusion. “What the hell? Why should friends develop feelings for each other?”

Wu Baiyan clicked his tongue. “Why insult me so much, Shang Mingbao?”

“I’m going home,” Shang Mingbao said, crouching to pick up the key. “You should stay in a hotel. I don’t know how to face you right now.”

“Do you know how cruel you are?” Wu Baiyan still covered the lock hole.

“I don’t know,” Shang Mingbao said, trying to pry his hand away, but he held onto it firmly.

His grip was strong, athlete’s build, and Shang Mingbao was startled, her whole body trembling.

His hand was like a vise, gripping tightly, and with a slight pull, he could pull the slender her into his embrace, making any bold move.

Tears were welling up in Shang Mingbao’s eyes. “Alan, Alan, don’t…”

Her fear and the way she pressed her fingers against her pepper spray deeply hurt Wu Baiyan.

He breathed heavily, “What do you take me for? Why are you afraid of me? Shang Mingbao, I’ve been with you for the past four years, experiencing things with you, not less than Xiang Feiran. Why are you afraid of me?”

Shang Mingbao couldn’t make sense of what Wu Baiyan was saying and only shook her head, saying, “I only like Xiang Feiran, don’t do this…”

Wu Baiyan, injured and fresh out of the hospital, had flown a long distance to find her, not to hear her repeat how much she loved Xiang Feiran.

Frowning, he said, “What’s so great about Xiang Feiran? It’s just because you were naive and impressed by him when you were sixteen. It was just a fleeting infatuation from your adolescence. Do you understand? It’s been four years; you should wake up! He’s not going to change for you. There’s no future for you two. You’re unwilling to end it, postponing the inevitable. What’s the point? Fine, if you think it’s meaningful, that’s okay. But you should prepare for the future! Do you need to spend four years loving him? Give me some attention. You’ll see that I’m not so bad. Just give me a trial period.”

In those few minutes, all of Wu Baiyan’s experience and composure crumbled. He had no tactics left, only his instinctive plea for her to see him.

But his desperation only appeared aggressive to Shang Mingbao.

She burst into tears, abandoning the pepper spray in her tote bag and instinctively hitting the emergency contact button.

It was Xiang Feiran’s number.

Amidst her cries of “Xiang Feiran” and fear, Xiang Feiran suddenly stood up from his desk, his hands and feet cold as he imagined all the dangers that could be happening in Australia.