Chapter 10

The next day, Shang Zhiyi was woken by the alarm. After staying up until 3 AM due to the excitement from the concert, she had her first official meal with her parents today. She pushed aside the urge to go back to sleep and got up.

Her roommate was still at her boyfriend’s place, leaving the house so quiet that the only sound was her footsteps on the floor.

She skipped breakfast, grabbed the gifts she had prepared for her parents, and left at 10 AM sharp. The restaurant was her choice—an upscale yet reasonably priced Western restaurant. The price was suitable for her, though her parents initially disagreed, He Yian eventually supported her decision.

Dining in an overly expensive restaurant would have felt too restrictive; she wanted to enjoy a relaxed meal, with comfort being the most important.

Xu Heng had flown to Hong Kong early that morning, so only the three of them were going to eat.

[Mom, no need to pick me up; I’m already at the subway station.]

He Yian, dressed and accessorized, was examining the necklace she had chosen in the mirror. She felt it wasn’t as nice as the one she had tried earlier.

After trying on multiple options and feeling overwhelmed, she realized she had never been so indecisive about her look for an important dinner before. Today, she had already tried four necklaces and felt none were quite right.

Xu Xiangyi smiled and said, “You were never this particular when we were young and dating.”

“You also said when we were young,” He Yian looked at herself in the mirror, noting the fine lines at her eyes, “we aren’t young anymore.” Feeling melancholic, she added, “Zhiyi has never seen how young I used to be.”

“Let’s not talk about that.”

Her phone on the sofa buzzed, and He Yian asked her husband to check it.

Xu Xiangyi fastened his watch and picked up the phone. “Zhiyi is already out.”

He Yian paused her actions: “Didn’t you tell Zhiyi to sleep in a bit?”

“I did.” Xu Xiangyi replied to their daughter: [We’ll be heading out soon; feel free to browse around the area.]

He Yian stopped fussing with the necklace, gathered her things, and went downstairs, where she ran into Xu Ningwei.

In the past, Xu Ningwei would never get up before 11 AM during vacations. But today, she woke up early and felt restless, as if she was being grilled. She decided to go out for a walk.

“Did you make plans with friends for the morning?” He Yian asked.

“No plans.” With her parents dining with Zhiyi, she wasn’t in the mood to meet friends. Besides, she didn’t know how her friends would react if they found out she had been switched at birth. She wasn’t ready to face that, so she planned to visit an exhibition. Xu Ningwei clung to He Yian’s arm and slowly made her way downstairs.

“Ningwei, wait a moment.” Xu Xiangyi called out from behind.

Xu Ningwei released her grip on He Yian and turned to wait for her father.

He Yian walked ahead, and the father and daughter walked side by side.

Xu Xiangyi said seriously, “There’s no rush for the exhibition; you can go another day.”

Xu Ningwei expected her parents might find time to take her.

Xu Xiangyi reminded her, “Have you forgotten something?”

Xu Ningwei blinked, thinking hard but coming up empty.

“Dad, give me a hint.”

“Today your biological parents are returning to their country.”

Oh, that’s right. She had completely forgotten about it.

Xu Xiangyi said, “Go check in on them at the hotel, then take them to the airport.”

Xu Ningwei’s lips twitched slightly. She had no issues with Shang Tongxu, but she couldn’t bring herself to like her biological mother, Xiao Meihua.

Perhaps they were just fundamentally incompatible, to the point where they couldn’t even meet.

As they reached the living room downstairs, Xu Xiangyi instructed the butler to have Xu Ningwei take the prepared gifts.

There were three gifts in total—one for Shang Tongxu and his wife, and one for her younger sister.

Thinking about having to send Xiao Meihua off and carry gifts made Xu Ningwei feel uneasy. It felt like she was groveling.

She really wanted to say, “I’m not giving any gifts. If anyone wants to, let them do it!”

But she dared not show her anger or speak her mind, so she tried to calm herself.

“Dad.” She called out to Xu Xiangyi, who was about to leave.

Her feelings were evident in her eyes, and Xu Xiangyi didn’t need to be perceptive to understand. “As an adult, you have your own views on how to interact with your biological parents. I shouldn’t interfere, but your attitude is a bit off. As your legal father, who else should manage this if not me?”

“I…”

Feeling guilty, Xu Ningwei turned her face away, remaining silent.

Xu Xiangyi couldn’t help but scold her, “They flew all the way from Beijing to see you and bought you so many things, things they might not even afford for themselves. Ningwei…”

Xu Ningwei, feeling aggrieved, replied, “The expensive gifts were from my biological father, Shang Tongxu. Xiao Meihua always has a stern face.”

After a night of sadness, Xu Ningwei finally had the chance to cry in front of her father.

There was no need to say much more. Xu Xiangyi reviewed his own actions: “I’m sorry to your parents; I didn’t educate you properly.”

Tears still on her face, Xu Ningwei felt a pang in her heart. In a moment of panic, she rushed to Xu Xiangyi’s side and hugged his arm. “I’ll take the gifts and make sure to get along well with them. It’s not that you and Mom didn’t educate me well; it’s my own issue.”

She introspected: if personality traits are inherited, her caring nature must have come from Shang Tongxu, while her self-doubt came from Xiao Meihua.

Xiao Meihua was her biological mother, and she had to tolerate her flaws.

In the courtyard, He Yian, who had been waiting for a while without seeing her husband, was about to get out of the car when Xu Xiangyi came out of the villa.

She casually asked what he and Ningwei had discussed.

Xu Xiangyi replied, “Nothing much. Just gave her a few reminders.”

As the car left the villa area, the two of them sat in the back seat, each looking out the window in silence.

Zhiyi had declined their offer to pick her up because the distance was too great.

Before 11 AM, they arrived at the restaurant’s entrance.

Zhiyi was still on the subway, so Xu Xiangyi suggested they walk to the subway station to meet her. The last time they had strolled hand in hand was twenty years ago, when He Yian was pregnant with Zhiyi. She had cravings and couldn’t eat the nutritional meals at home, so Xu Xiangyi would often take her out for street food.

After Zhiyi was born, they seldom had the leisure time to enjoy just each other’s company.

Standing at the subway station exit, Xu Xiangyi shielded his wife from the sun.

When Zhiyi emerged from the station, she looked up and saw her parents, appearing as if she were dreaming.

He Yian walked over, feeling guilty. “Next time, don’t go out on your own. Your dad and I will come to pick you up.”

They had agreed on the restaurant and to pick her up, but Zhiyi felt it wasn’t necessary due to the long detour from the affluent area to her place. “It’s okay, the subway is convenient and quick.”

He Yian tucked Zhiyi’s long hair behind her shoulder and asked if she was hot.

“Not really, not hot.”

“How about I get you an ice cream?” she asked, in a soothing tone.

Only her grandmother, grandfather, and older brother had ever spoken to her like that. Zhiyi smiled and replied, “Not now; I haven’t eaten breakfast.”

“If you’re on an empty stomach, it’s better not to eat it. I’ll get you one next time.”

The mother and daughter chatted as they walked.

Zhiyi was carrying a large canvas bag filled with gifts.

Xu Xiangyi, noticing that Zhiyi was holding onto the bag strap, assumed it was heavy. “Zhiyi, let Dad carry the bag.”

Zhiyi turned around and replied, “It’s not heavy.”

The bag appeared bulging, supported by the packaging.

The three of them, trying to feel close, ended up walking stiffly.

Upon arriving at the restaurant and placing their orders, Zhiyi took out the carefully prepared gifts from her bag.

Before going to the concert on Saturday, she spent an afternoon shopping and bought He Yian a bottle of perfume and a new silk scarf. She had visited every perfume counter to find one with a scent similar to He Yian’s.

It wasn’t exactly the same, just close.

“I’m not sure if it suits you.”

He Yian was surprised and touched, accepting the gifts with both hands. “I love whatever you buy, dear.” She meant it—anything her child bought was the best in her eyes.

She eagerly opened the first gift from her daughter. The perfume was a brand she had loved when she was younger, but she had mostly switched to custom scents and seldom bought ready-made ones.

She showed the perfume to Xu Xiangyi. “Does it look familiar?”

Xu Xiangyi was impressed. “Isn’t this the perfume I used to give you?”

Hearing her father’s words, Zhiyi felt relieved that she hadn’t chosen the wrong perfume.

“Dad, this is for you.” She handed over the elegant box.

Xu Xiangyi’s voice was hoarse as he thanked her, with many words stuck in his throat. He had expected to feel exceptionally happy and gratified when he heard the word ‘Dad,’ but his heart was now filled with sadness.

He finally understood why his wife had taken two days to recover after hearing ‘Mom.’

When the appetizers arrived, they put away the gifts.

He Yian tasted the food, struggling to swallow it with her sadness.

Zhiyi’s attention was mostly on He Yian. Noticing her slow eating, Zhiyi assumed, “Is the taste not good?”

“It’s not that,” He Yian said honestly. “Mom can’t taste much.” She looked at her daughter. “Zhiyi, I’m sorry. It’s my fault that we’re having your first meal outside.”

Zhiyi responded, “I’m not particular about these things.” With Ningwei at home, she wouldn’t be going back. She preferred eating out. “If I were upset about you, I wouldn’t have come to this meal. Relationships take time to build.”

She smiled gently and added, “I don’t like home-cooked meals; I prefer Western food.”

Seeing her daughter’s attempt to excuse her, He Yian felt even more upset. “When we go home in August, I’ll cook Western food for you myself.”

August was very close, much sooner than she had expected.

She felt the sacrifices and adjustments her parents had made for the lost twenty years of parenting. Letting go was the hardest part, she knew. From being a helpless baby to growing into a poised young woman, it had taken over seven thousand days and nights of companionship and hard work. From the first ‘Mom’ and ‘Dad,’ that love had become the deepest bond in her heart.

Even though He Yian loved Xu Ningwei so much, she realized that even with her and Xiao Meihua’s somewhat distant relationship, if she expressed feeling hurt and needing time to adjust, Xiao Meihua would have understood.

The day after Xiao Meihua had yelled, “Don’t call me Mom, I’m not your mother!” Xiao Meihua had messaged her: “If you really don’t want to go back to your biological parents for now, you don’t have to. Return when you’re ready.”

Yet August still felt far away because each day was a wait. When a small rental apartment felt like home, there was still an unease, like a kite with a broken string, uncertain of where it would land.

However, even in August, she might not return.

Wherever she ends up, she’ll adapt.

Xu Xiangyi mentioned returning to the country next week: “I have some work to handle back home. Once it’s sorted, your mom and I will come and stay with you. We’ll stay with you until you go home.”

“If you need anything in the meantime, contact your brother and Si Xun,” he said, praising Jiang Sixun as always: “Sixun has grown up under my watch; he’s very steady. Treat him like your older brother and don’t hesitate to ask for help.”

Zhiyi responded, “Okay.”

She had just seen Jiang Sixun the night before, but it felt like it had been a long time.

On Monday afternoon, their flight to London was scheduled, and she hadn’t seen the boss at the company in the morning.

As the time approached, Luna reminded her to grab her suitcase and head out.

Including the boss, there were six people going to London.

In the elevator, Luna said to her, “You’ll ride with the boss.”

A colleague laughed and added, “Yes, ride with your brother, don’t squeeze in with us.”

Zhiyi: “…”

At the company, it was now common knowledge that she was the boss’s sister, a wealthy heiress who had been away for years and was now reconnecting with her roots.

Two cars were parked at the building’s entrance. Luna and the others got into the front business vehicle, while the SUV in the back had its windows slightly open and was empty.

Zhiyi almost immediately boarded the business car, without pausing.

Luna laughed, “Isn’t it more comfortable riding with your brother’s car than with ours?”

Zhiyi found an excuse, “I don’t want to be lectured.”

Luna understood, as she had a brother who always liked to control everything.

The boss’s SUV left later but overtook them on the way.

It wasn’t until they were nearing the airport that Zhiyi realized this business trip involved traveling on the boss’s private jet.

In the VIP lounge, Zhiyi saw Jiang Sixun getting coffee from the machine. She looked away, placing her suitcase to the side.

Jiang Sixun filled his coffee cup and, seeing Zhiyi, grabbed an extra cup and asked, “Zhiyi, do you want sugar?”

Zhiyi had just sat down and stood up again. “I’ll get it myself.”

Jiang Sixun opened a packet of sweetener: “Is one packet enough?”

“Half…” Realizing this wasn’t the office or her rental apartment and that the other half would be wasted, she quickly corrected herself, “One packet is fine, thank you.”

Jiang Sixun poured half a packet into her cup, stirred it, and handed it to her. He poured the remaining half into his cup and walked toward the table where they were leaving their luggage, sipping his coffee.

Zhiyi remembered her father’s words from dinner last night, ‘Sixun has grown up under my watch; he’s very steady.’ Not only steady, but also very attentive.

On the plane, Jiang Sixun opened his laptop and let her continue reviewing the project materials she hadn’t finished last time.

During the latter part of the flight, Zhiyi took a nap and woke up just as they were about to land in London.

Looking out the window, she saw the ground sparkling like a stream of light.

Her last visit to London was last summer when her second brother took her for a few days.

As the plane was about to land, Jiang Sixun packed away his laptop, and Zhiyi put her eye mask and headphones into her bag.

After clearing customs, there were two cars waiting for them, as usual.

Jiang Sixun, walking ahead of the group, suddenly turned and called out to her, “Ride in my car.”

It was already 2:30 AM. As the car left the airport, Jiang Sixun closed his eyes to rest.

Zhiyi also sat in the back seat. As he rested, she tried to stay quiet and looked out the window. The phone in the middle armrest vibrated, and she glanced back instinctively. The screen showed Auraro, a call from Ning Yun.

Jiang Sixun answered the phone, asking what was up.

“I heard you’re in London.”

“You’re well-informed.”

Ning Yun had just stepped into her home after a private party that lasted until midnight. Still full of energy, she kicked off her high heels and walked barefoot to the wine cabinet. “If I wasn’t informed, how could I chase after you?”

Jiang Sixun replied, “You’re getting addicted to acting. It’s time to focus on your project.”

“Don’t say that, I really am getting addicted. Spending a little money keeps Grandpa from nagging and makes him happy—two benefits in one. The coffee isn’t expensive, so don’t worry about it.”

She hadn’t drunk enough at the party and poured herself half a glass of red wine, sipping it with her red lips touching the rim of the glass, enjoying the rich liquid. She teased, “Grandpa might be waiting for you to become his grandson-in-law.”

The elders had decided on a marriage alliance. She used busyness as an excuse and hadn’t visited New York for six months, playing around the world but never making time to see Jiang Sixun. Grandpa had expressed dissatisfaction, urging her to pay more attention to the marriage.

“Among the suitable candidates, Sixun is rare. Don’t miss out and regret it later.”

Her grandfather’s repeated lectures were hard to ignore.

To avoid being seen as unfilial, she started pursuing him with great fanfare.

Jiang Sixun was capable, tasteful, and handsome, making him rare among wealthy playboys. If she reached a certain age without finding a man she liked, she would still be willing to marry Jiang Sixun.

After hanging up, Ning Yun took another casual sip of wine.

Her secretary called: “Jiang Sixun brought his sister, who is interning at his company. She’s twenty years old. Employees at Yuanwei said she’s his biological sister, recently found.”

Lu Jianbo has a child outside?

Ning Yun, who grew up in a wealthy family and had seen all kinds of high-society dramas, remained calm.

The secretary asked, “Should we prepare a welcome gift to send over?”

“Prepare it.” Tomorrow she would personally go to see her future sister-in-law.