Chapter 6 – Falling Towels

When faced with someone else’s wounds, words of comfort can only be so comforting. After Xu Shiqi finished her meal, she lightly expressed her thanks and prepared to leave.

It was evident that after hearing her words, the girl across from her fell silent again, returning to her expressionless state. The delicious food seemed to have no appeal to her, and perhaps Xu Shiqi’s unsolicited remarks had put her in the category of things to resist. Sometimes, people know they are right, yet others will still close their eyes and cover their ears, sticking to their beliefs. This is called persistence.

Xu Shiqi understood this persistence, so she felt she had nothing more to say.

“What’s your name?”

Hearing this question as she stood up, Xu Shiqi couldn’t help but laugh. She had invited a woman whose name she didn’t know to dinner and had been forced to listen to some unwanted remarks; it was quite a predicament.

“My name is Xu Shiqi. My grandmother said that when I was born, it was during a time when the fragrant grass was lush.”

After sharing her name, Xu Shiqi left, walking away with confidence since Wen Jialuo had insisted on treating her. However, Xu Shiqi’s self-introduction was not quite finished; she usually added a little more. Originally, her grandmother had named her Xu Fangqi, but someone said she had too much grass on her head, and perhaps wouldn’t live a good life, so they kept just the character “萋” (qi). Her grandmother hoped she would be as resilient as the grass, able to survive anywhere. It was a very rustic sentiment, but quite beautiful.

As expected, Wen Jialuo did not follow her out. Looking back through the restaurant’s glass wall, Xu Shiqi saw that the girl remained sitting there, motionless. Xu Shiqi sighed and took out her phone to call Wen Baohua.

“Baohua, I think I offended that girl from your family.”

Wen Baohua was confused on the other end. “What? Who did you offend?”

While walking, Wen Jialuo explained the situation to her and finally asked, “Did I speak out of turn?”

“No,” Wen Baohua said after a moment of silence. “Someone should have said those things to her a long time ago, but no one dared. You only see her looking so thin now, but you haven’t seen the process… When are you coming back?”

“Maybe a few more days,” Xu Shiqi looked at the sky. “Why?”

“I just feel…” The voice on the other end hesitated for a moment before continuing, “Hearing your words, it seems like you’ve been hurt even more. Seventeen, do you have things you don’t want us to know about?”

Xu Shiqi laughed and replied, “What are you talking about? Don’t you know I’m eloquent?”

“That’s true,” Wen Baohua thought for a moment. The fact that Seventeen could see through things was precisely why she would confide in her. “Call me when you get back; let’s meet up.”

After a few more words, Wen Baohua hung up, leaving Xu Shiqi to ponder. At that moment, she was mopping the floor, and Xia Bang was out on business, so the house felt a bit empty. She thought about whether to have a baby to liven things up, and as she pondered, she placed her hand on her belly, as if a baby was already growing there.

A few days later, Xu Shiqi returned home, bringing back a lot of things. Her mother, busy with chores, had no time to lecture her. Instead, the person who had been avoiding her took the initiative to sit down with an earnest look, while Wang Yuan could only nibble on sunflower seeds and glance at her from the corner of her eye.

“Mom, I want to settle an account with you,” Xu Shiqi said directly.

“Oh?” Wang Yuan was intrigued and nodded. “Go ahead, I’m listening.”

“Since the day you gave birth to me, I’ve grown from a clueless little girl into who I am today, always revolving around you and Dad. You are my heaven and earth.”

This pleased Wang Yuan greatly, and she nodded in satisfaction. “Yes, we used to hold your hand, and when we get old, it’ll be your turn to hold ours.”

Xu Shiqi nodded and began counting on her fingers: “Since middle school, I’ve been sold to the school. Aside from the bed I sleep on, I spend far more time at school than with you. At that time, I had basically no freedom, just a machine under the teacher’s whip, only able to answer ‘yes’ and afraid to say ‘no.’”

Wang Yuan looked somewhat contemplative; who said students weren’t one of the hardest-working groups?

“When I entered college, transitioning from this small society to the larger one after graduation, it felt like being wrapped in waves, drifting with the tide and losing myself.”

Wang Yuan frowned. She hadn’t asked her daughter why she resigned and returned home. Did she really miss home that much, as she had claimed?

“Graduating and becoming an adult means continuously changing identities. Like you wish, getting married and having children, then forever revolving around your husband and kids. Mom, at which stage have I ever truly owned myself?”

Wang Yuan was finally speechless.

“It’s not that I can’t go on blind dates or get married, but at that time, I would be divided. I want to own myself for a while, starting now, or just until I’m thirty. Mom, isn’t that okay?”

“You…” Wang Yuan gathered her thoughts and suddenly realized, “What you really want to say is for me not to send you on blind dates in the future, right?”

Xu Shiqi smiled and moved closer to her mother. “Mom, in these years, besides myself, you two are the only ones who can occupy and share my life, isn’t that good? Once I really get married, this will become my in-law’s home, and our life as three will truly come to an end.”

Wang Yuan sighed. “Your dad also said I worry too early, but in this society, it’s hard to say. Isn’t it better to have a stable place early on? Forget it, young people have their own ideas; I can’t keep up. You need to make your own decisions in your life; we can’t interfere.”

Seeing her mother’s enthusiasm dissipate, Xu Shiqi quickly said, “Mom, the future is inherently uncertain. Maybe one day, I’ll suddenly want to get married, and it might catch you off guard, making you reluctant.”

“Alright,” Wang Yuan patted her daughter’s hand. “You don’t need to comfort me. Just don’t tell me you want to remain single when you’re thirty. Just learning to be a singleist will do.”

Xu Shiqi was at a loss for words; that seemed to be her ultimate goal. She originally wanted to gradually instill this idea in her mother during the five years she would fight to secure, but it seemed experience was indeed wiser.

Well, five years isn’t long or short; who knows what changes may come?

She heard that Wen Jialuo’s method of refusing blind dates at home was extremely hurtful. Wouldn’t it yield the same result if expressed in a different tone? Harmony! Xu Shiqi began dialing Wen Baohua’s number while munching on delicious sunflower seeds.

That evening, Wen Baohua invited Xu Shiqi to her home for dinner. Xu Shiqi had thought there would be other classmates, but upon arriving, she found only her cold cousin sitting there.

The atmosphere was somewhat awkward. Xu Shiqi tried to break the ice as she searched for the hostess, “Hi, good to see you again…”

Wen Jialuo glanced up at her from the sofa, appearing disdainful as if rolling her eyes. Meanwhile, Wen Baohua had already set the dishes and was bringing a pot of sour radish and old duck soup to the table. “Seventeen, you came just in time; we can start eating.”

“Ah,” Xu Shiqi resolutely ignored the sulking girl on the sofa, drawn in by the aroma. “You’ve learned to make Sichuan cuisine; this soup smells amazing.”

“It’s perfect for fall. I just learned it not long ago,” Wen Baohua wiped the sweat from her forehead, presenting the image of a virtuous wife.

Xu Shiqi looked around. “Where’s your husband?”

“He’s on a business trip.” Wen Baohua was busy getting drinks. “He’ll be back tonight; we don’t need to wait for him. I’ve saved some soup for him.” Then she turned to the stiff girl still sitting on the sofa, “Jialuo, come over and eat.”

Wen Jialuo slowly stood up. It was the weekend, so she had returned to her grandparents’ house to keep them company, but was dragged here by her cousin. She hadn’t minded initially but was surprised to find out there was a guest today, especially someone who had eaten her invitation but lectured her in return.

The three of them sat down, and Wen Baohua poured drinks for everyone before smiling and saying, “I think you two should already know each other, right?”

When faced with someone else’s wounds, comforting words can only scratch the surface. As Xu Shiqi finished her meal, she casually expressed her thanks and prepared to leave.

It was evident that the girl across from her fell silent after hearing her words and returned to her indifferent expression. The fragrant dishes seemed to hold no appeal for her, and Xu Shiqi probably found herself classified among those she was resisting because of her prattling. Some things are like this: one may know they are right, yet the other will stubbornly close their eyes and cover their ears, insisting on their own beliefs. This is called persistence.

Xu Shiqi understood this persistence, so she could say no more.

“What’s your name?”

Hearing this question as she stood up, Xu Shiqi almost laughed. She had invited a woman whose name she didn’t even know to dinner and was forced to listen to some unwelcome remarks. That was quite a predicament.

“My name is Xu Shiqi. My grandmother told me that when I was born, the grass was lush and fragrant.”

After telling her name, Xu Shiqi left gracefully, as Wen Jialuo had said she would treat her. However, Xu Shiqi’s self-introduction was not quite finished; she usually added a bit more. Her grandmother originally named her Xu Fangqi, but someone remarked that having too much grass on one’s head might lead to a hard life, so only “qi” remained. Her grandmother hoped she would be as resilient as the grass, able to thrive anywhere. It was a simple yet beautiful sentiment.

Wen Jialuo didn’t follow her out. Turning back, through the restaurant’s glass wall, Xu Shiqi saw the girl still sitting there motionless. Xu Shiqi sighed and took out her phone to call Wen Baohua.

“Baohua, I think I offended the girl from your family.”

Wen Baohua, confused, replied, “What? Who did you offend?”

As Wen Jialuo walked, she explained the situation, and finally asked, “Did I speak too freely?”

“No,” Wen Baohua said after a pause. “Those words should have been said long ago, but no one dared. You only see how thin she is now, but you haven’t witnessed the process… When are you coming back?”

“Maybe in a few days,” Xu Shiqi glanced at the sky. “Why?”

“I just feel…” The voice on the other end hesitated before continuing, “Hearing what you said, it seems like you’ve been hurt even more. Do you have things you don’t want us to know?”

Xu Shiqi laughed and said, “What are you talking about? Don’t you know I’m quite eloquent?”

“That’s true,” Wen Baohua thought for a moment. Isn’t the reason she confides in Xu Shiqi because she sees through things? “Call me when you get back; let’s meet.”

After a few more words, Wen Baohua hung up, sitting there in a daze. At that moment, she was mopping the floor, waiting for her husband to return from a social event. The house felt a bit empty. She contemplated whether to have a child to liven things up, and absentmindedly rested her hand on her belly, imagining there might already be a baby forming there.

A few days later, Xu Shiqi returned home with a lot of things, to the point where her mother, Wang Yuan, was too busy to lecture her. Instead, the one who ran away took the initiative to sit down as if to have a serious talk, while Wang Yuan had no choice but to crack sunflower seeds and sneak glances at her.

“Mom, I want to settle an account with you,” Xu Shiqi said directly.

“Oh?” Wang Yuan was curious and nodded, “Go ahead, I’m listening.”

“Since you gave birth to me, I’ve grown from an ignorant little girl to now, always centered around you and Dad. You are my heaven and earth.”

This pleased Wang Yuan greatly, and she nodded in satisfaction: “Yes, it used to be us holding your hand. When we grow old, it will be your turn to hold ours.”

Xu Shiqi nodded again and started counting on her fingers: “Since middle school, I’ve been sold to the school. Except for the bed where I sleep, my time at school far exceeds the time I spend with you. At that time, I had virtually no freedom; I was just a machine under the teacher’s stick, only able to say ‘yes’ and not daring to say ‘no.’”

Wang Yuan looked somewhat moved; who said students weren’t a hard-working group?

“After entering university, moving from this small society to the larger society after graduation, one can feel as if they are wrapped in waves, drifting with the tide and losing oneself.”

Wang Yuan frowned. She hadn’t yet asked her daughter why she had resigned and come home. Was it really because she missed home too much, as Xu Shiqi had said?

“Graduation and adulthood mean that identities will continue to change. Just as you hope, I’ll get married and have children, then forever revolve around my husband and kids. Mom, at which stage did I ever have my true self?”

Wang Yuan was finally taken aback.

“It’s not that I can’t go on blind dates or get married, but at that time, I would be split apart. I want to have a period where I solely possess myself, starting now, or at least until I’m thirty. Mom, is that okay?”

“You…” Wang Yuan sorted out her thoughts and suddenly realized, “What you’re really saying is for me not to let you go on blind dates anymore, right?”

Xu Shiqi smiled and moved to sit beside her mother, “Mom, in these years, besides myself, only you can occupy and share my life. Isn’t that good? Once I really get married, this place will become my in-laws’ home, and our life together will truly end.”

Wang Yuan sighed, “Your dad also says I’m worrying too early, but this society is really hard to predict. Isn’t it better to have a stable place earlier? Forget it; young people have their own ideas, and I can’t keep up. Your life is yours to decide; we can’t interfere.”

Seeing her mother’s enthusiasm dampened, Xu Shiqi hurriedly said, “Mom, the future is unpredictable. Maybe I’ll suddenly want to get married; I might catch you off guard and leave you reluctant.”

“Alright,” Wang Yuan patted her daughter’s hand. “You don’t need to comfort me. Just don’t tell me you want to stay single when you turn thirty; that would be like adopting singlehood.”

Xu Shiqi was momentarily speechless. This seemed to indeed be her ultimate goal. She originally intended to gradually instill this concept in her mother over the five years she aimed to secure, but it seemed the older generation was indeed sharper.

Oh well, five years is neither long nor short; who knows what changes might occur?

She heard that Wen Jialuo had a rather hurtful way of rejecting blind dates. Couldn’t a different tone and attitude yield the same result? Harmony, after all! Xu Shiqi munched on the fragrant sunflower seeds and began to call Wen Baohua.

That evening, Wen Baohua invited Xu Shiqi to her home for dinner. Xu Shiqi initially thought there would be other classmates, but upon arrival, she found only her cold cousin sitting there.

The atmosphere was somewhat chilly. Xu Shiqi looked for the hostess and awkwardly greeted, “Hi, nice to see you again…”

Wen Jialuo glanced at her from the sofa, appearing disdainful, as if rolling her eyes. Meanwhile, Wen Baohua had set the dishes and was bringing a pot of pickled radish duck soup to the table: “Shiqi, you came at just the right time; we can eat now.”

“Ah,” Xu Shiqi decisively ignored the sulking girl on the sofa, drawn in by the aroma, “You’ve learned to make Sichuan cuisine; this soup smells amazing.”

“It’s great to have this in autumn. I just learned it not long ago,” Wen Baohua wiped the sweat from her forehead, presenting herself as a virtuous wife.

Xu Shiqi glanced around: “Where’s your husband?”

“He’s on a business trip.” Wen Baohua busied herself with drinks. “He’ll be back tonight; we don’t need to wait for him. I’ve saved some soup for him.” As she spoke, she looked back at the still rigid figure on the sofa, “Jialuo, come over for dinner.”

Wen Jialuo slowly stood up. It was the weekend, so she had returned to the old house to accompany her grandparents, but her cousin dragged her to her home. She didn’t mind at first, but she hadn’t expected a guest today—especially someone who had invited her to dinner yet was full of unsolicited advice.

The three sat down, and Wen Baohua first filled everyone’s drinks before smiling, “I don’t think you need an introduction between the two of you, right?”

Xu Shiqi generously raised her glass and clinked it with Wen Jialuo’s cup on the table: “I’m borrowing flowers to offer the Buddha; thank you for treating me to dinner that day.”

“No need for politeness,” Wen Jialuo took a sip from her glass and said softly.

Wen Baohua stood up, winked at Xu Shiqi, and said, “Look at me, I smell like smoke. I’m going to take a shower”