Chapter 39 – The Days of Parting

Accumulated snow that had not fallen all winter finally drifted down gracefully.

Xu Shiqi breathed on the glass and drew a heart shape, then looked at her masterpiece with a slight smile.

“Waiter, check please!”

The sudden loud voice in the still noisy restaurant brought Xu Shiqi back to her senses. She wiped off the heart and turned around to the counter to prepare for the payment.

Wen Jialuo had already left yesterday.

In fact, their date lasted only one day.

When they woke up the next morning and drew the curtains, they found it was already snowing outside. A thin layer of snow covered the ground, and the sky remained overcast.

“It’s snowing?” Wen Jialuo also woke up, somewhat excited. “When the snow gets thicker, let’s go build a snowman.”

Xu Shiqi glanced at the sky worriedly. “It looks like this snow won’t stop anytime soon. Will we be able to get down the mountain this afternoon?”

Wen Jialuo hesitated, and just as she was struggling with her thoughts, her phone rang.

It was Secretary Nie, asking the same question Xu Shiqi had just posed.

“If you don’t go down the mountain this morning, it might not be safe to drive later. If you feel comfortable staying there, you can stay a few more days. But I’m worried you might not have enough food, so I can send some more up.”

“No need,” Wen Jialuo took a deep breath. “We’ll leave this morning.”

“Do you need me to send someone to pick you up?”

“I’ll drive slowly, it’s fine.” Wen Jialuo said goodbye and hung up the phone. She looked up with a frown. “We have to go down the mountain this morning.”

“I heard,” Xu Shiqi sat back on the bed, leaned over to hug her, “Once we go down the mountain, we won’t be able to meet again, will we?”

“Who says that?” Wen Jialuo pulled away, “I’m not leaving until the day after tomorrow. And we can still be together after we get down the mountain.”

“Forget it,” Xu Shiqi held her hand, “If two people are truly in love, distance and time won’t matter. You should spend some time with your mom.”

Wen Jialuo silently watched her until she could no longer maintain her forced smile, then reached out and pinched her face. “You hypocrite,” she said, then got out of bed.

Xu Shiqi rubbed her sore face with a bitter smile, hugging her knees. She looked around the room. Although the time spent here was short, she already felt reluctant to leave. She thought she’d never forget this place and might come back every winter for a few days. Thinking she had taken a little advantage of Wen Jialuo, she smiled, stood up, gathered her long hair, and called out, “Should I start packing now?”

“Are you that eager to leave me?” Wen Jialuo’s gritted voice came muffled from the bathroom.

Xu Shiqi laughed, leaning against the wall. She loved teasing her.

“It’s never wrong to start packing. Don’t come out, I’m changing,” she said, pretending to untie her robe.

The bathroom door swung open, and Wen Jialuo stood there with her short hair messy, toothpaste foam covering her lips. Xu Shiqi was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter. She bent over, almost in tears from laughing, her waist aching.

“Just wait,” Wen Jialuo stomped her foot, muttered a threat, and rushed back to the bathroom. After a chaotic few minutes, she emerged looking fresh and neat.

Xu Shiqi really stood there waiting. She stood by the bed, and seeing Wen Jialuo’s aggressive look, opened her arms, catching her as they fell onto the soft bed.

Wen Jialuo quickly climbed up, pressing Xu Shiqi’s hands on either side of her body. Xu Shiqi turned her face slightly, offering her graceful neck, the collar half-open, revealing the beautiful scenery inside.

The minty smell of toothpaste lingered on Xu Shiqi’s neck, filling her mouth. They had used the same toothpaste, so the fresh scent doubled, gradually calming Wen Jialuo’s anxiety about their imminent parting.

Though she wanted to stay longer, seeing the snow outside getting heavier, Wen Jialuo knew they had to leave quickly.

As they drove away, Wen Jialuo glanced at the villa in the rearview mirror, held Xu Shiqi’s hand, kissed it, and then focused on driving.

After descending the mountain, they found a place for breakfast. By then, it was not early anymore. Wen Jialuo dropped Xu Shiqi home, initially wanting to go upstairs, but Xu Shiqi stopped her.

“You should go home. Your mom must be looking forward to spending the New Year with you. We’ll keep in touch by phone.”

Wen Jialuo nodded, looking straight ahead, not at Xu Shiqi.

“What’s wrong?” Xu Shiqi teased gently, “You’re an adult, not a kid who can’t get what she wants.”

Wen Jialuo stiffly turned her neck, “You better miss me.”

“I know,” Xu Shiqi smiled.

“Call me.”

“I will remember,” Xu Shiqi nodded.

“When I come back, the first person I see should be you.”

“Ah,” Xu Shiqi tilted her head, “That might not be possible.” Seeing Wen Jialuo’s face about to darken, she leaned over and kissed her lips, “Be good, drive safely.”

Despite it being a comforting kiss, Wen Jialuo’s expression improved slightly, but she still didn’t move.

“Why aren’t you leaving?” Xu Shiqi asked gently.

Wen Jialuo looked at her strangely, “How can I leave if you don’t get out of the car? Are you coming home with me?”

Xu Shiqi was startled, bit her lip, and stiffly turned to open the car door.

Just as she opened it, Wen Jialuo suddenly asked, “Hey, do you want to spend the New Year at my place?”

Xu Shiqi froze but didn’t turn around. “Don’t tempt me,” she said firmly, then got out and closed the car door.

Wen Jialuo sighed. The invitation was indeed impulsive. Seeing Xu Shiqi’s feigned calmness, with ears turning red before she got out, made her realize it was an inappropriate time.

After this, until Wen Jialuo boarded the plane, they didn’t meet again. There were still a couple of days left, but Wen Jialuo suddenly got busy.

When they couldn’t meet, phone calls were essential. Xu Shiqi learned that Wen Jialuo’s childhood friends, also children of officials, had returned from abroad for the New Year. They had been sent abroad by their parents to study, and since their families were close, they had frequent gatherings. Wen Jialuo’s mother, Luo Linyi, had wanted to send Wen Jialuo abroad too, but her poor health and digestive issues held her back. This time, Luo Linyi organized a reunion at home, keeping Wen Jialuo occupied.

Xu Shiqi, usually surrounded by friends, understood that Wen Jialuo had few social interactions. She was happy for her and hoped she would have fun. But Luo Linyi’s enthusiasm made her slightly suspicious, though she didn’t dare think too much and just listened to Wen Jialuo’s voice on the phone.

Wen Jialuo invited her to join the gatherings at her old home, but Xu Shiqi didn’t go. As the New Year approached, business at the restaurant boomed. The phone rang nonstop with reservations, and the place was constantly busy. Though this time of year always brought more customers, it was never as bustling as this year. Xu Shiqi observed the new restaurant across the street, more luxuriously decorated and innovative, yet not as popular as her family’s, which made her father very proud.

The day Wen Jialuo boarded the plane was the second day after the Little New Year. She called Xu Shiqi before leaving, her voice full of reluctance. She mentioned her return date, the fifth day of the Lunar New Year.

“Take good care of your grandparents,” Xu Shiqi said. “And don’t do anything impulsive.”

Wen Jialuo responded softly, “It’s a typical southern town. Even in winter, it rains like spring. That rain might make me… miss you a lot.”

“Only might?” Xu Shiqi laughed quietly. “If there are early spring willow branches, remember to bring me one.”

“Should I seize the moment?” Wen Jialuo squinted, noticing that her grandmother’s eyes had turned toward her. She softened her tone, “I have to go now. Goodbye.”

Xu Shiqi didn’t speak. She listened to the faint sound of breathing on the other end of the line, feeling a tightness in her heart.

“Say something,” Wen Jialuo commanded.

Xu Shiqi still kept her mouth shut, thinking that if she spoke, it might be something irrational like “stay” or “take me with you.” Why was it so hard to part? They wouldn’t even be apart for that long. They hadn’t seen each other these past two days, and she hadn’t felt this sense of loss. But she ultimately kept her mouth shut, knowing that just as Wen Jialuo could easily affect her, she too could easily affect Wen Jialuo.

Wen Jialuo sighed deeply, her lips pressed against the phone, and then hung up.

During the first two days after Wen Jialuo left, Xu Shiqi often dreamed of her sigh, making it hard for her to sleep. When she woke up, fireworks lit up the sky outside, though she didn’t know exactly where they were coming from. For the New Year, her family had prepared a lot of cigarettes. She took a pack and placed it in her room. Originally, she thought that once the girl left, she would feel more empty and lonely than before, so she might smoke a cigarette and think about the girl’s face in the swirling smoke. But then she thought of things like second-hand smoke and decided not to smoke anymore.

She took out all the cigarettes, tore them open, and poured the tobacco onto a white sheet of paper. Then, she opened the window and blew a breath of air out.

The tobacco scattered, still carrying a strong burnt scent, drifting away to who knows where.

Later, the girl called. Her voice was as usual, which reassured Xu Shiqi. She had feared that her refusal to say goodbye might have hurt the girl, but she didn’t dare indulge herself, so she could only oscillate between sweetness and agony.

But she didn’t have much time to think about Wen Jialuo. With the New Year upon them, relatives were visiting, and at every gossip-filled meal, she became the target. Everywhere she went, she had to deal with it until she was exhausted.

Her aunt said that a woman is most beautiful at twenty-five, and after that, even the leaves that complement the flower start to wither. “Shiqi, you’re a year older now, it’s time to find a husband.”

Her second aunt said that days should be lived slowly, and a husband should be found slowly too, but you must start thinking about it. “If you start looking now, you still have time. If you wait too long, you’ll only get leftovers or be left behind yourself.”

With this kind of support, Wang Yuan felt bold enough to speak up. She had noticed a certain joy on her daughter’s face after returning from the hot springs but hadn’t been able to figure out if it was because she’d found a boyfriend. Now, she eagerly agreed, saying, “While we’re still young, get married and have children quickly. Then you can live however you want, and we’ll help with the kids. A few years later, when we’re too old to help, don’t blame me for not being a good grandma.”

Xu Shiqi nodded repeatedly while eating chicken, fish, vegetables, and radishes, swallowing it all like wax and pretending to enjoy it. That wax in her stomach turned sour, making her uncomfortable. Her mother, only wanting to help by taking care of her future children, made her feel the weight of this all-encompassing love even more. It made her feel as if her shoulders were heavy, and her back slightly hunched.

When she returned home and saw the nine blooming red roses on her desk, she could barely breathe.

Wang Yuan followed behind, cautiously observing her daughter’s expression and said with a smile, “I heard these symbolize love. I hope they’ll bring you a good match in the new year.”

Xu Shiqi stood silently, looking at the flowers and gently touching the thorns beneath them. “Mom, my love has already come. But how can I use it to pierce your heart?”

Not seeing her daughter’s face, Wang Yuan could still sense her mood wasn’t good. Guessing that she might have pushed too hard, she thought her daughter must be feeling overwhelmed and didn’t say a word.

Xu Zhongda, smoking and observing from behind, pulled Wang Yuan aside and gave her a look. The couple left the room, talking softly. Xu Shiqi couldn’t hear clearly, but she knew she was becoming a burden to them. She always believed in the bond between mother and daughter, that even if her mom didn’t fully understand her feelings, she could sense her genuine indifference towards marriage. This intuition made her mother test her repeatedly.

Later, when visiting relatives, Xu Shiqi decided not to sit at the table. She took a bowl of rice and some vegetables, then led the relatives’ children outside to play, watching them eat. She sneaked into the kitchen to help, and before leaving, she respectfully said goodbye to the elders, politely bid farewell to her siblings, pinched the children’s cheeks, and waved with a smile.

No one could see her true thoughts. Every year, the New Year was the same. But as she got older, things that seemed natural to everyone else became urgent matters.