Chapter 13

Seeing her serious expression, Jiang Sixun chuckled, “I haven’t even thought about marriage myself. Aren’t you thinking a bit too far ahead?”

Maybe.

Zhiyi didn’t deny it.

Jiang Sixun explained that Ning Yun’s high-profile pursuit was just a facade for their families. They used each other as a shield to avoid other arranged marriages.

“Do you really think we’re going to date?”

Zhiyi looked at him for a few seconds but didn’t respond. She changed the subject to the project and opened the email he had just sent her.

Jiang Sixun continued to observe her. “Let me see your passport.”

“What’s up?” Zhiyi asked, puzzled, as she took out her passport and handed it to him.

Jiang Sixun opened the passport, glanced at the birthdate, which was the same as Xu Ningwei’s—October 26th. He returned the passport to her. “Just confirming your age in case anyone asks.”

Zhiyi nodded. After all, she was supposed to be his younger sister, so it wouldn’t be impossible for someone to be curious.

She put the passport back in her bag. “I share the same birthday as Xu Ningwei. We were both born shortly after midnight, and she’s only a few minutes older.”

She had heard from her mother that she was a premature birth, and so was Xu Ningwei.

That’s why their lives had been out of sync for twenty years.

At 10 p.m., they landed in New York, and Jiang Sixun drove her home.

Zhiyi noticed that last time when he dropped her off after the concert, he had stared at the apartment building and seemed to hesitate before finally saying goodbye. This time was no different.

It was late, so Jiang Sixun got out of the car and walked her up to her apartment. “When does the lease expire?”

Zhiyi replied, “I just renewed it last month.”

Jiang Sixun nodded and didn’t say anything further.

After bidding farewell and hearing the sound of her locking the door, he turned and went downstairs.

The driver started the car and drove away from the area, heading towards Jiang Sixun’s villa under the clear moonlight.

The villa was brightly lit, and the butler was still up.

“Mr. Lu sent a set of jewelry this evening,” the butler reported as soon as Jiang Sixun entered, not daring to delay.

Jiang Sixun frowned. “Jewelry?”

“Yes.”

“Return it tomorrow,” Jiang Sixun said as he climbed the stairs, “and let my dad know that if he’s so eager to find a daughter-in-law, he should give the jewelry to Ning Yun himself.”

The butler replied, “It’s not for Miss Ning, Mr. Lu specifically said it was for Zhiyi.”

As for who Zhiyi was, the butler didn’t know; it was the first time he had heard that name.

“It’s for Zhiyi?”

“Yes, Mr. Lu said so.”

The jewelry was in the living room, and Jiang Sixun went back downstairs to check it out.

There was no excessive packaging, and he reviewed the appraisal of the jewelry. Such a generous gift was rare, and Lu Jianbo had never been this generous to anyone else besides him.

He found his father’s number in the phone book and called him directly.

Lu Jianbo answered the phone straightforwardly, “On the day Xu Xiangyi announces Zhiyi, you should send the jewelry and say it’s a little token from me, a pre-wedding gift.”

Such rare jewelry couldn’t just be bought whenever, so it was not too sudden to give it as a pre-wedding gift.

Jiang Sixun put the appraisal back and asked the butler to move the jewelry to his study. Speaking into the phone, he said, “Don’t tell me you went to London just to take this.”

“Of course not.”

He had flown to London mainly for the offshore wind project and to check on his son’s marital prospects. That day, he had met Zhiyi at the hotel, and later visited Ning Dong to chat about the two children’s marriage.

Lu Jianbo responded honestly, “As your father, I naturally need to pay attention to your marriage.”

“It’s right to care. Have you spoken to my mom about the marriage? Did she agree?” Jiang Sixun’s tone was calm, making it hard to tell if he was mocking or sincere.

His ex-wife was a sensitive topic, and Lu Jianbo was silent for a moment.

After twenty-four years of divorce, his ex-wife had long considered him a stranger.

“I don’t mind the marriage alliance, but it must be supported and blessed by my mom. Also,” Jiang Sixun repeated what he had said before, “I’m not considering marriage within the next five years.”

Lu Jianbo didn’t take the latter condition seriously, believing that as long as his ex-wife agreed to the alliance with the Ning family, his son wouldn’t really wait for five years.

The most pressing matter was to contact his ex-wife, reconcile, and get her on his side.

Ning Yun was smart, straightforward, emotionally intelligent, business-savvy, and particularly liked by elders. His ex-wife would likely share the same hope for the children to marry soon.

He asked his son, “Is Xu Xiangyi in Shanghai recently?”

Jiang Sixun replied, “I’m not sure.”

Lu Jianbo, who hadn’t been to Shanghai in five or six years, decided to visit old friends before heading to Beijing.

However, his ex-wife might not meet him, and Xu Xiangyi might not help him either.

After the call, Jiang Sixun returned to his study, where the jewelry was on the desk. He stared at the jewelry box for a few seconds and then messaged Xu Kehong: “When will Xu Xiangyi announce Zhiyi?”

He rarely asks about other people’s affairs, but today was an exception.

Xu Kehong: [Ask my dad.]

Jiang Sixun could ask Xu Kehong but would never be so indiscreet as to inquire directly with Xu Xiangyi.

Meanwhile, in Shanghai.

He Yian was coordinating her commute outfits with her personal stylist. The clothes were chosen by her personally, but she worried that her taste might not align with younger styles, so she enlisted the stylist to approve her choices.

“How does this outfit look?”

The stylist, with one arm crossed over her chest and the other hand resting on her chin, scrutinized the raspberry pink shirt, like a blooming flower. She turned to He Yian and asked, “Ms. He, are you sure Zhiyi will like this color?”

He Yian replied, “She’s probably never tried it before, so it’s hard to say if she’ll like it. I used to think she looked good in cool tones, but now I want to try something more vibrant for her.”

She didn’t want her daughter to remain aloof and cold; at twenty, she should be more spirited.

The stylist said, “Then let’s have her try it. For commuting, pairing it with dark denim jeans is very suitable.”

After approving the outfit, they moved on to the next one.

Each outfit was carefully folded and packed away, and by the time they reached the seventh set, Xu Ningwei returned home and knocked on the door. “Mom.”

She entered the walk-in closet and looked at the piles of shopping bags on the floor. “So many clothes?”

He Yian explained to her adopted daughter, “I’m picking out a few commuting outfits for Zhiyi.”

Xu Ningwei tried to keep her expression neutral. “They look nice.” She noticed several suitcases in the closet. “Mom, are you going to New York?”

“Yes, I’m sending these clothes over.”

He Yian could sense her daughter’s disappointment and smiled. “I bought a dress for you; it’s in your room. See if you like it. I’ll be staying in New York a bit longer this time. You can take this opportunity to go back to Beijing and spend time with your parents. It’s a good chance for the family to bond.”

Xu Ningwei responded, “Okay.”

She wasn’t interested in seeing Xiaomeihua’s reaction.

A few days ago, Shang Tongxu had called her, and his younger sister had been chattering away, which was annoying.

“Mom, you go ahead and get busy.” Xu Ningwei hugged He Yian, who had always been her favorite. It was a habit she couldn’t and didn’t want to change.

He Yian ruffled her hair and encouraged her to try on the dress.

Thinking about the dress her mother had bought her, Xu Ningwei felt a bit less disappointed.

Back in her room, she found only four shopping bags on the sofa, a stark contrast to the piles in the closet.

Her own wardrobe was overflowing with clothes she hadn’t worn, and every season she had to clear out many new clothes with tags still on. Even so, she felt envious and discontent, not due to a lack of things but due to the unevenness.

In the past, He Yian had been busy arranging various clothes for her.

Now, everyone’s attention was slowly shifting to Shang Zhiyi.

That night, He Yian boarded a flight to New York.

She messaged her son, inviting him to dinner the next day.

Xu Kehong: [Coming to recognize the family?]

He Yian: […]

Xu Kehong: [You just love to tease me. ]

Xu Kehong: [No time. Last time I rushed back from Hong Kong Island thinking it was a family reunion dinner. Let me know when the next one is; I’ll be there no matter how busy I am.]

He Yian landed in New York on Friday afternoon. She went straight to the lower floor of the Yuanwei Capital Tower, planning to pick up Ningwei. Her own daughter stood outside the car, looking like a stranger.

She preferred not to recall that scene.

At 5:15 p.m., Shang Zhiyi came out of the building.

He Yian got out of the car and called, “Zhiyi.”

Zhiyi thought she was imagining things but turned to see He Yian approaching.

It felt like time had turned back, but she knew this time would be different from last time; He Yian wasn’t here specifically to pick up Xu Ningwei.

Even though she knew, she couldn’t help but feel sad and uncertain if her mother was here specifically to see her.

“Mom, why are you here?”

“To pick you up from work,” He Yian replied with a gentle smile. “Didn’t I say I’d buy you ice cream? Did you forget?”

She hadn’t forgotten.

But she hadn’t taken it as a promise either.

There were many coffee shops and dessert places across from the company, and mother and daughter crossed the street.

He Yian bought a taro-flavored ice cream and got herself a cup of espresso.

“Do you want any other flavors?” She asked Zhiyi.

“Just the taro flavor,” Zhiyi said, curious, “Mom, how did you know I like taro-flavored ice cream? Did you ask my adoptive parents?”

“Mother and daughter have a special connection,” He Yian recalled. “When I was pregnant with you, in the later months, I craved taro ice cream every day. Your dad wouldn’t let me eat so much cold food, so I said it was because you wanted it. Before I was pregnant with you, I never ate taro-flavored ice cream.”

She remembered those distant details.

Every time He Yian talked about her pregnancy, Zhiyi felt like she was truly her mother’s child. The only emotional connection they had was from the time she was in the womb. Perhaps there was a maternal memory; she had loved taro-flavored cold drinks since she was little.

Zhiyi took a spoonful of the ice cream, finding it sweet but not cloying.

He Yian watched her eat from across the table, her gaze gentle. In the past, she had looked at Xu Ningwei with such tenderness in the hospital room in Beijing, and now that same tender look was directed at Zhiyi. Zhiyi didn’t dare to look up, fearing that the moment she did, she would be overwhelmed by the scene.

She ate her ice cream in small bites, thinking about what to say.

He Yian sipped her coffee, enjoying the time alone with her daughter in a foreign street.

Even with few words exchanged, it was somehow reassuring.

“Zhiyi, what do you want to eat for dinner tonight?” She handed her daughter a tissue.

Shang Zhiyi finally looked up and suggested, “Mom, let me treat you to dinner tonight.” She quickly added before being refused, “I have some internship pay.”

He Yian accepted with pleasure, a smile at her lips. “Then I’ll have to think carefully about where to go.”

Zhiyi liked French cuisine, so He Yian chose a French restaurant.

On the way to the restaurant, He Yian silenced her phone and put it in her bag. With so many work calls, and this being their first solo dinner together, she had no intention of answering any calls.

Less than half an hour after silencing her phone, Xu Ningwei called.

The phone rang unanswered until the call ended.

Xu Ningwei had just woken up, leaning against the headboard, and was used to talking with He Yian every day. She couldn’t bring herself to inconvenience herself for Shang Zhiyi.

She really couldn’t put aside her feelings and accommodate Zhiyi.

Another voice in her head asked, didn’t she say she would temper her temper and be obedient?

After a mental struggle, she reluctantly typed: **[Mom, I’m fine. Just enjoy your time with Zhiyi.]**

He Yian replied three and a half hours later, reminding her adopted daughter: **[Make sure to eat on time.]**

After sending the message, He Yian looked out of the car window at the apartment building, where she saw a figure at the sixth-floor window waving at her.

He Yian waved back to her daughter, then instructed the driver to start the car.

This time, they didn’t stay at the villa but booked a room at a nearby hotel.

From the sixth-floor window, Zhiyi watched the car turn out of sight.

“Stop staring and come try on the clothes,” her roommate Yu Ziji said excitedly from behind.

Zhiyi closed the window and looked at the two large boxes of commuting clothes. Her wardrobe couldn’t fit so many clothes.

Yu Ziji said, “If there’s no room, put them in my room. I’ll sort them out later.”

“No need, just leave them in the boxes.”

Yu Ziji hesitated, “Why don’t you just accept the house your real father gave you? You’re accumulating more stuff; where will you put it all?”

Zhiyi shook her head, looking at the carefully chosen outfits from her mother, lost in thought. Tonight, she enjoyed the entire evening alone with her mother, without interruptions, and didn’t have to share this maternal love with anyone else. She had never dared to hope for this before.

Feeling a mix of anxiety and anticipation, she fell asleep only at one o’clock.

The next morning, she checked her phone for the time and found unread messages.

He Yian: **[Get up and come downstairs. I’ve prepared breakfast for you.]**

It was a pleasant surprise, even more so than when her parents had previously surprised her together.

Zhiyi got dressed as quickly as possible, breaking her previous record of taking eighteen minutes to get ready and go downstairs.

He Yian, from the driver’s seat, signaled for her to come to the front passenger side.

Zhiyi asked first, “Why are you driving?”

He Yian looked at her daughter and said softly, “I’ve never driven you to and from school. Today, I’m taking you to work.”

All those past regrets were ultimately irreparable.

Zhiyi had forgotten what it was like to be picked up and dropped off by her parents. After boarding school, every Friday she took the school bus home, with her grandfather waiting at the stop with snacks.

“Do you miss home?”

“No, boarding school is pretty good.” She carefully lied. Back then, she most dreaded seeing her grandparents and mother disagreeing over her education, which led to her mother avoiding her after every argument.

Xiao Meihua didn’t love her any less, just not as much.

As the car slowly moved, eating the pineapple bun her mother had brought, Zhiyi felt for a moment that her wayward kite was being gently held by He Yian.

She loved pineapple buns, and He Yian brought different varieties every morning. Even after two weeks, she never grew tired of them.

In mid-July, He Yian flew straight to Shanghai on an evening flight to attend a forum opening.

The next morning, when the person waiting for her downstairs was the driver rather than He Yian, she felt a bit unaccustomed.

The driver was a new face. He Yian had left a message saying he was one of her father’s most trusted people and could be entrusted with anything.

After nearly twenty hours of flying, He Yian landed in Shanghai in the early morning, and Xu Ningwei came to pick her up before dawn.

When she saw her adoptive mother, she rushed over as she did when she was a child, “Mom, I missed you.” Though she didn’t initially feel much, once she was in her adoptive mother’s embrace, she felt particularly aggrieved and couldn’t hold back her tears.

He Yian wiped her tears. “Alright, don’t cry.”

Xu Ningwei sniffled. Her mother had been in New York for two weeks, and during that time, she had hardly called.

The sadness was something only she understood, and others could not truly empathize.

“I’m fine. You should spend time with Zhiyi.” She said generously.

He Yian looked at her adopted daughter, who had been pampered and spoiled by everyone since childhood, and had never been so obedient.

—

Busy with her current project, Zhiyi didn’t realize the weekend had arrived.

On Saturday, Zhiyi worked on project materials and stayed at the office until 8 p.m. On Sunday, she rested normally, slept in, and then saw her father’s message.

**[Zhiyi, are you up?]** Xu Xiangyi had sent it an hour and a half earlier.

Zhiyi quickly replied: **[Just woke up. Dad, why are you still awake so late?]**

Xu Xiangyi: **[I’m not in the country, I’m downstairs in your building.]**

Zhiyi jumped out of bed, not even putting on slippers, pulled the curtain aside, and looked out the window. Two black cars were parked in almost the same spot as last time.

Her roommate was home today, and the living room was silent, so she probably hadn’t woken up yet.

“Dad, wait a moment.”

After sending the voice message, she tossed her phone onto the bed and hurriedly gathered her long hair as she headed to the bathroom.

Xu Xiangyi said, “Zhiyi, don’t worry.”

Recently, after flying to three countries, He Yian was concerned about his health and advised him to rest at home for two days before coming over.

Seeing his daughter’s eagerness, he didn’t feel tired.

This kind of feeling was only something he experienced when Xu Ningwei was sick as a child. At that time, he was abroad on a business trip and rushed back overnight when he heard Ningwei was hospitalized.

Xu Xiangyi rubbed his nose, forcing himself to stop thinking about the past. When he thought of Ningwei, he also thought of Zhiyi as a child. He had never taken care of his own child even for a single day, and the more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt.

His phone vibrated. He Yian had sent a message: [Have you talked to Zhiyi?]

[I haven’t seen her yet; she just got up.]

He had come over to personally apologize to his daughter and discuss making her identity public.

Xu Xiangyi glanced at the time on his phone. It was already 10 p.m. domestically. He replied to his wife: [Aren’t you going to sleep?]

He Yian replied after some consideration: [I’m going to talk to Ningwei tonight. I need to start packing things. She went out with her classmates and isn’t back yet. I’m waiting for her.]

At this moment, Zhiyi came out of the apartment building and walked quickly toward him. Xu Xiangyi ended the conversation with his wife.

Zhiyi carried two sandwiches when she went out. Once in the car, she asked, “Dad, are you hungry?” and offered one of the sandwiches to Xu Xiangyi.

There was still a hint of awkwardness in her words, but Xu Xiangyi could sense that his daughter was trying hard to make their interaction feel natural, which is why she had brought breakfast downstairs.

He took the sandwich and smiled gently, “I’m not as good at digesting as you young people. I’ll eat lunch soon, so I’ll save this for dinner.”

Zhiyi, feeling hungry, opened the sandwich and started eating.

“Are you here on a business trip?”

“No, Dad missed you and came to see you.”

Zhiyi swallowed hard, feeling a pang in her heart. Not knowing how to respond to her parents’ concern for her, she remained silent.

In the silence, she took another bite of the sandwich.

She stared at the armrest between the two seats, her gaze unfocused.

After a moment, she looked up and said, “Flying around is too exhausting. We can video call in the future.”

Xu Xiangyi replied, “I’m not tired.”

“What do you want to eat for lunch?” He changed the subject to help ease his daughter’s discomfort.

“Chinese Sichuan cuisine.” Then she remembered her dad had been living in Shanghai for a long time and might prefer lighter food. She changed her mind and said, “Actually, I suddenly want Cantonese cuisine. Let’s find a restaurant for that.”

Xu Xiangyi, seeing through her intentions, smiled and said, “I can handle spicy food. We’ll have Cantonese food tomorrow.”

They found a popular Sichuan restaurant nearby. Zhiyi had been there a few times before, and the food was good, even praised by her food-loving roommate.

In the lively atmosphere of the restaurant, the father and daughter found a table and sat across from each other.

Xu Xiangyi noticed that Zhiyi seemed to relax, not as tense as when they first met.

After ordering, Zhiyi racked her brain to find a topic to discuss while waiting for the food.

Xu Xiangyi took out his phone and handed her the design plans: “Your mother had the designer prepare a few plans for your room. Take a look and see which furniture you like.”

His hand was hovering above the table. Zhiyi took the phone out of courtesy but didn’t look at the designs. “My room is too small. The current furniture is just right. No need to change it. Also, the landlord wouldn’t agree to major changes.”

Xu Xiangyi looked at her with concern. “It’s not the room in your rental house. It’s your room at home.”

Zhiyi still didn’t look at the plans. If it weren’t for them returning to their respective homes, she knew she wouldn’t be going back there.

The waiter brought the signature dishes, with a strong spicy aroma.

Xu Xiangyi handed Zhiyi chopsticks and said, “Eat first, and we can talk while eating.”

Zhiyi placed her phone at the edge of the table, picked up a piece of food with her chopsticks, and tasted the spicy flavor that spread across her tongue.

Knowing they could never completely let go of Xu Ningwei, she still asked with a hint of unrealistic hope, “Will it be each of us going back to our own homes, or…?”

“Of course, it will be each of us going back to our own homes. We no longer have any parenting responsibilities for Ningwei.”

At that moment, a heavy burden that had been on her heart for over a month finally lifted.

Xu Xiangyi added, “Your mother decided to switch you back as soon as the paternity test results came out. But at that time, I… couldn’t bear to part with Ningwei, so I decided not to bring you back immediately. During that period, you must have been very upset. Your adoptive parents found out the blood type was wrong and urgently looked for their biological daughter, but when your biological parents found you, they only thought about the adopted daughter and didn’t consider your feelings.”

“Dad apologizes and hopes you can forgive me for not being decisive at that time.”

Zhiyi couldn’t speak and shook her head.

Xu Xiangyi took a moment to compose himself before continuing, “Your mother and I have been parents twice, but we haven’t been your parents. We don’t understand your temperament. If you encounter anything unpleasant or feel wronged in the future, or if you have any preferences, let your dad and mom know right away. Don’t keep it to yourself. It’s not like what you said, that we have no feelings. You spent over nine months in your mom’s womb, and we spent over nine months together. How could we have no feelings?”

Zhiyi looked down at the food, unable to hold back the tears that welled up in her eyes.

Xu Xiangyi was quiet for a while. “It would have been great if we had found you ten years earlier. You were only ten years old then; I could have hugged you.”

His biggest regret in life was that he had never held his own daughter even once.

Now that she was grown up, he could never properly hold her again.