Chapter 18

Xu Zhiyi slept in until eleven today. She combined breakfast and lunch and was now enjoying coffee at a riverside café.

Ning Yinqi was also there. They were having afternoon tea and discussing the oil painting that Ning Yun had received.

After Xu Zhiyi and Ning Yun became mutual followers, she would always leave comments and likes whenever Ning Yun updated her status. Today was no exception, but she lingered a bit longer on the oil painting.

The painting was bold and vibrant, much like Ning Yun herself.

“It looks like my sister and Mr. Jiang are planning to compromise with their families,” Ning Yinqi said.

Xu Zhiyi looked up from her coffee. “Compromise on the marriage?”

Ning Yinqi nodded, taking a sip from his white porcelain coffee cup before setting it down and picking up his phone to look at the painting again. “Mr. Jiang put a lot of thought into this year’s birthday gift. They used to not exchange gifts at all, just doing it to appease their families.” He smiled wryly. “Sometimes, I even have to cover for them.”

Unsure of what to say, Xu Zhiyi decided to just listen.

Looking at the painting in front of them, Ning Yinqi suddenly doubted the relationship between the two people. One was generous with money, and the other publicly flaunted gifts. He speculated, “Even if they don’t end up marrying each other, they might just settle for a compromise with someone else.”

If the future brother-in-law was Jiang Sixun, he could accept it.

At least Jiang Sixun wasn’t like other rich young men, flirting around and leaving affairs with every woman.

Xu Zhiyi gazed at the river, her thoughts drifting.

The two spent the afternoon by the river. By nearly four o’clock, Ning Yinqi suggested finding a place for dinner before heading to the concert venue.

He asked Xu Zhiyi, “What would you like to eat?”

Xu Zhiyi had been craving the restaurant Ning Yun had recommended, the lobster noodles had left a lasting impression on her taste buds.

She mentioned the restaurant’s name and added, “Ning Yun recommended it; I tried it last night.”

“Eating the same thing again so soon, won’t it be too much?” Ning Yinqi asked.

“No.” Xu Zhiyi replied casually. She had actually eaten even more than Jiang Sixun last night.

Ning Yinqi remarked that Jiang Sixun had it hard.

Xu Zhiyi was puzzled. “How so?”

“He doesn’t like seafood, but he always goes with my sister. Now he has to accompany you as well.” Ning Yinqi smiled. “He must be having a tough time.”

As they chatted, they reached the car. Ning Yinqi opened the passenger side door for her and then went around to the other side to get in.

Without mentioning Jiang Sixun further, Xu Zhiyi fastened her seatbelt.

She had made a reservation in advance, so they arrived early, and the restaurant was still empty.

However, the lobster meat didn’t taste as fresh as it had the night before. Xu Zhiyi wondered if it was her taste buds or if the chef hadn’t cooked it as well today.

She asked Ning Yinqi, “How do you find the taste?”

Ning Yinqi, who often accompanied his sister to the restaurant, said, “It’s the same as before.”

Then it must be her issue.

Ning Yinqi was right; having had it just the previous night made it less appealing.

The weather was fair today, and it hadn’t rained all day.

After dinner, they headed straight to the concert venue.

Although the weather was good, Ning Yinqi still brought two raincoats since London’s rain could be unpredictable.

Before entering, Xu Zhiyi received a message from Jiang Sixun asking, “Have you arrived?”

She replied, “Yes, just waiting for security checks. Mr. Jiang, what about you?”

Jiang Sixun responded, “I’m still on the way with Ning Yun.”

Xu Zhiyi sent back an OK gesture. Last night, Jiang Sixun had mentioned he would get two concert tickets for her, and she had been wondering who he would give the extra ticket to. It turned out he had invited Ning Yun.

Jiang Sixun arrived half an hour later. The scene outside the venue was similar to that of the New York concert.

“Mr. Jiang.”

Jiang Sixun turned around but couldn’t see any familiar faces among the sea of people.

“Mr. Jiang, over here!”

In the crowd, he spotted Xu Ningwei’s figure. She was holding hands with a tall guy. They were both wearing black hoodies, but the patterns on the back were slightly different, suggesting they were a couple’s set.

Xu Ningwei pulled her boyfriend through the crowd towards him.

Jiang Sixun waited in place, accompanied by Ning Yun.

Ning Yun always dressed impeccably. As her grandfather said, even if she went downstairs to take out the trash, she would wear a formal dress—otherwise, it would be disrespectful to the trash.

When she was a student and had a falling out with her parents, she swore to live independently. She moved into an apartment and managed everything on her own. Once, when her grandfather visited, he happened to catch her in a long dress, taking out the trash.

Xu Ningwei was not unfamiliar with the eldest daughter of the Ning family; she often appeared on trending searches.

The first thing she said upon meeting Ning Yun was, “Sister-in-law, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person.”

Ning Yun smiled, “Not yet.”

“It’s only a matter of time,” she said. When she was with her foster parents, she had heard He Yi’an mention more than once that the two families were planning to unite.

However, neither party had committed to marriage yet and was reluctant to rush things.

Ning Wei’s hand remained intertwined with her boyfriend’s. After exchanging pleasantries with Ning Yun, she introduced her boyfriend to Jiang Sixun.

Ning Yun took a longer look at the young man, noting that his demeanor was somewhat like her younger brother, Ning Yinqi. He had a gentle appearance, though his skin was paler than Yinqi’s.

After greetings, Jiang Sixun signaled to Ning Wei, “Let’s go queue up.” He and Ning Yun headed to the other side for ticket checks.

Ning Yun asked, “The adopted daughter of Xu Xiangyi?”

“Yeah.”

“She seems quite charming,” Ning Yun complimented.

Ning Yun’s phone vibrated. It was a message from her grandmother: [Lu Jianbo is coming over tomorrow.]

Whenever there was any family development, her grandmother would inform her immediately. In matters of marriage, her grandmother was firmly on her side. Lu Jianbo had always been aloof; no one could invite him easily. However, he had been visiting her grandfather actively and frequently in recent months, which was a clear signal.

Her grandfather wasn’t using her marriage as a bargaining chip; he simply had high regard for Jiang Sixun and wanted to find her a man she could rely on for a lifetime.

Her grandmother sent another message: [I have observed Jiang Sixun for over a year. He matches what your grandfather said, a rare marriage candidate. Everything depends on you.]

Ning Yun put her phone away and glanced at the man beside her. She could accept spending her life with him.

A fortune-teller from Hong Kong had predicted she would meet someone special by mid-year.

She had always hoped for love and didn’t want to treat such an important matter as a mere task. However, mid-year had long passed, and it was now August, with no sign of that special person.

If even her grandmother ended up siding with her grandfather, she might resign herself to fate. But marriage was not something that could be decided so early; she planned to discuss it with Jiang Sixun. If necessary, they could set a wedding date for early next year, to avoid constant urging from both families and to fulfill their filial duties.

At the venue, Jiang Sixun saw Xu Zhiyi and Ning Yinqi. The two were chatting animatedly, seemingly enjoying themselves.

He and Ning Yun were seated one row ahead of them.

“Zhiyi,” Jiang Sixun called out.

Xu Zhiyi looked up, “Mr. Jiang.”

Ning Yun teased, “Why the formal address? Just call him ‘brother’.”

Jiang Sixun replied, “Ignore her; let her call me whatever she likes.”

He indicated his seat and told Xu Zhiyi, “You can sit here. Ning Yinqi and I will take the row behind you.”

Xu Zhiyi didn’t plan to move. The central seats were the best in the venue, and there was no difference between the front row and the back row. “No need to change. You and Ning Yun can sit together.”

She used an old excuse, “We have more to talk about since we’re the same age.”

Ning Yun once again expressed her annoyance at Jiang Sixun’s lack of tact and patted the back of the chair beside her. “Just sit down.”

To avoid having the two kids in the back hear, she typed a message on her phone for Jiang Sixun to see: [You have no sense of timing! Didn’t you see they’re wearing couple outfits today?]

She raised her eyebrows at him, hinting that he shouldn’t be an unwelcome third wheel.

Jiang Sixun had only noticed Xu Zhiyi’s white hoodie and hadn’t paid attention to Ning Yinqi’s clothing.

He didn’t want to turn around abruptly, so he asked Ning Yun, [What is Yinqi wearing?]

Ning Yun pretended to take a selfie and took a photo of the two behind her. She handed her phone to Jiang Sixun and said, “Take a look yourself.”

Ning Yinqi was also wearing a white hoodie, and both were dressed in vintage-style jeans.

“Have you seen clearly?” Ning Yun took the phone back and quickly typed: [At their age, couples like to wear matching outfits. The pair we saw earlier, is it Ning Wei? She and her boyfriend are also in couple outfits.]

She asked, [Don’t they look good together? (Grinning) My Yinqi is a warm guy.]

Jiang Sixun replied, [If Zhiyi thinks it’s suitable, that’s all that matters.]

At 7:30, the concert began.

Throughout the event, Jiang Sixun didn’t turn around.

Xu Zhiyi was seated one row back from him, so she could catch glimpses of him out of the corner of her eye while focusing on the stage. She remained entirely focused on the performance throughout the night.

After singing along with the crowd for the entire evening, her throat was hoarse by the end of the final song on the setlist.

Ning Yinqi recorded five or six videos, including ones of Xu Zhiyi singing passionately, interactions between his sister and Jiang Sixun, and a final group recording of all four of them as a memento of the concert.

After the concert, he shared the videos with Xu Zhiyi.

Xu Zhiyi opened each video one by one. Although there were videos with Jiang Sixun in them, she didn’t save any.

As they exited the venue, light rain began to fall.

“Do you need a raincoat?” Ning Yinqi asked, holding up two spare raincoats.

“No need; the rain isn’t heavy.” Xu Zhiyi put on the hood of her hoodie. Concerned about the rain, she had worn a long-sleeved shirt and brought an extra hooded one to shield herself.

Her hood wasn’t properly adjusted, so Ning Yinqi helped adjust it for her.

The other two walked behind them, with a bodyguard holding an umbrella over Ning Yun. Her hairstyle must always remain perfect.

Jiang Sixun held a black umbrella but hadn’t opened it, planning to give it to Xu Zhiyi. Noticing that Ning Yinqi also had a raincoat and that both of them had pulled their hoodies up almost simultaneously, he decided not to bother.

The driver had parked the car at the exit and was waiting for them, with fine raindrops streaming down the windshield.

They had agreed to go out for a late-night snack, with Ning Yun treating, and had chosen a Cantonese restaurant.

With three people, there’s always one who looks like a third wheel, but tonight, that wouldn’t be the case.

Xu Zhiyi sat across from Ning Yinqi, with Ning Yun beside her.

To outsiders, they appeared to be two couples.

Ning Yinqi asked Xu Zhiyi, “What time is your flight tomorrow? I’ll give you a ride.”

Xu Zhiyi replied, “In the afternoon…”

Before she could finish, Jiang Sixun interrupted, “Cancel your ticket. Come back with me and be my temporary assistant for a few days.”

Hearing that it was related to work, Xu Zhiyi immediately took out her phone to cancel the ticket.

She switched into work mode instantly, “Mr. Jiang, what’s the plan for tomorrow? Do I need to prepare anything in advance?”

Ning Yun laughed, “You’re a workaholic. Let’s eat first.”

Jiang Sixun said to Xu Zhiyi, “You can take a rest tomorrow; you don’t need to come along.”

With her flight canceled and no work plans for the next day, Xu Zhiyi invited Ning Yinqi to go to Bush Village for a meal, as he had treated her to the concert, and she hadn’t had a chance to thank him yet.

Ning Yinqi hadn’t been to Bush Village for several years, “Tomorrow’s clear, how about we go early to watch the sunrise? Will you be able to get up?”

Xu Zhiyi’s internal clock was completely out of sync, so she didn’t mind losing those two extra hours of sleep. “I’ll be up.”

They quickly agreed to set off at four in the morning, with Ning Yinqi coming to pick her up at the hotel.

Jiang Sixun gave her a final look and reminded her to be careful.

Ning Yun shot him a look to stop him from saying more. “With Yinqi around, aren’t you at ease?”

Jiang Sixun glanced at their couple outfits and said no more.

After their late-night meal, the rain had mostly stopped by the time they left the restaurant.

“Yinqi,” Jiang Sixun instructed, “You take your sister back. I have work tomorrow, so I’ll head back to the hotel with Zhiyi first.”

To avoid multiple trips, Ning Yinqi agreed, “No problem.”

Ning Yun got into her cousin’s sports car and waved goodbye to Xu Zhiyi, making plans to hang out when they had the chance.

Once the sports car drove off, Xu Zhiyi approached Jiang Sixun’s car, which was a black SUV today.

After getting in and fastening her seatbelt, Jiang Sixun said, “Are you dating Yinqi?” He paused slightly. “Long-distance relationships can be quite tough.”

Xu Zhiyi clarified, “Yinqi and I are just friends who get along well.”

Jiang Sixun smiled faintly. “Do you think I’m your parent?” He continued, “You don’t need to hide things from me; I won’t say anything.”

Realizing that their outfits might have led to a misunderstanding, Xu Zhiyi explained, “It’s just a coincidence that we’re wearing the same clothes. I can find many people in white hoodies and jeans here.”

When she and Ning Yinqi had met earlier, they had both been momentarily taken aback, then joked about their connection.

At their age, who doesn’t have a few pairs of jeans and comfortable hoodies?

Jiang Sixun nodded and reiterated his reminder to be cautious during the sunrise viewing.

The next day, Xu Zhiyi woke up early.

The wind was strong by the seaside, so she put on an extra coat over her hoodie.

On the way to Bush Village, Ning Yinqi mentioned that the last time he came to watch the sunrise was four years ago.

Xu Zhiyi asked, “Was it with her?”

“Yeah,” he replied. She liked the seaside and the Ferris wheel.

Only in front of Xu Zhiyi could he speak so freely and unreservedly about the past, finding a release for the memories that almost overwhelmed him.

“May I ask, do you have someone you like?” Now that he was more familiar with Xu Zhiyi, he asked directly.

Xu Zhiyi paused for a few seconds, “I did.”

Ning Yinqi understood; like him, she had someone impossible in her heart.

Xu Zhiyi didn’t know whom to talk to about this and found herself opening up to Ning Yinqi.

“It wasn’t exactly love at first sight, but he was different the first time I saw him.”

Ning Yinqi said with certainty, “That still counts as love at first sight. What happened later?”

“There was no later. I soon realized I couldn’t like him anymore.”

“Is he not single, does he have a girlfriend?” Ning Yinqi could only guess this possibility.

Xu Zhiyi fell silent, tacitly confirming his guess.

She couldn’t go into details, as Ning Yinqi would easily guess who it was.

She met him at the wrong time, with the wrong age—everything was wrong.

Ning Yinqi focused on driving and didn’t press further.

It was the weekend, and many young people were waiting for the sunrise by the seaside.

They found a good spot to watch and chatted idly.

“Why do you always call Jiang Sixun ‘Mr. Jiang’?”

“…Because he pays my salary.”

Ning Yinqi laughed out loud.

As the sky began to lighten, signaling the approaching sunrise, Xu Zhiyi took out her phone and set it to video mode.

Staring at the endless sea, she lost herself for a moment.

On the distant horizon, the sun broke through the clouds, and golden-red light spread across the sea in an instant.

Seagulls circled overhead as everything welcomed a new day.

Yet, both of them were still stuck in yesterday.

After watching the sunrise, the two of them found a breakfast place, had a meal, and leisurely strolled through the seaside town. Ning Yinqi was reminiscing, while Xu Zhiyi was lost in her own thoughts.

They chatted occasionally, but for the most part, they were both preoccupied.

By mid-morning, Xu Zhiyi received a call from her boss, who informed her, “We’re flying to Boston tomorrow afternoon.”

Xu Zhiyi almost missed the beat, “Is it for a business trip?”

Jiang Sixun replied, “Yes.”

He didn’t elaborate further.

The boss had no intention of explaining in detail; she didn’t want to press for more information and simply replied, “Okay.”

On the phone, Jiang Sixun could hear the wind blowing, “Still at the seaside?”

“Yeah, just looking around.”

After hanging up, Xu Zhiyi informed Ning Yinqi that she would be returning the next day.

Ning Yinqi was slightly surprised, “Weren’t you supposed to stay in London for a few days?”

“The boss’s schedule changed suddenly. We’re going to Boston tomorrow.”

Meanwhile, Jiang Sixun called his secretary to book a flight, as his own plane was being borrowed by Cohen.

The secretary booked a flight for 1 PM on Monday.

The next day, after breakfast, they headed to the airport.

Before boarding, Jiang Sixun received a call from his father.

Lu Jianbo had asked his son to return to Hong Kong for a visit. The old man was almost driven mad by his eldest son.

“Your uncle got married to that woman. They got married last Friday.”

Jiang Sixun only learned of this yesterday when he went to persuade his elder brother. The person he should address as “sister-in-law” was not in London, so he hadn’t met her. Now the family was in turmoil, with several nephews and nieces’ interests severely affected, and they were appealing to the old man for justice.

The old man had spent the least time with Jiang Sixun, seeing him only once or twice a year, but he was the one who doted on this grandson the most.

“You should go visit your grandfather.”

In addition to this call, Lu Jianbo had another important matter: “I’m with Director Ning. Come over for dinner tonight.”

Jiang Sixun responded, “I’m busy, at the airport.”

Just after hanging up with his father, Ning Yun’s call came in.

Ning Yun had heard about the Lu family’s elder uncle’s situation, which had infuriated Lu’s grandfather to the point of hospitalization. She couldn’t understand how such a seasoned man could be so upset by his eldest son’s remarriage.

“What’s the situation with your uncle?”

“Not clear.”

“Grandpa wants me to return to Hong Kong to visit Lu’s grandfather. I don’t want to go alone, so I’ll go with you.”

“Sure. It’s a good time to discuss our matters face-to-face and clear things up with Grandpa.”

Xu Zhiyi was standing next to him and recognized that the caller was Ning Yun. She caught most of their conversation. They were both going back to Hong Kong to visit Lu’s grandfather and needed to clear things up in person. She recalled Ning Yinqi’s comment about how “they might just settle for it.”

As the call ended, she straightforwardly asked Jiang Sixun, “Are you and Ning Yun planning to settle down?” If so, she would offer her blessings generously.

Jiang Sixun looked at her and said, “Haven’t I told you about my relationship with Ning Yun?”

He had mentioned it before.

But past thoughts didn’t necessarily reflect the present.

Jiang Sixun patiently explained, “My family wasn’t very involved a couple of years ago, but recently they’ve been pushing hard, using various emotional tactics. Ning Yun might not be able to handle it. Returning to Hong Kong to visit Grandpa is a chance to clarify things with her face-to-face, end the mutually beneficial relationship, and cut off any thoughts of engagement from our families.”

If he wasn’t decisive, and if the elders saw them dragging their feet on the engagement, they might resort to drastic measures, such as announcing the marriage to the media, which would make things much more complicated for him.

Xu Zhiyi commented, “I thought that painting was your token of affection.”

Jiang Sixun laughed, “You have quite an imagination.”

“…”

She used the excuse of getting coffee to end the conversation.

Looking out the window, the sky was clear.

After several days of poor rest, Xu Zhiyi took a nap on the plane.

When she opened her eyes, the plane was about to land.

The hotel where they were staying was just a street away from the branch office, which was convenient for work.

They stayed in suites on the same floor. After checking in, Xu Zhiyi asked the front desk to deliver dinner to their room.

Jiang Sixun glanced at her and said, “Let’s go out to eat. Didn’t you say you wanted to treat me to lobster noodles in the nearby town?”

Xu Zhiyi hesitated before replying, “Never mind.”

Jiang Sixun asked, “Why not?”

Xu Zhiyi said, “I just found out you don’t like seafood.”