Chapter 21

Xu Zhiyi handed the picked roses to the butler and then sat down on the carpet in front of the sofa to eat fruit. Xu Xiangyu didn’t allow her to help in the kitchen, and He Yi’an had just taken a work call and gone upstairs to the study.

The spacious living room had only her.

Xu Zhiyi kept giving herself psychological hints that this was her home and she didn’t need to be so restrained.

Footsteps were heard on the spiral staircase, and she turned to look. He Yi’an was coming down with a laptop.

“Mom, you’re busy, you don’t need to stay with me.”

He Yi’an smiled lightly. “Not too busy, just some budget approvals, a quick look is enough.”

He Yi’an placed the laptop on the wide sofa armrest, which also had a tablet, and handed them to her daughter. “Family album, take a look.”

Xu Zhiyi stood up from the carpet and moved to sit on the sofa.

He Yi’an opened the laptop, adjusted her sitting position, and patted the space beside her. “Come closer.”

Xu Zhiyi smiled and moved over, keeping an instinctive distance of a few fists between them. She actually wanted to lean on He Yi’an to look at the photos but was worried about disturbing her work.

Opening the album, it showed over four hundred photos. Most of the pictures of her parents were group photos, while the ones with her brother were individual shots. The family photos were sorted by the time they were taken, spanning twenty years.

The first photo in the album was the group photo her father had sent her before, when she was still in her mother’s womb.

She flipped through several photos of herself wearing a white princess dress in Hong Kong, with the adjacent photos showing her parents and brother also taken in Hong Kong.

The time difference between the photos was just over four hours.

During the summer when she was ten, Shang Tongxu had taken her and her sister to Hong Kong for over twenty days. Unexpectedly, her parents and brother were also in Hong Kong during that time.

The album’s photos spanned from before she was born to her current age of twenty. After looking at all four hundred and six photos, the past twenty years seemed to have flown by in the blink of an eye.

The happy memories were all in the album, and only by flipping through them could she remember them. The unhappy times that weren’t recorded, however, were still fresh in her memory.

She tried not to think about the conflicts with her sister Shang Canran. Her sister was always favored by the family, because during those unhappy days, Qi Zhengchen showed bias towards her.

She also tried not to think about how Xu Ningwei was indulged and favored by their parents in this family. Although she wasn’t a petty person, she clearly remembered what her father Xu Xiangyu said in the hospital: “Ningwei is a bit emotionally unstable right now. I’m worried about her, so I need to trouble you to stay with your adoptive parents for now.”

After flipping through the last photo, she exited the album.

Twenty years had passed, and naturally, her parents’ appearances had changed significantly from when they were younger. But time doesn’t diminish beauty; He Yi’an was still as beautiful and poised as ever.

The sense of coolness seemed to be ingrained in her.

Fortunately, Mom always wore a gentle smile, otherwise, her inherent sense of distance would make her hard to approach.

Xu Zhiyi set the tablet aside and, seeing her mother still busy, leaned back into the sofa and closed her eyes.

He Yi’an looked back. “Tired?”

It was eleven o’clock, which was bedtime for her in Manhattan.

Xu Zhiyi opened her eyes and smiled. “A little.”

He Yi’an had almost finished her work and motioned for her daughter to lean on her shoulder and nap for a while, emphasizing, “It won’t affect my email replies. Typing with one hand is enough.”

Xu Zhiyi hesitated for a moment but then moved closer, snuggling up to He Yi’an, resting her head on her shoulder. The faint scent of perfume was soothing.

“Mom, did you change your perfume?”

He Yi’an was surprised. “You can tell?” After all, the scent of the perfume she was using now wasn’t very different from the previous one.

“Yes.” Confirming that He Yi’an had indeed changed her perfume, Xu Zhiyi asked with confidence, “Is it the one I gave you?”

“Yes.”

He Yi’an smiled. “It brings back the feeling of youth.”

When Xu Xiangyu had given her the same perfume, they hadn’t yet been married.

She gently rubbed her daughter’s head and said softly, “Go to sleep. Your brother will be here soon.”

Xu Zhiyi had been looking forward to seeing her brother Xu Heng and, leaning against He Yi’an, closed her eyes.

At first, she was a bit tense and her heartbeat quickened, but after giving herself a mental pep talk, she reminded herself that He Yi’an wasn’t the CEO; she was her mother.

Gradually, the nervousness faded away.

As her consciousness blurred, she fell into a deep sleep.

At eleven forty, Xu Heng’s car drove into the yard, accompanied by Jiang Sixun.

The butler instructed someone to take their luggage upstairs and added, “Dinner isn’t ready yet.”

The two entered the villa, one after the other.

Xu Heng, not realizing his sister was asleep, remarked towards his mother, “Did Dad make a full Manchu-Han Imperial Feast? It’s still not ready…”

Seeing someone sleeping soundly against their mother, he stopped mid-sentence.

Jiang Sixun said, “It’s fine. You say what you need to; she won’t wake up even if there’s thunder.”

Xu Heng glanced at him with a meaningful look, as if questioning how he knew what she was like when asleep.

Jiang Sixun realized his words might have been ambiguous and clarified, “Even with the noise in the bar, she still managed to nap.”

He Yi’an set aside her work, lightly placed her right hand on her daughter’s shoulder to soothe her, and then addressed the approaching two. “It’s okay, you can talk.”

Jiang Sixun had lived here for two years before, so it felt like home to him. He didn’t need any special attention and poured himself a glass of warm water.

On the coffee table were three fruit plates. One was a fruit and cheese platter, beautifully arranged and colorful. Another focused on green fruits with a refreshing summer theme.

The odd one out was a wooden fruit bowl with half a plate of green tangerines, their deep green skins looking quite sour.

There had never been green tangerines before, so it seemed Xu Zhiyi liked them.

“How is Grandpa’s health?” He Yi’an asked with concern.

Jiang Sixun replied, “He’s fine, just needs a week of recovery before he can be discharged.”

Initially, it was supposed to be a three-day stay, but when his uncle and his new wife visited, they made the old man so angry his blood pressure spiked, requiring him to stay in the hospital longer.

The hospital was under the Lu family’s management, and the attending physician said there was nothing serious but advised to avoid stress.

Uncle and Third Uncle now forbade the eldest uncle from visiting the hospital. During those few days in Hong Kong, Jiang Sixun also didn’t meet with his uncle.

He had no interest in the Lu family’s affairs and left Hong Kong after staying with his grandfather for two days.

They chatted for more than twenty minutes. Xu Zhiyi slowly opened her eyes to see Jiang Sixun’s sharp features, just as he was looking at her.

She was momentarily confused, thinking she might have fallen asleep at the office.

“Mr. Jiang.” She quickly sat up.

Seeing her mother next to her, she then realized, “Mom.”

“Did you sleep confusedly?” Someone handed her a box of chocolates, “I brought these for you.”

Xu Zhiyi turned her head. “Brother.”

She took the chocolates and began to regain her awareness.

“I also brought other gifts, which the butler has already sent to your room.”

“Thank you, Brother.”

Xu Heng moved to the front of the sofa, bent down, and picked up a wet towel from the table basket to give to her. “Wipe your face.”

Xu Zhiyi hadn’t worn makeup today. She placed the slightly warm towel on her face, still not understanding how Jiang Sixun suddenly appeared at home.

As the conversation resumed, she became fully awake.

She put down the towel and unwrapped the chocolate her brother had given her.

It was a 70% handcrafted dark chocolate truffle, which she needed to eat with the green tangerine to enjoy.

Xu Zhiyi got up from the sofa to get a green tangerine to peel.

Jiang Sixun had just peeled one and discarded the skin into the trash. He kept a few segments for himself and handed the remaining half to her. “No need to peel more; this one’s for you. I usually don’t eat tangerines, so you can tell me if it’s too sour.”

His tone and actions were so natural.

“Thank you.”

Xu Zhiyi glanced at him quickly, not fully taking in his face, took the tangerine, and returned to her seat. The white tangerine fibers were still on it, but she left them as she took a bite.

The tartness of the tangerine balanced by the bitterness of the chocolate created a refreshing taste on her tongue.

“Sixun, when are you going back to Beijing?” Xu Zhiyi asked.

Jiang Sixun replied to He Yi’an, “The day after tomorrow in the afternoon.”

“Zhiyi is going back to visit her grandparents, so she can take your flight.”

“Alright, she can come back with me then.”

Xu Zhiyi silently ate the dark chocolate with tangerine, as her mother had already made arrangements, so she didn’t decline.

Jiang Sixun stood up. “Auntie, you’re busy. I’ll go check the kitchen.”

“Go ahead, and ask Uncle Xu if we can expect his cooking before dark,” He Yi’an joked.

Jiang Sixun went directly to the kitchen, with Xu Heng following at a leisurely pace.

Xu Xiangyu was standing by the stove, making red oil wontons.

Xu Heng was momentarily stunned at the sight of his father’s skilled movements. Several dishes were already prepared on the countertop. Feeling a pang of conscience, he poured a glass of water and placed it on the counter next to his father.

Xu Xiangyu turned to look at them. “It will be ready soon.”

He didn’t cook many dishes himself; the rest were left to the chef.

Jiang Sixun asked, “I heard from my grandfather that you and Auntie went to the hospital recently. How is the case about the swapped babies progressing?”

Xu Xiangyu took a sip of the water Xu Heng poured for him. “It wasn’t an accident.”

Jiang Sixun paused. “Was it done intentionally?”

Xu Xiangyu nodded. “I’ll tell you who did it once we’re certain. Actually, we have already pretty much identified the culprit. It’s just that twenty years is a long time, and finding evidence of what that person did back then is very difficult.”

Fortunately, Zhiyi has been raised well, and her foster family’s conditions are relatively good. This is his only comfort.

Xu Xiangyu cautioned them, “Don’t mention this to Zhiyi yet.”

Twenty minutes later, the long-awaited reunion dinner, delayed by nearly three months, was finally served.

Xu Xiangyu placed all the dishes he made in front of his daughter. “Try each dish and see which one you like. If you don’t like any, let your brother eat it.”

The siblings exchanged glances.

Xu Zhiyi smiled and, protectively, said, “I’m afraid my brother won’t get to eat any of it.”

The atmosphere at the table became lively instantly.

Xu Heng gave her head a playful rub and sat down next to her.

Before he could settle, his father patted him on the shoulder. “You’re not sitting in the right spot. Move to the other side.”

Xu Heng moved to the other side of the table to sit with Jiang Sixun, leaving his parents and sister side by side, with his sister in the middle. Suddenly remembering something, he asked the butler to take more candid family photos of the reunion dinner.

The butler asked, “Family photos? What about Young Master Jiang?”

Xu Heng instructed not to specifically find angles for their family of four but to include Jiang Sixun in the pictures.

If Jiang Sixun hadn’t come today, he would have been alone on one side.

During the meal, He Yi’an looked at Jiang Sixun and chatted casually, “Your dad was here last month and mentioned that you and Ning Yun might settle down next year. Next time, bring Ning Yun to Shanghai for a visit.” Ning Yun had given their daughter a limited-edition bag, which He Yi’an had always remembered.

Jiang Sixun replied, “Ning Yun and I have settled things. We won’t use each other or follow family arrangements for marriage.”

Using each other? He Yi’an took a few seconds to process this.

Such a pity, given their complementary qualities.

Xu Zhiyi didn’t join the conversation. Jiang Sixun was sitting directly opposite her, so every time she looked up, she met his gaze. She kept her head down, quietly eating the dishes her father served her.

They also discussed the rare jewelry gift from Lu Jianbo, which even her mother remarked was very expensive.

Jiang Sixun told He Yi’an, “It’s a small gesture from my dad. It’s rare for him to do something like this.”

Throughout the conversation, he never mentioned it was for Zhiyi’s dowry.

After the meal, Xu Zhiyi saw the set of jewelry, wondering what kind of clothes and occasions would complement such luxurious and elegant pieces.

He Yi’an, who had a keen interest in jewelry, commented with a smile, “This set is perfect for Zhiyi’s wedding.” It was dazzling and grand.

Xu Zhiyi was speechless.

Jiang Sixun peeled a green tangerine from the fruit platter but didn’t respond to the comment.

Next to the jewelry box was another beautifully wrapped gift box from Jiang Sixun. Xu Zhiyi opened it to find a necklace—simple and elegant, suitable for everyday wear. It seemed to be a family tradition to give jewelry.

After dinner, her brother and Jiang Sixun left one after another.

Her father mentioned they had appointments in the afternoon.

It wasn’t until twelve-thirty at night that one of the two cars missing from the parking lot returned.

Having taken a nap in the afternoon, she was not sleepy now. Just then, a call came from Yu Zijia. She threw on a bathrobe over her pajamas and took her phone to the balcony.

The balcony was filled with the scent of citrus from the diffuser, which was pleasant and kept the mosquitoes away.

Leaning on the black and gold railing, she chatted with Yu Zijia.

Yu Zijia complained about wanting to see her home’s Monet Garden again tomorrow, saying she hadn’t had enough today.

“Alright, we can video chat tomorrow. It won’t have the same effect at midnight.”

They chatted about various topics for another ten minutes before hanging up. Xu Zhiyi propped her chin up with her hand and carefully admired her small garden in the night.

She heard the sound of a car in the yard. Without her glasses and with the dim light, she could only see a man in white clothes and black pants getting out of the car from a distance.

Her father was wearing a dark gray shirt today, Jiang Sixun was in a black shirt, and only her brother was wearing a white shirt, so her instinctive reaction was that it was Xu Heng.

As the person approached the villa, she called down from the third floor, “Brother… Mr. Jiang, did you just come back?”

The person paused and looked up. “What did you call me?”

“…”

“Why are you still awake?”

“I’m not tired; I slept too much this afternoon.” Xu Zhiyi tried to ease the awkwardness of almost mistaking him for someone else. “How is Grandpa Lu?”

“He’s doing well.” Jiang Sixun asked her, “If you’re not tired, would you like to go out for a stroll?”

She actually wanted to see what Shanghai looked like after midnight but decided against it. “No, it’s too late. You should get some rest.”

Jiang Sixun nodded, “You should go to bed early too.” He then walked into the villa.

The next day, Xu Zhiyi woke up at ten.

Jiang Sixun went to the branch office of Yuanwei in Shanghai, while her family went to visit her grandparents for lunch and then had dinner at her grandparents’ house.

Because she looked so much like her parents, the elderly relatives held her hand tightly, especially her grandmother. She remarked that since her aunt’s family was in Beijing, it was a pity they hadn’t run into each other over the years. If they had, her aunt might have recognized her sooner.

She comforted her grandmother, saying that perhaps it just wasn’t the right time for them to meet.

There are many people in the world who look alike without being blood relatives, and even if they met, her aunt wouldn’t necessarily think of the swapped babies.

“Are you going back to Beijing tomorrow to visit your grandparents?”

“Yes. I won’t have time to come back before the New Year.”

“I heard your grandfather likes calligraphy and paintings. We have some treasured ones at home. I’ll have your grandfather pick out two for you to take with you.”

To bring these two precious calligraphy pieces, she packed them in a large suitcase, which conveniently also held the gift for Qi Zhengchen.

On the day she was returning to Beijing, Jiang Sixun offered to help with her suitcase, extending his hand with clearly defined knuckles. “Let me take the suitcase.”

“It’s not heavy, just two paintings and a tennis racket.” She pushed the suitcase through security herself.

On the plane, Jiang Sixun asked the flight attendant to make her an espresso and added, “Add half a sugar stick.”

Because of that “half a sugar stick,” Xu Zhiyi couldn’t help but glance back at him.

It felt like just yesterday that she went on a business trip with him to London.

As the plane took off, she received a message from Qi Zhengchen, who was heading to the airport.

【Second brother, how did you know I was coming back today? I wanted to surprise you.】

【Did Jiang Sixun tell you?】

Qi Zhengchen: 【He didn’t intentionally tell me, but it came up in conversation.】

After a little over two hours of flying, they landed in Beijing in the evening, where Qi Zhengchen had been waiting for a long time.

Seeing him, Xu Zhiyi immediately beamed with joy.

Qi Zhengchen stepped forward, stretching out his long arms, and Xu Zhiyi naturally pushed her suitcase toward him.

Jiang Sixun, who was walking behind, took a closer look at the suitcase.

They were so familiar with each other that there was no need for pleasantries.

Qi Zhengchen turned to Jiang Sixun and asked, “Get together tomorrow night? It won’t work tonight; I need to take Zhiyi to her grandparents. They’ve been looking forward to seeing her for several days.”

Jiang Sixun replied, “Any day is fine with me. Ask Zhiyi.”

The dinner was set for the following night, and Xu Zhiyi insisted on treating.

Qi Zhengchen smiled, “Got paid and have money now?”

“Yes. I even bought you a gift,” Xu Zhiyi said, pointing to the suitcase. “It’s not expensive.”

Qi Zhengchen’s smile widened. “How much?”

“A few dollars.”

Qi Zhengchen laughed and said, “I wouldn’t mind even if it were a one-dollar gift.”

“What did you buy?” he asked curiously.

Xu Zhiyi replied, “A tennis racket.”

She had brought it back from abroad.

Jiang Sixun walked beside them, remaining silent throughout.

After leaving the main hall, Xu Zhiyi sat in the front passenger seat while the two of them took the back seat.

As the car started moving, Qi Zhengchen took out some soda water from the car’s fridge and asked the front seat, “Zhiyi, what would you like to drink?”

“What do you have?” Xu Zhiyi turned around.

“Everything you like,” Qi Zhengchen said, pulling out several bottles for her to choose from. He then noticed a bottle of lime pomelo tea at the back of the fridge. “There’s also Aunt Liu’s homemade lime pomelo tea. Would you like some?”

Xu Zhiyi had always loved the fruit teas Aunt Liu made. “Yes, please.”

The glass bottle was cold, and Qi Zhengchen wrapped it in a white towel before handing it to her. “The cup is new.”

Xu Zhiyi, enjoying the coolness, only took the glass and declined the towel.

Qi Zhengchen gave her the towel again. “Your hands are cold; wrap it up and take it.”

Xu Zhiyi was distracted by the attractive glass cup. “Where did you get this glass cup?”

Qi Zhengchen thought for a moment. “I don’t remember. If you like it, you can keep it.”

Xu Zhiyi, not being polite, said, “Then it’s mine.”

Jiang Sixun’s gaze shifted from the cup in her hand to her face, and then back to the glass cup. At this moment, his phone vibrated with messages from a work group. He withdrew his gaze and began to reply.

After handling the work, he opened Xu Zhiyi’s chat box: 【Why didn’t you refuse the cup from Qi Zhengchen? Don’t double standards in front of me next time.】

Xu Zhiyi: “…”

She had stated firmly last week at the porcelain museum that it was inappropriate to casually give or accept cups from the opposite sex.

But such boundaries didn’t apply to her and Qi Zhengchen. It had long been a routine for her to accept things from him.

She typed back: My second brother is different to me; he’s family.

She revised and edited her reply multiple times but still felt uneasy, since Jiang Sixun had previously asked if it was acceptable to give cups among family members.

In the end, she deleted the revised response completely.

She locked her phone screen, pretending she hadn’t seen his message.

Jiang Sixun’s gaze was fixed on the front passenger seat—she had been looking down at her phone for a long time, typing away, and then finally shoved the phone into her bag. He noticed all her hesitations.

She seemed to be trying to avoid the issue with silence.

After staring at the chat box for a moment, he sent another message: 【I was just joking earlier, don’t take it seriously.】

Xu Zhiyi finally replied, playing dumb: 【Mr. Jiang, I just saw your message.】

Jiang Sixun: “…”

He responded: 【It’s fine.】