Chapter 20: The Forum

In the depths of winter in Beicheng, the cold was biting, the wind fierce, and the air dry. People hurried from one heated room to another, seeking refuge from the desolate and bleak outdoors. The days of the coldest part of winter slipped by, pushed along by the icy winds.

Before they knew it, the end of the month had arrived—more accurately, the end of the year.

In order to organize a memorial art exhibition for Ming Can’s mother, Ming Shu took some time off and returned to Beicheng for a few days. Most of her time was spent at Ming Can’s place, helping her take care of the child.

One weekend afternoon, the weather outside was clear, with scattered clouds drifting across the blue sky. If you didn’t open the windows, it looked no different from a spring day.

Ming Can was studying alone in the study, while Ming Shu stayed in the living room, playing with Miaomiao and his toys.

Among the pile of toys was a wooden box, made of sandalwood. Its exterior was simple and unadorned, and it was the only toy placed on a dedicated small stool, clearly one of Miaomiao’s most cherished possessions.

Curious, Ming Shu picked up the box and opened it. Inside, she found three beautifully carved wooden animal figurines.

“Wow, these are so cute,” Ming Shu couldn’t help but exclaim.

Miaomiao, who was fiddling with some building blocks nearby, said, “My dad made them!”

“Really? Wait, what?” Ming Shu thought she must have misheard. “Your dad? You’ve seen your dad?!”

“Yep,” Miaomiao replied. Whether in this timeline or the original one, Miaomiao was very close to his aunt. In front of her, he didn’t feel the need to hide anything. “I’ve seen Dad a few times already. Mom even had him help me with my homework. Dad’s super serious when he’s teaching me!”

Hearing this, Ming Shu sprang up from the floor and walked to the study door. She knocked twice, pretending to be polite, but didn’t wait for a response before opening the door. Leaning in, she asked, “Cancan, you took Miaomiao to see his dad?”

“Yeah,” Ming Can replied, having just finished solving a problem. She put down her pen, stretching her arms as she spoke. “Miaomiao really missed his dad, so I took him to meet him a few times—as a friend.”

Ming Shu asked, “You didn’t tell him that Miaomiao is his son?”

Ming Can shook her head. “Not yet.”

From Ming Can’s choice of words, Ming Shu sensed a hint of something unusual.

“Not yet” implied that she hadn’t told him for now, but there was a possibility she might in the future.

Knowing Ming Can as well as she did, Ming Shu expected her to have firmly replied, “Why would I tell him?” That would have been more in line with Ming Can’s character.

Ming Can had always been fiercely independent and strong-willed. Back when she first found Miaomiao, Ming Shu had suggested taking him to Shencheng so she could help care for him, but Ming Can refused. Her reasoning was that a child shouldn’t live apart from their mother, and it was better for the mother to take care of them personally. Ming Shu understood this, as Ming Can herself had lost her mother and knew all too well how a child felt without their mom around.

Later, when Ming Shu grew genuinely concerned that Ming Can might not be able to handle everything on her own, she suggested that Ming Can reach out to the child’s father for help. After all, raising a child wasn’t solely the mother’s responsibility. But Ming Can brushed off the suggestion. She didn’t trust strangers, especially strange men, and the idea of co-parenting with one was unthinkable to her—she’d rather die than do that. Ming Shu had assumed Ming Can would stick firmly to her principle of raising the child independently. Yet, just over a month later, that once unshakable principle seemed to have softened?

Ming Shu speculated that there might be two reasons for the shift in Ming Can’s mindset:

The first was the sheer exhaustion of raising a child alone. This needed no explanation. No matter how capable or confident Ming Can was, she was still just a 19-year-old college student. A five-and-a-half-year-old child and the chaos of daily life would humble anyone.

As for the second reason, it had to be related to the child’s father.

Intrigued, Ming Shu quickly walked into the study, pulled up a chair, and sat down beside Ming Can. “Tell me, what’s Miaomiao’s dad like?”

Ming Can wasn’t particularly eager to discuss this, but Ming Shu’s curiosity was insistent. Reluctantly, she offered a brief description: “He’s… pretty tall, decent-looking, and his grades are okay.”

It was as good as saying nothing.

Ming Shu pressed further, “What about his personality?”

Ming Can’s lips twitched. “His personality is like ice—cold, aloof, and doesn’t talk much. It’s like the whole world owes him money.”

After a pause, she added, “But he’s actually quite patient with kids, and he’s thorough and steady when it comes to handling things.”

For someone as picky and proud as Ming Can to give such an evaluation was no small feat.

Ming Shu remarked, “Sounds like you’re already considering letting him help you raise the kid?”

“Yeah,” Ming Can nodded, leaning her head against Ming Shu’s shoulder as she began to vent. “Auntie, I really didn’t expect raising a child to be this exhausting. Even though Miaomiao is so well-behaved, I still find myself overwhelmed all the time. Mothers are truly amazing.”

“That’s why I told you not to shoulder everything alone,” Ming Shu said, gently patting her head. “By the way, you still haven’t told me who Miaomiao’s dad is.”

Ming Can sat up straight, but before she could speak, Ming Shu continued on her own, “Let me guess. Is his surname Chi?”

Ming Can: “Yes.”

Ming Shu: “The second son of the Chi family?”

Ming Zheng had once considered arranging a marriage between Ming Can and the second son of the Chi family. As Ming Zheng’s full sister, Ming Shu couldn’t possibly be unaware of this.

Ming Can shook her head. “No, it’s the eldest son of the Chi family.”

Ming Shu was visibly surprised. “The eldest son of the Chi family? That rarely-seen eldest son? I remember his name is Chi…”

“Chi Xiao.”

“Yes, Chi Xiao.” Ming Shu tried to recall any information about the young man. “I think I met him many years ago. He was just a little boy back then, following behind his mother. He was very quiet and introverted, and didn’t really play with the other kids… He does look a lot like Miaomiao. He’s quite handsome.”

Ming Can hadn’t expected her aunt to remember Chi Xiao from his childhood. Curiosity piqued, she asked, “Do you remember anything else about him?”

“I probably only saw him that one time. He’s been far too low-key in social circles…”

At this point, Ming Shu’s voice suddenly trailed off, as if she was hesitating to say more.

She looked at Ming Can, deliberating for a long moment before finally speaking. “I don’t remember who told me this, but I heard his father has plans for him to marry into another family. It seems they’ve already set their sights on a certain daughter.”

Ming Can: “Who?”

As she asked this, Ming Can already had a good idea. It definitely wasn’t her, otherwise the Chi family wouldn’t have approached her about a match with Chi Yao.

“Not sure,” Ming Shu shrugged. “It might just be a rumor. The Chi family has risen so high now, and there are so many people trying to climb their way up. Gossip is everywhere—you can’t take it seriously.”

Ming Can nodded thoughtfully.

–

The entire month of December passed in a whirlwind of intense studying. Shortly after New Year’s Day, Morning Star Elementary School went on winter break. However, Ming Can still had over half a month left before her final exams ended and her own winter break began.

With Miaomiao on break, it wasn’t feasible for him to stay home alone all day. So, Ming Can had signed him up for a school-organized winter camp program well in advance—a ten-day, nine-night adventure. Nearly half the kids in his class were participating, and they’d all have a lively time together. After the camp, Miaomiao would only need to hold out for a few more days before Ming Can finished her exams and could spend time with him.

Today was the fourth day of Miaomiao’s winter camp.

On her way to school, Ming Can received a video call from Miaomiao, who excitedly told her about the day’s activities. In the background, she could hear the cheerful laughter of other children, clearly having a great time.

After hanging up, Ming Can walked into the classroom and took the seat that Xu Jiayun had saved for her.

The professor for this class was considerate, clearly outlining the key points for the exam. During the break, Ming Can pulled out her textbooks for other subjects to review, while Xu Jiayun lay beside her, endlessly scrolling through her phone, browsing the university forum.

Ming Can glanced over and couldn’t help but ask, “Why are you still obsessively scrolling through the A University forum?”

“I just like browsing it, okay? It’s not because of that guy Cheng,” Xu Jiayun replied. “I’m here for Chi Xiao.”

Ming Can raised an eyebrow. “What’s so interesting about him?”

“You think he’s not interesting?” Xu Jiayun handed her phone to Ming Can. “Last month, someone took a photo of Chi Xiao carrying a pink tote bag outside the library and posted it on the forum. The post blew up and has been trending for weeks. Now, everyone’s copying his look—black clothes, black pants, and a pink shoulder bag. It’s become the new trend at A University.”

Ming Can: ???

Ming Can scrolled to the main post and saw the photo of Chi Xiao. Sure enough, it was from that evening when he had carried her bag as he left the library.

In the warm glow of the setting sun, the tall, long-legged figure of the young man stood out. His black windbreaker accentuated his broad shoulders and imposing stature, while the sudden pop of soft pink from the bag added a striking contrast. The whole scene had an almost editorial, high-fashion vibe.

“See? He looks great,” Xu Jiayun said. “But that tote bag looks familiar… kind of like the one you used to carry.”

Ming Can replied quickly, “The pattern on my bag was circular. His has a floral design. They’re not the same.”

Xu Jiayun didn’t press the issue and instead asked, “Do you think he was carrying that bag for some girl?”

Ming Can replied, “Someone like him probably doesn’t have any female friends.”

Xu Jiayun countered, “Did you forget what I told you before about the A University Chinese Department’s top beauty? Lots of people say they’re close.”

Ming Can had indeed forgotten. She never paid much attention to gossip.

But today, she suddenly felt a desire to dig deeper.

After much contemplation over the past few weeks, Ming Can had come to a decision. Once Miaomiao returned from winter camp, she planned to come clean with Chi Xiao and tell him that Miaomiao was his son—and that he shared the responsibility of raising him. The timing was crucial because, after her finals, Ming Can intended to enroll Miaomiao in some offline extracurricular classes. At that point, she would desperately need a driver!

This was precisely why Ming Can couldn’t afford to ignore Chi Xiao’s romantic entanglements.

Once she revealed the truth to Chi Xiao, their relationship would inevitably grow closer as they co-parented. If Chi Xiao had many female admirers or a messy personal life, how would those women view Ming Can? And how would Ming Can navigate such a situation?

Ming Can wouldn’t interfere with his personal life, but she could keep her distance. If necessary, she’d continue raising Miaomiao alone.

Fortunately, Ming Can had already done some digging. Chi Xiao had mentioned he wasn’t in a relationship, and the girl she’d run into after the lecture was just a friend. At the time, he had gone out of his way to explain, and Ming Can had mostly trusted him.

But now, hearing Xu Jiayun bring it up, Ming Can felt it was only prudent to investigate further. “You said before that someone took photos of them going to school together. Can you find those for me?”

“Sure thing,” Xu Jiayun replied, her expertise in gossip shining as she quickly pulled up the post.

Ming Can looked at the photo: Chi Xiao and a girl were stepping out of a Maybach, one after the other. There was no eye contact or physical interaction between them, and the photo was taken at the bustling school gate, completely out in the open.

The girl looked familiar—she seemed to be the same person Ming Can had seen after the lecture.

“Are there more?” Ming Can asked.

“There are,” Xu Jiayun said, pulling up another post. She pointed at the photo. “I noticed this a while ago. These photos all seem to have been taken on the same day. Look, they’re wearing the same clothes, but the angles and lighting are different, making it seem like they were taken on different days.”

Ming Can raised an eyebrow. “So, according to your expert tabloid analysis, how many times have they been seen going to school together?”

Xu Jiayun: “From what I can tell, just once. But on the forum, it’s been blown up like they go to school together every week. Rumors are scary.”

As the two were chatting, someone suddenly plopped down into the empty seat in front of them, slouching casually as they asked, “What are you two talking about so excitedly?”

Xu Jiayun: “We’re talking about A University’s Chi… Hey, turn a bit to the side.”

Xu Jiayun nudged Chi Yao’s shoulder, making him turn slightly so she could get a better look. After a moment of scrutiny, she exclaimed in surprise, “I just realized, you kind of look like Chi Xiao! And you both have the surname Chi—are you related?”

Chi Yao scratched his head, already regretting coming over, and reluctantly replied, “Maybe.”

Xu Jiayun pressed, “It’s either yes or no.”

Chi Yao sighed. “Fine, he’s my cousin, okay?”

“Wow!” Xu Jiayun excitedly elbowed Ming Can, only to find her expression completely calm, as if she already knew.

Seeing Chi Yao about to get up and leave, Xu Jiayun quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him back, continuing her interrogation. “So, does your cousin have a girlfriend?”

Chi Yao: “Why do you care?”

Xu Jiayun showed him the photo on her phone. “Ming Can and I were just trying to figure out what the deal is between this pretty girl and your cousin. You must know, right?”

Chi Yao glanced at her screen and chuckled. “Oh, Zhiyu? She’s my future sister-in-law.”

The moment he said that, the air around them seemed to freeze.

Xu Jiayun’s eyes widened, but before she could think of what to ask next, Ming Can spoke up calmly, “She’s your cousin’s girlfriend?”

Chi Yao leaned one arm on Ming Can’s desk, looking straight at her as he explained, “I don’t know if they’re officially together, but I’ve heard my dad say that our family is planning to deepen our collaboration with Zhiyu’s family. Her dad is good friends with my uncle, and my uncle really likes Zhiyu as a potential daughter-in-law. They might be heading for an arranged marriage in the future.”

Hearing this, Ming Can felt a sense of inevitability.

She didn’t hold it against Chi Xiao, though. After all, she had her own arranged marriage situation. In a way, they were even.

What Ming Can was concerned about was whether Chi Xiao’s romantic relationships would affect his ability to co-parent. From what she could see now, Chi Xiao and his arranged marriage partner didn’t seem particularly close. He was cold and distant toward all the women around him, which aligned with Ming Can’s earlier assumptions.

As for the future, she had her own arranged marriage situation, and Chi Xiao had his. How they ended up with a child together after all this mess… well, that wasn’t something she was going to dwell on right now.

“So, isn’t it reasonable for me to call her my future sister-in-law?” Chi Yao asked Ming Can with a cheeky grin. “But you, Class rep, you’ve never been one for gossip. Why the sudden interest in my cousin?”

Ming Can replied coolly, “Didn’t you say before that your cousin was in his thirties and had kids running all over the place?”

“…” Chi Yao was momentarily speechless. Finally, he admitted, “I just didn’t want you to find out how tall, handsome, and academically accomplished he is and develop a crush on him. So, I told a little white lie.”

Little did you know, your lie might have come true. Your cousin’s kid really is running all over the place now, Ming Can thought to herself. Out loud, she shot back, “Why should I develop a crush on a guy just because he’s tall, handsome, and smart? Is food not delicious enough? Are books not interesting enough? Or is money not fun to spend? Why would I need to seek validation from a man?”

Chi Yao was so thoroughly shut down that he didn’t dare say another word. Just then, the class bell rang, and he quickly retreated to his seat, nodding and bowing as he went.

As he walked back to his seat, Chi Yao couldn’t help but think—

Yeah, she’s right.

If Ming Can were the type to easily develop crushes,

Chi Xiao would have won her over back in high school. There’s no way it would have dragged on until now.