Chapter 29: He Feels Guilty

Guān Jīngxù and Zhuāng Hèyáng carried their gifts home, their long shadows stretching under the dim streetlights.

Zhuāng Hèyáng had already finished going through his own bag of gifts and was now rummaging through Guān Jīngxù’s.

“Let’s see what she got you. Don’t tell me, these snacks from South City are actually pretty good,” he said, already having opened several jars of preserved fruits on the way. He was currently chewing on a couple of dried bayberries, which had an oddly addictive taste. After drying, the bayberries were coated with sugar, and the more he ate, the more he craved them.

Guān Jīngxù allowed him to continue, and he took a few dried bayberries from his jar and threw them in his mouth.

“They should all be the same.”

“You’ve got some, and you’re still eating mine!” Zhuāng Hèyáng grumbled, peering into Guān Jīngxù’s bag in the dim light.

“Three kinds of preserved fruits and rice cakes are the same… Hey, what’s this?”

Zhuāng Hèyáng pulled out a rectangular gift box from the bottom of the bag that he hadn’t gotten.

He studied it carefully in his hands. “Ink sticks?”

Guān Jīngxù snatched the box from his hand. “You didn’t get this?”

“Nope.” Zhuāng Hèyáng denied, but his hands began searching through his own bag.

After confirming he didn’t have one, he sighed dramatically. “Jīng mèimei (Sister Jīng) is biased! So unfair!”

A smirk tugged at Guān Jīngxù’s lips. “Looks like in her eyes, I’m more cultured than you.”

Zhuāng Hèyáng wasn’t happy. He reached out to grab the ink sticks, but Guān Jīngxù quickly lifted his hand to dodge.

“Nonsense! Maybe she gave it to me by mistake. Your bag was supposed to be mine. You see, there’s no name on the bag, so it’s clearly a mix-up. Let’s swap it back,” he insisted, trying to argue.

Guān Jīngxù kicked him lightly. “Enough, go home already. Stop making a fuss.”

Zhuāng Hèyáng wanted to shout on the street, but realizing it would disturb the peace, he swallowed his frustration.

He could only clench his fist and say, “Tomorrow, I’m definitely going to get justice!”

Guān Jīngxù didn’t respond, pressing the elevator button and heading upstairs.

The lights in the house were on, and his parents were at home. His father, in pajamas, sat on the sofa reading a paper newspaper.

Guān Jīngxù thought his father was quite old-fashioned. He was more of a traditional bureaucrat than his mother, who worked in a government agency.

He slipped into his home slippers, called out, “Mom, Dad, I’m home.”

His mother, Xǔ Hóng, came out of the study. “You’re back, son. Do you want some late-night snacks? I’ll have your dad cook.”

“I’m not really hungry. Just a bit of bread will do.”

Xǔ Hóng noticed the bag he was carrying and asked, “What’s that you’ve got?”

Guān Jīngxù casually tossed his schoolbag on the couch and placed the gifts on the coffee table. “Some local specialties my friend brought back from their hometown.”

“What friend? Where’s their hometown?” Xǔ Hóng asked as she started looking through the contents.

“South City.”

Guān Jīngxù sat down on the sofa and began unpacking the ink sticks, while his parents curiously examined the food.

His father, Guān Fù, spoke up. “Your friend’s not bad. The stuff she sent is really unique, and she even gave you ink sticks?”

Xǔ Hóng added, “Is it that girl who skipped a grade and joined your class?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Guān Fù set the dried bayberries down, looking curious. “How do you know it’s a girl?”

Xǔ Hóng smiled teasingly. “Your son told us long ago about a girl who came from the South and skipped a grade into their class.”

Guān Fù, surprised, said, “Really? I didn’t know that. She must be something special then.”

Xǔ Hóng replied, “Of course, how would you know?”

After Guān Jīngxù briefly explained the items, especially the mushrooms and how they should be cooked, his mother leaned closer with a knowing look. “You’re not… together with this girl, are you?”

After all, why would she bring gifts from so far away, carefully selected, and even something so thoughtful for him? She even sent the special ink sticks and nourishing foods, not forgetting any little snacks.

Clearly, she was a thoughtful and considerate girl.

Guān Jīngxù quickly packed up the ink sticks and put everything away. “Nothing like that, Mom. Don’t jump to conclusions.”

He picked up his schoolbag. “I’m going to my room. You guys get some rest.”

Xǔ Hóng watched him leave and clicked her tongue. She turned to her husband and patted his arm. “You see? He’s guilty. I’m sure something’s going on.”

Guān Fù looked up, confused. “Has he started dating?”

Xǔ Hóng pushed her husband lightly. “Don’t use those old-fashioned terms. As long as his grades don’t drop, I support him experiencing a bit of school romance.”

Guān Fù didn’t say anything, just popped a piece of preserved fruit into his mouth.

Xǔ Hóng, noticing the sweetness, frowned. “Eating something so sweet at this hour? Remember to brush your teeth!”

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The holidays and breaks were particularly numerous in early spring. Two weeks after Qingming, it was time for Péng Zhàohuá’s 45th birthday.

Qiū Táng had asked Jīng Míngzhī in advance if she needed help preparing a gift.

Jīng Míngzhī had her mother buy a lumbar support cushion, as giving just a handmade gift might feel a little light for the first time she was giving a gift for Péng Zhàohuá’s birthday.

As for the ceramic cake, it had been hiding in her closet. On the day of Péng Zhàohuá’s birthday, she bought a small box from a bakery to put the cake in.

She placed the ceramic cake inside, tied a ribbon around it, and from a distance, it looked so realistic it could easily pass for the real thing.

On the day of the birthday, the family gathered for a hotpot dinner. Qiū Táng had arranged for the children’s evening classes to be canceled so they could return home earlier.

The chef team came to the house, bringing all kinds of fresh top-tier ingredients, and everyone had their own little copper pot.

Péng Zhàohuá felt this was cleaner and more hygienic.

After dinner, the gift-giving ceremony followed. Péng Zhàohuá seemed to especially like the handmade ceramic gift from Jīng Míngzhī.

He kept looking at it repeatedly.

“This is the first time I’ve received such a thoughtful gift. Thank you, Zhī Zhī.”

Qiū Táng took a photo of the four of them. Jīng Míngzhī and Péng Jìnyáng obediently stood side by side behind their parents.

Péng Zhàohuá was still holding the small ceramic cake.

After the photo, he placed the ceramic cake on a display rack in the dining room, among the many expensive bottles of liquor. The cute little cake seemed somewhat out of place.

Péng Jìnyáng, clearly unimpressed, thought, What’s so special about a cheap handmade ceramic cake?

But he couldn’t deny it. Since Jīng Míngzhī arrived, Péng Zhàohuá’s face had been smiling more.