CHAPTER 18: Whatever You Want, Sister Will Buy

Ms. Sun’s playlist was magical.

With Love, Green Apple Paradise, and Invisible Wings playing one after another, five and a half of the six people in the car had fallen.

The half? Jiang Yan—because he didn’t know the full lyrics, only a few lines from the chorus.

By the time Su Jiasui, parched and breathless, declared the concert officially over, they were almost at their destination.

The sky in the countryside seemed bluer than in the city. The clouds hung low, close enough to touch. On both sides of the asphalt road stretched endless rice fields. A gentle breeze stirred golden waves across the grain, and the air was filled with the sweet, earthy scent of plants, rushing into their lungs in waves.

Su Jiasui leaned against the car window, letting the wind mess up her long hair. “Wah—this is amazing—!” She looked just like an overly excited puppy on its first trip out.

Ji Jing caught her mood and felt happy too—like the world was just so damn beautiful.

Taoyuan County was a modest-sized town nestled among mountains and rivers, picturesque and serene. The Ji family’s ancestral home was located on the outskirts of the county—a typical urban-rural fringe area, not quite countryside, not quite city.

From afar, Cheng Xiangxue spotted the Ji family home. Built on the slope of a hill, it sat high above its surroundings. The nearby buildings were all squat and low, making the house stand out. Though it was just a common two-story country house, what made it remarkable was the massive ancient locust tree in the courtyard—its leafy canopy like a giant green umbrella blotting out the sun. It loomed tall and commanding, giving the whole place an eerie, almost intimidating air.

The car stopped at the base of the hill. The first thing they saw was a not-too-narrow stone staircase. Rough stone walls framed the steps and courtyard. In the sunless spots, the stones were slick with moss. Weeds and vines had sprouted between the cracks, untamed and overgrown, giving the place a neglected and eerie feel.

Cheng Xiangxue’s eyes went wide. This was nothing like what she’d imagined.

Su Jiasui, on the other hand, looked like she’d done this a dozen times. The moment they arrived, she started bossing the boys around to carry things, then dashed off to unlock the front door.

Ji Jing had hired someone to clean in advance, so the courtyard was fairly tidy. A pomelo tree stood by the south-facing wall, soaking up the rare sunlight, and the fruits were big and fragrant. On the small path leading from the gate to the house was an old, abandoned grape trellis now covered in creeping vines. Beneath the eaves sat a row of flowerpots—weather-worn, not quite falling apart, filled with all kinds of nameless plants.

Despite the wear and tear, it was clear the elder who once lived here had cared for the place with great attention.

Su Jiasui really liked it here.

Cheng Xiangxue, clutching a box of mooncakes, quickly followed and whispered into Su Jiasui’s ear, “Sister Sui, I need to use the bathroom—like, right now.”

Ji Jing visited every few months and had people help maintain the place, so even though the house had been vacant for three years, the water and electricity still worked. Still, the lack of human presence made the place feel a bit cold and empty.

But that wasn’t going to last long.

Cheng Xiangxue sat on the toilet yelling for toilet paper, Chen Xu was roasting in the heat while searching everywhere for a fan, Jiang Yan was unpacking foam boxes asking how to handle the ingredients, and Ji Jing was trailing Su Jiasui about his lost phone and wallet—thinking they might’ve been left in the car.

Four people talking about four different things—it was chaos.

But Su Jiasui had the temperament of a natural team mom. She didn’t mind the trouble. While looking for tissues, she dialed Uncle Zhang and kept giving orders at the same time: “Just put the meat in the fridge for now. We’ll grill in the afternoon when it’s cooler. Ji Jing, can you stop following me? Either open the windows or get the fan out—it’s so hot!”

Since the house hadn’t been lived in for a while, most of the stuff that could gather dust had been packed away in the storage room, covered with white cloths. Ji Jing rummaged for a while before finally finding a fan in the corner. He set it on the coffee table and plugged it in, instantly cooling down the sweltering living room.

Chen Xu, pampered as always, was drenched in sweat after moving the barbecue rack and charcoal. Now he slumped lazily in front of the fan, refusing to lift a finger.

Cheng Xiangxue came out of the bathroom and saw Chen Xu lounging like some rich old uncle, legs crossed and hogging the fan, while Jiang Yan was still tidying up in the kitchen. She was instantly furious, ready to plant her hands on her hips and go off.

But that would only make Jiang Yan feel awkward.

Under her bold, rough exterior, Cheng Xiangxue was actually sharp and thoughtful. Her eyes darted as she got an idea. She bounded over to Jiang Yan’s side and exclaimed in mock surprise, “Wait—no drinks?! Sister Sui! I want cold Coke!”

Su Jiasui was clearly annoyed with Chen Xu too and smacked him on the back of the head.

Chen Xu turned around. “What was that for?”

Su Jiasui was on the phone with Uncle Zhang. She just shot him a glare.

“I’m not going. I don’t even know where the supermarket is.”

“Oh, it was in the car? That’s good, that’s good. Ji Jing thought he left it in the taxi this morning. It’s not a big deal otherwise, but his ID is in that wallet. If it got lost, getting a replacement would be a real hassle. No, no, really, you don’t need to make a special trip to return it.”

Su Jiasui’s voice was sweet and polite on the phone, but with her other hand, she was already reaching around for a fly swatter—clearly ready to take Chen Xu to the chopping block the moment the call ended.

With that weapon in her hand, Chen Xu was genuinely a bit intimidated. It was like she had trained with a Tai Chi sword on Wudang Mountain, wielded a mountain-splitting staff in Shaolin, and practiced the Dog Beating Staff with the Beggar Sect. No matter what she picked up, she swung it like it could kill.

Chen Xu couldn’t win against her. “I’ll go, I’ll go, okay?”

Ji Jing was crouched in front of the TV, fiddling with the DVD player. Without looking up, he said, “Head east. There’s a convenience store at the intersection. Oh, and grab a pack of cigarettes for Uncle Zhang.”

Cheng Xiangxue raised her hand high. “I want an ice pop! Vanilla or milk flavor, either’s fine!”

By the time Chen Xu returned with the items, the ingredients had been mostly prepared. The weather was too hot, and nobody wanted to move. They all collapsed on the fabric sofa, eating ice pops, blowing the fan, and watching Tom chase Jerry across the screen.

Cheng Xiangxue wasn’t all that interested in Tom and Jerry. She flipped through the CD case, trying to find a more interesting movie, but it was full of Japanese discs: Digimon, Detective Conan, Slam Dunk, Doraemon—almost every popular Japanese anime from the last twenty years.

“No wonder your Japanese is so good. Did you learn it from cartoons?”

“Nope, my grandpa taught me.”

Ji Ruiyi had studied abroad in Tokyo when he was young and made his first bucket of gold there. Afterward, he rode the economic wave, diving into international trade, venture capital, and real estate—catching one of the biggest booms during China’s rapid development.

Unfortunately, at the peak of his success, his wife suddenly passed away. Ji Hanhua, consumed by work, was cold and indifferent toward his mother’s death. Disheartened, Ji Ruiyi returned to his hometown of Taoyuan County and lived out the rest of his life in peace.

Ji Jing was raised by Ji Ruiyi, so he spoke fluent Japanese and had beautiful handwriting.

Aside from that, he wasn’t much different from other kids—watched all the same anime, played all the same games, and got into just as much mischief.

Su Jiasui pulled a slingshot out of the coffee table drawer. Seeing Ji Jing’s initials carved on it, she couldn’t help but laugh. “You made this yourself?”

“Yep,” Ji Jing said proudly. “When I was a kid, I must’ve shattered who knows how many windows with this thing.”

“What’s so glorious about that? Your grandpa didn’t beat you?”

“He just made me copy books. No joke, I’ve copied all eighty chapters of Dream of the Red Chamber.”

Ji Jing was sitting in the sunlight, his hair slightly messy. The hawthorn popsicle had stained his lips and tongue a bright red. When he smiled, his eyes sparkled, and his teeth were neat and white—he looked like a mischievous teenager who could easily awaken Su Jiasui’s maternal instincts.

“You should get a haircut. Isn’t that too long? Doesn’t it cover your eyes?”

“It’s fine. I just haven’t found the time.”

Chen Xu, still salty about being forced to run errands, deliberately stirred the pot. “There’s a barbershop right at the intersection.”

Ji Jing’s heart sank the moment he heard that. Before he could say anything to defuse the situation, Su Jiasui had already made up her mind. “Perfect. Let’s go, Ji Jing. I’ll come with you—just trim it a little.”

Ji Jing really didn’t want to go. He knew that barbershop at the corner, and he knew what kind of haircut he’d end up with. No doubt he’d come out looking like a complete idiot. But his too-long bangs had already started bothering Su Jiasui, and with her “storm-is-coming” personality, she clearly wouldn’t put up with it for even a minute.

There was no way his arm could twist her leg—may as well just get it over with.

They left the courtyard, walking under the shade of the trees. The corner wasn’t far. The barbershop was across from the convenience store. It didn’t have a proper sign—just a corrugated metal wall plastered with flyers, and wooden doors and windows with peeling paint. The inside was cramped, messy, and smelled strongly of dye and perm solution.

Su Jiasui actually cared a lot about her boyfriend’s appearance. Seeing this scene, she instantly felt like backing out. But it was too late. The woman inside had already recognized Ji Jing and pushed open the window, calling out warmly, “Isn’t this little Jing? When did you get back? Here for a haircut? You haven’t had a cut at my place in years.”

The auntie’s enthusiasm was practically spilling over—it’d be too rude to refuse.

Su Jiasui and Ji Jing exchanged a look, and in each other’s eyes, they saw the same noble, self-sacrificing resolve.

“Just got back not long ago.” Ji Jing walked in politely and sat in the chair like a revolutionary martyr awaiting punishment—calm and composed, as if resigned to his fate. “Just trim it a bit.”

The auntie grabbed the spray bottle and began misting his hair like she was watering plants. While she worked, she smiled and looked at Su Jiasui in the mirror. “Your girlfriend? She’s so pretty! You two in the same class?”

Ji Jing glanced at Su Jiasui out of the corner of his eye and gave a soft “mm,” looking quite shy and bashful.

The auntie was even more delighted. She spent all day cutting hair for old folks—pretty dull work. It was a rare treat to have young people drop by. She’d be doing herself a disservice if she didn’t tease a bit. “Little Jing’s got great taste. Much better than those girls who used to chase after you back then…”

Ji Jing widened his eyes and cut her off in a panic. “No way!”

“Oh, right, right, of course not. Maybe my memory’s just off.” The auntie was laughing so hard she couldn’t close her mouth, her eyes darting to Su Jiasui like she hoped she’d ask about Ji Jing’s past.

But Su Jiasui wasn’t as easily flustered as Ji Jing. She crossed her legs and sat calmly on the bench, flipping through an old, worn magazine with the elegance and poise of someone unbothered by any of it.

Oh my, this girl is really something.

The auntie sighed inwardly on Ji Jing’s behalf. She felt like the two of them weren’t even starting on the same line. Ji Jing kept watching her expression at the slightest stir, while the girl? She clearly had everything under control!

Having come to this judgment, the auntie didn’t have the heart to tease Ji Jing anymore. She asked him seriously about his studies and future plans.

These were just the usual small talk between old neighbors, all well within Ji Jing’s comfort zone. He’d grown up living with his grandfather, so he knew how to get on elders’ good side.

As they chatted back and forth, the auntie suddenly yanked off the barber’s cape, gave it a shake, and announced proudly, “All done! Look at that—clean and sharp!”

She really did have some skill, though it was a rather old-fashioned kind. Ji Jing’s hair was cut short and choppy, not exactly stylish, but luckily, he had the looks to pull it off. The result was neat and fresh, giving off a gentle, scholarly air.

Su Jiasui was quite pleased—it looked much better than she’d expected.

She brushed the hair clippings off Ji Jing’s collar, then turned to the auntie with a smile. “How much?”

“Ten yuan is fine.”

“Here you go.”

Oh my!

Seeing Su Jiasui take out her wallet, the auntie was startled again. Wasn’t the Ji family one of the prominent households in Taoyuan County? Old Ji had only been gone a few years, and now young Ji was already relying on his girlfriend for spending money? Tsk tsk tsk… No wonder he kept watching her face.

This time, the auntie didn’t bother hiding her thoughts—they were written all over her face.

Ji Jing felt a little embarrassed but couldn’t exactly explain things out of nowhere. He held it in until they were out the door, then finally muttered, “From the way she looked at me, she probably thinks I’m a kept man.”

“Well, you do have the face for it,” Su Jiasui said with a grin as she reached out and adjusted his messy fringe. “Nice cut. Looks great. Totally worth ten bucks, if you ask me.”

Ji Jing suddenly remembered the phone call he’d accidentally overheard that night. He lowered his head to avoid her gaze and asked in a half-joking tone, “So you confessed to me back then… just because I was good-looking?”

“Being good-looking is just the least of your many good traits. I thought long and hard before deciding to strike first, you know. Haha.”

Su Jiasui’s words were sweet as honey, but Ji Jing couldn’t feel happy. Deep down, he knew she had only wanted a puppy-love romance—it didn’t have to be him in particular. If he hadn’t so readily agreed when she confessed, she’d probably be dating someone else right now.

“What’s wrong?” Su Jiasui probably thought he was unhappy with the haircut and kept trying to cheer him up. “Come on, smile. I’m not lying—it really turned out great.”

Forget it, forget it.

Ji Jing slung his arm around his girlfriend’s shoulders and whined in a deliberately cutesy voice, “Jiejie, I want watermelon.”

“Buy—” Su Jiasui was a sucker for this act. She waved her hand generously. “Whatever you want, jiejie will buy it for you.”

“I want the stars in the sky too.”

“How about the sun? From now on, the sun is yours.”

“Pfft. What about my birthday present?”

“What’s the rush? I’ll give it to you later—hey, there’s a watermelon truck over there!”

The watermelons were piled in the back of a truck, a sea of green. The vendor was hawking them down the street, with a loudspeaker repeating, “Not sweet? No charge!”

Su Jiasui dragged Ji Jing over and picked out three in one go. That was a big purchase around here, and the vendor was so pleased that he offered to deliver them straight to their door. He even let the two of them sit on the edge of the truck bed and hitched a ride home.

There were perks to the countryside—no need for refrigerators to chill the watermelon. There was a faucet in the yard; just turn it on for a few minutes, and the water came out ice cold. Dunk the melons into a bucket, and the taste? Refreshing and sweet beyond words.

The field crabs had been pre-ordered by Ji Jing, also delivered straight to the house. They were freshly caught, still flailing with life. Su Jiasui had a hard time getting the lid on the pot, and when she finally did, she looked up to see Chen Xu grimacing nearby, accusing her of cruelty.

“If you’re so kind-hearted, then don’t eat them.”

“If I don’t eat, wouldn’t their sacrifice be in vain?”

Su Jiasui snorted, grabbed his hand, and pressed it down on the pot lid. “Hey, hold it down. Be careful, or those little guys will wriggle their way out.”

The old-fashioned steamer lid didn’t fit tightly. Chen Xu could clearly feel the crabs thrashing against it. He couldn’t take it—his eyes went wide. “Aaaah—Su Jiasui! You’re not human!”

“Who told you to come over and be a glutton?”

After handling the crabs, Su Jiasui went to help Jiang Yan stir-fry the cured meat. Meanwhile, Ji Jing and Cheng Xiangxue got the charcoal ready.

When it came to barbecuing, Cheng Xiangxue always took charge. She claimed that Northeasterners were marinated in barbecue sauce in the summer and pickled in sauerkraut in the winter—those two flavors were basically embedded in their DNA. Even if they crossed oceans and wandered far from home, they’d pass the taste on to the next generation.

And she wasn’t exaggerating. Despite being someone who could barely take care of herself, Cheng Xiangxue’s grilled skewers were inexplicably delicious. Same method, same seasoning—if anyone else did it, it just didn’t taste the same.

Ji Jing called it a mystery modern science couldn’t explain. Su Jiasui wholeheartedly agreed.