Chapter 31

◎ Are you peeking on me? ◎

It was still early, so the father and son went to the ticket agency to buy their plane tickets.

Fan Qi and Xue Xiaojing, arm in arm, went shopping. In the mainland, the price system now operates on a dual-track pricing model, with significant differences between the original planned prices and the market prices. Many light industrial goods are expensive and their quality isn’t great.

Since the 1970s, Hong Kong had a flourishing manufacturing industry, especially in light industrial goods. Being a trade port city, clothes and electronics were very cheap.

It was the end of June, and many brands were clearing their stock. There was a store with good-quality items and stylish designs, and the discounts were particularly low.

Despite Xue Xiaojing’s claim to come from a prestigious family, after all these years, the family assets had been spent on her children’s housing and expenses in Hong Kong. While her and her husband’s income was considered decent in the mainland, they still had to be frugal when spending.

They only bought discounted items and haggled over prices. Under her influence, Fan Qi became interested in the idea and shopped along with her. Xue Xiaojing even wanted to buy some things for Fan Qi, as she had separated from her husband when she was young and regretted never having a daughter.

Seeing how much Fan Qi had changed after a year, Xue Xiaojing felt pleased—her daughter-in-law had grown up.

“Mom, I’ve already bought a lot. You buy some for yourself,” Fan Qi said, suddenly realizing something, “Also, get a few things for my parents and brother.”

But the original owner’s memories didn’t include the sizes for her parents or brother.

Seeing Fan Qi struggle with sizing, Xue Xiaojing reached out and measured. “Your dad’s chest is one inch larger than Ah Qian’s dad. Your mom has gained a little weight, so her chest size should be around 98 to 100 centimeters…”

Xue Xiaojing knew the sizes for the entire family. Fan Qi only needed to pick out the styles. Xue Xiaojing said, “Don’t buy anything for grandma. I’ve already gotten her some clothes, but she refuses to wear them. She insists on wearing those old-fashioned cross-collar shirts that your mom made for her.”

“Got it!” Fan Qi replied.

Recently, Fan Qi had been earning money, so she picked out quite a few things. When it was time to check out, Xue Xiaojing took everything and paid for it all.

After paying, Xue Xiaojing asked, “Qi Qi, where can we find cosmetics?”

Fan Qi took her to a store specializing in discounted cosmetics. As they walked, Xue Xiaojing whispered in Fan Qi’s ear, “I’m buying a set of cosmetics for your brother.”

“Why?” Fan Qi asked curiously, her eyes wide.

“I introduced a young woman from our hospital to him. She’s very beautiful, and she has excellent professional skills. She’s particularly patient with patients. Your brother went to the movies with her, and she thinks well of him. I heard from your mom that your brother likes her too.”

“Really?”

“I’m getting some cosmetics for your brother to give her. What do you think?” Xue Xiaojing smiled widely.

“Sure, sure!” Fan Qi agreed.

Fan Qi picked out a French brand set suitable for young women. As soon as she got it, Xue Xiaojing was ready to leave.

Fan Qi held her back. “The cosmetics here are really cheap, you should buy some for yourself!”

“I’m fine with just using Mei Jiajing,” Xue Xiaojing said, heading toward the exit.

Fan Qi grabbed her arm and picked out two sets of cosmetics suitable for her mother’s age. She also dragged her to buy some shoulder and neck cream for her grandmother—this was something Fan Qi had always bought for the nanny who took care of her when she was younger.

“This hand cream is really good and affordable. You doctors are always washing your hands, so get a few more to give to your colleagues!” Fan Qi also picked out some miscellaneous items.

Watching Fan Qi thoughtfully picking out gifts for her, Xue Xiaojing felt like her child had suddenly grown up. The worries she had once held seemed to ease significantly.

Once Fan Qi had almost finished picking, she rushed to the counter, and Xue Xiaojing tried to pay, but Fan Qi paid for it first.

Xue Xiaojing hadn’t noticed, but when she heard the total of over 1,500 Hong Kong dollars, her face twitched.

She grabbed Xue Xiaojing and headed out. “Once your brother finds a good match, your mom will be happy!”

The conversation shifted, and Xue Xiaojing immediately became animated. “Yes! But now that Ah Xun has found someone, the house is another issue. I’ve already told your parents, but they won’t listen.”

“This is really a problem,” Fan Qi replied. “Even if your family has a house, living under one roof can cause friction. No matter how good the relationship, it’s troublesome when there’s a gap.”

“How long will it take before the shipyard allocates housing? We can’t have the new bride moving in, and the whole family of five living in a 20-square-meter house, right? What about when they have kids?” Xue Xiaojing understood the difficulty, but she was concerned about the Fan family. “You don’t know how many unmarried men who couldn’t get housing are still struggling.”

This was indeed a reality. Even without children, how could a young couple live in such cramped conditions?

Fan Qi thought about this, considering how much she could earn by the time the New Year came around. The property prices in Shanghai probably weren’t that high yet.

Seeing a bakery ahead with a line, Fan Qi went to stand in line. “Mom, the wife cakes here are really good. Let’s buy some to bring back for your colleagues at work.”

Xue Xiaojing looked at the bag of cosmetics on the floor, then at her daughter- in-law enthusiastically buying things. She told herself that her daughter-in-law’s thoughtfulness was what mattered and that she shouldn’t spoil the mood.

The father and son watched as the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law came in with their bags. Chen Qinxian smiled, “This is quite the harvest.”

Xue Xiaojing sat beside Chen Qinxian, proud. “Nannan bought me some facial cosmetics.”

“You keep using them, and soon we’ll be two generations apart,” Chen Qinxian joked.

Xue Xiaojing gently ran her fingers through her husband’s hair. “Actually, I was thinking of buying you some hair dye just now.”

“I don’t need it. I’m fine like this. Stop fussing over appearances all the time.”

Chen Zhiqian stood up. “You’re back? Let’s go get dinner.”

As soon as they stepped out of the hotel, Fan Qi started heading to the right, but Chen Zhiqian quickly pulled her toward a narrow alley instead. Hadn’t they just agreed their parents were taking them to try authentic Cantonese cuisine? And now they were sitting in a tiny roast meat shop tucked in a back alley?

The food tasted good, but eating right next to the street? The environment left a lot to be desired. It was fine for the two of them, but bringing his parents here felt a little inappropriate.

But Chen’s parents didn’t mind at all. His mother even placed a duck leg in Fan Qi’s bowl. “Qi Qi, Zhiqian, our flight is at eleven tomorrow morning. We’ll head to the airport early, so there’s no need for you to come see us off. Focus on your own things. Just come home for the New Year.”

After dinner with his parents, the couple walked home together. Fan Qi grumbled, “Weren’t we supposed to go to Yunyue Restaurant? Your parents rarely visit.”

“Do you know why my mom called me inside?”

Fan Qi tilted her head, puzzled. The expression made Chen Zhiqian chuckle. “She wanted to give me 1,500 dollars. Said you bought too much, but she couldn’t refuse your kind gesture. She felt the pinch, though.”

That’s right. Now that she was making money, her old habit of spending freely was creeping back. “You didn’t take the money, did you? I’ve actually earned quite a bit lately.”

“I refused. Then she said, if we really are doing okay, we should start saving. Eventually, we can buy a home for your parents. They won’t move into Chen Family Garden—after all, I’m their adopted son and their son-in-law, while you’re their biological daughter. But if we buy them a home, they’ll feel more at ease living there. And once they have a place, they can give the current home to your brother for his marriage. That would solve everything.”

Fan Qi nodded. “That’s exactly what I was thinking. Property prices in Shanghai aren’t that high right now, right?”

“Because most housing is still allocated by work units, not many people are looking to buy. In areas like ours, a square meter goes for maybe 400 or 500 yuan, and even then, there aren’t many buyers.”

“My parents and grandma would need a two-bedroom with a living room.”

“Right now, domestic-sale units on the market only go up to about 50 square meters.”

Fan Qi did a quick calculation. “So that’s about 25,000 yuan. With the exchange rate being around 1:2, that’s roughly 50,000 Hong Kong dollars. I’ll buy it.”

As the subway doors opened, Fan Qi stepped in. Chen Zhiqian followed and frowned. “What do you mean you’ll buy it?”

“It’s a house for my parents—I’ll take care of it.” Fan Qi spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “You’ve already given up going to the U.S. to be with me. My parents already feel guilty about that. If you paid for the house too, they’d feel even worse. And if we ever divorced, how could they still live there comfortably?”

Even though everything she said made perfect sense, Chen Zhiqian still felt a pang of discomfort. He didn’t like how clearly she drew the lines. He stayed silent.

Fan Qi noticed he hadn’t responded and found it odd. Normally, he’d at least say “okay” or “mm.” Why so quiet now?

She looked up and saw that his expression had changed. He looked like someone who’d just been stiffed on a loan.

Fan Qi mentally retraced her words—had she said anything wrong? What had upset him?

Just as she was puzzling it over, a teenage girl stepped onto the train holding a pale yellow stuffed bear. The moment Fan Qi saw the bear, all her focus shifted—her eyes locked onto it, shining with excitement.

Chen Zhiqian, still brooding a little, realized she’d stopped talking and glanced down. He found her gazing longingly at the plush toy in the girl’s arms, eyes bright and sparkling.

He tugged on her sleeve. “This is our stop.”

Fan Qi walked out but couldn’t help looking back at the bear, reluctant to part ways with it. She really wanted one—but their apartment was just too small.

“Watch your step on the stairs,” Chen Zhiqian reminded her.

She followed him out of the station, clearly dejected. Just then, it began to pour outside.

The rain came down in sheets, glistening under the streetlights. Chen Zhiqian leaned in to say, “I’ll run back and grab an umbrella. Wait here.”

“You’re gonna run back through the rain and come back again to get me? Are you crazy? Let’s just run for it together!”

Before he could react, Fan Qi was already dashing into the rain. He immediately followed her.

Although their apartment was near the subway, it still took more than ten minutes to get there. Fan Qi ran the whole way, soaking wet, and by the time they reached the elevator, she was doubled over and panting. “I can’t—this is gonna kill me.”

Chen Zhiqian reached out a hand. She took it and stood up, still gasping for breath.

“Fan Qi,” he called.

“Yeah?”

“How about starting a morning jog with me tomorrow?” Seeing her stay silent, he added, “It’ll help you lose a little weight.”

His comment reminded her of something. “Lose weight? Are you saying I’m fat?”

Uh oh. She was latching on to that now? Why did he even bring that up? Honestly, with how much she loved to eat and how she slept like a pig, it wasn’t so much about being fat—just out of shape. Still, he had no idea how to respond.

Luckily, the elevator dinged open. “Let’s go,” he muttered.

Fan Qi followed, still distracted by her stomach. She kept glancing down at it as they walked, even bumping into Chen Zhiqian as he opened the door. He scolded her, “Can’t you watch where you’re going?”

“Well, you said I’ve got too much fat around my stomach, didn’t you? I was checking!”

After she stepped inside, he shut the door behind her. “Go shower. You’re drenched.”

Fan Qi took a quick, no-nonsense shower. With a towel wrapped around her hair, she came out of the bathroom, absentmindedly pinching the skin on her belly through her T-shirt.

Seeing her so hung up on it, Chen Zhiqian said, “You’ve only gained a little. You wouldn’t even notice unless you looked really closely.”

Fan Qi’s eyes widened in disbelief, as if seeing him for the first time. “Wait a second. You looked closely? Chen Zhiqian, were you peeking at me?!”

“What the—? What does that even mean?” Chen Zhiqian was exasperated. “You sleep so terribly! The blanket never stays on, your T-shirt always rolls up to your chest, exposing your belly like a frog. I have to see it whether I want to or not. What exactly am I sneaking a peek at?”

Still stunned, Fan Qi quickly tucked the hem of her shirt into the waistband of her pants. That should at least keep her belly covered, right?

Watching her stuff her shirt in like that right in front of him, Chen Zhiqian shook his head. She really didn’t see him as an outsider.