The sunlight nearing noon seeped slowly through the car window, falling upon him, inexplicably a bit hot, and hotter than the sunlight...
was the gaze.
It ca from Master Tang Wan—Xi Fangli.
He sat tight next to Jiang Jinsang in the back seat of the carriage. The old man remained silent, fingers caressing and rubbing his knee, smilingly staring at him.
"How is your health? How have you been recovering after the surgery?" His voice was incredibly gentle. If not for having seen him fiercely reprimand You Congrong with his own eyes, Jiang Jinsang might have thought this was a truly kind elder.
"Pretty good, thank you for your concern."
"You’re a bit thin, you should eat more."
"Mhm."
"I didn’t attend your engagent with Wanwan either. I didn’t expect that the first ti we t would be after you two registered your marriage..."
Xi Fangli kept smiling at him, and Jiang Jinsang could only give a dry laugh in return. They weren’t very familiar with each other, and it was inevitably a bit awkward, so he could only try to appear calm and composed.
"Did your poor health as a child hinder your schooling?"
"It definitely did, but I could still read at ho."
"I’ve heard you like to read?"
"Yes."
"What books have you been reading recently?" Xi Fangli was like any regular elder, his questions also very ordinary.
Jiang Jinsang shared with him so of the books he had recently read.
"You read books on Cyan Feather, too?"
"I just want to understand more about what Wanwan is doing. However, knowledge from books is ultimately shallow—I could only grasp so developnt changes and learn a bit of the basics."
Xi Fangli smiled contentedly, "As for , I started learning the craft from my master since I was young, didn’t read much. I just followed him and learned to write. What I love most in my life are book-lovers. Reading is wonderful..."
Jiang Jinsang just smiled along, not sure if his words were genuine.
"Those days were tough. My family couldn’t afford it, so I was sent to apprentice with my master. At least he could provide with food, so I wouldn’t starve to death. Reading was too much of a luxury," the old man said, chuckling.
"When learning the craft, especially in sumr, those mosquitoes in the south... unbelievable. In the end, I had no choice but to soak my legs in water to avoid them, since the mosquitoes couldn’t dive under water..."
"As a result, my legs suffered quite a few ailnts."
...
Jiang Jinsang had initially thought that Xi Fangli might ask about Tang Wan or find ways to trouble him. It’s said that once a teacher, always a fatherly figure. He reckoned he might have to deal with another father-in-law after all. Yet to his surprise, Xi Fangli hardly brought up Tang Wan, instead prattling on about a lot of old mories.
Chatting along, he suddenly took out his phone and scrolled through so photos for Jiang Jinsang, "Look, this is my grandson. Isn’t he cute?"
The little boy in the photo, who seed to be about two or three, was sitting on the floor stacking blocks.
"Cute."
"I just got back and I’m already missing him a bit. My grandson is very well-behaved, much more reliable than his dad. Oh boy, back in my youth, I didn’t have much ti to manage my son, and that kid almost drove to the brink..."
"How old is your grandson?"
"He’ll be three in four more months. The little guy is especially clever..."
When it cos to children, old folks always have endless things to say.
**
On the other side of the car, the old lady was also asking Tang Wan about a few things, mostly about how she t Xi Fangli and how she beca his disciple.
Upon arrival at the old mansion, Jiang Chengsi and Qi Zeyan were quite eager to see if Jiang Jinsang would be harshly "tortured" by another "father-in-law".
But the anticipated scene didn’t seem to happen. Xi Fangli was holding his hand, the two of them appearing as close as father and son.
Even Tang Wan felt a bit surprised.
Although she had acted coquettishly towards him at the exhibition site, she was sowhat afraid of him in private.
She beca his disciple pretty late; a girl nearly of age had to endure being called stupid by her master and was beaten with a stick for trivial mistakes. And if she didn’t perform well enough...
Xi Fangli would directly tell her to get lost.
During her apprenticeship, his strictness and harshness led Tang Wan to both respect and fear him.
"Xiaowu, can you drink alcohol?" Xi Fangli kept holding his hand, and even when Tang Wan tried to sit close to him, a look from Xi Fangli made her quickly shuffle to the side.
"I can drink a bit."
"Then we should have a drink later."
"I’ll follow Master’s lead," Jiang Jinsang agreed, using Tang Wan’s term of address.
"Master, then I’ll go to the kitchen first to prepare so snacks for you to have with the alcohol..." Tang Wan knew this occasion had troubled Xi Fangli quite a bit and took the initiative to head to the kitchen.
"Do you have dry roasted peanuts?" Xi Fangli loved peanuts when he drank.
"I’ll make so for you." Tang Wan was resigned to his lack of manners.
"Master Xi, please have so tea, and if there’s anything lacking in our hospitality, please be patient with us," the old lady said with a very serious tone.
"You are too kind, it’s actually who is intruding."
...
Xi Fangli had co up from humble beginnings, had no airs about him, and was easy-going. He had a lively chat with the old lady, and when the conversation turned to the children of each family, Xi Fangli kept saying that she was lucky.
"Lucky? Just look at my grandchildren—one has such a cold temperant. Look at Xiaowu, he’s been frail since childhood and has caused us so much worry. And then there’s the fourth one..."
Jiang Chengsi had been sitting at the side, eating sugar-coated tangerines, but the mont the old lady ntioned it, he instantly sat up straight, although she hemd and hawed, unable to find a suitable word.
"The fourth... Let’s not talk about him!"
Jiang Chengsi: "..."
Have I already left you speechless?
Xi Fangli just laughed, "I rember this one, the one who ran over the tables and chairs at the conference, quite agile. What does he do for work?"
"He’s opened a few stores and can support himself," the old lady said with a smile. "We also have a third one in our family who just graduated with a PhD and just returned from overseas, usually very busy with work."
"A PhD..." Xi Fangli’s eyes lit up when he heard this.
Jiang Jinsang was now fully convinced that he really did like people who were passionate about studying. Using the excuse of going to help in the kitchen, he whispered to Tang Wan, "Does Master really like people who love learning and are good at studying?"
Tang Wan nodded, "That’s why he has a good impression of you."
"Because he didn’t go to school as a child?"
"It’s because his family’s circumstances didn’t allow it, and he feels regret. Also, the Master married quite late and only had an older brother at around thirty-five or thirty-six years of age. But it turned out his older brother was as incompatible with him as can be, not loving to study and being quite rebellious—even nearly dropping out of school. I’m not too clear on the details..."
Tang Wan had joined the trade late and had only heard about this from others in passing.
"The Master was a bit old-fashioned then, believing that only through studying could you have a future. The older brother, determined to prove himself, went out to start a business, therefore missing out on settling down, which has been tough on the Master."
Jiang Jinsang nodded, no wonder he felt that Xi Fangli, at over sixty, seed too late to be having grandchildren. After all, his own grandmother was over seventy and already had Jiangjiang and Taotao, two great-grandchildren.
...
Xi Fangli liked cultured people and was very nice to Jiang Jinsang, drinking a bit more wine and even showing more affection than to Tang Wan.
This disappointed both Jiang Chengsi and Qi Zeyan. They had prepared small stools, expecting a show, but ended up seeing nothing. When they escorted them out, Jiang Jinsang, seeing the disappointed Qi Zeyan, couldn’t help but snicker:
"Sorry to disappoint you."
"It’s okay, life is like a play, and there’s still a long way to go."
Qi Zeyan suddenly couldn’t wait to see his reaction when he found out that Old Huo was pursuing his auntie.
**
It was after all midday; although so drinks were had, everyone drank in moderation and nobody got drunk. Xi Fangli even specifically checked Tang Wan’s "howork," which scared her quite a bit.
It felt just like when she was in school and the teacher would do surprise checks on recitations or howork.
The two started discussing industry issues and lost track of ti, and before they knew it, dusk had settled...
Xi Fangli stood by the window, looking out, "The Jiang Family place is nice, good environnt."
"Xiaowu is recuperating in peace and quiet after his surgery," Tang Wan looked down, still holding the filigree pliers in her hands.
"I heard Shuci is also in Beijing?"
"I keep forgetting to tell you, my auntie has been here for a few months now, but she doesn’t like living with , perhaps feeling restricted here. She’s rented a place outside..."
As they spoke, Tang Wan’s cellphone began to vibrate. After a glance at the caller ID, she comnted, "Speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao arrives."
She answered the phone, "Hello, Auntie..."
Shen Shuci had just finished work; she was rely inquiring about the exhibition that day, nothing more.
"Master is still at my place, would you like to co over for dinner tonight?" Tang Wan said with a laugh.
Shen Shuci had already stepped out of the office and upon seeing that familiar car, she pursed her lips, "No, I have plans tonight?"
"Working late?"
"I have a... eting with a colleague!"
Tang Wan was astonished: "You were never very social before, lately you’ve been getting along quite well with your colleagues."
"It’s alright."
Perhaps due to her upbringing, Shen Shuci wasn’t soone who easily let others in. Keeping to herself was the norm. Going out with a colleague several tis, she truly felt curious. Just what kind of colleague was this, so special...
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