“Xiaolan, who was looking for you earlier?”

Xia Xiao Lan was truly mysterious – though not from Beijing, she often had visitors at school.

Earlier, Ji Ya had been waiting outside the classroom. Many people had seen her, and Su Jing was curious too.

“Don’t mention it, just someone puzzling.”

Xia Xiao Lan walked to Room 305: “Is Ning Xue back?”

“Haven’t seen Snow.”

“Must be at the library…”

Earlier during the joint lecture for the Architecture Department, Ji Jiangyuan’s mother had been so conspicuous that Xia Xiao Lan couldn’t believe Ning Xue hadn’t noticed. Ning Xue was quite familiar with Ji Jiangyuan’s family. While Ji Ya wanted to dig up information about Xia Xiao Lan, Xia Xiao Lan equally wanted to understand this neurotic woman’s background. Asking Ning Xue would surely yield answers – although Ji Jiangyuan’s mother already seemed to consider Ning Xue her future daughter-in-law, Xia Xiao Lan had a feeling that Ning Xue would disagree with Ji Jiangyuan’s mother’s actions today.

If Ning Xue were the jealous type, Ji Jiangyuan wouldn’t have called her a “genius.”

Xia Xiao Lan wanted to hear Ning Xue’s take on this.

While she wanted to ignore someone as tiresome as Ji Jiangyuan’s mother, after the incident with Ding Aizhen and nearly falling into that trap, Xia Xiao Lan had learned to be cautious. One shouldn’t underestimate the destructive power of middle-aged women, especially when they believe their sons are being “seduced” – they become like powder kegs ready to explode at the slightest spark.

Xia Xiao Lan was determined to wait for Ning Xue.

Ning Xue would have to return to the dorm eventually, and she’d understand the situation as soon as she saw Xia Xiao Lan.

“The usual place?”

Xia Xiao Lan nodded: “The usual place!”

The usual place was the West Sports Field. No matter how cold it was outside, this conversation had to happen.

Ning Xue had already seen Ji Ya today.

At first, she thought Ji Ya was looking for her. Although they had just dined together yesterday, perhaps Auntie Ji had come to see Ji Jiangyuan and decided to visit her too.

Even someone as detached as Ning Xue felt a slight joy at this thought.

But Ji Ya was looking for Xia Xiao Lan.

Clever as she was, Ning Xue immediately recalled Ji Ya’s questions from yesterday.

She hadn’t mentioned Xia Xiao Lan’s name at all – how did Auntie Ji know about her?

Had Ji Jiangyuan said something himself?

Ning Xue didn’t want to get involved in such trivial matters, so when she saw Ji Ya looking for Xia Xiao Lan, she walked away.

Now, seeing Xia Xiao Lan waiting in Room 305, she guessed the conversation with Auntie Ji hadn’t gone well. Ji Ya was a perfectionist, and while Ning Xue felt they were compatible, others might not tolerate Ji Ya’s pickiness.

At the sports field, Ning Xue said:

“Youth slips away quickly, and in one’s life, memory and creativity are at their peak… It’s not worth wasting time on such pointless conversations. So I’ll be brief – did Auntie Ji say something to you today, and you have questions you want me to answer?”

“My conversation with Madam Ji was unpleasant. I just want to know one thing: now that I’ve upset her, does she have the power to cause me trouble? I mean any kind of trouble – academic, personal!”

Ning Xue gave Xia Xiao Lan an odd look: “Sometimes I can’t tell if you’re genuinely naive or just pretending. You don’t understand Ji Jiangyuan. Grandfather Ji implemented many educational reforms, though he’s rarely seen in public now due to poor health… Given the Ji family’s principles, how could they trouble a mere university student? You can study and live in peace.”

Xia Xiao Lan was skeptical.

She believed Ning Xue’s words.

But Ning Xue was evaluating the Ji family from the perspective of a family friend.

Xia Xiao Lan had just experienced the Ji family’s “principles” firsthand. If nothing else, a truly cultured family would never come to warn a potential girlfriend before anything was even certain. Xia Xiao Lan believed the Zhou family had known about her before Zhou Cheng brought her home. Even though they were confirmed boyfriend and girlfriend, she never saw Zhou’s elders coming to arrogantly tell her she wasn’t worthy of entering their family!

“I trust the Ji family’s principles, but I find it hard to convince myself that Madam Ji will follow them. Thank you for clarifying things, Ning Xue.”

Ning Xue’s explanation hadn’t helped much.

Xia Xiao Lan should probably talk to Ji Jiangyuan directly.

However, when she went to find him, she discovered he was on leave.

…

Grandfather Ji’s life had entered its final countdown.

The Ji family all knew this well.

It wasn’t just illness – age had caused all his organs to deteriorate, and he was only being kept alive by various injections. Sometimes Ji Jiangyuan felt his grandfather’s existence was painful, but the Ji family wanted him to live a few more years. Filial piety was ingrained in their bones – they couldn’t just watch their father pass away. As long as there was a chance to save him, they had to try everything possible.

The Ji family certainly had the means.

Unable to let nature take its course with life and death, Grandfather Ji could only lie there covered in tubes, maintained by medical equipment.

He wasn’t at peace with death either.

Life held too many attachments, and how could Grandfather Ji close his eyes in peace when he hadn’t seen his daughter find someone to rely on in her remaining years?

Among his children, he worried most about Ji Ya.

Both because of her unsuccessful marriage and her “illness” – a topic forbidden in the Ji household, a historical remnant from the years of turmoil. While Grandfather Ji could implement educational policies, he couldn’t solve Ji Ya’s “illness.”

Grandfather Ji had another emergency last night.

Ji Jiangyuan immediately took leave to stay at the hospital.

Wearing an oxygen mask, Grandfather Ji struggled to breathe: “…where’s your mother?”

Ji Jiangyuan half-crouched by his grandfather’s bedside, “You know about her boyfriend from America? Uncle George is landing today, mom went to pick him up. She wants to bring Uncle George to meet you.”

Grandfather Ji’s breathing sounded like bellows, frighteningly loud.

Each day of survival was torture, but Ji Jiangyuan’s words brought him comfort.

Initially, the Ji family had wanted Ji Ya to find a Chinese husband. Later, when Ji Ya refused to remarry, their requirements gradually lowered – any nationality would do, as long as they treated Ji Ya well and could accept Ji Jiangyuan.

Grandfather Ji’s withered hand gripped Ji Jiangyuan:

“Your mother suffered… be filial to her in the future…”

Ji Jiangyuan nodded. He too sensed these were his grandfather’s final days – why let the old man leave with regrets?

Grandfather Ji wasn’t conscious for long, falling asleep after speaking briefly. By afternoon, Ji Jiangyuan’s uncles and aunts had arrived at the hospital. Ji Ya came last, followed by a brown-haired American – her boyfriend George.

Grandfather Ji happened to be awake.

Perhaps because all his children and grandchildren were present, or perhaps because he had seen Ji Ya’s “support,” Grandfather Ji passed away suddenly.

Before passing, he pointed at Ji Jiangyuan. Ji Jiangyuan’s uncle stepped forward: “Father, Jiangyuan will always be part of the Ji family.”

Only then did Grandfather Ji close his eyes peacefully, and the hospital room erupted in sobs… Ji Ya stood rigid, George holding her tightly. Her ears were ringing, and though George’s lips moved, she heard nothing.

Was she not grieving?

She was!

Grief crashed around inside her chest, desperately seeking an outlet for release.