That very night, Yu Jiuqi moved back home. Just like that seemingly distant snowy night, she dragged her suitcase alone through the night, leaving her father’s house to move to her mother’s.
When she moved out, Yu Kaixuan and Meng Huihong were still at Wendu Water Palace. She sent each of them a message to let them know. Yu Kaixuan understood the mother-daughter relationship had thawed and replied to Xiao Jiu with a row of thumbs-up emojis, saying he’d treat everyone to a family gathering later. Meng Huihong replied after a while, only saying the things in your room are untouched—come whenever you want.
When Yu Jiuqi got home, Wen Wen was already asleep. She specifically peeked through the crack of the master bedroom door and saw Wen Wen draped over the edge of the bed, hair spread across her face, breathing deeply. Xiao Fu wasn’t there, and even his shoes and clothes were nowhere to be seen in the house. Xiao Jiu quietly went in, covered her mother with the blanket, moved her head to the center of the bed while cradling it, then tidied her hair.
Earlier at the jazz lounge, Wen Wen had cried for a while longer. Tired of crying, she wiped away her tears, waved her arms and shouted toward the stage asking if she could request a song. The half-baked jazz singer on stage asked in authentic Northeast accent what she wanted to hear. Wen Wen said, do you know Taylor Swift?
That was Wen Wen’s favorite singer in recent years, and attending one of her concerts was Wen Wen’s biggest wish these past few years. Unexpectedly, the performer actually knew the songs. As soon as the music started, she began swaying along, and later simply rushed onto the stage.
Yu Jiuqi watched her mother in her velvet long dress, long hair lifted up then falling down, covering her thin shoulders, swaying gently under the huge chandelier, oblivious to anyone’s gaze, smiling in intoxicated bliss, innocent yet sexy.
After dancing, she drank some alcohol. Wen Wen’s alcohol tolerance was average—she got drunk quickly. After getting drunk, she hugged Xiao Jiu and cried again, saying a lot of nonsense. In the end, somehow she started talking about Xiao Jiu’s childhood bedwetting, saying even at six or seven she still wet the bed, they had to prepare several sets of bedding at home. Has your dad prepared them for you? Have you wet the bed these days at your dad’s place? Doesn’t your dad take care of you at all? If you wet the bed, don’t cry, don’t be afraid, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Tell Mom, Mom will bring you bedding.
It was at that moment that Xiao Jiu decided to move back. She said, Mom, I’ll live at home tonight. I miss you.
Before leaving the lounge, Wen Wen recharged several thousand yuan on a membership card. Yu Jiuqi couldn’t stop her no matter how she tried. Then Xiao Jiu drove Wen Wen’s car, first sending her home to sleep, then went to Yu Kaixuan’s house to get her luggage.
That night Yu Jiuqi slept fairly soundly, but woke very early. Upon waking, looking at the simple furnishings in her room, she felt a wave of disorientation, as if nothing had happened, the days still equally boring and long, with the end in sight.
Outside the window, the sky was pale blue, dotted with a few extremely unreal clouds. The sky hadn’t fully brightened yet. Cold orange sunlight shone through, blocked mostly by frost-flowered glass windows, yet it hazily presaged a deep winter sunny day. Xiao Jiu stretched lazily, telling herself to be grateful.
The heating at home wasn’t as good as at Yu Kaixuan’s place. She put on a cardigan sweater and went to collect clothes that needed washing. As she took coats out of the suitcase one by one and shook them out, a paper receipt fell from that white long down jacket. She picked it up, opened it to look, and suddenly froze for a long time—it was from that remote, desolate strawberry picking farm.
Only 48.5 yuan, like a slap that had been waiting there all along, shattering the false peace she’d just deceived herself with, while rolling the rising smoke of war before her eyes.
She stared blankly for a while, casually crumpled that receipt, turned and threw it in the trash can.
Then turning back, her phone beeped several times with messages from the family group chat. Yu Kaixuan was organizing a dinner treat today, asking everyone to keep their evening free.
This family group chat called “Wild Cool Dazzling Heroes Gathering” had only five people total—Yu Kaixuan and his two wives, Xiao Jiu, and Ge Fan. Previously Zhu Duomei was also in the group, but after falling out with Meng Huihong, she left the group. Later everyone tried to add her back in—she’d join then immediately leave, not staying even one second.
Yu Kaixuan specifically tagged Ge Fan in the group, asking him to check if Zhu Duomei was free tonight. After a while, Ge Fan replied, “Ugh, that psycho Zhu Duomei blocked me!” Then Ge Fan tagged Xiao Jiu, asking her to ask.
Yu Jiuqi wasn’t blocked, but Zhu Duomei ignored her all along. Not until before getting off work, when Xiao Jiu shamelessly asked again, did she reply with two words: “Not going.” Xiao Jiu replied like a lackey, “Got it, sis.”
Wen Wen had also been hesitant and silent at first, seemingly not very enthusiastic, but Yu Kaixuan gave her a reason she couldn’t refuse. Every year-end, the respected Brother Erkai received quite a few New Year’s goods from relatives and friends. Among the dazzling array of high, medium, and low-grade gifts, Yu Kaixuan especially cherished authentic rural mountain products. Even before New Year’s, his home was already stocked full of hazelnuts, mushrooms, and farm pork.
This time he specifically contributed wild hazelnut mushrooms sent by his second uncle and free-range farm chickens raised by a distant cousin’s daughter. He knew that since childhood, Wen Wen loved eating chicken stewed with mushrooms most—it was Old Master Wen’s signature dish when he was alive. He posted two photos of the raw ingredients in the group and quietly waited for her response.
After a while, Wen Wen only asked one question: who’s cooking? Meng Huihong didn’t respond. Yu Kaixuan said, how about I cook? At this point Meng Huihong popped up and instantly replied, the range hood at home is broken. The group fell silent, suffocated for several minutes. Fortunately, Ge Fan’s brain worked fast—he said, how about we go to my friend’s restaurant? I’ll have their kitchen staff stew it properly!
Then Ge Fan privately messaged Yu Jiuqi: [Wait for me after work, let’s go together.]
Xiao Jiu sent him back an emoji saying “this family would fall apart without you.”
That evening Ge Fan came in his second-hand Buick. The bank was already closed. Yu Jiuqi was stomping her feet in the cold wind. As soon as she got in the car, she complained about his habitual tardiness—she should have just taken a taxi herself. Ge Fan apologized profusely, saying he had something to discuss with her.
“Is it about Mom and Aunt Hong competing in the group chat?” Xiao Jiu said knowingly.
“So scary. I’m afraid they’ll tear into each other.”
“It’s not like they haven’t before.”
Ge Fan hadn’t personally witnessed that fierce battle between Wen Wen and Meng Huihong recently, but he’d heard about how brutal it was. He also understood that today’s meal wasn’t simply about eating authentic farm food—Yu Kaixuan wanted to take this opportunity to ease family relations. So he told Xiao Jiu to coordinate with him tonight and not let the two ladies start fighting again.
Yu Jiuqi of course also knew the purpose of today’s meal. Yu Kaixuan was enthusiastic about organizing family gatherings, always using various excuses to get everyone together to eat, drink, play mahjong or travel. Xiao Jiu even felt that compared to running Wendu Water Palace prosperously, Brother Erkai more hoped to make this complicated family lively and warm.
Her hands and feet had warmed up considerably. Xiao Jiu asked him specifically how to coordinate.
Ge Fan coughed lightly.
Only then did Xiao Jiu look at him: “You’re even wearing makeup?”
Ge Fan had obviously applied foundation, trimmed his eyebrows, sprayed some gel on his thin buzz cut. His earring and collarbone chain matched. He grinned, roguish yet naive: “I figured if they start fighting, you can shoot videos of me, shoot on the spot, get everyone mobilized. Once they’re all busy, they won’t have time to fight.”
Xiao Jiu laughed: “You really have career ambition. You’re going to be hugely famous.”
In just about ten minutes on the road, Ge Fan rambled through several hastily put together scripts, not one reliable. By the end, Yu Jiuqi was too lazy to listen. As soon as they arrived, she quickly unbuckled her seatbelt to get out. At that moment, she suddenly heard that name that made her whole body shudder—caught completely off guard.
“Do you have Sun Xi’s WeChat?” Ge Fan suddenly said.
“Huh?”
“Have you added Sun Xi on WeChat?”
Yu Jiuqi pressed the seatbelt button twice before unbuckling it, saying: “No. Why?”
“Nothing.” Ge Fan got out of the car, closed the door, walked around before continuing, “I just wanted to see if he deleted other people too. I checked this morning—his Moments is just a horizontal line now.”
Yu Jiuqi lowered her head following Ge Fan’s steps: “Just send him a message and you’ll know.”
“Not sending. What if he didn’t delete me, just blocked me—wouldn’t that be awkward? Whatever, doesn’t matter.”
Ge Fan had reserved a private room at this home-style cuisine restaurant. As soon as he entered, a familiar server greeted him and led him to the innermost room on the second floor. Yu Jiuqi followed behind him. Just as they climbed the stairs, she suddenly felt an impulse. She pulled up Sun Xi’s WeChat, clicked through his profile picture—it wasn’t a horizontal line, but a photo.
Sun Xi’s Moments had always been set to show only the last three days, though he posted at most twice a year. But he’d posted one today.
Eight-thirty in the morning, one photo. The photo showed a very large colorful disco ball. The caption asked: “Does anyone know where to find one of these?”
She opened the photo for a look. Nothing special—just the kind of disco ball used in KTVs and nightclubs, seen everywhere.
Completely inexplicable.
Ge Fan suddenly turned back, blocking her way. Yu Jiuqi jumped in fright and put away her phone. Looking left and right, they’d reached the private room door, but Ge Fan hesitated to go in. Instead, he said two words with a helpless expression: “We’re screwed.”
Xiao Jiu’s eyes questioned what was wrong.
“Xiao Fu is here too.”
Hearing this sudden change, Yu Jiuqi’s first thought was: today will be spectacular. Her second thought was: Xiao Fu is doomed.
Based on past experience, anyone who came alone to dine with Yu Kaixuan’s whole family, if they hadn’t done sufficient mental preparation and background investigation, would have difficulty emerging unscathed. Xiao Fu was obviously brought temporarily by Wen Wen—he hadn’t been mentioned in the group chat at all.
As soon as they entered the private room, the layout and atmosphere were charged with undercurrents. Two couples with complicated relationships sat on opposite sides of the table, leaving four chairs empty in the middle. The four people looked at each other speechlessly, each face carved with the word “awkward” in different fonts and sizes. Only when they saw Ge Fan and Xiao Jiu enter did things liven up a bit.
The most excited was Brother Erkai, who said loudly: “Why are you two just getting here! Go tell the server to start stewing the dish!”
Ge Fan turned and shouted toward the hallway outside the door: “Start stewing!” From somewhere far away, someone responded, “Got it, bro, going in the pot now!” Then the two stood planted at the door, not knowing where to sit.
At this moment, Meng Huihong in her Chinese-style quilted outfit waved her hand: “Xiao Jiu, come sit next to Aunt Hong.”
Then Wen Wen in her purple fitted wool dress smiled: “Then Brother Fan, come sit with your sister.”
Just from this single opening line, a few mixed-up jumbled terms of address with no clear generational order, Xiao Fu was already confused. When Yu Jiuqi sat down, she glanced at him and saw his bewildered face looking at each person in turn—obviously already stumped by those various brothers, sisters, and aunts.
But the truly difficult part was just beginning. Servers successively brought up some pre-ordered home-style dishes. Yu Kaixuan was happy today and ordered a bottle of Shuijingfang liquor. Ge Fan stood up to pour for everyone. When it was Xiao Fu’s turn, he nodded and said to Ge Fan, who was a year younger: “Thanks, bro.”
Ge Fan froze. Everyone present also sneaked a glance, but no one said anything.
“Bro.” Wen Wen suddenly spoke, but looked at Yu Kaixuan. “You don’t need to supervise the livestream at the bathhouse today?”
Xiao Fu followed Wen Wen’s gaze and looked across in surprise. What surprised him of course wasn’t this sentence, but the form of address. He knew Wen Wen and Yu Kaixuan still treated each other as family after their divorce, but didn’t know they’d been calling each other brother and sister all these years.
Having grown up almost entirely abroad, Xiao Fu didn’t quite understand local social customs, and encountering such a complicated family, this word “bro” confused him even more.
Yu Kaixuan said: “We’ve been watching the past few days. Their team has been quite professional throughout. The bathhouse side just needs to manage the group-buy package pricing and order volume well—don’t lose money, but also don’t fail to accommodate guests.” Then he looked at Meng Huihong beside him with a flattering smile. “This is all thanks to your sister. Your sister worked all day with Xu Ming so we could have a nice dinner tonight.”
Sister? Xiao Fu looked at Meng Huihong with a distant gaze, seeing Meng Huihong roll her eyes slightly at Yu Kaixuan and purse her red lips.
Wen Wen crossed her legs, looking over coolly and indifferently. Obviously the aftermath of that fierce battle still lingered: “My sister is a heroine among women—the capable do more work. I’ll give you both chicken drumsticks later.”
Meng Huihong didn’t like hearing this: “I’m destined for hard labor, but my brain doesn’t work. I’ll just eat a chicken heart.”
The tense atmosphere instantly flared up. Ge Fan gave Yu Jiuqi across from him a look, meaning hurry up and find a way to divert attention. But just as Xiao Jiu was about to speak, Wen Wen took over the conversation.
“Anyway, it’s all that wandering, egg-laying chicken. You’re familiar with it—feel free to eat whatever you want.”
“Right, you just eat the mushrooms. You love mushrooms—you’ve picked plenty.”
“Meng Huihong, who are you saying picks mushrooms?”
“Then who are you calling a wandering chicken?”
“Did I name you specifically? I was just talking about eating!”
“Do I need you to name me? Besides, you came to eat, so just eat properly. Why did you bring him here?” Meng Huihong quickly looked at Xiao Fu, her tone instantly softening. “Xiao Fu, I don’t mean anything against you. Seeing you sitting there uncomfortable makes me uncomfortable too. Let me tell you, she doesn’t have good intentions.”
“How do I not have good intentions? Just that little broken incident last time—I got beaten up and didn’t even say anything. Are you going on and on about it endlessly?”
Meng Huihong straightened her back, about to retort, when suddenly the server pushed the door open and brought in today’s final dish, also the main course placed in the center—a full large ceramic basin of fragrant, richly-flavored, meat-and-vegetable combination chicken stewed with mushrooms that Yu Kaixuan had specifically brought from home.
For this dish, he’d gathered this table of people, but everyone at the table looked in unison at this basin of Northeast famous dish, and suddenly no one could eat it. Not one person took a bite.
At this point, both Ge Fan and Yu Jiuqi were out of ideas. Brother Erkai still had to steady the scene. His gaze lifted from that basin of food, looking across, chuckling dryly twice with a standard social fake smile. He suddenly changed the subject: “Xiao Fu, has your shopping mall in the development zone reopened for business?”
Yu Jiuqi’s heart tightened. She tried to look naturally at Xiao Fu.
Xiao Fu glanced at Wen Wen: “Yes, officially opening tomorrow.”
Yu Kaixuan nodded, also lightly dissolving the worry most people present couldn’t voice: “Good, that’s good.” Then he made small talk: “How’s your dad’s health?”
“Okay. Just need to hire someone to care for him—he still can’t take care of himself.”
“Then hope for a gradual recovery.”
“Yes.”
After steadying the scene, Yu Kaixuan held up his wine glass, looked around at his family members, wanted to propose a toast but didn’t dare provoke anyone. In the end, he could only settle on Xiao Fu again. He even felt somewhat grateful this kid had come, and said: “Xiao Fu, sorry about this. Look at you, first time eating with my family, and we’ve made you witness this spectacle.”
Xiao Fu suddenly stood up. He wore a proper beige polo-collar sweater, hair meticulously groomed, his fair round face slightly flushed. Holding his small wine glass and standing there deliberating for a while, he said: “No, really not at all. To tell the truth, I actually quite envy you all.”
Everyone froze, looking at him. Ten eyes unanimously revealed the same doubt: what’s he talking about, is he sick?
Xiao Fu ignored those ten eyes and continued: “Fight as you may, argue as you may, but you can still sit down for this meal because of one dish—that’s already rare. No one really came just for a dish, right? Before coming, I had difficulty imagining your kind of relationship, plus me, being able to peacefully eat a meal together. The result indeed isn’t very peaceful, but I actually think it’s quite good.”
“Abroad I was always alone. After returning, my dad got sick, my mom plays mahjong all day. Today’s meal is the liveliest I’ve had in years, the most family-like.”
By the end, he was even somewhat moved. He lowered his head to control his emotions, then looked up full of expectation. He was ninety percent certain this speech could move everyone too.
But this mode of expression wasn’t suitable for the always straightforward and forthright Northeast family. Everyone silently lowered their heads, not daring to look at him or laugh, holding it in without making a sound. Looking carefully, they even seemed somewhat embarrassed.
Finally, Yu Kaixuan clinked his wine glass against the table and loudly organized: “Good, good, good, well said. So, today is rare—everyone drink more… it’s all in the wine!”
This was the drinking culture everyone present was familiar with. They all raised glasses, laughing, warm, messy.
Speaking exaggerated drunk talk—no one scrutinized whether it was true or false. Picking favorite dishes—but only they knew the taste.
Like many times before, Yu Jiuqi gradually detached again during the liveliest moment. Her soul rose and floated in the air, looking down at a scene of beauty below, the bright winter scenery outside the window. The important people in her life gathered together. She suddenly understood something.
She thought she should steel her heart and go, swallowing those things that entangled her—those receipts, disco balls, back-and-forth debts, unfinished love and hate—swallow them grain by grain like the peanuts and sunflower seeds before her eyes, then leave behind a ground full of shells to scatter with the wind, extinguish with fire, leaving no trace.
Life should be this way—one shouldn’t look back to the past.
She returned to the clamor again, warmly drilling back into reality, then looked at her father who was answering the phone. Suddenly she saw his expression change, his already weathered face instantly aging a few more years. He shouted a few sentences into the phone, his facial muscles twitching as he looked across, looked at Wen Wen.
Yu Jiuqi worked hard to mobilize her hearing system, hearing her father’s hysterical words clearly.
Life was truly absurd and ridiculous. You don’t want to look back, but the blizzard from the past will eventually sweep back.
In brief, while tonight the bathhouse owner’s family was having dinner, during the final livestream event at Wendu Water Palace, a male internet celebrity with yellow hair said these words during livestream interaction.
“Babies, aren’t you curious why the owner of Wendu Water Palace is surnamed Yu? Why didn’t Old Master Wen give the bathhouse to his daughter Wen Wen, but gave it to his ex-son-in-law after the divorce? Does anyone want to know the bathhouse owner family’s secret?”
He held up his phone, found a quiet spot, and continued: “Because, when Wen Wen was young, she dated a boyfriend. This man was a murderer. Her younger sister and mother both died at his hands. Tell me, could Old Master Wen forgive her?”
“That murderer was called Sun Yuwen. If you don’t believe me, you can search.”
At this moment, not far away on a lazy sofa in the rest area, a girl with a strand of blue hair smiled with pursed lips and popped a cherry into her mouth.