After leaving the clinic, Second Brother and his wife, Sun Jingcheng and his wife, and Sun Jingfei all went to Eldest Sister-in-law’s home together.

Coming out from Eldest Sister-in-law’s place, they all walked silently without anyone making a sound. Reaching the parking area, no one rushed to get in their cars. Each stood there—those who smoked smoked, those who stayed silent stayed silent. Eldest Sister-in-law had changed dramatically, thin to the point of being gaunt, and the house was piled with clutter everywhere.

Second Brother stubbed out his cigarette and spoke first. “When Yuyi goes abroad later, I’ll cover the expenses.”

Sun Jingfei said, “The three of us should split it…”

“One year isn’t worth splitting.” Second Brother said. “If she wants to continue her studies afterward, we three siblings can discuss it then.”

Sun Jingcheng and his sister nodded.

“You women are more attentive. Come visit often from now on.” Second Brother instructed. “Eldest Brother is gone, but Eldest Sister-in-law is still our sister-in-law. In a couple years if she wants to… that’s a matter for later.”

“Dad also said the two kids should follow Eldest Sister-in-law’s and the children’s wishes. We won’t force anything on our side. Wherever they go in the future, as uncles and aunts, we’ll help them wholeheartedly as if they were our own children.” Second Brother finished, looking at them. “Starting today, Eldest Brother’s matter is past. Handle what needs handling, move forward where we need to move forward.”

On the drive home after saying goodbye, Second Sister-in-law couldn’t help scolding him—first about Jiarui’s situation, second about Yuyi going abroad. Women say a few words, they say a few words. After so many years together, Second Brother let her talk without responding much.

“You’ll never change your habit of playing the big shot.”

“Alright, wife.” Second Brother promised her. “The money your brother took—if we get it back, it’s your private savings. If we don’t get it back, consider it blown away by the wind.”

“Why shouldn’t we demand it!” Second Sister-in-law said this, but had her answer in her heart. Five years ago, her brother had contracted a project and took 1.2 million from her over time. Later the project lost money, and that 1.2 million disappeared like throwing meat buns at a dog, never to return.

“If he doesn’t give it to me, he’ll owe me for life, never able to hold his head up in front of me!” Bringing up her own brother, she spoke through gritted teeth. These past two years, demanding this money back had long exhausted the siblings’ affection.

Those two got lazy when they got home—no exercise, no dancing. After washing up, they lay sprawled on the bed reading books. One read leisure reading, the other read medical licensing exam textbooks.

After each reading for about half an hour, Sun Jingcheng replied to a text message and casually asked her, “What are you reading?”

Zhou Yu cleared her throat and read him a poem, by Hong Kong poet Ma Ruo’s “Photo of Deng Alan and Me Sent by Yesi—Response”: “Who can give me a clear indication, whether the direction of the stars’ rising and falling has fixed positions, heaven knows about the days ahead, worldly affairs and human feelings are always both unclear, best to wake up, you have returned, and bring joyful verses…”

“My favorite poem, sharing it with you.”

“Thank you.”

“Do you like it?”

“I like what you like.” Sun Jingcheng tongue-twistered.

Zhou Yu looked at his fingers and asked him, “Want to play piano?”

“That would disturb the neighbors.”

“You’re so civic-minded.” Zhou Yu’s tone was ambiguous.

“Thank you.”

…

“Hey, the café outside the complex is hiring a pianist.” Zhou Yu suggested. “You could play to your heart’s content and even earn money.”

“How much?”

“At least three to five hundred per hour, right? My colleague’s kid’s hired tutor for home lessons charges five hundred an hour.”

“I play, you sit there listening, and we can earn five hundred?” Sun Jingcheng looked at her.

“If you play for two hours, wouldn’t that earn a thousand?” Zhou Yu chimed in.

The two money-grubbers got carried away, thinking about it more and more happily. But when they reached the café, they ordered two coffees and sat in the outdoor leisure area enjoying the breeze—it was just an excuse to come out for a walk, neither took it seriously.

They hadn’t even changed out of their loungewear.

The two sat idle without feeling bored. The breeze was too gentle, too comforting. A nearby locust tree was about to bloom, with a faint, light fragrance. Zhou Yu let her hair down, leaning against the chair back letting the wind blow.

Sun Jingcheng was also very relaxed, chatting casually with her in a meandering way, wherever the conversation led. The first half of a sentence talked about his trip to western Hunan, the next half said even when starving don’t kill the plowing ox, even when poor don’t kill the guard dog, then he explained to her the differences between water buffalo and yellow cattle, and native dogs from various provinces.

“When I was little, I raised a genuine Beijing dog, called a lion dog. White, long-haired, with short little legs. Sun Jingfei and I had to regularly trim the hair on its head—too long, always drooping down covering its eyes.” Sun Jingcheng said. “Back then the streets were full of native dogs… in today’s terms, Chinese rural dogs—there were chai dogs, meat dogs, stupid dogs… Because they were too common, too prevalent, so prevalent they inspired contempt in people, so wherever they went, people would pick up stones to chase them away.”

“These years seeing those fashionable foreign dogs on the streets, I think about those native dogs that did nothing wrong, were constantly scorned and chased away, and gradually disappeared.”

“Native dogs were mainly for guarding homes and property. Now that’s not needed, so naturally there are fewer of them.” Zhou Yu said.

“When we’re old, I wonder if we’ll live with more dignity than native dogs.” Sun Jingcheng mused. “If I can’t move anymore in the future, you’ll take care of me, right?”

“I’ll throw you on the street.” Zhou Yu answered without hesitation.

…

“The most venomous heart belongs to a woman.” Sun Jingcheng swung his crossed leg, looking at her leisurely. “Throwing someone on the street is abandonment—I’ll report you to the police!”

“Mm, go ahead and arrest me.” Zhou Yu combed through her hair with five fingers, massaging her scalp, feeling very content in the breeze, sincerely sighing, “Spring is truly wonderful.” Just then Sun Jingcheng’s hands reached toward her chest. She was about to slap them away when she saw him buttoning up her loungewear, saying she was becoming more and more improper.

The two had come out on a whim to enjoy the breeze. She’d forgotten she wasn’t wearing a bra, and didn’t know when the button on her chest had come undone. Thinking about it, her face reddened slightly, but she said nothing. She never wore loungewear outside—this was the first time.

Sun Jingcheng helped her button up, then taught her about the various acupressure points on her head, telling her how to massage her scalp for maximum comfort. Zhou Yu listened absentmindedly, praising his technique as professional, so comfortable she almost fell asleep.

“You’re such a kiss-up.” Sun Jingcheng said.

Zhou Yu didn’t mind at all. As long as it benefited her, she was willing to be a kiss-up.

Sun Jingcheng massaged her and sniffed his fingers. “How many days since you washed your hair?”

“Two days maybe?”

Sun Jingcheng was nearly disgusted to death, but still patiently continued massaging her a bit longer. School work was busy. Yesterday she’d gotten up at five for early self-study supervision duty. When she came home at night, she complained of a headache, saying she was losing hair by the handful.

“Comfortable?”

“Comfortable.” Zhou Yu was almost asleep.

“Life is good, isn’t it?”

“Good.”

“Cherish me well from now on, and stop causing trouble randomly.” Sun Jingcheng told her. “I can also do acupuncture and massage.”

“Not bad, not bad.” Zhou Yu kept praising it as not bad, though she couldn’t say exactly what wasn’t bad about it.

They sat contentedly for a while longer. It was too comfortable—neither suggested leaving, only wanting to extend this moment’s peace infinitely.

Not until the café closed did the two reluctantly go home. They spoke no words on the road, both immersed in this brief tenderness and deep stirring of emotion.

Arriving home and closing the door, they couldn’t help embracing tightly, both grateful to each other for this moment, full of appreciation for their current life.

The next morning, Sun Jingcheng hesitantly went to Eldest Sister-in-law’s place. He lingered downstairs for a few minutes, then went up to discuss with Eldest Sister-in-law whether he could take Yuyan to the clinic to see his grandparents, promising to send him back in the evening.

After picking up Yuyan and getting in the car, he tagged Second Brother in the siblings’ group chat, saying he’d go to his house to pick up Jiaxing and Jiarui to go to the clinic together, to liven up the household.

Sun Jingfei got the message and sent a WeChat at seven in the morning to Ke Yu, who was doing homework in the new district, telling him to come to the clinic after finishing his homework. Then she privately messaged Sun Jingcheng: “Why does Ke Yu love running to your house so much?”

Sun Jingcheng replied: “Zhou Yu can help tutor his studies.”

Sun Jingfei replied: “Isn’t he going too frequently?”

Sun Jingcheng replied: “He’s confused at this stage, probably has things to talk about with Zhou Yu.”

Sun Jingfei felt uncomfortable: “You mean he has nothing to say to me?”

Sun Jingcheng replied: “You’re jealous of this too?”

Sun Jingfei was a bit worried. Not saying everything explicitly, she only replied: “He’s in rebellious adolescence. I’m afraid he’ll speak without boundaries and offend your wife.”

Sun Jingcheng was rarely this attentive: “Zhou Yu also lost her father at Ke Yu’s age. She’s been through it and knows how to guide him.”

Sun Jingfei replied: “Ke Yong isn’t dead.”

Sun Jingcheng replied: “The collapse and destruction of a father figure, in a child’s heart, is no better than death.” Then after deliberating, added: “Ke Yu accidentally ran into that woman and child.”

Sun Jingfei replied: “Who said?”

Sun Jingcheng replied: “Ke Yu told Zhou Yu last week. On the second day of the New Year, Ke Yu accidentally ran into them in their city district. Apparently that woman secretly took the child there. Ke Yu said the two were having a conflict.”

Sun Jingfei blamed him: “Why are you only telling me now?”

Sun Jingcheng replied: “It’s better if you don’t know. Ke Yu finally was willing to talk. If you knew, it would destroy that trust between them. What would that make my wife?”

Sun Jingfei understood, immediately deleted the chat record, and replied: “Thank Zhou Yu for me.”

Sun Jingcheng replied: “Thank her in person.”

Sun Jingfei replied: “I bought your wife a bag through a purchasing agent.”

Sun Jingcheng was annoyed: “You’re all so wealthy. Is it appropriate for a teacher to carry luxury goods? Let me be blunt—the bags and jewelry you sent before, my wife has never carried them once.”

Sun Jingfei replied: “I send gifts and I’m wrong? She’s always so high and mighty, how am I supposed to know what would please her?”

Sun Jingcheng replied: “Forget it! If you put in any effort at all, just asking me would work, wouldn’t it?”

Sun Jingfei replied: “Fine, what does she like?”

Sun Jingcheng replied: “Our house needs an air purifier, a hot and cold dual-purpose fan. She likes complete sets of tableware, complete bedding sets, likes chocolate… She also likes collecting underwear and socks.” The bedroom had a five-drawer dresser filled with her underwear and socks—enough to last until old age.

…

Sun Jingfei replied: “Received.”

After Sun Jingcheng picked up the three children and was preparing to return, he received a message from Sun Jingfei: “Didn’t Zhou Yu’s dad also have an affair?”

Sun Jingcheng immediately pulled over to the side and replied: “What nonsense are you spouting?”

After a long while, Sun Jingfei replied: “Did I remember wrong?” She remembered that in middle school, she seemed to have seen something in People’s Park… But she couldn’t be entirely certain. Thinking it was bad to gossip about the deceased, she quickly instructed him: “Remember to delete the chat record.”

Sun Jingcheng casually deleted it and didn’t reply to her again.

The three children hadn’t seen each other in over a month and were overjoyed, nearly lifting the car roof off. When he got out of the car, his brain was still buzzing.

The children crossed the street and ran to the clinic, shouting loudly: “Grandpa! Grandma!”

Because he wasn’t sure he’d be able to pick them up, Sun Jingcheng hadn’t given advance notice. Sun Youping couldn’t hide his excitement, took off his white coat, and wanted to lead his grandchildren to buy snacks from the street shops. A new imported snack store had just opened there.

Mother Sun complained directly, saying he should have given notice so she could prepare food early.

“Preparing now isn’t too late—lunch is still a long way off.” Sun Jingcheng said.

Mother Sun’s eyes reddened slightly. She didn’t dare ask how Eldest Sister-in-law was doing. While the children were buying snacks, she hurried to the market.

Sun Jingcheng sent Zhou Yu a video—the children happily following behind Sun Youping to buy snacks. He originally wanted to add: “Wife, let’s have a child.”

But in the end, he didn’t send it.

He had no confidence in being a good father, in taking responsibility for a living life. He lacked the ability to forge ahead through obstacles, to ensure his child would have a life free of illness and disaster, free of great calamity; to ensure she could love what she loves, love what she does; to ensure everything would go as she wished, every matter bringing joy.

He was truly too greedy.

After marriage, neither had discussed children. He felt Zhou Yu didn’t want them either. Once, when their passion ran deep and they had no protection at home, he naturally finished inside her.

Afterward, Zhou Yu took the pill.

On Zhou Yu’s side, she had no time to watch videos. She was riding her electric scooter bringing Ke Yu to the clinic. She took shortcuts, threading through alley after alley, buying seasonal fruits along the street stalls one after another: peaches, mulberries, pineapples… and her favorite thin-skinned cherries. She also packed two servings of pea jelly and fire-roasted sandwiches.

Arriving at the clinic, the children snatched them away, and she earned a scolding from Mother Sun, saying outside food was the least sanitary—whatever you want to eat, can’t we make it at home?

Sun Jingcheng gave her a look, and the two quietly went downstairs, got on the electric scooter to eat pea jelly.

The pea jelly was incredibly delicious!!

The basin-shaped white jelly inverted on the table, the vendor wielding a jelly scraper full of round holes, deftly scraping, deftly scraping—two scrapes counted as one bowl, strips of jelly slithering smoothly into the bowl. Then drizzling on a layer of garlic juice with crushed cilantro, pouring scallion-ginger water, dropping sesame oil, soy sauce, MSG, vinegar, finally ladling on a spoonful of chili oil, evening it out, mixing it up, slurping a mouthful—smooth and tender, tangy and appetizing!

Usually in summer, Zhou Yu could eat two bowls.

But at this moment she couldn’t eat a single bite. Because that damned Sun Jingcheng, just as the boss was scraping the jelly, asked her, “Doesn’t it look like Sun Yuyan’s two streams of snot?”