The following day, Jiang Ruoqiao took the subway at midday to the high-speed rail station.

Her grandparents were getting on in years, and from the moment they boarded the train to the moment they arrived, Jiang Ruoqiao called them countless times throughout the journey. When she finally saw her grandparents emerging through the ticket gates from the crowd, weighed down by bags and parcels large and small, her heart clenched as though someone had squeezed it in a fist.

This was the two elders’ first visit to Jing Shi, and they had come to see their granddaughter — so naturally they had brought a great many things.

Everything they had brought could just as easily have been purchased here, and yet they had carried it all this way regardless.

Jiang Ruoqiao held back the stinging in her nose and murmured: “You could have bought all of this here.”

Her grandmother gave her a sideways look. “Could it be the same, though? You’ve always loved apples. These apples are from Uncle Wang’s own orchard — crisp and sweet, no pesticides, no chemicals. And these walnuts — your grandfather asked someone to buy them specially from the countryside. We’ve been sitting in front of the television every night shelling them for you — they’re all ready for you, just the walnut kernels. Eat a little every day.”

Her grandfather chimed in: “We brought you some free-range eggs too — also bought through a contact. Your dormitory building has a kettle, right? Boiling an egg should be no trouble. Look at how thin you’ve gotten! A strong wind would blow you right over!”

Jiang Ruoqiao had called a ride-hailing car herself.

Seeing the disapproving expressions on her grandparents’ faces, she immediately held out her phone for them to see. “It really isn’t expensive. Everything is so convenient now — look, for the three of us to get to where we’re staying, it’s only a little over twenty yuan. If we took the subway we’d have to transfer several times.”

Her grandmother’s face lit up with a smile. “A little over twenty yuan? That’s not expensive at all.”

She exchanged a glance with her grandfather.

Her grandfather moved to take out his wallet. Elderly people are extraordinarily cautious when they travel, and before leaving home, her grandmother had even sewn an extra inner pocket into her grandfather’s clothing to hold his cards.

Had it not been for her grandfather finding it uncomfortable, and her grandmother finding that her grandfather’s feet smelled, tucking it inside his shoes would have been their most peace-of-mind option of all.

“Qiaoqiao, you’re making your own way out there now — it’s hard enough. Why do you keep sending us money?” her grandmother said. “The money you sent before, we’ve been saving every bit of it. We two old ones, what do we have to spend on? Your grandfather and I both have our retirement stipends — not much, but enough to get us through each month. You’re young. You’re out there studying and meeting people — you should be a little generous with yourself. The money is yours, spend it on yourself, sweetheart.”

Of course Jiang Ruoqiao refused to hear of it, and they went back and forth over it for some time.

Her grandfather thought it over and tucked the card back into his pocket. “Alright, alright. We’ll hold onto it for you — save up a bit more while we’re at it, and when the time comes for you to buy your own home someday, we’ll give it all to you.”

Both heartbroken and helpless at once, Jiang Ruoqiao brought her grandparents to the short-term apartment she had booked.

Just as she had hoped, her grandparents loved it immediately, saying it felt just like being at home.

That afternoon, once her grandparents had rested, Jiang Ruoqiao took them out for dinner. As it happened, they had just stepped out of the residential complex when they ran into Lu Yicheng, who had come to bring Lu Siyan back.

Since Jiang Ruoqiao had been hoping her grandparents would spend more time with Siyan, she didn’t hesitate for a moment — she beckoned Lu Siyan over and ruffled his hair.

With other people around, Lu Siyan had grown accustomed to not calling her Mama. He called out in his bright, clear voice: “Little Qiao!”

Then Lu Siyan turned to look at the two elderly people with a gaze full of curiosity and anticipation.

So these were Mama’s grandparents — his great-grandma and great-grandpa…

So this was what Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa looked like!

Jiang Ruoqiao took Lu Siyan’s hand and introduced him to her grandparents: “This is Lu Siyan.” She paused for a moment. “He’s a very lovable child.”

“He does look quite sharp,” her grandmother said — she adored children. She was still holding a banana Jiang Ruoqiao had given her, and she simply held it out to Lu Siyan, saying warmly: “Little one, would you like a banana?”

Lu Siyan took it and called out in a bright, clear voice: “Thank you—” Thank you what exactly? What was he supposed to call her? He looked over at Jiang Ruoqiao.

Jiang Ruoqiao was stumped as well. She could hardly have him call her Great-Great-Grandmother, could she? She hadn’t come clean about any of this yet!

Her grandmother clearly didn’t mind that Lu Siyan hadn’t used a form of address.

Lu Yicheng stepped forward. He was stumped too.

What was he supposed to call Jiang Ruoqiao’s grandparents? Following her lead and calling them Grandpa and Grandma didn’t seem quite right — the two of them weren’t in any relationship to speak of. Calling them Grandpa and Grandma in a more general sense? That didn’t seem right either.

He weighed both options, then opened his mouth with great formality: “Hello, Grandpa and Grandma.”

Jiang Ruoqiao: “?”

Well, that would do, she supposed. If he had called them by the same names she used for them right now, the two elders would have been too startled to feel either hungry or tired.

It was only then that her grandparents truly took notice of the rather good-looking young man standing before them.

Both of them looked a little puzzled.

Jiang Ruoqiao introduced him: “This is Lu Yicheng. He’s a fellow student at my university — also in his third year.”

“Oh, a classmate!” her grandmother said, suddenly wide awake. She looked Lu Yicheng up and down from head to toe. “What a coincidence — is this little one your younger brother? The two of you really do look alike.”

Lu Yicheng: “…”

Lu Siyan protested inwardly: I look more like Mama!

Jiang Ruoqiao: “?”

Well, what could she say — it wasn’t as though her grandmother was wrong, exactly. No one would take one look at the young student that was Lu Yicheng and assume he was the father of a five-year-old child.

Lu Yicheng smiled, neither confirming nor denying.

“Have you eaten yet?” Her grandfather checked his watch. “So you’re Qiaoqiao’s classmate — if you’re free, join us for a meal. Our treat.”

Her grandparents were extraordinarily warm and generous hosts.

There had been one time when she had mentioned offhandedly that Yun Jia and the others loved the pickled papaya shreds her family made at home. A week later, her grandmother had sent four large jars — one for each person in the dormitory.

Lu Yicheng and Lu Siyan turned to look at Jiang Ruoqiao at exactly the same moment, in perfect unison.

There was no need to explain — they were clearly watching for her cue. If she said go, they would go; if she said not to, they wouldn’t.

Jiang Ruoqiao: “…”

The two of you, your expressions and looks could not be more obvious!

Fortunately her grandparents hadn’t noticed. She gave a small, quiet nod.

Lu Siyan broke into a beaming grin: Yohoo!

Lu Yicheng also let out a quiet breath of relief and nodded. “As it happens, I’m free right now. Thank you—” He paused. “Thank you, Grandpa and Grandma.”

Her grandmother waved a magnanimous hand. “Why all this ‘Grandpa and Grandma’ business — just call us the same thing Qiaoqiao’s friends do. Call us Grandpa and Grandma on her side. It’s so much warmer that way!”

Lu Yicheng relaxed completely at last, though he still instinctively glanced over at Jiang Ruoqiao.

Jiang Ruoqiao, following his lead from a moment ago, neither nodded nor shook her head.

Lu Yicheng was quiet for a few seconds. “Thank you, Grandpa and Grandma.”

Lu Siyan, being a child who always spoke his mind, piped up: “Does that mean I should call them Grandpa and Grandma too?”

Jiang Ruoqiao and Lu Yicheng said in perfect unison: “Absolutely not!!”

Lu Siyan: …Oh.

Her grandfather smiled placidly. “He can, actually. After all, you and Little Lu are brothers — so by the same logic, you’re on the same generation as our Qiaoqiao. Go ahead and call us that.”

Lu Siyan’s curls almost seemed to droop with caution. “I don’t dare.”

—

The five of them settled in at a nearby restaurant.

Considering the elders’ preferences, Jiang Ruoqiao ordered dishes that were on the lighter side.

No sooner had they sat down than Lu Yicheng quietly and without being asked began washing and wiping the bowls and chopsticks for everyone at the table.

Lu Siyan was sitting beside her grandmother, who looked at his curly hair with surprised curiosity. “Is this a perm?”

Children these days were so fashionable.

Lu Siyan said, a little self-consciously: “Everyone thinks it’s a perm, but it isn’t. These are natural curls.”

Her grandfather exclaimed in surprise: “Natural curls — now that’s quite the coincidence!”

“Isn’t it just.” Her grandmother gave her freshly dyed black hair a proud little pat. “I have natural curls too, and so does Qiaoqiao. What a coincidence indeed.”

Lu Siyan wanted to say — Great-Grandma, that’s not really a coincidence, that’s called heredity.

Jiang Ruoqiao watched as Lu Siyan and her grandparents grew comfortable with each other in no time at all, and she found herself wondering — was this the pull of blood? Was this innate?

Throughout the meal, Lu Yicheng said very little, but he quietly and steadily attended to everyone at the table the whole time. When her grandmother wanted water, he got up to pour it for her. When her grandfather had finished all of the blueberry and yam dish he had clearly been enjoying, Lu Yicheng was the first to notice, and called the server over to order another plate. When Jiang Ruoqiao felt the private room’s air conditioning wasn’t strong enough, Lu Yicheng went to ask the server for the remote control, and while adjusting the temperature he checked with her to make sure it was comfortable.

When Lu Siyan wanted to eat some shrimp, Lu Yicheng peeled them for him.

In that private room, Lu Yicheng was the industrious little bee — bustling about tirelessly, and though he rarely spoke, his presence was utterly unmistakable.

Partway through the meal, her grandmother needed to use the restroom, and Jiang Ruoqiao hurried to accompany her.

The grandmother and granddaughter walked arm in arm, very close and warm. When they reached the restroom and found it empty, her grandmother lowered her voice and said: “Qiaoqiao, go ask the server in a moment if they have any red envelopes — I think that little child is quite dear, and I’d like to give him one, as a small token from me and your grandfather.”

Jiang Ruoqiao was taken aback. “There’s really no need to do that.”

“There is.” Her grandmother said. “It’s just a gesture. I won’t put too much in — I’ll go by the custom back home. Two hundred yuan — it’s just a token of my feelings.”

In Xi Shi, there was a tradition: the first time an elder met a younger child, they would always give a red envelope.

For a relatively close elder, two hundred yuan was a modest and meaningful gesture.

Jiang Ruoqiao fell silent.

Her grandmother went on: “That little one — he’s such a good child. His family has raised him well. I’m quite fond of him. Two hundred yuan isn’t much — it’s just my way of showing it.”

Jiang Ruoqiao had no choice but to nod. The service at this restaurant was excellent, and a server produced a red envelope for them. Her grandmother drew two hundred yuan from the small pouch she wore on her wrist and tucked it inside with care.

Watching her grandmother’s aged, weathered hands carefully sealing the red envelope, Jiang Ruoqiao turned her face away. She was only twenty years old. Before Siyan had come into her life, she had never so much as entertained the thought of getting married or having a child — marriage itself had seemed remote, let alone children. Yet now, watching her grandparents coax Siyan and play with him, watching her grandmother’s kind and gentle expression as she sealed that red envelope, the feeling in her heart was something she could not quite put into words.

Back in the private room, her grandfather watched Lu Yicheng ladle steamed egg custard into his bowl and asked with an easy, jovial smile: “Young man, you like our Qiaoqiao, don’t you?”

Lu Yicheng had been going about this quite smoothly and steadily — and then he heard those words. His hand tilted, and that spoonful of custard nearly landed on the table.

Lu Siyan’s eyes swiveled about thoughtfully. He turned to her grandfather and lavished him with the most enthusiastic compliments: “Grandpa, how did you ever figure that out? Are you like the Monkey King,” he raised his little paw to his brow and made a show of scanning the room with grave authority, “with eyes that can see through any disguise? How else could you have seen through it!”

Her grandfather burst out laughing. “Anyone who has been around long enough has those eyes. Don’t you agree, young man?”

Lu Yicheng: “…”

He genuinely had nothing to say.

Her grandfather stroked his chin. “You know how I figured it out? Take a look at yourself. Not once since you sat down have you stopped — pouring water and serving food for Qiaoqiao’s grandmother, doing this and that for me. Anyone who didn’t know better would think you were already my granddaughter’s husband — and that’s exactly how I could tell!”

Lu Yicheng simply said nothing more.

He had been teased by her grandfather, and his ears had gone rather red.

Perhaps… had he really been too attentive without even realizing it?

—