As the year-end approached, weekends became non-existent.
When Jiang Shiyan’s call came through, Tang Yang was working overtime. “Hello? What’s the matter?”
Silence on the other end.
One second, two seconds, three seconds.
Tang Yang jolted, quickly gathering her things. “Half an hour, just half an hour, my dear brother. I’ll be right there.”
The voice on the other end said something, and Tang Yang repeatedly agreed, “Alright, alright, please, please, please, I beg you, great one.”
Ten minutes later, Tang Yang pushed open the door.
She walked to a cubicle and handed over some documents. “I’ve double-checked these. Please enter them into the system. There are a few special cases I’ll review tomorrow.”
“Everyone, head home early on the weekend. If you’re working overtime, dinner’s on me. I’m heading out now,” she said, then quietly asked a colleague, “Is Xinguang Tiandi to the left after exiting the building?”
Tang Yang, with a Ph.D. in Economics and Management, joined Huishang Bank at 27. After a year of rotation in B City’s grassroots positions, she was directly promoted to Deputy Director of the Credit Review Department in A City. Capable and gentle, even with such excellence, she had still been caught going on blind dates.
A female colleague nodded, knowingly teasing, “There’s a good styling salon on the first floor of Xinguang. Sister Yang can stop by before her date.”
“What styling? Deputy Tang’s looks are perfect as they are.”
“Good luck on your blind date.”
“…”
“No, no, I’m meeting someone who doesn’t even seem to want to wash their hair,” Tang Yang laughed, clasping her hands in a pleading gesture to her colleagues.
————
Jiang Shiyan had chosen a popular Japanese restaurant, which was packed.
As Tang Yang entered, she accidentally bumped into a waiter. After mutual apologies, she asked, “Excuse me, where is Private Room 1001?”
The waiter gave her an extra glance, then led her “click-clacking” high heels to the end of the corridor.
Tang Yang lifted the curtain, and the man inside was still playing a game.
It had been nearly a year since they’d met. There was no awkwardness, but there was certainly some resentment.
If others were choked by fate, Jiang Shiyan had been kissed by it several times.
Exceptional in the college entrance exams, successful in business, becoming one of the first Weibo influencers with millions of followers in the internet era, and starting a media company two years ago – his name frequently appeared on wealth rankings. As if all that wasn’t enough, why was it that at twenty-eight, while she diligently took care of her skin worrying about wrinkles, this man could stay up all night partying and still look so good? His tailored suit fit perfectly, unable to hide his dashing demeanor.
Jiang Shiyan looked up when he heard movement and saw Tang Yang standing in the doorway, her small face scrunched up.
Jiang Shiyan turned off his phone, found a pair of slippers by the tatami, and tossed them at her feet with a “tsk”. “Why can’t you accept that you’re 155cm? Must you walk on stilts like you’re in a circus? Your expression isn’t right, old lady. The circus won’t hire you.”
Tang Yang’s emotions instantly dissipated, and she laughed in exasperation, “I’m 160cm in shoes, 160! The bank requires us to be at least 160cm in shoes.”
“Fine, fine. Your short legs make you walk slow anyway,” Jiang Shiyan leaned forward to instruct the waiter to serve the food, pulling out the seat opposite him for Tang Yang. “I’ve been trying to meet up since last week. Deputy Tang, you’ve only just managed to come. Truly busy day and night, burning the midnight oil, wearing yourself out over official documents…”
Here he goes again.
Tang Yang sat down, helplessly explaining, “I’m really busy, old friend. I’ve been back for two weeks, working overtime every day. Last Sunday, I finally had some free time, but I had to go on a blind date—”
“Pfft—!” Jiang Shiyan spat out a mouthful of tea, fortunately not far.
He hurriedly put down his cup and grabbed a napkin to wipe his mouth. “You went on a blind date?”
Tang Yang replied irritably, “What? Is it impossible?”
“No, no, ahem,” Jiang Shiyan burst out laughing, then realizing his laughter was inappropriate, tried to hold it back but couldn’t. “Weren’t you the one who used to say how happy you were being single, and that settling wasn’t worth it?”
“You think I want to?” Tang Yang sighed. “Before I came back, there were five calls a day. After I returned, they’d walk to my place every evening, nagging for two hours.”
Tang Yang cleared her throat, imitating her mother’s posture and tone: “Sugar, your father and I aren’t forcing you to get married. We don’t care about continuing the family line. If you’re willing, you can stay single for life. But think about it.”
Her tone shifted, “You’re twenty-eight now. You have friends, you’re free and happy. But what about when you’re sixty-eight or seventy-eight? Your friends will grow old and pass away in twos and threes, leaving you all alone. There are so many cases of elder abuse in nursing homes, and even if you hire a caregiver, you can’t see into their hearts. Especially during holidays, other people at least have grandchildren around them, even if they’re just playing on their phones. You’ll be all alone, facing the wall, lonely and helpless.”
“And when you’re hospitalized, other people’s families will be running around, caring for them. You’ll be sick and alone, paying bills and handling procedures. If the nurses are too busy, you’ll have to eat and use the bathroom with an IV drip attached. Illness is already tormenting, and you won’t even have anyone to think about,” Tang Yang’s eyebrows drooped, her expression on point. “Mom would be heartbroken…”
“Impressive,” Jiang Shiyan gave two thumbs up. “Aunt Zhou, being a Chinese teacher, can make even forcing you into a blind date sound so touching and somewhat reasonable.”
“Right?” Tang Yang spread her hands. “And the person they introduced me to is a university professor teaching quantum physics, 33 years old, 183cm tall, and even his ID photo looks decent.”
Jiang Shiyan couldn’t believe it: “You went?”
“I’m a true warrior.”
As the waiter finished serving the dishes, Tang Yang started eating and continued, “The first impression was okay. He wore glasses and looked scholarly. His first question was whether I owned a house. I said yes, and he said he did too. I thought maybe this was how blind dates went, so I didn’t think much of it. But then his second statement was that he hoped we’d sell our respective houses and buy a large duplex apartment with cash.”
Tang Yang said, “I hadn’t even finished saying ‘I don’t have big demands for housing’ when he went on to say he hoped the property deed would be in his sister’s name. Because his father died early, and his sister and brother-in-law had supported him through university. Then he hoped that after marriage, we’d move in with his sister’s family and his mother, with us living on the first floor and them on the second.”
Tang Yang found it increasingly amusing as she continued, “He wanted me to cook three meals a day, do all the housework, report all my outings with friends, hand over my salary, have a child within a year of marriage, and because his mother prefers grandsons, we must have a boy. If it conflicts with my work, he hopes I’ll quit my job, saying that for women, a stable job is enough and being too ambitious isn’t good.”
Jiang Shiyan gave an exaggerated “Wow” to play along: “He’s so amazing, should we spin in circles for him? Should we give him a round of applause?”
The next second, he scoffed: “Tang Yang, don’t tell me you swallowed this rotten soup and moldy rice.”
“Eat what? Rotten soup and moldy rice?” Tang Yang tossed a piece of meat into his bowl. “You’re an internet celebrity male god, can’t you use better words? Have some idol image, will you?”
Jiang Shiyan mimicked her: “You shouldn’t use swear words, okay?”
Tang Yang grabbed a magazine from under the table and swatted his back, without much force. Jiang Shiyan played along, pretending to be in pain: “Ouch! Gentle!”
Tang Yang laughed again.
————
By the time they finished eating, it was almost nine o’clock.
The restaurant’s air conditioning was warm, so it wasn’t cold outside. They carried their coats in their arms.
Jiang Shiyan, who had had a couple of drinks, called for someone to pick him up.
After hanging up, he patted Tang Yang’s coat, gesturing for her to put it on: “Are you going back to Jade Garden or Aunt Zhou’s? Want a ride?”
“I’m going to my mom’s. Don’t send me, if my mom sees you, she’ll ask all sorts of questions,” Tang Yang zipped up her coat and waved her hand. “You haven’t adjusted to the time difference from your business trip yet, go home and sleep quickly.”
The two chatted idly for a while longer, then a Jeep Wrangler pulled up beside them.
Feng Weiran was Jiang Shiyan’s brother-in-law and also their university classmate. After the three exchanged greetings, Feng Weiran urged, “Get in quickly, there are cameras, three minutes.”
Jiang Shiyan remembered something and turned to Tang Yang: “So, are you going on another blind date tomorrow?”
“Of course. I happen to have some free time in the afternoon. As I said, my mom made some good points,” Tang Yang said helplessly. “It’s your good fortune that your parents don’t pressure you. It’s my good fortune if I don’t encounter any weirdos.”
Before Jiang Shiyan could speak, Feng Weiran chimed in: “How can they not pressure? Yan Ge moved out because he couldn’t stand the nagging.”
Before Tang Yang could mock him, she saw Feng Weiran’s gaze darting between the two of them: “But Yanan has always found it strange. You know, men should marry, women should wed. Yan Ge, you and Yang Jie have known each other since high school, for so many years—”
“Don’t joke about that,” Tang Yang interrupted Feng Weiran.
“Don’t joke about that,” Jiang Shiyan frowned in sync.
Tang Yang laughed and explained: “I’m just an ordinary person, working nine to five with no poetry or distant lands in mind. A diamond-grade neighbor like the great Ji is better left for someone with better taste.”
Jiang Shiyan smiled: “At 155cm and A-cup, you’re indeed afraid of dragging down the genes. I don’t know who used to have short hair and was mistaken for my brother.”
Tang Yang, feeling her tail stepped on, widened her eyes and glared at him: “Jiang Shiyan, explain yourself clearly. Who’s 155cm? Who’s an A-cup? Can’t you respect women in public—”
Jiang Shiyan: “Is it your voice that’s loud or mine…”
Seeing a childish argument about to break out, Feng Weiran quickly intervened: “Hey, hey, get in the car quickly, we’re about to be photographed. Yang Jie, be careful on your way.”
Tang Yang instantly became docile towards others: “My mom’s just in that community behind, it’s only a few steps. You guys be safe too.”
Feng Weiran nodded, and the vehicle started.
The distant neon lights were like a splash of colorful ink, cutting through the rearview mirror’s shape with a bright edge in the red light and green wine.
Tang Yang stood in the center of the light source, waving to the two. Though not tall, her figure was good, her features delicately beautiful, appealing to both men and women. With her small nose bridge and long eyelashes, when those big eyes looked at you, brimming with watery light…
Jiang Shiyan withdrew his gaze, lit a cigarette, and took a drag.
There weren’t many cars on the way back. He dangled his wrist out of the half-open window, then found a comfortable position to sprawl in the passenger seat, his eyes half-closed.
In the quiet…
Feng Weiran: “Mom was saying earlier that she hasn’t seen Yang Jie in a long time. Honestly, Yang Jie is nice—”
“It’s impossible with her, we’re too familiar,” Jiang Shiyan said flatly.
Not knowing if Feng Weiran had heard, Jiang Shiyan’s eyelashes trembled slightly, and he repeated: “Really too familiar…”
Feng Weiran looked at him several times, unable to hold back: “Didn’t Yang Jie and that guy used to be best buddies too? They still got together. Back in university, Yanan always told me how sweet they were. Later, I don’t know why they broke up. What was his name again, Song something, Song Jing—”
Before Feng Weiran could finish “bai,” Jiang Shiyan suddenly pressed the convertible button. The car roof retracted with a whoosh, and the cold air rushed in.
Feng Weiran struggled to breathe: “Bro Ji!”
Couldn’t hear clearly.
Feng Weiran shouted: “Yan Ge!”
Couldn’t hear.
The cold wind of a January night was like ice blades, instantly accelerating to sixty kilometers per hour, slicing against their faces.
Feng Weiran was almost in tears: “Dad, Grandpa, Great Ji, my hands are about to fall off…”
The torture, comparable to dragging someone from a warm winter bed straight to a snowy mountain peak, lasted a full ten seconds. Then, with a whoosh, the car roof rose.
“Click.” All returned to calm.
Feng Weiran stepped on the brake and leaned on the steering wheel, panting. As he caught his breath, he turned and lashed out: “You’re single, but I have elders above and children below. I beg you to think about your big nephew. If you’re dissatisfied, take it out on me, okay? What did I say or do to make you so agitated? Playing such a big prank in the dead of winter, why don’t you go to Las Vegas and gamble it all—”
“Sorry,” the great Ji, with his messy hair, leaned back in the passenger seat, slowly rubbing his extinguished cigarette with his index finger. “I was drunk.”
Feng Weiran: “…”
Jiang Shiyan: “Drunk and disorderly.”
Feng Weiran: “…”
Jiang Shiyan snorted a laugh through his nose, carelessly saying: “What, never seen it before?”