While they were still discussing the benefits of sleeping, An Zi Yan came downstairs looking lazy and not fully awake. Mai Ding’s accusing gaze was like a beam of energy constantly firing in An Zi Yan’s direction. An Zi Yan only strolled over to the sofa, sat down, and switched on the television, looking exactly as lazy as he did at home. Mai Ding could not stand it anymore. This was New Year. If An Zi Yan stayed like this forever, what was going to happen in the future? Mai Ding marched over aggressively. “You…”
“I’ll hit you in front of everyone.” An Zi Yan used the most direct possible method to stop Mai Ding from nagging. Mai Ding sniffed. “No matter how awful you are, you wouldn’t hit me during a major holiday, would you?”
“Don’t underestimate how awful I can be.”
“I-I don’t believe you.” No matter what, Mai Ding was determined to be brave once this year and resist the forces of evil. An Zi Yan curled a finger at him. “Come closer.”
“So what if I do!” Mai Ding walked in front of An Zi Yan. An Zi Yan crooked his finger again. “Bend down a little.” Mai Ding bent over. An Zi Yan raised one hand and lightly grabbed Mai Ding’s collar, then lifted his other hand and flicked Mai Ding hard on the forehead with unexpected speed. Mai Ding covered his forehead in pain. “You really hit me?”
“Otherwise you wouldn’t believe me.” An Zi Yan bent his index finger again. Mai Ding hurriedly shut his eyes. An Zi Yan gave his collar a hard tug and, with the same unexpected speed, kissed Mai Ding on the mouth. Mai Ding cried out. “You, you, I, you… An Zi Yan!” After stammering for half a day, he still ended with the same old thing.
“Why are you making such a racket? You’re giving me a headache,” Mai Ding’s mother scolded. Mai Ding pointed at An Zi Yan. “Mom, An Zi Yan, he-he hit me.” There was no way Mai Ding had the courage to say An Zi Yan had kissed him. An Zi Yan sighed. “Say whatever you want.”
“What kind of expression and tone is that? Am I falsely accusing you? Did you not hit me just now?”
“Fine, fine. I hit him.”
Mai Ding’s mother glared viciously at Mai Ding. “Xiao Shuai is already giving way to you. Can you stop making trouble for no reason? Xiao Shuai, sorry. You’ve been wronged. This child has a strange temper. I’ll discipline him properly.”
“It’s fine. I won’t hold it against him.”
“Thank you so much, great benefactor. I’m truly lucky to have found someone with such outstanding character and virtue.” Mai Ding’s sarcasm was intense.
“No need to thank me.” An Zi Yan accepted the praise as though it were completely natural.
New Year did not change anything. The way the two of them lived and the habits they had built could not be transformed by a single holiday. They would love each other properly this year too. Every time Mai Ding wanted to say something romantic, his mind somehow went blank.
Looking back, it felt as though they had done nothing serious before the second day of the lunar new year arrived in a blur. Mai Ding’s parents had gone home yesterday, and today it was time for Mai Ding and An Zi Yan to leave too. Since they had free time during the holiday, Mai Ding wanted to look at houses. They had been renting someone else’s place for so long that it never completely felt like their own, and the furniture was starting to look too old. A lot of the appliances did not work very well either. Mai Ding knew buying a house would be a major expense, but there was nothing wrong with planning ahead.
“Come back and visit more often. Even if Zi Yan doesn’t come, you can come by yourself.” Wu Xin walked them out. An Zi Yan had already brought the car around. After politely saying goodbye to Wu Xin, Mai Ding climbed into the car. “An Zi Yan, are you hiding any private money?” It was the first thing he said after sitting down.
“So the fox finally showed its tail.”
“Who’s a fox? I’m not after your secret money. I need to discuss something with you. How about we take out a loan and buy a house? If you have private money, we can use that for living expenses. I’ll borrow some money too, then combine that with the salary we’ve both saved over the past year or so for the down payment.”
“Down payment? Why not just buy the whole thing outright?”
“Stop talking like some rich second-generation heir! It makes me furious just hearing it! We need to rely on ourselves, understand?” Mai Ding knew An Zi Yan had money. Grandpa had left all his assets to him, even though Mai Ding had never seen An Zi Yan use them.
“Borrowing money counts as relying on yourself? Besides, wouldn’t a mortgage cost more in the end?” He made far too much sense. Mai Ding went blank. “Then what do you think we should do?”
“I’ll lend you the money to buy the house. You can slowly pay me back later.”
“The house isn’t only for me to live in!!”
“I have to live there too? Then I’ll need to charge even more. You don’t have that kind of money, do you?”
“What do you think you are, some top-class male escort? I have to pay you to live with me too?!”
“How much money do you owe me so far?”
“Are you incapable of having a serious conversation?!”
While the argument continued inside the car, the doorbell rang at Wu Xin’s house. Wu Xin froze when she saw the visitor. “Why are you here? It’s been a while. An Xun isn’t home. Do you want me to call him?” Bai Xiong waved a hand. “I came to talk to you about something.” Wu Xin paused, then nodded. “Come in.” Bai Xiong sat on the sofa. Wu Xin had someone prepare tea for him, then sat down as well. “What did you want to talk about?”
“I wanted to ask about Zi Yan.”
“You came because of Xiao Si, didn’t you?” Wu Xin guessed Bai Xiong’s purpose easily. Bai Xiong did not hide it and nodded. “I really don’t know what to do with that daughter. She keeps saying she won’t marry or have children. I honestly don’t understand what young people are thinking these days.” Wu Xin rested a hand against the sofa and stared quietly at her teacup. “Yes. Maybe parents can never truly understand what their children are thinking.”
“But her thinking is completely ridiculous! What parent could tolerate it? She’s my only daughter. Is she only going to be happy if I never get to hold a grandchild?” Bai Xiong’s words hit one of Wu Xin’s own sore spots. Her slender fingers tightened. “So you want me to help persuade Xiao Si?” She pretended not to know why he had really come.
“I think very highly of Zi Yan. If Xiao Si had cherished him back then, maybe the two of them would’ve been married long ago. Do you think there’s still a possibility between Zi Yan and Xiao Si?”
“But he’s already married.”
Hearing this news for the first time, Bai Xiong was stunned. His eyebrows shot up. “What did you say? He’s married? How is that possible!” Wu Xin said nothing, which was answer enough. A few seconds later, Bai Xiong let out a deep sigh. “If he’s already married, then there’s nothing to be done. Sigh, I almost made a fool of myself.” He no longer saw any reason to continue the conversation and stood, looking as though he had aged in an instant. Parents could not understand their children, but when had children ever truly understood their parents? Bai Xiong only wanted his daughter to have a good partner and a happy family. He did not want her to go through life as a woman with no man beside her to care for her. He could still look after her now, but what would happen when he grew old? He had always thought Zi Yan was the most suitable person. He absolutely did not believe Xiao Si had met another man abroad and broken up with Zi Yan for him. Bai Xiong knew his daughter too well. It was almost as though she had been born without the part of a person that needed romantic love. She valued freedom more. From childhood to adulthood, the only man she had ever accepted was Zi Yan. He had thought… he had thought…