T/L: sorry for the lateness! Yesterday was the last workday before a long weekend, so I was very busy! Enjoy this update~
|| Sincere wishes from Golden Marriage1refers to a marriage that has lasted for a long time. I think it’s a minimum of 50 years of marriage. Elders
Song Yan laid down, his breaths as wispy as smoke, yet filled with rage, “Tell your mother that your gege is still sleeping, so he can’t hear you.”
“Ah, okay!” ong Lele turned around and shouted downstairs across the door, “Mom!! Gege said he was still sleeping! He didn’t hear!!”
“…”
The entire villa fell into an unprecedented awkward silence.
In the silence, Song Yan closed his eyes in despair. “Xia Zhiye.”
Xia Zhiye held back a chortle, “Mn, what’s wrong?”
“Look up the <Minors Protection Act> and <Women and Children Protection Act>.”
“?”
“Is it illegal to ask a child under ten to do 3 math papers a day?”
“…” Xia Zhiye thought for a while, and worded it appropriately, “It’s not illegal, but it’s immoral.”
Alright then, it’s okay so long it isn’t illegal, just immoral.
Song Yan sat up from the bed with great effort, rubbed his face, and said to the door in a hoarse voice, “We’ll get down soon.”
Song Lele, who was outside the door, replied obediently, “Mn, good.”
Then Song Yan stood up, took out a set of home clothes he bought and a brand-new box of underwear from the closet. He threw them at Xia Zhiye. “Put them on, go down to eat.”
Xia Zhiye gracefully caught them. “How about you?”
Song Yan sat at the desk, turned on the computer, and said indifferently, “I’m looking at competition-level math questions that’s suitable for third-grade elementary students.”
“…”
Xia Zhiye heard the beeping sounds of the printer starting to work frantically, and suddenly understood a rule of the world – the more handsome the man, the more ruthless he is.
So he obediently went into the bathroom and changed his clothes.
However, when he came out, he couldn’t resist his natural inclination to provoke trouble, and he lowered his head to adjust his waistband, muttering, “It’s too small.”
Song Yan picked up the thick stacks of papers, freshly-printed, then took a glance from the side. “Where is it too small? Isn’t it quite appropriate?”
Xia Zhiye replied, “The place that you can see but can’t touch.”
Song Yan: “…”
Three seconds later, Song Lele, who was guarding outside the door, heard the sound of a huge book hitting a body, accompanied by a loud exclamation from his brother, clearly shouted while gnashing his teeth: “Yours! The! Small one!!”
“?”
‘Gege’s friend isn’t a kid, though? Why is he small?’
Song Lele used his brain that scored 59 on his recent math test to ask a seemingly logical question.
Then after a while, the door finally opened.
Song Lele felt that he was shrouded in a huge shadow. Helooked up and saw Xia Zhiye, who was about 40 cm taller than himself, and couldn’t help but let out a sigh, ” Wow, Gege, you are so big, bigger than my Gege.”
“…”
This is just a normal praise, but why does it sound so wrong?
Song Yan, who was now very sensitive to “size”, called out coldly, “Song Lele.”
Song Lele’s innocent face perked up. “Ah?”
“Reach out your hand.”
“Okay.”
Song Lele obediently stretched out his hands, spread his palms, only to receive a thick stack of papers on his tender arm. The weight was hefty enough to cause his entire small body to tremble at the impact.
Song Lele raised his head and blinked in confusion.
Song Yan looked down at him, ruthlessly said, “Finish it.”
At that moment, it was the first time Xia Zhiye saw panic and despair on the face of a child under 10 years old.
Seeing that Song Lele was about to cry out of fear, Xia Zhiye smiled and rubbed his head, “Your Gege is just teasing you. Don’t be scared.”
‘How can I not be scared?’
Song Lele was downright terrified.
He quickly hid behind this much-taller gege, then peeked at Song Yan, his expression looked like a wilted baby cabbage on the field.
Xia Zhiye also protected him, and while facing Song Yan, he gave out his charming smile. “He’s still young, don’t be too harsh on him.”
Song Lele nodded frantically behind Xia Zhiye, as if he had finally found an ally.
Song Yan gave him a speechless look.
He didn’t think that Song Lele would rely on someone he met for the first time.
He didn’t bother to entangle with the one big-one small pair and simply turned around to head downstairs to the dining room on his own.
Song Lele breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, he looked up at Xia Zhiye, asking, “Gege, where did you come from?”
Last night, when he visited his big brother in his room, he only saw him alone. How did this big brother come inside the room today?
Looking at Song Lele’s innocent eyes, Xia Zhiye pointed to the small sago palm tree in the room without any guilt. “It teleported me here.”
Song Lele was the kind of naive kid who still believes that Santa Claus really exists in the world. Hearing this, his eyes widened immediately. “Really?”
“Yes, really. Aas long as your Gege makes a wish, within six hours, I will definitely be by his side.”
“Is it only possible when my Gege makes the wish?”
“Well…” Xia Zhiye thought for a while, “Generally yes, but if you are sincere enough, maybe it will be as effective.”
“Woah…” Song Lele nodded in understanding. “So you have to obey my Gege no matter what?”
Xia Zhiye thought about his status in their small family, then wisely nodded. “Kinda like that. At times, I may not obey him, but that will result in me getting beaten.”
Song Lele: “…”
‘Sure enough, no one can save me from Gege’s clutches.’
The 9 years old Song Lele sighed in sadness and despair.
After that mournful sigh, Song Lele heard his brother’s cold voice from downstairs. “Song Lele, if you don’t come down for breakfast now, I will add 3 more papers for you.”
So immediately putting away his sigh, he immediately ran downstairs with the stack of papers, saying, “No! Gege, I’m here, I’m here!”
He looked really scared.
Xia Zhiye also followed with a smile, his swaying steps rather slow.
Their cold-faced Cool Guy, Song Shuangxi2宋双喜. Lit. Song Double Joy/Happiness, is indeed a man standing at the top of the food chain.
And that Cool Guy standing on the top of the food chain was sitting at the dining table at this moment, holding his milk cup nervously, looking at the three elders who were eating breakfast slowly.
When Xia Zhiye came down, he quickly pulled him over and introduced, “This is my classmate Xia Zhiye, also my father’s business partner’s grandson. He and his sister came to Beijing yesterday to visit their sister’s family for the New Year, but his sister’s family had guests over and there weren’t enough beds. So, they stayed at our place for the night. It was too late to inform you. He’ll be leaving after he finishes his meal.”
“Last night, I didn’t get enough sleep after dinner, that’s why I woke up this late.”
Before Song Yan could reply to that, Tan Qing smiled and pushed the breakfast in front of Xia Zhiye, “It’s New Year’s Day, it’s hard for you to be dragged around by the adults like this. We’re not that formal in my house. If you’re still sleepy after the meal, you can take a nap.”
‘Is that true?’
Song Yan looked at the three adults across the table – all of them had the same expression. He almost let out a sigh of relief.
Xia Zhiye, however, sat down next to him as if he had known him for a long time, with a charming smile on his face, the kind that the aunts and grandmothers would love, he said, “Thank you, Aunt Tan. Happy New Year to Aunt Tan, Grandpa Tan, and Grandma Tan. May you have a prosperous new year, good health, and a happy family.”
“AIyah, thank you Xiao Xia, Xiao Xia is such a good boy.”
Song Yan was quiet and taciturn, while Song Lele was naive. It was the first time the two elders had heard such sweet and polite blessings from a young man early on New Year’s Day. They quickly took out a small red envelope each. “Here, take it, it’s your New Year’s gift. Grandpa and Grandma also wish you success in your studies and academic achievements.”
“Thank you, Grandpa and Grandma. I heard that both of you are brilliant graduates of Peking University, so I’ll bask in your luck. When I become the top scorer in the entrance examination, I’ll be the first to come and share the good news with you.”
“All right! Young man, you should have such ambition! But when you become the top scorer, make sure to come to Peking University, don’t go to Tsinghua University. They are no good.” The rivalry between the two universities had persisted for decades, to the point that Elder Tan, despite his advanced age, still remembered this grudge and advised Xia Zhiye with a clear bias.
Tan Qing hurriedly said, “Dad, you are an adult, don’t affect this child’s choice.”
How does it affect this child’s choice?
He speaks the truth!
Elder Tan wanted to refute his daughter with a stern face, but Xia Zhiye smiled and quickly defused the situation with a light-hearted joke, “Of course I’m going to Peking University, I’ve been longing to see Weiming Lake for a long time, and I’ll also seek some blessings from you both.”
Elder Tan’s face relaxed immediately. “Mm, that’s right. Come here, eat this spring roll, your Grandma Tan made it herself.”
“Mn, alright. Thank you Grandpa Tan.” Xia Zhiye held the bowl with both hands, took the spring roll, took a bite, opened his eyes immediately, and asked, “Grandma, is this really what you cook?”
Grandma Tan was a little nervous. “What’s the matter, is it not to your liking?”
“No, it’s just that I think you have such a refined demeanor, like a noble lady who only discusses romantic affairs and doesn’t care about worldly matters. I didn’t expect your culinary skills to be so good, so I was a little surprised,” Xia Zhiye said, smiling sweetly and obediently.
Grandma Tan’s face instantly blossomed with a smile. “What romantic affairs? Those are all things of my youth. Now I’m just a yellow-faced woman3can be a rather derogatory way to refer to an old woman (as is, she’s no longer “fresh-faced”). But here, she’s just being humble..”
“Absolutely not,” Xia Zhiye hurriedly retorted with a serious expression. “Just look at Aunt Tan and you, and it’s evident that your family has inherited the beauty genes. So no matter how many years pass, you’ll still be beautiful. After all, time never defeats a beautiful woman.”
In one sentence, he flattered both women.
Grandma Tan couldn’t stop smiling, and she kept pushing the dishes on the table in front of Xia Zhiye. “Oh, you child, such a sweet talker! Come, come, have some more to eat.”
Xia Zhiye followed her wishes and coaxed the old couple until they’re in a happy mood.
Meanwhile, on the side, the biological grandson Song Lele and the step-grandson Song Yan watched this happy scene and remained silent.
Song Lele pursed his lips and finally said, “Ge.”
Song Yan held the milk cup expressionlessly. “Mn.”
Song Lele asked, “Does this Gege come here to rob my Grandma and Grandpa from me?”
Song Yan replied, “No, he’s here to rob your Gege from you.”
“Oh, that’s great! Wonderful. Can he be my Gege also? He’s so tall, handsome, and gentle.” Young Song Lele couldn’t contain his inner thoughts.
Song Yan, who is also young: “…”
He can’t eat this breakfast.
Xia Zhiye, this vixen, will use seduction everywhere. Truly rubbish.
Song Yan picked up his chopsticks and poked the youtiao on the table.
Tan Qing saw him like this, worried that he felt left out, and hurriedly took a spring roll and put it in his bowl, “You also eat more, it’s only half a month since you got home, yet, you’re already so thin again.”
“Mn, thank you Aunt Tan.”
Song Yan’s heart felt a slight warmth. Just as he was about to pick up the spring roll and put it in his mouth, a pair of chopsticks reached over from the side and snatched the food away.
Song Yan: “?”
Just after eating a spring roll, Xia Zhiye, with the spring roll that should have belonged to Song Yan, smiled naturally, warmly, and politely. “Maybe Aunt Tan forgot that there’s coriander and leek inside.”
His voice was so low that only they and Tan Qing who sat opposite them could hear.
Tan Qing’s hand holding the chopsticks paused.
She didn’t forget – in actuality, she didn’t know Song Yan didn’t eat coriander and leeks all these years.
Because Song Yan mostly lives in the school dormitory and was generally reticent, household chores at home were usually taken care of by the housekeeper. She was not adept at them, and most of her energy was devoted to taking care of Song Lele due to his young age. So, although she was trying her best to look after Song Yan, her care and attention to detail for him were far from sufficient.
Tan Qing lowered her eyelashes and seemed to feel remorse and guilt.
But Song Yan has never asked for such care. He felt that Tan Qing, as a stepmother, was very good – especially since there’s Song Minghai, who ruled the household with his feudal patriarchal belief. Her position as a stepmother wasn’t easy.
But, he’s just not good at saying nice things or comforting people, so after biting his lip for a while, he tightly gripped the chopsticks and finally managed to say, “I only started disliking coriander and leeks after arriving in Nanwu. The coriander and leeks there aren’t tasty.”
“Pfft.”
Xia Zhiye and Tan Qing suddenly couldn’t hold back, they turned their heads and laughed.
Song Yan instantly raised his face and glared at Xia Zhiye fiercely.
Laughing?
What’s so funny?
“Stop lying if you can’t lie well. Otherwise, it’s just adorable,” murmured Xia Zhiye, unable to resist finding Song Yan too cute as he leaned on his shoulder and lowered his head with a soft chuckle.
As the words fell, Song Yan glanced at Tan Qing across the table and noticed her stifling a smile, feeling embarrassed. He lowered his head, poking at the youtiao indignantly.
Seeing the situation, the puzzled Song Lele walked right into it, asking, “Gege, what are Xia-gege and Mom laughing about?”
Song Yan gritted his back molars. “Nothing important. if you don’t eat, I’ll double your winter vacation homeworks.”
“!”
Song Lele widened his eyes in shock, clutching the milk cup and gulping it down frantically, behaving more obedient than ever before during mealtime in his entire life.
The old couple on the other side, who were also unclear of the matter, looked at this scene across the long table and felt very happy.
“Yes, yes, this is how meals should be. Hey, Xiao Xia is really good, I know many people like you. When you get into Peking University, around the same age, I’ll introduce you to some of my old colleague’s granddaughters. You should drop by more often then.” Elder Tan laughed amiably.
Song Yan’s hand under the table reached Xia Zhiye’s thigh and pinched it hard.
Xia Zhiye held his breath in pain, straightened his waist, and said with a righteous and innocent face, “I will definitely come to visit more, but there is no need to introduce any granddaughters. Young people should focus on their studies and careers first.”
Elder Tan seemed to not agree, but still nodded in appreciation. “Indeed, not bad at all. Young people striving for progress, a good thing. Maybe you and Xiao Yan will even be classmates by then, working together to build your careers. That sounds pretty good too.”
Xia Zhiye endured the fatal attack on his thigh, smiled and agreed, “You are right.”
The table was full of joy again.
Only Tan Qing looked at the couple’s bracelets on their wrists and the tacit understanding between them with a sense of deep understanding, silently sighing to herself.
These children’s journey would be… difficult in the future.