At that moment, Jiang Wang only had time to catch his voice.
Gentle and calm, like a deep river flowing unhurriedly, carrying icy secrets that brushed past in an instant.
As soon as Teacher Ji finished his recitation, thunderous applause erupted. Parents, half understanding, joined in the praise, thinking he recited flawlessly and smoothly—truly impressive.
Jiang Wang was two beats late to clap, his mind still chasing after the fleeting words.
There seemed to be a “love” in there, but it passed so quickly he wasn’t sure.
Jiang Wang didn’t dare whisper to his deskmate under Teacher Ji’s intimidating presence, so he quickly scribbled a note to Peng Xingwang: [What did he just say?]
The kid looked puzzled, wrote a reply, and whispered, “How would I understand?”
Jiang Wang frowned. “Don’t you have tutoring sessions with Teacher Ji all the time?”
Peng Xingwang looked even more confused. “Big Brother, I’m only in second grade.”
For the first time, Jiang Wang regretted not being better at English. He instinctively glanced around, like someone during an exam looking for a suitable target to copy answers from. After scanning the room, he locked eyes with a middle-aged man diagonally across from him, who shook his head.
This was the same guy who once haggled for 40 cents at the courier shop and frequently came by to enjoy the air conditioning after scoring a discount.
‘Sigh, no one seemed to understand what Teacher Ji had just said.’
Jiang Wang slumped into his chair, bored, resting his chin on his hand, but every glance at Teacher Ji speaking made his heart skip a beat—his beloved looked pleasing from every angle.
Ji Linqiu had just recited a love poem in front of everyone, and although his inner self was wild and untamed, his outer persona was still law-abiding and proper. For a moment, his face flushed slightly.
Already feeling a little embarrassed, he found it harder to stay composed under a certain someone’s intense gaze. His heartbeat sped up.
After discussing the curriculum for the next semester, Ji Linqiu cleared his throat. It wasn’t entirely clear what he was trying to conceal.
“Sorry, the heating is a bit too high,” he explained.
A nearby parent nodded understandingly. “Drink more water, be careful not to overheat.”
Of course, there was no need to explain that. Ji Linqiu quickly nodded and continued speaking, deliberately avoiding looking in Jiang Wang’s direction.
Later, at the grilled fish restaurant, Ji Linqiu tapped Jiang Wang on the head.
“Why were you staring at me?”
Jiang Wang poured him a glass of Coke. “Come on, tell me, what was in the poem?”
Ji Linqiu looked away. “If you didn’t understand, just let it go.”
Jiang Wang had already anticipated that response and half-threatened, “Oh, you’re not going to tell me?”
“Boss Jiang is pretty arrogant, huh?” Ji Linqiu chuckled. “Intimidating a teacher now, are we?”
Jiang Wang knocked his knuckles on the table, and like magic, his secretary’s head popped out from the next booth, holding a brand new “Shelley’s Poetry Collection”.
Ji Linqiu: “…”
Dishes of grilled fish and cold appetizers began to arrive, and Peng Xingwang was sweating from the spiciness. Jiang Wang ate a few bites absentmindedly, fully absorbed in his guessing game.
“Oh,” he flipped through page after page. “Many of them are love poems, pretty hot.”
Ji Linqiu turned away and drank his water, not giving him any clues.
Jiang Wang didn’t press further. He flipped through his favorite poems, assuming they were all meant for him.
This one was good, that one was good too—he decided they were all for him, whether they were actually read or not didn’t matter.
Once the meal was finished, Jiang Wang closed the book with satisfaction, sighing, “Poetry is a wonderful thing.”
The kid turned his head: “?”
Ji Linqiu rubbed his temples and said, “You…”
As soon as winter break arrived, a new wave of promotional activities was set to begin. With both online and offline operations running in multiple locations, the employees were all going to be swamped.
The boss, however, refused to work overtime and had already returned to the office to pack up for the New Year.
The assistant looked desperate. “Boss!! Are you really not staying to oversee the New Year’s promotion? There’s so much work this year, I’m scared we can’t handle it!!”
Jiang Wang slung his briefcase over his shoulder and headed for the door. “Aren’t the managers on triple overtime pay? Are they just sitting around doing nothing?”
“But why are you suddenly planning to spend New Year’s in another province?” The assistant nervously asked, “It’s not about anything else, but what if we get overwhelmed with orders from New Year’s Day to the fifth? I’m worried something might go wrong with the deliveries.”
Jiang Wang paused in his steps. “Just because I’m not in the office doesn’t mean I’m not handling things.”
Assistant: “?”
Boss Jiang: “?”
“Who said you have to sit in the office to work?” someone complained about the old-fashioned idea of needing to stay at the office. “Our company’s programmers can code from home whenever they want, can’t they? It’s just that our office has better computers and unlimited snacks and drinks.”
This was the first time the assistant had heard such a concept, and he automatically assumed the boss was fooling him.
Carefully, he replied, “Well, if you’re going to Zhouxiang, make sure to keep your phone on. I’ve topped off your phone plan, and if it’s not enough, just let me know.”
Jiang Wang waved him off. “Alright, alright. Don’t forget to buy some New Year’s goods, and happy New Year in advance! May everyone be happy and prosperous!”
“…Boss!!!”
Before leaving with Ji Linqiu, Jiang Wang first took Peng Xingwang to visit their elders in the countryside.
The Peng grandparents had little contact with their son and lived in an isolated village, unaware that Jiang Wang wouldn’t be spending the New Year with them this year.
“I’ve already tidied up the room for you, and what about that teacher? Is he not coming for New Year either?” Grandma Peng asked with a feather duster in hand, her face full of concern. “You should all come and celebrate, don’t be so polite!”
“Little Jiang, take a couple of our dried fish for Teacher Ji. They’re delicious!”
Jiang Wang reminded Peng Xingwang to behave in the countryside and not run off, telling him to call if anything happened. He spent the afternoon with the elders before driving back to the city that evening.
At home, all the luggage was packed and ready for the trip to the train station.
When Jiang Wang parked the car, he noticed the lights were on in the courtyard, and Teacher Ji was sticking red “福” characters on the window.
Jiang stood at the garage door, watching his silhouette as he hung red lanterns by the door, a smile unknowingly softening his gaze.
It felt as if two bright lanterns were lit inside his heart as well, warm and joyful.
Ji Linqiu, hearing the noise, turned his head to look over.
“Jiang Wang,” he called out, “Let’s go, time to celebrate New Year together.”
Jiang Wang’s smile widened, and he quickly walked over.
They had two suitcases between them, one of which was half-filled with gifts.
As they packed the night before, Teacher Ji looked exasperated. “You’re just spending New Year as an ordinary friend, not as a son-in-law.”
Jiang Wang replied seriously, “First impressions are important, but second impressions matter too. Nobody would hit a smiling face1No one (normally) gets mad at a friendly face..
Ji Linqiu recalled all of Jiang’s previous antics in Hongcheng and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Promise me, no matter what happens, don’t go overboard, okay?”
Jiang Wang glanced at him sideways. “Do I seem like the type to overdo things?”
‘You are. You really are.’
Their train was scheduled for 12:30 AM, allowing them to sleep through the night and arrive in the morning.
Jiang Wang, fully prepared to enjoy a nice stay at someone else’s home, had thoughtfully purchased two soft sleeper tickets.
The soft sleeper compartments were spacious and comfortable, with four beds in total. However, the two upper bunk passengers didn’t show up, leaving the entire compartment to themselves.
After observing for about half an hour, Jiang Wang locked the door and squeezed into Ji Linqiu’s bed to watch the New Year’s Gala together.
Ji Linqiu glanced at him, slightly surprised.
“Share your pillow with me.” Jiang Wang had already snuggled up next to his neck, contentedly adding, “It’s warmer this way.”
The soft sleeper wasn’t particularly wide, and the two of them squeezed together felt a bit cramped, but strangely, it gave them a sense of safety.
The train sped through the winter wind, the constant clashing of the tracks creating a booming noise that seemed to sever one’s connection to the world, reducing everyone to cans on an assembly line.
Ji Linqiu shifted a bit to the side, feeling reassured by their proper attire and respectful behavior. He didn’t resist the warmth of their shoulders pressed together.
Outwardly, Ji Linqiu was sociable and approachable, but his true self wasn’t great with words. Instead, he quietly watched the old programs with Jiang Wang, his silence a subtle sign of intimacy.
Jiang Wang watched the skits for a while, then turned his head to find that Ji Linqiu had already fallen asleep.
Like a gardenia flower softly closing its petals, his fringe slightly drooped, and his eyelashes gently fluttered shut.
Jiang Wang softly kissed the side of Ji Linqiu’s hair, pulled up the blanket, and drifted off to sleep as well.
Outside, brilliant fireworks bloomed and quickly faded away with the howling wind.
Ji Linqiu’s hometown was in Zhouxiang, a remote mountain town in the neighboring province.
Upon getting off the train, they were greeted by the humid air. They transferred to a bus for two more hours, followed by a small van that wound its way around several mountains.
The industrial cities gradually disappeared, and when they woke up, towering mountains and flowing rivers stretched as far as the eye could see. The distant peaks were shrouded in clouds and mist, and the greenery was endless.
The driver, a seasoned hand, chewed on betel nuts as he raced along the winding mountain roads.
Jiang Wang gripped the handle tightly, watching as they sped past large trucks. Ji Linqiu, completely unfazed, yawned lazily.
Hongcheng, being mostly flat with rivers and plains, was nothing like this — here, towering peaks loomed everywhere, and the twisting mountain roads jolted them with each turn.
Half-awake, Ji Linqiu noticed Jiang Wang’s discomfort and reached out to touch his face.
“Are you okay? I have some motion sickness pills if you need them.”
Jiang Wang stared straight ahead and said pointedly, “This master… is wild.”
“Yes,” Ji Linqiu chuckled. “We mountain folks are pretty wild.”
They arrived in Zhouxiang around 5 PM.
Ji Linqiu’s parents met them at the village entrance, while his sister and the other women of the family were busy preparing dinner at home.
“Must be hungry, right? The food’s all ready, come in, come in!”
Jiang Wang greeted them all with a smile and handed over the gifts. The relatives, who had come to see what the fuss was about, were both surprised and delighted. “You brought gifts? You shouldn’t have!”
“Boss Jiang is a generous guy. Linqiu, you’ve made a good friend!”
As they walked up the hillside, fields stretched out on all sides, already cultivated, and an ox chewed lazily on grass nearby, flicking its tail.
The Ye River meandered at the base of the mountain, with boats anchored along the shore, and cormorants2the character used for the bird is 鱼鹰, which can mean osprey/sea hawk. But it’s most likely a cormorant, esp bc there’s a fishing technique called cormorant fishing where fishermen use trained cormorants to help catch river fish + the bird is tied to the poles. tied on the poles, resting with their eyes closed.
It was Jiang Wang’s first time celebrating the New Year in a mountain town. After getting off the van, he felt as though his lungs had been thoroughly cleansed, leaving him feeling refreshed and hungry.
Ji Linqiu suddenly remembered something and whispered, “By the way, our food here… it’s pretty spicy.”
“If you can’t handle it, rinsing it in water is not shameful.”
Jiang Wang didn’t think much of it and laughed. “We have spicy food in Hongcheng too, you know.”
Ji Linqiu smiled kindly. “Oh, really?”
Their first meal was at home, with a hotpot of braised chicken as the main dish, accompanied by chopped chili pork, stir-fried bacon with winter bamboo shoots, two plates of fried cauliflower, and sweet, sticky rice cakes.
Father Ji, Ji Guoshen, had just recovered and looked much healthier than when he’d been in the hospital. He warmly invited, “Can you drink? How about some Baisha?”
Father Ji had been a teacher all his life, and unlike others, he spoke with perfect enunciation and a clear voice, making him pleasant to listen to.
Jiang Wang accepted a cup with a smile, chatting and eating with everyone while Ji Linqiu quietly poured a glass of water beside him.
After taking the first bite, Jiang Wang’s smile froze.
“Your food here is… quite something.”
Ji Linqiu leisurely picked at his food and glanced over at him.
An aunt wiped her apron nervously and asked, “Oh no, can you not eat spicy food? Should I make you something else?”
“No, no,” Jiang Wang quickly stopped her. “It’s nothing. The food smells amazing, it’s definitely going well with the rice.”
Ji Linqiu casually exchanged a few words with his father and continued eating in silence.
Zhouxiang cuisine was indeed spicy.
While Sichuan’s food was both numbing and fragrant, the food here was explosively spicy and bold. The first bite tasted fresh and delicious, but before you realized it, tears were already streaming down your face.
The freshly chopped chilies weren’t messing around.
Jiang Wang shoveled in a few bites of the braised chicken, holding back tears as he switched to the pork, coughing into a napkin to cover his mouth and nose.
Ji Linqiu patted his back to help.
“If it’s too much, just dip it. No shame in that.”
Jiang Wang wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and said resolutely, “It’s fine. It’s really good. I’ll just eat more cauliflower.”
After several bites of cauliflower, tears streamed down his face, and he had already gone through a few tissues.
Ji’s father asked with concern, “Would you like a drink? How are you holding up?”
“I’m fine,” Jiang Wang took a deep breath, his cheeks flushed. “Of course, I’m fine.”
