Tears in Heaven

Two days later, the two planned to return to Beijing together to meet Shao Zhenrong’s parents.

Mrs. Du packed Du Xiaosu’s luggage, prepared gifts, and reminded: “Be sensible. Little Shao loves you, so you must respect his parents, let them feel at ease, and let them like you.”

Du Xiaosu felt a little nervous: “Mom, what if they don’t like me?”

“No, Little Shao is very well mannered, indicating that his parents are very educated people. As long as you really love Little Shao, how could they not like you?”

Du Xiaosu was still anxious, because this was the first time she had to face the family of her loved one. When she arrived at the airport, during the wait to board the plane, she caught hold of Shao Zhenrong to ask: “What do Uncle and Auntie like? And, what don’t they like? Can you give me a list of what to be careful about?”

Shao Zhenrong smiled and tapped her nose: “They like me the most, so, they will definitely like you too.”

After the long vacation ended and they went back to work, having learnt of Du Xiaosu’s visit to Beijing, Zou Siqi asked, “How was it? How did it feel to see your in-laws for the first time?”

Du Xiaosu paused for a moment, before saying, “I was a little nervous at first, but later…”

Zou Siqi grinned: “Even someone like you is able to be nervous? Don’t you often brag that your skin is thicker than steel?”

Du Xiaosu still appeared to be in a trance. Zou Siqi only found it funny: “When I first went to see my in-laws, heading to Fujian with my first love, my heart was pounding rapidly the whole night. Oh right, how was his family? Although, looking at Little Shao, his parents must be great people, the reasonable type. They must’ve been nice to you, right?”

Du Xiaosu gave a noise of agreement, and said, “They were indeed kind to me.”

In fact, when Du Xiaosu and Shaozhenrong were waiting for the plane at the airport, seeing Shao Zhenrong’s hesitancy, she already felt something was wrong. Finally, he said, “Xiaosu, I have something to tell you.” He grasped her hand: “Just, don’t be mad.”

She bit her lip: “Do you have a wife in Beijing?”

He was startled, and immediately couldn’t help laughing: “Where did those wild thoughts come from?”

She glanced at him very aggrievedly: “Then what’s with your expression?”

He said, “My father is…” After hesitating for a while, he said a name.

Du Xiaosu was stunned for a while, but holding the last glimmer of hope, asked: “Just coincidentally the same name and last name?”

He said, “No.”

She said: “I don’t believe it. Your surname is Shao, how could you be his son? Besides, you work in the hospital and only drive a Buick Regal.” She felt the urge to laugh, “Anyway, you lied to me, right?”

He said, “Xiaosu, it’s not what you think. My last name, Shao, is my mother’s last name. My parents are very open-minded, and our family is just like other people’s.”

“How can it be the same?” Her cheeks were ruddy, her eyes red, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? I never thought you would lie to me.”

“Xiaosu,” he said softly, “I wasn’t trying to lie to you. Don’t say it like that.”

The two froze there. The speakers sounded with the announcement that plane boarding was beginning. He said, “Xiaosu, I’m sorry. I didn’t tell you at first, but I was afraid that you would hold prejudice against me. In that situation, we wouldn’t even have had the opportunity to date. I didn’t tell you later because I thought you didn’t value those things. If you’re angry, just scold me.”

Du Xiaosu stomped her feet: “Scold you for what? But how can you lie to me like this?”

He said: “Xiaosu, you said that you love me. No matter who I am, you still love me, right? You never told me that your father was the president of the bank either because you thought that your father’s job didn’t hold any relevance to our relationship. Because the one I love is you, not your parents. Similarly, you love me, not my parents. What are you worried about?”

She didn’t know. Her head was in a mess, reduced to brain paste. She didn’t know anything at all.

He took her by the hand and led her towards the boarding gate. She felt the urge to cry, “Can we not go?”

“No.” He held her hand tightly: “Xiaosu, think about it, they are just my parents. You have never asked about my family, just as you never show off your own family. You don’t take things like these seriously. You just love me, the two of us have nothing to do with the others.”

The broadcast was already urging them to board. Carrying their luggage, people passed one by one. Some looked at them curiously, but only thought of it as a couple having a lover’s spat.

She slowly calmed down, because his palms were dry and warm, and his eyes were unwavering. She gradually felt at ease, because he was actually more nervous and cared about this than her. He was only worried that she would not accept his background, and he kept saying: “Xiaosu, I’m sorry.”

She steeled her heart. She wouldn’t be afraid, because she loved him.

She was still in a state of confusion on the two-hour plane flight. She felt that she wasn’t fully awake, like she had a silly dream, or it was Shao Zhenrong just joking with her. But his look was severe and there was faint worry in his gaze. He tightly held her hand, as though he was afraid of her running away.

She really wanted to run away. If only they weren’t on the plane.

But when she saw Shao Zhenrong’s parents, she was filled with relief. The two elders were very kind and approachable. It could be seen that they truly liked and accepted her, because Shao Zhenrong loved her. They were his parents and just like all the parents in the world, only hoped for the happiness of their children.

“You’ve met the parents. That means that matter must be settled.” Zou Siqi dragged out her voice and asked, “When do you plan to get married?”

She lowered her eyes: “His brother…” She was a little dazed and couldn’t help but pause. Zou Siqi was surprised: “He has an older brother?”

“Yes. He is the third child in the family.”

Zou Siqi gave a “yo” and said, “Then their family is quite complicated. Will you be able to deal with a large family in the future?”

In fact, Shao Zhenrong had told her: “My oldest brother and his sister-in-law are all out of town. They are busy at work and rarely come back. My second brother also doesn’t come back often.

He also showed her all the photo albums of his childhood, but his photos were not as numerous as hers. There were only a few albums and a small number of photos with his parents. He said: “They were always quite busy with work, so I was brought up by Nanny Zhao.”

There was a group photo of two children, both about the same age, ice cream over their face, and smiles like sunflowers. He was probably the ttallest boy. The other little girl was a little shorter than him and wore a floral dress. She bore short hair like a boy, and had exactly identical eyes and even dimples on the sides of her lips.

She didn’t recall him having a sister, so she asked: “This is you and your cousin?”

He scratched his hair: “No, this is my second brother.” Then, he pointed to the one in the floral dress, a little embarrassed: “This is me.”

She couldn’t help but laugh, while he said angrily: “We have three boys. My second brother always wanted a little sister, so he forced me to dress up as a girl. He is older than me, so I stuck to him as a child and always listened to him.”

The relationship between the two brothers was very good, but there were no photos of them grown up. He said: “My eldest brother and my second brother don’t like to take pictures, so they rarely take photos with me.”

“When I was a child, I was in poor health. I had to get injections and eat medicine all day long. The children in the hospital didn’t like to play with me and called me names. My second brother, on the other hand, was the kind of the leader. He would stand on a brick pile and say, ‘Whoever doesn’t play with Zhenrong, I won’t play with them.'” Shao Zhenrong smiled as he recalled those childhood days: “My second brother is only two years older than me, yet protected me everywhere. When I went to study medicine and wanted to attend a school far away, my father was firmly opposed. Not even my mother could convince him. I quarreled with my father for days. Afterwards, my brother returned and talked with my father and I was allowed to go to Fudan University. The three of us were all raised by Nanny Zhao. In my family, the one who cares for me the most is not my parents, but my second brother. My eldest brother and his wife are busy and can’t return. You will be able to see my second brother tomorrow.”

The next day, he took her to visit Nanny Zhao. Nanny Zhao had been retired for many years and lived in a Siheyuan deep in the neighborhood. The abode was not big, but very quiet. There were two jujube trees planted in the patio. In the summer, the ground must be covered with green. Du Xiaosu rarely saw such a house. The wallpaper was clean and even the old furniture looked warm, as though there remained signs of time. Nanny Zhao’s two children were now abroad and so only Nanny Zhao and her husband lived there. So when Nanny Zhao saw her and Shao Zhenrong, her grin couldn’t disappear from her mouth and refused to let go of her hand. Du Xiaosu’s heart felt warm inside. It was because Nanny Zhao regarded Shao Zhenrong as her own son that she liked Du Xiaosu so much.

“Sit. Zhenrong, you sit with Xiaosu. Have a snack. I’ll go to the kitchen to cook. Your second brother will come after a while. Today, Nanny Zhao will cook your favorite dish. Xiaosu, I’ve stewed a pot of good chicken soup for you. You’re too skinny. This’ll make up for it.”

The heating in the room was quite sufficient. Xiaosu took off her coat. With only a sweater on, she still felt a little hot, so she stood to observe the pictures on the wall. The frames were old-fashioned and some photos were even only in black and white. In one photo, Nanny Zhao was with three children and two other old people. She felt that one of the faces was familiar. After looking carefully for a long time, she wasn’t too sure, so she turned her head and called, “Zhenrong?”

He came over to look at the photos with her. She asked curiously: “This is…”

Shao Zhenrong gave a “Oh” and explained: “This is my maternal grandpa and grandma. Nanny Zhao has taken care of us since we were young. When we were young, we often lived at grandpa’s.”

So she became happy again: “Hey, is there any gossip to talk about? Let’s dig out the secret history of celebrities!”

He laughed out loud and held her shoulders: “Only you will think so crazily. Once my brother comes back, don’t you dare say such nonsense.”

Shao Zhenrong’s second brother was as tall and upright as him. Although he had a youthful appearance, his temperance was calm and restrained, but without losing any edge. In fact, the two brothers resembled each other, especially their eyes, double eyelids with deep marks, gazes deep like the sea reflected under the stars.

He shook hands with her. His voice was low, “Miss Du, right? I’m Lei Yuzheng, Zhenrong’s second brother.”

His hands were cold, like a cold line of ice that freezes from the fingertips to the heart. Quietly, Xiaosu said, “Second brother.”

Shao Zhenrong thought she was shy, so he put his arms around her shoulders and just chuckled.

His eyebrows were still sharp. Even his smile seemed so faint that it was nonexistent. Du Xiaosu’s heart rapidly beat in her chest. She was still unsure, as though she accidentally missed a step when climbing the stairs, and still stayed in a trance. She felt like there was a boiling pot of congee in her heart. She could only recognize him when face to face. Last time outside the airport, she didn’t even think of it. Yet, her own phone still held those photos. To think he was Shao Zhenrong’s brother. When Shao Zhenrong saw what state she was in, he would continue to ask, she thought in desperation. Her heart felt empty, like she couldn’t grasp onto anything.

Both men took off their suit jackets and sat around the table, suddenly looking like boys obediently waiting for the meal. Lei Yuzheng really cared for his younger brother. He told him about some trivial matters, asked Shao Zhenrong about his work, and didn’t even neglect to sometimes talk with Du Xiaosu about some silly things Shao Zhenrong did in his childhood. Du Xiaosu would originally like this sort of atmosphere, but she felt fidgety and uneasy tonight. Nanny Zhao’s cooking was great, her dishes delicious, and she even made some wonderful plum wine. Lei Yuzheng and Shao Zhenrong both poured some. Nanny Zhao rubbed Du Xiaosu’s hair and smiled: “Xiaosu, eat more food. When you come to Beijing in the future, I will remind Zhenrong to bring you here to eat.

Lei Yuzheng raised his head and asked, “Miss Du doesn’t want to have a drink?”

Shao Zhenrong said: “She doesn’t know how to drink.”

Lei Yuzheng smiled. “Is that so?”

Nanny Zhao made a fish dumpling for Du Xiaosu, then said crossly to Lei Yuzheng and Shao Zhenrong: “Drink less, eat more vegetables. You both still have to drive back.”

Lei Yuzheng said: “It’s alright. A driver will pick me up, and can also conveniently send Zhenrong and Miss Du as well.”

They took their time eating. It was already dark when they exited the house. In the small patio, one could still see the frozen-blue-ink-like sky. She couldn’t help but lift her face up to look. The four corners of the sky were faintly red, perhaps because of light pollution. But unexpectedly the stars were visible, small and scattered, almost invisible. Du Xiaosu had not partaken in drinking, but her cheeks felt hot. 

Just now in the house, Nanny Zhao had given her a gold ring, which was very delicate and beautiful. Not allowing her to reject it, Nanny Zhao said, “Zhenrong is like my own child, so I must give it to you. When Yutao brought your sister-in-law here for the first time, I gave her one. In the future, Yuzheng will bring a girlfriend. I also have one for her. All three of you having it is a token of Nanny Zhao’s regard.”

She should have liked it, but she only felt that the ring was searing hot as she pinched it between her fingers, as though it would burn her hands. 

The night air was clear, even a little painful when inhaled into the lungs. Because of the cold, the tip of her nose was already red. Shao Zhenrong resisted the urge to tap her nose, only taking her hand. He asked in surprise, “Why are your hands so cold?”

She shook her head wildly. Lei Yuzheng had already walked out, and the three of them said goodbye to Nanny Zhao.

The driver and car had already arrived, parked quietly outside the door. It wasn’t the silver-gray Jaguar Du Xiaosu had seen outside the airport, but the black Maserati. This car was quite similar to its owner, restrained but not losing its edge. She only felt her heart falling, sinking into the abyss.

Lei Yuzheng said: “Let’s go, I’ll see you two off.” Then, he asked: “Are you going back to Jingshan?”

Shao Zhenrong nodded.

He was very polite, letting Shao Zhenrong and Du Xiaosu sit in the back seat, while he took the passenger seat in front. The driver drove the car smoothly. The air conditioner in the car was very warm. Du Xiaosu lowered her head, counting her fingers. She had never been so quiet, so Shao Zhenrong asked her, “You must be tired?” She shook her head. A few stray, soft hairs fell onto the nape of her neck. He swept them away from her. His fingers were warm, yet her heart was faintly cold.

The car was almost arriving. Lei Yuzheng turned his face towards them: “Your plane is leaving tomorrow? It’s unfortunate the time is too rushed. To think that you won’t have time to take Miss Du around.”

Shao Zhenrong smiled and said: “She stayed in Beijing for a year. Besides, what’s so fun about the cold weather?” Seeing that Lei Yuzheng had no intention of getting out of the car, Shao Zhenrong paused and finally couldn’t help but ask, “Brother, how long has it been since you came home?”

Lei Yuzheng seemed to smile a little, the corners of his mouth raised slightly, and said simply, “Don’t worry about me. Just take care of yourself.” After thinking about it, he handed Shao Zhenrong a black box and said: “This is for you two.”

Shao Zhenrong just smiled and said, “Thank you, brother.” He took it, then passed it to Du Xiaosu: “Open it and see. Do you like it?”

Du Xiaosu opened it obediently. It turned out to be a pair of NHCOTTICA watches, lowkey yet classic, unique and generous in shape, not to mention adorned with dazzling diamonds. In an instant, her face paled. On the other hand, Shao Zhenrong was very happy. He said to her, “My second brother likes watches. He actually has a hand-made Tourbillon made by Jiao Dayu. Xiao Su, he is the most extravagant person.”

Du Xiaosu closed the lid and struggled to maintain her smile, lest Shao Zhenrong see through her.

After returning to the hotel, she began to tremble, feeling cold, even though the room was well heated, and she hadn’t even taken off her coat. She just sat on the bed like that. Her mind was blank, and not even she herself knew what she was thinking. 

Suddenly, the phone rang.

It was the phone in the room. The rapid ringing startled her, causing her heart to race. The more her heart pounded, the louder it became, until it wasn’t the phone ringing, but her heart beating. She looked at the milky white phone, like she was looking at something she didn’t recognize. It rang for a long time, and finally fell silent. She clutched her shirt tightly, like she was holding onto the last straw, unaware cold sweat already dotted her head.

But without waiting for her to breathe, the phone rang again, unyielding. Like sleepwalking, knowing she wouldn’t be able to hide, she slowly stood up and picked up the receiver.

His voice was low. “I think we need to talk.”

She was silent.

“I am waiting for you in the car.”

With a click, he hung up.

She was still in a sleepwalking state and didn’t know to put back the receiver for a long while. The tone kept reverberating in her ears. She stood there in a daze, as if she had lost consciousness.

Two days later, the two planned to return to Beijing together to meet Shao Zhenrong’s parents.

Mrs. Du packed Du Xiaosu’s luggage, prepared gifts, and reminded: “Be sensible. Little Shao loves you, so you must respect his parents, let them feel at ease, and let them like you.”

Du Xiaosu felt a little nervous: “Mom, what if they don’t like me?”

“No, Little Shao is very well mannered, indicating that his parents are very educated people. As long as you really love Little Shao, how could they not like you?”

Du Xiaosu was still anxious, because this was the first time she had to face the family of her loved one. When she arrived at the airport, during the wait to board the plane, she caught hold of Shao Zhenrong to ask: “What do Uncle and Auntie like? And, what don’t they like? Can you give me a list of what to be careful about?”

Shao Zhenrong smiled and tapped her nose: “They like me the most, so, they will definitely like you too.”

After the long vacation ended and they went back to work, having learnt of Du Xiaosu’s visit to Beijing, Zou Siqi asked, “How was it? How did it feel to see your in-laws for the first time?”

Du Xiaosu paused for a moment, before saying, “I was a little nervous at first, but later…”

Zou Siqi grinned: “Even someone like you is able to be nervous? Don’t you often brag that your skin is thicker than steel?”

Du Xiaosu still appeared to be in a trance. Zou Siqi only found it funny: “When I first went to see my in-laws, heading to Fujian with my first love, my heart was pounding rapidly the whole night. Oh right, how was his family? Although, looking at Little Shao, his parents must be great people, the reasonable type. They must’ve been nice to you, right?”

Du Xiaosu gave a noise of agreement, and said, “They were indeed kind to me.”

In fact, when Du Xiaosu and Shaozhenrong were waiting for the plane at the airport, seeing Shao Zhenrong’s hesitancy, she already felt something was wrong. Finally, he said, “Xiaosu, I have something to tell you.” He grasped her hand: “Just, don’t be mad.”

She bit her lip: “Do you have a wife in Beijing?”

He was startled, and immediately couldn’t help laughing: “Where did those wild thoughts come from?”

She glanced at him very aggrievedly: “Then what’s with your expression?”

He said, “My father is…” After hesitating for a while, he said a name.

Du Xiaosu was stunned for a while, but holding the last glimmer of hope, asked: “Just coincidentally the same name and last name?”

He said, “No.”

She said: “I don’t believe it. Your surname is Shao, how could you be his son? Besides, you work in the hospital and only drive a Buick Regal.” She felt the urge to laugh, “Anyway, you lied to me, right?”

He said, “Xiaosu, it’s not what you think. My last name, Shao, is my mother’s last name. My parents are very open-minded, and our family is just like other people’s.”

“How can it be the same?” Her cheeks were ruddy, her eyes red, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? I never thought you would lie to me.”

“Xiaosu,” he said softly, “I wasn’t trying to lie to you. Don’t say it like that.”

The two froze there. The speakers sounded with the announcement that plane boarding was beginning. He said, “Xiaosu, I’m sorry. I didn’t tell you at first, but I was afraid that you would hold prejudice against me. In that situation, we wouldn’t even have had the opportunity to date. I didn’t tell you later because I thought you didn’t value those things. If you’re angry, just scold me.”

Du Xiaosu stomped her feet: “Scold you for what? But how can you lie to me like this?”

He said: “Xiaosu, you said that you love me. No matter who I am, you still love me, right? You never told me that your father was the president of the bank either because you thought that your father’s job didn’t hold any relevance to our relationship. Because the one I love is you, not your parents. Similarly, you love me, not my parents. What are you worried about?”

She didn’t know. Her head was in a mess, reduced to brain paste. She didn’t know anything at all.

He took her by the hand and led her towards the boarding gate. She felt the urge to cry, “Can we not go?”

“No.” He held her hand tightly: “Xiaosu, think about it, they are just my parents. You have never asked about my family, just as you never show off your own family. You don’t take things like these seriously. You just love me, the two of us have nothing to do with the others.”

The broadcast was already urging them to board. Carrying their luggage, people passed one by one. Some looked at them curiously, but only thought of it as a couple having a lover’s spat.

She slowly calmed down, because his palms were dry and warm, and his eyes were unwavering. She gradually felt at ease, because he was actually more nervous and cared about this than her. He was only worried that she would not accept his background, and he kept saying: “Xiaosu, I’m sorry.”

She steeled her heart. She wouldn’t be afraid, because she loved him.

She was still in a state of confusion on the two-hour plane flight. She felt that she wasn’t fully awake, like she had a silly dream, or it was Shao Zhenrong just joking with her. But his look was severe and there was faint worry in his gaze. He tightly held her hand, as though he was afraid of her running away.

She really wanted to run away. If only they weren’t on the plane.

But when she saw Shao Zhenrong’s parents, she was filled with relief. The two elders were very kind and approachable. It could be seen that they truly liked and accepted her, because Shao Zhenrong loved her. They were his parents and just like all the parents in the world, only hoped for the happiness of their children.

“You’ve met the parents. That means that matter must be settled.” Zou Siqi dragged out her voice and asked, “When do you plan to get married?”

She lowered her eyes: “His brother…” She was a little dazed and couldn’t help but pause. Zou Siqi was surprised: “He has an older brother?”

“Yes. He is the third child in the family.”

Zou Siqi gave a “yo” and said, “Then their family is quite complicated. Will you be able to deal with a large family in the future?”

In fact, Shao Zhenrong had told her: “My oldest brother and his sister-in-law are all out of town. They are busy at work and rarely come back. My second brother also doesn’t come back often.

He also showed her all the photo albums of his childhood, but his photos were not as numerous as hers. There were only a few albums and a small number of photos with his parents. He said: “They were always quite busy with work, so I was brought up by Nanny Zhao.”

There was a group photo of two children, both about the same age, ice cream over their face, and smiles like sunflowers. He was probably the ttallest boy. The other little girl was a little shorter than him and wore a floral dress. She bore short hair like a boy, and had exactly identical eyes and even dimples on the sides of her lips.

She didn’t recall him having a sister, so she asked: “This is you and your cousin?”

He scratched his hair: “No, this is my second brother.” Then, he pointed to the one in the floral dress, a little embarrassed: “This is me.”

She couldn’t help but laugh, while he said angrily: “We have three boys. My second brother always wanted a little sister, so he forced me to dress up as a girl. He is older than me, so I stuck to him as a child and always listened to him.”

The relationship between the two brothers was very good, but there were no photos of them grown up. He said: “My eldest brother and my second brother don’t like to take pictures, so they rarely take photos with me.”

“When I was a child, I was in poor health. I had to get injections and eat medicine all day long. The children in the hospital didn’t like to play with me and called me names. My second brother, on the other hand, was the kind of the leader. He would stand on a brick pile and say, ‘Whoever doesn’t play with Zhenrong, I won’t play with them.'” Shao Zhenrong smiled as he recalled those childhood days: “My second brother is only two years older than me, yet protected me everywhere. When I went to study medicine and wanted to attend a school far away, my father was firmly opposed. Not even my mother could convince him. I quarreled with my father for days. Afterwards, my brother returned and talked with my father and I was allowed to go to Fudan University. The three of us were all raised by Nanny Zhao. In my family, the one who cares for me the most is not my parents, but my second brother. My eldest brother and his wife are busy and can’t return. You will be able to see my second brother tomorrow.”

The next day, he took her to visit Nanny Zhao. Nanny Zhao had been retired for many years and lived in a Siheyuan deep in the neighborhood. The abode was not big, but very quiet. There were two jujube trees planted in the patio. In the summer, the ground must be covered with green. Du Xiaosu rarely saw such a house. The wallpaper was clean and even the old furniture looked warm, as though there remained signs of time. Nanny Zhao’s two children were now abroad and so only Nanny Zhao and her husband lived there. So when Nanny Zhao saw her and Shao Zhenrong, her grin couldn’t disappear from her mouth and refused to let go of her hand. Du Xiaosu’s heart felt warm inside. It was because Nanny Zhao regarded Shao Zhenrong as her own son that she liked Du Xiaosu so much.

“Sit. Zhenrong, you sit with Xiaosu. Have a snack. I’ll go to the kitchen to cook. Your second brother will come after a while. Today, Nanny Zhao will cook your favorite dish. Xiaosu, I’ve stewed a pot of good chicken soup for you. You’re too skinny. This’ll make up for it.”

The heating in the room was quite sufficient. Xiaosu took off her coat. With only a sweater on, she still felt a little hot, so she stood to observe the pictures on the wall. The frames were old-fashioned and some photos were even only in black and white. In one photo, Nanny Zhao was with three children and two other old people. She felt that one of the faces was familiar. After looking carefully for a long time, she wasn’t too sure, so she turned her head and called, “Zhenrong?”

He came over to look at the photos with her. She asked curiously: “This is…”

Shao Zhenrong gave a “Oh” and explained: “This is my maternal grandpa and grandma. Nanny Zhao has taken care of us since we were young. When we were young, we often lived at grandpa’s.”

So she became happy again: “Hey, is there any gossip to talk about? Let’s dig out the secret history of celebrities!”

He laughed out loud and held her shoulders: “Only you will think so crazily. Once my brother comes back, don’t you dare say such nonsense.”

Shao Zhenrong’s second brother was as tall and upright as him. Although he had a youthful appearance, his temperance was calm and restrained, but without losing any edge. In fact, the two brothers resembled each other, especially their eyes, double eyelids with deep marks, gazes deep like the sea reflected under the stars.

He shook hands with her. His voice was low, “Miss Du, right? I’m Lei Yuzheng, Zhenrong’s second brother.”

His hands were cold, like a cold line of ice that freezes from the fingertips to the heart. Quietly, Xiaosu said, “Second brother.”

Shao Zhenrong thought she was shy, so he put his arms around her shoulders and just chuckled.

His eyebrows were still sharp. Even his smile seemed so faint that it was nonexistent. Du Xiaosu’s heart rapidly beat in her chest. She was still unsure, as though she accidentally missed a step when climbing the stairs, and still stayed in a trance. She felt like there was a boiling pot of congee in her heart. She could only recognize him when face to face. Last time outside the airport, she didn’t even think of it. Yet, her own phone still held those photos. To think he was Shao Zhenrong’s brother. When Shao Zhenrong saw what state she was in, he would continue to ask, she thought in desperation. Her heart felt empty, like she couldn’t grasp onto anything.

Both men took off their suit jackets and sat around the table, suddenly looking like boys obediently waiting for the meal. Lei Yuzheng really cared for his younger brother. He told him about some trivial matters, asked Shao Zhenrong about his work, and didn’t even neglect to sometimes talk with Du Xiaosu about some silly things Shao Zhenrong did in his childhood. Du Xiaosu would originally like this sort of atmosphere, but she felt fidgety and uneasy tonight. Nanny Zhao’s cooking was great, her dishes delicious, and she even made some wonderful plum wine. Lei Yuzheng and Shao Zhenrong both poured some. Nanny Zhao rubbed Du Xiaosu’s hair and smiled: “Xiaosu, eat more food. When you come to Beijing in the future, I will remind Zhenrong to bring you here to eat.

Lei Yuzheng raised his head and asked, “Miss Du doesn’t want to have a drink?”

Shao Zhenrong said: “She doesn’t know how to drink.”

Lei Yuzheng smiled. “Is that so?”

Nanny Zhao made a fish dumpling for Du Xiaosu, then said crossly to Lei Yuzheng and Shao Zhenrong: “Drink less, eat more vegetables. You both still have to drive back.”

Lei Yuzheng said: “It’s alright. A driver will pick me up, and can also conveniently send Zhenrong and Miss Du as well.”

They took their time eating. It was already dark when they exited the house. In the small patio, one could still see the frozen-blue-ink-like sky. She couldn’t help but lift her face up to look. The four corners of the sky were faintly red, perhaps because of light pollution. But unexpectedly the stars were visible, small and scattered, almost invisible. Du Xiaosu had not partaken in drinking, but her cheeks felt hot. 

Just now in the house, Nanny Zhao had given her a gold ring, which was very delicate and beautiful. Not allowing her to reject it, Nanny Zhao said, “Zhenrong is like my own child, so I must give it to you. When Yutao brought your sister-in-law here for the first time, I gave her one. In the future, Yuzheng will bring a girlfriend. I also have one for her. All three of you having it is a token of Nanny Zhao’s regard.”

She should have liked it, but she only felt that the ring was searing hot as she pinched it between her fingers, as though it would burn her hands. 

The night air was clear, even a little painful when inhaled into the lungs. Because of the cold, the tip of her nose was already red. Shao Zhenrong resisted the urge to tap her nose, only taking her hand. He asked in surprise, “Why are your hands so cold?”

She shook her head wildly. Lei Yuzheng had already walked out, and the three of them said goodbye to Nanny Zhao.

The driver and car had already arrived, parked quietly outside the door. It wasn’t the silver-gray Jaguar Du Xiaosu had seen outside the airport, but the black Maserati. This car was quite similar to its owner, restrained but not losing its edge. She only felt her heart falling, sinking into the abyss.

Lei Yuzheng said: “Let’s go, I’ll see you two off.” Then, he asked: “Are you going back to Jingshan?”

Shao Zhenrong nodded.

He was very polite, letting Shao Zhenrong and Du Xiaosu sit in the back seat, while he took the passenger seat in front. The driver drove the car smoothly. The air conditioner in the car was very warm. Du Xiaosu lowered her head, counting her fingers. She had never been so quiet, so Shao Zhenrong asked her, “You must be tired?” She shook her head. A few stray, soft hairs fell onto the nape of her neck. He swept them away from her. His fingers were warm, yet her heart was faintly cold.

The car was almost arriving. Lei Yuzheng turned his face towards them: “Your plane is leaving tomorrow? It’s unfortunate the time is too rushed. To think that you won’t have time to take Miss Du around.”

Shao Zhenrong smiled and said: “She stayed in Beijing for a year. Besides, what’s so fun about the cold weather?” Seeing that Lei Yuzheng had no intention of getting out of the car, Shao Zhenrong paused and finally couldn’t help but ask, “Brother, how long has it been since you came home?”

Lei Yuzheng seemed to smile a little, the corners of his mouth raised slightly, and said simply, “Don’t worry about me. Just take care of yourself.” After thinking about it, he handed Shao Zhenrong a black box and said: “This is for you two.”

Shao Zhenrong just smiled and said, “Thank you, brother.” He took it, then passed it to Du Xiaosu: “Open it and see. Do you like it?”

Du Xiaosu opened it obediently. It turned out to be a pair of NHCOTTICA watches, lowkey yet classic, unique and generous in shape, not to mention adorned with dazzling diamonds. In an instant, her face paled. On the other hand, Shao Zhenrong was very happy. He said to her, “My second brother likes watches. He actually has a hand-made Tourbillon made by Jiao Dayu. Xiao Su, he is the most extravagant person.”

Du Xiaosu closed the lid and struggled to maintain her smile, lest Shao Zhenrong see through her.

After returning to the hotel, she began to tremble, feeling cold, even though the room was well heated, and she hadn’t even taken off her coat. She just sat on the bed like that. Her mind was blank, and not even she herself knew what she was thinking. 

Suddenly, the phone rang.

It was the phone in the room. The rapid ringing startled her, causing her heart to race. The more her heart pounded, the louder it became, until it wasn’t the phone ringing, but her heart beating. She looked at the milky white phone, like she was looking at something she didn’t recognize. It rang for a long time, and finally fell silent. She clutched her shirt tightly, like she was holding onto the last straw, unaware cold sweat already dotted her head.

But without waiting for her to breathe, the phone rang again, unyielding. Like sleepwalking, knowing she wouldn’t be able to hide, she slowly stood up and picked up the receiver.

His voice was low. “I think we need to talk.”

She was silent.

“I am waiting for you in the car.”

With a click, he hung up.

She was still in a sleepwalking state and didn’t know to put back the receiver for a long while. The tone kept reverberating in her ears. She stood there in a daze, as if she had lost consciousness.