Chapter 6#
Chapter 6#
On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, the first thing Tan Xiao did when he woke up was to give Zhang Xingchuan a New Year greeting. Zhang Xingchuan gave him a big red envelope and joked, “It’s Yasuiqian (money given to children to ward off evil spirits during the New Year)!”
Having officially entered the Year of the Horse, thirty-six-year-old Zhang Xingchuan giving twenty-four-year-old Tan Xiao “Yasuiqian” was, of course, a joke.
However, before going to bed last night, Tan Xiao had received “Yasuiqian” from Zhou Ruofei across the ocean, and Zhou Ruofei was two or three years younger than Zhang Xingchuan.
So, in Tan Xiao’s understanding, it was both reasonable and logical for Zhang Xingchuan to give him Yasuiqian.
He accepted the red envelope without politeness and said, “Thank you, President.”
Zhang Xingchuan said, “It’s the New Year and we’re at home, so don’t address me like that.”
Tan Xiao thought for a moment. He should probably call him the same way he called Zhou Ruofei, so he changed his address: “Thank you, Brother (Gege).”
In his private time, Zhang Xingchuan was more like a friendly older brother next door compared to the unreliable Zhou Ruofei.
“This?” Zhang Xingchuan didn’t expect Tan Xiao to call him that. He laughed, “The last time I was called that, it was by my cousin’s six-year-old daughter.”
When the little girl first met Zhang Xingchuan, her parents told her to greet him. She didn’t know Zhang Xingchuan and didn’t wait for her family to teach her; she ran over, hugged Zhang Xingchuan’s leg, and sweetly called him “Brother.”
She was a sweet-talking child just like Tan Xiao.
Tan Xiao had lived in China for many years but lacked interpersonal experience with relatives. He wasn’t quite clear about how Chinese relatives addressed each other. He thought seriously and said, “Shouldn’t she call you Uncle? Anyway, she definitely shouldn’t call you Brother.”
“She shouldn’t, but you should call me Brother.” Zhang Xingchuan thought this really wasn’t a big deal and steered the conversation back to the New Year greeting, saying, “Happy New Year.”
Having received the red envelope, Tan Xiao happily replied, “Gongxi Facai (Wish you prosperity)!”
For the first meal of the New Year, Zhang Xingchuan boiled dumplings and tangyuan (sweet rice balls), and set them on the dining table along with fruits and dried nuts.
“I’ll make a video call to my parents to give them a New Year greeting,” he said to Tan Xiao. “It’ll be quick. We’ll eat right after.”
Tan Xiao sat on the living room sofa, half-heartedly participating in the New Year greeting chain in his classmate group. He replied, “Okay, as you should.”
Zhang Xingchuan showed his parents his New Year’s breakfast, meaning he was eating well and celebrating the New Year properly.
After just a few words, his father said he had an appointment to drink tea and play cards, and quickly disappeared from the call.
It was close to noon in Australia. He was clearly waiting for Zhang Xingchuan’s New Year greeting call and only felt relieved to go out after receiving it—evidently a typical “duplicitous” Chinese father.
Zhang Xingchuan then exchanged a few more routine words with his mother.
Tan Xiao heard his mother ask on the other end of the video: “Are you still alone this year?”
Then Tan Xiao saw Zhang Xingchuan frown, clearly disliking the question.
Tan Xiao thought, Oh? So the CEO also gets pressured to marry.
“I’m not alone,” Zhang Xingchuan was indeed annoyed by his parents bringing this up. Catching sight of Tan Xiao in the living room, he suddenly had a mischievous idea. He answered his mother’s question: “A ‘zaizai’ (kid/cub) is spending the New Year with me this year.”
He used a dialect term. In his dialect, “zaizai” is an affectionate way to refer to a child.
What zaizai? Which zaizai? Tan Xiao thought, looking up at Zhang Xingchuan and meeting his eyes.
Tan Xiao pointed at himself, Ah, me?
With his trick in progress, Zhang Xingchuan smiled and asked him, “Zaizai, do you mind if I flip the camera so Ms. Jiang can see you?”
Normally, this request would be a bit rude, but it was the New Year, and Tan Xiao was just a young junior visiting Zhang Xingchuan’s mother. There was no reason to refuse.
Besides, he wasn’t socially anxious at all. Greeting a friend’s mother for the New Year was a simple matter. Tan Xiao nodded, indicating he was okay with it.
Zhang Xingchuan flipped the camera from the front to the back, facing Tan Xiao in the living room.
Tan Xiao waved at the iPad and said politely, “Hello, Auntie. Happy New Year.”
Zhang Xingchuan’s mother was wearing reading glasses. She was all smiles while chatting with her son. Hearing that a “zaizai” was at the house, she automatically assumed Zhang Xingchuan had a pet. Otherwise, Zhang Xingchuan couldn’t have suddenly produced a human child, right? And using “zaizai” to refer to a pet was also common.
She was waiting to see a cute cat or dog after Zhang Xingchuan flipped the camera.
Suddenly! Why was there a handsome young man in the living room?
Ms. Jiang was momentarily stunned, with no movement or words for several seconds.
Zhang Xingchuan knew exactly what he was doing; his trick had worked. He was a bit annoyed by the marriage pressure and decided to pull a harmless prank on his mother. He pretended to ask, “Hmm? Is the internet bad? Is it lagging?”
Tan Xiao didn’t understand Zhang Xingchuan’s scheme and was still waving like a polite “lucky cat” on the sofa. Hearing this, he asked, “What’s wrong? Is it frozen?”
The iPad finally emitted Ms. Jiang’s voice: “Hello… Happy New Year.”
Zhang Xingchuan introduced, “His name is Tan Xiao, and he’s a PhD student at Tsinghua.”
Ms. Jiang paused for a few more seconds before saying, “Still a student? Good, good, good.”
Tan Xiao felt it was a bit impolite to greet someone from so far away, so he stood up and walked over to Zhang Xingchuan’s side.
The fact that Zhang Xingchuan had brought a young man home for the New Year had startled Ms. Jiang’s soul right out of her body.
Meanwhile, Zhang Xingchuan’s prank had succeeded, and he was struggling to hold back his laughter. Seeing Tan Xiao coming over, he made some space for him so that Tan Xiao could be in the frame with him, giving Ms. Jiang a clearer view.
Tan Xiao saw Ms. Jiang on the iPad screen and couldn’t help but marvel. What an elegant auntie. Zhang Xingchuan’s eyes and brows were very similar to hers. She must have been a stunning beauty when she was young.
Zhang Xingchuan had already flipped the camera back. He was sitting at the dining table talking to his family. Tan Xiao stood close beside him, leaning down slightly. To get both their faces in the frame, the distance between their faces was less than an inch.
From Ms. Jiang’s perspective, it looked like they were taking a couple’s photo.
Tan Xiao greeted her brightly again: “Happy New Year! Auntie, my home is a bit far from Beijing, so I came to disturb Zhang… disturb Brother Xingchuan for the New Year.”
He had almost said “Mr. Zhang,” but that address was too distant. The new address that slipped out, however, was overly sentimental.
Zhang Xingchuan was also a bit taken aback and looked at Tan Xiao wordlessly.
Tan Xiao noticed and smiled at Zhang Xingchuan somewhat apologetically.
Ms. Jiang couldn’t bear to look at the scene anymore. She took off her reading glasses, feeling dizzy, and said distractedly, “Happy New Year. You guys go ahead and eat. Talk to you later.”
Zhang Xingchuan hung up the video call. Tan Xiao sat down on a dining chair next to him and said, “Auntie is really beautiful and has great poise.”
“Of course, she’s my mother.” Zhang Xingchuan accepted the praise happily and added, “Sorry, calling you over to talk to her so suddenly was just a whim. I should have told you beforehand.”
Tan Xiao said nonchalantly, “Even if you hadn’t called me, I would have wanted to. It’s only right to give New Year greetings to elders.”
After the little interlude, Zhang Xingchuan gestured for Tan Xiao to start eating, introducing the breakfast: “The dumplings were made and frozen in the fridge by the auntie beforehand; they’re three-delicacy filling. The tangyuan are frozen store-bought ones, black sesame filling.”
Tan Xiao chose the dumplings.
After the meal, Tan Xiao proactively cleared the dishes. Zhang Xingchuan began to think about what the two of them should do today or where they should go to play.
When Tan Xiao came out of the kitchen, however, he took his leave of Zhang Xingchuan, not wanting to disturb Zhang Xingchuan’s New Year activities and intending to return to school.
Zhang Xingchuan persuaded him to stay.
“As you’ve seen, the auntie at home is on holiday these two days,” Zhang Xingchuan said. “I have to cook anyway, and it’s easier to make for two people.”
Tan Xiao said, “Don’t you need to visit relatives and friends? There must be people coming to your house for New Year greetings, too.”
Zhang Xingchuan looked him up and down and said in a shocked tone, “Zaizai, have you blocked Brother Xingchuan’s WeChat Moments?”
“How could I? I just rarely check Moments.” Tan Xiao immediately took out his phone and opened Zhang Xingchuan’s Moments to check.
On the afternoon before last, when the Wencheng CEO’s office started its Spring Festival holiday, Zhang Xingchuan had posted a status update that evening:
Closing doors to rest during the Spring Festival. Will meet again after the holiday. Wishing everyone steady progress and a fresh start. — Wencheng, Zhang Xingchuan
“I’ve been curious for a long time,” Tan Xiao said. “Why do your entrepreneurs’ personal announcements all sound like they were written by AI?”
Zhang Xingchuan said seriously, “I just learned considerate speaking techniques from Teacher AI.”
Tan Xiao gave him a thumbs up.
Zhang Xingchuan rarely had these three days of leisure throughout the year. His parents and close relatives were not in Beijing, and he didn’t want to be busy with social engagements.
So Tan Xiao didn’t refuse further and happily stayed to finish the New Year with Zhang Xingchuan.
Zhang Xingchuan suggested going out to play and even gave the decision-making power of where to go to Tan Xiao.
Tan Xiao, however, said, “Is there anywhere you want to go? I can accompany you. If it’s up to me, I’d rather stay at home and play on my phone.”
On the first day of the New Year, some business places are closed, and most of those that aren’t are overcrowded.
“Do you want to go to Universal Studios?” Zhang Xingchuan thought of a suitable place and suggested, “There shouldn’t be many tourists today.”
Tan Xiao said, “There are very few. I went last year on this day. You can go on the rides several times in a row. Do you want to go? I can accompany you.”
Zhang Xingchuan said, “Never mind then. Let’s pick somewhere else.”
“Want to go to the Palace Museum? One year I went early, and if you get there early, there aren’t many people.” Tan Xiao looked at his watch and said regretfully, “It’s a bit late to go now. After ten o’clock, the Palace Museum is about to be ‘attacked’ by a hundred million people.”
Zhang Xingchuan was also out of ideas. Tan Xiao asked, “What did you do on this day last year? Did you go anywhere with anyone?”
“No one, and I was too lazy to go out.” Zhang Xingchuan pointed outside and said, “I diligently planted some flowers.”
Tan Xiao looked in the direction he pointed.
The double-height living room of this house had a six-meter-high floor-to-ceiling window. Outside was a small garden, which now, in winter, had only bare turf.
But this garden was clearly well-designed. The bricks and stones were laid out in a staggered manner, and different areas had different types of soil. It was a garden that was being seriously maintained.
Tan Xiao said, “Was this also left by the previous owner, the painter?”
Zhang Xingchuan said, “No, it used to be a glass room that the painter used as an art space. It was useless to me, so I tore it down and turned it into a garden.”
“Where are the flowers?” Tan Xiao asked. “Didn’t you diligently plant them last year? You didn’t like them and cleared them all out?”
Zhang Xingchuan said, “No. I diligently planted them wrong, and they all died.”
Tan Xiao burst out laughing.
Zhang Xingchuan said helplessly, “I consulted professionals. My timing for planting flowers was wrong. Some bulbs should be planted in autumn, and some cuttings shouldn’t be made until April. I’ve learned my lesson. Last autumn, I planted some peony bulbs. I don’t know if they’ll bloom. When the weather gets warmer, I’ll try planting something else if I have time.”
Tan Xiao nodded and said, “Then, I wish you and your flowers a wealthy and prosperous blooming.”
Zhang Xingchuan felt that tending to flowers and plants was a bit like an old person’s hobby, and assumed Tan Xiao wouldn’t be interested, so he stopped talking about it and asked, “If we’re not going out, staying home is fine too. The game console is upstairs.”
Tan Xiao leaped up: “Yay!”
In the end, the two of them spent the whole day playing Zelda.
The CEO of a listed company and a third-year PhD student are usually incredibly busy, and they finally played games without any reservations during the Spring Festival holiday, to the point of forgetting to eat and sleep.
Now that we’ve mentioned “eat.”