Chapter 24

When leaving the room, Shu Shiran checked the time. It was already half past ten. Her grandmother and Aunt Hui were early sleepers and had already retired for the night. Afraid of waking them, Shu Shiran moved with light, cautious steps.

Stepping out the front door, she saw Ji Xi’s car. At this hour, the villa district was exceptionally quiet; the black car’s headlights were on, standing in the cold night like a lonely, silent island. And then, this island was suddenly intruded upon by a light, graceful presence.

Shu Shiran opened the passenger door and slid inside, greeted by a wave of warmth.

"Why are you here?"

Ji Xi turned off his phone screen and looked at her. One hand rested casually on the steering wheel, exuding a sense of cool, effortless charm. "Just to see you."

Perhaps it was because she had hurried over, but Shu Shiran’s heart was beating a little fast. She was reminded of those wild, playboy types from her school days—the kind who would show up at a girl’s doorstep in the middle of the night to take her out.

"What did you tell them?" Ji Xi asked.

Shu Shiran replied, "I couldn't hide it from my grandmother. But I didn’t mention the Wanleng matter. I just told her you were interested in my background, and that I got married on a whim after being provoked."

Ji Xi chuckled upon hearing this, his laughter carrying an ambiguous tone. Shu Shiran vaguely sensed he wasn't entirely satisfied with that explanation and felt a bit annoyed. This was already the version that best protected his image. If she had told her grandmother that he had used the Wanleng affair as a condition, she had no idea what her grandmother’s impression of him would be.

Sensing Shu Shiran’s gaze, Ji Xi didn't press the matter. He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel and said, "I’ll come over tomorrow morning."

"Alright," she agreed. She also felt it would be best for him to come tomorrow to show sincerity. Unsure of what her grandmother’s attitude toward him would be, she worriedly urged him, "Whatever my grandmother says tomorrow, just listen. She’s always been easygoing with the younger generation. Even if she’s unhappy about us getting married in secret, she shouldn't make things difficult for you."

Ji Xi leaned slightly toward her, calm and composed, and replied, "I know."

Shu Shiran added, "Also, my grandmother likes steady, serious people. Remember to be more restrained tomorrow, like you were last time."

Not sure if he was even listening, she was about to continue when Ji Xi curled his lips into a smile. "Nannan, my ears are going to grow calluses."

Shu Shiran: "..."

That was exactly what her grandmother had said the last time he came to pick her up. He had mimicked the tone of intimacy and playful exasperation so perfectly, adding his own signature hint of teasing, that Shu Shiran’s face flushed hot instantly. She glared at him. "Don't copy the way my grandmother speaks."

Because she had just showered and changed into pajamas, she had thrown on a thick, fluffy loungewear set before coming out, making her look incredibly soft. Coupled with her reddened face, her warning held no intimidation at all.

Ji Xi raised an eyebrow. "Are you that worried? What good would it do me if things went wrong?"

Shu Shiran paused. He was right; it wouldn't do him any good. Perhaps everyone feels a bit of anxiety before bringing their significant other to meet their family for the first time. She decided to say no more.

"Remember to bring your marriage certificate; my grandmother wants to see it. Mine is already inside."

"Got it," Ji Xi said.

A few seconds of silence followed. Shu Shiran’s face and ears were still bright red, and the sound of him calling her "Nannan" seemed to echo in her mind. Ji Xi’s eyes remained filled with a faint smile.

"...I’m going back up now."

Shu Shiran gave him one last glare before opening the door to get out.

***

It was rare for her to stay at Lubi, so the next morning, Shu Shiran didn't sleep in and got up to have breakfast with her grandmother. After waking up, her grandmother checked her blood pressure, which was finally within the normal range.

After breakfast, Shu Shiran mentioned that Ji Xi would be coming over in the morning. Old Mrs. Shu nodded. Seeing her granddaughter yawn, she said, "It’s a rare day off, go back upstairs and get some more sleep."

It was only 7:30 AM; usually, Shu Shiran wouldn't have been up yet. Seeing her hesitate, the grandmother knew what she wanted to say and remarked, "You’ve already registered the marriage. I’m not a confused old woman; things are as they are."

Only then did Shu Shiran feel relieved. She looked at her grandmother and asked, "Grandma, you're not angry with me anymore, right?"

Aunt Hui chimed in from the side, "Since when has the old lady stayed mad at you overnight?"

Old Mrs. Shu remained silent.

Shu Shiran said, "I haven't heard Grandma call me by my real name in years."

The old lady gave a light snort. "Look at what you’ve done yourself. Alright, go to sleep." She added, "Nannan, go get some rest."

Shu Shiran went upstairs, returned to her room, and lay in bed, though she didn't feel particularly sleepy. She picked up her phone, scrolled through it idly, and opened a small group chat with Zheng Tingyan and Xu Ying.

-Shu Shiran: My grandmother knows that Ji Xi and I are married.

-Xu Ying: ?
-Xu Ying: Why are you up so early today?
-Xu Ying: When did she find out?

-Shu Shiran: I’m in Lubi.
-Shu Shiran: Last night.

Shu Shiran gave them a rough summary of what happened.

-Xu Ying: Typical of your grandma.
-Xu Ying: Good thing the process from suspicion to confirmation was gradual; there was some buildup, so it wasn't a sudden shock.

-Shu Shiran: Yes.

-Xu Ying: So, is Ji Xi going to Lubi?

-Shu Shiran: He’s coming over this morning.

Zheng Tingyan hadn't woken up yet and didn't appear in the chat. Shu Shiran and Xu Ying chatted for a while longer, and once drowsiness finally set in, she put her phone down and fell asleep.

When Shu Shiran woke up again, the room was still pitch black; the blackout curtains had blocked out all the light. Checking her phone, she saw it was nearly eleven o'clock and snapped wide awake. She couldn't believe she had slept that long.

There was a message from Ji Xi on WeChat.

-Ji Xi: I’m here.

The message had been sent half an hour ago. Shu Shiran scrambled out of bed and initiated a voice call to Ji Xi. It rang a few times before he picked up.

"Awake?"

Shu Shiran replied, "I accidentally fell asleep. Where are you?"

Ji Xi: "Downstairs. Come on down."

Shu Shiran: "..."

When she finished getting ready and went downstairs, Old Mrs. Shu and Aunt Hui were looking at their marriage certificate, while Ji Xi sat to the side. The atmosphere seemed fine. The two women were focused on the document, but Ji Xi spotted her immediately, his eyes lifting slightly.

Shu Shiran walked over and sat beside him. "Why didn't you call me?"

"I just happened to run into Aunt Hui," Ji Xi said.

"Nannan, where did you two take your photos?" Old Mrs. Shu asked.

The mention of "Nannan" made both Shu Shiran and Ji Xi think of the previous night. Ji Xi curled his lips. Shu Shiran glanced at him before turning to answer, "We took them right there at the Civil Affairs Bureau."

Old Mrs. Shu: "Why didn't you take them somewhere else beforehand like everyone else?"

Shu Shiran hadn't even thought of that before going to register. She said, "There wasn't enough time."

Aunt Hui: "This photo is beautiful, too. You look like such a perfect match."

The grandmother and Aunt Hui kept flipping through the marriage certificate. Shu Shiran opened her phone; it was still on the WeChat interface with Ji Xi. She typed a message into the input box: *What did you talk about?*

As soon as she sent it, a notification sound came from beside her. She turned her head and happened to see Ji Xi opening the message. She caught a glimpse of the nickname he had saved for her. She had never noticed it before.

"Why is it just 'r'?" she asked softly.

As the words left her lips, Ji Xi’s screen went dark. It was very sudden, as if he really didn't want her to see it. Shu Shiran looked up, wanting to explain that she hadn't meant to peek, that she had just seen it by accident.

Ji Xi lifted his eyes to look at her. Their gazes locked. Shu Shiran felt her heart skip a beat under his unreadable look.

Ji Xi’s eyes flickered, and he looked away. "Your name. Just a random label."

Shu Shiran knew, of course, that "r" came from the pinyin of "Ran" in her name, but she was still puzzled by the way he had saved it. Most people didn't use labels like that.

"Let's eat," Old Mrs. Shu said, handing the marriage certificate back.

Shu Shiran was closer, so she took it to return to Ji Xi, then said to her grandmother, "I’ll bring mine back next time."

Lunch consisted of all the dishes Shu Shiran loved. She and Ji Xi sat on one side, while the grandmother and Aunt Hui sat on the other. Because the old lady had high blood pressure and diabetes, she had to control her diet. Usually, the things she couldn't eat weren't cooked at all; several of the dishes today were only made because Shu Shiran had returned.

Shu Shiran knew exactly what the old lady couldn't eat. Seeing her reach for the sweet and sour pork ribs, she reminded her, "Grandma, the doctor said it's best if you don't eat sweet and sour dishes."

Old Mrs. Shu pursed her lips. "I haven't had them in so long."

Shu Shiran: "That still won't do."

Old Mrs. Shu: "I’ll just have a tiny bit to taste it; it won't matter."

Shu Shiran couldn't bear to be too strict. After hesitating for two seconds, she relented, "Only a tiny bit, then."

She picked up a small piece for her grandmother. It was truly a tiny morsel, barely more than the meat that fell off the bone.

Old Mrs. Shu: "...Nannan, this isn't even enough to feed an ant."

Shu Shiran was firm. "That's all there is."

Noticing Ji Xi’s gaze, Shu Shiran turned to look at him, only to see him smiling with his lips curled up. Her face grew hot. She promptly picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork rib and dropped it into his bowl, giving him a look. *What’s so funny?*

Old Mrs. Shu said, "She was raised by her grandfather and me since she was little, so she’s been spoiled and has a bit of a temper."

She had to say that in front of Ji Xi, of course. She couldn't very well claim her granddaughter was sweet-tempered and hardworking.

Shu Shiran replied, "That’s your fault, then."

Ji Xi said to the old lady, "That’s why she’s so close to you."

***

After the meal and some conversation, Ji Xi prepared to leave. Shu Shiran went upstairs to grab her things and joined him. Dai Jiao was going to deliver some documents to her in the afternoon.

Before leaving, Old Mrs. Shu asked, "Your father still doesn't know about your situation, does he?"

Shu Shiran: "Not yet."

Old Mrs. Shu: "Find an opportunity to tell him yourself. I’m not getting involved in that; I’ll just pretend I don't know."

Shu Shiran nodded. Her father would find out eventually.

"I’m leaving then. I’ll have the driver bring my car over later."

Ji Xi followed suit, saying goodbye to Old Mrs. Shu and Aunt Hui. Once in the car and leaving Lubi, the heavy stone that had been hanging in Shu Shiran’s heart finally fell.

"What did you guys talk about while I was asleep?" she asked Ji Xi.

Ji Xi maintained his usual weary, laid-back demeanor. "Nothing much. We just talked about how every time you tried to hide something since you were a kid, your grandparents could see right through you."

Shu Shiran: "..."

"What else?"

Ji Xi: "Most of the time we talked about you. They asked about my time in America and where I’m living now."