Sponsored chapter (2/3)
Confronted with the mobile phone placed in front of him, Li Xiangfu remained silent for a while.
On a rainy day, Li Anqing had traveled thousands of miles to the ancient village to find him, yet here he was, happily playing the guqin, celebrating the cure of his psychological discomfort. It seemed a bit unreasonable.
On the other end of the phone, Li Huaichun continued urging.
Li Xiangfu moved his lips, pondered for a moment, and finally said, “I’m working hard for survival.” He wasn’t sure how Li Xichun responded, as at that moment, Li Anqing had switched off the speakerphone and opted for a normal conversation.
Li Xichun was a talkative person. After about half a minute, Li Anqing’s patience wore thin, and he remarked, “I have witnessed his hard work.”
With that, he ended the call.
The room suddenly fell into silence, the sound of rain on the eaves suppressing breathing, and the atmosphere took on a somber tone.
Li Xiangfu didn’t shy away from making eye contact with Li Anqing. It was a true reunion after a prolonged separation. While he occasionally saw Mr. Li and others during video calls two years before going abroad, Li Anqing, in the past four years, has remained elusive, never seen even once.
Time hadn’t wrought any changes on Li Anqing, not even in the eyes that were expected to settle with time.
Their eyes met, and Li Anqing gave him only a brief look before turning his gaze to Qin Jin on the other side.
Li Xiangfu followed suit and observed. He found Qin Jin sitting on the chair, eating cakes as if nothing had transpired.
“…”
As if sensing the scrutiny, Qin Jin wiped off the snack residue on his fingers, lifted his eyelids, and inquired, “Is there anything you need?”
Li Anqing responded straightforwardly, “There are many things. When Mr. Qin has time, we can talk.”
This style mirrored Qin Jin’s own. They both preferred a declarative tone, appearing polite and considerate, yet their conversations were rooted in guiding others to make specific choices.
Qin Jin offered no reply. He stood up and left the room. Just as he was about to exit, his voice reached back, “It takes three days to return by train, so there’s plenty of time.” He departed without further ado, leaving Li Xiangfu about to remind him that he was still present.
Already gone.
Li Anqing casually touched the wood of the guqin and made a judgment, “Keep the guqin. There’s no need to chase him. I’ll transfer double the money to him later.”
“…” Li Xiangfu also yearned for the straightforward happiness of the rich.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Li Xiangfu provided one: “When Qin Jiayu was brought up, Qin Jin’s attitude was very indifferent.”
Given that it wasn’t to trigger him to regain his memory, there seemed to be no need for Qin Jin to choose such an indirect way to set the gathering location here. What was the purpose?
Li Anqing lowered his eyes, studying the water pattern on the cup, and murmured, “It means he has another motive.”
Looking at him, Li Xiangfu queried, and Li Anqing responded lightly, “Just wait and see what happens.”
Reflecting on their recent meeting, Li Xiangfu appeared pensive. His second brother was notably different from the rest of the family; he didn’t exhibit fear when facing Qin Jin.
Just as Li Anqing set down the cup, their eyes inadvertently met. Sensing Li Xiangfu’s thoughts, Li Anqing initially remained silent, then spoke, “Many people like to connect your disappearance with Qin Jiayu’s.”
“Wouldn’t that make sense?” After all, they set out together.
“I have a very negative impression of Qin Jiayu. He’s the one truly at fault.” While it might sound arbitrary, Li Anqing typically assessed people in terms of good or bad, and using “very bad” to express his opinion was quite rare. When Li Xiangfu sought detailed reasons, Li Anqing summarized it nonchalantly.
As the wind blew outside, raindrops splattered on the guqin surface. Li Anqing walked to the window to close it.
Behind him, Li Anqing emphasized, “Although Qin Jin may be gloomy, his behavioral logic is normal. Qin Jiayu, on the other hand, always gives me a sense of absurd disregard for life.” As they conversed, footsteps echoed in the corridor.
The visitor seemed to tread lightly. Li Xiangfu motioned for silence, deftly retrieving a hidden stick from the edge of the bed. Upon turning around, he discovered it was the homeowner, cautiously peeking into the room.
The homeowner awkwardly smiled, saying, “I saw a stranger come to see you, so I decided to come up and have a look.”
Li Xiangfu expressed gratitude for her concern and explained, “It’s my second brother.”
The homeowner was momentarily taken aback. Upon closer inspection, the outlines of the two were somewhat similar, especially their eyes. However, the beauty mark beneath one eye added charm, making it slightly challenging to immediately connect them.
Once assured everything was fine, the homeowner left with reassurance.
Li Xiangfu stowed away the stick and suggested to Li Anqing, “The people here are tough. Should I prepare one for you?”
Last night, the local ruffians who intruded into Qin Jin’s place were quite formidable, hence the caution and the suggestion to be vigilant when going out.
Li Anqing looked at him deeply, shook his head, and glanced at the time. Realizing it was already late, Li Xiangfu proposed, “I’ll cook and later send it to Qin Jin as a favor.”
Thanks to him, Li Xiangfu could still play the guqin in the ancient village.
—
The fading echoes of footsteps downstairs were accompanied by Li Anqing’s soft sigh, a testament to the challenges in his life.
Rainy days seemed to heighten Li Xiangfu’s mood even more.
A masterful cook as well as a painter, Li Xiangfu returned within an hour, carrying a tantalizing aroma of food. Upon opening the door, he found Li Anqing frowning, impatiently tapping his fingers on the table. Meanwhile, Li Xichun bombarded him with phone calls in another dimension.
Quickly assessing the spread, Li Anqing identified millet-steamed pork ribs and cumin chicken wings. Surprised, he immediately hung up the phone, questioning Li Xiangfu, “Did you prepare this?”
Li Xiangfu nodded, presenting the dishes to him. Even before tasting, the enticing aroma of the hot millet-steamed pork ribs on a rainy day promised a delightful experience.
Taking a bite with his chopsticks, Li Anqing suddenly paused, raised his head, and inquired, “Have you been cooking at home?”
“Aunt Zhang hasn’t cooked for a few days.”
Savoring the lingering flavor of the ribs, Li Anqing squinted, recalling, “I remember Dad loves this dish.”
“He’s never had it,” Li Xiangfu admitted truthfully. “He knew Aunt Zhang took leave, and Dad and Brother didn’t come back.”
That meant only Li Xichun had tasted his culinary skills. Curious, Li Anqing asked, “Did Aunt Zhang inform them that she’s not here?”
Li Xiangfu shook his head.
Li Anqing’s lips curved slightly, an expression that sent shivers. Li Xiangfu, suspicious, inquired, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” As Li Anqing spoke, he took a photo with his mobile phone, saying something incomprehensible about dealing with phone harassment. Knowing that Li Xichun was alone at home, he wondered what the old man would think about enjoying the delicious food by himself.
Attempting to drown out the noise with more noise, as the old man was suggesting, Li Xiangfu continued his meal, heading to Qin Jin’s residence with an umbrella in hand.
However, Li Anqing’s previous attempt had been mistaken. Mr. Li, rather than discussing Li Xichun, engaged in a serious conversation with his daughter.
Li Xichun expressed his helplessness, “Does the family raising the son believe that he is unmatched?”
Mr. Li slammed the table, prompting Li Xichun to sit upright reflexively, avoiding further presumption. Calmly, Li Xichun continued, “Do you want my little brother? I support arranged dates, but can we be practical? The Bian family’s only child, Bian Shiqin, has been raised in luxury. How can she agree to go on a blind date?”
The real issue lies here— the Bian family, while seeking a son-in-law, won’t allow someone with a questionable past.
“So I’ve tasked you with matchmaking.”
Li Xichun, rubbing his temples, responded with a headache, “She and I are just classmates; we have an average friendship.”
“Don’t be too obvious. I heard this girl is having a birthday party next month. You can bring Xiangfu along.”
Li Xichun couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry, “Isn’t that being too obvious?”
Mr. Li, seemingly informed from somewhere, stated, “There will be many talented individuals present that day.”
Unable to resist, Li Xichun nodded reluctantly.
Though he received a birthday invitation, it would be impolite to bring someone without notice. Therefore, Li Xichun decided to communicate in advance.
Bian Shiqin, a remarkable beauty with an impeccable education and background, instantly grasped the implication when she heard that Li Xichun intended to bring his younger brother. Despite numerous offers from people to bring friends or relatives to her birthday party, she had always agreed with a smile. The essence of a birthday celebration was to foster more connections, and finding the right person was the icing on the cake.
However, her current mood was far from joyful. Li Xiangfu’s reputation in social circles wasn’t stellar, and he even had a child. In such circumstances, Li Xichun still wanted to play matchmaker. How could Bian Shiqin feel at ease?
Li Xichun, aware of the other party’s potential concerns, teased, “Father’s orders are hard to disobey; consider it a formality. My little brother happens to be out of town. If anything is interesting, I can bring it back for you.”
Bian Shiqin’s tone softened a bit, and they resumed their polite conversation.
Li Xichun suggested, “Let’s chat on WeChat. Once you guys become friends, we might even be able to arrange a playdate for the baby.” He then shared a photo of Li Shasha with a schoolbag.
Now Bian Shiqin was convinced that there was no intention of matchmaking, and the initial unease dissipated as she added Li Xiangfu’s WeChat.
After the call, Li Xichun sighed. He had done his best, and the rest was left to fate.
At the same time, Li Xiangfu received a friend request and was puzzled to see the note message ‘I am Bian Shiqin.’ Li Xichun quickly sent a text explaining the situation. Though Li Xiangfu found the situation somewhat awkward, he decided it would be impolite not to respond, so he sent a message: [Hello, I heard it’s your birthday soon. I wish you a happy birthday in advance.] Bian Shiqin replied with a thank-you emoticon, and both tacitly chose to end the exchange abruptly.
Thinking the matter concluded, Li Xiangfu was surprised when Li Xichun called him not long after. Suddenly, he understood the helplessness his second brother experienced being bombarded with calls. Unlike his conversation with Li Anqing, Li Xichun spoke to him sincerely: “You must come to Bian Shiqin’s birthday party. I’ve already informed her so that I can give Dad an explanation…” After a five-minute conversation, Li Xichun hung up the phone, shaking his head helplessly.
Observing Li Xiangfu’s bemusement, Qin Jin set down his chopsticks and remarked with a smile, “Is it that difficult?”
“It involves expenses,” Li Xiangfu replied seriously. Attending the party required a gift, and he couldn’t just bring any ordinary gift.
Qin Jin suggested, “You can go to Luoxia Pavilion to pick something.”
“There’s nothing there that can’t be bought for less than 100,000 yuan.” Just as Qin Jin was about to propose getting a discount, Li Xiangfu decided, “Never mind, I’ll purchase some needlework. Handmade items have a personal touch.”
Despite Qin Jin’s suggestion that knitted goods like gloves and scarves might not be the best choice, Li Xiangfu shook his head and asserted, “No, I’ll give her double-sided embroidery.”
“…”
The author has something to say:
Li Xiangfu: Friends, have you ever heard of Along the River During the Qingming Festival?
Thank you for translating !
Hi! Thank you for the translation! Would it be possible to get a character list as a first chapter because I keep getting his family members confused. Is Li Xichun his brother or his sister?
Li Xichun is the sister! I could do that, a character list!