"The little lover you've wronged has come knocking..."
Ji Shuhe's "Dad" got stuck in her throat—neither able to call out nor stay silent.
She was still hesitating, but the girl had no such reservations, tugging Ji Xiangjiang's arm and waving at Ji Shuhe. "Hello, big sister!"
After that, she didn't forget to greet every member of the Ji family: "Hello, Grandma. Hello, Uncle, Auntie, and Brother."
The girl was about fourteen or fifteen, wearing a dark turtleneck under a white quilted vest. The outfit was thick, but her tall, slender figure showed no signs of bulkiness.
Grandma Ji responded with a hum and said nothing more, only reaching out to hold Ji Shuhe's hand. Chu Yue, sensing the awkwardness, wrapped an arm around Ji Shuhe as she answered, "Tongtong's here! Did your dad keep you late at home? Your sister finally made it back, and you're the last to arrive. Just now, your brother was saying the latecomer has to treat everyone tonight."
"Then let Dad treat us! He should be the one paying anyway!" Jiang Yuetong laughed, tugging at Ji Xiangjiang's sleeve as if it were only natural. "Right?"
"No manners. You haven't even introduced yourself to your sister."
Following behind the two was Ji Xiangjiang's current wife, Jiang Jingyun. She wore a mid-length camel wool coat, a cream-white cashmere shawl over her shoulders, and carried a leather tote bag with no visible brand. Her jet-black hair was tied in a loose, elegant low bun at the nape of her neck, with a few strands hanging by her cheeks—either deliberately styled or blown loose by the wind outside. Her outfit was understated yet refined. She was naturally younger than Chu Yue, and now in her forties, she looked as if she were only in her thirties.
Jiang Yuetong pouted, then turned to Ji Shuhe. "Hi, big sister. This is our first meeting. My name is Jiang Yuetong. I'm fourteen, in ninth grade at the Affiliated Middle School, and I live with Dad now..."
Jiang Jingyun, sensing something off, quickly nudged her daughter, cutting off her unfinished words.
"Hello," Ji Shuhe had no choice but to respond. She nodded at the family of three across from her. "Dad, Aunt Jiang."
"You must be Xiaoshu, right? I've heard your dad and grandma call you that, so I took the liberty of using it too." Jiang Jingyun, as if prepared, pulled out a rectangular box from her bag and tried to hand it to Ji Shuhe. "We've never met before, so I prepared a little gift. I'm not sure if you'll like it."
"No, no need..."
Ji Shuhe wanted to refuse, but Grandma Ji reached out and took it instead. "It's nothing valuable. Since she's giving it to you, just take it."
Jiang Jingyun's smile froze on her face as she lowered her hand and rubbed the fabric at her side. Ji Xiangjiang spoke up, "Mom, Jingyun picked it out especially. Whether it's valuable or not, it's a gesture of goodwill."
"We're all family. Whether it's valuable or not, it's a gift from you as her father. Did I say something wrong?" Grandma Ji wouldn't back down.
Seeing the atmosphere turning tense, Ji Shuhe tried to smooth things over. "I've also prepared gifts for Dad and Aunt Jiang. I came in a hurry, so I didn't bring anything for Tongtong yet. I'll make it up next time."
Grandma Ji seemed disapproving. "Hey, you two are of the same generation. Generational peers don't bother with such formalities."
Chu Yue, who had been silent, finally spoke. "Mom, it's good that Xiaoshu thinks of her sister. And there's no need to wait for next time. We're right in the mall. Let Xiangjiang take Xiaoshu out for a stroll. We'll study the menu and order. By the time they get back, the food should be ready."
Grandma Ji started to say something but caught Chu Yue's meaningful glance and understood. "True. Xiaoshu hasn't been back for so many years. It would be good for Xiangjiang to take her out for a walk."
The two played off each other, and Chu Yue gently nudged Ji Shuhe toward Ji Xiangjiang.
Ji Shuhe knew that Grandma and Auntie thought since father and daughter hadn't seen each other for years, it would be hard to have a private conversation in front of Jiang Jingyun and Jiang Yuetong. So they were trying to create an opportunity for them to be alone.
But...
Ji Shuhe glanced at Ji Xiangjiang, who hadn't said a single word to her since he entered. Clearly, it was uncertain whether her father even wanted to be alone with her.
"Then let's go." Ji Xiangjiang, pressured by Chu Yue and Grandma Ji's words, didn't refuse.
Just as the father and daughter were about to leave in silence, Jiang Yuetong couldn't resist jumping up. "I want to go too!"
"What's there for you to join?" Jiang Yuetong was young and clueless, but Jiang Jingyun understood perfectly. She pulled her daughter back, lowering her voice but lacing it with threat. "Sit here quietly and don't cause any trouble. Got it?"
Jiang Yuetong was a bit defiant. "Didn't you say we're picking out a gift for me? It would be strange if I didn't go..."
"Jingyun, why are you so harsh with the child?" Ji Xiangjiang had almost walked out but turned back. He soothed the aggrieved Jiang Yuetong, "Big sister's gift for you is a surprise. It wouldn't be fun if you saw it beforehand. You and your mother wait here. We'll be right back."
"Fine." Jiang Yuetong relented, though she was still unhappy.
Ji Shulang, for some reason, called out to Ji Shuhe, "Xiaoshu, don't worry. I'll order all your favorite dishes. When you get back, your dad's footing the bill!"
Ji Shuhe felt an inappropriate urge to laugh. She didn't need Ji Shulang to save face for her. The back-and-forth game was tiresome.
Besides, her feelings for Ji Xiangjiang had never been deep. She had never held any expectations, so naturally, she wasn't hurt or upset by the scene of fatherly affection.
Still, having someone thinking of her warmed her heart, especially when she saw Ji Chenghai kick Ji Shulang again and retort about how he ended up with such a stingy son.
After the commotion, the father and daughter finally stepped out. They passed through the private room corridor, bypassed the tightly packed booths in the main hall, and their vision cleared as they walked out the restaurant's main entrance.
They were at a large shopping mall not far from Yong'anli's resettlement area. The shops on every floor covered everything from food and clothing to daily necessities. Picking out a gift for a young girl was no trouble at all.
Ji Shuhe wanted to ask Ji Xiangjiang what the girl liked, but seeing he had no intention of speaking, she didn't want to eagerly approach him either.
It would be like trying to win his favor by currying favor with the people around him.
They walked side by side in silence. Ji Shuhe kept her eyes on the floor. The mall's tiles were spotless, reflecting the lights overhead, the store signs on both sides, and her own fake smile.
Until they stepped onto the descending escalator. Ji Shuhe stood behind Ji Xiangjiang. Suddenly, he spoke up. "I heard you came back to China for work?"
There were people ahead and behind them, and the mall's loud background music made it hard to hear clearly. But Ji Shuhe guessed he was asking the usual questions. "Yes. I'm working as an executive producer now. There's a documentary project about urban architecture, and the first stop is Xinhai."
"So after the shoot, you're going back to the UK, right?"
Ji Shuhe thought she misheard. "What?"
Ji Xiangjiang turned to look at her and repeated, "I said, after you finish up in Xinhai, you're going back to the UK, right?"
Many people had asked her that question: Grandma, Auntie, Ji Shulang, even Stella. But she never imagined that the second sentence her father—her own father—would say to her would be this.
The answer was supposed to be yes, but now Ji Shuhe didn't want to answer. "Do you really want me to go back?"
Ji Xiangjiang held the escalator railing and stepped off, his voice flat. "You're doing very well abroad. There's no point in coming back to China."
It sounded like he was considering her best interests.
Ji Shuhe took a deep breath and continued following him. She followed him down floor after floor until they reached the jewelry section on the first floor. He walked into a counter with a youthful, trendy design and asked the salesclerk to bring out a gold ring set with diamonds.