Chapter 102: Get up
On the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month,
After a month of mostly sunny weather, the skies finally turned gloomy, and the sun remained hidden all day.
Xu Qing took Jiang He home to learn some skills and had pre-arranged a dumpling meal. They arrived before evening, and when it was time for Zhou Suzhi to make dumplings, she had Jiang He join in.
“That boy hasn’t been bullying you, has he?” Zhou Suzhi asked while stirring the filling. She grew more satisfied with Jiang He the more she observed her. From the first time she saw her in a photo, Zhou Suzhi felt a connection.
It’s often said that mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law are naturally at odds. Zhou Suzhi recalled a joke she once heard: A man brought a group of classmates, including many female classmates, home. His mother immediately identified which one was his girlfriend. The classmate was surprised and asked how she knew. The mother replied, “Because she’s the one I dislike the most. It’s obvious.”
Though just a joke, real life often feels just as uncanny. This thought made Zhou Suzhi uneasy. What if these two didn’t end up together? Would she need to accept a daughter-in-law she actually found unpleasant? If that were the case, she’d have to give Xu Qing a proper scolding.
“No, he doesn’t bully me.”
“That’s good. But if he ever does, just hit him. If he dares to fight back, come to me,” Zhou Suzhi said casually.
She didn’t mean it seriously—just something to say to build rapport. Couples wouldn’t usually involve her in their arguments. Even if they did, it would depend on who was at fault—whether to mediate or actually help her daughter-in-law scold her son.“Okay,” Jiang He replied, remembering Xu Qing’s advice on how to politely respond. “If he dares bully me, I’ll hit him.”
She rolled up her sleeves and began rolling the dough. This was something she picked up quickly—thin and even dumpling wrappers—but her movements were still a bit clumsy.
Though she had been here for a while, she hadn’t tried dumplings yet, so she was filled with anticipation about what Xu Qing had described.
“What do you usually eat at home?” Zhou Suzhi asked.
“In the morning, we usually have congee, and sometimes noodles. Lunch and dinner are usually stir-fried dishes.”
“Three meals a day?” Zhou Suzhi sounded surprised.
“Sometimes we have an extra meal at night,” Jiang He clarified, referring to a midnight snack.
“…”
Zhou Suzhi didn’t press further. She was surprised the two actually managed to eat breakfast. Xu Qing had always been the type to sleep until noon and combine two meals into one. Living with a girlfriend really changed things.
“That’s good,” she said, glancing outside, approving of their current lifestyle.
“Yeah,” Jiang He agreed. She thought it was wonderful. Occasionally, when they stayed up late and cooked a midnight snack, she’d go to bed with a warm, full belly and sleep soundly until morning, then wake up for martial arts practice and make breakfast.
“Does he get up in the morning?”
“Yes, we usually get up together.”
“Oh…”
Zhou Suzhi didn’t dare ask further.
In the living room, father and son were cracking sunflower seeds while watching TV, occasionally exchanging idle remarks.
“She’s not going home for the New Year?”
“No, she’s staying here with us.”
Xu Wenbin fell silent, munching on a bad seed and spitting repeatedly before taking a sip of tea. Then he asked, “So… where do things stand with you two?”
“She’s here making dumplings with Mom, spending the New Year with us. What else could it mean?” Xu Qing answered with a question, leaving his father to figure it out himself. He didn’t commit to a clear answer, so no matter how one interpreted it, he’d be in the right.
They continued watching the TV show where the guests bantered with the host. After a while, Xu Qing added, “Jiang He’s a bit introverted and doesn’t like to talk much.”
“What do you mean?” Xu Wenbin asked.
“She’s just quiet. You can see how calm and reserved she is.” Xu Qing gestured toward the kitchen and continued, “Introverted people are usually more sensitive.”
Xu Wenbin waited for him to elaborate, but Xu Qing just took a sip of tea and focused on the TV again. Sensitive? After pondering for a moment, Xu Wenbin realized what Xu Qing meant—he didn’t want him to ask Jiang He too many questions.
He glanced at the two in the kitchen, still busy making dumplings, and chose to remain silent, focusing on cracking sunflower seeds and thinking things over.
The quiet was broken by a knock at the door.
Xu Qing brushed the seed shells off himself and went to open the door. Qin Hao stood there with a buzz cut, holding a box in one hand and a bag in the other. A half-formed “Uncle” got stuck in his throat before he peeked inside, then finally called out the word properly as he entered.
“My workplace gave out a lot of stuff. I couldn’t finish it all, so I brought some over for you.”
Xu Qing accepted the items with a grin. “Why are you being so polite? Let’s see what goodies you brought me…”
“Get lost.”
The previously quiet atmosphere livened up with Qin Hao’s arrival. The three men sat on the couch, cracking seeds, drinking tea, and chatting.
From the moment Qin Hao entered, Xu Wenbin had been glancing at the bag and then at Xu Qing. He didn’t need to say anything—his meaning was clear: Look at him. His workplace gave him something for the New Year. What about yours?
Xu Qing tossed an orange in the air, pretending not to notice.
“Are you on duty during the holiday?”
“Yes. I’m single, so they scheduled me…” Qin Hao trailed off mid-sentence, realizing he’d said too much.
“What about your girlfriend?”
“She’s not on duty,” he said, shaking his head vigorously.
“That’s not what I’m asking. How can you call yourself single if you have a girlfriend? Wait… not on duty? You really found yourself a policewoman?” Xu Qing asked with curiosity, leaning forward to scrutinize him.
“No, no. She’s just someone from an advertising company…” Qin Hao’s mind flashed with an image of her face. “We’re just dating casually. Who knows when we might break up?”
She kept calling him “Fatty,” and now he had gained five more kilograms. He was already planning a natural way to “break up.”
Xu Wenbin left the space for the younger ones and went to his study with a tea cup in hand.
“Did you two fight?” Xu Qing asked.
“Stop being nosy. I just came to drop off something and wish your family an early New Year.”
Qin Hao got up and went to the kitchen, intending to greet Aunt Zhou. But when he saw the two women in the kitchen, he nearly bit his tongue.
Jiang He was sitting on a small stool, carefully pinching dumpling wrappers closed. With a firm squeeze, a dumpling was neatly formed.
“Why don’t you stay for dinner, Haozi? We’re making dumplings!” Zhou Suzhi, her hands covered in flour, called out as she worked.
“No need, no need. My dad is making some too.”
Qin Hao declined and hurried back to the sofa, gesturing toward the kitchen. “Your girlfriend?”
“Yeah. Haven’t you seen her before?”
“Why is she making dumplings?”
“Why can’t she? Do you want some too?” Xu Qing raised an eyebrow.
“No, I don’t.” Qin Hao shook his head, glanced at the kitchen, and then at Xu Qing. “You’ve got it made…”
“Of course I do. Unlike you.”
“Says who?”
“Stay for dinner.”
“No, no. I should head back. Don’t forget to drop by during the New Year to have a drink with my dad.”
Qin Hao checked the time, patted his pants, and stood up. Compared to Xu Qing, who had his girlfriend cooking at home, his situation was disheartening. His girlfriend wasn’t even real.
“Not going to check?” Xu Qing teased.
“Check what? She’s sitting there making dumplings. I’m leaving.” Qin Hao dismissed him and stopped by the study to greet Xu Wenbin before heading out.
“Don’t forget!” he called back to Xu Qing from the stairway.
“Do I need you to remind me?” Xu Qing snorted and shut the door behind him, heading back inside.
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