Cheng Boyan had known his mother would say these things. Although Xiang Xi had already restrained himself a lot and changed greatly, people who didn’t interact with him often could still sense it—especially since his mother had met Xiang Xi before.

That kind of aura Xiang Xi had—different from kids from ordinary families—was not easy to hide. And Cheng Boyan had never asked him to pay attention to that. He liked seeing the real Xiang Xi; the things written into his very bones, he didn’t want to force him to change.

But from a parent’s point of view, someone like Xiang Xi obviously didn’t meet their expectations.

“He just speaks a bit roughly sometimes, and his temper can be a little quick,” Cheng Boyan said with a smile. “But if you point it out, he’ll immediately pay attention—he’s quite sensible.”

“Boyan,” his mother looked at him, “don’t think I’m meddling too much…”

“How could I,” Cheng Boyan put an arm around her shoulders and slowly strolled toward the parking lot. “You actually don’t interfere much.”

“What does his family do?” his mother asked.

“His family…” Cheng Boyan thought for a moment. “He doesn’t have parents. He’s on his own.”

“On his own?” his mother was a bit surprised. “Have his parents passed away?”

“I don’t know if they’re alive or not—he doesn’t know either,” Cheng Boyan hesitated and didn’t explain too clearly. “He was probably abandoned.”

“Oh…” His mother frowned. “Then he must have had a hard time growing up alone. Did he grow up in an orphanage?”

“…Yeah.” Cheng Boyan nodded.

He rarely lied. The atmosphere at home had always been relaxed, so he’d never needed to. But when it came to Xiang Xi, there was no way his mother could accept everything in such a short time, so he could only conceal part of the truth for now.

“I see. No wonder he didn’t continue school,” his mother fell silent for a moment. “So now he’s studying tea ceremony?”

“Yeah,” Cheng Boyan said. “That Master Lu whom my boss really likes— dad even went with him to drink tea before, so he should know.”

“Well…” His mother seemed like she wanted to ask more, but after thinking it over, she didn’t continue. She just patted his back. “Boyan, tell me—why do you like Xiang Xi?”

“That’s a hard question,” Cheng Boyan laughed. “Let me think.”

“Just say whatever comes to mind,” his mother smiled. “Since you’re taking this so seriously, I’m asking more this time. Otherwise, if your dad asks me a bunch of questions later, I won’t know what to say.”

“Xiang Xi…” Cheng Boyan began slowly—it really was hard to explain. “He’s very real, no pretence. He lives very directly—what he likes and doesn’t like is all clear at a glance.”

“I can tell,” his mother said with a smile. “I dislike your aunt so much, but I’d never show it that bluntly to her face.”

“He’s also very hard working,” Cheng Boyan smiled. “To be honest, his life has been really tough… but he’s never given up. That’s what attracts me the most—he wants to live, to change, to move forward. As long as he can see even a sliver of hope, he won’t stop.”

His mother looked at him without speaking. After a pause, he added, “Does that sound a bit empty?”

“It’s alright,” she said. “Anything else?”

“Anything else?” Cheng Boyan thought for a moment, then laughed. “He’s good-looking, and his personality is very cute.”

“Oh come on,” his mother gave him a light smack. “At your age, you’re still focusing on that?”

“Even at eighty you’d still look at that,” Cheng Boyan put an arm around her. “Is that answer okay?”

“For now it has to be,” his mother sighed. “The way you are now, you probably wouldn’t listen to anything others say anyway.”

“I would,” Cheng Boyan said immediately—he wanted to hear more of her thoughts. “Go ahead.”

“Boyan,” his mother paused before her expression turned serious. “The things that attract you about him right now—his personality, experiences, background—are things you don’t see in people around you. But one day, when the novelty wears off, these same things could become the source of conflicts between you.”

Cheng Boyan said nothing, just looked at her.

“He’s young, and his personality isn’t fully settled. No one knows how he’ll turn out,” she continued calmly. “I don’t want to interfere, but I have to remind you— ‘matching social status and family background’ isn’t just an old saying, it has its reasons. We’re not talking about who deserves whom, just whether you’re suitable. Background, family environment, education, experience, worldview—you don’t share any of these. After the passion fades, these are what determine how far you can go.”

Cheng Boyan still didn’t speak, quietly letting her finish.

“I don’t deny that two completely different people can end up together,” his mother glanced at her watch, “but the chances are very small. Maybe he’ll grow, maybe he’ll gradually become closer to your world—but I still have to say this. After all… you’re my only son.”

“Mom,” Cheng Boyan said softly, “I understand.”

“Alright, I won’t say more,” she smiled. “Your own matters—what I say is just a reference. You decide the overall direction.”

After parking the car and getting out with a few jars of jam, Cheng Boyan saw Song Yi’s “bodyguard team” again—the same three people. He almost went over to greet them, but they seemed to have been told to keep their distance; as soon as they saw him, they moved away.

He wondered whether Xiang Xi had gone out today, and quickly headed into the elevator.

When he opened the door at home, he froze. Xiang Xi was lying sprawled out on the floor, not moving even when he came in—looked like he had fallen asleep.

“Hey!” Cheng Boyan closed the door and called out while changing his shoes. “You human mop !”

Only after another two seconds did Xiang Xi suddenly open his eyes, spring up from the floor, wobble a bit, and steady himself on the table. “You’re back?”

“What are you doing?” Cheng Boyan looked at him.

“Ta-da!” Xiang Xi stepped back. “Look! A floor so clean it could kill fleas !”

“You mopped?” Cheng Boyan changed shoes and looked—it was indeed quite clean.

“Yeah!” Xiang Xi took the bag from his hand. “I spent almost two hours! I’m exhausted! It wasn’t even that dirty—the wipes barely got black!”

“Impressive,” Cheng Boyan walked over and kissed his forehead. “Good job.”

Xiang Xi chuckled and carried the bag into the kitchen.

“Go take a shower,” Cheng Boyan changed clothes and followed him in. “I’ll cook. How about making bread tonight?”

“Sure, let’s have sweet mashed potatoes with it—I bought potatoes,” Xiang Xi pointed at the counter. “I’ll help you. I’ve already showered.”

“Sweet mashed potatoes too… you already showered?” Cheng Boyan paused and turned to look at him. “And you still lay on the floor?”

“The floor’s cleaner than my face, and I only lay there for three minutes,” Xiang Xi said.

“You fell asleep,” Cheng Boyan said, still looking at him.

“I…” Xiang Xi thought, then waved his hand. “Fine, fine, I’ll shower again.”

He spent about five minutes in the bathroom—counting the time to undress and dry off, Cheng Boyan figured he probably just got himself wet and called it done.

“What should I do?” Xiang Xi stood beside him.

“Wash the potatoes,” Cheng Boyan said, measuring flour with a cup. “How about adding raisins to the bread?”

“Nice, I like raisins,” Xiang Xi said while washing them. “Hey, can I make a request?”

“Make the bread sweeter,” Cheng Boyan said. “Right?”

“Exactly!” Xiang Xi laughed. “You’re like the worm in my stomach (NT: idiom meaning ‘someone who knows you extremely well’).”

“Shut up, that’s disgusting,” Cheng Boyan frowned.

“Then I’ll change it—you’re like the… thing in my brain…” Xiang Xi thought for a long time. “A piece of brain matter?”

“No sugar in the bread then!” Cheng Boyan put the sugar jar back.

“No no no—don’t!” Xiang Xi quickly tossed the potato aside and put the jar back. “I won’t say it anymore. I want sweet bread, thank you, dad.”

“Wash the potatoes,” Cheng Boyan laughed at that.

Xiang Xi washed the potatoes according to Cheng Boyan’s strict standards and lined them up neatly on a plate, ready for steaming.

Watching Cheng Boyan make bread, he leaned over and quietly asked, “Today… did you call Director Xu?”

“I didn’t, but…” Cheng Boyan glanced at him. He hadn’t intended to bring it up, but seeing Xiang Xi’s expression, he decided to be honest. “I ran into her at the hospital when she was picking up my grandma’s report, and we talked for a bit.”

“Oh,” Xiang Xi leaned against the counter and smiled faintly. “Didn’t go very well, huh?”

“That depends on how you define ‘not very well,’” Cheng Boyan poured the flour into the bread maker.

Xiang Xi’s sensitivity made him guess the content of the conversation immediately, and that suddenly made Cheng Boyan feel a pang of heartache.

“‘Not very well’ is just ‘not very well,’ no need to define it. The moment you asked that question, I already guessed,” Xiang Xi sighed softly. “I was just asking casually anyway. Anyone in that situation would think the same.”

““My mom is just expressing her thoughts—she won’t interfere with my decisions,” Cheng Boyan said as he washed his hands, then pulled Xiang Xi over, hugged him, and gently patted him. “She only gave me some suggestions—it has nothing to do with you. You don’t need to worry about anything. Things are fine as they are now.”

“Of course it has nothing to do with me,” Xiang Xi said softly. “Someone as well-mannered as Director Xu wouldn’t make demands of me. If your mom were like your aunt, she’d directly say what that kid should or shouldn’t do, otherwise this or that…”

“You’re actually quite… smart,” Cheng Boyan laughed. “But I’ll say the same thing again: just do what you’re doing now. There’s no need to deliberately change anything. Whether you walk forward or run forward, it all takes time—and luckily, I have plenty of time.”

Dinner being all sweets was rather special: raisin bread and mashed potatoes mixed with yogurt and mango.

Xiang Xi really liked sweets and ate happily, but after finishing, he felt a bit troubled. Looking at the food on the table, he frowned and rubbed his stomach: “I’m clearly not full yet, but I can’t eat anymore.”

“You’re sick of it,” Cheng Boyan said with a smile. “I originally wanted to make black pepper mashed potatoes, but you insisted on sweet, and even the bread had to be sweet.”

“Black pepper?” Xiang Xi suddenly turned his head, eyes lighting up. “Black pepper mashed potatoes?”

“…Alright,” Cheng Boyan stood up helplessly. “I’ll make a black pepper one too.”

“Great!” Xiang Xi leaned back in his chair happily. “You know, mashed potatoes are about the only thing you can really show off—practice more.”

Cheng Boyan made black pepper mashed potatoes and also paired it with tomato-and-egg soup. Xiang Xi wiped everything clean, and only afterward realized how full he was.

Holding his stomach, he walked around the room a few times. Cheng Boyan then took him downstairs, and under the “escort” of the small bodyguard team, they went for a half-hour walk.

That night in bed, he was still rubbing his stomach: “This is so weird—I only feel comfortable now.”

“In the future, don’t mix savoury and sweet like that—it makes you overeat easily,” Cheng Boyan lay beside him, rubbing his stomach. “Let me tell you—my dad once, with my eldest uncle—his older brother—during New Year, they ate buns: one bun, then a bowl of sweet porridge, then wanted another bun, then after the bun wanted sweet porridge again. They kept alternating like that, and in the end both ended up in the hospital.”

Xiang Xi laughed for a long time. “Did you do that too? Must be hereditary.”

“No, it probably skipped a generation and got passed to you, son,” Cheng Boyan said seriously.

“Still won’t admit it,” Xiang Xi kept laughing. “All kids have done something like that.”

“I really haven’t. I’ve always been extremely intelligent and had strong self-control, only my younger brother…” Cheng Boyan stopped halfway through his sentence, then after a moment said, “Anyway, I didn’t.”

Xiang Xi didn’t say anything, just reached out and gently touched his face.

“Sleep,” Cheng Boyan took his hand, kissed his palm, and turned off the light.

Xiang Xi rolled over and squeezed closer, hugging him and draping a leg over him.

“I think,” Cheng Boyan said, “we probably only need one pillow. Yours is just decoration—tomorrow we can air it out and put it away.”

“No way, my pillow is for claiming territory,” Xiang Xi said with a quiet laugh. “It proves half this bed is mine.”

“More than just this bed,” Cheng Boyan smiled.

Xiang Xi moved even closer, resting his chin on his shoulder. After a while, he asked, “Hey? You’re being very well-behaved tonight?”

“What, you’re in the mood?” Cheng Boyan’s hand slid along his leg and squeezed his butt. “If you are, I can—”

“I was just asking,” Xiang Xi clicked his tongue. “Can you have a normal conversation or not?”

“I’m tired today,” Cheng Boyan turned his head and kissed him. “Aren’t you going to the tea house tomorrow? I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it in time to take you.”

“It’s fine, there’s a bus that goes straight to the intersection—pretty safe,” Xiang Xi smiled. “And Brother Song’s guys will definitely be following me.”

“At night, they’ll definitely follow,” Cheng Boyan sighed. “Not an easy job, getting eaten by mosquitoes. What about meals?”

“My master said before it’s fine if I don’t eat beforehand—there are tea snacks there we can eat together,” Xiang Xi rubbed the tip of his nose against Cheng Boyan’s earlobe. “He makes them himself—I even want to learn.”

“Then bring a pot with you beforehand, so you can compensate him later,” Cheng Boyan said.

The next day, when Xiang Xi went to Old Master Lu’s tea room, he didn’t bring a pot, but he did stuff two mangoes into his bag, planning to eat them while chatting.

Song Yi’s three men followed at a distance. Xiang Xi had thought about inviting them onto the bus with him, but they simply followed in a car instead, only getting out to walk when they reached the small road leading into the tea research institute.

“If I’d known, I could’ve just ridden in their car—wouldn’t have had to get all sweaty,” Xiang Xi clicked his tongue.

The tea room was lit. Xiang Xi jogged up, and before entering, he heard the sound of a zither. He paused—was the old man playing?

No, it was probably that disciple who could play.

When he pushed the door open, the music stopped. He looked—sure enough, Old Master Lu sat by the tea table, and beside him, behind a zither, sat a man.

“Master,” Xiang Xi called out, “I’m here.”

“Have you eaten?” Old Master Lu smiled and beckoned him over. “Come.”

“I haven’t,” Xiang Xi answered honestly. “I thought I’d come eat some snacks…”

“Perfect,” Old Master Lu smiled. “Let me introduce you—my other disciple, Hu Hai.”

“Hu Hai?” Xiang Xi thought the name sounded a bit unusual, but he still greeted him. “Hello, I’m Xiang Xi.”

“Hello,” Hu Hai smiled, stood up from behind the zither, and sat down by the tea table. “Xiang Xi—quite a special name.”

“Is it?” Xiang Xi said, looking at him. The last time at Yunshuifanxin, this man wore a white robe and looked like another old man’s attendant. Now that he saw clearly, he realized they were about the same age as Cheng Boyan. “Your name is also quite… special.”

“Rivers, lakes, seas (NT: Hai (海 ) from Hu Hai means sea),” Old Master Lu said while preparing tea. “Very grand.”

“You need to be cultured to hear it that way,” Xiang Xi relaxed when he saw this wasn’t the old man he had imagined. “Someone like me hears it and thinks of ‘eating and drinking recklessly’ (NT: 胡吃海喝: jiāng hé hú hǎi ) or ‘living wildly and freely’ (NT: 胡天海地,胡天海地 : hú chī hǎi hē, hú tiān hǎi dì ).”

Hu Hai froze for a moment, then laughed. “That’s not bad either—it sounds like living freely.”

“Have some snacks,” Old Master Lu brought over several plates. “If it’s not enough, have Hu Hai cook a couple of dishes—his cooking is much better than mine.”

“Huh?” Xiang Xi looked at Hu Hai in surprise. He looked refined and composed, especially when playing the zither—it was hard to associate him with cooking.

“Switching to alcohol instead?” Hu Hai laughed.

“Tea, alcohol—whatever you drink is the same,” Old Master Lu slowly arranged the tea set. “Xiang Xi, what we drink isn’t the substance itself—it’s the state of mind, the feeling.”

Xiang Xi nodded, watching him. The movements were ordinary—just making tea, arranging utensils—but there was an indescribable grace that couldn’t be learned. That must be what he meant by “state of mind.”

Just as Old Master Lu reached for the kettle, a ding sounded from the next room. He stood up. “The pastries are ready—I’ll get them. Xiang Xi, you brew the tea.”

“Me?” Xiang Xi hesitated as he picked up the tea leaves and scoop.

Although he knew the general steps, suddenly having to do it himself made him unsure. If he were alone, it wouldn’t matter—even letting Master Lu watch would be fine. But with Hu Hai here—someone unfamiliar and already a fully trained disciple—it made him uneasy.

He glanced at Hu Hai, who was eating a crisp pastry while watching with interest.

Xiang Xi took a breath, put the tea leaves into the teapot, reached for the kettle with one hand, and tried to push the snack plate aside with the other.

“I’ll help,” Hu Hai reached out.

The moment Xiang Xi lifted the kettle, he felt something was wrong. When he brought it closer, he realized—the handle was slippery, like it had been greased!

Because he couldn’t hold it steady, the kettle began tilting at a speed he couldn’t control. Just as he was about to throw it to the ground, water poured out from the spout—directly onto Hu Hai’s hand as he was moving the plate.

“Shit!” Xiang Xi shouted, throwing the kettle down and jumping up.

Hu Hai jerked his hand back, shaking it, drawing in a sharp breath.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” Xiang Xi panicked, apologizing repeatedly. “Did it burn you?”

The tea today was black tea—the water had to be at least 90°C. Getting splashed like that would definitely cause blisters. Xiang Xi grabbed Hu Hai’s hand to check—it was already red.

I’m screwed!

I just joined the school and already burned my senior brother’s hand—how am I supposed to survive here now!

 

Translator : DarNan