“Jujube paste.” Noticing his expression, I quickly asked, “Doesn’t it taste good?”
He said nothing and continued eating.
“Zhengchen is a picky eater. He doesn’t eat jujube paste,” his mother explained, her tone neutral. “He doesn’t eat any food mashed into a paste.”
I was stunned. “What about red bean paste? He won’t eat that either?”
“Not a single bite.”
I looked at Ye Zhengchen guiltily.
“What should I call you? Call you Dad?!” Ye Zhengchen was furious. “Do you think I’m your son?! I need your approval to make friends, choose a university, decide my job, and even have a girlfriend… I’m not your soldier, and I’m not my older brother.”
This was the first time I heard him mention his brother, and his parents’ faces changed, revealing grief that hinted at loss.
Ye Zhengchen’s mother’s eyes turned red, her hands trembling.
His father turned away, looking out the window, silver strands visible in the strong light.
The late autumn sky was distant, with a few leaves swept up by the wind.
I moved next to Ye Zhengchen, tugging his clothes and frowning. He turned away, avoiding my gaze.
Helpless, I reached for my bag to leave, but Ye Zhengchen suddenly grabbed my wrist.
“I’m sorry, Dad,” he said softly.
His father softened his tone. “Okay, since your mother and I are here, let’s meet. Miss Bao, let’s have lunch with your parents.”
“Oh, okay.” I considered my father’s health and reminded him: “Uncle, my father can’t handle stimulation.”
“Hmm, I know.”
“I’ll book a restaurant.”
“No need, I’ll have Xiao Chen arrange it.”
“This is Nanzhou; we should be the hosts.”
I booked a characteristic restaurant in Nanzhou and ordered a table of distinctive dishes.
I’m not unable to afford a luxurious restaurant, nor can I order rare delicacies. I’m an ordinary person living an ordinary life; I see no point in forcing extravagance for others’ approval.
Sitting with strangers who had a special relationship felt awkward, but Ye Zhengchen helped adjust the atmosphere.
After a few drinks, everyone began asking questions about age, health, and where they lived, gradually becoming more familiar. Sensitive topics, such as family, inevitably arose.
