“…I agree.”
The gentle female voice allowed two nervous hearts to settle slightly.
Zhang Qingyue’s eyes widened. She immediately grabbed the hand of the woman who had spoken—Du Nian—and cried out excitedly, “Mom!”
Du Nian’s brown curls fell over her chest. She wore a floral print dress, and though prominent nasolabial folds lined her face, her amber eyes still held a bright spark.
Du Nian was British; her original name was Esther, and Du Nian was the Chinese name she had adopted after moving to China.
Her Chinese was quite good, though she still carried a slight accent in certain places. She looked at Zhang Qingyue and said, “I have always trusted you children. Who you choose to love is your own choice. As long as he doesn’t hurt you, I am at peace.”
“Mom—” Zhang Qingyue looked deeply at her. “It’s ‘men,’ second tone. Not ‘men,’ neutral tone.”
“Oh, oh, *nimen*,” Du Nian repeated, trying to get the plural ‘you’ right.
“Exactly,” Zhang Qingyue nodded emphatically.
Zhang Jinkan added, “…Now is hardly the time for a Chinese lesson.”
Jinkan let out half a sigh of relief. The other half remained held in suspense by his father, Zhang Zekang, who had remained silent for a long time.
Five minutes had passed since he first broke the news to his parents. They had been sitting on the sofa for those five minutes.
Zhang Zekang stood with his back to them, facing the balcony.
The four of them were gathered in the living room. The space was filled with the calligraphy rubbings and antiques that Zhang Zekang loved. These items were arranged throughout the house, preventing it from feeling cold or empty.
Seeing that his father still wasn't speaking, Zhang Jinkan spoke up again. “Dad, Mom, the reason I’m telling you that Siyang and I are together isn't to ask for your permission. I’m here to inform you. This matter is very important to me, so I didn't want you to find out about it from the newspapers.”
Zhang Zekang finally moved. He turned around slowly and swept a glance over Zhang Jinkan.
“You’re just like you’ve always been—acting first and reporting later,” Zhang Zekang’s tone betrayed neither joy nor anger. “Since you’ve already made up your mind, why bother coming to us at all?”
As he spoke, Zhang Zekang leaned down to reach for the water glass on the coffee table. Before his fingers could even touch the glass, and before Jinkan could react, Zhang Zekang’s forearm was seized by both Zhang Qingyue and Du Nian.
Zhang Qingyue shook her head frantically. “Dad, don’t get worked up! Throwing this glass at someone could kill them!”
Du Nian nodded repeatedly, looking panicked. “That’s right, honey! Let’s just talk this out!”
Zhang Zekang: “…”
Zhang Zekang looked at the mother and daughter, unsure whether to laugh or cry. “I was just getting a drink of water. This is my son; why would I hit him with this?”
The two women holding his arm looked at each other and released him simultaneously.
Zhang Qingyue sat back in her seat as if nothing had happened, elegantly cupping her hands toward them in a mock salute. “Please, continue.”
Zhang Zekang: “…”
Zhang Jinkan: “…Pfft, hahaha!”
Jinkan couldn't help but burst out laughing. His laughter triggered Zhang Qingyue and Du Nian, and soon all three were bowing their heads and chuckling softly. The heavy, serious atmosphere was instantly shattered.
Or rather, the tension had already begun to thaw the moment Du Nian gave her consent.
“Ahem. We’re discussing serious business. What are you laughing at?” Zhang Zekang spoke sternly, but the corners of his mouth were twitching upward.
“Right,” Zhang Jinkan replied, not calling him out as he wiped the smile from his face.
Zhang Zekang picked up the glass, blew on the surface of the water, and took a sip.
“Dad, you’re overacting. I poured cold water,” Zhang Qingyue ruthlessly exposed the truth.
“*Cough, cough…*” Zhang Zekang barked at her, “Qingyue! Is this any way to act when you’re asking someone for a favor?”
“Dad, I’m not the one asking you,” Zhang Qingyue replied calmly.
“True, it’s not like he’s Qingyue’s boyfriend,” Du Nian chimed in.
“…This is killing me,” Zhang Jinkan lowered his head.
How could this be so funny?
Jinkan’s only regret now was that he hadn't taken out his phone to record this.
Zhang Qingyue sighed again and picked up her own water. “Sigh, it’s a good thing Shuyu isn't here. If that girl were present, she’d be pushing for a progress report within two minutes.”
Everyone could tell Zhang Qingyue was speaking in code, using Shuyu’s name to pressure Zhang Zekang into giving a final answer.
Zhang Zekang set his glass down and looked at Zhang Jinkan.
Jinkan didn't flinch, meeting his father’s gaze directly.
Zhang Zekang said slowly, “Since every one of you has agreed, if I refuse, wouldn't I be the odd one out?”
Jinkan’s eyes lit up, and he stood up abruptly. “Dad, does that mean you agree?”
Zhang Zekang nodded.
Even though Jinkan had maintained the principle of “staying with Jiang Siyang regardless of their approval,” the feeling of relief he felt upon hearing both parents agree was incomparable to anything else.
“Alright, now that everything’s out in the open, we’re good,” Zhang Qingyue clapped her hands. “I’ll go get us some more water.” She picked up the glass pitcher and walked out of the living room toward the kitchen.
Du Nian tilted her head toward Jinkan. “But this Xiao Jiang… is he the one Shuyu always mentions on WeChat?”
Jinkan nodded. “Yes.”
Du Nian’s expression immediately turned serious. “Then what was her reaction when she found out? She didn't get into a fight with you, did she?”
“No. She isn't a blind fangirl; she keeps her idols and reality very separate,” Jinkan said.
Du Nian visibly relaxed. “Oh… that’s good. I was afraid you two would fight.”
“Which one? How come I don’t know about this?” Zhang Zekang walked over and sat down next to Du Nian.
Du Nian explained to him, “The boy Shuyu is always posting about on her Moments.”
Zhang Zekang looked confused. “She’s posted about him?”
Zhang Jinkan and Du Nian looked at Zhang Zekang simultaneously.
Zhang Jinkan: “…”
Du Nian: “…”
At first, Zhang Zekang was puzzled. “What’s with you two?”
After a two-second pause, he slapped the table. “Oh! Did that brat block me from seeing her posts?!”
As a chairman of a company, his intuition was sharp.
Zhang Jinkan sighed. He had emerged from today unscathed, but Shuyu was doomed. He offered a three-second silent prayer for her in his heart.
Poor Shuyu. Truly tragic.
“Honey, don't get upset. Everyone has the right to choose who sees what. It’s her privacy,” Du Nian said.
“Exactly. Why else would there be a block option? It’s to protect personal privacy,” Jinkan added in agreement.
“Water’s here.”
Just then, Zhang Qingyue returned with the refilled pitcher. She walked over slowly.
Setting the pitcher down, she asked, “What’s going on?”
“Nothing. I was just about to show Dad a photo of Siyang,” Jinkan said.
“Oh, you can just look at our youngest sister’s Moments. They’re everywhere there,” Zhang Qingyue said, sitting down between Du Nian and Jinkan.
While Du Nian was busy finding a photo on her phone, Jinkan whispered to Qingyue, “Shuyu blocked Dad.”
Qingyue froze for a moment, then snorted with laughter. “I was wondering why Dad looked like that. I thought you’d said something wrong again.”
“What could I have said…” Before Jinkan could finish, Du Nian interrupted.
“Found one.”
Du Nian showed the phone to Zhang Zekang, speaking enthusiastically. “Look, this is Xiao Jiang… and this one…”
Jinkan didn't know which specific photo Du Nian was showing him, but since it was from Shuyu’s Moments, the quality was likely high.
Seeing Zhang Zekang take off his reading glasses to examine the photo, Jinkan asked cautiously, “What do you think?”
Zhang Zekang nodded slightly. “Good-looking. Quite handsome. He looks like he has a good spirit.”
Jinkan felt as happy as if he had been the one complimented. “Yes. Not only is Siyang good-looking, but he also has a great personality. He’s very polite and driven. His family is a military family—his grandfather was an Army Lieutenant Colonel, and his father was a Master Sergeant.”
“Oh?” Zhang Zekang’s eyes lit up.
Jinkan knew this would pique his father’s interest. Zhang Zekang had served in the military himself and had many friends who were veterans.
“What about his mother? What does she do?” Du Nian asked curiously.
At the mention of this, Jinkan’s expression dimmed slightly. “His mother… passed away during his sophomore year of college.”
