“What should we eat?” the old man asked, looking a bit troubled. “You didn't tell me you were coming in advance, so I don't have any good dishes prepared.”
Lin Jiang took her grandfather’s arm and smiled. “Oh, Grandpa, anything you make is delicious.”
The old man chuckled, his whole body shaking with mirth. “Alright then. Go watch some TV while I whip up something simple.”
Lin Jiang wouldn't hear of it. “No way. I’m going to help you, just like when I was little.”
The old man agreed, and the two of them—one old, one young—began busying themselves in the kitchen.
In the end, they prepared sour and spicy shredded potatoes, sautéed pork slices with hot peppers, and toon with tofu. To make it a full spread of four dishes, they sliced a plate of ham and tossed it with sesame oil and scallions.
While still in the kitchen, Lin Jiang snuck a piece of meat. The flavor was incredibly satisfying. As she ate, she praised him, “Grandpa, your cooking is so good. Why didn't my mom take after you?”
Her grandfather was setting the table. He laid out three sets of bowls and chopsticks—one set was for his late wife, a tradition he had kept for the past three years. He gave a soft laugh. “Your mother takes after your grandmother.”
Lin Jiang placed the dishes on the table and laughed. “Mom takes after Grandma, and I take after Mom, so we’re both terrible cooks.”
Grandfather laughed again, his expression tender. Lin Jiang served him some food and asked softly, “Do you miss Grandma, Grandpa?”
“I do. How could I not?” He looked up at the memorial portrait not far away, lost in thought for a moment before turning back to Lin Jiang. “ I heard you received quite a few admission certificates. I haven't congratulated you yet. But remember, as important as studying is, you must take care of your health. Don't overwork yourself.”
Lin Jiang nodded and said, “I know.” She picked up a piece of toon, the flavor so fresh that her whole face lit up. “Grandpa, this toon is so fresh.”
Seeing her enjoy it made him happy. “If you like it, take some home with you later. I picked it yesterday while I was hiking.”
“Hiking? Have you found a new hobby, Grandpa?” Lin Jiang asked.
“Well, since I just retired and have nothing to do, Old Zhang next door has been tinkering with photography and dragged me along. We went to South Mountain to capture some scenery,” he explained.
Lin Jiang smiled. “You’re so trendy, Grandpa. Finding something to do might even lead to a second career.”
He laughed and replied, “I’ll take that as a blessing.”
As the grandfather and granddaughter chatted, Xu Mingjuan called just as they were finishing their meal.
Lin Jiang answered, and her grandfather spoke a few words to Xu Mingjuan before hanging up.
“What did your mother order you to do this time?” A father knows his daughter best.
“Her Ladyship wants some chestnuts from the Xiao Jin shop at the east end of the pedestrian street,” Lin Jiang said with a smile.
“Oh, that’s not on your way back,” her grandfather noted.
Lin Jiang laughed. “It’s fine, I’ll just take a taxi.”
When it was time to go, her grandfather saw her to the door. He pulled a hundred-yuan bill from his pocket to give her for the taxi, but Lin Jiang repeatedly refused. The old man held her hand, fussing over her with various instructions, finally telling her to visit often.
His farewell lasted ten minutes.
Lin Jiang gave him a hug and urged him to go back inside and rest. However, when she reached the corner and looked back, the old man was still standing silently by the door, watching her. Seeing her turn around, he waved.
Lin Jiang felt a sting in her nose. She gritted her teeth and hurried away.
It was a thirty-minute taxi ride from her grandfather’s house to the pedestrian street.
The shop Xu Mingjuan loved had been open for twenty years and was very famous. It had customers all year round. Even from a distance, Lin Jiang could see a long queue snaking out from the entrance.
She pulled out her phone, took a photo, and sent it to Xu Mingjuan: *The line is crazy. Do I get a tip?*
Before she could put her phone back in her pocket, a splash of bright color caught her eye.
A girl was wearing a pink sweater that matched the spring season perfectly, looking as radiant as a peach blossom.
Lin Jiang shuddered—it hadn't been an illusion last night.
The girl seemed to be waiting for someone, her eyes fixed on the second-floor internet cafe. After a moment, a boy walked down the stairs, a plaid shirt draped over his shoulders, his gait casual and loose.
The boy had barely reached the bottom when the girl started to cry.
Dressed in pink today, she looked like a lush honey peach, so tender she seemed as if she would bruise at a touch. Her weeping made her look even more pitiable; even from a distance, Lin Jiang felt a pang of sympathy.
Then, the girl said something to the boy. He either laughed indifferently or frowned with impatience. Before she could say much more, he turned to leave.
The girl gathered her courage and grabbed his hand. The boy turned back, trying to pull away.
To Lin Jiang's shock, the girl suddenly lunged forward and kissed him hard on the mouth.
Lin Jiang gasped sharply.
The boy pushed twice, but it seemed he didn't put much strength into it. Ultimately, he didn't push her away, allowing the crying girl to kiss him.
Lin Jiang’s heart throbbed with an inexplicable pain. She didn't want to look, yet she felt as if she were under a freezing spell, unable to turn her eyes away.
But the line moved faster than she expected. The shop owner suddenly pressed her for how many chestnuts she wanted. She blurted out a number, took the bag, and looked back. The two were still kissing.
This time, she truly couldn't bear to look any longer. She pushed through the crowd, wanting only to escape. As she left, she heard an older woman in line whispering, “Oh my, kids these days are something else.”
She couldn't stay a moment longer. She hailed a taxi by the road and climbed inside.
There was no reason to cry.
But the moment the car started moving, her tears poured out like a flood.
***
Jiang Weifeng had been gaming with his friends. Cheng Minghao hadn't touched a keyboard in a long time and was playing with such gusto that Jiang Weifeng got caught up in the excitement too.
Right at the height of the game, someone brought word that someone was looking for him downstairs.
He stood up reluctantly and went down.
When he saw who it was, he was slightly taken abroad.
He figured he might as well make things clear and end it for good. But as soon as he stood still, before he could even speak, the person in front of him started crying. He felt incredibly irritable and turned to leave, but the girl suddenly grabbed his hand. He wanted to shake her off, but in the next second, she kissed him.
Naturally, he wanted to pull away. But by sheer coincidence, as he struggled, he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure by the chestnut shop not far away. That person was looking in his direction. He suddenly forgot to move, letting the girl kiss him.
However, that person only glanced for a moment before quickly buying chestnuts and walking away without looking back.
Only then did Jiang Weifeng snap back to his senses and push the girl away.
His handsome brows knitted together. He wanted to speak, hesitated, and then finally said, “Zhao Siyi, aren't you tired of this?”
Zhao Siyi’s eyes were red, her voice pitiful. “Today is your birthday. I hid it from my mother and borrowed money to fly back from the UK... Let’s get back together, okay?”
Jiang Weifeng let out a scoffing laugh, as if he’d heard a joke. “Forget it. We aren't right for each other.”
Zhao Siyi’s shoulders slumped instantly. “What do I have to do for you to forgive me?”
“There’s nothing to forgive,” Jiang Weifeng said calmly. “You and I are not from the same world.”
“I’ve truly thrown away all my dignity for you,” Zhao Siyi said, trembling slightly.
“You’d better keep your dignity,” Jiang Weifeng said, turning his head slightly as he walked away. “This is the last time I’m seeing you.”
The light in the girl’s eyes vanished completely. She clenched her fists, still unwilling to give up. “I only have one last question. Did you ever actually like me?”
The boy’s steps up the stairs paused for a microsecond. His heart felt empty, and he didn't know what he was thinking. When he spoke, he was honest but indifferent. “Not anymore.”
The girl suddenly laughed aloud, even as tears gushed out.
Jiang Weifeng ignored the person behind him and went straight upstairs. In the internet cafe, the group was at a climax in their game. They must have encountered a terrible teammate; Cheng Minghao’s eyes were bloodshot with fury as he cursed into his mic, nearly smashing the keyboard.
Jiang Weifeng wasn't particularly good at the game; he played purely for fun. After the scene downstairs with Zhao Siyi, he had no desire to play at all. He picked up his cigarettes and keys from the table, intending to leave.
Someone called out to him, “Where are you going? Aren't we celebrating your birthday tonight?”
He didn't look up. “Not feeling it. I’m going home.”
Cheng Minghao stopped him. “Don't be like that. It’s your 18th birthday, after all. If you don't want a crowd, the two of us can just go out for a drink.”
“Then get your ass over here,” Jiang Weifeng said, glancing back.
Jiang Weifeng led the way downstairs. His pace faltered for a second as he passed the chestnut shop, but he kept walking.
That evening, he and Cheng Minghao found a small hole-in-the-wall eatery and ordered a few dishes. Midway through, Cheng Minghao went out and returned carrying a cake.
Jiang Weifeng didn't like sweets, but not wanting to ruin the gesture, he took a spoonful. And then...
“Chestnut flavored?” He arched a handsome eyebrow.
Cheng Minghao looked proud. “I just picked one at random. What, you don't like it?”
Jiang Weifeng gave a low laugh and quietly pushed the cake away, picking up his drink instead. “Too sweet.”
“So you’re not going to eat it? Buying this cost me 200 yuan of my secret savings!” Cheng Minghao huffed.
“Then you eat it all,” the boy replied without looking up.
Cheng Minghao’s eyes suddenly flashed. “Wait? Lin Jiang?!”
Jiang Weifeng’s heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively turned his head to look.
*Splat!*
When he turned back, a piece of cake was smashed accurately and defenselessly onto his face.
Covered in greasy frosting, Jiang Weifeng froze in place.
The culprit, meanwhile, had pulled out his phone and was snapping photos frantically. “Hahaha! Happy birthday, brother!”
An hour later, Cheng Minghao was in a headlock, his ghostly wails for mercy going unheeded.
At the same time, Lin Jiang, her eyes swollen from crying, saw a post from Cheng Minghao on her Qzone feed: *Happy 18th birthday, brother!*
It was accompanied by a photo of a boy with cream smeared on his face. In the picture, the boy’s eyes were fierce, yet he looked strangely cute.
Lin Jiang let out a sudden laugh, but then her tears began to flow again like an opened valve.
She couldn't help but think that Zhao Siyi must have been at dinner with him too. She had flown across several time zones to find him; surely such a gesture would melt even a block of ice.
He must really love her. Otherwise, why would he have transferred to the West Campus back then? Why would Cheng Yun-chuan be so certain about who was in his heart?
She asked herself silently: *Can I stop liking him?*
But the thought of no longer liking him felt even more painful than seeing him embrace and kiss Zhao Siyi.
In truth, Lin Jiang didn't care if Jiang Weifeng was a playboy.
What she feared was that he only acted like a playboy on the surface while being deeply devoted underneath.
Yet she was contradictory; if he truly were that kind of person, his devotion wouldn't be misplaced, and she would admire him even more.
Lin Jiang’s fingers hovered over the keys of her phone. She typed words into a status update and deleted them, one by one.
She felt so pathetic. She lingered until nearly midnight before finally opening Weibo.
She wrote:
*Happy Birthday.*
*May the youth ride the wind and waves, and never forget the nurturing grace of years gone by.*
***
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Waiting for the Wind to Come | Chapter 21 | A Bittersweet Birthday | Novela.app | Novela.app
