Waiting for the Wind to Come | Chapter 41 | Meeting the Parents | Novela.app

After hanging up the phone, Lin Jiang made plans to see a movie with Wang Jiaqian. *Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales* was still in theaters. Lin Jiang had never been particularly interested in such films, but Wang Jiaqian watched with great relish, polishing off more than half a bucket of popcorn. After the movie ended, the two girls took the escalator to the fourth floor to buy milk tea. While they were waiting in line, Wang Jiaqian stepped aside to take a call, leaving Lin Jiang to face a barrage of text messages from Xu Mingjuan. Her mother kept asking, "What exactly is going on between you and that friend named Jiang?" It didn't take a genius to figure out that Grandpa had been running his mouth again. Lin Jiang pretended not to see the messages. She handed her receipt to the clerk and waited for the drinks to be packed. She was having a Mango Pomelo Sago; Wang Jiaqian’s drink had a name so long she couldn't remember it. On their way downstairs, Wang Jiaqian was in high spirits, mentioning that she had successfully negotiated an advertising slot on a certain app, saving ten percent on promotion costs. At the end of her chatter, she didn't forget to check in: "Have you signed with 'Hear' yet?" If she hadn't mentioned it, Lin Jiang would have almost forgotten. "I signed. I've talked quite a bit with the editor and had a few phone calls. The contract was sent from Beijing; it should arrive in a day or two." Upon hearing this, Wang Jiaqian immediately exclaimed, "My girl is amazing!" and insisted that Lin Jiang treat her to a meal. "Why should I be the one treating? Isn't your successful ad deal worth celebrating too?" Lin Jiang wasn't about to fall into that trap. "Please, your news is way more worth celebrating than mine!" The two of them bickered like schoolgirls, their "argument" becoming quite heated. That was until a car honked at them. Hearing the sound, Lin Jiang and Wang Jiaqian both looked over. Qin Zhao was dressed in a suit, clearly fresh from a business engagement. He was leaning out of the car window with one arm resting on the frame, calling out to them. "Are you two best friends really fighting?" Qin Zhao asked. "Only best friends fight like this, right?" Wang Jiaqian sat in the passenger seat, twisting her body to act spoiled toward Lin Jiang, clearly not taking their previous banter to heart. Lin Jiang played along, widening her eyes in mock confusion. "Who? Who's your best friend? There's no one else in this car." This made Qin Zhao burst into laughter. "Alright, alright. How about I treat? Lin Jiang, what do you want to eat?" Through the rearview mirror, Lin Jiang’s eyes met Qin Zhao’s. He was looking at her with a smile that felt a bit too open, making her want to look away for some reason. "What do you mean by that!" Wang Jiaqian’s voice cut off Qin Zhao’s gaze. "You're only treating her?" Qin Zhao glanced at the back seat again before quickly looking away. He playfully took Wang Jiaqian’s hand. " I wasn't finished. You're both going, of course. We'll call Zhou Wan too, to make sure you all get your fill." "That’s more like it... But I don't want you to treat. Spending your money is the same as spending mine," Wang Jiaqian huffed, her tone affectionate. ... Listening to the two of them go back and forth in the front, Lin Jiang quietly checked her phone. Opening WeChat, she saw an unread message from her pinned contact and quickly tapped in. **J:** Are you home yet? Was the movie good? For some reason, she felt an immediate sense of peace. She replied: **Almost there. It was good.** *** Jiang Weifeng was in the middle of a meeting. Zhang Yijia was drawing arrows on a whiteboard, reviewing content, organizing thoughts, and assigning tasks to everyone. Suddenly, the phone on the table vibrated with a "buzz." Everyone looked toward Jiang Weifeng. Without much expression, he gestured for them to continue and picked up his phone. **J:** Almost there. It was good. The corners of his mouth curled up unconsciously. He replied: **Wait for my call.** The entire sequence of actions took less than ten seconds. When he snapped back to reality, he found everyone’s eyes fixed on him. "If there are words written on my face, feel free to keep staring," Jiang Weifeng said, crossing his arms and turning toward the whiteboard. Zhang Yijia gave a playful smile. "Is the iron tree finally blooming?" As soon as the words left his mouth, the room erupted in laughter. "Wrong!" Gu Xiang, laughing the loudest, shouted, "Brother Feng is a 'famous flower that has found its master'! What 'iron tree blooming'? Do you even know how to use idioms?" "Do *you* know how to use them? For a guy, it's 'famous grass that has found its master,'" someone nudged Gu Xiang’s arm. Jiang Weifeng watched them talk nonsense, his face remaining cold and serious. He stayed silent and gave no reaction, which eventually made the lighthearted jokers realize the atmosphere was shifting. The large conference room suddenly fell silent. Jiang Weifeng glanced at his watch. Seeing that the details of the workflow were basically finalized, he packed his things and stood up to leave. Back in his office, he checked WeChat again. She hadn't replied yet. For some reason, he thought back to the way the others had teased him in the meeting. He suddenly let out a low chuckle. They say laughter makes you ten years younger; Jiang Weifeng felt that being in love was truly a recipe for a long life. He was still wearing a smile when he called her. *** Qin Zhao dropped Lin Jiang off at her apartment first. He pulled over on the other side of the road. Just as Lin Jiang stepped out and said goodbye, her phone rang. Without thinking, she pressed answer. As she crossed the street, she heard him say, "The work is finalized. We start on the 23rd. It'll be recorded in two batches. The first batch of sessions goes until July 3rd." He explained everything in meticulous detail, and Lin Jiang listened just as carefully. They talked the whole way. When it was time to hang up, they both seemed reluctant, though he was the one to end the call first. He said, "Anyway, I'll bring you some late-night snacks tonight." Lin Jiang said, "Okay." The moment she hung up, Lin Jiang thought of Xu Mingjuan and Lin Wei. In the past, when Lin Wei went on business trips, it was just like this. Sometimes while they were eating, Lin Wei would recite where he was going, who he was meeting, and when he would be back, all for Xu Mingjuan to hear. Xu Mingjuan would respond casually, reminding him which clothes to bring and which tie to pair them with. In truth, the mundane warmth of daily life—the trivial matters of a common couple—rarely involved grand declarations of love, yet they found a thousand ways to show what happiness looked like. Xu Mingjuan and Lin Wei were like that. Zheng Ping and Jiang He were the same. *** On the day she went to Jiang Weifeng’s house for dinner, Lin Jiang spent a long time preparing. But after all that fuss, she ended up with only light makeup. Later, when Jiang Weifeng came to pick her up, she was still worried her makeup was too heavy, feeling nervous the entire drive. Jiang Weifeng lived in an old residential area in a very good location. Lin Jiang could smell the aroma of food as soon as she reached the door. Before Jiang Weifeng could even speak after opening the door, the two elders scurried out of the kitchen one after the other, both wearing identical aprons with cute bears on them. "We told you just to come over, why did you bring so many things?" Both of them said the exact same thing. This was likely the standard opening line for anyone’s first formal visit. Lin Jiang set the gift boxes aside and hurriedly said, "It’s nothing much, please don't be so polite." After a few pleasantries, Zheng Ping went back to the kitchen to check on the dishes, and Lin Jiang followed Jiang Weifeng into the living room to sit. Jiang He went to pour some water, but Jiang Weifeng stopped him, saying she didn't like that. He pulled two cans of Coke from the fridge, popped the tabs, and handed one to her. During this time, Lin Jiang had been observing the house. Jiang Weifeng’s home was a typical Chinese household. The living room was cozy and clean. On the wall hung four elegant paintings of plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums. The cabinets near the inner wall were filled with jade, red coral, and sandalwood ornaments. Near the window stood a screen, behind which was a low table for brewing tea. Lin Jiang took two gulps of Coke and whispered to Jiang Weifeng, "Good thing I didn't buy Western liquor." Jiang Weifeng chuckled. "To be honest, that Moutai you brought..." *is even harder for my dad to stomach than Western liquor.* Lin Jiang asked, "What?" "Nothing. I just suddenly feel the pressure. How am I going to afford to keep a young lady like you after we get married?" Jiang Weifeng gave her a thoroughly playful smile. Lin Jiang reached out and punched him. "Dinner's ready!" Zheng Ping placed a stir-fry dish on the dining table and called for them to come eat. As she spoke, she happened to see Lin Jiang’s fist landing on Jiang Weifeng’s chest. Caught off guard, she smiled and asked, "Did I call you at a bad time?" Lin Jiang couldn't handle such a comment; her face flushed red instinctively. She scrambled up to help Zheng Ping set the table. The meal itself felt incredibly unnatural. The two elders were wonderful, not prying into her business as she had imagined they might. The problem was Jiang Weifeng... Jiang Weifeng was well-behaved enough, sitting quietly beside her and eating, chewing very slowly as if he had little interest in the conversation between her and his parents. But every time Jiang He or Zheng Ping said, "Eat more, don't be shy," Jiang Weifeng would silently place more food in her bowl. To make matters worse, the two people across from them seemed delighted by the sight, constantly urging her, "Don't stop eating, treat this like your own home." By the end, she had been fed so much she could hardly sit up straight. Once the meal was finally over, Lin Jiang insisted on helping Zheng Ping with the dishes. After a brief protest, the older woman stopped being polite. Once in the kitchen, Zheng Ping refused to let Lin Jiang’s hands touch the water, so Lin Jiang stood by to take the washed plates and wipe them dry. Zheng Ping chatted with her casually. "He finally caught you, after all." "You don't know this, but Weifeng rarely lets me get involved in his affairs, let alone asks for help. But you were the exception." Zheng Ping didn't stop washing. "He’s truly put his heart into you." Lin Jiang’s hand paused mid-wipe. "He asked you for help?" "He never told you, did he?" Zheng Ping turned and smiled at her. "I figured he wouldn't mention it." Zheng Ping finished the last bowl and reached for the chopsticks. "If nothing else, your home address—he was the one who asked me to find it out for him." Lin Jiang stood frozen. She pressed her lips tight, unable to find her voice for a long time. Her nose felt stinging and sour. She quickly tilted her head back, trying to keep the tears from spilling over. The lights in the house were orange, casting a warm glow that felt inexplicably like a lingering embrace. *** While Lin Jiang helped Zheng Ping tidy up the kitchen, Jiang Weifeng followed Jiang He to the living room to water the plants. A while later, when both sides were finished, Jiang Weifeng led Lin Jiang to his bedroom. His bedroom wasn't large. The only big pieces of furniture were the bed, a wardrobe, and a modest desk. However, there were plenty of "boyish" things—a skateboard and a basketball were piled in a corner. Jiang Weifeng closed the door, walked up behind Lin Jiang, and pulled her into a tight embrace. It felt as though only by holding each other could they truly feel the reality of the other's presence. Lin Jiang’s heart felt numb with emotion. "What were you and Aunt Zheng talking about just now?" She heard him ask, but she didn't intend to answer. Lin Jiang had a lovely fragrance that he found utterly addictive. He leaned in and took a deep breath, closing his eyes with a doting smile. "Your heart is beating so fast," he said softly. Lin Jiang was pinned in his arms and couldn't move. Hearing this made her even more embarrassed, and she hurriedly broke free. She walked a few steps forward and sat on the edge of the bed before finally murmuring, "You still have the nerve to joke with me." At this, it was Jiang Weifeng’s turn to be stunned. "What’s wrong?" He stood still, looking at her. To his surprise, she turned and shot him a glare. "Think about it yourself." The look was more like a flirtatious pout than actual anger. Jiang Weifeng grinned, walked over to sit beside her, and wrapped a long arm around her again. "Let me think..." He made a show of deep contemplation before finally saying, "Oh dear, I can't remember. How about I compensate you? Hmm... how about I pay with my body?" Lin Jiang reached out to punch him again, but he was too quick. He caught her hand and, in a few swift motions, pinned her down onto the bed. "Jiang Weifeng." After being pressed down, Lin Jiang’s mind went blank for a second. In the next second, she realized her predicament—once again, she was in this passive position, being scrutinized, tested, and coaxed by him from above. So, she called out his name. And then, he actually stopped. "I'll stop teasing," Jiang Weifeng said, rolling over to lie side-by-side with her. *** | Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 听见 | Hear | The name of the platform/publisher Lin Jiang is signing with. | | 杨枝甘露 | Mango Pomelo Sago | A popular Cantonese dessert drink. | | 铁树开花 | Iron tree blooming | Idiom: Something rare happening; a stoic person falling in love. | | 名花有主 | Famous flower has a master | Idiom: A woman is taken/in a relationship. | | 名草有主 | Famous grass has a master | Idiom: A man is taken/in a relationship. | | 肉偿 | Pay with one's body | Suggestive joke/innuendo (literally "meat compensation"). | | 茅台 | Moutai | A famous and expensive brand of Chinese baijiu. |