When school started in September, both Jiang Tong and Xiao Fengtai were equally busy. Jiang Tong was taking the GRE while Xiao Fengtai took the SAT; Jiang Tong was reaching out to professors and preparing application essays, while Xiao Fengtai had to navigate university application portals. Xiao Fengtai even had an additional task compared to Jiang Tong—engaging in a battle of wits and courage with his family over his choice of university.
"What’s wrong with Cambridge?" The elderly woman on the other side of the screen frowned at him, a rare expression for her. "Your grandfather, your uncle, myself, and your eldest cousin all graduated from there. The environment, the quality of the professors, and the alumni network are all top-tier. Besides, you have many relatives in the UK to look after you."
Xiao Fengtai lowered his head and stirred his tea. "I heard from seniors that the atmosphere in American schools is more open, and there are more opportunities..."
The old lady laughed. "With a background like yours, you’re talking about 'atmosphere' and 'opportunities'? I’m curious—what opportunity could MIT give you that Cambridge cannot?"
Seeing that he couldn't bluff his way through, Xiao Fengtai quickly shifted strategies, attempting to soften his stance and act spoiled to get by. "That’s not what I meant. It’s just that there are too many relatives and friends in the UK. I’ve finally made it to university; I don’t think it’s fun to always be hanging around people I already know."
However, his opponent was far too experienced in such struggles to fall for it. "Going to university isn't something to be ashamed of. Why must you avoid your relatives and run off to America all by yourself?"
"It’s settled then," she said, her voice final. "We’ll each take a step back. You can choose between Cambridge, Oxford, or Imperial College. We can consider the US for your MBA, but for your undergraduate degree, forget it."
Xiao Fengtai’s heart sank.
"Grandmother, I’m serious." He suppressed his panic, forcing himself to look up and meet the old lady’s stern gaze. "I want to apply to schools in the US. I’m not going to the UK."
The old lady didn't speak for a moment. She scrutinized Xiao Fengtai with an expressionless face that made a chill run down his spine. Age had blurred the sharp, cold edges of Mrs. Xiao’s features, but her eyes still retained traces of her former ruthlessness. Xiao Fengtai knew nothing of Mrs. Xiao’s past reputation, yet he instinctively felt restless. His grandmother’s gaze was sharp and calm, making him feel like an incapacitated patient on an operating table, his skull sliced open by a sharp blade as she examined every nerve and blood vessel inch by inch.
"Is that so?" After a long silence, she said flatly, "Then do as you please."
For a youth of Xiao Fengtai’s background, unless they were truly beyond saving, nine times out of ten they would enter a prestigious university. Even if their grades were average, the family’s vast alumni network and abundant resources were enough to make them stand out among their peers. Xiao Fengtai’s academic performance was excellent; until this moment, he had never once worried about his university admissions.
However, losing his family's support and preparing application essays like an ordinary high school student was a different matter entirely.
"Thank you, Grandmother." With Xiao Fengtai’s intelligence, he couldn't fail to hear the threat in her words. The youth accepted immediately without hesitation. Although he tried his best to keep a straight face, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but twitch upward slightly.
Mrs. Xiao was incensed. She hung up on her grandson, her heart pounding erratically, and immediately dialed another number.
"What is wrong with you?" As soon as the video call connected, she began her reprimand. "I went to the trouble of getting you back to Asia, yet you’re restless at school every day. I can overlook your poor grades, but the matter I asked you to figure out—why is there still no progress after all this time?"
The girl looked aggrieved. Just as she was about to argue, Mrs. Xiao coldly cut her off. "Kenneth just told me he doesn't want to go to the UK for university. I told him he can go wherever he gets in on his own—but you must return to the UK after high school graduation. There is no room for negotiation."
"But I really haven't found anything!" Tiffany was almost in tears. "There isn't a single girl around my cousin. He goes straight home after school every day, picked up by the driver. There’s no opening at all."
"Are you overthinking things?" she ventured boldly. "Cousin doesn't look like someone who’s in a relationship at all."
"No," Mrs. Xiao murmured. "Something is definitely wrong."
"There’s really nothing. Especially lately, Cousin is busy with exams and university applications; he’s running in circles. Aside from going to his Chinese lessons, he hardly even leaves the house." This forced her to constantly find excuses to run to his place, only to be met with his disdain.
"Wait." Mrs. Xiao seemed to snap awake, her eyes fixing on her. "Since when did he start attending Chinese lessons so obediently?"
Tiffany was bewildered. "Cousin really likes Chinese. No matter how busy he is, he carves out two hours a week for class. I’ve even seen him doing Chinese homework. It’s quite difficult; I can’t even understand it."
the old woman’s eyes shone with an unsettling brightness.
"Tiffany, I have a task for you. There will be a reward if you complete it," she said softly. "Help me look into Kenneth’s Chinese teacher."
***
When they met the following week, Xiao Fengtai told Jiang Tong about the incident with his grandmother as if it were a piece of news.
"You should have seen her face." They were lying crisscross on the plush carpet. Xiao Fengtai was resting his head on Jiang Tong’s lap while editing his Personal Statement. He habitually bit the end of his pen as he worked, making his voice sound muffled.
"If you want to go to the US, apply yourself; the family won't help you." He vividly mimicked the old lady’s tone. "In all my years, this is the first time Grandmother has been truly angry with me."
"I’ve basically broken with my family just to go to the US. If I really don't get into a university, you have to take responsibility." He had intended to tease Jiang Tong, but he felt a shift behind his head as Jiang Tong sat up.
"Did you really say that to her?" The other man clearly didn't take his words as a joke. "Find an opportunity to apologize to her. University is a lifelong matter; you can't be careless."
Xiao Fengtai sat up abruptly. "Say that again?"
"Besides, she’s so old. Why bother picking a fight with her?"
"If her anger fades, I’ll have to go back to the UK." Xiao Fengtai let out a short laugh. "Does that not matter to you?"
He had originally intended to bring up the argument with his grandmother to claim credit, to show that he was unafraid of authority in the face of love and was willing to gamble his future. Even if Jiang Tong wasn't moved to tears, he should have at least given him a deep kiss as encouragement. Yet now, not only did the man have no intention of showing appreciation, but he also wore a stern, teacher-like expression, making Xiao Fengtai feel like a student who had done something wrong.
"If I go to the UK for my undergraduate degree, will you come to the UK with me?" He saw Jiang Tong’s hardened expression soften with hesitation and guilt, but it brought him no joy. His heart felt as if it were being cut by a small saw, a series of fine, sharp pains.
"Those are two different things," Jiang Tong said with difficulty. "We did have an agreement... but I didn't know your family was so against you going to the US."
"So if you had known from the start, you wouldn't have agreed to go to the US with me?" Xiao Fengtai began to find the whole thing incredibly absurd. "Then what about our future?"
Jiang Tong frowned. "You didn't understand what I said."
"I understood perfectly!" Xiao Fengtai shouted. "Anyway, your heart is set on going to the US. If I follow, great; if I don't, it doesn't matter."
"You never even thought about a future with me." That was why he didn't want to bear even a shred of risk or responsibility—even a fictional one, a risk he had invented just to tease him.
He jumped up from the floor, stuffed his drafts and stationery into his backpack, and turned to leave. Jiang Tong’s reaction had disappointed him immensely; he didn't want to see his face again today.
Let Dr. Jiang go and live happily ever after with his tumor cells.
He swung his backpack onto his shoulders and rushed to the door, only to find he couldn't open it—Jiang Tong’s hand was pressed against the door. Xiao Fengtai pushed with all his might, but the metal door didn't budge.
He looked up and glared at Jiang Tong. "Move."
"Why don't you understand?" Jiang Tong’s eyes were dark and deep. "Do you think I don't want to just coax you with sweet words and have you come to the US with me?"
"I don't want to hear your lecturing." Xiao Fengtai continued to pull at the door. "Move."
"If I died, would you stop living?" Jiang Tong said in a low voice.
Xiao Fengtai looked up at him.
"I love you, and I’m very happy that you like me too. But no one is unable to live without someone else. Because life has many other things besides love—your family, friends, career, hobbies... If you break with your family and end up at a second-rate American university, you will be miserable. And when that misery reaches a certain point, you will hate me."
"The look of hatred in your eyes would be harder for me to bear than four years of being on opposite sides of the globe."
Xiao Fengtai sighed. "Teacher Jiang, why can't you have a little confidence in me?"
"I, Xiao Fengtai, attend the best private British school in Singapore. My GPA has remained steadily above 3.9 for six years of secondary school. As the concertmaster of the school orchestra, I’ve performed abroad several times. I serve as the president of the school’s Model United Nations and have gone to Africa for volunteer teaching, during which I raised over $100,000 in donations to build IT facilities for a local primary school—yes, many of those experiences were supported by my family, but they are more than enough to write a resume and a Personal Statement."
Jiang Tong was stunned. Xiao Fengtai took the opportunity to pull open the door and slipped out of the room like a lithe fish.
"I haven't forgiven you yet. Figure it out yourself."
***
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