Jiang Tong booked his flight back to Singapore for January 15th. Until the 14th, Xiao Fengtai remained entirely in the dark.
On the night before his departure, Jiang Tong had a video call with him. Partly because his predicament had truly been resolved, and partly out of guilt, he had been doing his utmost lately to appear nonchalant and optimistic in front of the boy. Xiao Fengtai had been cautious at first, but eventually, he seemed to believe the act, his behavior gradually returning to its former lively and unrestrained state.
"Did you buy the candied hawthorns? I specifically sent you a photo of the packaging before. Don't tell me you forgot."
"They’re called *tanghulu*," Jiang Tong corrected him, yet he good-naturedly pointed his phone camera at his suitcase. "I bought several bags. I can't fit any more luggage."
Xiao Fengtai looked relieved, then began rambling about going sea fishing with friends last weekend. He talked about how they had eaten over a hundred oysters, how 'Bad Influence A' had smuggled champagne onto the boat when the adults weren't looking, and how 'Bad Influence B' was too scared to jump into the water until they kicked him in, leaving him wailing for help while clutching a pink flamingo floatie.
"There's something I need to tell you," Xiao Fengtai said hesitantly before they hung up. "I received another offer."
As he spoke, he peeked cautiously at Jiang Tong, terrified of catching a glimpse of disappointment on his face.
Even if a high-speed camera had been trained on Jiang Tong, it wouldn't have found a single flaw in his expression. "Congratulations! Which school is it?"
Xiao Fengtai hesitated before naming a university.
"...That’s incredible," Jiang Tong remarked with genuine sentiment. "As your half-baked tutor, would it be too shameless of me to say I share in the glory?"
Xiao Fengtai glared at him, though the tips of his ears turned red. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm just happy for you," Jiang Tong laughed. "Have you signed the offer?"
Xiao Fengtai paused for a moment. Jiang Tong didn't disturb him, simply waiting in patient silence. Finally, as if having made a firm resolution, the youth stopped shifting his gaze and looked up to meet Jiang Tong’s eyes squarely.
"I signed it."
Neither of them mentioned the progress of Jiang Tong’s research assistant applications.
"Since you got into such a prestigious school, do you want a reward?" Jiang Tong asked before ending the call.
"Of course I want a reward—but I can't tell you yet."
"Why not?"
"You'll find out when you get back to Singapore."
At 11:45 PM on January 14th, they exchanged goodnights on WeChat. At 8:55 AM on January 15th, Jiang Tong’s flight took off for Singapore. At 3:22 PM, the flight landed. Jiang Tong turned on his phone and received a single message from Fang Dayong asking if he had arrived safely. Until late into the night of the 15th, Xiao Fengtai never contacted him again.
When they first met, Jiang Tong had found him cold and arrogant, but only after becoming close did he realize Xiao Fengtai was actually the lively, talkative type. Recently, while they were apart, it was rare for Xiao Fengtai to stay quiet for even a morning, let alone go an entire day without a word.
At 1:00 AM on January 16th, Jiang Tong sent his first message to Xiao Fengtai since landing.
*“Are you asleep?”*
Three minutes later, he received a reply.
*“Hello, Xiao Tong. This is Kenneth’s grandmother. From today onward, Kenneth will no longer be in contact with you. Please delete all his contact information.”*
*“The remaining balance will be transferred once Kenneth begins his studies in the UK. Thank you for your hard work during this time.”*
This was the end. A conclusion more silent, efficient, and clinical than he had imagined. Despite having rehearsed this moment thousands of times in his mind, the instant it actually happened, Jiang Tong felt a slight wave of nausea and vertigo.
It was the sensation of stepping onto solid ground after a violent amusement park ride. The moment of soaring and falling was over, but the body still retained the inertia. Even knowing that it was he who was swaying and not the world, he still involuntarily stumbled, his center of gravity sinking as he reached out for a stabilizing handhold that didn't exist.
*“Understood. Thank you.”*
His final line had finally been delivered to perfection.
***
Xiao Fengtai had a very long dream.
In the dream, he and Jiang Tong were hiking through the mountains, one behind the other. The path was steep, giant trees blotted out the sun, and shrubs grew wildly, nearly obscuring the trail entirely. Both were in full hiking gear, trekking under heavy loads, and soon they were drenched in sweat.
No one spoke. There was no birdsong, no chirping of insects, not even the soft rustle of leaves in a breeze. The absolute silence seemed to have a temperature and texture of its own, magnifying the humid heat and exhaustion. A layer of sweat on his back felt unbearably itchy, like countless tiny ants crawling over him.
Jiang Tong maintained a consistent distance ahead of him. He never looked back, but Xiao Fengtai knew it was him.
The mountain path seemed endless. Xiao Fengtai’s legs grew weak, and he gradually fell behind.
"Jiang Tong," he finally called out. "Wait for me."
Jiang Tong didn't stop. In fact, Xiao Fengtai felt he had quickened his pace. He watched helplessly as Jiang Tong’s silhouette shrank, nearly vanishing into the layers of green shadows.
"Wait for me!" he screamed, racing forward with all his might. However, the ground beneath his feet became damp and soft; every step required his full strength. The harder he tried, the deeper he sank.
His footing gave way, and he plummeted into a lush, green abyss.
Xiao Fengtai snapped his eyes open.
"You're awake?" Mrs. Xiao was sitting by the bed reading. Noticing the movement, she closed the book, placed it on the nightstand, and rang the bell for a servant. "How do you feel? Do you want some water?"
Xiao Fengtai struggled to sit up, his head throbbing with a rhythmic pain. "Why are you here?"
Mrs. Xiao smiled but didn't answer. He didn't need her explanation; Xiao Fengtai had already sensed something was wrong. The oversized four-poster bed beneath him, the wide Turner seascape painting that shouldn't be there, the cherry wood built-in bookshelves... the floor-to-ceiling windows were covered by white sheer curtains, filtering the sunlight and casting a dreamy, hazy shadow over the room's furnishings. Xiao Fengtai suspected he was in a dream within a dream—this wasn't his room. This wasn't even Singapore.
He stumbled out of bed and yanked open the curtains. Looking down from the height, a familiar, vibrant, and dense greenery rushed to meet his eyes. Large geometric lawns, a triple-arched gate, a rose garden, the Serpentine Lake... he could even see a pair of swans playing in the center of the water. Hyde Park, in the heart of London. Xiao Fengtai had spent nearly every summer of his life here.
The sky was a washed blue, the lake shimmered with light, and the spire of The Shard loomed faintly on the horizon. It was too real to be a dream. He spun around abruptly.
"I want to go back," Xiao Fengtai said, trying his best to remain calm. "Please have someone book the earliest flight. School starts next week."
A servant brought red tea. Mrs. Xiao picked up a cup and took a small sip. "Don't worry about school. I've already requested a leave of absence for you."
"You have an interview at Cambridge in five days. Stay here and prepare in peace. Don't worry about anything else."
"I already have an offer from the US. I won't be interviewing for any other schools."
"You promised me. As long as I could get into a school on my own, you wouldn't interfere anymore."
Mrs. Xiao said nonchalantly, "What did I promise you?"
She set the teacup back on the tray. The porcelain met with a soft, crisp clink. Only high-quality bone china produced such a clear resonance. When Xiao Fengtai was little and mischievous, he would sneak the teacups out of the display cabinet, fill them with water, and tap them like instruments. Mrs. Xiao hadn't been angry when she found him; she had even helped him adjust the water levels. In the end, grandmother and grandson had performed a "Teacup Ode to Joy" for the butler.
She had always indulged him.
"I've already written to the school in America to decline on your behalf," Mrs. Xiao said calmly. "They understood your special circumstances and confirmed the withdrawal of the offer. You will stay in London and focus on your interview. Once you have your admission letter, I will let you go back."
"Then I won't go to university at all." Xiao Fengtai faced the elder without fear, his words sharp. "Even if you tie me up and drag me to Cambridge, I won't say a single word during the interview."
He still held a final sliver of hope in his heart. "You saw how much effort I put in to go to the US. Why go back on your word so suddenly? I know you aren't that kind of person."
Mrs. Xiao was so angry she laughed. "You actually have the nerve to ask me why?"
She gripped her cane and pushed herself up with effort, walking slowly toward Xiao Fengtai step by step. Unlike Xiao Zhizhong’s tempestuous, violent rage, Mrs. Xiao simply stared at him coldly. It was enough to make the boy feel an unbearable weight, requiring all his mental strength to keep from kneeling and begging for forgiveness.
She was an old falcon of the plains, weathered by time; he was a young, naive antelope with horns still soft. The falcon was aged, her vision clouded and movements slow, but her talons were as sharp as ever. The antelope had been deceived by her slow, heavy frame, unaware that she was waiting for the perfect moment to strike, unaware of how insignificant his horns were against her claws.
"Things have come to this, and you're still playing dumb with me?" The silver-plated cane struck the floor with heavy, dull thuds that seemed to beat against Xiao Fengtai’s heart.
"Do you really not know why I would bring you to England even if I had to kidnap you?"
It was like a bucket of ice water poured over his head. First, his stomach began to cramp, and Xiao Fengtai felt his teeth chattering uncontrollably.
When did they slip up? Who snitched? How much did Grandmother know? Would she go after Jiang Tong?
There were too many questions, but he had no time.
Xiao Fengtai straightened his spine and met Mrs. Xiao’s cold gaze. A thousand words choked in his throat, finally merging into three rebellious, yet necessary words.
"I love him."
"Heh." Mrs. Xiao gave a cold sneer.
"You've disappointed me deeply."
"This old woman’s eyes are indeed failing with age."
"You are nothing like your mother."
Mrs. Xiao looked at him with a gaze of genuine disappointment, contempt, disdain, and regret—as if Xiao Fengtai were a tree that had grown crooked halfway, a flower that couldn't be grafted, a piece of art that had consumed vast amounts of early investment only to end up deformed and beyond saving.
"Heeling was far more capable than you. You don't deserve to be her son."
"I want to go back." Xiao Fengtai took a deep breath, suppressing the tears swirling in his eyes. "Please book me the earliest flight back to Singapore."
"Otherwise, I'll jump from this floor right now."
With a *thud*, Mrs. Xiao threw a phone at his feet.
"See for yourself."
Having said that, as if she could no longer endure this conversation or the sight of him, she hobbled back to the bedside with her cane, returning to the gray shadows where the sunlight couldn't reach.
What did she mean? Xiao Fengtai didn't have time to think. He grabbed the phone and tried to call Jiang Tong.
Once, twice, three times—no answer.
The receiver played a monotonous, sweet customer service tone. Xiao Fengtai gradually began to panic.
Afternoon in the UK was early morning in Asia. Jiang Tong was probably sleeping and couldn't see his phone. He comforted himself and opened WeChat, wanting to send a message.
His finger hovered over the screen.
"What, you saw it?" Seeing him go rigid and pale, Mrs. Xiao wore an expression that said she had expected this.
"You offered up your heart on a silver platter, practically begging him to take it. And the result? Not only did he smash it to pieces, but he also swept up the shards and sold them for a good price by weight."
"Stop it," Xiao Fengtai whispered, his voice suddenly becoming hoarse.
"To be fair, that boy Jiang Tong is indeed clever," Mrs. Xiao mused, ignoring him. "So young, yet he knows exactly how to maximize the value of the chips in his hand. Guess how much money he extorted from me?"
"Enough!" the youth roared. Tears and cold sweat mixed as they flowed down his face, the veins on his neck bulging.
"I told you to stop talking!"
"Don't be disrespectful to your grandmother." Mrs. Xiao spoke the words, but her expression showed no offense. "I'll overlook it this time since you're grieving. If it happens again, I have plenty of ways to discipline you."
She stood up and walked toward the door. "Prepare for your interview. Don't think about playing tricks under my nose. I mean what I say—once you have that admission letter, I will naturally let you go."
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
糖葫芦 | Tanghulu | Traditional Chinese snack of candied fruit on a bamboo skewer.
海德公园 | Hyde Park | A major park in Central London.
Shard | The Shard | A famous 72-story skyscraper in London.
鹤龄 | Heeling | Kenneth's mother's name (Xiao Heeling).
