Chapter 18

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Qiu Baozhu did not give Wei Shu an invitation.
In the previous life, they had met because of his enthusiastic help, and at this stage, they had already entered an ambiguous phase.
Qiu Baozhu clearly remembered that back then, when Wei Shu was not in the classroom, he had quietly slipped the invitation into Wei Shu’s backpack. Wei Shu always loved creating such small surprises.
But today, he did not do that.
He Yingjie still thought the guest list was too small and had been nagging for several days, but Qiu Baozhu ignored her.
On Friday afternoon, he went to his grandmother’s house with Qiu Fei.
His grandmother’s surname was Wan, full name Wan Yinci.
She had no sisters and only one son, Qiu Jinyan. Many years ago, her first son and daughter had died young for various reasons, so she poured all her love into Qiu Jinyan.
After Qiu Jinyan married and had children, she gave the same amount of love to He Yingjie, Qiu Baozhu, and Qiu Fei.
She did not want to live with her son’s family, thinking that old age made people irritable, so she lived alone in a self-built small Western-style house in the suburbs.
When Qiu Baozhu was curious as a child, he asked why his grandmother didn’t live with them.
He Yingjie said it was because grandma didn’t want to live with them; old people liked peace and quiet.
Because the area where Wan Yinci lived was indeed mostly elderly people, Qiu Baozhu believed He Yingjie's explanation for a long time.
Until later, when the family went bankrupt, Qiu Baozhu and Qiu Fei moved to live with Wan Yinci for several months. The old woman was genuinely welcoming and happy, not at all like what He Yingjie had said about liking peace and quiet.
At that time, Qiu Baozhu was no longer as naive as before; from Wan Yinci’s demeanor and He Yingjie’s usual attitude toward the elderly, he had roughly figured out six or seven parts of the truth.
But before Qiu Baozhu could do anything about it, Qiu Jinyan, who had been hiding, returned in a sorry state and had a fierce argument with the elderly Wan Yinci upstairs.
Late at night, Wan Yinci slipped in the kitchen.
Within minutes, she lost consciousness. After being sent to the hospital, the diagnosis was cerebral hemorrhage. Despite efforts to save her, the elderly woman passed away at eight in the morning the next day.
Qiu Jinyan and He Yingjie both insisted that Wan Yinci’s cerebral hemorrhage was caused by aging and the fall, refusing to take any responsibility for her death.
Causing the death of one’s elderly mother from anger is a matter no one dares to admit throughout history, regardless of good or evil, loyalty or treachery.
When the two young men arrived at Wan Yinci’s home, the old woman was tending to a small watermelon patch in the yard.
“Oh dear,” she kept sighing, “this year’s sun is just too harsh. No need to worry about sweetness, but I guess these seedlings might dry up before they get sweet.”
“Grandma?” Qiu Baozhu pushed open the fence and called out.
Wan Yinci almost thought she misheard. She let go of the watermelon vine in her palm and hurried over. “Why are you two here?”
Qiu Fei was quiet; it was Qiu Baozhu who spoke.
“Tomorrow is Qiu Fei’s and my birthday. We came to invite you for a meal.”
“A meal?”
Sweat on Wan Yinci’s face froze for two seconds before rolling down again. She wiped it off with the back of her hand. “Come inside first, it’s way too hot outside.”
She deliberately walked slowly, trailing behind the two, pinching their waists one by one. Qiu Baozhu, ticklish, jumped away in fright.
“Baozhu, you’re still the older brother, why are you so much thinner than Qiu Fei? Qiu Fei’s got more meat on him,” Wan Yinci said with a worried look. “Are you skinnier than the last time I saw you?”
“No, I’m just growing taller, two meters tall.”
“You’re not even as tall as Qiu Fei yet, two meters...”
Inside the house was cool. Qiu Baozhu took the opportunity to drink water and slipped into the kitchen.
Since they had come, Wan Yinci didn’t say anything unpleasant. After changing the subject, she took out several packets of snacks from the cabinet, a large plate of chilled fruit, and poured some soda she had prepared earlier, filling the entire tea table before she finally paused.
“That’s enough, we have everything over there. You can keep these for yourself,” Qiu Baozhu said, looking at Wan Yinci, who was still full of vigor and had jet-black hair. Her excessive excitement made his heart ache a little.
Wan Yinci sat down and said, “If these things sit there, they just sit there. I don’t even like eating them.”

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Qiu Baozhu couldn’t refuse to eat, so he ate and ate, drank and drank, his face almost turning green.
“You said you two are having a birthday dinner and invited me, right? I thought about it and decided not to go. Your parents’ antics—if I go, won’t I embarrass you?” Wan Yinci clearly wanted to go but frowned with a troubled, conflicted expression when refusing.
“This year won’t be like previous years; I just simply invited some classmates. Besides, you’re my grandmother. Whatever you do, Qiu Fei and I won’t think it’s embarrassing,” Qiu Baozhu said firmly.
He had made up his mind: if Wan Yinci absolutely refused to go, he would throw a tantrum on the ground.
“Oh dear,” Wan Yinci made a funny face, but when her features twisted, it just hid her reddened eyes.
“Qiu Fei, do you also want me to go?” Wan Yinci asked the silent Qiu Fei.
She actually understood these two children better than their own parents, who were still kids themselves and didn’t really know how to raise children, raising them more like kittens and puppies. Not to mention, the kids didn’t like it.
Qiu Fei appeared introverted and reserved but had many ideas and his own mind.
Qiu Baozhu seemed full of ideas and charming, looking clever, but was actually simple, stubborn, and naively foolish.
Qiu Fei munched on salted peanuts. “I think the same as Qiu Baozhu.”
Qiu Baozhu lifted his chin. “He listens to me.”
Qiu Fei glanced over and stuffed a handful of peanuts into the boy’s mouth. “Eat peanuts.”
—
The clothes for the birthday party arrived Saturday morning. Both were black suits, identical in style and cut; the only difference was that Qiu Baozhu’s tie was dark green, and Qiu Fei’s was navy blue.
The banquet was held in the garden behind the villa. It was summer, and various colors of hydrangeas bloomed, crowding and piling everywhere. A long table was covered with a white cotton-linen tablecloth, decorated with sunflowers and white carnations placed closely together, fresh green fruits and vegetables as garnishes, and tall hollow bamboo balls placed in several corners. Asparagus ferns grew in cages nearby.
From a distance, the scene was magnificent yet fresh and lively, perfectly suited for the seventeenth birthday party of young boys.
The chef was still preparing the main course. Qiu Baozhu changed into his suit, holding his tie and found Qiu Fei.
“Help me tie it.”
Qiu Fei put down his tie and began tying Qiu Baozhu’s. “Where’s Aunt Wan?”
“She said there are so many hydrangeas in the garden they’re annoying, and she’s pruning them with some people now,” Qiu Baozhu tilted his head slightly for Qiu Fei’s convenience.
“You’re not familiar with Zeng Mingxi; why invite him?” Qiu Fei asked curiously while tying the tie.
Actually, he didn’t want to bother with these family matters. He thought he and Qiu Baozhu could stay out of each other’s way forever, not bothering one another, and keeping appearances decent.
But Qiu Baozhu took the initiative to get close again, like when they were kids.
Now that they were close, Qiu Fei had no choice but to ask and worry.
“I feel…” Qiu Baozhu tilted his head, “he complimented my pendant last time.”
“Just because of that?”
Outside, He Yingjie called Qiu Baozhu’s name. Qiu Baozhu turned and replied once, then ran out without answering Qiu Fei’s question.
He Yingjie, smiling warmly, pulled Qiu Baozhu into her personal study, walked around the desk, opened a drawer, and took out two boxes of the same size.
“Baozhu, Mommy wishes you a happy birthday.”
Standing in front of the desk, sunlight shone through the nearby floor-to-ceiling window, filtering through the curtain; the soft golden light covered half of the boy’s face. One of his eyes in the light was a pale green, the other in shadow a dark green. Both eyes looked down as his fingers gently forced open the box.
Inside was a watch with a green gemstone dial. Although the design was delicate, it was exquisitely rare to find on the market.
“Thank you, Mom,” Qiu Baozhu said, looking at the other box on the desk. “Is this for Qiu Fei?”
He Yingjie replied, “Yes, it’s his. Take it with you when you go out and give it to him for me.”
Qiu Baozhu looked up, puzzled. “Mom, why don’t you give it to Qiu Fei yourself?”
It was clearly Qiu Fei’s birthday today too.

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He Yingjie pointed at the computer. “Mom still has work to do. Baozhu, help me out, okay? Hmm?”
She clasped her hands in a pleading gesture, not seriously considering what Qiu Baozhu had just said.
Qiu Baozhu picked up Qiu Fei’s watch and left the study.
After leaving the study, he stood in the corridor, unsure how to deliver He Yingjie’s gift to Qiu Fei.
But Qiu Baozhu knew he couldn’t just ignore it. If he didn’t give it, He Yingjie might treat Qiu Fei even more perfunctorily, so it was better for him to give it.
Only, Qiu Fei was smart; he knew everything and surely knew how He Yingjie really felt.
Forget it, he’d think it over.
Qiu Baozhu planned to find a place to think carefully.
But just as he took a step, a housekeeper holding a phone ran upstairs. “Baozhu, there’s a call for you.”
Qiu Baozhu went downstairs to answer the phone.
The caller surprised Qiu Baozhu. He was very surprised.
“Zeng Mingxi? What do you want?”
The first thing he thought was that Zeng Mingxi might not come to his birthday party. Nothing else; they weren’t close.
“I just want to ask if you mind if there’s one more guest at your birthday party? My friend is in a bad mood today, and I want to bring him out to relax,” Zeng Mingxi said softly. His tone was almost impossible to refuse.
Qiu Baozhu was no exception.
He nodded, feeling happy. “Sure, does your friend have any dietary restrictions?”
Before an answer came, a faint sound came through the phone.
“Click.”
The sound crossed the microphone and entered Qiu Baozhu’s ear—distant but clear.
But Qiu Baozhu wasn’t certain.
He gripped the phone tighter and swallowed. “Zeng Mingxi, who’s the friend you want to bring?”
At this moment, Wei Shu had already closed the orange candy box, his expression casual.
His hair had been cut, with wispy bangs scattered over his eyebrows, clearly revealing the prominent brow bones and sharp eyes, the upturned curve at the corner of his eyes half-smiling.
“Wei Shu,” Zeng Mingxi answered generously, without hiding anything. “Is that okay?”
Qiu Baozhu’s hand tightened on the phone.
Wei Shu was right beside him, listening to his conversation with Zeng Mingxi.
As for how he knew...
“Click.” That was the sound of Wei Shu and Qiu Baozhu’s favorite candy being opened and closed—the candy box opening with a click and closing again with a click. He was very sensitive to that sound.
Actually, this sound was not rare or unusual, but Zeng Mingxi and Wei Shu were friends, even close friends, which made Qiu Baozhu think more.
The boy on the other end of the phone remained silent. Zeng Mingxi looked at his phone, confirmed the call wasn’t disconnected, and was about to put the phone to his ear to continue persuading.
But before he could raise his arm, Wei Shu took the phone from his hand.
Wei Shu lifted his chin slightly, lowered his eyelids, and slowly ground the hard candy he had just put into his mouth without making a sound.
After a brief static noise, a clear, resolute voice sounded.
“No, don’t,” Qiu Baozhu said coldly. “I don’t want Wei Shu to come.”