Chapter 23: Remarkably Patient

Anan tilted his head and thought for a moment. “He didn’t really do much. He took some of Mom’s paintings, paid some money, bought things for me and Mom, and played with me.”

Lu Yan asked again, “So, do you like him, Anan?”

Anan nodded. “Mm, Mom says that Uncle Xia’s family and Aunt Cheng’s family are the best people in the world. Without them, Mom and I wouldn’t be able to get by here. But now that I have a dad, no one will dare to point fingers at me and Mom anymore.”

Hearing this, Lu Yan felt a sudden tightness in his chest. In these four years he’d been absent, how much had she endured? What right did he have to question her relationship with Xia Xiyue?

Seeing Lu Yan fall silent, Anan quickly craned his neck and whispered, “Dad, I think you’re one of the best people in the world too. You didn’t answer Mom’s calls because someone was causing trouble, not because you didn’t want us, right?”

Lu Yan looked at his son in surprise at those words, then pulled him into his arms, nodding gently without saying anything, though his nose tingled with emotion. Qingyi had raised their son well.

After a long moment, he finally said, “Shall I read to you?”

When Shen Qingyi came out, she heard Lu Yan reading English fluently to their son. She was a little surprised—he’d never been abroad, yet his spoken English was no worse than Xia Xiyue’s. Then she remembered he’d been the top student in the province and felt at ease.

She carried the watermelon she’d bought into the kitchen, cut it up, set it on the coffee table in the living room, and called, “Anan, come have some watermelon!”

After calling, she took a piece for herself and went into her room.

Anan, listening to Lu Yan read, didn’t move. Instead, it was Lu Yan who stopped. “Go have some watermelon,” he said, standing up to fetch two slices, handing one to Anan.

Clearly, one slice wasn’t enough, so the father and son simply sat at the table, eating slice after slice.

Before long, Lu Yan heard a song drifting from one of the rooms: “Sweetness, your smile is so sweet, like flowers blooming in the spring breeze…”

With his soft, white hands, Anan carefully picked out the black seeds from the watermelon, then took a big bite. The sweet juice burst in his mouth, and Anan closed his eyes in delight. “Mom always picks the best watermelon.”

Lu Yan agreed. It was midday, stiflingly hot, but a few pieces of cool, sweet watermelon paired with the honeyed, gentle song made even the breeze from outside seem tinged with sweetness.

After the watermelon, the music made it impossible for Lu Yan to continue reading to Anan. His mind wandered to the loose kitchen cabinet doors.

He’d brought some tools, so he said to Anan, “I’m going to fix the kitchen cabinets. Want to learn?”

Anan nodded eagerly. “I want to!”

So Lu Yan took Anan to the kitchen to fix the cabinets together.

By dinnertime, when Shen Qingyi returned to the kitchen, she found the cabinets spotless, and the once-wobbly corner had been nailed firmly in place.

Peeking her head out, she saw Lu Yan sitting in the vine chair beneath the grape trellis with Anan, explaining the growth cycle of grapes.

Anan listened intently, turning around with questions from time to time, which Lu Yan answered with ease. The confusion in Anan’s large eyes had given way to excitement and laughter.

The man was both knowledgeable and patient, his high-bridged nose and subtly upturned lips holding a faint, elusive smile. His long legs crossed, hands pillow behind his head on the wicker chair, he responded to every question with relaxed confidence, as if nothing could stump him.

It contrasted sharply with her own responses to Anan’s questions—she always either brushed him off awkwardly or grew impatient.

From a distance, Shen Qingyi watched his profile thoughtfully…

It was a long while before she snapped out of it. Not wanting to disturb father and son, she finished cooking and brought a small square table from the kitchen out to the grape arbor.

She served up stir-fried pork with green peppers, dry-fried green beans, shredded stir-fried potatoes, and finally, steamed rice.

With the dishes set out, Shen Qingyi glanced at Anan. This little guy really was tireless—calling him over would get no response. So she walked over, and just as she reached Lu Yan’s back, she saw a green worm on his shoulder.

It must have fallen from the grape arbor. Shen Qingyi reached out to pick it off. Lu Yan noticed the movement and turned to meet Shen Qingyi’s clear, dark eyes.

She pinched the worm between her fingers and held it out. “It fell on your shoulder.”

Lu Yan, seeing the way his wife seemed flustered as if she’d done something wrong, said warmly, “It’s fine, thank you.”

Shen Qingyi tossed the worm aside. “Come eat with Anan. It’s a bit warm in the house, so I set the table outside.”

Lu Yan got up, but instead of calling Anan right away, he knelt in front of him, took his hand, and said, “Time to eat!”

Anan responded instantly.

Shen Qingyi opened her mouth in surprise. Before, whenever Anan was daydreaming, she’d have to call him over and over. She hadn’t expected Lu Yan to get him moving with just one call.

Anan, seeing the meal in the courtyard, exclaimed happily, “Wow, I love eating outside—it’s so cool!”

Father and son sat on the little stools as Shen Qingyi placed their food in front of them.

She pushed the steamed egg over to Lu Yan. “Wang Chunlian made these for you—I made four, whatever’s left you can take with you.”

Lu Yan paused, then understood, and smiled. “Are you upset?”

“No!”

Anan, his big eyes blinking, hurried over and whispered in Lu Yan’s ear, “She’s definitely mad!”

Shen Qingyi watched Anan’s every move and wondered if this was really the child she’d painstakingly raised alone. How many days had it been?

Feeling her gaze, Anan pouted, “I still love Mom the most, but… when Dad’s not here, I kind of want to play with my friends.”

Hearing that, Shen Qingyi’s heart softened. “But don’t you really dislike Doudou?”

“That’s only because he always breaks the rules, provokes me, and makes fun of me. That’s why I don’t like him.” Then, eyes crinkling, he added, “But he doesn’t dare anymore. My dad’s better at everything than his dad.”

Shen Qingyi said nothing.

Anan scooped some egg into his bowl, eating as he spoke. “It’s really good, Mom, you should try it!”

Lu Yan pushed the egg custard toward Shen Qingyi, and she reluctantly took two spoonfuls, saying lightly, “It’s all right.”

Anan winked at Lu Yan, who chuckled and ruffled his son’s hair before bowing his head to eat.

Just then, Cheng Youqing rushed in. “Qingyi, there’s hope for the border pass!”

Her voice rang out before she even reached the backyard. Not seeing Shen Qingyi in the house, she hurried her steps and spotted Lu Yan eating beside Anan in the courtyard.

Shen Qingyi quickly stood up. “Have you eaten?”

“I have!”

But Lu Yan, having heard the words “border pass,” stopped eating, pricking up his ears to hear what Cheng Youqing would say next.