Chapter 99 — Past Matters
Xie Siquan was determined to take Xie Jing to buy a car and chose the Dayang Car Dealership.
When Xie Jing looked up at the sign, he thought it was quite a coincidence.
Siquan frequently traveled to Shanghai two or three times a year and knew a bit about car dealerships. Smiling, he said, “This dealership is good. The cars are the latest models and fully stocked. Jing’er, just browse around and tell your uncle if anything catches your eye.”
He walked a few steps ahead, then turned back to call Xie Jing to follow.
Xie Jing had no choice but to go in.
Since there was now an uncle involved, he would eventually need to inform Lord Bai Jiu. Since they were spending a sum of money on a car, it was better to spend it in the family.
Bai Mingyu wasn’t at the dealership, so Xie Jing wandered around casually. Xie Siquan stayed by his side, asking his opinion whenever he glanced twice at a car. Xie Jing just nodded and said “good,” and Siquan immediately turned and instructed, “This one. Buy it.”
It was so fast that Xie Jing hadn’t even reacted.
After buying the car, Xie Jing looked around and asked, “Where’s Grandma?”
Siquan replied, “I had someone take them to look at fabrics and silks. You wouldn’t be interested in those. Your uncle will accompany you to look at other things. Have you ever driven before? I can get someone to teach you.” His words were eager, already imagining Xie Jing practicing on the new car as if it were a toy for his nephew.
Xie Jing shook his head. “I usually just ride horses.”
Siquan’s eyes crinkled in a smile, and he quickly changed the topic. “I like horseback riding too. We have quite a few at home. Later, I’ll take you riding.”
Hearing this, Siquan dropped the car lesson and took Xie Jing shopping at a department store.
Once inside, he habitually led Xie Jing upstairs to the counters, buying him two imported watches, picking out a gemstone tie clip, and intending to buy the trendy Western-style clothes as well.
Xie Jing refused, shaking his head. “I don’t need these.” Moreover, he mostly used guns, and those clothes weren’t practical for that.
Siquan was momentarily stunned, unsure what to say. “Jing’er doesn’t like these? But most boys your age—” He stopped mid-sentence, pursed his lips, and after a moment smiled again. “My mistake. I misjudged. Jing’er doesn’t like them, so we won’t buy them. Can you tell your uncle what you want most right now?”
Xie Jing most wanted to sleep.
He hadn’t slept a wink last night and had been pushing himself at the dealership. He was utterly exhausted.
He pushed aside a few items, and seeing his uncle a bit disappointed, he said, “Uncle, I want to buy a pen.” He paused, then added, “I’ve learned to read and write.”
Siquan was delighted and bought him an American fountain pen.
Xie Jing was curious about this suddenly appearing uncle and glanced at him secretly a few times. Siquan let him look, smiling warmly. He resembled Xie Jing but smiled more, had thinner lips, and was a handsome man. Even in bright clothing, his appearance was unhidden. Especially the gemstone earring on his left earlobe, which gleamed when light hit it.
Xie Jing said, “Sichuan.”
“Hm?”
He looked forward, pretending to speak casually. “In Sichuan, men wear earrings, right? Can I get one too?”
Siquan paused, looked at him for a moment, then a huge grin spread across his face. His smile was so carefree that Xie Jing grew suspicious.
The Xie family head nodded. “Yes, everyone does.”
Xie Jing frowned. “Really?”
“Absolutely. When we return to Sichuan, I’ll personally get it done for you.” He ruffled Xie Jing’s hair affectionately. “The car won’t arrive until tonight. How about we go riding later?”
“No,” Xie Jing shook his head. He really couldn’t ride today.
Xie Siquan didn’t insist and took Xie Jing to buy many things, grabbing whatever caught his eye, as if making up for all the years his nephew lacked. Whenever Xie Jing tried to protest, Siquan coaxed, “Never mind,” and then bought the items anyway, whether Xie Jing had tried them on or just touched them.
“Really, that’s enough. We don’t have room at home,” Xie Jing said.
“We have room. I have a way,” Xie Siquan replied. “When we return home, the rooms are large.” He said the last part quickly, secretly watching Xie Jing’s reaction.
Xie Jing didn’t notice; he was too tired and only wanted to go home.
Xie Siquan wrote down the address to have the gifts sent back. He also wanted to take Xie Jing out for a big meal, since he hadn’t eaten much at noon. On the way to another restaurant, Xie Jing couldn’t hold on and dozed off in the back seat.
Xie Siquan was initially chatting excitedly but glanced back and couldn’t help laughing—his nephew was asleep.
He gently supported Xie Jing’s head, whispered new directions to the driver, and headed home.
The taxi driver, noticing Xie Siquan’s care, said, “Sir, is this your younger brother? You seem very close.”
Xie Siquan smiled, looking at his nephew. People often said nephews resembled uncles, and indeed, they did share some features. Coupled with the humid, sunless climate of Sichuan, they looked younger than their age. At a glance, they could easily be mistaken for brothers. Xie Siquan felt happiest that anyone could immediately recognize their blood relation.
He left a generous tip to the driver.
Xie Jing, half-asleep, vaguely realized they had arrived at Grandma Kou’s place.
Xie Siquan helped him into the bedroom and brought over a high stool to sit opposite him. “You look tired. Sleep now. Your uncle’s watching.”
Xie Jing’s hair was slightly tousled. Pushed onto the soft bed, sleep overcame him immediately.
He tried to open his eyes and speak. “Uncle…”
Xie Siquan’s heart melted. He covered Xie Jing with a blanket. “Hm?”
“Grandma said you rushed all the way from Sichuan and must be tired. You should rest too.” Xie Jing’s voice was soft, eyes barely open.
Siquan smoothed the hair on his forehead and smiled. “I’m not tired. I’ve slept only two hours a day since I was little. Didn’t Grandma tell you?”
Xie Jing shook his head, then whispered after a moment, “You don’t look very old.”
“I’m much older than you,” Siquan said.
“Oh,” Xie Jing murmured, eyelashes twitching slightly before finally closing.
A window was slightly open, letting in a breeze that lifted the sheer curtain. Sunlight streamed in, falling on Xie Siquan. He sat by the bed, shielding most of the light, so Xie Jing could sleep.
When Grandma Kou returned, Xie Jing was still asleep.
Xie Siquan, wearing a coat, sat on a stool, propping his chin with one hand while twirling Xie Jing’s hair with the other. Grandma Kou entered quietly, careful not to wake him, noting that this looked like a big kid watching over a smaller one.
“Jing’er asleep?”
Xie Siquan nodded, smiling softly.
His gaze stayed on Xie Jing. “Bao Bao, was Jing’er this well-behaved as a child?”
“Yes,” Grandma Kou replied.
Xie Siquan looked for a moment, reluctant to shift his eyes. “Pity I never saw it.”
Grandma Kou sighed lightly. “It’s not too late.”
“He called me ‘Uncle’ eighteen times today,” Xie Siquan said softly. “I don’t know why, but I feel like spending money on him whenever I see him. He’s a good child, and Bao Bao has raised him well.”
Xie Jing was sleeping soundly; he didn’t need coaxing.
Xie Siquan stayed for a while, then waved to Grandma Kou and went outside.
Earlier that morning, Xie Siquan had visited Grandma Kou’s residence. After the initial surprise, she had told him about her and Xie Jing’s years in the North. There hadn’t been time to go into detail, so now with time, Xie Siquan asked, “Bao Bao, how did my sister leave? Was someone harming her?”
Grandma Kou’s eyes reddened. “Back then, the lady bought a ship in Jinshi and hadn’t returned from the sea. Bandits suddenly broke into the house. Miss seemed to anticipate danger and prepared a carriage to escape through the back with me and the two wet nurses. But the bandits chased after. Miss went into labor and gave birth to Jing’er in the carriage. Before leaving, she instructed me to follow the railway north instead of returning to Sichuan if danger arose…”
Xie Siquan’s eyes reddened, knuckles white. He closed his eyes. “Lies.”
Grandma Kou said, “It was indeed her dying wish.”
Xie Siquan reopened his eyes, tears streaming. “My sister feared He Dongting wouldn’t help me claim the family head position, so she didn’t let you take Jing’er back to Sichuan.” He choked on the words, “She knew I was hot-headed, weak in Sichuan, and even had to buy the ship from the He family. She feared I’d rush to the He family with a knife and cause deaths.”
Grandma Kou’s eyes were tearful; she gently touched his cheek, neither confirming nor denying.
Xie Siquan closed his eyes again, voice hoarse. “Bao Bao, if I had known, I’d never have let my sister marry him.”
“You’ve grown now,” Grandma Kou said.
“My sister is gone, but he’s still alive.”
Grandma Kou was stunned. “You mean Master He… he’s still alive?!”
Xie Siquan said coldly, “Of course. During that shipwreck, he was lucky and rescued by a fishing boat.”
Grandma Kou covered her mouth, tears streaming, muttering a prayer to Buddha.
Xie Siquan frowned. “Bao Bao, if my sister didn’t allow you to return to Sichuan, why didn’t you take Jing’er back to the He family?”
Grandma Kou explained carefully, detailing how she couldn’t trust the He family and wanted to protect Jing’er at all costs. She had risked everything to bring him north, fearing that leaving him with the He family would have endangered his life.
Xie Siquan smiled reassuringly. “Bao Bao, don’t worry. Xie family is under my control now. You and Jing’er don’t need to go anywhere; stay safely by my side.”
Grandma Kou nodded and asked, “Should we tell Jing’er?”
Xie Siquan shook his head. “Not yet. Once I confirm everything, I’ll tell him. He’s too young now to bear it.”
Later that night, Xie Siquan brought bedding to Xie Jing’s room. “Bao Bao, I’ll just sleep on a stool there,” he said.
Grandma Kou hesitated, but seeing his seriousness, she agreed.
Xie Siquan, accustomed to luxury, could endure hardship, sleeping on a bench willingly. Grandma Kou provided him extra bedding, murmuring her concern.
Inside, Xie Jing slept soundly, truly exhausted.
Xie Siquan arranged two benches, lay down, legs crossed, hands behind his head. Closing his eyes, perhaps because Xie Jing was nearby, he dreamed of events from twenty years ago.
He was not yet ten years old then, and he was holding two mastiffs tightly on their leashes, trying to stop them from lunging forward. His older sister was ahead, coaxing the stranger in the tree to come down, putting her hand to her mouth and calling out to him, “Hey, come down—”
The man shook his head desperately, refusing to get down.
The older sister laughed, waving her hand to tell him to lead the mastiff further away, while the person in the tree said, “My mastiff doesn’t eat people, I’m not lying to you.”
Little Xie Siquan was very annoyed. He had never seen anyone so afraid of dogs, yet this person suddenly jumped so high, almost to the top of the tree.
Little Xie Siquan didn’t know how his sister persuaded him, but he finally came down. The one who jumped down from the tree was a young man, who looked like a poor scholar who had read some books. He was refined and had a clean face. Although some branches and leaves were stuck to his body, you could still see his demeanor when he bowed and greeted her.
Unlike the people of Sichuan, he was always smiling, had a mild temper, and never seemed to be in a hurry no matter what happened.
Little Xie Siquan scoffed, inwardly cursing him as a fake scholar.
The teacher was the person he hated most now, but since his sister made him study, he reluctantly did so. The teacher was also a typical Central Plains man; his beatings were particularly painful, but nothing compared to the tears his sister shed when she played on his hands. When his sister cried, he felt a pang of sadness. He wasn’t being beaten as often anymore, and with a little effort, studying wasn’t too difficult.
The scholar from out of town was named He Dongting. He could play tunes with willow branches, write poems, and paint. His sister said that his family had been “officials for generations” and wanted him to become their new teacher.
Xie Siquan curled his lip. What use are those titles now that the emperor is gone?
But the scholar surnamed He pleased his elder sister, so he accepted the marriage proposal.
The older sister and he talked more and more, and grew closer and closer. Sometimes Xie Siquan was worried and would secretly follow them. He could hear that He Dongting’s voice was deep and gentle, while the older sister’s voice was very clear and crisp, and every word could be heard clearly.
“The mastiff is mine. It can protect my younger brother. It usually listens to us. If you don’t wander off, it won’t bite you.”
“My younger brother is very sensible. He picks fruit for me to eat and also protects me in front of the clan elders.”
“My parents died early, so it’s just the two of us now. But don’t think I’m easy to bully. You’d better make me look pretty later, or I’ll have a mastiff chase you up a mountain!”
—
The Xie family was wealthy, but only the two siblings depended on each other for survival, and the older sister did everything she could to protect him as he grew up.
After waiting for several years, the elder sister finally had to get married. The scholar surnamed He brought two boats as betrothal gifts, and with the proper matchmaking and elaborate wedding procession, the procession stretched for miles.
He only had one older sister, and when she got married, he cried the loudest. His eldest sister was like a mother to him; their relationship was unlike that of ordinary families.
Ignoring the others’ attempts to dissuade him, the older sister stepped down from the sedan chair, wiped away his tears, and coaxed him, “Why are you crying? I’m marrying him, and he’ll help you in the future. You need to grow up quickly, earn money, buy a big boat, and come visit me. Maybe in a couple of years we’ll even have a little nephew… Oh, don’t cry!”
He was still crying uncontrollably, feeling that the most important person in his life had been taken away.
Two years later, however, they received devastating news.
He traveled thousands of miles, leading his men to the He family, wishing he could die with He Dongting, but what he saw was an emaciated He Dongting who only knew how to hold an urn of ashes. He had become a skeleton, and to say that he was alive would be an understatement.
He hit him, he cursed him, and finally, he wept bitterly while holding the coffin.
He blamed He Dongting for not protecting his elder sister.
How could He Dongting not blame himself?
Later he thought that perhaps his older sister would be happy to know that He Dongting was still alive.
When my older sister likes something, her eyes light up. From the first time she saw that scholar climbing the tree, her eyes were sparkling.
—
Tears welled in Xie Siquan’s eyes as he slowly opened them, momentarily unable to distinguish between a dream and reality.
He heard a child smacking his lips beside him, just two soft smacking sounds, and then the child turned over and went back to sleep.
Xie Siquan smiled silently, then closed his eyes again.
The older sister’s child has been found. The eyebrows, eyes, and lips resemble the older sister’s, but the nose is too prominent, making it look a little like someone surnamed He.
But there was only a tiny bit.
—
On the other side, in the East Courtyard.
When the guards came to inform Lord Bai Jiu a black-clad spy was already standing in the study, telling him about the Xie family head’s arrival in Shanghai. Lord Bai Jiu glanced at them and saw that they all had some injuries, but none of them were serious.
The guard said, “Sir, we were guarding outside, but those people from Sichuan were so unreasonable that they attacked us right away.”
Lord Bai Jiu said calmly, “Perhaps there’s some misunderstanding? Are you hurt?”
The guard shook his head.
After thinking for a moment, Lord Bai JIu asked again, “Was the other party injured?”
The guard thought for a moment, then said uncertainly, “They only used their fists and feet; there shouldn’t be any injuries.” At least, it wouldn’t be visible on the face. They were professionals at hitting people; they never hit the face.
Lord Bai Jiu said, “You don’t need to guard them for the next few days. Withdraw the people who were with Jing’er. Xie Siquan brought a lot of skilled men. The fact that you weren’t injured is because he showed mercy.”
The guard agreed and went to relay the message.
Lord Bai Jiu delayed his dinner a little while, reheating the food before coming out of his study to eat.
Bai Mingyu sat there, unaware of what had happened. After eating half a bowl of rice, he suddenly realized what was going on and asked, “Why didn’t Little Xie come to eat?”
Lord Bai Jiu said, “He has something to do at home.”
Bai Mingyu wanted to ask more, but Lord Bai Jiu interrupted him, saying, “One should not speak while eating or sleeping.”
Bai Mingyu: “…”
Bai Mingyu ate his rice honestly. He realized that the rules in the master’s hands were all set for him.
Author’s Note: Small Scene
First Encounter—
He Dongting: “Miss, step aside, I’m coming down from the tree.”
Miss Xie: “Hahaha~”
Young Xie Siquan (jumping in anger): “Despicable stranger!”
