Always Home

As soon as they entered the apartment, Huan'er eagerly asked, "So what's the good news?"

"At least give me some water first," Jing Qichi replied, only for his stomach to betray him with a loud growl. He quickly added, "And a bite to eat would be even better."

It was already nine o'clock—well past dinnertime.

Huan'er rummaged through the fridge, and the best she could find was a pack of frozen marinated ribs. She had originally planned to leave early today to hit the supermarket before heading to the airport, but a malfunctioning microscope had delayed her, ruining any chance to showcase her culinary skills. As she urged Jing Qichi to freshen up, she stared at the half-empty fridge, worrying—how could she properly reward his stomach?

She quickly thawed the ribs and tossed them into the oven, brushing them with oil and sprinkling Mexican seasoning for extra flavor. Next, she grabbed a few potatoes, washed them, and sliced them in half before steaming them over high heat. Meanwhile, she chopped scallions and shredded leftover breakfast cheese. In her haste, she burned her fingers grabbing the hot potatoes straight out of the steamer, but she didn’t mind. She was happy—because as she worked, she could hear the sound of running water from the bathroom. The person she loved most was right there beside her.

This was the life Chen Huan'er had always dreamed of—after a tiring day, sitting down together for a simple meal.

She took the ribs out and put the potatoes in the oven. Just as Jing Qichi stepped out of the shower, he noticed the desk had been transformed into a dining table. "It smells amazing!" he exclaimed.

"Try my..." Huan'er patted her mouth, correcting herself, "or rather, Marks&Spencer's handiwork."

The ingredients were store-bought—she couldn’t take credit.

Jing Qichi picked up a rib with his fingers and popped it into his mouth, hissing from the heat but still managing to praise, "So good!"

"And this too!" Huan'er announced as the oven dinged, presenting her homemade cheesy baked potatoes. "Sorry for the humble meal today, my lord. Tomorrow, this humble wife will prepare fine wine and delicacies."

Jing Qichi burst out laughing. "This humble husband gratefully accepts your kindness, little wife."

He always caught onto her silly jokes without fail.

The ribs were fragrant, the mashed potatoes rich and flavorful—Huan'er's cooking was so impressive it made Jing Qichi look at her in a new light. But beyond admiration, he felt a twinge of guilt—she had learned to cook because she had to, adapted to living alone because she had no other choice. These were the changes she had been forced to make during the half-year he wasn’t by her side.

"Eat up," Huan'er poked his forehead with chopsticks. "Did it taste so good it stunned you?"

Jing Qichi stood and pulled his phone from his coat pocket, scrolling to an email before handing it to her. He continued eating while waiting for her reaction.

Strangely, Huan'er stared at the screen for a long time without saying a word.

"What's wrong?" Jing Qichi stood up, wondering if he had shown her the wrong email. He took the phone back to check.

No, it was the right one—the official HR appointment notice.

"I'll report directly to the Research and Development Center when I return," he explained, thinking she might not understand. "I'll be leading the large medical project there, and the medical platform will be merged into it."

Still, Huan'er remained silent.

He set down his chopsticks, his heart tightening. "You... weren’t planning to stay at the university?"Huan'er finally shook her head, and the motion grew increasingly vigorous. She hugged him tightly, "I just feel... I... we..."

"You scared me." Jing Qichi snapped out of it and patted her back, "I'll go first and get settled, then wait for you. At most, we'll endure one more year before it's over."

Huan'er released him, staring intently as she corrected, "Half a year, at most half a year."

"But your project isn't..."

"I applied to return early. Just submitted the application yesterday." Huan'er took a deep breath to steady her emotions. "Qi Chi, it seems we did the same thing."

At the same time I was rushing toward you, you were sprinting toward me.

Such a romantic and earnest thing.

Jing Qichi couldn't contain his excitement. He picked her up and spun her around three times in the small room, only putting her down when Huan'er complained of dizziness while patting his shoulder.

Huan'er pouted in mock complaint, "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"The official notice just came through recently. I wanted to see your reaction with my own eyes." Jing Qichi scratched his head with a laugh, then added, "You didn't tell me either."

"I just submitted the application. My advisor hasn't approved it yet." Huan'er pulled him down to sit, "Eat quickly before it gets cold."

Jing Qichi took big bites, then suddenly thought of a question, "Why did you decide to return early out of the blue?"

"It's just..." Huan'er chewed slowly, using the time to consider how to answer. She ultimately decided on honesty, "I haven't been very happy here. Although my colleagues are great and the resources are top-notch... my advisor David is hands-off—I hardly ever see him. And my co-advisor Mark... we don't get along well."

"That guy who called you earlier?"

Huan'er nodded, explaining her decision calmly, "At first Mark had me do some personal tasks for him. I did them and submitted them, but I wasn't happy about it—those were originally his own responsibilities. After it happened twice, I told David about it. The big boss probably talked to him. Anyway, he stopped after that, but then my research project..." Her tone turned self-deprecating, "Maybe I'm not meeting his standards. My project progress these past six months has been much worse than when I was back home. It's like all my luck ran out—nothing works right here. The pressure has been intense."

Jing Qichi watched her silently, his expression complicated.

"Keep eating. I can't continue if you look at me like that."

He could only lower his head to eat, though the previously flavorful meal now tasted bland.

"Some of it is my own fault too. Once I decided he was targeting me, I saw everything as targeting me. Actually, Mark's academic skills are solid—he's published influential papers. He's definitely qualified to be my co-advisor. It's just..." Huan'er sighed softly, "I can't work with him long-term. I miss you, I miss home, I miss Lao Ding, I miss the days when I could freely conduct experiments and research. I want to go back."

"You're not the type to judge others without reason." Jing Qichi looked at her steadily, enunciating each word, "So don't assume you're at fault."

Huan'er gave a small smile, "You believe in me that much?"

"I do." Jing Qichi's tone brooked no doubt.Chen Huan'er was a tough cookie at home, yet she was more protective of her own than anyone else. Back in college, when the two of them were having a meal together, they overheard the next table gossiping about Qiu Li—how she switched departments through connections, how she was a spoiled rich kid who looked down on everyone, with all sorts of nasty words thrown around. Huan'er stormed over and told them, "If you don’t shut your mouths, I’ll sew them shut for you right now. How dare you judge someone you know nothing about?" Unknown facts, unfamiliar people—these shouldn’t be defined carelessly. That was Huan'er’s principle, and Jing Qichi knew it well.

She would never jump to conclusions about someone "targeting" her without reason.

"Anyway," Huan'er continued, "I’ve already called Lao Ding, and he’s practically begging me to come back. It shouldn’t be a problem."

Jing Qichi pinched her cheek. "I’ll wait for you."

Huan'er laughed. "How exactly will you wait?"

"Well," he paused briefly, "earn more money, ask for less dowry, and marry you properly so you can settle down here."

"Ask for less dowry?"

"None would be fine too." Jing Qichi pushed the last few pieces of spare ribs toward her. "We’re neighbors—even if it’s a loss, I’ve got to get you here somehow."

On Monday morning, Huan'er went to the university. Two hours later, Jing Qichi followed the navigation route to find her.

He successfully located Mark’s office, pretending to be a student with a book in hand while keeping an eye on the hallway from a distance.

Having checked the official website beforehand, he already knew what the man looked like.

About half an hour later, a not-so-tall Caucasian man in a suit entered the office alone.

Jing Qichi glanced around, took a deep breath, and walked over to knock on the door.

"Come in," he heard the permission granted.

Mark frowned, clearly unaware of the visitor’s identity.

"I’m Huan'er’s—" Jing Qichi adjusted his wording, "Chen’s fiancé."

Mark stood up, greeted him politely, and shook his hand. "What can I do for you?"

To Jing Qichi, the man was no different from the strangers on the subway.

"As her family," Jing Qichi spoke with more solemnity than he ever did during company presentations, delivering the English lines he had rehearsed multiple times, "I’ve heard from Huan'er about some academic matters. Maybe I’m not objective, but I believe she’s been subjected to some unfair evaluations."

Mark frowned, already sensing hostility.

"Specifically?"

Aside from the opening, Jing Qichi had also prepared for possible responses—this question was expected.

"You should know the details better than I do," he said calmly, meeting the man’s gaze. "Just like you should know Huan'er’s capabilities better than I do."

Mark grew visibly irritated. "If this is about academics, I’d prefer to discuss it with Chen herself."

"Of course, I have no right to comment on professional matters. Huan'er has told me she deeply respects your research." Jing Qichi softened his tone slightly. "From my perspective, I only care about whether she’s happy here and whether she can pursue her dreams as freely as before."

"Sir," Mark maintained his politeness, "Happiness is Chen’s own business. I don’t have the energy to monitor every Ph.D. student’s mood for the day."

This was a tough opponent. Jing Qichi clenched his teeth inside.

"My request is simple." After years in the workplace, he knew solutions only came with clear demands. His expression turned serious. "I hope you’ll treat my fiancée the same way you treat everyone else."Mark frowned again. "Of course I treat everyone equally."

"Thank you." Jing Qichi gave a slight bow.

"I have another meeting. I won't see you out." Without looking at him, Mark turned straight back to his screen.

Jing Qichi left the office. Somehow, he felt he had overreached and achieved the opposite of what he intended.