I Live in Your Time

Chapter Forty-Four

Within Beijing's Second Ring Road, the courtyard houses along the shallow, scenic lanes made Shen Qianzhan's BMW particularly conspicuous.

She made a U-turn at the dashed line of the intersection, and with the rhythmic clicking of the turn signal, the car executed a perfect turn, coming to a steady stop right in front of Time Hall.

Ji Qinghe had been waiting for some time. Seeing her arrive, he subtly curved the corners of his lips and rose to tap on her car window.

She responded by rolling it down.

Ji Qinghe asked, "Should I park, or will you?"

Shen Qianzhan glanced at the tight parking space, which seemed barely able to accommodate the car's length, and was still calculating how to park more gracefully when Ji Qinghe reached over, unlocked the door, and pulled it open, gesturing for her to step out.

He didn't straighten up fully, instead leaning with one hand on the door and the other on the roof, bending slightly to peer inside. "I'll park it."

Shen Qianzhan complied without hesitation, grabbing her bag and relinquishing the car to him.

Ji Qinghe, usually accustomed to a life of luxury, had never shown interest or fondness for anything other than clocks and watches in Shen Qianzhan's eyes. Yet, anything that came into his hands seemed like a toy—he always handled it with effortless ease.

The BMW's body was somewhat long. After visually estimating the distance to the curb and the angle for backing in, he gripped the steering wheel with one hand and shifted gears with the other. In just one smooth maneuver, he elegantly tucked Shen Qianzhan's vehicle within the parking lines.

Once parked, Ji Qinghe handed the car keys back to Shen Qianzhan and asked, "Did you manage to find the car easily yesterday?"

If he hadn't brought it up, she might have let it slide, but at his mention, Shen Qianzhan's expression instantly darkened like the bottom of a pot. "It only took about half an hour."

Ji Qinghe gave a faint, knowing smile and naturally took the rather weighty gift bag from her hands. "No traffic on the way over?"

"Got stuck a bit at the last intersection," Shen Qianzhan replied, tucking away the car keys without noticing anything amiss about the now-lightened load. She politely inquired, "How did Old Master Ji's follow-up examination go?"

"Quite well," Ji Qinghe said, pushing the door open and stepping aside to let her enter first. "If it weren't for Ji Lin running a fever with no one to look after him, he and Ms. Meng would have liked to stay in Beijing a bit longer." This explanation served to clarify why their meeting had been arranged so hastily.

As they spoke, Ji Qinghe led her through the main gate and into the courtyard.

Unlike the relatively modest decor of Time Hall, this courtyard house covered at least twice the area.

Past the gate, they were met by a screen wall, with several potted plants arranged meticulously on the steps. Perhaps because of the New Year, a few delicate glass lanterns hung from the vines and branches. The sight was both slightly incongruous and rather endearing.

Following her gaze, Ji Qinghe remarked, "On New Year's Eve, Su Zan got drunk in the latter half of the night and insisted Meng Wangzhou help him hang lanterns."

Shen Qianzhan couldn't hide her astonishment. "Su Zan's drunken antics are that... distinctive?" That rascal, in front of her, at most dared to ask for lipstick to draw turtles.

Ji Qinghe didn't answer immediately. Instead, he led Shen Qianzhan through the chuihuamen (ornamental inner gate).

On either side of the chuihuamen were freshly pasted New Year couplets, while the tassels hanging from the two lanterns above swayed in the wind like silk ribbons.

Without needing further explanation from Ji Qinghe, Shen Qianzhan understood—most likely, when Su Zan was brought inside, he had seen the lanterns and been deeply impressed. After all, when someone is drunk and acting out, there's no reasoning with them.

Shen Qianzhan felt an inexplicable pang of guilt. "Su Zan caused you trouble."

Ji Qinghe didn't seem bothered. "Meng Wangzhou spent the whole night coaxing him like he does with Ji Lin. I don't have that kind of patience." He glanced sideways at her, his gaze meaningful. "But for someone else, I might make an exception."Shen Qianzhan was so focused on watching her step over the threshold that she completely missed that the remark was directed at her.

As dusk settled, lights flickered on in the courtyard.

The lamplight mingled with the fading daylight, casting a somewhat desolate glow as day gave way to evening.

Shen Qianzhan’s "resentment of the wealthy" was on the verge of breaking free, little by little, in this seemingly endless courtyard house.

Crossing the courtyard, the main hall stood just three steps away.

The door to the main hall was slightly ajar, and faint voices drifted out, carrying a hint of regional accent that was hard to place at first listen. Yet, the voice grew increasingly familiar to Shen Qianzhan.

Just as she was speculating whether the people inside were Meng Wangzhou and Old Mr. Ji, Meng Wangzhou poked his head out from behind the half-open door and exclaimed cheerfully, "Producer Shen is here!"

His eyes swept over the gifts Ji Qinghe was carrying, and he politely chided Shen Qianzhan for treating him like an outsider, bringing presents just for a casual dinner.

Shen Qianzhan smiled, finally realizing that the reason her hands had been empty the whole way was because Ji Qinghe had been carrying the gifts for her.

After changing into slippers and stepping inside, Shen Qianzhan caught sight of Old Mr. Ji Qingzhen seated at the desk, wielding a brush with practiced ease.

The moment she looked up, Old Mr. Ji also turned his gaze toward her. Unlike their previous meetings in Xi’an, the old gentleman offered her a gentle smile, signaling for her to make herself at home.

He then set down his brush, walked around the desk, and took a seat behind the tea table.

A pot of hot tea was warming on the table, the tea tray dry but faintly stained with water marks.

Meng Wangzhou excused himself to fetch some tea snacks and left the room, leaving only Old Mr. Ji and Ji Qinghe inside.

Even someone as experienced as Shen Qianzhan couldn’t help feeling a little nervous in such a setting.

She cleared her throat and spoke first, "Old Mr. Ji, it’s been a while. I’ve come to pay my respects today." The overly formal greeting drew a sidelong glance from Ji Qinghe.

He casually placed the tea strainer on the draining cup and poured her a cup of Tieguanyin, easing the atmosphere. "After Endless Year and Thousand Lights started collaborating, Grandpa has been wanting to meet you."

"Producer Shen, with your reputation, there’s no need to be so nervous."

Ji Qingzhen seemed amused by the scene and teased Ji Qinghe with a glance. "I didn’t know you’d become so considerate in dealing with people." He took a sip of tea, gently adjusted his glasses with the back of his hand, and turned to Shen Qianzhan. "It has been a while. Since I arrived in Beijing, Qinghe has told me about your collaboration."

After a brief pause, he continued, "I’m getting old and prefer to enjoy life. I don’t have the energy for such a large project. Qinghe is interested, and the two of you seem to get along well. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement."

In the presence of such a respected elder, Shen Qianzhan remained humble and restrained, not daring to overstep. Hearing this, she immediately offered flattery. "Indeed, it’s truly a heaven-sent opportunity. Mr. Ji is young and exceptionally talented. What’s even rarer is that we share similar interests and goals, which gives me great confidence in the 'Time' project. However, the biggest regret is still not being able to invite you, Old Mr. Ji, to participate. This isn’t just a loss for me and 'Time'—I believe it’s also a loss for watch enthusiasts everywhere."

Ji Qinghe, who knew the full story, curled the corner of his lips slightly, quietly watching her spin her tales.Shen Qianzhan, once she adjusted her state and switched modes, her little mouth would chatter nonstop: "Facilitating the collaboration between Endless Year and 'Time'—when you think about it, it's both unexpected and yet makes perfect sense. Mr. Ji is young and talented, and his dedication to the craftsmanship of watch restoration is something I could never hope to match. If it weren't for Mr. Jiang from Boxuan Film introducing us, I might never have met Mr. Ji..."

Ji Qingzhen let out a puzzled "oh" and glanced at Ji Qinghe, who had remained silent: "But I heard from Qinghe that you two had already met long ago?"

Shen Qianzhan was stunned.

She instinctively looked at Ji Qinghe, who was idly toying with his teacup, silently asking with her eyes: What kind of "long ago" are we talking about? Couldn't you have coordinated our stories before meeting the parents?

Ji Qinghe rarely saw her with such an expression and took a moment to appreciate it before leisurely replying, "Yes, we met a long time ago, but she didn't know it was me."

He pressed the lid of the teacup with one finger while holding the teapot with the other, leaning slightly to refill Old Master Ji's cup: "Just listen to what she has to say. Don’t keep asking questions and end up exposing all my secrets."

Ji Qingzhen stroked his stubble and smiled meaningfully: "My mistake again. Go on, young lady."

At this moment, Shen Qianzhan began to suspect that Ji Qinghe’s cunning was a family trait. Old Master Ji’s gaze and smile seemed to imply he knew everything, yet he played the part of someone completely unaware. His interruption completely derailed Shen Qianzhan’s earlier flattering momentum, leaving her wondering just how much Old Master Ji actually knew.

Fortunately, Meng Wangzhou brought over some tea snacks midway, providing a distraction: "Producer Shen, try these. They’re my grandmother’s specialty."

Meng Wangzhou loved to boast and show off. Starting from the tea snacks, he rambled about how Ms. Meng’s ancestors included royal chefs who exclusively served the imperial kitchen with pastries. The conversation took countless twists and turns, eventually landing on, "What a waste of all those talented ancestors in my family. I, Meng Wangzhou, have only stubbornly stuck to one utterly useless thing in my life."

Shen Qianzhan expressed deep sympathy for Meng Wangzhou’s plight: "What matters in life is having something to hold onto. It hasn’t been easy for you."

With Meng Wangzhou around, the atmosphere remained effortlessly harmonious.

After three rounds of tea, Meng Wangzhou finally remembered he still had to help Ms. Meng in the kitchen and dragged Ji Qinghe along to assist.

Once the two left, the room fell quiet, leaving only Shen Qianzhan and Old Master Ji staring awkwardly at each other.

Thankfully, Shen Qianzhan had prepared plenty of questions for the old master beforehand. From watch restoration to key life decisions and eventually the Mufan Clock, the conversation never stalled.

"The documentary on restoring the Mufan Clock was only a few episodes long, but the actual restoration took many years." Speaking of this national treasure, Old Master Ji couldn’t help but sigh: "The Mufan Clock was also the trigger for the strain in my relationship with Qiongzhi. Back then, I lived here in Beijing. My entire life seemed to revolve around restoring this clock, making it tick again."

Old Master Ji glanced at her and smiled: "You can ask Qinghe about these things. He knows them too. When the Mufan Clock was being restored, he even assisted me. He’s quite skilled—gifted by his ancestors, he picks things up quickly. Later, he spent two years at the Clock Gallery of the Beijing Museum. His grandmother didn’t want him to cling solely to this craft, so she entrusted Endless Year’s watches to him."

Shen Qianzhan was somewhat surprised by this part of Ji Qinghe’s past: "Mr. Ji spent two years at the Clock Gallery?""Qinghe is intimately familiar with timepieces, regardless of era or origin. He excels at crafting and repairing clocks, a natural talent born to work with time." Old Master Ji's voice was solemn and weighty: "Back then, Qinghe and Wangzhou both studied clock restoration under me. Wangzhou had neither interest nor aptitude, only learning the basics. Truthfully, what I could teach was just some repair techniques—nothing particularly profound. Many clocks I've never seen nor repaired."

"If you've researched this project, you must know about the origins of imperial court timepieces. By the Qianlong era, the Qing palace's collection of clocks had already reached an impressive scale. Clocks made for collection were lavishly adorned with gold, pearls, jade, and gemstones as if they cost nothing. Their designs ranged from Chinese pavilions and towers to Western-style cathedrals, countless in variety, along with little automatons that chimed and announced the time automatically. Once broken, they became extremely difficult to restore. He simply loved it, was passionate about it, dedicating himself entirely to the craft. Back then, my colleagues who worked with me on clock restoration held Qinghe in high regard, so they kept him on for two extra years."

Ji Qingzhen recalled the past, his face filled with nostalgia: "You don't know him well enough to truly understand. Qinghe is like me—once he loves something or someone, he becomes utterly captivated, as if bewitched."

Author's Note: I sincerely apologize for the disruption in updates due to personal matters. Recently, my emotions have been greatly affected by certain events, and I've been trying hard to adjust and maintain regular updates. However, a week ago, I still had an emotional breakdown. I am currently actively addressing the situation; besides seeking legal recourse, I am doing everything within my power, but the workload is substantial. I may still need some time. Updates for "Time" will temporarily shift to every other day. Thank you for your understanding and support.

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