Chapter Ninety
Shen Qianzhan had given considerable thought to bringing Ji Qinghe back to meet Mr. and Mrs. Shen.
First, she felt that since the crew was in Wuxi, it was convenient to return home, eliminating the need for a special trip later. Second, she considered that since she had already met half of the Ji family, it was only proper to reciprocate by bringing Ji Qinghe home to let Mr. and Mrs. Shen meet him. Third, she believed that Old Mr. Ji’s gesture of lending the clock required Mr. and Mrs. Shen to express their gratitude in person to show proper respect.
Moreover, during this return to Beijing, aside from resigning, she needed to quickly find a new job. Whether as an independent producer or joining a new company, a six-month adjustment period was the bare minimum.
It might take until the beginning of next year, or until she produced a hit drama project that lived up to the "Shen Qianzhan" standard, before she could truly settle down.
As for Ji Qinghe, most of his time in the first half of the year had been spent on the film set. After returning to Beijing, he not only had to immediately resume his work but also complete the new product launch for the Endless Year watch brand before the official broadcast of "Time."
Time was tight.
Neither of them had the mind for romance.
—
Ji Qinghe was quite pleased with the proposal to "meet the parents before leaving Wuxi."
Not pressuring Shen Qianzhan was one thing, but having the parents informed was another.
Even if she hadn’t brought it up tonight, Ji Qinghe had already put the matter of both sets of parents being informed as soon as possible on the agenda, with three specific plans in mind:
First, subtly making an appearance during Shen Qianzhan’s video calls with Shen’s Mother to establish his presence.
Second, preparing appropriate gifts before Shen’s Father and Shen’s Mother’s birthdays, to be delivered by Shen Qianzhan.
Third, visiting during the New Year.
These three steps were designed to be gradual and strategic.
Of course, no matter how thorough the strategy, it was still just a strategy.
If Shen Qianzhan could take the initiative to propose meeting the parents, that would be even better.
The next day, Ji Qinghe began preparing gifts for the visit and sought advice from Ji Suimu on the formal etiquette for meeting a girlfriend’s parents.
When Ji Suimu saw this message, which seemed entirely unlike something Ji Qinghe would ask, he fell silent for a few seconds before replying, "Formal? Is there an informal version?"
Ji Qinghe responded, "I had dinner at her place on New Year’s Eve."
"That was during the pursuit phase, so the situation was different."
For some reason, Ji Suimu detected a hint of pride in those two short sentences.
After a moment of thought, he said, "Cater to their preferences and show sincerity." Unable to contain his curiosity, he added, "Planning to get married?"
Ji Qinghe replied, "Anytime."
Ji Suimu pondered these two words for a while before concluding: It seems he hasn’t sealed the deal yet; it’s just a one-sided intention.
—
After the Eight Immortals Presenting Treasures Blackwood Enamel Carved Antique Clock and the Copper-Gilt Four-Horse Golden Vase Enamel Relief Antique Clock were shipped away, the burden on Shen Qianzhan’s shoulders lightened by half.
That evening, Shen Qianzhan had a video call with Shen’s Mother.
Shen Qianzhan was often busy with work and social engagements, so Shen’s Mother rarely initiated video calls. Most of the time, she only maintained contact through WeChat voice messages.
In their chat history, it had been three days since their last communication.
Shen’s Mother had sent her a picture of chilled watermelon, telling her that this year’s summer was particularly hot, and Old Shen, having nothing better to do, had dug a well in the yard. Aside from raising fish, the well’s main purpose was to chill watermelons for her.
At the time, Shen Qianzhan was calculating production expenses and only replied, "You’re getting older, so don’t overindulge in cold food."
Shen’s Mother later sent a few playful stickers, which made Shen Qianzhan smile, but she forgot to reply.In the tens of seconds waiting for the video call to connect, Shen Qianzhan suddenly felt a pang of guilt.
Shen's Mother was sitting on the swing in the yard. When the video connected, she couldn’t hide her joy and asked with a smile, "What made you think of your mom today?"
"When don’t I think of you?" Shen Qianzhan adjusted the angle of her phone and smiled back. "It’s just that today, I couldn’t hold back and had to see you."
Shen's Mother was amused by her words and asked, "It’s already dark. Deng Deng, have you eaten?"
"I have. The crew may not be great at everything, but meal times are always on schedule."
"Still in Wuxi?"
"Yes, we’re not done here yet."
Shen's Mother paused and asked softly, "Do you have any time recently? Would it be convenient for me and Old Shen to visit you?"
"Not very convenient," Shen Qianzhan said. "The crew is preparing to relocate soon, so it’s busy and chaotic."
Shen's Mother let out a slow "oh," unable to hide the disappointment in her eyes. "Then take care of yourself. Don’t skip meals or sleep when you’re busy. Old Shen managed to put a few pounds on you during the New Year—you can’t let down the hair he lost for you."
Shen Qianzhan looked at the screen, her smile deepening. "Old Shen’s receding hairline is a family trait. It has nothing to do with me. Don’t take advantage of my easygoing nature and pin this on me."
—
Mr. and Mrs. Shen were working-class, living their lives by the rules, diligent and hardworking, clocking in and out on time. Except for the years when Shen Qianzhan’s education required money, and Old Shen worked tirelessly for those red bills, the rest of the time had little to do with ambition or career.
After Shen Qianzhan entered the film and television industry, Old Shen had sighed more than once, "Not a single person in our Shen family for generations has had anything to do with artistic creation. How did Deng Deng end up with a genetic mutation?"
Shen's Mother’s mindset was traditional and conservative.
Whenever Old Shen showed a hint of pride, she would bring up old grievances: "And you’re happy about it? Deng Deng’s line of work is so tough—full of competition and socializing, and the stress keeps her up at night. A girl needs to look pretty, but long-term hormonal imbalances affect her health."
Her vision for Shen Qianzhan’s future aligned with most parents’: ideally, a stable, lifelong job with regular hours, working from sunrise to sunset. Failing that, a secure and easy job in a bank, hospital, or school, with fixed holidays and time to enjoy life.
Preferably, she’d fall in love by twenty-five, marry by twenty-seven, and have a child before thirty. As for a second child, that could be left to fate—no pressure.
But Shen Qianzhan had veered far from the path her mother had laid out. Not only did she not stay in Wuxi or remain by her side, but she also drifted to Beijing, working from dawn till dusk, as busy as a dog.
Often, she didn’t even have a fixed place to live, staying in hotels with the crew, lacking a stable social circle or a steady relationship, constantly socializing and living with irregular hours.
Her mother couldn’t understand it and it pained her.
Occasionally, when words clashed, Shen Qianzhan couldn’t agree with her mother’s views, and her mother couldn’t persuade Shen Qianzhan either.
For a long time after starting work, Shen Qianzhan felt distant from her family and lacked a sense of belonging. As she grew older, Shen's Mother gradually accepted the reality that her daughter couldn’t stay by her side. Drawing from her own life experience, she began urging Shen Qianzhan to actively pursue marriage.
It wasn’t that their relationship turned sour, but there was indeed a period when Shen Qianzhan and her mother couldn’t communicate.
And during that time, the distance between them felt like a flood that severed their familial bond.Shen's mother was stubborn, and Shen Qianzhan was unwilling to back down. If Old Shen hadn't suddenly realized one day that the mother-daughter relationship had deteriorated severely and mediated in time, distance might not have created beauty but rather alienation and estrangement.
This was also why Shen Qianzhan didn't immediately turn to Mr. and Mrs. Shen for help after the incident.
Their lack of understanding toward her, their lack of support and confidence in her work, and subjectively, she believed Mr. and Mrs. Shen were incapable of resolving this debt amounting to tens of millions.
Out of a daughter's guilt and sense of responsibility, Shen Qianzhan would rather bear everything herself than let such troubles disturb the peaceful and stable retirement life of Mr. and Mrs. Shen.
Su Lanyi said she was as stubborn as a mule, with a foul and unyielding temper.
Once she made up her mind about something, no one could sway her unless she came to a realization or changed her mind herself.
Shen Qianzhan didn't think so at first, but as she grew older and became more objective and composed in dealing with people and situations, she realized that many things were indeed clearer to outsiders than to those involved.
Her interactions with Ji Qinghe's family, with Old Mr. Ji and Ms. Meng, also made her reflect deeply on whether the years of stalemate and confrontation between her and Mr. and Mrs. Shen had been foolish.
Of course, it was also possible that the only conflict between her and Shen's mother had disappeared, so there was no longer a need for their positions to be sharply opposed.
——
When Shen Qianzhan snapped back to reality, Shen's mother was still chattering away: "Did you see the grapevine your dad planted? Calling him a fruit killer is no exaggeration. If this grapevine actually bears grapes, he can go fishing all he wants—I won't say a word."
The limited nighttime visibility and the lack of light in the corner where the grapevine climbed meant Shen Qianzhan could only see a dark, indistinct mass.
"Where's Old Shen?" she asked.
"He went deep-sea fishing with his fishing buddies," Shen's mother muttered, somewhat displeased. "He left yesterday and won't be back until tomorrow. If he knew you'd call, he'd probably come back tonight."
She said it casually, but Shen Qianzhan felt a pang of discomfort: "Have you been home alone these past two days?"
Seeing her concern, Shen's mother smiled and reassured her: "During the day, I play mahjong with your aunts, and at night, I swing on the swing for a while before going to bed. Your dad has been home all this time, raising fish and growing vegetables. This is the first time he's gone out to sea this year."
Shen Qianzhan flipped through the calendar beside her and asked, "Are you and Old Shen free the day after tomorrow?"
Shen's mother paused, looking at her suspiciously: "Didn't you say it wasn't convenient for us to visit the set?"
"Visiting the set isn't convenient," Shen Qianzhan teased mysteriously, her tone soft. "But I didn't say I couldn't come back."
Shen's mother was stunned, then overjoyed.
She stopped swinging and hurried inside: "I'll call your dad right now. He told me last night that he had a great catch this time."
"Wait, where's my phone…"
Shen Qianzhan couldn't help but laugh: "Aren't you holding it while we're on video call?"
Shen's mother seemed to realize it only then, annoyed and amused by her own foolishness. After a moment, she calmed down slightly and said with a smile, "Even though you're in Wuxi, we haven't seen you since you dropped your dad and me off last time. You're on set, and your dad and I wanted to visit but were afraid of disturbing your work. We were planning to ask you in a couple of days. This is perfect, just perfect. What do you want to eat? I'll prepare it in advance…"
"Mom," Shen Qianzhan interrupted her. Her gaze was calm as she looked at Shen's mother for a moment before saying, "I'm bringing someone to meet you."
Shen's mother was completely stunned.The iron tree of their Shen family had actually blossomed?
——
That night, as the darkness deepened, Shen's Mother, her feet trembling, called Old Shen.
One call didn't go through, so she tried a second; two didn't connect, so she dialed a third.
After several attempts, still unable to get through, the smile on her face wavered slightly, and she couldn't help but think of the heavy rain that had poured all night the day before.
She recalled her last phone call with Old Shen.
It was before the thunderstorm. She had just finished dinner and was drawing well water to water the flowers.
Busy with her task, she let the phone ring for a while before hastily answering. At the time, Old Shen had complained about her slow response. After reassuring her of his safety, he excitedly said this trip had been quite fruitful.
Later, when it started raining, worried that the delicate flowers in the yard might drown, she hurriedly ended the call and hadn't been in touch with Old Shen since.
Old Shen loved fishing and had fishing buddies.
In the past, when he went deep-sea fishing, he'd be gone for three or four days at a time.
At first, Shen's Mother worried about the dangers at sea and insisted Old Shen report his safety as soon as he had a signal. Over the years, as Old Shen returned safely each time, she gradually relaxed, only asking him to inform her when he set sail or reached an island, so she could have peace of mind, without constantly monitoring him.
This fishing trip was no different from the others.
Old Shen had reported his safety before setting off. Last night, he should have reached the island and specifically called her after dinner. By all logic, he should have called today, but his phone remained unreachable...
The more she thought about it, the more alarmed she became, her palms growing clammy with cold sweat as she clutched her phone.
After yet another failed attempt to connect, she scrolled through her contacts for the number of Old Shen's fishing buddy and dialed again.
The result was the same.
Unreachable.
——
Early the next morning.
Shen Qianzhan was still sound asleep in Ji Qinghe's embrace when the phone on her pillow rang urgently, one call after another, with an almost defiant persistence, as if it wouldn't stop until she answered.
She fumbled blindly for it, missing several times, and was just about to open her eyes.
A long arm reached over from behind her, accurately found her phone, and handed it to her.
On the screen, the words "Her Majesty Mother" flashed beneath the 8 a.m. clock like an alarm bell, jolting her awake with sudden clarity.
Just as she was about to answer, another call notification from Su Zan, along with urgent knocking on the door, surged in simultaneously.
A wave of intense unease, in the hazy light of the morning after, rushed over her, crashing down without warning.
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