Chapter 6: The Zhenjiang of Yesteryear (1)
"Highway toll station?"
"You might have heard something about it," Zhou Shengchen didn't conceal anything. "Zhenjiang has been quite special recently, so all vehicles passing through are being recorded."
Shi Yi understood somewhat. "I've heard, but—"
Even if there were records, how could they know so quickly who was in the car?
Unless someone had been shadowing them ever since they entered Zhenjiang, investigating the identities of those in the vehicle.
Shi Yi thought this but didn’t press further.
"I have detailed information about you and your family here. So as soon as your father's car entered Zhenjiang, I knew almost immediately," his voice carried a hint of apology, unusually gentle. "I’ll explain the specifics to you in person. Right now, I’d like to ask you a question."
Shi Yi found it odd but didn’t hesitate. "Go ahead."
What question could it be, to prompt this sudden call?
Zhou Shengchen’s tone was peculiar, but when she urged him to speak, he fell silent. Shi Yi wasn’t in a hurry. Leaning against the desk, she picked up a pen and lightly tapped her cousin’s forehead.
The latter covered her head, shooting her a glare before lowering her head to continue with her homework.
"I need to get engaged to someone right now," he suddenly said.
An unexpected topic.
Like a cold wind sweeping through her heart, chilling and desolate.
She responded with a faint "Mm."
Being reborn as a human should have erased all memories. It was she who had defied the natural order, and the sorrow that came with it was hers alone to bear. She shifted her posture, leaning against the desk, her face turned toward the window.
She knew if Zhou Shengchen continued, she wouldn’t be able to hold back her tears.
Facing an empty space made it easier.
Zhou Shengchen remained silent for so long she wondered if the call had disconnected.
In the end, it was she who spoke. "I heard you have a fiancée."
"Heard?"
"Yes, back in Xi’an."
"I don’t know her. At the time, I was just accepting an arrangement from the elders."
Shi Yi didn’t understand and, feeling somewhat resentful, didn’t press further.
Her vision blurred slightly, unsure of what to say.
"But now, I want to change my plans," he continued. "Shi Yi, would you be willing to get engaged to me?"
Shi Yi thought she’d misheard.
Completely unprepared, with sadness still lingering, his sudden question left her disoriented in time and space. Zhou Shengchen… was saying he wanted to get engaged?
"You can refuse," Zhou Shengchen said, his tone indifferent.
Memories flooded her mind, yet nothing felt clear.
It was as if, even in her past life, he had never said such words to her.
"Shi Yi?" He called her name.
"Mm..." she finally replied, her voice slightly nasal. "What you said, is it..."
"It’s the truth," he said. "April Fool’s Day was four days ago."
Such an absurd remark.
Yet he said it so matter-of-factly.
Shi Yi lightly bit her lower lip, waiting for him to continue.
"There are personal reasons for this," Zhou Shengchen said. "We’re not exactly strangers to each other, and there’s mutual affection between us. Perhaps we could try getting engaged."
His logic truly baffled her. "So having affection means getting engaged?"
"I don’t know many women. If I must get engaged, I’d rather it be with you than a stranger."Suddenly, there was the sound of a chair being dragged. Her cousin had already widened her eyes, leaning back in disbelief to look at her.
Shi Yi raised a finger to her lips, signaling her cousin to stay quiet. Her eyes still shimmered with tears, yet they carried a smile—one brimming with tenderness that couldn’t be concealed.
Zhou Shengchen’s reasoning was utterly bizarre, yet precisely because it came from him, Shi Yi found herself powerless to counter.
Imagine if it had been any of the various suitors who had pursued her before—she would have hung up long ago.
Never to speak again.
But only he could say such things and leave her utterly disarmed.
Even if, in his words, his feelings for her merely surpassed those for a stranger.
"You can refuse," he reiterated for the second time. "Perhaps you’ll find a better choice."
"I don’t have one," she blurted out.
Her tone was a little rushed.
It actually made Zhou Shengchen laugh. She listened awkwardly to his laughter, feeling terribly self-conscious. Fortunately, he quickly added, "My apologies. This should have been a romantic moment, but I’ve handled it with no charm whatsoever. It’s an urgent matter."
"I don’t mind…"
Damn it, what am I even saying?
Shi Yi lowered her head, staring at the white slippers on her feet, and abruptly fell silent again.
Zhou Shengchen seemed to be in a completely isolated room, speaking with surprising frankness: "I think you might not dislike me too much. If, after getting to know me better, you find you have no feelings for me at all, I’ll ensure this matter concludes in a reasonable way. You won’t face any awkwardness."
Shi Yi gave a soft "Mm."
His logic was growing increasingly strange.
Too bad he didn’t realize the person he was negotiating with had already walked right into the trap.
"I’m someone who warms up very slowly. It takes me a long time to develop feelings for something. Take chemistry, for example—I’ve been studying it for fourteen years now, and I’m still not entirely sure if I truly like it. So, if you later find that you can’t accept someone like me, we can always call off the engagement."
She pulled a tissue from the box and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.
Sunlight streamed through the window, warming her calves.
Before she knew it, he had finished saying everything.
Now, he was waiting for her answer.
In a soft voice, Shi Yi posed her first question: "You have all my information—even my parents’. But I know almost nothing about you…"
"You’ll find out soon enough."
She hesitated for a few seconds, her mind blank.
A sudden burst of courage finally made her say, "Alright."
Perhaps Zhou Shengchen hadn’t expected her to agree so directly and quickly.
Or perhaps neither of them had any experience in this.
The atmosphere suddenly turned awkward.
So… after abruptly agreeing to an engagement over the phone, what were they supposed to do now?
Finally, after a pause, he asked another question that left her utterly stunned: "Would it be possible for you to share your measurements?" He quickly added, "I might need to prepare some clothes for you."
The reasoning was sound, but Shi Yi glanced at her cousin beside her.
"92, 62, 90," she whispered.
Zhou Shengchen made a thoughtful sound. "That’s…?"
"A woman’s bust, waist, and hip measurements."
She tried to keep her voice low, but Zhou Shengchen had asked for too much detail.
Her cousin’s expression cycled through a dozen emotions in a second.
"Mm, I see. Hold on a moment."
Obediently, Shi Yi waited.To this day, it still feels like a dream. Her cousin had long lost interest in solving math problems and was now dancing excitedly in front of her, demanding a full explanation. Shi Yi pursed her lips and gestured for her to lock the door. The cousin obediently complied with a soft click of the lock.
He returned and continued, "I'll also need measurements for the neck, upper arms, forearms, wrists, thighs, calves, and ankles."
This was something she truly didn’t know.
Flustered, Shi Yi directed her cousin to find the household measuring tape and took each measurement one by one, relaying them to him. He noted them down and reminded her to inform her parents as soon as possible, as he would personally visit them the next day.
Only after the call ended did she realize the uproar this would cause at home.
Both her parents were teachers with traditional values—how could they accept something so sudden?
"Shi Yi, my beauty," her cousin pressed her hands on Shi Yi’s shoulders and leaned in, "This must be some juicy gossip. I haven’t even heard it yet, and I’m already buzzing with excitement."
It was indeed a bombshell of gossip.
She didn’t even have the energy to explain. "Let me sit for a while and think this through," she said to her cousin.
This earth-shattering matter dragged on from lunch until after dinner, yet Shi Yi still couldn’t find the right moment to tell her mother. How should she phrase it? Or should she not say anything at all? But that seemed impossible.
Even though it was just an engagement, and even though people nowadays treated "engagement" rather casually, judging by Zhou Shengchen’s tone and attitude, it was clearly a serious matter for his family.
Delaying it wasn’t an option either—otherwise, his visit the next day might trigger an earthquake at home.
It wasn’t until bedtime that Shi Yi hesitantly pulled her mother into her room, saying there was something important they needed to discuss. Her mother seemed to have a sixth sense and quickly asked if it was about "that person" she had mentioned earlier that morning. Shi Yi nodded slightly, and her mother’s expression immediately turned serious as she sat beside her. "Tell me about it. Let’s see how I can help you."
"He said," Shi Yi exhaled softly, "he wants to get engaged to me."
"Engaged?" Her mother’s shock was unmistakable.
"Yes, engaged."
"When?"
"Probably in the next day or two," she guessed.
"The next day or two?" Her mother was torn between laughter and disbelief. "Is this some kind of child’s play? We’re in Zhenjiang right now and won’t be returning to Shanghai. Besides, your father and I haven’t even met him, let alone gotten to know him."
"He’s in Zhenjiang," Shi Yi chose her words carefully. "He’ll come to visit you tomorrow."
"Why so soon?"
"I don’t know," she admitted.
"And you agreed?"
Shi Yi nodded.
"How long have you known each other?"
"About half a year," she said, though they had only met four times in total—something she didn’t dare mention. "He’s also a university professor, with good character and a very simple nature."
"Simple?" Her mother chuckled. "That’s not a word you’d usually use to describe a man."
Shi Yi looked at her mother quietly, her expression resolute.
"Alright, I get it," her mother sighed. "Let him come. Since you’ve known each other for a while, I suppose you’ve given it some thought. At least it’s not marriage—engagement is just a formality for you young people anyway."
Her mother’s easy acceptance eased the tension in her heart.
Just before leaving the room, her mother suddenly asked, "Is he from Zhenjiang too?"
Shi Yi paused, then reflexively answered, "Yes."Fortunately, she didn’t say she didn’t know again. Otherwise, her mother wouldn’t know what to think.
Before going to bed, Zhou Shengchen called to confirm.
Shi Yi nestled under the blankets, answering his questions over the phone, feeling extremely nervous about his visit the next day.
This feeling was like wanting just a sip of water to quench your thirst, but the Buddha gave you an entire well—making you repeatedly doubt the reality of it. Moreover, they had only met four times and had just begun to adjust to each other.
Yet, by the next morning, they would already be engaged.
She was even afraid of seeing him tomorrow. What should she say to avoid being flustered and nervous?
“Apart from the engagement, all our interactions will proceed step by step. There’s no need to disrupt anything,” he had spoken quite a bit today, his voice slightly hoarse, but still calm and rational, carrying a soothing and reassuring strength. “Just like when I conduct research, I set a direction before running experiments. This is simply a reasonable and scientific approach.”
She couldn’t help but laugh.
“Shi Yi?”
“Hmm?”
“Don’t overthink it.”
“Okay.”
The next morning, Zhou Shengchen arrived as promised.
The moment she opened the door, she was surprised again. The man before her was unusually wearing frameless glasses, dressed in a pure black suit with a silver-gray shirt underneath—very formal and solemn. The Western-style attire accentuated his tall figure even more.
Shi Yi held onto the door, forgetting to step aside, and the two simply stood there, staring at each other.
As if everyone else around them were mere decorations.
He smiled at her. “Is it inconvenient for me to come in?”
She tried her best to regain her composure and curiously waved a hand in front of his eyes. “Are you nearsighted?”
“A little farsighted.”
She chuckled, muttering softly, “Farsighted? Isn’t that presbyopia?”
Behind him, the same driver followed, along with two men and two women.
Hearing Shi Yi’s remark, they all stifled amused smiles, politely lowering their heads to hide their reactions.
Zhou Shengchen didn’t seem to mind, studying her instead. “Did you not sleep well?”
She blinked in confusion. “No, why?”
He traced a small arc under his own eyes with a finger. “You look like you didn’t get enough rest here.”
Out of politeness, he spoke very softly.
Unfortunately, the people behind him heard every word. Shi Yi felt a little embarrassed that he had exposed her sleepless night in front of these strangers.
Thankfully, her parents emerged from the living room just then, giving her a chance to step away.
Shi Yi’s uncle and aunt, the actual hosts of the household, also came forward to greet the guests. From entering the room to finally sitting down and accepting tea, Zhou Shengchen handled everything flawlessly. Even her initially displeased father began to smile in approval. Shi Yi had been watching from the sidelines, and only now did she finally relax.
Her body, hair, and skin were gifts from her parents—she held this close to her heart and naturally hoped they would genuinely like him.
And from the looks of it, apart from finding the five people behind him a little odd, the elders in the family had an excellent impression of him.
“Due to health reasons, my mother couldn’t come in person, but she asked me to bring a token of her regard,” Zhou Shengchen said as the middle-aged man behind him placed a six- or seven-foot-long rosewood box on the table. “This is for you, Uncle.”
When the box was opened, it revealed nine miniature folding screens arranged side by side.Most of it was made from green jade, with only the base in a pale bluish-white hue. Everyone was somewhat astonished. Shi Yi examined it closely and found the most ingenious part to be the relief carvings on the screen—autumn geese soaring across the sky, pavilions and towers, and even palace maidens inside the buildings, their hair styled high, sitting or reclining in various poses.
"How many maidens are there?" her cousin couldn't hold back and asked softly.
"Exactly nine hundred and ninety-nine," Zhou Shengchen slightly turned his head, politely meeting her cousin's gaze. "They say those who aren't fated with it won't be able to count them all. You can try if you get the chance."
Her mother seemed hesitant to accept, repeatedly saying it was too generous.
Unfortunately, Zhou Shengchen had already laid the groundwork by mentioning it was "his mother's" intention. And since that exceedingly generous mother hadn't arrived, how could they possibly return the gifts?
The gifts were displayed one by one.
By the end, the room had fallen into silence. He only briefly named the items when her cousin grew curious, never elaborating on their origins unless asked, treating them as ordinary presents. From a set of six blue-and-white porcelain stem cups with pine and plum motifs to a silver-gilded turtle ornament, and a white-glazed prunus vase adorned with pearl and floral patterns—every elder received something, ensuring no one was left out.
Even her cousin was given a startlingly green jade peach pendant.
Her shock was no less than the rest of the family's.
Yet she couldn't show it, pretending instead that she knew everything—understood Zhou Shengchen's background—and even nodded calmly with a smile when her mother shot her questioning looks, silently urging her to accept.
These extraordinarily lavish gifts left all the elders speaking in increasingly refined tones.
Finally, her aunt seized the chance while pouring water to pull her into the kitchen, nervously asking where they could possibly have lunch without embarrassing Shi Yi too much. Shi Yi was both amused and exasperated, replying softly, "No need for lunch. He said his mother wants to invite me for lunch, so I'll be leaving with him soon."
"That's good," her aunt exhaled in relief, then quickly grew embarrassed. "Not that we don’t want to host your boyfriend—it's just that I've never entertained someone like him before. I truly don’t know what he usually eats."
What does he eat?
Shi Yi thought back to their time in Xi'an—nothing out of the ordinary, even eating at a local noodle shop.
But saying so now would hardly convince her aunt.
Zhou Shengchen repeatedly apologized for skipping lunch to take Shi Yi away, making even her parents feel awkward as they insisted it was only proper, though they regretted not having prepared a meeting gift in return.
Listening to their back-and-forth apologies, Shi Yi finally couldn't take it anymore and gently tugged Zhou Shengchen's sleeve. "Alright, let's go? Give me a few minutes—I need to change into something more formal."
He gave a slight nod.
Shi Yi had prepared an outfit but now felt uneasy, asking him softly, "What does your mother like girls to wear?"
"Anything is fine," he said. "No need to force it."
"No, it's not fine," Shi Yi pressed anxiously. "It's about respecting her, especially for a first meeting."
Her urgency carried a hint of coquetry.
Her mother smiled and left the bedroom.
Yet her departure only made the atmosphere tenser.
Shi Yi realized just how much her tone had betrayed her dependence."They prepared some Chinese-style cheongsams last night. My family is quite traditional, and the women are used to wearing these," he said with a smile, showing no intention of forcing her. "If you don't mind, I can have them bring some in."
Of course she didn't mind.
There was nothing to it—she wanted to make a perfect impression on his mother. Very much so.
(End of Chapter)
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