Huo Guangyuan and Xie Mingrou now lived in Tangshui Town, a small town in Qingling.
Tangshui Town was a famous tourist town west of Qingling. The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal passed right through it, making it an authentic Jiangnan water town.
In recent years, with the booming tourism industry in the surrounding water towns, Tangshui Town had grown increasingly prosperous.
Huo Chuxue’s father, Huo Guangyuan, was a chef by trade. In his youth, he had worked at several five-star hotels. Later, seeing the town’s tourism industry take off, he rode the wave of the trend, resigned, and returned home to open a restaurant.
“Tangshui Renjia” started as a modest little eatery. Later, its reputation grew larger and louder, until it remarkably developed into the largest restaurant in all of Tangshui Town. It was famous throughout Qingling, a local internet-famous restaurant. It was hyped up endlessly online, with a rating as high as 8.9 on Dazhong Dianping. Basically, any out-of-town tourist visiting Tangshui Town had to stop by and order a few of its signature dishes.
Her mother, Xie Mingrou, was a well-known domestic romance writer under the pen name Siluo, and an important member of the Provincial Writers’ Association. She was also delicate and pretty, with bright eyes and white teeth, a typical Jiangnan water town beauty.
Xie Mingrou was a low-key person who kept her pen name a closely guarded secret. People in town didn’t know about her identity as a writer. Huo Chuxue herself only accidentally found out she had a mother who wrote romance novels when she was in eighth grade. Those around them only knew that “Tangshui Renjia” had a beautiful female boss who was very welcoming.
Since starting work at First Hospital, Huo Chuxue came home once a week. Her return time was irregular, depending on how busy she was.
She kept her eyes on the road, focusing on driving as the white car moved steadily forward.
Qiao Shengxi sat in the passenger seat fiddling with her phone. The car interior fell into a temporary quiet.
The drive from downtown Qingling to Tangshui Town took an hour and a half. They arrived in town just as the sun was setting, dusk enveloping everything—perfect dinnertime.
The car passed rows of low ancient buildings, with wisps of cooking smoke curling upwards. Huo Chuxue caught whiffs of the aroma of food.
The Huo, Zhou, and Qiao families were built along the river, standing side by side, separated only by a wall.
Huo Chuxue walked around to the back of the car to retrieve that box of loquats. Zhou Mo’s car had just turned off, and he and Zou Yi got out together. The four of them had unexpectedly run into each other.
Zou Yi was dressed in professional attire, looking capable and sharp.
Seeing the two, she immediately broke into a smile and greeted them warmly, “Xiaoxue, Xixi, you’re back today too?”
Qiao Shengxi had never been particularly fond of Zou Yi. In her mind, Zou Yi was a white lotus who had stolen someone’s love. Zou Yi had transferred to Qingling No. 1 High School in their second year of high school, and the four of them became classmates. The number of words Qiao Shengxi had exchanged with Zou Yi could be counted on one hand.
At first, Qiao Shengxi couldn’t stand Zou Yi’s countrified and shabby appearance. Later, after Zou Yi and Zhou Mo got together, Qiao Shengxi disliked her even more.
As for Huo Chuxue and Zou Yi, their relationship wasn’t warm, barely qualifying as ordinary friends. They would smile and greet each other when they met; that was unavoidable. With Zhou Mo between them, they couldn’t get too close, but being too distant wasn’t good either, since they had grown up playing together.
However, Qiao Shengxi was the type to wear her dislike for someone on her face, disdaining even to put on a facade.
Compared to Zou Yi’s enthusiasm, Qiao Shengxi was utterly cold. She barely even looked at Zou Yi, picked up her bag, and entered her own house. “Xiaoxue, I’ll come find you later.”
Zou Yi: “……”
Zou Yi’s smiling face instantly froze. Zhou Mo, standing to the side, also looked very cold.
Seeing this situation, Huo Chuxue felt extremely awkward, standing there holding the box of loquats, feeling ill at ease.
She forced a somewhat strained smile. “What a coincidence, you two are back today too!”
Zou Yi quickly composed herself, replacing her expression with a warm smile. “The TV station is busy. I can only manage to come back one day a week.”
Huo Chuxue praised, “You’re so filial, no wonder Uncle Zhou and Auntie Deng like you so much.”
Whether intentionally or not, Zou Yi curled her lips into a smile. “Mom and Dad like you a lot too!”
Huo Chuxue listened silently. “Come over to our house to play later with Zhou Mo. I’ll head back first.”
She hugged the box of loquats and stepped through her doorway.
—
The moment she stepped inside, Huo Chuxue was hit by the rich aroma of dishes. Chef Huo, wearing an apron, was busy in the kitchen.
“Dad, I’m back.”
Huo Guangyuan was tossing the wok, constantly stir-frying. High flames licked at the wok, the pork belly sizzling and releasing waves of intense fragrance that assaulted the nostrils.
She took a deep breath, feeling the greedy bugs in her stomach instantly awaken.
Hearing her voice, Chef Huo grunted discontentedly, “So the little girl still remembers she has a home. It’s been a whole week.”
Her father was used to being tsundere and needed coaxing.
Huo Chuxue quickly resorted to acting spoiled. “The hospital’s just been so busy! The moment I had free time, I came back. I missed your cooking.”
“You’re the only one who’s busy!” Huo Guangyuan shot his daughter a sidelong glance and launched into his usual lecture. “Spending all day soaking in the hospital, not even bothering to find a boyfriend. Your mom asked your aunt to introduce you to someone, but you, you haven’t even been to your aunt’s house once. Quite the capable one, aren’t you, Huo Chuxue!”
Huo Chuxue: “……”
“Where’s my mom?” Danger ahead, time to make a quick exit.
“Sleeping in the bedroom.”
“I’ll go call her down for dinner.” Huo Chuxue’s figure flashed out of the kitchen.
She clattered up to the second floor to call her mother.
Xie Mingrou had just gotten up. She was wearing a fringed long skirt, her demeanor gentle and graceful.
“Mom, come downstairs for dinner.” Huo Chuxue walked over and linked arms with her mother. The mother-daughter pair looked like two sisters. “I brought back a lot of loquats for you.”
Xie Mingrou asked with a smile, “Where did the loquats come from?”
“A patient’s family member gave them to me.”
“Doesn’t your hospital forbid accepting things from patients?”
“It’s just a few pounds of loquats. They grow them at home, it’s fine.”
Xie Mingrou went downstairs, tasted two, and clicked her tongue in praise. “These loquats are so sweet. Are they from Cenling?”
“Mom has a good eye.” Huo Chuxue gave a thumbs-up. “They are indeed from Cenling.”
Xie Mingrou said, “The climate around Cenling is good. Only the loquats from there taste this good; our Qingling can’t compare.”
She hefted the box of loquats; it was quite heavy. “There’s definitely too much to finish. Why don’t you take some over to your Uncle Zhou’s house?”
Remembering Zou Yi’s attitude, Huo Chuxue wasn’t keen on going. “Forget it. Let Dad make them into preserves instead. Don’t you like eating loquats? Keep them as snacks.”
“Alright then.”
—
After the family finished dinner together, Huo Guangyuan went to the restaurant.
Huo Chuxue linked arms with her mother and went out for a walk to aid digestion.
The town was only so big, and familiar faces were everywhere.
“Mingrou, your daughter’s back!”
“Yes!”
“Xiaoxue, you’re back today!”
“Yes, hello, Auntie Wang.”
…
People greeted them all along the way.
In recent years, with tourism development, the water town’s nights had become increasingly noisy and lively, decorated with lanterns and colored banners, tourists everywhere.
Mother and daughter strolled slowly along the riverbank, relaxed and carefree.
The evening breeze was cool and comfortable against their faces.
“Mom, do we still have any advance copies of The Sound of Wind and Rain at home? The edition from ten years ago.”
“Why are you suddenly asking about that?” Xie Mingrou didn’t understand. “I do have some, but I’d have to look. I don’t know which corner I stuffed them into.”
“A friend of mine is a fan of your books. He really likes this one. Could you give him a specially inscribed copy? The book is out of print; you can’t buy it online anymore.”
“I’ll rummage around when I get back and see if I can find one.”
—
That evening, Xie Mingrou rummaged in the storage room for a long time and finally dug out one advance copy of The Sound of Wind and Rain.
After so many years, the paper had gotten damp, the pages were wrinkled and yellowed—its condition was somewhat hard to describe.
Huo Chuxue stared at the book, her face showing disdain. “It’s so old! Is this the only one?”
Xie Mingrou shook the dust off the cover. “Be glad I found it at all, stop being picky. I searched the whole house; this is the only one left. If you want a reprinted edition, I still have some in my study.”
“It’s so old, I’d be embarrassed to give it as a gift.”
“What kind of friend are you giving it to?”
“An ordinary friend.”
“An ordinary friend, and you’d ask me for a special inscription?” Knowing her daughter best, Xie Mingrou shot her a glance, her face full of disbelief.
Huo Chuxue: “……”
Fortunately, Xie Mingrou didn’t press further. After all, most people who read her books were girls, so she assumed it was just a close friend of her daughter’s. She didn’t pay it much mind.
Xie Mingrou said, “The book itself isn’t important. What they’re really after is my signature. Having the signature is what matters; everything else is secondary.”
Huo Chuxue thought about it and realized that seemed true.
She cleaned the book inside and out, and mother and daughter went to the study together.
The desk lamp in the study was on, its warm orange beam illuminating the surroundings, the light and shadows hazy.
Xie Mingrou sat at the desk, holding a black pen, her gaze focused on her daughter. She asked softly, “What should I write?”
Huo Chuxue tilted her head and thought for a moment. “Just write: ‘A thousand sails pass by the sunken ship; ten thousand saplings spring up ahead of the sick tree.’”
Xie Mingrou: “……”
The corner of Xie Mingrou’s mouth twitched, finding it hard to believe. “Are you sure this is for a special inscription?”
Huo Chuxue grinned, spouting nonsense. “I’m just trying to encourage them to look forward!”
Xie Mingrou: “……”
Xie Mingrou finished writing, capped the pen, and said leisurely, “If a book with Siluo’s personal signature were put up for sale online, not to mention tens of thousands, several thousand would be easy to get.”
Huo Chuxue: “……”
What Xie Mingrou said was actually true. Although this founding mother of romance novels had put down her pen years ago, her influence within the circle remained resounding. She represented the youth of the post-80s generation. Nowadays, some readers still instantly turn into fangirls at the mention of her, calling her goddess.
Huo Chuxue immediately planted a fragrant kiss on her cheek and said with fawning flattery, “Thanks, Mom!”
She looked at the book, thinking to herself: He Qingshi, ah, He Qingshi, I truly hope you can get into it and find your way out!
That evening, Qiao Shengxi came to Huo Chuxue’s house to hang out.
The two girls leaned against the balcony railing, looking at the stars.
The stars that night were numerous and bright, dazzling and brilliant.
Across from the balcony was the canal, its surface resplendent with lights, small boats floating about, tourists constantly coming and going.
Remembering Qiao Shengxi’s attitude towards Zou Yi that evening, Huo Chuxue couldn’t help but say, “Xixi, you should be a bit more polite to Zou Yi in the future. After all, she’s married to Zhou Mo now. The few of us grew up together; don’t let the relationship become strained. It’ll be hard to explain to Zhou Mo.”
Qiao Shengxi: “What’s wrong with me not liking Zou Yi? The moment I see her hypocritical face, I feel uncomfortable. She’s a born vicious supporting female character.”
Huo Chuxue: “……”
Her best friend’s prejudice against Zou Yi ran deep!
She persuaded in a low voice, “Even if you feel uncomfortable inside, at least put on a facade on the surface. It’s not like you’re close friends anyway; there’s no need to make it like this, meeting each other like enemies.”
Qiao Shengxi waved her hand, clearly unwilling to continue the topic. “Just don’t worry about this.”