Ever since Chu Qing realized that Qi Weichen wasn't being affectionate with her anymore, she became preoccupied with it. When they were alone at home, she couldn't help but "accidentally" touch his hand with her fingers while he was tutoring her, or brush her foot against his calf. When he looked at her, she would pretend nothing had happened, trying to tease him with these methods.
However, Qi Weichen would only glance at her and warn her flatly, "Focus on the lesson."
Chu Qing, undeterred, moved even closer to him until she was almost leaning against him. Only then did Qi Weichen, unable to tolerate it anymore, pick her up. Chu Qing was delighted, about to throw her arms around him, when she heard him say in a deep voice, "Do you want to be punished with extra writing assignments?"
Chu Qing: "..."
His unresponsiveness was like a bolt from the blue for Chu Qing. A boyfriend unmoved by her teasing - what did that mean? It meant their relationship was heading for a crisis! Chu Qing stayed up late reading dozens of relationship articles about this and felt she couldn't let things continue like this.
Another dinner time came, and the two of them went to the school together. Qi Muyang came running up, his face full of apology as he said, "I forgot to text you guys. There's a basketball game later, and I've already eaten."
Chu Qing paused for a moment. "It's okay, we'll go back and eat by ourselves." In just a few days, Qi Muyang seemed to have integrated into college life. Recently, he had been texting them less and often not letting them come over.
"That won't do. I'll come with you to eat," Qi Muyang glanced at his phone. "The game doesn't start for another half hour, there's time."
"You should use that half hour to warm up more. Go play, we're not kids, we don't need you to accompany us," Chu Qing immediately refused, afraid of delaying his plans.
Qi Muyang looked at her helplessly. "Then... make sure you take photos of your meal for me, okay? Don't just eat whatever."
"Do I look like someone who would do that?" Chu Qing asked, amused.
Qi Muyang thought about it and realized she was right. He then recommended a few snack shops near the school and got so excited he was about to take them there himself when he received a call from the basketball team urging him to return.
"Alright, you go back now," Chu Qing shooed him back towards the school.
Qi Muyang couldn't help but turn back. "Make sure you eat enough, okay?"
"Stop with all the talk," Chu Qing laughed, efficiently sending him off. Watching Qi Muyang's hesitant retreating figure, she suddenly felt a wave of sadness for some reason.
"In the future, he'll leave us with only his back view more and more often. You'll have to get used to it," Qi Weichen said calmly.
Chu Qing looked at him and couldn't help but ask after a while, "Aren't you feeling melancholic at all?"
"What is there to feel melancholic about?" Qi Weichen asked in return.
Chu Qing frowned. "He's your child. He's grown up and leaving you to embrace a new life. Aren't you sad?"
"It's a good thing that he can grow up safely and welcome a new life. There's no need to be sad," Qi Weichen looked at her calmly. "Parents and children growing apart is an inevitable part of life. I think you should get used to these things as soon as possible, lest in the future..."
"Alright, I don't want to hear it," Chu Qing interrupted glumly, glancing at him before lowering her eyes and walking forward.
Qi Weichen paused for a moment, then silently followed. After they had walked quietly for a while, he asked in a low voice, "Weren't we going to eat?"
"I've lost my appetite," Chu Qing said listlessly. His recent aloofness had already been making her sad enough, and now being lectured by him again, she no longer had the mood to eat with him.
Qi Weichen looked at her dejected expression, finally realizing his words had upset her. After a moment of silence, he was about to explain when Chu Qing gave him a weary glance. "Just looking at you makes me angry now. You'd better not say anything."
Qi Weichen immediately closed his mouth, quietly walking beside her. They returned home without another word. As soon as they entered, Chu Qing went to her room, and a click was heard as she locked the door behind her.
Qi Weichen stood silently in the quiet living room, like a tree. After a long while, he walked to her door and gently knocked twice. "Can I speak now?"
Inside the room, Chu Qing heard his question and rolled over on the bed in frustration, biting the corner of her blanket without making a sound. After a moment of silence, Qi Weichen spoke again, "If you don't say anything, I'll take it as a yes."
Chu Qing let out a light hum, gently biting her lower lip.
"I didn't finish what I was saying earlier," Qi Weichen paused, his gaze softening. "Although life is full of disappointments, I will always be by your side. I will take good care of my health, have regular check-ups, work hard to earn money. The parts of your life that parents and children can't accompany you through, I will accompany you through them."
Chu Qing paused, her eyes suddenly becoming warm.
"I'm sorry, I didn't handle it well earlier. At times like this, you need an understanding hug more than any grand principles," Qi Weichen's voice carried a hint of guilt, though not obvious.
After he finished speaking, silence fell around them. It was already past seven in the evening, and the sun had set, making the house increasingly dark. Qi Weichen stood in the dim light, and after a long while, he said softly, "You must be hungry. How about I steam an egg custard for you? Will you come out to eat?"
He waited for a moment after speaking, but received no answer. He sighed lightly and went to the kitchen. He put on an apron and prepared the ingredients, his movements quick and skillful. Although he often cooked for himself when he lived alone before, he was nowhere near as proficient as he was now.
Qi Weichen stood straight in the kitchen, his long fingers quickly whisking the eggs. Just as he was about to add water, he felt a warmth press against his back, and then two arms wrapped around his waist. Qi Weichen paused, his expression relaxing. "Do you want shrimp in the steamed eggs?"
"Yes," Chu Qing, hugging him from behind, mumbled.
"How about green peas?"
"Those too."
The corners of Qi Weichen's lips curved upwards slightly. "Anything else?"
"And some minced meat. Remember to stir-fry it," Chu Qing hummed, hugging him a little tighter.
The smile in Qi Weichen's eyes grew deeper. "Besides these, is there anything else you want?"
"I want a kiss."
Qi Weichen paused for a moment, then put down the chopsticks. Chu Qing loosened her grip at the right moment, and he turned to face her. "What do you want?"
"Don't pretend. Don't think I don't know, you've been giving me the cold shoulder just to get back at me for rejecting you that day," Chu Qing's voice was nasally with grievance. "And you said it was to make me feel secure. You ignoring me like this is what makes me feel insecure..."
Before she could finish, her chin was gently lifted, and Chu Qing let out a surprised gasp. The next second, she found herself sitting on the countertop. Just as she was about to speak, her lips were sealed with a kiss.
This kiss was fierce and urgent, like a summer downpour, hitting so hard it hurt, yet giving a sense of exhilaration. Chu Qing sat on the counter, slightly higher than Qi Weichen, her fingers clutching a bit of his collar, so nervous that her fingertips turned white.
Qi Weichen, contrary to his usual cool demeanor, was like a raging flame, seeming to want to consume her entirely. His hands had somehow found their way to her back, pressing her firmly into his embrace.
Things spiraled out of control at some point, and when Chu Qing found her back against the bed, she suddenly came to her senses. She hurriedly grabbed Qi Weichen's hand, looking at him helplessly. Qi Weichen's temple throbbed, and after a long moment, he took a deep breath and leaned down to hug her.
Although he had a lean build, his height made him not light at all, and now he was pressing down on Chu Qing with his full weight. She felt like she could hardly breathe.
She moved slightly, accidentally touching a sensitive part of him. Qi Weichen let out a soft groan and said in a muffled voice, "Don't move."
Chu Qing immediately froze.
Qi Weichen remained still for a long time before finally letting out a long breath. "A few more times like this won't be good for the body."
"...I'm not ready yet," Chu Qing said, feeling a bit guilty.
"It's okay, I can wait," Qi Weichen pinched her earlobe, his breath hot as he spoke. "But right now, I need you to wait for me."
"...Okay," Chu Qing responded in a small voice, obediently letting him hold her.
After a long while, Qi Weichen sighed and finally let her go. Chu Qing, face flushed, hid under the blanket and refused to come out. Qi Weichen patted the small blanket bundle comfortingly, and when she was a bit less tense, he turned and went back to the kitchen to continue what he had been doing earlier.
Ten minutes later, the egg custard with minced shrimp that Chu Qing had requested was ready. Chu Qing was lured out of her room by the enticing aroma and went to the kitchen to find Qi Weichen, feeling both hungry and shy. Before she could enter the kitchen, Qi Weichen stopped her, saying, "Wait in the living room."
"Okay," Chu Qing obediently went to sit in the living room. After he brought out the egg custard, she asked anxiously, "Will you kiss me again in the future?"
Qi Weichen paused for a moment before asking, "Do you want me to kiss you?"
"...Well, couples are supposed to do things like that, aren't they? It wouldn't be right if we didn't do anything at all. Of course, I'm not saying you have to kiss me," Chu Qing mumbled, her face red as she lowered her head and pretended to focus on eating.
Qi Weichen was silent for a moment, then reached out and tapped her shoulder. Chu Qing looked up in confusion, and the next second, he placed a kiss on her forehead.
"Did you like that?" Qi Weichen asked directly.
Chu Qing's grip on her chopsticks tightened, and she nodded shyly, "I liked it."
A hint of a smile appeared on Qi Weichen's lips. Afraid that she might be too embarrassed to eat and run away, he quickly changed the subject and started chatting with her about today's dishes.
After that day, the two became as affectionate as before, but they stopped visiting Qi Muyang at school on weekends after he started returning home regularly.
Perhaps because she had so many problems to solve every day, Chu Qing felt that time was passing exceptionally quickly. In the blink of an eye, Qi Muyang's two-week military training had come to an end.
In 2043, the Mid-Autumn Festival fell on September 17th of the Gregorian calendar. The day after Qi Muyang finished his military training, the Mid-Autumn holiday began.
Early in the morning, Qi Muyang excitedly ran to Chu Qing's door and knocked, then went to knock on Qi Weichen's door. However, Qi Weichen had already gone to the supermarket, so he only managed to wake up Chu Qing.
"Qi Muyang, what are you making such a fuss about so early in the morning?" Chu Qing asked, unable to suppress a yawn.
Qi Muyang's eyes crinkled with happiness as he smiled, "Mom, Little Fatty and the others are coming home today."
"Oh right, they're on holiday too," Chu Qing realized. Holidays were longer now than in their time. Qi Muyang had five days off for the Mid-Autumn Festival, and other universities probably had similar breaks.
Qi Muyang nodded, "Gu Quan also took time off to come back, but they have to visit relatives during the day and have family gatherings in the evening. We can only meet up with them after dinner tonight."
"Don't gatherings usually last until very late? Why not meet tomorrow?" Chu Qing asked with a chuckle.
Qi Muyang protested, "But I can't wait that long!"
"I thought you might have forgotten about these guys now that you have your new university friends," Chu Qing said, eyeing him sideways.
Qi Muyang had a more volatile temper than her, and she had always worried about him getting along with his roommates. However, it turned out that all three of his roommates were gaming experts, and he was the only novice. To get them to carry him in games, he behaved exceptionally well. The three treated him like a pampered son, not even letting him clean the dorm. Recently, Qi Muyang had been praising his roommates non-stop to her and Qi Weichen.
Hearing her comment, Qi Muyang immediately retorted, "How can that be the same?"
"How is it not the same?" Chu Qing asked, yawning.
Qi Muyang thought for a moment, "It's not like I'm dating, where I can only be with one person. With friends, the more, the merrier."
"...Thank goodness you at least understand that you can only date one person at a time. Otherwise, your dad and I would have so much more to worry about," Chu Qing said, giving him an exasperated look before turning to go back inside. "I'm going back to sleep. If you disturb me again, I'll beat you up."
Although it was a light-hearted threat, it was enough to keep Qi Muyang in check. At least until she woke up from her nap, Qi Muyang remained as quiet as a mouse.
Today was the Mid-Autumn Festival, but for the family of three, it wasn't much different from any other day. The only difference was that there was a plate of mooncakes on the table for lunch and dinner.
"...I never thought that five-nut mooncakes would still be popular now," Chu Qing remarked, looking at the colorful dried fruits and nuts in the mooncake.
Qi Muyang broke off a piece and munched on it, "It's delicious. Five-nut is a traditional mooncake flavor, it's the most popular."
"Fashion really does go in circles," Chu Qing clicked her tongue. No wonder she didn't find the clothes here particularly fashionable after her time travel - it seemed the cycle had returned to their era.
She showed little interest in the mooncakes. Qi Weichen glanced at her and asked, "Do you want some cake?"
Qi Muyang's hand, still holding the mooncake, froze. Chu Qing paused for a moment, "Did you buy some?"
"Yes, I did," Qi Weichen said, then paused briefly, "But since it's a holiday, the bakery only had one strawberry mousse cake left."
"...So you let me eat the mooncakes first to fill me up so you could give the cake to Mom?" Qi Muyang asked, his voice trembling.
Qi Weichen remained very calm, "Don't you like mooncakes?"
Qi Muyang: "..." That was before he knew there was cake!
Ignoring his protest, Qi Weichen brought out the small mousse cake. Chu Qing ate it with absolutely no guilt, finishing it off contentedly and letting out a small burp under Qi Muyang's mournful gaze.
By the time the family finished eating, it was already past seven in the evening. They waited for another two hours before the others managed to escape from their family dinners. After gathering in the park, they each scanned a bicycle and rode together towards the lake.
"Wouldn't it be better to take a taxi? Why do we have to suffer like this?" Little Fatty, who had just endured the torment of military training, complained mournfully. He had tanned and lost weight, clear evidence of how intense the training had been.
Lackey was in a similar state, but he seemed much more energetic: "The weather isn't hot, riding bikes is nice. It's good to get some fresh air."
"Yeah, with wind from all directions, how could we not get fresh air?" Little Fatty snorted lightly.
Gu Quan lazily rode his bike, "Why are you two complaining so much? If you don't want to exert yourselves, just scan an electric bike when you see one later."
"Big Orange's brain works so well," Little Fatty's eyes lit up, and he immediately started looking out for electric bikes.
Gu Quan's mouth twitched, "...Don't fucking call me Big Orange."
"Big Orange, your hair dye looks pretty good. What color is it?" Chu Qing, sitting on the back of Qi Weichen's bike, asked curiously.
Gu Quan completely gave up, "Indigo. It should look black at night, I'm surprised you can tell."
"Of course, my eyes are amazing. Back in the day, I could distinguish all the colors when someone dyed their hair like a rooster's comb," Chu Qing said proudly.
Qi Muyang sighed, "Can we stop bringing up my embarrassing past?" Just thinking about his former 'rooster comb' hairstyle made him want to go back in time and strangle himself.
Everyone laughed at this. Chen Xiu, who had been quiet until now, couldn't help but say, "I did try to talk you out of it back then, but you wouldn't listen."
"That's because Lackey and the others kept saying it looked good," Qi Muyang said indignantly.
Lackey immediately declared his loyalty, "I was being honest! I really thought it looked good!"
"Bootlicker," Little Fatty looked at him scornfully. Then, as if remembering something, he suddenly became excited, "Boss, let me tell you, when Lackey came to visit me at my school, he fell for a girl there..."
"Shut up, you fat idiot!" Lackey shouted angrily, stretching out his foot to kick him.
Little Fatty pedaled his bicycle quickly, running away while laughing loudly, "At first, he didn't have the courage to ask for her contact information. Then he started going there every day to look for her, and even posted a confession on the school's message board!"
"You fat idiot!"
Everyone hurried to speed up. Chu Qing urged Qi Weichen to pedal faster while asking curiously, "Then what happened?"
"When I helped him look for her, I found out that the girl was actually a teacher at our school," Little Fatty laughed heartily.
Lackey's face turned red, though it wasn't clear if it was from anger or embarrassment, "Shut your mouth, you fat idiot!"
Taking advantage of their long legs, Gu Quan and Qi Muyang quickly caught up with Little Fatty. Gu Quan said calmly, "Many university teachers are very beautiful, it's normal for Lackey to like one."
"That teacher was a man, he just had long hair. And he's already married with a three-year-old kid, hahaha..." Little Fatty laughed uncontrollably as he sped forward.
There were so many shocking points in this statement that Gu Quan and Qi Muyang exchanged a speechless glance, not knowing where to begin with their comments.
Having his secret exposed, Lackey angrily sped up to chase Little Fatty, and the two quickly disappeared ahead. Qi Weichen, carrying Chu Qing, and Chen Xiu, who was riding at a slower pace, gradually caught up. Qi Muyang immediately shared the gossip with them, causing Chen Xiu and Chu Qing to burst into laughter as well.
By the time the five of them caught up, Little Fatty and Lackey had already rolled around on the grass by the lake, their clothes covered in grass clippings. They lay motionless on the lawn, clearly having been through a fierce battle.
Chu Qing curiously ran over, "Who won?"
"In this war, there are no winners," Little Fatty said solemnly.
Chu Qing nodded, "Looks like you lost."
Little Fatty gave her a lifeless look, "Chu, can't you give me a little face?"
Chu Qing laughed and patted his shoulder comfortingly.
The young people sat side by side on the grass by the lake, chatting about their college lives. Little Fatty, as if facing off against an evil minister, occasionally dropped some juicy gossip, angering Lackey who repeatedly punched him until he wailed for mercy.
"Do you ever learn?" Chu Qing asked exasperatedly.
Little Fatty grinned, "Don't you think it's fun to see him so flustered?"
"...I actually think it's more fun to see you getting beaten up," Chu Qing glanced at him sideways, noticing out of the corner of her eye that Qi Weichen's knee was smudged with dirt. She hurriedly helped him clean it off bit by bit.
Gu Quan couldn't help but quip, "You two, don't be so lovey-dovey. Have some consideration for us five single dogs, will you?"
Chen Xiu quietly corrected, "Four."
Everyone froze for a moment, then Lackey gasped, "You have a girlfriend?"
"Yeah, we met during military training," Chen Xiu's face reddened, "We just got together a few days ago. I wanted to tell you guys right away, but since we were coming back for Mid-Autumn Festival, I thought it would be more proper to tell you in person..."
Before Chen Xiu could finish, Qi Muyang pinched his face, and the next second Lackey and Little Fatty pounced on him. Chen Xiu, tickled mercilessly, laughed and cried as he begged for mercy, "I really wasn't trying to hide it from you, honestly! I wanted to tell you from the start..."
"Well, well, well, you quiet one," Lackey smirked as he tickled him, "Who knew you were such a player, being the first among us to find a girlfriend."
Gu Quan looked at them with disdain and quietly scooted away, but not before reminding them, "You can punish him anytime, but right now the most important thing is to get all the details about his love life."
Hearing this, Qi Muyang and the others immediately stopped and assumed the posture of a tribunal, interrogating Chen Xiu, who blushed as he slowly recounted the story. It was actually a tale of a hero saving a damsel in distress, except in this case, the hero was the girl, and Chen Xiu was the one who fainted during military training and was rescued.
"When I opened my eyes, it was love at first sight," Chen Xiu said, pulling up a photo on his phone to show them, carefully bragging, "Isn't she beautiful?"
In the photo, the girl smiled confidently and naturally. A small mole between her brows added a touch of cuteness to her delicate features. She was effortlessly holding a 30kg dumbbell with one hand, clearly someone who worked out.
Qi Muyang glanced at Chen Xiu's thin, frail frame and couldn't help but worry, "She doesn't engage in domestic violence, does she?"
"Of course not," Chen Xiu hurriedly defended his girlfriend, "She's very protective of me."
"That's good then," Qi Muyang relaxed, and after a moment, awkwardly offered his congratulations.
With Chen Xiu's love life settled, the group turned their attention to Qi Muyang. When they heard him constantly praising his three genius roommates, everyone fell silent for a moment.
Chu Qing leaned close to Qi Weichen's ear, concerned, "Won't Lackey and the others be upset that he's praising other people in front of them?"
As she spoke, a gentle breeze brushed Qi Weichen's ear. His eyes darkened slightly, and he turned to plant a kiss on her cheek. Chu Qing sat up straight in surprise. Although it had been dark for ages and the streetlights here weren't very bright, Qi Muyang and the others were right next to them. How could he steal a kiss like that without fear of being discovered?
"Not afraid," Qi Weichen said slowly, as if he had already guessed her thoughts.
Qi Muyang turned his head, "Not afraid of what?"
"Nothing," Qi Weichen said nonchalantly.
Qi Muyang rubbed his nose and continued praising his three roommates. Chu Qing couldn't help but remind him, "All your friends are here, why are you talking about them?"
"No, no, keep going," Lackey hurriedly said, "Are they really that good at gaming?"
"Of course. Last time when someone insulted me, the three of them beat that person down to just a sliver of health," Qi Muyang said proudly.
"Damn, I want to be friends with them too!" Little Fatty immediately raised his hand, and Lackey and the others chimed in as well.
Chu Qing: "..." I guess I was overthinking it.
The group stayed by the lake for a while longer, until the mosquitoes became too numerous. They got back on their bicycles and discussed where to go next.
"Let's go back to the school for a look," Little Fatty suggested.
Qi Weichen looked at him, "It's already eleven o'clock at night."
"That's perfect, there won't be anyone around. It's a great time to take a stroll," Little Fatty winked at him.
It seemed that every student who had recently left high school life had the desire to go back and take a look in the short term. As soon as Little Fatty suggested it, everyone agreed. Seeing that Chu Qing wanted to go, Qi Weichen agreed.
The group easily found the low wall they used to use to skip school, climbed over it, and started wandering around brazenly. Even though they had only left this place a few months ago, it felt like several years had passed. Especially when they saw the newly renovated cafeteria, everyone felt a complex mix of emotions.
"Why did the school start renovating as soon as we graduated?" Little Fatty was very confused.
Chu Qing casually replied, "Who knows."
After strolling around the school for a while, they arrived at the familiar bulletin board. Looking at the new rankings and scores posted there, they finally felt a sense of how times had changed.
"The big guy went from here," Lackey pointed at the last name and then swept his finger to the top of the first column, "to here in just one year. It's really amazing."
Chu Qing looked at Qi Muyang proudly, "Yes, he is amazing."
Qi Muyang smiled sheepishly, thinking back on his year of hard work, it all felt like a dream.
"Our names are over here," Chen Xiu quietly reminded them while the others were discussing rankings.
Chu Qing and the others looked over and saw the posted results of this year's college entrance exam. They moved closer, and Little Fatty looked at the first place position with some regret, "If Qi God had taken the exam, his name would definitely be here."
"Qi God is awesome even without taking the exam," Lackey immediately said.
Chu Qing and Qi Weichen exchanged a glance, smiling, "You guys should look for your own names."
"We're definitely all here. Our school posts the names of everyone who got into a public university," Lackey said while searching for his own name. After finding it, he gestured for Chu Qing to come look, "I'm here, right next to Fatty."
Chu Qing walked over, confused, and stared for a long time before asking seriously, "Which one?"
"This one," Lackey pointed with his chin.
Chu Qing paused, "Which one?"
Lackey: "..."
After an awkward silence, Little Fatty asked with a twitching mouth, "Chu, you don't know our names, do you?"
Chu Qing was quiet for a moment, then gave an innocent smile.
Little Fatty couldn't help but roll his eyes, "The story is about to end, and you don't even know the names of the best supporting actors?"
"So which one are you?" Chu Qing laughed awkwardly.
"Liu Chao! Liu Chao! Got it?" Little Fatty repeated exasperatedly.
Chu Qing clicked her tongue, "That name is pretty ordinary. 'Fatty' suits you better. You've disappointed the audience."
"Who says so? My name sounds good. It's rare for people nowadays to use 'Chao' in their names," Little Fatty snorted.
Not knowing people's names beforehand, Chu Qing humbly nodded, then looked at Lackey. Lackey sighed and voluntarily reported his name: "Li Hui."
Chu Qing had a moment of realization: "Ah—"
"Don't pretend you knew," Lackey mercilessly exposed her.
Chu Qing fell silent, then looked at Qi Weichen after a moment, trying to shift the focus: "You didn't know their names either, right?"
"I knew. Liu Chao, Li Hui," Qi Weichen calmly replied.
Chu Qing narrowed her eyes, "You just learned them now, didn't you?"
Qi Weichen said nothing, and Chu Qing could tell he had just learned them. However, Little Fatty was still defending him: "Qi God definitely knew long ago, not like you who only gives us nicknames but can't remember our real names."
"Who says that? Qi Weichen didn't know!" Chu Qing argued, then looked at Qi Weichen, wanting to force him to admit it.
Qi Weichen was silent for a moment: "Mm, I didn't know."
Chu Qing: "..." He really didn't know, why did he have to act like he was just going along with me?
Qi Weichen's behavior once again directed the fire towards Chu Qing, who eventually had to use force to subdue them, only then did the two kids dare not to chatter anymore.
The group played around the school for a while, then moved on to other places. They wandered about, only parting ways after eating breakfast at dawn.
By the time the family of three returned home, they were all quite exhausted. Thinking back on riding bicycles all night, it seemed absolutely crazy.
"Dad, Mom, I'm going to sleep," Qi Muyang yawned.
Chu Qing nodded drowsily, suddenly feeling an inexplicable urge to hug him. This feeling came abruptly and strongly. She hesitated for a moment before looking at Qi Weichen, who also seemed to have sobered up considerably. As their eyes met, they both fell silent simultaneously.
Chu Qing reached out and grabbed Qi Muyang's hand. Qi Muyang looked back at her, puzzled. "Mom, what's wrong?"
"Muyang, baby..." Chu Qing only managed four words before her voice trailed off.
Qi Muyang stood there confused, waiting for her to continue. Chu Qing took a deep breath and smiled, extending both arms towards him. "Can I hug you?"
"Oh..." Qi Muyang walked over perplexed, obediently letting her embrace him. While in her arms, he looked at Qi Weichen with a questioning gaze.
Qi Weichen met his eyes for a moment, giving him a faint smile before embracing both mother and son.
The family of three hugged for a long while until Qi Muyang couldn't help but yawn. "Are we done?"
"Yes, yes, go to sleep," Chu Qing hurriedly released him, keeping her head down to avoid eye contact.
Qi Muyang paused for a moment, curiously bending down to look at her face, but Qi Weichen pulled Chu Qing into his arms, her face pressed firmly against his clothes.
"Go to bed, don't disturb us," Qi Weichen said calmly.
Qi Muyang gave him an exasperated look before yawning and returning to his bedroom. Once his door closed, Chu Qing emerged from Qi Weichen's embrace, rubbing her reddened eyes and murmuring, "Is this thing so mystical? I actually feel like I should go back today."
"Many things can't be clearly explained by science. Whether your intuition is right or not, we should be prepared," Qi Weichen comforted her, gently stroking her hair.
Chu Qing took several deep breaths, but tears still inadvertently fell. Qi Weichen quietly accompanied her until she calmed down, then held her hand.
The sun slowly rose from the east. Although the Mid-Autumn Festival had passed, the weather was still sweltering until a heavy rain in the afternoon finally brought some coolness to the air.
Qi Muyang was awakened by a clap of thunder around four in the afternoon. Seeing the pouring rain outside the window, he yawned and rolled over, lazily sprawling on the bed. It wasn't until his stomach started growling that he languidly picked up his phone to text Chu Qing: Mom, is there anything to eat?
When there was no response for a long time, he paused, then texted Qi Weichen, but still got no reply. Qi Muyang sat up and called Chu Qing, soon hearing the phone ringing in the living room. He walked out, confused.
"Dad? Mom?" he called out, circling their bedroom amidst the ringtone of Chu Qing's phone. Seeing their room tidied as if no one had lived there, he suddenly felt a hint of panic. "Dad! Mom!"
Still no response. He hurriedly walked to the living room, where he found an A4 paper under Chu Qing's phone, covered in her messy handwriting—
"Muyang, baby:
By the time you see this note, we should have returned to 2019. Because the time of travel is uncertain, and we didn't want to disturb your rest, we could only say goodbye to you in this way.
During this year together, your dad and I have been very happy. You are our pride, the best boy in the world, and we love you as much as we love our own lives.
Before coming to this era, I was always aimless and muddle-headed, just living day by day without ever thinking about the future. Since meeting you, my concept of the future suddenly became clear. I will work hard to become a great person first, then a great mother, and when everything is ready, welcome your birth.
You're probably waking up in the afternoon or evening, which can be a lonely time. We've left you food in the fridge. After you eat, go play with your friends. You don't need to be sad about the separation because all separations mean reunions. Take good care of yourself during this time, and we will eventually meet again."
Qi Muyang held the note in a daze, only realizing how tightly he was gripping it when his fingertips began to hurt. He stood up slowly, disbelieving, and circled the house again and again, calling out for his parents until his voice began to break, but no one responded.
He sat on the living room floor, his eyes red, looking lost and helpless. It wasn't until the heavy rain stopped and cool air seeped through the window cracks that he silently got up from the floor and walked to the refrigerator. Opening it, he found it full of meals, each packed in a food container, enough to last him a week.
Faced with a fridge full of food, Qi Muyang's fingers began to tremble.
As he stood staring at the fridge, there was suddenly a knock at the door. He started, then rushed to open it. "Dad!"
"Muyang, baby!" Chu Qing smiled, extending her arms. "Give me a hug!"
Qi Muyang stared at her for a moment before bursting into tears with a wail, embracing her like a big bear and stammering, "You... you left... I mean, the younger you left..."
"I know, I know. We guessed you'd be upset, so we finished work early and rushed back," said Chu Qing, now 42 years old but with eyes still as clear as ever, seemingly untouched by the years.
Behind her, Qi Weichen stood tall, less sharp than his 18-year-old self but more easy-going, his gaze towards Qi Muyang gentle and warm.
Qi Muyang cried for a while before asking chokingly, "So... so you traveled back and then lived until now?"
"What a strange way to put it," Chu Qing laughed, wiping his tears. "Yes, after we went back, we studied hard, had you, raised you well, and that's how we got to today."
"Then why didn't you tell me about the time travel before?" Qi Muyang rubbed his eyes.
Chu Qing quickly grabbed his hand, using a wet wipe to clean his tears. "Because spoilers are no fun. You saw how our 18-year-old selves tried not to ask too much about their future when they came here. Life is just a few short decades, it's best to live each day full of anticipation."
She paused for a moment. "Ah, we must have left you lots of food, right? Quick, serve me a portion. I'm starving from rushing back to you."
"Qingqing, aren't you forgetting something?" Qi Weichen reminded her.
Chu Qing, who had been walking into the house, froze mid-step and stopped sheepishly. Qi Muyang, his sadness at the separation somewhat diminished after seeing his parents, asked with red-rimmed eyes, "Forgot what?"
Chu Qing laughed awkwardly, leading him to sit on the sofa. Seeing the paper on the table, she clicked her tongue. "Seeing this paper reminds me of how sad we were when we left."
"Get to the point," Qi Weichen said calmly. "I'm going down to get the basket. Explain everything to him before I come back."
Chu Qing glared at him, waiting until he turned to leave before looking sheepishly at Qi Muyang.
"What is it?" Qi Muyang asked, confused.
Chu Qing coughed. "Well... it's just a small matter."
They knew each other too well; from her subtle change in expression, Qi Muyang could see her guilt. He immediately narrowed his eyes. "What exactly is it?"
"...It's like this. Your dad and I weren't really on a business trip. The reason we accepted this job was because we knew our 18-year-old selves would come to this era, not only taking good care of you but also helping you study well and get into A University."
"Get to the point," Qi Muyang frowned.
Chu Qing slapped her forehead, somewhat frustrated. "If I hadn't lost to Qi Weichen in rock-paper-scissors, he'd be the one explaining this."
Qi Muyang: "..."
"First, promise me you won't get angry," Chu Qing cautiously began.
Qi Muyang sighed helplessly and reached out to hug her, "You've loved me so much since you were eighteen, how could I ever be angry with you?"
Hearing this, Chu Qing's heart melted, but meeting his clear gaze, she still felt a bit awkward: "Well... you know, most of our work is just collecting various data, and we have very few entertainment activities. Your dad and I could only entertain ourselves, and we accidentally... entertained a little something into existence..."
"What thing?" Qi Muyang asked, suddenly nervous, "You didn't mess around with experimental equipment and create some kind of virus, did you?"
"Do you think your mom would be that irresponsible?" Chu Qing glared at him.
Qi Muyang: "..." He used to think she was quite reliable, but after interacting with her eighteen-year-old self, he wasn't so sure anymore.
As mother and son stared at each other, Qi Weichen had already brought up the so-called basket. He entered the room and placed the basket directly on the coffee table.
Chu Qing coughed, "This is the little thing we entertained into existence."
Qi Muyang vaguely guessed what it might be and suddenly became nervous. After hesitating for a while, he finally mustered up the courage to reach out and pull back the fabric cover propped up on the basket.
Inside the basket lay a chubby baby, as docile as could be, with eyes like a little deer, beautiful as a New Year's painting. Qi Muyang swallowed hard, staring at the little baby in a daze.
Chu Qing looked to Qi Weichen for help. After a moment of silence, Qi Weichen took on the task of explaining: "You're an adult now, so we can talk to you about some things. This time when I went to work with your mom... we didn't bring enough contraceptives, and because we were so busy with work during that period, we didn't pay attention for a while. By the time we realized, she was already three months pregnant."
"...You were only gone for a year and a few months in total, and this child looks at least two months old. Did you use up all your contraceptives as soon as you arrived?" Qi Muyang looked at them, speechless.
Chu Qing, her face thickened by the years, smiled awkwardly and said, "Well, what could we do? After I got pregnant, I wanted to ask for your opinion, but we had no way to contact you. Plus, I was a bit reluctant to... Anyway, I gave birth to her. But don't worry, Mom loves you the most."
"Dad loves you the most too," Qi Weichen said, then paused, "If you don't like her, I'll send her to your grandmother's house until you can accept her."
"...It's not that I don't like her," Qi Muyang reached out to poke the chubby baby, who unconsciously grabbed his finger, instantly melting his heart. "Boy or girl?"
Seeing his interest, Chu Qing quickly said, "A girl, she's your little sister."
"What's her name?" Qi Muyang carefully played with the chubby baby's hand.
Chu Qing and Qi Weichen exchanged a glance, then said, "We haven't named her yet. We wanted to leave that for big brother to do."
"Me?" Qi Muyang looked at them hesitantly.
Qi Weichen said gently, "Yes, you name her."
"Then I'll have to think carefully," Qi Muyang began to ponder seriously. "Since she's my sister, we should give her a name that matches mine... How about Yueyang? Qi Yueyang, a name that includes all three of us, isn't it nice?"
Chu Qing repeated it once, unable to help smiling. Qi Weichen silently took her hand, the tips of his ears turning slightly red.
Muyang, Yueyang, as time passes, our love for you remains unchanged.
