That evening, dark clouds covered the sky and scattered snowflakes.
The snow was falling heavily, covering the sky and the ground. The lights of thousands of houses melted into the cold night. Lin Zhixia stared at the scene outside the window in a trance, muttering to herself: "I haven't been home for a long time."
The table was filled with steaming food. Mom served Lin Zhixia a bowl of soup and said with emotion, "Your dad nags about you every two days, worried that you'll suffer outside. In the next two years, whenever you want to go home, just tell your parents and they'll pay for your plane ticket."
Lin Zhixia held the soup bowl: "Mom, I can buy my own plane ticket."
"How much money is there in Xia Xia's piggy bank?" Dad asked.
Lin Zhixia said frankly: "My annual salary as a postdoctoral fellow is 100,000 US dollars."
The whole living room fell into silence.
After several seconds, Dad asked, "One hundred thousand dollars? Can Xia Xia earn one hundred thousand dollars a year?"
According to the foreign exchange rate in January 2014, 100,000 US dollars is approximately equivalent to 610,000 RMB.
Lin Zhixia has just turned 19 and can earn more than 600,000 yuan a year, which shocked her parents and brother. Her plan is also very clear: "I will graduate with a doctorate in the second half of this year, and then go to MIT to do a postdoctoral fellowship for a year, and return to China in October next year. I can use the money I save to buy a new house, and I want to live near the university town."
"House prices have gone up in recent years. The area around the university town is a school district," Dad opened a bottle of white wine, "and the price is very expensive. One square meter costs more than 30,000 yuan."
Lin Zhixia said excitedly: "I can pay the down payment first and then take out a loan. When I get a teaching position, the school will give me a settlement allowance. I want to buy a large house of more than 200 square meters for our whole family to live in."
"Buying a big house" is also Lin Zeqiu's goal.
Lin Zeqiu took two mouthfuls of rice absentmindedly.
Dad tilted his head back and drank half a glass of white wine. Mom pulled his sleeve and said, "Drink less. You are not young anymore. You need to pay attention to your health."
"I'm so happy. I'm so happy in my heart," Dad's eyes were red and his voice was getting higher and higher, "Our Xia Xia is so promising."
As the alcohol started to take effect, Dad held chopsticks and babbled, "When Dad was young, he worked in the village as a farmer. He could only study during the slack season. There was no table at home, so Dad had to lie on the kang to do his homework... At that time, Dad thought that he would move to the city in his lifetime. He never dared to think that my daughter would be able to go to Peking University or Cambridge, or buy a house of more than 200 square meters..."
Lin Zhixia shyly reminded her father: "I haven't bought a house yet, I just have a plan."
Dad woke up as if from a dream: "You buy a house next year, and mom and dad will give you some money."
Mom picked up a chicken leg for Lin Zhixia and said, "The down payment for a big house is also quite a lot of money. Let's buy a small one first and let Xia Xia live there. She can come back a few times a week to have a meal and sleep. Mom and Dad can also take care of you."
Lin Zhixia said firmly: "No, no, no, I want to buy a big set, I can afford it."
Lin Zeqiu reminded her: "You can't become fat in one bite. The repayment pressure of a big house is high."
The north wind was howling, the falling snow was rustling, and Lin Zhixia was in a warm home, and she couldn't help but feel much more relaxed. She picked up a piece of tender beef, dipped it carefully in the soup, and put it into Lin Zeqiu's bowl: "Brother, eat beef."
Lin Zeqiu's favorite dish is stir-fried beef with green peppers. He never tires of eating this dish.
He took a bite of beef, and Lin Zhixia revealed: "I have a senior schoolmate who was selected for the 'Thousand Youth Talents Plan'."
"Is it Qingqian?" Lin Zeqiu asked.
Lin Zhixia began to talk about the treatment of "Qingqian" talents: "Yes, the state provides a one-time subsidy of 500,000 yuan to "Qingqian" talents, and the university in our city will also provide an additional reward of 1 million yuan, which is tax-free. Moreover, Qingqian professors generally receive an annual salary, which starts at about 300,000 yuan, and the research funding also starts at several million yuan. I don't have to worry about the research funding. I can recruit graduate students and train them to become a new generation of talents... I am very happy."
Mom sat next to Lin Zhixia. She raised her hand and touched Lin Zhixia's head, and Lin Zhixia said coquettishly: "Mom, I miss you so much when I'm abroad."
Mom replied: "Mom misses Xia Xia, too."
But my father asked blankly: "Xia Xia, are those things you just said true?"
Lin Zhixia nodded: "Of course it's true."
Dad took out a tissue and wiped his face.
His face flushed.
He had some white hair, which shone brightly under the light.
He stroked his palm along his forehead and smoothed his temples, muttering to himself, "That's great, Xia Xia. Hey, Dad will have two more drinks. Don't let your mom stop me. Dad feels so good. Xia Xia is a talent and can cultivate talents. Mom and Dad are proud of you."
My mother also said, "Mom and Dad have saved some money over the years. We will give you all our savings. Do you think it is enough for the down payment of a big house?"
Lin Zhixia declined her mother's kindness.
In front of her family, Lin Zhixia made the calculations without hesitation: "I earned more than 300,000 yuan as an undergraduate. During the two years of my doctoral studies, I received scholarships and worked as a teaching assistant, saving 140,000 yuan. I will save another 400,000 yuan next year. With the various subsidies from the Youth Thousand Talents Program, I will have about 2.4 million yuan in cash, which is enough for my down payment."
The series of astronomical figures that Lin Zhixia reported made Lin Zeqiu forget to chew the food in his mouth.
After hearing about Lin Zhixia's income, Lin Zeqiu inevitably thought of Jiang Yubai.
On the way home, Dad told Lin Zeqiu that Xia Xia was an adult and had seen more of the world than them. As a father, he couldn't show his worries, and he had to support Xia Xia and Xiao Jiang as much as possible, and couldn't let Xia Xia be embarrassed to be caught between her family and Jiang Yubai.
Lin Zeqiu took these words to heart.
Lin Zeqiu pounded the railing at the airport exit with all his strength. Now, several hours later, Lin Zeqiu's palms still hurt. He was furious when he thought of Jiang Yubai tricking Lin Zhixia into living together and teaching her how to lie.
His sister had finally come back, and Lin Zeqiu didn't want to criticize her harshly and ruin the atmosphere at home, so he simply stopped mentioning Jiang Yubai.
Lin Zeqiu deliberately avoided mentioning the three words "Jiang Yubai", but Lin Zhixia took the initiative to talk about it: "By the way, Jiang Yubai will also help me run the 'Quantum Technology Laboratory' and put it under the name of an Internet company, so I can focus my main energy on scientific research."
Strangely, the family’s response was not enthusiastic.
The silence in the living room lengthened.
In the vast night sky, snowflakes fluttered down, and a layer of white snow accumulated on the windowsill. Dad glanced out the window and came up with an excuse: "Mom and Dad don't understand the Internet and laboratories. Xia Xia, make your own decisions. Be more careful. If there is any problem, tell Mom and Dad. We can find a solution together as a family."
Lin Zhixia was eating shrimp dumplings. The vinegar in her bowl was gone, so her mother poured some vinegar for her and asked, "How is Xiao Jiang to you? I don't know him, but he seems to have a good temper."
Lin Zhixia seized the opportunity to give Jiang Yubai a lot of impression points: "Jiang Yubai has a very good temper and is very gentle. He has never lost his temper, and he is calm and composed, not arrogant or impatient, and has a stable personality. He thinks quickly and has strong reaction ability. I like chatting with him... We have been chatting for ten years and often exchange diaries and notes. His writing style is as interesting as he is. He is devoted to me..."
Lin Zhixia almost said, "He is reserved and chaste."
Fortunately, she braked in time.
Then, she suddenly realized that she rarely mentioned Jiang Yubai in front of her parents.
Jiang Yubai had given her so much emotional support, but she kept it all as a secret in her heart.
Now, Lin Zhixia is frank: "I used to be very timid, and Jiang Yubai often encouraged me..."
Her voice gradually lowered: "From childhood to adulthood, he always said that you are excellent and you must move forward bravely."
"Xiao Jiang is a good kid." Dad commented while being a little drunk.
Mom's attitude was still unclear: "Is Xiao Jiang free? Let him come to our house again. Mom and Dad will chat with him. It's not convenient to talk too much in detail at the airport today."
Lin Zeqiu sneered.
He hasn't told his parents yet that Lin Zhixia and Jiang Yubai are already living together.
Lin Zhixia suddenly looked at him.
Her eyes were clear and pure, like the melting ice and snow on the mountains. After all, he couldn't bear to let her get into this deadlock, so he helped her hide the fact of their cohabitation without thinking.
Then, even more severe challenges came.
Lin Zeqiu had to shoulder the responsibilities of both father and mother.
He must explain to Lin Zhixia the risks of a girl living with a man.
He spent a long time preparing himself mentally.
It was past ten o'clock in the evening and the light in Lin Zhixia's room was still on.
Lin Zeqiu made up his mind, knocked on his sister's door, and strode into the room. His sister looked at him with confusion. He moved a chair and wanted to have a long talk with his sister.
Lin Zeqiu thought about it carefully. Jiang Yubai attracted Lin Zhixia with his "gentle and calm" personality. If Lin Zeqiu continued to blame his sister, he would only push her further away.
Therefore, Lin Zeqiu changed his previous fierce and stern attitude, and even managed to squeeze out a slight arc at the corner of his lips. He said: "There is something you must know."
Lin Zhixia stared at his face and shuddered: "I just got home, don't scold me."
Lin Zeqiu frowned slightly: "I really didn't mean to scold you."
Lin Zhixia asked quietly: "Aren't you just going to talk to me about living together?"
Lin Zeqiu suddenly lost his composure. He put on a stern face again.
Lin Zhixia was painting. She drew pictures of blue sky, blue sea, flying fish and seabirds. She was in a good mood and whispered, "Are you going to tell me to be safe? Don't worry, I won't let you become an uncle at such a young age. Jiang Yubai and I haven't reached that stage yet."
Lin Zeqiu stood up with the help of the table.
"What's wrong, brother?" Lin Zhixia asked him.
"I'm leaving." Lin Zeqiu said this coldly and hurriedly left Lin Zhixia's bedroom.
His sister was indeed very clever, he thought, and perhaps he didn't need to worry about her at all.
On the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, Jiang Yubai got up very early.
He received an invitation from Lin Zhixia and was going to visit Lin Zhixia's parents today.
Jiang Yubai told his family about this.
The uncle immediately said, "Xiao Jiang, this is really important. You have to behave well in front of your future parents-in-law."
My aunt reminded me, "Don't forget to bring a gift. It's a formal visit, don't go empty-handed."
The uncle put his arm around the aunt's shoulders and said, "My wife is so thoughtful. If there are any good things in our house, let the housekeeper prepare a few more. Your uncle and aunt will help you choose. When I went to your aunt's house for the first time, nothing went wrong..."
Compared to the enthusiasm of his uncle and aunt, his parents were more calm. His father asked Jiang Yubai to be polite at his girlfriend's house, and his mother asked him to come back early in the evening because there was a dinner party at home.
Jiang Yubai said, "I will have dinner at their house tonight."
Mom put down her teacup and said gently, "Well, it would be good if you spend more time with their family."
That morning, Jiang Yubai took a bath, burned incense, changed into new shoes and new clothes, carried several bags of valuable gifts, and personally drove a Rolls-Royce Phantom to Ancheng Community where Lin Zhixia lived.
Jiang Yubai parked his Rolls-Royce not far from Lin Zhixia's building.
He picked up the pile of paper bags, carrying his uncle and aunt's deep expectations, and walked towards Lin Zhixia's door.
In the past two years, the driveway of Ancheng Community has been renovated, and the road surface is straight and clean, but the snow on both sides of the road has not melted. Lin Zhixia ran out in a pair of rubber shoes and greeted enthusiastically: "You are here, I have been waiting for you for a long time, come in with me, I made lychee mousse cake."
Before Lin Zhixia finished speaking, another Lexus sedan drove past.
The moment the car door opened, Lin Zhixia frowned slightly. She stood there without saying a word. Jiang Yubai was wondering what was wrong with Lin Zhixia when he heard Lin Zhixia say emotionlessly, "Hello, uncle and aunt."