Chapter 53

With things having reached this point, there was nothing left to say. Qin Jing grabbed her bag and left.
He'd secured the project, forced Qin Jing out, and his son was due to be born in the first half of next year. Watching her slam the door as she left, Qiao Jian suddenly felt as if he'd won a complete and utter victory.
He opened a bottle of red wine and called Zhao Ying to report the outcome; she showered him with coquettish praise. Satisfied, he drank more than half the bottle by himself. Staggering back to his room, a nagging feeling told him something was off. After a long moment he realized that every one of Qin Jing's belongings had been removed from the room.
His eyelids fluttered. He spun and ran to Qiao Zhenzhen's room, it was just as empty; even the sheets and bedding were gone. Qiao Jian stood stunned, watching the scene, a sudden, strange unease settling over him.
After leaving home, Qin Jing had gone straight to wait at the school gate. She waited for an hour before finally seeing Qiao Zhenzhen and Chi Shen come out.
“No tutoring today. I’ve already told Qiao Jian I’m filing for divorce, let’s go out for a late-night bite to celebrate,” she said with a crooked smile.
Qiao Zhenzhen immediately raised her hand, happy: “Yay!”
“Congratulations, Auntie.” Chi Shen said seriously.
Qin Jing pinched Chi Shen’s cheek. “Good boy,” she said, then turned to Qiao Zhenzhen. “If I ever catch you making him carry your backpack again, I’ll really smack you.”
“He wanted to help me carry it!” Qiao Zhenzhen protested, aggrieved. She was obviously nice to Chi Shen, why did the family always think she was bullying him?
Qin Jing snorted, took both backpacks from Chi Shen’s hands and tossed them onto the passenger seat. Qiao Zhenzhen pouted and climbed into the back with Chi Shen.
The three of them ended up at a barbecue place. After ordering a heap of food and sitting down, Qin Jing ordered a few bottles of beer, rolled up her sleeves and said with relish, “You’re all grown up, tonight we’ll celebrate with Mom.”
“...Mom, you still have to drive later.” Qiao Zhenzhen reminded her.
“I won’t. I’ll get a driver.” Qin Jing said, smiling.
Qiao Zhenzhen looked at the smile on her face, sighed, and took a beer. “It’s the first time I’ve seen a mom encouraging her kids to drink, you really broaden my horizons.”
“We’re not drinking much. Worst case, skip school tomorrow morning,” Qin Jing waved her hand. “Don’t spoil a good night.”
Qiao Zhenzhen laughed helplessly. “You keep threatening to keep me home, how am I supposed to get good grades?”
“With Chi Shen here, Mom doesn’t worry.” Qin Jing finished and winked at Chi Shen.
Chi Shen’s lips lifted in a small smile.
Qiao Zhenzhen poured three beers, divided them, and raised hers. “Congratulations, Mom, on getting rid of that jerk. Here’s to your new, single life.”
“Where did you learn to spout nonsense like that?” Qin Jing scolded her with a mock glare.
“Congratulations, Auntie.” Chi Shen repeated in the same earnest tone.
The three clinked glasses and drank. Though it was a cold November night, the barbecue place was warm and everyone’s cheeks were flushed. Qiao Zhenzhen downed her beer in one, let out an experienced slurp, and smacked her lips as she ate a skewer of lamb. Nearing the end she felt something was off and quietly looked up.
She unexpectedly met Qin Jing’s stern face.
“...What’s wrong?” she asked, feeling uneasy.
“Qiao Zhenzhen, you drink like a pro,” Qin Jing narrowed her eyes. “This isn’t your first time, is it?”
Qiao Zhenzhen: “...”
This life, yes; last life... she swallowed.
“You’d better tell me the truth. When did you start drinking?” Qin Jing demanded through gritted teeth.
Qiao Zhenzhen gave a nervous laugh. “This is my first time, I swear. ‘In this life’, it’s absolutely my first time touching alcohol, otherwise may heaven strike me down.”
She deliberately emphasized the phrase “this life.”
But Qin Jing didn’t believe her. “Impossible. A first-timer would react like Chi Shen, not like you!”
What was Chi Shen like? Qiao Zhenzhen turned, puzzled, and saw him staring at her face intently.
“...What are you looking at me for?” She thought. Hadn’t he learned to rein in his stare around others? Why was he staring so openly today, didn’t he worry Mom would think he’d lost his mind?
Qiao Zhenzhen shot a nervous glance at Qin Jing and quietly poked Chi Shen in the waist.
But Chi Shen just kept staring.
“Chi Shen...” she warned softly.
“No need to call him. Haven’t you noticed his eyes have gone glassy?” Qin Jing said in a low voice.
Qiao Zhenzhen froze for a moment and realized Chi Shen’s gaze was different, kind of... vacant?
“...He drank beer, right? Just one beer?” Qiao Zhenzhen said, half laughing. “That’s a terrible tolerance.”
“He can’t hold a candle to you, who drinks all the time,” Qin Jing said, glancing at her sideways.
Ashamed, Qiao Zhenzhen decided to eat more and talk less. No matter how much Qin Jing urged, she didn’t drink another drop.
When the meal ended, Chi Shen was still out of it, staring at Qiao Zhenzhen like a puppet.
Helpless under his gaze, Qiao Zhenzhen tried to reason with him while Qin Jing went to the restroom. “Can you stop staring at me?”
Chi Shen didn’t answer.
“Don’t you dare look at me.” Qiao Zhenzhen put on a stern face.
Three seconds later, Chi Shen obediently averted his face and stopped looking.
Qiao Zhenzhen blinked, suddenly amused. “Have something to eat.”
Chi Shen picked up a chicken wing and began to eat slowly. His senses dulled, he accidentally smeared a little grease at the corner of his mouth.
“Wipe your mouth.” Qiao Zhenzhen reminded him.
He tore off a napkin and began wiping his mouth with care.
But he only wiped, he didn’t return to eating the wing.
Qiao Zhenzhen paused, then vaguely understood. “Chi Shen, look at me.”
Chi Shen looked at her.
“Don’t look.”
Chi Shen lowered his head.
“Look at me.”
Look at her.
“Don’t look.”
Not looking.
Qiao Zhenzhen: “Pfft...”
“What are you up to?” Qin Jing returned and saw her leaning on the table laughing.
“Mom, watch,” Qiao Zhenzhen said, grabbed a corn skewer. “Chi Shen, hold it up over your head.”
Chi Shen hesitated, took the skewer and silently held it above his head.
Qin Jing: “...”
After a brief silence she pressed Chi Shen’s hand down and snapped irritably, “Qiao Zhenzhen! I told you not to bully Chi Shen, why won’t you ever listen?”
Qiao Zhenzhen shrank back at the scolding and immediately kept her hands to herself.
Qin Jing shot her a look, then turned to Chi Shen with exasperation. “Aren’t you supposed to be smart? How do you keep letting her push you around?”
Chi Shen blinked, as if he hadn’t quite understood what she meant.
This was the first time Qin Jing had seen someone floored by a single beer, she was half annoyed, half amused.
When the meal ended, Qin Jing took care of the bill and Chi Shen packed up the leftovers. Qiao Zhenzhen stretched and lazily headed for the restroom. After a few steps she felt something was off; she turned and saw Chi Shen trailing quietly behind her with a plastic bag.
Qiao Zhenzhen: "…"
She fell silent for three seconds, then quietly edged toward the bathroom. Chi Shen matched her step. She moved again, and he followed. When Qin Jing turned around, she found Qiao Zhenzhen trying to shepherd Chi Shen toward the women's restroom and immediately felt a headache coming on. She marched over, hauled Chi Shen into the car by force, and gave Qiao Zhenzhen the chance to go in alone.
In the car, Chi Shen sat quietly in the back seat; even drunk, his back remained straight.
Qin Jing watched him through the rearview mirror and couldn't help smiling.
Chi Shen heard the sound and sluggishly looked forward, meeting her gaze in the mirror. He was silent for a moment, then said, "Auntie."
"Hm?" Qin Jing raised an eyebrow, curious what he wanted to say.
"I really like Zhenzhen." His throat was rough; his voice croaked like a crow, but he still tried to make each word clear.
The smile on Qin Jing's face stiffened, she hadn't expected that.
When Qiao Zhenzhen ran back to the car, an awkward silence had settled over the cabin. She glanced from one to the other and, a little curious, asked, "Is there something I'm not supposed to know?"
"No." Qin Jing replied lazily, and by the time she finished speaking the designated driver arrived; she gave the driver the address of her maternal grandfather's neighborhood.
Qiao Zhenzhen paused. "What about Chi Shen? We should take him home first."
"You really think I'd be okay letting him go home like that?" Qin Jing scoffed.
Qiao Zhenzhen chuckled and ruffled Chi Shen's hair.
Qin Jing shot her a warning look; Qiao Zhenzhen immediately let go.
The three of them lingered over late-night food for more than an hour. By the time they got home it was nearly midnight. Qin Sheng smelled faintly of alcohol but, unusually, didn't scold them, he only wore a stern expression and said, "It's this late, go to your rooms and sleep."
Qiao Zhenzhen and Qin Jing exchanged a look and only breathed out once he left. "That scared me, I thought he'd yell at us."
"Not tonight. It's special; no scolding." Qin Jing lifted one corner of her mouth.
Qiao Zhenzhen glanced up and could clearly see the pleasure in her face, and she couldn't help smiling.
"Stop grinning and go to your room!" Qin Jing shot her a look and turned away.
Qiao Zhenzhen rubbed her nose, called to Chi Shen, and they headed upstairs.
Her room and Chi Shen's were opposite each other, separated only by a short hallway. Pleased with the proximity, she glanced into his room and reminded him, "Go to bed early, and remember to wash up!"
Chi Shen looked a touch more himself and nodded earnestly when she said it.
Qiao Zhenzhen watched him go into his room, then turned and collapsed onto her soft, big bed.
Outside the Qiao household she felt relaxed; maybe it was the alcohol, but her limbs felt heavy and she sank into the mattress, unwilling to move.
I'll lie here a while, she thought, exhaling and closing her eyes.
After a while she sensed something was off and hesitantly opened her eyes,
Chi Shen was standing at the bedside, quietly watching her.
Qiao Zhenzhen was silent for three seconds, curled into a ball, and clutched her startled heart. After a long moment she found her voice, low and indignant: "Why did you come here?!"
Chi Shen stared at her seriously, then suddenly reached out and gently hooked her little finger with his. His look was tender, his expression soft; there wasn't a hint of anything harsh about him.
Qiao Zhenzhen hesitated, then scooted over a little. "…You can only stay for half an hour."