Shanghai, a magical city.
Since 1840, when China went into its modern times, Shanghai had been an attractive place for every Chinese people. From the cluster of the foreign-styled house to the Oriental Pearl Tower, a modern landmark, people could see Shanghai’s confidence as the Chinese economic center from any angels. So the local government’s change in management was interesting to people all over the nation.
Qin Sheng watched TV, staring at the middle-aged man in the news, someone he was familiar with. The husband of his mother’s younger sister. This man on TV was totally different from the kind and friendly man who cared for him often. “It was quite a piece of big news,” Qin Sheng thought and frowned, “I didn’t even notice the change at ‘that’ position in the city government.”
Qin Sheng had been really busy in the past few months and had no time to watch the news. He went to clean his mother’s grave and stay there for the whole month to mourn her; he went to Xi’an, and then to Beijing to celebrate the Spring Festival with the Qin Family. He almost had no spare time.
“You’re surprised?” Qin Ran turned off the TV and teased him. She had been used to this kind of “big news”. Due to the family, she could meet all those celebrities from all walks of life who other people could only see on TV, whilst things were different for Qin Sheng.
Qin Sheng smirked. “Yeah. I didn’t expect that he could go that far. It’s really hard, I mean, especially in Shanghai. It’s even harder to get a position on that high level in the government, you know, the positions were limited.”
Qin Ran grinned. “Exactly. Well, forget it. You’ll soon get used to this. We have a couple of powerful and smart uncles. You’ve met him before, right?”
Qin Sheng offered a polite smile, thinking that he, at least, hadn’t gotten used to this. He had been a pleb before, and needed time to digest the new upper-class lifestyle.
It was late at night. They went upstairs, said goodnight, and went to their bedrooms respectively.
Qin Sheng lay on his back with his mind wandering away. When he first came to Shanghai, he was a young man with ambition and high expectations, but with less confidence. There was such a large population of about 24 million, with a great number of wealthy and powerful people. He clearly remembered how he offended the Yan Family and struggled to escape from Shanghai.
But today, his life was totally changed and he finally understood the reasons that made those rich young people arrogant and willful.
At this moment, the cell buzzed. Qin Sheng consulted the cell and saw a message from Lin Su. It was simple- “Have you slept?” Qin Sheng smiled with his thoughts and worries fading away. Life was a struggle, but love gave people energy to move forward.
Qin Sheng didn’t return a message but dialed her number. He worried whether it was convenient for Lin Su to answer the phone in the few seconds before she picked up the phone.
Qin Sheng was in fear at noon, but now he had calmed down. He asked softly, “Honey, can we chat for a few words now?”
Lin Su, who was lying in the quilt, was warmed by the sweet call. She had been bearing not to contact Qin Sheng until now. A couple of people went to and fro in the daytime, who were asked by her father to persuade her and were refused by her with a variety of reasons. This house was guarded round the clock. She was fearful to be found that she got in touch with Qin Sheng, so she didn’t do that until other people were all asleep.
Lin Su smiled softly. “Whispering is OK.” She recalled a feeling from when she first got to know him or when she just began a serious relationship with him.
Qin Sheng smirked. “Then I’m also whispering.”
Lin Su asked and worried. “I haven’t asked you. Why did you come to Shanghai?” She knew Qin Sheng was not an impulsive person, but she just needed his words for comfort.
Qin Sheng was smart and knew what Lin Su was thinking, considering that he still had an enemy, Yan Chaozong in Shanghai. “Don’t worry, I’m not coming to take revenge. My grandmother and my small aunt live here. I haven’t met them since I came back, so my sister took me to pay the New Year Call to them.”
Lin Su sighed, feeling relieved. “It’s so good for you to have your grandmother, small aunt, sister, and so many relatives to take care of you.” When nobody answered her phone at noon, she was deeply worried about Qin Sheng and his life without her.
Qin Sheng said, “They’ve been good to me since I was young. They’re even better to me for I disappeared for such a long time and came back now, it’s almost too much for me, especially my sister. I’ve never been treated like this. You know, my sister is as beautiful as you. They’re all eager to see you.”
“That’s fine.” Lin Su relieved, feeling happy for Qin Sheng told his families about her. But she then sighed. “Hum…”
Qin Sheng was worried. “Why do you sigh?”
Lin Su said slowly, “Tell them I’d also like to see them, but don’t know when. Lin Yue told me my grandmother again got angry today, but they still insisted.”
Qin Sheng’s face froze at those words and he said firmly, “I said that I would go to the Lin Family to take you away. You just stay there and wait for me. Don’t let Grandmother worry. Now I can tackle all those problems. The Lin Family cannot stop me.”
This was the second time when Qin Sheng put these words and he was even more determined. Lin Su nodded. “I believe in you.”
They didn’t chat for a long time for fear of being found by others. Qin Sheng was going to explain things in detail after he met Lin Su, so they hung up after twenty minutes.
Early in the morning, Qin Sheng got up and found that his grandmother was having breakfast downstairs. She saw Qin Sheng and said worriedly, “Sheng’er, why do you get up so early? You can sleep longer.”
Qin Sheng took a seat by grandmother’s side and offered a smile. “Granny, I never get up late. It’s my habit to get up at this time.”
The old lady eyed him with a sense of care with a smile. “Good boy. You’re better than them. Jiayou usually got up after 12 o’clock. And your sister, she never got up before 10. They’re too lazy.”
Qin Sheng smiled with a bit sense of embarrassment. “Granny, I’m just used to that.”
After breakfast, the old lady went to Fuxing Park, walking as morning exercise. She was usually accompanied by a healthcare provider, sometimes by Zhu Qingwen or other family members. Today, it was naturally Qin Sheng.
Qin Sheng held her arm and walked at a steady and slow pace, with the healthcare provider following behind in case of an emergency.
Qin Sheng hadn’t had this feeling for a long time. Most young people were tired of the elders’ chattering, but he was different. Life was short, especially for elderly people, and death might come at any time. Qin Sheng was particularly interested in listening to their stories. The decades they experienced would be extracted into a few sentences, containing their philosophy of life. Through those stories, it was fortunate for him to learn a lot without experiencing real ups and downs.
His grandmother was in bad health condition, so Qin Sheng slowed down and rested a couple of times. Along the way, she told her own story about living here in her childhood, how she got to know his grandfather, and his mother’s childhood. Qin Sheng really enjoyed that and hoped the story could last longer.
When they arrived at Fuxing Park, the old lady found somewhere to sit. She held Qin Sheng’s hands. “Sheng’er, I’ve been telling my stories, have you got fed up with these? Ran Ran and other people don’t like these.”
Qin Sheng answered, “Granny, I like these stories. I know very little about our family. I’m going to stay in Shanghai for a period of time, and I’m willing to hear more stories. You can tell as much as you want, and I’m listening. But I’m afraid you’ll feel tired.”
The old lady was pleased. “Hum, you’re nice. As long as you like, I never get tired. What else do you want to know?”
Qin Sheng thought for a while and said, “Granny, can you tell me something about my mom?”
Qin Sheng was about to say “I miss her”, but finally he didn’t, for fear of making the old lady sad.
The old lady sighed and thought, “You poor boy without mother, Sheng’er.” But She didn’t want him to feel sad, so she just concealed her feeling with a smile. “Fine. I’m telling you.”
The old and the young sat on a bench in the park, chatting about their past. Neither of them noticed the time going by until the healthcare provider reminded them, and then they went back home.
When they arrived at the old foreign-styled house, Qin Ran had gotten up. She said goodbye to grandmother and went out with Qin Sheng. The bodyguards of Qin Family had arrived, accompanying them to visit two uncles of Qin Sheng and Qin Ran.
Qin Sheng would rather stay home and listen to Grandmother’s story. But considering that he needed to get some social relationships and resources in Shanghai, he finally went out with his sister.
In the morning, they visited a well-known big shot in the Bund, who was influential in the business area. Qin Sheng had heard of him a lot. It was said that he was involved in some trouble recently and disappeared, but it seemed that the matter had been resolved. Qin Sheng was not sure about that though.
Though the big shot and his wife invited them for lunch, Qin Ran and Qin Sheng left in advance and had lunch in a restaurant for there were other visitors and Qin Ran was afraid that Qin Sheng would feel uncomfortable.
They visited the other one in the afternoon, who was at a similar level to the one in the morning, but was low-profiled and known by few people. Qin Ran and Qin Sheng stayed there for a while and left.
At this time, Zhu Qingwen contacted them by phone. She giggled and asked, “Sheng’er, you’ve done? I’ve already contacted her, and she’s coming.”
Qin Sheng just mentioned casually, and didn’t expect that his small aunt could make it so soon. He smiled. “Where are you? We’re coming.”
Zhu Qingwen told Qin Sheng the address and hung up, expecting the meeting.
Qin Ran said, “What are you talking about? Secret?”
Qin Sheng didn’t tell her directly. “Sister, let’s go. You’ll know it soon.”