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Chapter 56: Rainy Day
There's food for you, and yet you still won't stop talking.
─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───
Lin Xiaobo saw Gu Wuyi's stunned expression and suddenly realized that he had been too reckless.
Although Gu Wuyi had once invited him to visit his home, their interactions had been limited to a few encounters when his father was selling watermelons. Privately, they had no real connection.
The one who was actually close to Gu Wuyi’s family was Aunt Qin.
So, Lin Xiaobo naturally sought out Aunt Qin’s family.
Aunt Qin used to visit the Lin family often to learn about growing watermelons, and she knew that Xiaobo was only bold within familiar settings. She explained, “Binhai Grand Hotel needed some fruits and vegetables for a wedding banquet tonight. Xiaobo came with us to deliver the goods, and when we passed by here, he remembered that Wuyi’s exam results should be out, so we stopped by to check.” Then, she turned to Gu Wuyi and asked, “They’re out, right?”
Gu Wuyi instinctively nodded.
Aunt Qin asked curiously, “How did you do?”
Hearing this, Madam Zhou couldn’t hold back and proudly announced, “He scored nearly eighty points above the admission cutoff!”
Even though Aunt Qin had been mentally prepared, she couldn’t help but exclaim, “Are we getting another university student in the family?”
Gu Wuyi immediately felt a bit embarrassed.
Noticing this, Madam Zhou decided to let her eldest grandson off for now. “Come inside first,” she said, beckoning them as she walked toward the ice chest.
Qin Feng added, “There’s none left.”
Following the mother and son’s gaze, Aunt Qin was slightly surprised. “Business is that good?”
“I gave away the last few dozen to our neighbors for free,” Qin Feng explained while opening the small fridge and taking out half a chilled watermelon.
Miaomiao immediately went to the kitchen to get a knife.
Fu Qingyun fetched a wet towel from outside so the four of them could wipe their hands.
Then, Qin Feng cut the watermelon, giving each person a small slice to quench their thirst. After that, they asked Gu Wuyi to make a wish over the cake before finally cutting it.
Aunt Qin had heard people say that birthdays involved eating cake and making wishes, but this was the first time she had actually seen it happen, and she found it quite fascinating. “Where did you buy this cake? When my eldest nephew gets accepted into university, I’ll get one for him too.”
Qin Feng replied, “About 200 meters east of Binhai Grand Hotel. But you have to order in advance. Making this kind of thing takes time—at least two hours at the fastest.”
“No wonder it’s so expensive.”
Qin Feng’s uncle and cousin couldn’t help but glance at her.
Aunt Qin quickly added, “That’s what I heard from others.”
Old Qin interrupted, “Enough talk for now.” He handed her a piece of cake.
Aunt Qin, flustered, held it carefully with one hand while using the other to catch any crumbs, afraid that such a precious treat might fall.
Seeing this, Madam Zhou went to the kitchen to fetch a few plates.
The cake was large, and even after everyone had a slice, there was still a bottom layer left. Since the bottom layer was the biggest, they could all have another piece. When Qin Feng cut it this time, he placed the slices onto plates.
Fu Lingyun immediately took out a fork that his father had bought a couple of years ago.
As soon as the fork appeared, Qin Feng’s uncle couldn’t help but comment, “This looks just like what we see on TV!”
Qin Feng chuckled, “The cakes and forks on TV might not even be as good as mine.”
His uncle immediately gave him a scrutinizing look.
—When did he pick up this habit of talking big? He’s becoming just like his cousins from his eldest and second uncles’ families.
Qin Feng grinned and explained, “I’m not exaggerating. TV productions burn money, so the first thing they consider is cutting costs. If buying cakes is too expensive, they might just make them themselves.”
“You can make your own cake?” his cousin asked.
Qin Feng nodded, “As long as you have the right equipment, you can.”
Madam Zhou pointed outside. “There’s a small clay stove out there. Xiao Feng built it years ago—it’s good for making sponge cakes and bread.” As she spoke, she suddenly remembered that the Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching. “When the time comes, we’ll have Xiao Feng make a few for you all to try.”
Miaomiao asked curiously, “Don’t we eat mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival?”
Madam Zhou replied, “So, do you want to eat mooncakes or sponge cake?”
Without thinking, Miaomiao immediately said, “Of course, cake! Mooncakes are so awful—I don’t want to eat them.”
Aunt Qin carefully took a bite of the cake and said, “You, my dear, have eaten too many good things.”
Miaomiao shook his head. “Even if I hadn’t, I still wouldn’t eat those mooncakes. They have rock sugar, peanuts, and black sesame. They’re neither sweet nor savory—just plain awful!”
Qin Feng chuckled and asked, “Does the cake taste good?”
The young boy nodded.
Qin Feng said, “Then eat more.”
The boy’s expression changed slightly—he had a feeling his dad was implying that if he had food in his mouth, he might finally stop talking.
Qin Feng then turned to Lin Xiaobo. “This is Wuyi’s first time leaving home and living outside. He doesn’t know much yet, so I’d appreciate it if you could check in on him from time to time. When the New Year comes, I’ll treat you to cake.”
Lin Xiaobo obediently nodded but couldn’t help glancing at Gu Wuyi.
Gu Wuyi wanted to scratch his head.
Earlier, he had casually told Lin Xiaobo that he was welcome to visit his home, but he never actually expected him to come. Now, he had no idea how to interact with him.
Besides, he wasn’t actually a kid—he and Lin Xiaobo weren’t the same age. On top of that, knowing that Lin Xiaobo was the senior brother of that person with the surname Chu made him feel a bit uncomfortable.
“Dad, I’m already fifteen,” Gu Wuyi couldn’t help but protest.
Qin Feng responded, “And? Does being fifteen mean this isn’t your first time living in a dorm?”
Gu Wuyi had no comeback.
—In both his past and present life, this was his first time living in a dormitory.
Qin Feng gestured to Lin Xiaobo. “Sit down and eat. Treat this place like your own home.”
Aunt Qin sat next to her third sister-in-law. “That’s right. Xiaobo, don’t be shy. In a few days, you and Wuyi will both be students at No. 1 High School.”
Qin Feng’s cousin added, “Speaking of which, Wuyi should be calling you ‘Senior Brother,’ right?”
Gu Wuyi couldn’t help but glance at Lin Xiaobo.
To his surprise, Lin Xiaobo happened to look up at the same time.
The two unfamiliar teenagers immediately turned their heads away in embarrassment.
Aunt Qin almost choked on her food.
Her husband quickly patted her back. “Slow down.”
Aunt Qin nodded but couldn’t hold back her amusement. “Brother Lin always says that Xiaobo is only bold at home. But I think Wuyi is the same. Look at these two—acting like it’s their first time meeting on a blind date!”
The two boys’ faces turned bright red.
Aunt Qin was thoroughly entertained by their reaction.
Their faces turned even redder, as if they were about to drip blood.
Her son, worried that the two might get flustered and angry, quickly called out, “Mom!”
“Alright, alright, I won’t laugh anymore.” Aunt Qin waved her hand dismissively, but then she couldn’t resist adding, “Xiaobo, Wuyi, you two can’t be like this. When you go to college out of town, you’ll get bullied to death if you don’t toughen up.”
Her son retorted, “College isn’t like running a business or working a job. Who’s going to bully them? Don’t talk nonsense if you don’t know.”
Madam Zhou shook her head. “Your mom is right. There are good students and bad students in every school. Boys, you should let your dad teach you a few self-defense moves. Don’t end up getting beaten up without even knowing how to fight back.”
Gu Wuyi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Grandma, I only just got into high school.”
"Three years will pass in no time," Madam Zhou said, not giving Gu Wuyi a chance to argue. "Xiao Feng!"
Qin Feng also felt that Gu Wuyi was a bit too honest—sometimes, he couldn't even win against Miaomiao. "Got it. Eat your cake. Aunt and the others still have to go home."
Aunt Qin instinctively glanced outside. The glaring sunset had turned red, and there was about an hour left before nightfall. "There's still time." After a brief pause, she brought up another topic. "Speaking of college entrance exams, Xiao Feng, what year is your maternal cousin (Uncle Zhou’s child) on now?"
Qin Feng, busy with his own affairs, had to think for a moment before remembering. "He took the exam for the first time two years ago, then repeated for a year. He was overconfident—his scores were decent, but he didn’t get into the school he applied for. This year, my uncle told him to be more cautious. If nothing goes wrong, he should be able to get into Binhai Normal University."
"That's a bachelor's program, right?"
Qin Feng nodded. "It’s probably the oldest university in Binhai."
Madam Zhou was curious. "After graduation, can he stay on as a teacher?"
Qin Feng shook his head.
Madam Zhou pressed further. "What about those who got in the same year the college entrance exam was reinstated, like you?"
"Still no. At most, they can do graduate studies while working as a student counselor."
Old Master Qin was intrigued. "Can he get into First High School as a teacher?"
Qin Feng replied, "He could probably be a middle school teacher there, but becoming a high school teacher would be a stretch."
His aunt couldn't help but comment, "That’s still better than us growing vegetables and selling watermelons."
Qin Feng chuckled. "Not as profitable as you, though."
Aunt Qin felt pleased—her eldest nephew sure knew how to talk.
"You mean you guys haven't heard from him yet?" Aunt Qin asked.
Madam Zhou said, "It's been hot lately, so my brother and his wife haven't visited. But they should be coming soon. Whenever he has free time, he and my sister-in-law come over to rest for a day."
"That's how it should be," Aunt Qin agreed. "At his age, running a restaurant is even harder than what we do. If he keeps it up year after year, his body won’t be able to take it."
Madam Zhou nodded in agreement. Noticing that Aunt Qin had finished her cake, she handed her the piece from her own plate.
Seeing this, the younger ones also passed their plates over.
Gu Xiao'er couldn't resist giving Gu Wuyi a look.
Gu Wuyi glared at him before handing a plate to Lin Xiaobo.
Lin Xiaobo was very shy in front of unfamiliar people—his father would say he had no backbone. He only responded with a soft "Mm."
That quiet sound made Gu Wuyi glance at him in surprise. He couldn't believe this boy would one day become the trusted aide of a provincial governor.
But as Lin Xiaobo gradually lost his baby fat, he started resembling his past self more and more. A Binhai native with the same name—there was no mistake.
This only made Gu Wuyi more curious. What had Lin Xiaobo gone through in the past that made the governor trust him enough to send him out for experience?
Little did he know that in the original novel, Lin Xiaobo was barely mentioned—his name didn't even appear.
By the time Lin Xiaobo graduated high school in his past life, his father was just a small-time melon farmer who roamed the streets selling watermelons every summer. They didn’t grow watermelons in winter either.
Because they had to go out every year, Lin Xiaobo had gone from feeling embarrassed at first to eventually getting used to it.
In this life, selling watermelons had become much easier, and he hardly needed to show his face. Naturally, he wasn’t much different from how he had been two years ago.
With all the elders present, Gu Wuyi, despite his many questions, didn't dare ask them out loud.
Soon after, Aunt Qin and her group left. Qin Feng took Gu Wuyi along to see them off, and Gu Wuyi politely invited Lin Xiaobo to visit again.
No one expected that visit to come so soon.
Summer passed, autumn arrived, and the crops were stored away, waiting for the land to be plowed after the rain.
It had been a good year with favorable weather, and the rains came right on time.
This year’s weather was especially good—not only did the rains arrive as expected, but they were also quite heavy.
Gu Xiao'er, Fu Qingyun, and Fu Lingyun didn’t dare ride their bikes in the downpour. Instead, they pushed them home while wearing raincoats.
Miaomiao, walking home from the village school, held up a big umbrella, but still ended up soaked everywhere except his head.
Qin Feng, worried about his cubs, waited at the entrance of the staff residence, ready to go out and look for them if they didn’t arrive soon.
Seeing them all drenched, he immediately told them to go take a hot bath and change clothes. Meanwhile, he stayed behind to wait for Gu Wuyi since today was Saturday.
Every Saturday afternoon, Gu Wuyi would take the bus home.
Fearing he might miss the last bus, Qin Feng stood under the eaves of the gatehouse, watching the road.
About half an hour later, a bicycle appeared at the entrance. There were two people on it—one wearing a raincoat and pedaling, while the other sat in the back, holding an umbrella.
Qin Feng focused his eyes and saw that it was Lin Xiaobo and Gu Wuyi.
As soon as Gu Wuyi got off the bike, Lin Xiaobo waved and was about to ride away.
Qin Feng quickly called out, “You’re heading back in this heavy rain?”
Lin Xiaobo hesitated, looking puzzled, as if wondering—if he didn’t go home, where else would he go?
Qin Feng raised his voice against the rain, “Don’t go back! Your family has a phone—I’ll call your dad right now.” Without giving him a chance to refuse, he urged, “Hurry inside!”
Lin Xiaobo instinctively glanced at Gu Wuyi, unsure of what to do, hoping he would decide for him.
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