Serenade

Jin Xi and Bo Yan walked out of IKEA and ran into a family walking towards them, leaving Jin Xi momentarily stunned.

It was her father, Jin Mao.

Jin Mao was in his mid to late forties now, with a somewhat portly figure not nearly as tall as Shen Shishan and nowhere near as burly either, as evidenced by the statures of both their children. Jin Xi had inherited her petite frame from her dad while Shen Ping Chuan was tall and robust.

Jin Mao came from humble beginnings and had done tough labor jobs. In his youth he actually had decent physique and some muscles, full of vigor. But now that he was a businessman making good money, he had assumed the airs of a boss and gotten fat. Once a person gets obese, even the most refined features lose their definition.

Naturally by Jin Mao's side was his current wife, the young mistress he had an affair with all those years ago when she was his assistant.

The assistant was much younger than Jin Xi's mom, alluring and beautiful, with the soft charm of a delicate woman. Jin Xi's mom from a scholarly family always carried herself with an air of sophistication, naturally lacking the allure of temptresses on the outside for a married man like Jin Mao.

The young mistress also had their six year old son in tow.

This picture perfect family running into them left Jin Xi at a loss. She had wanted to just lower her head and hurry past them if they didn't notice her, but Jin Mao saw her—

"Little Xi."

Jin Xi had no choice but to stiffly greet: "Dad."

She then turned to the young mistress and called: "Aunt Jiang."

"Sister Jin Xi!"

The little boy was adorably chubby. He let go of his mom's hand and grabbed Jin Xi's shirt hem.

Jin Xi rubbed his fat little head and smiled: "Little Bao, you've gotten chubbier again! You need to exercise more, understand?"

"I understand."

Aunt Jiang had a hypocritical smile: "You see, the little prince listens to no one in the family, but he promises as soon as Jin Xi says it."

Jin Mao took the opportunity to tell Jin Xi: "You should come home more when you're free. Little Bao misses playing with you too. Spend more time together to build your bond, he's your little brother after all."

Jin Xi nodded and flatly replied: "I'll come back for Little Bao's birthday."

After Jin Xi and Bo Yan left, Aunt Jiang said to Jin Mao: "I must say, Jin Xi's boyfriend is quite handsome."

"Hmph, dating a boyfriend without even telling me, this daughter is clearly distancing herself from me."

Aunt Jiang pushed Little Bao towards him. "But this is your real son!"

**

Jin Xi quickened her pace, hurriedly leaving Building A. The cold wind was biting. She pulled her coat collar tight.

Although Bo Yan didn't ask, he had also clearly witnessed the earlier situation.

Even though they were words to placate a child, Aunt Jiang had subtly singled out Jin Xi, planting the seed in the child's mind from young that "Sister is an outsider"...

Jin Xi was visibly unhappy.

"Senpai will buy you ice cream."

"Oh..."

Without waiting for Jin Xi's reply, Bo Yan took her hand and led her into the Häagen-Dazs shop right across.

He ordered a super large ice cream set, with scoops of blueberry, vanilla, matcha and chocolate, sprinkled with Oreos and chocolate chips. A circle of freshly baked crispy waffle cones with hot aroma surrounded them.

Seeing such a huge serving, Jin Xi exclaimed: "Senpai! This must be so expensive!"

"Yup, super expensive."

"Then let's split it."

Bo Yan scooped some ice cream and smeared it on her lips. "Split my a*s."

"Hey! I haven't taken photos yet, don't touch it!" Jin Xi used a napkin to wipe the cream off her lips and took out her phone to snap pictures of the ice cream from all angles, adding beautiful filters and frame stickers.

Bo Yan was a little helpless.

For girls like her, eating didn't seem to be the priority, taking pictures and editing them came first.

"Can we eat now?"

"Wait."

"I wanna eat."

"Almost done."

"It's melting."

"Okay okay."

Jin Xi declared success: "You can eat now."

He picked up a spoon, scooped some chocolate and blueberry ice cream, and brought it to her lips: "Open up."

"I get the first bite!" Jin Xi looked up at him, black eyes brimming with laughter as she obediently opened her mouth.

But the spoon merely circled her lips before being fed into Bo Yan's own mouth instead.

She shoved him. "Tease."

Bo Yan laughed. "That's for focusing on pictures instead."

Jin Xi scooped a huge spoonful for herself. The cream melted on her tongue, the rich chocolate paired with the sour-sweet blueberry, so good without friends!

She smiled happily and pulled Bo Yan's sleeve. "Try this flavor with this one, so yummy! Have a taste, Senpai!"

Bo Yan also scooped a spoonful into his mouth.

"Delicious right?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Blissfully happy."

Bo Yan also felt blissfully happy, clothes shopping with her, IKEA with her, sharing an ice cream with her.

These sweet sensations gathered in his heart, drop by drop...all happiness.

The two fought over the ice cream until it was completely devoured. Bo Yan realized for desserts with this girl, he could no longer order small sizes, had to get the largest size or there definitely wouldn't be enough to eat.

"Senpai, next time we gotta order double ice cream."

"Sure."

Jin Xi licked her lips regretfully.

He suddenly said: "Don't move."

Jin Xi immediately froze. Her dark eyes lowered to see his long, beautiful fingers land at the corner of her mouth, lightly dabbing once. A crumb of waffle cone leapt onto his fingertips.

Then, before Jin Xi's very eyes, he popped that piece of waffle cone into his own mouth!

Jin Xi: ...

Don't be like that. If you still want more I can order you another serving, Senpai.

The two shopped until nightfall before Bo Yan brought Jin Xi home.

Jin Xi's condo community had strict security that didn't allow strangers to freely enter and exit.

At the iron gates, Bo Yan ruffled her hair and solemnly said: "Daughter, thank you for shopping with Daddy today."

"Who's your daughter." Jin Xi brushed his hand aside. "I still remember you teasing me in the fitting room."

"I didn't tease you."

Jin Xi lowered her voice. "You're...sometimes really nice, sometimes really annoying."

Recalling the fitting room incident, her face flushed slightly, looking especially alluring in the hazy moonlight.

Bo Yan licked his dry lips and called out: "I haven't kissed many girls before."

She raised her head, obsidian eyes gazing at him.

"I've never kissed a girl, not one."

A light breeze gently swept by. Jin Xi lowered her head, her ears starting to burn.

"Oh~"

Why explain.

Shen Ping Chuan, who had just gone downstairs to get a food delivery, happened to overhear Bo Yan's words. Seeing the shy reactions of these two, it seemed like some sort of confession was taking place.

He walked over, grabbed Jin Xi and headed inside, waving Bo Yan away—

"Buddy, no date! We don't date!"

Jin Xi kept looking back at Bo Yan. He smiled at her.

She gazed up at the moon, so beautiful rising above the trees.

**

It was little brother Jin Xiao Bao's birthday on the twenty ninth.

The thirtieth was New Year's Eve. According to Jin Mao's wishes, it was best if Jin Xi also stayed over for New Year's Eve.

After all he was her real dad. The two Shen men had no blood relation to her whatsoever, what right did they have to keep her at the Shens' for New Year's.

Shen Shishan naturally disagreed. He had raised Jin Xi like his own daughter, he certainly wouldn't tolerate others snatching his daughter away.

For this matter, Shen Shishan personally called Jin Mao.

Jin Mao referred to Jin Xi as "that old Shen man's daughter" to her face, yet on the call he still respectfully addressed him: "Mr. Shen."

Meanwhile Shen Shishan's address for Jin Mao was "Old Jin".

The vast disparity in status between the two men could be glimpsed from these forms of address alone.

Jin Mao was a self-made boss who had struggled step by step to get where he was today. Although business had been good these years, his assets couldn't compare to the accumulation of generational wealth by the Shens. Simply put one was nouveau riche and the other true nobility.

The gap between Jin Mao and Shen Shishan's standing spanned class divides.

"Old Jin, Xi Xi has always spent New Year's with us. Our relatives don't visit often and want to see the child on New Year's Eve, so I don't agree to letting her go to your place."

Jin Mao patiently said: "Mr. Shen, Xi Xi has always been at your place previous years, but this year our elders miss the child. I'm also trying to fulfill the old folks' wishes, so let her come over this year."

"The elderly have your son accompanying them. Our home only has Xi Xi to liven things up. To be honest, without her it just wouldn't feel like New Year's. That's settled then, this matter is decided."

"Aiyaya...Mr. Shen, why don't we discuss again and let Xi Xi come back on the first day of the lunar new year?"

"Are you discussing business with me, old Jin? No way. Ah, Xi is our Shen family's child, already registered in our household, she must spend the new year with us Shens, that's it, just like this."

Jin Xi and Shen Ping Chuan, the brother and sister, crouched next to Shen Shishan, listening in on the phone call.

Shen Ping Chuan said in a low voice: "President Shen really lives up to his name, even family chats have an overwhelming aura of business negotiation."

Jin Xi nodded in agreement, her own dad didn't have Shen Shishan's imposing manner.

The final negotiation resulted in Jin Xi going to celebrate her younger brother Jin Xiao Bao's birthday on the 29th. She would stay overnight at the Jins' that day, and early on the 30th Jin Mao would drive the child back to the Shens.

Before leaving, Shen Ping Chuan packed spare clothes and a thermos in Jin Xi's schoolbag, and exhorted her, "Don't suffer losses, bring out that sharp tongue and fists like when dealing with me. Scold if you should scold, swing your fists if you should swing fists, don't become timid like a mouse and let others push you around as soon as you get there."

Jin Xi was a bit of a spitfire, and only dared to take a swing at Shen Ping Chuan. With others, she didn't have the guts.

"Actually my dad is pretty good to me too."

Shen Ping Chuan snorted: "He's only good to you now that you're a bit older. Did he pay any attention to you when you were little?"

Jin Xi was silent.

Shen Shishan drove her over. Shen Ping Chuan went along too. The two men were both worried, and Jin Xi repeatedly assured them she wouldn't suffer losses.

The Jins' mansion was located in a luxury villa complex on the riverside, renovated extravagantly and magnificently. The furnishings were all quality solid wood, tasteful, with the ostentatious air characteristic of the newly rich. In contrast, the Shens' home was much more low key. Since there were few family members, they lived in a garden townhouse apartment complex, and couldn't compare to the Jins' ostentatious mansion in terms of grandeur. However, to Jin Xi it felt much more warm and cozy.

Jin Mao and Auntie Jiang brought Jin Xi into the house. The birthday boy Jin Xiao Bao rushed out holding a Transformers model: "Sister Jin Xi is here! Xiao Bao is super happy today!"

Auntie Jiang patted Jin Xiao Bao's back: "Xiao Bao, show your sister to a seat, she's a guest, you need to act like the host."

"Sister, sit!" Jin Xiao Bao brought over a small stool for Jin Xi.

"Thank you, Xiao Bao."

Jin Xi looked around the huge mansion. The decor was basically unchanged from her childhood memories.

Just that over time, the owners of the home had changed, and she had become a guest.

Jin Xi gave her gift to Jin Xiao Bao. Auntie Jiang politely thanked her, and had the servant take the gift away.

Jin Xiao Bao took Jin Xi's hand: "Sister, I have a VR game room! Dad specially built it for me. I'll take you to see!"

Jin Xi followed Jin Xiao Bao upstairs. Jin Mao called for them to stop: "It's time to eat, what are you looking at the game room for."

"Oh, just let the kids play around. Don't fuss," said Auntie Jiang with a smile. "Xi Xi rarely comes back. Let the children play to their hearts' content today."

Jin Xiao Bao led Jin Xi upstairs.

The VR game room was very spacious, with full body motion simulator game consoles, all top of the line gaming devices.

Jin Xi's attention wasn't on the game consoles. She looked around the game room - this was the bedroom she had lived in as a child. Now it had been renovated into Jin Xiao Bao's game room.

Jin Xiao Bao pulled Jin Xi's hand, wanting to play games together.

Her father Jin Mao felt guilty, and snatched Jin Xiao Bao out of the game room, bluntly saying: "What games, it's time to eat."

Seeing Jin Xi looking glum, Auntie Jiang came over to explain: "Xi Xi, don't mind. Your dad figured since you don't live here anymore, it was a waste for the room to be empty, so he renovated it into Xiao Bao's game room."

On the surface, this was meant to comfort her, but really, every sentence was barbed, meant to make clear to her that she no longer had any place in this household.

Jin Xi's expression remained unhappy all day. Even when she smiled, it seemed forced.

Jin Mao had heard from Shen Shishan that she was usually a happy kid at the Shens'. How come as soon as she returned home, she became constrained and silent?

After the birthday dinner, the grandparents gave red packets to send off the little birthday boy.

"Wishing our Xiao Bao good health and happiness as he grows up."

Jin Mao noticed that after the elders had given out red packets, they were only for Xiao Bao, and none for Jin Xi. Thinking they had forgotten, he smilingly reminded: "Mom and dad, what about Xi Xi's red packet?"

The elders gently coughed and didn't reply.

According to the elders, only the boys in the family got red packets, girls didn't get them.

Auntie Jiang had a smile on her face. Jin Mao was clearly a little embarrassed.

After the meal, he secretly pulled Jin Xi out to the balcony and gave her a fat red packet, telling her to quickly hide it and not let the grandparents or Auntie Jiang see.

The packet was thick, and Jin Xi could guess that the amount was not small.

But she had been spoiled by the Shens while growing up. The Shens followed the principle of "poorly raising sons and richly raising daughters", so Jin Xi's daily allowance far exceeded Shen Ping Chuan's by three or four times. So money had never dazzled her eyes.

Since it was from her father, Jin Xi accepted the red packet, but didn't have the moved expression her father probably hoped to see.

She calmly thanked him.

Father sighed, and said to Jin Xi: "Over these years, your dad has failed you."

Jin Xi had never felt she was failed. All the affection she had lacked, the Shen father and elder brother had made up to her, spoiling her into a pearl in their hands. So she had always been somewhat indifferent to this biological father.

That night, Jin Mao instructed the servants to tidy up a guest room for Jin Xi.

Before going to bed, Shen Ping Chuan video called Jin Xi.

"Bro."

Shen Ping Chuan sat cross-legged on the sofa, and peppered her with questions:

"Are you sleeping on the floor or in the attic?"

"Did they make you do chores?"

"Did your stepmother beat you up?"

Jin Xi said helplessly: "Do you think I'm Cinderella, sleeping in an attic? What are you thinking?"

Shen Ping Chuan said derisively: "At least Cinderella had a pumpkin carriage and glass slippers. What do you have, an unwanted little girl."

Jin Xi deliberately fawned: "But I have a brother."

Hearing this, Shen Ping Chuan cheered up and asked caringly: "Have you eaten your fill?"

Jin Xi covered her stomach: "I ate a lot of cake, didn't really eat dinner."

"I'll come get you first thing tomorrow morning."

"Ok!"

Shen Ping Chuan brought his big face close to the screen, raising his eyebrows: "Little sis hasn't seen her brother all day. Miss your brother?"

"I miss you, you jerk."

"Listen, old Shen, you heard her cursing me just now right? She usually curses me and you don't believe it. Now you've heard it with your own ears! Calling me a jerk, isn't that cursing you a...heckin' jerk?"

Jin Xi: ......

Damn you Shen Ping Chuan!

"Here, old Shen, say hi to your precious daughter."

On the video screen, Shen Shishan was sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper. He adjusted his glasses and said: "Xi Xi, don't curse people, be ladylike."

Jin Xi felt like crying. The nice girl persona she had kept up for so long was shattered.

She said guiltily: "Uncle Shen, I didn't curse anyone."

She was cursing that pig head.

Shen Shishan: "Miss your Uncle Shen?"

Jin Xi: "Miss you so much."

Shen Shishan said approvingly: "Xi Xi, go to bed early. You still need to stay up late tomorrow."

"I know."

A certain crafty girl continued acting obedient.

Shen Ping Chuan's big face once again filled the screen as he made faces at her: "Little sis, liars have to swallow a thousand needles and have nightmares, you know."

Shen Shishan rolled his eyes at him: "Alright, let your sister sleep."

Jin Xi giggled, her mood much improved.

Shen Ping Chuan took his phone back to his own room and closed the door. Lowering his voice, he asked Jin Xi: "Tell your brother the truth, were you happy today or not?"

Jin Xi knew she couldn't hide anything from Shen Ping Chuan. She shook her head: "Not very happy, want to go home soon."

Shen Ping Chuan dropped the joking manner. His fingertips touched the screen, miming stroking her forehead: "Your brother will come get you first thing tomorrow morning."

"Mm."

Jin Xi hung up the call and lay flat on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, wondering why she somehow missed Shen Ping Chuan.

Outside the window, the occasional firecracker could be heard. This was a time for family reunions, so missing loved ones felt especially acute.

This was no longer her home. Her dad was no longer her dad either.

Jin Xi tucked her little head under the covers, thinking of the carefree days of her childhood in this home. Her mood was a little low.

Half an hour later, she left her room with the thermos, intending to get some hot water.

The family had already turned in for the night. As Jin Xi walked downstairs, she overheard Auntie Jiang and a servant talking on the back balcony.

"Take this out and throw it away, farther out so no one sees."

"But...this is the gift little miss gave little master for his birthday."

"Who knows if these watercolor paints use inferior chemical ingredients, maybe toxic. She probably gave them on purpose. Just throw them away."

"That can't be. Little miss wouldn't do that."

"That girl is usually so quiet, who knows what nasty ideas she has in her belly. I can't risk little master's safety. I told you to throw it so just throw it, why make a fuss."

......

The servant had just walked out the backyard when he bumped into Jin Xi and jumped in fright: "Little miss!"

Auntie Jiang was also startled. She followed out, an awkward smile on her face: "Xi Xi, this is..."

Jin Xi expressionlessly took the watercolor set from the servant: "These use plant-based materials, not toxic. Auntie Jiang, if you don't like them, just give them back to me. My friend Bo Yan put a lot of effort into painting this personally."

She took out the painting board and looked at the smooth, lively cartoon line drawings, hugging it like a treasure.

She couldn't tolerate Bo Yan's painting being treated like garbage and tossed casually aside.

"Jin Xi, Aunt Jiang didn't mean it that way," said Shen Ping Chuan.

"Then what did you mean?" Jin Xi looked up at him, "Do you think I would use such despicable means against a child?"

Aunt Jiang knew she was in the wrong and coughed, saying softly, "Who knows, maybe you were jealous of your brother."

Jin Xi was furious. She turned and ran back to her room. The good intentions were wasted on her. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. She packed her bag and went downstairs.

"Miss, where are you going so late?" A servant tried to stop her, but Jin Xi shook her hand off forcefully.

"I'm going back to my own home," she said.

"If she insists on leaving, let her go. This was never her home anyway," said Aunt Jiang, seeing that Jin Xi was determined to leave. She made no further attempts to stop her.

The servant said anxiously, "Madam, what if something happens?"

Aunt Jiang folded her arms coldly, "She's not a child, she won't get lost."

Jin Xi jogged all the way, running out of the villa area.

The streets were brightly lit with neon lights. The roadside trees were decorated with colorful lanterns and bright red lamps, very lively.

Jin Xi held her drawing board tightly, extremely distressed.

The grievances she had suffered at home today all welled up in her heart. She felt extremely upset and couldn't help shedding a few tears.

At this time of night, in unfamiliar surroundings, Jin Xi didn't know where to go.

Hugging her drawing board, she crouched at the roadside, using her sweater sleeve to wipe her tears. Then she took out her phone. Her first reaction was to call Shen Ping Chuan.

Opening her contacts, the first number on the homepage was Bo Yan's.

Jin Xi's finger hovered over it for a long time before finally pressing down.

At 11 pm, adhering to the scientific principle of "early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise, and ready for action", Bo Yan was already dreaming about Zhong Kui.

The sudden ringing of his cell phone startled him awake. He lazily reached for the phone by his bedside without checking who it was, and said in a muffled voice, "Lord Bo is sleeping. Call back tomorrow if it's important."

For a long time, there was no response on the other end, only background noise.

Then he heard a soft gasp.

Bo Yan was instantly alert. He opened his eyes uncertainly and asked, "Is that...Jin Xi?"

A soft "hmm" came through the phone.

Hearing something off in her voice, Bo Yan immediately sat up. Trying to lighten the mood with a joke, he said, "Who bullied my little girl? Tell Daddy and I'll take care of them."

Unexpectedly, this made Jin Xi burst into tears.

She didn't know why she felt so wronged.

Listening to the girl's trembling sobs through the phone, Bo Yan's heart lurched painfully. He leaped out of bed, grabbed a jacket and rushed out the door.

"Where are you?"

Jin Xi looked around at the unfamiliar streets. "I...don't know."

"Send your location. I'm coming to get you."

Author's Note: There is a poetry event on Jinjiang. 1. Post a comment in the 'Serenade' section with: Yuanxiao Poetry Contest

Then add your poem below, related to this work.

There are 15 winning spots, with rewards of 10000, 5000, 3000, 2000, 1000 Jinjiang coins.

The odds of winning are super high! Haha, because I think writing poetry is quite difficult, so participation is low.

Just scribble something, modern poetry, rhyming poems, anything is fine. Works will be showcased on the event page.

See in-app messages or official Jinjiang Literature Weibo for details.