Chapter Seventy—The Art of Hospitality

When Yishu returned to Fuyuan, Yan Lu and Lu Xugao were already waiting for her at the entrance of the residential complex.

Under the streetlight on the sidewalk, one stood upright and silent, while the other circled around him in place. From a distance, a soft halo seemed to envelop them both.

Perhaps this was what people meant by the serenity of time—a tranquil, gentle peace.

Yishu stepped off the bus and hurried down the station steps, quickening her pace.

That afternoon, Yan Lu had messaged her, saying she’d finally caught a break after finishing several orders, and had two days to breathe. The last time they saw each other, it was only because a delivery had to be made near the textile city that Yan Lu, on a whim, "dragged" Yishu to visit the warehouse in Yunbei. The meal had been simple and rough, the schedule rushed—everything felt chaotic and disordered. Yan Lu was the sort who cared about appearances, even more so now that she was half a business owner herself; her status had changed, and she couldn’t let others look down on her.

When Yishu heard Yan Lu chattering enthusiastically over the phone, she felt genuine happiness. The friend she knew had finally returned, her personality just as "annoying" as ever.

"Have you two been waiting long?" Yishu asked as she approached.

"We’re used to waiting," Yan Lu teased, a smile curving her lips.

Yishu pouted, amused by her words. Yan Lu always had this unique ability to sweep away the gloom with her giant feather duster, poking a hole in the heavy clouds so that sunlight could filter through and evaporate all the dampness.

"Don’t listen to her nonsense," Lu Xugao interrupted, resting his hands on Yan Lu’s shoulders. "We just got here, we haven’t waited long at all."

"What do you mean, 'haven’t waited long'?" She shrugged off his hands, her bright eyes fixed on him. "How long does it take before it counts as ‘long’?"

"Alright, you win," Lu Xugao lifted his brows. From the moment he met her, defeat was his destiny. But he was happy to lose, to savor defeat, to be intoxicated by it. So many little failures added up were, in their own way, a kind of success. His eyes were full of deep affection—he loved her profoundly.

"Enough, both of you." They were simply too adorable, too entertaining. The dust that had settled on the walls of Yishu’s heart was easily swept away by their presence. "Dinner’s on me tonight—order whatever you like, no need to hold back."

"Now that’s more like it," Yan Lu arched her brows. "You said it yourself—don’t complain if we order something expensive."

"I won’t," Yishu promised. "Wait here for me, I’ll just go up and change."

The camel cardigan Yishu wore to work had been hand-knitted a few years ago. She’d found some knitting needles at the bottom of a dusty wooden chest while sorting through old belongings. As children, all the sweaters she and Yihui wore were hand-made by their mother. The collars and armholes were sometimes a bit rough, and the stitches uneven, but they always thought the sweaters were the most beautiful clothes in the world. Now, those old sweaters were neatly folded in the chest, long outgrown.

During her weekly breaks, Yishu unraveled the newer-looking sweaters, winding the yarn into plump balls, and—relying on muscle memory—began knitting again. She chose the simplest stockinette stitch, with double ribbing at the hem and cuffs. She finished two sweaters: a camel cardigan for herself. In truth, she regretted the cardigan as soon as it was done—the buttonholes on the right placket had to be sewn by hand, and despite using matching thread, the result was less than perfect. The other sweater, a blue pullover for Yihui, made him look more spirited, though the blue only accentuated his gloom.

"What’s wrong?" Yan Lu blocked her path. "We’re at your door already—you’re not going to invite me in?"

"Aren’t we going out to eat?" Yishu blinked in surprise.

"We are, but there’s no rush," Yan Lu replied.

Yishu sensed that Yan Lu had another long speech prepared and that she was, step by step, being led into a scene Yan Lu had already staged.

She hesitated, her lips twitching wordlessly. Fuyuan wasn’t truly her home—not yet. If the house in Xiangtang Village were still there, or if the lease at Jinlan Complex hadn’t expired, she would have invited them in before Yan Lu even had to ask.

Xu Shixi had spent a day and a night at the hospital. By now, he should be home, right? Yishu had sent him a message, but he hadn’t replied, and when she called, his phone was off. His battery must have died.

So was he still at the hospital, at home, or on the way between the two?

Lu Xugao gently pulled Yan Lu aside and whispered, "Let’s not make things difficult, she probably has her reasons. We shouldn’t intrude."

Yan Lu was about to protest, but Yishu spoke first: "Why don’t you come up for a bit? It’s still early." She checked her phone—not even six o’clock yet. Although darkness had fallen, the black of six o’clock was almost indistinguishable from midnight unless you paid close attention.

Yan Lu’s face lit up with satisfaction, while Lu Xugao gazed at her with indulgent affection. Yishu led the way. In Fuyuan, unless you were escorted by a resident, you could never get in.

The Cold Dew season was approaching. Fuyuan seemed cut off from the world; most of the trees were still lush and green. Delicate pavilions and small towers hid among thickets of shrubs, and there was even a small swimming pool.

Yan Lu looked around, dazzled. She ran up to hook her arm through Yishu’s. "Yishu, you really have become a phoenix perched on a high branch. This place is like a palace!"

Yishu interrupted her exaggerations. "It’s just an ordinary, slightly upscale residential area. If this is a palace, what would the real thing be—the Celestial Hall or the Jade Pool?"

"You don’t realize how lucky you are." Yan Lu sounded a little put out. While she was still struggling for happiness, Yishu had already reaped its rewards. As her best friend, Yan Lu was genuinely happy for her—she had to be. But jealousy was sometimes uncontrollable.

God had always been stingy with Yishu’s happiness. Everything she’d ever had, she’d eventually lost. This had taught her to remain calm, no matter fortune or misfortune.

Was it really so? Yishu used to believe it, too. Until she met Xu Shixi, this deep conviction was etched into her heart.

But after meeting him, her world changed completely. It’s hard for a person to change themselves—the catalyst for change is never oneself or another person, but rather the force that stirs the placid surface of one’s life, creating ripples and waves. It might not even be a person—it could be a gust of wind, a cloud, a beam of sunlight.

Was she oblivious to her own happiness? She had always longed for it. And its arrival filled her with joy, so much so that she cherished it with the utmost care, fearful of the slightest loss.

Yishu lowered her head, watching her feet step brick by brick along the path. Her feet were just a bit shorter than the length of the paving stones, and she liked to step squarely within each one, avoiding the cracks. But now, with her mind elsewhere, she couldn’t focus on her stride and nearly tripped over herself.

"Are you alright?" Yan Lu caught her quickly.

"I’m fine," Yishu waved it off.

The elevator soon arrived at the twentieth floor. The corridor lights were half-hearted, illuminating only a small circle around them with a cold, pale glow.

So even luxury apartments had their flaws—the repair speed tested everyone’s patience.

The apartment across the hall hadn’t shown any signs of life for days. Usually, they only exchanged glances in passing as a casual greeting.

Yishu opened the door and saw his sneakers from yesterday on the shoe rack, still speckled with mud.

He was home?

"Wow!" Yan Lu exclaimed. "This place is huge! And so luxurious!"

Yishu invited them to change their shoes, then walked into the living room—no sign of Shixi. She glanced out at the balcony—still no one.

"Sit on the sofa for a bit," Yishu said as they finished changing shoes, remembering her duties as a host. "There are drinks in the fridge—help yourselves."

Those bottles of pomelo tea were bought during a supermarket promotion. Besides filling the empty fridge, Yishu mainly hoped Shixi could have a cup to relieve the greasiness and the aftertaste of his business dinners.