Xu Yanxia, who was about to continue weaving the knot, hummed in response. "What is it?"
Lu Jingming asked, "When do you plan to make an official announcement?"
Xu Yanxia looked up at him and asked, "Announce what?"
Lu Jingming said, "Your boyfriend."
Xu Yanxia was speechless. "I'm not a celebrity, why would I need to officially announce my boyfriend? Isn't it enough that our family and friends know?"
Lu Jingming said, "You are a blogger with hundreds of thousands of followers, after all. You could make an announcement."
Xu Yanxia smiled and said, "My followers follow me for my cooking, not my love life. I don't like putting all my private matters out there."
"Alright then."
Lu Jingming sounded a bit helpless, then changed the subject. "Then could you please not call me 'Big Brother' in front of your fans anymore?"
Xu Yanxia paused. "Didn't they start calling you Big Brother Xixi first? I was just playing along. Should I call you President Lu instead? You don't like that either."
To her surprise, he replied, "Well, I don't like it when you call me 'Big Brother' in front of others either."
Xu Yanxia hesitated. "Then what should I call you? I can't call you 'Baby', can I? I can't do that, I'd die of embarrassment."
"Then call me Jingming,"
he said. "Just like you did that day at the restaurant when I was holding you."
Xu Yanxia paused, then gave a soft "Mm."
She then handed him the beautiful knot she had just finished weaving and said, "This peace knot is better suited to be hung in a car. It represents safe travels."
"Okay."
He gladly accepted it and told her, "Come on, teach me. I'll make one for you too, to hang in your car."
...
Chatting, drinking, and doing fun little crafts, the afternoon passed by in a cozy and relaxing manner.
As the sun began to set in the west, the two left the tea shop, bought some pastries and local specialties to take back to Rong City, and returned to Xu Yanxia's home together.
Her grandparents, aunt, and cousin were already busy making dumplings, preparing for dinner.
Xu Yanxia and Lu Jingming put down their things, washed their hands, and joined in to help. The dumplings were finished in no time.
Grandpa Xu tied on his apron again and said with a chuckle, "We are well-prepared today. Later, I'll cook a few proper hometown dishes for Jingming to try."
"That's too much trouble for you, Grandpa."
Lu Jingming immediately rolled up his sleeves to help. "Let me be your assistant, Grandpa."
"Hey now,"
Grandpa Xu said, "I've already prepped all the ingredients. I don't need an assistant. You two just go and wait to eat."
Xu Yanxia chimed in, "My grandpa doesn't like having people in the way when he cooks. Let's go, let's go outside and pet the cats."
That worked too.
Lu Jingming followed her out into the courtyard.
The two big fat cats, Big Orange and Little Tabby, had just finished their dinner and were contentedly licking their paws and washing their faces.
Xu Yanxia pet the two little guys one by one, then told them, "I'm leaving tomorrow. You two have to be good here, and remember the way home when you go out to play!"
"It'll be at least two months before I see you again."
The two little pig-like kitties replied with comfortable purring sounds.
Lu Jingming also reached out to give them a few strokes and casually asked her, "When is Zhanpeng's wedding scheduled for again?"
Xu Yanxia replied, "Around here, there's a custom of not marrying during the first and twelfth lunar months, so they set it for New Year's Day."
Lu Jingming nodded. "That's a good day."
"Will it snow on New Year's Day?"
"That's hard to say,"
Xu Yanxia said. "It depends on the weather, but it definitely snows here in the winter."
"Great,"
Lu Jingming said, "I hope I can catch a snowfall."
Saying that, he handed his phone to her. "Take a picture of me with the two little guys."
"Sure."
Xu Yanxia didn't think much of it. She took the phone, helped him pick up the two fat cats, posed them in his arms, and snapped several photos in a row.
After the photos were done, she had Lu Jingming take a few of her with the cats as well.
A while later, they heard her cousin calling from inside the house, "Sis, Brother Lu, time to eat!"
"Coming!"
The two of them went back inside together.
Dinner was as lavish as ever.
There was sweet and sour carp, soft-fried shrimp that was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, savory and juicy pan-fried tofu, and crisp, refreshing stir-fried pork kidneys.
There was also a rich but not greasy braised pork knuckle, and soft, sweet, and sticky honey-glazed yam.
Coupled with the handmade pork, shrimp, and chive dumplings filled with love, it was enough to make anyone eat until they were almost bursting.
By the time they finished eating, it was already dark.
Lu Jingming said his goodbyes to everyone and returned to his hotel, while Xu Yanxia went back to her room to pack her luggage.
The next day, she said goodbye to her relatives and embarked on the journey back.
They had booked an early morning flight.
Having slept in for several days in a row, suddenly waking up early to catch a flight made Xu Yanxia yawn constantly.
Lu Jingming thoughtfully bought her a coffee. After drinking the hot beverage, she felt much more awake.
Just as they were about to board, her phone rang.
She took out her phone, glanced at the name displayed on the screen, and paused.
Seeing this, Lu Jingming also glanced at her phone. Seeing the words "Professor Zhou" displayed, he asked, "Is that the supervisor that guy introduced to you back when you were planning to take the postgraduate entrance exam?"
"That's right."
Xu Yanxia nodded.
She had added Professor Zhou's number when she was still planning to pursue her master's degree. Later, because she didn't end up going, she hadn't contacted him again.
For him to call at this time, she could pretty much guess what it was about.
Lu Jingming offered, "Do you want me to answer it for you?"
"No need."
She paused for a moment, then answered the call.
"Hello, Professor Zhou."
She greeted him politely first.
Professor Zhou on the other end also chuckled and asked, "Hello, Xu. I'm sorry to call you so early. Is your family doing well lately?"
"They're doing alright,"
Xu Yanxia politely asked in return, "Are you doing well too?"
"I'm doing well too."
Professor Zhou paused, and sure enough, he said, "Xu, you're a smart girl. You can probably guess why I'm calling you today, right?"
"I only heard about what happened between you and Lin Hengnan last night."
"I'm sorry,"
he sighed and said. "As his master's supervisor, I want to apologize to you first, and also apologize on behalf of his family. In the past, we only cared about his academic performance and ignored his mental state, which led him down the wrong path and almost caused you serious harm. We are truly sorry."
"After this incident happened, his parents and family have been actively trying to contact you to discuss apologies and compensation. But I heard that you hired a lawyer and haven't been in direct contact with them, is that right?"
"Yes,"
Xu Yanxia didn't deny it. "I have a lawyer helping me handle this matter now."
"Xu,"
Professor Zhou continued, "I know you are a kind-hearted girl. And you also come from a working-class family, a very hardworking and diligent child."
"I know it isn't appropriate for me to say this, but considering that no serious harm was done this time, could you please issue him a letter of forgiveness? His family is willing to compensate you to the absolute best of their ability, doing everything within their power."
"You should also know that he comes from a working-class family, and his parents are just honest, hardworking people..."
"I am sorry, Professor Zhou,"
Xu Yanxia cut him off directly, saying, "You might not know this, but my father was a martyr."
