Chapter 296: Preparing to Set Off

The morning sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows into the living room of the Xiang family old residence.

Xiang Fei held Xiang Yang's small hand as he stood before Xiang Butong.

"Great-grandpa, I don't want to go..." Xiang Yang suddenly threw himself into Xiang Butong's arms, his little hands tightly gripping the old man's lapels, his voice thick with tears.

The old man's eyes grew moist, yet he forced a smile: "Be good, Yangyang. Great-grandpa will wait for you to come back for summer vacation. I'll take you fishing then, alright?"

"Really?" Xiang Yang raised his small tear-blurred face, crystal droplets still clinging to his lashes. "Pinky swear!"

Xiang Butong extended his age-spotted little finger and hooked it firmly around Xiang Yang's pink, tender one.

Xiang Yan, standing off to the side, turned his face away, pretending to tidy the bookshelf while secretly wiping the corner of his eye.

Dong Xiaolan crouched down, stuffing a prepared bag of snacks into Xiang Yang's little backpack: "Grandma packed your favorite almond cookies, and the dried tangerine peel plums that Great-grandpa specially had someone make."

The black Mercedes slowly rolled out through the old residence's main gate. Xiang Yang pressed himself against the car window, waving hard with his little hand: "Bye-bye, Great-grandpa! Bye-bye, Grandpa and Grandma!"

Xiang Butong stood at the doorway, unwilling to turn around for a long while. Xiang Yan supported him: "Dad, it's windy outside. Let's go inside."

"That child Yangyang..." Xiang Butong sighed, his voice trembling slightly. "Next time we meet, he'll have grown taller again, won't he."

In the car, Xiang Yang had cried himself out and curled up asleep in the back seat. Xiang Fei watched his son's swollen eyes through the rearview mirror, his chest tightening.

In the master bedroom of the Repulse Bay villa, Zhou Huimin was helping Xiang Fei pack. She had deliberately changed into loose maternity clothes that day; her swollen belly was already very obvious.

"Take this thick coat," she carefully folded the garment and placed it into the suitcase. "Beijing is still very cold now; I heard it's going to drop in temperature again these few days."

Xiang Fei wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin lightly on her shoulder: "Stop fussing, I can handle all this myself. You need more rest now."

Zhou Huimin buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled: "The baby and I will both miss you." Her hand gripped the hem of Xiang Fei's shirt tightly, as if trying to memorize the warmth of this moment.

The next day, Xiang Fei drove to Xiang Qiang's home.

"Ah Fei is here!" Madam Xiang warmly welcomed Xiang Fei inside. "Come in, sit down."

Xiang Qiang set down the Ming Pao newspaper in his hand and greeted him with a smile: "Perfect timing—try my newly arrived pre-Qingming Longjing tea."

Xiang Fei accepted the teacup; the tea's surface shimmered with an amber sheen: "Uncle Qiang, Auntie, I've come this time to take Xiang Zuo to Beijing."

"What?" Madam Xiang's eyes widened in shock. The teaspoon in her hand clattered onto the saucer with a "ding." Ignoring it, she shouted upstairs: "Ah Zuo! Come down quick! Your big brother is here!"

A muffled "thud" came from upstairs, followed by the sound of frantic footsteps. Xiang Zuo charged down the stairs with a head of disheveled hair, even wearing his slippers backwards: "Big brother!" His eyes were startlingly bright, like two small flames had been lit.

The next morning, Bai Long drove the black Mercedes and arrived punctually at the Repulse Bay villa. Zhou Huimin stood at the door with her belly, carefully supported by the housekeeper.

"Call me when you arrive." Zhou Huimin forced back her tears, her fingers trembling slightly in Xiang Fei's palm.

Xiang Fei placed a light kiss on her forehead: "Take good care of yourself."

At the airport, Xiang Qiang's family had long been waiting in the VIP lounge. Madam Xiang was busy stuffing all sorts of snacks into Xiang Zuo's suitcase: "Take all your favorites... and this ginseng tea, drink it when you're staying up late..."

"Mom!" Xiang Zuo protested helplessly. He had deliberately worn a newly bought leather jacket today and carefully styled his hair with gel. "I'm going for work, not a picnic! Besides, what's unavailable in Beijing?"

When the boarding announcement sounded, Madam Xiang finally couldn't hold back her tears. She dabbed at the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief: "Ah Zuo, listen to your big brother... eat on time... don't stay up late..." Her voice came in broken fragments, as if soaked through with tears.

Xiang Zuo nodded, his eyes rimmed red: "I know, Mom. You should head back."

Xiang Qiang patted Xiang Fei's shoulder. This man, who held half the entertainment world of Xiangjiang in his grasp, now spoke in a slightly hoarse voice: "Ah Fei, I'm leaving Ah Zuo in your hands."