[040] Showing Affection

As they approached the school gate, they noticed a white BMW sedan parked outside. Its sleek lines and gleaming paint naturally drew the attention of passing students and teachers, who couldn’t help but steal a few extra glances.

Shen Mo whispered, “That’s the one.”

Fang Chang’an nodded, well aware that the people inside the car were probably sizing him up as well. He said nothing more. As they neared, the passenger door swung open and Cheng Mengfei stepped out gracefully, her light-colored dress fluttering gently. She waved to the two of them.

The driver’s door opened as well, and a young man stepped out—polished shoes, pressed trousers, shirt, and neatly combed short hair. He stood just over one meter seventy-five, not especially handsome, but his refined, gentle demeanor left a pleasant impression.

Fang Chang’an knew that the seat behind the driver was the place of honor. However, in Shen Chengyan and Cheng Mengfei’s eyes, he shouldn’t have known this detail, and besides, such formalities hardly mattered when giving him a ride. Shen Mo was already heading toward Cheng Mengfei, and as Shen Chengyan got out of the car, Fang Chang’an thought it best not to follow Shen Mo but instead walked toward the left side of the car.

Shen Chengyan had finished appraising Fang Chang’an. He opened the rear door and beckoned him over. “Fang Chang’an, right? Sit over here.”

“Ms. Cheng.”

Fang Chang’an walked over to greet Cheng Mengfei first, then gave a polite nod to Shen Chengyan. “Hello, Mr. Shen.”

Shen Mo, who had just greeted her aunt and was about to get in the car, paused in surprise at this formality. Her clear eyes brimmed with confusion.

Wasn’t this different from what they’d agreed on?

Shen Chengyan was also momentarily taken aback, not expecting to be addressed as “teacher,” but he let it go for now. “Hello, hello. Have a seat.”

Fang Chang’an slid into the car, and as he turned his head, he caught sight of a few figures darting at the mouth of an alley beyond the school gate. When they noticed him looking, three of them quickly ducked behind one another, blocking his view.

Even with just a fleeting glance, Fang Chang’an recognized them as Chang Wei, Liu Yan, and Zhao Xu. He found it amusing—he’d casually mentioned something to scare them last night, and now these three little rascals were waiting after school to verify it.

All the better; this would be more convincing than showing off on his own.

Shen Mo climbed in and closed the door, then turned to Fang Chang’an. “Why did you call him Mr. Shen? My uncle isn’t a teacher.”

Fang Chang’an scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed. “I wasn’t sure what to call him.”

“You should call him Uncle,” Shen Mo said.

“I was afraid I’d get mixed up with you,” Fang Chang’an replied.

Both Shen Chengyan and Cheng Mengfei laughed. Cheng Mengfei said, “Mr. Shen is a good title too, isn’t it, Mr. Shen?”

As Shen Chengyan started the car and drove forward, he smiled. “Why call me a teacher? The word makes me nervous. Uncle Shen is fine.”

“Alright, Uncle Shen,” Fang Chang’an replied.

Cheng Mengfei shot her husband a sidelong glance. “Nervous at the word teacher? What are you afraid of?”

“Who do you think I mean?” He grinned.

It was clear that the young couple had a good relationship, openly displaying their affection even in front of the two children, with little regard for decorum.

Fang Chang’an looked at Shen Mo, who was smiling with her lips pressed together. She didn’t seem bothered by their display of affection—likely she was used to her aunt and uncle’s dynamic.

As he drove, Shen Chengyan asked Fang Chang’an, “So, where’s your family from, Chang’an?”

“Majiagou, southwest of here—about ten miles, I think.”

“I remember now. Your village chief is Ma Zude, right?”

Fang Chang’an put on a thoughtful look, then replied, “I think so, but I don’t really know him... Do you know him, Uncle Shen?”

“I’ve met him a few times.”

“Oh.”

Shen Chengyan was only making small talk to put Fang Chang’an at ease and didn’t pursue the conversation further, nor did Fang Chang’an, and they rode in silence.

“Uncle, what’s for lunch?” Shen Mo asked.

Cheng Mengfei turned and smiled. “What would you like?” She turned to Fang Chang’an. “How about you, Chang’an? Is there anything you don’t eat?”

Shen Mo quickly piped up, “He likes shredded potatoes.”

She looked at Fang Chang’an expectantly, as if seeking confirmation.

Fang Chang’an smiled, playing the part of the slightly reserved but well-mannered student. He tentatively asked, “Ms. Cheng, is lunch not ready yet?”

Cheng Mengfei laughed as she tucked her hair behind her ear. “It should be ready. I just hadn’t had a chance to ask before. Next time, I’ll know what you like and what you don’t.”

Fang Chang’an smiled. “I’m not picky. I eat everything.”

Cheng Mengfei nodded and teased Shen Mo, “Unlike you, who won’t eat this or that.”

Shen Mo pouted. “I eat everything too.”

Then, seeing her aunt about to speak, she quickly amended, “Except onions, ginger, and garlic.”

“Then you don’t eat everything, do you?”

Shen Mo pursed her lips and fell silent, while Fang Chang’an silently thought, “Actually, I don’t like them much either.”

As they passed through the town center heading east, Fang Luguo’s home was also in that direction, but while his house was south of the residential road at the town’s eastern edge, Shen Chengyan drove north.

He didn’t drive fast, and after about ten minutes, they slowed in front of a row of two-story Western-style houses. They pulled into one with its gate left open and parked in the yard.

Fang Chang’an noticed the house number—29—and tucked it away in his memory.

“We’re here,” Cheng Mengfei announced, turning to look back. Fang Chang’an answered and got out on one side with Shen Mo on the other.

The yard wasn’t large, perhaps because of the porch added to the front of the house. With a car parked, it felt a bit cramped. There were two large potted plants on either side of the porch, and more small pots beneath the eaves. The living room door stood open, and as they approached, a middle-aged woman in an apron emerged to greet them.

Shen Chengyan beckoned Fang Chang’an inside. Fang Chang’an nodded politely, glancing at the woman. Shen Mo whispered, “That’s my aunt’s housekeeper.”

“Hello, ma’am,” Fang Chang’an greeted her.

She answered with a friendly but uncertain “Oh,” as if unsure how to respond. Cheng Mengfei and Shen Chengyan invited Fang Chang’an inside. “Is lunch ready?” they asked.

“All done, except the soup still needs a bit more time,” the housekeeper replied.

“No problem, let’s start first,” Cheng Mengfei said.

The living room was spacious, decorated in a European style. To the left of the entrance, against the wall, was a sofa and coffee table; to the right, a dining area with a long table and chairs.

“The restroom is over there. Wash your hands before you eat,” Cheng Mengfei said, pointing to the public washroom near the spiral staircase. Fang Chang’an nodded and went with Shen Mo to wash up. From outside, he heard Cheng Mengfei say, “Shall we eat at the coffee table instead? I don’t like eating in the dining room.”

“Will everything fit?” Shen Chengyan asked.

“If not, we’ll make do,” she replied.

“Alright then.”

When Fang Chang’an came out after washing his hands, Cheng Mengfei was waiting. She pointed to the sofa and patted his head. “Go sit, lunch is almost ready.”

He had just sat down when Shen Chengyan came over with two plates. Seeing Fang Chang’an about to get up, he quickly said, “No need, just sit.”

But Fang Chang’an followed him to the kitchen anyway. “I help out at home too.”

Shen Chengyan, a good-natured man, either didn’t notice or didn’t mind. He turned and asked Fang Chang’an, “Do you cook?”

“I do, sometimes,” Fang Chang’an replied with a smile.

Shen Mo appeared from the washroom, surprised. “You know how to cook?”

“Mm-hmm!” Fang Chang’an responded, and took a plate of stir-fried pork liver from the kitchen. Cheng Mengfei was sitting and chatting with Shen Mo; seeing him, she waved him over and asked, “So you really cook?”

“Yes,” he replied, sitting on the west side. “When my parents are working in the fields, I make simple meals—just heat up leftovers or make some porridge. I don’t really cook anything complicated myself.”

Cheng Mengfei nodded, satisfied. Shen Mo glanced at him but said nothing more.

Shen Chengyan brought out a bowl of braised pork and set it on the table. With six dishes and all the tableware, the coffee table was crowded. “Eat up, eat up! Five classes in the morning—you must be starving. I don’t know how your school arranges things.”

Cheng Mengfei shot him a look. “Maybe you should go and make suggestions.”

“As long as you’re not teaching, why should I care? Besides, students should learn to bear a little hardship,” Shen Chengyan said.

Fang Chang’an grabbed a big steamed bun in one hand and used chopsticks with the other, slowly eating a piece of stir-fried pork liver. Cheng Mengfei smiled and asked, “How is it? I cooked that dish.”

Fang Chang’an nodded enthusiastically. “Delicious!”

“Eat more, then,” Cheng Mengfei encouraged.

He nodded, then asked, “Ms. Cheng…”

“Yes?”

“Did you and Uncle Shen fall in love and get married on your own?”

Cheng Mengfei hadn’t expected such a question and was surprised into laughter. “We did. How did you know?”

Fang Chang’an smiled. “I guessed.”

Shen Chengyan, gnawing on a bun, looked equally surprised. “You could tell? How?”

“It’s not really a guess—you can see it. It’s different,” Fang Chang’an replied.

Shen Mo, gnawing on a bun and a piece of braised pork, looked at her uncle and aunt with curiosity, but couldn’t see what was different.

But Shen Chengyan and Cheng Mengfei understood. They’d been together since their student days, from school uniforms to wedding attire, so their way of interacting had become second nature. Fang Chang’an’s innocent remark, “You can see it, it’s different,” made them realize with a start that their familiar affection was, to others, a clear display of love.

The young couple exchanged a glance, feeling a quiet happiness and a newfound affection for this unrelated child.

Cheng Mengfei, though pleased, still wanted to keep up her image as a teacher. She glared at him. “What does a child like you know about love? Eat your food!”

Fang Chang’an replied with an obedient “Okay,” and bent his head to eat. After a while, he looked up and quietly asked Shen Chengyan, “Uncle Shen, Ms. Cheng reacted so strongly... You didn’t start dating early, did you?”

“Huh?”

Now Shen Chengyan was even more astonished. He looked from his wife to Fang Chang’an, intrigued. “Well, aren’t you a sharp one for your age. Let me tell you, when I started courting your Ms. Cheng, it was back in high school—”

Cheng Mengfei interrupted him with a laugh and a gentle scold. “He’s just a kid! Why are you telling him that?”

“What’s wrong with that?” Shen Chengyan grumbled. “When I fell for you, I wasn’t much older than him… How old are you, son?”

“Twelve.”

“That’s about right. I was about your age when I first met Ms. Cheng.”

Getting more and more animated, Shen Chengyan was cut off by Cheng Mengfei, who said, “Shen Chengyan, enough! If you lead my student astray, you’ll answer to me!”

Shen Chengyan looked at Fang Chang’an, clearly disappointed at being silenced just as he was getting started. But seeing his young niece’s bright eyes, he realized it wasn’t appropriate to share such stories with children. “Alright, alright. At your age, you should focus on your studies. I’m just a bad example—don’t follow me. Is that better?”

Cheng Mengfei gave a soft humph and glared at Fang Chang’an. “Hurry up and eat.”

Her tone was less formal than before, which only made her seem warmer.

Suddenly, the sound of a bicycle stopping came from the yard, followed by a call, “Chengyan, are you home?”

“Who is it?” Cheng Mengfei asked, surprised.

Shen Chengyan shook his head, set down his bun and chopsticks, and went out. Conversation drifted in from the entryway.

“Oh, you’re eating?”

“Come in, come in.”

“No, no, we’ve already eaten…”

There were three voices. Cheng Mengfei seemed to recognize them and told Fang Chang’an and Shen Mo to continue eating, then stood to greet the guests.

She reached the door just as two men entered with Shen Chengyan. The first, about his age and smartly dressed, and the second, in his forties with a simple, honest face and carrying a bag of cigarettes and liquor.

Cheng Mengfei greeted the first man, whom she knew, while Shen Chengyan introduced the other. “This is Secretary Ma from Chang’an’s village…”

He paused and turned to look at Fang Chang’an. “Chang’an, do you know him?”