Chapter Fourteen: A New Home

In the days that followed, Yu Wen and his wife busied themselves in the provincial capital to make a living, while Yu Qian at home remained just as occupied. Though she no longer needed to practice her spoken English, it seemed her teachers had suddenly discovered her hidden potential, and began to push her relentlessly. She was always called on in class, her homework was marked with exceptional severity, and even her quiz papers were different from everyone else’s—markedly more difficult, as if elevated by two whole degrees. Somehow, the teachers had even persuaded the principal to let her participate in every competition. After school, there were rehearsals with the drum and bugle corps; when her class was responsible for the flag-raising ceremony, she was designated as the flag-bearer.

Weekends brought no respite; there were extracurricular activities and the Penguin chat group awaiting her. She still remembered the group’s mortified expressions when they’d first seen her calligraphy, as though she’d profaned a sacred brush—she’d felt unspeakably awkward. Now things had changed: Fuxi simply opened up a little pocket paradise, and every weekend night, as soon as she fell asleep, her spirit would be pulled into this private realm.

Chang’e taught her dance, with Su Daji as her assistant; Wang Xizhi was her main calligraphy instructor, supported by Yan Zhenqing; Gu Kaizhi led her in painting, with Wu Daozi as his aide. In addition, Yang Jian and his companions trained her in martial arts, while Li Bai and Du Fu would occasionally pop in to critique her poetry and lyrics.

Whether it was because Yaoyao and the others were giving her such thorough guidance, or because entering the pocket world didn’t disturb her sleep, Yu Qian always awoke in the morning full of energy, even after a whole night spent learning—sometimes she still had strength to go for a run. Over time, she developed the habit of early morning jogs.

Unknowingly, the entire semester slipped by. In the past, Yu Qian had always dreaded winter, bundling herself up in thick layers as soon as the cold set in. But this year, with her Cloud Brocade Robe, she felt no chill at all. Most of the clothes in her wardrobe still looked brand new; whenever she decided what to wear, the Cloud Brocade Robe would simply transform to match it. One robe in hand, and she owned the world.

When the final exams arrived, her test papers were finally the same as everyone else’s. Oddly, she found herself a little unaccustomed to this—they were almost too easy. After the exams, she went home without a single worry about her grades. If she couldn’t ace such simple papers after all these months of extra instruction, then all that tutoring would have been for nothing.

Missing her parents, whom she hadn’t seen for a month, and worrying over the shop’s business, Yu Qian decided to visit them in the provincial capital for a few days if the weather was cloudy, before returning to class. She hadn’t brought her usual clothes, only slung her guqin over her shoulder and boarded the bus to the city.

A minor mishap occurred when buying her ticket: the ticket seller thought she was too young and refused to sell her a ticket, no matter how sweetly she pleaded. In the end, she had to call Wen Yu and explain the situation before she could buy the ticket. Even on the bus, the attendant kept a close eye on her, afraid something might happen.

Yu Qian was helpless—so much for the surprise she’d planned for her parents. After a nap, she arrived at the city station, where Wen Yu was already waiting for her.

To her delight, she discovered her mother had come in a brand-new sedan—a seventy-thousand-yuan Toyota. Once in the car, Wen Yu filled her in on the past few months. Only then did Yu Qian realize just how well the shop was doing.

In the end, Lawyer Cao accepted a ten percent share. With that fifty thousand, plus a bit of working capital, Yu Wen bought out the shop entirely. He even took out a bank loan to purchase the two neighboring storefronts, expanding their space. They signed a long-term contract with the factory, so all their clothes were now produced there. Besides Wen Yu, they’d recruited three recent graduates from the Provincial Academy of Fine Arts as their initial design team. They invested in promotion, and with the support of both in-store and online customers, business was booming.

With solid finances, Yu Wen grew more confident in his decisions. In short, everything was moving in a positive direction—they even had their own car now. Wen Yu told her they were saving up to buy an apartment in the city center.

How wonderful, Yu Qian thought, her heart full of joy.

When she finally saw Yu Wen, she was overwhelmed. She hadn’t seen her father in ages. Though Wen Yu had occasionally returned home to keep her company, Yu Wen had been busy in the city ever since buying the guqin.

“Oh, my little girl is here!” Yu Wen scooped his daughter up in a big hug.

“Dad, I missed you so much!” Yu Qian replied, snuggling up to him.

“I missed you, too.” Yu Wen’s face broke into a wide grin. “You’ve grown taller, but why do you look even skinnier?”

“Of course I’ve grown! I’m five centimeters taller now!” Yu Qian beamed. She’d shot up five centimeters in just a few months, and was now 1.3 meters tall. At this rate, she’d certainly be over 1.6 meters as an adult—never destined to be short again.

Leaving the customers to the staff, Yu Wen refused to let go of his daughter, and took her aside to dote on her. The couple fussed over their daughter for ages, until Lawyer Cao, unable to stand their doting, shooed them home.

Yu Qian hadn’t seen the house in the Shuangyang District since they bought it, nor had she cared about the renovation—she’d left it all to her parents.

The renovation had aired out for half a year, and Yu Wen and Wen Yu had only moved in a few days prior. When Yu Qian walked in, she was surprised—she’d expected the solid-wood vintage style so typical of the era, but instead found a modern, minimalist design. The dominant color was a warm ivory; the living room had a white magnolia motif on the TV wall, and the plush fabric sofa practically swallowed her up when she sat down—so comfortable.

The kitchen was open-plan, visible from the dining area. She didn’t look into her parents’ room, but her own bedroom was decorated exactly to her taste: ivory wardrobe, ivory double bed, ivory vanity, soft yellow double-layer curtains, a pale pink desk, a brown instrument stand, and a porcelain-white bookshelf nearby.

At first glance, Yu Qian loved her room. With a gleeful cry, she threw herself onto the bed, soft and satisfying.

Seeing her daughter so happy, Wen Yu was pleased as well. She’d chosen the style herself, though the renovation company had warned it would look cold and unpopular.

How could it be cold? Once they moved in, adding their favorite furnishings and decorations piece by piece, the place felt warm and inviting.

A new home called for new furniture, and the Yu family was no longer strapped for cash. They’d bought the latest models of TV, refrigerator, and air conditioning, and selected high-quality, modern tables, chairs, and sofa.

While their daughter explored every nook and cranny of their new home, Yu Wen, seeing that his wife was with her, headed to the kitchen to prepare a feast.

When it came to cooking, though Wen Yu spent more time in the kitchen, it was Yu Wen who had the real skills. In her previous life, Yu Qian’s own talent as a cook had been entirely nurtured by her father.

Since his daughter’s visits were rare, Yu Wen carefully chose all her favorite dishes, while also considering his wife’s preference for lighter fare. In the end, the table was filled with both spicy Sichuan specialties and a variety of delicate Cantonese dishes.

Knock, knock, knock. Yu Wen rapped on the door, grinning at his wife and daughter lounging on the bed. “Dinner’s ready!”

When Yu Qian entered the living room and saw the table brimming with dishes, a wave of nostalgia swept over her. In her previous life, she’d gone a whole year without tasting her father’s cooking before he passed away; this was the very first time she’d had it again since her rebirth.