Good Time
Lin Bairan is now able to talk and laugh confidently in negotiations, no longer as hesitant and stumbling as he was when he first started learning.
However, in his position, he is uniquely leisurely.
Having some rare free time sounds like a good thing.
Lin Bairan glanced at his nominal deputy, watching her chat and laugh with the partners, and took another sip of his drink. Guiding, sharing the burden, or assisting? He couldn't remember what reason Jiang Moyun had given her to be sent over; it was just a pretext, ultimately just a way to divide power. It didn't matter. He wasn't interested in these things anyway. Since Jiang Moyun didn't need them, he didn't need to be persistent. He'd just consider it... a case of good intentions gone wrong.
Since he was being presumptuous, he can hardly blame others.
But she couldn't help but have wild thoughts, "If it were that person... would things be different now? If it were him, would you not have any doubts..." Lin Bairan drank the wine in his glass in one gulp. He drank it too fast, and the already mellow wine was almost too strong to drink. His face turned red.
He looked out the window, where a bright, clear moon hung in the sky. This was a moon beyond the reach of ordinary people, and since he had no elixir of immortality, he could never get close to it.
He only stole a little of the moon's gentle light, but life is precarious, and what doesn't belong to you can never be kept.
He gazed at the moon for a long time, drinking one cup after another. The effects of the alcohol had already begun to rise without him realizing it, and his vision became blurred.
My thoughts were interrupted by a concerned voice, "You seem a little drunk. Why don't you go back and rest? I'll be fine here." As soon as the deputy said this, the surrounding conversation paused slightly, and then a murmur of agreement arose.
"Yes, Mr. Kobayashi, you should go and rest."
"Mr. Lin is working himself to the bone; Mr. Jiang must be worried about him," someone joked, and the people around laughed.
Lin Bairan just smiled. He knew what people around him had been saying about him over the years: "gold digger," "pretty boy," and so on. There was no need to list them all.
Lin Bairan wasn't angry about it; it was just that the experience was quite novel for him. From childhood to adulthood, he had always been seen as a genius, winning numerous awards since he was young. When he chose not to pursue scientific research, professors and mentors took turns trying to persuade him to continue.
However, having witnessed his parents' infrequent meetings and yearning for freedom, he had little interest in this path and resolutely chose to give it up.
Moreover, if he is also away from home all year round, how lonely would Grandma be all alone?
After graduation, he took his money and went traveling, driving to western Sichuan. He didn't rush, didn't need to consider others, and didn't do any research. He rented a car, played some music, and just set off on his own.
Such a lovely place~
Such a lovely place~
He hummed a song as he chased the sunset along the highway. The wind rustled the grass, and he craned his neck to look into the distance. The clouds drifted aimlessly from the mountain peaks, and the birds, weary from flying, saw the sky ablaze with red clouds.
He parked his car by the roadside, leaned against it, and watched the clouds drift by, witnessing a rare and fortunate sunrise over the mountains. However, he appeared alone among the crowd watching the sunset. Seeing everyone around him in pairs, Lin Bairan gave a self-deprecating laugh and captured this precious moment with his camera.
"It'll happen again sooner or later," he thought angrily.
Later, we happened to stop in a small town that resembled a city in the sky. Low houses were scattered under a vast sky, the roads were muddy and winding, and the endless grassland stretched to the horizon where snow-capped mountains rose. It was so beautiful, like a painting, and even the wind carried the melodious sounds of folk songs.
Yak hotpot was also delicious; Lin Bairan ate a whole pot by himself.
The last stop was Daocheng Yading. The journey was really long, and it took half a day just to drive there. But the scenery along the way was truly beautiful—lush meadows, grazing cattle and sheep, and clouds so low they seemed almost within reach. Lin Bairan rested for a day in the surrounding area. When he went there the next day, the weather cleared up, sweeping away the gloom of the previous few days. The shimmering streams and the pale, suitable gold on the mountain peaks looked as if the gods had cast their gaze upon the human world.
It seems like even breathing here is done with reverence.
Otherwise, it's really hard to explain how the human body can feel so heavy, making every breath feel difficult, forcing one to cling to an oxygen tank to stay alive. Conversely, the eyes seem to be in heaven, a sight rarely seen on earth.
Perhaps the heavy human body has accumulated too much filth and dust, completely obscuring the delicate soul, leaving only the eyes as a small opening for the soul to perceive the world.
Therefore, they were even less willing to be confined to this decaying shell, and always let their imaginations run wild, wanting to pursue freedom.
Prayer flags fluttered, prayers rang out, clouds surged in the distance, and trees were lush and green. Lin Bairan suddenly felt that at this moment, his soul had been set free.
An elderly person nearby told him that he could make a wish here, and that as long as he was sincere enough, the gods would hear him.
Lin Bairan prayed silently for his family's happiness and well-being.
After a while, perhaps because he had been spurred on by those young couples, he made a greedy plea, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "God, please let me meet my destined love!"
He stood there, chuckled to himself for a while, and thought to himself that this journey should perhaps end here. So he happily returned to his hometown where he had grown up.
"Grandma, I want some plum juice!" Lin Bairan was happy to have the gifts he bought sent home in advance. As soon as he got back, he started throwing a tantrum, ordering his grandma around to do this and that for him.
Grandma scolded him, but she was actually happy. She hadn't seen her beloved grandson for two months, and although she received postcards from time to time, she still missed him terribly.
"Grandma made a lot of plum juice, enough for you. Look at you, you've lost weight and gotten so tanned after just one trip. You don't even know how to take care of yourself." Grandma held his face in her hands, looking him over with heartache.
Lin Bairan was craving something sweet, so he took a big gulp of plum juice to satisfy his craving before replying, "It's all because your cooking is so good. No food outside is as good as my grandma's. I can't even eat when I think about it." He blinked dramatically, making a tearful face.
"You're just teasing me," Grandma's wrinkles around her eyes crinkled with laughter, her face rosy. "Sit down and rest for a while, Grandma will go and make you something delicious."
"I knew Grandma loved me the most." Lin Bairan smiled smugly.
"Where are you planning to go next? How long will you be gone? Grandma will make some pea flour cakes beforehand so you can take them with you on the way."
"Grandma, I'm not leaving. I'll work in Beijing and come back to your place every day for a free meal." Lin Bairan held her cup, smiling broadly. "I want to drink more."
"I'm so hungry! There's some in the bottle, just pour it out yourself. I'm going to cook, don't let our little Bai starve to death." Grandma smiled and went into the kitchen.
Lin Bairan realized what was happening and almost choked. "Grandma! I'm not a dog!"
After all these years, Grandma's habit of teasing him remains unchanged.
Later, he happened to see Jiang's job posting. Thinking it was close to home and offered good pay, he submitted his resume on the last day. He then joined Jiang's. Although he was the youngest, he was always the leader of the project team, and no one dared to disobey him. This path is extremely dependent on talent, and he was fortunate enough to be blessed with abilities far exceeding those of ordinary people.
Later, as he gradually got involved in the business, although he was a bit inexperienced at first, he quickly picked things up. Of course, Jiang Moyun's help was undeniable, but his own resume was also impressive enough that few would question his abilities…
But all that is in the past; things have changed drastically in the last few years. For him, the dinner was truly unnecessary. Lin Bairan didn't bother staying either; after a polite farewell, he left without looking back.
In fact, he could have easily resigned from this position and devoted himself to research. There was no need for him to be a spineless mascot and invite ridicule for no reason.
Lin Bairan couldn't quite explain why he made that choice... Perhaps it was a touch of resentment, a reluctance to simply give up the only possible path to victory. Maybe he also harbored a sliver of hope, wanting time to prove his sincerity, which had long been evident in his words. He understood Jiang Moyun's caution; money and power were indeed things that people craved. Perhaps this was also important to Jiang Moyun, though it might seem a bit vulgar to her, but ultimately, people are inevitably driven by worldly desires.
But Lin Bairan knew very well that Jiang Moyun's ambitions lay elsewhere; he just didn't know why Jiang Moyun had chosen this path… There seemed to be no other explanation; ultimately, it was simply a matter of distrust. Lin Bairan didn't know what to do; he had already given his all.
The driver took him home; it was past 10 p.m., but no one was home. Jiang Moyun had gone to the United States on a business trip, and Ci Qing had gone with her to visit the school.
It was still afternoon there. He had just sent Jiang Moyun a text message: "Take care and rest over there. I'll make you your favorite soup when you come back. I really hope you can come home soon. I miss you."
"Every time I drink your soup, I feel all my fatigue disappear. You should go to bed early too, goodnight. I miss you too."
Seeing Jiang Moyun's reply, Lin Bairan couldn't help but smile and strode into the house. Only his youngest son, Lin Xihui, was home; he was five years old, the kind of boy everyone hates, and incredibly mischievous.
Lin Bairan felt a little better and started walking upstairs. He had originally planned to quietly push open the door to take a peek, but then hesitated, worried about waking her. Just as he stood at the door, Aunt Xue came over. "Sir, would you like to see Xiao Hui? Why don't you go and have some hangover soup and rest for a bit? Xiao Hui called Miss and the others earlier and was so excited. She just fell asleep not long ago, so she's probably not sound asleep yet."
Lin Bairan readily agreed, "Okay, thank you for your trouble." He smiled at Aunt Xue.
After drinking the warm soup, the burning sensation in my stomach finally subsided considerably, and my mind seemed to clear up a bit as well.
Lin Bairan scooped the soup listlessly with a spoon, his gaze seemingly fixed on something else, lost in thought. "I guess I don't need to follow up on that project anymore. The lab's tasks have been pretty simple these past few days, so the next few days will be quite quiet... My sister won't be back for another four days..."
"Sigh." He suddenly let out a long sigh, "So even if you're not doing scientific research, you still end up spending less and less time together." A look of melancholy crept over Lin Bairan, who rested his chin on his hand, feeling extremely annoyed.
Suddenly glancing up, Lin Bairan saw Aunt Xue still busy and quickly said, "Sister Xue, you should go and rest. It's so late, I'm going to sleep soon too, don't worry about me."
Aunt Xue was indeed sleepy, and yawned. She had been taking care of Lin Xihui all day, far less energetic than this little rascal, and was naturally exhausted. But looking at the drunk Lin Bairan, she still worriedly instructed, "Sir, don't take a bath after drinking. I've had a basin of hot water prepared; the temperature should be just right soon. Just wipe your sweat with a towel, don't go for a bath..."
Lin Bairan hadn't heard such nagging and caring advice in a long time, and her heart warmed. "Okay, okay, you should go and get some rest. I'll be home tomorrow too, and I'll take Xiaohui out to play. You can get some rest too."
After another round of earnest instructions, Aunt Xue returned to her room, and the empty hall became quiet once again, with only the occasional crisp sound of a soup spoon stirring. Lin Bairan couldn't help but think of his grandmother, who had passed away a year ago at the age of 83, a peaceful death.
It happened to be Chinese New Year, and the whole family went to Grandma's to get together. On New Year's Eve, a huge feast was to be prepared. Grandma was the main cook, Lin Bairan helped out, Jiang Moyun was handling the remaining tasks, and Ci Qing was playing wildly in the garden with Xi Hui. That mischievous child, Lin Xi Hui, ran off to catch chickens without being watched, scaring the neighbor's chickens so much that they didn't lay any eggs that day. In the end, Lin Bairan had to drag her away to apologize to the neighbor.
It was bustling and lively everywhere. Lin Bairan even showed his grandmother the soup recipe he had just learned to make.
His parents rushed home in the afternoon, bringing him gifts as always. Besides him, Jiang Moyun also received one, and Ci Qing and Xi Hui each had some interesting trinkets. However, he was still accompanied by someone. As a child, Lin Bairan only found this strange, but later learned it was to prevent leaks.
The first time Lin Bairan came out of the kitchen, he found his parents and Jiang Moyun sitting silently on the sofa, looking at each other. Seeing him, they all looked at him pleadingly, so Lin Bairan had no choice but to go over and start a conversation. The second time he came out, they finally started chatting. Most of the time, Jiang Moyun shared about her daily life, while his parents listened attentively. Although his parents rarely came home, and they hardly spent any time together, causing some awkwardness, it was still a harmonious scene.
After dinner, Ciqing and Xihui said auspicious words to ask for red envelopes, saying they wanted to take the money to set off firecrackers.
"Happy New Year, and may you prosper!" Ci Qing was already a 17-year-old young lady, graceful and elegant. "I wish my great-grandmother good health and boundless happiness..." She had already thought of what to say and smoothly offered her New Year's greetings one by one.
"Happy New Year, wishing you prosperity." Lin Xihui imitated her sister's gesture of bowing, diligently parroting her words. However, due to the vast difference in their cultural levels, she couldn't keep up. She just mumbled down what she didn't remember, while secretly checking to see if anyone had noticed her slacking off.
He thought he had put on a good act and looked smug.
Grandma, being the mischievous old lady, certainly wouldn't miss such an opportunity to tease a child. She gave Ciqing a thick red envelope and patted her hand, saying, "Our Ciqing is growing more and more beautiful, and her grades are excellent. She's definitely destined for great things in the future."
"Thank you, Great-Grandma, I love you." Ciqing returned a huge hug, took the red envelope, happily stepped aside, and went to collect red envelopes from her grandparents.
Lin Xihui also eagerly came over, holding up her little hand for a red envelope, "Me, me, great-grandmother, do you think I'm getting prettier and prettier?" she said mischievously.
Grandma laughed heartily, pinched his cheek, and said, "Of course, this is the second most handsome boy in our family. Would you like to wish your great-grandmother a Happy New Year again, little handsome boy?"
"Of course... I can." Lin Xihui hesitated, struggling to recall. In this dire situation, she couldn't even think about competing with her father for first place. "I wish Great-Grandma good health, happiness as vast as the sea... and joy and happiness!" Unable to think of anything else, Lin Xihui simply started improvising.
Everyone around burst into laughter.
"It should be 'May your fortune be as vast as the Eastern Sea,' not 'vast sea,'" Jiang Ciqing corrected her younger brother, both amused and exasperated.
Lin Xihui stuck out her tongue and lied through her teeth, "My ocean includes all the oceans, this is my exclusive enlarged version."
"Okay, how about Great-Grandma gives you an extra-large red envelope too?" Grandma smiled, happiness accumulating at the corners of her eyes, forming wrinkles.
It was actually just a regular red envelope, and his was much smaller than his sister's, but Lin Xihui was still very easy to fool at this time. "Thank you, Great-Grandma! I love Great-Grandma the most!" Lin Xihui gave her a kiss on the cheek and happily accepted the red envelope.
"Grandpa and Grandma also have big red envelopes, Xi Hui, do you want one?" His parents teased him with red envelopes as well.
"want to!"
"I heard Xi Hui has learned to play the violin. How about she performs a piece for Grandpa and Grandma?"
...
A rare scene of family reunion.
That evening, Lin Bairan was called over by his grandmother alone, who secretly slipped him a large red envelope. He complained that the elders still treated him like a child, but he was overjoyed. He put the red envelope under his pillow and fell into a deep sleep while holding Jiang Moyun.
May it always be like this, with each year bringing new changes to the seasons.
The next day, Lin Bairan woke up early but didn't see his grandmother. He felt something was wrong and knocked on the door, but she didn't answer. Opening the door, he found his grandmother sleeping peacefully in bed, a happy smile on her lips.
Grandma passed away in her sleep.
Their custom is that no ancestral worship is allowed during the New Year, and Grandma always valued these traditions. So, apart from a small celebration the first year, Lin Bairan could only cook the same soup every year afterward, silently remembering her in his heart.
Grandma passed away peacefully, but... the longing is unbearable.
He hadn't tasted such delicious pea flour cake in a long time.
Those who left departed cleanly, leaving only the suffering behind.
...
Lin Bairan tilted his head back and finished the now-cold soup in one gulp. He glanced at the calendar on the wall; the New Year was just over a month away.
His grandmother loved plum blossoms most of all, and he should pick a sprig for her. He remembered there was a plum tree growing outside the house, and when he was a child, his favorite thing to do in winter was to build a big snowman with his grandmother under the tree. Lin Bairan looked out the window, wanting to see that red plum tree again, but it was already late, and through the window he could only see the empty living room and his lonely reflection. Dissatisfied, Lin Bairan pushed open the window, and a biting cold wind greeted him, instantly killing his drunkenness.
I opened my eyes against the cold wind, only to be met with a vast expanse of white desolation and bare tree branches.
He was suddenly stunned.
Where will I be when I wake up from my drunken stupor tonight?
Willow banks, dawn breeze and waning moon.
Years have passed since then.
It should be a beautiful day but a wasted opportunity.
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