Summer Camp Headquarters.
Wen Chaosheng stood uneasily outside the office door, his ears perked as he tried to eavesdrop on the conversation inside.
Half an hour earlier, Xi Zhui had led the charge into a brawl with Zheng Jiaxing and the others. Fortunately, a summer camp teacher had passed by, spotted them, and pulled the group apart just in time.
It was the last day of classes, so the parents had arrived quickly upon hearing the news. They were now inside the office, discussing how to handle the fight.
The office door had excellent soundproofing. Wen Chaosheng could only make out faint murmurs, which left him frowning in frustration.
Xi Zhui walked up and grabbed his wrist. “Wen Chaosheng, don’t just stand there. Come on over.”
“Hey—”
Xi Zhui tugged Wen Chaosheng toward the nearby play and rest area, but Wen Chaosheng’s eyes kept darting anxiously back toward the office door. His heart pounded.
From childhood to now, this was the first time a teacher had ever called his parents!
Xia Fengyi sat in a little rocking horse chair, clutching a yogurt box that was nearly empty. “Chaosheng, don’t worry! It’ll be fine! We won—and it was a total victory!”
At the end, he glanced smugly toward the far right with pride. “We’re awesome! Hmph!”
Zheng Jiaxing and his two companions were waiting off to the other side.
Compared to Xia Fengyi’s carefree attitude, those three looked disheveled and bruised—one of them was even tearfully wiping his eyes in fear.
Xi Zhui had beaten them soundly, and they’d already tearfully apologized once.
Creak—
The office door finally swung open, and the parents filed out.
Wen Chunshen, leading the group, spoke first. “Mr. Zheng, so we’ll each take our kids home, and we’ll call it even on this?”
“Of course. Our Jiaxing was in the wrong today. The grandparents spoiled him rotten. I’ll make sure to discipline him properly when we get back.”
Zheng Jiaxing’s father took the blame upfront, apologizing to Wen Chunshen and the others. “We’re truly sorry.”
The parents exchanged pleasantries, appearing quite amicable.
Wen Chaosheng stared blankly at his own mom and dad but didn’t dare approach.
Song Xuelan hurried over first, crouching down to comfort him. “Baby, you got scared, didn’t you?”
Wen Chaosheng’s eyes reddened. “Mommy, I’m sorry.”
Song Xuelan ruffled his hair, staunchly defending him. “It wasn’t your fault. You were right to protect your things. We don’t owe anyone an apology—the ones who should apologize are those kids who bullied you.”
Reassured and comforted, Wen Chaosheng sniffled and nodded. “Yeah.”
Soon, Zheng Jiaxing and the others were dragged over by their parents to apologize again, then hauled away ahead of everyone else.
“Tch!”
Xia Fengyi glared after them, his little mouth still running. “If I catch them bullying anyone again, I’ll beat them up next time too!”
“Enough! What are you so smug about? Is ganging up on people ever justified?” Xi Quxin swept his gaze over the three kids he’d watched grow up, lecturing them sternly. “Especially you, Xi Zhui. You’ve really got some nerve, huh?”
“I didn’t send you to taekwondo lessons so you could beat other kids black and blue!”
The campsite had surveillance cameras that had captured the entire fight. Zheng Jiaxing had indeed started it by bullying first, so his family—knowing they were in the wrong—had been unusually conciliatory.
Of course, Zheng Jiaxing was sturdy enough to take the beating without any serious injuries.
“…”
Xi Zhui kept a straight face, silently enduring the scolding without a word of explanation.
Xia Fengyi piped up indignantly. “Uncle Xi, Zheng Jiaxing and them started bullying Chaosheng first! We were just protecting our friend!”
Xia Yanchuan grabbed his own young son by the scruff of the neck. “I’ll drive you to the police station right now. Go on, show off your ‘friend-protecting fight’ in front of your mom—see if she doesn’t set you straight.”
“No way—”
Xia Fengyi deflated instantly and scurried behind Shen Zhaoye to hide.
Then his peripheral vision caught something, and he yelped in surprise. “Ah! Xiao Zhui’s arm is hurt!”
The parents’ expressions shifted at once.
Xi Quxin dropped his stern demeanor immediately. “Where? Quick, let me see.”
Hearing this, Wen Chaosheng pulled free from Song Xuelan’s embrace and rushed over anxiously. Sure enough, there was a nasty scrape on the back of Xi Zhui’s arm, already oozing blood.
Wen Chaosheng felt a surge of guilt—he knew Xi Zhui had gotten hurt protecting him in the fight. “W-What do we do?”
Xi Zhui wasn’t used to being fussed over by so many people. It felt awkward, especially seeing Wen Chaosheng’s miserable little face. He put on a tough front. “It doesn’t hurt.”
The ground at the summer camp was covered in gravel and pebbles, so a scrape like this was par for the course—a minor injury at worst.
Xia Yanchuan, the doctor, checked it over. “It’s okay, nothing serious. We’ll disinfect it with the first-aid kit in my car later.”
Xi Quxin breathed a sigh of relief. “Good. We can sort it out at home. Shen Ruo and the others are still waiting for us.”
The families had planned a group dinner that evening.
With his lecturing mood gone, Xi Quxin took Xi Zhui’s hand and added to Shen Zhaoye, “Zhaoye, your parents are still handling your emigration paperwork. Come home with us for now—they can pick you up later at Uncle’s place.”
Shen Zhaoye nodded, used to it. “Sure.”
…
The evening sun’s glow bathed the Xi Family dining room.
Wen Chunshen and Xi Quxin were drinking and chatting, while the four boys sat at a smaller table off to the side. They’d nearly finished eating.
Shen Zhaoye tapped open his smart watch, and Xia Fengyi immediately leaned in curiously. “What? What’d you record?”
“The fight video. I had Chaosheng hold the watch and film it.”
Shen Zhaoye had specifically given the smart watch to Wen Chaosheng to record as evidence, though it hadn’t been needed in the end.
After a dozen seconds of playback, Xia Fengyi shouted excitedly. “Whoa! Zhaoye, did you see that? My kick was so cool! Way cooler than Xiao Zhui’s taekwondo moves!”
He made a point of shoving the watch screen toward Xi Zhui, then praised Wen Chaosheng. “Chaosheng, you filmed it perfectly!”
“…”
Wen Chaosheng wasn’t thrilled by the sudden compliment.
He scooted over to Xi Zhui’s side. “Xi Zhui, does your arm still hurt? I’m sorry—it’s all because of me. Don’t fight with anyone else from now on, okay?”
“Doesn’t hurt.”
Xi Zhui’s arm had already been treated with medicine. “Stop apologizing. Finish your food quick.”
Wen Chaosheng eyed the several chunks of braised pork ribs still left on his plate and took a shallow breath. “Oh.”
He was too embarrassed to admit the maid auntie had given him too many ribs.
Determined not to waste food, he forced down two more pieces, but his stomach was starting to protest.
Finally, he stared at the remaining ribs in his dish and mumbled solemnly, “Sorry, ribs.”
“…”
Sorry for what?
Xi Zhui looked at Wen Chaosheng in bewilderment, baffled why anyone would apologize to pork ribs.
He asked, “Why are you saying sorry to the ribs?”
Wen Chaosheng explained earnestly, “Daddy says wasting food is wrong.”
Whenever he couldn’t finish something, he’d sincerely apologize to it.
“I can’t eat all the ribs. They’ll be sad if they’re thrown in the trash.”
“…”
Xi Zhui tried to wrap his head around Wen Chaosheng’s quirky logic.
A few seconds later, he picked up his own chopsticks and scraped all the leftover ribs into his bowl. “There. Now you don’t have to apologize to them.”
Wen Chaosheng blinked. “Huh?”
“I can finish them for you. But now you have to say something else. Say—” Xi Zhui prompted him, “Thanks, Xi Zhui.”
Wen Chaosheng caught on, his mouth curving into a smile. “Thanks, Xi Zhui.”
…
After dinner, Xia Fengyi pestered his friends to play video games.
Though Xi Zhui had stubbornly claimed otherwise, his arm wound kept throbbing with pain. He skipped the gaming and settled on the couch outside to watch a movie instead.
Before long, Wen Chaosheng came back upstairs, carrying his “lost and found” race car.
He walked over to Xi Zhui and held it out. “Xi Zhui, here—this is for you.”
Xi Zhui glanced down. “For me?”
“Yeah. You gave me a story picture book, so I have to give you a gift too.”
Wen Chaosheng paused, then shared the other news. “Mom said… tomorrow, I’m going back to Haishi City.”
Wen Chunshen and Song Xuelan had returned to the Imperial Capital because Grandpa Wen had been rushed to the hospital with a sudden illness. Now that the old man was stable, they needed to head back and resume prepping their new film project.
Tonight’s adult gathering was really a farewell dinner for their family.
Wen Chaosheng was too young to stay behind alone, so he had to go with his parents. With no time to prepare anything else, this was his gift for his very special friend, Xi Zhui.
“…”
Why was he leaving so suddenly?
Xi Zhui’s brow furrowed briefly, and the pain in his arm seemed to sharpen. After a moment’s hesitation, he accepted the gift. “Thanks.”
Seeing Xi Zhui take it made Wen Chaosheng happy. He sat down beside him. “You’re welcome.”
The movie continued playing on the screen.
Xi Zhui paid little attention to the plot, his mind lingering instead on Wen Chaosheng’s impending departure.
He turned to the boy, who was absorbed in the film. “Is this movie good?”
Wen Chaosheng answered honestly. “Yeah, that establishing shot earlier was really pretty.”
Even at his young age, professional terms slipped out effortlessly, absorbed from his surroundings.
Xi Zhui didn’t quite get “establishing shot” but pressed on. “Uncle Wen’s a big director. Do you want to be like him when you grow up?”
Wen Chaosheng nodded vigorously. “I do!”
Ever since he could remember, he’d loved stories—watching them, telling them, making them up.
When his parents brought him to sets, he’d sit glued to the monitor, watching scenes unfold in light and shadow, actors bringing characters to life. What other kids found boring, he’d watch rapt for an entire day.
Deep in Wen Chaosheng’s heart, a tiny seed had already taken root: he wanted to become an outstanding director and screenwriter like his parents.
Talking about his one true passion brought a spark to his face. “Xi Zhui, if I become a director someday, will you star as the lead in my movie?”
“…”
Wen Chaosheng’s sincere expression made Xi Zhui’s lips twitch into a grin; even the ache in his arm faded. “Sure.”
They chatted idly, following the movie’s somewhat obscure plot.
It was nearing nine o’clock when Song Xuelan came upstairs to call them.
Wen Chaosheng knew this signaled the goodbye. A pang of reluctance tugged at his heart.
He rose slowly from the couch and bid Xi Zhui a solemn farewell. “See you later, Xi Zhui. Thanks for being my friend.”
“Mm. See you.”
Xi Zhui was as curt as ever, seemingly engrossed in the movie. He barely even looked up.
Wen Chaosheng felt a pang of sadness and opened his mouth, but no words came out.
He could only bid farewell again to Xia Fengyi and Shen Zhaoye before obediently following Song Xuelan downstairs.
…
Wen Chunshen had called for a designated driver in advance, and by now the car had pulled up outside the Xi Family villa. Song Xuelan led her son into the back seat.
Wen Chaosheng rolled down the window and looked up toward the second floor of the Xi Family home.
The curtains seemed to have been pulled aside just a crack, but in the dim night light, he couldn’t make out anything clearly.
“Goodbye, Xi Zhui.”
Wen Chaosheng murmured the words so softly only he could hear them.
The designated driver had no idea about the bittersweet farewell unfolding in the back seat. He started the engine and drove away without mercy.
Night wind rushed in.
Wen Chaosheng reluctantly closed the window. “Mom, will we come back to the Imperial Capital during holidays from now on? I really like it here.”
Song Xuelan ruffled his hair. “Of course we will. Whenever you’re on break, as long as your dad and I have time, we’ll bring you back, okay?”
“Okay.”
Wen Chaosheng’s eyes brightened a little. “Then can I still hang out with Xi Zhui and the others later?”
Song Xuelan chuckled, finally seeing through her son’s thoughts.
He’d made some new friends and hated to leave them.
She was just about to reply when Wen Chunshen, who had drunk quite a bit up front, spoke up. “Uncle Xi is going to develop his business abroad, and he’s taking Xi Zhui and the others to study in Germany.”
The Shen Family already had ventures overseas, so Shen Zhaoye was heading out of the country too.
Xia Fengyi’s parents weren’t in a rush, but they planned to send him abroad for study trips every winter and summer break, so he could keep company with Xi Zhui and Shen Zhaoye.
“…”
Abroad?
Wasn’t that a terribly faraway place?
The spark of joy that had just lit up in Wen Chaosheng’s eyes faded away again.
Song Xuelan shot a helpless glance at her drunken husband up front. His words were honest enough, but they really killed the mood.
She pulled Wen Chaosheng into her arms and asked softly, “Baby, do you want to go study abroad like Xiao Zhui and the others?”
Wen Chaosheng shook his head and leaned silently against Song Xuelan.
In his small world so far, the idea of “studying abroad” had never crossed his mind. To him, home was wherever his parents were—somewhere he could feel truly safe.
“…”
If only he could have grown up in the Imperial Capital from the start.
That way, he could have become good friends with Xi Zhui early on, gone to kindergarten together, instead of only knowing each other for a few days before having to part.
These thoughts stirred the first true feeling of regret in Wen Chaosheng’s heart.
No one knows a child better than their mother.
Song Xuelan sensed her son’s sensitive mood and comforted him gently. “Don’t be sad. As long as our baby wants to, you’ll make even more friends in the future.”
“…”
“Your life is just beginning. As long as you and Xi Zhui don’t forget each other, you’ll have the chance to meet again someday.”
Wen Chaosheng mumbled a quiet “mm” in response, but in his heart, he resolved firmly:
He would never forget Xi Zhui.
Even if he made new friends down the line, Xi Zhui would always be his most important one.
