Passing the Year1
As the year’s end was approaching, Yan Qi’s Eldest Brother, Yan Yidong,2 rushed back from out of town. He was only home for a short while, but he got to meet Anzhi.
He had a serious, squarish face with deep-set features, sword-like eyebrows, and large eyes. He wasn’t one for smiling or talking carelessly,3 and even the twins didn’t dare act spoiled around him. He studied Anzhi thoughtfully for a moment, making her heart beat like a drum4 with nervousness.
Prompted by Auntie Xin, she called out weakly, “Eldest Uncle~”
At her words, the serious Eldest Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly, and a smile appeared.
Anzhi realized that all of Yan Qi’s brothers were very handsome when they smiled. Their features strongly resembled hers.
After smiling, Eldest Brother Yan didn’t say much more. He just patted the top of Anzhi’s head.
Anzhi blinked. Even the habit of patting heads is the same. Very much a Yan family trait.
After staying at home for a bit, Eldest Yan drove into the city to see Yan Qi.
Yan Qi was a little surprised to see him. “Eldest Brother?”
Eldest Brother Yan, Yan Yidong, was ten years older than Yan Qi. With their parents gone and their grandparents getting on in years, he had naturally taken on the role of head of the family. He had only entered university after leaving the military, after which he passed the exam to become a civil servant. He spent several years working in a grassroots directly-affiliated agency in a neighboring city, where his achievements were brilliant. Now, in his early thirties, he was already a division-level cadre.5
Nearly 1.9 meters tall, he was the tallest and most proper of all the siblings. When it came to his younger sister Yan Qi, he was all hundred compliances and hundred obediences6—a classic case of a sister complex.7
He’d heard that Yan Qi was raising a child, so he’d had the little girl’s family background thoroughly investigated. He felt they could easily get custody of little Anzhi. As long as his sister agreed, he would have his people handle it immediately.
Yan Qi was stunned. “Eldest Brother, Anzhi is a child, not a doll…” Eldest Yan indicated he saw no difference.
Yan Qi tried to reason with him, exasperated. “There’s no need. Things are fine as they are. I’ve already spoken with her father. She can just stay with me until she’s an adult.”
Eldest Yan was a bit confused, but he didn’t press the issue. He remembered what the Yan family’s Old Third8 had told him and asked, “Then why not just stay at home? Why move out? How can you take care of her all by yourself? You still have to work.”
“Is it because of your Eldest Sister-in-law? She’s not actually that difficult to get along with. She’s just exhausted from raising the kids…”
Yan Qi didn’t say it directly—that Anzhi wasn’t adjusting well to life at the Yan Family Old Residence. “I understand that, it’s not the problem… Anyway, I’m not used to living in the dorms at the station either, so it’s better for us to live in my apartment.”
“But I will need someone to help. I’m afraid I can’t do it alone. Eldest Brother, I need your help.”
Eldest Yan agreed without a second thought. “No problem. Tell me your requirements, and I’ll find someone for you.”
“It needs to be a woman with experience raising children. Not too young, maybe between forty and fifty. It would be best if she’s literate and can speak Mandarin without too heavy of an accent. She has to be patient and loving… with a gentle personality. Oh, and she has to know how to cook. She’ll need to stay for at least a few years, so she should be familiar with the surrounding area to make picking up and dropping off the child easier.”
Eldest Yan: …
He had no way out of the promise he’d just made. He could only nod.
A smile spread across Yan Qi’s face as she thanked him.
Eldest Yan thought for a moment, then asked tentatively, “You and that person surnamed Gao… are you really broken up for good?”
Yan Qi’s smile vanished.
Eldest Yan immediately backtracked. “I’m not trying to interfere, it’s just what Old Third was saying to me…”
Sorry, Old Third, but you’ll have to carry the pot9 for this one.
Yan Qi said coolly, “What other questions do you all have? Just ask them all at once. This happened over half a year ago. Is it really that interesting to take turns coming to me for gossip?”10
Eldest Yan cleared his throat. “Your brothers are just concerned about you. That Gao person wasn’t any good anyway. It’s better that you broke up. I never thought much of him. Our Xiao Wu is so outstanding, what kind of man couldn’t she have…?”
Yan Qi shot him a look. “You’re not about to introduce me to some young talent, are you?”
Eldest Yan, who had been caught red-handed: …
Yan Qi said casually, “I’ll say this one last time. I have no intention of dating right now. You all can stop worrying.”
Eldest Yan: “…Got it.”
Eldest Yan: “…Eldest Brother will remember.”
Eldest Yan: “…Don’t worry, Eldest Brother will help you find a suitable person.”
Yan Qi silently shot him another look. “And my work. Don’t interfere with that either. I can handle it myself.”
Eldest Yan nodded, his expression unchanged. “Of course.”
Unlike the gentle and tolerant person she was with Anzhi, or the poised and polite person she was with her colleagues, in front of her family—especially in front of an older, dependable brother—Yan Qi revealed some of the uncertainty of a young woman in her early twenties.
She said, “Eldest Brother, honestly, I don’t even know if my choice is right or wrong. But… this is what I want right now.”
Work hard, and take good care of Anzhi.
Eldest Yan clapped her on the shoulder. “Don’t think about all that. Your brothers support you.”
Yan Qi’s lips curved into a smile. She felt she still wasn’t mature enough, which was why she sometimes wanted to act spoiled and show her vulnerability to her brothers. This was likely a strength she drew from her harmonious family relationship.
But little Anzhi didn’t have that kind of luck. So, she wanted to become someone Anzhi could rely on and be vulnerable with, too.
After the Laba Festival, the New Year drew closer and closer. The kindergarten had long since let out for the holidays, and the twins’ early education classes were also on break. The children followed the adults around, preparing New Year’s goods11 and buying new clothes. Once the Little New Year12 had passed, Yan Qi finally got a break from work and went home. The Yan family’s Old Second, who was studying for a doctorate, and Old Third, who was studying for a master’s degree, had returned a few days before her. With her on vacation, the Yan family was finally all together.
The Yan family’s Old Second, Yan Yixi, was the only one of the four siblings who wore glasses. He was silent and of few words,13 with the air of someone scholarly and frail, refined and elegant.14 He was doing theoretical physics research at Beicheng University of Science and Technology.
He usually didn’t say more than three sentences a day and had no interest in playing with children. He would spend some time with Grandmother Yan every day, not speaking, just watching TV with her or listening to the old woman play the piano. The rest of the time, he stayed in his room, so quiet he was almost unnoticeable.
Yan Da Pang would cling to the Yan family’s Old Third, Yan Yinan, or to Yan Qi, but he rarely bothered Yan Yixi. Except, that is, when Yan Yixi would perform interesting “little magic tricks” for them.
That day, he took out a hard-boiled egg and a bottle with a narrow opening. He made a gesture to the children, indicating that he could put the egg into the small bottle.
The children were completely stunned into a daze15 by his claim.
They watched as he silently peeled the eggshell, tore a piece of paper into a long strip, lit it, and quickly dropped it into the bottle. As soon as the flame went out, he immediately placed the egg on the mouth of the bottle and removed his hand.
The children cried out, “Ooh! Aah!” The egg had actually gone inside! They all stared at him with expressions of awe and shock.
But when Yan Da Pang and Yan Xiao Pang asked him to do more “magic,” he fell silent again and didn’t explain how the trick he’d just performed worked. The Yan twins, bored, wandered off.
Yan Yixi’s lips curved in a faint smile. After cleaning up, he was about to leave when he noticed little Anzhi staring at him with a pair of dark and moist eyes.16
Yan Yixi was slightly taken aback. They stared at each other for several seconds before he finally spoke. “You want to know why?”
Anzhi’s eyes lit up, and she nodded vigorously.
Yan Yixi hesitated. “But you won’t understand even if I explain it to you.”
Anzhi tilted her little head, her eyelashes fluttering in confusion.
Yan Yixi was quiet for a few more seconds before saying, “Do you want to try?”
Her wine nests17 appeared as she grinned and nodded vigorously again.
When Yan Qi returned, she was amazed to find her second brother—the cool, taciturn top student—patiently explaining the concept of “pressure” to Anzhi.
On New Year’s Eve, the table in the dining room of the Yan Family Old Residence was full. A large spread of steaming hot, delicious dishes covered the table. With the lively Yan Yinan and the boisterous twins there to set the mood, everyone ate their reunion dinner amidst joyful sounds and cheerful laughter.
The adults talked and drank wine. The children were allowed to have juice. Anzhi sat next to Yan Qi, curiously staring at the large red wine glass and the small ceramic cup in front of her.
“Little kids can’t drink this,” Yan Qi said, turning to ruffle her hair before placing a piece of beef in her bowl.
Anzhi ate obediently. In the past, celebrating the New Year had just been her and her maternal grandfather. This was the first time she had ever eaten New Year’s Eve dinner and celebrated with so many people. She looked at Yan Qi’s smiling face and thought how wonderful it was to have met her.
After dinner, it was time to receive money to suppress the year/age.18 Just like the Yan twins, Anzhi received a red envelope19 from every adult. There were six in total, more than she could hold in her hands. Her face flushed red as she quietly thanked them. Amidst everyone’s teasing, she handed all the red envelopes to Yan Qi. Yan Qi smiled and said, “Okay, I’ll keep them safe for you.”
Afterward, the whole family gathered in the second-floor living room to watch the Spring Festival Gala20 with Grandfather Yan and Grandmother Yan while eating snacks. Like in any family, whenever adults were present, the children were called upon to perform. The Yan twins had a real talent for performing and, with no sense of shame21 whatsoever, they gestured their way through a dance to “Two Tigers.” After receiving a great deal of praise, they tried to pull Anzhi up to dance with them.
Anzhi pouted, her little face red like a thoroughly steamed little steamed bun,22 and hid in Yan Qi’s arms, refusing to come out. Yan Qi gently stroked her cheek and smilingly made excuses for her.
The author has something to say:
I made a military pledge:23 continuous updates for ten days. If I have a break in updates for even one day, I have to give every person in the small group 50 yuan. So that’s 17*50……
I feel like I’m going to have to take out a high-interest loan.
Please give me lots of support. (covering face and acting cute)
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