Chapter Twenty-Five: Midnight Conversations at the Qin Estate

After dinner, the family of five sat on small stools on the roof of the west wing, eating freshly picked apples, fanning themselves with cattail-leaf fans, and chatting in the cool air.

The night breeze rustled, insects chirped in the vegetable garden beyond the wall, and the clear sky overhead was studded with a vast expanse of stars.

Bian Xiaoqi sat next to Mother Qin and asked, "Auntie, is your maiden home also in Qin Family Village?" Mother Qin smiled and replied, "Xiaoqi, my hometown is over ten miles away from here."

"That’s quite a distance. How did you and Uncle Qin meet?"

"A woman from Qin Family Village had married into my home village. She kindly acted as a matchmaker and introduced me to your uncle."

"Was it love at first sight for you two?"

"Xiaoqi, that is a long story," Mother Qin sighed softly.

Qin Ke explained, "Xiaoqi, my maternal grandparents' family had a 'high' class status. My mother, my uncle, and my aunt were all denied the chance to go to school and had to work in the fields. When they came of age, no one wanted to marry into a family with a 'rich peasant' status, nor did anyone want to marry a daughter from one."

Bian Xiaoqi asked in surprise, "Was it really that serious?"

Mother Qin nodded. "Xiaoqi, back then, marrying into my family meant the next generation would also lose the opportunity for education and military service. I dropped out after elementary school. I loved reading, and seeing others continue their studies made me cry in secret at night, but who could I blame for our family's background? Later, I met your Uncle Qin. He was kind-hearted, diligent, filial, and optimistic. Most importantly, he didn't mind the status of my family."

Bian Xiaoqi looked at Father Qin and asked, "Uncle, weren't you worried back then that Qin Ke and Qin Yan wouldn't be able to go to school either?"

Father Qin replied, "Xiaoqi, I didn't think that far ahead at the time. Your aunt loved reading and was very capable—she could sew, knit, embroider, cook, and clean. When I was born, my two older sisters were already married. By the time I grew up, Qin Ke’s grandparents were quite elderly, and the family desperately needed a mistress of the house."

Qin Ke said, "I remember my grandparents; I was very young then, but they were quite old and in poor health. With a large family and not enough food, my mother would always serve the best portions to them first. Only then would it reach my father and me, and she wouldn't even touch a bite herself." As he spoke, his eyes welled up with tears.

Qin Yan added, "By the time I was born, both sets of grandparents had already passed away. I only remember my parents working incessantly, as if they had endless energy and an infinite amount of chores." She, too, began to choke up.

Mother Qin laughed softly. "Look at us, reminiscing about the bitterness of the past tonight."

Bian Xiaoqi was deeply moved and asked, "Auntie, in such difficult living conditions, what was in your heart?"

Mother Qin replied, "Xiaoqi, I just felt that diligence and filial piety were the natural order of things. Our generation’s fate was already sealed, but I didn't want the next generation to suffer the same. Although I didn't know if my children would ever have the chance to go to college, I knew that education would always be useful. I hoped Qin Ke and Qin Yan would study hard—partly to fulfill my own regrets, and partly to change their destiny through learning."

Bian Xiaoqi said, "Auntie, your wish has come true now; you don't need to have any regrets."

Mother Qin stroked Qin Yan’s hair with her left hand and held Bian Xiaoqi’s hand with her right. She smiled and said, "Yes, your uncle and I are so happy now, sometimes so happy we can't sleep at night. And I'm even happier now because Qin Ke has met such a wonderful girl like you."

Bian Xiaoqi smiled. "Auntie, Qin Ke is kind, sincere, diligent, optimistic, and smart. I just wonder if he will be as filial to my parents as he is to you."

Mother Qin laughed, "Xiaoqi, I know my own child. Qin Ke is a filial boy. Your uncle and I wouldn't mind if he treated your parents even better than he treats us. If he doesn't treat you well, you just tell me, and I'll deal with him."

Bian Xiaoqi replied happily, "Auntie, I really value your words, and I've taken them to heart."

Mother Qin continued, "The same goes for Qin Yan. I hope she will be even better to her future in-laws."

Qin Yan said shyly, "Mom, I’m still so young! You’re already thinking about marrying me off. I want to stay with you forever."

Mother Qin joked, "I have your sister Xiaoqi now, so that's enough for me." Everyone burst into laughter.

Mother Qin reminisced, "When Qin Yan was little, she was so frail. Who would have thought she’d grow up to be so tall?"

Qin Ke explained, "Xiaoqi, Qin Yan was a 'planned birth' baby. Family planning was very strict back then, so my mother had to hide at our distant aunt’s house just to give birth to her. It was over half a year before she could bring her back to Qin Family Village."

Bian Xiaoqi was astonished. "So, sister Qin Yan was traveling the world with Auntie even before she was born."

Qin Yan said, "Sister, I don't remember any of it."

Mother Qin sighed, "If we could have given birth to her at home, who would want to endure the hardships of being away? There’s no place like home."

Bian Xiaoqi asked, "Auntie, now that you've raised another top student, do you feel that all the suffering you endured was worth it?"

Mother Qin replied, "Xiaoqi, I didn't think that far ahead at the time. I just didn't want to arbitrarily 'plan away' a little life coming into our family. I just wanted Qin Ke to have a companion so he wouldn't feel lonely growing up."

Bian Xiaoqi asked Qin Yan, "Little sister, was your brother good to you when you were growing up?"

Qin Yan smiled and said, "Sister, my brother was wonderful to me. He never lost his temper. When my parents were busy in the fields, they would leave me in his care. He would hold me, carry me on his back, comfort me, and even cook for me."

Bian Xiaoqi said with a touch of regret, "I’m an only child; I never experienced the love of a brother or sister growing up."

Qin Yan laughed, "Sister, it’s all better now—you have my brother to take care of you. Isn't that right, brother?"

Qin Ke chuckled, "Little sister, don't be jealous when I take care of Xiaoqi."

Qin Yan teased, "I’m not jealous! You should treat her even better." Her remark made everyone laugh again.

***

That night, Qin Ke slept on the large heated brick bed with his parents, while Bian Xiaoqi and Qin Yan slept in the main bedroom.

Qin Yan brought out new towels, bath towels, shampoo, body wash, and slippers, leading Bian Xiaoqi to the shower room in the wing. She taught her how to adjust the hot and cold water, and Bian Xiaoqi enjoyed a refreshing solar-powered shower. To keep the mosquitoes away, Qin Yan hung up a white gauze mosquito net.

Dressed in their pajamas, the two leaned against the headboard and talked.

"Sister, you are so beautiful and have such a great figure. Everything looks good on you," Qin Yan said with a smile.

"Little sister, you are beautiful too. Look at your skin—it's so fair. After living in the city for a while, you’ll be absolutely stunning," Bian Xiaoqi replied.

"Sister, you’re so kind. I imagined that coming from a scholarly family, you must be a proud princess. Are your parents university professors? Are they hard to approach?"

"Little sister, my parents are kind, tolerant, and down-to-earth. They respect me, so my home atmosphere is very free, but they never spoiled me. Intellectuals are people too; they are just a bit more rational. When you enter university, don't be afraid to interact with your teachers. Those talented professors are always happy to help students who are eager to learn and ask questions. You are so smart; the teachers will surely like you. Little sister, between you and your brother, who is smarter?"

"Sister, my brother is smarter. I’m the hardworking, diligent type of student. When it comes to memory, I can't catch up to him. He doesn't even study that hard, but he could easily get into P University."

"Little sister, from talking with your parents, I understand why your family produced two top students. They are kind, optimistic, diligent, and generous. Hu Shi once said that the ultimate form of intelligence is kindness."

"And sister, the bottom line of freedom is tolerance."

The two girls looked at each other and laughed.

Before sleeping, Qin Yan said, "Sister, there’s a flashlight by the pillow. If you need to use the restroom at night, just wake me up; I’ll go with you. Don't be shy."

Bian Xiaoqi said, moved, "Little sister, I will."

On the brick bed in the other room, Qin Ke and his parents were also chatting.

Mother Qin said, "Xiaoqi’s family background is so good, and she’s so smart and pretty. I didn't expect her to be so reasonable and understanding."

Qin Ke said, "Mom, Xiaoqi is very talented too. I think she’s even more capable than my sister. With time, you and Dad will realize it."

Father Qin added, "You must continue to work hard, especially in your career."

Qin Ke replied, "Dad, when two excellent people meet, they can stimulate each other's greatest potential. I will live up to Xiaoqi’s affection."

Mother Qin advised, "You two must be considerate and understanding of each other. If there’s a conflict, don't argue; talk it out."

Qin Ke promised, "Mom, Dad, don't worry."

At dawn, a rooster crowed, waking Bian Xiaoqi. Seeing the faint light outside, she gently nudged Qin Yan. "Little sister, should we get up?"

Qin Yan laughed, "Sister, no rush. We’re at home; we can sleep as long as we want." And so, they went back to sleep.

After the third crow of the rooster, the parents and Qin Ke got up. Mother Qin told them to keep quiet so as not to wake Bian Xiaoqi. Qin Ke left with his father to the mountains, and Mother Qin began preparing breakfast.

When Bian Xiaoqi woke up again, the sun was already high. Sunlight streamed through the windows, filling Qin Yan’s room. She looked over and saw Qin Yan lying there, quietly listening to English on her portable cassette player through headphones. She had been awake for an hour, but stayed still to avoid disturbing Bian Xiaoqi.

Bian Xiaoqi said, "Little sister, you should have woken me up."

Qin Yan took off her headphones and smiled. "Sister, you're awake. It’s fine; waking up naturally is the most comfortable way."

Bian Xiaoqi quickly got up and walked into the courtyard, where she saw Mother Qin washing clothes by the well. She had already finished rinsing and was about to hang them on the line.

Bian Xiaoqi stepped forward and said, "Auntie, you’re up so early, and I’ve been sleeping in."

Mother Qin smiled, "Xiaoqi, you're up! You young people need your sleep. Your uncle and I are older, so we don't need as much."

Bian Xiaoqi helped hang the clothes and spotted her own dress, socks, and undergarments from the day before. She didn't even know when Mother Qin had entered the room to take them. "Auntie, you shouldn't have washed my clothes. I'm so embarrassed; I should have done it myself."

Mother Qin smiled, "Xiaoqi, we’re family now. Don't worry about whose is whose."

Qin Yan walked over and said, "Mom, let me help you with breakfast."

Mother Qin replied, "No need, it's already done. Once your father and brother return, we'll eat. You two go wash up."

After washing, Bian Xiaoqi climbed the cement stairs to the roof of the wing and took a deep breath of fresh air. Looking out, she saw the red-tiled houses of Qin Family Village wreathed in kitchen smoke, with cattle lowing and sheep bleating. Looking west, she saw their dog, Da Huang, running ahead, followed by Qin Ke and his father pushing a handcart. She hurried down and walked to the gate to meet them. Da Huang wagged its tail and whined happily as it saw her.

Seeing the cart filled with two large baskets of freshly picked apples, she laughed, "Uncle, you've picked so many! How will we ever eat them all?"

Qin Ke laughed, "Xiaoqi, it's market day in Qin Family Village. We’re taking these to the market to sell."

***

Back home, Mother Qin and Qin Yan had already set the table: fragrant wontons, golden-fried mantou slices with peanut oil, soft sweet potatoes, salty duck eggs, and a cold celery salad. Bian Xiaoqi’s appetite was piqued. She ate a bowl of wontons, two slices of mantou, a piece of sweet potato, and a salty egg, feeling quite full.

She laughed, "Auntie, if I stay here for a few days, I’ll gain several pounds! What shall I do?" The family laughed at her comment.

After breakfast, Qin Ke asked, "Xiaoqi, do you want to go to the market and sell apples?"

"How should we sell them?" Bian Xiaoqi asked.

Qin Yan smiled, "Sister, it means standing at the market and shouting to sell them."

Bian Xiaoqi mused, "Will that work? How long would it take to sell so many? How much are we pricing them at?"

Qin Ke replied, "Xiaoqi, I’m sure you’d be great at it. This is your specialty! You used to do B2B sales; today, we’ll do B2C. One point five yuan per jin—want to give it a try?"

Bian Xiaoqi smiled, "Right! How will I know if I can do it without trying? I’m sure I can, but I’ll need my sister to translate for me, otherwise, I won't even understand the customers!"

Qin Yan immediately agreed, "Sister, I’ll go with you."

Qin Ke laughed, "With two beautiful, talented women standing there, you’ll be the most beautiful scenery in the market today. We’ll be sold out in no time."

Bian Xiaoqi pondered for a moment and asked Qin Yan, "Little sister, we need a way to sell them quickly and at a good price. By the way, how many students from your high school got into T University this year? What rank were you?"

Qin Yan said, "Sister, I was the only one from Linshan No. 1 High School to get into T University, and I was ranked first."

Bian Xiaoqi’s eyes lit up. "Little sister, I have an idea. Do we have brush, ink, and red paper at home?"

Both Qin Ke and Qin Yan practiced calligraphy, so they had the supplies. Qin Yan brought out various brushes, black ink, and red paper used for Spring Festival couplets.

Bian Xiaoqi poured the ink and, with a few fluid strokes of the large brush, wrote four characters on the red paper: "Valedictorian Apples." The characters were round, elegant, and full of grace, reminiscent of the Zhao style.

Qin Yan exclaimed, "What beautiful writing!"

Bian Xiaoqi smiled, "Little sister, today, our apples are 'Valedictorian Apples'."

Qin Yan blushed, "Sister, is that okay? Isn't it a bit too showy?"

Bian Xiaoqi laughed, "It’s perfect! You study so well, why be afraid to let people know? If it helps the family, why not? Just watch how I handle the debut of these apples."

She had Qin Ke cut the Xuan paper into small strips, and she wrote numerous motivational quotes and verses about learning, such as "To read as many books as one is tall is like commanding an army of a hundred thousand," and "A sharp sword comes from grinding, and the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from the bitter cold."

She wrote with ease, using various calligraphy styles, all elegant and filled with scholarly charm. Qin Ke and Qin Yan were mesmerized. She signed every one, "A Note from Qin Yan," and stamped them with Qin Yan’s red seal.

"‘Valedictorian Apples’ deserve a valedictorian price," she said with a smile. "We’ll set the price at two yuan per jin. Anyone who buys over ten jin gets a ‘Note from Qin Yan’."

Qin Ke attached the red sign to a wooden board and praised, "Xiaoqi, this idea is brilliant. Little sister, a miracle is going to happen today."

Bian Xiaoqi then said, "Little sister, come, let’s change and put on some makeup."

Qin Yan laughed, "Do we really need to dress up to sell things?"

Bian Xiaoqi smiled, "Little sister, this is called a marketing strategy. If we look beautiful standing there, customers will naturally want to visit."

In the room, Bian Xiaoqi applied light makeup to Qin Yan, highlighting her deep, clear eyes and adding a touch of lipstick. She swept Qin Yan’s hair into a bun, revealing her elegant neck, and adorned her with a pearl necklace. She dressed her in a beige suit skirt and black heels.

Then, she did her own makeup, wore a navy blue silk dress and white heels.

This was the first time Qin Yan had ever worn makeup, a skirt, and heels. She was nervous at first, but Bian Xiaoqi taught her how to carry herself. Soon, she walked with natural grace. When Mother Qin saw them, she was stunned.

"Xiaoqi, you’re so beautiful. And Qin Yan... is this really you?"

Bian Xiaoqi smiled, "Auntie, sister was just a hidden gem."

Qin Ke laughed, "Mom, Dad, we won't have enough apples to sell today!"

Qin Ke pushed the cart, the two women held a parasol, and they headed toward the market. Even Da Huang followed along, seemingly captivated by the two beauties.