The Game of Life

Employees who don’t get paid had the day off, yet the boss had to work; Jiang Feng thought he might be the most considerate and conscientious capitalist boss in the world.

The great-aunt and others were still cleaning up the battlefield, Jiang Zaidi and Jiang Shoucheng were still enjoying their leisure time after dinner, while the active chefs from Taifeng Building, Jiang Feng, Wu Minqi, and Jiang Jiankang, had to rush back to begin the evening shift.

On holidays, evening business at the restaurant is always particularly busy.

It might be because he had lunch late enough or dinner early enough, but even when Jiang Feng worked overtime until past ten o’clock, he didn’t feel hungry. On his way home, when he accidentally ran into a fellow 996 employee who also had to work during the Mid-Autumn Festival, Jiang Feng even felt a sense of empathy.

The 996 employee thought the same, believing that on this joyous festival where families gather to eat mooncakes, this destined-to-be-desolate street would only have him, a dog working overtime— no car, no house, no girlfriend, but with money.

Surprisingly, the kid who used to show off his love every day on this street was working overtime just like him on Mid-Autumn Festival, and this time, without his girlfriend by his side.

Indeed, who would have a girlfriend willing to wait for a boyfriend who has to work overtime on Mid-Autumn Festival?

At that moment, the 996 employee even wanted to approach Jiang Feng and say hello, to chat about life and dreams, and to inquire about the employee benefits in his company.

The 996 employee gave Jiang Feng a smile.

The 996 employee also stopped and was ready to speak, pondering whether to say “hi” or “what a coincidence.”

“Fengfeng,” Wu Minqi, who had forgotten her bag and had gone back to get it, ran towards Jiang Feng, “I also brought a bottle of blueberry wine, let’s go to the pavilion downstairs later to drink and admire the moon.”

The smile on the 996 employee’s face suddenly twisted, the goodwill retracted, and his gaze turned cold. He stepped forward as if everything just a moment ago had been Jiang Feng’s illusion.

The 996 employee passed by Jiang Feng and Wu Minqi with a cold face.

Jiang Feng: ???

“What’s wrong?” Wu Minqi saw Jiang Feng continuously looking back at the familiar looking office worker who had just passed by and casually asked.

“Nothing, it’s just that he seemed to have something to say to me just now,” Jiang Feng said.

Wu Minqi also glanced at the lonely and desolate, yet somewhat forlorn, backdrop of the 996 employee, “Maybe you saw it wrong. Let’s hurry back, we should make the most of our time to enjoy the moon at the pavilion.”

“Are we really going to drink and admire the moon?” Jiang Feng stated that he had grown up observing many Mid-Autumns, eaten countless mooncakes, but never experienced this textbook ancient style of moon appreciation. ŕà𐌽ô𐌱Е𝘚

“The moon is so beautiful tonight, and I’ve never tried drinking and admiring the moon,” Wu Minqi said with a smile.

“Then let’s give it a try today,” Jiang Feng took Wu Minqi’s hand.

On the long street, only the two of them remained, their shadows elongated by the streetlights as if they were as long as the street itself, tightly connected, and walking side by side.

jJiang Feng had never understood why, in the precious real estate of Beiping City where every inch of land was gold, instead of focusing on greening areas, they built a pavilion that stood out so starkly in a residential area. But when Jiang Feng and Wu Minqi entered the pavilion, found a spot where they could sit and look up at the night sky, Jiang Feng immediately understood the purpose of this pavilion.

For romance.

The silence, the absence of lights, and the seating available made it a very suitable place for romance.

But today, Jiang Feng wasn’t there for romance. Romance can happen anywhere, like the kitchen, at home, on the streets, but moon appreciation isn’t the same everywhere.

How could something as refined as moon appreciation be defiled by something as vulgar as romance?

Wu Minqi didn’t just bring blueberry wine; she also brought two small wine glasses.

One pink, one blue, shallow, with patterns of peach and plum branches on them, even if filled to the brim they might only hold as much as a small wine cup, which perfectly matched the theme of moon appreciation.

Wu Minqi poured a small half-cup of wine for herself and Jiang Feng, and they sat side by side to watch the moon. The blueberry wine from Taifeng Building, although a fruit wine, had a high alcohol content, and both Wu Minqi and Jiang Feng had a moderate tolerance to alcohol, so even half a cup made them slightly tipsy.

In the sky hung a full moon, shining, full, and without stars.

It was a full moon, yet it seemed a bit lonely.

A breeze blew by, clearing Jiang Feng’s slightly tipsy head.

He looked at Wu Minqi, who was looking up at the moon with a smile on her lips, right by his side.

Just an arm’s length away, just a tilt of the head was all it took to lean on his shoulder.

Jiang Feng knew, it was time.

Moon appreciation could happen anytime, but the chance for romance, if missed, might not come again.

“Qiqi,” Jiang Feng looked at Wu Minqi.

“Hmm?”

“The moonlight tonight is beautiful.”

Wu Minqi, slow to react because of that small half-cup of blueberry wine, thought the sentence sounded familiar but couldn’t recall where it was from. She was about to ask Jiang Feng what he meant when she noticed his face was very close to hers.

Close enough to feel each other’s breath.

Jiang Feng leaned in and kissed her.

Their lips met.

…

Ji Xia followed Jiang Junlian and Jiang Junqing to the pavilion in the residential area – she didn’t want to go at first. Jiang Feng had told her to be back by nine-thirty, and now it was almost eleven as she wandered around the neighborhood. Like every child who returns late, she was both excited and apprehensive about being scolded by her guardians.

“Sister, why aren’t we going home? What are we doing at the pavilion?” Jiang Junqing didn’t want to go to the pavilion either. She was too tired from going out, having had roast duck, braised meat, Beijing-style pork strips, bone sauce, and duck bone soup. All she wanted to do was go home and sleep.

“Let’s take a look; we haven’t visited the pavilion yet.” Compared to the listless Jiang Junqing and Ji Xia, Jiang Junlian could definitely be called energetic.

“Wait.” Ji Xia stopped in her tracks, “There seems to be someone in the pavilion, ah, it’s Master and…”

Ji Xia’s mouth was covered by Jiang Junlian who also muted the microphone.

“I suddenly feel like there’s nothing interesting about this pavilion. Let’s go,” Jiang Junlian’s survival instincts kicked in as she, together with Jiang Junqing, dragged Ji Xia away.

Interrupting others during a romantic encounter could have serious consequences.

Ji Xia parted with Jiang Junlian and Jiang Junqing in the elevator and returned home.

Coming home at eleven o’clock is a big deal for a sixteen-year-old girl.

Ji Xue was still cooking soup in the kitchen when Ji Xia approached the doorway, feeling somewhat nervous: “Sis… I’m back.”

“Did you have fun?” Ji Xue asked.

“Fun… yeah.” Ji Xia breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Ji Xue wasn’t questioning why she came back so late, “Um, Sis, could I have my phone? I want to call Grandma.”

Ji Xue paused for a moment: “It’s so late, Grandma must be asleep by now.”

“I just want to try and see; the phone’s downstairs so she won’t hear it if she’s asleep.” Ji Xia’s grandmother didn’t use a mobile phone because she didn’t know how, so there was only a landline at home.

Ji Xue took out the phone and handed it to Ji Xia, who took it and whispered, “Sis, happy Mid-Autumn Festival.”

“Happy Mid-Autumn Festival.” Ji Xue smiled.

Ji Yue was right; unless there is deep hatred, sisters won’t harbor unsolvable grudges against each other. All she had to do was wait for Xiaxia, and Xiaxia would eventually turn back to look for her.

She’s forgetful, unable to remember what she shouldn’t remember.

Ji Xia went back to her room with the phone and dialed her grandmother’s number.

The phone number Ji Xia knew best since childhood was her grandmother’s because she knew that in case of trouble, her mother was of no help, only her grandmother would rush over the moment she received the call.

The phone was answered after just one ring.

“Hello.”

“Grandma.”

“Is that Xiaxia? Did you eat mooncakes for Mid-Autumn Festival today?” her grandmother’s voice came through the phone.

“I did, I ate lots of mooncakes today, all meat ones. Not just mooncakes, I also had roast duck. Grandma, the roast duck here in Beiping is really delicious; I must bring you here to try it.”

“Then Grandma will wait for Xiaxia to earn money and take Grandma to eat mooncakes. Xiaxia, have you recently…”

“…”

Ji Xia told her grandmother everything that had happened recently, about herself, Jiang Feng, Wu Minqi, and even Jiang Junqing and Jiang Junlian whom she had just met today. Ji Xia was afraid that if she ran out of things to talk about, she would have to hang up. Ji Xia’s grandmother just quietly listened, as Ji Xia prattled on about what she ate yesterday, the day before, and the day before that.

Ji Xia’s grandmother yawned.

“Grandma, are you sleepy? If you’re sleepy, I can call you some other time,” Ji Xia was somewhat anxious.

“No worries, I’m not sleepy, keep talking, Xiaxia.”

“I… don’t have much else to say,” Ji Xia said, dejected.

“How about your sister?”

“She is in the kitchen practicing how to make soup.”

“Did you have a falling out with your sister?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Still denying it, you definitely had a spat with your sister. You, girl, get along well with your sister, don’t make Grandma worry.”

Ji Xia fell silent.

“Xiaxia.”

“Xiaxia?”

“What’s the matter, are you now upset with Grandma?”

“Grandma, I miss you so much.”

Ji Xia finally understood the meaning of the verse they studied in Chinese class.

Every festive occasion makes you miss your dear family more.

She missed Grandma so much.

After ending the call, Ji Xia went out to return the phone to Ji Xue.

“Sis.”

“Hmm?”

“Do you want to eat mooncakes?”

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