Chapter 152: Stealing Fragrance (7)
Xiao Ji could see the disdain and arrogance in Mother Pei’s eyes, but he remained indifferent to it. He simply nodded politely and said, “Greetings.”
Mother Pei, still holding the young woman’s hand, descended the stairs and scrutinized Xiao Ji.
He looked clean and fair, clearly not a soldier, and certainly not one of Pei Yinnian’s subordinates.
Thus, she asked, “Are you here at the Pei Residence to look for work?”
Xiao Ji’s expression was calm. “I teach at Guoli Yizhong. I am responsible for Miss Pei’s National Literature class.”
“Oh?” Mother Pei uttered. Only then did she restrain her arrogance slightly, a fake smile touching her face, though she still maintained the air of a high-society matriarch.
“So it is Mister Xiao. I heard Xinyun mention it—inviting you here for tutoring.”
Xiao Ji nodded once but didn’t respond.
Mother Pei looked at Xiao Ji with a somewhat troubled expression. “However, Mister Xiao, Xinyun has gone to a classmate’s house. You’ve come at an inopportune time.”
To Mother Pei, although Pei Xinyun was her biological daughter, she would be married off in a few years. Her future reliance would still be on Pei Yinnian.
It wasn’t that Pei Xinyun’s studies were unimportant, but if a teacher came for tutoring, the Pei family would simply pay the fee. Right now, the most critical matter was Pei Yinnian’s marriage.
Last time, the wife of Bureau Chief Wang from the Bureau of Public Works brought her daughter, Wang Lu, over to play tiles. Pei Yinnian had been busy until midnight and they never met.
Today, Wang Lu had used the excuse of delivering something to run over herself. Since it happened to be Pei Yinnian’s day off, Mother Pei had to make sure these two children met no matter what.
Nothing—and no one—could delay this top priority.
She glanced at the girl beside her and then looked at Xiao Ji apologetically.
“I have guests to entertain this evening. I’m afraid I won’t have time to host you…”
The words were left hanging.
Anyone who knew how to read the room would understand that this was a polite way of showing him the door.
However, Xiao Ji remained unmoved. He merely glanced at Wang Lu and said to Mother Pei:
“Please, go about your business. I won’t be a distraction.”
Then, he sat down on the edge of the sofa by himself. He smoothly pulled a collection of poetry from his bag and began to flip through it as if no one else were there.
Right at that moment, Pei Yinnian finished his call and walked out, only to find the atmosphere in the living room quite awkward.
Before he could ask what was happening, Mother Pei spoke to Xiao Ji first:
“Mister Xiao, if I may be blunt, my future daughter-in-law has finally made a rare visit, so we have prepared a family dinner. You see, will you be joining us, or…”
“What are you saying?”
Her words were cut short by Pei Yinnian, who was striding down from the upper floor.
Startled, Mother Pei turned around to look at him, patting her chest.
“When did you get back? You didn’t even have someone inform me.”
Pei Yinnian understood his mother very well.
She lacked education and talent. Born into a poor family, she had been noticed by the elder Master Pei and taken in as his fourth concubine. A few years later, Master Pei’s first wife passed away from illness. Mother Pei had good fortune; she had just given birth to Pei Yinnian, the eldest son of the Pei family, and thus “flew onto the branch” to become the Successor Wife.
She was shallow-minded, only seeing the trivial matters in front of her, yet she loved to put on the airs of a Commander’s wife.
Considering Xiao Ji was Pei Xinyun’s teacher, those words she just spoke were probably her attempt at being polite. Asking if Xiao Ji wanted to eat with them was, in reality, a move to kick him out.
Pei Yinnian was extremely irritated. He didn’t even spare Wang Lu a glance.
“What daughter-in-law? What family dinner? How is it that I’ve only been busy for a few days and you’ve already arranged a marriage for me?”
Pei Yinnian’s direct rebuttal in front of two outsiders left Mother Pei with nowhere to hide her embarrassment. Not daring to oppose her son, she could only say awkwardly:
“Didn’t we agree last time? To bring Lulu back for a meal when you were free.”
Pei Yinnian raised a hand. “I never agreed to that. What I said last time was for you to stop meddling in these useless affairs.”
He had told Liu Ma to prepare the meal specifically to entertain Xiao Ji. Now that Mother Pei had interfered and even kept a stranger there, Pei Yinnian instantly lost all desire to stay home.
He walked over to Xiao Ji, his expression cold and hard.
“I’ve let the Mister see something embarrassing. If the Mister doesn’t mind, we shall go out to eat.”
Xiao Ji stood up. His gaze swept over Wang Lu once more, but he remained silent.
Pei Yinnian followed Xiao Ji’s gaze and saw Wang Lu. He didn’t greet her or explain anything. He simply said to Mother Pei:
“You stay busy. I’m going out.”
Then, he directly grabbed Xiao Ji’s wrist and led him out the front door.
The two of them left the Pei Residence together. Pei Yinnian pulled open the passenger door of the black vintage car and said to Xiao Ji:
“Get in.”
Xiao Ji didn’t move. He looked at Pei Yinnian.
“Your future wife is waiting for you to have a family dinner. It’s somewhat inappropriate for you to leave like this.”
Pei Yinnian wanted to shout, Bullsht! What ‘future wife’? I haven’t even met that Lu-whatever girl.*
But with the words at the tip of his tongue, looking at Xiao Ji’s lofty and elegant temperament, he forced himself to swallow the coarse language. With a wooden face, he said:
“This has nothing to do with me. It’s my mother’s wishful thinking; she’s obsessed with useless things. I have no future wife.”
Xiao Ji nodded understandingly. “Young Master has reached the age to start a family. It’s only natural for your mother to be anxious.”
He paused, his dark eyes looking directly into Pei Yinnian’s.
“That young lady is quite beautiful. I imagine her family background is a perfect match for yours. If it happens, it should be a good marriage.”
Xiao Ji’s words were reasonable, and his tone was calm, but to Pei Yinnian’s ears, they sounded strangely sarcastic and grating.
He didn’t know if it was his imagination; he only knew he didn’t want to hear it. He raised his hand to interrupt Xiao Ji.
“Having a disobedient mother is annoying enough. Please, Mister, do not add to my frustration.”
“Get in the car. Stop dawdling.”
Xiao Ji had said enough to “apply the eye medicine” (give a subtle jab). He obediently sat in the car.
They had left in a hurry, so Pei Yinnian didn’t bring anyone else. He sat in the driver’s seat and started the engine.
“Does the Mister have any preferences or dietary restrictions?”
On the road, Pei Yinnian glanced at Xiao Ji, who had been staring out the window in silence.
Xiao Ji shook his head. “You decide.”
Pei Yinnian was always a decisive person. Since Xiao Ji didn’t have requests, he simply went with the highest standards of hospitality.
He parked the car in front of the Peace Hotel and led Xiao Ji upstairs.
There weren’t many people in the hotel lobby. The waitresses were all tall and graceful, busy in their qipaos.
A gramophone played music. The clean floor tiles and expensive crystal chandeliers made everything feel entirely out of place with Xiao Ji’s worn-out long gown.
The moment Pei Yinnian entered, the waitresses who were momentarily free brightened up. They stood straight and looked over at the two.
When the hotel’s proprietress saw Pei Yinnian, her eyes virtually glowed. She said warmly:
“Oh, Master Pei! It’s been a long time. Why didn’t you give me a heads-up so I could have the kitchen prepare early?”
Pei Yinnian was neither hot nor cold. He didn’t engage in small talk, simply saying:
“Arrange a private room. I’m treating a distinguished guest to dinner.”
“Yes, yes, of course! Your usual room is vacant. We’ve been hoping for your visit every day; even if the shop were full, that room would always be reserved for you, wouldn’t it?”
The proprietress smilingly led them to a private room at the very back of the hotel. After showing them in and personally pouring tea, she tactlessly added:
“Master Pei, however, Xiao Lanxiang isn’t in today. Why don’t you look at the other girls outside and see if any catch your eye?”
Translator’s Note: “Apply eye medicine” (上眼藥 – shàng yǎnyào) is a Chinese idiom. It means to say something subtle to someone in power to make them dislike another person. Xiao Ji is being quite the “green tea” here, isn’t he? Also, the Peace Hotel (和平飯店 – Hépíng Fàndiàn) is a real, legendary landmark in Shanghai, famous for its jazz and high-society history.
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