The Gift

Songhai City.

At seven-thirty in the morning, Zhang Yuanqing jolted awake in the dim room, clutching his head and curling up like a shrimp on the soft bed.

His head throbbed as if it were about to split apart. It felt as though steel needles had been driven into his brain, and even his scalp spasmed with pain. He began to hallucinate, seeing and hearing things: a jumble of images flashed through his mind, while meaningless noise filled his ears.

Zhang Yuanqing knew his old condition had flared up again.

Trembling, he climbed out of bed and pulled open the nightstand drawer. His shaking fingers fumbled for the medicine bottle. He twisted it open in a hurry, tipped out five or six small blue pills, and swallowed them all at once.

Then he let himself fall back onto the bed, gasping for breath as he endured the agony.

A dozen seconds later, the soul-rending headache began to ease, then subsided.

"Whew." Zhang Yuanqing let out a breath of relief, his forehead slick with cold sweat.

When he was in high school, he came down with a strange illness. Its symptoms included his brain involuntarily recalling every memory from his past, even the useless information he had forgotten; uncontrollably gathering and analyzing information from the outside world; and gaining an almost unbelievable degree of control over his body.

Fortunately, the state could not last long. His body would soon be unable to bear the strain, and it would come to an end.

It was thanks to this ability that he had breezed his way into Songhai University, one of the top universities in the country.

Zhang Yuanqing called this state "brain overload." He figured he might be evolving into a superhuman, but his body couldn't keep up with the process, which was why it kept getting interrupted.

When he shared this theory with his doctor, the doctor admitted he didn't understand, but was deeply impressed, and suggested that Zhang Yuanqing visit the psychiatric department downstairs.

In any case, the hospital couldn't figure out what was causing it. Eventually, his mother brought him a special medication from overseas, and his condition was brought under control. As long as he took it regularly, the symptoms wouldn't flare up.

It must be because I didn't get enough sleep last night. I'm exhausted. It's all Jiang Yu'er's fault for insisting on coming to my room to play games in the middle of the night.

He said that, but a heavy feeling settled in his heart. Zhang Yuanqing knew the medicine was becoming less effective and his condition was getting worse.

I'll have to increase the dose. He slipped on his slippers and went to the window, then swished the curtains open.

Sunlight poured into the room, eager to fill every corner.

It was April in Songhai City. The spring sunshine was bright, and the morning breeze was cool and pleasant.

"Knock, knock!"

A moment later, someone knocked at the door. His grandmother called from outside:

"Yuanzi, get up."

"No!" Zhang Yuanqing refused without a trace of mercy. He wanted to go back to sleep.

The weather was lovely, and it was the weekend. Wasn't sleeping in the whole point of being alive?

"You have three minutes. If you're not up by then, I'll splash you awake."

His grandmother was even more merciless.

"Okay, okay." Zhang Yuanqing immediately gave in.

He knew his short-tempered grandmother would absolutely do it.

When Zhang Yuanqing was still in elementary school, his father died in a car accident. His strong-willed mother never remarried. She brought her son back to Songhai to settle down, then left him in his grandparents' care.

She threw herself into her career and became the successful businesswoman all their relatives praised.

Later, his mother bought a place of her own, but Zhang Yuanqing didn't like the empty, sprawling apartment, so he continued living with his grandparents.

His mother was always out early and home late, and she went on business trips every few days. Her career was her entire life. Even when she didn't work overtime on weekends, she ordered takeout when it was time to eat.

The thing she said most often to her son was, "Do you have enough spending money? If you don't, tell Mom." Having a strong, successful mother who could give you anything you wanted certainly sounded nice.

But Zhang Yuanqing always smiled at his mother and told her, "The pocket money Grandma and Aunt-in-law give me is enough."

Well, and his aunt, too.

The woman who had insisted on coming to his room to play games last night was his aunt.

Zhang Yuanqing yawned, turned the bedroom doorknob, and walked into the living room.

His grandmother's apartment was 150 square meters, including the shared areas. When they sold their old home to buy this new one, Zhang Yuanqing remembered the price being over forty thousand yuan per square meter.

Six or seven years later, apartments in the neighborhood were going for 110,000 yuan per square meter, nearly triple what they had paid.

Fortunately, his grandfather had been farsighted. If they'd stayed in their old place, Zhang Yuanqing would have had to sleep in the living room. He was grown up now, after all, and couldn't sleep with his aunt anymore.

At the long dining table beside the living room, the culprit behind his headache was slurping her porridge. Her pink slippers bobbed beneath the table.

She had delicate, pretty features and a softly rounded oval face that gave her a sweet look. A beauty mark sat at the corner of her right eye.

She had only just woken up, and her tousled, fluffy waves fell over her shoulders, giving her a few extra traces of lazy allure.

His aunt was Jiang Yu'er, four years older than him.

When she saw Zhang Yuanqing, his aunt licked a bit of porridge from her lips and said in surprise:

"Well, look at you, up so early. That's not like you."

"Your fault."

"How dare you insult me?"

"I'm just telling it like it is."

Zhang Yuanqing studied his aunt's beautiful face. She looked bright-eyed and radiant.

People said the night didn't punish those who stayed up late; it gave them dark circles instead. But the rule didn't seem to apply to the woman in front of him.

His grandmother heard the commotion in the kitchen and poked her head out to look. A moment later, she came out carrying a bowl of porridge.

Her hair was black with strands of gray, and her eyes were sharp. She looked exactly like the sort of old woman with a bad temper.

Although her sagging skin and fine wrinkles had taken away her former beauty, it was still easy to tell she must have been quite attractive when she was young.

Zhang Yuanqing took the bowl his grandmother handed him, gulped down some porridge, and asked,

"Where's Grandpa?"

"Out for a walk," his grandmother replied.

His grandfather was a retired criminal investigator. Even in his old age, he kept to a strict routine: in bed by ten every night and awake by six every morning.

His pretty aunt sipped her porridge and grinned.

"After breakfast, I'll take you shopping for clothes."

You're being this nice to me? Zhang Yuanqing was about to agree when his grandmother shot him a murderous glare.

"If you dare go, I'll break your legs."

"Mom, how can you be like that?" His aunt put on an innocent face. "I just want to buy Yuanzi a few things for spring, and you won't let me? He may be my nephew, but he's still family!"

His grandmother cut straight to the point. "Do you want me to break your legs, too?"

His aunt pursed her lips and lowered her head to drink her porridge.

From the way the two women were going at it, Zhang Yuanqing knew his grandmother had arranged another blind date for his aunt, and that his mischievous aunt wanted to drag him along to sabotage it.

She always did this. She'd bring her nephew to the date, and after a few minutes, her socially gifted nephew would have the other man eating out of his hand. The two men would hit it off, talking about everything from people's livelihoods to the state of the world, while she barely had to do a thing.

All she had to do was drink her beverage and play on her phone. The date would think he'd shown off his worldly experience and knowledge in front of a beautiful woman, and he'd be pleased with himself.

Jiang Yu'er had been refined and adorable since childhood, and the neighbors had always praised her. She was beautiful, sweet, well-behaved, and adored by her elders.

With such a pretty daughter, his grandmother had naturally kept a close eye on her. Since middle school, she had drilled into her that she wasn't allowed to date early or hang out with boys.

Her younger daughter hadn't disappointed her. She'd never had a boyfriend, not even by the time she graduated from university. But once she entered the workforce—especially after she turned twenty-five at the beginning of the year—his grandmother started to worry.

I only told you not to date too early. I didn't tell you to become an old maid. Women only have a few good years!

So she gathered her old friends and scoured the country for information on eligible young men, lining up blind dates for her daughter.

"Grandma, it's obvious she doesn't want to date anyone yet. You can't force it." Zhang Yuanqing munched on a bun and offered himself up instead.

"Why not arrange a blind date for me? I'm a pretty sweet catch."

His grandmother scolded him. "You're still young. What's the rush? There are girls at university. Can't you find one yourself? If you keep causing trouble, I'll beat you."

His grandmother was a southern woman, but her temper was anything but gentle. She had a real fire in her.

Even Zhang Yuanqing's mother, the career-driven businesswoman, didn't dare talk back to her.

I'm grown up, all right. I've been taking care of my own business for years, Zhang Yuanqing grumbled inwardly.

After breakfast, his aunt returned to her room to change and put on makeup, as his grandmother had firmly instructed, before heading out for her blind date.

She applied a light touch of makeup, which made her look even more striking.

A fluffy, round-neck sweater paired with a long coat. Light-colored skinny jeans hugged her long legs, which were shapely and well-proportioned. The narrow cuffs were tucked into a pair of black combat boots.

Her simple, nature-inspired look wasn't flashy or gaudy, but it was especially polished.

His aunt shot him a knowing little look, grabbed her purse, and swayed out the door.

"Mom, I'm off to my blind date!"

Zhang Yuanqing went back to his room, took his time changing into a black T-shirt and a windbreaker, then put on his running shoes.

A few minutes later, he opened his bedroom door.

His grandmother was cleaning the living room. When she saw him come out, she stopped what she was doing and watched him in silence.

Zhang Yuanqing copied his aunt's tone.

"Mom, I'm off to my blind date, too!"

"Get back here." His grandmother raised her broom in warning. "If you step outside, I'll break your legs."

"Sure!" Zhang Yuanqing readily turned around and went back to his room.

Sitting at his desk, he picked up his phone and sent his aunt a message:

"The campaign's doomed before it's begun; a hero's tears will stain his collar for years."

"Speak plainly!"

His aunt was probably driving. Her reply was short and to the point.

"Grandma won't let me leave. You'll have to go on the blind date by yourself."

His aunt sent him a voice message.

Zhang Yuanqing tapped it. Jiang Yu'er's angry voice came through the speaker:

"What good are you?!"

His aunt recalled the voice message, then sent another one, this time in a sweet, coquettish tone:

"Dear nephew, come on, please? Your aunt loves you most! Mwah~"

Ha. Women!

You think batting your eyelashes and acting cute will make me cross Grandma? At least send me a red packet.

Just then, a slightly shrill ringtone sounded. Zhang Yuanqing went into the living room and, under his grandmother's watchful eye, pressed the intercom button.

"Who is it?"

"Delivery."

A voice came through the speaker.

Zhang Yuanqing pressed the door-release button. Two or three minutes later, a uniformed courier rode the elevator up, holding a parcel.

"Are you Zhang Yuanqing?"

"That's me."

I didn't order anything online. Confused, he signed for the package and checked the label. There was no sender listed, but the address was in Hangzhou, Jiangnan Province.

He went back to his room, took a utility knife from his desk drawer, and opened the package.

Inside was a black card cushioned in protective air packaging and a yellow envelope.

Zhang Yuanqing picked up the black card, which was about the size of an ID. It seemed to be made of metal, but felt surprisingly smooth and warm to the touch. The card was beautifully crafted, with a faint silver cloud pattern along the edges and a black full moon in the center.

The black moon was intricately printed, its irregular markings clearly visible.

What is this? Curious, he opened the envelope and unfolded the letter.

"Yuanzi, I got something really interesting. I once thought it could change my life, but I wasn't capable of controlling it. I think you should be able to handle it.

"We're brothers, so consider this a gift.

"Lei Yibing!"