After agreeing to go to Tong Village, Ji Shenyu eagerly awaited each day. His attitude did a complete turnaround, "Senior Brother" this and "Senior Brother" that, flattering Ding Hanbai until he was thoroughly pleased. He even felt he was becoming like everyone else, on the verge of turning into one of Ding Hanbai's lackeys.

Finally, on the night before, Ding Hanbai carried his toolbox into the machine room, laying out screws and screwdrivers to repair the Western Clock. He had just sat down when footsteps approached the door. He didn't need to listen closely to know it was Ji Shenyu.

Ding Hanbai was getting a little annoyed. The guy had been so clingy these past few days, always under his nose, constantly smiling. He had no idea what good things that desolate village in the middle of nowhere could possibly hold to make Ji Shenyu so blissfully lost in his own world.

The door was pushed open gently. Ji Shenyu came in with a glass of warm water, not making a sound, and sat quietly on a corner of the workbench. You could say he had nothing to do, but he kept himself busy wiping the machines and the material stones.

Ding Hanbai brought out the Western Clock. It was as tall as a television set, with a gilded wooden body. As he wiped it with a damp cloth, he caught Ji Shenyu looking over from the corner of his eye, leaning forward with great effort. So he asked, "Are you nearsighted?"

Ji Shenyu wasn't nearsighted; he was just trying his best to see clearly. Unable to hold back, he moved to Ding Hanbai's side. He helped Ding Hanbai wipe the clock, his eyes full of wonder. He asked, "Senior Brother, I know the child on top is Cupid, but who is this old man at the bottom?"

Ding Hanbai answered, "Father Time."

The old man was lying down, and Cupid was holding a weapon. Ji Shenyu asked again, "Was Father Time defeated by Cupid?"

Ding Hanbai grunted "Mhm," and removed the outermost casing of the clock. The internal mechanism was extremely complex. He frowned, his expression telling Ji Shenyu to be quiet. Ji Shenyu fell completely silent, preparing the tools to hand to him, just like that time at the Museum repairing the Han Dynasty Portrait Stone.

He knew Ding Hanbai usually had a bad temper and often upset people, but if Ding Hanbai was ill-tempered while working, he could be exceptionally tolerant.

The large bell on top of the clock was already fixed, but the movement and the small internal bells were the real problem. Ding Hanbai's brows furrowed deeper and deeper, and he hesitated over whether to call Ding Erhe, who studied mechanics, to take a look.

After Ding Erhe came over, Ji Shenyu went to the study to do his homework; he wasn't very comfortable around the other man. There wasn't much homework. He buried his head and wrote furiously. After finishing, he thought about the next day's trip and pulled out a sheet of letter paper.

Ji Shenyu thought, 'If I find the porcelain kiln and meet Tong Peifan, I won't be able to reveal my identity in front of Ding Hanbai. I might as well write him a letter. Once I know the way, it will be convenient to go by myself later.'

He wrote fluently until he had filled a whole page. Just as he finished with a period, the clear chime of a bell rang out. The Western Clock was finally fixed.

Ding Hanbai's hands were covered in grease. He went to wash them, and by the time he returned, Ding Erhe had gone back to the East Courtyard, but Ji Shenyu had come in again. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He silently installed the parts, and after finishing, used a chemical solution to wipe away the rust, making it look brand new.

Ji Shenyu was lost in thought. "Why did Cupid defeat Father Time?"

Cupid is the god of love. Ding Hanbai said, "Love can conquer time. The original design of this clock symbolizes that true love is eternal." He had seen a more exquisite replica at the British Museum when he was studying abroad and bought this one upon his return.

Ji Shenyu found the meaning beautiful and murmured, "I really like listening to you talk about things I don't know."

This single sentence was enough to win Ding Hanbai over. He almost wanted to pry open Ji Shenyu's skull to see what was inside and what wasn't, so he would know what to say to impress him. But then he remembered Ji Shenyu's attentiveness over the past few days, and his enthusiasm cooled. He said, "I'd like to understand what it is about Tong Village that has you so excited all day?"

Ji Shenyu stammered, only saying a classmate's family lived there and the scenery was nice.

What classmate's words would he take so much to heart? Ding Hanbai pressed, "A female classmate told you?"

Ji Shenyu immediately understood the implication and went along with it. "Mhm, it was a female classmate..."

The next morning, after getting ready, the two of them set off. Little did they know, just as they drove out of Sha'er Street, Jiang Caiwei received a call from Ding Yanshou, telling her they would be home by evening.

The city traffic was endless. As the kilometers ticked by, the number of people gradually dwindled. Once out of the city, Ding Hanbai sped up, enjoying a freewheeling drive. Ji Shenyu, however, kept his eyes glued to the road. He had always had a good memory and quietly memorized the road signs they passed.

"Senior Brother, can you get here by bus?" he asked.

"No, we're out of the city," Ding Hanbai said. "You'd have to take a long-distance bus. But it's a suburb on the outskirts of the city. When it develops in the future and gets incorporated into the city, there will definitely be a bus route."

The sun was just right when they arrived. All sorts of things were planted on the suburban roadsides, including even patches of sunflowers. The car entered Tong Village and wound around. There was nothing special about it. Finally, they stopped in front of a bun shop.

Mutton buns. Ding Hanbai turned off the engine to have a snack, and Ji Shenyu joined him in filling his stomach.

This place couldn't compare to the city, but the owner's cooking was excellent. While they were eating their buns, business was non-stop, with a constant stream of customers. But the delicious buns weren't enough to placate Ding Hanbai. He said irritably, "What's so great about this place? The scenery is just so-so."

Feeling guilty, Ji Shenyu fell silent. The shop owner interjected, "The scenery behind the village is nice. There's a river and a forest, and it connects to the moat."

Ding Hanbai chatted idly with him. "It connects to the moat? Then its future development is guaranteed. What do the villagers usually do? I don't see many people on the roads."

The owner said, "Nobody farms anymore. There used to be a porcelain kiln in the village that could support the entire village. Later, the kiln went out of business, so everyone had to find their own way."

'A tree dies if it's moved, a person thrives.' Ding Hanbai didn't think it was a pity, but when he looked up, he saw Ji Shenyu staring blankly. Not just blankly; his eyes revealed immense disappointment and unease, the very picture of hopes dashed or a beautiful dream shattered.

Of course Ji Shenyu was disappointed. The porcelain kiln was out of business, so what was the point of his trip? More importantly, where would he find a new, trustworthy porcelain kiln in the future? And where would Tong Peifan be?

The buns were delicious, but he had no heart to eat anymore. Afterwards, they walked to the back of the village and found the long-abandoned porcelain kiln. The iron gate was open, and a few children were running and chasing each other inside. The place had clearly become a corner for kids to run wild.

He hadn't even entered when Ding Hanbai, on the contrary, became very interested. Draping his jacket over his arm, he strode in, startling the frolicking children, who all fled in a hurry. Ji Shenyu followed, carefully examining the inner and outer kiln chambers and fireboxes, the dust-covered ceramic shards, and the long-disused, empty office. He guessed it had been abandoned for at least a year.

Ding Hanbai picked up a shard and blew off the dust. The shard was fired better than he had imagined.

In a blur, noon had passed. They left the porcelain kiln and came upon the river behind the village. The car was parked by the river. The grass on the small slope had not yet completely yellowed, while the trees in the forest behind were already a brilliant red and gold.

Ding Hanbai leaned against the front of the car, enjoying the autumn breeze, his gaze following the glistening ripples on the river's surface. He picked up a handful of pebbles, tossed one into the water with a plonk, creating beautiful ripples. But even the most beautiful scenery can become tiresome. He turned to watch Ji Shenyu walking slowly along the riverbank, wondering what the kid was so dejected about.

'We're already here, what's there to be unhappy about?'

'Could it be he secretly arranged to meet a female classmate, and she stood him up?'

Ding Hanbai imagined many scenarios. He threw another pebble, hitting Ji Shenyu squarely on the butt with great accuracy. They used to play like this as kids. He would trick Jiang Ting'en into thinking he was aiming for his eyes, scaring Jiang Ting'en into covering them, only to get hit on the butt instead.

But when the pebble landed, Ji Shenyu still didn't snap out of it.

Ding Hanbai threw another one. He'd hit the left buttock before, so this time he hit the right one. The autumn light illuminated Ji Shenyu's entire figure, but he was reminded of that time he peeked through the window and saw the other's rounded hills hidden in the shadows.

The image grew clearer in his mind, so much so that his hand lost its aim.

A pain shot through the back of Ji Shenyu's knee. He stumbled a large step forward and into the water, taking a few more lurching steps to keep his balance and avoid falling. The river water was cold. He snapped back to his senses in an instant, shocked that he had been in a daze for so long. Looking back, he saw Ding Hanbai roaring with laughter. Amid that laughter, he suddenly saw things in a new light.

The kiln was gone, but it wasn't the end of the world.

A master had once said that difficulties were useful; it was just that he had too many masters and couldn't remember which one had said it. At this thought, Ji Shenyu cheered up too. He waded back to the slope, placed his soaked white sneakers on the hood of the car to dry, and sat on it himself, rolling up his pant legs and swinging his feet around.

Ding Hanbai was splashed by those fair, dripping feet. He reached out to grab them but was afraid of getting his hands wet, so he simply took off his jacket, unfolded it, and wrapped them up. Ji Shenyu quieted down and sat still. Ding Hanbai used the jacket to dry his feet, and when he was done, he let the jacket fall to the ground.

"Senior Brother, you don't want it anymore?"

"I used it to wipe your feet. I don't want it."

"My feet don't stink..."

Ji Shenyu put on his sneakers, rendering the foot-drying pointless. He picked up the jacket, patted it clean, folded it, and put it in the car, planning to wash it for him when they got home. After putting the jacket away, he noticed a fingertip-sized jade cat on the keychain. His gaze shifted from the key in the ignition to the steering wheel. He couldn't resist reaching out to touch it and honk the horn.

Ji Fangxu had promised to let him learn to drive. He wanted to learn.

Ding Hanbai turned and saw right through Ji Shenyu. This place was wide open anyway; you couldn't hit anyone even with your eyes closed. Why not teach him? Opening the door and getting in the car, he told Ji Shenyu to pay close attention and memorize how to shift gears, when to press and release the clutch, how to use the handbrake... His teaching style was unchanged. Without even pausing to breathe after explaining, he said directly, "Repeat."

Ji Shenyu repeated it all without a single mistake. Ding Yanshou praised him for being smart all day long, and for the moment, he supposed he could live up to it.

They switched places. Ding Hanbai sat in the passenger seat, looking just like a driving instructor. It was Ji Shenyu's first time in the driver's seat. He gripped the steering wheel, excited and nervous. After starting the engine, he hesitated and asked, "Aren't you going to wear your seatbelt?"

Ding Hanbai said, "No need."

Ji Shenyu said, embarrassed, "You trust me that much?"

Ding Hanbai gave him a look. "In case you drive into the river, a seatbelt would slow down my escape."

Ji Shenyu had no more questions. He did as he had just been taught, but the moment the car started to move, he slammed on the brakes. With a slap, Ding Hanbai's large hand hit the dashboard. "Are you driving or trying to make the car jump?"

That was a complete reflex, and he was especially panicked because it was his first time. Ji Shenyu got the hang of it, started the car again, and began to drive, gripping the steering wheel tightly.

But he didn't dare to turn, only driving straight ahead. Ding Hanbai reached over and covered his hand with his own, and only then did he successfully make a right turn. He drove with tense nerves, gradually daring to turn by himself, but he turned too sharply, his body tilting against the car door.

After several turns, he saw they were getting closer and closer to the woods. "Senior Brother, am I not driving straight?" He realized the whole car was faintly veering towards the woods and panicked. "Senior Brother? Senior Brother, come over here..."

Ding Hanbai said worriedly, "How can I get over there? Why don't you stop first."

So Ji Shenyu stomped on it, and the car shot forward at full speed. Ding Hanbai roared in his ear, "You with the surname Ji, you call stepping on the gas stopping?!"

Ji Shenyu was already panicking, no longer caring where he was going, having long forgotten his own name. His hands and feet were ice-cold, yet a layer of fine sweat covered his forehead. It was too late for anything. His feet stomped randomly on the pedals without any coordination. With a jolt, the car leaped over a patch of grass.

"Senior Brother!" he yelled.

Ding Hanbai lunged over and yanked the handbrake. The moment the front of the car hit the large tree, he let go, grabbing Ji Shenyu and pulling him towards the passenger seat. The impact wasn't earth-shattering, but it was still terrifying. With a muffled grunt, Ji Shenyu felt no pain, but rather a sense of warmth.

After a long moment, he looked up from Ding Hanbai's arms. The other man's body was twisted, his back slammed against the dashboard, having absorbed all the inertia and impact. His vision went dark. To him, Ding Hanbai was a person who couldn't be treated coldly or warmly, and now he had taken a hard blow to avert disaster... Didn't this mean he owed him a huge debt of gratitude?

He didn't dare to look Ding Hanbai in the eye. He lowered his head again, wanting to silently crawl away.

But Ding Hanbai held him down. "Not even a thank you?"

Ji Shenyu's emotions were complex. "Thank you... I'm sorry."

Ding Hanbai let out a breath. His back was swelling and stinging with pain, yet he calmly examined the other's expression. A single 'sorry' wasn't enough; he had to raise the stakes. "From now on, if my dad calls you smart again, you have to stand up and say—I am an idiot."

Ji Shenyu nodded. He would probably agree to anything Ding Hanbai said at this point.

The car wasn't wrecked, only the bumper had been knocked off. Ding Hanbai drove home in pain, only realizing the severity of the damage on the way. The engine kept stalling and was faintly smoking. He glanced at the passenger seat. Ji Shenyu was looking down, hugging his jacket, the very picture of someone who'd made a mistake and didn't dare to breathe too loudly.

He mentally reviewed the sequence of events: didn't get to see his beloved female classmate, stepped into the river, got a fright from crashing the car... So pitiful. So pitiful he wanted to laugh out loud.

They jolted their way back to the city. When they got home and turned off the engine, the car gave a loud rumble, as if throwing a tantrum. The two of them entered the courtyard and saw the main living room light was on. They listened intently and heard that Ding Yanshou and Jiang Shuliu were already back!

"Senior Brother, the car... what about the car?"

"How should I know—" Before Ding Hanbai could finish, Jiang Shuliu saw them and cried out as if she'd seen a ghost. It wasn't her fault for being so dramatic. After the crash and the long ordeal, both of them were disheveled, with dirty clothes and greasy hands.

Just then, Jiang Caiwei came back from outside. "Brother-in-law, the car is smashed!"

Seeing that there was no way to hide it, Ji Shenyu lowered his head and took a step forward, about to confess on his own initiative. Suddenly, a weight settled on his shoulder as Ding Hanbai pulled him back. "Dad," Ding Hanbai said, "I took the car out for a drive and accidentally crashed it."

Ji Shenyu looked at him anxiously. Ding Hanbai added, "I'll get it fixed tomorrow. Can we eat first? I'm starving."

Ding Yanshou began to scold him, but Ding Hanbai turned a deaf ear, went inside, wiped his hands, and sat down to eat. Ji Shenyu's feelings were in turmoil. He washed his hands and served the dishes. When he sat down, Ding Yanshou was still yelling at Ding Hanbai.

He mustered his courage and said, "Master, please don't scold Senior Brother anymore."

Unexpectedly, Ding Yanshou turned back to Ding Hanbai and said, "And you brought Shenyu with you? You're twenty years old and still have no sense at all. If you get hurt yourself, it's a lesson for you. But what if the accident had been serious today and Shenyu had gotten hurt? How would I explain that to Fangxu?!"

Ding Hanbai took a large bite of food. "I'll be careful next time. Don't worry, I'm not an idiot."

Ding Yanshou was most annoyed by his nonchalant attitude. "You only act so recklessly because you think you're not an idiot!" He changed the subject, looking for a more reliable prospect. "As soon as Shenyu is old enough, he'll learn to drive immediately. Smart? Just being smart isn't enough! You need to be smart and steady like Shenyu. You'll be the death of me!"

His words were forceful and resounding.

The table fell silent. The scolding was over.

At that moment, Ji Shenyu stood up, his face red, and said, "I am an idiot."