The roses are in bloom.

Ding Hanbai was suffering greatly. He wasn't eating chaff or sleeping in the open, but any drop in his quality of life made him melancholy. He even thought about calling the planning bureau to suggest they demolish this dilapidated area of Chongshui as soon as possible.

When Zhang Sinian entered the room, he saw it and said angrily, "Do you have any decency, you brat? What have you drawn on the wall?!"

The wall was covered in a large patch of "zheng" characters. Ding Hanbai said, "I'm counting. It's been a long time since I've seen my junior brother."

Zhang Sinian was disgusted. "It hasn't even been half a month, and you've already tallied this much?"

Ding Hanbai counted by the hour. Whenever he had nothing to do, he would add a stroke. He was so lost in his thoughts that he wished he could just sketch a portrait. Rolling off the hard plank bed, this young master, who found it hard to go from extravagant to frugal, was off to make money. He walked out of the dilapidated Hutong, got into his broken-down van, and headed for the porcelain kiln to supervise the work and go over the accounts, planning to discuss some matters with Tong Peifan along the way.

The whole way there, he kept thinking, 'Is that junior brother of mine doing okay?'

That junior brother, who he hadn't seen for a while, had lost a ton of weight. Lovesickness aside, he was so busy every day his feet never touched the ground. He had classes to attend, the Third Shop's business to manage, and when he got home, he still had to serve his master and Madam. After the incident with him and Ding Hanbai came out, Ding Yanshou and Jiang Shuliu should have long been furious with him. A beating or a scolding would not have been out of place, but the two of them hadn't made things difficult for him, which made him feel even more guilty and uneasy.

His second uncle's family wasn't there for lunch, so the round table seemed sparse. On the table were noodles with soybean paste and seven or eight kinds of toppings, the fragrance of the paste filling the air. Jiang Caiwei saw Ji Shenyu staring blankly, so she coughed lightly and winked, telling him to eat while it was hot.

Ji Shenyu picked out the toppings: soybeans, cloud-cured ham, cucumber, cabbage, beauty heart radish. These were the ones Ding Hanbai had wanted back then. Ding Hanbai had even mixed them for him and wiped the sauce from his mouth with his hand when he wasn't looking.

The weather was getting warmer, and stray cats were wandering about, squatting at the door, drawn by the smell.

Jiang Caiwei said, "In a flash, it's almost May. Time flies so fast."

Jiang Ting'en lamented, "Big Brother's birthday is coming up soon, the fifth of May."

Whether the two of them said it unintentionally or on purpose, it made Ding Yanshou pause. Then, he bit into a piece of pickled garlic with a crunch. Jiang Shuliu simply put down her chopsticks, having lost her appetite. Jiang Ting'en turned his head and asked, "Ji Zhenzhu, isn't your birthday in the spring too?"

Ji Shenyu said, "It passed a couple of days ago."

Another silence fell. After what had happened, who had the heart to celebrate a birthday? There was no more movement at the table. As the meal concluded, Ding Yanshou said before leaving his seat, "You've been so busy. Take a couple of days off."

Ji Shenyu stood up and followed him. The master and apprentice stopped under the veranda. He had been holding it in since the incident and now said, "Master, you've driven Senior Brother out, so you must have just as much resentment for me. It's fine if you hit me or scold me. Don't force yourself to hold back just because of the promise you made to my father. I'm the one who has let you and Madam down."

Ding Yanshou let out a seemingly helpless laugh. What was the use of hitting or scolding? Even if that feather duster had been beaten to shreds, wouldn't it still end with the person gone and the house empty? And what was the use of saying "I'm sorry"? He wouldn't listen or change. Since he was determined to be a stubborn stone, why bother feeling guilty? It would be better to harden his heart completely.

He said, "I won't hit you, and I won't scold you. Family rules can only be used on family members."

This sentence was like a bolt from the blue. Ji Shenyu nearly gouged a piece out of the pillar. Ding Yanshou had treated him like an adopted son, unwilling to let him suffer even the slight hardship of living at school. He had taught him every skill, letting him be the first to become a grandmaster... He had even called him "Dad." But now, he was no longer family, just an apprentice.

He was too ashamed to offer any sort of defense. He truly deserved this.

But Ding Yanshou turned his head back. "You're a person who understands gratitude and values relationships. What I just said was far crueler to you than any beating or scolding." He still hadn't given up, holding on to a sliver of hope. "Shenyu, for your senior brother's sake, is it worth ending up like this? Even if you are wracked with guilt and never receive forgiveness from me and your Madam for the rest of your life, you still won't turn back?"

Torn by a thousand dilemmas, Ji Shenyu gritted his teeth. "It's worth it. Senior Brother didn't give up even when he left home. No matter what happens to me, it's worth it." Since he'd already been stripped bare and put on public display, he didn't care about peeling off another layer of face. "Master, I really like Senior Brother. He's good in every way. I genuinely like him."

Ding Yanshou cut him off. "Enough! I know whether he's good or not. You're very good too. The two of you have promising futures ahead, perhaps a life that others could only envy, but why must the two of you boys get mixed up together?! It's ruined, all ruined!"

The sound of footsteps faded. Ji Shenyu was rooted to the spot for a long time, dazed, until he was startled by Jiang Ting'en, who suddenly darted over. Jiang Ting'en gave him a push towards the small courtyard and complained, "I heard everything. Are you stupid? Going on about liking Big Brother, aren't you ashamed?"

Ji Shenyu didn't answer, asking instead, "Do you think Master is right? That we're... ruined."

Jiang Ting'en replied, "Of course he's right. Big Brother was the boss of the shop, and now he's been kicked out and become unemployed. He won't have the family's help in whatever he does in the future. It'll be so hard."

Back in the small courtyard, Ji Shenyu coaxed Jiang Ting'en to take a nap. A book to pass the time, water that was just the right temperature—everything was prepared for him. Any normal person would know that to be so attentive for no reason means you have ulterior motives, but this blockhead surnamed Jiang clutched his blanket, terrified that Ji Shenyu was transferring his affections to him.

After closing the door, Ji Shenyu went to the study, locked it so that not even a small bug could fly in. He walked around the desk, sat down, and recalled the conversation about his future. He felt unwilling and wronged, but more than that, he felt a soaring ambition. Ding Hanbai's bright future was still ahead of him. He was determined to show others that not only would he not ruin the other's prospects, but he was also the one who could help Ding Hanbai the most.

A bottle of ink, a fountain pen. Ji Shenyu took out a stack of white paper. He calmed his mind and bent over the desk to write. From the first line to the last, stroke by stroke, page by page, his hand didn't stop for the entire afternoon. When the ink was dry, he checked it over, put it in an envelope, sealed it, and went to the bedroom to wake Jiang Ting'en.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked in a gentle voice. "Please do me a favor. Make a trip to the Chongshui Old District and give this to Senior Brother."

Jiang Ting'en, still groggy, woke up instantly. He took it and saw how thick it was. A ten-thousand-word love letter? He refused, trying his best to persuade him otherwise. Ji Shenyu pulled the papers out and pleaded, "This is something very important. There isn't a single word of nonsense. I'm begging you. Can I be at your beck and call in the future?"

The paper was densely packed with Chinese characters, symbols, and many formulas. Jiang Ting'en turned his head and saw the book and water by the bedside. No wonder he was trying to curry favor; it was all premeditated. He agreed. When it got dark, he secretly made the trip. He didn't run into Ding Hanbai and gave the letter to Zhang Sinian.

Ding Hanbai was holed up at the porcelain kiln. In a small office, he and Tong Peifan were holding a meeting across a table. His network of contacts was gradually growing, and some people were now willing to stock their shops with Tong Kiln wares. He held a stack of orders and said, "I brought in the business, but you're not taking it?"

Tong Peifan exhaled a puff of smoke. "Can't take it. You've brought in a bunch of orders for high-quality porcelain, some even top-tier. We can't make them." There were many grades, but the number of porcelain kilns that could produce high-quality pieces could be counted on one hand. This was a case of having the money but not the ability to earn it; they couldn't handle it.

Ding Hanbai asked, "The one you mentioned can't do it either?"

Tong Peifan said, "Huaiqing only learned less than seventy percent of Master Liang's skills, and his specialty is in painting and calligraphy styles."

If they could complete these orders well, their reputation would spread, and more people would seek them out in the future. However, the virtuous cycle had hit a reef before it could even form. Annoyed, Ding Hanbai ended the meeting, bought a steamer of lamb buns, and headed home.

As soon as he got home, before his butt had even warmed the seat, Zhang Sinian stuffed an envelope into his hands. The old man said, "Your cousin brought it. It's so thick, probably a wad of cash."

Cousin? If Jiang Ting'en could find this place, Ji Shenyu must have sent him. Ding Hanbai was instantly energized. While tearing open the envelope, he asked, "Did he say anything? Is it from my junior brother?" He pulled out the contents. It was a letter?! He turned his back, afraid that others would see.

Zhang Sinian said sourly, "This thickness doesn't look like a love letter. Don't tell me he wrote a romance novel."

Ding Hanbai blushed for some reason, eager to read the sweet nothings Ji Shenyu had written for him. However, upon unfolding it, he was stunned. Those formulas, those annotations... he flipped through them in disbelief, his heart pounding, about to leap out of his chest.

Ji Shenyu had actually written down the glaze formulas for him—all of them, categorized, with every last detail clearly annotated! He hadn't believed in telepathy, but this priceless piece of paper was exactly what he urgently needed, solving his most difficult problem.

The lamb buns grew cold. Ding Hanbai didn't touch them, hiding in the inner room and reading the letter over and over. He was truly greedy. Even with these formulas, he was still not satisfied. He wanted to dig out something more, to find a single intimate phrase, a word or two filled with affection.

He became a scout, possessed by a secret agent, staring at the paper as if to see through it. Could the first character of each line be connected? What about diagonally? Or backward?

Nothing. There was nothing at all. This ruthless, calm Little Southern Barbarian, how could he be so self-possessed after not seeing him for nearly half a month?!

In the end, Ding Hanbai couldn't figure out any hidden message. He folded it as if giving up, but as he was putting it back into the envelope, his eyes lit up. Tucked inside the envelope was a line of small characters in the familiar Shoujin style.

—Senior Brother, the roses are in bloom. I miss you very much.

That was enough. Ding Hanbai was ecstatic with this one sentence, like sweet rain after a long drought, better than meeting an old friend in a foreign land, more enviable than succeeding in the imperial examinations, and it even brought to mind his wedding night. With a loud crash, the old, hard plank bed actually collapsed under him.

With these glaze formulas, it was as if he had divine assistance. Ding Hanbai temporarily handed over the antique dealing business to Zhang Sinian and focused on the porcelain kiln. He rushed to Tong Village early in the morning and showed two pages of the formulas to Fang Huaiqing.

Fang Huaiqing asked, "My junior brother gave these to you?"

He said, "He gave me all of them." Scholars tend to look down on one another, and these fellow apprentices from the same master also liked to compete. He was taking precautions, intending to warn Fang Huaiqing, but unexpectedly, the other man snorted coldly first.

Fang Huaiqing said, "This junior brother of mine looks smart, but he's actually a fool." Ordinary people rely on money to get by, while craftsmen rely on their skills. They can't even see each other anymore, yet he still handed over his ultimate techniques. How stupid.

Ding Hanbai savored the implication. "Are you saying I can't be trusted?"

Fang Huaiqing said, "Would your parents abandon their own son for an adopted one? Ji Shenyu first helped you make money by restoring antiques, and now he's offering up the formulas to help you make money by firing porcelain. Who's to say you won't have a change of heart after you become successful, kick him to the curb, and go back home? The one who gets kicked out of the family then will be him."

Losing both the person and the money—it sounded more tragic than having both hands chopped off.

Ding Hanbai loved nothing more than arguing with people. He immediately retorted, "This porcelain kiln will be making money any day now. When the Antique City is up and running, we might even have to open other kilns. Brother Tong will also become successful along with me. You're not worried about getting kicked to the curb yourself, but you're concerned about the two of us. You're quite the warm-hearted person, aren't you?"

Leaving Fang Huaiqing choked and breathless, he felt completely refreshed. After that, he became incredibly busy. Marxism states that science and technology are productive forces. With the formulas, they had mastered the key techniques and could do what others couldn't. It was only a matter of time before they stood out.

Ding Hanbai finalized the orders that were still under negotiation, mainly taking on high-end, exquisite crafts to build their reputation. After working around the clock for most of the day, the kiln fumes became overwhelming. He ran to a grassy spot by the river, lay down on his spread-out coat, and took a short nap.

The sunlight was glaring. He took the empty envelope out from his coat, covered his eyes with it, and squinted, trying to make out the small line of words through the light. 'Senior Brother'—he really wanted to hear Ji Shenyu call him that, close to his ear, with a hand on his shoulder; 'the roses are in bloom'—so romantic, evoking the memory of the day they planted the roses. He wanted to pick one and give it to Ji Shenyu himself; 'I miss you very much'—four short words, their meaning endless. 'Very'? Ji Shenyu must have been restraining himself. He must be missing him like crazy.

Ji Shenyu had just sold a set of jewelry when he sneezed and sniffled. Ding Keyu was still keeping an eye on him, but after half a month together, the taunts and insults had gradually disappeared. Occasionally, he would even ask for advice on carving techniques.

After closing the shop and heading home, the bus was crowded. Ji Shenyu squeezed by the window, memorizing his books. Ding Keyu glanced at him and said with resignation, "I used to think you just appeared out of nowhere, and you were quiet and aloof. Now that I've been watching you for a while, I think you're actually not a bad person."

Ji Shenyu turned his face. "Sugar-coated bullets. Are you trying to trick me?"

Ding Keyu snorted. He had discovered that this junior brother had a sharp tongue, but he was straightforward and didn't hold grudges. Moreover, he studied hard, managed the shop in a flourishing and orderly manner, and was highly skilled. It was almost impossible to find fault with him.

He admitted, "I was a little jealous at first. Now, I'm a little impressed."

Ji Shenyu was taken aback. There were so many things to do, so many things to experience, how could he have the energy to fuss over trivial matters? It was best for brothers to be on good terms. They arrived at Chiwangfu Station. Getting off the bus, he said, "If you don't bother me, I won't bother you. Even though you broke my thing back then, it's fixed now anyway."

Ding Keyu was confused. "...What thing was broken?"

Ji Shenyu said, "The Jade Incense Burner. Didn't you smash my Jade Incense Burner? I don't blame you anymore."

Ding Keyu shouted, "Who smashed your Jade Incense Burner! You can blame me for making you wear women's clothes to attract hooligans, and for not saving you in time, but why are you making things up? Wait, isn't your Jade Incense Burner on display in the First Shop?!"

He didn't look like he was lying. A chill went down Ji Shenyu's spine. "It really wasn't you?"

Ding Keyu said angrily, "I don't know what you're talking about, but it wasn't me!"

Full of suspicion, Ji Shenyu sat down to eat as if nothing had happened when he got home. He glanced at Ding Erhe, who nodded at him. The meal began. Ever since Ding Hanbai, the picky eater, was gone, the dinner table was much quieter.

After a while, he suddenly said, "Senior Brother doesn't know how to cook. I wonder if he's eating well every day."

Jiang Caiwei and Jiang Ting'en took the opportunity to chime in, trying their best to paint a miserable picture of Ding Hanbai—not enough to eat, not warm enough, no stable place to live. However, before Ding Yanshou could feel a twinge of pity, Ding Erhe said, "Hanbai is very capable. He's put down carving to chase big money. Don't worry."

Ding Yanshou's gaze swept over, signaling him to continue. So Ding Erhe said, "A regular customer at the shop is an antique collector. I heard from him that Hanbai is quite famous in the circle, and everything he sells is authentic and high-quality."

Ji Shenyu quickly looked at Ding Yanshou's expression and interjected, "Dealing in antiques doesn't mean he's given up on carving. The two are not mutually exclusive."

But Ding Erhe avoided the topic. "The things he was moving before were probably the antiques he collected. I didn't expect him to have been doing it secretly for a while. Anyway, don't worry, he'll do well wherever he goes."

The topic came to an abrupt end. Ding Yanshou was choked with anger, and no one else dared to speak. Ji Shenyu gripped his chopsticks tightly, his eyes fixed on the white rice, afraid that if he looked up and met Ding Erhe's gaze, it would ruin his appetite!

What seemed like an uneventful meal left Ding Yanshou feeling terrible for half the night. Ji Shenyu rubbed his back and massaged him, taking care of him until late at night. After leaving, he turned back to the living room and kicked the door open. Ding Erhe was watching TV. Hearing the sound, he turned his head and gave him a faint look.

Ji Shenyu got straight to the point. "Second Brother, your ambition is as clear as day." Ding Erhe had deliberately brought up Ding Hanbai. Everyone else knew to say pitiful things to soften Ding Yanshou's heart, yet Ding Erhe, while seemingly offering comfort, was actually revealing all of Ding Hanbai's activities.

The greatest pride of Ding Yanshou's life was Ding Hanbai, all because of his skill and sense of responsibility. Now, one storm had not yet passed, and another was rising. Others were trying their best to mend the rift between father and son, but this bastard was adding fuel to the fire.

Ding Erhe still had his usual placid demeanor, looking innocent and gentle. He said, "I'm telling the truth. Since Hanbai has already done it, is he afraid of Eldest Uncle finding out?"

Ji Shenyu said, "Cut the act. A father and son are deeply connected; they don't need you to pull strings. Senior Brother has only been gone for half a month. I'll never take a share of the business, so you think it's your turn, is that it?"

Ding Erhe asked, "Shouldn't it be my turn?"

Ji Shenyu said, "Even if he never touches the family business again in this lifetime, even if you suddenly become the big boss tomorrow, you should just treat it as a pie that fell from the sky. Take it, and be sensible enough to just eat it. Don't be insatiable and stir up trouble."

Ding Erhe uttered softly, "What do you think you are?"

Ji Shenyu retorted, "I'm nothing, and you're even less than nothing in my eyes. The one who calls the shots in this family is Master. Senior Brother is the only son Master doted on. His name hasn't been removed from the household register. You'd better think carefully before you get too smug."

After saying his piece, Ji Shenyu left crisply, turning off the lights along the way. Groping his way back to the small courtyard in the dark, he felt physically and mentally exhausted after venting his anger. He suddenly started to laugh. Having hung around Ding Hanbai for so long, he had learned a thing or two about shutting people up. As he reached the veranda of the North House, he heard a sound just as he was about to push the door open. He turned around and saw a huge firework blooming in the pitch-black night sky.

Red, blue, yellow, glowing, one after another.

The Spring Festival was long over. Who would be setting off fireworks at a time like this?

At the end of Sha'er Street, Ding Hanbai stood in a corner with a cigarette dangling from his lips. On the ground near the outer wall were several boxes of ignited fireworks. They were colorful and loud; they should attract some attention.

Ji Shenyu stood foolishly at his door, watching. When the last one faded away, it was as if all the brilliant splendor had never happened. Before he could feel disappointed, another point of light appeared, faint and flickering.

Ding Hanbai had picked some new willow branches by the river, bent them, pasted them with two layers of white xuan paper, added a small dish, and lit it. At this moment, a wobbly Kongming Lantern was rising higher and higher into the sky.

'Zhenzhu, do you see it?' he said in his heart.

Ji Shenyu saw it clearly. The soaring Kongming Lantern was so bright, brighter than all the stars in the sky. He rushed into the center of the courtyard, his face tilted up, his chest full of emotions.

The roses are in bloom.

The characters on the lantern were distinct—I miss you very much too.