Unearthing Joy

Si Xi hugged him for a moment before letting go, then handed the car keys to Jing Chen.

“Brother, you haven’t driven a sports car before, have you? Here, it’s yours.”

Jing Chen finally turned his gaze to the sports car parked by the street.

“This car isn’t cheap, is it?” he remarked.

“It cost over eight million upon delivery,” Si Xi explained.

“It was my older cousin’s eighteenth birthday gift to me. Isn’t it incredibly cool?”

The sports car’s design incorporated elements of mecha, giving it a powerful visual impact and a sleek, combat-ready feel, as if it could transform into a humanoid form to fight at any moment.

Even in Yanjing, a city teeming with the wealthy, it was quite the head-turner.

Even after being parked outside the café for just a short while, it had already attracted numerous glances, with some people raising their phones to snap pictures.

“It’s very cool,” Jing Chen affirmed.

“Hehe, to be honest, I usually don’t dare to drive it out,” Si Xi chuckled.

“Let’s go, let’s go. Otherwise, someone will take photos and post them online, leading to more wild speculation.”

The two got into the car, and Jing Chen started the engine.

He wasn’t particularly fond of sports cars; perhaps with age, he found the roaring engine too noisy.

They were also too flashy, lacking a certain gravitas.

“To my place?” Jing Chen asked.

Si Xi hummed in affirmative.

It was Saturday, a day already prone to heavy traffic, and now, during peak hours, the roads were severely congested.

The sports car was forced to crawl along, moving no faster than a tortoise.

With its low chassis and sunken seats, a sports car’s ergonomics were not as comfortable as a sedan’s, and the relatively cramped interior made traffic jams a particularly agonizing experience.

“It’s ruined, Brother,” Si Xi lamented.

“Your first supercar experience has been spoiled by traffic. You have no idea how exhilarating it was for me to drive on the elevated ring road when I just came back from the suburbs.”

Jing Chen, keeping an eye on the road conditions, inquired, “Where in the suburbs did you go?”

“I went to the equestrian club and rode horses for a while.”

As Si Xi spoke, a distinct note of disappointment entered his voice.

“Did something troublesome happen there?” Jing Chen asked.

Si Xi shook his head, unwilling to bring up his family matters.

If he were to speak of goodness, his older cousin genuinely treated him exceptionally well, gifting him a luxury car worth over eight million without a second thought.

This was merely one instance; his cousin had given him far more, and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he doted on Si Xi like a biological younger brother.

If Shao Xun and his mother had proposed the arranged marriage on a day his cousin was present and had also approved, Si Xi would have agreed to the union, even if it meant holding his nose.

However, knowing his cousin, Si Xi was certain he would not only disapprove but would also unceremoniously kick them out.

Perhaps fate, having blessed him with such an excellent cousin, felt it necessary to balance it with a less-than-ideal younger cousin.

The mere fact that his cousin gifted him such a luxurious car for his birthday was a testament to the Xi family’s immense wealth.

A membership at the equestrian club cost only a few hundred thousand, which, for a prominent family like theirs, was hardly a significant sum to quibble over.

Yet, Xi Yue would still be displeased by his spending.

She, on the other hand, could buy designer bags without batting an eyelid, casually acquire millions worth of jewelry, and amass so many high-end custom clothes that her walk-in closet couldn’t hold them all, annually clearing out unworn items to give to the servants.

Their household staff likely earned millions by reselling these items.

Despite her own extravagance, she would still speak in a sarcastic, passive-aggressive tone even when Si Xi bought a pair of sneakers costing merely ten thousand yuan.

Furthermore, Si Xi’s parents had not left behind a substantial inheritance, so whenever he spent a large sum, he felt a pang of guilt, as if he were draining his uncle and aunt’s resources.

Coupled with Xi Yue’s years of psychological manipulation (pua), he constantly felt indebted to his uncle’s family.

Consequently, when Xi Yue threatened him earlier that day, he found himself unable to utter a single word of refusal.

He truly owed their family.

And so, he was willing to enter into an arranged marriage, prepared to sacrifice his lifelong happiness to repay his uncle’s kindness in raising him.

Ah, alas…

****

Just then, Si Xi’s phone vibrated, and a WeChat notification popped up: [‘Good Good Good’ requests to add you as a friend. Do you accept?].

The note read: [I am Huo Siyi].

This friend request came from a recommended contact card by Qin Mingtian.

‘Good Good Good’, Qin Mingtian, with his earnest, thick eyebrows, had betrayed the ‘organization’ so quickly.

Still, Si Xi had a rather good impression of Huo Siyi, and as a junior from the same school, it was a bonus.

Without hesitation, he accepted Huo Siyi’s friend request.

When adding a nickname, Si Xi initially typed ‘Huo Siyi’, then hesitated, deleted the name, and entered ‘Junior’ instead.

Since Xi Yue had already seen him with Huo Siyi, who knew what she might do?

If she wanted to befriend Huo Siyi, or even date him and become the enviable daughter-in-law of the Huo family, that was her own capability.

However, Si Xi would never act as a matchmaker for her.

[Junior: Hello, Senior (^_^)ノ]

[Junior: Our nicknames really complement each other, don’t they?]

[Junior: Why don’t you fly to the sky? Good Good Good.]

[Why Don’t You Fly to the Sky: ……]

[Junior: What are you busy with, Senior? Want to come out for dinner?]

[Junior: Brother Qin owes us a meal.]

[Junior: [Our motto is: Eat! Eat! Eat.JPG]]

[Why Don’t You Fly to the Sky: I’m with my friend.]

[Why Don’t You Fly to the Sky: Apologies for this afternoon, for spoiling your fun.]

[Junior: I know it has nothing to do with you, Senior, so don’t blame yourself!]

[Junior: [Watch my Fiery Golden Eyes.JPG]]

Si Xi realized that even the son of the richest man wasn’t endowed with three heads and six arms; he, too, enjoyed using emojis in his chats.

Without knowing his identity, one would simply perceive him as a cheerful and outgoing junior.

Moreover, Huo Siyi appeared very well-mannered, devoid of any air of superiority, making conversations with him feel entirely natural, without any need for cautious flattery.

[Junior: Oh, by the way, Senior, I just checked the forum. That person who posted photos slandering you, I’ll have someone find them and make them pay, really get some revenge for you.]

[Junior: To spread rumors like ‘sugar baby’ so casually, it’s truly malicious.]

Si Xi felt a slight pang of guilt upon seeing this message.

‘Well, it’s not entirely… a rumor, is it?’ he thought.

[Why Don’t You Fly to the Sky: No need to trouble yourself. Your third brother has already handled it for me.]

[Junior: ?]

[Junior: Which third brother?]

[Junior: Huo Siyuan?]

[Why Don’t You Fly to the Sky: Yes, I just met him too.]

It was a while before Huo Siyi replied.

[Junior: I’m back.]

[Junior: Just gave my third brother a good beating.]

[Junior retracted a message.]

[Junior: Just had a loving chat with my third brother for a bit *^_^*]

[Junior: [Obedient.JPG]]

Si Xi was speechless.

‘Good good good, so that’s how you retract messages, huh?’

Si Xi felt a little awkward. ‘Surely I haven’t caused a rift between these two brothers, have I?’

“We’ve arrived,” Jing Chen suddenly announced.

“So fast?”

Si Xi, a little puzzled, unbuckled his seatbelt and got out.

After surveying their surroundings, he remarked, “This doesn’t seem to be your neighborhood, Brother.”

“Seeing how engrossed you were in your chat, I decided to take a detour to an unfamiliar place and sell you off,” Jing Chen said, locking the car.

Si Xi, missing the subtle hint of jealousy in his tone, took Jing Chen’s hand and grinned.

“Well, make sure to sell me for a good price then, pure male college students are quite valuable.”

Jing Chen had brought him to a shopping mall.

Si Xi, not understanding the reason, assumed they were going for a meal.

Although he had little appetite at the moment, he didn’t want to dampen Jing Chen’s spirits, so he allowed himself to be led, riding the escalator up to the mall’s third floor.

To his surprise, Jing Chen led him into a blind box treasure-digging arcade.

It was Si Xi’s first time in such an unusual place.

The arcade was quite busy, mostly with adults accompanying children, but also some adults or couples.

On the tables before them, each person had a block of dirt in a box.

They were busy tapping and chipping away at the dirt with shovels, hammers, and chisels, revealing various “treasures” as they dug.

Si Xi saw someone unearthing a set of panda figurines, seven little pandas, each unique and adorably clumsy, making him wish he had them too.

“Want to try?” Jing Chen asked.

“Yes!” Si Xi exclaimed.

The two sat down at a table, and a staff member brought over a rather large block of dirt.

After giving them instructions on what to look out for during excavation, they began to dig.

After a period of tapping and chipping, the object inside slowly began to reveal its form.

“It looks like a mecha sports car model, just like mine!” Si Xi said, a hint of excitement in his voice.

“Keep digging,” Jing Chen urged.

Jing Chen continued to dig with his shovel, but Si Xi quickly stopped him.

“No, no, no, don’t use the shovel anymore. Let’s use a brush. I’m afraid of damaging it.”

Jing Chen chuckled.

“No need to be so careful. It won’t be anything too delicate.”

“You never know,” Si Xi countered.

“Look at these lines, so smooth. It must be a treasure.”

Si Xi was now fully engrossed, proceeding with utmost care, terrified of chipping any paint off the model.

Gradually, the entire model was revealed.

And indeed, aside from the dirt and dust accumulated from being buried for so long, this model was certainly no cheap, shoddy trinket.

It appeared remarkably exquisite, with a sleek and aesthetically pleasing design that definitely rivaled the car models collected by enthusiasts.

A staff member approached, and upon seeing the car model in Si Xi’s hand, exclaimed, “Wow!”

“Gentlemen, you’ve unearthed our store’s prized treasure! Congratulations! This model is worth over a thousand yuan. You’ve really hit the jackpot!”

All the blind box digging kits in the store cost 200 yuan each, and simply breaking even on what was dug out was considered a profit.

To find something of such exceptional value was truly surprising.

“Really?” Si Xi asked, beaming with delight.

“Then it seems we’re very lucky today!”

“Yes, indeed. You can tell by the dirt on it that it’s been buried for a long time,” the staff member confirmed.

“It needs ultrasonic cleaning. Please follow me.”

The staff member led them to a small partitioned area at the back, gesturing for Si Xi to place the car model into a water tank.

Instantly, a murky mist enveloped the model, quickly submerging it completely.

“Time to witness a miracle,” the staff member announced.

With that, the staff member used tongs to retrieve the model from the water.

The once dirty and dull model now gleamed spotlessly, its painted surface reflecting the light with a striking luster, revealing its cool design and fluid lines in their full glory.

No man could resist the allure of a sports car model, and Si Xi was no exception.

His eyes shining brightly, he took the cleaned model from the staff member’s hand, then looked up at Jing Chen.

“Brother, I love it so much!”

Seeing Si Xi’s joyful smile, much of the usual solemn indifference on Jing Chen’s face melted away.

“It’s very beautiful,” he said.

“It is,” Si Xi agreed, playing with it for a long while before reluctantly handing it back to the staff member.

“Could you please pack it up for me? Thank you.”

The staff member carefully took the model from his hand, placed it in a box, and then put the box into a bag before handing it to Si Xi.

Si Xi noticed a pink card affixed to the bag, with writing on it.

He pulled it out to read.

— ‘Troubles and unhappiness are like the layer of dirt covering something; simply brush them aside, and you will find joy.’

The handwriting was strong and vigorous, clearly not belonging to the staff member.

A sudden realization dawned on Si Xi.

He turned, his eyes sparkling, to look at Jing Chen.

“Did you write this?”

“Yes, I wrote it on my way to the restroom just now,” Jing Chen admitted directly.

“Are you feeling a little better now?”

So, Jing Chen had noticed his low spirits and specifically brought him here to play this treasure-digging game.

Si Xi was deeply moved.

‘So this is what it feels like to have someone care when you’re sad,’ he thought.

It had been a very, very long time since anyone had shown him such favoritism.

His older cousin was very good to him, but he was also very busy, and his care was mostly material.

Otherwise, Xi Yue wouldn’t have been able to walk all over him like that.

As a child, whenever he was sad or bullied, he could only hide away like a wounded fawn, licking his wounds.

After growing up, he learned to process his emotions independently and put on a facade, leaving no one to comfort him.

“I’m already better. Thank you, Brother. I’m so happy now.”

Si Xi linked his arm with Jing Chen’s as they walked out, resting his head on his shoulder.

“I almost fell in love with you. What should I do?” he murmured.

Jing Chen’s steps paused almost imperceptibly.

“What’s missing?” he asked.

“I won’t tell you.”

Jing Chen ruffled his hair.

Si Xi couldn’t say.

That one missing piece was Jing Chen’s family wealth.

He was destined for an arranged marriage, and their relationship was fated to end in separation.

Ah… alas.

****

The staff member watched their sweet departure, then, mimicking them, linked arms with another colleague.

“Is this what it means to spend a fortune just to make a beauty smile?” she said enviously.

“I’m so jealous. If only my boyfriend were so generous.”

That sports car blind box was indeed their store’s prized treasure, but the price to dig it out was not 200, but 2000 yuan.

What fool would spend 2000 yuan to dig up a blind box, not even knowing what was buried inside!

Their so-called “store’s prized treasure” had almost become a “dust-collecting treasure.”

Thankfully, there were still those willing to spend a fortune to make a beauty smile.

The other staff member poked her head.

“Wake up, you don’t have a boyfriend.”

“……” ‘Ouch, that hit me right in the heart.’