“Ah Ze, I have a question,” Grandma Sheng Shuwen said. She was very interested in European culture and art, and sitting in the front row of the carriage, she turned her head specifically to ask Jiang Luoze, who was sitting in the back row: “Is the origin of Flamenco from the Gypsies?”
Jiang Luoze leaned in a bit closer and nodded, saying: “The origins of Flamenco can be traced back to the Gypsy communities in Spain. However, my understanding of Flamenco and Gypsy culture is far less deep than my aunt’s.”
After saying this, Jiang Luoze glanced with a smile at his aunt, who was sitting next to Grandma Sheng.
“Come on, come on, educate your big sister here,” Grandma Sheng said, putting an arm around Little Jiang Grandma’s shoulder and speaking affectionately.
“I want to hear too~” Chu Xingxing grabbed the handrail of the front seat and leaned her head over as well.
Lady Wen Xuelan also chimed in: “Come on, tell us! Yaoyao knows so much, you can’t keep it to yourself, and introduce it to the little viewers in front of the screen too.”
Grandma Ai Minli also nodded and said: “Right, Yaoyao, tell everyone, we all really want to know.”
“Alright…” Little Jiang Grandma spread her hands and said: “As the largest ethnic minority in Europe, throughout history, Gypsies were labeled as unwelcome, untrustworthy, and lower-class due to their special nomadic lifestyle — no fixed occupations, no fixed residences.”
In modern times, Gypsy culture and traditions are also seen as different from mainstream culture and values, which has intensified discrimination and prejudice against them across European countries, and Spain is no exception.
But interestingly, Flamenco — this art form that originated from Gypsy culture — has now become Spain’s national treasure, regarded as a symbol of Spanish culture and tradition.
You could only say that Spaniards’ attitude toward Gypsies and Flamenco is very complex. They appreciate and love Flamenco dearly, and they proudly promote Flamenco to the world, but that doesn’t mean the prejudice and discrimination against Gypsies have been resolved.
[Little Jiang Grandma knows so much!]
[I always thought Little Jiang Grandma was a sweet simpleton, so cultured!!!]
[Little Jiang Grandma is basically talking about cultural conflict and the complexity of human nature — instant respect.]
[In Little Jiang Grandma’s eyes, I see “loved before” hahahaha, because only when you like and love something would you try to understand a culture that isn’t your own, right?]
Little Jiang Grandma’s understanding of Flamenco culture all came from a young mixed-race guitarist named Carlos, who came to the capital city for cultural exchange back in the day.
When she was young, Little Jiang Grandma found his name awkward to pronounce, so she called him Little Ka.
She had once asked Little Ka a question.
As a foreigner with partial overseas heritage, how could he understand Flamenco — an art form with such intense emotions?
To this day, Little Jiang Grandma still remembers what that man with black hair, black eyes, and a high nose bridge said.
“The earliest Flamenco was a minority art form of an ethnic minority. Many solo songs were more like lamenting the bitterness and hatred in a lonely life, and a kind of marginalized solitude. I’m also a minority in Spain, so I can understand…”
Little Ka’s Mandarin wasn’t great, and he spoke slowly.
At that time, he was holding a guitar in his arms, his eyes cast downward, and his whole being radiated a melancholic aura.
The sentence “I’m also a minority in Spain” made young Jiang Yao’s heart skip a beat.
As an “outsider,” living in a country is not an easy thing — especially in conservative Europe thirty or forty years ago…
It was at that moment that Little Jiang Grandma was drawn to Carlos.
And the sensitive, melancholic Carlos was also willing to open up to this sweet-smiling Chinese girl.
Once a woman feels heartache for another man, that proves she has “fallen.”
During the days when Carlos’s Flamenco art troupe was doing exchange performances in China, it was undoubtedly one of the happiest periods in Little Jiang Grandma’s life.
Recalling those memories again, Little Jiang Grandma automatically skipped over the regrets that came later.
Just remembering that she once had happiness is enough.
—
The sound of horse hooves striking the ground was very rhythmic — “clip-clop, clip-clop.”
Starting from the small building in the old town, in less than half an hour, they stopped outside a building with red brick exterior walls that was relatively more modern.
On the brick facade hung a large poster of a female Flamenco dancer.
The vivid red skirt and the flowing fringed shawl flying off the dancer’s body created a stunningly beautiful image.
This was one of the most famous Flamenco art troupes in Seville.
Walking through the troupe’s entrance was like traveling through time — back to an Andalusian-style courtyard from over a hundred years ago.
Chu Xingxing stepped into the courtyard full of intricately patterned tiles and a faint orange blossom scent, and softly exclaimed: “Southern Spanish courtyards are so beautiful…”
[Wow! Really so beautiful!!!]
[Every courtyard has its own character, so beautiful it doesn’t seem real.]
[If you came to such a romantic place with someone you love, it should be very happy, right?]
[I’d rather come with my besties, because only my besties would have the patience to find angles and take gorgeous photos of me that don’t even need editing before posting!]
The old babies took photos everywhere in the courtyard. Every Andalusian courtyard has its own unique beauty — you can never take enough photos.
At that moment, a slender young Spanish girl came out and, in English with a heavy Spanish accent, guided everyone to the stage.
Flamenco performance venues are usually small, and each show can only accommodate a limited audience.
So when Chu Xingxing and the old babies entered, they didn’t realize that they were the only audience members at the performance venue.
After taking their seats, in a short while, the lights dimmed.
[Here it comes, here it comes!!!]
[I specifically looked up some info — this art troupe never allows filming during performances. Thank you old babies for letting us kids see the world!!!]
[I just want to see the “water-snake waist” that Little Jiang Grandma mentioned hahahaha.]
[Same, I just want to know what kind of “water-snake waist” you shouldn’t date?]
Only the spotlight in the center of the stage was on, and on the stage there were only four green wooden chairs.
It was a spectacular performance — there wasn’t a single second that let you relax.
The dancers’ infectious, rhythmically powerful movements, paired with the brilliant performances of the singers and guitarist.
The rhythm created by clapping palms felt like it connected to the heartbeat, rising and falling with the emotions of the dancers and singers.
Even every pause in the dance carried power and passion.
The singer’s voice was melodious with intense emotion, and the dancers moved to the singer’s voice, their body movements growing faster and more difficult, every movement and every step tugging at Chu Xingxing’s heart.
Even though she couldn’t understand the Spanish lyrics, Chu Xingxing could still feel the intense emotions of the dancers and singers.
Even when the dance and singing reached their peak, she unknowingly shed tears.
Jiang Luoze took out a handkerchief from his pocket and was just about to hand it to Chu Xingxing when…
This carefree girl boldly wiped her tears with her sleeve, then frantically applauded the singers and dancers on stage, shouting “Bravo!” along with the old babies!
Jiang Luoze shook his head with a smile and quietly put the handkerchief away.
[Hahahaha, the only one who lives most exquisitely is indeed “Little Fox.”]
[Xingbao isn’t the type to be overly sentimental — she cried because she empathized with the dancers and singers.]
[Honestly, I’ve never seen Flamenco before, and I was completely blown away. I understand why Xingxing cried. Even without understanding the lyrics, I could feel the singers’ and dancers’ hatred (not sure if that’s the right way to put it), but it really was a strong feeling of love and hate.]
The one-hour Flamenco performance felt like a fleeting moment to the old babies and Xingxing.
It ended before they’d had enough.
Because they were so focused on the performance, everyone only then realized that there seemed to be only six audience members in the entire theater?
Grandma Wen said across a few people in a low voice: “Ah Ze, this is a bit extravagant, booking the whole place just for us?”
“But…” Jiang Luoze shook his head helplessly, glanced around, leaned over and whispered: “I really didn’t book the whole place.”
“Huh?” Grandma Wen was confused.
“Ah Ze didn’t book it?” Grandma Sheng Shuwen was also a bit puzzled.
“Really didn’t,” Jiang Luoze shook his head.
Grandma Sheng nodded thoughtfully. It seemed the art troupe’s owner had arranged this.
Grandma Sheng Shuwen had asked Jiang Luoze to book this Flamenco art troupe’s performance because the troupe’s owner was also a guitarist who had once been romantically involved with Jiang Yao.
Grandma Sheng had only recently learned that there was a misunderstanding behind their breakup.
And this misunderstanding was somewhat deep.
He was also the only boyfriend Jiang Yao had ever accepted a marriage proposal from.
Don’t be fooled by how Jiang Yao now mentions those past events lightly — but as her big sister, Sheng Shuwen knew how devastating this matter had been to the little sister at the time, and how long it took her to recover.
Even though Grandma Sheng Shuwen learned that the man had never married and had never started a family, she still had no intention of getting her sister back together with him.
Perhaps others wouldn’t understand, but Grandma Sheng understood — Jiang Yao’s change in attitude toward relationships started after that incident.
With every boyfriend, Jiang Yao would break up before the other person proposed, as if deliberately avoiding something.
Grandma Sheng Shuwen hoped the person involved would explain the misunderstanding clearly to Little Jiang Grandma — purely to untie the “knot” in her sister’s heart from all those years ago.
Many things don’t become unimportant with time — they just get hidden away.
Grandma Sheng Shuwen kept thinking — they’ve all lived to this age, and regrets are unavoidable.
But if you have the ability to eliminate a regret, why wouldn’t you?
While you still have the ability, while your mind is still clear.
Grandma Sheng hoped that the little sisters under her care could have a few less regrets in life — just a few less.
—
According to Flamenco performance tradition, after the formal show ends, there’s an “encore” improvisation.
Jiang Luoze had told the grandmas about this tradition in advance.
So Lady Wen Xuelan was the first to stand up and shout: “Encore! Encore! Encore!”
Chu Xingxing also stood up, clapping and shouting “Encore” along with Lady Wen Xuelan.
Although Grandma Sheng didn’t stand up, she joined in from her chair and shouted twice.
Grandma Ai Minli directly pulled the somewhat emotional Little Jiang Grandma to her feet and shouted “Encore.”
But then, the audience lights suddenly dimmed.
A guitar melody rang out.
But this time, the guitar sounded somewhat different.
The guitar melody felt very familiar to the grandmas present…
“This…” Lady Wen Xuelan was the first to question it, whispering: “This isn’t a Flamenco tune, is it?”
“No,” said Lady Ai Minli, the singer most sensitive to music, shaking her head and saying with certainty: “Although it uses Flamenco guitar style, this should be a Chinese folk song.”
Chu Xingxing was shocked: “This is our country’s folk song?!”
She suddenly remembered that while walking in the Plaza de España, Little Jiang Grandma had told her that when she was young and dating the Flamenco band guitarist, they had done a musical crossover.
“Is it ‘Why Are the Flowers So Red’?” Chu Xingxing asked hesitantly in a low voice — after all, she hadn’t heard this folk song either.
“Oh my, it IS ‘Why Are the Flowers So Red’!” Lady Wen Xuelan confirmed.
Grandma Jiang Yao’s eyes flickered slightly — this familiar guitar melody was exactly the Flamenco-style arrangement of “Why Are the Flowers So Red” that she had jokingly asked Carlos to create back then.
A spotlight beam hit the stage.
A man in a shirt, vest, and suit trousers — tall with long legs — walked steadily to center stage and sat down on a chair, plucking the guitar strings.
His clothing was simple and elegant, and his whole being radiated a casual aura. The wrinkles on his face and his graying hair couldn’t hide his handsome, beautiful features.
Between playing, the man looked up toward Grandma Jiang Yao in the audience.
Even Chu Xingxing could see the depth and tenderness in this grandpa’s eyes — he looked younger than his actual age.
[Holy crap! Is this Little Jiang Grandma’s ex-boyfriend??? Oh my god, kinda handsome…]
[The foreign “varieties” of men Little Jiang Grandma has dated are indeed top-tier.]
[Because Little Jiang Grandma is super pretty herself, so of course her boyfriends would be good-looking. And Little Jiang Grandma said she wouldn’t even consider ugly ones.]
[Kids these days don’t know — back in the day, when people mentioned Jiang Yao, she was a national goddess-level TV drama actress! (revealing my age)]
[I think I get why some people like older men. This kind of older man who isn’t greasy, manages his physique well, is gentle, and knows how to create an atmosphere — who wouldn’t love that? I want to find one for my widowed grandma too (bushi)]
[Is this grandpa mixed-race? Actually, I can’t really tell. Apart from the black eyes, I can’t see any Chinese heritage in him at all.]
[Regardless, this grandpa is so handsome!]
Chu Xingxing carefully observed the man’s face. This grandpa could be called a handsome older man. The only two Asian elements on his face seemed to be his pure black pupils and facial contours that were softer than typical Europeans’.
“Little Jiang Grandma, this grandpa is…” Chu Xingxing asked very quietly.
Little Jiang Grandma blinked, listening to the familiar melody, trying hard to connect the old man before her with the handsome younger guy who was three years younger than her back then.
“Honestly, I don’t know if it’s him either…” Little Jiang Grandma shook her head and said to Chu Xingxing.
Maybe it had just been too many years. Although Grandma Jiang Yao felt that the person playing guitar on stage resembled young Carlos in facial features and build, the aura of the two seemed completely different.
Young Carlos always carried a unique melancholy aura — even somewhat decadent and world-weary.
When Carlos in his twenties looked at her, even when smiling, there was a faint sorrow tinged in his gaze.
But the “Carlos” on stage radiated a warm, sunny aura. The way he looked at her carried the unique elegance and restraint of Asians, yet you could still read the joy of reunion in it.
Little Jiang Grandma was a bit dazed.
She couldn’t figure out — could time really change a person this much?
“Sorry…” The young Spanish girl who had greeted them outside the troupe earlier walked over to Jiang Luoze and whispered a few words to him in English.
Jiang Luoze nodded and leaned over to say to his aunt: “Auntie, the guitarist and drummer of this Flamenco art troupe have apparently tried rehearsing some Chinese-style pieces and Peking opera selections. They want to ask if we’d be willing to try something together?”
Grandma Jiang Yao had never been the shy type — especially in front of outsiders.
Of course, except in front of her own big sisters — with the other three grandmas, Jiang Yao was their little sister.
“Sure. Whatever Ah Ze wants to sing, Auntie will sing with you. They can have the guitar follow on their own.” Little Jiang Grandma nodded elegantly. She wasn’t afraid.
And facing an ex-boyfriend who had accepted her proposal years ago but then initiated the breakup, Little Jiang Grandma certainly couldn’t lose in terms of presence.
Besides, she and Jiang Luoze would sing what they were good at — if the other side’s guitar accompaniment couldn’t keep up, that would be their embarrassment.
“I’m fine with anything. Auntie picks.” Jiang Luoze squatted beside his aunt and patted the back of her hand.
[Awwww, “Little Fox” is so gentle.]
[“Little Fox” is really something. Another day of being swooned by “Little Fox” ( :з」∠)]
“Peking opera — we don’t have the conditions for that here. I also don’t trust that a guitar can match me, and I’m afraid the kids wouldn’t understand it either…”
Little Jiang Grandma turned her head and asked Chu Xingxing, who was sitting nearby with ears perked up like a quiet little rabbit: “Does our good girl have any Chinese-style songs she likes? With opera-style vocals — Grandma and Ah Ze will sing for you. Although Chinese-style songs aren’t real Peking opera, we can use the vocal styles of qingyi and huadan.”
Chu Xingxing snapped to attention: “Huh, asking me?”
Jiang Luoze looked at her, a faint smile rising on his face.
Little Jiang Grandma smiled and nodded.
She felt that Chu Xingxing could represent today’s young kids.
What their good girl liked, the little viewers watching the livestream would also like — and it would be a great opportunity to promote traditional culture.
Perhaps inadvertently, it could become a “guide” for some kids to fall into the pit of Peking opera.
On the high-speed train that morning, the song “Chi Ling” that Ah Ze sang was good, but unfortunately they’d already sung it.
Suddenly called upon, Chu Xingxing froze for a moment. The choice was suddenly handed to her, and she didn’t know what to pick.
Chu Xingxing turned to look at Grandma Ai Minli — for this kind of question, she should ask a professional: “Grandma Ai, could you recommend a Chinese-style song? I’m tone-deaf and don’t have much appreciation ability…”
“‘Tan Chuang’ then,” Grandma Ai Minli quickly decided for everyone: “Lots of young kids on Bilibili like it.”
[Hahahaha! Grandma Ai is truly surfing the 5G wave, she knows everything!]
[Grandma Ai is so trendy, zero generation gap, love this kind of cool grandma!]
[I love “Tan Chuang”! It was because of “Tan Chuang” that I fell into the Peking opera pit. Chinese-style songs can’t represent real Peking opera, but Little Jiang Grandma is right — although it’s not real Peking opera, it’s a great way for kids to learn about our national treasure.]
“‘Tan Chuang’?” Jiang Luoze paused for a moment, then nodded slightly: “I’m not too familiar with the lyrics, but I can sing it — just need to look at the phone.”
Little Jiang Grandma stood up, stretched her muscles, and pulled out her reading glasses: “I can’t remember the lyrics either. Let’s just read them and sing together.”
“I’ll give Little Jiang Grandma my phone.” Chu Xingxing had already pulled up the lyrics, set the font to the largest size, and handed the phone to Grandma Jiang Yao.
“Thank you, good girl, so thoughtful.” Little Jiang Grandma touched Chu Xingxing’s cheek and took the phone.
—
Next, Chu Xingxing witnessed the most stunning crossover performance she had ever seen in her life.
She had never imagined that guitar, drum beats, and the melodious, graceful Flamenco vocal style could perfectly blend with Chinese opera vocals.
That shock was no less than seeing a “Voldemort x Lin Daiyu” CP mashup for the first time.
The psychological trajectory be like:
What is this? →
A bit weird, let me look again → Damn, one more look… →
Once you accept this premise, it’s like? →
I’m crying! Push it up!! The editing is too good, I can’t be the only one going crazy!!!
The first to speak was Grandma Jiang Yao.
Before going on stage, a Flamenco dancer handed Little Jiang Grandma a fan.
Grandma Jiang Yao had learned opera since childhood and sang standard Mei-school qingyi.
“She sang of meeting an old friend in a foreign land
Every step, every line, is longing
Below the stage, he tops the imperial exams
Never recognizing his old acquaintance on stage…”
Little Jiang Grandma’s voice was sweet, bright, and crisp, round and smooth. Her endnotes were crisp and natural, melodious and pleasant.
Every word was combined with the character “love” — her eyes, gestures, and posture stunned everyone.
After Little Jiang Grandma finished singing, the fan in her hand pointed toward Jiang Luoze, following her gaze.
Jiang Luoze struck a pose. The shirt cuff rolled up, revealing slender, fair arms. He opened his mouth on stage:
“He spoke of the night of the wedding candles
Everyone congratulated the beauty matched with the scholar
Never hearing a single sigh — in the play, there is a love-struck fool…”
[So good I want to curse!!!]
[Little Jiang Grandma’s qingyi is absolutely amazing! Ahhhh! I thought “Little Fox’s” huadan was good enough, but only after comparing did I realize qingyi is truly yyds!!!]
[The moment Little Jiang Grandma opened her mouth, Mei-school qingyi gave me goosebumps.]
[Not to diss anything, but mainly it’s the language barrier. Although Flamenco is stunning, when it comes to what sounds beautiful, it’s still what our ancestors left us.]
[When I was little, I really didn’t understand why the adults in my family loved listening to opera so much. Now I realize — opera is so charming!]
[Getting into traditional opera culture through Chinese-style songs is also a great path. But I never expected guitar and drum beats to pair so well with opera vocals!]
Without the comparison, Chu Xingxing hadn’t fully understood what Little Jiang Grandma meant about the difference between qingyi and dan roles’ vocal styles.
Now she finally got it.
Jiang Luoze sang the Xun-school huadan — sweeter and more coquettish, exactly like a delicate, charming, elegant young maiden or… young wife.
That light, soft, sweet vocal style went straight to your heart.
And Little Jiang Grandma’s Mei-school qingyi was rounder and brighter in timbre, with a more expansive and steady rhythm.
In terms of temperament, Grandma Jiang Yao’s Mei-school qingyi was more elegant and grand.
The two were equally matched, each with their own beauty.
Chu Xingxing unknowingly began lightly tapping the rhythm with her hands along with the other grandmas.
The soft, grand opera vocals formed a sharp contrast with the Flamenco that had just expressed such intense “love and hate.”
To Chu Xingxing, both art forms were incomparably beautiful.
But if she had to say which she genuinely loved, for her, Peking opera vocals gave her a stronger sense of national identity.
Flamenco was stunning when you first heard it, but Peking opera vocals were something she wanted to listen to every day, every moment — that kind of love.
—
When the song ended, Little Jiang Grandma and Jiang Luoze received not only applause from Chu Xingxing and the old babies.
They also received applause and cheers from the Flamenco art troupe’s Spanish dancers and singers backstage.
Except, among the cheers from the Spanish performers backstage, there was more or less some good-natured teasing mixed in.
Chu Xingxing and the old babies weren’t familiar with European customs and couldn’t tell.
Jiang Luoze could.
A young girl from backstage came up holding a bouquet of flowers, shoved them into the handsome older guitarist’s hands, then ran back backstage.
Little Jiang Grandma took her bow gracefully, her eyes slightly closed as she bowed.
If she hadn’t been accepted into film school and wanted to see the world outside, Jiang Yao wouldn’t have gone against her parents and brother to become an actress.
Occasionally, she also missed those years on the opera stage receiving applause and cheers from fellow opera fans.
After bowing, Little Jiang Grandma was about to pull Jiang Luoze off stage when she noticed a shadow fall in front of her.
Grandma Jiang Yao looked up at the man holding flowers before her. Neither of them spoke.
It was impossible not to feel ripples in her heart.
Little Jiang Grandma’s gaze fell on the ring on “Carlos’s” right middle finger.
A ring on the right middle finger means the heart belongs to someone.
And this ring looked somewhat familiar…
Little Jiang Grandma tried not to let herself think about the past, and curved her lips in a forced casual smile: “Hi, Little Ka… no wait, should I call you Old Ka now?”
The smile on the man’s face froze for a moment, then he said with a hint of helplessness, calling her by her full name: “Jiang Yao, hello.”
Jiang Luoze looked at “Carlos,” surprised by his perfectly accented Mandarin pronunciation.
He remembered his aunt saying that her mixed-race ex-boyfriend’s Mandarin was terrible…
Jiang Luoze, who had learned a bit about his aunt’s past with this foreign boyfriend from Grandma Sheng, laughed to himself: Well well, did he practice specifically for this?
He wondered whether this “Carlos” grandpa was a “player” or deeply devoted?
“Are the flowers for me?” Grandma Jiang Yao couldn’t hide her nervousness.
Little Jiang Grandma didn’t even notice how well the other person spoke Chinese, and when they were together, Little Ka had never called her by her full name.
Little Jiang Grandma pretended to naturally take the flowers from his hand, held her back straight, and said: “Although I don’t like sunflowers anymore, thank you anyway.”
Actually, it wasn’t that she didn’t like sunflowers anymore — she just didn’t want to admit in front of him that she still liked them.
After Little Ka returned to Spain with the art troupe back then, because international long-distance calls were expensive, the two maintained correspondence through letters.
Compared to the one month they had briefly been together, what Grandma Jiang Yao couldn’t forget was the year and a half of letter writing.
In the back-and-forth international registered letters, Grandma Jiang Yao and Little Ka talked about everything — the world, culture and art, ideals and values…
The fact that Little Jiang Grandma liked sunflowers was something she had mentioned to Little Ka in a letter.
Little Jiang Grandma even felt that through the letters, she had gotten to know Little Ka all over again. Their values and ideals matched so well that for the first time in her life, she had the urge to spend her life with someone.
In the letters, Little Ka proposed to her. An international package arrived with a simple silver ring, with her name in pinyin engraved on the inside.
Grandma Jiang Yao had considered it for a long time, constantly wondering whether to accept.
In the old days, horse carriages were slow, and letters traveled far.
Young people in the ’70s and ’80s were always patient with love — especially cross-national love.
A month later.
It happened that her old classmate was going to Spain with a Chinese art exchange troupe in twenty days.
To give Little Ka a surprise, Little Jiang Grandma asked her classmate to bring the letter accepting his proposal to Seville, Spain.
But later, when the classmate who went to Spain for exchange met Carlos in Seville, he already had a girlfriend — a glamorous Spanish woman by his side.
Little Jiang Grandma’s friend angrily asked Carlos why he was playing with someone’s feelings. Carlos looked innocent and said: “I mentioned the breakup in my letter long ago, and I hoped Jiang Yao would stop pestering me.”
Little Jiang Grandma’s friend nearly scratched Carlos’s face, but fortunately friends from the same troupe pulled them apart.
At the time, Little Jiang Grandma hadn’t yet become a “love genius.” When she found out, she only thought she had taken too long to consider, making the other person lose patience.
And international mail had a high chance of being lost — she just never received Little Ka’s breakup letter…
Putting herself in Carlos’s shoes — if she were in his position and didn’t get a reply for so long, she would also think the other person wasn’t willing to accept. Starting a new relationship two months later wasn’t really that “scummy.”
So after crying to her sisters every day for over a month, Little Jiang Grandma transformed into version 1.0 of a “love genius” and entered a phase of only dating without considering marriage.
The reason Little Jiang Grandma felt regret was that she had missed someone whose values matched hers so well — someone she had seriously considered building a family with. And after all these years, she had never met anyone who understood her like that again.
“Jiang Yao…” An unfamiliar mature male voice pulled Little Jiang Grandma back to reality.
The expression in the man’s eyes was tinged with nervousness, and his tone was slightly urgent as he asked: “After the performance, do you have other plans? Could I… could I buy you a drink?”
Grandma Sheng Shuwen sat in the audience, still quite satisfied with “Carlos’s” performance. This time he finally “had a mouth” to speak.
At least he wasn’t like back then — like a “closed gourd,” silently suffering all the losses alone.
“We do have other plans…” Little Jiang Grandma answered quickly. She didn’t want to “eat grass from the old pasture” — no going back.
Grandma Jiang Yao urgently called out to Chu Xingxing below the stage: “Good girl, aren’t we going to eat Andalusian Tapas tonight?”
Chu Xingxing saw the avoidance in Little Jiang Grandma’s eyes and dutifully ran to the edge of the stage, gave Jiang Luoze a look, and said with a straight face: “Right, Ah Ze booked a table for 9:30. We should probably get going?”
“Yes, about time to head out.” Jiang Luoze paused, then also caught Chu Xingxing’s meaning.
Lady Wen Xuelan was a bit anxious below the stage. She leaned over and whispered in Grandma Sheng Shuwen’s ear: “Big sister, shouldn’t we talk to Yaoyao about this? No matter what, we should give the other person a chance to explain…”
Grandma Sheng Shuwen stood up and said calmly: “No rush. Let Yaoyao slowly accept it. We’re still staying in Seville for two more days.”
[Is there no possibility of reconciliation??? Ah! Little Jiang Grandma and that handsome grandpa look so good together.]
[I still haven’t fully figured out the character relationships! Is there a class representative who can explain — who dumped whom back then?]
[Same here. Little Jiang Grandma seems to be avoiding it, not willing to talk much with the handsome grandpa!]
[Oh my, I’m so invested in this ship. It feels like watching a senior version of a “broken mirror reunion” dating show.]
—
The manager of the Flamenco art troupe walked the grandmas out and also gave them many Flamenco-related souvenirs.
In the small shop at the troupe’s entrance, Chu Xingxing found a row of Flamenco dresses for children.
Thinking of last time at the Saci red carpet, in the side hall of the Sheng Hotel, how those little ones from the various families liked her so much, giving her lots of kisses and hugs.
Those little ones and the girls who came to the venue to cheer her on that day — they should be Chu Xingxing’s first batch of fans, right?
Thinking of this, she dug into her own pocket and quickly bought several sets of children’s Flamenco dresses in the shop, planning to give them to the little ones when she got back home.
To thank the fans who came to support her that day, Chu Xingxing also picked out many beautiful Flamenco hairpins, fridge magnets, funny Flamenco dress aprons, and other souvenirs. She planned to do a lucky draw to give them to her supportive fans.
Throughout the gift-picking process, Little Jiang Grandma stuck close to Chu Xingxing and helped her pick things out.
In the end, they bought a big bag before leaving the shop.
“What are we eating tonight, good girl?” Little Jiang Grandma rubbed her belly — she was hungry now.
“Pfft,” Chu Xingxing laughed out loud and deliberately teased Little Jiang Grandma: “Didn’t you say we were going to eat Andalusian specialty Tapas?”
“Oh, that was just an excuse…” Little Jiang Grandma mumbled.
“Why are you so cute?” Chu Xingxing put her arm around Grandma Jiang Yao’s shoulder and said with a smile.
She sincerely felt that these old babies were each cuter than the last.
“What do you want to eat?” Chu Xingxing asked good-naturedly.
“I want to eat…” Little Jiang Grandma’s eyes lit up, and she whispered: “Instant noodles! Braised beef or mushroom chicken, either is fine!”
Chu Xingxing had an “I knew it” expression and nodded seriously: “Then let me think of a way.”
Because they were shopping in the store, Chu Xingxing and Grandma Jiang Yao were the last two to walk out of the Flamenco art troupe.
Neither of them noticed that behind them, a tall figure had also heard their conversation.
—
On the carriage ride back, the old babies unanimously decided they didn’t want to go out to a restaurant for dinner tonight.
After a full day of playing, everyone felt exhausted.
“Let’s order takeout. Get something light — just eat whatever.” Grandma Sheng sat in the carriage, patting her arms with hollow palms, making the decision for everyone.
Lady Wen Xuelan agreed and also started patting her legs the way Grandma Sheng did: “Sure sure. I don’t want to go out. I’d be fine skipping dinner — I feel like jet lag is kicking in and I’m getting sleepy.”
“What are you patting?” Chu Xingxing also mimicked the grandmas, making her hand into a hollow palm shape and patting her shoulders twice.
“This is called ‘patting the eight hollows,’ also called ‘patting sha.’ When you’re tired, patting can boost immunity and unblock meridians and dispel dampness.” Grandma Ai Minli corrected Chu Xingxing’s hand posture, then helped her find the acupoints on her body: “Pat here, here, and here — 50 times each spot.”
“Learned something new!” Chu Xingxing began patting the acupoints with the correct hand posture.
Jiang Luoze didn’t join in. He just found this scene somewhat surreal, yet very cute.
A few Chinese grandmas and a young maiden, sitting in a European-style carriage, riding along the cobblestone streets of Seville’s old town, performing a mysterious “Eastern ritual” — patting the eight hollows.
Honestly, along the way, almost every Spaniard and foreign tourist they passed gave this carriage a second look.
[Hahahahaha! Sisters, quick, follow the grandmas and start patting!!!]
[The old babies’ health activities are truly endless. Miss one day of the livestream and you’ve missed a new health regimen.]
[Same here. A few days ago I was doing the post-meal digestion exercises and persisting with foot soaks, and now there’s a new “patting the eight hollows” — time to learn!!!]
[I just want to ask, sisters — is it normal for a post-2000s kid to be into health preservation?]
[Normal, sister. My post-2010s little sister is also patting along with the grandmas.]
[I feel like in a few months, I’ll be going to the park to compete with the grandpas and grandmas for trees to bump into.]
—
Back at the four-story building in the old town.
The old babies all went back to their rooms to remove makeup and change clothes.
Jiang Luoze sat in the ground-floor courtyard where he had been sketching during the day, took out his phone, downloaded Spain’s commonly used Glovo delivery app, and started ordering takeout according to the old babies’ requests.
Something light and easy to digest.
Suddenly, a fresh, sweet-and-sour fruity scent drifted into his nostrils.
“Ah Ze, I have an immature idea that needs your help…”
Chu Xingxing crouched down beside the armchair where Jiang Luoze was sitting, like a little puppy, both hands on the armrest, looking at him with eager eyes.
Chu Xingxing’s eyes were beautiful. Of course, Jiang Luoze thought there wasn’t a single part of her that wasn’t beautiful.
But her eyes were special.
Not flirtatious or delicate eyes — clear, stubborn eyes.
The way Chu Xingxing looked at people never carried a trace of flattery — it was the open, honest gaze of a “true gentleman.”
At this moment, looking at him with those pleading eyes, Jiang Luoze really couldn’t take it.
Jiang Luoze used almost all his willpower to keep his tone normal as he answered her: “What does Xingxing need help with?”
Chu Xingxing blinked and said in a mysterious, playful tone: “Can Ah Ze come with me to… commit a robbery?”
