Chen Yi was in his second year of vocational school, attending classes only once or twice a week. The rest of his time was spent in internet cafes, arcades, pool halls, or racing motorcycles late at night. Lacking proper guidance in his childhood, he had always been wild with these activities, performing stunts even on a bicycle. His motorcycle had been gradually built up from a scrap frame, upgraded piece by piece, and won from others.
Miao Jing was in her final year of middle school, with two months until the high school entrance exam. She studied diligently, ranking as one of the top students in her graduating class, consistently among the school’s top ten. Her photo hung permanently on the honor board, though she was rather introverted. Each day she went about alone in her school uniform, attending classes during the day, evening self-study sessions at night, and returning home to cook for herself—a simple and quiet middle school life.
Their two-bedroom apartment wasn’t particularly large or small. The possessions left behind by Chen Libin and Wei Mingzhen gradually disappeared. Even the lingering gentle presence of Chen Yi’s mother that Miao Jing had first sensed upon entering this home had silently dissipated with time. Only traces of the two growing children’s lives remained, making the apartment feel empty, simple, and worn.
Chen Yi would appear without warning—sometimes knocking on her window late at night to get in, sometimes being discovered in the next room early morning, racing past on his motorcycle while she walked home from evening study, or suddenly bursting in during mealtimes. Living together wasn’t particularly inconvenient; they had shared a room in childhood, neither had bad habits, and both spoke little. They stayed busy with their affairs in their respective rooms, only coming together at mealtimes. Miao Jing’s only particular observation was his enormous appetite, eating at least twice as much as her. The milk in the refrigerator and the rice in the container disappeared at an alarming rate. She remembered Chen Libin’s slim, refined build, but Chen Yi was broad-shouldered and wide-backed, his presence imposing and intimidating.
After meals, Chen Yi would leave some food money on the table, never too much—sometimes thirty or forty yuan, one or two hundred, usually reflecting his current financial situation. The money might be from winning at pool, ten or twenty yuan at a time, or motorcycle racing prizes. From his phone conversations, Miao Jing knew he had a group that gathered on mountain roads in the suburbs at night to race, with prizes usually worth several thousand yuan. However, this money went to upgrading his bike and treating his brothers to entertainment, leaving just enough for Miao Jing to buy some good food.
Those middle school years when Miao Jing lived at home were when she ate best. She would buy factory seconds or near-expiry food items to get by, but occasionally enjoyed full meat feasts. She learned to cook braised beef, lamb, and seafood, her culinary skills progressing from novice to proficient. Chen Yi wasn’t picky about taste, calmly finishing whatever she made, no matter how poorly cooked.
They had a washing machine on the balcony, and unless particularly troublesome, clothes were generally tossed in for washing. The first time Miao Jing gathered the courage to stop Chen Yi was to prevent him from throwing his underwear and socks in with everything else. Red-faced and stammering as she stood before the washing machine, she struggled to get the words out. Chen Yi, his hair dripping, stood with hands on hips and snickered at her fastidiousness before returning to the bathroom to hand-wash with detergent—he’d done every kind of chore since childhood.
After Chen Yi’s knife-wielding incident intimidated the neighbors, his reputation spread throughout the residential area, and no one dared approach casually. The siblings were also too aloof to engage with others. People waited to see how things would play out—two minors living without parental supervision, especially with Chen Yi’s temperament as a headstrong sixteen-year-old, would surely end up in trouble with the law sooner or later. Everyone just kept their distance to avoid getting caught up in it.
Days passed quietly until two days before the entrance exam when Chen Yi suddenly came home. Due to the hot weather, Miao Jing was studying at home, feeling somewhat nervous and too busy to cook, making noodles for them for several days straight. Chen Yi bought some prepared dishes, watermelon, and fruit. As they sat at the table, he suddenly dropped a large chicken leg into her bowl, splashing hot noodle soup onto her startled face and into her eyes. As she blinked back tears, Chen Yi silently pushed half a box of braised beef toward her: “Eat.”
When Miao Jing finished washing dishes, half a watermelon remained on the table with a spoon stuck in it, standing bare—Chen Yi had taken the other half to his room.
The exam venue was at their school. Miao Jing planned to take the bus in the morning and return home after the afternoon exam, staying at school for lunch and resting during the break. She carried a canvas bag she’d won in a competition, checked her stationery and admission ticket, and packed an apple. Chen Yi lazily opened his door to use the bathroom, and as Miao Jing stepped out the front door, he called out through a mouthful of toothpaste: “Wait for me.”
Chen Yi splashed cold water on his face and smoothed his buzzcut: “I’ll take you there.”
“Okay…”
They rode his motorcycle, Miao Jing wearing a helmet and carefully holding just the edge of his shirt. The bike roared to life as he planted his long legs on the ground and turned to speak: “Hold on tight. If you fall off, we’ll go straight to the hospital.”
The motorcycle shot forward, inertia throwing Miao Jing’s body forward until her face pressed against his back. His broad shoulders carried a sharp tobacco scent, healthy and vigorous, not unpleasant. Perhaps due to the speed, she felt slightly dizzy and floating.
This time, Miao Jing didn’t struggle to sit up straight, but rested lightly against his back, hands gripping the corners of his T-shirt, eyes slightly closed, quietly and nervously feeling the strong wind on her face and the noise rushing past her ears.
There was a slight… vague happiness.
Chen Yi dropped her at school and sped away. Miao Jing followed the crowd into school, looking back once at his dark figure on the motorcycle.
The exam went smoothly. In the afternoon, as she walked out of the exam room, the school gates were surrounded by layers of parents picking up their children. Miao Jing walked slowly with her head down, then suddenly heard a sharp horn blast. Looking up, she unexpectedly saw a tall, young figure beyond the crowd, lounging on a gleaming motorcycle, a cigarette between his fingers, dark eyes seeming to hold a trace of a smile as he watched her lazily.
Her eyes suddenly brightened as she hurried forward, standing before him, completely unaware of the radiant smile on her face and the joy in her steps, melting into the afternoon’s dry wind along with the bright, burning sun.
Chen Yi’s expression remained neutral, his tone casual: “How’d it go?”
“Pretty good.”
“Let’s go.”
“Mm.”
As soon as the exam was over, Chen Yi disappeared again without a word.
The exam results came out in early July. Miao Jing ranked in the school’s top ten and within the city’s top hundred. Teng City had a provincial key high school, and with these scores, her admission was guaranteed—something worth celebrating.
Chen Yi saw the bright red acceptance letter too, lounging in his chair with his legs crossed on the stool, asking calmly: “When are you planning to leave?”
Miao Jing’s smile faded as she blinked, hands resting on her knees, lips pressed tight.
They had agreed earlier—that she would leave after finishing middle school. She had lived in this home for so long, and Chen Yi hadn’t pursued Wei Mingzhen’s matter or made things difficult for her. Miao Jing had no reason to stay—but Wei Mingzhen’s phone still couldn’t be reached.
Should she go directly to the address Wei Mingzhen had given her? Or follow Wei Mingzhen’s suggestion to return to their hometown in Province Z and continue her studies with her aunt’s family?
“I’ll buy you a train ticket back home.” Chen Yi pulled his legs back, lowering his eyes as he instructed her slowly. “Pack your things, I’ll take you to the station.”
Miao Jing gave a soft “mm” and turned back to her room to pack. There wasn’t much to pack really—a few worn clothes, some daily necessities, several extracurricular books, her acceptance letter, and personal records. It didn’t even fill one suitcase; a backpack was enough.
Chen Yi did buy her a train ticket to Province Z, took her to the station, and walked her to the security check. Standing tall before her, he thought for a moment, then pulled out a stack of money from his pocket: “Take it.”
“No need.” Miao Jing shook her head, withdrawing her hands. “I still have some money. It’s enough.”
He pocketed the money and pushed her shoulder: “Then go.”
“Goodbye.” Miao Jing didn’t look at him, softly bidding farewell. “Thank you, Chen Yi.”
“Goodbye, go on.” He raised his hand as if to pat her head but stopped short, turned on his heel, and strode away, waving twice behind him as he quickly left the waiting room.
Miao Jing watched his departing figure, silently withdrawing her gaze before sitting bewildered in a chair to wait for the train.
If possible, she wished she were eighteen already—an adult who could be independent, do as she pleased, go wherever she wanted, and have wings or direction. But she was fifteen, only three years from eighteen—why couldn’t she manage now?
People came and went around her, stopping and starting. Perhaps it was fate, but the train was delayed, the electronic board showing a three-hour delay. Miao Jing sat for a very long time before mechanically standing up, walking to the refund window, and then out of the station.
Someone was quietly waiting by the flower beds outside the station—long-legged, broad-shouldered, with a buzzcut, leaning against a utility pole in an intimidating posture, arrogantly puffing on a cigarette. Through the thin, sharp white smoke, his features appeared clean-cut, expression stern as he stared intently at the girl with the heavy ponytail, wearing a stretched-out T-shirt, quiet and delicate.
“Where are you going?” he called out loudly.
Miao Jing turned, a flash of panic in her eyes, but she walked steadily to him, pressing her lips together: “To find work.”
“What kind of work?”
“The electronics factory is hiring summer workers, or I could wash dishes at restaurants. They provide room and board.” She clutched several job advertisements in her hand.
He shook his head and laughed.
“You can support yourself, so can I.” Miao Jing stared at him steadily: “I’ll go on my own, won’t look for you again, won’t trouble you anymore.”
“Miao Jing, surprising, you’re quite ambitious.” He laughed mockingly. “Well then, go.”
She nodded solemnly and turned away, walking along the street toward the city’s busiest, dirtiest areas. The lowest classes had the strongest survival instinct; in this era, anyone with hands and a brain wouldn’t starve or freeze, especially with the long summers and mild winters. She could do many kinds of work and wasn’t afraid of hardship.
Crossing the pedestrian path, a vehicle suddenly sped past her, braked sharply, and the rider reached out to grab her waist. Before Miao Jing could cry out, she was thrown onto the motorcycle, her heart pounding as she crashed against his arm, encountering that familiar, pleasant male scent.
“Chen Yi—”
Miao Jing screamed as the bike maintained its speed, bumping and turning. Her position was precarious and afraid of falling, she could only hold onto him tightly.
“You’re quite stubborn, who taught you that?” Chen Yi laughed loudly. “You’ve been like this since childhood, quite annoying.”
“Where are you taking me?” she shouted.
“Taking you to celebrate.”
The motorcycle weaved left and right through traffic, turning toward the mountains in the suburbs. The speed increased gear by gear until they were speeding, the strong wind filling their clothes, whistling in their ears, and their bodies beginning to feel weightless. Miao Jing couldn’t handle this excitement, her mind blank, mouth dry, watching as he lifted the front wheel in a sudden leap that sent them flying through the air. She closed her eyes and clung desperately to his back.
“Chen Yi, Chen Yi, I’m scared, stop, stop…”
He snake-weaved along the mountain road, showing off tricks, dangerously speeding along cliff edges. Miao Jing couldn’t bear it at all, her scalp tingling and her limbs weak. Finally, she began crying from fear. Perhaps due to oxygen deprivation, she cried particularly intensely and freely, sobbing against his back, her helmet soaked through, his back similarly wet before quickly drying in the hot wind.
Finally, the motorcycle stopped on a gentle slope at the mountaintop. Chen Yi grinned, asking if she’d enjoyed it, dismounting with a cool flourish before sitting on the ground, arms propped behind him, enjoying the cool breeze. Miao Jing climbed down weakly, losing her footing and falling directly onto the grass.
She cried until her face was red, tears and mucus flowing, wisps of hair stuck to her face and neck, looking as disheveled as possible, her shoulders still hitching with hiccupping sobs.
Mountain winds whistled past, the air sweet, sunlight intense yet clear, grass soft, birds chirping. Chen Yi ignored her crying, chewing on a grass stem as he closed his eyes to sleep. When he woke, he found Miao Jing had also cried herself to sleep, her thin arms and legs curled up on the grass, messy hair stuck to her fair cheeks, tear tracks still visible at her eyes’ corners, her small nose and lips tightly furrowed.
He shook her awake: “Miao Jing.”
Miao Jing opened her eyes hazily. After crying, her heart felt particularly quiet, her emotions especially calm, as if all troubles were distant and the past not worth dwelling on.
“Get up.” He pulled her upright. “Let’s go home.”
She froze.
Chen Yi had already put on his helmet: “I’ll do this good deed—you can leave after graduating high school. That crappy township school in your hometown, what garbage, better not to study at all.”
“Get on.” He said impatiently. “Hurry up, let’s go home and cook, I’m hungry.”
Miao Jing climbed onto the motorcycle with trembling hands and feet, fearfully asking: “Can you go slower? We’ll die if we fall.”
He roared with laughter.
–
The provincial key school’s fees weren’t too outrageous—1,200 yuan for tuition, 700 for dormitory, and 500 for uniforms and military training, though additional fees for tutoring and other charges might exceed expectations. Miao Jing had found work during the two-month summer break—doing some handicraft work at home during the day and working at an internet cafe at night. Chen Yi and his friends often hung out at the Internet cafe, so the work was relatively safe and relaxed.
Chen Yi tossed her a mobile phone, telling her to get a SIM card and save his number: “Call me if anything happens.”