In the early years, the Sun family lived in an urban village. It wasn’t until Mother Sun was pregnant with Sun Jingcheng that the couple bought what is now the upstairs-downstairs clinic. At that time it wasn’t a clinic—it was a grocery store, occupied by relatives from the Sun family clan.
When this relative’s child got into trouble, the parents had no choice but to sell the house, and the Sun family bought it at a low price. Later, when the eldest came to the city for middle school, the whole family packed up and moved there. Before moving, Sun’s father was already a somewhat famous doctor in the urban village.
After moving there and living for about ten years, the eldest was already in college. Mother Sun considered building a house back in the urban village—buying a house in the city was so expensive! Build four floors—after marriage, each of the three brothers would get one floor, and the two of them would live on one floor.
The house had only been built for two or three years when they caught wind that there would be demolition. By the time it was confirmed and they received the compensation money, even Sun Jingcheng, the youngest, was already in college.
Suddenly receiving compensation money, they didn’t know how to spend it. Sun Jingfei, who had just been working in a real estate sales office for three years, urged them, saying to buy it all as property! She could also get a commission—everyone would be happy! As soon as she said this, Mother Sun chased her with a broom to beat her!
Sun’s father, who usually didn’t get involved in family affairs, actually thought the idea was pretty good—it was clever financial planning, and each son would have a house. Later, with Sun Jingfei’s help, over two years, they bought four houses one after another. The first was naturally for the eldest to live in. At that time, the eldest was already married, and the couple lived in their work unit’s public housing.
Then came second and fourth brother. Since Sun Jingfei was a daughter, naturally she didn’t get a share, but they also gave her a sum of money. Later, when Sun Jingcheng entered society, he’d spend money as soon as he earned it, spend as soon as he earned… Sun Jingfei felt this younger brother’s mind wasn’t right—he had no concept of financial management. She brainwashed him into buying what is now his marital home.
Looking back at current housing prices and marriage customs, buying houses for their sons back then was incredibly foresighted! The old couple often felt fortunate in bed—if they hadn’t bought houses back then, the compensation money would have been swindled away sooner or later. At that time, when they received the compensation, a relative came to borrow money, saying he was starting some business in Shenzhen, even showing them a business plan. The two didn’t dare lend it. This relative turned around and borrowed from another household, and as soon as the money changed hands, the person ran away. The household that lent the money got so angry they had a stroke.
These past few days had been relatively smooth sailing. The two were busy with work during the day, and at night they’d come home and chat in bed. Sometimes while chatting, things would escalate toward having a fight, but Sun Jingcheng had learned to be smart… or rather, not exactly smart—he just kept silently reciting in his mind like a monk chanting sutras: I’m a man, I’m a man, don’t stoop to a woman’s level, don’t stoop to a woman’s level.
After reciting it many times, his temper really did calm down! He passed this self-cultivation secret to Zhou Yu, who naturally didn’t give him a good face.
The day before final exams, Zhou Yu did lose her temper a bit. When they moved in, the shoe cabinet wasn’t bought properly—the spacing between the shelf layers was narrow. Putting men’s shoes posed no problem, but short boots wouldn’t fit. Zhou Yu’s winter shoes were either high-tops or short boots, requiring her to squat down and place them bit by bit. Sometimes when she was in a hurry, she’d get annoyed after placing them for a while. And Sun Jingcheng would always leisurely say at this moment: “What’s the rush?”
Who else would she scold if not him!
Sun Jingcheng also felt quite wronged. That’s just how he talked and did things. Someone who could sit on the edge of the bed for two minutes after getting up—how could you expect him to be efficient?
That day, after taking his scolding without talking back, Sun Jingcheng waited until she fell asleep before coming out with his toolbox to sit at the shoe cabinet door. He spent two hours, going through tremendous difficulties to remove two shelf dividers. The height could now accommodate any of her boots.
The next day when Zhou Yu saw it before work, she genuinely praised him. That smug look on Sun Jingcheng’s face—better not to mention it.
This day Sun Jingcheng came to the bank on business. After finishing, he came out and looked down into a car by the roadside. Sitting inside was his twin sister—Sun Jingfei—whom he hadn’t seen in two months.
Sun Jingcheng knocked on the car window. Sun Jingfei was startled and unlocked it to let him in. Once Sun Jingcheng was seated, he asked: “Sis, what are you doing?” Then following her gaze, he saw his brother-in-law’s car coming out from the residential complex across the street, and the person sitting in the passenger seat clearly wasn’t his sister.
Sun Jingfei started the car and followed. “See that? Your brother-in-law is having an affair.” Her tone was as casual as usual.
“How long have you been following him like this?” Sun Jingcheng asked.
“A month.”
“Half a month ago Zhou Yu said she saw you. I said she was seeing things.”
“Her eyes weren’t playing tricks—I saw her too.”
“Are you okay?” Sun Jingcheng looked at her.
“What could be wrong with me?” Sun Jingfei laughed lightly. “If something was wrong, it would have happened the first day I found out.”
“If you keep following like this, what about work?”
“Internal team fighting. I lost and quit,” Sun Jingfei said.
Sun Jingcheng said nothing more.
“What, it’s not like someone died,” Sun Jingfei instructed him. “Keep your mouth shut—don’t be like second brother.”
“I won’t tell Mom,” Sun Jingcheng nodded solemnly. “If you need me to help with…”
“I’ll handle my own business,” Sun Jingfei turned the car around, following the car ahead at a moderate distance. “What did Zhou Yu say to you?”
“She said she seemed to see you on some road, but wasn’t sure.”
“Learn from your wife—you’ll never outsmart her in this lifetime.”
…
“Last time she didn’t just see me,” Sun Jingfei said. “She vaguely mentioned it and cleared herself completely.”
“How are things between you two?”
“We’re doing great,” Sun Jingcheng instinctively replied.
“We’re doing great,” Sun Jingfei mimicked his tone and slapped his face. “Who was it running through the streets like a drowned dog the other night?”
…
“I just don’t stoop to her level,” Sun Jingcheng salvaged his dignity.
The car ahead stopped at a Western restaurant. Sun Jingfei said: “Take a taxi back. I’m going to eat a steak.”
“I want to eat too,” Sun Jingcheng followed.
“Your sister is refined—I don’t do things like stripping people’s clothes and splashing red wine on the street,” Sun Jingfei said with amusement.
“I’m hungry. I didn’t eat breakfast properly.”
The siblings took their seats. Sun Jingcheng felt their position was too close to them. Sun Jingfei looked at the menu and told him to eat in peace. “So what if they see us? They’re the ones who should hide.”
“How are Mom and Dad lately? They must have talked about me behind my back quite a bit?”
Sun Jingcheng told her about what Mother Sun had said a few days ago—it hurt more than beating him. Sun Jingfei dismissed it: “Mom’s uneducated—that’s just her level of speaking. If it sounds good, we listen. If it doesn’t, we forget it right away. As long as she feels comfortable scolding us two, that’s fine. She’s almost seventy and can still eat and drink so heartily—that’s all thanks to us.”
Sun Jingcheng nodded, feeling somewhat clearer inside.
Sun Jingfei took out a cigarette, preparing to light it. Seeing a child across from them, she put it back. “Last night Ke Yu video-called me, saying he’s in good shape for final exams.”
“He also messaged Zhou Yu to say so,” Sun Jingcheng said. “Zhou Yu tutored him for two weekends.”
“Your wife is generally pretty good—smart, sensible. Just a bit too fake with people. She’s worn the mask so long she can’t take it off,” Sun Jingfei summarized.
“Sis, really? Is that how you talk about your sister-in-law?” Sun Jingcheng was rather unhappy.
“Didn’t I also praise her? Said she’s smart and sensible,” Sun Jingfei cut her steak.
“That’s not genuine praise—that’s damning with faint praise,” Sun Jingcheng replied.
“Yi Yang Qianxi?”
…
Sun Jingcheng ate his steak, too lazy to respond to her words.
Sun Jingfei teased him. “Good thing—you know how to feel sorry for your wife now!”
“Sometimes you’re just like Mom.”
“I have Mom’s blood flowing through me—how could I not be…” As Sun Jingfei spoke, the two people diagonally across from them left hunched over.
“He saw us,” Sun Jingcheng said.
“Let him see,” Sun Jingfei said unconcernedly. “Where are you staying tonight?”
“The marital home.”
“Then send me the new district password. I’ll stay there for a couple days.”
“Aren’t we following?”
“Not following anymore,” Sun Jingfei urged him. “Eat in peace.”
Sun Jingcheng sent her the password, then sent one to Zhou Yu as well. Zhou Yu replied: “You sent it to the wrong person.”
Sun Jingcheng replied: “New district password.”
The siblings ate quietly. But Sun Jingcheng couldn’t hold back and said: “We’re planning to divorce.”
Sun Jingfei nodded calmly, indicating she understood.
“That’s your only reaction?” Sun Jingcheng asked.
“What reaction do you want from me?” Sun Jingfei looked at him. “Persuade you? Only immature little brats need persuading.”
Sun Jingcheng ate his steak and changed the subject. “What are you planning to do? Divorce?”
Sun Jingfei didn’t answer but asked instead: “Guess how I found out?”
Sun Jingcheng put down his knife and fork.
“I received some anonymous photos and a hotel room number,” Sun Jingfei said. “I went that day, but I didn’t go upstairs. I just sat in the car watching them come out.”
“That feeling…” Sun Jingfei thought for a moment. “It’s like using a knife made of bamboo to slowly scrape the flesh off your body.” Then she said calmly: “The more painful and desperate I felt, the more I wanted to keep watching. Later, as I watched, it stopped hurting—it was like watching someone else’s gossip.”
“I followed for twenty-seven days. On the fifth day I found out he had two people at the same time. One is his mistress from work—that woman is married and well-off. The other is a young woman, looks about twenty-five or twenty-six? She sells fine men’s clothing at the mall.” Sun Jingfei’s tone was very light—as she said, it really was like talking about a neighbor’s affairs.
“He also has a daughter, three years old, born to him by the young woman who sells men’s clothing at the mall.”
The phone on the side rang. She glanced at it and answered, her fingers lightly tapping the table as she chatted briefly, then looked at Sun Jingcheng. “Your brother-in-law, asking where I am. I said I’m eating steak with you.” Then she continued chatting with the same calm expression.
When Zhou Yu received Sun Jingcheng’s WeChat message, she was having a dinner gathering with several young teachers. First, winter break had started; second, the school had issued performance bonuses on time. These teachers were relatively the youngest, all around thirty, and basically got along well. Those veteran teachers with longer teaching experience rarely gathered at their own expense like this unless the school organized it.
Teacher Hu threw her chopsticks on the dining table and muttered with a straight face: “Just can’t stand this batch of young teachers—they’ve corrupted all the students!” As soon as she finished, the table erupted in laughter.
“Our homeroom teacher is like that. She won’t say it to your face, just complains behind your back.”
“They just rely on their seniority, thinking they’re especially authoritative and upright. If you ask me, they’re just rigid and boring. Look at their class ranking in the grade—don’t they have any self-awareness?”
Zhou Yu listened to them but didn’t chime in.
Everyone at the table was a teacher and knew when to stop—if they continued gossiping, the tone would change. Then the topic shifted to performance bonuses, and they all asked each other. The straightforward ones asked casually, while those with more cunning were evasive.
The straightforward one said boldly: “Teacher Zhou is definitely still the highest among us.”
Zhou Yu smiled. “Not really.”
“Everyone teaches different classes, so different performance is normal,” Teacher Hu smoothed things over, then changed the subject to trending social news.
How to describe Zhou Yu’s interpersonal relationships? Those who didn’t like her found her scheming, felt like there was a barrier when talking to her—couldn’t connect heart to heart. Those who did like her appreciated that sense of self-awareness and distance about her. She was tight-lipped—no matter what she heard, she’d never spread it.
The reason no colleague disliked her was largely because she maintained the same distance with everyone, never gossiped about anyone behind their backs, and didn’t engage in clique politics. Moreover, the way she spoke and handled matters was impeccable—both new and veteran teachers had nothing to criticize about her. But precisely because of this, some colleagues said she was scheming, falsely aloof.
When this was said, Zhou Yu happened to overhear it. At the time, the office door was ajar during lunch break. After hearing it, she quietly left, and later her attitude toward colleagues remained as usual. This scene happened to be witnessed by Teacher Hu returning from the restroom. From then on, she knew Zhou Yu was someone you could confide in. Although she was somewhat distant with people, that was due to her personality—you couldn’t require everyone to have the same personality.
When Zhou Yu left at that time, there was no other reason than to avoid embarrassing everyone by going in—after all, they’d still have to see each other every day. Aside from this reason, unless someone was particularly important in her heart, she wouldn’t expend energy getting angry at outsiders.
In other words: people who weren’t important couldn’t hurt her.