For the next few days, Nie Jiuluo didn’t enter Yan Tuo’s room again. Partly to give him some space, partly because she felt he needed to come out on his own—she was either upstairs or in the courtyard, and if he wanted to see her, it was just a few steps away.
Moreover, secretly, she wanted to “save up” these moments—waiting a few days to see him when his complexion improved and his body grew stronger wouldn’t be bad, would it?
Worried that Yan Tuo might be bored, she picked out several of her favorite books and left them at his door. She also found an old phone, and put in a new SIM card for him to use—the books didn’t stay at the door long before being taken inside, and on the phone, there was soon a friend request on the “burn after reading” app.
He seemed addicted to the burn-after-reading app now, but Nie Jiuluo ignored him.
This didn’t stop Yan Tuo though. He quickly got her WeChat from Sister Lu and sent another friend request. His nickname was simple, just his initials.
This time, Nie Jiuluo accepted promptly. Looking at his profile picture, was a glamorous star with glitter. On impulse, Nie Jiuluo temporarily changed her profile picture too—she photographed her jar full of stars.
One jar versus one star is completely overwhelming in every aspect. Yan Tuo must have gotten the message, as he spent a long time “typing” on the other end, before giving up sheepishly.
***
On the first day, Yan Tuo didn’t leave his room at all.
On the second evening, while Nie Jiuluo was gazing out the window, she saw Yan Tuo sneaking into the small courtyard like a thief, examining this tree here, peering at that flower there.
Then, Sister Lu’s door creaked open, probably because she had some errands to attend to. Yan Tuo, like a startled rabbit, vanished in a flash.
Nie Jiuluo laughed until her stomach hurt, feeling she had made a tactical error. She shouldn’t have indulged Yan Tuo; instead, she should have made him face Sister Lu for a full ten-minute inspection right when he arrived. That way, having nothing left to be embarrassed about, he probably wouldn’t have developed such “vanity.”
The third day seemed to go well enough, but Nie Jiuluo felt uneasy: she had contacted Xing Shen, and while his ambush was well-arranged, Lin Xirou’s people hadn’t shown up yet.
Wasn’t this cruel? Although Yan Tuo had escaped now, if he were still inside, this would mean three days without food.
How could they deny someone food? Nie Jiuluo grew angry and went downstairs to the kitchen, instructing Sister Lu to prepare extra meals for Yan Tuo.
These past few days, she had constantly asked Sister Lu if Yan Tuo had gained any weight. Sister Lu was exasperated by her questions, and upon hearing about extra meals, she couldn’t help but say, “Miss Nie, this isn’t like feeding livestock—it has to be gradual. You can’t expect someone to become plump overnight.”
Nie Jiuluo said, “I saw online that some people gained over ten jin in just two days.”
Sister Lu, coming from a rural background, defeated her with one sentence: “Are you serious? My father raised pigs, and even they only gained three jin per day at most.”
Nie Jiuluo considered this seriously and realized Yan Tuo couldn’t possibly match that rate, so she stopped interfering.
On the fourth afternoon, while she was reviewing the urban sculpture design competition materials that Old Cai had courier-delivered, a message came through on her phone.
It was from Yan Tuo.
—Can I get a haircut today?
***
Nie Jiuluo called her familiar hairstylist, asking him to spare some time in the evening to come to her home with his tools for a private appointment.
The salon must have been busy, as the hairstylist didn’t arrive until after nine in the evening, while a light rain drizzled outside.
Nie Jiuluo led the hairstylist into the room. Initially, she wanted to stay and offer some suggestions, but then thought, after waiting so many days, what’s another moment or two?
She closed the door, leaving the two to communicate inside, while she leaned against the doorframe. She turned on the eaves light and watched the rain falling over the small courtyard in the yellowish glow.
This was spring rain—”spring rain is precious as oil,” as they say. Winter rain was gloomy and damp, but spring rain was different, carrying vitality even in its moisture.
How novel, she thought, that she was waiting for a man to get his haircut. In the past, it had always been others waiting for her to finish styling her hair.
Listening carefully, she could hear the fine, crisp sounds of scissors snipping.
Sister Lu had finished her work and returned to her room. Her shadow appeared on the curtain, probably watching a drama series, quite engrossed, as she only shifted position occasionally.
It was an especially peaceful and leisurely atmosphere, at least until the phone rang.
The caller ID showed Xing Shen. Seeing this name, Nie Jiuluo’s heart tightened. She hesitated for several seconds before answering, feeling that pressing this button meant accepting not just the call, but also marking the end of these peaceful days.
She spoke first: “Have people come to Lao Niutou Ridge?”
Xing Shen: “They came, but we lost them.”
He paused before explaining: “There was no choice. As soon as they entered the pit and found You Peng dead and Yan Tuo missing, they became immediately alert.”
Nie Jiuluo made a sound of understanding: once Lin Xirou’s side became cautious, they would naturally guard against being followed. Forcing a tail at such times would only expose themselves.
She asked: “What was the situation like?”
Xing Shen said: “More people came this time, so we couldn’t ambush them. Three vehicles, one of them a small truck. After stopping, they carried out a large wooden box from the truck’s cargo area, built like a coffin, and took it into the mine shaft.”
Nie Jiuluo tensed: “Was the box for You Peng?”
“Possibly. To move Yan Tuo, they’d just need a hood, only moving You Peng would require such secrecy with a box. It was quite an operation this time. You acted just in time—a few days later, and you might have found nothing.”
Nie Jiuluo let out a light breath, her palms slightly sweaty.
That was close, and they were quite lucky.
Xing Shen: “After confirming we couldn’t track them, I arranged to send Lin Xirou a message, basically saying we’d found Yan Tuo and moved him to a safe place, so she shouldn’t waste effort looking—she wouldn’t find him anyway, and should seriously consider replacing him instead. The message was met with silence. But I guess she won’t be able to stay calm for long; there should be some response within a day or two.”
Within a day or two, there would be a response.
This response would likely make quite a stir, perhaps even be decisive.
Lost in thought, she heard the hairstylist call out: “Miss Nie, shall I deduct the fee from your card as usual?”
***
After seeing the hairstylist off, the rain had grown heavier, transforming from scattered drops under the eaves to fine, dense lines.
Nie Jiuluo saw Yan Tuo standing inside the doorway, in a spot the eaves light couldn’t reach.
She couldn’t help but laugh, leaning against the doorframe without moving: “Tony has already seen you, why can’t I? Why are you hiding? It’s just a haircut, could it really dazzle me?”
Yan Tuo laughed too. He hadn’t meant it that way, he just happened to be standing there, but her words made it seem true.
He walked forward.
Nie Jiuluo looked at him in the light from under the eaves: “Let me see, it’s been several days since I last saw you.”
Strangely, the first thing she noticed was Yan Tuo’s hands.
His hands had healed quite quickly. After all, the climate here was naturally warmer, and the chilblain cream had been effective. Now, though the sores hadn’t faded completely, they at least looked like normal hands.
Nie Jiuluo took his hand in hers. It was still rough, but the palm was warm, showing his blood circulation had improved significantly.
Looking at his face, he was still thin but had gained some color, especially his eyes, which were now bright, unlike before when he seemed withered as if his vitality had been completely drained.
The haircut…
It was hard to describe, close to a crew cut, anyway it was short and neat, which made sense—it would be convenient for rough living.
Nie Jiuluo said: “Isn’t this much better? After a bit more recovery and some sunlight, you’ll be almost back to normal.”
She withdrew her hand, hesitated for a moment, then raised it again to touch his face.
His face still needed some flesh, the gauntness made her heartache. Tony must have helped trim his facial hair too—the stubble was gone, though the jaw still felt prickly…
Yan Tuo didn’t move, looking down at her.
Nie Jiuluo’s heart was pounding: her action was somewhat crossing a boundary, wasn’t Yan Tuo going to respond, maybe hug her or something? Sister Lu had said that once there were feelings, holding hands and sharing meals would be enough, but now it seemed that might be difficult…
Just as she was thinking this, she felt pressure around her waist, and the next moment, she was pulled firmly into his embrace.
Nie Jiuluo buried her face in Yan Tuo’s chest, hiding her smile too, listening to the continuous rain, feeling this moment was like the rain itself—soft, gentle, hoping it wouldn’t pass too quickly.
She had made quite a good life for herself, hadn’t she?
She had a home, a life, and a small workshop sufficient for her livelihood. When she liked flowers, she could pick one; when she liked trees, she could plant one; when she liked someone, she could extend her feelers like a snail, testing the waters, and fortunately, that person’s feelers had curved toward her too.
Yan Tuo didn’t dare use too much force, yet couldn’t help wanting to hold her tighter. In his life, there had been too many ephemeral things—this was the only warm and substantial thing, wasn’t it? How strange that in their first few meetings, he had never had any particular feelings for her, only thinking about how to hurt her severely.
One hand around her waist, his other hand stroked up her back. Nie Jiuluo wasn’t wearing much, and even through her clothes and soft hair, he could feel her body. She had always been slender, with a bewitchingly delicate quality to her bearing. Though seemingly without strength, she could be quite fierce at times, probably due to that touch of “wildness” in her nature.
Yan Tuo said: “Wear more clothes, don’t catch a cold.”
Nie Jiuluo nodded, then raised her face: “Xing Shen said Lin Xirou and her people went to Lao Niutou Ridge, but they couldn’t follow them, they lost them.”
Yan Tuo wasn’t very surprised; counting the days, it was time for another feeding.
He said: “Don’t talk about her, I don’t want to talk about her now.”
If we don’t talk about her, then we won’t.
Nie Jiuluo lowered her eyes to watch the rain lines below. It was quite interesting: whenever there was wind, the rain lines would swing uniformly under the eaves, and when the wind stopped, they would return to normal.
The rain wanted to fall quietly, but the wind wouldn’t allow it.
Nie Jiuluo grew melancholic, letting out a soft sigh before burying her face in Yan Tuo’s chest again.
Perhaps it was because he heard this sigh that Yan Tuo suddenly felt cold all over. He tightened his arms and lowered his head, pressing firmly against her hair.
“Don’t talk about her, I don’t want to talk about her,” but this didn’t mean Lin Xirou didn’t exist.
Originally there had been a family of four, then Lin Xirou took three away, leaving only him alone.
In the future, would he end up alone again?
He could never let Lin Xirou know of Nie Jiuluo’s existence.
Xing Shen finished his phone call with Nie Jiuluo and turned to walk back into the farmhouse behind him.
The entire group had already moved out of the garment factory. This farmhouse was originally an agritourism business that included lodging, but the owner hadn’t managed it well and was selling it at a low price.
Shan Qiang had first spotted the listing and recommended it to Xing Shen. Xing Shen found it satisfactory in every aspect: remote, quiet, spacious, with a vegetable garden. The kitchen had an experienced chef, and the accommodation was ready to use—perfect for their group.
He walked through the farmhouse’s small bamboo grove to find Yu Rong. Now that conditions allowed, men and women lived in separate areas, with Yu Rong and Que Cha sharing a suite.
As he approached the door, he heard Yu Rong’s barely contained impatient voice: “You don’t need to clean up for me. Let it be messy, I don’t care.”
Que Cha responded, “It’s fine, I have nothing else to do anyway.”
Xing Shen cleared his throat, and Yu Rong heard him from inside, quickly coming out.
Yu Rong had just returned from Lao Niutou Ridge, covered in dust and visibly irritated. Once they reached a place where they could talk privately, she gestured back toward the room: “This Que Cha, why do we have to bring her everywhere?”
Xing Shen was startled: “What’s wrong?”
He explained, “Que Cha is Uncle Jiang’s person. Now that Uncle Jiang is in trouble, we should look after her. Besides, she’s been exposed at Lin Xirou’s place and made it onto their list. It wouldn’t be safe to send her away to live elsewhere.”
Yu Rong grumbled, “It’s nothing, just that she’s always being overly attentive, doing this and that for you, rushing to pour you even a glass of water. It’s annoying.”
Xing Shen smiled, “Isn’t it good to have someone helping you?”
After thinking for a moment, he added, “She wasn’t like this before. According to Shan Qiang, when Uncle Jiang was around, Que Cha was quiet…” He couldn’t find the right word—overbearing? Arrogant? He decided to skip it and continued, “Uncle Jiang has been missing for so long, she’s probably feeling insecure.”
Yu Rong frowned, “She’s been following Uncle Jiang since her teens?”
Xing Shen wasn’t sure, “Sixteen or seventeen, probably.”
Yu Rong spoke irritably, “At sixteen or seventeen, she knows nothing—never earned money, never suffered hardship, never experienced real trouble. If Uncle Jiang returns safely, that’s fine, but if something happens to him, who will she rely on?”
After venting, she remembered the main topic: “Did you need something?”
Xing Shen nodded, “I expect Lin Xirou will make a big move soon.”
Yu Rong sneered, “She must be going crazy. How many consecutive losses has she suffered?”
She continued, “Han Guan died, Chen Fu’s gone, she lost five companions in a row. She finally caught Yan Tuo, but he escaped, and You Peng died in the process. If she doesn’t make a move now, she must be as slow as a turtle.”
Xing Shen considered carefully, “When you face her, will you be alright?”
Yu Rong looked puzzled, “Why wouldn’t I be? Isn’t this inevitable? Why have we been hiding lately, moving from the garment factory to this farmhouse? It’s because Uncle Jiang and the others were caught, exposing us.”
She couldn’t even return to her previous life, and even showing her face carried risks—who knew when the Di Xiao would find and eliminate them? The fate of Limp’s Father was still fresh in their minds.
“I’m fine with confronting her,” she said. “I just hope she hurries up. If this sister drags it out for ten or twenty years, she’ll waste half my life.”
Xing Shen pondered, “Then do you think… Second Nie will help?”
Yu Rong was puzzled, “Didn’t you say Uncle Jiang did her a favor, so she wouldn’t ignore his troubles? Also, I see she has a good relationship with Yan Tuo, and Yan Tuo has a deadly feud with Lin Xirou. When something happens later, Second Nie can’t just stand by, right?”
Xing Shen responded with an “Oh” and said, “That’s true.”
From when she asked to borrow his people to find Yan Tuo in You Tang, no, even earlier, when Yan Tuo disappeared and she unusually kept asking about him, he knew their relationship was quite good.
Speaking of Yan Tuo, Yu Rong suddenly remembered something: “Oh right, I have a question. Last time when I was talking with Yan Tuo and others about Uncle Jiang. Xing Shen, could it be that Uncle Jiang hasn’t told us everything about Chan Tou Jun’s past?”
Xing Shen was caught off guard, his scalp tingling slightly: “What do you mean?”
Yu Rong smiled, “Everyone knows Chan Tou Jun’s lineage was actually broken, and Uncle Jiang forcibly picked it up and continued it. He discovered the most secrets and obtained the most firsthand materials. Those he gathered actually learned from his telling—in other words, the information was secondhand.”
“So I’m just asking, could there be some things that Uncle Jiang, for certain considerations, didn’t tell others?”
Xing Shen smiled too, “I believe what Uncle Jiang told us is true, and those who followed him to Qing Ran believed his words too. As for whether he kept some things to himself, as long as it doesn’t affect or hinder anything, it should be fine. Besides, if you have these doubts, you should ask him.”
Yu Rong looked at Xing Shen, “They say among the new generation, Uncle Jiang favors you the most, and some say you’re his successor. I thought maybe Uncle Jiang might have told you something. Back then, when you suddenly blinded yourself, it couldn’t have been just to enhance your sense of smell, right?”
Xing Shen smiled mildly, “You’re overthinking it.”
Yu Rong shrugged, “I was just asking. If you don’t know, that’s fine. Anything else? If not, I’m going back to take a shower.”
Xing Shen watched Yu Rong walk away, noting that the light around her had a reddish-yellow tinge, somewhat similar to the nearly ripe cornus officinalis he had seen years ago.
In his mind, Uncle Jiang’s question suddenly echoed:
“Xing Shen, do you know what Nu Wa Rou is?”