Although the three men with buzz cuts stopped harassing the auto shop, they remembered to visit the pet shop before leaving to demand rabies vaccine costs from San Lai. After all, Da Guang’s fat arm bore a row of dog bite marks. San Lai merely crossed his legs and lazily replied, “Weren’t you showing respect to my old man? If the son causes trouble, the father handles it. Go ask my dad.”

San Lai’s father was Tong Gang’s notorious deadbeat. At the end of the last century, he had single-handedly squandered several generations’ worth of family business. Despite being chased by debt collectors and nearly hunted by the entire underworld, he still stood unshaken in the small territory of Tong Gang. He was truly a formidable figure. The buzz-cut guys certainly didn’t dare to approach San Lai’s father for money, so they could only slink away in defeat.

The crowd of onlookers gradually dispersed, and even the chickens that had been stealing rice grains wandered off contentedly. Only the auto shop remained in complete disarray, inside and out.

What Jiang Mu found strange was that in her hometown, whenever two groups clashed on the street, concerned citizens would call 110 before things escalated to violence, and the police would arrive at lightning speed. Yet here, despite all the commotion, not a single person had called the police.

She asked San Lai curiously, “Why didn’t anyone call the police?”

San Lai laughed, “This is just an internal dispute among the people. As long as neither side’s life is in danger, the police would just come to watch the show. What could they mediate? After mediation, these guys would just come back to cause trouble in a few days anyway. Why waste public servants’ time?”

But Jiang Mu had noticed that those men were wary of Jin Chao. She couldn’t understand why they would still come looking for trouble if that was the case. Did they enjoy getting beaten up?

Seeing her bewildered expression, San Lai grabbed a small stool and a handful of sunflower seeds, stuffing some into her hand as well. He explained, “You think those guys came to fight? Let me tell you, without exaggerating – you see how You Jiu is now, always keeping his head down and working, quite modest and low-key? That’s because you haven’t seen him during his school days. Back then…”

San Lai suddenly realized his voice was too loud. He glanced at Jin Chao, who was examining the scratches on the BMW. Seeing that he hadn’t noticed, San Lai lowered his voice and continued, “Back in his Grade Seven days, forget three punks, even ten of them wouldn’t dare provoke him. After all, he had no regard for his own life, while others still feared death.”

“Even now, he could easily take on several guys by himself if he wanted to. It just depends on whether he’s willing to fight. The last few times when people from Wan Ji came to cause trouble, You Jiu didn’t even raise a hand, just sent them away. This time, maybe it’s because they messed with Xiao Yang, or maybe it’s because of you.”

“Those people would never really come to pillage and burn. Each time they just cause minor damage, aiming to irritate You Jiu and disrupt his business.”

Jiang Mu asked in confusion, “Why would they do that? Is there some grudge?”

San Lai squinted his eyes, speaking with an air of wisdom beyond his years, “You Jiu used to be a senior technician at Wan Ji, leading many apprentices. Many customers would only listen to him. Later, because of…”

San Lai’s voice suddenly stopped. Jiang Mu turned to look at him, and he quickly glossed over it: “Because of some reasons, You Jiu decided to leave Wan Ji. Iron Rooster followed him out. Their departure was a significant loss for Wan Ji. After they left, morale at Wan Ji deteriorated, rumors spread, and many workers either quit or switched jobs. After You Jiu and Iron Rooster opened this shop, many old customers followed them here. How could the other side be happy about that?”

Jiang Mu’s brows gradually furrowed as San Lai continued, “You think those punks want to come cause trouble? It’s all orchestrated by Boss Wan behind the scenes. Partly out of jealousy, and partly because he probably still wants You Jiu to come back and help him. After all, how carefree was it when You Jiu was there? Boss Wan could go gambling in Macau for a month, and You Jiu would manage all three shops perfectly.”

Jiang Mu didn’t know what had caused Jin Chao to leave the place where he had worked for over three years, but from San Lai’s fragments of information, she understood that Jin Chao’s current situation wasn’t entirely smooth sailing.

While Xiao Yang and Iron Rooster were cleaning up the repair room, Jiang Mu felt uncomfortable just sitting there. She returned the sunflower seeds to San Lai and stood up, saying, “I’ll go help.”

Jin Chao was outside dealing with the BMW’s scratches. Jiang Mu entered the repair room, where many small parts had been scattered under the metal cabinet. Seeing Xiao Yang about to move the cabinet, she quickly went to help, but Xiao Yang looked up at her in surprise, saying, “You won’t be able to lift it.”

Jiang Mu rolled up her sleeves and said, “Let’s try. Ready?”

At her command, Xiao Yang used his strength, and while his side lifted off the ground, Jiang Mu’s side didn’t budge an inch. She asked in frustration, “What’s inside this thing?”

Xiao Yang laughed and called Iron Rooster to help. Jiang Mu could only go clean up other things, but with her delicate arms and legs, she wasn’t built for manual labor. Jin Chao glanced at her: “With a bit more strength, you might be able to move the Earth. Don’t get yourself dirty, step aside.”

Jiang Mu muttered, “I just wanted to help.”

Hearing this, Jin Chao put down an iron can: “Then you can pick up screws.”

Jiang Mu suspected Jin Chao was just finding busy work for her. She even asked Xiao Yang, “Am I being dismissed?”

The three men tried to hold back their laughter, and Xiao Yang consoled her, “No, no, picking up screws is quite difficult. Like me, I can’t pick them up without threads on my hands.”

Jiang Mu gave him a very sympathetic look, suddenly feeling the importance of her task.

So she began carefully squatting on the ground picking up screws. Iron Rooster laughed and said, “What was up with that Xiang Zi earlier? It’s not even New Year’s, why was he kowtowing to Brother You? Makes me want to give him a two-yuan red packet.”

Xiao Yang burst out laughing too, while Jiang Mu kept her head down picking up screws, though she felt a gaze fall upon her. She looked up to meet Jin Chao’s meaningful eyes, making her feel guilty. Could it be that Jin Chao had eyes in the back of his head and saw her surprise kick?

Jiang Mu had never participated in any fights throughout her life, let alone such a group brawl. She stared at Jin Chao, lost in thought. She had seen Jin Chao fight when he was young, but it was completely different from now. Earlier, his fists were like iron, his eyes like a wolf’s, the fierceness between his brows making one’s heart tremble – this was a side of him she had never seen before.

Jin Chao glanced at her several times, and seeing her still in a daze, he asked, “Scared?”

Jiang Mu nodded, then shook her head: “Not scared of others, scared of you. Next time… could you hold back a bit?”

Jin Chao replied indifferently, “How should I hold back? Wait until that guy’s hands are on you before I discuss life and ideals with him?”

Jiang Mu lowered her head and smiled. The sunset had dyed the horizon orange-red, and the early autumn breeze gently passed her ears. A sense of security rose from the bottom of her heart, unlike anything she had felt since coming to this place.

Little Black was bouncing around her inside and out. There was a small step from the repair room to the outside, and when the little black dog ran out, it stumbled and fell crookedly, its short, chubby body rolling over, its four little feet paddling in the air, unable to turn back over. The sight made Jiang Mu laugh even harder, and she called inside, “Look at the black dog!”

Xiao Yang and the others turned to look, and he said, “Doesn’t it have a proper name? Calling it ‘black dog’ all the time might give it a complex.”

Jiang Mu turned to look at Jin Chao, who lifted his eyelids slightly and said to her, “It’s not my dog.”

Implying that she should name it herself.

Jiang Mu blurted out almost without thinking: “Then let’s call it Lightning.”

Iron Rooster criticized, “It runs as slow as a turtle, how can you see any resemblance to lightning?”

Jiang Mu pressed her lips together without speaking, but Jin Chao stopped his work and looked at her sideways. Jiang Mu met his gaze, and though they didn’t exchange a word, at that moment their eyes met, Jiang Mu was certain Jin Chao remembered this name too.

San Lai, cracking sunflower seeds on the side, chimed in, “This name you chose sounds like something from an ’80s kung fu show. Why is it so outdated?”

Jiang Mu and Jin Chao simultaneously shot him deadly glares, making San Lai feel uneasy. He smiled awkwardly, “Alright, alright, Master Lightning, whatever makes you happy.”

Everyone worked until sunset to get the repair room back in order. With no time to cook, San Lai brought over several plates of dumplings and enthusiastically called Jiang Mu to eat first, forcibly putting chopsticks in her hand.

Looking at the dumplings before her, Jiang Mu didn’t want to reject San Lai’s kindness. She picked one up and dipped it in some vinegar, but before it reached her mouth, she noticed something odd about the smell. She looked up at San Lai in bewilderment and asked, “Isn’t this vinegar?”

“It’s soy sauce.”

“Shouldn’t dumplings be dipped in vinegar?”

San Lai matter-of-factly said, “Dip them in soy sauce.”

Jiang Mu looked toward Xiao Yang, who had just washed his hands, and he nodded too: “Dip in soy sauce.”

She turned to Iron Rooster in disbelief: “You dip them in soy sauce?”

Iron Rooster confirmed, “Of course.”

She had never eaten dumplings dipped in soy sauce before. She reluctantly took a bite and froze, looking at the dumpling again before asking weakly, “What’s the filling?”

San Lai answered, “Fennel filling.”

Jiang Mu was internally devastated: “Isn’t fennel just a spice?”

San Lai: “No, it isn’t.”

She looked at Xiao Yang, who was stuffing one in his mouth, then at Iron Rooster, who asked her, “Haven’t you had it before?”

Jiang Mu was completely lost. Her mind kept flashing between cilantro, star anise, and some granulated spice. She no longer knew what she was eating.

Jin Chao walked over in a few steps, distributed her dumplings to Xiao Yang and the others, and asked her, “What do you want to eat?”

Jiang Mu said quietly, “KFC or McDonald’s.”

Then she felt guilty about making such an unreasonable request when everyone had been working hard all day and was lucky to have anything to eat at all. She pointed at the dumplings: “Actually, these are fine too.”

Jin Chao let out a small laugh and patted Iron Rooster: “Give me your keys.”

He then mounted Iron Rooster’s motorcycle and returned with KFC fifteen minutes later. The aroma of fried chicken made Jiang Mu realize just how hungry she was.

Jin Chao pulled up a chair and sat across from Jiang Mu, watching her take small bites of her burger. He lowered his gaze thoughtfully. By the time he finished his plate of dumplings, Jiang Mu had only eaten half her burger, unhurried in her manner. It reminded him of how she was as a child – eating was harder than climbing to heaven. He would often get so impatient that he’d pick up the bowl and feed her himself, otherwise she’d eat from hot rice to cold rice.

Thinking of this while looking at the now fair and delicate Jiang Mu, an almost imperceptible smile flashed across his lips as if she had been hand-fed and raised by him.

After Xiao Yang and the others finished eating, they sat around the table chatting. Jin Chao glanced at Jiang Mu and said, “With your eating habits, you still want to live alone? Order takeout every day?”

Jiang Mu replied, “At least I won’t starve.”

Jin Chao lit a cigarette and said, “You still have the college entrance exam to take. Last year I didn’t know what happened to your health, do you want to go through that again? Even though the food at home might not suit your taste, it’s still better than outside. We’re all rough men here, eating whenever we can. How can you keep up with proper nutrition following your lifestyle? Stay for a few days and then go back.”

Jiang Mu instantly felt her burger lose its appeal, her expression dropping. Xiao Yang and Iron Rooster fell silent too. Seeing them return to this topic, San Lai slapped the table and said, “Come on, it’s not a big deal. Tomorrow I’ll buy an old hen to nourish our little sister. We can’t let the child suffer.”

Jin Chao gave him a sideways glance without responding and went back to work. San Lai leaned over to Jiang Mu and asked, “Want to see him bow his head?”

Jiang Mu’s eyes flickered as she turned to look at San Lai, who stroked his stubbled chin, his deep eyes revealing a calculating look.

After everyone finished eating, Xiao Yang cleared the table. San Lai let Xi Shi out to pee, deliberately lingering at the entrance, saying to Jiang Mu, “Little sister, I have a room upstairs, you could stay at my place if you want.”

Jiang Mu played along and asked, “Really? How much would the rent be?”

As she spoke, she glanced at Jin Chao from the corner of her eye, but he showed no reaction, continuing to work with his head down.

San Lai said to her, “How about this – consider me your brother, and I’ll cover all utilities. Just pay a token rent.”

Jiang Mu stood up: “Then let’s go look at the room now.” She started walking toward San Lai’s shop.

San Lai leaned against the street lamp railing, tapping his finger in the air – once, twice, and just as he tapped the third time, Jiang Mu opened the shop door. San Lai’s finger stopped tapping, and Jin Chao threw down his tools, straightened up, and said to Jiang Mu, “Come here.”

A smile flashed quickly across Jiang Mu’s lips, but when she turned around, her face returned to an innocent expression. She obediently walked to Jin Chao, who said nothing but took off his gloves, raised his hand to the top of her head, and with slight force turned her body around and pushed her into the auto shop.

Before returning to her room, she secretly turned back and made a playful face at San Lai, who winked at her. Jin Chao turned and glared at him.

After Jiang Mu’s figure completely disappeared into the repair room, San Lai finally spoke slowly: “Don’t say things like that anymore. Women are sensitive. Those who understand know you don’t want her to live a rough life with you, but those who don’t might think you’re trying to drive her away. If she cries at night, you’ll be the one with the headache.”

Jin Chao put his gloves back on and said in a deep voice: “The less she knows, the better. The longer she stays, the more trouble it’ll be.”

San Lai’s smile faded, and he said nothing more.

As soon as Jiang Mu entered the room, Xiao Yang and Iron Rooster instinctively avoided the rest area. Jin Chao didn’t come in to shower that night. When Jiang Mu was packing her schoolbag, she saw Jin Chao with wet hair and changed clothes, presumably having showered at San Lai’s place to avoid inconvenience.

Lightning was still young and needed milk, so it was sent back to Xi Shi. By the time Jiang Mu prepared for bed, the repair room was empty, and even the rolling door was locked. Back in her room lying in bed, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

Her peripheral vision kept catching the slight movement of the curtain, which seemed somewhat terrifying in the enclosed space. She couldn’t help but look toward the curtain, beyond which was the rest area, and beyond the rest area’s glass was the empty, eerie repair room. During the day with people coming and going, it hadn’t seemed like anything, but in the dead of night, the glass reflections made Jiang Mu extremely uneasy. She tried not to look outside, but couldn’t help staring at the slightly swaying curtain, feeling creepy. In her subconscious, an image kept forming – a woman in white standing in front of the mirror outside the rest area, and with each swing of the curtain, a pair of eyes staring at her.

Sometimes these thoughts couldn’t be stopped once they started, becoming increasingly frightening.

After struggling for a long time, Jiang Mu took out her phone and found Jin Chao’s WeChat, sending him a message: “Are you asleep?”

After sending it, her eyes were fixed on the chat box, waiting for the “typing” indicator to appear, but even as her eyes nearly touched the screen, there was no response.

Suddenly, a voice came from the curtain: “What is it? Stomach hurting again?”

Startled, Jiang Mu bounced up from the bed, looking at the shadow standing outside the curtain. She trembled: “Where did you come from?”

Jin Chao turned on the rest area light: “From the back.”

“Where’s the back?”

“…There’s a window above your head.”

Jiang Mu stood up from the bed. She had noticed the Venetian blind above the bed, but it had been closed. When she used her fingers to part the blind, she saw there was a shed behind it, with things scattered all over. She couldn’t help asking, “Were you there the whole time? What were you doing?”

Jin Chao replied, “Working overtime.”

Only then did Jiang Mu remember that last night when she called out in her dream, Jin Chao had come right away. She had thought he was in the repair room, but he must have been working overtime back there too. It was so close to her room, just separated by a window. Fortunately, she hadn’t been talking to herself about random things, or he would have heard everything.

Jin Chao stood outside and asked again: “What’s wrong?”

Jiang Mu released the blind. She couldn’t tell him that she was afraid because the curtain was swaying, the rest area glass was reflecting, and the repair room was too dark, could she? She certainly couldn’t say that, so she righteously said: “I want water.”

“…”

Jin Chao lifted the curtain and looked at the mineral water on the bedside table. Jiang Mu saw it from the corner of her eye and quickly added, “It’s cold, I’m afraid I’ll get a stomach ache if I drink it.”

Jin Chao let go of the curtain and went out with the electric kettle. Soon he plugged in the kettle full of water and pulled up a chair to sit outside waiting for it to boil.

The water boiled quickly. Jin Chao mixed some warm water and came in to hand her the paper cup. Jiang Mu was wearing light-colored collared loungewear, and Jin Chao, standing by the bed looking down, could just glimpse the white lace showing at her collar. He immediately lifted his gaze away, while Jiang Mu drank unusually slowly, like a kitten lapping water, all while stealing glances at Jin Chao.

Finally, when he could hardly stand it anymore, he said, “Are you planning to drink until tomorrow morning?”

Jiang Mu had no choice but to hand him the cup. Jin Chao glanced at it – the cup was still more than half full, not looking like she had been very thirsty at all.

He raised an eyebrow and turned to leave. Jiang Mu stared at his back and mumbled, “Are you leaving?”

Jin Chao turned back to look at her, her short hair clinging to her face, her watery eyes staring at him pitifully. Jin Chao suddenly asked, “What made you decide to cut your hair?”

Jiang Mu answered honestly: “I was afraid the nutrients would go to my hair instead of my brain and affect my intelligence.”

“…”

Jin Chao looked at her small frame again, the corner of his eyes curving as he walked out. Then Jiang Mu saw him turn off the rest area lights. She thought he had left, but a faint light from a phone came through the curtain gap. Through it, Jiang Mu could see not the reflective glass anymore, but Jin Chao’s figure sitting back in the chair.

He quietly stayed in the rest area playing with his phone, his long legs propped up on the table, looking like he had no intention of leaving.

Jiang Mu breathed a sigh of relief and lay back down. Looking at the dark ceiling, she said, “Teacher Ma likes you, doesn’t he? As soon as he saw me, he told me to learn from you, saying you got into the top ten in the grade even with a dislocated right arm. How did you manage that? Can you write with your left hand? I didn’t know you were left-handed. Are you left-handed? I remember when you were little, Mom spent a long time correcting you from using your left hand to eat, didn’t you switch over after that…”

Jin Chao silently turned his game volume to a minimum, listening to her rambling. The night was quiet, sleep hadn’t come, and he hadn’t heard this soft Southern accent for a very long time. After coming here, he had gradually forgotten this familiar tone. Now hearing it, it was as if time had suddenly pulled back to the past, when time moved slowly and life was carefree.

He didn’t speak, just quietly listened, as if not disturbing her would let her keep talking forever. Those sentences were full of particles, the unclear pronunciation when sleepy, every sound full of soft sweetness, like a lullaby on an autumn night, gradually calming the turbulence in his heart.

Until she stopped, yawned, and mumbled: “Are you even listening to me? You’re not responding at all.”

The room was quiet for several seconds, then the phone light outside suddenly disappeared, and Jin Chao’s voice rose softly: “When did you find out?”

Silence, dead silence. Jiang Mu knew what he was asking about – about the fact that they had no blood relation at all.

After a long while, she answered, “Before I came here.”

Another moment of silence, then he asked her: “What did you think when you found out?”

Jiang Mu turned over to face the inner wall, her eyelashes trembling as she tightly gripped the corner of her blanket and closed her eyes.