Jiang Mu followed Jin Chao through one dark alley after another, eventually emerging opposite the auto shop. She hadn’t realized the affiliated high school was so close to the shop, though she knew she’d never find her way through those alleys alone.
San Lai had set up a light outside his shop and was drinking with someone. As Jiang Mu got closer, she saw that the man drinking with San Lai was none other than Jin Fengzi. Upon seeing Jin Chao return with Jiang Mu, Jin Fengzi flashed her a smile: “Where’d you go? So you were picking up this little beauty from school.”
Jin Chao gave him a firm smack on the back of his neck: “Come alone?”
Jin Fengzi laughed and ducked his head, replying, “Nah, guess who I came with?”
He wore a mischievous expression, but Jin Chao ignored him, taking Jiang Mu’s schoolbag inside. San Lai called out to Jiang Mu: “Hungry? Grab a bite before hitting the books.”
Jiang Mu looked at the table of braised dishes, which seemed quite appetizing. She hadn’t eaten much-braised food since coming here, so she told San Lai, “Let me wash my hands first.”
Jin Fengzi glanced back at Jiang Mu and leaned in to ask San Lai, “She living here now?”
San Lai raised his wine glass with a smile, neither confirming nor denying.
Just as Jiang Mu turned on the faucet, she saw a flashy matte red sports car pull up outside. A woman with dyed red hair wearing a mini skirt stepped out.
Jiang Mu glanced at her before lowering her head to finish washing her hands. When she looked up again, the red-haired woman was suddenly standing before her, looking her up and down with raised eyebrows and a casual tone: “So you’re the little beauty they’re talking about? How’d you get mixed up with You Jiu?”
Jiang Mu shook the water from her hands and replied, “We’re not that kind of relationship. Who are you?”
The woman wore false eyelashes and makeup, with distinctive phoenix eyes that gave her a strong street-boss aura. She casually handed Jiang Mu a paper bag and said, “Take a guess. Hold this.”
Jiang Mu bewilderedly took the bag and stood aside. The red-haired woman turned on the faucet and began washing her hands. As she bent over, her cropped top rode up, revealing a sexy tattoo on her waist – a coiled azure dragon.
Jiang Mu suddenly remembered a name and blurted out, “Are you Little Green Snake?”
The red-haired woman turned off the water and glanced at her from the corner of her eye: “What Little Green Snake? The thing on my waist is a dragon.”
“Dragon.” As she spoke, she made a fierce face at Jiang Mu, who widened her eyes and stepped back, clutching the bag tightly as she stared at the woman in bizarre horror. Her short hair clung to her soft-featured face, making her look like a lively, adorable rabbit.
Seeing her reaction, Little Green Snake burst into hearty laughter, throwing an arm around her shoulders and tilting her chin up: “Aren’t you precious? I’m Wan Qing. And you are?”
Her enthusiasm came like a whirlwind, leaving Jiang Mu completely defenseless. She stiffly replied, “Jiang Mu.”
“Little Jiang, what’s your relationship with You Jiu?”
Jiang Mu stared at her again, completely puzzled. This Wan Qing was so mercurial – she suddenly dragged Jiang Mu to the auto shop entrance, pushed her against the wall, and leaned in with an intimidating expression: “Come clean now.”
She was half a head taller than Jiang Mu, and when she put on a stern face, she looked like a female tyrant. Jiang Mu stared at her banana leaf-like fake eyelashes, her face twitching as she answered, “He’s my brother.”
Wan Qing looked completely surprised: “Brother? Cousin or what? How come I never knew he had a sister like you? From out of town?”
“Something like that.”
Just then, Jin Chao’s voice came from the repair shop, carrying an icy tone: “Back off if you’re going to keep scaring her.”
Wan Qing’s expression did a complete 180-degree turn. She hugged Jiang Mu again and called out to Jin Chao: “Can’t I joke around with our little sister? Why so fierce?”
She pulled the paper bag from Jiang Mu’s hands and said affectionately, “Come on, let’s eat some pork trotters. Ignore him.”
Jiang Mu watched this sister’s unpredictable moods and wanted to keep her distance, but Wan Qing acted completely familiar, even placing two chairs together so Jiang Mu would sit beside her.
San Lai brought out a pot with its lid on and asked Jiang Mu, “Know what’s inside?”
Jiang Mu leaned forward and sniffed – the aroma of chicken wafted out. She smiled: “You made chicken soup?”
San Lai removed the lid and told her, “You Jiu bought the chicken this morning, I made the soup. You think I’d joke about that?”
Jin Chao came out too, and Wan Qing patted the empty chair beside her: “Come drink.”
Jin Chao walked to the chair, grabbed it with one hand, and moved it to the opposite side. Wan Qing rolled her eyes at him and leaned toward Jiang Mu: “Your brother won’t find a wife at this rate.”
Jiang Mu pressed her lips together without speaking, glancing at Jin Chao, who remained expressionless as he opened a beer.
Wan Qing took out a large pork trotter from the paper bag and placed it on the plate in front of Jiang Mu: “This place’s flavor is amazing, try it.”
Jiang Mu stared at the huge pork trotter, unsure where to start. It wasn’t about maintaining an image – she’d just never eaten a giant pork trotter on the street in front of strangers in her eighteen years of life.
In contrast, Wan Qing beside her was already digging in, her uninhibited manner inspiring genuine admiration in Jiang Mu. She couldn’t figure out how this sister could open her mouth so wide.
Seeing her watching, Wan Qing asked, “Eat up, why are you watching me? Don’t know how?”
Jiang Mu mumbled, “In a minute, in a minute.”
Across the table, Jin Fengzi went straight for the chicken, automatically reaching for a drumstick. But as soon as the drumstick was suspended above the pot, Jin Chao’s chopsticks struck his hand. Jin Fengzi’s hand trembled, dropping the drumstick back into the pot. He looked at Jin Chao in confusion: “What’s wrong?”
San Lai clicked his tongue twice and cut in: “You think I spent two hours cooking this for you? You taking college entrance exams too?”
Jin Fengzi belatedly looked at Jin Chao, who sat with one hand on the chair back, staring back at him. Wan Qing watched them while gnawing on her pork trotter. The table fell silent until Jin Fengzi suddenly had an epiphany. He stood up, fished out the large drumstick again, and personally placed it in front of Jiang Mu: “Little sister, you first.”
Jiang Mu, somewhat overwhelmed by the gesture, said, “Thank you.”
Only then did Jin Chao return to his beer, but Wan Qing’s gaze lingered on him.
The chicken was so tender it fell off the bone at the touch of the chopsticks. Each bite was completely satisfying. Jiang Mu ate with obvious enjoyment while San Lai watched her with an aunt-like smile, helping her ladle some cooling chicken soup into a bowl beside her.
Jin Fengzi said, “Yesterday after Da Guang left, he went to get a rabies shot. I called Xiang Zi to the back and taught him a lesson.”
Only then did Jiang Mu realize that Jin Fengzi was actually from Wan’s Auto Shop.
Jin Chao clinked his beer bottle against Jin Fengzi’s and said, “Unnecessary.”
He glanced at Wan Qing and changed the subject, discussing with Jin Fengzi about a regular customer who wanted to change cars. Meanwhile, he somehow produced a black object from somewhere – Jiang Mu didn’t even see how he did it – and the black handle suddenly extended into a sharp knife.
Jin Chao asked San Lai for a wet wipe and chatted casually with Jin Fengzi while methodically cleaning the knife.
Jiang Mu couldn’t help but peek at him from the corner of her eye. The yellowish light fell on Jin Chao’s profile as he lowered his head, his straight, prominent nose making his features particularly severe. Combined with his knife-cleaning action, he had a distinct “Professional Killer” vibe.
Jiang Mu couldn’t understand why he needed to take out a knife while having a casual evening chat with friends. It was rather scary.
After putting down the wet wipe, Jin Chao turned and pulled her plate with the pork trotter toward himself. He used his sharp knife to slice the meat off the trotter. Though it was quite a brutal task, he managed it with refinement, his blade rising and falling as he cut the meat and skin into perfectly bite-sized pieces.
Wan Qing raised her eyes too, tossing aside her finished trotter and wiping her hands before turning to look at Jiang Mu. Feeling her gaze, Jiang Mu met it, and Wan Qing gave her a flawless smile.
However, just as Jiang Mu lifted her bowl to drink the soup, her gaze caught something under the table. Wan Qing suddenly raised her foot to brush against Jin Chao’s. Jiang Mu hadn’t meant to see this, but her eyes were too quick to notice. She couldn’t help but look at Jin Chao. His movements froze, his brows furrowing as he raised his eyes to give Wan Qing a cold stare. Wan Qing smiled more coquettishly, deliberately lifting her foot to touch Jin Chao’s trouser leg again.
With a sharp “bang,” Jin Chao slammed the knife onto the table. San Lai and Jin Fengzi, completely unaware of what was happening and still talking, jumped in surprise: “You Jiu, what are you doing?”
Having witnessed the whole thing, Jiang Mu’s heart also skipped a beat at Jin Chao’s sudden action. Wan Qing remained completely unfazed. Jin Chao placed the sliced pork meat back in front of Jiang Mu and turned to look at her: “Finish eating and head inside soon.”
Jiang Mu couldn’t quite meet his eyes, sensing that Jin Chao must have noticed her watching the whole time.
She hurriedly finished the pork and chicken soup before going to the restroom to work on her problems. Around midnight, she stretched, feeling her eyes strain, and decided to stand up and move around a bit.
When she walked out of the repair shop, she saw everyone had left except San Lai, who was crouching at the shop entrance waiting for Xi Shi to finish her business. Jiang Mu asked, “Where’s Jin Chao?”
San Lai, eyes fixed on Xi Shi who was relieving herself, replied, “Probably in the back.”
Jiang Mu also glanced at Xi Shi before walking to San Lai’s side and asking quietly, “Is Wan Qing Jin Chao’s girlfriend?”
San Lai answered slowly but firmly, “You Jiu would never be with her.”
“Why not?”
San Lai replied casually, “She’s Boss Wan’s daughter.”
Jiang Mu was slightly surprised – she had overlooked Little Green Snake’s surname. She confirmed, “Wan’s Auto Shop owner’s daughter?”
San Lai hummed in agreement and whistled for Xi Shi, opening the door to let her in. He looked at Jiang Mu: “What were you two up to last night?”
“What?”
San Lai’s lips, hidden beneath his stubble, curved in a half-smile: “You Jiu didn’t come to sleep until dawn. You both seem quite energetic.”
Although Jiang Mu and Jin Chao had only talked through the curtain, under San Lai’s suggestive gaze, her face instantly turned red. San Lai burst out laughing: “Just kidding. Tell You Jiu I’ll leave the door open for him.”
After San Lai went inside, Jiang Mu returned to the repair shop with burning cheeks. She knew the “back” they referred to was the covered yard visible from the room’s window, but she didn’t know how to get there.
She walked around to the other end of the repair shop where there was a door left slightly ajar, close to the restroom. Jiang Mu gently pulled open the door, and a cool breeze wafted in from outside. It was dark out there, but she stepped out anyway.
The outside looked similar to what she’d seen from the room’s window. Under the shed were piles of things – some exposed old parts, several boxes full of items, and many tools she couldn’t identify. In one corner of the yard was something completely covered by a large tarpaulin, weighted down at the corners with bricks. Jiang Mu had no idea what was under it.
However, after scanning the area, she saw no sign of Jin Chao. There was a rusty iron gate leading to the street, left open, with wisps of smoke drifting through.
Jiang Mu walked toward it, but before she reached the wall, she heard Wan Qing’s voice from outside: “I’ll say it again, if you need money, just tell me. Don’t wade into muddy waters. Those waters run deep. Listen to me, would I harm you?”
Jiang Mu suddenly stopped, pressing herself against the door and peering through the gap to see Jin Chao and Wan Qing’s shadows.
“You’d best stay out of my business.” Jin Chao’s voice was deep.
Wan Qing threw down her cigarette and cursed, “Have I ever worried this much about any other man? You Jiu, don’t push me too far.”
“And what if I do?” Jin Chao’s voice carried indifference tinged with impatience.
Just as Wan Qing was about to retort, Jin Chao waved her off and pulled open the iron gate. Jiang Mu’s figure appeared unexpectedly, with nowhere to hide. After dying of embarrassment twice in one day, she felt desperate, standing at the doorway at a loss.
Jin Chao just looked at her through lowered lids, saying nothing as he stepped into the yard. He turned back to Wan Qing who stood outside and said, “Stop coming around here so often.” Then he locked the yard gate.
In the empty shed yard, the atmosphere grew heavy. After securing the lock, Jin Chao turned to stare at Jiang Mu, his expression severe: “Go inside. Don’t come here anymore.”
His expression when not smiling looked somewhat fierce. Jiang Mu frowned and asked, “Why?”
Jin Chao’s thin lips tightened, his gaze sweeping past her head to some corner as he told her, “Can’t you see there’s stuff everywhere? This isn’t a place for you.”
Without thinking, Jiang Mu muttered, “Then why can she come?”
Moonlight filtered through like gauze, reflecting in her dark, lustrous eyes, misty as water, with a tiny bright spot dancing with light.
Jin Chao slowly put his hands in his pockets and looked at her, suddenly breaking into a light smile: “Are you… throwing a tantrum?”
Jiang Mu was startled, then realizing what she’d said, replied bashfully, “What tantrum? I’m not throwing a tantrum. I have a great temper. I just believe in fairness and justice.”
Jin Chao’s jaw moved slightly as he nodded, walking inside while saying leisurely, “Right, great temper. Not a trace of morning grumpiness.”
Jiang Mu instantly felt the dig at her expense – she was only unreasonable in the mornings, and he just happened to witness it.
Following Jin Chao back into the repair shop, she sorted out this tangled web of relationships in her mind. Jin Fengzi worked for Boss Wan and must have heard about the three troublemakers yesterday. He’d mentioned at dinner that he’d taught Xiang Zi a lesson right after, but Jin Chao had changed the subject, probably because Wan Qing was present.
Although Jiang Mu didn’t know what had happened between Jin Chao and Boss Wan, clearly there must have been a reason for their parting of ways. However, this Little Green Snake’s stance was unclear, and she seemed to care quite a bit about Jin Chao.
Back in the repair shop, Jin Chao began tidying up some scattered tools. Seeing Jiang Mu standing at the edge of the shop lost in thought, he assumed she was still upset.
Strangely, he instinctively felt that if he didn’t console her now, she might burst into tears at any moment.
The younger Jin Chao would always try his best to handle her before she could cry, like a conditioned reflex ingrained in his body. He temporarily put down his tools, lit a cigarette, and glanced at her: “The back area is small, full of stuff. Aren’t you afraid of rats?”
Jiang Mu broke from her thoughts and looked at him, finally realizing he was explaining why he didn’t want her going to the back.
She watched him for a few seconds and asked, “What’s this about wading into muddy waters?”
“It’s not something you should concern yourself with.”
Jin Chao seemed unwilling to discuss this with her, but Jiang Mu’s intuition told her this must be related to the life-threatening situation San Lai had mentioned before.
Jin Chao stored some of the repair shop’s miscellaneous items on the restroom’s shelves. Jiang Mu followed him in, leaning against the doorframe as she watched his back: “She seems to care about you a lot.”
Silence.
Jin Chao didn’t respond, methodically arranging everything before turning to look at her: “Want to be late again tomorrow morning?”
Jiang Mu’s lips twisted as she told him: “San Lai said he’d leave the door open for you.”
Then she lifted the curtain and went to shower. When she finished, she poked her head out to look around – the restroom seemed quite quiet.
She thought Jin Chao had gone to San Lai’s, but when she reached the door and lifted the curtain, she saw Jin Chao leaning against the table, his distinctive fingers holding that old black Parker pen, his eyes lowered, seeming lost in some memory.
When Jiang Mu’s movement of the curtain interrupted his thoughts, he raised his eyes, and in that instant their gazes met, Jiang Mu felt an inexplicable panic.
She rushed to Jin Chao, snatched the pen, and turned to walk toward her room. Her cheeks burned, her heart racing up and down as if all these years of yearning for Jin Chao had been laid bare before him through this pen.
If this yearning had been mutual, perhaps she wouldn’t feel so mortified. But he had never fulfilled the promise of this pen, never came back to see her, and eventually stopped sending even letters or phone calls.
She had kept their promise, waiting for many years, but in the end, it had all been one-sided. She didn’t want to admit it, but she had to – this pen made her feel utterly ashamed in front of Jin Chao.
Just as Jiang Mu was about to enter her room, she suddenly stopped and turned around, glaring at him angrily: “I only kept this pen because I like vintage things, not because of you.”
Then she rushed into her room and lay on the bed, covering herself with the blanket. Her eyes immediately reddened, every cell in her body radiating helpless shame.
There was no sound from outside. Jiang Mu lifted the blanket and turned off the room light. After an unknown time, Jin Chao’s voice rolled like thunder through heavy clouds, carrying the weight of the night from beyond the curtain: “Your handwriting… has improved quite a bit.”
…
“Next time… next time we meet, I’ll check how your writing has improved?”
“Will you come back?”
“I will.”
…
He hadn’t forgotten.