Jin Chao seemed eager to leave, and after handing Jiang Mu the fried rice, his fingers unconsciously tapped the cigarette pack beside him, as if urging her to eat quickly. Jiang Mu could only manage a few bites before telling the server, “Please pack this up.”

She figured it was better to take it home, considering she might have to eat dumplings for lunch tomorrow.

The guys at the next table couldn’t help but laugh seeing this girl take just a few delicate bites before finishing. As Jin Chao was about to leave with her, the man wearing the jade pendant teased, “Your sister’s quite cheap to feed, isn’t she?”

Jin Chao pulled out his phone to scan the QR code for payment and casually replied, “Want to feed her yourself?”

Jiang Mu hadn’t expected the man to respond, “Sure.”

He glanced at Jiang Mu and continued, “Little sister, come with me. I’ll feed you the best food and drinks, and guarantee you’ll get nice and plump. How about it?”

Jiang Mu instinctively stepped behind Jin Chao. The three men at the table burst into laughter, and even Jin Chao’s lips curved slightly. As he picked up the takeout box and moved the stool, he suddenly remembered something and turned to Jiang Mu, “Is your mouth still hurting?”

Jiang Mu had completely forgotten about it after sleeping last night. She touched her lips and replied, “I don’t think it hurts anymore.”

Jin Chao grunted in acknowledgment and looked at Jin Fengzi, telling Jiang Mu, “Time to return the favor.”

Jiang Mu froze. She’d thought Jin Chao was joking yesterday. Looking at the two Guan Gong statues that were twice her size, she really couldn’t bring herself to do it.

Jin Fengzi looked up in confusion, “What are you talking about?”

Jin Chao lowered his eyelids slightly. Seeing a pair of chopsticks on the table edge, he flicked the end, sending them flying straight at Jin Fengzi’s left arm. They landed with a sharp crack like a whip. Jin Fengzi’s large frame shuddered, and he looked at Jin Chao in surprise, “What was that for?”

Jin Chao replied flatly, “Killing a mosquito.”

Then he told everyone, “We’re leaving. Enjoy your drinks.”

After he left, the three men exchanged glances before their eyes fell on the pile of discarded scallions, ginger, and garlic.

The man with the large jade pendant couldn’t help but ask, “Who is that little sister? Even You Jiu is looking after her like that?”

Jin Fengzi rubbed his reddened arm, wearing an amused expression, “Who knows? Should I tell Little Green Snake about this to show my loyalty?”

“Drink up, drink up…” the men all burst out laughing.

…

On the way back, Jin Chao didn’t take Jiang Mu along the main road but chose a shortcut instead. This area was full of urban villages that hadn’t been demolished yet, with many alleys between the low-rising houses. As soon as Jiang Mu followed Jin Chao into an alley, she couldn’t help but smile.

Jin Chao was half a step ahead and glanced at her, “What are you smiling about?”

Jiang Mu’s round eyes curved into crescents as she deliberately suppressed her smile and said, “There are so many mosquitoes.”

A hint of amusement flickered in Jin Chao’s eyes. They walked through the dark alley with half a person’s distance between them. There were no streetlights, and the moonlight had hidden behind clouds. Usually, Jiang Mu would never venture into such alleys so late at night, but with Jin Chao beside her, she felt no danger at all, even though she knew nothing about this place.

Still curious about that reckless incident, Jiang Mu deliberately asked in a casual tone, “What are you doing tomorrow?”

“Working.”

“What kind of work?”

Jin Chao didn’t respond, so Jiang Mu asked again, “What about the day after?”

Jin Chao glanced at her sideways, “Need something?”

“Not… really, just wondering what you usually do?”

“Make money.”

After saying this, Jin Chao stopped and told her, “Walk ahead.”

Jiang Mu walked a few steps forward and turned back to look at him. Jin Chao stood in the dark alley, lighting a cigarette. His shadow stretched long at his feet. He lifted his head, exhaling smoke in her direction, and said flatly, “Keep walking.”

The smoke drifted behind Jin Chao as he followed behind her. At turns, he would guide her with “left” or “right.”

Jiang Mu continued asking, “Besides making money, what else do you do?”

There was no response from behind. Jiang Mu stubbornly looked back at him. Jin Chao maintained his unhurried pace behind her, his gaze calmly fixed on her. Seeing her turn back around, he waited a few seconds before responding, “Everything—eating, drinking, sleeping, partying. Which one do you want to know about?”

Jiang Mu turned back and continued walking, knowing she wouldn’t be able to get anything more out of Jin Chao.

She walked silently, hugging her arms. Her legs under the T-shirt were covered in goosebumps from the cold. It was strange—in Suzhou at this time, you’d still be sweating after an evening walk, but in Tonggang, despite the scorching days, it would turn freezing once the sunset. Jiang Mu never knew what to wear when going out.

Ahead was a water ditch. Jiang Mu stopped and turned to ask Jin Chao, “Which way?”

Jin Chao told her, “Straight ahead.”

“I can’t get across going straight.”

Jin Chao stopped a few steps behind her, taking a final drag of his cigarette. He observed her shivering form, her thin arms and legs exposed, looking so delicate they might snap at a touch. She wasn’t like this as a child—back then, her arms and legs were plump like lotus roots. A rare softness flashed in Jin Chao’s eyes before quickly disappearing. He stubbed out his cigarette and said, “Wear more clothes when you go out at night. The temperature difference here is big between morning and evening.”

Then he stepped across to the other side in one stride, leaving Jiang Mu staring in amazement. She stood frozen at the ditch’s edge, asking, “How am I supposed to get across?”

Jin Chao replied, “Walk over.”

Jiang Mu measured the ditch’s width with her eyes and asked weakly, “Won’t you give me a hand?”

To her surprise, Jin Chao tucked one hand holding the takeout box and put the other in his pocket, saying coolly, “I’m covered in thorns.”

Jiang Mu immediately recalled how dramatically she had shaken off his hand while crossing the road earlier, which must have been somewhat offensive.

But there was no way she would now humble herself to ask Jin Chao for help. She looked left, then right, preparing to find another way around.

Jin Chao stood on the other side and unhurriedly reminded her, “That way’s blocked.”

Before Jiang Mu could look the other way, Jin Chao lazily added, “The other side leads back.”

Jiang Mu blew at her bangs and suddenly started backing up. Jin Chao raised his eyebrows and watched silently as she took several steps back before suddenly charging toward the ditch.

She had taken the long jump test in middle school, and although she had needed a makeup exam, several years had passed, and she had grown taller. With misplaced confidence, she ran to the edge of the ditch and jumped with all her might.

While her effort and expression were impressive, she didn’t jump very far. Just as her feet were about to land in the foul water, Jin Chao reached out and pulled her across.

Once Jiang Mu’s feet were firmly on the ground, her heart still racing with belated fear, Jin Chao had already let go and turned to walk ahead, leaving her with his back view and a single comment: “Uncoordinated limbs.”

Jiang Mu’s face immediately turned red. This incident traced back to when she had just started elementary school. Jin Chao was already in sixth grade then, and when his classmates heard his sister had started first grade, they asked him during exercises which one was his sister.

Jin Chao looked at the little figure in Class 1(3) and laughed, “The one moving her arms and legs together.”

This led to a whole year of sixth-grade boys calling her “Same-hands-same-feet” and surrounding her to teach her how to march in place, while Jin Chao stood outside the crowd, watching her and laughing.

She hadn’t thought much of it then, but growing older, she realized how embarrassing it was to have a bunch of older boys teaching her to march in place.

She had forgotten about it until Jin Chao’s “uncoordinated limbs” comment brought back memories of her inherent shortcoming. As a child, she had been mysteriously confident that when she grew up, her athletic abilities would be as good as her brother’s—after all, they were siblings with the same genes. Only now did she understand it would never happen.

Sure enough, this route was very close—they reached the opposite side of the residential area right after crossing the ditch. Jin Chao’s phone rang, and he walked ahead with his long strides to answer it. Jiang Mu couldn’t tell who was on the other end, but she heard him say:

“Not a big problem, bring it over tomorrow and I’ll take a look.”

“I’ll be around these days. If I’m not here, find Xiao Yang.”

“Next month? Depends on the date. I might be away for a few days then, better come earlier.”

Jiang Mu followed behind Jin Chao until they reached their door, where he finally hung up. He took out his keys to open the door. The living room was as quiet as when Jiang Mu had left, with only the faint “tick” of the wall clock’s second hand. She glanced at it—it was almost two o’clock.

Jiang Mu went to the bathroom to brush her teeth again. When she came out, she found Jin Chao hadn’t left. The living room lights were still off, and he sat on the sofa scrolling through his phone.

Jiang Mu walked up to him and asked in a low voice, “Where do you sleep at night?”

The phone’s light illuminated Jin Chao’s face, alternating between light and shadow, making his features more defined. His hands didn’t stop as he replied, “You sleep. I’ll leave after sitting for a while.”

Jiang Mu asked another question, “Do you have a place to stay outside?”

This time Jin Chao flipped his phone face down, suddenly plunging them into darkness. Jiang Mu could only see him curve his lips at her, his voice low and magnetic: “What? Want to stay at my place?”

Their gazes met silently for a few seconds before Jiang Mu was the first to surrender. She understood Jin Chao’s meaning—he was probably testing whether she was uncomfortable staying here, but her thoughts had started wandering again.

Fortunately, the living room was dark enough to hide her expression. She looked away and dropped two words: “Goodbye.”

Then she went straight back to her room. Lying in bed, she was already feeling drowsy, but still instinctively listened for sounds outside. The front door only made a sound about ten minutes later, and only after Jin Chao left did Jiang Mu drift confusedly into sleep.

When she woke up the next day, she found the black camouflage gift box that had been on the living room display table was gone. Jiang Mu’s frustration which had been building for two days finally eased somewhat.

But the relief didn’t last long, as a series of maddening events followed. For instance, in summer at home, she usually showered twice a day—once in the morning and once before bed, or at least once a day. But after coming here, she discovered that Zhao Meijuan and the others only bathed once every three days. Although the climate here was different from Jiangnan’s, going two days without a shower in the height of summer was practically like taking half her life.

Even more torturous was that whenever she took a shower, Zhao Meijuan would look at her with an expression that seemed to say, “Is your body covered in mud?” It made taking a shower feel like going into battle for Jiang Mu, requiring mental preparation to stay unyielding.

Then there was the fact that with Jin Qiang away, she had to spend long periods with Zhao Meijuan and the little monster. The key issue was that the little monster mostly ignored her, and she could barely understand what Zhao Meijuan was saying.

For example, once Zhao Meijuan pointed at her and shouted, “Yao dun di!”

Jiang Mu tried hard to understand for quite a while, thinking she meant to squat down, so she waved her hand and said, “I don’t want to dun di.”

Zhao Meijuan became agitated and shouted, “Dun di!”

Seeing how urgent she seemed, Jiang Mu didn’t argue and squatted down. It took her a while to realize that “dun di” meant mopping the floor—Zhao Meijuan wanted her to move aside. She walked back to her room nonchalantly, and that evening Zhao Meijuan told Jin Qiang, “Your daughter is acting weird.”

Jin Qiang consoled her, “Be understanding. The child didn’t do well in the college entrance exam, she might have taken quite a blow.”

Jiang Mu knew nothing about this, she just tried to stay in her room as much as possible, reducing how often she came out. Sometimes, except for meals and bathroom trips, she wouldn’t see anyone all day.

When Zhao Meijuan asked Jin Chao to bring medicine, she chatted with him a bit more downstairs: “That girl probably has what’s it called… depression. Stays in her room all day.”

Jin Chao looked up at the tightly drawn curtains of the fifth-floor window, listening to Zhao Meijuan’s endless nagging, especially when she said dramatically, “Doesn’t go out but takes a shower every day, won’t that wash all her skin off?”

Jin Chao’s expression remained blank as he looked away: “Which is more precious—water or life?”

Zhao Meijuan immediately replied, “Isn’t that obvious?”

“Then let her shower. Didn’t you say she has depression? Aren’t you afraid she’ll get depressed about not being able to shower and lock herself in her room to commit suicide?”

Zhao Meijuan’s face turned pale with fright, and she rushed back home. That evening, when Jiang Mu hadn’t come out to shower by nine o’clock, Zhao Meijuan specifically knocked on her door to remind her: “The water’s heated up, go take your shower quickly.”