In such heavy rain, Miao Jing had been out for over an hour, returning to the dormitory empty-handed. Her roommate, absorbed in watching TV, barely noticed. She wrapped her coat tightly and went straight to the bathroom. After showering, the fair skin of her neck was covered in red marks from her scratching.
“What happened to you? Your neck is so red.”
“Might be allergies. Just took the clothes from the closet, it’s a bit itchy.”
“The rain’s pretty heavy outside. Called you but you didn’t answer.”
“Didn’t hear the phone ring. Just met a friend, talked for a bit.”
Miao Jing said no more, opening her computer to work overtime, scratching her neck before getting up to change into a high-necked sweater.
–
The downpour had left Chen Yi somewhat disoriented, unsure why he couldn’t control himself. Perhaps it was purely from anger at Miao Jing—in the months since her return, she’d been causing one problem after another. He wasn’t prepared, and couldn’t handle it at all.
The pool hall had a small workshop for repairing cues, initially exclusively for Chen Yi’s use and repairs, but later he taught Bo Zi too. Repairing cues wasn’t difficult, and having this skill was always useful. In the morning when the pool hall was quiet, Bo Zi would be in the workshop maintaining cues while Chen Yi usually sat smoking, watching him work, and making small talk.
Bo Zi treated this pool hall as his own business. With few ways to make money and his leg now useless, he knew Chen Yi wouldn’t mistreat him. Now he was the closest person to Chen Yi, and seeing Chen Yi’s recent bad mood, thought it was about breaking up with Tu Li, encouraging him to find another girlfriend.
At their age, those seeking stability were thinking about settling down and starting careers. Bo Zi knew Chen Yi never wanted to marry—perhaps because of his past family issues, or maybe he was too used to freedom—but finding girlfriends was still easy. Vivi and the others were excited to learn Chen Yi was single.
Chen Yi held his cigarette, eyes downcast without interest.
“Sister Li posted two photos on social media, her figure’s so hot. Did you see them, Brother Yi?”
“Didn’t see.” He yawned: “What photos?”
“Dancing, of course. All our friends drooling in the comments.” Bo Zi couldn’t help asking, “Brother Yi, did you break up with Sister Li? Honestly, she’s really beautiful.”
After throwing Tu Li out that day, she hadn’t pestered him much, but they’d still run into each other at KTV and bars. Passing by, her face cold and beautiful, she’d thrown a few lukewarm barbs at him, then about him and Miao Jing.
Chen Yi had been drinking then, irritably responding: “You know I’ll never marry you. Since we’re not getting married, I didn’t plan anything with you. We were just having fun, why take it so seriously?”
Tu Li’s face instantly darkened. It was all understood without saying—for Chen Yi, partly because she was clingy, partly because changing partners was troublesome, they’d passed two pleasant years together. Just sleeping together for two years, shouldn’t that create some feelings?
Chen Yi hadn’t spoken of feelings. He’d spent considerable money on Tu Li and felt no real guilt. Things that could be measured in money didn’t need to occupy emotions. As for him and Miao Jing, what could one dress prove? Who would wear someone else’s dress to seduce people? Miao Jing had been back for over three months, nothing had happened between them. He hadn’t cheated or been unfaithful—even Detective Conan couldn’t say a word.
Hearing his brief words, Tu Li’s face turned ice-cold. She walked away with her chin up, her figure graceful and beautiful, but her hands trembled secretly. If he’d said just one word about still liking her, remembering her goodness, she would have let it go and found other excuses. But this was too hard to swallow.
After breaking up, Tu Li didn’t approach Miao Jing, and Miao Jing didn’t ask her anything either, staying quiet like Chen Yi. Their identical reactions were the strange part, the evidence—Tu Li frequently contacted Lu Zhengsi, telling him to investigate Miao Jing’s oddities, to at least stir up some commotion, it couldn’t end like this.
Lu Zhengsi scratched his head, truly unable to see anything strange in Miao Jing’s behavior. The only peculiarity was his status as her boyfriend. Though they hadn’t progressed to kissing, they’d linked arms and held hands, with Miao Jing’s body language particularly natural and gentle.
She could make everything seem completely natural, without any hint of guilt. Lu Zhengsi couldn’t help thinking Tu Li was being paranoid, though he felt some of Miao Jing’s behavior was indeed excessively cold. He decided not to expose anything yet, planning to observe further.
–
Besides working overtime at the company, Miao Jing occasionally went out with Old Tan, dining with suppliers or sales companies. She was the department’s beauty representative, with solid professional skills, someone they could proudly present.
That evening they went to a local signature restaurant. As the group sat down, Miao Jing went to order first as the lady present. By chance, the hall manager was her high school classmate who came to greet her. Miao Jing was initially stunned, only remembering during their conversation that they’d been in the same class. After high school graduation, she’d lost contact with most classmates, maintaining connections with only a few friends, indeed feeling somewhat distant and unfamiliar with others.
To ordinary classmates, Miao Jing had indeed been a rather ethereal, mysterious presence. The two exchanged pleasantries, talking about past school days and current work life when the topic suddenly turned to Chen Yi was a regular at this restaurant. Her classmate had a particularly strong impression of him from when he’d attended a parent-teacher meeting at Miao Jing’s school.
Chen Yi must have just come of age then, eighteen or nineteen, wearing a black suit and pants with shiny shoes to appear mature. Though his features still carried some youth, his demeanor was proud and bold. Sitting beside Miao Jing, one hand in his pocket, affecting steadiness, eyebrows slightly drawn, long fingers tapping the report card as he turned to speak to Miao Jing. His voice, rough from cigarettes and alcohol the night before, was clear with a hint of hoarseness, making nearby female classmates hold their breath.
“I recognized him the first time I saw him, went up to talk, and asked if he was Miao Jing’s brother. He was stunned and just walked away. I thought I’d mistaken him. When paying the bill, he asked if I was your classmate, I said yes, and then he finally smiled.”
“He was here a few days ago, eating with some friends, drank quite a lot. I noticed his voice was nasal, had the kitchen make him some ginger soup.”
Miao Jing smiled, listening attentively to her classmate. After chatting a bit more, Lu Zhengsi came out from the private room to check on her ordering, interrupting their conversation. The classmate thought about exchanging WeChat later, but the meal dragged on as Miao Jing attended to business entertainment, leaving no chance to talk, and they never got to exchange contact information.
It had been four or five days since that rainy night, with both showing particular tacit agreement in not contacting each other. Miao Jing took out her phone to look, but finally put it back in her bag, turning to chat with colleagues.
As it happened, the next day—
Documents and deliveries sent to the company were kept at the security office’s fixed delivery point. Lu Zhengsi collected packages at noon daily, and would also help grab colleagues’ deliveries when greeting them. He saw several documents for Miao Jing, including a registered urgent letter from the hospital. Lu Zhengsi inadvertently glanced at it, pondering briefly.
These documents were delivered to Miao Jing’s desk. She had meetings all afternoon, too busy to open them. When people dispersed after work, Miao Jing caught her breath, poured some water, and used a paper knife to open the pile of documents, a medical examination report falling onto the desk.
“Miao, did you have a medical check recently?” Lu Zhengsi turned around. “Has the company arranged health checkups?”
“It’s not my medical report, it’s someone else’s.”
She opened the cover page, scanning the text line by line, her expression calm and composed, but her gaze was soft as it swept across, lips slightly curved up, revealing a curious expression between smile and non-smile.
“Brother Yi’s?”
“Mm.”
Miao Jing finished reading the medical report and putting it in her desk drawer. Lu Zhengsi casually asked: “Brother Yi… is he okay? His health is good?”
Lu Zhengsi had been pondering Miao Jing’s words about a “family member with serious illness,” imagining whether it was possible that Chen Yi truly had some unspeakable serious illness, hence breaking up with Tu Li. Hence Miao Jing finding him as a boyfriend?
“He’s fine, he’s okay.” Miao Jing’s fair, slender fingers tapped the desk, thinking briefly. “By the way, has Tu Li contacted you recently? How is she, is she doing well?”
“Occasional contact, she seems okay too…”
Miao Jing smiled slightly at him: “Thank you for your help, sorry for the trouble.”
“What trouble, I, I’m quite willing to do this.”
Miao Jing’s lips curved in a smile, eyes bending.
–
Miao Jing hadn’t expected to receive a medical examination report. Finally, she messaged Chen Yi, saying she needed to come home on the weekend to get things. Chen Yi was indifferent, telling her to give advance notice, he’d be home resting.
It happened to be the weekend, and Lu Zhengsi had business in the city district. Knowing Miao Jing was going home to get luggage, he drove her there.
After knocking on the door for ages, Miao Jing finally called Chen Yi. His voice on the phone was hoarse and deep like flowing sand, drowsy and unclear about what night it was. Chen Yi grabbed a hoodie and sweatpants to open the door, chin darkly stubbled, boneless with fatigue, his dim gaze sweeping over Lu Zhengsi, nodding slightly: “Come in.”
Miao Jing glanced at him sideways, without any greeting, going straight to her room to pack. Lu Zhengsi attended to both sides, helping Miao Jing while making small talk with Chen Yi.
The home atmosphere was quite quiet and peaceful. Chen Yi stood by with folded arms, lazily leaning as he talked with Lu Zhengsi, asking about work, recent business, recent weather, and so on.
Seeing Miao Jing’s packing operation, both men realized she planned to move back to the company completely.
There were too many things to take. Lu Zhengsi first helped carry two packed storage bags down to the car. Only two people remained in the house, Miao Jing packing in the room, and Chen Yi watching from the doorway.
She bent over the desk drawer sorting things. The person behind her approached, standing at her back, his hands propped on the desk edges on either side of her. His strong, tall frame created a small space, maintaining a not-far-not-close distance with her, his presence and breath pressing forward, his nasal voice deep and hoarse like a bass speaker.
They made casual conversation.
“Got the medical report?”
“Got it.”
“How is it?”
“All indicators are fine.”
“Moving everything to the company?”
“Is that not allowed?”
He laughed through his nose, eyes half-closed, tongue pressing against his cheek, making a half-circle, his cheek bulging.
His tone was hoarse again, muffled.
“Can’t you tell I have a cold?”
“How did you catch a cold?”
“Got soaked in such heavy rain, you didn’t say a word.”
“A cold only lasts a week, looking at your symptoms, doesn’t seem like it’s from that rain.”
“No medicine to take, how can a cold get better easily? Do you have medicine in your room?”
“No, go to the pharmacy.”
His hands drew closer, tall frame bending down, almost-but-not-quite touching her back, turning his head to peck her cheek, saying hoarsely: “Isn’t the medicine delivering itself?”
Chen Yi leaned forward, his arm crossing her shoulder, pressing against her cheek as he bent down to kiss her, his other hand directly encircling to lock her waist, effortlessly capturing her lips.
He’d just smoked, his mouth bitter, but her lips were cool and sweet. Miao Jing closed her eyes, her chin lifted by his freed fingers, their lips meeting in a smooth, tacit kiss.
Hot, perfect for this gradual cooling season.
The sound of entangled breathing and soft lip-tongue contact echoed in the room, but footsteps approached from outside, like drumbeats on rhythm. The room door was open, the front door also open, Lu Zhengsi’s footsteps climbing the stairs one by one, from far to near, crystal clear. In the instant, before he crossed the threshold and took those two or three steps forward, Chen Yi gave one last suck of sweet saliva, took a breath, released his embrace, contentedly stepping back to lean against the wardrobe, unhurriedly taking out a cigarette and lowering his head to light it.
Miao Jing blinked, calmly continuing to pack things from the desk.