Chapter 9
Jiang Mu suspected that Jin Chao was involved in some illegal activities behind Jin Qiang’s back, and although she would have ignored it if it were just a minor issue, this situation could endanger lives, and she couldn’t just stand by.
Luckily, she found a breakthrough, the “director” mentioned by Pan Kai.
Since Jin Chao specifically came to the high school to find this person, that person must know something. However, despite Jiang Mu tailing him for several days, she couldn’t catch him.
Zhang Fan was always late and left early, hiding in the men’s restroom after class. He really lived up to the title of “director,” being diligent in his duties. Jiang Mu couldn’t just rush into the men’s restroom to find him, so she spent several days waiting.
High school seniors still had to go to school on Saturdays, but the good thing was they didn’t have evening self-study on Fridays. So, Jiang Mu packed her things early and went straight to Class 1 as soon as school was over. Fortunately, she was lucky enough to run into Zhang Fan, who was walking out of the classroom, swinging his arms.
She immediately called out to him, “Zhang Fan.”
Zhang Fan looked around in confusion, and Jiang Mu, hiding behind a pillar, called again, “Over here.”
When Zhang Fan heard the voice and turned around, he saw Jiang Mu and immediately recognized her as the girl from the day she got into Brother Youjiu’s car. His attitude became much friendlier, “It’s you.”
Jiang Mu stepped out from behind the pillar, looked at him, and asked, “Do you know Jin… I mean, do you know Brother Youjiu?”
“Why?”
“I saw you looking for him that day. Are you close to him?”
Zhang Fan’s answer surprised Jiang Mu a bit. He told her, “This is the first time I’ve met Brother Youjiu. I only often hear my brother talk about him.”
Jiang Mu followed up with his words and asked, “Your brother is…?”
“My brother and Brother Youjiu were in the same high school class. What’s your relationship with him?”
Jiang Mu remembered Jin Chao saying that he wasn’t a positive figure at school and told her not to mention that she knew him. After a brief pause, she replied, “I’m his tenant. By the way, what was it that you gave him the other day?”
When Jiang Mu asked this, she still felt a bit nervous, afraid of touching on some untold secret. However, Zhang Fan directly told her, “Diagrams. My brother asked me to bring them to Brother Youjiu.”
This answer completely caught Jiang Mu off guard. She asked in surprise, “Diagrams? What kind of diagrams?”
Zhang Fan laughed. “I can’t even understand function diagrams, so how would I know what diagrams it is?”
Jiang Mu lowered her gaze, her mind racing with thoughts. After a moment, she looked up and asked Zhang Fan, “Do you have something to do soon?”
“I’m meeting someone at the internet café. Why?”
Jiang Mu immediately delivered the line she had prepared, “I need to find Brother Youjiu. Do you know where I can find him?”
Zhang Fan replied, “At the shop. You should call him.”
“I just tried, but he didn’t pick up because he’s busy. Could you help me out and take me there? I don’t know the way.”
Zhang Fan didn’t think much about it and answered, “Sure, I’ll take you.”
Once they were out of the school gate, Zhang Fan immediately hailed a taxi. The car stopped at the edge of the Tongren neighborhood. As soon as they got out, Zhang Fan pointed across the street and said, “It’s right there. Let’s go.”
Jiang Mu yanked at his shirt and pulled him behind a nearby white ash tree. She silently studied the shop across the street. The storefront was small, with a red sign above the roller shutter that read “Speed Auto Repair Shop.” A few private cars were scattered around the open space in front, and inside, a car was suspended by a car lift, with two workers busy moving about.
Suddenly, someone shouted, and from underneath the lifted car at the entrance, a figure emerged. Jiang Mu instantly recognized the person and he was Jin Chao. He half emerged from under the car, talking to someone. Sweat soaked through his blue coverall, so much so that the original color of the clothes was nearly unrecognizable. The ground around him was covered in black oil stains and scattered parts, as he worked on the ground under the scorching outdoor heat.
The dilapidated street, rusted iron gates, barking dogs, shirtless men smoking, and electric scooters lying around were the whole street’s appearance.
Jiang Mu stared at the scene in a daze. Even if Jin Chao really did have the audacity to get involved in risky activities, she couldn’t imagine him, in his current state, lying on the filthy ground and doing such hard, exhausting work.
In her memory, her brother had always been very neat. On hot days, after playing football, the first thing he would do when he came home was take a shower and wash his dirty clothes. She had never seen him look disheveled and always thought of him as someone with a proud existence. In the years that followed, she almost forgot what he looked like, but she could always remember the clean, pleasant scent of sunshine that clung to him.
When he was eleven or twelve, he was confident and full of ambition and told her, “I want to be a scientist when I grow up, preferably an astronomer, to study the mysteries of the universe.”
At that time, Jiang Mu believed in her brother’s words without a doubt. Even after they parted ways, she imagined what he would become when he grew up, maybe a lawyer, a doctor, a teacher, or even a white-collar worker in a skyscraper. Or perhaps he would truly pursue scientific research. Whatever he did, she believed he would always be well-groomed and full of spirit. She never imagined that the scene before her now would completely shatter that fantasy.
In fact, she should have noticed it earlier. On the day she first arrived in Tonggang, she saw that his white T-shirt had already gotten dirty. When she noticed it, he casually rolled it up, hiding the state he was in.
She had asked him what he was doing now, but he had never directly answered. He didn’t want her to know about his life, something Jiang Mu had never thought of before coming here.
Zhang Fan saw that she was just hiding behind the tree, staring at the scene without moving, and couldn’t help but say, “What do you mean by this? Didn’t you want to find Brother Youjiu? He’s over there.”
Jiang Mu suddenly regretted it. At that moment, she felt a tightness in her chest, a feeling she couldn’t quite describe, something that made her uncomfortable. She shook her head and said, “Forget it. Let’s go.”
Zhang Fan, seeing how cautious she was, grinned mischievously and said, “So you came all the way here just to see Brother Youjiu? You don’t have a crush on him, do you?”
Jiang Mu froze for a moment and quickly said, “Don’t talk nonsense.”
Zhang Fan, clearly not understanding her behavior, tugged at her backpack and joked, “What are you afraid of? Go say hi to him. I can’t stand people who like someone but hesitate for ages.”
Jiang Mu pulled back her backpack and stepped away, urgently saying, “Stop making a ruckus around. I really won’t go. I have to go back.”
As the two of them were pulling at each other, San Lai, who had just come out of the pet store next to the auto shop, noticed them. He looked across the street and shouted, “Zhang Fan.”
Zhang Fan let go of Jiang Mu’s backpack and looked over, hearing San Lai shout at him, “What are you two pulling and tugging?”
At that moment, Jiang Mu also saw the person, who was a tall thin man with a beard she had met a couple of times before. His loud voice drew the attention of the workers at the auto shop. Jiang Mu quickly turned away, but she heard Zhang Fan shout, “This girl’s got a thing for Brother Youjiu, but she’s too shy to go say hi.”
Jiang Mu stared at Zhang Fan in shock, while the men across the street all started laughing, and someone yelled, “Hey, Youjiu, there’s a girl looking for you!” Another man patted the red Volkswagen Lavida, which was raised by the hoist. Hearing this, Jin Chao crawled out from under the car and slowly stood up.
Next to him, Xiao Yang leaned forward and pointed across the street. The sky had darkened, and the streetlights flickered on in unison. In that instant, when Jin Chao looked over, the light above illuminated Jiang Mu’s figure, making her stand out. She tried to hide behind the white ash tree, but the tree was too thin to conceal her. Instead, it gave off a somewhat absurd, comical air, like trying to cover something up in vain.
Jin Chao narrowed his eyes and his face sank. When he saw her attempt to hide and move around awkwardly, he sighed and waved his hand at her.
Jiang Mu couldn’t pretend not to see him and had no choice but to walk out from behind the tree, feeling awkward and exposed. She heard Zhang Fan still talking beside her, “Look, even Brother Youjiu waved you over. What are you afraid of? Be brave, girl chasing boy is just a thin veil.”
Jiang Mu turned her head expressionlessly and replied, “Has anyone ever told you that you look like Takeshi Kaneshiro when you keep your mouth shut?”
With that, she walked straight toward the auto shop. As she approached, the gazes of the men in front of the shop all fell on her. There were two car owners who were familiar with Jin Chao, as well as two workers. They all had smiles on their faces, watching her with clear amusement, making her feel extremely uncomfortable.
As she got closer, she recognized the two workers. They were the same two who had come to the high school with Jin Chao that day. They clearly recognized her as well and greeted her, “Hey, little sister.”
Jiang Mu awkwardly waved her hand in greeting, then stole a glance at Jin Chao. He was standing by a large iron barrel, three steps away from her, taking off his gloves that were covered in black grime and placing them on the barrel. His gaze was dark and intense as he watched her.
Jiang Mu had to admit that Jin Chao’s gaze was imposing. Even though he didn’t ask her a single word about why she was there, his gaze alone, which carried an unspoken pressure, made her feel as though she had done something wrong.
She turned towards him, taking a step forward, her eyes lowered as she quietly explained, “I just… came to ask if I could borrow the house key. I didn’t say I don’t have evening study today. I was just worried they’d go to the supermarket…”
Jiang Mu’s pale explanation faltered as she approached him, and Jin Chao took a step back. Only then did she notice that even though he was wearing gloves, his exposed forearms were covered in grime and the oil stains on his clothes emitted a faint unpleasant odor. The thick one-piece coverall he wore looked suffocating and unbreathable. He was drenched in sweat and deliberately kept his distance from her.
His actions made Jiang Mu feel a pang of sorrow. Her voice grew softer and eventually trailed off completely. Jin Chao picked up a tire wrench and calmly asked, “You saw, are you disappointed?”
The question hit Jiang Mu like a wave, and her eyes grew heavy with emotion. She lowered her head and stayed silent. Jin Chao, not waiting for a response, told her, “Go wait over there and wait for dinner.”
After saying that, he went back to his work. Jiang Mu felt that she should leave. She turned around, ready to walk away, but the tall thin bearded man appeared in front of her, holding a teacup. With a smiling face, he said, “Why leave? Youjiu told you to stay and have dinner. Come on, let me get you a seat.”
He walked into the auto shop with familiarity, grabbed a small wooden stool, and placed it at the shop entrance. Seeing Jiang Mu still standing there with her backpack, he chuckled and said, “Are you reluctant to take the gold bars out of your bag?”
Jiang Mu awkwardly took off her backpack and sat on a small stool, hugging the bag. The tall thin man with a beard leaned beside her and introduced the others, “That’s Xiao Yang. He is Youjiu’s apprentice, and the other one is called Tie Gongji, he doesn’t give a penny.”
Tie Gongji, who was working nearby, overheard this and grabbed a screw, throwing it back toward San Lai, cursing, “Do I look like you? A spendthrift, who doesn’t know how to live.”
San Lai dodged slightly, the screw flew past his shorts, and he laughed and cursed, “Watch it, don’t hit the little beauty.”
He then lowered his head and said to her, “They all call me San Lai, got it?”
Jiang Mu nodded, “San Lai.”
He corrected her, “It’s Brother San Lai.”
“…”
Tie Gongji turned around and shouted, “Do you know why he’s called San Lai? He’s always leeching off others’ territories, taking up space without contributing.”
While San Lai and Tie Gongji kept bantering words next to her, Jiang Mu turned her attention to Jin Chao on the other side. He was working seriously, changing a tire on a car. The car owner, who was older than him, still treated him with respect. He half-squatted and asked, “Youjiu, what about changing all four tires?”
Jin Chao replied, “No need, save some money. Move the front ones to the back, just change two for now.”
The car owner nodded repeatedly, “Do as you see fit.”
Jiang Mu quietly observed him. The deep blue coverall was filled out by his tall, well-built frame. He carried a new tire out of the shop with ease, and when he squatted down, the shape of his back muscles became evident. His arms were the only part exposed, exuding a sense of strength. Jiang Mu had noticed this before, but she thought he was someone who focused on fitness. What she didn’t know was that this body of muscles had been earned through hard work.
While she was lost in thought, San Lai bent down and asked, “Alright, now tell me your name?”
“Jiang Mu,” she replied absentmindedly.
The tea cup San Lai had just brought to his lips suddenly stopped midway. He lowered his head again to look at the quiet girl and asked, “Is it the ‘Mu’ from ‘longing for you day and night’?”
Jiang Mu nodded. San Lai took a sip of tea and glanced at Jin Chao, who was not far off, deep in thought.
Jin Chao worked efficiently, and in no time, he had changed all four tires. He lit a cigarette for the car owner, chatted with him for a few more words, and sent him off. When he turned around, he saw Jiang Mu sitting in the corner. The stool was very low, and she was sitting there, hugging her backpack, curled up into a small ball. The scene looked strangely familiar.
He recalled a scene from a long time ago. That day, Jiang Yinghan was unable to come to school to pick up Jiang Mu on time. The teacher told her not to run around and to wait in the reception room for her mother. Later, Jin Chao heard the elderly man at the reception desk say that the little girl refused to sit and wouldn’t drink water. She just stood there with her heavy backpack, her small feet wobbling as she struggled to stand. He didn’t know how long she had been waiting, from the ringing of the school bell to the next class bell, and still no sign of her mother. He remembered seeing the little girl holding back her tears, trying to act strong, and then agreeing to let her go find her brother.
Little Jiang Mu walked back to the school with her backpack. As a first grader, she had no sense of direction, so she searched floor by floor until she finally found Class 63.
When Jin Chao finished school, what he saw was the pitiful little girl crouching in the corner, holding her backpack. The moment she saw him, her eyes were red from crying.
At that time, he had a group of little brothers around him, helping to coax and play with her. Before long, she stopped crying and laughed. But on the way home, she tightly held onto his hand, afraid that she might get lost.
His thoughts returned to the present as if everything had changed, yet some things still felt the same. Jiang Mu had come to find him alone, hugging her backpack and curling up in the corner, while San Lai kept her company, chatting casually.
Jin Chao took a few steps over and, when Jiang Mu looked up at him, he said, “Follow me inside.”
Translator’s Note:
Youjiu – Jin Chao’s nickname among his friends. The words directly translate to “have alcohol” in English.
Touqi – Jin Chao’s past nickname. The words directly translate to “First Seventh” in English, which normally relates to the first of a series of seven-day memorials held for the deceased.