Xiao Yang went home for the New Year. Tie Gongji and Jin Fengzi had just come over after finishing their New Year’s Eve dinner at home. San Lai had a big argument with Old Lai last year because he paid off a large sum of money for him, and this year, he simply didn’t go home for the Chinese New Year.
So, at six o’clock, they started preparing the hot pot with Jin Chao. After Tie Gongji and Jin Fengzi arrived, everyone drank until now. When they heard someone knocking on the door at this time, they were all surprised. They were even more surprised when they saw that the person outside was Jiang Mu.
When Jiang Mu walked in, her hair and shoulders were covered with snow. Coincidentally, she was also wearing a white coat, making her look like a snowman who had rolled in from outside. However, when she stood still, everyone was shocked to see the messy marks on her body, and her white coat was dirty. Jin Fengzi immediately stood up and said, “Little sister, how did you get yourself into this state on Chinese New Year’s Eve?”
San Lai lowered the rolling door and quickly returned to her front, saying, “What happened to you?”
However, Jiang Mu’s face unusually showed a bright smile as she stared at Jin Chao. Jin Chao had already straightened up from the lounge chair, frowning and asking her, “Why haven’t you left?”
Jiang Mu’s eyes burned with intensity as she told him, “I’m not leaving. I’m staying for the Chinese New Year.”
Then she glanced at their hot pot, which was almost finished, and pouted her lips with a slight sense of grievance, “Is there no food left for me?”
San Lai dragged a stool over for her, and Jin Chao looked up at San Lai, saying, “Go get some more things.”
San Lai laughed and said, “How could I let you go hungry, Your Highness Princess? I’ll go prepare a full Manchu-Han Imperial Feast right away!”
Jiang Mu gave him an incredibly bright smile, then directly looked at Tie Gongji and said, “Let’s switch seats, I want to sit next to my brother.”
Tie Gongji heard Jiang Mu’s unusually intimate way of addressing Jin Chao today and laughed, standing up. Jin Chao’s gaze shifted slightly darker as he looked at her. Jiang Mu squeezed her way to Jin Chao’s side, and the corner where the heating was strong made her feel comfortable as she stretched out her legs. Jin Chao lowered his eyes to examine her dirty coat and, with a calm voice, asked, “What happened?”
Jiang Mu, however, seemed completely unconcerned. Her eyes, filled with mist, locked onto him as she said, “Everyone’s celebrating the Chinese New Year, and there was no one clearing the snow on the road. The road was too slippery.”
“Where did you come from?”
Jiang Mu dragged her chair closer to him and said, “From Dad’s place.”
Jin Chao furrowed his brows, his gaze lingering on her face for a moment. “Did you just walk over like this? “
Jiang Mu shook her head, unzipping her coat. Her face and neck were tinged with a faint redness as she turned her head, speaking in a soft, gentle tone, “Not just walking, I even ran for a bit.”
“…”
Jin Chao silently watched her. Jiang Mu tried to take off her dirty coat, but the corner was too small. As soon as the coat slipped from her shoulders, her hands couldn’t move properly. Jin Chao raised both arms and reached around from behind her to help pull it off. His breath suddenly enveloped her. Jiang Mu tilted her head back, and Jin Chao met her gaze, his eyes curious. Whether it was because he had drunk, or because it was the Chinese New Year, his eyes weren’t as cold as usual, holding a subtle, charming gleam. Jiang Mu looked at him, a smile curving at the corners of her mouth.
Jin Chao stood up and hung Jiang Mu’s coat on the clothes rack to his right. Jiang Mu was only wearing a soft, light blue mohair sweater underneath. She suddenly felt a bit cold and shrank her shoulders. Jin Chao sat down and glanced at her, asking, “Are you cold?”
Jiang Mu naturally extended her hand toward him, saying, “Brother, can you warm them for me?”
Jin Chao slowly raised an eyebrow, staring at her hand stretched out in front of him, pausing in silence for a moment.
Jiang Mu had only learned the true nature of her relationship with Jin Chao when she came to Tonggang. Years of estrangement and the realities of their situation made her feel awkward whenever she faced him, not knowing how to act. Even after being here for so long, she hadn’t properly called him “brother” in a serious manner. She always felt like calling him that was one-sided, and she couldn’t shake off the fact that he had distanced himself from her for so many years.
The only time she clearly called him “brother” was when she asked him to go to the Jin Qiang family’s house to get her clothes. At that time, Jin Chao had deliberately teased her into calling him that.
And tonight, since entering the house, this was already the second time she had called him “brother.” This unusual behavior made Jin Chao wonder if she had been triggered by something. However, with so many people around, holding her hands in front of others felt a bit inappropriate. He cleared his throat, took her wrist, and placed it into the pocket of his sweater.
Jiang Mu had never seen him wear this outfit before. It hung loosely and comfortably on him, casual yet exuding an understated elegance. The pocket carried the warmth of his body, spreading from her fingertips to her chest. Jin Chao’s elbow rested casually on the armrest, blocking the view of others, while Jiang Mu’s arm slipped under his elbow. Although there was no physical contact, it felt as though she was leaning against him. On this cold, lonely night, she finally found a sense of stability and belonging. Her smile had never faded since she entered the room.
However, when her fingertips reached further into his pocket, she suddenly felt something. Gradually, she recognized the shape of a key, with something attached to it. Jiang Mu froze for a moment as a thought flashed through her mind. She quickly pulled the key out of Jin Chao’s pocket.
As the key fell into her hand, the small object attached to it came into her view. It was a square, handmade leather keychain, somewhat vintage in style, with four characters engraved on it: “朝思暮想” (Longing Day and Night).
“Jin Chao… does he… have a woman?”
“If you find that key, you’ll have the answer.”
Jiang Mu stared at the small keychain in her hand. All the surrounding sounds seemed to fade away as she slowly turned her head to look at Jin Chao. Beneath the cold and composed exterior he had built up through years of navigating a world full of complications, he was still the same Jin Chao she knew, flesh and blood, and still hers. He might have lost some of the youthful confidence and boldness, but he was still him, still her Chao Chao.
Jin Chao had already turned his head to look at the keychain in her hand, his expression slightly uneasy. Then he lifted his eyes, his gaze meeting hers. There was an unspoken emotion swirling in his eyes. In the corner, Jiang Mu smiled so brightly that her eyes turned into crescent moons. Her fair skin glowed with a delicate blush, stretching from the tip of her nose down to her clean, elegant collarbone. The radiance and beauty of the girl crashed into Jin Zhao’s vision, carrying a hint of triumphant pride. He could only lower his eyes and curl his lips in a helpless smile, as the entire room seemed to be enchanted by her captivating aura.
Jiang Mu flipped her wrist, holding the keychain firmly in her palm, showing no intention of returning it. Jin Chao let her take it and turned his head to pick up his drink.
San Lai came over with the pot, preparing a new batch that wasn’t as spicy, and threw in the large prawns that had just been deveined.
Jiang Mu watched him and remembered the first time she told San Lai her name, and his meaningful look at that moment.
“What’s your name?”
“Jiang Mu.”
“The ‘Mu’ from ‘Longing Day and Night’?”
Now, clutching the keychain, she tilted her head and smiled at him.
San Lai, noticing her gaze, couldn’t help but chuckle. “Don’t look at me with such adoration. Your brother San Lai has been single for so long that even Xishi would look charming to me. What are you laughing at, anyway?”
Jiang Mu tucked the keychain away and praised him, “San Lai, you’re such a good comrade.”
Although San Lai was a bit confused, he played along and replied, “It’s mainly because I don’t have a proper job. Otherwise, I’d definitely be writing an application to join the Party.”
“…”
There was a TV hanging on the wall in San Lai’s shop, usually used for screen mirroring movies or playing games. Tonight, though, the Spring Festival Gala was playing, no one was really watching, and the background noise made the atmosphere feel more festive.
Once the food was served, Jiang Mu eagerly dug in. It was clear to everyone that not only was she in a good mood today, but her appetite was also great. This was probably the most she had eaten since arriving here.
She even picked up her bowl and asked San Lai for a few fennel dumplings.
San Lai was surprised and asked, “Aren’t you the one who doesn’t like this?”
Jiang Mu smiled and replied, “I want to give it another try.”
The men around her continued drinking and chatting, while her chopsticks never stopped moving. She joined in their conversation, laughing along with them.
Jin Chao, tall with long legs, occupied a whole lounge chair. Having drunk a fair amount, his expression was unusually relaxed. From time to time, he glanced at Jiang Mu, enjoying her hearty meal. Whenever she looked back at him, he would respond with a subtle smile in his eyes.
Whenever San Lai or Tie Gongji asked if she wanted more shrimp balls or beef, Jiang Mu would give a little smug look and say, “I want my brother to serve me.”
Jin Chao could only keep sitting up straight to serve her, and eventually, he didn’t even lie down again. He simply sat in the lounge chair, waiting for the food to cook enough, then placed it into her bowl.
San Lai couldn’t help but comment, “Are the food we serve poisoned or something?”
Jin Chao suppressed a smile, while Jin Fengzi burst out laughing and tried to offer Jiang Mu some more alcohol. But with just one look from Jin Chao, he quickly backed off. San Lai slapped Jin Fengzi on the shoulder and scolded him, “What’s wrong with you? Why are you always trying to get her to drink?”
He then turned to Jiang Mu and asked, “How about some juice instead? What do you want to drink?”
Jiang Mu, feeling warm from the hearty meal, sat in the cozy corner with a faint sheen of sweat on her nose. She tilted her head up and asked, “Do you have Sprite?”
San Lai stood up and replied, “Yes, I have everything in my big fridge.”
Jiang Mu cheerfully raised her hand and said, “With some ice cubes, please.”
Jin Chao, who was nearby, spoke up, “Just drink it at room temperature, why add ice?”
Jiang Mu turned her head and held up one finger, “Just one cube.”
Then she raised another finger, “Or maybe two cubes.”
She quickly raised two more fingers, “How about four cubes? Four’s an unlucky number, so let’s make it five, okay, brother?”
Jin Chao looked at her bargaining with a bit of a spoiled tone, and with a resigned smile, he turned his head and didn’t say anything further.
Jin Fengzi, having drunk a bit too much, started talking, “A couple of days ago, Xiao Yong’s car crashed. Though he’s fine, it’s probably going to take him a long time before he gets back to his usual self.”
After saying that, he seemed to suddenly realize Jiang Mu was present, and awkwardly clicked his tongue, looking over at Jin Chao. Jin Chao, however, remained calm and said, “She knows.”
He then gave Jiang Mu a meaningful glance and added, “She was my navigator in that race.”
As soon as those words were spoken, the two men present and San Lai, who had returned with the Sprite, were all stunned. They turned in unison to look at Jiang Mu, who was focused on eating meat.
Jin Fengzi was the first to react. He grabbed a bottle of liquor and knocked it against the table, then looked at Jiang Mu and said, “Sister, do you know what being a navigator means to a driver?”
Jiang Mu put down her chopsticks and looked at him. Jin Fengzi, half-joking and half-serious, continued, “It’s like a lover. A navigator can make a driver but can also take the driver’s life at any moment. That’s why Youjiu never trusts anyone.”
San Lai poured the Sprite into a transparent glass and then dropped the ice cubes in. The foam bubbled up, much like the turbulent feelings inside her heart, which had suddenly surged. She felt an unfamiliar sense of palpitations rising quietly within her, spreading through her veins and limbs in an instant. At that moment, she heard the sound of her own heartbeat.