Chapter 52
Jiang Mu sat down with a chicken wing in hand. A moment later, Jin Chao walked over, exchanged a few words with Zhang Guangyu, and then turned and naturally took a seat beside Jiang Mu, shifting from across her to right by her side without anyone even noticing the change.
Just moments ago, Jiang Mu hadn’t felt drunk. But now, her heart was racing wildly, her thoughts hazy, the tipsy sensation undeniable. Especially with Jin Chao sitting so close. Even with her head bowed low, his presence was overwhelming, an intense nervousness making her wrists tremble slightly. Surrounded by so many people, it felt as if she’d just done something illicit, leaving her restless and unsettled.
Pan Kai and the others brought over a plate of freshly grilled skewers. The rooftop was filled with the scent of roasted meat, the clinking of glasses, and bursts of laughter yet none of it could drown out the sound of Jiang Mu’s own heartbeat. At that moment, she felt dizzier than she had that night when Jin Fengzi made her drink so much.
Later, San Lai suggested that once everyone was free in July, they should all go hiking together, preferably on a mountain with a cableway, though his emphasis on “hiking” seemed somewhat pointless.
Jin Fengzi proposed they should aim for the greatest of the Five Sacred Mountains, Mount Tai. Zhang Guangyu countered with, “After visiting Huangshan, no other peaks deserve a glance,” and pushed for Huangshan since he worked in Anhui and it was close to him.
The group got caught up in the excitement, tossing out suggestions and laughing. Jin Chao held his glass, a faint smile playing on his lips, occasionally chiming in with a comment here and there, appearing perfectly at ease. Jiang Mu, however, wasn’t nearly as composed. She kept her head down, quietly nibbling on skewers, not because she was still hungry, but because doing something felt better than sitting there awkwardly. Throughout it all, her elbow would now and then brush against Jin Chao’s. It was such an ordinary thing, yet in that moment, each accidental touch felt magnified, charged with a secret tension only the two of them could sense.
Pan Kai, noticing that Jiang Mu hadn’t stopped eating, asked in surprise, “Jiang Jiang, you are really hungry today?”
Only then did Jiang Mu realize she was indeed stuffed. But the others were in high spirits, still drinking and laughing, and she didn’t want to sit there doing nothing. Out of the corner of her eye, she sneaked a glance at Jin Chao. His right arm rested on the table, while his left hung loosely at his side.
Her gaze drifted down to his left hand. His fingers were long and strong, the veins on the back of his hand pronounced and defined. She rarely paid attention to such details about people. When she used to get IV drips during fevers, the nurses always said her veins were hard to find. If she got unlucky with an inexperienced one, she’d inevitably get pricked more than once. Looking at Jin Chao’s clearly visible veins, she found it oddly fascinating.
Before she could stop herself, she reached out and poked one of them.
Jin Chao turned slightly, his gaze shifting toward her which was both subtle and unreadable.
But the bounce of the vein under her finger had a strangely satisfying feel. That texture, that responsiveness… it made her want to do it again. So, she reached out a second time. But before her fingertip could land, Jin Chao turned his palm over and calmly wrapped his hand around hers.
Jiang Mu instantly looked up at him, wide-eyed but Jin Chao already turned away, listening to San Lai ramble about the monkeys on Mount Emei as if nothing had happened. Yet his grip never loosened his thumb absently tracing the curve of her fingernails.
This wasn’t the first time Jin Chao had held her hand. Whether it was during that street race or the time with Boss Wan, he’d taken her hand before and both times to calm her down when she’d been overwhelmed or anxious. Just a steady hold, nothing more.
Tonight, though, in this relaxed atmosphere, every brush of his skin against hers sent electric currents racing through her. Jiang Mu didn’t dare look at anyone else. Logically, she knew no one would notice what was happening beneath the table, but with Jin Chao’s fingers laced through hers, the searing heat of his touch burned straight to her chest, then climbed to her cheeks in a flush so vivid the voices around her blurred into white noise.
No one knew how much time had passed when Zhang Guangyu’s girlfriend suddenly asked, “Did you drink too much?”
Caught off guard, Jiang Mu quickly pulled her hand back and nodded along guiltily, “Maybe a little.”
That seemed to be the signal, everyone agreed it was about time to call it a night.
On the way home, San Lai hailed a car and got in with Jin Chao to help send Jiang Mu back to Jin Qiang’s place first. Once San Lai had a few drinks, he became an unstoppable chatterbox. From the moment he got into the front seat, he started chatting with the driver about everything under the sun, mainly his pet store. The way he described it with such grandeur, anyone listening would’ve thought he ran a massive pet trade empire. Coincidentally, the driver had two dogs at home, so once the conversation started, there was no stopping it.
Jin Chao and Jiang Mu sat in the back. There was a noticeable distance between them. With the front seat so noisy, the two of them didn’t say a single word the whole ride. Jiang Mu would sneak glances at Jin Chao now and then, and whenever he turned slightly, sensing her gaze, she would immediately look away.
By the time they reached the neighborhood gate, San Lai had somehow managed to successfully upsell the driver into becoming a VIP customer. Jiang Mu could only watch in silent awe.
San Lai turned around with a cheeky grin and said to her, “Go home and sleep like a baby, college student.”
Jiang Mu laughed along politely and then quickly darted a glance at Jin Chao.
Jin Chao caught it and said to San Lai, “I’ll walk Mu Mu inside.”
Jin Chao turned to the driver and said, “Hold on, I’ll settle the fare in a moment.”
Jiang Mu opened the car door and got out. Jin Chao followed while San Lai stayed behind, still happily chatting with the driver about cats and dogs.
Once they turned into the residential complex, the taxi disappeared from view. The streetlights in the old neighborhood were caked with dust, casting a dim yellow glow. Jiang Mu reached out to tug on Jin Chao’s sleeve, but before her fingers made contact, his hand had already closed around her. As if instinctively, without looking, as if he could feel her presence.
They walked through the quiet complex, Jin Chao leading her back to the old building. As he opened the stairwell door, she murmured in a soft, slightly tipsy voice, “Brother, I can’t climb anymore.”
Jin Chao chuckled without answering. He knew perfectly well she was being lazy on purpose but still, he bent down and waited for her to hop onto his back. Carrying her up the stairs, he didn’t hurry. Jiang Mu looped her arms around his neck and rested her cheek against his broad shoulder. Her breath was sweet, tinged faintly with alcohol, brushing against the side of his neck, making his once-steady breathing grow increasingly heated.
The motion-activated lights lit up with each of his footsteps. When they reached the fifth floor, he gently let her down. Turning to face her, his eyes were dark and intense. Jiang Mu swayed slightly, and Jin Chao stepped between her and the stairway rail to keep her steady. His gaze lingered on her soft lips for a few seconds, just as the light suddenly clicked off.
In the darkness, the air between them felt electric. Their bodies were so close it was dangerous.
Jin Chao leaned in slowly, his breath mingling with hers. The closer he got, the more Jiang Mu trembled, her body betraying her nerves.
But then he let out a quiet laugh, straightened up, and said, “You’re drunk today. We’ll talk when you’re sober.”
Jiang Mu lifted her gaze to him, eyes glassy and luminous. Her dark irises were large and clear, and when she looked at someone while tipsy, there was an irresistible softness in her expression. She asked him in a low voice, “Are you leaving now?”
Jin Chao reminded her gently, “San Lai is still waiting in the taxi.”
Jiang Mu lowered her head again. Standing before Jin Chao like this, she seemed so small, so fragile. Neither spoke for a long moment. Then, almost imperceptibly, Jiang Mu shifted forward, resting her forehead against his chest.
Jin Chao looked down at her, his eyes dark with something intoxicating, yet his voice was quiet when he murmured, “You’re tormenting me.” The words had barely left his lips before his arms encircled her, pulling her tightly against him.
This was the first time Jiang Mu had ever been held by Jin Chao like this as if she were melting into him. She’d never realized his embrace could swallow her whole. The warmth of his breath, the intoxicating scent of him, the unyielding strength of his chest. If he wanted, he could dissolve her completely in his arms, leaving her no room to hide.
By the time Jin Chao finally returned to the taxi, twenty minutes had passed. San Lai raised an eyebrow. “What took you so long?”
Jin Chao shot him a silent look before turning to the driver. “Let’s go.”
……
Jiang Mu wasn’t entirely sure how she’d made it home. She vaguely remembered Jin Chao opening the door for her but he hadn’t stepped inside. Instead, he’d lifted her by the waist, deposited her just past the threshold, and murmured “Goodnight” before closing the door behind her. The rest of the night blurred into a haze. Even as she collapsed into bed, she felt like she was still sleepwalking, drifting through a dream.
She was usually a sound sleeper, and most nights, Jiang Mu could drift off easily and rest deeply. But not tonight. All night long, she hovered in a shallow, restless state, her soul seemingly floating. Images of Jin Chao’s piercing eyes, his mesmerizing voice, and the tempting curve of his lips kept flashing in her mind. Even her senses felt enveloped by his presence with his cool, distinct scent of mint mixed with a faint, addictive trace of tobacco. It was a smell that lingered and tugged at her.
It wasn’t the first time she had dreamed of Jin Chao. In the haze of half-sleep and half-awake, she couldn’t tell if what she was experiencing was just a dream or if it had actually happened. Excitement, nervousness, shyness, and disbelief all churned inside her. The emotions kept her restless and wide-eyed, until just before dawn, when she finally fell into a deep sleep.
Zhao Meijuan assumed Jiang Mu had been under too much stress lately from the college entrance exams and was now just crashing from mental exhaustion. She didn’t wake her for meals and simply let her sleep in as much as she wanted.
Jiang Mu did not disappoint. She slept all the way until 2 p.m. When she finally opened her eyes, she was so dazed she didn’t even remember where she was. Her brain took nearly ten whole minutes to reboot, during which she moved and behaved like a normal person on autopilot.
But once those ten minutes passed, the leftover fragments of the previous night began to resurface slowly, then all at once.
Sitting at the dining table, her face suddenly drained of color. She shot to her feet so abruptly that Zhao Meijuan was startled and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Jiang Mu didn’t answer. She turned and bolted back into her room, locked the door, and dove headfirst under her pillow, muffling a scream.
She had kissed Jin Chao.
Not just once.
And he had kissed her back.
Not just a peck, a real kiss.
This was Jiang Mu’s first kiss. Before this, she had never realized that kissing someone could be so intimate. She could still vaguely recall the way Jin Chao’s lips had moved against hers, deep and shallow in turns, how he had tangled with her like a spell had been cast on her. Her body had gone weak, but she couldn’t pull away. Couldn’t want to.
Just the memory of that moment made her entire body burn.
Following the thread of last night’s events, she recalled what Jin Chao had said before they parted in the stairwell, “You’re drunk today. We’ll talk when you’re sober.”
Jiang Mu now seriously suspected that Jin Chao believed her boldness the night before had been nothing more than a drunk impulse. Sure, it was impulsive. But it definitely hadn’t been unconscious.
As for how to face him now that she was sober… she had no idea.
She pulled her face out from under the pillow and reached for her phone. Jin Chao hadn’t contacted her at all since last night. She wanted to call him, but even just holding the phone made her hands go weak.
After a long moment of agonizing over what to say, she finally sent him a three-word message: I’m awake.
He didn’t make her wait long. His reply came quickly: Still busy. Wait for me at the shop.
As soon as she saw his message, Jiang Mu felt like she’d been revived on the spot. She grabbed her backpack, dumped out all the pens, test booklets, English vocab notes, and her meal card, then tossed in a few basic personal items and headed out the door. Zhao Meijuan assumed she was going out with friends and didn’t ask any questions.
Jiang Mu made a quick stop at the supermarket and bought a huge pile of snacks before heading to the repair shop. Tie Gongji and Jin Chao weren’t around, only Xiao Yang was manning the place, and business was slow.
She shared a few snacks with Xiao Yang, then hauled the rest into Jin Chao’s room. She loaded up his neatly arranged bedside table with treats and drinks, stacking it like they were preparing for an all-night hangout session.
Around dusk, Jin Chao sent Jiang Mu another message: Might be late. Master Ren and the others were all there, and he couldn’t leave yet.
Jiang Mu told him not to worry and headed next door to hang out with San Lai instead. Business hadn’t been great lately, so San Lai had been gaming since the afternoon. Jiang Mu pulled over a little stool and sat beside him, watching. They ordered takeout for dinner, and afterward, San Lai dragged her into the game as well.
When Jin Chao finally returned, the first thing he saw through the glass door was Jiang Mu, gripping the controller with intense focus, her body swaying left and right with each move. She looked adorably silly.
He didn’t go in right away, just knocked twice on the glass.
Jiang Mu turned to look, and the moment she saw him, she dropped the controller and stood up. At her feet, Lightning was already racing toward the door.
San Lai glanced over and muttered lazily, “Heartless brat. Heartless dog.”
Jin Chao turned and headed back to the garage. Jiang Mu and Lightning followed him inside.
He walked straight into his room and said to her, “Pull the door shut.”
Jiang Mu wasn’t as tall as Jin Chao, so she couldn’t reach the rolling shutter herself, but she knew the routine. She grabbed the long hook pole from the corner, latched the door down, then returned the hook to its spot.
By the time she entered the room, Jin Chao was already in the shower and she suddenly didn’t know what to do with herself.
A moment later, Jin Chao emerged in a loose T-shirt, pushing open the bathroom door, water still clinging to the ends of his hair. Jiang Mu sat quietly at the edge of the bed, like a nervous little bride.
He glanced at the pile of snacks stacked on his bedside table, then back at her, the corner of his mouth quirking up. “Sober now?”
Just two ordinary words, but Jiang Mu’s face instantly flushed hot. She nodded honestly, obediently, not daring to look at him, like a guilty child who had no intention of repenting.
Jin Chao didn’t press her after that. He quietly went about drying his hair, tossing his clothes into the washer, pouring in detergent, turning the dial, pressing “Start.” The whole time, his gaze flickered toward her now and then, subtle, but enough to make her even more self-conscious.
She had never felt this tense being alone with Jin Chao before.
When the washing machine finally started whirring in the background, he walked back over and leaned against the wardrobe, looking at her for a while before asking, “Got anything you want to say to me?”
Jiang Mu’s eyes darted around nervously. After a long pause, she looked up and shook her head.
The corners of Jin Chao’s mouth twitched slightly as if suppressing a smile. Still, his tone remained composed. “If you feel like last night was too impulsive, it’s not too late to regret it now.”
Jiang Mu shook her head sharply. “I don’t regret it. It was impulsive… and kinda rushed… and I didn’t really feel all of it…”
The moment the words left her mouth, she realized – oh no. She had just blurted out exactly what she was thinking.
Panicked, she glanced up at Jin Chao. His eyebrows lifted, amusement spilling from his eyes. Jiang Mu wished, desperately, that the floor would open up and swallow her whole.