Chapter 19
Jiang Mu followed Jin Chao through one dark alley after another. When they finally emerged, she was surprised to find that they were right across from the car shop. She hadn’t realized that the high school was so close to the car shop, but if she were asked to find the way back herself, she would definitely get lost.
There was a lamp hanging outside the San Lai’s shop, and a man was sitting inside with him and drinking. As Jiang Mu walked closer, she recognized the man drinking with San Lai was Jin Fengzi.” When he saw them come back, he smiled at Jiang Mu, saying, “So, where did you go? Turns out you were picking up the little beauty from school.”
Jin Chao gave him a forceful tap on the back of his neck and asked, “Came here alone?”
Jin Fengzi chuckled and shrank his neck, replying, “Nope, guess who I came with?”
He had a mischievous expression on his face. Jin Chao ignored him and directly grabbed Jiang Mu’s schoolbag, leading her inside. San Lai waved at Jiang Mu and greeted, “Hungry? Have something to eat before you go back to studying.”
Jiang Mu looked at the table of braised dishes on the table. They seemed quite appetizing. She hadn’t had much braised food since coming here, so she said to San Lai, “I’ll wash my hands first.”
Jin Fengzi turned around and glanced at Jiang Mu, then leaned toward San Lai and asked, “She’s staying here now?”
San Lai picked up his drink, smiling, but didn’t confirm or deny it.
As Jiang Mu opened the faucet, she saw an eye-catching matte red sports car pull up on the street. A woman with bright red hair and wearing an ultra-short skirt got out of the car.
Jiang Mu took a quick glance and continued washing her hands, then turned off the water. When she looked up again, the red-haired woman was standing right in front of her, looking her up and down with a flirtatious tone. “So, you’re the little beauty they’ve been talking about? How did you end up with Youjiu?”
Jiang Mu shook the water off her hands and replied, “I’m not in that kind of relationship with him. Who are you?”
The woman, with her false eyelashes and makeup, had striking almond-shaped eyes that gave off a vibe of a dominant figure. She casually handed Jiang Mu a paper bag and said, “Guess? Hold this.”
Confused, Jiang Mu took the paper bag and stood off to the side. The red-haired woman turned on the faucet and started washing her hands. As she bent down, her short top lifted, revealing a seductive tattoo of a winding green dragon around her waist.
Suddenly, Jiang Mu recalled a name and blurted out, “You’re Xiao Qingshe?”
The red-haired woman turned off the faucet, then glanced over her shoulder, her eyes narrowing at Jiang Mu. “What Xiao Qingshe? I’ll be the dragon, girl.”
“Dragon.” As she spoke, she made a playful, clawing gesture toward Jiang Mu. Startled, Jiang Mu took a quick step back, holding the paper bag tightly in her hands, staring at her with wide, shocked eyes. The short hair on her cheeks clung to her soft, delicate face, making her look almost like a cute, startled rabbit.
Xiao Qingshe laughed heartily at Jiang Mu’s reaction, and with a swift movement, she threw an arm around her shoulders and tilted her chin up, saying, “Little cutie, I’m Wan Qing. And you?”
Her enthusiasm was overwhelming, like a whirlwind, leaving Jiang Mu unable to keep up. She stiffly replied, “Jiang Mu.”
“Little Jiang, what’s your relationship with Youjiu?”
Jiang Mu stared at Wan Qing in confusion. This woman was unpredictable; she suddenly grabbed Jiang Mu and pushed her against the wall, pressing her with a threatening expression and leaning in, growling, “Tell me the truth.”
Wan Qing was a good half a head taller than Jiang Mu. When her face stiffened, she looked like a female bully. Jiang Mu couldn’t help but glance at her large false eyelashes and flinched slightly, responding, “He’s my brother.”
Wan Qing raised an eyebrow in surprise, “Brother? Cousin or uncle? I didn’t know he had a sister like you. You from out of town?”
“Kind of…” Jiang Mu mumbled.
Before she could say more, Jin Chao’s voice came from the repair room, cold and sharp, “If you scare her again, get lost.”
Wan Qing immediately did a complete 180 in her demeanor, releasing Jiang Mu and pulling her back into a hug. She turned to Jin Chao and shouted, “What’s wrong with joking around with our little sister? Why so angry?”
With that, she yanked the paper bag out of Jiang Mu’s hands and, in a friendly tone, said, “Come on, let’s go eat pig’s trotters. Don’t listen to him.”
Jiang Mu, watching Wan Qing’s constantly shifting mood, just wanted to get away from her. However, Wan Qing acted like she was part of the family, even setting up two chairs side by side for Jiang Mu to sit next to her.
San Lai came out carrying a pot with the lid on, setting it down before Jiang Mu. He asked with a smile, “Do you know what’s inside?”
Jiang Mu leaned forward and sniffed, the rich aroma of chicken soup immediately filling the air. She smiled and said, “You actually made chicken soup?”
San Lai removed the lid from the pot and explained, “The chicken was bought by Youjiu this morning, but the soup I made. Can’t we share a joke too?”
Jin Chao stepped out as well, and Wan Qing patted the empty chair next to her, inviting him, “Come, have a drink.”
Jin Chao walked over to the chair, casually lifting it and placing it across from her. Wan Qing rolled her eyes at him and leaned towards Jiang Mu, saying, “Your brother is never going to get a wife at this rate.”
Jiang Mu bit her lip and didn’t respond, glancing at Jin Chao. His expression remained indifferent as he casually opened a bottle of beer.
Wan Qing pulled a large pig’s trotter from the paper bag and placed it in front of Jiang Mu, saying, “This place has the best flavor, try it.”
Jiang Mu stared at the giant pig’s trotter in front of her, unsure of where to begin. It wasn’t that she was concerned about the image; it was more the idea of sitting on the street and eating such a large piece of food in front of strangers. Honestly, she had never done anything like that in her first eighteen years.
Meanwhile, Wan Qing had already taken a bite, her boldness making Jiang Mu genuinely admire her. She had no idea how her mouth could open that wide.
Wan Qing noticed Jiang Mu staring at her and teasingly asked, “Why are you just looking? Aren’t you going to eat? Can’t bite?”
Jiang Mu mumbled, “Later, later.”
On the other side, the Jin Fengzi eagerly tore apart the chicken, and without hesitation, grabbed a large chicken leg. Just as it was hovering in the air, Jin Chao’s chopsticks quickly tapped it, knocking it back into the pot. Jin Fengzi looked at him, confused, and asked, “What’s that for?”
San Lai clicked his tongue twice and interrupted, “Did I stew this for two hours just for you? Do you still need to take the college entrance exam?”
Jin Fengzi, realizing what had just happened, turned to look at Jin Chao. Jin Chao casually placed one hand on the back of his chair and met his gaze. Wan Qing, still chewing on her pig’s trotter, glanced between them, and the table fell silent for a moment. Then, Jin Fengzi suddenly had an epiphany, stood up, and scooped a large chicken leg to place it in front of Jiang Mu. “Here you go, big sis, please have some.”
Jiang Mu was a little surprised by the gesture and replied, “Thank you.”
Jin Chao finally withdrew his gaze and went back to drinking, but Wan Qing’s eyes remained fixed on him.
The chicken leg was tender and well-cooked, with the meat falling off the bone as soon as it was touched by the chopsticks. The moment it entered her mouth, Jiang Mu felt a sense of satisfaction. She ate happily while San Lai, with a motherly smile, watched her and casually served her a bowl of chicken soup, setting it aside to cool.
Jin Fengzi continued, “After Da Guang went home yesterday, he rushed to get a rabies shot. I called Xiang Zi to the back and gave him a good talking-to.”
It was at this moment that Jiang Mu realized Jin Fengzi was actually from Wanji Auto Repair Shop.
Jin Chao gently clinked his beer bottle against Jin Fengzi’s and said, “No need.”
After saying that, Jin Chao glanced at Wan Qing and changed the subject, starting to chat with Jin Fengzi about a familiar customer who wanted to change cars. At the same time, he seemingly pulled out a black object from somewhere. Jiang Mu didn’t even see how he did it, but a small, sharp knife with a black handle suddenly popped out.
Jin Chao asked San Lai for a wet tissue, casually chatting with Jin Fengzi while methodically wiping the small knife.
Jiang Mu couldn’t help but steal a glance at him. The dim light cast a yellowish hue on Jin Chao’s side profile. With his head slightly lowered and the sharpness of his straight nose, his features looked particularly cold and composed. The motion of him wiping the knife only added to the sense of danger, making her think of a scene from The Professional — like a cold-hearted killer preparing for something.
Jiang Mu couldn’t understand why he’d take out a knife to casually chat with friends in the late hours of the night. It was a little scary.
After wiping the knife, Jin Chao turned and casually dragged the plate with the pig’s trotter in front of her. With that sharp knife, he began slicing the meat off the trotter. Despite the seemingly rough action, it looked surprisingly graceful as he carefully cut the meat into small, bite-sized pieces.
Wan Qing, noticing the movement, threw her finished pig’s trotter aside, wiped her hands, and then turned her attention to Jiang Mu. Jiang Mu sensed her gaze and met her eyes, where Wan Qing flashed her a flawless smile.
However, as Jiang Mu lifted her bowl to drink the soup, her eyes accidentally landed under the table. Wan Qing suddenly raised her foot and hooked it onto Jin Chao. Jiang Mu hadn’t wanted to see this, but her eyes betrayed her, making her glance at Jin Chao. His movements stopped, and he furrowed his brow, raising his eyes to coldly glare at Wan Qing. Yet, Wan Qing only smiled more coquettishly and deliberately nudged his leg again with her foot.
With a loud “slap,” Jin Chao slammed the knife onto the table. Both San Lai and Jin Fengzi, who were still talking and completely unaware of the situation, jumped in surprise. Jin Chao snapped, “What the hell are you doing, Youjiu?”
Jiang Mu, who had witnessed the whole scene, was also startled by Jin Chao’s sudden movement, her heart racing. Wan Qing, however, looked completely unfazed, showing no fear. Jin Chao placed the sliced pig’s trotter back in front of Jiang Mu and turned his gaze toward her, saying coldly, “Finish eating and go inside to work on your problems.”
Jiang Mu couldn’t bring herself to meet his eyes directly, feeling as if he had caught her staring at him the entire time.
She quickly finished the pig’s trotter and soup, then went into the resting room to work on problems. Around midnight, she stretched, feeling her eyes getting sore, and decided to stand up and stretch a little.
When she walked out of the repair room, she noticed everyone had left except for San Lai, who was squatting by the shop entrance, waiting for Xi Shi to take a break. Jiang Mu asked, “Where’s Jin Chao?”
San Lai kept his eyes on Xi Shi, who was relieving herself, and replied, “He’s probably in the back.”
Jiang Mu glanced at Xi Shi and walked over to San Lai. In a low voice, she asked, “Is Wan Qing Jin Chao’s girlfriend?”
San Lai answered slowly but confidently, “No way, Youjiu would never want her.”
“Why?”
San Lai casually responded, “She’s the daughter of Boss Wan.”
Jiang Mu was slightly surprised, having overlooked Wan Qing’s surname. She confirmed, “The daughter of the owner of Wan Ji Car Repair?”
San Lai gave a casual “mm,” then whistled at Xi Shi and opened the shop door to let the dog in. He looked back at Jiang Mu and said, “What were you guys doing last night?”
“What?” Jiang Mu responded, a little confused.
San Lai, with a mischievous smile barely hidden beneath his stubble, teased, “Youjiu stayed out until the early morning and just came back to sleep. You two seem pretty energetic.”
Although Jiang Mu and Jin Chao had only been chatting behind the curtain, in San Lai’s not-so-innocent gaze, her face flushed bright red. San Lai burst out laughing, clearly enjoying her discomfort. “Just kidding, tell Youjiu to leave the door open for him.”
After that, San Lai walked back into the shop, leaving Jiang Mu embarrassed and flustered. She quickly returned to the repair room, knowing that “the back” they were referring to was the covered courtyard outside the room, though she had no idea how to get there.
She circled to the other side of the repair room and found a slightly ajar door, which was close to the resting area. She gently pulled it open, and a cool breeze blew in from outside. It was dark, and she stepped out.
The scene outside looked much like what she had seen from the window: piles of things stacked under the canopy, some exposed old parts, a few cardboard boxes filled with items, and more tools she couldn’t recognize. In one corner of the yard, there was something completely covered by a large tarpaulin, the corners held down by bricks. Jiang Mu couldn’t tell what it was.
Jiang Mu froze when she heard the familiar voices, her body pressed against the door, peeking through the gap to see the shadows of Jin Chao and Wan Qing outside. The conversation they were having seemed tense, and she instinctively stayed quiet, hoping not to be noticed.
Wan Qing’s voice, laced with irritation, rang out. “I’m telling you again, if you’re short on money, come to me. Don’t get involved in messy business. That place is dangerous. You know I won’t harm you, right?”
Jin Chao’s voice, low and composed, responded, “Stay out of my business.”
The words exchanged between them were sharp, filled with an unspoken history or tension that Jiang Mu couldn’t fully understand. Wan Qing’s anger flared up, and she cursed loudly, throwing her cigarette butt to the ground. “Why the hell would I worry about some other guy? Youjiu, don’t piss me off.”
Jin Chao, seemingly indifferent, answered with a cold tone, “What are you going to do if I do?”
Before Wan Qing could retort, Jin Chao waved her off dismissively and yanked open the iron gate.
Jiang Mu, caught off guard, stood frozen. She hadn’t expected to be seen, and there was nowhere to hide. As soon as she emerged from the shadows, the confrontation felt unavoidable. Her face flushed with embarrassment, feeling like she was caught in a moment she wasn’t supposed to witness.
Jin Chao simply lowered his eyelids and stared at her, not saying a word as he stepped into the courtyard. He turned back and tossed a remark to Wan Qing, who was standing outside the gate, “Don’t come running to me all the time.” Then he locked the gate with a firm click.
The empty courtyard fell into a brief silence. After securing the lock, Jin Chao turned and looked at Jiang Mu, his expression serious, “Go inside. Stay away from this place.”
When he wasn’t smiling, his expression appeared somewhat fierce. Jiang Mu furrowed her brows and asked, “Why?”
Jin Chao’s thin lips tightened for a moment, his gaze briefly sweeping over her head and glancing at a corner of the courtyard before he spoke, “Didn’t you see how messy it is here? This isn’t a place for you.”
Jiang Mu mumbled absentmindedly, “Then why can she come?”
The moonlight cast a soft, misty glow over her dark, glossy eyes. Within them was a small, shining point, flickering with a lively light.
Jin Chao slowly slipped his hands into his pockets, staring at her. He suddenly chuckled lightly. “Are you… throwing a tantrum?”
Jiang Mu froze for a moment, then quickly realized what he meant. She blushed and replied, “What tantrum? I’m not throwing a tantrum! I have a great temper. I’m just pursuing fairness and justice.”
Jin Chao slightly nodded, his jaw moving as he walked further inside, casually saying, “Right, your temper is pretty good, no sign of any morning grumpiness at all.”
Jiang Mu instantly felt that she had been subtly teased. Of all the times in the day, it had to be the morning when she was a bit off, and of course, he had to catch her at that moment.
She followed Jin Chao into the repair shop and tried to make sense of the tangled relationships in her mind. Jin Fengzi worked for Boss Wan, and she had probably heard about the trouble the three of them caused yesterday. Earlier at the table, Jin Fengzi mentioned that he had scolded Xiang Zi when he went back, but Jin Chao quickly changed the subject. It was most likely because Wan Qing was present.
Although Jiang Mu didn’t know exactly what had happened between Jin Chao and Boss Wan, it was clear that there had to be a reason why Jin Chao chose to separate from them. The ambiguous position of Wan Qing seemed to suggest that she cared about Jin Chao.
After entering the repair shop, Jin Chao began cleaning up some scattered tools. Seeing Jiang Mu standing quietly by the side, he assumed she was still upset.
What was strange was that, for some reason, he instinctively felt that if he didn’t calm her down now, she would start crying the next moment.
In the past, Jin Chao would always try to settle things before she could burst into tears, as though it were a conditioned reflex ingrained in his body. He put down the tool he was holding for a moment, lit a cigarette, and glanced at her, “The back area is small and filled with stuff. Aren’t you afraid of mice?”
Jiang Mu snapped out of her thoughts and looked at him. Only then did she realize that Jin Chao was explaining why he didn’t want her to go to the back.
She stared at him for a few seconds and then asked, “What’s this about getting involved in dangerous things?”
“It’s none of your business,” Jin Chao replied coldly.
It seemed that he didn’t want to talk about it, but Jiang Mu’s intuition told her that this must have something to do with the reckless thing San Lai had mentioned last time.
Jin Chao tidied up some clutter in the repair room and placed the items on the shelf in the rest area. Jiang Mu followed him inside and leaned against the door, watching his back, “She seems to care about you.”
Silence.
Jin Chao didn’t respond, calmly finishing placing everything before turning to face her, “Do you still want to be late tomorrow morning?”
Jiang Mu curled her lips and said, “San Lai will leave the door open for you.”
After speaking, she lifted the curtain and went to take a shower. When she finished and stepped out, she peeked out the door. The rest area seemed quite quiet.
She thought Jin Chao must have gone to San Lai’s side, but when she approached the door and pulled back the curtain, she saw Jin Chao leaning by the table. His long fingers gripped an old, black Parker pen, his eyelids slightly lowered, as though lost in some distant memory.
It wasn’t until the sound of her pulling the curtain interrupted his thoughts that he raised his gaze. The moment his eyes met hers, Jiang Mu felt a wave of inexplicable panic.
She almost instinctively rushed over to Jin Chao, grabbed the pen from his hand, and turned to walk back to the room. Her face burned with heat, and her heart raced. It felt as if all her years of attachment to Jin Chao were now laid bare before him, exposed through the simple act of holding that pen.
If this attachment were mutual, perhaps she wouldn’t have felt so embarrassed. But he hadn’t kept the promise attached to that pen. He hadn’t come back to see her, hadn’t written her another letter, nor had he ever called.
She had kept their promise, waiting for many years. In the end, everything had been one-sided on her part. She didn’t want to admit it, but she had no choice but to acknowledge that this pen made her feel utterly humiliated in front of Jin Chao.
Just as Jiang Mu was about to step into the room, she suddenly stopped, turned back, and glared at him with a trace of anger in her eyes, “I just like vintage things, that’s why I kept the pen. It’s not because of you.”
With that, she dashed into the room, threw herself onto the bed, and covered herself with the blanket. Her eyes immediately reddened, and every cell in her body exuded a helpless sense of shame.
There was silence outside. After some time, Jiang Mu pulled back the blanket, turned off the room’s light, and waited. She wasn’t sure how long had passed, but eventually, Jin Chao’s voice seemed to roll out of the thick clouds of the night, heavy with the weight of the darkness. It came from just outside the curtain. “Your handwriting has improved quite a bit.”
……
“Next time, when we meet again, I’ll check how your writing is.”
“Will you come back?”
“I will.”
……
He hadn’t forgotten.