Yu Mo and Qi Xiaofeng stepped out of the hotpot restaurant. As the night wind brushed against them, a layer of goosebumps rose on her skin; the temperature difference between day and night was still quite significant.
Qi Xiaofeng considerately handed her the black windbreaker he had been carrying.
Yu Mo didn’t refuse. She took it and pulled it on. The material was thin, like a second skin, providing just the right amount of warmth. It was far too large for her, however, giving her a trendy, oversized look.
Watching her bundle herself into his clothes, Qi Xiaofeng smiled tenderly. When a man has affection in his heart, everything he sees—the mountains, the rivers, the world—becomes gentle. Even seeing the woman he loves trip and fall face-first would seem charmingly clumsy to him.
As they crossed the plaza and were about to enter the supermarket passageway, Qi Lian approached from behind. He called out at an unhurried pace, "Qi Xiaofeng." His voice sounded particularly deep and resonant in the empty corridor.
Yu Mo and Qi Xiaofeng turned simultaneously, both looking a bit surprised. Yu Mo glanced at Qi Lian before looking away, offering no greeting.
Qi Xiaofeng seemed delighted. "Old Qi! Where are you coming from?" he asked brightly.
"Just finished eating with Old Fourth Jiang," Qi Lian replied. His gaze was heavy as he stared at Yu Mo. Seeing her wrapped in another man's jacket, her palm-sized face lowered, refusing to give him even a single glance as if he were a total stranger on the street, he felt a lump of irritation wedge itself in his chest.
They walked out together, with Qi Xiaofeng in the middle.
"Perfect timing, Old Qi," Qi Xiaofeng said. "Help me walk Yu Mo back. I’m in a rush to drop these loquats off at my uncle’s place. they go to bed early and can't wait."
Qi Lian gave a noncommittal "Mm."
Yu Mo felt a flicker of annoyance. Why did she need someone to walk her home? Why did she always have to trouble others? Yet, she felt a confrontation was unnecessary.
Qi Xiaofeng continued, "About that favor I asked, helping Yu Mo find a place—any news on your end? I went with her to see a few apartments today. She was insistent on settling for one, but I didn't think they were very good."
Qi Lian glanced sideways at Yu Mo. She still wouldn't look at him, acting as if their conversation had nothing to do with her.
"I found one," he answered. "But she’s a grown woman; she can decide what she wants for herself. As they say, the emperor isn't worried, but the eunuch is losing his mind."
Qi Xiaofeng found his tone rather cold and assumed Qi Lian’s usual habit of being difficult was acting up again. He was about to explain further when they reached his parked car.
Qi Lian urged him, "You’re here. Weren't you in a hurry?"
Qi Xiaofeng had no choice but to swallow his words. He picked out a basket of loquats from the trunk and handed it to Yu Mo, saying softly, "Take these home and try them. If you like them, let me know, and I'll bring you more."
Yu Mo took off his jacket, handed it back, and accepted the loquats. "Thank you."
Qi Xiaofeng turned to speak to Qi Lian again. Yu Mo wanted nothing more than to just walk away. The loquats were heavy, the handle digging painfully into her fingers, fueling an indescribable irritability.
Finally, Qi Xiaofeng’s Camry disappeared, its taillights flickering in the distance.
A gust of wind blew past, and Yu Mo caught the scent of beef-tallow hotpot lingering on herself. She began walking toward District One.
An electric scooter roared past, blaring "thump-thump-cha-cha" music, momentarily turning the entire road into a disco.
Qi Lian trailed a step behind Yu Mo, watching her struggle with the bamboo basket. She switched it from her left hand to her right before finally just cradling it against her chest.
He had no intention of stepping in to help.
"Those loquats are average. My friend’s family grows them much larger than that."
"That’s nice. You should eat more of those, then. I happen to like this size."
They walked through the gates of the residential compound, one after the other.
"You don't need to walk me," Yu Mo said, clutching the basket and quickening her pace.
Qi Lian didn't answer, following her step for step.
The compound was overrun with stray cats. Every so often, one would dart out, brushing past a pedestrian's feet, while others hid in the evergreens, letting out long, yowling cries of heat.
"I’ve already found a place for you," Qi Lian said after a moment. "I’ll take you to see it in a few days. The current tenants haven't moved out yet."
Yu Mo didn't believe he could find anything better for a similar price. Not wanting to owe him a favor, she replied, "No need. One of the apartments I saw today was quite good. I won't trouble you further."
Qi Lian ran a hand through his short hair, feeling utterly defeated.
She was so damn stubborn. That little frame of hers looked like he could snap it with one hand, yet she was a master at tormenting people.
"Is the apartment I found poisonous? Are the things I give you poisonous? Or do you just plain dislike me?" he asked harshly.
"It’s nothing like that. You’re overthinking it."
Yu Mo moved to head upstairs, but Qi Lian blocked her path.
When she moved left, he moved left. When she moved right, he moved right.
Exasperated, Yu Mo looked up and glared at him. Her large eyes were flashing with fire, shimmering with a soul-stirring intensity, her lips pressed tightly together in silence. She looked like a proud, beautiful little beast—the kind that specialized in devouring hearts.
Qi Lian surrendered. His resolve crumbled like a mountain in a landslide.
He hated this feeling. He had a premonition of impending doom. Since he was eighteen, he had been used to keeping everything under his control; this sensation sparked a sense of panic.
They stood facing each other, barely an arm's length apart. Qi Lian lowered his gaze to study her properly. Those misty, watery eyes—a stranger might think they were full of longing, but once you knew her, you realized she was never truly settled. That pouty mouth of hers would clamp shut whenever she was angry. Her face was tiny, and when she smiled, she had a faint little snaggletooth that you had to look closely to notice. It was a face made for trouble, a face that bewitched the soul.
So be it.
He reached out to snatch the basket of loquats from her arms. Yu Mo wouldn't let go. He threatened, "Keep moving, and don't blame me if I touch something I shouldn't."
Frightened, Yu Mo immediately released her grip.
The weight was almost nothing to him. The corners of his mouth quirked up as he asked, "Is it heavy?"
Yu Mo ignored him.
He looked down at her, his voice softening involuntarily. "How did I offend you? Just say it."
Yu Mo lowered her head and tried to rush upstairs, offering a perfunctory excuse. "Who said you offended me? We aren't even that close to begin with."
Qi Lian didn't take offense. He continued to block her path. "Wait a second. Can you just tell me what I did to make you unhappy? I can't guess it."
When Yu Mo remained silent, he could only keep guessing.
"Are you mad that I was slow in finding a place? It’s like this: the apartment is ready, but the tenants haven't moved out yet. You're mad because I didn't tell you in advance."
He sighed inwardly. She was harder to serve than an ancestor.
He owned a two-bedroom apartment that he had originally rented out to three different households. After Yu Mo mentioned wanting to move, he realized it would be perfect for her. The very next day, he had notified the tenants of an early lease termination. Worried they would dawdle, he came up with a plan: if they moved out after ten days, he would only pay one month's rent as a penalty; if they moved within ten days, he would pay two.
Sure enough, the tenants had all moved out within a few days. He had planned to tidy the place up before showing it to her. Was she really holding a grudge over that?
Yu Mo shook her head. "I'm not blaming you."
He tried again. "Then what is it? That night you ran into me on the street—are you mad because I didn't talk to you properly? That... that happened, but it wasn't because I was annoyed with you. I don't know how to explain it."
Yu Mo raised her voice. "If you keep talking nonsense and won't let me go, I'm really going to get angry."
Qi Lian stepped aside, following her up the stairs.
"If you're free the day after tomorrow, I'll take you to see the apartment. Stop stressing yourself out. It has two rooms and it's completely empty now. You can move in first and find a girl to share the rent with later. It’ll definitely be more reliable and quieter than whatever you found."
Yu Mo turned to look at him, asking suspiciously, "How much is the rent? If it's too expensive, I'm not taking it!"
Despite her words, a glimmer of hope shone in her large eyes.
"It's not expensive. Watch where you're going," he cautioned as he saw her stumble slightly on the stairs.
"How much is your current room?"
"Eight hundred and fifty."
"It’s a bit more expensive than your current place. One thousand... three hundred."
Yu Mo stopped in her tracks on the steps, looking at him dubiously. "Really? At that price, there are only two tenants?"
Qi Lian was two steps below her, bringing his eyes level with hers. He nodded.
"So, are you taking it or not?"
Yu Mo gritted her teeth and swallowed her pride. "I'll take it!" Her voice was muffled; she didn't have the face to say it loudly after being so stubborn just a moment ago.
She was wearing a pencil skirt today. With every step she took, the elastic fabric clearly outlined the rounded curve of her hips—a sight that seemed to reveal more by trying to hide it.
Qi Lian, trailing two steps behind, found her curves practically thrust into his face. At first, he watched with narrowed eyes and a sense of appreciation, but then his brow furrowed. He called out, "Yu Mo!"
Yu Mo twisted her neck to look back at him, waiting for him to speak. Her slender frame twisted into a graceful, undulating curve, like a long-necked white porcelain vase.
"In the future, don't walk in front of men when you're wearing a skirt. Let them go first."
Yu Mo stared at him, waiting for an explanation.
Qi Lian raised his voice. "Did you hear me?"
Yu Mo felt like she couldn't quite read the look in his eyes, but she had a vague sense that it wasn't his usual way of looking at people. This gaze reminded her of a wolf crouching in the shadows with glowing green eyes. She didn't dare not nod; her intuition told her that he wouldn't accept "no" as an answer right now.
When they reached the door of 403, Yu Mo took out her key and opened the liver-red security door. Music and singing rushed out to meet them. A deep male voice was singing loudly along to the background track: *"If I can make it before dark, I want to forget your eyes..."*
Both of them froze at the doorway. The male voice was unexpectedly thick and lingering. Even in a place as impoverished and weary as this, there were people singing of love, a sound that made one's heart soften.
They didn't speak, listening at the door for a while. Qi Lian lowered his head and said softly, "Go on in." He handed over the loquats and added, "If you like them, tell me. Tell me if you need anything at all."
***
After Yu Mo finished washing up and lay in bed, she saw the crescent moon hanging in the blue sky through a gap in the curtains. She heard the "gu-gu" chirping of summer insects. The night was as gentle as water, flowing through her heart and smoothing over many of its ripples.
A night like this reminded her of Xue Shen. To her, Xue Shen was like a demi-creator; he had shaped her joys, angers, sorrows, and delights. Every beautiful memory bore his name. And she had been the same to him.
Uprooting Xue Shen from her heart was like pulling a deeply tangled tree out of her flesh. The separation of bone and sinew made a "creak-creak" sound that never stopped, day or night, leaving behind nothing but a pile of broken ruins.
Xue Shen was always busy, and he was always full of guilt, constantly finding ways to compensate.
On gentle nights like this, after his business engagements, he might call her at eleven or twelve and say, "Come down."
Then, they would walk arm-in-arm through the night, whispering meaningless nonsense that only they understood, punctuated by tender touches and kisses.
Sometimes it was by the banks of Jiamei Lake near their home; sometimes it was on unfamiliar streets near hotels in different cities, or the alleys of foreign lands.
That year in a small English town, they had just left a black-tie gala. Yu Mo was wearing eight-centimeter heels, and the town's streets were all cobblestone, making every step a struggle. But the moonlight was as clear as if it had been washed, and the eighteenth-century red-tiled, gabled buildings stood on either side of the street like a scene from a fairy tale. Just because Yu Mo had said, "It’s such a shame I’m wearing heels today, otherwise walking in a place like this would be so romantic," Xue Shen had unhesitatingly taken off his suit jacket and carried her on his back for an hour. They traversed the entire town. He said, "I'll walk for you."
There was another time, the midnight premiere of *Transformers*. It didn't end until three-thirty in the morning. The streets were empty, not a soul in sight. Only the traffic lights made a rhythmic "beep-beep" sound, and the moon was nearly setting.
They walked down the wide road with their fingers interlaced. For some reason, they started laughing and then began to run wildly. Xue Shen pulled her into the motor lane to do a zigzag dance. She had screamed in fear, wanting to retreat, but Xue Shen’s eyes were brighter than the moon. He squeezed her hand and said, "As long as I'm here, you never have to be afraid."
As they ran, Xue Shen asked her, "Yu Mo, who do you love?"
Yu Mo was breathless from running. Between gasps and laughter, she shouted at the top of her lungs:
"I love Xue Shen!"
Xue Shen shouted back, "Will we be together forever?"
Facing the wind, Yu Mo answered, "Yes! We will be together forever!"
The promise scattered into the wind.
The early morning air stung her lungs. She had been so happy—so happy she could hardly breathe.
They both believed they would be together forever. They believed nothing could ever part them.
Unfortunately, time is the most powerful force, and the human heart is the most unpredictable thing of all.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 冲锋衣 | Windbreaker / Shell jacket | Often refers to an outdoor/technical jacket. |
| 枇杷 | Loquats | A small, yellow, sweet fruit. |
| 皇帝不急急死太监 | The emperor isn't worried, but the eunuch is losing his mind | Idiom: The person concerned is calm while the bystanders are anxious. |
| 南山南 | South of the South | A famous Chinese folk song by Ma Di (lyrics referenced in the chapter). |
| 佳美湖 | Jiamei Lake | A place name from Yu Mo's past. |
| 薛慎 | Xue Shen | Yu Mo's former lover/ex-boyfriend. |
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