Yu Mo met the boss’s wife, Ding Rou, at the entrance of the Kaisheng workshop. Ding Rou smiled as she approached to exchange pleasantries.
She was enveloped in the faint scent of gardenias after a rain—not overpowering, yet omnipresent. When she smiled, her eyes were so full of affection they seemed to ripple like water. She led Yu Mo through the thundering garment workshop toward the offices in the back.
Ding Rou was just over 1.7 meters tall with long legs and a brisk pace. To accommodate Yu Mo, she deliberately slowed her steps; she was a woman who handled every detail with seamless perfection.
Kaisheng was among the first generation of garment OEMs in the country, manufacturing for many world-renowned luxury brands. Though it had once been at the height of its glory and the current market was struggling, its position in the industry remained rock-solid. Naturally, the wife of such a factory owner was no ordinary person.
Ding Rou stepped ahead to push open the office door, holding it for Yu Mo.
The man behind the desk stood up as they entered. He was a burly man, though well into his years. Upon closer inspection, his skin had lost its elasticity and fine lines were etched around his eyes, yet he still possessed an air of elegance and noble refinement.
This was the owner of Kaisheng, Ding Rou’s husband, Yang Minghua. He was nearly thirty years older than her.
This wasn't the first time Yu Mo and Yang Minghua had met, and they exchanged a few polite smiles and greetings.
Yang Minghua gestured for Yu Mo to sit across from his desk while saying to his young wife, "Xiao Li from the office just said the color of a batch of yarn is wrong. Go and check the details with him."
Ding Rou smiled and said, "Alright, I'll go see him in a moment." She made a move to sit down nearby.
Yang Minghua smiled tenderly and said, "Go now. This needs to be resolved as soon as possible." His Taiwanese accent made him sound like an incredibly gentle man.
Yu Mo didn't pay much attention, assuming they were discussing business matters. She began taking documents out of her bag one by one. When she looked up, she happened to catch the look Ding Rou cast her way. By the time she looked again, the woman had already slipped silently out of the office.
Yang Minghua glanced at the materials Yu Mo had prepared. "Miss Yu, I am already very clear on your company's policies. To be honest, another colleague of yours is also in contact with me."
He smiled as he spoke, looking at Yu Mo with a tender gaze.
His smile made Yu Mo feel slightly uncomfortable.
Seeing her look somewhat dazed, Yang Minghua’s smile grew even more tender. He said, "Miss Yu, you are very beautiful. Even more beautiful than your colleague, Miss Zhou Tao."
The hair on Yu Mo’s arms stood on end.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The man across from her was still smiling, his words hadn't crossed any lines, and there was nothing tangible to describe the wrongness of it—except for his eyes.
She felt as though she couldn't move. It was as if by not speaking and not moving, none of this would exist. Her soul seemed to detach from her body, looking down at herself from above.
She watched as Yang Minghua leaned forward from behind the desk. Up close, his fair skin looked like inelastic parchment, and his eyes were cloudy, having lost their clarity.
She watched as Yang Minghua reached out a pale hand and covered hers, which was resting on the table.
It was a sensation both icy and burning, like having her hand stuck to phlegm. A wave of nausea surged within her, and her body finally regained its strength.
She jerked her hand away and kicked off the floor. Her swivel chair rolled back a meter.
Yang Minghua walked out from behind the desk.
Yu Mo’s heart raced; her throat felt constricted, making it impossible to scream.
The office was vast and empty, and the machines outside were thundering. That final glance from Ding Rou before she left—was all of this premeditated? What were her chances of escape?
She forced her voice out. "President Yang, I haven't been with the company long. My colleague is more professional than I am. It would be better to let her serve you. I'm sure she would be honored."
Yang Minghua stopped by the desk, leaning leisurely against the expensive mahogany. His posture was relaxed.
He said, "Miss Yu, the commission from our company's orders alone would be at least 400,000 a year. Furthermore, I have many friends in this circle. If I speak up, I have a fair amount of influence. Think carefully. In this society, making money can be very easy, or it can be very hard."
Yu Mo stood up cautiously, steadying her voice. "President Yang is right. I... my abilities aren't up to par yet. I still lack experience." She moved toward the door as she spoke, her heart pounding so hard she barely knew what was coming out of her mouth.
Yang Minghua narrowed his eyes at the little lamb as she fled in a panic. Her slender waist was exceptionally graceful. He felt a long-lost surge of excitement, feeling the tightness in his trousers.
He said softly, "Miss Yu, if you walk out of this door today, you will be unemployed tomorrow."
Yu Mo’s hand found the doorknob. She knew she was safe.
She opened the door and slowly turned around, looking at this high-ranking man who reeked of filth with utter disdain.
Even while saying the foulest things and doing the most sordid deeds, he still appeared calm and sophisticated. How many young girls' innocence had he devoured? How many girls' silent endurance had he stepped upon to cultivate this air of effortless control?
Yu Mo felt a surge of rage on behalf of those nameless, lamb-like girls.
Having grown up in a wealthy family for many years, she might not have had everything, but a refusal to fear power was bred into her bones. She straightened her back and said coldly, "Go ahead. If I were afraid of you, I wouldn't be a Yu. I'm afraid you've misjudged me."
Yang Minghua was dazed for a moment. He saw the girl, who had looked like a lamb just a second ago, reveal a familiar expression of pride—an expression he often saw on women in his own social circle. This was far beyond his expectations; even an old hand like him could miscalculate.
Yu Mo walked straight out, passing rows of machines, piles of fabric, and expressionless female workers.
She emerged from the dim factory building into the scorching sunlight. She felt the warmth of the sun, and her eyes stung.
There was a flowerbed directly opposite the main gate. She moved toward it and sat heavily on the concrete ledge. She lowered her head, blinking back the stinging in her eyes. A lump was stuck in her chest, though she couldn't tell if it was shame or fear.
She told herself: *I did nothing wrong. I shouldn't feel ashamed. What I must do is protect myself. I did nothing wrong.*
She looked up, gazing blankly at the factory. Beyond it was an overpass where cold vehicles came and went. There wasn't a soul in sight. She felt completely alone in the world, small and isolated.
The first person she thought of was Xue Shen. At this moment, she felt a bone-deep longing for him. She desperately wanted to hug him. When he was venturing out into the world alone, had he also felt this kind of loneliness and fear?
She had to stand on this earth with her own two feet.
Shao Feng’s call came through just then.
***
Yu Mo got off the bus at the Lianhua Village Phase 1 terminal. Shao Feng was already standing on the platform waiting for her anxiously. Seeing her step down, he moved forward two steps, his eyes full of concern, but he didn't speak.
It was nearly dark. Seeing Shao Feng at the crowded bus station brought a wave of warmth to Yu Mo’s heart.
She walked over and gently leaned her head against Shao Feng’s shoulder. He gave her back a comforting pat.
After a moment, Shao Feng asked softly, "Are you alright?"
Yu Mo straightened up, took a few steps back, and forced a smile. "It’s nothing major. I just need a little time to process it."
Shao Feng saw that her expression indeed didn't suggest anything catastrophic. He said, "I'm treating a few friends to dinner. Why don't you come along? It'll be lively with more people. If you stay by yourself right now, you'll just end up overthinking things."
Yu Mo felt he was right, so she nodded.
Shao Feng guided Yu Mo to the inner side of the sidewalk, walking on the outside himself to shield her as they moved forward.
Yu Mo said listlessly, "I always thought I wasn't a weak person. I'm very disappointed in myself."
Shao Feng looked at her and shook his head. "That’s the wrong way to think. You're holding yourself to the standards of a hero. To admit you're just an ordinary person, and then to do something even slightly brave as an ordinary person—that is a remarkable thing."
Yu Mo felt somewhat comforted. Shao Feng possessed a temperament that was both sincere and pragmatic, making people naturally want to be near him.
Shao Feng added, "I don't go looking for trouble. I don't have a million-dollar salary, and I'm not even the best technician in the company. If there were thugs on the street, I might not even dare to charge in. But I think being an ordinary person like me is just fine. I'm not disappointed."
They reached a street corner. As they crossed, an electric scooter brushed past Yu Mo’s feet. She didn't even think to dodge. Shao Feng was startled; he grabbed her arm and used his own arm to shield her as they crossed the road.
Night had just fallen, but the Xinjiang BBQ place was already packed. The largest table to the left of the entrance was occupied by Qi Lian, Jiang Yuan, and a few others.
Sitting next to Qi Shuai was a short man with a buzz cut and notably thick lips. This was Qi Yao. He drove for a ride-hailing service daily and rarely had time to join their gatherings, but he happened to be there today.
He was complaining to the group, "I can't drive this car anymore. A year ago, I could still make ten thousand a month. I was pretty satisfied back then. Sigh, for someone like me with no education or skills, ten thousand wasn't bad. Who knew it would get worse and worse these past two years? There are more and more cars. I work twelve hours a day now, and at the end of the month, I only clear a few thousand. Damn, my back is so stiff I can't even stand up straight."
Qi Lian asked him, "So what are your plans?"
Qi Yao replied, "I'll wait and see. If it drops another thousand or two, I really can't do it. I'll just sell the car and join you guys in renovation work."
Jiang Yuan said, "That’s an option. As long as you're willing to learn, any of us can give you a hand. There’s always a living to be made in our line of work."
Qi Lian told him, "I'll help you find a master to learn furniture assembly. It's easy to pick up. You can start working after six months of learning, and there's no shortage of jobs."
Qi Yao looked relieved. "With those words from you guys, I feel much better."
He picked up the draft beer mug in front of him and slammed it against the table. "Fill 'em up, fill 'em up! Let's have a toast, say no more."
After half a mug of beer, he lamented again, "When I was a kid, I was a delinquent and didn't care about studying. I just wanted to play all day. Now my heart is green with regret. No degree, no skills... life is damn hard."
Qi Shuai said, "Was it that you didn't *want* to study? Could you even get it into your head?"
Qi Yao grinned. "You're not wrong. My brain wasn't up for it. Out of our group, only Qi Lian, Jiang Lai, and Shao Feng were cut out for studying. And now, those three are doing the best."
Jiang Yuan downed a glass of beer, wiped his mouth, and said, "Why isn't Shao Feng here yet? Wasn't he the one who organized this and offered to pay?"
Qi Yao chuckled. "Shao Feng has been a coward since he was a kid. Do you guys remember? When we were setting off firecrackers to scare people, he was the only one who wouldn't do it no matter how we coaxed him. He’d just stand to the side with his hands behind his back, watching."
The group laughed, remembering their delinquent childhood days—throwing firecrackers into latrines to blow up filth, scaring people so much they ran out screaming before they could even tie their trousers.
Jiang Yuan added a fair word: "That was because his dad was strict. He wasn't like us. If he’d dared to act like us, his dad would have beaten him to death."
Qi Yao was facing the road. He caught sight of Shao Feng coming from the other side, a girl tucked close to his side. He called out to the others, "Is that kid Shao Feng? Is that his woman? When did he start dating? I’ve never heard anything about this. Holy crap... this woman looks like a goddess."
He looked at the others at the table and realized no one was responding. He continued to himself, "This kid really is different from us. Look at the woman he found. That face, that figure..."
He heard Qi Lian slam his beer mug heavily onto the table with a loud *thud*.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 凯胜 | Kaisheng | A garment manufacturing factory (OEM) |
| 丁柔 | Ding Rou | The wife of Yang Minghua |
| 杨鸣华 / 杨明华 | Yang Minghua | The owner of Kaisheng factory |
| 周桃 | Zhou Tao | Yu Mo's colleague |
| 邵峰 | Shao Feng | Yu Mo's friend/acquaintance (reconstructed from □□枫) |
| 祁连 | Qi Lian | One of Shao Feng's childhood friends |
| 江源 | Jiang Yuan | One of Shao Feng's childhood friends |
| 祁帅 | Qi Shuai | One of Shao Feng's childhood friends |
| 祁耀 | Qi Yao | One of Shao Feng's childhood friends, a ride-hailing driver |
| 江来 | Jiang Lai | One of Shao Feng's childhood friends |
| 莲花一村 | Lianhua Village Phase 1 | A residential area/bus terminal name |
| 扎啤 | Draft beer | Specifically refers to beer served in large mugs/pitchers |
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