Jiang Yuan, sulking at home, had arrived early at Fatty’s BBQ. Qi Shuai was there too, having brought his girlfriend, Xiaoxiao.
Xiaoxiao was in her early twenties, with delicate features—not breathtakingly beautiful, but certainly endearing. She had eyes that curved into crescents when she smiled, a look that was bright and childishly frank. Regardless of what she might have done in the past, one look at that smile made people lower their guard and like her instinctively.
Qi Shuai sat down next to Jiang Yuan and poured himself a beer. "Why didn't you bring the sister-in-law?"
Jiang Yuan’s temper flared instantly. "Don't even bring her up. She’s too embarrassing to take out in public."
"You're a grown man, yet you act like a girl every day, unable to even handle your own wife."
Seeing Jiang Yuan about to explode, Qi Shuai quickly shut his mouth. "Is Old Qi doing this because his conscience is bothering him after working us to the bone the other day?"
"When has he ever had a conscience? Is this your first day knowing him? I reckon the money from Lange finally came through."
"If we had jobs like that every day, we’d be set. I heard Old Qi is in a great mood; the money must have hit the account."
"Doesn't seem like it. When have you ever seen him get so happy over a bit of cash that you could actually tell? That’s not him. We’ll ask when he gets here."
Xiaoxiao, bored after finishing a livestream, was idly looking around when she spotted Yu Mo. She couldn't help but blurt out, "Holy shit."
She prided herself on being at the forefront of fashion and usually looked down on ordinary people. But seeing this woman, she felt a genuine sense of inferiority.
The woman’s hair was draped loosely over her shoulders. She wore a simple long dress and a pair of flip-flops, without a single accessory on her person. Yet, she looked like a piece of green jade just pulled from the water. Xiaoxiao had long since returned her high school vocabulary to her teachers and couldn't find the words to describe it; she just felt like a common rooster draped in a gaudy floral quilt.
At that moment, Jiang Yuan and Qi Shuai saw them too. They exchanged a look, shock written plainly in their eyes.
Once a man and a woman share *that* kind of relationship, it’s impossible to hide when they stand together. Old Qi had finally succeeded.
Qi Lian introduced Yu Mo to them. "Yu Mo. You’ve all met her. She’s with me now. You know what that means."
Qi Shuai and Jiang Yuan both stood up and called her "Sister-in-law."
In truth, Jiang Yuan was six months older than Qi Lian, but he just followed Qi Shuai’s lead and said it anyway.
Qi Lian sat next to Jiang Yuan, while Yu Mo sat beside Xiaoxiao.
Before Yu Mo could even settle in, Xiaoxiao grabbed her hand and said excitedly, "Sister, you are way too pretty. What brand is your dress?"
The three men at the table glanced at each other. With the two women present, they couldn't be too blunt. Jiang Yuan picked up his phone and started typing in their three-person group chat.
*Jiang Yuan: Qi Lian, can you have a bit of backbone? Can you stop acting like a drooling dog?*
*Qi Shuai: I know that look. Looks like you got her. Tell us, what’s it like with a goddess?*
Qi Lian looked up from his phone, gave Qi Shuai a warning glare, and typed back a curse: *Shut your damn mouth. I’m warning you, Qi Shuai—we’re used to talking nonsense among ourselves, but my woman is different. Use your brain before you speak.*
*Qi Shuai (unconvinced): Fine, fine. Yours is a goddess who doesn't eat the food of mortals.*
*Jiang Yuan: You’re wrong, Qi Shuai. That’s not a goddess. That’s his ancestor.*
Jiang Yuan and Qi Shuai burst into a fit of laughter. They laughed so boisterously that Yu Mo and Xiaoxiao couldn't help but turn to look at them.
Qi Lian reached out and gently nudged Yu Mo’s head back toward the table. "Ignore them. They’re both psychos."
Qi Lian called the waiter over for a glass of plain water and a bottle of orange juice. He asked Yu Mo, "What are you drinking?"
Aside from Xiaoxiao, everyone at the table was intimately familiar with this scene.
Yu Mo said, "Plain water."
Jiang Yuan and Qi Shuai exchanged another look. No wonder. It turned out there had been something going on even back then. Her refusal to drink the water was just a lover's spat; Jiang Qingfeng never stood a chance. They had actually thought the sun was rising in the west and that Qi Lian was going to lose to him.
Jiang Yuan said to Qi Lian with pointed meaning, "You need to handle that matter properly."
"I know," Qi Lian replied.
Xiaoxiao asked Yu Mo, "Sister, how come you don't do your nails or get lash extensions? Look at these lashes, 380 yuan. These nails, 450. I spent a fortune. Do they look good?"
Yu Mo took her hand and looked closely. "They’re pretty, just a bit expensive. I do them occasionally, but I’ve been busy these past six months, and I find them a bit too pricey."
Xiaoxiao held Yu Mo’s hand, looking it over. "Seeing your hands, I suddenly feel like fake nails aren't pretty at all. What a waste of money. Your nail beds are so pink and clean."
As Yu Mo talked to her, she reached down to scratch her calf. She had likely been bitten by a mosquito; a large bump had formed, and the more she scratched, the itchier it became.
A large hand reached over, swatting away her hand that was scratching with increasing vigor. He lifted her calf onto his own lap and began to gently rub the spot to soothe the itch.
Qi Lian was currently telling the two men, "The project payment from Lange cleared. I just transferred your shares. Check them."
The two men across from him were oblivious to what was happening under the table.
Qi Shuai looked at the numbers on his phone and said with satisfaction, "This is the kind of work that’s worth it. Good money and never a late payment. My mortgage for the next few months is sorted."
Qi Lian chided him, "Since you know that, keep your skin tight. If the work isn't good, no one will offer us these opportunities. From now on, we’ll try to take on more jobs like this."
Jiang Yuan picked up his beer to toast Qi Lian. "Thanks, Boss Qi. This is all thanks to you. Keep it up, and as long as you’re eating meat, we’re happy with the soup."
Qi Shuai also grinned and moved to clink glasses.
Before the glasses could touch, a few young men walked over from nearby and greeted Qi Lian. "Old Qi, you’re here too."
Qi Lian quickly pulled Yu Mo’s dress down to cover her calf.
Several of the young men were staring at Yu Mo with naked lust. The leader was a scrawny man with dark lips, wearing a knock-off Versace floral T-shirt. People called him Brother Fei.
His eyes scanned the table and landed on Yu Mo. He said to Qi Lian, "Is this the sister-in-law? Old Qi, your taste is really something else. The brothers are drinking over there; why don't you join us?"
Qi Lian’s expression remained neutral. He only said to Brother Fei, "I’ve got family with me today, it’s not convenient. Take your people and go. If you scare my wife, I won't be so easy to talk to."
Brother Fei led his group away in a huddle. One of them, lacking any sense, kept looking back at Yu Mo. His gaze was like a rat peering out of a hole—unsettling and foul.
Qi Shuai cursed, "Motherfucker. Those Jiangbei scumbags."
Qi Lian told him, "Don't be impulsive. they won't amount to anything. But if we lose our cool, it might be different." He thought for a moment and then added in the group chat: *We’re fine, but you saw how they looked at my wife. Keep an eye out for her for me in the future.*
Xiaoxiao and Yu Mo linked arms to go to the restroom. Qi Lian watched them until they were out of sight.
He said to Qi Shuai, "Bring your girl along more often when we come out."
Qi Shuai said proudly, "My girl just has a great personality. There’s no one she can't get along with."
"Since you like her so much, and you’ve bought the house, why haven't you married her after all these years?"
Qi Shuai sighed. "It’s not that easy. The house needs renovating, and then there’s the bride price. I’ll wait a bit longer."
"Wait for what? Just get married first. The longer you wait, the more things can go wrong. We’ll help you scrape together the bride price."
Qi Shuai shot back, "Why don't you marry your little ancestor? It’s not like you’re short on cash."
"If it were up to me, I’d go tomorrow. My situation is much more complicated than yours. It’s not time yet; I have to take it step by step."
They stopped talking when they saw Xiaoxiao and Yu Mo returning.
Xiaoxiao said crossly, "We ran into a bunch of idiots. They were surrounding Sister at the restroom door and whistling. I cursed them out before we could get away."
Qi Lian’s entire body tensed instantly. He stood up with a *whoosh*, knocking over his stool.
Yu Mo quickly grabbed his arm to stop him. "Qi Lian."
Her heart was pounding. She had never dealt with such a situation before. There was a whole group of them, and if Qi Lian went over alone, nothing good would come of it.
Qi Lian looked at her face, then glanced at Jiang Yuan, and slowly sat back down. He took the freshly served lamb skewers and carefully placed them in front of Yu Mo, sharp ends pointing away. "Forget it. Just eat."
He didn't eat himself, instead picking off the charred bits of meat from the skewers for her one by one.
Jiang Yuan downed his beer, wiped his mouth with his large hand, and said to Qi Shuai, "Let’s go drain the lizard."
Qi Shuai followed without a word.
Xiaoxiao said to Yu Mo, "I thought only women went to the bathroom together. I guess men do it too."
Yu Mo nibbled on a skewer and said to Xiaoxiao, "Why aren't you eating? These are delicious."
Xiaoxiao waved her hands repeatedly. "I haven't eaten dinner in years. Sister, how can you eat meat like this and stay so thin?"
"If you eat properly, you won't get fat. Just don't eat too many snacks." Because of what had just happened, Yu Mo felt much closer to Xiaoxiao.
Xiaoxiao looked at the skewers and swallowed hard.
Yu Mo took two skewers, swished them in her water glass, and handed them over. "Two skewers won't hurt. I washed off the seasoning."
As they spoke, Jiang Yuan and Qi Shuai returned. Jiang Yuan gave Qi Lian a slight shake of his head.
Qi Shuai acted as if he’d discovered a new continent. "Xiaoxiao, you’re actually eating meat!"
Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes at him. "Shut up."
Jiang Yuan drank beer after beer. He watched Qi Lian meticulously prepare the meat for his woman and even reach out to wipe her mouth. For a few moments, he thought of He Mei. He wondered if what she wanted was this kind of care and consideration. For a few seconds, he doubted if he really was a bastard.
He, Qi Lian, and Qi Shuai had all grown up together. They were all rough men. When did those two start becoming different from him, doing things that made his skin crawl? He didn't understand them, and he didn't understand himself.
The dinner broke up around 9:00 PM.
On the way back, Yu Mo noticed a transfer of over 50,000 yuan to her card. She asked the man beside her what was going on.
"The payment for that out-of-town job came in. I transferred it to you. From now on, I’ll transfer my earnings to you as soon as I get them."
Yu Mo hurriedly refused. "Keep it. You don't have to do this."
Qi Lian squeezed the back of her neck. "Just take it. Isn't it only natural for a man’s money to be with his woman? You should be worried that if I have too much cash on me, I’ll get into trouble. I kept enough for business expenses, don't worry. I don't really spend money on myself, except for food. Look at my summer clothes—every year I go to the market and buy six T-shirts: three black, three white, three gray. Thirty yuan for two, ninety total. I really don't spend much."
Yu Mo didn't say anything. Qi Lian looked at her, thinking she was unhappy, and immediately said, "It’s not that I’m stingy; I just don't have many interests. I’m happy to spend it on you. Buy whatever you want, you don't need to save for me."
There was a small supermarket ahead. Qi Lian nudged her. "Let’s go buy some popsicles. We’ll get a bunch for the fridge."
"No, I don't want any," Yu Mo said.
Qi Lian pulled her close and looked down at her. "Why the long face? You were fine just a moment ago. Did I say something wrong?"
Yu Mo reached out and hugged his waist. "No. I just feel a bit greasy after dinner, so I don't want any. I’m just thinking about some things."
She had many things to think about, a thousand tangled threads with no end in sight.
While Qi Lian was showering, Yu Mo returned a call to Wu Yisheng in the bedroom.
"What’s the deal, Little Mo-Mo? Where have you been enjoying yourself?"
"Just out for dinner."
"Is there a situation?"
"Yisheng, do you remember that person I told you about last time?"
Wu Yisheng let out a hearty laugh. "Let me guess—you slept with him! I told you last time you were being stupid. I could tell just by looking at you that you’d been conquered."
Feeling a bit guilty, Yu Mo went to lock the bedroom door.
Wu Yisheng was already asking impatiently on the other end, "So? How was his performance? That’s the most important part."
Yu Mo shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. "Very good."
"What does 'very good' mean? Don't give me that vague nonsense."
"It means I like it! I’m happy! That’s enough from you."
"Not bad. You really have the luck of a blind cat. It’s not easy to find a capable man these days. Are you planning to just have your fun, or what’s the plan?"
On the path below, a young couple walked away, hugging and playfully dragging each other along.
Yu Mo said, "I don't know. Things are a bit complicated."
"Remember that famous quote by Eileen Chang? I think you’re being 'sleep-suaded' by him. Let me meet him sometime. Mo-Mo, your personality isn't suited for playing emotional games. If you’re going to end it, end it cleanly."
Wu Yisheng hung up. From her vantage point, she looked out at the neon skyscrapers and the bustling prosperity of the world. On the table in front of her was a bouquet of imported flowers half as tall as a person. The price of a single stem exceeded that of a common bouquet of ninety-nine roses. The massive arrangement was packaged to look unattainable, distinct from the vulgarity of nine hundred and ninety-nine roses.
That powerful man was a veteran of romance; he knew a woman's heart so well, every detail was perfect, touching a woman’s soul. Even a woman like her had been moved.
But they were all the walking dead—beautiful walking dead without hearts. She envied Yu Mo. Yu Mo had something firm within her that wouldn't be consumed by worldly desires. In a way, she was a hero.
When Yu Mo hung up and opened the door, she saw Qi Lian leaning against the wall. She jumped, feeling more than a little awkward, unsure of how much he had heard.
Qi Lian stood up. He had just showered, and he smelled of soap. He pinched Yu Mo’s cheek and asked, "What were you doing with the door closed? Who were you laughing and talking with?"
Yu Mo could only say, "A friend!"
Qi Lian stared at her for a moment. "Why do you need to close the door to talk to your best friend?"
Yu Mo swatted his hand away. "I just wanted to close the door to make a call. What’s wrong with that? Is it not allowed? I’m going to shower."
She slipped past him and went straight to the bathroom.
Qi Lian stood there and let out a frustrated breath, running his hands through his hair. He had heard her speaking softly in the room, heard her cheerful laughter, but he couldn't hear exactly what was said. Her tone was one reserved for someone very close—a world he was completely unable to enter.
He had been shut out.
He paced the bedroom. He was a little angry, but more than that, he was terrified. How could he explain his feelings to Yu Mo so she would understand, rather than getting angry and thinking he was an unreasonable person, thereby docking points or even sentencing him to death in her heart?
Then he grew angry again. What was wrong with a man caring about his woman, caring about what she was up to? Wasn't that only natural?
It was a long time before Yu Mo emerged from the bathroom. She had washed her underwear and dried her hair.
She didn't seem surprised to see Qi Lian at the bathroom door. She asked him coolly, "Aren't you going to sleep yet? I’m going to bed."
Her expression and tone were just like that time long ago when she’d run into him and Jiang the Fourth’s sister on the street; even her back radiated arrogance.
Qi Lian had had enough. He scooped Yu Mo up, squeezing her so hard she cried out in pain, causing her cool mask to slip.
Yu Mo swatted at him, pushing with all her might. "Let go!" she said crossly.
Qi Lian buried his head in her chest, smelling the scent of gardenias and feeling the softness that had been in his hands that afternoon.
He said aggrievedly, "Little Duo'er, if you’re mad at me, just hit me. Make me apologize. You know I can't bear to let you suffer. Just don't be like this. It makes me feel like I’m the mud under your feet, not even worthy of speaking to you."
Yu Mo’s heart softened.
She spent another night held tightly in Qi Lian’s arms.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 胖子烧烤 | Fatty's BBQ | A local barbecue stall/restaurant. |
| 笑笑 | Xiaoxiao | Qi Shuai's girlfriend; means "Smiling" or "Cheerful." |
| 朗格 | Lange | Likely a company or project name. |
| 嫂子 | Sister-in-law | A respectful term for the wife/girlfriend of an older brother or close male friend. |
| 飞哥 | Brother Fei | A local thug; "Fei" means "Fly" or "To fly." |
| 江北 | Jiangbei | "North of the river"; likely a specific district or neighborhood. |
| 吴一声 | Wu Yisheng | Yu Mo's close friend. |
| 睡服 | Sleep-suaded | A pun on 説服 (shuōfú - to persuade) and 睡 (shuì - to sleep/have sex). |
| 小朵儿 | Little Duo'er | Qi Lian's nickname for Yu Mo; "Duo" is a classifier for flowers/buds. |
