Yu Mo arrived at the Fish Chin Sichuan Restaurant just before seven. The traffic along the way had been an absolute nightmare, leaving her breathless from the final sprint to make it on time.
Jiang Xiaofeng was already seated by the window. He had been waiting for nearly half an hour, but when he saw her enter, he quickly stood up with a smile. "Easy now, take your time," he said.
Yu Mo apologized profusely; being late was never her intention.
Jiang Xiaofeng looked at her with a beaming smile, his eyes sparkling behind his glasses. He seemed entirely harmless—fair-skinned, with clean-cut hair and a bright expression. He possessed a refreshing, youthful energy rarely seen in men his age.
Since it was getting late and she was worried he might be starving, Yu Mo said hurriedly, "You must be hungry. Let's order."
Jiang Xiaofeng handed her the menu. "See what you like. You choose."
Yu Mo took a polite glance before handing it back. "I don't know much about Sichuan cuisine. You decide; I’m fine with anything."
Jiang Xiaofeng adjusted his glasses, looking uncertain. "Then... I'll go ahead and order?"
Yu Mo nodded quickly. "Please, don't be formal."
He placed the order on his phone, then looked up at her. "Do you mind if I use a coupon? I read online that you shouldn't use coupons when taking a girl out to dinner, but this one saves fifty yuan. My conscience won't let me waste it."
He looked at her with complete earnestness, and Yu Mo couldn't help but laugh. "Use it! Why wouldn't you use a coupon? Where did you find it? You’ll have to share your sources with me next time. Hunting for deals is my favorite hobby right now."
They spent a good while chatting happily about the art of "wool-pulling"—scoring the best discounts.
If anyone asked Yu Mo why she was willing to go on a date with him, it was because he was sincere and entirely lacking in that "greasy," over-polished vibe. She didn't have to overthink things when talking to him. He was very different from the other men she knew. This was her goal now: she wanted a different kind of man.
"Yu Mo," Jiang Xiaofeng said, "I never imagined the day would come when the two of us would be sitting together discussing coupons. Do you know what I thought the first time I went to Zhongfu and saw you at the front desk?"
Yu Mo shook her head, smiling as she gestured for him to continue.
"I was stunned the moment I walked through the door. I thought, 'What kind of company is this? Even the receptionist is this stunning. This firm must be legendary.'"
Yu Mo laughed. "You know I was only there as window dressing. I applied for a sales position, but they wouldn't take me. I had to use a flanking maneuver."
"Well, I'm grateful to them, and to my own company. Otherwise, I never would have met you."
Yu Mo had worked as a receptionist at Zhongfu for three months. Jiang Xiaofeng worked for a software company and had been sent to Zhongfu to debug and provide training for one of their programs. Yu Mo had been responsible for ordering his meals, arranging his workspace, and acting as his point of contact. Over those two months, they had become better acquainted than she was with most of her actual colleagues.
They drifted from talk of Zhongfu to the financial industry, and then to global affairs.
Yu Mo took a sip of water, her peripheral vision catching a man at a table diagonally ahead placing his hand on his female companion's thigh. Realizing her mind was wandering, she forced her attention back to the table.
Jiang Xiaofeng was already talking about the Federal Reserve, analyzing American conspiracies and their exploitation of the world.
She lowered her head to take another sip of water. She had met plenty of high-EQ men who knew exactly how to play the social game, but she told herself that one couldn't have everything.
Just then, the server brought out the Boiled Fish with Pickled Cabbage. She quickly chimed in, "The food's here! It looks great."
Jiang Xiaofeng looked sheepish. "Oh, did I start rambling again? They say women aren't interested in this stuff and that I shouldn't keep talking about it."
Yu Mo was amused by his chagrin. "Who are 'they'? You keep mentioning them."
"I did some research online," Jiang Xiaofeng replied. "They're the netizens and experts. To be honest, there are so many different opinions that I don't know who to listen to anymore."
Yu Mo picked up a piece of fish with her chopsticks and placed it in her bowl. "Don't listen to them. Relationships are about chemistry. Sincerity is what matters most."
The meal lasted until nine o'clock. Since they lived in the same neighborhood—only five minutes apart by car—Jiang Xiaofeng drove her home.
"Are you settling into your place alright?" he asked as he drove.
"It's fine," Yu Mo replied.
"If anything comes up, let me know. I have a lot of friends in that area who can help. If you don't like the apartment, I can help you find a new one."
"Thanks, Engineer Jiang. Everything is good for now, but I'll definitely reach out if I need anything."
Jiang Xiaofeng glanced at her briefly before returning his eyes to the road. He felt a pang of frustration at being called "Engineer Jiang."
"Yu Mo, you can just call me by my name. You don't have to be so formal. I told you about my situation last time—I'm really not a bad guy, and I don't have any weird habits. If it's possible, please give me a chance."
Yu Mo replied, "Your circumstances are very good, which is why you should think carefully about whether someone like me is right for you."
Jiang Xiaofeng’s tone grew slightly urgent. "I've thought it through very clearly. To put it bluntly, if this were ten years ago in university, a plain guy like me... Yu Mo, you probably wouldn't have given me a second glance. Even now, I feel like I'm punching above my weight. I'm afraid you'll look down on me."
He was speaking the truth, but Yu Mo remained polite. "That's not true. There's no need to be so humble."
As Jiang Xiaofeng drove toward Lotus District 3, he spotted an empty parking space by the curb. Yu Mo cried out, "Quick! There's a spot! Hurry!"
She scanned the surroundings to see if any other cars were vying for the space. Without a word, Jiang Xiaofeng swung the car in.
When they stepped out of the car, both were beaming with a sense of triumph.
Lotus New Village consisted of ten districts and was the largest relocation housing area in Jinning. The parking-space-to-car ratio was less than one to five, making parking a perennial nightmare. It was perfectly normal to circle the area for twenty minutes without finding a spot.
Yu Mo lived in District 1, so Jiang Xiaofeng walked her back.
He wasn't short, though he was on the leaner side. Dressed in a black and red windbreaker with a thick head of dark hair, he looked energetic. His face always seemed to carry a hint of a smile, the kind that made people feel good just looking at him.
As he walked side-by-side with Yu Mo along the sidewalk—which was plastered with small advertisements—he stood about half a head taller than her.
He was explaining why he didn't have a permanent parking space. "Seven or eight years ago during the relocation, they were practically giving away parking spots and no one wanted them. Everyone here was a farmer back then; who would have thought to buy a parking space? A couple of years later, everyone realized they couldn't get one for love or money. It wasn't so bad before there were this many cars, but now it's a nightmare. I need to talk to my friend and see if he can pull some strings."
As he said this, his eyes lit up. He had spotted an acquaintance.
"Qi Lian!" he called out.
Yu Mo had been looking down at the advertisements on the ground, but she looked up in surprise at the shout.
Standing before the shabby entrance of District 1, wearing flip-flops and a short-sleeved shirt, was indeed Qi Lian.
Qi Lian remained expressionless, giving them a brief nod as his gaze swept over the two of them. Seeing his lukewarm reaction, Yu Mo didn't take the initiative to greet him.
Jiang Xiaofeng seemed delighted. "Haven't seen you in ages," he said to Qi Lian. "Where are you off to?"
Qi Lian’s face remained blank, though his tone was familiar. "Just heading to the gate to pick something up."
"Good thing I ran into you; saves me the trouble of looking for you. This is my friend, Yu Mo." He gestured for Yu Mo to step forward. "She lives in your district now. Keep an eye out for her for me, will you?"
Qi Lian gave a few roguish nods, repeating the word with meaningful emphasis. "Friend?"
Jiang Xiaofeng punched him lightly on the shoulder, his tone suggesting a shared understanding. "I'll buy you dinner next time."
Qi Lian nodded and said nothing more. He waved a hand. "I'm off."
Yu Mo watched him saunter across the street in his flip-flops. From beginning to end, he hadn't spared her a single glance.
Jiang Xiaofeng offered an explanation for his friend. "He’s a man of few words, don't mind him. But he’s incredibly reliable. In this neighborhood, there’s nothing he can’t handle. If you’re ever in a bind, you can go to him. I was just saying I’d ask him about the parking space, too."
Yu Mo remarked, "He seems like a good person."
Jiang Xiaofeng burst out laughing. "That's the first time I've heard anyone say he looks like a 'good person.' You know, he used to be the 'king of the kids' around here. People from other schools wouldn't dare mess with him just looking at him. Yu Mo, do you see the good in everyone?"
***
Qi Lian had bought some fruit and was munching on an apple as he walked back. He rarely bought fruit more than a few times a year. Despite the vendor’s glowing praise for these "sugar-heart" apples, he couldn't taste any difference between this and a two-yuan apple.
His phone rang. It was Jiang Xiaofeng.
"Yeah?"
"Qi Lian, don't forget what I asked. I couldn't say too much in front of her. She's on her own; look after her for me."
Qi Lian pulled the apple away from his mouth. "You want me to look after your girlfriend? Everyone wants me to look after someone. Do I look like a caretaker?"
Hearing the irritation in his voice, Jiang Xiaofeng quickly explained, "No, I was going to find her a place near me, but she went ahead and found one herself. It just happens to be in your district. What's wrong with you today? Who rattled your cage?"
"No one. I'm hanging up."
"Sugar-heart apple" my foot. It tasted terrible. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the remainder of the apple accurately into a roadside trash can.
