She arrived at Teacher Zhang’s house more than half an hour later than usual. Both Teacher Zhang and her husband, Teacher Liu, were home.
Teacher Liu was a stout, elderly gentleman. He was currently sitting on the sofa by the window reading a book. Beside him on the side table sat his favorite pot of Jianlan orchids, which were in full, vibrant bloom, their fragrance reachable from across the room.
Teacher Zhang was busy writing something at a newly purchased desk opposite him.
He Mei apologized to them, set her bag down gently, and took her seat at the computer.
As always, Teacher Zhang spoke in a soft, gentle voice, telling her not to worry about it and to manage her own time as she saw fit.
He Mei began to type, the keys clacking away. She felt a profound sense of peace; every time she came here, her heart felt steady and grounded. It was why she loved this job so much.
Aside from the sound of typing, the house was devoid of noise. A tabby cat paced with measured, rhythmic steps through the stacks of books.
The apartment wasn't large, and the decor followed the style of the last century, every corner revealing traces of a bygone era. The place was packed with belongings, especially books, which were piled so high there was hardly any room to walk. It was clear the owners were either not skilled at organizing or simply had no time for it.
Strangely, however, the environment felt comfortable. Even the sunlight streaming through the window seemed cooler here than elsewhere, as if time itself had slowed down.
He Mei couldn't quite put it into words, but she loved coming here. She enjoyed this work that required only her hands and no social interaction. She felt the tightness that usually constricted her chest begin to ease.
At noon, she would sometimes go to the canteen with Teacher Zhang and her husband, and other times she would grab a quick bite on her own near the entrance.
On this day, as noon approached, Teacher Zhang’s son returned.
Seeing He Mei at the computer, he nodded to her first and greeted her as "Xiao He."
When they had first met, Teacher Zhang had worked out their seniority relative to one another; they were of the same generation, so He Mei called him "Brother."
Teacher Zhang’s son was named Liu Zhiyan. He was taller than average and had a lean build. Wearing a pair of glasses, he didn't particularly resemble his mother or his father, yet he shared their easygoing temperament. One could tell at a glance they were family.
The three of them sat in a circle on the sofa, appearing to discuss something serious.
"Dad, how is that matter going?"
Teacher Liu pushed up his glasses and said, "It’s going well. There should be a result in a day or two. Xiao Wang said it shouldn't be a problem and told us to just wait for the notification. Did you run all the way back just for this?"
Liu Zhiyan caught the tabby cat as it passed by, pulling it into his lap. "Not exactly. I happened to be looking at materials nearby and thought I’d stop by. I’m not trying to rush you; I just wanted to check on the progress."
Teacher Zhang chimed in from the side, "Don't worry. Even though your father and I have never handled something like this before, we will get it done properly for you. Don't let it distract you; just focus on your professional work."
Liu Zhiyan idly stroked the cat’s back and said with a smile, "I’ve never doubted your ability to get things done. The people at the finance company told me it shouldn't be hard for you two to get a loan. I just... I feel a bit guilty in my heart."
Teacher Liu pushed the books on the side table further back and said to his son:
"A man shouldn't be indecisive when taking action. Once you've made up your mind, you must press forward without looking back. Your mother and I both support you. Those two properties were yours to begin with; we don't care how you intend to use them. At worst, you can just come back and live with us in the future. Your situation is much better than Xiang Yu’s when he broke the cauldrons and sank the boats. Don't speak so gloomily!"
Teacher Zhang gently patted her son’s knee and said tenderly, "Don't worry about us. We are much stronger than you imagine!"
Liu Zhiyan suddenly laughed, revealing a row of neat, white teeth. He said, "A friend of mine said something similar recently!"
Teacher Zhang laughed as well, her smile carrying a mother’s deep understanding of her son. She said, "I suspect this friend is a girl, and one you’re quite interested in at that."
Teacher Liu looked at his wife, completely bewildered. "What are you talking about?"
Liu Zhiyan continued to smile, offering no rebuttal.
Teacher Zhang looked at Teacher Liu and said, "You still don't understand your son! If he even adds an extra modal particle when mentioning someone, it means they aren't an ordinary person. How wonderful—your son has finally developed a heart for worldly romance."
Only then did Teacher Liu accept the fact his son was tacitly admitting. He asked, "What kind of person is she? Do you have a plan? At this critical juncture, the project should still be the priority."
The tabby cat in Liu Zhiyan’s arms gave a "meow-hiss" and escaped.
He brushed the cat hair off his quick-dry athletic pants and said, "Don't worry, Dad. I’m not someone who lacks a sense of proportion. As for this girl, I met her while I was arranging the loan. She was the one who gave me a lot of advice. Her name is Yu Mo. For all these years, she’s the first one who suddenly made me feel that she is a woman and I am a man. When I’m with her, I suddenly love to talk and I’m willing to listen to her, even if it’s just nonsense. I guess this must be what 'liking' someone is? It’s different from the feeling I had in the States with that other girl, where I followed her every move just because we were competing for the top spot in our major, right?"
Teacher Zhang and Teacher Liu exchanged a look, feeling quite gratified. Even an iron tree blooms eventually.
Teacher Zhang helped her son pick a stray cat hair off his black pants and said, "We won't interfere in matters of the heart. We only hope for your happiness."
As a mother, she gave a few more instructions regarding his daily life, and then Liu Zhiyan hurried off, saying he had a product discussion meeting in the afternoon.
In the blink of an eye, it was lunchtime.
He Mei followed Teacher Zhang and her husband to the faculty canteen to get food to bring back, while the two elders stayed at the canteen to chat with colleagues.
The Zhang family had never treated her like an outsider and never hid things from her.
As she ate, she thought to herself that the hearts of parents everywhere are the same—they would gladly tear their hearts out for their children, whether they were common peddlers or high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants. Teacher Zhang and Teacher Liu acted nonchalant in front of their son only because they didn't want him to worry. Had she not seen the reality behind the scenes, she might not have believed it either.
The last time Liu Zhiyan had come to talk about borrowing money from the bank, after he left, the two elderly people—usually so full of smiles—had sat opposite each other on the living room sofa for a long time without saying a word. The tabby cat had meowed and rubbed against their legs, but they seemed not to see it, their spirits elsewhere. Their usually smiling faces were crushed by a cloud of worry, the deep lines on their faces suddenly revealing the true weight of their age.
Teacher Liu had sighed and said, "I’ve gone my whole life without asking anyone for a loan, never done such a thing..."
That afternoon, neither of them went to eat lunch, telling He Mei they weren't hungry. He Mei could only bring them back a few dried pickled vegetable rolls from the He Family Shaobing shop at the entrance.
In the days that followed, she heard Teacher Zhang constantly calling someone named Xiao Wang, confirming risks and asking about details over and over again. Her tone held a lack of sophistication that didn't match her age.
It made He Mei’s heart ache!
Teacher Zhang was such a good person, yet at her age, she was doing something completely outside her realm of understanding.
He Mei felt the weight of parental devotion. Thinking of Jiang Yuan’s parents, the resentment in her heart dissipated slightly. Everyone had it hard.
At around three in the afternoon, she rode her electric scooter to pick up her son as usual. Before they reached home, Jiang Yuan called her, saying a few families were gathering tonight and they should go to Fatty’s BBQ for dinner.
She propped the scooter up with her feet, and for some reason, she didn't refuse outright as she usually did. The image of those round, plump durians suddenly popped into her head.
From the back seat, Qiqi heard his father’s voice. Before He Mei could answer, he stood up on the back and shouted into the phone, "Dad, is Uncle Qi Lian going too? Are we eating lamb skewers? I want to go too!"
Jiang Yuan laughed loudly and said, "Then come along. Have your mom bring you."
He Mei hung up noncommittally. She didn't have the heart to refuse her son, she told herself.
She turned the scooter around, then hesitated, and turned it back. She should go home first.
On the way to the BBQ shop, Qiqi asked her, "Mom, why did you go home just now? It would have been closer to go straight there."
He Mei replied, "Didn't I tell you? I wanted you to use the bathroom at home so you aren't looking for a toilet the moment we get there."
Qiqi had the spirited, sturdy energy typical of boys his age. He said proudly, "Hey, I’m not a kid anymore. Besides, I know where the bathroom is at the BBQ shop. I’ve been there several times."
He also possessed a natural consideration that differed from his father, likely inherited from his mother. He said, "Mom, you look really pretty today. You even put on makeup. You should wear makeup every day; you'd be as pretty as Lyu Xincheng’s mom from my class."
He Mei, however, didn't like him saying that.
"My clothes were sweaty earlier, so I just changed into something else. I only drew on my eyebrows and put on some lipstick; it doesn't count as real makeup. Stop squirming and hold on tight. Remember your manners later."
Out of guilt, she felt sweat breaking out on her face. Why was she lying to a child?
She had gone home specifically to change, to make herself look less shabby. Perhaps for a split second, she had also thought of Jiang Yuan.
She hadn't worn this printed dress once all summer. For convenience, she usually went out in T-shirts and denim culottes. Her only lipstick was a gift from her sister; she didn't even know if the color suited her. She had used it for three years and more than half was still left; she didn't even know that lipstick could expire.
She had clearly put in a great deal of effort, yet she refused to admit it.
She had eaten with Yu Mo and Xiaoxiao before, and the impact of that meeting had left her tossing and turning in bed until midnight. She had even thought that if she were Jiang Yuan, would she still be able to see the dim plastic beads when standing next to two South Sea pearls? Thinking of it that way, he didn't have it easy either.
She had known Xiaoxiao before. Xiaoxiao was much younger than her and had a flamboyant personality. He Mei figured that being young made one more eye-catching, so she hadn't taken it to heart.
The one who truly impacted her was Yu Mo.
So much so that the person and the name often appeared in her mind afterward. At Teacher Zhang’s house at noon, the moment Liu Zhiyan mentioned the name, that face immediately matched up in her head.
It wasn't that her appearance was exceptionally beautiful—she was beautiful, certainly—but it was the way she looked at you. He Mei felt that this person was truly special. She reminded her of a mountain stream, or the gardenias behind a house in summer—not at all ostentatious, yet in a league of her own.
She was a few years older than He Mei, yet her eyes lacked the exhaustion, the arrogance, or the humility often found in women of that age. she was just clean and open, being herself. She looked soft, but He Mei knew she wasn't just soft.
She envied her from the bottom of her heart!
He Mei was always speculating about others' thoughts, worrying about how others perceived her. She could take a single sentence from someone and break it down, overanalyzing it for ages. She knew it was wrong, but she couldn't change.
Yu Mo’s appearance had suddenly made her start reflecting on her own past life.
While she was dazing off thinking about Yu Mo, Qi Lian called out to her, "Sister-in-law."
She snapped back to reality and only then noticed Qi Lian standing beside Yu Mo.
She had known Qi Lian for nearly ten years. This single glance made her dazed for a moment. When she looked closer, he was still the same person, yet she couldn't say exactly what had changed.
