That day, Lin Jiang had her hair tied in a low ponytail. She wore simple black jeans and a form-fitting black sweater that traced her graceful curves; the silhouette of her bust and the line of her hips were just right. Jiang Weifeng’s gaze darkened.
"Alright, I’ll let you go. Shen Yan’s car is here."
The girl hung up after a few brief words. A white Mercedes-Benz pulled up from a distance and stopped beside her. She opened the door and leaned in.
The car sped away, its taillights flashing and stinging Jiang Weifeng’s eyes.
A moment later, Gu Xiang returned and asked, "It’s still early. Heading to Green Island?"
Jiang Weifeng took a heavy drag of his cigarette, his cheeks hollowing.
Amidst the swirling smoke, his expression remained inscrutable, and he offered no response.
A few seconds later, Gu Xiang gripped his seatbelt in trepidation as the car tore down the road.
That night, Jiang Weifeng drank quite a lot.
During the night, a woman approached to toast him. Gu Xiang teased him about his luck with the ladies, but Jiang Weifeng felt a surge of annoyance at the woman’s heavily made-up face and rejected her with a thin smile.
The woman called him a bore who didn't understand romance.
He woke from his stupor in the middle of the night. Outside the window, it was four in the morning; the city was still fast asleep, a distant expanse of cold, somber blue.
He thought—
*Lin Jiang, we can finally meet.*
***
A week later, Lin Jiang received a notification from "J&J": the offer had fallen through.
As luck would have it, that very same day, Teacher Cheng called to ask if she would be willing to teach classes—a junior high school group, with sessions on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings, as well as Saturday and Sunday mornings.
Lin Jiang hesitated for a while, but it was Shen Yan who finally enlightened her.
"You spent days and nights studying broadcasting back then; you can't let it go to waste. Teaching won't take up too much time. Why not use your free hours to do your own thing? There are so many platforms now. You can write your own scripts, record, and edit. You might just find a new path where you least expect it."
It was a wake-up call for Lin Jiang.
To be honest, when it came to what she loved, she still preferred broadcasting. If it hadn't been for *that* incident back then, she might be holding a microphone right now, shining on a stage.
Lin Jiang shook her head to clear her thoughts and busied herself with packing.
It was mid-March, a time when grass grows and nightingales fly. She chose to move out of her family home.
Zhou Wan and Wang Jiaqian came to help her pack, repeatedly asking why. She only gave them a two-word answer: "Independence."
In truth, she simply couldn't stand Xu Mingjuan’s nagging and pressure to get married.
Distance truly did lend enchantment.
The apartment she rented was in a bustling area. Right outside the building was a snack street, which perfectly solved her problem of not knowing how to cook.
That evening, she was tidying up the room alone. Several large cardboard boxes were piled together. She went to move the one closest to her; it was so heavy she could hardly straighten her back. Bracing herself, she went to move the second one, but nearly strained her waist when she lifted it.
It was too light.
For a second, Lin Jiang doubted if there was even anything inside.
She sat cross-legged on the floor and gave the box a shake. It sounded like paper tumbling inside. Her curiosity was piqued, but even as she frowned, she couldn't figure it out. She quickly used a utility knife to slice through the tape.
When she looked inside, she froze.
The box was filled with origami—roses, little boats, airplanes... Lin Jiang marveled at her own past handiwork.
She remembered back when she was a student, she loved writing a certain person's name on her scratch paper. Afraid of being seen, she would crumple the paper into a ball, yet she never dared to just throw them into the classroom wastebasket. Instead, she would take them home, fold them into all sorts of random shapes, and tuck them away in an unused box.
Back then, the paper was short but the affection was long. It had been many years since she last wrote his name on paper.
She had left his name in the churches of Istanbul, along the banks of the Nile, at train stations, in the snows of Norway, and within the auroras of Iceland—but she had never dared to bring it back to her hometown.
Weibo was the only record of him during her years of wandering. It was like a tiny space she could crawl into, sometimes lost in thought, sometimes cheerful. Every landscape that appeared there was connected to him.
Lin Jiang placed the box on the floor beside her desk.
That day, she wrote a line of lyrics on Weibo: *Deep feelings, words left unsaid.*
Before she could even exit the app, her QQ notification flashed—
Teacher Zheng: *Are you there, Lin Jiang?*
Lin Jiang: *I’m here, I’m here.*
Teacher Zheng sent a smiling emoji: *It’s nothing major. I just wanted to ask when you’re free. I’d like to meet up and have a chat.*
Lin Jiang thought for a moment and replied: *How about tomorrow afternoon?*
Teacher Zheng: *Sounds good.*
The next afternoon, a fine drizzle fell like silk. Inside a certain cafe, Lin Jiang arrived a little late.
"I'm so sorry, Teacher Zheng. The rain made it hard to get a ride, and the driver just took a wrong turn," Lin Jiang apologized repeatedly.
Zheng Ping looked to be in good spirits today, wearing light makeup. Seeing the raindrops on Lin Jiang’s clothes, she hurried to hand her a tissue. "I only got here five minutes ago myself. See, I haven't even ordered yet."
Lin Jiang took the tissue and thanked her, then ordered two drinks. Because Zheng Ping was taking traditional Chinese medicine, she couldn't have coffee and opted for juice instead. Once the order was placed, Zheng Ping looked at Lin Jiang and smiled.
Lin Jiang felt a bit self-conscious. She brushed back her hair and asked with a smile, "Teacher, is my makeup smudged? Why do you keep looking at me?"
Zheng Ping laughed. "I’m just looking at how you’ve grown. You were just a child when I first met you, and now you’re an adult. Still just as beautiful, though."
Lin Jiang lowered her head with a shy smile. She heard Zheng Ping continue, "I heard from Teacher Cheng that you’re working at her place now?"
"Yes, Teacher Cheng trusts me, so I decided to give it a bold try," Lin Jiang smiled.
Just then, a server brought their drinks to the table. Zheng Ping paused, waiting for the server to leave before saying, "I remember when we were in touch before, you were interning at the provincial station under Zhang Juntao. That was such a great opportunity; why didn't you keep going with it?"
Lin Jiang’s expression shifted slightly. She picked up her coffee and took two sips before answering, "I felt like the TV station wasn't quite the right fit for me. I'm planning on starting a self-media radio channel now."
Changing the subject, Lin Jiang asked, "Last time I saw you, you were picking up Chinese medicine. How is your health recovery going?"
Zheng Ping nodded. "It’s nothing serious. I just wasn't well for a while, so I quit my job. Now I just sit at home all day eating for free; I feel quite useless."
"Teacher Zheng, please don't say that..."
Lin Jiang recalled the sight of Zheng Ping coaching her for the arts entrance exams. Back then, the woman had been capable, composed, and high-spirited—completely different from how she was now. Thinking of what Cheng Minghao had said about Zheng Ping’s grief over losing her son, Lin Jiang felt a wave of heartache for her.
Lin Jiang comforted Zheng Ping for a while, and the two chatted idly for a bit longer before rising to leave.
At the cafe entrance, Zheng Ping took Lin Jiang’s hand. "I’m just bored out of my mind every day. Chatting with you today has made me feel much better."
"Teacher Zheng, if you ever feel bored, just contact me. I’m usually free," Lin Jiang smiled.
"Haven't chatted enough yet?"
A voice suddenly approached, interrupting their farewell.
Lin Jiang turned her head and found herself looking right at his chin.
So close.
The scent of rain mixed with the smell of cigarettes washed over her, leaving her stunned.
Jiang Weifeng also realized he was standing too close to the girl. She had clearly flinched at his sudden intrusion. He took half a step back and shook the rain off his clothes, his expression neutral. "The rain’s getting heavier now."
Lin Jiang looked down at Jiang Weifeng’s black Converse. Today, he was wearing a grey hoodie and cargo pants; his style was still so youthful.
As she observed him, she heard Zheng Ping laugh beside her. "I was just about to say the rain isn't letting up and it’ll be hard for Lin Jiang to get a cab. I happen to have an appointment with Teacher Cheng to see the Chinese medicine doctor—I forgot to tell you. But your trip wasn't in vain; give Lin Jiang a ride back."
Lin Jiang steadied her breathing before saying, "It’s alright, I’m not in a hurry. No need for a ride."
"When did you make an appointment with Aunt Cheng? Why didn't you mention it yesterday?" Jiang Weifeng asked.
Zheng Ping pulled out her phone and scrolled through her chat logs to show him. "Look, we talked about it during lunch. I forgot to notify you."
She stepped past Lin Jiang to stand before Jiang Weifeng, giving him a pointed look. "Just give Lin Jiang a ride back."
Jiang Weifeng’s eyelid gave an involuntary twitch.
Lin Jiang stood by awkwardly, afraid Jiang Weifeng might have things to do and wouldn't be able to refuse. She said again, "Really, there's no need..."
"Let’s go then," Jiang Weifeng interrupted her.
Ten minutes later, after seeing Zheng Ping off in Teacher Cheng’s car, Lin Jiang followed behind Jiang Weifeng. They stopped in front of a black Porsche.
Jiang Weifeng opened the door for her first. Lin Jiang hesitated for a moment before bending down to get into the car.
Jiang Weifeng entered from the other side. As soon as he stepped into the car, that scent of rain wafted up again. Lin Jiang hardly dared to breathe.
"Where to?" He pulled out a cigarette and put it between his lips, then paused and set it down.
"Past the RT-Mart intersection on Furong Street, there’s an apartment complex called Xingfu Apartments. You can just drop me at the entrance," she said softly.
He didn't answer her.
After about a minute, he chuckled. "Why do you seem so afraid of me? Your voice is so quiet."
Lin Jiang blinked. "I'm not."
Jiang Weifeng watched a drop of water on her profile as it slid down to her chin. Her hair was scattered messily over her shoulders like spilled ink, her pale ears hidden within it like a moon rising in the daylight.
He smiled imperceptibly and gripped the steering wheel tight throughout the drive.
"Aunt Zheng seems to like you a lot?" he asked while waiting at a green light.
She pursed her lips and smiled. "It’s been a long time since we met. I missed Teacher Zheng too."
"Where have you been these past few years?" He smiled, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the steering wheel.
She was surprised. She silently glanced at the right side of his face, then lowered her head. "Just running all over the world."
"You know how to take photos?" He remembered seeing her with a camera at the hospital that day.
Lin Jiang was taken aback. She paused before nodding. "I know a little bit."
"Are you going out again?" The light turned green, and he started the car.
"No," she said, her lips twitching into a faint smile as she answered honestly.
A flicker of emotion passed through Jiang Weifeng’s eyes. He looked straight ahead as if focusing intently on driving. Lin Jiang thought the conversation had ended, but just as they were nearing her apartment, he asked, "Can't bear to leave Shen Yan?"
Lin Jiang’s heart sank, and a flurry of panicked emotions rushed to her mind.
For some reason, she remembered the day they left school before the Gaokao. The look he had given her and Shen Yan—so mocking, so disdainful. She had never been able to forget it.
So, he had misunderstood after all.
Her heart felt heavy with a bitter ache. Not knowing how to explain, she said somewhat dejectedly, "Shen Yan and I are just friends."
It was a blunt, sudden explanation...
To her surprise, Jiang Weifeng let out a soft laugh. "I know."
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
绿岛 | Green Island | A bar or club name.
J&J | J&J | The name of the company Lin Jiang applied to.
幸福公寓 | Xingfu Apartments | Literally "Happiness Apartments."
芙蓉街 | Furong Street | A street name.
大润发 | RT-Mart | A large supermarket chain.
情深说话未曾讲 | Deep feelings, words left unsaid | A lyric from a Leon Lai song.
纸短情长 | The paper is short, but the affection is long | An idiom expressing that a letter is too short to convey the depth of one's feelings.
