Lin Jiang steadied her nerves and walked toward the apartment entrance at a measured pace. She swiped her card to enter the main gate, and as she turned into the building, she caught a glimpse of the open space in the distance out of the corner of her eye. The car had just started to pull away.
A gust of wind swept past, carrying away the lingering traces of warmth on her face. For the first time, Lin Jiang experienced what could only be described as "sage time"—a moment of profound, detached clarity.
When the elevator arrived, she stepped inside leisurely. Just then, Xu Mingjuan called to ask if she had arrived.
"Mm," Lin Jiang replied, her mind heavy with thoughts.
It was noisy on Xu Mingjuan’s end. Lin Wei seemed to be helping her maternal grandfather with his bath and was asking which pajamas to change into. Xu Mingjuan didn't have time for him; her focus was entirely on Lin Jiang. "Him—when did you meet him?"
"An old classmate," Lin Jiang said, her heart skipping a beat.
"He’s quite handsome, and tall too..." Xu Mingjuan murmured.
Lin Jiang smiled. "You should stop worrying about other people. Isn't worrying about me enough?"
"I’m not worrying about other people; I’m worrying about *you*."
Xu Mingjuan sighed. Lin Jiang’s smile slowly froze on her lips. Fortunately, Lin Wei started talking again on the other end, allowing Xu Mingjuan to change the subject. "Alright, go home and get some rest. I’ll go see what your father wants."
Lin Jiang happened to be swiping her card to open her door. She replied with a quick "Okay," then walked straight to the bedroom and threw herself heavily onto the bed.
Outside the window, the city lights twinkled. By now, the sky was truly pitch black.
In the depths of the night, there were always places of revelry and neon-lit glamour.
Jiang Weifeng was hidden within this bustle, having already downed three glasses of wine.
Gu Xiang studied him for a moment before speaking. "What’s the situation?"
Jiang Weifeng gave him a lukewarm glance but said nothing.
"No, really, what’s this about? Usually, I’m the one clinging to you, dragging you out to play. What happened today? Suddenly calling on me in the middle of the night?" Gu Xiang leaned closer to Jiang Weifeng and clapped a hand on the man’s shoulder.
"Do you remember 38.6°C?" Jiang Weifeng took another sip of wine. He paused for a long moment before finally speaking.
Now it was Gu Xiang’s turn to hesitate. He searched his memory thoroughly before his eyes widened. "Oh," he exclaimed. "What, are you reminiscing about your youth?"
Jiang Weifeng narrowed his eyes. "I think I found her."
"Whoa." Gu Xiang swallowed hard, his voice thick with surprise. "It’s been seven or eight years, hasn't it? That’s quite the twist of fate."
Jiang Weifeng gave a dry chuckle. "Not really."
"Wait, who is she? Is she pretty?" Gu Xiang was getting excited.
Jiang Weifeng didn't care to entertain him.
But Gu Xiang was relentless. "Look at you, acting like this. What, is she so good-looking that she’s got your 'spring fever' stirring?"
Hearing this, Jiang Weifeng recalled the scene in the car from earlier. His heart felt a restless itch.
It turned out that a single spark really could start a prairie fire.
He picked up a cigarette and a lighter from the table. After flicking the flame, he flashed Gu Xiang a heartless, brilliant grin.
"Get lost."
***
For the next few days, Lin Jiang was very busy.
After his fall, her maternal grandfather had limited mobility, and her paternal grandfather’s health had yet to fully recover, so he also required care. To make matters worse, Lin Wei had to go on an urgent business trip for his company. This left only Xu Mingjuan, who had to juggle looking after the elderly and running the restaurant; she was truly stretched thin.
Lin Jiang didn't know much about the restaurant business, so the task of caring for the grandfathers naturally fell to her.
During those days, aside from her time spent with students during substitute teaching, the people she saw most were the two old men at home.
One afternoon, Lin Jiang finished editing a radio script and emerged from her bedroom with her hair tied up messily.
In the living room, her maternal grandfather was on the phone with someone, his face flushed with a joyful smile. Her paternal grandfather was lying in a rocking chair, listening to a news broadcast.
Lin Jiang walked over and tapped on the dining table, asking the two of them, "Mom didn't leave any food today. Should we order takeout?"
As soon as she finished speaking, a metaphorical row of silent crows flew overhead.
Neither of them paid her any attention.
Just as she was rubbing her forehead in exasperation, the doorbell rang. Lin Jiang hurried to open it. "Who is it?"
"Me," a familiar male voice replied.
"It’s the middle of the day. What are you doing here?"
Lin Jiang stepped aside to let Shen Yan into the house.
Shen Yan smiled and waved his hands in front of Lin Jiang’s eyes. "I won't change my shoes, okay?"
"Wait, do you have foresight, or do you have an inside informant? You knew there was no food at my house, so you brought lunch yourself?" Lin Jiang tilted her head and took the items from Shen Yan’s hands. A quick look inside showed a full spread of meat and vegetable dishes.
"Eh? How did you get here so fast?" Her paternal grandfather had sat up from his rocking chair at some point. Seeing Shen Yan, he seemed a bit dazed, not quite processing it yet.
"I happened to have nothing going on at the firm, so I came straight over to spend more time with the grandfathers." Shen Yan headed for the kitchen to get plates, acting as if he were in his own home.
The maternal grandfather also finished his call. Before even putting his phone down, he turned and saw Shen Yan, looking startled. "Eh? Why are you here?"
The paternal grandfather quickly replied, "What do you mean, why is he here? I called him, of course."
"Grandpa, I brought you some food," Shen Yan answered with a smile as he transferred the dishes onto plates.
Lin Jiang hadn't quite figured out the situation, so she stood to the side with her arms crossed, watching the scene unfold.
The paternal grandfather waved his hand at the maternal grandfather. "A-Yan sent me a text this morning asking how I was feeling. I chatted with him for a bit. A-Yan found out Xiaojuan didn't leave us any food, so he made a special trip." Explaining this, the paternal grandfather nodded seriously at Shen Yan, then asked the maternal grandfather, "A-Yan is such a good boy, don't you think so?"
Lin Jiang twitched her lips but didn't quite manage a smile.
The maternal grandfather frowned, a sentence stuck in his throat—neither spat out nor swallowed.
"Grandpa, you’re praising me so much I’m getting embarrassed. It’s just a small favor. Lin Jiang doesn't know how to cook, and you two haven't fully recovered yet. Eating takeout isn't good for your health," Shen Yan said as he poured out the last dish.
Lin Jiang went to the kitchen to get bowls and chopsticks. As she passed Shen Yan, she made a face at him. After doing so, she suddenly remembered something and asked, "You said takeout is bad, so where did this food come from?"
Shen Yan scratched his head. "I called my mom and asked her to make it."
"..."
Lin Jiang couldn't help but gape. "Huh?"
She muttered under her breath, "Then why did you come all this way? You could have just let Auntie Jing bring it over..."
The paternal grandfather got excited again. "What? You mean two old men eating a meal put your mother to so much trouble..." As he spoke, he began to sigh apologetically.
"A-Yan, why did you go to all this trouble? We’re just a few floors apart, yet you made a special trip..." The maternal grandfather slowly rose from the sofa and shuffled toward the dining table.
Lin Jiang hurried to support him. The maternal grandfather spoke hesitantly, "I didn't know you were coming ahead of time. In a little while... I actually invited a guest."
"What guest?" As soon as the words left his mouth, both the paternal grandfather and Lin Jiang were stunned.
The maternal grandfather grew a bit anxious. "Oh, you know, Xiao Jiang. I was just on the phone with him..."
His voice grew smaller and smaller.
"I have to say, why would you invite someone over now? We’re just two old fogies, and Lin Jiang can't cook. How are we supposed to host him?" The paternal grandfather frowned deeply upon hearing this.
"No, Xiao Jiang doesn't mind that..."
The two old men began to bicker.
However, Lin Jiang felt as if her brain had exploded with a loud *buzz*.
While waiting for him, she was so nervous her mind went blank and her face became expressionless. It wasn't until ten minutes later, when Jiang Weifeng entered the door looking a bit travel-worn, that Lin Jiang’s inner world began to churn.
Jiang Weifeng had also brought food, packed in insulated containers. Once opened, the dishes were perfect in color, aroma, and taste.
"Don't you think we have a bit of telepathy?" Shen Yan crossed his arms and glanced at the food, laughing. "The dishes that could overlap have all overlapped. They're practically identical."
Jiang Weifeng curled his lip. "There are only so many dishes suitable for the elderly."
"It’s been many years. Want to play some ball when you're free?" Shen Yan smiled.
"Sure," Jiang Weifeng said lazily. "I haven't played in a long time."
The two of them chatted quite cordially.
The two grandfathers looked at each other, unable to get a word in. "You two know each other?"
Shen Yan and Jiang Weifeng looked at each other upon hearing this, then simultaneously looked at Lin Jiang. Lin Jiang swallowed a mouthful of rice before she had a chance to chew it properly. She spoke haltingly, "We... we went to the same high school."
"What a coincidence! It really is fate." The two old men sighed and began to cheer up.
The meal was eaten with everyone harboring their own thoughts.
Afterward, as Lin Jiang cleared the dishes, the maternal grandfather pulled Jiang Weifeng to the balcony to look at potted landscapes, while the paternal grandfather held his phone and peppered Shen Yan with questions.
Later, Shen Yan had to return to the firm for some business.
Lin Jiang picked up his car keys from the coffee table and handed them to him. "Drive safely."
Shen Yan smiled brightly. "I will."
The moment he turned around, he glanced inside at Jiang Weifeng on the balcony. At the exact moment Jiang Weifeng looked up, their eyes met.
In the next second, they both looked away with practiced indifference.
Lin Jiang didn't see any of this. She closed the door and looked at Jiang Weifeng standing next to her maternal grandfather, feeling a bit uneasy.
After a moment's thought, she asked, "Are you busy later?"
Jiang Weifeng hesitated for a second before looking at her. "Are you asking me?" He frowned as if considering something, then said, "I actually have the whole day off today."
He walked closer to her and explained, "I moved today. I thought it would take all day, but who knew it would be done in half a day."
Lin Jiang pursed her lips, but before she could speak, her maternal grandfather beat her to it. "You moved? Why didn't I hear you mention it on the phone? Moving is so exhausting. I should have had Lin Jiang go and help you. How could I let you make another trip just to see an old man like me?"
"Exactly, Xiao Jiang. You saved Lin Jiang’s grandfather once before. If I’d known you were moving, I wouldn't have let Shen Yan come over. You’re classmates; it would have been great if he’d taken Lin Jiang along to help you tidy up." The paternal grandfather spoke with total sincerity.
Jiang Weifeng’s eyes darkened.
Lin Jiang felt his gaze on her.
"Um, if you’re busy, you should head back first." Amidst the back-and-forth of the two old men, she found an opening to interject.
Jiang Weifeng’s gaze darkened further, though she didn't see it this time.
Lin Jiang only heard the smile in Jiang Weifeng’s voice as he said, "Alright. Walk me out."
Five minutes later, Lin Jiang and Jiang Weifeng stood in silence inside the elevator.
When the elevator reached the fifth floor, someone pushed a cart inside, piled high with cargo boxes. Lin Jiang was squeezed into a corner of the elevator, with Jiang Weifeng standing right next to her on the outside.
The scent on him—a mix of faint tobacco and the freshness of rain and dew—wrapped around her like an airtight net.
She had nowhere to run.
***
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
38.6℃ | 38.6°C | A romantic metaphor often used in Chinese web novels to represent the "temperature of love" or love at first sight.
贤者时间 | Sage time | Internet slang (originally from Japanese 'kenja taimu') referring to a period of calm, clarity, or emotional detachment following intense stimulation or stress.
小江 | Xiao Jiang | A polite and affectionate way to address Jiang Weifeng, using his surname and the prefix "Little."
静姨 | Auntie Jing | Shen Yan's mother. "Auntie" is a respectful address for a woman of one's parents' generation.
阿宴 | A-Yan | An affectionate nickname for Shen Yan, using the prefix "A-".
