Lin Jiang didn't have classes that day, but she wasn't idle. Before long, the plumber arrived to fix the pipes. He was skilled and finished the job in less than an hour; Lin Jiang even had him check the bathroom while he was at it. Once he left, she got back to work, staying busy until past eleven in the morning.
When she finally pulled out her phone, she realized the battery was dead. She quickly plugged it in to charge, and as soon as it powered on, she was stunned.
Twelve missed calls and seventeen WeChat messages.
All of them were from Jiang Weifeng.
Thinking it might be an emergency, she didn't even stop to read the messages and dialed his number immediately.
He picked up on the first ring.
"What happened?" she asked.
She heard him let out a long sigh of relief. "It’s nothing. I just wanted to ask how the leak at your place was handled."
A warm current surged through Lin Jiang’s heart. Feeling light as air, she flopped onto her bed while clutching the phone. "Mm, it’s all been cleaned up."
"That’s good. I hired a cleaner for you, but she said you didn't answer when she knocked earlier. I thought something had happened," Jiang Weifeng explained.
Lin Jiang froze for a second, then sat up and tapped her own forehead. "Oh, I’m so stupid. I was playing music on my speakers while I worked, so I didn't hear a thing."
Jiang Weifeng gave a low chuckle. "As long as you’re okay. I have to go now; I’m catching a flight."
"Huh?" Lin Jiang was a bit dazed.
"A sudden trip, couldn't get out of it. Shen Yan was at your place earlier, so I didn't come down to tell you in person. But I sent you a WeChat," Jiang Weifeng explained with immense patience.
Lin Jiang hurried to say, "Then get to your business. Everything is fine on my end."
Jiang Weifeng was indeed in a rush, so he said "Alright" and hung up.
Lin Jiang spent the rest of the afternoon busy.
At noon, she went back to her family home to have lunch with her grandfather and her maternal grandfather. Xu Mingjuan happened to return from the restaurant then, saying she had nothing to do that afternoon and told Lin Jiang to go tend to her own affairs.
After returning to her apartment, Lin Jiang settled down to write scripts and record audio.
Toward evening, a private message arrived:
*Miss Lin Jiang, I am an editor for the 'Tingjian' app. I’ve noticed that your station’s content is excellent and your data is steadily rising. I’d like to discuss a potential partnership with you. If you are interested, could you provide your contact information? My WeChat ID is xxx.*
Lin Jiang could hardly believe her eyes.
The "Tingjian" platform was incredibly popular—the premier radio and podcast app in the country. Hesitantly, she added the editor on WeChat.
The request was accepted almost instantly.
Lin Jiang chatted with her for a bit. The editor was professional and had a great attitude; her general intent was to sign Lin Jiang and create a new column specifically for her to host.
There were some contractual issues Lin Jiang didn't quite understand, so she called Shen Yan. He seemed busy; from the sounds of it, he was likely still with his blind date. Not wanting to be tactless, Lin Jiang quickly hung up, saying they could talk that evening.
After ending the call, she privately reviewed the situation, replied to the editor with "I'll think about it," and then got up to shower.
After showering, changing, and putting on makeup, she headed out for her appointment with Wang Jiaqian.
Zhou Wan was out on a shoot that day, but the two girls had both coincidentally been craving hotpot, so they settled on Haidilao.
Wang Jiaqian loved the tomato broth, while Lin Jiang was a natural spice-lover.
As Lin Jiang slid mutton into the pot, Wang Jiaqian’s fingers were flying across her phone screen.
"Keep playing on that phone and I’m putting all the meat in the spicy side," Lin Jiang threatened.
Without looking up, Wang Jiaqian quickly sent a voice message before snapping back to reality. "Leave some for me!"
"What’s up?" Lin Jiang asked.
Wang Jiaqian bit her lip, took a bite of a crispy pork strip, and then spoke. "So, you and Zhou Wan both figured out about me and Qin Zhao, right?"
Lin Jiang set down her chopsticks and nodded. "Since you two are together, why keep it a secret?"
"It’s not that we wanted to hide it, we just felt it wasn't the right time to say anything." Wang Jiaqian sounded listless.
"Then why bring it up yourself today? Looking at your face... did you have a fight?" Lin Jiang asked.
"Not exactly. It’s just that when I went to see a client at noon, I was reversing into the garage and I thought I saw him with a girl. They were talking and laughing." Wang Jiaqian frowned. "Ugh, I didn't actually see anything specific, but my intuition just feels... off."
Lin Jiang sighed after hearing this. "You, you probably just care about him too much. But then again, maybe all girls in love are like that."
"Are you like that too?" Wang Jiaqian pouted.
"Me?" Lin Jiang was stunned.
She thought of Jiang Weifeng, but she couldn't imagine herself acting petty or jealous. In the past, she had watched him and Zhao Siyi become the school’s "it" couple, parading around every few days. No matter how bitter she felt inside, her face had always remained indifferent, as if it had nothing to do with her. She rarely even offered an opinion when gossiping with He Lai.
For a moment, she didn't know how to respond. "I don't have much experience with that..." She reached out to scoop some meat. "This meat is almost overcooked, hurry up and eat."
"Sigh." Wang Jiaqian picked up a piece of meat, sighing again before eating it. "I knew asking you would be pointless. But with my personality, I really can't keep things bottled up. I asked Qin Zhao about it directly, and he’s been explaining it to me just now. Maybe I really am overthinking it."
Lin Jiang let out an "Ah" of surprise. "You really are direct."
Wang Jiaqian gave a frustrated sigh. "Whatever, let him be." She clearly didn't want to continue the topic.
Subconsciously, Lin Jiang didn't have a good impression of Qin Zhao. Because of this, she didn't have much contact with him and felt she couldn't pass judgment. Moreover, love is like drinking water—only the one drinking knows if it's cold or warm. As a friend, she could be a listening ear or a sounding board, and she could offer appropriate opinions, but she had no right to interfere beyond that.
An intimate relationship is a peculiar state where the bystander sees clearly but the participant is lost; it requires both tolerance and a certain degree of detachment. She had always believed this.
Seeing the girl’s frustrated expression, Lin Jiang quickly changed the subject, telling her about the potential contract with the radio app and asking for her thoughts.
As Wang Jiaqian listened, her eyes lit up, and she showered Lin Jiang with praise. "Oh, A-Jiang, I knew you could do it! Back when you used to travel, your writing was so good, and your photos were beautiful—they made me want to go on vacation myself. Now your radio station is doing so well too. It’s a pity I’ve been too busy to listen to every episode, but I really admire you!"
Lin Jiang knew her words were sincere and felt happy. "Since you’re praising me so much, I’ll give you an extra serving of shrimp paste later."
Wang Jiaqian asked again, "But I’ve listened to a few episodes, and the content all seems to be about unrequited crushes. Is that based on real life or just creative writing?"
"Well, creative work always has a mix of truth and fiction." Lin Jiang didn't intend to hide it, but she wasn't ready to say much either. "I’ll tell you about it when there’s a chance."
But how could Wang Jiaqian let her off the hook?
Hearing this, her mouth fell open in shock. "I knew something was up! I was wondering, you’ve had so many pursuers over the years, and not a single one caught your eye? Quick, tell me, who is the guy who must have saved the galaxy in his past life to deserve you?!"
Lin Jiang smiled, her expression inscrutable. "Just eat your dinner."
"Oh, come on, just tell me! You’re killing me here, how am I supposed to eat? Tell me, tell me! I promise I’ll keep it a secret!"
Wang Jiaqian was practically frantic.
Wang Jiaqian barely ate for the rest of the meal, but Lin Jiang had a good appetite.
After paying the bill and leaving Haidilao, Lin Jiang pulled Wang Jiaqian toward the elevators.
Wang Jiaqian was still beside her, relentlessly prying for details. Lin Jiang was almost ready to surrender and tell her the story. As they reached the corner leading to the elevators, Lin Jiang turned the corner a step ahead of Wang Jiaqian, laughing helplessly as she said, "Fine, I surrender—"
Before she could finish, a figure entered her field of vision. Lin Jiang’s breath hitched instantly. Her smile vanished, but luckily her reflexes were fast; she spun around and retreated behind the corner. Wang Jiaqian, following behind, nearly collided with her.
Lin Jiang’s mind went blank. She heard Wang Jiaqian grumbling, "Why are you being so reckless?" but that was the only thing she registered before everything else faded into a blur. Cold sweat broke out like a sudden downpour. She ran to the side, leaned against the wall, and crouched down.
"I think I just saw Zhang Juntao. It looked like he saw you too..."
As Wang Jiaqian spoke, Lin Jiang snapped her head up, her face deathly pale. "What? He saw me?"
Wang Jiaqian was terrified by Lin Jiang’s expression. Forgetting all about any Zhang Juntao or Li Juntao, she grabbed Lin Jiang’s shoulders.
"Lin Jiang, don't scare me! Why do you look so awful?"
Lin Jiang acted as if she hadn't heard, asking again, "Did he really see me?"
"Maybe I saw wrong. Otherwise, why wouldn't he have come over to say hello?" Wang Jiaqian replied. Upon hearing this, the taut string in Lin Jiang’s heart suddenly snapped with a *boing*. She slumped onto the floor like a pool of stagnant water.
"Should I call a doctor?"
Lin Jiang waved her off. "I’m fine. Maybe I just ate too fast and my stomach suddenly cramped. It’s better now."
Wang Jiaqian was still worried. "Can you walk? We should go get you checked out, or at least get some medicine."
Lin Jiang didn't want Wang Jiaqian to worry, but she was also afraid that if they went downstairs now, they might run into Zhang Juntao. She pointed to a nearby bench. "Help me over to that seat for a bit. I don't want to move right now."
"Okay. I’ll go get you a cup of hot water." Wang Jiaqian helped her up.
A wave of warmth flowed through Lin Jiang. "Thank you," she said.
Wang Jiaqian replied, "If you keep being this polite, I’m going to stop looking after you."
Lin Jiang leaned back and watched Wang Jiaqian bustle about.
After all the commotion, her mood remained suppressed even after she returned home that night. She had thought about calling Shen Yan, but figured he was likely satisfied with his blind date today. It wouldn't be right to disturb him so late.
As she sat on the edge of her bed dazing off, Jiang Weifeng’s call came in.
She composed herself before answering.
"Hello?"
He asked, "Have you eaten?"
Lin Jiang replied, "Yes," then asked, "And you?"
Jiang Weifeng glanced at his watch; the hour hand pointed to ten. "I finished a long time ago."
Lin Jiang gave a soft "Oh."
The two of them continued the call in a simple question-and-answer format. "Have you eaten? What did you eat? What did you do? How’s the weather?" The content wasn't romantic in the slightest, and their tones weren't particularly excited—it was just a mundane account of their day. Yet, somehow, they managed to talk for over half an hour.
It was as if humans were naturally born to waste time, as if they were born to love talking nonsense to one another.
The two of them were especially gifted at it.
The paper window pane had only just been poked through, and already the scorching summer sunlight from outside was flooding in, illuminating the secret corners of their hearts. There was nowhere left to hide.
When it was time to hang up, Jiang Weifeng called out her name. "Lin Jiang."
He loved using her full name. Lin Jiang asked softly, "Mm?"
"Today... is the first day." His voice sounded a bit distant.
Lin Jiang paused, then replied with a single word: "Mm."
There was nothing to hesitate about.
She didn't know if all girls were like her.
From the moment she fell for that person, she spent every day thinking with utter disappointment, *It’s impossible,* but she also spent every day harboring the hope, *What if?*
Whether it was "those who believe shall find love" or "ending without a result," an unrequited crush always deserved a conclusion, just like any ordinary romance.
Lin Jiang suffered from insomnia late into the night.
In just two short days, everything that had happened felt too dramatic. The thoughts swirling in her head felt very much like seasickness.
She had once suffered a severe bout of seasickness in Thailand and had sworn never to board a boat again. Later, while writing a manuscript, she had insisted on including a scene about a European cruise. She had taken a brief trip on the Rhine, from Mainz to Koblenz; the journey wasn't long, but it was profound.
It was during that trip that she realized seasickness could be a kind of romantic vertigo. The dizziness was heavy, the romance was sparse—much like the shimmering light on the Rhine: sparkling and beautiful, but impossible to scoop up.
That was exactly how she felt now.
Jiang Weifeng was that shimmering light, while Zhang Juntao was the water ghoul beneath the surface.
Beauty and ugliness had collided head-on.
How could she possibly sleep?
***
**Glossary**
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