He Ji Tong hung up the phone and returned to the room.
This was the basement of Chi Yan’s house, converted into a game room and home theatre.
Chi Yan’s house was relatively comfortable here—at least it wasn’t as eerie.
He walked over and nudged the person lying lazily on the sofa playing games. “You’re really not going?” he asked.
Chi Yan eliminated the last sliver of health from the opposing character without even looking up. “She didn’t invite me. You can go with her yourself.”
“True,” He Ji Tong rubbed his chin and climbed onto the remark. “She added me on WeChat first and only added you ‘by the way.’ Guess I can’t help being better looking than you.”
Chi Yan sneered, not bothering to argue. “Behave tomorrow. She’s still underage. Stop acting like such a show-off.”
“Please, you think I’d actually be that indecent? Besides, her grandma’s coming too.”
At that, Chi Yan finally looked up. “Gu Jia Nian’s grandma is coming too?”
“Yeah, which is why I want you to come along. Her grandma has trouble walking, and I can’t handle both a kid and an elder on my own.”
“You already made an exception and went out with her to the hospital. One time leads to another,” He Ji Tong grumbled. “I was hoping to squeeze in some time to play King of Fighters too.”
Chi Yan was silent for a moment, then tossed another controller to him. “If you win this round, I’ll go.”
He Ji Tong: “…”
“Why don’t you just flat-out refuse? Why humiliate me in the process?”
He hadn’t won a single match all night.
“Stop whining. Just say if you’re coming or not.”
“…Fine.”
Seething, He Ji Tong sat down to play.
Two minutes later, he stared at his hands in disbelief, then erupted in joy. “I actually won? Have I improved, or have you gotten worse?”
Chi Yan threw the controller aside, stretched, and stood up. There wasn’t a trace of frustration on his face despite losing. “Alright, since that’s the case, I’ll reluctantly go with you tomorrow.”
Still basking in his victory, He Ji Tong felt something was off after a moment.
Chi Yan had clearly changed his mind after hearing Gu Jia Nian’s grandma was coming along.
He Ji Tong’s smile instantly fell. “…You didn’t lose to me on purpose, did you?”
As he spoke, his mind began to race.
Why was Chi Yan so considerate toward Gu Jia Nian’s grandma?
Chi Yan wasn’t biologically related to his grandfather.
Grandpa Chi had been single his whole life and only adopted Chi Yan’s father in middle age.
Rumour had it he had an unforgettable first love in his youth, which was why he never married. And last time, Gu Jia Nian mentioned her grandma and Chi Yan’s grandpa were old acquaintances.
Piecing the clues together, He Ji Tong felt like he’d stumbled upon an earth-shattering gossip bomb. He covered his mouth excitedly. “Could Gu Jia Nian’s grandma be your grandpa’s unforgettable first love?”
Chi Yan: “…”
His cousin wasn’t academically inclined but was unmatched when it came to gossip.
Seeing no rebuttal, He Ji Tong confirmed his guess. “This is huge! No wonder you’re so nice to Jia Nian, letting her study at your house and even going out of your way to take her to the hospital.”
Chi Yan ignored him.
Still exhilarated, He Ji Tong leaned closer. “Spill the details! How did they fall for each other? Why did your grandpa get dumped? Or did he let her down?”
“You have time to gossip but not to practice? Your gaming is so bad it’s boring even when I let you win.”
Tired of his chatter, Chi Yan got up and headed upstairs.
“Where are you going?” He Ji Tong called after him.
“To sleep. Don’t we have to wake up at five tomorrow?”
Chi Yan frowned, sighing incredulously. “Five… Kids and elders are going to take over the world someday.”
The next morning, the sky was still a pale blue.
Gu Jia Nian stood under the grape trellis, supporting her grandma, watching as the orange car lights pierced through the morning mist and pulled into the courtyard.
When the car stopped, Chi Yan got out, opened the back door, and helped her grandma into the car.
Gu Jia Nian sneaked a glance at him.
He was wearing a thin white hoodie today, without his usual baseball cap. The morning breeze tousled his hair, revealing a fresh, clean forehead.
He looked oddly similar to his sixteen or seventeen-year-old self in old photos.
Except for the weariness in his eyes.
Gu Jia Nian couldn’t imagine how He Ji Tong managed to persuade him to get up at five and join them for the early market.
After helping Grandma settle in and folding her cane at her feet, Chi Yan exchanged a few words with her before turning to Gu Jia Nian.
She noticed his gaze first fell on her face, then slowly moved down to her canvas shoes.
She straightened instinctively as he asked, “Your foot’s healed?”
Gu Jia Nian nodded. “Yes, the stitches were removed a few days ago.”
“Good.” Chi Yan raised an eyebrow, opened the passenger door, and climbed in with long strides. “Then you can get in yourself.”
So he was considering whether to help her.
Stunned for a moment, Gu Jia Nian slowly walked around the car and got in through the other door. But for some reason, she felt a bit regretful.
She should have said it wasn’t fully healed yet—the scar still itched, after all.
Shaking her head, she quickly dismissed such a shameful thought.
The car stopped at the parking lot at the entrance to the small town.
The dawn sky was a muted gray-blue, and the streetlights on both sides of the road were still lit. Yet, the three intersecting streets of the town were already packed with people.
The usually desolate streets were now filled with a variety of stalls.
Fresh produce freshly picked from the fields, homemade noodle dishes, various stationery, books, and quirky toys…
People at the market moved slowly, stopping here and there, their pace hindered by the crowd.
The throng reminded Gu Jia Nian of the subway stations and bustling commercial districts of Beilin.
But this felt entirely different—there were no neatly labelled storefronts, only simple, friendly shouts of vendors calling out their goods.
He Ji Tong got out of the car, his eyes lighting up at the sight of a roadside barbecue stall shrouded in smoke. “So lively!”
He was about to dive into the crowd when Grandma stopped him with her hand.
Leaning on her cane, she led them mysteriously through a small alley behind the street and entered a rice shop through its back door.
The shop owner greeted Grandma warmly, watching them with a smile as they exited through the front door.
From the rice shop, they took a couple of more turns through narrow alleys and bypassed the crowded main entrance, emerging directly onto the main street.
Despite the throng of people, the four of them found a leisurely spot at a long table outside a breakfast stall and ordered four bowls of wontons.
The table was already partially occupied.
This was Gu Jia Nian’s first time sharing a table with strangers. Grandma sat at the spacious end, while she and He Ji Tong sat side by side.
Chi Yan sat across from them, separated by two strangers.
In the countryside, people seemed to have no social barriers. Someone started talking, and soon, the table of strangers was engaged in lively conversation.
Gu Jia Nian’s northern accent quickly made her the centre of attention.
She answered several questions, such as where she was from, why she was in Yunmo, and how long she planned to stay.
It felt like meeting fellow travellers on a journey—lighthearted chats about unrelated topics.
Except for Chi Yan.
In the midst of the chatter, Gu Jia Nian glanced in his direction.
Surrounded by strangers, he sat with his head down, playing a game.
His long lashes shadowed his eyes, which carried a detached, indifferent air, as though he were surrounded by an invisible wall.
A fashionable girl sitting nearby frequently glanced at him and even whistled.
Chi Yan frowned, quickly pulling up the hood of his sweatshirt.
Gu Jia Nian couldn’t help but think of his cheerful demeanour back in middle school, laughing and joking with his friends. The contrast stirred a faint ache in her chest.
She couldn’t stop herself from wanting to know more about him.
But how had his personality changed so drastically over six or seven years?
It was like he had become a completely different person.
Gu Jia Nian’s gaze lingered on him, unable to pull away.
She hadn’t seen him in over ten days. Though she had resolved to give up, seeing him now, she couldn’t suppress the flutter in her heart.
Suddenly, she came to terms with her feelings. So be it.
The future could wait. For now, she simply couldn’t stop liking him.
After all, having a secret crush wasn’t a crime.
She felt a weight lift from her chest and turned to ask He Ji Tong, “Brother Ji Tong, why are you in Yunmo these past two days?”
Propping his chin on his hand, He Ji Tong tilted his head. “I’m here to keep an eye on someone.”
He gestured subtly toward Chi Yan.
Gu Jia Nian followed his gaze. Chi Yan was still engrossed in his phone.
She asked softly, “…Why do you need to keep an eye on him?”
He Ji Tong shrugged. “To make sure he finishes his manuscript. His work ethic is terrible. He’s rewritten the opening of his new book more than a dozen times, saying he’s not satisfied and wants to start over. Honestly, I think he’s just procrastinating.”
“Oh…” Gu Jia Nian mulled over his words before hesitantly asking, “Um… Brother Ji Tong, can you tell me Chi Yan’s pen name?”
He Ji Tong, wiping his hands with a napkin, turned to her with a playful look. “Why are you so curious?”
Avoiding his gaze, Gu Jia Nian reached for the chopsticks and replied casually, “Not really. It’s just that I used to read Qing Yan, so maybe I’ve come across his writing.”
“Why not ask him yourself?” He Ji Tong teased, smirking. “You’re not… too shy, are you?”
Gu Jia Nian nodded honestly.
He Ji Tong burst into exaggerated laughter, his shoulders shaking until their wontons arrived.
Even in the noisy environment, his laughter stood out.
Chi Yan glanced up from his phone, his gaze shifting between the two of them as if watching a pair of idiots.
He Ji Tong grinned and mouthed at him, “Vampire!”
Chi Yan’s handsome brows furrowed even deeper.
Grandma’s recommended wonton shop lived up to its reputation. The portions were generous—more than enough for one person.
These southern-style wontons were unlike anything Gu Jia Nian had eaten before. The wrappers were thin, and the filling was minimal. But the broth, enriched with seaweed, dried shrimp, and pickled mustard greens, was incredibly flavourful.
Her appetite was fully unleashed, and she finished an entire bowl in one go.
She ate so much that her brow unfurrowed, sweat beaded on her temples, and all her earlier frustrations seemed to melt away.
Only after finishing did she realize she had overeaten. She’d been so focused on eating that she hadn’t said a word and had even outpaced everyone at the table.
Luckily, everyone else was busy chatting while eating and hadn’t noticed her.
Gu Jia Nian glanced at Chi Yan again.
Perhaps because it was so early, he seemed to have no appetite. His bowl of wontons remained mostly untouched.
His face, partially obscured by the steam from the wontons, revealed no emotion.
He must have been annoyed at being dragged out to the market so early.
She hadn’t expected him to come.
As she pondered, their eyes met unexpectedly.
There was no escape. Awkwardly but politely, she gave him a small smile.
Chi Yan frowned, trying to decipher the meaning behind her tentative smile.
Recalling how she had been staring at his wontons earlier, he glanced at her empty bowl.
It was spotless, even the broth gone.
Chi Yan set his spoon down, guessing she had been too shy to ask for more.
This kid, so young but already carrying so much self-consciousness.
Moments later, Gu Jia Nian saw him, with an air of magnanimity, reach across the table. His long arm stretched over several strangers as he pushed his bowl of wontons toward her.
“If you want more, just say so. Don’t look at me like that.”
As soon as he spoke, everyone at the table turned to look, their gazes following the “wontons that crossed mountains and seas” before settling on Gu Jia Nian’s face.
The farmer sitting next to her gave her a big thumbs-up. “Northern girls are amazing. You look so delicate but eat like a champ. Eating well is a blessing!”
Gu Jia Nian: “…”
Author’s Note:
Northern girls: We’re not taking the blame for this one!
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