Two rows of tall metasequoia trees stood along the roadside, their trunks straight and crowns lush green, casting dappled shadows under the warm sun, evoking a feeling of warmth and tranquility.
In the distance, a Jiefang 141 truck slowly approached. Wang Changlin, sharp-eyed from the passenger seat, spotted Wen Shiqing at once.
“Hey, A’Cheng, isn’t that your sister?”
Xie Yucheng stared ahead at the young man and woman—innocent-looking students walking shoulder to shoulder. The boy was tall and graceful, the girl slender and charming, their figures a perfect, harmonious match.
Had she really taken a liking to him? They’d only just been set up—was she already this eager to meet him out in the middle of nowhere for a date?
His fingers trembled slightly on the steering wheel, his gaze locked tightly on the two figures, his eyes dark and brooding like the gloom before a storm.
Wang Changlin, never one to shy away from stirring up trouble, remarked, “They’re already dating! See, I told you—a girl as pure and pretty as your sister won’t stay unattached for long. That young man’s quite handsome too, seems more proper than you. Who would’ve thought your sister would go for that refined, gentle type…”
Xie Yucheng’s brow lowered heavily over the corners of his eyes. He coldly averted his gaze and shifted gears. Seeing that he intended to drive off without stopping, Wang Changlin hurriedly said, “Stop, stop! Let me say hello to your sister.”
“Shut up!”
When Xie Yucheng showed no sign of stopping, Wang Changlin hastily rolled down the window and leaned halfway out, calling to Wen Shiqing, “Hey, Shi Qing, what a coincidence!”
Wen Shiqing had noticed the truck earlier but hadn’t expected it to be Wang Changlin. Smiling, she waved back. “Brother Chang Lin, what are you doing here?””
Xie Yucheng slammed on the brakes abruptly. Wang Changlin’s head knocked against the window frame, and he muttered a low curse. “You sly bastard, no wonder your sister doesn’t fancy you.”
Only then did Wen Shiqing glance toward the driver’s seat, her heart skipping a beat.
The door swung open, and Wang Changlin hopped out, grinning mischievously. “So, you’re out here on a date?”
His words immediately flustered Zhou Chen, who stood beside her. Shi Qing quickly waved her hands in denial. “No, no! We’re having a class reunion today—everyone’s around here.”
The silver watch chain on her wrist caught Wang Changlin’s eye. A Shanghai brand watch?
He chuckled inwardly. So that was the watch box he’d seen in the dorm that day—meant for her, huh?
Someone’s being a stubborn mule, refusing to admit it.
Wang Changlin’s gaze drifted thoughtfully between Shi Qing and Zhou Chen.
Xie Yucheng got out of the truck, irritably lit a cigarette, and leaned against the door, watching them.
Through the hazy white smoke, the girl’s face appeared clear and soft. Flecks of sunlight filtered through the branches, catching on her dark, silky hair, making her fair complexion seem especially sweet and well-behaved.
The watch fit perfectly around her slender, pale wrist—delicate and lovely, enhancing her elegant, unworldly charm. At least the money hadn’t been wasted.
She stood beside the boy, smiling warmly, her sparkling eyes seeming to hold stars.
The smoke filled his lungs, bitter and sharp. The man’s eyelashes fluttered faintly as he looked away.
“Brother Chang Lin, whose truck is this?””
Wang Changlin jerked his chin toward Xie Yucheng, a smirk playing on his lips. “Your brother bought it—a Jiefang 141. What do you think? Your brother’s an independent boss now. You’d better hold onto him tight—once he makes money, he’ll buy you sweets.”
Wen Shiqing glanced over at the man standing not far away. He stood quietly, head slightly bowed, black strands of hair falling over his forehead. The lines of his profile were sharp and distinct—his nose bridge straight, jaw firm—his entire demeanor detached and aloof.
“Aren’t you going to introduce us?” Wang Changlin gestured toward Wen Shiqing.
“Oh, this is Zhou Chen, my high school classmate. Zhou Chen, this is Brother Chang Lin, and that one over there is Brother Yucheng—you’ve met him before.”
Zhou Chen was very polite, greeting each of them in turn.
Wen Shiqing asked Wang Changlin, “He… wasn’t he driving for the factory?”
“He quit his job at the factory. Your brother is now a self-employed boss, taking on whatever work he wants. Much freer than being stuck in the factory.”
Quit his job? Wen Shiqing’s eyes widened in shock.
That state-owned factory job was Xie Guoli’s greatest pride—stable and respectable in their eyes. If Xie Guoli found out he’d quit, who knew what kind of storm would erupt.
Xie Yucheng tossed his cigarette butt to the ground, crushed it under his heel, and called out to Wang Changlin with a furrowed brow, “Are we leaving or not?”
Wang Changlin flashed a roguish smile and said to Shi Qing, “Have fun, little sister. We’re heading out now.”
“Okay.”
Just as Wang Changlin reached the car, Xie Yucheng suddenly remembered something. Striding over to Wen Shiqing, he pulled her aside with one hand, leaned down, and threatened in her ear:
“Keep your mouth shut. I don’t want the family to know about this, or else… you know what’ll happen.”
“I won’t say anything,” Wen Shiqing said solemnly.
The man glanced sideways at Zhou Chen and sneered, “And another thing—date if you want, but don’t get pregnant before marriage. Otherwise, everyone will be pointing fingers at our family.”
The words were so crude that Wen Shiqing’s face instantly flushed red, shame and anger making her spine tremble.
She forced herself to stay calm, slightly turning her head, when her lips accidentally brushed against the man’s cheek. Both of them froze for a moment.
That soft, cool touch grazed Xie Yucheng’s skin, and his heart skipped a beat.
Wen Shiqing remembered when Xie Yucheng was dating in high school—she was still in sixth grade at the time. She’d seen him with a pretty older girl several times; the girl would hold his hand and cling to his arm, acting coy.
One evening, Wen Shiqing asked Xie Yucheng, “Are you and that sister going to get married?”
Xie Yucheng replied, “Kids shouldn’t meddle in grown-up business.”
Later, after Xie Yucheng started working, matchmakers often came to the house to set him up with girls—this family’s daughter, that family’s girl, each one prettier than the last.
The adults urged him to take the girls out, and Wen Shiqing would quietly follow behind. She saw her brother buy soda for one sister, watched them sit by the river watching the sunset.
To this day, Wen Shiqing still remembered how beautiful that sunset was—the afterglow spreading across the sky, dyeing the clouds orange-red, the color quietly transferring to that sister’s face.
Xie Yucheng was always mysterious, never wanting the family to know his business. Who he dated, where he went—he never voluntarily shared any of it.
Only once, Wen Shiqing overheard Xie Guoli tell him: “Date if you want, but don’t get some girl pregnant before marriage. You’d be embarrassing me.”
Wen Shiqing deduced that he must have quite the romantic history—a true libertine.
Whenever she thought about these things, the bitterness in Wen Shiqing’s heart felt like peeling an orange—juice bursting forth, splashing a few drops into her eyes, making them want to cry.
Now, clutching the hem of her clothes tightly, she restrained her emotions. Her red lips parted slightly, and her soft words fell on Xie Yucheng’s ears like a thunderclap from a clear sky:
“We’re in a proper relationship, just stealing a few kisses and holding hands. You should worry about yourself, brother. Don’t end up getting some woman pregnant who then shows up at your door demanding responsibility. We’d all be shamed because of you.”
Xie Yucheng stood frozen for a long moment before letting out a cold sneer. His brows carried a chilling coldness like winter icebergs. After staring at her for a few seconds, he turned, got in the car, and sped away with a stomp on the accelerator.
The Liberation 141 truck raced off, kicking up dust from the dirt road. Zhou Chen instinctively pulled Wen Shiqing in front of him, using his shirt to shield her.
Inside the vehicle, both men withdrew their gazes from the rearview mirror simultaneously. Wang Changlin sighed softly, “Looks like little sister is serious this time. You can cry now.”
Xie Yucheng pressed his thin lips tightly together, his face as dark as the bottom of a pot. His mind kept replaying those words: stealing a few kisses and holding hands…
Damn.
The truck sped wildly down the road, flying past the metasequoia trees on both sides.
Wang Changlin grabbed the overhead handle tightly and cursed, “Damn you! Even if we’re testing performance today, you don’t need to drive this fast! I haven’t married yet and don’t want to die now. Don’t drag me to my death just because you got your heart broken!”