“Okay.”
Jiang Xu watched as the furrow in Liang Xiaoqing’s brow slowly smoothed out. That single, simple word seemed capable of making her look even happier.
Liang Xiaoqing patted her shoulder, took her hand, and led her up the stairs. As they climbed, she chattered cheerfully: “Don’t worry, just think of this place as your own home. If you’re missing anything, just tell me, and we’ll go down to town to buy it.”
Her footsteps on the stairs grew lighter and springier to match her increasingly upbeat tone.
Liang Xiaoqing led Jiang Xu up to the third floor and turned down the left corridor. The room at the very end was her living quarters.
From fishing out the keys to unlocking the door, Liang Xiaoqing kept talking nonstop. Once inside, she pointed out where the kitchen was, where the bathroom was, and where they would be sleeping.
It was a cozy, compact apartment meant for one person, allowing the entire layout to be taken in at a single glance: a living room in the middle, a kitchen on the left, and a bedroom on the right. Hanging over the bedroom doorway was a tinkling beaded curtain made of some unknown material that looked quite charming.
At the back of the living room was a narrow balcony holding a few potted plants.
Every room was equipped with a simple electric lightbulb.
Back then, household appliances weren’t common yet, and simply owning a television was proof that a family had money. Jiang Xu’s family had one only because Jiang Lun had casually mentioned how nice it would be to have a TV at home.
Jiang Xu had never left her township and had no idea what life in the city was like. In an era when electrical appliances were far from widespread, Liang Xiaoqing—a middle school teacher at Shuiqing Middle School actually had a television set in her dormitory, alongside an electric refrigerator the likes of which Jiang Xu had never even seen before.
Although Liang Xiaoqing later explained that they were all semi-new second-hand items, it still left Jiang Xu, who had just arrived at her home, utterly shocked.
After going over everything and explaining how things worked, Liang Xiaoqing had Jiang Xu sit on the sofa.
“Jiang Xu, just have a seat for a bit. If you want water, pour it yourself—see, the kettle is right over there. And the cups are on the coffee table.” Liang Xiaoqing pointed to the spot where the kettle was kept next to the sofa, then picked up Jiang Xu’s cloth bundle and walked into the bedroom.
Naturally, Jiang Xu didn’t drink any water; she would rather stay thirsty. Having just arrived in an unfamiliar environment, she sat perched stiffly on the edge of the sofa, gripping the hem of her shirt.
Movement occasionally drifted from the bedroom. Jiang Xu glanced through the doorway, catching glimpses of Liang Xiaoqing’s silhouette passing by. Whenever Liang Xiaoqing gently brushed aside the beaded curtain, the beads chimed together, sounding like scattering jade.
She fixed her gaze on the swaying beaded curtain, listening to the patter that sounded like falling raindrops.
Liang Xiaoqing likely didn’t treat her like an outsider and didn’t mind having an extra person suddenly added to the apartment. Every now and then, crisp, melodic sounds echoed from behind the curtain. Listening to them, Jiang Xu remained completely still. The sounds continued for a long time—so long that Jiang Xu eventually drifted off into sleepiness.
She remembered how at home, even sleeping was something she couldn’t entirely decide for herself; the moment Wang Cai woke up, she had to get out of bed too. Accustomed to staying constantly on guard even at home, she now leaned against the soft sofa—having never experienced such softness before—telling herself she would just close her eyes for a brief moment.
Whether it was because the sofa was too soft or for some other reason, her heavy head slowly nodded off, sinking deeper into the cushions. Her consciousness gradually blurred, and she felt as though she were floating on a cloud.
Something gently stroked her head, the touch impossibly light. She instinctively nuzzled against it, curling her body into a small, tight ball. The familiar fragrance lingered constantly at the tip of her nose, making her feel safe, yet momentarily hazy and disoriented about where she was.
The tightly wound string in her mind slowly relaxed. If she could truly be in a safe, reliable environment where no one rushed her to wake up at a certain hour in the morning, where there were no sounds of Jiang Dagao beating and cursing her and Wang Cai, and where her body was free of bruises large and small then perhaps she would actually be able to get a proper night’s sleep.
Jiang Xu was exhausted, so exhausted that she hadn’t slept well in a very long time.
“Jiang Xu. Jiang Xu. Wake up…”
Someone seemed to be calling her. Finding the voice somewhat familiar, Jiang Xu forced herself to drag her mind out of her dream and opened her eyes. The surroundings were no longer bathed in bright light; instead, a hazy darkness surrounded her.
A blurred silhouette was outlined within the dim shadows—a person sitting right beside her. Jiang Xu’s heart suddenly hammered against her ribs. She bolted upright with a start, only to tumble straight off the sofa and land squarely on the floor with a solid thud.
The unexpected pain wrung a tiny whimper from her throat. Her eyes blinked, her vision swam with moisture, and the sudden hurt almost made her cry.
“Are you okay?”
The high-pitched voice made Jiang Xu realize who was sitting right in front of her. The acute tension of her tightly strung nerves gave way to a wave of breathless exhaustion. The tears wrung out by the pain still clung to her eyelashes as she sat in a daze on the floor, looking entirely uncomprehending.
Rapid footsteps sounded beside her ear.
With a soft click, the room flooded with a warm, amber glow that chased away the darkness. Only then did Jiang Xu see that a small blanket had been draped over her and it had tumbled down to the floor right along with her.
Liang Xiaoqing, who had just flicked on the light near the entryway, hurried over in two strides, crouching down to help her up. “Did you hurt yourself anywhere?”
Close enough to touch, the soft light fell across the woman’s slender, fragile shoulders.
Liang Xiaoqing had changed into comfortable loungewear, and her hair had been washed too—half-dry, spilling loosely across her shoulders. A stray lock lingered in the hollow of her neck, the wet tips catching a glossy sheen that made her fair skin look even more porcelain. The delicate, subtle fragrance she exuded comforted the soul.
This was someone else’s home, a place completely unfamiliar to her, yet it was a space where she could actually sleep soundly.
Worried about her, the woman leaned in remarkably close.
Jiang Xu shook her head and whispered, “No.”
Still looking unconvinced, Liang Xiaoqing reached out and rested her hand on Jiang Xu’s head, giving it a habitual, affectionate rub while gently smoothing down the bangs across Jiang Xu’s forehead.
“It’s already seven o’clock in the evening. You’ve been sleeping since morning, and I didn’t wake you up. But since you skipped lunch and haven’t had dinner either, your stomach is going to be growling in a bit, so…”
Liang Xiaoqing explained patiently. Seeing Jiang Xu looking still half-asleep and dazed, she found it somewhat amusing, her voice softening even further. “You really need to eat something now, you know?”
The amber light enveloped Jiang Xu as well. Awake now, she looked far better than the exhausted state she had been in that morning. To avoid disturbing Jiang Xu’s rest, Liang Xiaoqing hadn’t even turned on the main living room light. A young girl of Jiang Xu’s age should ideally be well-fed and well-rested, but judging by her earlier state, Jiang Xu clearly hadn’t been getting enough sleep.
Liang Xiaoqing had let Jiang Xu sleep, but the way the girl had startled awake had given her quite a fright. Perhaps being in a completely new environment made Jiang Xu uneasy.
“Jiang Xu, don’t worry,” she soothed.
Her reassurance didn’t seem to work. Jiang Xu kept her head lowered, curling inward.
“I’ll protect you.” Liang Xiaoqing’s fingers gently brushed just beneath Jiang Xu’s eyes, wiping away her stray tears.
Jiang Xu finally reacted, lifting her head to look at her with wide, blinking eyes.
Liang Xiaoqing pulled her hand back and asked tentatively, “Did you have a nightmare?”
Jiang Xu nodded, then lowered her head once more.
Liang Xiaoqing let out a quiet sigh of relief and didn’t press further.
In truth, she had worried that Jiang Xu might be upset. Although she had discussed Jiang Xu’s situation with Wang Cai yesterday, to Jiang Xu it might feel like an arbitrary decision made behind her back and more importantly, having a stranger suddenly injected into her life would inevitably leave her flustered.
Fortunately, Jiang Xu was very sensible. Liang Xiaoqing stood up and reached out to pull her to her feet.
“You sit on the sofa for a bit. I’ll go make some noodles for us.”
As Liang Xiaoqing headed toward the kitchen, she paused halfway as if remembering something, let out an “oh,” and looked back. She found Jiang Xu standing awkwardly in place, using both hands to fold the blanket she had just picked up off the floor with a look of quiet remorse.
Liang Xiaoqing paused, finally catching a glimpse of a different expression on Jiang Xu’s face.
Sensing the girl’s insecurity, she said with warm understanding, “It’s alright, that blanket was due for a wash anyway. We can just throw it in the laundry later. Just leave it over there.”
Jiang Xu hesitantly sat back down on the sofa.
Liang Xiaoqing opened the refrigerator to take a look, then turned around with a smile. “Do you eat tomatoes? We don’t seem to have any other vegetables left—how does tomato noodle soup sound?”
Growing up, no one had ever bothered to ask Jiang Xu for her preference, whether it came to big things like schooling or small matters like meals. She tilted her head to look at Liang Xiaoqing, whose body was mostly concealed behind the open fridge door with only her head visible, and curled her fingers slightly before murmuring, “Okay.”
“Okay then,” Liang Xiaoqing drawled out, letting the ending linger. Judging by her voice, she was in quite a good mood.
For the rest of the time, Liang Xiaoqing avoided hovering over Jiang Xu. Having slept so much during the day, Jiang Xu was wide awake now—more alert than she had ever felt in her life. When her mind was this clear, it was easy for her to overthink things.
Even if it was just over the most trivial matter.
Straightening her spine, she sat rigidly on the very edge of the sofa, staring at the floral blanket she had neatly folded and placed across her lap.
The instinctive anxiety of anticipating danger had long since become her way of surviving.
Jiang Xu had originally wanted to wash the blanket herself so she wouldn’t feel like a burden. Yet even though Liang Xiaoqing had thoughtfully walked her through every corner of the apartment earlier, Jiang Xu still felt entirely unfamiliar with the space and didn’t dare touch a single thing. Consequently, the blanket she had soiled simply rested quietly on her knees.
Her mind raced with worries about what she should do. If only she could have handled it beforehand.
At such a tender age, anything falling outside one’s capabilities felt like a catastrophe.
Especially for someone as tight-lipped and silent as Jiang Xu.
Sounds drifted from the kitchen from time to time. Sitting out in the living room, Jiang Xu could catch glimpses of Liang Xiaoqing’s silhouette bustling about amidst the clatter of pots, pans, and dishes. Jiang Xu’s brows furrowed slightly as Liang Xiaoqing’s figure drifted past the doorway once more.
Remaining silent, she lowered her gaze to look at the meticulously folded blanket on her lap. The fabric had faded slightly from washing, patterned with tiny pale yellow flowers. She traced the floral pattern with her fingertips; the material felt soft and skin-friendly, and a faint, familiar fragrance drifted into her nostrils. It was the exact same scent that lingered on Liang Xiaoqing.
The bright colors continually caught Jiang Xu’s eye. Her brow smoothed out just a fraction as she thought to herself that the blanket was still quite clean, without a single trace of dirt left on it. At that realization, her expression softened even further.
“Dinner is ready!”
The sudden voice interrupted Jiang Xu’s thoughts, pulling her away from the dilemma of the blanket. Setting the blanket aside on the sofa, she stood up just as Liang Xiaoqing emerged from the kitchen, keeping her eyes fixed on the teacher.
Liang Xiaoqing was carrying a bowl in each hand, the rising white steam blurring her features. She hurried over to set both bowls down on the coffee table.
“Whew~ Almost burned my fingers.”
Setting the bowls down, Liang Xiaoqing brought her hands up to cup her ears.
“My cooking isn’t as good as your mom’s, so don’t be too picky, okay?”
Perhaps sensing how stiff and guarded Jiang Xu was, Liang Xiaoqing offered a lighthearted tease.
For reasons she couldn’t explain, Jiang Xu felt a familiar knot of tension in her chest and replied rigidly, “I won’t be.”
Liang Xiaoqing chuckled. “You haven’t even tasted it yet—how do you know you won’t?”
The very next second, Jiang Xu’s stomach let out a loud rumble.
Rumble…
Liang Xiaoqing blinked, then burst into a bright smile. “Eat up, before the noodles get soggy.”
Jiang Xu’s face flushed beet red.
The rich, savory aroma of tomatoes drifted through the entire room.
With the atmosphere growing much more relaxed, Liang Xiaoqing casually crossed her legs and sat down directly on the floor, leaning sideways to fish around for the remote control. She turned on the television to tune into an eight o’clock prime-time soap opera, and only then prepared to eat. Noticing that Jiang Xu was still standing there, she reached out to tug gently on the girl’s hand. “Sit down, Jiang Xu. I told you, you don’t need to be so formal at your teacher’s place. How are you supposed to eat while standing?”
Jiang Xu didn’t speak. She lowered her head to look at her, her cheeks still lingering with a faint flush.
Liang Xiaoqing looked back at her as well. As if remembering something, she picked up the fuzzy blanket from the sofa—the very one Jiang Xu had agonized over for quite a while.
Placing it on the floor, Liang Xiaoqing pulled Jiang Xu’s hand gently. “Use this as a mat to sit on. Hurry up and sit down to eat, or the noodles really are going to get soggy.”
“Treat this place like your own home. Teacher Liang is very easy to get along with, so don’t worry.”
Jiang Xu wanted to ask why she was sitting directly on the floor, but she swallowed the question. She sat down sluggishly, staring at the steaming bowl of noodles in front of her. Picking up her chopsticks, she took tiny, cautious bites while keeping her peripheral vision trained on Liang Xiaoqing, who was eating while watching TV.
Realizing that Liang Xiaoqing wasn’t paying any attention to her at all, her tense muscles slowly relaxed, and she finally turned her full attention to the noodles in her bowl.
In truth, she was genuinely starving.
The blanket was meant to serve as her cushion—all her agonizing earlier had been completely unnecessary. Even so, Jiang Xu had just discovered one of Liang Xiaoqing’s bad habits: she liked sitting on the floor.
About halfway through the noodles, Jiang Xu spotted a poached egg hidden in her bowl, feeling as though she had just stumbled upon a pleasant surprise.
She froze for a moment, tilting her head slightly to look at Liang Xiaoqing. At home, eggs weren’t something she could just eat whenever she wanted.
Liang Xiaoqing was still absorbed in her soap opera and had no time to spare for her. Slowly turning her head back, Jiang Xu took a minuscule bite of the egg, savoring it with infinite care, followed by another tiny bite. Before she knew it, the poached egg was completely gone. A little while later, the rest of the noodles in her bowl were finished too.
Jiang Xu licked her lips and found Liang Xiaoqing watching her.
Their eyes met. Liang Xiaoqing smiled, her eyes curving into soft crescents, and reached out to give her head an affectionate pat.
“If I had known you liked poached eggs so much, I would have boiled an extra one.”
“…” Feeling like someone whose deepest secret had just been exposed, Jiang Xu tensed up all over. “…Thank you, Teacher Liang.” The warmth radiating from Liang Xiaoqing’s palm seeped straight into her small head, and this hearty meal provided her with an unprecedented sense of security.
This seemed to be the first time she had ever eaten her fill, leaving a comforting warmth settled deep in her stomach.
Something was flowing slowly and gently through her heart. Under the warm amber light, the figures of the older woman and the younger girl leaned ever so slightly against each other.
Years later, when Jiang Xu would no longer have to worry about food or clothing, she would still never quite understand why she always kept yearning for that extra poached egg Liang Xiaoqing had once given her.