After leaving the shop, Li Suian drove her three-wheeled cart home. The anger from encountering that weirdo earlier gradually dissipated in the wind stirred up by the moving vehicle.
It was March in the prime of spring, when all things revived. On both sides of the newly paved asphalt road stretched dense mountain forests, where wild cherry trees were in full bloom. From a distance, they appeared as a vast expanse of white. When the wind blew through, it carried a flurry of petals like rain.
The morning sunlight fell on her face without feeling harsh—just warm and pleasant. Li Suian couldn’t help but tilt up her porcelain-white face, basking in the early spring sun.
Their home was called Honggu Village, nestled in the remote mountains of the southwestern border of the country. Though conditions weren’t great, the scenery was a saving grace—untouched by large-scale development, it still preserved its pristine natural beauty.
Li Suian drove along, humming a little tune, thinking about making something delicious to reward herself when she got home. That weirdo had irritated her badly today, and she needed some proper nourishment.
But fortune is fickle. Her little electric three-wheeler broke down without warning halfway through the journey. When she twisted the throttle, it made a harsh grinding noise, as if something inside the vehicle was jammed.
Li Suian got off, pushed the cart to the side of the road, and fiddled with it for quite a while without figuring out where the problem was. The mood she’d barely managed to calm down turned restless again.
That damn mama’s boy must have some bad luck attached to him—otherwise, why would her little three-wheeler, which had run perfectly for three years, suddenly break down!
She pulled out her phone and called the repairman she knew, but he was already out on another job and wouldn’t have time to help her this morning.
Li Suian crouched by the roadside, staring helplessly at the sky. Her little broken cart sure knew how to pick a spot—nowhere near any village or shop, with about five kilometers still to go before home. Finding someone to help was easier said than done.
Just as she was feeling dejected and cursing the mama’s boy’s ancestors down to the eighteenth generation, a white sedan slowly drove over.
She looked up and saw an exceptionally handsome man sitting inside. In that moment, hope surged within her.
She recognized him—he was her new neighbor. But she’d only seen him from a distance a few times and had never spoken to him. He probably didn’t know her.
She quickly waved at him, a smile spreading across her face, and called out in a clear voice: “Hey, big brother! Wait! Could you help tow my cart?”
The car drove right past her. Li Suian’s smile collapsed. It seemed her new neighbor wasn’t going to help. Well, that made sense—he looked cold and aloof, probably not the type to get involved in such matters.
But just then, the car stopped. The man slowly pulled over to the roadside and stepped out.
The moment Li Suian saw him, her eyes went a little wide. As someone unlucky enough to have been set up on blind dates with several top-tier weirdos, the man before her was practically celestial-grade in her eyes!
He was tall and lean, wearing a long black wool coat over matching trousers, which accentuated the advantage of his long legs.
Li Suian stared at those legs striding toward her and thought, those legs are probably longer than her life.
Aside from the legs, what was even more captivating was his face—exquisitely crafted to an almost excessive degree. Li Suian felt this man must be the biological son of the goddess Nüwa herself.
But handsome as he was, the man was far too thin. He gave off a cold, sickly air, lacking vitality. Li Suian couldn’t help but let out a small sigh of regret.
She was lost in her thoughts until a shadow fell over her, snapping her back to reality.
The man stood before her, blocking the light that had been shining on her. His eyes, like a cold, deep pool, merely watched her with a chill, indifferent gaze, without saying a word.
Li Suian smiled at him apologetically, quickly getting to her feet and flashing a bright grin. “Hello, big brother! My name is Li Suian. I’m your neighbor. You might not know me—my house is just below yours!”
Her home was on the outskirts of the village, and the only nearby house was the one just above hers. But a few years ago, the head of that household had gone to prison to “pedal the sewing machine,” and the children had scattered, leaving the family broken apart.
The house had been empty for years, but last month, a relative of the owner suddenly came to clean it up, saying it had been rented out to someone from another province.
The two homes were separated by a wide road—hers below, theirs above. She passed by their front door whenever she went out. The yard had no wall or gate, so everything inside was fully visible, and she had caught a few distant glimpses of this new neighbor.
She made her introduction enthusiastically, but all she got in return was a cold “Mm” from the man.
Having grown up around villagers who were warm, hospitable, and loud, she wasn’t used to encountering such an unapproachable flower. Still, at least he was willing to stop and help her, so she had no room to complain. She explained her situation to him.
The man gave another cold “Mm,” then crouched behind his car, pressed a few spots, and pulled out the tow hook from the rear.
Li Suian had rope in the bed of her tricycle—she always kept some on hand for when she worked in the mountains.
The rope was tied to the tow hook, then secured to the front of the tricycle, leaving some distance in between. Once the car ahead started moving, the tricycle behind would follow along.
Li Suian hurriedly thanked him, but this time, the man didn’t even offer an “Mm”—he didn’t even spare her a glance, simply getting back into his car.
She felt a bit awkward. What kind of new species of human was this? It was her first time meeting someone like him. Seeing the car start up, she quickly climbed back onto her tricycle to steer.
The car began to move, crawling along slowly. As she drove, Li Suian thought to herself that she’d have to invite this new neighbor over for a meal later—he’d done her a huge favor today. But he was from another province; she wondered if he’d even be used to the local food.
The car moved slowly, and though the distance was only five kilometers, it still took a while to get home. The man helped her tow the tricycle into the yard.
Li Suian thanked him profusely, parked the tricycle, and busied herself with brewing tea, pulling out stools, and setting out melon seeds and dried fruits to host her guest.
The man untied the rope from the tow hook. Li Suian came out carrying the teapot, wanting to call him over for tea, but only then realized she still didn’t know his name.
She figured that since they’d be neighbors from now on, seeing each other all the time, she couldn’t just keep calling him “big brother.” So she asked.
“Big brother, what’s your name? Once you’re done, come over for some tea. Stay for breakfast this morning—I’m really sorry for all the trouble today. How about we add each other on WeChat? We’re neighbors now, so it’s good to look out for each other.”
Her voice was crisp and clear, somehow reminding one of the chirping birds on the branches in the morning—rather pleasant to hear.
This time, the man finally responded, but it was true to his style—short and cold: “Wen Qi. No need.”
With that, he got into the car, made a U-turn, and drove off, leaving Li Suian with a head full of question marks.
Did he mean that his name was Wen Qi, that he wasn’t staying for dinner at her place, and that he wasn’t adding her on WeChat?
But which Wen was that, and which Qi?
Li Suian shook her head, thinking to herself that he really was an odd one, and dealing with odd people was just too exhausting.