A low voice came from behind her.
She froze, then turned around.
Zhao Moting was standing a few steps away, pushing his bicycle.
The morning light shone from behind him, casting a pale golden glow over his entire figure.
He was wearing a light blue shirt today, with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing a section of sturdy arms.
Backlit, his face appeared especially deep-set, the sternness between his brows softened somewhat by the morning light.
His gaze shifted downward, landing on her slightly limping foot, and he paused for a moment.
“The people from the Industrial and Commercial Bureau are behind you. Carrying those two baskets, do you think you can run?”
Lin Qiao’er panicked, glancing back. In the distance, she could already see several uniformed officers apprehending people.
Zhao Moting turned his bicycle around and patted the rear seat. “Throw the stuff away and get on.”
Lin Qiao’er looked at the baskets, her heart aching. There were still dozens of pancakes left inside, along with flour, oil, and sauce—all bought with money.
“The pancakes… they’re not all sold yet,” she said softly, her voice tinged with grievance.
Zhao Moting frowned and urged, “Do you want the pancakes, or do you want to spend a few days in detention?”
Lin Qiao’er shuddered and dared not hesitate any longer.
She removed the carrying pole from her shoulders and placed the two baskets by the roadside. The baskets were tightly covered, with white cotton cloth still draped over them.
She glanced back, as if bidding farewell to her own children, her eyes reddening.
Limping, she walked to the rear seat of the bicycle and sat down.
The seat was made of iron, hard and uncomfortable.
She gripped the springs beneath the seat with both hands, not daring to touch Zhao Moting.
Zhao Moting pushed off with his foot, and the bicycle glided out steadily.
He sat upright, riding at a steady pace. As they passed by the Industrial and Commercial Bureau officers, Lin Qiao’er lowered her head, her chin nearly touching her chest.
She didn’t dare look up, even holding her breath lightly, afraid of being recognized.
The voices of the Industrial and Commercial Bureau officers drifted to her ears.
“Where is she? Where did she run off to?”
“Ran off fast. The stuff is still here, but she’s gone.”
“Take all of this back and register it.”
Lin Qiao’er listened, her heart aching as if it had been stabbed.
All those pancakes were gone.
She bit her lip, feeling deeply wronged.
The bicycle rolled over a piece of gravel, jolting slightly.
Lin Qiao’er leaned forward, her forehead hitting Zhao Moting’s back with a solid thud.
It was hard, like hitting a wall.
She hissed in pain and quickly pulled back.
Zhao Moting tilted his head slightly, his cool voice drifting from the front. “Are you okay?”
Lin Qiao’er rubbed her forehead, which was already red. She shook her head, then remembered he couldn’t see her and added, “I’m fine.”
The bicycle continued forward, moving farther and farther away from the automobile factory.
Lin Qiao’er looked up to check the road. Confirming there were no Industrial and Commercial Bureau officers nearby, she hesitated and said, “You can drop me off here. I can walk back on my own.”
Zhao Moting didn’t respond. The bicycle continued steadily forward, its speed unchanged.
Thinking he hadn’t heard her clearly, Lin Qiao’er called out again, “Zhao Moting?”
He still didn’t speak, his back straight and upright. The morning breeze lifted the collar of his shirt, revealing a small patch of fair skin on the back of his neck that never seemed to tan.
Her face flushed again.
The bicycle stopped in front of a traditional Chinese medicine clinic.
Lin Qiao’er jumped off the bicycle. As soon as her feet touched the ground, a sharp pain shot through her sprained ankle. She gritted her teeth and endured it, steadying herself by holding onto the bicycle’s rear seat. She looked up at the plaque above the entrance—”Benevolent Heart Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic”—with its black background and gilded characters, the calligraphy bold and vigorous.
She turned around and spoke earnestly to Zhao Moting, “Um… thank you. You’ve helped me out again. Sorry for delaying your work. I’ll treat you to a meal another day.”
Zhao Moting stood there, holding the bicycle, unmoving.
She took two steps and suddenly felt that this person might not be so bad after all.
Counting it up, he had already helped her twice—once at the black market and once today.
From behind her came his unhurried voice, “Another day? Which day exactly?”
Lin Qiao’er paused mid-step and turned back to see Zhao Moting raising an eyebrow at her. His dark eyes held a faint, teasing smile, as if he were deliberately provoking her.
Caught off guard by the question, she cautiously replied, “Well… are you free today?”
Zhao Moting propped up the bicycle and said in a flat tone, “I have to work overtime today.”
Lin Qiao’er thought for a moment and said, “Then I’ll bring you dumplings tonight? As a thank-you.”
She didn’t want to owe Zhao Moting any favors. It would be best if they had no ties at all, clean and simple.
Zhao Moting didn’t respond. His gaze shifted from her face downward, settling on her right foot, which she dared not put weight on. The ankle was already slightly swollen, forming a noticeable bump that looked far from minor.
He frowned. “Go get it checked first.”
Lin Qiao’er glanced down at her foot and shook her head. “No need, it’s fine. I’ll just rub some medicinal oil on it when I get back.”
Seeing a doctor cost money, and right now, she had to stretch every penny as far as it could go.
Zhao Moting’s eyes remained fixed on her, his tone still indifferent. “If a sprain isn’t treated properly in time, it can lead to chronic ankle instability. It’s up to you.”
Lin Qiao’er felt uneasy under his cold stare and muttered softly, “That serious…”
Seeing her skeptical expression, Zhao Moting added, as if deliberately trying to scare her, “Serious cases can lead to joint deformation, causing pain whenever it’s windy or rainy.”
Lin Qiao’er was indeed shaken by his words.
She bit her lip, looked up at the black-and-gold plaque, then down at her swollen ankle, hesitating for a moment.
“I can manage on my own. You should go back to work.”
Zhao Moting nodded without saying anything more.
Biting her lip, she limped toward the clinic entrance. After a few steps, she swayed unsteadily, nearly losing her balance.
Zhao Moting stood there, holding the bicycle, watching her retreating figure with a frown.
He didn’t understand why he paid such close attention to Lin Qiao’er.
Perhaps it was her voice… it sounded so much like that woman from that night.
He had given her a jade pendant he carried with him.
It was a family heirloom.
But when he woke up, the woman was gone without a trace.
Later, when he returned to the city, the incident became a thorn in his heart that he couldn’t remove.
He could only bury that guilt deep inside.
And Lin Qiao’er’s voice was strikingly similar to that woman’s from that night.
Every time he heard her speak, he would momentarily lose himself in thought.
But what did it matter?
There were countless people with similar voices, thousands upon thousands. It was just a coincidence.
Besides, he had never seen Lin Qiao’er wearing any jade pendant.
Zhao Moting shook his head, suppressing the tangled thoughts in his mind. He locked his bicycle, strode forward, and steadied Lin Qiao’er.
The scorching warmth of his large hand transmitted through her thin clothing. Lin Qiao’er froze, turning her head to look at Zhao Moting’s expressionless, handsome face. She asked in confusion, “Why are you…”
Zhao Moting cut her off, “Anyway, I have fieldwork to do today. After seeing the doctor, I’ll take you home on the way.”