The truck rumbled steadily westward. Sunlight and shadows from the trees scattered across the road, covering the ground in patches of golden light. Warm air poured in through the open windows, brushing gently against their faces.
Xie Yucheng kept one hand on the steering wheel and glanced at her profile.
“Why bother giving up the comfortable life at home just to come out here and suffer?”
The food and accommodations on the road were poor, and everything was inconvenient.
If Wen Shiqing were twelve or thirteen, she would definitely have shamelessly said what was in her heart at this moment:
I want to be with you, Ge.
But Wen Shiqing was eighteen now.
“I just don’t want to be home alone.”
Xie Yucheng said nothing.
He knew Shiqing liked traveling with him. Children were always curious about the outside world. When he had first started working, every time he was about to leave home, she would cling to his leg and beg him to take her along.
But whenever Yang Ying was home, she never allowed Shiqing to go with him.
Xie Yucheng pulled a cigarette from the pack with one hand, held it between his lips, and lit it. The flame flashed for a moment as he took a deep drag.
“You won’t miss that little boyfriend of yours while you’re out here?”
The smoke slowly drifted from his lips. The tobacco smell was thick, rich, and slightly smoky, leaving a rough sensation as it slid down his throat.
“What?”
Wen Shiqing didn’t understand at first. The whole thing about having a boyfriend had been a lie she had told Xie Yucheng.
His voice was deep and slightly hoarse.
“I said, this trip will take more than ten days. Won’t you miss your boyfriend?”
“Ge.”
“Hmm?”
“That was a lie. I’m not dating Zhou Chen.”
Xie Yucheng’s grip tightened around the steering wheel. He tapped the cigarette against the window to knock off the ash, his expression relaxing as a faint smile appeared.
“Why lie?”
“To deal with my mom.”
The man asked casually, “What? That young man seemed pretty good. He’s your classmate, too.”
“He is good, but I already have someone I like.”
His pupils suddenly contracted.
He nearly slammed on the brakes. His fingertips trembled slightly before he brought the cigarette back to his lips and took another drag.
After a moment, he asked, “If you already like someone, why don’t you bring him home and let them meet him? Why find someone else to pretend?”
Wen Shiqing’s gaze drifted toward the window. The reflection of the man’s strong profile appeared in the glass beside her.
Her voice was calm but helpless.
“They wouldn’t approve.”
That was when Xie Yucheng understood.
His little sister must have fallen for some poor boy. Given Yang Ying’s materialistic nature, there was no way she would agree to it. So Shiqing had simply found a classmate with decent circumstances to pretend to be her boyfriend and deceive them.
Xie Yucheng’s heart felt like a dry sponge dropped into a pool of lemons, soaking up the sour juice until it swelled painfully.
His brows furrowed deeply, his gaze darkening as he slowly blew out a ring of smoke.
“How does he treat you? When you get the chance, bring him around so I can meet him. I’ll help you judge whether he’s any good.”
The girl gently traced the man’s sharp profile reflected in the window with her eyes and spoke softly.
“He treats me… very badly. He’s very fierce and mean. He often says things that make me sad…”
Suddenly, the tires scraped violently against the pavement with a sharp, piercing screech.
The truck lurched to a stop.
The sudden inertia sent Wen Shiqing pitching forward. She quickly grabbed the handle beside the door to steady herself.
Xie Yucheng suppressed the anger rising in his chest. Once the truck had stopped completely, he snapped,
“Wen Shiqing, are you a masochist? He treats you badly and you’re still with him? Are there no other men in the world? Are you seriously that desperate?”
No wonder she didn’t dare bring him home or tell her parents.
So she’d fallen for some worthless bastard like this.
“Ge.”
She looked at him with her deer-like eyes, her expression full of grievance.
“But I like him. I like him so, so much.”
The frustration in Xie Yucheng’s chest tightened. The veins on his forehead throbbed.
He crushed the cigarette butt between his fingers and angrily tossed it out the window.
At home, she had never lacked food or clothing. She had grown into a graceful young woman and was considered the prettiest girl for miles around.
He often wondered what kind of man could possibly be worthy of her.
And now?
She was throwing herself at someone.
She claimed she was hopelessly in love with some poor young man who treated her badly and was always harsh with her.
If that wasn’t throwing herself at him, what was?
“When we get back, break up with him immediately. If your mom finds out about this, neither of you will have an easy time.”
She lowered her head.
“I know.”
The truck started moving again.
Silence filled the cab.
Amid the rumbling engine and the steady rocking of the truck, Wen Shiqing slowly closed her eyes as a powerful wave of sleepiness overtook her.
Xie Yucheng reached into his pocket, wanting another cigarette, but he was afraid the smoke would bother her, so he gave up. He rubbed his face wearily.
His mind was filled with what Wen Shiqing had just said.
He couldn’t help wondering what the boy she liked was like.
Was he handsome?
Where was he from?
What did he do?
Had they kissed?
Had they held hands?
How far had their relationship gone?
By the time Wen Shiqing woke up, it was already dusk.
She discovered that she was lying on the bunk in the back of the truck, with a light-colored men’s short-sleeved shirt draped over her stomach. It carried a clean scent of soap.
The truck was parked beside the entrance of a small private courtyard by the roadside.
Xie Yucheng was nowhere to be seen.
There was no one around for miles. As far as she could see, this was the only house in the area.
She rubbed her eyes, then crawled barefoot toward the passenger seat.
Through the window, she saw Xie Yucheng walking out of the courtyard with an elderly man who had a gray-and-white beard.
They exchanged a few words before Xie Yucheng strode toward the truck.
He opened the door and saw Wen Shiqing’s bare, pinkish-white feet dangling there.
They reminded him of the peach-shaped steamed buns his mother used to make during New Year when he was a child.
Shiqing had just woken up, her eyes still hazy with sleep. She looked down at him from her seat.
“Ge, why did we stop here?”
Xie Yucheng lazily lifted his eyes and teased her.
“To sell you.”
“See that? We’re in the middle of nowhere. Hardly any cars pass by. If I sell you here, you won’t even be able to run away.”
He said the last sentence with a completely serious expression.
Wen Shiqing stared blankly around her.
Once her sleepy mind finally cleared, her eyes widened in shock as she stared at him with round, incredulous eyes.
The wispy hair on her forehead was slightly messy. Her adorably dazed appearance reminded Xie Yucheng of the silly little chick at home.
Xie Yucheng chuckled and casually placed the shoes she had kicked beneath the seat beside her feet.
“Put your shoes on and come down. We’re staying here tonight.”
Only then did Shiqing realize he had been teasing her.
Of course her brother wouldn’t really sell her.
She slipped her feet into the shoes and kicked them into place with a couple of movements.
The Liberation 141 truck wasn’t especially tall, but climbing in and out still took some effort. She had to hold onto the handle beside the door to steady herself.
At that moment, Xie Yucheng was standing beside the door, blocking the space where she would land.
“Ge, I want to get down.”
She had just woken up, so her voice was slightly soft and husky, almost like she was acting spoiled.
Xie Yucheng glanced at her, assuming she wanted him to help her down.
Without thinking, he held out both arms.
Wen Shiqing’s heart pounded hard several times.
She leaned forward slightly.
The man was tall and broad-shouldered. He gently wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her down from the truck.
Then, in one smooth, natural motion, his large hand closed the truck door behind her.