On the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, school started.
Shen Qingyou woke up early, made breakfast, and left her Third Uncle’s portion warming in the pot. She ate a few bites herself, then wheeled her bike out the door.
The sky was still hazy, and there weren’t many people on the street. As she rode, the cold wind stung her face a little, but she felt quite happy inside.
Her Third Uncle had been home for the past few days. She got up early every morning to cook, and in the evening, she could see him when she got back. Even though he wasn’t much of a talker, whenever she was busy in the kitchen, she’d occasionally turn around and see him standing by the door, drinking water.
Just seeing her Third Uncle made her feel completely at ease.
…
At lunchtime, Shen Qingyou went to the cafeteria.
The cafeteria was crowded and noisy. She stood in line, holding her lunch tray, waiting to get her food.
While she was waiting, someone suddenly squeezed in beside her.
“Qingyou!”
She turned her head. Yan Hao was standing next to her, grinning brightly.
“You eat at this time too? What a coincidence!”
Shen Qingyou was startled for a moment, then nodded.
Yan Hao didn’t bother queuing up. He just stood beside her and started chatting familiarly.
“How’s the food in your first-year cafeteria? It’s pretty decent in our second-year one. Want to swap? Sometimes I can get the good stuff…”
Shen Qingyou didn’t respond. She took a step forward.
Yan Hao moved with her.
“Qingyou, are you used to the food here? It’s just so-so. How about I treat you to a meal outside? There’s a noodle shop behind the school. Their shredded pork noodles are really good…”
“No need,” Shen Qingyou said. “The cafeteria is fine.”
Yan Hao chuckled. “Alright then. Let’s eat together? I’ll keep you company.”
“No need,” Shen Qingyou refused.
But after she got her food and found a seat, Yan Hao followed her. Wherever she sat, he sat.
Li Hongmei came over with her tray, saw Yan Hao, and paused.
“Qingyou, who’s this?”
“My Third Uncle’s nephew,” Shen Qingyou said.
Li Hongmei said, “Oh,” and sat down next to Shen Qingyou.
Yan Hao acted like he belonged there too, sitting across from her, chatting as he ate.
“Qingyou, do you have a lot of classes? Are your teachers strict? What do you usually do after school?”
Shen Qingyou kept her head down, eating, occasionally responding with a sound.
Li Hongmei watched from the side, her eyes darting around.
After the meal, Yan Hao still didn’t want to leave.
“Qingyou, I’ll wait for you after school. Let’s go home together?”
“I ride a bike,” Shen Qingyou said.
“Perfect! I ride too. We’ll ride together!”
Shen Qingyou didn’t reply. She stood up and left.
Li Hongmei followed behind her, caught up, and lowered her voice.
“Qingyou, that Yan Hao… is he into you?”
Shen Qingyou’s footsteps faltered for a moment.
“No,” she said. “He’s just overly familiar.”
Li Hongmei pursed her lips. “No one’s that familiar, following you everywhere you go. Be careful. I think the way he looks at you is off.”
Shen Qingyou’s heart tightened.
She remembered her past life. Yan Hao had started off just as enthusiastic and attentive back then too.
She hadn’t understood it at the time. She’d thought he was a good person.
…
During the last class of the afternoon, Shen Qingyou had trouble focusing.
She was thinking about what would happen after school.
What if Yan Hao really waited for her at the school gate?
She didn’t want to walk home with him.
But he hadn’t done anything excessive, so she couldn’t really say anything.
The bell rang. She packed up her bag and walked out slowly.
When she reached the school gate, she spotted someone standing in the distance.
It wasn’t Yan Hao.
It was Yan Tingxu.
His small car was parked not far away. He stood by the vehicle, his coat crisp and straight, his face expressionless.
Shen Qingyou was startled for a moment. Then her heart burst into bloom.
She quickened her pace and walked over.
“Third Uncle?”
Yan Tingxu looked at her and gave a small nod.
“Get in.”
Just as Shen Qingyou was about to get into the car, she suddenly heard a voice behind her.
“Qingyou!”
Yan Hao ran over, out of breath.
“Qingyou, I was just waiting for you. Let’s go together—”
He stopped mid-sentence, suddenly catching sight of Yan Tingxu.
The smile on his face froze.
“Th-third uncle?”
Yan Tingxu looked at him and said nothing.
Yan Hao felt a little unnerved under his gaze and let out a dry chuckle.
“Third Uncle, what brings you here? I was just about to walk Qingyou home. I was worried it might not be safe for her to go alone…”
“No need,” Yan Tingxu said.
Just two words.
Yan Hao stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to say.
Shen Qingyou had already opened the car door and climbed inside.
Yan Tingxu glanced at Yan Hao, then got into the car and started the engine.
As the car pulled away, Shen Qingyou saw Yan Hao still standing there in the rearview mirror, watching them leave.
She looked away and turned her gaze forward.
Yan Tingxu drove in silence.
The atmosphere in the car was a bit quiet.
After a while, he suddenly spoke.
“What did he say to you?”
Shen Qingyou was taken aback.
“Nothing much.”
Yan Tingxu didn’t respond.
Shen Qingyou turned to look at him. His expression was the same as always—unreadable.
But she had a feeling he didn’t believe what she’d just said.
“Really, he didn’t say anything,” she repeated. “Just that he wanted to treat me to a meal, walk me home, things like that.”
Yan Tingxu made a soft “Mm.”
Shen Qingyou looked at him, wanting to say something but not sure what.
The car turned into the alley and stopped in front of the courtyard gate.
She jumped out of the car and turned back to look at him.
He had already turned off the engine and gotten out.
The two of them walked into the courtyard, one after the other.
Shen Qingyou went to the kitchen to cook, while Yan Tingxu headed into the main room.
As she chopped vegetables, she thought about what had just happened.
Was her Third Uncle upset?
But what did he have to be upset about?
She couldn’t figure it out.
…
At dinner that evening, Yan Tingxu didn’t bring it up.
They ate as usual.
Shen Qingyou stole a glance at him and noticed that he’d finished every bit of the food she’d made. That made her feel a little more at ease.
After the meal, she went to wash the dishes.
While she was washing, she suddenly heard footsteps behind her.
She turned around. Yan Tingxu was standing at the kitchen door.
He was holding something, which he handed over.
Shen Qingyou dried her hands and took it. It was a new lock.
“Put it on the gate,” he said.
Shen Qingyou was puzzled.
“Why?”
Yan Tingxu paused for a moment.
“To keep people out.”
Just those words.
Shen Qingyou looked at the lock and suddenly understood who he meant by “people.”
She lowered her head, the corners of her lips curving upward.
“Okay,” she said. “I’ll put it on tomorrow.”
Yan Tingxu didn’t say anything more. He turned and left.
Shen Qingyou stood in the kitchen, turning the lock over and over in her hands.
It was a new lock—a heavy chunk of iron.
Her heart suddenly felt very warm.
…
But what Shen Qingyou didn’t know was that the next day, during the break between classes, as she went to the restroom, a few girls were talking at the corner of the corridor.
“Hey, isn’t that Shen Qingyou from Class Three, Grade Eleven?”
“I heard she got in through connections. She’s living off someone else’s charity.”
“Really? No kidding.”
“Of course it’s true. I also heard she’s always clinging to Yan Hao, and he can’t get away from her.”
“No way? Isn’t Yan Hao pretty helpful by nature?”
“Helpful? Please. He just can’t help it. After all, she’s his third uncle’s comrade’s… what’s the word?”
“Surviving family member?”
“Right, surviving family member. Yan Hao just feels sorry for her, but she’s taken it seriously.”
“Tsk, tsk. How shameless…”