A few days passed, and Jiang Youlan became quite busy, almost forgetting that someone named Qing Yi even existed.
On this particular day, she slept until noon. Awakening with little appetite, she decided to buy some congee and stepped outside wearing her pajamas and slippers.
The congee shop was a bit far, but she knew a shortcut that required cutting through a desolate, narrow alley. The alley was so tight that two people walking side by side would feel cramped, and the streetlights were always broken, so she rarely used it.
However, since it was daytime, taking the shortcut felt safe, and she headed toward the alley.
To her surprise, the alley was unusually crowded today.
Before she had taken many steps, she spotted several dyed-blonde thugs surrounding a student wearing the blue-and-white uniform of the nearby Lingyun Middle School.
Looking closer, she noticed the student was wearing light blue sneakers, a women’s style.
How could they bully a young girl?
Jiang Youlan’s anger flared up.
What are you guys doing?! I’m calling the police! Jiang Youlan shouted, rushing forward while pulling out her phone to dial 110.
The thugs surrounding the female student were startled by her aggressive momentum and the 110 displayed on her phone screen, scattering in all directions like startled birds.
One of them looked back as if wanting to cause trouble, but was quickly dragged away by a companion.
With guts like that, they want to be punks? Honestly.
Only when she drew closer did Jiang Youlan realize the student was Qing Yi. Because the group had surrounded her, only her uniform and sneakers had been visible from the outside.
With everyone gone, she hung up the police call and walked up to her.
Are you alright? Are you hurt? Youlan circled her and checked her face, seeing no apparent injuries.
Qing Yi shook her head.
Still uneasy, Youlan grabbed Qing Yi’s hand, turning the palm upward to carefully check for scratches.
Qing Yi had kept a relaxed expression the entire time, but seeing Youlan take her hand for inspection, she suddenly reversed her grip and firmly grasped Jiang Youlan’s hand in return.
Their fingers intertwined.
Youlan jolted, looked up at her, and tried to pull her hand back.
She couldn’t pull it free.
Do sports students just have endless strength or something?
What are you doing? Let go, Jiang Youlan yanked twice more, but still failed to break free, feeling a flicker of annoyance.
She really couldn’t understand what was going on inside the heads of kids these days. How could someone act completely unbothered after being bullied? She even had the mood to joke around.
Sis, are you really that worried about me? Qing Yi’s eyes curved into crescents, refusing to let go.
Youlan glared at her and pointed at her own head with her free hand. Yeah, I’m worried about this part of you.
I’m fine. Those guys could all attack me at once and still lose; I’m great at fighting. Qing Yi seemed to be in a wonderful mood.
If you’re fine, then let go of my hand.
Jiang Youlan continued to glare at her, only to notice Qing Yi lowering her head and leaning closer and closer.
Well, well, so you like to play, huh?
Jiang Youlan narrowed her eyes, also feeling playful, and tilted her chin up to meet the challenge.
Qing Yi froze, her muscles stiffening, but she didn’t dodge away.
Taking advantage of the moment, Jiang Youlan broke free from her grip. With their faces nearly touching, she brushed past Qing Yi’s lips and planted a feather-light kiss against her ear.
It felt almost illusory.
Qing Yi wasn’t even certain if it was a kiss at all. Perhaps it was just a minor retaliation for her mischief, as her lips didn’t seem to press tightly against the skin of Qing Yi’s earlobe.
Maybe it was just a warm breeze brushing past her ear.
Yet, the extraordinarily soft sensation could not be faked.
Qing Yi helplessly blushed, her face turning as red as if she had downed two catties of liquor.
Jiang Youlan raised an eyebrow triumphantly. Seeing that Qing Yi had grown shy, she decided not to tease her further.
Alright, no more joking around. What was that all about just now? Why did those people target you?
Qing Yi deflected, I’m a little hungry, Sis. Have you eaten yet?
Not yet, I was just heading out to buy congee. Seeing that Qing Yi wouldn’t say, Jiang Youlan didn’t press further. Remembering the purpose of her trip, she suddenly felt quite hungry too.
Then let’s eat together. Qing Yi followed along like a little tail.
Let’s go.
Qing Yi followed Jiang Youlan to the congee shop, and the two ordered before finding an empty table to sit down.
It was an ordinary residential neighborhood diner. The small shop only held five or six two-person tables, nearly all of which were occupied now. Youlan and Qing Yi managed to grab the last two available seats.
The shop only sold congee and dim sum. Since it was peak lunch hour, most patrons were getting food to-go.
Youlan had originally planned to take hers to-go, which was why she had gone out in her pajamas, but since she ran into Qing Yi, she decided to dine in.
I’ll have the shredded pork and vegetable congee with a tea egg. What do you want? Having placed her order, she looked inquiringly at Qing Yi.
Qing Yi glanced at the menu posted on the wall and called out to the kitchen, Two bowls of shrimp and fish fillet congee and an order of soup dumplings.
The shop had no air conditioning; an old ceiling fan spun overhead, emitting a constant creaking sound. The October weather was slightly chilly in the morning and evening, but still rather warm by lunchtime.
As soon as she entered, Qing Yi took off her uniform jacket, revealing a black athletic tank top underneath. The moment she took it off, Jiang Youlan’s eyes lit up.
Her muscle definition was nicely sculpted; her biceps bulged slightly without being overly exaggerated, and her shoulder and neck lines were smooth and tight, clearly the result of regular exercise.
Sis, why are you staring at me? Qing Yi noticed her gaze.
Youlan realized the girl looked a little smug, as if she were expecting praise or perhaps hoping Youlan would ask, Can I touch them?
This kid, why is she puffing her tail up again so quickly?
Refusing to take the bait, Youlan averted her gaze. It’s nothing. Your tank top looks like it’s good quality.
Qing Yi looked slightly disappointed.
However, the congee arrived promptly, and upon seeing the food, she forgot all about it and began eating with complete focus.
Eat slower. It’s too hot; it’ll hurt your throat. Jiang Youlan watched Qing Yi devour the food like she had been starving for eight lifetimes, unable to just sit by and watch.
You don’t get it. I’m at the age where I’m pure hungry. Despite saying this, Qing Yi slowed down her pace.
She’s quite obedient, huh?
Wanting to chat while waiting for the congee to cool down a bit, Youlan asked, Hey, what was that really about? Why were those people giving you a hard time?
Qing Yi stuffed a soup dumpling into her mouth and got burned, letting out several hissing sounds like a snake, darting her tongue in and out.
Resigned, Youlan got up and fetched a bottle of iced cola for her.
Qing Yi took it and took two big gulps.
Watching her swallow it down, Youlan asked again, When you came to our shop the other day, what were you trying to do?
She had thought about it later: when Qing Yi walked through the door that day, it didn’t seem like she wanted a haircut at all.
But what else would she go to a place like that for?
Hearing this, Qing Yi choked on her cola all over again.
Youlan gently patted her back. Aiya, slow down, don’t rush. You young people nowadays are always so impatient.
She withdrew her hand, brushing it seemingly by accident against Qing Yi’s arm.
The texture was wonderful.
After coughing for a while, Qing Yi finally caught her breath.
She mumbled discontentedly, You’re not that much older than me, why do you always act like an elder?
I’m turning 25 soon. I’m a lot older than you. Youlan lowered her head to drink her congee.
No way, it’s only a six-year gap.
Three years makes a generation gap. There are two whole ones lying between us.
Hmph, absolutely not. Qing Yi wore an unconvinced expression.
Since she had just choked, the two didn’t speak for the rest of the meal and finished quietly.
Do you have a phone? Afterward, Jiang Youlan handed Qing Yi a napkin.
I do. Qing Yi fished out a moderately worn phone from her inner backpack pocket; it was probably an old model handed down by her parents.
Give it here. Jiang Youlan took it and entered her own number.
Qing Yi watched her finish typing, then took the phone back, tilted it toward her side, and entered a name.
Youlan leaned over to look. What did you write as my remark?
I won’t tell you.
Such a childish ghost.
Youlan didn’t press the matter. If you run into trouble, call me.
Qing Yi immediately pushed her luck. Can I really? Then can I call Sis even when I don’t run into trouble?
Youlan rolled her eyes at her and stayed silent.
Qing Yi didn’t mind, simply flashing a wide smile.
After lunch, Jiang Youlan walked back toward her rental apartment. Halfway there, she noticed a small tail trailing behind her.
Helplessly, she turned around. Why are you following me again? Aren’t you going back?
Class doesn’t start for another hour and a half. Qing Yi followed her with the air of someone who had made up her mind.
Letting her take a nap at the apartment is fine, since it’s not time for work yet anyway.
Thinking this, Youlan allowed it.
The two walked through the alley and were nearing home when a sharp Crash,! echoed out. Youlan looked in the direction of the sound, realizing it came from the hair salon.
She frowned, a bad premonition washing over her.
Room on the right on the second floor. Go on up first; I’m going to check the shop. She pulled out her keys and handed them to Qing Yi.
Qing Yi took the keys but continued trailing after her anyway.
Youlan assumed she felt shy and opened her mouth to persuade her otherwise, but stopped without speaking.
Her heart felt a bit uneasy. Xuanxuan hadn’t returned to the shop in two days.
Xuanxuan was Jiang Youlan’s boss and one of her few friends in this city. Normally, Xuanxuan came to work every day. Though she was the boss, she didn’t have much money left over after acquiring the shop a few years ago.
The salon only had three or four stylists, along with occasional part-timers.
At seven o’clock the evening before yesterday, Xuanxuan had texted her, saying she was going to see her boyfriend and asking Youlan to open the shop first.
Youlan knew Xuanxuan occasionally spent the night at her boyfriend’s place, but never for long stretches. Xuanxuan disliked cohabitating with men, claiming it made romance rot and turn yellow like toilet paper just as quickly.
Yet by the next day, Xuanxuan still hadn’t returned, only sending a text to brief Youlan on routine shop matters.
Xuanxuan rarely stayed away for two consecutive days. The last time something like that happened, she and her boyfriend had gotten into a violent late-night argument that ended up at the police station, and Youlan had been the one to bail her out.
If something had happened, Xuanxuan should have told her. Yet she said nothing and didn’t answer Youlan’s phone calls. Youlan felt this was out of the ordinary, though it wasn’t her place to pry into someone else’s personal affairs.
When she heard that shattering sound just now, for some reason, she felt certain that Xuanxuan had returned.
She walked briskly and soon arrived at the shopfront.
The shop door remained tightly shut. Xuanxuan was not back.
Hey, Sis, look over there. Qing Yi pointed toward the window on the right side of the hair salon.
Glass shards covered the ground, reflecting blinding fragments under the afternoon sun.