The neighborhood’s lighting was dim. Not far ahead, the ground lights winding along the paths in the small garden looked like a string of connected candlelights. Autumn leaves gathered under the streetlights, casting fragmented shadows.
Jiang Qi Huai was backlit, and he clearly paused when he saw Tao Zhi’s expression as she looked up.
The young girl was crouching by the door hugging her arms, her dark eyes glistening wetly in the light. Her eyelids were a bit red, but her eyes were clear as she looked at him.
The young man’s appearance was unexpected. Tao Zhi looked at him, clearly not having processed it yet: “Why are you here?”
Her voice was a bit hoarse.
Jiang Qi Huai raised his chin toward the row of detached houses inside: “I tutor in this area.”
Tao Zhi let out a delayed “oh.”
Last time when she saw him at the convenience store by the entrance, he had mentioned tutoring in this area, but she hadn’t realized it was in the same neighborhood.
She raised her hand to look at her watch: “It’s almost ten, why are you finishing class so late?”
“It’s the holiday, the parents added an extra lesson,” Jiang Qi Huai said.
Tao Zhi nodded again, her reactions somewhat wooden.
Jiang Qi Huai didn’t speak again, and didn’t leave either.
When one person didn’t speak, the other didn’t ask questions. They just crouched there at the compound entrance feeling the breeze, neither saying anything for a while.
Tao Zhi suddenly felt that there was actually some unspoken understanding between her and Jiang Qi Huai.
For instance, he also had many things that Tao Zhi had witnessed, and she wouldn’t ask about them.
He wouldn’t ask either.
For Jiang Qi Huai, maybe these things weren’t anything special, but to Tao Zhi, these were probably moments of shared vulnerability.
A completely different side from how they were at school.
And these moments, only they knew about.
This realization made Tao Zhi’s mood, which had been somewhat awful since entering her home, slightly better.
As her earlier emotions gradually settled, Tao Zhi belatedly started feeling cold. She sniffed: “Have you eaten yet?”
“Not yet,” Jiang Qi Huai looked at her, “Can’t find your house?”
Tao Zhi raised her hand, pointing behind her.
Jiang Qi Huai glanced back, half-jokingly saying: “I thought you were out for a night run and got lost at your front door.” He looked at her, paused, then continued, “Not even wearing a coat, you must have quite the constitution.”
Tao Zhi pouted: “Your Highness, don’t be so harsh. I was just about to invite you in for dinner.”
Jiang Qi Huai nodded: “Now?”
“Now,” Tao Zhi took a deep breath and stood up. Her legs were numb from crouching too long. She leaned against the iron gate, one hand propping against her knee as she rubbed her numb calf, “Want to come?”
Jiang Qi Huai took out his phone to check the time.
Almost ten o’clock.
“No,” he stood up, lowering his eyes, “I’ll just grab something quick later.”
Tao Zhi considered his “grab something quick,” which probably meant going to the convenience store to buy a boxed meal or rice ball like last time.
“Alright,” she jumped up and down on the spot, “Wait for me a moment.”
She turned and pushed open the compound gate to run inside, quickly running into her house, randomly grabbing a coat from the entryway to put on, then running back out.
Jiang Qi Huai hadn’t left. He stood at the entrance with his hands down, eyes lowered as he waited for her, somehow looking unusually docile.
She walked over to him, and he raised his eyes.
Tao Zhi raised her hand to point forward, striding ahead: “Come on, young master is in a bad mood today, I’ll treat you to dinner.”
Although she said dinner, most restaurants had stopped taking customers at this hour.
But Tao Zhi was a night owl, often going out late at night to eat and drink with Song Jiang and the others. She knew exactly which good restaurants closed when.
After leaving the neighborhood gate and walking along the street for about ten minutes, they turned into a small alley that led to an area of old residential buildings.
Jiang Qi Huai just followed her through all the twists and turns. The old residential area was very dimly lit, with streetlights occasionally making buzzing sounds. The vermilion wall paint was peeling in patches, with discarded bicycles piled against the walls.
Cats lounged in worn cardboard boxes, lazily raising their heads at the sound of footsteps to glance over with narrowed eyes.
Tao Zhi walked beside Jiang Qi Huai, pointing to the innermost old building: “My family used to live in this building. Later we sold it and moved to where we live now. When I was little, Ji Fan and I would play hide-and-seek in the bicycle shed downstairs and fight with the neighbor kids. No one could beat us.”
“Those kids would just go home crying after losing a fight, then their moms would come to our house to find my mom,” Tao Zhi continued, “My mom never scolded me, and the neighbor aunties wouldn’t hold grudges against a girl. No matter what trouble happened, it was always Ji Fan’s fault.”
Until later, when Tao Xiu Ping and Ji Jin were preparing to separate. That night, Tao Zhi went to bed early but woke up in the middle of the night feeling hungry. She wanted to go downstairs to see if there was anything to eat.
She tiptoed out of her room and, passing by the master bedroom, heard Tao Xiu Ping and Ji Jin talking.
“Zhi Zhi has always been sensible. I don’t have to worry about her grades. I feel at ease having you take care of her,” Ji Jin said gently.
Tao Xiu Ping was silent for a while before saying hoarsely: “Zhi Zhi is a girl, she’ll be taken care of more carefully with her mother. I’m not good at taking care of people, and compared to me, a father she only sees a few times a year, she likes you more. She’s older now, I think we should ask her opinion, and Xiao Fan’s too, respect their wishes.”
Ji Jin sighed: “But Xiao Fan is different from Zhi Zhi. He’s been a handful since he was little. I won’t feel at ease if I’m not watching him personally. I must take him with me.”
Tao Zhi stood at the door for a long time that night.
Whatever Ji Jin and Tao Xiu Ping said after that, she couldn’t hear or remember anymore. She just stood there, listening as their voices gradually stopped, and the whole house fell back into silence.
She returned to her room, closed the door, lay on her bed staring at the ceiling, and didn’t cry.
Ji Jin had tried very hard to be fair. She had two children, and for ten years she had always divided her love equally between them, never letting either child feel unloved.
Tao Zhi didn’t know if mischievous children were more likely to be favored, but it wasn’t until then that she understood – even when you try very hard to be fair, there’s always a scale in your heart. It’s very clear and cruel, marking everyone’s position and weight in your heart.
And this weight, when facing separation, you can’t deceive yourself.
Tao Zhi told Jiang Qi Huai many stories from her childhood. It seemed she had memories at every corner they passed. Jiang Qi Huai didn’t say much; he just quietly listened as she spoke, occasionally responding.
They walked through the neighborhood onto the street, where it became brighter. Small shops lined both sides, all lit up, mostly food establishments. Food carts lined both sides of the street one after another, so crowded there was barely room to pass.
Though it was deep into the night, the whole street was as bright as day.
Jiang Qi Huai followed Tao Zhi through the crowds to a barbecue restaurant at the end.
The restaurant wasn’t large but business was good. Only one small table in the back was empty. The owner moved between customers, occasionally joking and chatting with them, seeming quite familiar.
As soon as Tao Zhi entered, the owner saw her and waved: “Little Tao Zhi, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you,” he glanced at Jiang Qi Huai following behind her, “Brought a friend? Where’s Little Song? Why didn’t he come today?”
“Didn’t call him, brought my friend for some food.” Tao Zhi walked in smiling, sitting at the table in the back with Jiang Qi Huai sitting across from her.
Tao Zhi took the menu from the owner, handed one to Jiang Qi Huai, and without looking at her own copy, started counting off dishes on her fingers.
After ordering, she turned her head: “Do you want a main dish? Their stir-fried beef ho fun is really good.”
Jiang Qi Huai nodded and looked at the owner: “I’ll have fried rice.”
Tao Zhi: “…”
Tao Zhi rolled her eyes at the ceiling.
The owner laughed heartily: “This young man is quite interesting. Don’t worry, our fried rice is just as good. You two sit and wait a bit.”
Tao Zhi turned around, pulled two bottles of beer from the beer box behind her, and handed one over: “Barbecue has to go with beer.”
Jiang Qi Huai took it, placed it on the table and pushed it forward: “I have tutoring tomorrow.”
Tao Zhi opened her bottle: “Tomorrow too? But isn’t that in the evening?”
“I have an English lesson in the morning.”
“Really teaching all nine subjects, huh,” Tao Zhi poured some beer into an empty glass, “How many students do you tutor?”
“Just these two,” Jiang Qi Huai said, “There’s extra pay for holiday lessons.”
Tao Zhi took a small sip of beer and looked up at him: “Your Highness, why are you so short on money?”
“Don’t ask such Marie Antoinette questions,” Jiang Qi Huai looked at her, “Why are you out jogging without a coat late at night?”
Being among the top one or two in the city, various schools would surely be competing for Jiang Qi Huai. He probably wouldn’t even need to apply for financial aid to get full tuition coverage. Plus, Experimental was quite well-funded, with substantial top-tier scholarship amounts. His study materials and even basic living expenses should be covered.
Even if his family’s circumstances weren’t particularly good, he shouldn’t need to work this hard.
Unless there was some other reason.
Tao Zhi didn’t pursue it further. That subtle wall of mutual disinterest between them wobbled slightly, then stood firm again.
The food came quickly. Tao Zhi ate skewers while Jiang Qi Huai ate fried rice. He seemed less interested in meat, preferring grilled vegetables.
The two bottles of beer Tao Zhi had taken all went into her stomach. She drank faster than usual today, and by the time she realized it, it was already going to her head.
She propped her chin up looking at the person across from her and started having a heart-to-heart: “Jiang Qi Huai, do you regret transferring to Experimental?”
Jiang Qi Huai held his spoon: “Why?”
Tao Zhi tilted her head, thought for a moment and said: “For example, Experimental’s teaching quality is indeed a bit worse compared to Affiliated.”
“Doesn’t matter, taking exams is the same anywhere.” Jiang Qi Huai’s tone was flat.
Tao Zhi mentally translated his sentence. —Doesn’t matter, being first place is the same anywhere.
Tao Zhi raised her hand and pointed at herself: “Then for example, meeting a troublesome person.”
Jiang Qi Huai looked at her, then at the two empty beer bottles in front of her.
The young girl looked no different from usual, her dark eyes slightly upturned, lips curved up slightly in a small smile, fingertips tapping against her cheek.
Just her eyelids were red.
This was Jiang Qi Huai’s first time seeing someone’s eyelids turn red from drinking.
After her bold claims at Li Shuang Jiang’s birthday, he’d thought her alcohol tolerance was really good, but it turned out to be just two bottles.
His gaze fell on her fingertips as he said something, but several people noisily entered the shop door, their voices loud, drowning out his words. Tao Zhi didn’t hear clearly.
She curiously leaned forward, her tongue already starting to go numb from the alcohol, and asked indistinctly: “What did you say?”
One of the guys who walked in recognized her and called out: “Tao Zhi?”
Tao Zhi turned around.
The guy was handsome in a tough way, wearing silver earrings and a black jacket. His clothes were covered in designer logos from head to toe, like a walking renminbi.
The walking renminbi came to their table, confirming up close that it was indeed her.
“Why aren’t you answering my calls?” the renminbi said expressionlessly.
Tao Zhi looked bewildered: “What calls?”
“What calls?” the renminbi looked at her in disbelief, “I called you over fifty times, over fifty!”
Tao Zhi thought for a moment and said seriously: “That might be because I blocked you.”
“You—” the renminbi looked like he was about to choke on her innocent expression, momentarily unable to speak.
Across the table, porcelain spoon and plate clinked together making a faint clear sound. The renminbi turned his head to see Jiang Qi Huai sitting opposite.
He laughed angrily, pointing at Jiang Qi Huai: “You think you can just casually dump me with one breakup, and not even two months later you’ve got someone new?”
His words carried a lot of information. Jiang Qi Huai looked up: “Ex-boyfriend?”
The question was asked without any ripple of emotion, but Tao Zhi felt inexplicably guilty. She said quietly: “We broke up, broke up.”
“Over fifty calls,” Jiang Qi Huai reproached her, “Little heartless one.”
“How am I heartless?” Tao Zhi complained, “We’d already broken up…”
The two were carrying on their conversation as if no one else was there, thoroughly ignoring the renminbi. He was so angry he wanted to laugh, raising his hand to grab her: “When did I agree to your one-sided breakup? Tao Zhi, come out and let’s have a proper talk.”
Tao Zhi’s sleeve was grabbed, and she blinked with delayed reaction. The renminbi wasn’t using much force – her arm was lifted limply as she stood up.
Jiang Qi Huai looked at her grabbed sleeve and calmly asked: “Do you want to go?”
Tao Zhi finally belatedly reacted, trying to pull her hand back, still looking dazed: “No, nothing to talk about.”
Jiang Qi Huai slid his chair back and stood up, smoothly positioning himself between them.
Tao Zhi took the opportunity to step back a bit, hiding completely behind the young man with her fingers clutching the fabric of his back, just her head peeking out.
The renminbi looked at him, speaking patiently: “Brother, I’m her ex-boyfriend. I’m not planning to do anything, just want to talk to her for a bit.”
He didn’t look like a bad person, speaking very politely with a tone of negotiation.
Jiang Qi Huai nodded, also looking at him: “She came out with me, so I need to watch over her and return her exactly as she was. Even if you were still her current boyfriend, you’d have to wait until she’s sober before asking me for her.”
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