Miao Jing only wore school uniforms at school; everything else was cheap market finds—five-yuan tank tops and ten-yuan T-shirts. Even so, she didn’t look bad in them. Her fair skin, jet-black hair, thick lashes, and serene, elegant demeanor added immense charm. Chen Yi’s clothes were just as casually bought—he never cared much about what he wore. There was even a phase during his rebellious years when he sported flashy shirts and ripped jeans. Lately, though, he’d settled into a monotonous rotation of T-shirts and pants, discarding them as soon as they wore out, with just those two types in his wardrobe.
They bought a full set of outfits from head to toe—simple T-shirts, pants, and canvas shoes. After shopping, while Chen Yi lingered by a trash can smoking, Miao Jing slipped into the lingerie store next door. She was slender and had always worn small-sized cotton tank tops under her loose T-shirts, which stretched tightly and concealed her curves. She often felt chest discomfort, and the tank tops grew loose after repeated washing. She knew girls her age had started wearing shaping bras, but Miao Jing had never mustered the courage to buy one—her first period and breast development were things Wei Mingzhen hadn’t had time to teach her about; she’d figured it all out on her own.
Feeling a bashful unease, Miao Jing steeled herself to haggle with the shop owner. Just then, Chen Yi, carrying their bags, came looking for her. Usually cocky and far from any youthful awkwardness, he halted abruptly at the sight of the colorful bras and panties. When his eyes met Miao Jing’s, he jerked his body away, pretending to gaze nonchalantly upward.
The shopkeeper was exceptionally enthusiastic, her voice piercing: “Thirty yuan each, can’t go any lower. This bra is perfect for a young girl like you—look how pretty the pink is, with lace trim. It offers great support and stays put even when you run. Let me hold it up against you; it’s just your size.”
With someone familiar waiting outside, Miao Jing felt utterly uncomfortable. She timidly declined the shopkeeper’s help, eager to pay and leave quickly.
Chen Yi, hands in his pockets, frowned slightly and looked away, thinking, “Can something that costs thirty yuan even be wearable?” He recalled Da Tou Yuan boasting about buying similar items for his trendy girlfriends—tiny pieces of fabric costing hundreds. Women’s magazines, TV, and newspapers all emphasized wearing the best and most expensive to prevent sagging or spreading later on. Then he thought of Wei Mingzhen—how utterly heartless she was, taking hundreds of thousands and abandoning her daughter. Now he, the sucker, was stuck babysitting.
“Miao Jing,” he called her out. “Let’s go.”
“Huh?”
“Go, go, go. Hurry up.”
His urgency mirrored her embarrassment, and she slipped away from the shopkeeper.
After finishing the rest of their shopping and buying some groceries, they walked home. Passing a high-end lingerie store, Chen Yi paused, then paused again, his face flushing slightly. He gestured vaguely toward the store. “Why don’t you go in and take a look?”
“Huh? What?” Miao Jing caught on, twisting her wrists and blushing as she glanced at the store.
“It’s not like we’re broke,” he said nonchalantly, a cigarette dangling from his lips. He hastily pulled out some money and tossed it to her. “Shop on your own. I’ve got something to do. I’m heading back first.”An hour later, Miao Jing returned home with two discounted bras, her spirits slightly lifted. The lingerie store assistant had gently explained how to wear them and measure sizes, complimenting her on her beautiful figure. Miao Jing loved pretty things too, so she chose two soft, pure white bras adorned with lace and pearls—a girl’s growth shouldn’t be shrouded in darkness and poverty but filled with beauty and purity.
Back home, the items she had bought in the morning were still on the table. Chen Yi wasn’t home, probably out somewhere having fun. Miao Jing cooked, tidied up, and washed the new clothes they had both bought, hanging them on the balcony. The sky was a clear blue, and the damp corners of the clothes dripped water, gently swayed by the breeze. The feeling was peculiar—like dust settling, yet also like a kite still tethered high in the sky. She finally had a fixed place to rest.
When high school began, Miao Jing paid the tuition entirely with her own earnings. The high school campus was more advanced and beautiful than her middle school. Students here were either exceptionally talented or came from wealthy families. Since the school was a bit far from home, she needed transportation or to take the bus. However, with Evening self-study running late and buses stopping at night, Miao Jing chose to board at school. After paying the accommodation fee, she felt a twinge of regret—the school cafeteria was expensive, and there were many miscellaneous expenses. Living costs might rise, and staying at home would have been more economical. Miao Jing didn’t want to be a burden to Chen Yi. He was only slightly older than her and still studying himself.
High school academics were demanding. The dormitory housed six girls, all at that radiant age of youth. Yet, Miao Jing remained solitary and quiet, keeping to herself—this helped avoid revealing her circumstances, curbed impulsive spending, and minimized distractions and gossip, allowing her to focus more on her studies.
Many boys in her class liked to tease her or had a crush on her, but every invitation to hang out or join gatherings was met with rejection. Miao Jing was the aloof, enigmatic ice queen.
The phone she carried never rang. Chen Yi didn’t reach out to her, and she didn’t seek him out either. Still, his number was the only one listed under "family contacts," labeled as "brother." When her homeroom teacher asked about her parents, Miao Jing said they worked out of town and that she lived with her brother. The teacher assumed she was a left-behind child and that this brother was an adult.
On weekends when she returned home, Chen Yi was always there. She cooked, did laundry, and cleaned the house, while he played games, slept, and ate. They spent two days together at home, and occasionally, Chen Yi would ride his motorcycle to drop her back at school—a cool, eye-catching sight parked at the school gate, drawing stares from onlookers.
Asking Chen Yi for Living expenses was always awkward. Miao Jing tried to earn some money on her own. She no longer scavenged for recyclables to sell; as a high school student, she could find work like doing homework or taking exams for Chen Yi’s schoolmates, or taking up part-time jobs at night markets or setting up stalls. But mostly, it was Chen Yi who provided. He never seemed short of money and could always scrape together some amount. Miao Jing didn’t ask for much—she was frugal, spending almost nothing at school beyond meals. What she needed money for were school tutoring fees or purchasing study materials.
When Chen Yi had money, he’d give her five or six hundred in one go; when he didn’t, he’d still manage to produce a few dozen yuan. If he didn’t spend it on Miao Jing, he’d splurge on food, drinks, and fun. Even if Miao Jing refused to take more, he’d insist on shoving it into her hands."If you don't spend it, I'll just squander it all with others tomorrow. Better for you to keep it - I'll still have to ask you for money when I run out later anyway."
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