Chen Yi clicked his tongue with a furrowed brow, stood up, and squeezed her shoulders, urging her to go cook in the kitchen.
The longer he stayed at the nightclub, the more he was called upon for various tasks—whether it was playing cards, running errands, doing odd jobs, or acting as a driver, essentially serving as a low-level lackey.
There were also times when he joined in on disturbances, mainly during the demolition and redevelopment of the old city. Local residents in the shantytowns refused to relocate over compensation disputes, requiring a large number of people to be mobilized. Groups of tall, intimidating-looking thugs, smoking cigarettes and wearing thick chains, would loiter lazily in the streets in beat-up vans. They’d squat for ten days to half a month, intimidating the residents until the compensation was settled. Once the real estate companies moved in to demolish the old houses, they also had to guard against further unrest.
Zhai Fengmao indeed had numerous businesses in Tengcheng, some of which were managed by Zhang Bin. At that time, a brawl broke out involving Zhang Bin’s logistics company, which had ongoing friction with a rival firm. The rival was a local "big brother" in Tengcheng named Han Ge, who had once been a gang leader at his peak, commanding over a hundred followers. Later, he went legitimate, disbanded his crew, laundered his illicit money, and started a company that monopolized intercity long-distance passenger transport and logistics in Tengcheng.
Zhang Bin dispatched a group from the nightclub, including the internal security staff, and Chen Yi joined them. The two factions clashed over business competition in a passenger transport parking lot.
A month later, Han Ge was shot and killed at the entrance of a foot massage parlor.
The case was solved within three days, with the lead investigator being a detective named Zhou Kang’an. Local news followed the story closely—the shooter was one of Han Ge’s former followers, who held a grudge over the distribution of illicit funds and sought revenge.
Chen Yi saw the news report and remembered having seen the killer once at the nightclub. The reason it stuck in his mind was a scandal: the man had ordered ten hostesses at once but ended up leaving without paying the tips or settling the bar tab. The nightclub manager later let him go without consequence.
Not long after, a familiar face among the nightclub lackeys quietly disappeared. When asked, it was said he had gone to Yunnan on business.
One floor of the nightclub housed a cigar lounge and a wine bar, which this lackey had previously overseen. With his departure, the atmosphere shifted. Chen Yi treated people to meals and eventually transitioned from the billiards hall to secure a position, officially becoming one of Zhang Bin’s trusted subordinates.
Miao Jing had a vague sense of what was going on. She knew Chen Yi’s room inside out and was aware that he hid many questionable items—besides a few pornographic DVDs, there were sensitive devices like walkie-talkies and eavesdropping equipment, and even weapons such as batons and daggers. These would occasionally appear, only to quietly vanish the next day.
What could she do? Burdened with heavy studies, she tossed and turned at night, unable to sleep. The two were in an on-and-off cold war—when things were good, a single glance conveyed mutual understanding; when they weren’t, it was cold words and sharp retorts. Chen Yi wasn’t afraid to argue with her; he could handle her effortlessly, and it didn’t bother him.They often talked about how senior year of high school would be—with her grades, she was bound to go to college. Miao Jing didn’t want to stop at just a high school diploma. Even without money, she could apply for student loans and work part-time. The only difference was whether she’d study in Tengcheng Province or another province, but she definitely wouldn’t stay in Tengcheng. Chen Yi couldn’t wait for time to fly by. Once Miao Jing left, he’d be completely free and at ease. He had no intention of keeping her around and never gave a thought to the future. Maybe… it would all just end like this?
Three whole years had passed since Wei Mingzhen left Tengcheng. Perhaps out of pity for her or some sudden burst of kindness, he’d stumbled through the decision to let her stay in his home. But whenever he tried to kick her out, he never held back with his words.
Miao Jing spent her senior year in a state of confusion and contradiction.
It wasn’t all bad, though. He was happy when he ate the meals she cooked, happy when he brought her leftovers from his outings, happy when he casually handed her pocket money with a cigarette dangling from his lips. Occasionally, after Evening self-study, she’d feel a flicker of joy seeing his tall, lazy figure standing at the school gate, his clothes rustling in the night breeze. She was happy when he ruffled her hair, pinched her cheeks, or slung an arm over her shoulder while crossing the street.
“Miao Jing, was that really your brother who walked you home last night?”
“Yes.”
“He’s so handsome! How old is he? Does he have a girlfriend?”
With his baseball cap, camouflage flight jacket, jeans hugging his long legs, and youthful canvas shoes, he straddled the line between a mature man and a teenager.
“He’s almost 30, no girlfriend. His reputation is terrible—all flash, no substance. He hits people, and women steer clear of him.”
“Ah…” Her classmate looked flustered. “R-really? That scary?”
“Mm!” Miao Jing nodded gravely.
Anyway, she’d grown up without parents to teach her right from wrong. What did a little hypocrisy or lying matter?
As graduation approached, the class grew closer, bonds deepening in the face of impending separation. Some boys gave Miao Jing small gifts, formed study groups with her, or found excuses to be alone with her. During the midterm exams last semester, Chen Yi made time to attend her parent-teacher conference. He frowned when he discovered the little presents and love letters in her desk, picking up a fancy piece of art paper.
“What’s this crap?”
“Can’t you read it yourself?”
Damn, it took him a while to figure it out. Some talent had written an ancient-style poem—an acrostic, no less—with her name hidden vertically in the first line. The whole thing was flowery and pretentious; the only thing he recognized was “Miao Jing.”
“What’s this supposed to mean?”
“He likes me, admires me, wants to be with me.”
Chen Yi’s sharp brows furrowed. “This is a critical time in senior year. Don’t mess around with this colorful nonsense.”
“You mean… don’t mess around with romantic stuff, right?” Miao Jing paused, frowning slightly as she tilted her head to look at him in confusion. “With your level of knowledge, can you even make something of yourself? Don’t let yourself get sold out and end up counting the money for them, taking the fall for nothing. You’d be better off doing something steady.”
His face flushed slightly, but he remained as composed as a stone lion. “What do you know? Fortune favors the bold. Focus on your own studies and stay out of my business.”Miao Jing's expression cooled slightly as she heard him rustling through his desk drawer to unwrap a candy. He placed a chocolate in his own mouth, then unwrapped another and quietly slipped it into hers. His warm palm brushed against her lips, carrying a mingled scent of chocolate and tobacco this time. As Miao Jing's lips gently pursed, a slight suction touched his palm, making Chen Yi's heart flutter faintly. When he turned to look, the chocolate had already been drawn into her mouth, her long, curled lashes fluttering with an exceptionally pure and docile charm.
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