When Jiang Mu returned to Jin Qiang's house, they were already asleep. She tried to make as little noise as possible while showering before returning to her room to finish some incomplete homework problems. Around midnight, she took out the math test paper again. She hadn't attempted the final problem for a simple reason—she didn't know how to solve it—so she decided to give it one more try before bed.
However, when she unfolded the paper, she was surprised to find a pencil-drawn analysis diagram beneath the last problem.
Jiang Mu once had a math teacher who said that drawing diagrams was an effective way to "translate" a problem, making abstract thinking concrete. It could clarify both the solution process and the given conditions at a glance, thereby speeding up problem-solving.
She understood the principle well, but when faced with particularly challenging problems, she sometimes found herself at a loss. Math had always been her weak subject since childhood.
Yet, as she studied the diagram before her, she gradually began to grasp some ideas. The only explanation she could think of was that Jin Chao had drawn it when he helped her pack her things into her backpack earlier. Jiang Mu spent another half-hour working on the problem. After solving it and looking at the page filled with formulas, she felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. She reviewed her work twice more, and just as she was about to close the test paper, she noticed a faint pencil mark in the lower right corner—written upside down. Turning the paper over, she discovered it was the answer to the problem, matching her own calculation exactly.
In that moment, Jiang Mu felt an unparalleled sense of accomplishment. For problems of this difficulty, she usually managed to earn points for the first part, but rarely secured full marks. Solving it so smoothly and completely was even rarer.
Staring at the writing Jin Chao had left behind, she fell into a brief contemplation. It was the first time she truly felt the gap between them, and she seemed to understand the regret she had seen in Old Ma's eyes.
On Monday, she wore Jin Chao's school uniform to the affiliated high school. Although the uniform was too big for her—she had to roll up the sleeves several times just to free her hands—the thought that Jin Chao had once worn this uniform while sitting in these classrooms gave her a different feeling, even in an unfamiliar environment.
Since she started wearing this uniform, people often stared at it. At first, Jiang Mu assumed it was because the uniform was too large and didn't pay much attention. Until one day after physics class, Yan Xiaoyi asked her, "Didn't you notice Old Zheng staring at you for a long time when he stopped by your desk?"
Now that it was mentioned, Jiang Mu found it strange. During physics class, when Teacher Zheng wandered over to her side, he specifically called on her to answer a question. While she was answering, his eyes never left her. Even after she finished, he gave her a meaningful look and said with deep feeling, "Heaven rewards the diligent. Endure hardships to achieve greatness—just as the Yue army of three thousand eventually conquered Wu."
The sudden inspirational quote caught her off guard. Puzzled, she replied, "Yeah, does Teacher Zheng often act like this?"
Yan Xiaoyi glanced at the school emblem on her chest and asked, "Who did you borrow this uniform from?"
"What's wrong?"Yan Xiaoyi, noticing her clueless expression, explained: "Back in my sophomore year, I heard that the school used to award special uniforms to students who won city-level or above academic competitions. These uniforms looked identical to regular ones except for an embroidered trophy inside the oval of the school badge—usually silver, but gold for top three winners at provincial level. To my knowledge, this reward system only lasted two sessions before being canceled for unknown reasons. Rumor has it there was only one gold trophy uniform in those two sessions, but nobody ever saw it. Even the silver ones were rare. Mr. Ma confirmed this when teaching Class 5, saying the gold trophy uniform belonged to his star student. Do you know that person?"
Jiang Mu lowered her gaze in a daze and saw a golden trophy emblem embroidered prominently within her school badge. She suddenly recalled that day when San Lai wanted to try on the uniform, but Jin Chao refused, saying it was the only one and she should take good care of it since he never got to wear it himself.
She had assumed "the only one" meant they couldn't find another after graduating four or five years ago. It never occurred to her that this uniform was truly the sole limited edition from Tonggang Affiliated High.
No wonder so many people had been staring inexplicably at her clothes lately. As an outsider, she'd never known the school had such history. Dazedly, she told Yan Xiaoyi: "We're... not close. I borrowed it through someone."
She feared Yan Xiaoyi would press for details about the uniform's owner—how could she reveal that their legendary figure was now repairing cars just streets away?
Instinctively protecting Jin Chao's dignity, Jiang Mu fell silent.
After school, she found time to get a haircut. Jiang Mu had rarely kept long hair since fifth grade, cutting it short whenever it reached her shoulders. Jiang Yinghan argued she already lacked exercise and was picky with food—why let hard-earned nutrients get absorbed by hair? This made Jiang Mu feel urgent about trimming long hair.
With short hair, her face appeared even smaller. During math class one day, Yan Xiaoyi whispered: "Did you hear?"
"Hear what?"
"Many boys in class say you have a 'first love face'."
Jiang Mu had no patience for such comments. Her classmates were actually a year younger, and to students, even one year created significant psychological distance—so she saw them all as juniors.
Unfortunately, after the "first love face" rumor spread, Pan Kai felt intensely threatened. Recently, he'd been insisting on escorting Jiang Mu after school—boarding Bus 8 when she did, transferring to Bus 12 when she did, only leaving after seeing her home.
Since Jiang Mu didn't own the bus company, she couldn't stop Pan Kai from riding. Each time she alighted, she'd tell him: "Can you stop following me?"
Pan Kai would play dumb, glancing around aimlessly, and repeat the routine next day.
Once, Zhao Meijuan spotted them returning from the supermarket and told Jin Qiang that evening: "I saw a boy seeing your daughter home. Do you think she's dating early?"
Jin Qiang dismissed it: "Impossible. She just started school over half a month ago—how could it be as you say?"Zhao Meijuan retorted, "Yes, your daughter can do no wrong. If anything happens, her mother will definitely come blaming you—don't say I didn't warn you."
Jin Qiang shot her a sidelong glance. "Why are you getting so worked up over this?"
The matter might have ended with Zhao Meijuan's casual remark, but the next day, while taking out the trash, she spotted Pan Kai again. She deliberately detoured around the building and waited until Jiang Mu had gone upstairs, noticing the boy still lingering nearby—a clear sign of a romantic relationship.
Without hesitation, she pulled out her phone and called Jin Chao. As soon as he answered, Zhao Meijuan shouted into the receiver, "This is disastrous! Old Jin's daughter is dating way too young. I noticed it days ago and told him, but he stubbornly denied it. Now I've seen it with my own eyes. You need to gather some guys and quietly warn that boy. If this blows up, that woman will definitely find a way to blame us!"
Jin Chao had been extremely busy lately and was multitasking when Zhao Meijuan's call came through. The news surprised him, but knowing her tendency to exaggerate, he pressed for details: "What exactly did you see?"
Zhao Meijuan embellished the story: "That boy walks Jiang Mu home every night, holding her hand all happily."
"Are you sure?"
"No doubt about it. You know how sharp my eyes are."
"Got it."
Jin Chao hung up, tossed the socket wrench aside, and sat on a discarded tire to light a cigarette. San Lai pushed the back door open and glanced at him in surprise. "I thought we were rushing this job? Why are you sitting there smoking?"
Jin Chao looked at him but remained silent. After about ten seconds, he suddenly spoke: "Give me Zhang Tong's younger brother's number."
"Zhang Fan? What do you need him for?" San Lai asked while sending Zhang Fan's contact to Jin Chao.
Jin Chao stood up, walked to the back wall, and dialed Zhang Fan's number, instructing him to investigate whether Jiang Mu was really dating someone at school.
In Jin Chao's view, if Jiang Mu hadn't repeated a grade, she'd be college-aged by now—hardly "early dating." But since she was under his watch, he felt he should still understand the situation.
Zhang Fan acted quickly. The next day at school, he asked a classmate to inquire. Coincidentally, this classmate lived in the same neighborhood as Pan Kai. The previous week, when Jiang Mu brought Pan Kai to see Zhang Fan, this same classmate had been the one questioned. At that time, Pan Kai had introduced Jiang Mu as his "future sister-in-law."
Thus, the classmate directly confirmed: "Yeah, that repeat student is Pan Kai's girlfriend."
The news reached Jin Chao by morning. At noon, Zhao Meijuan called again in a panic, urging him: "Remember, when you handle this, be careful about your approach. Don't push Jiang Mu so hard that she comes home threatening suicide."
"...Yeah, I'll talk to her tonight."
After hanging up, Jin Chao pondered for a long time. He'd never dealt with anything like this before. Ordering Jiang Mu to break up felt unjustified, and beating up the boy—something his current self wouldn't do—was out of the question.
Just then, he noticed San Lai brushing a cat by the shop entrance. Tossing him a cigarette, Jin Chao asked, "Got a question for you—how do you break up a couple?"San Lai stared at him with a peculiar look. "Kicking down a widow's door, drinking a nursing mother's milk, breaking up lovers—when did you start doing such wicked things? But if you're really determined, the method is simple: just sleep with the woman. If that doesn't work, sleeping with the man would do the trick too."
Jin Chao felt discussing this with him was a complete waste of breath. He stood up and walked into the repair shop, only to hear San Lai shouting from outside, "Which pair of lovebirds are you trying to break up?"
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