Speed and Love

Jin Chao lifted the curtain and entered the inner room, saying to Jiang Mu, "Come in."

This was Jiang Mu's first time stepping into this small single room that belonged to Jin Chao. Aside from the wire bed and bedside table she had seen last time, there was also a dark-colored simple wardrobe. Further inside was a door. Jin Chao pulled it open to reveal an even smaller shower room. He found a clean long-sleeved T-shirt and placed it on the bed, turning to her and saying, "I'll be outside. Call me if you need anything."

With that, Jin Chao went out, closing the door to the break room behind him.

The series of events throughout the evening had left Jiang Mu no time to consider her physical condition. It wasn't until Jin Chao left that she realized taking a shower might not be convenient for her right now. She opened the break room door, looking out at the heavy rain, hesitating whether to dash out again. But her body had reached its limit, her lower abdomen aching faintly, the pain making her unwilling to take even a single step.

So she could only squat down, take out her phone, and look for a delivery service, but found no one accepting orders in this area. Jiang Mu had never encountered such an embarrassing situation in her life.

Jin Chao spoke a few words with San Lai next door. About ten minutes later, he returned to the auto shop and saw the break room door open, light streaming from inside. There seemed to be a figure at the doorway. He threw away his cigarette and hurried inside. The closer he got, the clearer it became - Jiang Mu hadn't showered, her hair still damp as she squatted by the break room door, hand pressed against her stomach. In the break room light, Jin Chao could see her frighteningly pale face, her features all scrunched together.

He bent down and asked, "What's wrong?"

Jiang Mu lifted her eyes, the light in them as fragile as broken glass, piercing straight into Jin Chao's heart. He softened his voice and asked again, "Stomach ache?"

Jiang Mu pressed her lips together, an embarrassed expression appearing on her pale face as she nodded. Jin Chao was about to look for stomach medicine when he suddenly realized something. He turned back, somewhat awkwardly asking, "Are you..."

Then it was as if a string snapped in his mind. His pupils suddenly dilated as he stared at the fragile girl before him, asking, "You ran out in the heavy rain earlier to buy...?"

A huge rock seemed stuck in Jiang Mu's throat, shame and grievance gathering there as she whispered, "I lost it."

Those three trembling words laid bare Jiang Mu's current predicament. Jin Chao instantly wanted to curse himself as an "idiot." He stood frozen for a few seconds, roughly running a hand through his short hair, then said gently to her, "Go shower first. I'll go buy some."

With that, he strode out. Jiang Mu watched with stinging eyes as his figure disappeared into the rain again, the light in her eyes finally warming.

Jin Chao pulled down the rolling shutter door. San Lai happened to be standing at the entrance, holding a large bowl and slurping noodles. Seeing him going out again, he called out, "Where to?"

Jin Chao glanced at him without answering. There was a small shop near the auto shop that was still open, but he often bought cigarettes there and was quite familiar with the owner, who always called him "brother" this and "brother" that. If he suddenly went to buy women's products in the middle of the night, the news would probably spread throughout the entire street by the next day. After thinking about it, he drove around to the convenience store on the back street.The convenience store was small, with only three rows of shelves. The owner was a middle-aged woman with a large belly and round waist. When she saw him wandering over to the feminine products section, she stared at him with a subtle look that made Jin Chao extremely uncomfortable. He had never bought feminine products before, so he randomly grabbed a bunch and hurried to the checkout.

The owner scanned each item and said to him, "Would you like to participate in the one-yuan exchange? Just add one yuan, and you can choose from so many things..."

Jin Chao listened to her rambling introduction, growing impatient. He pulled out his payment code and said, "Fine, hurry up."

The shopkeeper became much more efficient and asked him what he wanted to exchange. Jin Chao, eager to leave, tossed out a reply: "Whatever."

Seeing that the young man was buying sanitary pads for his girlfriend in the middle of the night, the shopkeeper thought he must be a caring partner. So, she tactfully grabbed a box of condoms from the back shelf and tossed it into the plastic bag.

Without even looking, Jin Chao carried the bag out of the convenience store. The car wheels splashed through puddles along the way as he drove back to the auto shop. San Lai was still holding a bowl, craning his neck to look outside, his eyes curiously fixed on the plastic bag Jin Chao was carrying. Squinting, he asked, "What good stuff did you buy?"

Jin Chao immediately switched the bag to his other hand, hiding it behind his back, and with one hand pulled up the rolling shutter door. "What do you do when a woman has stomach pain?" he asked.

"What kind of pain?"

Jin Chao shot him a sidelong glance. "What do you think?"

San Lai grinned, put down his bowl, and pulled out his phone. "I'll call Xiao Pingzi for you and ask."

Xiao Pingzi was San Lai's childhood friend who had pursued him for three years in high school. Back then, San Lai was obsessed with online games and single-handedly buried the girl's passionate feelings. Later, Xiao Pingzi came to her senses and decided San Lai was destined for a monastic life, forever single, so she cut ties with him unilaterally.

After years of no contact, San Lai suddenly called her on a stormy night. The first thing he asked after she picked up was, "Pingzi, how do you usually deal with stomach pain when your period comes?"

"...Drink your grandma's footwash." Beep, beep, beep—the call ended.

The phone was on speaker, and an awkward silence filled the air. Jin Chao, holding the bag, glanced at San Lai. San Lai coughed dryly and said, "I don't think her method is very advisable."

Jin Chao ignored him and entered the room. He placed the items outside the shower stall and called out, "I left the stuff on the floor for you," then walked away.

The shower stall was cramped but tidy and clean, with no discomfort. Actually, Jin Chao had been quite neat since childhood. Unlike other boys his age who often played until they were filthy, he was rarely disheveled. Jiang Yinghan had taught him how to wash his own clothes from a very young age. In Jiang Mu's memory, Jin Chao always did his own laundry. She felt somewhat ashamed that, even at her age, Jiang Yinghan still washed her clothes for her when she was home. She hadn't realized it before, but now she saw it as blatant favoritism from her mother.

After washing up, she noticed the only dark blue towel in the shower stall and picked it up. It had a pleasant scent—the same fresh mint fragrance she had smelled on Jin Chao after he showered that day. Sharing a towel with someone of the opposite sex made Jiang Mu feel quite embarrassed. She couldn't help but recall Jin Chao's earlier words: "I'm not your brother. Do you think this is appropriate?"

It wasn't appropriate, but there seemed to be no other choice.After her shower, she cracked open the bathroom door. Jin Chao wasn't there. Looking down, she spotted a plastic bag at her feet containing several packs of sanitary pads and even a new box of women's underwear. Jiang Mu felt an overwhelming urge to vanish on the spot, yet reality forced her to swallow her embarrassment.

She changed into the oversized T-shirt Jin Chao had found for her—so large it could pass as a dress—then hastily stuffed the plastic bag into the bedside table. Remembering Jin Chao was equally drenched, she pulled aside the curtain and stepped out of the rest area, calling to him in the repair bay, "I'm done. You can shower now."

Jin Chao glanced at her feet. Her size-35 feet were swimming in his size-43 black slippers, creating a comical image of a child stealing adult shoes.

His eyes were naturally narrow, giving him an aloof appearance when expressionless, but when laughter lit them up, they emitted a scorching intensity. Under his gaze, Jiang Mu grew flustered. Following his line of sight to the slippers, she suddenly understood and said, "I'll get on the bed. You can have the slippers."

With that, she returned to the room, climbed onto the wire bed, and left the slippers on the floor.

Jin Chao entered the room, opened the makeshift wardrobe, and pulled out a set of clean clothes before heading to the shower. As he opened the door, he noticed his towel had been washed and neatly folded into a perfect square on the sink. Picking it up, the soft texture brushed against his fingertips, stirring something unspoken within him.

The sound of running water came from the shower. With her shoes soaked and no extra slippers available, Jiang Mu had no choice but to stay on the bed. She lifted her gaze to the wall beside the bed, where three rows of black shelves were mounted. Two shelves were packed with books, while the third held miscellaneous items like lighters, spare car keys, and unrecognizable small parts.

The densely packed books were mostly about automotive structure, disassembly, and assembly—thick volumes of 3D diagrams, industrial technical manuals far beyond Jiang Mu's comprehension, and even specialized texts on drag coefficient research.

Jin Chao had always loved reading. Even back then, his books were incomprehensible to Jiang Mu. Now, grown up, she still couldn't understand them.

The shower door opened. Jiang Mu quickly averted her eyes to Jin Chao as he emerged. She sat obediently at the edge of the bed, as if afraid of messing up his bedding, maintaining the same posture she'd held since he left. The long T-shirt draped past her knees, enveloping her entire frame like a soft, adorable rice dumpling.

He suddenly remembered this long-sleeved T-shirt was from last year, right after he'd left Wan Ji. San Lai had dragged him to Shijiazhuang to clear his mind, insisting they visit North China Outlets. Complaining that Jin Chao had bought nothing, San Lai forced him to pick something to cheer himself up. He'd randomly grabbed this branded T-shirt—expensive, but it had been tossed aside ever since, never worn during work. Though now stretched out of shape by Jiang Mu, he couldn't be bothered. Turning back, he rummaged through the bottom of the wardrobe.

Soon, he found a bag of cotton swabs, a bottle of disinfectant, and a pack of band-aids. He walked straight to Jiang Mu, placed the items on the bedside table, and crouched before her. "Let me see your hand," he said.

After the night's turmoil, Jiang Mu had nearly forgotten about her injury. Surprised he'd noticed, she slipped her hand out from the long T-shirt's sleeve and offered it to him. When Jin Chao saw the stark nail marks marring her fair skin, his gaze froze for a moment.He silently dipped a cotton swab in disinfectant, gently holding her fingertips as his Adam's apple moved. "Does it hurt?"

Jiang Mu rested her chin on her knees, sniffled, and let out a soft "Mm."

Jin Chao's movements became even gentler as he tended to her wound. "She's still a child who doesn't know her own strength. You..."

Before he could finish, Jiang Mu muttered, "Who isn't a child themselves?"

Jin Chao lowered his head and chuckled. Jiang Mu stared blankly for a moment. Though it was hard to find traces of his former self in him now, Jin Chao's smile seemed unchanged—the beautiful curve of his lips that softened the very air when it lifted.

Keeping his gaze down, his tone relaxed, he asked, "Then what do you want to do? Should I seek justice for you?"

Jiang Mu averted her eyes and said sulkily, "Would you really stand up for me against her?"

Jin Chao glanced up at her puffed-up cheeks, then lowered his head with a laugh and uttered three words: "It's different."

Jiang Mu didn't understand and pressed, "What's different?"

She wanted to know whether it was their ages that differed or their places in Jin Chao's heart.

But Jin Chao didn't answer the question. Instead, he said, "I can't treat a child the same way. What would make you feel better?"

After holding back for a long while, she told him, "Not just one night. A few more nights."

Jin Chao held her fingertips and looked up at her. The air briefly stilled, the room grew quiet, and the sensation at her fingertips became increasingly vivid. Since she had grown up, no strong, large hand had ever held hers like this, and a shy feeling welled up inside her. She wanted to look away, but she knew she had to win this negotiation.

So she continued, "I want to go back to Suzhou, but I don't know how to transfer schools. I'll look into it in a few days. If it really doesn't work out, I'll rent a place outside. Anyway, I can't go back to live there anymore, so... let me stay with you a few more days."

Jin Chao laughed again, this time with amusement spreading fully in his eyes.

Jiang Mu furrowed her brows and said seriously, "Is it that funny?"

Jin Chao gradually stopped laughing and raised an eyebrow. "Feeling wronged?"

If he hadn't asked, Jiang Mu might have kept up the act. But his question nearly broke her defenses, and she almost burst into tears. To save face, she stubbornly turned her head away, pressing her lips together.

Seeing her reddened nose, Jin Chao finished applying the band-aid and said, "It's too late. Go to sleep now. We won't discuss this today."

Jiang Mu listlessly asked, "Then where will you sleep tonight?"

"At San Lai's. You sleep."

Jin Chao straightened up, took the cotton swab out to throw away, and when he returned, he saw Jiang Mu still sitting on the edge of the bed. Picking up a bottle from the nightstand, he asked, "Sitting here waiting for me to tuck you in?"

Hearing this, Jiang Mu obediently lay down. As soon as her head touched the pillow, drowsiness set in. Between blinks, she saw Jin Chao turn to put things back under the wardrobe. She asked, "When did she get this illness?"

Jin Chao, with his back to her, replied as he put each item away, "When she was three."

"Was she difficult?"

"Don't know." Jin Chao closed the cabinet.

"Don't know?"

He straightened up and said slowly, "I wasn't home during that time. By the time I came back, she wasn't difficult anymore."

His tone showed no fluctuation, as if he were talking about something trivial.Jiang Mu asked in confusion, "Where did you go?"

Jin Chao braced one hand against the wardrobe without turning to look at her. After a few seconds, he turned around, his eyes already calm and showing no trace of abnormality. He said to her, "Go to bed early." Then, he casually turned off the light for her and left.

After Jin Chao left, Jiang Mu’s eyelids closed, but she did not sleep comfortably. There were physical reasons as well as environmental ones, but she was too exhausted, so she remained in a dazed state. She didn’t know how long she had slept—the heavy rain outside never ceased. In Jiang Mu’s dream, it was also raining. She returned to that rainy night when she was nine years old, leaning against the window and shouting for her father and Jin Chao. But it was as if they were in another world, completely unable to hear her voice, not even turning to look at her. Her small body slipped through the railing and climbed outside. The rain soaked her clothes and hair as she reached out to them. Then, her feet slipped, and her body fell from a height. Terrified, she cried out tearfully, "Chao Chao, Chao Chao, Brother..."

Jin Chao heard the sound and came in from outside, turning on the light as he asked, "What’s wrong?"

Jiang Mu covered her face with her hand and mumbled, "It’s too bright."

Jin Chao turned off the light again and walked to the bedside. He saw that her eyes were still closed, a fine layer of sweat on her forehead shimmering faintly in the darkness, making her appear even more fragile and pained. He called out to her, "Mu Mu."

Jiang Mu turned over, her hand flailing in the air as if trying to grab something. Finding nothing, she frowned uneasily. Just as her hand was about to fall, Jin Chao caught it. Clinging to him like a lifeline, her voice soft and muffled in her throat, she said, "It hurts."

Jin Chao bent down and asked, "Does your stomach hurt?"

Jiang Mu didn’t answer, her brows tightly knitted together. It was unclear whether she was awake or asleep—she seemed completely disoriented.

Jin Chao wanted to step out to pour her a glass of hot water, but Jiang Mu held onto him. Her grip was weak, and Jin Chao gently freed his hand with a slight tug. Yet, Jiang Mu let out a whimpering sound in her throat. Jin Chao’s mind buzzed, suddenly recalling that distant afternoon when Jiang Yinghan had failed to pick her up, and she had made the same soft, pitiful sound. Unable to bear letting go again, he took her hand once more and tried to soothe her gently, "I’m not leaving. I’ll go get a glass of water and come right back. Be good, okay."

It was unclear whether Jiang Mu truly understood, but when he tentatively released her hand again, she made no sound, lying as quietly as if she were asleep.

Jin Chao didn’t turn on the bedroom light but instead switched on the lamp in the outer lounge. By its dim glow, he returned to the room and saw Jiang Mu’s slender body curled tightly into a ball. He crouched down and said to her, "Sit up and drink some water."

Jiang Mu didn’t move. He gently nudged her and patiently said, "How about sitting up to drink some hot water?"

Jiang Mu seemed to finally respond a little, shaking her head in pain as if unwilling to move. Jin Chao touched her forehead—she didn’t have a fever. Unsure how else to ease her discomfort, he sat by the bed, lifted her up, and supported her back with his large hand. Her body was limp, completely devoid of strength. Left with no choice, Jin Chao half-held her against his chest, bringing the water to her lips. She finally took a few sips before sliding back down, curling into a ball once more.Jin Chao set down the water glass and took out his phone to search for ways to relieve pain. After browsing through a variety of online answers, he realized it was too late to find brown sugar or donkey-hide gelatin cakes. Seeing someone suggest massaging the Sanyinjiao acupoint, he walked to the foot of the bed, placed his phone on the bedside, and rested Jiang Mu’s foot on his lap, following the diagram of the acupoint.

The Sanyinjiao point was located just above the ankle. Using his thumb pad, he gently kneaded the area over and over. At first, her body remained tense, but after more than ten minutes, she gradually relaxed. By the dim light from outside, Jin Chao glanced at her and noticed the furrow between her brows slowly easing.

Back when Jiang Mu was still a baby, Jin Chao’s daily joy after school was to take her plump little feet, which carried a milky scent, and give them a playful nibble. This never failed to make little Mu Mu, lying in her crib, laugh and wave her arms and legs happily.

After all these years, her feet were still just as small. Though not as chubby as in her childhood, her well-proportioned toes and slender instep struck him as endearingly childlike. He smiled faintly, then suddenly felt a sense of unreality. Until last month, when he received that call from Jin Qiang, he had thought he would never cross paths with her again in this lifetime.

Yet now she lay in his bed, her warmth palpable against him. Everything felt so real, yet somehow surreal.

In truth, Jiang Mu wasn’t completely unaware. She knew she was dreaming. In her haze, she sensed Jin Chao urging her to drink water, but she didn’t want to move and couldn’t open her eyes. All she felt was the ache in her abdomen. Later, she became aware of Jin Chao holding her foot, massaging near her ankle. His fingertips, with their slight calluses, pressed with just the right pressure, dispelling her fear of the unfamiliar surroundings in the night. Gradually, her consciousness relaxed.

She had no idea how long Jin Chao had massaged her that night, but afterward, she didn’t dream again and sank into a deep, heavy sleep.

Jin Chao, however, barely slept through the night. Perhaps witnessing Jin Xin’s fall had left Jiang Mu badly shaken—every so often, her body would tremble lightly, involuntarily, and she’d let out small, distressed sounds, as if terrified. He had no choice but to push two chairs together and doze fitfully in the lounge, rousing at the slightest sound from her room to go in and soothe her with a pat. Only then would she settle back into peaceful sleep.

…

In the morning, when Xiao Yang arrived at the auto shop, he was surprised to find the rolling shutter already wide open. Jin Chao, sleeves of his work uniform rolled up to his elbows, was squatting in the repair bay, busy with a task. Xiao Yang, holding two large meat-stuffed buns, called out, “Hey, boss, you’re starting early today! Want a bun?”

Jin Chao shot him a glare. “Keep your voice down. No.”

Then he added, “Don’t go into the lounge.”

Puzzled, Xiao Yang craned his neck to peer inside, only to have Jin Chao smack him on the head and shove him out.

Curious, Xiao Yang asked, “Who’s in there?”

A faint smile touched Jin Chao’s lips as he recalled Jiang Mu’s WeChat nickname. "The chronic difficulty in getting out of bed."”

Tie Gongji arrived a bit later and immediately heard from Xiao Yang that the boss had someone in his room and they shouldn’t go near the lounge. All morning, whenever the two made even a slight noise, Jin Chao would shoot them a cool, warning look. The usually noisy repair bay was forced into a hushed, silent mode. Xiao Yang and Tie Gongji, both naturally talkative, found the restraint nearly unbearable.While hiding outside for a smoke, the two were still discussing who might be inside. Since Jin Chao started his own auto repair shop, he rarely went back home. The small room inside had become his temporary lodging. Though the space was cramped, he detested others entering his room. Therefore, even when Xiao Yang and Tie Gongji went to the lounge to fetch something or sit around playing games, they never stepped into his room.

Once, when Little Green Snake came to hang out with them, she insisted on barging into Jin Chao's room and sprawling boldly across his bed. When Jin Chao returned from outside, without a word, he grabbed her by the collar and tossed her out. Little Green Snake was so furious that she hadn't visited for a long time afterward.

So Xiao Yang and Tie Gongji were also puzzled: just what kind of celestial being had earned such leniency from him?

It wasn't until Jiang Mu emerged from the room around noon, having slept in, that Xiao Yang and Tie Gongji were stunned. Their shock wasn't just because Jiang Mu was wearing Jin Chao's clothes, but also because beneath that oversized T-shirt were her pale, straight, and alluring legs. Paired with her short, ear-length, innocent hairstyle, it created a scene of forbidden temptation that could make anyone's nose bleed. The two of them froze mid-action, their movements coming to an abrupt halt.

Jin Chao flicked a cigarette butt at them, snapping them back to reality. He walked over to Jiang Mu, using his body to block her from view as he pushed her back inside and scolded, "Didn't you think to put on pants before coming out?"

Jiang Mu was gradually recalling the events of the previous night. It seemed she had clung to Jin Chao in the latter half of the night, refusing to let go. The thought now filled her with unbearable shame. She deliberately kept her distance from him, every feature on her face screaming mortification, yet she feigned confidence and retorted, "Do I even have pants to wear?"

Jin Chao turned around, rummaged through the wardrobe, pulled out a pair of sweatpants, and tossed them to her before leaving. Jiang Mu pulled on the sweatpants, only to find them ridiculously oversized—like giant tubes. She had to roll them up multiple times just to free her feet and tighten the waistband repeatedly to keep them from falling off. When she checked her reflection in the large glass of the break room, she was horrified. What kind of monstrosity was this?

In the repair bay, a car was hoisted up, and Jin Chao was inspecting the undercarriage. He glanced at her as she walked out, and Jiang Mu clearly saw the barely concealed amusement in his eyes, which only deepened her embarrassment.

Jin Chao turned and called out to Xiao Yang, "Take over here."

Then he removed his gloves, walked over to the corridor, and asked Jiang Mu, "Hungry? What do you want to eat?"

Jiang Mu, holding up the pant legs with both hands, replied, "Anything but dumplings."

"..."

Outside, the rain had stopped, but the ground was still damp. Jiang Mu watched as Jin Chao set up an induction cooker outside the auto shop. He deftly diced a sausage on the cutting board and pulled out a carrot, preparing to chop it. She hurried over to stop him, saying, "I don't eat carrots."

Jin Chao merely responded with an "Oh" and continued chopping, his knife skills impressive. Jiang Mu half-expected that if she said another word, he might turn around and slice her instead. She could only mutter under her breath, "No scallions, either."

After confirming that Jin Chao hadn't chopped any scallions, she breathed a sigh of relief and leaned in to watch. Jin Chao poured oil into the pan, then turned to her and said, "Step back."

"Why?"

The next moment, he dumped the white rice into the hot oil. With a sizzle, Jiang Mu leaped back several steps. Jin Chao shot her a glance, the corner of his mouth twitching. She had clearly been startled but was trying to act unfazed.

Jiang Mu watched as he skillfully cracked an egg with one hand, then tossed in the diced sausage and carrots, stir-frying them with ease. She muttered, "What's so funny? I'm not afraid of hot oil; I just didn't expect it to be so sudden."

"Can you cook?"

"Well... yes."

Jin Chao immediately knew she couldn't. He flipped the wok twice, the veins on his arms bulging, and turned the fried rice without spilling a single grain. His movements were swift and precise, and surprisingly, he looked quite dashing doing it.The savory aroma of fried rice soon had Jiang Mu's stomach growling incessantly. She casually asked, "How is Jin Xin?"

"Fine, discharged at noon."

Jiang Mu had just breathed a sigh of relief when she let out a dejected "Oh." That meant Zhao Meijuan and the others had already returned home, making it even more impossible for her to go back.

Hovering around Jin Chao, she tentatively asked, "Do you have time later? Could you help me go back and get my luggage and backpack?"

Jin Chao didn't look at her as he added seasoning to the wok. Seeing his silence, Jiang Mu pressed, "Is that okay?"

Jin Chao turned off the induction cooker and turned to face her. "Did I agree to let you stay?"

Jiang Mu's dark eyes drooped downward, her expression a mix of grievance and anger. A faint curve tugged at the corner of Jin Chao's mouth as he raised his hand toward her. Jiang Mu instinctively closed her eyes, but when she opened them again, she saw his arm reaching past her head to grab a plate. Awkwardly, she tugged at her slipping waistband.

Jin Chao scooped the fried rice onto a plate and placed it on the low table beside them, telling her, "Don't pick out the carrots."

Jiang Mu muttered resentfully under her breath, "You're not my brother, yet you're so controlling."

Jin Chao raised an eyebrow at her before going back to work. Jiang Mu sat alone at the entrance of the auto shop, sighing as she watched the passing traffic.

San Lai emerged, drawn by the aroma. Spotting Jiang Mu eating fried rice at the shop entrance and taking in her outfit, he immediately burst out laughing. "Hey, little sis, you go fishing? What kind of rags are you wearing? You Jiu has some taste too—dressing up a pretty girl like she just got fished out of the sea."

Jiang Mu hiked up her pant legs and angrily shoveled fried rice into her mouth. Not bad, actually.

But the thought of her situation after finishing the meal made her irritable. It felt like Jin Chao was trying to send her off with this plate of fried rice.

San Lai went back into his shop and soon came out holding the little black dog, saying to Jiang Mu, "Here, little sis, take a look at your dog son. Hasn't he gotten chubbier?"

Jiang Mu looked up at the little black dog and reached out to take it. After a few days apart, it had indeed grown quite a bit and was even wagging its tail at her. She placed the puppy on her lap and asked, "What dog son?"

San Lai raised his eyebrows. "Didn't You Jiu tell you? This dog is yours now."

"Huh?" Jiang Mu found it hard to believe. "He didn't say anything to me. He's even trying to kick me out—why would he give me a dog to raise?"

San Lai also seemed surprised. "Kick you out? He said that?"

Jiang Mu stroked the furry little creature. "Well, not exactly."

San Lai leaned against the pet shop doorway, half-smiling. "Haven't you considered that if he really wanted to kick you out, why would he go buy you slippers and towels first thing in the morning?"

Jiang Mu suddenly froze, glancing down at the pink cartoon women's slippers on her feet. She recalled that when she woke up earlier, new towels and a toothbrush were already placed in the shower stall. Annoyingly, everything was pink.

She had indeed loved pink as a child, to the point of obsession—throwing tantrums if anything she bought wasn't pink. But she had long outgrown that girly phase and was often criticized by Jiang Yinghan for favoring dull black, white, and gray outfits. Yet Jin Chao still remembered her childhood peculiarity.

She couldn't help but glance over at Jin Chao, who was busy working, then turned to look at San Lai, who was lazily smiling at her.Jiang Mu immediately sensed an opportunity. She quickly finished her fried rice, picked up Xiao Hei, and sauntered over to Jin Chao. He shot her a sidelong glance as she held the puppy up to him and asked, "Isn't he adorable?"

Jin Chao ignored her and moved to the other side of the car. Jiang Mu circled around to him again: "San Lai said you agreed to let me keep him?"

Jin Chao crouched down to rummage through the toolbox. Jiang Mu crouched too, holding Xiao Hei and tilting her head to look at him: "The puppy's still young. Don't I need to stay and look after him for a few days?"

Without looking up, Jin Chao replied, "I'm not your brother. Why would I be responsible for both the dog and you?"

"I ate the carrots."

Jin Chao lifted his head. Jiang Mu gazed at him with dewy eyes, as if seeking praise. He moved the toolbox aside and stood up. Seizing the moment, Jiang Mu pressed on: "And I haven't finished my homework. It's due tomorrow—it's at Dad's place."

Jin Chao found it amusing that she'd even remembered her homework. He pulled a cigarette from his pocket and gestured to Xiao Yang, who tossed him a lighter. Taking a few steps aside, he lit the cigarette and glanced at her coolly: "Call me something."

Holding the dog in the repair bay, Jiang Mu stared at him: "Call you what?"

Exhaling a wisp of smoke, Jin Chao teased: "What did you call me last night?"

Xiao Yang and Tie Gongji watched them like it was a show. Jiang Mu pressed her lips tightly together. Though her mind had been hazy last night, she vaguely remembered—perhaps, maybe—she'd shamefully called him "brother," especially after her outburst insisting he wasn't her brother.

But that had been unconscious. Now, with everyone watching, she couldn't possibly lower her head.

Indignantly, she hugged the dog and headed for the break room. Just as she was about to lift the curtain, she remembered she had no spare bra, and the damp one she wore felt unbearably uncomfortable. The idea of running out to buy one in these ill-fitting men's pants that kept slipping down was worse than death.

Pride paled before survival. A true woman knows when to yield and when to stand firm. After a few seconds of internal struggle, she turned back. Jin Chao was still there, cigarette in hand, watching her.

In her cartoon slippers, Jiang Mu shuffled out of the break room again. She glanced at Xiao Yang and the others, then peered outside the auto shop, confirming no one but Jin Chao was looking. In a tiny voice, she muttered: "Brother."

Tie Gongji and Xiao Yang couldn't hold back their laughter. Jiang Mu's face flushed crimson, and a smile touched Jin Chao's eyes.

With her back to Xiao Yang and Tie Gongji, she shuffled over to Jin Chao. He tossed the cigarette and crushed it underfoot, looking down at her. Too embarrassed to meet his gaze, she avoided his eyes and whispered like a mosquito: "Just... my underwear... it's on the balcony. Don't forget to get it." With that, she fled back to her room without a backward glance.

When Jin Chao returned home, Jin Qiang asked how Jiang Mu was. Jin Chao said she refused to come back and was demanding to return to Suzhou. Jin Qiang felt overwhelmed and asked Jin Chao what to do. Jin Chao shrugged: "Nothing for now. She's still upset. Give it a couple of days."

Jin Qiang could only repeatedly urge Jin Chao to take good care of Jiang Mu. He said he'd talk to Zhao Meijuan over the next few days and asked Jin Chao to reason with Jiang Mu too. This whole mess was something no one had wanted.Jin Chao didn't say anything. He entered the room and gathered all the test papers and homework books scattered on Jiang Mu's desk into her backpack. Then he went to the balcony to collect her clothes. Suddenly remembering Jiang Mu's reminder not to forget her underwear, he spotted the small white lace fabric hanging on the clothesline, fluttering in the wind. Originally, Jin Chao's thoughts were perfectly pure, but recalling her earlier bashful demeanor made him feel awkward too. Avoiding direct eye contact, he casually grabbed it and stuffed it into her bag.

Half an hour later, Jin Chao returned with the items. After dropping them off, he went out again, allowing Jiang Mu to finally change out of her "fishing outfit."

In the afternoon, Xiao Yang and Tie Gongji kept going in and out of the break room to fetch things, so Jiang Mu simply settled at a small table by the entrance to work on her problems. Four or five cars came and went, and her position by the door was somewhat in the way—she had to stand up and move aside whenever a vehicle approached. San Lai noticed this through the glass door, pushed it open, and directly moved the table to the front of his own shop, telling her, "Sit here and work."

Jiang Mu felt a bit embarrassed and asked, "Won't I disturb your business?"

San Lai grinned and replied, "Not at all. Just remember to top up your membership card a bit more next time."

"..."

Jiang Mu placed the little black dog on her lap as she worked on her problems. The puppy was very well-behaved, sleeping softly against her the entire time.

Around four o'clock, a car suddenly pulled over by the street, and three men got out, heading straight for the car shop. One of them, a flat-headed man, shouted into the shop, "Where's Jiu Ge?"

Jiang Mu, who had been wearing earphones, looked up at the loud voice and saw Xiao Yang and Tie Gongji halt their work, eyeing the group warily. The flat-headed leader walked up to an SUV parked in front of the shop, slapped the hood, and yelled, "Am I speaking a foreign language? Can't you understand?"

Xiao Yang's face twisted with anger, but Tie Gongji patted him and stepped forward, offering a cigarette as he responded, "Jiu Ge went to the auto parts market. If you have business..."

Before he could finish, the flat-headed man in the patterned hoodie snapped the cigarette in two and spat, "What the hell are you?"

Jiang Mu pulled off her earphones and frowned. San Lai also heard the commotion and came out of his shop. Jiang Mu asked quietly, "Who are they?"

San Lai let out a cold laugh. "People from Ten Thousand Records Car Shop."

As they spoke, the group entered the repair bay and kicked a storage cabinet, sending screws and parts clattering and scattering everywhere.

Jiang Mu stood up abruptly, but San Lai pressed her shoulder and said, "Ignore them."

Jiang Mu stared intently at the group and asked, "What are they doing?"

San Lai explained, "You Jiu worked at Ten Thousand Records for over three years. After he went independent last year, their people have been causing trouble every now and then. Don't get involved."

After saying this, San Lai walked over to the neighboring shop, wearing a smile as he said, "Hey, fellas, if you've got business, state it. Acting like heroes by causing chaos when the boss isn't around—what's the point? People might think you're cowards who only dare to take advantage. We all work around here; it's embarrassing to spread rumors like this."

The flat-headed leader turned and gave San Lai a disdainful look, sneering, "None of your fucking business, Lai Zi. Go jerk off with your cat. If it weren't for your old man, I'd mess you up too."San Lai wore an indifferent expression. "If you want to chat with me, I'm available anytime, but don't drag my old man into this. He's into drinking, whoring, and gambling, but I'm a law-abiding citizen. If you're thinking of cutting me some slack out of respect for him, that's completely unnecessary. Though my roots aren't pure and my upbringing isn't straight, I really don't need protection from societal scum."

Another guy said to Flathead, "Stop wasting your breath on him. This guy's always spouting nonsense."

Flathead knew he couldn't touch San Lai and couldn't be bothered to argue further. San Lai deliberately shifted a step, winked at Xiao Yang who was glaring fiercely, and continued provocatively, "What nonsense? If you had even a primate's level of perception, you wouldn't mistake a handsome guy for some lowlife."

Unfortunately, Xiao Yang completely missed San Lai's hint. Looking at the mess around him, he was so furious he nearly grabbed a wrench to confront the group. Flathead caught sight of Xiao Yang's expression and immediately kicked him to the ground, cursing, "What the hell are you staring at?"

San Lai clenched his jaw. Flathead followed up by kicking over a rice bucket nearby, then pulled out a key. Scanning the cars parked at the entrance, he picked the most expensive BMW and started scratching it from the front door with the key. Just as he reached the back door, a figure leaned against the car, blocking his hand. He looked up and saw a delicate-looking girl.

Flathead paused slightly and asked, "What's up, girl?"

Jiang Mu, holding Xiao Hei, said to him, "Get your hand off."

Flathead pocketed the key, suddenly intrigued, and teased, "What? Is this place yours?"

Jiang Mu nodded. "You guessed right."

Flathead took a step back in surprise, giving her a once-over, then his eyes lit up. "You're not the girl You Jiu just found, are you? You really are something. Da Guang, Xiangzi, come take a look."

Seeing this, San Lai quickly stepped forward and tried to intervene. "Cut it out, can't you see she's just a kid?"

Unexpectedly, the 200-pound Da Guang clamped a hand on San Lai's shoulder, restraining him, while Xiangzi and Flathead closed in on Jiang Mu with lecherous grins.

Xiao Hei, nestled in Jiang Mu's arms, seemed to sense something and suddenly started growling fiercely at Flathead.

Flathead cursed in annoyance, "Trying to act like a tough Labrador?"

With that, he grabbed Xiao Hei by the scruff and yanked the dog out of Jiang Mu's arms, holding it like a black plastic bag. He then moved to harass Jiang Mu.

Jiang Mu pulled out her phone, turned on the camera, and pointed it at them. Flathead froze momentarily, stopping his actions, but then snarled, "You bitch, looking for trouble? Turn off that phone."

He raised his hand to slap the phone away, but before he could touch Jiang Mu, his hand was forcefully knocked aside. At the same time, Jiang Mu felt a weight on her shoulder. She looked up at the person who had pulled her close. Jin Chao, his expression icy, shielded her in front of him, his eyes narrowed menacingly as he advanced toward Flathead. Flathead's face paled, and he instinctively retreated.

Jin Chao glanced at the disheveled Xiao Yang, then at the scratched BMW door, and finally at the black puppy Flathead was holding. He raised his hand, gesturing toward the dog. Whether it was his overwhelming presence or something else, the previously arrogant Flathead actually handed the puppy back to him without a word.Jin Chao handed the dog to Jiang Mu and pulled her behind him, his face revealing a careless yet fierce expression as he glanced at Flathead and said in a low voice, "If you mess with my car, I can still fix it. But if you mess with my people, I think you’ve got a death wish."

With that, he raised his fist. Flathead, thinking Jin Chao was about to hit him, ducked and covered his head. But Jin Chao didn’t lay a hand on him—instead, his fist veered and struck Da Guang in the face, followed swiftly by a kick. In terms of height, Da Guang was no match for Jin Chao, but he was bulky. Unfortunately, his flabby physique was no real defense, and Jin Chao easily knocked him to the ground. Freed from Da Guang’s grip, San Lai relaxed and immediately lunged from behind, wrapping his arms around Flathead and shouting, "Hey, hey, no fighting! We’re all old colleagues, aren’t we? Harmony brings wealth, harmony brings wealth!"

While San Lai’s words urged peace, his hands twisted Flathead’s arms behind his back. Seizing the opportunity, Jin Chao landed several solid blows without hesitation.

The two moved with such seamless coordination that Jiang Mu was left utterly stunned. Meanwhile, Tie Gongji and Xiao Yang each raised a wrench, aiming them threateningly at Da Guang’s head. Seeing the situation, Da Guang stayed seated on the ground, not daring to move.

Perhaps irritated by the little black dog’s constant whimpering, its mother—a Shih Tzu—finally burst out of the pet shop with earth-shattering barks, pouncing on Da Guang and sinking its teeth into his arm, refusing to let go. The terrified Da Guang wailed, "Why is it always me who gets hurt? What did I ever do to anyone?"

On the other side, several free-range chickens from a nearby small restaurant flapped their wings as they scrambled toward the spilled rice bucket, gathering at the auto shop’s entrance and pecking at the grains.

The scene was nothing short of chaotic—absolute bedlam, with more and more people gathering on the street to watch. Amid the confusion, Xiangzi snatched a hand hammer from the ground and charged toward Jin Chao from behind. Jiang Mu turned and saw a scrawny, skeletal-looking man raising a club-like tool, rushing forward with what seemed like a martyr’s determination to aid his friend.

So, holding the little black dog, she took a few steps forward and quietly stuck out her foot. The next moment, as the hand hammer went flying, Xiangzi plunged headfirst, his forehead hitting the ground right beside Jin Chao’s heel with a loud "thud." When Jin Chao turned at the sound, he saw Xiangzi prostrating himself as if offering a grand salute.

Jiang Mu took a step to the side, her deed accomplished without a trace.