Jiang Mu didn't know why Jin Chao had gotten out of the car. She simply waited quietly inside. Shortly after, Jin Chao returned with a freshly purchased pack of cigarettes and a cup of water. He casually handed the cup with a straw to Jiang Mu, who quickly straightened up and accepted it with both hands, saying, "Thank you."
Her overly polite gesture made Jin Chao glance at her sideways, but he said nothing as he closed the car door.
The north wasn't as humid as the south, but summers were still quite dry. Jiang Mu hadn't had any water since boarding the car in Beijing. Perhaps because she was about to see family she hadn't met in a long time, she had barely slept well last night. Her anxiety along the way made her forget about drinking water, and her voice had been hoarse while speaking with Jin Chao.
Now that Jin Chao had specifically pulled over to buy her a cup of water, Jiang Mu couldn't help but feel somewhat awkward. She even wondered if he had bought the pack of cigarettes to mask this awkwardness.
She lowered her head and inserted the straw into the milk tea cup. The cool, refreshing taste slid down her throat, so pleasant that it made her squint her eyes. It was her favorite strawberry milkshake.
The flavor instantly triggered her memories. She could vaguely recall how much she loved eating strawberries as a child. Once, Jin Chao took her to an old lady's yard where there was a patch of cultivated strawberries. They weren't large—small, like wild strawberries—but exceptionally sweet. Jin Chao took off his shirt and gathered a large handful to carry away.
Later, they sat on the grass behind the hill. Jin Chao gave the strawberries to Jiang Mu to eat. Holding a partially eaten strawberry, she said to him, "Brother, the back part isn't sweet."
Jin Chao casually took it from her and said, "I'll eat the parts that aren't sweet."
Thinking of this childhood memory, Jiang Mu couldn't help but curl her lips into a smile. After starting the car, Jin Chao glanced at her sideways and asked, "What are you smiling about?"
Jiang Mu lowered her head and sipped the strawberry milkshake, her smile gradually fading. Because she remembered that after the sun set that day, Jin Chao had held her hand and taken her home. The old lady had already come to their doorstep. Jin Qiang repeatedly assured her that his two children wouldn't steal strawberries, but then he caught sight of the bright red strawberry stains on Jin Chao's clothes. In the end, Jin Qiang could only apologize to the old lady.
That evening, Jiang Yinghan was furious. She scolded Jin Chao for leading his younger sister astray, saying, "Today it's stealing strawberries; tomorrow, will it be stealing money?"
Seeing Jin Chao stiffen his neck without a hint of remorse, she grew even angrier. She grabbed a clothes-drying rod and struck his arm hard. Even though it was Jin Chao who had been hit, Jiang Mu cried even more bitterly than he did. That night, she sneaked into her brother's room, held his arm, and gently blew on it, asking if it hurt. But she remembered that Jin Chao hadn't made a sound that day. He only said to her, "We can't go eat strawberries tomorrow. When I grow up and earn money, I'll buy some for you—big ones."
As Jiang Mu recalled these memories from the past, sipping her strawberry milkshake, her heart felt a mix of emotions. It was as if the taste of the strawberry milkshake had turned somewhat sour and bitter.
She turned her head and asked, "Is this car yours?"
Jin Chao's hand on the steering wheel paused for a moment before he replied, "No."
Jiang Mu had asked this question hoping to indirectly find out how Jin Chao was doing now. So she followed up with another question: "Are you still in school?"
His reply was two words: "No."
"Did you just graduate this year, or..."
Jiang Mu didn't know how to continue. Jin Chao seemed to sense her hesitation and caution and told her directly, "I stopped going to school after graduating from high school."Jiang Mu's heart plummeted at those words. She had imagined many possibilities, including the chance that she might not see her brother during this trip—perhaps he was still away at university. But she never expected this answer. She remembered how clever Jin Chao had been as a child. After every parent-teacher conference, their father would return beaming, their home adorned with Jin Chao's "Three Good Student" awards. Studying seemed effortless for him; he still had plenty of time to go out and play soccer every day, returning drenched in sweat before collapsing into bed. Yet his grades always remained at the top of his class. His teachers said he was naturally gifted for learning, so how could he have stopped?
Jiang Mu's mind swirled with questions, but being new to this place and having been apart for so many years, the distance between them didn't allow her to broach such sensitive topics.
Soon, the car turned into an urban village, noticeably livelier than the outskirts. The streets narrowed, filled with motorcycles weaving back and forth. Jiang Mu gazed around wide-eyed when suddenly a motorcycle cut abruptly in front of them. Startled, she jabbed her straw into her mouth. Jin Chao slammed on the brakes, rolled down the window, and yelled at the rider, "Get lost, you brat!The man was burly, with a shaved head, eyebrows as thick and dark as Guan Yu's, and nasolabial grooves carved into his face like the character "8."" Jiang Mu rarely saw anyone with such an intimidating appearance. She instinctively tightened her grip on the seatbelt, but instead of getting angry, the man laughed and shouted to Jin Chao, "Drinks tonight?"
Jin Chao replied coldly, "Drink my ass."
The rider swerved his bike alongside Jin Chao's window, leaning down to say, "What's eating you?" Then he spotted the delicate girl in the passenger seat, his eyes lighting up as he winked and teased, "Well, well, You Jiu, who's this little lady?"
Jin Chao ignored him. The man persisted, "Aren't you afraid Little Green Snake will cause a scene at your place?"
Jin Chao rolled up the window and drove off. Only then did Jiang Mu relax, having feared a confrontation. But soon, realization dawned on her.
She asked, "Was that your friend?"
Jin Chao grunted in affirmation. Jiang Mu fell silent, lowering her gaze as turmoil churned inside her. Dropping out after high school, surrounded by seemingly unreliable friends—what kind of life had Jin Chao been living since leaving Suzhou? It all became a massive question looming in her heart.
She asked again, "Why did he call you 'You Jiu'?"
Jin Chao shot her a sidelong glance but didn't answer.
Soon, the car entered a cramped residential area. After several twists and turns, Jin Chao accelerated straight onto the curb beside the complex—that counted as a parking space.
After turning off the engine, Jin Chao suddenly leaned over and asked her, "Did it break?"
The sky was growing dark, and the interior of the car was dimly lit. Jin Chao's sudden closeness made Jiang Mu inexplicably nervous. She turned her gaze to meet his dark, bright eyes, noticing the faint scar on his left brow. Her heart instantly raced wildly. Though his features were sharper now than in his youth, and little remained of his former self, that scar was still there—because of her. Long ago, she'd heard from their father that when she was just over a year old, Jin Chao had cut his face on the glass surface of a bedside table while catching her as she rolled off the bed, bleeding profusely.Since she could remember, that faint scar had been hidden in his eyebrow. She never paid it much mind before, but now it seemed to lend his features a more roguish air.
Jiang Mu stared at the scar as if finally finding traces of the past in the present Jin Chao. The overwhelming sense of familiarity nearly suffocated her, even bringing her to the verge of tears.
Jin Chao's gaze lingered on her lips. Upon inspection, the straw had indeed broken the skin, causing a bit of bleeding. Her lower lip was red, reminding him of the fruit called cherry. He shook off the thought and frowned. Only then did he seem to realize that the little girl who used to be coquettish and somewhat willful had grown into a graceful young woman. It no longer felt appropriate for him to stare at her like this. Straightening up, he moved away slightly, but then he glanced up and saw Jiang Mu's pitiful, tearful expression. Suddenly, he spoke: "His name is Jin Fengzi."
Jiang Mu was baffled by his words and turned to ask, "What Jin Fengzi?"
Jin Chao rested his hands on the steering wheel, a faint smile playing on his lips. "The guy from earlier."
"Who? Guan Gong?"
Jin Chao paused, then his faint smile widened. "Yeah, him. Next time you see him, tell him to take a punch from you. Let's go."
Utterly confused, Jiang Mu opened the car door, unaware that Jin Chao had mistaken her teary expression as being due to her injured lip.
Jin Chao retrieved her luggage from the trunk. The neighborhood hadn't yet implemented waste sorting; several large trash bins clustered together emitted a foul, pungent odor. Jiang Mu held her breath. Jin Chao glanced at her, lowered his head, and remarked, "Suzhou is quite developed now, isn't it?"
Jiang Mu struggled to respond. There was indeed a gap, but this was also where Jin Chao lived. She didn't want to appear condescending, so she simply replied, "It's alright."
Jin Chao walked ahead and tossed back, "If you can't get used to it here, let me know."
Jiang Mu wasn't sure what he meant, but as she followed him into the building, the stark contrast made her somewhat uncomfortable.
Cracked walls, patches of peeling paint, and even the missing handrail on the second floor exposed rusty rebars. The hallway was narrow, with large jars placed in front of some doors, making the already cramped space even more crowded and dim.
The place somewhat resembled the old neighborhood they lived in as children. But she and her mother had moved into an elevator-equipped condominium years ago, complete with a spacious balcony, floor-to-ceiling windows, pleasant greenery, and full amenities. Jin Chao's life, however, seemed to have paused, remaining unchanged from a decade ago. The thought made Jiang Mu's heart ache a little.
Jin Chao effortlessly climbed to the fifth floor carrying the suitcase, while Jiang Mu was already panting heavily. He glanced at her and shook his head with a laugh. "A few flights of stairs tired you out this much?"
"Yeah, feels like I've climbed a mountain."
"Your fitness needs improvement."
Jiang Mu asked him, "Why aren't you even out of breath climbing stairs?"
Jin Chao pulled out his keys. "Trained."
Jiang Mu blurted out, "How? By carrying your sister around?"The words hung in the air, leaving both momentarily stunned. Their old home in Suzhou had been on the fourth floor. As children, Jiang Mu loved clinging to her brother, begging him to carry her upstairs. With her arms looped around his neck and her small feet swinging rhythmically against his sides, Jin Chao would always dash up the stairs in one breath, their shared laughter echoing through the stairwell. It had become their little ritual.
After learning Jin Chao had gained a new younger sister, Jiang Mu had recurring dreams where he carried this new sister up those same stairs while she remained stranded outside the building. The crushing sensation of abandonment left her utterly devastated.
Perhaps driven by subconscious thoughts, regret instantly washed over Jiang Mu the moment the words escaped her lips. She stared helplessly at Jin Chao, who remained silent but promptly opened the front door.
Beyond that threshold, Jiang Mu felt transported into another world—a completely unfamiliar family sphere that held no place for her.
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