That evening, after dinner, Jiang Yinghan took Mu Mu for a bath while Jin Chao did his homework in his room and Jin Qiang cleared the table. It was an ordinary day, nothing out of the usual.
After watching Mu Mu climb into bed by herself, Jiang Yinghan went to the kitchen. Jin Qiang had put the washed bowls into the cabinet but left a few plates by the sink. Jiang Yinghan picked up the plates and confronted Jin Qiang, asking why he always left things half-done and if he was incapable of doing anything properly. Jin Qiang also lost his temper, telling her that if she thought he was so incompetent, they should divorce so she could find someone better.
Jin Chao was still awake, listening through the door as they rummaged for their household registration book and talked about going to the civil affairs bureau the next day to get a divorce.
He thought it was just another argument, like all the others before, and that after a night’s sleep, they would go on with their lives. But when he came home from school the next day, he found out they had actually divorced.
What had caused it?
Jin Chao’s voice was heavy as he told her, “A few plates.”
Jiang Mu never would have imagined that the trigger for her parents’ divorce was just a few plates. Men and women go through trials, exploration, and adjustment to overcome countless difficulties and come together—so why would they part over something as trivial as a few plates?
Her chin sank into the pillow, her expression more complicated than ever before. Jin Chao glanced at her sideways, thinking of her earlier remark about not planning to marry. It probably wasn’t just an offhand comment. Her parents’ divorce had instilled in her a fear and apprehension toward marriage, something Jin Chao hadn’t considered before.
Back then, although he often worried that Jin Qiang and Jiang Yinghan might come to blows in the heat of an argument, he was already mature enough to understand why they couldn’t make it work. Sometimes, he even grew weary of their constant quarrels.
But Jiang Mu was still young then. In her world, her parents’ divorce felt as heavy as the sky falling—a reality she simply couldn’t bear.
This was also the first time Jin Chao realized the impact Jin Qiang and Jiang Yinghan’s divorce had on Jiang Mu.
He wasn’t one to spout lengthy sermons, but sensing the girl before him was lost in confusion, he gradually bent one leg and spoke up: “There’s no such thing as an unfortunate marriage, but there are plenty of unfortunate couples. It’s not marriage that brings disaster. If people truly want to defy fate, even the steepest mountains and roughest roads can be smoothed into a broad path. It all comes down to human effort.”
Jin Chao’s words suddenly reminded Jiang Mu of that time she went to a restaurant with her dad. She had been surprised by Jin Qiang’s habit of eating raw garlic, because in her and Jiang Yinghan’s home, garlic only occasionally appeared as a seasoning in meat dishes and was never eaten outright. Jin Qiang naturally offered garlic to Jin Chao, indicating it was a normal part of their diet. But she disliked garlic, so Jin Chao held it in his hand without eating it.
That small gesture of his, which she recalled today, stirred deep emotions in her.
How difficult must it be for two people from completely different backgrounds to integrate into each other’s lives? Though she didn’t know the answer, she saw accommodation and tolerance in Jin Chao. Perhaps this was what he meant by “human effort.” If only Jin Qiang had quietly put the plates back in the sink that night, would her parents not have divorced?Perhaps the answer would still be the same—neither of them wanted to make any more effort to change for the other. It seemed that in an instant, Jiang Mu suddenly understood, because she saw another interpretation from Jin Chao, an interpretation of what a partner should be.
Her eyes blinked lightly, and she looked at him, blurting out, "Chaochao, you'll definitely be a good husband in the future."
Jin Chao was inexplicably praised by her, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly as his voice deepened, "Whether I'm a good husband or not should be evaluated by my wife."
After saying this, he turned his gaze to her. Jiang Mu's heart skipped a beat. Jin Chao's words sounded reasonable—from a sister's perspective, she naturally couldn't evaluate whether he would be a good husband. Yet, she had boldly made such a comment. Was he reminding her not to overstep her bounds?
Jiang Mu didn't know and didn't dare to guess, but the thought of him eventually marrying and having children made her feel as if a lingering fog had settled in her heart, suffocating her.
She murmured, "Then have you ever thought about when you'll get married?"
Jin Chao was taken aback, raising his head unconsciously to look at a spot in the room. After a moment of silence, he said, "I haven't thought about it."
Jiang Mu recalled some trivial matters and muttered, "When we were kids, I once saw you walking into the neighborhood with an older girl after school. I called out to you from upstairs, but you ignored me. I was so angry, and I kept thinking that if you got a girlfriend in the future, you'd never pay attention to me again."
Jin Chao was startled, "When was that?"
Jiang Mu yawned and said, "I must have been in second grade then. You were already in middle school."
Seeing her inexplicable frustration, Jin Chao lowered his head slightly and smiled. But Jiang Mu continued grumbling, "I saw it several times. That girl smiled so happily at you. And I’ll have you know, after you left, she even came to our house and rang the doorbell looking for you!"
A playful glint flickered in Jin Chao's eyes as he asked, "What did you say to her?"
Jiang Mu rolled over, pouting, "See, I knew you remembered."
Jin Chao teased her, "Such a little busybody."
Jiang Mu immediately retorted, "I'm not little."
Jin Chao slowly stood up, "Right, I don't know who just claimed to be little. Anyway, in front of me, you're like Sun Wukong's disciple."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Capable of seventy-two transformations, sometimes big, sometimes small."
Jiang Mu laughed, "Where are you going?"
Jin Chao walked to the door and looked back at her, "Not leaving. I'm just going out for a smoke."
Only then did Jiang Mu relax.
Jin Chao sat alone in the living room, scrolling through his phone for a while. He knew Jiang Mu was actually tired—if he stayed in the room, she would force herself to stay awake. So, he decided to step out for a bit. When he felt enough time had passed, he went back in to check on her.
She was already lying motionless by the edge of the bed, eyes closed. Jin Chao walked over and gently nudged her further inside. Jiang Mu murmured with her eyes shut, "Brother..."
Jin Chao wasn't sure if she was fully awake. Jiang Mu hugged her pillow, her eyes cracking open slightly, "I am Jiang Mu, but I'm also your Jin Mumu. Happy New Year."
With that, she closed her eyes again. Her words lingered in Jin Chao's chest like a wisp of smoke. He bent down, pulled the blanket over her, and tucked the corners in. Just as he was about to straighten up, he noticed her long, delicate eyelashes trembling slightly in her sleep, as if she were carrying some great grievance.This was probably the first time she had spent the New Year away from her mother. Though she didn’t say it aloud, she must have felt sad inside. A strand of hair fell across her cheek, and Jin Chao reached out to tuck it behind her ear. Her lips had a soft, pale pink glow, tender and delicate. His fingers brushed against them inadvertently, lingering for just a moment before he withdrew his hand, reluctant to touch her again.
…
By the time Jiang Mu woke up, there were already two missed calls on her phone, both from Jin Chao. She called him back, and the call connected almost instantly. She hurriedly jumped out of bed and said to him, "I fell asleep and didn’t hear the phone. Where are you now? At the garage? I’ll head over right away. Dr. Li said no one will be on duty after 4 p.m., so we need to hurry to the hospital."
She rambled on in a flurry, but Jin Chao only replied with two words: "Wear shoes."
Jiang Mu pulled the phone away to look at it, then glanced down at her bare feet. She almost wondered if she had accidentally switched to a video call—how else would Jin Chao know she had jumped out of bed without putting on shoes?
After slipping on her shoes, she finally heard Jin Chao continue, "It’ll take half an hour at most to get there. There’s enough time. Take your time getting ready, have something to eat before you come out. I’m waiting at the entrance of the neighborhood."
Jiang Mu had no idea when Jin Chao had left the night before, but he was already here. Though he told her not to rush, she still hurried out as quickly as possible. The snow outside was still thick, but today she had switched to a pair of mid-calf Martin boots and wore a stylish, glossy patchwork coat with a waist-cinching design that made her look especially tall.
These winter clothes had been packed for her by Jiang Yinghan before she came to Tonggang, but since Jiang Mu usually wore her school uniform, she had never worn them before. Thinking it was the New Year, she decided to dress up a little. From a distance, she looked like a fashionable young woman. Jin Chao only glanced briefly in her direction, never imagining that the slender figure in the distance was Jiang Mu.
Jiang Mu, however, spotted Jin Chao before she had even left the neighborhood. He stood alone in the freezing snow, dressed in a long black down jacket for warmth, surrounded by a circle of footprints. His tall, dark figure stood out starkly against the white snow, and she waved to him from afar.
Noticing her gesture, Jin Chao turned to look in her direction. It wasn’t until Jiang Mu drew closer that he recognized her. He couldn’t tell if she was wearing light makeup, but her lips glistened like cherries, her eyelashes were delicately curled and lively, and her already smooth, fine skin appeared even fairer and more radiant.
He had to admit the truth in the saying that girls change dramatically as they grow up. With just a change of outfit and makeup, he had almost failed to recognize her. Used to seeing her in school uniforms and sweatpants, she now seemed to have transformed suddenly from a student into a strikingly attractive young woman.
Jin Chao kept his hands in his pockets and gave her a subtle glance. Jiang Mu asked him, "How long have you been waiting?"
"I came over as soon as I couldn’t get through on the phone."
Jiang Mu laughed. "Why didn’t you come up and wake me?"
"It’s still early. You could have slept a bit longer and still made it in time."
He then shifted his gaze toward the bus stop, signaling for her to cross the street. Jiang Mu walked alongside him, glancing over as she asked, "But aren’t you cold? Give me your hand."
"What for?"
"Just give it to me."
Jin Chao pulled his right hand out of his pocket. Jiang Mu pressed a small hand warmer into his palm, and he clenched it, warming his hand. She took out another one and told him, "I have one more. This one’s for you."Jin Chao picked it up and examined it. The pattern featured an oddly shaped, ugly orange duck with its hands stacked together, opening outward to launch a heart shape.
He clicked his tongue and remarked, "Still into cartoon patterns, huh?"
He thought that, being a grown girl now, her taste would have matured a bit. He hadn’t expected it to be almost the same as when she was little.
But Jiang Mu hopped in front of him, protesting, "What do you know? This is 'Love You, Duck.'"
She mimicked the duck’s pose, stretching out her hands and launching an imaginary heart into the air. Jin Chao couldn’t help but curl the corners of his lips and asked, "What’s yours?"
Jiang Mu pulled hers out of her pocket to show him. It was the same ugly duck, but with a puff of smoke coming out of its rear. Jin Chao commented, "Your duck isn’t very elegant."
Jiang Mu burst out laughing. "See, I told you you don’t get it. Mine is called 'Charge, Duck.'"
Jin Chao had no idea where she came up with these strange names. He glanced down at the "Love You, Duck" in his hand, which suddenly seemed a bit more acceptable, and slipped it into his pocket.
Jiang Mu asked him, "Didn’t drive?"
"The snow’s too thick. Besides, there’s nothing urgent. The bus route we’re taking is actually a scenic one. Want to see it?"
Jiang Mu perked up. "Sure!"
Jin Chao walked beside her, his gaze casually drifting over her. Jiang Mu pursed her lips into a smile and tilted her head to ask, "Is it nice?"
Jin Chao knew full well she was asking whether she looked good in her outfit, but he deliberately raised his eyes and replied, "Yeah, it’s quite nice. You can see the pagoda of Misty Hidden Temple."
Jiang Mu puffed out her cheeks in annoyance. "Bro, it’s no wonder you can’t find a girlfriend."
Jin Chao just lowered his eyes and chuckled.
Jiang Mu’s Martin boots had thick soles, and while waiting for the bus, she kept stomping up and down on the snow at the platform edge, making a "crunch, crunch" sound with every step, never staying still for a moment.
Jin Chao quietly watched her antics, subtly shifting to block her every time she was about to slip. When the bus arrived and the door opened, the steps were coated with a layer of ice. Jin Chao stepped up first and offered his hand to Jiang Mu.
Jiang Mu looked at his broad palm and placed her hand in his. Jin Chao pulled her up and paid the fare. Her small hand was firmly enclosed in his palm—a hand that should have held a pen but had grown rough from years of labor. Every time Jiang Mu felt the texture of his palm, her heart ached a little, so she reached out with her other hand and held his as well.
Tonggang had no subway, and perhaps because of the snow, many people had chosen to take the bus to visit relatives for New Year’s greetings today. The bus was quite crowded with no empty seats. Jin Chao led Jiang Mu to the back, and once they stopped, he glanced down at her hands tightly holding his and gently tugged them, saying, "Using me as a handrail now?"
Embarrassed, Jiang Mu withdrew her hands and grabbed the bus handle. An elderly woman in front of them overheard their conversation and laughed, "I’m getting off at the next stop. Let your girlfriend sit here."
Jiang Mu’s expression grew even more awkward. She hesitated over whether to explain to the woman, but Jin Chao had already nudged her into the seat and turned to thank the woman.
For the next few stops, Jin Chao stood in front of her seat, looking down at his phone. Jiang Mu sat stiffly upright. When they were kids, she used to hold Jin Chao’s hand wherever they went. If there were many cars on the road and she let go on her own, Jin Chao would scold her, warning her how dangerous it was to run around.She missed the days of her childhood when she could cling to him without restraint. But reality reminded her that they had grown up now—the peculiar glances from others, the appropriate distance that should be maintained between men and women, and the constraints of societal norms all stood between them, leaving Jiang Mu feeling somewhat frustrated.
After an indeterminate amount of time, the person behind her got off the bus, and Jin Chao took the seat directly behind her. Jiang Mu could see his profile reflected in the window as she tilted her head slightly. He was still looking at his phone, his features sharp and refined, exuding a cold, stern handsomeness when silent. Yet, this was the same person she had often hugged and kissed without hesitation in their childhood.
Pressing her lips together, she watched as Jin Chao locked his phone and lifted his gaze, his eyes meeting hers directly through the reflection in the glass. A flicker of amusement lit his eyes as he noticed Jiang Mu’s flustered, evasive look, as if she’d been caught doing something wrong. He smiled silently.
Author’s Note:
Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, dear readers! Wishing you and your families happiness and countless precious moments with your loved ones.
Let’s do a red envelope giveaway! The 8th, 18th, 28th, 38th, 48th, and 58th commenters will snag big red envelopes.
Hurry and leave a comment to grab yours!
Thank you to all the little angels who supported me with overlord tickets or nutrition fluid from 2021-09-20 13:56:45 to 2021-09-21 09:56:55~
Special thanks to:
Little angel 17444142 for the hand grenade (a type of support gift)
Little angels "Dazzling", Ven, 19957276, 54927654, "Peach eats more kiwi", and Pau for the landmines (another type of support gift)
Little angels "Fairy-like little kitty" (20 bottles), 14388040 (18 bottles), Yang Daniu (7 bottles), Lian Jie, Meoww, lily_dengcr (5 bottles each), "There is still tomorrow" (2 bottles), Mu Naokai, and "Specially pampered witch" (1 bottle each) for the nutrition fluid~
I’m deeply grateful for your support and will keep working hard!
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