Tonggang had few proper scenic spots, and Misty Temple was one of the rare notable ones. As the bus passed the entrance, Jin Chao nudged Jiang Mu's shoulder. She turned to look—the tall pagoda was draped in silvery snow, with a mist-shrouded mountain behind it resembling an ethereal paradise. From time to time, a deep, resonant sound echoed between the pagoda and the valley, lingering in the distance.
She turned back and asked, "What is that sound?"
Jin Chao told her, "The temple bell. Many people ring it on New Year's Day for blessings."
Even after the bus left, the reverberating chime seemed to linger, bringing a sense of tranquility.
At the animal hospital, two large red lanterns hung at the entrance, accompanied by festive Spring Festival couplets. Inside, only one young woman was on duty.
Shandian's recovery had progressed better than expected, perhaps because they hadn't visited in two days. The little guy was overjoyed to see them, even struggling to sit up despite his broken leg. His nose poked through the cage bars, tail wagging incessantly—had the cage not been locked, he seemed ready to leap into Jiang Mu's arms.
Jiang Mu couldn't bear his pitiful whimpers. Tugging Jin Chao's sleeve, she pleaded softly, "Brother, leaving Shandian here for the New Year is too cruel."
As if understanding her words, Shandian also lifted his head and whimpered at Jin Chao. Both human and dog fixed him with watery eyes, leaving him no choice but to step aside and call the veterinarian. Jiang Mu didn't catch the details of the ten-minute conversation, but when Jin Chao hung up and turned to her, her eyes sparkled with anticipation.
The afternoon sun cast a warm glow behind Jin Chao, outlining his handsome features against the light. He told her, "We're taking Shandian home."
"Wow!" Jiang Mu threw her hands up excitedly, grinning at Shandian. "We can go home now!"
Shandian seemed infected by her joy, wagging his tail wildly and barking twice in response.
Jin Chao completed the discharge formalities with the duty nurse, carefully noting medication instructions and follow-up appointments. After finishing the paperwork, they carried Shandian's large cage back to the garage.
In familiar surroundings, Shandian visibly relaxed. He tried to leave the cage but struggled due to his healing leg.
Jin Chao spread a soft mat and gently lifted Shandian's bulky frame onto it. Jiang Mu crouched with medicine packets, attempting to administer them, but Shandian dodged stubbornly, terrified of medication.
When Jiang Mu looked helplessly at Jin Chao, he took the medicine and sat on the mat, cradling Shandian's large head in his arms. Jiang Mu watched from a small stool nearby.
With infinite patience, Jin Chao guided Shandian to take the medicine again and again. The halo of overhead light circled the crown of his head, softening his entire presence.
This reminded her of her own childhood—how she'd feared bitter medicine and thrown tantrums when ill. Taking medicine felt harder than scaling heaven. Jiang Yinghan would break into a sweat just trying to get her to swallow syrup. Jin Chao would trick her, saying medicine would turn her into a super-strong hero. To demonstrate, he'd take a sip himself then lift a storage box.
Believing him, she'd swallow her tears along with the medicine and demand to lift the box too—whereupon Jin Chao would secretly empty the box before letting her try.He had deceived her like this for several years, and had accompanied her through years of bitter medicine—but who actually enjoys drinking medicine? Even Shandian disliked it. Jiang Mu gazed at Jin Chao's bowed profile, the warmth in her eyes melting into her heart.
Jin Chao successfully administered the medicine to Shandian, who lay down again. As he stood up to tidy things, Jiang Mu followed him. When he entered the break room to sort the medications, rewrite labels, and stick them on before placing them on the shelf, she sat beside him, chin propped in her hands. When he went to fetch water to boil some for Shandian, she tugged at the hem of his shirt and trailed him to the shed courtyard. After he returned to the break room and plugged in the electric kettle, he finally turned to look at her and said, "If you come again tomorrow, bring your workbook. I happen to have some free time these days and can go over the problems with you."
Jiang Mu instantly deflated and stopped following him.
Jin Chao set up an induction cooker in the shed courtyard and stir-fried a few dishes. It was cold outside, so he didn’t allow Jiang Mu to come out. She could only take off her shoes and lean against the windowsill, watching him.
Whenever Jin Chao looked up, he could see her eager little expression—exactly the same as when she was a child, waiting by the kitchen door after school. Sometimes, she’d get so tempted she’d try to sneak a piece of meat, only to have her hand smacked by Jiang Yinghan countless times.
He bent down, picked up a piece of beef brisket, and brought it to the window. Jiang Mu opened the window and leaned out as Jin Chao fed the beef to her.
She took a bite—tender, fragrant, and melting in her mouth—her taste buds instantly awakened. Jin Chao closed the window properly from outside, and Jiang Mu gave him an enthusiastic thumbs-up. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly as he turned to dish up the food.
Jiang Mu got off the bed, put on her shoes, and hurried out to meet him.
Jin Chao had already moved the folding table into the repair bay. Jiang Mu dragged two chairs from the break room and set them facing each other.
Though there were only four dishes—nothing compared to a New Year’s feast in other households—for Jiang Mu, it was already a lavish spread. There was meat, fish, and her favorite sticky rice cakes with sugar. She hadn’t eaten those in years, not since Jiang Yinghan used to make them for the New Year.
The rice cakes were sliced, coated in a special batter, and fried until crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside—absolutely delicious. But Jiang Yinghan never let her eat too many, saying they were hard to digest.
She never imagined that years later, in the distant north, on a freezing cold New Year’s Day, she would once again taste the flavors of home.
She looked up and asked Jin Chao, "How did you learn to make this?"
A faint smile touched his face as he opened a soda for her and grabbed a beer for himself, but he didn’t answer her question.
Jiang Mu kept eating piece after piece until Jin Chao swapped the positions of the fish and the rice cakes, saying, "That’s enough. You can’t make a meal out of just that."
Jiang Mu blurted out, "You sound just like Mom."
Jin Chao lowered his head, fiddling with his beer can, and took a silent sip. Jiang Mu suddenly realized what she’d said, and her heart clenched. Softly, she added, "Actually, Mom didn’t throw away that motorized car…"
It was a handmade motorized device Jin Chao had built in fourth grade, complete with a beautifully crafted shell. That Mother’s Day, he drove it over to Jiang Yinghan’s feet, but she didn’t notice and stepped on it, breaking it. Picking it up, she scolded him, telling him not to play with such things at home—what if someone tripped over it?Jiang Mu gave the greeting card she made with her kindergarten teacher to Jiang Yinghan. Her mother praised her for making it beautifully and stuck the card on the living room wall. That was the first time she saw a wounded expression in her brother's eyes, though at the time, she couldn't fully understand it.
Later, Jin Chao restored the device that had been trampled. He never managed to take it with him when he and Jin Qiang left Suzhou. Jiang Mu had always assumed it was long gone until they moved and, while unpacking in their new home, she rediscovered the device in a box. She took it out and asked her mother about it. Jiang Yinghan stared at it for a long while before saying to her, "Throw it away."
But Jiang Mu didn't throw it away; she secretly kept it.
However, she never told Jin Chao about this. She didn't know if mentioning it would bring him any comfort. He simply listened quietly, his expression unchanged.
Jiang Mu raised her drink and said to him, "Brother, I wish you all the best in the new year—smooth sailing, peace, and happiness."
Jin Chao lifted his beer and clinked it lightly with hers. Jiang Mu asked, "Aren't you going to say something to me?"
A faint, deep light shimmered in Jin Chao's dark eyes as he gazed at her slowly and said, "I wish you academic success and a bright future."
The main light in the repair shop wasn't on; only a small lamp was lit. She and Jin Chao sat facing each other, with Shandian quietly lying beside them, occasionally wagging its tail and lifting its head with a tongue-out smile. For Jiang Mu, this was the most unique New Year—just her, Jin Chao, and Shandian.
Though the surroundings were humble, she had nothing, he was burdened with debt, and Shandian was covered in wounds, he still did his best to provide shelter for her and Shandian.
There were no candlelights, and though Jiang Mu would later travel far and wide, savoring the world's finest delicacies, this night was her only experience of the romance embodied by the term "candlelit dinner."
After dinner, Jiang Mu offered to wash the dishes. Jin Chao, unable to bear seeing her delicate hands get cold, told her to stay aside. She really did stay by his side—he washed, and she dried and put away the dishes. Jin Chao glanced several times at her earnest expression out of the corner of his eye. Though there was only one more person around, he inexplicably felt that this New Year was unusually lively.
He put away the last plate, turned to wipe his hands, and asked her, "Want to go ring the bell?"
A smile spread across Jiang Mu's face. "At Wuyin Temple? Can we still go now?"
Jin Chao walked inside. "Why not? There are lights at night, and lots of people go."
Thrilled at the prospect of fun, Jiang Mu buzzed around Jin Chao excitedly, urging him to hurry. Jin Chao gave Shandian some water, patted its head to soothe it, then stood up and put on his jacket.
Jiang Mu also bent down, rubbed Shandian's big forehead, and said to it, "Be good, okay?"
Shandian let out an "aowoo" and lay down.
However, as soon as they stepped out of the auto shop, they ran into San Lai, who had just returned from his relatives' house. He was wearing an extravagant black mink coat, a bright red cashmere scarf, and—probably because his shaved head felt cold—a round-brimmed felt hat. When Jiang Mu suddenly saw him getting out of the car, she stared wide-eyed, thinking he was possessed by the spirit of Xu Wenqiang.
Seeing that they were heading out, San Lai enthusiastically asked where they were going. Upon hearing they planned to go to Wuyin Temple to ring the bell, he insisted on tagging along and even volunteered to be their driver.In Tonggang, there weren’t many places to go during the New Year, so after meals, many people would head to Wuyin Temple. Even before reaching the destination, vehicles were already lined up in a long queue. San Lai’s car was playing songs like "New Year’s Hymn," "Joyful and Radiant," and "Wishing You Prosperity" on loop, giving Jin Chao a headache. He asked San Lai to turn it off, but San Lai refused. Not only did he refuse, but he also started singing along. Jiang Mu, sitting in the back, couldn’t stop laughing. When San Lai reached the climax of the song, he turned around and pointed at Jiang Mu, urging her to join in. Without hesitation, she picked up where he left off. Their boisterous antics left Jin Chao with no choice but to tolerate them, though it did make the wait in line a little less tedious.
After finally parking the car, Jin Chao bought three tickets with his phone. Unexpectedly, there was another long line at the entrance, with several queues packed with people. Most visitors came with family or friends, and groups would often split up to stand in different lines, then rush to whichever one moved faster.
Jiang Mu, being petite, couldn’t see a thing once the crowd surged, and she was jostled by those around her. Jin Chao moved her to his left, and San Lai instinctively positioned himself on her other side. Shielded between them, Jiang Mu wasn’t squeezed again until they passed through the gate.
Inside, a wide pathway opened up, lined with lanterns of various shapes. Many people gathered there to take photos, but despite the crowd, the trio attracted an unusually high number of glances.
San Lai’s flamboyant, carefree style and Jin Chao’s sharp, handsome yet aloof demeanor created a striking contrast. Add to that the stunningly beautiful girl between them, and the three instantly became a dazzling sight.
Jiang Mu and Jin Chao remained oblivious, discussing whether to explore first or go ring the bell. But San Lai, already sensing the countless eyes on them, said with great self-satisfaction, "With looks as outstanding as ours, it’d be a waste not to form a group. I’ve even thought of a name—Tongren Three Aloof. How cool is that?"
Jiang Mu and Jin Chao silently glanced at him, then subtly distanced themselves, reluctant to admit they were with him.
The three then decided to go burn incense and pray. But as soon as they received their incense sticks, San Lai bristled like a startled lion and shouted into the incense-lighting room, "Be careful with those sticks! Don’t singe my fur."
His outburst drew stares from countless passersby. Probably no one had ever seen someone dressed in fur come to burn incense, and they found it bizarre, giving him a wide berth. San Lai leaned in and whispered to Jiang Mu, "See? Now no one’s crowding us. They’re all afraid of having to pay damages."
Jiang Mu quickly stepped away from him too, switching her newly lit incense to her other hand. "I’m also afraid of having to pay."
San Lai lifted his chin. "No way I’d make you pay. Your brother can cover it."
Jiang Mu quietly mouthed a single word at him: "Get lost."
Imitating San Lai and Jin Chao, Jiang Mu circled the incense burner and bowed toward each of the four directions. She secretly opened one eye and saw Jin Chao frowning deeply as he held his incense. Then she glanced at San Lai, who had his eyes closed, muttering something under his breath. When he finished, he noticed Jiang Mu watching him and said to her, "Don’t just bow. You have to make a wish. Say your desires out loud and ask for blessings."Jiang Mu also raised the incense above her head, silently reciting a long list of wishes. Perhaps because she had too many desires, by the time she opened her eyes, Jin Chao and San Lai had already been waiting for her nearby. She turned and inserted the incense into the censer.
Then they entered the main hall. Jin Chao handed her a handful of coins, telling her to make her own prayers. Jiang Mu noticed many deity statues inside, each with a kneeling cushion in front. San Lai immediately headed straight for the God of Wealth, where the queue of worshippers was the longest. After praying, everyone would toss coins into the donation box.
Jiang Mu didn’t recognize many of the statues, so she simply prayed before all those whose names she knew. When Jin Chao and San Lai found her, she was devoutly kneeling before the statue of the Old Man Under the Moon. A soft glow enveloped her, her eyes closed, her serene face etched with determination—so much so that one couldn’t help but hold their breath, reluctant to disturb her.
After opening her eyes, she stuffed the handful of change into the donation box. As she stood up, she saw Jin Chao and San Lai watching her from near the rear door of the hall. Noticing she had finally finished, San Lai couldn’t resist teasing, “Oh, having such a long whispered conversation with the Old Man Under the Moon? Didn’t realize our little Mu Mu already has someone in her heart?”
Jiang Mu’s face flushed instantly. Her gaze flitted hastily past Jin Chao’s face to meet San Lai’s mocking expression as she retorted irritably, “Stop talking nonsense. Nothing of the sort.”
Then she walked past them, pretending nothing had happened, while her eyes drifted back to Jin Chao’s face. A faint smile played on his lips. Jiang Mu couldn’t tell if he, like San Lai, was laughing at her, but she felt her entire heart quietly ignite in the night.
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