The silence between them lingered for half a minute. Shandian lay by the bedside, his gaze shifting back and forth between Jiang Mu and Jin Chao. The washing machine rumbled, its mechanical sound unusually distinct in the night.
Jin Chao opened the nearby wardrobe, retrieving a small white object from the top drawer and idly toying with it in his palm. He said to her nonchalantly, "I have no house, no car, and an uncertain future. You should think carefully."
Jiang Mu lifted her head, her gaze unwavering as she met his eyes. "What is there to think about? Whether you might deceive my feelings? Or whether your lack of house and car would starve me to death?"
Jin Chao lowered his eyes, his lashes tinted pale by the room's light. His focus remained on the white jade ball in his palm, his breathing restrained. "Since childhood, people have come and gone like a revolving lantern. I've never been serious about anyone."
He raised his eyes to look at her. "So if I do become serious, I might not give you a chance to regret it."
The intensity in his eyes left Jiang Mu no room to retreat. It felt as if her emotions had been ignited by his gaze, her skin growing warm. Meeting his eyes firmly, she declared, "I won't regret it."
The corner of Jin Chao's lips lifted slightly. He raised his hand and tossed the jade ball to her.
Jiang Mu caught it and examined it closely, immediately recognizing the object. She was all too familiar with this little thing—a carved jade sphere made of mutton-fat white jade, with a red agate at its center. In their childhood, it had always hung around Jin Chao's neck. Cool to the touch in summer, yet carrying his body warmth in winter, Jiang Mu had often loved holding it to fall asleep. She had asked him for it many times, but Jin Chao had never relented. Whenever she inquired about its significance, he had remained silent.
She never expected Jin Chao had kept it all these years. Now, seeing the small jade carving again, she noticed its exquisite craftsmanship. Holding it up, she asked him, "You're giving it to me?"
Jin Chao beckoned her over. Jiang Mu walked toward him, and he took back the small sphere, moving behind her to fasten the black cord clasp. Jiang Mu looked down at the jade ball resting against her collarbone and said with pretended annoyance, "So you're willing to give it to me now? When we were kids, no matter how much I begged, you never would. How stingy."
Jin Chao's voice drifted down to the crown of her head. "Do you know where this came from?"
"You never told me."
"My mother left it to me."
Jiang Mu froze. "You mean your biological mother?"
Jin Chao gave a quiet "Mm." Jiang Mu instantly turned around, clutching the small sphere tightly. She suddenly recalled all those times she had asked about the jade ball's origin, and how he had fallen silent. Back then, Jin Chao couldn't tell her—doing so would have meant revealing to Jiang Mu that he wasn't her biological brother. To her younger self, that truth would have been unbearable, so he had carefully guarded the secret.
Jin Chao had always been more mature than his peers. Many details from their childhood that Jiang Mu hadn't understood were only now becoming clear to her. Moved, she asked, "Is this the only thing your parents left you?"
Jin Chao didn't deny it. Jiang Mu pressed further, "And you're willing to give it to me?"
Jin Chao shifted his gaze from the jade ball to her face, noticing how well the small jade sphere suited her. The delicate collarbone paired with the mutton-fat white jade made her complexion appear even more gentle and luminous.
A warmth touched his eyes as he told her, "I really couldn't give it to you before. But now..."
Jiang Mu finished his sentence for him, "But now you can? Why?"Jin Chao's smile deepened. "We have to start with the origin of this thing. I'll tell you slowly in the future."
After speaking, he glanced at the snacks by the bedside and remarked, "Did you move your entire home here?"
Jiang Mu gently held the jade ball and tentatively asked, "Um... can I stay tonight?"
Jin Chao smiled and countered, "What do you think?"
"I think it's probably not possible. For example, if Dad calls me later, I won't know how to respond. So, can you help me think of a way?"
Jin Chao silently watched her. Jiang Mu lowered her head under his gaze and muttered to herself, "I might be a bit rebellious."
Her sudden self-reflection made Jin Chao chuckle, but she quickly overturned her own assessment and continued mumbling, "Isn't the exam over? Dad's place doesn't have internet, and it's boring back there. Can't you just... let me stay and use your Wi-Fi?"
Jin Chao remained silent for a moment, picked up his phone, and turned to leave the room. Jiang Mu heard him call Jin Qiang, though she couldn't make out what was said. When Jin Chao returned, he was holding two cups of rich, aromatic coffee. He casually handed one to Jiang Mu, who was still sitting at the foot of the bed. She accepted it with surprise—this was the first time Jin Chao had ever given her coffee. Before, whenever she wanted to drink it, he would always say she was too young, as if her age only qualified her for beverages and yogurt.
That's why the cup of coffee in her hands now felt particularly significant. She looked up at him. Jin Chao blew on his coffee, its fragrance filling the air. A subtle, meaningful smile played on his lips as he slightly raised his eyelids. "Not going to try it?"
Jiang Mu finally lowered her head and brought the cup to her lips. Braced for bitterness, she took a small sip. As the smooth liquid filled her taste buds, she looked up at Jin Chao in pleasant surprise.
Jin Chao's eyes held a smile. "Sweet?"
Those two words struck directly at Jiang Mu's heart. She took another large sip, her face flushing. "Last time I drank it, it was bitter."
Jin Chao smiled faintly. Jiang Mu looked at his coffee and asked, "What about yours?"
As she spoke, she leaned closer to him. He offered her his cup, but instead of taking it, she bent her head and sipped directly from it. The bitterness made her frown. "Mine tastes better. Why is my coffee sweet?"
Jin Chao gently swirled his wrist, creating a shallow vortex in his cup. His gaze burned into her. "Not all coffee is bitter."
Then, lowering his eyelids, he added, "I won't let you suffer."
For a moment, Jiang Mu felt Jin Chao wasn't just talking about coffee but making some unspoken promise. The air grew still, and her heart melted.
She lowered her head and took a large gulp of coffee to hide her racing heartbeat. Perhaps she drank too hastily, because when she looked up, a ring of coffee stained her upper lip, like a fake mustache. Jin Chao laughed, took her cup along with his, and set them aside. He pulled Jiang Mu in front of him, his thumb gently wiping her lip. The distinct warmth slid from her upper lip to the corner of her mouth. He leaned down, his mesmerizing gaze fixed on her, and asked, "What do you want to feel?"
Then, lifting her chin, he placed a light kiss on the corner of her lips. "Like this?"Jiang Mu's eyes flickered as she gazed at his close-knit profile, her body stiff with tension. Jin Chao leaned in for another kiss, this time pressing against her lips in a slow, lingering caress. His voice emerged huskily from his throat: "Like this?"
He was like a natural-born leader, gradually taking over her consciousness as he asked in a low, raspy tone: "Or like this?"
He pressed against her lips, invading her territory while subtly arousing her interest. Every movement etched itself vividly in Jiang Mu's mind, the unfamiliar tingling sensation making her tremble.
This was her first conscious kiss with Jin Chao. Between their entangled lips lingered the rich aroma of coffee—bitter yet temptingly sweet, impossible to fully savor or forget.
Jiang Mu had no idea how long the kiss lasted. When Jin Chao finally released her, her lips felt swollen. He told her to take a shower, and she obediently went into the bathroom. Even with the water running, her breathing remained erratic. It felt as though countless unfamiliar little insects had taken residence in her body, nibbling at her uncontrollably. She couldn't understand why this was happening, only sensing the bathroom's warm yellow light casting a hazy glow, making her emotions surge with excitement.
When Jiang Mu emerged from her shower, Jin Chao had put on a movie. He turned to look at her as she approached the bed. He shifted inward to make space, but she merely sat stiffly on the edge, too embarrassed to lie down.
Jin Chao chuckled faintly. "You weren't this polite when you used to climb into my bed as a kid."
With that, he tugged her gently, and she tumbled into his embrace. Her body remained rigid, afraid to move. Jin Chao simply held her loosely as he continued watching the film, but nestled in the crook of his arm, surrounded by his warmth, Jiang Mu couldn't focus on the movie at all.
She secretly glanced up at him, and Jin Chao looked down to meet her gaze. "Am I more interesting than the movie?" he asked.
Jiang Mu quickly averted her eyes, pretending to watch the screen intently while absorbing nothing.
During the New Year, she had thought how wonderful it would be to lie with Jin Chao like they did as children—carefree and playful. But now, actually lying beside him, she realized it was entirely different. She could no longer burrow into his clothes and pop out from his collar like she used to, claiming to be the baby he gave birth to, or playfully bite his chin until he pinned her down and tickled her in mock frustration.
Now, she lay stiff as a mummy beside him, not daring to move, and couldn't help but reflect on the innocence of childhood.
Lying like this would have been pleasant enough—a rare, tranquil moment watching a movie with Jin Chao. But Jiang Mu couldn't comprehend why a comedy would suddenly feature an intimate scene.
Though she hadn't been following the plot, when it abruptly cut to a man and woman passionately kissing and undressing each other, she snapped to attention. Her heart raced faster, her breathing grew shallow with tension, and she didn't dare look at Jin Chao. A weak, drained feeling washed over her, more awkward than watching kissing scenes beside her parents as a child.
Jin Chao reclined against the headboard, his arm around her, hand resting near her pillow. He lifted his fingers to brush her shoulder, stroking slowly with a light, teasing touch. Jiang Mu's already tense body grew even stiffer, her gaze fixed rigidly on the ceiling with nowhere else to land.The scene in the movie dragged on for far too long, each second an agony, until Jin Chao finally couldn't hold back and muttered, "Annoying."
He turned sideways, his silhouette blocking the ceiling from Jiang Mu's view. Then a shadow fell over her vision as he kissed her eyelids, her cheeks, and gently traced her hairline with meticulous tenderness. Jiang Mu's body stiffened, her breathing completely thrown into disarray.
As Jin Chao's kisses trailed down to her neck, the scalding heat seared her nerves. Sensing her trembling with fear, he ultimately didn't press further and released her, lying back in his original position to continue watching the movie.
Jiang Mu rolled over to face the edge of the bed, only to meet Shandian's pitch-black eyes staring directly at her. The shock nearly sent her tumbling off the bed.
She eventually fell asleep in that same position, and before turning off the movie, Jin Chao carried her to the inner side of the bed.
Jiang Mu was awakened in the morning by a sticky, damp sensation. Blinking groggily, she saw Shandian wagging his tail and licking her hand by the bedside—likely overexcited since she rarely stayed overnight.
She patted his furry head, got up to wash, and then fastened the dog leash onto Shandian.
Jin Chao and Xiao Yang were busy in the repair shop, speaking with a customer. Jiang Mu only glanced at him briefly before taking Shandian out for a walk.
When San Lai opened his shop door, he spotted a small figure in a nightgown leading Shandian. Wondering which girl had come so early to walk Jin Chao's dog, he was surprised when Jiang Mu turned around, yawning and waving at him: "Morning, San Lai."
She then headed back to the auto shop with Shandian. San Lai stood dumbfounded, stepping out of his pet store to stare at her retreating figure for a long while.
When Jin Chao finished his work and came out, he casually tossed San Lai a cigarette. San Lai tucked it behind his ear and immediately asked, "Mu Mu didn't leave last night?"
Jin Chao lifted his eyelids slightly but remained silent.
San Lai pressed further, "You didn't come to my place either, so how did you two sleep last night?"
Still silent, Jin Chao walked over to the faucet, turned it on, and washed his hands with soap. San Lai followed, pointing at him in shock: "You bastard, don't tell me you..."
Jin Chao raised his gaze and pushed San Lai's hand down, his tone light: "See through but don't expose. We can still be brothers."
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving a thoroughly bewildered San Lai behind.
Author's Note: Leave a comment to enter the red packet giveaway.
Thanks to the little angels who threw霸王票 or irrigated with nutrient solutions between 2021-10-04 01:21:32 and 2021-10-05 11:03:04~
Special thanks to those who threw hand grenades: 渡江河。, 17444142 (1 each);
Thanks for the landmines: 渡江河。 (2); 是UU呀, 销销销, Pau, kitty, 语阁主, 55476931, 暮岁, Takayasan, 花卷女王, 好想变成胖达, 48468719, 小小, 好好上班, 樱樱 (1 each);Thank you to the little angels who irrigated with nutrient solution: Chengyu's Little Fairy 30 bottles; Xiang Wan 20 bottles; Leisurely Strolling Fish, Dusk Rob 10 bottles; Me Who's Still Subscribing Despite Being Broke 6 bottles; Skewers, Persimmon Wishes 5 bottles; LiLig, Ethereal Little Kitten, Twilight Years 4 bottles; HUXUE, Exclusive Witch Devotee, Warmth, Warm Water w 2 bottles; 46740323, Wooden Head, Six-Thirty Salted Egg Yolk, 24118841, Lazy Villager Mom 1 bottle;
Thank you all very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!
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