Before long, two men came to the auto shop looking for Jin Chao. Since the repair bay wasn’t a good place to talk, Jin Chao planned to take them to the teahouse across the street. Before leaving, he returned to the break room and asked Jiang Mu, “Do you still need to go to school later?”
Jiang Mu glanced at the two men outside the auto shop and replied, “I have to go again tomorrow. Who are they?”
Jin Chao told her, “Real estate agents. Head home early. After I’m done here, I still need to go to Master Ren’s place. It might be very late.”
The men at the door were still waiting for him, so Jiang Mu didn’t have a chance to ask more questions. After Jin Chao left, she returned to Jin Qiang’s house.
Jiang Mu knew Jin Chao had been extremely busy lately. If the race was scheduled for mid-month, he had very few days left. Everything from parts and technical work to equipment needed to be coordinated. Though she wasn’t familiar with the industry, she understood it wasn’t an easy task. That he could still make time to see her was already quite something.
Yet, for people in the throes of love, even a minute apart felt unbearable. Lying in bed at night, Jiang Mu closed her eyes, and Jin Chao’s image filled her mind. Strangely enough, during their long separation in the past, she hadn’t felt such intensity. But now, even though they had just met that morning, she couldn’t stop thinking about him, as if they had been apart for ages.
Unable to resist, Jiang Mu took out her phone and sent him a string of messages: “Chaochao, Chaochao, Chaochao…”
She had sent them playfully out of boredom, but it was as if she had cast a spell. Half an hour later, the gate at Jin Qiang’s house creaked open. Hearing the noise, Jiang Mu rushed out of her room and saw Jin Chao standing there as if by magic. She stared blankly at his figure—dressed in a denim shirt and black pants, poised and efficient—as he stood by the door and gave her a slight smile. Uncontainable joy instantly lit up her eyes.
At the same time, Jin Qiang heard the commotion and emerged from the main room, asking in surprise, “Why are you here so late?”
Jin Chao changed his slippers nonchalantly and said, “Didn’t you say your phone was lagging? I came to check it out.”
Jin Qiang replied, “Yeah, it takes forever just to load the news. It’s charging in the room. Wait a moment.”
Jin Chao spun his keychain and answered, “No rush, let it charge for a bit.”
After saying that, he pocketed his keys and cast a casual glance at Jiang Mu before heading into the kitchen. Watching Jin Qiang return to his room, Jiang Mu picked up her water cup and followed toward the kitchen.
Just as she reached the kitchen door, she saw Jin Chao’s tall figure leaning against the marble counter. Hearing her footsteps, he turned his head. As Jiang Mu entered, he nudged the kitchen door shut with his foot.
Suppressing a smile, Jiang Mu set her cup aside and asked, “Did you come here just to see me?”
A flicker of amusement rose in Jin Chao’s eyes. “What else?”
Jiang Mu bit her lip and turned her face away, feeling as if she had fallen into a honey jar, a smile she couldn’t suppress playing on her lips.
Remembering something, she turned back and asked, “By the way, what did the real estate agents want with you during the day?”
“I’m planning to sublease the auto shop.”
“What?” Jiang Mu exclaimed in shock. “You’re not running the auto shop anymore?”
Jin Chao lowered his gaze and explained, “Feichi was originally opened by Tie Gongji and me. After what happened with his family, I returned his share of the investment after the New Year. Modifying the car requires a lot of money. Guangyu took time off to come help me—I can’t let him cover the costs too.”Jiang Mu suddenly realized that Jin Chao's current move was equivalent to betting his entire fortune. Success or failure hinged on this single attempt, but for him, it seemed there could only be success—no retreat in case of failure. Her expression grew serious as she asked, "How long will it stay open?"
Jin Chao told her, "At most until the end of the month."
After speaking, his gaze swept over her boldly as he chuckled, "Are you sure you want to keep talking about this? Didn't you miss me?"
Jiang Mu retorted stubbornly, "When did I say I missed you?"
Jin Chao reached out, pinched her waist, and pulled her close. "If you didn't miss me, why did you call out to me so many times?"
The kitchen was cramped, and the door was only slightly ajar. Jin Qiang was fiddling with his phone in the room, and Zhao Meijuan's footsteps echoed in the living room. Jiang Mu thought Jin Chao was being too bold, but his intense allure left her utterly defenseless. She whispered, "I didn't."
Jin Chao hummed in response, "Well, I missed you."
His voice was low, murmuring by her ear, and Jiang Mu's ears immediately burned hot. Jin Chao had never said such things before—not even when they were closest as children. Gradually, she began to feel what it was like to be taken seriously by him, as if he had poured all his tenderness into her, filling her heart to the brim.
Bewitched by him, Jiang Mu could no longer hear the commotion in the living room. She leaned into his embrace, feeling both thrilled and nervous—she had never been so reckless in all her life.
During their brief hug, Jin Qiang called out, holding his phone, "Almost done, right? Where's Chao'er?"
Jin Chao released Jiang Mu, rubbed her cheek, and called back, "Coming."
Perhaps out of guilt, Jiang Mu lingered in the kitchen, drinking half a glass of water before stepping out. In the living room, Jin Chao sat on the sofa, helping Jin Qiang with his phone, while Jin Qiang stood nearby, peering over with his reading glasses on. Zhao Meijuan had returned to the room to put Jin Xin to sleep.
Jiang Mu held her water glass and stood by the little turtle Jin Xin was raising, tapping the glass tank with her finger. Though she appeared to be amusing the turtle, her gaze remained fixed on Jin Chao.
While waiting for WeChat to clear its cache, Jin Chao looked up and asked Jin Qiang, "Do you still have the Longjing tea from last time?"
Jin Chao removed his reading glasses and said, "Yes, I'll make you a cup."
As Jin Qiang went to the dining table to brew the tea, Jin Chao finally lifted his head and met Jiang Mu's gaze, a smile curling at the corners of his mouth.
An invisible current filled the air, unnoticed by Jin Qiang's watchful eyes, teasing and tantalizing.
Once the phone was fixed, Jin Chao handed it back to Jin Qiang, who continued tinkering with it. Jin Chao picked up his tea, drank it all in one go, then stood up and said he was leaving.
Jin Qiang urged him to come back for a meal when he had time, to which Jin Chao replied vaguely, "I will once I finish the work at hand."
Jiang Mu returned to her room and felt a pang of loss upon hearing the front door close.
But then her phone lit up again—Jin Chao was calling. Jiang Mu quickly answered, and his pleasant voice seemed to whisper in her ear, "Open the window."
She rushed to the window and pushed it open. Jin Chao stood downstairs, phone in hand, looking up at her. Beside him was a black SUV she had never seen before and had no idea where he got it. He said, "I want to show you something."
The car was facing the building, so Jiang Mu couldn't see what was in the trunk. She thought he was going to take something out to show her and waited eagerly, but Jin Chao merely gestured briefly before withdrawing his arm and smiling at her.The next second, countless balloons soared into the sky from the trunk, their vibrant colors abruptly flooding Jiang Mu's vision. The overwhelming visual impact made her pupils brighten instantly as countless balloons swept past her, ascending into the higher night sky, silently enacting the most romantic story of the evening. Jin Chao's figure melted into the kaleidoscopic night, that image permanently etched in Jiang Mu's mind.
The year "Up" was released, he had left her. The trailer's scene of massive balloons lifting into the air had captivated Jiang Mu as a child. Jin Chao had promised to watch it with her after its premiere, but he departed Suzhou before that day ever came. Though Jiang Mu later watched it alone many times, the person who'd promised to accompany her was long gone.
She never imagined that years later, Jin Chao would reenter her life bringing swarms of balloons. Gazing at the vast colors, Jiang Mu felt warmth brimming in her eyes.
He understood her regret - only he ever could.
...
That night, Jiang Mu fell asleep with a smile lingering on her lips. People often say everything in this mortal world is predestined. At nine, she lost a beloved brother; at eighteen, fate returned to her a beloved man.
She held no more regrets.
The next morning, Jiang Mu went to school where her classmates behaved like wild horses freed from reins. This time last year, she'd been immersed in the disappointment of failing college entrance exams and anxiety over her mother moving abroad. Time had flown - now it was already the second year. Though the scene remained the same, her state of mind had changed. Compared to last year's uncertainties about the future, she now faced it with greater confidence.
After school, Pan Kai asked where she was going. Having nowhere in particular to be, they decided on KFC before heading straight to Pan Kai's family warehouse.
At warehouse No. 3, they found Master Ren, Zhang Guangyu and another man working busily, but Jin Chao was nowhere in sight. Jiang Mu circled the area several times before finally approaching Zhang Guangyu to inquire. He pointed left.
Winding through several rows of nested containers, Jiang Mu spotted Jin Chao with Tie Gongji and another man debugging something on a circuit board. Not wanting to disturb them, she played with her phone at a distance.
When Jin Chao looked up, his peripheral vision caught a distinctive silhouette - particularly noticeable in this male-dominated workshop. A knee-length pale pink dress with irregular pleats at the waist accentuated her graceful figure, complemented by fresh, stylish short hair brushing against fair, delicate ears.
A smile touched Jin Chao's lips. By the time Jiang Mu glanced up, he'd already returned his attention to work, though the smile remained as he subtly accelerated his progress.
During the tranquil afternoon, Jiang Mu rare idled without purpose, watching Jin Chao work until she gradually understood what Wan Qing meant by "love at first sight."
Jin Chao's focused demeanor in his professional domain was captivating, radiating a composed concentration that suggested mastery over his world, completely absorbing Jiang Mu's attention.
Only the occasional workers smiling at her made her somewhat self-conscious.
Jin Chao pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and tossed it to the young man working with him. "Take a smoke break," he said before walking away through the other exit.
In the brief moment Jiang Mu looked away, she lost sight of Jin Chao. She immediately straightened up and hurried over, craning her neck to look around - even Tie Gongji and the other worker had disappeared.She was just about to take out her phone when she turned around and saw Jin Chao leaning against a spot a few steps away, watching her with a smile. She knew he must have seen her flustered state earlier and stomped over to him indignantly, asking, "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"
Jin Chao, still smiling, raised his hand to show her. "I went to wash my hands. When I came back, I saw you looking like you'd lost your soul. Were you afraid you couldn't find me?"
The more he teased her, the more serious she became. "I was looking for Pan Kai."
No sooner had she spoken than Jin Chao grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a secluded corner. The area was dimly lit and deserted. He lowered his head, his tone heavy. "Say that again and see what happens. Looking for trouble?"
Jiang Mu looked up at him and laughed. Jin Chao asked her, "Did you go to school this morning?"
Jiang Mu nodded. "Lao Ma went over the review with us."
"How did it go?"
Jiang Mu lifted her proud little eyes and replied, "I should have no problem getting into a 211 university."
Then she leaned in mysteriously and told him, "Actually, last time Pan Kai asked me where I planned to apply, I already had it figured out. I decided six months ago."
Jin Chao raised an eyebrow, intrigued, and waited for her to continue.
Jiang Mu's eyes sparkled as she said to him, "Nanjing. The university I want to go to is in Nanjing. Have you ever been to Nanjing?"
Jin Chao shook his head. Truth be told, Jiang Mu hadn't been there either. It was so close to Suzhou, yet she'd never visited.
This plan, which she had kept to herself for half a year, was something she hadn't shared with anyone—not even Jiang Yinghan.
Jin Chao was the first person to know. She was so excited that a vibrant blush crept onto her cheeks, and her eyes fixed intently on him. "My scores should be enough to get in. Didn't you say last night that the auto shop is only open until the end of the month? So... what are your plans after that?"
Jin Chao pondered for a moment. "Not sure yet."
Jiang Mu hesitated briefly before tentatively asking, "Do you want to come to Nanjing with me?"
Jin Chao remained silent, his gaze fixed on her. Jiang Mu took a deep breath and poured out everything in her heart. "I've heard Nanjing is a very inclusive place. It's a provincial capital, so there should be plenty of opportunities. If you still want to run an auto shop, we can figure it out together. If not, after I graduate, we could open a coffee shop?"
To Jin Chao, Jiang Mu's ideas seemed overly idealistic. The East China region was already economically developed, and expenses like rent, equipment, and staff would require a significant budget. A coffee shop, with its niche appeal, would demand considerable effort just for the decor. In a fast-paced environment, most people would still opt for well-known chain coffee brands. They weren't people with a lot of disposable income, and it might even be difficult to break even.
As Jiang Mu made her suggestion, Jin Chao had already run the numbers in his head. But he didn't want to dampen her enthusiasm, so he smiled and asked, "Why a coffee shop?"
Jiang Mu thought of that layered kiss again, her cheeks flushing bright red. She lowered her head, slightly bashful, and said, "I just think it would be nice to open a coffee shop with you at the foot of a mountain."
Jiang Mu already had a vivid image in her mind, though she wasn't quite sure how to express it. She felt this might be the most beautiful version of life.
Jin Chao's gaze was like a hook, deep and unfathomable, a faint smile playing on his lips. He lifted Jiang Mu and set her on a nearby crate, leaning in to meet her eyes at eye level. His expression was earnest and intense. "Wait a few more days for me. I'll give you an answer."Jiang Mu stared intently at him, knowing Jin Chao needed to resolve that pressing matter weighing on his heart. He wouldn't leave with her while carrying a criminal record—if they were to go, he'd go with a clean slate. She didn't say a word, simply nodding at him.
Jin Chao wrapped his arms around her, and both fell silent simultaneously. Their breaths mingled closely as Jin Chao's gaze lingered near her lips. Jiang Mu felt as if she'd been poisoned by him—he hadn't done anything, just looked at her like this, yet her heart softened unbearably, her eyes filled with helplessness.
Jin Chao suddenly asked, "Is it hot outside?"
Just as Jiang Mu lifted her head to respond, Jin Chao directly kissed her. He didn't need an answer—he only needed her to raise her head. It was a brief kiss, yet it instantly emptied Jiang Mu's mind. Without prolonging the contact, he released her, straightened up, and pulled her into his embrace, saying, "We just got together and I can't spend more time with you. I'm afraid if I don't stop now, it'll affect my work performance. Will you be angry with me?"
Jiang Mu shook her head. How could she be angry with him? She knew he had many concerns weighing on him—she only felt heartache for him.
Jin Chao stroked the back of her head and told her, "I'll try to finish early on the afternoon of the 15th to pick you up."
Before Jiang Mu could fully process this, they heard an exclamation from nearby: "Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit! You two... aren't you relatives?"
Both Jin Chao and Jiang Mu turned their heads simultaneously to see Pan Kai jumping three feet in the air with an expression of shock and existential doubt.
Author's note: Leave comments to enter the red envelope giveaway.
Thanks to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated with nutrient solutions between 2021-10-05 11:03:04 and 2021-10-06 00:59:06~
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Thank you all very much for your support—I will continue to work hard!
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