Jiang Mu never expected Chris to come to China alone to find her. When she learned that her mother hadn't returned with him, she already had a bad feeling.
Earlier, Chris had already spoken with Jin Qiang for a while. Only after Jiang Mu returned home did Chris express his wish to go out and talk with her alone.
At a small private restaurant, Chris told Jiang Mu the purpose of his trip to China. He knew the college entrance exam was over and had heard from her mother that she did well. While congratulating her, he brought another piece of news.
Last March, during the fifth and a half month of Chris and Jiang Yinghan's acquaintance, she was diagnosed with 78% cardiovascular stenosis. If it progressed further, there was a risk of complete vessel occlusion. The doctor advised her to undergo surgery as soon as possible, otherwise she could be in danger at any time.
At that time, there were only slightly over two months left until Jiang Mu's college entrance exam. Jiang Yinghan couldn't proceed with surgery at such a critical juncture. After understanding the surgery's success rate and risks, she became even more hesitant. Once she entered the operating room, the lengthy recovery process would overwhelm her only daughter. She even considered that if Jiang Mu went to another city for university, her illness would become a burden on her daughter.
At that point, she told Chris about her condition, thinking their relationship would end there. But to Jiang Yinghan's surprise, two days later Chris came to her with flowers and a ring, directly proposing to her.
During those two days, Chris had contacted an old classmate, a renowned cardiovascular expert, and hoped to take Jiang Yinghan to Australia for surgery.
In the rankings of developed countries' healthcare systems, Australia is second only to the United Kingdom. Particularly in cardiovascular treatment, Chris's old classmate Professor Evic provided her with significant emotional support.
After she sent her domestic medical reports through Chris to Evic, he provided a detailed surgical plan and hoped she could come to Australia as soon as possible to discuss follow-up treatment in person.
When Jiang Yinghan showed the surgical plan Professor Evic sent her to her primary physician, surprisingly, this Professor Guo actually knew Evic, having attended his lectures abroad over a decade ago. Professor Guo suggested that if she had the means to undergo surgery with Professor Evic, it would be a good opportunity.
However, self-funded medical treatment in Australia is very expensive. If considering long-term treatment there afterwards, immigration would be the most cost-effective option.
What Jiang Yinghan considered more was that accepting Chris and going to Australia for treatment could minimize the surgical risks while reducing her daughter's burden as much as possible.
She didn't tell Jiang Mu about her situation. Jiang Mu was still young and emotionally unstable. Jiang Yinghan didn't want her to bear too much pressure affecting her college entrance exam. She originally planned to wait until after the exam to find an opportunity to tell her, but never expected Jiang Mu to discover those immigration documents prematurely. She had no choice but to tell Jiang Mu about her and Chris. She knew Jiang Mu would oppose it, but never expected her reaction to be so intense.Jiang Yinghan felt guilty about her daughter's failure in the college entrance exam. She understood exactly what her daughter was worried about, but she feared even more that Jiang Mu would completely break down upon learning her survival chances were less than 50%. Rather than risk that, she steeled herself and sent Jiang Mu to Jin Qiang. Unless absolutely necessary, she never wanted Jiang Mu to have any further connection with that side of the family. But under her own precarious circumstances, Jin Qiang seemed to be the only reliable support left in the country—after all, he was Jiang Mu's father.
Perhaps Jiang Mu would resent her—for heartlessly sending her away while going abroad herself during this critical time, for suddenly choosing to marry Chris and emigrate. But Jiang Yinghan refused to let her illness jeopardize her daughter's future. Rather than have Jiang Mu spend half a year consumed with anxiety over the potential failure of a surgery, she chose to keep the truth hidden.
"Your mother underwent heart surgery three months ago."
Sitting to Jiang Mu's right, Chris delivered this news. Despite the sweltering summer heat, an unstoppable chill swept through her body wave after wave. Tears instantly overflowed, impossible to contain. She knew her mother had suffered from angina for years, knew she took long-term medication, but never imagined the oral drugs would become increasingly ineffective, progressing to the point of requiring surgery. Anxiously, she pressed for details.
Chris assured her the surgery had been relatively successful. Though follow-up treatments were still needed, her life was preserved. Jiang Yinghan had already been discharged from the hospital. Before Chris came to China, his eldest daughter had returned from Maldon to care for her and would stay until his return.
He had come this time to seek Jiang Mu's opinion: if she agreed to study in Australia, he would handle her study abroad procedures and bring her over. Of course, if she preferred not to go, both he and Jiang Yinghan would respect her decision.
Finally, Chris patted her hand and said solemnly, "Your mother needs you."
Tearfully, Jiang Mu looked at Chris, who seemed to have aged since she'd seen him during the New Year. He and her mother had married later in life, yet he willingly accompanied her for medical treatments everywhere and cared for her consistently. Meanwhile, she herself had accused Chris of being a fraud in front of her mother during the New Year, argued about whether to return to Suzhou for the holidays, and failed to understand why her mother needed to sell their house.
Looking back now, every action of hers had been twisting the knife in her mother's heart.
Jiang Mu was already sobbing uncontrollably. After her parents' divorce when she was very young, she and her mother had relied solely on each other. Throughout those years, her mother never sought another partner, raising her alone—working hard to pay for tutoring classes, nurturing her guzheng studies, taking her to competitions and performances single-handedly through all weather conditions. From the moment Jiang Mu entered this world, Jiang Yinghan had poured all her energy, love, time, and money into her. Yet when her mother faced life and death, being wheeled into the operating room, she hadn't been there. Her mother was alone abroad with no family by her side—how utterly desperate she must have felt, lying on that operating table with her survival uncertain!Jiang Mu buried her face in her hands. What reason did she have to refuse Chris's proposal? What reason did she have not to return to her mother's side to care for her? What reason did she have to let Chris's eldest daughter fulfill this obligation in her place?
She had no reason. When she learned of Jiang Yinghan's illness, she had wished she could fly to her side immediately. Overwhelming guilt plunged Jiang Mu into endless self-reproach. She hated herself for not detecting her mother's illness earlier, hated herself for not staying by her side through such a difficult time, hated her own willfulness that had made her mother worry for her again and again.
She could only repeat, over and over: "I'm sorry..."
She didn't know if she was apologizing to Chris or to her mother, or if she had been completely shattered by the sudden news, unconsciously channeling her guilt into repeated murmurs of "I'm sorry."
In the following days, Chris accompanied her through the process of handling overseas procedures and applying to schools.
Jin Qiang could offer little help. He invited Chris over for dinner twice to thank him for running around on Jiang Mu's behalf.
From understanding school profiles and curriculum structures to choosing majors, preparing documents, obtaining certificates from her high school, undergoing medical examinations at designated hospitals, paying insurance fees, filling out countless forms, taking photos, and completing facial recognition—almost every step was discussed and resolved with Chris by her side. Without him, amid Jin Chao's disappearance and her mother's critical condition, Jiang Mu would have been utterly lost, with no idea how to proceed.
During this period, she never stopped sending messages to Jin Chao's phone. She informed him about her mother's condition via text, telling him she had to visit her mother in Australia and might temporarily stay there to study. Yet these plans for the future were decided within just a few days. She felt lost and anxious about the path ahead.
She no longer had time to visit the auto shop daily. Shandian was temporarily fostered at San Lai's shop, but San Lai had been busy lately. Several times when Jiang Mu went to see him, his shop was closed.
By the time all procedures were gradually completed, Chris had booked tickets to Melbourne. Jiang Mu had lost contact with Jin Chao for nearly a month.
When she received the flight information, she stood by the window of her small room, staring blankly at the waning moon. Time was running out. If Jin Chao remained missing, she couldn't wait any longer.
She picked up her phone, opened Jin Chao's profile, and drafted a long message—about her plans for the future, when she intended to return, and their prospects together.
But as she looked at those hollow words, Jiang Mu suddenly realized it was meaningless. None of it mattered. As long as Jin Chao failed to appear, no amount of perfect planning held any significance.
She deleted everything and sent him only one line: "I'm leaving. If you can see this, contact me as soon as possible no matter what. Missing you, Mu Mu."She thought this message would sink like countless others before it, never to receive a reply. But at 3:30 a.m., Jiang Mu’s phone beside her pillow suddenly lit up. As if sensing it, she opened her eyes almost simultaneously. Staring blankly at the illuminated ceiling for a moment, she finally reached for the phone. The account that had remained unresponsive all this time had suddenly sent a reply.
Jin Chao: Tomorrow morning, I’ll have San Lai pick you up. Let’s meet.
Jiang Mu sat up abruptly, staring at the message over and over again. She was so excited she thought she might be hallucinating. After that, she couldn’t fall back asleep. As soon as dawn broke, she was dressed and ready, contacting San Lai.
She still remembered that the day wasn’t particularly pleasant. Thick clouds loomed early in the morning, and there was an unusual chill in the air.
Wearing a light-colored dress, she stood by the roadside with her arms crossed, waiting long before San Lai arrived in his white car.
The drive felt endlessly long—so long that Jiang Mu thought they might have crossed provincial borders. In reality, it was only about two hundred kilometers away.
Anxious, Jiang Mu kept her eyes fixed on the scenery outside the window the entire journey. The car exited the highway and entered another city, the only place nearby with an airport. Compared to Tonggang, this city was slightly more developed, with relatively more high-rise buildings. As they drove into the urban area, shopping malls and office buildings were everywhere. The address Jin Chao sent to San Lai was located in a narrow alley. After some traffic delays, they finally made their way in. The alley was a one-way street, and San Lai parked the car by the roadside. To the right was a leisure bar with a blue storefront.
He told Jiang Mu, "You Jiu said it should be here."
Jiang Mu glanced at the wooden "Welcome" sign hanging on the door and suddenly spoke up, "You’ve been in touch with him all along, haven’t you?"
San Lai remained silent. Jiang Mu turned to look at him and asked, "Why didn’t you tell me?"
San Lai’s gaze was vacant and fixed ahead before he suddenly shrugged. "You Jiu’s instructions. You’ll have to ask him yourself."
Jiang Mu’s brows gradually furrowed. San Lai reminded her, "Go on up. He’s on the second floor."
...
It was a leisure bar that served desserts and cocktails, though it was nearly empty around noon. The first floor was for ordering, while the second and third floors were seating areas. Jiang Mu climbed the stairs step by step until she reached the second floor.
The second floor was also empty, with all the tables and chairs unoccupied. Only by the window, a man in a white shirt sat on a sofa. Hearing Jiang Mu’s footsteps, he slowly turned his gaze from the window.
Dappled sunlight filtered through the leaves of the tung tree, casting shimmering shadows on his pristine white shirt, which seemed to serve as a backdrop for the gently swaying patterns. Beneath a pair of neatly shaped, sword-like eyebrows were intense, ink-dark eyes, profound and deep. The moment his gaze met hers, those pitch-black pupils seemed to hold untold years of stories.
Many years later, Jiang Mu would still be unable to forget that scene. It was... her last impression of Jin Chao.
She also remembered that during their meeting, from the moment she sat down opposite him, they simply smiled at each other, wordlessly, gazing deeply into one another’s eyes. There was the joy of surviving a calamity, the excitement of reuniting after a long separation, and the sorrow of an impending farewell.
She also remembered that Jin Chao ordered her a coffee—a vanilla latte with a subtle hint of cinnamon.
He was the first to break the silence. "You must have been terribly worried all this time, haven’t you?"No sooner had he spoken than Jiang Mu's eyes welled up with visible grievance. She asked him, "Is your mission over?"
Jin Chao clasped his hands around the coffee cup handles and replied, "Almost."
The shirt he wore was borrowed in haste and didn't fit quite right. To keep Jiang Mu from noticing anything amiss, he had rolled the slightly short sleeves up to his elbows, which gave him a clean, tidy appearance.
She pressed further, "Did you see the Night Pearl that night?"
He lowered his gaze with a faint smile. "I did."
Jiang Mu excitedly grasped his hand. "So you weren't in the car? You weren't in the vehicle during the explosion, right?"
Jin Chao calmly lifted his coffee to his lips, subtly evading Jiang Mu's touch in the process. It was a slight movement, yet Jiang Mu's heart sank inexplicably.
Her expression tightened as she stared at him, her eyes brimming with unconcealed sorrow. He took a sip of the bitter coffee, set the cup down, and without meeting her gaze, said quietly, "I'm not a god. In truth, I'm just an ordinary person."
Jiang Mu's eyes flickered with unease. "What do you mean?" she asked.
Jin Chao lifted his gaze to take in her anxious state—her face, already small, had grown so thin that her cheekbones stood out sharply. His brow furrowed slightly before he quickly averted his eyes to the window, masking the emotion in his gaze. He changed the subject, asking, "How is your mother doing?"
Jiang Mu lowered her head, her voice choked. "The surgery is over. It went smoothly, but she's still in recovery. We won't know the full details until later."
Jin Chao was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Go see her soon. When someone is ill, it's best to have family by their side."
Tears misted Jiang Mu's eyes. "I once asked if you'd come to Nanjing with me, and now I can't even go myself. Will you blame me?"
Jin Chao turned his gaze back to her, his dark eyes soft and tender. His voice was low, steady, and resolute as he said, "You're still young. We have plenty of time ahead of us. But your mother can't wait. After a major surgery, one's state of mind is crucial. Having you by her side will ease her heart and aid her recovery."
Jiang Mu pressed her lips tightly together, remaining silent as he continued, "That time you asked about my future plans, I told you I'd give you an answer in a few days. Truth is, I've been thinking about it all this while—about our relationship. It somehow feels like it goes against convention.
I never expected to pursue anything with anyone at this time. The timing isn't right, and I don't have the energy for it. But it's you—not anyone else.
You've said since childhood you're used to bickering with me, that outside you're quiet and composed, but in front of me, you cry when you want and act willful when the mood strikes. What am I to do with you? If you want to be with me, you know I could never refuse you. Have I ever denied you anything you wanted since you were little?"
Jiang Mu listened intently, her grip on the cup tightening. He simply watched her with a light, indulgent smile.He said to her: "But it's hard for me to distinguish how much of this is habit and how much is genuine attraction to the opposite sex. You've never had male friends besides classmates since childhood, and I might be the only man you've ever been close to at this age. It's normal for you to depend on me, just like when you were eight or nine and got angry seeing me walk with a female classmate without acknowledging you. Was that romantic feelings back then? Of course not. So have you ever considered whether your feelings for me are what should exist between a man and a woman, or just the desire for an older brother who can accompany and take care of you?"
Jiang Mu's mind was in turmoil, unable to untangle Jin Chao's sophistry, simply sinking into his words with fluctuating emotions.
Jin Chao sighed softly, lifted his coffee for a sip, then set down the cup while watching the rippling liquid. "After all," he told her, "I am a man with impulses beyond emotional attachment. What I did to you before was reckless. Let's both cool off during your time abroad."
"If your mother finds out about us, it won't help her condition at all. You should understand - she... has certain opinions about me that can't be changed overnight. Don't cause her additional distress or anger because of me, understand?"
Jiang Mu strained to control her emotions, her eyelashes trembling incessantly.
Jin Chao lowered his gaze, his throat tightening, yet he continued: "You should go out and meet more people. Maybe you'll discover there are many better men than me."
Jiang Mu's vision blurred through her tears. She widened her eyes, fighting to keep them from falling, but her voice betrayed her crumbling composure as she trembled: "Are you breaking up with me?"
A faint smile touched Jin Chao's lips as he leaned forward. "Come here," he said.
Jiang Mu rested her face on the table, moving closer. He cupped her cheeks with both hands, his gaze traveling from her tear-filled eyes to her flushed nose before lingering on her quivering lips. His cool fingertips tightened slightly, repeatedly battling the urge to pull her close before ultimately just wiping her tears away. "You know that's not what I mean," he breathed warmly.
Jiang Mu could no longer form words, her damp eyelashes casting down as she heard him say: "Get along well with your stepfather's family over there. If you can't, at least maintain appearances to avoid making things difficult for your mother. I hear there are many beautiful scenic spots - go out more often instead of sleeping in all day. Make new friends, don't be afraid to greet people. Everyone starts as strangers before becoming familiar, foreigners included."
"If you meet a suitable boy, don't go home with him right after meeting. Few men have the self-control your brother here possesses."
Jiang Mu's tears traced paths across Jin Chao's fingers as he patiently wiped them away again and again. "Do you think I'd go home with just anyone?" she mumbled. "I'd never go home with others. The only reason I went home with you is... because your home is my home, isn't it?"From beginning to end, Jin Chao watched her with a faint, subtle smile. His ease made Jiang Mu feel as though their separation would be brief—she was merely going off to study, and once she grew a little older, she could return and tell him with greater conviction, "See? I'm already in my twenties and still haven't forgotten you. Isn't that true love?"
Yet she was also deeply afraid—afraid that once she left, their lives would be turned upside down again. They were no longer children; they didn't have many more nine-year spans to spend apart.
She lifted her damp eyelashes, biting her lip hard as she stared at Jin Chao before her, and asked, "If you end up with someone else after I leave, I'll cut ties with you forever. I won't ever return to the country, and I'll make you regret it for the rest of your life. Do you understand?"
Jin Chao gave a helpless tug at the corner of his mouth. "Wouldn't that be a waste of this handsome face?"
Furious, Jiang Mu straightened up and sat back, glaring at him fiercely. Her tear-streaked face, delicate as pear blossoms wet with rain, looked so fragile it seemed as if the whole world had betrayed her.
Unable to bear teasing her further, Jin Chao reassured her, "I won't look for anyone else until I'm sure you've started a new relationship."
Only then did Jiang Mu feel a sense of relief, as if she'd swallowed a calming pill. Clutching the small jade ball resting between her collarbones, she asked, "Then... do I need to return this to you?"
Seeing her cautious yet reluctant expression, Jin Chao's gaze softened. "Keep it."
They didn't stay long—just the time it took to finish a cup of coffee. Jin Chao then told her, "The car's parked illegally downstairs. San Lai must be suffocating in there. Let's go."
Jiang Mu gazed at him for a long time before rising to her feet and walking toward him. A flicker of barely perceptible panic crossed Jin Chao's expression, but he quickly steadied himself and looked up at her. Stopping beside him, Jiang Mu raised her arms and asked, "Can I have a hug before I go?"
Jin Chao's knuckles tightened as if he might crush the cup in his hand, yet he merely offered her a faint smile and said, "Better not. Next time we meet, you can hug me as much as you want. You go ahead first—I still need to wait for someone."
Jiang Mu's arms dropped emptily, like a drowning person who had ceased struggling, ultimately surrendering to the inevitable.
...
After the sound of footsteps faded on the stairs, Jin Chao remained staring out the window. Jin Fengzi came down from the third floor and approached him, saying, "You've really gone too far. Didn't you tell me you could get a prosthetic leg now? Dr. Gu just chewed me out over the phone, saying the wound needs at least six months to heal before that's possible. You even lied to me. He said if you don't want a second surgery, you'd better get back to the hospital immediately."
Jin Chao's gaze never left the window, his voice tinged with unconcealed desolation: "No rush. Wait until they've left. Isn't it... because I'm afraid she'll notice?"
Jin Fengzi wiped his nose. "They're gone and you still won't tell her. Aren't you afraid she'll find some foreign guy and leave you behind?"
These words finally stirred violent fluctuations in Jin Chao's eyes. All humans harbor greed—if one has never tasted sweetness, it might be manageable, but once they have, how could they bear to let go?
His throat moved slightly as he buried those resentful emotions deep within, speaking in a heavy voice: "She just found out her mother is ill—it must have been a huge blow. If she learns about my situation now, do you think she'll stay to take care of me? Or go accompany her mother? A teenage girl already has it hard enough. She still has college ahead—we can't hold her back. Rather than both of us suffering, it's better for one to be free."
Enduring the pain in his left leg, Jin Chao watched Jiang Mu get into the car without blinking, afraid that if he did, it might be for a lifetime.
He was only grateful that he hadn't touched her that night—so she could still begin her life with a clean slate.
Jiang Mu rolled down the car window, her fair face peering out as she lifted her head reluctantly toward his direction.
He was a man without tear ducts—wandering for over twenty years through countless ups and downs, nothing had ever broken him. Yet the moment that white Honda drove away, his eyes reddened despite himself.
...
On the way back, Jiang Mu felt deeply unsettled. As a child, parting from Jin Chao had always felt temporary—they'd see each other again in no time. Now grown up, she understood how terrifying distance could be. They had lost contact across mere provinces; with an ocean between them, they would return to parallel tracks that could never intersect. The road ahead stretched endlessly, vast and long.
When they drove back into Tonggang, San Lai asked her, "What date are you leaving?"
Jiang Mu snapped out of her thoughts and replied, "The 28th."
San Lai fell silent.
Jiang Mu remembered something and said, "Oh, about Shandian—I looked into it. His vaccinations are about to expire, so he can't enter the country with me. Could you help get him vaccinated next month and send him off? I'll arrange a pet carrier for him by then."
San Lai gripped the steering wheel without speaking. After a long pause, he suddenly said, "Mumu, I might have some bad news for you."
Jiang Mu sat up straight. "What is it?"
"Shandian... has gone missing."Jiang Mu thought she had misheard, asking in shock, "What did you say? It got lost? How is that possible?"
San Lai glanced at her and said, "Didn't I tell you a while ago it'd be best to get it neutered? Once it goes into heat, once let out, it just wanders off who knows where. Last night, I thought it would just run around the back and come back, but when I went to look for it later, it was gone."
As he spoke, San Lai parked the car downstairs at Jin Qiang's place and looked at the distressed Jiang Mu with guilt in his eyes. "I didn't keep a close enough watch on it. Don't worry too much. When a dog's in heat, I have some experience—it might have been lured away by some seductive female dog nearby. It might wander for a few days and still come back. Dogs know their way home. Who knows, it might even bring a wife back for you. If it returns later, I'll let you know.
Even if it doesn't come back, I'll have Xi Shi give birth to a handsomer one and send it to you, alright?"
Jiang Mu wiped her eyes and turned to look out the window. She had raised it for so long and grown attached. She had wanted to take it with her, but now, of all times, it had gone missing. How could she not be anxious? Still, there was no way to blame San Lai for it.
Sniffling, Jiang Mu said, "Then please keep an eye out for it. If it comes back, you must tell me."
San Lai stared at the car's front windshield, his expression obscure, and nodded.
Jiang Mu turned her head to look at San Lai's long, flowing curly hair, which was increasingly taking on a Japanese-style sense of decadence. She couldn't help but ask, "After knowing you for so long, I still don't know your full name."
San Lai hesitated, then simply tossed the vehicle registration certificate to her. Jiang Mu opened the small booklet and saw the name field read "Lai Ha Mo." Surprised, she exclaimed, "Your name is Toad?"
"...It's not important," San Lai said, snatching the registration certificate back and tossing it aside again.
If one were to trace it back, his lifelong grudge with Lao Lai probably started the moment he was named at birth, which was why he never let anyone call him by his real name.
After Jiang Mu bid him farewell and got out of the car, San Lai suddenly rolled down the window and called out to her retreating figure, "Jiang Xiao Mu."
She turned around, her delicate face bathed in the light. It was the most beautiful age of her life—she had been here and left her graceful silhouette.
San Lai looked at her, his smile mischievous yet carrying a trace of something elusive, and said, "If someday You Jiu doesn't want you, and you go abroad but aren't happy, come back. San Lai ge will take you in. I promise to feed you big chicken legs every day, fatten you up fair and plump."
Sunbeams streamed through the cracked clouds, casting a radiant glow in her pupils, like the splendor of youth.
...
The hospital balcony overlooked the silk tree downstairs. In summer, when the silk trees bloomed, their pale pink fused corollas always had a soft, fluffy feel in the gentle breeze. Jin Chao sat in his wheelchair, watching for hours on end. He often remembered those two nights when Mu Mu slept beside him—her short hair ends had brushed against his face just like that, ticklish and fluffy, keeping him awake all night yet strangely comforting. From now on, there would be nothing left.
The door creaked open, but Jin Chao didn't turn around or move. Since the day he had seen Jiang Mu, he had grown indifferent to everything around him.
San Lai walked onto the balcony, leaned against the side, glanced at the untouched meal, and let out a long sigh.
Jin Chao didn't look up, merely asking, "She's gone?"
San Lai flicked open his clamshell lighter with a crisp sound and replied, "Should she stay and celebrate the New Year?"
Jin Chao fell silent again, his entire body as still as if frozen."I heard you even got a prosthetic limb made when you went to see Jiang Mu? That's really reckless. Don't rush to stand yet—wait until you're fully healed."
"I'm not rushing anymore. Now that she's gone, I'm not in a hurry."
After a long silence, San Lai suddenly said: "Tie Gongji has been caught."
Tie Gongji's real name was Wang Mu. Back in March, one night after Jin Fengzi had been drinking with his buddies, he returned to the garage to pick something up. While hailing a cab nearby, he spotted Boss Wan's Audi driving past. As the car flashed by, he noticed the person in the back seat looked remarkably like Tie Gongji. But he never mentioned it—he'd been heavily drunk that night and wasn't sure if he'd seen correctly, afraid that spreading unfounded rumors might damage the brotherhood.
It wasn't until race day, when Jin Fengzi saw Tie Gongji suddenly leaving and stopped him to ask where he was going, that things felt off. Tie Gongji nervously claimed he was returning to the garage to get something, but later when Jiang Mu and San Lai arrived, they confirmed Tie Gongji never went back. By then, it was already too late.
Back when Jin Chao faced legal trouble, his family was preoccupied with his sister's illness, leaving only his brothers to support him—they even pooled money to buy him cartons of cigarettes while he was inside.
Later, when he fell out with Boss Wan, many loyal brothers left Wan's business out of solidarity. When Jin Chao decided to start his own venture, Wang Mu knew he was short on funds and immediately invested without even asking questions.
Leaving Wan's was one thing, but partnering with Jin Chao in a garage meant openly opposing Boss Wan. Yet Wang Mu stood by him during his toughest times.
Jin Chao valued relationships deeply—after all these years, his brothers meant everything to him. But he was only human, with emotions and vulnerabilities.
He'd known Wang Mu since high school when they both worked at Wan's. Years of collaboration had forged a brotherly bond. Because Wang Mu understood him so well, he knew how cautious Jin Chao was, and how meticulous and focused he was with cars. Having supported each other for so long, there could never be another Tie Gongji.
During the race, Wang Mu was Jin Chao's most trusted partner—they took turns eating, smoking, and even using the restroom to ensure no outsider tampered with the car.
That's why Wang Mu only sabotaged the vehicle during the final pre-race inspection, leaving Jin Chao no time for another test drive. When the engine reached maximum torque, failure was inevitable.
But between family and brothers, Wang Mu chose family. This time, Jin Chao was betrayed by his most trusted brother—a fatal blow he never saw coming.
Wang Mu paid the price for his choice, but it ensured his family's safety. How many decisions in this world are made under duress? How many paths appear to offer choices when there are none?
Ultimately, the same person who brought success also brought failure.
After the incident, Jin Chao was cleared of suspicion. The man in second place was identified, and Officer Lu's team arrested him first. After a night of secret interrogation, they released him the next day. The man then became closely involved with Boss Wan and leaked information, making superiors suspicious of Wan.
Once Boss Wan's supply chain was disrupted, Jin Chao's channels began to flow, allowing him to obtain a more extensive list—a decisive breakthrough for the case. But he had permanently lost his left leg.The fireworks set off by Jiang Mu saved Jin Chao's life, buying him two precious seconds—just enough time to unbuckle his seatbelt.
By the time Officer Lu and the others arrived, Jin Chao had already lost consciousness. Tonggang lacked adequate medical facilities, so he was rushed overnight to a larger municipal hospital. He remained unconscious through two surgeries, but ischemic necrosis had set in his left leg, and amputation became necessary to save his life.
He was no deity, without indestructible armor or the power of foresight. He merely tread carefully, step by step, on the path he believed was right.
There were gains, but costs were inevitable.
...
San Lai looked at Jin Chao and asked, "Are you going to file a lawsuit?"
The usually unyielding resolve in his eyes finally showed cracks. His gaze fixed blankly on some distant point, and San Lai couldn't tell what memories haunted him. Eventually, Jin Chao uttered two words: "Let it be."
San Lai understood his anguish—and shared it deeply.
Slapping a lighter onto the balcony railing, San Lai said, "Jin Fengzi called me out for drinks last night. The big guy cried like a baby, saying he failed you, that he'd been careless. When I asked him to come see you today, he said he couldn't face you."
Jin Chao lowered his gaze and shook his head. "Tell him I'll need his help with a lot of things later. He can't avoid me forever."
San Lai nodded, then suddenly grinned. "Before Mu Mu left, I told her—if you ever reject her, or if life treats her badly over there, I'd take her in. Guess what she said?"
Jin Chao finally turned to look at him. San Lai curled his lip. "She said you'd never abandon her."
Silence fell between them. After a long while, San Lai sobered and asked earnestly, "Have you really decided?"
Jin Chao gazed at the azure sky beyond the balcony, sinking into memories. "Her mother was sick throughout the pregnancy. Mu Mu was born premature at eight months—just over four pounds at birth. Watching her through the incubator glass, her father and I wondered... could something so tiny even survive?"
"That's why I've always indulged her since childhood. It felt miraculous she made it this far—picky eater, tiny appetite, constantly catching fevers and colds. Every season change meant hospital visits. She cried at everything, even reaching for me when spotting some tiny insect, sobbing for hours afterward."
Leaning against the balcony, San Lai listened quietly, a faint smile touching his lips. Jin Chao's eyes finally held a glimmer of light as he recalled Mu Mu's childhood. "But she was easy to comfort too—just distract her with something else and she'd laugh. Back then I thought, when she marries someday, it has to be someone who understands her temper, knows what she likes to eat, what she hates, what scares her. If anyone ever made her suffer..." He trailed off.
The light in Jin Chao's eyes dimmed. Shadows seemed to cling to him as bitterness twisted his smile. "Well... how could I beat myself to death? Keep her by my side so she can live on disability benefits with me?"
"San Lai... I'm useless now..."
He lifted his head slowly. The silk tree blossoms stirred in the gentle breeze while the sunset glow faded in the distance, dissolving into darkness—The subsequent story of day and night will be written in the extra chapters, exclusively published on Jinjiang Literature City. The full text costs only 5 yuan. Please support the official version. Thank you. Follow the "Shi Jiuyuan" column on Jinjiang for more exciting stories.
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