Chapter 8: Stunned
Since Yang Chen had promised Old Li to visit his house, he naturally wouldn't forget. Keeping one's word was a quality a man should have—well, Yang Chen had once again elevated a trivial matter to the level of human excellence.
With no money on him and not wanting to spend more time with Lin Ruoxi, the beautiful yet cold and crazy girl, Yang Chen chose to walk home. Fortunately, the distance wasn't far, and Yang Chen's stamina was beyond ordinary, so the journey home didn't take much effort.
It was already evening when Yang Chen returned home. After taking a cold shower, he opened his wooden trunk again, glanced inside, and pulled out a light blue shirt with white stripes from the bottom of the box. He paired it with a classical pure white shorts, buttoned up a small button somewhat misaligned. Yang Chen looked at himself in the cracked mirror on the wall and finally looked somewhat handsome.
The room still had a faint scent of jasmine, left behind by Lin Ruoxi. Yang Chen took a deep breath, thinking that tomorrow he would register for marriage with a woman he had known for less than a day, which seemed somewhat ridiculous. However, whenever he thought of Lin Ruoxi's cold and resolute eyes that had frozen his heart, Yang Chen would feel a strange sense of closeness to this beautiful and somewhat unreasonable woman.
Was it a desire for compensation? Or was she truly that different from others? Yang Chen didn't know. Therefore, he decided to marry her and let time tell him what feelings he had for her.
Lao Li's home wasn't far, but with no transportation available, Yang Chen, who was taking the No. 11 route, had to spend half an hour walking there. It was an old residential area in the western part of the city, surrounded by residents who couldn't afford to move to new houses, living generation after generation in this neighborhood that retained its ancient charm and southern atmosphere.
After passing by several small houses with smoke rising from their chimneys, Yang Chen knocked on a mahogany-colored wooden door.
Before he could knock a few times, the door swung open swiftly, revealing a pure and vividly beautiful face. "Big Brother Yang, you're here!"
"Jingjing, long time no see." Yang Chen flashed a knowing smile, noticing the significant changes in the girl in the past half year, which surprised him a bit.
Li Jingjing's face remained as exquisite and otherworldly as ever, with her curved eyelashes, delicate little nose, and that lovely mouth, embodying the typical charm of a southern girl. She was wearing a white short-sleeved T-shirt and a pair of light blue jeans that tightly hugged her shapely buttocks, revealing a pair of slender and graceful legs.
Seeing Yang Chen's eyes scanning her back and forth, accompanied by a mischievous smile, Li Jingjing felt shy yet somewhat delighted. She coquettishly said, "Big Brother Yang, come in quickly, stop staring."
Yang Chen chuckled, "Jingjing, feeling shy now? It's not like I'll lose a piece of meat by looking, or are you worried your boyfriend will get jealous?"
"What nonsense! I don't have a boyfriend!" Li Jingjing immediately denied, her eyebrows furrowing slightly in annoyance.
"Alright, alright... I was just joking with you..." Yang Chen felt a bit helpless. He knew exactly what was on the girl's mind, but how could he, with his body permeated with dark blood, defile such a pure soul? So, he had always made it clear to Li Jingjing that he was her big brother and not the person she imagined him to be.
Entering Lao Li's hall, Lao Li greeted him with a warm smile, "Xiao Yang, they say girls are outgoing, but this child, Jingjing, just helped her mom cook a moment ago. When she heard you knocking, she dashed out like a rabbit!"
"Dad! Stop talking nonsense!" Li Jingjing blushed again, pulling Lao Li aside to prevent him from saying more.
Yang Chen chuckled and sat down with Lao Li. The furniture in the room had been used for decades in this old house, with the red wood lacquer showing signs of wear, but exuding a quaint charm.
Under the dim light, summer insects flitted around the room, while the gentle breeze blowing through the hallway added a sense of tranquility.
Sipping the clear tea brewed by Li Jingjing, Yang Chen suddenly felt a sense of unprecedented contentment, his gaze drifting to the night sky outside the door, where the moon was rising and the stars were twinkling, feeling a bit entranced.
"Young man, don't look so worldly-wise. A bright future awaits you," Lao Li teased while sipping his green tea.
Yang Chen snapped out of his reverie, smiling wryly, "These days, women seem to prefer men with depth. I'm just practicing being profound."
"Hehe," Lao Li chuckled, "Xiao Yang, others might not know, but after spending over half a year with you, I understand your character. You're not pretending. If it weren't for some experiences in the past, why would you randomly enjoy eating lamb skewers on the street?"
Yang Chen didn't want to delve further into the conversation. Someone like Lao Li, who had weathered the storms of life, could naturally see some things in his heart. But what did it matter? The gap between what they perceived and his true self was still too vast.
Dinner was sumptuous. Lao Li's family specially slaughtered one of their own chickens, brewed a delicious chicken soup, and brought out fish and crabs. Considering Lao Li's economic situation, this was even more extravagant than a New Year's Eve feast.
"Xiao Yang, eat more. Although it's simple, it's our heartfelt gesture," Aunt Li's face was lined with wrinkles, but she looked kindly, as affectionate as if she were looking at her own son.
Yang Chen didn't say much, nor did he put on airs. He ate meat heartily because he knew that was the only way to truly make the couple happy.
Li Jingjing occasionally picked vegetables for Yang Chen and secretly glanced at his eating manner when her parents weren't paying attention. When she heard Yang Chen compliment the food, she felt as if she were tasting honey, because she had prepared most of the dishes.
Originally, Yang Chen had no intention of drinking, but since he hadn't successfully quit smoking and had already started drinking, he even caused a fuss about getting married. Yang Chen couldn't be bothered to fuss over it anymore. He drank a few glasses of local liquor with Lao Li, feeling the warmth spreading through his stomach.
"Xiao Yang, if it weren't for the money you lent our family over the past half year, we probably wouldn't have been able to make it. Now that Jingjing has found a job, you should come to our house often. I'll cook delicious food for you!" Aunt Li said with a beaming smile.
Yang Chen's face was already flushed, but his mind was clear. He asked happily, "Oh, Jingjing found a job? What job?"
"I've been accepted by Zhonghai No. 1 Middle School to work as an English teacher. Because one of the head teachers is on maternity leave, I'm currently substituting for her," Li Jingjing replied serenely, smiling.
"Being a teacher... and an English teacher at that, as well as a head teacher. Jingjing is indeed remarkable," Yang Chen nodded approvingly. "The salary must be good too. When you become successful, don't forget your big brother Yang!"
Lao Li and his wife also smiled proudly. They had longed for a daughter all their lives, and now that their daughter had a promising future, they naturally felt very happy.
Li Jingjing pouted shyly, "Then, big brother Yang, make sure to visit me at school when you have time, or else how will I remember big brother Yang?"
"Of course, I'll definitely come. Zhonghai No. 1 Middle School is a prestigious school, right? I haven't been there before..." Yang Chen smiled as he agreed.
After dinner, Lao Li enthusiastically invited Yang Chen to drink tea and play chess with him. To be honest, Lao Li was terrible at chess, but Yang Chen played along anyway, even though he didn't know how to play. As for Li Jingjing, she obediently helped her mother with the dishes.
After losing a game of chess, Yang Chen suddenly felt discomfort in his stomach from the mix of soup, alcohol, and tea. He asked Lao Li to wait for him and rushed to the toilet.
The toilet at Lao Li's house was located at the back of the house, in a separate small room. After stumbling through a small corridor, Yang Chen, feeling a bit dizzy, pushed open the wooden door of the toilet...
"Oops!"
A crisp, startled voice reached Yang Chen's ears, and he froze immediately.
In front of him was Li Jingjing, who had just finished bathing!?