STT – Chapter 2
by Little PandaCome with me; name your price.
She had known Jiang Huaixi for six years. True, in these six years, Jiang Huaixi had given her a great deal of warmth and care. But Lu Zizheng also clearly remembered that one of the most profound humiliations of her life had been dealt by her.
Her first meeting with Jiang Huaixi was not like a novel, where two soulmates hit it off at first sight.
It was shortly after university began, just over a week past the freshman orientation gala. The September evening sun set late. When Lu Zizheng emerged from the library, the sun still hung obliquely halfway down the mountain, staining the sky crimson. The evening breeze was gentle, bringing a rare sense of comfort.
She leisurely stepped down the library’s high stairs, one by one. She noticed a flashy red Lamborghini parked by the road in front of the building. Beside it stood a tall, long-haired woman wearing a navy three-quarter-sleeve sweater and black narrow-leg trousers. Her temperament was clearly extraordinary. The halo of the dusk light fell upon her, making her look as beautiful as a scene from a movie.
Lu Zizheng couldn’t help but secretly praise her—how many lifetimes of good fortune did it take to possess both wealth and such looks?
When she walked past the woman, Lu Zizheng caught a close look. She had ink-black hair cascading like a waterfall, skin pale almost to the point of sickness, and an exquisite, cold face that gave off a classical, noble air. Over the years, Lu Zizheng had never felt anyone’s beauty could rival Lian Xuan’s, but this woman was an exception. Furthermore, compared to Lian Xuan’s beauty, she was even more unearthly, completely devoid of mortal flavor.
But Lu Zizheng only admired her in secret. Her footsteps didn’t hesitate or pause for a moment as she walked straight past the car and past her. However, the unexpected happened…
The woman reached out and grabbed her wrist. It caught her completely off guard, and the grip was fierce…
Before Lu Zizheng could even cry out in alarm, she heard a cold, pleasant voice speak arrogantly into her ear: “Come with me; name your price.”
For a moment, Lu Zizheng felt both angry and amused. It was utterly baffling. She turned around, stood straight, and looked the woman right in the eyes. With a gaze full of icy indifference, she said coldly, “Let go.”
But the woman only sneered. “Whatever you want, I can afford. Your reputation precedes you—everyone knows about it, so why play hard to get with me now? One month. Is this car enough of a deposit?”
People coming out of the library stood far off by the entrance, pointing and whispering about the two of them as they watched the spectacle. Lu Zizheng felt her head buzzing with pain. For a moment, she was dazed; this scene slowly overlapped with certain memories. Vertigo hit her, and she swayed unsteadily. The arm gripping her wrist tightened, steadying her.
After she found her footing, she bit her lip and violently threw off the woman’s hand. She took a tissue from her bag and stood right there in front of her, meticulously wiping her own wrist inch by inch, as if it had been stained with disgusting mud.
Because of her sudden daze, Jiang Huaixi had also been momentarily stunned.
Lu Zizheng finished wiping her hand. She looked up at the gossiping crowd behind her, then at the motionless female psycho beside her. She gave a cold laugh, turned around, and walked away.
That rare good mood from earlier was completely gone.
On the way back to her dorm, tears nearly spilled over several times. She bit her lip and told herself: Lu Zizheng, what’s the use of crying? Don’t you know how malicious this world is? And so, she forcefully choked them back down.
Later, the rumors about this incident multiplied, growing more and more outrageous. Not a single version was close to the truth. Her wrist hurt for three days. But even after the red marks faded away, the scars on her heart could not heal, much like her increasingly ugly reputation…
Even later, she learned that the woman was named Jiang Huaixi, that the library had been donated by her father, and that she was a daughter of wealth.
So, did that mean she could act so recklessly and trample on her dignity?
Did rich people have the right to be so self-righteous?
Lu Zizheng didn’t understand. The once gentle and pure Lian Xuan had been like this, and now the beautiful and noble Jiang Huaixi was like this too.
Lu Zizheng suddenly spoke up and asked Jiang Huaixi, “When we first met, why were you so…” She hesitated, trying to find a slightly nicer phrase, “…inexplicable?”
Jiang Huaixi didn’t answer immediately.
The car was completely quiet. It wasn’t until they had driven a bit further that Jiang Huaixi lightly let a few words slip from her pretty, thin lips: “Because I’m rich, and I’m capricious1.”
In that moment, Lu Zizheng just wanted to raise her hand and slap her hard!
Sometimes, you just couldn’t have a heart-to-heart with Jiang Huaixi, because you could never grasp what she was thinking.
The car soon arrived at the place where Lu Zizheng’s mother lived. Jiang Huaixi parked the car with familiar ease, opened the trunk, and pulled out bag after bag of fruits, vegetables, and raw meat. She bluntly shoved two bags toward Lu Zizheng. “He who does not work, neither shall he eat.”
Lu Zizheng silently took the bags, uncharacteristically offering no rebuttal.
Every time Jiang Huaixi came over, she brought bags big and small, fully prepared. Occasionally, when Lu Zizheng went home, she would hear her mother say things like, “Last time I mentioned the rice cooker wasn’t working well and asked you to find time to buy one, but Huaixi brought one over the very next day.” In daily life, Jiang Huaixi truly helped her a lot. Whenever Lu Zizheng went on business trips, she would hear her mother say, “Zhengzheng, don’t worry. Huaixi said she’ll come over often to keep me company. If I need anything, I can just find her.”
The Jiang Huaixi who was aloof and sharp-tongued in front of her was surprisingly sweet and attentive in front of her mother. In Jiang Huaixi’s own words: “Your mother is much cuter and easier to get along with than you. The main point is, she cooks a mean meal. Eating someone’s food makes your mouth soft2, do you know how to cook? If not, then don’t ask me why I treat you two differently.”
Lu Zizheng was actually left speechless.
Jiang Huaixi’s stamina was clearly lacking. It was just a short hundred-meter walk from the parking lot to Block B, but after carrying a few bags, Lu Zizheng could hear her light panting. She reached over and took two more bags from Jiang Huaixi, laughing. “How long has it been since you exercised? You’re panting like this after a few steps.”
Jiang Huaixi said unexpectedly, “I think it’d be better if you didn’t keep your back so straight when you walk.”
Lu Zizheng was puzzled. “Why?”
Jiang Huaixi smiled. “How long has it been since you exercised? Standing so straight, I can see your little belly. It’s in layers, you know.”
For a moment, Lu Zizheng wanted to bludgeon her to death with the shopping bags.
They finally reached the front door. Lu Zizheng had just slipped her key into the lock when Mother Lu swiftly pulled the door open. Seeing Lu Zizheng and Jiang Huaixi, Mother Lu’s eyes curved into a smile. She reached out to take the bags from Jiang Huaixi’s hands first, chiding, “Huaixi, come in quickly. Oh my, you bring so many things every time and spend so much money. Auntie is going to be too embarrassed to invite you over for dinner.”
Jiang Huaixi answered while changing her shoes. “Auntie, look at me coming over to mooch meals every time. If I didn’t bring a little something, how could I show my face?”
Standing in the doorway, Lu Zizheng watched Jiang Huaixi’s delicate, pale hands as she changed her shoes. They were covered in ring after ring of red marks. For a moment, her heart felt a little damp.
After entering, Jiang Huaixi busied herself by going to the washroom first. Lu Zizheng followed her mother into the kitchen, helping to sort the vegetables and enjoying a rare moment of warmth with her.
Lu Zizheng and Mother Lu were originally from Juzhou City in this same province. Their family had few relatives, and their lineage was thin. When Lu Zizheng was in middle school, her father passed away in an accident. From then on, it was just Lu Zizheng and her mother depending on each other. When Lu Zizheng started university, she moved to Linzhou. During her sophomore year, to make it easier to take care of her, Mother Lu bought a house here and relocated to Linzhou as well. Later, Mother Lu opened a breakfast shop here; their days weren’t wealthy, but they were stable. After university graduation, Lu Zizheng’s company was simply too far from home, so Mother Lu had her rent an apartment closer to work, telling her to come back for a meal on weekends when she had time.
As she chopped vegetables, Mother Lu chatted casually with Lu Zizheng. Since Lu Zizheng wasn’t getting any younger, the topic inevitably drifted to her personal life. “Zhengzheng, what kind of person are you looking for? It’s been so many years, and I’ve never seen you bring anyone home for Mom to meet.”
Lu Zizheng organized all the fruit Jiang Huaixi had bought into the fridge, then washed a small basket of grapes and placed it by the stove. She peeled one and popped it into Mother Lu’s mouth to shut her up. “Mom, didn’t you say before that you weren’t in a hurry, and that I should just do what makes me happy?”
Mother Lu laughed. “That’s true, but Mom is afraid your standards are too high and you’ll miss out on the good resources around you.”
Lu Zizheng carefully caught the grape seeds her mother spat out, then smiled wryly. “Don’t worry about it, I’m keeping an eye out. Ah, have another.” She popped another grape into Mother Lu’s mouth.
Jiang Huaixi walked into the kitchen from outside, reached for a grape, and held it out to Lu Zizheng, signaling with her eyes for her to peel it.
Lu Zizheng wasn’t willing and pretended not to see.
But Mother Lu saw it and issued an order. “Zhengzheng, peel a few grapes for Huaixi.”
Lu Zizheng: “…”
Fully satisfied, Jiang Huaixi ate the grape Lu Zizheng fed her. She grabbed an apron from the side, stood next to Mother Lu, and said sweetly, “Auntie, I’ll help you. Seeing as Zizheng just fed me a grape, let’s cook her favorite fish-fragrant chicken leg3.”
Mother Lu smiled. “Alright, let Auntie see if your cooking skills have improved.”
Jiang Huaixi tied back her waist-length straight hair and rolled up her shirt sleeves, revealing forearms as smooth as jade. A rare, faint smile hung on her lips. That appearance was truly so beautiful that one couldn’t tear their eyes away.
Lu Zizheng still curled her lip and poured cold water on it. “You’re certainly putting on a good show.”
Jiang Huaixi ran water into the wok to wash it, firing back without turning her head: “You’d better not eat any later.”
A scholar separated for three days must be looked at with new eyes4. Lu Zizheng had to admit that Jiang Huaixi’s movements were practiced, and she looked quite the part. It made it hard to believe that a few years ago, when Jiang Huaixi entered her kitchen for the first time, she had actually pointed at the oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar, asking with great interest what each one was.
Seeing as Jiang Huaixi was working rather hard at cooking, Lu Zizheng peeled a few more grapes and brought them to her lips. However, why were there no seeds?
“Mom, the grapes you just ate had seeds, right? Why do the ones Huaixi’s eating have none?”
Mother Lu nodded. “They do.”
Jiang Huaixi replied flatly, “Oh, I swallowed them. Spitting them out looks too ugly.”
“Mom, she said the way you spat out those grape seeds just now looked too ugly!” Lu Zizheng pulled up a small stool and sat behind Jiang Huaixi, finally catching a chance to slander her in front of her mother.
Jiang Huaixi said coldly, “Keep spouting nonsense and you won’t get a single bite of the food I’m cooking.”
Lu Zizheng grumbled, “So you can stir-fry a couple of dishes, look at how smug you are…”
Mother Lu patted Lu Zizheng’s head, amused. “Don’t be a sore loser. Huaixi is just better than you. Otherwise, you get up, cook two dishes, and be smug about it.”
Lu Zizheng blinked her eyes and fell silent.
At the dinner table that night, Lu Zizheng ate an extra half bowl of rice and practically cleared all the plates—especially the ones Jiang Huaixi cooked. Afterward, she was so stuffed she could only lean back in her chair, unable to move.
Jiang Huaixi gave her an amused look and stood up to help clear the dishes. Mother Lu felt bad. “Huaixi, I’m sure your parents would hate to see you doing chores at home. Every time you come over, Zhengzheng slacks off and leaves you to help wash up.”
Jiang Huaixi carried the dishes into the kitchen. “It’s fine, Auntie. I should be thanking you for giving me a chance to experience life, or else I’d be a complete idiot when it comes to living.”
Leaning against her chair, Lu Zizheng narrowed her eyes. As she watched the young woman and the older woman in the kitchen washing dishes and laughing together, a sense of warmth rose in her heart, yet it brought with it an unbidden touch of lonely desolation.
Love is like blowing bubbles. When you blow them, you are stunned by their beauty in the sunlight, by their dreamlike quality as they flutter through the air. Only after you finish blowing do you realize that the brighter the sun shines, the harder the wind blows, and the more beautiful the bubble is, the faster it shatters. All that beauty vanishes without a trace in an instant.
So, if you don’t want the bubbles to disappear, just hold the soapy water in your hands and don’t blow.
Footnotes
- A reference to the Chinese internet slang phrase 'yǒu qián, rèn xìng' (I have money, so I can be capricious), humorously used to describe the absurd or willful actions of the wealthy.
- A translation of the proverb 'chī rén de zuǐ ruǎn', which means that accepting someone's food or hospitality makes one's mouth 'soft'—obligating them to be accommodating and making it difficult to criticize or refuse the host.
- A traditional Chinese flavor profile (yúxiāng, literally 'fish fragrance') made from garlic, ginger, scallions, sugar, vinegar, and chili paste. Despite the name, it contains no seafood; it was originally used to cook fish but is now popular for flavoring meats and vegetables.
- A classical idiom originating from the Three Kingdoms period ('shì bié sān rì, dāng guāmùxiāngdài'). It means that when you haven't seen someone for three days, you must look at them with new eyes—expecting them to have made significant progress.
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