Chapter Thirteen (Part 2): After the Rain, the Sky Clears
The first few seconds were agonizing. The sound of the clock hanging in the living room seemed to pierce her eardrums. Tick-tock, tick-tock. For no reason, her heart began to panic.
She did not know how many times it had sounded when Lu Yin jumped down, grabbed her keys, and ran outside.
The sound-activated lights in the stairwell lit up one floor after another. She chased him all the way out of the building, but she did not see him.
Ten minutes had already passed. It was hardly surprising. Her footsteps were somewhat sluggish, and only then did she realize that she was still wearing the ill-fitting cloth slippers.
She knew exactly where he was. After hesitating for only a few seconds, Lu Yin headed toward the guard booth. She was not entirely sure what she wanted to say, whether she wanted to take back what she had said or explain herself. Even if this still ended in the same outcome, at the very least, they should part on calm and peaceful terms.
It was not yet seven, the liveliest time in the residential compound. Lu Yin crossed the square, her ears filled with noisy music. The streetlights had just come on, while the sky still hung beneath a layer of dark gray. The cold wind rustled past, turning the tip of her nose bright red. She could not help hunching her shoulders and shrinking from the cold, her pace alternately slowing and quickening. Only now did she truly hate her own wavering nature.
From a distance, she saw the guard booth. Warm orange light spilled through the window. It was already completely dark, and the little house was hidden behind an old tree, its shadow swaying across the walls.
The door beside the window stood wide open, but there was no sign of him outside.
Her footsteps stopped. When she started walking again, her resolve was firm and unshakable.
Less than five meters remained. A figure appeared at the doorway. She had seen him only fifteen minutes ago. There had been a moment when their bodies had fit tightly against each other, perfectly close, yet it was only now that Lu Yin observed him more directly and carefully, as though she had found something she had always overlooked.
She was given little time to think. As if sensing something, the man suddenly turned his head. For the first few seconds after seeing her, a trace of surprise crossed Lu Qiang’s face. An unlit cigarette was clenched between his lips, his hands were in his pockets, and his back was not quite as straight as usual. His gaze fell on her feet, then returned after a moment. The deliberate coldness and distance in his eyes were unfamiliar to Lu Yin.
She tightened her grip on her sleeves. The cold wind struck her skin through the gaps in her sweater. Her slender neck was bare, and the fine downy hairs lightly brushed her ears. She had worked up a sweat earlier, and when the wind hit her, she could not help shivering.
The man continued watching her. She walked a few more steps, then suddenly stopped.
The guard booth did not belong to him alone. A person followed out into the warm light, her slender figure wrapped in a solemn police uniform, her hair immaculate and her police cap sitting perfectly straight. Lu Yin had not noticed the third person. Her gaze remained fixed on Lu Qiang’s back. No one knew what the two had been talking about inside. The woman frowned and pouted, her gaze full of reproach, yet she could not bear to take her eyes off him. She reached out and lightly punched and pushed his shoulder, clearly unable to bring herself to use any real force.
In the eyes of an onlooker, there was nothing particularly unusual about the gesture, yet it was unmistakably intimate.
Lu Qiang was completely unaware, utterly ignoring the person behind him. His body swayed slightly with her movement, while he continued staring at that thin figure hidden in the darkness. His first thought was actually, rather pathetically, to worry about how she was dressed.
Their eyes met. Neither moved.
Gradually, Lu Yin’s lips turned pale and her mouth grew dry. All around her, the only sound seemed to be the pounding of her own heart. She desperately wanted to pretend to be relaxed and say hello, but the corners of her lips simply would not curve into a pleasant smile. There was none of the composure she had imagined.
They stood at the doorway, forming a picture softened by warm light. She came only to the tip of his nose in height. Her gaze rested peacefully on him. Their equally straight figures stood less than half a meter apart, and she stood bravely, boldly, behind him. Nothing could have looked more harmonious.
Her heart throbbed with uncontrollable pain. The scene before her stabbed at her eyes. Lu Yin thought that, in the end, she cared a little more than she had expected. Just a little…
At last she took a step, but not forward. There was something almost panicked and directionless about her retreat. In Lu Qiang’s eyes, her actions took on another meaning: timidness, avoidance, an unwillingness to be seen. Because someone else was there, she had given up on coming over.
Lu Qiang stared into the darkness for a long time.
Tan Wei noticed that something was wrong with him and poked him. “What are you looking at?”
That direction was completely dark. Apart from tree shadows and the straight path, there was nothing there.
She had already been there for half an hour. Old Li had told her to wait inside. She had not seen him since the time he was injured. After finishing the case she had been working on, she had made time to come see him first. She had not expected him to still have that same cold, unfriendly expression, as though she owed him money.
Tan Wei’s voice was listless. “Every time I come see you, you look like your face is the stinkiest thing alive. As if I even care! I’m never coming again.” She walked two steps toward the doorway, but when she did not get the response she wanted, she bit her lip unwillingly and shouted loudly, “Hey!”
Lu Qiang finally turned around, his left cheek unconsciously puffing slightly.
Tan Wei said, “I’m leaving.”
He gave a quiet “Mm” through his nose.
Tan Wei was furious. She glared fiercely at him, took off her hat and carried it in her hand. She had not gone far when she heard him call out behind her.
Lu Qiang asked, “Have you eaten?”
She was still facing away from him. Her body swayed slightly a few times, and the smile on her face slowly widened. By the time she turned around, however, her expression had already returned to seriousness.
“No.”
Lu Qiang did not look at her. He walked past her and headed outside.
They found a small restaurant, ordered several stir-fried dishes and a few bottles of beer. There was one glass in front of Lu Qiang. He drank his own and paid her no attention.
Tan Wei had never been alone with him like this before. She secretly glanced at him. “Drink a little less. You still have to work tonight.”
Lu Qiang did not even raise his head. He filled his glass. “No one’s watching tonight.”
She searched for something to say. “Is the alcohol strong?”
Lu Qiang did not particularly want to answer. He basically downed a glass every time he raised his head.
Tan Wei directly called the owner over and asked for an empty glass as well. She opened a bottle herself and tentatively poured half a glass.
She studied his expression. “Are you in a bad mood today?”
Lu Qiang’s hand paused. He gave a mocking laugh. “Yeah. I’m in a bad mood.”
“Why?” She propped her chin on her hand, adopting the posture of a listener. “If something’s making you unhappy, you can tell me about it.”
Lu Qiang took a big mouthful of food. “There’s nothing to tell you.”
“What can’t you tell me?” She refused to let it go. “Come on, tell me. Why?”
“Because of a woman.”
Tan Wei instinctively smiled. “Stop joking around.”
Lu Qiang gave her a sidelong glance. “Do I look like I’m joking?”
Tan Wei was slightly stunned. Then she clicked her tongue, picked up the glass in front of her, and took a small sip. Her delicate brows furrowed slightly, then gradually relaxed. Unexpectedly, she drank the entire glass.
She filled it again and said, half-casually and half-probing, “I couldn’t tell. You’re always so unpredictable, like the weather. When you’re happy, you flash a smile. When you’re unhappy, you make things up as you go and talk without any filter. You’re not reliable at all.”
Lu Qiang’s wrist hung loosely, the tip of his chopsticks resting against the tabletop. He lifted his eyelids to look at her and suddenly asked, “You’ve fallen for me?”
Tan Wei choked on her drink, hurriedly covering her mouth and nose with her hand.
“What good points do I have? You tell me. How come no one else has noticed?” His expression was unusually helpless as he said this.
Tan Wei’s cheeks flushed red. “Why are you suddenly talking about this?” After a long while, she finally managed to squeeze out, “How can you explain something like this clearly… It just feels pretty good.”
Lu Qiang found it amusing. He tossed two beans into his mouth. “Feelings can’t put food on the table. I advise you to give up on it while you can.”
Tan Wei frowned at him.
Lu Qiang said, “I have someone.”
“You’re lying.”
“Did I eat too much salt and decide to lie to you?” He glanced at her. “We just got together. I see you coming here so often, so I’m afraid you’re wasting your time.”
Tan Wei tightened her grip on her glass and finally began to believe him. Suddenly, the figure of a woman flashed through her mind, beautiful and delicate of face, with graceful curves and a gentle, dependent air. The intuition was remarkably sharp, immediately confirming what he had just said.
The type Lu Qiang liked should be someone with excellent cooking skills, gentle and good at managing a household, soft enough and warm enough, someone who could give a man a sense of belonging and make him feel cared for and willing to rely on her. Those qualities were not difficult to see in that woman.
By comparison, Tan Wei immediately felt utterly defeated.
She opened her mouth, only to discover that she did not have the courage to keep asking.
There was not much left to say in the second half. She basically accepted this reality. Lu Qiang stopped drinking, while she began downing one glass after another. His only responsibility was to deliver the message. He knew Tan Wei was a smart woman and would not cling to him stubbornly. Once she finished this meal and sobered up, she would understand.
Lu Qiang ate and drank his fill, a toothpick dangling from between his teeth as he looked around listlessly, as though nothing were the matter. This meal had deviated somewhat from his original intention. He had originally planned to use a woman’s company to drink away his sorrows, only to find himself lacking the interest. The Lu Qiang of six years ago had practically been reborn into another person. He gave a mocking smile and ordered himself to spend twice as much patience on her, as compensation for having used her.
After leaving the bar, Tan Wei could not walk in a straight line. Lu Qiang helped her keep her balance, extending an arm to grip her by the arm and avoiding unnecessary bodily contact. He did not know how sober she was. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, she kept edging closer to him, but Lu Qiang ruthlessly stopped her, maintaining an arm’s length between them the entire time.
After who knew how many repetitions, his patience finally ran out. He sneered, “Those people who get drunk and lose control are just using alcohol as an excuse to get girls into bed.”
The body beside him swayed.
Lu Qiang continued, “Even when they’re drunk, their minds are perfectly clear. They absolutely know what kind of bullshit they’re doing. I’m not drunk either, and I believe you can understand what I’m saying. I wasn’t teasing you today. Right now, all my energy is focused on that woman. Every day I’m thinking about how to make her fall in line.” Lu Qiang gritted his teeth as he spoke.
“I don’t have time to deal with you. Put those little thoughts of yours away while you can. Hurry up and find yourself a good man, date him if you should, marry him if you should.” He paused for two seconds. “Can you walk straight?”
Tan Wei showed no reaction. She still could not walk straight, but she no longer deliberately leaned toward him.
Lu Qiang flagged down a taxi by the roadside and stuffed her into the back seat. He took his ID card from the pocket of his police uniform jacket and said to the driver, “Please take this policewoman home. The address is…” He glanced at the identification in his hand. “No. 32 Tanlin Road.”
The driver was an older man. He glanced at him in the rearview mirror and nodded with a smile.
Under the light, Lu Qiang narrowed his eyes and glanced at the number on the windshield, memorizing it. He casually shut the door firmly and watched as the car slowly disappeared into the night.
***
That night passed, and, unsurprisingly, Lu Yin caught a cold. It was mild at first, and she did not pay much attention to it, simply swallowing a few cold tablets with hot water.
At the factory, Chen Rui noticed again that she was different from the previous few days. Whether because she was ill or for some other reason, the trace of vitality on her face had faded. She seemed listless and downcast, never able to muster any energy.
Old Du assigned the two of them an order: to make a batch of uniforms for the employees of a leisure establishment in the city. Chen Rui was the supervisor of the Product Development Department, and he was responsible for the business. The factory originally had two official designers. One was currently on maternity leave, and that person was difficult and unconventional in the way she dealt with people, arrogant and looking down on everyone. Old Du had wanted to replace her for a long time, so he took this opportunity to promote Lu Yin. Later, he could give that woman some inconsequential task. Whether she stayed or left would not cause him any loss.
After leaving Old Du’s office, the two walked side by side through the corridor. Lu Yin fell half a step behind. Chen Rui turned his head. “Your cold still hasn’t gotten better?”
“Almost,” Lu Yin said.
“Remember to get enough rest.”
Since that rainy day, Chen Rui had known how she felt. Although he could not let go, he only dared to silently watch over her from behind. He had been at the factory for three years, and from the first time he saw her, he had taken quite a liking to her. Unfortunately, Lu Yin already had someone in her heart at the time and had never even noticed him. When he learned that the two had broken up, his feelings were extremely conflicted. He finally worked up the courage to pursue her, only to be rejected again.
Facing Lu Yin, he seemed to have no choice but to smile bitterly.
“Thank you.” Lu Yin turned her head slightly and asked lightly, “What are you smiling about?”
“Nothing.” He coughed awkwardly. “Then let’s follow the plan and go over there next Thursday. Remember to bring more sample photos. They want too many different kinds, so this time might be a little troublesome.”
Lu Yin said, “No problem. I’ll handle it.”
They talked a few more sentences about work before parting at the entrance to his office.
She finished the work ahead of schedule and returned early. She slowly made her way to the entrance of the residential compound, where Old Li had not left yet.
A long table had been set up outside the guard booth. Old Li warmly called out to her. Lu Yin stopped and silently looked behind the long table. Several households were standing in front. The man sat behind the table with his head lowered, writing. His grip on the pen was unfamiliar, as though he had encountered some difficulty. His hand had stopped there, yet he did not even lift his eyelids.
Old Li asked, “Back so early today?”
She smiled. “I finished my work, so I came back early.” Lu Yin stopped and asked, “What are they doing?”
“Our compound is replacing the gas pipes. This time we’re switching to natural gas. It’ll be more convenient to use.” Old Li pointed over there. “They’re registering everyone here. There aren’t many households in the compound, so we didn’t bother notifying each one individually. You go over too. Let Xiao Lu record it. Someone has to be home when they replace the gas pipes.”
Lu Yin bit her lip. After pausing for a moment, she slowly moved in that direction.
The people before her had already left. A small shadow fell across the space in front of him. Lu Qiang lifted his eyelids and met a pair of clear, luminous eyes. Because she was looking up at him, he could see the extra softness beneath her chin, her skin glowing translucent in the light, her ears tinged a pale pink.
She opened her mouth, just about to say something, but Lu Qiang expressionlessly withdrew his gaze.
Her mouth was dry and her tongue parched. She heard him ask three words: “What’s your name?”
Lu Yin’s breathing hitched slightly. She could see only the top of his head. Her hand unconsciously tightened. After a few seconds, she said, “…Lu Yin.”
“Phone number?”
She exhaled softly and recited a string of numbers.
“Where do you live?”
“What?”
He raised his head and looked at her as though she were a stranger. “Which building and unit?”
Lu Yin bit her lower lip until it was bloodless, staring fixedly into his eyes for a brief moment. She did not answer. He curled the corner of his lips, lowered his head, and directly wrote in the next column: Building 11, Room 302.
“What time is someone home?” He then raised his head, and his heart suddenly clenched. The eyes that had originally been so bright were glistening with moisture, yet she was trying hard to widen them, restraining herself with all her might.
She was like she was made of water. The moment she wanted to cry, tears appeared. Lu Qiang clenched his back teeth and did not dare ask any further. He simply wrote two words in the notebook.
When he looked up again, his entire body was once more gathered in the sunlight. He gripped the pen tightly, his fingers turning white. Perhaps if there were one more second, he would do something impulsive. This woman’s tears were too extraordinary, possessing a magical power capable of destroying every ounce of toughness.
Whenever she cried, the whole world became his fault.
Lu Qiang narrowed his eyes. She had already gone far away, yet he stared shamelessly at her retreating figure.
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