Love For You - Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Go Home and Cook, I'm Hungry

Chen Yi was in his second year of vocational school this year, and he could attend classes at school for one or two days a week. The rest of the time, he was either at internet cafes, video arcades, billiard halls, or with the teenage speed-racers in the middle of the night. Lacking discipline during his childhood, he had been wild playing these games since he was a kid. He could even perform acrobatics on a bicycle. That motorcycle was also tinkered with bit by bit, gradually upgraded from a discarded frame, and won from someone else's hands.

Miao Jing was in the third year of junior high, with only two months left until the high school entrance exam. She studied diligently and was naturally considered a top student in the graduating class, with her grades ranking in the top ten of the school. Her photo had always been hanging on the honors board, but her personality was a bit introverted. Every day, she wore her school uniform and traveled alone, attending classes during the day, evening study hall at night, and returning home to cook for herself—it was a monotonous and quiet junior high school life.

The two-bedroom, one-living-room apartment wasn't big, nor was it small. The things left behind by Chen Libin and Wei Mingzhen had gradually disappeared. Of course, when Miao Jing first stepped into this home, she could still feel a lingering trace of the gentleness of Chen Yi's mother, which had quietly dissipated over the years. With only the faint traces of the lives of two pre-teens, the house appeared empty, simple, and old.

Chen Yi would often appear without warning. Sometimes, someone would knock on her window in the middle of the night to come home; sometimes, she would wake up in the morning to find someone in the room next door; there were also times when a motorcycle would speed past her on the roadside after her evening study hall, or someone would suddenly burst in while she was eating. Living together, it actually wasn't inconvenient. They had lived in the same room during their childhood and neither had bad habits. Both of them didn't speak much, busy with their own affairs in their respective rooms, and only coming together at meal times. Miao Jing had no other feelings; she just felt that he was especially voracious—his food intake was at least double her own, and the speed at which the milk in the refrigerator and the rice in the jar were consumed was astonishing. She remembered Chen Libin was a thin, tall, and elegant type, but Chen Yi was broad-shouldered and thick-backed; standing in front of her, he had a lot of pressure and deterrent force.

After eating, Chen Yi would leave some meal money on the table. The amount wouldn't be too big, sometimes thirty or forty yuan, sometimes one or two hundred. Usually, one could see his economic capability during a certain period. The money might be won by playing billiards—ten or twenty yuan—or it might be a prize for motorcycle racing. Miao Jing heard him on the phone and knew that they had a group of people who would gather on the mountain roads in the suburbs to race in the middle of the night. Winning had a prize, usually a few thousand yuan, but once the money was in hand, it had to be used for upgrading the motorcycle's equipment and for treating his buddies and brothers to food and fun. Finally, what remained for Miao Jing was just enough for her to buy something tasty.

Come to think of it, during the years Miao Jing lived on campus in junior high, she ate the best during this time. On one hand, she would go to food factories to buy scraps or near-expiry food to fill her stomach; on the other hand, there would always be a meal of meat from time to time. The first time she cooked braised beef, lamb, and shrimp and crab seafood, her cooking skills were in the transition from awkward to mature, but Chen Yi wasn't picky about the taste—no matter how terrible it was, he could always finish it with composure.

There was a washing machine on the balcony, and the household clothes were generally thrown into it if it wasn't too much trouble. The first time Miao Jing gathered the courage to stop Chen Yi was to prevent him from throwing his intimate apparel and socks into it. With a blushing face, she stood stuttering in front of the washing machine, finding it very difficult to say those words. Chen Yi, with water dripping from his hair, stood with his hands on his hips and sneered at her for being fastidious, before turning to go back to the bathroom to pour laundry detergent and scrub the clothes skillfully—from childhood to adulthood, what kind of chores hadn't he done?

After Chen Yi brandished a knife to deter the neighbors, his reputation in this residential area was renowned. No one dared to easily strike up a conversation. Of course, the siblings were also so indifferent that they didn't want to bother with outsiders. Everyone waited to watch the show. Without parents to discipline them, two minors were home alone. With Chen Yi's personality and being a naive teenager of sixteen or seventeen, ending up in the police station was a certainty—it was just a matter of time. However, everyone kept their distance to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

The days passed peacefully just like that. Two days before the high school entrance exam, Chen Yi suddenly returned home. Because the weather was too hot, Miao Jing was reviewing at home and feeling slightly tense, having no time to cook, so she boiled noodles for both of them for several consecutive days. Chen Yi bought a few boxes of deli food from outside, as well as watermelon and fruit. The two were sitting at the table when Chen Yi suddenly slammed a big chicken leg into her bowl. The hot noodle soup splashed onto Miao Jing’s confused and helpless face, into her eyes. She blinked frequently with tears, while Chen Yi pushed half a box of soy-sauce beef over with his head down: "Eat."

After Miao Jing finished washing the bowls and came out, there was half a watermelon left on the table with a spoon stuck vertically into it, standing bare. Chen Yi had already carried the other half into his room.

The exam venue was at her own school. Miao Jing planned to take the bus to school in the morning and go home after finishing the exam in the afternoon, leaving the school at noon to have lunch and rest. She went out carrying a canvas bag she got from winning a competition, checking her stationery and exam admission ticket, and also prepared an apple. Chen Yi lazily opened his bedroom door to go to the bathroom. Miao Jing had one foot out the front door when he called out to her with toothpaste foam in his mouth: "Wait for me."

Chen Yi splashed cold water on his face and smoothed out his bristly buzz cut: "I'll take you there."

"Okay..."

The two rode the motorcycle. Miao Jing wore a helmet and, with great propriety, grabbed a bit of his shirt hem. The motorcycle roared and started. He propped his long legs on the ground and turned his head to speak: "Hold on tight. If you fall off, just go straight to the hospital."

The motorcycle sped forward. Miao Jing’s body surged forward with inertia, and her entire face smashed into his back again. His broad shoulders and back were filled with the biting scent of tobacco, a healthy and vibrant breath that wasn't unpleasant. Whether it was because of the excessive speed, she felt a little bit dizzy and fluttering.

This time, Miao Jing didn't try to support her body sitting up, but rather leaned vaguely on his back, clenching the two corners of his T-shirt with both hands, closing her eyes slightly, quietly and nervously feeling the strong wind hitting her face and the noise passing by her ears.

There was a little... vaguely fuzzy happiness.

Chen Yi took her to the school, turned around, and sped away. Miao Jing followed the flow of people into the school, turning back to take one look at the black silhouette on the motorcycle.

The exam went very smoothly. When she walked out of the exam hall in the afternoon, outside the school gate, it was three layers of parents waiting to pick up their children. Miao Jing lowered her head and walked slowly outward. Suddenly, she heard a sharp sound of a horn. She looked up and unexpectedly saw a young, tall figure outside the crowd, sitting lazily on a gleaming motorcycle, holding a cigarette in his hand, his dark eyes appearing to contain a wisp of a smile, looking at her lazily.

Her eyes lit up suddenly. She went forward in three or two steps and stood in front of him, completely unaware that the bright smile and leaping steps on her face were melting into the dry wind of mid-afternoon along with the scorching, bright sun.

Chen Yi’s expression was indifferent, his tone perfunctory: "How did you do?"

"Pretty good."

"Let's go."

"Mm."

Once the exam was finished, Chen Yi didn't even say goodbye and disappeared again.

The high school entrance exam scores were released in early July. Miao Jing’s grades entered the top ten of the entire school, ranking within one hundred in the entire city. Teng City had a provincial key high school. Being admitted to the provincial key school with these grades was something worth boasting about.

Chen Yi also saw that bright red admission notice. Huddled in a chair with his two legs crossed on a stool, he asked her calmly: "When do you plan to leave?"

Miao Jing’s smile faded. She blinked her eyes, placed both hands on her knees, and pursed her lips tightly.

It had been agreed before that she would get the hell out once she finished junior high. She had lived in this house for so long; Chen Yi hadn't pursued Wei Mingzhen’s matter, nor had he made things difficult for her. Miao Jing had no reason to stay any longer—but Wei Mingzhen’s phone still couldn't be reached.

Go directly to that address Wei Mingzhen gave her to find her? Or go back to Z Province to find her aunt’s family to continue her studies according to Wei Mingzhen’s wishes?

"I'll buy you a train ticket back to your hometown." Chen Yi pulled his legs back, lowered his eyes, and instructed her slowly, "You pack up your luggage, and I'll take you to the train station."

Miao Jing said a soft "Mm," turned around, and went back to her room to pack her luggage. In fact, there wasn't much to pack: a few pieces of washed-old clothes, a few daily necessities, a few extracurricular books, that admission notice, and her personal file. It couldn't even fill one suitcase; carrying a school bag was enough.

Chen Yi really bought her a train ticket back to Z Province and took her to the train station, sending her to the ticket-checking gate. Standing tall and big in front of her, he thought for a moment and took a stack of money out of his pocket: "Take it."

"No need." Miao Jing shook her head, shrinking her hands, "I have some money on me, it's enough."

He took the money back and pushed her shoulder: "Then let's go."

"Goodbye." Miao Jing lowered her head without looking at him, bidding him farewell softly, "Thank you, Chen Yi."

"Goodbye, gone." He reached out, seemingly patting her head in the air, before turning his steps. He had already taken big strides, waved his hand twice behind his back, and walked out of the waiting room quickly.

Miao Jing watched his departing back, silently retracting her gaze, sitting on a chair in a daze to wait for the train to arrive.

If she could, she wished she were eighteen years old now—an adult, able to be alone, able to do as she pleased, able to go where she wanted, able to have wings or a direction. But she was fifteen, only three years away from eighteen; why couldn't she be?

The crowd around her came and went, stopped and went. She didn't know if it was fate, but the train was delayed, not arriving at the station. The electronic screen showed a three-hour delay. Miao Jing sat for a very, very long time. At the very last moment, she stood up mechanically, walked to the ticket refund window, and then walked out of the train station.

Someone was waiting quietly in front of the flower bed at the train station. Legs long and straight, shoulders very broad, buzz cut, leaning against a utility pole. The posture was troublesome, arrogantly blowing clouds of smoke. In that faint and choking white mist, one could see neat brows and eyes, a cold expression, staring firmly at the quiet and fragile girl dragging a heavy ponytail, wearing a misshapen T-shirt.

"Where to?" he shouted at her.

Miao Jing turned around, a flicker of panic flashing in her eyes, but she pretended to be calm and walked to him, pursing her lips: "Looking for work."

"Looking for what work?"

"Electronic factories are recruiting summer workers, or I can go to a restaurant to wash dishes. Both provide room and board." She held a few job advertisement sheets in her hand.

He shook his head and laughed.

"You can support yourself, and I can too." Miao Jing looked at him steadily: "I'll go by myself. I won't look for you again, and I won't trouble you anymore."

"Miao Jing, can't tell, you're quite promising." He sneered exaggeratedly, "Then go ahead."

She nodded solemnly, turned around, and left, walking along the shop-lined streets toward the busiest and dirtiest part of the city. The lowest level of the population has the strongest vitality. In this era, as long as you have hands and a brain, the climate has long summers and no winters, and it won't let people starve or freeze to death. She could do many jobs, and she could also endure hardships.

Crossing the pedestrian street, a car sped past her, braked suddenly, and stopped. The person on the car stretched out an arm and wrapped it around her waist. Miao Jing felt the world spinning. Before she could even shout out, she was thrown onto the motorcycle. Her heart was pounding. She stumbled into his arms. It was that familiar, pleasant scent of a boy.

"Chen Yi—"

Miao Jing screamed. The speed of the vehicle didn't decrease; it bumped and twisted. She wasn't holding on straight and was afraid of falling, so she could only clutch him tightly.

"Your personality is quite stubborn. Who did you learn it from?" Chen Yi laughed loudly, "You've been like this since you were a kid; it's quite annoying."

"Where are you taking me?" she shouted.

"Take you to celebrate."

The motorcycle turned left and right, continuously weaving through the traffic, and turned into the mountains in the suburbs. The speed increased level by level, already beginning to exceed the speed limit. The strong wind filled their clothes. The sound of whistling was all around their ears. Their bodies began to float in weightlessness. Miao Jing couldn't stand this kind of stimulation. Her mind went blank, her mouth felt dry, and she saw him raise the front wheel. With a sudden, high-speed leap, their bodies soared in mid-air. She closed her eyes and gripped Chen Yi’s back tightly.

"Chen Yi, Chen Yi, I'm scared, stop, stop..."

He was speeding and drifting in a snake-like manner on the mountain road, starting to show off with fancy tricks, narrowly speeding on the edge of a cliff. Miao Jing couldn't bear it at all. Her scalp was tingling and her limbs were limp. In the end, she even started crying from fear. She didn't know if it was because of hypoxia in her brain, but she cried particularly miserably and heartily, sobbing and choking on his back. Her helmet was soaked through, and his back's clothing was also soaked, but soon dried by the hot wind.

Finally, the motorcycle stopped on a gentle slope at the top of the mountain. Chen Yi grinned and asked her if it felt good, then got off the bike with a super-dashing, show-off style, sitting on the ground with his arms propped up to blow the cool wind. Miao Jing climbed off the bike softly and powerlessly. Without any strength, she fell directly onto the grass.

She cried until her face was flushed, tears and snot flowing. The velvet hair on her temples and neck was all stuck to her cheeks and neck, as miserable as she could be. Her shoulders were still twitching, and she was sobbing with hiccups.

The mountain breeze passed her ears, the air was sweet, the sunlight was hot and clear, the grass was lush, and there were bird songs. Chen Yi didn't care that the person beside him was crying heavily. He chewed on a blade of grass and closed his eyes to sleep. Later, when he woke up, he found that Miao Jing had also cried herself to sleep, her thin arms and legs curled up on the grass, her messy hair stuck to her fair cheeks, with tear stains still hanging from the corners of her eyes, and her petite nose and lips tightly wrinkled.

He patted her awake: "Miao Jing."

Miao Jing opened her eyes in a daze. After being washed by tears, her heart was particularly quiet, and her emotions were also particularly calm, as if all troubles were very distant and the past wasn't worth savoring.

"Get up." He twisted her up, "Time to go home."

Her expression was dazed.

Chen Yi had already put on his helmet: "I'll just consider it doing a good deed. Once you finish high school, you can get the hell out. That shitty township middle school in your hometown, what kind of crap is that? It's not as good as not studying."

"Get on the bike." He was impatient, "Hurry up, go home and cook, I'm hungry."

Miao Jing climbed onto the motorcycle tremblingly with shaking hands and feet, trepidatiously: "Can you go a little slower? I'll die if I fall off."

He laughed loudly-

The tuition fee for the provincial key school wasn't too exaggerated. The incidental fees were 1,200, the accommodation fee was 700, and the uniform and other military training fees were 500. Perhaps the supplementary tuition fees and various types of payments would exceed expectations. Miao Jing found work during the two months of summer vacation—doing some handicrafts at home during the day and working at an internet cafe at night. Chen Yi and his friends also often frequented internet cafes, and the work was considered safe and idle.

Chen Yi tossed her a mobile phone and told her to go handle a card and save his mobile number: "If anything happens, call me.”