The afternoon sun stretched lazily across the neighborhood, scattering golden light on tiled roofs and casting long, dappled shadows over the cobblestone lanes. Birds hopped from wall to wall, their wings fluttering noisily, while a pair of children down the street played tag, their laughter echoing like silver bells. The air held that pleasant winter warmth when the sun softened the cold, making everything feel calm, almost idyllic.
Jia Lan strolled beside Aunt Li, her steps light and her wool coat swaying gently with each movement. Aunt Li carried a small shopping basket, muttering about needing some soy sauce and dried beans, but her eyes sparkled as she observed everything around them, clearly enjoying the outing.
"It's so nice today," Aunt Li sighed. "Not too cold, not too hot. If the sun stays like this, the laundry will dry in no time."
Jia Lan chuckled softly. Life really is peaceful here, she thought, admiring how ordinary things had begun to feel precious.
But peace never lasted long.
The door to a courtyard suddenly creaked open with a bang, and out burst Aunt Mu her hair tied in a neat bun, her steps surprisingly swift for her age. She was chasing after a tall young man who was laughing so hard his shoulders shook.
"Come back here, you rascal!" Aunt Mu scolded, waving her handkerchief as if she might swat him with it. "You dare run after stealing my snacks again?"
The young man, broad-shouldered and dressed in a dark wool coat, only laughed louder, glancing back at his grandmother with a grin so bright it made him look like a mischievous schoolboy. His laughter carried through the street, startling even the sparrows perched on the wires above.
But in his laughter-filled retreat, he didn't notice Jia Lan and Aunt Li walking right ahead.
Before Jia Lan could step aside, the man crashed into her.
Her body swayed dangerously, the world tilting for a moment. Aunt Li gasped and grabbed her arm just in time, preventing her from falling flat on the ground. The man froze, his hands instinctively reaching out though he didn't dare touch her, his grin fading instantly.
"Lan girl, are you alright?" Aunt Mu hurried forward, her expression full of worry. "This idiot grandson of mine he doesn't look where he's running! Forgive him, forgive him. He has no eyes in his head."
"I…" Jia Lan steadied herself, inhaling deeply. Her heart was racing, not from the impact but from the sheer absurdity of the situation. She forced a calm smile, though a spark of irritation flashed in her eyes.
Beside her, Aunt Li patted her arm. "Thankfully you didn't fall. My word, young master Shen, running like a madman in broad daylight! You nearly flattened her!"
Meanwhile, the so-called culprit was… staring.
His dark eyes, still wide from surprise, were fixed entirely on Jia Lan. His mouth opened slightly, but no words came out at first. He looked as though he had just bumped into an ethereal vision rather than a girl from his own neighborhood.
Jia Lan turned her gaze toward him, her lips pressed in a firm line. His dazed gawking only made her temper spike higher. Great. Not only did this fool almost knock me over, now he's staring like an idiot too.
Finally, as if waking from a trance, the young man blinked and started babbling all at once.
"I.....I'm sorry, I didn't see you there! Are you hurt? Did I hurt you? I swear I didn't mean it, I was just playing around with Grandma...ah, I mean Aunt Mu....no, I mean my grandmother, and I....my name is Shen Mingrui, I work in the Ministry of Health, I'm twenty-two this year, and I live just over there, the Shen family compound, number twelve....."
"..."
Aunt Li and Aunt Mu both turned their heads toward him slowly, their mouths falling open at the speed of his self-introduction.
Jia Lan, on the other hand, was utterly speechless.
Inside, she groaned: God above, I said this morning I wanted no nonsense people in my life. And here You are, delivering this nonsense man straight to my doorstep. Is this karma? Is this some kind of cosmic joke?
He was still rambling about his credentials, his voice nervous but eager, as though trying to sell himself like fresh vegetables at the morning market.
Jia Lan raised a hand, her patience fraying. "Enough. That's more than I needed to know."
Finally, she introduced herself simply, coolly: "Jia Lan."
Her calm tone only seemed to fluster him further. Shen Mingrui immediately straightened, nodding too quickly. "Jia Lan… Jia Lan… I'll remember it."
Aunt Mu, sensing her grandson was about to embarrass himself further, stepped in quickly. "Alright, alright, stop talking nonsense! Girl, please don't mind him. He's been an idiot since birth, but his heart's not bad."
Then, turning toward Aunt Li, she added in a lower tone, "So this is the young Miss Jia you've always spoken of?"
Aunt Li nodded, her lips twitching in amusement. "Yes, that's her. But....." she glanced at Shen Mingrui, who still looked half-dazed..."I didn't expect him to… well, introduce his entire life story at first meeting."
The two elder women exchanged looks, both equally stunned, while Jia Lan simply sighed inwardly.
Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. My peaceful life has officially ended. This cartoon of a man is going to haunt me, isn't he?
Shen Mingrui, still looking like he'd just discovered a rare treasure, struggled to put his thoughts into coherent words. His lips opened, closed, then opened again. Finally, he blurted:
"You...you're really Jia Lan? The Jia Lan? The one who...who…" He paused, his brows furrowing as though he were trying to calculate something deeply profound. "Who lives here?"
Jia Lan blinked slowly. "…Do you often introduce people to their own homes?"
"No, no!" He waved his hands frantically, nearly hitting himself in the chest with his own coat sleeve. "What I mean is....Jia Lan, you're… you're very… very…" He groped desperately for the right word, then finally burst out with, "You're very human!"
"…Thank you?" Jia Lan's tone dripped with bewilderment. Human? Did this fool expect me to be a goose instead?
Trying again, Shen Mingrui cleared his throat, squared his shoulders, and attempted to look serious. "What I meant was..you're very elegant, very graceful, very… breathtaking, like a painting....but also warm, you know, like… like porridge."
"…Like porridge." Jia Lan's lips twitched. God above, am I still alive, or did I die again and end up in some farce of a reincarnation novel?
Shen Mingrui nodded earnestly. "Yes! Exactly. Comforting, filling, and good for health."
Jia Lan's entire being silently questioned its own existence.
Seeing her expression slip into a frozen mask of disbelief, Aunt Li coughed lightly, stepping in. "Alright, alright, that's enough talking in the cold. We should get going. Still have things to buy."
"I can come too!" Shen Mingrui piped up immediately, almost bouncing on his feet. "I'll help carry things. I'm strong, really. Anything heavy, I'll carry for you!"
"No need," Aunt Li said quickly, her eyes flicking toward Jia Lan's face. Jia Lan's polite façade was cracking, the irritation seeping through her narrowed eyes and stiff smile. Aunt Li could practically hear her inner scream. "You've troubled enough for today. Go back and behave yourself."
Shen Mingrui looked disappointed, but before he could argue further, Aunt Mu snapped, "Don't be shameless, Mingrui. Can't you see the girl doesn't want to be bothered? Go home!"
Reluctantly, Shen Mingrui straightened, like a soldier obeying orders. Still, he looked at Jia Lan with a bright, toothy grin, his eyes shining as if he had discovered something extraordinary. "Goodbye, Miss Jia Lan! Take care, dress warmly, eat well, don't trip, don't catch cold, and...."
"That's enough," Aunt Mu cut him off, smacking his arm with her handkerchief.
"Goodbye," Jia Lan said flatly, her lips twitching as she restrained herself.
Aunt Li gave a polite farewell to Aunt Mu, while Jia Lan inclined her head respectfully. Then, at last, they turned and walked down the lane, leaving the pair behind.
For several steps, silence hung between Jia Lan and Aunt Li. Her shoulders were stiff, her lips pressed in a thin line. Finally, when they were far enough, she exhaled slowly and muttered:
"You can laugh."
Pfft..! Aunt Li's lips trembled before she burst out into hearty laughter, covering her mouth with one hand but failing to hide it. "Oh my heavens, Lan girl, did you see his face? He looked like he was reciting his entire household registry! Porridge? Did he actually compare you to porridge?"
Jia Lan groaned, covering her own face with both hands. "Aunt Li… please. Spare me. If this is fate, then Heaven must really enjoy watching me suffer."
But Aunt Li only laughed harder, her shoulders shaking as they walked on.