Clang!
Li Yan accidentally broke a glass. The manager frowned. "Twenty yuan deducted."
"What's wrong with you? You're totally distracted," her coworker Zhou Qing asked, noticing something was off.
"Cao Yang left. I'm a little worried about him."
"Tch. What are you worried about? He's a grown man. Nothing's going to happen."
"He's still from our village… and he has no money on him… If something happens, how am I supposed to explain that back home?"
Just then, her phone rang. It was her friend from the electronics factory.
Her friend told her Cao Yang had been fired, and also explained the reason. When Li Yan learned he had truly been unjustly dragged into the mess, guilt rose in her heart.
She had always had a prejudice against him. She didn't think at all before assuming he got into a fight.
"Help me ask the manager for leave. I'm going out to look for him."
Li Yan changed clothes and went home, hoping Cao Yang would be waiting at the door.
But the doorway was empty.
She opened the door, sat in the living room, telling herself that once he calmed down, he'd come back on his own.
She waited until one in the morning—still no sign of him.
She wanted to go out and search, but late at night, a pretty girl like her—it wasn't safe.
She took out her phone and dialed.
"A-Le, my younger brother ran off angry. Can you come help me look for him?"
"He left? Let him leave. Why the hell should we look for him?" The background noise on the other end was chaotic.
"You're gambling again?"
"Aiya, no, no. I'm hanging up!"
…
Cao Yang had slept less than half an hour before waking up—starving.
He clutched his stomach and tried to sleep again.
Less than half an hour later, he woke up again—because of mosquito bites.
Over and over like that all night, he barely slept a wink by dawn.
"Cao Yang… Cao Yang…"
Hearing someone calling his name, he thought he was hallucinating from hunger.
"Cao Yang… Cao Yang…"
This time he heard clearly—it wasn't a hallucination.
Li Yan's figure appeared in the park. She wore a white dress, walking around searching, cupping her hands around her mouth to shout loudly:
"Cao Yang—! Cao Yang—!"
Cao Yang felt a little touched.
She wasn't completely heartless—she really was worried about him.
His heart softened. He was about to call out to her, but then another thought flashed across his mind:
What if she's only looking for me because she's afraid I'll go home and talk?
With that thought, his heart turned cold again.
He lay there on his mat, silently watching her, pretending not to hear.
Li Yan kept walking as she shouted. From midnight until dawn, she had searched everywhere—under bridges, abandoned buildings—and even almost got assaulted by a homeless drunk.
As she walked closer and closer, she finally spotted Cao Yang lying on the grass.
Cao Yang opened his eyes and looked at her, saying nothing.
They stared at each other for a few seconds, then Li Yan marched over and kicked him.
"You didn't hear me calling you?! I yelled until my voice went hoarse! And you just stare at me like that?!"
Cao Yang took the kick silently. He didn't speak, didn't even get up.
"Still mad? Get up and come home with me."
Cao Yang ignored her.
Li Yan kicked him again.
He still didn't react.
She grabbed his luggage—and even took the only blanket on him—stuffed them into the woven bag, and started walking away.
Only then did Cao Yang follow her, telling himself he wasn't giving in; he just had to follow because she took his things.
They walked back toward the village.
Cao Yang stopped in front of a rice-roll (cheung fun) stall.
His stomach growled loudly.
He wanted to eat.
Li Yan also stopped walking. She'd heard Cao Yang's stomach growling.
Cao Yang looked at her, silent on the outside but thinking to himself:
If you buy me two rice noodle rolls, I'll forgive you.
Li Yan looked back at him without speaking, thinking:
If you beg me—just beg me—I'll forgive you and buy it for you.
So the two of them just stood there, staring at each other, big eyes glaring at small eyes, neither willing to speak first.
Ten minutes passed. The lady selling rice noodle rolls finally couldn't stand it anymore.
These two weirdos weren't buying, weren't leaving, just staring. It was affecting her business.
"Young man, young lady… are you two having some kind of trouble?" she finally asked—in a perfect Hunan accent.
Cao Yang instantly felt warmth; it sounded like home. He nodded. His stomach growled again.
"Sit down, kids. Auntie will give you two portions."
"Thank you, Auntie." Cao Yang sat. He didn't intend to freeload; he just refused to back down first in front of Li Yan. And he believed she wouldn't eat for free either—she would surely pay the kind aunt later.
Two servings came. Li Yan ate slowly and delicately. Cao Yang finished his in two bites, stomach still rumbling.
The kind aunt smiled and made him another.
He ate it. His stomach kept grumbling.
She made a third.
Still rumbling.
A fourth—this time she looked a bit awkward.
Finally, after the fifth serving, the thunder in his belly stopped.
"Thank you, Auntie," Li Yan said as well. Then she picked up her luggage and walked away.
Cao Yang widened his eyes. No way Li Yan would actually not pay… right? He hurried after her.
"Li Yan, you're really not paying?" He ended up speaking first.
"Oh? Calling me by my name now? Not even a 'Sister Yan' anymore?"
"Cut the crap! Hurry and pay Auntie back!"
"Why should I?"
"Because you pay for what you eat! That's basic!"
"Auntie said it was free."
"That's because she thought we were in trouble and had no money! You can't take advantage of her kindness!"
"But I am in trouble. Aren't you?"
"You—!" Cao Yang was so angry he couldn't speak.
Li Yan added calmly, "Do good without asking for anything in return. Auntie did something kind—she gets spiritual fulfillment. We save money. That's win-win. But if I pay, that becomes lose-lose."
Cao Yang had never been this speechless. Back in the village, he'd heard Li Yan was stingy and loved taking advantage of small favors—he just never imagined she'd take it this far.
…
Back home, Li Yan tossed her luggage aside and went to shower.
Cao Yang sat on the sofa, stewing in frustration.
Click—a door opened. Zhou Qing stepped out wearing a tiny camisole, two full curves drawing all attention.
For some reason, neither she nor Li Yan liked wearing bras at home, and those two little points always caught Cao Yang's eyes.
She headed for the bathroom but found Li Yan was showering, so she came to sit on the sofa and wait.
"Where did you run off to last night? Do you know Sister Yan looked for you all night?" she began lecturing him.
Cao Yang didn't respond. He turned his head away, not wanting her to notice him staring at those little points.
Click. A lighter sounded. Zhou Qing lit a cigarette, exhaling slowly.
"Give me one," Cao Yang said, craving a smoke.
She handed him one and then continued preaching—saying that he needed to be sensible when living away from home and not cause trouble for Li Yan.