Chapter 8: Why Not Make a Move

One day, after Chu Yao’s mother returned from a walk with her husband, she saw Qin Yuan’s mother sweeping the floor at the entrance of the building.

When neighbors met, it was inevitable that they’d exchange a few words.

Qin Yuan’s mother: “Back already? Didn’t go fishing today?”

Chu Yao’s father simply nodded without saying a word.

Qin Yuan’s mother lowered her voice and pointed toward Jiang Beibei’s apartment on the second floor, asking, “Where did the old lady go? Haven’t seen her come back yet?”

Chu Yao’s mother replied, “Old Chu, go back first and start cooking the porridge.” She rolled up her sleeves, clearly preparing for a long conversation.

“She went to Dongshan. Winter’s coming, so she needs to visit the neighbors in the old house. If no one lives there, the house will deteriorate quickly.”

“Ah, she should hurry back!” Qin Yuan’s mother sighed deeply, looking troubled. “Ever since the grandmother left, have you seen Beibei? She hasn’t come home for several nights now.”

“Several nights?” Chu Yao’s mother controlled the rising eyebrow on her face and calmly responded, “The girl is fine at home.”

“Not since last Monday,” Qin Yuan’s mother said knowingly, adding with a chuckle as she patted Chu Yao’s mother, “But you don’t need to worry about that—your Xiao Yao was home alone that night.”

Chu Yao’s mother didn’t immediately grasp the logic behind this connection.

Qin Yuan’s mother continued, visibly distressed: “You don’t know how worried I’ve been—I couldn’t sleep that night! I called everyone, but all their phones were off. Just think about it—this girl goes out overnight without even telling anyone. Sneaking around like that definitely means something’s not right… It’s making me sick with worry. Think about it—all the boys in this unit are men. Sigh… And just the other day, she was running wild downstairs. When Qin Yuan got off work, he didn’t even come home first—he rushed straight in to join her madness.”

Chu Yao’s mother stared at her for a long moment before replying, “Beibei told me last week—she had a TV station event, so she didn’t come home.”

Qin Yuan’s mother paused. “Is that so? Even so, it’s still inappropriate. People working in TV stations are prone to scandals.”

“Are you done talking?” Chu Yao’s mother licked her teeth, cleared her throat, and then hooked her arm around Qin Yuan’s mother’s shoulder. As they walked into the hallway, she began speaking. “After Jiang Hai and Chen Ling passed away, they entrusted Beibei to us. We made a promise—to the entire city’s military and police forces—that we’d take care of her, raise her, and educate her. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but as Jiang Hai and Chen Ling’s longtime friend and colleague, I won’t lie about this. I can confidently say that no one cares more about Beibei than I do. Don’t you agree?”

Qin Yuan’s mother: “Yes, everyone can see how much you care for Beibei—you truly pour your heart out for her.”

“Exactly. You admit it too. Beibei was raised under my guidance, so let me make this clear—I believe I’ve done an excellent job raising her. In my eyes, Beibei is better than my own son. When I meet Jiang Hai and Chen Ling in the afterlife, I’ll proudly tell them that their daughter turned out wonderfully under my care. I’ve done nothing to be ashamed of. Beibei grew up right under our noses—it was our duty to raise her well. If we failed, if people gossip about her, then it’s our fault for not fulfilling our responsibilities and letting their precious daughter become the subject of ridicule.”

Qin Yuan’s mother fell silent for a long while.

“Moreover, I’m not blind—I know exactly how good Beibei is. This girl has impeccable character and excels in her career. She hasn’t killed anyone or set anything on fire; she follows the law. Such a wonderful girl—what gives those people the right to criticize her? When we were raising her, where were all those gossiping busybodies? Now they’re making baseless accusations and spreading rumors. Isn’t that just saying that I, Yao Lan, failed to raise her properly? That’s slapping me in the face. Let me tell you, sister, people’s hearts are filthy. What has this girl done wrong? Is it her fault that there are many boys around her? And aren’t these boys good kids too? They’re Beibei’s family, her brothers. If others don’t understand, we do. Listen carefully—if you hear anyone badmouthing Beibei in the future, don’t waste your breath arguing with them. Just slap them across the face. How dare they wag their tongues all the way to our unit?”

Qin Yuan’s mother muttered, “They’re all just bored.”

“Alright, I’m heading back.”

“Wait, I’m going too. Yuan’s father said he wants fried fish today—I still have to cook it. So annoying…”

After closing the door, Chu Yao’s mother rotated her neck to stretch her muscles. “It’s been a long time since I’ve done this kind of work.”

Her husband sulked, “If you have time, talk some sense into your son instead of wasting your breath on outsiders.”

“Hmph, darling, isn’t your son’s indecisiveness inherited from you? If you want to teach him, go ahead—I’m certainly not bringing him up.”

“...Then think of another solution.”

Chu Yao’s mother actually thought for a moment. “I need to find time to talk to Beibei. I feel like girls are easier to nudge in the right direction than boys. Funny, isn’t it? Aren’t young people supposed to be more open-minded these days? Why are all the young people around me so painfully shy?”

The 29th was a sunny Sunday morning. Just as Chu Yao started his car, Tang Xizhou called out to him.

“Xiao Yao, are you on duty? Give me a ride—I let Elder Brother take my car.” He opened the door, climbed in, and rubbed his hands together, breathing into them. “Wow, it’s freezing today! The weather forecast says it’ll snow on Wednesday.”

“Are you on duty too?”

“It’s the end of the year—busy as hell.” Tang Xizhou fastened his seatbelt, pulled a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, opened the window, and frowned as he looked outside.

As they passed by the TV station, Tang Xizhou exhaled a puff of smoke and suddenly laughed. “Xiao Yao, why aren’t you making a move?”

“Hmm?”

“What do you mean ‘hmm’? I’m talking about Beibei.”

“Is it that obvious?” Chu Yao suddenly smiled and softly said, “...I’m afraid I’ll scare her if I come on too strong.”

“Oh, stop overthinking it. Would it kill you to act impulsive just this once?”

“Beibei is different.” Chu Yao glanced at Tang Xizhou and chuckled. “She overthinks things and has a lot of concerns. If I’m too direct, she might avoid me.”

“If you wait any longer, Second Brother will have to push Qin Yuan into action!”

“You won’t,” Chu Yao replied. “Even you can see it—Third Brother isn’t reliable.”

Tang Xizhou: “You’re so confident. Sure, Qin Yuan is stuck in his ways now, but once he figures it out, he’ll move faster than you.”

“Second Brother,” Chu Yao changed the subject, “let me tell you something.”

“Go ahead.” Tang Xizhou stubbed out his cigarette and closed the window.

“On Halloween, my mom saw you and Elder Brother at the entrance of Shangyang Road alley.”

Tang Xizhou broke into a cold sweat.

“She came back and asked me about it. I didn’t say anything,” Chu Yao continued. “But she knows. She told me that your and Elder Brother’s WeChat profile pictures are a matching couple set…”

Chu Yao gave Tang Xizhou a puzzled look. “Do you two have another WeChat account? I didn’t notice the matching avatars… I don’t know how my mom figured it out.”

Tang Xizhou slumped back in his seat, wiped his face, and sighed. “Your mom is an expert—Batman and Superman… You wouldn’t understand. Your mom really is an expert—it’s impossible to guard against her.”

He had assumed that older generations wouldn’t know about the hidden romantic pairing of Batman and Superman. Who would’ve thought that Chu Yao’s mother was so knowledgeable and well-versed in such fandom pairings?

“Second Brother, don’t worry too much…” Chu Yao reassured him. “My mom knows what’s at stake and won’t tell anyone.”

“It’s fine, Xiao Yao. I trust Auntie.”

After a brief silence, Chu Yao said:

“Second Brother, life isn’t that long. Just hold on for a few more years, and we’ll get through it.”

“Do I need you to tell me that?” Tang Xizhou grinned brightly. “Let me return the favor—life isn’t long, so seize the moment.”

“When it comes to matters of the heart…” Chu Yao spoke gently, “you can’t rush it. If you do, you won’t be able to give her the best.”

________________________________________

That evening, after work, Chu Yao hurried to the National Theater but was still late.

He found his seat and sat down. The lights had already dimmed, and the curtain slowly rose as the music began.

In the darkness, Chu Yao’s dark eyes searched for Jiang Beibei. When the stage lights swept across the audience, he finally caught sight of her figure.

Good—she was here.

Chu Yao smiled faintly and shifted his gaze to the stage, where the ballet dancers gracefully twirled.

As he watched them, memories flooded his mind.

When Jiang Beibei was five years old, her parents died in the line of duty. Some people at the bureau donated money, and a school even offered to waive her tuition fees, allowing her academic journey to proceed relatively smoothly.

But that was all.

When Jiang Beibei was in third grade and Chu Yao was in middle school, their schools weren’t far apart, with a city cultural center in between. Every Friday after school, many parents would send their children to the cultural center to learn extracurricular skills.

That day, Chu Yao went to inquire about the cost of the painting classes at the cultural center. At the end of the hallway, he saw Jiang Beibei pressed against the window of the ballet interest class, her face filled with longing.

That was when Chu Yao realized that Beibei also had interests and hobbies. She wanted to learn special skills and wished her parents were around to take her there—even though she never mentioned it to anyone.

Beibei was too considerate—it made his heart ache.

That day, Chu Yao went home and asked his parents, “How’s our family’s financial situation?”

His mother replied, “It’s alright. What do you want to do?”

“I checked the ballet classes at the cultural center. They have two classes a week, each costing 50 yuan per session. During vacation, there are 12 classes a month for 500 yuan. Shoes and outfits need to be purchased separately, and someone needs to pick her up and drop her off. Will you and Dad have weekends off?”

His mother: “...Do you want to learn ballet? I thought you wanted to study painting. And do you need us to drive you around?”

“It’s not for me—it’s for Beibei,” Chu Yao explained. “I saw her at the cultural center. She didn’t say anything, but I could tell she really wanted to learn.”

And so, that year, Chu Yao’s mother enrolled Jiang Beibei in ballet classes, while she sent her son to a sketching class instead.

“Don’t look so serious—we can afford to raise both of you!” His mother said. “Remember to wait for your little sister after class and walk home together.”

The dancers on stage overlapped with the image of young Jiang Beibei in Chu Yao’s mind. Leaning his head on his hand, he smiled faintly.

Meanwhile, Jiang Beibei was also reminiscing about those days. Her nose tingled, and her eyes grew moist.

She had studied ballet for three years until she injured her waist during rehearsals before a performance and had to give up the hobby.

But Chu Yao’s mother didn’t stop there. Using her expertise as a criminal investigator, she skillfully uncovered Jiang Beibei’s other interests and promptly enrolled her in vocal lessons. She told Beibei, “Don’t push yourself too hard or think you have to achieve something for me. Treat this as a way to relax and clear your mind after school. It’s okay if you don’t excel—I’m not trying to make you a singer. This is just a hobby. When life gets tough, you’ll have something to help you vent your frustrations instead of sitting alone and brooding.”

Jiang Beibei’s tears flowed, but a smile lingered on her face.

Chu Yao’s family had always treated her kindly—with consistent and genuine warmth.

That was why she didn’t dare take the next step.

Now, she couldn’t tell whether Chu Yao’s care for her stemmed from habit or affection. Until she figured it out, she didn’t want to disrupt this tenderness.

Because she feared losing what she already had without gaining something new.

________________________________________

When the performance ended, the streetlights on both sides of the road were lit, casting an orange-yellow glow over the street. The sky was overcast, heavy with the threat of snow.

Chu Yao called Jiang Beibei and softly said, “I’m here to pick you up—by the roadside.”

Jiang Beibei wiped away her tears and smiled. “Yao Ge, thank you so much! It was absolutely beautiful! Next time… I’ll invite you to watch with me.”

“Mm.”

When she got home, Jiang Beibei called her grandmother.

“Grandma, when are you coming back? I miss you…”

“Beibei, what if Grandma learns to drive? Do you think that’s okay?”

“Sure! A fashionable grandma!” Jiang Beibei said. “If you decide to learn, I’ll buy a car. Grandma… hurry home. I want to tell you something…”

“What is it?”

“I’ll tell you when you get back… It’s about… the boy I like.”

“You little rascal! I’ll be back next week. An old neighbor is moving, so I’m helping out for a few days.”

“Okay…” Jiang Beibei hung up and hugged her blanket, rolling around on the bed.

Grandma, I really… like him so much.