DXXZL - 9

Zhu Xingyao didn’t want to admit she had a poor sense of direction and muttered softly, “I’m not bad with directions. I just don’t walk much when I go out—I usually stay in the car and haven’t paid attention…”

Jiang Tu recalled the look of relief on her face earlier, as if he were her savior, and asked again: “How long did you wander around here?”

Zhu Xingyao hesitated for a moment: “…Maybe half an hour.”

He didn’t call her out, but Jiang Lu dramatically exclaimed: “Sister, are you directionally challenged?”

Zhu Xingyao: “….”

With a serious expression, she insisted: “No, I’m really not.”

Seeing her stubbornness, Jiang Tu couldn’t help but feel a hint of amusement. A faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips as he turned away. Jiang Lu scratched his head and said earnestly: “Alright, considering how pretty you are, I’ll believe you.”

Zhu Xingyao: “….”

She pointed at the boy who wasn’t even twelve yet and looked at Jiang Tu in surprise: “How can this kid be so smooth-talking? Is he really your younger brother? His personality is nothing like yours.”

Jiang Lu proudly declared: “Of course it’s not! Jiayu-ge said people like my brother will never find a girlfriend.”

Jiang Tu: “….”

He lowered his head and shot the little troublemaker a warning glance.

Unable to hold back, Zhu Xingyao burst into laughter. Jiang Tu fell silent for a few seconds before turning around and walking ahead. The two brothers led her halfway down the street, turning into another alleyway until they finally found the shop.

It was an old establishment, famous for its delicious food, and usually packed with customers. Fortunately, it was nearly eight o’clock now, so there weren’t many people.

Jiang Lu confidently ordered himself a bowl of duck blood vermicelli. Zhu Xingyao, who hadn’t eaten much at lunch and had wandered around for so long, was nearly famished. In addition to the duck blood vermicelli, she also ordered some potstickers. Spotting the refrigerator, she added: “And two bottles of soy milk.” She unzipped her backpack, took out her wallet, and said to Jiang Lu, “Sister will treat you to soy milk.”

Jiang Tu placed a bill on the counter and suddenly turned to look at her. At the same time, Zhu Xingyao looked up, meeting his gaze. She felt a bit confused: “What is it?”

“Nothing,” he paused briefly and then told the shopkeeper, “Charge it to me.”

“No, no, I’ll pay myself,” Zhu Xingyao quickly handed over her money. Given how poor Jiang Tu was, she couldn’t take advantage of him.

But the shopkeeper had already taken Jiang Tu’s money and cheerfully remarked: “How could we let a young lady pay? Charge it to him. Young miss, just sit tight and wait for your meal.”

Zhu Xingyao: “….”

Jiang Tu had already taken two bottles of soy milk from the fridge, their icy coldness evident in his hands. He asked the shopkeeper: “Do you have any room-temperature ones?”

Jiang Lu immediately chimed in: “I want the cold one.”

Zhu Xingyao echoed: “Me too.”

The large and small faces both looked at him. Jiang Tu’s gaze swept over her face, but ultimately, he said nothing. Carrying the two bottles of soy milk, he found a clean table and leaned back in his chair, watching her chat with Jiang Lu.

Their voices weren’t loud, but fragments of their conversation drifted over—something about how his brother was a bit scary. He furrowed his brows, itching to grab Jiang Lu and give him a beating. What a chatterbox.

Zhu Xingyao thought that Jiang Lu wasn’t as immature as she had imagined—he was actually quite charming. Sitting across from Jiang Tu, she took a sip of the soup, her stomach finally feeling better. She glanced at the silently seated Jiang Tu: “Do you want to eat something?”

“No.”

“Well, alright.” She didn’t press further. Picking up the soy milk beside her, she noticed the cap was already unscrewed. Instinctively, she glanced at Jiang Tu, who had tilted his head slightly to look out the window.

Taking a sip, she suddenly remembered what Li Xixi had said in class: “Drinking too much soy milk can stunt your growth.” Then she recalled Jiang Tu’s glance at her earlier… Suddenly, she felt a strange sensation.

Jiang Tu…

Could he have been trying to remind her of that?

She glanced down at her chest, satisfied that her development was normal and perfect. She convinced herself that she was overthinking things. Surely, she was.

Beside her, Jiang Lu, the elementary school student, forcefully unscrewed the cap and gulped down half the bottle. Smacking his lips, he said: “Ah, refreshing! Thank you, Goddess Sister.”

Zhu Xingyao was astonished. Was this kid’s mouth too sweet for his own good?

Even Jiang Tu was momentarily stunned. Turning to look at him, Jiang Lu met their bewildered stares and mumbled: “What’s wrong? Jiayu-ge said the prettiest girls are goddesses. I’ve never seen anyone prettier than you among my brother’s or Jiayu-ge’s classmates. Aren’t you the prettiest?”

Zhu Xingyao was amused. Looking at Jiang Tu, who remained expressionless, she blurted out: “You should ask your brother that. Whether I’m the prettiest isn’t for me to decide.”

Jiang Tu: “….”

His gaze swept over her, landing directly on her smile. She looked even more beautiful when she smiled than when she was quiet. Her clear black-and-white eyes sparkled as though they held light within them.

Her parents truly had a knack for naming her. Zhu Xingyao, Zhu Xingyao… He murmured her name in his heart. It suited her perfectly, from beginning to end.

Feeling a bit self-conscious under his gaze, Zhu Xingyao was about to say something when he calmly responded: “Everyone says so. That must mean it’s true.”

It was a safe, standard answer.

Zhu Xingyao couldn’t help but stifle a laugh. Jiang Lu huffed: “See? I told you—I’ve never seen anyone prettier than you.”

Her appetite was unusually good tonight. After finishing a bowl of duck blood vermicelli, she ate two potstickers and drank most of a bottle of soy milk. Jiang Lu, the elementary schooler, had an even bigger appetite—the remaining potstickers disappeared into his stomach.

Just as she set down her chopsticks, her phone rang.

Lao Liu had grown worried after waiting for her for so long and called to check on her.

Zhu Xingyao: “I’ll be back soon. Wait for me by the roadside.”

As soon as she hung up, a cocky voice rang out—”Hey, isn’t that Jiang Tu? Oh, and little Jiang Lu’s here too.”

She looked up to see a group of people dressed like street thugs standing by their table, sneering. The leader, a short-haired man with shaved patterns on his scalp, looked menacing. He ruffled Jiang Lu’s hair. Jiang Lu flinched at first, then stood up angrily. Using his small frame to slip away, he glared back: “Don’t touch me!”

“Tsk, such a stingy brat. Can’t even handle a little pat.”

The man lazily chuckled, his tone casual, as if joking with an acquaintance.

Zhu Xingyao froze, uncertainly looking at Jiang Tu. She noticed how the previously relaxed youth instantly tensed up, radiating hostility. Without looking at her, he stood up and faced the group of thugs, his voice cold: “What do you want?”

She understood now—they weren’t good people.

And thinking back to his family’s debts…

Jiang Tu must have been familiar with them. Perhaps his forced month-long absence from school had been because of them.

The man chuckled again, his gaze falling on Zhu Xingyao. His smile abruptly froze, replaced by a look of admiration. He sized her up and down before slowly turning to Jiang Tu. “Jiang Tu, who’s this girl? She’s quite the looker. I haven’t seen such a pretty young thing in a long time.”

Jiang Tu’s face darkened as he spoke through gritted teeth: “It’s none of your business.”

Zhu Xingyao felt uncomfortable under his leering gaze and detested his tone even more. Standing up, she coolly replied: “Whether I’m pretty or not has nothing to do with you.”

Tilting her chin slightly upward, an air of untouchable dignity radiated from her very core, intriguing Chen Yi all the more.

Jiang Tu glanced back at her, silently observing. He didn’t want her involved in this mess and even regretted bringing her here.

Chen Yi raised an eyebrow: “Feisty, huh?”

Jiang Tu clenched his fists and turned back to face him. “Chen Yi, she’s just here to eat. Don’t go too far.”

Chen Yi shrugged, his eyes brazenly scanning Zhu Xingyao’s attire and demeanor. She was holding the latest Nokia phone, which cost several thousand yuan—clearly, she was a well-off young lady…

“So you’re saying you two aren’t close?” He glanced at Jiang Tu and then smiled at Zhu Xingyao. “Little beauty, how about giving me your number? I’ll take you out next time.”

Jiang Tu snapped: “Get lost.”

Zhu Xingyao turned to look at him. The boy’s expression was unreadable, but the vein on his neck was tightly strained. Other customers in the shop began to glance over. While she disliked these people, they outnumbered them, and there was no advantage to be gained.

Chen Yi’s face also turned cold. “How dare you still act so cocky? I know you’ve got backbone, but what can you do alone against all of us? Your dad owes my boss a huge debt that hasn’t been repaid. I don’t get why you’re being so stubborn. If I were you, I’d have bowed my head and walked away long ago.”

Jiang Tu sneered lightly: “That’s you.”

Seeing the situation escalate, the shop owner quickly stood up from behind the counter. He clearly recognized Chen Yi and pleaded anxiously: “Chen Yi, I’ll call you brother if you want! Just don’t cause trouble in my shop, alright? I still need to run my business!” Most people in Hexi Lane knew Chen Yi—a thug leader who specialized in fighting for others. If things really escalated, a brawl breaking out in his shop wouldn’t be surprising. “You’re here to eat, right? Just sit down, and I’ll treat you to a few bottles of beer.”

Chen Yi looked at the owner and smirked: “Alright, thanks.”

It seemed like they were truly here to eat and planned to settle things peacefully.

Zhu Xingyao gently tugged at Jiang Tu’s sleeve and whispered softly: “Let’s go.”

Jiang Tu’s body stiffened slightly. He looked down at her slender white fingers and then lowered his gaze to her face. Swallowing the lump of bitterness stuck in his throat, he murmured: “Mm, let’s go.”

He turned around, and Zhu Xingyao immediately let go.

Jiang Tu glanced at the side. “Jiang Lu, let’s go.”

Jiang Lu hurried over. At times like this, he still felt fear and needed to rely on his older brother.

Just when it seemed like the matter was resolved, Chen Yi couldn’t resist messing with Jiang Lu one last time. He reached out and roughly ruffled his hair. Jiang Lu lost his balance, stumbled backward, and bumped into Zhu Xingyao. Zhu Xingyao, in turn, staggered back and collided with a customer holding a freshly cooked bowl of duck blood vermicelli.

The scalding soup spilled out in torrents, drenching most of Zhu Xingyao’s back. She let out a startled cry. Jiang Tu quickly turned around, his expression shifting slightly: “Does it burn? Take off your jacket quickly.”

In truth, it wasn’t extremely hot, but her back was soaked, and even her hair hadn’t escaped unscathed.

She removed her jacket—it was greasy and sticky…

The customer, a middle-aged man in his forties, grumbled irritably: “You walked into it yourself. What bad luck to have this happen during a meal…” After cursing, he simply walked away.

Zhu Xingyao’s face was pale. Soup dripped from her hair. She grabbed the dry part of her ruined jacket and wiped her head with it—the jacket was already ruined anyway.

Jiang Tu tightly pursed his lips, grabbed some napkins from the table, and handed them to her, his voice tense: “Use these to wipe.”

She muttered a dejected “Mm” and handed her jacket to Jiang Tu.

Jiang Lu glared at Chen Yi and complained to Jiang Tu: “He pushed my head, and that’s why I accidentally bumped into Goddess Sister…”

Jiang Tu’s lips tightened further, his gaze fierce as he stared at Chen Yi.

He wanted to hit someone.

Chen Yi looked at Zhu Xingyao. So Jiang Lu called her “Goddess Sister”? It fit her well—her appearance and demeanor were indeed on another level. Clearing his throat, he said: “I really didn’t expect things to turn out like this. Otherwise… I’ll compensate you for the jacket?”

Zhu Xingyao looked up: “Sure. 3,568 yuan. It’s the first time I’ve worn it today.”

Chen Yi: “….”

Damn, that expensive?!

He fell silent for a moment, then smirked again: “Alright, give me your number, and I’ll take you shopping for a new one tomorrow.”

“Dream on,” Zhu Xingyao snatched the jacket back from Jiang Tu and watched as Chen Yi stuffed it into the trash bin. Smiling faintly, she said: “I don’t want it anymore. Consider it a gift to you.”

She looked up at Jiang Tu, whose face was dark, and grabbed his hand, pulling him outside. Jiang Tu stiffened momentarily. Her hand was cool, small, and soft, gripping his calloused fingers like a lifeline tethering his wavering self-control.

When she failed to budge him on the first pull, she turned around and softly urged: “Come on, I need to go home.”

What, stay and fight?

Jiang Tu lowered his head. His glasses slid slightly down his nose, and he pushed them back up, concealing the turbulent emotions in his eyes.

“Let’s go.”

Suddenly, he tightened his grip on her hand, grabbed the dazed Jiang Lu, and led them out.

Zhu Xingyao was pulled along, staring blankly at their intertwined hands. She noticed his other hand clutching Jiang Lu and felt a sudden wave of complicated emotions.

Once outside the shop, Jiang Tu released her hand and turned to her: “I’ll take you to find your driver.”

The warmth of his hand lingered on hers. Softly, she responded: “Mm…”

Jiang Tu looked down at Jiang Lu: “You go ahead and return home.”

Jiang Lu nodded gloomily and waved goodbye to Zhu Xingyao: “Goddess Sister, see you.”

The little brat was familiar with the area and quickly ran off.

The autumn night was chilly, and a sudden gust of cold wind swept through. Without her jacket, Zhu Xingyao was left wearing only a thin sweater. She shivered involuntarily. Without a word, Jiang Tu took off his own jacket and handed it to her: “Wear mine.”

Zhu Xingyao glanced at the thin T-shirt he was wearing and hesitated, refusing to take it. In a low voice, she said: “Your shirt is too thin. I still have my sweater.”

The next moment, the oversized black jacket, still warm from his body heat, was draped over her shoulders. He turned toward the front and blandly remarked: “I’m a guy—I won’t catch a cold that easily. Besides, if it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have had this misfortune tonight.”

He strode forward.

Zhu Xingyao stood under the dim, flickering streetlamp, gazing at his tall and lean silhouette. She could sense that he seemed… deeply troubled. Who wouldn’t be in such a situation, born into this kind of family and facing these kinds of troubles?

Her phone rang again.

Jiang Tu stopped in his tracks and glanced back at her.

This time, it was Ding Yu calling—probably because she had returned home and hadn’t seen Zhu Xingyao yet.

Zhu Xingyao slipped her arms through the sleeves of his oversized jacket. It was too big for her, so she tugged at the cuffs to free her hands. The ill-fitting garment made her look delicate and soft, like a little kitten.

She ran toward Jiang Tu and answered the call: “Mom, are you home?”

Ding Yu had just arrived home: “Why aren’t you back yet?”

Zhu Xingyao lowered her head, staring at their shadows on the ground, and softly explained: “We were stuck in traffic earlier, and I was so hungry I got out to eat something. I’ll be home soon.”

Jiang Tu escorted Zhu Xingyao to where the driver was waiting. When she tried to take off the jacket and return it to him, he indifferently said: “Just keep it for now. You can return it to me another day. I’m not cold.”

Jiang Tu, you’re only wearing a thin T-shirt!

The nighttime temperature had dropped below 10°C. How could he not be cold?

Zhu Xingyao interpreted his response as the stubbornness of a young man. He had been humiliated by Chen Yi in front of so many people, especially in front of her. She hesitated for a moment, then lowered her hand and decided to leave it be.

The slender girl in the oversized, worn-out jacket walked away.

As she neared the car, she suddenly turned her head and saw him walking away, his figure appearing lonely and distant under the yellowish glow of the old streetlights. An unexpected impulse surged within her, and she ran back toward him.

Jiang Tu had quickened his pace, fearing her driver might see them together and cause trouble for her.

Footsteps echoed behind him, but he didn’t turn around.

Until Zhu Xingyao, breathless, stood before him, blocking his path. He abruptly stopped, lowering his gaze to look at her.

Her hair was slightly disheveled, and a few strands clung to her lips. She brushed them aside with her hand, lifted her pale, delicate face, and looked up at him with bright, sparkling eyes. “Jiang Tu, it doesn’t matter how things are right now. They’ll get better in the future.”

Jiang Tu froze.

His heart trembled fiercely.

She gave him a small smile, leaving no time for him to react, and then turned and ran off. The wide hem of the jacket fluttered in the wind. He watched her slender retreating figure, his chest tightening until it felt unbearably tender.

He knew things would improve someday, but no one had ever said those words to him before. Whether she meant it sincerely or casually, whether it was sympathy or pity—it didn’t matter. It overwhelmed him all the same.

Did she know that by doing this, she made him want to do something reckless?

…

Zhu Xingyao didn’t know.

She climbed into the car and noticed Lao Liu looking at her with an expression full of unspoken thoughts. His face was a mixture of confusion and complexity.

Zhu Xingyao guessed he must have seen everything earlier. She was still wearing Jiang Tu’s jacket, but she earnestly explained: “Uncle Liu, I really did just get out to eat a bowl of duck blood vermicelli. There was just a little accident. It’s not what you think. The whole story is long and complicated…”

Uncle Liu: “Oh…”

Zhu Xingyao, fearing he might report her, added with a sweet smile: “Uncle Liu, I know you might not fully understand, but please don’t tell my parents, okay?”

Uncle Liu sighed helplessly: “Maybe I’m getting old, but I really don’t understand…”

Zhu Xingyao: “….”