Nan Jiu sat behind the counter all morning, just waiting for Song Ting to have some free time in the afternoon to brew tea. She planned to smoothly take the tea from him, breaking his usual routine, and show off a little.
However, the whole day passed, and Song Ting never called her over again to brew tea for her.
As evening approached, Nan Jiu’s Grandfather asked her to go outside the alley to buy two servings of marinated dishes. Nan Jiu carried the marinated dishes on her way back when an Audi slowly stopped at the entrance of the alley.
Liu Yin stepped out of the car in high heels, followed by a man. The man wore a polo shirt, about the same height as Liu Yin, and was slightly chubby.
Nan Jiu stopped in her tracks and looked at them. Liu Yin noticed Nan Jiu too.
Her expression paused for a moment, and she handed the fruit she was carrying to the man, saying, “You go back to my mom’s first. I ran into an old friend and want to chat for a bit.”
Nan Jiu stood at the alley’s entrance, tall and slender, her long hair flowing in the breeze. The man sized Nan Jiu up, smiling broadly. Nan Jiu nodded slightly at him before turning her gaze back to Liu Yin.
Liu Yin walked over and looked at the man who kept glancing back nervously, then said to Nan Jiu, “That’s my husband.”
“You’re married?”
Nan Jiu was a little surprised.
More surprising than Liu Yin having entered marriage was the fact that the husband she found didn’t match the type she used to like at all.
Back then, they used to huddle together watching idol dramas. Liu Yin’s crushes were always on guys like Peng Yuyan or Jerry Yan—tall, muscular men with quite masculine looks.
Nan Jiu thought it was reasonable for Liu Yin to like that type. She herself liked Song Ting, who also fit that mold. But Liu Yin had chosen a husband who was completely different from her ideal type.
“We got married last year. The wedding banquet was held at my husband’s family’s place, and over here, only family had a meal together.”
Curious if her husband had some remarkable qualities, Nan Jiu didn’t press further and politely replied, “That’s good, congratulations!”
Then she asked, “Are you still working at the mall in the old street?”
“No, my husband works in construction and earns more than me. He asked me to quit my job before we got married.”
Liu Yin lifted her hand to brush Nan Jiu’s wind-tousled hair away.
“Your hair’s grown long again. Long hair suits you. Did you date anyone in college?”
“Too popular. I couldn’t keep up with all the suitors.”
Liu Yin smiled. Nan Jiu was still as carefree and natural as before. That spirited energy was something Liu Yin had always envied because she could never be as bold and unrestrained as Nan Jiu. Liu Yin was always cautious and hesitant.
Liu Yin lowered her eyelids, and the smile at the corner of her lips faded.
“Before I got married, I tried to find Song Ting. I had prepared a whole bunch of things to say, but when I actually stood in front of him, my tongue got tied. Before I could say what was in my heart, he pulled out a red envelope and shut me up with it.”
When Liu Yin lifted her eyes again, there was a barely perceptible flicker of emotion in her pupils. “Honestly, at that time, I didn’t mean anything else. I just wanted to ask how he felt about me. Even if the answer wasn’t what I wanted, at least I could let go.”
***
Nan Jiu returned to the tea house. The dishes were already on the table, waiting for her. Nan Jiu’s Grandfather sat at the table and asked, “Why did it take so long to buy marinated dishes?”
Nan Jiu emptied the marinated dishes onto empty plates and replied, “I ran into Liu Yin and chatted for a bit.”
She lifted her eyes and looked at Song Ting. His expression was unreadable. He got up to serve the rice.
Nan Jiu sat beside her grandfather, handing out chopsticks.
“Actually, if Song Ting had just spoken up back then, things could have been resolved.”
“After what happened with his family, people in the alley all said his father got what he deserved. They said Song Ting’s bright future was ruined. But look—those who sympathize with him in words don’t want to be associated with his family at all.”
“They’d rather stay as far away as possible. You think he doesn’t know this himself?”
That’s why Song Ting never bothered to interact much with Liu Yin, so as not to make things difficult for the Liu family elders.
Since his family was an unavoidable source of conflict, he simply cut off the root of that conflict, which was like cutting off his own life, trapping himself in this old tea house like an isolated island.
Song Ting returned from the kitchen carrying three bowls of rice, and they fell silent.
Maybe it was psychological, but after applying that old remedy last night, Nan Jiu felt much better today. After dinner, she volunteered to wash the dishes, humming a little tune as she went into the kitchen.
At night, after bathing and coming downstairs, Nan Jiu chatted with her grandfather about family matters. Nan Zhendong had a personality of only reporting good news and hiding bad news.
He always thought of himself as the eldest in the family, and even if things were not going well, he wouldn’t complain to his siblings or, especially, the grandfather. Nan Jiu’s Grandfather could only learn about his son’s situation through Nan Jiu.
As they talked, Nan Jiu kept scratching her leg. Song Ting was checking the tea utensils nearby and glanced over. Nan Jiu’s fair calves were covered with several swollen, red mosquito bites.
Nan Jiu’s Grandfather stood up, took out a bottle of mosquito repellent, and handed it to Nan Jiu. She disliked the strong smell and refused to apply it.
Nan Jiu had been at the tea house for two days and had basically figured out how the tea house made its profit. Besides the income from customers drinking tea in the shop, there was also some revenue from selling tea leaves.
On the right side upon entering the tea house was a whole wall of tea cabinets stocked with various kinds of tea. When people came to buy tea, usually Song Ting or Nan Jiu’s Grandfather would serve them.
Recognizing and brewing tea was not something that could be rushed. Following Wu Aunty around, serving tea and water, involved no real skill.
Since she was working for Nan Jiu’s Grandfather, Nan Jiu wasn’t going to take the money without putting in effort.
The next evening, Nan Jiu had a heart-to-heart talk with her grandfather, mentioning that nowadays consumers were used to searching for popular shops on online platforms.
The Hat Teahouse’s reputation had been built purely by word of mouth in the past, but since the digital age had arrived, the old tea house needed to catch up with the times.
She suggested the tea house join online platforms, register accounts, and even build an independent IP.
Nan Jiu spoke passionately, but her grandfather looked bewildered. He didn’t understand the English words she used and told her to talk it over with Song Ting.
Nan Jiu glanced around but didn’t see Song Ting. Her grandfather said he had gone out and would be back later. Nan Jiu was impatient and couldn’t wait even a moment for her plans to be realized.
Ten minutes ago, rain had started falling outside, so she grabbed a black umbrella and headed toward the alley entrance.
There was a crooked-necked tree at the alley entrance. Over the years, the canopy had intertwined with the streetlamp. The dim yellow light hid among the branches, with rays filtering softly through mottled leaves.
Song Ting had walked this path countless times. When his mother was still alive, on rainy days she would stand under the crooked-necked tree with an umbrella waiting for him.
After she passed away, the path lost its meaning, but he still habitually glanced at the street corner when he returned.
Under the black umbrella, Nan Jiu’s slender figure caught Song Ting’s eye. The wind lifted the platinum tips of her hair, and the red hair clip stood out boldly.
“Waiting for me?”
His gaze was deep and solemn through the curtain of rain.
Nan Jiu looked up and met his eyes.
“If not, then what? Where did you go? I’ve been waiting forever.”
She stepped forward a few paces and tilted the umbrella over his head.
“I have something to discuss with you. I just told my grandfather, but he didn’t understand…”
Song Ting was much taller than her. She had to stretch her arms to fit him under the umbrella. He glanced down, took the umbrella handle, and the raindrops hit the umbrella surface, streaming down the edges in a curtain of rain.
On the way back, Nan Jiu repeated what she had said to her grandfather. It was much easier communicating with Song Ting than with her grandfather. She didn’t need to explain what IP was or how online platforms worked. She just had to share the general plan.
Song Ting just listened without commenting. Nan Jiu grew more and more excited as she spoke, her fingers unconsciously brushing the fabric of her clothes, her footsteps falling in rhythm. At one point, her elbow bumped against Song Ting.
His arm still had droplets of water. When her skin brushed his, the delicate and moist sensation left a mark on his skin. The breeze stirred a subtle chill that spread like vines wrapping around in the dark.
Song Ting’s arm tensed slightly. He lowered his eyelashes and half his body stepped out from under the umbrella.
Unconsciously, they arrived at the tea house’s door. Nan Jiu tilted her neck and asked, “Do you think it’s doable?”
The streetlamp shone on her tender neck, the smooth curve like a poppy blooming in the dark alley.
Song Ting turned away to avoid her gaze, closed the umbrella, shook off the raindrops, and casually hung it by the door.
“If you want to do it, then just try.”
“Can customers who come in through online channels give me a separate commission?”