Jingjing

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about.” A flicker of panic crossed Jingjing’s eyes as she turned her head away.

“Xiangxiang is indeed clever, but she’s still very young.” Wen Yiqian spoke slowly and deliberately. “There are many things a child her age cannot fully comprehend.”

He paused. “For example… she often smells the scent of an unfamiliar woman on her father.

Or she has detected that same woman’s scent on the bed, the sofa, even in the kitchen at home.

She might be able to work out that this woman spends a lot of time with her father, and perhaps even figure out that she visits on Fridays.

But at her age, she simply cannot grasp what any of it truly means.”

“What nonsense are you spouting?” Jingjing’s expression grew flustered.

“You can treat it as nonsense if you like. Making up stories is my favorite thing to do.” Wen Yiqian smiled, unbothered. “Just listen to it as a story. You won’t lose anything.”

He glanced at her and went on. “Imagine this: Xiangxiang notices that her father is often with an unfamiliar woman. She tells her mother, but her mother doesn’t believe her.

The little one must feel terribly stifled and would likely go looking for someone she trusts to confide in.”

Jingjing’s footsteps slowed. Her body stiffened slightly.

“You, as a gentle and caring kindergarten teacher, would naturally be her best confidant.” Wen Yiqian turned to look at the woman beside him. “Am I right, Teacher Jingjing?”

“No one would believe a child’s words,” Jingjing said coldly.

“Others might not,” Wen Yiqian replied. “But you would.”

“Why?” Jingjing frowned.

“Because you are a kindergarten teacher full of patience and love.” Wen Yiqian smiled faintly. “Only someone like you would make a genuine effort to understand what a child is trying to say. And only through that kind of sincere care could a quirky little kid like Xiangxiang come to like and trust you so much.”

Jingjing’s expression grew complicated. She said nothing.

“Seems like I’ve gone off track?” Wen Yiqian scratched his head. “Let me get back to the story.”

He took a moment, then continued. “After Xiangxiang confided everything in you, you understood, as an adult, exactly what it meant.

More importantly, Xiangxiang’s father and that woman had come together to pick her up from kindergarten.

As her teacher, you may well have seen it with your own eyes.

That made the little girl’s words even harder to dismiss.”

Jingjing bit her lower lip and said nothing.

“If I’m not mistaken, you despise unfaithful men deeply. So you gave Xiangxiang a suggestion.” Wen Yiqian spoke at an even pace. “On Fridays, Xiangxiang’s father would have his secret meetings with that woman at home. So on one of those Fridays, you made a phone call to Xiangxiang’s mother on her behalf…”

“Enough.” Jingjing cut him off, flustered and visibly agitated.

“Perhaps you never imagined that Xiangxiang’s mother would react the way she did.” Wen Yiqian ignored her and kept going. “That one phone call ultimately led to two deaths and one person losing her mind.”

“That’s all speculation. Where’s your evidence?” Jingjing retorted, her voice going rigid.

“I already said it’s just a story. What evidence would there be? I’m not here to arrest you.” Wen Yiqian shrugged.

He looked at her and smiled faintly. “From beginning to end, the only question I actually wanted to ask was the first one.”

He paused. “Is it love… or guilt?”

Jingjing went still. She looked at the small, lively figure walking ahead of them, and something tightened in her chest.

She covered her mouth, turned her face away, and the tears came. “I really do like Xiangxiang…” she choked out.

“I know.” Wen Yiqian stretched lazily and said nothing more.

The two of them walked in silence for a while.

Jingjing gradually steadied herself. She wiped her face and spoke quietly, her eyes cast down. “When I was very young, my parents divorced because my father had an affair. My mother raised me alone, through a lot of hardship. Because of that, I despise men who cheat. It’s why I did what I did.”

She paused. “I never imagined things would end up the way they did. But I know that no matter what I say, it’s just an excuse. This is my fault. I deserve to be punished.”

Wen Yiqian didn’t respond. He walked on as though he hadn’t heard a word.

Jingjing glanced over at him and asked carefully, “Aren’t you going to…”

“I told you, that was just a story I made up.” Wen Yiqian yawned. “Listen to it and let it go. Don’t take it seriously.”

He nodded toward Xiangxiang up ahead. “As for your situation, that little kid already knows everything, doesn’t she? She made her own choice. It’s not my place to interfere.”

Jingjing stopped walking, as if the words had snapped her out of something.

Xiangxiang had known all along and hadn’t told anyone. She had kept it hidden for her.

After a long silence, Jingjing’s expression settled into something Wen Yiqian hadn’t seen on her before. “From now on, I will do everything I can to take care of Xiangxiang.”

“Kids like that, if you don’t discipline them for three days they’ll climb onto the roof and start tearing off tiles.” Wen Yiqian said casually. “Don’t go too easy on her. A good spanking every now and then won’t hurt.”

”…” Jingjing looked at him. “Kindergarten teachers aren’t allowed to hit children.”

“Then,” Wen Yiqian thought about it for a moment, “give her extra lessons. While the other kids have one class, she gets two. If you have the time, three is fine too.”

He spoke with great righteousness. “We must do our utmost to raise her into someone useful to the country and society.”

After a full day as an unofficial babysitter, Wen Yiqian’s only reward was a free dinner at Grandma Xu’s.

Back home, he pulled out all his cash and counted it. Fewer than two hundred yuan in total.

Every time I perform, it’s like some rich second-generation heir takes over my body and I completely forget that money exists. Wen Yiqian sighed. Spending it feels great in the moment…

Li Weiguo had promised to pay him a day’s wages.

There had been too many people around at the station, and Wen Yiqian had been too embarrassed to bring it up.

But Li Weiguo wasn’t the type to go back on his word. He’d pay eventually, once he remembered.

When that would be was anyone’s guess.

Lately, Wen Yiqian’s sense of dignity had been getting harder and harder to set aside.

Unless he was on the verge of starving, he couldn’t bring himself to walk into the station and ask for his money.

That night, he dreamed of banknotes raining down from the sky, blanketing the ground as far as he could see.

He kept picking them up, kept picking them up, until he woke.

He stared at his empty hands and felt a hollow sense of loss.

He reached for the phone on the bedside table. Past ten o’clock.

The screen showed several missed calls and a text message, all from the same number.

Fox.

Wen Yiqian opened the message immediately. It was short.

Sanling Road, Serene Café. I’ll be waiting for you.

(End of Chapter)