Chapter 16 Sophomore Year
Later, Nan Jiu was lying in bed after taking a shower when a message popped up on her phone. She picked it up and saw it was from Song Ting.
During her freshman year, she used her part-time job money to buy a cheap smartphone and signed up for WeChat. She'd just started using it, fiddling with it every night while lying on her dorm bed. Just to give it a try, she dug up Song Ting's number and added him. Soon, Song Ting was verified. Nan Jiu would occasionally post dance videos from her club or studio, but Song Ting never liked them, leaving her unsure if she'd added him on WeChat. Nan Jiu had often wanted to send him a message, but each time she opened the chat box, she couldn't figure out what to send. And so, their chat box remained empty.
Nanjiu opened his phone and saw a transfer message with the note: Commission.
The commission wasn't small, enough to cover her two months of hard work at the dance studio. The teahouse's customer base had indeed increased recently, but according to the share she'd agreed upon with Song Ting, she probably wouldn't get that much. But thinking of the deal Song Ting had secured a few days ago, she clicked the "collect" button without hesitation. She replied with an emoji of a little man bowing, captioned: "Thank you, boss."
......
The next afternoon, Li Chongguang, carrying local specialties he'd bought on his business trip, came to visit Grandpa Nan at the teahouse. Grandpa Nan patted Li Chongguang's arm, a kind glint in his eyes. "Not bad, you're becoming more and more manly. Your father can rest assured now. If you go out and earn some money for a couple of years, then come back and get married, wouldn't that be better than just staying home all day?"
Li Chongguang nodded repeatedly, his eyes fixed on Nan Jiu at the counter. Old Man Nan's eyes slanted slightly, and he tapped Li Chongguang on the head with the handle of his cane. "What are you thinking about?"
Li Chongguang lowered his head and smiled, then took the initiative to put his head close to Grandpa Nan and tapped him in a silly way.
Song Ting stood in front of the tea cabinet, raised his head and glanced at it, then lowered his gaze again and continued to work on his work.
In the afternoon, Li Chongguang moved a stool and sat at the counter with Nanjiu. When the shop was busy, he ran around, serving tea and water, very diligently.
Seeing that he had helped out all afternoon, Mr. Nan invited him to stay for dinner. But Nan Jiu said, "No, I got my salary, I'll take him out for dinner."
"What kind of salary do you pay?" Old Man Nan asked in confusion.
"You have it, why don't I have it?" Nan Qiaoyu questioned.
“Isn’t it a commission?”
After Nan Jiu finished speaking, she and Old Man Nan simultaneously looked at Song Ting. Song Ting lowered his brows and remained silent. He had clearly not told Old Man Nan about the commission, and Old Man Nan had no idea Nan Jiu was working so hard, so intent on operating that network, for the commission. Since Song Ting hadn't discussed it with Old Man Nan, it was impossible for him to use the teahouse's profits. Therefore, the commission Nan Jiu received last night was unilaterally paid to her by Song Ting. If she hadn't mentioned it just now, she and Old Man Nan would have been kept in the dark.
Now, she planned to use the money Song Ting gave her to treat another man to a meal. Nan Jiu raised her gaze and stared into Song Ting's eyes. If he even gave her a look, she would stay in the teahouse for this meal. But Song Ting did not raise his eyes or say a word from beginning to end.
Li Chongguang didn't know what was going on, so he looked left and right. The atmosphere was tense for a few seconds. Nan Jiu stood up, grabbed Li Chongguang's collar, and pulled him up with him: "Let's go."
Old Man Nan waved his hand and followed the young man.
After they left, Mr. Nan asked Song Ting, "Why didn't you tell me about this?"
"I didn't expect her to succeed. I just agreed to it casually, so I didn't tell you. Mr. Li paid in advance for the batch of tea. Xiaojiu contributed to this."
Old Man Nan didn't say anything, but Nan Qiaoyu complained, "Even if I don't have any credit, I've worked hard, right? Everyone who sees it should get a share!"
Old Man Nan scolded him: "Xiao Jiu is generating income for the teahouse, what have you done?"
"...Isn't my eating, drinking, defecating and urinating any better than hers?"
......
Yesterday, Li Chongguang treated Nanjiu to barbecue, and today she treated Li Chongguang to hotpot, as a token of reciprocity. When they were almost done eating, Nanjiu said, "Don't come to the restaurant tomorrow. It's a rare trip back home, so rest up at home."
Li Chongguang didn't understand what Nanjiu meant and thought she was concerned about him. He even boasted about his physical condition in front of Nanjiu.
After dinner, the two walked back along Maoer Lane. They stopped at the door of a teahouse and said goodbye. Li Chongguang turned around and walked a few steps, then turned back: "Nanjiu..."
Nanjiu turned around and looked at him.
"Do you have a boyfriend?" Li Chongguang asked suddenly.
Nanjiu narrowed his eyes slightly: "What? You're not planning on chasing me, are you?"
Li Chongguang scratched his head and smiled awkwardly.
The two of them remained in a stalemate for a moment, with Li Chongguang showing no sign of leaving. Just as he was about to raise his head, a subtle "click" broke the impasse. They both glanced upstairs. A figure was nestled in the window frame of the second-floor corridor. A dark red fire flickered at Song Ting's fingertips, his dark pupils fixed on the ground below.
Li Chongguang's face became even more embarrassed. He said hurriedly, "Brother Song, are you still awake?" Then he said goodbye to Nanjiu and went home.
Nan Jiu stepped into the teahouse, raised his eyes and asked him, "Don't you not smoke?"
The smoke slowly spread and swirled, then disappeared into thin air.
"Is this cigarette?" He lowered his gaze, shook the thing in his hand, and his figure disappeared by the window.
Nanjiu took her clothes and went upstairs to shower. Just as she was about to enter the bathroom, she turned and headed for the porch window. A plate of incense burned on the floor in the corner. The aroma was faint, not as strong as the mosquito coils. It was probably what Song Ting had just lit. This incense had been there for more than a day, but Nanjiu had never paid much attention to it. She suddenly realized that, except for the first few days after arriving, she hadn't been bothered by mosquitoes in a long time.
......
Over the next few days, Li Chongguang came to visit every day. Sometimes when the teahouse was crowded, he would come along to help out.
The old tea drinkers in the alley saw Li Chongguang holding the kettle and teased Old Man Nan with a smile: "Old Man Nan, why did Old Li's son come to you to be your grandson-in-law?"
Old Man Nan scolded: "Don't talk nonsense, he and my Xiao Jiu grew up together, they get along well."
The tea drinker continued, "If you were good friends when you were little, isn't it normal for you to become friends when you grow up? They're called childhood sweethearts, or two little kids without a clue."
Li Chongguang was delighted to hear his elder say this. He turned to Song Ting, who was standing behind the tea cabinet, and said, "Brother Song."
Song Ting picked up a tea and turned around. Li Chongguang scratched his head, looking embarrassed, and asked tentatively, "If I get together with Xiao Jiu, do you think Grandpa Nan would agree?"
Before Song Ting could say anything, Nan Qiaoyu interrupted: "Shouldn't you ask Nan Jiu if he agrees first?"
"That's right."
Before dusk, Li Chongguang called Nanjiu outside the teahouse and said he had something to tell her.
The rice Aunt Wu bought arrived, the delivery man called out at the door. Song Ting walked out of the teahouse, carrying the rice on his shoulder. As he turned, he caught a glimpse of Li Chongguang and Nan Jiu standing at the other side of the wall. They were facing each other, Li Chongguang with his back to Song Ting, and Nan Jiu leaning against the wall. Her gaze was slightly sideways, and they met from a distance of more than ten steps.
Frost formed in her eyes. She stared at Song Ting, grabbed Li Chongguang's collar, and pulled him in front of her. Li Chongguang subconsciously stretched out his arms to support himself against the wall, holding Nan Jiu in his arms.
Song Ting withdrew his gaze and walked into the teahouse without stopping.
Nan Qiaoyu's friend went rafting in Xianshui Town and invited him to join them. In the afternoon, Nan Qiaoyu packed two sets of clothes and called a car to Xianshui Town, dozens of kilometers away, saying he would be back the next afternoon.
As he was leaving, he didn't know where he had left his phone charger, so he hurriedly unplugged Nanjiu's. His backpack swept across the counter, accidentally knocking Nanjiu's phone to the ground. He quickly picked it up, glanced at the shattered screen, glanced around, and then, unnoticed, put the phone back on the counter.
Nan Jiu returned, picked up his phone, and immediately asked Aunt Wu, "Where is Nan Qiaoyu?" Aunt Wu replied that he had already left. Nan Jiu had no choice but to suppress her anger and wait for him to come back and settle the score. Although the phone screen was broken, it still worked.
In the evening, Nanjiu came out of the bathroom after taking a shower, and the stairs leading to the attic were covered with light.
Nan Jiu turned around and closed the bathroom door. A creaking sound filled the silent corridor, and Song Ting's voice came from the top of the stairs: "Xiao Jiu."
Nan Jiu paused at the stairwell. The sound of footsteps tapping against the wooden staircase carried an undeniable presence. She looked up and saw Song Ting coming down from the corner. His dark khaki pants, draped over his long legs, were straight, taking up almost half his height. As he descended, his entire figure emerged, his head almost touching the low doorframe at the stairwell. He lowered his head imperceptibly and came to stand before her. His gaze, calm and elevated, carried an unavoidable sense of control. "Let me talk to you for a moment."
Nanjiu turned and walked to the second-floor window, his eyes fixed on the quiet alley outside. "What are you talking about?"
Song Ting still stopped at the corner of the stairs, his body hidden in the shadows.
"I know you're at an age where many things are new to you, but that doesn't mean you can do whatever you want, especially when it comes to relationships. Have you considered the consequences of your pursuit of novelty?" His voice rasped from deep within his chest, as heavy as a blunt instrument striking solid wood. "Even if you don't care about the consequences, what about others? Take Li Chongguang, for example. Do you really intend to see everything with him, or do you just want to have fun? Or... do you want to use him to annoy me?"
"Are you angry?" Nan Jiu leaned against the window and turned back. The wind from the deep alley rustled her hair, a strand of it brushing against her smooth neck. Her watery eyes were tinged with clarity and innocence, like the stamens of a flower with a subtle fragrance. But Song Ting knew that this flower of hers was covered with dangerous thorns.
His expression was like a rock weathered by years of wind and sun, his emotions buried deep in his eyes, but his face remained motionless. "If you want to provoke me this way, there's no need. After all, you're an adult now. If you really want to be with someone, that's your freedom. I just don't want you to do anything reckless because of me."
"Hu Lai." Nan Jiu chewed on these two words gently, leaned against the windowsill, and slowly moved to sit on the window frame.
The windows in the teahouse corridor had low, old-fashioned frames. When Nanjiu was little, she had to stand on tiptoe to reach the window frames, but now she could easily lean out from the waist up. She leaned back, half of her body leaning out of the window, her long hair instantly blown by the alley breeze.
Almost immediately, Song Ting's figure loomed before her. Her waist tightened, and a powerful arm gripped her waist, instantly pulling her back into the window. She leaped to the ground, her fingers softly resting on his chest as she stared up at him, "This is what we call reckless behavior."
She let go of his hand, turned around, and walked downstairs around him. She used her actions to tell Song Ting that if she really wanted to do something stupid, there were plenty of ways to do it.
The footsteps faded on the steps, and Song Ting remained standing by the window. The warmth of a soft body and the gentle touch of his fingertips were fleeting, but the delicate fragrance of the newly blossomed white orchid still lingered in the air, drawn into his lungs and seeping into every part of his body.
She is bold and reckless, and the established rules have no restraint on her.
Song Ting leaned against the window frame with both hands, his brows lowered. Whether in interpersonal relationships or business dealings, he was accustomed to keeping things under control. Yet, this subtle fragrance left a dangerous trail on his body, destructively powerful.
......
Nan Qiaoyu stayed an extra day, returning to the teahouse on the afternoon of the third day. Song Ting had gone to the tea shop, and Aunt Wu was cooking. Only Old Man Nan and Nan Jiu were in the teahouse.
Nan Qiaoyu had just arrived and hadn't even put down his bag when Nan Jiu walked up to him, bent his knee, and hit him. Nan Qiaoyu screamed, "Are you crazy?"
Nanjiu took out his phone and held up the shattered screen to him: "Did you do this?"
Nan Qiaoyu's voice immediately weakened: "What do you mean I did it? I haven't been here these days."
"It was broken the day you left. Can you tell me again that it wasn't you who did it?"
Nan Qiaoyu avoided his gaze and walked inside: "It's not me anyway."
Nanjiu turned around and grabbed his backpack strap: "It's not you, why are you feeling guilty?"
Nan Qiaoyu was quick-witted and quick-handed. He picked up the crutch leaning against the counter as a weapon and swung it at Nan Jiu.
Seeing the crutch coming towards Nan Jiu, she quickly squatted down behind the ceramic ornaments on the counter to hide.
With a "crash", the ceramic ornament flew up from the base, fell down with a bang, and shattered into pieces.
The old walking stick that had been with Grandpa Nan for many years broke in the middle with a muffled "crack" sound.
Nan Qiaoyu and Nan Jiu were stunned, and the tea drinkers looked over in shock. Old Man Nan strode out from behind the tea cabinet, nearly choking with anger.
When Song Ting returned from the tea shop, Nan Qiaoyu and Nan Jiu were unusually quiet. Nan Jiu was sweeping up the ceramic shards from the floor with a broom, while Nan Qiaoyu lowered his head, gluing his cane with 502 glue. The tea patrons had all left, and Old Man Nan, with his hands on his hips, had been cursing non-stop since Song Ting entered the room.
Nan Qiaoyu and Nan Jiu, in rare unison, cast a look at Song Ting, pleading for help. Song Ting put down the tea leaves, took the broom from Nan Jiu's hand, and said to Nan Qiaoyu, "Don't stick it on. It's unsafe to use if it's cracked. Buy a new one tomorrow."
Old Man Nan looked at Song Ting with deep sorrow and grief: "Such a good thing was ruined by these two bastards."
The broken hand-kneaded pottery piece was obtained from a master craftsman when Song Ting personally visited a custom-made tea bowl. The ornament, with its Zen-like design and supposedly a symbol of wealth, captivated Mr. Nan and placed it on the counter, facing the main entrance. Now that his precious item had been broken by his two children, Mr. Nan was deeply distressed.
Song Ting consoled him, "If something breaks, you can buy another one. I'll be going there again in two months."
At dinner that evening, Nan Qiaoyu and Nan Jiu didn't dare to make a scene, but the table still stagnated with the smell of gunpowder. Their relationship had barely softened for a few days when they were once again at loggerheads. Nan Qiaoyu insisted he hadn't dropped the phone, and even if Nan Jiu had believed it, there was nothing he could do about it.
After a short rest, Mr. Nan's anger had mostly subsided. During dinner, he didn't mention the incident again and asked Nan Jiu, "Where did Chongguang go in the sports car?"
Nan Jiu shrugged: "How should I know? Ask his father."
As soon as Mr. Nan finished asking, Li Chongguang came running over in the evening.
Mr. Nan thought he had driven away and asked him, "Haven't you seen anyone these days?"
Nan Jiu sat at the table, gnawing on some spareribs, while Nan Qiaoyu sat at the counter, playing games. Song Ting finished eating first and stood behind the tea cabinet, taking inventory of the tea leaves.
Li Chongguang sat down at the table, glanced at Nan Jiu, and said to Old Man Nan, "He who has been at home all the time will go out tomorrow."
He shifted his posture, and after careful consideration, he spoke to Old Man Xiangnan and Nan Jiu, "I came here today to make a point. Nan Jiu still has two years until graduation, so I'll use these two years to earn more money, and with some help from my family, I can buy an apartment downtown."
Nan Qiaoyu crossed his legs and interrupted, "Should we add the woman's name?"
"Yes, of course." Li Chongguang paused and asked, "When the time comes... can you give me a chance?"
"Then I think I can consider it." Nan Qiaoyu acted like an older brother-in-law.
Nan Jiu glanced over and said, "If you say anything more, I'll tear your mouth apart."
Old Man Nan hadn't expected Li Chongguang to come to discuss this, and he looked slightly surprised. He'd watched Li Chongguang grow up. While his talent wasn't great, he wasn't a bad person. He'd been willing to endure hardships over the years, so supporting the family wasn't a problem. However, this matter depended on Nan Jiu's own wishes. He turned his gaze to his granddaughter.
Nanjiu dropped the bone in his hand, wiped his hands with a tissue, and said calmly, "I have someone I like."
Li Chongguang's face froze. Nan Qiaoyu put the game console away. Song Ting lowered his gaze, twisting the tea leaves between his fingers.
Old Man Nan asked in surprise, "From the same school?"
Nanjiu balled up the tissue and threw it into the trash can: "No, but the other party is not interested in me."
Old Master Nan chuckled protectively, "Who has such poor eyesight?"
"That's right." Li Chongguang agreed.
Nan Jiu's lips curved up and he smiled without saying a word.
Song Ting tied up the tea leaves tightly, put them in the tea cabinet, and said, "I'm going to the tea shop."
Nan Qiaoyu looked at Nan Jiu, then looked at Song Ting, then looked away and continued playing the game.
Li Chongguang left Maoerxiang the next morning. As he passed by a teahouse, he waved to Nanjiu, who was sitting at the counter. Nanjiu mouthed, "Bye."
Nan Qiaoyu suddenly floated over, blocking Nan Jiu's sight, and said to her: "Grandpa is calling us over."
There was a pair of mahogany chairs in Old Man Nan's room. When Nan Jiu and Nan Qiaoyu walked in, Old Man Nan and Song Ting each sat on one. Nan Qiaoyu sat carelessly on Old Man Nan's bed, while Nan Jiu leaned against the door and looked at them. "What's going on?"
"Your Uncle Song is going to be busy in the mountains for a while, and I was thinking of picking one of you to go with him to help."
"Which mountain?" Nan Qiao Yu asked.
"The tea garden is on Nangan Mountain." The old man replied.
Nan Jiu remembered that the tea shop Song Ting opened was called "Nan Gan Ming Cha". She knew that Song Ting had been going to the mountains every now and then for a few years, but she never asked him why.
Old Man Nan turned to Song Ting and said, "Who do you think we should take?"
Song Ting's gaze fell on Nan Qiaoyu. Nan Qiaoyu immediately asked, "Is there internet?"
"No." Song Ting replied.
"Where's the air conditioner?" he asked again.
Mr. Nan said to him, "Are you going to work or on vacation?"
"Then I won't go." Nan Qiaoyu leaned back with both hands and looked at Nan Jiu, "Let her go."
Old Master Nan said angrily, "You are a grown man, but you can't endure any hardship. What can you do in the future?"
Nan Qiaoyu was indifferent. Not only was there no internet in the hottest days of summer, there was also no air conditioning. Going there would be torture, and he couldn't stand it at all.
Old Man Nan glanced at Nan Jiu. Nan Jiu pouted and said, "I don't care."
"Xiao Jiu, please stay in the teahouse." Song Ting's voice suddenly interrupted.
Nan Jiu leaned against the door frame and cast his gaze at Song Ting. "I've been exercising regularly, so I'm no less physically fit than that skinny Nan Qiaoyu. Uncle Song, are you afraid that I'll hold you back, or are you worried about something else?"
There was a tiny firefly hidden in her eyes, which flashed by like an illusion, but slowly fell into Song Ting's eyes.
"Who do you call a thin dog?" Nan Qiaoyu sat up and was about to confront Nan Jiu again.
Song Ting interrupted him and said to Nan Jiu, "Your hand isn't healed yet."
Nanjiu brought the fingers she had hidden behind her back to her front. The gauze had already been removed. She tilted her head slightly, a faint smile playing in the depths of her eyes.
Old Man Nan made the final decision: "Then Xiaojiu can come with you. Pack your things tonight and leave early tomorrow morning."
Song Ting wasn't at the teahouse, so there was no one to control the two men. After yesterday's incident, seeing the two of them together gave Old Man Nan a headache. If they started fighting like last time, Old Man Nan wouldn't be able to hold back two stubborn men. To be on the safe side, having one of them follow Song Ting up the mountain to separate the two was the safest option.
Song Ting understood what Mr. Nan meant, and without saying anything more, he tacitly agreed to the arrangement.
-----------------------
The author has something to say: After this chapter is finished, the book will be posted on the folder. There will be no updates on the folder. The next chapter will be updated tomorrow (September 3) at 23:50
The first wave of plot climax is about to come, hold me tight~
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