From Guan Jiahe, Wang Cheng learned the whole story. The unfamiliar woman in the apartment was Liang Youshan’s wife, Madam Qi.
After the new shop opened, Liang Youshan naturally moved into the apartment. His reaction to the place was like Granny Liu entering Grand View Garden, dazzled by everything he saw. When he went home, he even showed Madam Qi photos he had taken on his phone. After seeing them, she yearned to stay in the apartment herself and said she wanted to experience living there. Liang Youshan did not dare agree at first, but Madam Qi said she would stay only two days, so he finally gave in. Guan Jiahe did not know she had moved in until after she was already there. They paid the water and electricity bills themselves, but the apartment did not belong to them, so at the very least they should have asked first. Liang Youshan insisted it would only be two days and that his wife would leave afterward. Guan Jiahe thought there was no point being petty over two days, so he let it go. In the end, once Madam Qi moved in, she simply stopped leaving.
Elio’s Notes: “Granny Liu entering Grand View Garden” comes from Dream of the Red Chamber and is often used for a country outsider being dazzled by an unfamiliar world of luxury.
Only after Madam Qi moved in did Guan Jiahe realize that Liang Youshan was the one who did all the work in their household. Madam Qi was lazy and gluttonous. She managed to hide her true nature on the first day, but by the second she was already spending freely and leaving messes everywhere.
On the third day, Guan Jiahe assumed she would leave, but by evening she still had not packed. The couple seemed to have forgotten their promise entirely, and Guan Jiahe finally could not help bringing it up over dinner.
Madam Qi acted as though she had only just remembered and said she had not realized how quickly time had passed. Liang Youshan chimed in that it was already late and sending his wife home at that hour would not be good. The apartment was not Guan Jiahe’s, so he did not feel comfortable throwing her out. Madam Qi therefore stayed again, and afterward she began finding one excuse after another to remain.
Because of the holiday, Papa Wang had originally planned to close the jam shop and give them two days off to spend with their families. Liang Youshan, however, said there was no need and volunteered to stay behind.
Papa Wang asked him several times to make sure before agreeing. In truth, holiday foot traffic was even heavier than usual, so closing the shop would mean losing business. If Liang Youshan genuinely wanted to keep the shop open, Papa Wang had no reason to refuse.
Guan Jiahe wanted to spend the holiday with his own family and did not stay. During the few days he was gone, however, Liang Youshan’s wife not only failed to leave but became even worse. She treated the apartment as her own home and turned it into a complete mess. Some places were even scratched. Liang Youshan was busy with the shop and had no time to clean.
When Guan Jiahe returned, the living room looked exactly as it did when Wang Cheng arrived. The couple seemed to have forgotten their earlier promise entirely. When they saw Guan Jiahe, they even warmly invited him inside, acting as though the apartment truly belonged to them.
Guan Jiahe was angry, but he was not the sort to go tattling. Both he and Uncle Liang worked for his younger cousin, and Uncle Liang was an elder. He did not want to make things difficult for Wang Cheng. He never expected his cousin to show up on his own. Liang Youshan, however, seemed to think Guan Jiahe had deliberately called Wang Cheng over.
Wang Cheng ordered Madam Qi to pack her things and leave immediately.
Madam Qi looked as though she wanted to say something, but Liang Youshan stopped her. They were the ones in the wrong. What could they possibly argue?
The couple silently began packing, one cleaning the living room and the other the bedroom. An hour later, seven or eight large bags were piled on the living-room floor. She had only been staying there a few days, yet she had brought practically all her belongings. It was obvious she had planned to stay long-term.
“I’ll help.” Guan Jiahe offered to carry some of the luggage downstairs.
Liang Youshan rejected him with a smile that did not reach his eyes. “No need. We can manage.” Then the couple carried their bags downstairs themselves.
“Cousin, there’s no need to blame yourself. This has nothing to do with you.” Wang Cheng knew what Guan Jiahe was thinking and patted his shoulder reassuringly.
Guan Jiahe sighed. “I know, but Uncle Liang…”
“Uncle Liang can think it through for himself. If he can’t, then there’s nothing more to say.” Wang Cheng was not the kind of person to haggle over every little thing. If Madam Qi had been hardworking and considerate, he would not have minded letting her stay longer. But he absolutely would not allow someone to damage the apartment. Madam Qi was not only lazy, she was destructive. He had looked around just now and found dirty marks and obvious scratches on both the floor and the walls. How could he possibly feel comfortable letting someone like that stay? Even if Uncle Liang resented it, Wang Cheng would not agree.
After taking Madam Qi home that day, Uncle Liang did not return to work and did not even send word. Guan Jiahe ran the jam shop alone. Uncle Liang did not show up again until the following day.
That afternoon, Wang Cheng had already flown out of Shanhai City. He did not tell his relatives or friends. Only after reaching the capital did he call Mother Zheng. She asked whether he needed someone to pick him up and whether he wanted to stay at the Zheng residence. Wang Cheng told her no. He still had a friend to meet first, and that friend was Huang Tong’an. Chu Yifeng had been delayed by family matters and would not return until the next day. After leaving the airport, Wang Cheng called Huang Tong’an. The phone rang five times before he answered, and deafening noise immediately blasted through the receiver.
“Wang Cheng, you brat, you finally called me! I’m at RedSun right now. Grab a taxi and tell the driver RedSun. He’ll know where to take you!” Huang Tong’an shouted over the noise as though he were using a loudspeaker. People passing Wang Cheng glanced over.
Wang Cheng silently lowered the phone, hailed a taxi, and gave the name. Sure enough, the driver knew it. He was a friendly man, and after hearing Wang Cheng’s obvious nonlocal accent, he even guessed that Wang Cheng had come from Shanhai City. Wang Cheng was a little surprised and chatted with him along the way.
When the taxi was almost there, Wang Cheng called Huang Tong’an again. Huang Tong’an hung up and stood to leave. One of his companions stopped him. “Where are you going?”
“A brother of mine is here. Let me say this first: when he comes in, none of you start running your mouths.” Huang Tong’an knew exactly what kind of people his friends were, so he warned them in advance.
“Look how serious you are. Now I really have to see what kind of remarkable person this brother of yours is.” The people who associated with Huang Tong’an were all children of prominent families, their households either rich or influential. Anyone Huang Tong’an treated as a brother was assumed to come from the same sort of circle. Knowing another useful connection could never hurt.
Huang Tong’an knew what they were thinking but did not explain. In some people’s dictionaries, friends came in only two kinds: useful and useless. If someone could create benefits for them, that person had value, especially if they came from a family of equal standing. Huang Tong’an had understood that logic since childhood, but he found living that way exhausting and believed it made genuine friendship impossible. That was why he had gone to high school in Shanhai City, and it was also how he had become close friends with Wang Cheng.
“Every time I see you, you somehow look even more handsome.” Huang Tong’an came outside just as Wang Cheng stepped out of the taxi. The lighting by the entrance was dim, but Wang Cheng seemed to carry his own light. Even standing in a dark corner, he still drew the eye. The doorman could not help staring.
“Can’t help it. I was born this way.” Wang Cheng spread his hands helplessly.
Huang Tong’an slapped him on the back. “Damn, can you not be so shameless?”
The blow nearly knocked Wang Cheng’s breath out. “Your hand’s gotten stronger. Been training lately?”
“Of course. Want to spar sometime?”
Back in high school, Huang Tong’an already knew Wang Cheng could fight. Once, when they had returned to the dorm late, four grown men armed with knives tried to rob them on the way. Huang Tong’an had watched Wang Cheng subdue all four almost effortlessly, and he still remembered the sight clearly.
“Sure. Just don’t cry when the time comes.” The two laughed and talked as they entered the bar. Huang Tong’an and his friends had reserved a private room. They were all people who knew how to have fun. The moment the door opened, a howl came from inside. Someone was singing.
“Everyone, let me introduce you. This is my brother. His name is Wang Cheng.” Huang Tong’an put an arm around Wang Cheng’s shoulders.
The person singing stopped, and the private room immediately became much quieter. The women stared at Wang Cheng with shining eyes, while the men sized him up. An outstanding appearance naturally inspired goodwill, but among men it also brought envy and jealousy. Everyone there was socially experienced, though. One of Huang Tong’an’s friends quickly broke the silence and the room became lively again.
“A friend of Young Master Huang is a friend of mine. Young Master Wang, are you from the capital too?” A man surnamed Gao, seated on the sofa to Wang Cheng’s right, smiled as he spoke. His family, like Huang Tong’an’s, was in business. The others were much the same.
Wang Cheng smiled. “No. I’m from Shanhai City. My family lives in the countryside.”
Shanhai City?
It sounded like a small city, though everyone there had at least heard of it. They all knew Huang Tong’an had attended high school in Shanhai City. But when they heard the last part, that his family lived in the countryside, their interest in Wang Cheng immediately plunged. So he was a country bumpkin after all. Still, a few of the sharper people wondered how a country bumpkin could afford clothes that expensive.
He could not very well be lying, so most of them guessed he was probably a self-made businessman. Either way, their interest was nowhere near as strong as before.
Huang Tong’an knew Wang Cheng had said it deliberately, but he did not expose him. He simply sat there talking with Wang Cheng and occasionally dealt with people who came over to drink. A woman nearby tried to attract Huang Tong’an’s attention, but accidentally splashed a little wine from her glass onto Wang Cheng’s trousers instead. Huang Tong’an scolded her, and the woman hurried to apologize.
Wang Cheng wanted to go to the restroom. Huang Tong’an initially offered to go with him, but the people beside them immediately started teasing. Wang Cheng said there was no need, so Huang Tong’an could only let him go alone.