Chapter 82: This Is My Home...

By the roadside, Lu Yuanqiu was using the window of a parked car as a makeshift mirror, scrutinizing his reflection. The dark glass revealed a young face, hard-edged yet still boyish, his features etched with an awkward freshness.

Truth be told, Lu Yuanqiu never had the habit of checking his appearance. He didn’t consider himself handsome and felt lucky enough not to have inherited his father’s looks. Yet in high school, the boys in his class loved to look at themselves, especially after visiting the restroom.

Zhong Jincheng would stand before the bathroom mirror, tilting his head back and forth, his brows furrowed as if seriousness alone could elevate his looks several notches. Wang Haoran’s mirror habit was to obsessively fix his middle-parted hair. Perhaps he had some compulsion; he could spend an entire recess adjusting it, while classmates queued behind him for the sink, nearly desperate.

In Lu Yuanqiu’s memory, not a single boy could resist glancing at the mirror after washing up. Perhaps because he never thought himself handsome enough, Lu Yuanqiu never indulged in vanity. But today, he found himself uncharacteristically concerned about his appearance.

What am I doing, acting as if I’m here to propose marriage? He couldn’t help but mock himself inwardly.

His real purpose today was to get a deeper sense of Bai Qingxia’s life.

Just then, a humming sound startled him—the dark car window slid down slowly.

Lu Yuanqiu’s expression froze.

The man in the driver’s seat, looking anxious, called out, “Hey, buddy, you’ve been at it for ten minutes. I really need to drive off!”

Lu Yuanqiu glared, his face twisted in annoyance. “Go on then! I’ve been staring for ten minutes, and you’ve been watching me for ten, too, haven’t you? Don’t you have anything better to do?”

“You’re nuts! I didn’t rush you, but now you’re rushing me!” The driver grumbled as he started the car, ignoring Lu Yuanqiu and quickly vacating the roadside spot.

Lu Yuanqiu retreated awkwardly to the edge of the crosswalk, crouching beside his gifts.

Where was Bai Qingxia? Was she ever going to come?

He was dying of impatience. When she arrived, he swore he’d spank her—twice, hard—just to vent his frustration.

Lu Yuanqiu mused blankly.

Suddenly, he heard hurried footsteps nearby.

He turned to see a girl in a school uniform, struggling with a large shopping bag, her expression strained as she reached the corner.

Lu Yuanqiu hurried over and took the bag from Bai Qingxia’s hands. Freeing her fingers, she rubbed the red marks on her palms and looked at him apologetically. “Sorry for keeping you waiting.”

“No problem.” At the sight of Bai Qingxia, all his irritation vanished, though he was surprised she’d bought so much.

Even he found the bag heavy.

“Let’s go,” he said.

“Okay.”

At the crosswalk, Lu Yuanqiu gathered all the gifts into one hand, leaving Bai Qingxia astonished.

“Why did you buy so many things?” he asked.

“You did too,” she replied.

“Well…” Bai Qingxia scratched her head, embarrassed. “I didn’t know what you liked to eat. Later, you can take a look, and whatever you want, I’ll cook it for you.”

“You can cook?”

“Of course.” Her tone was unusually light and proud. Lu Yuanqiu realized his question had been pointless—after all, she’d cared for her father alone for years. How could she not know how to cook?

Together, they crossed the street and entered the mouth of Osmanthus Lane. Bai Qingxia tried again to help carry the bags, but Lu Yuanqiu scolded her, making her withdraw her delicate hands.

These soft little hands shouldn’t be burdened with such heavy things. Even if she didn’t mind, he did.

As soon as they stepped into the alley, Lu Yuanqiu caught a strange scent—like the musk of ducks. Noticing his puzzled look, Bai Qingxia explained, “There are a lot of little workshops around here…”

“That explains it.”

Lu Yuanqiu surveyed the cracked concrete underfoot, the tangled wires overhead, the battered walls around them. It felt like visiting his childhood home in the countryside—though, in reality, the countryside now had two-story houses.

“Why’s it so empty?” he wondered aloud.

“Everyone’s at work, I guess.”

“Working on National Day? That busy?”

The girl answered with a dry smile, her lips barely pulling upward.

Their conversation wandered as they navigated a few more side streets, finally arriving at a rundown courtyard.

The yard was chaotic. The ground floor housed all sorts of people, each busy with their own tasks.

Lu Yuanqiu saw an old man sorting empty bottles, and a middle-aged man grinding metal against a machine, the noise echoing sharply. They glanced over but soon returned to their work.

Lu Yuanqiu looked away, following the school-uniformed girl up a steep staircase with rusty railings.

Bai Qingxia kept glancing back, as if worried he might slip.

Lu Yuanqiu looked up, and suddenly caught sight of her rounded figure beneath the school uniform.

Girls were innocent, he thought. Climbing stairs, they never shielded themselves, unlike at school, where boys would practically weld a helmet to their backsides if someone was behind them.

On the second floor, Bai Qingxia led him down a narrow corridor, beneath lines of drying laundry. Lu Yuanqiu wove through shirts and pants, only to bump his face against a red brassiere.

Quickly ducking his head, he turned aside and noticed a woman standing by a nearby door. She wore heavy makeup, an ordinary face framed by a soft pink nightdress, her hair curled and fingernails painted red, exuding the faint scent of cheap perfume.

She was nibbling on sunflower seeds, eyeing Lu Yuanqiu with interest.

“Who’s this, Xia? A friend?” she asked in a languid, flirtatious voice.

To Lu Yuanqiu’s surprise, Bai Qingxia smiled warmly at her. “Yes, he’s my friend. Sister Lili, could I borrow your stove at noon?”

“Of course. Wow, you bought so much! Can I come over for lunch?”

Bai Qingxia opened her mouth but didn’t answer, glancing at Lu Yuanqiu. Sensing the girl’s hesitation, the woman laughed. “Just kidding. You two eat by yourselves.”

Bai Qingxia pursed her lips and nodded shyly.

Lu Yuanqiu was intrigued—Bai Qingxia actually smiled at this woman. Clearly, they got along well.

When Bai Qingxia stopped and opened a door nearby, Lu Yuanqiu realized they were neighbors.

The girl stepped in first, wrinkling her nose to check for any odd smells. Satisfied, she moved aside, her face anxious as she looked up at Lu Yuanqiu, inviting him in.

“This is my home…”

(End of chapter)