Chapter 3

The early spring night was very cold, with a stiff wind that cut through the air. The gaps in the windows were sealed with paper, fitting tightly and neatly. The stove burned brightly, making the small inner room feel especially warm.

This was the second time Chu Qing had come to this house; the first time was to help her move in. Back then, it was empty and desolate, but now, with a quick glance, he could see the embroidered cover on the small bed, a dressing table in one corner with four or five bottles and jars arranged on it, and pink curtains that trailed to the floor, casting their shadows.

Chu Qing sat in a chair, while Huang Ying sat on the bed. Neither spoke, and the old grandfather clock ticked away, swinging its pendulum. The atmosphere suddenly became awkward.

Huang Ying lowered her head, fidgeting with the hem of her clothes. Chu Qing held a large teacup, gulping down a few sips of water, feeling quite depressed.

He had come over to chat because he couldn't sleep, but once inside, he didn't know what to say. This awkward atmosphere caught him off guard, and he felt a bit at a loss.

"Brother Chu Qing," Huang Ying spoke first.

"Hmm?"

Huang Ying, worried, said, "You offended Zhang Biao today. I'm afraid he won't let you stay here."

Chu Qing replied, "It's fine, he won't do anything to me. But you should move to a new place to avoid his trouble."

"Where can I move to? Houses are so expensive now. This one is a bit run-down, but at least it's cheap. Besides, you're still here, I'm not afraid of him." Huang Ying's voice grew softer, her red cheeks glowing under the light, like a blooming peach blossom.

"Uh... I might be moving out," Chu Qing said, somewhat awkwardly.

Huang Ying was taken aback, then asked urgently, "Moving out? Where are you going?"

"I met two people today who want me to act in a movie. I have to go to Shanxi for a while."

Chu Qing didn't hide it and explained the situation.

Huang Ying asked skeptically, "Act in a movie? For you?"

Realizing the ambiguity in her words, she quickly waved her hands, "I didn't mean it that way, I just mean..."

"Ha ha, don't worry, I don't believe it myself," Chu Qing laughed. "They are film school students, and they seemed serious. I have nothing to do, so I agreed. It could be a good experience."

"Will they pay you?" Huang Ying asked the same question he had.

Chu Qing gestured with his hand, "This much."

"Two hundred?"

Chu Qing broke into a sweat, "Two thousand!"

"Really? That's a lot!" Huang Ying was a bit surprised; it was equivalent to nearly three months of her salary.

"Not bad, but I have to stay for two months. In that case, it's not much."

"So, you won't be staying here anymore?" Huang Ying asked.

"Right, I'll be leaving in a few days. The lease is almost up, so I'll just cancel it. I was serious when I said Zhang Biao is a scoundrel and will cause you trouble. Find a new place as soon as possible. I can help you move before I leave," Chu Qing said while drinking water.

Huang Ying lowered her head, silent, deep in thought. After a while, she looked up, "I'll take a day off tomorrow and look for a new place."

Chu Qing thought for a moment, "I know a place, but I'm not sure if it's available. Don't take a day off, I'll check it out tomorrow and let you know."

"Okay, I'll follow your advice."

Huang Ying glanced at the clock; it was already eleven. She seemed to remember something and her face turned bright red. She bit her lip, "Brother Chu Qing, it's eleven. Why don't you go back and sleep?"

Her voice was soft and sweet, like a bite of a sticky date, whispering into his ear.

Chu Qing felt a gentle tickle in his heart and couldn't help but look at the girl in front of him. They saw each other every day, but he had never really paid attention to her.

Huang Ying was tall, with long black hair and very fair skin. She wasn't exceptionally beautiful, but her features exuded a delicate charm typical of the southern water towns.

Standing under the light, her face was as red and beautiful as a peach blossom, adding a touch of charm to her delicate and clever appearance.

He was well aware of her feelings for him, but he didn't have the same feelings for her, treating her like a little sister. He had to pretend not to notice.

Chu Qing took another sip of water, hiding his emotional波动, and smiled, "I'll go back then. You should get some sleep too."

Huang Ying watched him leave, remembering her thoughts, her face flushing again.

She locked the door, ran back to her bedroom, and buried herself under the covers, refusing to get up.

...

In those days, the real estate market hadn't yet gone crazy, and there were no real estate agents. You could walk several streets without seeing one, unlike in the future, where even the small county town where Chu Qing lived was surrounded by real estate agencies.

Chu Qing, who often collected trash, knew the streets well. He led Huang Ying through a series of twists and turns, stopping in front of a red-painted wooden door in a small alley.

"Knock knock!"

Chu Qing knocked.

"Coming, coming!"

An old man opened the door, wearing old but neat clothes, with glasses, looking like a cultured person.

Seeing Chu Qing, he smiled, "Oh! You're early. Let's play a game, my hands are itching!"

The old man's surname was Cheng, a retired professor. Chu Qing didn't know what he studied, but he had a small courtyard house. He and his wife lived in one room, his daughter in another, one room was used for storage, and one was empty.

Chu Qing often collected waste here and got to know the old man. They became friends, and he would sometimes play chess and drink tea with him.

The old man was straightforward, without the pretentiousness of intellectuals, and didn't look down on Chu Qing. They became good friends.

When Huang Ying mentioned renting a place, he immediately thought of this. The old man was a good person, and it would be safe for a young girl to live here.

Chu Qing said, "Wait a moment, I brought someone. Let's see."

He stepped aside, revealing Huang Ying behind him.

The old man saw Huang Ying, a clean and polite young girl, and was satisfied. "You introduced her, I have no need to check. She seems nice. Do you want to see the room?"

Huang Ying politely said, "Uncle Cheng, my name is Huang Ying. Thank you for your trouble."

She went to see the room, and the old man, after a step, nudged Chu Qing with his elbow and whispered, "Is she your girlfriend?"

"No, just a friend."

The old man chuckled, winking, "I get it, I get it!"

Chu Qing broke into a sweat; the old man was great, but a bit of a child.

The courtyard was much cleaner than Zhang Biao's. There was a trellis with a gourd vine, a set of stone tables and chairs, and plenty of flowers, making it quiet and elegant.

The room was spacious, with an inner and outer room, white walls, and complete furniture. It was like a hotel, except for the lack of a TV.

Huang Ying liked it, and Chu Qing was also very satisfied. "This room is great. What's the price, old man?"

"Three hundred! You can pay monthly or quarterly."

Chu Qing was surprised, not because it was high, but because it was low. For these conditions, five or six hundred wouldn't be too much.

Clearly, it was a favor for him. He was touched and turned to Huang Ying, "What do you think?"

Huang Ying, understanding, said to the old man, "Thank you, Uncle Cheng. I can't live here for free. I'll do the dishes and clean for you!"

The old man waved his hand, smiling, "I'm looking for a neighbor, not a servant. Besides, you'll still pay rent. When will you move in?"

Huang Ying thought for a moment, "I can move in this afternoon."

The old man nodded, took out a set of keys, and handed them to her, "Okay! Here are the keys. One is for the main door, and one is for your room." He then turned to Chu Qing, "You haven't been here in a while. Do you have time this morning? Let's play a few games!"

The old man's chess skills were terrible, but he was obsessed. Chu Qing had no choice but to let Huang Ying go back and stay to play.

By noon, Chu Qing, drenched in sweat, escaped from the old man's house. He had fought hard, but lost by a narrow margin.

The old man was thrilled, feeling he had met his match, and reluctantly let him go.

Chu Qing originally wanted to go home, but then went to the bank and withdrew six hundred yuan.

Huang Ying's family was in the south. Her father had passed away, leaving her sick mother and her younger brother in school. She was the eldest sister, bearing the burden of a family that favored boys.

She earned six hundred yuan a month, and with extra work, could make seven to eight hundred. She sent half of it home, so she was very frugal.

Chu Qing, with no family ties, had saved a few thousand yuan. He felt responsible for helping Huang Ying find a place to live, so he decided to pay the rent for the next two months.

After two months...

We'll see.

Chu Qing withdrew the money and returned to the old man's house, paying the rent for two months.

The old man looked at him with a knowing eye: "If you were just friends, you wouldn't pay her rent. Who are you trying to fool?"

Chu Qing didn't bother to explain and collected the old man's stack of newspapers.

Back home, Huang Ying had already packed her belongings, with over a dozen bags filling the outer room. She wanted to move her small dressing table, but Chu Qing, seeing a better one at the new place, left it behind under her sad gaze.

He had a small cart for collecting waste, and made two trips to move everything.

Zhang Biao hadn't been seen since morning, and his door was locked. No one knew where he had gone.

Huang Ying's lease was almost up, and she didn't want to inform Zhang Biao, so she moved out directly.

By evening, everything was packed, and they went to a small restaurant for dinner. Huang Ying tried to pay, but Chu Qing insisted she keep the money.

At ten, he returned to his small, run-down house. Zhang Biao's room was still dark. The scoundrel might have been scared and was hiding outside.

Chu Qing lay in bed, suddenly feeling that the past two days had been particularly eventful, one thing after another, unlike his usual routine. He was not used to this busy and hectic state, feeling mentally drained rather than physically tired.

In the following days, he cleaned out all the junk in his room, earning two hundred yuan, and sold his cart at a low price.

Cleaning out his room, he realized how little he owned. Apart from a few sets of clothes and two pairs of shoes, there was nothing worth taking.

After finishing everything, Chu Qing was completely free. He went to the film school again, talked with Jia Zhangke, set a departure date, and brought back a copy of the script.

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