Hedgehog's Belly - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

“Xiao Song said there’s a place outside the temple with delicious meat slices; you can’t even get a spot when it’s crowded.” Ji Rongshu looked at his phone, not forgetting to reply to messages even while walking.

Luo Mu: “Is Chenxi nearby too?”

Ji Rongshu: “Yeah, she also mentioned there’s a koi pond nearby. Lots of kids, should be pretty lively.”

At the mention of “lively,” Luo Mu pinched the bridge of her nose. The mere thought of children’s noisy screams and the sound of play piercing her eardrums already had her on the verge of a breakdown.

“Don’t be like that. My mom—no, our mom—told me to take you out for a walk. I finally managed to drag you out. My lady, don’t be such a buzzkill.” Ji Rongshu looked troubled; his mother had threatened him to improve his relationship with this older sister.

Ji Rongshu and Luo Mu were siblings from a reconstituted family.

Luo Mu first saw Ji Rongshu, who was a head shorter than her, when she was nine. She only remembered him speaking with a stutter and following her around calling her “Sister.” Back then, Luo Mu was not someone who accepted change easily. Faced with the massive reshaping of her family, she confronted her new mother and a total stranger of a brother in the most extreme way.

She struggled, resisted, tried to break free, but ultimately to no avail.

Luo Mu looked up at her brother, who had been cautious around her since childhood, and let out a sigh.

And the one her father relied on was, after all, this very brother.

“Is Chenxi alone? If you’re going to find her and buy things together, I’m not playing the third wheel.”

Ji Rongshu: “No, she came with a friend. You’ve probably seen her.”

“Never seen her, don’t know her, not interested.” Luo Mu’s answer was short and forceful.

They just happened to be in the same school and the same class, that’s all.

Anyone’s friends, anyone’s social circle—Luo Mu had zero interest in any of it.

Ji Rongshu: “Give me some face. I’ll buy you a crate of soda afterward.”

Luo Mu: “Winner of the Strongest Love-Brain Award.”

Ji Rongshu: “Well, you taught me.”

Indeed, a short distance past the temple was a marketplace. Long alleys of the city, noisy with the sounds of people.

Freshly steamed brown sugar buns still carried drifting water vapor; the steamer baskets also held radish cakes and egg dumplings. Vendors cried out, not forgetting to use tongs to pick up freshly fried dough sticks and vegetable cakes. Luo Mu still remembered that every time she came here, she would order a bowl of mianxian hu (flour vermicelli soup) and a dough stick—that was what made life worth living.

The bustling crowd shuttled back and forth on the same road, sharing this unique “fireworks” atmosphere of the mundane world.

“Ji Rongshu, over here!” A crisp voice pulled them back to reality. Song Chenxi waved at them. Even trapped in the crowd, her high ponytail made her look fresh and sweet. Her slim-fitting white top truly brought out her cleanliness under the light. Her features were delicate, without any makeup.

Sure enough, the face of a seventeen-year-old girl needs no rouge.

“Luo Mu is here too, right? I know you don’t like crowds,” Song Chenxi finally squeezed out of the throng. “You can wait for us by the koi pond. I happen to have a friend there.”

“I bought some bread specifically to feed the koi.” Song Chenxi handed a plastic bag full of bread to Luo Mu and whispered in her ear: “There are fewer kids at this time, so don’t worry. If you’re hungry, the bread is edible.”

Turning around, she complained to Ji Rongshu: “Why are you so late? If a big guy like you can’t squeeze in, I’ll look down on you.”

Luo Mu watched the two of them walk away bickering and smiled silently.

Truly, when a boy grows up, you can’t keep him at home.

Luo Mu naturally wasn’t in any poetic mood. She swung the bag of bread and walked slowly along the cobblestone path.

But Song Chenxi was right; there really weren’t many people at this hour.

Luo Mu opened a bread package, casually broke off a piece, and tossed it into the pond. Instantly, over a dozen koi splashed out, competing for the morsel.

Luo Mu gradually sensed something was wrong and rubbed her calf.

As it turned out, there was a reason no one was here.

Rampant mosquitoes.

Luo Mu sat on a bench by the pond, stealthily pressing a “cross” into a mosquito bite with her fingernail.

How could someone get ten bites just from feeding fish?

Please, please don’t let me run into anyone I know. I beg you.

“Luo Mu?”

Luo Mu was busy pressing crosses with her head down. Hearing her name, she froze, then slowly and awkwardly looked up.

Of course—whatever you fear most comes true.

A tall girl was standing in front of her. Only the top half of her hair was tied up, yet it wasn’t messy at all. She wore two studs in her right ear—two silver wild roses. Whether she wore any in her left ear, Luo Mu couldn’t remember.

Luo Mu looked up at her. Her features were deep and delicate, yet possessed a certain “heroic” spirit.

This kind of girl seemed to be born with the scent of sunshine.

Luo Mu scrambled to stand up, her body swaying.

Wanting to confirm the person’s identity, Luo Mu was suddenly startled.

“You’re—Song Chenxi’s friend?” Luo Mu quickly sat back down on the bench and looked up awkwardly, inwardly complaining about how short she was.

“Yes, Yan Qingzhu.” The girl likely sensed Luo Mu’s embarrassment.

“There are many mosquitoes here. I… I brought some ointment.”

“No need, it’s fine—” Before Luo Mu could finish, Yan Qingzhu had already pulled a small jar of ointment from her bag. Dipping her fingertip in, she knelt on one knee before Luo Mu and gently applied it to the red mosquito bites on Luo Mu’s legs.

Luo Mu looked down uncomfortably. Even though this was a friend of an acquaintance, having two people who seemingly didn’t know each other suddenly get so close was awkward, to say the least.

The faint scent of oranges on Yan Qingzhu caught Luo Mu’s attention. For the first time, Luo Mu felt that besides floral scents, a childish fruity fragrance could smell so natural on a person.

Perhaps only the person in front of her could pull off such a scent.

Luo Mu observed her; her eyes were sharp yet delicate, a unique kind of edge. Her nose bridge was high—truly a face of a beauty. She was like a polished ice blade—striking a wound yet capable of leaving no trace. The dark green short-sleeved shirt on her seemed to mix with the smell of sunlight; a gray-silver necklace decorated her beautiful collarbones.

This person is so strange.

This person is so beautiful.

“Sorry—I forgot to ask before acting on my own.” Yan Qingzhu finished applying the medicine and suddenly realized the situation was awkward, giving an embarrassed smile.

“The orange scent on you smells very nice.” The moment Luo Mu said it, she regretted it.

Help. Saying something like that the first time we meet—am I an idiot?

“My mom is a big kid; she just loves buying this scent of laundry detergent. My sister’s clothes and mine all smell like this.”

Yan Qingzhu sat down next to Luo Mu, tilting her head to look at her.

“The scent on you is very special too. At first, I thought it was a bit strange, but then I found it very comfortable. A woody fragrance, like—”

“Like what?” Luo Mu asked.

“Like the scent of a deity.” Yan Qingzhu gazed at her. Her eyes, which seemed cold, turned tender in this second.

“Like the scent of a deity—one doesn’t dare be disrespectful,” she explained again.

Luo Mu was slightly surprised, then gave a faint smile: “Deities don’t look after kids with eight hundred ‘heart-eyes’.”

Luo Mu looked at Yan Qingzhu with a determined gaze, like a messenger convinced that this was a destined and tragic drama. It was as if a wandering fate had already been punctuated at the beginning.

However, her serious expression made Yan Qingzhu think she had said something wrong.

Yan Qingzhu suddenly stammered and laughed awkwardly: “Ah… I was joking, don’t mind me.”

“I was joking too.” Luo Mu tilted her head and burst out laughing. Seeing Yan Qingzhu’s shy and flustered look, she finally realized where she had seen her before.

“I remember seeing you a few times after Japanese class, carrying a bunch of bottles to get water.” Luo Mu suddenly remembered. The Japanese classroom in Chongming Building was in a different block from the teaching building. Though far apart, the two were connected. Some students really would run all the way to the water dispenser in Chongming Building.

“The water dispensers in the teaching building are always crowded during breaks, and the taste isn’t great.” Yan Qingzhu shook her head slightly, her brows twitching playfully. “The water in Chongming Building is okay. Every time I go, I’m forced to be free labor.”

Luo Mu was puzzled: “Is that so? I never noticed those things.”

She hadn’t expected someone to actually comparison-shop the taste of water. The person in front of her was truly unfathomable.

Yan Qingzhu: “Then—did you notice me?”

Luo Mu: “What?”

“No, I mean, if you’re curious, I can help you get water from Chongming Building.” Yan Qingzhu waved her hands frantically, her fragmented language failing to organize itself for a moment. Her mature face showed a hint of innocence and clumsiness.

Yan Qingzhu, what are you blabbering about?

Luo Mu: “Thanks, but no need. It’s a path I have to pass every time I go to foreign language classes anyway.”

Yan Qingzhu had guessed she would refuse.

Yan Qingzhu: “You’re right.”

“But maybe I’ll try it next time.” Luo Mu suppressed a laugh. She hadn’t expected this girl to invite someone to try the school’s water during their first conversation.

“Thank you for the invitation, Student Yan.” Luo Mu tilted her head, revealing a dimple. Her shoulder-length hair perfectly framed her slightly “baby-fat” face. She looked like a child who had just heard good news from her favorite older sister about playing together.

Yan Qingzhu reached out and rubbed Luo Mu’s head, only to find her hair was very soft.

Heavens, how is she so tiny? Sure enough, all kids are the same.

But Luo Mu didn’t like people touching her head at all. Just as she instinctively planned to refuse, she caught Yan Qingzhu’s warm gaze—like autumn water, tranquil but occasionally rippling. Deep and pure.

It seemed to say: We finally meet.

We finally meet, at last.

It was so strange, like meeting an old friend she had never known.

In Yan Qingzhu’s eyes, Luo Mu vaguely felt a faint spark within a mist.

Mist covers the view, but moonlight remains.

“A-Qing, A-Qing! We’re back!” Song Chenxi held up several bags from the small shops, looking like she’d successfully scored a bargain during a shopping spree, flashing a victory sign. Ji Rongshu, following behind, was the complete opposite—laden with bags, looking like his soul had been sucked out.

“A-Qing, I’ve become best friends with the owner of the vegetable cake shop. Next time you go, just give them my name.” Song Chenxi used a toothpick to pick up a vegetable cake and handed it to Yan Qingzhu, feeling as proud as if she’d made 30 billion.

“How could she forget you? The total was 120, and you cut it straight in half.” Ji Rongshu dragged his exhausted body, huffing and puffing. But he didn’t forget to hand a bag full of cakes and dough sticks to Luo Mu.

“A-Qing, seriously, next time I’m coming to this shop…” Song Chenxi excitedly shared her “battle history” with the shop owner, while Yan Qingzhu watched her, though her peripheral vision inadvertently shifted toward that other person.

Frowning, it made no sense.

Luo Mu and Ji Rongshu… then why was he always talking to her?

What was their relationship?

“A-Qing?” Song Chenxi interrupted her thoughts. “What are you looking at?”

Song Chenxi followed Yan Qingzhu’s gaze to them.

“Looking at Luo Mu?” Song Chenxi said with a look of joy. “Don’t be fooled by Luo Mu’s constant straight face; she’s actually really great…”

Yan Qingzhu’s gaze wavered. She didn’t pay much attention to Song Chenxi’s words. Only after a long time did she slowly exhale a sentence: “They have such a good relationship.”

They have such a good relationship.

Yan Qingzhu couldn’t deny it; perhaps a sliver of jealousy was lurking in a corner deep within her heart, beyond her control.

That was the person of all her thoughts, a scene she had fantasized about countless times, only to have it finally burst in through such a unique way. All her hesitation and restraint stemmed from an unspeakable sentiment.

And the dream would eventually have its stop button pressed, remaining in the night.

Fortunately, they had finally met.

After the four said their goodbyes, Luo Mu and Ji Rongshu walked along the small path near the highway. In late September, the average temperature in Chujiang was still very high.

“Yan Qingzhu—do you know her?” After a long time, Luo Mu finally asked after much deliberation.

“She’s in our class. Not close.” Ji Rongshu’s answer was simple and quick, but his gaze remained fixed on his phone screen.

“General impression: not great at communicating, but grades are good.”

Ji Rongshu paused: “She’s usually quite cold and always looks dismissive. It’s pretty annoying. But Xiao Song is always going to other classes to find her.”

“Thanks to that guy, I get to sneak peeks at Xiao Song, so it’s not bad.” At the mention of Song Chenxi, Ji Rongshu started emitting pink bubbles. The corners of his mouth inadvertently curled up.

Luo Mu lowered her head and walked step by step. Even though the weather hadn’t changed significantly, the fallen leaves by the road had been replaced.

The sound of treading on dry leaves was crisp.

She would never have thought that person would become like a great poem, engraved into the deepest part of her soul.

Was it an old acquaintance or a new friend?

This time, even Luo Mu couldn’t say for sure.

She didn’t remember.

The bell rang for the end of the second period. “This essay is required to be fully memorized by today; there will be a random check tomorrow.” The English teacher, Old Lin, stood on the podium, repeating the words “memorize, check, dictation” every day. The class habitually let out a collective “ugh” in unison.

“Hey, Yan Qingzhu, class is over.” Her deskmate, Luo Dai’er, nudged Yan Qingzhu, who was fast asleep under her school jacket, with her elbow.

“Class is over? Getting water?” Yan Qingzhu squinted lazily, her voice carrying a hint of raspiness. She shook her head and picked up her bottle with her left hand, habitually signaling to Luo Dai’er.

Luo Dai’er smoothly handed her thermos to Yan Qingzhu. “Half hot, half cold. Thanks.”

“Same as always, I know.” Yan Qingzhu stood up and smoothed her sleep-messed hair. Her eyes were blurry, and her upper body swayed, but she eventually found her balance. “Tell Boss Ye that she has to get her own water herself.”

Luo Dai’er laughed: “What? Not taking Nanqiao along?”

Yan Qingzhu: “Of course.”

During the long break after the second period, there was no need for morning exercises. People in the class would always take advantage of this long time to chat about last night’s trending Weibo topics and news gossip. Unfortunately, Yan Qingzhu had no interest in those; they were truly boring. She let out a careless yawn.

What she cared more about was whether she would run into the person she wanted to meet on the way to Chongming Building.

If she was lucky, she would run into her just as she finished Japanese class and was walking back to the teaching building. Back then, she would always wear a low ponytail, clutching several books. Being so small, she was always squeezed into the corners in the crowd, so she always walked along the edge. Yet every time, she held her head high, and every step she took was firm, without the slightest hesitation.

So inconspicuous.

Quite different from what she saw that day. That day, she wore a dark blue dress with an exquisite silver leaf badge pinned to her chest. That day, she didn’t wear glasses—she must have worn contacts—her curled eyelashes fluttering. She wouldn’t trip on flat ground, would she?

She must have been wearing light makeup; her eyeliner was amazing, she should go and learn from her someday. The coral-red butterfly hairclip on her head was also really cute.

—“Deities don’t look after kids with eight hundred ‘heart-eyes’.”

—“Thank you for the invitation, Student Yan.”

Truly like a child who hasn’t grown up, learning to speak like an adult.

Yan Qingzhu held the two thermoses, smiling the whole way, her high ponytail swaying in the wind. However, when she reached the water dispenser, there was no sign of that person.

What, class isn’t over yet? Teacher running overtime? Impossible, right?

Yan Qingzhu looked around while her hands naturally unscrewed the lids of the two thermoses, pouring out the previous day’s water into a nearby potted plant.

No way… did she leave already?

She turned on the switch of the water dispenser as usual, then froze.

Great. Just great. No water.

“Why so fast today?” Luo Dai’er saw Yan Qingzhu return to the classroom and took her thermos, feeling quite strange.

“Forgot that the water dispensers in those two buildings are under maintenance today.” Yan Qingzhu sat back in her seat in a daze; one could tell she was in a bad mood. She pulled her school jacket over her head and continued to bury her face on the desk.

Luo Dai’er asked in confusion: “Then what about the old water that was in the bottles?”

Yan Qingzhu: “I poured it out.”

Luo Dai’er: “…”