She Is Like a Breath of Spring - Chapter 3

The atmosphere inside the car was frozen and stagnant. Xiao Chen, the driver, stole a glance at the two young ladies through the rearview mirror. Feeling the icy tension, he could not help but shrink his neck. During a red light, he turned on the car stereo and played a soothing piano piece.

Jiang Yin rested her head against the window, staring blankly at the street scenery flashing by. Technically, Jiang Zhen was her peer, she was only one month older, but at this moment, they clearly shared no common topics.

Fortunately, the melodious music eased some of the awkwardness. Jiang Yin closed her eyes to rest, hoping to reach the school quickly. Before leaving, they had agreed to drop Jiang Yin off at Jinghe University first before taking Jiang Zhen to her filming location.

The thought of returning to school soon improved Jiang Yin’s mood. Her stiff body relaxed, losing the rigidity she felt when she first entered the vehicle.

Taking advantage of a moment to adjust her posture, Jiang Zhen stole a look at Jiang Yin sitting to her left.

The two sat in the back row, each huddled into their respective corners. The space between them was large enough to fit two more people. Through the corner of her eye, Jiang Zhen carefully observed the slender girl, her gaze landing on the worn-out backpack Jiang Yin held in her lap.

She wondered if she should give her a new backpack to show some friendliness.

Jiang Zhen withdrew her gaze and pursed her lips. She suddenly worried that such a gesture might be hurtful. During their brief interactions, she sensed that Jiang Yin was a person with strong self-esteem. She feared a sudden gift might be misunderstood.

Caught in her dilemma, Jiang Zhen unconsciously bit at the dry skin on her lip and sighed silently.

While both were lost in their own thoughts staring out the windows, Xiao Chen suddenly let out a confused sound.

Jiang Yin, sitting behind the driver, could not see what was happening. She only watched as Xiao Chen, looking panicked, pulled the car over to the roadside. He turned around with an apologetic face. “Second Miss, Third Miss, the car seems to have broken down. I need to go out and check.”

Both girls were stunned. Before they could say a word, Xiao Chen had already opened the door and stepped out.

Jiang Yin did not know how to drive and understood nothing about mechanics. Although Jiang Zhen had her license, she rarely drove and was equally unable to help. The two were left sitting in the car, staring at each other in confusion.

Seeing Xiao Chen tinkering with the hood for a long time without success, Jiang Yin silently pulled out her phone and opened a ride-hailing app. She wanted to see how much a taxi to the nearest subway or bus station would cost.

While she was browsing, Xiao Chen opened the car door with a dejected expression. “I am afraid I need to call a tow truck. Second Miss, Third Miss, you should call home and have them send another car to pick you up.”

Jiang Zhen nodded and took out her phone, but before she could dial, her own phone rang.

As soon as she answered, the voice of her manager, Sister Song, boomed through the speaker, reaching all three of them. “Zhenzhen? Where are you? Why aren’t you here yet? President Wu is already pressing us!”

Jiang Zhen silently moved the phone away and whispered, “Sister, my car broke down. It will probably take another hour to get there.”

“An hour!?” Sister Song sounded extremely displeased. “Xiao Liu and the others are passing by your area. Send me your location, and I will have them pick you up on the way.”

“Sister, there is someone else in the car with me. It might not be convenient.”

The call was cut off before Jiang Zhen could finish. She then called her assistant, Liu Yin. After learning they would arrive in half an hour, Jiang Zhen spoke to Jiang Yin apologetically. “Xiao Yin, how about my assistant drives you back to school first? They will get here faster than a car sent from home.”

Jiang Yin waved her hand. “Thank you, Sister, but that is not necessary. I will just take a taxi back. Your work is more important.”

With that, Jiang Yin opened the car door to get out.

The car had broken down near a bustling shopping mall with plenty of traffic. Looking at her phone, Jiang Yin felt it would be more convenient to just call a ride.

Jiang Zhen did not force her to stay. After putting on her mask and hat to fully disguise herself, she also stepped out to wait by the roadside.

The tow truck arrived quickly and took the car away. Xiao Chen left with the tow truck, apologizing to the two girls once more before he departed.

After waiting for about fifteen minutes, Jiang Yin looked at the driver’s location on her phone, which had barely moved, and sighed. The app had said the driver would arrive in five minutes, but a sudden traffic jam meant the car had not moved for ten minutes.

It was ten in the morning, but the summer in Jinghe was exceptionally hot. Even before noon, the sunlight was scorching. Beside her, the fully equipped Jiang Zhen was already sweating, fanning herself constantly and checking her phone for her assistant’s update.

Seeing the damp hair sticking to Jiang Zhen’s face, Jiang Yin moved her backpack to her chest and pulled something out.

“You should use this.”

Startled by the sudden voice, Jiang Zhen looked at what was being offered: a small handheld fan.

“Thank you.” Clear eyes visible between the hat and mask showed obvious gratitude. As Jiang Zhen reached for it, she hesitated. “Aren’t you hot?”

Jiang Yin shook her head and smiled. “I am not wearing such heavy gear.”

Jiang Zhen froze for a moment at the casual joke. In that silence, the icy barrier between them seemed to crack and melt. Her heart shuddered briefly, and her eyes curved into a bright, warm smile behind her mask.

After handing the fan to Jiang Zhen, Jiang Yin tried to zip her backpack shut. However, perhaps due to its age or being washed too many times, the zipper was incredibly stubborn. No matter how she pulled, it would not budge.

Not wanting Jiang Zhen to see her embarrassment, Jiang Yin turned her body away, trying to hide her struggle.

But with only the two of them on the street, it was hard for Jiang Zhen not to notice. Being sensitive, she saw Jiang Yin turn away on purpose and did not step forward to ask, though she could not stop herself from stealing glances.

One minute passed, and the zipper did not move.

Two minutes passed, and the zipper still did not move. Jiang Zhen checked a message from her assistant saying they were stuck in traffic and would take another twenty minutes.

Jiang Zhen gripped her phone and looked at the newly opened mall behind them. Making a decision, she took a deep breath, stepped forward, and lightly tapped Jiang Yin’s shoulder.

“Um, Yin.”

At that exact moment, the zipper finally moved. However, it did not return to normal. Instead, under Jiang Yin’s surprisingly strong grip, it snapped off completely.

A stunned Jiang Yin held the broken zipper and turned to look at Jiang Zhen.

The two girls stood by the road, one dazed and the other slightly surprised. It was a comical sight.

“Actually, I wanted to say,” Jiang Zhen gave a dry chuckle, “there is a mall right there. Why don’t we go inside and sit for a while? And then, maybe buy a new bag? What do you think?”

A sudden wave of embarrassment made Jiang Yin’s face flush red. She hurriedly looked away and nodded. “Right, that works. Let us go buy a new backpack.”

Jiang Zhen sighed in relief and asked softly, “Is your bag heavy? Do you want to put some things in mine?” She moved to take off her own backpack.

Jiang Yin took a quick glance, saw the expensive brand logo, and shook her head decisively. “Thank you, Sister, but the bag is not heavy.”

Now that their relationship had softened, the title felt a bit strange. Jiang Zhen had always been the youngest in the family, this was her first time experiencing being an older sister. It felt a bit ticklish.

As they walked into the mall side by side, she whispered, “You do not have to call me ‘Sister.’ I am actually not that much older than you.”

Jiang Yin paused for a second before easily changing the address. “Alright, Zhenzhen.”

“By the way, you called a ride. Why hasn’t the driver arrived yet?” Jiang Zhen changed the subject, looking at Jiang Yin. Both were nineteen, but the girl beside her was half a head taller. Jiang Zhen had to look up slightly to meet her eyes.

Actually, Jiang Zhen was not short at 172cm. By that measure, Jiang Yin had to be at least 175cm.

“The driver is stuck in traffic. He is estimated to be thirty minutes away.”

“That works out then,” Jiang Zhen smiled. “My assistant will also be a bit late, but faster than your driver. Why don’t you cancel the order, and I will have my assistant drive you to school?”

Jiang Yin opened her mouth to prepare a refusal, but in the next second, Jiang Zhen affectionately hooked an arm through hers. The eyes visible above the mask were filled with a gentle smile. “Let us go back together, Yin.”

Falling suddenly into those intoxicating eyes that looked like deep lakes, Jiang Yin forgot to respond. She blinked blankly and nodded before she knew it.

By the time she snapped out of it, her nimble fingers had already helped her cancel the ride-hailing order.

Jiang Yin felt a bit annoyed with herself, thinking that it was no wonder Jiang Zhen was a star, her eyes were so soulful they could look at a telephone pole with deep affection.

The area around this mall consisted of villas and estates, so it did not follow a budget friendly path. The cheapest item inside was a hand ground coffee at the entrance for ninety eight dollars a cup.

Jiang Zhen led Jiang Yin into a sportswear store and introduced it enthusiastically. “Although this store focuses on athletic wear and shoes, the quality of their backpacks is excellent. I used their products when I was in high school.”

Guided by a clerk, they walked to the bag section. Looking at the cabinets filled with various backpacks, Jiang Yin waited until Jiang Zhen and the clerk were not looking and carefully checked a price tag.

She counted silently in her head. Even the basic model in her hand cost five figures, let alone the limited editions or collaborations.

Jiang Zhen did not notice her action. Instead, she excitedly grabbed Jiang Yin’s hand and pointed to a specific bag. “I used this model in high school. I did not expect it to still be in stock.”

The warmth from Jiang Zhen’s palm was not sticky, and her slender, soft fingers gripped Jiang Yin’s hand gently. This excessive intimacy made Jiang Yin daze for a moment. She was not opposed to closeness with the same sex, but that usually required being well acquainted. Having only met Jiang Zhen yesterday, holding hands today felt a bit fast.

But Jiang Zhen was oblivious. Sensing the person behind her was moving a bit slowly, she even gave a slight tug, pulling Jiang Yin closer to her side.

A stiff Jiang Yin followed her and stopped in front of the backpack. It was a simple, elegant pure white with only a single logo in the center and no other decorations. It suited Jiang Yin’s aesthetic perfectly.

She subtly released Jiang Zhen’s hand and turned to the clerk. “I will take this one.”

The clerk smiled, took down the bag, and said to Jiang Yin, “Please follow me to make the payment.”

Just as Jiang Yin was about to follow, Jiang Zhen suddenly tugged at her sleeve and said sheepishly, “Yin, I want to give this backpack to you as a gift.”

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