Lu Chenyuan was amused and exasperated by Lin Yan, feeling like his punches were landing on cotton, unable to exert any strength.
He had wanted to find a place with simple folk customs to live in tranquility for a year or two, like an ascetic monk, to atone for the sins on his soul.
But all he encountered were people who gossiped; it was bad enough dealing with the old bachelors, but he was also inexplicably saddled with a crime.
"If you say it is, then it is," he said.
A cigarette butt fell into the tin can, the smoke dissipating.
This was the ashtray that Lin Yan had made, complete with cut-out lace designs.
"I don't care. I'm not some delicate lady from a good family, I believe you can turn over a new leaf, as long as you don't drink, fight, or gamble." Lin Yan was incredibly sincere; she thought Lu Chenyuan was pitiful.
Just like her, a person reduced to a life of hardship, she couldn't bear the thought of him losing even his house in the end.
After silently observing the young girl's expression for a while, Lu Chenyuan's handsome brow and eyes couldn't help but break into a smile. "I don't hit women, nor do I wish to marry one."
Lin Yan was startled: "You like men?"
Lu Chenyuan's punch felt limp again, as if hitting cotton, and he said with no strength to argue: "Go to sleep."
Lin Yan sighed deeply, reluctant to leave the house now devoid of its lively atmosphere, feeling dejected—was she that undesirable that he would rather lose his house than marry her?
Leaning against the corner of the wall, Lin Yan thought of the words Xiang Qingyuan's girlfriend had said today, her helpless little claws scratching at the wall, weighed down by heavy thoughts.
Heartbreak hadn't been as unbearable as she'd imagined, probably because she didn't really understand what it was to like someone.
But her self-esteem had been trampled into the ground, the feeling awful as if someone had knocked her down and then stomped on her face a couple of times.
The next day, Lin Yan got up very late, the weather growing cold, making her more and more reluctant to leave her bed.
The quilt she had bought was too thin; she could only double it up to use.
Lu Chenyuan was sitting in the empty, silent courtyard where not even a sparrow would land.
With bleary eyes, Lin Yan crawled out of bed and stood at the doorway, her attention caught by the Agarwood Beads on Lu Chenyuan's wrist.
She wondered whether they held any special significance to Lu Chenyuan or whether he, having renounced violence to turn over a new leaf, intended to become a good person and embrace Buddhism?
"I'm going to make breakfast," she said.
Lu Chenyuan came back to his senses upon hearing her voice, looking towards Lin Yan, who was always so eager to prepare their meals: "Let me know when it's ready, in the kitchen."
Lin Yan tried hard to blink away the sourness of just waking up; she had been crying too much lately and her eyes were dry.
"Can you cook?" Lin Yan was very curious about Lu Chenyuan's culinary skills.
"I can, but the taste is probably average," Lu Chenyuan replied.
He had gotten up earlier than Lin Yan that day and hadn't woken her, finding it odd that she would sleep in.
She probably exhausted herself from crying, depleted of energy.
"Thank you," Lin Yan said politely, her conversation with Lu Chenyuan the night before having turned unpleasant, causing a noticeable chill between them.
Since she was old enough to understand, no one had made breakfast for her. When she was six or seven years old, she was the one preparing the breakfast for her family.
At that time, she was too short to reach the stove and had to stand on a little stool.
Just having someone make breakfast for her touched her, even though she knew she was such that she was easily moved, the cost of her gratitude cheap.
Plain water boiled noodles with soy sauce added, accompanied by a side dish of pickled radish.
Lin Yan ate the noodles, now shapeless from overcooking, and her heart went out to Lu Chenyuan, his life so harsh.
He must not have eaten anything good; his cooking was terrible. What had his life been like after he got out of prison?
As Lin Yan ate, she glanced at the dwindling supplies of food, having told him that she would leave after they finished eating these vegetables.
Now the house had little more than some potatoes and cabbage left; she couldn't even find a carrot.
She's about to leave, isn't she?
Lin Yan finished the bowl of noodles without a single pickled radish left untouched, certain not to take advantage of Lu Chenyuan since she didn't buy them.
Lu Chenyuan looked at the empty bowl without asking how it tasted, as long as it was edible, that was enough.
"Lin Yan, come out quickly, your Auntie has something to tell you."
Lin Yan, who was washing dishes, wiped her hands with the dishcloth and cast an apologetic glance toward Lu Chenyuan.
Ever since Lin Yan moved in, Lu Chenyuan's isolated life had been disrupted, with people constantly seeking her out.
Lin Yan was well aware of this.
The sky was overcast, with clouds blocking the sun, and a light rain began to fall, hinting at an impending torrential storm.
Auntie Wang made herself at home, walking right in, and Lin Yan couldn't stop her.
Auntie Wang surveyed the empty room—no television, just four bare walls—and curled her lips in disdain.
When she saw the man inside, her murky eyes gleamed.
This was her first time seeing the man who lived here; she had thought he'd be an ugly, bald man. But to her surprise, with his striking eyebrows and starry eyes, it was no wonder Lin Yan so boldly closed her door to the world and settled down with him.
But then she thought, what good is looks if he can't make money? Nothing but a pretty vase.
Auntie Wang, well into her years, had been matchmaking in the village since she was young, bringing together countless couples.
Lin Guoping and Zhou Ping were also matched by Auntie Wang, back when Lin Yan was but a toddler at not even three years old.
"Yan'er, I have great news to share with you," said Auntie Wang.
Lin Yan stared blankly. What 'great news' could Auntie Wang possibly be talking about that concerned her?
Auntie Wang glanced at the inconvenient man: "Let's talk in another room."
Lu Chenyuan eyed the old woman with unclear intentions, then glanced at Lin Yan's bewildered expression.
"If you have something to say, say it here. If it's not appropriate, don't say it at all," said Lu Chenyuan with an icy tone.
Lin Yan nodded eagerly like a garlic crusher.
Auntie Wang had no choice but to proceed with her matchmaking right there, taking Lin Yan's hand with a beaming smile, "It's good news indeed—Jia'ao has taken a liking to you."
"What?" Lin Yan instinctively looked at Lu Chenyuan, then asked Auntie Wang, "Who is Jia'ao?"
Auntie Wang said, "Your Uncle Zhang's son."
Lin Yan didn't catch on, "Which Uncle Zhang?" She didn't know someone named Jia'ao.
Lu Chenyuan's cold lips twitched slightly; this woman kept saying she wanted to marry him, yet upon hearing that someone else fancied her, she inquired so thoroughly.
Seeing no future here, was she that eager to find a new suitor? The young girl was too impatient.
Auntie Wang continued, "Zhang the Blind's son—Jia'ao, quite the handsome lad. You've seen him before. The poor boy's in a wheelchair, but don't judge him by his legs. He's exceptionally talented and smart, does something on the internet... some streaming, and he earns quite a bit of money."
Lin Yan looked incredulously at Auntie Wang, "What does his earning a lot have to do with me? I'm already about to get married; it's inappropriate for you to come here and say this."
Auntie Wang knew it was inappropriate, but only came because the Zhang family promised to replace her sofa if she could make this match happen.
Sofas are expensive nowadays, and this offer was much more than what she'd usually get from matchmaking.
Lured by the prospect of a new sofa, she braved the confrontation even knowing the man from the east of the village was not to be trifled with; she was fearless.
She hadn't lived to her age for nothing.
If he dared to do anything to her, she could always call the police and have him thrown back in jail; that would make things even easier.
Unperturbed, Auntie Wang said, "You haven't registered the marriage yet, have you?"