Chapter 2 — Don’t know that person, but he looks familiar?
Taw’s Note: From this chapter onward, it’s a flashback.
“Jiaojiao, wake up and start packing. Mom has a flight tonight, so this afternoon I need to take you to Aunt Zhang’s. You have to behave and focus on your studies, okay?”
Sunlight streamed through the window as Nan Xu blinked sleepily, finding Wen Qiu opening her suitcase.
“Mom—”
“What’s wrong?” Wen Qiu’s face was full of confusion, not understanding why her daughter was suddenly so anxious. The action in her hand subconsciously stopped after hearing Nan Xu’s sudden call.
“I can pack the rest myself,” Nan Xu said, pointing to another suitcase. “Mom, you just help me with this one. That suitcase is full of my books; I’ll handle it myself. That way, when I need a book, I can find it faster.”
Though slightly confused, Wen Qiu agreed—it was a small matter—and reminded her, “Lunch on the table is ready, don’t forget to eat.”
Glancing at the time, Nan Xu realized she had slept all the way until noon.
“Okay.”
Once Wen Qiu finished packing, she opened the door to head out and buy a few things for her daughter.
“Jiaojiao, close the door properly. I’m going out for a bit.”
“Got it. Be careful.”
Nan Xu left the table and stood near the wall, peeking toward the door a few times. Not entirely reassured, she waited a little longer before confirming Wen Qiu had actually gone out.
She then reached into her bag and took out the money she had saved up recently, stuffing it all into Wen Qiu’s suitcase.
Wen Qiu generally wouldn’t reopen a packed suitcase. By the time she discovered the money, she would likely already be abroad. Nan Xu felt a small sense of pride—her timing was perfect.
On the way to Xie Hejing’s house, the taxi sped along under Wen Qiu’s urging.
Nan Xu sat in the back with her backpack beside her, feeling her eyes sting and stifling a yawn.
Wen Qiu counted the luggage while giving repeated reminders. Nan Xu stared out the window, her thoughts drifting back to last night.
Late at night, a bar in Zhi’an was packed, music pulsing and lights dim, stirring the hidden restlessness in everyone present. The band on stage pushed the energy to its peak.
Nan Xu held the guitar firmly, a slight curve to her eyes, fully absorbed in her performance.
“Xie Hejing, what are you looking at?”
Xie Hejing held his drink casually, expression calm, completely unaffected by the lively atmosphere. His fingers traced the rim of his glass as his eyes occasionally lifted to the stage. When his friend asked, he only replied lightly: “Mind your own business.”
Even that short answer piqued Xiang Weishi’s interest. Stifling a yawn, he squeezed halfway over to Xie Hejing’s side, following his gaze to the stage.
At that moment, the band played a high-energy track with a lively rhythm, popular among the youth. But neither of their eyes were on the lead singer—they were fixed on the guitarist tucked in a corner.
The guitarist’s outfit was sharp and neat, complete with a hat and mask that completely hid their face. The lighting there was intentionally dimmer than the rest of the stage.
This person was new. Xiang Weishi noted that although they frequented this bar often, it was the first time they had seen this person.
Their guitar playing was confident and striking, prompting Xiang Weishi to exclaim softly, “Wow, that’s so cool. Just that outfit, with only the eyes showing—tsk, I hope it’s not some celebrity ‘descending’ here.”
After watching for a while, Xiang Weishi, relying on his keen eyes, realized it was a girl. When he looked back at Xie Hejing, he noticed something off in his expression.
Normally, when people try to cling to Xie Hejing, he can’t even be bothered to spare them a glance. But today, something was clearly off—he had his eyes fixed on someone the whole time!
“Holy crap, you’re lovestruck!” Xiang Weishi shouted.
“When did you two meet?”
Xiang Weishi raised his brows, gaze darting between that person and Xie Hejing, his expression practically screaming——You two have a story.
Maybe it was because Xiang Weishi’s look was so lewd, or maybe because his voice was too loud, but he successfully drew Wen Qi’s attention. She glanced over while sipping her drink, then snorted, “Xiang Weishi, what’s wrong with your eyes?”
Rolling his own eyes, Xiang Weishi shot back, “Nothing’s wrong with me. He’s the one acting suspicious.”
“What kind of suspicious?” Wen Qi leaned in, setting her drink aside, her eyes now fixed on Xie Hejing.
“Just now, he kept staring at that person on stage,” Xiang Weishi pointed, “with a gaze so tender, so lingering—tsk, tsk, tsk, no doubt about it—”
The two of them were getting carried away, spinning wild stories as if they were ready to script a whole past-life romance. Meanwhile, Xie Hejing sat calmly, finally shifted his gaze, took a sip of wine, and cut them off:
“Don’t know that person.”
Just looked a little familiar, that’s all.
. . . . .
It was Nan Xu’s first time performing at this bar. The first half went smoothly, but in the second half she couldn’t shake the feeling that someone’s eyes were fixed on her. Yet no matter how she glanced down, she could never find where it came from.
Luckily, she finished her set without a hitch. Backstage, she pulled off her hat and mask.
A delicate oval face was revealed, her dewy eyes clear and bright, the kind of look that was naturally obedient and sweet. A few strands of hair brushed against her neck, making her seem pure and fresh.
No one would have guessed that the cool, striking guitarist on stage had such a soft, adorable face under her mask.
After a night of being stifled, she finally exhaled a breath of relief.
Just then, the band’s lead singer, Cheng Jia, came over and handed her a wad of cash. “The bar owner here isn’t bad—pays better than most places. Shame it’s just a one-time gig.”
Nan Xu accepted the money with both hands, lips curving into a smile. Two dimples appeared on her cheeks, her grin lively and sweet. “Thank you, Sister Jia.”
Even though Cheng Jia already knew what she looked like, that smile still caught her off guard.
“Hey, with a face like yours, if you went on stage without the mask, the contrast alone would blow people away. Our band would definitely blow up.”
“Sister Jia…” Nan Xu’s face turned pink; she embarrassed easily when teased. Quickly, she grabbed the mask and put it back on.
Cheng Jia laughed heartily, slung an arm over her shoulder, and pulled her closer. “Alright, alright, I know you don’t want to be recognized. I’ll stop teasing you.” She dug a few more bills out of her bag and shoved them into Nan Xu’s hands. “Here, take it.”
Nan Xu immediately shook her head, trying to refuse, but Cheng Jia’s tone was firm. “What, you looking down on me if you don’t take it?”
Nan Xu shook her head. “No, but I—”
Before she could finish, Cheng Jia stuffed the money into her bag and finally let go. “Don’t make this so complicated. If you respect me, then when I give you something, you take it. That’s all.”
“Besides, with everything that’s happened in your family, I can’t help much. The least I can do is give you this. If you refuse, that just makes things awkward between us.”
Hearing that, Nan Xu stopped trying to take the money out again.
Her family’s sudden misfortune had left her in real need of money.
And when you’re at your lowest, the hardest thing to face is the care and kindness of friends. No matter how well you pretend, the moment they show concern, all your defenses collapse.
“Really… thank you—”
Seeing the shimmer of tears in her eyes, Cheng Jia quickly interrupted, “Alright, don’t start crying. I don’t know how to comfort people. Plus, I’ve still got two more sets tonight—I don’t have time to play therapist.”
Nan Xu sniffled, blinking rapidly. “I’m not crying.”
Her voice wavered even as she said it. But Cheng Jia really was pressed for time, so she could only give her a quick reminder before rushing off.
“Three months from now there’s a music festival. The pay’s decent, and I checked—it falls on a weekend, so it won’t interfere with your classes. But you’ll be pretty busy with rehearsals and training in the meantime. So, what do you say—are you in or not?”
When it came to business, Nan Xu quickly gathered her thoughts. She ran through her schedule in her head: school was starting in a couple of days, but Cheng Jia had always been considerate about working around her time for training and rehearsals. It should be fine. She nodded immediately.
“Good.” Cheng Jia glanced at the clock on her phone. In half an hour, she had to be on stage at another bar. Any later and she’d be late.
She hurriedly packed up her things, and while heading out the door, she called back to Nan Xu: “Alright then, I’ll let Old Xu know. Conveniently, he can’t make it those days anyway—family stuff.”
Old Xu was the band’s original guitarist, but ever since his wife had given birth, he’d been swamped with family responsibilities and had no extra energy for the band.
Nan Xu, meanwhile, happened to need money. She’d first learned guitar at Cheng Jia’s music shop, and after some back and forth, ended up filling in for the band. She turned out to be good, so Cheng Jia had simply decided—whoever was available between her and Old Xu would play.
It was already eleven at night, so Nan Xu didn’t dare linger. She grabbed her bag and headed out.
But as soon as she stepped through the door, she ran right into someone very familiar.
Nan Xu lifted her eyes, and their gazes met for just a second. Her heart skipped wildly. She would never mistake this person.
Xie Hejing—her old neighbor, the “big brother” next door.
He wasn’t alone. A group of friends surrounded him, laughing and talking. Their eye contact lasted no more than an instant—like a fleeting whisper in the noise of the bar—before it was gone.
Still, Nan Xu quickly lowered her head, terrified he’d recognize her. She shrank into herself, trying to minimize her presence, slipping past and keeping as much distance from his group as possible.
But luck wasn’t on her side. Her bag was heavy, and as she edged around someone, her guitar bumped into a fat man.
The man’s bare arm was covered in tattoos. Nan Xu froze and stammered out, “I’m sorry—so sorry.”
The man had been ready to curse her out. The way she was dressed, mysterious and hidden, even her eyes barely visible—it made him itch with irritation. But as soon as he heard her voice, he swallowed the insult. That clear, flustered tone—obviously a young woman, delicate-sounding at that.
A greedy thought stirred in his mind. His scowl twisted into a greasy grin.
“No problem. Come on, have a drink with big brother, and we’ll call it even.”
He reached out and grabbed her wrist.
The stench of alcohol and something foul on him hit Nan Xu’s nose, making her stomach churn. She yanked her hand back instinctively.
But his grip was strong. No matter how hard she struggled, she couldn’t break free. Her resistance only made him laugh harder as he tightened his hold.
Just as he was about to drag her toward a table, a group suddenly pushed through, forming a wall between them.
Nan Xu staggered back a few steps. When she steadied herself and looked up, she saw who was standing in front—Xie Hejing.
Hands shoved in his hoodie pockets, hood pulled low, his eyes were icy as he stared down the man.
The drunk staggered from being shoved aside and barely managed to steady himself. Feeling humiliated, he glared menacingly at the group blocking him.
“Are you looking for trouble? Who the hell are you? Can’t you see I’m busy here?”
At that, Xie Hejing tilted his chin slightly. “Your grandfather.”
“What?” The man blinked, confused.
“What are you talking about? There’s no one here, just an animal. Animals can talk these days, how novel. Quick, get a picture.” With that, Xiang Weishi actually took out his phone and pointed it at the fat man. Although they were far away, they had a clear view of how he had just bullied that girl.
“Looking for death!” Rage clouded the man’s head. He clenched his fists and lunged forward.
Wen Qi’s eyes lit up. “Wow, the beast is angry, if you have the guts, come at your grandma!”
At her taunt, the man turned his fury on her and charged her way. Seeing this, Xie Hejing gave a cold laugh.
“A good dog. Knows exactly where it’s told to go.”
The three of them kept throwing out comments one after another. The fat man’s mind, already dulled by alcohol, couldn’t process anything. Only one thought remained: he wanted to rip their mouths apart. He grabbed a bottle of liquor from the table and turned toward Xie Hejing.
Nan Xu’s heart tightened. She stepped forward, wanting to intervene, but Xiang Weishi quickly pulled her back. “Relax and just stand here. The two of them will be fine.”
“Xiang Weishi, seriously? You’re not even moving a muscle,” Wen Qi said, turning around to glare at him.
Xiang Weishi only chuckled, stretching his hand out in front of Nan Xu. “Hey, I am protecting this girl, aren’t I? You two just be careful not to hurt us while you’re at it.”
“Annoying,” Xie Hejing muttered.
The commotion wasn’t small. The bar owner, hearing the news, rushed over. After understanding the situation, he apologized repeatedly to Nan Xu, and the matter was quickly settled.
Nan Xu glanced at the fat man lying on the ground, unable to get up. She turned, ready to thank the others, but the moment her eyes fell on Xie Hejing, she stopped herself. She didn’t want him recognizing her.
A thought struck her, and she raised her hand, tracing shapes in the air.
“What’s she doing?” Xiang Weishi asked in confusion.
With his arms crossed, Xie Hejing lowered his gaze and watched her clumsy hand movements. His brows lifted slightly.
“Sign language,” he explained. “She’s saying, ‘Thank you. Sorry for troubling you today.’”
Xiang Weishi blinked in surprise. “You know sign language?”
Nan Xu froze mid-gesture. She had learned sign language on her own, but as a child she’d sometimes show off a few signs in front of Xie Hejing. The memory made her heart skip—if she stayed any longer, he really might recognize her. She quickly bowed to them and hurried out of the bar.
Watching her flustered figure retreat, Xiang Weishi gave a thoughtful nod. “Guess you really don’t know each other. She looked scared of you—ran off so fast.”
Something glinted at his feet under the dim light. He looked down. “Huh? What’s this? A chain… Could it be that girl dropped it just now?”
Xie Hejing didn’t bother replying, but as he turned his head, he caught sight of a broken bracelet lying on the floor.