Chapter 11: Only the Moon Passes By

Chapter 11: Only the Moon Passes By

The rainy season in Lingjiang is concentrated in June and July.

After a rare day of clear skies, the next day turned gloomy. At eight in the morning, the light was as dim as four in the afternoon.

When Bai Li woke up, she thought she had overslept.

She ran to the balcony and realized it was about to rain. The air carried a faint scent of damp earth, making this period especially sultry.

Bai Li breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly brought the clothes she had hung out to dry yesterday back into the room before the rain started.

After just a few movements, tiny beads of sweat formed on her forehead, yet she didn’t think of turning on the air conditioner.

Because she was staying at Fang Ye’s house.

He didn’t want her to bear the rent, so she felt awkward using the air conditioner for long hours.

When she opened the door to the room, she was stunned—cold air flooded in like a winter gale, slapping her face.

It seemed she was the only one unwilling to turn on the air conditioning.

Having dreamt of the past last night, her mood was unusually good today.

Staying home all day was dull, so she decided to go out, look for a summer job nearby.

That way, when she returned, she could leave some money for Fang Ye.

She went downstairs.

Fang Ye sat on the sofa downstairs, breakfast laid out in front of him, waiting for her.

Bai Li casually grabbed a bun, just as Fang Ye said, “I’ll be out during the day these days and only come back at night. You rest at home. If you’re hungry, go out and buy something.”

He then took out five hundred yuan and placed it on the table.

Bai Li was stunned and quickly waved her hand, “No need, I have money.”

Fang Ye ignored her and didn’t take the money back.

Her gaze fell on the five hundred yuan, and suddenly she realized Fang Ye was truly prepared to cover all her expenses this summer.

Outside the building, people kept passing by. She didn’t know whose old air conditioner unit was humming nearby, while cicadas cried loudly.

This summer was indeed scorching.

Bai Li finished the bun in a few bites and drank the milk clean before speaking, “Brother, I want to find a summer job. Is there a convenience store nearby?”

Fang Ye took a sip of the milk after seeing her finish eating and met her expectant look. He nodded slightly, “There is.”

Bai Li smiled, “Where exactly?”

She wasn’t afraid of the high June heat or the hardships of working.

Fang Ye slowly lifted his eyes, his gaze tinged with a chill: “But they don’t hire underage workers. If you’re bored at home, just go out and have some fun, go shopping or something. You’re not really at the age for working yet.”

“…”

Bai Li was about to reply, but Fang Ye, as if pressed for time, took out eight hundred yuan more as “travel expenses,” placed it down, then left without a word.

After he disappeared,

Bai Li picked up the more-than-a-thousand-yuan on the table. Though brand new, she knew it must be hard for her brother at his age to earn money.

Especially the last time Fang Ye took out money.

She noticed only a few red bills left in his wallet.

Yet he didn’t hesitate to give her most of it.

The heatwave clashed with the cold air coming through the open door, making the air seem even thinner.

Bai Li couldn’t help but sniff, her breathing growing heavier.

Though her grown-up brother was especially cold in words, some things never changed with time.

Like his kindness to her.

This kindness had never wavered for any other reason.

It was a feeling completely different from the thousand yuan from Mrs. Hu.

She carefully folded the slightly warm bills one by one and put them back into the living room drawer.

Then she grabbed her umbrella and turned to leave.

She had to try.

Maybe there would be a boss in dire need of help, who wouldn’t make things difficult.

But reality was cruel.

From morning till dusk, parched and thirsty, she asked at every store within a kilometer of her home that had a job posting.

As soon as they heard she was still a student, all refused her.

Only the owner of a dingy internet café, smoking a cigarette, sized her up and was willing to give her a chance.

The wage was twelve yuan an hour—the minimum wage.

Bai Li looked at the grimy walls and the smoke-filled, unpleasant environment of the café, hesitating.

She hadn’t expected a high wage for a summer job.

Nor did she mind the poor conditions.

What troubled her was the boss saying she had to work at least ten night shifts.

Working nights in a place like that was really unsafe. She couldn’t risk earning no money and instead causing trouble for Fang Ye.

The internet café owner didn’t insist but told her to think it over at home.

...

As summer nights grew gentle, once the rain ceased, brilliant clouds appeared on the horizon, blending into the darkness in mere moments.

Bai Li had been running around all day but hadn’t found the job she wanted.

The heat still enveloped her entire body.

She kept pulling out tissues to wipe the sweat off her forehead.

She forced herself not to lose heart.

It was okay—finding a job wasn’t supposed to be easy. She could always try somewhere else tomorrow.

Thinking this, she felt a little happier.

On her way back, she ran into an elderly vendor packing up his stall.

The old man recognized her and smiled from afar, “Hey, Fang Ye’s little sister, out so late coming home now?”

Bai Li didn’t argue; at her age, she wasn’t really meant to be working.

She returned a polite smile, replying, “Yes, Grandpa, are you closing up?”

“Yeah, no business after dark,” the old man said with a laugh as he loaded his bowls onto a tricycle. “My wife’s cooking braised pork at home. You’re just a young girl—better head back soon. The neighborhood’s not safe lately; there have been fights. Have your brother come with you at night.”

Bai Li looked ahead.

The twisting, dark alley had flickering, unstable lights—hardly a place one would call safe.

She thanked the old man and suppressed her unease, turning into another, better-lit alley that seemed safer.

The further she walked, the fewer people she saw.

What chilled her more was that after a few minutes, a group of guys with permed hair and cigarettes appeared ahead. They seemed like the local troublemakers, spitting curses and laughing loudly.

Hearing footsteps, they all turned their heads simultaneously, sizing Bai Li up from head to toe with ill intent.

It was proof.

When danger wants to happen, it doesn’t care if there’s a streetlight overhead.

Bai Li gripped her umbrella tightly. She hadn’t even turned seventeen yet and didn’t have the strength to provoke such a group.

She took a step back.

Turning around, she started to leave.

The heavy rain that had built up all day was about to pour again. Besides the wind in her ears, she heard footsteps following behind.

“Hey, you up there, stop. We want to ask you something.”

Bai Li ignored them.

If she could walk away, why stay? That made no sense.

So she broke into a run.

But they didn’t let her go.

Several boys ran much faster than her, quickly surrounding her in the crowd.

One took a harsh drag of a cheap cigarette, blowing the smoke right into her face.

“Run, damn it!”

Bai Li choked, her body trembling violently as she bent over coughing uncontrollably.

The boys, finding amusement, laughed even more cruelly.

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(The End of This Chapter)