Fever Break - Chapter 11

September has swiftly dwindled to the tail end, and October has arrived in the blink of an eye. Many people are looking forward to this month’s National Day holiday, hoping to enjoy a fun outing during these seven days.

Lu Wuke has been working at the bar for over half a month now, and it hasn’t been as busy as she imagined; usually, she just serves drinks and isn’t too occupied otherwise. During the National Day holiday, the bar will definitely be bustling with people. Her senior’s friend, the boss, said that those who stay here to work during the holiday will be paid double.

That evening, Lu Wuke called her grandmother, and as soon as she mentioned the holiday, the old lady scolded her right back.

“Will earning a few extra bucks make you gain weight? You finally have a longer holiday, and you don’t want to come home?”

Like mother, like son; the old lady’s temper is not much different from her son, who is always idle. She usually dotes on Lu Wuke, but if she gets angry, she can scold her mercilessly.

When Lu Wuke mentioned that she wouldn’t be going home during the holiday, the old lady scolded her thoroughly and hung up the phone. Unlike other grandmothers who ask their granddaughters how they are doing with warmth and kindness, the old lady was not like that at all.

The old lady had a loud voice, and beside her, Ah Shi, who was lying on the bed playing with her phone, heard her too. After the old lady hung up the phone, she tossed her phone aside and scrambled up from the bed to ask Lu Wuke.

Lu Wuke was sitting at her desk, turning around to look at her.

Ah Shi wanted to comfort her and pondered for a long time before saying, “Grandma actually just misses you. Look how long it’s been since you went back.”

After saying that, she realized that Lu Wuke was even calmer than she was, looking at her as if she were a fool: “I know.”

Ah Shi then reacted: “Right.”

Lu Wuke was the one who understood her grandmother the best, after all, they had lived together for over a decade. After her mother passed away, it was her grandmother who raised her. But now the old lady’s health was not what it used to be; she couldn’t do heavy work anymore, so Lu Wuke could help out a little more.

A Shi asked Lu Wuke, “So what are you planning to do? Go home or stay here to work?”

Lu Wuke continued to write her homework as if nothing had happened: “I’ll go home; otherwise, the old lady might come find me at school.”

A Shi laughed, “That’s true.”

After saying that, she looked at Lu Wuke’s hair with concern: “Lu Wuke, I’m starting to regret taking you to dye your hair that day. If I had known, I would have just bought you a wig.”
She felt guilty just thinking about the old lady’s stubborn temper: “If Grandma sees your hair, which is not much different from hers at that age, she might just set it on fire.”

“If she knows I led you astray, it would be even worse for me. I’d never be able to eat a single grain of rice from your family again; Grandma would chase me away with a broom every time she saw me.”

Lu Wuke finished up her assignment and turned to toss it onto her desk. They had a few elective classes together this semester.

“I’ve put the assignment on your desk, hurry up and come down.”

In a little while, the assignment will be collected in class. A Shi heard that she had finished her assignment and rolled out of bed.

The dormitory felt a bit stuffy, so Lu Wuke went outside to the balcony for some fresh air. Below, there was a broken streetlight, its faint flickering light resembling a dying patient barely clinging to life. Lu Wuke kept staring at that streetlight, lost in thought, not knowing what she was thinking about. The night were pitch black, devoid of light.

The bathroom was on the balcony, and with a click, someone opened the door and stepped out.

Yu Xier was drying her hair with one hand while playing with her phone in the other, not paying attention to where she was going. Outside, it was pitch dark, and without noticing, she bumped into Lu Wuke, causing her phone to slip from her grasp and fall to the ground with a thud.

Lu Wuke hadn’t noticed her coming out and only then came to her senses.

“Sorry.”

“Apologies,” Yu Xier said at the same time.

They exchanged a glance, and Lu Wuke reminded her, “Check if your phone is broken.”

Only then did Yu Xier crouch down to pick up her phone. The screen wasn’t cracked, and she said it was fine.

In this dormitory, there were four people with four different personalities. The one who talked the most was A Shi, while Jiang Qing was friendly and could chat with anyone but wasn’t overly enthusiastic. Yu Xier sometimes went days without being seen, and although Lu Wuke wasn’t introverted, she spoke the least among them.

So, the two least familiar people in this dormitory are strictly speaking, Yu Xier and Lu Wuke.

Yu Xier’s phone buzzed with a message notification.

Lu Wuke, being perceptive, left the balcony.

However, Yu Xier didn’t care at all about her privacy; after reading the message, she sent a voice reply without considering whether Lu Wuke was there, and her tone was far from pleasant.

“I said I’m not going, so I’m not going. Are you my dad? Why do you care?”

Lu Wuke seemed to have not heard her at all, not even pausing his steps as he went back inside to pack his things and get ready for class.

=

Shen Yixi is well-liked wherever he goes, especially in his own circle.

Sometimes, friendships among men are built on shared interests, and they can become as close as brothers in no time.

In the car racing scene, people like Shen Yixi are surrounded by those who are wild and fearless, as if their lives were meant for speed.

Racing is expensive, and generally, those who can afford it are either rich or privileged. However, there are some daredevils who fear nothing; while others live to eat and drink without worries, they live for racing, sometimes going hungry to save money.

Shen Yixi had a friend named Wang Jiandong who was like this. He used to be a strict person who followed the rules, but ever since he got into a car accident in his twenties, it was as if he had gone off the rails. He started driving around aimlessly and never returned to a proper job, and his whole family ended up suffering because of it.

This person just returned from Guizhou recently, so broke that he didn’t even have money for a meal. He called Shen Yixi for help.

At that time, Shen Yixi was just lounging around, not doing anything, and after answering the call, he quickly threw on a piece of clothing and went out.

When he arrived, he saw Wang Jiandong looking like he hadn’t bathed in months, his hair long enough to cover his eyes, and his beard was scruffy. When he picked up a bowl, he looked almost like a beggar.

Shen Yixi asked him why he didn’t tidy up a bit, and Wang Jiandong replied that there was no way; he couldn’t even afford a meal, let alone get a haircut or a massage.

Shen Yixi took him out for a meal. He didn’t order dinner for himself, sitting across from Wang Jiandong with his hands draped over the back of the chair, smoking a cigarette.

Wang Jiandong, in his thirties, always found himself bowing his head and being deferential in front of Shen Yixi. He hungrily devoured the lavish meal in front of him, as if he hadn’t eaten in months.

After finishing his last puff of smoke, Shen Yixi leaned over to drag the ashtray closer and extinguished the cigarette inside.

He asked, “Where did you go this time?”

With his mouth full of meat, Wang Jiandong mumbled, “Guizhou, they recently set up a new racetrack there.”

Shen Yixi leaned back in his chair, playing with a lighter in his hand: “How was it?”

Mentioning cars clearly energized Wang Jiandong, sweeping away his underlying insecurities. His voice took on a rugged tone typical of middle-aged men: “Just one word—awesome! It’s all mountains there; it’s thrilling to drive there.”

Shen Yixi listened and smiled.

Wang Jiandong then asked him, “They say there’s talk of someone investing in a race there, it might happen in a month or two. If it really happens, will you go?”

Shen Yixi tossed the lighter onto the table, his tone casual: “Why wouldn’t I go?”

The competitive spirit in men is deeply rooted in their flesh and blood; they go wherever the excitement leads them.

Wang Jiandong gave him a thumbs up: “Everyone says you are the most capable and promising among the younger. You truly live up to that.”

Shen Yixi casually draped one arm over the chair and laughed without much courtesy: “Going to compete has nothing to do with this.”

“Don’t flatter too much; it’s pointless,” he said.

After that, he grabbed the cigarettes and lighter from the table: “You enjoy your meal; I’m going out for some fresh air.”

After finishing, he dropped Wang Jiandong off and, while passing a barbershop, Shen Yixi parked across the street, letting Wang Jiandong get out to get his hair done.

This was a street in the town, and Wang Jiandong’s home was nearby. Just an ordinary small town, with uneven rooftops and residential buildings, motorcycles and bicycles weaving through the streets.

The barbershop across the street had a sign for haircuts, and Wang Jiandong crossed the road.

Shen Yixi didn’t get out; he rolled down the car window, lit a cigarette, and waited.

Wang Jiandong must have run into an acquaintance at the barbershop door; a girl came out from inside, and he seemed to know her, nodding at her.

Shen Yixi was smoking his own cigarette and didn’t pay any attention.

A few kids were playing and ran past the car; he gave them a glance, and in that fleeting moment, he caught sight of the girl standing in front of Wang Jiandong.

The girl didn’t seem very familiar with Wang Jiandong; they might not even have any relationship. If Wang Jiandong hadn’t greeted her first, she probably wouldn’t have nodded back at all.

Recognizing her face, Shen Yixi amusingly smiled.

Wang Jiandong and Lu Wuke just exchanged nods, and then each went their own way.

At first glance, Shen Yixi noticed that she had dyed her hair black, which was not much different from her original color. Beneath the black hair was a small and pure face. She was pushing a black suitcase, presumably heading home.

Shen Yixi remembered that these days were part of the long National Day holiday and recalled seeing her with that grandma gray hair outside the teaching building a few days ago, which made him chuckle softly.

It was clear that she had dyed her hair black and then headed home.

In front of her family, this girl also pretends to be quite the good girl.

He watched her silhouette, his arm extending out to flick the ash out of the window.

Lu Wuke’s suitcase quickly disappeared around the corner, the crowd bustling, and Shen Yixi withdrew his gaze.

Boys are not as troublesome as girls; Wang Jiandong came out from inside after just ten or twenty minutes.

As soon as he opened the car door and got in, Shen Yixi asked him, “Do you know that girl from earlier?”

Wang Jiandong was momentarily taken aback by the question: “Which one?”

The car had a bit of a smoky smell, so Shen Yixi rolled down the window for some fresh air and glanced at him. With a cigarette still in his mouth, he pointed with his chin to the opposite side where a hair salon was located: “The one with the suitcase at the entrance.”

Only then did Wang Jiandong realize who he was talking about and suddenly understood: “Oh, you mean her? She’s the daughter of the old Lu family who lives right in front of my house.”

“Right in front of your house?”

“Yeah, in that building right in front of mine,” Wang Jiandong explained. “This area has some old residential buildings. Back then, it wasn’t as fancy as it is now. There was just a narrow alley between the two buildings, so you could hear everything from the other side. The Lu family also lives on the third floor. Old Lu’s family also lived on the third floor, and we got familiar with each other over time.”

Shen Yixi rested his arm on the car window, not knowing what he was thinking about.

After a while, he asked, “What did you say about going somewhere tomorrow?”

Earlier, on the way back from dinner, Wang Jiandong had mentioned going out for a drive tomorrow and asked if Shen Yixi wanted to join a race.

Shen Yixi didn’t know what it was about and declined.

Wang Jiandong said, “It’s over in the south of the city, there’s an impromptu race tomorrow night.”

Impromptu car races usually have fewer rules; they’re just about the thrill. Shen Yixi raised an eyebrow at this.

Wang Jiandong was eager to try: “Are you going?”

Shen Yixi didn’t answer his question but asked, “Do you have any extra rooms at home?”

“We have plenty of rooms,” Wang Jiandong replied, “but they might not be as comfortable as the ones you usually stay in.”

Shen Yixi started the car and turned the steering wheel, saying, “It doesn’t matter.”

But all of them were men, and no one could hide their thoughts about women. Even though Wang Jiandong was a man in his thirties, he had been young once too.

Wang Jiandong was clear in his mind and asked, “Are you interested in that girl from the Lu family?”

Shen Yixi neither confirmed nor denied it.