I'm Rooting for You

After exchanging a few words with the sales assistant in the front hall, Meng Ke went around the display cases, pushed open the frosted glass door to the inner room, and entered her little studio.

She sat down in her chair and touched her face. It was still hot. She felt a little embarrassed herself. They'd just been having a perfectly normal meal, so how had she gotten carried away and said something like, "I'll give you a chance to pursue me"?

Come to think of it, of all her high school classmates, Shen Jingchuan really had left a deep impression on her.

He was tall and spent every day playing ball on the school grounds. He was solidly built, with broad shoulders and a handsome face. She could spot him at a glance in a crowd.

Yet he was steady by nature. He never turned anyone down when they asked for help, always spoke pleasantly, and got good grades because he was willing to work hard.

Best of all, he had none of those scheming ways. In three years of high school, she'd never heard of him pursuing anyone or getting involved in any messy business. He was as clean as could be.

What was even more of a coincidence was that she'd run into him at the university gate on the very first day of school. Only then did she learn they'd gotten into the same university.

After that, she ran into him often. Back then, they bumped into each other so much that she'd wondered how she could run into him wherever she went, with a campus that big and so many people around.

Looking back now, what coincidence was there? So the guy had already been harboring those feelings back then and deliberately finding ways to get close to her.

Meng Ke burst out laughing at the thought. She really hadn't seen it coming. He looked so sunny and open, yet he'd kept his crush bottled up for seven years without daring to say a single honest word.

What day and age is this? Are there really still guys this timid? And yet his timidity was rather cute. The way he'd lowered his head with his ears red was exactly like when a teacher had called on him to answer a question in high school.

As for his family not being well-off, she didn't care about that at all.

She'd heard a little about his family's situation, but how was that a flaw? She wasn't fabulously wealthy herself, but with this shop, she had more than enough to live comfortably.

If the two of them worked hard and kept their feet on the ground, how could they fail to make a good life?

She was more concerned about the debt he'd owed before. The stone had sold for over five hundred thousand today, which she figured should be just about enough to cover it.

Even if he was a little short, she didn't mind helping him out. Being in debt felt awful. It tied your hands in everything you did, and you might even be forced into doing things you didn't want to do. It wasn't worth it.

At that point, Meng Ke froze. Then she slapped her forehead, caught between laughter and exasperation.

What am I thinking? He's only just confessed, and I've already planned everything out for the future.

But she couldn't suppress the soft feeling in her heart.

She wasn't stupid. She'd remembered him all these years, run around negotiating over the stone for him without a second thought, refused to take a single cent in commission, and even offered to lend him money. To put it plainly, she'd already had feelings for him for a long time. She just hadn't thought about it.

She leaned back in her chair and tapped her fingertips on the desk, unable to keep the corners of her mouth from rising.

All right, Shen Jingchuan. I've given you your chance.

I'm rooting for you, so don't let me down.

After leaving the restaurant, Shen Jingchuan walked a little more lightly. He'd finally spoken the words he'd held in for seven years, and the result was better than he'd expected. His heart felt lighter.

But he didn't let it go to his head. The five hundred thousand or so he had on hand was only a fraction of it. He still had that large piece of jadeite rough and many seal blanks he hadn't touched. If he sold them all, he'd have more than enough to live comfortably for the rest of his life.

He didn't intend to sell everything at once. These days, it was best not to flaunt your wealth. Attracting too much attention was never a good thing.

He hailed a taxi and got in, then sent Meng Ke a WeChat message: I had a great time today. I'm going out of town to look for goods in the next couple of days. The signal's poor in the mountains, so I might be slow to reply. Don't worry.

Meng Ke was lost in thought in her studio when her phone buzzed twice.

She picked it up and glanced at the message. The mountains? Poor signal? Her heart skipped a beat. It wasn't that she suspected him of taking a crooked path. She'd known what kind of person he was back in high school. But in those wild mountains, the roads were dangerous and all sorts of people could be found, so she couldn't help worrying about his safety.

Her fingers flew as she typed back: Old classmate, if you don't have enough money, just say so. I can help. Is that place safe or not? Don't go doing anything dangerous.

Shen Jingchuan stared at the screen for a while. Since his father had passed away, few people had thought about him and cared for him like this. His heart softened, and he felt warm inside.

He replied: Don't worry, I already have enough to pay off the debt.

I'm just going into the mountains to look for some stone. I want to do a little jade business. It's a bit remote, but it's not dangerous. Once I find some good material, I'll bring it back for you to help me sell.

Meng Ke wanted to laugh when she read that. He couldn't even recognize all the common stones, and he already dared to go into the mountains looking for goods? He certainly had guts.

But she didn't pour cold water on him. She replied: All right, take care of yourself. Ask me anytime you don't understand something. Don't go charging in blindly and get taken advantage of.

Shen Jingchuan replied, "Okay," and the conversation ended there.

He put away his phone and leaned back in his seat to think about business.

Lighters were novel, all right, but nobody smoked over there. Only rich young men would buy them for a bit of fun. They weren't practical enough to sell in any quantity.

Mirrors were different. People needed them, and they were rare. That settled it—mirrors it was.

He didn't plan to make a big show of it, either.

Whether he was bringing stones from there to sell here or transporting miscellaneous goods from here to there, moving too much at once could easily lead to trouble.

He needed to buy a residence over there first, somewhere to conceal his crossings back and forth. Keeping things hidden in his backpack all the time wasn't a long-term solution.

Things were easier on the modern side. He could simply sell the good things he had on hand bit by bit.

More wealth meant more trouble. Having enough to spend was sufficient; there was no need to exhaust himself chasing more. He'd never been the sort to seek quick success and instant profit. Taking things steadily was better than anything.

Once home, Shen Jingchuan shut the door and pulled up his contacts. When his father had been receiving treatment, his maternal uncle, second uncle, and several other close relatives had pooled their money. It wasn't easy for anyone to earn money these days, and their willingness to lend it without a second word was genuine kindness. He needed to repay them as soon as he could. Having debts hanging over him left him uneasy.

He called his maternal uncle first, and the call went through after two rings.

"Uncle, it's Jingchuan."

"Xiaochuan, have you got everything settled at home? Don't just scrape by on your own. Come over to your uncle's place whenever you have time. We may not have much else, but we can still afford to give you a hot meal."

"Everything's settled. Uncle, I'll transfer the money to you in a little while."

"Huh? Where did you get the money? There's no rush. Your aunt and I are both retired, and our pensions are enough for us. You've only just gotten back on your feet, so keep it for yourself first."

"I really don't need to. I went into business with a classmate and happened to make some money, enough to pay you back. It doesn't cost much for me to eat and live on my own, and I don't smoke or drink. Don't you know me by now?"

His uncle laughed on the other end, genuinely pleased with his nephew. He was a hundred times better than his own good-for-nothing son: good at his studies, upright in character, and without a single bad habit.

"Even so, don't transfer all of it. Keep some cash on hand for yourself."

"I have enough, Uncle. I'll come see you in a few days. Just accept the money first."

Before his uncle could refuse again, he hung up.

After his uncle put down the phone, his aunt came over and asked, "Was that Xiaochuan?"

"Mm. He said he wants to pay back the money."

"That child, he's only just finished taking care of his father's affairs. How could he have much money to spare? I hope he isn't forcing himself."

"He said he made some money doing business with a classmate." His uncle sighed. "That boy is good in every way. He's honest and considerate, but his life's been a little hard."

His aunt sighed too. "Isn't that so? He's handsome and kindhearted, so how could he..."

As they were speaking, the phone dinged, and a transfer notification popped up: exactly two hundred thousand.

"Look, he's transferred all of it."

His aunt took the phone and looked. She was both gratified and distressed. "That child, honestly..."

Shen Jingchuan didn't delay. He called his second uncle and his younger maternal aunt in turn, then transferred each of them the money he owed. They were all close relatives who had handed over money without a second thought back then. He would remember their kindness, but for now he'd settled the debts, and that put his mind at ease.