Calling Zhou Min Out

Chen Yuan was woken by the noise in the kitchen.

The clang of a spatula against an iron wok, the rush of water from the tap, and the clink of dishes knocking together.

He opened his eyes and saw the kitchen light on, Zhang Xiu'e's shadow bustling about behind the frosted glass door.

Chen Yuan sat up, rubbed his eyes, folded the blanket and set it at one end of the sofa, then went over and knocked on the kitchen door.

"Sister Ezi, you're up this early?"

Zhang Xiu'e poked her head out, a spatula in her hand and a dusting of flour on her apron.

"You're awake? Good. Eat, then pack your things. We're moving today. There's plenty to do."

Breakfast was simple: plain rice porridge, fried eggs, and a small plate of pickled vegetables. They ate quickly, finishing in a little over ten minutes. They pushed their dishes aside and started packing.

Zhang Xiu'e had a lot of belongings. After all, she'd lived here for over two years and accumulated a whole pile: clothes, shoes, handbags, makeup, and all sorts of odds and ends.

She dug two large woven sacks, a suitcase, and a canvas travel bag out of the cupboard, lined them up on the living room floor, and began stuffing things inside.

Chen Yuan had pitifully little: just a few changes of clothes. He put them in his bag, and that was that.

The living room was a mess, with clothes draped over the sofa, shoeboxes piled on the coffee table, and bags covering the floor.

Zhang Xiu'e crouched on the floor, trying to cram a quilt into a woven sack, sweating all over. Chen Yuan crouched beside her to help, compressing the quilt and shoving it in.

"Sister Ezi, you've got way too much stuff."

"It's been over two years. How could I not?"

Zhang Xiu'e paused for breath and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"Some of it I bought and never even used, but I can't bear to throw it away."

While they were busy, Zhou Min's bedroom door opened.

She wore a strappy nightdress, her hair a mess and her face still sleepy, her eyes narrowed. Clearly, the noise had just woken her.

Zhou Min stood in the doorway, staring at the mess strewn across the living room. She froze for a moment, her sleepiness vanishing.

"What... are you doing?" Her voice sounded strained.

Zhang Xiu'e didn't even look up. "Moving."

Zhou Min's expression changed.

She stood in the doorway, her gaze moving from the bags on the floor to the pile of clothes on the sofa, then from the clothes to Chen Yuan.

Zhou Min stared at him for a long while, her eyes full of resentment.

She thought Chen Yuan had told Zhang Xiu'e about yesterday, and that was why Zhang Xiu'e was moving out.

Zhou Min walked over and grabbed Zhang Xiu'e's hand as she was folding clothes.

"Xiu'e, listen to me!"

Startled by the tug, Zhang Xiu'e said, "What? I'm busy."

"What happened yesterday wasn't what you think."

Zhou Min spoke quickly and urgently.

"I had no choice. It was all my new boyfriend's idea. He insisted I do it."

Zhang Xiu'e frowned, not understanding a word of what she was talking about.

Zhou Min thought she was pretending. Growing more frantic, she rattled on:

"He said having Chen Yuan here made it awkward for us to be intimate. Every time he came over, he felt like someone was watching, and he couldn't relax. So he told me to kick Chen Yuan out. I refused at first. I said he was someone from my roommate's hometown, so what right did I have to make him leave? Then he got upset and said I didn't love him, that I didn't care about him. He kept arguing and making a scene. I had no choice but to agree."

She swallowed, her voice dropping a little.

"He only got a few people to scare Chen Yuan so he'd leave on his own. He never meant for them to actually fight. Who knew Chen Yuan could fight that well..."

The confusion on Zhang Xiu'e's face turned to disbelief, then anger.

"What did you say?!"

Her tone startled Zhou Min, but she forced herself to keep talking.

"Xiu'e, I really didn't mean it. You know me. I'm easily swayed. I just go along with what other people say. He pressured me by saying I didn't love him. What was I supposed to do? I'm a victim too—"

"You're a victim?!"

Zhang Xiu'e cut her off, her voice rising sharply.

"You sent people to drive Chen Yuan out, and you're calling yourself a victim?"

Zhou Min instinctively took a step back.

"Xiu'e, I know I was wrong. Please don't move out. We've lived together for over two years. You're like a real sister to me. What am I supposed to do here alone if you leave? I can't afford the rent by myself..."

She reached for Zhang Xiu'e's arm.

Zhang Xiu'e shook her off and stepped back, glaring at Zhou Min, her chest heaving.

"Zhou Min, tell me the truth. What exactly happened yesterday?"

Zhou Min froze, her mouth open, suddenly at a loss for words.

She looked at Zhang Xiu'e, then at Chen Yuan, and suddenly understood.

Chen Yuan hadn't said a thing!

Zhang Xiu'e knew nothing about yesterday. Her decision to move had nothing to do with it. Zhou Min had given herself away.

Zhou Min stood rooted to the spot, wringing her hands, not knowing what to say.

"Xiu'e, I..."

"Zhou Min, we've known each other for a long time. I know perfectly well what you're like. Did I ever interfere when you brought men home? Did I ever complain when you left the living room a mess? Did I ever chase you for the money you borrowed and never paid back?"

Zhou Min lowered her head, not daring to look at Zhang Xiu'e.

"But sending people to bully Chen Yuan? That's something I won't stand for!"

"He's only eighteen, and he just got to Deep City. I'm the one who brought him here. If something happened to him at my place, how would I answer to his grandfather?"

Zhou Min raised her head.

"Xiu'e, I really know I was wrong. I just wasn't thinking straight. That man fooled me. For the sake of the two years we've lived together, please don't move out, okay? I really can't afford the rent alone..."

"What does that have to do with me?!"

Zhang Xiu'e cut her off.

"Why didn't you think about the consequences when you got those people involved? Why didn't you think about me when you sent those thugs to drive him out?"

Zhou Min opened her mouth but couldn't get a word out.

Zhang Xiu'e turned away and crouched down. She picked up a shirt that had fallen on the floor, brushed off the dust, folded it, and stuffed it into a bag.

Her movements were quick and forceful.

"Chen Yuan, bring that suitcase over."

Chen Yuan answered and pushed the suitcase over to her.

Zhou Min stood beside them, watching them work. After a while, she slowly turned around, went back to her room, and shut the door.

Only the rustle of plastic bags and Zhang Xiu'e's heavy breathing remained in the living room.

Chen Yuan crouched down and helped Sister Ezi tie up the other bag, then looked up at her.

Zhang Xiu'e looked grim, her lips pressed together and her brows drawn tight. Her movements were hurried and heavy, as though she were fighting something.

"Sister Ezi," he called.

"Mm."

"Don't be angry."

Zhang Xiu'e paused and looked up at him, her eyes a little red. "I'm not angry. I just—"

She didn't finish. She lowered her head and went back to packing.

Chen Yuan said nothing more. He took the bag from her hands, tied it shut, and stacked it in the corner.

Zhang Xiu'e stood up, brushed the dust off her trousers, and glanced at Zhou Min's closed door. She took a deep breath and lowered her voice.

"We're pretty much packed. Let's book a car."

Chen Yuan nodded, took out his phone, and started booking a ride.