Chicken Soup: Don't Touch Her

The newcomer stood half a head taller than Liang Xiaoqing. His features were unremarkable, but his clothes set him apart from the villagers—hair slicked with wax, a black padded jacket, denim jeans, and a pair of sneakers. The get-up was stylish, even trendier than Liang Xiaoqing's. He wore a smile and asked her in a gentle tone.

Liang Xiaoqing racked her memory but couldn't place him at all.

"Hello, I'm Jiang Xu's brother, Jiang Lun." He extended a hand politely, and it finally clicked. Of course—Jiang Xu's brother, the one who was only seen around the house once in a blue moon. Liang Xiaoqing could finally match the face to the name. She also remembered he was a college student, still in school.

In those days, not many people could get into college. As a fellow university graduate, Liang Xiaoqing understood how hard it was to get out of a poor rural place. She smiled, hurried to shake his hand, and mentally calculated that if Jiang Lun could stand up for Jiang Xu, then Jiang Daguo probably wouldn't interfere anymore. She'd need to work on persuading the brother.

With that in mind, she prepared to exchange pleasantries.

But Jiang Xu suddenly pulled her back. "What are you doing?!"

Her voice shot up, jolting Liang Xiaoqing. Jiang Xu stood in front of her, guarding her like a wolf protecting its kill. "Don't touch her!"

The reaction was clearly off.

"Xiaoxu," Liang Xiaoqing tugged at her, but Jiang Xu ignored her.

Jiang Lun's smile slowly faded, replaced by a look that was almost mocking. He stared at her from head to toe, and the gaze made Liang Xiaoqing uneasy. "Jiang Xu, why are you giving me the cold shoulder the moment I come back? What, you didn't like the clothes I sent you?"

At his words, Jiang Xu's stomach churned. Just seeing Jiang Lun standing there in front of her made her shake with rage.

The person who had pounded on the door that night was Jiang Lun. Jiang Xu's instincts had never steered her wrong.

"I have some! I don't want yours!" Jiang Xu practically snarled as she pulled the coat onto herself, standing protectively in front of Liang Xiaoqing. Every hair on her body seemed to bristle like a porcupine's quills. Her eyes fixated on Jiang Lun, filled with fear, wariness, and more than anything, anger.

Jiang Lun looked at her lazily, unbothered. Towering over her, he leaned in, and his shadow gradually swallowed her face as it paled.

With a rough turn, he shook her head. "Little sister, it's only been half a year. Why are you being naughty again?"

"Lucky for you I'm not Dad. If you acted like this, you'd get a beating."

Jiang Xu flinched and stumbled back, but she couldn't break free from his grip. Panic and fury warred inside her as she frantically tried to pull away. Luckily, in front of others, Jiang Lun quickly let go. The momentum sent her stumbling backward, and she collided with something soft.

Her tensed arm was caught by a gentle palm that wrapped tightly around her hand, and her whole body leaned into a warm, soft form. Warmth radiated at her back. Liang Xiaoqing's other arm came around her to steady her, then she nudged her aside and pulled her behind her back.

"I'm Jiang Xu's teacher. Liang Xiaoqing."

She introduced herself, her gaze sharp and vigilant as she stared at Jiang Lun.

Jiang Lun said, "I'm Jiang Xu's brother, Jiang Lun."

"Hello."

Jiang Lun extended his hand again as a polite gesture, but Liang Xiaoqing's wariness had been stirred by Jiang Xu's strange behavior. She gave a nod, her brow furrowed, as if lost in thought.

Jiang Lun didn't seem embarrassed. He withdrew his hand and looked the woman up and down.

She wore a gray long padded jacket, quilted pants underneath, and a pair of white sneakers caked with mud. Her features were soft, her skin fair, and she carried an air of delicacy. She seemed about his age. There was no one like Liang Xiaoqing in Shuiqing Town—she looked like a city person, like the female students in his class.

Jiang Lun quietly took her in, a glint in his eyes that made her deeply uncomfortable.

Liang Xiaoqing's brows knit tighter. The person behind her stirred restlessly, but when she squeezed her hand, Jiang Xu went still.

She turned to look at Jiang Xu, who lifted her head, dark, liquid eyes fixed on her.

Like a plea.

Or something else.

"Oh, my sister's teacher." Jiang Lun rubbed his hands together. "Teacher Liang, right?"

Liang Xiaoqing tilted her head in acknowledgment.

"Your shoes—I'll get you a rag to wipe them off." Jiang Lun tried to make conversation. "So, teacher, what brings you to our home?"

Liang Xiaoqing said it wasn't necessary, but when he asked why she was here, she answered, "I came to see Jiang Xu. She left something at my place..."

The memory of Jiang Daguo hitting her last time still haunted her. Thinking about it, she felt impulsive. But at the moment, Jiang Daguo couldn't treat her the way he had that night. It was obvious he doted on his son who was off at university.

Jiang Lun still brought the rag over, smiling. "Teacher Liang, you really should wipe them—they're white shoes."

Hard to slap a smiling face. Liang Xiaoqing stood there awkwardly, not sure whether to take it or not. She'd come at a bad time. "No need. I'll leave after I give Jiang Xu her things." She turned to Jiang Xu and touched her cheek. "I'll come again in a couple of days."

Hearing that Liang Xiaoqing was leaving, Jiang Xu's heart sank. Her eyes locked on Liang Xiaoqing, and she reached out to tug at her sleeve.

Liang Xiaoqing was taken aback.

"Jiang Lun, come eat!" The call came from Wang Cai. She was at the door, wiping her hands on her apron. When she spotted Jiang Lun and Jiang Xu together, she hurried over, eyes widening. "Jiang Xu, what are you doing here!" The overly sharp tone caught Liang Xiaoqing's attention.

Wang Cai was so tense she didn't even notice Liang Xiaoqing at first. She shoved Jiang Xu forward, her body shrinking slightly, as if afraid of Jiang Lun.

Then she glanced sideways and saw Liang Xiaoqing.

Jiang Xu hid behind her.

"Teacher Liang..." Wang Cai froze.

"Worthless woman! So slow to call people to eat!" The curses came from afar, and by the time everyone heard it, Jiang Daguo had already stormed into the main room.

Wang Cai looked at him in panic.

"I swear, you're asking for it! Always thinking about Jiang Xu!"

When he saw Liang Xiaoqing, he was equally taken aback, then seethed, "You call yourself a teacher but you've got some nerve!"

He gritted his teeth, looking ready to slap her. "You dare come back! I told you, I've got no money for Jiang Xu's schooling!"

Wang Cai stepped in front of Liang Xiaoqing. "Jiang Daguo!" She glared at him, her face pale.

A loud bang rang out as Jiang Daguo kicked over a stool. "You're the one who deserves to die! If you hadn't gotten ideas out of nowhere, would Jiang Xu have run off, huh?"

He jabbed a finger at Wang Cai's forehead. "I'm telling you, you chose me, so you have to put up with me! Who in Shuiqing Town would take you with a bastard child? You think you're any good? You killed your own mother with grief. If it weren't for me, you'd have starved on the road and no one would've cared!"

"And don't play tricks with me! I've been generous enough raising Jiang Xu! She'll never get a cent from me for school! If she wants to study, she can get the hell out! She's not staying in this house! She's a damn eyesore!"

In his fury, Jiang Daguo let everything spill out. Liang Xiaoqing was stunned by Jiang Xu's background.

...So Jiang Daguo wasn't Jiang Xu's real father.

Wang Cai's face flushed with shame, but tears leaked from her eyes. "Jiang Daguo, are you even human?! Jiang Xu's done so much for this family over the years! She's just a kid, and you'd throw her out?" She sobbed.

"She can go wherever she wants!"

Jiang Daguo's murky yet sharp eyes swept over, and Liang Xiaoqing stiffened her neck.

Jiang Daguo fixed his gaze on Jiang Xu. "But don't leave, then."

His voice turned cold. "Find a matchmaker and marry her off! Schooling..." He raised his tone. "My son can study enough for the both of you!"

"Dad!" Jiang Lun glanced at Liang Xiaoqing, clearly uncomfortable. "You just got back, why bring this up now!"

Jiang Daguo's face immediately changed. "Ah! Lun'er! Come, let's eat. I knew you were coming back today, so I killed a free-range chicken and bought some cold dishes from town. Who knew you'd come back last night! Hurry, hurry! It's all still warm! The food'll get cold once the wind gets in. I even bought a bottle of liquor—you'll drink with me! Tell me all about school!"

His mood shifted as fast as flipping a book. Liang Xiaoqing glanced at Jiang Xu and saw no expression on her face.

Wang Cai was still crying softly. She tugged at Jiang Daguo's arm. "Daguo, Jiang Xu... she's still young!..."

He flung her hand away, his face impatient again.

Jiang Lun said, "Dad!"

Jiang Daguo didn't hit Wang Cai again. It had become routine—he'd lash out at the slightest thing. Only in the days leading up to Jiang Lun's visit had his temper been slightly better, which was why Jiang Xu could secretly read and do homework without being caught.

The father and son headed out of the house. Jiang Lun paused, looking from Liang Xiaoqing to his father. "Dad, how can you treat a teacher so badly! Don't you know teachers are the most respected people now?" He scolded Jiang Daguo.

"Yes, yes!" Jiang Daguo nodded along, and then apologized to Liang Xiaoqing. "My son's right. You're a teacher, I'm just a farmer. I hope you won't hold it against me."

He'd spent his life bent over the soil, his face to the land and back to the sky. All his hopes rested on his son making something of himself. Now that his son was a college student, whatever he said went.

And so Liang Xiaoqing heard Jiang Daguo speak civilly for the first time.

Jiang Lun looked a bit embarrassed by the earlier scene, but he quickly shot a couple of glances at Liang Xiaoqing and, thick-skinned, said, "Why don't you join us for a meal, Teacher Liang?"

Jiang Daguo finally took a good look at Liang Xiaoqing. He glanced at his son, his face troubled, but in the end, he said nothing.

A naked attempt by anyone to see. Liang Xiaoqing felt uneasy. "No, thank you. I'll be going soon."

At that, Jiang Lun showed a slight disappointment. As he left, he threw a knowing look at Jiang Xu, still hidden behind her.

Jiang Xu seemed yet to recover from the shock.

The tense atmosphere eased with the two men gone. Wang Cai slumped onto another stool, head bowed. Jiang Xu watched her. Sensing something off between them, Liang Xiaoqing patted Jiang Xu's shoulder. "Xiaoxu, why don't you go eat?"

Wang Cai looked up, flustered. "Right, right. Jiang Xu, come eat with me."

Jiang Xu didn't respond, but Wang Cai pulled her toward the kitchen.

Liang Xiaoqing paused, then called out to Jiang Xu, "Xiaoxu, I'm off. I'll come see you another time. Wear more clothes, okay? Don't catch cold!"

"Teacher Liang." Wang Cai called her back.

Her eyes were red from crying, but she forced a smile on her weathered face. "I've made chicken soup. Why don't you stay and have some? It's cold out—soup will warm you up."

Liang Xiaoqing hesitated, worried about Jiang Daguo. If he got angry again, she wouldn't be able to handle it.

She was about to shake her head when her eyes met Jiang Xu's. As soon as their gazes touched, Jiang Xu looked away. Before she knew it, the word "yes" slipped out.

Even though Jiang Xu's brother gave off an unsettling vibe, it was clear Jiang Daguo really cared for his son. She thought it over and tried to reassure herself.

In the kitchen, a rickety table stood by the stove. It wasn't tall, one leg propped on an old wooden stump, its surface barely level.

Two low, small stools sat beside it. The kitchen was warmer than outside; the stove still had embers, keeping a big pot of chicken soup warm.

Jiang Xu dragged a stool over to Liang Xiaoqing and wiped it with her sleeve.

"Qingjie, sit." She angled the stool toward the stove. "It's warmer here."

Before Liang Xiaoqing could say anything, Jiang Xu hurried to shut the wooden door. It creaked as it closed, making the room dimmer while keeping the cold out. The room felt like a natural heater. Liang Xiaoqing held her hands out to the stove, letting the warmth seep back into her stiff limbs.

Looking around, she saw a shabby room that had clearly seen years of use.

Yet every corner bore traces of careful cleaning. It was spotless. Beside the stove stood a dish cabinet made of cement, its top tiled with white bricks.

The dishes were worn from use but shone clean. Liang Xiaoqing stared at the glowing embers in the stove, momentarily lost in thought.

At the stove, Wang Cai seemed a different person. When she lifted the lid off the big pot, she moved with surprising efficiency. A rich, savory aroma filled the air, and the scent of chicken soup drifted to Liang Xiaoqing's nose.