JFWCM Chapter 5
by VolareIt’s 3:17 AM. Yi Shang checked her phone for the countless time. Jiang Wan’yuan’s alarm clock sat on the bedside table – a screaming chicken wearing a Santa hat, looking particularly silly and cute in the moonlight. She gently turned over, accidentally pressing on something hard. From under the pillow, she pulled out a diary covered in doodles.
“Don’t look!” Jiang Wan’yuan, who was supposed to be sound asleep, suddenly pounced, straddling Yi Shang. Both of them froze, so close they could count each other’s eyelashes trembling.
“You were faking sleep,” Yi Shang stated, her voice a little tight.
Jiang Wan’yuan’s knee was still against Yi Shang’s side, the collar of her pajamas askew, revealing half of her shoulder: “Who told you to snoop into my secrets!” She reached for the diary, but the movement was too big and she fell directly into Yi Shang’s arms. The peach-scented shampoo instantly enveloped them.
Yi Shang’s hand hung in the air, eventually landing gently on Jiang Wan’yuan’s messy hair: “…You were snoring.”
“Bullshit!” Jiang Wan’yuan instantly bristled, then, as if discovering a new continent, she leaned closer, “The top student Yi actually knows how to swear?” Her nose almost touched Yi Shang’s cheek, seeing her own triumphant smile in the other’s suddenly enlarged pupils.
Suddenly, the sound of wild cats fighting came from outside the window. Jiang Wan’yuan took the opportunity to snatch back the diary, but because she was too hasty, the photos tucked inside scattered like snowflakes on the floor. Yi Shang bent down to pick them up, her fingertips freezing when she touched a particular photo.
In the photo, Jiang Wan’yuan was wearing her middle school uniform, a bandage on her left cheek, making a V-sign at the camera. In the blurred background, the school badge was unmistakably that of Mingde Middle School, where Yi Shang used to study.
“So we were in the same school before you transferred?” Jiang Wan’yuan sat up cross-legged, the moonlight casting a small shadow under her eyelashes, “Wait, could it be…” Her voice suddenly softened, “…those anonymous letters back then…”
Yi Shang’s fingernails unconsciously dug into her palm. Of course, she remembered that year in the third grade, when she stuffed Jiang Wan’yuan’s desk with lunch boxes and Band-Aids every day. She also remembered that afternoon, when she finally mustered the courage to talk to her, she saw Jiang Wan’yuan cornered by three girls in the equipment room – the first time in her life she had been in a fight.
“That scar on your forehead,” Jiang Wan’yuan suddenly reached out, her fingertips hovering above Yi Shang’s bangs, “Was it Zhou Ya and them…”
Yi Shang abruptly grabbed her wrist. Both of them paused at the same time, an abnormal heat coming from where their skin touched.
“Does it hurt?” Jiang Wan’yuan asked softly.
This nonsensical question stunned Yi Shang. She had imagined countless reunion scenarios, but never expected it to be on such a night, being asked the most fatal question by this carefree girl.
“It stopped hurting a long time ago,” Yi Shang released her hand, turning instead to point to the corner of the photo, “Is this your sister?”
Jiang Wan’yuan’s expression instantly dimmed: “Yeah, Jiang Wan’ning, always number one.” She tugged at the rabbit ears on her pajamas, “My mom’s phone screensaver is still her graduation photo…”
Yi Shang suddenly got out of bed and pulled a frosted box from the interlayer of her bag. “Give me your hand,” she ordered. Jiang Wan’yuan opened her palm in confusion, and a liquor-filled chocolate fell into it, the wrapper printed with the words “Physics Competition Special Prize.”
“The only thing that can shut my dad up,” Yi Shang’s tone was as flat as discussing the weather, “Now it’s yours.”
Jiang Wan’yuan stared at the chocolate for three seconds, then suddenly pounced and gave Yi Shang a bear hug. Yi Shang was knocked back two steps, her back against the wall covered with idol posters.
“Yi Shang, Yi Shang!” Jiang Wan’yuan buried her face in her shoulder and rubbed against her, “How can you be so good!” Her voice was muffled in the fabric, with an unnatural tremor.
Yi Shang’s hands hesitated in the air for a long time, eventually gently encircling Jiang Wan’yuan’s waist. This action seemed to flip a switch, and the person in her arms suddenly quieted down.
“Actually…” Jiang Wan’yuan raised her head, her eyes flashing with something Yi Shang had never seen before, “The reason I deliberately scored 26 points was because…” Her sentence was interrupted by the sudden ringing of her phone.
Yi Shang glanced at the “Father” label on the screen, and reflexively let go. Jiang Wan’yuan frantically hung up the phone, but it was still too late – the sound of a key turning in the lock had already come from the entrance.
“Wan’yuan? Why is there light in your room?” Father Jiang’s footsteps grew closer and closer.
Jiang Wan’yuan turned off the night light with lightning speed, dragging Yi Shang into the quilt. The two of them curled up on the single bed, their heartbeats deafening.
The second before the doorknob turned, Jiang Wan’yuan suddenly leaned close to Yi Shang’s ear: “Accompany me somewhere tomorrow.” Her breath was frighteningly hot, “Bring that chocolate.”
At 3:21 AM, Father Jiang’s footsteps stopped outside the door. Jiang Wan’yuan’s hand tightly gripped Yi Shang’s wrist in the darkness, and she could feel the other’s pulse beating just as violently as her own.
“Wan’yuan?” Father Jiang’s voice came through the door panel, with a hoarseness from staying up late.
“Dad, I’m asleep,” Jiang Wan’yuan’s voice was surprisingly steady, only Yi Shang could feel her fingertips trembling.
There was a few seconds of silence outside the door. “Don’t set the air conditioner temperature too low.” The footsteps gradually faded away, followed by the sound of the master bedroom door closing.
Jiang Wan’yuan breathed a long sigh of relief, but did not immediately let go of Yi Shang. Moonlight slipped in through the cracks in the curtains, casting mottled shadows on her face. Yi Shang noticed a very small beauty mark at the corner of her right eye, like a solidified star in the dim light.
“Tomorrow,” Jiang Wan’yuan lowered her voice, “accompany me to see my sister.”
Yi Shang was stunned. The girl with a bright smile in the photo appeared before her eyes. “She…is not at home?”
“At Nanshan Cemetery,” Jiang Wan’yuan released her hand, turned over and lay flat, staring at the ceiling, “A car accident three years ago.”
Yi Shang’s breathing stopped for a moment. She remembered the physics competition certificate folded and unfolded in her bag – the only thing that allowed her to get a good look from her father. And now, that chocolate was lying quietly next to Jiang Wan’yuan’s pillow.
“Why tomorrow?” Yi Shang asked softly.
Jiang Wan’yuan turned her face to the side, the moonlight casting a small shadow under her eyelashes. “Her birthday.” She paused, “Also the anniversary of her death.”
The rustling of leaves rubbing against each other came from outside the window. Yi Shang suddenly realized that this was the first time she had seen Jiang Wan’yuan without a smile. The girl who was always as noisy as a sparrow was now as quiet as a piece of snow about to melt.
“That chocolate…” Jiang Wan’yuan’s fingers unconsciously tugged at the corner of the quilt, “It’s her favorite brand.”
Yi Shang remembered the prize box handed to her by the principal on the podium, twelve liquor-filled chocolates neatly arranged on a velvet lining. She had originally planned to bring it home intact, handing it over to her father like all the other prizes she had received.
“My dad has surgery tomorrow morning,” Jiang Wan’yuan’s voice pulled Yi Shang back to reality, “We’re leaving at seven.”
Yi Shang nodded, then realized that the other person probably couldn’t see her in the dark. “Okay,” she replied briefly, but in her mind she was calculating the time her father would be back from his business trip. If she was lucky, she would have six hours to herself.
Jiang Wan’yuan suddenly turned to face her, close enough to feel the warmth of her breath. “Yi Shang,” her voice was as light as a feather, “In the third grade, was it really you who gave me Band-Aids every day?”
Yi Shang’s fingertips unconsciously dug into her palm. She remembered how dazzling the sunlight was that afternoon, the harsh sound of the iron door of the sports equipment room, and the bleeding graze on Jiang Wan’yuan’s face.
“Yeah,” she finally uttered a single syllable.
Jiang Wan’yuan’s fingertips gently touched the inside of her wrist, where there was a nearly faded scar. “Zhou Ya and them cut you with a utility knife?”
Yi Shang jerked back her hand. The humid air of that rainy day suddenly rushed into her nostrils – the smell of disinfectant mixed with rust, the astonished expression of the school nurse, and the cold “shameful” that her father said after receiving the call.
“Go to sleep,” she abruptly ended the topic, turning her back.
There was a rustling sound behind her, then Jiang Wan’yuan’s sigh. “Tomorrow…you’ll come, right?”
Yi Shang closed her eyes. She remembered the crumpled and smoothed train ticket in her bag – she was supposed to have taken the train to Guangzhou after school last Friday. The last text message from her mother was still lying in her phone: “Don’t let your dad know this time.”
“I will,” she heard herself say.
At 6:30 AM, Yi Shang was awakened by a rustling sound. Jiang Wan’yuan was already dressed and packing things into her backpack. Sunlight shone through the cracks in the curtains, gilding her fluffy short hair.
“My dad just left,” Jiang Wan’yuan noticed that she was awake and handed her a set of folded clothes, “Wear mine, the school uniform is too conspicuous.”
Yi Shang took the clothes, and the touch was a soft cotton fabric. After unfolding it, she found that it was a simple white T-shirt and light blue jeans, with small embroidered cherries on the cuffs. She suddenly realized that this was the first time she had worn someone else’s clothes.
“Hurry up,” Jiang Wan’yuan was already carrying her backpack, “I bought long-distance bus tickets for 7:20.”
Yi Shang quickly changed her clothes, the T-shirt had a faint peach scent. She hesitated for a moment, but still transferred everything from the school uniform pockets to the jeans pockets – her student ID, the house key, and that train ticket.
“Here,” Jiang Wan’yuan handed over a mask at the entrance, “Just in case.”
In the elevator at 6:50 AM, Yi Shang saw the reflections of the two of them standing side by side through the metal wall. Jiang Wan’yuan was half a head shorter than her, and was anxiously biting her lower lip, completely different from last night.
“How long will the bus ride be?” Yi Shang broke the silence.
“An hour and a half,” Jiang Wan’yuan stared at the elevator numbers jumping, “Then a twenty-minute walk on the mountain road.”
A shared bicycle was parked at the entrance of the residential area. Jiang Wan’yuan skillfully scanned the code to unlock it, patting the back seat: “Get on, I’ll give you a ride.”
Yi Shang hesitated, looking at the slender frame of the bike. “I’ll ride.”
“Don’t underestimate people,” Jiang Wan’yuan had already straddled the bike, “I was in the cycling club in middle school.”
When the morning breeze brushed her cheeks, Yi Shang had to grab Jiang Wan’yuan’s clothes. From this angle, she could see the fine hair on the back of her neck, and the lines of her spine that appeared and disappeared with the pedaling motion. At a red light, Jiang Wan’yuan suddenly turned her head: “Have you ever eaten Li Ji’s glutinous rice chicken?”
Yi Shang shook her head.
“I’ll take you back to eat it,” Jiang Wan’yuan smiled, “My sister used to…” Her voice stopped abruptly, turning her head back and stepping hard on the pedals.
The long-distance bus station was noisy. Jiang Wan’yuan took out two tickets from the automatic ticket machine, handing one to Yi Shang. “Last row, by the window.”
Yi Shang looked at the ticket information: 7:20, heading to Nanshan County. The fare was 23 yuan. She suddenly remembered something and took out the change from her pocket: “The fare.”
Jiang Wan’yuan waved her hand: “No need, I have a student card for a discount.” She paused, “And…thank you for coming with me.”
The carriage was filled with the smell of cheap air freshener. Yi Shang sat by the window, watching Jiang Wan’yuan take out a thermos from her backpack. “Coffee,” she unscrewed the lid, “I made it myself, it’s better than what they sell on the bus.”
A bitter fragrance filled the air between them. When Yi Shang took the cup, her fingertips touched the back of Jiang Wan’yuan’s hand, the temperature hotter than the coffee.
“That…” Jiang Wan’yuan looked at the scenery whizzing past the window, “My sister took this bus the day she left.”
Yi Shang gripped the cup tightly. She remembered the scene of her mother leaving home that day – the sound of the suitcase wheels rolling on the floor, the tightly closed door of her father’s study, and the taillights of the taxi she saw hiding behind the curtains.
“She was going to participate in a physics competition training camp,” Jiang Wan’yuan continued, “The bus was rear-ended by a truck on the highway.” Her fingers unconsciously rubbed the strap of her backpack, “Sixteen people, only three survived.”
Yi Shang suddenly remembered the group photo on the physics teacher’s desk. A young female teacher stood in the middle of a group of students, the girl in the front row with a ponytail holding a medal and smiling brightly. “Is Jiang Wan’ning your sister?”
Jiang Wan’yuan turned her head in surprise: “You know her?”
“The holder of the highest score in the history of the physics competition,” Yi Shang said softly, “Before the provincial competition last year, the teacher showed us her problem-solving notes.”
Jiang Wan’yuan’s eyes lit up, then quickly dimmed again. “There are twelve of her notebooks, all in my bookcase.” She took out a palm-sized booklet from the side pocket of her backpack, “This is the last page she wrote.”
Yi Shang took the booklet. The yellowed pages were densely filled with formulas, but at the foot of the page was a crooked little rabbit, with the words: “The birthday present for Wan’yuan is hidden under my bed, don’t let Mom find out!”
“The day she left was my birthday,” Jiang Wan’yuan’s voice was so soft it was almost inaudible, “The gift was a set of limited edition astronomical stamps, she knew I collected them.”
Yi Shang didn’t know what to say. She remembered the chocolate in her bag, the brief smile her father gave when he saw the certificate, and the “Star Atlas” her mother had placed on her bedside table the night before she left.
“So the 26 points…” Yi Shang suddenly understood.
Jiang Wan’yuan smiled wryly: “All my Olympiad awards are in my mom’s office drawer.” She rotated the rubber band on her wrist, “But no one cares about second place.”
Outside the car window, the scenery gradually changed from city to countryside. Yi Shang noticed that Jiang Wan’yuan was starting to check her watch frequently, her fingers tapping her knees anxiously.
“Almost there?” she asked.
Jiang Wan’yuan nodded: “Next stop.” She took out a paper bag from her backpack, “Can you…help me hold this later?”
Yi Shang took the paper bag, inside was a box of brand new colored chalk.