Chapter 013

When Meng Li returned to the street, Grandma Cheng and Tang Yuan’er had not yet left.

Meng Li wandered around some shops, hoping she wouldn’t run into Grandma Cheng and could just head home. However, Grandma Cheng found her. She and Tang Yuan’er were looking at fabrics in a small shop.

It turned out that Grandma Cheng had brought Meng Li out today specifically to buy fabric for new clothes.

The New Year was approaching, and everyone in the family had prepared new clothes, except for Meng Li.

Grandma Cheng took Meng Li to buy the fabric, then led her to a tailor.

After taking her measurements and leaving the fabric with the tailor, they waited for the New Year to wear the new clothes.

While standing there for the measurement, Meng Li silently thought to herself—she didn’t know when she would ever be able to wear beautiful girls’ clothes. She wanted to wear a flowery dress and have a head of thick, shiny black hair.

In fact, there was no real reason for her to disguise herself as a boy now. It was just that the original body had grown up as a boy, and for a moment, she didn’t know how to reveal her true gender. Of course, the original owner had never thought about disclosing her gender either.

Using Meng Li’s body, she had always thought of doing her best to finish this chapter of life that belonged to the original owner.

Therefore, she didn’t want to suddenly expose her gender and ruin everything Meng Li had worked so hard for with her life.

The life of ‘Third Master Meng’ in the Beijing was the shining life of Meng Li.

She wanted this life to be complete and whole.

When they grew up and left Beijing, each going their own way to pursue their own life, the story of ‘Third Master Meng’ would become a legend.

So, wearing a flowery dress and keeping long hair—those things could wait.

She would wait until she left this place, entered a brand-new environment, and face the world again with her true identity as “Meng Li.”

…

It was late by the time Ji Chen returned home, and the house was unusually quiet.

Xiao Jianguo and the others were nowhere to be found, probably off causing trouble somewhere. They didn’t come over that night to hang out at his place.

With no one around to make noise, Ji Chen went to bed early and woke up early the next morning.

After washing up, he headed to the cafeteria to grab breakfast, then went to the corridor in front of his house to lift his stone lock.

He had been lifting for about a dozen times when Xiao Jianguo and the others arrived.

The four of them sneaked up one by one, quietly approaching Ji Chen from behind.

Zheng Hang, leading the group, mischievously slapped Ji Chen on the shoulder, jumped up, and threw his arms around his neck, asking, “So, how did it go, Brother Chen? Who won when you practiced one-on-one with Third Master Meng yesterday?”

Ji Chen shrugged his arm off and continued lifting his stone lock without answering.

Zheng Hang saw that Ji Chen wasn’t answering and slapped his back again. “Come on, tell us. We’re all curious.”

Ji Chen didn’t say anything. Instead, he shoved the stone lock into Zheng Hang’s hands, making him nearly stumble to the ground.

Wiping the sweat off his forehead with a towel, Ji Chen turned and walked back into the house. Only then did he speak, “Listen up, I’m making it clear. As long as they’re our brothers, no one in Beijing is allowed to touch Third Master Meng’s men or cause trouble on his turf. Anyone who doesn’t listen to this, I’ll handle it personally.”

Xiao Jianguo and the others exchanged uneasy glances, their brows furrowed. Xiao Jianguo followed Ji Chen closely, raising his voice to ask, “Brother Chen, what’s going on here? Did you lose the fight yesterday? Did he force you to agree to this?”

Ji Chen walked over to the table and sat down. He glanced up at Xiao Jianguo and the others. “Who in the whole Beijing could force me to do anything?”

Zheng Hang, feeling anxious, pressed, “Then what’s going on? You need to explain it clearly!”

Ji Chen picked up the white porcelain teacup on the table and took a sip of water. The cup was decorated with an image of Chairman Mao and the red words “Serve the People.”

After taking a drink, he put the cup down. “There’s nothing to say. Just do as I say.”

Zheng Hang and the others knew that if Ji Chen didn’t want to say something, they wouldn’t be able to pry it out of him. Besides, Ji Chen was their leader, and he always made the decisions. Once he gave an order, they could only follow it.

Zheng Hang sat down on the sofa, taking a moment to process everything. After a deep breath, he said, “We’ll follow Brother Chen’s lead!”

…

It was clear that no one could refuse this, and no one dared to.

Xiao Jianguo and the others stopped bringing it up and sat down one by one next to Zheng Hang. Xiao Jianguo raised his hand and put it around Zheng Hang’s shoulder, looking over at Ji Chen, who was eating his breakfast. “Well, let’s drop it. Brother Chen, do you still remember Yu Sitian?”

Ji Chen took a bite of his meat bun. “Should I remember her?”

Xiao Jianguo didn’t waste time with small talk and directly said, “The one we met at the ice rink last time, with the long braid. We made plans with her yesterday for her to come over and hang out today. If you’re not interested in her, maybe you could let me borrow your military coat to wear.”

Ji Chen didn’t seem too bothered and took a sip of his porridge. “It’s hanging in the room. Help yourself.”

Xiao Jianguo’s eyes lit up at those words. He nearly jumped off the sofa, moving like a monkey, rushing into the room like a gust of wind. When he came out again, he was already wearing the woolen coat, a cigarette dangling from his mouth.

He walked out with pride, saying, “Look at this, look at this. I look pretty decent, don’t I…”

Then he realized something wasn’t quite right and corrected himself, “I mean, I look pretty good…”

Zheng Hang and the others immediately began to tease him, cutting him off, saying, “You look like a monkey!”

Xiao Jianguo pointed at them, grinning, “Jealous, plain and simple, pure jealousy!”

The four of them had a bit of fun together, all poking fun at Xiao Jianguo.

Xiao Jianguo, wearing his wool coat, struck all kinds of poses. He saluted one moment and treated the coat like a cape the next, flapping it around dramatically. Finally, he shoved his hands into his coat pockets and, while rummaging around, felt something hard and round, wrapped in plastic.

He wasn’t sure what it was, but when he pulled it out and looked at it, it turned out to be a piece of fruit candy.

This was strange. Xiao Jianguo widened his eyes, holding the candy up in front of him. Shouting at the top of his lungs, he said, “Ji Chen, you fake a**! You’ve left me some evidence. Quick, tell me which girl gave this to you!”

Before Xiao Jianguo could finish his sentence, Ji Chen snatched the candy from his hand.

Ji Chen casually squeezed the candy in his palm and continued eating, speaking in a calm, unhurried tone, “I went to the food store today and bought it myself.”

Xiao Jianguo didn’t believe him. “You don’t even eat candy normally.”

Zhang Yue joined in teasing, “Brother Chen, I love candy. Give it to me.”

Ji Chen lazily waved them off, “Go away!”

The four of them exchanged knowing glances, all in perfect sync, understanding each other without needing words.