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Chapter 010
At six o’clock in the evening, Lu Jin arrived at the supermarket with a lunch box.
There were three or four people in line at the checkout counter, and a few others were still picking out items from the shelves.
If Lu Jin hadn’t gone around behind He Ye, she wouldn’t have noticed him while she was busy with the checkout.
“Put it here first; I’ll eat it later,” He Ye said, overwhelmed with work.
Lu Jin placed the lunch box on a table beside him and then focused on his task.
Just after He Ye had sent two customers away, Lu Jin suddenly grabbed the scanner from her hand and said softly, “Let me do it. You should go eat. The noodles will be lumpy if you’re late.”
He Ye looked back in disbelief.
Lu Jin took advantage of the moment to pull her back and take her place. He began scanning the products, his indifferent expression and skillful operation making it hard to tell he was actually a novice.
He Ye was stunned until Lu Jin nudged her chair with his calves and said, “Eat. I’ll handle things here. Pick me up after you finish.”
He Ye wanted to come by herself, but Lu Jin’s good intentions made her relent. Seeing that he had indeed mastered the checkout process, she sat down to eat.
The noodles and chicken soup were separate in the food box. He Ye carefully added the noodles to the soup.
Even in mid-September, the weather was still warm, so the chicken soup hadn’t cooled much during the journey.
To speed things up, He Ye blew on each strand of noodles as she picked them up.
With no customers at the moment, Lu Jin turned around and saw her blowing on her noodles, her lips pursed.
He smiled and said softly, “Take your time. I’m free tonight. It’s fine if you need a little extra help.”
He Ye turned her head and met Lu Jin’s handsome face, which looked even more striking under the bright light. His smile softened his features, making He Ye, who had just gotten used to his usual expression, feel oddly unfamiliar.
She looked down at her noodle soup and said, “Thank you so much for your help.”
Lu Jin replied, “I’m staying until you finish eating.”
As another customer arrived to pay, Lu Jin turned his attention back to his work.
He Ye ate her noodles while observing his movements. The more calm and composed Lu Jin was, the more she admired him. Top students are smart and can learn quickly.
With Lu Jin managing the checkout, He Ye was able to wash the lunch box with peace of mind.
As she emerged, Lu Jin saw her with wet bangs, pale cheeks, and lips redder than usual. The third-year high school student’s thin and slender figure seemed out of place in her role as a supermarket employee, making her look vulnerable.
“Thank you for today,” He Ye said, handing the food box to him with both hands. “Do you have any favorite snacks? I’d like to treat you.”
Next to the checkout counter were two rows of small shelves. The left side had chocolates, chewing gum, lollipops, and similar items, while the right side sold adult products.
Lu Jin picked a piece of loose Dove chocolate from the left shelf and asked, “Is this okay?”
He Ye smiled and said, “Of course. Take a few more pieces.”
At two yuan per piece, it was far from enough to compensate Lu Jin for his help that day.
Lu Jin replied, “No, I’ll get sick of it if I eat too much.”
With that, he left the supermarket, carrying the lunch box in one hand and a piece of chocolate in the other.
He Ye watched his back and felt her body visibly relax.
She was more accustomed to being alone.
The area outside the east gate of the community was bustling with shops, including various restaurants, barber shops, fruit shops, and milk tea shops.
Lu Jin took the lunch box home and then went out again on his bike.
After buying a cup of milk tea, Lu Jin parked his bike next to the greenbelt opposite the barber shop and sat in the back seat with his feet on the ground.
From his vantage point, he could see the cashier counter of Guangming Supermarket. The glass might reflect light during the day, but at night, the interior was clearly visible.
When there were no customers, He Ye would almost always be engrossed in reading, only standing up when someone came to pay.
Lu Jin wasn’t idle either. He put on headphones and listened to English audio along with music.
He didn’t constantly watch the supermarket; he only paid attention when a male customer came in.
Zhou Xiangming called.
Lu Jin glanced at the barber shop with its loud music, which could give away his location, hung up the call, and sent a message: [I’m doing my listening test. What’s up?]
Zhou Xiangming: [Want to play some shooting games?]
He was referring to a popular shooting game the two of them often played on weekend nights.
Lu Jin: [Have you finished your homework?]
Zhou Xiangming: [Are you my buddy or my dad?]
Lu Jin: [I’m busy now. Finish your homework first. I’ll call you when you’re done.]
Changzhou Xiangming: [What time?]
Lu Jin: [Around nine-thirty.]
Changzhou Xiangming: [Okay, I’ll do my homework first. I was planning to leave it for tomorrow morning’s self-study.]
There are usually more customers on weekend evenings, so He Ye doesn’t have much time to read. However, she’s happy because it means increased revenue for the supermarket.
After eight o’clock, the traffic began to decrease significantly.
He Ye checked the shelves, removed the goods that needed to be restocked, and placed them back in order.
Suddenly, the glass door of the store was pushed open, and a man muttered to himself in confusion, “No one?”
He Ye quickly responded, “Yes!”
She then hurried outside, carrying the basket.
Two men who looked like troublemakers entered the store: one with dyed blonde hair and the other with a short crew cut. Their dark, muscular arms, visible under their short-sleeved shirts, were covered with blue and purple tattoos.
He Ye didn’t dare look any further and walked around to the cashier counter with her eyes downcast.
The blonde guy and the short-haired guy both stared at her with rude, direct gazes, making He Ye’s hands tremble slightly on the counter.
Finally, the crew-cut guy puffed on a cigarette and asked in a hoarse voice, “Do you sell alcohol here?”
He Ye glanced at him quickly, pointed to the alcohol section, and said, “Yes, we sell beer and liquor. It’s over there.”
The guy with the crew cut put one hand in his pocket and held the cigarette in the other as he wandered around, looking at various items.
“Such a big supermarket, are you the only one here?” the blonde guy asked, leaning against the cashier counter and pulling out a box of adult products to inspect.
Even though He Ye had little social experience, she could tell that these two didn’t seem like good people. She looked outside and said, “My dad went to buy some fruit.”
The blonde guy hummed meaningfully and suddenly threw the box of adult products in front of He Ye. “How much is this?”
He Ye glanced at the shelf where the price was clearly marked but said, “Thirty-six yuan.”
The blonde guy replied, “That’s expensive. Is it easy to use? Will it leak? I mean, I’ve got a…”
Before he could finish, someone else walked in.
He Ye looked over as if searching for a lifeline and was relieved to see Lu Jin.
“Dad’s not here?” Lu Jin asked as their eyes met, his tone natural as he lightly glanced at the awkwardly standing blonde guy.
He Ye quickly responded, trying to suppress her panic, “He went to buy watermelons. He must be chatting with the fruit shop owner, so he hasn’t returned yet.”
As she spoke, Lu Jin walked around to her side and naturally took over her position. “I’ll handle things here. You go buy me a cup of milk tea.”
He Ye could only comply. “What flavor do you want?”
Lu Jin replied, “Lemon juice, ice cold.”
He searched his pockets and handed her a fifty-yuan bill.
He Ye immediately said, “I have money.”
Lu Jin raised an eyebrow and said in a brotherly manner, “How can I let you spend money? Go ahead, and don’t forget to get yourself a drink.”
He Ye bit her lip, looked at him worriedly, and walked out, glancing back every few steps.
Lu Jin then turned his attention to the blonde guy and the box of adult products. He picked up the box and asked, “Buy this?”
The blonde guy sneered and looked at his companions.
Lu Jin simply put the box back on the shelf.
The short-haired guy returned with eight cans of beer. He glanced at Lu Jin but said nothing. After paying, he left with the blonde guy.
He Ye was still in line at the milk tea shop, her eyes fixed on the supermarket, ready to call the police if needed. Once she confirmed that the two men had left for another neighborhood, she skipped buying the milk tea and hurried back to the supermarket.
“Are you okay?” She panted, looking Lu Jin up and down, worried about any potential harm.
Lu Jin smiled and said, “It’s fine. They just bought eight cans of beer and left.”
He Ye was still in shock and looked very distressed.
Lu Jin asked, “Have you encountered this kind of situation before?”
He Ye shook her head. She didn’t often work alone at the supermarket, and most people wouldn’t bother a child like her.
Lu Jin explained, “I just went out to buy milk tea and saw them coming in. I was worried something might happen, so I came to check.”
He Ye didn’t know how to respond. If Lu Jin hadn’t come, she feared the two men might have done something to her.
Feeling too scared to organize any words of gratitude, she could only express her thanks to Lu Jin with her eyes.
What Lu Jin saw was the sheen of tears in her eyes. She was definitely not a brave person, and she must have been very frightened tonight.
He smiled at her empty hands and asked, “Milk tea?”
He Ye’s expression softened slightly as she awkwardly said, “I thought you were just trying to get rid of me.”
Lu Jin replied, “I’ll buy it myself then. Do you want to stay and watch the store?”
He Ye was too shaken to continue working. The peak period had already passed, so closing an hour or two early wouldn’t matter.
“Then pack up. I’ll go buy some milk tea, and we can head out together later.”
He Ye, still confused, nodded absentmindedly.
A few minutes later, He Ye locked the supermarket’s rolling door. Lu Jin returned and handed her a cup of milk tea. “I didn’t know what you liked, so I just bought this to help you calm down.”
Everything was fine before, but the simple phrase “calm down” made He Ye’s eyes well up.
She didn’t want Lu Jin to notice, so she lowered her head, took the cup of milk tea with the ice cream, and whispered, “Thank you.”
Lu Jin said, “You’re welcome. Get on first, and I’ll ride back faster.”
He Ye, already having accepted so much of his kindness, didn’t mind accepting this offer as well. She walked to the back seat of his bicycle, holding the milk tea in one hand and steadying herself with the other, and sat down.
Lu Jin didn’t ride fast, but the gentle breeze he created helped soothe her nerves.
He Ye inhaled the fragrance of osmanthus from the community and the fresh scent of laundry detergent from Lu Jin’s clothes.
All these sensory experiences slowly calmed her troubled heart.
They arrived at Building 7.
Lu Jin stopped the bike, and He Ye quickly got off. She hadn’t even taken a sip of the milk tea yet, but the ice cream had started to melt a little.
Lu Jin looked upstairs and offered, “Shall I take you up? I’ll take you to the west side.”
He Ye didn’t want to keep bothering Lu Jin: “No need. Just head back.”
Lu Jin: “Did you bring your cell phone?”
He Ye touched her pocket and nodded.
Lu Jin: “Then I’ll go first.”
He Ye watched Lu Jin ride off for a while before turning and entering her building.
While waiting for the elevator, she received a new message on WeChat.
Team Leader: [Are you in the elevator?]
He Ye looked at the elevator doors, which had just opened, and replied, [Yes.]
Team Leader: [Since Uncle isn’t home, I’m a little worried about you being alone. I’ll make sure you’re safely home before I leave.]
He Ye’s eyes started to water again: [Thank you.]
Team Leader: [Is the milk tea good?]
He Ye took a quick sip; it was cool and sweet: [It tastes great. I’ll treat you next time.]
Team Leader: [Okay, I’ll wait.]
The elevator doors opened, and He Ye walked out into the corridor. The lights flicked on, and she quickly unlocked her door and entered her home.
After turning on the living room light, He Ye finally felt safe and informed Lu Jin: [I’m home.]
Team Leader: [Go to bed early. I’m heading back now.]
He Ye thanked him again, then went to the balcony, looked down, and soon spotted Lu Jin riding away on his bicycle.
At that moment, she thought that, although she didn’t know Lu Jin very well, she knew he was a trustworthy friend.
Lu Jin didn’t go home directly but instead rode to the area outside Zhou Xiangming’s house.
Zhou Xiangming came rushing out, full of curiosity. When he saw the milk tea Lu Jin handed him, he was both surprised and touched: “So thoughtful?”
Lu Jin: “Go upstairs.”
With that, Lu Jin rode away on his bike.
Zhou Xiangming, holding the iced milk tea, felt warmth in his heart. He realized that, even though Lu Jin appeared aloof, he genuinely cared for his friends.
***
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