When Jiang Ning returned to the bridge, she didn't see Liu Ming'an's bamboo lounger where he usually set up his stall. Her heart tightened with worry. Just as she was about to search around, a familiar voice called out.
"Jiang Ning!"
It was Liu Ming'an.
Jiang Ning looked towards the voice and saw that he was crouching by the roadside, using pebbles to teach a child how to write.
A gentle breeze rustled the willow branches by the bridge. Beneath the tree, Liu Ming'an smiled warmly, his eyes full of tenderness as he looked at Jiang Ning.
"Where did you go? Why were you gone so long?" Liu Ming'an asked with a smile, tossing aside the pebble and dusting off his hands.
Jiang Ning didn't answer, just looking intently at Liu Ming'an, feeling inexplicably at ease. She had spent the past half-day engaged in mental chess with Old Six Hu at the gambling den, then had a deadly encounter with Houzi in a dark alley. Her nerves had been on edge, reminiscent of her time as the assassin known as N.
Now, seeing Liu Ming'an, his clear eyes and that handsome face with its gentle smile, Jiang Ning felt like a traveler who, after a long journey through a cold, dark night, had finally returned home to the warm glow of candlelight and the aroma of a home-cooked meal.
The child beside Liu Ming'an looked to be about six or seven years old, barely reaching Liu Ming'an's waist. Seeing that Liu Ming'an had stopped teaching him, the boy stood up, looking from Liu Ming'an to Jiang Ning. In his childish voice, he asked curiously, "Is she your wife? Why is her face covered?"
Fearing Jiang Ning might take offense, Liu Ming'an quickly covered the child's mouth. Then, with his usual good nature, he smiled and patted the boy's head, saying, "Don't say such things. She's my sister. Now, run along and play."
The child made a sound of understanding and scampered off.
Jiang Ning watched Liu Ming'an approach and asked, "Have you sold all your calligraphy and paintings?"
Liu Ming'an nodded, then after a moment's thought, added, "Well, not exactly sold out. While you were gone, I met two like-minded friends and gave them my last piece as a gift."
"What about your writing supplies?"
"They're over there," Liu Ming'an said, pointing to Aunt Hui's store. "I left them with Aunt Hui for now. Wait here, I'll go fetch them, and then we can go get something to eat and do some shopping. It's getting late."
Liu Ming'an walked into Aunt Hui's store. She handed him a bundle, and they exchanged a few words. During their conversation, Aunt Hui kept glancing in Jiang Ning's direction.
"Who is that Aunt Hui to you?" Jiang Ning asked casually as they walked away from the bridge side by side.
"I suppose you could call her an elder," Liu Ming'an said after some thought. "Aunt Hui is from out of town. When she was young, she came to Lingshan Town alone with her two children. She raised them by selling osmanthus cakes and doing needlework. A few years ago, her daughter married and moved to Spirit Cloud Town, while her son left to do business, traveling far and wide. Now, mother and son rarely see each other."
As they talked, the pair arrived at a food stall – a family-run noodle shop. The husband and wife were bustling about in the kitchen, kneading dough, pulling noodles, cooking, and adding toppings. Outside, two elderly people were greeting customers and cleaning tables, while a child of about ten was helping to collect money.
The noodle shop had seven or eight folding wooden tables set up outside, each with two long benches. Almost every seat was taken. Customers slurped their steaming noodles with great gusto, occasionally wiping the sweat from their brows with their sleeves, never pausing in their enjoyment of the food. Though humble, the noodle shop was filled with the lively atmosphere of everyday life.
"This noodle shop is really good. Shall we eat here?" Liu Ming'an asked Jiang Ning's opinion.
Jiang Ning was already famished, and the aroma made her stomach growl. She nodded in agreement.
Liu Ming'an's sharp eyes spotted two people who had just finished paying. He quickly pointed and led Jiang Ning over to secure the seats.
As they approached the empty table, an elderly man in his fifties came over to clear the bowls. Seeing them, he greeted them warmly, "Are you two here for noodles? What would you like to order?"
"I'll have a medium portion of meat sauce thin noodles," Liu Ming'an replied, then turned to Jiang Ning. "What would you like? They have clear soup noodles, meat sauce noodles, and meat soup noodles. The noodles come in thin, wide, extra wide, knife-cut, and 'blanket' styles. Which one do you fancy?"
"Quite a variety," Jiang Ning remarked, somewhat surprised. She then told the shopkeeper, "I'll have the same as him."
"Alright! Coming right up!" The old man nodded, then turned and called out to the kitchen, "Two medium portions of meat sauce thin noodles!"
After the woman in the kitchen acknowledged the order, the old man efficiently cleared the table, then smiled at the two of them, saying, "Please wait a moment, it'll be ready soon."
"How did you meet Aunt Hui?" Jiang Ning asked, continuing their earlier conversation after the old man left.
"Hmm... It was about three years ago," Liu Ming'an recalled carefully. "One market day, it started pouring rain. Aunt Hui slipped and fell while hurrying to find shelter. I happened to be there and helped her home. She had twisted her ankle and hit her head. Seeing that she was alone, I couldn't just leave her like that. So I decided to see it through – I called for a doctor and stayed to look after her for two days."
"So Aunt Hui was grateful and lets you set up your stall in front of her shop?" Jiang Ning guessed the outcome.
Liu Ming'an nodded, and Jiang Ning remarked, "You really do make friends wherever you go!"
Liu Ming'an smiled, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes as he remembered something. "It's because my father taught me: 'A single act of kindness leaves an imprint on the heart that lasts for eternity; a hundred lamps lit can illuminate a thousand miles.'"
Jiang Ning's gaze fell on Liu Ming'an, studying him intently. The young man usually carried himself with perfect posture, but now his head was slightly bowed, a faint trace of sorrow on his face.
He seems sad, Jiang Ning thought.
A moment later, an awkward attempt at comfort broke the silence: "You've done very well. You're the kindest person I've ever met. He would be proud of you."
Liu Ming'an looked up at Jiang Ning in surprise, then chuckled, "Jiang Ning, you don't seem like the type to say such things."
Jiang Ning raised an eyebrow slightly, neither confirming nor denying.
"Oh, right!" Liu Ming'an suddenly remembered something. He stood up and moved behind Jiang Ning, reaching for her head.
"What are you doing?" Jiang Ning caught his hand, puzzled.
Liu Ming'an looked around to make sure no one was paying attention, then leaned in close to whisper, "You'll need to remove your veil to eat. Your face is quite striking and might attract attention. If someone you know happens to see you, it could be hard to explain. Let me fix your hair to cover your face a bit more."
His warm breath tickled her ear, making Jiang Ning uncomfortable. She frowned and tried to move away, but Liu Ming'an had already grasped her hair, so she had to stay put.
Liu Ming'an untied her hair ribbon. Without a comb, he had to make do with his fingers, running them through Jiang Ning's dark locks. He separated two large sections to fall on either side, covering her cheeks, then tied the rest back with the ribbon.
"There," Liu Ming'an said, returning to his seat. "You can take off your veil now."
Jiang Ning removed the veil she had worn all day and tucked it away. Just then, an elderly woman arrived with two steaming bowls of fragrant meat sauce noodles.
"Enjoy your meal," the old woman said out of habit as she set down the bowls.
Liu Ming'an nodded to her, then picked up a pair of chopsticks and handed them to Jiang Ning. "Eat up, you must be hungry."
Jiang Ning took the chopsticks and lifted a few strands of noodles to her mouth.
The noodles were freshly kneaded and pulled, each strand uniform in thickness, chewy yet smooth, with an excellent texture. The meat sauce topping had a perfect balance of lean and fatty meat, rich with a savory aroma that mingled with the fragrance of green onions and chili oil, making one's mouth water.
"How is it?" Liu Ming'an asked after Jiang Ning had taken a bite.
"Not bad," Jiang Ning replied, clearly pleased.
After they finished eating, Liu Ming'an called out to the elderly man who had been greeting customers, "We'd like to pay!"
"Coming right away!" the old woman replied while carrying a bowl. She then urged a boy of about ten, "Huzi, that table over there, quick!"
A sturdy-looking boy ran up to Liu Ming'an and Jiang Ning's table, grinning as he said, "That'll be twenty wen, sir."
Liu Ming'an counted out the copper coins from his pocket and handed them over. The child accepted them with both hands, dropping them into the large pocket of his jacket. He then added sweetly, "Thank you, sir. Please come again!"
With that, the boy dashed off to call his grandmother to clear the table.
Jiang Ning watched the child's retreating figure and mused softly, "That little one seems to be called Huzi."
"It's probably just a nickname. Many children are called that. Why do you mention it?" Liu Ming'an didn't understand why Jiang Ning had brought this up out of the blue.
"Just thinking out loud," Jiang Ning replied.