Daydreaming about Me

Chapter 14

When Lin Yujing left her house, it was dusk, the time when day and night meet.

There is an old Japanese legend that during ancient times, people believed in the Yin- Yang and Five Elements. Demons often appeared at the intersection of day and night. Humans couldn’t distinguish whether those on the road were people or disguised demons. Therefore, dusk was called the “witching hour.”

Cheng Yi had once told her this story. At that time, the three of them had skipped evening classes and went to the school rooftop to catch the breeze. It was dusk, and the sky was filled with red clouds, with large swaths of the sky burning red.

Cheng Yi lowered his voice then, “When you walk on the road, you can’t tell if the person passing by is human or a disguised demon. So, if someone calls your name during this time, don’t respond. If you answer, your soul will be taken away. If someone walks toward you, you should ask,” he cleared his throat and said in a deep voice, “Who goes there?”

Lu Jiaxing, leaning beside them, said, “Cheng Yi.” “Ah?” Cheng Yi responded.

Lin Yujing called, “Cheng Yi.”

“Ah?”

Lu Jiaxing said, “Cheng Yi.”

Cheng Yi was puzzled, “Huh? What’s up with you two?”

Lu Jiaxing pointed at him in disdain, “With your intelligence, you should avoid going out at this time. Your soul might be taken ten times over.”

Lin Yujing laughed uncontrollably.

Lin Yujing walked through several small gardens and out the main gate, her lips unconsciously curving.

She hadn’t told anyone she was leaving, but everyone was familiar with each other, so Cheng Yi and Lu Jiaxing soon learned about her situation. On the second day after she arrived in City A, Cheng Yi called her and angrily scolded her, using a colorful array of phrases.

Lin Yujing didn’t say much at that time, just smiled. After a while, Cheng Yi, usually as noisy as a perpetual motion machine, fell silent for at least two minutes. Then, with a hoarse voice, he said, “Ah Heng is angry. Little Whale, if anyone bullies you over there, tell your brother Cheng and brother Lu. We’ll fly over and get revenge for you. No one can stop us.”

Lin Yujing laughed until her eyes stung, “Who’s Little Whale? Get lost.”

The street was bustling with traffic and the sound of car horns was hazy. Someone vaguely called her name, pulling her out of her memories.

Lin Yujing came back to her senses. The voice called her name again. She was confused for a second and looked up at the fiery sky, suddenly thinking of Cheng Yi’s “if someone calls your name, don’t answer, they’re trying to take your soul.”

Before she could react, someone tapped her shoulder. Lin Yujing turned around.

Wang Yiyang and a boy stood behind her. Wang Yiyang was holding a bag, smiling at her. Lin Yujing didn’t recognize the boy, but after another look, he seemed familiar.

He was the boy sitting on the basketball court talking to Shen Juan once, whom Li Lin had said was Shen Juan’s old classmate.

Wang Yiyang had shed his school uniform and was wearing a punk outfit that matched his previous dreadlocks style. Unfortunately, his face was fair and tender, and his new student-like hairstyle made him look more like a rebellious middle schooler.

The boy, Wang Yiyang, smiled and said, “Sister Yujing, what a coincidence,” looking proud, he turned to the boy next to him, “See, I told you it was her, you didn’t believe me.”

He Songnan rolled his eyes, thinking, when did I not believe you? Just looking at her back, I recognized her several times.

He didn’t want to argue with this kid and clapped insincerely, “Wang Yiyang, well done, you’re the best.”

Wang Yiyang enjoyed the compliment and turned to Lin Yujing, “Sister, going for a tattoo? Have you decided on the design?”

Lin Yujing replied, “Huh?”

She looked up and realized that walking in this direction led to Shen Juan’s tattoo studio.

She was about to explain that she was just taking a walk when Wang Yiyang said, “But today is not a good day; the studio is closed. We’re having hotpot.”

Lin Yujing glanced at the two plastic bags in his hands, probably filled with homemade hotpot ingredients. She didn’t know what to say when Wang Yiyang enthusiastically invited, “Join us? We’re all familiar here.”

“……”

Lin Yujing wondered how Wang Yiyang concluded that “we’re all familiar.” She had only met him three times and spent one afternoon together, yet his friendliness was overwhelmingly persuasive, as if she were a long-time friend.

Lin Yujing was thinking of how to refuse.

He Songnan, smiling, asked, “Do you have any plans, junior? If not, join us. Weekends are a luxury. When you reach my age, you’ll know how precious it is to have time to enjoy hotpot with friends.”

“Next year this time, you’ll be busy with exams,” He Songnan said mournfully. “……”

Wang Yiyang, though overly familiar and somewhat naive, wasn’t actually an easy person to get along with.

His warm invitation to Lin Yujing was due to He Songnan’s instigation. He just mentioned, “Hey, that girl in front looks like my new classmate.”

He Songnan looked up, and then got all excited.

Shen Juan’s desk mate.

Long legs, a bit of a temper, like a queen.

He Songnan, as if on steroids, took out his phone and typed in the group chat: 【 Brothers, bringing a girl over, welcome?】

Jiang Han was the first to reply: 【Sure, bringing a girl is normal for you, why ask?】 Jiang Han: 【If a girl comes, you don’t have to. We’ll take care of her, you can leave,

she’ll be my sister-in-law.】

He Songnan laughed: 【No, not my girl. If you want to take care of her, you might get

skinned.】

Jiang Han: 【?】

He Songnan: 【Shen Juan’s girl.】

“……”

Jiang Han almost dropped his cigarette, slapped the table, and shouted, “Shen Juan!!!” Shen Juan was drawing inside and didn’t respond.

Jiang Han: “Shen Juan! He Songnan said he met your girl!!!”

There was no sound from inside.

Jiang Han didn’t believe He Songnan but still decided to tease. He put out his cigarette, stood up, and went to the door, leaning on the frame to look at Shen Juan, “Old Shen, come clean, who is it?”

Shen Juan, sitting on the floor with his back to the door, sketching with a pencil, casually said, “Ozawa Alice, maybe.”

Jiang Han choked, “Shen Juan, show some respect to my goddess,” he said seriously, “Her name is Maria, Ozawa Maria, not Alice.”

“What’s the difference?” Shen Juan didn’t look up, just continued sketching.

“What’s the difference? Tell me the difference?” Jiang Han earnestly said, “Can’t you show a normal interest in our sex education pioneers?”

Shen Juan casually threw a pillow at him, “Get lost.” –

Lin Yujing didn’t know why she followed Wang Yiyang and He Songnan to this nameless tattoo studio.

Maybe because she had just finished a call with Lin Zhi and needed something lively to distract her. Plus, He Songnan and Wang Yiyang were too enthusiastic. She felt like if she refused again, Wang Yiyang might sit on the ground crying.

The studio was the same, with a small courtyard where plants grew wildly. The door was ajar, and faint sounds came from inside.

He Songnan pushed the door open, and Lin Yujing entered.

Inside looked the same as last time, with clearly defined areas. The sofa was piled with cushions, and long wooden tables were filled with drawings. There was a computer, and two adjacent doors, probably the tattoo room and a washroom.

Jiang Han was surprised to see Lin Yujing, “Little fairy?” She blinked, feeling awkward, “Hi?”

Just like their first meeting.

Jiang Han felt his heart flutter, recalling their first encounter. He shouted inside, “Shen Juan! Customer!!!”

The same lines, but this time Lin Yujing felt amused instead of awkward.

There was no angry reaction. In less than a minute, the door opened, and Shen Juan walked out. He wore a plain white T-shirt, one earbud in his ear, the cord dangling across his chest.

He looked up, saw Lin Yujing, paused at the door, and raised an eyebrow slightly.

He Songnan, smiling innocently, said, “Met your desk mate, Shen Juan, fate brought us together.”

“……”

For some reason, Lin Yujing remembered Cheng Yi’s frequent elderly emojis with big red peony flowers around wine glasses, saying, “Fate brings us together, cheers to friendship.”

In the courtyard, a table was set, with a pot on an induction cooker. The sight of the red- hot chili made Lin Yujing’s mouth water. He Songnan and the others took out the ingredients they bought and placed them on the table.

Shen Juan, though reputed to be a fearsome school bully, didn’t really seem like a violent person who would beat up his deskmate indiscriminately after Lin Yujing got to know him over time. Especially after the return receipt incident, Lin Yujing temporarily categorized him as a good person.

Moreover, he didn’t fit the cool, isolated, friendless persona. He had quite a few friends, all very interesting, and the hotpot meal was lively without a dull moment.

Shen Juan didn’t talk much, occasionally saying a few words, but mostly he ate unhurriedly.

Among these teenage boys, alcohol was a given with hotpot. Jiang Han pushed out a box of beer from inside, giving everyone a bottle. When he reached Lin Yujing, he smiled, “Little fairy, want one?”

Lin Yujing blinked and hesitated for two seconds, “I’m not really good with it, just a glass, please.”

In a group of boys, the only one she was somewhat familiar with was Shen Juan, and he was just a classmate, not even a friend. Lin Yujing didn’t plan to drink.

She initially thought one glass would suffice as a gesture.

The boys, rough by nature, didn’t think much about it. They didn’t consider that a girl, who wasn’t familiar with them, might be uncomfortable drinking with a bunch of guys. They just figured she could drink a bit if she wanted, and if not, that was fine too.

Jiang Han opened a bottle and was about to take Lin Yujing’s empty glass.

Suddenly, Shen Juan raised his hand, flipped the glass upside down, and placed it on the table.

With his other hand, he grabbed a can of cola, hooked the tab with his finger, and with a “click,” opened it, placing it in front of Lin Yujing, “Not suitable, have a cola instead.”