Daydreaming about Me

Chapter 15

As soon as Shen Juan spoke, everyone stopped. Jiang Han’s arm was suspended in midair, He Songnan looked up, and Wang Yiyang, who was stuffing a piece of fish tofu into his mouth, let it fall back into his bowl with a plop.

He Songnan was the first to react. He put down his chopsticks and, smiling, said, “Hey, what’s not appropriate about it? Little sister comes out to have some hotpot and a drink, it’s all good fun.”

Shen Juan glanced at him and said, “She’s underage.” “…”

He Songnan was momentarily speechless. He pointed to Wang Yiyang beside him and said, “This guy is also underage.”

The underage Wang Yiyang, who was being pointed at, bit into his fish tofu, picked up a beer bottle, and took a big swig, drinking about a third of it. He exhaled contentedly.

He Songnan leaned in, smiling, and tapped the bottle, “Why is it your little desk mate can’t do the same?”

Shen Juan realized that He Songnan was doing this on purpose.

He put down his hand, leaned back in his chair, tilted his head slightly, and raised an eyebrow at him without saying anything.

He Songnan raised both hands, “Alright, got it. If it’s not okay, then it’s not okay. Little sister is underage, so she’ll drink cola.”

Wang Yiyang enjoyed the spectacle, pointing at He Songnan, “Brother Nan, couldn’t you just eat quietly? You had to stir things up? Did it make you happy?”

He Songnan was indeed happy, and Wang Yiyang was also enjoying the show. Jiang Han, on the other hand, was quite confused, feeling that something wasn’t quite right.

The case of beer was already half gone. He Songnan and his friends were practically beer barrels, drinking it like water. After finishing off the last few bottles, it was already past eight.

There was hardly anything left in the pot. Lin Yujing occasionally added some vegetables, eating while listening to their conversation.

Boys’ conversations were different from girls’. Lin Yujing was used to it, as she didn’t have many close female friends. Previously, when she went out with Lu Jiacheng and Cheng Yi, she also listened to a group of boys talking. Boys at this age talked about playing, games, sports, and girls, occasionally making crude jokes. It was all similar.

It was completely dark now, with many string lights hanging in the small courtyard, and the lanterns at the entrance also lit up, casting a dim yet bright glow.

The tattoo studio in the alley, the small courtyard filled with steaming hotpot, and the vibrant youths were vividly unfolding in front of her in this unfamiliar city, creating a strange yet warming feeling.

Wang Yiyang and the others were still lively, noticing it was only eight and deciding to buy more beer. He Songnan, without saying a word, dragged Wang Yiyang and Jiang Han outside, “Let’s go, brothers, to buy beer.”

As they left, he looked back at Shen Juan, giving him a meaningful look, “Master Juan, watch the house.”

Lin Yujing was still chewing on a piece of green vegetable, and when she looked up again, the noisy boys were gone, leaving the small courtyard suddenly silent.

Shen Juan sat quietly beside her, leaning in his chair, playing with the empty cup Lin Yujing hadn’t used.

Noticing her gaze, he looked up, “Full?”

He hadn’t spoken much earlier, so when he did, his voice was a bit hoarse, made more textured by the night and the lights.

Lin Yujing nodded, her eyes falling on the cup in his hand. His hands were good-looking, with long fingers and prominent knuckles, appearing slender yet strong.

She suddenly remembered how he had held her cup earlier, opening the cola can with a flick and placing it in front of her.

“Do you have a curfew at home?” Shen Juan asked suddenly. “Ah?” Lin Yujing was momentarily stunned, then shook her head.

Shen Juan moved his chair back a bit, “They might not know when they’ll be back. If you’re in a hurry, I can take you home first.”

Lin Yujing wasn’t sure if this was his way of asking her to leave.

Are you full? If so, you should go. Why are you still here? Are we that close?

Was that what he meant?

She glanced at the time, 8:30, and slowly nodded, “I’ll wait for them to come back and say goodbye. It’s not too late yet; I can go back by myself.”

Shen Juan gave her a glance and nodded, saying no more.

Though she hadn’t drunk alcohol, Lin Yujing felt full and a bit drowsy, having avoided the painful dinners she usually had with Fu Mingshu. If she kept eating like this, she thought, she might develop a stomach problem.

It had been a long time since she had such a comfortable dinner, and she felt a bit sleepy now.

She turned off the bubbling hotpot, leaned her head on her hand, and lazily stared at the totem-engraved wooden sign on the door of his studio, “Is this your shop?”

Shen Juan lifted his eyes, “Ah,” his gaze deep and his voice hoarse, “Sort of. It’s my uncle’s.”

Lin Yujing noticed this, glanced at him, and changed the subject, “Is tattooing quite profitable?”

“It’s alright. I don’t charge much, just enough for living expenses,” he looked at her, “Thinking about getting one?”

Lin Yujing was taken aback and shook her head, “It looks painful.” Shen Juan smirked, “The spot you chose isn’t very painful.”

“…”

It took Lin Yujing three seconds to remember what he was referring to, staring at him expressionlessly, “Classmate Shen, your conversation skills are lacking.”

Shen Juan chuckled, “Alright.”

“Do you usually live here?” Lin Yujing asked.

“Yeah,” Shen Juan paused and said, “This is my home.”

Lin Yujing fell silent.

Shen Juan’s few words were so meaningful that they left one thinking.

This place, apart from being centrally located, wasn’t really good. It was an old house in an old alley, with wooden floors that seemed on the verge of rotting, creaking with each step. There were seven or eight households per floor, each with a small area and poor sound insulation.

And yet, his uncle’s shop was his home.

In an instant, Lin Yujing’s mind filled with countless stories. Shen Juan transformed from a cool and rebellious school bully into a little poor boy with a story, earning his living expenses by tattooing.

Lin Yujing, resting her head on her hand, slowly blinked and imagined a fifty-thousand- word story, unable to stifle a yawn.

The girl looked very sleepy. After yawning, her eyes were moist and a bit red, the corners of her eyes curving, her lashes drooping tiredly.

She seemed a bit cold, always hunching slightly, her fingers unconsciously rubbing her arms for warmth.

Shen Juan watched her for a while, then put down the cup, “Wait inside.”

Lin Yujing’s fingertips were cold, and she quickly nodded, stood up, and followed him inside.

She sat on the sofa, and Shen Juan handed her a blanket. Lin Yujing thanked him, took it, and spread it out.

It was a dark gray blanket, thick and soft, warm to the touch.

Lin Yujing raised it for five seconds, silently chanting three times in her heart. This is the boss’s blanket.

The blanket that the boss used to cover his head was now given to her.

She carefully draped one corner over herself.

The room was very warm, and Lin Yujing sank into the sofa, holding a cushion and yawning again as she looked up.

She then noticed that the ceiling was also painted with designs. In front of the temple, an angel with wings held a bouquet of vibrant flowers, while a devil, gripping a trident, stood atop a cliff made of human bones, with boiling red magma beneath him. Half was heaven, and half was hell.

Lin Yujing originally wanted to ask who had painted it, but when she looked up, she didn’t see Shen Juan anywhere. He might have gone out to continue eating, still not full. She tilted her head and rubbed her eyes.

Shen Juan went inside to find an empty cup. The water dispenser wasn’t turned on, so there was no hot water. He found a kettle and boiled some water. Leaning against the refrigerator in the kitchen, he waited for the water to boil. He took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, knocked one out, and held it between his lips while searching for a lighter. Halfway through, he glanced outside.

The person on the sofa was mostly hidden, with only a part of a hand hanging over the edge. Shen Juan put the lighter back in his pocket and threw the cigarette aside. The water boiled in a few minutes, and Shen Juan poured a cup and went out to find Lin Yujing already asleep.

She was curled up, huddled in the soft sofa and surrounded by cushions, clutching a blanket by its edge, covering half her arm, looking pitiful. Shen Juan placed the cup on the coffee table and stood by the sofa, watching her for a while.

After some hesitation, he lifted the blanket to cover her chest and shoulders. At that moment, voices of boys talking and laughing came from outside, and the door was pushed open: “Master Juan—Juan—”

Shen Juan’s hand shook, and the blanket fell, perfectly covering Lin Yujing’s head. He Songnan entered, looked around, and finally focused on the person on the sofa. Shen Juan stood by the sofa, one hand still in mid-air, and turned to look at him.

The sofa had a bulge covered tightly by a dark gray blanket, with only a small white fingertip peeking out. He Songnan was puzzled: “What are you doing? Why are you covering the little queen? New hobby?”

Shen Juan pressed his voice: “Shut up.”

He Songnan shut up, looking at Shen Juan, then at the lump on the sofa. After two seconds, he lifted the edge of the blanket a bit. The girl’s small face appeared; with only two floor lamps on, the light was dim. The girl was breathing lightly and evenly, her skin white, and long, thick eyelashes casting shadows. There was a hint of fatigue in her face, with a slight frown, as if she hadn’t slept well for a long time.

Shen Juan straightened up, found the remote on the other side of the sofa, and turned off the lights, darkening the room. He walked to the door and nodded at He Songnan: “Out.”

He Songnan obediently left, with Shen Juan following and closing the door behind him. Outside, Jiang Han and Wang Yiyang were chatting with their arms around each other. Shen Juan and He Songnan sat down, and He Songnan opened his mouth: “Hey, old Shen…”

Shen Juan looked up: “Hmm?”

Jiang Han also looked up: “The little fairy left?”

“No, she’s sleeping inside.”

Jiang Han nodded, saying: “Master Juan, I heard about your situation.”

Shen Juan turned his head slightly, not really knowing what he was talking about.

Jiang Han, with a serious expression, said: “I was just casually talking before. If you really like her, your brother won’t compete with you. But you should make an effort. For example, today, you just let her sleep alone inside? If you like her, sleep with her!”

Shen Juan looked at him amused, not understanding what was going through his mind daily: “How did you come to that conclusion?”

Jiang Han said: “If you don’t like her, why did you shield her from drinking?”

The night wind was indeed chilly. Shen Juan added a jacket when he came out. He took out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from his pocket, lit a cigarette while lowering his eyes: “Two separate things.”

“How are they two separate things?” Jiang Han said.

“A young girl, not familiar with us,” Shen Juan bit the cigarette, leaning back, “Drinking with a bunch of guys she barely knows, it’s not appropriate.”

“Oh—Not familiar—” He Songnan dragged his voice, staring meaningfully at him, “Then get familiar. After getting familiar, is it appropriate?”

Shen Juan squinted his eyes, smiling: “Not appropriate. Get lost. Don’t even think about it.”

Lin Yujing had a long dream. She hadn’t had a dream she remembered clearly in a long time. After moving here, her sleep quality had been poor, always dreaming but forgetting them upon waking.

The last clear dream she remembered was the day she first met Shen Juan, with the boy holding a tattoo machine, wanting to tattoo a glow-in-the-dark watch on her. This time, it was still him, his beautiful fingers holding a glass, with the rim turned down on the table. The sound was distant, as if coming from far away: “Cola?”

Lin Yujing had wanted to say she only drank Pepsi, not Coca-Cola. Such a low EQ comment couldn’t be said at the time, so she said it in her dream. Sure enough, Shen Juan got furious, and Lin Yujing thought she might become the second desk mate to almost get beaten to death. Just as she was about to die on the spot, she woke up.

When she first opened her eyes, there was a moment of confusion. It was too dark to see anything. Lin Yujing sat up, feeling the soft blanket, thinking she was lying in her bedroom but feeling something was off.

In a daze, she heard someone say: “Awake?”

A man’s voice, very close, like it was right by her ear, low and vibrating through her entire body. She was so scared she almost screamed, her head blank, instinctively raising her hand and slapping towards the source of the voice.

At the same time, Shen Juan found the remote and turned on the light. In the dim light, Lin Yujing saw his expressionless face.

But her hand was already out, too late to pull back. Lin Yujing’s eyes widened as she heard a crisp “slap,” feeling warmth in her palm.

She had solidly slapped him.

Author’s Note:

Domestic violence scene, please understand.

Lin Yujing: It wasn’t me, I didn’t, don’t talk nonsense.