C5 Chapter 5

Liang Jing shot me a look and spat out three words: “Local.”

“What’s wrong with being local? Locals are wholesome as hell! I’m telling you, come out to where I’m from—up in the mountains. Best wild fruit you’ll ever eat, pop ’em in your mouth one after another, crisp as can be. And the spring water—seeping right out of the rocks—so clean and refreshing. Take a sip in the summer and you’ll be cool till midnight. Oh, and at midnight—find a tree or a patch of grass, lie back and look up. The stars—one after another, one after another—bright like diamonds. Guaranteed to blind you…”

I kept talking up a storm, sneaking glances at Liang Jing. Sure enough, there was that look in her eyes—like she actually wanted to see it. I gave a smug little snort. “Well? Sound tempting or what?”

She put on an unimpressed face. “Yeah right. Sounds made up. Who knows if you’re just making it all up?”

“Oh, now you’ve done it. You just wait—next summer break… no! This year. Winter break. This winter break you’re coming home with me, and I’ll show you whether I’m lying or not!”

“Fine, fine. Your words—don’t you dare back out!” Liang Jing suddenly flashed a sly grin.

Me: “……”

Weird. Why do I feel like I just got played?

When we got out of the car, I saw Liang Jing hand the driver fifty bucks.

“Holy crap! That ride cost that much? That’s like half a train ticket!”

“What did you think? That’s why I was working so hard with the map trying to find a bus. Fifty bucks! For someone like me—a working girl—that’s not pocket change!” Liang Jing wailed, looking miserable.

“You’re broke? You don’t look broke,” I said, unimpressed.

Liang Jing hooked her arm around my neck and said in this creepy, low voice, “What’s that supposed to mean, kid? Do I look like some loaded big shot to you?”

She had me half-choked, and I could barely breathe. I hurried up and said, “No, no… not at all…”

She let go of me and leaned in close to my ear, whispering, “Listen up. Every dime I’ve spent on this trip, I earned myself. And you’d better get this straight—this cab fare counts as a loan. When you’ve got money, you’re paying me back!”

“I…”

“‘I’ what?” Liang Jing snapped. “Come with me and let’s go ask around—are you the one who’s too young, or am I the one who’s too old?”

My face tightened. Either way, I was dead.

“Holy crap! The principal and his mistress!” I blurted, randomly pointing at a middle-aged guy and… his daughter, I guess…

“What? Seriously?” Liang Jing lit up like she’d just been handed front-row gossip. She whipped around. “No way. That’s messed up—at his age, and he’s still—” She cut herself off and spun back. “Hey! Wu Xiaogang, why are you running?”

Why am I running? Because if I don’t, you’re going to kill me.

“Ma’am, hope we meet again!” I called out with a dramatic little wave, then turned and bolted into the crowd.

A furious roar came from behind me: “Wu Xiaogang! If I ever run into you again, I swear I’ll make you pay!”

A chill ran down my spine. Women can be scarier than ghosts sometimes. But she was dragging two suitcases, and I had nothing in my hands—no way she could catch me… Wait. I had nothing in my hands…

“Crap! I came here empty-handed? I’m done for… my only bag’s still on the train…”

I could’ve cried. It even had three meals’ worth of food I hadn’t eaten yet. Still, I’d planned for emergencies. I pulled out the only bank card my family—maybe even my whole town—had. Dad got it for me the last time he came down from the mountains. The PIN was six sixes. No idea how much was on it, but with Dad’s… unusual way of making a living, it probably wasn’t much—just enough for tuition and basic living expenses.

There was a bank on campus, but the line was insane—I couldn’t even get inside. Off to the side was one of those ATM machines, so I walked over. I stared at it for a long moment before finally deciding to slide my card in.

“Please, God—don’t let me put it in backwards!”

Oh, nice—I got it right! Sure, I never went to school growing up, but with my well-educated, sensible mom raising me, I’d say my language skills are on fire—like a rocket taking off, unstoppable.

I entered the password smoothly and checked the balance...

Checking balance...

Checking...

Balance...

“Holy crap! Am I seeing this right? One, two, three... seven, eight... eight zeros, and two of them are after the decimal point... so that leaves six before it... That’s one... one million?! Holy crap—am I a millionaire?”

I froze. There’s no way this came from my old man farming. He could farm for ten lifetimes and still wouldn’t make this kind of money. He must’ve saved some rich guy out there somewhere... man... spending this kind of money...

“Wouldn’t make me feel guilty at all! Hahaha!” I laughed out loud, withdrew my tuition and some cash for shopping, and didn’t touch the rest. No way I’m carrying that much around—too much money and you start smelling like it. I’m a clean kid who came out of the backwoods; I can’t let that filthy vibe mess up my spirit.

“Back to the dorm!” I decided, right after I finished shopping.

North Campus, Building 1, Room 305.

“Made it—this is the place!” I used the key the old guy gave me, unlocked the door, and walked in. Inside were three... three people dressed kind of weird?