TSMLI CHAPTER 3

The next day, Lin Chu woke from the stifling heat, her back already slick with a thin layer of sweat. She pulled out an electric fan and set it on a wooden chair, then fetched some water from the bathroom and hurried back to brush her teeth in the cool breeze. Her eyes still felt heavy with sleep, but she forced herself to stay alert once she left the house. Work waited for no one.

 

That weekend, Lin Chu finally managed to go home. After finishing work on Friday, she changed buses three times and reached Chuqian Bus Station by half past six. Unlicensed taxi drivers swarmed around the exit, but she ignored their calls and walked out on her own. With prices rising everywhere, even tricycle fares had increased. Unwilling to spend ten yuan on an unlicensed cab or seven on a tricycle, she simply strolled slowly along West Suburbs Road.

 

Chuqian District had only been incorporated into Nanjiang City a decade earlier. Once an ordinary small county town, its property values had skyrocketed since then, multiplying several times over. A large-scale demolition project the previous year had relocated most factories, replacing them with new residential communities and hotels. The area was beginning to resemble the heart of Nanjiang City more and more.

 

Lin Chu’s family lived in an old building constructed sixteen years ago, back when housing prices were still remarkably low. At the time, her father had been promoted to factory manager. He had purchased their ninety-square-meter apartment for only half the listed price, paying twenty thousand yuan out of his own pocket. That same year the family bought an air conditioner, a refrigerator, and even installed a telephone that cost over two thousand yuan. They had felt as though they were living in the height of success. Then the wave of layoffs changed everything. Fortunately, her father had invested fifty thousand yuan in the factory. When it was later sold, he received a substantial sum. Combined with decades of careful saving, the money was now enough for them to consider buying a new home.

 

As soon as Lin Chu stepped inside, she heard her mother complaining that a recent torrential rain had caused the master bedroom roof to leak again. She was urging her father to climb up and repair it over the weekend. Lin Chu quickly interjected, “Just hire a repairman. Don’t make Dad go up there.”

 

Her mother walked over and closed the door. “Why spend money on a master for such a small job? There are men in the house. Why not make use of them?”

 

She took out a bowl of mung bean soup from the refrigerator and offered it to Lin Chu. Then she continued, “Your father and I have already chosen a new house. He can’t walk well, so he prefers the first floor, but I worry it will be too damp. After looking around, I think the third floor is best. What do you think?”

 

In a five-story building, the third floor commanded the highest price. Lin Chu felt the pinch but figured the difference between floors was not that great. “Actually, the first floor has a garage attached, so it functions more like a second floor. It shouldn’t be too damp.”

 

Her mother shook her head. “It’s inconvenient to dry clothes on the first floor. The sunlight is perfect on the third.”

 

In truth, her mother had already made up her mind and was only seeking agreement. Lin Chu smiled, picked up her spoon, and nodded readily. Her mother looked satisfied and glanced toward Lin’s father, who remained absorbed in the evening news, as if to prove her point.

 

Lin Chu rested at home for two days before rushing back to the city on Sunday night.

 

The company’s new plans for June had already begun rolling out. Lin Chu marked the dates on her calendar and started eating more regularly, determined to gain a little weight.

 

A major city event was scheduled for the middle of the month, with the City Investment Group participating. Lin Chu’s workplace would perform two pieces: a chorus and a folk dance. Unfortunately, she was expected to do both at once.

 

She had grown quite thin, something her mother had already scolded her about. The ordered performance costume now looked oversized on her slight frame, making her appear listless. For the next half month, Lin Chu focused on eating well. By the middle of the month, she had finally put on some weight. During that time she met Wang Ming again, and this time he invited her to see a movie.

 

Wang Ming seemed completely unfamiliar with cinemas and fumbled even buying tickets. Lin Chu watched from the sidelines, feeling a touch of nervousness.

 

Inside the darkened theater, the two barely spoke a word, which actually felt more comfortable than their meals together. Lin Chu loved films and quickly became absorbed in the story, but Wang Ming was different. He kept stealing glances at her. When he saw she was not paying him any attention, he grew bolder, tilting his head slightly to study her profile.

 

Among all his blind dates, Lin Chu was undoubtedly the most beautiful. Her small, delicate face was fair and fine-featured, and her long hair fell to one side, revealing a smooth forehead. Perhaps because she still looked somewhat youthful, she tended to dress in a more mature style, but the effect only made her appear endearingly naive.

 

Wang Ming liked her very much. Yet he was accustomed to keeping a certain distance and did not quite know how to pursue her. After more than half a month without any contact from her, he grew anxious and finally invited her to the movies.

 

After the film ended, Lin Chu wanted to head straight home, but Wang Ming stopped her and suggested a walk by Nanhu Lake.

 

People flowed in and out around the cinema. The city at night always held a certain allure, with its cool breeze and hazy neon glow. But Lin Chu was bundled up tightly, and her slight nearsightedness kept distractions at bay. She smiled thoughtfully. “I’m not going. I still have a report to finish at home. By the way, have you been on any other blind dates lately? If you bring your girlfriend next time, I can give you a membership card with discounts. I forgot to bring it today.”

 

Wang Ming looked taken aback and gave an awkward reply. The two walked slowly toward the bus stop. Lin Chu continued speaking lightly. “I’ll treat you to a meal when I have the chance. I never properly thanked you for covering for me. My mom has stopped nagging me lately. Actually, sometimes I really don’t understand. I’m only twenty-three. Is there such a rush? Anyway, I’ll just keep going like this. I definitely won’t get married before thirty.”

 

Wang Ming nodded awkwardly. They parted at the bus stop. Lin Chu hopped onto the bus without looking back. Wang Ming adjusted his glasses and watched until it disappeared into the night.

 

The sky remained overcast that day, the sun hiding behind layers of clouds. A gentle breeze scattered a few patches, but it never broke through.

 

The performance stage by Nanhu Lake had been fully set up, with television cameras positioned nearby and several other media outlets waiting. Lin Chu changed and applied her makeup in a temporary building behind the stage, then waited to go on.

 

The leaders’ speeches at the front dragged on, one after another. When a deep, resonant voice began, Lin Chu, who had been feeling drowsy, immediately opened her eyes.

 

That voice was perfect for evening news broadcasts. It carried a paradoxical quality, smooth like polished marble yet with a faint husky edge, as though sandpaper had gently brushed across it. A colleague peeked in from outside, eyes sparkling with excitement. “Did you hear the man giving that speech? He’s Shen Hongshan’s youngest son. Around thirty, successful, composed, with a strong masculine presence. Most importantly, he’s still single.”

 

The crowd immediately erupted in cheers and lively suggestions, urging her to seize the opportunity.

 

After some time, it was finally Lin Chu and the others’ turn to take the stage. The group arranged themselves neatly and marched forward in unison. They performed a hymn to the motherland, their costumes evoking an old-fashioned 1980s style that looked somewhat out of place on these young women.

 

It was the weekend, and the area around Nanhu Lake was bustling with tourists. Beyond the seated guests, a large crowd had gathered outside the roped-off performance zone. This was Lin Chu’s first time on such a grand stage, and she could not help feeling nervous. She kept telling herself it would be fine, yet her face remained flushed and her breathing uneven. Only after singing halfway through did she manage to calm herself and pour real effort into the performance.

 

Once offstage, Lin Chu took a brief rest before changing into a dress and returning with another group for the folk dance. Her movements were decent enough, but a closer look revealed a certain stiffness. Midway through, her hand gestures ended up reversed from the others. The audience did not seem to notice, and Lin Chu quickly corrected herself, continuing with composure.

 

A leader turned to someone nearby and asked, “Are these the new young women you hired? I don’t think I saw some of them last year.”

 

The man chuckled. “We brought in a group of interns last January. They were all doing rotational training at the time and didn’t participate in performances. This year we can finally put them on stage. These interns are quite impressive. They have solid educations and are willing to endure hardship. Especially the girl on the far left who looks rather young. Back when temperatures dropped below zero last winter, she was assigned to the landfill. Every morning at four o’clock in the freezing cold, she went out to shovel snow and clear garbage. She stuck with it for a whole month. She was the most hardworking one in that batch.”

 

Hearing this, Shen Zhongxun followed the man’s gesture and looked up at the stage. There he saw Lin Chu bending gracefully, twirling with her skirt gently gathered, her smile perfectly angled as though she had rehearsed it countless times before a mirror.

 

He touched the small wound on his wrist, now nearly healed, and propped his chin on his hand, watching intently. No one noticed the thin, short man carrying a paint bucket who crouched low as he made his way toward the stage.

 

The change happened in an instant. The music was nearing its final notes, and the dancers were slowing their movements, preparing for the closing pose. Suddenly the short man leaped onto the stage, brandishing the paint bucket and shouting at the top of his lungs. The security guards stationed around the perimeter barely had time to react before he lifted the bucket and hurled its contents forcefully over the dancers. Several in the middle were splashed, triggering immediate screams. The others on the sides panicked and tried to flee, but their long skirts hindered them. Flustered and disoriented, they pushed and shoved one another. When they reached the steps, they tumbled down in a chaotic heap.

 

The man raised a lighter, its small flame flickering, and bellowed, “Nobody move, or I’ll set you all on fire!” He took a few threatening steps closer to the dancers and warned those who had not been splashed, “Don’t run, or I’ll burn them alive right now!”

 

Those people had no intention of listening. They fled in blind panic. Only a few in the center, drenched in bright red paint, huddled together in terror. Yang Chunbei was among them, sobbing uncontrollably.

 

The audience below the stage scattered in fear toward the outer edges while security guards pushed their way back toward the center. Onlookers chattered excitedly at the unfolding spectacle, and reporters eagerly raised their cameras to capture every thrilling moment.

 

Several leaders from the City Investment Group and municipal officials stood firmly in front of the stage, loudly questioning the dancers. The short man glared fiercely at the women on stage before turning toward the leaders and shouting, “I want you to pay me back! People from the City Investment Group, I want you to take responsibility! I want to expose what you have done!”

 

He rambled incoherently about the forced demolition of the Huitian North Chemical Plant, but the surrounding noise and commotion drowned out most of his words. Only those standing closest could hear him clearly.

 

Lin Chu had run quickly earlier and now stood below the stage in panic. She had been pushed down the steps and seemed to have twisted her ankle. Every attempt to take a step sent sharp pain shooting through her. Everyone else had already fled, and no one had stopped to help. Tears welled in her eyes as anxiety gripped her. After a long moment she took a deep breath and forced herself to move forward, enduring the pain with each careful step.

 

She had only taken two steps when a body suddenly pressed against her from behind. Startled, Lin Chu instinctively tried to scream, but a hand immediately covered her mouth. A deep voice spoke close to her ear. “I am Shen Zhongxun from Min’an Real Estate. We have met at the Environmental Group. Don’t be afraid.”

 

Lin Chu felt an immediate wave of relief. Though her heart still raced, strength seemed to return to her legs.

 

Shen Zhongxun released his hand and asked in a low voice, “Do you know where the microphone is? Do as I say.”

 

He gave her a few quick instructions, but Lin Chu shook her head and turned to leave. Shen Zhongxun grabbed her with a stern expression and refused to let go. She gritted her teeth. “What does this have to do with me? Let me go!”

 

The man on stage continued shouting, nearly delirious, as cries and screams blended into a chaotic din. Shen Zhongxun spoke expressionlessly. “Aren’t those people up there your colleagues? Are you really that selfish?”

 

Lin Chu could not help but sneer. The expression looked strangely out of place on her slightly youthful face. Shen Zhongxun frowned as she shot back, “Who is selfish? Isn’t this all your doing?”

 

His face darkened with displeasure. Just as he opened his mouth to reply, the man on stage shouted again that he would light the fire. The flickering flame swung toward Yang Chunbei, who screamed and stumbled backward. She had been cornered, with the solid wooden planks of the stage trapping her in place.

 

Shen Zhongxun felt a long strand of hair slap sharply across his face. The thin braid on the side struck his eye. He squinted and leaned back. When he opened his eyes again, he saw that Lin Chu had already run to a cabinet beside the stage. She pulled a microphone from behind a box and shouted toward the stage, “Sir!”

 

Shen Zhongxun reacted swiftly. He rushed backstage and circled around to the other side of the stage.