The voice was familiar, the presence equally so.
Tian Tian knew it was Chen Dongyang without even turning her head.
Strange, they had broken up, hadn't he promised not to appear before her again? Why was he here now?
Their eyes met, and seeing no gratitude, only confusion in Tian Tian's gaze, Chen Dongyang reached out and patted the back of her head.
"We'll talk later."
He handed ten yuan to the owner, who took it and gave him a room key.
With a familiar tone, the owner asked, "Your girlfriend?"
"Yes. She's here to teach."
"Quite pretty, a good match for you."
"Thank you."
Chen Dongyang put his arm around Tian Tian and, as if he knew the way, walked inside.
He led her to the door corresponding to the key, opened it, pushed her in, and then spoke.
"It's too far from Nancheng, and quite remote. I was worried about you being alone, so I came ahead to scout the place."
"The permanent population of this town doesn't exceed twenty thousand, and this street is considered the center of the town. Because they have businesses to sustain them, the labor force from the families hasn't gone far."
"Whether it's the innkeeper, the restaurant owner, or the owner of this bathhouse, they are all middle-aged men."
"While we shouldn't assume the worst of people, we are outsiders, and you are a young woman traveling alone, so it's best to be cautious."
"By saying I'm your boyfriend, people will at least be more wary. Please don't mind it."
His words, surprisingly, resonated with Tian Tian.
She hadn't had a good impression since stepping into the county town, and after looking around at the shops in the town, she felt people were looking at her strangely.
She was already starting to dislike the place.
But she had chosen to come, so she couldn't just pack up and leave upon arrival, could she?
She had intended to grit her teeth and bear it, but Chen Dongyang's appearance undeniably gave her a sense of reassurance.
Though she felt at ease, Tian Tian didn't want to be grateful to him.
She had made such a firm decision to come here to challenge herself, not to become a courtesan in a different place.
What was the meaning of him following her so thoughtfully?
Seeing her stern face, Chen Dongyang added,
"Don't worry, I won't follow you all the time. Once you successfully enter the school tomorrow and get settled, I'll be on my way."
"Does that explain things? I'll go heat some water for you."
The bathhouse was rudimentary. Inside the empty room, a wooden stool was placed, with two pairs of slippers beneath it – that was all the furnishings.
The men's slippers were blue, and the women's were red. The style was unfashionable and simple, with the heels worn down, as if used by countless people.
Fortunately, Tian Tian had prepared for this and brought her own slippers.
She placed the bag containing her clothes on the stool, sat down, and changed into her own slippers before entering the inner room.
She had expected Chen Dongyang to heat the water by simply turning on the water heater and adjusting it to a suitable temperature.
However, upon entering, she was stunned.
Inside the room, a large earthen stove had been built.
A pile of chopped firewood lay on the ground in front of it.
Chen Dongyang sat on a small stool, feeding firewood into the opening of the stove.
Above, a large pot was suspended, filled with water.
Tian Tian had seen similar stoves and pots in documentaries; they were used for cooking communal meals and butchering pigs.
"Isn't this a bathhouse? Where's the... water heater?"
Chen Dongyang knew she would be surprised.
He turned back, looking at her with a mixture of amusement and pity.
"This is how it's done here. To conserve water, you'll wash in the pot."
"What? Wash in the pot?"
"Yes, it's like your bathtub at home, just a different design."
"..."
"Please wait a moment. It should be ready in about ten minutes."
Tian Tian was truly enlightened.
It was the first time in her life she had been so dumbfounded by an object.
This contraption was for washing? My goodness, it was too much of a psychological hurdle.
How could she even step into the pot to bathe?
"I'm not washing. Don't heat it. It's too terrifying. I'll have psychological trauma. How can this place be like this..."
The rest of her thought remained unspoken.
If she had known this, she wouldn't have come.
Chen Dongyang had experienced the same reaction as Tian Tian when he saw the stove on the night he bought the car and paint.
Therefore, he understood her feelings perfectly.
Since Tian Tian said not to heat it, he stopped.
"Alright, if you can't accept it, we won't wash. We'll make do for tonight. Or would you like to wash at my place?"
"Wash at your place? Is your room suitable?"
"Sort of. Come and see for yourself."
He took Tian Tian's hand and led her out of the bathhouse again.
In the unfamiliar surroundings, holding her lover's hand again, Tian Tian felt a mix of emotions.
She felt she shouldn't forget so quickly the lives lost because of her.
To ignore the suffering of others and indulge in her own happiness would be wrong; she should push Chen Dongyang away.
But being alone outside was too lonely, and her instincts craved his support.
Chen Dongyang matched her pace, walking neither too fast nor too slow.
Neither of them spoke, and they soon arrived at the entrance of the inn.
He unlocked the car from a distance, took Tian Tian's clothes, and had her get into the passenger seat.
Tian Tian was surprised again, "There's a car too? Whose car are you driving?"
"My own. We'll talk inside."
They both got into the car, and Chen Dongyang drove towards where he was renting a place, briefly explaining to Tian Tian about his scouting trip, renting a house, and buying a car.
"Don't worry, I have no intention of pestering you. As I said, you've traveled so far alone, I can't let anything happen to you. Once you get to the school and settle in, I won't appear again."
"If you need anything, call me. If not, we go our separate ways."
Tian Tian didn't know how to respond to his words.
Chen Dongyang was completely following her instructions; they had broken up, and he wasn't bothering her.
But in another way, he hovered nearby, unwilling to leave.
His actions made her feel like she was caught in the middle.
If she pretended nothing had happened and got back together with him, her guilt towards Shang Jincheng wouldn't allow it.
But if she didn't get back with him, Chen Dongyang's constant giving seemed pitiable.
She didn't know how long it would take her to overcome this internal conflict.
The car stopped outside a single-story house. Chen Dongyang opened the gate and motioned for Tian Tian to enter.
Tian Tian looked around, finding the house very simple, spacious, and rather uninspiring.
Chen Dongyang invited her into the living room.
On the floor were several bags of cement, a few cans of paint, some electrical wires, two small stools, and nothing else.
In a side room, there was his suitcase, a mat laid on the floor, and a small floral quilt.
Chen Dongyang went to unplug a power cord from the wall and explained,
"I haven't had time to tidy up yet. I just managed to stay here last night, and brought you over today. I'll renovate it when I have time and make it prettier, building a dedicated shower room for you."
"When you want to shower, you can come here. Tonight, I'll heat some water, and you can wash in the yard, okay?"
As he spoke, he retrieved a red plastic bucket from a corner, filled to the brim with water.