The voice was so familiar, the scent just as familiar.
Tian Tian knew it was Chen Dongyang without turning her head.
Strange, they had broken up, he had said he wouldn't appear before her again, so why was he here now?
Their eyes met, and seeing only confusion, not gratitude, 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 boss, who took it and tossed him a room key.
With a familiar tone, the boss asked, "Girlfriend?"
"Yes. She's here for volunteer teaching."
"Quite pretty, and a good match for you."
"Thank you."
Chen Dongyang put his arm around Tian Tian and, as if he knew the way, led her inside.
Only when they reached the door corresponding to the key, opened it, and pushed Tian Tian in did he speak.
"Nancheng is too far, and this place is remote. I was worried about you being alone, so I came ahead to check things out."
"The permanent population of this town doesn't exceed twenty thousand, and this street is the center of the town. Because people have businesses here to make a living, the labor force hasn't left home."
"Whether it's the innkeeper, the restaurant owner, or the owner of this bathhouse, they are all middle-aged men."
"While we shouldn't think the worst of people, we are outsiders, and you are a young woman traveling alone. It's best to be cautious."
"By saying I'm your boyfriend, people will at least be more hesitant. Please don't mind it."
His words, it must be said, struck a chord with Tian Tian.
She hadn't had a good impression of the county town from the moment she stepped into it. After looking around at the few shops in the town, she felt that everyone's gaze was strange.
She had already started to dislike the place as soon as she arrived.
But she had chosen to come here, so she couldn't just cry regret the moment she got off the bus.
She had intended to grit her teeth and endure it, but Chen Dongyang's appearance undoubtedly gave her a sense of reassurance.
Though she felt more at ease, Tian Tian didn't want to be grateful to him.
She had made such a firm decision to come here to temper herself, not to become a lady of leisure in a different place.
What was the meaning of him following her so thoughtfully everywhere?
Seeing her looking at him with a stiff face, Chen Dongyang added,
"Don't worry, I won't be following you all the time. Once you successfully get into the school tomorrow and settle down, I'll be busy with my own affairs."
"Is that clear? I'll go boil water for you."
The bathhouse was incredibly basic. In the empty room, there was a wooden stool, and beneath it, two pairs of slippers – that was all the furnishings.
The men's slippers were blue, the women's were red. The styles were very unfashionable and simple, with the heels caved in, having been worn by who knew how many people.
Fortunately, Tian Tian had prepared herself mentally and brought her own shoes.
She placed the bag containing her clothes on the stool, sat down, changed into her slippers, and went into the inner room.
She had expected Chen Dongyang to mean boiling water by turning on the water heater and adjusting it to the right temperature.
However, when she went inside, she was stunned.
Inside the room, a large earthen stove had been built.
In front of the stove, a pile of chopped firewood lay on the ground.
Chen Dongyang sat on a small stool, feeding firewood into the mouth of the earthen stove.
Above it, a large pot was propped up, filled with water.
Tian Tian had seen similar stoves and pots in documentaries; they were used for cooking communal meals and for slaughtering pigs.
"Isn't this a bathhouse? Where's the... water heater?"
Chen Dongyang knew she would be surprised.
He turned around, looking at her with a mixture of amusement and pity.
"This is the local custom. To save water, you wash in the pot later."
"What? Wash in the pot?"
"Yes, it's like your bathtub at home, just a different design."
"..."
"Wait a moment. It should be heated in about ten minutes."
Tian Tian was truly enlightened.
For the first time in her life, she was stunned speechless by an object.
This thing was actually used for bathing? My goodness, it was too much for her psyche.
How could she bring herself to step into the pot to wash?
"I'm not washing. Don't boil it. It's too terrifying. I'll have psychological trauma. Why is this place like this..."
She left the rest of her sentence unspoken.
If she had known this earlier, she wouldn't have come.
Chen Dongyang had come to this bathhouse the same night he bought the car and paint, and his reaction to the stove was similar to Tian Tian's.
Therefore, he understood her feelings at that moment perfectly.
When Tian Tian said not to boil it, he stopped.
"Alright, if you can't accept it, we won't wash. We'll just make do tonight. Or do you want 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's heart was filled with mixed emotions.
She felt she shouldn't forget so quickly those lives lost because of her.
To ignore others' suffering and indulge in her own happiness, she should push Chen Dongyang away.
But being alone outside was too lonely, and instinctively she wanted to rely on him.
Chen Dongyang matched her pace, walking neither too fast nor too slow.
Neither of them spoke, and soon they arrived at the entrance of the inn.
He unlocked the car from a distance, took Tian Tian's clothes, and let her get into the passenger seat.
Tian Tian was surprised again: "How can there be a car? Whose car are you driving?"
"My own. We'll talk when you get in."
They got into the car, one on each side, and Chen Dongyang drove towards his rented place. He roughly explained to Tian Tian that he had come ahead to check things out, rented a place, and bought a car.
"Don't worry, I have no intention of pestering you. As I said, you've traveled so far alone, and I can't stand by and watch something happen to you. Once you get to the school and settle down, I won't appear again."
"If you need anything, find me. If not, we'll go our separate ways."
Tian Tian didn't know how to respond to him.
Chen Dongyang was completely doing as she asked. They had broken up, and he wasn't bothering her.
But he was lingering around her in another way, unwilling to leave.
His actions made her feel like she was caught between a rock and a hard place.
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 together with him, Chen Dongyang's constant giving made him seem pitiable.
She didn't know how long it would take her to overcome this internal conflict.
The car stopped outside the gate of a bungalow. Chen Dongyang opened the gate and let Tian Tian in.
Tian Tian looked around, finding the house very simple, very empty, and very uninspiring.
Chen Dongyang asked her to come 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 the side room, there was his suitcase, a mat laid on the floor, and a small quilt with a floral pattern.
Chen Dongyang went to plug in the power cord on the ground and explained,
"I haven't had time to tidy up yet. I made do with staying here last night, and I brought you over today. I'll find time to renovate it later, make it prettier, and build a shower room specifically for you."
"When you want to shower, you can come here. Tonight, I'll boil some hot water, and you can wash in the yard for now, okay?"
As he spoke, he picked up a red plastic bucket from the corner, filled to the brim with water.