Chapter 2, The Beautiful Young Woman

This matter still needs you to bring it up with my old man; he gets furious when he sees me. Right now, I almost got a good beating from him when I went back to get the car. Guo Baolin is tall and strong, always eager to compete and fight, possessing a rebellious spirit, yet he is powerless in front of Guo Dequan. To quote his own words: "No one can withstand the old man's insidious face."

Fang Nan jumped out, her sleeves rolled up to her elbows, her forearms pale and delicate, dazzling to the eye. She no longer bore the fatigue from the train journey. The charm in her brows and eyes made it clear to others that she was not someone who had emerged from some remote corner of the mountains: "You all go ahead, I have everything with me, and I'm not lacking anything"

Lin Quan wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead and nose with his sleeve, feeling an uncomfortable dryness in his throat. He recalled the aunt selling cantaloupes at the school gate and swallowed hard.

The landlord has illegally constructed a room in the backyard, and in front of this building, there is a yard and an exit. The rent is only 200 yuan per month, which also includes the entire backyard, making it an exceptionally cost-effective and valuable place.

There are several standards for classifying a person's appearance. In addition to handsome and ugly, one can also categorize them as fierce or loyal. Guo Baolin is tall and robust, and the two scars on his face immediately reveal his aggressive nature.

"I am not afraid of hardship, it’s just... I have nowhere to live..." The woman's voice was soft, yet it touched Lin Quan's heart, filling him with gratitude towards her.

We will discuss it further when Xiao Guo arrives. Essentially, we will be engaging in some activities and spending some money for summer practice. The salary can be paid to you in advance

At that time, Lin Quan was still unaware of her feelings and simply stated the facts: "The factory rarely hires people mid-year. Did your fellow townsman tell you the address of her factory? She must be introducing you to her workplace, right?"

Jinhai has been experiencing high temperatures since July, and the heat will only begin to subside around mid-September. Thinking of this, it feels as if a bundle of straw has been stuffed into my chest, creating a chaotic sensation. Guo Baolin is a solitary person, without any luggage, while Lin Quan has only a wheeled suitcase filled with books. On the other hand, Fang Nan, who is venturing out for the first time, has not only prepared all her winter clothing but also packed a net bag made of green plastic rope containing a plastic basin, a mouthwash cup, a drying rack, and other miscellaneous items. Lin Quan glances sideways at her enormous bundle tied up with a bedsheet, fearing it might contain a thick quilt.

Guo Baolin squinted at that person and whispered in Lin Quan's ear: "The fruit platter at the restaurant is complimentary; we don't need this much"

It is unclear whether it is her innocence or the overly honest appearance of Lin Quan, but just before leaving the station, she did not even inquire about the job she was introduced to and simply followed along

At this moment, Lin Quan realized that with such a large pile of luggage, she would also need to ask some big brother for help; as it turned out, he was getting beaten up right next to Guo Baolin.

It seemed to take a great deal of courage for her to say "some things." At that moment, Lin Quan's gaze was shifting to her face, noticing the drunken flush that had spread across her cheeks, making her look quite alluring. Unable to resist, he peered through the open collar of her shirt. Lin Quan's heart skipped a beat; goodness, even half of her bosom was a rosy pink. The sound of his throat swallowing unconsciously was startlingly loud, surprising himself and causing him to sway slightly, almost sitting down abruptly. He braced himself against the suitcase and sat down: "Ahem..." It seemed that without a few coughs, he couldn't shake off the temptation of "some things." "Sister Fang Nan, well, a decent and comfortable job is hard to find at the moment. Guo's family runs a restaurant, and once we settle you in a place to stay, we can go check out the restaurant... um, um, what I mean is, during the summer vacation, Xiao Guo and I will find some work to do, and you can consider working for us. We will pay you a salary. If you are unwilling, we can let you directly help out at the restaurant as well?"

Guo Baolin gave a signal for Lin Quan to come over. He turned slightly to glance at Fang Nan and quietly asked, "Are you really in charge of this matter?"

The young woman displayed a troubled expression and shook her head: "She only said that job opportunities in Jinghai are everywhere..."

What do you want me to do

Guo Baolin's aggressive act of occupying two seats on the bus has long associated him with a fierce and menacing image. As he leaned forward, the two scars on his face made a young woman shiver, revealing a look of fear as she retreated backward.

I noticed it early on..." The woman said this with a slight upward curl of her lips, giving off a playful impression, her expression softening a bit. She had spent the night in the carriage, and it was precisely because Lin Quan looked like a student that she dared to lean against his left shoulder and doze off. Sleeping was comfortable, but when she woke up, she realized that her ample breast was pressed against him. As they separated, she felt a rush of blood to that part of her body, and her breast tingled with a sensation akin to an electric shock, not knowing whether the person beside her might be thinking of something else. Sleeping was comfortable, but when she woke up, she realized that her ample breast was pressed against him. As they separated, she felt a rush of blood to that part of her body, and her breast tingled with a sensation akin to an electric shock, not knowing whether the person beside her might be thinking of something else.

Lin Quan held back Guo Baolin, pulling him back slightly, and directly asked: "Do you have any melons with broken skin that are about to rot? A little rotten is fine."

In the courtyard, four plastic lounge chairs surrounded a cement table, on which sat three empty beer bottles. Beneath the table lay a pile of vibrant green glass shards, and a dozen pull-tab cans strung together with copper wire hung from a branch above the cement table. A gentle breeze caused them to rattle and clatter. Guo Baolin lit a cigarette, tossing the cigarette pack and lighter to Lin Quan. With the cigarette pinched between his right hand, he pointed the lit end towards the house a few times, his meaning clear, inquiring about how to deal with the people inside the house.

The middle-aged man behind the fruit stand had a bald patch on his head, resembling Guo Dequan somewhat. He stood up, leaned against the counter, and waited for them to ask about the prices.

Lin Quan nudged Guo Baolin's waist with his elbow and asked him, "If they sold cantaloupes here as well, how much would you pay for a piece?"

Lin Quan thought to herself as she squatted on the ground, casually chatting with Fang Nan. The men passing by would unconsciously lean in slightly towards Fang Nan, who blushed, gripping her collar tightly, seemingly aware of the sordid thoughts of men in the world. Lin Quan turned her head and caught a glimpse of Fang Nan's arched back, revealing a small section of her tender white skin on her lower back, understanding why the men who passed behind her would look back for another glance.

Guo Baolin cast a furtive glance at Fang Nan. The Eight Great Bowls Restaurant prefers to hire some young and beautiful girls, as this can increase customer return rates. However, under the various temptations of the city, those young and beautiful girls do not stay in the restaurant for long.

Lin Quan gave him a push, urging him to go quickly and return soon; he turned and walked over to Fang Nan, saying: "These items are not convenient to take a taxi, so I will have Guo Zi drive a pickup truck over."

Who else did you give the keys to, those two shameless individuals? Can anyone actually live here

During his senior year, Guo Baolin rented a house, which had a low rent, and he never canceled the lease. Guo Baolin does not stay there often; rather, it has become a place for his usual friends to indulge in revelry.

At this moment, Lin Quan was holding a book in his hands, and the title "Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy" provided him with a sense of reassurance. The fact that the young woman was sleeping so soundly next to him illustrates just how significant a person's appearance can be

Guo Baolin stood to the side, seemingly having anticipated this matter, chuckling to himself: "With a woman around, the smell wouldn't be so strong, as if a whole bottle of disinfectant had been spilled."

The middle-aged vendor glanced at the pickup truck behind them, its door emblazoned with the sign of "Eight Great Bowls" restaurant. He spat on the ground with disdain and said, "Eight Great Bowls has some reputation, yet they choose such quality for their fruit platter. Who the hell would still go there to eat?" He bent down and pulled out more than twenty melons with some damaged skin from under his stall. Some areas were darker in color, starting to rot. Impatiently, he said, "Ten yuan for all of them; it’s a hassle to walk to the trash can to throw them away."

"You are here in Jinghai looking for a job, aren't you?" Guo Baolin leaned in with his thick lips, resting his hand on the fiberboard table, his shoulder nearly pressing against the mother holding the baby

Where to go and what to do? The old man might just be there

Fang Nan's blush had not yet faded, and it was still warm. Lin Quan stood for a while, feeling weak in the legs. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, disregarding his appearance, and squatted down. Fang Nan still felt a bit worried, crouching closer to him, speaking softly as if afraid of provoking anger: "... Sigh, can you introduce me to a job? That, um... there are some things I won't do."

At the north gate of the provincial university, where Lin Quan and Guo Baolin studied, a middle-aged woman, with a waist as thick as a bucket, was cutting cantaloupes into strips and soaking them in a basin of clean water. She displayed them on a classroom desk that had been dragged from somewhere, calling out to sell them. On this sweltering summer day, anyone gazing at the glistening, tender melon flesh could not help but swallow.

Isn't it degrading to work as a waiter at the Eight Big Bowls? Forget it, just throw her into the Eight Big Bowls, offering 800 a month. If she can't handle the hardship and leaves, she can't blame us. She seems quite simple, so I estimate she can last another two months.

Fang Nan, feeling utterly alone and at a loss, regarded them as his last hope. His trust in himself evoked a rare sense of shame in Lin Quan: "Once school starts, if you are willing, I can definitely help you get a job at a restaurant."

Having seen her identity card, I know she is only twenty-four this year, two years older than myself. Perhaps due to fatigue, she appears to be around twenty-five or twenty-six. Even so, Fang Nan's beautiful features still make Lin Quan's heart tighten upon seeing her.

When Guo Baolin became excited, he unconsciously exerted more strength in his hands. Lin Quan, with his shoulders slumped and back hunched, managed to break free from his grip, thinking to himself that his shoulder must have turned red from the pressure. He spread his hands to indicate that it was merely talk: "You go and bring your dad's pickup truck; there are a lot of things here."

Lin Quan approached, dragged over a chair, and upon noticing the dark mud stains left by rainwater that had dried in the chair, he plucked a few leaves from the cement table and sat down heavily.

Lin Quan is slender and elegant, with straight brows and bright eyes, exuding a strong scholarly aura. The only mathematical term that Guo Baolin learned is one he enjoys using on Lin Quan: "Little Three, your appearance is inversely proportional to your sordid inner self"

The Eight Great Bowls Restaurant operated by Guo Dequan is separated from the dormitory building of the First Middle School by just one street. Although Linquan High School was impoverished during that time, students often went to the Eight Great Bowls to call friends and indulge in drinking to drown their sorrows. The acquaintance with Guo Dequan predates that with Guo Baolin, but back then, they referred to Guo Dequan as "Guo the Bald," a name they used so fluently that it often slips out in front of Guo Baolin even now

Guo Baolin, sweating profusely and feeling parched, heard the term "honeydew" and his eyes lit up. Grasping Lin Quan's shoulder, he exclaimed, "Where, where? I remember you have twenty yuan in your pocket and another ten yuan tucked in the sole of your shoe"

The young woman had just woken up and still felt a bit shy about sleeping next to him. Once Guo Baolin retreated to the seat across from her, she began to speak as if to herself: "... I have a fellow villager who worked in Jinghai for a while. This time, I planned to come with her, but the day before we were supposed to leave, something suddenly happened at her home, and she couldn't go. I didn't want to waste the ticket money, so I came first..."

Fang Nan covered her nose as she entered, noticing that her face was flushed to the point of appearing to bleed, likely having detected the odor. Fang Nan swiftly opened the window to ventilate the room, understanding that this was indeed her place of refuge and livelihood, requiring no further explanation.

Many of those who come to Jinghai for work have graduated from junior high school and rarely do you find someone who is twenty-four or twenty-five years old making their first trip away from home. Lin Quan speculated that she must have faced some family difficulties, which forced her to seek employment; such matters are not easy to inquire about nowadays: "If you can endure hardship, I can introduce a job to you. The initial salary won't be very high, probably around six to seven hundred..."

Guo Baolin greeted and drove the pickup truck like a sports car to Yushuang Road. The largest fruit and vegetable wholesale market in Jinghai is located here, spanning three kilometers along Yushuang Road.

Have you also arrived at the library in Jinghai?

The young woman noticed Lin Quan also staring at her, her head slightly lowered, with her bangs hanging down to obscure her smooth forehead. The frightened gaze of her doe-like eyes made one's heart race.

After you start school ... ...

Lin Quan pretended to stretch his legs and waist, but unfortunately, in that brief moment, he couldn't find a better angle to see more places. Just as he was feeling bored, Guo Baolin came over in a different outfit, standing at the east exit, peering in to call out. Upon seeing Lin Quan wave back, he squeezed his way through the two station staff members. From a distance, he couldn't hear him cursing those two fools.

Lin Quan lightly cleared his throat and pointed at Guo Baolin's pocket: "Your pocket is bulging; you must have received some money, right? Take out one thousand yuan and let me use it first."

Damn, I knew that the free stuff from the Eight Big Bowls wouldn't be of good quality. Guo Dequan, with his thick skin, probably expects the vendors to pay him ten yuan to take away the garbage. These cantaloupes weigh about ten jin each; if they weren't somewhat rotten, the wholesale price would be around fourteen to fifteen yuan, so it's practically a windfall now. Guo Baolin has one good trait: he isn't very curious. When he saw Lin Quan pulling money out from his shoe to give to someone, he rolled up his sleeves and started loading the rotten melons onto the cart. As the cart passed by the supermarket entrance, Lin Quan jumped down, bought two large basins, a few peeling knives, and some bamboo skewers, then went to the bottom of the Eight Big Bowls. Noticing that Guo Dequan's Jetta was not in the parking lot, he instructed Guo Baolin: "Guozi, go steal two takeout aluminum boxes."

Lin Quan stared at the plastic sign above the aisle, pointing the way for Guo Baolin to drive the vehicle into the melon wholesale area, where the cantaloupes, with their greenish-yellow skins, were neatly arranged, exuding a rich sweet fragrance

The crisp "click" of the door lock being turned seems to propel one into another joyful moment. The mingled scent of male and female bodily fluids, combined with the mustiness of the rainy season and the pungent odor of certain perishable foods that have been fermenting for a long time, surged forth. Lin Quan covered his nose and stepped back, nearly dropping the keychain onto the tiled floor

The young woman displayed a look of confusion and helplessness in her eyes, evoking feelings of pity and reluctance in those who saw her. She had disembarked at Jinghai Station, but from her bewildered and flustered gaze, Lin Quan could tell that she had no acquaintances in this place, or perhaps she herself was uncertain of her purpose for coming to Jinghai.

As the train makes a large turn to head north, the quiet sea remains undisturbed; apart from students like Lin Quan and Guo Baolin, who will become worthless by the end of the term, the green trains are filled with migrant workers engaged in arduous labor in the cities. The vast majority of them will flow into the bustling crowds of the quiet sea, contributing their sweat and blood to the development and construction of the quiet sea, yet they can only exchange it for meager wages barely sufficient for survival

This matter is not urgent; let us first take a stroll along Yushuang Road

Where should I send her?" Guo Baolin chuckled lewdly

The slanting sun was a deep red, resembling spilled blood, and like fiery clouds burning against the expansive green canopy. Guo Baolin squinted for a moment, yet did not change gears, directly steering the pickup truck into the market. Lin Quan, sitting in the passenger seat, could clearly feel the tail of the vehicle swaying. It was late, and the large fruit and vegetable wholesale market was empty and desolate. The listless wholesalers began to tidy up their stalls, concluding a day of hard work, while the air was filled with the sweet scent of fruit mingled with the odor of decay.

Without a job, without housing, without acquaintances, and with little spare money... Lin Quan revealed a worried expression about the situation of the young woman: "We are students of Donghai Provincial University..." He closed the book, revealing the words "Donghai Provincial University Press" on the spine.

Behind the Municipal First Middle School lies a series of courtyards with an ancient and simple design. In the backyard of one of these courtyards, a rusted iron gate stands, while tall sycamore trees cast deep green shadows. The pickup truck is parked outside the courtyard gate, and as one steps into the shade of the trees, it feels as though one has entered a cool world

Lin Quan carefully observed the woman named Fang Nan. Over the years, under the guidance of his grandfather Chen Ran, Lin Quan had developed a keen eye for assessing people. Although they were cramped in a hard-seat carriage, Fang Nan's clothes were wrinkled from the squeeze, and her face was not well-groomed, lacking any makeup, she was by no means the type of village woman who relied solely on her looks. It was merely the bewilderment of arriving in an unfamiliar place that had dulled the serene quality she possessed.

Guo Baolin has never felt the shame of betraying his own, which is commendable. He approached with two brand new, shiny tin boxes and handed them over. Lin Quan felt the weight in his hands. Upon opening one, he found a roasted chicken, a pig's trotter, and a large piece of beef. When he opened the lower tin box, it was neatly filled with cans of pure draft beer.

Is this Jinghai? The young woman, who had been sleeping closely beside Lin Quan for four or five hours, slightly opened her drowsy eyes. For a brief moment, Lin Quan felt that his haggard fatigue and wrinkled shirt did not diminish the young woman's exquisite beauty in the slightest.

Fang Nan held the rope of the net bag used for carrying miscellaneous items in her hand. The weather was hot and dry, causing her fair face to flush. Lin Quan and Guo Baolin helped to take the luggage off the car. Guo Baolin, having engaged in fights for many years, had developed a sturdy physique, standing at 1.83 meters and weighing 85 kilograms, which did not seem to bother him. Lin Quan, at a height of 1.80 meters and weighing 62 kilograms, felt too shy to compete with Fang Nan for the lightest net bag. After getting off the car, he was flushed and his shirt was soaked with sweat, sticking to his back.

"Damn it, how do you know I stuffed money in my pocket? Do you really think Fang Nan has this sweet cantaloupe?" Guo Baolin shifted gears and parked the car, then opened the door and jumped out first

Did you not just give me a look? Regardless, I am certainly qualified to work as a waiter at your restaurant

Although the crowded green train carriage was stifling, the wind that rushed through the carriage once it started moving was not unbearable. Upon disembarking, standing amidst the throngs of people, a wave of heat hit, and sweat began to seep out profusely from my body

Lin Quan was also uncertain and did not feel like explaining to Guo Baolin right now. It was rare to see even a vendor selling water at the station square, and his throat was parched. He urged Guo Baolin to hurry outside and leaned out to speak to Fang Nan, saying: "Sister Fang Nan, you tidy up first. I will go out with Guo Zi for a moment. If you need anything, let us know, and we will bring it back when we go out."