The hearts of men are unfathomable.

Being spied on by someone else is certainly unsettling. But remembering that nothing happened between us last night, I didn’t dwell on it. After we got up, Sister Li and Jin Yulian washed up quickly, while I set about making breakfast. We’d drunk too much the night before, so everyone still felt a bit woozy and had little appetite.

I noticed there was still a lot of rice left from last night. It would be a shame to waste it, so I added water and made rice porridge. When I was a child in my rural hometown, almost every morning began with rice porridge for breakfast. There were still plenty of dishes left over as well, and with the weather being so cold, nothing had spoiled. We casually picked at the beef and other leftovers, finishing breakfast in silence.

Just then, Jin Yulian’s phone rang. It was her secretary, Xiao He, calling from the company about an urgent matter that required her personal attention. After taking the call, Jin Yulian explained the situation to us, then drove off to the office.

Sister Li, having returned to her hometown, wanted to wander around and revisit the places she had played in as a child. So I stayed behind to accompany her and continue exploring Maple Forest Village.

Our first stop was the stone arch bridge at the village entrance. There, we saw the weathered Earth God shrine. Sister Li couldn’t help but pull me to my knees beside her as we paid our respects before the statue. Afterward, we went to the familiar little creek, hoping to catch some fish or shrimp, but the water was too cold and there was little to be found.

At noon, we returned home, and I began preparing lunch while Sister Li rummaged through boxes and cabinets, searching for mementos of her mother and memories from her own childhood. When I found an old photograph of Grandma Li and Sister Li as a little girl, I couldn’t help but notice Sister Li’s eyes grow red with emotion.

After organizing her mother’s belongings, lunchtime was ready, and we ate together. In the afternoon, I accompanied Sister Li on another walk around the village, and we paid our respects once more at Grandma Li’s grave, standing hand in hand before it.

Sister Li said, “Mom, please don’t worry. From now on, I’ll take good care of my little brother.” I added, “Mom, please rest assured! I’ve grown up now, and I’ll do my best to protect my sister from now on.”

When our prayers were over, we stood up hand in hand. Sister Li couldn’t help but cup my face in her hands, studying me intently. Our eyes met, and as I looked at her closely, I realized just how beautiful she was—though in the depths of her lovely eyes, I saw the sorrow and resignation that time had etched upon her.

A wave of pity swept through me. A woman in her thirties was like the melancholy autumn moon—still beautiful, but tinged with bittersweet sadness. Time waits for no one, and her moments of youth and beauty were slipping away. If a woman reached forty and still hadn’t married, her chances of finding a good man would only grow slimmer.

Perhaps Sister Li sensed the change in my expression, for she blushed slightly and sighed softly, “Little brother, I hope you’ll always be happy.” I replied, “Sister, I hope you find a good home in the future too.”

She forced a smile. “To dream of returning home, to see that I have a brother like you—already my heart is content,” she said, pulling me into a tight embrace.

After paying our respects, we left hand in hand, wandering through the hills and streams near the village. As we walked, I had the faint impression we were being followed, so I gave Sister Li a subtle look. She was quick to catch on. When we reached a bend in the road, she pretended to embrace me affectionately, while I suddenly spun around.

Instantly, a shadowy figure appeared before us—a face I vaguely recognized. The man’s face was pockmarked—it was Old Ma, the village bachelor, known as Pockmarked Wang. He had a reputation for petty theft and was already over forty. He was likely the one peeping through our window that morning.

In his younger days, Pockmarked Wang had bought himself a wife from another province, but his addiction to gambling often left him penniless. Whenever he lost, he’d take it out on his wife, beating her so badly her wails could be heard throughout the village. Eventually, she could take no more and fled.

Catching sight of us, Pockmarked Wang showed no sign of embarrassment. Instead, he brazenly approached. “Sorry, I saw you two being affectionate and was curious. I just wanted a peek—don’t be angry,” he said shamelessly.

I ignored him and walked away hand in hand with Sister Li. After all, we were in the village, and people were bound to gossip; it wasn’t worth making a fuss.

Seeing I paid him no mind, Pockmarked Wang grew petulant. “Hey! Aren’t you that crazy kid they adopted? I heard you spent a few years in jail, and now you’re out, pretending to have a girlfriend to show off. Too good to even say hello, are you?”

He clearly didn’t know Sister Li’s real identity. Seeing our intimacy, he assumed she was my girlfriend and brought up my time in jail, hoping to sow discord between us.

If Sister Li hadn’t been there, I’d have given him a beating. But I was here to enjoy the day with her and didn’t want to spoil the mood by arguing with a fool. So I treated his words as the barking of a dog and ignored him.

At the village entrance, Pockmarked Wang followed us like a mangy mutt. Several villagers were sunning themselves and gathered around Sister Li’s G-Class, chatting animatedly.

“I know that car is expensive,” one villager said.

“That’s a Mercedes-Benz logo—must be worth at least a million. Whose car is it?” another chimed in.

Most people in the village owned cars, but usually ones worth just over ten thousand. Aunt Wang, who was basking in the sun, exclaimed, “Is it really that expensive? Who would’ve thought that after being taken away, Li Guihua’s daughter would become so successful!”

Noticing us approach, Aunt Wang asked, “Ah Feng, is this your sister’s car?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

“And when are you two heading back?” she continued.

I glanced at Sister Li. “Probably this evening.”

Aunt Wang smiled, “I want to visit my grandson in town. If you’re passing through, could you give me a lift?”

“If it’s on the way, no problem,” I replied.

“Great! After dinner, then,” she said with a broad grin.

Pockmarked Wang pushed forward, “Ah Feng, I want to go to town too. Give me a ride.”

I ignored him, pretending not to hear, and led Sister Li away. Behind us, his curses drifted on the wind, “Damn, acting all high and mighty just because you’ve got a fancy car!”

Not wanting to attract more village gossip, Sister Li and I returned home. As dusk approached, we prepared to drive back to the county town, only to discover that three of the car’s tires were flat. If it had been just one, it could have been coincidence, but three? Someone was clearly up to no good.

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74: People’s hearts are unfathomable—read for free.