Chapter 3162: Paulownia Tree Lane Bitter Summer 02

There were three people at the dinner table, which was the usual arrangement at home.

Jin Xiu Mei works at a nearby clothing factory; as long as Zhang Yue is at home, she rushes back to cook dinner. Zhang Yue failed the college entrance exam this year, and Jin Xiu Mei paid to put her in a review class, hoping she can get into a good university next year. So even during summer vacation, Zhang Yue can only come home to eat on Saturdays and Sundays. Her maternal uncle works year‑round as a long‑distance truck driver, often away for ten days or half a month; this is a good thing for Jin Chen.

Jin Xiu Mei served each person a bowl of rice, sat down, and looked at Jin Chen, saying, "By the way, what's up with your job? The supermarket boss called me, saying you were fired—you weren't doing well before?"

Jin Chen took two bites of vegetables, then said slowly, "The boss can't tell the staff apart, his IQ is low, and his eyesight is bad too. On weekends they rotate overtime, and I'm the one who gets it three times in a row."

Zhang Yue almost choked on hearing this, quickly covered her mouth and coughed a few times, unable to stop laughing, "Cough cough cough… Brother, you didn't actually say that to the boss, did you? So sarcastic."

Jin Xiu Mei furrowed her brows, her face not looking good, and placed a piece of braised pork into Jin Chen's bowl, saying, "You should discuss and communicate with the boss; that's what normal people do. Don't be so stubborn; even if you suffer a bit more, you need to keep your job first. You're not working now—how will you pay for your medicine these months?"

Jin Chen lowered his eyelids, picked up the meat in his bowl and ate it, then picked up the water cup beside him and took a sip of warm water, suppressing that nauseous feeling.

Jin Xiu Mei kept nagging, the clothing factory's recent orders were down, the boss's face looked grim, the workers were all worried about possible layoffs, she had a bellyful of anger, and upon returning home she heard the news that Jin Chen had been fired; added to the expensive cost of Zhang Yue's tutoring class, she could no longer contain it.

"…You say you, after finally finding a job, how can you not cherish it…"

Jin Chen's gaze flickered slightly, hearing the sound of rain outside the balcony, his attention was drawn again, and it was raining.

Summer rain came without warning, pattering down, drowning out the fan's hum and the TV's noisy ads; the whole world was filled with water, becoming blurred, tree shadows swaying, leaves knocked askew by the rain.

Rainy days are good for escaping, Jin Chen thought absentmindedly.

People can flee, from one city to another, but those trees cannot; they can only stand there, getting drenched, unable to go anywhere.

Plants can't either.

"You can't keep doing this," Jin Xiu Mei's voice grew heavier, "you can't just be kept for free at home, you also need to take medicine—do you not know how much it costs a month? And there's Yueyue's tutoring fees."

Jin Chen suddenly put down his chopsticks without warning and rushed to the balcony.

Jin Xiu Mei was so frightened her face went blank, and the chopsticks in her hand fell onto the table.

"Brother!!" Zhang Yue jumped up and exclaimed.

Jin Chen rushed to the balcony edge, embraced the two pots of plants that were almost drowning, and turned his head in puzzlement.

Zhang Yue stared for several seconds, then let out a long breath, her voice still trembling, "No… nothing happened. I thought you…"

Jin Xiu Mei muttered something under her breath behind him, helpless and annoyed, picked up her bowl and continued eating by herself.

Jin Chen turned his head back and continued watching the rain.

Summer rain comes quickly and goes quickly, but right now it's at its peak, the rain curtain densely woven, blurring the distant buildings and trees.

Jin Chen felt as if a weight had been lifted from him, a layer of skin and flesh peeled away to reveal the fresh, breathable flesh beneath.

The balcony on the third floor is great for observing people.

Jin Chen lowered his gaze and looked down; the flooded spots in Paulownia Tree Lane reflected the narrow strip of sky between the buildings, and a drenched figure walked slowly from the lane's entrance.

That person carried a huge bundle, soaked through by the rain, the new neighbor who had just moved in; his blue shirt had been dyed dark blue by the rain, clinging wetly to his body.

Jin Chen held the potted plants and looked down, his gaze faint, with no expression.

Chenshu walked slowly holding his bundle, suddenly as if sensing something, he paused, lifted his head and looked up.

Through the rain curtain, he soon saw Jin Chen on the middle balcony of the third floor.

Chenshu lifted his head, smiled at Jin Chen, then shouted loudly; his voice sounded somewhat muffled in the rain.

"Hey kid—come down and give me a hand?"

His voice was pleasant, with a lazy drawl, as if he were teasing someone.

Jin Chen: "…!"

So loud! That sound pierced the rain curtain, cut through the damp air, and went straight into his ears—too close, too close, as if someone were speaking right next to his ear.

His scalp tingled, his whole body felt uncomfortable.

Jin Chen jerked back, hiding behind the balcony wall so the person below could no longer see him.

Helping out was also impossible; Jin Chen never helps others, nor does he like being helped. The best way for him to get along with the world is to leave each other alone, each living his own life.

Jin Chen leaned against the balcony wall, took a few deep breaths, and then managed to suppress that dizzy feeling.

From downstairs came a laugh diluted by the rain, but its amusement could still be heard.

Chenshu's remark was just made in jest. He held his bundle, strolling slowly forward in the rain, the water soaking his shoulders and back, but he didn't mind, even humming an off‑key tune.

After lunch, Jin Chen returned to his room.

His room's window faces the lane; outside is the wall of the opposite building, very close, so the room suffers from poor lighting year‑round, even during the day it's a bit dim.

Jin Chen sat on the edge of the bed, dazed for a while.

Outside the door came Zhang Yue's voice, as if she were on the phone, filled with the particular excitement and liveliness of a young girl.

"Really? Did you really see it? How handsome is he? … Oh come on, don't lie to me—what kind of handsome guy could there be in this rundown building…"

Jin Chen didn't deliberately listen, but the room's soundproofing is poor, so Zhang Yue's voice comes in fragments, making it hard to ignore.

"What's his name? … Chenshu? What a strange name."

Jin Chen lay down on the bed, stared at the long thin crack on the ceiling, his eyes unfocused, then turned over and buried his face in the pillow.

Why would Chenshu greet him? They aren't acquainted—what a frightening person.

Jin Chen couldn't understand it; he only wished Chenshu would stop talking to him, stop shouting at him loudly, and stop appearing before him.