Chapter 11: Book a standard twin room.

At 7:30 PM, the bus arrived punctually in Jing City.

The exam venue was a middle school. Yu Ting had searched for nearby accommodation. Because it was in the city center, the cheapest hotel’s one-night stay equaled a month’s living expenses for him and Zhao Rufei.

Luckily, Jing City’s transportation was well-developed and the subway was convenient. Yu Ting chose an area twenty subway stops from the exam venue. Taking the first subway at six the next morning would still leave half an hour to spare before arriving at the venue. It was an old district, full of local atmosphere, with many cheap small hotels, guesthouses, and little eateries serving snacks and stir-fried dishes.

There was just one issue—

As they followed the crowd flowing out of the station, Yu Ting watched Lu Jue’s back, so completely out of place among the others.

Besides Li Chengxi, he’d had a few other friends before. At the beginning, the relationships were fine, but over time, since he never participated in after-school or weekend activities, they gradually faded.

Friendships needed maintaining. He had neither the time nor the money.

Li Chengxi was just too enthusiastic, so enthusiastic that Yu Ting couldn’t refuse him. But their outings and meals were always split evenly, AA. Yu Ting had also made it clear from the start: he wouldn’t go anywhere that cost a lot.

Yu Ting wasn’t sure exactly how incredibly wealthy Lu Jue’s family was, but he knew a 20-yuan guesthouse was definitely somewhere Lu Jue had never stayed, and a 10-yuan plate of rice with toppings was something he had never eaten.

Exiting the bus station, the scene was nothing like Lingjiang, where the streets emptied by 8 PM. Jing City’s night was neon-lit everywhere. The sidewalks were thick with swarming shadows of people.

Before Yu Ting could even speak, Lu Jue stopped first and asked him, “Should we find a hotel and drop off our stuff first, or eat first?”

Neither of them had eaten anything during the day. One had slept the whole way, the other had done practice problems the whole way.

Yu Ting’s eyelashes fluttered very lightly. He spoke frankly, “I’ve already picked out a place to stay. The conditions aren’t good. Twenty or thirty yuan a night. Dinner will just be noodles or a rice bowl from somewhere nearby.”

Lu Jue nodded. “Alright. Which area?”

“…” Yu Ting was silent for a second, then said the name of the area.

Two hours later, the two of them emerged from the subway.

It was nearly 10 PM. Most shops on the street were closed. A few BBQ joints and one Sichuan restaurant were still open.

Lu Jue asked, “BBQ or stir-fry?”

“Stir-fry.”

They went to the Sichuan restaurant.

There was no one inside. The owner and his wife were tidying up, preparing to close. Suddenly having customers, the male owner waved his hand and said, “Aiyah, it’s late, there aren’t many vegetables left. Why don’t you two try another place?”

Yu Ting asked, “Do you have noodles? The simplest kind.”

The female owner looked at the two of them a few times, put down her cleaning rag, and said, “We still have some meat. How about I make you two bowls of Chao Shou?”

Yu Ting had never heard of Chao Shou. Lu Jue turned his head and told him, “It’s just wontons. They come in clear broth or red chili oil, plus…” He asked the female owner, “Can you make them the seafood-style?”

The female owner replied, “Should still have some dried shrimp. I can boil one bowl.”

Yu Ting said, “Thank you. I’ll have clear broth.”

Lu Jue said, “Then I’ll have the seafood-style.”

“Right away. You two find a table and sit down.” The female owner went into the kitchen and got busy.

The two found an empty table and sat. It had just been wiped down, the tabletop clean and gleaming. On it were a bottle of vinegar, a seasoning box, a pack of soft tissue, and a chopstick holder crammed full of well-used chopsticks.

The male owner brought over a pot of hot water and two cups.

Yu Ting poured a cup of hot water, pulled out two pairs of chopsticks, and placed them in the cup to scald them.

The street and inside the shop were both very quiet. The male owner had taken his mop out to the shop entrance. At the same time, the sounds of meat being chopped and the stove being fired up to boil water came from the kitchen.

When the chopsticks were sufficiently scalded, Yu Ting pulled out two napkins, fished out the chopsticks, and wiped them dry. Lu Jue glanced toward him. “Tomorrow at noon, you can eat around the exam venue. What are your plans for the afternoon?”

Yu Ting had already guessed Lu Jue had something planned. He placed the pair of dried chopsticks horizontally on an unused cup. “No plans.”

Lu Jue said, “I have a friend who’s about to join the military. He’s leaving the day after tomorrow. I’ll ask him out for a meal tomorrow night. You want to come?”

Yu Ting replied, “My exam ends at 4:30 PM.”

“Alright. Tomorrow I’ll come pick you up from the exam venue and we’ll head straight there.” Lu Jue asked, “Today’s meal is on you, tomorrow’s on me?”

Yu Ting had no objections. “Fine.”

Before long, the kitchen sounds stopped. The female owner brought over two steaming bowls of Chao Shou and two white porcelain spoons. Smiling, she recommended the vinegar, “It’s vinegar from my hometown. A few drops make it even more delicious!”

Yu Ting poured a little vinegar into his bowl. The Chao Shou had exceptionally thin skins. There were probably about twenty of them, each wrapped plump and round, revealing the full, pink meat filling inside. The soup base was stock the shop had simmered all day, clear and full of rich bone and meat flavor, finished with a big spoonful of lard that made it glossy. On top of the vibrant green scallions, the female owner had also cut a few strips of egg crepe and arranged them on the surface of the soup. It was irresistibly tempting to the eyes and nose.

Having starved all day, Yu Ting stirred it a few times and dug in.

He ate quietly and quickly, with no chewing sounds, and his table manners were exceptionally good-looking.

Suddenly, Lu Jue said, “I’ve also eaten another kind of wonton, called Pounded Pork Wontons.”

Yu Ting looked up slightly. He’d just drunk some soup, so his lips were also glossy, a very pretty shade of pink. “Pounded as in striking something?”

“That’s right.”

Yu Ting asked, “Is it because they strike something when selling the wontons?”

Lu Jue slowly fished out a wonton, not using the spoon but the scalded chopsticks. “You’ve had them?”

“No.” Yu Ting glanced at Lu Jue’s bowl. It was almost untouched. “I ate a kind of Hammered Malt Candy when I was little, so I just guessed along those lines.”

Lu Jue’s lips curved up. “Actually, it is. They strike a bamboo tube to sell the wontons, so they’re called Pounded Pork Wontons.” He put his chopsticks down and sighed. “Why didn’t I think of that back then? I went and bought a bowl out of curiosity. The taste was just average, and too salty. And I got caught by my father.”

Yu Ting retracted his gaze and scooped a spoonful of soup. It was both fresh and scalding hot. Yu Ting flinched his tongue back slightly. A few seconds later, he asked, “Is your father very fierce with you?”

“Fierce.” Lu Jue swallowed an entire wonton in one gulp. The corner of his brow twitched. It was unclear if he’d also burned his tongue. His voice was muffled. “Very fierce.”

After heartily finishing the Chao Shou, Yu Ting went to pay the bill. 8 yuan for a large bowl, 16 yuan total for two bowls.

After paying, Yu Ting politely asked the female owner about nearby accommodations. The female owner enthusiastically recommended one: “The Qianmen Hotel has a decent environment. Go out the shop, turn left into the alley next door, and walk all the way to the end, and you’ll see it!”

~

Strings of multicolored little light bulbs flashed in the darkness—Qianmen Hotel.

A small storefront converted from a residential house. A price list was pasted on the yellowed wall.

Standard twin room: 20 yuan a night. Single room: 15 yuan a night. 24-hour hot water provided!

The old man at the front desk was dozing off. Hearing footsteps, he raised his head to glance, didn’t ask to see any ID, and lowered his head to pull open a drawer. “Standard twin room, 20.”

The clattering sound of keys jangling—he was searching for a room key.

Yu Ting, who had taken out his ID card, put it away again. “Two single rooms.”

The old man had just grabbed a key but now tossed it back into the drawer. “No singles left.”

Clutching the thirty yuan he’d pulled out, Yu Ting took two bills. “One standard twin room, then.”

Slap!

The old man threw a key with a small tag attached, grabbing the money with his other hand. “Second floor, first door on the left, room 201.”

The staircase was narrow. It must have been sprayed with floral water, as the cramped space was filled with the scent. Lu Jue coughed a few times. Going upstairs to 201, the soundproofing was exceptionally bad—different TV noises overlapped in the hallway.

Yu Ting took the key, inserted it, and opened the door. At least the floral water smell was gone. Yu Ting felt for the switch and turned on the light.

By the door sat two pairs of very old plastic slippers. To the right of the entrance was the bathroom. The room wasn’t large. The two 1.2-meter beds were practically touching, separated only by a single nightstand. On the wall facing the foot of the beds hung a small television set.

The wall facing the alley had a window. One half of it was pushed outward for ventilation. The night breeze rushed in, making the white gauze curtain rustle softly.

Yu Ting entered the room first. He suddenly stepped on something. Looking down, he moved his foot. A pile of scattered explicit business cards lay right there under the light—

【Ultimate Sensuality! Guaranteed to give you a night of unending fiery passion!】

【Tonight, no stopping until dawn! Fight till daybreak! Slim waist and perky bottom, expert service guaranteed!】

【Satisfaction guaranteed, or your money back and staff replaced! Absolutely beautiful and captivating. Contact 159…】

…

Yu Ting bent down, quietly picked them all up, went into the bathroom, and threw them into the trash can. While there, he scanned the bathroom.

A squat toilet. A single showerhead mounted on the wall above the toilet. Surprisingly, it looked brand new—likely just replaced. On the washbasin were two disposable toothbrush and toothpaste kits, and a small bar of soap.

The hygiene was all quite clean, actually.

Except for one thing—

Yu Ting looked toward the floor-to-ceiling frosted glass panel facing the beds. The top and bottom sections were still transparent glass. His brow furrowed. He needed a shower every day, not to mention after sitting in a car for nearly ten hours, he was covered in the smell of the vehicle.

Just then, the sound of the door closing came. Yu Ting came out of the bathroom. Lu Jue had glanced toward the bathroom, then he turned to head out again. “I’m going to buy some things. Need me to bring you anything?”

Yu Ting asked, “How long will you be?”

“Didn’t see a supermarket on this street. To go further out… about forty, fifty minutes round trip?”

Yu Ting secretly breathed a sigh of relief. “A bottle of ice water.”

Lu Jue went out. Yu Ting looked at the door lock but ultimately didn’t bolt it.

He showered very quickly. Barely ten minutes later, he was out. There was no hairdryer. Yu Ting vigorously scrubbed his hair with a dry towel for a while, then hung the towel over the window to air dry.

He had only brought one towel. If Lu Jue hadn’t bought one, it could still be used if he wrung it out now.

By now, it was almost 11 PM. Thinking it over, Yu Ting sent Lu Jue a text: “Found a supermarket yet?”

At that moment, at the entrance of the alley, the shops on both sides of the street were all closed. The silence was broken only by the dim streetlights by the roadside.

Lu Jue was leaning lazily against the wall, head slightly bowed, typing in a chat window. Yu Ting’s text popped up.

Lu Jue’s eyes lifted slightly. Done with the shower so fast? He switched out to reply: “Found one. Be back soon.”

After waiting two or three seconds, Yu Ting replied with: “Stay safe. I’m going to sleep first.”

Lu Jue sent back a smiley face. Only then did he return to the WeChat page. The flame avatar had sent: “A cheaper place? I’m going to the military and not coming back. You dare be stingier?”

Lu Jue replied unhurriedly: “Use less idioms if you don’t know them properly. I’m bringing someone. If it’s too expensive, he won’t go with me next time.”

The other side also took a moment before replying: “A guy, huh. Tsk, you really aren’t afraid your old man will whip you to death. Fine. Once I find a place, I’ll send it to you tomorrow.”

Lu Jue didn’t reply further. He exited WeChat. Another string of a Jing City phone number popped up. He killed the call directly. Not long after, two beams of headlights approached from the distance.

Xu Ling had slowed the car. He rolled down the window and looked left and right for a few seconds. Spotting Lu Jue’s figure, he quickly pulled over and braked. He grabbed a few paper bags and a plastic bag from the passenger seat, got out, and rushed over to Lu Jue in a few quick strides. His peripheral vision scanned the surrounding area. Wiping sweat, he smiled. “Brought the stuff!”

Lu Jue flipped open the plastic bag. Spotting the ice-cold soda water, he took it and turned to leave. “Thanks.”

Xu Ling glanced again at the pitch-dark walls on both sides but still chased after him a few steps, saying, “How can someone be comfortable staying in a place like this! Let me use my ID to get a suite at a five-star hotel. Mr. Lu won’t find out.”

Lu Jue didn’t look back. “Not changing. I’m not hiding from him.”

Xu Ling’s footsteps gradually came to a halt. He watched the figure walking into the depths of the alley and shook his head.

Fine. If the Crown Prince wouldn’t switch, what was he pushing so hard for!

When Lu Jue returned to the room, it was quiet inside, but the light was still on. The quilt on the bed by the window was slightly raised, revealing only a fluffy, soft patch of the back of someone’s head.

Lu Jue softened his steps. He took the ice-cold soda water from the plastic bag and placed it on the nightstand between them. He turned off the light and went into the bathroom.

The faint sound of running water started, then quickly stopped. The room returned to silence.

Lu Jue had put on a pair of sweatpants. Bare-chested, he came out, leaving the bathroom light on. The dim glow filtered through the frosted glass, providing a small square of light. The soda water on the nightstand had been opened and was already empty.

Lu Jue didn’t say a word. He sat on the foot of his bed, his back turned, silently toweling his wet black hair.

Not long after, a clear, bright voice broke the silence of the room.

“Are those needle marks on your back?”