Chapter 8: Ambiguous Glances

"Zhang Dafan's fiancé must be blind."
My cousin was still fuming, venting her indignation, "He’s a provincial government official, yet he can’t even tell good from bad—how could he fall for her?"
"You never truly know someone,"
Lin Xiyu chimed in, wholeheartedly agreeing, "Some people look polished on the outside, but inside they're rotten through and through."
"Now, that’s exactly right."
My cousin deliberately raised her voice, shouting in the direction of the west room, "A woman like that, all false appearances, will bring nothing but chaos to the household. Whoever marries her is doomed."
Her voice rang out, loud enough for everyone in the courtyard to hear.
"Liu Lei, what did you just say?"
Zhang Dafan, furious, burst out of the room, jabbing her finger at my cousin’s nose, "Say that again and I'll tear that mouth of yours to shreds."
"Go ahead, tear it!"
My cousin, delighted to have a reason, quickly rolled up her sleeves, ready to fight.
"Dafan, let it go, stop causing trouble."
Zhang Dafan’s elder brother, his right eyelid twitching, rushed out and gave her meaningful looks, pulling her back.
Inside, her fiancé’s face was dark, his eyes lowered in silence, lost in thought.
Zhang Dafan, unnerved, didn’t dare cause more drama and let her brother drag her back.
"Tch—if you’ve got guts, don’t back down!"
My cousin, deprived of her chance to shine, spat in the direction of the west room, thoroughly frustrated.

"Don’t just stand under the tree, you two."
My aunt, afraid my cousin would stir up more trouble, called out through the curtain of the west room, "Go outside and help your aunt watch the telephone booth..."
"Alright!"
Lin Xiyu replied obediently, grabbing her cousin and dashing out.
——
Half an hour later, negotiations between the two families finally ended.
The Zhangs agreed to compensate Aunt with a new clay pot and pay ten yuan for medical expenses.
Zhang Dafan’s fiancé left with a thunderous expression, as if someone owed him a hundred silver dollars.
"Phew, finally gone."
My cousin spat again inside the telephone booth, clapping her hands in celebration, sending off the evil spirit.
"He doesn’t seem to have a good temper,"
Lin Xiyu said worriedly, "If we’ve offended him, do you think he’ll take revenge on us later?"
"What’s there to be afraid of?"
My cousin rolled up her sleeves again, showing her fiery spirit, "Nowadays, the tough fear the reckless, and the reckless fear the fearless. We’re just poor folks with nothing to lose—if worse comes to worst, we fight him to the end."
"Fight who?"
A teasing laugh sounded from outside the telephone booth, startling them both.
"Gu Bin, what are you doing here?"

Lin Xiyu, startled and delighted, pushed open the door, and sure enough, saw the familiar figure riding his bicycle.
Gu Bin was still in his school uniform—a white short-sleeved T-shirt paired with loose, deep blue athletic pants, looking especially fresh and pleasing.
"Why am I here?"
Gu Bin propped one leg on the ground, leaned forward, and gave her a playful flick to her forehead, "We agreed you’d keep in touch by phone, but nobody picked up. I called over ten times and couldn’t get through."
"Uh..."
Lin Xiyu was embarrassed, rubbing her forehead and offering a sheepish explanation, "Sorry, something came up at home. There was nobody in the booth at noon."
"What happened?"
Gu Bin glanced in the direction Zhang Dafan’s fiancé had left, thoughtful.
"Well..."
Lin Xiyu hesitated, reluctant to say more.
"Xiyu, who is he?"
My cousin poked her head out from the crack in the door, casting her ambiguous little glances at the two.
"A classmate,"
Lin Xiyu seized the chance to change the subject, "We’re in the same class. He’s here about the documentary project..."