Chapter Fifty-Seven: Following Closely
Shengyao hailed a cab and waited at the exit of the office building’s parking lot.
Before long, he saw a seven-seater SUV emerge from the underground garage. Gao Yan was driving, Tong Bin sat in the passenger seat, and the three-person middle row was packed with Kong Yajie and her two roommates. Du Aiyun’s husband and Ding Yi’s boyfriend were seated in the very back.
Shengyao immediately told his driver to follow the SUV.
“Are you all going out for another round?” the driver started up the car and asked casually, “Is it a wedding banquet or something? You all seem about the same age.”
Shengyao smiled. “It’s a class reunion.”
“Oh,” the driver nodded. “Why is there only one car for so many people?”
“He’s the only one with a car,” Shengyao replied.
He’d overheard this earlier in the banquet hall. At Tong Bin’s table, only Gao Yan had driven, and it just so happened to be a medium-sized seven-seater. Du Aiyun had complained that their expenses were high—one moment it was a parent falling ill, the next the house was leaking and needed renovations—so they’d kept putting off buying a car. Ding Yi’s boyfriend’s car had been flooded during the typhoon last year; even though the property management compensated them, they hadn’t decided what to buy next. Ding Yi thought a larger car would be good for family trips, but her boyfriend argued that mid-sized cars weren’t practical and suggested buying two smaller ones instead, since they both had licenses. As for Tong Bin, he’d never even gotten a license, and buying a car had never crossed his mind.
So Kong Yajie had offered to give everyone a ride.
Who knew where these four “families” lived and how they’d plan the route home?
Shengyao’s thoughts drifted for a moment.
He thought of that day thirty-five years ago—how he’d mapped out the entire day, planned the route, and then...
“Turn left up ahead and keep going. I’ll tell you when we get to the bus station.”
An odd flicker passed through Shengyao’s eyes. Even with the distance, even being in two separate cars, he could hear the conversation in Tong Bin’s car ahead.
It was Ding Yi giving Gao Yan directions.
Kong Yajie asked, “Shouldn’t we drop you off at home?”
“No need. You still have to send everyone else. Our bus goes right to the end of the line, which is just outside our door,” Ding Yi replied with a smile.
Du Aiyun chimed in, “If you’re heading that way, can you drop us at the subway?”
“You don’t need to be dropped home either?” Kong Yajie asked.
“The subway’s close enough,” Du Aiyun answered, turning to her husband for confirmation.
Her husband, more familiar with the route, said, “There’s Line 7 nearby. We take two stops then transfer to Line 11 and we’re home in no time.”
Du Aiyun smiled, “We bought our apartment for the transportation. The back gate of the complex is right at the subway. Just a short walk.”
“I see,” Kong Yajie nodded.
Du Aiyun teased, “When we moved, didn’t you visit? You were my bridesmaid! Don’t you remember?”
“I took a cab that time, how would I know what’s nearby?” Kong Yajie shook her head.
Ding Yi said, “She’s hopeless with directions. We once went to a play, and even though you just had to cross one street from the station, she still got lost.”
“I mixed up the Cultural Square with the Arts Center, that’s all,” Kong Yajie protested.
“By the way, didn’t you just move? When’s the housewarming?” Du Aiyun asked.
“Maybe in a while. Lately I’ve been...” Kong Yajie hesitated.
Ding Yi jumped in, “Busy with wedding plans? Have you taken your wedding photos yet?”
“Ah? Not yet, but they’re booked,” Kong Yajie replied.
Shengyao leaned back, gazing through the cab’s windshield at the heads in the car in front.
He could hear the three women’s lively chatter, but the four men were mostly silent. Tong Bin, especially, was quiet the entire time.
He’d been the same way in the banquet hall.
There was something off about him...
Shengyao frowned.
It wasn’t anything physically strange, but emotionally—Tong Bin was subdued, withdrawn. Perhaps it was all the talk of marriages, or maybe something else. He was as muted and downcast as Liu Yu had once been.
Shengyao clenched his fist.
They hit a red light. When the light turned green and the driver caught up, he suddenly asked, “Huh? Why are they stopping up ahead?”
Gao Yan pulled over at a bus stop. Ding Yi and her boyfriend got out.
“Bye!”
“Send us a message when you get home.”
“You too, get home early.”
After a round of goodbyes, the doors closed and the car moved on.
The driver looked puzzled but kept following.
“I thought you were going out for another round?” he asked, glancing in the rearview mirror.
Shengyao gave a crooked smile. “Change of plans. Just keep following.”
The driver suppressed his curiosity, or maybe he just didn’t care.
Gao Yan made a couple of turns.
Inside, Du Aiyun chatted with Kong Yajie about their classmates.
“...I never thought the class monitor would change the most. He’s gained so much weight.”
“His wife’s beautiful and gave him twin girls. How could he not get fat?” Kong Yajie laughed.
“Who would have thought...” Du Aiyun turned to her husband, “Back then, the class monitor had an eight-pack, always shirtless, dunking and shooting threes on the basketball court. The girls would scream for him. When there was a school performance, he’d lead the singing—everyone noticed him. Now he’s a chubby, silly-looking middle-aged guy.”
Kong Yajie squinted at her, amused, then glanced toward the rear window.
Shengyao could see Kong Yajie’s eyes but couldn’t tell if she saw him.
Du Aiyun’s husband teased, “Were you one of those girls screaming on the sidelines?”
“No way. I wouldn’t roast in the sun. Just remember—you’re married now, don’t let yourself go,” she laughed.
Turning to Kong Yajie, she asked, “Did Zou Yu show you her kid’s photos? So impressive—taekwondo, soccer, piano... he does it all!”
“No, we were halfway talking when her kid called.”
“Zou Yu says her child keeps a close eye on her. She has to go to every extracurricular class with him. Saturdays and Sundays she’s up at seven, busier than work. Every night she has to put him to bed, sing, tell stories...” Du Aiyun sighed deeply.
“When are you planning to have kids?” Kong Yajie asked.
“We’re waiting another year,” Du Aiyun said. “My parents aren’t well, and his parents retire next year. We’ll need their help. Hiring a nanny isn’t enough. Did you hear from Xu Aili? The nanny at her place burned her kid twice. She switched, but the new one just puts the baby in the cradle and plays with her phone, only rocking him if he cries.”
Du Aiyun lamented, “If it’s not your own, they never care as much. The class monitor said their twins had a nanny, but the grandparents were always at home too. That’s the only way to feel at ease.”
“Xu Aili is too particular. Did Zhou Lan tell you? Xu Aili’s precious one needs to be held twenty-four hours a day, doesn’t touch the ground; three years old and still not weaned, won’t use the toilet...” Kong Yajie said.
Du Aiyun’s mouth fell open in shock.
Shengyao could see her wide eyes through the window.
Soon, her half-visible face was blocked by her husband’s head.
Her husband asked, “Doesn’t the kid get sick?”
“Yes. They’ve been to the hospital, but as soon as the child cries, they can’t stand it, pick him up, and stop all the checks,” Kong Yajie replied. “Did you know Fang Xiaojun didn’t even greet Xu Aili today?”
“Why? Weren’t they so close they shared a bed and were each other’s bridesmaids? Didn’t Fang become her child’s godmother?” Du Aiyun’s voice rose.
“Fang Xiaojun went to visit her once, and Xu Aili’s kid yanked Fang’s necklace so hard it scratched her neck. Fang grabbed the child’s hand, the kid cried, and Xu Aili just took scissors, cut off the necklace, gave it to her kid, and didn’t even look at Fang’s neck. She even scolded Fang for grabbing the child. Fang was so angry she stormed out and later showed Zhou Lan the blood marks on her neck,” Kong Yajie said, gesturing at her neck. “This long.”
“That's too much...” Du Aiyun shook her head.
“The subway’s here,” Gao Yan suddenly announced.
“Oh,” Du Aiyun looked ahead, a little reluctant. “We’ll catch up another day.”
“Sure,” Kong Yajie smiled.
The car stopped at the subway entrance.
The taxi driver glanced in the mirror again.
Shengyao smiled to himself.
He saw Kong Yajie’s profile. She was waving to Du Aiyun outside the car.
After closing the door, just as Kong Yajie was about to sit back, she suddenly turned and glanced at the rear window.
Gao Yan started the car.
“I didn’t expect you to be so gossipy,” Gao Yan joked, then asked Tong Bin, “Was she like this in college?”
From Shengyao’s angle, Tong Bin wasn’t visible—not even the back of his head—just the passenger seat.
He heard Tong Bin’s voice.
“A little. The three of them talked like this often, but usually Ding Yi did most of the gossiping. Back then, they mostly talked about other dorm mates—people staying up late, blasting music, keeping them awake...”
Gao Yan laughed, “I remember you weren’t like this in high school.”
By now, Kong Yajie had straightened up and was silent.
“Where do you live, Tong Bin?” Gao Yan asked.
“For me... just drop me at the next bus stop,” Tong Bin replied.
“That close? There’s only you left, don’t be shy. I’ll drive you home.”
“No, I can get back quickly from here. Where’s your new place? Not on my way, is it?”
“It’s on Andong Road, that Tian Kong Yayuan complex. Should be close to your office.”
“I know it—right by the tech park. That’s the opposite direction. Just drop me here,” Tong Bin said, perhaps with a smile.
“Alright, let’s meet up again soon,” Gao Yan replied.
The car stopped. Tong Bin got out, but didn’t shut the door immediately. He leaned in, “Do you want to switch to the front?”
Kong Yajie also got out, moving slowly as if her legs were weak, shuffling to the front, standing by the door, head down, hand on the car, motionless.
Shengyao could see sweat on her forehead.
“Trouble with the door?” Tong Bin asked.
“No.” Kong Yajie turned, stiffly closed the rear door, and moved to the passenger seat.
Tong Bin closed the door for her, waved, “Goodbye.”
“Goodbye,” Gao Yan replied, driving off.
Shengyao watched Tong Bin standing at the bus stop.
Tong Bin kept his head turned, watching the car recede into the distance.
The taxi rolled past him.
Shengyao turned and saw Tong Bin’s face—expressionless, as if all emotion had drained from him, sunk into darkness.
Tong Bin put his gaze down, reached into his pocket, took out his phone, and just stood there, unmoving, the light from the bus stop advertisement casting his face into shadow.
It was as if something in that light was about to break out from the darkness.
A car behind blocked Shengyao’s view.
He saw the driver in that car—masked, capped, eyes hidden under the brim.
Shengyao frowned, growing impatient. He turned to his driver, “Turn right ahead and stop at the curb.”
“Hm? We’re not following anymore?” the driver asked.
“No,” Shengyao replied, paying on his phone. After getting out, he hurried toward the bus stop.
...
Kong Yajie stared intently at the image on the car’s display screen showing the scene behind them.
Gao Yan asked, “What’s wrong?”
“That taxi’s been following us...” Kong Yajie whispered, her voice tense with fear.
Gao Yan glanced at her. “Yaya, are you getting paranoid again? I told you last time—if you can’t control it, we need to see a doctor. Don’t be afraid, it’s common to feel stressed. When I was abroad, I had terrible insomnia, but after seeing a doctor and taking medication, I got much better. Yaya...”
“Ah!” Kong Yajie suddenly let out a cry.
Gao Yan glanced at her, then at the display screen.
All he saw was the back of a car. The vehicle behind them turned and left.
Now a regular car was following.
“See? You’re imagining things. I told you—no one’s following you, no one’s coming to your house,” Gao Yan said, laughing.
Kong Yajie slumped in her seat, dazed.
“You’re getting married and you’ve started a new job—it’s a lot of pressure. I saw you chatting with your friends just now, you were so relaxed. Why not invite them over? Today you saw so many old classmates—everyone’s changed a lot, haven’t they?”
Kong Yajie suddenly interrupted, “Maybe I’m...”
“Hm?”
She looked at his profile, then down. “Maybe it’s guilt... I feel guilty...”
“What did you do?” Gao Yan chuckled. “Why would you feel guilty?”
Kong Yajie was silent for a long time. She covered her face with her hand. “Tong Bin... I think he likes me...”
Gao Yan was speechless.
“Yunyun said so before, but I laughed it off. Tong Bin never confessed, never tried to please me... In college, we studied together, ate together, each paid with our own cards. He never even bought me a bottle of water. We even went out for hot pot in a group. There was never anything ambiguous. After graduation, too... How could he like me?” Kong Yajie’s voice was heavy.
“What makes you think that now?” Gao Yan asked.
“I told him about you... and we talked today... We’ve never had that kind of awkwardness before—not even when we first met. But today, he barely spoke...” Tears streamed down Kong Yajie’s face. “How could I be so stupid... How did I never notice before...?”
Gao Yan pulled the car to the side.
He gently stroked her hair. “If, as you say, he’s never even bought you a bottle of water, how could he like you?”
She looked at him.
“He’s probably just feeling down. He thought you were single—like him. Your two roommates have partners, some classmates already have kids, and he’s still alone. Now you’re off the singles list—well, you’ve been off it for a while. He must be disappointed. Maybe even a little angry. Maybe he feels you’ve betrayed your pure revolutionary friendship.”
Kong Yajie smiled through her tears, but the smile froze on her face.
She glanced at the display screen.
Only the empty road stretched behind them.
The car that had been following was gone.
She craned her neck, peering out the back window, then suddenly turned to look forward.
The car had already passed them by...
“Yaya?” Gao Yan frowned.
Cold sweat broke out across Kong Yajie’s body. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
“Are you okay?” Gao Yan leaned in, gently touching her face.
She swallowed. “I’m fine... You’re right, I...”
“You’re overthinking it. How about we invite Tong Bin out? You should talk things over, apologize. From college to now—that’s a long friendship. You never mentioned me at all.”
He patted her head. “You should talk to him.”
“Mm. Mm...” She nodded numbly, curling up in the seat.
She felt something behind her...
She glanced at the display screen again.
There was nothing behind them...
Gao Yan started the car.
With the faint vibration, Kong Yajie thought she heard something.
She didn’t dare turn around.
That prickling on her back was just like earlier—in the banquet hall, the stairwell, the restroom...
Something was there...
There had to be something!
No—she was just imagining things.
It was guilt, wedding jitters! Too much stress...
“I... I think I should see a doctor,” she whispered.
Gao Yan sighed, “Alright, let’s go on Monday.”
“Mm...” she murmured, shrinking even smaller in her seat.
In the shadow of the backseat, a pair of long, moth-winged ears slowly unfurled from beneath the seat...