Cheng Yi arrived home early, empty-handed. Today, it was her turn to wait for him.
Standing outside in the biting cold, waiting for someone, was no easy feat.
She stomped her feet, trying to keep warm, but the chill seeped through her bones regardless. Unable to bear it any longer, she slipped into the convenience store nearby. Browsing aimlessly, her eyes caught sight of a jar of Lao Gan Ma chili sauce. She didn't like spicy food, but it reminded her of a university roommate who could devour an entire bowl of rice mixed with just this sauce. A sudden impulse surged within her—she wanted to share this taste with that guy.
Just as she was about to grab the jar, a familiar voice came from the other end of the store. He was speaking in rapid, New York-accented English, laced with aggression. The words tumbled out so quickly that she only managed to catch a few:
"Don't you dare… bastard… rat me out, send me to jail… Huh? They out there sniffin' around for me?...Go back to that piece of trash? No way… I'll put him in the ground."
The string of violent threats ended abruptly as he slammed down the phone.
Cheng Yi felt a shiver run down her spine, not because of his words, but because of the cold, dangerous aura he emanated while speaking. It was as if he was on the verge of exploding. Even the cashier looked somewhat timid as he walked over to pay. Was this really the same cheeky guy who waited eagerly for her leftovers every evening?
Cheng Yi glanced down at the jar of Lao Gan Ma in her hand, the founder's stern face seeming to frown back at her. That night, they ended up dipping bread into the spicy sauce. He was soon gasping for air, jumping around as if on fire, while Cheng Yi couldn't help but laugh.
She chose not to ask, unwilling to risk losing the only friend she had in this indifferent city.
On a cold day, having someone waiting for you was a luxurious happiness.
She didn't want to be alone in this cold metropolis.
Every day, Cheng Yi delivered three meals to the man, adding in extra portions as a small gesture of thanks for his help. It wasn't exactly what a model employee would do, Cheng Yi made up for it by working even harder.
Immigration raids were becoming more frequent. Allen somehow got wind of it and insisted on keeping a lookout for her, she vehemently refused to let him do so in such freezing weather. Despite her objections, Allen still showed up, just as she was delivering food to that man.
"Hey, man! Can't you just walk a few steps instead of ordering takeout?"
The man crossed his arms, squinting at the young handsome guy in front of him, furrowing his brows as he turned to Cheng Yi."
"Bring it up."
This guy never wasted words. He always said exactly what he needed to, no more, no less.
Faced with someone even more arrogant than himself, Allen couldn't keep his cool. Just as he was about to teach this guy a lesson, the man calmly pointed over his shoulder and walked aside.
Behind him, three fierce-looking black men were swinging baseball bats, snarling threateningly.
"Hey, buddy, long time no see! Missed ya, pal!"
Allen's entire body tensed. The color drained from his face, his expression shifting from red to white, and finally to a steely gray as he glanced at Cheng Yi. He quickly pushed her behind him, assuming a defensive stance.
"Run. Got it?" he whispered urgently.
Cheng Yi had never seen such a scene, terrified to the point of almost losing her senses, her legs shaking uncontrollably. She didn't know if she could still run, she stammered out a weak cry for help.
"Help… Help…"
The sounds of fierce fighting drowned out her faint pleas. She curled up in a corner, trembling, covering her eyes. The sounds of fighting filled her ears, accompanied by the dull thuds and anguished screams. Compared to her fear, she was more worried about Allen. She mustered her courage and opened her eyes.
The three black men had surrounded Allen, and one of them had his bat taken away, but fresh blood was already streaming down from Allen's head, staining his clothes. In a three-on-one situation, Allen could barely hold on. If he fought hard, he might escape, if not for Cheng Yi being a burden.
Suddenly, the fattest of the three men had an idea. He lunged forward and grabbed Cheng Yi. Allen tried to intervene but was held back by blows from the other two.
"No!" Allen shouted desperately.
The knife was already at Cheng Yi's neck. The tables turned in an instant, and Allen had no choice but to stop his attacks, throwing the bat down.
"Let her go. Please…"
The three men let out sinister laughs, starting to punch and kick Allen. Cheng Yi was heartbroken and cried out loud.
At that moment, Cheng Yi heard the man holding her let out a heart-wrenching scream. A shadow suddenly rushed over, twisting his wrist, and the knife clattered to the ground. Another hand firmly clutched his neck, slamming him against the wall and forcing him to release Cheng Yi.
Another flurry of punches and kicks followed, but this time, it wasn't Allen taking the hits. The sirens were drawing closer.
"No time, run!"
Cheng Yi could barely stand, let alone run. The tall figure strode over to her, his voice calm but urgent.
"Quick, take it off!"
What?
How could she explain anything to someone in such confusion? He simply took action himself, ripping off her apron and tossing it, along with the uneaten takeout, into the trash.