Wanting to appear composed, I turned to a nearby stall, focusing on the steamer. The stall owner finally asked, “Madam, would you like some fresh meat buns?”
I waved him off. “No, I don’t like buns.”
The owner looked displeased, while his wife accused me of eyeing her husband.
Just then, An Jin called, “A Yao. You never eat buns?”
The stall owners, recognizing An Jin, became terrified. The husband apologized profusely, pulling his wife back, but she remained somewhat defiant, still complaining.
An Jin gave me a vague smile, and I felt helpless. The husband scolded his wife, who began to tear up.
Observing their affection, I felt a strange envy. Looking at An Jin in the morning light, I found him increasingly attractive, feeling a new tenderness I’d never experienced before.
An Jin’s face reddened as he cleared his throat. “Never mind. Boss, give us twenty buns.”
His mood seemed unusually good. He bought twenty large meat buns that neither of us usually liked and then distributed them to the beggars squatting on the street. The beggars, having received the buns, ran joyfully around the street.
I was puzzled by his kindness and tried to probe indirectly if he was about to be promoted, but he just smiled and remained silent. When I pestered him too much, he knocked me on the head and sighed, “Silly A Yao.”
Recently, he liked to call me silly, and every time he did, my heart felt soft and pliable. This wasn’t good, not good at all.
The morning market on East Street, known as the “Dim Sum Market,” offered a variety of foods. After having two spring pancakes and a bowl of soybean milk, I still felt unsatisfied and eyed the locust leaf cold dish nearby. The shop was busy, with a long queue formed. An Jin, in his purple official robe, stood out among the gray clothing as he queued up due to my persistence. The shop owner invited him in, but he declined, saying his wife had instructed him not to abuse his power.
I watched, laughing uncontrollably. Going out with An Jin would surely dispel any rumors about our discord. I plotted how to cut off the various romantic entanglements around him after we made up, feeling confident.
