The voice puzzled Jade for a moment. She didn't recognize it. She got up and opened the gate to find two plainly dressed girls standing outside. It took her a second to place them – high school classmates of the original "Jiang Rou." One, Penny Zhang, was even from her same village.
Penny Zhang had chin-length hair and a round face. Seeing Jade, she broke into a warm smile. "Jade!" Beside her, Ginger Huang, the villager, wore her hair in a ponytail that emphasized her high forehead. She remained silent, her eyes immediately sweeping over Jade, lingering on the pronounced swell of her belly with unconcealed disdain.
Jade, trained at the police academy, was acutely sensitive to others' expressions, even in this new body. Ginger's hostility was palpable. Jade said nothing, focusing on Penny. "What brings you here? Come in, sit down!" she invited warmly.
Penny, carrying a net bag of green pears, followed Jade inside, looking slightly awkward. They'd been deskmates since middle school and shared a dorm in high school despite different classes, making them close friends. Her tone lost its formality as she peered towards the house. "He's not here, is he?" The implication was clear.
Jade found her caution amusing. "Don't worry, he's away."
Penny relaxed visibly, grinning. "We just finished exams. I wanted to see you before heading home this afternoon." The recent college entrance exams meant lower grades had been off, but seniors had extra classes afterward.
Jade led them to sit under the apricot tree in the courtyard. It provided good shade, even if it rarely bore fruit. The Shaw house had little, but wood and furniture were plentiful. Jade had rummaged through the storage shed beside the kitchen – full of Old Shaw's small stools and tables – and cleaned a few useful pieces. She'd even found a rocking chair, which she'd placed under the tree. She'd spend lazy afternoons rocking, fanning herself, sipping brown sugar water. Bliss. The baby inside seemed to like it too, kicking happily whenever she drank the sweet water. Whether it was the better food or the peaceful life, Jade noticed her reflection looked healthier – brighter eyes, a slightly fuller face.
Penny noticed too. The old Jade had been beautiful but painfully thin, perpetually downcast. Seeing her now – clear-eyed, smiling gently – was startling. The words Penny had rehearsed died on her lips. Happiness showed.
Ginger Huang, however, had no such restraint. She sat down and remarked casually, "Jade, did you hear? Wen Yang took the college entrance exam this year. He's so smart, he'll definitely get in." Jade paused, fetching cups from the house, dredging up the memory: Wen Yang, the class monitor, academically gifted, seemingly harbored a mutual crush with the original owner. Poor background.
Before Jade could respond, Penny scowled. "Why bring that up?" She shot Ginger an annoyed look. Jade was pregnant. This was just stirring trouble. She'd come alone; Ginger had insisted on joining on the road, claiming village ties. Now this? Wen Yang was popular – handsome, smart. But that ship had sailed for Jade.
Jade, recalling who it was, felt nothing. It wasn't her past. But Ginger's comment struck a chord: the original owner hadn't finished high school. Education matters, in any era, she thought.
Ginger, undeterred by Penny's rebuke, turned her mocking gaze on Jade. "Am I wrong? Jade, be honest. Weren't you foolish? If you had to marry, at least pick someone! Even that Pocky guy your family chose was better than Nigel Shaw! What's the use of a handsome face? Bullied girls, been in jail, broke… Now you've dropped out, just sitting around waiting to die. What's the point?"
Penny was speechless. Jade, however, was incensed. Who was this person? Barely an acquaintance back in the village, someone she wouldn't even greet on the road. She'd only let her in because she came with Penny. And now this venom? Nigel's flaws weren't hers to dissect from some moral high ground.
Jade's expression turned icy. "When did Nigel ever go to prison?" she retorted sharply. "He was held a few days for fighting, that's not prison. Did all that schooling teach you nothing?" The cool riposte caught Ginger off guard. She'd expected regret, not defense. "Jade! What's that tone? I come to see you, and this is how you talk? Don't think I'm being harsh; I'm speaking for your own good! Admit it, isn't it true? Even if he wasn't in prison, didn't you know he got kicked out for harassing girls? Ask anyone what kind of man you married! Only you think he's a prize!" Her sneer deepened. "You're shameless, clinging to a man like that, getting knocked up… you've shamed our whole village…"
"Ginger Huang!" Penny cut in, appalled, regretting bringing her.
Jade slammed the cups of water onto the small table. "Did you see him harass anyone? Weren't you supposed to be studying? You sound like a busybody! Worry about your own grades instead of meddling, or maybe Pocky will end up marrying you!" Her voice was steely. "Nigel is fine. He washes clothes, cooks, earns money. I'm perfectly satisfied. You liking Wen Yang is your problem. Don't bring your sour grapes here disguised as 'concern'. Do you think I don't see through you? Let me be clear: Wen Yang wouldn't like you even without me. Coming here to flaunt your pathetic attempt at superiority? Disgusting."
"You—!" Ginger flushed crimson, mortified her crush had been exposed so bluntly, and branded "disgusting." It was the harshest insult she'd ever heard. She shot to her feet, trembling. Meeting Jade's calm, piercing gaze, she faltered, afraid to say more. "Fine! Bite the hand that feeds you! I'll wait to see you regret this!" she spat, then turned and stormed out.
Penny was left flustered, unsure whether to stay or go. "Jade…"
Jade took a sip of her brown sugar water, calm returning. "It's fine."
"Oh… okay." Penny nodded, clutching her cup, at a loss. The Jade she knew was fragile, prone to melancholy, never raising her voice. This sharp-tongued, assertive woman was unfamiliar. She didn't stay long. Jade, who liked Penny, pressed a small bundle of homemade pea cake into her hands as she left. Penny protested weakly before accepting, embarrassed.
Before leaving, Penny offered a strained smile. "Don't listen to her. Happiness is what you make of your own life."
It was the only comfort she could give. Though she disliked Ginger's words, a part of her acknowledged their truth. Jade was tied down now, her path diverging sharply from theirs. Sympathy warred with a sense of wasted potential.
Jade patted her hand, smiling without comment. She saw Penny to the gate. As she turned to go back inside, she spotted Aunt May peering around her own gate.
Aunt May met Jade's gaze, looking slightly sheepish. "Your uncle's minding the stall. I came back to cook lunch. Wanted to tell you about this morning… heard voices in your yard, so I waited." She lowered her voice conspiratorially. "Everything alright?" Her eyes held a flicker of gossipy delight. She hadn't been able to resist eavesdropping on the argument, surprised by the gentle-looking Jade's ferocity and fierce defense of Nigel. Good girl, she thought approvingly. Stands by her man.
People were like that. When everyone said someone was bad, you believed it, even if they'd never wronged you. But if just one person spoke up for them… perceptions could shift. Aunt May's opinion of Nigel was still forming, but she admired Jade's loyalty. This girl wanted a life with him. Steady. Dependable. If I had a son… She thought Nigel, blessed with such a wife, might just stay on the straight and narrow.
Jade waved it off. "Fine. Just old classmates. Not close." She changed the subject. "How did it go this morning? Any buyers?"
Aunt May, sensing Jade didn't want to dwell, didn't press. I'll tell Nigel when he gets back, she thought. Make sure he appreciates her. Young girl, giving him a child… shouldn't have to suffer. Her face lit up at the question. "Oh, yes! Your uncle did like you said, cut up a plate for free samples. Almost everyone who tried a piece bought some! He says if the first morning's this good, it'll only get better. Wanted me to tell you not to worry."
"That's great." Jade smiled, relieved.
Aunt May, needing to cook, excused herself after a few more words.
Jade went inside to make lunch. She thought the day's drama was over, but as evening approached, another visitor arrived: one of Nigel's friends.
He was of medium height, deeply tanned, with a lopsided grin that revealed a dimple in his right cheek. He seemed concerned Jade might not recognize him. "Sis-in-Law, I'm Ken Zhou. Boss Shaw told me to check in before he left. Need anything?" He'd planned to go with Nigel, but his mother fell ill. With no one else to care for her, he'd stayed behind. Nigel had given him a hundred yuan before leaving, instructing him to look after Jade and get whatever she needed.
Hearing the name, Jade immediately knew. Ken Zhou. Nigel's closest friend since childhood. The files held a grim note: he'd followed Nigel south later, contracted SARS, and didn't survive. His widowed mother, heartbroken, soon followed; Nigel arranged her funeral. It cemented Nigel's local infamy – whispers blamed him for Ken's death. He went to earn money, but lost his life.
Looking at the young man's open, cheerful face, Jade felt a pang of sorrow. "Everything's fine here, Ken. Don't worry."
"Alright. If you need anything, just call. I'm at the last house on Old Bus Station Street."
"I will." As he turned to leave, Jade stopped him. "Wait." She went inside and returned with a large bowl of her braised pork intestines and blistered chicken feet. "Take this. For you and your mom."
Ken looked startled, waving his hands. "Sis-in-Law, no! That's too much! You keep it."
"It's fine. I made it. Costs little. I've got plenty. Take it. Nigel's away… I might need your help later." Jade insisted firmly.
Seeing her resolve, Ken reluctantly accepted. Walking home, he felt a warm glow. He'd come out of duty to Boss Shaw, but Jade's kindness made it feel worthwhile. She appreciated him.
Back home, Ken took the food straight to his mother's room. When she heard where it came from, her worn face softened with emotion. "That girl's got a good heart. Nigel's found some luck. Now it's your turn… when will you find me a daughter-in-law?"
Ken rolled his eyes. His mother was dreaming. He wasn't handsome like Boss Shaw, lacked his drive, and was dirt poor. Where would he find a wife? Having food on the table was blessing enough.