"Good morning and welcome to Xin Restaurant. What can I help you with?" Ling-Jia quipped at the counter with her best smile on as the customers who Yi-Fan had just let in halted in front of her. A middle-aged man spoke first, impatience wafting off him in strong waves as he asked.
"Where is Yue?"
Ling-Jia blanched. "She...she," she spluttered. Yue was the one who normally manned the counter, and she had begged Jia to help her out today since she was running late. "She'll be here soon. What would you like to have?"
The man shrugged, his crisp business suit sparkling due to frequent ironing. "That's fine." He looked back at the other who'd now began to murmur angrily, then turned to Jia again. "Serve them first. I'll wait for Yue. She's the only one who knows how to make my coffee best."
Ling-Jia almost rolled her eyes, but she controlled herself. "As you wish, Sir."
With him out of the way, Ling-Jia began taking down the orders from the rest. It was a long queue, and she had to type quickly on the system for over thirty minutes. When she was done, they paid and were asked to wait, while she went into the kitchen to get their dishes ready. Madam Yu-Xin looked up from the steaming soup dumplings she was preparing, beads of sweat on her forehead. Yi-Fan stood a little far off, counting beer. "Has Yue not come in yet?"
Ling-Jia shook her head. "She's running late today."
"You can't be the only one handling the crowd. Yi-Fan, where is Yang?"
Yi-Fan shrugged, not even bothering to look at them as he said. "She wasn't even dressed yet when I left the house. Yue went to turn in an assignment at school, and she told me she'll come in later."
"Then why didn't you say so?" Madam Yu-Xin asked, annoyed. "Leave those beer and come help Ling-Jia serve those customers out there."
"Yes, Mother."
It had been a little over three weeks since Jia got welcomed into the household. She'd bonded with everyone rapidly, excluding Yang who still kept her distance. Yang wasn't hostile, far from it. She was just...reserved. Too damn self-absorbed to care about anyone or anything deeply, and she was brilliant too. Yi-Fan was all of just like her, but also obedient and Ling-Jia loved the way his eyes lit up whenever he played the harp. Yue was the nicest out of the three, and it was Yue who helped her get acquainted with what needed to be known in the restaurant. Madam Yu-Xin, ever so motherly had been so kind and treated her like her own children, so Jia hardly had time to think and miss Yu Qian at all.
Surrounded by love, care and people who truly looked out for her, Ling-Jia didn't have time to think about the events of the past few months which had traumatized her. She deleted Wu's number, and unfollowed him on all socials. She still heard about her father's charitable works, and how he was contesting to be Prime Minister of Lanling in the coming elections on the news. Mei-Ling's engagement to Wu was also broadcast a few weeks after she moved in with Madam Yu-Xin and her children, but she couldn't care less. She wished them a happy life together.
Yue came in a little after noon, looking distraught. The restaurant was weirdly becoming scanty, and Madam Yu-Xin went out to talk with her beer distributor for more beer.
"What took you so long?" Yi-Fan asked, looking her up and down. "And why are you looking so gloomy?"
"There's an uprising outside," Yue supplied hastily, looking around in fright. "Where is Mother?"
"Went to get beer. What uprising?"
Yue shrugged. "I guess it has to do with the Huang and Liu families. Go get mother. We have to pack up before they get here!"
"It's not even three o'clock yet, Yue," Yi-Fan said in disbelief. "We can't pack up. That's crazy."
"Don't aggravate me, Fan. This is serious." She turned to Jia who was looking out of the window, trying to look out for Madam Yu-Xin. "Jia, come on. Back me up here."
"I don't see what you're saying, Yue. The streets look completely fine. There's no — "
A loud explosion interrupted her, the ear-shattering sound too close for comfort. It was closely followed by a thunderous roar and stampeding feet. Jia clutched her chest, while Yi-Fan stood with his eyes widened.
"See? I told you! Start packing!" Yue yelled.
Madam Yu-Xin came in now, her face sweaty and clothes dirtied. "We have to leave right this minute. This isn't an ordinary fight. Lives will be lost today. Jia, close the windows. Yi-Fan, turn off the fire in the kitchen and assist Jia lock up this place. Yue, you'll come with me. We have to go make sure your father is safe at home."
Yue grumbled, but a second bang — this time closer than ever — shut her up. She nodded and followed Madam Yu-Xin outside.
Jia closed the windows and turned the OPEN sign to CLOSE, while Yi-Fan went into the kitchen to do as he was told. Her mind went straight to Mei-Xin who would still be in school by now, oblivious to the ongoing clash. "Oh no."
She was almost out the door when Yi-Fan caught her. The stampeding feet and angry chants grew closer, and they could see rising smoke in the distance. "Where are you going? They're going to get you!"
Jia struggled to free herself from his solid grip, but it was impossible. "Please let me go. Mei-Xin..."
"She'll be fine," Yi-Fan snapped. "What about you? I can't let you put yourself in danger, Jia. Stay here. When this dies down, you can go check up on her."
"But what if she's dead by then?"
"Stop saying nonsense," Yi-Fan bit back with more force than usual. Jia had never seen him looked so disturbed. "She'll be fine. She has to be. Now, come help me clear the tables and lock the door. Quickly."
Jia nodded, and he loosened his grip. But the moment he turned his back to her, she bolted out the door, sprinting overhead as fast as she could. Yi-Fan's frenzied cry rang out behind her as she took a detour left, bursting out onto the next street which was empty.
Her legs had turned to jelly by the time she got to the hostel. Barely registering the desk clerk's stern warning about visitors not being allowed at such time, she pushed Mei-Xin's room door open. It was empty. The bed was still made, and everywhere swept just like Mei-Xin always left it every morning.
The roaring and burning was stronger now, making Jia cough. She closed the door and went back out to the reception where a smouldering desk clerk stood waiting for her in the doorway. "What part of no visitors allowed did you not understand, young lady?"
Jia bit her bottom lip, hands closed together. "I'm so sorry, Ma'am. With what's going on outside, I just thought to check up on my friend, Mei-Xin..."
"She's not home yet," the desk clerk cut off rudely, her lips pursed. "You'd have better luck searching for her in school or in the streets than here. I would have imposed a fine on you for breaking the hostel rules, but because you've stayed here before, I'll let you go. Visiting hours are in the evenings, thrice a week excluding Saturday and Sunday. Have I made myself clear?"
Jia nodded. "Crystal, Ma'am."
"Good. Have a nice day, then."
Jia didn't know the exact college Mei-Xin attended. There were so many in the district, and every street she passed were now totally empty, the air filled with so much smoke. She crossed Anfu road, heading south, farther and farther away from the uprising.
When she finally decided to go back home, it was late at night, and the fighting still hasn't lessened. She watched in horror, crouched beside a car parked close to Xin Restaurant as a black sedan speeding down the road was stopped, and a family of five were brought out and executed. The killers were cloaked in black, and wore bright red masks. If she moved an inch, they would notice her.
Their agitated chants echoed on the empty streets, filling Jia with so much fear. She heard a second cry now, and traced it to the desolate street behind her. Pausing, she listened carefully.
"Li Chen?" A deep, rich voice was barking. "Where are you? Why can't I hear anything? Li Chen! This is not the right time to play games."
Eyes on the killers, Jia tiptoed out of her hiding place, crawling against the ground. She sighted a towering figure in a black suit a few meters off, still asking for someone named Li Chen, oblivious to the fact that he could be killed.
"Li Chen? I know you can hear me. Come on out this instant and take me home. I told you I didn't want to go on a stroll today."
Jia couldn't understand him. People were getting killed on the next street. Didn't he see their damn weapons or hear their shouts? It was weird.
"Li Chen, I don't know what is happening. I hear shouting. I hear voices. Why are you doing this to me? What if I get killed out here?"
When he turned now to face her, Jia froze. The man was bespectacled, and his jaw...God, Jia had never seen a jaw that looked so chiselled. Lips so plump. He paused as though staring at her, then sighed, walking off now, still talking. "Li Chen, mother is going to be so mad at you for this prank you're pulling."
Jia squinted. "Something isn't... right."
She followed him closely, on barefoot so as not to make a sound. His steps were springy, self-assured, and his hair was midnight-black. He walked down the street to the car Jia had previously hidden beside. Halting, he cussed over and over.
The rioters had deserted the street, but a few remained, walking about, but this strange man still took no notice of them. Jia wanted to scream at him to bend down, lest they saw him. He took off his glasses and cleaned his eyes. Jia held her breath, a soft gasp escaping her lips.
"So green..."
His eyes were the softest shade of green she'd ever seen. Not leaf green, or viridian, but mint green.
The irises were stagnant.
He wore the glasses back on, and exhaled.
Everything clicked into place.
He was...blind.
"Li Chen — "
With as much speed as she could muster, Jia pulled him down with great effort given his weight, and clamped a hand over his mouth, stifling his yell. A rioter looked in their direction as the man struggled to get his hands off his mouth. Jia held her breath as the gunshot rang out, glancing up to see a hole just about her head. A few strands of her hair had been blown off. The man stopped struggling now, and just lay there, quiet.
Jia placed a finger on his lips, pleased to find out that they were as soft as she imagined them to be. "Shhh. Be quiet or they'll hear us."
He remained quiet. They stayed like that till the remaining rioters cleared up, leaving the street empty again. Jia helped him stand, and dusted him off.
"Who...who are you? And where is Li Chen?"
"I don't know who that is. I'm Ling-Jia."
"Ling-Jia?" He frowned. "Who is Ling-Jia?"
Another gunshot rang out again, and Jia grabbed his hand. "We'll discuss that later. Come on, they're coming back!"