A soft chime rang above the door as Jenny stepped into the convenience store for her part-time shift. She wore the store’s red apron over her school uniform, her cast now repced with a supportive brace. It had been a month since csses started, and though her workload wasn’t too heavy yet, her body was still adjusting to the new routine. School in the morning, work in the evening, therapy in between—it was a rhythm that demanded more from her than even her strictest shooting drills.
"Ah, Lai Xuéshēng!" her manager greeted cheerfully, using the Mandarin term for “Student Lai.” "Right on time as always."
Jenny smiled politely and nodded. "Good evening, Boss."
She started organizing the shelves while mentally reviewing her notes from today’s physiology lecture. Despite the fatigue, she was grateful her subjects weren’t too demanding yet—it gave her space to work and save up.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket during break.
Victor:
“Don’t forget to do your stretches today. Your arm’s healing, but it needs help to fully recover.”
Jenny smirked and typed back:
Jenny:
“Yes, Coach Victor. Already did them before my shift. Happy?”
Victor:
“Very. Six months isn’t long. You’ll be back on the range soon.”
Jenny:
“Can’t wait. I miss the sound of a perfect shot.”
By the time she returned home that night, her steps were slow. Her unit was dim, welcoming her with its familiar stillness. She noticed movement across the hallway—her neighbor’s unit, which had been vacant since she moved in, now had its lights on and the door slightly ajar. Several men were carrying in furniture earlier that day. She had assumed it might be a small family or a newlywed couple.
She paused for a moment, curious. The buzz of conversation and scraping of boxes echoed faintly from inside the other unit. Then she shrugged. Probably just people settling in.
Her stomach rumbled, reminding her she hadn’t eaten since lunch.
Inside her small kitchen, she grabbed some rice from the cooker and whipped up a simple egg and tomato stir-fry—comfort food she hadn’t had since leaving home. The weather outside was pleasantly cool, so she carried her bowl to the terrace, settling into one of the rattan chairs.
The sky above Taipei was clearer than usual. Jenny leaned back, savoring her dinner while quietly counting stars.
Her phone buzzed again—it was a video call.
"Mom!" Jenny greeted, smiling wide as her mother’s face popped up on screen.
"Lǎobǎo!" her mom beamed, using her childhood nickname. "How are you? Eating enough? Studying well?"
Before she could answer, her younger siblings popped into view, almost knocking the phone out of their mother’s hands.
"Jie jie!" her little brother shouted.
"Don’t hog the camera!" her sister said, shoving him aside.
Jenny ughed as she saw their excited faces. Her 14-year-old brother, Junhao, wore his school uniform with the colr sloppily half-tucked. Her 15-year-old sister, Meilin, already had a pencil stuck in her messy bun, clearly mid-homework.
"I miss you both so much!" Jenny smiled, warmth flooding her chest.
"We miss you more!" Meilin said.
"Are you still wearing that arm thingy?" Junhao asked, tilting his head.
"A brace, yes. But I’ll be okay."
They talked and ughed for almost twenty minutes, catching up on school gossip, mom’s test noodle recipe experiments, and how the neighbor’s cat now lived in their backyard.
After hanging up, Jenny leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, heart full but body heavy with exhaustion.
Just as she was about to call it a night, the noise from across the hall escated—loud ughter, music, and thumping footsteps vibrated through the concrete walls.
Jenny frowned.
She tried to ignore it at first. Maybe it would die down in a few minutes. But the volume only increased. One loud shriek of ughter jolted her from bed.
Frustrated but still polite, she threw on a hoodie over her pajamas, slid into her slippers, and stepped outside.
She knocked on the neighbor’s door twice—firm but not aggressive.
Before she could knock a third time, the door swung open.
A young man stood in the doorway, clearly surprised to see her. He looked around her age—maybe slightly older. His bck hair was tousled like he had been lounging, and his eyes, though a bit tired, looked sharp and focused. He didn’t look drunk like the rest of the noise suggested.
Jenny peeked inside and spotted three other people on a couch, ughing and talking with drinks in hand. A girl with smudged eyeliner let out a dramatic gasp, then ughed loudly.
"Sorry to bother," Jenny said calmly. "But your music and voices are a bit loud. I have early csses, and I need to rest."
The guy blinked, then looked over his shoulder. Just then, one of the girls behind him giggled and mimicked in a mock voice, "I have early csses~ I need to rest~"
Jenny’s lips pressed into a thin line.
The guy turned back to her, clearly embarrassed. "Hey, sorry about them. We’ll quiet down. Promise."
Jenny gave a small nod. "Thanks. Appreciate it."
He gave her a brief, apologetic smile. "I’m Li Wei. Just moved in. Sorry for the rough start."
"Jenny," she replied simply. "Good night, Li Wei."
"Good night, Jenny."
He closed the door behind him, and within a few minutes, the volume dropped noticeably.
Jenny sighed, thankful.
Back in her room, she curled under her bnket, ears finally at ease. She stared at the ceiling for a moment, wondering what kind of neighbor Li Wei would turn out to be. She wasn’t sure yet, but something told her this wasn’t the st time they’d speak.
