Chapter Twenty-Four: Hidden Motives

Aimi is what they call a mother. In Mosuo culture, children have many mothers; all women of the mother’s generation in a matrilineal family are referred to as Aimi. With Ji Ping present, Chen Tianyu quickly learned the identity of the middle-aged woman by the lake, but he was genuinely puzzled—how had this Aimi become a matchmaker? Why was she so eager, almost desperate, to recommend her outstanding daughter? Clearly, there was more to this than met the eye.

He considered a possibility but hadn’t figured out how to ask. Liu Zichen, sharp as ever, was the first to find a breakthrough. “Yiruo, I suppose you have a boyfriend, right? Your Aimi doesn’t approve?” Her thinking remained within the bounds of the ordinary.

As expected, Ji Ping was the first to laugh. “Yiruo isn’t like you Han girls. There’s no such thing as approval or disapproval.” Yiruo was not as quick-witted as Ji Ping; she simply nodded. “You’re right, sister. I had a boyfriend before, but... but he left a long time ago.”

Chen Tianyu quickly followed up, “Did you get married?”

Yiruo’s cheeks flushed crimson, and she was at a loss for words. Liu Zichen shot him a reproachful glance.

Chen Tianyu coughed awkwardly. “Uh, this is important.”

Yiruo was surprisingly open; she nodded lightly. “Yes.”

“Yiruo’s thinking is much like any modern girl’s, don’t be so aggressive,” Ji Ping protested.

But Chen Tianyu wasn’t about to miss this chance. He asked suddenly, “Yiruo, did you go to college?”

At this, Yiruo regained her composure and nodded again. “I went to a technical college, but it was at the Nationalities University, so it was a bit special...”

“That makes sense,” Chen Tianyu mused aloud. “If I’m not mistaken, your views must be closer to those of many Han girls, right? You don’t really approve of walking marriages?”

“Not exactly...” Yiruo struggled to find the words.

Chen Tianyu pressed on, “Would you tell us about you and your boyfriend?”

Yiruo hesitated, glancing at Ji Ping, who for once didn’t object. “Go ahead, it’s better than keeping it bottled up. Besides, who knows—maybe this person knows your boyfriend and can help you find him.”

Ji Ping sighed inexplicably, sounding helpless.

Chen Tianyu laughed inwardly: Chiya Ryoko, you’re still pretending.

Yiruo, half-convinced, asked, “Really? Can you help me find him?” She was doubtful.

Liu Zichen hurried to reassure her, “Yiruo, you don’t know. Our friends are everywhere. I wouldn’t lie to you. If we promise to help you find him, we’ll do it—unless...” She decided to make a bold statement. “Unless he’s no longer in this world.”

“Thank you, but...” Yiruo faltered, not out of suspicion, but simply because her thoughts were straightforward.

“I’ll be honest with you. I don’t even know his name. I only know he’s a photographer, and we met at a bonfire party—that’s our tradition, the bonfire party is much like a matchmaking event. He stayed here only a few days, then left...” Yiruo slowly opened up, perhaps trusting Liu Zichen’s sincerity by instinct.

Liu Zichen was surprised. “He never came back?”

Yiruo shook her head. “No, a few months ago, he returned. That’s when we truly got to know each other. He was dusty and tired, telling me his travel stories—he’d been to places like South Africa, Dubai, Egypt, even New York, Paris, those European countries. Listening to him broadened my horizons. But he wasn’t wealthy, mostly traveled on a shoestring, then said he’d just competed in some international sailing race and came in second or so. His experiences made me, who’d never left home, very curious—he was the first of his kind I’d ever met. I admired him more than any Aiu around me. But then, he left again...”

No one spoke, waiting quietly for her to continue. Only Chen Tianyu’s expression remained unsettled.

“About a month ago, he returned once more, just as dusty, but this time especially disheveled. What broke my heart was that he came specifically to break up with me...” Tears welled in Yiruo’s eyes. “He just insisted on breaking up, though I hadn’t asked anything of him.”

Ji Ping handed her a tissue; Yiruo took it but only held it.

“Then he left again...”

Liu Zichen asked curiously, “Didn’t you try to stop him?”

Yiruo’s tears fell instantly. She struggled to speak, wiping her face with the tissue.

Ji Ping spoke indignantly, “How could she not? Yiruo, the little fool, ran away from home for that scoundrel, chased him all the way to the city. You should know, Yiruo was always a good girl, never been to the city, almost got lost finding her way back...”

“He didn’t give a reason for breaking up?” Liu Zichen frowned, puzzled.

Yiruo shook her head, bewildered. “No, he didn’t...”

Ji Ping scoffed, “Does a scoundrel need a reason to break up? I knew from his tall tales he wasn’t any good. Yiruo never listened to me, what could I do.”

Liu Zichen hastened to comfort her, “Yiruo is inexperienced, we can’t blame her entirely... Besides, he only broke up once. People in the city break up and make up all the time, maybe one day he’ll change his mind—there’s hope yet with these unexplained breakups...”

She wasn’t entirely confident in her words, but spoke from the heart.

“I think so too. I need an answer before I can give up...” Determination flashed in Yiruo’s eyes; Liu Zichen’s words had struck home.

Ji Ping snapped angrily, “Are you going to keep deceiving yourself and sacrifice everything for that scoundrel? You drive me mad! No wonder your Aimi is so desperate to find you someone else. I almost agree with her now.”

“Finding someone else isn’t the solution,” Chen Tianyu finally spoke. “Luckily, you came to me this time, otherwise you might get hurt again. So many tourists come here, most with ulterior motives...”

Yiruo whispered, “My Aimi still loves me; she wouldn’t just find anyone...”

“You haven’t asked anyone else for help?” Chen Tianyu’s curiosity was piqued.

Yiruo shook her head, confused, and Chen Tianyu turned to look at Ji Ping.

“Why are you looking at me?” Ji Ping pouted playfully, nearly making Chen Tianyu laugh.

He clarified, “Before we came, didn’t you think about asking a professional—like... a private detective?”

All things have causes and connections.

“Pfft, you mean that Yunji?” Ji Ping burst out laughing.

Chen Tianyu was unfazed. “Why not? He seems pretty capable. We saw him wandering around here this morning.”

Liu Zichen was also curious about their answer.

“You think someone like Yunji is reliable? What a ridiculous suggestion!” Ji Ping retorted angrily.

Yiruo’s next words stunned them. “Sister Ji Ping, I did ask him for help.”

Ji Ping’s face instantly drained of color. “You!?... Are you inviting trouble?”