Chapter 60

The girl stood on the ground, pouting as she held the wooden spoon, and slowly made her way around to the passenger seat.

Then, I thought about it for a long time.

Lacking any real threat, he said weakly, "Then I won't say I'm your girlfriend anymore."

“It wasn’t like that to begin with.” Jiang Li drove the car out, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw her with a spoon in her mouth. Her head swayed as she bumped over the speed bump. “What are you pretending to be cute for? Take the spoon out.”

"!!!" The girl wanted to be defiant, but then she jerked the spoon away, saying, "Jiang Li, you'll never find a girlfriend like this!"

Jiang Li chuckled as he turned the steering wheel in the opposite direction: "Do you think I care?"

Upon hearing this, the girl turned her head and glanced at him.

The man faced forward, the glaring light shining through the windshield and reflecting off his face, revealing his sharp and three-dimensional features.

It has to be said that Jiang Li really has a likable face, especially to younger girls. Unfortunately, this guy is different from before. He doesn't give the younger girls who rush up to him a nice look at all. He always has a stern face, as if they owe him tens of thousands of dollars.

The girl shook her head with deep regret.

It's a pity, no one can handle this beast, this beast!

Jiang Li impatiently pulled out his sunglasses, frowned after noticing her gaze, and shook his head when he saw her serious expression.

"······"

After a moment, she was still looking incredibly stupid. Jiang Li patted her on the shoulder and said, "Are you daydreaming in broad daylight?"

"Huh?" The girl rolled her eyes, hesitated for a moment, and then casually asked, "Uncle, do you... you know, have a problem with your sexual orientation?"

After a two-second silence, Jiang Li, with a cold face, pulled over to the side of the road. "He Jiafen, get out of the car."

Seeing his expression change, He Jiafen quickly said, "I was just joking."

“I’m not kidding you,” Jiang Li got out of the car, walked around the passenger side to open the door, and pulled the person out with a cold face. “Take a taxi home and reflect on yourself. Why do you always say such irresponsible things? You’re eighteen years old too. I don’t have that much time to educate you every day. Think about what you can and cannot say.”

"Oh dear," He Jiafen saw that he was really angry and his expression changed, and her quick thinking immediately came to her senses. "Uncle, Uncle, I'm sorry, I—"

“Your mom left you with me, I don’t think I can take care of you.”

As the car drove away, He Jiafen squatted by the roadside and made a phone call to complain, worriedly lamenting, "I really don't know how his ex-girlfriend managed to date someone as unpredictable as him. How could she stand it?"

The person on the other end of the phone chuckled but didn't respond to her question. "Find a place to sit down first, I'm coming to pick you up."

"Ah~" He Jiafen said obsequiously, "Qiqi, you are such a good person."

"Don't give me the 'friend zone' card."

While waiting at the traffic light, Jiang Li let go of the steering wheel, lazily tilted his head back, and casually watched the crowd crossing the road.

Seeing someone with a coat draped over their arm, I don't know what suddenly came to mind, I made a U-turn at the next intersection.

"Oh, he's back," He Jiafen said, seeing the familiar car. Just as she was about to hang up, she said, "I don't need you anymore."

The car sped past her without any intention of stopping, and He Jiafen even turned her head to stare at it: "Is he crazy?"

"...You're here and you're still not hanging up?" the other person said jokingly.

“He’s gone again.” He Jiafen said with a gloomy face. “I think he might be possessed by an evil spirit recently. We should go and see him.”

The person opposite him smiled meaningfully: "Don't talk nonsense, your uncle has been quite busy lately."

"Huh? What kind of riddle are you talking about?" He Jiafen was confused and couldn't understand what he was saying. "Is there anything that I, as a VIP, can't hear?"

"That's a lot."

The two chatted idly for a while.

Jiang Li had already driven back to Hecangyuan. As he passed the fitness equipment area, he saw Guan Nan walking by.

She stood on the foot pedal, propping herself up with her hands and staring at the coat hanging there. She subconsciously reached for her wrist, then, as if remembering something, looked down and realized that she had taken off the bracelet the day she got off the plane.

At the time, I was afraid that our reunion would cause him unnecessary misunderstandings and trouble.

Thinking back to the silver chain around his neck, she smiled self-deprecatingly. It turned out that he had already taken off that childish coin.

······

On the 28th, after submitting several resumes, I finally got an interview.

Initially, when Qi Yang learned that Guan Nan was looking for a job, he suggested that she look for one herself, pay her a salary, and have flexible working hours.

Guan Nan naturally wouldn't accept it, so she politely declined and quickly found a new job.

The job remains an operations role within the new media industry.

The interview went smoothly, and the HR was very confident in her previous experience. They even gave her a week to adapt to the company's operating model, after which they would let her lead a team to incubate IPs independently.

Guan Nan was satisfied with the contract, benefits, and commissions, but the company didn't pay for social insurance and housing provident fund.

After signing the contract, Guan Nan returned around the direction of the clock tower, slowly walking through the tall and magnificent rows of banyan trees, reminiscing about those vivid moments from the past.

Looking back, they had walked this road countless times.

I remembered that he had come all the way from Bihai Bay late at night.

He was carrying a helmet, he was wearing a Christmas outfit, and he was standing under a pomegranate tree.

So close, yet so far.

Countless heart-stopping moments crushed the girl's hidden, unspeakable thoughts.

As we were about to pass the clock tower.

She slowed her pace and saw a cake on a bench in the clock tower, but there was no one around on Thursday; it was deserted and seemed to have been abandoned.

It was only then that Guan Nan remembered that today was already the 29th.

Today is the anniversary of Ran Mingju's death.

On her phone, there were only a few official messages wishing her a happy birthday.

She hasn't celebrated her birthday for many years.

Basically, people who are even slightly familiar with her will deliberately avoid contacting her on this day.

In the past, she was busy with school, work, and starting her own business, so the day always came and went in a hurry, and by the time she realized it, several days had already passed.

Over time, Guan Nan got used to it, but now that she has some free time, those days that had passed by are piled up on today, stretching the clock hand for a whole century, and making those scenes that could be stuffed into a corner throw into her eyes frame by frame.

Hecangyuan remained motionless, unchanged from its original state.

She left alone, and came alone; she was all by herself.

For some unknown reason, Guan Nan sat down at the other end of the bench. Perhaps it was because she was too tired from a long day, or perhaps it was because the evening breeze made her feel at ease.

She leaned against the back of the chair, almost falling asleep in the gentle breeze.

Unable to resist, Guan Nan yawned again. She looked around but didn't see the person she was talking about.

It's still early, and this is the busiest time at Hecangyuan, making it a good time to do business with so many tourists.

Just when she didn't know where to go...

Suddenly, I remembered Qi Yang mentioning Hecang Commercial Street, which is a good place to have a meal and stroll around.

Hecangyuan Commercial Street.

Stepping inside, Guan Nan had the illusion that a new era of youth culture had suddenly invaded the 1980s and 90s—both artistic and retro. No age limit; everyone is welcome.

Along the long street, there was only one shop whose design and style stood out.

"Coffee doesn't necessarily have to be art."

The signboard is simple, yes, simple rather than minimalist or luxurious.

A wooden plaque hangs on the stone-carved doorplate of "No. 529 Xile Street," and on the right side of the stone plaque is written in large characters "Fuling City Intangible Cultural Heritage."

Before this, this was an old house, which was later rented to an auction house.

Now, the auction house has transformed into a shop that not only serves food and drink but also promotes art.

Guan Nan suddenly became curious about it.

The interior was more spacious than I had imagined, and the tables in the courtyard, shaded by parasols, were empty and nearly deserted. This was rather strange.

Half a day passed, and no waiters came to the courtyard, so she tentatively stood in front of the door.

"Hello?" Guan Nan inquired softly.

An unexpected string of

—"Hello, hello, hello"

—"Get rich, get rich, get rich!"

The bird at the gate keeps going back and forth, only ever repeating this one phrase.

Guan Nan was somewhat puzzled.

Such a big store can't possibly have a bird as its greeter, and this bird doesn't even look like an adult.

As she was lost in thought, a deep male voice came from inside the room, and then a man ran up to her, still panting, and said, "Welcome to Coffee & Wine."

"Who is it? It's so late in the afternoon," someone followed her out. "It's not even opening time yet, little sister."

Upon recognizing the newcomer's face, the man exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, isn't this—"

Guan Nan recognized the person instantly.

Before he could even speak, Lin Rui turned around and shouted hoarsely into the room, "Jiang Li, it's time to receive the guests!"

Guan Nan's expression froze instantly, caught in a dilemma.

She just wanted to find a place to eat, and happened to discover this unusual restaurant. Curiosity led her inside.

Unexpectedly, I ran into an old classmate again—

Jiang Li.

If yesterday's encounter was an accident...

It would be too much to bring up an accident today, so Guan Nan categorized it as a "reunion".

As the saying goes, people with a deep connection can never be separated.

Guan Nan wondered if this was some kind of unseen hint that the two of them were destined to be together.

"At your service." The man was tall and lean, dressed in a very stylish outfit, with a black hat on his head, and walked out lazily.

The two looked at each other in bewilderment.

Meeting those eyes, Guan Nan felt inexplicably guilty and instinctively wanted to run away.

The air seemed to freeze for two seconds.

Jiang Li's expression was indifferent as he stared at the person at the door who hadn't yet entered the inner gate, and said calmly, "It's a pleasure to serve you."

"How happy are you?" Guan Nan blurted out without thinking.

Jiang Li reacted quickly, giving her no chance to back down. He continued the conversation without changing his expression, his tone unusually calm: "That depends on how much money you're willing to spend."

"For example?" Guan Nan wanted to retreat but couldn't, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and accept the challenge.

"It costs over 300 yuan just to touch it."

"······"

“Of course, there are ways to play with fifty yuan and ways to play with five hundred yuan,” Jiang Li said calmly. “As for spending, it all depends on personal preferences and wishes.”

Guan Nan hesitated and asked, "Can I still choose?"

"Hmm." Jiang Li raised an eyebrow.

"What if I choose you?" Realizing what she'd said, Guan Nan almost bit her tongue. "No, I meant...if...if I had to choose someone—"

Seeing that she had misunderstood, Jiang Li's expression was somewhat absurd. "I'm sorry, ma'am, this is not a male prostitute. We sell our skills, not our bodies. I'm sorry to disappoint you."

Guan Nan let out a weak "ah".

Seeing her reaction, Jiang Li tactfully refrained from continuing, asking, "Coffee or wine?"

"Coffee, bar," Guan Nan explained. "It's a bit late, I can't sleep if I drink coffee."

Jiang Li: "What kind of wine?"

"Um," Guan Nan looked down at her feet, then looked inside the door, "Should we order here?"

Suddenly, Jiang Li seemed to remember that she hadn't entered the door. He was about to say, "This door isn't so easy to get through," but the words on his lips changed.

He shifted his body slightly to the side, his face hidden in shadow: "The door is open. Do you think I can stop you from coming in?"

That doesn't sound friendly.

Guan Nan seemed oblivious to everything, resolutely stepping into the doorway as if that would erase the six years they had gone their separate ways.

After many years, the two embarked on the same path again, slowly and steadily.

"What would you like to drink?" Jiang Li followed behind her, as if she were the hostess, yet she took the lead in speaking.

Guan Nan shook her head: "I don't know much about wine."

"Never had it before?" Jiang Li walked into the booth and glanced at her.

Guan Nan shook her head: "No."

······

After the two went inside, Lin Rui and the other person at the door were obviously thinking of something, and their faces turned red from trying not to laugh.

What was the response the person who said that last time received?

That day, the same scene unfolded, and Jiang Li, with a dark expression, said: "Please have some self-respect."

Compared to this, the difference in treatment was significant, and the waiter seemed to have keenly sensed something was amiss.

Suddenly, the bird spoke again: "Fool, fool."

Lin Rui patted it: "Why is this silly bird still here?"

"Perhaps it's because it loves to steal pomegranates," the waiter said thoughtfully.

Lin Rui complained, "What kind of problems are these?"

······

Lin Rui, who had just caught up, overheard the two men's conversation about wine. He smiled and sat down on a high stool nearby, quietly covering the sign hanging on the table.

Jiang Li glanced at him but didn't say anything.

"How about a gentle vodka?" Lin Rui pushed a glass towards Jiang Li, who then handed him a glass of ice water. "Peach flavor, it's quite suitable for girls."

After he finished speaking, without waiting for Guan Nan's reply, he turned to the waiter carrying the bird and said, "Qiqi, go and get the Qiangshuang that we didn't finish last time."

Qi Qi hung the bird in and looked Guan Nan up and down. "Seriously? You're drinking that?"

"Lin Rui, are you crazy?" Xie Shuwan came downstairs and heard that he wanted to drink strong liquor at this hour. She immediately asked, "If you guys aren't practicing, I'm going back. I won't wait for you."

Lin Rui rubbed his nose: "I didn't say I wouldn't practice, I was just joking."

Just a few moments after they started talking, Jiang Li inside made a move. He turned around and came out carrying a bottle of wine.

Jiang Li placed it on the table, slowly opened the lid, and filled the cup.

"Want some drinks?"