29 Goodbye

"Little Yang Xiao, how long will you stay this time?" Fang Qiu asked as he wiped the water stains off the glass, looking at Yang Xiao who had grown into a very graceful person in the past few years.

Fang Qiu truly felt like these seven years had flown by in the blink of an eye. Even the business that had nearly collapsed back then was slowly picking up again, and at the beginning of this year, they had even opened two more branches in the city.

Yang Xiao suddenly came to her senses and responded, "I'll leave tomorrow, Brother Fang Qiu."

"Are you in such a hurry? Why don't you stay a few more days?" Fang Qiu hung the glass in his hand on the cup rack, walked out from the bar and walked to Yang Xiao, "You haven't contacted Zhou Qi?" His eyes were full of curiosity and a little anxiety when he looked at Yang Xiao.

"No." Yang Xiao felt as if she'd been in another world for a while when she heard this once-familiar name. When had she last seen him? Uncle Zhou's funeral? Or last year when he'd visited his grave, when his figure flashed past through the car window? But it had indeed been a long time since they'd been in touch.

"Oh, Zhou Qi is such a jerk. But little Yang Xiao, listen to me, don't blame him. He's...well, busy as a doctor, and he just got promoted to attending physician." Fang Qiu hesitated, secretly blaming himself for almost letting his mouth slip. Then he changed the subject, "Are you still at the firm? Are you used to it? As an auditor, the busy season isn't much better than being a doctor, is it?"

"Well, it's a bit tiring during the busy season. I often get off work at two or three in the morning." Yang Xiao pointed to the dark circles under her eyes. "So I'm ready to quit." She picked up the coffee in front of her and took a sip. "Wow, Brother Fang Qiu, your beans smell so good."

"Of course not. I asked someone to bring it back from Sumatra. Have you found a new buyer yet? Or are you planning to have some fun before continuing to work?" After hearing what Yang Xiao said, Fang Qiu stopped working and prepared to sit next to her and chat.

"I'm planning to start a business with a few colleagues I met from my previous project team." Yang Xiao said this with a chuckle, "Of course, it's also possible that we'll lose everything in the end."

"How could that be? Back then, I, your brother Fang Qiu, almost wanted to take to the streets to perform. Now, I'm barely making ends meet." Fang Qiu waved his hand. "Do you still want the cake? I'll bring you some wild mountain tea."

Yang Xiao shook her head. "No, thank you, Brother Fang Qiu." She sat down again and looked around the interior, which was completely different from the plant-based decorations of the past. "Brother Fang Qiu, the decoration of the store is so simple now."

Fang Qiu rubbed the back of his head and chuckled, "Many years ago, when I went out with Zhou Qi, I saw a place similar to this. It was renovated several years ago."

When Yang Xiao heard the name again, her expression was still a little stiff but she soon smiled, "Then I'll come to play again next time, Brother Fang Qiu. I'm going back to pack my luggage." Then she stood up and picked up the small bag on the wooden bench next to her.

It was the height of the sun. The old tree at the entrance was lush and leafy, its countless green leaves swaying in the wind. The intertwining branches and leaves occasionally blocked out the glare of the sun.

Behind the glass window, it is midsummer.

Yang Xiao suddenly remembered the yellow orchid tree in Luzhen Yard, which also desperately grew upwards. In summer, its broad leaves, with distinct veins and lush green, evoked a delicate fragrance in the breeze, making its presence impossible to ignore.

Suddenly, the crisp sound of wind chimes came to my ears, and the heat wave rolled in through the door.

"Zhou Qi, are you off work?" Fang Qiu looked towards the door. Seeing it was him, he winked and turned his head to point at Yang Xiao with his chin. "What a coincidence! I was just talking about you to little Yang Xiao."

Yang Xiao looked up suddenly when she heard the voice, her heart suddenly felt empty, and then she was swallowed by the heavy and sour feeling that surged up.

The bright, glaring sunlight outside the window stretched his figure tall, blending with the hot wind that rushed into the store impatiently. Time had only carved a deep, mature outline on his body.

Yang Xiao didn't know whether to smile, wave, and say, "Hi! Long time no see," or to say, "What a coincidence." Someone whose name she'd heard two or three times in one day suddenly appeared before her the next moment.

But the phrase "long time no see" carries a strong connotation with Yang Xiao. Saying it always conveys a sense of letting go of the past, of letting go of grudges.

But she didn't like the taste.

"What a coincidence," Yang Xiao said, looking at Zhou Qi walking towards her. She was inexplicably reminded of the day he rejected her after the college entrance exam. She forgot how she responded to him, but she only remembered that her smile was extremely stiff.

That night, she cradled the bouquet in her room, her phone in hand, searching through unfamiliar flowers and their corresponding meanings. She desperately wanted to know if there was a single flower in that overflowing, heavy bouquet whose meaning echoed her yearning. Sunflowers represented radiance and faith; white lisianthus, purity and emotion; delphiniums, lightness and freedom. Her fingers flicked back and forth between web pages, searching repeatedly for the answer she longed to hear.

How foolish. Looking back now, she was so naive back then. Why would she need to rely on her imagination and guesswork to discover such a blatant thing, especially since he had said it so clearly at the time?

"Long time no see, Yang Xiao. Are you leaving? I'll give you a ride."

Fang Qiu watched Zhou Qi eagerly stare at Yang Xiao, and he was delighted. "Is this a drop-off? Do you know where she lives now?" His heart was a little too loud, and it showed on his face, as he looked on, munching on a plate of sunflower seeds.

"No need. I live close by. I can just walk back." Yang Xiao picked up her bag, her fingertips unconsciously tightening, wrinkling the leather. She hastily pushed the wooden stool she had just sat on inward. She turned her head to avoid Zhou Qi's scorching gaze. "Brother Fang Qiu, I'll come back next time. Business is booming." With that, she waved to Fang Qiu, eager to leave this place where the air had suddenly become thinner.

"It's hot out, I'll take you there." Zhou Qi felt a pang of displeasure as he looked at the person he hadn't seen in a while, who turned away and avoided his gaze. But he followed her out of the store, one in front of the other. The heat wave outside hit him, blending with the cool air from the air conditioner inside, creating an indescribable stickiness.

"Really? I'll just walk over in a moment." Yang Xiao continued to refuse. A glance at the figure behind her, her thoughts already drifting back to years ago. The shiny new asphalt road before her suddenly faded, transforming into the bumpy, rain-soaked pavement of Lu Town after the rain.

As a teenager, she carefully avoided puddles and started skipping when she found a smooth road. Zhou Qi, carrying his schoolbag, walked ahead with steady steps, occasionally looking back to stop her from looking around and skipping. "Yang Xiao, watch your step and look at the road."

It was another sunny day after the rain. His feet were treading on the mottled shadows of the trees, and golden spots of light above his head penetrated the gaps and sprinkled on his face. Yang Xiao suddenly realized that Zhou Qi's pupils were dark brown in the sunlight.

"careful."

The memory came to an abrupt end when Zhou Qi suddenly grabbed her left wrist and pulled her towards him. After a child on a scooter slid past the store door and brushed against the corner of her clothes, he let go of her hand. "Yang Xiao, how come your walk hasn't changed after all these years?"

"What about you? Have you changed in these years, Zhou Qi?" Yang Xiao heard him sigh and then accuse her in a familiar yet unfamiliar tone of intimacy. She felt inexplicably irritated. "Don't say these things to me anymore."

Zhou Qi was stunned for a moment, then said, "I haven't changed either. Wait for a moment, I'll go drive." After that, he quickly disappeared from Yang Xiao's sight, fearing that if he was a little late, he would just wait for the wind.

Yang Xiao couldn't help but find it amusing to see him walking so quickly. If she took advantage of the time he was driving to leave, it would be a rather desperate escape. She wanted to see what Zhou Qi would say on the way back to the hotel, if he insisted on taking her back. Would he remain silent, ask about his recent situation, or say something unexpected?

Soon, Zhou Qi appeared in a black Volvo, pulling over to the side of the road, flashing his turn signal and lowering the window. As the black glass slowly lowered, Yang Xiao felt that this man hadn't changed at all; at least his expression remained as gentle and clear as ever.

She sat in the passenger seat, fastened her seat belt, and glanced inside the car. "Is this a newly bought car? It looks very new and clean." The surroundings were tidy and there was no decoration.

"I've bought it for several years. I used to have a mugwort bag hanging in the central rearview mirror that a colleague gave me during Dragon Boat Festival, but I took it down because it was an eyesore." Zhou Qi lightly stepped on the brakes and slowly stopped at the red light. "How have you been lately?"

really.

Yang Xiao found this remark incredibly boring. If we were close, I'd be willing to share everything, good or bad. If we weren't, this would become a meaningless small talk. After all, the good and bad of our recent situation would remain hidden within ourselves, and the only words we could utter were "not bad," "okay," or "okay."

"What about you?" Yang Xiao was obviously unwilling to answer this question, so between answering the question and asking it, she resolutely chose the latter. "I mean, how have you been lately?"

"Very busy, almost every day in the hospital." Zhou Qi seemed reluctant to let the topic slip away, and continued, "The patient who underwent surgery last night couldn't be saved."

"You've tried your best, Zhou Qi." Yang Xiao replied.

"How about you? Is your work going well?" Zhou Qi turned around and asked the question again, as if he was determined to pry some information out of her. "I feel like you've lost a little weight." After saying that, he glanced at Yang Xiao, who was sitting calmly in the passenger seat, as if to verify his conclusion.

Yang Xiao adjusted her hair by her ears, still not looking at him. She tilted her head to look at the familiar scenery outside the window, her hands resting in front of her legs, rubbing the edge of her bag. "Where are you taking me? I haven't told you where we're going yet."

"Guess. Or you can tell me, okay?" This was a very flexible sentence, and the choice was back in Yang Xiao's hands. Yang Xiao remained silent, pondering the sentence over and over again.

If she agreed, would that be giving him a pass to interfere in her life again? She didn't want to understand and was too lazy to think about these twists and turns. "Then guess." After saying that, she leaned on the passenger seat with her arms folded, lowered the window a little, and let in some warm air.

Zhou Qi chuckled softly, "I don't mean anything else, I'm just asking for the address. We can stop guessing." He then turned down the air conditioner, "Is it hot? I'll turn it down a bit."

Yang Xiao didn't know what to say. Facing someone who could instantly read her mind, her mindset shifted with age: the initial smug joy of being on the same wavelength gradually gave way to a feeling of being easily controlled and manipulated. She simply shut up and lowered the window further, letting the hot air rush into the car.

In Zhou Qi's view, silence was also a form of response. It was an unpleasant response after he guessed the answer, like someone stepping on his tail. It seemed his personality had sharpened considerably over the years, which was good; he wasn't being bullied or suffering any loss.

Yang Xiao didn't know, nor did she want to guess, what Zhou Qi was thinking when he deliberately went against her. She only knew that she was telling Zhou Qi something in disguise.

I’m afraid I’m not that easy to guess now.