Chapter 57: Hooking him towards me, leaving a delicate kiss on his lips

Nairobi, the capital of Kenya and the most prosperous city in East Africa, is the Little Paris in his mouth.

The appointment was on the weekend, but Li Wenjing worried all week. Friday in particular was a turbulent day, spent with her computer on, repeatedly reviewing the same engineering drawing.

Although he told her not to worry about anything and that he would arrange everything, she had inquired about the charity dinner, which was organized by the French and would be attended by many celebrities, including ambassadors to Africa, officials, and entrepreneurs. She was like Cinderella without crystal shoes, and would be kicked out before she even entered the venue.

Li Wenjing, like a young girl on her first date, began to get nervous the day before. She woke up in the middle of the night, fumbling for her alarm clock to set the light, but it was only four. She went back to sleep, but couldn't fall asleep, lying there until dawn. Standing by the window, she looked out. The sky was a cloudless, clear blue, spreading from the edge of the yellow sand. The newly risen sun grew larger, seemingly blazing on the sand. A brilliant light gurgled around her, bringing a fresh breath of air. Only then did she clearly experience Africa, something she had never seen in national parks or on Mount Kilimanjaro—the real Africa. Even amid the squalor of the refugee camp, parasites, viruses, and bacteria couldn't stop it from emitting its sweet fragrance. This new world was brimming with vitality, everything was pristine, dirty, clean, beautiful, ugly. On this awakening land, everything was natural, without distinction. Leaves were the eyes of lions, rivers were the tracks of serpents. The sea would return as raindrops, and those who had drunk the water of the Nile would always meet again.

She started washing her hair and wiping her body early in the morning. Although a well had been dug, water was still precious here, and she had to take a bath at least once every two weeks. She saved water for several days and washed away the sand on her head. The black dirty water flowed into the basin little by little, and then she rinsed it with a basin of clean water. The rose scent of her hair emitted a stronger fragrance under the sun. There was no need to blow-dry her hair here, just let it dry a little, put on a hat, and go out.

She left home half an hour early, at the edge of a broken dry river valley. A small figure walked through the ravines, as if she was the only one in the world. In this vast world, she was waiting for someone.

As if by telepathy, Gu Weiyi also drove to her campsite in advance. They both arrived early and smiled at each other before he got out and opened the door for her. Li Wenjing smiled at him, saying he didn't need to be so attentive since they were already an old married couple. He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"I will treat every date with you as my last. I cherish it."

"Unlucky! We'll be dating many more times!"

Li Wenjing covered his mouth, and he pinched her face, and he kissed her hand.

"Have you ever read the book, 'If I Had Three Days of Light'?"

"Helen Keller, I know, but I'm not that uneducated."

"While we are still alive and can still have light, see love and happiness, despite sadness, pain and anxiety, do not waste time in regrets. I will tell you that I have always loved you."

Chinese people are not good at expressing their feelings. Love, hate, and passion are all expressed in one word. Because they cannot express love directly, they express it in more extreme ways. Li Wenjing was also stunned. She could only laugh at these straightforward and corny love words. He was still looking at her. She pursed her lips and turned away, "Me too."

It was only now that Li Wenjing began to regret. At that time, she should have answered him loudly and told him that she loved him too and had always loved him.

Li Wenjing was once again on the streets of Nairobi. It was August, the hottest time of the year, and the scorching wind enveloped her as she walked aimlessly and alone. Passing a vintage clothing store, a glittering light caught her eyes. She looked over and saw a white wedding dress hanging in the window. The seashell pattern woven into the satin skirt shimmered like pearls from the depths of the sea. Li Wenjing stopped.

"Wee, Miss."

A girl of mixed black and white race came over. Li Wenjing was used to shopping on her own. When she was about to wave her hand to say that she didn't need help, the girl raised her eyebrows and asked, "Miss Li?"

At the same time, Li Wenjing also felt that she looked familiar and blurted out: "Maria"

Then he immediately shook his head, "You are her granddaughter..."

“I’m Reba!”

Li Wenjing had long forgotten her name, but she remembered her as a mixed-race girl with a chocolate complexion, a sharp nose and chin, who worked as an assistant to her grandmother, looking more like a model than a seamstress. She volunteered her name and asked if she wanted some coffee and if she wanted to sit in the shop.

"Is Maria okay?"

"My grandmother passed away this year, and I don't have the talent for designing clothes, so I changed the shop into a second-hand shop."

Li Wenjing had originally asked out of courtesy, but now she was stunned and quickly apologized to her. She blinked and said, "It's okay. She died in her sleep. She died peacefully."

She looked at the wedding dress with Li Wenjing. "This is her last design. Someone offered a high price for it, but she refused because it was for Miss Li."

"Me? Why?" Li Wenjing opened her mouth in surprise.

She had only been to this store with Gu Weiyi three years ago, when they had just come from the refugee camp in the small town. At that time, the only thing they wore more than the refugees was an unripe coat, and they needed formal wear.

"Is Charles okay? Why don't you come together? You guys..." She hesitated to speak, as if afraid of touching Li Wenjing's sore spot.

"Then he had a car accident." Li Wenjing chose her words carefully. She rarely talked about this incident with others. Whenever she thought about it, the pain would gnaw at her.

Reba apologized and made a prayer gesture while holding the cross on her chest.

“May God bless the souls in heaven.”

"No, he's not dead!"

Reba put down the necklace, her eyes wide open until they took up almost half her face. Li Wenjing felt that what she had said was too hasty and even offensive to Reba. She scratched her forehead twice and said, "Well—she's still in the hospital and hasn't recovered yet. By the way, what's the matter with this wedding dress?"

"Three years ago, you came here to rent clothes. Charles asked grandma to help design a wedding dress, and then she hung it outside. Then she had no news from you, and she was upset for a long time because she couldn't find you."

Reba suggested she come in and sit down for a while, have a cup of coffee, and relax. The sun was still bright, and the red glow of the sky carried her long hair into the store. She smoothed her messy hair in the mirror, and Reba brought her the wedding dress.

"Please try it."

"Forget it." Li Wenjing shook her head and said, "This is what Maria left for you. Besides, I won't be getting married soon."

Tears welled up in Reba's eyes. "Don't you like it? But Maria..."

Li Wenjing, unsure of what she had said, stood there in a daze, her fingers cupping the ends of her hair. The girl wept, saying that Maria treasured this wedding dress the most. Clothes were meaningless without a wearer. Maria was originally French, and her pure pursuit of art had kept her here. Each of her works reminded her of her children, and they were her most cherished possessions. She missed Maria dearly.

"I'm sorry, I understand."

Li Wenjing quickly took the wedding dress from her, but couldn't find a tissue. She frantically patted her shoulder to comfort her. By the time she stopped crying, her other hand, which was still holding the dress, was almost numb. She went to the fitting room and put on the dress. The cross-straps on the back fell to her feet, like a large bow at the back. Maria's previous dresses were also designed this way. Unable to tie it by herself, she called out, "Can you help me?"

After she finished speaking, she felt something prick her deep inside, a dull pain rising up first, but she soon realized what it was. She crouched in front of the mirror, listening for footsteps outside. A hand reached through the curtain, a chocolate-like skin. It was Reba's hand, not his.

What she wanted to see most was always that pale and thin face. She would always think of him, and a part of her self was still placed on him, which was her always naked desire and sincerity.

As she was trying on her evening gown, she called out, "Can you help me?"

That's how he appeared.

Li Wenjing burst into tears, and the face of the person in the mirror began to melt and blur, returning to its previous appearance little by little.

"I'm so nervous about the charity banquet today. Black is said to make you look thinner, but why is your belly so big?"

People who sit for long periods of time at work always have a noticeable bulge in their belly. Li Wenjing took a deep breath and tightened his waist, then told him to tighten it.

"What? A little tummy is normal."

His hand reached out and tickled her, and she immediately bent over in laughter. His restless hand continued to wander from her waist to her chest, and then touched the low-cut neckline of her dress.

"Hey! What are you doing?! You're being a hooligan!" Despite saying so, she didn't push him away. Instead, she turned and hugged his neck. Her legs were weak and she couldn't stand still, so she tried even harder to pull him towards her. She raised her head and left a dense kiss on his lips, as if stamping a seal to claim sovereignty, biting until his lips were swollen and red.