Chapter 1-1
As Winter Nights Grow Warmer
Author: Cang Hui
Chapter 1 Island: Reunion
1
Dragging that heavy suitcase, after several transfers, when she finally arrived at Neicuo'ao Wharf, Qiao Ruo still hadn't decided whether this island trip was necessary.
She studied dentistry at university in Guangzhou and graduated with good grades. She then interned at the dental department of a local public hospital, successfully completing her probationary period and accumulating nearly two years of clinical experience before finally passing the dental licensing exam. However, the salary she received didn't meet her expectations. After two more years, through a classmate's introduction, she applied for a job as a dentist at a specialized dental hospital in Shantou for another year. After settling down and working in Shantou, she would occasionally stroll along the beach on her days off. But after going so often, she naturally lost the youthful longing for the sea she once felt.
Qiao Ruo stood by the dock, turned up the collar of her coat, and looked back at the road she had come from. All she could see was a gray haze, and a light drizzle had started to fall from the sky. A cold wind was blowing in gusts, and she couldn't see the sea, the sky, or the outlines of the buildings opposite. Everyone's face seemed to be covered by a veil, making it difficult to see clearly.
She thought she must have gotten her head stuck in a door, otherwise why would she come to this island alone to see the scenery in such a cold and damp December?
Qiao Ruo stood there dejectedly, her head soon throbbing from the sea breeze, forcing her to wrap her coat tighter around herself. She took a deep breath, pulled her suitcase around, and, using her phone's navigation, headed towards the guesthouse she had already booked.
Perhaps due to the bad weather, and the fact that it was neither a weekend nor a holiday, there weren't many tourists on the island. Even at lunchtime, the restaurants along the road weren't very lively.
She looked around, trying to figure out where she was, as she walked forward. Suddenly, her phone rang. Startled, she loosened her grip on her suitcase, but luckily she reacted quickly and dodged to the side, avoiding being hit by the suitcase. She composed herself, glanced at the caller's name, frowned, and hung up.
The other party did not call back after being rejected.
She let out a long sigh, pulled up her suitcase, and continued walking forward in her high heels.
As she walked, she suddenly stopped. A profile that had just flashed before her eyes seemed familiar, and fragments of memories lurking deep within her surfaced one after another. Her heart pounded, and she quickly threw down her suitcase, turned around, and ran back to a fork in the road she had just passed, rushing into the alley next to it.
She looked around searching, but there was no one she was looking for on the road. Undeterred, she stopped in front of the first guesthouse she saw.
The guesthouse gate was open, and she only saw a middle-aged woman who looked like the owner sitting inside; there was no one else.
She stood at the doorway, hesitant to go in, her heart still pounding and her mind buzzing. Her bangs were already soaked by the drizzle, clinging mischievously to her cheeks, but the damp chill did nothing to quell the burning sensation on her face.
The owner noticed her, got up and greeted her with a smile at the door: "Hello, little sister, are you here for tourism? Our rooms are very nice, please come in and have a look."
She tried to catch her breath, but when she opened her mouth, her voice was hoarse: "Hello, did you see anything just now...?"
She fell silent as her boss smiled, a mixture of doubt and encouragement, realizing how ridiculous she had been. The world was so vast; how could two people who hadn't seen each other for countless years possibly meet again in such a strange place, so far from home? Not to mention, he loathed her so much, having long ago told her to get out of his life. How could fate possibly allow her to reappear in his life, to hurt him again?
It was all just an illusion.
Her mouth was full of bitterness. She forced a smile and shook her head, saying, "I'm sorry, I misread it."
She hastily wiped the dampness from her face, dragged herself back to the spot, and picked up the large suitcase again. She wanted to sigh, but her body seemed to have just recovered from a serious illness, and she simply didn't have the strength or the willpower to perform this simple action.
Fortunately, the island wasn't as big as she had imagined, and she soon arrived at her destination.
The guesthouse she booked was hidden in a quiet alley near Yongchun Road. The owner was a taciturn young man who wasn't very welcoming to her. He first showed her the room, then helped her check in. Before she went upstairs, he gave her a map of the island, added her on WeChat as a formality, and reminded her that she could contact him anytime if she needed anything. Then he left for somewhere else.
The guesthouse was quiet; you could barely hear anyone talking. She entered the room, locked the door, turned off her phone, turned on the air conditioner, took out a change of clothes from her suitcase, and then went to the bathroom to wash her hair and take a shower. The hot water on her body dispelled the chill, and she couldn't help but sigh with satisfaction, feeling as if she had finally come back to life.
Her body felt extremely tired and weak after being rinsed with hot water. After leaving the bathroom, she only managed to dry her hair before collapsing onto the bed and falling asleep.
When she woke up, it was already completely dark. She fumbled for her phone on the bedside table, turned it on, and saw that it was already eight o'clock.
She lay there lazily, idly clicking on the newly received ads and spam text messages, then deleting them one by one. But there was one message she couldn't completely ignore: "Qiaoqiao, I called you, but your phone was off. When you have time, you must call me back. I have something important to tell you."
She hesitated for a moment, then deleted the text message as well.
The rain had stopped outside. She took the map the guesthouse owner had given her earlier, went out, and headed straight for Longtou Road.
Suddenly, the number of tourists on the island increased, and the further you went towards Longtou Road, the more people there were, especially in front of the snack shops, where long queues formed. This lively scene was a stark contrast to the quietness of the daytime.
She joined the queue outside a fish ball shop that claimed to be a long-established brand, bought a bowl of fish balls, and then ate a bowl of satay noodles at a satay noodle shop that also claimed to be a long-established brand before she felt full.
The island's vibrancy seemed concentrated in the area with its cluster of restaurants; further on, the number of tourists decreased significantly. She strolled along, and a few minutes later, she arrived at the piano pier. She turned left and walked onto Yanping Road, which runs along the seaside.
Perhaps because the rain had stopped, the wind at night was gentler than during the day, and it no longer had that biting cold when it blew on my face.
Several music bars are clustered along this street, and from the outside, they all look quite similar. Outdoors, they enclose a space using stone walls and roadside flowers, setting up a few or even a dozen tables, each covered by a pretty parasol. Because the bars are built on steps along the side of the walkway, they offer a very open view, perfect for sitting and enjoying the night view and seascape. Next to the entrance to the indoor area is a small stage with a sunshade, where people sing soothing pop songs.
Qiao Ruo wasn't particularly interested in bars, but on the outdoor stage of one of the bars that seemed to have the fewest customers, a tall girl with short hair was singing Mayday's "Gentle." The girl's voice was beautiful, with just the right amount of huskiness, which unexpectedly attracted her. She decided to walk closer, climb two more steps, and stop, deciding to listen to the song before continuing her walk.
Behind the girl, a young man was playing a guitar, sometimes looking down at the instrument, sometimes looking up at the scattered guests sitting and drinking below the stage, and occasionally giving the girl a smile when she turned around to look at him.
Qiao Ruo listened intently, and when the song ended, she clapped along with the other customers in the bar. She wasn't addicted to alcohol, nor did she have a habit of going to bars. When she was extremely sad, she would just lock herself in her room, bury herself under the covers, and cry her heart out. She would never think of drowning her sorrows in alcohol. Otherwise, she would have gone in right now, sat down, ordered a drink, and listened to the girl sing along with everyone else.
The girl on stage finished her song but didn't continue. Instead, she raised her right hand high into the microphone and announced, "Next, please welcome our special guest tonight—Mr. He Yajun—to the stage to sing for everyone." She lowered her right hand, pointing to a spot in the audience. "Dear friends, let's welcome him together, shall we?"
Her enthusiasm infected the few audience members below the stage. Following her gaze, they all turned to look at a man whose face was hidden in the dim light in the corner. As he stood up, the whole audience erupted in gasps of laughter and whistles.
Qiao Ruo was stunned the moment she heard the man's name.
She turned around, stood on tiptoe, and looked at the man who had been called out. She saw him slowly walk out from the corner at the back, taking unhurried steps, passing through the tables in front, and then stepping onto the stage and standing next to the girl.
Qiao Ruo stared at the man not far away.
Yes, it was him.
He and the girl gave each other a long hug, then separated, but his hand remained on her shoulder.
He took the microphone, his voice full of laughter, and began amidst the gossipy glances and jeers of the audience: "Hello everyone, I didn't expect the boss to suddenly pull this stunt, inviting someone as tone-deaf as me to sing on stage. The night is gentle, the time is perfect, and the wine is fine. Believe me, before I even finish the first line, the wonderful atmosphere here will be completely ruined, so I'd better not spoil the mood. I suggest that the beautiful lady next to me continue singing for everyone. After all, her voice is like heavenly music, touching the heart and soul, and will be the best companion for this night."
His voice, carried on the salty sea breeze, pierced Qiao Ruo's ears word by word. She took two steps back, covered her face with her hands, and tears streamed down her face through her fingers.
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