Chapter 13 Three Green Rise and Fall
Ningma and Zhou Qiyan locked the door and left the studio.
In the corridor, I ran into Mr. Mai from the art department. Mr. Mai was introverted and mild-mannered, with an air of otherworldly wisdom.
"Hello, Teacher Mai," Ningma greeted.
Old Mai, holding his thermos, nodded and slowly asked, "Has Little Ma finished drawing?"
"It's finished."
"And who is this?" He finally turned his gaze to Zhou Qiyan.
As expected, Ningma quickly replied, "He's my friend. We're going to eat now. Goodbye, Teacher Mai!"
Old Mai wanted to say something more, but since that was the case, he simply said "okay" and turned around to slowly go about his own business.
After walking a distance, Zhou Qiyan couldn't help but ask, "Are all you mural painters this Zen-like?"
“No,” Ningma denied. “That’s because you haven’t met Teacher Wang. We all say she’s Wang Xifeng’s sister, she’s incredibly energetic.”
The two chatted for a while, and before they even reached the building entrance, they were already stepping on sand in the corridor.
“The sandstorm hasn’t stopped yet,” Ningma looked outside. “Wrap yourself up, we’re going to rush over.”
After she finished speaking, she put on her helmet and dragged Zhou Qiyan towards the car.
She could have strolled around leisurely.
But the sandstorm blurred her vision and direction. If she didn't take Zhou Qiyan with her, and he wasn't familiar with the area, it was obvious they wouldn't be able to find a car.
The two rushed into the car, and after sitting down, Ningma felt dizzy.
He probably hadn't eaten much all day and was a bit hypoglycemic. Plus, he was running around wearing such a heavy helmet, shaking his head.
Zhou Qiyan noticed that she was a little weak, so he helped her take off her helmet.
A white light flashed before Nyingma's eyes.
"Should I drive?" Zhou Qiyan asked.
After a moment's pause, Ningma recovered: "But you don't know the way, and there's a sandstorm. I'll drive, but slowly."
As he started the engine, Ningma asked, "Where shall we go to eat?"
The two looked out at the yellow sand swirling in the sky. It was only six o'clock, but the sky was already so dark, giving them a feeling that the world had withered and was desolate.
In this kind of weather, most restaurants would be closed.
Zhou Qiyan cleared his throat: "Otherwise, let's go to my hotel."
Yes, star-rated hotels will still cook.
“Okay.” Ningma nodded and drove the car out of the research institute.
However, the weather turned bad. When Ningma and Zhou Qiyan entered the hotel lobby, they saw a huge sign that the restaurant was temporarily closed due to the weather, and hotel guests could choose room service.
That meant they could only eat in Zhou Qiyan's room.
Ningma hesitated and began to back down.
"You mind?" Zhou Qiyan asked with a smile. "I won't do anything to you."
Ningma downplayed the issue, saying, "I don't care. I'm worried that your room will smell like food all night and I won't be able to sleep."
“There’s a fresh air system.” Zhou Qiyan’s answer was a resounding victory.
Since we've already come this far...
"Let's go then," Ningma said to Zhou Qiyan.
So Ningma followed Zhou Qiyan through the corridor and upstairs.
The hotel room key is a small wooden piece with tassels, and the room itself is also decorated in an antique style.
The carpet, in the style of Persian architecture from the Tang Dynasty, features wooden structures throughout, and small lamps, like candlelight, warmly illuminate the room.
Even in a room with an atypical hotel style, the unavoidable large bed in the middle made Ningma feel somewhat out of place.
Fortunately, after Zhou Qiyan swiped his card, he left the door open and didn't close it.
He picked up a cookbook from the table and handed it to Ningma: "Take a look, what do you want to eat?"
Ningma sat up straight and said, "Order whatever you like, I'll eat anything."
Zhou Qiyan dialed the number using the internal phone: "Big plate chicken, Dunhuang spicy broth, mutton stew, and roasted naan bread."
He would glance at Ningma every time he announced a dish.
Ningma nodded slightly before turning the page to select the next dish.
"Two sets of tableware, please."
Zhou Qiyan hung up the phone, and the two fell silent again.
"Would you like some water?" Zhou Qiyan asked.
Ningma was taken aback for a moment, then nodded: "Okay."
Zhou Qiyan took the bottled water that the hotel had placed on the small coffee table, unscrewed the cap, and handed it to her.
The movement of bowing his head caused a wisp of hair to fall onto his forehead. The fine sand hidden in the hair then got into his eyes.
Zhou Qiyan covered his eyes and asked, "Can I go take a shower?"
“Okay.” Ningma took a sip of water.
Fortunately, the hotel's decor features a bathroom completely hidden by a wooden door, with no transparent glass elements.
But when the sound of the showerhead came out, Ningma still felt a little uneasy.
Zhou Qiyan really just took a quick shower. Soon, the sound of water in the bathroom stopped, and then the sound of a hairdryer started again.
At the same time, waiters in uniforms appeared pushing food carts.
Ningma instinctively stood up so that the waiter could bring the dishes to the table in the room.
Just as the braised chicken was served, Zhou Qiyan, still steaming from the heat, pushed open the bathroom door and came out.
He changed into a black silk pajama set, the V-neckline swaying as he walked lazily and casually.
The waiter glanced at Zhou Qiyan, who had just finished showering, then at Ningma, and finally asked sincerely, "Would it be convenient for you two to come and collect the dishes in an hour?"
“It’s convenient. I would have to pay extra for parking if it’s more than an hour,” Ningma replied sincerely.
The waiter immediately realized that the woman was not a guest.
But the waiter thought Nyingma was subtly implying that she wasn't there to stay overnight. So the waiter bowed awkwardly and said, "I'm sorry, ma'am, please enjoy your meal. Please feel free to call if you need anything."
The waiter hurriedly pushed the food cart away.
Ningma looked bewildered, paused, and then asked, "Why did he apologize to me?"
"You really want to know?" Zhou Qiyan smiled, propping his head up with his hand.
"Um."
“He thought you were sleeping here tonight.” Zhou Qiyan’s gaze fell on her face, deliberately tinged with flirtatiousness.
As an adult, Ningma may not have eaten pork, but he has seen pigs run.
She finally understood instantly, and her face turned bright red.
"Hey, let's open the curtains too, let me see if the sandstorm has subsided."
Ningma changed the subject, pulling back the blue-dyed curtains. And what she saw there was a pleasant surprise.
"The sandstorm has subsided!" she said.
The yellow sand gradually receded, and the outdoor light became brighter than before.
Natural light streamed into the room, dispelling the ambiguous atmosphere created by the warm yellow lighting.
Zhou Qiyan removed the lid from the plate, and a strong aroma immediately wafted out.
The two ate quietly, with Ningma sitting and munching on roasted naan bread.
"Tomorrow morning I'll take you to see the last few caves at Mogao Grottoes that I think are worth seeing, and then in the afternoon I'll take you to Yumen Pass." Ningma explained the plans for tomorrow.
"Okay." Zhou Qiyan nodded. "Shall we meet in the lobby at eight o'clock?"
Ningma glanced at him and said, "Let's go at 7:30, to save time."
Zhou Qiyan felt that Ningma looked a bit listless, and he didn't know if she was tired or dizzy from the carbon monoxide.
After they parted ways, Ningma drove back to her dormitory. By then, the sandstorm had mostly subsided, and visibility was much better than when she arrived.
Ningma was indeed exhausted today, so she washed up and went straight to sleep.
The next morning, Ningma and Zhou Qiyan returned to the familiar Mogao Grottoes archway.
The morning hours passed quickly. Ningma hid in the narrow shadows of the corridor, tilted her head back, and took a sip of water to moisten her throat.
Then she said, "In the last cave, I'll show you the largest reclining Buddha in the Mogao Caves."
Nyingma walked forward.
After spending a few days together, even though Ningma was dressed casually, Zhou Qiyan could still spot her in the crowd at a glance.
Moreover, today Ningma wore a gray fitted T-shirt and loose jeans, and without being bound by the pale, young and thin aesthetic, she exuded vitality and fitness.
“Cave 158 is on the third floor.” Nyingma led Zhou Qiyan through the corridor between the rocks.
Sunlight flickered in the corners of the building, showing no trace of the sandstorms that had raged just yesterday. The changing weather mirrored Ningma's mood and attitude.
She walked in front of Zhou Qiyan, turned around and politely reminded him, "The passage ahead is very low and narrow, be careful."
Zhou Qiyan raised an eyebrow, involuntarily beginning to wonder why Ningma was acting this way. Had he offended her in some way? But they hadn't been in contact since dinner yesterday.
Before he could figure things out, Zhou Qiyan looked up and saw a narrow archway.
Although the surroundings are old, earthy colors and mottled murals, warm-colored light strips illuminate both sides of the staircase.
In a daze, Zhou Qiyan was reminded of the spiral staircase of St. Chapel.
Ningma led the way, walking ahead of Zhou Qiyan.
The narrow, brightly lit passageway possessed a secluded romance and ambiguity. As Ningma climbed upwards, her gray T-shirt was pulled up, revealing a section of her waist.
The girl's waistline undulated like waves, and Zhou Qiyan glanced at it twice, feeling his mind shimmer with excitement.
He dared not look any longer and looked away.
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