Chapter 13 Saying Goodbye for Now (Revised)
He Changyi came to see Xie's uncle and nephew.
They lived in a building called "Zhongguo Building" on the campus of Moscow University. It was originally a student dormitory. After the collapse of the Union, which led to a sharp decrease in the number of international students sent to Moscow by member countries, the vacant dormitory building was rented out. Many Zhongguo traders rented it out and turned it into a wholesale market where people and goods lived together.
The building where Xie's uncle and nephew lived was fairly well-managed, with someone cleaning it every day. However, when He Changyi arrived at the address left by Xie Xun, the entire corridor was piled with clutter, the room was crammed with goods from floor to ceiling, the windows were blocked, and lights had to be turned on even in broad daylight. A foul smell of cheap clothes permeated the air.
When Xie Xun saw that the visitor was He Changyi, he showed an extremely pleasant expression and warmly invited her to come in and sit down.
Hearing the sound, Xie Shirong poked his head out from the messy pile of goods.
"Who is it? What goods are they buying in bulk?"
When he saw He Changyi, he was taken aback, his eyes widened slightly, and he looked her up and down carefully.
"Oh my, it's you? Looks like you're incredibly lucky, young lady, you're perfectly fine!"
He Changyi gave him a fake smile.
"I was born lucky, there's nothing I can do about it."
After saying this, He Changyi silently felt a little guilty.
After all, during her two days and one night in Mosk, she encountered countless thieves, robbers, con artists, and drunks—a crime scene comparable to Gotham City (without Batman).
Xie Shirong was skeptical, but seeing that He Changyi's clothes were intact and her expression was as usual, he couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Could she really be that lucky?"
He Changyi ignored Xie Shirong and instead asked Xie Xun:
"I need to buy a train ticket back to China. Do you know where I can buy a ticket for the earliest train?"
She went to Mosk train station to buy a return ticket, but after a difficult, tongue-tied conversation, the ticket seller shrugged and said there were no tickets available, and as for when they would be available, she didn't know.
He Changyi was highly skeptical of this.
Although the Oros intercity train takes six days and six nights one way and runs twice a month, it is hard to believe that return tickets are sold out as soon as the Oros train arrives at the station.
Given that Oros inherited the tradition of inefficient bureaucracy and rampant corruption from the former Union, He Changyi decided to forgo purchasing tickets through official channels.
As for private channels, after frequently encountering theft, robbery, and fraud, He Changyi's trust in local bullies has dropped to an all-time low.
It's said that cats have their ways and mice have theirs; the scalpers who frequently travel between Zhong'e and E'an must have their own ways of buying tickets.
Xie Xun is not a secretive person; he is exceptionally generous as long as his own interests are not involved.
When He Changyi said he couldn't buy a ticket at the train station, he smiled broadly, like a fox cub who had already spotted the trap.
"It's normal not to be able to buy tickets at the train station. The Russians have already resold the tickets to the tourism bureau at a higher price. If you want to buy tickets, you have to go through the tourism bureau. However, after changing hands two or three times, the train ticket price will not be the same as before. You have to be prepared for that."
He Changyi sighed dramatically.
"The Russians are really ruthless. They're clearly trying to wipe us out completely. They rob private individuals, then they rob the government, and in the end, Russia makes money and spends it all, with no one even thinking of taking a penny back home—and they even have to pay back the principal."
Xie Xun laughed heartily upon hearing this, his peach blossom eyes curving into a cheerful slit.
Xie Shirong keenly grasped the key words, his eyes lit up, and he hurriedly came over.
"Tell me, how were you so thoroughly wiped out in Mosk? Who robbed you? How much did they take?"
He Changyi glanced at him.
"Want to know? I'm not telling you."
Xie Shirong sat back down dejectedly, muttering to himself:
"You wicked little girl..."
He Changyi and Xie Xun agreed that He Changyi knew many people in Moscow and wouldn't be taken advantage of, so he would find someone to buy train tickets back to China.
She then took out another two hundred US dollars as payment for the tickets and gave it to Xie Xun, with no refunds or additional payments as needed.
Xie Xun refused to accept the money, and instead asked He Changyi to help him carry the goods when he came to Eros again. The money he paid for the train ticket was considered as an advance payment for the goods.
He Changyi readily agreed.
Xie Shirong was displeased with the harmonious way the two young people were discussing things, so he yelled at Xie Xun to sort out the pile of goods that had formed a small mountain.
Xie Xun smiled at He Changyi, responded, and turned to get busy.
He Changyi took her leave and departed. Before leaving, Xie Xun winked at her, his peach blossom eyes filled with a smile in the dim light.
Afterwards, He Changyi returned to Alexei's house by the same route, and after having dinner, he naturally stayed out for another night.
She's practically a notorious figure in the Baikal Hotel area. The Stan people, who were robbed instead of getting her to trade, are so furious they'd want to dig three feet into the ground. For safety's sake, it's best if she doesn't show her face in the vicinity for the time being.
In the morning, Alexei was gone again.
He has a somewhat elusive quality, always appearing and disappearing suddenly, leaving only a faint scent of tobacco.
The old woman seemed to have long been accustomed to it and was indifferent to Alexei's disappearance.
When He Changyi woke up, the old woman was making pancakes in the kitchen, and a strong aroma of mushrooms, onions and bacon wafted into every corner of the room.
He Changyi struggled to get up, tried her best to make herself presentable, and rushed over with her messy hair sticking up.
The old woman simply raised her eyebrows, gesturing for her to sit down at the table.
On this morning, amidst the rich aroma of Emei-style pastries, the old man and the young boy exchanged names for the first time.
He Changyi pointed to himself: "He, Chang, Yi".
The old woman pointed to herself and said, "@#￥%&*#￥%&*#￥%&*#￥%&*#￥%&*"
He Changyi: ...
Forgotten Oros's name is a brief introduction to a family genealogy that lists the ancestral origins of the people.
She only understood the first word, "Vitalie," and decided to call the old woman Grandma Vitalie from then on.
Grandma Vitalie affectionately called He Changyi "He".
Well, it seems that pronouncing Chinese names is also difficult for the Oroqen people.
When the elusive Alexei reappeared at home, the scene before him caused his blood pressure to spike instantly—
Grandmother and the woman from Zhongguo were sitting in front of the fireplace, sharing the same blanket and chatting so much that they didn't even notice someone coming in.
Grandmother (in Emei): "So you're a multinational businesswoman? Wow, that's really impressive for a girl."
He Changyi (in Chinese): "I think it would be nice to put cheese in dumplings and dip them in mustard sauce..."
Alexei squeezed his eyes shut.
How do they manage to talk at length even when they can't understand each other?
The next day, Xie Xun called He Changyi to tell him that he had bought the train tickets. Although the price had increased by 20%, it was the earliest train from Zhong'e to Russia that he could get.
He Changyi bid farewell to Grandma Vitalie and prepared to return to China.
She arrived carrying a heavy duffel bag filled with leather jackets and sweatshirts, and left empty-handed, only needing to hide the US dollars in her inner pocket.
However, Grandma Vitalie didn't let He Changyi board the train just like that.
She packed a lot of pies, sausages, cheese, and pickles, as well as fresh tomatoes, and forced them on He Changyi so she could eat them on the way.
He then forced Alexei to take He Changyi to the train station, instructing her not to refuse and to make sure he watched her get on the train.
Alexei and He Changyi exchanged a glance.
The former was indifferent and disdainful, while the latter was obedient but harbored arrogance. Sparks flew when they looked at each other, but there was no ambiguity whatsoever.
He Changyi bid a reluctant farewell to Grandma Vitalie and, under Alexei's "escort," took the subway to Moscow train station.
Yes, the subway.
She had legitimate reason to suspect that Alexei was deliberately making things difficult for her as retaliation for her shameless behavior of freeloading at Grandma Vitalie's house during this period.
The Moscow Metro opened before World War II and has been in operation for over sixty years.
Although it was built early, the subway station does not appear old or dim. Instead, it is strangely brightly lit, and the light shining on the decorations even gives it a somewhat luxurious feel.
Compared to the desolate streets, it seems as if one has traveled back in time to the most glorious moment of the League. However, the beggars and street performers blocking the subway entrance will immediately pull the dazed person's thoughts back to the present.
The escalator leading into the subway is steep and long, as if it were about to plunge into the depths of the earth.
Several people were between them, and He Changyi could only see Alexei's back from above, which looked aloof and unapproachable.
After getting off the elevator, Alexei walked ahead on his own, showing no intention of stopping to wait for his companion.
For some reason, He Changyi felt a surge of anger.
She suddenly ran a few steps, weaved through the crowded people around her, stopped precisely in front of him, and then strode away quickly.
Now I'm satisfied. It's more like I'll send him to eat exhaust fumes.
Alexei paused for a moment, then followed He Changyi slowly without saying a word. Just before entering the subway, he reached out from behind and dropped two subway coins into the box.
He Changyi glanced at him and inexplicably felt her anger subside.
It was rush hour, and the subway was quite crowded.
Inside the enclosed space, the air is like semi-solidified jelly, sealing in all sorts of flavors.
He Changyi was submerged among the tall, burly Russians. He silently covered his mouth and nose with his scarf, then turned to face the wall and lowered his head in sorrow.
It's a bit impolite, but this smell is just too strong... ugh...
Alexei, unaware of the situation, assumed she was unwell and initially didn't want to get involved. However, remembering his grandmother's instructions before he left, he irritably pushed through the crowd to get to He Changyi's side.
"What’s wrong with you?"
He Changyi looked at him from bottom to top, her eyes filled with tears that seemed about to spill out.
Alexei paused, his impatient expression receding like the tide.
"Are you feeling very uncomfortable?"
He asked in a low voice, his tone revealing a gentleness he himself was unaware of.
Suddenly, He Changyi reached out, grabbed Alexei by the collar, pulled him sharply in front of her, and then slammed his head against her.
The swaying subway startled Alexei. He was momentarily stunned and almost lost his balance, frantically bracing himself against the carriage with his arms to maintain his balance.
By a twist of fate, He Changyi was also trapped in this small space.
"Don't move."
Her muffled voice came from in front of him.
Alexei straightened up, forcefully pinched her chin, and made her raise her head.
"Don't move what?"
He Changyi impatiently shook off his hand, glared at him, and showed no trace of affection in her expression.
If it weren't for the tobacco smell emanating from the bear serving as a sort of air freshener, she wouldn't have bothered with this suspected mafia member.
The car was filled with an extremely strong, salty, body odor, almost like a biological weapon.
If he breathes, he'll suffocate from the stench; if he doesn't breathe, he'll suffocate. He gritted his teeth and cursed Alexei the dog in his heart. So, he, a local, was used to it and thought that everyone was born without noses.
Good heavens, if she had known the Moscow Metro would turn out like this, she would have parted ways with Alexei on the spot, even in front of Grandma Vitalie.
She was so overwhelmed by the stench that she didn't want to speak at all, fearing that the thick, solid odor would force itself down her throat.
Seeing that Alexei was still looking at him with a calculating and scrutinizing air, He Changyi became enraged and lashed out. He ripped off the zipper of Alexei's leather jacket and threw himself at him viciously.
—Damn it, you talk too much. Be a good air freshener.
Alexei froze.
This time, he didn't do anything else until the subway arrived at the station.
The car door opened, and He Changyi threw Alexei aside and rushed out first.
She was finally able to breathe freely only when the elevator went up and brought fresh air.
He Changyi silently crossed out "taking the subway" in his mind, determined never to take the subway again when he came to Moscow.
Alexei followed at a distance that was neither too close nor too far behind.
This time, it was his turn to follow behind her.
The two people walked one after the other in the crowd, like strangers who happened to have the same destination.
Upon arriving at the train station, the two stopped at the same time, as if by prior arrangement.
He Changyi turned around and met Alexei's gaze, who was also looking at her.
His arrogant eyes held a hint of disdain, while his scrutinizing gaze was tinged with doubt.
No one spoke.
The next second, He Changyi entered the station, and Alexei turned and left.
The two walked in opposite directions, growing further and further apart, like two water droplets dissolving into the crowd.
However, to everyone's surprise, Alexei abruptly stopped and turned to look in the direction where He Changyi had disappeared.
He saw nothing.
He Changyi was unaware of Alexei's complex and unspeakable gaze; she was busy getting rid of the police officers inside the station.
What? There's something wrong with my passport?
A note from the author:
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Alexei's appearance during his service was inspired by a masked Russian, an incomparably handsome bear (...).
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