Chapter 92 Poetry and Bitter Wine
After finishing his work, He Changyi drove to Moscow early the next morning.
She was worried about leaving her grandmother Vitalie alone at home, even though there was a nanny with her and even though Alexei would make sure everything was arranged before he left.
But He Changyi still hoped to stay with Grandma Vitalie, at least to have a relative by her side.
As He Changyi was about to leave, Xie Xun, with a dark expression, yanked open the car door and silently got into the passenger seat.
She raised an eyebrow and glanced questioningly at the rearview mirror. Xie Xun turned his head to stare out the window, deliberately avoiding eye contact with her.
...Tsk, looks like he really didn't sleep well last night.
He Changyi simply didn't ask, and comfortably leaned back in the seat, his relaxed posture a stark contrast to the stiff posture of the person in front.
Today, Eguo's bodyguards were driving, and Xie Xuejun was accompanying them. As he was habitually opening the passenger door to get in, he saw that someone was already sitting inside.
Xie Xuejun was taken aback at first, but after recognizing the person, he didn't think much of it and asked directly, "Mr. Xie, are you also going to Moscow?"
Xie Xun said indifferently, "I'm going back to Eastern Europe, to Moscow by train."
Xie Xuejun scratched his head. "Oh, I see... You're a guest, why don't you sit in the back with our boss? Don't sit in the front passenger seat."
Xie Xun glanced at the rearview mirror. He Changyi was wearing sunglasses and had her legs crossed, looking completely unconcerned, as if whether he got in the car or not, or where he sat, was none of her business.
Noticing his gaze, He Changyi even had the leisure to smile at him.
Her heart was harder than the Arctic permafrost.
Xie Xuejun urged, "Mr. Xie?"
Xie Xun, his face tense, said resentfully, "I'll sit right here."
Xie Xuejun looked at the guest, then at the boss, and finally realized what was going on. He grabbed Xie Xun's arm, dragged him out of the car, and stuffed him into the back seat.
"Mr. Xie, please don't be embarrassed. Our boss isn't the kind of person who's old-fashioned. Besides, the trunk is spacious, so please don't worry about it!"
Xie Xun resisted in vain and was staggered as the former special forces soldier shoved him into the car like a chick. Before he could even settle in, He Changyi turned and grinned at him.
You must have had a good dream last night.
Sweet dreams?
Xie Xun squeezed his eyes shut, too angry to speak.
He Changyi added insult to injury, saying, "It's okay if you don't have a good dream. Eastern Europe is far away. You can catch up on your sleep on the train and have a few more dreams. You're bound to find one you like."
Xie Xun: ...
Xie Xun gripped the car door handle tightly and loosely, then loosely and tightly again. Just as he finally decided to open the door and get out, the driver in front stepped on the gas, and the jeep smoothly merged into the traffic.
He gripped the handle stiffly for a long time before slowly letting go.
For the entire 200-kilometer journey, Xie Xun remained silent, his usual smiling face devoid of any smile.
He Changyi remained silent, staring blankly at the roadside scenery, his mind constantly wandering to business matters.
The two people in the back row looked out the window from the left and right. Although they were very close, it felt like there was an insurmountable chasm between them.
The driver in the front seat quietly reached out and turned the button on the car radio, breaking the silence inside the car with music.
Finally, even the oblivious Xie Xuejun noticed something was wrong. He hesitated, glancing at He Changyi and then at Xie Xun. He hadn't heard of these two arguing before...
The driver quickly gave Xie Xuejun a wink, and Xie Xuejun immediately realized what was going on and began to keep a close watch on Xie Xun.
This guy is indeed a smiling tiger. He might be colluding with the local underworld. He'd better keep a close eye on him and make sure no one tries to kidnap Boss He under his nose!
Xie Xun didn't know why Xie Xuejun's attitude had suddenly changed 180 degrees, but his mind was in complete turmoil and he had no time to care about a mere bodyguard.
He was sitting right next to He Changyi, yet he had never felt so distant from her, so distant that it filled him with despair.
She is the cold moon.
He Changyi's figure was reflected in the car window. Xie Xun traced her outline with resentment and greed, his despair growing stronger with each passing moment, as if countless tiny hands were sprouting from his eyes.
No, he will never give up.
To the death.
He Changyi thoughtfully instructed the driver to take the car to Moscow train station, and before parting, she kindly told Xie Xun: "If any police officers confiscate your passport or cause trouble, just give them my name."
Xie Xun put on a smile again, politely thanked the two bodyguards in the front row with strange expressions, and then said to He Changyi:
"I need to go back and take care of some things first. I'll come back later. You won't be unhappy with that, will you?"
He Changyi said bluntly, "Even if I don't welcome you, does that mean you won't come?"
Xie Xun's smile remained unchanged, and he asked gently, "Of course I'm coming. Aren't we friends?"
Before He Changyi could answer, he said, "I thought we were already friends who would share life and death on the train."
He Changyi: ...How was she supposed to respond to that?
Sorry, you're not my friend, so I don't care about any life-saving grace. You deserve to be stabbed on the train and survived; you're lucky.
“Of course we’re friends,” He Changyi emphasized, “just friends.”
Xie Xun pretended not to hear the second half of the sentence, as if he had received some permission, and said happily, "Then I won't stand on ceremony. Let's keep in touch."
He Changyi: "It doesn't need to be that often..."
As the jeep was about to drive away, Xie Xun, standing outside the vehicle, suddenly gave He Changyi inside the car a beautiful smile that was exactly the same as before.
"Changyi, there is still a long way to go."
He Changyi only slowly exhaled a breath after Xie Xun's figure completely disappeared from the rearview mirror.
For a fleeting moment, her heart even stopped beating.
well.
I originally thought everyone was just talking nonsense, but now some people are actually taking it seriously.
It's unbelievable, yet it actually happened.
She just casually mentioned being kept, and yet some people actually rushed to pay to be kept.
The world is going to the dogs, people's hearts are no longer what they used to be, and men always want to take shortcuts.
It's a pity Xie Xun isn't a real fox, and she's not old enough to be a sugar mommy, otherwise, she might as well have a taste of fox meat.
After a jumble of thoughts, the jeep finally stopped on Dmitrov Street.
Upon seeing the unfamiliar vehicle approaching, two men, one fat and one thin, with buzz cuts and leather jackets, strode over aggressively and rudely knocked on the driver's side window.
"Hey kid, didn't anyone tell you whose turf this is?!"
He Changyi opened the car door, jumped out, and said, "It's me."
The fat man and the thin man recognized her and quickly put on big smiles, vying to talk to He Changyi.
"It's Miss He! This jeep is just as impressive as you are!"
"It's an honor to meet you. Are you here to visit the old lady?"
He Changyi asked Xie Xuejun to open the trunk and handed the two men two bags filled with daily necessities, cigarettes, and canned goods.
The fat man and the thin man were all smiles. It was all thanks to this Miss Zhong Guo. She was generous, meticulous, and considerate to them, her underlings. They couldn't find a more perfect woman.
Alexei should work harder, in every aspect, especially in one particular area.
—They had been to a sauna together, and Alexei certainly had the ability to put in the effort.
The fat man and the thin man enthusiastically led the driver to park the jeep in the safest spot on the street, while Xie Xuejun followed He Changyi into the mansion.
Grandma Vitalie is still sleeping; lately she's been sleeping for longer and longer periods of time.
The nanny was equally friendly when she saw He Changyi, serving her tea and desserts, but repeatedly refused when He Changyi handed her the bag.
"No, I can't accept your gift anymore. You've solved my child's schooling problem, and my whole family is very grateful to you."
He Changyi smiled and, without allowing any refusal, handed the bag to the nanny, saying softly, "You still have family."
The nanny was both happy and embarrassed, and she plunged into the kitchen, insisting on making a hot mixed soup with a rather complicated process.
This dish requires cutting, boiling, braising, and stewing. The more authentic it is, the more time-consuming and laborious it is. In Oroqen, it's the kind of dish that would make a child beg for food and be scolded by an adult as "I think it looks like a mixed soup."
The nanny was a good cook, but He Changyi still missed Grandma Vitalie's plate of fried pies even more.
Grandma Vitalie finally woke up as dusk fell.
She stared blankly at He Changyi sitting on the edge of the bed, and it took her a long time to react. Like an old, malfunctioning computer, her current boot time exceeded 0.01% of the world's online users.
"Ah, it's you, my little bird Zhongguo."
The nanny skillfully helped Grandma Vitalie sit up, placed a cushion behind her, brought over a bowl of easily digestible buckwheat porridge, and slowly fed her until she finished it. Finally, she gave her a handful of colorful pills.
He Changyi would lend a hand from time to time, her movements were skillful, and it was clear that she did it often.
After eating and taking her medicine, Grandma Vitalie slowly regained her senses and her spirits improved significantly.
She said lovingly, “My little girl, you should go on dates with young men instead of wasting your time with old men.”
He Changyi deliberately lowered her voice and said furtively, "Actually, I'd rather go to the male escort club with you."
Grandma Vitalie laughed until she was breathless. After catching her breath, she said, "That is indeed a good idea, but unfortunately my heart is too old to handle anything too exciting, and the club wouldn't welcome a spectator in a wheelchair."
He Changyi winked at the old lady, "Then we'll book the whole place, and the entire performance will be just for you."
Grandma Vitalie was all smiles, and her complexion looked much better.
The next day, He Changyi actually pushed Grandma Vitalie, who was in a wheelchair, out the door.
However, their destination was not the club, but Revolution Square, which was not far away.
The square covers a large area, with lush trees and grass, and is gloomy and cold, with a desolate atmosphere unique to Eros.
However, the book stalls and flower stalls on both sides of the square effectively diluted the cold atmosphere, especially the brightly colored flowers, which were piled up crammed on the stalls, brightening up even on a cloudy day.
He Changyi pushed Grandma Vitalie over, with two bodyguards following at a distance.
Grandma Vitalie's aged fingers caressed roses, tulips, passionflowers... new life and twilight, fullness and withering, how cruel time is.
He Changyi bought all the flowers. The large bouquets of fresh flowers were wrapped in cellophane, and Grandma Vitalie hugged them tightly, her eyes crinkling with laughter.
She exclaimed happily, "Even my husband has never sent me flowers before, this is the first time I've ever received so many!"
He Changyi said, "Then I will send you flowers every day from now on, with a different flower each day, until I have sent flowers all over the world."
Grandma Vitalie's wrinkles melted into a smile as she lovingly held the flowers, inhaling their fragrance repeatedly.
"I must be the luckiest old man in the world."
She held He Changyi's hand, stroking it tenderly, feeling a mix of laughter and sighs.
"But my little bird from China, why did it take you so long to fly to my side? I met you too late..."
He Changyi rested her head on Grandma Vitalie's shoulder and said gently, "It's alright, Grandma, we have plenty of time."
Grandma Vitalie nodded with tears in her eyes, already completely satisfied.
There were vendors in the square taking photos for tourists. On a whim, He Changyi paid one of them to take a photo of her and Grandma Vitalie.
In the photo, Grandma Vitalie is sitting in a wheelchair holding flowers, with He Changyi leaning beside her. The two, one old and one young, are all smiles, looking more like grandparents than grandchildren.
Gradually, the sun came out, and the square was bathed in sunshine, as if it were springtime.
Grandma Vitalie became interested and started talking to He Changyi about the past.
"Back then, we despised beauty. We didn't want flowers, dancing, or love letters. Beauty and romance were seen as capitalism."
She paused for a moment and said, "I cut my long hair to participate in the group wedding. It's a real shame that my wedding photos aren't beautiful at all."
He Changyi deliberately said casually, "Of course not, long hair or short hair doesn't affect your beauty. Why don't we talk about how Alexei's grandfather won over an extremely beautiful lady?"
Grandma Vitalie's face lit up with a youthful glow as she said demurely, "Let's read poetry together, or sing songs."
Even after all this time, she still remembers those poems.
"Wait for me/I will come back."
Death has been defeated by me time and time again. Let those who didn't wait for me say I was lucky. Those who didn't wait will not understand.
You are waiting / On the battlefield amidst the raging gunfire / You will save me from the clutches of death.
How I escaped death is something only you and I know.
Simply because you are different from others / You are waiting. ①
Grandma Vitalie slowly repeated the last sentence: "You are waiting..."
She shook her head. "No, he's the one waiting. He's been waiting for me for far too long."
Sensing the awkward atmosphere, He Changyi quickly said, "It's a beautiful poem. I also really like Russian poetry, for example—"
She racked her brains to come up with some positive and uplifting poems, only to discover in despair that the poets of Oros were all suffering from depression, and their themes always revolved around heartbreak, death, and the desire to die after a breakup.
It could be “What does my name mean to you? / It will die, like the desolate sound of the waves splashing on a distant shore”②, or “In this world, death is nothing new / But living is no newer”③.
They say suffering creates art, but this is just too much art!
Couldn't we have written a cheerful, uplifting poem that celebrates life?!
Grandma Vitalie seemed to sense He Changyi's depression and patted her hand with a smile.
Suddenly, the sound of an accordion rang out, followed by a street performer's song, "Katyusha."
"Just when pear blossoms bloom all over the world..."
He Changyi's eyes lit up, and he pushed Grandma Vitalie toward the street performers.
"I still prefer the League's song; many Chinese people can sing it."
The street performer was surrounded by a large audience, mostly elderly people, while the performer himself was also quite old, with gray hair and a weathered face.
His voice, like cracked silk or a rusty bronze statue, possesses an untimely stubbornness, much like the song itself.
"To the soldiers on the distant frontier, convey Katyusha's greetings... Fight bravely to defend the motherland, Katyusha's love will forever belong to him..."
The border is no longer the frontier, and the motherland is no longer the motherland it once was.
But no matter what, Katyusha is still Katyusha.
He Changyi put the money into the box in front of the street performer, who kept his head down and kept his eyes fixed on the accordion.
After strolling around the square, Grandma Vitalie was in good spirits. She enthusiastically invited He Changyi to dinner at the restaurant where she had dated Alexei's grandfather when she was young.
Although the restaurant's decor is completely different from what it was decades ago, and the owner has changed from the state to a private individual, there are still some familiar dishes on the menu. Even though the chef has changed and the taste has changed, it's still worth the trip.
Grandma Vitalie ordered a table full of dishes based on her memory, but He Changyi tried to stop her, saying, "It's too much, we can't finish it."
No, it's not just us.
Grandma Vitalie smiled and waved to the two bodyguards at the next table, "Come on, children, sit here and let's eat together."
The two bodyguards went to see He Changyi first, and only sat down after she nodded.
Grandma Vitalie said, "Young men, you've worked hard today, eat more."
Like any loving grandmother in the world, she tried her best to stuff food into her grandson's mouth, until the two bodyguards went from beaming with joy to wanting to cry, and finally begged for mercy while clutching their stomachs.
Grandma Vitalie complained, “You’re eating far too little. My Alyosha never eats this little.”
He Changyi added with a grin, "That's why he can grow into a bear."
Two bodyguards: ...
No, they are human beings, they won't turn into bears, much less a giant bear that's 1.9 meters tall.
As we were finishing our meal, a commotion suddenly broke out at the restaurant entrance.
"No! You can't come in! Get out!"
"Why can't we come in? Is this place only open to capitalists?!"
He Changyi looked over at the sound and saw a group of veterans dressed in Allied military uniforms with medals hanging all over their chests standing at the restaurant entrance, arguing with the waiter who was trying to stop them from entering.
The waiter said impatiently, "Listen! I don't care who you are, you're not welcome here. Don't bother our guests!"
The veteran angrily said, "Look at these medals! Who were we fighting for? Aren't you ashamed?!"
The waiter said dismissively, "Then go find the alliance that awarded you the medal! We don't need you anymore!"
The veterans were furious, but the young and strong security guards had already surrounded them, so all they could do was be angry.
Just as the veterans were about to leave the restaurant, a clear female voice rang out.
"Please wait."
Everyone looked over at the sound and saw that the speaker was a young woman with an East Asian appearance.
She stood up, followed by two bodyguards, and strode to the restaurant entrance, smiling as she spoke to the waiter:
"Let them in, I'll treat these old gentlemen to a drink."
The waiter hesitated and said, "But..."
"No buts."
She slowly and deliberately slipped the tip into the waiter's jacket pocket, with an air of unquestionable authority.
"I don't think any restaurant would turn away guests, especially a group of respectable guests."
She turned around and smiled at the veterans, saying:
"Please allow me to offer you a cup of bitter wine."
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Author's Note: ① Excerpt from "Wait for Me," by Simonov
②Excerpt from "What My Name Means to You," by Alexander Pushkin
③Excerpt from "Goodbye, My Friend, Goodbye" by Yesenin
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