Xia Yingying looked at Gao Xiaowen, whose eyes were full of pleading, and carried the pot down from the attic.
Gao Xiaowen's gaze gradually became numb and blank.
After quickly rinsing the pot, Xia Yingying went to the bathroom on the second floor and took off her blue dress at the door.
Hot water poured down from above, and steam rose from the bathroom. Xia Yingying closed her eyes and tilted her head back.
Hot water can wash away dirt, but it can't cleanse her rotten life.
Several gruesome scars still remain on her back, clearly visible even after so much time has passed, along with countless tiny wounds.
The long scars are frightening to look at, let alone the people who have to endure them.
After changing into her pajamas, Xia Yingying went to her bedroom, took a bottle from the drawer, poured out two pills, and swallowed them.
Those were antidepressants, and she had forgotten to take them for the past ten days or so. Today, for some reason, she felt like she couldn't hold on any longer.
Perhaps it's because we usually leave right after feeding them, but today we stayed a little longer.
Lying in bed, Xia Yingying tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.
She would involuntarily think of the days when Chen Feng was around; every day was so noisy and funny.
She had gradually gotten used to her zombie-like daily life, but unexpectedly, Chen Feng suddenly appeared in her life.
It brought a touch of color to her gloomy life, and even though it was only a touch, it was enough.
Now, that color has vanished again, and Xia Yingying has returned to that familiar dimness.
She should have gotten used to it by now, but she is extremely uncomfortable with it now, and the pain is even more intense.
The cruelest thing for a person is to open a crack in her hell, let the light in, and then, just when she desperately desires it and it's within reach, shut the door tightly again.
She could only watch the light gradually disappear before her eyes, and there was nothing she could do.
The next morning at eight o'clock, Chen Feng and Lin Nian woke up in the car.
Chen Feng was still sleeping on the small bed, while Lin Nian moved the passenger seat back and slept on it.
"Brother, are we going today?" Lin Nian asked, half asleep in the passenger seat.
“What time is it… Let’s not go yet. We still need to do some preparations. Let’s go to the supermarket first. I’ve almost finished eating.”
Chen Feng glanced at his phone, rubbed his face, sat up, got out of the car, and washed up.
After washing up, the two drove straight to Qiuling City. They didn't need to eat breakfast; they could just eat something ready-made in the city.
They drove to Qiuling City and went into a clay pot rice restaurant.
Lin Nian ordered two bowls of claypot rice, but shook his head after the first bite.
"Brother, his claypot rice isn't authentic either; it tastes completely different from yours."
Although Lin Nian's voice wasn't loud, there weren't many people in the store right now, and the Cantonese boss in the back heard it and his face turned black.
Young man, are you saying I'm not authentic?
Do you want me to say a few words in my hometown dialect for you?
"Eat quickly and don't talk," Chen Feng glanced at the dark-faced boss and urged him in a low voice.
"That's right, look, he put in sausages, weren't they supposed to be Jinluo ham sausages?" Lin Nian asked, picking up a slice in confusion.
"What Jinluo ham sausage? People in Guangdong don't eat Jinluo ham sausage. Hurry up and eat, we still need to go shopping later. Getting to the mining area tonight is a fast one."
After he finishes shopping, he still needs to rent an excavator, learn how to use it, and then he has to get back to work.
It might not arrive until tonight.
When it was time to pay the bill, the owner, with his hands on the bar, couldn't help but speak to Lin Nian.
"Hey kid, my claypot rice isn't from Zeng Zong, is it? Where have you ever been angry about Zeng Zong's claypot rice?"
“My brother made it. He said his is the most authentic. And boss, don’t put in Chinese sausage. Authentic claypot rice always has ham sausage in it. That’s what my brother said.” Lin Nian looked at Chen Feng as if it were the most natural thing in the world and even kindly reminded him.
Upon hearing this, the boss looked at Chen Feng, whose face turned green.
Dude, you actually believed me when I was just kidding?!
"He's not very bright, don't bother with him, he's about to collapse, damn it."
Chen Feng, speaking in a plastic-sounding voice, pulled Lin Nian out of the store.
"elder brother…"
"Shut up, and don't mention claypot rice again, you little brat."
To say that a Cantonese restaurant owner's claypot rice is not authentic is no different from telling a Northeasterner that their sweet and sour pork is not authentic.
"Brother, actually I wanted to say that we went the wrong way. The supermarket is over there," Lin Nian said weakly, pointing in the opposite direction.
Chen Feng looked around and realized he had gone the wrong way. He coughed lightly and explained, "Of course I know the supermarket is over there. I'm going to get my car."
“But… the car is over there too.” Lin Nian blinked and spoke softly, as if afraid of hurting Chen Feng’s pride.
"unimportant."
Chen Feng stood at attention, turned around, and walked in the opposite direction without hesitation.
The two arrived at the supermarket and pushed a cart full of groceries. This would be their food supply for the future, since there was really no place to resupply there.
To resupply, they would have to return to the hills.
After they finished shopping, they went to a place to rent excavators.
There are many such places in the hilly city.
"Want to rent an excavator, buddy?" Someone greeted them as soon as they entered the site.
"How much does it cost to rent this?" Chen Feng got out of the car and looked it over.
"It depends on how big you want it and what you want to do with it. Usually it's calculated by the day, but you can calculate it by the hour if you want."
The man was twirling his prayer beads when he asked.
"I want to use it for gold panning, the pit should be about two or three meters deep," Chen Feng stated his requirements.
“Gold panning, two or three meters…” The man looked around and pointed to a medium-sized machine.
"This thing is enough; it can handle three or four meters without any problems." The man led Chen Feng to the excavator.
"How much does this cost per day?" Chen Feng asked, patting the big guy on the shoulder.
"1200 a day," the man replied.
"How much is the fuel consumption?" Chen Feng calculated for a moment.
"How can I say for sure? It depends on how you drive it, but generally, working ten hours a day, it won't exceed eight hundred," the man replied, rubbing his bracelet.
"What if I run out of oil at the mine? I can't just go and refill it myself, can I?" Chen Feng asked, voicing a question that had been bothering him for a long time.
"I can deliver it to you, but I'll have to charge a fare per kilometer." The man's bracelet creaked as he rubbed it.
“Okay, I’ll rent one then. Will you pay first or later?” Chen Feng took out his phone.
"Settle this first, and call me if you want to renew. It's no big deal."
"It means you need to tell me which mining site you'll be using it at, so I can send the detector to you."
Excavators are not allowed to drive on the road; they must be transported across by flatbed truck.
"By the way, teach me how to use the excavator before you start pulling it."
"ah?"
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