confused
The restaurant downstairs from the hotel serves barbecue.
Zhu Shiyi took good care of her precious treasure—her mobile phone—making sure it took several pictures from different angles to fill its stomach before it was her turn to eat.
The taste was unremarkable.
But since it's barbecue, it can't be too bad.
How about trying some of their signature dishes? But the portions are so big, I'm afraid I'll be disappointed.
The voice call light is on.
Zhu Shiyi hesitated for a few seconds before answering the call.
A thousand guesses already formed in my mind.
"Have we arrived in Qin City?" Liu Lu's tone was not what she had expected; it was either furious or worried.
It was as if nothing had happened; I just wanted to check on my daughter.
"We're here. We're eating now," Zhu Shiyi said, licking the cumin from the corner of her lips. The spices didn't taste right either. She added, "Barbecue."
"Is it good?" Liu Lu still refused to mention anything.
Zhu Shiyi gave a soft "hmm," then fell silent, lost in thought.
Liu Lu's tone was slightly lower, as if she was hesitant, and her speech slowed down: "You're traveling alone, so you must be careful, especially at night. When taking a taxi or staying in a hotel, you must..."
Liu Lu finally uttered the nagging Zhu Shiyi had imagined. Her mother's admonitions were always similar; Zhu Shiyi didn't want to listen carefully, but she wasn't annoyed either. Familiarity brought peace, even if it was a negative kind of familiarity.
"Mom—" Zhu Shiyi interrupted Liu Lu's endless chatter, "Don't worry, I'm also studying at a university in another city by myself. I've been there for two years and nothing's happened."
Still holding a grudge, she deliberately relaxed and said, "School's about to start, and I have nothing to do at home. Staying here is just getting in other people's way, so I might as well come out and have some fun."
She was prepared for Liu Lu to give her a good scolding and accuse her of "running away from home".
My thoughts drifted back to a few days ago.
It's still because of those trivial matters, and those endless nagging.
Liu Lu's words were just too hurtful.
She said, "You stay at home all day, and just seeing you makes me angry. I'd rather be dead than have a daughter like you."
Liu Lu always manages to say extremely hurtful things.
Even though Zhu Shiyi understood that she was just upset by something and wanted to vent her feelings.
For example, this time it was because Liu Lu and her father had a fight.
But as an innocent person, she clearly did nothing.
Is it wrong to do nothing?
“Go ahead and play if you want,” Liu Lu said in a normal, even gentle tone. “I’m sorry, Mom shouldn’t have said those things. I’m not here to interrogate you. Have fun, and remember to tell Mom if anything happens.”
Zhu Shiyi was taken aback for a moment, then returned to normal.
My mother was always like that—she'd slap me, then give me a sweet treat.
Zhu Shiyi listened to the same old admonitions all around her, and wrote them down one by one, while casually sending a picture of the delicious food on the table.
After hanging up the phone, Zhu Shiyi unconsciously hummed two tunes.
A whole day has passed, and the deep sorrow has long since faded.
She was used to it; it was no big deal.
She casually sprinkled some cumin on top and started eating the giant roasted corn from the north. This corn with cumin, why does it taste so good?
......
After having a good meal, Zhu Shiyi planned to take a walk on the beach to digest his food.
The hotel is very close to the Third Bathing Beach in Qincheng.
Qincheng is famous for its urban seascape, with high-rise buildings and European-style architecture nestled against the mountains and along the sea. Among them, the night view of the Third Bathing Beach is the most famous.
At night, neon lights shimmer and the Third Bathing Beach is ablaze with light among its high-rise buildings.
In late summer and early autumn, as dusk falls, the tide recedes in the east, and the sea is calm and gentle.
Even though he grew up by the sea, Zhu Shiyi couldn't take his eyes off him.
We walked to the beach.
From near to far, the long, winding coastline is dimly lit.
Where mountains and sea meet, a half-moon hangs in the sky, concealing the jade rabbit and the silver toad.
Zhu Shiyi bought a coconut and quietly sat down on a chair set up by a beach vendor.
Coconuts that cost five or eight yuan on the street sell for twenty-five yuan on the beach.
Zhu Shiyi had an impulse—after graduation, he might as well come to the beach and sell coconuts.
Given her current state of being a complete loser, she might earn more selling coconuts than working a regular job.
Ha ha!
No, I should say that someone of her caliber wouldn't even be able to find a class.
...
A strange child, carrying a toy shovel, ran happily to the beach.
Parents, exhausted from following behind, kept saying, "Slow down!"
Zhu Shiyi immediately seized the business opportunity—selling beach toys might be even more profitable.
Kids love playing in the water.
Actually, she also likes water. Her favorite sport is swimming, and her favorite scenery is the sea.
But that's all in the past.
As I grew older, I swam less and less, and when I went to the beach, I no longer had the passion I had as a child.
Going into the sea means getting your feet dirty, which is a hassle.
The building light show continues, the squid skewers grilled by vendors on the beach sizzle with oil, and nearby, children happily dig in the sand.
In my ears, a young couple was singing a familiar song—
It's Jay Chou's "All the Way North".
"Even when you turn your back, your profile is still beautiful." Zhu Shiyi couldn't help but sing along.
As far as the eye could see, the two young people singing were holding hands tightly. The boy looked at the girl's profile, and his voice was as gentle as the sea.
A gentle evening breeze blew, and the clear water flowed peacefully. Zhu Shiyi straightened up and looked back at the city, bustling with people and dazzling lights.
...
In the stillness of the night, a sense of loneliness rises and engulfs us.
The National College Entrance Examination (NCEE) is a ticket to freedom.
Zhu Shiyi also enjoyed lying down for two years without any burden.
Time slips away quietly.
I'm 20 years old and about to start my junior year of college.
On the map of life, forks in the road gradually appear.
Taking the postgraduate entrance exam, taking the civil service exam, taking the civil service exam, and finding a job.
Every path was filled with flowers, yet also overflowing with thorns; she didn't know which way to go.
Life, values, choices.
Strive or relax, be anxious or uneasy?
An unspeakable anxiety, time flying by linearly, and despite her desire to do something, she seemed unable to grasp the steering wheel in her hands.
Life goes on day after day, countless times. On the road of time, she wanted to step on the brakes, stop and try to capture the meaning of life.
But the brakes didn't work; they were always useless.
"Bang!"
Fireworks roared across the sky.
"Wow!" The fireworks burst forth in a dazzling display, drawing gasps of surprise and delight from onlookers.
Zhu Shiyi could not hear very well.
The further out the sea stretched before us, the darker it became.
Where near and far meet, the city's reflection, under the undulating tides, is indistinct, like a mirage.
As the fireworks faded, only the ground remained untouched.
emptiness.
--
It's a beautiful day today.
But Zhu Shiyi still didn't get up until 11 a.m.
Today's mission is to have fun!
Zhu Shiyi plans to follow the strategy guide found online.
She first went to the coastal erosion landform area, where the afternoon sun was scorching and made it hard to open one's eyes.
Zhu Shiyi decided to change course and go to the coastal "City Walk" trendy street.
Step into a dessert shop, ready to enjoy a leisurely afternoon tea and escape the summer heat.
I was attacked as soon as I entered the door.
...Not only were there no seats available, but a tiny tiramisu cost a whopping 68 RMB!
I gasped.
The price of death.
Sure enough, the coolness of summer comes at a price.
Get lost. Whoever wants it can buy it; she's not willing to waste her money on this.
After all that trouble, it was already around four o'clock in the afternoon, and the sunlight was gradually becoming gentler.
She decided to go to the seaside park to watch the sunset.
The seaside park, connected to Fengqin Island, has become a famous tourist attraction in Qin City, attracting a large number of visitors.
The seaside boardwalk is bustling with people, yet it remains brand new and clean. In the distance, sanitation workers silently sweep the rainbow-colored cement road in a corner.
Zhu Shiyi strolled slowly along the seaside boardwalk, massaging his aching calves as he went.
"I want to take you to the beach on a sunny day when it comes naturally."
Suddenly, a deep yet casual male voice rang out, and notes danced happily in the sunset, flowing smoothly and continuously like ocean waves.
My gaze couldn't help but search.
On the seaside road, at the S-curve, on a small hill, sits a pure white glass house.
Upon closer inspection, the shape of the room was actually that of a piano.
In front of the glass house, a fence surrounds a lawn.
There was a band in the courtyard. On the left, the bassist was nodding and swaying; on the right, the drummer was completely absorbed in the music.
In the middle, a young man wearing sunglasses was typing on a keyboard, tapping his feet to the rhythm, his fingertips moving and the notes intertwining. He raised his chin and sang with complete absorption.
A few spectators were scattered across the chairs in the courtyard.
Zhu Shiyi was under strict control, her head swaying gently to the rhythm, her toes, though hidden in her shoes and socks, were already beating the drumbeats as naturally as the sunshine on a clear day.
She unconsciously walked into the glass room, and her eyes were drawn to the counter, which was filled with a dazzling array of cakes and desserts, and the menu also listed many coffee names.
She glanced at the price and gasped.
Tiramisu, 138 yuan.
A tiny cake, only the size of a rock, costs 138 yuan? That's highway robbery! It's even more expensive than that dessert shop in Goldfish Lane!
No wonder there were so few people at the entrance.
Zhu Shiyi really wanted to pretend nothing had happened and turn around and run away.
"Would you like something, miss? Any purchase will get you free admission to our camping concert!" The receptionist greeted Zhu Shiyi warmly.
The shop assistant noticed.
Zhu Shiyi unconsciously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
Is something that is "free" if you get it through "any spending"?
Zhu Shiyi pursed her lips and silently complained.
Nevertheless, she was still tempted.
The young lady was incredibly enthusiastic and kept introducing the product/service.
"And," the young woman whispered, putting a parenthesis to her lips, "our lead singers are both handsome and beautiful!"
Zhu Shiyi glanced sideways at the lead singer, who had a smile on his face and looked very sunny.
It's pleasing to the eye.
Zhu Shiyi felt much better.
Well, I didn't lie down today; I went out to exercise under the sun. Shouldn't I reward myself?
Zhu Shiyi decided to sit down, and she echoed, "He really is quite handsome."
But she didn't notice that there was an even more handsome guy sitting on another seat on the lawn.
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