Qi Zhifang, as if possessed, asked, "Li Yuemei hasn't been here either?"
Old Liang paused, his hand still holding the peanuts, and smiled, saying, "Were you the one in the cafeteria at noon?" Qi Zhifang didn't speak. Old Liang put the peanuts in his mouth, chewed them slowly a few times, and swallowed, saying, "I saw you at noon, but I didn't say hello!"
Qi Zhifang chuckled and said, "Why are you telling me this?"
Old Liang placed his hands on the table and said, "I am indeed getting married to Comrade Li Yuemei next month, and the date has been set. But I have never brought her here before; you are the first."
As Qi Zhifang got up to leave, Lao Liang grabbed her hand and whispered, "Sit down and listen to me."
After Qi Zhifang sat down again, he said in a low voice, "I was a college student in 1952. I used to have a beautiful wife, who was also a college student like me. We lived a life full of love and ideals, but we never had bread or milk, haha! Can you imagine that because I couldn't come up with 20 yuan, she went to someone else's arms? After that, I felt that women were all cats, cats that would steal fish. No matter how good the fish at home is, as long as the fishy smell isn't strong, she'll go out and steal fish!" He restrained himself at the end, but his suppressed voice revealed anger. Qi Zhifang looked at the polite and refined man in front of her in disbelief. How could he have such energy? At this moment, the waiter brought over two large plates of potstickers. Lao Liang looked up and said, "Thank you!" After the waiter left, Lao Liang smiled and said, "Eat first, we'll talk after you finish. Try these potstickers, they're different from the ones you've had before."
Qi Zhifang picked up a piece of food and was about to eat it when Lao Liang gently reminded her, "Be careful, it's hot. It's tender and juicy inside. Take a small bite and drink the juice first."
Qi Zhifang followed the instructions and found it so delicious that it whetted her appetite. She ate four in a row before feeling embarrassed and stopping. Old Liang smiled and said, "Isn't it delicious? Their way of preparing the filling is different from others. They use old hen broth to make it. With one bite, you get half meat filling and half chicken broth. It's so fresh. Eat it quickly! It won't taste good when it gets cold."
Qi Zhifang hesitated and said, "Let's do it like this..."
Old Liang chuckled and said, "You still have reservations about Li Yuemei, don't you?" Looking at Qi Zhifang's wary expression, he said, "I'm a college graduate, a Party member, a cadre. I chose Yuemei, an ordinary factory worker, because I felt the distance between us was enough. I thought she'd never find a better man than me in her life, and she would cherish me. Before I met you, I really thought we were a perfect match. But after meeting you that day, my heart started to flutter again. I wasn't brave enough; I was afraid, I backed down. Of course, I wasn't afraid of the reputation you mentioned; I was afraid you'd end up like my ex-wife. So I wanted to forget you, I wanted to forget you, but I can't. After meeting you, being with Yuemei only made things more painful. We couldn't resonate on a spiritual level; it was like head-to-head collisions, a real headache! There was no spark between our souls, but there was in the distance—not only were there stars, but I was also dizzy." He gave a bitter laugh as he spoke.
"I talked to her about love, she talked to me about daily necessities; I talked to her about ideals, she talked to me about production!"
Qi Zhifang slowly ate the potstickers, feeling somewhat hesitant. Now that it was Lao Liang, she didn't know how to deal with him.
After taking a few big bites of potstickers, Lao Liang paused for a moment and said, "Maybe after this meal, we'll have to avoid each other and become just ordinary comrades, but I really can't forget you."
Qi Zhifang suddenly lost her appetite. Old Liang noticed her worries, smiled, and said, "This is good. At least before I walk into the grave of marriage, I can still have this beautiful memory with you. For many years to come, I will have a deep memory of this day. Let's try to make today more fulfilling."
During the meal, they talked about many things, from Gorky to Pushkin, from Stalin to Lenin. In the end, they both entrusted their love to the flamingo, hoping to be reborn as each other's flamingo in the next life, soaring freely between heaven and earth, living only for love.
When it was time to part, the two stood at the crossroads. Old Liang watched Qi Zhifang go home until he was out of sight before turning away. Qi Zhifang, however, quietly came out from behind the door and watched for a long time, until Old Liang's figure disappeared into the darkness...
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