Before we knew it, the three of us had been sitting in Cao Xiaobei's coffee shop for an hour. Ye Zhi checked the time first, and then said to me, "You've drunk quite a bit today, you should go back and rest."
"Well, before you leave, please give us your feedback on the 'milk' tea the boss makes."
Nicole smiled and replied, "If you've drunk something free, you should be mindful of what you say."
I nodded, then said to Cao Xiaobei, "Do you believe me now? This free 'milk' tea is something most people can't afford. The reason I come here every day is to encourage you to improve... I hope that one day you can make this 'milk' tea the signature drink of this cafe."
Cao Xiaobei seemed a little lost in thought. After a while, he finally spoke up: "If I could bring Sisi a cup of my homemade 'milk' tea when she returns to Dali, she would be very touched."
"Of course, your progress and good intentions have already surpassed the meaning of 'milk tea' itself, and she will understand."
...
After leaving the café, Nicole returned to the "Woman Flower" bar. In order to reopen the bar as soon as possible, she set up a temporary bed there so that she could manage it herself. She said that she wanted to add some of her own creative touches to the bar's original layout, especially the stage, hoping to create a sense of belonging. Over the years, she has been singing, singing about the hardships and the feeling of wandering. Now that she has her own bar, it feels like she has a home.
Ye Zhi and I naturally supported her, so on the way back we talked about Nicole. Ye Zhi said to me with great feeling, "Although she suffered for a long time because of a heartless man, the foundation of her life did not collapse... I envy her. She is easily satisfied and easily bursts with enthusiasm for life."
"Yeah, she must be the kind of person who is very pure."
Ye Zhi nodded, and then walked alongside me toward the exit of the ancient city. She had already called Didi, so we parted ways at the exit of the ancient city.
Although we will be together for many more days, I still don't like this separation, and I don't want to imagine that after she returns to Shanghai, we might not see each other for several months. I'm worried that we will become estranged.
...
At the entrance to the ancient city, Ye Zhi glanced back at me, then walked towards the taxi parked by the roadside with the balloon I had given her. Suddenly remembering something, I quickly called out to her, "Wait..."
"What's wrong?"
"Uh... it's about going back to my home. Do you want to take the train, or should we find a car and drive back ourselves?"
Is taking the train troublesome?
"It's quite troublesome. There are no direct trains from here. You have to take one from Kunming, and it only goes all the way to Chengdu. After you get to Chengdu, you have to transfer."
"Let's drive then." After a slight pause, she seemed to realize something and then said to me, "I'll borrow one from a friend. What kind of car do you need?"
"There are many mountain roads and washboard roads, so it's best to use a vehicle with good 'performance'."
Ye Zhi nodded, indicating she understood, then turned and walked out of the ancient city... I watched her retreating figure through the lamplight, feeling a little touched... She knew it wasn't easy for me to get a car here, so she took the initiative to share my burden. I really like such a thoughtful and considerate woman. I want to repay her more, but looking at my own shadow lying on the ground, I felt a pang of shame...
To be honest, there's not much I can give her at this stage.
I should thank fate. Although it sometimes played tricks on me, it also gave me the opportunity to meet a woman like Ye Zhi and gave me a chance to help her. Although I didn't have as many complicated thoughts back then as I do now, it still doesn't diminish the fact that it was a wonderful encounter.
...
Returning to "Jiulongju" was more lively than ever before, because there were the most guests today. Although they were all my guests, I still couldn't get used to the sudden liveliness after drinking. In particular, the sound of children playing made me feel disoriented and forget where I was... After thinking for a while in a daze, I realized that this was where I was sleeping.
Lying in bed, I smoked a cigarette. The surroundings finally quieted down a bit, and in this quiet atmosphere, I reflected on some recent events. Then, for some reason, I thought of the woman who was coming tomorrow... In my mind, she was like a shadow, a little mysterious, a little elusive, and carrying a trace of Lu Jia's aura. Although I knew that Lu Jia and she were not the same person, she had used Lu Jia's number for so long, so in my mind, there was always a strange connection between them.
...
Lost in thought, my phone vibrated again. This time it was a short video from Dai Qiang. It seemed like there was some kind of light show in the small town, and it looked very lively... This made me a little nostalgic, since it had been a very, very long time since I had been back.
Dai Qiang sent another message, asking, "Brother, has the matter of your sister-in-law going back to the small town with you been settled?"
I countered, "Do you expect me to handle it, or not?"
"Nonsense, everyone at home is looking forward to it... especially my aunt and uncle (my parents). You haven't been back much these past two years, and there's been a lot of gossip going around. They're all hoping you can bring my sister-in-law back so those people can have a good look at her... To be honest, my sister-in-law is absolutely presentable; you probably can't find anyone more perfect in the whole town."
"She's quite good at satisfying a man's vanity... But Dai Qiang, put yourself in her shoes. If you had a girlfriend like that, wouldn't you think it's a trap in life?"
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
