The rain intensified, and within moments, the accumulated water began to turn murky and flowed into Erhai Lake. This was the power of a torrential downpour; before long, even Erhai Lake would become murky, and it would take at least a night for it to clear up again.
My heart grew increasingly anxious amidst the pattering rain... It felt as if I had split into two people, locked in a fierce battle within my own mental world.
I gripped the steering wheel tightly, staring blankly at the blurry world outside the car window, then suddenly snapped out of it... I pushed open the car door and ran wildly towards the rocky area, picking up the torn and shattered plane tickets.
...
When I got back to the car, I was soaked to the bone, which shows how heavy the rain was. I didn't have time to dry my face. I hurriedly placed the already damp plane tickets on the center console and turned on the heater... but it was too late. Many of the tickets were beyond repair by the rain, and the writing on them was completely illegible, rendering them worthless.
I felt terrible, so I leaned back in my chair, staring blankly at the stack of plane tickets, until the downpour gradually stopped...
At that very moment, two extremely rare double rainbows appeared over Haidong. But even faced with such a spectacular sight, my mood remained low. Even though I was in an excellent shooting position, I couldn't bring myself to pick up my phone and record the moment...
The rainbow disappeared not long after, and the air by the sea remained humid, so much so that the wind felt sticky, even though Dali is a very dry place.
With a heavy sigh, I finally picked up the plane tickets again, then threw them out of the car window against the wind. Some were blown into Erhai Lake, and some landed in the puddles. In short, the things I had treasured for almost two years were gone just like that.
...
After returning to the ancient city, I didn't rush to find Chen Jin. Instead, I found a restaurant near Renmin Road and ordered two dishes and a soup, as well as two bottles of "Wind, Flower, Snow, and Moon" beer... I guess I've been in Jimo for a long time and have gotten used to living alone. So I don't need to find someone to accompany me when I eat like before, regardless of gender, as long as they can talk to me.
Halfway through my meal, Nicole happened to pass by where I was eating and, of course, noticed me sitting by the window.
She stood outside the window and asked me, "Why are you eating alone? Where's Chen Jin?"
“He has his own things to do. We arranged to meet at his and Tina’s bar at 10 o’clock for a drink.”
"It's still early!"
After pausing for a moment, Nicole raised the plastic bag she was carrying and said to me, "I just bought two pieces of ham at the market. It's especially delicious stir-fried with matsutake mushrooms... You don't need to eat here, go and try my cooking."
"I'm not going, we've already eaten half of it."
"This is genuine Nuodeng ham. The owner only sells it at the market one day a week, and you can only buy it if you're lucky... Don't you really want to try it?"
I hesitated for a moment.
"Let's go, let's go."
...
Nicole no longer lives at the bar; she rented a farmhouse near it. There's a bougainvillea in the yard, and the dining table is placed under it. She probably learned from Bottle Bro, as she's made use of all the empty bottles left over from the bar. Some bottles are filled with flowers, while others have been turned into decorative lights, hanging on the walls and trees, making the whole courtyard very cozy and unique.
After bustling around in the kitchen for a while, Nicole brought the food to the table: two dishes, a soup, and two cans of beer.
I exclaimed to her, "Of all my friends, you really know how to enjoy life! I really like this little courtyard... How should I put it? I'm not a big reader, but in your courtyard, I'm willing to put down my phone, brew a pot of tea, find a book, and quietly experience what life should be like."
Nicole replied with a smile, "Life in Dali is very leisurely, so I have the time to tidy up this yard... Do you see that empty space next to the kitchen? I've already bought a flower stand online, and I'll fill it with succulents later. It'll definitely look beautiful!"
I nodded and then asked, "How much did it cost to rent this place?"
"It's still quite expensive, considering it's located in an ancient city."
I nodded, estimating that such a small courtyard, in the current market, would cost at least seventy or eighty thousand yuan a year, which is equivalent to a white-collar worker's annual income.
"Michael, have you found a place to stay?"
"No, let's stay at the inn for a while first."
"Why don't you come stay with me? It'll help me share some of the rent... I know you're not short of money, and most importantly, I can tell you really like this place."
I looked around, feeling a sense of comfort from Nicole's thoughtful arrangement. I asked Nicole, "Are there any rooms left?"
"Yes, I live on the floor below. The floor above is empty and it's a large open space. I've already renovated it, and it has a refrigerator, washing machine, and other appliances. You can move in right away."
"If you don't find it inconvenient, then I'll take this one."
"You live upstairs, I live downstairs, what's inconvenient about that?"
I laughed and said, "What I mean by 'inconvenient' is that I'll be asking you for meals every day."
"Dream on, pay for your meals first."
Nicole and I chatted happily, but during this time, I didn't think about Lu Jia. She would finish her studies and return to China in two months. We had agreed to get married, and if we chose to live in Dali, we would need to buy a proper house. However, I overlooked this and chose to share an apartment with Nicole instead.
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