I don't know if saying "I will definitely go to Shanghai to find Yang Sisi" counts as a promise, but after I said it, I felt inexplicably lighter. I thought about it carefully: maybe subconsciously I wanted to go to Shanghai, but I just didn't have a reason. Now, I have a good reason and an excuse, and all I lack is a plane ticket booked in advance.
Yang Sisi gradually calmed down, and I handed her a tissue to wipe away her tears.
But she didn't care how disheveled she looked. She pushed my hand away and asked me, "If it happened to be raining heavily on the day you wanted to go, would you still want to go?"
"I'll go as long as the planes keep flying."
"Okay, I'll wait for you. As long as you go, I'll pick you up from the airport... I don't care what the weather is like."
I didn't know what Yang Sisi was implying by repeatedly emphasizing the weather. I just stubbornly handed her the tissue again, and she took it, wiped away the tears on her face, and smiled at me.
I smiled back at her.
After that, she left.
Under the piercing sunlight, I squinted to follow her silhouette. Everything seemed so effortless, even easier than smoking a cigarette, but my heart suddenly ached.
The stinging sensation felt very real, but before I could investigate it, it disappeared, leaving me feeling lost and lonely.
She's gone again! It all seems to have happened in an instant, and I'm a little disoriented.
I'm wondering: Is there a flawless reason to keep her here? Even just half a day would be fine!
But she left in the end.
...
Driving back to the ancient city, it was already afternoon. With nothing to do, I couldn't help but feel a little dazed. I first strolled around Renmin Road, and then spent half a day drinking tea with a familiar innkeeper. Soon, evening arrived.
Logically speaking, many people living in Dali have this kind of lifestyle, but I feel very empty and uncomfortable.
This is all due to inaction. I've developed a habitual mindset that as long as I'm in Dali, I should make a lot of money and build a career. Because here, I spend money just as quickly. For example, the house I bought in "Cangshan Yishu" a couple of days ago cost me over a million yuan.
Yes, as my bank account balance dwindled, my sense of security began to wane.
...
Around 8 o'clock, Chen Jin called me and asked me to go out for drinks with him and Yu Tou. I declined, as I wanted to go back and get a good night's sleep. If I couldn't sleep, I would make some plans for tomorrow.
When I passed by Renmin Road, I saw many vendors playing a guerrilla war with the urban management officers. Among the vendors, the young girls selling ethnic costumes were the most numerous. This seems to have become a tradition and a means of livelihood for many young women who want to survive in Dali.
At first, I didn't take it seriously, until a young woman who looked a bit like Yang Sisi tried to sell it to me, and then I suddenly had a different feeling.
I recalled the time when I first came to Dali, and I did the same things as Yang Sisi; looking back, it was a time of both confusion and joy...
While I was lost in thought, the young woman pressed on, saying, "Handsome, buy one! It's such a beautiful dress; your girlfriend will be so happy."
Would any woman really be happy about a piece of clothing that costs only a few dozen yuan?
Despite my doubts, I still counted out 600 yuan from my wallet and handed it to her, saying, "600 yuan, I want ten items."
"I've never sold anything for less than eighty dollars... Handsome, are you kidding me?"
I smiled and replied, "I've sold clothes like this in the old city before, so I know the cost price... If you don't want to sell them, that's fine too."
"I want to sell, I want to sell."
As the young woman spoke, she hurriedly took the money from my hand and then counted the clothes for me...
Just as we were about to close the deal, another man with a guitar on his back and dreadlocks roared up on a motorcycle. He shouted to the young woman, "Tangtang, a bunch of city management officers are coming from Yangren Street. They'll be on Renmin Road soon. Get on the motorcycle!"
The young woman was extremely nervous. She haphazardly threw a pile of clothes on the ground, then climbed onto the motorcycle and said to me, "I don't know how many pieces there are. You can pack them yourself. If there are fewer than you need, I'll feel bad; if there are more, consider it making friends..."
The motorcycle sped past me, carrying the young woman named Tangtang. She fastened her helmet and pressed her face tightly against the man's back. The wind blew her jacket into a cape, making her look ethereal.
I stood there in a daze for a long time before picking up my clothes from the ground. But I was a little lost. After a while, I remembered where I lived. I had to cross Renmin Road and then walk through the lower section of Yangren Street.
...
Back at my place, I counted them. There were twelve in total. I decided to give one to each of my female friends. The first one was for Yang Sisi, and then for Bai Lu, Nicole, Tina... and Peach.
Thinking of Taozi makes me feel very sad. We've lost contact for over a year now, and I don't know how she's doing.
I love her very much. This love stems from my love for Wang Lei, just like I love my own family.
I specially picked out a black outfit for Peach, because I felt it suited her best, reflecting her mysterious inner self and mysterious whereabouts.
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