I finally got back to my place at 3:30 a.m. and fell asleep almost immediately. This good state made me even more convinced that all loneliness and solitude are just illnesses caused by being idle... If you are willing to keep yourself busy, to the point of delivering takeout, your craving for sleep will help you defeat all pain.
That night, I dreamed again, but the colors in my dream weren't as monotonous as usual. I dreamed of Erhai Lake in autumn, with red and yellow leaves floating on the surface... Behind the leaves were the fishing floats I had cast out... I don't know why I was so relaxed, but I just spent a long time sitting on the rocks fishing.
It wasn't until a woman called me to dinner that I remembered my home was right by Erhai Lake, and my leisurely life stemmed from living right there on the shore. The woman who called me to dinner was probably my wife.
I really wanted to see her clearly, but facing the kitchen, I could only see her back. I tried to get closer... and tried to make out her voice.
The scene suddenly became very dramatic. As I leaned towards her, she turned in the same direction, and I could never see her true face clearly.
This coincidence made me realize in my dream that I was dreaming...
I tried to make myself even more lethargic so I wouldn't wake up so quickly, because I was really curious about who was living with me in my dream...
I'm certain that the scene in my dream is my ideal life: Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake, a log cabin, and a colorful autumn. I seem to have everything I need, except for the woman who called me to dinner.
...
Just as I was about to take another step forward, there was a sudden knock on the door; I woke up with a start and then heard Yang Sisi's voice: "It's already noon, why aren't you up yet... Did you go out and steal last night?"
I sat on the bed, stunned for a moment, before opening the door for Yang Sisi.
She was displeased that my dream had been ruined. As soon as she saw me, she complained, "Can't you have any shame?"
"What's wrong now?"
"Can't you wear more clothes in front of me, a woman?"
I glanced down instinctively and realized I was only wearing boxer shorts. I was being a bit too revealing, but I didn't feel embarrassed. I just smiled and said to Yang Sisi, "Don't you think I look very summery dressed like this?"
"Yes, looking around, you and the flies and mosquitoes are the most active things all summer long... Anyway, none of them are good... People like you should be left in Shangri-La for a year or two, otherwise you really won't know what human civilization and etiquette are!"
"I'm not in the mood for banter with you, so why did you come looking for me?"
"Tell me first, what did you do last night..."
Before I could answer, she interrupted, "He must have gone out to fool around... With Chen Jin as an example, even good wood can be turned into rotten wood!"
"Okay"
"If I had Chen Jin's awareness, would we be in this situation now?"
Yang Sisi looked at me with a strange gaze.
I then realized that I had spoken rather unintentionally, so I quickly steered the conversation back on track and said, "I've been busy with other things these past two days and have missed several shifts with Xiao Ruan and Xiao Hu. Last night I made up for Xiao Ruan's night shift and didn't get to sleep until after 3 a.m."
"real?"
"I have delivery records. If you don't believe me, I'll show you."
I didn't expect Yang Sisi to actually reach out and take my phone, then start flipping through the pages again... It felt a bit like a lover checking up on each other...
After finding no flaws, she returned my phone, her mood noticeably improving. She then smiled and said, "At least my kindness wasn't wasted... I know you're busy, so I brought you lunch. There's mushroom soup, stir-fried beef, nuts, and a vegetable salad—a well-balanced meal..."
You made this yourself?
Are you afraid I'll poison you?
"Why don't you take a bite first..."
"Get lost... This is a nutritional meal I ordered from the gym... From now on, there will be one every day at noon... Delivering takeout is tiring, so be considerate and don't eat random things outside. Make sure you get enough nutrition."
"I deliver food. Do I earn enough in a day to buy you this nutritious meal?"
"You always talk about money, can't you be a little more romantic!"
I looked at Yang Sisi, unsure of what to say, but my mind was clearer than ever... My life was almost completely consumed by the little things she did for me... This really wasn't a good thing, because her efforts today were so that she wouldn't have regrets tomorrow.
But she thought about how I would feel if this rhythm of life were suddenly disrupted one day.
Just as I was thinking about these things, Yang Sisi said to me again, "This afternoon, I made an appointment with some friends to go mushroom digging on Cangshan Mountain... If you and Nicole are free tonight, why don't you come over and cook for us?"
"You make it sound like you're absolutely certain of success... But can you really dig it up?"
"If you can't find any, go buy some... I'm just going to eat matsutake mushrooms anyway."
"Okay, as long as it doesn't bankrupt you, I'll buy you as much as you want to eat."
"You're really handsome when you're being generous... but could you please put your pants on before we start talking?"
I felt embarrassed, but when I went back to my room to put on my pants and came out again, she was already gone... I was in a daze for a while until I saw the nutritious meal she left behind, and then I realized that she had really been here.
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