Just as I was in a daze, An'an quietly patted me and then whispered, "Why are you always frowning? Did we cause you any trouble by coming here?"
I didn't expect to wear my emotions on my sleeve, so I quickly replied, "No, no, I'm just preoccupied... I'm so happy you're here!"
“If you’re really that happy, can you put your worries aside for a moment? We’re here to see you because we’re worried about you. We really hope you’re in a different state, at least better than when you were in Dali.”
I smiled and replied, "Yes, I don't want to think about those messy things anymore. I'll just enjoy drinking with you guys."
As I spoke, I raised my glass to everyone and then toasted each of them with a Coke...
When they responded to me in the same way as before, I felt a little sad, because both Coach Ma and Tie Nan represented the best time of my life in Dali; a few years ago, we often sat in the courtyard of the guesthouse like this, drinking and chatting, facing Erhai Lake, talking about everything under the sun; although the friendship is still there now, and the scene is similar, it feels like Taozi, Bailu, and Yang Sisi are suddenly missing from our lives...
Those of us from back then will probably never all get together again, and that's a regret.
Perhaps because they shared similar thoughts, Tie Nan and Coach Ma also fell silent afterward, leading to a somewhat awkward silence.
...
After sitting there for a while, a large patch of dark clouds drifted from the sea towards the land, and the sky we could see instantly became oppressive. Before I could even adjust to this change, the thick clouds were torn apart by a bolt of lightning, and the deafening thunder startled the world. Everyone began to hurry, looking for places to take shelter from the rain.
Tie Nan looked up and sighed, "With such a commotion, there must be some scumbag making vows again. Do you think the lightning will strike his mouth or his whole head?"
Coach Ma replied, "If this lightning really had eyes, it would strike you first!"
"Why did you strike me?... I'm a person who takes responsibility, and I've already paid back what I owed."
Coach Ma looked at him, who looked guilty, and then suggested to us, "How about... we move inside to eat?"
I laughed and said, "When the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat suffer as well. You should sit at a table by yourself."
"No, we didn't have the chance to share hardships in the past, but we must fulfill this wish today... Michael, you and An'an switch seats, you sit next to me. We're both troublemakers, and if we leave one of us out, it won't be a proper eradication!"
When Tie Nan said that, An An actually pushed me to Tie Nan's side, and the atmosphere became a bit more relaxed because of this joke.
...
The rain started falling quickly, and we sat under the awning the waiter had just put up, drinking one glass after another... Tie Nan was already a little tipsy, and he...
He said to us, "Drinking like this is really boring. How about we do something more exciting?"
Coach Ma replied, "If you think it's not enough to drink, then let's drink straight from the bottle."
"You just left the monastery and you're already letting loose?! ... That's not what I meant at all. I suggested we play a game... Everyone sitting here today has a past, a story... Let's play Truth or Dare, the more outrageous the better... I think keeping those damn secrets in your heart is a problem, it's better to be open and honest, and live life to the fullest!"
Everyone turned their attention to Tie Nan. I don't know what they thought of him, but I felt that his temperament hadn't changed much compared to before... I think that's a good thing. If three years in prison had really changed his personality, making him depressed and timid, that would have been a disaster...
At this moment, Tie Nan asked me again, "Michael, do you dare to play?"
"We're all on the same side, what's there to be afraid of?"
"Old Ma, what about you?"
"I have a clear conscience and there is nothing I would not dare to do. I'm just afraid you can't handle the consequences."
"Don't worry about me. I suggested this game, and I'll definitely play it to the end... An'an, you're the only girl here, do you dare to play?"
An An hesitated for a moment, but still said, "It would be too disappointing if I said I didn't want to play. I don't want to be the one who ruins the atmosphere."
"Alright, only Bottle Bro is left..."
Before Ping Ge could even speak, I blurted out, "Ping Ge has to play. We all know him inside and out, but he's the most mysterious. If he doesn't play, we'll lose half the fun... Let's begin. You set the rules first."
Tie Nan asked the waiter for a deck of cards and then said to us, "We'll take turns getting cards, from A to K, with K being the highest and A the lowest. The person with the highest card will ask the person with the lowest card a question... I'm telling you beforehand, we're playing Truth or Dare. No matter what the question is, you can't get angry, and you can't not answer!"
We all nodded, and then Coach Ma asked Tie Nan, "What if two people get the K, but only one person gets the A?"
"Then even if A is unlucky, they have to answer two questions."
"Understood, you can deal the cards now."
Iron Man dealt the cards to us one by one. I flipped mine over and saw that I was lucky; it was a Queen. Although it didn't guarantee a win, it ensured I wouldn't have to answer anyone else's questions. I wasn't afraid of Coach Ma, An An, or even Brother Ping. I was afraid of Iron Man because his questions were always unreliable.
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