Chapter 38 Life's Journey
The city next door to where Nanjiu was on a business trip was renowned for its woodcarving. While having dinner with a partner, one of them happened to be from that area. Upon hearing that Nanjiu was planning to visit, she introduced her to a renowned local woodcarver.
With this person's introduction, Nanjiu easily found the craftsman with over thirty years of experience. This woodcarver was renowned for his meticulous workmanship. If the partner hadn't been distantly related to him, he wouldn't have readily accepted the job, even if Nanjiu had found him.
It’s Mr. Nan’s birthday, and Nan Jiu plans to make a walking stick as a gift to the old man.
With this connection, the master arranged for his apprentice to take Nanjiu to select wood and finalize the design upon their return. Nanjiu calculated the production timeline and realized she wouldn't have time to pick it up. She had them ship the cane directly to Maoer Lane after it was finished. She left her address, paid, and hurried back to Fengshi.
For Grandpa Nan's birthday, the entire family, several generations in total, will be back. This is the most complete gathering of the Nan family in the past decade.
The birthday celebration was scheduled for Sunday. On Friday at noon, Nan Qiaoyu drove his newly bought Mercedes to pick up Nan Jiu and take her home. When Nan Jiu received the call from Nan Qiaoyu, she was surprised when he became so enthusiastic towards her.
It wasn't until he got in the car and saw Nan Qiaoyu's showy expression that Nan Jiu finally understood. Giving her a ride home was just a side job; he mainly wanted to show off his new car.
Along the way, Nan Qiaoyu kept talking in a roundabout way about how successful he was now, how he was a well-known figure in the e-sports circle, and how he was on close terms with some professional players.
He even said to Nanjiu warmly, "How are you doing over there? If things don't work out, come back to me."
Nanjiu leaned her elbows against the car window, watching him show off quietly, smiling silently. If she was right, there would be another big show the day after tomorrow. She could already imagine Liao Hong and her aunt praising their own Yaozu as a child prodigy.
Nanjiu interrupted him and asked, "What are you planning to give Grandpa for his birthday this time?"
"Remember that ceramic ornament we broke before? I asked someone to make a similar one. It's in the trunk."
Nan Jiu raised his eyebrows and looked at Nan Qiaoyu.
"What did you give?" he asked.
The smile on Nanjiu's lips gradually spread: "Crutch."
Nan Qiaoyu was stunned for a moment, then started laughing.
The car stopped at the entrance of the alley. After getting out, Nan Qiaoyu walked around the car twice, as if performing some special ritual, looking at something unclear.
Nanjiu stood by the road, waiting impatiently: "Are you going? If not, I'll leave first."
"What's the rush? Let me see if I get scratched if I park here."
Nan Jiu turned around and stopped waiting for him. Nan Qiaoyu caught up with him in a few steps: "You'll know how much it hurts when you buy a car in the future. But it's not easy for you to work and save money."
Nan Jiu's pace unknowingly quickened, leaving Nan Qiaoyu behind.
The teahouse door was open. Nan Jiu stepped over the threshold and his eyes met Song Ting's as he walked out. He was also briefly startled, and that second seemed to stretch out.
Nanjiu had changed so much, practically a complete transformation, more profound than ever before. Dressed in a simple coat and black Martin boots, she had shunned all unnecessary adornment, her demeanor becoming even more refined and elegant. Her once long hair had been cut to her shoulders, its former warmth and brilliance now subsidized by the natural black of her current hair. Even her aura and charm had become unfamiliar.
Nan Qiaoyu caught up with Song Ting after lagging behind by two steps. When he saw Song Ting, he called out affectionately, "Uncle Song." He opened his arms and gave Song Ting a warm hug.
Song Ting raised his hand and patted him unceremoniously: "Alright."
Nan Qiaoyu let go of Song Ting, turned around and said to Nan Jiu: "You don't even know how to call for help, you just stand there."
Nan Jiu took a step forward and opened his arms as well: "Uncle Song."
"Long time no see." Her hug was brief and appropriate, her arms wrapped around his body, and then separated. At the moment she was about to pull away, he raised his hand and lingered on her back for a second.
She paused slightly, he let go of her, and she stepped back to the proper distance.
Nan Qiaoyu yelled, "I hugged you, and you despised me. She hugged you, so why don't you say anything about her?"
"I smell better than you." Nan Jiu pushed Nan Qiaoyu aside and walked into the teahouse.
She put down her bag, washed her hands, found a teacup, and walked to the tea cabinet, carefully examining and smelling each tea. She chose a green tea she had never tasted before and brewed it herself.
Old Man Nan's hearing was failing, and it took him a while to register the presence of someone outside. He emerged from his room, first spotting Nan Qiaoyu, and said, "Your parents just left for your great aunt's house. They told you to come over for dinner tonight when you get there."
"I don't even know where her home is." Nan Qiao Yu muttered reluctantly.
Old Man Nan leaned closer with his cane and said, "What did you say? Speak louder."
"I say," Nan Qiaoyu shouted into his ear, "I don't know where her home is."
Old Man Nan straightened up. "Doesn't your car have navigation? I heard from your dad that you're determined to compete with them and buy a Mercedes-Benz. They'll give you a down payment, and you'll have to pay back 6,500 out of your 6,000 monthly salary. I think you'll just have to live with the car."
Nanjiu took a sip of tea and almost spit it out.
Nan Qiaoyu's face turned red. He had no idea that all the boasting he had been doing all the way would be exposed by Old Man Nan. He was so embarrassed that he lowered his head and rummaged through his bag, pretending to be very busy.
Only then did Old Man Nan notice Nan Jiu, who was holding the teacup. His gaze lingered on her for a moment, and he was quite surprised: "Xiao Jiu? When did you come back?"
Nanjiu put down his teacup and smiled, "I came back with Brother Xiaoyu's fancy Mercedes-Benz."
The sound of "Brother Xiaoyu" sent a chill down Nan Qiaoyu's spine. He raised his eyes and glared at her. Nan Jiu raised his chin slightly, a smile in his eyes undisguised.
Old Man Nan looked her over and said, "After all, you've entered society and your appearance has changed."
"So...it's getting better looking?"
She was speaking to Old Man Nan, but her eyes passed through him and glanced at Song Ting. Song Ting turned his gaze to the side, and his eyes suddenly met hers across the teahouse, without a sound.
"It's much better than those fancy outfits you used to wear." Old Man Nan replied to her.
"Uncle Song hasn't changed much." Nan Jiu's gaze stayed directly on Song Ting.
He stood there, his jacket zippered just below his collarbone, his shoulders perfectly framing his figure. Perhaps he had changed a bit, the sharpness between his brows now mellowed into a deeper power than when she first met him.
Nan Qiaoyu grabbed Song Ting's shoulders and said, "Of course, my uncle Song is an ageless male god. I'll introduce you to a young and beautiful girl later. I tell you, my job allows me to meet many internet celebrities..."
Nanjiu picked up the tea with a smile and brought it to his mouth.
This time, we all agreed to stay in a hotel. There were too many people to stay in the teahouse, and we didn't want to cause trouble for the old man.
Not long after they arrived, their cousins and their family also arrived. Nan Qiaoyu went to his great aunt's house, while Nan Jiu returned to the hotel with his cousins and their family.
The rest of the group arrived in South City the next day. The teahouse was bustling with activity, not only with grandchildren but also great-grandchildren.
Old Man Nan hugged the baby who had just learned to walk, listening to his grandchildren laughing and chatting, with a smile on his face.
Song Ting greeted the Nan family one by one and then left. Old Man Nan had something personal to say to his children, so his presence wasn't appropriate after all.
In the evening, everyone gathered together to play mahjong. My cousin called on her peers to play mahjong. To make up the numbers, Nan Jiu was dragged to the table. She wasn't very proficient at mahjong, and after the first two rounds, she lost all her money. Nan Qiaoyu was the big winner and clamored to continue.
Seeing his money-grubbing behavior, Old Man Nan called him away and asked him to go with him to Old Qin's house. For his birthday celebration, Old Man Nan had invited not only his family but also some old friends from the alley who had known each other for decades. He didn't charge any money, just to find an excuse for everyone to get together. After all, at this age, getting together is becoming less and less.
Although we had said hello beforehand, we hadn't mentioned the specific location of the reception. Nowadays, texting and phone calls are convenient, but the elderly are very particular about etiquette when doing things, and inviting people to a dinner always requires going in person and informing them in person.
Nan Qiaoyu reluctantly pulled himself away from the card table and asked, "Grandpa Qin is still alive?"
Old Man Nan picked up his cane and knocked him on the head: "What are you talking about?"
The kids were fussy, so my cousin and her friends didn't stay long before taking them back to the hotel to sleep. The adults chatted for a while longer, then got up and went back to the hotel one after another.
Nanjiu followed the large group through the long Maoer Lane. When they reached the entrance, Nanjiu's pace gradually slowed down.
......
The crooked tree leans to one side, like a person stretching his neck to look around, standing at the entrance of the alley for a long time.
The dusk was thick and impenetrable. Song Ting parked the car, locked the door, and turned around when Nan Jiu's figure appeared before him. She was standing under the crooked tree, her head lowered to look at her phone. Her neck curved gracefully, gently wrapped in her high collar, like a small tree taking root, forming a still picture with the old crooked tree.
He paused imperceptibly, then walked towards her.
Nan Jiu heard footsteps and raised his eyes. His eyes under the black hair were clear and powerful, staring at him: "Are you back?"
"Yeah." He stopped a step away from her, "What about them?"
"We're back to the hotel now. Feifei wants to sleep." She was referring to her cousin's daughter.
Nan Jiu raised his chin and looked across the street: "Is that shop selling osmanthus cake closed?"
Song Ting glanced back and said, "He's been locked up for over a year."
"Ah," she said with a hint of disappointment in her eyes, "I won't be able to eat it anymore."
"Are you standing here to buy osmanthus cake?"
"I'm waiting for you." She was one step away from him, and the sharpness in her eyes was no longer as fierce as before, but was filled with an unfathomable calmness.
He asked aloud, "Why didn't you call?"
"I don't have anything to do anyway." Her black boots made a soft sound on the stone bricks, and she lowered her eyes. "It's not like you haven't waited for me before."
The bridge of his nose was cast a straight shadow by the light, and his gaze lingered on her face. Then he walked back and asked, "Why did you cut your hair?"
She followed his footsteps and walked into the alley: "Blowing my hair is too troublesome."
A girl who once blindly pursued beauty will one day cut off her long hair in order to go to a bigger battlefield.
In the alleys of late autumn, the vines along the walls have already withered and yellowed, and the night breeze carries a hint of desolation. The young people of Mao'er Alley have long since moved out, leaving behind a few elderly people to guard their roots. At this hour, virtually no one is out.
"When I asked you to borrow money that year, you didn't even ask me what I needed it for. Aren't you afraid I was blackmailing you?"
"You've never spoken to me since you were little, so you can only come to me because of nothing you can do."
Looking back on those difficult days, Nanjiu can still feel the pain of the cold wind on his face and the coolness of the snowflakes.
"Now, is it on track?"
“Well, it’s okay this year.”
Nan Jiu didn't continue the topic: "Haven't you seen Xiao Jiu these past two days?" She paused and continued, "That three-flowered cat."
"Run away." Song Ting's voice was as low as his footsteps.
"Run away? When did he run away?"
"I haven't been back since I went into heat last spring."
"You should have had him neutered."
Song Ting glanced sideways, his gaze gently sweeping across her face: "It's gone through everything it should have gone through. The physical level can be broken, but what about the psychological level?"
"This...are there still withdrawal reactions on a psychological level?"
Song Ting said nothing more and put his hands into his shirt pockets.
Nan Jiu's eyes fell on his cold face: "You are talking about cats, right?"
"Could it be a human?"
Nan Jiu smiled and lowered his head to stare at the two people's shadows getting farther and farther away.
Before they knew it, they were at the entrance of the teahouse. Nan Jiu stopped and said, "I'm not going in."
She took out the bank card from her pocket and handed it to Song Ting: "I'm here to pay you back."
Song Ting lowered his eyes, his gaze fixed on the card. His hands remained in his pockets, motionless.
Nan Jiu bent down and gently placed the bank card on the bamboo chair at the door. "I just came here to thank you in person." She didn't look into Song Ting's eyes again, and her voice was so soft that it was blown away by the wind. "Then I'll go back."
She took a step back and turned around. The alley between the two rows of old houses was like a tunnel leading to the outside world, taking her further and further away.
Just as she was about to leave, someone behind her grabbed her elbow, halting her momentum and pulling her back to her starting point.
Her figure became clearer in his eyes. He released her elbow, wrapped his arm around her waist and back, and held her in his arms. He lowered his gaze and asked her, "The money and favors have been repaid. What's next? Are you planning to start your new life?"
His scorching breath made her heart tighten. She raised her eyes, and there was a bottomless fog in them. Although the surface was calm, there were piercing gravel underneath.
"have no idea."
"What do you mean you don't know?"
"I have to go back eventually."
"What about next?" His voice was so deep that it was swallowed by the night.
Nanjiu raised his eyes, a mist seemed to float in his eyes: "I can give you whatever you want, but..."
But she couldn't let go of the path she had earned step by step with blood and tears.
Song Ting saw through her unspoken words. When he'd lent her the money, he'd never considered asking her to pay it back, much less using it to tie her down. But when she finally returned the card, he felt something snap inside him. She'd grown up, and he'd lost even the last thread holding her.
"Can you afford it?" His voice was almost hoarse.
She lowered her head, not daring to look him in the eye: "When you need... I can come back. Until... you have someone you're sure of."
He pinched her chin and forced her to look up. His eyes were blazing with anger: "Listen to what you are saying!"
"I'm grateful to you, always." Her eyes gradually turned red. "For the past two years, I've lived frugally and saved money desperately, thinking that the sooner I can pay you back, the sooner you can let go of me, this burden. I don't even know where this road will lead..."
The usual calmness and control in his eyes suddenly shattered, piercing into Nanjiu's heart and bringing excruciating pain.
Her breathing was like a tangled thread: "I am tired of being poor. I never want to live my life by humiliating others and looking down on them."
His voice was filled with surging emotions: "You don't have to endure all this hardship. You don't have to look at anyone's face."
"You've been running the teahouse these past few years, haven't you? My grandfather did too. Do I have to rely on you for support, too?" She shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "When freshman year started, after paying tuition, I only had 384 yuan left. I needed food, groceries, and even the internet fee... I had no choice but to go to my dad. Liao Hong threw the money in front of me and looked at me like I was asking for alms."
She took a breath and continued, “Every time I go to my mother’s house, my younger sister’s grandmother will hide the snacks before I go, treating me like a thief, afraid that I will eat more than one bite.
"When I was desperate," her voice finally choked, "I almost ran to get a room with someone..."
Song Ting's eyes were filled with cold ashes. He had never heard her talk about these things before. Every word was like a knife slowly cutting into his heart.
She paused for a moment, the pain of suffocation still lingering.
"I want to gain a firm foothold, make more money, and make a name for myself." Her voice trembled, and each word came from the deepest part of her heart. "I know that one can't have it all..."
She had fought tooth and nail to break free from all the humiliation and grievances of the past, and her faith had never wavered. Yet, at this moment, looking at the man before her, the light in her eyes faltered.
For a moment, she considered giving up everything. Abandoning the position she'd spent countless late nights building; abandoning the career she'd dedicated six years of her life to; abandoning the city that had held her life for over twenty years. Every thought of giving up felt like dismantling a piece of her own flesh and blood.
In the end... I still can't accept it. I can't accept that all my perseverance over the years has gone to waste; I can't accept that I have extinguished the light I lit myself.
Big cities cannot accommodate souls, and small places cannot accommodate bodies.
One cannot have it all. She finally tasted the bitter fruit of her impulsive behavior.
He understood the struggle and regret in her eyes, the struggle between reason and emotion, regret for provoking him in the first place.
Perhaps their ending was destined from the very beginning to be forgotten by time.
His forbearance finally burned to ashes under her resolute gaze. The fingers gripping her chin tightened inch by inch, threatening to crush her bones into the deepest depths of their palms. She was forced to tilt her head back, enduring this intimacy tinged with hatred with a stubborn attitude. The air was filled with a tearing entanglement, and loss of control and madness trembled under his fingertips.
He lowered his head and bit her lips. The sharp sting penetrated her heart, and the sweet, fishy taste spread between her lips and teeth. She didn't struggle, nor did she escape, silently enduring his hatred and pain. Deep pain swept through her body, and tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, silently sliding down.
The door of the teahouse suddenly opened, and a dim and dazzling light suddenly illuminated the two entangled figures at the door.
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