Chapter 11 (Part 1)
There are several kinds of trees along Xiaoxi Lane, including camphor, koelreuteria, soapberry, and osmanthus. There are two trees in front of the bookstore, a koelreuteria and an osmanthus. When the first cicada chirps in the osmanthus tree, it heralds the official arrival of summer. At three o'clock in the afternoon, the sun is scorching outside, and there are almost no pedestrians. In the bookstore, Gan Ling is repairing a new batch of old books, dusting them off, wiping the dirt stuck in the paper with wet wipes, and carefully gluing the damaged parts together with special glue. To achieve the highest degree of perfection requires sufficient patience and meticulous craftsmanship, which Gan Ling has. She can spend hours on this kind of work, and when a tattered book is given a new look in her hands, she will feel sincerely satisfied, even though the book may not sell for much money after being repaired. She was currently mending a comic book titled "The Female Hero Liu Zhichan." She'd stumbled upon it at a used book market, nestled among a pile of miscellaneous books sold by the pound. Most of the front and back covers had fallen off, and many of the pages were curled, like a broken wall. It had landed in her sights, a matter of fate. Gan Ling didn't usually collect comic books; that was a different kind of business, but she accepted this one. She actually had an identical copy at home, also published in 1985. Gan Ling couldn't recall where it came from, but it probably passed through relatives before ending up in her family. She'd heard her mother tell her stories as a child. Liu Xiao usually spoke softly, but when she told stories, she seemed to possess a magical power. The words in her stories flew out of her mouth, suddenly vibrant and colorful, rapidly transforming into vivid images before Gan Ling's eyes, completely enveloping her. She looked around, overwhelmed. It was also through her mother's stories that she encountered the hidden nature of human nature: its suspicion, distrust, and hesitation. These complex and turbulent confrontations left her bewildered and sleepless, yet deeply imprinted. Just like in the story before her, how could Liu Zhichan's husband, the man known as the Smiling Tiger, have the heart to use his son as a weapon against his estranged wife? Gan Ling's thoughts drifted repeatedly as she repaired herself, her soul drifting further and further from the tranquility of reality, until Han Xi's furious roar brought her back. "Asshole! Give it back to me!" Gan Ling looked up in horror, just in time to see Han Xi lunge at Tian Miao like a furious tiger. Tian Miao held a small notebook aloft in her right hand, her left in a defensive gesture, her body acrobatically back and forth, her hips twisting more dramatically than a square dance, amusing Gan Ling. "Hey, what are you two doing?" Han Xi was half a head shorter than Tian Miao, and not as strong as him. The notebook was so close...
Xiaoxi Alley boasts several varieties of street trees: camphor, koelreuteria, soapberry, and osmanthus. In front of the bookstore are two trees: a koelreuteria and an osmanthus. When the first cicada chirps from the osmanthus tree, it heralds the official arrival of summer.
It was three in the afternoon, the sun blazing outside, and few pedestrians were visible. Inside the bookstore, Gan Ling was repairing a new batch of old books, dusting them, wiping away dirt trapped between the pages with a damp cloth, and carefully gluing the damaged sections back together with special glue. Achieving perfection requires patience and meticulous craftsmanship, both of which Gan Ling possessed. She could spend hours on this task, and when a tattered book was transformed into something new in her hands, she felt a genuine sense of satisfaction, even though the repaired book might not fetch much.
She was currently repairing a comic book titled "The Female Hero, Willow Cicada." She'd stumbled upon it at a used book market, nestled among a pile of miscellaneous books sold by the pound. Most of the front and back covers had fallen off, and many of the inner pages were curled, leaving it looking like a broken wall. It had fallen into her sight, a stroke of fate. Gan Ling didn't usually accept comic books; that was a different trade, but she accepted this one.
There was actually an identical copy at home, also published in 1985. Gan Ling couldn't remember where it came from. It might have been passed around among relatives several times before coming into her home. She had heard her mother tell her about it when she was a child.
Liu Xiao usually spoke softly, but when she told a story, she seemed to possess a magical power. The words from her story flew out of her mouth, suddenly vivid and colorful, quickly transforming into a series of vivid images before Gan Ling's eyes, completely engrossed in them. She looked around, overwhelmed. It was also in her mother's stories that she came into contact with the hidden nature of human nature: suspicion, distrust, and hesitation. These complex and turbulent confrontations left her perplexed and sleepless, yet deeply impressed. Just like in this story, how could Liu Zhichan's husband, the man known as the Smiling Tiger, have the heart to use his son as a weapon against his estranged wife?
Gan Ling's thoughts drifted away again and again during the repair process, and her soul was getting further and further away from the quiet reality, until she was brought back by Han Xi's roar.
"Asshole! Give it back to me!"
Gan Ling looked up in horror, just in time to see Han Xi pouncing on Tian Miao like a little angry tiger, while Tian Miao held up a small notebook in his right hand and used his left hand for defense, while his body moved backwards, left and right like an acrobat, his waist twisting violently more exaggerated than that of square dancing, which amused Gan Ling.
"Hey, what are you two doing?"
Han Xi was half a head shorter than Tian Miao and not as strong as him. Try as she might, she couldn't reach the notebook that was so close to her. Her face had turned from red to blue with anger. When Gan Ling asked, she turned around, put her hands on her hips, and roared at Tian Miao.
"He stole my diary!"
"Nonsense! I didn't steal it! I found it!"
"You stole it! I put it in the canvas bag carefully, how could it fall out?"
"Then you have to ask yourself!"
Gan Ling raised her hand and waved at the two of them, "Stop arguing—Tian Miao, is this notebook Han Xi's?"
Tian Miao raised his eyebrows. "How should I know? I haven't checked it yet!"
Han Xi's expression was not right again, "How could I not recognize my notebook?!"
Tian Miao said, "It's not handmade. These are mass-produced notebooks, and we only have as many as you want. Who knows, maybe a customer left it in the store."
Gan Ling didn't want to listen to their boring debate, so she extended her hand to Tian Miao and said, "Leave it to me, is that okay?"
Tian Miao was caught off guard. He looked at Gan Ling, then at Han Xi, and stubbornly retorted, "Since I picked it up, of course I have to judge it."
Gan Ling was also unhappy, "Are you the boss or am I the boss? If you are so disobedient, don't come tomorrow."
When Han Xi heard this, the clouds on his face cleared up, and he smiled and said to Tian Miao, "If you have the guts, don't hand it over!"
Tian Miao's mouth twitched to the left, then to the right, and finally pouting, his expression not unlike that of a little boy in kindergarten. Gan Ling was both angry and amused by this. "What do you want? Do you want me to ask your aunt to come and take you away?"
Tian Miao reluctantly moved his feet towards Gan Ling. To show his position, he even took a detour, keeping a distance from Han Xi. As he was about to reach Gan Ling, he suddenly opened the notebook, glanced around randomly, and began to read with great vigor.
"Purchased on March 22: Glass beads 25 yuan! Felt 36 yuan—Hehe, it's an account book, not your diary!"
Han Xi pounced on him again...
The fierce battle resulted in Tian Miao's face being scratched by several nails, and although Han Xi eventually got the notebook back, he accidentally fell during the fight, leaving a bruise on his knee. No one was left unharmed.
Gan Ling did not fire Tian Miao. After all, after Han Xi fell, he apologized sincerely and repeatedly, promised to pay for the medical expenses and treat him to a midnight snack, and took the initiative to take on all the cleaning work for the next two weeks. Han Xi reluctantly forgave him.
"I really don't know what you are trying to do." Gan Ling looked at Tian Miao and shook his head.
Tian Miao was quite happy. He ran to the convenience store at the corner of the alley and bought three ice creams for everyone. He also brought back a roll of bandages and some band-aids, but Han Xi refused to use them.
"Don't think buying these junky things will cover your medical expenses!"
"No! I'll pay the medical expenses! This is a bonus from me."
Gan Ling's cell phone rang. She didn't get involved in the verbal battle between the two childish guys. She picked up the phone and saw that it was Kong Yu calling. She immediately looked around the store, then looked outside the store, and finally she walked into the scorching sun.
There was sparse shade under the tree. Gan Ling stood in the shadow and answered the phone. Kong Yu's voice was obviously coming from the air-conditioned room. It was comfortable and pleasant, like the sound of a spring.
"Gan Ling! I'm reminding you to forget your date tonight."
"No, I've set a reminder on my phone."
"Are you going straight there or going home first?"
"Didn't we meet at 6:30? I'll just go there. The restaurant is a bit far. I have to take the bus and then the subway..."
"Can't you just take a taxi?"
"There's still time, why take a taxi?"
"Okay, okay! It's only four o'clock now. I strongly suggest you go home first, clean yourself up, and put on some makeup. Your appearance is very important for a first meeting..."
Kong Yu always worries about things that concern her. She talked for several minutes. Gan Ling was so hot that a thin layer of sweat appeared on her face. Finally, she couldn't help but interrupt her.
"I understand. I'll go back now."
"Hey! That's right! If you have any questions, feel free to call me! I wish you immediate success!"
As Gan Ling pushed the door open and entered the shop, a cool breeze immediately hit her face. She took a deep breath of comfort. Han Xi and Tian Miao had ended their argument and were sitting opposite each other, munching on ice cream.
Gan Ling said, "I have something to do at home, so I have to go back early today."
Tian Miao said: "You haven't eaten your ice cream yet!"
"No, you two can eat it—is it okay for me to leave?"
Tian Miao asked back: "What's the problem?"
Gan Ling looked at Han Xi and said, "I'm glad you're alright."
After going out, Gan Ling opened her parasol and hurried home under the illusory coolness. Her steps were firm, but her mood was hesitant, not knowing whether this step was right or wrong.
When she decided to divorce, she had a clear vision: she would never marry again. It wasn't that she was giving up on herself; her expectations of life had always been low, sometimes even nonexistent. She simply wanted to avoid setbacks. The simpler the relationships, the lower the risk.
But she had already promised Kong Yu, and if she said no now, she might be drowned in Kong Yu's spit. She sighed, she had made the decision, and she had to stick to it until the end even with tears in her eyes.
Wu Juan was washing vegetables in the kitchen. Gan Wenkang continued to work on his book after his nap. He turned on the desk lamp, wearing reading glasses, and struggled to flip through the pages. Writing was even more difficult. He couldn't write more than a few hundred words a day, but Gan Ling supported her father. This was a better way to pass the time than sitting in front of the TV. No matter how slowly he wrote, as long as he persisted, he would finish it one day.
Seeing his daughter return, Gan Wenkang put down his book and pen, raised his eyes from above his reading glasses, and asked in surprise, "What time is it?"
"Four o'clock. It's still early! I have a dinner date with some friends today, so I'll get ready when I get home."
"Oh." Gan Wenkang was relieved and lowered his head to study his own things again.
After moving back to Changwang New Village, Gan Ling discovered a big change in his father. He no longer asked about his whereabouts.
When Gan Ling was in her teens and twenties, her father kept a close eye on her. Except for school, if she wanted to leave the house, she had to specify who she was meeting, where she was going, and what time she would be back. Gan Ling didn't seem to have a rebellious period during her youth, so she didn't feel suffocated by her father's control. It was only much later that Gan Wenkang realized that his parenting style might be flawed, not allowing his daughter sufficient freedom to engage with and experience the world.
Although he realized it too late, he was still determined to correct his mistakes. Many times, Gan Ling could see that his father wanted to say something but hesitated, and he was restraining his suspicion and anxiety.
Gan Ling walked into her room. Before moving back, her house had done some simple renovations and replaced some outdated and bulky furniture. She placed a 1.3-meter wooden bed in the room, and a matching dressing table that also served as a desk.
She sat down at her dressing table, flipped up the round mirror that sat upside down, and looked in it, seeing a plain, unremarkable face. She opened a drawer, took out her makeup box, and stared blankly at the vibrant colors inside. She hadn't put on makeup since leaving the workplace, and her hands were rusty. She needed to think carefully before she could come up with an idea.
After finally choosing the eyeshadow and lipstick colors, she heard footsteps at the door and in a moment, Wu Juan appeared in front of her.
"Xiao Ling, I have something to discuss with you."
Gan Ling hurriedly stood up and said, "Sister Juan, please come in and sit down."
"No, no, I'll just say a few words and leave. I won't keep you any longer."
Gan Ling could tell something was wrong with her voice and when she looked at her carefully, she saw that her eyes were red.
"What’s wrong with you?"
Wu Juan lowered her head to avoid her gaze, "Something happened at home, can I go back?"
"Now?"
"If it's convenient..."
"But I have to go out soon. I have dinner with friends today."
"Then I'll wait until you come back before I leave."
"Is it urgent at home?"
“Not really.”
"Sister Juan, if you have anything to say, just tell me directly. If it's really urgent, I won't go out."
"No, no, don't bother me. I'm not going home, I'm just going to the house my husband rented... My mother-in-law called and insisted I come over."
"What happened to your husband?"
"It's still the same as always." Wu Juan showed an annoyed expression, "She just can't stand seeing me outside. She thinks I'm having fun every day!"
Gan Ling was relieved, it seemed to be a family matter.
"Okay! I'll be back as soon as I can after dinner."
"Thank you for your help, Xiaoling."
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