Zhou Li had intended to leave after lunch, but his uncle and aunt insisted on keeping them for dinner.
So, they had to spend another half an afternoon at Cui Lake, get sunburned for a while at Jinbi Square, and even tried a large Sichuan peppercorn-flavored chicken cutlet they had never eaten before. Little Cousin played the role of an emotionless guide and photographer robot, only leading them back when it was time for dinner or upon receiving a message from her aunt.
The dishes at dinner were lighter; Aunt had specially stir-fried two vegetable dishes and simmered a pot of wild mushroom chicken soup.
"When will you two be heading back to Yi Province?" Uncle asked at the dining table.
"We'll stay a few more days. We're planning to go out and have some fun first," Zhou Li answered honestly, feeling somewhat uncomfortable, and unconsciously stopped picking at his food while answering.
"That's a good idea. Caiyun is a great tourist destination," Uncle nodded, then asked, "Where do you plan to visit?"
"Banna is pretty nice too. Have you been to Dali?"
Uncle glanced at him and Brother Nan with a smile, nodding and saying, "That's good, that's good."
Suddenly, he turned to Baozi. "Ji Ran, do you want to go out and have fun with your cousin during the holidays? Don't you like photography a lot?"
"Money isn't an issue..."
"Why not? You haven't been to Banna before, right? The tropical rainforest scenery and local culture there are quite good. For example, the magnificent Dafo Temple looks very grand in photos."
"Come with us," Brother Nan also urged. "You can help us take photos."
"Are you afraid your cousin might sell you?"
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Seeing her answer shrink from two words to one, Uncle gave her a look and let out a deep sigh, obviously accustomed to his daughter's temperament. Then he began to talk to Zhou Li and Brother Nan about tourist and traffic strategies for Banna. Even though much of what he said was outdated, Brother Nan and Zhou Li still listened quietly, with Brother Nan occasionally chiming in.
Baozi ate half a bowl of rice and some vegetables, then put down her chopsticks. She listened quietly but suddenly spoke up, "The two of them pooled their money to buy a secondhand car; they don't need to take the bus."
Uncle and Aunt were surprised.
Baozi spoke calmly, continuing, "They came here by car today. I just hitched a ride."
Facing the old couple's gaze, Zhou Li felt quite embarrassed.
Brother Nan, on the other hand, was more nonchalant. "I just got my driver's license, so I need to practice a bit. It's for short trips, and it was cheap too."
Uncle nodded and said, "You two are quite practical."
Aunt then looked at Baozi. "Look at your classmate and cousin; they've bought their own car. And what about you? All day, you only fiddle with those cameras and lenses. You've had your license for half a year now; I bet you've probably forgotten how to drive by now, right?"
After dinner, Zhou Li got ready to leave.
Unable to keep him any longer, Uncle pulled him into a room.
He first asked if Zhou Li kept in touch with his mother often. Then he mentioned that Ji Qingqiu really wanted to come back to the country for the New Year but also revealed her predicament: like Old Zhou, she had already started a family overseas...
In the end, Uncle took out a red envelope from his pocket, lowered his voice, and said, "You'll be spending New Year in Yi Province, and by the time you come back, it'll already be spring. Consider today's meal an early New Year's Eve dinner at your uncle's home. So, this is an early red envelope from your uncle and aunt."
Zhou Li truly felt embarrassed, but despite several attempts to decline, he eventually accepted the red envelope.
After some thought, all he could manage was, "Wishing you a happy New Year in advance, Uncle." Uncle, hearing this, smiled, patted his shoulder, and walked out.
Brother Nan sat blankly on the sofa, watching him come out, and asked, "Leaving?"
"Let's go," Zhou Li replied.
Zhou Li then turned back to say goodbye to Uncle and Aunt, while Baozi emotionlessly saw them to the door.
The elevator took them straight down to the basement level.
Once they were in the car, the faint glow of the reading light seemed to create a small, isolated world, separate from everything outside. The smallness of this world made Zhou Li feel secure. With Brother Nan there, it also evoked a special feeling.
Brother Nan buckled her seatbelt but stared blankly ahead, silent, without starting the car.
"What's wrong?" Zhou Li asked.
"I feel something's off..."
"Like..." Brother Nan hesitantly pulled out a red envelope from her pocket and asked him, "Did you get one of these?"
Of course I have one, but the problem is—
"How come you have one?"
Brother Nan tapped her head and said, "I'm also a bit confused. This is the first time I've received a red envelope from someone outside my family. I'm a bit embarrassed now. Do you think it's too late to return it?"
"...Keep it," Zhou Li said, then added, "Returning it now would be pretty awkward, wouldn't it?"
"That's what I thought too," Brother Nan nodded.
"Then just keep it," Zhou Li said.
"But it's so strange!"
Zhou Li didn't say anything more. He watched as Brother Nan crossed her arms, slumped back in her seat, and stared blankly ahead, seemingly contemplating the meaning of life. The rhythmic, drawn-out sound of dripping echoed in the underground parking lot.
He wasn't in a hurry, quietly keeping her company.
After a moment, Brother Nan suddenly turned on the ignition, as if she'd instantly forgotten what she was agonizing over, and turned to Zhou Li—
"Do you want to drive?"
"That's true! Your skills aren't quite there yet. Besides, you haven't driven the car even once since you bought it; I've been doing all the driving. You're really missing out..." Brother Nan muttered to herself, then quickly made up her mind. "There are too many cars on the road here. When we get to Chenggong, where there are fewer cars, I'll let you take the wheel. I'll teach you; driving an automatic is super simple."
"We're going to Banna tomorrow. Go back and pack your things."
"We'll drive straight to Jinghong."
"I think I might like you a little."
"I didn't say anything!" Brother Nan turned her head, pretending to check the rearview mirror, her face serious and focused as she slowly pulled out of the parking space.
"I might feel the same," Zhou Li said slowly.
"I can't hear you." Brother Nan's face turned red. "Don't talk; I can't hear anything."
"Please do not converse with the driver!"
"You've become more cheerful..."
"Should... should I speak?"
Is there really something wrong with my brain? For instance, right now, I feel awkward talking to Zhou Li, but not talking also feels awkward. All I can do is focus on driving. I need to keep telling myself not to let my mind wander. It's so easy to cause an accident and kill someone if I'm not careful.
As they approached University Town, the roads became wider with less traffic and fewer pedestrians. True to her word, Brother Nan switched places with Zhou Li, letting him get familiar with the car.
It was an automatic transmission, very comfortable to drive.
Zhou Li picked it up quickly.
As they neared the school, Brother Nan asked him to pull over to the side of the road. They opened the sunroof and began exploring the various functions of the car.
The car might have been cheap, but it was packed with features, including keyless entry and power-adjustable mirrors. Many functions were worth exploring. In short, the two novices, who had only ever driven a driving school car, were having a blast.
They drove back to the school and parked beside the dormitory.
Zhou Li and Brother Nan walked into Qiu Yuan together. Stray cats darted around their feet, occasionally stopping to stare at them, hoping for a scrap of food. But since neither of them had even a sausage, the cats quickly slunk back into the shadows, disappointed. Besides the stray cats, many other small animals lived on campus, so they wouldn't starve.
"So many people have left," Brother Nan said.
"That's true." Zhou Li also looked around. In just a few days, Qiu Yuan had lost its usual liveliness.
"I wanted to ask you something..."
Brother Nan suddenly stopped under a tree. The streetlight was obscured there, so Zhou Li had to peer closely to see her face. Her expression, however, was completely veiled in shadow.
Zhou Li vaguely saw Brother Nan shake her head. "It's nothing, nothing! You should head back to your dorm; don't linger outside. Pack your things and go to bed early. We're heading to Banna first thing tomorrow... Oh, right, you still need to go home and get your cat and Huai Xu."
With that, she pushed Zhou Li forward—a maneuver that allowed her to hide behind his back.
At that moment, only Zhou Li and Liu Zhengming were left in Room 502. Since Liu Zhengming wasn't very talkative, it felt very quiet. In this situation, the quietness made Zhou Li particularly uncomfortable, so he hurried into the bathroom for a quick, cold shower.
My heart is thrumming with a mix of anticipation and unease.