Leaving Xinglong Supermarket, I initially didn’t want to return to Fengyuan. I drove around the city and parked at the Zhongyuan Building. Getting out of the car, the cold air slipped down my neck, and I instinctively shrank my neck before striding into the lobby.
The girl at the front desk recognized me: “Mr. Liu is in a meeting; you can wait in his office.”
I said thank you.
The girl then quietly asked, “Miss Ren, can I take a picture with you?”
I moved closer to the girl and smiled at the phone camera.
Then I entered the elevator and pressed the button for the 22nd floor.
Seeing me, the secretary stood up and opened the door: “Mr. Liu should finish the meeting around eleven. Please wait a moment. Would you like coffee or tea?”
I replied, “Nothing, thank you.”
The secretary said, “Okay… that Miss Ren, can I…”
I said, “Sure.”
The secretary happily took out her phone, took a selfie with me, thanked me, and then left.
Since becoming famous, so many people want to take pictures with me. Sometimes I can’t help but feel confused; what does it mean to take a photo? Am I really that likable?
If one day I were to be involved in a scandal, people would probably want to kick me while I’m down.
Sigh, it’s meaningless.
I suddenly felt very pessimistic.
An hour later, Liu Silian finally returned to the office.
I was staring blankly at the window.
Liu Silian came over: “What brings you here?”
I replied, “I was passing by and thought I’d come see you.”
Liu Silian asked, “Where were you passing by from?”
I said, “I went to Mr. Xu’s supermarket. Thank him for accommodating my schedule.”
Liu Silian said, “Now you can rest easy.”
I replied, “Yes, and thank you. You must have persuaded him, right?”
Liu Silian reached out and touched my forehead: “You don’t need to thank me… Want to have lunch in my office?”
Liu Silian had a regular meal, while I had shrimp with cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and eggs.
I stared at the ribs on Liu Silian’s plate, thinking, is it okay to have just one piece? Just one… Sigh, never mind, once the door of desire is opened, it becomes increasingly uncontrollable.
After finishing a small plate of greens, I put down my chopsticks, picked up a pen from Liu Silian’s pen holder, and started doodling on a piece of paper.
It was still the same habit from childhood.
Liu Silian smiled again, recalling the past when he worked in his study while I sat across from him doing homework. After finishing, I wouldn’t disturb him, just doodling on my notebook.
Now that I’ve grown up, my drawings are still as abstract as ever.
When he asked what I was drawing, I held up the paper and seriously explained, “This is you, can’t you tell?”
Liu Silian shook his head, saying he couldn’t see it.
I lamented, “You lack imagination.”
As I left the office, it took me a while to get out of the Zhongyuan Building because I encountered many people asking for photos and autographs.
Everyone was very quiet and polite, thanking me and leaving after taking the pictures.
I felt like a tourist attraction, a mascot for people to visit, take pictures with, and then post on social media.
Once this mobile attraction finally sat in my driver’s seat, I let out a long sigh and glanced at my phone, then put it down.
There was no news from Dongmen Ci.
At this moment, Dongmen Ci had just woken up not long ago.
He hadn’t shaved for several days and looked a bit scruffy.
Chawa looked at him, wanting to say something but hesitating. Dongmen Ci had a deadpan expression, and he felt a bit scared.
Carefully placing a spoon in Dongmen Ci’s hand, lunch was a plate of pineapple fried rice.
Remembering how I disliked mixed rice, where the rice and dishes are mixed together, which is quite annoying, right? Dongmen Ci suddenly smiled.
Chawa: “SOM, should I accompany you to the hospital?”
It seems he is sick; Chawa had never seen Dongmen Ci so dejected.
If you’re sick, you need to get treated.
But Dongmen Ci didn’t respond to Chawa at all, shoving the food into his mouth and getting up from the table.
He went to the yard, it was too sunny, so he returned to the room and continued lying down.
Chawa cleaned up the dining table and kitchen, shaking his head and repeating what he had said many times, “He’s possessed, SOM, he’s possessed.”
Or maybe… …
Chawa ran upstairs: “SOM, did Ren get married?”
Dongmen Ci threw a pillow at the door.
Chawa jumped aside: “You have to tell me what happened so I can help you.”
Dongmen Ci gazed through the glass of the window at the sky. He realized he had been silent for too long, and this couldn’t go on. He decided to start a stall.
What should he sell? Grilled fish? Or a fruit stall? Grilled fish and shrimp, since Ren likes to eat them.
So he jumped out of bed and walked out.
Chawa followed behind: “Where are you going, where are you going, SOM?”
Dongmen Ci didn’t answer.
Chawa jumped onto the back of a small motorcycle, and no matter what, Dongmen Ci would take him along, otherwise he wouldn’t feel at ease.
【To be continued】
