There was a three-meter-tall peony in front of them. Lu Ruchan was quite surprised. "Yes, you know about flowers?"
"I worked part-time at the flower nursery." Yan Heqing was still squatting, looking directly at Lu Ruchan. The woman, who had suffered from illness for many years, had pale lips. "When the flowers weren't sold in season and were about to wither, the nursery owner would pick them, dry them, and make lipstick."
He said earnestly, "It's incredibly simple to make, and it's all-natural. The peonies are in bloom this year, so I'll make you some lipstick."
He wouldn't have to wait until next year's Lunar New Year; he would come again in April or May. Lu Ruchan's delight was obvious. "Great! Besides peonies, I also have roses and other flowering plants in my garden..."
Yan Heqing listened attentively.
He was so alert that it took him quite a while to realize there was someone behind him.
Lu Lin stood there for an unknown amount of time.
He was casual at home, wearing his loungewear with a long cardigan over it.
"Good morning," Yan Heqing said first.
"Good morning." Lu Lin didn't come forward, but stood behind the French doors. "Breakfast is ready."
Yan Heqing stood up, his hands naturally resting on the wheelchair handles. "I'll push you."
Lu Ruchan didn't refuse, her eyes crinkling with a smile, "Okay."
Lu Lin turned around first and pushed the glass door open a little.
The breakfast was varied but also light. Lu Ruchan had a small appetite, and finished her No. 1 Primary School bowl of porridge.
Lu Lin and Yan Heqing put down their chopsticks one after the other. She smiled and said, "After breakfast, A-Lin has to go back to the company to handle some matters. Xiao Heqing, you can go back with him."
She overheard Yan Heqing's phone call and learned that he had something to do in the second year of junior high.
Yan Heqing's eyes were clear and shallow. "I can stay until the afternoon."
Lu Ruchan adjusted her shawl, smiled, and shook her head. "I'm not feeling well. I need to digest my food and go back to my room to rest." She glanced at Lu Lin, then turned her wheelchair around. "No need to push me. Don't wake me when you leave; I'm asleep."
The wheels rolled silently across the floor. Lu Ruchan's bedroom wasn't far from the dining room, so she quickly went inside and closed the door.
In the dining room, Lu Lin stood up and said, "I'll change my clothes in ten minutes."
Lu Lin's ten minutes were accurate to the last second.
He changed his clothes and went downstairs. It took them ten minutes to leave.
Yan Heqing took a few steps toward the back seat, and Lu Lin had already opened the passenger door.
Yan Heqing suddenly looked down at the ground.
After the snow stopped last night, it didn't snow again, and there was no rain. The ground is dry today.
I think I understand now.
Last night, Lu Lin had him sit in the back seat to prevent the driver from instinctively protecting him in case the road was slippery, which would make the front passenger seat a dangerous spot.
After buckling up and driving out of the villa, Yan Heqing suddenly asked, " Mr. Lu, you've been back to your hometown twice, haven't you?"
The downhill road was smooth, and Lu Lin drove slowly. "Hmm."
"Where is your hometown?" Yan Heqing asked politely. "It seems we're from the same hometown."
Lu Lin's gaze darkened. "You don't remember?"
Yan Heqing spoke frankly, "I was too young to remember much, I only remember my mother loved to make mint and mung bean soup, and she also liked Suzhou storytelling." He chuckled softly, "If I were to go back to my hometown, perhaps..."
It came to an abrupt end.
Perhaps there was no follow-up.
" Twenty Bridges," Lu Lin replied. "My maternal grandmother's hometown is called Twenty Bridges."
"Thank you." Yan Heqing took out his phone and searched for Twenty Bridges.
It's a small coastal town in the south, with beautiful willows, peach blossoms, and pear blossoms in spring, and opportunities to go out to sea in summer.
It's more than 1,000 kilometers from the capital, a one-and-a-half-hour flight, but there's no high-speed rail; the train takes about 10 hours.
Yan Heqing put away his phone and turned to look out the window.
Out of the corner of his eye, Lu Lin noticed the boy was unusually lost in thought. It wasn't until they got on and off the highway that Lu Lin finally spoke to him, "Where are you going?"
Yan Heqing snapped out of his reverie, turned his head, and smiled slightly. "If it's convenient, take me home; if not, find a subway station."
Lu Lin escorted him to his apartment building.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the neighborhood remained quiet. Yan Heqing got out of the car, bent down, and waved to Lu Lin, "Goodbye, Mr. Lu."
Lu Lin looked at Yan Heqing, and Yan Heqing looked at him too. After a few seconds, Yan Heqing went into the apartment building first.
Once Lu Lin knew that Yan Heqing's figure was no longer in sight, he rolled up the car window and drove away.
Upon entering the house, the small room remained exactly as it had been the night before. Yan Heqing hung up his coat, changed his shoes, and went into the kitchen. A short while later, he came out carrying a bucket of water, slung his fishing bag over his shoulder, and then went out again.
Traffic was light in the city center on the first day of the Lunar New Year, and Lu Lin arrived at the Lu Group Corporation headquarters without any problems.
During the Spring Festival holiday, only two security guards were on duty at the headquarters. When they saw Lu Lin, the guards were not surprised.
The security guard was slightly puzzled when he caught a glimpse of Lu Lin carrying a paper bag.
Upon entering the office, Lu Lin went straight to his desk.
The documents awaiting processing were in his email. He put down the paper bag, turned on his computer, and logged in. By the time he finished, it was completely dark outside. He leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and gently massaged his temples.
Suddenly, he stopped and looked up at the paper bag.
After a few minutes of silence, he reached for the paper bag, took out the jade dew, and placed it next to the computer.
The Cube of Light once stood in that spot.
*
I hadn't been to Tian Mountain Reservoir for a while, and on the first day of the Lunar New Year, all the fishing spots were already full.
Yan Heqing found a corner, squatted down, and poured the entire bottle of brewed bait into the water.
Without casting the line, I set up a small stool and calmly watched the water. As darkness fell, a swarm of slightly tipsy fish floated to the surface.
"Your bait is amazing!" exclaimed the person next to him.
Uncle
His eyes widened with envy, and he leaned closer, "Where did you buy it? Tell me about it."
Yan Heqing opened his bag, took out a bottle and gave it to him, then packed up his tools and left, without catching a good catch.
The middle-aged man unscrewed the cap, sniffed it a few times, clicked his tongue in amazement, and enthusiastically called out to Yan Heqing's retreating figure, "Young man, let's go fishing together next time!"
Yan Heqing didn't return; he walked into the night.
It's 7 PM now, and there are 12 hours until 7 AM tomorrow.
The next morning, Yan Heqing dialed Lin Fengzhi's number at seven o'clock sharp.
Beep, beep, beep...
He waited with incredible patience.
Finally, the phone was answered. It was Lin Fengzhi's hoarse, speechless voice on the other end, "Brother, why do you always call so early... I'm still sleeping..."