Chapter 3, Reunion

Hearing this name from others still made my heart race. I said, "Yuer, you must not let him know that I am in Lingnan." Yuer sighed and said, "You are hiding from him so tightly, I won't say anything." Yuer seemed to want to say something but hesitated, as if there was something she wanted to tell me but didn't know how to express it. I suppressed my curiosity, and she fell silent.

A few words made those women smile brightly, and they immediately blended in with the sea. It seems they are more affectionate towards the sea than they are towards me? I took out a cigarette and lit it. Tian Hua smiled and said: "Seeing you light a cigarette reminds me of last year when I ran into an alumnus. She asked me, 'Is that girl named Tang Ziqi in your dorm really that melancholic? Is she troubled by something?' Every time I came down from evening study, I would see her standing alone at the end of the corridor smoking, standing there for quite a while. That night, when I didn't see her smoking there, I felt like something was missing in the corridor." She asked me, 'Is that girl named Tang Ziqi in your dorm really that melancholic? Is she troubled by something?' Every time I came down from evening study, I would see her standing alone at the end of the corridor smoking, standing there for quite a while. That night, when I didn't see her smoking there, I felt like something was missing in the corridor.

I slapped his head and said irritably: "Isn't it because of these sisters in front of you that I can't even smell the smoke? I have no choice but to go to the corridor. And it has led to such a misunderstanding."

The sea said: "Tang Ziqi, what have I done to provoke you? You changed your expression in an instant."

The sea shook its head and said: "Women are indeed strange; they insist on making their feet all crooked for no reason. And then there are modern women like you who are curious and want to buy them."

I sneered: "Isn't this just a twisted idea concocted by you foul men? There are those who enjoy watching women with small feet dance on yellow soybeans while wearing soft-soled shoes, calling it 'the willows swaying in the wind, the flowers trembling gently,' praising the beauty of women in no other way. And there are also those who like to boil foot-binding cloth to drink the broth."

I cannot step down, lowering my head and not looking at him: "Yi, you have known it would be like this for a long time, haven't you?"

Before coming to Beijing for my studies, I was worried that I might freeze to death after seeing a photo of Yi sitting on the ice. Yi always comforted me by saying, "Once you get used to it, you will come to like the winter in Beijing." He was so afraid that I would not come that he specially sent me photos of spring, transforming the scenery into a sea of flowers. He said, "Look, Beijing also has a splendid sea of flowers like Lingnan." I have almost come to understand Beijing through the photos and the words of Yi. The flowers in the Summer Palace in spring, the red leaves of Fragrant Hills in autumn, the lush green of poplar trees in summer, and the vast white snow in winter. He said, "Look, Beijing also has a splendid sea of flowers like Lingnan." I have almost come to understand Beijing through the photos and the words of Yi. The flowers in the Summer Palace in spring, the red leaves of Fragrant Hills in autumn, the lush green of poplar trees in summer, and the vast white snow in winter. Along with the photos, he sent a line: "Today, I study hard under the dim light, and tomorrow we will walk side by side in the capital." Unfortunately, the time I have to walk side by side with him in the capital after studying hard under the dim light is so short. The ancients wrote in poetry: "Had I known we would part halfway, it would have been better to fly alone from the start." This reflects my feelings. Now, as I think of it, all I can see is the falling rain and snow.

Before I could formally introduce myself, Dahai instinctively played his usual role in front of the ladies. He said to them with a serious demeanor: "I am Ziqi's buddy, and of course, today you can treat me as one of the girls. Ziqi was well taken care of by all of you back in school, and today he brought me along, partly to give me some eye candy, and partly to serve you well as a good waiter. I will be a wallflower, so feel free to enjoy yourselves."

The sea chuckled: "I told you, the little enchantress wouldn't understand heartache. You all don't know, do you? She has a heart of stone; someone pursued her for three years and she remained unmoved in the slightest.

The sea said: "It's just those hairpins and accessories, girls just love these"

Liu Jing casually reprimanded him: "Kid, you have no idea that she back then was..." As she spoke halfway, she noticed me glaring at her and quickly swallowed her words.

The memory is so vivid that I seem to see that little girl with two rattling braids and sparkling eyes running around the streets of Liulichang. Behind her, a stern young man is nervously following her. I said, "Yi, I want to buy a pair of golden lotus shoes to place on the antique shelf." Yi thought for a moment and asked me, "Are you sure you want the old ones?"

I said with a smile: "Alright, I confess, Liu Jing's second half of the sentence is that Tang Ziqi from back then captivated everyone, leaving countless corpses beneath her skirt, yet she still hasn't realized it. At this moment, she is regretting having wasted her precious student years. Now she can go back and report, right?"

The sea chuckled: "That is, Ning Qing just wanted to understand whether there is someone living in your heart, and he cannot get in."

I was momentarily taken aback. In another two or three days, I should be able to finish filming. I will be back soon. I hope there will be no unexpected events. I asked myself whether I wanted something unexpected or not, but after thinking for a long time, I still had no answer. Well, it has been four years; whether there are unexpected events or not, it should not make much difference, right? I reassured myself.

Waking up early in the morning, sunlight streams in through the window. I brewed a cup of instant coffee and stood by the window, watching the entire city come alive in the morning sun. Squinting my eyes, I thought that the best thing about Beijing is its winter sunshine; as long as one stays indoors, the chill is hardly felt. The only reminder of winter is the bare branches of the trees by the roadside. When I was studying in Beijing, I hardly ever left the campus during winter. My roommate Ahua once dragged me to the National Library to study, and upon returning, he described me as: "Ziqi goes out in winter like an ostrich, her head almost completely tucked into her collar." I am afraid of the cold; when I was studying in Beijing, I hardly ever left the campus during winter. My roommate Ahua once dragged me to the National Library to study, and upon returning, he described me as: "Ziqi goes out in winter like an ostrich, her head almost completely tucked into her collar." I am afraid of the cold; people from the south are always unaccustomed to the winters in the north. The only time I feel comfortable is when I stay indoors, enjoying the warmth, while winter remains forever outside the window

I laughed: "No, I want to buy three-inch golden lotuses." As soon as the words left my mouth, I fell silent. Yi's face reappeared in my mind; I had had the exact same conversation with him when we came to Liulichang.

I unconsciously vented my frustration on Dahai. I quickly changed the subject: "I'm having dinner with classmates tonight, do you want to join?" Dahai was immediately captivated and repeatedly said he wanted to go.

After dinner, I returned to the hotel, feeling speechless all the way. As I reached the entrance, Dahai suddenly said to me: "Ziqi, ever since you came to Beijing, no, even before that, something has been off. Let's finish the shoot early and go back."

I stubbornly said, "Of course, it's better to buy the trendiest high heels this year than to place new shoes on the display shelf." Yi merely smiled and did not respond. When I awkwardly realized that the three-inch golden lotus shoes at Liulichang were all worn and tattered, lacking any hint of alluring charm, I was taken aback for a while. Yi, playfully tugging at my braid, said, "What we imagine is always beautiful"

The scenes chosen for this advertisement are the hutongs and Liulichang in Beijing. The production team seems to have lost their minds, insisting on such a background for a facial cleanser commercial. Dazai is chatting enthusiastically with the invited female celebrity; in Dazai's words, he has one talent: he can make the dead come to life with his words. Coupled with his handsome appearance, nine out of ten female celebrities are convinced. Once he has charmed her, I will take stills to use for print. Working with him is twice as effective. Dazai is chatting enthusiastically with the invited female celebrity; in Dazai's words, he has one talent: he can make the dead come to life with his words. Coupled with his handsome appearance, nine out of ten female celebrities are convinced. Once he has charmed her, I will take stills to use for print. Working with him is twice as effective. It is important to note that like repels like. Even though it is the same job, when faced with a difficult person who throws their weight around, I have little patience. Today's work went relatively smoothly. We finished early, and Dazai wanted to stroll around Liulichang to see if he could buy a piece of antique jewelry for Xiao Ruo. I was in the mood and said to Dazai: "Do you know what I wanted to buy when I first came to Beijing and visited Liulichang?"

I couldn't help but burst into laughter: "I certainly wouldn't dare to take on such a large burden."

The sea said with suspicion: "According to my intelligence, Tang Ziqi has a clean background and no records of friendships. Ziqi, the sooner you confess, the sooner you will be liberated"

Yi cupped my face and said earnestly, "Ziqi, how many strange thoughts do you still have in your mind? I will accompany you to realize them all." I was lost in his affectionate gaze

There are eight of us in the dormitory, and six of us stayed in Beijing. Tonight, we are all gathered together. I brought Dahuai, which elicited waves of exclamations. Yuer was the first to take the initiative: "Your burden?"

The sea leaned in with a curious head: "Tang Ziqi, so you also have moments of melancholy?"

I long to finish that damned film as soon as possible and return home. This capital city, I should not have come, nor do I wish to stay any longer.

The group of women quickly surrounded Ning Qing at the seaside, engaging him in gossip. Yu Er secretly pulled me aside and asked, "Zi Qi, why aren't you considering Ning Qing? You're already twenty-seven years old. If you really can't let go of Zhan Yun Yi, then just go for him."

Lost in my memories, I had forgotten that the sea was still beside me, until he shouted, "What are you thinking? You're so absorbed! Did you manage to buy anything? You aren't planning to go home empty-handed, are you?" I replied reluctantly, "No, I didn't buy anything. They were all worn by those women with small feet, old and tattered, just looking at them is disgusting, so there’s no desire to buy."