three

He smiled slightly, said nothing, but I could clearly see that he thought I was childish

He really caught me off guard. Faced with a new friend who only knows his name from his ID card, has heard him sing two songs, and has played a few tricks on me, I am still reluctant to lay bare my background, even though he has already seen my student ID.

I can only speak frankly in the letter I write to him, you would not understand how shocked I was when I heard you mention those terms that I had only encountered in my textbooks during my student days in such a mundane tone. You made a girl who was constantly immersed in self-pity suddenly lift her head from the bottom of a very deep well.

After dropping all the postcards into the mailbox at the post office, I was unsure of what to do next. I happened to see a dessert shop, so I decided to go in and sit for a while.

You? I widened my eyes

"Get lost, you are old, but I am not! Once I have money, I will also get hyaluronic acid injections, Botox, and sheep placenta injections. Whatever female celebrities get, I will get too!"

At the time she said this, she was already an employee of the advertising company, but that was a later development

The boiling crowd experienced a brief moment of stagnation, followed immediately by a more intense uproar and incitement

Lu Zhiyao, this is the name on the identity card

She still did not understand what had happened when her coat was violently pulled apart. The hands that had tightly restrained her just a few hours ago were now preparing to strip her of all her clothes, driven by a purpose of venting their anger.

Leaving this environment of male thieves and female prostitutes, she thought fiercely, yet she could never have anticipated that just a few hours later, she would experience such a harrowing event

As I passed by his room on the way back to the hotel, I noticed the door was ajar. He was sitting there with his laptop, browsing the internet. I stood at the doorway and called out to him: "Hey"

However, it is also impolite to address someone by their name directly I said

"Hehe, this trick of yours won't work on me." The other party let out a few dry laughs, but did not make any movements with their hands or feet

I haven't written for a long time, and when I picked up the pen, I felt a bit awkward. However, I still tried my best to write neatly on the back: The room I live in has a small skylight, through which I can see the moon every night. One day, I recalled a saying: All my losses are about you. Suddenly, I felt that there is joy in being persistent, a joy that those who are not persistent cannot experience.

Throughout the entire night, Kang Jie did not approach that area again. Although she was severely reprimanded by the manager in the staff room, she refused to admit her mistake or apologize. In fact, at that moment, she already had the thought of leaving.

Looking at his lewd face, Kang Jie felt that dinosaur in her heart roaring again: "What the hell! It's my period and you want me to accompany you for drinks! Damn it, you even poured me such a big glass of straight liquor, aren't you clearly trying to take my life!"

She did not see the other party's flushed face and fierce gaze

Kang Jie said that I am the kind of animal that, upon hatching, takes whatever I see as my mother; the first thing I like will be something I will steadfastly love for a lifetime

On the surface, she could only smile and say: "Sir, I am truly sorry, but we have a policy that prohibits drinking with guests during working hours. Please enjoy yourselves, I will take my leave now"

The faint light between the stairs illuminated her face, and this despicable and vile man noticed that there was indeed a calmness in her gaze that conveyed fearlessness, even to the extent of being self-assured.

It was a night that seemed no different from usual. After the cleaning staff finished tidying up the venue, Kang Jie, who had changed into her work uniform, quickly resolved her dinner with a sandwich she bought from Subway. She also took the opportunity to call Li Shanshan and chat for a while: "Shanshan, the nightclubs are no longer our domain. In the past, when we went out to have fun, we would at most just apply some smoky eye makeup. Now, the young girls wouldn't even dare to say they came to the bar without having had a couple of injections of hyaluronic acid. Sigh, one must accept aging!"

Indeed, when I heard those two boys discussing their plans to travel to Tibet in the dessert shop, I immediately made this decision in my heart

I truly do not understand what has happened; this person seems to have effortlessly disrupted the world I had painstakingly organized. With just a casual question, they have left me feeling flustered and unsettled

Not much, how about you? I just have this linguistic talent, haha

During the process of listening to Kang Jie’s narration, there were several instances when he nearly kicked over the coffee table in anger, almost grabbing Kang Jie and cursing "fool" at him

She knows that he is upset with her, blaming her for not telling him about this matter sooner

It is possible that she has looked down on them too much in the past, and this time she has faced retribution. When Kang Jie saw that man, she was almost petrified.

The menu is filled with a dazzling array of desserts, but I casually flipped through it and, as usual, ordered a serving of Mango Sago with Pomelo.

What’s the big deal? It feels like I’ve been violated. To be honest, this isn’t anyone else’s fault; it’s my own. I shouldn’t have been in that kind of place, surrounded by all those beasts in human clothing. Why should I expect others to treat me like a refined lady? So, I didn’t do anything. Look at me now, I’m perfectly fine, not a single hair out of place.

I filled in the address of that small apartment where I once held the key to open it. I do not know if it can be delivered, but I know that this will certainly be a postcard that no one will collect. If it does not get lost along the way due to various unforeseen circumstances, then its final destination will be that mailbox that will never be opened again.

To be honest, at that moment my mind experienced a brief pause, as I desperately searched in my mind for everything related to "Ali". Unfortunately, my limited geographical knowledge provided me with no valuable information. What kind of place is it? I only know that Kong Fansen once worked there

Before a word was spoken, the wine glass was already pressed to her lips, the rim of the glass clinking against her teeth, producing a crisp sound

"Well, heartbreak, fasting, and I just lost weight." I responded in accordance with his meaning

The buttons of the shirt have been torn open, how long has it been since this staircase was last cleaned, lying on the cement floor she feels the heavy dust on the ground drilling into her lungs, there are cobwebs in the corners, and not far from her face, there are obvious traces of dried phlegm.

For some reason, those words slowly became very blurred in her eyes

"Sir, are you looking for me?" she shouted loudly, straining her throat

After I finished speaking, he put down the computer, walked up to me in flip-flops, and solemnly asked, "What’s going on? Are you going back?"

Lu Zhiyao looked at me, his pupils resembling two pieces of amber enveloping me. After a long pause, he said in a disjointed manner, "Let's go eat."

Kang Jie referred to it as an attempted sexual assault incident

After all these years, his handwriting is still so poor

I am going to Tibet

However, I do not dare to speak, and although I am quite ignorant, at least I still know to conceal my ignorance

Just as Kang Jie was busy to the point of confusion, a colleague came over and said to her, "There is someone at that table looking for you, why don't you go take a look"

Due to it being the weekend, it was almost dawn by the time she finished work. Her colleagues left in small groups, and she was left alone, listlessly changing her clothes as she exited through the usual employee passage. Just as she reached the first floor and was about to turn towards the 24-hour convenience store to buy something to eat, she was suddenly yanked hard by a hand, causing her to fall heavily in the stairwell.

Isn't this the most common way for the elderly men in Beijing to greet each other

I looked at that text message and laughed for quite a while, standing on the balcony and suddenly saying in a rather pretentious manner, "Good morning, Dali."

Before each of us returned to our rooms, he said to me, think it over again, there is no need to rush to respond

"Eat a bit more, you are as thin as a monkey," he said

Although I have never traveled alone to such a distant place, unlike Xu Zhijun who had already traveled to Europe with his parents during middle school, I felt no hesitation in my heart when I decided to go to Tibet

"Then do as you please, I won't lose anything, just consider it as finding a free duck." As Kang Jie spoke, she reached out to pull the man's D & G belt buckle, but before she could touch it, she was slapped hard across the face.

At this moment, he became flustered instead: "What... what do you mean?"

I lowered my head and did not dare to look into his eyes, feeling a kind of emotion that was difficult to define in my heart, as if a thin thread was tightening around my heart

At that moment, Kang Jie really wanted to curse loudly, "Drink your mother, why do you like drinking so much? Why don't you go drink Fu Yan Jie instead!"

The tight-fitting pants had a look of eagerness: "Yes, beautiful, come over for a drink."

A long time later, I learned about this matter, and my first reaction was much more intense than Chen Chen's. I almost splashed the lemon water in my hand onto her face! I was both angry and heartbroken, but the more angry I became, the more heartbroken I felt, and I found myself at a loss for words, only able to stare at her with tears in my eyes

You have lit a lamp, and as I approached, I realized that it truly is the world I long for

Why is this person like this? He is so much older than me yet does not show me any consideration. I see that he is quite polite to other girls, even the receptionist said he is a nice person and helped her fix her computer. Why does he enjoy competing with me so much?

In fact, I do not know whether this is good or not, but this is just how I am, and I cannot change myself

Some girls become increasingly miserable after breaking up with him, but when it reaches his ears, he merely treats it as a joke. Only Kang Jie, that person, cannot afford to fall from grace; if she were to do so, he would be the first to take action and slap her to death.

Ah? I... I will go buy some postcards, and then find a place to write them and send them.

When she hung up the phone, Kang Jie was bumped into by a man, causing her phone to fall. She was about to curse but suddenly remembered that it was work hours, so she had no choice but to swallow that curse.

He is a man whom you cannot pinpoint what is wrong, yet he is undeniably uncomfortable to look at. His face, not particularly fat, is covered with a layer of nauseating grease, his skin is pockmarked, and he has the typical jawline resulting from chewing betel nut. Moreover, the white shirt that appears so airy on others looks so sleazy on him.

When he got up from her, the other party dropped this sentence and then left with a flourish

So, I asked him: "Hey, what is your name?"

Kang Jie said expressionlessly: "Did our manager not tell you? I am working here to earn money for medical expenses, as my boyfriend has been fooling around outside and infected me as well"

What is Mount Kailash?

The man with his back to the light was indeed startled at this moment by the strange expression on her face, which he could not find the words to describe. For quite some time, he remained motionless and silent.

She suddenly stopped struggling

That was the last warning before the collapse of reason, she said with a serious expression, coldly: "I am truly sorry, due to health reasons, I really cannot drink..."

Let it be childish; it does not matter. After all, we are merely strangers who have crossed paths, with no past and no future. There is no need to care about how he perceives or thinks.

He turned his face to look at me and said, "Hey, what do you mean by 'hey'? Didn't I tell you my name already?"

After half a day, I awkwardly asked, "What do you do?"

That night, Chen Chen's reaction was also quite shocking: "Strong | Deceit? Aren't you being too serious? Is it just another prank by bored people like last time?"

It was on that morning that I received Kang Jie’s new address. She said, "There is an old mailbox downstairs. I have inquired, and it can receive mail. Please send me a postcard; I want to play the part of an artistic young woman."

"May I ask you, do you have a condom? If you do, put it on quickly and get it done. If not, hurry and buy one, I am doing this for your own good," Kang Jie continued.

A long time later, when I return to a normal life, walking on the familiar streets of Changsha without being struck by sudden sadness, no longer shedding tears at the sight of that photo of us holding hands on my computer desktop, ... no longer bringing up his name involuntarily while chatting with friends, when talking about everything experienced during that period ...

It seems that this decision has long been there, just waiting for me to see it

I originally wanted to engage in some banter with him, but when he smiled, I suddenly felt dazed, unable to articulate the reason. Truly, I was just dazed.

No, I want to go to Tibet

I spent quite a while in a bookstore before finally selecting a few postcards, which differ from the colorful cartoon designs we usually purchase, as these have a different background

Why aren't you eating? Is it because of a breakup?

So is it polite to call you "Hey"?

"Forget it, I wasn't really assaulted, just a bit startled," Kang Jie said, looking at Chen Chen's increasingly grim expression, and could only offer him a light-hearted reassurance.

Are you really determined to go to Tibet? He opened a bottle of beer for me

His heart was ablaze with anger, almost consuming him, yet he still could not make her believe that he was truly willing to fight for her with all his might

After 10 o'clock, the number of people increased, and the waitstaff became busier.

Indeed, he is another despicable man, but not the same one as last time; this time it is the one in tight pants that I encountered in the restroom

I cannot clearly articulate what that was about, and I do not know whether it could be considered an offense. However, I did not break free or shake him off; instead, I quietly followed him along the slippery stone path

She tightened the clothes on her body, unaware that a faint cold laugh had escaped her lips

That morning, I calmly bought a cup of coffee and took the early train back, just like usual, without any abnormalities, she told Chen Chen.

After I finished writing postcards for all the friends I promised to send them to, there was one extra card, which I had intentionally purchased.

What is that mistake? Mistake, mistake, mistake? What is it?

So dirty, truly, this filthy stairwell, this filthy city, these filthy people

I stood before him, who was a head taller than me, and upon hearing those words, tears streamed down uncontrollably.

She lay in the darkness for a long time, during which her mind was blank, thinking of nothing at all

It truly blinded my titanium alloy dog eyes, Kang Jie thought silently

In the past, Kang Jie and I really enjoyed the rice bowls from a certain restaurant. The first time I went there, I ordered the fish-flavored eggplant. After Kang Jie had tried all the rice bowls on the menu, I still only ordered the fish-flavored eggplant.

On this night, Chen Chen stayed in the room he rented. He left early the next day. When Kang Jie woke up, the old tea table had already been tidied up, and a stack of money was placed on it, along with a few words written on the back of the rental agreement that had been signed the day before

One second later, Kang Jie forcefully shook off those two filthy hands, her voice surpassing the deafening beat of the music: "Get lost! You filthy scoundrel!"

Even though he is rough around the edges, after all these years of knowing each other, they once loved each other so genuinely. He understands Kang Jie very well, and even if he yells at her, saying, "You idiot, why didn't you say it earlier? I'll find someone to kill that beast," she would only dismiss it, thinking that he is merely trying to show off with his words.

Not right, wait! He knows my name is Cheng Luoxun, but I still don't know what his name is. My mother has reminded me to be more cautious when I'm outside, and I can't be as carefree as I was in Changsha.

I stared at him blankly, and several times during his lengthy speech, I wanted to interrupt him and ask, What is it? I know about the Tibetan antelope, but don't they live in Kekexili?

The reason I initially decided to follow you was not because of your good looks, nor because of your remarkable talents, and certainly not because of the glorious past and bright future that I was yet to understand about you. Rather, it was because you illuminated a lamp, and as I approached to take a closer look, I realized that it was indeed the world I longed for.

Forget it, it doesn't matter what you call me, after all, you won't see me in a few days

That day, when we returned to the hotel, a light drizzle began to fall. I was shivering a bit in my thin shirt, and he said nothing and asked nothing, naturally taking hold of my icy hand.

The other party, originally engrossed in her struggles and resistance, could not help but stop their actions upon seeing her suddenly smile in a ghostly manner

What a coincidence, I am going too

It is useless to talk to anyone; it cannot make things better and may even make them worse, so I don't bother to say anything." She said it this way

I won a little money yesterday, you can take it to have a meal. If you need anything, give me a call. I will take out the trash for you

However, he held it in, channeling all his resentment and rage into the cigarettes he inhaled deeply into his lungs

I will go to Lhasa to wait for you. After everyone had dispersed, I revealed my final decision to him

"No way! This is real! My shirt buttons have been torn off!" Kang Jie, in her excitement, nearly overturned the old, shaky coffee table. She spoke in a flustered manner: "I am not new to society; can I really not tell the difference between what is true and what is false?"

I used to be overweight... well, not exactly overweight, but I certainly wasn't slim. It was only after a long period of not eating that I became like this

Kang Jie is indeed unfortunate; she only confided in two people about this matter, and as a result, both of them turned around and needed her comfort.

Kang Jie shot a fierce glare at that fool, turned around, forcefully pushed through the crowd, and walked away without looking back

He always loves to show off in front of others, acting like a big shot wherever he goes. When his brothers have matters to attend to, he is sure to be present, lending money without a second thought, and when something happens, he shares the burden with everyone.

But only to her, really only to her, he can jokingly say, "Can you lend me some money?"

Chen Chen stood up suddenly without saying a word and side-stepped into the cramped restroom

However, during that period, the baby fat on my face, which had originally faded, gradually returned. When we finally parted ways, he patted my face and said, "Cheng Luoxun, you look better with a bit of weight; when I first met you, you were too thin"

Let's eat over there, change your clothes, or just throw that carpet over you. Aren't you cold wearing so little?

He spoke while using a glass water cup—yes, not a small wine glass—but the kind of glass cup used for drinking water, and poured a glass of pure Ballantine's without mixing it with any other beverage for Kang Jie, adding two ice cubes inside.

What exactly is going on

I do not know why he thinks of eating whenever he sees me. Is it because I look appetizing or is there another reason? When I posed this question to him, he casually replied, "There is no reason; it's just that eating alone is quite dull."

You mother! With all her might, Kang Jie angrily cursed at the face that was not clearly visible in the darkness, using both her hands and feet to kick and strike fiercely at the opponent

As she struggled to push her way through the tightly packed throng of chaotic dancers, Kang Jie was still pondering who was looking for her, could it be that scoundrel from last time again

I suddenly stopped in my tracks, dazed and stunned, staring at him. In that moment, it felt as if a gust of wind swept through my mind, disrupting everything that was originally in perfect order

It has truly been a long time since I last used a pen, and the characters I write are quite unsightly. I hold the postcard up, pushing it away and then bringing it closer. Well, from a distance it looks acceptable; I shouldn't be too harsh on myself. Thus, I solemnly write the name Kang Jie after the recipient's address.

After a pause, Chen Chen put down the chopsticks in his hand, took her hand, and gently patted her face, as if soothing a frightened female animal: "Take your time, speak slowly."

I patiently picked at the mango in the bowl, one spoonful at a time. The voices of the two boys chatting next door were a bit loud. After listening for a while, I suddenly had a clear answer to the question that Lu Zhiyao had asked me in the morning.

She had just turned around when the man in tight pants, who had been standing across from her behind a table, seemed to glide effortlessly and instantly appeared in front of her. His hands clamped down on her arms like two vices: "I am friends with your manager. If we just say hello, everything will be fine. Just have a drink, one drink."

Even she herself did not believe that such a clumsy lie could help her escape a disaster. Is it because the barriers between people in this society are truly too deep? Is it that in this era of declining traditional morals, the credibility of such lies is indeed too high?

We ordered two bowls of beef noodles, and to our surprise, they were delicious. I wasn't very hungry at first, but after taking a couple of bites, I found myself wanting more.

A head poked out from next door, belonging to that eccentric: "Cheng Luoxun, have you eaten?"

On the evening two days later, I sat one meter away from him, watching as he held a cigarette while accompanying a singing man playing the hand drum. Our gazes remained fixed on each other's faces, oblivious to everything else.

Do you have a set?" Kang Jie asked

Indeed, they have long since lost the youthful sentiment of climbing mountains together while stepping on fallen leaves at the age of fifteen, yet in his heart, she is somewhat different from the girlfriends he later had

He laughed heartily and said, "I am not doing anything, just playing around."

Well, I have traveled through Yunnan-Tibet, Sichuan-Tibet, and Xinjiang-Tibet, but I have not yet traveled the Qinghai-Tibet route. A friend of mine wants to go to Ali, and I will accompany them on this trip. Would you like to join us?

Kang Jie and I have always despised men wearing tight pants. Every time we walk down the street and see those boys with their lower bodies tightly fitted, we feel an urge to rush over and give them a beating: "This is what you get for wearing tight pants! This is what you get for wearing tight pants!"

Turning into a small alley, I saw a little shop with a sign in front that read "Beef Noodles, Rice Noodles," and similar items. I estimated that there wouldn't be too many choices, so I decided to eat whatever was available

I have realized that I truly cannot think about planning, scheduling, or making arrangements; whenever I think about these things, I get a headache and instinctively want to escape

The average altitude in Ali is over 4,000 meters, essentially making it a no-man's land, yet it is home to many wild animals. Three years ago, when I traveled along the New Tibet Line, I saw herds of Tibetan antelope and yellow sheep, and there were many black-necked cranes near Lake Manasarovar. By the way, that year I also circumambulated Mount Kailash. This time, we plan to enter Tibet via the Qinghai-Tibet Line, starting from Lhasa, then traveling along the New Tibet Line to Yecheng in Xinjiang, and finally taking a tour around southern Xinjiang. Would you like to join us?

The recipient is Lin Yizhou

Useless, she is too frail, not to mention the other party is a burly man.

The other party stopped to pick up her phone and said, "I apologize"

I do not know

It was a long time later that I learned from Kang Jie the true reason for her decision to leave the bar, and apart from Chen Chen and myself, she had not mentioned this matter to anyone else.

This is the first time we have been so close, and I have just realized that he is quite tall, a head taller than me, so I have to slightly raise my head when speaking to him

The ashtray in front of Chen Chen was already filled with cigarette butts, each one burned down to the filter

After finishing breakfast, I found myself at a loss for what to do, wandering aimlessly back and forth. I suspected he was admiring the beautiful women all around, and of course, I was too. Unexpectedly, he turned around and asked me: "What are your plans next?"

scoundrel

Later, as I reflected, the most frequent words that Lu Zhiyao said to me were, "Are you hungry? Have you eaten?"

There once was you in this world, and I do not know whether this is a good thing or a bad thing for me

I suddenly find that the retroflex final is truly amusing

She also knows that although she speaks of this matter in a very calm tone, it seems as if it truly has not affected her, yet every dawn when she is awakened by nightmares clearly proclaims that these fears and injuries are etched into the foundation of her life, never to be erased

In the blink of an eye, Kang Jie understood why, because he tucked the hem of his shirt into his tight jeans, with the logo of the D & G belt at his waist gleaming brightly.

This beer is called "Fenghua Xueyue"; its taste is unlike any I have had before. After tilting my head back and taking several large gulps, I wiped my mouth and said, "Yes, it has been decided."

Lu Zhiyao also stopped in his tracks, turned to look at me, and gazed at me quietly

"No," he said with a click of his tongue, indicating that I had misunderstood. "I am not asking what you plan to do later; I am asking where you intend to go next. Are you planning to stay for a few days before returning to Changsha?"