Chapter 4, Xiaoqian
I placed them on the table and said: "Sister, the business I run is a restaurant, not a pawn shop; I cannot accept this item." This is the first instance of a mix-and-match that is not the first instance of chaos, and it does not involve any casual visits.
Is there a difference? How old are you in reality
At 17, children should have already passed the rebellious phase. When we were 17, holding hands with a female classmate was considered a major transgression. Nowadays, children can kiss openly on the street, and teachers turn a blind eye. What more could they possibly be dissatisfied with?
Oh, the standard room is 100 per day, I will give you 85... Forget it, 80 yuan per day, fair and square! I am afraid she will run into Wu Yongsheng...
She shot me an angry glare this time
Finally, thinking of the taste of my net bag-flavored instant noodles and Xiaoqian's "graceful" gait, I inexplicably shivered all over
I was taken aback, thinking to myself, has this girl watched too many historical dramas? What is she trying to show off in this situation?
After a moment of silence, two words floated softly from the corner of the staircase: "Xiao Qian"
She raised her head in astonishment, revealing a pair of bright eyes and elegantly arched eyebrows, indeed a charming young girl. She timidly asked, "Are you inquiring about my actual age or my nominal age?"
I cautiously asked, "How old are you, little sister?"
I weakly waved my hand: "Go ahead."
Her face flushed, but she remained silent. I knew she was embarrassed, so I prepared a bucket of instant noodles and placed it on a table in the dining room: "Make do with this; I don't have a chef here."
"So how much do you think this is worth?" She took off a pair of earrings from her ears, each pendant adorned with a small piece of emerald green stone. She gently placed them in my palm and among the books, and I felt her fingers were colder than the stones.
You eat ... ... then go to sleep, this is the key to room 2. By the way, sister, please give me your ID card for registration, in case there is an inspection
Aren't your family members worried about you being out so late
I responded with a sound and began to tidy up in preparation for sleep. On the dining table, that bucket of noodles was still sitting there intact. Xiaoqian had stirred it for quite a while but hadn't touched it with a single chopstick. At this moment, my stomach was growling in the late night, and seeing the noodles left behind felt like a waste. So, I sat down, took a big handful of noodles, and while stuffing them into my mouth, I mumbled, "What a great taste, such delicious noodles..."
I was stunned for a long time before murmuring, "No wonder that girl isn't eating..." However, I quickly realized something was off; Xiaoqian had completely missed the opportunity to notice how unappetizing this noodle was. Could she really smell it? I also sniffed, and faintly detected a hint of instant noodle aroma, but it was clearly much fainter than usual. With my extensive experience in eating instant noodles, I could accurately distinguish whether the noodles were the 1982 Master Kong Braised Beef Noodles or the 1997 Fumanlou Pickled Cabbage and Pork Ribs Noodles—each had a different effect on my stomach after consumption.
Then my mind automatically filtered out certain unimportant factors, leaving only two words: female ghost
She smiled shyly at me, then gracefully floated from the doorway to the table—her long dress trailing on the ground, making it seem as if she were gliding. She picked up a fork and examined it for a long time, spearing a few strands of noodles as if she had never seen instant noodles before. In the end, hunger triumphed over her shyness; she brought the noodles on the fork closer to her mouth, yet did not open it. Instead, she held the fork up to her nose to smell, lingering in this act for quite some time. After a while, she returned the original strands of noodles to the bowl and speared another strand, continuing to smell it in front of her nose. She picked up the fork and examined it for a long time, spearing a few strands of noodles as if she had never seen instant noodles before. In the end, hunger triumphed over her shyness; she brought the noodles on the fork closer to her mouth, yet did not open it. Instead, she held the fork up to her nose to smell, lingering in this act for quite some time. After a while, she returned the original strands of noodles to the bowl and speared another strand, continuing to smell it in front of her nose.
I took a glance, and the earrings felt quite heavy in my hand, seemingly of considerable value. However, I am utterly inexperienced in this regard, and jade does not have a fixed price; sometimes it can be a few hundred, while at other times, it can be three pairs for 10 yuan, complete with a box. After all, they are just stones, and I am concerned that in the end, I might not be able to clarify the situation.
In June, it was not completely dark until after 9 o'clock. I sat in the lobby watching television and smoked a couple of cigarettes. Even after midnight, I still felt no drowsiness. Since the opening of the Dragon Gate Inn this year, my routine has become irregular. Sometimes I have to get up at four or five o'clock to receive guests, charging 100 yuan per night with an 85% discount, which is far more miserable than the life of a courtesan
Upon entering the lobby, I asked her: "Are you hungry?"
"Ah, money." I felt embarrassed again, seeing her look more confused than Old Wu. It seems that as a restaurant owner, I cannot mention money; I must be a hospitable person who regards money as worthless. However, I do have a legitimate business license. Moreover, are there still people who regard money as worthless these days?
I have begun to admire my own foresight: these two are indeed taught by the same master
I have collapsed again! We all have the same master, and if she can't stay, should she just sit quietly? She's just a young girl; can I really watch her sit here in the middle of the night? What kind of people are around the train station? If something happens at my doorstep, I would only be left with the knowledge of a tragic tale: a frail girl suffering from humiliation—what is the reason for this? The unscrupulous shopkeeper turns a blind eye; where is their conscience? ... Next time, that taxi driver will still have to shake my hand when he sees me...
I was startled and quickly looked up, only to see a young woman standing at the counter, though I couldn't tell when she had arrived. She wore a strangely styled cloth dress, had a delicate oval face, and her long bangs almost covered her eyes. Her hair fell gracefully over her shoulders, and she stood there, elegant and classical. Yet, strangely, even though she was very close to me, I could not make out her features. It was as if she were shrouded in mist, making it difficult to see her clearly. Additionally, I had a peculiar feeling that her body was very light, as if a single breath could blow her away. She stood there, elegant and classical, yet strangely, even though she was very close to me, I could not make out her features. It was as if she were shrouded in mist, making it difficult to see her clearly. Additionally, I had a peculiar feeling that her body was very light, as if a single breath could blow her away.
I am eating
Master Kong has released a new flavor of instant noodles with a net bag taste
I could not utter a single word afterward, for I was horrified to discover that the noodles had no flavor whatsoever. It was not the blandness of clear broth, but rather a complete absence of any texture; neither sour, sweet, bitter, nor spicy. It did not even have the soft, mushy feel of boiled noodles, but rather resembled the sensation of putting water-soaked foam plastic into my mouth.
"Well... I'm sorry." She seemed to want to say something, but in the end, she said nothing. She picked up the pair of earrings and walked out the door quietly, even helping me close the door behind her. Then she sat down on the steps outside, resting her chin on one hand while gazing up at the moon in the sky.
I was quite puzzled and couldn't help but ask, "Is it not to your taste?"
She spread her hands and said, "But I have no money"
Sister, this is where you are wrong. It's one thing to have a quarrel, but how can you curse your parents?
Ah? She was startled and only then noticed me
She lowered her head again: "It is 17."
Is that with her boyfriend? I think her situation is just about this much; it's either throwing a tantrum or a breakup. Nowadays, girls certainly wouldn't run away from home over such trivial matters as losing their virginity
I : `` ... ... ''
I waved my hand and said, "Forget it, are you waiting for the map book vehicle or for someone?"
I kept feeling regret and hurried to comfort her: "Don't cry, don't cry, it's just a matter of money. Come with me, let's go—" As I said this, I reached out to pull her, but she instinctively stepped aside, then adjusted her clothes and gracefully said to me, "Thank you"
I cannot, I can only throw it into the trash can, and then suddenly feel that the name of that girl just now is somewhat familiar—Xiao Qian, isn't she the female ghost played by Wang Zuxian?
She continued to smell it. Amusingly, her method of smelling the noodles was exactly like how we eat them: first, she fished out a few strands of noodles, shook them a bit, and then brought them to her nose to smell, doing so with great seriousness, yet her mouth remained completely still. In the end, she finished smelling the entire bucket of noodles, then rested the tip of her nose on the edge of the bowl to sniff the soup inside, and finally took out a handkerchief to wipe her mouth, saying, "I am full"
However, I can be certain of one thing: there is no type of noodle in the world that inherently possesses this flavor
She cast a mournful glance at me and said, "My family has all died."
Then why aren't you eating
I shook my head; the first business deal of this week ended up in a loss. I have no idea what the situation is with Wu Yongsheng and his wife. The pressure of survival in middle age is significant, and both the divorce rate and suicide rate remain high. Of course, I have no say in whether he and his wife get divorced, but I absolutely cannot allow him to commit suicide here. Not to mention, I am not very brave; if he were to die here, I would be in a panic. I need to find an opportunity to extract his wife's phone number to send her a message!
Thus, Wu Yongsheng stayed at my place for the night. I handed him the key to Room 1, and Old Wu took the cup of water upstairs.
You ... ... continue
Identity card? "" She paused for a moment and said: "No."
She smiled at me sweetly and floated upstairs. When she reached the top of the stairs, I called out loudly, "Sister, what is your name?"
"Perhaps not," she said softly
When did you come in, and why is it so quiet? I couldn't be bothered to greet anyone and just complained first.
The first bite made me spit it all out! Even slurping that soup, it had no flavor at all
Just as I returned to the counter to tidy up and head upstairs to lie down, I suddenly heard someone softly say: "Hey"
... ... Is it really dead?
None of them are.
She lowered her head and said apologetically, "I am sorry"
My reactions are no longer as intense as they were during the day. I must say, the adaptability of humans is remarkable. If it weren't for Lao Wu's torment throughout the day, I might have lost my temper again. However, I am now very calm and have already prepared to respond to her next probing question, such as "What do you need the money for".
She widened her eyes: "Money?"
She said, slightly taken aback: "No, it's very delicious."
She said in a very soft voice: "I... I would like to stay with you for a few days"
She sat there for more than half an hour. Seeing that she had no intention of leaving, I, feeling a bit melancholic, pinched a cigarette from the pack, walked outside, squatted down beside her, lit it, and casually asked: "Did you have a quarrel with your family?"
Upon hearing about the "big business," I felt a surge of excitement, but then I hesitated: this young girl appeared to be no more than 20 years old, not waiting for anyone or any vehicle, and she wanted to "stay with me for a few days." Could it be that she is a rebellious teenager who has run away from home?
I also feel embarrassed to ask again, after all, at 17 years old, one is already capable of making decisions. Asking further would seem like an invasion of privacy, so I can only say: "How many days do you plan to stay?"
The young lady's eyes turned red, and she fell silent again