Chapter 10, The Banquet at Hongmen (3)

Cheng Rumo searched for Lu Qiran's figure and saw him standing at the roadside, looking up at her floor. Cheng Rumo called out, but her voice was immediately drowned out by the noisy music. She then navigated around the dancing crowd and quickly walked towards Lu Qiran.

Why is it said to be cunning? One message expresses a desire to come up, while the other asks her to go down. In any case, he won't suffer any loss.

At this moment, Cheng Rumo was unsure whether it was merely a casual remark, as in the next instant she began to focus intently on eating the vermicelli, her nose glistening with a fine layer of sweat due to the heat and spiciness

Lu Qiran stood quietly with her clothes draped over her arms, gazing at her, resembling a tall white poplar. Cheng Rumo recalled the military training from years ago, where this person was the model for the entire squad's military stance. On one occasion, during a formation of the whole company, the instructor called him to the front to demonstrate. For a full forty minutes, he stood perfectly still, and as soon as the command to relax was given, everyone else immediately collapsed straight down.

The cement floor was somewhat dirty. Cheng Rumo opened the package to take a tissue to place underneath, but Lu Qiran directly handed her the coat that was draped over her arm

She instinctively smiled first, lowering her voice, as if whispering: "You wouldn't want to kiss me; I have the taste of snail noodles in my mouth"

Lu Qiran fell silent. Seeing that Cheng Rumo had no intention of speaking further, he decided to continue eating

Lu Qiran walked with long strides, accommodating her at this moment. The two of them chatted, walking even slower. Jiangcheng was filled with construction projects, whether underground passages or light rail subways. Cheng Rumo particularly disliked the daytime in Jiangcheng, with dust flying and often severe smog, surrounded by chaotic buildings or ruins. However, the nights in Jiangcheng were exceptionally enchanting. The Yangtze River Bridge nearby shimmered with lights, and the buildings along the river reflected in the water, as if the Milky Way had fallen to the ground. Cheng Rumo particularly disliked the daytime in Jiangcheng, with dust flying and often severe smog, surrounded by chaotic buildings or ruins. However, the nights in Jiangcheng were exceptionally enchanting. The Yangtze River Bridge nearby shimmered with lights, and the buildings along the river reflected in the water, as if the Milky Way had fallen to the ground

This action is not merely ambiguous; it is utterly * *. The night is deep and dark, and to her, Lu Qiran's gaze seems to flicker like the lights on the river. Of course, perhaps it is actually she who is flickering.

There is a phoenix tree downstairs, which has been around for nearly twenty to thirty years. The base of the trunk is surrounded by red bricks forming a flower bed. Naturally, there are no flowers planted inside, but a few clumps of foxtail grass are poking their heads out from the accumulated sand and stones. In front of the phoenix tree, there is an open space where about ten middle-aged women have gathered, currently dancing energetically with each other to the music of "The Most Dazzling National Style".

Cheng Rumo immediately smiled, her head slightly leaning back a bit, just as she was about to lift the soup bowl again, Lu Qiran reached out and grasped her wrist

However, Cheng Rumo also understood that she was speculating about him with the worst possible intentions. If he truly had such plans, he would no longer be the Lu Qiran she had known for many years

Cheng Rumo was taken aback and immediately declined, saying, "The ground is very dirty"

Cheng Rumo felt somewhat apprehensive about being alone with Lu Qiran, fearing that the conversation might fall into an awkward silence. Fortunately, the two had a collaborative project, and they discussed work along the way. Although the atmosphere was polite and somewhat distant, it could still be considered harmonious.

The two individuals walked along the steps towards the dock, and halfway there, they came across a platform. Cheng Rumo said, "Let's go sit there."

Severe heatstroke and dehydration shock frightened the leaders and instructors half to death. After that, the instructors no longer dared to make them stand in military posture for such long periods, and the rest time was significantly increased. "If you fall, the entire squad will be happy," because of this incident, after the military training ended, the entire platoon pooled money to buy him a gift

The distance was very close, and Cheng Rumo felt that this made his outline appear even more rigid. In the night, his gaze was bright, yet distant like cold stars.

In a moment that felt both extremely brief and yet seemingly prolonged, Lu Qiran softly replied: "No"

While eating, Lu Qiran suddenly said: "I am sorry for what happened today"

After taking a few steps, Lu Qiran seemed to have noticed and turned to look in her direction

Cheng Rumo was instantly startled, her breath caught in her throat, and her heart skipped a beat, only to see Lu Qiran raise his hand and pull out the hairpin she was using to style her hair, causing her hair to fall down immediately

As soon as the door was opened, a strong stench rushed in, mingled with an enticing aroma. It was still mealtime, and the restaurant was nearly full. Cheng Rumo looked around but could not find two adjacent empty seats, so she suggested, "Let's take it to the riverside to eat."

Cheng Rumo's hometown is Yucheng, and in her early years, she needed to take a boat to return home. I remember during university, she often said that she had a dream of sitting on a boat with her good friends, enjoying the night view and drinking beer

Cheng Rumo almost choked, she swallowed the food in her mouth and then said: "It's nothing, you should do as you see fit"

Cheng Rumo had often fantasized about scenes of being together with Lu Qiran, yet all of them were filled with romantic and poetic imagery. She never expected that one day the two would actually meet at a square dance event. She found it both amusing and a rather unique experience.

Lu Qiran also turned his head to look at her

Compared to snail noodles, two frozen, limp tomatoes hold no appeal. Cheng Rumo hesitated for less than half a minute before putting on her coat, grabbing her bag, and quickly heading downstairs

Indeed, age has not been in vain. Although the pretentiousness of my younger years has not been completely eradicated, I will no longer use it to disgust others while simultaneously repulsing myself.

Cheng Rumo admitted that it cannot be said that he was not provoked by Bai Su, nor can it be said that he was completely provoked by Bai Su; however, in any case, it absolutely has nothing to do with Qiu Yu

She slightly turned her head, looked at Lu Qiran, and asked with a smile: "First tell me, do you care about the reason?"

Cheng Rumo felt that something was strange about her psychology, as if she suddenly no longer cared about her image at all. In the past, let alone eating so openly as she did now, even speaking a little louder in front of Lu Qiran would have felt like it was taking her life.

Lu Qiran paused momentarily

Suddenly, she saw him reach for his phone and lower his head. After a while, her phone in the bag began to beep.

She felt a slight urge to laugh, as this was the true Hongmen Banquet.

Lu Qiran is not from Jiangcheng, but having studied in Jiangcheng for four years, she is more familiar with the geography of the surrounding area than this half-native who has lived here for nearly twenty years.

However, in the blink of an eye, the fan club has arrived

After walking for more than ten minutes, the two arrived at the riverbank. Jiangcheng was once a famous logistics hub, with numerous docks distributed along the river. Some of these docks have been abandoned, while others are still in use for ferrying across the river.

Cheng Rumo silently nodded and turned to walk out

In front is the river, with a few small boats moored on it. The night breeze is slightly cool, carrying a hint of moisture. Cheng Rumo took a few bites, felt warm, set down the bowl, and took out a pen from her bag to tie up her hair. She then smiled and picked up the bowl again, saying, "If only there were some beer."

This sentence was incoherent, yet Cheng Rumo understood it in an instant. Over here, Lu Qiran had already set down the bowl, not looking at her, but only at the river surface. His voice was three degrees colder than before, though it was unclear if it was just an illusion.

"Alright." Lu Qiran nodded, glanced at the queue for ordering, and added, "You wait outside."

She stood at the door, gazing at Lu Qiran through the glass door. The latter slowly moved forward with the crowd, showing no signs of impatience.

Are you aware of the matter concerning Bai Su and Qiu Yu?

At this moment, her emotions suddenly experienced a subtle fluctuation, an inexplicable desire for time to come to a halt. She wished to shake off the dust of the past without worrying about the storms of the future, and simply continue on this path.

"Not long after waiting," Lu Qiran's voice was deep and pleasant, resonating in the ears like the rich and soothing tones of the night, "Let's go."

It has been nearly ten years since then. When Lu Qiran first entered school after military training, he was darker than he is now, and his face bore a youthful stubbornness, especially serious and aloof when he wasn't smiling. Thus, the initial impression of Lu Qiran was not particularly popular. Later, in his second year, he changed his hairstyle, his complexion lightened a bit, and the youthful naivety of his first year faded, revealing a more profound and distinct facial contour. He remained serious, but this could no longer prevent waves of girls who liked him from emerging, especially the new freshmen.

Cheng Rumo walked up to Lu Qiran and smiled, saying: "I have kept you waiting for a long time"

Cheng Rumo was taken aback, reaching out to check; it was a message he had sent, "There are quite a few people, please wait a moment"

The Jiangcheng Hotel where Lu Qiran resides is not far from here, approximately a twenty-minute walk. Between the two locations, there is a very famous noodle shop, particularly renowned for its snail rice noodles.

After waiting for approximately fifteen minutes, Lu Qiran came out holding two bags, not in a hurry to hand them to her, "Let's go"

Cheng Rumo also put down the bowl and remained silent for half a day

Lu Qiran tightened his grip on her wrist for a moment, holding it firmly for a few seconds before completely releasing it. He stood up and said, "I should be going now"

The clothes have an odor; in any case, they need to be washed

Cheng Rumo no longer hesitated, spread the clothes out on the ground, and sat down side by side with the other person. Cheng Rumo took out a bowl, broke apart the instant noodles, and lifted the lid. A fishy smell mixed with a rich aroma wafted out, and Cheng Rumo smiled, "Just like stinky tofu"

People often have moments of impulse, and when one truly seeks to investigate the reasons behind that impulse, it is not always possible to clarify them.