Chapter 7

Ye Liuxi pondered for a moment, feeling that Chang Dong was deceiving her

The chisel resembles a pen, with a slanted edge. When carving leather, the dullness of the blade is most feared, so the knife must be sharp. Chang Dong often sharpens his knife. Fei Tang has seen this a lot in the past few days and has had dreams at night. Once, he dreamt that the blade grazed his throat, and the arc of the blood spraying out was particularly beautiful

However, I did not leave immediately; I stood at the door for a second or two, my fingers curled inward, and my nails scraped across the surface of the door.

Then, as I draw down one place after another: "There are no hundred-meter ditches filled with camel skeletons, and there is no crossing line that runs from southeast to northwest. The shape of Longcheng is not an oblique triangle... Have I made myself clear enough?"

It is for self-defense, fearing that she might kill me

He picked up the pen and crossed out that road sign: "There are no fuel barrel signs in Longcheng"

Chang Dong said, "It doesn't matter, I will take you to see the sunrise, and you will let me see the sunset, which is very fair"

Where to

If he continues to be relentless, she will surely say earnestly: Changdong, I have already apologized, what more do you want? As a man, why are you being so serious about this

This is the first time I have seen someone so inconsiderate; at the very least, you could do some research and take the time to look up some information online

Chang Dong walked past her and went into the living room to get some water. Ye Liu Xi followed him out, his brows slightly furrowed: "Is there some kind of misunderstanding?"

Ye Liuxi smiled charmingly, but unfortunately, the smile was not completed

It was the route map of Longcheng that he drew yesterday, and Ye Liuxi felt uneasy: Is it possible that the direction I mentioned has issues

After all, he made her wait for nearly three hours, during the most difficult time of the day

Chang Dong said, "You must not have read 'Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio'"

hard-earned money

This car is quite old, and the discs were all bought by Huang Defu. Whatever flavor the Huang family prefers, she just listens to whatever songs are available, never being picky and too lazy to bother with that.

Ye Liuxi sat down on the sofa, smiling apologetically: "This matter is my fault, I am truly very sorry, it was not my intention... So, you can tell me how you would like to resolve this."

When she thought of it, Ye Liuxi leaned against one side of the door frame, lifted one leg, and stepped on the center of the opposite door frame

Understood, damn you.

But what did she gain? After two or three hours of effort, she only witnessed a sunrise

The vehicle has been modified to provide ample space for cargo and to hang a bed, with all the rear seats removed, leaving only the driver's seat and the front passenger seat. Ye Liuxi, feeling bored, hung his legs over the backrest and performed suspended sit-ups.

Chang Dong lost his patience, he pointed to the door and said: "If I hear you say one more word of nonsense, just one word, you will be out of there..."

Ye Liuxi reached out to him: "Give me the tofu pudding."

Ye Liuxi stared at him and asked, "Is Changdong still living here?"

Fei Tang chuckled and said: "Dong Ge, what kind of joke are you making... we are in a society governed by the rule of law..."

Fei Tang took the initiative to explain: "Dou... doufu nao, the breakfast I brought for Dong Ge"

By some supernatural influence, Ye Liuxi actually followed suit instinctively

Chang Dong spread out the photo: "I already know that Kong Yang is in Longcheng, but you, indeed, do not know the specific location, which means I no longer need you."

Chang Dong nodded and said, "Shouldn't one be honest in life?"

There is a breakfast shop open by the roadside, selling soy milk, steamed buns, and fried dough sticks. Ye Liu went down the street to pack a portion. When paying, the banknotes were illuminated and appeared translucent by the hanging lamp next to the glass cover

Chang Dong looked up and saw Fat Tang staring at him, so he explained.

Having done twenty, her waist, abdomen, and thighs felt sore, and she hung there motionless, like a bat caught in a trap

Ye Liuxi exhaled onto the car window, fogging up the stars at the edge of the sky outside, and then reached out to wipe it clear.

Ye Liuxi pressed the door opening button, and the person stepped in with great enthusiasm. Turning to express gratitude, their smile suddenly froze on their face

To demonstrate her sincere attitude, she closed the door gently, the lock making a soft click, fully reflecting her thoughtfulness

He is somewhat afraid of her. That evening, in the * picture * book, she grabbed him by the nape of his neck and dragged him down from the car, reminding him of the scenes he witnessed as a child when pigs were slaughtered

Ye Liuxi got into the car, and the door slammed shut with a bang. She took out her phone and set an alarm for 5 o'clock: one must be magnanimous in life, as her patience for others generally lasts about half an hour

"It is already half past four," Fat Tangqing opened his phone to check the time and said, "Oh, Dong Ge, it has already passed the time."

Recently, she hurriedly got out of the car and jogged over, apologizing to him through the car window: "I’m sorry, I was delayed by something."

At 4:30 PM, at the front of the Qianjin Bridge, we will not part ways. I assure you, everything you wish to know will be revealed. I am leaving now, see you in the afternoon

In order to find the cheapest four-wheel drive off-road vehicle, he spared no effort: ultimately, he secured an old Jeep online for a monthly rental fee of 2,000. The owner had not spent much on it, just over 30,000 for a second-hand model, but he was quite adept at creating a façade. The vehicle was painted in camouflage colors, with a military shovel strapped horizontally to the spare tire, and a flagpole with a pirate flag mounted at the front.

As the elevator doors were about to close, someone outside called out: "Excuse me, wait a moment."

Thus, it still refers to the same position: "This is it."

A journey of one and a half hours by car, in the direction of Naqi Town, where to the southeast, northwest, there is either desert or Gobi, not to mention... it is already sunset

This is the last song, and once it is finished, the machine will automatically shut down, with a click, the car becomes as quiet as Chen Shimei after being beheaded.

There is a type of person who does not shed tears until they see the coffin. Chang Dong sat down on the sofa and pushed a piece of paper over.

This is truly the most annoying woman he has ever encountered in his life

As the vehicle traverses the dirt road, one can see groups of people standing or squatting under the streetlights, wrapped in cotton-padded jackets, huddling their necks to shield themselves from the wind. These individuals have come from the countryside, waiting to be picked up for temporary work at construction sites. It is said that around 5 o'clock, the foreman will arrive in a vehicle to select workers, taking them on a first-come, first-served basis. Recently, due to a decrease in available work, competition has intensified, leading to increasingly early queue times.

I am truly grateful and can only express my appreciation by buying breakfast, providing sausages, and verbally inquiring about everything concerning Changdong

Ye Liuxi bent down, resting her arms on the edge of the car window: "Are you afraid? I am a woman, single, beautiful, and it's such a dark night. If anyone should be afraid going to the wilderness with you, it should be me"

Chang Dong fell silent for a moment and said, "Quite clever."

Ye Liuxi said: "This matter, actually ... ... "

Ye Liuxi said: "Oh"

Then, please point it out again

Ye Liuxi is indeed late

To be so straightforward and to smile so beautifully, there is truth in the saying that one should not strike a smiling face—despite knowing that she speaks nothing but nonsense, it is still difficult to get angry.

Having finished speaking, he tapped his fingers on her knee and said, "Put it down."

The vehicle re-entered the town, and the people who had been lurking by the dirt road had already disappeared—presumably they have found work, as one seeks, so shall one find.

Finally arrived at the third floor, but she still has to go first

Indeed, Chang Dong pointed to the location of the beacon tower: "In this map, I intentionally drew one place incorrectly; Longcheng does not have a beacon tower"

After finishing the noodles, Fat Tang took the initiative and enthusiastically helped him take the soup bowl out to throw it away, reasoning that although there was a trash can in the room, throwing it away inside would make the room stuffy.

Is that photo really taken by you? Have you truly been to Longcheng?

Ye Liuxi changed his statement again: "This is not the most important thing; the most important thing is..."

Fei Tang said: "It is ... ... indeed."

Fei Tang felt a shiver run down his spine at her "oh". The elevator was small, and with her breathing beside him, he felt particularly uncomfortable, as if time was passing too slowly.

He recalled the night he was caught red-handed, when Ye Liuxi entered with a knife dragged behind her, the glint of the blade reflecting in her eyes

Ye Liuxi smiled and said, "I will go ahead, you follow me. The journey will take approximately one and a half hours."

If she changes her position, then she will have fallen into his trap: pointing there yesterday and pointing here today, does that not clearly indicate that she has no sense of direction at all

The door was not closed, slightly ajar. Ye Liu Xi pushed the door open and entered, finding Chang Dong in the bathroom. He was brushing his teeth, with a mouthful of white toothpaste foam. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of her entering, gargled, and then wiped the corner of his mouth with a towel

The gongs and drums, along with the xylophone and moon lute, resound together in the machine, as the old performer sings the aria from "The Case of the Beautiful Woman," where each word can leave one breathless.

Chang Dong took a plastic fork to roll the noodles: "Four thirty."

At six o'clock, Ye Liuxi, wrapped in a cotton-padded jacket, gazed at the eastern sky: before sunrise, the sky would first be covered with a layer of rosy red, then the red would deepen increasingly, resembling a car accident scene—Changdong was either so injured that he could not move, or he was dead; otherwise, it would be truly difficult to forgive.

Fat Tang

Chang Dong interrupted her: "Let me remind you, a person who tells a lie once may still be given a second chance; but if they lie twice, they are never to be trusted again"

Ye Liuxi set off from the town at 4:00 AM. She is accustomed to arriving early and does not like to keep others waiting

It is merely the absence of beacon towers

A man, asking a woman to wait, what nonsense is this

Chang Dong raised his eyes to look at her, and she smiled with her lips but not with her eyes: "Chang Dong, shouldn't a person be punctual?"

At a quarter past four, the car stopped at the entrance of the Qianjin Bridge. It was dark all around, and it was still too early for dinner, so Ye Liuxi turned on the car's DVD to listen to music

I want to check if Changdong has checked out and when he did, but the front desk won't allow it, wearing a stern expression of "We protect our guests' privacy." Ye Liuxi no longer wanted to waste words with them and directly entered the elevator

She will not be on time

... ...

Bao Longtu sat in the Kaifeng Prefecture, respectfully addressing the Duke Consort, urging him to listen attentively to the matter at hand

Upon returning to the house, I happened to see Chang Dong opening the theater box, selecting a shiny chisel and slipping it into his sleeve

At five o'clock, the alarm rang. Ye Liuxi dialed Changdong's number, reminding him to turn off his phone. She took a deep breath, feeling that she should be more patient: perhaps something had happened.

Around five o'clock in the afternoon, Chang Dong prepared a bucket of instant noodles, and Fei Tang eagerly approached, insisting on adding a sausage for him

Fei Tang himself felt like a scallion stuck in a pig's nose, yet to his surprise, Chang Dong gave him a glance and surprisingly allowed him to pass.

I can go by myself; at worst, I can settle down in Korla and enter Longcheng periodically to search in different areas. Longcheng covers an area of 3,500 square kilometers, spending a year or two would be sufficient

... ...

Fei Tang promptly halted his steps, deciding not to dwell on the past: the morning air is pleasant, so let us take a stroll around.

The song has been changed to "Night Ride". The martial artist halts his horse and sings: "On this long and beautiful night... I hurriedly walk through the desolate outskirts... My body is light, not fearing the long journey..."

In the moment of sunrise, Ye Liu Xi drank the cold soy milk, tilted his head and squinted at the sun, and uttered: "Damn."

Ye Liuxi sighed: "I do not speak the truth, because you would not believe it..."

So, tell me, why should I still bring you along

At four thirty, Chang Dong had not arrived. Ye Liu got off the car and glanced at the road he came from, but there was no sign of activity. The song changed to the most famous segment of the Xipi Liushui from "Su San Qi Jie," though it was unclear who was singing. The voice was pinched and thin, carried away by the wind, echoing like a haunting in the wilderness

What does it mean

Dong Ge, didn't you say you had an appointment with that woman tonight? What time is it?

Ye Liuxi's gaze fell upon the bag he was holding in his hand

She lowered her voice and said earnestly, "I am afraid you might be frightened."

She only appeared at sunset, the car came from the west, racing along the way, like a bullet shot from the half-dipped red of the setting sun

One smiles and smiles, and then stops smiling

Whoever brings it to Changdong is the same; Feitang quickly handed the bag to her. Ye Liuxi hooked it with her finger, and as she passed the trash can, her finger loosened, causing the tofu pudding to accurately smash open the lid and fall inside

Ye Liuxi drove the car to the entrance of the hotel where Changdong was staying

Ye Liuxi's mind was racing, and his gaze was sincere: "The shapes of the Yadan landforms are inherently diverse and peculiar, so it's not surprising to say they resemble beacon towers. Moreover, I was referring to the general direction..."

Chang Dong said: "Do you think that many people would believe that a person could be embedded in a mound of loess in a no man's land? I have already believed this, so what else is there that cannot be believed?"