She and Chen Mian weren't exactly close friends or confidantes.
It's awkward when no one is talking.
It was probably only Liang Shi who felt awkward.
Chen Mian didn't react.
After a while, Chen Mian went to the art studio, picked up two art-themed tickets, and handed them to her. "This Wednesday at the City Art Museum."
Liang Shi was taken aback: "Huh?"
It's a ticket for Chen Mian's art exhibition.
Chen Mian said, "I remember you have a younger sister who also studies painting; she should be interested."
Liang Shi glanced at the ticket: "Thanks..."
The word "thank you" suddenly caught in her throat because she saw it written on the ticket—
"A joint art exhibition of thirteen 'eccentric geniuses' including Chen Mian, Qin Lishuang, and Guan Zhi."
Chapter 140
Qin Lishuang's name suddenly appeared in sight.
Liang Shi's words came to an abrupt end.
Chen Mian noticed her pause, took a can of ice-cold beer from the refrigerator and handed it to her, "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing." Liang Shi turned the ticket over and looked at it. It was indeed a very artistic design. Even he, a layman, thought it was high-end.
Open the can, take a sip of ice-cold beer, and the coolness spreads throughout your body.
It helps to calm people down.
Liang Shi ran his fingertips over the ticket, carefully asking, "Do you... know Qin Lishuang?"
"Hmm." Chen Mian sat casually on the sofa, her hair clipped up with white clips, a few strands falling beside her face, a section of her arm exposed, and her glasses casually tossed aside.
She lowered her head, crossed her legs, and looked exceptionally languid, her voice as lazy as ever, "Not very familiar."
"You know him?" Chen Mian asked.
After thinking for a moment, Liang Shi nodded: "Let's go with it."
All she had left were memories of Qin Lishuang tying the original owner to a cold metal bed, admiring the original owner's world-weary face with great interest, and using it to make her paint.
She likes all things dark.
It is a very bad act.
The original owner seemed to be a pet, not a person.
This was very humiliating for the original owner, who was already an adult at the time.
But under Qiu Zimin's pressure, she still did it.
Even though Liang Xinzhou later went to find her and took her away from Qin Lishuang, what was bound to happen had already happened.
A cold, stinging sensation ran through my body, a mix of humiliation and despair.
Liang Shi could no longer feel her despair at that moment, but the memories remained.
Qin Lishuang was also an important part of Liang Shi's collection of evidence.
Liang Shi accepted Chen Mian's ticket, saying, "I'll go too."
"Whatever," Chen Mian said.
Chen Mian quickly finished a can of ice-cold beer and easily threw the crushed can into the trash can.
Liang Shi glanced at her sideways.
That plain face carried a hint of indifference.
The room remained quiet for a long time. Liang Shi finished her can of ice-cold beer, and just as she was about to leave, Chen Mian stood up and said, "Let's go out for dinner."
Liang Shi: "?"
Chen Mian took the key from the door and grabbed a coat that looked a bit worn.
She stood in the entryway, frowning, and struggled to squat down.
It was at this time that Liang Shi discovered that one of her legs was not very convenient.
“Your leg…” Liang Shi asked in surprise.
Chen Mian put on her shoes and stood up, saying nonchalantly, "I've fallen before and almost broke them."
//
Chen Mian brought Liang Shi to a noodle shop.
The noodle shop was located near the middle school, in the deepest alley, and business was slow.
However, it was very hot inside the store, and soon after entering, Liang Shi and Chen Mian both took off their coats.
"You brought friends?" The proprietress greeted Chen Mian with a smile. "What would you like to eat today?"
Without asking Liang Shi's opinion, Chen Mian ordered on his own: "Two bowls of noodles with minced meat sauce, and a plate of pickled vegetables."
Liang Shi sat down with her.
Chen Mian took two sheets of paper from the side, folded them neatly, and quietly wiped the grease off the wooden table.
He didn't speak to Liang Shi again.
Chen Mian had no intention of entertaining her friends.
He simply invited her to dinner.
The noodles with minced meat sauce were indeed very fragrant, better than any noodles Liang Shi had ever eaten before. A spoonful of chili oil drizzled on top made it especially appetizing.
Liang Shi didn't stand on ceremony with her either.
After finishing their meal, Chen Mian paid the bill.
She was wearing her old coat again, looking unkempt.
The proprietress watched the two of them, and as they were about to leave, she teased Chen Mian, "Where did you make such good-looking friends?"
"I just picked someone randomly," Chen Mian said.
This time, they did not deny the proprietress's statement.
When it was time to pay the bill, the proprietress said, "Since this is your first time bringing a friend, you'll get a 20% discount."
Chen Mian paused as she paid, lowered her eyelashes, and said, "This isn't the first time."
“I brought people here many years ago,” Chen Mian said.
The proprietress was taken aback, and after a long while, she suddenly realized, "You mean that little girl? That was so long ago."
Chen Mian hummed in agreement, zipped her coat all the way up, and waved lazily at the proprietress, "I'm leaving."
Once outside, a cold wind whistled through my clothes.
Liang Shi stood with his hands in his pockets, watching Chen Mian's retreating figure, feeling somewhat desolate.
She ran a few steps to catch up with Chen Mian.
Only some withered branches and shrubs remained on both sides of the road, leaving it bare.
The wind made the city desolate, devoid of any vitality.
After a moment, Liang asked, "Have you never thought about being in a relationship?"
Chen Mian was taken aback: "Who?"
“You,” Liang Shi said, “after all, Qi Jiao… is gone.”
"I haven't thought about it." Chen Mian didn't mind talking about Qi Jiao's death. She had a very good mindset to face death, but she was unusually pessimistic. "Who knows when I might die? There's no need to worry."
"Huh?" This answer surprised Liang Shi. "I thought you couldn't let go of Qi Jiao."
Chen Mian: "..."
"Yes, there are some," Chen Mian said without hiding anything, "but most of the time I just haven't met anyone I like."
"All right."
That concludes the discussion.
Chen Mian took Liang Shi for a walk around the neighborhood, a kind of post-meal exercise to aid digestion.
After all, in Chen Mian's eyes, Liang Shi was also a graduate of this school, so there was no need to take her on a tour.
As they parted, Liang Shi hesitated before saying, "Someone asked me to tell you to listen to 'The Lonely Bird Syndrome' before bed. Also, someone will love you."
She still helped to convey Qi Jiao's words.
Chen Mian was stunned upon hearing this, "Gu Xingyue?"
Liang Shi did not speak.
Chen Mian lowered her eyelashes. "This song has been released for a long time. Qi Jiao must have written it in her diary."
Liang Shi still did not answer.
In exchange, Chen Mian coldly instructed Liang Shi: "You should also stay away from Qin Lishuang."
Liang Shi: "Oh."
A hint of disdain flashed in Chen Mian's eyes, and he scoffed, "That's no good."
When Chen Mian was cursing Qin Lishuang, the retroflex ending was particularly pronounced.
The disgust and contempt in his tone were also very obvious.
"I understand." Liang Shi thought to himself, I've experienced even more than you.
//
On Wednesday, after dropping Xu Qingzhu off at work, Liang Shi drove to the entrance of the media school to pick up Liang Wanwan.