Ruan Fei walked over and accurately stated his name, "You are Xixi's lover, Mr. Zhou."
Zhou Qishen nodded.
"Have you been waiting long?" Ruan Fei remained calm, her surprise fleeting. She possessed an inexplicable serenity, a detached and far-sightedness, unlike the typical straightforwardness of a rural woman.
"Have you eaten?" she asked again.
"No." Zhou Qishen stood obediently at the door, not entering the house until she gave the go-ahead.
Ruan Fei stopped opening the door, put the key back in her pocket, and said, "Let's go eat."
Zhou Qishen was driving a Land Cruiser Prado, a car well-suited for mountain roads, but Ruan Fei went straight to her minivan. "Are you coming with me, or with me?"
Zhou Qishen did not hesitate and opened the passenger door to get in.
Ruan Fei drove him into an alley, a narrow road just wide enough for two cars. Her driving skills were truly impressive; several times when they passed each other, even Zhou Qishen frowned slightly. She was able to drive past them with precision and composure.
The car stopped in front of a noodle shop. The shop looked old, with worn-out tables and chairs covered in grease. Ruan Fei knew the place well, sat down on a stool, and ordered two bowls of mutton noodles.
"You don't need to look at anything else, the mutton here is the best."
Zhou Qishen looked up from the menu, glanced at her, and asked, "Aunt Pei, where are you from?"
Ruan Fei said, "Just think of me as someone from here."
“I saw a boy in a photo at your house last time.”
“That’s my son, he’s in his second year of high school.” Ruan Fei spoke directly, his eyes unwavering. “His name is Ruan Beilin, which he changed himself. I used to name him Ruan Haofu, but he thought it was too uncultured.”
Zhou Qishen smiled, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "A good name change. Where do you go to school?"
"The city center is about 20 kilometers away, and I'll be staying overnight."
"And the grades?"
"Good."
Zhou Qishen nodded, and then the atmosphere fell silent again.
The noodles were served, and Ruan Fei handed him a pair of chopsticks. "Eat up, while it's hot."
She had a large appetite and ate heartily, lacking any feminine gentleness. Zhou Qishen had heard Zhao Xiyin say that she made a living by driving a taxi to and from the scenic area, earning a meager salary to support her son's schooling; she was a woman with a hard life.
The soup noodles were steaming hot, bubbling and surging upwards.
Zhou Qishen's eyes were dry and sore from the fumes. The mutton smelled very strong, but his sense of taste seemed to have failed him. It tasted like chewing wax, and he had no appetite at all.
Ruan Fei, on the other hand, ate with gusto, quickly finishing even the soup. Seeing that he hadn't touched half his bowl, she seemed to expect it and said, "You're not used to the food, are you? You're from a big city, so it's understandable. It's tough on you here."
Zhou Qishen had no appetite and didn't force himself to eat. He put down his chopsticks and said, "My hometown is Xi'an."
The other party remained calm, showing no sign of emotion.
“My mother left home when I was very young. I never went to university. I joined the army at eighteen and stayed in Beijing after my discharge,” Zhou Qishen said. “Over the years, I have been looking for her. I don’t hate her or blame her. She should have left. There was no way she could have survived in that kind of family.”
Ruan Fei blinked, and under his gaze, she finally slowly looked away, focusing on a point in the air.
“I have no other demands, no other purpose. I'm looking for her to fulfill a wish. If she's still alive and willing, I'll take care of her and see her off in her old age. If she's passed away, I'll offer incense for her every Qingming Festival.” Zhou Qishen's voice was a little hoarse. “Really, that's all.”
He looked at Ruan Fei, a tentative glance, an inquiry. It was a cautious search for feelings between two intelligent people.
Zhou Qishen felt a mix of trepidation and a sense of relief at finally settling down after years of unrequited love. He tried his best to reassure himself not to care what the other person thought, and he always remembered Zhao Xiyin's words, learning to let go. He endured and restrained himself, but the intense emotions in his eyes could not be hidden.
Ruan Fei's gaze returned to him, and after a long while, she only uttered a "Hmm." Then she asked, "How is Xixi?"
"Everything is fine, she's pregnant." Zhou Qishen's smile softened. "A little over three months."
Ruan Fei's expression relaxed a bit. "Oh, really? Isn't she dancing? Well, well..."
"I'm not dancing for now. I'll go back to the dance troupe after I give birth."
With Zhao Xiyin by their side, the conversation between the two finally became much more natural.
Zhou Qishen brought up childhood memories intentionally or unintentionally, and asked about Ruan Beilin's situation. Ruan Fei didn't seem uncomfortable; she answered whatever was asked. But a clear line was drawn between her and Ruan Fei, making it obvious that she had no more enthusiasm left.
Although Zhou Qishen came from a poor background, years of hard work in the business world had given him an exceptional air about him. His elegant attire made him stand out starkly against the backdrop of the run-down noodle shop. When he ran out of things to say, he finally fell silent. It was a rare moment in his life when he felt so utterly helpless.
"Have you finished eating?" Ruan Fei was about to get up.
"I'll pay the bill," Zhou Qishen said first.
When he stood up, he was more than a head taller than the woman, but Ruan Fei was surprisingly strong. She grabbed his hand rather rudely and pulled him back, saying, "Stand still."
Zhou Qishen stood behind her and heard her ask again, "Have you eaten yet?"
I'm full.
“I heard from Xixi that you’re busy with work and have headaches. Take care of your health and don’t take your youth for granted.”
Ruan Fei's Mandarin wasn't standard, mixed with a local accent, but to Zhou Qishen, it inexplicably touched a soft spot in his heart—a long-untouched, neglected place, closed off from the sun for years. Her words were like the first spring rain of the seasons, gently and silently nourishing everything.
Zhou Qishen went outside the store alone to wait, looked up at the night sky, and forced back the dryness in his eyes.
"Alright, let's go." Ruan Fei walked past him.
Zhou Qishen suddenly said, "The lighting is bad at night, I'll drive."
She turned her head, somewhat doubtfully, and asked, "Can you drive this car?"