"It's not our land after all."
"Are you going to stop?"
"I'm advising you to stop. Don't you dare go back and be a law-abiding citizen?"
"Hey, Tang Huaiyu," Dandan sneered, "If you go back to Beiping, will you still have the face to see your elders back home? So you don't dare, but I'm not afraid, I'm unwilling! We've already suffered losses, is it too late to turn back?"
Suddenly, Dandan grabbed his hand tightly, but it wasn't enough. She loosened her grip, then clung to him desperately, trembling so much she could barely hear. She pressed her chest against his, wishing she could embed him into her very being.
"I'll go with you!"
He added, "If you don't leave, I won't leave either!"
He added, "It's just one piece sinking in Shanghai."
Tang Huaiyu recalled that Dandan had also made such a clear threat to him.
A wave of regret washed over him—he had betrayed her. He had forgotten, but she still remembered. All his actions were for the sake of today.
He had a premonition that this day would come, that it was inevitable. He was filled with apprehension, his heart pounding with pain.
He held her tightly, a terrifying sight, as if after a fierce chase, he could no longer let her escape. He had no strength left; this was a mess, and if he didn't clean it up, what chance would he have? —Maybe it would be over tomorrow.
A gurgling sound rose in his throat, as if a hidden idea was waiting to burst forth. After struggling all the way, he finally couldn't resist and forced it out:
Let's go!
She was surprised that he was immediately interested, unaware that it was actually a long-standing desire to visit her.
"Where to? You tell me."
"—Hangzhou?"
What place is that?
"Don't worry about it. Let me handle it!"
My heart soared forward like a bird spreading its wings, oblivious to what Hangzhou held or where it was. It was like an arrow on a bowstring, ready to be released. I had a premonition that this day would come.
Oh, his soul finally bowed its head. He finally overcame his desperate struggle to hold on. Dandan secretly smiled, like the wronged soul that had drowned in the Huangpu River, drifting back into her hand—the jade pendant in her hand.
She forced a smile at her excitement, trying to hide it, and kept kissing him frantically—his face, his cheeks, his forehead, his mouth, his whole being. In the Red Church, people began to look on.
He controlled her:
"Not here, not now—"
She stopped in shame.
Huaiyu whispered in her ear:
"We still have a lifetime!"
"real?"
He thought about it again and again.
"real!"
—Ah, he's thought it over carefully; it's clear he doesn't want to lie to her. Dandan is relieved. He's bravely gone all out.
She cried out sadly, her tears now dried: "I have fallen so low entirely because of you!"
A thousandfold hatred cannot withstand a moment of tenderness.
They completely forgave each other, no matter what transgressions had occurred.
Hangzhou?
Yes, so they agreed to meet at the train station three days later. How like a loving couple going about their business!
Dandan felt an irrepressible sense of guilty pleasure. They were about to betray everyone around them, prioritizing their own enjoyment and only thinking of themselves. They were the ones who had elevated them, stepping onto the throne.
Huaiyu said gently, "—But, Zhigao—…"
"You think of Zhigao, but why don't you think of me?"
"Dandan, if I call you and hang up after three rings, it means: I love you!"
"What?"
It's in English—
"Brother Huaiyu, I don't want to hear English!" Knowing full well where he learned English from, she was filled with jealousy: "I don't want to hear English anymore either. And you're not allowed to speak English either."
“Really,” Huaiyu also felt a bit embarrassed: “I was originally just an opera singer, this is not my job.”
And there it was again, the melodious strains of an electric organ, seemingly in English, ethereal and distant, originating from some unknown era or place—a newborn from over 1930 years ago. They decided on their wicked plans in a sacred place, and three days later, they carried them out. They were incredibly excited, as if this was the day they had been waiting for since birth.
She hugged him tightly one last time before leaving, without any reluctance. They had a lifetime ahead of them.
She slipped away unnoticed. Once she reached Jiujiang Road, which everyone called Second Road, she lost her way. Crowds swirled around her, the north wind whipped through her hair, and the winter sun offered a bewildering warmth. Nearby, two confectionery shops stood side-by-side, both bearing the name "Wen Kui Zhai," claiming to be the genuine, long-established brand, while others were imposters. They even swore an oath by painting turtles and declaring in large letters, "It's getting late."
Dan Dan smiled. Let's see who the real veteran is! She felt that nothing in this place and at this moment was familiar to her. Heaven knows, she finally had someone—a place where she could return to her roots.
Huaiyu's words of advice echoed in my ears:
Do you know the way?