Luo Binhan didn't expect to eat ice cream. He could go to a dessert shop to talk about family matters with Luo Jiaotian, a male college student who had never stepped into society at first glance, but walking into the manager's office with a vanilla ice cream cone seemed a bit unreasonable. It's hard to imagine what Nan Mingguang's expression would be like when he saw him like this, so he hadn't eaten in Lihai City for a while.
"I don't really want to eat them," he explained, his face scrunching up at the sourness of the gooseberries. But Yu Qingshu didn't listen at all. Instead, he stared at an ice cream truck in the corner of the square. Luo Binhan felt a little embarrassed when they went to queue, but there was even an old lady with gray hair in the front of the queue, and he was immediately relieved. Yu Qingshu also bought her a drink, and then sat on a bench in the square to eat.
Almost no pedestrians paid them any attention. Everyone was busy with their own business, concentrating on talking, shopping or looking for road signs. These sounds made Luo Binhan both interesting and troubled at the same time. He never felt that he was smart when he was on the Silence. Momolo could always see farther than him, but he didn't dare to say that he knew what Jing Huang saw in his eyes. Until now, when he was sitting silently in a public space in the city, the various noises coming from his own kind made him feel a little dizzy. His hearing had become sharper, but apparently his brain's filtering and processing had not kept up.
He could even hear the children at the far end of the square playing with each other. One of them said something not very elegant (he learned it from Yu Xiaorong), and the person taking care of him stopped him immediately. Near the fountain in the center of the square, a pair of street performers are tuning their instruments. The curly-haired girl wearing a purple headscarf was tightening the strings of the zither on her lap; the boy next to her looked three or four years younger than her, holding a clarinet in his hand.
Luo Binhan observed them and felt that they didn't look like a couple, but more like siblings. When they started performing, pedestrians gradually gathered at the fountain, blocking Luo Binhan's view. All he could hear was a cheerful, enthusiastic tune filling the high splashes of the fountain, the kind of music that would accompany a parade of carnival floats. The sun shimmers on the top of the fountain, like flowing gold gravel. Ah, how beautiful it all is, those past memories...
He preferred not to mention it. There is no point in arguing about blame, and digging into the details will only cause more embarrassment. No, actually he shouldn't say that, because there is indeed betrayal here, and there is indeed right and wrong here. Saying "It's all over" can only relieve him of his own troubles, his own fears and worries. Since this incident was not beneficial to his life, he had no choice but to let it go. He didn't do it consciously, it was just human instinct, an instinct to adapt to survival.
It was difficult to remember when the sunlight had disappeared from the top of the fountain. He felt that it was just a blur. The music has changed, and the pedestrians have also changed several times. He and Yu Qingshu seemed to have talked a lot, but he couldn't remember a word. Yu Qingshu stroked the top of his head and explained in detail how she made many of her original decisions: how she expected that the custody decision made by the local court would be unfavorable to her; the strangers who intentionally or unintentionally wandered around her rental house. people; the so-called friends who went to the orphanage where she grew up to inquire about whether she had mental problems... That was not only the low point of her love life, because she and the entire family knew so much about each other that there were some things that she would never know. Can't figure out who did it.
"You are the eldest grandson," her voice was so soft that it almost didn't look like her own. "Your grandparents will take good care of you. You will get the best educational resources and living conditions."
Luo Binhan and her looked at each other, with the same subtle and slightly teasing smile on their faces. "I'm not qualified enough," Luo Binhan said bluntly, "It seems I can't be the light of the family."
"I had nothing at the time," Yu Qingshu said in a low voice, "connections, income, relatives... I myself have been out of the industry for too long, so I could only consult my colleagues from long ago. They all wanted to help me as much as possible, but... The lawsuit is not that simple. At that time, Liu Ling called me all night long... She was the first to persuade me to give up. She asked me to stay away from there and go to a place out of reach of those people, saying that she had everything on hand. An internal recommendation came up at short notice, and she managed to reserve it for me. But it was only temporary, and she gave me a short period of time to consider it. If I really wanted to accept this opportunity, I couldn't be entangled in a lawsuit for a long time. "
Liu Ling's appearance appeared in Luo Binhan's mind. A short and fat middle-aged woman with short, permed hair, a loud voice, and a wind-like pace when she walks. She always likes to put a navy blue smoking jacket on her body, like a battlefield veteran. She always felt that the food in the restaurant was not spicy enough, and when she cursed people, she could make an eight-foot-strong man run away. She might change her face in court, but Luo Binhan only saw her "fighting to the end" at the mahjong table while quietly stuffing the banknotes she won into Yu Xiaorong's pocket. An interesting, energetic, and a bit scary person. Sometimes Luo Binhan felt that she was not like a lawyer, but like a gang leader, a "gangster". He could always imagine her wearing a dark cloak, sitting at the mahjong table with her legs crossed, a cigar between her fingers, and speaking in Mandarin with a slight accent, teaching newcomers how to be loyal when they come out to hang out.
He told Yu Qingshu his imagination. The latter covered his mouth and let out an almost sneaky laugh. "Do you know what she told me at that time? She said that we would have a good time and have fun with her."
"At least it's spicy enough." Luo Binhan said, "Rongrong and her have to go to the children's table to eat, right?"
They laughed together in a strange way that could not see the light. Even though no one would jump out to grab the bag now, they still covered it up, as if they had done something bad together. But when the laughter ended, the wordless silence became extremely abrupt. Luo Binhan wanted to concentrate on listening to the music by the fountain and the happy ballads that changed one after another.
"Besides," Yu Qingshu said, "I think... I think you will live better there."
"Indeed." Luo Binhan replied. He answered quickly, trying to sound careless, but the sound he made sounded dull to his own ears.
The music by the fountain stopped, and the couple of artists sat down, seemingly ready to take a rest. The sky darkened in the blink of an eye, and the shops were closed. When he lowered his head, he found that he was still holding an empty ice cream cup in his hand.
"It's time for us to go," he said. "If it's too late, we won't be able to catch Mal's feast."
Yu Qingshu glanced at his phone and stood up in a hurry to look for the car keys. Luo Binhan looked at the pair of street performers again and saw the girl in the purple headscarf drinking water from a thermos cup. The Martin boots she wears are very similar to a pair of Yu Xiaorong's, but the overall dressing style is not similar. Yu Xiaorong likes loose, sporty clothes, while this girl dresses a bit like a gypsy. He looked at her, and the more he looked at her, the more familiar she felt. Finally, he realized that what he was thinking about was not Yu Xiaorong, but... Qi Rui.
If Qi Rui were alive, he naturally thought that she would be about the same age as this girl, and she might also want to form a band of her own. Yu Xiaorong wouldn't do such a thing. She didn't have the patience to sit on the bench for an hour. But at that time, he could always see the shadow of Yu Xiaorong in Xi Rui, just like he always thought of Regenberg when he was in Lihai, and he always thought of Lihai when he was in Regenberg. He not only thought about Lihai City, but also about Tianwai, the Silence, and those bizarre sights. But how is life outside the world different from here? Malcolm is also an outstanding artist, as he once befriended a bard named Malinoflas; to his limited palate, dreamy Sugar Land and roadside ice cream trucks are like What they have to offer is not that far apart; there are also artists playing the piano by the fountain——
For a while, Luo Binhan didn't feel nervous. He felt that his back was numb and his hands and feet were tense, but his mind was a beat slower than his body. He had been sitting here for a long time, maybe an hour or two, watching the sunset, the fountain and the people playing the piano, but he really didn't think about it at all. He was completely attracted by those dusty past events. He stared intently at the boy playing the clarinet, not finding any resemblance to Zhou Wenxing. But the more he compared like this, the more clearly that turbid purple evening came back to his heart. The dim twilight danced between the fountains, and the strings trembled with the song of the warrior heading to the West Sea. That was in the painting. The land of Yang was turned upside down and filled with crazy sounds of magic music. It was always in his heart. This music never goes away.
His body suddenly turned sideways. It was Yu Qingshu who pulled his shoulders and made him look at her. Luo Binhan opened his mouth, trying to find an excuse to explain why he was distracted. But he said nothing. Under this nightmarish twilight, he saw fear in her eyes.
"You have to take care of yourself," her voice trembled, as if it was a thin string being plucked, "These are none of your business... These are our adults' business, you have to take care of yourself. Life."
Luo Binhan thought to herself what a weird statement this was, as if she had forgotten that he was also an adult in his late thirties. And how could all this have nothing to do with him? He is living in the midst of all this, experiencing all the advantages and disadvantages. If it has nothing to do with him, how can he take care of his own life?
"I'm fine," he held her hand, "I've always been fine. Mom, look, I'm fine now."
Passers-by passed by them, and their curious glances made them loosen their hands. The strange atmosphere that echoed in the dusk had become thinner. Yu Qingshu found the car keys from the bottom of her pocket. They placed all the shopping bags without saying a word, and then embarked on the journey back. On the way, Luo Binhan talked about the summer camp activities and town concerts in Regenberg. He remembered that there would always be a celebration, dance or carnival in the town in the summer, and sometimes there would be a circus and magic. But the timing of his return this time is unlucky, so there may not be much excitement to see.
"I've never seen Fluffy dance," he asked repeatedly. "Has she ever been to a ball?"
"There were one or two events organized by the school."
"Really? Are there any photos?"
"I don't have it here. You have to look for it on her classmates' blogs. I guess there will always be photos taken by their peers."
"She will destroy all evidence." Luo Binhan said confidently, thinking that he knew Yu Xiaorong well.
But he spoke too soon. When they walked into the house carrying shopping bags, Luo Binhan was stunned to see that the mahjong table and sofa in the living room had been moved away, an old record player was placed against the wall, and Malcolm was holding hostage in the center of the room. Looking at dancing Yu Xiaorong. The two men's feet were spinning in circles, stepping on each other, and their hands were wrestling with each other, trying to twist the other's arm under their control. Fortunately, the melody of the waltz was echoing in the room, otherwise Luo Binhan would have thought that the two of them were having a wrestling match.
Not surprised, Yu Qingshu asked Malcolm to help sort it out, and the pair of competing pairs finally separated. Yu Xiaorong panted and ran to the kitchen to drink water, while Hannah suddenly appeared as if emerging from a crack in the wall, and happily asked Luo Binhan if he wanted some unfrozen wild berry ice cream.
"Does your family not mind at all that you sleep here every day?" Luo Binhan asked kindly, not caring that his words might be a bit offensive. Hannah didn't look angry, but told him righteously that all this was to review homework for Yu Xiaorong.
"You don't look like you are studying right now."
"We shouldn't waste Mal's heart, should we? He's been getting ready for two or three hours!" Hannah giggled. "Family dance!"
"Actually," Malcolm came over and interrupted, "I just wanted to see if the record player still works. It works pretty well, doesn't it?"
"Where did you find it?"
"In my studio. We found it when we were sorting out clutter. It was under a pile of plastic awnings. I originally thought that the materials there were all worthless materials. Fortunately, your friend checked it carefully for me. .”
Malcolm scratched his head and smiled an optimistic and confused smile. "I don't remember why it's there," he admitted with some strange amusement.
If someone else had said this, Luo Binhan might have suspected that the record player was haunted, but it was not surprising at all for this kind of thing to happen to Malcolm. He always gets strange things from the second-hand market, sometimes as gifts from his friends. Luo Binhan still remembers finding a completely unopened package in the basement, which was sent by a friend of Malcolm's in Southeast Asia three years ago. In contrast, a record player has many possible origins, including being picked up at a charity sale.
He took advantage of the time he was putting away his shopping to study the record player. A very retro cabinet design, with four thin spider-like legs and gilt handles for holding records or other miscellaneous items. The brass trumpet is bright and new, like a huge golden morning glory. Luo Binhan opened the cabinet with great interest and checked the three or four records inside. They were placed in unmarked plastic boxes, perhaps rummaged from Malcolm's studio.
Next to the record player lies a framed oil painting. When Luo Binhan saw the mist and the banshee in the painting, the smile on his face dried up. He almost elbowed him back when Malcolm suddenly grabbed him around the neck from behind.
"It's a beautiful painting," said Malcolm. "I found it behind the sofa this afternoon."
Luo Binhan asked calmly: "Did your friend give it to you?"
"No," Malcolm said first, but then he thought about it carefully and said, "It might be."
Luo Binhan glanced at the painting a few more times. The result was disappointing. The painting did not change color or content, nor did the suspicious whisper echo in his mind.
Since the purchase took longer than originally planned, it was too late to serve Malcolm's special gooseberry jam cake roll for dinner, but the dish was still exquisite and delicious. For lovers of cold food, there's gazpacho, with light cheese and basil, and hot oxtail braised with the aroma of red wine. Malcolm obviously put a lot of thought into the big bowl of paella. He did not choose the common colored peppers that Yu Xiaorong would hate, but instead used mint leaves and small pieces of pineapple as decorations. Dessert is a cookie with cocoa powder, but shaped into a scone triangle so that it can be stacked into a regular three-dimensional shape.
Everyone respects the hardworking chef in their own way. Yu Xiaorong ate shrimps and drank the chilled gazpacho. Hannah asked Malcolm for tips on how to shape cookies. Luo Binhan calmly took a little of each dish and came up with what he thought was the most beautiful presentation, and then calmly took out his cell phone to take pictures. Yu Qingshu saw what he did and sneered.
"I want to see who is working overtime," Luo Binhan said, "and then send him the photo - where is Zhou Yuren? Is he still sleeping in the room?"
"He left in the afternoon." Malcolm poked his head and said, "There was something urgent in the city."
"Did he say he would come back for dinner?"
Malcolm shook his head. So Luo Binhan grabbed his phone and made Zhou Yu the first victim to receive his photo greetings. He waited for a few minutes but received no reply. Zhou Yu must be busy, so Luo Binhan had to count the dishes on the table: "Let's leave some leftover rice and biscuits for him. He must like cocoa-flavored things."
It was a shame that the new member of the family missed this wonderful meal, but the casual atmosphere created by the candlelight, music and flowers was still satisfying and seemed incompatible with a board game. After dinner, Malcolm seriously invited Yu Qingshu to dance a few dances. Perhaps because of the flickering candlelight, or perhaps because of the red wine in the plate of oxtail, Luo Binhan saw his mother blush.
"I've almost forgotten the steps," she declined, but Malcolm's arm was already wrapped around her. Hannah was making noises next to her, while Yu Xiaorong was yawning on the sofa and scrolling through his phone without interest. Luo Binhan walked over with a smile: "Want to dance?"
"Get away." Yu Xiaorong said alertly. The expression was that of a drug dog sniffing out cocaine.
"We don't have any big lobster for dinner today," Luo Binhan said. "Is the one in the basement still alive?"
"It's still alive and well before dinner."
"Okay, that means I lose. What gift do you want?"
Maybe he was too kind, so Yu Xiaorong didn't respond for a while. After a few seconds, she said in a rough tone that she didn't need anything.
"It seems that someone is in a bad mood." Luo Binhan said in a funny tone. Yu Xiaorong stretched out her foot to kick him, but he had already escaped far away. He walked close to the wall, leaving the living room to the dancing couple. Malcolm had an excellent dance foundation in his early years. Although his turbulent life and natural aging reduced his flexibility and fitness, he still had no difficulty leading Yu Qingshu in a slow dance. What they dance is a slow three-step dance that is not very standard, and they perform it very casually, which is very suitable for after-dinner entertainment. Luo Binhan leaned against the wall and watched, feeling that they looked more happy than formal dancers.
Hannah wandered over from the record player: "Do you want to dance too?"
"I don't want to." Luo Binhan said without hesitation.
"You are fascinated by it."
"Because I remembered painful memories." Luo Binhan said seriously, "The girl I danced with vomited on me last time."
This is false, but not completely false. The last girl who danced with him - or rather partnered with him in the group dance - was Zhou Yu, and he did receive a glare from her because he stepped on her foot. But she didn't spit on him. In fact, it was because another female classmate vomited on him that Zhou Yu stood up with a cold face and saved him from the most embarrassing moment in that semester.
Hannah's eyes turned from pleasant to gentle. She touched his arm lightly with her fingers and asked, "Do you know why?"
"I don't know. The show was about to start, and she stared at my face and vomited. We didn't know each other very well, and we haven't spoken to each other since this incident... She probably felt embarrassed too."
"I guess it has nothing to do with your face," Hannah said. "Maybe she just ate the wrong thing this morning. She's not targeting you, so you don't have to dwell on it."
"We will never know the truth." Luo Binhan said.
(End of chapter)
