vstars Chapter 118 There are so many stars here
Chapter 118 There are so many stars here
Chapter 119 There are so many stars here
The yard is bigger than I imagined.
Song Che parked the electric scooter at the door. Xia Li got off the back seat and stood still, looking around. There were a few bare trees, a well covered with a stone slab, and a pile of dry corn stalks in the corner. It was already dark, but the light in the main room was on. The lights in the countryside weren't very bright, and a dim light seeped out from the doorway, illuminating the steps.
Zhang Shushu had already gone inside, and Taoxiang followed behind her, taking quick little steps. She was now clinging to Zhang Shushu like a little shadow.
Song Jianguo held Bruce in his arms, standing motionless in the yard. Bruce struggled in his arms for a moment, but couldn't break free. It resignedly narrowed its eyes, resigned to its fate, knowing it was now completely in his hands.
"This courtyard—" Song Jianguo said, "has been abandoned for almost a year.
Song Che hummed in agreement.
He remembered that the yard wasn't like this when he was a child. In the summer, there was a grape trellis, and in the fall, peppers and corn were dried in the sun. There were a few Sichuan pepper trees growing in the corner, and his mother would water them whenever she had free time. Later, they moved to the city, and the yard became empty.
Xia Li walked to the well and looked down at the stone slab.
"Is this a well?"
"Yeah, you hardly ever see them anymore." Song Che walked over. "Cover it up, don't step on it, it'll fall off easily."
Xia Li took a step back.
"Is there any water?"
"Yes, but we have to use a water pump to pump it out." Song Che kicked the iron pipe next to him. "It's broken and hasn't been fixed. We have to use buckets to carry it."
Xia Li squatted down, touched the pipe with her fingers, and her hand got covered in dust.
Song Jianguo carried Bruce into the house, leaving only the two of them in the yard.
The night was quiet, without the sounds of city cars or neighbors upstairs and downstairs, only the sound of the wind and the distant barking of some dog.
Xia Li stood up and clapped her hands.
"It's very quiet here, quieter than in the city."
She looked up at the sky.
There were no streetlights, and the sky was a pure, deep black, with stars embedded in it, clearly visible.
There are many stars.
Song Che also looked up.
There are indeed many. In the city, you can only see the brightest few stars, but here you can see the whole expanse.
Unfortunately, the telescope is too bulky to bring back, but I can bring it back separately next time.
He remembered summers as a child, lying on a straw mat in the yard, counting stars. His mother would fan him, and his father would smoke and chat with the neighbors. Back then, he felt the yard was huge, big enough to hold the whole world.
Now he feels that the yard is actually quite small.
Xia Li was still looking at the stars.
She watched intently, tilting her head to look up, her silver hair peeking out from the edge of her scarf, swaying gently in the wind.
He suddenly wondered if she was thinking about Hitler's night sky.
Witches often observe celestial phenomena at night for the purpose of developing special magical potions.
"Come inside," he said. "It's cold outside."
Xia Li looked away and nodded.
Upon entering the main room, a warm feeling enveloped me. In the center of the room stood a square table and four long benches. Against the wall was an old-fashioned cabinet, on which sat an old television, its screen covered in dust. On the wall hung a faded New Year's picture, depicting a chubby baby holding a large carp.
Zhang Shushu came out of the east room, carrying two cotton quilts in her arms.
"Xia Li is sleeping in the west room. The bed is made, and the blankets are new." She glanced at Xia Li. "Are you hungry? I'll make some noodles to tide you over."
Xia Li shook her head.
I'm not hungry.
"Okay, we'll cook later." Zhang Shushu carried the quilt to the west room, then turned back after a few steps. "Taoxiang will sleep in the east room with me. If Xia Li is cold, we can add another quilt. Song Che will sleep with your dad."
Song Che responded.
He led Xia Li into the west room.
The room wasn't big; it contained a bed, a table, and a wardrobe. The bedding on the bed was neatly made, with old-fashioned red and green striped sheets and two quilts stacked on top, bulging and bulky.
The window faces the courtyard, and the curtains are floral, with yellowed edges just like the painting.
Xia Li stood by the bed and touched the quilt.
"It's very soft."
"I've done it before," Song Che said. "My hometown does cotton fluffing every year."
Xia Li took off the scarf, folded it, and placed it on the bedside table.
Song Che stood at the door, suddenly unsure of what to do.
He had lived in this house since he was a child, and there were still stickers on the wall from when he was a kid, including a Transformer, which had faded. But now, as Xia Li stood inside, the house felt unfamiliar to him.
"I'm going to check on Dad."
Xia Li nodded.
He turned and left.
Inside the main room, Song Jianguo was squatting on the floor, teasing Bruce. Bruce was squatting next to the cabinet, watching him expressionlessly.
It felt that Song Che had abandoned it.
It is so sad.
Song Jianguo reached out and touched its head.
Bruce took a step back.
Song Jianguo reached out his hand again.
Bruce took another step back.
"Dad," Song Che walked over, "it doesn't want you to touch it."
Song Jianguo looked up at him.
"Why doesn't it want me to touch it? It let me carry it the whole way here."
"That means it can't escape."
Song Jianguo didn't believe it and reached out his hand again.
This time Bruce didn't back down. It stood up, walked to Song Jianguo's side, and nuzzled the back of his hand with its head.
Song Jianguo's eyes lit up.
"Look, it lets me touch it."
After Bruce finished his rub, he turned around and left, jumping onto the bench and lying down.
Song Jianguo remained squatting in the same spot, his hand dangling in mid-air.
"—What does that mean?"
"It means—" Song Che said, "Just touch it once, don't keep going on and on."
Song Jianguo stood up and patted his knees.
"This cat has quite a temper."
He walked out, saying, "I'm going to check if the kitchen light is fixed. Your mom needs to cook later."
Song Che hummed in agreement.
The main room fell silent.
Bruce squinted on the bench, his tail wagging back and forth. From the east room came Tao Xiang's voice, chattering away, seemingly talking to Zhang Shushu.
Standing in the middle of the main room, Song Che suddenly felt a little superfluous.
It would be better to find Xia Li.
He walked to the door of the west room and glanced inside.
Xia Li sat on the edge of the bed, holding her phone.
He didn't go inside; he went to help in the kitchen.
The kitchen was in the west wing, a separate room. His father was standing on a stool to change a light bulb, while his mother stood beside him, holding onto the stool legs and muttering, "Be careful, if you can't reach it, just leave it, don't fall."
Song Che went inside.
"I'll do it."
"Can you reach it?"
Song Che glanced at the position of the light bulb.
"Can't reach it."
His dad laughed.
"Then what are you here for?"
He got off the stool and handed the new light bulb to Song Che. "Hold on to the stool, I'll go up and change it."
Song Che held onto the stool leg. His father stepped on it again, twisted the knob a few times, and the light bulb lit up.
The light made the kitchen feel warm and cozy.
Zhang Shushu breathed a sigh of relief.
"Alright, you can start cooking now."
He turned and went inside to help his mother tidy up the stove.
Dinner was simple: plain noodles, one large bowl for each person, plus a dish of pickled radishes.
I didn't buy any ingredients today, so I'll have to make do with what I have. I'll go to the market early tomorrow morning, and there will be plenty of delicious food there.
During the meal, Tao Xiang sat next to Zhang Shushu, her chopsticks moving incredibly fast. She ate so quickly that her cheeks bulged out, making her look like a hamster.
This noodle dish doesn't have much flavor, just a little bit of sweetness.
But it tastes good, just like drinking sweet soup.
Zhang Shushu looked at her, her eyes crinkling.
"Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you."
After taking a couple of bites of noodles, Song Jianguo suddenly asked, "Are we really going to that person's house for dinner tomorrow?"
Zhang Shushu paused for a moment.
"Go ahead, we've already invited them in person."
"When he treats you to dinner, how could he not mention money?"
Zhang Shushu didn't say anything.
Song Jianguo placed his chopsticks on the bowl.
"Bring it up. Paying back debts is a matter of course."
Zhang Shushu glanced at him.
"Don't be so sarcastic from the start."
"I didn't argue, I was just stating the facts."
"The truth is, our family isn't short of a few thousand yuan now."
"Whether it's good or bad is our business, but isn't it his business?" Song Jianguo's voice was firm. "One thing at a time."
"
Zhang Shushu fell silent. She was usually quite assertive, but when it came to matters, Song Jianguo made the decisions. Her personality was indeed somewhat indecisive.
Tao Xiang also lowered her head to eat noodles, but her ears were perked up.
She had been thinking of using illusion magic to scare the bad guy who wouldn't pay back the money. From what her aunt said, that guy was someone who wouldn't pay back the money.
Song Che picked up a piece of pickled radish with his chopsticks and chewed it.
"Dad—" he said, "I'll go with you tomorrow."
Song Jianguo looked at him.
"What are you going to do?"
"have a look."
After dinner, Tao Xiang followed Zhang Shushu into the kitchen, offering to help wash the dishes. This little one knew how to flatter; Zhang Shushu was very pleased with her.
Song Che stood in the courtyard, looking at the sky.
There are still so many stars.
Xia Li came out of the house and walked to his side.
Are you going tomorrow?
"Um."
"I'll go too."
Song Che turned to look at her.
What are you going there for too?
Xia Li thought for a moment.
"have a look."
Song Che smiled.
"What are you looking at?"
"It depends on how you handle it." She paused, then added, "Learn."
Song Che was actually just looking around. He had never tried collecting debts before, because Xia Li owed him a thousand gold coins, which he couldn't get back.
Wait a minute—what does it mean that Xia Li is going to go see it tomorrow too?
Want to learn some techniques for defaulting on debts?
He remembered what Xia Li had said before. She came here to learn these things: how to get along with people, how to express her feelings, and how to survive in this world.
Is that right?
Xia Li ate her noodles, thinking to herself.
There will be delicious food tomorrow, so let's eat some delicious food while we're at it.
"Okay," he said. "Let's go together."
A night breeze blew by, carrying the scent of hay and earth. A dog barked a few times in the distance, then fell silent.
Xia Li suddenly said, "This place is very nice."
Song Che looked at her.
"Better than in the city?"
She thought about it.
"no the same."
"Why is it different?"
She didn't answer immediately.
After a few seconds, she said, "Quiet."
She paused.
"There are many stars."
Song Che waited.
She thought about it again.
"You were here when you were a child."
Song Che was stunned for a moment.
Xia Li didn't look at him, but stared at the bare tree in the yard.
"You're eating grapes like this," she said. "That's what your mother said."
Song Che remembered.
Zhang Shushu did exchange a few words with Xia Li while tidying up the house. He didn't pay attention at the time and didn't know she had said those things.
"The grapes died long ago," he said.
The two stood in the yard, looking at the grapevine that had long since died.
The vines were still wrapped around the trellis, but they were dry and swayed gently in the wind.
Song Che suddenly felt like saying something.
But he couldn't say it.
He just stood there.
Xia Li was also standing nearby.
long time.
"Come inside," he said. "It's cold outside."
Xia Li hummed in agreement.
The two turned and went inside.
Inside the main room, Tao Xiang had finished washing the dishes and was squatting next to the bench playing with Bruce. Bruce ignored her; the people he hated most were Tao Yao and Song Jianguo.
Tao Xiang didn't care and was having a great time by herself. Her status was rising rapidly.
Zhang Shushu came out of the east room, carrying several pieces of clothing in her hand.
"Xia Li, these are my pajamas from when I was younger. They're clean and ready to wear for the night."
Xia Li took it and looked down at it.
It was a cotton pajama set, and it was very clean.
"Thank you, Auntie."
"Don't mention it." Zhang Shushu waved her hand. "Go to sleep early, you have to get up early tomorrow."
Xia Li nodded and went into the west room with her pajamas.
Song Che stood in the main room for a while longer.
His dad hasn't come back yet. The neighbor's dog barked a few more times, then fell silent.
He went into the west room.
Xia Li was standing by the bed, holding up the pajamas and comparing them to herself.
"Um, I'm going to check on my dad. If you're sleepy, you should go to sleep first."
Xia Li nodded.
He turned and left.
When he walked into the yard, his father was standing next to the doghouse, squatting down and watching a mongrel eat.
The dog was happily eating, its head down, its tail wagging back and forth, but it was clear that it was getting tired of wagging it.
He stood up and patted his knees.
That dog is four years younger than you.
Song Che was stunned for a moment.
"This dog?"
"Yes, it bit you when you were a child."
Song Che remembered. It seemed that he was passing by this house when the dog rushed out and bit his leg. He cried all afternoon, and his mother was heartbroken and shed tears.
Later, the family paid compensation, but they didn't kill the dog and kept it, which infuriated Song Jianguo.
Does it still bite?
"I'm not biting anymore," Song Jianguo said. "I'm old, I don't have any teeth left."
He paused.
"Just like a human being."
Song Che didn't say anything.
The two stood there for a while.
Song Jianguo suddenly said, "You don't need to go to that matter tomorrow."
Song Che looked at him.
"I can handle it myself."
"I want to go and see."
Song Jianguo glanced at him.
"Afraid I'll get taken advantage of?"
Song Jianguo smiled.
"Your dad isn't that old yet."
He patted Song Che on the shoulder.
"Go inside and sleep, we'll talk about it tomorrow."
Song Che nodded and turned to walk back.
After taking a couple of steps, he heard his father say behind him, "Your daughter is quite nice."
Song Che stopped in his tracks.
"Treat them well."
Song Che hummed in agreement and continued walking.
When I entered the room, Xia Li had already changed into her pajamas and was sitting on the edge of the bed.
It was a bit too big, the cuffs were a bit too long. She rolled it up, revealing a small section of her wrist.
Song Che walked to the cabinet and pretended to rummage through something.
There's really nothing to translate.
He rummaged through it and then closed the cabinet door.
"Um, I might have to get up early tomorrow."
"Um."
"Go to sleep if you're tired."
"Um.
"
He stood there for another two seconds.
"I'm leaving."
He went out and closed the door behind him.
Inside the main room, Tao Xiang was already asleep on the bench. Bruce lay at her feet, also asleep.
Song Che sat down at the other end of the bench.
The light is still on.
He heard a noise coming from the west room.
Xia Li lay down.
He sat there, looking at the floor of the main room.
The floor was cement and swept very clean. Several bags of grain were piled in the corner, covered with plastic sheeting.
After sitting for about ten minutes, he stood up and turned off the light.
The main room darkened.
He groped his way into the house, lay down on the bed, and saw that his father wasn't home yet. He guessed his father was still playing with the dog, and after playing with the dog, he would probably play with the cat for a while.
He lay flat, staring at the blurry ceiling.
There were no cracks in the ceiling, unlike in the city.
He blinked, then suddenly stopped.
There's a crack in the ceiling.