【56.】

These words made others silent.

Tang Yanzhi frowned, trying to type loads of words to comfort Xu Chi, but finally he decided to delete them. He sighed, feeling a little discouraged. If this unhappy person was Tingting, he knew how to deal with her. However, it’s Xu Chi now. So, he didn’t know how to resolve this problem.

Suddenly, his phone was vibrating again. it was the reply from Tingting.

Tingting: I just cried.

Tingting: Sorry, Shortie. You are the saddest person actually, not me.

Tingting: @Tangtang Are you there? Lend me some money.

Tangtang: ?

Tingting: I will tip “Missing You” to become the top 1 on X website.

Tangtang: Why do you borrow money from me?

Tingting: Because I have no money. While, you are rich.

Tangtang: According to the reward list on X website, you have to tip at least tens of thousands of yuan to push it into the top 10. Are you sure?

Tingting: What???

Tingting: Oh My God! Leave me alone.

Tingting: Shit!

Tingting: Who cares?

Tingting: Shortie only writes for readers who understand him.

Tingting: Crying… I felt so sad.

Tingting: How come other writers are so popular even if they write stories casually and have fewbad comments?

Tangtang: …

Tingting: Oh, what can I do? I lost the battle on the website. Then, I don’t have enough money to tip Shortie. I’m such a loser.

Tangtang: @Shortie Stopping staring at the phone. Give yourself a break. Go out and have some fun, just relax yourself.

Tangtang: Some people think they are quite objective. However, they have no idea that their standpoint is wrong at the beginning. So just forget those comments.

Tangtang: [Don’t be sad. jpg]

Tangtang: [Hug. jpg].

Tangtang: [Kiss.jpg].

Tingting: [All right. That’s enough. jpg]

Tingting: @ Tangtang I admire you.

Tangtang: Why is that?

Tingting: You are really good at persuading others.

Tangtang: If you have more experience, you will be persuasive too!

Tingting: You are so eloquent that I suggest you to be a lawyer.

Tangtang: I am just a little smarter than you.

Tingting: ?

Tingting: What? I regard you as my close friend. You could be nicer.

Tingting: You are not my friend anymore.

Tangtang: Sorry. I just think I can be straight with you.

Tingting: I can’t bear negative comment recently.

Tingting: I often cry for even a trifle.

Tingting: Be kind to me.

Tingting: Recently, I speak in a feigned voice.

Tingting: Understand?

Tangtang: No. Can you do it now?

Tingting: Shut up! You rational girl!

Tangtang: Why are you so angry?

Tangtang: Do you think you are a big shot?

Tingting: Of course!

Tingting: Today is the birthday of my best friend. So I bought a bunch of flowers and sent them to her office.

Tingting: [picture]

“Birthday girl: I just picked up the flowers and my heart is beating faster now.”

“Tingting: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.”

“Tingting: Like getting butterflies in your stomach?”

“Birthday girl: I’m afraid my male colleagues would notice it later.”

“Tingting: Why?”

“Birthday girl: Then, no one would dare to pursue me, because they may think I have a boyfriend.”

“Ting Ting: [Crying. jpg]”

Tangtang: That means there is someone she has a crush on in her office?

Tingting: I don’t know.

Tingting: Ladies are so weird.

These conversations amused Xu Chi. Later, he realized that these two girls were just trying to comfort him. Then he sent an emoji of smile in the group. When he was about to put down his mobile phone, he received a message on Wechat from Tang Yanzhi.

Tang Yanzhi: Have you had lunch?

Xu Chi: Not yet.

Tang Yanzhi: What time is it now?

Xu Chi: 3:30 p.m.

Tang Yanzhi: Why haven’t you had lunch?

Xu Chi: Because I just woke up.

Tang Yanzhi: So your parents left you at home alone, hmm?

Xu Chi: Yes… What’s up?

Tang Yanzhi: It’s a nice day today. Let’s go out to have some fun.

Xu Chi: To where?

Tang Yanzhi: You live in the west of the city, while I live in the east of the city. Let’s go to the “Garbage Street” in the center of the city.

Xu Chi: Is there a “Garbage Street” in our city? Why haven’t I heard about this place?

Tang Yanzhi: Of course there is one. Grab a bite before you leave, or you’ll feel hungry.

Xu Chi: …

Xu Chi: Why are you sure I will come?

Tang Yanzhi: Because I know your thoughts.

Tang Yanzhi: See you later.

【57.】

Mr. Xu took a sigh of relief when he found Tang Yanzhi according to the GPS.

Having been living in this city for a long time, he hadn’t heard of this place.

It turned out that Garbage Street is a street lined up with roadside stalls and food carts, selling all kinds of tasty snacks.

At nightfall, the street was lively with hungry souls searching for delicious food. Amid the smell of kebab sizzling on skewers, Xu Chi fought his way through the crowd towards Tang Yanzhi.

What he heard on the way was all kinds of chatting and “Excuse me”. Xu Chi found Tang Yanzhi, wearing a beige coat and waving at him with his phone in hand. That made Xu Chi recalled a scene he had read in a book.

This is life.

【62.】

“So many people…”

“It’s always like this. Follow me and don’t get lost. What do you want to eat? It’s my treat.”

As soon as Tang Yanzhi saw Xu Chi, he handed a cup of yogurt ice cream into Xu Chi’s hand. Then Xu Chi took it directly. When he was eating, Tang Yanzhi could see his dimples.

“I don’t know why…” Xu Chi said with mouthful, “I always feel like you know me very well.”

Xu Chi held the cup in one hand and spoon in the other. Tang Yanzhi could only take him away from the crowd and to a quieter place. He smiled and asked, “Why?”

Xu Chi always said directly. “Every time I need something, you show up.”

“Last time I need an umbrella, you showed up. This time…”

Tang Yan asked, “What do you need this time?”

Xu Chi swallowed the yogurt in his mouth and said, “Satisfactions.”

“A satisfaction of being with a friend, a satisfaction that could fill all the vacant hole in my heart, and a satisfaction that can dispel all my unhappiness.”

“You got satisfied just after having a cup of yogurt ice cream?”

Hearing what Tang Yanzhi said, Xu Chi was a little distressed, “It’snot a good thing to be easily satisfied, isn’t it? Will such a person be fooled easily?”

“Don’t worry.” Tang Yanzhi stopped at a stall selling sour and spicy rice noodles with Xu Chi. “As long as I’m with you, no one could fool you into leaving me.”

【59.】

“Tang Yanzhi, I don’t know anything about you. But you always give me a feeling that we’ve known each other for a long time.”

“You know I am a writer, don’t you?”

“Except for this.”

“Then I’ll give you an opportunity to know me.”

“Forget it…” The face of Xu Chi was reddening due to the cold winter night, “I have nothing to ask you.”

“Well. Let’s play a game.”

“What?”

“It’s very simple. You ask me questions and I answer them without thinking.”

“… Okay.”

A few moments later, Xu Chi asked, “Your hobby?”

“Eating and sleeping.”

“Your goal in life?”

“Become a rich man.”

Xu Chi was amused and said, “You didn’t answer seriously.”

“Yes!” Tang Yanzhi said, “I am indeed serious.”

Xu Chi finished the last bite of yogurt ice cream and said, “I don’t want to ask you anymore.”

There were a lot of people waiting in line before the stall. They were not in a hurry to buy the noodles. Then, Tang Yanzhi said, “Well, it’s my turn.”

“OK.”

“Do you like Famine?”

“Yes.”

“Do you like sweet stories?”

“Not quite.”

“Do you like cats?”

“Yes.”

“Do you like dogs?”

“Yes.”

“Do you like me?”

“Yes.”

Xu Chi was stunned for a moment. Tang Yanzhi was laughing at him since he fell into his trap, then Xu Chi smiled helplessly.

“You’re so childish.”

“But it’s fair.”

“What?”

“You could tolerate my childishness. And I could accept all your unhappiness and sadness.”

“What about my happiness?”

“You can share it with your friends.”

“Aren’t you my friend?”

“Of course I am, but I prefer to be that kind of friend…” Tang Yanzhi smiled and stressed, “a friend who can change your unhappiness into happiness.”