Chapter 62

Taking advantage of the time before the banquet started, Liu Handong followed Huo Lianhe to the village entrance. Number 13 was an old house, a traditional courtyard with a pond in front of it, covered with duckweed. The house was in poor condition, with a thatched roof and partially collapsed walls, and had not been inhabited for a long time.

"A few masons can fix it up," Huo Lianhe seemed very eager to make this deal.

Liu Handong didn't mind either, as it was mainly for the cats, and the poor condition wasn't a big issue. He took out his phone and sent a photo to Song Shuang, who quickly called back: "Is this the house? I'll come over right away."

It was Sunday, and Song Shuang left home to try to catch a taxi, but one after another, over ten cars passed by, and none were empty. Finally, an empty car came, but the driver refused to go to Huo Village when he heard the destination: "It's not on my way, I won't go."

Song Shuang ran to catch a bus but couldn't squeeze on, which made her very angry. She took out her phone and messaged Liu Handong to pick her up.

Liu Handong had just returned to Niu Rou Village and was helping Shan Pao with preparations. After receiving the message, he hesitated for a moment but decided to pick up Song Shuang, thinking that if he was going to help, he should do it all the way. He told Shan Pao he had something to do, and Shan Pao shouted: "Hurry up, we won't start without you."

Twenty minutes later, a white Fukan stopped beside Song Shuang, and the window rolled down, revealing Liu Handong's chiseled profile.

"Get in," Liu Handong said.

Song Shuang eagerly opened the door and sat in the passenger seat.

"Fasten your seatbelt," Liu Handong glanced at her.

Song Shuang quickly fastened her seatbelt, and before she could retract her hand, the Fukan sped off, weaving through traffic, making Song Shuang sway from side to side. However, it was quite exhilarating, as they were constantly overtaking other cars, and no one overtook them.

The red light ahead was flashing, but instead of accelerating to beat the light, Liu Handong eased off the gas and coasted to a smooth stop at the stop line.

"Why didn't you rush through? We could have made it," Song Shuang asked, puzzled.

"Gas is too expensive, one pedal costs two yuan," Liu Handong replied.

A white Mazda 6 pulled up beside them, and the window rolled down. The young driver extended his middle finger and revved his engine, challenging Liu Handong. He was probably upset about being overtaken earlier.

"Hey, he's challenging you," Song Shuang said, hoping for some excitement.

Liu Handong was on the phone with Shan Pao, who was urging him again. Hearing Song Shuang's words, he grunted and gave a slight push on the gas, revving the engine to accept the challenge.

The red light was counting down, and just as it turned green, both cars started almost simultaneously. Song Shuang saw Liu Handong's right hand quickly shifting gears, the high-revving engine of the French car roaring loudly. The Fukan was slightly ahead, but the Mazda 6 was no pushover. The young driver stomped on the gas, using its larger displacement to overtake.

However, this was not an empty racetrack but a busy street. The larger displacement was of little use, and the main test was driving skill. Liu Handong effortlessly left the overconfident challenger behind, eating his dust.

Song Shuang rolled down the window and stuck out her arm, giving the middle finger to the car behind, smiling broadly: "Liu Handong, your driving skills are amazing, teach me."

"Sure, the key is to treat the car like a tool, not a toy. Be willing to give it gas, and even Schumacher can't catch you," Liu Handong said while driving.

"Is that it?" Song Shuang looked unsatisfied.

"That's it," Liu Handong continued driving.

They arrived at Tiezha Street, and Liu Handong took Song Shuang to see the house. The house and courtyard were in a state of disrepair, and Song Shuang was not entirely satisfied. However, the price was extremely low, only 500 yuan a month, and for two years, it would cost only 10,000 yuan, which was very suitable for the animal protection association with limited funds.

"I'll go back and discuss it with them," Song Shuang said.

Liu Handong drove Song Shuang to Tiezha Street, and Shan Pao saw him from a distance, waving and shouting: "We're waiting for you."

"You go back first, I have something to do and can't take you," Liu Handong said to Song Shuang.

"Okay," Song Shuang obediently got out of the car and stood by the roadside waiting for a taxi. Liu Handong parked the car by the roadside and was pulled into Niu Rou Village by Shan Pao. They sat in a private room, and the table was set with food and drinks. All the important people from the street were there, and their glasses were already full. They urged Liu Handong to drink three cups as a penalty.

Liu Handong didn't hesitate, picked up his glass, and drank three cups in a row, earning a round of applause.

"Eat, eat," Shan Pao used the serving chopsticks to put a lot of beef on Liu Handong's plate.

Liu Handong looked out the window, and Song Shuang was still standing by the roadside, checking her phone from time to time. The sky was overcast, and it looked like it was about to rain.

"Eat and drink, don't be shy, we're all friends," Shan Pao held a bottle of wine, his face already red. A young waiter brought in a steaming bowl of beef noodle soup, the steam rising and the aroma filling the air. It started raining outside, the raindrops hitting the windows with a pattering sound.

Song Shuang used her bag to shield her head and ran to the eaves of a nearby building to avoid the rain. The weather had changed suddenly, and it was even harder to catch a taxi.

Liu Handong couldn't sit still and looked around. There was no umbrella, and the rain had come too suddenly for anyone to be prepared. He found a piece of oilcloth, put it on his head, and rushed out. The rain pounded on the oilcloth, and the ground was already covered with water. No one expected such a heavy rain in autumn.

Song Shuang was only wearing a thin long-sleeved shirt and was shivering, hugging herself. The eaves were short, and the rain was streaming down, soaking her shoes and socks.

"Come over," Liu Handong called out to Song Shuang.

Song Shuang didn't hesitate and took refuge under the small piece of oilcloth Liu Handong held up. The small oilcloth shielded them from the rain, and his broad chest protected them from the wind. The temperature dropped sharply, and only by being close to someone could she feel warm. Liu Handong had changed into new clothes that morning, and the scent of sunshine, soap, and a faint tobacco smell mixed into a typical masculine aroma that filled Song Shuang's nostrils, making her, who had never been close to a man, feel a bit dazed and unconsciously lean closer to Liu Handong.

They waded through the water and entered Niu Rou Village, the bustling atmosphere hitting them. Song Shuang's confused heart suddenly came back to reality, and she muttered, "I don't remember it being like this before."

"Before, this place was a dog meat restaurant. Now the owner has changed and is doing beef soup," Liu Handong lifted the curtain and invited Song Shuang into the restaurant.

The newly renovated Niu Rou Village looked fresh, with white-painted walls and a large pot at the entrance, simmering with beef bones. The main dish was beef soup, six yuan for a large bowl, garnished with green scallions and cilantro, and various seasonings. The soup was clear and fresh, and the beef slices were added last, not many, just a few, as prices had risen significantly. The beef soup was served with a hard flatbread called "guotou," which was broken into small pieces and soaked in the soup, perfect for heavy laborers.

Shan Pao saw Liu Handong leading a petite girl in and immediately came over to greet them: "Da Dong, Mr. Du is waiting to toast you."

Liu Handong said, "Let's have two bowls of soup first. I have something to do this afternoon and can't drink anymore."

Shan Pao glanced at Song Shuang and said sympathetically, "Alright, I'll save the drinks for you. We'll drink later." He was already quite drunk, his face red, and after shaking hands with Liu Handong, he went inside to attend to the guests.

A new waiter brought over two bowls of soup, clear and light with only a few slices of meat. Liu Handong shouted, "Add five yuan worth of meat."

The waiter added some meat and pointed to Song Shuang's large bowl: "Here you go."

Song Shuang felt a warm feeling in her heart and lowered her head.

Liu Handong ordered two pieces of guotou and taught Song Shuang how to break them and soak them in the soup.

Song Shuang leaned over the bowl and took a sip: "It's hot."

"If it's hot, blow on it," Liu Handong blew on his own bowl.

Song Shuang pouted, annoyed. She had never met a guy so insensitive. He was given a chance, but he didn't cherish it. In a fit of anger, she broke the guotou into pieces and soaked it in the bowl, which inadvertently cooled it down. She tasted it and found it quite good. The new restaurant was clean, with no greasy tables or chairs, and the bowls and chopsticks were new. The meticulous Miss Song couldn't find any faults. She asked the waiter for a small spoon and ate the soup and beef politely.

After a while, Shan Pao personally brought over a plate of cold beef, apologizing for the waiter's lack of attention and making Liu Handong ask for more meat.

Liu Handong chuckled, "I was just saying. I never pay when I eat here."

Shan Pao laughed, "Brother, if you pay, it's an insult. Don't come next time. Take care of this little sister." He winked at Song Shuang, "Girl, eat and drink well, and let us know if you need anything."

After he left, Song Shuang gritted her teeth, "Is he the bad guy who killed dogs?"

"He doesn't do that anymore. He's put down the butcher's knife and become a Buddha," Liu Handong finished a large bowl of beef soup and wiped his mouth. "Let's go, I'll take you back."

The rain had lessened, but the water was deep. The public toilet on Tiezha Street was flooded, and sewage flowed onto the street, making it unbearable. The southern part of the city was low-lying, and with road construction and digging, the heavy rain would cause severe traffic congestion.

"You've had alcohol, you can't drive," Song Shuang's nose was very sensitive.

"A little alcohol is fine," Liu Handong said.

"No, not even a little. It's illegal," Song Shuang insisted. The waiter was cleaning the tables and sweeping the floor, and the rain had disrupted business, so they had to close early for lunch.

"Alright, the road is bad. Why don't you come to... " Liu Handong scratched his head. His own rental apartment was not suitable, not only dirty and messy but also inappropriate for a single woman to stay in. He thought about it and decided to go to Mei Zi's hair salon, where Ling Zijie had been investigating for a few days. Having a familiar face to talk to would be good.

Song Shuang happily agreed, and Liu Handong took her through the rain to the hair salon. The heavy rain had disrupted business, and there were no customers. The TV was playing "Empresses in the Palace," and Nana and Xiaoyao were sitting by the door, picking their feet. Ling Zijie was giving a speech to Huanxi and Mei Zi, who was yawning.

Liu Handong and Song Shuang's sudden arrival changed the sleepy atmosphere in the hair salon. The rain continued, and Mei Zi took out a stack of DVDs. "Why don't we sing karaoke? We have a full set."

An old 21-inch Hisense TV, a Xinke DVD player, a generic amplifier, two plastic speakers, and two microphones—standard equipment for a construction site karaoke. However, everyone was very interested and eager to pick songs.

Mei Zi had many DVDs, all from years ago. Ling Zijie, who was good at foreign songs, found none, and even some of Jay Chou's newer songs were missing. He sighed and let others go first.

In the end, Mei Zi performed the first song, a hit in karaoke bars, KTVs, and nightclubs across the country, often sung by low-level officials and local businessmen: "Heart Rain."

It was a duet, with Mei Zi singing the male part and Nana volunteering for the female part. They held the microphones and sang deeply, without looking at the lyrics, showing they had sung it countless times and knew it by heart.

When the song ended, sparse applause sounded, like bare feet on cement.

"Xiaoyao, you sing one. I know you can," Mei Zi picked a song for Huanxi without asking.

Huanxi hesitated but took the microphone, cleared her throat, and the hair salon fell silent, with only the sound of rain outside.

"I dedicate this song to the big brother and big sister who helped me. Thank you," Huanxi said seriously, like a middle school student on a school stage, in standard Mandarin. Her hand holding the microphone was pale, her voice trembling slightly, and her eyes glistened.

"One is a fairy from the celestial garden, the other is a flawless jade. If there were no fated encounter, why would they meet in this life? If there were a fated encounter, why would their hearts remain unfulfilled..."

The rain pattered, and her voice echoed in the hair salon, lingering for a long time. When Huanxi finished and put the microphone back, everyone woke up and applauded enthusiastically.

"Xiaoyao, one more," Mei Zi urged.

"No, you go," Huanxi blushed and moved to the back.

"You go," Mei Zi handed the microphone to Song Shuang.

"I can't sing," Song Shuang waved her hands, though she was usually a karaoke queen with her classmates. But after Huanxi's performance, she didn't dare to embarrass herself.

"I'll go," Liu Handong took the microphone and picked an old song with the remote.

"Rain keeps falling, the atmosphere isn't warm. Under the same roof, you gradually feel your heart changing..." Liu Handong's voice was hoarse and carried a hint of沧桑 (cang桑, meaning沧桑, which can be translated as 'weathered' or 'worldly'), perfectly interpreting the old song.

Song Shuang turned to look out the window and saw Ling Zijie's face in the glass reflection, staring at her intently.