novelinnhs Chapter 146 Encounter
Chapter 146 Encounter
On the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month, the old street took on a new look.
Red Spring Festival couplets were pasted on the doors of every household, with the "福" (good fortune) character pasted upside down, the ink still wet.
Lanterns hang from one end of the street to the other, swaying in the wind, causing the shadows of people on the ground to sway as well.
The sound of firecrackers was intermittent, one string going off here and another there, leaving red paper scraps scattered all over the ground, making a rustling sound when stepped on.
Just as Song Huan came out of the room, Zhang Xuejuan called out from the kitchen.
"We have relatives coming to visit in the next few days, and we're almost out of sunflower seeds. We should also buy some more fruit."
"understood."
He walked into the street with his hands in his pockets.
A cold wind blew into my collar, and I hunched my neck.
Just a few days ago I was wearing short sleeves, and now it's winter.
Most of the shops on the street were closed, with signs on the doors saying "Closed for Chinese New Year".
The stall selling roasted nuts and seeds was still open, and the owner, wrapped in a military overcoat, sat on a stool with his hands tucked into his sleeves.
"Give me two pounds of sunflower seeds, spiced kind, and a bag of fruit."
The shopkeeper stood up, his hand trembling slightly as he weighed the sunflower seeds. He poured them into the bag and then added another handful.
Happy Chinese New Year.
Happy Chinese New Year.
Song Huan greeted the neighbors she knew and walked back carrying two bags.
The bag was a bit heavy, and my fingers got red from the pressure, so I switched to my other hand.
There weren't many people on the street. Some people were putting up couplets, some were setting off firecrackers, and children were hiding behind doors, covering their ears and peeking out half their heads.
He walked to the intersection and looked up.
An electric scooter drove over from across the street.
There were two people in the car. The one in front was a young man, tall and handsome in profile.
A girl was sitting behind me, wearing a beige short down jacket, a light gray scarf, and her hair was tied in a high ponytail.
A gust of wind blew, causing her scarf to flutter, and she reached out to press it down.
Song Huan stopped in her tracks.
Xiao Yunqing and I haven't seen each other since the holiday started.
She's on one side of the intersection, and he's on the other.
Her nose was red from the cold, and her cheeks were also red from the cold wind.
She saw him too.
His expression changed, from relaxed to stunned, and then quickly, as if someone had pressed the pause button.
His gaze averted, then drifted back, then averted again.
Then she reached out and hugged the man in front of her around the waist.
The movements were very natural, as if they had done it many times before.
But her fingers were gripping the man's clothes, a little too tightly.
Song Huan stood there, the bag in her hand swaying slightly.
The voice in my heart drifted over, clear and distinct, carrying a hint of smugness and a touch of resentment.
[Hehe, I'm hugging my cousin, let's see if he gets jealous.]
[Hmph, he didn't even come to see me during his vacation, I just wanted to piss him off!]
Song Huan almost burst out laughing.
He lowered his head, pretending not to see, and turned to walk forward.
The bag swayed in her hand as she walked at a leisurely pace.
Xiao Yunqing was sitting in the car when she saw him turn around and leave, and she was stunned.
The electric scooter drove past her, and her figure grew farther and farther away, shrinking into a tiny dot.
"Cousin! Turn around! Turn around now!"
The man driving glanced back at her. "What's wrong? Aren't you going home?"
"Turn around! Turn around! Drive back!"
"You silly girl..."
The man turned the steering wheel, and the electric scooter made a turn at the intersection.
Xiao Yunqing craned her neck to look back. There weren't many people on the street, and she could see the whole street at a glance.
He wasn't there.
She panicked and leaned forward.
The man's back blocked her view, so she tilted her head to look from the side.
nor.
She clutched the man's clothes, twisting the fabric with her fingers. "Hurry up!"
She finally saw it when the electric scooter drove to the intersection.
Song Huan walked along the roadside, the bag switched hands, and strolled slowly, as if taking a walk.
She jumped out of the car, the hem of her down jacket bounced, and her scarf slipped halfway down, but she didn't bother to pull it back up.
"Brother, wait for me at the intersection ahead!"
The man glanced at her, then at the back of the figure ahead, smiled, and drove off.
Xiao Yunqing stood by the roadside, clutching her scarf. She clenched it once, then loosened it, then clenched it again.
Take a deep breath and walk over.
"Song Huan".
He stopped and turned around.
I saw her standing two steps away, her face and nose were red, I didn't know if it was from the cold or something else.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice not loud.
"I'm buying something." He shook the bag in his hand.
"Oh." She lowered her head and stared at the ground.
There were firecracker debris on the ground, red and scattered everywhere.
Her fingers twisted around in the scarf, then twisted it again.
My inner voice drifted over again, this time not with pride, but with anxiety.
Why hasn't he asked yet?
[Song Gou, hurry up and ask me what my relationship is with that person!]
Does he not care about me?
[What if he misunderstands?]
Song Huan looked at her and her lips twitched slightly.
But I didn't ask.
"That thing just now..."
Xiao Yunqing couldn't help but speak first, her voice muffled, "It's my cousin, from my aunt's family, who came over for New Year's Eve dinner."
Song Huan nodded. "Oh."
"Oh what?" She looked up, glared at him, and said, "He's my cousin, my own brother."
"I know."
"What do you know?" She glared at him, her face flushing even redder, whether from anger or anxiety, it was hard to tell. "Did you just see that? Did you think...?"
"I saw you holding him," Song Huan said.
Xiao Yunqing opened her mouth slightly, then closed it again.
He stood there, clutching his scarf.
Song Huan looked at her and laughed, "I know it's your cousin."
Xiao Yunqing was taken aback. "How did you know?"
"Just a guess."
She stared at him for two seconds, then snorted.
She turned her head to the side, her ponytail swinging, "Who wants you to guess?"
Song Huan didn't say anything.
A gust of wind blew from the street corner, brushing her stray hairs against her face.
She reached out and touched it; her fingers brushed against her ear, which was red.
"Let's go," he said. "I'll take you home."
"You don't need to take me. My cousin is waiting for me up ahead."
"Then go ahead and leave."
She didn't leave.
Xiao Yunqing stood still, her fingers rubbing against the scarf.
After a few seconds, he finally looked up.
What do you do tonight?
"Eat, sleep."
"Oh." She nodded, then lowered her head again.
After a while, he raised his head again.
"Well... Happy New Year."
"Happy New Year."
She turned and left.
She walked slowly, her ponytail swaying behind her.
After taking a few steps, he turned back.
"Tomorrow, if you're free..." The voice trailed off, half of it carried away by the wind.
Song Huan looked at her.
"Never mind, it's nothing." She turned back and quickened her pace.
He stopped at the corner of the road and looked back at Song Huan.
Then she got into her cousin's car and drove away.
Song Huan stood by the roadside, carrying two bags in her hands, her fingers red from being squeezed.
The wind was blowing and it was chilly.
He glanced down at the bag: sunflower seeds and fruit.
Let's go home...
……
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