Winter Returns

Chapter 173 The End of the Show (Part 1)

Zhang Shutong stared blankly at that familiar face.

But then the screen went black, seemingly because the camera was stuck to the counter.

"Something's come up in Xiatong, I have to go now, I'll be back later..."

Before Du Kang could finish speaking, the video call was disconnected.

Zhang Shutong was left staring blankly at the QQ chat interface.

He didn't ask why the other person suddenly hung up, nor did he call back. He simply remained silent for a moment before continuing to put the spoon in his mouth.

Zhang Shutong ordered another serving of green pepper and shredded pork rice today.

In fact, his favorite flavors have always been very monotonous, and he only ever eats a few things over and over again.

No one spoke at the dining table, only the sound of chewing food. The kitchen was noisy, with the roaring stoves and fans. He had ignored these noises before, but now they overwhelmed him.

Zhang Shutong was still looking at his phone screen.

The previous message was very simple:
Call duration: 1 minute 08 seconds

The last time I saw that gentle smile was last night.

What about the time before that?

He suddenly thought.

But Zhang Shutong couldn't remember.

Even the person with the best memory can't remember a smile from years ago.

He left that city in his second year of high school, and how much time has passed since then? Five years? Or six? I can't remember either.

Just like no one remembers when they ate their first green pepper strip.

...So much time has passed.

The iron spoon clattered onto the plate, making a crisp sound. Zhang Shutong jumped to his feet.
"I saw someone I know, so I went out for a bit..."

He didn't even have time to swallow the food in his mouth before he hurriedly explained to Lu Qinglian.

The map of the island instantly flashed into his mind. He was currently in the northern residential area, while Du Kang's restaurant was located in the central area. It would only take about ten minutes to get there by bicycle, and a group of people having a meal could not possibly finish in less than ten minutes.

"Yes, that's fine," his mind suddenly clicked. This way, there was no need to worry about whether or not to keep the appointment that night. Going to Du Kang's restaurant to see his senior would neither delay the cleaning of the underground tunnel nor go against his mother's expectations. It would be a satisfactory explanation to everyone. It should have been done a long time ago.

"What?" Lu Qinglian frowned.

Zhang Shutong also realized that he was being somewhat unreliable:

"I'm so sorry," he said, grabbing his coat. "I really have something urgent to attend to. It won't interfere with my afternoon plans. I'll call you later."

“You seem suddenly very excited.” She maintained her calm tone.

"Really? Well, maybe a little..." Zhang Shutong muttered, tossing his bicycle keys onto the table. He reached for the keys, "But I'm not sure when I'll be back. You can go to the hospital after you finish eating, and I'll go find you then..."

He paused for a moment after saying that.

hospital.

Zhang Shutong's gaze moved downwards.

His mental calculations continued. It was a half-hour walk to the hospital from here, and they only had one car. Lu Qinglian's foot was injured, and the injury was quite serious; even she would show obvious pain. She would have to go to the hospital for a follow-up appointment soon...

So, was the plan to have Lu Qinglian sit in this little shop until he returned?
He can't possibly get to the restaurant and come back immediately. How long would it take to say a few words? How long would it take to eat a plate of rice with toppings?
Or should we let her go to the hospital?
But I just said this morning that it's best to walk less.

It would take more than twenty minutes to walk to Du Kang's restaurant, even if you ran.

Zhang Shutong withdrew his hand and changed his words:

"After you finish eating, ride your bike to the hospital first, then I'll come find you..."

After saying that, he ran out of the restaurant without looking back.

He put on his coat as he ran, but he hadn't gone far when he stopped abruptly. He slapped his forehead, turned around, and went into an alley.

From a distance, the alleyway was piled with furniture of all sizes, all of which were abandoned, including flower pots, sofas, wardrobes, and even a wooden bed, resembling a small flea market.

As expected of a residential area, it's incredibly chaotic. Getting across it wouldn't be an easy task, but this alley is a shortcut, which could save him at least five minutes.

Zhang Shutong counted the time in his mind. He supported himself on the sofa next to him with one hand, and used his toes to support his body. His arms were trembling a little after working all morning, but these obstacles could not stop him. To be honest, he suddenly thought that this sofa was very beautiful and it would be a pity to just throw it away. Should he move it to the base later...? As these thoughts flashed through his mind, his body had already landed lightly.

Zhang Shutong continued to move forward.

Then came flowerpots, brooms, and overturned wardrobes, until a wooden bed blocked the middle of the alley, placed sideways, seemingly telling him that the visitor was up to no good.

Zhang Shutong silently retreated, counting down three, two, one in his mind. Then he pushed off the leg of the wooden bed with one foot and jumped up instantly. He quickly stepped on the edge of the bed with the other foot and barely managed to stand up.

He then nimbly leaped down, using the wall for support, while simultaneously preparing for the next start. Zhang Shutong glanced back, just letting out a breath—

"What are you doing? What are you doing?!"

Suddenly, an older woman pushed open the window and roared overhead.

"Sorry sorry..."

Zhang Shutong quickly made his escape. The sun was shining brightly today, and the housewives had hung their bedding outside early. Further ahead, sheets fluttered in the cold wind; they were almost at the end of the alley.

Without hesitation, he lifted the bed sheet, and the faint smell of laundry detergent slowly entered his nostrils. Zhang Shutong finally turned onto a main road.

There were no shortcuts left to take, so we had to quicken our pace.

This was the first time I ran wildly after the cast was removed.

Zhang Shutong only regretted not bringing his own motorcycle.

A burning sensation spread through his lungs, and he quickly began to breathe heavily. The streets in December were desolate, and the cold wind howled, yet his forehead was covered with a layer of sweat. Six or seven minutes had passed since he left home, and he still had at least ten more minutes to run.

He walked through street after street and alley after all, until finally Du Kang's restaurant came into view. Zhang Shutong pushed open the door.

A plastic curtain hung behind the door. Over time, the transparent curtain had been covered with a light layer of grease and soot. But the moment he lifted the curtain, his hand suddenly slowed down.

Speaking of which, should we make up an excuse beforehand? Like saying we're here to visit Du Kang? That would be a good idea, otherwise it would be a bit strange for a group of people to go there while they're having a meal.

He made up his mind, tried hard to suppress his disordered breathing, and lifted the curtain to close it.

He passed the final hurdle as well.

Looking around, the hall was completely empty.

Zhang Shutong was stunned.

He was very familiar with the layout of the restaurant. His gaze passed over several square long tables to the counter, and opposite the counter was a round table covered with tempered glass, with leftover food still on it.

Not long ago, this place was a noisy scene. He saw a group of men and women stand up, their glasses clinking together and spilling orange juice. A girl turned her head and smiled at him.

Now everyone has disappeared, the hall is empty, a clock hangs on the wall, its mechanism clicking, the second hand moving alone.

It was like the end of a performance and the dispersal of the audience.

He was the only one standing in the restaurant; there weren't even any other customers at the tables. His hand was still outstretched, not yet lowered.

Zhang Shutong subconsciously took out his phone and glanced at it.

It was already past one o'clock in the afternoon.

Unless you're drinking, few people linger in a restaurant at this time of day.

But it took him less than twenty minutes to get here.

Just then, a dark figure suddenly darted in and barked at him.

Zhang Shutong turned around, and then a boy also lifted the curtain:

"Zorro, don't yell. How did you manage to run in without me watching you for a second? Sorry, we're closing... Huh?"

Du Kang rubbed his eyes:
"What's going on? No, Shutong, why did you suddenly come here?"

He was wearing arm sleeves and carrying a blue bucket. He went to the round table, picked up a plate, and poured the leftover food into the bucket.

"You should have said you were coming earlier! I would have saved some food for you. I'll see what we have after I'm done tidying up... Wait, no, you were eating when I called you earlier, weren't you? Or should we go find Ruoping together later?"

Zhang Shutong didn't say a word from beginning to end.

Du Kang was used to his best friend's behavior; he was quick and efficient, clearing the table in just a few words, and then took a bottle of cola from the cabinet.
"You drink first."

Zhang Shutong looked at the clean table, the fine lint still clinging to the tempered glass:
Where are the people at this table?

"Oh, he just left not long ago, I think only six or seven minutes. I was going to show you the person Ruoping mentioned, but I suddenly hung up the phone, and then I forgot to call you back. Actually, I was taking pictures of him, and I got caught. It was quite embarrassing..."

Du Kang said with lingering fear:
"I was a little dumbfounded at the time. I thought, what if word got out about all those people at the table? It would be so embarrassing. Luckily, the older sister was very kind. She noticed but didn't say anything. She was very considerate of me and just smiled at me. It felt like she was looking at her younger brother. She didn't say anything when we paid the bill."

Seeing that he hadn't moved for a while, Du Kang shoved a can of cola onto his face:
"You look hot, have some water first."

Zhang Shutong was already sitting in the chair. The cola was in a glass bottle, and the coldness of the bottle made him shiver.

Zhang Shutong suddenly calmed down.

He had been running so fast that he only had time to stop and think now. He realized that the smile wasn't meant for him. His senior didn't know who was on the other end of the phone, or even that they were having a video call. It was clearly Du Kang who was caught secretly taking pictures of her, and that was a somewhat amusing, good-natured smile.

I rushed over on a whim, but now I belatedly realize, what can I do by coming here? The other person isn't eating alone, but with a group of people. Although there are private rooms upstairs, we've only met once, and our relationship isn't like before. There's no space for us to be alone.

Even if he wasn't a few minutes late, it would just be a chance encounter at the restaurant, a nod and a smile.

Things are wrong.

He seemed to understand why he had hesitated. What is gone is gone. No matter how hard he tried, could he outrun time?

If I had come by bike, would the outcome have been different?

Ultimately, he couldn't even catch up in a few minutes, let alone a timeline that had already disappeared.

Zhang Shutong recalled what Ruoping had said that morning: to properly handle one's interpersonal relationships. It turned out that what she meant was to have self-awareness about what a person means to you and where you should place them.

"Take a break," Du Kang finally finished cleaning, "I'll leave after I feed the dog."

As he spoke, he carried the bucket of water out again, with the little black dog following behind him, its tail wagging.

Zhang Shutong was the only one left in the hall. He silently took out his phone, turned on the screen, and found the contact named "Su Yunzhi":
"Sorry, something urgent came up tonight..."

(End of this chapter)