Three or Two Things about Rebirth

Qiu Moshi's home is in a new building on Chaonei Street in Dongcheng District, a multi-storey western-style house. The house is open from north to south, with a square layout, two bedrooms and two living rooms, and more than 90 square meters.

For a bachelor, it is enough to get married and have children.

The previous time they came, they stayed in a hotel because of Fang Yuan and it was inconvenient to stay there. This time, Qiu Luming directly occupied Qiu Moshi’s second bedroom.

Qiu Moshi put Qiu Luming's luggage in the second bedroom, and then went to heat a cup of hot milk for her. The aroma of milk filled the room.

The phone in the living room suddenly rang.

"Drink it!" Qiu Moshi pointed at the milk, went to answer the phone, hummed a few times, and hung up.

Qiu Luming took a sip of milk and said, "Go ahead and do your work. I can do it myself."

"Are you okay?" Qiu Moshi was still worried. Qiu Luming pushed him out the door, "Let's go, I want to watch TV!"

Qiu Moshi left a key and said, "I'll go to the company to deal with it and will be back soon."

As soon as the door closed, Qiu Luming became discouraged.

She turned on the TV, but could not concentrate on watching anything. She watched all the channels one by one. Then she took out the Russian book she brought with her from her bag. The bookmark inside fell out. Qiu Luming's heart ached again. This was the book she bought when she and Fei Yuanhang went to Xiangshan a few days ago. At that time, she said it was not worth spending ten yuan to buy a leaf.

Fei Yuanhang smiled and turned the bookmark over to show her. It turned out that there was a red leaf embedded on the front of the bookmark, and on the white cardboard on the back were handwritten cursive words: Deep Love and Long-lasting Feelings.

She was immediately happy, took the bookmark and put it in her purse, and kissed him gently on the cheek, saying, "Stamp reward!"

Fei Yuanhang laughed and said, "Why don't I write a receipt too!"

After saying that, he moved closer to her with a pouting gesture.

"No!" Qiu Luming ran away with a smile. One ran and the other chased. Their joyful laughter echoed in the mountains.

She said she liked Wuhua Mountain in her hometown in autumn and the red leaves in Xiangshan Mountain in Beijing. Fei Yuanhang then said that he would take her to Xiangshan Mountain every year in the future. He also said that he would take her to the End of the Earth, Gulangyu Island, and the fairyland Penglai, and in the future, he would take their children along.

Qiu Luming hit him and said, "What child? Who has a child with you?"

"If you don't have a child with me, who else can you have a child with!"

While other tourists were visiting the scenic spots in the mountains, the two of them were snuggling under a tree, whispering and playing around. Later, Qiu Luming, feeling tired, leaned on Fei Yuanhang's shoulder and took a nap.

Qiu Luming picked up the bookmark and put it back. He shook his head again: I can't think about it anymore, it's useless to think too much!

——She has foreseen the future and started to subconsciously defend herself.

Like a headless fly, Qiu Luming turned around three times, picked up a rag, wiped the table and windowsills of his third brother's house, and mopped the floor twice. Finally, he felt a lot clearer in his mind.

The milk had long gone cold and had lost its aroma.

She didn't feel hungry, but she could hear her intestines rumbling. There were only a few cans of beer and eggs in the refrigerator, and the things in the freezer had to wait for them to thaw. Forget it! Qiu Luming took the key and went out.

After walking two hundred meters to the left, I saw a group of bungalows. They were very old and looked shabby from the outside. There was a plaque hanging above the door that read "Xinglong Hotel."

The shop ahead sells fried liver, and many people are queuing up to buy it.

Qiu Luming stood there in a daze again. Fei Yuanhang had taken her to Liulichang and Panjiayuan a few days ago, and they had fried liver when they came back.

Although fried liver is called fried liver, it is actually stewed with pig intestines as the main ingredient. It also needs to be thickened and mashed garlic added.

Qiu Luming took a bite and then spat it out despite the disgusted look of a Beijinger next to her. She really couldn't stand the taste of pig intestines.

This store also has fried dough sticks with soy milk, fried sausage and other dishes, which Qiu Luming could not enjoy. Fortunately, they also sell steamed buns with three fresh ingredients, so Qiu Luming ate two steamed buns, while Fei Yuanhang finished both bowls of fried liver.

Qiu Luming shook his head and decided not to think about it anymore.

She entered the Xinglong Restaurant, found a small table to sit down, and ordered two and a half portions of side dishes and a bowl of rice.

The house was made of mud and had a low ceiling. The wall paint seemed like it could fall off at any time, and the owner did not do any repairs. Qiu Luming could not help but wonder if the place was going to be relocated.

Although it was shabby and low, there were still quite a few diners sitting in the restaurant, probably all old neighbors nearby.

Qiu Luming noticed an old man who looked to be in his seventies, with sparse gray hair. He had drunk some wine and his nose was a little red.

He drank the Maotai he brought with him and ordered four dishes for himself. They were placed in front of him, but he didn't eat much. He sat by the window, eating and drinking slowly and happily. There was a small radio next to the table, which was playing Peking opera. He just nodded his head along with the music, oblivious to the people around him. When there were too many people and the noise was too loud, he would put the small radio to his ear and put it on the table again when the noise was quieter.

He is so comfortable!

Qiu Luming thought enviously.

Just as Qiu Luming's dish came up, a woman in her sixties came in. Seeing that the seats were full, she walked up to Qiu Luming and said, "Girl, can I share a seat with you?"

"Okay." Qiu Luming moved his plate back.

"Northeasterner?" The old lady had good hearing and could tell it from just one word.

"Yes, I'm from Heilongjiang."

"I guessed it! My niece spent three years in the Heilongjiang Corps and later came back to attend the Workers, Peasants and Soldiers University."

"Oh." Qiu Luming was not very clear about these and just listened to her.

Beijingers are really good at talking. Qiu Luming didn't even need to respond. She just needed to look up at her twice, and she would seem to have received great encouragement and would talk even more excitedly.

"The conditions in the Corps were pretty good, and the food was better than at home. There were too many people in Beijing at that time, and every family had a lot of children. I don't know how they could have so many children. That's right, there was no television at that time, and they would have children as soon as it got dark!"

"My niece works on a farm and earns more than 40 yuan a month, which is more than I earn. When she came back for Chinese New Year the following year, guess what? She was just a little girl, she squeezed on the train and came back with half a bag of potatoes on her back. She said Heilongjiang potato noodles were delicious!"

......

Qiu Luming imitated the old man and ate slowly. He also listened to the old lady's advice and bought a small bottle of Erguotou and drank a few sips.

The lady's surname was Ma. Her family conditions seemed good, but her two children went abroad, one in the United States and the other in the United Kingdom. She sounded very proud, but Qiu Luming could see that she was very lonely.

"My wife went to meet my family two years ago!"

Seeing that Qiu Luming didn't understand, Aunt Ma smiled and explained, "Marcos!"

Oh, this time Qiu Luming understood and nodded, "So you are usually quite... quite comfortable, right?"

"Free! So free! I just take care of the little things on the street, buy groceries, cook, and watch TV, and the day is over!"

"Have you ever thought about living abroad with your children?"

"I have been there! I have been there all the time!" Aunt Ma took a sip of wine. "My son and daughter are both filial and keep urging me to go abroad. But when I go, it's so frustrating! I am dying of suffocation. There is no one to talk to! My grandson speaks English in an American school and speaks Chinese with a grumble. It makes me angry! Also, my daughter-in-law is a foreigner. She doesn't understand what I say and I don't understand what she says either. No, I can't live like this!"

"That's true." Qiu Luming listened with great interest and temporarily forgot his troubles.

"Listen to me, I went to England right after that. Don't underestimate me, I dare to go anywhere by myself! But she ended up living on an island. My god, there are even fewer people on an island than in our community! I couldn't stand the weather there. There was no warmth all year round. I came back after living there for two months!" Aunt Ma ate a bite of food. "People are worthless when they leave their hometown. They still have to live in their hometown, the place where they were born and raised!"

"Nowadays, many people are keen on going abroad and envy those who go abroad."

“What’s there to envy?” Aunt Ma shook her head, her cheeks already red. “Do all those who go abroad live a good life? Bullshit!”

Qiu Luming's pager rang, displaying the number of her third brother's home. Qiu Luming asked the restaurant owner to borrow his phone to make a call, but the owner was not happy to hear her foreign accent. Aunt Ma slammed the table and shouted at him, "Call her! You are so stingy!"

The boss smiled and said, "Go ahead, then."

After finishing the call, Qiu Luming sat back at the dining table and looked at Aunt Ma, "What next?"

"What then? Oh, where was I?"

"You said that everyone can live well abroad, bullshit!"

"Hahaha! Right!" Aunt Ma laughed and pointed at Qiu Luming and said, "Little girl, you really match my temper!"