Chapter Fifteen: Summer Vacation in S City

  In July, the great heat begins, and in August, autumn arrives. Even so, the lingering heat of the "autumn tiger" is still quite fierce. Our city has always been known as one of the four major furnaces, and it seems that this reputation is not undeserved. In mid-August, I, Wang Xiao-Xiao, and Mu Luo-Huan went to Mu Luo-Huan's grandmother's house. My dad and mom, as well as Wang's dad and mom, repeatedly reminded me and Xiao-Xiao to behave ourselves when we got there, not to run around or play recklessly. Mu's father and mother also reminded Mu's older brother to take good care of me and Xiao-Xiao, to act like a boy should, and to take extra care of the girls, after all, it was his home turf too.

  After sitting in the car for more than three hours, we arrived at the station. Brother Xun was like a little adult and had us sit on the chairs near the exit to wait for someone to pick us up. Before long, a young man of about 20 years old came over. Brother Xun introduced him as his cousin, Luo Nanfeng, a university student studying at S University. He would be taking us around S City for the next few days. We didn't bring much with us, just a few clothes and some money, which was safely tucked away in our pockets. Luo Nanfeng picked up my and Xiaoxiao's bags and said: "Welcome, little sisters, to S City for your trip! For the next few days, I'll be your guide. Next, we need to go across the street to wait for the bus. Stay close, little sister. Brother Xun, you follow behind."

  The feeling of waiting for the bus under the scorching sun is really unbearable, I can only look around to pass the time. I found that the houses in S city are all with a classical and elegant flavor, with pavilions and towers in the distance, and corridors and flying eaves. Even this bus station platform has a corridor-like appearance, although it's simple and old, but it has a unique charm, as if it's left over from history. After waiting for about 15 minutes, the bus arrived, there were not many people on it, but also not few, basically no seats were available, so I had to stand up straight. Fortunately, we got off after just four or five stops and entered a narrow alley paved with bluestone, turning left and right, saw a typical S city resident.

  Outside the door stood an old woman of about sixty years, not tall but spirited and composed. From her face one could vaguely tell that she was a beauty in her youth. The old woman spoke with a thick accent, saying: "My dear grandson has come, grandma missed you so much. Which of these two pretty girls is your cousin and which is your classmate? Introduce them to grandma."

  After Mu Luo introduced us, we both rushed to our grandma and shouted "grandma" in unison. Grandma was very happy and said that their family lacked a granddaughter, but had many grandsons and great-grandchildren. She pulled us and Mu Luo into the house for lunch. During lunch, grandma kept serving us dishes, including sugar vinegar ribs, braised fish, and more. She said she made them herself, and Mu Luo's brother loved to eat her cooking, never getting tired of it. She also told us some interesting stories about her grandsons and great-grandchildren, such as how she was a strong woman who raised four children on her own after her husband passed away early. People now call her "Li Grandma". When Mu Luo's brother was born, Li Grandma was playing mahjong and got a "south wind" tile when the news came that his wife had given birth to a baby boy. She immediately decided to name him "Luo Nanfeng" (meaning "south wind"). We all laughed at this story, relieved that it was "south wind" and not some other tile like "red middle", "white board", or "get rich".

  "Nanny, stop talking and let's eat. The food is getting cold and the three of them must be hungry too." But Luo Nannan jumped in and said, "No way, I'm not going to let you get away with this! You're always picking on me in front of my sisters, aren't you? And don't think I've forgotten about your embarrassing moments either. Who's the one they call 'Black Skin'? Today, I'll give you another nickname: Bckboy. Don't understand it? Wait till you learn English and you'll get it! And by the way, I remember a whole bunch of your embarrassing stories too!" They went back and forth like this for a while until Luo Nannan finally gave in. Grandma chimed in, saying she'd tell us more about their interesting stories when we had time. After lunch, we all agreed to take it easy in the afternoon and go out to play early tomorrow morning.

  The next morning, the four of us went to the amusement park. First, we rode the merry-go-round. Mu Luo and Wang Xiao were very enthusiastic, but I didn't really care. Nan Feng bought three tickets and said, "You three go play, I won't go, I'll take pictures for you around here." He waved his old camera and said, "Let's make some good-looking poses." I quickly went up to him and told him not to take too many pictures of me, the focus should be on Mu Luo and Xiao, it would be best if he could take a picture of the two of them together. After finishing speaking, I heard Xiao shouting for me to hurry up.

  I deliberately let Xiao and Shu Gege sit on two wooden horses close together, I sat behind them, hehe, can observe their every move. The merry-go-round started to rotate, up and down, round and round, very childlike, it also brought me back to my childhood memories when Dad and Mom brought me here.

  On the merry-go-round, Wang Xiao Xiao was no longer so shy, and had a great time chatting and laughing with Xun Gege. Xun Gege was also very happy, occasionally striking cool poses in front of Nan Feng Ge's camera lens. After it ended, Nan Feng Ge showed us the photos, and Xiao Xiao and Xun Gege looked really good together! I didn't look as bad as I thought either.

  Then we went to play the pirate ship, this time we also invited Nanfeng Ge and others to join us, there were not a few students who looked like couples sitting on it, the big swing of the boat back and forth, left and right, was very exciting, I guess people with heart disease would be scared unconscious.

  Then we went to ride the Ferris wheel, which was my suggestion. Each cabin can only hold two people, and there's a little secret: Wang Xiaoxiao has acrophobia, but she doesn't know it yet. Of course, I would be with Nanfeng Ge, so Xiaoxiao could only go with Shu Gege. As we were about to enter the cabin, I whispered in Xiaoxiao's ear: "When we reach the highest point, you should make a wish for someone to like you. It's a perfect opportunity, don't miss it."

  I sat on the Ferris wheel, looking down at the scenery, and found that it was infinitely beautiful. The flowers were in full bloom, and the trees were lush and green. I felt an overwhelming urge to shout out loud. As the Ferris wheel rotated,

  I smiled back at Nanfeng and said, "Nanfeng, aren't you an accomplice too? Why else would you want me to be in the same compartment as you? Men and women paired together, isn't that tiring? Shouldn't it be? Don't you think Shu Gege and Xiaoxiao are a good match?"

  Luonan shook his head and said, "She's really a clever little girl, not willing to take any losses, with many tricks up her sleeve. As for my cousin and Xiaoxiao, maybe they're really different."

  In the following days, Luo Nanfeng took us to appreciate the exquisite and unique garden architecture of S city. Some were high and low, with different shapes, some were simple and elegant, spacious and generous. There were gardens within gardens, scenery outside the scenery, cleverly constructed, in short, the corridors rose and fell, the water waves reflected, and there was a separate paradise.

  The weekend arrived quickly, the day before returning home, I said I wanted to buy some souvenirs. Luonanfeng took us to Qianmen Pedestrian Street, where all kinds of things were sold, such as bracelets, necklaces, scarves, shawls, teapots, fans and so on. I looked around everywhere, everything seemed new and interesting, and I wanted to buy everything, but unfortunately, the money in my pocket was limited. I picked up a pearl hairpin to take a look, put it down, then picked up another silk scarf to take a look, and put it down again. Luonanfeng took Xiaoxiao and Shu Gege to walk ahead, while I lingered behind, looking around leisurely, anyway, we agreed that if there were too many people and we got lost, we would meet at the bus stop.

  I walked into a jade store, with only a few adults there looking at the jade bangles and pendants on the counter, I don't know if they were good or bad, anyway I just appreciated them. I looked left and right, saw that at the front of the counter there was a blue-purple jade bangle, from different angles it had different shades of color, and when I looked closely I could clearly see some fine blood vessel-like patterns on the surface of the jade bangle.

  Just as I was engrossed in the view, someone suddenly tapped my shoulder from behind, giving me a fright. I turned around to see that it was Xuan Yuan Ruo, and he looked puzzled. Xuan Yuan Ruo seemed to notice my confusion and smiled, saying: "Nan Xiao Xiao, came to S city for summer vacation? I'm also here on vacation. What a coincidence, running into you at Yan Yu Zhai! Are you here with your parents?"

  There's a saying that goes "don't hit someone with a smiling face", so I replied, "No, I came here with my classmates and his older cousin. They're up ahead, I'm just taking a look around."

  "How about it? Have you set your eyes on any of them? I'll give her to you."

  I couldn't afford it anyway, there are all adults around, and you, a young master, have also arrived. It's no wonder that this store is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. Besides, I'm not related to you, why should I accept your gift? As the saying goes, "If you eat someone's food, you'll be short-handed." I'd rather just take a look and enjoy the feast for my eyes. I smiled and said: "No, no, I haven't taken a liking to any of them, they're all just very exquisite jade pieces. I don't know anything about jade either, let's not pretend to be what we're not. My classmate probably got impatient waiting for me and left first, see you later."

  I was about to run away, Xuan Yuan asked in a hurry: "When are you going back? Let's go out and play together when we have time." I said without looking back: "I'll be back tomorrow, today is just to buy some small gifts. See you later."

  Xuanyuan Ruo gazed at the piece of jade in a daze, then said: "Uncle Yan, I want to buy this piece of jade." Old Master Yan smiled and said: "Little Ruo, you have a good eye for things. You've taken a liking to my shop's treasure as soon as you arrived."

  I ran and looked around, finally catching up with the main group. They said I had to be careful from now on as I was too prone to running off randomly. But I calmly followed them, buying a square scarf with plum blossoms, a silk handkerchief with a pattern of empty valleys and orchids, an ancient-style pearl hairpin and a small umbrella. They teased me for only buying useless trinkets, but I didn't mind, feeling content and satisfied as I headed back.