Chapter 21: Old Friend

Chapter 21: An Old Friend

Su Lichen was exactly that kind of person—capable and organized, but not one to control others or be too high-profile.

They always did everything together and talked it through.

Su Lichen looked out the window, thought for a moment, and said, "There's a noodle shop I've been to before."

Xu Moxing's eyes lit up. "Then let's go for dinner tonight?"

"Sure."

After resting in the room for a bit, Su Lichen wheeled him out the door.

This was the old city district, where the houses and roads looked old and worn.

The roads weren't as neat and grand as in the city center. They weren't in bad shape, but you could see the marks of time, history, and local life.

The trees along the road were ancient-looking.

They were thick and leafy; on sunny days they didn't stand out, but on overcast days, this area looked gloomier.

Xu Moxing sat in his wheelchair. The roads were bumpy, so the ride jolted a little, but since they moved slowly, it wasn't uncomfortable.

The old district was quite lively, with many old folks and children, as well as parents with little ones.

Both sides of the street were lined with small shops selling food, drinks, and all sorts of knick-knacks.

Xu Moxing couldn't get enough of the sights.

"A Li, I want to try that, but I'm worried it won't taste good."

"I'll buy one first. We'll split it. If it's good, we'll get more, okay?"

Xu Moxing was thinking the same thing and nodded eagerly.

Su Lichen bought one and handed it to Xu Moxing to try first. Xu Moxing opened the bag and said, "A Li, you take the first bite."

Su Lichen bent down slightly and took a bite out of it from Xu Moxing's hand.

The street was too crowded, so Su Lichen pushed him along and asked, "Is it good?"

"Not bad. Good thing we didn't buy more—it's a bit oily."

Xu Moxing took two bites, then held the snack up over his head, signaling for Su Lichen to eat.

"You want me to finish it?"

"Yeah."

The noodle shop was in the middle of the old street. It wasn't big—a few tables inside, all occupied.

Su Lichen went in and asked. The owner said there'd be a fifteen-minute wait. So he pushed Xu Moxing back outside and waited by the door.

Next to them was a stall selling beef innards, the aroma wafting over. Xu Moxing sniffed the air.

"Want some?"

Xu Moxing glanced at him but said nothing.

Su Lichen walked over and bought a combo called 'Family Feast'.

The combo included a bit of everything from the stall, topped with the vendor's homemade sauce—it was quite tasty.

They sat by the roadside and shared it.

Xu Moxing squinted contentedly. "Delicious. What do you think, A Li?"

"Not bad. Her sauce is well-made. I thought it'd be a bit salty, but it's just right."

After finishing the snack, a table opened up. They ordered two different kinds of noodles and switched noodles halfway through so they could try more flavors.

When they finished eating and came out, the sky wasn't completely dark yet.

The sunset cast its glow over the old street, painting the stone pavement orange.

Someone walked by with a little dog. Children ran past, chattering in the local dialect, their laughter trailing along the road.

Xu Moxing was pushed along slowly when they suddenly ran into someone they knew.

"Hey, what are you two doing here?"

"Just exploring."

"Xu Moxing, what happened to your leg?"

"Just a minor injury. It'll be fine in a few months. Mai Cong, do you live around here?"

Mai Cong was a native of Yangcheng and a college classmate of theirs.

"Yeah, what a coincidence! Have you eaten? Let me treat you—it's been years."

Su Lichen interjected, "We just ate."

"How about tonight, then? A late-night snack? When are you leaving?"

"Back to Shencheng tomorrow." Su Lichen answered only Mai Cong's last question, then turned to Xu Moxing. "Mo, what do you think? Want to grab a late-night bite?"

"Sounds fine. Can we do it around nine? I don't want to stay out too late—I need to get enough sleep."

"Sure, sure. Where are you staying? I'll pick you up."

Su Lichen told him the hotel address. Mai Cong nodded. "See you then."

Xu Moxing and Mai Cong had never been close friends—just ordinary friends.

They could have a meal together and chat about trivial things when they met, but they never kept in touch otherwise.

They didn't have much in common.

Su Lichen and Mai Cong had a bit more contact, since both came from well-off families. Mai Cong loved cars, and Su Lichen, because of his parents, knew a lot about cars.

In college, Mai Cong preferred hanging out with Su Lichen, but because Xu Moxing was always sticking with Su Lichen, he'd also chat with Xu Moxing occasionally.

But in the five years since graduation, Xu Moxing had no idea whether either of them had stayed in touch with Mai Cong.

As they strolled along the street, Xu Moxing asked Su Lichen curiously, "Has Mai Cong kept in touch with us these past few years?"

"Very rarely. He bought another car two years ago and contacted me about it, but otherwise we don't talk."

In Su Lichen's heart, Mai Cong was just an alumnus he wouldn't lose touch with.

After talking about Mai Cong, Xu Moxing became curious about the five years he had forgotten.

“In these five years, have I traveled with you?”

“Hmm, once a year. I originally wanted to plan at least two trips a year, but you thought it was too expensive, and said…”

Su Lichen paused before continuing, “You said there’s still plenty of time ahead, so many years ahead, once a year we could still visit seventy or eighty places.”

“Yeah, the me now also agrees with the future me’s idea.”

Xu Moxing didn't notice Su Lichen's emotions he was barely holding back and agreed with his future self.

Su Lichen sighed to himself, “But we only traveled to four places before breaking up.”

The more he recalled their time together, the more Su Lichen regretted it. He finally stopped deceiving himself; the one at fault more was not Xu Moxing, but himself.

No amount of money can buy a second chance.

After strolling for a while, a little past nine, Mai Cong called Su Lichen.

Su Lichen told him their location, and Mai Cong drove out in his ridiculously flashy Hummer.

“Haha, how about this car? Pretty good, right? Get in.”

Good thing Su Lichen wasn't short, otherwise he'd have had trouble getting into the car while carrying Xu Moxing.

“The two of you have been together for so many years, and your relationship is still so good; it’s truly a rare thing.”

Mai Cong also knew about their relationship, but they hadn't told him about it; he'd stumbled onto it by accident.

After finding out, he didn’t distance himself from them; instead, he became even closer than before.