Ruì Xiǎodān arrived in the ancient city at 3 PM. Nearing Nancun Community, she remembered that Dīng Yuányīng had moved, so she redirected her car to Jiāhéyuán Community and called the new house, informing him that Hán Chǔfēng had sent some things for him and to come down to collect them.
As she drove into Jiāhéyuán Community, she saw Dīng Yuányīng waiting downstairs. She parked the car beside him, and he glanced at the car, a hint of confusion in his eyes.
Ruì Xiǎodān got out, smiled briefly in greeting, and unlocked the trunk to reveal two taped-up cardboard boxes. "These are the boxes. You take the bigger one," she said.
Dīng Yuányīng lifted the larger box and headed upstairs. Ruì Xiǎodān locked the car and followed with the smaller box. When she reached the second floor, Dīng Yuányīng was already coming back down to take the box from her. They entered the apartment together, both aware of the awkwardness of the moment.
This new apartment was much more spacious than the one in Nancun Community. The air conditioning was on, providing a refreshing coolness as they entered. The furniture was arranged similarly to the old place, leaving one room empty. Due to the recent move, some details were still in disarray.
After setting down the box, Dīng Yuányīng politely said, "Please, have a seat."
Ruì Xiǎodān sat down and placed the car documents and keys on the coffee table. "Hán Chǔfēng sent you 30 cartons of cigarettes and 50,000 yuan, along with Tieguanyin tea from Zhèng Jiàn's hometown and over 20 records from Zhānnī. Hán Chǔfēng asked me to drive your car back, but the car is registered under his name, so I didn't ask further."
Dīng Yuányīng paused before saying, "Chǔfēng knows I don't drive, and there's no need for a car in the ancient city."
Ruì Xiǎodān was taken aback, "Is there a problem?"
"No problem," Dīng Yuányīng replied. "It's a car he lost in a bet last year. Just a joke."
Ruì Xiǎodān realized that since Dīng Yuányīng didn't drive, she was meant to be his driver. Hán Chǔfēng's gesture of having her bring the car back was a subtle way of acknowledging her presence in Dīng Yuányīng's life, even though she knew Hán Chǔfēng's approval wouldn't influence Dīng Yuányīng's decisions. Still, she felt moved by the gesture.
Dīng Yuányīng continued, "Ōuyáng Xuě has been here, and I've given her the money. I don't drive and have no place to keep the car, so you'll need to find a spot for it."
"Okay, I've caused you trouble," Ruì Xiǎodān replied.
Using the car keys, Dīng Yuányīng cut open the tape on the boxes. The smaller box contained the cigarettes and cash, while the larger one was filled with tea and records.
Dīng Yuányīng browsed through the records and used scissors to open a package of Tieguanyin tea, examining it closely. A smile gradually appeared on his face as he admired the tea, saying, "Good tea." He showed it to Ruì Xiǎodān with the excitement of a child showing off a prized possession. The tea leaves were pearl-like, plump, and glossy.
"I don't understand tea; I can't tell," Ruì Xiǎodān admitted.
Dīng Yuányīng picked up the electric kettle from the coffee table, which was steaming. He rinsed the tea utensils with hot water, scooped the tea leaves into a gaiwan, and brewed the tea, finally pouring it into a tea cup and offering it to Ruì Xiǎodān.
As she lifted the cup to her nose, a fragrant aroma filled her senses. Taking a deep breath, she felt invigorated. "It smells wonderful!" she exclaimed. Taking a sip, her mouth was filled with a lingering fragrance. "Good tea!" she declared again.
Dīng Yuányīng downed his tea in one gulp, savoring it with closed eyes before nodding in approval. He set the cup down and lit a cigarette, looking satisfied.
Ruì Xiǎodān didn't drink more of the tea. She picked up the car documents and keys from the coffee table, stood up, and calmly looked into Dīng Yuányīng's eyes. "I'll treat you to dinner tonight. Wait for my call," she said.
Dīng Yuányīng thought for a moment, "Where are we going?"
Ruì Xiǎodān gave a faint, wistful smile, "Don't worry, no one will ask you to pay today."