...
After Klawen left, Link tidied up the clinic, took off his white coat and hung it on the coat rack, changed into a black-and-white suit, put on white gloves, and walked outside to lock the clinic door.
The sky darkened, with the streetlights flickering dimly.
"A long night always needs a way to pass, doesn't it?"
Link muttered to himself with a bored expression as he walked next door and took out a key to unlock the door.
The old wooden door exuded a faint fragrance of wood, and the bell on it rang crisply. The gloomy atmosphere came to life as the owner stepped in, and Link turned on the lights, flipping the sign on the door to the "Open" side.
Indeed, the shop next door was also his. Unlike the clinic, this tea shop was richly decorated and aesthetically pleasing.
"It's only natural, after all, I decorated it myself." Link felt the contrast of the environment and said with some complacency.
The patter of raindrops began to sound, gradually increasing in intensity, as if God had poured his footbath over the city.
It was pouring, and the sky was frighteningly dark today. Except for the light inside the shop, the outside scenery was invisible. The warm, moist air continuously filled the glass, covering all the views. The floor at the shop's entrance was splashed with some water, and Link quickly cleaned it with a mop and closed the doors and windows.
The tea shop had been built with a raised floor, so as long as the door was closed, water would not come in.
The old radio next to the counter was on, broadcasting the rain information with a snowy sound, but the sound was intermittent and irritating.
Better not to listen, Link simply turned off the power.
He couldn't afford a TV, and the signal would probably be poor at this time anyway. He listened to the intermittent sound of the TV from the next shop, followed by some faint cursing.
Link chuckled lightly, only at this time did he feel that having a TV was nothing special.
The sound of water outside the shop grew louder and louder, and the rain fell like a column, unaffected by the wind.
In this weather, there should be no one coming, right.
"No one comes, no income."
Link sat helplessly in a chair, propping his head and reading a novel, occasionally sipping warm tea. This was the good tea left by the old doctor. The good news was that there was a lot left, the bad news was that the old doctor didn't tell him the supply channel.
This tea shop didn't make money, but fortunately, it was a side business, and the meager income from the clinic could barely support life, and he didn't spend money himself.
"What a troublesome weather."
Link laughed at himself mockingly.
At this moment, he should use the heavy rain as background sound to take a nap, or just close the door if no one comes tonight.
"But what if? What if someone just happens to come in the rain, sees this tea shop, and the shopkeeper inside is waiting for him, wouldn't that make the other person feel like they were chosen by fate?"
What is this called?
"A lifeline." Link pondered over this word, "The possibility of someone coming so late is small, but not zero."
Interesting, Link believed in fate very much, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly. If there was a thought on such a night, it was a very good way to pass the time.
Link stood up abruptly, stuffed a few pieces of wood into the stove, made another cup of hot tea and coffee, and after a bit of thought, placed a dry, soft towel and a piece of cake next to the counter.
The burning stove quickly dried the slightly fishy air, making it very comfortable and warm.
His tea shop can't be considered a traditional tea shop, it has a bit of everything, rather like a high-end grocery store. The warehouse is filled with many banners and gifts sent by patients, food specialties and so on - the patients who sent gifts are not his, but the old doctor's. Since the old doctor passed away, his clinic has been even more deserted.
In Link's opinion, the style of these wines is actually not high. How could the things used for gifts be high-end, although the guests who come think they are good.
But the classical beauty of the environment and the wooden furniture, coupled with the various specialties sent by the guests for decoration, as well as the bookshelf in the corner, always make people feel that this is a high-end place - it's just that it has just opened for a short time and is always open at night, resulting in few people.
Plus the "one meal, one soup" facing the guests now, Link is waiting in front of the counter, as if waiting for a friend who has not arrived for a long time.
Isn't the sense of mystery suddenly up? It's like a stranger waiting for someone predestined to come in the middle of the night, and then saying when he or she comes in: "You are finally here, the person of fate."
This is very interesting, and Link suddenly has some expectations for the dull night.
As for the practical significance, as the old man said before, providing a place for people to rest in the heavy rain seems to be called accumulating merit? Link thinks so.
How easy is it to find a warm place in such heavy rain? It's a great merit.
By the way, if he made a roulette, tied a fish on it, put half in the water, and turned the handle of the roulette, wouldn't that put the fish in a state of being released but not completely released? Keep releasing and turning back, in a cycle.
So what is this, a merit cheat device? Will the merit brushed out be found and cleared by the so-called gods?
It's a very open-minded idea, Link sipped a mouthful of tea, turned to a new chapter of the novel, and the corners of his mouth hooked in the rustling sound of the paper.
The night is still very long.
...
Such a rainy night, everything seems so comfortable, the heavy rain washes away all the sounds, bringing a kind of drowsiness, a sense of security.
Who would open for business on such a rainy night? Unless you don't mind the cost of electricity.
Similarly, who would go out in this weather? In such a remote place.
There are.
In the heavy rain, a figure was running awkwardly on the 5th Street, the water vapor covering all the sight, she quickly shuttled through the buildings, like a nimble cat, stepping on the water surface a little bit of water splashes, and then quickly swallowed by the heavy rain.
Fortunately, there was a rare heavy rain, she was able to escape. The continuously rising body temperature and the body that suddenly became much stronger made her both surprised and scared.
Free, but where can I go? Where is my home? Who am I?
She slowly stopped, lost her balance and fell to the ground, the sound of the capture in the distance was gone, she forced herself to stand up, stumbled in the heavy rain, wearing a black cloak that she took out and put on when she came out, but it couldn't resist the cold at all.
The heavy rain at the end of late autumn is cold, and the mental silk threads in the brain are constantly intertwined with the red strange lines, she has to stop, endure the strange feeling in the brain.
She opened her eyes, the scenery in front of her was too blurred to see clearly, her head was extremely painful, she couldn't help kneeling on the ground, and after a while, the ancient memories and will merged with the weak spirit, intertwined.