After arriving in Liuqing, Weiwei and Qi walked around for a while admiring its streets and old buildings. Mostly in exotic shades of grey, some painted white, the houses lining one of the main canals of the town were serene and picturesque.
Large windows with carved shutters, many open at this hour, looked upon the narrow streets, with some wooden decorative beams protruding to hang above your head with flower, dragon, and phoenix shapes painted in red and dark brown. Climbing plants in pots and hanging baskets added splashes of green and yellow to the palette of the town basking in the low sun.
Weiwei was enthralled.
"It's even better than the pictures I saw!" she finally exclaimed.
Qi, with a satisfied smile, nodded in agreement. "It's beautiful, isn't it? Would you like me to take your picture?"
A picture? Does he want to have my picture to keep?
"I could use your phone," said Qi in a conciliatory tone watching her hesitation.
What's the harm in him having my picture? We're living in the same apartment, after all.
"Your camera is better," she replied. "You can send it to me."
"Here, in front of the boat," he pointed at a tourist shuijun canal boat.
Weiwei wasn't comfortable posing, so she just stood with her hands by her sides.
I don't want to cup my face with my hands like those girls online.
To her surprise and satisfaction, Qi seemed happy with her pose.
They chose a small cozy old-fashioned restaurant where they could get a table facing the canal. Qi held a chair for Weiwei, and as she was sitting down, their hands brushed against each other. Electricity ran through Weiwei's entire body.
It feels like a date. It feels fabulous.
She overthought it and got flustered.
"Is everything okay?" asked Qi, sitting down across from her and noticing her expression. "You don't like the place? We can look for another one."
"No, it's not that. I really like the place," Weiwei didn't know how to explain to him why she was nervous.
A lively woman in her sixties, probably the owner, came up to them, all smiles. She had a colorful apron on, and a flower tucked behind her ear. She spoke cheerfully and effortlessly, as does only someone who meets dozens of new customers each day.
"Welcome to Serenity Garden, young couple! Are you having a nice time in Liuqing? How do you like our beautiful town?" she didn't pause to let them answer. "You are both so young and lovely, I'm really happy you came to eat at my place. Seeing that you're such a wonderful couple, may I recommend our couple's special – the sweet and sour pork dish?"
Weiwei felt that her face was already completely red as the woman kept on going describing how the couple's dish is prepared and served.
Why does she keep calling us a couple? Do we really look like one? I know he's very handsome, but do I look like I'm a fit for him?
Weiwei opened her mouth to explain they were just friends, but stopping the shopkeeper was impossible. In the meantime, Weiwei detected a half-smirk on Qi's face.
He doesn't seem to mind her mistake. Is it because he really likes me?
"We serve it in a beautiful large bowl, topped with chrysanthemum petals, so that you two could serve each other and enjoy every bite together."
Weiwei recalled that chrysanthemum symbolized love and devotion in the language of flowers, and involuntarily glanced at Qi.
"That sounds delicious," he managed to finally interject. "What do you think?" he asked Weiwei.
"Of course, the young lady will love it," the shopkeeper continued talking, completely unfazed. "Won't you? It's settled then, yes?"
Weiwei looked pleadingly at Qi, and he smiled to the shopkeeper. "Yes, thanks."
Why do I feel embarrassed? I should've corrected her that we're not a couple. It's too late now. And he didn't correct her either. Does he want us to be a couple?
"Such an energetic woman, don't you think?" chuckled Qi.
"Very," Weiwei was able to breathe a sigh of relief and look at other tables. "But the food looks delicious."
When they left the restaurant, they walked back slowly along the canal stopping at some shops selling local pottery and antiques.
"This may well be my grandfather's room," chuckled Qi, pointing at a table in one of them.
Weiwei came closer to look. "What is it?"
"The books and coins."
Among the things for sale was a glass case with an old coin that Weiwei instantly recognized. It was one of the coins in the box her grandma would let her play with.
Memories instantly flooded Weiwei, and she couldn't stop tears from welling in her eyes.
"What is it? What's wrong Weiwei?" she heard Qi asking her repeatedly.
"It's nothing, it's an old story," she mumbled.
My past is reminding me of itself. What does it mean? Does it try to remind me of the good things or bad, or both?
Qi gently turned her by her shoulders toward him. "What is it, tell me."
Weiwei fought back tears.
"I will, but not here," and she led the way out of the store.
As they walked slowly back to the parking, Weiwei told Qi the story of the disappeared coins. The houses around the two of them were still pretty, and the boats rocking in the water still unique, but Weiwei was no longer able to enjoy the evening. The past came back into her life, and made her relive all the pain she had gone through before meeting Qi. It felt so far away, and yet so close at the same time. It made Weiwei wonder what was going to disappear first: her painful memories of living in Uncle Gu's house, or the newfound freedom and happiness in Xīnchéngshì.