Chapter 090 – Twilight of the First Love

Chapter 90: Twilight of the First Love

The butter crab dumplings used the best steam crab roe paste inside the crab as the filling. It had a layer of soup and once bitten, it could easily scald the tongue. That’s why Wen Ren Hui Yin verbally reminded Zhou Jian about it.

In each basket of the soup dumplings, there were eight dumplings in each. It’s slightly larger compared to the average dumplings. It’s priced at 198 HK dollar, which meant an average of 20 yuan each. And this was still considered cheap in Hong Kong because it wasn’t the best season for butter crabs now. In August, when the butter crabs were spawning, one steamed crab could produce half a bowl of juice.

Zhou Jian used a porcelain spoon specialized used to each the butter crab soup dumplings. He nibbled a bite and drank the soup before eating it whole. The dumpling remained in his mouth and the taste was so fresh, making people unwilling to swallow it down.

Truly delicious, he was forced to make such a praise. But this stuff really wasn’t affordable to those ordinary people. If he let himself go, he could eat three or four baskets before he’s about 80% full.

The dinner party soon came to an end. Wen Ren Ze proposed to have a look at the Hong Kong night scene from the platform. Wen Ren Hui Yin immediately agreed. Since her aunt was now recovering, she’s especially happy and Zhou Jian naturally followed as well. In Hong Kong, it’s common to eat the seafood and enjoy the view.

They took the lift to arrive at the top viewing platform. The night breeze was blowing gently and looking down, the endless lights were just like clusters of fireworks, extending all the way to the sea.

“Really beautiful.” Wen Ren Hui Yin mumbled, and she went to sit down on the steps of the viewing platform as she said this. In the distance was the countless lights reflecting the symbol of prosperity and romance of the Victoria Bay. The endless waves breaking through the shore, showing its brilliant colors.

When Wen Ren Ze did not follow up, Zhou Jian went to Wen Ren Hui Yin’s side and sat down. Looking at the radiant night scene, his state of mind was rapidly fluctuating.

The scenery of the East Asia night, with its endless noise and fascinating view, made Zhou Jian recollected back to his memories back in the village courtside. The night seemed so unlike it was back then. Zhou Jian recalled back to his parents, the small village he grew in, his childhood friend next door who always sported a twin ponytails. He went and made an innocent oath with her back then. Perhaps she was about to get married…

Recalling back the once tranquil life, contrasting with the current electrifying night, the delicious aftertaste from the meal was still fresh in his mouth, Zhou Jian had a very unreal feeling. It’s like this bustling place and the quiet simple village life back then were just not in the same world.

He came out silently, arriving at a bustling place ten thousand steps away. He struggled silently and step by step moved forward but at the same time, all that had passed was in the past. Sometimes, he looked back and could see his elderly parents standing by the entrance under the old tree, with their gentle smile. And behind them was a slightly shabby clinic with its mottled lime walls and a somewhat rotten wooden signboard. On the board was calligraphy of “Zhou Clinic”, and next to it was a cross drawn in red paint. 

While fondly remembering all these, he would continue to move forward and step by step move into the upper class of society. Those that he used to be in contact with, he could no longer contact and everything, including the village, started to gradually fade away from his memories. He was reluctant to let them go, but he wouldn’t stop moving forward…

….

“Truly beautiful and lively.” Zhou Jian sighed with emotion. He didn’t how to put his taste into words.

Wen Ren Hui Yin was silent and after a while, she quietly said: “Here, there were no stars in the sky. Even the moon was dimmed. In my childhood, my mother told me that if there’s light, there wouldn’t be stars to accompany, and it’s very lonely…”

“I didn’t understand at the time, but now it seems like it’s clear to me.” Wen Ren Hui Yin cracked a smile. “There’s no such thing that’s perfect in this world. My family’s similar to the lights of Hong Kong, but your hometown is similar to the stars in the sky. The light had its own brilliance and the stars had the beauty of the stars. Which one do you like, the lights or the stars?”

“I…” Zhou Jian was silent for a while, then slowly said. “Maybe it’s the lights….”

“Haha, but I like stars…. The light of those neon lights looked colorful. In fact, the light they emitted seemed elegant. But living under them won’t feel warm, like my family.” 

“My mother passed away a long time ago. My father revolted against family and bought his mistress overseas. I didn’t blame him. He has the rights to choose for his happiness. He also liked the lights but didn’t want to give up the stars. So, many people have to pay the price…”

Wen Ren Hui Yin didn’t elaborate on it. Her father, Wen Ren Xiao Long and the affair of his family was a taboo for the Wen Ren family. So, Wen Ren Hui Yin’s identity in the family had been very subtle, but fortunately, the Wen Ren Bo Da couple had been regarding her as their own.

“Did you know?” Wen Ren Hui Yin turned her head to look at Zhou Jian. “Actually, when I was in high school, I’d been quietly concerned about you.” 

Zhou Jian’s heart jumped. Even his breathing was a bit of a mess at that moment. He turned his head looked at Wen Ren Hui Yin. In her clear and bright pupil, he could clearly see his own reflection, reflecting back his cramped, yet expectant expression.

“Because your world was the complete opposite of mine. You have many things that I’m envious of,  unlike others whom I’m not envious of. Perhaps I’m curious about it. I like chatting with you and learning about your own life and silent struggle. When I listened to you, it’s like listening back to the olden views. It’s strange to me. Because I didn’t understand the world that you’re in, therefore, everything that you said to me was a novelty.” 

“In my eyes, you are a little frustrated and slightly cynical of the world, but you never complained and always like to rely on yourself. You make every effort to progress and you have some sense of righteous like an adult.” 

“….” Zhou Jian didn’t know that Wen Ren Hui Yin had such view of himself. The original palpitating feeling that he had slowly subsided. It seemed like he had the wrong idea. If fact, he was a common until unable to be any more common ordinary college student with no distinctive character. Because of his poverty, he made early contact with the society and inevitably saw the ugliness of human nature. So, his heart was a little dark but this gloominess didn’t erase the sense of justice that remained in his heart. He said: “Actually, I’m just a common man.” 

“Um, haha.” Wen Ren Hui Yin sounded like a silver bell when she laughed. “Yeah, I’d said that your world was the opposite to me. You said that you’re vulgar because you lived in a reality where you have to constantly struggle. Some people said that I’m elusive because I’d lived in a fantasy since my childhood….”

Zhou Jian was taking in Wen Ren Hui Yin’s words. “Like you said, perhaps we shouldn’t have become friends….”

“No, the different worlds are complementary. I like the feeling that you brought to me. And I disliked those who owned the lights and had always regarded those lights as their capital to show off, or like those playboys who used them to gift to others in exchange for those satisfied feelings.” 

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