It is the bottom of the pot with red soup and white soup at the same time.
Someone once told me that many experienced old people in Bashu do not eat mandarin duck pot. Because the mandarin duck pot is also called "Yin Yang pot". You never know what the one who shares the table with you is.
one
When I was in college, I had a girlfriend from Chongqing, Qiao Qian. I was a boy from Jiangsu and Zhejiang who didn't eat spicy food, but in order to accompany her, I ate 99 hotpots in four years - fortunately, there was also the choice of "mandarin duck pot". Later, my other friends in Chongqing told me that when a Chongqing person is willing to eat mandarin duck pot with you, it is an accommodation that almost destroys the principle.
We thought that the 100th hotpot meal would be the anniversary. But until we broke up, the number was still 99.
The third year after graduation, I went to Chongqing on business. I was hungry at night, so I went out to find supper. After walking along the dim street lights for a long time, I didn't see a shop in business. When I was walking, suddenly a spicy and delicious smell floated over. I sniffled, walked quickly along the fragrance, and walked around several corners. The fragrance became stronger.
Around a black alley without street lights, the hot smoke and fire came to my face. A hotpot restaurant nearby was full of people, and the man with bare arms and the cheerful Chongqing girls were talking and laughing in the dense water vapor, enjoying themselves.
This is a "Dongzi hotpot".
It is said that in the early days of the Anti Japanese War, Jiang Guangtou mobilized the people of Chongqing to build in the whole city and dug out the most complicated air raid shelter system in the world. After the war, these air raid shelters could not be used for daily living because of their heavy yin qi. However, the industrious Chongqing people have found a new way to open "Dongzi Hot Pot". Relying on the harmony of hot pot shops and popularity, it has become a scene in Chongqing.
This story was told to me by Qiao Qian... My heart sank, and I shook my head to stop thinking about it. When I lowered my head, I would go to the store.
The shopkeeper who was busy suddenly came up to me and stopped me. This is a middle-aged man with greasy hands. He looks unimpressive but has good skills. He almost set up the whole store by himself.
"Why, don't you do business?" I was a little angry, but I asked patiently.
The shopkeeper looked up and down at me and said, "Outsider?" When he saw me nod, he pursed his lips and pointed to the table at the door of the shop. "Please come in again."
It is a bronze sculpture as big as a palm. Different from the god of wealth and Guanyin in general stores, this is a general with a horse and a horizontal sword. His eyes are particularly smart and he looks at me with dignity, as if he would fight with his sword at any time.
It seemed that I was a little confused. The shopkeeper explained softly: "This is General Bamanzi, who determines yin and yang and divides good and evil."
Why, don't you bless the rich? I was surprised, but it was not convenient to ask, so I honestly paid three obeisances to the statue.
The shopkeeper seemed to be relieved when I finished the worship. He leaned aside to get out of the way: "The shop is busy, please sit down carefully... Be careful, and hurry to leave after eating."
I feel more and more strange. This is not the attitude of doing business, but actually driving people away.
Frowning, i looked around the store, but could not find an empty table. Can't we just fight for the table? Hot pot is something to eat with unknown people... I'm a little embarrassed.
Just worried, a familiar voice suddenly sounded: "Achuan, come here."
I looked back and suddenly froze on the spot.
The delicate face with a beautiful smile, which looms after the dense steam, is neither Qiao Qian nor who?
two
Forget it. It's all in the past. Adults should be more generous. I urged myself to take a deep breath and sit down with a smile.
"Xiaoqian, that year..."
"Stop talking nonsense and order."
Looking at the cold expression on Joe's shallow face, I swallowed and cried subconsciously: "Boss, mandarin duck pot."
As soon as the words came out, the shop suddenly became quiet. People seem to have heard some strange words, and they cast inquiring eyes one after another. After several seconds, they turned their heads again and continued their night snack.
The shopkeeper frowned and came over. He looked at me and Qiao Qian: "Young man, I'd better give you a red soup... I'll try to put as little pepper as possible."
I was happy: "It's OK to serve the mandarin duck pot. This is me... friend, we used to eat like this."
Hearing this, the shopkeeper turned around suspiciously and brought a pot of mandarin ducks. Before leaving, he told Qiao Qian, "Don't make trouble. General Ba is watching."
Looking at the boiling bottom of the pot, I asked curiously: "Xiaoqian, you Chongqing people are so strange? Why......"
Qiao Qian once again coldly interrupted me: "Eat." Then he picked up a piece of mutton and put it into the soup.
Didn't she just eat red soup before? Although strange, I had been choked twice tonight. I was also a bit grumpy, so I simply didn't ask her. I took a piece of bacon and wanted to rinse it in white soup. Unexpectedly, Qiao Qian suddenly stuck out his chopsticks and stopped me.
"Today, you eat red soup." She looked at me, her face still cold. "Don't touch a mouthful of white soup."
I lowered my head resentfully. Somehow, Qiao Qian's temperament tonight was so cold that I was a little scared. I unconsciously did what she said.
Although the shopkeeper said he would put less pepper, my tongue seemed to be burned as soon as the chopsticks entered my mouth. Without taking a few mouthfuls, I couldn't help sticking out my tongue and fanning the wind.
"No, it's too hot. I want to eat white soup!" I shouted, rinsing a piece of tofu in the white soup.
"Don't!" Qiao Qian suddenly held my hand, and the cold came from where my skin touched, which made me shiver all over.
Her face had an expression for the first time. Her eyes were watery, almost imploring: "Achuan, don't eat white soup!"
Looking at her like this, I suddenly got a nameless flame - that's the expression! When I begged her not to leave me, I also gave her the same expression!
I flicked her hand away and put the bean curd into my mouth. "What if I want to eat it?"
As soon as the food came into my mouth, I suddenly froze. The familiar scalding taste is nowhere to be found, instead, it is cold.
I felt something was wrong and subconsciously vomited the food out of my mouth. Qiaoqian's face showed a contradictory expression mixed with pain and joy. She sat down in despair, closed her eyes and did not speak.
I approached her carefully to ask her what was going on, but I saw her leaning back in the chair, revealing her snow-white neck covered by long hair. On the delicate and creamy skin, there are a circle of stitches. It's like... It's like just sewing up.
Suddenly, I was afraid. I turned and left Qiao Qian without paying the bill.
The shopkeeper didn't stop me, but when I rushed out of the shop, I seemed to give a faint sigh.
three
When I returned to the hotel, I slept with my head covered. It was not until the sun came up that I got up all sore.
I sat in bed for a long time before I remembered what happened last night. After hesitating for a while, I took out my mobile phone and dialed the number in my memory.
"Ah Qian, last night..." I was ready to be blamed.
"Are you looking for Qiao Qian?" There was an old female voice at the other end of the phone.
"Are you her mother? Hello, auntie. I'm Qiao Qian's classmate from college. Could you give her a call?"
There was a long silence at the other end of the phone before he said hoarsely, "Ah Qian... has been dead for three years."
what? I was shocked. I saw Qiao Qian only last night.
Aunt Qiao seems surprised when I say so. I asked for the address and took a taxi to Qiao Qian's house.
Yes, Qiao Qian insisted on leaving me to go back to his hometown Chongqing in spite of my pleas, but the next day he came back, he encountered a major car accident, his neck was cut off by a piece of iron, and his body was separated on the spot. Later, Aunt Qiao finally found the best encoffiner and sewed her head back to her neck, which was a decent funeral.
Hearing this, I felt a cool breath going down my back into my forehead. Thinking of the suture on Joe's neck yesterday, I shivered and asked, "Auntie, what I saw yesterday..."
Aunt Qiao seemed very excited too. She could not help rubbing the portrait of Qiao Qian on her hand and said with tears in her eyes, "Ah Qian came back... I have read her for three years, and she finally came back... Where did you see her? Tell me quickly!"
I remembered for a long time before I reluctantly reported the address. Aunt Qiao thought for a long time, but still shook her head.
"I have lived in Chongqing for 40 years, and I have never heard of this cave... It's a mandarin duck pot..." She stared at my face for a long time, then asked slowly, "Ah Chuan, you and Ah Qian... are not ordinary classmates?"
"Well... yes, we've been together for some time." I touched my nose, a little embarrassed.
"That's right," Aunt Qiao sighed, "The old people told me a legend... This mandarin duck pot is also called Yin Yang pot. In the past, someone who missed his dead relatives would find a place with strong yin qi in the middle of the night to set up a mandarin duck pot. If the dead person was also most concerned about him, he would come out to eat together. The living people eat red soup, the dead people eat white soup. Before eating the hot pot, the two people separated by yin and yang can be short Meet you temporarily. I tried to see Ah Qian again in those years... But I didn't expect that you were the one that Ah Qian cared about most... "
Hearing this, my hair had already stood upright. Suddenly, I thought of a horrible fact and asked, "What if... living people eat that soup?"
"If a living person eats white soup... he or she is married to a dead person. Since then, there has been no separation between yin and yang. There are also people called ghost marriages." She suddenly realized something and asked in surprise, "You can't be..."
Seeing me nod, she hesitated and said, "Although I want to see Ah Qian from my mother's point of view... anyone who is a living man who has married a mandarin duck has not lived for seven days..."
My heart had been cold for a long time, but I still tried to smile and said, "Legend... it's all groundless. What time is it now? I don't believe it. Yesterday... it was probably a strange dream... Aunt is really sorry to disturb you..."
With that, I turned and ran away from Qiao's house.
four
Back at the hotel, my back was soaked with sweat.
It's getting dark outside, but I can't even afford to eat. I took out my mobile phone and booked the earliest ticket for tomorrow. I want to leave Chongqing immediately!
At the moment when the order was paid, I felt relieved and collapsed on the bed. At this time, my stomach cried out in frustration. I sat up straight and planned to ask the hotel to deliver a dinner.
Just thinking about this, the door suddenly knocked: "Sir, your dinner."
Oh, this hotel is very good. I really think about it. I praised it in my heart. When I opened the door, I saw a simple mandarin duck pot on the table pushed by the waiter.
My hair stood on end and I was shocked: "You...... How can you send this thing up?"
The waiter was puzzled: "Didn't your wife call the front desk to order dinner just now?"
I... Mrs? Sweat slowly seeped from my forehead, but I didn't care to wipe it. I bit my teeth and said to the waiter, "Yes, I was confused just now... Put down the things, you go first..."
As soon as the waiter closed the door, I couldn't help but burst out hysterically at the empty room: "Qiao Qian! Come out! Since you are dead, you should stay in the underworld honestly! Why bother me!"
I fell and hit again, and gave vent, but I didn't get any response. I sat on the bed panting for a while, and just wanted to have a rest. Suddenly, in the bathroom with the door closed, there came the intermittent sound of water, as well as a familiar female voice, singing a song gently, as if taking a bath happily.
This is... Qiao Qian's favorite song! Looking at the slim figure looming in the frosted glass of the bathroom, it seems that I have returned to those nights when I was in college and Qiao Qian was in a small hotel outside the campus
I clenched my fists and rushed into the bathroom, but all of a sudden I was empty - there was no one except the shower head that was spraying water.
There was a "snap" outside, as if something had broken it. When I returned to the table with a dark face, I saw a broken porcelain spoon on the ground. There were some dishes in the soup of the mandarin duck pot, and a pair of chopsticks were placed beside the pot, as if they had just been used.
Anger started from my heart, and I stopped making trouble. I walked to the table and rinsed some meat into the red soup. I ate it without expression. Although it was so hot that tears ran down my face, I still endured the pain and shouted: "You are satisfied with the mandarin duck pot, are you satisfied? What else do you want?"
It seemed to stop, and then until I fell asleep, nothing unusual happened.
At night, I slept in a daze, but my nose was slightly itchy, as if someone was scratching me with his hair.
"Don't make a fuss!" I waved my hand discontentedly, brushed a wisp of hair over my fingertips, then woke up suddenly and sat up. A string of silvery laughter gradually faded away - in that direction, it was the windowsill on the 18th floor!
How dare I sleep now? Turn on your mobile phone and call out a song called "The Great Compassion Mantra". The single circulates to the morning.
Qiao Qian... This is really keeping up with me.
I smiled bitterly, took a taxi, and planned to go to the Dongzi hotpot the day before yesterday.
five
In the early morning of Chongqing, there were few people on the streets. This slow living and leisurely city brings people a special sense of comfort.
But I was not in the mood to enjoy it. As soon as I got out of the car, I ran to the hole and stopped the shopkeeper at the door.
The shopkeeper has just changed his clothes and locked the door of the hotpot shop. He is respectfully inviting the gods from the offering table. It seems that he has just closed. I took a few steps to reach over and hit him on the shoulder.
I also checked the story of General Bamanzi. It is said that he was a general of the State of Ba in the Zhou Dynasty, loyal and trustworthy, loved by the people, and has been worshipped by the people of Bashu since his death, which is also a local belief.
When the morning sun rose, a ray of dawn fell on the edge of the idol's sword, reflecting the sharp light and shooting straight into my eyes. Unconsciously, I put out my hand to block the light. Suddenly, I felt the palm of my hand was hot, and I felt relaxed all over, as if some burden had been taken off. A faint scream came from my ear and went away quickly.
The shopkeeper seemed to notice, turned around and saw me standing still, smiled and said, "What's wrong?"
In this situation, it seems that I grabbed a straw and prayed repeatedly: "Boss, please help me!"
The shopkeeper didn't answer, but wrapped the statue in red cloth and carefully put it into the bag. Then he waved his hand: "Follow me."
I followed the shopkeeper for a long time and entered a teahouse in an alley. The teahouse seemed to have just opened, and a hale and hearty old man with white hair was wiping the tea bowl.
The shopkeeper seemed to be familiar with the way, so he found a seat near the window and sat down: "A brew of Laoyin tea."
Probably there was no business this morning. The old man brought tea and didn't leave. He sat by and stared at me. "Boy, the girl the day before yesterday... had an accident?"
I was stunned when I heard the words. After looking at them carefully for a long time, I suddenly remembered that in the hot pot shop that night, it seemed that the old man was sitting next door, eating hot pot with a group of old men.
In front of the shopkeeper and the old man, I was busy talking about Qiao Qian.
The shopkeeper frowned: "Young man... I have to tell you this. No one else is to blame." He took a sip of tea
I smiled bitterly: "Boss, don't tease me... If you dare to open such a shop, you must be a capable person. Show me a clear way."
The shopkeeper shook his head: "What can I do? This cave is open every night and closed every morning. It's either the fairy spirits or the witches and gods. It's all controlled by General Ba. The other day I saw that you didn't change your face and ordered the mandarin duck pot. You were familiar with the ghost across the river. I thought you were a dragon from other places and came to the mountain city to do something... Unexpectedly, you were a child!"
I looked at the old man again and said, "Sir, you can eat in the cave. Surely you are not an ordinary person, are you?"
Before the old man could speak, the shopkeeper had already sneered: "He? But he made a bowl of soul soothing tea and gave him some face regardless of yin and yang in the mountain city. He won't live for many years."
The old man was not angry, he smiled, as if he was not ridiculed by himself.
The shopkeeper sighed: "Just now, you took advantage of General Ba's courage to temporarily drive away the things on your body, but she will definitely come back tonight... You have eaten the pot of mandarin ducks, and General Ba can't handle this matter... Let me say, take advantage of these days to do all the things that need to be done. Now, welcome you young couple to take care of my business again!"
Is it really hopeless? I bowed my head in silence. Just when I was completely disillusioned, the old man suddenly offered me a bowl of tea.
"Don't worry, the boat will be straight at the end of the bridge. Young man, drink this bowl of soul soothing tea to replenish your vital energy. Otherwise, you will be exhausted before the enemy demands your life."
As soon as I drink the tea, the faint aroma is refreshing, and my fatigue caused by not sleeping all at once drives me clean.
"Tonight, you can give Dongzi Zhang a start and stay there... All the people in the mountain city are good at his hotpot. Are you afraid you can't find an expert to help you there?"
That's right! Hearing the old man say so, I suddenly had hope. Yes, the bell ringer is needed to solve the problem. Maybe we can solve the problem in Dongzi Hot Pot!
six
I thought I had graduated from a famous university anyway, and it was no problem to get started. But I never thought that I would always help Boss Zhang, which reduced his efficiency and was pushed aside in frustration.
Sitting at the door of the store, I was bored to brush my microblog, watching the sky getting dark and Boss Zhang picking up materials.
"What are you doing?" A fragrant wind came, and a soft voice came from behind my ears.
"Brush micro..." As soon as the words came out, I suddenly froze, cold sweat dripped from my forehead, carefully twisted my head, and glimpsed the beautiful image behind me with the corner of my eye.
I jumped up and hid behind Boss Zhang, pointing in that direction with trembling, "Joe... Qiao Qian..."
Boss Zhang put down the food in his hand and wiped his hands with his apron: "I don't care what you have, General Ba's territory is absolutely taboo!"
Qiao Qian showed a face from the darkness, with tears of grievance: "Achuan... I never forced you to do anything... It's no wonder I did..."
I can't help shouting at her: "Then go! Hurry up for my sake!"
It seemed that Boss Zhang could not see it, and pulled me out from behind: "The cycle of heavenly principles, she also can't make decisions... You are a man, can you take some responsibility?"
He took out a mandarin duck pot and put it on the table with a bang: "You talk first, I'm busy. Don't forget to pay the bill later."
I sat down trembling and watched Qiao Qian walk out of the night and sit opposite me with elegant steps.
"Don't be afraid of Achuan... I won't hurt you." Qiao Qian whispered, picked up his chopsticks and rinsed a piece of yellow throat in the red soup, then filtered the tea and sent it to my bowl.
The scene in front of me made me feel a little dizzy. I remember the first time I went out to eat hot pot with Qiao Qian. I tried to eat red soup, but it was so hot that I was half dead. In order to let me taste the authentic Chongqing hot pot, Qiao Qian would heat the dishes in red soup and then put them in white water. And yellow throat is my favorite dish
This familiar scene has diluted my fear. I picked up the yellow throat and ate it. After hesitating for a few seconds, I picked up a piece of mutton and rinsed it in white soup and put it in her bowl.
"It used to be that I ate white soup and you ate red soup... but now it's the opposite." I tried to squeeze out an ugly smile.
Qiao Qian didn't eat. He looked down and cried, "Ah Chuan... have you been doing well these years?"
"No," I shook my head. "You insisted on going, which made me depressed for a while. I missed the school enrollment season, and it was not easy to find a job. It took three years to get back on track... Now you have destroyed me again."
"I'm sorry," Qiao Qian sobbed. "My mother would have forced me to come back, even said I would kill myself if I didn't go home... I had no choice..."
"Well," I interrupted her, staring at her eyes sincerely, "since it's over, can't we let go? Can you spare me?"
Joe shook his head slightly and said, "I have no way... I am now confined to your side and can't leave... You will also slowly be sucked away by me... This can't be changed."
"What a big thing I am, it's just a yin and yang button." A sharp voice suddenly sounded.
I looked back and saw a heavily made up wife sitting on one side with her legs crossed, smoking an old style cigarette gun and squinting at us. There were several old men standing beside her, one of whom was the one in the teahouse.
The old man of the teahouse smiled at me and pointed at his wife and said, "This is Grandma Yan of Guanyin Bridge. She is very familiar with red and white affairs. If anyone in the mountain city has a way to unlock the yin and yang buttons, she must be the one."
Grandma Yan snorted, "Now you know how to compliment me? Why did you go there 50 years ago?"
The old man of the teahouse smiled awkwardly: "Shufen, outsiders are present, so don't mention the things when we were young... We are old, why do we talk about this..."
Granny Yan gave him a white look and said, "Come on, go and reminisce with your group of dead ghosts. I'll leave it to you."
The old man of the teahouse waved to me and sat aside with several other old men.
I made a bow to my wife: "This... Grandma Yan, can you really help me?"
"He praised Haikou to me, but I have to go if I can't," Grandma Yan looked at the direction of several old men and said angrily, "Really, I would rather accompany these dead ghosts every night than go to my place..."
"Dead ghost
Grandma Yan seemed to see what I was thinking. She sneered: "Those are his old comrades in arms, but now they can only meet each other in this cave every night... I call them ghosts. Don't think so. It's just literal."
I thought about this sentence for a while, so frightened that I didn't dare to ask any more questions. I shrunk my neck and retreated in the opposite direction to the old men.
Grandma Yan took a look at Qiao Qian, knocked on her cigarette gun, and said, "It's hard to say, simple, simple..."
seven
Somehow, I also worked in the workplace for a few years. Hearing the sound of the strings, I knew how elegant it was. I took out all the cash in my pocket and handed it to her. "Grandma Yan, where can I start?"
Grandma Yan counted the money and smiled with satisfaction, Sitting upright, he said, "There are two ways to unlock the yin and yang buttons. One of them is the way I once heard... In early years, there was a girl in Chengdu who became a widow after a month of marriage. She missed her husband and became ill, so she invited the yin and yang pot... But later she regretted it and entrusted someone to Wuhou Temple to solve the problem..."
As soon as I heard it, I suddenly became energetic. Who knows the name of Zhuge Wuhou? This method must be reliable!
"Find a territory with all the gossip and put a hot pot on it. The so-called" fight poison with poison "... guess what kind of pot will be put on this time?" Grandma Yan actually sold the secret.
I thought for a moment: "Lord Wu... Eight Trigrams... Is it..."
"Right!" Grandma Yan patted her thigh. "The bottom of the pot is called 'Jiugongge'!"
I was stunned when I heard the words. I couldn't help looking around. There were at least seven or eight Jiugongs burning in this store. Is it that simple?
Grandma Yan continued, "Of course, the nine palace grid is not so simple. First of all, the bottom of the pot must use snake bones, tiger tendons, leopard foetuses... There are nine kinds of precious medicinal materials. When cooking, nine capable experts must be gathered together to tell Luo Xuan, Ji Du and other stars..."
"Stop and stop..." I hurriedly interrupted her, "God is talking about how to refine the elixir? How can I get together with such great skills?"
"Or what do you think?" Grandma Yan glared at me. "It's stealing people from the Lord of Hell..."
Qiao Qian said hesitantly, "Ah Chuan, my family still has some savings, otherwise..."
I waved my hand and said, "I've been to your house, and I know your mother doesn't have much money, and the tens of thousands of dollars won't be enough... Grandma Yan, would you like to talk about the second way?"
Grandma Yan suddenly stopped talking and seemed hesitant. After a long time, she squeezed a few words out of her teeth: "Second... Since the opposite of yin and yang will kill you, it's just a matter of unifying yin and yang..."
I almost couldn't resist scolding out loud: "What do you mean? This is to make me a ghost?"
Qiao Qian seemed to understand something: "Ah Chuan, Grandma Yan means... let me... restore the sun..."
what? The fright I received tonight is not as big as that. Qiao Qian has been dead for three years. His ashes are still buried in the cemetery. How can he recover?
Grandma Yan narrowed her eyes, as if with some dangerous light: "Have you ever heard of... returning to life with a corpse?"
After hesitating for a while, I finally couldn't resist the temptation and asked tentatively, "What you mean is, find a corpse that has just died, and let Ah Qian..."
"No, the corpse is not good. It must be a lively young girl, who must trust you very much and be willing to join the trap..." Grandma Yan's voice dropped, and she smoked again.
Trust me... young girl? Where are we going to find it for a while? I couldn't help worrying.
A WeChat message suddenly appeared on the "Ding Dong" mobile phone. I picked it up and looked. Suddenly, I was stunned.
"Senior, I drew a free ticket to Chongqing and will travel tomorrow. I heard that you are also in Chongqing, do you want to have a meal together?" The signature was a bright smile.
I took a deep breath, looked at Grandma Yan and poor Qiao Qian, and couldn't help struggling.
"You are only five days old." Grandma Yan reminded me coldly.
I gritted my teeth, made up my mind, and replied to her, "That's settled, Xuemei!"
After typing these words, I collapsed on the chair soaked.
eight
"Elder, it's so mysterious. What good food are you taking me to eat?"
Gu Liang obediently followed me. Seeing that I had been calm and silent, he carefully pulled at the corner of my coat.
I turned over without moving my face - because I really didn't know what kind of expression to use to face my sister. I admit that I'm not a good person, but I can't send a person who trusts me into the abyss with a smile.
"Right ahead... This is the most authentic Dongzi hotpot in Chongqing. I found it with difficulty."
"Hee hee," even if I turned my back to her, I could hear Gu Liang's voice with a smile, "I believe that the store the seniors are looking for must be super delicious, and the seniors are the most reliable!"
At the door of the hotpot restaurant, Boss Zhang noticed me, put down his work, frowned at Gu Liang, and said, "Ah Chuan, who is this?"
My heart "clucked" for a while - no good, boss Zhang saw it!
According to Grandma Yan, only here is the best geomantic omen in the mountain city, which is suitable for business, so Boss Zhang's hotpot shop will open here. However, what we are about to do is ultimately a matter of harming the innocent. It is not clear whether General Pakistan will agree. In order to avoid unnecessary troubles, we should cook cooked rice without telling Boss Zhang.
A cold sweat oozed from my forehead and I stammered, "This is my...... Friend, who came from other places specially."
Unexpectedly, Boss Zhang waved his hand when he heard the words: "Since you are a gentleman from other places, don't pay tribute to General Ba... It's not good to say otherwise."
I dragged Gu Liang into the store in a daze, and then suddenly realized that Boss Zhang thought Gu Liang was the feng shui master I had invited to solve the problem!
Sitting down with Gu Liang, I squinted at one side from the corner of my eye. Grandma Yan and the old man of the teahouse sat at the next table and silently nodded to me.
Before I could speak, Gu Liang said, "Senior, I didn't expect that there was a hotpot restaurant. The business was so good after midnight... I thought you were looking for an excuse to delay..."
"Procrastination?" I was stunned. "How can you delay your return in the evening unless..."
Speaking of this, I consciously made a slip of the tongue and closed my mouth awkwardly, only to see Gu Liang already blushing and lowering his head.
When the hot pot arrived, I quickly pointed to the dishes to ease the atmosphere: "Well, try the most authentic Chongqing hot pot... I know you don't like spicy food, so I specially ordered this kind of pot bottom."
The hot pot in front of me looks like two concentric circles. The big circle is full of red soup, but a small circle in the middle is boiling a small piece of white soup. Some amateur hotpot shops also call this kind of pot "Yuanyang pot", but the most correct name is "Zimu pot".
Yes, this is the way Grandma Yan said to solve the problem. If you eat the mandarin duck pot, you will "fly together". If you eat the mother pot, you will be "you have me".
Gu Liang swallowed his saliva and picked up a piece of tofu to rinse. I quickly stopped her: "Don't worry... I have someone to introduce to you."
Qiao Qian came out of the darkness, sat opposite Gu Liang, and smiled apologetically at her: "Hello, my name is Qiao Qian... It's Achuan's... girlfriend."
Gu Liang's eyes suddenly changed. The tofu on her chopsticks fell on the table accidentally. She hurried to clip it, but I stopped her first: "It's OK, just drop it."
Gu Liang raised his head and forced out a disappointed smile: "You are so beautiful, Elder Martial Sister... You are a good match for your seniors..."
Qiao Qian seemed to see something from Gu Liang's smile, and turned to stare at me: "Thank you for your praise... I am a native, and you are a guest from afar, so enjoy Chongqing food..."
She rinsed two pieces of meat in white soup and gave them to Gu Liang and herself. I forced myself to rinse the food in the red soup and eat it silently.
Seeing Gu Liang eating the food, Qiao Qian suddenly stood up and bowed to Gu Liang: "Little sister, I'm sorry... please give me more advice later."
Gu Liang seems to have come up with something. Suddenly he poured himself a full glass of beer. He looked up and drank it in one gulp. He said loudly to us, "Sister, I wish you well... Don't bother me, I don't want to disturb you..."
She also stood up, rubbed her eyes and walked out: "Sorry, senior, I suddenly have something urgent... Go back first... Senior sister, take care of senior for me..."
Looking at her far away back, I smiled bitterly. Silly girl, what you said to Joe is not the same thing.
Granny Yan nodded with a solemn face, and Joe sighed and floated to the direction where Gu Liang disappeared.
nine
This night, although there was no Qiao Qian, I still didn't sleep well. I worried about whether things were going well all night.
Until the morning, I received a call from Gu Liang.
"Xuemei... What do you want from me..."
"Ah Chuan, it's me..." Although the other end is Gu Liang's voice, it gives me a completely different feeling. "It's successful, and I'll find you right away."
In the lobby of the hotel, I met Gu Liang... or Qiao Qian.
The long skirt Qiao loves to wear is draped over Gu Liang, who is always in sportswear, which makes me feel a little inconsistent, but it also brings a strange sense of familiarity. I couldn't believe it. I asked tentatively, "Are you?"
She smiled softly and lifted her sideburns for me: "Come home with me... I haven't seen my mother for three years."
succeed! My life was saved, and Qiao Qian came back to me!
On the way to Qiao's house, I couldn't help asking Qiao Qian, "Now... how do you feel?"
Jo smiled and said, "Very well... I'm satisfied with this picture even though it's not in harmony with the body... Gu Liang's memory is also in my mind, so I have no problem dealing with her family and friends in the future... But in order to avoid flaws, I'd better break off contact with them slowly..."
"So... has Gu Liang..." I asked hesitantly.
"She... is not dead," Joe sighed. "She is also in this body, but she has lost control of the body. What I have seen and heard, she can fully feel that she will watch me live as her, communicate with her relatives and friends, but can do nothing about everything..."
Seeing Aunt Qiao, she looked at us doubtfully. Qiao Qian went forward, took her aside, and told something that only mother and daughter knew. After a while, they hugged each other and cried.
Aunt Qiao wiped tears with one hand and held Qiao Qian tightly with the other: "You finally came back... Mom missed you so much... I was not good at that time. If I hadn't forced you to come back, you wouldn't have... I can't help it. Your father died early, and I really can't leave you. I'm going crazy after you went out to college for a few years..."
Qiao Qian sobbed and comforted his mother: "It's OK, Mom. I don't blame you. Don't you think I'm back..."
I didn't speak, just sat quietly to one side and let them enjoy the reunion. It was not until the night was getting deeper that they became emotionally stable that they said, "Auntie, Ah Qian will have to go back with me in a few days... After all, she used someone else's body. In order to avoid doubt, she had to go back for a few years. When the limelight passed, it was easy to say whether we would go back to Chongqing or pick you up..."
"All right..." Aunt Qiao nodded hurriedly. "Just remember to come back. I won't interfere with you any more..."
"Ah shallow," I stood up
ten
When I entered the store, Boss Zhang just glanced at me and didn't talk to me. I was a little strange, but I was really guilty. I didn't dare to ask him. I just walked into the door and went straight to Grandma Yan.
She and the old man in the teahouse had been sitting for a long time, and repeatedly greeted me to go there. The table was full of rich dishes.
"Is it all right?" Grandma Yan smiled proudly.
"It's a comfortable thing to do!" I gave her a thumbs up, held up the wine glass, "Here's to you!"
Then I took a cup to the old man of the teahouse and said, "Sir, thanks to you this time... I met you by chance, but you helped me so much without asking for anything in return. I did it!"
The old man of the teahouse seemed a little embarrassed. He leaned a little and didn't take my cup: "I, the old man,... can't say I don't want anything in return..."
Oh, how do you say that? I was curious. Before I could ask, the phone rang.
"Ah Chuan, you have a bad stomach. Drink less wine at night, you know?"
"Don't worry, Ah Qian, I know something..." I hung up the phone and smiled apologetically at everyone. "You see, I was in charge of me just after I came back. The future will be tough..."
Here, Boss Zhang came up with a hot pot: "Well, I'm afraid you have a psychological shadow on the mandarin duck pot, so I changed it to the mother pot... Don't worry!"
"I didn't say anything, you were just!" I laughed and cooked meat in white soup. "I haven't had a good meal these days, so I can have a good meal today..."
When I was half drunk, I asked myself a question that had puzzled me for a long time: "You said, why did I meet Qiao Qian so accidentally when I came to have a meal?"
Grandma Yan smiled and pointed to the store's furnishings: "Young man, look at the arrangement of the tables, chairs and benches. It's a feng shui array, which was set by the old lady myself... It's designed to attract people and ghosts who are worried but separated by yin and yang... You and the girl will come here because of their fate..."
I said, "Well... Grandma Yan, what are you doing setting up such a formation?"
The old man of the teahouse sighed: "It's not for me... I had a tumor in my head a few days ago and would die at any time... Shu Fen, afraid that my soul would lose, specially arranged this array to ensure that we could meet again in the future..."
I asked curiously, "Granny Yan, you are very clever. You haven't calculated the day when the uncle died?"
As soon as I said this, I suddenly realized that something was wrong, and I wanted to slap myself - how could I ask someone who died in front of me?
Unexpectedly, Granny Yan didn't think about it: "Why didn't you count it? On the third day of June."
I looked at the calendar on my mobile phone and was stunned on the spot.
Today is the fourth day of June.
I shivered and looked under the table subconsciously - under the chair of the old teahouse man, it was empty and had no legs.
Seeing that I found it, he sighed: "Yes, young man, I'm dead."
I don't know what to say. I racked my brains to think how to avoid embarrassment, but I heard Grandma Yan say something that shocked me.
"Young man... thank you. I don't know if I can do this. If you help me with this practice, I will be sure..."
Hearing this, I suddenly had a feeling of foreboding.
I forced a smile and stood up: "What, you two... My girlfriend is very strict, I have to hurry back......"
Just about to step forward, I suddenly felt dizzy.
Granny Yan smiled at me and revealed her gold inlaid teeth: "Young man, is this pot delicious?"
The old man of the teahouse sighed, said "Sorry" to me, and walked towards me.
I rushed to the door of the store and shouted, "Boss Zhang, help! General Ba, come quickly!"
But what I saw was that Boss Zhang wrapped the statue of General Ba in a red cloth and gave me a cold look.
They... are a group
Without the protection of the idol, the old man of the teahouse did not hesitate and rushed at me
eleven
I am... Who?
By the way, I'm Achuan. Hahaha, from today on, I am Achuan!
It's good to be young and strong
Shufen looked at me with concern: "How is it?"
"Easy!" I smiled and took a smoke from her cigarette gun. "I almost inherited my memory."
Lao Zhang wiped his hands and walked over: "So this method is feasible? In the future, the three of us can rely on this' golden cicada out of its shell 'plan to live forever!"
"All right, pack up and don't let outsiders see the flaws..." I took out the mobile phone in my pocket and operated it clumsily, "I'll fool the little girl for a while... Shufen, count how many days you have left, and I'll bring her back when the time comes..."
"Ah Qian, I'm Ah Chuan... Let's leave Chongqing tomorrow..."
Close
(The story in this article is pure fiction, reproduced in Zhihu)
