238: Chapter 234: Meeting Brother Qiang Again 238: Chapter 234: Meeting Brother Qiang Again The next day, in the afternoon, just past six o’clock, at Liuyuan County bus station.
Chen Hai and Ye Qingqing, carrying simple luggage, got off the coach.
The flight from Capital City to the provincial capital of Xiangnan, Shachang City, didn’t take long, just an hour or two was enough.
However, taking a coach from Shachang City all the way back to their Liuyuan County took several hours.
At this time of the year, just after six o’clock, the sun had already set, and night was beginning to fall.
In this era, the bus station in Liuyuan County was still in the center of the county, right next to the transportation company.
The surrounding streets were pitted and rough, with all sorts of facilities in a similarly dilapidated state.
Ordinary buildings were generally five or seven stories high, those kind of high-rise buildings of ten or twenty floors were hardly seen; one might search the entirety of Liuyuan County and probably not find one or two.
“Chen Hai, is this your hometown?” Ye Qingqing, visiting for the first time, found everything quite novel.
Although it was under the cover of night and visibility was not great, everything around could still be clearly seen under the street lights and the illumination from nearby shops.
Just having walked out of the bus station, she grabbed Chen Hai, looking here and there, her whole person like a dancing butterfly.
“Calling this place my hometown is indeed correct.”
“However, our family used to live in a small township below the county town.
It was only recently that my parents bought a house and moved into the county town!”
“How about it?
Would you like to wander around the county town?”
With a meaningful smile, Chen Hai joked.
He himself hadn’t even returned to his new home.
When he talked to his parents on the phone, he had only heard them mention that both their house and shop were bought in the area of Wenchang Pavilion.
The shop was a street-facing storefront, selling cigarettes, alcohol, and other daily groceries, and it also had a public telephone installed.
Before leaving Capital City, Chen Hai had called his parents to let them know that he was coming back.
However, because he was transferring to a coach, the time he would arrive back in the county town was uncertain, and he definitely wouldn’t have his parents come pick him up at the station!
Of course, he hadn’t yet told Chen Zhonghua and Jiang Meixian that his girlfriend Ye Qingqing would be coming back with him.
Having gone to study in Capital City for just under half a year, suddenly bringing back a girlfriend made him somewhat embarrassed to bring it up to his parents.
After much thought, he decided to just surprise them with his sudden return, thinking it would be a pleasant surprise!
“It’s already dark, wandering around outside?”
“That doesn’t sound very good, Chen Hai.”
“I’ve heard that these days the security situation in small county towns can be concerning.”
“Just the two of us, what if something happens?”
Shrinking her head a little, Ye Qingqing glanced around and leaned close to Chen Hai’s ear, whispering.
In this era, whether a train station or bus station, both were quite chaotic places.
Glancing around, one could see groups here and there, many young people loitering nearby.
Chen Hai and Ye Qingqing lingered around for a bit and they had already felt many eyes sweeping over them.
The reason for this wasn’t surprising.
After all, Ye Qingqing was extremely beautiful, dressed in a very stylish manner, easily attracting other people’s attention.
Moreover, she spoke Mandarin, not the local dialect.
Seeing such an obviously foreign beautiful girl, it would be strange if the local guys hanging around didn’t harbor some crooked thoughts.
It was only because Chen Hai was with her; otherwise, just Ye Qingqing alone might have already attracted some ill-intentioned guys trying to strike up a conversation.
“Alright, Qingqing, shall we just go back then?” Chen Hai smiled and nodded.
Being a local himself and a man, he didn’t have Qingqing’s worries.
Following Qingqing’s gaze, he looked around, ready to hail a taxi to head in the direction of Wenchang Pavilion.
But then he suddenly recognized someone not far away that seemed familiar.
“Brother Qiang…” recognizing the man, Chen Hai smiled and waved at him, greeting him.
If it had been someone else he wasn’t very acquainted with, he would have just headed home without bothering to engage.
However, since it was Brother Qiang, Chen Hai thought it was better to greet him.
After all, the two pages of fragmented books that Brother Qiang had given him had really helped him out, which was a huge favor for him.
Without those two pages, Chen Hai would not have learned how to draw the Danghui Talisman.
His girlfriend, Ye Qingqing, had been afflicted by yin snake gu, and it was because he successfully drew the Danghui Talisman that he was able to resolve it.
Otherwise, Ye Qingqing would probably have long since died, and how could she have had the chance to become his girlfriend!
As for these matters, Brother Qiang himself was unaware, but Chen Hai certainly had to remember this favor.
“Chen Hai?
I heard from your cousin that you went to study in Capital City?”
“Right, it should be winter vacation now, have you just come back from Capital City?”
Brother Qiang, who was chatting and spitting with a few pals, heard someone call his name, looked slightly stunned, then turned his head towards Chen Hai.
When he recognized Chen Hai, his face lit up, and he hurried up to greet him.
“This is my girlfriend, Ye Qingqing.
We’ve just gotten off the bus and were about to head home to see my parents!”
Smiling and nodding, Chen Hai pulled out a newly opened pack of Zhonghua cigarettes, took one out, and handed it to Brother Qiang.
“Whoa!
Half a year in Capital City and you’re a different person!”
Laughing awkwardly a couple of times, as he was just about to offer Chen Hai a Baisha cigarette from the pack he had, he quickly put it away and took the cigarette from Chen Hai, lighting it up straight away.
“It’s just a pack of cigarettes, whether I’ve changed or not, take it if you like!”
With a nonchalant smile, Chen Hai simply put the pack of cigarettes directly into Brother Qiang’s hand.
“Look at you, seems like you’re really doing well now!”
“A pack of Zhonghua costs quite a bit, you’re giving it to me?
Then I definitely won’t be shy!”
Brother Qiang chuckled gleefully, pocketing the pack of cigarettes joyfully.
“By the way, isn’t your home in Wuyang Town?
There aren’t any more buses to your town at the bus station now.”
“Are you planning to stay in the county tonight, or find a car to take you back?”
“If you want to get a car to go back tonight, I know a lot of people; I can get you a fair price!”
Suddenly remembering this, the cheerful Brother Qiang slapped his chest and promised.
“No need, Brother Qiang, we’ve already moved to the county!”
“My girlfriend and I were just about to take a leisurely ride back home when we bumped into you, so I thought I’d say hi.”
“Weren’t you working as a ticket scalper in Yuedong?
Why aren’t you in Yuedong anymore, just hanging around the bus station here?”
While declining Brother Qiang’s offer, Chen Hai casually inquired.
“Just making a living!”
“Your family moved to the county?
That’s really good news.”
“Let’s get your cousin and a few of us together sometime soon for a proper drink!” Brother Qiang smiled awkwardly and nodded.
“Isn’t my cousin in Yuedong?
Is he back home?” Chen Hai asked, slightly puzzled.
“He’s been back for more than ten days, hasn’t he contacted you?”
“That guy, lately he’s always strutting around with a bald head, hanging out at the Happy Dance Hall every day.”
“Telling everyone about how great he is—drank too much a couple of days ago and let it slip how he got that bald head.
I nearly died laughing.”
Talking about Sun Jinzhong, Brother Qiang’s face twisted weirdly, and he couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
“That guy, really, went to Yuedong and didn’t even page me!”
Hearing Brother Qiang’s words, Chen Hai felt somewhat amused.
But he could understand some of Sun Jinzhong’s thoughts.
The guy was just concerned because of the incident with Hei and Wu, worrying about getting Chen Hai involved if something happened to him.
“My cousin hangs out at Happy Dance Hall every day?
I’ll go back home first, and if I have time later, I’ll swing by to check on him!”
“Yes!
Normally, he’s there every day.
I’ll also head over to the dance hall to hang out later.”
“Alright then, I’ll head back home first.
If we meet tonight, I’ll treat you and my cousin to a good time.”
After exchanging pleasantries with Brother Qiang, Chen Hai hailed a car, and he and Ye Qingqing climbed inside the slow-moving vehicle and soon sped away.