The rebuilding process of the small courtyard was lengthy and slow. Su Li carefully filled in some details and then gave the new blueprint to Li Carpenter before buying a set of wood carving knives for home practice.
When not busy, he would open the drawing paper by the window and draw carefully. Sometimes he would pick up the carving knife and practice some wood carving. Although very clumsy, Su Li was always in a good mood.
After the overall renovation was completed, Zhou Yao accompanied him to the flower and bird market. Su Li bought a bunch of flowers to plant and also learned many tips on managing flowers.
The small courtyard began to take shape. Su Li stood at the entrance of the yard and squinted his eyes.
“Very nice. Boss you did well! I always thought you were just an engineering man, didn’t expect you would have decent artistic taste!” Zhou Yao marveled.
Su Li did not explain that this was not his artistic taste but his mother’s.
“When the flowers bloom next summer, we can also barbecue here,” Su Li pointed to a corner he had deliberately left out, “I’ll build a shed there another day.”
Zhou Yao happily said, “Sure, no problem, leave it to me!”
What followed next was the addition of facilities inside the house. Su Li had bought and arranged everything that needed to be placed. It just lacked some handmade furniture from Li Carpenter.
Although he did not intend to open a shop, Su Li still made the lobby look like a restaurant.
He drew quick sketches of Ding Sha and Xiao Jun on the small blackboard at the door and planted the flowers nicely.
Zhou Yao breathed a sigh of relief, “Finally it’s done. Boss how do you come up with so many tricks? I just can’t.”
Of course Su Li did not answer.
After tidying up, Su Li moved into the small courtyard with his luggage.
Zhou Yao was stunned for a moment. “You really intend to live here?”
“Why don’t you live here too?”
“Forget it, I still prefer hotels more.” Zhou Yao shook his head again and again.
Su Li liked to make himself a cup of coffee, sit by the window and read a book or handle work to get through the day.
The sunlight was just right here.
He did not add sugar to the coffee. Su Li was unusually relaxed today, sitting on the chair and napping.
Someone knocked on the door lightly.
Su Li opened his eyes to see a girl push open the door, “Excuse me...is this a coffee shop?”
“No, this is a private residence.” Su Li said.
“Ah? From the outside I saw tables and chairs inside, I thought it was a coffee shop!” The girl said somewhat apologetically.
“But the painting on your door is really nice, is it you and your girlfriend?”
“No,” Su Li shook his head, “it’s my parents.”
“Wow, they must be so happy and beautiful!” the girl exclaimed.
Su Li smiled slightly. He was in a good mood today. He walked over and pushed the door open, “Come on in and sit for a while? Let me make you coffee?”
"How can I trouble you so much..." Although the girl's mouth was polite, she walked in without hesitation.
“Wow, it’s even nicer inside! Can I take pictures?”
“Go ahead,” Su Li poured her a cup of coffee with extra milk and sugar.
“So delicious! It’s a pity not to open a coffee shop!” The girl’s eyes widened after just one sip.
“My name is Ran Shanshan, I'm here on vacation,” the girl started to introduce herself, “I walked over because it looked so beautiful from outside so I just knocked on the door and came in.”
“You are here on vacation?” Su Li was a little curious. Nanjiang was not exactly a tourist city, nor was it famous.
“Yes, I just like these old streets and alleys. Because I study history and I'm particularly interested in ancient culture,” Ran Shanshan said, “I like to travel, pack up and go to the train station, randomly buy a ticket for the next train leaving, and just go wherever.”
Su Li raised his eyebrows slightly, “Isn't it unsafe for a girl to travel alone?”
“I’ve been learning martial arts since I was young,” Ran Shanshan said proudly.
When Zhou Yao came back, he saw Su Li sending a girl out the door, somewhat surprised.
“Who is it?” After the girl left, he walked over and asked meaningfully.
“A girl who got lost,” Su Li said lightly.
Zhou Yao wanted to say something else but Su Li shut him up in one sentence, “Go hurry the research lab.”
Zhou Yao grievously added another task to tomorrow’s packed schedule that would exhaust people to death.
What Su Li didn't expect was that Ran Shanshan came again the next day.
"Hey boss?" Ran Shanshan knocked on the glass, then went to the door and popped her head out, "Do you have time to take me sightseeing around Nanjiang?"
"I'm not very familiar with this area either," Su Li declined, "I just moved here not long ago."
He thought Ran Shanshan would be disappointed and leave, but unexpectedly, Ran Shanshan's eyes lit up. “That’s fine too. I can take you around. I've been to quite a lot of places these days!"
Su Li was startled for a moment by her words. Before he could respond, Ran Shanshan had already run over and pulled him out the door, "Let’s go, let’s go, I’ll treat you to something delicious. Aren’t you bored staying inside all day?"
Su Li hesitated for a moment before being dragged out by Ran Shanshan.
Su Li believed that she had been learning martial arts since childhood, because her strength was really big and she was very good at using clever force.
In just a few moves, the big man Su Li was pulled out the door by her.
"Let's go, let's go! I'll take you to Yukou Street. You must not have been there! There's a place with delicious crispy pork!"
Su Li followed Ran Shanshan around the city all day. By the end he was a little tired but Ran Shanshan was still excited and said she wanted to go eat wontons at another place.
Were all girls so terrifying?
Su Li shook his head.
It took great effort to finally get back home. Zhou Yao was sitting at the door with his face in his hands. “Where have you been? You know to come back?”
Su Li ignored his grieved look. “I’m very tired. If you have anything to say, just say it.”
“That Ph.D. said there's progress. Unidentified signal fluctuations were detected, possibly spacetime fluctuations.” Zhou Yao’s voice dragged on. He still felt that this was a scam.
Su Li didn’t stop walking. “Have him confirm it. After confirmation, give him another 2 billion yuan to continue research.”
“Tsk, tsk tsk......” Zhou Yao knew he was in a bad mood and didn’t bother him anymore. But he felt he had witnessed the terrifying nature of human beings firsthand.
From then on, every day at around 10 am, Ran Shanshan would come and knock on Su Li’s window, then drag him all over the city to eat everywhere.
At first Su Li was a little annoyed, but later he slowly began to look forward to it every day, looking forward to Ran Shanshan's arrival.
Ran Shanshan didn't come to drag him out every day either. Yesterday they might have gone out to the suburbs to eat at a farm house restaurant, and today she would accompany Su Li to tend to the flowers and plants, help him arrange the furniture sent by Li Carpenter.
"It's so beautiful here," Ran Shanshan sat on the swing, "I love it here so much!"
"It was designed by my mother," Su Li said, stroking the little orange cat's head.
“Wow! She must be amazing then! She must be especially gentle?" Ran Shanshan exclaimed.
"She is very gentle, as if she never gets angry, always smiling gracefully." Su Li said.
"How nice, not like my mom, who glares at me every day ready to hit me, like a tigress," Ran Shanshan stuck out her tongue a little mischievously.
Ran Shanshan would also work here sometimes. She was a travel blogger who regularly shared her videos on public platforms.
Ran Shanshan sat editing videos while Su Li handled work. Occasionally he would get up to pour coffee for both Ran Shanshan and himself.
Su Li vaguely felt that he was touching the calm and happiness that his parents, whom he had never met, had yearned for through the passage of time.
Ran Shanshan accompanied him like this for two months.
"I'm leaving."
