After about half an hour of driving, I finally arrived at “Willow Bank Scenic Garden” where I currently live, and Mi Cai was already waiting for me under a phoenix tree outside the community.

Autumn leaves were swirling in the air, and the lights illuminated her figure, making her look like a character walking out of a painting, serene and indifferent.

I honked the horn and Mi Cai looked towards me.

I smiled at her and said, “Get in the car, let’s go eat. If we’re late, there might not be any seats left.”

Mi Cai walked towards me and opened the car door, sitting in the passenger seat without paying attention to what kind of car I was driving. I couldn’t help but feel a little guilty and said, “How about my car? It’s not bad, right? Small displacement, environmentally friendly.”

“It’s not bad, just a little sleazy like you.” Mi Cai glanced at me with a smile that wasn’t really a smile.

“Am I sleazy?” I asked, then took down the mirror in the car and looked at myself with insecurity.

“Sleazy doesn’t necessarily refer to appearance, I’m talking about your character.”

I put the mirror back and didn’t want to argue with Mi Cai. After all, the image of me having a bad character had already been deeply ingrained in her mind. Even if I tried to package myself as a national hero saving the people, she would still think I’m sleazy.

Mi Cai was a little surprised by my lack of retort, and I just smiled at her and started the car. I thought to myself: Mi Cai doesn’t really understand a man with depth. They are often silent. Based on this, it’s obvious that I am a man with depth.

…

The Alto shuttled through the streets and finally stopped on an old street that was about to be demolished. Mi Cai and I got out of the car. The shop I wanted to take her to would pass through a narrow alley, and the car couldn’t go in, so we had to walk.

There were only a few dim streetlights in this narrow alley, and Mi Cai followed closely behind me, a little nervous, and asked, “Where are you taking me?”

“To a paradise, but we have to pass through this dark place first.” I replied.

After walking through this dark alley, the space on the other side suddenly opened up. Under a bright streetlight, the “Empty City Theme Music Restaurant” appeared in front of Mi Cai.

I lit a cigarette and said to Mi Cai beside me, “This is the restaurant. It’s opened by a friend of mine who plays music. The music atmosphere inside is great, but they mainly serve Sichuan cuisine.”

“That’s quite eclectic!” Mi Cai looked at the sign and said. Usually, music restaurants mainly serve Western cuisine.

“Yeah, the boss is from Chongqing. Can you handle spicy food?”

“I can.”

While I was talking to Mi Cai, we walked into the restaurant. The boss, CC, was sitting on a bar stool that could be raised and lowered, singing a song with a glass of beer in her hand and an unfinished cigarette between her fingers.

CC noticed my arrival right away and snapped her fingers at me during a break in the music, saying, “Long time no see, Zhao Yang.”

I nodded and gave CC a thumbs up to show that her singing was great.

CC smiled and gestured to chat later, then continued singing Zhang Xuan’s “Appearance” with the rhythm of the music.

Mi Cai and I chose a seat, and Mi Cai seemed to really enjoy CC’s singing. She didn’t talk to me and just listened quietly.

After ordering the food, my attention was also immersed in CC’s singing. In CC’s somewhat hoarse but extremely infectious voice, I remembered some fragments.

Three years ago, Jian Wei and I escaped to Suzhou from Shanghai because of her parents’ crazy opposition. We were both penniless and struggled to survive. I started performing in this music restaurant owned by CC, and the income sustained our lives.

At that time, Jian Wei would wait in the restaurant every day to listen to me sing. She would also help serve dishes and pour water for customers to earn some tips. Every time the restaurant closed, I would habitually light a cigarette, and she would help me carry the guitar on her back. We would hold hands and walk through that dark alley. I would buy her a roasted sweet potato from a stall at the corner…

That winter, sometimes the wind was cold, sometimes the rain and snow were heavy, but the feeling of relying on each other made me feel warm even now!

“Zhao Yang, why is this restaurant called Empty City?”

Mi Cai’s sudden question broke the images in my mind. I couldn’t come back to my senses for a while and stared blankly before answering, “When everyone is born, there is an empty city in their hearts. As time goes by and they grow up, the restlessness, indifference, and worldly fame and fortune fill up this empty city, making it bloated and unbearable. It’s called Empty City to commemorate that innocent empty city.”

“Is this your interpretation?”

“This is what CC told me.” I said, looking at CC who was singing.

Mi Cai nodded, took a sip of cold tea, and continued to listen to CC’s singing.

…

CC finally finished singing a song and walked towards us, putting the microphone back on the stand.

CC was a very unique beauty. Her features weren’t particularly attractive individually, but when put together, they were captivating and unforgettable. So, as she walked over, she attracted the attention of many diners.CC placed a large mug of draft beer in front of me and smiled, saying, “This one’s on me.” She then signaled the waiter to bring a large cup of cola for Mi Cai.

“I’m driving today, so I won’t drink.”

Mi Cai chimed in, “Go ahead, I’ll drive for you later.”

Only then did CC look at Mi Cai and ask me, “Is this lady… your new girlfriend?”

I glanced at Mi Cai, who remained calm, and mustered the courage to say, “Yes, she’s my girlfriend.”

CC shrugged. I knew she felt regretful about Jian Wei and me, but in the end, she still greeted Mi Cai with a smile, praising her for her stunning beauty.

The lights in the restaurant dimmed a bit, but the old-fashioned candlesticks on the table lit up, filling the entire restaurant with a faint aroma of scented candles.

After a brief silence, CC asked me, “By the way, what has Robben been up to lately? He hasn’t been here for a long time.”

“What else could he be busy with, just running around all day.”

“Invite him over when you have time, I miss him.” There was a hint of helplessness and sadness in CC’s words. She liked Robben, but Robben was always thinking about that girl from Beijing.

“Sure, let’s set a time to get together, right here.”

“You have to promise me!”

I smiled and made a promise, “I promise.”

Only then did CC nod in relief.

……

After CC left, Mi Cai and I finally had some alone time. I raised my beer mug to Mi Cai, who also raised her cola to clink with me, and we each took a sip.

Just then, two more people walked into the restaurant from outside. The door opened and a gust of cold wind was brought in. Then I saw that the newcomers were Jian Wei and Xiang Chen.

A surge of emotions caught me off guard. It seemed that this was not a night where Mi Cai and I could enjoy a quiet dinner. I dreaded such encounters, feared them, and hated such coincidences that awkwardly brought us together.

——————-

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