Farewell, the healing hut

For a long time, I couldn't believe it was true, the sound of Lin's departing footsteps echoed like an empty valley every silent midnight. I often walked down the street, tears flowing down my face. The psychiatrist said, "Go for a walk and calm yourself down." I quit my job and withdrew all the money in my bankbook. I thought let's just go wandering, until the day I run out of money and my life stops there!

　　I traveled a lot and finally arrived in Beijing. I stayed in a small hotel near Qianmen and spent most of my time in a pottery bar not far from the hotel. I felt so small in a place where history is everywhere and culture can be touched everywhere. I am in love with the red earth, and everything will return to dust.

　　I carefully made a piece of clay in the shape of an apple, concave the middle, and pinch the handle of the apple into the handle of a cup. Then I made another apple cup exactly like it. I put green on one of them and red on the other one. After the cups were fired, I looked at the two luscious apple cups and felt a pang of sadness in my heart. Lin, have you ever experienced what kind of pain it is to have your heart torn out and your liver is broken?

　　I took my cup to the bar to drink. I poured two cups full of wine, the red one in front of me and the green one on the opposite side. I probably drank too much and drew the attention of the person next to me. "Hi, how are you? It's the first time I've seen a Chinese girl who can drink so well." A tall foreigner sat down across from me. I squinted up at him, a good-looking foreigner with dark blue eyes. I smiled, in this lonely city, in this place where countless stories of infatuated men and women are enacted, tonight, could it be that a different kind of romance is also going to be staged?

　　"Miss, you've had too much to drink, can I buy you dinner?" His gaze was crystal clear. "Sure." I gave him a flirtatious smile. I didn't have much money, my heart was lonely, and if he could save my money and relieve my loneliness, I didn't care to be around one more man who at least looked like a gentleman, especially on a cold winter day like this.

　　He didn't say anything, took a taxi, and took me out of that bar. The car stopped in a nice neighborhood and he offered me his hand: "Do you mind coming to my house? I'll make you the most beautiful food in the world." It was very risky to go to a strange man's place like that, but without Lin, what was I afraid of losing? I went into the apartment with him. It was a very small two-bedroom apartment, and I could see that it was a bachelor's place. Only, the room was very neat.

　　"My name is James, I am from Canada, you can also call me Ji Xiang, my Chinese name. Would you like to tell me your name?" He handed me a glass of juice. "Apple!" I blurted out the name. Yes, I am Apple, a dry apple in winter.

　　"You have a nice name." Yoshitaka raised an eyebrow, "Apple, now you can take a break, watch TV and drink whatever you want, I'm going to prepare a snack." He had a lot of wine in his liquor cabinet, quite a few of which I couldn't name.

　　After listening to a few piano songs, Jiji came out of the kitchen. "Everything is ready, come to the dining room." I was amazed at Jiji's cooking skills. In such a short time, several Western-style dishes were mouth-watering. I was really hungry. "Come on, Apple, let's drink to our acquaintance!" Through the candlelight, I found out that Jiji is not too old and has a very sunny baby face.

　　The wine, a good wine, the entrance teeth, and cheeks aroma; dishes, is a wonderfully delicious, eaten feel five organs fragrant. On this cold late night, two strangers, because of loneliness come together. I gently close my eyes, throwing all the mortal past into the sky. Today, I'll be my uninhibited self.

　　I got drunk. I woke up at sunrise. I subconsciously touched my clothes, neat. I came out of the bedroom, auspicious is not home. On the table is an omelet, two slices of bread and a glass of milk, and a key with a note pressed under it: "Apple, I'm going to work, remember to take the key with you when you go out, and I hope to still see you in the evening."

　　I smile a little and finish my breakfast without ceremony. Are you planning to take me in for the long haul? Fine, I'll just check out of the hotel and use his place as a free hostel. He is such a simple person should also let him know the viciousness of the human heart, which may not always reward, now receive a lesson, as I was injured before understanding the good.

　　The whole day, I mixed in the pottery bar to play with clay. I made a vase, drew a cool little man on it, and signed the word "apple" on the side.

　　It was already 8:00 p.m. when I got back to Jiji's place, and he was surprised to see me: "Ah! I didn't think you'd come back!" I handed him the vase: "Why not? I still want to continue to enjoy the free room and board." Ji Xiang laughed at the vase, took a lily out of the crystal vase, inserted it inside, and gave me a hug: "Apple, thank you!" Seeing his very sincere look, my heart couldn't help but ache again. I had given too much for Lin, but when did he ever say the word "thank you" to me?

　　After spending a few days with Jinjiang, I gradually learned his story: he had a lover when he was in college, and both of them loved Chinese culture so much that they had agreed to come to China together after graduating from college. However, the girl died in a car accident before she graduated from college because she had been drinking in a bar and was driving home when she hit an oncoming truck. He came to China alone after graduating from college to help his girlfriend fulfill her unfulfilled wish. When Ji Xiang was talking about his girlfriend, his eyes were shining with bright tears.

　　My heart was cold to the freezing point, but there was a warmth in it. No wonder Ji Xiang was so concerned about me the first time he saw me, he must have been worried about me drinking too much in the bar and repeating the tragedy. But, auspicious, do you know how much I wished I had never woken up after getting drunk that day?

　　To thank Kichijo for his concern, I cooked a sumptuous Chinese meal. The steaming dishes warmed each other's stomachs. I even wished a little that I could fall in love with Jiji, he is a nice guy, a much better person than Lin. But if love was such a simple thing I wouldn't be so haggard, miserable, and helpless. But auspicious kindness warmed me, and my mind gradually became calm. For a person who is not worth the pain for him, I have given so much, if this sinks further, sorry can only be myself. The biggest damage Lin did to me was that he made me lose faith in love so that I no longer believe that there is love in this world. However, after listening to the story of auspicious, and witnessing the purity of auspicious, my radical heart began to calm down.

　　In the blink of an eye, I have been staying here for 10 days, and it is time to go back. The thought of leaving auspicious, my heart surprisingly reluctant feelings, in this era of profit, his hut, his sunny smile, his generous heart, all let me stay, let me touch.