You & Yu 1
Dali, Yunnan
The station plaza was teeming with people. Locals, small vendors, backpackers, they were everywhere.
People like Yu Nan were among them, too.
She sat on the guardrail across from the station, both legs dangling in the air, chewing gum. Her lips moved slowly as she sucked at it, making a soft “pop-pop” sound.
The weather was nice today. Beneath the bright, clear sun, a cool breeze kept blowing in waves. The sky was a deep, dusky blue, vast and cloudless, with the occasional airplane streaking overhead.
Yu Nan squinted at the sky, shifted her butt a little. The railing was too thin, pressing painfully into her flesh.
She adjusted her position and continued watching the passing crowd. Another wave of pedestrians poured out through the entrance, most of their faces bright with smiles, some excited, others relaxed.
A couple stopped not far away, their backs to Dali Station, and raised their phones, searching for an angle for a selfie.
After taking a few pictures, they put their heads together to look through the shots. The girl seemed dissatisfied. She pursed her lips and pointed toward the station behind them, saying something to the boy. The boy looked troubled. He glanced around, then his gaze settled on Yu Nan.
The boy lowered his head and said a couple of reassuring words to his girlfriend before walking over to Yu Nan. He asked politely, “Excuse me, could you take a picture for us?”
Yu Nan jumped down. “Sure.”
She took the phone, and the boy ran back to his girlfriend and stood beside her, putting an arm intimately around her shoulders.
Yu Nan adjusted the angle. She could not see the screen clearly in the sunlight, so she tilted her head and looked directly at the two of them instead.
“One, two…”
she called.
Just as “three” was about to leave her lips, the boy suddenly turned his head and kissed the side of the girl’s face.
Under the clear sky and brilliant sun, the girl’s face blossomed into a smile, while the boy lowered his eyes affectionately. The scene froze at that very moment.
Yu Nan was slightly stunned. The girl clearly had not expected it either. Surprise mingled with shyness as she widened her eyes like a startled fawn and glared at the boy.
The boy scratched his head and ran back toward Yu Nan.
“Thank you.” His cheeks were actually a little red. He lowered his head, not daring to look at her.
“You’re welcome.”
Yu Nan pressed her lips together and pointed at the sign leaning against the railing. “Interested?”
The boy finally looked up. He glanced at it, then became awkward again. “Sorry, we’re traveling on a tight budget.”
Yu Nan smiled. “It’s fine.”
She watched the two of them leave, then returned to her original spot.
The little interlude was as though it had never happened, and everything returned to how it had been before.
This time, she sat there for a long while. No one paid any attention to her.
That was how the highland climate was. Summers were hot and dry, the air thin, and people coming here for the first time would have trouble adjusting. But after living here for a while, they would come to love the crisp, dry climate.
The blazing sun beat down on Yu Nan, scorching her.
The light cast a small shadow on the ground behind her. Its outline was sharp, making her look even thinner. Yu Nan shifted and pulled a tissue from her pocket. She brought it to her mouth, spat out the gum, rolled it up, and stuffed it back into her pocket.
Several people passed in front of her. After walking only a few steps, they stopped. One man turned back and came to a halt in front of her, looking down at her from above.
The sunlight suddenly disappeared from above her head. She was enveloped in shadow.
The man was extremely well-built, with broad, solid shoulders, long arms and legs. His hands were in his pockets as he stared at her without blinking.
Several people were waiting behind him, looking nervous and obedient, as though they would do whatever he said.
Yu Nan’s eyes gleamed. She lifted her head and met his gaze. He was simply too tall, and her neck began to ache slightly.
The man finally spoke. “Have we met?”
It was a question.
Perhaps the sunlight was too glaring. She felt slightly dizzy, and then, suddenly finding herself in the shade, her tear glands were stimulated, leaving her eyes strangely swollen.
Yu Nan looked away and smiled. “Even if you’re trying to hit on someone, you should keep up with the times.”
The man paused, gave a crooked smile, and left.
Yu Nan was exposed to the white glare of the sun once more. She frowned and thought to herself: Damn weather. It’s really killing me.
The man had barely taken two steps before he turned back again. This time, he did not block the sunlight for her. He stood beside her spot and pursed his lips. “How much?”
A sign stood beside her. It read:
“Lijiang Ancient Town - Jade Dragon Snow Mountain - Lugu Lake, Five-Day Pure Sightseeing Tour, No Shops, No Shopping.”
The two large lines of writing were crooked and uneven, as though whoever had written them had done so without putting any thought into it.
It was the most ordinary tourist route, yet also one of Yunnan’s classic itineraries. For someone visiting for the first time, not going to these places would count as a regret.
“Three thousand,” she said.
The man touched his forehead, his eyes narrowed skeptically. “Worth that much?”
“Worth it.”
He looked as though he wanted to laugh but did not. “How is it worth that?”
Yu Nan pointed at the sign. “Pure sightseeing. No shopping.”
“Other places can do that too.”
Yu Nan said with certainty, “They can’t.”
The man said nothing. He lowered his head and looked at Yu Nan again, his gaze straight and unabashed, without the slightest sense that he was being abrupt or overstepping.
Because of the requirements of her work, the skin exposed outside her clothes had taken on a faint honeyed color. It was not the dark, glossy tan of the locals. Yu Nan’s skin was fine-textured, the honey color even throughout, more like the very embodiment of extreme good health.
Her forehead was full, her ponytail tied high, the ends not very long and braided into a rope-like plait.
It made her look even more pretty and sunny.
The man looked for a while longer before asking, “A wild guide?”
Yu Nan instinctively reached for her tour guide certificate, only to remember that a few days ago, she had gotten into a conflict with a tourist and, in a moment of impulse, hit the other person. The travel agency had given her an extended leave, and she was now waiting for the final decision on how the matter would be handled.
Yu Nan nodded. “Yes.”
The other man seemed to be merely amusing himself by teasing her. He did not seem particularly interested either. After exchanging a couple of casual words, there was nothing more to say. He turned around, got into the business van that had been parked by the roadside for some time, and drove away.
***
Once You Song had settled into his seat, he could not help glancing sideways. Outside the window, the woman was still sitting in the same spot as before, head lowered, back slightly hunched, seemingly lost in thought.
His gaze moved downward. The thin railing pressed beneath her thighs, making them sink slightly. From his angle, he could see her buttocks, the tight denim hot pants wrapping around them and outlining a rounded, full curve.
Her top was very short, and her waist was very slender. The fringe along the hem brushed against the skin of her waist, faintly revealing a thin black strap beneath the denim.
You Song calmly withdrew his gaze. The car accelerated, and that slender, beautiful figure was gradually left behind.
The business van sped along the road, with another vehicle following behind. It belonged to Lü Changmin.
He closed his eyes for a short rest. Before long, his phone rang.
You Song glanced at the caller and answered. “Hello?”
The other person said, “You-ge, have you arrived?”
“Mm.”
“Did Lü Changmin send someone to pick you up?”
“Yes,” he replied, then asked, “Are you done with things on your end?”
“Mm. I’m at the airport. I’ll be able to get to Dali tonight.”
You Song gave a quiet “mm,” intending to end the call.
The other party was in high spirits and hurriedly asked again, “You haven’t taken a train in years. How does it feel?”
You Song had previously had two very small collaborations with Lü Changmin.
He had come this time because of Phase Two of Dapingdi. Lü Changmin was in such a hurry to meet him that he insisted You Song arrive before yesterday evening. You Song and several employees happened to be in Chengdu, but when they reached the airport, they ran into air traffic control restrictions and all flights were delayed. After weighing their options, he had Zhang Shuo book several sleeper berths.
That was how he ended up making his appointment with Lü Changmin a day late.
A family of three occupied the sleeper compartment. Their child had just turned one month old and cried incessantly throughout the night. The train moved at a leisurely pace, swaying and jolting without end, and You Song had barely closed his eyes.
He turned his neck and could not help laughing as he cursed, “Don’t fucking bring it up. My head still hurts, and my waist isn’t moving properly either.”
Zhang Shuo teased him. “At your prime, when you’re as young and handsome as a flower, you’re already ‘not up to it’?”
He deliberately stressed the words, then added gleefully, “In this condition of yours, don’t let Lü Changmin wind you around his finger.”
You Song snorted and spat out three words. “Not a chance.”
The other side continued laughing. You Song had no intention of humoring him and simply cut off the call.
After another half hour or so, the business car stopped in front of the Donglai Hotel in Haidong Town. Someone opened the car door and took his luggage.
This was not You Song’s first time here. He knew his way around, took the room card from the person who had come to receive him, and headed straight upstairs.
Once inside, he went to take a shower.
A quarter of an hour later, You Song came out bare-chested, a white bath towel wrapped around his waist, pulling taut across his hip bones and accentuating their hollows and ridges. A narrow line of dark, fine hair ran below his navel, with several drops of water clinging to it, faintly glinting in the sunlight.
He raised a hand and tousled his damp hair. The short, stiff ends bounced against his fingertips, while droplets of water traced tiny arcs through the air before landing on his forehead, chest, abdomen, and the carpet.
He shook a cigarette from the pack, held it between his lips, and stopped in front of the window.
Outside, the view of Erhai was laid completely bare. The lake was ink-blue, blue without end, with a light breeze rolling up ripples that shimmered silver. In the distance, the outline of Cangshan was hazy, as though draped in a thin veil of mist, seeming both real and unreal.
Tilting his head slightly, he could see a corner of Dapingdi. Steel bars, piles of sand, construction waste. High-rises under construction rose from the ground, yet by contrast, the place looked desolate and bleak.
You Song watched for a while. When the cigarette between his fingers had burned out, he turned and went back inside.
He lay on his back on the sofa and casually turned on the television, flipping through the channels. His eyelids gradually grew heavy, and before he knew it, he had fallen asleep.
***
He was awakened by the urgent sound of the doorbell.
When he opened his eyes, night had already closed in.
You Song’s heart gave a jolt. His first reaction was to reach for his phone. There were no missed calls.
He wiped his face with his hand, got up, and went to open the door.
Zhang Shuo grumbled resentfully, craning his neck to sneak a look inside the room with a nervous air. “What were you doing? Took you long enough.”
You Song ignored him and sat back down, looking at his phone. He opened the phone app and dialed.
The other party was still switched off.
Zhang Shuo asked, “Who are you calling?”
“Lü Changmin.”
“What time were you supposed to meet?”
“Still haven’t gotten through.”
You Song had already told Lü Changmin beforehand that he would arrive a day late. The other party had said he understood and asked which train he was taking, saying he would send someone to pick him up. But since this morning, the phone on that end had remained switched off.
Zhang Shuo said, “What the hell is he playing at?”
You Song said nothing. His gaze remained fixed on the phone, thoughtful.
It was not until eight that evening that Lü Changmin finally called, apologizing repeatedly. “You-ge, I’m sorry. A project suddenly came up at the company. It’s pretty urgent, and I couldn’t get away. I’ve gone out of town. I’ll be back in a week. What do you think…”
You Song hurriedly said, “President Lü’s business is more important. Once you’ve finished things over there, we can arrange another meeting.”
Zhang Shuo strained to listen.
Music thundered from the other end, mixed with the din of voices. A woman’s voice could vaguely be heard saying, “If you came out to have fun, then don’t be on the phone…”
Her tone was coquettish, languid and suggestive.
Zhang Shuo raised his middle finger toward You Song.
The other end burst into laughter. “Brother, I like the way you talk. Straightforward. How about this? When I get back, it’s on me. I’ll give you a proper welcome.”
You Song gritted his teeth, yet his voice remained smiling. “President Lü, you’re too kind.”
After a few more pleasantries, he hung up.
Zhang Shuo said indignantly, “What the hell is this bastard playing at? Is he fucking around with us?”
You Song’s gaze darkened. “Let him keep us waiting for now.”
Zhang Shuo asked, “You think he’s figured something out?”
You Song sneered. “He’s done too many things he has a guilty conscience about. Naturally, he’s bound to be cautious. But we’re businessmen. We’re legitimately here to discuss business with him. It shouldn’t be a problem.”
Zhang Shuo frowned. “You think he really knows something about Jinzuo?”
You Song pondered. “Liu Daba said the person handling things on the Yunnan side was Lü Changmin. Seventeen years have passed. Jiang Jinzuo, she…”
Zhang Shuo ventured, “What if she’s already dead?”
You Song shot him a sidelong glance, and Zhang Shuo shuddered.
A moment later, Zhang Shuo heard him say, “In any case, there’s no turning back.”
Zhang Shuo had nothing more to say. He propped the back of his head against the sofa. “What do we do next? … We’ve got a week free. Go back to Jinan or Yixian?”
You Song answered the first question. “This is a long-term plan. We can’t rush it.”
You Song rested his elbow against his knee and looked out the window.
There were few nearby residents, scarcely any signs of human habitation. The lake and distant mountains seemed to have fallen asleep. The faraway moonlight could not illuminate the whole night, revealing only a single strand of reflected light on the water.
A figure suddenly surfaced before his eyes.
You Song did not answer whether he would go to Jinan or Yixian. He only smiled and said, “Let’s eat first.”
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