“No need, this is my territory,” Huan’er waved at him, “I’m off, call you later.”
Just then, a voice came from the bathroom, “Song Cong, come here quick, look at this!”
“What’s wrong?” Song Cong walked toward the bathroom, with Huan’er hesitantly following.
“Look at this shampoo and body wash, what is all this mess?” Qi Qi stood at the sink, pointing randomly, “The labels are handwritten, who would dare use these?”
The bottles filled with white liquid were refill containers, with types labeled on tape.
Song Cong rubbed his brow, “Let’s make do for one night, if it’s not suitable we’ll buy some tomorrow.”
“I said we should fly but you insisted on train tickets, I suggested a hotel but you disagreed, I wanted to bring a suitcase but you insisted on traveling light,” Qi Qi unleashed all her pent-up frustration, “Waited so long and can’t even take a comfortable shower, what’s the point of this trip?”
“Stop,” Song Cong made a halting gesture, “I’ll go buy some now, okay?”
To Qi Qi, these words sounded like he was calling her unreasonable. She raised her voice, “I’m saying you never consider my opinions!”
“Can we please solve the current problem first?” Song Cong suppressed his anger, “Shampoo and body wash – what else do you need? Conditioner? Anything else?”
“I need?” Qi Qi angrily knocked over the bottles, “Are my requests really that demanding?”
The glass refill bottles rolled on the floor, creating a mess of mixed lotions.
Huan’er stood awkwardly at the door, seeing the argument escalating, she quickly tried to mediate, “I’ll go buy some, there’s a mall right downstairs. You’re both tired from traveling all day, get some rest. Why argue on a vacation?”
Qi Qi crossed her arms and turned her head away.
Song Cong, face ashen, pushed Huan’er toward the door, “I’ll go down with you.”
Huan’er looked back at the silent Qi Qi and added softly, “Qi, I’m heading out.”
“Be careful on your way,” the young woman reminded her, eyes reddened.
Song Cong didn’t say a word until they reached the ground floor.
Huan’er couldn’t help nudging him, “What’s going on with you two?”
A bottle of shampoo triggering such a big argument – anyone watching would be confused. As a longtime friend of both, Huan’er vaguely sensed certain “trigger points” hidden between them, though she couldn’t quite identify what they were.
Song Cong took a deep breath, seeming to want to speak but holding back.
Seeing he was unwilling to talk, Huan’er didn’t press further. Instead, she advised, “Just enjoy your vacation and be happy, compromise a bit – it’s not like it’s some life-or-death battle between armies.”
Song Cong remained silent as they walked shoulder to shoulder to the complex entrance.
The mall was to the left, and the subway station was to the right.
As Huan’er was about to turn left, Song Cong held her back and asked, “You understand me, right?”
Huan’er nodded. A friendship from age fourteen until now – that wasn’t even a question worth thinking about.
“And you probably… understand Qi Qi too, right?”
Huan’er hesitated slightly before nodding again.
Those hidden misunderstandings no longer existed, but they’d been apart so long, that she wasn’t sure how much of Qi Qi’s changes she hadn’t seen.
Song Cong seemed to read her mind and added quietly, “Qi Qi hasn’t changed.”
Huan’er was puzzled, “Why ask these questions suddenly?”
Song Cong shook his head slightly and changed the subject, “I heard you speaking the local dialect with the landlord. Huan’er, you’ve really become a local now.”
The news about her graduate school admission had been shared early – Song Cong was already in an eight-year medical program, and their separation for even longer was set in stone.
Huan’er smiled, “First I was from Sishui, then from Tianhe, now I’m from here – my life is destined to be like duckweed, drifting without a permanent home.”
Song Cong finally showed a smile, “Cut all ties with your senior, no more connection?”
“Why bring that up?” Huan’er gave him a look.
Song Cong said slowly, “Better to make a clean break. I heard you nearly couldn’t get over it.”
“That big-mouthed Jing Qichi.”
“Don’t grumble, reporting to me is his duty.”
Huan’er frowned, “How many secret deals are there between you two that I don’t know about?”
“Mm, quite a few indeed.” Song Cong nodded toward the subway station, “Better head back now.”
“Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body lotion, and get a box of face masks too,” Huan’er instructed, “Got it?”
Song Cong nodded, waving with a smile.
Right, what could that brain of his possibly forget?