Chapter 46: The Blurry You (1 of 2)
October in a Southern county is already filled with the chilly breezes of autumn. The long street beside the river has a row of new and old housing. Cars and pedestrians come and go.
Han Chen parks his car on the side of the street and looks up.
17 Fuyang Lang, Hongshan County.
The place where Bai Jin Xi lived in when she was little.
It’s a three story newly built western style home. There’s even a small shop in the front. Han Chen buys a pack of cigarette and starts a conversation with the boss lady, “I want to find out about a person. I have a friend named Bai Jin Xi. Did she live here before?”
The boss lady is a forty or so year old kind woman. She shakes her head, “Nope. Never heard of her.”
“When did you move here then?”
The boss lady smiles, “It’s been three or four years now. When did your friend live here?”
“She lived here when she was little and then moved out. Thinking about it, it has probably been over ten years,” Han Chen says smiling slightly.
The boss lady slaps the countertop lightly, “That’s probably why then. This whole area was bought by someone and the buildings were taken down. You see? We bought this newly built home from the developer. I’m not sure where all the old residents have moved to.”
“Oh,” Han Chen pauses and then asks, “Do you know who the owner was before it was taken down?”
The boss lady is a bit stunned from his question. But seeing how he’s a good looking guy with his eyes focused on her, she tells him everything that she knows out of subconsciousness, “That I really don’t know. But I heard that this land was transferred a couple of times to different owners until it went into the hands of the new development company.”
After leaving the shop, Han Chen stands on the side of the road and takes a look at each end of the street.
His eyes fall on the corner of the street. A small restaurant that looks a bit dated.
It’s not noon yet and the simple looking restaurant permeated with the delicious smell of food has no customers inside. There is only an old woman with a full head of white hair sitting in front of the entrance picking through some vegetables.
Han Chen walks up to her and bends down, “Grandma, I want to ask you about a person.”
The old lady raises her head and looks at him, “Young fellow, who do you want to ask about?”
“Do you know someone named Bai Jin Xi? She’s my girlfriend.”
The old lady thinks for a minute, “Oh……is it Xiao Xi who used to live on the East side?” She looks at him in surprise, “They’ve moved a long time ago. How did you get here?”
Han Chen smiles and answers, “I haven’t been in touch with her for a few years. I only remember her mentioning that her old home was here. I happened to be passing by, so I decided to come take a look.”
The old lady smiles. She pulls a chair over to him, “Young fellow, take a seat. You’ve got the wrong place. They’ve moved out of here for at least ten years. But I remembered a few years ago, she came back once and chatted with me for the whole day.”
Han Chen sits down. He places both of his hands on his knees and gives his full attention to the old lady, “Do you remember which year she came back
to visit then?”
The old lady thinks for a moment and sighs, “At the end of 2010, which is the year that her family was in an accident. She’s quite a pitiful child. Both of her parents are no longer here. And she can’t remember the past.” She smiles affectionately, “But these few years that she’s been studying out of town, she has changed quite a lot. The big city can’t be compared after all. She has become prettier and prettier now.”
Han Chen keeps quiet for a moment and then asks, “Do you have a photo of her when she was little?”
The old lady shakes her head, “Where would I have that?” She laughs at Han Chen, “Young fellow, you want to pursue her, don’t you? You’ve even come all the way here. You’re so thoughtful.”
Han Chen smiles.
“What other relatives does she have?”
The old lady thinks for a while and answers, “There aren’t any relatives on her dad’s side. As for her mom’s side, I heard that she had an older sister, but she isn’t in Province K. I heard that she has also passed away a few years ago. Sigh……Xiao Xi, this little girl is so pitiful. She really has no family around her now.”
A customer enters the restaurant. The old lady quickly gets busy.
Han Chen finds a table and sits down. He orders a bowl of rice noodles under the old lady’s recommendation.
Watching the smoke rising from the hot stove at the restaurant’s entrance and the old and worn out wooden table, it naturally reminds him of Bai Jin Xi, who’s very fond of these small snack street stalls.
“……They’re from a street stall. It’s especially yummy.” Her big round eyes were shining brighter than a light bulb when she said these words at the time.
Han Chen reveals a smile slowly thinking about it. He picks up his cell phone, scrolls to her number, stares at it for a few seconds and dials.
“Bai Jin Xi mentioned that she had an ex-boyfriend. Go look up who this person is and send his contact information and address to me.”