City T.
Not far from the city center, there is an ancient alley.
Its na is Jianjia Alley!
This alley has existed for a long ti, and with the developnt of the era, so of the surrounding dilapidated houses have been turned into high-rise buildings.
Only Jianjia Alley has always remained the sa!
Not only that, but there are rumors in the neighborhood that the entire alley has been bought by a mysterious tycoon. When everyone thought this businessman would build high-rise buildings here, the result was unexpected.
Jianjia Alley not only retained its ancient style, but every few years, professionals would co to repair it. The rchants renting in this alley are curious about which wealthy businessman is so generous, yet there is never a sight of this rich person.
At the very end of the alley, there is a house with a door locked all year round, rarely does anyone go in and out, and occasionally, it’s just an auntie cleaning.
On the gate, there were words written prominently.
An Residence.
Two words, powerful and vigorous, at a glance it’s written by a man who understands calligraphy!
That day, at dawn, this house opened its door wide, and the passing rchants ca to sneak a peek out of curiosity!
So rchants have been doing business here for many years and have never seen the people living inside.
However, after lingering outside for a long ti, no one ca out, so people went about their business after a while.
In the small alley, red bricks were laid on the ground, walking on them, one could feel a strong sense of the olden days.
Close to noon, more and more tourists ca into the alley, gradually becoming crowded.
Inside the An Residence, a middle-aged man occasionally ran out to look outside, as if searching for soone. After scanning the crowd, he turned back with a face full of disappointnt.
Until he reached the door of a side room, did the middle-aged man stop, speaking with a trace of loneliness in his voice, "Sir, the door has been open all day, but no one ca!"
After speaking, the middle-aged man lingered for a long ti.
As he was about to turn around, a deep and desolate voice ca from inside.
"Keep waiting..."
"Yes, sir!" the middle-aged man respectfully replied, then turned around and paced back and forth in the courtyard!
At this mont, Jianjia Alley was bustling with voices and drum sounds. Various craftworks and foods erged one after another, attracting tourists to stop and marvel!
There were also so young girls in traditional costus taking photos here, making the alley quite crowded.
And An Ying at this ti was squeezed in the crowd, looking around, surrounded by people, she was truly at a loss on how to proceed.
I shouldn’t have co here! An Ying sighed inwardly.
At this ti, she was wearing a long cheongsam, and the slender dress outlined her graceful and charming figure, walking as if she had walked out from an ancient painting of a great beauty.
Fortunately, she was wearing a mask, or else the passersby would have cast amazed glances at her.
Standing in place for a while, the crowd slowly began to flow.
An Ying covered her mouth with her hand, slowly lowering her head, coughing a few tis.
She didn’t sleep well last night, caught a little cold, but luckily except for so coughing, she was okay, or else, at dinner, her daughter would nag if she noticed.
Thinking of this, An Ying looked completely helpless!
She followed the crowd, heading toward the depths of the alley.
With every step, her mood grew heavier, her eyes gazing at every brick and tile around, her mind flashing with scattered fragnts...
She forced herself to pull away from the mories, her gaze once again fell on the eaves around.
The houses on both sides of the street were still the sa as decades ago, unchanged...
Her eyes gradually deepened as if searching for sothing through these houses.
Her steps grew increasingly difficult.
A short distance remained to reach the end of the alley.
An Ying’s hands were already clenched into fists, placed in front of her chest. As soone accidentally brushed her arm with a hand and apologized, she had no reaction, as if sothing was pushing her forward.
"Ice sugar gourds for sale, delicious and affordable ice sugar gourds, co get one!"
As she dazedly paused, an old man approached, holding a bunch of bright red ice sugar gourds handed to her.
"Girl, have one!" The old man, hunched over with age, his face full of wrinkles, spoke with gaps between his teeth, likely having lost most of them.
An Ying halted, turned to look at the old man, and soon her eyes were covered with a thin layer of mist, turning in her pupils!
"I’d like to buy... two," An Ying’s voice trembled, struggling to utter a few words, as if suppressing her emotions, afraid of losing control!
Hearing her words, the old man was in a daze for a mont, deliberately looking up at the woman before him, feeling a familiar sense, but since she was wearing a mask, the old man refrained from asking further questions, deftly returning to his stall, picking up two strings of ice sugar gourds and putting them in a bag, "Here you go, ten yuan in total! Cash or scan?"
"Scan," An Ying quickly pulled out her phone as she listened to the old man.
The old man took out his phone from his pocket.
After An Ying successfully scanned, the old man cheerfully said to her, "Girl, co back for more if you like them!"
"Okay, Grandpa Wu!" An Ying blurted out.
When she realized what she had just called him, the words had already been spoken. Frightened, she quickly pushed through the crowd and walked forward.
Leaving behind the old man looking lost.
"Grandpa Wu..."
Such a tender address, Grandpa Wu had not heard in many years, perhaps decades. Hearing it again, his mory was instantly pulled back more than twenty years.
Back then, a young man from the street often ca to buy ice sugar gourds with a girl.
Every purchase, the girl always wanted two strings!
Because she loved eating them, the young man looked at the girl indulgently, despite having little money, yet he let the girl buy...
The old man was deeply impressed because that couple was strikingly good looking at the ti.
The girl, so young yet extrely beautiful, had a face that once glimpsed, left a lasting impression, and the young man was just as handso.
The old man sighed, mories cannot be chased.
Just now, the woman gave him the illusion that the girl from back then had returned.
Perhaps he was getting confused in his old age, mistaking people! And the "Grandpa Wu" he thought he heard might just be his own deafness.
Sigh! It’s inconvenient being old!
Blind and deaf! After a sigh, the old man continued to hawk his goods.
"Delicious ice sugar gourds..."
An Ying walked briskly for a long way, panting before she suddenly realized: after all these years, how could Grandpa Wu possibly rember her?
So why did she run away?
Thinking that she was no longer young, yet acted so recklessly, An Ying felt extrely helpless!
The ice sugar gourd in her hand wasn’t heavy, and looking down, she took a string from the bag, placed it at her mouth, and bit a piece.
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