"How dare you!"
In the Lu's Name - Giving and Fortune - Telling Shop, Lu Tianchang, dressed in a semi - worn Tang suit, was sitting cross - legged on the elm counter. He slapped the counter loudly, "Pa, pa", to show his anger!
He was my father, but he looked only in his thirties. He had his long hair tied up in a bun hanging behind his head. His long phoenix eyes slanted obliquely into his temples. He had an otherworldly and elegant appearance that was easy on the eye.
However, at this moment, he was squatting on the counter like a monkey, pointing at me and scolding, "Xixi, is it easy for me to raise you up? How could you go astray? How dare you stay out all night? Where... where did you go to fool around?"
"Dad, what are you talking nonsense about! I went to Zhao Zifeng's place!"
I had a clear conscience. I had already coordinated my story with Zhao Zifeng and was well - prepared for my father's interrogation.
Zhao Zifeng was my high - school deskmate. A total academic slacker, she had also been admitted to the Civil Affairs Vocational College in Green City. However, she had chosen the relatively popular major of "Rail Transit Operation and Management".
"If you don't believe me, go ask Aunt Lu. She drove me there!" I continued.
"Lu Ling?!" Dad frowned, with a look of displeasure on his face. "Didn't I tell you long ago to stay away from her!"
"She's your sister!"
I complained about my father and tried to change the subject by the way. "Dad, you're really heartless!"
"Stop talking about your aunt like that!"
It seemed that my father was really angry. He waved his hand and said, "I'll close the shop later and contact the repeat - study class. You should study hard for another year and try to get into a top - tier university like a 985 or 211 next year. Bring some honor to your father!"
"I'm not going!" I stamped my foot in anger. I really didn't expect my father to still be so persistent.
"If you don't repeat your senior - year study, I'll kick you out and stop feeding you!"
My father threatened me through gritted teeth.
When I was a child, whenever I was disobedient and cried, he would scare me like this. But now, the child has grown up and won't listen to her father. I already have my own way of making money!
"Hiss..." My phone vibrated. When I picked it up, it was a message about an Alipay transfer record.
Although that rich client had some strange quirks, like scaring people with a paper - effigy, he was quite trustworthy. He had already transferred the remaining payment.
"Kick me out then!" I pursed my lips and tossed my head. "I was already planning to live in the dormitory anyway!"
After saying that, regardless of my father who was blowing his beard and glaring, I carried my bag, walked around the counter, and went to the inner room to catch up on sleep.
I slept very restlessly this time...
Not only did the wound on my lip hurt sharply, but the bitten area on my forehead also felt as if the skin had been peeled off.
Outside on the street, there were many pilgrims passing by noisily. The various noisy sounds gradually seeped into my dream. I seemed to see that under the gloomy sky, many people were carrying all kinds of betrothal gifts. They were blowing and beating all the way along the road towards our family's shop.
I was sitting in a red wedding dress, with my hands and feet tied, on the grand master's chair in the middle of the shop. Two life - sized paper - effigies were standing obediently on both sides.
"The auspicious time has arrived!"
The shrill sound of the suona directly hit my eardrums. The next second, the blood - red bridal veil on my head was lifted, and the face of a poorly - painted paper - effigy appeared in front of me, grinning...
"Lu Xiyu!"
A loud shout in my ear startled me. I suddenly opened my eyes and sat up abruptly from the bed.
Zhao Zifeng was caught off - guard and was hit on the nose by my head. She howled in pain, covering her face and falling onto my bed.
"Zifeng, why are you here?"
I wiped the cold sweat off my forehead and took a deep breath to calm my wildly - beating heart that seemed to burst out of my chest.
"You still ask me? Didn't we agree to go for a farewell dinner today? Why didn't you keep your promise?!"
Zhao Zifeng covered her nose and looked at me with teary eyes.
Since we were graduating students and would go our separate ways after the summer vacation, the class monitor proposed that we should get together for a farewell dinner to mark a wonderful ending to our three - year high - school life.
Zhao Zifeng had always had a crush on our class's vice - monitor. She planned to have a couple of drinks to boost her courage at this gathering and confess her love to the vice - monitor!
As my only deskmate and good friend for three years, she wanted me to be there to witness this epoch - making moment.
"I didn't say I wouldn't go..."
The class monitor had posted in the group that the gathering would start at 7 p.m. today. After dinner in the hotel, we would go directly to Partyworld and book a hall to sing all night.
"Look at the time now!" Zhao Zifeng was almost shouting.
I quickly took out my phone. There were actually dozens of WeChat calls on it, all from Zhao Zifeng.
It was already 6:30 p.m. No wonder this girl had come straight to my family's shop to find me.
I quickly got out of bed. I just tidied up my long hair and was about to go out when Zhao Zifeng suddenly grabbed my arm.
"This is our last gathering. Many people may never see each other again in their lives. Why don't you dress up beautifully and amaze everyone?"
I glanced at Zhao Zifeng in surprise and found that she had even put on a light makeup. She was wearing a very beautiful body - hugging short skirt that showed off her youthful curves.
"You're the main character today. I'm just the plain - Jane sidekick."
I squinted my eyes and joked, "It seems that someone is going all out to amaze everyone!"
Even so, under Zhao Zifeng's "coercion", I changed into a light - green long dress and tied my waist - length hair into a ponytail that hung loosely behind me.
"Alas..."
Zhao Zifeng couldn't help but sigh. "I think you'd better not go today!"
"Okay."
I nodded immediately. Anyway, I wasn't very popular in the class. Attending such a boring gathering was not as fun as secretly reading the precious ancient books in my father's bookcase at home.
"Okay my foot!"
Zhao Zifeng knocked on my head with her handbag and pulled my hand out of the room.
On the lounge chair outside, my father was half - lying and drinking tea. His leisurely appearance was quite like that of a worldly hermit who had "stolen half a day's leisure from a busy life".
"Uncle, I'm taking Xixi away!"
Zhao Zifeng was my good friend, so she was naturally very familiar with my father.
"Didn't you just go out to play yesterday... Xixi is going to repeat her senior - year study. Don't let her heart wander too far."
My father looked at the two of us disapprovingly and started nagging.
"Today is a class gathering!" I waved my phone in front of him. "The whole class is going. I'll come back right after dinner. I guarantee I'll be home before 10 p.m.!"
"Don't worry, Uncle. I'll keep an eye on her!"
Zhao Zifeng laughed mischievously to smooth things over. Before my father could say anything else, she pulled me and ran out of the shop.
After running a long way, my phone's reminder sounded.
I opened it and immediately saw a message from my father on WeChat: It's the Fourteenth of July tonight. Don't stay out late. It's better to return early!
It was the Fourteenth of July...
The Ghost Festival in Taoism, a day in folk legend when the gates of hell open.
I looked up at the sky. Under the cover of a thin layer of evening clouds, the nearly full moon was emitting a pale white light.
From somewhere, the faint sound of a suona came. Although it was the hot summer, I couldn't help but shiver...