86 Retribution
Qi Yan was pulled out of the car without any warning.
Just as she was about to resist, she looked up and caught sight of a familiar pair of eyes.
After nearly ten years, she still recognized the owner of these eyes at a glance.
“What’s going on?” The bus driver did not leave, afraid that she would encounter any danger.
!!
Qi Yan stood up straight and nodded at the driver. “It’s fine. My friend is here to pick me up. I’m sorry.”
After making sure that she was fine, the bus driver drove out.
The bus stop was empty.
Nan Zhe pulled her up from the roadside and retreated to a safe distance.
Releasing his hand, he began to size up the figure opposite him.
Qi Yan had been thin and tall since junior high. At that time, she had short hair, but it was really difficult to tell if she was male or female.
After so many years, she did not seem to have changed at all.
She was still so thin and tall. She was about five to six centimeters taller than Nan Ge.
Qi Yan was dressed especially casually today. She was wearing a baseball jacket with a hoodie and carrying a canvas bag.
She also had a dark cap on her head, and the hood on her sweater was over it.
If he did not look closer, he would not have recognized her.
The brim of her hat blocked out the light beside her, and the shadows covered her facial features seamlessly.
He could only see her chin clearly.
Similarly, Qi Yan was also sizing him up.
“Brother Nan, it’s really you.” After confirming that it was Nan Zhe, Qi Yan raised the brim of her hat and punched his chest. “Why are you here?”
Nan Zhe was caught off guard by this punch.
He almost lost his balance from the force and his chest was trembling.
Damn it. After so many years, why was this woman still so strong?
“Ahem.”
Nan Zhe stood up straight. “I didn’t expect you to still recognize me.”
“Of course.”
Qi Yan reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder. “Although… Uh, how many years has it been since we last met? Eight or nine years? Nevermind. It’s not important. Brother Nan, after so long, your looks are still the same as before. You still have your charm. It’s difficult not to recognize you.”
Was she praising him? But what did she mean by “still charming”??
Nan Zhe was speechless. “I told you to study hard back then.”
“That’s not important. Have you eaten? I’ll treat you. Let’s sit down and talk.” Qi Yan was extremely happy to see him.
“Sure.” This was exactly what Nan Zhe wanted. “Get in.”
Qi Yan found a barbecue restaurant, and Nan Zhe didn’t mind.
After sitting down, Qi Yan took off her coat and hat.
After pouring the water, Nan Zhe looked up and saw the person opposite him combing her hair and holding a hair tie.
Long hair…
Nan Zhe was stunned.
This was the first time he had seen Qi Yan with long hair.
Without the cover of the hat, there was sufficient light in the restaurant and he could clearly see Qi Yan’s facial features.
It was impossible to say that nothing had changed.
She did not look like a boy anymore.
Qi Yan casually tied her hair into a high ponytail and looked up with a smile. “Hey, Brother Nan, why are you here?”
Nan Zhe handed her the water. After some thought, he said truthfully, “Do you have a blind date today?”
“F*ck, you even know this?”
“Unfortunately, I’m your blind date.”
“Pfft…” Qi Yan spat out a mouthful of water.
Nan Zhe had expected this and used a towel to block it. In the next second, he threw the towel aside calmly. “You’re really good at standing someone up.”
“No, no.” Qi Yan wiped her mouth and quickly explained, “I had a last-minute job and couldn’t leave. I just got off work.”
“I asked the person who introduced you to call you early in the morning to tell you. Didn’t she say anything? Don’t tell me you waited until now?”
“What do you think?”
“…” She felt bad. Hesitating, Qi Yan handed over the menu. “I was wrong. Do you want to order more?”
Soon, the dishes were served.
Qi Yan naturally took over the responsibility of roasting meat, just like back then.
When they were in school, they would go out to eat together. The person opposite them sat there like a boss and waited to eat.
“By the way, Brother Nan, did you already know that I was the one you were going on a blind date with?”
“Yes, the other party showed me your photo.”
...
“Hahahahahaha, then why did you agree to a blind date?” It was so awkward to go on a blind date with someone she knew.
“I wanted to have a meal with you since we haven’t seen each other for many years. Why? Do you have a problem?”
“Hey, no way. If I knew it was you, I definitely wouldn’t have stood you up!”
Nan Zhe snorted. No one could tell if he believed her.
During dinner, the two of them chatted about what had happened before.
Qi Yan did not attend high school in Jiang City back then and her family moved to the north
Because she had left so suddenly at that time, she did not have time to tell Nan Zhe and the others. After moving, she changed her phone number at home, so she cut off contact with them.
The two of them exchanged contact information this time. They shared their phone numbers, added each other to WeChat, and even traded emails.
After coming out of the restaurant, Qi Yan went to the side to buy coffee.
Nan Zhe did not follow her in.
When Qi Sheng came out, she saw Nan Zhe lighting a cigarette. She didn’t know if the lighter was broken, but Nan Zhe could not get a fire even after lighting it a few times.
...
“Wow, you still have this lighter.”
Qi Yan recognized the metal lighter at a glance.
Hearing this, Nan Zhe paused in the act of lighting a cigarette. His expression quickly returned to normal, and he tilted his head and finally lit the cigarette.
“I’m accustomed to using it.” He blew out a smoke ring and explained casually.
This lighter was a birthday gift from Qi Yan.
When he was in junior high school, he had already learned how to smoke and drink.
However, he was not addicted.
On his third birthday, Qi Yan gave him a lighter.
It was silver with some raised patterns on it. It was a rose. After so many years, the paint had already fallen off.
Qi Yan nodded and handed him one of the cups of coffee.
Nan Zhe did not take it. He waved the cigarette in his hand. “I’ll drink later.”
“Where are you staying? Shall I send you back first?”
It was getting late.
Qi Yan did not refuse.
Nan Zhe’s car was parked by the roadside.
——
At the same time, Nan Ge and Shen Yanqing had just come out of the arcade.
Shen Yanqing had lived for almost 30 years. This was the first time he had entered such a place, and it was also his first time seeing a claw machine.
He was not familiar with these machines, but Nan Ge had shown him how to use them.
The two of them got a lot of plush toys from the claw machines and came out of the shop.
Shen Yanqing stood at the side with the bag. Nan Ge bent down and went through it. She found a beautiful doll and handed it to him. “Here, this is for you.”
“Thank you.”
Nan Ge rummaged through the bag again and sighed. “The rest are a little ugly and not worthy of you. You can take this one.”
“I’ll give the ugly ones to my brother later.”
Shen Yanqing could not help but laugh.
Perhaps it was retribution. Not long after Nan Ge finished speaking, she turned around and saw a certain acquaintance.
Who else could it be but Nan Zhe who was standing by the roadside smoking and chatting with a beauty?!
