Chapter 128: Playmate

After all, she had taken Chen Feng’s money, so Lin Yujiao subconsciously couldn’t be tough in front of him.

Chen Feng got up and went out, and she also obediently followed behind him.

“My car or your car?” At the door, Chen Feng turned his head and asked her.

Lin Yujiao replied casually, “Whatever.”

“Then let’s take my car.”

Chen Feng first went over and greeted his older brother who was washing a car, saying that he wouldn’t be home for lunch. Then he took the somewhat evasive Lin Yujiao, got into his car, and drove away.

Seeing this, Chen Rui was stunned for a good while before he couldn’t help but smile with envy.

He knew that his younger brother already had a girlfriend. However, both he and his wife didn’t want their future sister-in-law to be from another place. So this time, after accidentally meeting Lin Yujiao at the car wash, he had the idea of trying to get his brother to meet her.

As a result, in just a short while, the two of them drove off in a car to have fun.

It could only be said that his younger brother’s charm was still great. Just like his former sister-in-law, a woman with such good conditions, wasn’t she determined to marry him back then?

In this aspect, he, as an older brother, really couldn’t compare to his younger brother.

It was just that Chen Feng already had a girlfriend, but it seemed he was also going to develop something with Lin Yujiao. He didn’t know how this two-timing would end in the future.

In fact, Chen Rui had undoubtedly misunderstood his younger brother, Chen Feng.

He really wasn’t two-timing. First of all, Sun Xiaorui was not his girlfriend, and he didn’t have a girlfriend now. Secondly, from the very beginning, Chen Feng had told Lin Yujiao that he was not on a blind date, and of course, he would not remarry.

As for taking her out, Chen Feng had paid for it. For the time being, he was just asking her to be a playmate, a companion, to relieve his boredom.

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The car drove onto the national highway. Chen Feng asked, “What’s fun in the county town?”

“Ah? You don’t know?” Lin Yujiao asked back with confusion.

“I’m really not very familiar with the county town. I only studied at the county’s No. 1 High School during high school, so I’m a little familiar. Later, I didn’t stay in the county town for college or work. It’s been several years, so I’m definitely not as familiar as you. After all, you used to have a shop in the county town for several years.”

“I see… Then let’s go to the mall first. Baida Plaza, it’s in the new city. It was just built two years ago. It’s only a few minutes from here.”

Chen Feng was a little speechless. Women really were born to love shopping.

“Shopping is boring. Let’s go to the alleys in the old county town to find something to eat first. You know Jiefang Street, right? There are many snack shops in the alleys there. My favorite back then was Old Yang’s pickled vegetable pancake. I don’t know if it’s still open.”

“Old Yang’s pickled vegetable pancake. Of course it’s still open. The business is so good that there’s a line every day. I used to buy it often. It’s really delicious.”

Lin Yujiao’s expression immediately became rich. People really were foodies.

“Then let’s go to Jiefang Street first.”

“Okay.”

The car drove for a while on the national highway, then turned left at a crossroads and drove onto the newly built four-lane road in the past two years. It went straight to the county town, which was only a ten-minute drive.

When they arrived at Jiefang Street, it was an old street. In the past, there were many shops here, and the flow of people was like a weaving shuttle. It was very lively. But now it was starting to decline.

The houses were still the same houses, and the shops were also the same, but only a few shops were open. There were also very few vehicles and pedestrians, not as prosperous as before.

However, in the alleys next to this once prosperous street, which was the old residential area, there were still many snack shops open.

There were wonton shops, fried rice noodle shops, lantern cake shops, pickled vegetable pancake shops, noodle shops, and food stalls. They were all from before. And now there were many new snack shops, such as roujiamo, snail noodles, and meat zongzi shops.

There were many more than when Chen Feng was in school.

The alley snacks here were a local specialty.

Old Yang’s pickled vegetable pancake used to be a street stall, but now it had a shop. Under Lin Yujiao’s guidance, Chen Feng arrived at the shop. Sure enough, there were more than a dozen people in line.

“Fortunately, there aren’t many people. In the afternoon and evening, there will be more people.”

Lin Yujiao said.

Chen Feng could only sigh. There were really many foodies in this world. No one could refuse delicious food, even if they had to wait in line. The two of them waited in line for more than ten minutes before it was their turn. When he was in school, it was two yuan for one, and two yuan and fifty cents with an egg. Now it was five yuan for one, and six yuan with an egg.

The egg was a fresh egg. Chen Feng didn’t want an egg. In the past, it was to save money. Now it was for health.

This pickled vegetable pancake was delicious, but now looking at their on-site operation, it was fried in dark rolling oil. How hygienic and healthy it was was very questionable.

And pickled vegetables were not a healthy food either.

Before Chen Feng had a terminal illness, of course he wouldn’t care about these things.

But now that he had a terminal illness, he definitely cared.

He ate one. It was still the familiar taste of the past. He recalled his youthful years in his mind. After sighing that time flies like a shuttle, he really didn’t dare to eat this pickled vegetable pancake anymore.

Lin Yujiao also ate with her mouth full of oil. She walked and ate with Chen Feng. They passed by a meat zongzi shop. There were several shops in a row here. It seemed that it was really delicious and the business was good.

They bought two with meat filling and salted egg. The taste was very good. So, Chen Feng simply bought twenty to take home for his family to try.

In the end, the two of them ate wontons at a so-called century-old wonton shop. It was quite expensive, eighteen yuan a bowl. The taste could only be said to be worse than expected. It was not as delicious as the wontons his mother made.

After the two of them finished eating here, they didn’t need to eat lunch.

“Next, let’s go to a nearby KTV to sing.”

It was also really a bit boring. Plus, he hadn’t sung K for a long time. Chen Feng planned to go and show off his singing voice.

“Okay, okay. There’s a KTV in Linnan Building. I’ve been there before. It’s pretty good. The price is not expensive during the day now.”

“Okay. Let’s go.”

Linnan Building used to be a landmark building in their Linnan County, with more than twenty floors.

It was not far from here, so the two of them didn’t need to drive.

Lin Yujiao led Chen Feng there with familiarity. It was in the basement of Linnan Building. The area was quite large. It was just that the lights had to be on during the day, which didn’t give Chen Feng a very good feeling.

However, since he was here, of course he couldn’t just leave. Anyway, KTVs never seemed to have bright lights.

They booked a private room and ordered drinks, snacks, and a fruit platter.

The price during the day was really not expensive. There weren’t many customers inside. As they walked, they only heard a male high-pitched voice singing out of tune in one of the private rooms.

After entering the private room and sitting down, Lin Yujiao immediately went to choose songs. After she had chosen her own songs, she remembered Chen Feng and asked him what song he wanted to sing.

“‘Summer Light Year,’ by Mayday.”

“This song? It seems very difficult to sing.”

“It’s difficult to sing, that’s why I want to sing it. This song is very exciting to shout.”

“Haha, that’s true. I’m just afraid you’ll sing out of tune.”

“It’s okay to sing out of tune. It’s not like I’m participating in a singing competition. It’s normal to sing out of tune when you’re venting your emotions.”
“Okay. Any other songs?”

“Let’s talk about it after I finish this song.”

“It’s done. Then I’ll sing first,” Lin Yujiao said with a smile.

Chen Feng also said with a smile, “OK. Let me hear how you sing.”

Lin Yujiao wasn’t shy. She picked up the microphone. After the prelude, she started to sing.

It was a relatively old song, Faye Wong’s “Fleeting Years.” Not to mention, she sang it very well. Her voice was clear and her breath was steady. She had a bit of Faye Wong’s style.

“In this lifetime, we meet on a narrow road, and we can’t escape it. My heart suddenly grows a tangled curve; before I understand, after I fall in love, it’s no longer than a day. That year, it changed my whole life.”

The singing stopped. Chen Feng clapped his hands sincerely and shouted “Good.”

Lin Yujiao smiled sweetly and nodded slightly at Chen Feng, “Thank you.”

At this time, the waiter pushed the door open and brought in the things they had ordered.

Lin Yujiao didn’t continue to sing the next song. Instead, she came over and took a bottle of drink, opened it, and took a few gulps. She smiled at Chen Feng and said, “Next, why don’t you sing first? Let me hear yours too.”

“Okay!”

Chen Feng wasn’t being coy. He also went over and switched to “Summer Light Year.” Looking at the screen, he started to sing.

The beginning was fine. Chen Feng sang it okay. But when it came to “I won’t turn, I won’t turn,” he finally sang out of tune.

Lin Yujiao had obviously been looking forward to it. Seeing that Chen Feng had indeed sung out of tune, she couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

Chen Feng, however, ignored her and insisted on finishing the song. Then he sang out of tune three times in a row. Twice because the singing speed was too fast and the lyrics didn’t match.

A complete car crash scene!
Lin Yujiao laughed so hard that she bent over, seemingly very happy.

Chen Feng didn’t feel angry about this. It was just KTV. It was normal for his companion to laugh at him for singing badly and out of tune, right?

He finally finished the song. He himself was calm. He felt quite comfortable after shouting for a while.

He looked up and saw that Lin Yujiao was still looking very happy. He couldn’t help but say with the microphone, “It’s just singing out of tune and not matching the lyrics. Is it that funny?”

Lin Yujiao covered her mouth and tried hard to hold back her laughter, “It’s nothing to sing out of tune and not match the lyrics. But when you were singing just now, you had a look of complete absorption, seriousness, and self-forgetfulness. It was really funny. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it.”

“You’re really… aren’t you just打击 (dǎjī – striking a blow to) my confidence? I haven’t sung this song for several years. Now that I’m suddenly singing it, my condition is definitely not very good. And this song is a high-difficulty one. It’s already good that I can sing it like this. If you’re so good, you try it.”

“Okay. I’ll try it. I used to like this song very much too. I like all of Mayday’s songs.”

“Fine. You sing it.”

Chen Feng put down the microphone, gave up his seat, and went to sit on the sofa.

Lin Yujiao came over and picked up the microphone. After the prelude of “Summer Light Year,” she started to sing.

Just the first few lines made Chen Feng feel like kneeling. This was really a case of comparing people to people and getting angry.

When it came to the fast-paced lyrics, she sang them perfectly. Chen Feng had to admit defeat.

In the end, the high notes of “I won’t turn, I won’t turn” were also perfectly performed by her. Chen Feng was completely shocked.

Damn! This skill could get her into “The Voice.”

Chen Feng was slightly dazed as he watched her roaring “I won’t turn, I won’t turn” with a rock and roll style. Her long hair was loose, covering half of her face. Her face was fair, her eyebrows were curved, her nose was straight, her lips were red, and her teeth were white… He suddenly felt a little moved.

Of course, this was purely out of a man’s love and appreciation for a beautiful and outstanding woman. It was a man’s instinct, not involving love or anything like that.

At least that’s what Chen Feng thought.

After the song was over, Chen Feng was still staring at her in a daze.

“How was it? Better than your singing, right?” Lin Yujiao asked with the microphone, with a hint of pride on her face.

Only then did Chen Feng come back to his senses. He stood up, clapped his hands, and exclaimed, “It’s simply heavenly. I have to say, it’s a real pity that you didn’t become a singer. Your singing skills are too amazing. Did you ever learn it professionally?”

Lin Yujiao immediately covered her mouth and smiled, “It’s not as exaggerated as you say. I learned bel canto from my aunt for a while in junior high school, which is just some breathing techniques. She used to be in the army’s cultural troupe.”

Chen Feng nodded with some realization, “No wonder. If you can sing bel canto, singing these pop songs is a piece of cake. It’s really professional.”

“Thank you.”

“Then why didn’t you go to learn singing? With such a good talent.”

“My family had no money. I didn’t go to school after graduating from junior high school. Later, I did handicrafts at home. At the age of eighteen, I went to Shenzhen with a relative to help her sell clothes in her shop. Then I’ve been selling clothes ever since.”

“What a pity. With your good voice, plus your beautiful appearance, it’s a real waste not to sing and become a star.”

“You’re exaggerating. How can I be a star?” Although she was happy in her heart, Lin Yujiao was still very modest.

“It’s really not an exaggeration at all. Look at those popular female singers in the country. You’re more beautiful than them, and your singing skills are better than theirs. What you lack is just an opportunity and a company and people to promote you.”

“It’s too late to talk about these things now. I’m already this old,” Lin Yujiao said with a hint of sadness.

Chen Feng said with a straight face, “If you really have a dream, it’s never too late, even if you’re seventy or eighty.”

Lin Yujiao smiled, “Are you giving me chicken soup for the soul? A dream?”

“Although the word ‘dream’ has been overused, I have to say that it is still very motivating. People have to have a dream and a goal in life. Otherwise, what’s the difference between them and a salted fish?”

Lin Yujiao smiled and said, “My dream and goal now is to make money and find a good husband.”

“That doesn’t conflict with singing. You can make money by singing, for example, by participating in singing competitions. Once you have a certain reputation, money will naturally come. And when you have a reputation, the probability of finding a rich and good husband will definitely be greater.”

“You make it sound so easy. I’m already this old. Can I still pursue the dream of becoming famous by singing like a little girl?”

“You’re only twenty-seven, right? That’s not too old. In those singing competitions on TV before, there were many contestants over thirty. If they can do it, why can’t you?”

“Alright, alright. I give up. I came out to play with you, not to let you give me chicken soup for the soul.”

“Alright. If you don’t like to hear it, then forget it. Here, have some fruit.”

Lin Yujiao wasn’t polite and used a toothpick to eat the fruit.

After eating the fruit, the two of them went up to sing a few more songs. Unconsciously, more than an hour had passed.

Then, Chen Feng looked at her and said, “Do you want to earn some more extra money?”

Lin Yujiao asked with a silly and cute look, “Do what? How much can I earn?”