Want Want | Summer Finale

Woke up, it's already noon. Sunlight filters through the glass and eyelids, a bit blinding. I open my phone and see Yang Mi's message: 'Come over for dinner tonight if you're free.'

Reply: Okay. I close my eyes again and turn over.

Last night, she, Xiao Qi, and I watched an Ecuadorian film using the old projector Jason gave her during his last move. The picture quality was yellowed, making us think the female protagonist's road trip took place in the hot summer. After the movie, we watched the original version and realized it was winter. I dozed off on the sofa for a while and had the most pleasant dream recently. Just like in the movie, I was standing beside a desolate road with a village nearby, holding a ham sausage in my hand, at dusk.

I felt happy, but Xiao Qi woke me up. Outside, cicadas chirped up and down. After falling back asleep, I didn't return to that place.

After dinner, we talked about how neither Yang Mi nor I felt happy when we first accepted this job—only a bit anxious. It was interesting. Later, we realized how good this job is, how wonderful it is, and it would take a long time to explain. The initial anxiety became very precious.

Xiao Qi praised Yang Mi's homemade fruit wine. After drinking a few more glasses, I rode my e-bike with him, who was still drowsy, slowly through the dark village.

Once again woken by sunlight, I drove to find Shuangshuang to clean the dirt from the water tank. It was so nice to receive a call asking if I wanted to eat. The evening breeze was refreshing, hinting at early autumn. When I entered the alley, I heard drum sounds. I opened the door myself and saw He Chen coming out, looking in a decent mood. Today, we had a table of delicious leftovers to finish because someone canceled. I really like the lighting from the bulbs here, reminiscent of my childhood hometown. Everyone was used to chatting together. Recently, we liked teasing the 'teacher' living at the foot of the mountain—just a drop in the ocean. These 'teachers' are hard to approach; in fact, if you look now, it would probably be like this. Slowly entering the deep night.

In the afternoon, when I entered the house, Xiao Jing was tattooing a character on He Chen's calf—an unfamiliar but beautiful character. Xiao Qi was lying on the ground. I said the new hat wasn't very good, but Xiao Qi had previously embroidered a mountain pattern on it with a sewing machine—rough and casual, but nice. While Xiao Jing was cooking, I sat on the rooftop terrace watching the clouds. The temperature was gradually cooling. Suddenly, I realized Xiao Jing also cooked very quietly. Yang Mi, who led the team back, and Zhen Hao drove the van slowly into the village, stopping at the door. I asked Zhen Hao: 'Tired?' He said: 'Haha, a bit strange.'

After dinner, I aimlessly scrolled through our mini-program, feeling like it's now an incomplete music album, missing many beautiful songs that can't be played.

Maybe I should try writing a single first.

Back home, after taking a shower, Senbei lay on my chest, snoring. Recently, he's become especially clingy. The cicadas' chirping gradually subsided. I want to watch another road movie.

For a novice driver like me, continuous mountain roads are very frightening. But crossing Cangshan to Fengyu's pass, I took a deep breath, and in front of me was a breathtaking landscape. Returning to Xiao Qi's house, with vivid memories still fresh, I quickly finished writing that song.