I rented a one-bedroom apartment near Jiutong. The monthly rent was 2,000 yuan, which was one-third of my salary. It was a dormitory for a research institute, and the landlord had two houses, which were originally planned to be reserved for his son to get married, but his son went to Shanghai, so he rented it out to me. Small, but new house, very clean, with a fully equipped kitchen and bathroom.
Every day I open my mailbox, I get some weird ads. In the past, I just threw these ads in the trash without even looking at them. However, life has been quite depressing recently. I am so bored that even when I go to the mall, I take shopping advertisements back to study, and then I rush to buy discounted products regardless of whether they are useful or not.
After returning from Wenzhou, I spent two weeks translating the auction house’s brochure for Xiao Guan. After finishing the draft, I sent it to him. He remitted me 10,000 yuan, which I accepted unceremoniously. I suddenly felt that money was very important, and I needed money very much. In the past, I put all my thoughts on missing Li Chuan, and didn't take life seriously, so naturally I didn't take money seriously. Now, Li Chuan wants me to move on, how can I move on without money
In addition to needing money, I also need a way of living.
I've been in a mess these past few years. Daily life is both orderly and chaotic. Organized because I'm still motivated and dedicated, trying to prove that I haven't failed. It's very chaotic, because as long as I don't work or study, I will immediately fall into a trance and fall into the boundless vortex of memories. Therefore, my daily life must be fully arranged, and I am exhausted. The time is divided into small blocks, and each small block is separated by half an hour. In this way, I don't have extra time to think about it.
My yoga class is three times a week, one hour each time, and most of them are mothers who come to lose weight. After yoga, we sometimes find a place to have tea and snacks together, and then I go to the sauna, and I go swimming after 20 minutes in the sauna. The annual pass to the sports center is very expensive, so use it as much as possible. When I got home at eight or nine o'clock, I was very tired and fell asleep quickly. If I can't fall asleep, I drink beer, eat chicken wings, or go to a small restaurant outside the door to eat kebabs and chat with strangers. I go clubbing on weekends. I don’t want to go to any bar. The one I like the most is called “Bohemia”, which is semi-salon in nature, and many people who are engaged in art and poetry hang out in it. I have been active there for three years, and I know everyone well, and I have no deep acquaintances. I love going there because you can smoke, have good coffee, good wine and the decor is bohemian which I like. The hall was dark and noisy, filled with the smell of patchouli oil. The woman's eye sockets were painted black, her long, wavy hair was permed, and she wore shiny silver ornaments on her hands and neck. The conversation is also very elegant: from Hugo to Zola, from Baudelaire to Rimbaud, from Kerouac to Ginsberg... Of course, it doesn’t have to be about these, it can also be men talking about women, women talking Men, or reciting poetry. However, I don't participate in these, I just sit there smoking, drinking coffee, drinking, like a miserable writer. If I meet someone I know well, I will chat for as long as I want, not for a long time, as long as I mention "Friends" and "Readers" within an hour, the battle will be ended immediately.
For some reason, after Li Chuan left me, I lost interest in dating men. I keep a long distance from the people around me, whether they are neighbors or colleagues. I will participate in some group activities and reciprocate courtesy. Other than that, I don’t say a word or take a step. My purpose is to guard against the handicapped and embrace the weak, consolidate the foundation and build up the talent, do not owe favors, and do not implicate others.
Even so, I do have a day or two during the week when I have a free evening. Makes me feel that life has neither quality nor meaning. Li Chuan, do I live for you? Trapped in love, in tears—is this what I am? No! I need to get rid of all tangles and exist for a higher purpose. I couldn't think of a higher purpose for my life until I saw this ad.
"Did you know that:
1) It takes 78 calories of oil to produce 1 calorie of beef protein; and only 1 calorie of oil is needed to grow 1 calorie of soybeans. If you stick to a vegetarian diet instead of meat, you are helping to preserve the world's dwindling non-renewable resources.
2) Did you know: It takes 3 to 15 times more water to make animal protein than plant protein? If you stick to a vegetarian diet, you save precious water resources for human beings.
3) If you know that in order to make one pound of beef, you need to feed 16 pounds of soybeans and grains. Why wouldn't you just eat soy and grains? This saves on the labor and packaging that go into producing the beef. Contribute to the protection of the environment.
4) If you know, in order to have more pastures to expand livestock, people cut down forests and rainforests. The earth's carbon dioxide is filtered by trees. If we insist on a vegetarian diet, we will protect the forest and purify the air.
5) Vegetarians are not malnourished. Plants can provide any nutrients we need.
6) Did you know that in the food chain, animals are in a higher position than plants, so meat products contain much higher pesticide residues than plants: such as pesticides, such as herbicides.
7) Did you know that in order to raise animals better, people use more than 20,000 kinds of drugs to keep them healthy and productive, including steroids, antibiotics, hormones. Think about it, if you love meat, it means you are taking antibiotics every day.
8) Think of the parasites in various animals that are harmful to human health (have you ever seen solium?) and the microorganisms that cause disease. Much more than the plants possess.
9) Put a radish and a chicken leg outside at the same time for a whole day, and see which one will make you sick first
10) Medical research proves that eating meat increases the risk of heart disease.
11) Vegetarian food can prevent cancer. All the anti-cancer elements that can be found so far: vitamin C, -17, beta carotene, and NDGA are all derived from plants rather than animals. And cooking meat products will release various benzene and carcinogens.
12) Vegetarian food can reduce the following diseases: osteoporosis, kidney stones, gallstones, diabetes, various sclerosis, arthritis, acne, obesity, blood poisoning.
13) So, you will live a long life. Longevity, so you can save a lot of medical expenses.
14) Vegetarians save money. Plant foods are generally less expensive than animal foods.
15) Scientific research shows that the IQ of vegetarians is higher than that of meat eaters. The ancients said: "Meat eaters are contemptible, and they cannot seek far."
16) Moral considerations: protect animals and never kill. "
Baishui amateur club: care about the body, animals, environment, and the earth. No. 32, N Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing, every Monday, Tel: XXXXXXXX, please find Mr. Nangong.
There is not only one Li Chuan in this world. There are also endangered animals, exhausted resources, and polluted atmosphere... I want to protect animals, and I want to care about the earth. I'm going to be a whitewater amateur!
According to the map, I called and found the man named "Nangong". There is a nice baritone voice on the phone: "Welcome to 'Bai Shui Su Ren'. We are a free club, and everyone is a vegetarian lover. We get together to chat and meet once a week to exchange vegetarian experience, that's it. One or two hours at a time, any length."
"Yes, we have our own activity room. We also have our own kitchen. We often exchange cooking experiences."
"Come on, there is an event tonight."
That Nangong is really called Nangong, I thought it was a pseudonym before.
"I'm Nangong Liuru." The person who received me was a middle-sized man with an ordinary appearance in his thirties. The complexion is rosy, the body is healthy, energetic, and the voice is like a grand bell.
"I'm Xie Xiaoqiu."
"Excuse me, are you a vegetarian?"
"It's not... planning to develop in this direction."
"No problem, we'll help you."
"I like meat very much. After reading your leaflet, I feel guilty."
"The leaflets are for publicity, not that serious. Hehe." He said, "We have a lot of members, but the group activities are usually 10 people. Everyone chats together and talks about everything. We are only together because we all eat vegetarian food. Others Every situation is different, so you don't think we're talking about being vegetarian like we're a bunch of herbivorous dinosaurs."
He invited me to sit on the sofa and handed me a glass of boiled water: "Let me introduce myself first, I am Vegan, a vegetarian in the strictest sense. I don't eat meat, fish, fish roe, eggs, no Drink alcohol, do not drink milk, do not eat honey, do not eat anything made or extracted from the body of animals, and do not wear fur clothing."
He glanced at me, his eyes fell on my silk scarf, and said, "I don't use any silk products either. Silkworms are animals too."
I quickly took off the scarf.
"Of course some of us are not very strict. Some eat fish, some eat eggs, some drink milk. But absolutely no one eats meat."
"I learn from you. I don't eat what you don't eat."
"Have you ever had a pet? A cat or a dog or something?"
"No. But I like small animals, and "Animal World" is my favorite show."
"There is still half an hour before the event starts. Regarding vegetarian food, do you have any specific questions you want me to answer?"
"I want to know how to become a vegetarian? What are the steps."
"First of all, when do you plan to start?"
"Today." I looked at him. "Now, at this moment, at this moment."
"Generally I would recommend a gradual process," he said, "given that you've been eating meat for a long time and have a strong dependence on meat. You can cut out red meat for the first week and white meat for the second week, and take your time. .”
dependency. I think it's words that matter.
"You're right, I just want to overcome this dependency. I want to go decisively into a vegan phase."
"The first thing you need to do, then, is email all your friends, especially the ones you eat out with regularly, and tell them that you've decided to become a vegetarian starting today."
"OK."
"Do you cook at home?"
"I do it occasionally. Most of the time I eat box lunches. The unit packs lunch."
"I suggest you not to eat box lunch. It is not nutritious. Whether it is a vegetable or a vegetable, you can fry it in the same pot. You can try to make some vegetarian dishes by yourself. We have many recipes here, and it is easy to learn. Also, in this list Listed all the vegetarian restaurants in Beijing, not many, all of them taste good and are not expensive. Especially the ones opened by monasteries. We often go there for dinner.” He handed me a green brochure.
"Thanks."
"Usually, what annoys us the most is when colleagues and friends suddenly decide to have dinner together. We can't ask others to accommodate our tastes, so the most common embarrassment we encounter is when we go to a restaurant and find that there is nothing we can eat, so we can only be hungry. So, I recommend that you always keep a box of snacks in your pouch just in case—peanuts, almonds, walnuts.”
"Okay." I took out my notebook and wrote it down.
"When eating vegetarian food, chew slowly. Listen carefully to your body's reaction and experience the original taste of green food. At all times, think about your own health, the animals you save, human beings, and the earth. Heaven and man Unity, you are improving the world and promoting peace with practical actions. You should be proud."
"Understood." I thought for a while, and suddenly asked, "Why haven't you asked me why I want to become a vegetarian?"
"We never ask these things. It's your choice, I don't need to approve it. Everyone has their own reasons, we just have common interests, so we come together. Like book clubs, chess clubs, poker Association, Fishing Association."
What an ideal club.
"Do I have to attend all the activities?"
"Our organization is very loose. Come if you want, but don't come if you don't want to. Some people participated in the first few activities, found it too difficult to stick to it, and disappeared."
"Mr. Nangong, can I ask you a personal question?"
"Just ask."
"Why are you a vegetarian?"
"That's right. I'm from a rural area. I used to eat everything. I have a younger brother who had a very good relationship since he was a child, but he was very mischievous. I forced him to join the army, and he went. As a result, he had an accident during a military exercise and was arrested. Blown up—the smashed kind. I haven't been able to see any meat since the second I heard the news."
"Sorry, I shouldn't have asked this." I murmured.
"It's okay, it's been many years." At this point, he turned his back suddenly, his voice choked up, "I need to be quiet." Then, he walked into another room.
I didn't go to that event - I ran away in shame.
When I got home, I solemnly sent emails to several of my colleagues who worked as translators, announcing that I had become a vegetarian and asking them to take care of me. Then, I cleaned out the fridge and threw out all the meat and eggs. Cleaned up snacks and threw away all beef jerky, fish fillets, and meat floss. I went to the market with a vegetable basket and bought a lot of vegetables, fruits, tofu, and soy milk. I ate vegetarian for a day and didn't find it difficult, but at night I smelled the mutton kebabs and grilled chicken wings on the street. I was so excited that I hurried home and went to bed, covering my head under the quilt. Later, I couldn’t bear it anymore, and ran back to the street to observe. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there are actually vegetarian foods in barbecue, such as grilled tofu, grilled potato chips, grilled corn, grilled lettuce, grilled lotus root, and grilled mushrooms. They all taste the same except that they are not meat. ! Oh my God! great! Dinner is here, and I'm full all at once.
I went to work the next day, didn't wear perfume, and my body smelled like vegetables.
After returning to Beijing for two weeks, I didn't see Li Chuan much. Li Chuan's office is upstairs, and he goes to work irregularly every day. I only see him at meetings, or at lunch. Li Chuan always keeps the distance between us deliberately, and doesn't take the initiative to talk to me, and I don't go to him to get close. Most of the time, we looked at each other, nodded to each other, each took the food, and returned to our seats without even greeting each other. Li Chuan never called me, and never sent me emails except for work needs.
I'm sad, but I don't care. As long as I know that Li Chuan and I are in the same building, as long as I can see him every day, even if I don't say a word, I am satisfied. Without this prerequisite, I can't move on, it's just so useless.
CG's Chinese food is definitely a huge test for vegetarians. Because 90% of the staff here are energetic men who love meat, and the rest of the women are seafood lovers. I found that the only vegetarian food I could eat was bread, rice, fruit and salad. Also, I'm hungry again soon after eating.
Fortunately I have companions. In order to keep in shape, Emma is also basically a vegetarian. She eats fish now and then, but not often. She likes to use a lot of salad dressing, which is actually very dairy-heavy. I don't even eat salad dressing, just the leaves. We female translators usually sit together and gossip, and I listen while eating. Sometimes he secretly glanced at Li Chuan who was eating alone at another table in the distance. Li Chuan is still so good-looking, but a little thinner. Wearing a slim suit, very mysterious and charming. He never looks at me.
"Hey, have you read the notice sent from the headquarters today?" Emma said in a low voice, "Li Chuan resigned from the position of vice president of CG, and changed to be the chief designer of the Beijing branch. What's up."
Another translator named Aqian smiled and said, "I also find it strange. Now, President Jiang, isn't he his boss?"
"Boss, Mr. Jiang is the CEO. He is Oner, okay? Mr. Jiang is just working for his family. He is probably tired if he is not the CEO. I heard that he is not in good health recently and can only work five hours a day." Emma said.
"I think he is in good health. By the way, why is his leg lame? Is it polio?" asked Mingming from the German group.
"I guess it's rheumatoid arthritis."
"I guess it's a congenital deformity."
"I'm still stuck with Parkinson's. Annie, guess what? Let's bet ten dollars each."
"I don't know." I thought for a while and said, "Car accident? Amputation?"
"Prosthetics? NO, NO, NO! Li Chuan's legs cannot be prosthetics. It's unimaginable that he only has one leg. That's too sad. I'd rather he has Parkinson's."
Everyone is unanimously against this option, and I am speechless.
"It's not very kind to gamble with someone's disability, right?" I muttered.
No one paid attention to me, and they continued to discuss: "Emma, you go, you go and pour a glass of water on his feet on purpose, then pretend to polish his shoes, and touch it by the way, you will understand."
"Touch? How? I've been here for almost ten years, and Li Chuan has been here for seven or eight years, and I haven't seen him hooking up with any woman. The gone Zhu Bixuan chased him to death, and Li Chuan was transferred away. , She has been here for six years, didn't she give up in the end?"
"If you talk about chasing him, we've all chased him, right? Emma, haven't you chased him too?"
"I even wrote a naked email like 'Li Chuan I love you!'. Which Valentine's Day I don't give him chocolates? It doesn't work. People never pay attention to me!"
"That was before, he was so proud of himself and played tricks. Now, I think he looks a little depressed. It's time for you to attack again. Hurry up and take advantage of it. After all, Emma, you are not old You are too young. You are about the same age as Li Chuan."
"One year older than him."
"Maybe he prefers a more mature one. Hurry up, Emma. We still expect you to raise our salary as Mrs. Wang. Well, he is sitting there alone, very lonely, why don't you talk to him."
"Do you think I'm afraid to go?" Emma said with a smile, "When I heard that Li Chuan was back, I was so happy that I fell asleep and woke up laughing."
After saying that, she really picked up the plate, twisted her waist, and really walked towards Li Chuan's table.
"Remember our bet!"
"Hey, Annie, what's wrong with your hand? Why are you shaking? Autonomic disorder?"
I forked a piece of apple vigorously with a fork and stuffed it into my mouth: "It's okay. I'm a vegetarian for the first day, and I'm not used to it yet."
"What kind of vegetarian are you doing? You're not fat. You sent a notice to everyone in a nervous way. What's the matter?"
"I joined the Society of Animal Rights Advocates."
They looked at me and laughed wildly.
I quickly wiped all the fruits on the plate and buried myself in the office.
I ordered myself to focus on the direction of vegetarianism, don't think about Emma, let alone Li Chuan, I kept saying to myself, It's over! Over!
Turn on the computer, I saw someone looking for me from MSN. The image is a smiling orange, which turns out to be René.
"How are you, Annie?"
"I'm fine, and you?"
"Okay. Do you like cats?"
"I like it, what's the matter?"
"That's right, Li Chuan originally said he would come back with us, but now he's staying in Beijing, so he gave us his Mia."
"Isn't Mia Li Chuan's cat?"
"Look, you know even this. This Mia is the granddaughter of the old Mia. The old Mia was so good at giving birth before she died that everyone in the family was forced to adopt one. Anne, this Mia has been around since Lek After Chuan left, she had a very bad temper and bit my model every day. The model I worked so hard to make was chewed into a ball of paper by her in half an hour. I asked someone to bring it to Beijing to give it to you, okay? I know, you Will treat Mia well."
"Will Li Chuan agree?"
"Mia is my cat now. I have power at my disposal."
"Okay. Email me sometime, and I'll pick you up."
"I happen to have an acquaintance who is coming to Beijing on business. I will leave today and arrive tomorrow. I am in a hurry to go through the formalities. Goodbye."
His MSN profile picture disappeared in a hurry. I sigh deeply. When Li Chuan left, he walked so thoroughly that he left me nothing. Now, I actually have his Mia!
I asked for leave and left work early to go to the pet store to buy cat food, canned food, cat litter, cat litter, textbooks on raising cats, and some spare medicine. At night, I gnaw on corn cobs while studying with a book.
The next day, I asked for leave to pick up the airport, and I received a tall, handsome man carrying a gray pet cage. We each reported our names. He is obviously also of Chinese descent, but Chinese is really not flattering.
"I'm Xie Xiaoqiu."
"My department (is) Allen ong."
"Why is your surname Wang?"
"I am (is) Li Chuan's Tang Xiong (cousin)."
"Are you... an architect too?"
"Yes, you Jiuji (how do you know)... Island (Dao)?"
"Guess. Aren't you going to see Li Chuan? He's in Beijing."
"Oh... No, I'm () busy, and I'm going to leave tomorrow. I'll give him... a big (call)... phone call."
He gave me another bag: "Inside... René gave you frozen (things)."
"Is there anything else besides cats?"
"Yes there is. This... box... chocte is (is) I loose (send) you." He gave me a beautiful metal box.
"Thanks, that's very kind of you. I didn't prepare anything."
"You're welcome (angry) you're welcome (angry). René said, there is... a... scarf in your bag. You should accept (accept) it. When you meet Li Chuan, you must... don't stay (wear) it, he will … angry."
I was startled: "Why?"
He smiled and wiped the sweat from his brow. He estimated that he had run out of Chinese, so he changed it to English: "You ill kno itter."
I looked at Allen, he was not much older than Li Chuan, maybe the same age. His eyebrows and eyes are somewhat similar, but it can be seen that, like Li Chuan, he is a little shy when meeting a woman.
I happily went home with Mia in my arms. Mia is a short-haired tabby cat with a round face and big eyes, always sleepy. I changed her name to "Amy". Amy is very docile, afraid of the cold, and sleeps with me at night.
Opening the bag René gave me, I found a hand-woven scarf inside, with colorful stripes, very bright, large, and very warm to wear around the neck. There are many small silver scorpions dotted on both ends. It's a bit strange, can René knit a scarf? Then, there was a sky-blue coffee cup with a big belly, beautiful ceramics, white patterns, and a line of words printed on it:
No dream is ever too small; no dream is ever too big.
practice reandom beauty and senseless acts of love.
Happiness is not given but exchanged.
Truth fears no questions.
Dare to be ise.
Laugh.
The cups are very old, as if they have been used for many years.
The next day I took this cup to the office and drank coffee with it while eating. I saw Li Chuan, Li Chuan also saw me, and still ignored me. Look at his brother deserved it. Not long after returning to the office and sitting down, someone knocked on the door—it was actually Li Chuan.
It was Li Chuan, but his expression was gloomy: "Allen said, Mia is with you?"
"You mean my cat, Amy?"
"Amy?"
"Mia is called Amy here."
"Mia is my cat, give it back to me," he said.
The momentum is great, I am afraid of you.
"No ay. I have already applied for a pet certificate, and the owner's name is Xie Xiaoqiu."
"So... can you lend me a month? I really miss it." For the cat, he compromised quite quickly.
"No ay." I'm jealous when a living person wants to see a cat!
"Lend me for three days?"
"No."
"one day?"
"Not for a minute."
He was silent, secretly angry. After a while, she finally said: "There is a brand of canned fish, she only eats that."
"Amy is vegetarian like me, and her main food is spinach at the moment."
"What? Spinach?" Li Chuan blushed with anger, "You abused Mia?!"
"How is it abuse? Amy loves spinach. Last night she had fried tofu."
He was so angry that he had nothing to say, he glared at me, his eyes fell on my cup, and he was angry again: "Who gave you this cup?"
"This is not your cup!"
"Of course it's mine!"
"Why is it yours? It doesn't have your name on it."
"Look at the words on the bottom of the cup, don't you also graduated from Harvard?"
I was anxious to turn over the cup to see clearly, but I didn't expect that there was still half a cup of coffee in it, and all of it was poured on the laptop, and the screen went black immediately.
"Wang Lichuan, pay me for my computer!"
"It's none of my business, who knew you were so stupid?" He blinked and left.