The reconstruction process of the courtyard was long and slow. After carefully filling in a few details, Su Li gave the new drawing to Carpenter Li and bought a set of carving knives to practice at home.
When I am not busy, I open the drawing paper by the window and draw carefully. Sometimes I pick up a carving knife to practice carving.
Although it was very unfamiliar, Su Li was always in a good mood.
After the overall renovation was completed, Zhou Yao accompanied him to the flower and bird market. Su Li bought a bunch of flowers to plant and learned a lot of techniques for taking care of flowers.
The small courtyard began to take shape. Su Li stood at the gate and curled her eyes.
"That's great, boss! I always thought you were a science and engineering guy, but I didn't expect you have good artistic talent too!" Zhou Yao exclaimed in admiration.
Su Li didn't explain. This was not his art, but his mother's art.
"When the flowers bloom next summer, we can have a barbecue here," Su Li pointed to a specially reserved corner, "and then we can build a shed there someday."
Zhou Yao said happily, "Okay, no problem, leave it to me!"
The next step was to add facilities to the house. All the necessary furniture was bought and placed, except for some handmade furniture from Carpenter Li.
Although he had no plans to open a store, Su Li still made the lobby look like a restaurant.
Sketches of Ding Sha and Xiao Jun were drawn on the small blackboard at the door, and the flowers were planted.
Zhou Yao heaved a sigh of relief. "Finally it's done. What's going on in your head, Boss? You can come up with so many little tricks, but I can't."
Su Li naturally didn't answer.
Su Li packed up her things and moved into the courtyard with her luggage.
Zhou Yao was stunned for a moment, "Are you really planning to live here?"
"You're staying here too?"
"Forget it, forget it. I still like the hotel more." Zhou Yao shook his head repeatedly.
Su Li likes to make a cup of coffee and sit by the window, reading a book or doing work to spend the day.
The sun shines just enough here.
There was no sugar in the coffee. Su Li had a rare moment of free time, so she took a nap in the chair.
There was a gentle knock on the door.
Su Li opened her eyes and saw a girl pushing open the door. "Excuse me... is this a coffee shop?"
"No, this is a private residence," said Su Li.
"Ah? I saw tables and chairs inside from the outside, I thought it was a coffee shop..." the girl said a little embarrassedly.
"But the painting at your door is really beautiful. Is it you and your girlfriend?"
"No," Su Li shook her head, "It's my parents."
"Wow, they are so happy and beautiful!" the girl exclaimed.
Su Li smiled slightly. He was in a good mood today. He walked over and opened the door. "Come in and sit for a while? I'll buy you a cup of coffee?"
"That's so embarrassing..." the girl said this but walked in without hesitation.
"Wow, it looks even better inside! Can I take a picture?"
"Okay," Su Li poured her a cup of coffee and added more milk and sugar.
"It's delicious! It would be a shame not to open a coffee shop!" The girl's eyes widened after taking a sip.
"My name is Ran Shanshan, and I'm here for tourism." The girl began to introduce herself. "I walked here and saw that this place is so beautiful, so I knocked on the door and came in."
"Are you here for tourism?" Su Li was a little curious. Nanjiang is not a tourist city and is not very famous.
"Yes, I like these old streets and alleys because I majored in history and am particularly interested in ancient culture," Ran Shanshan said. "I like traveling. I pack my luggage and go to the train station, buy a ticket for the nearest train, and go anywhere I want."
Su Li raised her eyebrows slightly, "Aren't you unsafe as a girl?"
"I have been learning martial arts since I was a child," Ran Shanshan said proudly.
When Zhou Yao came back, he saw Su Li seeing a girl off and was a little surprised.
"Who is it?" He walked over and asked with a wink after the girl left.
"A girl who took the wrong path," Su Li said lightly.
Zhou Yao wanted to say something, but Su Li stopped him with one sentence, "Go and urge the research lab."
Zhou Yao sadly added another item to his already busy schedule for tomorrow.
What Su Li didn't expect was that Ran Shanshan came again the next day.
"Hi, boss?" Ran Shanshan knocked on the glass, then walked to the door and stuck her head out, "Do you have time to take me around Nanjiang City?"
"I'm not familiar with it either," Su Liwan refused, "I just moved here not long ago."
He thought Ran Shanshan would leave disappointed, but unexpectedly, Ran Shanshan's eyes lit up, "That's fine, I'll take you around? I've been to a lot of places these days!"
Su Li didn't expect her to say that. He was stunned for a moment when Ran Shanshan ran over and pulled him out. "Come on, let's go. I'll treat you to delicious food. Aren't you bored staying here every day?"
Su Li hesitated for a moment and was pulled out by Ran Shanshan.
Su Li believed that she had been learning martial arts since she was a child, because she was really strong and knew how to use her strength skillfully.
Su Li, a grown man, was dragged out of the door by her in a few moves.
"Come on, let's go! I'll take you to Yukou Street. You must have never been there. There's a fried crispy meat restaurant there that's really delicious!"
Su Li followed Ran Shanshan running around the city for a whole day. He was a little tired, but Ran Shanshan still said enthusiastically that she wanted to go to another restaurant to eat shrimp balls.
Are all girls so scary
Su Li shook her head.
After finally returning home, Zhou Yao sat at the door with his face in his hands, "Where have you been? How can you remember to go home?"
Su Li ignored his complaining face and said, "I'm very tired. If you have something to say, just say it."
"That doctor said there has been progress. Unknown signal fluctuations were detected, and it is not ruled out that they are space-time fluctuations." Zhou Yao's voice dragged out. He still felt that this was a liar.
Su Li kept walking, "Let him confirm it, and then give him another 200 million to continue the research."
"Tsk tsk tsk..." Zhou Yao knew that he was in a bad mood and stopped bothering him. He just felt the horror of human beings.
Every day that followed, Ran Shanshan would knock on Su Li's glass around ten in the morning, and then drag him around the city to eat everywhere.
Su Li was a little upset at first, but later she slowly began to look forward to Ran Shanshan's arrival every day.
Ran Shanshan didn't take him out every day. Sometimes, they went to the suburbs to eat at a farm house yesterday, and today she would accompany Su Li to take care of the flowers and plants, and help him put away the furniture sent by Carpenter Li.
"It's so beautiful here," Ran Shanshan said as she sat on the swing, "I love this place so much!"
"My mother designed it," Su Li said as she stroked the little orange cat's head.
"Wow! She is so amazing! Isn't she very gentle?" Ran Shanshan exclaimed.
"She is very gentle, and seems like she will never get angry. She always has a smile on her face," said Su Li.
"That's great. Unlike my mom, who glares at me and beats me every day like a tigress," Ran Shanshan stuck out her tongue, a little playfully.
Ran Shanshan also works here. She is a travel blogger and regularly shares her videos on public platforms.
Ran Shanshan sat on the side editing the video while Su Li handled her work, occasionally standing up to pour a cup of coffee for himself and Ran Shanshan.
Su Li felt as if through the years she had touched the peace and happiness that her parents, whom she had never met, longed for.
Ran Shanshan stayed with him for two months.
"I'm leaving now."
Author's side note: Something that Stupid Cat suddenly wants to say: Actually, when Su Lili first appeared in my mind, she was a very desperate and depressed image, but as I wrote, it changed unconsciously, as if he was trying to tell me that he was not that sad. I was a little reluctant to let him be unhappy.