Chapter 166: When the Prayer Ends

The second day of summer vacation was sunny.

Chu Jian got up early just like yesterday, washed clothes, had breakfast, and then went to work at Guangming Cold Drink Shop on Ximen Street.

The cold drink shop basically has no business in the morning, but Chu Jian was not idle. She started cleaning as soon as she arrived and followed the old employees to learn some processes of making complicated cold drinks. It's just strange that the shop owner Wei Ting, who was particularly enthusiastic and patient in guiding her yesterday, was a little abnormal today. Apart from a few simple words when she entered the door, he never spoke to her again. But this is also good, as it is not easy to get used to the shop owner's excessive enthusiasm.

"Girl, I'm thirsty."

When Chu Jian was busy at the counter, she suddenly heard a familiar voice. She subconsciously looked up and saw a girl in front of the counter. She was wearing navy blue denim shorts and a white cotton vest. She had a black Nike baseball cap on her head and a few wisps of bangs on her forehead. She put her hands by her ears like a big-horned deer and smiled at her: "In the middle of summer, how can I relieve my worries? Cuihua, give me some ice cream!"

Chu Jian couldn't help laughing: "Ji Ling, why are you here?"

Ji Ling leaned on the counter and said, "I came to the pedestrian street to stroll around, and I came to see you."

I was quite surprised when I first met you, and said, "Then I'll make you an ice cream."

Ji Ling smiled: "I want strawberry flavor."

Chu Jian agreed, then turned around and made an ice cream for Ji Ling. Ji Ling took money out of his pocket and handed it to Chu Jian. Chu Jian quickly waved his hand and said, "I'll treat you."

Ji Ling was not polite at all. He put the money back into his pocket and said, "Then I want another one."

When I first met you, I smiled and said yes.

While making ice cream, Ji Ling said, "It's so boring to go shopping alone. Chu Jian, how about walking with me?"

Chu Jian hesitated for a moment and said, "Then wait a moment, I'll talk to the boss."

After making the ice cream, Chu Jian asked the shop owner Wei Ting for two hours off. At that time, Wei Ting was in the back room of the shop. When he heard Chu Jian say that he wanted leave to go out for a walk with a friend, he came to the door of the back room and took a look. After seeing Ji Ling, the expression on his face became quite unnatural. However, Ji Ling acted as if nothing had happened and waved and greeted him with a very familiar smile.

When I first saw this scene, I was quite surprised.

After making the ice cream and leaving Guangming Cold Drink Shop with Ji Ling, she asked Ji Ling, "Do you know the owner of this shop?"

Ji Ling took a bite of ice cream and said, "I don't know him, but he looks handsome, so I said hello."

I didn’t know how to answer when I first saw him.

Ji Ling is like this, she doesn't need a reason to say or do anything, as if she doesn't care about anything. This is the only way to live happily, at least you have yourself. I thought when I first met her.

Ximen Street was very busy in the summer, with pedestrians swarming like ants. There were camphor trees on both sides of the street, as well as snack bars, clothing stores, jewelry stores, etc. Two girls were eating ice cream and strolling on the crowded street. The camphor flowers that had bloomed in early summer were scattered in the wind and fell on Chu Jian's white skirt and Ji Ling's black baseball cap. Ji Ling was jumping up and down with light steps, as if there were springs under her feet. Chu Jian spoke to her in a soft voice.

"Where's Yunqi? Why didn't you go shopping with him?" Chu Jian asked.

Ji Ling said: "Who said I have to go shopping with him? I'm not happy with him recently."

Chu Jian said: "Why? We were all fine when we had dinner together a few days ago."

Ji Ling said: "The other day was the other day, and now is now. Let's not talk about this anymore. I'll tell you something good."

"What?" Chu Jian asked.

Ji Ling said, "You were fired by the owner of Guangming Cold Drink Shop."

Chu Jian stopped walking. It was obvious that Ji Ling's words made her a little unresponsive. After a moment, she looked at Ji Ling in confusion: "Why? How did you know?"

Ji Ling smiled: "I knew it. The boss probably thought you were too pretty and was afraid that the store entrance would be blocked by people every day, affecting business, so he fired you. But since we met, I found another job for you. Go to the Public Security Bureau to do social practice."

When I first saw you, I exclaimed, “Huh?”

Ji Ling said as they walked: "It's just some simple things, collecting files and organizing materials in the office, but I can't go to work until ten days later."

When Chu Jian heard Ji Ling say this, she was certain that she must know Wei Ting, the owner of Guangming Cold Drink Shop, and she could more or less guess the ins and outs of the matter. But looking at Ji Ling walking in front of her, she didn't know what to say, and she didn't know why Ji Ling did this. She just felt warm in her heart, just like the weather at that time.

She looked at the girl in front of her, who was looking left and right, followed her for a few steps and called out, "Ji Ling."

"Ah?" Ji Ling turned to look at Chu Jian, his eyes were big and black and white. "What's wrong?"

Chu Jian pursed his lips, and finally just shook his head: "Nothing."

Ji Ling smiled, turned around, took Chu Jian's hand and said, "Come on, let's go and have lunch. We'll go traveling in a few days, and then you can go back to work after we come back."

Chu Jian subconsciously said: "Should we call Yunqi over as well?"

Ji Ling said, "You think about Zhang Yunqi all the time. You don't fall in love with him, do you?"

When I first saw her, her little face turned red.

Ji Ling suddenly burst into laughter.

Then she took Chu Jian and continued to walk forward. It was still early in the morning, and the midsummer sunshine was very warm, quietly scattered on the streets and lawns of the small city of Jiangchuan, on Ji Ling's bouncing figure, and on Chu Jian's skirt that was like a rolling white cloud.

The summer of 93 had just begun. With the deepening of reform and opening up, the grand collective discourse of the planned economy era had come to an end. This was a new era that truly opened up the feeling of daily life, and the sixteen-year-old Ji Ling was like a new-age Chinese who grew up under the red flag, living stubbornly in her own little world.

What that little world is like, perhaps only Zhang Yunqi, who grew up with her, can see it. However, Zhang Yunqi, who just finished his freshman year in high school, is a vulgar man. In July and August, when the sun is shining brightly throughout the summer, he is dreaming of making a fortune by selling counterfeit VCD players.

Although, he is already a millionaire.

Volume 3: When the Prayer Ends - Final Chapter

*

End of volume.

The beginning of this volume was written very smoothly and I was very satisfied with it. I can say that I have written down everything I wanted to express and show to the readers. However, after I went out to look for a job, I really didn't have enough energy and time, and I was always rushed, so some parts of the writing were not so satisfactory.

Especially recently, I can say that I basically update once every two days, or four times a week, on and off. I feel very sorry to my readers and I feel sorry for you.

But there is no point in saying more about this.

A new volume will start tomorrow, and I hope to show everyone a new look.

Thank you.

(End of this chapter)