Chapter 448 Poetry and Distance
Zhang Long smiled bitterly, "You can see that I am like this now. Back then, I was confused for a moment and made a mistake. I lost my job and even got a criminal record."
Qi Tongwei sighed, "Let's not talk about the past. I just want to find Cuicui now. Do you have any news about her?"
Zhang Long sat opposite her, recalling the past with a somewhat empty look in his eyes. "I really liked Cuicui back then, and I wanted to give her a better life, but I was too impulsive. I did some things I shouldn't have done, wanting to make money quickly, and the result was..."
Qi Tongwei patted his shoulder and said, "I know you did it for her. Did you see Cuicui again?"
Zhang Long shook his head. "I haven't seen her since the incident. I want to find her and apologize to her, but I don't have the face to do it."
Qi Tongwei was a little disappointed, but he continued to ask: "Have you heard of any places she might go or people who have a good relationship with her?"
Zhang Long frowned and thought for a while, "I remember she has a distant cousin in a small town in the neighboring city. But I don't know the specific address and contact information."
Qi Tongwei's eyes lit up. "That's a clue. Can you remember anything else about Cuicui?"
Zhang Long stood up, walked to the window, looked out and said, "Cuicui is a very kind girl. She has always wanted to have her own shop to sell handicrafts. She has very skillful hands, and the things she makes are very beautiful."
As Qi Tongwei listened, Cuicui's gentle smile and her focused look when she was doing handicrafts emerged in his mind.
"Then do you know why she left her original place?" Qi Tongwei asked.
Zhang Long sighed, "It's partly because of me. My affairs have caused her a lot of trouble. There is also the pressure of life. Her family situation is not very good. She wants to go out and try her luck and change her life."
Qi Tongwei nodded. He understood Cuicui's idea. In this real world, everyone is struggling for life.
"Tongwei... stay and have a drink together? Okay? I beg you."
Qi Tongwei looked at Zhang Long's guilty and helpless eyes, feeling mixed emotions. Zhang Long's words of persuasion were sincere, and Qi Tongwei finally decided to stay. He knew that Zhang Long needed to talk at this moment, and he also wanted to get more news about Cuicui from Zhang Long.
Soon, Zhang Long bought pork head and peanuts from the town, and also brought a few bottles of wine. The simple table was filled with food, and the two sat opposite each other. Zhang Long poured wine for Qi Tongwei, his hands trembling slightly.
"Tongwei, let's have a good chat today. I've been feeling depressed over the years." Zhang Long raised his head and took a sip of wine, a blush appearing on his face.
Qi Tongwei took a sip of wine, and the spicy taste spread on his tongue. "Zhang Long, the past is the past, we have to look forward." Although he said this, he also knew in his heart that the past could not be easily let go.
Zhang Long smiled bitterly, "Look forward? I wanted to, but I can't turn back after this mistake. Back then when I was in the police station, I had some ambitions and thought I could make some achievements. But later, for money, and to give Cuicui a better life, I went astray." His eyes were a little empty, as if he had returned to those unbearable days.
Qi Tongwei listened silently. He could understand Zhang Long's helplessness. In this materialistic world, many people have lost their way under the pressure of life. "Then why did you end up like that?" Qi Tongwei asked softly.
Zhang Long sighed, "At that time, there were some gangsters in the town who were smuggling goods. They found me and wanted me to turn a blind eye. They also promised me a large sum of money. I refused at first, but Cuicui's family was in urgent need of money, and her mother was sick and hospitalized. I really had no choice. I thought, just this once, I will stop after I get the money for her mother's treatment. But it's not that easy, the truth was soon exposed."
Zhang Long took another sip of wine, tears welling up in his eyes. "When I was arrested, Cuicui came to see me. I still can't forget the look in her eyes. Disappointment and heartbreak. I really ruined her."
Qi Tongwei patted Zhang Long on the shoulder and said, "You are doing this for her own good, but you are using the wrong method."
After three rounds of drinking, both of them were a little excited. Zhang Long stood up and sang an old song unsteadily, his voice full of vicissitudes and regret. Qi Tongwei also hummed along, and as they sang, tears welled up in their eyes. They hugged each other and cried, as if they wanted to vent all the grievances and pains they had suffered over the years.
After crying for a while, Zhang Long sat down, looked at Qi Tongwei and said, "Tongwei, you are a capable person. I know you are doing well outside now, but you must stay on the right path. I am a living example. One wrong step will lead to all the wrong steps."
Qi Tongwei nodded. "I know. I've been through a lot over the years. Sometimes I did things against my will in order to climb up. But now, I want to find myself again."
They continued to drink and chat, recalling the fun things they did in the village when they were young. At that time, the sky was blue, the river was clear, and their dreams were simple. But now, everything has changed.
The night wind blew gently, bringing a hint of coolness. Zhang Long shivered, and Qi Tongwei took off his coat and put it on him. "Thank you." Zhang Long said gratefully.
"What are your plans for the future?" Qi Tongwei asked.
Zhang Long looked into the distance, was silent for a while and said: "I want to leave here, go to a place where no one knows me, and start over. But I can't bear to leave, because there are too many memories here."
Qi Tongwei understands his feelings. This town has witnessed their growth, laughter and tears. "No matter what decision you make, I support you," Qi Tongwei said.
The next morning, the sun shone in the yard. When Qi Tongwei woke up, he had a splitting headache. Zhang Long had already prepared breakfast, a simple porridge and pickles.
"Eat something. You drank so much last night," said Zhang Long.
Qi Tongwei sat down and ate a few mouthfuls of porridge. "I still have to go today. I have to continue looking for Cuicui."
Zhang Long nodded, "I know I can't keep you. If you find Cuicui, tell her that I'm sorry for her."
"It's fine……"
Qi Tongwei looked at Zhang Long with sincerity and concern in his eyes: "Zhang Long, listen to me, you are old, don't run around. Live a stable life here, and when you retire in a few years, you can enjoy a peaceful life." Zhang Long shook his head, with a hint of stubbornness in his eyes: "Tongwei, I see the shadow of the past every day here, and I feel uncomfortable. I want to go out for a walk, maybe I can find a new way to live."