Chapter 450: Three rounds of wine and still not enough

Chapter 450: Three rounds of wine and still not enough

Zhang Long didn't raise his head, but said coldly: "You don't need to say anything more, I know what you are thinking. Go away." Qi Tongwei opened his mouth, wanting to explain, but felt that any words seemed pale and powerless at this moment. He stood up and paced back and forth in the small room, struggling fiercely in his heart.

At the same time, Cuicui's image kept appearing in his mind.

He wondered if Cuicui was hiding from the rain somewhere? Did she have a warm place to go? Was there anyone by her side? These questions kept coming to him like a tide, making him anxious.

The rain showed no signs of abating, but became even more intense. The howling wind seemed to overturn the small house. Qi Tongwei walked to the window and looked at the hazy world outside, feeling helpless. He didn't know when his search would end, nor did he know if he could give Zhang Long a satisfactory answer.

Finally, Qi Tongwei turned his head and looked at Zhang Long with a firm look in his eyes: "Zhang Long, if you have really decided, then let's go together to find Cuicui." Zhang Long's eyes flashed with surprise and touching, and he nodded heavily: "Tongwei, thank you."

The two simply packed their bags and walked out of the house in the storm. The rain hit their faces, hurting them, but they both had a glimmer of hope for the future. The howling wind seemed to stop them from moving forward, but they supported each other and walked towards the town entrance step by step.

The road became muddy due to the rain, and their shoes were soon covered with mud, requiring more effort to take each step. Qi Tongwei held Zhang Long's arm tightly to prevent him from slipping. Zhang Long held a worn-out umbrella in his hand and tried hard to shield the two from the wind and rain, but the umbrella seemed so powerless in the face of the strong wind, and the rain continued to hit them.

After a lot of effort, they arrived at the bus station at the entrance of the town. The waiting room was deserted, with only the two of them and a staff member dozing off in the corner. They found a seat and sat down. The rain on their bodies kept dripping onto the ground, forming a small puddle of water. Qi Tongwei took out a towel from his backpack and handed it to Zhang Long: "Wipe it off, don't catch a cold." Zhang Long took the towel and smiled gratefully.

The car drove slowly in the wind and rain, and when it stopped, they got in. There was a damp smell in the car, and the seats were a little wet. They found a relatively dry place to sit down, and as the car started, it slowly drove away from Yulong Town.

The scenery outside the car window became blurred in the rain. Qi Tongwei looked out the window, with a lot of thoughts in his mind. He didn't know what was waiting for them ahead, but he knew that in order to find Cuicui and to give Zhang Long an explanation, he had to persevere. Zhang Long sat next to him, leaning back in his chair with some fatigue, but his eyes were fixed on the front, as if he was expecting something.

The car was driving on the road, and the wipers kept swinging, making a "squeaking" sound. On the way, the car passed some small villages. Those villages seemed particularly quiet in the rain, and occasionally a few wisps of smoke could be seen rising. Qi Tongwei looked at those villages and wondered if Cuicui was in one of them?

As time went by, the rain gradually subsided and the sky began to brighten. They got off the bus at a transfer station and prepared to transfer to another bus. The transfer station was crowded with people, and everyone was rushing on their way. Qi Tongwei and Zhang Long found a place to eat something to replenish their energy.

After getting on the bus again, they were closer to their destination. Zhang Long began to tell Qi Tongwei about some of his past memories with Cuicui, which were both sweet and bitter. Qi Tongwei listened quietly, and from Zhang Long's words, he could feel Zhang Long's deep love for Cuicui.

Finally, they arrived at a big city. There were tall buildings and busy streets. They stood on the street, feeling lost. Qi Tongwei took out Cuicui's photo and asked passers-by if they had seen her. However, people in the city were in a hurry, and most people just glanced at the photo, shook their heads and left.

They searched all over the city and went to places where Cuicui might go, such as factory areas, commercial areas, etc. In the factory area, they asked one factory after another, and the security guards and staff looked at them with doubtful eyes, but they did not give up.

In the commercial district, they shuttled through the crowd, looking for any clues that might be related to Cuicui. Zhang Long's eyes were fixed on every woman who passed by, hoping to find Cuicui among them.

However, at the end of the day, they found nothing. As night fell and the lights of the city came on, they found a cheap hotel to stay in. The room was small, with only two beds and a shabby table. They lay on the bed, exhausted physically, but unable to calm down in their hearts.

The next day, they continued their search. They went to the local labor market because they heard that Cuicui might be looking for a job there. The market was crowded with people looking for jobs and recruiting workers. They squeezed through the crowd, holding the photo and asking everyone who might know the news.

During the search, they met a liar. The liar claimed to know Cuicui's whereabouts and cheated them out of some money. When they found out they were cheated, Zhang Long was very upset, but Qi Tongwei comforted him and said, "Don't lose heart, we will definitely find her."

But Zhang Long still kept his head down.

Qi Tongwei felt bad when he saw Zhang Long blaming himself. He turned around and walked out of the hotel quickly to buy some wine at a nearby store. The street outside was still bustling, but he didn't pay attention.

After a while, he returned to the room with a few bottles of wine. Zhang Long was sitting on the bed, holding his head in his hands, mumbling self-blame. Qi Tongwei put the wine on the table, patted Zhang Long on the shoulder and said, "Zhang Long, don't be like this, it's not your fault. We just wanted to find Cuicui so much that we were careless for a moment."

Zhang Long raised his head, his eyes red, and looked at Qi Tongwei and said, "Tongwei, I'm really useless. I didn't have much money to begin with, and now I've been cheated by a liar. How can we continue to look for Cuicui?" Qi Tongwei opened a bottle of wine, poured two glasses, handed one to Zhang Long and said, "Don't worry about the money, there will always be a way. Let's drink some wine and relax."

Zhang Long took the wine glass and drank it all. The spiciness of the wine spread in his throat and he frowned. Qi Tongwei also took a sip of wine, sat next to Zhang Long and said, "We have been looking for so long and encountered many difficulties, but we have survived every time. This time is no exception. The money that was defrauded is a lesson."