Chapter 99: Land of Literature and Art
The ancient city is brightly lit at night and is very lively.

Chen Mo, Xu Hongdou and Chen Nanxing randomly found a "Weizhiyuan" wild mushroom hotpot restaurant.

"Welcome!"

As the three of them entered the door, a loud and rhythmic welcome was heard.

"Hello, how many people are you?"

The waiter who came out saw Chen Mo and the other two and froze in the middle of his words.

"Xie Zhiyuan?"

Chen Mo, Xu Hongdou and Chen Nanxing were also a little surprised.

Especially Chen Mo, it seems that the "problematic" young people in the village all like to hide in the ancient city. Is this a way of hiding in the city?

This was his first time in the ancient city, so how come he met everyone here?

"Why are you here?"

Xie Zhiyuan spoke hesitantly, and it was obvious that he felt awkward and uncomfortable meeting an acquaintance.

I don’t know if it was because of the “shitting my pants” incident or because of being a waiter.

I guess both of them are like that. A teenager’s self-esteem is sensitive and fragile.

"We should be the ones asking you this. Why did you come here? Your family is looking for you." Chen Nanxing said.

"I...I." Xie Zhiyuan blushed a little.

"I have to tell your family."

Chen Nanxing said this and was about to pick up his phone.

Although I don’t know whether Xie Zhiyuan’s family knows that he is here, or they are just too careless and don’t take their child running away from home seriously.

But since he had encountered this, Chen Nanxing felt that he should still tell Xie Zhiyuan's family. After all, Xie Zhiyuan was not yet an adult, just a child.

"No, don't tell my brother." Xie Zhiyuan hurriedly tried to stop him.

Seeing this, Chen Nanxing said seriously: "Your brother may not care, he is probably careless, but your grandma is 80 years old, she should not be worried about you at such an old age."

These days, Chen Nanxing and Xu Hongdou would occasionally visit Grandma Xie's stall to sit and listen to the old lady tell some old stories and learn about some local customs and cultural anecdotes.

An old person in the family is like a treasure. Sometimes the elderly’s ideas may be outdated, but their life experiences and insights are accumulated wealth.

Chen Nanxing and Xu Hongdou would sometimes sit under the shady old tree, watch the sun slowly set, and listen to Grandma Xie talk for an entire afternoon.

So Chen Nanxing knew that although the old man didn't show it much, he was still very worried about his grandson Xie Zhiyuan.

Hearing Chen Nanxing's words, Xie Zhiyuan was stunned for a moment and slowly put down his outstretched hand.

"What's wrong with the guests? Are we not being well-received?"

At this time, another waiter in the store walked out quickly with a smile on his face.

"Ayuan, what's going on?" The person who came out walked up to Xie Zhiyuan and asked in a low voice.

Xie Zhiyuan quickly shook his head and explained, "It's okay, it's okay, Brother Xiaoliang, they are tenants living in the yard next to our house, and they saw me and wanted me to go back."

"So that's how it is." Xiao Liang breathed a sigh of relief.

Just now, Xiao Liang saw a few people standing at the door and seemed to be arguing. He thought Xie Zhiyuan was in trouble, so he hurried out to help.

"Then you should go back and study." Xiao Liang advised.

"Brother Xiaoliang" Xie Zhiyuan looked at Xiaoliang and wanted to say something.

"Why, do you really want to stay here and work as a waiter forever?" Xiao Liang said with a smile.

"Aren't you tired of working as a handyman in the hot pot restaurant these days? Is it better than studying?"

Xie Zhiyuan was silent. How could he not be tired? Sometimes he encountered difficult customers and had to endure the humiliation and injustice.

The days after he was released were completely different from what Xie Zhiyuan had imagined.

It's not the vast sea and sky, but the wind and rain that are coming fast.

Without anyone to shelter him from the wind and rain, social survival taught him a lesson.

There are no friendly classmates, no kind teachers, no tolerant family members here, only bosses who urge you to work, colleagues who are a bit unfamiliar, and guests who give orders casually.

There are no quiet classrooms and breaks full of laughter, only endless smiling faces and endless work to do.

"Actually, Brother Yao knows that you are here, and he asked me to look after you." Xiao Liang said truthfully.

Xie Zhiyuan was very surprised and a little bit unbelievable when he heard this, so he thought he had run away from home, but in fact he was still under the care of his brother.

"Think about it yourself, do you want to stay and work, or go back to school?"

Xiao Liang patted Xie Zhiyuan on the shoulder, nodded to Chen Mo and the others, then went back to the store to continue working.

Xie Zhiyuan fell silent and was speechless for a moment.

Chen Nanxing heard what the two said. Since Xie Zhiyuan knew that Xie Zhiyuan was here, she didn't need to call.

All she could do was to help inform Xie Zhiyuan's family. She couldn't do anything else.

Chen Mo and Xu Hongdou didn't try to persuade them.

Xu Hongdou feels that when something "shameful" like this happens to a child of this age, it is useless to be advised by others, and it may even backfire.

From Chen Mo's perspective, since Xie Zhiyao knew that people were here, there was no need for them to worry about such household matters as "educating children".

Chen Mo also roughly guessed what Xie Zhiyao was thinking.

What cannot be taught at home or in school should be taught by society.

Xie Zhiyuan was silent for a long time, then said, "I'll work for two more days and go back after I get this week's salary."

"Please tell my grandma not to worry."

"Why don't you make a call yourself?" Chen Nanxing asked.

"I-I'm embarrassed to say it." Xie Zhiyuan said in a low voice.

"I want to buy some clothes for grandma after I get my salary, so that this trip won't be in vain."

When they heard this, they couldn't help but laugh. It was quite filial.

"Okay, we'll talk to Grandma Xie for you." Chen Nanxing nodded.

"Thank you." Xie Zhiyuan said sincerely.

After leaving home, he realized that not everyone would care about him or pay attention to his thoughts.

"Are you guys still eating?"

"Sure, any recommendations?"

"Sit inside, the mushrooms and beef are good, both fresh."

After eating hotpot, Chen Mo and the other two went to the bar where Hu Youyu was performing.

As soon as they entered the bar, the three saw Hu Youyu singing on the stage.

The three of them didn't bother each other, found a place to sit down, and ordered a few bottles of wine and some snacks.

After Hu Youyu finished singing a song, he looked around and noticed Chen Mo and the other two.

Chen Mo raised the wine in his hand and greeted Hu Youyu.

Hu Youyu smiled and said, "I'm very happy that my friends came to listen to my singing tonight. Next, I'll sing you a song called "Rain."

The guitar was played softly, and Hu Youyu began to sing softly:

If it rains heavily

Let me be the ocean

Those who seem to be bound
But about love

Every wave

"I didn't expect that Teacher Hu looks so handsome when he sings." Chen Nanxing said with a smile.

At this time, Hu Youyu sang a somewhat sad song in a low voice, with a slightly melancholy temperament, which was indeed different from his usual cheerful self.

"Shouldn't we say that the person sings well?" Xu Hongdou said happily.

"Oh, it's all the same. He doesn't sing well. Can I say he's handsome?" Chen Nanxing said.

"Not necessarily." Chen Mo said.

"It's not usually the case that people who don't have good looks only compliment their personality. If you think it doesn't sound good, then you compliment someone on their good looks. That's possible."

"Hey, I don't have such an idea." Chen Nanxing clarified.

"It doesn't matter if there is. I guess Old Hu would be more happy to hear you praise him for being handsome." Chen Mo said with a smile.

But to be honest, Hu Youyu’s singing is really good and is very suitable for this slow-paced style of music.

Chen Nanxing nodded and said with emotion: "I don't know why, but sometimes I feel that you musicians are very good at singing, and you can fool a lot of girls." Upon hearing this, Xu Hongdou glanced at Chen Mo.

Chen Mo quickly interrupted, "Hey, hey, hey, stop talking nonsense. Can you use a better description of what it means to cheat a little girl?"

Wow, this is a map cannon.

Although there are indeed many such cases in the music circle, especially those who are really talented and can get married three or four times, there are still young girls who are attracted to them.

But there are still innocent good men like him.

Chen Mo turned to look at Xu Hongdou and said, "I'm not that kind of person."

Xu Hongdou raised her eyebrows. "I didn't say anything. Why are you feeling guilty?"

"What do you mean by guilty conscience? I'm just afraid that you'll think too much."

Chen Mo thought, if he didn't explain out of guilt from the look in your eyes just now, it would probably be taken as your "consent".

"If you don't have this intention, why are you afraid that I will think too much?"

"If you always have random thoughts, you will age quickly. I am here to comfort you and keep you young forever."

"I'm old now, so you can just go and cheat on little girls, right?"

"And you said you didn't think much about it!"

"I didn't." Xu Hongdou denied it.

"Let's get the certificate tomorrow!" said Chen Mo.

Xu Hongdou rolled her eyes, snorted, and said nothing more.

After this "unprovoked disaster" was resolved, Chen Mo breathed a sigh of relief.

Chen Mo glared at the "culprit" unhappily, while Chen Nanxing tried to hold back his laughter as he watched the excitement.

Hu Youyu sang a few more songs, then walked off the stage and came to Chen Mo's table.

"What's up, guys? Are you guys singing okay?"

"Very good, you have more than two skills." Chen Mo said with a smile.

"Haha, you have good taste." Hu Youyu laughed.

"Who are you talking to?" Chen Nanxing complained.

"What about sisters?" Hu Youyu called them differently.

Chen Nanxing said seriously: "If you can sing, then stop talking."

"Really? I sing that well." Hu Youyu laughed.

Chen Nanxing is too tired to complain. Does this mean that you are a good singer?

"This wine is mine tonight, drink as much as you want," said Hu Youyu.

"That won't do. I have to ask you to treat me to come and listen to you sing." Chen Mo smiled and shook his head.

"Hey, you guys are here just to show your support. I've already asked the boss to put it on my account."

Since Hu Youyu said so, Chen Mo could only accept the favor. If he insisted on giving it to her, it would become awkward.

A few people sat and drank and chatted for a while, then went back together.

Renmin Road in the ancient city at night is where young people gather.

Some people set up stalls, some people mess up, and some people indulge themselves.

Divination is done every five steps, and fortune telling is done every ten steps.

There are snack and barbecue stalls, handicraft stalls, and people writing poems and selling paintings.

There are also people sitting together, listening to songs and drinking.

Xu Hongdou looked at the noisy street and asked curiously, "Is it more lively here at night than during the day?"

"Only this road is like this," Hu Youyu introduced.

"Is this the literary and artistic holy land you are talking about?" Chen Nanxing seemed to have seen it on the Internet.

Hearing Chen Nanxing's words, Hu Youyu smiled and pointed at those who were sitting together singing and drinking.

"Go sit down and someone will open a drink for you right away."

"so good?"

"Forty a bottle."

Chen Nanxing was stunned. It seemed that the bar where Hu Youyu had just performed wasn’t that expensive, right?

As if he knew what Chen Nanxing was thinking, Hu Youyu continued, "That's a bar in disguise."

“There’s no rent, no environment, and the things we sell are more expensive than regular bars.”

"Is this a unique culture?" Chen Nanxing asked uncertainly.

"What kind of culture is this? This road is often complained about disturbing residents late at night." Hu Youyu laughed.

"Ah? Why is this happening?" Chen Nanxing couldn't believe it.

She felt quite comfortable walking on the street, and many people greeted her in a friendly manner.

Hu Youyu explained with a smile: "This was indeed a gathering place for literary and artistic youth in the past."

"what about now?"

"Now, it's a gathering place for literary youths and second-rate people."

"A second-rate person?"

"If it's a little later, if they drink too much, they will urinate and defecate anywhere."

"Huh~~"

Chen Nanxing was a little disappointed, and Xu Hongdou also frowned.

Hu Youyu told a few people about the situation of this road.

There are indeed many young people who sit together in groups of two or three, share their stories, and provide emotional value to each other. It is simple and pure.

But there are also people who simply gather together to drink, disturb others late at night, and leave garbage everywhere.

Under the banner of freedom, we have lost our basic qualities.

Some people are truly happy, some are pretending to be artistic, some are purely idealistic, and some are frivolous and deceptive.

This is Dali, it embraces freedom.

But beneath the guise of poetry and distant places, there are also some mean and despicable things.

Chen Mo was not surprised. When there are too many people in any place, it is bound to become strange. There is no such thing as utopia.

To put it simply, the forest is big and there are all kinds of birds.

This is why Chen Mo would rather stay in Yunmiao Village and has no interest in coming to the ancient city.

Commercial tourist attractions are all similar and are far less pleasant and charming than natural scenery.

"In fact, it's okay to just treat it as a night market for young people and come and visit, but don't treat it as some ideal holy place where everyone is a like-minded comrade," said Hu Youyu.

Chen Mo smiled and said, "You need money to get around in the Holy Land, so make sure you keep your wallet tight."

Xu Hongdou nodded, "Indeed, there is no holy place that requires tarot card divination and palm reading."

The fact that there are so many troubles that need to be predicted proves that we are still in the secular world.

"The worldly atmosphere suits me better." Chen Nanxing smiled and shook his head.

She prefers to visit shops in the market, chat about family matters, taste delicious food and learn about old stories.

"When drinking, you should find close friends, like me." Hu Youyu said with a wink.

"Are all girls your close friends?" Chen Nanxing joked.

"Alas, I said it last time. This is all prejudice and misunderstanding."

"Although I look like a playboy, my heart is as bright as the moon."

Hu Youyu looked at the sky "affectionately" and raised his hand to invite the moon.

"Teacher Hu, you don't want the wine you just bought to go to waste, do you?"

"What do you mean?" Hu Youyu blinked.

"I want to vomit." Chen Nanxing said with a "sincere" look on his face.

Hu Youyu: “.”

Chen Mo patted Hu Youyu's shoulder and sighed: "What can we do about the bright moon shining on the ditch?"

(End of this chapter)