Disappointmentd, he walked down the hallway. He thought, maybe the receptionist didn't pay attention when she walked in, maybe she was waiting for me in the office.

But she wasn't in the office. He collapsed into the chair behind his desk, feeling even more depressed. He asked himself, what's wrong with me? How could I allow myself to feel this way?

Something caught his attention. Gong Yu was standing at the entrance of his office. "Hey." Her smile made him feel that she had missed him too.

Bronze's heart shrank suddenly. Again, he thought, this is like what fear feels like, but it's the opposite of fear.

"Hopefully I'm not late." She said.

"You're just on time." Bronze wants his voice to sound natural. "Did you have a good lunch?"

"Better than you made me expect. That yard made me feel like I was in another country. ”

"That's how Santa Fe feels."

"It's like being in a place where there are many trees," Ms. Gong said, "but it's different from other places." ”

Bronze nodded. "When I first arrived, I met a guy who worked in the registration department of a hotel. He said he was often approached by phone calls from major cities asking about tariff restrictions and asking questions about what duty-free goods they could buy to take home. He said it would take a lot of rhetoric to convince them that as long as they were Chinese, there were no tariffs on them here, and that this was part of China. ”

This time, the deliberate laughter reminded him of mulled wine. "Are you serious? Do they really think this is a foreign country? ”

"I can swear. This is a good reason why we need to introduce geography in secondary schools. So, have you a chance to peruse the list I gave you? ”

"Yes, when I wasn't gobbling up chili lamb empanadas. It's the first time I've eaten something so good. I can't tell if I prefer one or the other......

Bronze put on his coat and walked up to her. He loved the faint smell of the sandalwood soap she used. "Shall we go? My car is in the backyard. ”

His car was an American jeep, and the drive of this car was indispensable in winter or when going into the mountains. Bronze has always had a preference for white, but when he bought a car a year ago, years of experience in intelligence activities prevailed in him, reminding him that only dark colors are unobtrusive, forcing him to opt for olive green. A part of his heart would love to do the opposite, choosing white, but old habits are hard to get rid of.

He and Gong Yu drove north along the hostel. On the way, he crossed the low bushes and sun-drenched adobe houses on the right side of the road, pointed to the towering mountains in the distance, and said, "The first thing you must know is that the price of real estate here depends largely on the quality of the surrounding mountains." Most of the most expensive houses are concentrated in the vicinity of the mountains, in this area to the east. From there, you can see the mountains in full swing to the west. At night, you can see the lights of the town. ”

Gong Yu looked at the hill intently. "I dare say the view must be stunning."

"I'm afraid my words will make me sound like an anachronism, but I'm still going to say that I don't think these houses should have been built there," said Bronze, "and they spoil the beauty of the mountains." The people who live there see the beautiful scenery at the cost of not being seen by everyone else. ”

Gong Yu turned his gaze to bronze curiously. "You mean you don't actually encourage customers to buy houses on the hills?"

Bronze shrugged his shoulders.

"Even if it makes it impossible for you to sell your house?"

Bronze shrugged his shoulders again.

“…… I'm starting to like you more and more. ”

She found a few houses of interest to her on the list he had given her, and he drove her around to see the one near the inn, two by the road leading to the basin, and two by the ditch. "The name means Mother Canal in Chinese," he explains, "referring to the stream that runs parallel to the road and is part of an irrigation system that was built hundreds of years ago." ”

"No wonder these trees are so tall." Gong Yu looked around excitedly. "This place is beautiful, but is there anything wrong here? Nothing is perfect. What's the downside of living here? ”

"The field of vision is narrow, there are many rules and regulations left over from history, and the traffic is heavy."

"Really?" Her enthusiasm faded suddenly. "If that's the case, I think we'd better look elsewhere."

"It's almost 5 o'clock. Are you sure you're not tired? Don't you want to see it today? ”

"If you're not tired, I'm not tired."

Bronze thought, great, if you want, I'll drive you to midnight.

He took her to another area. "This house is very close to my house, on the east side of the city, not far from the hilly terrain. The nearest mountain is called Sun Moon Ridge, and you can hear the timberwolves howling on the ridge at night. ”

"I love this kind of place."

"This is my street."

Gong Yu pointed to a Uighur road sign around the corner. What does that mean?"

"'Beautiful Road'."

"What a beautiful road. The house blends in with the nature view and has a great view. ”

"From here, turn right and you'll be where I live."

When the car drove past, Gong Yu leaned forward and turned his face to look.

"I was very impressed."

"Thank you."

"I'm also jealous, your house isn't selling, it's too bad."

"Well, I've put a lot of labor into it. Note that the one next to my house is currently for sale. ”

They walked down a gravel driveway lined with chest-length shrubs that resembled Artemisia. The plant caught his attention when Bronze first arrived in Santa Fe, and he later learned that it was an evergreen shrub. This attractive house is about the same as the bronze one – an irregularly stretching adobe house and a fenced yard.

"How much does this house cost?" Gong Yu asked.

"Close to your highest price, seven thousand." Bronze didn't get her reaction. "The house has been renovated. Subfloor with windows at the rear. ”

Gong Yu nodded absentmindedly, as if the price didn't need to be explained. "How big is the yard?"

"As big as mine, two acres."

She looked first at one side of the house, then at the other. "Why can't I see my neighbors?"

"If you live in this house, my neighbor is me."

She looked at him with a strange expression.

"What's wrong?" Bronze asked.

"I think I'd be happy to live next door to you."

Bronze felt his face flush.

"Do you think he would mind if he bothered the owner at this time?"

"Absolutely not. The old gentleman who lived here had a heart attack and moved back to Nanjing, where he had relatives. He wanted to sell the house as soon as possible. ”

Bronze took her into the front yard, where desert wildflowers and shrubs looked wilting on a hot July day. He opened the carved front door and led her into the cool antechamber to show her the hallway that led to the spacious room. "The furniture and facilities in the house are well equipped. Tile floors, all ceilings with trusses and rafters. ”

"Trusses and ......?"

"Thick wooden beams and thin strips of wood crossed with them. Most of Santa Fe's ceilings are made in this style. The house has many window mounts and a Persian-style fireplace. The walls of the three bathrooms are inlaid with ethnic-colored tiles. The kitchen is spacious, with worktops and sinks for food preparation, as well as a convection oven. Skylight and-" Bronze noticed that Gong Yu wasn't listening at all, so he stopped talking. She seemed to be staring out of the living room window at the distant mountain view. "Why should I give you all this? Don't rush, take your time. ”

Gong Yu walked forward slowly, looking here, looking there, looking at each house, nodding from time to time. Bronze followed her, once again uncomfortable—he wasn't embarrassed, he wasn't at a loss, but he did feel uncomfortable, feeling his clothes wrapped around him, feeling the air clinging to his hands and cheeks. He felt that he was occupying the space, Gong Yu was beside him, and there were only the two of them.

Suddenly, he realized that Gong Yu was talking to him. "What? I'm sorry I didn't pay attention," said bronze, "I was distracted just now." ”

"Is furniture included in the price?"

"Yes."

"I'm going to buy it."

Bronze touched her glass.

"This house is amazing. I couldn't believe the homeowner accepted my offer so quickly. Gong Yu happily took a big sip of beer. She lowered the spherical glass and licked the foam from her upper lip. "It's like I'm dreaming."

They were in a dining room, sitting at a window table on the second floor. The place was furnished like a dwelling on a manor. In the restaurant, a group of ethnic wandering entertainers walked back and forth, playing tunes to enthusiastic customers. Gong Yu didn't seem to know where to look. She looked out the window at the streets of Santa Fe, at the band, at the glasses or bronzes. She took another sip of wine. "It's like a dream."

The customers in the restaurant cheered loudly for the artist. Gong Yu smiled and looked out the window, and when she turned her gaze back to bronze, her smile disappeared and her expression was serious. "Thank you."

"I didn't do anything. I'm just taking you to see the house—"

"You make me happy. You make this a lot easier. Gong Yu reached over the table and stroked his hand, which surprised him. You simply don't know how much courage it takes to do it. ”

Bronze loved her smooth and soft hands. "Courage?"

"You must be wondering, where did I get the seven thousand oceans to buy this house?"

"I don't inquire about such things. As long as I'm sure the customer can afford it......" he didn't finish.

"I told you I was an artist, and I did make a living out of it. But I also told you that I was not married. ”

Bronze tensed up.

"I was once married."

Bronze listened in confusion.

"I bought a house with ...... money"

Bronze thinks, is it divorce alimony?

"It's life insurance," Ms. Gong said, "and my husband died six and a half months ago." ”

Bronze lowered his glass and looked at her, concern replaced by pity. "I'm sorry."

"That's probably the only answer that makes sense."

"What's going on?"

"Cancer." Gong Yu seemed to have a hard time speaking. She took another sip and stared at the glass. "He had a black mole on the back of his neck."

Bronze waited for her to continue.

Last summer, the shape and color of the mole changed, but he was reluctant to go to the doctor. Later, the mole began to bleed, and as a result, it developed into the most serious skin cancer. Malignant melanoma. ”

Bronze continued to wait for her to continue.

Gong Yu's voice trembled. Although he went to remove the mole, it was too late to stop the cancer from spreading...... None of the treatments worked...... He died in January. ”

The band of wandering entertainers walked up to their tables. The music was so loud that the bronze could barely hear Gong Yu's words. He waved angrily at them to go away. When they saw his fierce gaze, they rushed to do it.

"That's it," said Gong Yu, "I became desperate, and I still do." We have a house in Hangzhou, but I can't live there anymore. Everything around me reminds me of him, of what I have lost. Those who thought they were my friends didn't know how to deal with my grief, so they stayed away. I guess I couldn't be lonelier. She looked down at her hands. A few days ago, I saw a travel magazine, I think it was Traveler. It says that Santa Fe is one of China's most popular resorts in the world. I loved the pictures and the description of the city. I ...... on the spur of the moment," her voice faded inaudible.

A waitress stopped at their table. "Do you want food now?"

"No," Gong Yu said, "I'm afraid I don't have an appetite anymore." ”

"We need to wait a little longer." Bronze said.

It wasn't until the waitress was far away that he said, "I myself made a decision on the spur of the moment." In fact, I came to Santa Fe on the spur of the moment. ”

"How did it turn out?"

"Much better than I had hoped for."

"Bodhisattva bless, I hope I can say such things for myself." Gong Yu slid his fingers back and forth on the bottom edge of the glass.

"What did your family say about your sudden decision?"

"I didn't tell them at all. I just put down the magazine, turned around and ran home to pack up. I bought a one-way ticket to Santa Fe. ”

Bronze struggled not to let his eyes widen. He was amazed at how similar their experiences were.

"I don't regret it at all," Gong Yu said firmly, "and the future will never be worse than what happened in the past year." ”

Bronze drove his jeep to the carport behind his house and stopped. He jumped out of the car and was about to reach for the light so he could see the locked back door, when he changed his mind and leaned against the metal fence and looked up at the stars. The streets in this part of the city are unlit, and most of the people in the neighborhood go to bed early. With little distraction from the lights, he could gaze across the dwarf pine forest at the glorious galaxy. Most of the full moon began to rise, and the air was fresh and cool. What a beautiful night, he thought.

The timberwolves howled from mountain to mountain, reminding him of the earlier mention of them to Gong Yu, and he wished she was right next to him at this moment, listening to them howl with him. His hand could still feel her touch. Later at that meal, they didn't talk further about those disappointing topics. During the short distance he walked back to the hotel with her, Gong Yu deliberately made a happy appearance. At the entrance to the hotel, they shook hands and said goodbye.

At this moment, Bronze was looking at the starry sky while imagining what it would be like if he drove her back. He imagined himself driving her back from the restaurant, past the black gallery on Grand Canyon Road and the garden villas on both sides of Sun Hill Road, and finally onto Lindo Road to the house next door to him.

He felt a weakness in his chest. He said to himself, you must have fallen into it.

yes, I haven't been in love in a long time. He searched his memories and realized to his horror that the last time he was in love was when he was less than 20 years old before joining the army. As he used to say to himself, neither the operations of the Special Operations Team nor his later career as an agent allowed him to seriously devote himself to romantic love. Since arriving in Santa Fe, he has also dated several ladies, but he is by no means serious, and only occasionally spends a pleasant evening together. He had a relationship with one of them, but their relationship did not last. Although he liked the lady very much, he knew very well that he did not want to spend the rest of his life with her. Obviously, both of them feel this way. The lady was an agent for another company, and she was making friends with another person.

However, Bronze's current emotions were very different from his feelings for the lady, and they made him restless. He remembered the writings of ancient philosophers he had read, which considered love to be a pathological manifestation, a disorder of the mind and feelings. That must be the case, he thought. But how could this happen so quickly? I always thought that love at first sight was a fantasy. He remembered reading in books that both animals and humans emit a subtle chemical courtship signal called pheromones. It is something that cannot be smelled, and it is biological function rather than consciousness that can perceive it. The pheromones released by one of the right people can drive another person crazy. Bronze thought, this person is just right, she's absolutely beautiful, and she must have my pheromones.

He asked himself, what are you going to do? The problem is clearly there. She has recently lost her husband, and if you show your love for her now, she will see you as a dangerous person, and she will resent you and think that you are trying to make her unfaithful to her deceased husband. That way, even if she lives next door to you, there's no hope left, and she'll treat you like you're living in another state. He said to himself that he couldn't rush it, and that you had to be her friend from the bottom of your heart, so as not to make a big mistake.

"Mr. Gu, someone wants to see you." The receptionist knocked on the door and came in.

"I'll be right here."

"No need." He was startled by another voice—he could tell whose sensual mellow voice it was. "I know the way."

Bronze stood there, his heart pounding. After a while, Gong Yu walked into the office. Unlike yesterday's dark suit, she wore linen baggy trousers and a matching brown-and-yellow jacket. Against the backdrop of this outfit, her long wavy hair is particularly eye-catching. She looked even more radiant.

"How are you?" Bronze asked.

"I'm excited to move today."

Bronze didn't understand what she meant.

"Last night, I decided not to wait any longer and move in immediately." "The furniture and facilities in the house are all well equipped, and it seems a pity to leave it empty." So, I called the landlord and asked him if I could rent the house before the paperwork on my purchase was complete. ”

"Did he agree?"

"He's so nice. He said I can get the key from you. ”

"Of course you get the key. Actually, I can drive you there. ”

On a busy street, Bronze opens the door to the passenger seat for her.

"I couldn't sleep all night, and I kept wondering if what I was doing was right." Gong Yu said.

"Sounds the same as when I first arrived."

"How did you solve this problem?"

"I asked myself if I had any other choice."

"The result?"

"I have no other choice," said bronze, "at least, other options means giving in to that thing that eats away at my life." ”

Gong Yu stared into his eyes. "I understand what you mean."

As Bronzer got into the car, he glanced across the street and felt a sudden tension somewhere inside him. In the midst of the strolling tourists, there was a man standing motionless, and the bronze instinct of defensiveness immediately noticed him. What aroused Bronze's suspicion was that the man who had been staring at him immediately turned around as soon as he saw Bronze paying attention to him. He stood with his back to the street, pretending to be interested in the northwestern jewelry in the shop window, but he was staring ahead instead of looking down, suggesting that he was actually observing the reflection in the window. As Bronze drove away, he saw the man turn in his rearview mirror and stare in his direction. This man has neither long nor short hair, is of medium stature, neither fat nor thin, is about thirty-five or sixteen years old, and has an ordinary appearance; His costume is also very ordinary, and the color is dull. In the bronze experience, this unassuming appearance and clothing is no coincidence. The only striking thing about this man was the broad shoulders that his fat kaftan did not cover. He is not a tourist.

Bronze frowned. He asked himself, did you come to censor me again? Are they going to look at how I'm doing so far, to see if I'm being naughty or behaving properly, to see if I'm still a threat to them?

Gu Bronze said something to him about Peking Opera.

Decker didn't hear clearly. "What?"

"I love it."

"I'm a Hua Dan fan myself."

"So you don't want to go? I've heard that the Santa Fe Theatre is top notch. ”

Bronze finally figured out what she was talking about. "You're asking if I'd like to go to the theater with you?"

Bronze chuckled softly. "You weren't so sluggish yesterday."

"What play?"

"The Legend of the West Chamber."

"Oh, that's so," said Bronze, "in that case, then I'll go, and if it's a quanmei case, I'm not going." ”

"Clever guy."

。