Making a living in Dongguan, her fiery red lips offer me tenderness.

"Sister Tan, you just came from Shenzhen. Are you passing through Chang'an on your way there?"

"Can't I just come all the way here to treat you to a meal?"

"Thank you so much, that's so heartwarming. I'll fall in love with you."

"Ugh, don't talk to me like that."

"I was really touched. Apart from my grandparents, no one has ever been so kind to me."

"I've finally grasped the meaning of a saying: Some people like you because you bring them happiness. Some people like you because you are their happiness. And you, for example, are my happiness in yourself."

"Stop giving me that crap! Do you think I'm some kind of little girl? Do you think I'm that easy to fool?"

"Hehe, no, but I just feel close to you."

"Sister Tan, I'll give you two choices, you can choose whichever you prefer."

"What choice?"

"Either become sworn brothers with me and call me your brother, or be my girlfriend."

"Go, don't tease me, and don't act frivolous."

"So you agreed?"

"I won't agree, but we can be friends."

"Alas, I offered my heart to the bright moon, but the bright moon shone on the gutter. So be it, let's just be friends then!"

"Eat quickly, the food is getting cold."

About half an hour later.

Ding Yang pretended to go to the restroom and secretly paid the bill.

"Waiter, the bill, please."

"I've already bought it."

"Didn't we agree that I'd treat? Why are you paying?"

"You're treating, I'll pay; there's no contradiction. Let's go!"

"Okay, act like a man!"

The two got back into the car.

"Sister Tan, it's still early, how about I accompany you for a walk?"

"It's so hot outside, why bother going out? Let's just sit in the car for a while!"

"Okay, then drive forward, there's a small park over there, park the car there."

"OK!"

A few minutes later the car came to a stop, but the engine was not turned off and the air conditioning was on.

"Xiaoyang, is there anything else you'd like to talk about?"

"Hehe, the highest level of chatting is to talk about strangers after talking about life."

"Hate!"

"Sister Tan, do you usually live in Shenzhen or Dongguan?"

"I'm usually in Shenzhen, and I come to Dongguan occasionally."

"oh!"

"Xiaoyang, have you ever thought about developing your career in Shenzhen?"

"My little shop has only been open for a little over a month, and I haven't even earned back the money I spent on the car yet. I need to work for a few more months to pay off my debts."

"As for whether or not to go to Shenzhen to develop, it's more about making a living than developing. It doesn't really matter where I am. It's not a big business, just manual labor. It's just that I can't move around right now. I've just gotten a little familiar with this place, and if I move to another place, I'll feel even more uncomfortable."

"A month ago, I was working as a QC in the factory. I was slacking off every day and earning a little over 1000 yuan a month. I felt like I had no value at all."

"Xiaoyang, if you'd like to change jobs, I can introduce you to some."

"Thank you, I'll take this job for now. If I work from now until the end of the year, saving tens of thousands of dollars shouldn't be a problem, and things will be easier next year."

"Children from poor families mature early. I've reached the age where everything requires money. In fact, I'm already overdrawing my youth. In a few years, my youth will be over. Time will only get faster and faster. I've lost my former pride and my original self. I haven't become better off because I'm more mature. On the contrary, I've become indifferent to many things."

"You've had it pretty tough too."

"These days, life is tough for everyone."

"Sister Tan, where are your parents?"

"Oh, my parents are also in Shenzhen, but my dad is in poor health. A few years ago he got sudden myelitis and became paralyzed in his lower limbs. Now he is in a wheelchair and has to take medicine every day. My mom is doing better, but she is over 60 years old and has aged a lot in recent years."

Do you have any siblings?

"I had a younger brother, but unfortunately he died in a car accident 10 years ago."

"what……"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you had such a painful experience."

"It's nothing, I'm used to it."

Ding Yang suddenly turned to the side and hugged Tan Yan tightly.

A fragrance wafted into my arms.

Tan Yan tried to push him away.

"What are you doing? You can't do that."

"Sister Tan, don't misunderstand. I'm not being disrespectful to you. I just feel that your life is just like mine, so bitter. I never met my parents growing up, and I never imagined that you would lose your husband and your younger brother. We're kind of in the same boat."

"Sis, don't force yourself. If you want to cry, just cry."

Tan Yan's eyes were a little red.

"I won't cry, I must be strong."

Ding Yang held her tightly, refusing to let go.

"Sis, can you hug me? My shoulders hurt and my legs are sore, but I'm just barely hanging on."

For some reason, Tan Yan suddenly found herself holding Ding Yang tightly.

Ding Yang glanced at the dashboard and saw Tan Yan's phone, a Nokia E90 that had just been released. He had never seen this phone before; he had only seen it on a news website the other day, and it seemed to cost more than 9 yuan.

After embracing for a while, the two let go of each other's hands.

"Sis, how long has it been since you've been in a relationship?"

"I've never dated anyone other than my husband?"

"Sister, he's been bedridden for seven years, making it eight years this year, and you haven't had any marital relations?... "

"Ugh, don't ask that."

"Sister, the deceased is gone, but life must go on. You should take the initiative to move on. If your husband could know this from beyond the grave, he would also want you to be happy."

"You're still young. You can't stay a widow for the rest of your life. That's unrealistic. Don't make yourself suffer. Youth is fleeting."

"Besides, I think you should still have a child. Your younger brother is gone, and your parents definitely want you to have a child."

Tan Yan remained silent for a while.

"It's not that easy to find a suitable one. I'm too old, it's hard to find one. All the good men are already married and have children. Even if there are single men, most of them are divorced. I don't want to date divorced men, and I don't want to be a stepmother."

"In addition, I'm a bit of a germaphobe. I always feel that married men aren't clean."

"Sister, don't be discouraged. When the time is right, your other half will naturally appear."

"Thank you for comforting me."

"Sis, you're the housekeeper, is the boss treating you well? If you fire him, he won't blame you, will he?"

"It's fine, no problem."

"That's good!"

"Xiaoyang, it's getting late, I need to go back."

"Are you going back to Shenzhen or Chang'an?"

"I'm back in Shenzhen."

"Okay, then take me to the place on National Highway 107, and I'll go get my motorcycle."

"OK!"

"Sis, whether you acknowledge me as your brother or not, I consider you my sister. I feel especially warm when I'm with you. Come chat with me whenever you're free, and let me vent."

"OK!"

Not long after, they arrived at the side of National Highway 107, where Ding Yang's motorcycle was still parked under that tree.

Ding Yang unbuckled his seatbelt and suddenly cupped Tan Yan's face in his hands.

"Pop!"

Ding Yang kissed Tan Yan on the forehead.

"Sister, with a heart that holds grand landscapes and eyes that see the world, and tireless steps, you will eventually reach your destination. Contact me anytime if you need anything."

"goodbye!"

"goodbye!"