Chapter 530: A Kiss
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Winslow was considered near Flagstaff. They had arrived more quickly than they normally would have when driving to an auction. But since the town was big, Li Du and the group hung around from morning until late evening.
When traveling around the town, Li Du felt that the song "Take It Easy" was very relevant to the town; the town was very comfortable and relaxing, like the theme of the song.
The antiquated building looked older under the sun, while the leaves from the maple trees had become bright red—even brighter than the sun.
At times, kids riding bikes could be seen passing by, laughing and screaming in joy. Li Du laughed along with them.
There were markets in the middle of the town which was open throughout the day and night. The vegetables seemed less fresh in the evening, the parsley and rosemary and rhubarb withered.
Nonetheless, there were still people buying stuff. After all, it couldn't be worst than what they had at home.
Li Du passed through the crowd. Looking around, he saw someone selling preserved, salted cabbage. They almost looked like Brussel sprouts: small in size, even smaller than a ping-pong ball; the color was dark green, which looked cute to him.
Brussels sprouts were both vegetables and fruits. They were common in America, and people loved to buy them. Brussels sprouts were considered a healthy vegetable because they were high in vitamins and reduced cholesterol levels.
Meanwhile, preserved, salted cabbage was a kind of snack. Li Du saw many people lining up in front of the shop, so he followed them. He bought some and continue traveling around the town.
In the evening, Li Du reached the main street of the town. Some people passed by him with quick steps while some smiled under the warm setting sun, and suddenly he felt lonely.
The people he saw were either couples or families, hanging around to join the carnival.
This made him think of his parents, and his loneliness could no longer be contained. He took out his phone and called his parents. After that, he called Sophie. "Hey honey, did you get back from work?"
"No, I haven't, but soon. I'm packing up. What's wrong?" Sophie asked.
"Nothing," Li Du said. "I was just thinking of you, and I missed you badly. I'm on the street in Winslow. There are couples and the surroundings are beautiful too. You'll definitely love this place."
Sophie heard his loneliness in his tone and comforted him, "Oh, honey, my lovely Li, I miss you too. I'll be with you soon, just wait a bit longer."
After hanging up the phone, Li Du turned his head and glanced back. An ocelot and a raccoon were behind him, and a little wolf stuck her head from out of a backpack. It looked like Li Du wasn't that lonely after all.
The group hung around the street until late in the evening when the sun started setting. As Li Du looked around for a place to have dinner, his phone rang. It was Hans. "Hey, where are you?"
"In Winslow, like I told you before?" Li Du found it odd Hans had forgotten.
"Which part of Winslow? Looks like someone from the treasure hunters might have met you."
Li Du looked around but couldn't see anyone familiar to him. "I'm at Dawn Street, but I don't see anyone."
"Alright," Hans answered and immediately hung up the phone.
Li Du shrugged this off and continued searching for a restaurant with specialty dishes.
After a while, the familiar sound of an engine roared; the Hellcat emerged from the other end of the street and sped down the road toward him.
The were plenty of Hellcats in America, but he was sure this was his even without even checking the plate number.
The car stopped right beside him. The door of the passenger seat opened and Sophie was there. The female doctor smiled at him with her beautiful eyes.
Apparently, Sophie had rushed to see Li Du, so she had randomly dressed. She wore a fluffy sweater with a cobalt blue knitted skirt.
However, despite the randomness, the outfits didn't look odd at all. The knitted material was perfect for autumn. The top was a bit loose, which made her look swollen and sluggish, but Sophie had used a long band to tie a bowknot around her waist, so the style was sweet and delicate.
The sweet and smiling Sophie had suddenly appeared before him, and Li Du's heart pounded. He rubbed his eyes and spoke with uncertainty. "Is this an illusion?"
Ah Meow and Crispy Noodles were both happily jumping onto Sophie. Even Ah Ow, inside the backpack, whimpered and struggled to get out.
Sophie reached down to Ah Meow and Crispy Noodles. She hugged both of the pets and looked up at Li Du. "Surprised?"
The two strips of golden hair hanging beside her cheek bounced as she looked up, making her looked like a delicate fairy.
For a moment, Li Du was speechless. The next moment he pulled Sophie down and hugged her hard. "I was extremely surprised! I can't believe you're already here!"
Hans bent over and stared at them. "Maybe I should start searching for a girlfriend too. D*mn, it sounds like a great idea."
The car behind him was honking because they blocked the way.
"Shut up, dude!" Hans turned and shouted. "Can't you see the couple is reuniting happily? I beg for your cooperation please."
Sophie smiled and waved her hand. "Big Fox, thank you for bringing me here. I won't be treating you to dinner, so goodbye."
Hans shrugged and deadpanned, "You're so cold. I mean, both of you are. Yeah, you two are mean to me. Alright, I guess I'll go find Godzilla and the others. I feel like getting drunk tonight."
"I'll treat you later, but you'll have to leave now." Li Du spoke without looking up at him because he was busy looking at and holding hands with Sophie.
The sun had almost sunk past the horizon. It was nightfall.
With the road lit up, the town became another beautiful world. The soft and relaxing rhythm of the town still continued, but without the heat of the day, the night seemed hazy.
The winds blew and the leaves rustled. Li Du smiled and asked, "Does this sound like a piano piece?"
Sophie listened carefully. With her fingers moving up and down, she answered, "Yes, this is Concerto D'Amour. The piano has a long lingering sound and a sonorous rhythm. The main melody of the music is as simple as the ripples in the water."
Li Du was shocked by her analysis. "No way, you actually hear it?"
Sophie had held her laughter in until she couldn't hold it anymore, and burst into giggles. She covered her mouth and said, "Of course not. I was teasing you."
Li Du watched her smile. He looked up at the moon and then back to her. He thought, She is more beautiful than the moon.
Sophie finished laughing and was about to say something. Li Du pulled her close and kissed her on the lips.