together for a moment

Zhao Yimu packed the shoes in a red and white plastic bag, and of course Nick didn't ask him for money.

Meeting someone he knew reassured Zhao Yimu a lot, and finally put a smile on his face: "What a coincidence, you just came here?"

"I went shopping inside before eight o'clock in the morning. It was just the time of worship. Non-believers are not allowed to enter. I came out to have breakfast and a cup of tea." Nick also took off his shoes and put them in the bag: "Whether Hindu or Muslim, it is usually I have to take off my shoes, and carrying a bag with me can save me the trouble of being blackmailed. I paid a lot of tuition fees before, and now I can’t leave my plastic bags.”

Zhao Yimu smiled wryly, it seems that it is not easy to travel in India.

The two of them carried their shoes to the door, and someone approached them, pointed at the camera Zhao Yimu was hanging on and said, "photo, 300rps."

"The Jama Masjid doesn't require entrance fees, but it costs 300 yuan to bring a camera in," Nick sighed and shook his head, "It's basically a scam for tourists."

"Aren't you going to pay? You didn't bring your camera?" Zhao Yimu gritted his teeth and paid 300 yuan, which is really fucking expensive.

"No, I heard from my friends in the hotel that the photos taken at the Jama Masjid were so high that I didn't bring a camera at all." Nick walked ahead with empty hands, and Zhao Yimu observed him from behind. He was wearing an orange long-sleeved T-shirt today. , dark blue cropped trousers, the color is saturated and eye-catching, and they are all colors that Zhao Yimu would not usually buy and wear. He likes to be low-key and plain, preferably black, gray and white, but this color is very suitable for Nick. There is a kind of young people liveliness.

"It's rare to come here, don't you think it's a pity not to take pictures?" Zhao Yimu was not used to stepping on the outdoor floor barefoot, and lowered his head carefully to judge where it was clean and where to step.

"It's a pity?" Nick stopped, and Zhao Yimu, who was walking behind with his head down, bumped into his back unnoticed, with an ouch.

"How can it be a pity to see the beautiful scenery?" Nick took off his sunglasses and clipped them to his neckline, looking up and admiring the red brick-colored mosque.

Zhao Yimu, who was about to pick up the camera at first, put down the camera after hearing this. He stood beside Nick and looked up. The white dome and the towering worship towers on both sides were more impressive than any mosque he had seen before. Even more magnificent, there is a square pool in the middle of Nuo Da’s square, where people sit around, and believers enter through the onion-shaped arches after cleaning up here.

"It's spectacular!" Zhao Yimu praised sincerely

"Here's the camera," Nick said, reaching out his hand, "The 300 yuan fee for taking photos is so expensive, if you don't take good photos, you will lose a lot."

Zhao Yimu took off the camera hanging around his neck and handed it to him, asking, "Then where should I stand? I can't take pictures of the whole mosque, right?"

"No need to stand anywhere," Nick took the camera and lowered his head to study the buttons: "It's so stupid to stand there to take pictures, let's take pictures for you while walking around."

Zhao Yimu handed the camera to Nick. Anyway, he is not obsessed with taking pictures, he just took pictures to represent the concept that he has been here.

Nick slowly led him around the porch in the empty square square. Nick didn't talk much. Patterns", the petal-shaped arches are neatly arranged layer by layer, Zhao Yimu looked at the mosque so carefully for the first time, the red sandstone roof is matched with white marble columns, decorated with geometric patterns and lines, unlike the red bricks of Chinese temples The dragon pillars carved on tiles and stones are not like the Western portraits full of mythological meanings. They are completely another style. The Jama Masjid is a standard Mughal era building, simple and magnificent, symmetrical and neat.

On the third lap, Zhao Yimu couldn't bear it anymore, and asked, "How many more laps are you going to do? Aren't you going in?" Nick was startled when he heard his question, as if he suddenly jumped out of his own world. He scratched his head and smiled shyly: "I'm sorry to be too fascinated, I haven't finished watching it all morning."

Zhao Yimu nodded in agreement: "The architecture of Shah Jahan's era is really classic. During his reign, the Mughal Empire reached the peak of the world's largest architecture. The architectural features are onion and petal-shaped arches, pools and water channels for cooling. , I like to use easy-to-carve red sandstone with pure white marble, especially the marble is imported from the Makrana area in the northwest near Pakistan, and some are also inlaid with gemstones and mirrors, so that the light and shadow reflect a fantastic effect. New Delhi’s The Red Fort, this mosque, the Agra Fort, and the famous Taj Mahal are all works of his reign."

"Fuck, are you memorizing travel books?" Nick's eyes widened.

"I didn't memorize it on purpose, I just read it before going to bed yesterday." Zhao Yimu basically reads books with a vivid memory: "Otherwise, I will give you a very successful life story of Shah Jahan."

Nick laughed loudly: "Okay, tell me! I'll take it as a free tour guide."

Because just wandering around is too boring, Zhao Yimu really told all about Shah Jahan's great achievements, unswerving love until death, and the history of being under house arrest by his sons in his later years. Nick still looked around most of the time, staring at All kinds of carvings, I don't know if anyone is listening.

"I found out that you are not a tour guide, you are a tour guide!" After Zhao Yimu told the whole history, Nick came to a conclusion.

"Guide machine?" Zhao Yimu asked, is this a compliment?

"Correct and precise, lacking emotion," Nick said with a serious expression, "The tour guide should be like you, and the tourists will run away."

"Can you talk?" Zhao Yimu half-jokingly clicked his tongue: "How long do you have to go shopping? If I go to this place by myself, it might be over in an hour. You stayed here before eight o'clock in the morning. What's the matter?" so pretty?"

"It's beautiful, especially when there are not many tourists in the morning, the atmosphere is very good," Nick took out an A4-sized sketchbook from his backpack, and turned to one of the pages: "I didn't bring a camera, so I just drew .”

On the drawing paper, the square of the mosque, the main entrance, and the minaret are drawn from a corner of the atrium. There are tourists and girls in saris in the square. Although the lines are simple and not very particular, it is easy to see at a glance. The geometric pattern on the doorpost is also copied in the blank space next to it.

"It's a good painting." Zhao Yimu said politely

"It's just drawing casually, and I will draw a few strokes when I feel like traveling." Nick put the drawing book back into the backpack, and then said a sentence that Zhao Yimu had been waiting for for a long time: "Come on, let's go out and find a place to eat."

Thank goodness!! Although he didn’t have breakfast at the hotel until after nine o’clock in the morning, he wandered around the mosque all morning, talking about history until his mouth was dry, the soles of his feet were scalded, and his stomach was hungry. It wasn't because he was worried that it would be unsafe to walk alone on the street, he had already left.

"My God, it's already past dinner time, no wonder I'm so hungry that my chest is on my back." Zhao Yimu glanced at his phone when he put his shoes back on at the door, and it was already one o'clock in the afternoon: "Aren't you hungry?"

"I wasn't hungry just now, but I'm hungry now," Nick smiled and rubbed his belly, "But that's what travel is like, there's one meal and one meal, and you always miss the meal."

"I can't, I eat and sleep very regularly, what time do I do things?" Zhao Yimu straightened up and looked at the tens of thousands of moving street scenes in front of him, a little worried: "Is there a decent restaurant in this place?"

"I don't know, it depends on what you mean by appearance?" Nick shrugged with a smile: "It's best not to make any presets or plans when traveling in India, or you will make yourself very nervous."

Behind the Jama Masjid is a bustling market. It sounds like this, but it’s messy and crowded. This is a market that belongs to the locals. The stalls sell not exquisite souvenirs, but pots for civilian use. Woodworking hardware for bowls and pans, rough in quality and cheap in color.The stalls were not placed next to each other, they were randomly scattered everywhere, without any rules, and the cars and motorcycles mixed with the crowd were running around in all directions. After walking for 5 minutes under the bright sun, Zhao Yimu felt very annoyed, maybe it was because of the sound of the horn, or maybe it was because of the road surface The burning things, the black smoke from the tuk-tuk, or maybe he was really hungry, all added up and he wanted to go back to the hotel.

Zhao Yimu walked faster and faster, he wanted to leave this block as soon as possible, and he had to go back to the hotel after finding a restaurant. India really didn't suit his appetite, and he would be happier staying in the hotel.

"Hey, why don't you buy some snacks first?" Nick's voice came from behind

The answer of "Ah" revealed impatience, Zhao Yimu realized this, adjusted his mood before turning around: "What did you say?"

Nick was standing next to a kebab stand, with black smoke and the smell of meat rushing upwards. The boss was a man with a white hat on his head, and his eyebrows were lowered and he was concentrating on turning the kebabs.

"What kind of meat is this?...Is it hygienic?" Zhao Yimu said with a frown

"It's definitely not pork, mutton and beef." Nick stared at the meat skewers with bright eyes: "I'll order six skewers, three skewers per person."

"Is this hygienic? Will it..." Zhao Yimu was a little worried, but couldn't help swallowing.

"If it's cooked, it should be fine." When Nick said this, his eyes were fixed on the skewers, and he looked like a child who couldn't wait. He was completely different from the expression he just watched in the mosque: "Hungry I can’t control that much, let’s talk after eating.”

Within three or two sentences, the boss has already handed the two skewers of meat to Nick. The smell is tangy and the color is bright. Chew the hot air quickly, with a satisfied face: "The best in the world!"

Zhao Yimu, who was still struggling in his heart, watched Nick take one bite after another, suddenly felt that he was too worried about things, so he simply closed his eyes and picked up the meat skewers and bit them down.

The slightly spicy taste of the spices erupts in the mouth with the gravy, and the savory taste of the lamb is matched with the seasoning similar to cumin. It is an incredible harmony: "Damn!" He ate three pieces of meat in a row: "This is the best I have ever eaten in India. Delicious food."

"Really?" Nick raised his eyebrows, eating without interruption: "Street food, great value for money!"

Nick's happy expression while eating was very contagious. He pointed at the meat skewers and gave the boss thumbs up frequently. The originally indifferent boss showed a light and smug smile on his face.

Food has a soothing effect. When Zhao Yimu ate the second skewer of barbecue, he had already swept away the boredom just now. There were still many people, the sun was still bright, and the black smoke was still tangy, but he was in a much better mood.

It's a pity that the good times don't last long

Zhao Yimu took the third meat skewer from the boss, it was still hot with the smell of gunpowder when it was cooked, he was scalded and missed a bite, the red sauce of the meat rolled over his sweater, across his pants, Dropped on the floor.

"Fuck! Damn it!" he cursed under his breath.

"What's wrong?" Nick looked up at him.

"Hey, the clothes are dirty." Zhao Yimu took out the toilet paper from the bag and wiped it.

"Fortunately, your top is dark blue, you can't see it, and your trousers are only slightly stained." Nick ate the last piece of meat and licked his fingers while talking.

"I hate stains on my clothes." Zhao Yimu wiped it a few times, feeling a little helpless: "It probably won't be wiped off."

"Are you a clean freak?" Nick was a little surprised.

"No, but I only bring this set of casual clothes this time." Zhao Yimu finished the rest of the meat skewers, it will not taste good when it is cold.

"Don't wear too good clothes when you come out to play. Look at my clothes, which cost less than 100 rupees. I don't feel bad no matter how dirty they are." Nick said

"I'm not here to play, I'm here to work." Zhao Yimu sighed

Nick didn't say anything more, everyone cares about different things, he can understand.

The two walked through the crowd one after the other, Nick walked briskly in front, Zhao Yimu shuffled behind, looking down at the stains on his clothes and pants.

go back and deal with it

The idea of ​​going back to the hotel and forgetting came to him again.

"Owen, would you like a drink?" Nick stood in front of a certain stall again at some point.

"What is this?" Zhao Yimu looked up: "Juice stand?"

"Lassi" Nick rested his chin on one hand, looking at the stalls full of fruits, it seemed difficult to make a decision: "Drink an apple-flavored one."

"Lassi, I know that, Indian-style yogurt," Zhao Yimu nodded, "The travel book strongly warns that drinking Lassi will lead to diarrhea."

"Hahaha, you're so funny, it's not that exaggerated. I think it's a matter of luck... It's about luck, it's similar to playing Russia," Nick's big round eyes were compressed with the smile, and there were a few shallow eyes at the end of his eyes Excerpt: "As the saying goes, if you haven't drank Lassi, you haven't been to India. Are you sure you don't want to have a drink?"

"No, I don't want to take the risk of becoming rare." Zhao Yimu refused.

"Thick, pure, fragrant, ice!" Nick didn't force him, took a big sip of the apple Lassi that the boss had just made, and took a sip through a straw: "It's delicious!"

Unlike domestic takeaway drinks that are served in plastic cups, Lassi is served in glass cups with crushed ice floating on the surface, and the condensed water droplets on the cup body are shining brightly under the sunlight.

"Come on! Take a sip and see, just one sip will not make you watery." Nick stretched out his hand and handed the cup to his eyes.

The water droplets draw a series of notches on the body of the cup, which is cool and attractive.

Well, he really wanted to drink it to see what it was like.

Zhao Yimu took the cup and smiled, embarrassed to suck it with a straw, and drank directly from the mouth of the cup. The taste was first sour, then sweet, and finally there was a faint fragrance of apple, which was as thick as a milkshake.

"It's delicious!" Zhao Yimu pursed his lips as it tasted delicious beyond his expectation.

"Take another sip, you're welcome!" Nick said with a smile.

When Zhao Yimu was slightly raising his head to take a second sip, a few children who were joking and wanting to buy lassi bumped into him from behind, he choked on a big gulp without warning, the lassi spilled out, dots and stars fell on his body and legs superior.

"Fuck! Fuck!!" Losing his image, Zhao Yimu gritted his teeth and cursed twice.

What kind of bad luck did I/he/damn have? ?