together for a moment

Zhao Yimu turned his head and glared at the children. The children were frolicking vigorously. They didn't know that they bumped into someone and didn't notice his glaring eyes. This kind of nonchalant attitude made Zhao Yimu even more angry, and he had nowhere to vent his anger.

"Wipe it first?" Nick took out a handkerchief from his trouser pocket and handed it to him.

"...Thank you." Zhao Yimu took the handkerchief and wiped it casually, but the one that had seeped into his clothes could not be wiped off. Looking at the mess all over his body, he couldn't make a smile anymore: "Sorry, I want to take a car later Back to the hotel."

It is definitely not suitable to go out today, bad things happen again and again, he just wants to go back and take off his dirty clothes, take a good shower, and lie on a clean bed.

"OK!" Nick nodded, finished the Lassi quickly, and smiled: "I'll accompany you to pick up a tuk-tuk outside later."

"Thank you." Zhao Yimu breathed a sigh of relief.

They got out of the crowd and stood on the side of the main road to pick up their cars. Unfortunately, several tuk-tuks full of people jumped in front of them, spraying black smoke on their faces.

"cough cough cough"

Zhao Yimu suffered from asthma. When he was a child, a serious attack almost scared Tang Qing to death. Later, Tang Qing tried various methods to improve it, including western medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, diet and exercise to maintain environmental hygiene. After growing up, he improved a lot, only occasionally in poor health Or the disease will occur when the temperature difference between seasons is severe.

However, the amount of exhaust gas inhaled today is a bit beyond the standard.

After finally picking up a car, he coughed and showed the driver the hotel's business card. The driver squinted his eyes and looked hard for three seconds, shook his head, shrugged, and left.

The same goes for the next one you get.

"Is it so difficult to travel in India?" Zhao Yimu asked while coughing.

"Difficult? Are you saying that you can't get a taxi now?" Nick stretched his neck to see if there is an empty car on the road.

Aftertaste?Maybe, he will lie on the big bed in the hotel at night and make a phone call to tell Xiao Pei about today's miserable situation.

I don't know how long it took, either the car was empty or the driver shook his head after seeing the hotel business card.

"What did you say about their driver? No one knows the hotel I live in?" Zhao Yimu asked dejectedly.

"It should be illiteracy. I can't read the address on your business card. The literacy rate here is not high." Nick looked up at the sky. "It's going to rain soon," he murmured.

Nick thought about it: "How about this? Your hotel is a few kilometers north of the train station. Let's take a bus back to the train station. My hotel is on the street opposite the train station. There are shops and restaurants there. After walking down for a few days, I’m familiar with the restaurant, so I’ll buy some clothes before going to eat, take shelter from the rain and take a rest, and then call a car back to your hotel.”

"Will the driver over there know about my hotel?" Zhao Yimu asked dumbly.

"I don't know, but there are a lot of cars in front of the train station, so there's a good chance of asking," Nick raised his hand to wipe his forehead as heavy raindrops fell, "The point is, if we don't leave, we'll have to stand here and get caught in the rain."

"Hey, there is no better way." Zhao Yimu reluctantly agreed.

They got a tuk-tuk before it rained heavily, and every driver knew how to get to the train station. After getting on the bus, the rain became heavier. The semi-open carriage could not block all the wind and rain, and one of them wet one sleeve , When the wind blows, the pores of the whole body shrink.

"Will you take this situation out for aftertaste in the future?" Zhao Yimu asked Nick in the sound of rain

"Yes. It's often the aftertaste of a hard moment that is particularly exciting," Nick squinted his eyes from the rain, but still had a faint smile on his face: "And today is not bitter, I met a friend who speaks the same language , visited the beautiful mosque and ate delicious meat kebabs and Lassi, and finally got in the car before the rain turned heavy, where is the pain?"

"That seems to be the case, but unfortunately my clothes are dirty." Zhao Yimu said.

"If it's dirty, it's dirty. Isn't it more tiring to be careful? There's nothing to be afraid of if it's dirty." Nick said.

This statement made him inexplicably relieved. Zhao Yimu looked at the sleeves and trousers that were splashed by rain, and suddenly felt that it would be good to go all out, and if it was dirty, it would be dirty.

When they got out of the car, the rain had eased a little, and the temperature dropped a lot with the rain.

"Is your hotel on this street?" Zhao Yimu asked

"Welcome to New Delhi's largest backpacker street - Paharganj" Nick smiled

This road looks like a bustling shopping street. There are many shops on both sides, and there are also many people and cars. In addition to the locals, there are many Western tourists. Even if it rains, it can't stop the crowds.

But at a glance, there seems to be no decent hotel. The buildings look very old, and the signboards to the outer walls are all gray and dirty.

"Let's go!" Nick put his shoulders on his shoulders and walked forward: "Let's go buy some clothes that don't feel bad if they get dirty!"

The rain turned into little bits and pieces floating in the air. They didn't hold an umbrella. They walked on the muddy and watery road. Zhao Yimu's canvas shoes were wet, but he showed a state of half giving up, just like Nick said, dirty It's all dirty, let's fight it out.

The shops on both sides of the street sell everything, including clothes, ranging from ordinary T-shirts to Indian-style clothing. T-shirts with different styles of elephants hanging on the door of a small shop are different.

"It's quite unique, let's go in and have a look." Nick stepped into the store first.

There is only one tall and thin boy in the "Namaste" store, with thick black curly hair and big eyes, he immediately raised his head to greet customers when he saw them coming.

Zhao Yimu pointed to a T-shirt outside and asked the price, and the big boy told him that one was 150 rupees. The clothes in this store were all designed by him, so the price was higher than the average one.

The big boy was very active in spreading out all kinds of T-shirts for Zhao Yimu to see, there are Q version, Indian style with gold trim, abstract, monochromatic repeating pattern.

It's all elephants, and it's not badly designed.

The boy spread out a whole table of clothes regardless of trouble, and enthusiastically asked Zhao Yimu to try them on. Zhao Yimu picked out a few and asked him where he could try them on. The boy blinked and said with a smile, "Try!!Here!!"

"Here?" Zhao Yimu asked.

"Ya!"

It seems that there is no dressing room. In fact, there are only three of them in the store. It’s okay to just take it off and try it on. It would be awkward to ask further.

He coughed, raised his hand and took off the sweater on his body, and then chose a V-neck gray T-shirt to put on

"What do you think?" Zhao Yimu took a look in the mirror, then turned to ask Nick's opinion

Nick leaned against the wall with his hands folded in front of his chest, narrowed his eyes and smiled, raised his chin and asked him, "You're in good shape, are you practicing?"

"..." Zhao Yimu didn't expect him to say that suddenly, he lowered his head and glanced at his figure, and replied hesitantly: "No training, just playing with dumbbells at home."

Nick smiled at him.

"How about a T-shirt?" Zhao Yimu returned to the topic.

"It looks good, it looks several years younger when you wear it," Nick said seriously.

"Speaking of how old I am"

"Hee hee, who told you to speak as if you were reciting a book, with a serious look on your face?"

Zhao Yimu turned his head and wanted to give him a white look, but seeing Nick tilting his head up and smiling heartlessly with a childish look on his face, he couldn't keep staring, and burst out laughing.

"What do you do? Are you still a student? What major do you study?" Zhao Yimu changed into another T-shirt.

"Listen to this question, old-fashioned." Nick looked disgusted.

"If you're not a student, how can you have time to travel. Or are you a young master with a lot of money? Travel around the world?" Zhao Yimu continued to guess.

"I'm a student or a young master, what's the difference?" Nick said disapprovingly: "People like to use labels to define others, and a student should be poor and idle? A young master likes to squander?"

"This is just a way to start a conversation and get to know each other." The clothes here are really nice, so Zhao Yimu changed another one.

"It's boring to be serious. If I wanted to get to know the other person, I wouldn't ask this question." Nick picked up the scarf and gestured.

"Hmm, let's hear it." Zhao Yimu disagreed.

"What do you love?" Nick chose two scarves of the same style and different colors to gesture.

"Well... I like reading books"

"Did you do anything crazy?" Nick walked towards him with a scarf.

"...Is it crazy to stay up late for three days without sleep before an important exam?"

"...so boring" Nick said as he approached him step by step, "that's the biggest dream in life"

"Own your own house and car."

"Have you ever had an unforgettable love?" When he said this, Nick had already stood in front of him and looked at him, his eyes were watery, and there was a faint smile on the corner of his mouth: "Is there anyone you will never forget?"

"...Isn't this question a bit too personal?" Zhao Yimu rolled his eyes.

"I guess you have been a good student since childhood, but now you are a nine-to-five office worker. You do a very serious job and don't like to attract attention. You choose black, white and gray for your clothes." Nick has a gray stripe with a black pattern on his hand. Handed him the scarf: "This one suits you, quite satisfactory."

Zhao Yimu happened to be wearing a black T-shirt with a silver-hot elephant in the middle, and it looks good with a gray scarf: "Then I guess your personality is romantic, casual and enthusiastic, and your family background should be good. You can do things by feeling."

"Haha, it seems that we are completely different from each other." Nick tried on a scarf of the same style as that given to Zhao Yimu just now but in a different color.

"The one you like, bring me all together and count the money together." Zhao Yimu simply put on new clothes and chose three more. He wanted to buy pants at first, but he didn't want to take off his pants and try them on in front of everyone, so he gave up.

Four pieces of clothing, two scarves, 800 rupees, and the big Indian boy said that he would just give them 700 rupees.

"I read in the book that you can kill half the price, is that true?" Zhao Yimu recalled the content in the travel book.

"I can't bargain, I can kill whatever I want." Nick said with a wry smile.

"Hey, let me try." Zhao Yimu's eyes lit up with fighting spirit.

Then Nick watched a beautiful bargaining process.

As soon as Zhao Yimu opened his mouth, he immediately paid the inhumane price of 300 yuan, which scared the big Indian boy to his face and shouted No frequently, saying that he designed small profits but quick sales to make life difficult. Reasonable and emotional, I said that there are not many visitors on rainy days, and I persuaded the boss to open a store and start a business to make money, and then talked about how talented and unique the design is, and I will stay in this city for more than a month. Shuang bought it back to give away to relatives and friends, and told the miserable situation of the soiled clothes today, hoping to meet good people, good people must be rewarded with good rewards, and finally wore a new T-shirt to hang shoulders with the big Indian boy Zhao Yimu took a group photo behind his back, and Zhao Yimu put up his thumb to show that the clothes are very good, and immediately uploaded it to FB to check in.

Finally, the deal was sold at 350 yuan. The big Indian boy smiled and blessed them: "Myfriend, h□□eaniceday"

Nick saw that he was stunned and admiring, and when Zhao Yimu paid the money, he saw his admiring expression from the corner of his eyes, and he was very happy.

"My understanding of you has reached a new level, you are a master negotiator, my brother is an eye-opener." Nick smiled happily with his eyes bent: "You are hungry, please go and eat something delicious."

Nick took him to a restaurant on the second floor in an alley with familiarity. The sign on the door was written in Japanese. The restaurant was small in space, with calm log colors, and there were not many tables. Dinner was after five o'clock. The time had just begun, and there was no one there yet. They were sitting by the window, and the rain was blowing in with the evening wind.

"This restaurant is owned by a Japanese. The taste of the food has been adjusted, so it should suit your taste." Nick slid the menu from the table to him

Zhao Yimu opened the menu and glanced at it. Most of the meals were around [-] rupees: "You often come to this shop."

"I haven't been here before. I heard from other backpackers in the hostel that it has a light taste. You can eat it occasionally when you want to escape from Indian spices." Nick rubbed his stomach: "Yesterday, I ordered a spice rice on the side of the road for dinner. Ray, it’s so hot that I can’t get over it today.”

"You still drink Lassi in the afternoon if you can't wait?" Zhao Yimu looked up at him.

"Hey, look at your old mother." Nick propped his head on one hand, and said lazily, "You are not a teacher, are you? Well, no, the teacher should not travel to India..."

"I want a chicken fried rice." Zhao Yimu closed the menu and said, "I'm not a teacher, I'm..."

"Don't tell me, I'm just guessing, you can do anything." Nick waved his hand to stop him: "For me, you are Owen. It's the first time in India. You have a serious personality, you like to be clean, and you can recite Travel books are also very good at bargaining, long... pretty handsome, and a good figure."

Zhao Yimu, who was drinking water, choked and coughed twice.

Nick smiled and summoned the waiter to order chicken fried rice and mutton fried rice, as well as two cups of Indian spice tea.

Light music with a bit of national style was played in the store, and the sky outside the window was already dark. The clerk lit the small candles on each table, and the whole day's hilarity was quieted down in the flickering lights.

While waiting for the food to be served, Nick took out his doodle book and sketched out a picture, raising his eyes to look at Zhao Yimu from time to time while drawing.

"Are you painting me?" Zhao Yimu said.

"Well, for the record, I met Owen on the 37th day of the trip and visited the Jama Masjid together." Nick drew with his head down.

It should be quite awkward to watch others draw yourself, but Nick drew his concentration very fast, and he said, "Okay" after a while, and turned the painting around to show Zhao Yimu.

The brushstrokes are simple, but the costumes and expressions capture the essence.

"Do you draw pictures every day?" Zhao Yimu asked.

"Well, I originally wanted to write a diary, but the writing was poor and I had to use a drawing instead. You can flip through it." Nick said.

In the front, I drew different things every day, sometimes landscapes, sometimes buildings, sometimes people, and then use words to help explain.

He wanted to read the text carefully, but as soon as the clerk brought up the food, the smell was so strong that no one was in the mood to chat, and wanted to bury their faces in the plate and eat it.

Five minutes later, the wind swept away, and the two leaned back in their chairs, each sipping hot tea.

The Indian spiced milk tea tasted like ginger milk tea. Zhao Yimu was usually indifferent to these sweet drinks, but today he drank them smoothly. It was sweet and hot, which relieved the spleen and stomach for a while.

"Thank you, I'm lucky to meet you today, otherwise I would definitely go home after visiting the mosque." Zhao Yimu looked at Nick in the candlelight.

"Meeting is fate, not to mention that we met twice." Nick tilted his head and smiled, "And your serious and preachy appearance reminds me of my god-brother..."

"Are you as handsome as me?"

"Yo, I'm kidding"

Zhao Yimu looked at Nick sitting across from him and thought it was amazing. At this time last week, he was still eating home-cooked food cooked by his mother in the house where he had lived for nearly 30 years, chatting about vegetable prices and salary increases, watching TV The news broadcasts the car accidents and fires that happen every day, but now I am eating and drinking tea with a person who doesn't even know his real name in a strange and distant country, and chatting about irrelevant things. easy.

"How long will you stay in New Delhi?" Zhao Yimu asked.

"I'm going to Agra next Thursday." Nick answered casually.

"Agra is the place where the Taj Mahal is?"

"Yeah, go see the testimony of eternal love."

"When are you going? How are you going?" In fact, Zhao Yimu just chatted along the topic, but he realized something was wrong when the words popped out of his mouth. This question seemed to mean that he wanted to go.

Nick didn't answer, looked at him with a strong smile, then tore a corner from the doodle book, bowed his head and wrote something and handed it to him: "I still have time for the train schedule, seat and so on."

Zhao Yimu looked at the words on the note, and said apologetically: "I may not be able to go, I have to watch work..."

"It's okay, I will leave if you come or not." Nick raised his head and drank the last sip of milk tea, stretched his waist and said, "Ouch, I'm tired. Let's go, let's call a tuk-tuk to take you back to the hotel."

This time, he quickly picked up a tuk tuk who knew Zhao Yimu's hotel.

"No, return the camera." Nick returned the camera to him.

"Did you take pictures today?" Zhao Yimu didn't remember that he picked up the camera.

"There are not many shots, go back and take a look." Nick put his hands in his pockets and giggled.

"By the way, this scarf is for you," Zhao Yimu hung the orange scarf around Nick's neck before getting into the car. He didn't intend to take money from Nick, so he thought of something casually: "I stained your handkerchief." , this is an apology."

Nick was stunned for a long time before realizing that what he was talking about was the handkerchief that Lassi lent him to wipe his clothes in the afternoon when he spilled water on his body.

"Thank you!" Nick accepted the scarf without any formality, and waved goodbye, with a light but cautious expression: "Goodbye, I wish you a pleasant journey."

Waving and turning around on the journey is often a parting that never sees each other again.

"goodbye"

"Bye"

The rain was still falling, and when Zhao Yimu got out of the car, he found that his trousers were half wet again. When he entered the hotel, he saw himself in front of the mirror in the hall, and he was completely different from when he went out in the morning.

As soon as he entered the room, he immediately rushed to take a hot shower, thinking about what happened today in the white mist of the bathroom.

After coming out of the bathroom, Zhao Yimu felt that he looked completely new, rubbed his hair with a towel, and checked the time. His girlfriend was about to call, so he sat on the edge of the bed and turned on the camera. Nick was right, he really didn’t take a few pictures, There were no more than twenty, and he looked at the front.

In the first one, he is carrying a plastic bag with shoes, looking up at the back of the mosque, the sun is falling on him with lines

The second picture shows him frowning and looking at the wall sculpture... really serious

The third picture is his figure walking in a busy market

Then there is the boss who sells barbecue and the smoking stall

Then there was him holding the meat skewer in one hand, looking down at the dirt on the hem of his clothes...

Then there is the look of him drinking Lassi with his head up, the moment of picking up the car, the big Indian boy selling clothes, the moment when he haggles the price, and the small shop with candles...

Each photo records a segment and the mood at that time, and he has no idea when he was photographed

This Nick...

How to describe it?Zhao Yimu couldn't think of any words to describe this person.

Should have taken a photo.

Zhao Yimu was lying comfortably on the bed with his arms under his head, drowsy, and the video call from Xiaopei rang several times before he answered.

"Well, are you asleep? So early?" Xiao Pei asked.

"Going out for a day of shopping today, I'm a little tired." Zhao Yimu raised his arm to block the light, and told about what happened to Nick today and what happened throughout the day, and the more he talked, the more he talked.

"Traveling in India seems not easy, but why do I think you sound happy?" Xiao Pei listened to him quietly before speaking.

"Really?" Zhao Yimu was stunned for a moment, he obviously felt that today was miserable.

For some reason, Nick’s smiling face suddenly popped up in my mind when I was riding a tuk-tuk in the rain today, carefree and open-minded,

He says:

It is often the moment of hard work that is particularly strong aftertaste.