South of Chutian

The summer in Macau is long and difficult. The only advantage is that no matter how hot the day is, the whole city becomes cooler when the sea breeze blows at night.

As Li Yuechi said, after they finished kissing, the sky outside the window was indeed dark.At first they kissed fascinatedly, Li Yuechi's fingertips brushed Tang Heng's back, causing a series of small shudders, Tang Heng suddenly felt something was wrong, pushed him quickly, and said with a sullen face: "Today can't let us... Still going out."

Li Yuechi nodded, got up and took a cold shower.

When the two went out, the sky was completely dark, and a small bright moon hung above their heads, as if they were within reach.Li Yuechi was wearing Tang Heng's gray shirt and jeans. He rolled up his cuffs, put his hands lazily in his trouser pockets, and turned his head to ask Tang Heng, "Where are we going?"

"Go to Taipa to eat Portuguese cuisine." Tang Heng looked at him, and after a few seconds, he looked away without a trace.

In fact, Tang Heng himself hadn't visited Macau much.The young mainland teachers in the school formed a WeChat group. Everyone is new to the workplace and has no relatives or friends in Macau, so from time to time some people yell in the group to hang out together.However, Tang Heng had never participated in it. He always used work as an excuse to shirk, but in fact it was simply that he was not interested.

This city is really pitifully small, full of people, and going out to play is nothing more than visiting historical sites and tasting delicious food.Monuments, they have always been there, and there will always be opportunities to see them in the future.As for the food—probably because of staying in England for a few years, Tang Heng always felt that his taste buds were half useless, and the food from all over the world tasted the same in his mouth.

He would rather stay in a quiet office, enjoy the air-conditioning, write papers, and read books.

Li Yuechi approached Tang Heng, and asked softly, "Which way shall we sit?"

"Let me take a look," Tang Heng got up to look at the road map, "26a." He wasn't too sure, so he took out his phone, opened the Macau travel guide that he had just saved 10 minutes ago, and checked again.

It is indeed 26a, to Quanliang Garden Station.According to the guide, there are many hidden authentic Portuguese cuisine restaurants nearby.

The bus arrived after a while, and the two got on the bus, surrounded by a group of chattering students.It was time to go out for dinner at this time, or after dinner, go shopping at the Venetian to refresh yourself—Tang Heng listened to the students chatting and realized that they used shopping as a walk.

On the other hand, Macau is really boring.

"Teacher Tang," Li Yuechi changed his hand and grabbed the railing that Tang Heng was holding on to, "Where do you usually go to play?"

His hand was just above Tang Heng's, and there was an illusion that the two were holding each other.

"I usually..." Tang Heng didn't want him to find his life boring, but what should I say?shop?Too fake.gamble?University teachers are not allowed to enter the casino.It can't be said to press the road.

"Just swimming or something," Tang Heng said.

"On a school tour?"

"Ah."

"Then you don't go out."

"It's not..." Tang Heng coughed, "I don't go out much, mainly because I'm too busy."

Fortunately, Li Yuechi didn't ask. He tilted his head and looked at the LED screen in front of him, on which were scrolled the Chinese and Portuguese names of each station.This city, which has been ruled by Portugal for more than 400 years, has traces of foreign countries everywhere.

Arriving at the station, the two got off the car, Tang Heng glanced at the map of Gaode, and led Li Yuechi into the alley across the street.Fortunately, the sign of that restaurant is shiny and very conspicuous.

"I don't know if you're used to it." Tang Heng felt a little like there's no silver 300 taels here, "I think the taste of this restaurant is a bit bland, but it's really authentic."

Li Yuechi nodded.

When Tang Heng opened the glass door of the restaurant, he was still recalling the dishes recommended in the guide: red curry lamb, masala butter chicken, oxtail braised in red wine... What else is there, yes, and paella.

The tall Portuguese waiter asked in English: "Sir, do you have an appointment?"

Tang Heng froze for a moment: "No. Are there any vacancies?"

"Sorry, all the seats for today are reserved."

"..."

Tang Heng bit the bullet and said to Li Yuechi: "There are no more seats, let's go to the next one."

Li Yuechi said, "Okay."

Another Portuguese restaurant 500 meters away was also fully booked.

Although the night was cool, it was summer after all, and Tang Heng was already sweating.Of course also because of embarrassment.He really didn't know that these palm-sized Portuguese restaurants were so popular. After all, his three meals a day were almost covered by the school cafeteria and takeaway.

"There is another one in front..."

"Teacher Tang," Li Yuechi interrupted him, and said with a smile, "Actually, I don't have to eat this stuff, I'm not picky."

Tang Heng was silent for two seconds: "Is there anything you want to eat?"

Li Yuechi pointed casually: "That's it."

Harbin Dumpling Restaurant.

So Li Yuechi's first meal at a Macau restaurant was a big steaming bowl of dumplings stuffed with sauerkraut and pork.

Although the dumplings were indeed [-] times better than Portuguese dishes, Tang Heng still felt a sense of frustration.

It's not because he failed to pretend, it's just...he didn't want Li Yuechi to find out that he was struggling in Macau.

The so-called reluctance means that when he starts a new life, he can't arouse the slightest enthusiasm and interest.

After leaving Wuhan, those cities are similar to him.When London is cold and freezing, it has a damp cold similar to Shanghai.December, which is rainless and snowless in Macau, is like the dry late autumn in Beijing.In his senses, the three-dimensional world seems to be flattened with a "snap", the city tends to be homogeneous, and life tends to be repeated.

He didn't want Li Yuechi to know these details.

The two filled their stomachs and walked side by side on the streets of Taipa.There are many apartments in this area, and the street is full of small food shops, filled with noisy and lively.Couples walk their dogs hand in hand, and young boys speed past on skateboards.This scene was a little strange to Tang Heng.

Li Yuechi stopped suddenly and asked Tang Heng, "Is this milk tea delicious?"

Tang Heng said discouragedly: "I haven't drunk it."

Li Yuechi said, "I'll buy you a cup."

Two girls were ordering, he walked over and waited behind them.Soon it was his turn, and Tang Heng heard him say, "Here, brown sugar boba thick fresh milk."

The shopkeeper asked in very non-standard Mandarin: "Do you want to walk on the ice?"

Li Yuechi paused for a second: "What?"

"Walk on the ice or not?"

Li Yuechi still didn't understand.

Shopkeeper: "Do you want to add ice cubes?"

"Oh," Li Yuechi looked at Tang Heng, "Do you want to add?"

Tang Heng nodded.

Li Yuechi: "Add."

The shopkeeper chattered while making milk tea: "Ice off, which means to remove the ice cubes! Oh, we all say this in Cantonese. When you go to eat noodles, when people ask you if you want to remove the onion, it means whether to remove the onion!"

Li Yuechi smiled and said, "Understood."

A few minutes later, the owner handed him the milk tea: "Our signature, next time you can order hot ones, hot ones are better for girls."

Li Yuechi stuffed the milk tea to Tang Heng, and said with a smile, "Drink the hot one next time."

Tang Heng was a little embarrassed, and whispered, "Where are you coaxing the children?"

"Aren't you?" Li Yuechi put his hands in his pockets again, walked a few steps, and suddenly said slowly, "You really want to compete with me, don't you? If I'm not doing well, you're going to have a worse time than me. "

Tang Heng was quiet for a moment, then said seriously: "I didn't mean to."

Obviously Li Yuechi didn't believe his words: "At that time you should hate me, you hate me, why should you punish yourself?"

"I really didn't do it on purpose—I just had a feeling," the two men's hands hanging by their sides touched, and they happened to be passing a dark street corner, and Tang Heng grabbed Li Yuechi's hand, " It may be a bit hypocritical to say so, but at that time I really felt that since I will not be by your side in this life, no matter where I am, what difference does it make?"