chapter 33 In Empty City, music-themed restaurant

After driving for about half an hour, I finally arrived at "Willow Bank Scenic Garden" where I live now, and Penelope was already standing under a sycamore tree outside the community, waiting for me. Autumn leaves circled and fell in the air, and the light reflected her figure. She was as beautiful as a figure walking out of a painting, quiet and indifferent. I honked the car horn and Penelope looked towards me. I smiled at her and said, "Get in the car and let's go to dinner. If you're late, you may not have a seat." Penelope walked up to me, opened the car door and sat down on the passenger seat. She didn’t care what kind of car I was driving, but I said a little guiltily: "How about it? My car is pretty good, right? It has a small displacement and low fuel consumption." Carbon-friendly.” "It's not bad, but just like you, it's a bit vulgar."Penelope looked at me with a half-smile and said. "Am I vulgar?" I asked, then I took off the mirror in the car and looked at myself unconfidently. "Vulgarity doesn't necessarily refer to appearance, I'm talking about your character." I reset the mirror again, not wanting to quarrel with Penelope. Anyway, the image of me as a bad person has already been engraved in her heart. Even if I package myself as a national hero who saves the country and the people, she will still think that I am vulgar. Penelope was a little surprised that I didn't fight back, but I just smiled at her and started the car. I thought: Penelope doesn't know much about a man with substance and is often taciturn. Based on this, obviously I am a man. A man of great substance. Alto shuttled through the streets and alleys, and finally stopped on an old street that was about to be demolished. Penelope and I got out of the car. The store I wanted to take her to passed through a narrow alley. If we don’t want to go in, we can only walk. There were only a few street lights in this narrow alley and it was very dim. Penelope followed me closely and asked me nervously: "Where are you taking me?" "A paradise, but you have to go through this darkness first." I replied. After walking through this dark alley, the space opposite suddenly became larger. Under a bright streetlight, the "In Empty City Theme Music Restaurant" appeared in front of Mi Penelope. I lit a cigarette and said to Penelope next to me: "This is the restaurant. It is opened by a friend of mine who plays music. The music atmosphere inside is very good, but it specializes in Sichuan cuisine." "That's very mixed,"Penelope said while looking at the store's menu. Generally, music restaurants mainly serve Western food. "Well, the boss lady is from Chongqing, can you eat spicy food?" "OK." Penelope and I walked into the restaurant while we were talking. The proprietress was sitting on a liftable bar chair singing a song, with a glass of draft beer beside her and an unfinished cigarette in her hand. He noticed my arrival immediately and took advantage of the break in the music to snap his fingers and say, "Long time no see, Maxwell." I nodded and gave a thumbs up to show that she sang well. He smiled and signaled that they would talk later, and then continued to sing the first-hanging appearance to the rhythm of the music. Penelope and I chose a seat and sat down. Penelope seemed to like the singing very much and didn't talk to me, listening quietly. After I ordered my food, I was immersed in the singing. In the hoarse but contagious singing, I remembered some fragments. Three years ago, Emily and I fled from Shanghai to Suzhou because of her parents' crazy opposition. Both of us were penniless and it was difficult to live in poverty. I sang in this music restaurant where I sang every day. Income sustains us. At that time, Emily would wait in the restaurant every day to listen to my singing, and also help customers carry plates and water, earning some tips. Whenever the restaurant closed, I would habitually smoke a cigarette, and she would carry it for me. Holding that guitar, the two of us walked hand in hand through that dark alley, and I would buy her a roasted sweet potato from the stall at the corner. In the winter of that year, sometimes the wind was very cold, and sometimes the rain and snow were heavy, but the feeling of being dependent on each other makes me feel warm to this day. “Maxwell, why is this restaurant called In Empty City?” Penelope's sudden question broke the picture in my mind. I couldn't recover for a moment. I was stunned for a long time before answering: "Everyone has an empty city in his heart when he is just born. As time goes by, as he As I grew up, impetuousness, indifference, worldly fame and fortune filled this empty city, and it became bloated from then on. It is called In Empty City to commemorate the innocent empty city." "Is this your understanding?" "That's what you're telling me." I said and looked towards the singer. Penelope nodded, took a sip of herbal tea and continued listening to the song. After finally finishing a song, she put the microphone back on the stand and walked toward us. She is a very unusual beauty. Her facial features are not particularly good-looking, but together they are touching and unforgettable. Therefore, she has attracted the attention of many diners along the way. He brought a large glass of draft beer and put it in front of me with a smile and said, "This is for you." After that, he asked the waiter to bring Penelope a large glass of Coke. "I'm driving, so I won't drink today." Penelope answered: "Drink, I will help you drive later." Then I looked at Penelope and asked me: "This girl is your new girlfriend" I looked at Penelope, her expression was calm, and I bravely said, "Yes, she is my girlfriend." Shrugging her shoulders, I knew she was feeling sorry for Emily and me, but in the end she greeted Penelope with a smile and praised her for her beauty. The lights in the restaurant dimmed, but the old-fashioned candlesticks on the table lit up, and the entire restaurant was dotted with starlight and filled with the faint smell of scented candles. After the three of them were silent for a while, they asked me: "By the way, what has Hayden been busy with recently? I haven't been here for a long time." "What can he do? He can just run around all day." "Invite him to sit here when you have time. I miss him very much." There was a hint of helplessness and sadness in her words. She liked Hayden, but Hayden kept thinking about that Beijing girl. "Okay, let's make an appointment for us to get together, right here." "You have to promise me" I smiled and made an oath and said, "I promise." Then he nodded with confidence. After we left, Penelope and I finally had a space to face each other. I picked up a draft beer and signaled to Penelope. Penelope also picked up a Coke and touched it with me, and the two of us took a sip each. At this moment, two more people walked towards the store from outside the door. When I opened the door, a gust of cold wind was brought in. Then I saw clearly that the people who came were Emily and Brian. The sudden surge of emotions caught me off guard. It seemed that this was not a night where I could enjoy a quiet dinner with Penelope. I was tired of such meetings, and I was afraid of such meetings. I also hated that such a coincidence made us bump into each other awkwardly. .