Chapter 3 Things Remain As Ever, Yet Men Are No More The Same
Half an hour later, the car finally stopped in front of an old housing estate. Looking at it, Queenie could still recognize that it was the wedding house she had bought with Timothy, though it looked shabby at night. She glanced at him, asking, "Do you still live here?"
Timothy shook his head. "It's close to my company. I sometimes come here for noon break. It's well maintained, and the water and electricity has been connected. You can go and have a look. If it's acceptable, you can stay here. If you don't like it, I'll book a hotel for you."
"Well!" Queenie answered simply. It seemed that he didn't plan to take her home, so it must be inconvenient for him.
"Mr. Carter, should I wait for you downstairs?" The driver asked gently.
Timothy thought for a while, replying, "Go back first. I'll call you later."
"OK." The driver then drove away.
"Let's go!" Timothy picked up her luggage, walking ahead.
Following him, she climbed the stairs step by step. When they reached the third floor, Timothy took out his key, opening the iron door and turning on the light in the room. Glancing at the room, she found that it was quite clean, which could be seen that it was often cleaned. The furniture and furnishings were still the same as when she had left, except that the wood had become old and the walls were darker.
Coming back to the familiar environment, she felt her tense mood relaxed a little.
"Come in!" He greeted her who was standing stiffly at the door.
"OK." Queenie came in, sitting on the sofa. Putting her luggage into the bedroom, he turned on the light. "Is it okay for you to live in this room?"
Taking a look at it, she realized that it was the master bedroom of their wedding room. After they had got their marriage certificate, they had sex so many times on this bed. Looking at Timothy who was quite calm, she replied, "OK."
Taking the suitcase in, he then took out a clean set of bedding from the closet. "I'll change the bedding for you!"
"No, I'll do it myself." Queenie hurriedly tried to grab it. "I'll change it myself!"
"I'll do it. I'll be quick." He firmly pressed the bedding in his hands to prevent her from dragging it away. She was too embarrassed to argue with him, so she had to let it go.
He quickly made the bed. Then he went to the kitchen to boil a pot of water and mop the floor quickly.
At the beginning, she didn't know what to do, so she followed him. Later, seeing that he was so skillful at doing housework, she sat awkwardly on the sofa, since she was too embarrassed to stand there to obstruct him.
He had changed a lot. In the past, when they were together, he was just like a childe unwilling to do any housework. Every time he was asked to mop the floor, he would play tricks with her pitifully. When he was forced by her, he would say, "Quira, why don't we hire a part-time worker?"
"No, it's too expensive to hire part-time workers! We just got married, so we can't waste any money."
"I will try to make money in the future!" He persuaded her, "Can't we hire a part-time worker?"
"Wait till you make money!" She grabbed his ear, scolding, "Go mopping the floor! Don't be lazy!"
Then he went to mop the floor wrongfully. After that, he would pout prettily. He would kiss her, hug her, and beg her to praise him. In a word, he would become a naughty boy.
She looked at Timothy who had tidied up the house without any complaints. Then, she turned her head sadly, sitting on the sofa awkwardly and silently without saying a word.
Had he been trained by other woman so that he was so good at doing housework now?
After he had finished cleaning up the room, he poured her a cup of freshly boiled water.
"Thank you!" Taking the cup, she sipped it. Then, he just looked at her without saying a word. He looked at her so affectionately that she felt embarrassed. At this moment, her stomach suddenly growled.
She looked away awkwardly. Then, he got up from the sofa, asking "I was busy cleaning the house just now. You must be hungry now."
Queenie nodded, feeling somewhat shy. "A little."
"I'll go out to buy some food. Wait a minute." He hurried to the door to change his shoes, picking up the key and going out. The door was closed.
She breathed a sigh of relief as the door was closed. But before she could completely relax, she heard the sound of the key again. Timothy opened the door, leaning over and looking at her "I forgot to ask. What would you like to eat?"
"Whatever. As long as it's food." She was not picky, because she thought of those passengers who were as unlucky as her. She didn't even know if they had found their families.
"Okay!" Giving her a meaningful look, he warned her, "Don't go out!"
"I see." She nodded.
"Don't go out." He gave another admonition in a worried way.
"I see." She answered again. She thought that as soon as she answered, he would leave at once. However, he was still looking at her with one hand holding the door. She couldn't help asking, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Shaking his head, he looked at her for a long time before closing the door. Then, he had even locked the door outside before he left.
Queenie raised her eyebrows, listening attentively for a while. When she was sure that he had left, she lay down on the sofa , turning her head to look around her home. This was their wedding room. When they first got married, they didn't have much money. After they bought a house with a bank loan in Buena City, they had little money to decorate it. Moreover, they were too embarrassed to ask their family for help. Therefore, they had to install the toilet and kitchen first, and then bought a few barrels of oil paint and brushed the walls themselves. After that, they moved in.
Later, when he received his salary, he bought a floor tiles and put them on the ground. Also, he added a lot of green plants and small furniture, so that the house gradually became like a home.
Although he was tall and very clever, he was actually very poor in crafts. Every time he brushed the oil paint, he would knock over the barrel. When he used the hammer, he would hit his fingers by accident. He couldn't even screw a light bulb. When they had decorated the house together, she couldn't help complaining, "What on earth can you do?"
Every time she said that, he would hold his handsome face with both hands, acting cute. "I'm handsome and can help you warm your bed."
"Hey, naughty!" Queenie only remembered that she could not bear him doing this. Then she could not help kissing him on the face. He always let her kiss him on the face and mouth like a little puppy. At that time, he smiled happily and indulgently.
Every time when she had kissed him, she would forgive him for being poor at doing handwork.
She couldn't help smiling when she thought of the sweet memories of the past. In fact, these were not the past. In her opinion, it had only happened half a year ago. Also, before the annual holiday, he had always hugged her, playing tricks with her!
Thinking of this, she thought of that Timothy, who seldom smiled and was always silent. Different from her impression, he had changed a lot.
Thinking of this, she could not help sighing again. At that moment, she heard the sound of unlocking the door. Timothy opened the door and came in, holding a plastic bag in his hand. Gasping slightly, he looked directly at her in the room. "Here you are. Come and eat!"
"Okay!" She went to the table, taking the plastic bag he handed over and opened it. There was the New Orleans roast wings, a box of egg tarts, and a hamburger with New Orleans roast chicken drumstick bought from KFC.
Queenie was stunned as if she were hit by something. She suddenly looked up, asking, "Why did you buy it?"
Twenty-three years ago, when she had got on the minibus, she had sent him a message saying that she wanted to eat KFC at night. Twenty-three years had passed before she came back. Did he still remember?
With his head lowered, he opened the package with his beautiful fingers, taking out all the food inside and whispering, "Because it's nearby."
"Oh!" Biting her lips, she thought about it. How could he still remember this? Although it had only been ten hours ago for her, it was a twenty-three years for him. How could he remember the text she sent to him twenty-three years ago?
She didn't know if he had bought these things and waited for her at the station. At that time, he had probably done so...
"Eat it!" Seeing her motionless, he opened the egg tart box and handed it to her. She took an egg tart, stuffing it into her mouth. She ate it all at once. Then, she took out another drumstick and stuffed it into her mouth, chewing it hard. She knew that if she didn't do this, she might cry, so she could only swallow all the urge to cry by eating.
"Take your time!" He couldn't help persuading her.
"No. I haven't eaten them for a long time. They're delicious." She tried to swallow the food.
He didn't speak any more. He just kept looking at her silently, until his eyes began to turn red, so he turned his head. After waiting for a long time, he turned around, continuing to look at her. His deep eyes also seemed to be full of unspeakable nostalgia and sorrow.