Dong Qiangqiang's Story of Leaving Germany

Chapter 989 Chapter 989. Going upstream

After eating, drinking and shopping in the shopping village, everyone set off for Verona, known as "Little Rome".

Dark clouds were billowing in the sky when we set off, and a rain seemed inevitable. However, the mood of the young men was not affected by the bad weather. They still walked through the city gate full of history with great interest, and visited the ancient Roman amphitheater in turn. The Arena Amphitheatre, City Hall, Paleolithic ruins and ancient Roman-style palaces were all included in the venue, as well as the Vanilla Square and the main square. Without exception, the young men were not interested in Juliet's former residence. They strolled around and ate some local snacks. It was getting dark, and they were worried that the rain would make the roads difficult to drive, so the group stopped in Verona and hurried to Verona. Venice.

Private cars are not allowed to enter Venice. Buses, like other vehicles, are parked in parking lots outside the city. People can only enter Venice on foot.

At this time, the sky cleared up, and the rain that had been holding for a day did not turn into pattering rain. The moment before the sun fell below the horizon, it cast a romantic light on the winding canals and ancient buildings, but the charm of this city Not faded by the setting sun, streets, canals, palaces, squares and historical buildings take on new life under the soft illumination of city lights, with long, flame-like reflections swaying on the sparkling water, a different kind of magic. Enveloping Venice and transforming it into a magical city of light, this is its moment to truly shine. At the same time, the Adriatic Sea in the farthest place seemed like a sleeping elf, dull and gray.

Venice, immersed in the starry sky, is more noisy and dramatic than during the day. Tourists from all over the world are loyally waiting on the shore to take the water bus or the gondola that flexibly shuttles in the river. The river is lined with groups of steamboats and Gondola, even at night, the Venetians still did not take back their city.

Dong Qiangqiang remembered what Woody Allen said about Venice: Venice is the most romantic place in the world, but it would be better if there were no people around.

The hotel where everyone stayed was the same one where Dong Qiangqiang stayed when he came to Venice last time. Although it was small, it was warm and comfortable, especially the breakfast, which suited Dong Qiangqiang's appetite.

Lao Bai opened a room for everyone. When they led a group together before, Dong Qiangqiang and Lao Bai always squeezed into a double room to save money. This time Lao Bai opened two standard rooms. Dong Qiangqiang was surprised. Lao Bai laughed and said that both of them were tired all day and night, and they would most likely snore. This would affect each other and make neither of them rest well, which would also affect the state of the next day. Besides, Liao Cheng had just waved his hand and said that tonight Dong Qiangqiang and Lao Bai’s accommodation expenses are all on his account. Lao Bai doesn’t have to save money for his benefactor. Furthermore, rejecting the benefactor will also hurt his harmony and income. What young men are willing to spend money on is to be happy. Dong Qiangqiang and Lao Bai just know how to be grateful. .

Dong Qiangqiang originally thought that after Lao Bai settled in the room, he would ask everyone for their wishes for a night trip to Venice. Unexpectedly, Lao Bai just said, "There are restaurants next to the hotel. Let's go to bed early after dinner." The arrangements for the evening were not even mentioned, not even the itinerary for the next day.

After putting away his luggage, Dong Qiangqiang opened the window to ventilate. The smell of the sea breeze hit his nostrils, bringing bursts of chill. At the same time, Dong Qiangqiang realized that the air humidity here was much higher than that of Milan and Verona.

"Then you should be more careful. If you guys are too drunk, please pay more attention when walking across the bridge. There are no railings in the canal here. If they fall into the water, you will have to fish them out. If we fish them out, tell them that they will have to pay extra."

"Didn't we just eat it not long ago? When did the young masters change their habits?" Dong Qiangqiang teased.

"They are hungry again and feel that the restaurant next to the hotel is not of high quality and they want to eat something with atmosphere."

"It's hard to say. They are talking about motorcycles and they are all very excited. I don't want to let them down. But it's not far from the hotel and we can go back quickly. You don't have to worry."

He thought that Lao Bai had gone to the young masters' rooms, so he knocked on the young masters' doors one by one. However, after knocking on several of them, he found that none of them were there. He suspected that the other party had gone out together, and couldn't help but wonder why no one greeted him. Then he thought that it would be better if he didn't call. He and the other party were not the same people, so it would be awkward for both parties to move together.

"Where are you? Let me talk to you about tomorrow's arrangements."

"I'm accompanying them outside," Lao Bai said with apology in his voice, "Let's talk about it tomorrow."

"Outside?" Dong Qiangqiang was stunned, "Why didn't anyone call me?"

"Tomorrow? Then you won't be back tonight?" Dong Qiangqiang responded quickly.

He walked through Doge's palace, which was crowded with people no matter day or night. He remembered that Tong Lele had said before that this was one of the best places for walking in the local area.

"Row."

Dong Qiangqiang was running around all day and didn't receive a call from the police. In his impression, Lao Bai didn't receive a call either, otherwise the call would have been at the same time as him. Zheng Chunhua took a long breath and said that it was a good thing that there was no contact, which meant that there was no trouble. She didn't expect that this time it would be so dangerous. Thanks to Dong Qiangqiang and Lao Bai's calmness in the face of danger, things did not get out of hand. Dong Qiangqiang was humble and polite, saying that he was lucky that nothing happened, and that he had been worried during the day. Zheng Chunhua smiled and told Dong Qiangqiang that his deeds had been vividly processed by busybodies on the road. It was estimated that it would soon spread to every corner of Trier. When he came back, he should be able to hear about his hero. Quite a feat. Dong Qiangqiang thought she was amusing himself, so he laughed it off and didn't take it seriously at all.

"How about we meet in the lobby at eight o'clock tomorrow morning? Let's talk about the day's arrangements."

After answering the phone, Dong Qiangqiang knocked on Lao Bai's door, but no one answered.

Dong Qiangqiang immediately thought that this might be the reason why Lao Bai didn't open a double room, but since the other party said so, he was happy to be quiet.

"Go to bed early." Before Dong Qiangqiang could say the words "If you have anything to call us," Lao Bai on the other end of the phone had already hung up the phone in a hurry.

He wanted to talk to Lao Bai about his next plan. Tomorrow, whether to see the scenery or go shopping first. After all, it would take a lot of time to visit the main island of Venice and its surrounding islands. There is also an outlet next to it. No matter which one you choose, it will probably take a long time. Last day, he wanted to help Lao Bai do more physical work before returning. As a result, when he was about to go out, he received a call from Zheng Chunhua, saying that the large army had successfully arrived in Trier and that there were no new accidents on the road. She was concerned about whether the French police would contact them again today and communicate with them the latest status of the case. progress.

Dong Qiangqiang's mind was filled with all kinds of threads. He didn't feel sleepy, so he simply walked out of the hotel and took a leisurely walk along the outer edge of the Schiavone River. It was a long, wide walkway in front of the lagoon, and he noticed that some of the canals illuminated by lights were bright, while many of the smaller canals without lights were dark.

He called Lao Bai, but it took a long time for Lao Bai to answer. The whistling wind and noisy voices came from the phone. Dong Qiangqiang felt strange that Lao Bai's house didn't have a balcony like his.

Lao Bai ignored Dong Qiangqiang's teasing: "You didn't get a good rest last night. You drove for another day. During the day, you ran around and helped them carry things. I rest longer than you do, and I don't have to drive here. How many hours are there? I didn’t ask you to come out about the trail. By the way, Liao Cheng asked me to tell you that he is also responsible for your dinner today. There is a seafood restaurant you have eaten at next to the hotel. It is delicious, hygienic, and the price is also good. That’s outrageous. Just remember to leave the receipt after you finish eating and give it to me before you leave tomorrow.”

The shore below the hotel is full of gondolas, they are pushing each other on the dark green water, refusing to give way. Dong Qiangqiang can see the arches of the Bridge of Sighs and the mosaic exterior walls of the cathedral shining in the light. and countless rooftop restaurants and bars.

He passed by a bookstore. There was an old gondola at the door of the bookstore, filled with books. The billboard next to it quoted Mark Twain: There are almost no poems about Venice under the dazzling sunshine, but under the soft Under the moonlight, her defiled palace grew bright again.

He wandered in the narrow alleys of the city and found himself lost. He unexpectedly found an inconspicuous restaurant and ordered himself a bowl of soupy spaghetti with onions and sardine sauce.

He also saw the casino hidden in the darkness. Instead of entering, he chose to return to the hotel.

At breakfast the next day, Dong Qiangqiang didn't see a familiar face. The time quickly passed nine o'clock, and he didn't see Lao Bai's shadow in the lobby.

Because he was going back to Germany today, he didn't want to leave too late, so he wanted to confirm the itinerary with Lao Bai early so that he could buy train tickets early.

Dong Qiangqiang listened to the phone ringing for almost two minutes before Lao Bai answered the phone.

When he opened his mouth, Dong Qiangqiang could tell that he was not yet awake.

"Did I bother you?" Dong Qiangqiang asked.

"What time is it?" Lao Bai squinted and looked up at the clock on the wall, "Nine o'clock. Sorry, I didn't hear the alarm. Are you in the lobby?"

"Are you okay? What are your plans for the day? Do you need me to tell them what time to gather?" "They were all drunk last night. They didn't come back until four o'clock this morning. All foreign affairs activities in the morning were cancelled. They probably just sat around in the afternoon. Let’s go on the boat, enjoy the wind, wander around the city, and then go to the island and go shopping.”

"Are you drunk too?"

"Then you must drink it."

"How's your arm?"

"Although it's still not flexible, it should be fine for driving. If you drive slower with your left hand, it shouldn't be a big problem."

"Well, if you don't go to the island or go shopping today, there is a slow train from Venice to Germany at noon. School starts tomorrow. If you go back early, you can still pack up." Dong Qiangqiang thought that if he could leave early, he might have time to pass by. I met Du Lan in Munich, but they hadn’t seen each other for a while.

He thought Lao Bai would refuse, but he didn't expect Lao Bai to agree without hesitation.

"Where are we going to the next two stops?" Dong Qiangqiang asked.

"Pisa and Florence."

"It's okay, (the road) is easy to drive, so I'll pack up and leave. I'll set off at noon and arrive in Trier in the evening. You can sleep a little longer. I'm sorry to wake you up."

Lao Bai hung up the phone without objection. When Dong Qiangqiang carried the suitcase downstairs, Lao Bai had already completed the check-out procedures for him.

"You should go back and rest quickly. The train station is not far away. It only takes ten minutes to walk. I will stroll over there just to take a look at the scenery of Venice."

Lao Bai grabbed his box without any explanation, moved his hand forward and made a "please" gesture. Dong Qiangqiang knew that the other party was stubborn, so he stopped being polite to him and walked out of the hotel.

It was only a few steps away, so Dong Qiangqiang thought that the two of them would be chatting away, but Lao Bai insisted on taking a gondola and taking a long circuit by water to the train station. Dong Qiangqiang didn't understand the meaning of seeking the far away rather than the near, so Lao Bai couldn't help but say, Push him into the boat.

Venice is much quieter during the day than at night, and the feeling is very different from that at night. On both sides of the river are the mottled outer walls of old buildings. Gondolas drive smoothly on the water, and from time to time go through bridge holes and pass through buildings. Below, the breeze blowing on his face felt very comfortable, and Dong Qiangqiang once again felt the long-lost relaxation.

"I'm sorry to trouble you this time." Lao Bai looked at the buildings next to him and suddenly spoke.

"Why are we so polite?"

"You keep the money." Lao Bai touched Dong Qiangqiang's hand.

Dong Qiangqiang lowered his head when he heard the sound, and saw two green hundred-yuan bills on his bag at some point.

"Don't think it's too little. I don't have much now. If I can survive this period, I'll give it to you. If I can't, I'll treat you as your sponsor."

"Why isn't it pink?" Dong Qiangqiang reached out and picked up the banknotes and joked, "You just want to give me these two dollars? It's not enough." He said as he stuffed the money into Lao Bai's jacket pocket.

"I asked you to take it quickly, why did you put it in my pocket?" Lao Bai pretended to be angry, "Don't let me go around. The boatman will think you are a swindler when he sees it." He was about to take out the banknotes again.

"This money is too little. Just wait until you get through and make up for me." Dong Qiangqiang held Lao Bai's hand to prevent him from taking out the money.

"Then I won't be polite to you." Lao Bai shunned down the donkey.

While the two were talking, they passed another gondola head-on. During the meeting, the boatmen knocked the oars in each other's hands to show respect. The two people's boats dexterously bypassed each other and drew layers on the water. Ripples, when the ripples disappeared, the other party's gondola had disappeared into the intricate river channels of the building complex.

"Sometimes I feel that the world and everyone in the world are moving forward, and only my feet are stagnant." Lao Bai looked at the water in the distance and laughed self-deprecatingly, "No matter how hard I try, the result may not be the same." will change."

"I didn't get a reply when I applied for college last year, and my thoughts at the time were exactly the same as yours now." Dong Qiangqiang comforted, "Although the situation is very bad, you can't be pessimistic. After all, it's only the beginning of April, and it's far from the time to give up."

"There was not a single tourist group in the first quarter. Yesterday, a business group that I was very confident about also disappeared. I'm afraid it will get worse in the future." Lao Bai sighed and shook his head.

"Although you have no income, you don't have any big expenses. Your cash flow should be fine for more than half a year, right?"

"If there were no bets, nothing would be a problem, but with bets and you can only get out but not get in, sooner or later you will be doomed." Lao Bai withdrew his gaze from a distance, "I now deeply understand: when you are hit When things go wrong, even the smallest mistakes and criticisms can become the final straw and something you use to blame yourself. You were right when you said it at the end of last year, I was too blindly optimistic.”

“Isn’t the purchasing power of the rich second generation not enough?”

“A drop in the bucket.”

"So...have you been knocked down?"

Lao Bai threw a pebble from the boat into the river, causing ripples on the water.

"Not yet, but probably close."

"Have you read "The Great Gatsby"?" Dong Qiangqiang suddenly asked an irrelevant topic.

Lao Bai shook his head.

"Gatsby has a classic line: So let's keep going and swim upstream." Dong Qiangqiang said righteously, "So you shouldn't think like you just did. What you should think is: Damn it! Everything has just begun. "

Note: The face value of 500 euros is pink.