"The girl is just coming over for a meal. I didn't intend to make it today. It's just because the girl is only available during the spring festival. She has seen your photo and known about your situation. And she didn't mind that you were divorced and said she was willing to meet you."
"Mom, what's wrong with a divorced man? Even when I'm in my forties, there will still be many women asking to marry me."
"Keep bragging." Lisa pointed at him and said, "Go walk around the streets now. Let's see who would like to chat with you except the beggar." Lisa said as she walked out.
Ferne had nothing to say.
Suddenly, he thought of something and pointed at Noah, "Mom, what if the girl doesn't like me and likes him?"
Noah glanced at him with a knife in hand.
Lisa smiled happily. "That's even better. At least one of you didn't come here for nothing." As she spoke, she smiled meaningfully at Ferne. "So you're worried about this. It's OK. Even though this girl doesn't like you, there will always be another girl who does."
Ferne was speechless again.
Noah lowered his head to cut the vegetables, as if he had not heard what they were talking about.
After Lisa left, Ferne took the red wine and walked to Noah. "Damn, if I had known it was a trap, I wouldn't have taken you here!"
The more Ferne thought about it, the more agitated he became, "I shouldn't have come!"
Noah put the vegetables on the plate, washed the knife clean, and then dried it with a towel.
Noah did not respond. So Ferne leaned forward to observe his face, "Hey, Noah, are you angry? I didn't know that my mother would make such a mess. If you are unhappy, we can leave now."
"It's good." Noah turned around after washing his hands. He didn't even look at Ferne.
"Good? Don't tell me that you really want to go on a blind date with that girl?"
"She was introduced to you. Don't worry. I get involved with your appointment," said Noah as he found the opener and took the red wine from Ferne.
Ferne looked at him for a long time before saying, "I won't fall in love with others, and I won't marry others."
Noah kept fiddling with the opener and the bottle of red wine without saying anything.
"You can't do it either, do you hear me?" Ferne stared at Noah as if he was warning him.
Noah seemed to be wearing a smile, but a smile not easy to detect. In short, Ferne did not see it. He thought that Noah ignored him, so he drooped his head and left.
The guest had already arrived with an aunt. That aunt and Lisa maybe had some sort of distant relationship. Lisa was entertaining them. When she saw Ferne coming over, she immediately smiled at him. "Come on. She got here just now."
Ferne greeted them without a smile.
"Mom! Why are you pinching me?" Ferne cried. Lisa did pinch him.
She didn't say anything.
Lisa smiled awkwardly in the presence of guests and said, "He likes to joke."
Ferne revealed the back of his hand, "What joke? Look at this, is this a joke?"
"Go to the kitchen to see Noah," Lisa said and forced a smile.
Noah was about to come out with the red wine. When he saw Ferne's proud face, he could not help but ask, "What's wrong?"
Ferne thought the girl would definitely not stay to eat. He was very pleased. After staying in the kitchen for more than ten minutes, he went out to take a look. A group of people was sitting at the dining table. And the girl was sitting next to the seat he used to take. The girl was wearing thick glasses and looked like a bookworm.
Lisa asked Noah to sit down, and then said to Ferne, holding her temper, "Sit down. Don't just stand there."
However, Ferne didn't take his usual seat. Instead, he walked to Noah's seat and sat down.
The group of people was stunned. The girl knew why he did so. She sat there awkwardly, unable to squeeze out a smile.
Noah had no choice but to sit beside the girl.
Lisa looked at him gratefully. Noah did not say anything but made Ferne angry.
Everyone felt depressed during the meal.
Lisa tried to take care of the emotions of the guests and kept chatting with the girl, trying to wash away the bad impressions that Ferne had left on her.
However, as soon as Ferne finished eating, he put down his bowl and chopsticks and said to Lisa, "Mom, I'm done. We've got to go."
Then, he dragged Noah and left.
Lisa was almost losing her temper. It was the girl with glasses and the aunt who comforted her instead. Only then did Lisa calm down.
Ferne was also feeling annoyed.
Noah drove the car and said to him, "Go around, and then send you back?"
"I'm not coming back. Let's go to your place." Ferne raised his eyebrows as he looked ahead. He looked upset.
He looked out of the window and saw fireworks in the distance. "Noah, let's go to the beach. There are fireworks there at night," he said.
Noah was holding a cigarette in his mouth. When he heard this, he glanced at Ferne and said, "OK."
When Ferne pulled Noah out, he didn't lead him by the wrist, nor his arm, but ... his hand.
City Y was a little far from the beach.
Noah went home and took two thick blankets and sleeping bags. Then he drove to the beach with Ferne.
It was only after midnight that they arrived. The fireworks exploded and lit up the sky, beautiful and splendid.
After the two got out of the car, Ferne took out his mobile phone to record. Suddenly, he aimed his lens at Noah, who was looking up at the fireworks. Noah was so focused that only after a long time did he know that Ferne was shooting him. He turned his head and said to Ferne, "Delete it."
His voice couldn't be heard clearly, and Ferne could only vaguely make out the two words from Noah's lips.
Ferne said something at the moment the fireworks exploded. No one knew whether Noah heard it or not. He looked at Ferne and then turned to look at the brilliant fireworks in the sky.
The New Year came.
They walked out of the darkness and embraced the light.