Thesentencefadedintothectterofthekit.Junfrowned,didn''''''''tcatchtherest.Hisphournedonandthenoff,asanuneasyfeeliuphisspine.
Itwasn''''''''tReyawhhtoutthenoodlesandmilktea,buttherestaurantownerhimself.Asthekitdoorswungopenandclosed,JuncaughtaglimpseofReya''''''''sslenderfigureatthesink,scrubbingdisheswithquick,tensemovements.
Hefounditstrange.Luwasalreadyaseniorofficer—acaptaininthecriminaliigationunit.Hissarywasravagant,buthelivedsimply,withnodepesotherthanReya.WhenReyahadtakenthatamusementparkjob,ithadn''''''''tbeenoutoffinaneed;she''''''''djustgraduatedhighschool,hadnopnsforcollege,andnothingtodoathome.Wtherehadbeenmorelikepassingtime—abitofharmlessfun.
Therewasnoreasonforhertobewherselftoexhaustioniaurantlikethis.
"Youngman,isonebowlofnoodleenoughforyou?"theownerasked,hisbulkyframeblogJun''''''''slineofsighttowardthekit."We''''''''vegoteseBBQpttertoo—wantone?"
"Uh,"Junmurmured,caughtoffguard.Beforehecouldrespondproperly,theowurnedbadshoutedtowardthekit,"OneBBQptter!"
Jundidn''''''''tbuing.Moneywasn''''''''ttheissue.HewasmorecuriousaboutReya''''''''scurrentsituation.
Amiddle-agedesewomafromthekit,carryingseveraltakeoutbagstotheter.Shewipedherhandsonheraproeppedbehindthedispycaselihroastsugpig,charsiu,andredsausage.Pigupaheavycleaver,shebeganchoppingonawoodenboardalreadydenteddeepfromyearsofuse,eachstrikendingwithadull,rhythmicthud.
Junatehisnoodlesslowly,takingoccasionalsipsoftheoverlysweetmilkteaandpigattheslicesofcharsiufromtimetotime.
Thereweren''''''''tmanydine-iners—probablybecausethepcelookeddated,withworn-outdedcrampedseating—buttakeoutseemedpopur.Thesamemixed-racedeliveryguycameawicebeforeJunfinallyfinishedhismeal.
内容未完，下一页继续阅读