Thanks for waiting patiently! I would also like to thank those once again who favorited, followed, and reviewed! Your support allows me to continue! Now for the next chapter!
Yao decided to go out. Out of the blue. After we ate, he checked the clock hanging on the wall. "It's only noon? We have a whole day ahead of us!" Yao cleaned everyone's dishes then looked at me. "I need to run some errands," he said to me, "Would you like to come with me?" I nodded. I didn't really know Harbin's surrounding so this could be an opportunities to learn it. The rain had stopped and Yao took us to nearby street market. I looked around and noticed that there was very few Russia-looking people around.
"Yao, where are all the Russians that live here?" I asked out the blue. Yao looked at me and laughed.
"They're here, aru," he said, holding his arms out wide, "But diluted."
"What do you mean by that?" I asked.
"They're Chinese-Russian mixed. They're also mixed with the Mongolians." Yao said before purchasing some apples. "Your views of Harbin are obviously wrong." I sighed. Darn you, Russian Google! No, but in all seriousness, I can't believe my information was wrong! "Apple?" I shook my head. Yao shrugged and bit into the apple. Yao and I walked around the market, purchasing thing. Then a thought came to me.
"Yao, where did you get this money?" Yao sent me a dubious look.
"Where do you think, Ivan?" Yao asked in tone where I couldn't tell if it was a rhetorical question or not. The town square started getting more crowded as the day went on. Soon we were pushing through it just to get through.
"Is Harbin always like this?" I asked. Yao just looked at me, but didn't answer my question. I sighed and looked up to the sky. From what I could tell, it had to be at least 3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Then I felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked down to see a small Chinese man with small circular framed glasses.
"有人告诉我把这个交给你," he said.
"What?" I said back. I didn't understand Mandarin so I was confused. The small man sighed and stuffed a folded up sheet of paper in my hand. The man looked at me and pointed somewhere.
"他讲我," The man said. I looked in the direction of the man's finger. It was pointing to a man sitting in a booth. The man in no way looked Chinese but he didn't look Russian either. He was wearing a grey suit and a matching fedora. The man was looking in my direction. For some reason, I imagined his eyes to be a bright red. I must've been mistaken. The man looked at me and tilted his hat to me. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked over to see it was Yao.
"What's wrong? You seem distracted," Yao asked with some concern.
"There was a man and-" I had looked over in the man's direction to point him out but he was gone. Yao looked in the direction of my hand.
"What? A man?"
"Nevermind," I said quietly, stuffing the sheet of paper in my pocket. Yao was confused but he shrugged it off.
"Are you ready to go?" Yao asked. I nodded and we started walking in the direction of Yao's apartment. When we returned, the sun was beginning to set. We walked in, and everyone was in their respected room. Yao sighed. "They always seem to be in there." Yao started putting away groceries into the fridge. "I will be cooking so go do what you please." I nodded and walked over to the couch. I pulled out my book and decided to read it.
I woke up suddenly from my sleep. I looked around and remembered that I was sleeping on the living room couch in Yao's apartment.
"I'm sorry, did I wake you?" I looked over to see Yao sitting at the table, drinking what looked like tea. I shook my head.
"No, no. I woke up on my own." Yao nodded and looked back down at his tea. He started stirring it. Then he looked back up to me.
"Remember that book you wrote? I didn't see a title on it. What is it, aru?"
"Я Молитесь на Солнце," I said. Yao took a minute to translate the phrase in his head.
"I Pray to the Sun?" Yao asked. I nodded. "It's an interesting name."
"Da, it is," I agreed.
"You also said that you tried to publish it. What happened?" I shrugged.
"I said it was a long story," I said, trying to avoid the question.
"Well, I have time," Yao said, resting his head on his hands. I sighed.
"I don't have to tell you what happened," I said calmly.
"Okay," he said just as calmly, "There's the door." I was shocked.
"You cannot be serious?" I asked incredulously. Yao shrugged and gave an indifferent look.
"It's my home, aru. It might also explain why you carry blood in your bag."
"But, but...that's not fair!" I reasoned.
"I'm a thief, Ivan. I don't play fair." I sighed in defeat.
"If I tell you, you have to promise not to freak out," Yao tilted his head to the side.
"What could you possibly tell me that I might freak out?"
"Trust me, you'll know when you tell you what happened." Yao nodded slowly. I inhaled deeply and reluctantly began my story.
I feel as if Ivan's backstory deserves it own chapter so this chapter is really short. See you guys next time! Hasta la pasta!