Chapter nine hundred and sixteen: simple folk customs in Chicago
The door of the church was pushed open with one hand, and the dull bell suddenly became louder. Lin Nian closed his eyes and turned his head to the left to avoid, but no matter how fast he was, he could not reach the bright sound that came from behind the crack in the door.
There was too much sunlight. Even if I closed my eyes, my eyes would see a warm golden glow, as if rabbits were hopping under my eyelids.
After he got used to the light, he opened the door and walked out. He slowly turned around and opened his eyes. He saw the dark blue Lake Michigan bending over the sky, and the blue sky flowing on the ground. In fact, there was no difference. Their colors were all the same.
They are all the same, deep blue.
I remember the last time I came to Chicago, it was still winter. The beaches were frozen with hoarfrost. The white water smoke surged through the bare black locust trees and waved towards the morning sun. Everything that caught my eye was shrouded in clouds and mist.
But now, looking across the beach full of people, the water is sparkling, the sun is bright, and white sailboats are scattered in the distance of the lake, as if they are sailing into the clusters of low clouds on the skyline.
A stream of white seagulls swept across the wide lake and scattered into a flower blown away by the lake wind in mid-air. The scenery was so beautiful that even the dark pupils of the seagulls only reflected the sea and sky in the distance.
Passed by the maple salmon that floated to the surface of the lake to breathe and stir in the water.
Occasionally, wild ducks gather in groups by the lakeside. People sitting by the lakeside hold on to the edges of their clothes and hats to resist the sudden lake breeze. Employees of the Meteorological Bureau who are observing the weather from a helicopter are also eating ice cream in their busy schedule. After all, it’s so
The good weather doesn't look like anything bad will happen, and the weather forecast predicts that the next seven days will be such good weather.
The bronze door of the church behind Lin Nian was closed. There was a nun in white at the side door, holding a rosary and moving her head down to move the notice board in front of the door. When she saw someone standing here in a daze, she kindly said, "Sir, you are here to pray."
? The time is just right now, the church is already empty."
As she said that, she raised her head to look at the boy in front of her. After all, she glanced over and saw that the dirty pink overalls with black printed T-shirts were too trendy. They didn't look religious at all, but she just took another look.
She was obviously having trouble speaking, "Sir, could you please give me permission? I want to use this sign."
Lin Nian slowly came back to his senses. He glanced at Sister Bai, who was stammering when she spoke. He reached out and grabbed the notice board connected to the stable stone platform at the bottom and lifted it aside for her. The slender and powerful figure was exposed under the sleeves of the black short T-shirt.
When her fair arms brushed in front of the nun, the nun could smell the scent of shower gel that was clearer than the sun, "Thank you, sir."
"Nothing." Lin Nian didn't notice that the young trainee nun suddenly blushed and lowered her head to pray. After moving to the main entrance of the church, she walked away. After all, nuns have done this both as trainees in white robes and as formal nuns in black robes.
What bad thoughts can a young nun who prays and vows to keep three vows (absolute wealth, beauty, and will) have?
When he reached the roadside, Lin Nian took out his mobile phone and long pressed the power button to turn it on. He wanted to call Su Xiaoqiang and Lu Mingfei to check the situation.
While waiting for the animation to start, the girls in cool summer clothes passing by on the street turned their heads without hesitation to look at this wild and beautiful boy on the streets of Chicago. It can indeed be said that he is beautiful.
The attraction between them, the pure beauty, the white girl skateboarding across the street in the distance bumped into a traffic light pole because she looked twice.
The skateboard girl who picked up the skateboard and rubbed her red forehead was a little dizzy. She felt that her life had jumped in the timeline. Before, a handsome old man came into the church, and now a boy who was as beautiful as the shoreline of Lake Michigan came out.
.
If I had to say what she felt, it would be that she had watched the evolution of Bourne Anderson from old age to youth in half an hour.
So the skateboarding girl obeyed her instincts and skated across the street amidst the heckles of her peers. She stopped three or four cars and honked their horns wildly behind them. She stumbled away and tried to get a Twitter or Fae wave account.
After a while, her companions saw her coming back dejectedly holding her skateboard. While throwing the skateboard away with a "pop", she complained that others said she already had a girlfriend.
Wild beautiful boys or girls are rare resources like the best spots on the Lake Michigan beach. If you go early, they are not open yet, but if you go late, you will have to find another place. I persisted in questioning and the skateboarding girl even got out.
The other party's girlfriend was a college classmate, so I gave up completely after making sure it wasn't just perfunctory.
After turning on the phone, Lin Nian quickly pressed the number and put it to his ear to avoid the possibility of being stopped by others to talk to him.
Young women in Chicago have always been very daring to socialize, especially when it comes to complimenting young boys who are good-looking, well-dressed and fashionable. But in fact, only the first of these two points is correct.
, As for clothes and fashion sense, I'm sorry to be so blunt. If I had to describe Lin Nian's clothes, I'm afraid I can only use the word tragedy to describe it.
In the days before Lin Nian turned 18, all the clothes in his wardrobe, from tops to shorts and even underwear, were purchased by his old mother named Lin Xian. Therefore, when dressing up his small clothes rack, unless
During special periods (such as when Lin Xian was using Lin Nian as a clothes rack at home), Lin Nian always wore plain clothes, which was considered a bad sign.
I'm afraid if the environment and world view were changed, Lin Nian's clothes would inevitably move closer to the strong minimalist style of cloaks and yellow vests.
Fortunately, it's not too late to make amends. Now Lin Nian's outfit has been temporarily taken over by Su Xiaoqiang. Out of the harmonious relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law (no), Lin Xian no longer restricts Lin Nian from going out in a minimalist style.
If Lin Xian was worried that his little piggy would be strangled to death by a cabbage outside that could jump up and hit his kidneys, now he no longer has to worry about being knocked unconscious by the strongest and most powerful jade cabbage.
This is the problem.
Anyway, it seems that there is no problem with Su Xiaoqiang's aesthetics at all. At least after she took over Lin Nian's wardrobe, the senior sisters in Kassel Academy's monthly tower rushes became more frequent.
It is estimated that this girl has been thinking about the dress-up game for a long time when she was in high school, biting the lid of her pen and looking at Lin Nian's seat. Now she finally got started and started dressing up in the way that best suited her aesthetics. However, in terms of makeup, Lin Nian was still impressed.
Cruelly refused.
This is nothing but a pity. Don’t say that good skin and natural beauty do not require makeup. Those are excuses for lazy people. Real makeup is a long-standing and lively art. It is the pursuit of more beautiful self-expression and creativity.
Self-conscious, but in this way of artistic expression, Lin Nian instinctively stretched out his hand to press Su Xiaoqiang's face to keep the distance to express his rejection. This not only made Su Xiaoqiang who put down the makeup pen regretful, but also made the buddies in the dormitory who were listening in the corner a while.
It's a pity (it may not be the same thing they want to hear).
But just wearing a fashionable skirt is enough to make Lin Nian feel troubled when walking on the street. It has to be said that although Su Xiaoqiang knows how to make the boy she likes more like herself, she still hasn't reached Lin Nian's level.
Sister Xian cherishes her broom and cherishes her broom.
The call went through within five seconds of dialing it out.
"Wait a minute, Lin Nian? Oh my god, you finally answered the phone." Su Xiaoqiang's panicked voice and a sense of relief came from the other side of the phone.
"Some important things have to be done. My cell phone was temporarily turned off. What's wrong? Did something happen?" Lin Nian did not explain too much. It is normal for the executive department commissioner's cell phone to be turned off. He can't dance to a song when the task is critical.
The hottest songs on llBoard are coming.
"One good news and one bad news." Su Xiaoqiang's voice sounded a little worried.
"The bad news first."
"The bad news is that the trains have stopped running and the railway workers have gone on strike. We have not been able to catch the CC1000 express train. I heard that the dispatch center and switchmen have gone on strike. It seems that the railway workers have launched a week-long strike and we cannot return for the time being.
Let's go to the academy." Su Xiaoqiang's voice was very heavy, but Lin Nian didn't speak because he could hear something about to move under the heavy voice.
"Where's the good news?"
"The good news is that I've made a reservation at Giordan's, and we have deep-dish pizza to eat tonight." After all, the little goddess couldn't control her nature anymore, but after finishing speaking, she still asked one more question, "Or do you want a quickie?"
Do you want to go back to the college? If you want, we can find another way to go back. Go to the 4S store to buy a car for temporary use. Lu Mingfei, your coke is on my sleeve (Lu Mingfei heard this and couldn't help drinking coke)
Choking)!"
"Forget it." Lin Nian said after listening to the chaotic movements on the phone.
"What? Lin Nian, what did you say? Forget it? Lu Mingfei, can you please calm down?" Su Xiaoqiang quickly pressed the phone and asked.
"The college is not in a hurry to go back. We may not be the last batch to return to school. Norma will adjust the course schedule taking into account the train suspension."
"What do you mean?" Listening to the voice, one can almost imagine the dazzling look in the eyes of the girl on the other end of the phone slowly being filled by the Chicago sunshine.
"Wait for seven days." Lin Nian looked at the waves of Lake Michigan in the distance with his mobile phone, "Have you found a place to live?"
"Not yet, I want to wait until I contact you before making any plans." Su Xiaoqiang heard the sound of turning the pages of a book, probably looking through the travel guide he had picked up at the Chicago train station, "Then I will stay in a hotel and book a room.
?”
"No need." Lin Nian remembered that he still had a black room card in his pocket, a gift from the principal, "I have already booked a room at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. I will send you the address on my mobile phone."
"Hey, he was so unexpectedly active in opening a house. He had planned it for a long time." Lin Nian heard the faint muttering of Lu Mingfei, and then the noise of Su Xiaoqiang suddenly jumping to push Lu Mingfei away.
Lin Nian sighed and wanted to wait for the opponent to calm down a bit before continuing to make arrangements, but at this moment, a figure suddenly jumped out in front of him. If he hadn't stopped quickly with his reaction, he would have bumped into him.
The person who stopped Lin Nian was a young black man wearing a black knitted hat. A few dreadlocks were exposed from the hat. He had high cheekbones and slightly sunken eye sockets. He was wearing a black T-shirt with red prints and a denim vest as if he was not too hot.
Shorts, trendy shoes, bare skin with messy tattoos.
When he stretched out his hand to stop Lin Nian, Lin Nian saw at least five small tattoos on the back of his hand, including English letters on the first section of each finger. The five fingers connected together were "Nolaw".
This is a typical black man on the street with a gang background, but he is not worthy of too much attention, because gangs are rampant in Chicago, and besides the carp in Illinois lakes, the only things that can overflow are snakes, insects, rats, and ants.
These gangs in Chicago are composed of homeless people or blacks, Mexicans, Latinos, and Europeans who are idle in society. Except for some real head organizations, the others can only be regarded as small gangs (in the case of mixed races)
Seeing this in their eyes, they usually despise even warlords who can influence the politics of small countries).
At least every time someone associated local gangs with the Mafia, Caesar Gattuso would give him a look similar to Batman's disapproving look.
After all, in terms of size, it would be decent to even call it an insult to associate local gangs with something like the Gattuso family. The most legendary FOLKS NATION in Chicago is what GD played in Gattuso.
In the eyes of the behemoths of trusts and syndicates, they can only think that if they work hard for two or three hundred years, it will be difficult to reach the "table" and become the carriage and horse they play with between their fingers.
So now, what is a local Chicago gang member going to do if he stops him in the street?
Lin Nian didn't hang up the phone, he just took two steps back and put some distance between him. It wasn't because he was afraid that the other party would take out money or put a knife to his waist to rob him, but the characteristic smell of burnt leather shoes on the other party really made him uncomfortable.
like.
"Friend, are you coming to Chicago for a trip? Do you want to buy some souvenirs? It's guaranteed to be cheap." The black guy with dreadlocks spoke English with a slight accent and opened his jacket, with some strange gadgets hanging inside.
, at a glance, most of them are mobile phone charms, key rings, commemorative seals and other worthless things.
Lin Nian just glanced at it and instantly lost interest. He also roughly understood the background of this black brother. In Chicago, especially next to Lake Michigan, there are often black people who look at tourists and bring them weird things for you to buy. You don't buy them.
He will scold you and tell you to be careful.
The reason why he stopped Lin Nian was probably because he was attracted by the high value of his outfit. After all, although the clothes that the little goddess picked for her boyfriend were not tacky and only bought from big brands, they were really worth it to her.
Clothes with the same styles and materials are never priced close to the people.
For example, the simple black T-shirt Lin Nian was wearing was made of hemp, and this guy with dreadlocks was also a good judge of goods. He knew that every part of Lin Nian’s body was worthy of stripping off and running away, except for the somewhat old pair of Nikes.
Shoes, but aside from the fact that the quality of the shoes is a little different, Lin Nian has the words "not bad for the money" written from top to bottom.
This is the kind of people the guy with the dreadlocks likes. The mobile phone charm hanging on his vest is only $10 even in a high-priced store in the CBD area, but if he is trying to trick tourists, he can charge it for $20.
This kind of forced buying and selling is similar to having a black brother pour foam water on your windshield while driving at a traffic light.
However, many tourists with good wallets may give up after seeing this tattoo and dreadlocks, thinking that it is better to do less than to do more. Chicago has never been a friendly city. Looking at the shooting warning location is like looking at the weather forecast.
In a peaceful world, things like shootings should not be too normal. Normal people would always have $50 in their wallets to buy life, and they might be able to save your life at some point.
"If you don't want to buy it, I'm in a hurry. Please give it a try."
However, Lin Nian will not accept this trick. The last guy who could forcefully buy and sell with him is still stuck at the bottom of the Kuimen River in the Three Gorges as a specimen, but he will not lose his temper in the street and move forward.
After two steps, the guy with the dreadlocks was shaken by a 'Shammgod' before he could react. A black guy who was passing by and playing ball suddenly yelled "Oh, Damn!" and shouted out in response to the tactics.
This neat move showed high respect.
The little brother with the dreadlocks was not angry, and quickly turned back to chase the fat sheep. No, he was chasing Lin Nian. Without giving up, he lowered his head and quickly walked around in front of Lin Nian, walking backwards in front of Lin Nian. "Look, they are really cheap! These gadgets are really cheap."
Son, there are also necklaces, rings, etc., all handmade by my grandma, and they are only sold at cost price. I am also rushing to sell some money to buy medicine for my grandma."
"No money, get out of the way." Lin Nian was a little impatient and impatient. He probably felt that the other party was affecting his ability to listen to Su Xiaoqiang's words on the other side of the phone.
As for what my grandma made by hand, I'd be a fool to actually write it. Most of the things hanging in these jackets are stolen goods. I don't know where they were stolen from. What can be sold and earned?
Using their money to buy Ye Zifei is the normal life of these street gang members.
The little brother with the dreadlocks was still talking about his treasures. Just when Lin Nian was about to take a step further and trip this guy up, his peripheral vision suddenly stopped on the other person's neck. The black neck was like a dummy on the display cabinet.
There are a bunch of necklaces of all kinds, including gold, silver and rhinestones, and even old-school three-chain pearl necklaces.
"?"
Lin Nian stopped. He suddenly stopped and reached out, grabbed one of the jewelry around the neck of the little brother with dirty braids and pulled it out from the trash.
What fell into Lin Nian's hand was a tooth hanging from a dark red knot. The texture was close to ivory but the color was deeper. There was some faint green in the white, giving it an expensive texture.
"Okay, my friend has good taste." The little brother with the dreadlocks said quickly.
He was not afraid that Lin Nian would start robbing him, but he was afraid that Lin Nian would completely ignore him. Seeing that Lin Nian had chosen what he wanted, he quickly persuaded him, "This is a new product that I just got. I mean a new handicraft made by my grandma."
, it’s still warm, and I saw that the texture of the jade is not there, pure blue and white jade! The normal price can be sold for uh, it should be more than a few thousand dollars? If you want it, my friend, I will sell it to you at a discount of 698, but can you let go first?
"
The black guy felt a little uncomfortable with his neck being pulled like this. Maybe the real source of discomfort was not being pulled by this accessory, but the sudden feeling of suffocation and pressure he felt, just like the temperature of the sun in Chicago suddenly rose.
A lot, and the air pressure is also a lot higher
"Where did this thing come from?" Lin Nian withdrew his hand. The little brother with the dreadlocks couldn't react. The thing had already left his neck. He didn't know how the other party pulled the thing over his head.
"Bro, didn't I tell you, this is my grandma?"
"To be honest, you can get ten times the going price." Lin Nian said calmly, looking at the 'teeth' lying quietly in his hand.
No one would believe the nonsense about handicrafts made by grandma, unless his grandma is a rare 'craftsman' in the mixed-race underground world, but even 'craftsmen' can rarely turn the bones and blood of pure-blood dragons into
, the corners are processed to this extent, right?
The teeth of a pure-blood dragon are at least the next-generation 'horns'. Why can a black man from a local gang in Chicago obtain such a thing? And it will appear openly on the streets of Chicago.
"Hey friend, it's a rule not to ask the source when buying something." The little brother with the dreadlocks was not tempted ten times by the so-called expert. Instead, because of Lin Nian's questioning, he started to look around with unusual caution, and looked at Lin Nian again, probably
I suspect that this guy is someone from Chiago P.D. who is fishing for law enforcement to record evidence against him.
Lin Nian finally frowned. Just as he was about to do something further, Su Xiaoqiang's voice suddenly rang on the phone next to his ear: "Lin Nian, are you still there? If you arrive first, remember to open two more suites. We
I met a schoolmate here."
"Alumni?" Lin Nian stretched out his hand to signal the dirty-haired boy in front of him to stop talking for the time being, and gestured to his pocket to signal that he wanted the thing, and stabilized him first.
"Yes, an alumnus you would never expect."
"Is it someone I know?" Lin Nian was close to the answer with just one word.
"That's right? I'm not sure if you remember the cheerleader of Shilan Middle School. Do you still remember him?"
"I don't remember much."
"Hmm" Why is there a feeling of relief on the other end of the phone?
Su Xiaoqiang said: "Anyway, she is a freshman in a new college, the class of 2011. She is a very beautiful school girl. We met at the Chicago train station. She had the CC100 Express magnetic card in her mouth."
At this time, Lin Nian suddenly heard a strange and pleasant voice on the other side of the phone saying something vaguely not far away: No, the senior is still pretty. Is that the senior's boyfriend on the other end of the phone?
He must also be a super handsome senior, right?
"Wait, why are there two suites?" Lin Nian asked again.
"Xia Mi is the older brother of the school girl who also came to Chicago with her. He seems to be worried about her coming here to study alone. He wants to send her to the train station going to school. But now we have encountered a little trouble."
Su Xiaoqiang seems to have a headache here,
"We got lost with her brother at the train station. I don't know where he went. Even when I called him, his phone was turned off. You can go to the hotel and book a room with Lu Mingfei later. ("What do you mean by booking a room with me?"
Lu Mingfei's eyes widened, but he was glared at by Su Xiaoqiang), Chu Zihang and I still have to help find someone, Chicago is too big, I hope nothing happens before we find him."
"Well, what are the characteristics of the freshman brother of the school girl you mentioned? For example, his clothes and belongings." Lin Nian asked, looking down at the tooth necklace in his hand.
"cute."
"What?" Lin Nian was stunned for a moment.
"She said her brother is the cutest in the world? We will definitely recognize him if we see him." There was a strong bitter smile in Su Xiaoqiang's words. Maybe he felt that this kind of speech seemed familiar to him?
"Any other information?"
"Asian, with medium-long black hair and slightly curly hair, about 19 to 20 years old, the same age as us, but only 1.68 meters tall and thin. She said her brother has always been in poor health, so his face looks a little sick.
Bai, when he ran away, he was wearing a black short-sleeved shirt with a white horizontal striped T-shirt underneath, casual pants and white air-cushion sneakers. Oh, by the way, he was also wearing a family heirloom animal tooth pendant."
"Okay." Lin Nian said, "I probably have an idea."
"So fast? (He has always been fast! Lu Mingfei's teasing voice was faintly heard on the phone)" Su Xiaoqiang was a little surprised.
"It's just a coincidence. I'll meet you later. I might be able to help. I'll call you if I find someone. Keep the signal on your phone open at all times." Lin Nian said briefly and then hung up the phone.
He looked up again at the little brother with the dirty braid in front of him, who was still deciding whether to sit on the floor and raise the price. This time, he no longer disliked the strong smell of leaves on the other person's body. Instead, he took two steps forward and put his arms around the other person's neck.
"Friend, playing the friendship card doesn't work. I have professional ethics." Halfway through his words, the little brother with the dreadlocks found that the food he had pinned in his front waist trouser pocket came loose, and then something hard came against him.
On his flank under his jacket.
His well-hidden gun was taken away, and he was completely unable to resist.
"The principal is right, Chicago is indeed a good place." Lin Nian looked at the stiff black cheeks nearby and said in his ear, "This is called a city of architecture. The streets are all designed vertically.
This means that alleys can be found everywhere, and the characteristics of these alleys are also endless, which is very useful when dealing with some private matters."
The little brother with the dreadlocks couldn't speak. He looked at the pretty boy's cheeks from the side. It seemed that it was due to an illusion. Why were those pupils filled with a light golden color like the sun?
"Let's go ahead, sorry for the trouble." Lin Nian looked towards the entrance of the alley not far away, his tone was calm and indifferent.