"Seems like it's hard to get people's trust when I order poisonous animals over the phone without going to the pet store myself," Zhang Lisheng sighed and mumbled.
As he spoke, he was about to open the window a little to get some fresh air, but he happened to see George happily walking to the car with two short, flat girls with shiny braces in their mouths.
Soon, George opened the car door and got into the back seat with the two girls. He introduced them while smiling, "Lisheng, this is Lina and Hannah. They're our 8th grade juniors.
Lina, Hannah, this is Lisheng, he's my best friend. "
"The car's nice but he's a little skinny. Hi Senior, I'm Lina." Lina wore a red plush jacket and had short hair. She looked energetic, a little like a boy.
"Hi Senior, I'm Hannah. Nice to meet you." Hannah wore a white down jacket. Her hair was long and her features were slightly scrunched up. However, she was neither ugly nor pretty.
"Nice to meet you guys," Zhang Lisheng smiled politely and replied.
"Okay, let's find a place to have lunch since we've gotten to know each other.
How about the Kobe Super Large Pizza near the school? There's a seat by the window, we can talk while we eat … "
"Pizza again? Senior George, why are you as childish as those 8th grade boys? Pizza isn't the only thing we can eat in this world.
Let's go to Queens to eat some exotic food like Turkistan's meat pies and Postello's potato stew. I just found out from the travel guide online that there's so many interesting things in Queens, New York.
People from all over the world go there for sightseeing, but I've never been there even once as a New York girl who grew up there. "
Hearing Lina saying that she wanted to go to Queens, George's expression changed secretly. He said awkwardly, "There's actually nothing to go to in Queens, Turkistan's meat pies taste so much worse than pizza …"
"Senior George, don't tell me you're scared to go to Queens like those guys?"
"I-I'm not scared, actually, I grew up there."
"Really? Senior, did you grow up in Queens?!
Oh, I've never even met a boy from Queens, let alone dated one.
If that's the case, shouldn't you bring me to Queens to satisfy the curiosity of your prom date? "
"So, Lina, y-you've agreed to be my dance partner for the prom?" George was stunned for a moment and said in surprise, "Okay, Lisheng, drive. We'll go to Queens now."
Zhang Lisheng was slightly stunned and turned his head to smile at the two girls in the car. He turned around and grabbed George's collar. He pulled his head to his mouth and whispered, "Are you crazy, George? You're willing to go to Queens again just to find a date for the prom?"
George replied in a low voice, "Calm down, buddy. Last time we went to negotiate with the lions. This time we are going to watch the monkey show.
There are neighborhoods in Queens that aren't that bad. Find a street with the most tourists and leave before dark. There won't be any trouble. "
"That's what you think. Listen, I'm not scared of the risk at all. The key is whether it's worth the risk."
"If you're an American boy who grew up in a trashy neighborhood where criminals roam and your biggest wish is to live a normal life, you'll know that it's worth the risk," George said calmly in all seriousness.
Zhang Lisheng said after a moment of silence, "Alright, as a Chinese, I might never understand American people's way of thinking.
However, as a friend who owes you a favor, I'll go to Queens with you this time and bring you back safely.
But remember, George, this is the only time. "
He sat up straight in the driver's seat as he spoke. He started the engine and turned on the navigation system to drive to Queens.
It was the last rest day before Christmas. The traffic on New York Avenue was unusually crowded. Coupled with the driver's poor driving skills, Zhang Lisheng's Explorer only stopped at Flushing, Queens after a full one and a half hours.
It was Lina's request to come to this community. On the way to Queens, she looked up the travel guide on her phone for a long time with Hannah in high spirits. Finally, they set their first stop in Queens to Flushing where the Asian population gathered.
Before getting out of the car, George was still mumbling to himself, "Speaking of my brother, he's a super genius. He could calculate the number of the Powerball based on the weight of the prize ball, the material of the prize machine, the wind resistance in the studio and many other messy conditions.
"Too bad he's not willing to use his talent on the right path and continue making money from guessing prizes. Instead, he's researching some high-tech bookmark. That's ridiculous. I mean, it's unwise.
Who would read now? Isn't a bookmark useless no matter how advanced it is … "
Unfortunately, the girls did not care about what George was saying. "Aha, look at Hannah, this place really looks like a foreign country. There are yellow-skinned Asians everywhere, and there are many vendors selling weird stuff. It's so interesting.
Senior George, your brother's story is great but we're getting out of the car. "
Lina opened the door and hopped out of the car with Hena.
"Oh, Lisheng, what are you standing there for? Let's get out too," George was stunned for a moment and said while patting Zhang Lisheng's shoulder calmly.
Flushing's streets were not considered narrow with people walking in and out. This was a neighborhood and a main business district in Queens. There were all kinds of souvenirs being sold and the prices were not too expensive.
Zhang Lisheng and the other three were so hungry that their stomachs were growling. After buying a few authentic northern Chinese chicken burritos, the girls began to chuckle and eat the burritos while shopping in high spirits.
George accompanied Lina and Hannah from time to time. He gestured with his hands to bargain with many peddlers who could not speak English. Zhang Lisheng, on the other hand, carried his backpack and stood aside calmly.
Noticing that he did not say anything, Lina turned her head and winked at him playfully all of a sudden. She said in a lively manner, "Senior Lisheng, girls don't like you pretending to be a cold man.
We usually find guys who are humorous and bright more attractive. It's hard for Hena to agree to be your prom date with your behavior. "
"So what should I do?" Zhang Lisheng thought about it and asked directly.
Lina was stunned for a moment and looked at Hena who was blushing awkwardly, "I don't know. How about this, you go shopping with us first.
I heard from George that you're from China, your Chinese should be great. Help us …
Oh, Hena, look, that necklace is so pretty, let's go take a look … "
She held her partner's hand as she spoke. Ignoring Zhang Lisheng, they ran through the crowd into a grocery store that had many shiny items displayed in the window across the street.
A gap of two years might not even be considered a gap if it were twenty-four and twenty-six, but for some people, the gap between fourteen and sixteen might be like the gap between a child and a teenager.
Zhang Lisheng looked at the two girls who ran away, "George, they're still kids."
"Lisheng, we're kids too," George showed his white teeth and pretended to smile innocently, "Alright my 'little adult' friend, let's go." He dragged Zhang Lisheng into the grocery store across the street that had a signboard that said 'All Wishes Come True'.
The dim lighting, the old house, the wooden shelves, the paint was mottled, the products on sale were strange. It looked interesting but it was actually worthless when one thought about it carefully …
Zhang Lisheng looked around at the entrance and followed behind George without saying a word. They were getting closer to Lina and Hena who were bargaining with the grocery store owner.
The grocery store owner was a middle-aged man who wore an old white Arab robe. He had a fat head and big ears and a beautiful handlebar mustache.
He had the black hair of an Asian, the sharp facial features of a Caucasian, the slightly elongated and sunken face of an Arab, the long chin of a Brown, and the skin of a black man. He was shouting in English that was similar to George's accent in a serious tone, "Listen to the two beautiful ladies, this is the real Opal Necklace.
It came from the faraway Middle Eastern country, Kosovo. I found it in an ancient queen's tomb in the desert when I was young.
I wouldn't sell it if I didn't escape from my hometown due to the war and had to sell my treasures to survive in America.
12 dollars, not a cent less, that's my bottom line. "
Of course, nobody would believe such nonsense. However, the two young ladies had no idea how to refute when they saw the middle-aged man's face that was as hard as granite. They could only hold the beautiful emerald necklace tightly and look like they were wronged.
George felt that his chance to show off was finally here. He walked up immediately and stood between the girls and the grocery store owner. He said while shaking his head, "Wait, wait, wait. My friend from the Middle East, why do I see your green …"
The grocery store owner frowned in annoyance when he heard George's Queens Borough accent. However, he turned around and saw Zhang Lisheng who was carrying a backpack standing in a pile of junk when he turned to look at the direction where George was coming from. His expression changed right away and he shouted in joy, "Look, what did I see?
That's the yellow skinned, flat-nosed backpacker I saw outside the store driving a luxurious car.
Ni Hao, Ni Xi Yoriko, Old Gu, Weida's Slippery Pot Mom? "He said the last sentence in broken Chinese.
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