Chapter 6 6. Tender Bamboo

On the evening of the second Friday in June, Iori was standing on Platform 18 at Tokyo Station.He and Xia made an appointment to meet at two o'clock, and the departure time of the Shinkansen "Hikari" was 2:10. Iori arrived five minutes early, and now the hands of the clock have passed two o'clock.I had made an agreement with Xia on the phone yesterday, knowing that she would not be late, but I was always uneasy.This time, it is different from waiting in a hotel or apartment in the past, today we are going on a trip together.If it is late, all the plans that have been arranged with great difficulty will be ruined.

Iori looked at his watch again, and then opened the magazine he bought at the platform kiosk.Although Xia was thinking about Xia in his heart, if he kept looking around with a waiting expression on his face, it wouldn't look good.He turned his eyes to the magazine, but nervously looked around.At this time, he felt someone shaking to the left.Looking up, Xia was standing there. "I'm sorry. I arrived at two o'clock, and I went to the opposite platform by mistake." As expected, Kasumi was wearing a kimono.He was wearing a Shiozawa silk kimono with a Luo brocade belt and a slightly larger handbag in his right hand.The people waiting for the bus immediately turned their attention to Kasumi who was wearing a kimono.

"I have the ticket!" Iori was conscious of the gaze around her, and deliberately pretended to be indifferent. "I really tried my best today, and I thought I couldn't be late no matter what." When Xia spoke, the cleaning of the compartment had already been completed, and the door was opened.Since it was a Friday afternoon, some people were carrying golf bags, but there weren't many passengers.While walking towards the first-class carriage, Iori carefully observed the surroundings.Judging from the situation on the platform just now, it seems that there is no acquaintance.Even if it happened, Iori wouldn't mind, but Kasumi might be embarrassed.

They sat on the designated middle seat, and Iori looked at the window. "It's cloudy." The rainy season just arrived in Kansai last week, but the Kanto area also issued a rainy warning two days ago. "I don't really dislike the rainy weather." Xia glanced at the inside of the white cuff, and quietly raised her hand to stroke her hair.Iori nodded, thinking that maybe this rainy weather is suitable for traveling with Kasumi. The train is on time.Leaving the platform, the downtown area of ​​Tokyo can be seen under the window.Iori felt relieved.Sitting in the car like this, we arrived in Kyoto.It seems that the trip started off smoothly.Xia seemed to feel the same way.

Iori turned around, and Kasumi greeted her with a smile. "I can't go back." "Driving all the way to Nagoya." Although it wasn't raining, low clouds covered the streets of Tokyo.Although it was only two o'clock in the afternoon, there were lights flickering in some buildings. "Last night I was worried and didn't sleep well." "Say it like a child." "It's the first time I've done something like this!" As a wife, it was the first time for a woman to travel with a man other than her husband, so she naturally felt uneasy.

Even if you believe that everything is safe, you are always afraid of what happens.It's not surprising that I feel uneasy. "If you don't come, I plan to wait for you on the platform." "Since it's agreed, I won't stop coming." "But, to be honest, I was worried before I saw you." "It hasn't been like this for a long time. I was very excited last night, just like the night before going on an outing when I was in elementary school." The conductor came to check the ticket, and Iori took out the ticket, wondering what others would think of the two of them.They leaned together quietly, but they were always wary of other people's eyesight. They were not real couples after all.However, in terms of age, the two are not an unsuitable match, at least they are more natural than when they were with Shengzi.

"Why did you change your place of residence to Kyoto again?" "It's hard to go once. I want to eat in Dongshan and go to Nara tomorrow morning." "This is the first time I've been to Nara since traveling in high school." "Have you been to Kyoto many times?" "Went there five years ago." "However, your husband..." As soon as Iori said this, Xia firmly shook her head. "I never went with him." Hearing this unexpectedly blunt tone, Iori stopped talking. The train seemed to be approaching Shin-Yokohama Station, and the cloud was lower.Probably because it started to rain lightly, the car windows were wet with rain, and there was a white mist.Xia seemed to strengthen her tone just now, and gently drew a line on the window with her white fingers.

After Hakone, it rained heavily.However, since it is the rainy season, it is not considered a heavy rain.When passing between the tunnels, looming mountains and oceans are drowned in rain and smoke.As if engrossed in the scenery outside the window, Kasumi remained silent next to Iori.Without saying a word, the two of them just stared at the rain-beating car window, already feeling content. The train is moving away from Tokyo step by step.This kind of thought made the hearts of two people move closer. I thought that the rainy season might last forever, but when we arrived in Nagoya, the weather had cleared up, and when we arrived in Kyoto, the rain had stopped.However, the cloud cover remained low.The streets of Kyoto in the twilight are already flickering with neon lights.The two got into a taxi in front of the station and went to the reserved hotel by the Kamo River.

Iori came to the service desk and was about to write out the accommodation card when he suddenly became confused.My own name is easy to say, how should Xia fill it in?Should I write "Iori Shoichiro" and write "Kasumi" next to it?Or do not write the name, just indicate "another person"?In short, it was a double room.He hesitated, and only wrote "another person" after Iori's name.The waiter simply glanced at the card, called the porter, and produced the key. The room was on the sixth floor, and when I opened the partition that closed the window, Kamogawa flashed in front of my eyes.The front is Higashiyama, and the left hand should have seen Daimonjiyama and Hiei Mountains, but most of them are hidden in the clouds and mist.It was still some time before sunset, but the sun was dim in the rainy sky.In the darkness, only the green at the foot of the mountain stands out.

"Coming here, I really feel like I have arrived in Kyoto." Looking at the distant view of Kamo River and Higashiyama from the window, Iori was very satisfied. "You can see Yasaka Pagoda over there, Maruyama Park on your right, and Kiyomizu Temple after that." Although the clouds are thick, the fog at the foot of the mountain is flowing. "The place where we will eat in a while will be a little near the Kiyomizu Temple." As Xia nodded, a burst of fragrance wafted through.Probably because there is a sachet on the cuff, the aroma is a bit sweet, but very strong.As if lured by the fragrance, Iori put his hand on Xia's shoulder and hugged her gently.

"In a place like this..." With the window open, Xia hesitated, but Yizhi just pressed her lips against the fragrance. Dinner is scheduled to start at six, so there's still time.Iori decided to take a shower first. "Let's wash it together!" He invited her to go, but Ke Xia hurriedly shook her head left and right. "Go alone!" "It's okay, come on!" "Go wash it now, it's too late." "Then come back and talk about it." "Why don't you wash it quickly, it's too late." Xia finished talking like a child coquettishly, and sat on the chair by the window. Iori gave up and went to take a bath by herself. He just washed off his sweat and walked out of the bathroom, only to find that Xia was not there.Did she go to the service desk?As he shaved, he wondered.At this time Xia came back. "I went to the underground store. The restaurant is small but exquisite." "Every time I go to Kyoto, I live here. But sometimes I can't get a room." Xia sat in front of the dressing table, and Iori put on his clothes after shaving. The trip was in the rainy season, and he wanted to dress casually, so he ended up wearing a light brown suit and a tie. It took twenty minutes to get ready, and the two got into the car in front of the hotel.The rainy clouds still covered the sky, and after entering the night, the sweltering heat persisted for a long time.The car quickly crossed the Kamo River, drove south along the main road, and turned into the foot of the mountain at Sannenzaka. "Sakamoto" restaurant is just uphill.This restaurant is located at the foot of Dongshan Mountain with a large courtyard.Since Iori came here five years ago, he has always come here to patronize whenever he comes to Kyoto.Even though it was just Hexia and Xia, the restaurant arranged for a private room near the pool with an excellent view.The room is more than 60 square meters, and it seems extravagant for two people, but it is the time-honored brand in Kyoto that can have such a luxurious style. The matcha is served first, and then the proprietress came to pay tribute. "Welcome. Long time no see." She is only over forty and a half, very simple, and has the demeanor of a restaurant proprietress in Kyoto.She greeted Iori and Kasumi first, then took a closer look at Kasumi and said: "Are you from Tokyo? It's beautiful." "Excuse me." Xayah lowered her head shyly, her kimono looked particularly radiant in this kind of place. The cool wind blowing from the courtyard floats in through the door curtain. In this open private room, the humidity of the rainy weather is not felt very much. "What's wrong with the frog here? Are you still resting tonight?" Iori looked at the pool in front of the door and asked the proprietress.When I came here last July, the sound of frogs rang.Although there is only one frog, it seems to use this wide courtyard as its own territory, and it croaks continuously. "I don't know what's going on today, but I was so annoying last night, I'm really honest now." "This is a kind of edible frog. It has lived in this pool for many years, just like its master." Iori explained it to Kasumi, but the frog didn't cry at all. "By the way, how about a beer?" The proprietress asked about the dishes she ordered, stood up and left, leaving him and Xia alone in the room. "It's nice of you to take me to this place, it's worth a visit." Xia finished speaking solemnly and looked at the alcove.There is a light hanging scroll on the wall, and on the left is a beautiful flower plate with two shandans inserted. Xia likes flowers, so she looked at Shandan carefully and said: "I like this elegant interpolation." Iori also doesn't like the kind of Western-style flower arrangements that compete for beauty, and prefers light and tasteful flower arrangements. After a while, the waiter brought food and beer.Xia took it and poured it into Iori's wine glass.The wine and dishes are the new water shield, covered with a layer of tender taro, delicious to eat. "This little plate is beautiful." Xia gently picked up the handle of the round wooden bowl with her left hand, picked up the water shield with a colander, and put it into the mustard vinegar in the small bowl.Then she took out a stack of paper, folded it and put it in her left hand, and connected it to the bottom along the direction of chopsticks' movement.Even when she raised the wine glass to her mouth, her straight left fingers rested lightly on the bottom of the glass. The left hand shows the tenderness and coquettishness of a woman.Xayah probably understood this early on.Watching her movements, Iori felt comfortable in his heart.Perhaps the secret lies in the movement of the left hand.Xia's beauty lies not only in her delicate face, but also seems to permeate her graceful movements. For example, when she got out of the car and walked across the stone road leading to the restaurant, Xia held the handbag in her left hand and held the hem of the kimono with her right hand.When taking off the wooden clogs at the door, she first used her right hand to pull up the shoe bridge, and gently lifted her right heel.This also seems to be in order not to expose the ankle too much.After walking in, he turned around and knelt down, first twisted Iori's shoes, then arranged his own clogs, and deliberately avoided the corner of the stone platform.At that time, she turned her body slightly, probably in order not to let the people waiting beside her see her buttocks. However, at this moment, Iori was standing and looking down, looking down at the back of Xia who was arranging the shoes. Through the dim light, she happened to see her slightly exposed white half-collar, and felt extremely seductive. Be charmed.Later, he saw the wooden clogs placed on the stone platform with a straight nose, and felt that this seemed to express the purity of the person who wore them, and his heart was extremely sweet.When she entered the room and sat on the cloth cushion in front of the table, she first picked up the two ends of the cloth cushion with both hands, and then slowly sat down after gently pressing her knees.When she listened to Iori's words, she put her hands on her knees and straightened her upper body. That posture really made people feel refreshed. When Izhi puppets go to restaurants and teahouses, they are always amazed when they see the beautiful sitting postures of geisha.Needless to say, even the side posture and back posture have their own rules.In the middle of the meal, the dance began, and everyone turned to the stage.The geisha serving wine also stepped back to watch the performance.Their backs and waists are straight, forming a curve, and the white tabby socks form a side-eight pattern behind them. The whole back posture is like a wonderful picture. This has nothing to do with fat or thin, it is a natural beauty that people have learned etiquette and trained for many years. Now Xia, she is no less beautiful than them.Where exactly did Xayah practice such etiquette?Did you learn it by practicing the tea ceremony?Maybe so, but maybe it's because of the strict upbringing. Iori had only met Kasumi's mother two or three times during her school days.She's old-fashioned and serious.It seems too polite to speak, and it even makes people feel a little upset when socializing.However, there is also strictness hidden in the calmness.Perhaps Xia's demeanor stems from this kind of tutoring and her own keen sense. However, this Xia, who is a married woman, is now traveling with other men.If the deceased mother knew about this, what would she say?Iori took another peek at Kasumi's face. After the water shield mixed with mustard and vinegar, the next dish is steamed fern bracken, bayberry and flower sansho.This dish is not served on a plate, but placed on a pine board, it looks fresh and cool. "Are you going to Nara this time?" The proprietress still remembers that Iori came to Kyoto many times to design the art museum in Nara. "I'm going tomorrow morning. I just want to eat here tonight, so I'm staying in Kyoto." "Thank you very much." The proprietress bowed her head to pay tribute, and removed the dish of tender taro and water shield. With only two people left, Iori admired the courtyard again.There is a tea room in the middle of the hill in front of the pool, and a path leading to the tea room is lit with floor lamps along the way.In the faint darkness, a gentle breeze came in from the window, passed through the room, and gently blew the curtains in the corner. "Can this place live?" "Of course! You can stay if you make an appointment in advance." When I decided to live in Kyoto, Iori also thought about living here.However, Japanese-style hotels close early, and I always feel uneasy.It's nice to spend the night in a room in a spacious courtyard, but it lacks the closed feeling of a Western-style hotel.For some reason, Iori thought that since it was Kazuka's two-person night, the closed room was more comfortable. After the proprietress left, the waiter came in and brought red fish and red bean porridge, followed by lemon shad and grilled sweetfish.Later, Jiamao Eggplant Stewed Fresh Potatoes was served, and the last dish was Steamed Fresh Scallops in Wine. Generally speaking, in order to make it easy for people to eat, this traditional Japanese dish is always combined with fat, thin, cold and warm, and served at the right time.Because of this, the rule is to eat as soon as the food is served. If you keep being polite, it will be difficult for the person serving the food.Xia happily tasted everything.However, it seemed that he couldn't eat the fragrant rice that was served at the end, so he said he couldn't eat any more. "It's so delicious. I'm too full. I'm sorry for leaving it." "In the rainy season, people can't eat, so they serve fruit immediately." After eating, the frog still didn't cry.Although the weather was still cloudy, people felt a little more comfortable when the wind picked up. "It's so quiet." Xayah looked sideways at the courtyard.In the silence of the night, the dim light reflected the faint outline from cheek to neck.Looking at the shadow, Iori felt a surge of passion in his heart. The fruit was served, and after dinner, it was already half past eight. "The frog is here to accompany you." Hearing this, Iori stood up, and the frog croaked in the pond where the lantern was lit, as if it was expecting the guest to get up and leave. "Probably because I know that the guy I don't like is going to leave, so I feel at ease." "I'm seeing you off!" Hearing Iori's joke, the waiter replied with a smile. Next to the water-splashed door stands a bright red carpeted platform.From here to the gate, floor lamps are lit on both sides of the road.The white cloth socks moved slowly under the faint light.The sky still does not see the stars and the moon, and the clouds are billowing. "It might be sunny tomorrow." Hearing this, Iori turned her head and saw the black rocks of Higashiyama Hill in front of her eyes.There is a slight rustling sound when walking on the sandy road, and the forest of Kiyomizu Temple, which is bustling with tourists during the day, is now very quiet. "Please come again! Thank you." Hearing the waiter see him off, Iori got into the car, and Xia got into the car after him. "What a joyous day!" The car moved and began to go downhill. Xia politely bowed her head in thanks.I've had trysts several times, but Kexia is so serious.Although the skin has been sacrificed, etiquette is still followed.This earnestness is exactly what makes Kasumi so cute. "You take me there, won't you be embarrassed in the future?" "It's okay. Besides, the proprietress is not a talkative person." Iori glanced at his watch secretly, it was not yet nine o'clock.It seems a pity to go straight back to the hotel now.It was not easy for the two of them to have a chance to spend the night in Kyoto tonight. "Let's go to the street and have a look!" There are two or three bars that Iori is familiar with near Hanamikoji, but he is reluctant to go to such places with Kasumi.After much deliberation, I finally decided to drive across the Higashiyama Expressway to General Tomb, where I watched the night view of Kyoto for a while, and then got off at Kawaramachi.They then strolled along Shijo Street towards Yasaka Shrine. The rainy weather is very depressing, but there are many tourists.The people who passed by Xia all cast their eyes, and some deliberately looked back.Even in Kyoto, Kasumi's beauty is eye-catching. Crossing the Shijo Bridge, facing north in front of Hanami Koji, there is a tavern that Iori has visited two or three times.There are many such taverns in Kyoto, known as "home bars". In the Japanese-style room, a bar counter is set up, with recessed feet so that guests can sit comfortably.Wish to come This is a tea room, small and stable.They drank here for nearly an hour, and when they returned to the hotel, it was past eleven o'clock. "You've been wearing kimonos, aren't you tired?" Iori unbuttoned his tie and asked, and Kasumi put the suit he took off on the hanger. "I'm used to it, but the kimono is light." He thought, so it is.But he found it strange that Xia was not at all casual in wearing kimonos for a long time. "It's much cooler, but it's still sweltering. Okay, let's take a bath!" When Iori invited her, Xia smiled slightly and said: "Two people wash, the place is too narrow, not practical. You wash first!" "I just washed it by myself. It's boring not to wash together." "What's the point of washing with such an old woman. I'll fill you with water, so you wash first!" "What old woman! Your body is so beautiful. It's human nature to want to see beauty." "There's no need to look at the body of a woman in her thirties. You know young and beautiful women." Iori was taken aback for a moment, thinking she was talking about Shengzi, but Xia just said nonchalantly: "Men always want to know about young women's bodies." "No, it doesn't have to be young. Many people are young, but their bodies are dirty. Beauty and youth are two different things. The real beauty of a woman is after thirty." "Thank you for being so comforting." "Not consolation. I really do. Anyway, take a bath!" Yizhi urged her again, but it seemed that Xia would not agree easily.In this way, although it is regrettable, there is nothing to do.Reluctantly, he changed into his pajamas and walked into the bathroom. Iori filled the water, stretched her hands and feet in the bathtub, thinking about what Kasumi said just now. She said he knew young women and seemed to be talking only about movies and nudes.Iori replied in that sense, but did she really mean it?Although he believed that Xia would not know about Shengzi, he was still unsure. After a while, Iori came out of the bathroom, and Kasumi went in after her.He thought maybe the door wasn't closed, and pushed it, only to lock it from the inside.Since there was only one room, Xiat's clothes piled up like a hill in front of the door.The shirts and obi were neatly folded, and the kimono was placed on top, with a narrow obi peeking out from the side.Yizhi suddenly fell into an impulse, wanted to reach in and touch it, but managed to hold it back. He returned to his chair by the window and drank a beer from the indoor refrigerator.Probably Xia was soaking in the bathtub, and could not hear the sound of running water. Iori opened the window and looked outside.Right now is the Kamo River, and several people are sitting along the embankment.Some of them are enjoying the shade, while others are embracing each other while taking advantage of the shadows. The dense forest and the Yasaka Pagoda that could be seen from the front of the hotel when we first arrived at the hotel are gone now, only the undulating outline of Higashiyama under the leaden sky.You can still see light on the top of the mountain on the left hand, which is probably Mount Hiei.Staring at the continuous black mountain peaks, Iori suddenly thought of home. Mariko and Miko are probably already asleep!It's past eleven o'clock, and the second child has probably gone to bed.wife now... He thought about it, and suddenly thought like an ordinary man: "Is it right to do it by yourself?" But then he thought again: I went to Nara for work, but I just happened to live in Kyoto. Only Shengzi knew that he was staying in Kyoto tonight.As head of the firm, he needs to tell them where he is. What is Shengzi doing now?She didn't look unhappy when she went out, probably watching TV in her own home.Just as his thoughts were wandering endlessly, there was a noise from the bathroom, and Xayah came out.She was wearing pajamas, holding the straps, and her bare feet were slightly reddish beneath the hem. "Would you like a beer?" "drink." Xia answered first, then put the clothes in the closet, and walked to Iori's side.Probably because she had put on her evening makeup lightly, and when she walked over, there was a burst of fragrance. "The two people over there have been motionless since just now." Iori pointed to the bottom of the river embankment.Probably a pair of young men and women, facing the river in the night, with their shoulders close together, motionless.While looking down, he held Xia Na's plump fingertips just out of the bath. After getting out of the bath, the warmth of the flesh passed through Kasumi's fingertips to Iori's fingers.Iori grasped the fingertips lightly and invited her to bed. "Wait a minute." Xia let go, closed the grille, covered the window, leaving only a small light at the door, and turned off all other lights. "too dark." Iori said so.But Xia didn't seem to hear, and pushed the cup on the table aside.It was past twelve o'clock, except for the occasional sound of cars passing the Kamogawa Bridge, everything was quiet.It was dark all around, but the color of the grille appeared brighter. The bed is a double, and even with the arms outstretched, there is plenty of affluence.As usual, Xayah slowly got into bed from the other side. The skin is in the same bed, and the love is revisited repeatedly.Although it was a repetition of the previous actions, but traveling outside, she didn't have to go home, and this sense of security made Xia feel emotional.After Xia went to bed, she actually took the initiative to lean over. Embracing the soft and fragrant flesh, Iori unbuttoned her pajamas. Xia's body is not fat, but very plump.Maybe it's because of the small frame, it looks thin on the surface, but it doesn't feel like a bone plate.It didn't take long to unbutton the buttons, take off the sleeves one by one, and finally take off all the pajamas. Stripped naked, he sucked her lips, and then kissed her ears.Two or three strands of Xayah's untied hair curled into her mouth.He stretched out his fingers and pressed his lips behind her ears. "Ah..." Xia retracted her head, her upper body convulsed. He knew that Xayah was particularly sensitive to kisses near the ear, since the second tryst.As the number of times increases, the behavior becomes bolder, and the secrets of the woman's body are revealed one by one. Xayah's neck was caressed first, then extended to her ears, and now her nipples protruding like red fruits were fondled again, and her whole body seemed to rise.Iori could clearly feel that Kasumi's body was burning in the hand that was caressing her lower body. However, Iori just kept repeating his slow movements, and still didn't take the final step.He felt overwhelmed and aroused, but he kept waiting for Xayah to call. Love is galloping, Yizhi looks a little cruel. After a while, Xia twisted her face and began to cry, her trembling lips made a vague urging sound. "what……" Hearing the cry, Iori climbed onto her body. In an instant, there was a sob like crying, and Xia hurriedly covered her mouth with her hands, as if she felt very ashamed of the excited shout. Recently, Iori has gotten used to getting up early.Except for drinking too much, I usually wake up at six o'clock.However, he didn't get up either, he just flipped through the newspaper aimlessly, thought for a while, and then fell asleep again.As a result, it was eight or nine o'clock when I got up from the bed. It is said that people get up earlier as they get older.But that doesn't mean being physically fit.On the contrary, it may be due to physical exhaustion, unable to sleep forever.As a result, sleep becomes fragmented and wakes up early.It can even be said that sleep also needs nutrition. However, although Iori wakes up early, she doesn't get up early, and actually sleeps late in the morning.I go to bed late at night, but unless I have a job in special circumstances, I can actually go to bed early.In this sense, although waking up early is somewhat different from getting up early. This morning at the Kyoto Hotel, Iori woke up at 5:30.However, this does not mean that the mind and body have been awakened.My body seemed not to adapt to the bed in the hotel all the time, and I woke up before I knew it.Then my mind gradually cleared up, and I noticed the white grille and ceiling, and realized that this was a hotel.It took him a long time before he finally realized that he was in Kyoto. It was after this that she realized that Xia was not there. He stretched out his hand suddenly, feeling that there was no one beside him.Stretching his feet on the bed, he didn't touch anything. He raised his head quickly and looked around, but there was no sign of Xia at all. "Hey..." Iori yelled twice.The vague sound of just waking up was absorbed by the wall, and the room was silent.This time, Iori really woke up, jumped out of bed, looked in the bathroom, but still couldn't see Kasumi.When I opened the closet, I saw that Xia's kimono and handbag should have been placed here, but there was no trace of them now. Feeling baffled, Iori recalled the scene of last night.They did go back to the room after eleven o'clock, took a shower, and went to bed after twelve o'clock.Unknowingly, Xia became excited, and sometimes she was ashamed to cover her mouth because of her shouting.Afterwards, Iori fell asleep contentedly, holding Kasumi who was sleeping next to her in her arms. Xia is not there, this is... He stood in the middle of the room again, looked around, and found a white note on the bedside table. The note is the hotel’s record paper, with Xia’s serious words written on it: "Are you awake? You had a great time last night. I think you may be more comfortable by yourself, so you lived in another room. Please call my room (Room 702) if you need anything. Xia" After reading, Iori slowly scratched her hair.Everything that happened last night was not a dream after all. It seemed that Kasumi left the room last night after seeing that Iori was fast asleep, and slept in another room. But why do you want to do this? A note saying one person might be more comfortable is an overstatement.Even if the place is small, it is definitely better for two people to share the bed.In fact, it was precisely because of this that he ordered a double bed. Even if two people sleep, the place is big enough. At least one thing is certain, they live in the same hotel.Iori felt relieved and walked to the window. Discovering that Xia was not there, she suddenly woke up completely.Actually it's only half past six.Open the window grille, and see the opposite Higashiyama peak hidden in the fog, only the Kamo River shining white in the early morning haze.On the right-hand bridge, there were no traces of cars, only newspaper delivery youths on bicycles and milk delivery cars passing by. Iori picked up the cigarette that was on the table last night, lit it, and sat on the chair. When he realized that Xia was not there, the first thing he thought of was whether she had returned to Tokyo.He thought, maybe something happened suddenly at her home.He even suspected that she had planned to leave in the middle of the night from the very beginning. But Xayah had absolutely no reason to do so, and if it had, she would have made it clear. She was worried about the cramped place, and after seeing that he was indeed asleep, she quietly moved to another room to sleep.Thinking about it, only Xia would do this.When I first found out, I felt very uneasy, but when I thought about it carefully, this was exactly what made Xia feel distressed. When did Xia set a room for herself?When entering the store to go through formalities, Xia has been standing behind her, it must not be that time.Then, after entering the room, when Iori took a shower, she said that she had gone to the underground store, so it must have been done at this time!Maybe ask the name of the accommodation hotel before departure, also to reserve a room.Iori admired Xia's seriousness, but suddenly became nervous: Is she really in that room? When calling between rooms in the hotel, you must first dial a 2, and then dial the room number, so it can be connected automatically.According to this method, Iori dialed 2, and was about to dial the room number Kasumi wrote down, but stopped again. It was still early, and Xia might still be asleep.If I moved in after I fell asleep last night, it would be around one o'clock or two o'clock.Only a few hours have passed since then.Iori put down the microphone, picked it up again and called the main service desk. "What's the number of Gao Cunxia's room?" The staff at the service desk seemed confused when they heard the question in the early morning, and it took a while before they answered, "Room 702." "Do you live in the room now?" "Yes, I think the guest should be in the room..." Iori thanked her and hung up the phone.He had at least checked that Xia was staying at the same hotel as the note said. Iori lit a cigarette and looked out the window again.The morning mist around the peak of Higashiyama began to dissipate, and the area around the Kamo River became brighter.People have already started to move, and vehicles continue to drive across the bridge and the embankment on the opposite bank. Iori admired the deserted morning scenery for a while, then closed the grille and got into bed.Now, sleeping alone on the double bed where two people used to sleep, he feels too wide and can't settle down.If only Xia was here now!Iori thought of her soft skin, but always felt really embarrassed to wake her up when she was fast asleep. "Anyway, let's sleep a little longer!" Iori talked to herself, closed her eyes, but thought of Kasumi again. Why did she reserve a room for herself?If it is more comfortable to sleep alone, then you can book a double standard room.Maybe it was in consideration of the possibility of a phone call from home, so I booked the room.If it is another guest room, in case Yitang’s home calls, there is no need to worry about what to say, and it can be evidence that he came to Kyoto alone. "So that's what happened..." However, Iori immediately said to himself: "It's not the reason..." As written in the note, she just felt that sleeping alone was more comfortable, so she moved away.Xia must have thought that it was polite for women to leave after a man fell asleep. Thinking left and right, in the warm bed, Iori's mind gradually became hazy. Iori got up again, it was already eight o'clock.The windows are still covered by the grilles as they were when I fell asleep, but in fact it is already high in the sun.A ray of sunlight that came in through the gap in the grille crossed the room and reached the head of the bed. It was past eight o'clock, and Xia probably woke up too.Iori looked at the window where the light came in, and picked up the microphone. He dialed the number for the guest room, and Xayah answered immediately. "Good morning! Have you just woken up?" Xia probably woke up early, her voice was light and clear. "To be honest, I woke up two hours ago. I was shocked to find that you were not around." "I'm sorry. You slept so soundly, I had to sneak out of the room." "I didn't expect you to book another room. Why did you do that?" "I think it's more convenient..." "The double bed is for two people to sleep in. After a long trip, I wanted to sleep together all the time." Hearing Iori's tone of reproach, Kasumi lowered her voice and said: "I also want to stay by your side, but women have to take off their kimonos and put on makeup. There are many things that men don't want to see..." Iori took the microphone and nodded.Living in the same room in the hotel, it is indeed difficult for her to hide makeup from men, and even her ugly sleeping appearance and sleeping face have to be seen.Xia seemed to avoid this, so she opened another room. "Has the room been booked in advance?" "While you were taking a shower, I went to check in." "Why didn't you tell me? I thought you ran away at first!" "Then why? I'm with you, and I'm not going to run away. I was afraid to tell you, and you didn't agree, so I didn't." "Get up!" "Yes. I got up just now and have been waiting for your call." "So, can you come over now?" "Yes, if you want to call me..." "Okay! I'll call you over here." After Iori gave the order, she stretched.He got up suddenly, climbed out of bed, gently opened the door from the inside, and then went back to bed. When traveling abroad, Iori has been looking forward to one thing: Xia gently wakes him up in the morning.When he woke up, he saw Xia's smiling face in front of him.It sounds childish, but men sometimes feel that the woman they love is like their mother.Now, he can finally realize this wish.Iori closed her eyes and pretended to sleep, waiting for Kasumi. It may be that the guest in the next room has also woken up, and there was a voice in the corridor, which sounded like a woman, as if she was going to have breakfast and then go sightseeing.After the voice was over, the surroundings fell silent, when the doorbell rang. Iori hurriedly turned his back to the door and closed his eyes.Xia seemed to be at the door, not knowing what to do. She rang the doorbell again, probably sensing that the door was open, and walked in.There was a sound of the door closing, and she walked in slowly.Iori couldn't see, but felt her walking in, so he still turned his back to her. After a while, there was a rustling sound as the hem was lifted, and then Xia's voice came from next to her ear. "So you're still resting!" Iori felt that the voice seemed to come from the sky, but she still closed her eyes. "It's already half past eight!" Iori heard the cry in his ear again, shook his head lightly, opened his eyes as if he had just realized it.In the faint shadows, Xia's face appeared in front of her eyes.伊织突然感到似乎是看到了山脊的花朵，眨了眨眼睛。 “请您起床吧！” 霞要伸手抓被罩。伊织突然捉住她的手，把她拉到自己身旁。 “您要干什么？” "..." “天已经亮了！” 他不管霞说什么，拖住霞，把她拉上床。霞已经梳好头发，整齐地穿好和服，身体突然被拉，双脚离地，下摆飘了起来。 "no!" 伊织像是要堵住她的话，用力吻住霞的嘴，然后轻声说道： “这是惩罚你半夜逃走。” 霞想缩回身，伊织扒开她的前胸，手掌感受到一阵温柔的暖气。 “等一下，您等等！” “那么，你马上脱了吧！” 霞起初要反抗，但很快就顺从下来。她自己脱了和服，解开头发，蹲在床前。伊织突然想到“囚徒”这个词。她正像是被俘虏的美女。 在饭店的清晨，周围的旅客都已经起来，服务员也快要来清扫。在这种条件下做爱确实不安，但另一方面，这也正好烘托出紧张的气氛。 同时，旅行仅仅在外一宿，错过了这个时机，再也难有两人肌肤相接的机会。伊织面对女囚徒，再次兴奋起来。 然而，当暴风雨过去，结束清晨的情爱之后，两个人再次陷入了轻微的睡眠。 后来依然是霞先醒来。伊织倒也不是毫无知觉。他头脑深处察觉到霞轻轻地起来穿上了衣服，但依然舒舒服服地眯了一阵。后来，霞走出房间，过了一会儿电话铃响了。 “睡懒觉的，马上就十点了。” 听到这话，伊织看了看枕边的表。 “你不是还去奈良有事吗？我已经准备好了。我在大厅等您。” 他约定在一层的咖啡厅见面。十分钟后，伊织下楼一看，霞正坐在桌边眺望庭院。 “我先吃过了。” 霞手里拿着咖啡杯。那表情中，看不出一点清晨情爱的痕迹。 “您在奈良见面约的是几点？” “十二点半。” “那不是没时间了吗？” “不，没关系。坐上特快，四十分钟就可以到。倒是我的脑袋还没醒来。” “就是因为您太贪婪。” “那是因为你太甜了。” “甜……” 霞重复着，急忙转过脸去。透过窗玻璃，正面可以看到绿色的篱笆。再远处，布满淡淡云彩的天空下，浮现出来东山山峰和比睿山脉。只从窗户看出去，简直和雾霭中的春景完全一样。 “肚子饿了吧！最好吃点东西再走。” 伊织说完，突然凝视着霞说道： “你的脸变了样！” “我的脸？” “和昨天在东京站见面时相比，漂亮而又光泽。” “托您的福，真得谢谢您了。” 她浮现出微笑，低下了头。就连这笑容中都充满着情意绵绵的女人的情感。 吃了一片混合三明治，喝了一杯咖啡，算是用过早餐，然后两个人离开饭店奔向京都站。到站时，正好赶上十分钟之后有一趟开往原神吉的特快列车。 他们乘车到西大寺换车，整十二点到达奈良。伊织把行李存放在车站的储物箱，然后拦了辆出租车。 “我现在到县政府见约好的人。大约两个小时可以结束。咱们两点半在奈良饭店大厅见面。”伊织不在时，有两个小时空闲。霞决定在这段时间到东大寺和春日神社一带去转转，然后，伊织在县政府下了车。 “两点半在奈良饭店见面，对吧？” 霞脸上显出不安的神情反问道。 “没问题，司机知道。” 伊织笑着点了点头。可是，霞坐的车开走以后，他突然感到一阵寂寞。 虽说他心里明白，大白天，不会出错，可又感到这里人生地不熟，放她一个人走，实在有点担心。当然，他也知道，这是因为爱她，所以才瞎操心。 今天是星期天，县政府半日工作，急忙奔去，已经下了班的建筑部项目负责人正在屋里等他。他们立即到附近的会馆餐厅吃午饭，商量了有关飞鸟地区整顿环境的问题。他约定等到作出模型和拍出照片之后再商量细节，赶忙跑到饭店，已经两点半了。 他以为霞还没到，可进门一看，她正在右边大厅里等着。 “真够快呀！看了什么地方？” “从东大寺又到了药师寺。但一个人总觉得紧张……” 才不过离开两个小时，霞却显得十分想念。 “肚子饿了吧！吃点东西吧！” 他们直奔饭店的餐厅，霞吃了顿过点的午餐，伊织喝了杯啤酒。 “这饭店真漂亮。以前看到过这饭店的照片，一直想来看一看。” 霞好奇的东张西望。 “历史长久，风格独具。房屋的天花板好像也比较高，暖气大概用的是老式的凸型暖气片。” 伊织开始曾想住在这里，由于要在京都吃饭，又急忙把饭店改在京都。 但是，其实还有一层顾虑，就是他以前曾和笙子到这里来住过。虽然说气氛不同，但他缺乏勇气和别的女人再住同一家饭店。也许这不是勇气的问题，而是一种观念。 吃完饭，三点半。霞虽然说只要今天回去就行，但考虑到还要回到堂，他们必须在十点之前回到东京站。从奈良到京都需要一小时，然后乘三个小时新干线，算下来需要六点离开奈良。也就是说，还只有两个多小时的富裕。 “好容易来趟奈良，参观一下庙宇吧！你刚才看过东大寺和药师寺了，对吧！” “急急忙忙，走马观花。” “要仔细看奈良，需要三天时间。只要有时间，我还想带你多看看，譬如室生寺或者长谷寺。”只住一天，实在太仓促。伊织想说这一点，但要再说就成了埋怨。 “有好看的庙宇吗？” 庙宇好看，这说法就奇怪。也许这正是女人的说法吧！“净琉璃寺也不错，现在去就太远了。去秋筱寺看看吧！” “只要和你在一起，哪儿都行。” 过去霞从未说过这种话。也许是因为在外旅行，胆子变大了。 伊织在饭店前拦了辆出租车，告诉司机开到秋筱寺去。 伊织头一次参观这庙，还是在学生时代。他被“秋筱寺”这优雅的名字吸引，按照地图找到那里一看，果然名不虚传，寺庙颇具优雅趣味。后来他又去过几次，每次去都感到心情平和下来。据说，庙宇建于奈良时代末期，光仁天皇敕令修建，供奉药师如来，善珠大德僧正最初在这里修道。作为真言密教的道场，一段时期，这寺庙香客众多，后来屡遭兵灾，先年香火早已不见踪迹。 如今只有被尊为国宝的本堂大殿静静的坐落在自然森林之中。 伊织也曾和笙子一起来过这座庙宇。奈良本来有许多规模宏大和建筑华丽的庙宇，但这座寺庙显得朴素，令人喜欢，所以带她去过。结果不出所料，笙子那时特别高兴。 “要和喜欢的人来，一定会到这儿来。” 为什么现在带霞到笙子如此感叹的庙宇去呢？伊织对自己的所作所为也感到诧异，只是直视着汽车前方。 到达寺庙后，伊织让司机把车停在右边停车场里等着，从东门进了庙。秋天来时，门口静静地开满胡枝子，可如今只有树叶在下午的微风中摇曳。 穿过长满青苔的树林是接待处，从这里走进院内，正面可以看到大殿。突然，霞站住了。在铺满细砂的庭院前方，大殿静静地耸立在梅雨天空之下，黑柱白壁，两色分明。 "How about it?" 伊织口气中不禁充满了自豪。 “真优雅！简直不像是一座寺院。” “奈良的寺院一般都比京都的宽敞，没什么香味。听说这座寺庙曾在镰仓时期大修过，因此特别质朴，尤其左右对称，十分豪放，确有奈良时代的风格。” 霞点点头，开始迈步走过砂土地。虽说是星期六下午，可几乎没多少游人，只有右手钟楼旁有两个女孩在照相。和京都相比，奈良的寺院都显得静谧和深沉。 “说来可笑，刚才我看见这建筑，突然想起了和服。我觉得和服也有这种花纹……” “黑白相间，确实是最基本的花纹。” 太阳依然被云彩遮住，阴霾的天空下，白色的墙壁更显得鲜艳。爬上正面台阶，沿着低矮的游廊向左转，来到大殿入口。他们从这里一迈进大殿，突然被一阵清冷的凉气攫住。 大殿里除了供奉药师如来以外，还保存着爱染明王、帝释天、日光晓菩萨和月光菩萨等十几尊佛像。其中最著名的是伎艺天佛。据说它主吉祥和艺术，祈祷各种技艺时特别灵验。他的头部由始于天平时代的干漆工艺制成，身体则是拼木工艺，后代补成。这佛像静静屹立，羞涩颔首，给人一种生动和妖艳的感觉，确像主宰艺术的神灵。 霞站在佛像前一动不动。伊织凝视着，感到这就像一幅画。 霞仰望伎艺天佛像，缄默不语。接着绕过大殿一周，两个人在钟楼前的椅子上坐了下来。 静园是四点半，还有二三十分钟。刚才在伊织他们身旁认真地参观的女孩已经离去，一对老夫妇走了进来。游人不过如此，其余没有一样运动的物体。 阴云密布，阳光更加遮挡无余，黑白两色的大殿正沉浸在暮色之中。 “看到这么美的佛像，实在感谢您。以前看过照片，没想到这么美。” “我是把你和伎艺天佛像放在一起欣赏。” “别说这种亵渎神灵的话……” “不，我倒真觉得有辱于你。你可能吃惊，我又想起了昨夜……” 霞皱起眉头，伊织一直说下去。 “昨夜那么热情奔放，今天却像尊佛像。” 霞低眉顺眼。这倒使伊织再次想起伎艺天佛像半合眼皮俯视众生的神态。 “您以后别再说这种话！” “噢，我真是高兴。只是突然之间感到女人真是不可思议。” “我自己也感到奇怪。” "strangeness?" 听到伊织反问，霞眼睛看着大殿点点头说道： “我以前从来没有那样过。” "..." “我感到很害羞……” 伊织轻轻把手压在霞放在膝盖的手上面。背后树林里传出黑斑鸠的啼叫声，一个拿着速写本的姑娘离开大殿向大门走去。整齐的砂地上再次人迹皆无，只有暮晚中的云彩缓缓移动。 “我在家里没做过那种事。” "..." “我只能接受你。” 霞小声自语，眼睛一直凝视着大殿。 突然间，喜悦和困惑同时掠过伊织心头。霞向自己袒露心声。说她在自己身上感受到其他人没能给予的快乐。这对伊织来说是最大的喜悦。自己爱的女人能这样说，真是男子汉的最高境界。然而，霞同时也告诉他，她不能接受别的男人的爱。 “我喜欢你，充满喜悦，也就不愿意再把肌肤给别的男人。” 这是爱男人的证据，同时也是表明她要为一个男人坚守贞节。然而，霞明明是有夫之妇。不接受其他男人，无疑就是不接受自己的丈夫。她是妻子，能够这样拒绝丈夫吗？ 如果她丈夫强求，她该怎么办……思索到这里，最初的喜悦变成了窒息。他不只简单地享受幸福，同时还感受到责任和困惑。 说实在，伊织过去认为，霞和她丈夫之间持续着肉体关系。现在也许她更喜欢自己，但在他的想象中，当她丈夫要求时，她自然也顺从地接受。当然，这种想法未必有利于自己的精神健康，但每当想到霞接受她的丈夫，心里就感到不能平静。嫉妒，还有一种暴虐的心理迫使他紧张。 正是因为这样，伊织一直强迫尽量不去考虑这种事情，但在这种想法背后，却也有一种绝望感，认为这种关系在某种程度上是无法避免的。他当然希望不存在这种关系，但又感到这种想法过于天真。他一直对自己说，应该忍受这一点。 然而，霞现在断然说明，她和丈夫之间根本没有这种事情。伊织的希望变成了现实，这该使伊织感到痛快和心情舒畅。 但是，实际上却并非如此。男子汉的喜悦反而变成了困惑。 “这样下去，该会是什么结果……”伊织思索着，再次感到目前正是一对罪孽深重的男女静坐在秋筱寺前。 过去当学生时来参观这座寺庙，伊织是那么清纯。他无论如何也没想到，罪孽深重的男女会来参拜。 阴霾的天空中，西边微显明亮，阴雨的天空渐进傍晚。伊织看着天空说道： “咱们走吧……” 霞袒露心声，说她拒不接受丈夫，而伊织却只语未答。当然，这也许并不是要他回答。霞仅仅是希望把这告诉伊织。但无论如何，伊织却不知该如何回答。说声“谢谢”，过于轻松，而又找不出其它合适的话语。 伊织默默地站起来，霞也抖了抖和服的前襟站了起来。刚才进大殿的老夫妇正向这边走来。两个人像是逃跑似地走开了。 “男人大概是无法理解女人的这种心情的。” 踩在砂地上，霞自语道。“但是，女人不行。” 突然之间，伊织感到踩在砂地上发出的声音像是霞在哭泣。 “不，男人也一样。” “不过，您回到家，自然要和妻子亲热了。” “谈不上亲热。我根本不回家。” “那是因为工作忙，有空时总要回家吧！” “我以前说过，我们已经不再是夫妻。我现在的生活是一个人在青山公寓过日子。你也该看见和明白了。我如今根本没想回家。” “为什么不回家呢？” “明确地说，已经不爱了。” "..." “你不愿意相信，就别相信。” “最初是有些……但不是所有的人结了婚就一定喜欢对方。有不少情况，虽然不太喜欢，但阴差阳错，结果结了婚。” “这么说，你是阴差阳错结的婚啦？” “对，不一定这么明显。那时自然而然就认为挺好……” 一个中年男人和一个身着和服的女人走过静谧的秋筱寺的庭院。冷眼从旁观看，人们只能认为，这是一对和睦的夫妻来到奈良游玩。 霞似乎还是不能理解，低着头碎步走过砂地。 伊织逐渐感到烦躁。人们认为结婚就是相爱。这看法过于庸俗。世上有不少夫妇，看上去和睦相亲，实际上倾轧不止。无数夫妻，虽然拥有婚姻的壳形，但心灵却相距千里。然而，他们很难向别人解释这一事实。即使一一举例说明，除了当事人以外，别人可能只会把它看成夫妻吵架，而且尽力解释这种事，也并不光彩。 但是最少有一点，他想让霞明白。他希望她能了解。并不是霞痛苦，他也很痛苦。 “世上有成功的婚姻，也有失败的婚姻。至于我，不过只是一场失败的婚姻罢了。” “村冈先生说，伊织的太太漂亮又贤惠。” “他是局外人，可以随便说。” “不过，冷淡这么好的人，心眼真坏。” “谈不上好坏，只不过是现在没法爱了。” “真够任性呀！” “是，任性。我非常明白这一点。但是，喜欢一个人，或者讨厌一个人，本来就是任性呀！” 他们说着，已经来到接待处。两个人再次回眸看了看阴霾天空下静静屹立的大殿，然后走进林间小道。 “总之，简单说，性情不合。” “但是，既然结婚了，就该体贴……” “我尽了力，要能行，早就那样做了。但是不行，大家都烦恼。” 突然传来一阵鸟叫声，鸟影从林中掠过。鸟飞过去之后，又恢复了寂静。 霞说：“世上相爱的夫妻实在太少。多半却并不相爱。” “我自己是这样，所以这么想。” “可为什么不顺利呢？” “大概是因为人有种无法改变的本性，会厌倦。” “真可怕！” 霞突然站住，透过树梢，仰望着天空。 “我们总有一天也会厌倦吧！” 离开大殿前的庭院，走入林间小路，光线突然更加阴暗。从树叶间溢出的光线无力地照射着青苔。 “无论怎么相爱，也还是没有结果吗？” “不会的。男女之间，有的会厌倦，但也有的不会厌倦，因人而异。” “可你对太太已经……” “你不要这么比……” 来到金堂旧迹，走到三义路，向左拐可以出南门。伊织停住脚步，选择道路。 “难道不能一生相爱吗？” 霞落后半步，边走边问。 “并不是不可能。也许正如弓不能总绷着劲，紧张的时间不可能太长。” “到底还是……” “相反，因为长期相亲相爱，却会产生一种安心感和信任感。” 小路左手树林里残存着以往东塔的基石，右手西塔遗址犹在。前边路旁立着会津八一的诗碑。 “步出秋筱寺，回首仰望时，生驹山峰耸，夕阳暮落迟。” 现在虽说离日落还有些时间，但绿树环绕的小径却已经微显昏暗。 “以往出庙向西望去，可以望见生驹连绵山峰。近来建了些住房，再也没法眺望了。” “奈良也在变化呀！” 回首向东门走去，霞突然想起来问道： “也许反而不该结婚。” “不该？” 听到伊织反问，霞轻轻点了点头说道： “总厮守在一起，肯定缺少紧张。我倒觉得不应该和相爱的人一起生活。” 霞的声音冲破了树林的寂静。伊织听到声音如