The school is very quiet on weekends, with only a few people, all of whom, like Jiang Suichu, live far away from home and stay in school on weekends.
Yun City has changed a lot over the years. Jiang Suichu relied on mobile phone navigation to find the location of the original family compound. It's not too far from No. 1 Middle School, and the bus only takes three stops. Jiang Suichu stood in the center of the square, looking at the tall buildings standing around him. He felt as if he had been thrown into a deep well. Only by raising his head high could he barely see a little of the sky.
The Municipal Public Security Bureau moved to Jiangdong a few years ago, and the original family compound was demolished and is now a large comprehensive supermarket. The original residential alleys around it have all been turned into exquisite and luxurious commercial housing. The numbers on the huge electronic billboard clearly reveal the sky-high housing prices in the surrounding area.
Danxi Lane was renamed Danxi Street, and the road surface was widened several times and paved with asphalt. It is no longer the bumpy cement road of ten years ago.
Her chest felt uncomfortable and there was a sense of sourness in her eyes. She thought that time had changed and things had changed.
Time kept moving forward, but she was left where she was.
The weather changed suddenly. The sky that had been clear just now was now filled with dark clouds and the wind was blowing up sand and dust. With a thunder, the sky seemed to be torn open, rain poured down, and the rain instantly flowed across the ground.
Pedestrians on the street were scattered by the rain, and they all crowded into the eaves of the supermarket entrance to take shelter from the rain.
Jiang Suchu ran under the eaves, and there were several girls taking shelter from the rain standing beside them, calling for someone to pick them up.
The wind blew over, bringing some rain with it, which made my arms feel cold. Jiang Suichu stood inside and stared blankly into the rain.
This was her home before, but now she can't even find anyone to pick her up.
Soon, the girls were picked up, leaving Jiang Suchu alone, waiting for the rain to stop. Jiang Suichu raised his head and glanced at the sky. It was very dark. It seemed that the rain would continue for a while.
Looking at the unfamiliar streets, she took out her mobile phone and took a photo at the intersection.
Lu Zhinian was woken up by the heavy rain outside the window. The strong wind carried heavy raindrops and slapped hard on the window.
Summer rain is violent and urgent.
Lu Zhinian got out of the bed and pushed back his hair sleepily, revealing his strong forehead and thick eyebrows.
I walked downstairs in my slippers and saw Aunt Wang getting ready to go out with an umbrella.
"Aunt Wang, where are you going in such a heavy rain?"
"Beibei ran out. As soon as I chased him out the door, he disappeared." Aunt Wang was a little anxious, "I just came back from shopping for groceries and he ran out as soon as I opened the door. I went out to look for him."
Aunt Wang is the nanny at home. Today she came back to cook after shopping for groceries. When she opened the door, she didn't pay attention and accidentally let the dog out. She knew that Lu Zhinian treasured this dog, and she couldn't afford to pay for it if it ran away and lost it.
Last night, Tang Zi and Pei Shuo kept driving until early in the morning. After that, I fell asleep and didn't have time to walk it. He must have been so suffocated that he ran out to play by himself.
Lu Zhinian glanced at the unabated rain outside and said, "I'll go find him. You can cook first."
Beibei is very obedient and won't run far away. He should be nearby.
Jiang Suichu looked up at the rain for a while. The sky had turned completely dark, and thick ink-like dark clouds were rolled in the sky by the wind. It seemed that the rain would not stop for a while. His eyes returned to the rain curtain, and he saw a golden retriever in the rain from a distance. The golden retriever was soaked, and his body was wet and looked a little embarrassed.
"Dog, come here"
Jiang Suichu waved, and the golden retriever shook the water off his body and ran towards her wagging his tail.
"Woo~~Woo~" Golden Retriever was not afraid of strangers. He sat down next to Jiang Suichu, whimpered twice, and sneezed a few times. Jiang Suchu squatted down and took out a tissue from his schoolbag to wipe the rain off his body.
"You don't know how to take shelter in such a heavy rain, idiot." If she hadn't called him over, this stupid dog would probably still be in the rain.
"Woof woof...woo~" Jin Mao dodged Jiang Suchu's hand, as if to refute that he was not an idiot.
Jiang Suchu was funny, thinking that he didn't look stupid, he was very smart, and he could understand what she was scolding him.
"Then let's wait for the rain to stop together." Jiang Suichu took a step back inside and patted its head to make it move back a little to avoid being caught by the rain.
She has loved cats and dogs since she was a child, and her biggest wish when she was a child was to raise a big golden retriever. But at that time, her parents were busy with work and she was still young. They were worried that she would just act on a whim and not take good care of her, so they refused to agree.
When Lu Zhinian found Beibei, he saw such a picture.
Under the rainy roof, the girl was carrying a sky blue schoolbag and wearing a white cotton dress. She hugged her knees with one hand and played with the rain with the other hand.
Next to her sat a silly dog soaked all over.
Lu Zhinian stopped, and some old memories swept in like a valve that broke through time.
The pink and white little girl squatted under the eaves of the kindergarten holding a beautiful princess dress, catching the dripping water from the eaves with her hands.
"Every year, don't my parents come to pick me up again?"
He didn't know either, so he shook his head and pulled her up, "Don't play with water, you'll get little bubbles."
When Jiang Suichu was a child, her skin was delicate and she would get blisters if she came into contact with unclean sailors. But she never has a long memory and likes to play with water from the eaves every time it rains. When the little palm is full, I pour it out and start picking it up again.
After waiting for a while, the owner of the golden retriever was not found. But judging from the collar around the golden retriever's neck, it seems that it is not a stray dog. It probably ran away without its owner.
"Don't you have anyone to answer the call?"
Jiang Suichu touched its head.
The golden retriever rubbed comfortably into Jiang Suichu's hand, and his eyes lit up when he saw the boy in front of him.
"Woof woof!"
Lu Zhinian smiled when he saw him, thinking that he would give him a chicken leg that night.
Jiang Suchu looked in the direction of the golden retriever. Lu Zhinian was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and washed jeans, with a pair of black sneakers on his feet and walking towards her with a long umbrella in his hand.
This is the first time I see him without his school uniform. He lacks the bookish atmosphere of a school student, and his messy hair makes him look more lazy and leisurely.
"Beibei, you're running around again."
There was a hint of endearment in the reproachful tone.
His hair was stained with rain and fell softly on his forehead.
Lu Zhinian was already very tall, and since she was squatting on the ground, her long legs looked even slender. All the way up his slender legs, the young man's facial features are sharp and sharp, his eyebrows are strong, and his jawline is thin.
Lu Zhinian put the umbrella next to him, squatted down and rubbed Beibei's wet head with some disgust.
Jiang Suchu was a little at a loss and looked at him, "Is this your dog?"
He squatted opposite Jiang Suchu. This was the first time since their reunion that she had been so close and looked at his face so directly.
His facial features are sharp and clear, the bridge of his nose is high, and he has a light and polite smile on his face. He looks gentle but distant. She must have grown longer. Her eyes are not the double twitches she had when she was a child, but a pair of slightly upward peach blossom eyes. The double eyelids press a deep fold at the end of the eyes, making them even more profound.
"Yeah." Lu Zhinian nodded and asked Jiang Suichu while tying the dog's leash, "This dog didn't cause you any trouble, did it?"
His fingers were beautiful, slender and bony, and his nails were neatly manicured. As if he was worried, he tied the dog's leash with a tight knot.
Jiang Suichu kept his eyes on his hand, shook his head, and whispered: "No, it is very good."
good?
Lu Zhinian twitched the corner of his mouth. This dog became naughty and even crazier than Erha who knew how to ransack homes.
Seeing him tie up and stand up, Jiang Suichu also stood up.
"Is it called Beibei?"
It's not like Lu Zhinian would give this name.
The girl's voice was soft and soft. It does not match her cold temperament, Lu Zhinian thought.
"Um."
"Woof woof~ woof~" Beibei jumped back and forth between the two of them happily when she heard her name.
Beibei jumped back and forth between the two of them, and the leash accidentally entangled their legs. As Beibei jumped back and forth, they were both staggered.
Lu Zhinian was okay and could hold his own, but Jiang Suchu was so small and light that he was almost pulled down and almost fell down.
"ah!"
"careful!"
Fortunately, Lu Zhinian held her in time to prevent her from falling, but she still threw herself on Lu Zhinian's chest.
A touch of refreshing mint fragrance and... the sound of heartbeat...
Boom! Boom! Boom!
His ears gradually became warm, and Jiang Suichu didn't know for a moment whether the heartbeat he heard was his or...her...
Lu Zhinian glanced at the golden retriever who was still jumping around for no apparent reason, narrowed his peach blossom eyes and warned, "Beibei! Sit tight!"
"Woof~oooo~" Seeing the owner's anger, the golden retriever drooped his eyelids and sat obediently, not daring to move.
Lu Zhinian lowered his head and glanced at his head buried in his chest. The tips of his furry, white ears slowly turned crimson.
Jiang Suichu wanted to get up, but his feet were entangled in the rope and he couldn't move at all.
Lu Zhinian: "Don't move yet, I'll untie it for you."
The young man's clear voice was in my ears.
"Yeah." Jiang Suchu nodded.
Lu Zhinian supported her arm and stood up, squatted down and patted Beibei, scolding her for being naughty, and then leaned over to untie the rope several times.
The white canvas shoes looked a little old, and the uppers were a little cracked.
The moment he squatted down, Jiang Suichu regretted it and stepped back subconsciously.
A touch of warmth attaches to the wrist.
Lu Zhinian thought she was not steady, so he took her hand and put it on his shoulder, saying, "Hold my shoulder."
As he let go, the warmth was fleeting. Jiang Suchu put his hand on his broad shoulder and moved his fingers slightly.
The girl's ankles are thin and white, and the rope is rough. After a while, you can see a red mark. Lu Zhinian frowned slightly and quickly untied the rope that had been twisted several times.
After untying the rope, Lu Zhinian stood up.
"Thank you... thank you..." Jiang Suichu took back his hand and thanked him softly.
Lu Zhinian raised his eyebrows and looked at him, then smiled slightly, with dimples appearing on his cheeks.
"I should be sorry."
After all, it was his dog that nearly tripped him. Lu Zhinian twisted the rope around his hand several times so that Beibei could only stay next to him.
Lu Zhinian glanced at the rain that had become lighter and turned to look at her: "Didn't you bring an umbrella?"
Jiang Suichu nodded, "Well, I'll wait a little longer. The rain should stop soon..."
"Take it."
Looking at the black umbrella handed to him, Jiang Suchu was stunned for a moment.
"Thank you, no need. I'll just wait a little longer." Jiang Suichu waved his hand and refused.
Lu Zhinian raised his eyebrows slightly, "Didn't I just say that no one picked up?"
He heard what he just said to Beibei.
No one answered her.
Seeing that she didn't answer it, Lu Zhinian frowned slightly, took her hand impatiently, and put the umbrella directly into her hand.
The voice was light, mixed with a bit of laziness as if he had just woken up: "It's better for girls not to get wet in the rain."
Before Jiang Suchu could react after saying that, he had already led Golden Retriever into the rain, but he saw him turning back after only a few steps.
Jiang Suchu held an umbrella and looked at the person standing a few steps in front of him in confusion.
Although the rain had lightened up, it was still falling. He stood in the rain, with dense raindrops on his hair, sparkling under the giant LED advertising lights in the supermarket.
Jiang Suchu took the next step, held the umbrella over his head, and looked up at him.
"What's wrong?"
Lu Zhinian looked at the girl in front of him, holding an umbrella with both hands, looking up at a small porcelain-white face, with a pair of round almond eyes that were dark and bright under the light.
Timid.
"We..." Lu Zhinian looked at her and paused, "...do we know each other?"
Jiang Suchu was stunned.
Why did he suddenly ask, did he recognize her? How should she answer? Do you mean you know him or pretend you don't know him? How would he react after meeting him? Will it be a surprise or a surprise?
In just a few seconds, Jiang Suchu's mind had changed a thousand times. She lowered her head and looked at the toes of her shoes. They were her best pair of shoes.
Something settled in her heart. She collected the emotions in her eyes and looked up at him.
She raised a natural smile and said, "Student Lu, you are indeed a noble person and often forget things. You helped me in the stairwell on the day of the freshman assembly."
Of course he remembered what happened that day, he recognized her when he saw her. It's strange to say that I just glanced at her briefly that day and didn't leave a deep impression on her, but today I naturally remembered her as soon as I saw her.
He looked at her and nodded, indicating that he still remembered.
"I mean before." He took another step closer, locking his eyes with hers, "Did we know each other before?"
As he approached, Jiang Suchu felt a pressure in his chest, which was both sore and swollen.
Her fingers holding the handle of the umbrella turned white. She smiled and shook her head to avoid his sight, "I don't think she recognizes him. I have never been to Yun City before."
Lu Zhinian frowned slightly.
What she said was too full, as if she was deliberately emphasizing.
Lu Zhinian looked at her in silence for a while, finally nodded, pulled up the sweater and hat on his head, and ran into the rain holding the golden retriever.
The young man's tall back gradually melted into the rain curtain.
There seemed to be some residual body temperature on the handle of the umbrella. Jiang Suichu held the umbrella and felt the warmth in his hands. The bluestone washed clean by the rain reflects the neon lights of the city, and the boy's footsteps splash in the rain.
As he walked further and further away, Jiang Suchu's strength seemed to be drained away bit by bit. Until he disappeared from sight. The feeling of powerlessness came over me instantly, and when I lowered my head, my tears instantly fell into the rain.
Didn't she never think about how she would react if he recognized her one day... what to say...
When this moment really came, she realized that she had already chosen the way to retreat in her heart.
It turned out that being recognized was more uncomfortable for her than being treated as a stranger by him. Because she didn't even have the courage to admit it.
On the way back, it rained heavily again, but instead of taking the bus, she held on to the umbrella he gave her and walked forward in the heavy rain.
The reunion during this period of time was clearly repeated in her mind. It was obviously what she had always longed for, but when he really stood in front of her, her first reaction was to escape.
What to escape from? Jiang Suchu asked himself in his heart.
She thought of the year when her grandma took her back to the countryside, and her neighbor gave her a bunch of old clothes that she didn't wear anymore. Then he said with a charitable look, "They are all rags. I thought I couldn't keep them at home, so I brought them over for New Year's wear."
When her neighbor asked, "Do you want some bad clothes for the new year?" She didn't know how to refuse, so she could only lower her head and clasp her fingers.
Seeing this, her aunt stepped forward and gave her a tug, "Why don't you thank you quickly, Aunt Zhou? You still have a choice now. Do you really think you are still the richest lady in the city?"
She was only six or seven years old at the time, and she blushed with shame.
From then on, whenever she saw her neighbor's sister, she would hide aside. Even if she met her on the street, she would lower her head and not dare to look at her. She clearly knew the inferiority complex in her heart. She didn't dare to look at her neighbor's sister's expression when she saw her wearing her old clothes. She always felt that those eyes were like the fire of hell burning on her body.
Yes, it's inferiority complex.
She ran away from Lu Zhinian just to escape from her inferiority complex. She would rather be treated as a stranger by Lu Zhinian than see him looking at her with sympathy.
She finally built up the courage to move forward in this chaotic world, as long as she avoided things or people that made her feel inferior.
