The owner of the stationery store put the homework book, racket and basketball into a cardboard box and sealed it with tape. He stood behind the cashier and asked Xu Yao in a raised voice: "Where can I park the car? Can you afford it? I'll give you one on a motorcycle." trip."
The loud voice directly interrupted the conversation between Xu Yao and Meng Yao.
Xu Yao turned around and responded: "The car is parked not far away, so don't bother."
He walked from the storage rack to the cashier.
The things looked like a lot, but they didn't actually weigh much. Xu Yao could hold them.
The owner of the stationery store said: "The rackets and basketballs are packed in cardboard boxes. Some of the homework books cannot be packed in, so I brought you a separate plastic bag to put them in."
Meng Yao put down the book and walked closer. He happened to hear these words and took the plastic bag. Xu Yao leaned over and picked up the carton neatly. Meng Yao subconsciously asked: "Is it easy to take?"
Xu Yao bumped the carton and said, "It's okay, it's not heavy."
After coming out of the stationery store, Xu Yao did not take her back the way she came. Instead, she took another path.
Xu Yao explained: "There is an exit here, which is closer."
Meng Yao nodded and walked beside him.
There are still people selling things with stalls on this road, but there are not as many people as there were on the street just now.
Meng Yao saw many people selling handicrafts. Passing by a stall, she suddenly stopped.
Xu Yao noticed it, stopped, followed her gaze, and asked in a low voice: "Do you want to buy anything?"
The stall owner who was knitting with his head down noticed the motionless shadow standing on the ground. He looked up and saw a kind and amiable old woman. She looked at Meng Yao, smiled, and said something in dialect.
Meng Yao didn't understand, but he guessed that he was probably asking her if she wanted to buy anything. The old lady was very old and her hand-knitting was very delicate.
Meng Yao was just hesitant at first, but when the old lady looked up at her, she didn't even think about it and said to Xu Yao, "I'll buy something soon."
Xu Yao still said "don't be in a hurry".
Meng Yao walked over, bent down and picked up a pendant she saw at the old lady's stall, and asked the old lady softly how much it cost.
The old woman stretched out her hand and answered her in dialect.
Meng Yao didn't understand, so Xu Yao came over and helped translate.
"ten bucks."
He took a look at the pendant in Meng Yao's hand, which was a string of star-shaped pendants.
Xu Yao smiled and suddenly remembered that during an interaction with students in a certain art class, Meng Yao said that she liked the shining stars the most.
It really is.
Meng Yao was already preparing to pay. He looked around and didn't see the payment code before he realized it. She didn't have any cash with her, and when she was thinking about how to pay, a hand with sharp bones stretched out from beside her.
Xu Yao put down the carton at some point, saw her embarrassment, and paid for her.
Meng Yao turned his head. Xu Yao was obviously more experienced than her. He knew that it was inconvenient to pay by mobile phone at the market, so he prepared cash in advance.
Meng Yao was still stunned, but Xu Yao looked at her naturally after paying and said, "Let's go."
Meng Yao tugged on the pendant in his hand and looked at Xu Yao for a few seconds before coming back to his senses and said in a low voice: "Thank you, I will give you the money later."
Xu Yao just smiled and said nothing.
·
It was just ten o'clock when they returned to school.
It was now class time. As soon as he entered the school gate, he heard the sound of Langlang reading. It was Feng Xiao who was leading the students to read poems. Xu Yao and Meng Yao did not bother them and carried their things from the playground to the office.
This point happened to be when the temperature started to rise in the day. Meng Yao and Xu Yao had just returned the car and were walking back to school carrying their things. Meng Yao was only carrying some books, which was okay, and Xu Yao was holding a cardboard box with his forehead There was a thin layer of sweat and some dampness.
After putting her things away, Xu Yao asked her if she wanted to go back to the dormitory and take a rest.
Meng Yao shook her head. She was not tired at all. She had only walked for a while. It was Xu Yao who had been driving and lifting heavy objects.
Thinking of this, she said, "I'll take the next class."
They went to the market early in the morning. Yu Yuan and Feng Xiao were busy at school, and Xu Yao also needed a rest.
Xu Yao wanted to say something, but his cell phone rang.
He took out his cell phone from his pocket, glanced at the screen, and said to Meng Yao, "I'll answer the call."
He walked out of the office. Meng Yao watched him hold the phone to his ear and said the familiar "Is something wrong?"
Meng Yao watched through the glass window as he continued to call and slowly walked away, his voice gradually becoming inaudible.
After class, Feng Xiao returned to the office and was surprised to see Meng Yao.
"You're back so soon?"
Meng Yao said "hmm".
Feng Xiao asked: "How is it? Is the town lively?"
Meng Yao smiled and nodded: "It's fun."
Feng Xiao also smiled. She took a cup and took a cup of hot water from the kettle without twisting the lid, and the hot steam floated in the air.
Meng Yao asked her: "Are you feeling better?"
Feng Xiao's unwellness was actually a nonsense excuse. When Meng Yao asked concerned about it, he reacted for a while before answering: "Much better."
"That's good."
After the break, Meng Yao went to the classroom.
Tan Hong asked for leave for the past two days, and Xu Yao basically took his classes on his behalf. This class should also be taken by Xu Yao, but Meng Yao took the initiative to take this class considering that Xu Yao had been driving for a long time.
As for Tan Hong's request for leave, Yu Yuan said it was because his mother's health was aggravated by a heavy rain. Feng Xiao was originally helping Tan Hong's house. What's strange is that after the rain subsided, Feng Xiao returned from Tan Hong's house and suddenly stopped talking about Tan Hong.
Everyone could tell that something happened between Feng Xiao and Tan Hong, but it was a private matter after all, and no one asked.
Tan Hong returned to school on Wednesday.
They shared an office. Feng Xiao always hung around Tan Hong before, but after Tan Hong came back to school this time, Feng Xiao always avoided him.
She rarely comes to the office when she has nothing to do, walks away when Tan Hong is in the classroom, and ignores Feng Xiao when she meets him in the corridor...
But the school is as big as it is, and there are times that we can’t avoid.
For example, at noon this day, Meng Yao and Feng Xiao ate in the kitchen first, while Tan Hong and Xu Yao were preparing meals for the students in the classroom. When Tan Hong and Xu Yao returned to the kitchen, Feng Xiao and Meng Yao had not finished eating yet.
Feng Xiao was talking to Meng Yao. He was still smiling, but when he saw Tan Hong coming in, he stopped talking, stopped smiling, and even speeded up his meal.
Tan Hong was also at a loss, standing at the door of the kitchen not knowing whether to enter or retreat.
Later, Feng Xiao finished the meal and washed the dishes. When he left the kitchen, Tan Hong was still blocking the door. The kitchen door was only so wide, and there was no place for a person to go. Feng Xiao didn't want to talk to Tan Hong, so he asked Meng Yao, "Should I wait for you?"
Meng Yao also finished eating. She glanced at Xu Yao who was serving the rice, nodded and said, "Okay."
When Meng Yao and Feng Xiao walked out together, Tan Hong backed away awkwardly.
Feng Xiao walked out from him expressionlessly.
After lunch it's lunch break.
Yu Yuan was taking care of the younger students in the classroom for dinner. After walking some distance from the kitchen, Meng Yao said to Feng Xiao, "I'll go to the classroom to have a look. You go back to the dormitory and take a rest?"
Feng Xiao's face didn't look good, so he forced a smile and said yes.
After the lunch break, there was a free activity class. Xu Yao and Tan Hong took the students to class. At that time, Meng Yao and Feng Xiao were in the office. They could see the playground from the window.
Tan Hong and Xu Yao stood together, and the students lined up in three rows, listening intently to the teacher.
Tan Hong had a plastic whistle hanging around his neck, and he frowned due to the sun.
His appearance is not outstanding at all. Standing next to Xu Yao, most people's eyes will always be on Xu Yao.
"Tan Hong is really quite ordinary." Feng Xiao said suddenly. Meng Yao was grading homework when he stopped and looked up at Feng Xiao.
This is the first time Feng Xiao has mentioned Tan Hong in the past few days.
Meng Yao glanced out the window, paused when his eyes passed Xu Yao, and then looked at Tan Hong.
Feng Xiao asked her: "Really?"
Meng Yao thought for a moment and said, "Actually, we are all ordinary people, but when we are liked, we are no longer ordinary."
Feng Xiao heard the implication. She looked at Meng Yao and asked without expression: "Can you also tell that I like Tan Hong?"
Without waiting for Meng Yao to answer, she added: "Yes, no one can see it."
"Except for this big fool Tan Hong." She suddenly said through gritted teeth, her expression becoming vivid.
Meng Yao couldn't help it and smiled.
"But you are right." Feng Xiao said, "Tan Hong and I both graduated from normal schools. When I first saw this person, I didn't take him seriously at all. Do you know why? Because he It was so ordinary that even though we were in the same class, I didn't remember this person even after half a month of class together. Later, during a test, I learned that the person who topped our class was named Tan Hong, and he was this boy."
"Tan Hong basically didn't have any friends when he was in school because he didn't know how to play games or entertain, so no boys wanted to play with him. He was dressed in ordinary clothes and not good-looking, and there were no girls around him."
"I don't know how I got the wrong nerve to like him. Even my friends can't understand."
"But I think he is better than many people. He works hard and has been receiving scholarships in school. His family conditions are not good, he receives a subsidy for poor students, wears old clothes, eats the cheapest steamed buns and pickled mustard, and he also talks to people. Neither humble nor arrogant. He is one of the few people in this mountain village who has been admitted to university. He has goals and never forgets his original intention. After graduation, he had better choices, but he still decided to return to his hometown and help more people."
"I like him and appreciate him. I gave up a lot and chased him here from the bustling city. He and I fought for the same cause. I helped him take care of his sick mother, and I participated in his life. But he still rejected me. Did I not do enough for him? Or was I not good enough?"
Feng Xiao couldn't understand.
She turned sideways, looked at Meng Yao, and asked her: "How many people are willing to give up their life circle for a boy and chase him wholeheartedly, even if they are poor and have no regrets?"
Feng Xiao couldn't hide her grievances as she talked. She wanted to seek comfort and understanding, and asked: "If it were you, Meng Yao, would you be like me?"
"I can't." Meng Yao answered without thinking.
"Look, how many people can do what I do."
Meng Yao smiled. She didn't want to comment on someone's feelings casually, but Feng Xiao obviously misunderstood her meaning.
Meng Yao said frankly: "I won't because I am the most important to me. I will not change the direction of my life for a boy, let alone give up my original goals and life for him."
"Maybe I am a more egotistical person."
Feng Xiao was surprised by her point of view. He didn't expect Meng Yao to say this and couldn't help but argue:
"But if you like someone, shouldn't you do something for him?"
Meng Yao smiled: "Everyone has different views on emotions, but there is no 'should or should'."
"Besides, the word 'pay' is actually difficult to define. The proportion and weight of 'pay' are different in everyone's mind. If you pay more than the proportion, it will become a sacrifice. If you need to sacrifice something to like someone, you will not be happy. .”
And feelings will become impure.
If you pay too much, you will inevitably think about it and want to get something in return.
Feng Xiao looked at Meng Yao, forgetting to think about his own affairs for a moment, and suddenly looked at her and asked: "Meng Yao, have you ever had someone you like?
Meng Yao didn't expect that the topic would come to him. He was startled and did not answer directly: "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing." Feng Xiao smiled sheepishly, "I just think that even if you like someone, you won't lose yourself in the relationship, and I feel that your liking will be very powerful."
Yeah?
Meng Yao thought, then your feeling is not completely accurate.
Meng Yao's love is very cautious, she is a coward who hides in the dark.
She smiled self-deprecatingly, turned her eyes inadvertently, and glanced outside the office.
Feng Xiao faced her, and Meng Yao had been listening to her story attentively. Neither of them noticed that Xu Yao and Tan Hong were no longer where they were on the playground. They didn't know when they appeared outside the office. I know how long I stayed at the wall and started listening to what they said.
Probably because they were not easy to disturb, they remained silent.
Meng Yao's eyes met Xu Yao's eyes outside the office, and she felt startled.
One second she was laughing at herself for being a coward, and the next second, the other protagonist in her carefully hidden concern appeared in her sight.
As if he had been hiding in the dark and suddenly saw the light, Meng Yao felt a little flustered.
Feng Xiao noticed that her reaction was a bit unusual. He turned around in confusion and saw Tan Hong and Xu Yao blushing suddenly.
She was extremely embarrassed, and Meng Yao was also quite uncomfortable.
Silent.
In the end, Xu Yao broke the awkward atmosphere. He seemed to have heard nothing, walked into the office with a normal expression, and pulled out the cardboard box from under the wooden table on the other side.
It was a new basketball and racket that Meng Yao and I went to town to buy two days ago. In addition to these, there are also the previous skipping tools and sports equipment. Although they are old, they can still be used.
Xu Yao and Tan Hong came to the office to get these things.
But in the current situation, Tan Hong stood outside the office with his head lowered and did not walk in.
Xu Yao squatted on the ground. He couldn't carry everything by himself. He turned to look at Meng Yao and suddenly said: "Meng Yao, can you help me get it?"
