Chapter 77
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That night was like an adventure, and Lu Zhiqiao was a sacred place full of mystery. Qi Yan had fully explored every inch and every corner, and was obsessed with it.
Later, when she found out that Lu Zhiqiao is a mother, she sighed from the bottom of her heart, that person did not look like someone who had given birth to a child at all. Then, when she got some information intermittently, she began to suspect that Lu Zhiqiao was not quite right as a mother.
But she never thought about it in a deeper way.
As long as Lu Zhiqiao didn't tell her in person, she would never guess blindly, saving herself the trouble. She is not in a hurry to know about that matter. Every day, her mind is full of thoughts about the mother and child warming up to her. It didn't matter to her how the child came to be.
However, now is a sensitive period for her and Lu Zhiqiao, and all conflicts revolve around the child, so she has to think more.
Seeing her staring at the stretch marks, Chi Nian quickly put on a short sleeve to cover her stomach, and patted her with a smile: "This is still quite light, do you know the side cut*? It is when the baby is about to be born, they will cut your xx with a knife, hiss...I heard it would be very sore. But I heard that the level of pain is not as bad as in normal delivery. Think about how painful it is to unload the goods."
*or episiotomy is a cut (incision) made in the tissue between the vaginal opening and the anus during childbirth. This area is called the perineum.
For years, an episiotomy was thought to help prevent larger vaginal tears during childbirth. Experts believed an incision would heal better than a natural tear. The procedure was also thought to help preserve the muscles and connective tissue that support the pelvic floor.
Today, however, research suggests that routine episiotomies don't prevent these problems after all. ref. mayoclinic.org
With her sight blocked, Qi Yan came back to her senses and stared at her blankly: "Will the side cut leave a scar?"
"Of course it will, but depending on the individual's physique, some scars are particularly obvious, and some are not." Chi Nian raised her brows, with a worried expression, muttering in a low voice that there is a high probability that she will also suffer from that knife.
The two went out, returned to the sofa and sat down.
Qi Yan thought about that night again.
She remembered that Lu Zhiqiao was very tight and had no scars. It was relatively smooth with one finger but with two, they felt bound by something, like a rubber band...
Based on her experience, it seemed to be the hymen at that time.
Seeing Lu Zhiqiao at the parent meeting, she didn't realize it for a while, but she also had doubts after many contacts with her neighbor. But knowing that Lu Zhiqiao is a single mother, she thought it's because she rarely have sex, and the so-called "membrane" grew back again.
(T/N: hymen doesn't 'grow' back once it's broken/stretched, and the tightness depends on its original form and contraction during arousal…and not dependent on the frequency of activity, this is according to my research from google university)
But all these connections, together with mentioning it today, made her feel more and more wrong, and doubts arose in her heart.
Has Lu Zhiqiao ever given birth to a child?
She didn't dare to think about it any further.
"Tell me."
"Mm?"
Qi Yan suddenly came back to her senses, and turned her head: "What's wrong?"
"If you were Director Lu, how would you deal with it?" Chi Nian said seriously.
"..."
She grabbed the back of Qi Yan's hand, shook her head and said, "It's okay, you can say whatever you want, I don't mind."
Qi Yan smiled helplessly: "Why are you still thinking about this? How long has it been?"
"Indeed, I've been thinking about it." Chi Nian sighed, frowned, and there was a hint of melancholy in her black eyes, "I always thought that Director Lu was targeting me, but I just couldn't figure it out. She used to take good care of me. When I first joined the company, she took me by the hand, and tolerated me even if I made a small mistake. I don’t know why I said that when I got pregnant. After hearing about my mother’s colleague’s daughter, I feel like she didn’t do anything...Oh I don't understand."
Qi Yan stared at her troubled face, and suddenly remembered Lu Zhiqiao's confession at that time.
That was the first time that Lu Zhiqiao told her about work, and it was such an extremely sensitive matter. She showed her ideas, choices, and practices, without reservation.
This kind of thing can easily offend people if it is not handled well, but Lu Zhiqiao chose to tell her and share her views with her.
In fact, she also trusted her.
For a woman who can save her life, she has no reason not to believe that the woman has her in her heart. Not just in her heart, she should also be extremely important.
It's just that she doesn't feel it a lot of the time.
With a dull pain in her heart, Qi Yan shook her head, trying to divert her attention, and said, "If it was me, I would first let you do clerical work in the office, hand over the work tasks that need to go out to other people, and then symbolically let you do some simple and easy work, as for whether you can do it or not, it’s not up to me to decide, and it’s hard for me to say, after all, in that position, I’m just a part-time worker, and it depends on the boss’s face.”
Her choice was the same as what Lu Zhiqiao did back then.
Lu Zhiqiao took away the work tasks that required running around and assigned her task to other subordinates, but because of the special nature of the position, this move seemed like a job grab.
Chi Nian pondered for a moment, nodded, and sighed: "Oh, let's not talk about it, I've already resigned anyway, I just stayed there for five years and have some lingering feelings."
"Yeah, it's all over, thinking too much is not good for you to raise your baby." Qi Yan echoed and patted her on the shoulder.
She didn't want to discuss it either.
It is like when someone asks "Your wife and mother fell into the water at the same time, who will you save first?", how should she answer? There is no way to ignore the two, so simply jump off by yourself.
After lunch, Qi Yan came out of Chi Nian's house.
The sun hangs high above her head, and the air was a bit stuffy. She walked through the dense shade of trees, avoiding the scorching ultraviolet rays, and quickly got into the car.
Thinking about Lu Zhiqiao's matter in her mind, Qi Yan suddenly remembered that the woman sent her something on WeChat yesterday. She saw it this morning, but didn't click on it, and forgot it after waking up. No wonder she felt like she's forgetting something when she was at Chi Nian's house just now.
She clicked on WeChat, a little hesitant.
The truth is, she doesn't really want to receive any news about Lu Zhiqiao. She hopes that she can block everything about that person like a signal jammer, so that she can really calm down and sort out her emotions.
That day, she wanted to delete Lu Zhiqiao's WeChat account, but she struggled for a long time. Firstly, she was reluctant, and secondly, she was worried that if she did too badly, that person would shrink back the steps she took so hard. So she chose to restrict her access to her WeChat.
She spoke decisively, but her heart never moved away, like a mischievous child.
Just like now, she told herself not to click on the document sent by Lu Zhiqiao, but her fingers didn't listen.
Just when she was about to tap on it, a phone call came in.
It was Assistant Feng.
"Hello?"
"Ms. Qi, hello, I sent a work email to your mailbox, please check it in time." She said In a polite and professional tone.
"Okay."
Qi Yan responded indifferently, hung up, thought about going back and looking again, put her phone dowm, and drove away.
There was only the nanny at home, and as soon as she entered the door, Tuanzi ran over, meowed and pounced on her feet to sit, as fat and heavy as a weight. Impatient, she directly grabbed the fat cat by the back of the neck, lifted it aside, and rushed upstairs quickly.
She turned her computer on and checked her email.
In mid-July, there will be a brand exhibition show at La Pella, on a small island in a Southeast Asian country. It will last for three days and two nights, and she is required to go and shoot the whole process. Although it was a work email, it still asked about her schedule at the end, saying that it could be discussed.
Qi Yan likes this kind of polite distance, serious communication, and innocent relationship.
She's already resigned by July, and will have complete freedom of time, she can go wherever she wants, and after she is done with the show, she will arrange a trip for herself.
Qi Yan replied to the email, saying that there would be no problem.
After turning off the computer, she reopened WeChat and clicked on the document sent by Lu Zhiqiao.
She looked down bit by bit...
The afternoon wind blows in from the balcony, bringing a hint of warmth and dryness. The apricot-colored curtains fluttered slightly, the light and shadow outside the window were mottled, and the fragrance of flowers permeated. Occasionally, a few sparrows pass by, flapping their wings and landing on the eaves.
The sunlight slanted into the room, and a small spot of light was projected onto the wall. The golden color brightened the pattern of the wallpaper, outlining a gorgeous and complicated design.
It is a peaceful weekend afternoon.
Qi Yan sat motionless at the desk, staring at her phone, her long eyelashes were like moth wings, trembling up and down, her amber eyes were filled with water, like a thick layer of frost, gloomy and condensed. Then, her world was windy, rainy, lightning and thunder.
After a moment, she took a deep breath, stood up, turned and rushed out of the room.
Halfway down the stairs, Qi Yan suddenly stopped, and fell forward, leaning on the wall to stabilize her balance. Her eyes widened, her lips parted, panting anxiously, she sat down with her arms around her knees, crying bitterly.
She should have thought of it earlier...
How can a person grow into someone for no reason? Just like her, who has the happiness that most people can't get, and then grows into someone that most people envy. It's just that she never thought about it in the opposite way. Behind the happiness and light, there is suffering and darkness, something that her eyes failed to see.
Niu Niu was not born to Lu Zhiqiao, she thought about it, but because this conjecture was too bold, it was rejected.
Lu Zhiqiao's relatives might have died in an accident. She also thought about it, but she also vetoed it because she didn't dare to think too badly.
She saw that the world was colorful, fresh and interesting, but she couldn't see the sorrow, bitterness, struggle and helplessness in the corner. Just like what Jiang Yu said about vision, her environment determines what her eyes can see. Standing tall, she only sees the prosperity in the distance, ignoring the desolation nearby.
Their encounter gave birth to the fierce collision of two different people; it was exciting, and more enjoyable, but it also made both of them exhausted.
Qi Yan raised her head against the wall, tears flowed from the corners of her eyes, she raised her hand to wipe them away, and when she turned her head, she saw the nanny standing downstairs looking at her, with eyes slightly worried, hesitating whether to come up or not.
She shook her head, smiled, got up and went back to her room on the second floor.
A warm wind blows into the house, mixed with the smell of sunshine and the aroma of flowers and plants. Qi Yan closed the door, locked it, and sat on the swing chair on the balcony with her phone in hand, completely exposing herself to the ultraviolet rays.
She read the contents of the document again.
The first half describes the past, family, and Niu Niu's life experience. The second half is written with her heartfelt words, which not only responded to her letter, but also gave her determination.
[In the beginning, you swept me like the wind and destroyed the wall I worked so hard to build. I blamed you, but in the end I became willing to open my arms and embrace you. I was willing to abandon the ruins and follow you to a better place. To a vast world, to build our own kingdom. Later, you left me like the wind, leaving me alone to guard this empty utopia. I was overwhelmed and in panic but in the end, I decided to run hard to chase you, and break free from my shackles. With love, I will accompany you to fly to a wider world and pursue our happiness.]
[Confessing this to you is not to sell my misery, let alone to gain sympathy, I realize my own problem, even if you have never appeared, I will have to face it one day. We both need a little time to calm down. Temporarily separating is the right choice, but I believe that parting is for a better reunion. You try your best to run forward, but don’t run too far, for I’m afraid I won’t be able to catch up with you—— Even if you leave me with a blurry back.]
[You said that you wish for me to find my beloved for the rest of my life, then this is the rest of my life and you are my beloved.]
….
Qi Yan finished reading silently, tilting her head, her cheeks were slightly burned by the sun, she put down her phone, closed her eyes, and listened to her own gentle and steady breathing.
There was the sound of a bird flapping its wings in the air. She opened her eyes and narrowed her eyes slightly against the glare of the sun. She saw two sparrows chasing and flying from the eaves to the tree branches, and from the branches to the electric poles, side by side. Very close, next to each other.
Her face is slightly hot, and so is her heart.
At that moment just now, she wanted to find Lu Zhiqiao, wishing she could rush to that person immediately, hug and comfort her. This feeling seems familiar, and it has happened many times. She always feels sorry for Lu Zhiqiao, but she doesn't understand her. She took it for granted in the process of chasing and approaching.
If she goes now, they will get back together, and still get along as before, but neither of them will change in the slightest.
This is the harsh reality of falling in love with a mother who is burdened by responsibilities, she is doomed to not be able to monopolize the other's heart. She didn't understand the truth before and was reckless. Now that she wants to take that step again, she has to carefully consider whether she can bear the occasional imbalance, and whether she can become the firm and reliable lover for the other party.
Although Lu Zhiqiao said in the document that she would balance the weight of love and family affection in her heart, it will still be difficult for her to make a choice.
Moreover, asking Lu Zhiqiao to balance them is cruel. That is the daughter of her elder brother and sister-in-law, who saved her life, and also the daughter that Qi Yan regarded as her own. She became childish and got jealous of a child.
After thinking about it, she still felt guilty and wronged.
What Qiao Qiao said that day hurt her too much.
She knew that it was impulsive rather than intentional, but as soon as she thought of that person excluding her from their small family, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of pain in her heart.
Before entering the school, Qi Yan only played in her own circle. Although she had met many people and experienced many things, everyone belonged to the same circle and they got along well with each other. But after entering the school, she broke away from her original circle, and was beaten severely. It took her four years to realize that she doesn't fit in.
Qi Yan suddenly lost confidence in herself.
She's not that sure, or that confident.
The two sparrows perched on the telephone pole flew away, one behind the other, over the eaves of the house and to the other side. Two new sparrows landed on the pole, far apart, standing still.
Qi Yan hooked the corners of her lips, smiled slightly, looked away, and lowered her head thinking about how to reply.
--I'll be waiting for you?
No, it seems that she is too active.
—I won’t run too far?
No, no, it's still too active and cheap.
--Oh?
Wouldn't Qiao Qiao be sad if she is too indifferent? What if she stops chasing her?
After struggling for a long time, Qi Yan really couldn't figure it out, so she decided not to reply.
She is cold and will never compromise.
In the afternoon, Lu Zhiqiao drove to the countryside alone and entered the village where the old house was located.
In recent years, the countryside has developed very well. The roads have been renovated and refurbished. They are spacious and flat. There are endless green fields on both sides. Every family lives in self-built houses, which are two or even three stories small, with white walls and black tiles and a large yard, which is bigger than that in the city. The villa is even more stylish.
The layout of the houses has not changed much. The distribution of households in the past is almost the same as now, but the faces of young people are hardly seen on the road, and most of them are old people and children.
Lu Zhiqiao parked her car at the entrance of the village and walked in.
In the scorching sun, the hunched old man walked leisurely with his hands behind his back, the three- and four-year-old children were chasing and playing on the side of the road, and a big yellow dog tied to an iron chain lying on his stomach in front of the gate of some houses. He was gnawing on a bone, and everytime he sees a stranger coming, he would bark a few times.
When she was a child, she only came here during the holidays and didn't move around very often, so she hardly knew anyone in the village.
Fortunately, the layout didn't change much. She walked all the way to the old house based on her memory from more than ten years ago.
That place has become a pond.
The green and dark stone platform, the brownish-yellow soil, and the surrounding weeds are lush, and there are green duckweeds floating in the pool water, and a few gray-colored ducks are swimming in it, making a hoarse quacking sound.
There is an old banyan tree by the pond, and a warm wind blows over, making the shadow of the tree sway.
The branches of the banyan tree are thick. When the old house was still there, people could stand on the balcony of the third-floor room and touch its leaves. Lu Zhiqiao still remembers that she and her elder brother took a sticky pole and stretched it from the balcony to the middle of the branches of the banyan tree. They could poke into the bird's nest, and they could catch cicadas in summer. It was very fun.
The old banyan tree is much older than her grandparents.
She seemed to see grandma sitting under the banyan tree with a small bench, holding a cattail fan in her hand, fanning the wind slowly, relaxed and content.
"Hey, isn't this Xiao Qiao*?"
*Little Qiao
A familiar dialect came from behind, Lu Zhiqiao suddenly came back to her senses, turned around, and saw a pudgy middle-aged aunt looking at her in surprise, her face was a little familiar, but she didn't realize it all at once.
"Hey, it's really Xiao Qiao."
"You are?"
"You don't remember me? I'm Aunt Li, I live next to your house. When I was young, I used to take pig trotters to eat." The aunt smiled happily, the wrinkles on her face deepened a few layers.
Lu Zhiqiao was startled, suddenly realized, and smiled: "Aunt Li, I remembered, sorry, look at my memory..."
Aunt Li lived closest to the old house and often had contact with Grandma Lu. When the fire broke out that year, Lu Zhiqiao hugged Niu Niu to call for someone, and Aunt Li's family was the first to come.
She didn't expect to come back after many years and meet people she knew.
Aunt Li was overjoyed, and told her a few words of warmth, and dragged her to go to her house. She couldn't resist, so she had to follow. She still remembers that the woman lived in a small one-story house back then, but now she have built a three-story building with two stone lions by the door, a row of landscape trees, and a brand new minivan parked in the yard.
The neighbors are enthusiastic, and they put all kinds of snacks and candies when they enter the door, and they also called their children who came to visit on weekends—Lu Zhiqiao's former playmates in the village.
None of them forgot the fire, and Aunt Li was even more impressed. At first, she was afraid that she would be sad, so she didn't mention it, but when she saw that she brought it up, she started talking about it.
They all know that five of the Lu family died that night, and only Lu Zhiqiao and her little niece were left. It can almost be said that the family was almost wiped out, which was extremely miserable.
"How are you and that niece doing?"
"Pretty good. Now she's in junior high school and almost as tall as I am." Lu Zhiqiao smiled and said softly.
She hadn't set foot in the village for ten years, and she came here just to find the traces of her past life. The more she escaped, the more she wanted to reproduce the scene of the past. If she wanted to face the past, she couldn't hide from this home town
She thought she would be sad, but when she came here, she realized that all traces were gone, and there was no wave in her heart.
It's just that she still hurts everytime she thinks of her brother.
She wanted to say something, but the phone rang suddenly, she smiled apologetically, got up and went out to answer the phone.
It was her daughter.
"Baby?" Lu Zhiqiao smiled, her voice so gentle that it melted into water.
The sound of her daughter eating something came from the phone, as if she is eating so loudly on purpose, and then I heard a lazy sentence: "Mom, I'm playing at Grandpa Qi's house, remember to pick me up when you come back~"
Author's Note:
Emm, hasn't reconciled so quickly, so don't get excited [sneaky smile.jpg
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
That night was like an adventure, and Lu Zhiqiao was a sacred place full of mystery. Qi Yan had fully explored every inch and every corner, and was obsessed with it.
Later, when she found out that Lu Zhiqiao is a mother, she sighed from the bottom of her heart, that person did not look like someone who had given birth to a child at all. Then, when she got some information intermittently, she began to suspect that Lu Zhiqiao was not quite right as a mother.
But she never thought about it in a deeper way.
As long as Lu Zhiqiao didn't tell her in person, she would never guess blindly, saving herself the trouble. She is not in a hurry to know about that matter. Every day, her mind is full of thoughts about the mother and child warming up to her. It didn't matter to her how the child came to be.
However, now is a sensitive period for her and Lu Zhiqiao, and all conflicts revolve around the child, so she has to think more.
Seeing her staring at the stretch marks, Chi Nian quickly put on a short sleeve to cover her stomach, and patted her with a smile: "This is still quite light, do you know the side cut*? It is when the baby is about to be born, they will cut your xx with a knife, hiss...I heard it would be very sore. But I heard that the level of pain is not as bad as in normal delivery. Think about how painful it is to unload the goods."
*or episiotomy is a cut (incision) made in the tissue between the vaginal opening and the anus during childbirth. This area is called the perineum.
For years, an episiotomy was thought to help prevent larger vaginal tears during childbirth. Experts believed an incision would heal better than a natural tear. The procedure was also thought to help preserve the muscles and connective tissue that support the pelvic floor.
Today, however, research suggests that routine episiotomies don't prevent these problems after all. ref. mayoclinic.org
With her sight blocked, Qi Yan came back to her senses and stared at her blankly: "Will the side cut leave a scar?"
"Of course it will, but depending on the individual's physique, some scars are particularly obvious, and some are not." Chi Nian raised her brows, with a worried expression, muttering in a low voice that there is a high probability that she will also suffer from that knife.
The two went out, returned to the sofa and sat down.
Qi Yan thought about that night again.
She remembered that Lu Zhiqiao was very tight and had no scars. It was relatively smooth with one finger but with two, they felt bound by something, like a rubber band...
Based on her experience, it seemed to be the hymen at that time.
Seeing Lu Zhiqiao at the parent meeting, she didn't realize it for a while, but she also had doubts after many contacts with her neighbor. But knowing that Lu Zhiqiao is a single mother, she thought it's because she rarely have sex, and the so-called "membrane" grew back again.
(T/N: hymen doesn't 'grow' back once it's broken/stretched, and the tightness depends on its original form and contraction during arousal…and not dependent on the frequency of activity, this is according to my research from google university)
But all these connections, together with mentioning it today, made her feel more and more wrong, and doubts arose in her heart.
Has Lu Zhiqiao ever given birth to a child?
She didn't dare to think about it any further.
"Tell me."
"Mm?"
Qi Yan suddenly came back to her senses, and turned her head: "What's wrong?"
"If you were Director Lu, how would you deal with it?" Chi Nian said seriously.
"..."
She grabbed the back of Qi Yan's hand, shook her head and said, "It's okay, you can say whatever you want, I don't mind."
Qi Yan smiled helplessly: "Why are you still thinking about this? How long has it been?"
"Indeed, I've been thinking about it." Chi Nian sighed, frowned, and there was a hint of melancholy in her black eyes, "I always thought that Director Lu was targeting me, but I just couldn't figure it out. She used to take good care of me. When I first joined the company, she took me by the hand, and tolerated me even if I made a small mistake. I don’t know why I said that when I got pregnant. After hearing about my mother’s colleague’s daughter, I feel like she didn’t do anything...Oh I don't understand."
Qi Yan stared at her troubled face, and suddenly remembered Lu Zhiqiao's confession at that time.
That was the first time that Lu Zhiqiao told her about work, and it was such an extremely sensitive matter. She showed her ideas, choices, and practices, without reservation.
This kind of thing can easily offend people if it is not handled well, but Lu Zhiqiao chose to tell her and share her views with her.
In fact, she also trusted her.
For a woman who can save her life, she has no reason not to believe that the woman has her in her heart. Not just in her heart, she should also be extremely important.
It's just that she doesn't feel it a lot of the time.
With a dull pain in her heart, Qi Yan shook her head, trying to divert her attention, and said, "If it was me, I would first let you do clerical work in the office, hand over the work tasks that need to go out to other people, and then symbolically let you do some simple and easy work, as for whether you can do it or not, it’s not up to me to decide, and it’s hard for me to say, after all, in that position, I’m just a part-time worker, and it depends on the boss’s face.”
Her choice was the same as what Lu Zhiqiao did back then.
Lu Zhiqiao took away the work tasks that required running around and assigned her task to other subordinates, but because of the special nature of the position, this move seemed like a job grab.
Chi Nian pondered for a moment, nodded, and sighed: "Oh, let's not talk about it, I've already resigned anyway, I just stayed there for five years and have some lingering feelings."
"Yeah, it's all over, thinking too much is not good for you to raise your baby." Qi Yan echoed and patted her on the shoulder.
She didn't want to discuss it either.
It is like when someone asks "Your wife and mother fell into the water at the same time, who will you save first?", how should she answer? There is no way to ignore the two, so simply jump off by yourself.
After lunch, Qi Yan came out of Chi Nian's house.
The sun hangs high above her head, and the air was a bit stuffy. She walked through the dense shade of trees, avoiding the scorching ultraviolet rays, and quickly got into the car.
Thinking about Lu Zhiqiao's matter in her mind, Qi Yan suddenly remembered that the woman sent her something on WeChat yesterday. She saw it this morning, but didn't click on it, and forgot it after waking up. No wonder she felt like she's forgetting something when she was at Chi Nian's house just now.
She clicked on WeChat, a little hesitant.
The truth is, she doesn't really want to receive any news about Lu Zhiqiao. She hopes that she can block everything about that person like a signal jammer, so that she can really calm down and sort out her emotions.
That day, she wanted to delete Lu Zhiqiao's WeChat account, but she struggled for a long time. Firstly, she was reluctant, and secondly, she was worried that if she did too badly, that person would shrink back the steps she took so hard. So she chose to restrict her access to her WeChat.
She spoke decisively, but her heart never moved away, like a mischievous child.
Just like now, she told herself not to click on the document sent by Lu Zhiqiao, but her fingers didn't listen.
Just when she was about to tap on it, a phone call came in.
It was Assistant Feng.
"Hello?"
"Ms. Qi, hello, I sent a work email to your mailbox, please check it in time." She said In a polite and professional tone.
"Okay."
Qi Yan responded indifferently, hung up, thought about going back and looking again, put her phone dowm, and drove away.
There was only the nanny at home, and as soon as she entered the door, Tuanzi ran over, meowed and pounced on her feet to sit, as fat and heavy as a weight. Impatient, she directly grabbed the fat cat by the back of the neck, lifted it aside, and rushed upstairs quickly.
She turned her computer on and checked her email.
In mid-July, there will be a brand exhibition show at La Pella, on a small island in a Southeast Asian country. It will last for three days and two nights, and she is required to go and shoot the whole process. Although it was a work email, it still asked about her schedule at the end, saying that it could be discussed.
Qi Yan likes this kind of polite distance, serious communication, and innocent relationship.
She's already resigned by July, and will have complete freedom of time, she can go wherever she wants, and after she is done with the show, she will arrange a trip for herself.
Qi Yan replied to the email, saying that there would be no problem.
After turning off the computer, she reopened WeChat and clicked on the document sent by Lu Zhiqiao.
She looked down bit by bit...
The afternoon wind blows in from the balcony, bringing a hint of warmth and dryness. The apricot-colored curtains fluttered slightly, the light and shadow outside the window were mottled, and the fragrance of flowers permeated. Occasionally, a few sparrows pass by, flapping their wings and landing on the eaves.
The sunlight slanted into the room, and a small spot of light was projected onto the wall. The golden color brightened the pattern of the wallpaper, outlining a gorgeous and complicated design.
It is a peaceful weekend afternoon.
Qi Yan sat motionless at the desk, staring at her phone, her long eyelashes were like moth wings, trembling up and down, her amber eyes were filled with water, like a thick layer of frost, gloomy and condensed. Then, her world was windy, rainy, lightning and thunder.
After a moment, she took a deep breath, stood up, turned and rushed out of the room.
Halfway down the stairs, Qi Yan suddenly stopped, and fell forward, leaning on the wall to stabilize her balance. Her eyes widened, her lips parted, panting anxiously, she sat down with her arms around her knees, crying bitterly.
She should have thought of it earlier...
How can a person grow into someone for no reason? Just like her, who has the happiness that most people can't get, and then grows into someone that most people envy. It's just that she never thought about it in the opposite way. Behind the happiness and light, there is suffering and darkness, something that her eyes failed to see.
Niu Niu was not born to Lu Zhiqiao, she thought about it, but because this conjecture was too bold, it was rejected.
Lu Zhiqiao's relatives might have died in an accident. She also thought about it, but she also vetoed it because she didn't dare to think too badly.
She saw that the world was colorful, fresh and interesting, but she couldn't see the sorrow, bitterness, struggle and helplessness in the corner. Just like what Jiang Yu said about vision, her environment determines what her eyes can see. Standing tall, she only sees the prosperity in the distance, ignoring the desolation nearby.
Their encounter gave birth to the fierce collision of two different people; it was exciting, and more enjoyable, but it also made both of them exhausted.
Qi Yan raised her head against the wall, tears flowed from the corners of her eyes, she raised her hand to wipe them away, and when she turned her head, she saw the nanny standing downstairs looking at her, with eyes slightly worried, hesitating whether to come up or not.
She shook her head, smiled, got up and went back to her room on the second floor.
A warm wind blows into the house, mixed with the smell of sunshine and the aroma of flowers and plants. Qi Yan closed the door, locked it, and sat on the swing chair on the balcony with her phone in hand, completely exposing herself to the ultraviolet rays.
She read the contents of the document again.
The first half describes the past, family, and Niu Niu's life experience. The second half is written with her heartfelt words, which not only responded to her letter, but also gave her determination.
[In the beginning, you swept me like the wind and destroyed the wall I worked so hard to build. I blamed you, but in the end I became willing to open my arms and embrace you. I was willing to abandon the ruins and follow you to a better place. To a vast world, to build our own kingdom. Later, you left me like the wind, leaving me alone to guard this empty utopia. I was overwhelmed and in panic but in the end, I decided to run hard to chase you, and break free from my shackles. With love, I will accompany you to fly to a wider world and pursue our happiness.]
[Confessing this to you is not to sell my misery, let alone to gain sympathy, I realize my own problem, even if you have never appeared, I will have to face it one day. We both need a little time to calm down. Temporarily separating is the right choice, but I believe that parting is for a better reunion. You try your best to run forward, but don’t run too far, for I’m afraid I won’t be able to catch up with you—— Even if you leave me with a blurry back.]
[You said that you wish for me to find my beloved for the rest of my life, then this is the rest of my life and you are my beloved.]
….
Qi Yan finished reading silently, tilting her head, her cheeks were slightly burned by the sun, she put down her phone, closed her eyes, and listened to her own gentle and steady breathing.
There was the sound of a bird flapping its wings in the air. She opened her eyes and narrowed her eyes slightly against the glare of the sun. She saw two sparrows chasing and flying from the eaves to the tree branches, and from the branches to the electric poles, side by side. Very close, next to each other.
Her face is slightly hot, and so is her heart.
At that moment just now, she wanted to find Lu Zhiqiao, wishing she could rush to that person immediately, hug and comfort her. This feeling seems familiar, and it has happened many times. She always feels sorry for Lu Zhiqiao, but she doesn't understand her. She took it for granted in the process of chasing and approaching.
If she goes now, they will get back together, and still get along as before, but neither of them will change in the slightest.
This is the harsh reality of falling in love with a mother who is burdened by responsibilities, she is doomed to not be able to monopolize the other's heart. She didn't understand the truth before and was reckless. Now that she wants to take that step again, she has to carefully consider whether she can bear the occasional imbalance, and whether she can become the firm and reliable lover for the other party.
Although Lu Zhiqiao said in the document that she would balance the weight of love and family affection in her heart, it will still be difficult for her to make a choice.
Moreover, asking Lu Zhiqiao to balance them is cruel. That is the daughter of her elder brother and sister-in-law, who saved her life, and also the daughter that Qi Yan regarded as her own. She became childish and got jealous of a child.
After thinking about it, she still felt guilty and wronged.
What Qiao Qiao said that day hurt her too much.
She knew that it was impulsive rather than intentional, but as soon as she thought of that person excluding her from their small family, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of pain in her heart.
Before entering the school, Qi Yan only played in her own circle. Although she had met many people and experienced many things, everyone belonged to the same circle and they got along well with each other. But after entering the school, she broke away from her original circle, and was beaten severely. It took her four years to realize that she doesn't fit in.
Qi Yan suddenly lost confidence in herself.
She's not that sure, or that confident.
The two sparrows perched on the telephone pole flew away, one behind the other, over the eaves of the house and to the other side. Two new sparrows landed on the pole, far apart, standing still.
Qi Yan hooked the corners of her lips, smiled slightly, looked away, and lowered her head thinking about how to reply.
--I'll be waiting for you?
No, it seems that she is too active.
—I won’t run too far?
No, no, it's still too active and cheap.
--Oh?
Wouldn't Qiao Qiao be sad if she is too indifferent? What if she stops chasing her?
After struggling for a long time, Qi Yan really couldn't figure it out, so she decided not to reply.
She is cold and will never compromise.
In the afternoon, Lu Zhiqiao drove to the countryside alone and entered the village where the old house was located.
In recent years, the countryside has developed very well. The roads have been renovated and refurbished. They are spacious and flat. There are endless green fields on both sides. Every family lives in self-built houses, which are two or even three stories small, with white walls and black tiles and a large yard, which is bigger than that in the city. The villa is even more stylish.
The layout of the houses has not changed much. The distribution of households in the past is almost the same as now, but the faces of young people are hardly seen on the road, and most of them are old people and children.
Lu Zhiqiao parked her car at the entrance of the village and walked in.
In the scorching sun, the hunched old man walked leisurely with his hands behind his back, the three- and four-year-old children were chasing and playing on the side of the road, and a big yellow dog tied to an iron chain lying on his stomach in front of the gate of some houses. He was gnawing on a bone, and everytime he sees a stranger coming, he would bark a few times.
When she was a child, she only came here during the holidays and didn't move around very often, so she hardly knew anyone in the village.
Fortunately, the layout didn't change much. She walked all the way to the old house based on her memory from more than ten years ago.
That place has become a pond.
The green and dark stone platform, the brownish-yellow soil, and the surrounding weeds are lush, and there are green duckweeds floating in the pool water, and a few gray-colored ducks are swimming in it, making a hoarse quacking sound.
There is an old banyan tree by the pond, and a warm wind blows over, making the shadow of the tree sway.
The branches of the banyan tree are thick. When the old house was still there, people could stand on the balcony of the third-floor room and touch its leaves. Lu Zhiqiao still remembers that she and her elder brother took a sticky pole and stretched it from the balcony to the middle of the branches of the banyan tree. They could poke into the bird's nest, and they could catch cicadas in summer. It was very fun.
The old banyan tree is much older than her grandparents.
She seemed to see grandma sitting under the banyan tree with a small bench, holding a cattail fan in her hand, fanning the wind slowly, relaxed and content.
"Hey, isn't this Xiao Qiao*?"
*Little Qiao
A familiar dialect came from behind, Lu Zhiqiao suddenly came back to her senses, turned around, and saw a pudgy middle-aged aunt looking at her in surprise, her face was a little familiar, but she didn't realize it all at once.
"Hey, it's really Xiao Qiao."
"You are?"
"You don't remember me? I'm Aunt Li, I live next to your house. When I was young, I used to take pig trotters to eat." The aunt smiled happily, the wrinkles on her face deepened a few layers.
Lu Zhiqiao was startled, suddenly realized, and smiled: "Aunt Li, I remembered, sorry, look at my memory..."
Aunt Li lived closest to the old house and often had contact with Grandma Lu. When the fire broke out that year, Lu Zhiqiao hugged Niu Niu to call for someone, and Aunt Li's family was the first to come.
She didn't expect to come back after many years and meet people she knew.
Aunt Li was overjoyed, and told her a few words of warmth, and dragged her to go to her house. She couldn't resist, so she had to follow. She still remembers that the woman lived in a small one-story house back then, but now she have built a three-story building with two stone lions by the door, a row of landscape trees, and a brand new minivan parked in the yard.
The neighbors are enthusiastic, and they put all kinds of snacks and candies when they enter the door, and they also called their children who came to visit on weekends—Lu Zhiqiao's former playmates in the village.
None of them forgot the fire, and Aunt Li was even more impressed. At first, she was afraid that she would be sad, so she didn't mention it, but when she saw that she brought it up, she started talking about it.
They all know that five of the Lu family died that night, and only Lu Zhiqiao and her little niece were left. It can almost be said that the family was almost wiped out, which was extremely miserable.
"How are you and that niece doing?"
"Pretty good. Now she's in junior high school and almost as tall as I am." Lu Zhiqiao smiled and said softly.
She hadn't set foot in the village for ten years, and she came here just to find the traces of her past life. The more she escaped, the more she wanted to reproduce the scene of the past. If she wanted to face the past, she couldn't hide from this home town
She thought she would be sad, but when she came here, she realized that all traces were gone, and there was no wave in her heart.
It's just that she still hurts everytime she thinks of her brother.
She wanted to say something, but the phone rang suddenly, she smiled apologetically, got up and went out to answer the phone.
It was her daughter.
"Baby?" Lu Zhiqiao smiled, her voice so gentle that it melted into water.
The sound of her daughter eating something came from the phone, as if she is eating so loudly on purpose, and then I heard a lazy sentence: "Mom, I'm playing at Grandpa Qi's house, remember to pick me up when you come back~"
Author's Note:
Emm, hasn't reconciled so quickly, so don't get excited [sneaky smile.jpg
That night was like an adventure, and Lu Zhiqiao was a sacred place full of mystery. Qi Yan had fully explored every inch and every corner, and was obsessed with it.Later, when she found out that Lu Zhiqiao is a mother, she sighed from the bottom of her heart, that person did not look like someone who had given birth to a child at all. Then, when she got some information intermittently, she began to suspect that Lu Zhiqiao was not quite right as a mother.But she never thought about it in a deeper way.As long as Lu Zhiqiao didn't tell her in person, she would never guess blindly, saving herself the trouble. She is not in a hurry to know about that matter. Every day, her mind is full of thoughts about the mother and child warming up to her. It didn't matter to her how the child came to be.However, now is a sensitive period for her and Lu Zhiqiao, and all conflicts revolve around the child, so she has to think more.Seeing her staring at the stretch marks, Chi Nian quickly put on a short sleeve to cover her stomach, and patted her with a smile: "This is still quite light, do you know the side cut*? It is when the baby is about to be born, they will cut your xx with a knife, hiss...I heard it would be very sore. But I heard that the level of pain is not as bad as in normal delivery. Think about how painful it is to unload the goods."*or episiotomy is a cut incision made in the tissue between the vaginal opening and the anus during childbirth. This area is called the perineum.For years, an episiotomy was thought to help prevent larger vaginal tears during childbirth. Experts believed an incision would heal better than a natural tear. The procedure was also thought to help preserve the muscles and connective tissue that support the pelvic floor.Today, however, research suggests that routine episiotomies don't prevent these problems after all. ref.mayoclinic.orgWith her sight blocked, Qi Yan came back to her senses and stared at her blankly: "Will the side cut leave a scar?""Of course it will, but depending on the individual's physique, some scars are particularly obvious, and some are not." Chi Nian raised her brows, with a worried expression, muttering in a low voice that there is a high probability that she will also suffer from that knife.The two went out, returned to the sofa and sat down.Qi Yan thought about that night again.She remembered that Lu Zhiqiao was very tight and had no scars. It was relatively smooth with one finger but with two, they felt bound by something, like a rubber band...Based on her experience, it seemed to be the hymen at that time.Seeing Lu Zhiqiao at the parent meeting, she didn't realize it for a while, but she also had doubts after many contacts with her neighbor. But knowing that Lu Zhiqiao is a single mother, she thought it's because she rarely have sex, and the so-called "membrane" grew back again.T/N: hymen doesn't 'grow' back once it's broken/stretched, and the tightness depends on its original form and contraction during arousaland not dependent on the frequency of activity, this is according to my research from google universityBut all these connections, together with mentioning it today, made her feel more and more wrong, and doubts arose in her heart.Has Lu Zhiqiao ever given birth to a child?She didn't dare to think about it any further."Tell me.""Mm?"Qi Yan suddenly came back to her senses, and turned her head: "What's wrong?""If you were Director Lu, how would you deal with it?" Chi Nian said seriously."..."She grabbed the back of Qi Yan's hand, shook her head and said, "It's okay, you can say whatever you want, I don't mind."Qi Yan smiled helplessly: "Why are you still thinking about this? How long has it been?""Indeed, I've been thinking about it." Chi Nian sighed, frowned, and there was a hint of melancholy in her black eyes, "I always thought that Director Lu was targeting me, but I just couldn't figure it out. She used to take good care of me. When I first joined the company, she took me by the hand, and tolerated me even if I made a small mistake. I don't know why I said that when I got pregnant. After hearing about my mother's colleague's daughter, I feel like she didn't do anything...Oh I don't understand."Qi Yan stared at her troubled face, and suddenly remembered Lu Zhiqiao's confession at that time.That was the first time that Lu Zhiqiao told her about work, and it was such an extremely sensitive matter. She showed her ideas, choices, and practices, without reservation.This kind of thing can easily offend people if it is not handled well, but Lu Zhiqiao chose to tell her and share her views with her.In fact, she also trusted her.For a woman who can save her life, she has no reason not to believe that the woman has her in her heart. Not just in her heart, she should also be extremely important.It's just that she doesn't feel it a lot of the time.With a dull pain in her heart, Qi Yan shook her head, trying to divert her attention, and said, "If it was me, I would first let you do clerical work in the office, hand over the work tasks that need to go out to other people, and then symbolically let you do some simple and easy work, as for whether you can do it or not, it's not up to me to decide, and it's hard for me to say, after all, in that position, I'm just a part-time worker, and it depends on the boss's face.Her choice was the same as what Lu Zhiqiao did back then.Lu Zhiqiao took away the work tasks that required running around and assigned her task to other subordinates, but because of the special nature of the position, this move seemed like a job grab.Chi Nian pondered for a moment, nodded, and sighed: "Oh, let's not talk about it, I've already resigned anyway, I just stayed there for five years and have some lingering feelings.""Yeah, it's all over, thinking too much is not good for you to raise your baby." Qi Yan echoed and patted her on the shoulder.She didn't want to discuss it either.It is like when someone asks "Your wife and mother fell into the water at the same time, who will you save first?", how should she answer? There is no way to ignore the two, so simply jump off by yourself.After lunch, Qi Yan came out of Chi Nian's house.The sun hangs high above her head, and the air was a bit stuffy. She walked through the dense shade of trees, avoiding the scorching ultraviolet rays, and quickly got into the car.Thinking about Lu Zhiqiao's matter in her mind, Qi Yan suddenly remembered that the woman sent her something on WeChat yesterday. She saw it this morning, but didn't click on it, and forgot it after waking up. No wonder she felt like she's forgetting something when she was at Chi Nian's house just now.She clicked on WeChat, a little hesitant.The truth is, she doesn't really want to receive any news about Lu Zhiqiao. She hopes that she can block everything about that person like a signal jammer, so that she can really calm down and sort out her emotions.That day, she wanted to delete Lu Zhiqiao's WeChat account, but she struggled for a long time. Firstly, she was reluctant, and secondly, she was worried that if she did too badly, that person would shrink back the steps she took so hard. So she chose to restrict her access to her WeChat.She spoke decisively, but her heart never moved away, like a mischievous child.Just like now, she told herself not to click on the document sent by Lu Zhiqiao, but her fingers didn't listen.Just when she was about to tap on it, a phone call came in.It was Assistant Feng."Hello?""Ms. Qi, hello, I sent a work email to your mailbox, please check it in time." She said In a polite and professional tone."Okay."Qi Yan responded indifferently, hung up, thought about going back and looking again, put her phone dowm, and drove away.There was only the nanny at home, and as soon as she entered the door, Tuanzi ran over, meowed and pounced on her feet to sit, as fat and heavy as a weight. Impatient, she directly grabbed the fat cat by the back of the neck, lifted it aside, and rushed upstairs quickly.She turned her computer on and checked her email.In mid-July, there will be a brand exhibition show at La Pella, on a small island in a Southeast Asian country. It will last for three days and two nights, and she is required to go and shoot the whole process. Although it was a work email, it still asked about her schedule at the end, saying that it could be discussed.Qi Yan likes this kind of polite distance, serious communication, and innocent relationship.She's already resigned by July, and will have complete freedom of time, she can go wherever she wants, and after she is done with the show, she will arrange a trip for herself.Qi Yan replied to the email, saying that there would be no problem.After turning off the computer, she reopened WeChat and clicked on the document sent by Lu Zhiqiao.She looked down bit by bit...The afternoon wind blows in from the balcony, bringing a hint of warmth and dryness. The apricot-colored curtains fluttered slightly, the light and shadow outside the window were mottled, and the fragrance of flowers permeated. Occasionally, a few sparrows pass by, flapping their wings and landing on the eaves.The sunlight slanted into the room, and a small spot of light was projected onto the wall. The golden color brightened the pattern of the wallpaper, outlining a gorgeous and complicated design.It is a peaceful weekend afternoon.Qi Yan sat motionless at the desk, staring at her phone, her long eyelashes were like moth wings, trembling up and down, her amber eyes were filled with water, like a thick layer of frost, gloomy and condensed. Then, her world was windy, rainy, lightning and thunder.After a moment, she took a deep breath, stood up, turned and rushed out of the room.Halfway down the stairs, Qi Yan suddenly stopped, and fell forward, leaning on the wall to stabilize her balance. Her eyes widened, her lips parted, panting anxiously, she sat down with her arms around her knees, crying bitterly.She should have thought of it earlier...How can a person grow into someone for no reason? Just like her, who has the happiness that most people can't get, and then grows into someone that most people envy. It's just that she never thought about it in the opposite way.Behind the happiness and light, there is suffering and darkness, something that her eyes failed to see.Niu Niu was not born to Lu Zhiqiao, she thought about it, but because this conjecture was too bold, it was rejected.Lu Zhiqiao's relatives might have died in an accident. She also thought about it, but she also vetoed it because she didn't dare to think too badly.She saw that the world was colorful, fresh and interesting, but she couldn't see the sorrow, bitterness, struggle and helplessness in the corner. Just like what Jiang Yu said about vision, her environment determines what her eyes can see. Standing tall, she only sees the prosperity in the distance, ignoring the desolation nearby.Their encounter gave birth to the fierce collision of two different people; it was exciting, and more enjoyable, but it also made both of them exhausted.Qi Yan raised her head against the wall, tears flowed from the corners of her eyes, she raised her hand to wipe them away, and when she turned her head, she saw the nanny standing downstairs looking at her, with eyes slightly worried, hesitating whether to come up or not.She shook her head, smiled, got up and went back to her room on the second floor.A warm wind blows into the house, mixed with the smell of sunshine and the aroma of flowers and plants. Qi Yan closed the door, locked it, and sat on the swing chair on the balcony with her phone in hand, completely exposing herself to the ultraviolet rays.She read the contents of the document again.The first half describes the past, family, and Niu Niu's life experience. The second half is written with her heartfelt words, which not only responded to her letter, but also gave her determination.In the beginning, you swept me like the wind and destroyed the wall I worked so hard to build. I blamed you, but in the end I became willing to open my arms and embrace you. I was willing to abandon the ruins and follow you to a better place. To a vast world, to build our own kingdom. Later, you left me like the wind, leaving me alone to guard this empty utopia. I was overwhelmed and in panic but in the end, I decided to run hard to chase you, and break free from my shackles. With love, I will accompany you to fly to a wider world and pursue our happiness.Confessing this to you is not to sell my misery, let alone to gain sympathy, I realize my own problem, even if you have never appeared, I will have to face it one day. We both need a little time to calm down. Temporarily separating is the right choice, but I believe that parting is for a better reunion. You try your best to run forward, but don't run too far, for I'm afraid I won't be able to catch up with you Even if you leave me with a blurry back.You said that you wish for me to find my beloved for the rest of my life, then this is the rest of my life and you are my beloved..Qi Yan finished reading silently, tilting her head, her cheeks were slightly burned by the sun, she put down her phone, closed her eyes, and listened to her own gentle and steady breathing.There was the sound of a bird flapping its wings in the air. She opened her eyes and narrowed her eyes slightly against the glare of the sun. She saw two sparrows chasing and flying from the eaves to the tree branches, and from the branches to the electric poles, side by side. Very close, next to each other.Her face is slightly hot, and so is her heart.At that moment just now, she wanted to find Lu Zhiqiao, wishing she could rush to that person immediately, hug and comfort her. This feeling seems familiar, and it has happened many times. She always feels sorry for Lu Zhiqiao, but she doesn't understand her. She took it for granted in the process of chasing and approaching.If she goes now, they will get back together, and still get along as before, but neither of them will change in the slightest.This is the harsh reality of falling in love with a mother who is burdened by responsibilities, she is doomed to not be able to monopolize the other's heart. She didn't understand the truth before and was reckless. Now that she wants to take that step again, she has to carefully consider whether she can bear the occasional imbalance, and whether she can become the firm and reliable lover for the other party.Although Lu Zhiqiao said in the document that she would balance the weight of love and family affection in her heart, it will still be difficult for her to make a choice.Moreover, asking Lu Zhiqiao to balance them is cruel. That is the daughter of her elder brother and sister-in-law, who saved her life, and also the daughter that Qi Yan regarded as her own. She became childish and got jealous of a child.After thinking about it, she still felt guilty and wronged.What Qiao Qiao said that day hurt her too much.She knew that it was impulsive rather than intentional, but as soon as she thought of that person excluding her from their small family, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of pain in her heart.Before entering the school, Qi Yan only played in her own circle. Although she had met many people and experienced many things, everyone belonged to the same circle and they got along well with each other. But after entering the school, she broke away from her original circle, and was beaten severely. It took her four years to realize that she doesn't fit in.Qi Yan suddenly lost confidence in herself.She's not that sure, or that confident.The two sparrows perched on the telephone pole flew away, one behind the other, over the eaves of the house and to the other side. Two new sparrows landed on the pole, far apart, standing still.Qi Yan hooked the corners of her lips, smiled slightly, looked away, and lowered her head thinking about how to reply.--I'll be waiting for you?No, it seems that she is too active.I won't run too far?No, no, it's still too active and cheap.--Oh?Wouldn't Qiao Qiao be sad if she is too indifferent? What if she stops chasing her?After struggling for a long time, Qi Yan really couldn't figure it out, so she decided not to reply.She is cold and will never compromise.In the afternoon, Lu Zhiqiao drove to the countryside alone and entered the village where the old house was located.In recent years, the countryside has developed very well. The roads have been renovated and refurbished. They are spacious and flat. There are endless green fields on both sides. Every family lives in self-built houses, which are two or even three stories small, with white walls and black tiles and a large yard, which is bigger than that in the city. The villa is even more stylish.The layout of the houses has not changed much. The distribution of households in the past is almost the same as now, but the faces of young people are hardly seen on the road, and most of them are old people and children.Lu Zhiqiao parked her car at the entrance of the village and walked in.In the scorching sun, the hunched old man walked leisurely with his hands behind his back, the three- and four-year-old children were chasing and playing on the side of the road, and a big yellow dog tied to an iron chain lying on his stomach in front of the gate of some houses. He was gnawing on a bone, and everytime he sees a stranger coming, he would bark a few times.When she was a child, she only came here during the holidays and didn't move around very often, so she hardly knew anyone in the village.Fortunately, the layout didn't change much. She walked all the way to the old house based on her memory from more than ten years ago.That place has become a pond.The green and dark stone platform, the brownish-yellow soil, and the surrounding weeds are lush, and there are green duckweeds floating in the pool water, and a few gray-colored ducks are swimming in it, making a hoarse quacking sound.There is an old banyan tree by the pond, and a warm wind blows over, making the shadow of the tree sway.The branches of the banyan tree are thick. When the old house was still there, people could stand on the balcony of the third-floor room and touch its leaves. Lu Zhiqiao still remembers that she and her elder brother took a sticky pole and stretched it from the balcony to the middle of the branches of the banyan tree. They could poke into the bird's nest, and they could catch cicadas in summer. It was very fun.The old banyan tree is much older than her grandparents.She seemed to see grandma sitting under the banyan tree with a small bench, holding a cattail fan in her hand, fanning the wind slowly, relaxed and content."Hey, isn't this Xiao Qiao*?"*Little QiaoA familiar dialect came from behind, Lu Zhiqiao suddenly came back to her senses, turned around, and saw a pudgy middle-aged aunt looking at her in surprise, her face was a little familiar, but she didn't realize it all at once."Hey, it's really Xiao Qiao.""You are?""You don't remember me? I'm Aunt Li, I live next to your house. When I was young, I used to take pig trotters to eat." The aunt smiled happily, the wrinkles on her face deepened a few layers.Lu Zhiqiao was startled, suddenly realized, and smiled: "Aunt Li, I remembered, sorry, look at my memory..."Aunt Li lived closest to the old house and often had contact with Grandma Lu. When the fire broke out that year, Lu Zhiqiao hugged Niu Niu to call for someone, and Aunt Li's family was the first to come.She didn't expect to come back after many years and meet people she knew.Aunt Li was overjoyed, and told her a few words of warmth, and dragged her to go to her house. She couldn't resist, so she had to follow. She still remembers that the woman lived in a small one-story house back then, but now she have built a three-story building with two stone lions by the door, a row of landscape trees, and a brand new minivan parked in the yard.The neighbors are enthusiastic, and they put all kinds of snacks and candies when they enter the door, and they also called their children who came to visit on weekendsLu Zhiqiao's former playmates in the village.None of them forgot the fire, and Aunt Li was even more impressed. At first, she was afraid that she would be sad, so she didn't mention it, but when she saw that she brought it up, she started talking about it.They all know that five of the Lu family died that night, and only Lu Zhiqiao and her little niece were left. It can almost be said that the family was almost wiped out, which was extremely miserable."How are you and that niece doing?""Pretty good. Now she's in junior high school and almost as tall as I am." Lu Zhiqiao smiled and said softly.She hadn't set foot in the village for ten years, and she came here just to find the traces of her past life. The more she escaped, the more she wanted to reproduce the scene of the past. If she wanted to face the past, she couldn't hide from this home townShe thought she would be sad, but when she came here, she realized that all traces were gone, and there was no wave in her heart.It's just that she still hurts everytime she thinks of her brother.She wanted to say something, but the phone rang suddenly, she smiled apologetically, got up and went out to answer the phone.It was her daughter."Baby?" Lu Zhiqiao smiled, her voice so gentle that it melted into water.The sound of her daughter eating something came from the phone, as if she is eating so loudly on purpose, and then I heard a lazy sentence: "Mom, I'm playing at Grandpa Qi's house, remember to pick me up when you come back~"Author's Note:Emm, hasn't reconciled so quickly, so don't get excited sneaky smile.jpg
