2022-2 "October" Novella | Zhong Qiushi: Other People's Room (Optional Reading)

Zhong Qiushi

● Born in 1964, graduated from the Department of Economics, Minzu University of China. He has published many novels in journals such as Harvest, People's Literature, Contemporary, and October, and his works have won the Hundred Flowers Award of Novel Monthly, the Biennial Award of Novella Monthly, the Outstanding Novella Award of Novella Selection, the October Literary Award, and the Zhejiang Provincial Excellent Literary Works Award. Published the novel collection "Zero Years", "Two People's Movies", "Xie Yu's University", "Give Me an Excuse", "Kuncheng Chronicle", "Ears on the Street" and so on. He is currently the editor-in-chief of Jiangnan Magazine, the vice chairman of Zhejiang Writers Association, and a first-class writer.

Other people's rooms

Three

The community began to be closed management, only a side door was opened, and it was easy not to let go out, let alone let in. Each household is allowed to go out for one person for two days, and even if they go out, even if they buy an onion and come back, they have to check their masks to take their temperature, and they also have to hold a suspicious pen (because they have been held by many people) to register a long slip of information. Express delivery and takeaway brothers do not let into the community, they contact more people, is a dangerous element. The notice board in the recreation area used to be a glance, and now there is a conspicuous notice posted on it from time to time.

Jiang Yi finally called and conveyed bad news: First, Wenzhou, as a key epidemic area, cannot move personnel at will. Second, many residential areas in Hangzhou have regarded those who returned from Wenzhou as "terrorists", second only to The people of Wuhan. Jiang Yi said despondently: "I can't go back, and the unit also told me to stay in Wenzhou first, when to go to work and wait for the notice." Guo Jiaxi said: "It is a good thing to take a long vacation with a straight face, why pretend not to be happy." Jiang Yi smiled hesitantly. There is really nothing bad about the family eating and drinking together, and there is still time to gossip. Jiang Yi said, "I have to ask you to continue to guard my house... My mom said that the popularity in the house can't be dissipated. After a pause, Jiang Yi said: "Anyway, staying at home, the new house is always more comfortable than renting a house." ”

Okay, look at the situation, you can only stay. If you go back to the rental house, you can't open the stove, and the takeaway can't be called, and your stomach will be unhappy. It's just a person living in someone else's house, and there is always something in my heart. Of course, another reason for the lack of airiness is that I can't find a job for a while. According to his self-vision, after a year's rest, he will submit his resume, and then find an Internet or new media company to try, and he can't cut off his income for a long time. Now it seems that the company's recruitment will be suspended for some time.

This afternoon, Guo Jiaxi was standing on the balcony smoking a cigarette with some depression, and his eyes caught a white figure walking quickly in the courtyard downstairs, it was the girl. In this neighborhood, she was the only neighbor he knew, oh, besides her mother.

He took two puffs of his cigarette to extinguish the cigarette butt, then went back to his room to change into his tracksuit, then took the elevator downstairs and started walking briskly.

Halfway to the edge of the pool, his steps caught up with the girl, who also noticed him and slowed down. When the two bodies approached, she hesitantly said, "You also came out for a walk?" He said, "The old nest is in a panic in the house... How many laps do you walk every day? She said: "It's not every day, there is a ride without a ride." The two men walked and talked, and he said, "Why don't you run?" You can sweat a little right away. She said: "Don't sweat in the winter, I feel suffocated when I walk, and I have to breathe from time to time." He said: "Well, the whole people are confined at the same time, and this historical scene has caught up with us." She said: "I think it's not because of the epidemic, it's because of my mother." He said, "Well, isn't your mother quite capable of saying that?" Isn't it possible for mother and daughter to chat about boredom? She said: "Not only mother and daughter, we have two groups of mother and daughter in our family." He said, "What... What do you mean? She said, "Haha, I still have a grandmother." The two groups of mother and daughter recently sat down to talk for a long time, and the theme was to solve the problem of lack of yang qi in the family. He said, "Lack of oxygen? Epidemic language? She said, "The yang of yin and yang, the lack of yang." He looked at her strangely, turning his head sideways. She said: "After the end of the year, I was a year older, and the panic in their hearts grew a little longer. He understood, grinned and said, "You didn't avoid this either?" Sympathy sympathy! She looked at him and said, "How do I feel that you are a little schadenfreude." He said, "No, no, it should be the same disease." She said, "You wouldn't say you don't have a girl friend, would you?" He said: "There is a girl friend, but there is no progress for a long time, so I am always lectured by my parents." ”

As the two men talked, their pace was getting slower and slower, and because they walked around the pool afterwards, it became like walking by the pool. He thought of something and said, "By the way, I don't know your name yet." She said: "Add WeChat plus WeChat." The two men stopped and added WeChat, she sent him the word "Fu Man", and he gave her his name back. She said, "My name is Guo Jiaxi, the hope of the family." "That hope is slowly fading." She said, "Why do you say that?" He said: "Lost a job, no house ... I live upstairs from you right now, but the house is not mine. She said, "I know this, I've seen that family of three in the elevator a few times." He seemed relieved and asked, "What do you do?" Your name is a bit artistic. She said, "The name is fine, but Miss Ben works as a treasurer in an art magazine, and her work depends on some art." He said, "Man, slow also." At least you didn't live up to the name and made your mom anxious. She giggled and asked in a soft voice, "How is your vision?" He said, "What do you mean by that?" She smiled mischievously, nudged her mouth to the opposite upstairs, and said, "If you have good eyesight, you may be able to see my mother standing at the window of my house, and my mother's mother." He quickly turned his head to look, unable to see anything. She said, "Ha, I mean, if my mother and my grandmother saw us both standing here whispering, maybe she would be very happy." He said: "My comprehension is relatively poor... Isn't that a bit provocative? She said happily: "To say that the teasing is also caused by my mother, she praised you again this morning, saying that the young man upstairs is good, and it is true that he has not made a noise in the past few days." ”

After adding WeChat, the two people talked more. There is no theme, often east a hammer west a stick, from the tiredness of work, to college anecdotes, and to family insiders. Guo Jiaxi asked the other party why there was a lack of Yang Qi in the family, and Fu Man did not shy away, saying that his parents broke up when he was twelve. Guo Jiaxi asked: Your mother did not find you a father later? Fu Man replied: I can't marry like this, and a woman with an oil bottle is even more difficult to be taken over. Once Fu Man also inquired about Guo Jiaxi's girlfriend, asking where he worked and whether he looked beautiful? Guo Jiaxi replied: The work is a little better than you, and the looks are a little worse than you. Fu Man wrote: Too vague, it is equivalent to no answer. Guo Jiaxi replied: Looking not as good as you, what you want is this answer. Fu Man gave a smiley expression and added a few words: cunning and cunning.

Another day later, Fu Man sent an invitation: My mother had instructed you to come over for dinner. Guo Jiaxi was startled and asked: What is the situation? Is it the Hongmen Feast? Fu Man: I mentioned you today, and she said that you are alone in the house, which is pitiful. Guo Jiaxi: It won't be to examine me, right? I'll be uncomfortable that way. Fu Man: To be beautiful is to give you a meal by an elderly woman. Guo Jiaxi: The first time you come to the door, you have to carry some meet and greet gifts, right? But I had nothing. Fu Man: It's a neighbor eating and not visiting the leader, carrying what a greeting gift! Guo Jiaxi: For me, your mother is a leader. Fu Man: The mouth is very poor, so you can bring the banlan root and alcohol from the other day. Guo Jiaxi: Ha, this is a good idea!

Near the evening, Guo Jiaxi carried Ban Lan Root and alcohol down the stairs and knocked on the door of 801. Fu Man and her mother appeared at the door at the same time to make a welcome note, and Guo Jiaxi called out to his aunt. Fu Man's mother glanced at his hand, smiled, and said, "Upstairs and downstairs, have a light meal, and take something." Guo Jiaxi quickly lifted the bag into the air and let Fu Man's mother pick it up.

Fu Man led Guo Jiaxi to the living room and sat down. Guo Jiaxi looked around and waited for Fu Man to make tea, when Fu Man's grandmother appeared. She was a little thin, moved over with broken steps, sat down opposite Guo Jiaxi, and said, "Mm-hmm, there are guests at home." Guo Jiaxi said: "Grandma is good Grandma is good!" Grandma said, "Well, it's not that good, after the year I'm eighty-eight, and I have less and less strength." Guo Jiaxi laughed darkly, thinking that this old man was a bit funny. Grandma said, "How old are you this year?" Guo Jiaxi said, "Thirty-one." Grandma calculated and said, "I am a year older than Little Man and fifty-seven years younger than me." Guo Jiaxi said, "Grandma, you are very good at arithmetic." Grandma said, "It's not that good, I was smart back then, but now my brain can't keep up." Fu Man said next to him: "When my grandmother was an accountant in a textile factory, how many machines and how many rice cloths were in my head." Grandma shyly said, "Well, don't say these things to the guests first, don't do it first." ”

After a while, Fu Man's mother greeted him with a meal. There are plates and bowls on the table, and there is a hot air rising. Fu Man's mother said: "It is not convenient to buy vegetables during the special period, and you can only get a fewer things." Guo Jiaxi rubbed his hands and said, "There have been a lot of them, and I haven't eaten such a hearty meal in some days." Fu Man's mother said, "By the way, your name is Guo Jiaxi, right?" Guo Jiaxi nodded. Grandma said, "Don't ask for the name first, mm-hmm, eat it first." Fu Man's mother said, "Xiao Guo hurry up, hurry up." Guo Jiaxi lost his restraint and ate actively, and the chopsticks first reached for this plate, and then immediately reached for that plate.

After eating for a while, Fu Man's mother picked up the conversation and said, "Where is Xiao Guo?" How many years have you been in Hangzhou? Fu Man said, "I only took a few bites and started checking my household registration." Guo Jiaxi smiled and said, "My hometown is in a small town in Wenzhou, called Kuncheng." He stayed in Hangzhou for eleven years, four years of university and seven years of work. Fu Manma: "What kind of work do you do?" Guo Jiaxi said: "I can't go on working in the newspaper for a few years, so I came out to find another job, and I haven't found a suitable one at the moment." "To tell the truth, to dispel Fu Manma's secret intentions, this is the strategy he has prepared." Fu Man's mother said, "That... Why not go home for the New Year? During the Spring Festival holiday, I can't find a job. Fu Man said: "This old comrade, you have asked a little too much. Grandma interjected and said, "Little Man, you can't call your mother an old comrade in front of outsiders. Fu Man said, "Grandmother, since you have called people to dinner, you can't treat people as outsiders." Guo Jiaxi laughed and said, "I'll still answer my aunt's question... Going back for the New Year is too noisy, and I want to be quiet for a few days, just enough to guard the new house for others. Fu Man's mother said, "So, this house upstairs is really not your own?" Guo Jiaxi said: "No, no, this house belongs to a classmate, I am now a houseless household, renting a house to live in." Fu Man said, "This old comrade, shouldn't you ask such a question to your face?" I told you this neighbor was temporary. Grandma said, "You can't call the old comrade, Little Man, why don't you listen?" Your mother is an old comrade, so what am I? Fu Man said, "Then you are an old comrade." How, Grandma, are you not convinced? Grandma said, "Your mouth is so poor, hmmm, you can't marry someone." Fu Man's mother kept her topic and said: "No house is good, you can participate in the lottery." Now hangzhou everywhere is building a house, shake a few times can always shake. Guo Jiaxi said: "I don't dare to shake the number yet, I have to borrow money everywhere if I shake it, and I don't have this plan for the time being." Fu Man said: "This neighbor, I have to say something to you... You come for a meal, why are you selling miserably in front of my mother! Guo Jiaxi said: "Don't sell miserable, don't sell miserable, the deposit on my bank card is really a child number, you have to grow up to buy a house." Fu Man said: "Ha, so you are now three no products, no house, no deposits and no jobs." Grandma said, "Well, little Man, you can't talk like that, the guests will be unhappy." Guo Jiaxi said: "Grandmother, I am not unhappy, because Xiao Man is basically right." ”

The scene seemed to bubble up with embarrassment. Fu Man's mother groaned and said, "Look at my confusion, I forgot to take the wine out." Guo Jiaxi said: "I don't drink well, so I don't drink it." Fu Man said, "Don't you want to add a no-alcohol amount in addition to the three nothings?" Guo Jiaxi had to laugh hesitantly. Fu Man's mother took a bottle of liquor and took two small cups and placed them in front of Guo Jiaxi and Fu Man. At this time, Grandma said, "Happy today, mm-hmm, I want to have a drink too." Fu Man said, "Well, what are you happy about?" Grandma said, "At this table, no man has sat up to eat for a long time." Fu Man said, "You all heard me, didn't you?" Wherever this is said by an eighty-eight-year-old man, it is simply the tone of a young woman in 1988. Everyone laughed. Grandma patted Fu Man with her hand: "This child, it is not good to talk." Fu Man said, "Grandma, don't you understand?" I'm praising you too! ”

In the following time, thanks to the help of the wine, the atmosphere at the table was a little more relaxed. Guo Jiaxi drank two cups, and Fu Man drank not badly, and also drank two cups. Grandma was not timid, she took a sip of smacking her mouth, and then took another sip and smacked her mouth, and drank the wine in the cup.

Guo Jiaxi found that because of his grandmother's presence, his embarrassment was reduced a lot.

Back upstairs after dinner, Guo Jiaxi took a shower, and then leaned on the bed to communicate with Fu Man's WeChat. He told Fu Man that if he had no desire, he had just cleared any thoughts, and he was afraid of her mother's interrogation. Fu Man made a playful expression: My mother's cross-examination is a bit rushed. Guo Jiaxi: Your mother's little bit of careful thinking, as soon as she opened her mouth, everyone knew it. Fu Man: So you deliberately set up three no products. Guo Jiaxi: It wasn't deliberately the truth, I used big truth to crush your mother's plot and disappoint her. Fu Man: But your weakness also has side effects. Guo Jiaxi: What do you mean? Fu Man: My mother thinks you are good, honest and reliable, and you can control. Guo Jiaxi: Ha, then I am relieved, the next time I invite dinner I will go. Fu Man: You are young and don't understand the routines of older women. Guo Jiaxi: Huh? Fu Man: You think she is disappointed, but in fact she is secretly happy. Guo Jiaxi: I don't understand. Fu Man: My mother is testing, is it possible for you to be a door-to-door son-in-law, understand? Guo Jiaxi made a surprised expression: No? Fuman: Why not? My mother is clever, this road is not open to try again, anyway, let my daughter find a man. Guo Jiaxi: The water of the elderly woman is really deep, and it seems that this meal is still a Feast of Hongmen. Fu Man: But don't worry, I'm here. Guo Jiaxi: I don't understand it again. Fu Man: I am in charge of my marriage, and I have not taken a fancy to you. Guo Jiaxi made a face that covered his mouth and smiled: "It's so dangerous, I'm relieved." Fu Man: Calm and calm, you can report a few words to your girlfriend about tonight's adventures, and you are allowed to say bad things about me. Guo Jiaxi: Oh, you must resist your mother's side and allow me to say bad things.

Putting down the mobile phone, Guo Jiaxi slowly slid into the bed, his eyes looking at the ceiling. There is a beautiful triangular ceiling lamp on the ceiling, glowing softly. After a moment of silence, he picked up the mobile phone again, found Xiaofei's avatar and clicked it open, and slowly wrote a line: I haven't replied to the message for several days, what am I busy with? I miss you!

Four

The number of confirmed cases in Wuhan is still rising, and the numbers are disturbing. The number of medical teams from all provinces across the country to Wuhan has reached three digits, and it is increasing rapidly every day. Japanese civilian relief materials arrived in Wuhan, and it was written "Mountains and rivers are exotic, the wind and moon are the same day". Chinese scientists have rapidly identified pathogens and genetically sequenced viruses. In addition to these grand news, there are also small videos of Wuhan citizens launching empty street scenes: small green leaves have been drilled out of the branches of trees, and there is a statue of Beethoven on the lonely lawn.

There were no major battles in Hangzhou, and many defensive details were developed in his spare time. Some people think that in addition to wearing masks and washing hands frequently, it is more important to drink more water, which can promote the secretion of their own mucosal tissue fluid to resist the virus. Some people emphasize that when the community goes to the wet market, it must use disposable shoe covers to put on shoes, because a mouthful of phlegm of the virus is a time bomb. There are also some people in the group to discuss the problem of elevator buttons, the fingers can not be directly pressed, have to use toothpicks or tissues, some innovators suggest using ballpoint pen poke, and other smart people recommend a simple lighter, poke a fire immediately after disinfection, can be foolproof.

Guo Jiaxi was lazy and took the elevator downstairs to touch it with a corner of his mobile phone. If there is really any virus, it will slip when standing on the light surface. When he got to the yard, he liked to walk into the shady path first, look at the color of the shrubs, see the new state of the branches, and then wear them out and walk around the neighborhood.

Sometimes Fu Man would ask him to walk the corners with him. In the afternoon, there was almost no one in the community, and the two people did not talk much, walking one after the other. Usually Guo Jiaxi walked in front, Fu Man followed behind, and gradually the distance pulled away, he slowed down and waited for her to get closer. After walking for more than half an hour, Fu Man glanced at the pedometer and stopped.

At this time, the two will make some talks and pass on each other's news of distance and distance in a day. Entering the elevator, Fu Man felt that the conversation was not finished, so he went through the door and did not enter, and followed Guo Jiaxi into the house to continue chatting. The two men leaned back on the couch and went on with each other. If you don't think there's much to talk about, turn on the TV and listen to the various sounds on different channels.

This scene is not interesting, but for Fu Man, it is better than listening to his mother and grandmother at home. A few times when it came to the meal, Fu Man simply did not go downstairs, helped Guo Jiaxi to make some meals, and sat down to eat together. The excuse for asking the mother for leave is that the two people need to be alone and have more time to get to know each other. This reason is a bit slippery, but it hits the mother's heart.

The two people ate a little cold, and Guo Jiaxi used wine to help entertain. He told Fu Man that the homeowner had a lot of liquor, and he had dried two bottles of liquor these days, and now the two of them cooperated to speed up the inventory. Fu Man smiled, at this time she already knew that Guo Jiaxi's alcohol consumption was only two or three, which was a relatively weak level in the wine field, and she could barely struggle, so she was not timid. The two men ate meat dishes and touched their glasses from time to time. With the aid of wine, Guo Jiaxi's face will quickly color and his mouth will become positive. Fu Man asked him, "Your classmate seems to be a good mix, what do you do?" Guo Jiaxi said: "He, as a civil servant in the Education Bureau, has a little power." Fu Man said: "A little power can live in this new house?" Guo Jiaxi said: "Rely on parents... His parents didn't know what business they were doing, and the family was well-off. Fu Man said: "Sure enough, it is a recipient, most people are on this road, and he is no exception." Guo Jiaxi said: "On this road, he also looks like Niu B now, has a house and a son and a face, and belongs to the three people." Fu Man said: "Oh, to have a son you have to have a wife first... Why not count wives? Guo Jiaxi said: "It is not a big deal to have a wife, as long as one is willing to marry and one is willing to marry." Fu Man said: "Willing to marry and willing to marry, I think this kind of thing is very difficult, otherwise we would not both be single." Guo Jiaxi said: "There is a sentence that I always think of asking, why don't you take off the list?" Straight, right? Fu man said, "Bullshit! What about you? Guo Jiaxi said: "I can't be bent either." The two men couldn't help but laugh and raised their glasses and touched them. Fu Man said, "Why don't you take off the list?" There are thousands of people in this city who have not been singled out like us, and need to find out the reasons one by one? Guo Jiaxi said: "This is also true, it is very boring to find this kind of reason, even if you find it, it is not a reason in the eyes of others." Fu Man said: "Yes, others think that your reason is an excuse for not being logical." ”

The wine red on Guo Jiaxi's face seemed to be getting thicker and thicker, and his thinking began to beat a little. He said: "In fact, it is not that we do not talk about logic, it is that life does not talk about logic. For life, logic is just a fake paper dogma that can be ignored. Fu Man said: "Your words seem to have a little depth, and I have to give an example." Guo Jiaxi said: "For example, in the college era, this landlord classmate either slept or played games, his test scores were worse than mine, and his graduation thesis almost failed, but as soon as he left the school, he seemed to be alive and kicked me off." Fu Man said, "If you want to talk about blocking your heart, I'll give you an example." Miss Ben does not like numbers and does not like charts, but when I took the college entrance examination, my mother asked me to fill in the University of Finance and Economics, saying that she wanted to inherit the excellent genes of her predecessors, and I was stupid to follow. Guo Jiaxi said: "Is it because your grandmother worked as an accountant in a textile factory?" Fu Man said: "Yes, in a small textile factory to manage the ledger, that is also considered an excellent gene?" It's a pity that Miss Ben's life path was distorted by herself at the beginning - it is really illogical to think about it now, how can I listen to my mother's words. Guo Jiaxi said: "Then what major should you have studied?" Fu Man smiled and said, "The problem is that I don't know what major to study, I seem to like literature or education or something, but it doesn't matter." Growing up, I never had big ideas and was a person who lacked ideals. Guo Jiaxi said: "If you want to say so, then you can't complain about your mother, first of all, your own mind is not open." Fu Man said: "If you want to say so, you are the same, you can only get a little vinegar when compared with your classmates, and if you don't mix well, you have to blame yourself first." Guo Jiaxi said: "Depend, this returns to an important question, life negative or my negative life?" Fu Man said, "Wow, this question is suddenly serious, a little philosophical." The two men laughed again and took a sip from their cups.

The two mouths came and went so much that I finally talked about it with a lot of excitement. Look at the wine bottle, it has fallen by more than half.

Guo Jiaxi touched his face and touched the heat of one hand, while his brain shook a little, like a moment of light and a moment of darkness. He calmed down, feeling that he still had a lot to say, so he braced his spirits and did not let his tongue slip when speaking.

In the process of chatting, Guo Jiaxi also had a thought running through his mind. The thought was a little drunken, it seemed to be crooked, and he had to exert all his strength to hold on. The idea was: Fu Man is a good girl, and sometimes, she is a bit like Xiaofei before.

The next day I woke up a little late, opened my phone and saw Fu Man's question: Did you sleep well last night? Guo Jiaxi looked at his eyes and recalled, understanding that he had drunk a broken piece last night, and he couldn't remember how the liquor bureau ended and when Fu Man would return. Usually at the wine table, he is not a brash person, and rarely let this happen to him. He was a little shy, and his fingers were still flat: he slept a lot and woke up with no more alcohol. After a few minutes, Fu Man replied: Do you remember what you did last night after drinking? Guo Jiaxi was taken aback and sat up straight on the bed. He made a playful expression, deliberately attacking and defending: Did I do something unseemly? Fu Man: I didn't do it, but you said something unseemly. He quickly tried to think back, but where could he think of it at this time, so he had to ask: The mouth after drinking is always naughty, what do I say? Fu Man: If you see people, how can I pick it out! Guo Jiaxi sent an apology: If you offend, please be inclusive, I slap myself twice. Fu Man was finally happy: Haha, not to offend me, but to tell your secret. Guo Jiaxi was relieved: What secrets can I have as a simple person? Fu Man: The secret is big, but I don't say it. Guo Jiaxi: I will not be fooled by your trick of saying this. Fuman: Okay, well, you didn't say anything, I didn't hear anything. Guo Jiaxi: You are so cunning! Fu Man: I won't pick out that I'm cunning, and it's hard to kill you! She made up a mischievous expression.

Guo Jiaxi couldn't imagine what it was like to drink a lot of wine and what kind of words he could say. Did he say provocative or even loving words to Fu Man with the courage to drink? No, no, it's very unlikely, because I don't have such thoughts in my heart. There can be no expression without ideas.

However, Fu Man's hint did not look like a mysterious joke, and he always said something inappropriate. Fortunately, fairy tales are not informal, and the confused remarks after drinking are uncountable. Besides, what man hasn't said an outrageous word at the wine table.

Guo Jiaxi watched the game and watched the news at his own pace during the day, and brushed a movie in the afternoon. But there was too much free time, and when it got dark, he thought of Fu Man's prompts with nothing to do. Since the wine is not informal, what unseemly words did he say? If you have a secret in your heart, what is it?

This curiosity is a bit boring, but it also seems to be a bit of fun. More importantly, I don't know my own privacy, and it is indeed a little uncomfortable.

He opened his mobile phone and sent Fu Man a WeChat: Tomorrow night, I will invite you to drink again. Fu Man replied very quickly, asking: What do you mean? Is there a conspiracy? Guo Jiaxi: I have been staring at the Moutai in the wine cabinet for a long time, and I am not sure if I don't kill a bottle. Fu Man: You are a bit arrogant, and you want to make the homeowner's classmates break the money. Guo Jiaxi: Oh, rob the rich and help the poor, there is nothing wrong with it! Fu Man: If you dare to rob, I dare to cooperate!

The next evening Fu Man came up and worked with Guo Jiaxi to make some dishes. Guo Jiaxi took out a bottle of Moutai wine from the wine cabinet, opened the shell and looked at it carefully, it was 2016 years old. Fu Man said: "Are you sure you don't have to call your classmates?" Guo Jiaxi said: "No, a phone call will add to the blockage of people, and we will have no strength to drink." Saying that he had opened the bottle cap, a smell of wine burst out.

As soon as the two small wine glasses were filled, they were raised to their lips by two hands, sniffed with their noses, then slowly poured into their mouths, and then breathed out. After this opening ceremony, the progress of drinking will be smooth. The two men talked aimlessly as they let the small wine glass empty again and again. Guo Jiaxi happily believes that compared to other wines, Moutai has made its wine consumption a little bigger. He told Fuman about the discovery, and she chuckled and said, "I think so do I." ”

When the wine gradually rose, Guo Jiaxi quietly pressed the recording button after looking at the hole. Then he pulled out half of the hints that Fu Man had said in WeChat yesterday morning, and walked deeply and shallowly into the preparatory topic. In order to achieve the effect, he also bravely drank three small glasses of wine in a row. He knew it was silly to do so, but it was nothing more than a little drunkenness.

"Today, I'm going to tell my secret to myself." Before he was confused, he said this to Fu Man.

Moutai wine is good, and drinking too much does not ravage people. At three o'clock in the night, he woke up, neither headache nor thirst. But he still got up for a sip of water, smacked his mouth a few times to wake up, and then slid away from the phone screen.

The recording on the phone was still walking, and the hand stopped and turned into a document that lasted more than six hours. Click on the file, skip the insignificant parts, and come to the point. In the mobile phone, his tongue shook, discussing the secrets of life with Fu Man, talking about the topic to Xiaofei. Fu Man said: "I know this, you don't have a girlfriend right now." He said, "How... Isn't Xiaofei my girlfriend? Fu Man said: "The past is not the present, you have broken." He said, "I think... I think about it, as if it has been broken. Fu Man said: "It's not like oh, she has blocked you out on the phone." He said: "This detail ... You know? Fu Man laughed and said, "What you said yourself, is it false?" He said: "It's not fake... She blocked me three months ago... What do you say she is... Why did she do this to me... Why? Fu Man said, "You're here again, a hundred thousand whys." He said, "Don't I just don't have a house for the time being, don't I just have a lot of savings, don't I just quit my job in a rage, didn't I just quit my job and didn't discuss with her... This is... Why. ”

That's the thing! It turned out that he let Fu Man know that he was a fake- his girlfriend had abandoned him, but he still took his girlfriend to save face.

Guo Jiaxi turned off the recording, unwilling to lie down immediately, so he stepped on the balcony to smoke. The downstairs lawn was surrounded by a circle of faint ground lamps, which appeared soft and silent, and in the silence there were frogs chirping one after another. Walking around the yard during the day, you will never encounter a frog, and only at night will you know that there are many such small animals lurking in the community.

His feelings for Xiaofei are also like this. The world is disorderly, it can be a one-shot or two-shot, separated, a person can go forward as usual, but in the dead of night, yes, and when the wine is deeply affectionate, a pain hidden in the corner of his heart will cry coldly.

Counting up, he and Xiaofei spent three years together, the process was smooth and slow, small warm and warm, no out-of-control noise, and no big dog food. At a certain age, encountering practical problems that are difficult to bypass, they have to break up peacefully. Three months ago, when Xiaofei blackmailed him, he was not surprised or dissatisfied, but had a long-lost sense of ease.

But, fucking, there was a hidden pain point lurking in his heart.

Five

Staying in a narrow and empty day for a long time will produce a feeling of weightlessness, as if time lacks a scale, and an hour is too much to use. This state of mind is like an upstart who feels that the money in his hand cannot be used up, and he is eager to change the method and squander it.

Guo Jiaxi also wanted to squander his time, but unfortunately there were not many ways. That afternoon, he went into the study to find a book to read. The two bookcases against the wall are relatively tall, but there are not too many books on them, and none of them are particularly wanted to see. I was a little upset, and I looked down at the drawer door under the bookcase. He had come to the study several times, and had no intention of probing other people's private belongings, and now that he had thoughts, he might as well take a look.

He opened the drawer at once and saw stationery, music discs, old notebooks, certificates of honor, blank letterheads, two glasses cases, and a telescope. Nothing unexpected happened – apparently, the landlord had no intention of storing anything in the study.

He closed the drawer and left the study bored. Walking to the door to think about it, I reflexively went back and opened the bottom drawer again and picked up the telescope. It's a small, delicate telescope that allows you to see the scenery while traveling or watching the stage in the theater, and of course, when you're fine, you can also take a look at the movement in the window of the opposite building.

Hey, now he's fine. He went to the window and pulled back the corner of the curtain and held up the telescope in front of him. The building opposite suddenly drew closer, the color of the façade appeared fresh, and the various sunspots on the balcony became quite clear. But looking into the window, due to the contrast of light, all you see is a dimness.

Needless to say, it is only at night that you can see what is in the house.

After dinner, the night has been thick. Guo Jiaxi stood by the study window again and raised his telescope, this time because of the light in the opposite window, there were also various scenes presented. A couple sat on the couch and watched TV carefully. A girl holds a flower cat and plays with her mobile phone. An old lady paced the room with small steps. A room was still and deserted, and suddenly a little boy appeared, holding something to eat in his hand. In one of the living room stood a fat man in a tuxedo, doing something with both hands.

In the winter, the window of the building can not see the interesting scene. You can't expect two young heads to pop up in the camera and give a heartfelt kiss, or two angry sweaty faces next to each other and swear at each other.

But after a while, Guo Jiaxi couldn't help but pick up the telescope again. There are no major changes in the scene, and no new content has appeared. To say something interesting, is the performance of the fat man in the tuxedo. He still actively stroked his arms, the amplitude was large and small, and the expression on his face, although not clear, was probably vivid. Guo Jiaxi guessed a few times, thinking that what fitness action he was doing, and when he thought about it, he felt that it was not right, because it was impossible to wear a formal tuxedo for exercise.

Guo Jiaxi felt funny, so he sent Fu Man a WeChat message, saying that he encountered a life mystery that he did not understand. After a while Fu Man came up, took a look at the telescope, and judged: "It seems to be doing a conductor, directing a choir." Guo Jiaxi said: "I also thought of being a conductor, but it is too outrageous to be alone in the room than to draw." Fu Man said: "After holding back at home for a long time, I have to do something to make myself happy, whether it is outrageous or not." Guo Jiaxi said: "Then guess again, what song is he directing?" Fu Man said: "I don't know, there are no ears in the telescope." Guo Jiaxi said: "It should be "Wind and Rain in the Same Boat" and "Let the World Be Full of Love" or something, right? Fu Man said: "If you want to know what song it is, you have to go to the door to confirm it." Guo Jiaxi said, "You mean we're doing something outrageous too?" Fu Man said: "Find a happy one, anyway, idle is idle." ”

Two people put on masks and went downstairs, walked to the opposite building, stood in front of the intercom screen and pressed the room number. The other party quickly responded with permission. The two men took the elevator up and knocked on the door with the room number. The door opened a section, and I could see a fat man in a tuxedo standing inside, and the song behind him was faintly audible, not "Wind and Rain in the Same Boat" or "Let the World Be Full of Love", it seemed to be an English song. Guo Jiaxi said: "I'm sorry, we are neighbors..." The fat man in the tuxedo slammed the door and said loudly inside: "I thought it was a property, what did the neighbors do at this time, don't know the danger?" Guo Jiaxi said: "We heard the music and wanted to know what kind of song it was. It said: "All heard and asked what song, your ears are so ignorant!" It seems that the choral conductor has a very big temper, fu man said: "Teacher, teacher, we are ignorant young people, please point it out." It says: "Trapped in this day, only love can dispel loneliness, and I direct right here waiting, "This is just around the corner."" ”

Oh, it's this song! Guo Jiaxi and Fu Man looked at each other and smiled, and had a small happiness after unveiling the mystery.

The two men returned home and sat in the living room, turning on their phones to listen to "This Is Just Around the Corner". The music of this song is quite familiar, and at this time, I found it to enjoy it, and I felt that it was particularly good. The male vocal singer's voice is slightly hoarse but quite magnetic, and it is full of memories and sorrows along the way:

…………

I wonder how we can survive this romance

(Good to know, how do we make romantic love last)

But in the end if I'm with you

I'll take the chance

Oh can't you see it baby

You've got me goin' crazy

Where you go

Whatever you do

I will be right here waiting for you

Fu Man checked Baidu and said: "The original singer is called Richard Max, his wife is not good at making movies in other places, and one day he moved his mind and wrote this song in twenty minutes. Guo Jiaxi said: "Usually after the success of a song, there will always be a fun back story." Fu Man said: "Why did you say that it was made up?" Maybe it's true. Guo Jiaxi said: "Then do you believe in true love, as the song sings?" Fu Man said, "Maybe there is." Guo Jiaxi said: "Maybe again... Maybe a dubious word. Fu Man said: "Because I haven't met it yet, I can only wait." Guo Jiaxi said, "What are you waiting for?" Fu Man said: "Wait for a heartbeat feeling." Guo Jiaxi said: "Never encounter this feeling?" Fu Man said, "Then wait forever." Guo Jiaxi said: "Until the age of thirty, I have not encountered the feeling of heartbeat, can you expect this feeling to come to you when you are forty years old?" ”

This sentence was a bit harsh, and Fu Man did not say a word. She stood up and walked to the glass door and looked out silently. Outside, it was dark, and there were scattered lights in the dark. Fu Man opened his arms and pressed his body to the red word "Fu" on the glass, as if he could have a blessing in this way. Guo Jiaxi got up and walked over, and also opened his arms to stick to her body. She shook slightly and straightened her neck. Guo Jiaxi cocked his chin and leaned against her hair. Fu Man said, "Do you believe in true love?" Guo Jiaxi said, "What you just said is actually my answer." Fu Man said, "You mean you're waiting too?" Guo Jiaxi said: "Maybe... Hopeless waiting. Fu Man nodded slightly, "Well, I haven't encountered a heartbeat at the age of thirty, can you expect this feeling to come to you when you are forty years old?" ”

Guo Jiaxi was a little sad, and his two hands slowly lowered and slid into Fu Man's waist, wrapping around her waist. Fu Man was still, but there was hot air in his nose that burst out and spread out on the word "Fu". Guo Jiaxi felt that he was excited, and his body quickly gained strength. He pulled fu man's body and closed it on his own. His body suddenly received a soft undulating tightness, and the heat in her nose sprayed into his face.

Guo Jiaxi's brain was still a little confused, and his hands and feet had already moved first. He bent down and scooped up Fu Man's body, walked quickly through the living room and knocked open the door of the master bedroom, and placed it on the wide dark bed. This bed was the owner's domain, covered with a smooth satin quilt, and now had to be temporarily requisitioned. He calmed down, flipped on the air conditioning switch on the wall, and turned on the ceiling suction light.

In the warm light, Fu Man was lying on his side on the bed in a somewhat curled up position. Guo Jiaxi lay down behind her and raised his hand to wrap his arms around his elastic shoulders. Fu Man's body opened a little, flipped over and lay flat. Guo Jiaxi's mouth reached over, trying to suppress Fu Man's mouth. Her head parted and she ducked away. Guo Jiaxi didn't think much of it and tried to take off her clothes. She didn't refuse.

One by one, Fu Man's clothes left her body and were thrown to the end of the bed. When there were three points of underwear left, Guo Jiaxi's hand shrank and stopped. The room had not yet warmed up, and Fu Man seemed to feel cold, and pulled the quilt over his body. Guo Jiaxi turned to take off his clothes, two pieces and three pieces... With each piece, his body became one point hotter. Soon, he was exposing his not-so-strong upper body muscles, which were bubbling with a layer of heat. He lifted the quilt and put his body on Fu Man like another quilt.

Just then, Fuman whispered a word: "condom." Guo Jiaxi immediately understood and got up to find the thing. Pull open the first drawer on the nightstand, no. Pull open the second drawer, and neither. Then you should be in the cabinet next to you, jump over and open the drawer one by one, and your eyes are empty one by one. There was a small square box that looked like nissan blind liquid. Guo Jiaxi scolded in his heart, a little annoyed and confused. Fu Man lay there looking at him and couldn't help but chuckle.

Guo Jiaxi said " Wait a minute " , put on his clothes and went out to the second bedroom. After a few minutes, he gladly returned, holding a desired object in his hand, and said, "My classmate who has a career seems to be cunning rabbit two caves, reincarnated in battle." As he spoke, he hurriedly lifted the quilt again, and then he was stunned to see that Fu Man had already put on his clothes. He said, "What's wrong, afraid of the cold?" Fu Man said, "You lie down." Guo Jiaxi lay down next to Fu Man. Fu man said: "I changed my mind. Guo Jiaxi said: "Change... Idea, why? Fu man said, "Because I didn't fall in love with you." Guo Jiaxi did not say a word, and pulled the quilt to his body. Fu Man said, "Are you in love with me?" Guo Jiaxi said slowly, "It seems that there is none." ”

The two men were silent there, looking silently at the ceiling. There is a disc suction lamp on the ceiling, and the suction lamp is surrounded by a beautiful square lamp pool. After a while, Fu Man said, "I've changed, and I'm not happy with myself." Guo Jiaxi moved the corners of his mouth and smiled. Fu Man said, "You're frustrated, aren't you?" Guo Jiaxi said: "It seems that there is none." Fu Man said, "Then you are relieved?" Guo Jiaxi said: "It doesn't seem to be either." Fu Man said, "How do you always seem to be like that." Guo Jiaxi said: "Because I can't eat myself... Of course, many times I can't eat others. ”

Fu Man was silent for a moment, sighed and said, "I just fall in love with someone, let's say you." Guo Jiaxi said: "What you said is actually what I want to say." Fu Man said: "If I fall in love with you, you can be a door-to-door son-in-law, or you can take me around." Guo Jiaxi said: "Well, wandering is a good profession, not to mention two people wandering together." Fu Man did not laugh, but moved his body and turned his head sideways. Guo Jiaxi also turned his head in cooperation. The faces of the two men were so close, and so close to their eyes. Guo Jiaxi looked at Fu Man and even saw himself in the eyes of the other party. After a short while, the other person's eyes floated up, dangling, as if floating on the water. Oh, it turned out that Fu Man had a tear in his eyes.

Guo Jiaxi didn't know how to comfort Fu Man, so he had to look away. At this time, he remembered that he still had a condom in his hand, so he raised it to look at it, and threw it on the floor with a flick of his hand. But soon, he leaned over and picked up the condom and rested it on his forehead. After another moment, he took the condom and tore open the package, tucked it between his lips and blew it up. The sleeve was dark pink, getting bigger and bigger, into a long, sturdy balloon. He knotted the mouth of the balloon and threw a fist into the air.

The pink balloon leapt in the air, trying to stay for a second, then swung and landed at Fu Man's feet.

...... (Unfinished)

directory

2022-2 "October"

novelette

Other people's room/005 bells for truth

Small bean bag of jianghu /027 Gu Yu

Phoenix Dance/067 Cheng Qing

Hunting/128 Meng Xiaoshu

Golden Snowflakes of the Earthly Floating /145 Suranduo

short story

Wedding ceremony/059 Li Chao

Anniversary/163 Tao Liqun

Novel Shinkansen

Go to Haikou (short story)/196 Ding Xiaoning

Moonlight (short story)/206 Ding Xiaoning

Face and Self (Creative Talk)/213 Ding Xiaoning

Debut is Hope (Commentary)/215 Meng Fanhua

Prose

Down from Lü Liang/108 Li Jingze

Notes on the Matter of Extras/173 Leaf Rhymes

Discourse with the Long River/187 Zhang Yang Sheep

The things of the earth

The Introverted Beauty of Desert Life (Part III)/113 Half Summer

Wilderness Apocalypse/121 Liu Dongli

Read and be read

Divine Comedy: Divine Comedy/051 Liu Wenfei

Organ lineage

That lost face/092 Jing Wendong

Poetry

Safari/217 River away

Morning bird with sunflower/220 field grass

Kunlun and others/223 Guo Jianqiang

Ten Shadows on Earth/226 Zhou Qingrong

Spring, now it's your turn to express/230 Zhang Hongbo

Eucalyptus and river/232 Pak Ding An

New Era: Yuantouzhu Series/234 Zong Renfa Pang Yuliang Zhang Hongbo Yubang Sentinel Cheng Xiuhu Lu Wenli Zhonghai Zhang Xiaoxue Gong Xuan Ren Bai Wang Mingfa Wang Xuexin

Arts

Cover burning Qiu Dandan

Feng II Parent-child game Qiu Dandan

Seal three upstairs Qiu Dandan

Cover design Zhao Pingyu

Title inscription Cui Manli

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