Time never spoke, but answered all questions.
The feelings that have been washed away by time are only suitable for staying in memories, and when they meet again after many years, each person has different experiences and different hearts, which will only make everyone feel unbearable.
Life is a long way, some people, ah, really walked, and scattered...
①
Ge Hui's former printing agency collapsed, and she drove around for half an hour to finally find a printing agency that could post pictures two streets away.
It was almost dark, she was anxious, and when she pushed the door in, she accidentally bumped into an oncoming person, and the drawings and documents in the person's arms were scattered all over the place.
Ge Hui quickly squatted down to pick it up. At this time, a familiar hometown accent sounded in his ears: "Are you... Ge Hui? You are Ge Hui! ”
Ge Hui followed the voice, recognized the face of the slightly chubby woman in front of her for a long time, and finally found the clues of acquaintance through her little tiger teeth, and she tried to confirm: "You... Are you Don Li? ”
Tang Li clapped her hands: "It's me!" Oh, my God! I didn't expect to meet you here! You haven't changed much in so many years, and you're still so beautiful! ”
Ge Hui smiled, and before she could speak, Tang Li pulled her arm and pinned her to the chair next to her. He hurriedly turned out drinks and snacks from the cabinet, and did not ask Ge Hui whether he ate or not, dividing three by five and tearing each package open.
That kind of solid good, visible to the naked eye, Ge Hui, who has been struggling alone in this city for many years, was warmed.
At this time, Tang Li unscrewed a bottle of drink and stuffed it into Ge Hui's arms, took her hand and asked, "Ge Hui, we haven't seen each other for 18 years, right?" ”
Ge Hui thought about it seriously: "Almost, I haven't seen it since I graduated from junior high school." Later, at the class reunion, you didn't go once, I called your home, but it became an empty number, everyone said that they couldn't contact you, where did you go in those years? ”
Tang Li scratched the back of her head embarrassedly: "After my father died, my family moved away, and I followed my relatives to the south to work for several years." Hey, I can't compare with you, I can't study, I don't mix well, how can I have the face to meet..."
"Tang Li!" Ge Hui interrupted her strangely, "We don't say such things between our old classmates." ”
Tang Li smiled embarrassedly. Ge Hui felt a little embarrassed, looked around the printing agency, and diverted the topic: "Is this your own store?" It's big! I see that the equipment is also quite new. ”
"Yes. After all, part-time work is not a long-term solution, I can't do it when I'm older, and there are more places to use money when my children are older, so I studied for a while, opened this shop, and mixed food. ”
The air condenses again.
②
Ge Hui took a sip of her drink and was trying to find a separate topic, when Tang Li suddenly asked, "Are you going to print something?" ”
Ge Huifang remembered the business, took out the hard disk and handed it over: "In the future, the pictures of my unit will be posted here by you." I'll ask my classmates again if there is any similar business, all of which will be pried over to you. ”
Ge Hui said this sincerely.
She knew how expensive it was for Tang Li to open such a store in this area, and how difficult it was to print now, and through the tiredness on her face, her face that was at least ten years older than her, the cuffs of her worn clothes, and the brushed old cloth shoes, she probably guessed that Tang Li was not so happy.
She wanted to help her.
After all, in the three years of junior high school, they were best friends, holding hands to go to the bathroom together and sharing little secrets together.
The torrent of time has washed them apart, but let them reunite in a foreign land thousands of miles away from home, isn't this kind of relationship the most rare and cherished?
After Ge Hui left the printing agency, she immediately gave Tang Lila business in the WeChat group.
She studied construction engineering in college, and she has more contacts in this regard, plus her popularity has always been good, so when her classmates knew that Ge Hui's good sister opened a printing club, they all expressed their willingness to hold this scene. Anyway, it's all about spending money, it's better to let acquaintances earn and fall into personal favors.
During that time, Tang Li often sent WeChat to Ge Hui, thanking her for helping her pull business, during which the two got together once and chatted about each other's recent situation, such as Ge Hui guessed that Tang Li was really not doing well.
③
After she dropped out of school that year, she went to work on the assembly line of a factory in the south for a few years, married a co-worker early, and gave birth to two children in her hometown, because the life was really unbearable, and the little two left the family business again to break in.
Last year, Tang Li's mother had a serious illness, spent a lot of money, and finally no one was saved. The factory where her man works has repeatedly cut wages because of poor efficiency, and now the whole family is counting on Tang Li's printing club to live.
Speaking of sadness, Tang Li cried. The restaurant was quiet, and she cried quietly, tears still swirling in her eyes, before they were squeezed out and wiped by those rough and wide palms. Ge Hui held her hand distressedly and comforted: "If you have any difficulties in the future, you can tell me that it will be good to survive this time." ”
The friendship after the reunion made the two get closer together. When Ge Hui went to take pictures, she often rubbed Tang Li's hometown dishes, and the two often went to the small shop next to them to huddle together to eat rice noodles and spicy hot, and such intimate contacts lasted for most of the year.
Gradually, Ge Hui faintly felt that Tang Li seemed to have changed slightly.
④
That day, Ge Hui went to take the picture according to the custom, but it was empty, and the picture was not posted.
Tang Li's reason was that the second eldest was ill, and she went back to her hometown and was delayed.
Even so, Ge Hui is not good to say anything. Unexpectedly, similar things happened one after another, and Tang Li could always find the last resort.
Until one time, Tang Li was unable to submit the drawings as promised, and that drawing, Ge Hui was in a hurry, and she specially emphasized it when she sent the drawings.
If you can't get the picture, the project team may disrupt the progress because of her negligence, the consequences are very serious, she is almost dying, plus the two have a good relationship, so they are not polite and complained: "Tang Li, what's going on with you?" Always drag my diagram, I also specially told you to use urgently, how do you let me make a difference? If you can't get out of the way, tell me in advance. ”
Tang Li blushed, smiled and apologized, and finally Ge Hui returned to the project team empty-handed and was scolded by the project manager for a while.
Looking back afterwards, the relationship between the two seems to have faded since then.
Originally, Ge Hui did not take this matter to heart, complained, sent it over with a picture, and went to chat with Tang Li when he had time.
Later, she found that Tang Li was taking on more and more work, so busy that she couldn't take care of her at all, so she didn't go funny.
At the end of the month, Ge Hui took three months' worth of posting invoices to the financial account. In the afternoon, the finance department specially talked to her and asked her why the posting fee had risen so much.
Ge Hui chuckled in her heart.
She remembered that she had only mentioned the price to Tang Li once, and Tang Li's answer was "I will definitely give you the lowest price in the industry", and she never asked again. Different printing agencies, the price of pictures are similar, can spread a large customer with continuous business needs, printing agency will only reduce the price as much as possible to retain customers, never higher than the average. For the first two months, the finances did not raise any objections.
Of course, these are not reasons, in other words, Ge Hui will definitely pay attention to the problem of money from time to time, but this person is Tang Li, her former good friend.
The more important reason is that she feels that she takes care of Tang Li and compares her heart to her heart, and Tang Li can also understand her, even if she is not cheaper, at least she will not pit her. She trusted Tang Li so much, even every time she hung the account, Ge Hui did not check whether the quantity was right, and she always waved a large pen and signed it directly.
⑤
The finance threw the bill in front of Ge Hui: "See for yourself, this is the quantity, this is the total, how much do you calculate the unit price?" ”
Ge Hui glanced at it weakly, and said weakly: "Recently, the printing agency has increased its price..."
The finance gave her a blank look: "The price increase has not risen so outrageously!" Ge Hui, this is what I saw, as an old colleague for many years, I remind you that if you are discovered by the project manager, you will be finished, and you must have a little count in your own heart. ”
Out of the finance room, Ge Hui was angry. She wanted to call Tang Li to understand, but she couldn't ask anything, and instead sent a separate WeChat message to those classmates to understand the situation, and after this inquiry, Ge Hui was about to die of nausea.
For the classmates and customers introduced by Ge Hui, Tang Li has always treated them differently.
The scale of the project is large, the company is famous, the price is the lowest, and the drawing is the fastest; A project like Ge Hui's average scale, the price is in the middle, and it will be delayed if it is too busy; There is a student who contracts his own project, and he needs to save the most money when he pays for the picture of his own money, but the price is the highest.
But overall, the price Tang Li gave them was higher than the price on the market.
From the perspective of doing business, Tang Li did this, Ge Hui can understand, but these people are all recruited by Ge Hui by brushing her face and selling favors to Tang Li, and they all know each other, Tang Li knows, she does this, has she considered Ge Hui's situation and feelings?
The classmate who spent the most money complained in a low voice: "Ge Hui, our family bag project, you helped me a lot, if it weren't for your face, I would have changed places earlier." Even if you are expensive, you still drag pictures at every turn, I have a total of a few, said that the day to take pictures, but the result is always empty, twice even told me that she forgot. ”
Ge Hui hung up the phone, extremely disappointed in Tang Li, and then thought that he was also held by the finance, and he was even more angry, and directly left a message in the group: "I just recently found that the price of the printing agency I recommended is on the high side, you can find a few more." She is just an ordinary classmate of mine, don't be too embarrassed. ”
After that, Ge Hui never went to Tang Li again. There were some things she didn't feel the need to say.
Putting aside the considerations of classmates and good friends, she can calculate and bargain better than anyone. She quickly changed to a new printing agency, and since then she has not spent a penny more in vain, nor has she been dragged a picture.
⑥
That day, Ge Hui worked overtime in the project team to do information, and Tang Li, who had not been in touch for a long time, finally called.
Ge Hui pretended that nothing had happened, and asked in a relaxed tone: "What's the matter, old classmate?" ”
Tang Li said, "No... It's nothing, I just haven't seen you for a long time, and I miss you a little. Come to me to gather, a few days ago my hometown brought two bacons, don't you love bacon rice the most? ”
Ge Hui was trying to find a reason to resign, but Tang Li said again: "The rice is all under the pot, I specially brought your share." ”
Ge Hui's heart softened: "Okay, I'll go over after finishing the work at hand." ”
When Ge Hui rushed to the printing house, she found that Tang Li was not preparing a pot of bacon rice, but a table of hearty wine and dishes, with a strong sense of ceremony.
Tang Li, who was standing behind the table, kept pulling a stiff smile after she entered the room, revealing a kind of compliment and courtesy from Party B to Party A.
She served Ge Hui a large bowl of bacon rice, and when she handed it over, she asked cautiously: "Have you been busy lately?" Why didn't it come? ”
Of course, Ge Hui knew that Tang Li was not concerned about her, but her authority and business. Presumably, the students she introduced may have changed to other printing clubs, and Tang Li couldn't hold her breath before she would find Ge Hui to come.
Ge Hui didn't want to eat this meal in this strange atmosphere, so she simply picked it out: "Everyone thinks that it is too expensive for you to post pictures here." ”
Tang Li was stunned for a moment, and said with a smile: "Now everything is going up in price, how can I live if I don't raise the price?" Then again, no matter how much money it is, it's not you who come out, it's your unit to bear it. ”
After speaking, her meaningful eyes fell on Ge Hui's face, and the light was dim, reflecting her eyes were particularly cloudy. She got up and gave Ge Hui a chopstick dish, her movements were still intimate, but her expression showed a kind of oiliness that knew the rules of the world.
Ge Hui put down her chopsticks and said solemnly: "Which project doesn't have a budget?" No matter how large the unit, it is impossible to spend money casually. No matter how good our relationship is, you can't embarrass me." ”
Ge Hui originally wanted to wrestle with her about watching people's dishes, but then thought about it, since she could do this in the first place, it means that she agrees with such a code of conduct and logic, and there is no need to waste her lips and tongue if she doesn't understand.
Tang Li didn't answer, her eyes lowered, and after some calculation, she turned around and opened the drawer next to her, took out an envelope, put it in her hand, and put it directly in front of Ge Hui.
⑦
Ge Hui looked at the thick envelope, her heart was extremely shocked, her emotions surged, and she didn't slow down for a long time.
"What is this for? What do you mean? ”
Tang Li pretended to smile easily: "Actually, I was ready for a long time, but I was too busy some time ago and forgot to give it to you." ”
Ge Hui looked at the envelope in disbelief, and then at Tang Li, a chill swept through her heart, and she asked in a shaky voice: "Do you think that I deliberately changed places and didn't let everyone come because I didn't get the benefit fee?" ”
Tang Li's face said "Originally, all feelings and righteousness are in the face of personal interests", but what came out was a set of quack-filled and righteous words: "Ge Hui, you don't have to think too much." I don't just give you money, others give it too. You think, there are so many printing agencies, why do people choose me? ”
Ge Hui said sadly, "We are good friends!" ”
Tang Li smiled: "Just because I am a good friend, I can't treat you badly, strangers have given benefits, and good friends can't be left behind." ”
Ge Hui looked at Tang Li with tears and smiles, she knew that today's money, whether they took it or not, they could not be as good as before.
Sure enough, the friendship that has been washed away by time is only suitable for staying in memories, and when they meet again after many years, each has different experiences and different hearts, which will only make everyone feel unbearable.
At this point, Ge Hui didn't want to engage in those twists and turns, and said directly: "Tang Li, you remember, I just wanted to help you at the beginning, and I didn't have any other ideas. If you could treat me and my classmates as ordinary customers with the same respect and heart, instead of treating us as wrongdoers and acquaintances who can be snubbed at will, we would not have come to this point. Have you ever wondered what people would think of me if I introduced a store like yours to my classmates? ”
Tang Li's face was smiling, red for a while and white for a while. She was about to open her mouth to defend, but Ge Hui picked up the wine glass next to her and drank it. Then he picked up the envelope and looked at it, and said with a smile: "Let me see how much I am worth in your heart?" ”
Then, she took out the money inside, counted it, put it in again, put the envelope on it, put it back in its original position upright, and got up to leave.
Ge Hui does not complain about Tang Li, she is now a businessman, and she wants to maximize her interests. Therefore, in the face of a long list of customers, she has to weigh which people to focus on and maintain carefully, and which people can be dragged into the corner and left out. As for what trouble it can bring to Ge Hui, she doesn't care. Or rather, she felt that it was a benefit fee that could be offset by a benefit.
Ge Hui thought that if she wanted to blame, she blamed herself for treating Tang Li as a friend, and Tang Li actually only regarded her as a network.
Once friendship becomes a network, it is not friendship.
Ge Hui returned home, went to the attic to rummage through the cabinets, and finally turned out the junior high school graduation photo of that year in a large dusty cardboard box.
In the photo, little her and little Tang Li, wearing the same ponytail and the same red dress, snuggled up tightly, squinting in some dazzling sun, smiling innocently.
Ge Hui held the photo tightly to her chest, extremely disappointed.
Alas, life is a long road, friends are not often there, some people, ah, really walking, scattered.
——End——