41

The dinner venue was chosen to be the Accord Hotel, which my family often visited.

One of the dining etiquettes of this hotel is that formal attire is required to enter.

Everyone in the restaurant was dressed in suits and ties, and their manners and movements exuded elegance.

Only two people are different.

They were wearing the uniforms of the Normal School Affiliated to the Normal University and followed the manager. One of them was hanging on the other in a casual manner. One of them had a flamboyant smile on his face and his mouth was moving all the time, saying something, while the other had a stern face, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised, listening quietly.

No one around said anything, they just glanced over there and continued eating.

The last banquet was a huge event and everyone knew them.

"This is it." The manager helped open the door.

"Thank you, Manager Chu, for showing us the way!" Xiao Mingyang showed his signature smile.

Li Xiangze followed suit, "Thank you, Manager Chu."

"This is what I should do." Manager Chu smiled, said hello to the people inside the door, and left first.

Grandpa couldn't come to this family gathering, so the protagonist of tonight's family gathering, Xiao Zhichen, was sitting at the table directly opposite the door.

On either side of him were his father and uncle, who seemed to have already started talking. His mother and uncle's mother were sitting on the other side of his father.

They greeted their elders and prepared to sit down.

"Xiao Mingyang! Brother Xiaoze!" Xiao Xiran sat next to his father and patted the empty seat next to him excitedly, "Brother Xiaoze, come and sit here!"

"Why do you call him brother and not me?" Xiao Mingyang was not convinced.

"Your mental age is about the same as mine, so why should I call you brother?" The child raised his head and said with confidence.

The result was that his father pinched his cheek and said: "No matter what, he is your brother, you can't be so rude!"

The little guy turned his head and snorted, "Brother Xiaoze, come and sit next to me!"

Xiao Mingyang immediately trotted over and took the seat that Xiao Xiran had reserved for her brother Xiaoze. Li Xiangze smiled and sat next to him.

Xiao Xiran was very angry and tried hard to push his brother away, but this guy just folded his hands, leaned back in the chair, closed his eyes and took a nap.

Xiao Xiran became even angrier: "Xiao Mingyang!"

Xiao Mingyang replied with a smile: "I'm here~"

The dishes were served one after another, and the family was having a lively time.

"I heard that you were participating in a sports meet these days?" The uncle looked at them.

"Well, today is the closing ceremony." Xiao Mingyang answered and peeled a shrimp for his wife.

"What awards did you two win?" Xiaoshu returned to his usual gentle and elegant self.

"We didn't win any awards," Xiao Mingyang smiled. "We participated in a long-distance race, and the people competing with us were all athletes."

"It's not bad to make it to the finals." My aunt smiled.

"You made it to the finals? Not bad, not bad." Uncle nodded with a smile.

"Their teacher sent them several photos," Mom picked up her phone, "I sent them to the group... Has Xiaoze not joined yet?"

Li Xiangze was still chewing and could only nod: "Yeah."

Yan Qi looked at his son and said, "Pull your brother in."

"Okay!" Xiao Mingyang took off his gloves, took out his phone, leaned towards Li Xiangze, and whispered in his ear: "People like to read public accounts and those short videos on WeChat when they get older. Remember to turn on the message do not disturb function after you go in."

Li Xiangze pursed his lips and suppressed a smile: "Okay."

Xiao Xiran narrowed his eyes and looked at his brother: "I heard everything! You say..."

Xiao Mingyang covered his sister's mouth and manually silenced her: "Just tell me, am I right?"

The child thought about it and nodded.

＊

The uncle was in a surprisingly good condition today. The paranoia and extremism of that day seemed to be just a dream of Xiao Mingyang. The uncle remained unchanged and was still the uncle who could be friends with him.

As the dinner was coming to an end, Xiao Zhichen stood up, walked to Xiao Mingyang, patted him on the shoulder, and motioned him to leave.

As soon as Xiao Mingyang left, Xiao Xi moved to his position and tugged at the hem of Xiaoze's clothes: "Brother."

Li Xiangze almost choked on his water.

The child quickly patted him on the back and said, "Don't you like this name? Then I'll call you sister-in-law."

Li Xiangze coughed and waved his hands: "Who, cough cough cough, who taught you?"

"My parents told me." The child said truthfully.

Li Xiangze raised his eyes to look at his uncle and aunt, both of whom were smiling lovingly.

Okay.

Li Xiangze finally recovered.

The child knelt on the chair and whispered in his ear: "My brother is too naive, not very smart, and very timid. Brother Xiaoze, you have to take good care of him."

The child thought for a moment and added, "Of course, if he bullies you, remember to tell me and I'll help you deal with him!"

The child scratched his head, thinking of the domineering CEO novel he'd been reading recently: "Also, if one day you don't like him or he does something wrong to you, don't get yourself into trouble, don't be soft-hearted. He's shameless and will definitely cling to you. So you should stay away from him, go abroad and hide. After all, he can't speak English..."

Li Xiangze smiled: "Okay, thank you Ranran."

But to be fair, he felt that it was impossible for him not to like Xiao Mingyang in this life, and he was willing to trust him and would never do anything to let him down.

But of course I can say that...

Li Xiangze's eyes were red.

After the child said these words, he moved his bowl and chopsticks over and ate happily with Li Xiangze while chatting.

＊

The hotel balcony is beautifully decorated. Now it is night, and overlooking the city night view from the high floor is quite interesting.

Xiao Zhichen didn't say anything, but lit a cigarette for himself first, then leaned on the fence, took a deep breath, and exhaled: "Yangyang, thank you."

Xiao Mingyang pursed his lips, not knowing how to respond. After a long silence, he smiled and said, "It's okay. Everyone has a breakdown sometimes."

The uncle turned his head to look at him, took another puff of his cigarette, and smiled: "You've really grown up."

Xiao Mingyang smiled, but didn't know what to say.

After a long pause, he managed to utter, "How have you been lately?"

The evening breeze blew across their cheeks, quite softly.

The cigarette in my uncle's hand flickered.

"I talked to a psychologist for a long time and I feel much better. I also solved the problems at the company with your father." My uncle smiled easily.

Xiao Mingyang nodded and watched him smoke quietly.

The uncle felt his gaze and asked, "Come?"

Xiao Mingyang quickly shook his head: "No."

My uncle smiled and lit another one.

Xiao Mingyang gripped the railing beside him with both hands and tapped his fingers lightly: "I heard from my mom that you are going abroad tomorrow?"

Xiao Zhichen nodded: "Well, go and relax and walk around."

Xiao Mingyang grabbed the railing fiercely, his knuckles turning white: "Come back and bring me a gift."

The uncle took a sip, looked at him and smiled: "Okay."

Xiao Mingyang loosened his grip on the railing and extended his pinky finger: "Pink pinky!"

My uncle put out his cigarette and hooked it: "Okay, pinky promise."

It feels like I’m back in my childhood.

Together they chanted a spell they only knew as children: "Let's make a promise and hang ourselves together for a hundred years, and we won't change our ways!"

It seemed as if everything that happened before was just a dream.

Xiao Mingyang also hoped it was a dream.

＊

When Xiao Mingyang returned home in the evening, he was very depressed. After washing up, he lay down on the bed and didn't move.

Li Xiangze sat down beside the bed and pinched the back of his neck: "Don't you want the reward?"

Xiao Mingyang put his arms around his waist and buried his head in it: "It would be great if my uncle hadn't done those things..."

"It's already happened. No matter how much you struggle with it, you can't change it." Li Xiangze pinched the back of his neck hard, leaned over and kissed his lips, "If you don't want to, just turn off the lights and go to bed."

Xiao Mingyang rushed over: "How could I not want to?"

＊

My uncle's flight was the next afternoon, and Xiao Mingyang insisted on seeing him off.

Before leaving, Xiao Mingyang gave his uncle a big hug and patted him on the back: "Don't forget what you promised me!"

My uncle smiled and said, "I won't forget. When have I ever lied to you?"

Looking at his uncle's figure getting smaller and smaller, Xiao Mingyang's eyes began to feel sore.

Li Xiangze silently held his hand and said, "Let's go. It's almost time to go back to school."

Xiao Mingyang nodded, walked a few steps, and suddenly stopped.

Li Xiangze turned around: "What's wrong?"

"Please accompany me to the secret base again." Xiao Mingyang said.

Although Li Xiangze didn't know why he did that, he still agreed.

The sun was already setting, and the two of them bought some drinks and walked skillfully to the riverbank.

The afterglow of the sun cast a dim light on the riverbank.

"My uncle and I were chatting here last time, and the next moment I opened my eyes, I was already at the hotel," Xiao Mingyang said.

Li Xiangze pursed his lips and imitated Xiao Mingyang, hugging him and rocking him: "It's all in the past."

"Yeah," Xiao Mingyang exhaled and shouted towards the other side, "It's finally over——"

Li Xiangze smiled and turned his head to look at him quietly.

Xiao Mingyang smiled and tilted his head: "Hey, didn't you teach me how to skip stones when we came here last time? I think you got distracted later and didn't teach me."

Li Xiangze raised his eyebrows: "Then should I continue teaching today?"

"Okay!" Xiao Mingyang happily pecked his wife on the mouth, "Keep going!"

Li Xiangze lowered his arms and squatted down: "First, find a flat stone."

"Hey!" Xiao Mingyang squatted beside him, humming a little tune and rolling around on the rocky beach.

Li Xiangze quickly found a stone that suited his taste. Xiao Mingyang happily ran over with the stone to show it to him: "Does this outline look like a puppy?"

Li Xiangze sighed: "Like, a puppy like you."

"Huh?" Xiao Mingyang tried every angle, "Does it look like me?"

Li Xiangze smiled, handed the stone in his hand to him, and went to find another one.

He carefully explained the technique of skipping stones and led the other party to practice over and over again.

Xiao Mingyang was a smart little dog. He mastered the technique in no time and made 5 water skips.

He shouted excitedly: "Oh my god! Aze! Did you see that? Did you see that?! Five of them!"

He took out his phone, turned on the camera, and handed it to Li Xiangze: "Take a picture for me! I want to post it on WeChat Moments and show off!"

The expedition started off badly.

This time the angle was too big and the fight didn't start.

"This time doesn't count! Let's try again!" Xiao Mingyang rolled up his sleeves and picked up another stone.

I hit it many times, but still couldn't hit 5.

"Hey! I don't believe it!" He walked towards Li Xiangze, "Baby, give me a buff!"

After saying that, he kissed her directly.

The kiss was brief and ended before Li Xiangze could react.

I don’t know if it’s a psychological effect, but this time the buff was very useful. Young Master Xiao made 6 water skips in one breath!

"Wuhu!" Xiao Mingyang jumped directly onto Li Xiangze and bit his face several times. "Aze! You are so awesome!"

Li Xiangze's face was covered in saliva. He wiped it with paper and handed him the phone with a smile: "I took a picture of it."