coincide
Why?
In the winding alley, Lin Nanyan was also thinking about this question.
The sun rose, and fine rays of sunlight sprinkled through the mottled leaves. The boy squatted on the ground and teased the black puppy. The puppy's wet nose was nudging against his palm, spraying hot air.
Out of the corner of my eye, people were scattered along the street and under the trees, fanning themselves with palm-leaf fans to enjoy the cool air.
Deep in the gravel alley, the door of the house on the far right was wide open. A woman in a black and white shirt was drying beans inside, and she would stand up from time to time to rub her sore waist.
Time has left its mark on her face, bringing some wrinkles at the corners of her eyes that cannot be concealed.
Some people saw it and couldn't help sighing.
"It's all fate. Qinzi used to be such a bright person, but since Old Li passed away, her spirit has become low and she doesn't go out much anymore."
"Back then, our family lived in harmony and happiness, and the couple never had a quarrel. But in less than two months, our lives have turned out like this."
"Don't talk nonsense," an old lady swatted a mosquito dancing around her ear and whispered, "Life is what we make of it. It's a pity that Old Li is gone, but we have to move on."
She was waving a palm-leaf fan, looking calm and composed.
"The compensation for her family's situation is quite a lot. I think Qinzi won't have to worry about the rest of her life."
Others agreed.
"That's true. After all, he's gone. At least he left some money for Kotoko's family. That's better than dying with nothing and suffering from illness."
Someone recalled, "Yes, I remember that Lao Li's health has not been very good in the past two years. Wasn't he hospitalized for a while?"
"You can't tell how a person passed away. If they really died of illness and this happened to happen, it can't be called bad luck."
"It's neither easy nor difficult. What can we do if we run into this situation?" the old lady said, her legs clenched, her weather-beaten face showing a look of indifference towards the world. "We'll just walk and see."
A puppy's whimper and sudden barking woke up a large group of people.
The group of people sitting around turned around and found that a handsome boy had squatted in the corner, holding a puppy in his arms, and his two pairs of eyes were looking at them vividly.
The old lady was startled and looked at the strange face in confusion.
"Whose child are you? Why have I never seen you before?"
Lin Nanyan arched his brows and raised the puppy in his hand in a clear voice. "I don't live here. A classmate told me that they had a litter of puppies and wanted to give them away. I came to buy one."
"A dog," the old woman squinted her presbyopic eyes and carefully examined the puppy, which was held in the air and kicked innocently. "It looks like a country dog. How much did you pay for it?"
Lin Nanyan held the puppy in his arms, stroking its fur with his white fingers to comfort the puppy.
"Five hundred," he said.
"What?" The old lady was shocked, and the people around her were also shocked.
"Five hundred yuan for this little dog?"
"Who sold it to you? Why doesn't he just rob it?"
"This dog, even if it's given away for free here, no one would want it. And you're asking for five hundred. Did you eat gold or silver?"
"Young man, your classmate is not a good one."
The black puppy whimpered as if it understood what people were saying and buried its head in the boy's arms, its fine furry ears drooped, and its wet eyes looked up at the boy eagerly.
Lin Nanyue smiled and covered its ears and eyes with his big hands.
"My classmate told me it was just a common variety, but I liked it so much that I bought it for 500 yuan."
A circle of indignant people: ...
Forget it, there’s no point in talking to a prodigal child.
The gaps between the fingers of today's young people are wider than the sky.
Lin Nanyan continued, "I want to buy another one to keep the puppy company."
Hearing this, the puppy struggled to pop its head out of the gap in his hands and looked at him seriously.
Lin Nanyan didn't even look at it and pressed down the dog's head with his big hand.
The puppy whimpered and pushed hard against the boy's hand.
The onlookers' eyes suddenly lit up, and they all asked in unison, "Buy another one?"
"My son's family just happened to have a dog that's just given birth. Why don't you come with me to take a look?"
"My relative has one too. It's a small country dog that's not worth much. You can give him a few dozen yuan and take him away."
"Why don't we go to my place and see if it's okay for a pregnant dog."
Amidst the clamor, the old lady shouted angrily, "Stop making noise!"
Turning around, she smiled like a chrysanthemum and asked lovingly, "Young man, many families here have dogs. Do you have any requirements for a puppy?"
Lin Nanyan gently grasped the dog's head in his hand and stroked its fur from top to bottom. The puppy was so comfortable that it almost lay on its back in his arms and hummed.
"I want to buy a pure white puppy, no mixed colors, about the same age as my puppy, so that we can grow up together."
The old man looked at the puppy in the boy's arms worriedly.
This condition sounds simple but is difficult to find. Most puppies born are of different colors, but few are of solid colors. What's more, they have to be of just the right age, so the range is getting smaller and smaller.
The old lady asked as if to confirm, "You don't want any other colors?"
Lin Nanyan nodded, "Yeah."
The old lady frowned and thought carefully about whose family had a newly born pure white puppy. Suddenly, she clapped her hands and remembered.
"Didn't Kotoko's dog just give birth to a litter?"
"I saw them a couple of days ago, running around the yard happily. Qinzi was afraid they would poop and urinate everywhere, so she built a fence to keep them contained. I was wondering why I hadn't seen them recently."
The old lady hesitated and said, "There seems to be a white one, but I can't see clearly whether there are any other colors."
Lin Nanyan comforted: "It's okay, Auntie, can you take me to see it first?"
The old lady stood up easily and brushed off the dust on her butt. "Come on, young man, I'll take you there."
A group of people looked at the two people walking away with regret, feeling sorry for themselves for losing the opportunity to make money.
Lin Nanyan followed behind the old lady, observing the surrounding environment and asked, "Did Aunt Qin raise the big dog herself?"
"No, no," the old lady waved her hand, "Old Li brought it back and said it was for guarding the house."
Lin Nanyan: "Old Li?"
The old lady looked at him and said, "Young man, did you hear what we just said?"
Lin Nanyan smiled embarrassedly, "I accidentally overheard a little, Auntie, you are really amazing."
"Of course." The old lady waved the palm-leaf fan in her hand, "I know you're feeling itchy right now."
Lin Nanyan didn't refute and responded, "Yes, I was confused by what you said. I'm fine with everything else, but I'm just afraid I'll say something wrong when I get to Aunt Qin's house."
The old lady understood his feelings very well. No matter who listens to gossip, they will feel itchy and anxious.
Considering that the young man was cheated and was still so innocent, honest and handsome, she didn't mind reminding him a few more times.
"It's not a secret that can't be told. All the neighbors on this street know about it. Old Li is Qinzi's husband. He just died in a car accident two months ago. There's a funeral. Be careful when you go to her house and don't break any taboos."
"Didn't they say he died of illness?" Lin Nanyan asked doubtfully.
The old lady paused and said, "Don't let people who don't understand talk nonsense. If they say he died in a car accident, then he died in a car accident."
She quickened her pace, stepped through the door, and asked loudly, "Is Qinzi home?"
Lin Nanyan lowered his eyes to hide the deep thought in his eyes. That's not what the old lady said when they were enjoying the cool air outside just now.
"At home." The middle-aged woman wiped her hands on her apron and came out.
She looked at the stranger brought by Aunt Qian and asked, "This is..."
Aunt Qian: "I'm looking for a dog. I want a pure white puppy to keep his black dog company. I just thought of your house. Is your little white dog here? Bring it out for me to see."
Zhang Daiqin understood and smiled, "Sit down first, I'll bring it over for you to see."
She turned and went into the room, and Aunt Qian followed her in. "Do you know how much his little black dog cost?"
Zhang Daiqin: "How much?"
Aunt Qian held up five fingers mysteriously.
"Fifty?"
"five hundred!"
"Five hundred!?" Zhang Daiqin exclaimed, "That's really expensive."
Aunt Qian exclaimed, "Who says it's not? Only young people can afford that price. A few days ago, weren't you worried about having too many puppies and where to give them away? You should be nicer to them and try to sell the dogs."
Zhang Daiqin carefully picked up a ball of white fur from the cardboard box and said worriedly, "But mine isn't pure white either. All four legs are black."
Aunt Qian took a glance and thought the four-legged black cloud looked rather cute.
"It's okay. Young people have different ideas every now and then. Now that he has the dog in his arms, if you persuade him a little more, he won't be willing to let go."
Zhang Daiqin: "Is it possible?"
Aunt Qian: "How do you know if it works if you don't try it?"
Zhang Daiqin lifted the curtain and went out, only to see that the boy had already entered the main room. Hearing the voices, he turned around and moved aside, revealing the black coal-shaped puppy scratching the ball at his feet.
"Auntie, I..."
Before he could finish his words, Aunt Qian interrupted him with a smile, "It's okay, it's okay. Puppies like to have fun. That's how it is."
She winked at Zhang Daiqin and said, "I still have to go buy a bottle of vinegar, so I won't stay here any longer. You guys chat."
Zhang Daiqin watched Aunt Qian leave, and turned around to see the boy squatting on the ground with a helpless look on his face, letting the puppy grab his trouser leg and roll around. He didn't dare to pull the puppy hard for fear of hurting the dog.
It seems that he is indeed a child who likes dogs, she thought.
She put the puppy in her hand into the boy's arms. The white puppy suddenly fell into the arms of an unfamiliar person and fluttered around trying to struggle.
Zhang Daiqin stroked the puppy with her hand, and the puppy's restless mood gradually calmed down.
"It has a good temper. Once it gets familiar with your scent, it will become clingy."
"Okay." Lin Nanyan's eyes dropped, casually glancing at the homework book on the table in the living room. He asked in surprise, "Auntie, is your child also in high school?"
Zhang Daiqin looked at the boy and asked, "Are you a high school student?"
Lin Nanyan nodded and said, "Yes, I am a sophomore in Jiangyuan No. 1 Middle School."
"Jiangyuan No. 1 Middle School, that's a good school," Zhang Daiqin said in surprise, "My son Qingyun is a sophomore at Jiangyuan No. 3 Middle School, the same age as you."
Lin Nanyan: "That's quite a coincidence."
Zhang Daiqin poured a cup of hot water and handed it to the other person, saying enthusiastically, "It's quite a coincidence, but the teaching quality of No. 3 Middle School is definitely not as good as that of No. 1 Middle School. Are the teachers there strict?"
The puppy lay on the boy's lap, wagging its tail boredly. Lin Nanyan picked up the teacup and said, "It's okay. Our teacher said that there are many students with excellent grades in the same grade at No. 3 Middle School, such as Li Liang..."
"Li Liang? Li Liang from the second grade of No. 3 Middle School?" Zhang Daiqin asked when he heard the familiar name.
Lin Nanyan looked at her in surprise, "Do you know her?"
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