filial son
News came from the class next door that their head teacher, Wen Chengwen, the one Zhang Tu complained about for his heavy smoking addiction, fell ill.
When Zhou Xi heard the news, he was stunned. For some reason, the navy blue old man's shirt suddenly appeared in his mind.
But she didn't have much energy to think because she had caught a cold again.
Classes were held one after another and test papers were distributed one by one. Zhou Xi could hold on for a while during class, but he would lie down on the table after class.
Gao Liyang drank some hot water and his eyes fell on Zhou Xi, who was wrapped up like a dumpling. Even the mask on his palm-sized face couldn't hide his tiredness, and his brows were never relaxed.
She is so stubborn. I asked her to take a rest, but she refused and insisted on attending the class.
Gao Liyang quickly tore off two more heat packs and stuffed them into the school uniform jacket covering Zhou Xi's legs.
On the first day of the final exam, Zhou Xi fell asleep during one of the exams.
She felt unprecedentedly tired, as if she had fallen asleep and was reluctant to wake up. She curled up into a ball, feeling cold.
Examination, examination.
I’m so sleepy, so sleepy, really tired.
In the subconscious, reason and desire are constantly pulling each other. Taking a step back is relief, while taking a step forward is a blizzard and will drown you.
Someone come and give her a hand.
“Bang, bang!”
“Wake up!”
A shadow enveloped Zhou Xi and the test paper, then it became brighter the next second, and the footsteps faded away.
Zhou Xi's pen fell onto the table without her noticing. She lay on the table, staring blankly at the smeared ink, her long eyelashes trembling. One day, she actually didn't have the courage to hold the pen.
I don't have the strength.
Zhou Xi handed in the paper in a daze. She no longer cared about how she did in the exam.
She couldn't help it, she really wanted to see Xu Shulan, just a glance, from a distance.
Day after day of insomnia caused her nervous breakdown. Zhou Xi opened her sore eyes. The ceiling was shining brightly under the snow outside the window. She didn't know when the sky would brighten.
One, two, three, the snow stopped and her fever went away.
"Go back and have a good rest, turn off your phone, and don't overthink it. Do you hear me?"
Zhou Xi sat on the stool, looking lazily at Gao Liyang who was facing away from her, revealing a section of his snow-white neck.
Gao Liyang was helping her pack her things, his hands never stopping, and she no longer felt cold. He quickly took off his scarf and stuffed it into Zhou Xi's hand.
My fingers gently groped over the soft fabric, it was very comfortable.
"I heard you, nagging mother."
"Tsk! You're still in the mood to talk back to me. It seems you're not that weak."
"Um."
There were not many people left in the classroom, and everyone wished they had three heads and six arms so that they could clean up the mess and rush home.
Yang Jinyang hasn't arrived yet, so Zhou Xi is not in a hurry.
Her eyes fell on the upper left corner of Gao Liyang's desk, where there was a small piece of paper covered with transparent tape countless times.
It says - Material not reflected.
There was one time when she was explaining a problem to Gao Liyang. There was an answer, but she said it was not reflected in the materials and could be skipped.
But Gao Liyang argued with her, saying how could this not be reflected, this word and that word clearly had the meaning of this option, and it was clearly reflected.
It is said that there is something wrong with the person who set the question, with the broken answer, and with everyone being misled by the majesty of the answer, not with Gao Liyang's understanding.
Zhou Xi tried to explain it to him using theory, but it was like talking to a cow. You can never wake up someone who is pretending to be asleep.
Finally, Zhou Xi smeared the test paper on his face, and Gao Liyang stopped complaining.
But from then on, material non-reflection became his ironclad motto.
"You said that during the time you were sick, I took care of you like a nanny, worrying about this and that. Are you happy? Are you comfortable serving me?"
"Comfortable, what a filial son."
"Thank you very much."
Zhou Xi felt that his ears were a little clearer, but his nose was still blocked and his voice was buzzing.
"No need to thank me. It's your turn to serve me next year. I'm waiting." Gao Liyang felt that Zhou Xi was obviously an indestructible cockroach. He was extremely strong, but so fragile that he would break at the slightest touch.
But they have a strong mentality and don't care. They have the attitude that if you can't kill me, I will do my best. Young people are different.
"Okay, I'll bring you some soy milk."
Gao Liyang: “…”
Thank you.
"Sister Zhou, we are here!"
Lu Zisheng was carrying a huge schoolbag on his back, which made his down jacket look extremely thin, as if he would be knocked over by the huge backpack on his back in the next second.
"Come, come, come here!" Gao Liyang sat down on the table, his long legs supporting the floor, with two piles of books beside him.
"How are you? Are you feeling better?"
Chen Yu didn't have that many books. Some of them had already been moved back during the month-long vacation, and some unimportant ones were thrown away directly. He was alone and was unable to do anything.
"Much better. I won't die."
"Bye, see you next semester!"
"Bye-Bye!"
"Bye-Bye."
"I won't say goodbye, I'll just take a ride."
"Hey, Chen Yu, you're such a pretty boy, take a ride back!" Lu Zisheng leaned close to Chen Yu's ear and said a lot of things, then patted him seriously.
"knew."
Lu Zisheng had no pocket money left at the end of the semester, and he didn't want to take the bus to go home, so he begged Gao Liyang for a long time before he got the money.
"What are you talking about?" Zhou Xi watched the two people get into the car. The driver must have stepped on the accelerator, and a cloud of dust was raised behind the car.
"I won't tell you." Chen Yu put Zhou Xi's book on the bus stop, and wearing a down jacket, squatted down with some effort to tie his shoelaces.
"Okay."
Zhou Xi got in the car, pulled up his mask, put on his hat, and fell asleep.
Yang Jinyang saw that Zhou Xi was sleeping and there was no sound, but he found driving boring, so he pulled Chen Yu aside and chatted in a low voice all the way.
Yang Jinyang first sent Chen Yu home, and then drove to Zhou Xi's house.
"Thanks, bro!"
"You're welcome. Thank you all so much for taking care of my sister!"
Yang Jinyang controlled the steering wheel, turned the car, and closed the window: "Wake up! Don't sleep anymore, Xier pig!"
"Um."
Zhou Xi stretched out five hands and gently poked the car window glass, leaving only a dot.
Zhou Xi went home and lay down in her room. It was so quiet that she seemed to still hear the wind and snow howling outside the window, trying to drive her crazy.
The familiar place and familiar smells finally allowed her to sleep well. In her dream, her family sat together, eating and chatting, and her parents had not appeared in her dreams for a long time.
She heard them laughing and saying to her
Tongtong, you've grown up now, you need to take good care of yourself...
Xu Shulan touched her head again and again, but why was it cold?
When I woke up again, it was dark and I couldn't see my hand in front of me in the room.
Zhou Xi heard the regular beating of his heart, exhaled, turned his head, and saw light coming from the crack of the door.
Yang Jinyang said that after sending her home, he would rush to work again. Zhou Xi blinked, feeling inexplicably nervous and not daring to open the door.
My heart started beating irregularly, as if it was starting to speed up, thump, thump.
Finally regaining the strength, Zhou Xi put on his slippers.
Da da da.
Xu Shulan taught her from a young age that she should not drag her feet when walking, as it would make her shoes rub, and most importantly, it would appear impolite and listless, but at this moment she could not control her heavy legs.
My hand rested on the cold iron handle, and the heat was sucked away, causing a trickle of cold sweat. Do you want to open it? Can you open it?
She doesn't know.
"clatter!"
"clatter!"
There was still half a flight of stairs left. Zhou Xi stopped, holding the wooden handrail with his hands. His feet were nailed down and a chill ran up his spine.
The four of them looked at her without saying a word, but their eyes told her what had happened.
The second time, this is the second time, the last time there were six people.
Zhou Xi moved his legs. Why were they so weak? Why were they so useless? He had been going up and down the stairs for more than ten years, so why was he so cowardly today?
Zhou Xi, why are you so timid? You have seen all kinds of storms!
She seemed to hear her heart breaking and hissing. She tried her best to repair the cracks, but why couldn't she?
Zhou Xi, what do you need to replenish? It’s just that my heart hurts a little!
Fresh blood flows to the limbs, it's so cold and painful. It seems like it is notifying something wherever it passes.
Zhou Xi, what are you afraid of? There’s no point in hiding!
Zhou Xi smiled stiffly, and it seemed as if he had more strength after smiling. Oh, he could go downstairs now.
"Xiao Xi!" Zhang Lixia couldn't help but rush up and hug Zhou Xi when she saw her expression.
"Your Grandpa Zhong just came back, Grandma..."
What else
Isn't there grandma?
Why don't you say anything?
Why don't you say it?
Zhou Xi felt completely broken, his heart was on strike, and his ears were blaring wildly.
Tears fell, so hot, so hot.
There is something on the table, a box, what is inside, what is it...
"Xiao Xi!"
Zhou Xi fainted and started to have a fever again in the middle of the night.
…
Gao Liyang received a call from Chen Yu a day later. He discussed it with Lu Zisheng, took some things, and rushed over immediately.
It's snowing again.
Lu Zisheng's father and his driver went on a business trip to the next city. Without a car, the two of them had to brave the heavy snow and hurriedly catch the company bus.
The snow wantonly covered the mud and garbage in the mountains, leaving only pure white, as if it didn't care at all about what would happen to it in the end.
The winding mountain road was covered with thick snow on both sides except for the two lanes in the middle. The old shuttle bus was very cautious and did not dare to show any disrespect to the bad weather.
Gao Liyang stared out the window in a daze, not knowing why God would give such a dazzling person so many hardships.
How sad she must be, the last of her family.
Gao Liyang's mobile phone screen was on, and a text message was entered in the dialog box, but it was not sent.
Let’s meet.
"how's it going?"
"You still refuse to rest." Yang Jinyang sighed, holding the cold food and moving only a little.
Zhang Lixia looked at Zhou Xi kneeling on a straw mat in mourning clothes. He looked so thin and motionless, as if his entire soul had followed Xu Shulan.
Yang Jinyang had originally sent Zhou Xi back yesterday and was about to drive away, but just as he entered the city, he received a call from Zhang Lixia.
Zhong Yinan came back, alone.
Zhong Yinan told them that Xu Shulan had already planned to walk as far as she could during the journey. She didn't want the younger generations to see her die lying on a hospital bed, so she chose this way to alleviate the pain that her death would bring to everyone.
Especially Zhou Xi.
When little Zhou Xi and her father had a car accident, she was held in her father's arms and watched her father slowly die. She didn't speak for two whole months, and even when she had a nightmare and was sweating all over, she didn't make a sound.
How could Xu Shulan dare to let Zhou Xi see it again? If it happened again, Zhou Xi would collapse and be haunted by nightmares for the rest of his life. It would be too cruel.
She knew that not letting Zhou Xi see her for the last time was cruel, but it was the best solution she could think of.
The Zhou family has few relatives, and Xu Shulan has no family either. The people who come to the funeral are basically friends and students.
When Qin Ting came back, she looked at the room full of white and felt very uncomfortable. This was the second time.
At the beginning, this family was happy and complete. She had an excellent husband, a gentle mother-in-law, and a lovely daughter.
She and Zhou Xi's father, Zhou Huaiyan, lived a good life. Although it was not a passionate love, it was a long-lasting and respectful relationship.
Zhou Huaiyan is an engineer and she is a dancer. Later, she couldn't stand the fact that the couple were separated for a long time because of their respective work, and they were rarely together and often quarreled. However, both sides knew that this was a dead end.
When Zhou Xi turned six, which was Children's Day, Zhou Huaiyan happened to be on vacation and rushed back from thousands of kilometers to celebrate Zhou Xi's birthday.
It happened that Zhou Xi was performing on stage that day. After the performance, Zhou Huaiyan took Zhou Xi, who was wearing a white princess dress, to dinner.
There was a car accident on the road. A large truck broke down and hit their taxi. The injury was very serious. Zhou Huaiyan protected Zhou Xi tightly, but he died on the spot.
Zhou Xi's white dress was stained red, and her ears and hands were also injured.
Xu Shulan suffered the pain of losing her son, she suffered the pain of losing her husband, and Zhou Xi suffered the pain of losing his father. Everyone collapsed. This good family lost its backbone.
Later, when she was on a business trip, she met her current husband. She knew that she was selfish and could not bear to spend the rest of her life with only her daughter and mother-in-law without her husband's company.
She asked Zhou Xi if he was willing to go with her, and Zhou Xi said he wanted to accompany his grandmother. In the end, she left, formed a new family, and had another daughter.
But she didn't expect that Xu Shulan also left, and in the end only Zhou Xi was left in the family.
"Sister Zhou, I'm so sorry."
"Thanks."
Zhou Xi didn't even raise his head, but just turned slightly and threw the burning paper in his hand into the iron basin again.
The next second, Zhou Xi was embraced in a strong embrace, and she knew who it was.
"Why are you here?"
Gao Liyang let go of Zhou Xi and threw in a few pieces of burning paper: "Chen Yu told us."
"Sister Zhou, I'm sorry for your loss." Lu Zisheng knelt down and bowed.
"Thanks."
The fire licked the iron basin, rising high and shining on several people's faces, making them red.
"Grandma is just tired. She's up there watching you."
"Yeah." Zhou Xi lowered his head, "I know, I'm fine."
"Here you go." Gao Liyang brought the candy over and returned it to its original owner.
"I'll eat one and see if it makes me feel better." Zhou Xi forced out a smile that was uglier than crying. Her hands were shaking as she poured the candies. The box seemed to be competing with her. She couldn't pour out a single candy, but there were clearly still a lot of candies inside.
Gao Liyang took it, shook it, poured out a candy and placed it in Zhou Xi's palm.
He was silent for a long time, with the words stuck in his throat. He really couldn't bear to see such a proud person so depressed.
Damn it, the pride of the world has fallen from the altar!
What a bullshit bad luck! Can the pain just go away? She didn’t do anything wrong, why won’t you let her go!
Yang Jinyang had just returned from the town after buying some things he needed. His clothes were still covered in snow and he didn't even have time to drink a sip of water. When he saw three boys accompanying Zhou Xi, he felt relieved.
"Sister, take a break. Your legs will become useless if you keep kneeling. Go talk to your friend."
Yang Jinyang didn't want the atmosphere to become suffocating, so he wanted Zhou Xi to shift his attention and stop staring at him. But after he said that, he was called to get something again.
Zhou Xi looked at the people moving around in the room. Everyone had their own things to do, and she couldn't fall down either.
"good."
It snowed all day and we received news that the roads were blocked and many friends and relatives who came to pay their respects could not leave. Zhong Yinan, Yang Wen and other adults were busy arranging for everyone to stay overnight.
Someone had to keep watch at night. Zhang Lixia was worried that Zhou Xi had not recovered yet and it was cold at night, so she pushed him into the room and told him to have a good sleep while they kept watch.
Lu Zisheng reported to his mother that he was safe, and then he made the bed with Chen Yu. They both had to rely on him now.
Chen Yu's family didn't have that many quilts, but Zhou Xi suddenly remembered and told Yang Wen and the others, then drove his electric scooter to bring them some thick quilts.
The snow was really heavy, a rare heavy snowfall in recent years. Zhou Xi drove his electric scooter at a snail's pace, and the front lights of the car illuminated the road ahead, which was all white.
I really want to lie in it and let the heavy snow cover all my emotions.
Chen Yu thanked him, took the quilt, and went upstairs to make the bed.
Gao Liyang pulled Zhou Xi over and sat next to the table, which was warm because of a stove.
As soon as he approached Zhou Xi, he felt that she looked like she had just come out of an ice storage.
"Lu Zisheng and I plan to stay until Grandma Xu is buried."
"Thanks."
"Don't say thank you, it's what you should do."
Gao Liyang didn't have to guess that Zhou Xi had become a parrot these past two days, only mechanically saying thank you, thank you, and that bit of anger had been completely gone.
"That's right, Sister Zhou, please excuse me. We are good friends."
Lu Zisheng sat nearby, his heart pounding. He had never faced the separation of life and death before, so he didn't know what to say and didn't dare to say anything careless, for fear of hurting others.
"My grandma passed away when I was a child, but now I can hardly remember what she looked like. Time flies."
Gao Liyang stared at the heavy snow outside in a daze.
"But it's different from your traditional funeral style. My grandmother's funeral was red, with her favorite flower stickers on her face, and she wore her favorite bright red cotton-padded jacket."
Zhou Xi tilted his head to look at Gao Liyang's calm profile. His straight nose cast a small straight shadow in the light.
"She said that death is also a happy event, just like birth, it fulfills the meaning of life."
"I was young then and didn't understand, but now I understand."
Gao Liyang was originally raised by his grandmother. To him, his grandmother was his only relative. He was not familiar with his parents and only saw them a few times during the Chinese New Year.
He couldn't accept that his grandmother had left him forever. After Gao Zhiyuan and others took him back to school, he secretly hid in his quilt and cried countless times.
But later, he gradually understood that his grandmother wanted him to live a good life.
When Lu Zisheng listened to Gao Liyang's words, he suddenly missed his grandparents very much.
Zhou Xi sighed, "I understand. It's just hard to let go. I've been preparing for this since I was seven years old, when I first saw my grandma undergo surgery. I've never felt comfortable accepting her company. Every day is a stolen happiness."
"Everyone has to move forward. I know what she hopes for."
"Just slow down, slow down, it will be fine."
Her body began to warm up, and Zhou Xi sniffed. She had to hold on, as her father and grandmother were watching her.
Lu Zisheng glanced at his phone. It was a message from Xiao Xiaoyu and Gao Yuanyuan. The two of them were far away from home, but they couldn't wait to fly over.
It’s almost time, the New Year is coming soon, and they will come back too. The six of them will finally be reunited.
Damn it, Lu Zisheng suddenly wanted to cry, his nose was sore, why does everyone have difficulties, why is life so difficult, why does God treat his friends like this, it’s so fucking unfair.
It wasn't like this when he was a kid, everyone was so happy, why is it different now? He doesn't want to grow up.
Chen Yu came over, and there were just four people sitting around the small table.
"Chen Yu, how did you feel when he left?" Zhou Xi's gaze fell on the corner, where the area was covered with black cloth.
After his death, Zhou Xi discovered it when he visited Chen Yu again. Chen Yu did not hang him on the wall, but covered him with a black cloth.
"relief."
It has been a year since that person passed away, but Chen Yu has actually not been affected at all, and even feels less nervous.
The three people looked at him, and Chen Yu smiled: "Do you think I'm cold?"
"no."
"No."
"No, he deserves it!"
They knew Chen Yu's family situation, but they felt that Chen Yu had a hard time, and they were not that old, so they had to bear it all.
"Honestly, when I heard he was gone, I even felt like laughing. I'm finally free."
"Not everyone can be a father. I am better off alone."
Chen Yu poured a cup of hot water for a few people, supporting his chin. He would also wake up alone at midnight. Was he lonely? He thought so.
He seems to be free of worries, but he is unwilling to accept that his best years will be wasted. He has not yet enjoyed life and seen the beauty of the world, so how can he fall into depravity?
The heavy snow falls outside the window, silently expressing my emotions.
It is said that young people do not know the taste of sorrow, but they are just trying to see clearly at this ignorant age, to see clearly what kind of person they are, to see clearly the people and things around them, and quietly integrate into the adult world.
Life is long, and death may come at any time.
Everyone should work hard, live well and enjoy life.
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