July was a lucky month for Su Yunbai. In this month, the project she applied for in cooperation with a professor from X University was approved for a period of three years. Also in this month, a project she had completed was recognized by a significant award in the industry, and the official website of R University even specially posted a related news separately.

Su Yunbai went to L State to receive the award. Due to the epidemic, although the organizers held a special award ceremony, there were no spectators on site except for the winners. Most of the relevant reports were held online, which was much quieter than in previous years.

After receiving the award, it happened to be a rainy day. The plane had just landed, Su Yunbai walked out of the airport, and saw Huo Qinian among the people waiting at the door.

Both of them were wearing masks, and people were coming and going around them, but they could still see each other clearly at first sight.

It was drizzling, and the two did not delay and drove home directly.

Su Yunbai took a shower and cleaned up, and found that all the lights in the living room were turned off, leaving only one lamp on the dining table, which lit up the room in warm yellow in the dim sky.

Huo Qinian was walking in from outside, holding two bottles of champagne in his hands. He raised them to Su Yunbai and smiled, "Congratulations on winning the award."

Su Yunbai looked at the steaming dishes on the table and was a little surprised: "Where did you get them?"

She had long seen through Huo Qinian's three-legged cat cooking skills, and this table was not up to his level.

Huo Qinian cleared his throat, "It's not important, come and eat first."

The dishes on the table were all Chinese food, and the one in the middle was boiled pork slices. Su Yunbai took a chopstick and raised her eyebrows slightly after taking a bite.

She didn't have high requirements for food, but her taste was pretty good. She could tell that the boiled pork slices tasted very good.

The most important thing was that she always felt that the taste was a little familiar.

Su Yunbai became more curious, "Which one?"

Although Huo Qinian had a stall to manage, he seemed to be more at ease, perhaps because of the change in management style. Not only could he get to and from work on time, he even had the time to go to various places to find delicious food.

Su Yunbai was already used to him bringing food back from outside.

Huo Qinian propped up his chin and looked at her, and said slowly: "Ours."

Su Yunbai:...

Okay, that means you don't want to talk about it.

So she stopped asking.

Huo Qinian started to pick up food for Su Yunbai again.

People probably have the so-called re-acquaintance. In the past, Su Yunbai never thought that Huo Qinian would be the kind of person who was keen on showing Chinese enthusiasm at the dinner table - for example, picking up food for others.

Now it seems that she is somewhat one-sided. Mr. Huo actually likes to pick up food for her. When they just reconciled, he was still a little cautious, but now, he seems to have no scruples.

Sometimes Su Yunbai even feels that he is deliberately using this to embarrass her.

Like now.

Su Yunbai looked at the extra slices of meat with minced garlic in her bowl and raised her eyes to Huo Qinian.

Huo Qinian looked innocent: "What's wrong?"

He seemed to remember what the problem was, and said slowly: "Teacher Su, it's not good to be picky about food. People in the north think that if you eat meat without garlic, the nutrition will be reduced by half."

Su Yunbai didn't not eat garlic, but people's preferences always vary, and she herself would not think of eating it.

This is actually not a big deal, the problem is... Huo Qinian is a little bit wrong.

Su Yunbai put the sliced ​​meat with minced garlic in her mouth and chewed it slowly. After swallowing it, she drank a sip of champagne to suppress the taste. Then she asked Huo Qinian: "What's wrong with you?"

Huo Qinian raised his eyebrows slightly, "What's wrong? Teacher Su, I'm urging you to remember to balance your nutrition. Don't think too much."

I understand, she didn't think too much.

Maybe something has annoyed him again.

Su Yunbai really couldn't remember what he was uncomfortable about for a while, so she had to talk to Huo Qinian about her experience of this trip, hoping to pick out the key points he was concerned about - a

colleague who had greeted her before...

a friend who met during an internship but hadn't seen for many years...

a good friend of Professor Shepard. The other party took good care of her and even made a joke when he presented her with the award...

Huo Qinian was very interested, but he continued to pick up food for Su Yunbai.

This time, he even added coriander.

This is missing the point.

Su Yunbai racked her brains.

At a certain moment, a light bulb suddenly flashed in her mind and she thought of something.

She said uncertainly: "This time I also met another friend. He happened to be on a business trip to L State and happened to stay in the same hotel as me..."

Huo Qinian's chopsticks stopped in mid-air, paused for a moment, and then said nonchalantly: "Is there anything special about your friend?"

It was really this.

Su Yunbai was a little amused.

Mr. Huo's mind is really smaller than the tip of a needle. Especially, he himself did not admit it.

Su Yunbai said: "There's nothing special about it, he just came to see his girlfriend. We just happened to meet, so the three of us had a meal together."

This time, the food that was stuck in her bowl returned to normal.

Su Yunbai glanced at Huo Qinian and continued, "But speaking of it... my friend is a European, and his family seems to have some kind of title. A few years ago, he invited me to his castle and gave me an invitation to the castle... I gave it to Jinzhi."

Huo Qinian snorted with an ambiguous laugh, "The relationship is good."

Su Yunbai's face was indifferent, "Yes, it's not bad. I gave the invitation letter to Jinzhi. Later I found out that your aunt misunderstood this matter and thought it was your face. She said that I was a traitor and used your favor to subsidize others..."

Huo Qinian choked and almost couldn't help showing a painful expression.

He put down his chopsticks, poured half a glass of champagne for Su Yunbai, and took a few sips of wine from the glass on the table before he calmed down.

He said, "There is something you may not know, of course no one mentions it now. My aunt...she actually has no blood relationship with the old man in the family."

Su Yunbai showed a surprised look.

What does this mean?

Huo Qinian said: "My grandfather was married twice... In those days, our ancestors were still capitalists, so you know. Anyway, my grandmother passed away, my uncle and my father were still young, and my grandfather remarried and married a widow, who was my step-grandmother.

"My step-grandmother brought a daughter with her, and this is my aunt. My aunt's family seems to have the surname Hu, but since she came to our house, she took the surname Huo.

"She herself was quite shy about this matter, so no one mentioned it later.

"My step-grandmother was a very traditional woman, gentle, kind, virtuous, and very maternal. She took good care of my uncle and my father, almost treating them as her own children..." "

In short, she was a very good stepmother to my uncle and my father.

"She is so loyal and righteous, and our family must not forget our roots and must know the limits. Especially since my step-grandmother did not have any children and only had my aunt as a daughter...

"As a person, the less you have, the more you have to emphasize something. So in the Huo family, my aunt has to be more like a member of the Huo family than anyone else. In my father's generation, she was also the most favored one."

Su Yunbai understood a lot of things at once.

In fact, the Huo family members are not very flamboyant, and most of them are relatively low-key. Even someone as arrogant as Huo Qinian, regardless of how he behaves in private, is polite to outsiders most of the time, maintaining the image of a very serious entrepreneur.

In fact, Huo Manying is the one who shows his bad temper without any scruples. It turns out

that the root of the problem is here.

Gratitude is greater than heaven, and I'm afraid that all members of the Huo family have to be courteous to Huo Manying.

Huo Qinian hesitated for a moment, which was rare, before continuing: "I didn't want to talk about this, but... my aunt's second uncle married the daughter of the Fang family...

" "In fact, there is no love or hate without reason in this world, everything has a trace. The Huo family, the Hu family, the Fang family... this is a thread that is strung together.

"The Hu family really wants to strengthen the connection with our family. They feel that my aunt's existence is totally inadequate to maintain this relationship, and they are afraid that after I succeed my grandmother for a hundred years, this relationship will fade...

"They are not worrying unnecessarily. The people of the Hu family... are not very capable. Not to mention that I look down on them, even my aunt doesn't look down on them - to some extent, my aunt's character is really a bit unfair to people. Her temperament is domineering, and she is arrogant. She looks down on the Hu family at all. It is completely impossible to expect her to take care of the Hu family for the so-called kinship.

"Since we can't count on my aunt, we have to count on marriage. The Hu family's in-laws are my grandfather and the Fang family. They are not small families, so the Hu family has a big appetite, not to mention other things.

"The two people in the Huo family who are suitable for marriage are my cousin and me. "

Huo Qinian's expression was indifferent," My grandfather was very grateful to my step-grandmother, and my step-grandmother was a person who regarded her husband and brothers as the heaven. When her brothers' will was imposed on her, she wanted to fulfill it.

"My grandfather hesitated. On one hand, there was his wife who had made contributions and worked hard for this family, and on the other hand, there were his own children and grandchildren, and there were a lot of rumors outside... It was natural for him to show a bit of ambiguity.

"Once his attitude was ambiguous, there would be more signals to the outside world.

"Otherwise, why do you think the young lady of the Fang family dared to be so open? Our family is not an unknown family. Where did she get such courage? She was just encouraged. She felt that instead of marrying someone from the Hu family, I might as well marry her..."

Su Yunbai was speechless for a long time.

Although Huo Qinian is speaking so calmly now, with his arrogant character, he must have been nearly mad at that time.

No wonder he seldom returned to City B in recent years. It was probably not entirely to avoid Miss Fang, but because he felt that the whole thing made him tired. When

Huo Qinian said this, he suddenly laughed, "What's funny is that the most fiercely opposed person in the whole thing surrounding the so-called marriage is neither my uncle and cousin who have a plan, nor my father and son, but my aunt.

"We have some considerations for the sake of face, but my aunt does not. She has almost made the Hu family a laughing stock in City B... No one asked her to do this, she just can't stand it.

"You have seen my aunt's temper - I'm not speaking for her, but comparatively speaking, she is not so mean to you alone. She just... lives too freely.

"She is a person who has the so-called decency, status, taste and other things that show off her identity engraved in her bones. She looked down on the Hu family, and therefore looked down on the Fang family. She felt that the intention of the whole marriage was simply to displease people, so she opposed it with good reason - without reason or feelings, just for her own happiness.

"The Huo family has not had a girl for two or three generations, and my aunt is so 'informed and interesting', so of course we have to know how to return the favor. So let's not talk about my grandfather, even my uncle and my father are very tolerant of her.

"Of course, I was the same before, it didn't take much effort anyway - don't look at me like that, I know I didn't do this well, but I really didn't think it was a big deal at the time..."

"My aunt does have a lot of problems. I know that there are not a few people in City A who hate her, because she is really not a likable person. But she has her own survival wisdom, she keeps doing small things, and she can stand firm on major issues."

Su Yunbai was silent for a long time, feeling a little overwhelmed, "Your family is really complicated."

"That's why I don't intend to tell you these things." Huo Qinian said, "In fact, these are all very boring things, with no nutrition. This person's plan, that person's calculations...

"Your circle is relatively simple, why bother listening to these things that are not presentable?"

Huo Qinian said, sighing softly: "At that time, I didn't expect that I would shoot myself in the foot. There are always two sides to things in this world. My aunt's temper is not easy to control. It's quite satisfying to deal with outsiders she hates, but when it comes to her own people...

"In short, I was negligent."

Su Yunbai did not comment.

Anyway, that's what happened between her and Huo Manying. She didn't expect Huo Manying to look at her differently, and Huo Manying would probably not come to her to express that she wanted to shake hands and make peace.

Then just dislike each other.

But it must be said that after listening to this, Su Yunbai did have a brief curiosity about Huo Manying.

This person is really simple and complicated.

She said: "You said before that your aunt is more respectable..." Su Yunbai believed this, so the question came - Su Yunbai asked tactfully, "Is there any discussion between your aunt and Mr. Zheng, that is, your uncle?"

As far as Su Yunbai knew, compared with the Huo family, Mr. Zheng's family was a real small family. In the big family of the Huo family, the situation of Su Yunbai's family and the Zheng family was about the same. Huo Manying looked down on her family, but why did she like Mr. Zheng's family with the same conditions?

Is there any special reason?

Huo Qinian's eyes were a little turbulent, "You may not believe it, but my aunt really chose this cheap uncle of mine. Everyone laughed at her back then, saying that Miss Huo was too picky, and ended up falling for such a poor boy, definitely the ending of a Phoenix Man...

"Over the years, my uncle has really not made much progress in his career. You know, 'Gardening Master' Mr. Zheng."

Su Yunbai laughed.

This nickname was given by a group of people in Leading Technology, and Mr. Zheng was quite happy to accept it.

Huo Qinian said: "But if you define the so-called 'success' in a broad sense, taking career, family, happiness index... and so on into consideration, you will find that Mr. Zheng's life is what many people envy.

"Indeed, Mr. Zheng is a mess in his career and even a fussy old-fashioned man who lives for free, but in terms of family and life, he lives better than most people.

"As far as I know, my aunt is really not like most noble ladies in City A, staring at their husbands' backyard every day... Her temper has not even been restrained much after marriage, but the strange thing is that my uncle has really adapted well to this. Not only has he never had any philandering thoughts, even after so many years of marriage, he has always been good-tempered and obedient to my aunt. The relationship between the two is unexpectedly stable.

"The technology leak at Leading Technology was the work of my aunt. But her original intention was not to do anything, but to save face for her husband. Of course, you know, she is not cut out for this, so it ended up in a mess.

"Externally, this incident has made all of you extremely anxious, but internally - within my aunt's small family, this incident has actually had a positive effect.

"My aunt felt guilty for having implicated my uncle, and my uncle was very grateful for my aunt's kindness...the two of them didn't even have a fight, and their relationship even got better..."

Su Yunbai was speechless.

She really didn't expect this to be the outcome.

Huo Qinian said: "Are you a little disappointed? The reality is completely different from what is said in the story. The bad guy did not get the end he deserved, not only that, she even lived a good life. Everything went smoothly, and her family was harmonious. The only thing that gave her a headache was a daughter who was in her rebellious adolescence..."

Su Yunbai thought for a while and shook his head, "I don't like your aunt, but I don't think that I have to let her have a bad ending to be happy.

"As you said, many stories have such a standard bad ending: men often fail in their careers and their wives and children are separated; women are betrayed and cheated...

"There is always a feeling that if a woman is very successful in her career but her family is a mess, she is still a pitiful person.

"Of course I'm not saying that all stories are like this, but at least seventy or eighty of them are like this, right?

" "Don't you think this is unfair? How come, is it so simple and frivolous to measure whether a woman is successful or not, and whether the ending is tragic? Is it just about whether she is treated as she deserves in the relationship?"

Huo Qinian laughed.

He propped up his chin and looked at Su Yunbai, "It seems that Teacher Su is very uncomfortable with this. I didn't know you had such a... I don't know, angry side?

" "But no matter what, you are definitely not among them."

Su Yunbai glared at him.

Huo Qinian raised his hands and made a gesture of surrender, "Okay, okay, my fault, I shouldn't be so careless. Let's talk while eating. Do you want some more fish? No? Are you full? "

He stood up and poured Su Yunbai some more wine.

Su Yunbai had already drunk the second glass. Her face was a little red, but the light in her eyes was very bright.

She seemed to be in high spirits: "Let's talk about what happened just now. Let's not talk about the standard ending of the story, let's just say that your aunt is fine. You said that your aunt has a harmonious family and a harmonious relationship with President Zheng. The only thing she worries about is Ruocheng... I don't think so.

"Maybe you know that your aunt once strongly opposed Ruocheng's relationship with a male classmate whose family conditions were relatively ordinary? Qi Nian, tell me, why did she object so much?

"If according to what you said, your aunt was willing to marry President Zheng, and her married life was very happy... In this case, she had no reason to oppose Ruocheng's relationship with that male classmate, right? After all, they already have a precedent of success, so they should be very optimistic about the future of Ruocheng and that male classmate. "

Huo Qinian raised his eyebrows slightly, "You mean..."

Su Yunbai said: "I have only heard of avoiding things because of lessons learned, but I have never heard of wanting to change the way things go when everything is going smoothly. Your aunt emphasizes the so-called decency and class... Maybe it's because she has suffered this kind of hardship, so she doesn't want Ruocheng to repeat the same mistake?"

Su Yunbai took a sip of wine, "To outsiders, life is a very linear formula, and the results are nothing more than a few categories, living a good life, not living a good life... very intuitive.

"But we all know that life is actually very complicated. It may look glamorous to outsiders, but no one knows what's going on inside except the parties involved.

"Marriage is a union of two surnames. The Huo family and the Zheng family are so different. Even if your aunt is arrogant, if she really considers Mr. Zheng, she has to cater to the Zheng family's lifestyle.

"It's hard to be low and high, and it must be the same for high and low.

"There are all kinds of strange opinions in this world. You have to suppress your own nature to cater to people and things that you don't like... I, who adapt better, still find it difficult. Your aunt, who has a strong personality, is probably suffering enough.

"If Mr. Zheng's family doesn't like her because of this... The pressure between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is an eternal problem..."

Huo Qinian's eyes changed slightly.

Is this... empathy?

Although Su Yunbai does not have to face the pressure of mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, the existence of Huo Manying is a hurdle that she cannot get around.

And Ms. Huo's lethality is no less than that of an ordinary "evil mother-in-law. "

Su Yunbai continued: "Maybe Ms. Huo has suffered this kind of loss and doesn't want her daughter to experience it again?

"Of course, in addition to the mother's love for her daughter, I think there may be a more subtle psychology.

"I don't know if you have ever had such a feeling. Many times, I always feel that it is not inevitable to come to this point today, and it is more or less accidental. It seems that if I had chosen something else at a fork in the road I came from, it would not be like this now.

"This seems to be an inevitable road, so later people who follow this road may not necessarily reach the same ending. I guess your aunt is a little scared."

Huo Qinian looked at Su Yunbai with a deep look in his eyes, "So, this is what you said to Ruocheng that day, isn't our previous experience a valuable reference case?"

Su Yunbai laughed.

It was a very relaxed and radiant smile.

She held the wine glass, half leaning back in the chair, looking a little lazy, "Do you still remember this? Yes, this is why I think our story has no reference value.

"I don't know if you have ever thought about the process of our acquaintance... Let me put it this way, if I hadn't gone to see the comet that day; if I hadn't gone to listen to your lecture; if later, I hadn't listened to your popular science talk about plum blossoms and plum blossoms; if I hadn't taken your coffee...

"You said, if all of these things, or not even all of them, just some of them. If they went to another fork in the road, would we still be together?"

Huo Qinian felt that this topic was somewhat dangerous.

He couldn't help but wonder, when did she think of these "ifs"? Was it when they were going their separate ways? She reflected on the past and began to feel regretful, so she was obsessed with the other choice?

Whenever he thought of this possibility, Huo Qinian felt uneasy.

At this moment, he was like walking on the edge of a cliff. He knew clearly that as long as he crossed it, the destination he wanted to reach would be not far away, and there would be the answers he wanted to know .

But in the process, he still uncontrollably noticed that there was a cliff a few feet away. If he was not careful, he would be smashed to pieces and the advantages he had established now would be destroyed.

Huo Qinian's expression could therefore be described as alert: "Are you talking about the butterfly effect? ​​We are discussing how much qualitative change a tiny variable can cause?"

Su Yunbai was stunned, and suddenly laughed out loud.

She said, "It's a cunning answer, isn't it? Let's just think of it as discussing the butterfly effect. Tell me, is there such a thing as the butterfly effect in relationships?"

Huo Qinian said, "It should be said that things in this world are a combination of chance and necessity. From this perspective, I have to respect time, it is something that never goes backwards. So what we are talking about now are just 'if', and if is meaningless, life cannot be repeated."

Su Yunbai sighed softly, "Yes, life cannot be repeated."

Huo Qinian said again, "As you said just now, when we look at my aunt, we feel that she lives freely and unrestrainedly, but maybe she also has sadness inside that others don't know about.

"In this sense, what others see in your life is actually what they think they see. So, the opinions of outsiders are actually irrelevant. In the end, the most important thing is only you.

"Everyone is the protagonist of his own life. How to live is entirely up to you..."

Su Yunbai laughed again, "You are right. I suddenly found that chatting with you is still a very pleasant thing."

Huo Qinian leaned back and said with a smile: "You talk as if I am just an upstart with an empty head and a body full of money. What is this, the arrogance and pride of intellectuals?

"If you look at it from this perspective, it is not accidental that we get together, but inevitable. After all, we are very similar, both very arrogant."

Su Yunbai supported his forehead with his hand and laughed softly: "Okay, we are both very arrogant. But Qinian, do you think our topic is a little funny? We are... I don't know, thinking about life? Thinking about life?

"Are we too dramatic and pretentious? You know, the kind who thinks that their music is too highbrow and that what they are talking about is a great philosophy, something that no one can understand..."

Huo Qinian said slowly, "In that case, do you want to do something more down-to-earth?"

Su Yunbai looked up at him, with an inexplicable light flashing in her eyes, and asked, "For example?"

"For example... can I invite you to dance?"

Huo Qinian said, walking to Su Yunbai's side and extending his hand to her.

The entire living room was lit only by a lamp on the dining table. Under the warm yellow light, Huo Qinian lowered his eyebrows, his expression focused, with a deep charm: "May I?"

Su Yunbai couldn't help laughing again: "It seems that you really prepared carefully today, right? What is this? A celebration party for two people?"

Soothing music sounded, and Huo Qinian's hand was still stretched out, still waiting for her answer.

Su Yunbai stretched out his hand and put it on: "Sure."

She stood up, but her steps staggered, and the whole person felt a little tipsy.

Huo Qinian grabbed her waist.

Su Yunbai rubbed his head: "Isn't the alcohol content of the wine you opened tonight a little high? I remember I only drank two glasses?"

Huo Qinian sighed: "I brought two kinds of champagne, one for appetizers and the other for meals. I didn't expect you to drink them both as drinks...

"Of course, I didn't expect that we would talk about irrelevant topics for so long. This part should have been done half an hour ago..."

Su Yunbai wanted to laugh again.

She said, "I'm sorry to ruin your carefully prepared evening..." She

said so, but it was obvious that she was not sincere, and even had a sense of smugness as if she had succeeded in a prank.

Huo Qinian danced with Su Yunbai to the music.

The atmosphere was just right, but unfortunately, the dance was a bit messy. It was not that the two of them were bad at dancing, but Su Yunbai was not in a right state.

She was not drunk yet, but there was a drunken thought in her mind. The sound of Huo Qinian's head made her extremely excited, and she wanted to confront Huo Qinian.

Was it because of the alcohol? Why did she feel that Huo Qinian tonight was particularly...good-looking?

When the second song came to an end, Su Yunbai half raised her head and looked at Huo Qinian, her eyes lingering on his Adam's apple for a long time.

When the third song just started, Su Yunbai bluntly held Huo Qinian down and pushed him onto the desk in the living room.

Huo Qinian seemed a little surprised, half leaning on the desk, and using one hand to protect Su Yunbai from falling.

He looked down at her: "What's wrong? "

Su Yunbai leaned one hand on the wall and the other hand against Huo Qinian's chest, giving him a real wall-dong.

Huo Qinian was taller than her, and even though he was locked in a corner, he was still half a head taller than Su Yunbai.

Despite this, he still knew Su Yunbai's intention at the first time.

To be honest, it was a bit fresh.

Huo Qinian's eyes moved slowly forward along Su Yunbai's arm that trapped him, fell on her face, and looked into her eyes.

He said slowly: "Yunbai, do you know what you are doing?"

Su Yunbai laughed softly: "What about you? Candlelight dinner, wine... What do you want to do? Hmm?"

Huo Qinian said slowly: "I think, to celebrate your award."

Su Yunbai's eyes began to flash with an inexplicable smile again.

She put her hand on Huo Qinian's neck, pressed the crazy beating pulse under her palm, and whispered: "You are such a liar."

After that, she lowered her head, kissed Huo Qinian's Adam's apple, and nibbled it gently.

Huo Qinian's body tensed up instantly.

He bent down, hugged Su Yunbai by the waist, and strode into the bedroom.

He put the person on the bed, his breathing was already disordered, but he still had a trace of clarity and looked directly into Su Yunbai's eyes.

He confirmed again: "May I?"

Su Yunbai did not answer, but stretched out his hand and hugged him.

Huo Qinian's eyes changed instantly.

This is the best encouragement.

The night outside the window is getting darker, and the spring light inside the house is just right.

The author has something to say:

cough.

——This