The reunited man sheds tears while the separated couple devours people in vain
Long black hair, dark eyes, a fair face adorned with delicate features, and a white dress dotted with elegant small flowers. Shu Xiaoxian's purity further deepened Tu Xinyue's description of her as "clear soup noodles," drawing a relieved and sincere smile from Xue Jiuyue. "It's been a while, Xiaoxian. Are you busy with school? If you really need to study, come here. It doesn't cost money, and I can still afford the coffee."
"Thank you. I know you're kind to me. I missed my parents so much last time, so I took some time off to go home and see them. I just came back and reported to you. This is a local specialty from my hometown. Please try it."
As Shu Xiaoxian spoke, he placed a bamboo basket on the table. It looked like a fruit basket, but it was tightly wrapped in a layer of sealing paper and sealed with plastic on the outside, so the true appearance could not be seen.
"Thank you, Xiaoxian. I appreciate the kindness. But I think this gift is more suitable for Brother Zhou. Last Saturday, he saw that 'scumbag' provoking trouble in front of the store. In a fit of rage, he attacked. At that time, Brother Zhou gritted his teeth and said, 'This first punch is for Xiaoxian!' Then he knocked him down with one punch. It was so satisfying." Xue Jiuyue briefly described the scene, then added: "But hitting someone is wrong after all, especially when it causes minor injuries. So Brother Zhou was taken away by the police that day, and he will be released tomorrow."
"Ah?" Shu Xiaoxian's pure white face, like a gardenia, was filled with a complex array of emotions, including touching, surprise, and nervousness, and her clear eyes were instantly filled with tears.
"It's okay, don't worry. Mr. Qian has entrusted a lot of friends with him, and Brother Zhou hasn't suffered any loss this week. Besides, he will be out tomorrow."
"Sister Yue, can I pick up Brother Zhou tomorrow?"
"Of course you can, but your studies are the top priority!"
"The senior year is mainly about internships, and the courses are not very demanding, so don't worry."
"Okay then, tomorrow morning at 7 o'clock, I'll pick you up at the gate of your school and go pick up Brother Zhou together!"
…
The morning rush hour wasn't always smooth sailing, but they'd left plenty of time, so before 8 a.m. Xue Jiuyue and Shu Xiaoxian were already meeting Lao Zhou's parents and wife at the detention center gate. With Qian Jianjun playing the role of go-between, everyone quickly became familiar with each other.
Just after eight o'clock, Lao Zhou was escorted out by a police officer.
His overall state remained largely unchanged, though his face was tired, perhaps from a lack of sleep the previous night. However, the moment he saw his family, his gaze was fixed on them, his heartbroken feelings unreservedly expressed. Their tears of joy brought even this tough guy to tears, his sobs choking out his deep attachment to home.
Who says men shed blood but not tears? Tears only remain in the heart.
After a long time, the emotional hurricane gradually subsided, and Lao Zhou came over to greet Qian Jianjun, Xue Jiuyue, and Shu Xiaoxian one by one.
Xue Jiuyue presented a large bouquet of flowers. Shu Xiaoxian, like yesterday, brought a bamboo basket of local specialties, but specially prepared for Lao Zhou.
According to Qian Jianjun, Lao Zhou should take a thorough bath first, and then go home clean to reunite with his family and eat dumplings, so after making an appointment for the next day, the others left the private warmth of Lao Zhou's family.
When Xue Jiuyue returned to "Inch by Inch of Time", the sunlight was not yet strong, but shone through the gaps between leaves and floor-to-ceiling windows, spreading gently and delicately.
As he sipped his coffee, his mind replayed his brief encounter with Old Zhou's family. A simple, kind-hearted elderly couple, a dignified and virtuous wife, and a young daughter, all of whom Old Zhou cared about most. After a moment's deliberation, he had basically finalized the gift list. By the time he'd finished finalizing each item, it was already nighttime, with the lights on and tired birds returning to their nests.
Friday's evening rush hour and the overwhelming dark clouds delayed everyone's eagerness to return home, and the sporadic drizzle like a prelude was like drops of oil dripping on the flames of anxiety.
Qian Jianjun, who was driving himself, wasn't in a rush; more time to calm his nerves wasn't necessarily a bad thing. He even posted a message on WeChat Moments while waiting at a red light: "Dense clouds gather, a cool breeze sweeps through. Light raindrops fall, and my heart chills on the way home. Skewering mutton, roasting over a bright fire, with whom can I drink to fulfill my dreams?" It might seem like a doggerel poem about inviting friends to a barbecue and drinks, but if Mei Rugu saw it, she'd feel a familiar scene. Qian Jianjun had sent her the last two lines when they were dating, inviting her out for a roadside meal.
Liu Che's words deeply shocked Qian Jianjun. Honestly, he realized his lack of patience in relationships over the past few years was undeniable. Avoidance had become his primary means of coping with arguments. But the knot remained, unresolved by time or polished into pearls. Instead, it accumulated, culminating in the present situation.
Although he realized that he had a certain responsibility, Qian Jianjun lacked the courage and psychological preparation to go home and face the terrifying unknown, or even to bite the bullet and resolve this long-standing conflict.
As we were about to go out to sea to relax tomorrow, Qian Jianjun still had a lot of his gear and clothes at home. Although the saying goes, "clothes are never as good as new, and people are never as good as old," he still wanted to go home to get them. After all, familiar things are more personal.
Having a reason for himself and a step to give to the other person, Qian Jianjun made all the preparations and hummed the familiar rock music to give himself courage, "That dazzling flame is burning you and me, that unforgettable love always brings me hurt..."
After stepping on the accelerator and the brake repeatedly, Qian Jianjun finally returned home hungry when his ankles were sore from exhaustion.
"You're back, Mr. Qian." Only Sister Feng's voice, mixed with the noise of the TV, made Qian Jianjun have a bad feeling.
Soon the premonition became reality.
"Have you eaten? I'll make you some. Mr. Mei is on a business trip and said he'll be back the day after tomorrow."
"Oh! I don't want to eat anymore."
All the preparations were for nothing. A punch hitting cotton, draining all the strength from my body, the unprepared exhaustion turned the hollowness into tangible damage, surging through my internal organs with uncontrollable rage.
With the last bit of rationality, I turned my attention to the circle of friends.
I've received many comments. Some are unsure whether they're genuine or false flattery, others are unclear whether they're sincere or just perfunctory invitations. In the past, Qian Jianjun would have enjoyed reading these comments, regardless of the authenticity of the sentiment behind them; he simply enjoyed the attention. But today, Qian Jianjun just wants to find a single person's response amidst the sea of comments, even just a single like, like we used to, like when we were young... With one last hope, he searches for her among the crowds for her, only to find, "suddenly looking back," that she's there, tearful eyes blurred.
After a moment of trance, the truth removed the last illusion that supported the heart, allowing it to fall freely and shatter. Without the restraint of the reins, the emotions poured out unrestrainedly in a person's bedroom.
A gust of wind doesn't last all morning, a downpour doesn't last all day. When the rain outside the window cleared, the raging waves within me finally became a trickle, leaving only the mess in the house and the hidden pain buried once again within me to reveal the truth. Filled with resentment, Qian Jianjun tried to check Mei Rugu's Moments, but found nothing. He didn't know if it was hidden from him, or if Mei Rugu had deleted all her Moments. The emptiness, the emptiness of nothing, the emptiness of no one, once again became the sharpest blade, slicing at his heart. The pain, deep within his soul, made Qian Jianjun groan.
What he didn't know was that Mei Rugu, who was on the plane at that moment, had also experienced similar pain, and only to a greater extent.
Back in college, she and Qian Jianjun shared a love of literature. Sharing poetry and writing in their WeChat Moments, expressing feelings and extending invitations, was a unique and romantic activity they were most proud of. A few days ago, she posted on WeChat Moments, "The courtyard is full of fallen flowers, the curtains are unrolled," meaning she meant to tell Qian Jianjun that she was waiting for him at home. However, Qian Jianjun instinctively assumed that Mei Rugu was complaining about his lack of return, and he expressed this during an argument.
The most untouchable piece of pure land, crushed to dust by prejudice, crossed Mei Rugu's bottom line and made her furious. Ultimately, this was the straw that broke the camel's back, leading her to file for divorce and delete all her Moments—these records had recorded the twists and turns, the rainbows, of her and Qian Jianjun's journey from meeting, to falling in love, to marriage.
The moment she clicked "OK," she wanted to delete not just a record, but a memory! She no longer wanted to retreat, no longer have any memories, no longer be worried, no longer be indecisive! She couldn't really delete the memory, but she could try not to recall it! So after that decisive moment, she persisted, not letting her strength be eroded and broken by the nostalgia of the past!
But the emptiness left after deleting everything—much like the emptiness Qian Jianjun now faced—also cut her, aching. It was like being on a business trip, taking off now, without needing to explain to anyone, without a single thought, her soul so empty and exhausted she couldn't even pick up her phone. She had no interest in anything, and work was the only thing keeping her going. She filled her limited free time with Li Jingzi. Only there could she shed her stubborn facade...
Qian Jianjun didn't know how Mei Rugu felt. He only knew that he felt like a walking corpse. He wanted to drink and get drunk.
After asking Sister Feng to help pack up the necessities for the next day, Qian Jianjun left this house that had made him sad time and time again, which could perhaps only be called "home."
I long to go to "Inch by Inch of Time," where I have goals, confidants, and comforting conversations. But there's no wine there, and I don't have the "heart" right now. And I don't want to expose my current state—a man's weakness is often private. So, I'll just follow inertia, a kind of old horse knowing the way.
The barbecue restaurant I frequent isn't big, but its advantage is that you can sit on the street. You can enjoy a relaxed atmosphere while eating skewers and drinking, and the unpredictable changes on the street and the lively conversations at the neighboring tables become a smile to accompany the wine.
A familiar place, a familiar smell of fireworks, and the freshness after the rain. Qian Jianjun ordered the familiar skewers and familiar wine, using the familiar drunkenness to drown the familiar sorrow.
When he was half drunk and had regained some strength, his eyes began to wander around aimlessly. At this moment, he came across a familiar figure behind the crowd of people, and he felt the joy of meeting an old friend in a foreign land.
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