The scenery through the eyes of others
"I'm sorry... Jiang Lin," Gu Yansheng apologized softly behind him. If he didn't take the initiative to tell Jiang Lin about this matter, Jiang Lin would probably be so angry that he would die that he would not take the initiative to talk to him. He didn't want his beautiful weekend to end in a "cold war" alone. After all, he missed Jiang Lin a lot these days.
Jiang Lin turned around and looked at him with an expressionless face. The helplessness and compromise that flashed across his dark eyes were clearly caught by Gu Yansheng. He knew that the apology had worked. The grievance in his heart caused by the other party's continued cold face was instantly soothed by this silent but real look. He even felt a little secretly proud of stepping on the line of tiger indulgence.
"I'll take you for a walk this afternoon."
"Oh, okay!" He agreed obediently, and Jiang Lin was called away by a call from the department.
After Gu Yansheng waved at him, his eyes couldn't help but wander around the room.
His attention was quickly drawn to the living room desk. Several thick medical books lay spread out on the table, with a few sheets of paper covered in writing scattered around. He approached and saw Jiang Lin's handwritten medical records and notes.
The handwriting was in a graceful and fluent cursive style, with dragons flying and phoenixes dancing. Gu Yansheng opened his eyes wide but could only barely recognize a few scattered words - "hypertension", "old myocardial infarction", and "rheumatoid arthritis".
Although I couldn't understand the content, the paper was clean and the handwriting, although sloppy, revealed a sense of rigorous order.
Gu Yansheng's gaze softened, and a smile unconsciously curled up at the corner of his mouth. He noticed a window next to the desk. He walked over and gently pushed open the wooden window frame.
Outside the window, there is an untouched wilderness. Not far away are lush green mountains. At the foot of the mountains, a small pond comes into view. The clear water reflects the blue sky, white clouds, and the green grass and wildflowers on the shore.
Gu Yansheng took a deep breath, and felt that the inexplicable "restlessness" in his chest, a mixture of tension, excitement and a hint of uneasiness, was strangely soothed by the tranquil and simple mountain landscape in front of him, as well as the silent but firm indulgence of his "socially insulated" childhood friend.
He almost subconsciously took out his cell phone and took a picture out the window.
Mountains, ponds, wild grasses, and leisurely chickens form a rural landscape full of life.
He was in a good mood, so he casually opened his Moments and posted the photo with just four words:
【The mountains are beautiful and the people are beautiful. 】
His original intention was pure - the mountain scenery was indeed beautiful, and the helpful teacher Zhou Muyuan he met today also made him feel the beauty of the human heart nurtured by this land and water.
After sending it, he casually threw his phone on the bed that Jiang Lin had made, which smelled of clean soap nuts. He had no intention of looking at the likes and comments that instantly poured in - he was busy looking at Jiang Lin's residence more carefully.
He had no idea that the comments below his circle of friends who posted “The mountains are beautiful and the people are beautiful” had exploded.
Jiang Xinchen: [Fuck, you went to the mountain village to have some fun? Which wild man?]
Brother: [Where is this? Who is beautiful?]
Sister-in-law: [Wow, so beautiful, Yansheng, have fun for a few more days, I look forward to you bringing this beauty home! ! (snickering)]
Lin Yang: [Brother Gu, why did you go to the countryside? The photos are so beautiful. I know a little about photography. Let's go take photos together next week!]
There is also a group of stubborn and bad friends from the rich second generation circle who are making comments like "Mr. Gu is so awesome!", "Rush to the mountain village for love?", "Who is the beauty? Please give me the picture and the truth!", "Come on, capture the innocent beauty!" The ridicule and cheering are rapidly flooding the screen.
Jiang Lin's bedroom was very small and had a clear view. He retreated back to the living room and glanced again at the bookshelf, desk, and the window that overlooked the mountain view and pond.
The conditions here were very simple, far inferior to his home, but it was clean and quiet. He looked at the professional books that had been read so much that the edges were frayed and the papers filled with notes.
Gu Yansheng felt more at ease. At least, Jiang Lin's life here was focused and orderly, and he didn't feel unfairly treated. He even noticed a dumbbell under the coffee table. This guy didn't miss out on exercise even in such a simple place.
The wait seemed to be getting longer. Jiang Lin had obviously gone back to the clinic to do his work. The soft bed exuded a reassuring atmosphere.
Gu Yansheng lay down, the cold and clean scent of Jiang Lin still lingering on the quilt. He lay there for a while, unable to sleep, the small world outside the window attracting him like magic.
He simply stood up, picked up his cell phone, tiptoed out the door, and walked casually along the path in front of the bungalow.
The countryside was so quiet in the afternoon that only the sounds of the wind, birdsong, and my own footsteps remained. Wildflowers bloomed along the roadside, and unknown vines crawled along the fence. In the distance, farmers worked in the fields, and a yellow dog dozed at the gate.
These common scenes that have long been ignored in the city are now full of fresh vitality and simple poetry in his eyes.
He walked and stopped, and raised his mobile phone to take pictures of interesting corners. The air was filled with the fragrance of grass and trees. Looking at these peaceful scenes and thinking about the man with a cold face who was silently making the bed, his heart, which was always anxious and restless, settled down as never before, and became peaceful and stable.
The mountain breeze was gentle, and it seemed that even the remaining anger of Jiang Lin was quietly dissolved by the tranquility of the mountains.
When Jiang Lin returned to the low, one-bedroom house, the afterglow of the setting sun was filtering through the open window, tinting the living room desk a warm orange. He pushed open the door and walked lightly.
Gu Yansheng was not in bed. He was lying on the desk with his cheek pressed against the spread-out medical notes. His breathing was even and long, and he was obviously asleep.
The mountain breeze from the window ruffled his hair, and the sunlight cast a small shadow under his eyelashes. The landscape photos he had taken that afternoon were still lit on the screen and scattered around him. The clean and tidy single bed, the bedding still as smooth as new, had obviously not been touched all afternoon.
Jiang Lin's gaze swept across Gu Yansheng's peaceful sleeping face, and then fell on his left arm casually resting on the table.
The frozen anger that had been in the clinic that afternoon had long since subsided, and now only a deeper feeling remained, a mixture of helplessness and a hint of imperceptible indulgence.
He approached, but didn't wake him immediately. He just watched quietly for a moment. The croaking of frogs and the chirping of returning birds in the pond outside the window made the room particularly quiet.
"Gu Yansheng."
Jiang Lin's voice was not loud, but it was loud enough to penetrate the veil of sleep.
Gu Yansheng's eyelashes trembled a few times, and he opened his eyes drowsily, his gaze focused on Jiang Lin's expressionless face.
"...Huh? You're back?" His voice was hoarse from just waking up.
"Yeah." Jiang Lin responded, "Go wash your face and wake up."
"Oh..." Gu Yansheng rubbed his eyes and stood up. He moved his numb arms and walked obediently towards the small bathroom.
The cold water splashed on his face, and Gu Yansheng was completely awake. He wiped his face in front of the mirror, and remembered Jiang Lin's promise to take him shopping, and the anticipation in his heart was rekindled.
The town's night market wasn't as large as the city's, but it had a lively atmosphere that was hard to come by. A variety of stalls lined the short street.
Dim light bulbs, flashing neon signs, steaming stoves, and the smell of oil smoke mixed with the aroma of food.
Jiang Lin led him through the crowd in a familiar way, and finally stopped in front of a late-night snack stall that was doing particularly brisk business.
The stall with the sign "Qiangzi BBQ" is not big, with two large stoves and a barbecue grill at the door.
One stove had a barbecue grill with flames shooting high; the other was stewing some unknown soup, bubbling with a rich aroma.
On the barbecue grill, various meat and vegetable skewers sizzled, and oil dripped onto the charcoal fire, stirring up a burst of white smoke with a burnt aroma.
The man standing in front of the stove and controlling the overall situation was a man about thirty-one or thirty-two years old, with a crew cut and skin the color of wheat from years of smoke and fire. He was wearing a black vest that was a little faded from being washed, revealing two muscular arms with well-defined lines.
Jiang Lin had just sat down at an empty table at the side when the man, seemingly with eyes on his back, spoke in a resonant voice through the smoke and noise without even turning his head, "Doctor Jiang, you're here! Make yourself at ease!" After saying that, he concentrated on his work again.
As soon as Gu Yansheng sat down, he saw the kind-hearted teacher Zhou Muyuan from the daytime coming out of the small room behind the stall, carrying a large bowl of freshly fried, steaming snails.
When he saw Jiang Lin and Gu Yansheng, his eyes lit up and he walked over quickly with a smile, "Doctor Jiang, Mr. Gu! What a coincidence, you're here too!"
"Teacher Zhou?" Gu Yansheng was a little surprised. "Are you eating here too?"
Zhou Muyuan put the heavy basin of snails on the table next to him, wiped his hands, and smiled gently, "I'm staying here temporarily. The electrical circuit in my place is old and caught fire, and I haven't arranged a new place yet. Brother Qiang is so kind and let me stay with him for a few days." His tone was natural, with familiarity and gratitude towards Zhao Daqiang.
As he was speaking, a plate of fried noodles came out of the pan on the man's side. He put it on the plate neatly, then took the time to glance over here and said to Zhou Muyuan, "Bring the snails to table 3." His tone was so familiar, as if he was giving instructions to a family member.
"Okay!" Zhou Muyuan responded straightforwardly, picked up the bowl of snails and left.
Jiang Lin ordered a few dishes - a plate of fried noodles, a few skewers of roast beef, a plate of roast eggplant, a plate of salted edamame, and two bottles of ice beer.
Zhou Muyuan took the order and handed it to Zhao Qiang. Zhao Daqiang glanced at it and nodded, his hands still working. He whispered something to Zhou Muyuan, who smiled and nodded in response.
Gu Yansheng's gaze moved back and forth between Zhou Muyuan and Zhao Qiang.
Teacher Zhou was gentle and refined, while Boss Zhao was rough and tough; their temperaments were very different. But Zhou Muyuan's natural movement in picking up the order and delivering it, the tacit understanding between Zhao Qiang's casual instructions and Zhou Muyuan's immediate compliance, and the smile that curved across Zhou Muyuan's face when Zhao Qiang whispered just now...
And when Zhao Qiang looked at Zhou Muyuan, that almost imperceptible gentleness flashed across his rugged brows...
Gu Yansheng's inner "gayda" silently, yet clearly, began to beep! This atmosphere, this interaction, was so wrong! There was definitely something going on between these two!
The familiarity and tacit understanding that flowed through the atmosphere of everyday life, which was difficult for others to intrude upon, was like an invisible barrier. He just didn't know if this layer of window paper had been pierced, or if it was like this between him and Jiang Lin... He couldn't help but curl his lips and chuckle softly.
"What are you laughing at?"
Jiang Lin's voice was still clear amidst the noise, with his usual coolness.
Gu Yansheng came back to his senses, met Jiang Lin's inquiring eyes, and quickly shook his head. "Nothing, nothing! I just thought it was quite lively here, and the atmosphere is really good."
He didn't want to reveal his gossipy thoughts, especially to Jiang Lin, a straight man. He picked up his phone and showed Jiang Lin the photos he had taken that afternoon as if they were treasures. "Look, I took these this afternoon. This place is really beautiful, with picturesque scenery. I think it would be nice to retire here. It's quiet and the air is fresh."
The photos showed tranquil mountain ponds, wild flowers and plants, lazy cats, and simple farmyards. Jiang Lin flipped through the pages, his eyes lingering on the beautiful scenes.
When Gu Yansheng mentioned "retirement", Jiang Lin's finger paused slightly on the screen, and then continued to slide.
He remained silent, not responding to Gu Yansheng's longing for retirement. What about the medical conditions here? A rudimentary clinic, inadequate equipment, and long referral distances... these thoughts raced through his mind. For an elderly person in need of comprehensive medical care, this place was far from ideal.
But he said nothing. He just handed the phone back to Gu Yansheng and asked, "How does your arm feel? Didn't it get bumped again? Where's Xiaofei?"
"It's okay, it's okay, she's fine!" Gu Yansheng assured quickly, "Xiao Fei is well taken care of by my sister-in-law. She's gained a lot of weight. I'll show you the photos later."
In a corner where they were not paying attention, Zhou Muyuan helped Zhao Daqiang bring the grilled skewers to the table, and his eyes inadvertently swept over the table of Jiang Lin and Gu Yansheng.
Jiang Lin tilted his head slightly to listen to Gu Yansheng's words. Although his face still had no expression, that focused posture, and the natural and somewhat dependent sense of relaxation that Gu Yansheng showed in front of Jiang Lin... Zhou Muyuan's eyes also flashed a hint of understanding smile.
He walked back to the stove with the empty plate in his hand. Zhao Daqiang had just finished cooking a dish and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Zhou Muyuan whispered something to Zhao Daqiang and raised his chin in the direction of Jiang Lin and his friends' table.
Zhao Qiang followed his gaze and saw Gu Yansheng talking to Jiang Lin with great excitement. Although Jiang Lin had a cold expression, his body was leaning slightly towards Gu Yansheng.
Zhao Qiang's face, which was red from the stove fire, also showed a tacit smile. He raised his rough eyebrows and gave Zhou Muyuan a look that said "I understand".
The two tables of people, separated by the mist of fireworks and the noisy voices, were each immersed in their own little world, and seemed to have reached some kind of consensus on "relationships" in silence.
The aroma of grilled skewers, the steam of fried noodles, the coolness of ice beer, and the cool breeze in the mountains on a summer night gently envelop everyone's subtle thoughts and feelings in this noisy corner.
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