Journey
City C is adjacent to City B.
Xie Wenshan’s home is here, and Xiang Xinghe’s home is also here.
However, Xiang Xinghe plans to take the two children out to play for two days before going somewhere else.
The zoo they went to first was——
In fact, simply calling it a zoo is not quite accurate, because you can stay inside, there are amusement facilities, and there are even hills to climb. The scenery is very nice. It is a recreational venue that combines artificial and natural elements.
There weren't many people at this time, it wasn't crowded, it felt just right.
Chen Chu had checked the guide with Xiang Xinghe's phone before. He heard that there were free-range red pandas here and you could meet them by chance!
"I'm going to sleep here for one night with the red panda."
"Then you have to find them."
Xiang Xinghe pressed Shen Chu's little head: "Also, you have to let them take the initiative to follow you."
"Uncle, have you ever seen a red panda before?"
Xiang Xinghe paused and said, "I've seen it once."
“That must be when I was in the country.”
Little Detective Fatty narrowed his eyes and said, "Uncle, have you been here before?"
I didn't use the navigation much on the way here just now.
Xiang Xinghe was helpless, squatted down and pinched Shen Chu's chubby face: "Why are you asking so many questions?"
Shen Chuyi put his hands on his hips: "You should say 'How come I'm so smart'!"
"Ha, am I right?"
Xiang Xinghe stuffed Shen Chu's chubby paw into Xie Shiming's hand beside him and said, "Keep an eye on this clever little guy."
"Uncle, change the subject!"
"How about I get a rope to tie you up? There are still quite a few people here."
"Uncle, you are answering the wrong question!"
"Your little fat belly is definitely not big enough to tie it, so just tie it to your wrist, and tie the other side to Ming's wrist."
Shen Chu: “…”
He lowered his head to look at his stomach and inhaled deeply.
It’s not good at all!
This is the little belly that is unique to children!
"puff."
Xiang Xinghe held back his smile and walked forward.
Xie Shiming shook Shen Chu’s little hand: “Baby, why are you always led astray on this issue.”
"ah!"
"My stinky uncle ran away! Chase him--"
In order to make amends to the little fat boy, Xiang Xinghe bought two ornaments in the shape of red panda tails and tied them behind the two children. They were reddish-brown, big and plump, with nine rings on them, and they swung when they walked.
Chen Chu held Xie Shiming's hand, thinking about finding the red panda. Although there were staff to show the way, the area where the red pandas were active was too large, and it would take some time to meet them.
Xie Shiming just kept following Shen Chu.
He followed wherever Shen Chu went, and then listened to Shen Chu talk about the various animals and plants there.
"Baby."
Xie Shiming suddenly asked: "Do you like these very much?"
"Um?"
Shen Chu blinked: "Why do you ask?"
"It seems like you like it."
It should be said that ever since Xiang Xinghe told them those things, he found that Shen Chu was particularly interested in them.
In the past, he was too lazy to do anything and would just stay in a den like a fat capybara. But now he often checks things. It turns out that it’s not that he is lazy, but there were not many things that interested him in the past.
Or maybe Shen Chu hadn't discovered that he was interested in these things before?
Thinking of this, Xie Shiming couldn't help but lower his eyes.
He confirmed with Xiang Xinghe privately again, asking him whether he really wanted to go abroad in the end, and whether he could not leave.
But Xiang Xinghe just rubbed his head and sighed helplessly -
Apart from Shen Chu, there was nothing left in the country for him to miss.
So the decision-making power has always been in Shen Chu's hands.
It's not that he is going abroad and Shen Chu wants to go with him, but that he is going abroad and Shen Chu wants to go with him.
Whether you want to or not depends on how Shen Chu makes the decision.
Xiang Xinghe has his own ideals and pursuits, and he would also teach Chen Chu to be clear about what he wants and then do it. He might face many difficulties and choices, but he has to keep going down this path, and just don't let himself regret it.
“Because I think it’s fun.”
Shen Chu thought about it, nodded, and reaffirmed: "It's really interesting, I like it very much."
In the past, he was a bookworm who seldom touched anything other than studying. After all, he did not have enough energy just for studying, so how could he have extra time and energy to spend on other things?
What's more, he had never had contact with Xiang Xinghe like this before, let alone got along with Xiang Xinghe like this, so naturally he had never heard of the things Xiang Xinghe talked about.
Do you like it?
Now that I think about it, he really did like it.
Because it is something I am interested in, I am happy to do something.
Instead of forcing myself to do something like before.
Besides, when we go back to our childhood, many things have already been learned and encountered.
Although Chen Chu is not a genius, he is not a fool either, and he has worked hard, so many things have already been mastered by him now, and he always feels a little boring.
But many of the things his uncle talked about were things he had never heard of or come into contact with before. Of course, they were very new and interesting to him. After all, these were areas of knowledge he had never been exposed to before.
As I was talking, I suddenly felt something brushing my face.
Then Xie Shiming stood still, looking behind him.
"What?"
Shen Chu asked in a low voice, and then he felt something coming closer behind him, so he turned his head subconsciously——
Behind him is a wooden fence, which is short and only serves a decorative purpose.
So when Shen Chu turned his head, he happened to see a little panda face——
Its back and head are brown-red, and its limbs are black. There is only a circle of white hair on its ears, eyebrows, cheeks, and mouth. There is also a black ring on its brown-red tail. It is short, fat, and round all over.
The little panda looked at Shen Chu, then jumped down from the wooden railing and walked around Shen Chu again.
Finally, he used his tail to hook the fake tail behind Chen Chu, and then sat in front of Chen Chu.
Wow...
Shen Chu also squatted down and reached out to touch the red panda tentatively.
Then, his eyes lit up and he looked at Xie Shiming——
“It’s so soft!”
The whole little face was filled with the emotion of "I love it so much".
Perhaps it was because they were similar in spirit even though they were not physically similar in some ways, and they both had a fat tail behind them, and after a while, two more red pandas appeared, and sat in a row around Shen Chu, looking up at him with their round little heads tilted up.
Chen Chu stood up and walked forward, followed by a group of little pandas.
They all have long chubby tails and are round, short and fat.
"Isn't it possible that they mistook you for one of their own kind, baby?"
Xiang Xinghe really found it funny. Although they were all different, why did they feel the same everywhere?
"Look, they don't follow Ming, baby. You should reflect on yourself and find out why."
Shen Chu: “…”
Don't think he didn't hear what this was hinting at!
Humph, he didn't answer.
But Shen Chu was still happy to be able to interact with the red panda.
Afterwards, he asked the staff for some chopped apples and fed them to each of the red pandas following him.
Even Xie Shiming was interacting with the red panda.
Later in the evening, Xiang Xinghe took the two children on a sightseeing bus to their accommodation, which was also in the park. There was a large balcony. Because of the high terrain, the scenery outside was very nice, and there was even a tent on the balcony.
Although the weather is a bit cold now, we can still live there at night by setting up a tent on the balcony with shelter on both sides.
There is also a transparent piece on the top of the tent facing outward, so you can lie inside and enjoy the stars at night.
Shen Chu was very happy about this and insisted on living in the tent.
He directly held Xiang Xinghe's hand, and his little butt fell to the ground and refused to move: "It's okay, uncle, you really won't be cold!"
"It would be so nice to live in a tent. I haven't experienced it yet. I want to live in a tent. I want to live in it if I want!"
Xiang Xinghe was helpless and subconsciously said: "How did you get along with——"
"Um?"
Little Fatty tilted his head back: "With what?"
"nothing."
Xiang Xinghe breathed a sigh of relief: "Forget it, if you want to stay here, just stay. I'll make it warmer inside."
"oh......"
While Xiang Xinghe was cleaning up, Shen Chu stroked his little fleshy chin and thought about something.
There is no doubt that——
His uncle must have been here before.
But who did he come with?
I always feel like there are a lot of things going on with my uncle.
Maybe he has to bear a lot on his own, and he is unwilling to talk about it.
snort.
Chen Chu was about to turn around and say something to Xie Shiming, but he saw Xie Shiming was in a daze, not knowing what he was thinking.
It has been like this since before.
It’s fine when he’s playing, but when he calms down, he seems to have something on his mind.
Shen Chu leaned his head over and stretched it in front of Xie Shiming——
"What are you doing?"
Xie Shiming came back to his senses and looked at Shen Chu.
"Um?"
Little Fatty tilted his head: "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Baby."
"ah?"
Shen Chu stretched out his little hand and scratched his cheek. Really, every time Xie Shiming called him like that, he still felt a little uncomfortable.
Don't be so awkward, haha.
“I also have things I want and things I want to do…”
Shen Chu: “?”
Xie Shiming continued in a low voice: "But I can't impose my ideas on others."
so what?
Shen Chu didn't quite understand.
Then Xie Shiming raised his hand and rubbed his little head.
"So do whatever you want to do, as long as it makes you happy."
Xie Shiming said seriously: "I think if I let you do something happy, I will be happy too."
Shen Chu......
He couldn't help but be stunned for a long time.
Although he didn't say it explicitly, Shen Chu probably understood what Xie Shiming meant -
He had never told Xie Shiming that he was leaving before, but it turned out that Xie Shiming had been thinking about it all the time.
And not only was she thinking about it, but she was even able to see what he was thinking?
Shen Chu opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.
There were times when he couldn't speak.
At night, the three of them lay down in the tent together.
Chen Chu was in the middle, Xie Shiming and Xiang Xinghe were on both sides. In front of their heads was a transparent curtain through which they could see the sky outside. They were lucky today as the weather was very good during the day and they could see the stars at night.
Besides that, there was also a red panda in their tent.
It was the one that hooked Shen Chu's face with its tail at the beginning. Unexpectedly, it also came at night and nestled at Shen Chu's feet.
"Uncle, have you ever looked at the sky like this before? Have you ever lived in a tent?"
Shen Chu put his little hand on his fat belly and suddenly asked.
He thought Xiang Xinghe would not answer, or would change the subject like before, but he did not expect that after he asked, Xiang Xinghe was silent for two seconds, and then he opened his mouth and said -
"I have stayed in a tent, but it was cloudy that day and it rained at night. Although it was summer, it was colder than it is now."
"Ah? Then we won't be able to see the stars?"
Xiang Xinghe didn't know what he was thinking of, and smiled faintly: "Not bad."
"What's going on?"
Xiang Xinghe didn't even look at it, and pressed Shen Chu's head with one hand: "That's not something a child like you should ask."
"You're such a chatterbox, be quiet, baby."
Shen Chu: “…”
After a while, the little fat boy said quietly -
"Could it be that you watched it with Brother Jian Xing?"
“Ahem—”
Xiang Xinghe was choked by his saliva...
As a result, Xie Shiming was still there, saying, "So is it really Brother Jian Xing?"
Xiang Xinghe: “…”
"Uncle, why did you go abroad? And, you and Brother Jian Xing knew each other before, but why do you feel like you had a quarrel now? Is there any conflict between you? Do you want to talk to the baby?"
The little fat boy patted his chest and said, "I am a very caring little cotton-padded jacket."
"Uncle, what you said to me——"
"What can I say to you?"
Shen Chu was righteous and confident——
"Of course it satisfies my curiosity!"
Xiang Xinghe: “…”
"hey-hey."
After teasing Xiang Xinghe, Chen Chu suddenly said seriously: "Actually, I want to know more about my uncle."
Xiang Xinghe was stunned.
"My uncle is my family and my relative. If there is anything, he can talk to me."
Xiang Xinghe didn't say anything for a long time.
Until Shen Chu was drowsy and a little sleepy, a hand reached out to help him and Xie Shiming lift the quilt, then gently patted his shoulder to coax him to sleep, and a deep sigh came faintly in his ears——
"It's not that I don't want to tell you, but I don't know how to start."
Hmm.
Shen Chu grabbed it, and his chubby hand grabbed Xiang Xinghe's fingers.
Xiang Xinghe's expression softened, and his gaze towards Chen Chu couldn't be any softer.
But when he thought of something, his expression couldn't help but darken - if his little nephew knew what happened in the past, knew that... he liked boys, would he still be willing to continue to recognize him as his uncle?
I'm afraid by then you'll be eager for him to go abroad immediately?
Men and men...probably considered abnormal by anyone.
They played for half a day the next day, and in the afternoon, Xiang Xinghe took the two children away.
When he first returned to China, he came back and learned what happened at home. He also learned that his sister left home due to pregnancy and eventually died, but he didn't know where his sister was buried because it was Xie Wenshan who helped Xiang Xingyue handle the funeral.
Later, I found Shen Chu and asked him clearly.
This time when he came back, he wanted to take Chen Chu to pay tribute to Xiang Xingyue first, and also pay tribute to Xie Wenshan in person.
The two were buried in the same place.
Although Xie Wenshan eventually died in City B, he was willing to return to his roots.
As for Xiang Xingyue, the Shen family had also moved Xiang Xingyue's tomb to one place.
I have to say that the Shen family is really good to Shen Chu and values Shen Chu, otherwise they would not have done this.
Xiang Xinghe was very grateful and even thought about just leaving to avoid making things difficult for everyone.
But he couldn't bear to leave Shen Chu.
The more we get along, the more reluctant we are to let go.
On the tombstone, there was only a pale black-and-white photo of Xiang Xingyue.
This was the first time Shen Chu saw Xiang Xingyue——
Even though it can be seen that the photo was taken when Xiang Xingyue was in poor health, the person in the photo still looks very good.
Xiang Xinghe reached out and wiped the photo on the tombstone: "Baby, isn't your mother very beautiful?"
Shen Chu nodded and hummed.
"nice."
"You look a lot like my sister."
As he said that, Xiang Xinghe turned his head and glanced at Shen Chu: “The eyebrows and eyes are similar, and the mouth is also similar.”
Little Fatty tapped his nose: "What about here? Doesn't it look like that, uncle?"
"here......"
Xiang Xinghe reached out and pinched Shen Chu’s chubby face without saying anything.
He still doesn't know with whom his sister gave birth to the child. If only he hadn't left, he wouldn't know nothing. Unfortunately, there is no if, and things have turned out like this.
How could he not hate...
But the person he hated the most was actually himself.
If I had known this would happen...
Xiang Xinghe was thinking about something and then shook his head. What would have happened if he had known this earlier? Could he have controlled himself?
No matter how much you say or think, it's too late.
"Uncle, does Mom have any other photos? I want to see them."
After meeting Xiang Xingyue, Shen Chu had more "real feelings".
I couldn't help but want to know more about his biological mother.
Of course he knew why Xiang Xinghe was silent just now.
But compared to his biological father whom he had never met, Shen Chu didn't really care.
Anyway, before he was 17 years old, he had never heard of that person.
So it doesn't matter.
But Xiang Xingyue was different. He knew that his mother had thought about him and was still thinking about him until her death. Now he came here with Xiang Xinghe, of course, he wanted to know more about Xiang Xingyue.
"Yes, but it's in our old home. Do you want to go and have a look?"
"Those should still be there..."
The last time he came back, Xiang Xinghe did not go into the house and only got the information from other people.
Later, I didn’t dare touch it, for fear of being hurt by the scene.
But now that I'm with Chen Chu, I've adjusted my mood, and of course I have to go back once no matter what.
——The home he had never returned to since he had taken the initiative to leave...
Before leaving, they also went to pay tribute to Xie Wenshan.
Although the man in the photo looks a little taciturn, he has a handsome face, a gentle expression, and even a smile in the corners of his eyes. It's easy to get a good impression of him at first sight. He looks like a good person.
Standing in front of Xie Wenshan's tomb, Xie Shiming couldn't help but fall silent.
Until now, when talking about each other, Xie Shiming is still used to calling him "Dad", which shows how deep the relationship between him and Xie Wenshan is. After all, they have depended on each other since childhood.
Shen Chu and Xiang Xinghe also paid their respects very seriously.
Because if it weren't for Xie Wenshan, Xiang Xingyue's last days would probably have been even more miserable.
They should all thank this man.
Shen Chu held Xie Shiming's hand: "Look."
"Um?"
"Because of your presence, Mom and Uncle must have felt comforted when they passed away."
Shen Chu smiled at Xie Shiming: "Uncle must be very happy and proud to have a son like you. Thank you, brother, for accompanying mom on my behalf."
"You are very good, otherwise your uncle wouldn't care so much about you and would risk his life to help you find your relatives."
"Uncle must be happy and satisfied to be able to help you find mom and the others in his last moments."
Xie Shiming stared at Shen Chu in a daze, and after a while he held Shen Chu's hand, and nodded heavily with red eyes: "Yes."
He remembers how his father looked when he left, and he said he has no regrets.
He was happy and relieved because he could see his father's smile.
At this point, Xie Shiming was finally able to feel completely relieved.
After saying goodbye to Xiang Xingyue and Xie Wenshan, Xiang Xinghe continued to take Shen Chu and Xie Shiming back to his former home.
——From the time Xiang Xingyue left, to when he took care of his parents' funeral, and then when he fell ill, until his death, he never came back many times. I don't know how much dust has fallen on this home, and it has all turned into soil.
So after finding someone to open the lock, you also have to clean the furniture inside.
But Xiang Xingyue must have sold some things at home, so there weren't many furniture inside.
Xiang Xinghe originally planned to invite someone over, but seeing that Chen Chu was eager to explore, he thought about it and gave up. So he bought a mask, a hat, and small clothes for cleaning, and started to work with the two children.
This way, while cleaning, you can also look at the things that were previously stored.
But a lot of garbage and debris were also cleaned up.
I have to go out and throw away the garbage, otherwise I will have no place to stay in this house.
Xiang Xinghe carried a large bag, Shen Chu and Xie Shiming each carried a small bag, and the three of them walked towards the trash can at the entrance of the community.
This is an old neighborhood and it's not a school district house, so many young people moved out a long time ago and most of those left are elderly people. It's not too late now and you can still see a few people walking their dogs in the neighborhood.
After throwing away the garbage, Xiang Xinghe took the lead and walked back.
At this time, a gray-haired old man walked out of the door of the building where they lived. When he saw Xiang Xinghe, he stopped in his tracks and pointed at Xiang Xinghe.
"You... Hey, aren't you that someone?!"
"The one who likes men..."
The old man suddenly stopped, then continued pointing at Xiang Xinghe and said -
"No, why are you back?"
There was a tone of disgust in his voice, as if he couldn't wait for Xiang Xinghe to leave right now.
"Your parents died a long time ago. I heard that your sister got pregnant before marriage and left home a long time ago. Didn't she die outside? Why are you coming back at this time? Is your family still hospitable—"
"Be careful with your words."
Xiang Xinghe said coldly: "Whether our family can treat others well is my business."
"When I come back, that's my business."
"Also, you don't need to gossip about my sister."
"At your age, it's better to be more careful with your words."
The old man was so angry that his face turned red. He pouted at Xiang Xinghe and said, "What are you talking about? You disrespect your elders. You deserved to have your legs broken!"
"You disgraceful Second Chair, you actually have the nerve to show up now!"
After saying this, Xiang Xinghe's face completely darkened.
But before he could say anything, a small figure appeared and blocked his way.
"Then what about someone like you who is disrespectful to the elderly?!"
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