Chapter 10
Coming back to Xiangzhang Garden again, I felt as if I was in another world.
This is one of the earliest commercial housing estates in the city, with small Western-style buildings on two floors and various flowers and trees everywhere. The most eye-catching of these is a century-old camphor tree at the entrance, which stands tall like a canopy.
Holding a wicker basket of peaches in one hand, Zhang Jusong walked slowly on the path in Xiangzhang Garden.
She walked slowly, scanning the trees in front of her, trying to find the one she and her parents had planted. On the Arbor Day of the year when Xiangzhangyuan was first completed, the property management organized new owners to plant trees. Zhang Jusong and her parents also planted a tree. At that time, the sapling was less than one meter high, but now it has grown taller than the roof of the small western-style building.
Unfortunately, it was too long, and the camphor trees all looked the same, so it was impossible to recognize them. After searching in vain, she had to give up. Just as Zhang Jusong was about to move forward, she suddenly heard someone calling her.
Following the direction of the voice, Xia Zhiheng was waving and smiling on the balcony, with the sky covered with dense clouds above his head.
For a moment, she seemed to have passed through the tunnel of time and returned to her childhood, where her friends invited her to play at home. Wait a little longer, until the sunset appeared in the sky, the aroma of food would fill the entire community, and her mother's call would come as promised, "Juzi - go home - eat -"
Just thinking of that scene made her heart soften a little.
After a while, Xia Zhiheng pushed open the door and walked over. He must have run down, and his breath was a little hurried.
“Sister, you really came here by yourself.”
"Well, I'm just sitting around doing nothing. Besides, I haven't been here for a long time."
Zhang Jusong glanced at the balcony of his old home. Through the glass, he could see a circle of messy toys and a children's bicycle.
"My house, uh, my old house is occupied now, right?"
Xia Zhiheng nodded: "Yes, it's a young couple with a little girl. They have lived here for two or three years."
"That's great." Zhang Jusong lowered his eyes and handed the basket forward. "Here, I can't really tell the difference. The soft ones seem to be nectarines, and the smaller ones are hard peaches."
I stretched out my hand and suddenly felt something cold, followed by the sound of leaves crackling in the forest.
It's raining.
Xia Zhiheng pushed open the door to the corridor and said, "Come in and wait for a moment. I'll get you an umbrella."
The light in the corridor was a little dim, and there were two small "unlocking" stickers on the wall. Zhang Jusong sighed a little: "Wow, there are stickers in the corridor now?"
Xia Zhiheng glanced at it and said, "After all, it's an old neighborhood. The reaction was a bit slow. The property management should tear it down in a couple of days."
On the stairs, on the left is her former home, and on the right is Xia Zhiheng's home.
The security door of his house was ajar, probably because he was in a hurry to run downstairs without closing the door. Xia Zhiheng went in to find an umbrella, while Zhang Jusong stood outside the door waiting.
The layout of this house is exactly the same as Zhang Jusong's old home, and it couldn't be more familiar. From the angle of the door, you can only see the entrance.
It was a very clean entrance, with only a few pairs of shoes displayed outside, all of them were boys' shoes.
Zhang Jusong felt a little strange and couldn't help asking, "Are your parents not here?"
"Oh, they divorced and got married again."
Xia Zhiheng took out a long umbrella in a nonchalant tone. The outer surface of the umbrella was black, but the inner bottom was red.
Zhang Jusong let out a soft "ah".
"Feel sorry."
"What's there to be sorry about?" Xia Zhiheng held the umbrella out to her. "Actually, I'm very happy that they can get a divorce."
There was no trace of sadness between his brows.
Zhang Jusong frowned slightly, took the umbrella, and asked in a low voice: "So, do you live alone now?"
"Almost. But when I was in class, there would be a part-time worker to help every morning. Now that we are on holiday, they don't need it anymore."
Xia Zhiheng laughed: "Ah, sister, are you worried that I can't finish all the peaches by myself? Don't worry, I will definitely not waste them."
As he spoke, he blinked.
Zhang Jusong pursed his lips.
After a few words, the sound of rain outside didn't sound so urgent anymore.
Zhang Jusong held the umbrella and said goodbye to Xia Zhiheng: "It seems that the rain has eased a little, so I will go back first."
"Okay, I'll take you downstairs then."
The stairs are short and can be walked up in just a few steps.
Zhang Jusong walked into the rain, and the raindrops hit the umbrella, making a dull sound.
When she was about to turn the corner, she looked back. The rain was hitting the eaves of the small house, stirring up a layer of smoke.
After returning home, Zhang Jusong was still worried about what he had just heard.
Why did Xia Zhiheng's parents divorce?
In her memory, Xia's parents should be very loving, handsome and pretty. Xia's father worked in another city, so he was not often seen. Zhang Jusong had only seen him once. He was a somewhat serious man, but when he met Xia's mother, his expression would be much softer. As for Xia's mother, she was a lively and beautiful woman. When Zhang Jusong went to Xia Zhiheng's house to play when she was a child, she never saw Xia's mother wearing the same skirt twice. During afternoon tea, Xia's mother would often mention Xia's father who worked in another city. Whenever she mentioned that person, her eyes would bend with a smile.
So, is everything defeated by the passing of time?
Thinking of this, Zhang Jusong sighed.
She doesn't have any friends she can talk to now, and the only person she can contact who knows Xia Zhiheng's story is Zhang Jun, Zhang Jusong's father.
When he thought of this man's name, Zhang Jusong couldn't help but roll his eyes.
Go ask Zhang Jun?
Forget it. She might as well ask Xia Zhiheng directly.
Every family has its own problems.
For the next few days, Zhang Jusong stayed at home.
Play games, watch TV, spend time with grandma. Never leave the house.
Maybe because she had been at home for too long, her grandmother's attitude towards her changed from being a treasure to being a little bit disgusted.
"You are a young girl, but you stay at home all day and don't go out to play?"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Jusong, who was curled up on the sofa, silently picked up the remote control and turned the TV back to the channel broadcasting Wang Baochuan and Xue Rengui.
Grandma snorted softly, "You should go out and have fun while you're still young. What about your old friends from junior high and high school? There must be some in this city, so go out and play with them! Look at that little bastard Qu Ling, he's just out playing all day."
"Oh, every university has a different holiday schedule. Besides, they might have other plans. Qu Ling doesn't play alone either. He has to go to cram school."
Zhang Jusong stood up, moved closer to his grandmother, and shook her arm: "Wouldn't it be good for me to accompany you?"
"Well, whatever you like. Don't get so close, it's hot."
Zhang Jusong still sticks to his grandma like a little naughty boy.
Just kidding, look at the sunshine outside, she must be crazy to go outside to play.
Once the holidays come, the time system becomes messed up, and Zhang Jusong now has no idea what day it is today.
But there is one time I still remember, the day when the college entrance examination results are released.
I have to remember it, because as the time approaches, Weibo is filled with all kinds of koi wishes.
There was still an hour before the results were released. Zhang Jusong had already prepared some melon seeds and ice soda, and was lying on the bed with his legs crossed, checking his phone.
I had just taken a sip of the soda when a call came in and my phone vibrated.
It’s Xia Zhiheng’s call.
"Sister, I remember you said before that you wanted to see the admissions office snatch up people?"
Zhang Jusong was stunned and immediately sat up straight: "What do you mean?"
Xia Zhiheng's laughter came from the other end of the phone: "If you want to watch the fun, you can come to Xiangzhangyuan now. The admissions teachers of University A and University B are just downstairs from my house."
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