Chapter 67 Klein (1) Because of regret, so obsession, very...
January 28, 2020, cloudy
Throughout history, humanity has suffered countless large-scale epidemics, some of which became turning points in history, while others directly ended civilizations. Examples include the Black Death that ravaged Europe in the 14th century, Native Americans who were infected with foreign viruses by colonists in the 16th century, and the Spanish flu that changed the course of World War I. With advances in science and technology and the development of medicine, humanity has overcome many diseases, but there are still times when we are helpless.
At the end of 2019, a sudden COVID-19 pandemic swept the world, affecting no one, regardless of country or race. In the years that followed, the lives of countless people were affected, and the overall world structure and people's way of thinking were completely changed. In the face of ruthless fate and the vastness of the universe, the power of the individual is so small and humble. Everything that was once familiar around us is gradually collapsing. Some people reflect, some collapse, some give up on themselves, and some have a sudden enlightenment.
However, this is all a long, long time in the future.
At this moment, shortly after the 2020 Lunar New Year, in apartment 2,408 of the Friendship Apartments in Nanshan District, Shenzhen, a pair of ordinary men and women stared at each other in bewilderment. They had known each other for twelve years, been in love for three, and separated for seven. Reunited after a long separation, they were contemplating their future. Unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, they were trapped inside the building with everyone else. In this small, one-bedroom, one-living room, one-bathroom, and one-kitchen apartment, they were forced to undergo the upcoming 14-day mandatory home quarantine, spending every day together, unavoidable.
Next to the doormat were two large bags of garbage that had been taken out but not thrown away in time. Because the building was sealed off and they were not allowed to throw them away, they had to be brought back.
It's embarrassing and absurd.
Finally, Lin Xia couldn't help but speak first:
"Didn't you leave a long time ago?"
The lockdown announcement was made at noon, and she remembered that he had left before that.
He Chuan shook his head:
"When I went downstairs, the seal had already been put up. I was just one step too late."
It seems that the building was sealed first and then the news was released. This is correct. If they had notified us in advance, it would definitely have caused unrest.
"How about your work?"
"Now that things have come to this, there's no better solution. Let's take it one step at a time and let Dai Zhicheng figure out a solution." He Chuan sighed and asked Lin Xia, "Have you eaten? Are you hungry?"
When he said that, Lin Xia realized that she was a little hungry. They hadn't eaten yet. She was about to get up but was stopped by He Chuan:
"I'll go. You take a good rest. In this kind of environment, if something happens to your incision, it will be difficult to get medical treatment, so be careful."
What he said made sense, and Lin Xia also started to worry. She checked online and found that many people did not recover well after surgery and had various problems. She didn't care about it before because she thought she could go to the hospital for treatment at any time, but in this situation, it is better to have less trouble than more.
She watched He Chuan's back as he walked towards the kitchen, feeling a little emotional. She didn't expect that he had adjusted his mentality in such a short time and faced the reality. His character was tougher and his emotions were more stable than when he was a teenager. In this regard, she would never be able to compare with him.
No one was in the mood or had an appetite tonight, but He Chuan didn't give a shit and tried his best to make a proper meal. He cooked a pot of porridge and stir-fried two light dishes that Lin Xia could eat. He had been living in a foreign country for many years, and his cooking skills hadn't improved or deteriorated. After Lin Xia took the first bite, her chopsticks froze.
"What's wrong?" He Chuan asked.
"nothing."
Lin Xia shook her head and quickly drank two mouthfuls of porridge to hide her absent-mindedness.
It is said that taste is the best way to evoke people's past memories. The taste of these meals made her unconsciously think of the past. She had not eaten the dishes made by He Chuan for many years. When she tasted them again, she did not expect to see this scene. Life is really full of unexpected things.
After the meal, Lin Xia, as the host, diligently arranged accommodation for He Chuan. Now that things had come to this, she could only accept it calmly. Since he was so calm and composed, she could not show weakness.
The problem of accommodation was actually easy to solve. Although there was only one bedroom in the house, the sofa in the living room could be folded down to form a folding bed. Lin Xia would occasionally have friends over to stay overnight, so it was more than enough for He Chuan to stay here. The problem was the lack of He Chuan's spare change of clothes, men's toiletries, and other daily necessities. There was a solution, though. According to the original plan, He Chuan was going on a business trip and had a full set of supplies in the trunk of his car, but the apartment manager might not have time to bring them to him right away, so he had to find a way to cope with it for at least the next few days.
Lin Xia rummaged through the drawers and finally found a new towel, toothbrush and cup, and handed them to He Chuan. The latter looked at the toiletries set filled with various cartoon characters in front of him and was silent for a long time.
He Chuan asked tentatively:
"Do you have anything at home that doesn't have bears or bunnies on it, um... or anything with such cute colors..."
Lin Xia's face darkened, and she said unhappily, "This is all I have!"
This is the Disney limited edition that she spent a huge amount of money to buy, and she is reluctant to use it herself. If it weren't for the special circumstances now, she would not give it to him!
"Feel sorry."
Lin Xia tried to hold it back, but couldn't help but explain: "Besides, it's not all bears and rabbits."
"Isn't it?"
"Of course not! Only Duffy and ShellieMay are bears, StellaLou is a rabbit, Gelatoni is a cat, Kekian is a dog, and Olemira is a turtle. Look, he doesn't have any ears!"
Lin Xia pointed at those cartoon characters and told them all by heart, but in He Chuan's eyes, they all looked the same, just with different colors.
The two of them looked at each other, finding each other incredible, and after a few seconds they laughed at the same time.
What are you doing? How old are you?
Lin Xia looked at the pile of things in He Chuan's hands and felt that it was a bit inappropriate. It was hard to imagine him wrapped in a pink and purple bath towel of Stella Lou after taking a shower...
"You can only make do with it for a while." She said embarrassedly.
He Chuan shook his head and said softly:
"You still like these things so much."
"Yeah." Lin Xia sighed and smiled, "Now I can finally buy whatever I want."
Even the richest and most doted-on children likely didn't get everything they wanted in childhood, let alone those born in remote towns and modest families. Growing up is always filled with lingering regrets: cartoon endings you couldn't see, high-end chocolate you couldn't eat, expensive dolls you couldn't afford. These seemingly insignificant grievances, though seemingly insignificant, gradually accumulate and become insurmountable obstacles. Upon reaching adulthood and financial independence, the first thing people do is indulge in retaliatory spending, to fill the void and make up for the childish self they once were.
Because of regret, there is obsession, and this is true for many things.
He Chuan smiled. Even though he still couldn't tell which of the cartoon characters was a puppy and which was a rabbit, he still understood Lin Xia's feelings. He carefully unpacked the toothbrush and toothpaste, and then when he put the toothbrush cup on the bathroom shelf, he suddenly stopped.
"I can't let it go." He whispered.
Lin Xia was a little confused, and looked in the direction he was looking, only then did she discover the reason - there were two toothbrush cups placed side by side on the shelf, one pink and one blue, they were the couple's edition of Donald Duck and Daisy.
This was used when Song Dynasty porcelain came here.
He Chuan might have misunderstood. Lin Xia wanted to explain, but for some reason she didn't say anything. She just casually put away the blue cup and toothbrush under He Chuan's dim gaze and hurriedly left the bathroom.
I always feel that if I explain it, it's like I'm in a hurry to prove something.
"Call me if you need anything."
.
After a lot of busying around, the two finally washed up and packed up, and it was already late at night.
Lin Xia told He Chuan in detail where the light switches were, where the drinking water was, where the socket outlets were, and what to do if the toilet button in the bathroom malfunctioned. After confirming that everything was arranged properly, she planned to go back to her room to sleep.
When she stepped into the bedroom door and was about to close it, she heard He Chuan's voice from behind:
"Xia Xia."
Lin Xia turned around and saw He Chuan sitting on the reclined sofa, his tie undone, his glasses off, and dressed only in a white shirt. It was as if he had shed his glamorous disguise during the day, revealing a defenseless side. The sofa bed was very low, and for someone of his height, it seemed a bit ridiculous to be crouched there. The main lights in the living room were off, leaving only a dim floor lamp by the coffee table. A suit jacket and belt were draped over a chair, and a watch and a charging phone were placed on the coffee table. It was clearly a familiar scene, but someone suddenly intruded, a stranger, a strange, yet not offensive.
He seemed to want to say something to her, maybe thank you, maybe sorry, but he opened his mouth and didn't say it. He just smiled faintly, feeling both helpless and apologetic.
"I'll be troubling you for the next while."
Lin Xia shook her head. In fact, they were both causing trouble for each other.
"Well...goodnight."
"good evening......"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com