near
Xu Wangping is always like this. He comes to pick her up and shows that he loves the child very much.
Another round of criticism and education made Xu Zhiyi feel guilty.
Xu Zhiyi lowered her head and stared at the tip of her shoe, her nails digging into her palms.
The car was filled with a depressing silence.
"Accompany your mother to visit your aunt's house this weekend, did you hear me?" Xu Wangping finally spoke.
"I'm not going."
"You have to go." He frowned. "If you're told to go, just go with me. Don't be ignorant."
"Then why are you asking me? Just give me the order."
"What's your attitude?"
Xu Wangping sighed and continued nagging.
Xu Zhiyi stared at the neon lights flying outside the window. Those dots of light connected together, like a cage that could never be escaped.
When I got home, there was still no one at home.
"Where's my mom?"
Xu Wangping put away his shoes, then quickly took the apron hanging at the door and tied it around himself, explaining:
"Your mother is on the late shift today."
There are only Xu Zhiyi and Xu Wangping at home now, and she always feels that the atmosphere is too depressing.
"I'll make you some ginger soup. Drink it later and then go to bed."
"Oh." Xu Zhiyi went into the room, changed his clothes, and sat in the living room again.
She just wanted to take advantage of the free time to tidy up the things on the table.
Immediately afterwards, Xu Wangping's reprimand was heard.
"Still sitting there? Come over and help me get the bowl."
When Xu Zhiyi heard the sound, she hurried over in her slippers, but she was so panicked that she hit her knee on the coffee table, and the pain made her almost cry.
She didn't dare to make a sound, covering her mouth and limping towards the kitchen.
Xu Wangping served her the soup and then took off his apron.
"The bath water is ready. After you take a bath, remember to open the windows to ventilate. If you don't ventilate after the rain, it will probably get moldy again."
"knew."
Xu Zhiyi sat in the living room holding a cup of ginger soup, stirring it with a spoon.
Only when Xu Wangping entered the bedroom and closed the door did Xu Zhiyi feel relieved.
Xu Zhiyi put down the bowl and cleaned the kitchen quietly.
The sound of the faucet was kept very low, for fear of disturbing anything.
She took a quick shower and got into bed with her hair still dripping with water.
In the darkness, the cell phone screen lit up, and she couldn't wait to go online to find an outlet.
Are you there?
Are you asleep?
[About to drive a tank]: No, what’s the matter?
Seeing the message flashing on the screen, Xu Zhiyi seemed to have found his teammates.
Quickly tap the screen to send a message:
I was so unhappy today. Not only did I get caught in the rain, but I also got lectured along the way.
[I'm about to drive a tank]: You got caught in the rain? Didn't you bring an umbrella today? You got caught in the rain and walked home? That can make you sick, right? Why didn't you tell me so I could bring you an umbrella?
"You don't even know who I am, how can you send it to me?"
After this message was sent, there was no response from the other party.
Xu Zhiyi felt that his words were too sharp and quickly added a sentence.
"Besides, my dad is coming to pick me up tonight, so your umbrella won't be of much use."
Ten minutes passed and there was still no response from the other party.
Xu Zhiyi's heart trembled slightly. Could it be that the other party was angry because of what she said?
"?"
The other party did not reply. Xu Zhiyi's nose suddenly felt sore, and the grievance in her heart became stronger. She sent a message.
"He's always like this. He has to scold me to make it seem like what he's doing is right... But I really hate it..."
Just as the message was sent, footsteps were heard in the master bedroom.
Xu Zhiyi suddenly locked the screen and stuffed the phone under the pillow.
The sound of the doorknob turning made her tense.
"Why haven't you turned off the lights yet?" Xu Wangping stood at the door with a frown on his face.
Xu Zhiyi pulled the quilt over: "Go to sleep right away."
He stared at the ends of her damp hair, then suddenly reached for the charger on the socket: "Playing with your phone again? Are you going to class tomorrow? Do you want me to take your phone away?"
"I don't--"
The charger was unplugged neatly.
The moment the door closed, a drop of water from the end of her hair hit the screen, blurring out the last unsent sentence in the dialog box:
“Sometimes I really want to disappear forever.”
Xu Zhiyi curled up in the quilt and unlocked his phone again.
The light from the screen reflected in her wet eyes.
"He just came in and took my charger away. It's so annoying."
Soon, the other person's profile picture started flashing.
【I want to drive a tank】:
Damn, this again? Does your dad think confiscating your phone will make you behave?
Sorry, my phone suddenly turned off just now
Xu Zhiyi:
"He would rather I do nothing but study."
"fine"
Xu Zhiyi didn't say the rest of the words. She thought the other party was angry because of what she said.
[I Want to Drive a Tank]: So what are you doing now? Are you playing secretly under the covers? How much battery is left?
Xu Zhiyi: 17%, it won’t last long.
[I Want to Drive a Tank]: Tsk, cut to the chase. What happened today?
Xu Zhiyi: You know the situation at school. After school, he came to pick me up, but he scolded me the whole way, saying that my grades had dropped and I was ignorant. In the end, he even forced me to go to my aunt's house on the weekend.
[I Want to Drive a Tank]: My great aunt's house? That scary old lady who asks you what your test score was as soon as you walk in the door?
Xu Zhiyi: Yes, it feels like torture every time I go there.
[Just drive a tank]: Just pretend to be sick and don’t go, just say you have a fever.
Xu Zhiyi: It’s useless. He would say, “You’re so squeamish over a minor illness,” and then drag me there.
[I want to drive a tank]: ...Your father's desire for control is amazing.
The phone screen suddenly flickered and a low battery warning popped up.
Xu Zhiyi: The battery is almost out, let’s talk about it tomorrow.
[Just going to drive a tank]: Okay, hold on, don’t let him find out that you stayed up late.
Xu Zhiyi: Yeah, I went to sleep.
She turned off the screen and darkness enveloped the room again.
Outside the door, Xu Wangping's footsteps lingered in the corridor for a moment, then gradually faded away.
—
At lunch, Xu Zhiyi stood at the window, holding the meal card, feeling a little hesitant.
The noise in the cafeteria was like a thick quilt pressing on Xu Zhiyi's head.
She stared at the scrolling menu above the window. The fifteen-yuan set meal price was like a thin needle, constantly pricking her tense nerves.
"Classmate, are you going to buy it or not?" I heard an impatient voice urging me from behind.
Xu Zhiyi clenched his meal card tightly, his knuckles turning white.
"Sorry, I'm not buying it." She whispered and quickly stepped out of the line, her ears burning.
Walking out of the cafeteria, the sunlight made her squint.
She was a little worried as she held her meal card. This month's living expenses were not much to begin with, and there was little pocket money left in her pocket.
The living expenses Xu Wangping gave were always accurate to the cent, and he would not give a cent more, under the euphemism of "cultivating financial management skills."
Therefore, she could only save money and buy comic books and some of her favorite novels.
But this time, the peripheral she bought was really a bit expensive. It was also her fault for being too greedy. She should have refused it.
Her father always said that when she grew up and had the ability, she could buy whatever she wanted.
But, what she wants now, will she really still want it when she grows up?
Can you really get what you can’t get now when you grow up?
"Anyway, I won't starve to death if I skip a meal." Xu Zhiyi muttered to himself and walked towards the campus supermarket.
The wide variety of snacks on the shelves dazzled her, and she finally reached for the cheapest instant noodles that cost three yuan a bag.
Eat some instant noodles to satisfy your craving and save money.
Kill two birds with one stone.
Just as she turned around, a figure suddenly approached from the side.
Before Xu Zhiyi could react, the instant noodles in his hand flew out, fell to the ground with a plop, and shattered into pieces.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" A familiar male voice sounded.
Xu Zhiyi looked up and saw Song Chengrui bending down to pick up the packet of instant noodles.
The instant noodle bag was a little damaged, and the instant noodle crumbs were falling out from the gaps.
He didn't wear school uniform today, but a dark gray short-sleeved shirt, which made his skin look even whiter.
At this moment, he frowned slightly, his eyes falling on the deformed instant noodle packaging.
"Sorry, I seem to have crushed it." Song Chengrui's voice was very soft, his eyes full of apology.
"It's okay, it's still edible." Xu Zhiyi reached out to take the instant noodles back, but saw that Song Chengrui had already turned and walked towards the shelf.
His slender fingers lingered on the shelves, and he finally picked up two packs of medium-priced instant noodles and a box of milk.
"It's my fault. These are my compensation." He handed the things to Xu Zhiyi, but his eyes avoided hers and stared at the shelf next to him.
Xu Zhiyi was stunned. Why did she always meet Song Chengrui in this situation? Did the other party have surveillance cameras installed in his eyes?
However, she quickly denied this direction. There was a basketball court near the supermarket, so it was normal to meet Song Chengrui here.
"No need, one pack is enough..." Xu Zhiyi's voice became smaller and smaller.
Song Chengrui finally looked at her, his lips curled up slightly: "I broke the thing you chose, so of course I have to pay double." He paused, "Did you buy instant noodles for lunch?"
Xu Zhiyi looked up at him and said "hmm" softly.
Song Chengrui continued, "If you don't go to the cafeteria for lunch and only eat this, you'll be hungry this afternoon."
These words made Xu Zhiyi's heart tremble.
At the cashier, Song Chengrui insisted on paying.
Xu Zhiyi held the bag of food and felt his steps were light.
He found a plastic bowl in the supermarket, but it was too hot for Xu Zhiyi to hold.
Song Chengrui took it for her very straightforwardly and said it considerately.
"Let me get it for you. Do you want to go back to the classroom or..."
"Just find a place with a shady chair."
"Okay, let's go to the basketball court. There are plenty of chairs over there."
They walked out of the supermarket one after another. The campus was so quiet during lunch break that they could hear the sound of wind blowing through the leaves.
"Do you... often skip lunch?" Song Chengrui suddenly spoke, his voice much clearer than when he usually answered questions in the classroom.
Xu Zhiyi's fingers unconsciously clenched the milk carton: "No... today it's just..." She didn't know how to explain her predicament.
Do you want to say that you have no money to eat because you bought peripherals?
Song Chengrui would definitely have an opinion of her in this way. She hesitated and did not tell the reason.
"I see." Song Chengrui suddenly had an idea and looked at her in surprise, "Have you not eaten for a long time?"
"ah……?"
Xu Zhiyi was stunned for a moment.
"I'm telling you, I'm like that sometimes too. When I get tired of home-cooked meals, I like to secretly buy spicy noodles. After eating, I clean up everything and ventilate the room, for fear that my parents will find out."
Song Chengrui's words relaxed Xu Zhiyi's tense shoulders.
She couldn't help laughing: "You also secretly eat spicy strips?"
"Of course," he shrugged, deliberately lowering his voice. "Last week, my mom caught me eating spicy noodles and scolded me for half an hour. She said it was junk food, something even mice wouldn't eat."
The sunlight shone through the leaves onto the ground in patches, and Xu Zhiyi suddenly felt his steps became much lighter.
She laughed and agreed: "My dad always says that and even sends me pictures, saying that these are all produced in garbage dumps."
Song Chengrui nodded excitedly, "Yes, yes, that's what my mom said too! Tell me, did they go through systematic training before becoming parents? Even their speech patterns are exactly the same."
Xu Zhiyi was amused by his words.
They unknowingly walked to the bench near the basketball court.
Song Chengrui pointed to the seat: "Here, is it okay?"
Xu Zhiyi nodded.
The steam from the instant noodles rose between the two of them. Song Chengrui suddenly took out a pack of biscuits from his bag and said, "This is for you. You'll be hungry in the afternoon."
Xu Zhiyi was a little surprised, "Then you..."
"I still have some in my drawer." He smiled. "You eat first. I'm going to play ball."
Until Song Chengrui's back gradually walked away, Xu Zhiyi found that the corners of his mouth were still raised.
My mood doesn't seem so bad anymore.
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