Life is more than just living

The last weekend of the year. Because of the seven-day holiday during the Spring Festival, I have to work on Saturdays and Sundays. Chen Xu took the early morning train back to Beicheng on Saturday, planning to buy some more New Year goods to send back to his grandma’s house. Because Chen Xu doesn't have a car, he can only take a car to go back and forth to Beicheng. The weather is short in winter and the workplace is quite far from the bus station. For safety reasons, I always go back on Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon. This time I can only go back on the same day.

Chen Xu bought chicken, duck, fish, peanuts, melon seeds, vegetables and fruits at the farmer's market. The temperature has been low these days, and the outdoors is a natural refrigerator. She also bought couplets and window grilles with the word "Fu". Influenced by Wu Sixian and Han Yidao, Chen Xu felt that the Chinese New Year should be celebrated in a Chinese New Year style. She bought two more small red lanterns to hang up during the New Year to be more festive. It was a bit unrealistic to carry such a large amount of stuff back, so I had to take a taxi back. She struggled to carry these things to the door of the market, when an empty taxi came from a distance. She quickly put down her things and waved to stop the car. As soon as the car stopped, someone else suddenly wanted to take the car. Chen Xugang wanted to say that I stopped this car first, but suddenly she realized that she was an acquaintance. She shouted happily, "Aunt Li!" It turned out to be Aunt Li who was in charge of bed linens at the People's Hospital. She was also here to buy New Year's goods, and she took large and small bags. a lot of things. When Aunt Li saw that it was Chen Xu, she was too embarrassed to grab it, so she said, "Ah, it's you! You stopped the car first, so you can sit first!" Chen Xu asked Aunt Li where her home was, and she realized it as soon as she told him. It turned out that it was not far from my home, so I said, "Let's do it, Aunt Li. Let's take a taxi, and I'll take you home first." After that, the two of them put their things in the trunk and got into the car. On the bus, Chen Xu directly gave the driver ten yuan, because ten yuan was enough to get from here to her home.

Aunt Li happily pulled Chen Xu and said, "Chen Xu, I haven't seen you in more than four years." Chen Xu explained: He had been working near the school for four years in college and never came back. Aunt Li knew about Chen Xu's situation and asked her what she was doing now. When Chen Xu said that she had been admitted to work in the Municipal Procuratorate, she was very happy for her. Aunt Li patted Chen Xu's hand and said, "Chen Xu, your experience is really inspiring, and your hard work really pays off. You have changed your destiny on your own. You were a child back then, and you were not afraid of being dirty or tired in the hospital. It’s not easy to be a nurse there late at night! People nowadays have to endure hardships and fatigue. Recently, the hospital is seriously short of nursing workers, and no one can do it even if there is more money!"

Chen Xu smiled and said: "This shows that no one is short of money." Aunt Li continued: "Male caregivers are more popular now because they have strength! The kind of bedridden old people who need to be moved and turned over, men It's easier to do, but no one is willing to do it." When he said this, a thought suddenly flashed in Chen Xu's mind, but he didn't say anything. I just asked, "Aunt Li, has your phone number changed?" Aunt Li said, "It hasn't changed, it hasn't changed. I haven't changed my phone number over the years. I'm just afraid that others won't be able to find me." Chen Xu is I remember Aunt Li’s number because it was Aunt Li’s phone number that I left with my class teacher when I was in high school.

While talking, when they arrived at Aunt Li's community, Chen Xu got out of the car and helped Aunt Li take down her things and said goodbye. Aunt Li happily said: "Chen Xu is here to play when he is free!" Chen Xu got on the bus, and the driver sent her to the entrance of the alley where her grandma lived, because the alley was too narrow and the car couldn't fit in. Chen Xu got out of the car and took down the large and small bags from the trunk of the taxi.

Zhang Yong came back from outside and saw that Chen Xu had brought a lot of things. He consciously reached out to help her pick them up and delivered them to her door. Zhang Yong didn't say anything, and just about to leave, Chen Xu suddenly stopped him, "What are you doing now? Have you thought about how to live in the future?" Zhang Yong exhaled forcefully and said, "I have been looking for a job in the factory these days. We’re already on holiday for the Chinese New Year, so we can only wait until the first month to have a look. I spent a long time in vain today and couldn’t find any place to employ people.”

Chen Xu continued to ask: "Then what kind of job do you want to find?" Zhang Yong looked down at the toes of his shoes and said: "I can't choose it now. It's not me who chooses the job, it's the job that chooses me. I'll come out My mother gave me 500 yuan when I was a child. In the past few days, I have cleaned up the house and bought two more bags of coal. This money is almost spent. I am a man in my 30s, so I can’t beg for food. ! I can’t steal or rob. Now I will do anything that can take care of the food. I don’t even dare to think about whether I can make money or not. I can’t let others celebrate the New Year happily while I starve to death here!”

Chen Xu suddenly said: "I have a way to make money. I wonder if you are willing to do it?" The two people were talking when they heard voices coming from inside. It turned out that it was Liu Jiaxin's grandma who had finished visiting and was about to go back. Grandma Chen was sending her out. The two old ladies opened the door and saw a lot of things at the door. Chen Xu was standing talking to Zhang Yong. Grandma was not happy to see Chen Xu and Zhang Yong talking, so she quickly said: "Oh, Xu, why are you standing outside? It's so cold today, come in quickly!"

Because there were a lot of things, Grandma Liu left in no hurry and helped move the things inside. Zhang Yong also reached out to help, but Chen Xuluo, who was calm, followed in from behind. Grandma Liu was a nosy person. She looked at the big and small bags and said to Grandma Chen, "Let me see what Xiaoxu has bought for the New Year?" She opened the bags one by one and looked at them. When Zhang Yong was about to leave, Chen Xu chased him into the yard and said, "I have a few words to tell you!" Zhang Yong looked up at her. It seemed that Chen Xu was doing well. He didn't know what she was doing now, but he seemed to be too. There is no position to ask.

Grandma Liu gossiped and pushed Grandma Chen, motioning for her to look outside. Through the glass window, Grandma Chen saw Chen Xu talking to Zhang Yong. She felt very unhappy. Who was her granddaughter? She was a decent person with a good job. , how can you talk to a prisoner who has just been released from the labor camp? She walked to the door and shouted: "Chen Xu, it's cold outside, come in quickly!" Chen Xu understood that her grandma wouldn't let her talk to Zhang Yong, but she couldn't chase her into Zhang Yong's yard to talk, otherwise there would be gossip, so He said to Zhang Yong: "You come in with me, and then you leave after I finish speaking."

Grandma Liu and Grandma Chen were both surprised that Zhang Yong and Chen Xu entered the house again. The two people no longer looked at the new year's goods, but stared at these two people. Chen Xu didn't care about the looks of the two old ladies and said directly to Zhang Yong: "If you really don't choose a job, I have a way. You can see if you can do it. When I was in junior high school, I would do it every winter and summer vacation." Working as a nurse in the People's Hospital, patients' families will pay their wages every day. For people who don't have money, this job is pretty good. It's a bit hard work, but the income is okay. I don't know what the market is now. I was in the first grade of junior high school. People would give me 50 yuan on New Year's Eve in the [-]s. It should be more than that now. If you want to know how much it is, I can call you and ask." Zhang Yong said: "It doesn't matter how much it is! I'll work for a day. It's enough to give me enough food for the day. I'm almost out of food now." When Chen Xu heard this, he called Aunt Li in front of everyone. She said, "Aunt Li, I have a neighbor. , now that I have time, I am willing to work as a caregiver. Yes,...he is a man. Do you think you can help me find a job?" Aunt Li on the other side said quickly: "Oh, that would be great, I have offered several jobs to you. Help us find someone! You have helped us solve an urgent need! Now that I have put the things in the refrigerator, I have to go to the hospital! Well, let him go to the hospital to find me, or come to my house You can go there together." Chen Xu said, "Okay, I'll take a taxi and wait at the door of your community. After you finish your work, come down and take the car with him to the hospital." Aunt Li said repeatedly, "Okay! I still have to wait half a day." I can go down in about an hour.”

Chen Xu looked at Zhang Yong and said, "Aunt Li is a nice person. She will generally take care of what you need to do. She knows more about this." Zhang Yong asked, "Do I need to bring anything?" Chen Xu thought. Liao said: "You can buy a bottle of water or a water cup and a thicker coat." Zhang Yong quickly said: "Then I'll go back and lock the door. Let's go now." When Zhang Yong went out to lock the door, the two The old lady was still looking at Chen Xu blankly.

Chen Xu said nothing and walked out of the door to wait for Zhang Yong. Zhang Yong returned to the house, took a cleaner thick coat, and hurried out to lock the door. Seeing Chen Xu waiting for him, he did not dare to delay at all. He followed Chen Xu to the street and took a taxi. The car went to Aunt Li's community and waited at the door. Chen Xu briefly explained a few words about her experience as a nurse. Zhang Yong asked in a low voice: "Were you working as a nurse at that time?" Chen Xu nodded, "Yes, at that time my parents didn't want me, and my grandma stopped paying attention to me. I had no place to live and no money for food. No. People have to live. If you have arms and legs, you won't starve to death!" She said calmly, as if those difficult years were nothing.

Zhang Yong said sincerely: "You are amazing, a little girl can support herself." Chen Xu smiled, "I thought it was very difficult at the time, but it doesn't matter after it passes. You are the same, you just came out of it, maybe you are different from the people outside. Life is a bit out of touch, and it will get better after a while. I think you can make a transition as a caregiver, and after you solve the problem of food, you can slowly find a suitable job." Zhang Yong nodded repeatedly, and the driver got off the car to buy cigarettes. Zhang Yong finally plucked up the courage and asked, "Xiao Xu, do you still hate me?" Chen Xu looked outside, but did not look at Zhang Yong. After a while, he said, "Zhang Yong, when I called you brother Xiao Yong before, It’s true that I treated you as my brother. I didn’t have any relatives at that time, so I treated you as my relative. When you treated me like that, you didn’t know how sad I was.”

Zhang Yong's eyes were a little sore, but he held back the tears. He clenched his fists hard, stabilized his emotions and continued, "I will be a good person and live a good life in the future. I know I'm sorry for you, and I don't know how to make up for it. Now I really regret that I was such a bastard." Chen Xu sighed, "Don't mention the past anymore, it's not a happy thing!"

Chen Xu kept looking outside, and suddenly saw Aunt Li walking out in a hurry. Chen Xu quickly got out of the car. Aunt Li came over and Zhang Yong also got out of the car. Chen Xu introduced Aunt Li: "Aunt Li, this is Zhang Yong, my neighbor. He is willing to be a caregiver. Please take more care of him in the future." Zhang Yong. Quickly bowing to Aunt Li, Aunt Li hurriedly said: "Oh, I can't help it! You don't have to be so polite. Now many people in hospital have asked me to help find a caregiver. They have all gone home to celebrate the New Year. Not many people are willing. I did it, you helped me a lot this time." Chen Xu added: "He has never done it before, please give him more advice." Aunt Li said generously: "Don't worry, I will take care of it. It's not like that. It's a difficult thing, as long as you work hard." While talking, the driver came back from buying cigarettes. Chen Xu said, "Auntie, please take him there, please. I have to go home and help my grandma with some work. In the afternoon I have to go back to work, so I won’t accompany you there, bye!”

Chen Xu walked home slowly. When he got home, Grandma Liu had already gone back. Grandma looked at Chen Xu dissatisfied and said: "Xiao Xu, you are too soft-hearted. There must be a limit to everything. I don't care whether Zhang Yong has been reformed or not. What did he do to you in the past? Can you still interact with him? Why should you help him? "

Chen Xu didn't say anything and watched as they opened a lot of the things they bought, but they didn't classify them. She tied up some bags of chicken, duck and fish and said, "We will put these in the warehouse, and we will pick them up in a few days." It's the Chinese New Year, so just leave it outside. We don't have a refrigerator anyway." Grandma was worried and said, "Put it outside, what if it gets lost?" Chen Xu smiled and said, "Probably not! We don't Don't make any noise, who knows where it is? I remember there was a small jar in that warehouse, let's put it in there and cover it to avoid attracting rats." As he said that, he ran twice to put the things in. Eggs, fruits and vegetables were placed in the kitchen. He handed her the two pieces of underwear he bought for grandma, and then said, "I'll cook. After lunch, I have to go back in the afternoon. I have to go to work tomorrow."

During the meal, grandma was still saying: "Don't pay attention to that Zhang Yong in the future, he is not a good person!" Chen Xu was not anxious or annoyed, he just said calmly: "Anyway, Zhang Yong has helped us before. Now he If he has difficulties, I will help him." Grandma was reluctant, "Why are you so kind?" Chen Xu said while packing the dishes: "I remember that time when I was a child, he got lost. He carried me back. He also bought me food on the way. He didn't have much money at that time, but with his food, I wasn't hungry. If he hadn't brought me back at that time, maybe I would have been abducted. maybe."

At this point, grandma felt guilty. She listened to Chen Zhihua's words and sent the child to Zhou Fenglan. She thought Zhou Fenglan was still in the hotel, so she threw the child outside the hotel and asked her to go in to find her mother, and then left. Unexpectedly, Zhou Fenglan had already left there. Today, Chen Xu brought up the old story again, which made grandma a little worried, so she didn't say anything else. Chen Xu is indeed a person who does not hold back any old grudges. Not to mention Zhang Yong, even she had a very bad attitude towards Chen Xu during those ten years, always hitting or scolding him. But Chen Xu still misses that old relationship to this day and takes more care of himself.

Chen Xu knew what grandma wanted to say, but she firmly believed that if it can pass, let it pass!