Xin Zhai

This is the fourth year that Ye Li brought Tong Yan home.

Home yards vary a lot.In the spring of Yeli's senior year, he finally discussed with his mother and uncle to build a wall in the middle of the courtyard, and according to his mother, he also repaired the ground.Ye Li was startled when he returned home during the summer vacation that year. The yard was half smaller, and the ground was covered with a layer of gray concrete floor. When the sun shone, it made his eyes hurt.

Several square holes were left in the middle of the concrete floor, on which stood two lonely pomegranate trees.

When grandpa was there, the garden was full of green. There were two small paths paved with stone bricks in the courtyard. There were flower beds on both sides of the path. Jasmine roses and many flowers that Yeli could not name were blooming from spring to autumn.

Ye Li sighed, but her mother was very satisfied, she finally persuaded her uncle to divide the yard into two, so that the two families can reduce a lot of unnecessary communication.

As a result, in the spring of the following year, it suddenly snowed in April.The pomegranate trees that were about to germinate were so frozen that they all died.

Ye Li felt that the two empty tree pits were an eyesore, and he felt that way every time he came back.

In the past four years, he and Tong Yan will come back on time on the fifth day of every Spring Festival.Today, he has been with his teacher Tong for five years, if the Spring Festival when he secretly didn't go home to live with Tong Yan is counted as the starting point.

Before he and Tong Yan went home for the first time, they told their mother that they fell in love with their teacher, Teacher Tong.He said everything he had been pondering over the years to persuade his mother.

When her mother met Tong Yan and heard Tong Yan say "I like Ye Li, if he is willing, I will always be with him in the future", she probably realized the seriousness of the matter, and cast her eyes incredulously and tremblingly son.

When she saw his eyes, she knew that he really planned to live with this man who was 12 years older than him.

"Mom..." Ye Li called her almost begging.

She could not understand how a university teacher could do this to a student, a same-sex student, with the cognition she had lived for nearly 50 years.What will happen after Ye Li's death?How many people will be ridiculed?How will you have a baby in the future?So much younger than him, will he die alone in the future?

What kind of person is Ye Li?Since I was a child, I have never done anything out of the ordinary, and I am much more sensible than my peers. How can I get involved with a man?

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, and she thought about the appalling "mentor incidents" in the past two years, and she concluded that this bastard teacher had abducted her son. She became angry and poured half a cup of hot water on Tong Yan's face .

"You...how dare you be a teacher! I, I'm going to school to sue you!"

Ye Li was stunned for a moment, and heard Tong Yan's deep voice: "I'm sorry."

"Mom! It's me who wants to pester him! I chased him!" Ye Li's brain suddenly became hot, and his blood burst like a blood vessel, rushing between the two, blocking Tong Yan, "Without him, we would I am not what I am today, Mom, do you understand!"

She heard Ye Li call out, and heard him call "Mom". Twenty years ago, the son in his arms called her that.

She shed tears immediately, but became quiet, and said calmly: "If I live a day, I won't agree with you." Then she stared at Ye Li and said, "I don't want to see him."

Ye Li dragged Tong through the door as if fleeing for his life, but finally couldn't hold on at the door, and cried like he was a child.

"Why are you crying?" Tong Yan smiled and patted him on the back, "It's okay."

"I'm sorry." Ye Li cried and sobbed, "I'm sorry..."

Tong Yan teased him and said, "I'm sorry for what? She was right."

"I harmed you...to be scolded so much..."

Tong Yan didn't say a word, and stroked his back with his hands, waiting for him to calm down gradually.

Tong Yan raised his head. In the first month of the lunar year, this most ordinary town in Northwest China, the sound of fireworks was sparse in the early morning.The narrow road is full of potholes, and the ground is covered with gray-black residual snow and red firecracker skins.The houses are simple and functional structures without any aesthetic feeling.This is a place where the economy is far from being able to enjoy spiritual life on a large scale.This place is Ye Li's home.The person in his arms grew up here.

He suddenly asked in a low voice: "That time when I was sick... You said that when I get old, you will cook for me, is that true?"

Ye Li let him go, tears still glistening on his face: "Of course it's true!"

About two years ago, when this ignorant boy confessed his love to him for the first time, he actually said that he wanted to cook for the old man.He thought it was a little funny at the time, he was not yet 20 years old, what could he promise to be in his [-]s and [-]s?

But Tong Yan believed it now, his heart was too clean, and he could see to the end at a glance.

He smiled and took his hand and walked forward, saying, "Then I think I've made money, and it's okay to be scolded a few times."

In the following year, Ye Li told his mother that Tong Yan was good and everything he had done for him.Mother was indifferent.

This year is the fourth year of his Ph.D., and the days seem to be not much different from before.I usually do experiments with Zhou Jing, and I will go home with Tong Yan for two days on weekends.Life began to be smooth and comfortable.But it's hard to put into words the pain of not being recognized by relatives.After the fierce conflict in the first Spring Festival, this bitterness gradually became like rheumatism, which continued continuously, and every time it was rainy, it came out to torture him more and more.

He and Tong Yan walked to the gate of the courtyard, saw new couplets pasted on both sides of the gate, and vaguely heard voices in the room.The two looked at each other, then walked in.When he arrived at the door of the north house, he confirmed through the window on the door that it was his mother, younger brother and another girl who were talking inside.

Ye Li carefully opened the door, and when her mother saw him, she stood up and walked over.

"Mom." Ye Li shouted.

The mother looked behind him, and a few steps away, as she expected, stood the teacher Tong.

She let Ye Li in and glanced at Tong Yan.Tong Yan smiled at her.

The three stood at the door for a while, Tong Yan pointed to an old chair in the yard and said, "I'll sit here for a while."

Ye Li entered the room, besides Ye Qi, there was indeed a girl standing there.Mother said, "This is Xiaodan."

Ye Qi is a senior this year, and he made a girlfriend last year, but he never expected to bring her back so soon.Ye Li smiled and said, "Hello."

"Brother Ye Li." The girl smiled sweetly and spoke gracefully.

It can be seen that the mother is very happy, and has been busy back and forth in the house all morning, chatting with the girl from time to time.Ye Li noticed that his younger brother had changed a lot. He used to play with his mobile phone by himself at home and seldom talked.Now I can actually talk and laugh with my girlfriend and mother.This younger brother has brought him a lot of extra pressure since he was a child.But today, he suddenly felt that having a younger brother is also good, as it can help him distract his mother.When I let my mother down, I have at least one other sustenance.

Ye Li talked to them in the room, and glanced into the yard.Tong Yan was sitting on an old chair in the middle of the yard, with his legs crossed, holding a book in his hand, and was reading it with gusto.

Although it has just entered the first month, it is a rare sunny day.Tong Yan put the chair in the sun in the courtyard, saw a few stacks of old books piled up under the window sill of the West Room, and walked over.On the top is a dusty copy of "Tian Long Ba Bu", the corners of which are curled up.He picked it up, shook the floating dirt, and sat back on the chair.This book is indeed old, but it is still vertically typed.Tong Yan flipped a page at random, looking at it without beginning or end.

In the past, when I was alone, I always felt that I was so busy that the whole world couldn't turn around without him.Since being together with Ye Li, the rhythm suddenly slowed down.Sometimes Ye Li cooks in the kitchen, and he is just like now, actually having nothing to do.

A person can change so much if he eats and lives with another person.

In the room, Ye Li's mother's voice came intermittently.

Tongyan understands her.Needless to say, she is an elderly woman who grew up in the countryside, even if Tong played her own parents, she was also a compromise after quarreling with him and a long cold war.

In this world, what separates people from others is actually what is in the brain.It is too difficult for a person to accept unknown concepts and ideas that he has never been exposed to in his growing environment.

But she was Ye Li's mother, and just because she gave birth to Ye Li, he knew that she was reasonable and that she would compromise sooner or later.As a mother, there are countless expectations for her child, but when he gets married and starts a business, there is only one thing left: I hope he is happy.

He flipped through a book under the sun for a while, and felt a little drowsy.

Seeing that it was noon, my mother started cooking.In the past Spring Festival, Tong Yan couldn't get in even when he came, and Ye Li asked him to go back to the hotel and have lunch by himself because of the cold weather.Seeing Tong Yan sitting in the yard this time, Ye Li didn't know what to do.Xiao Dan next to him suddenly said, "Ask Teacher Tong to have dinner with us."

Ye Li looked at his mother, saw her come over and put down a plate of sauced beef, did not answer, looked at him, turned and went back to the kitchen.Ye Li thought, did she agree?

"Go!" Xiao Dan winked at him.

Ye Li hurriedly opened the door and went out, walking behind Tong Yan in a few steps.

"What are you looking at?" Ye Li pressed his shoulder.

Tong Yan raised the book in his hand: "Your book?"

"Is it mine? So old."

Tong Yan turned the book to the title page, pointed to the immature "Ye Li" and said, "Is it yours?"

"Really." Ye Li took it over and looked at it, then put it aside, "Let's go eat."

Tong Yan turned his head and asked, "Can I eat?"

"Should be fine, I think she didn't say no." Ye Li thought for a while and said, "Ye Qi's girlfriend is here today, so my mother won't quarrel with you."

When the two entered the room, the mother was serving food on the table, but she didn't say anything.

Several people sat down around the table.Both Ye Li and Ye Qi were not talkative, and their mother also kept her mouth shut. Fortunately, Xiao Dan was in the middle to adjust the atmosphere.

"Teacher Tong, isn't brother Ye Li amazing? Ye Qi always speaks of his brother with admiration!"

Ye Li was very surprised to hear Xiaodan repeating Ye Qi's words incessantly.Ye Qi usually doesn't talk to him much, and only looks for him when he has something to do at home.In the past two years, he has grown up, and he can also do some part-time jobs. He no longer needs his money to buy anything, and the communication is less.He really didn't expect that in the eyes of his younger brother, he was a very powerful person.

Tong Yan smiled and listened to her talk for a long time, and finally nodded: "Yes, Ye Li is not the smartest, but he is indeed the best student."

When Ye Li heard this, he turned his head and glared at him.

At this juncture, what's going on with this kind of homeroom teacher who owes me a call?

"Besides, he is very diligent and cooks delicious food." Tong Yan added.

Ye Li lowered his head to eat, couldn't help it, and kicked Tong Yan under the table.

What kind of emotional intelligence is this?Has anyone said such a thing at this time?It's like cooking all day.

Fortunately, Xiao Dan quickly changed the topic to Tong Yan's teaching work, and Ye Li breathed a sigh of relief.Gradually, the atmosphere on the table became more active, and Ye Qi chatted together.Mother saw a table of young people talking about school, but couldn't get in their mouths, so she kept pouring food and drinks for Xiaodan.

"Auntie, I can't even eat, let them eat!" Xiao Dan said.

Mother had a chicken wing in her chopsticks, so she turned it around and put it in the Yeli bowl.She saw a light in the eyes of her eldest son, the eyes of a person when he was just born.Since his father died and he became sensible, this light has disappeared.

She thought, Ye Li is probably doing well now.

She looked at Tong Yan again, he had the same understanding as herself, Ye Li was the best child, from childhood to adulthood, no one could compare to him.

It was a happy meal.Ye Li helped wash the dishes and bid farewell to his mother.Mother suddenly asked: "When will you come back next time?"

Ye Li thought for a while and said, "Let's fight for May Day."

The two walked out of the courtyard and walked side by side in the direction of the hotel.Ye Li's footsteps were very brisk, flicking and flicking, and he even took Tong Yan's hand.

"Happy?" Tong Yan asked.

"Well, very happy!"

The sun is very gentle in the winter afternoon, and there is no wind.Next to the straight road is a neat row of Zhutian Yang, arranged under the clear blue sky.There are many people on the road, mothers who are walking with their children, lovers, and children playing together.

Ye Li is very familiar with this scene. He was also one of these children more than ten years ago. At that time, the road had just been repaired, and the row of poplar trees was far from being so tall.

Later, for some reason, he was a little afraid of going home, afraid of the familiar yet strange feeling.

To this day, he feels like he's back again.

Another person was brought back.