left pocket

The day Zong Ze died happened to be the same day I met Xiao Ming.

I lay on the side of the road like a puddle of mud, the rain poured on my face, slipped down my collar, and passed every inch of my skin.

Xiao Ming appeared at this time, with a thin body, wearing an oversized shabby coat, holding an equally old bag in his arms, and using an umbrella to hold up a world for me and him.

He blocked a curtain of rain and broke into my world from then on.

The timing of Xiao Ming's appearance was so coincidental that I even suspected that he was sent by Zong Ze to test me.

During that time, I was in a trance, thinking that Zong Ze was not dead, but still by my side, and sometimes I suddenly realized that Zong Ze had gone, and he didn’t even have a cemetery, only a handful of ashes after cremation.

When my mind was confused, I would mistake Xiao Ming for Zong Ze.I hugged him tightly, weeping bitterly, or remained silent, exuding a corpse-like rotten smell.

Xiao Ming should know Zong Ze, but I don't know whether I told him or his own speculation.

Once he saw the photo in my wallet and asked hesitantly, "Is this your boyfriend?"

I closed my wallet in horror, but seeing Xiao Ming's sad and gentle expression, I didn't know how to answer, and finally ran away almost in embarrassment.

After graduating from university, I successfully found a decent job, and with the savings left over from my parents, I owned my own apartment in this busy city.The area is small, second-hand, and there is a strong atmosphere left by the previous family when I bought it, and the graffiti of the children of that family has been left on the walls.

That family was still asking me before the transfer of ownership, do you really not need us to clean the walls for you?

I said no, thank you.

It was a warm little family, floating in the wind in this city, firmly supporting each other and taking root on the ground.

Life is not easy alone.Maybe I'm not alone, Xiao Ming is always by my side.From a newcomer in the workplace, I slowly accumulated strength and contacts, and climbed up step by step. It was really difficult to walk.Fortunately, Xiao Ming is always by my side.

There were also several times when I was close to being laid off, but I finally survived without any danger.Compared with other undergraduates who have graduated for many years and have not found a job without background, I am really lucky.

I am very grateful for this luck, even though I once cursed the misfortune of fate.

Xiao Ming has no mother, but has an alcoholic father who doesn't care about things and lets Xiao Ming die by himself.

Xiao Ming once said with a smile, I think I am like the little match girl.

Both have an unfortunate father, and both have lost a gentle mother.If no one would buy matches on the street now, he would probably rely on matches to keep warm like a little girl.

Then freeze to death.

I asked him, are you thankful that nobody buys matches now.

No, he blushed and said, luckily I met you.

When Xiao Ming was a sophomore in high school, I had been employed for one full year.I have tasted the hardships of the workplace, but the fighting spirit of young people has not faded.

Xiao Ming called that night, crying so hard.After he recovered, he hiccupped and said that his father fucked him.

"What?" I shook my hand holding the phone.

Before Xiao Ming had time to say it a second time, a busy tone came from the other end of the phone.

I didn't have time to think about it, so I went out and went downstairs to where Xiao Ming's house was.

The door of Xiao Ming's house was closed, and I pushed hard a few times, but Chen Nian's door was actually quite secure.

"Open the door!" I simply kicked it a few times, "Check the water meter!"

The door was kicked open by me.

After the door is opened, the small indoor space can be seen at a glance.

There are few broken furniture left, with obvious signs of being smashed. A man who looks like he is in his 40s is smoking at the side. He was obviously flustered when he saw me barging in, but he didn’t dare to step forward to expel me as an outsider. By.

The most shocking thing was that on the bed beside him, Xiao Ming was half naked, with the quilt covering his body, trembling.

You can tell at a glance what just happened.

I walked over, took off my coat and wrapped Xiao Ming up, feeling that my hands were shaking more than Xiao Ming.

"My mother!" I roared, and punched the man back.

"Brother..." Xiao Ming is like a newborn kitten, with his fragile to nothingness squeezed out of his throat, "Take me away, please..."

"Go." I went to pick him up, "Let's go."

After that, Xiao Ming had nightmares for a whole month.Every night he would wake up with a start and keep his eyes open until dawn.

He didn't want to go to school, didn't want to see anyone else but me.Every day when I come back from get off work, I can see him sitting near the door with empty eyes and a numb face.

"Xiao Ming," I said as gently as possible, "I went to buy the chicken wings from the store you like to eat today, can you eat half a bowl of rice?"

Xiao Ming nodded.

At dinner, I could see him swallowing hard and smiling.I used a small bowl to serve him the rice, and there was still a little bit left, which was better than yesterday.

Later, I heard the sound of him vomiting in the toilet, and I tried to open the door, but found that the door was locked.

I was startled and thought of something bad, "Xiao Ming? Xiao Ming, open the door quickly! Open the door quickly!"

The door opened three seconds later, and Xiao Ming stood on the other side of the door, looking at me blankly and calmly.Only then did I realize that the child had lost so much weight in just a few days.The collar of the clothes drooped, revealing the obvious collarbone.

"Brother?" he asked suspiciously.

"I'll take you shopping for clothes tomorrow." I blurted out what was in my mind the last second, and I hesitated after I finished speaking.

Xiao Ming was stunned for a moment, then nodded slightly.

When I was about to start thinking about whether to take Xiao Ming to see a psychiatrist, Xiao Ming finally began to recover.

He was like a butterfly breaking out of its cocoon overnight, prying open the misty white silk, and began to exude the vitality and youth of a young man little by little.

Enthusiastic, yet tender enough to shake people's hearts.

It's just that I can't go to school as usual.The bright faces and casual laughter of his peers made Xiao Ming feel scared and wanted to escape.

"Then I won't go." I said bluntly, "I will help you go through the withdrawal procedures tomorrow."

"Is it possible?" Xiao Ming said, "If I don't go to school, will I not be able to find a job and support myself?"

I want to tell him that reading is not the only way out.This is the sentence that my head teacher said the most to comfort those who did not pass the exam after the college entrance examination.Reading is not the only way out. You have many other ways to prove yourself and believe in yourself. As long as you keep going, you will find a direction that suits you one day.

fart.

The truth is, whether you read or not, few people can find their way.

Not to mention the direction of life, I can't even find the direction to go to school.

"Hehehe..." Xiao Ming smiled softly.

"Laughing fart!" I glared at him.

That was Xiao Ming, a sophomore in high school, as innocent as a child, Xiao Ming who didn't have any charming thoughts.