At sunset, the mountains are far away

In the hotel room near Chongqing Airport, the sky was getting dark. Xia Chengqi flipped through the thin papers that recorded Qin Bingwan's various encounters over the years, among which were old newspapers that had been cut out. The suffocating chest and the veins in the neck bulge and sink with the sound of Xia Chengqi's deep breathing.

Xia Chengqi put down the documents, lay down on the cold floor, and stared straight at the photo in his hand.Qin Bingwan in the photo is wearing simple clothes, her eyes are dull, her figure is emaciated and her face is haggard. Although her facial features are still correct, more than half of her youthful demeanor has faded.Xia Chengqi curled up and cried out suppressedly.There are only a handful of times Xia Chengqi cried like this, but it was always only for Qin Bingwan alone. The first time was when the two parted, and the second time was when they met each other.

Xia Chengqi's heart ached uncontrollably, his face was covered with tears, and finally he fell asleep on the floor in a daze.

The next day, Xia Chengqi was woken up by the continuous knocking on the door. She struggled to get up from the floor, with a splitting headache, weak footsteps, and dizzy head opened the door.

Gao Lan held the breakfast in her hand, and only glanced at the haggard Xia Chengqi, she knew what kind of pain she was going through last night. After putting the breakfast on the bedside table, she squatted down and packed up the scattered photos and documents.After tidying up, he stood up and stroked Xia Chengqi's forehead with his hand. It was really hot, so he dragged Xia Chengqi to the hospital without saying anything.

Along the way, Xia Chengqi lay in Gao Lan's arms drowsily, Gao Lan kissed Xia Chengqi's hair with distress, and stroked the latter's hot cheek.Cheng Qi, I regret it, I regret helping you find her, my heart hurts so much.

Gao Lan held Xia Chengqi's hand and accompanied the latter in the hospital for infusion, with a worried expression on his face, checking the temperature of the latter's forehead with his hands from time to time.

"Sister Gao Lan, have you talked to her?"

Xia Chengqi regained his energy, retracted the hand held by Gao Lan, and asked.

"No, but I observed it at a close distance." Gao Lan clenched her hands tightly, as if recalling the warmth of Xia Chengqi's palms.Gao Lan approached Qin Bingwan specially out of curiosity.

"and then?"

"She seldom looks into people's eyes. She looks sick and expressionless, and I don't see her speak a lot."

"It would be fine if she didn't recognize me." Xia Chengqi was always relaxed when he was with Gao Lan, the latter was like a big sister who made him feel at ease, mature and rational.

Gao Lan didn't know the relationship between Xia Chengqi and Qin Bingwan, and she didn't know how to answer this statement that sounded like a sigh.After Xia Chengqi finished speaking, he fell silent, and his mind gradually focused on how to deal with Tao Yan's problem.

After the infusion, the two returned to the hotel and ate something.It was only then that Xia Chengqi remembered the cell phone he had thrown under the bed, picked it up, turned it on, and saw Tao Yan's WeChat message from last night. After staring at it for a while, he didn't reply immediately.

Xia Chengqi and Gao Lan said goodbye at the hotel entrance, "Chengqi, give me a hug, I'm going to live in the Netherlands." Gao Lan said to Xia Chengqi with a relaxed smile on his face.

Surprise flashed in Xia Chengqi's eyes, and he opened his arms to give Gao Lan a deep hug.Gao Lan tightened her hands, carefully appreciating the first and last hug between them, "Treasure." After saying that, she withdrew the hug and got into a taxi parked beside her, but didn't press the window to wave goodbye, because Gao Lan didn't want Cheng Qi to see her eyes filled with tears.Cheng Qi, I really hope that I can meet you before Tao Yan, maybe the person you love will be me.

Xia Chengqi's gaze followed the taxi that disappeared around the corner, without moving for a long time.Sister Gao Lan, I sincerely hope that you can find your own happiness in a foreign country. Maybe, without Tao Yan, I would fall in love with you.

Xia Chengqi withdrew his gaze, stopped the car and rushed to his home. After changing his shoes, he went straight to the study, rubbed the black lock hanging on a drawer in the study, hesitated for a moment, took out the key and turned the black lock, and put the lock inside. Things are placed on the desk one by one.

On the desk is a transparent glass bottle filled with paper strips folded into squares, and the glass mouth is wrapped with a pink bow. On the right is a transparent bag with a stack of white drawing paper, and an exquisite gift box containing various small gifts. and a white envelope.Xia Chengqi opened the glass bottle, poured the slips of paper on the desk, unfolded them one by one, a smile gradually appeared on his face, then opened the transparent bag, took out the drawing paper inside, and the immature Xia Xiao with a ponytail Qi, under various environmental backgrounds, appears on the drawing paper with a smile or a calm expression.On the last few sheets of drawing paper, the young Qin Bingwan appeared, the pear dimples on the corners of her lips were carefully outlined, and the smile on her face was bright, rippling with charming demeanor.

Xia Chengqi raised his hand, slowly picked up the envelope, unfolded the letter paper, and his eyes fell on the simple words on the paper;

Xiao Qi, I thought I could forget everything about that night and grow up with you patiently, but I found out that I was wrong.I can no longer face you as if nothing had happened, and I can't escape the pain that happened in my heart because of what happened that night, so I can only choose to leave.

Maybe we will meet again in many years, I hope that Xiao Qi will be happy at that time, just like Xiao Qi's blessing to me.Don't try to find me, don't blame yourself, let time obliterate all this, I will grow up with you quietly in a corner of the world.

Xia Chengqi put down the letter paper, lay down on the desk, looked out of the dark window, tears fell from the corners of his eyes.After an unknown amount of time, the cell phone rang in the living room and rang into the study. Xia Chengqi raised his hand to wipe the corners of his eyes, got up and walked to the living room.

The caller ID was Tao Yan, and Xia Chengqi didn't answer it, staring blankly at the phone screen, letting the ringtone rang over and over again, intermittently, and then rang again.

"Cheng Qi, you finally answered the phone, I'm dying of anxiety."

"Sister Gao Lan is going to move to the Netherlands. Before she left, she asked me to meet. It rained too much last night, so I just stayed in the hotel for one night. Don't think about it." Xia Chengqi took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. The tone sounds natural.

Hearing Xia Chengqi's explanation, Tao Yan's anxious mood on the other end of the phone finally eased.It turned out that the woman was Gao Lan.It's not like Gao Lan didn't realize that she cared about Xia Chengqi, but Gao Lan was only one-sided, never crossed the line, never took the initiative to disturb, he was indeed a person who had high demands on himself.Tao Yan has nothing to worry about, two people who have high moral requirements on themselves.

"Qi Bao, do you miss me? I miss you so much, when will you come over? I finished the wedding wine the day before yesterday." Tao Yan sat on his sofa at home, ready to talk on the phone in a happy mood.Mother Tao, who was sitting beside her eating nuts, glared at her sweet, shameless daughter.Tao Yan received Mother Tao's fierce gaze, made a face, and went back to his room.

"There's a book fair in other places recently, and I'm going to attend it, so I won't go there. You stay with your parents in Xiamen."

"But I miss you very much. Anyway, I have nothing to do. I'll go to the book fair with you. Okay? My dear." Tao Yan's face was full of coquettish demeanor, with a coquettish tone.

Xia Chengqi rubbed his twitching temples, feeling a little headache, "Tao Yan, stay with your parents in Xiamen, don't let me say it a third time." Xia Chengqi had no choice but to use this tough method to deliberately make Tao Yan angry with himself I hope that she will return to Chongqing before she sorts out the clues.

"Xia Chengqi, what are you doing so fiercely? You turned off your mobile phone for no reason yesterday, and you posted that kind of photo with Gao Lan again. Do you know how scared and worried I am? I didn't sleep well at night. I didn't care about anything with you. You are fine. , You attacked me without saying a few words? Don’t you think you’re going too far?” Tao Yan felt angry, and hugged the pillow angrily.

"I've said it before, you have to trust me, and your worry only shows that you don't trust me enough. Tao Yan, if you continue to make trouble like this, I'm going to be angry." Xia Chengqi's tone began to cool down.

"I'm making trouble for no reason? Xia Chengqi, even if you trust you, there is a limit. Why do you want me to be unconditional..."

"Enough, I'm angry, you can say whatever you want. Don't bother me until you learn to mature." Xia Chengqi interrupted Tao Yan who was in a state of indignation, hung up the phone immediately, turned off the phone, and threw it on the sofa superior.

Holding his breath, Tao Yan dialed back, but it was turned off again. Angrily, he slammed the phone onto the bed, threw it all over the bed, and stared at his legs to vent his anger.I didn't ask anything after listening to her simple explanation, so I don't trust her?immature?Begging to go to the book fair with her, why is it immature?Did she dislike herself for being too clingy?Xia Chengqi, you'd better call me and explain clearly, it's definitely not my fault this time.

After the unpleasant phone call between the two of them ended, Tao Yan stayed in Xiamen and waited for Xia Chengqi's call to explain, but nothing came. The anger in his heart slowly condensed into ice, stabbing at his chest in the silence of the night, secretly He was determined that as long as Xia Chengqi didn't call to explain, he would not return to Chongqing, but he never thought that this was exactly what Xia Chengqi intended.

Xia Chengqi locked himself at home first, studied Qin Bingwan's information carefully, and after making a plan in his heart, he handed over the affairs of the library to Min Chen and several other core employees, explaining that he was going to the book fair, and then set foot On the trip to Qinghai.

Xia Chengqi checked into a hotel near the supermarket where Qin Bingwan worked, and squatted around the supermarket early the next day, staring at the entrance of the supermarket.The supermarket has a small facade and mainly deals in tobacco, alcohol and other foods. It is located on an unremarkable street with some potholes. Both sides of the street are unremarkable shops of all kinds, full of the atmosphere of the market and life.

Xia Chengqi, who worked as a reporter in Qinghai for three years, is no stranger to this kind of street that is usually not rich.And Qin Bingwan, who once graduated from university and worked as a teacher in a key middle school, is a salesperson in that small supermarket, and she can't even get the job of a cashier.

Because she had been in prison for manslaughter for five years, the deceased was her husband, a man who committed domestic violence in marriage and raped Qin Bingwan many times.Thinking of this, Xia Chengqi's heart was deeply hurt.

There were more battery cars coming and going on the street, and the roller shutter door of the supermarket was finally opened by the owner.After a while, a thin woman walked in.Qin Bingwan went to work, took a lunch break at noon, left work in the evening, etc., and even the address of her home and the address where she usually buys vegetables. Gao Lan carefully investigated for herself, and it took a lot of effort to see it.

Xia Chengqi was at the entrance of a nearby alley, leaning against the wall, and took out a cigarette from his pocket.She rarely smokes at ordinary times, but when she is a reporter, she would smoke a few when encountering some heart-wrenching things, usually with Su Qingmo, she puffed out smoke rings, carefully observed shop near the supermarket.

In the next few days, Xia Chengqi always counted the time accurately, dressed up in disguise, and followed Qin Bingwan from a distance.Qin Bingwan's life is very regular, she goes to work in the supermarket, buys vegetables after get off work, and returns home.

"Hey, Tao Yan, I'm Cheng Qi."

Tao Yan on the other end of the phone remained silent and did not speak.

"Go back to Chongqing. I have something to tell you. It's very important. Come back as soon as possible. I'll wait for you."

Tao Yan's heart began to feel uneasy, up and down, and her intuition told her that something must have happened. She booked the ticket in a panic, and returned to Chongqing without any delay, letting go of the depression in her heart. .

When Tao Yan returned home, it was already nine o'clock in the evening, the living room was pitch black, but there was a faint light from the bottom of the study door.Tao Yan pushed open the half-closed door of the study, and saw Xia Chengqi sitting at the desk with his arms folded, looking out the window at night with a lonely expression.

"I'm back." Xia Chengqi heard the voice, turned his face, his tone was very light, and he seemed very tired.

Tao Yan didn't speak, just walked over and hugged Xia Chengqi who had a pale smile on his face.Xia Chengqi buried his head in Tao Yan's embrace, feeling nostalgic, "I miss you so much, I really miss you so much."

"Qiqi, my dear, Sister Tao is back. We won't quarrel in the future, we definitely won't quarrel." Tao Yan was very distressed, and Xia Chengqi in his arms seemed a little helpless and fragile, which made her depressed for many days. dissipated.

Xia Chengqi let go of the hug, stood up, and kissed Tao Yan deeply, all the way to the bedroom, eagerly and fiercely demanding again and again.Tao Yan hadn't had a good rest recently because of the cold war with Xia Chengqi. Now that he was surrounded by the familiar warm feeling, he fell asleep exhausted.Xia Chengqi didn't give up on this, and woke Tao Yan up again and again, asking for it endlessly, completely ignoring Tao Yan's weak refusals several times.

In the early morning of the next day, Xia Chengqi's whole body's consciousness slowly recovered, and he woke up lying on Tao Yan's body. Tao Yan was still in a deep sleep, with a faint layer of dark circles under his tightly closed eyes.

Xia Chengqi kissed Tao Yan's collarbone delicately again. After noticing Tao Yan's body moving slightly, he carefully got up and rubbed his sore arms.

After Xia Chengqi washed up and made breakfast, he went back to the bedroom and started making noises.Pinch Tao Yan's beautiful nose with his hand, Tao Yan frowned, unconsciously opened the hand that prevented him from breathing, turned over and continued to sleep, Xia Chengqi smiled, and lifted the quilt, revealing Tao Yan's seductive carcass.Tao Yan, who felt cold all over his body, stretched out his hands to look for the quilt in a daze, but he couldn't find it for a long time. He squinted his eyes and raised his head slightly, and saw Xia Chengqi standing beside the bed with a mischievous smile, "Hooligan, put the quilt away." Give me."

"Get up, my breakfast is ready." Xia Chengqi said, leaning down and kissing Tao Yan's fair shoulder.

"I can't get up, I'm so tired, it's all because of you last night." Tao Yan closed his eyes again, complaining with a smile on his lips.

"Are you really sorry? Then don't blame me for doing it again."

Tao Yan smelled a hint of danger, opened his eyes immediately, sat up from the bed, pulled the quilt to cover his exposed skin, "Xia Chengqi, you are too deceitful."

Xia Chengqi wore a doting smile and didn't answer.

"By the way, you said something very important, what is it? It made me feel very nervous." Tao Yan frowned, with a serious expression.

"You are really stupid. I miss you very much. It is very important. If I don't scare you like this, will you come back? You are so stupid." Xia Chengqi stretched out his hand and squeezed Tao Yan, his expression dislike.

"It's too much. I must beat you to death today, you rascal. You actually used such a despicable method to trick me back." Tao Yan threw off the quilt and started looking for clothes to wrap it in.

"What kind of clothes are you wearing to play? You look so good-looking now, with a variety of styles, and attract people's attention."

"You wait for me." Tao Yan ignored Xia Chengqi's words, cast a knife with his eyes, and began to put on his clothes quickly. After putting on the clothes, Tao Yan rolled up his sleeves and prepared to beat the latter hard.Xia Chengqi evoked a playful smile, stepped forward and carried Tao Yan on his shoulders, Tao Yan felt dizzy in an instant, before he could exclaim in surprise, Xia Chengqi threw him on the bed and pressed him under him, " Hui Bao, I may not have told you, but I know Sanda, are you sure you want to fight with me?"

"Qibao, are you really willing to hit me?" Tao Yan began to pretend to be pitiful, blinking his big eyes.As the saying goes, a good man does not suffer immediate losses, an egg cannot touch a rock, and head-to-head will not work.

"unwilling."

"Then let me hit you."

"Are you willing to hit me?"

"Extremely willing." Tao Yan said with a sword in his smile.

Xia Chengqi got up and stood in the room with his arms folded, with a smile on his face that seemed a little hard to bully, "Tao Yan, try hitting me."

Seeing Xia Chengqi's posture, Tao Yan became frightened and didn't dare to fight. He said weakly, "You probably won't fight back, right? I'm your fiancée."

"Boss Tao, life lies in trying, you will know if I will fight back and beat you badly if you try."

Tao Yan didn't dare to do it lightly, he threw a pillow over it tentatively, Xia Chengqi just reached out to catch the pillow without making too much movement.

"Forget it, forget it, stop fighting. Hey! It's so hard to vent your anger, life, it's really not easy." Tao Yan raised his head to the sky and screamed, walked to the bathroom with great emotion, brushed his teeth and washed his face.

After Tao Yan came out of the bathroom, Xia Chengqi was already sitting at the dining table waiting for Tao Yan to have breakfast. Hot lean meat porridge and fried golden butter sticks were placed on the table.

"Yanyan, let's go on a trip, where do you want to go?"

"Let's go to Holland, just to visit Gao Lan's new house, what do you think?"

"Good idea."

"Maybe Gao Lan has already fallen in love with a Dutch girl."

"It should be the Dutch girl who picks up Sister Lan, and Sister Lan doesn't pick up girls."

"Who said that? Didn't she cheat on you? It's just that I, Tao Yan, was too charming, and she couldn't succeed." Tao Yan said, brushing the hair on his shoulders charmingly, with a smug smile on his face.

"It's not that you are very attractive, it's that I have made up my mind to eliminate harm for the people."

Tao Yan raised his hand and slapped Xia Chengqi on the forehead. Xia Chengqi bowed his head and ate the porridge obediently, so as not to be beaten again.After chatting casually for a few more words, the two packed up and went to the study hall to check the situation.

"Sister Yanyan, sister Qi, you are back." Min Chen took the initiative to say hello after seeing the two of them coming back holding hands.After Xia Chengqi smiled faintly, he let go of Tao Yan and went to the reading area to take a good look around, while Tao Yan went to the pastry kitchen to check the situation.

"Min Chen, hasn't Gu Zizheng come here these few days when I'm away?" Xia Chengqi noticed that the book list and book reviews at booth No. regular.

"No." A trace of unnaturalness flashed across Min Chen's face, and he replied simply.Xia Chengqi didn't ask any more questions and went on his own.Min Chen raised his eyes and looked at the empty booth No. [-], feeling as if his heart had been hollowed out.

In fact, after Min Chen followed Gu Zizheng to the hotel that day, when he woke up in the morning, he didn't see Gu Zizheng, and he didn't meet her again in the study hall.Gu Zizheng disappeared into the vast sea of ​​people as if the world had evaporated, without leaving a single word. Of course, Min Chen knew in his heart that Gu Zizheng had no obligation or need to leave a single word. That night was just your wish and my wish. Just one night stand.

Xia Chengqi and Tao Yan organized a small meeting. After learning about the current business situation of the library, they explained some things, and they both left. They were going to Holland for a trip to relax and unwind after several months.

Naturally, Tao Yan is in charge of the strategy, and Xia Chengqi only intends to follow behind to enjoy the fun of traveling, which has always been the case between them, and Tao Yan also claims to be a small travel expert.

"Can't you help? It's tiring to do strategy, okay?" The two sat on the tatami by the bay window, and outside the window were scattered orange lights.

"Tao Xiaoyan, I'm giving you a chance to shine." Xia Chengqi said while holding a book without blushing.

"Then do I still have to thank you?" Tao Yan smiled with a fake smile.

"There's no need for verbal thanks. You can consider material things. Physical things are what I want the most. You can figure it out." Xia Chengqi didn't raise his eyes, and started talking nonsense.

"Xia Chengqi, when did you become so shameless?"

"Your question is really stupid, naturally after being with you."

"Are you implying that those who are close to ink are black? But why do I feel that I am not as shameless as you?"

"The blue comes out of the blue and is better than the blue, which is taught by Teacher Tao."

"Forget it, forget it, I can't beat you." Tao Yan gave up and began to immerse himself in browsing the Dutch strategy on the website.

"When you can't bicker, let me go?" Tao Yan suddenly threw another sentence indignantly.

"You are older than me, you should let me go, this is what your mother told you several times."

When Tao Yan heard this, he was immediately aroused. Being listened to by his mother and misunderstood that he was only greedy for pleasure and sloppy on the bed was the last embarrassing thing Tao Yan wanted to mention in his life.Tao Yan folded his arms and began to pout and sulk, and didn't do the strategy.

"Tao Xiaoyan, I'll count to three. If you don't overcome your troubled self-esteem, which is higher than the sky, and return to normal, you will be at your own risk." Xia Chengqi's eyes still fell on the pages of the book, but his face was a little gloomy.She couldn't bear Tao Yan's way of pouting and waiting to coax him when he disagreed with him.

"Three" Tao Yan still pouted, but the hands holding his arms couldn't help tightening.

"Two" Tao Yan's pursed mouth tends to be horizontal

"One" Tao Yan put down his crossed arms, coughed, cleared his throat, and continued to do the strategy. After concentrating for a while, he suddenly said weakly, "My dear, can you do a few dozen times next time? Three times It's too short."

"It depends on your future performance."

"Okay." Someone looked like a strict wife, and continued to work hard.

The two of them flew to the Netherlands the next night. Gao Lan had already arranged her new house, and was waiting to welcome the two of them and show them around their two-story mansion.

The operation of the book hall is still good, the only change is that Xia Chengqi no longer updates handwritten recommended book lists and book reviews.

Xia Chengqi and Tao Yan, who are still traveling in the Netherlands, are also free and at ease. They live in a townhouse. Behind the villa is a well-manicured and green lawn. The waterway, the decoration in the room is very modern, but it is also full of European leisure and elegance.

Tao Yan likes this kind of townhouse very much. The environment is clean and tidy, and he has been clamoring to buy one too. He can come and live in it when he is on vacation, and his parents can also come and live in it. It is a second-hand house, and the price is not bad. Xia Chengqi didn't Oppose it and accept it.

The two are sitting on a park bench in full bloom at the moment, embracing each other, with the green lake in front of them, enjoying the gentle breeze blowing their cheeks wearily.

Since the two are going back to China tomorrow, they asked Gao Lan to go to a nearby gay bar at night, but Tao Yan said that he was going to the red light district. Xia Chengqi gave her a blank look and ignored Tao Yan's request.

"Go on your own, I'll go to the bar with Sister Gao Lan."

"You think I'm stupid, let you go to the bar to fool around, young lady with all blonde hair and blue eyes, what if I get caught by you?" Tao Yan replied angrily.

"It's fine to dye it back to black after being green." Xia Chengqi kissed the top of Tao Yan's hair in his arms, and began to pretend to be stupid again.

"You don't come here, you don't have a good chat every time."

"How's that for a good chat?"

"Of course it's flirting with tenderness." Tao Yan raised his face and looked at Xia Chengqi with a mischievous smile.

Xia Chengqi didn't speak, but slowly approached and kissed her face, and after a while of lips touching, he pressed Tao Yan's forehead unsteadily, and said in an emotional voice, "Yanyan, I want to hear you say you love me."

"You love me, you love me, you love me, I'm done." Tao Yan grasped the loopholes in the words, deliberately pretending to be stupid, with a smug smile.

"Yes, Xia Chengqi loves you very much." Xia Chengqi turned his face away, sighed sadly, and cast his eyes on the vast lake, his expression was vague and empty.

"Okay, I won't tease you anymore. I love you, Tao Yan also loves Xia Chengqi, Yan Yan also loves Qiqi, Yan Bao also loves Qibao very much, Teacher Tao also loves classmate Xia very much, and also loves the later Xia The reporter, Commander Xia, and Teacher Xia love Boss Xia and his fiancée the most, and will continue to love Mrs. Xia in the future."

Lying in Xia Chengqi's arms, Tao Yan said to himself, not noticing the loneliness in Xia Chengqi's expression, the silhouette of the two embracing each other was covered with a golden halo against the afterglow of the setting sun.