side by side

"Du Ruobai..." Liang Jixuan secretly wrote down the name.

St. Jordan's University is in Pingxiang, the western suburb, not too close to Xintong Road. He hired a rickshaw to take him there.The sky was still gloomy, and it was raining lightly. There were not many pedestrians on the road, and it looked a little depressed. Standing at the gate of St. Jordan University, Liang Jixuan couldn't help feeling worried.

This place is indeed the background place in the photo, but at this time, the iron gate of St. Jordan University is closed.There was an announcement post with black letters on a white background outside the gate, which was slightly wet from the gargling rain, roughly meaning that classes were suspended for seven days due to an accident, and the time stamp was left on it, marking August 31st.

Liang Jixuan calculated the time, it was only the [-]th today, and it would take two days for the school to resume classes, so he couldn't help but froze in place and worried.

"Ji Xuan, Ji Xuan...Liang Jixuan!"

Liang Jixuan suddenly heard a familiar voice calling him, and looked back, but couldn't find the source of the sound.

"Here, look up, I'm here!"

Gu Huatian stood on the second floor of the restaurant, smiling brightly and waving wildly at him, yelling and not paying attention to his image, which really didn't match his bookish look.Liang Jixuan couldn't help stroking his forehead, he hasn't changed at all since he hasn't seen him for a year.

Gu Huatian has a bluffing face, with narrow eyebrows and sharp chin, wearing a square glass mirror, when he is not smiling, he always looks a little alienated and unkind.But when you get closer, you can see that this person is actually very kind and optimistic.

Gu Huatian enthusiastically welcomed him into the private room, but he was the only one in the private room.He was dressed comfortably, and although there were not many dishes on the table, they looked fine.I don't know how long it has been since he ate it, but the hot green plum wine has lost its heat, and there is an open booklet by his hand, more than half of which has been turned over.

"Senior really enjoys himself," Liang Jixuan teased him, "How come you are the only one, and there is no beauty by your side?"

Gu Huatian laughed, "It's rare to steal half a day's leisure, of course I feel comfortable being alone, here," he shook the book in his hand at Liang Jixuan, "Sometimes reading idle books is much more comfortable than being with a beautiful woman gone."

Liang Jixuan took a closer look and found that it was the book of The West Chamber. He couldn't help sighing, "I just wanted to say that I haven't seen you for a year, but now it seems that you have changed a lot, senior."

Gu Huatian couldn't help shaking his head, "In the past, I really liked western romantic literature more, but ah, when the hobby becomes a job, I really can't even arouse any interest." He spread his hands, "Now , I prefer these old things."

"Huh? Work?" Liang Jixuan's heart skipped a beat and he asked back.

"That's right, I returned to China last year and found a job at a university, teaching the history of Western literature," he stood up and pointed to the opposite side, "Hey, that's it, St. Jordan. I don't want to do anything else, just do a job Less time is more, and I don’t want to go back to deal with fabrics and silks by blocking the mouth of the old man at home.”

"No, taking advantage of the school suspension, I also have a few days free all day long, which is very uncomfortable." He sighed, "It's a pity that school will start again in two days, and it's really good to start working. It's better to be free and brisk when you are a student."

Gu Huatian still sighed to himself, but Liang Jixuan's heart skipped a beat.

"Hey senior," Liang Jixuan asked him, "I heard that there is a student named Du Ruobai in your school, I wonder if you know it."

"Hey kid," Gu Huatian clapped his hands, "He, I really know. This kid hasn't come to my few classes in a semester. If it weren't for my two family friends, the old man asked me to take care of him. I've already failed other subjects!" Gu Huatian was annoyed, "Speaking of which, it seems that he caused the suspension of classes this time, and I'm afraid something happened."

"Eh?" Liang Jixuan continued to ask, "What's the explanation for what happened?"

Gu Huatian rubbed his head, "Actually, I'm not very clear about it. On the day of the accident, I had no class and went out of the city. I didn't know what happened until I came back. The school was suspended." He paused, "But go home Listening to the old man during the meal, something might have happened to that kid Du Ruobai, and I didn't listen carefully to him without explaining it in detail. Hey, why are you so interested in this kid all of a sudden?"

"Hey, just ask casually, just ask casually." Liang Jixuan was vague.

"He can be regarded as a famous man. When I was packing my things on the day I left school, I heard the group of students discussing going to see him," Gu Huatian added casually, "The Du residence is quite far from St. Jordan. Du Ruobai seems to have rented a small house in the western suburbs, I don't know the exact location, but I heard that he lives there on weekdays."

"Hey senior," Liang Jixuan said suddenly, "I want to visit your university for some things, I wonder if you can help me?"

Gu Huatian was stunned for a moment, "Hey, it's okay, but it's tomorrow, I have to find someone to remove the key first." He blinked and smiled playfully, "And you, tonight You have to treat me to dinner."

Liang Jixuan hurriedly smiled and agreed again and again, Gu Huatian smiled, but didn't say much, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.Gu Huatian has always been a good size person, and he has never talked too much when others don't want to answer.

After finishing dinner, the two made an appointment to meet tomorrow, and then broke up on the spot.

At this time, it was only seven or eight o'clock in the evening, and it was completely dark.Liang Jixuan estimated the time, thinking about what Gu Huatian said just now, and with the mentality of trying, he decided to take a look around Xijiaoping first.

St. Jordan University is located in the western suburbs. Just in terms of location, it is indeed a bit remote.Apart from the original residents, most of the people living nearby are students studying.It was near autumn, the sun was getting dark early, and the street was deserted early, Liang Jixuan walked all the way, but he didn't see anyone.

He sighed and decided to find a place to live first.Having not closed his eyes for the past day, Liang Jixuan was indeed a little tired.

He rubbed his temples and turned to walk back.

But he bumped into the head-on male student who was walking briskly.The man was wearing a student hat with a narrow brim, and his head was extremely low, only a small half of his face was exposed, and his eyebrows and eyes could not be seen clearly.In the night, the student was dressed in black and disappeared quietly, which really shocked Liang Jixuan.

"I'm sorry..." After seeing Liang Jixuan's face, the student stopped speaking abruptly, and he suddenly raised his head, revealing the face Zhang Liang Jixuan had seen in the group photo.

He was shocked at first, and then he was overjoyed, "I finally found it!" Du Ruobai reached out and grabbed Liang Jixuan's wrist and pulled it suddenly. He was very anxious, "You go back with me."

"What are you doing?" Liang Jixuan violently shook off Du Ruobai's hand, this thoughtless first meeting made him very annoyed.

"...Are you Liang Jixuan?" Du Ruobai finally realized, he took two steps back, the joy gradually faded from his face.

tbc.