pedestrian

He Xunyan is a different child, Tao Ran knew this a long time ago, but after he was brought back and settled down, he realized that he had still underestimated him.

When the child was handed over to Tao Ran, Mr. He said hello and stopped participating. Wu Yueyin explained a few words, but it was only a few words.Tao Ran was mentally prepared to memorize a lot of instructions, but he didn't expect to pass the customs so easily and let him go. Before going out, he deliberately pulled Wu Yueyin aside while He Xunyan was checking his small suitcase. Asked again.

"Is there really nothing else to pay attention to?"

"No, let's be rude..." He was already very polite, but Wu Yueyin, the mother, still read a little bit of subtext, and felt a little embarrassed: "This kid has big ideas since he was a child, and he usually Take care of yourself. We are all busy, and there are often no adults at home for three or four days, so he will live by himself. This time is too long, and his father and I are really worried. He also said that he is fine by himself."

So I was the child He Xunyan's helpless choice.This is enough to see how a child who can make choices, Tao Ran nodded to Wu Yueyin clearly.

It seemed that this unreliable woman couldn't ask any more questions, Tao Ran exchanged some other content with her, and at the same time turned his gaze to He Xunyan.

A well-educated little boy who was only in the second grade, his eyes were clear and normal, but besides that, there was a strange tranquility in his eyes.

It's not that I don't cry or make trouble, I'm reasonable, but that I don't need any adult's attention and extra attention.

Not wanting and not needing are two completely different psychological stages.Perhaps the biggest problem between the child and his parents was that they thought he just didn't want it, so sometimes they insisted on giving it, and sometimes they simply refused to give it with peace of mind.Little did he know that he had silently walked into an unnecessary situation alone.

At a young age, I already know and can do it alone.Thinking of this, Tao Ran felt that he was stabbed gently in the center of the mouth.

Taking him back on the road, Tao Ran kept concentrating on driving, not at all looking at his superfluous actions every time he stopped at a red light.He Xunyan probably finally decided that he had made a wise choice, and he gradually relaxed.When Tao Ran told him "here we are", the young master actually gave him a face-saving smile, and even took the initiative to open the trunk.

For Tao Ran's height, his children's trolley case could only be carried with the trolley in his hand.He Xunyan was taught so well by his family that he didn't even want to trouble Tao Ran with such a small matter. When he saw it, he immediately stretched out his hand to get the box for himself.

Tao Ran didn't fight him, but just stroked his soft hair.He Xunyan also knew that this meant complimenting himself, so he smiled a little shyly.His facial features combined the advantages of his parents. When he was serious, his undeniable awe was like his father. When he smiled, he had the gentleness inherited from Wu Yueyin, which came from a distant water town.

Such a beautiful child, when he grows up, he still doesn't know who to harm.Thinking like this, Tao Ran watched him arrange his personal belongings in an orderly manner like an adult, and at the same time unfolded the school bus route map he brought to study carefully.

"We're in the middle of these two stops, which one would you like to go to?"

He Xunyan stopped his movements politely, walked over to look at Tao Ran and answered: "The stop at the transportation hub. There are more students getting on the bus at that stop, and every time the school bus stops there, we have to wait a little longer."

Tao Ran couldn't help laughing: "You're afraid that I won't take this road often, and you won't know the time, are you?"

Most people would guess that a child is afraid of being late, or thinks it’s good to stay in bed for a minute longer. It is probably the first time for He Xunyan to open up the words like Tao Ran and really treat him as an adult. See.Surprised, he looked up at Tao Ran in a daze.

The way this maverick adult looked at him was full of emotion that he couldn't understand.

"When you and I were young, you really looked like..."

The soft sigh-like voice made He Xunyan almost think he heard it wrong.But how could this sentence be heard wrong.

"Okay, I will do as you said tomorrow. We will leave at a quarter past seven, so we will definitely be at your school bus stop at 07:30. I usually make something to eat in the morning. What do you want to eat?"

Young Master He seems to have made up his mind not to bother him: "Just buy it on the road. I usually eat it on the school bus."

It's really a peace of mind that I can't worry anymore.Tao Ran had no choice but to give him the bottles and cans in the bathroom, the bedside light switch and the remote control of the air conditioner one by one, and finally closed the door for him.

On the premise of not interfering with him as much as possible, Tao Ran carefully observed the little boy He Xunyan for several days, and found that he didn't even need to accompany him to play the piano to check the wrong sound, so he completely let go of his worries.

This child has achieved self-discipline far beyond his age in terms of mentality and behavior.Except for the math and piano that I am most interested in, everything else is done quickly and without fault.Then once he started to practice the piano or do math homework, it was a no-man's land, let alone calling him in other rooms, even if he walked behind him and stood behind him for a long time, he might not be able to find it.

So one big and one small have lived in peace ever since.Apart from picking him up and taking care of dinner, the only evidence of He Xunyan's existence is the sound of the piano.

If he played it wrong, or if the rhythm of a section was always wrong, Tao Ran would remind him not to worry, practice slowly, or go over and demonstrate by himself.The communication between the two was limited to this, and both of them felt quite comfortable.

Tao Ran is indeed busy recently.This year's lunar year is at the beginning of February, and the end of January is the annual review and evaluation of project managers.Chang Zheng gave him the evaluation that there is no need to worry, but because the two have cooperated too much, many other partners only know that there is Tao Ran, and there is no intersection in business, so the written preparation of the evaluation must be more thorough.Data, statements, graphs, and customer feedback must be collected and summarized, and made into something that can be seen by himself, Tao Ran is also devastated.

The evaluation of the partner level was also placed a few years ago. In order to make the performance forecast for the coming year more accurate, Chang Zheng is trying to finalize several projects that have been on the table for a long time.When doing business, there is always a three-thirds love when meeting each other, and flying around has become Chang Zheng's recent norm.

Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye, and after Wu Yueyin took the child back, Tao Ran didn't have to leave immediately after get off work, so he could focus on his work more.One day when he entered the house after eleven o'clock, he opened the refrigerator and found that there was only milk left. Thinking of the scene where he and Chang Zheng were cooking together that day, it suddenly occurred to him that he hadn't seen him for more than half a month.

Just to deal with the current situation, Tao Ran stored several nearby late-night cafeterias in his mobile phone, so he happened to order takeaway for emergency.While waiting, Chang Zheng called his cell phone.

"Have you got off work?"

The voice over there sounded a little hoarse, and the emotions revealed in it almost coincided with the phone call he made the night before he came back for dinner last time.Tao Ran almost blurted out "The report has been sent to you" and choked.Chang Zheng wasn't looking for him for business.

"Just got home. Do you have a cold?"

"It doesn't matter, the tonsils hurt a little. I've taken medicine, and it should be able to suppress it."

If there is anything to say, I have to call to say it because my throat hurts.Tao Ran opened his mouth and found that he couldn't ask this sentence.Chang Zheng on the other end was also silent for a long while, Tao Ran put on his earphones and let himself indulge in the sofa.

"Last time you asked me if I was in a bad mood, I forgot to answer you." Because of his illness, Chang Zheng's breathing was more chaotic than usual: "I went to the hospital to see Du Liangheng that day. His cousin is here to take care of him, I think..."

Maybe he couldn't find the right words to express it, Chang Zheng thought for a while, but still didn't continue.

"His cousin, I guess it's not crooked. If it is, how many opportunities do you have to grow up together? How could Du Liangheng drag things to this point?"

Chang Zheng sighed: "It's really hard to say, I saw ring marks on his hands, and he no longer wears the ring. There are too many possibilities, I hope it's not the one I thought."

In the dead of night, Tao Ran was already very tired. When he didn't pay attention, the truth came out by himself: "Do you feel for Du Liangheng that... this life is very sad?"

Chang Zheng felt relieved after being exposed by him: "Not only sad, but also very boring. Have you ever met anyone who is really having a good life? I mean...people like us."

Tao Ran laughed silently, with a bit of self-deprecation in his tone: "Us? Carpe diem is our tradition, regardless of whether it has a tomorrow. How do you think life is good?"

There was an all-too-familiar sound from the other end of the phone, the sound of ice cubes colliding with each other when shaking the glass, and Chang Zheng answered after a while: "I thought I had a good life, but every time I fly back after work, I know that I am returning home." Home."

Tao Ran was not polite: "It's easy to have a family, but it's easier to break up a family."

"Even if it ends in the end, it's better than never." Chang Zheng said this in a low and light voice, as if he was dreaming: "Seeing Du Liangheng try so recklessly, I feel both scared and a little envious. Even if the game is bound to lose , he also bet, what about me... what about us."

At the very beginning, Tao Ran believed that maturity is the ability to control the impulse of emotions, and kill things with unexpected advantages and disadvantages in the cradle.Maturity is self-denial and renunciation.Chang Zheng believes that maturity means having the ability and confidence to fight for what you really want, follow your heart, and take responsibility.Maturity is progress and acquisition.

All their fundamental differences, but that's all.

As time passed, they tested each other, got to know each other, worked together, talked in depth many times, and gradually accepted part of each other's views.No matter what the original intention is, people live for the rest of their lives in order to be worthy of themselves in the end.Their yearning for warmth and happiness is increasing day by day, the world of mortals is all cold, and only the desire to get closer can't be faked.

Tao Ran closed his eyes, feeling that Chang Zheng's heartbeat seemed to be right next to his ears.

He brought the microphone that came with the earphone a little closer, almost touching it to his lips, and said softly, "Chang Zheng."

"……Um."

"I understand what you mean, but I can't guarantee that I will always put you first. I am my top priority. If I have spare energy, I can take care of you."

"I know."

In the dim light of the floor lamp, Tao Ran slowly raised the corners of his lips.It was an incomparably affectionate, yet extremely cold smile.

"You know, but you don't think so, right? You are willing today, I believe, but what about tomorrow? What about later?"

Chang Zheng would be afraid when he saw Du Liangheng's fight, but wouldn't Tao Ran see Chang Zheng's fight?The depth of love is one thing, and it is another thing for a person to be cold to the bone.Out of experience, and out of a full understanding of himself, Tao Ran only dared to talk about his current heartbeat, but he dared not talk about the future.Chang Zheng's unreasonable optimism and hope, like a suitcase he had already carried before he set off, was finally placed heavily in front of the two of them during the conversation that was thousands of miles apart.

Wanting to have a home is such a solemn expectation.When everything is about to start, one person travels lightly, and one person carries all the belongings on his back. How can this kind of traveling together not make people worry.

In this relationship that takes each other too seriously, every word of love that is said and unspoken is true-it is chillingly true.Tao Ran asked himself, he no longer believed that there would be a full moon in this world.

Chang Zheng stayed quiet with him for a long time, until the strings in Tao Ran's heart relaxed, and the rhythm of breathing became gentle again.

"Tao Ran, if you don't believe in yourself, can you... believe me once."

The tightness in his throat was so unexpected that Tao Ran couldn't speak.He had stood on the edge of this cliff named Chang Zheng for too long, and an unexplainable premonition surged at this moment. He knew that Chang Zheng's next words might push him off.

Sure enough, Chang Zheng pondered for a while, and finally spoke again.

He said, "I'm willing to bet that I can love you first."