The Swan Bay Murders

Early in the morning of the Spring Festival, there was a group of children playing downstairs in the community.

I have to say that these little guys with big beans are really energetic. In the early morning of winter, people like me are too lazy to get up, but they don't know how long they have been making a fuss.

As soon as I went out, my mother complained for a while, complaining that I had to go to the company during the Spring Festival.

She stood at the door, hesitating to speak, I think I probably know what she wants to say, on such a day, the family should be reunited, my brother is gone, and I have to go out again, she must be unhappy.

But the company can't do it without going there. There is no such thing as the Spring Festival in China, but abroad.

In recent projects, the other party has followed closely. Most of my employees are staying at their jobs. As the boss, if I don't show up and stand on the front line with them, it will be a bit unjustifiable.

I specially gave Jiang Luo a vacation and asked him to stay at home with his parents.

I could see that he intended to go with me, but he couldn't bear to let my old man and old lady stay at home, so he followed my mother and watched me at the door, like two military families reluctant to part with me.

"Then what time are you coming back?"

As soon as my car left the community, my mother called.

"I'll try to be back by noon."

She hesitated for a moment, and then asked me: "Does the company have any other children? Don't come back at noon, I will make some dumplings for Jiang Luo to bring to you. What kind of lousy boss are you? Let the children who are older than the Chinese New Year We work overtime!"

I laughed twice, and suddenly felt uncomfortable.

The Spring Festival is a day when everyone should rest and spend time with their families. However, I haven’t celebrated the Spring Festival with Berlin for several years.

Before my parents went abroad to live with me, I spent the Spring Festival with them every year in Berlin, and I spent most of my time chatting with them via video during work breaks.

No wonder my mother had that expression just now, she must miss Berlin very much.

I suddenly realized that I was quite unfilial. There was such a big change in the family, and on such a day, I didn't stay with them.

The front can turn around and go back. I hesitated for a while, but drove straight through.

Such a big city, such a difficult life, there are always some things that make you unable to control yourself, if you are sorry for this, you will be sorry for that, and we always choose to hurt and give up the closest people.

No one can answer whether this is right or wrong.

After a busy morning, Jiang Luo really came to the company after eleven o'clock.

His appearance is very interesting, with a big hiking bag on his back and two insulated lunch boxes in his hands.

I laughed when I saw him. He seemed a little embarrassed, and quickly put down the hiking bag after he came in.

"Auntie was afraid that everyone wouldn't have enough to eat, so I bought a few more insulated lunch boxes." Jiang Luo babbled, taking out all the colorful lunch boxes from his backpack.

My mother is really the kind of enthusiastic and kind-hearted middle-aged and elderly woman. She also made several kinds of stuffing, and each lunch box has a sticky note on the outside to distinguish it.

"Do you want to ask everyone to eat now?" Jiang Luo should have come here by taxi. The place I rented, taxis can't get in, and it takes a long way to get to this office building from the gate. His face is flushed now , There were still tiny beads of sweat oozing from his forehead, and it was obvious at a glance that he was running in.

"You take a break first." I reached out to help him take off his coat, and he immediately took two steps back as if he was frightened. I was a little embarrassed and apologized for my rashness, "Sorry, I just saw you sweating , I want you to sweat away."

He seemed a little panicked, shook his head, and took off his coat by himself.

I looked at him and thought it would be better to change the subject: "Have you eaten yet?"

"No, I'm not hungry yet, so I came here first." He put his coat on the armrest of the sofa, and seemed a little restless.

I don't know what's wrong with him. It may be that my actions just now aroused his disgust. I feel very uncomfortable and feel very sorry for him.

In order to hide my embarrassment, I looked at the time and said: "It's noon, I guess they are all hungry, I'll go and distribute the dumplings to them, and then let's go home first."

"Ah?" Jiang Luo looked at me in surprise, "Can you go?"

I nodded, and picked up two lunch boxes in one hand: "It seems that I need your help, my mother has taken too much."

He smiled and helped me take the lunch box to distribute dumplings to the employees in the open office area outside. He walked behind me with a smile in his words: "Auntie still scolded you for not giving others a holiday, saying that if you don't treat others It's better, I won't give you a job in the future."

Most of my employees are young Lisheng guys, and they eat three dumplings each.

They yelled again and again while eating, and kept thanking my mother.

Seeing them like this makes me feel better, and of course, I also feel hungry.

"You guys eat, clean up the lunch boxes for me after eating, and then get off work, remember to clock in if you come today, and you will get a bonus if you go to work after the next year."

After a few more instructions to close the doors and windows, I took Jiang Luo away.

Those people all knew that Jiang Luo was an acquaintance of mine, and there were a few who were usually close to me and knew my sexual orientation, so they would secretly tease Jiang Luo and me.

I've tried them a few times, but to no avail.

When I went out with Jiang Luo, I heard someone shouting: "Happy New Year, Madam Boss!"

I was immediately embarrassed, because even if these boys were joking, they didn't open it in front of Jiang Luo. This time, Li Jiangluo was standing next to me. I hurried to look at his expression. Fortunately, he was in a daze. hear.

To be honest, I really don't like such jokes, especially when the other party is Li Jiangluo.

I know who said that sentence just now, and when he starts working in the next year, he must be fined once.

I drove Jiang Luo home, and on the way back, I suddenly wondered if there was any food we needed to buy at home, so I said, "Jiang Luo, call my mother and ask if we need to buy something to go home."

He was still in a daze, startled by my words.

He was easily startled, and every time he shook his body, the ends of his hair moved accordingly.

While that's kind of fun, it always makes me a little worried.

"My aunt and I went to the supermarket once in the morning, and we have bought everything we need to buy." He turned to look at me and said doubtfully, "Brother, don't you know that the supermarket will be closed at this time? They also have the Spring Festival holiday of."

I smiled wryly, there is no way, I have not celebrated the Spring Festival in China for many years, I really forgot.

In fact, it was okay on the road, but when I got home, I saw the photo of Berlin in the living room for the first time, and my relaxed mood suddenly sank.

My dad and mom were cleaning a big grass carp in the kitchen. I walked in and looked a little helpless: "This fish can be grilled directly. Where can I buy such a big one?"

"I snatched the last one from the supermarket." My mother had a smile on her face, and I also relaxed.

I went back to my room to change and wiped down all the Berlin frames before I came out.

It's been a while since we moved here and I've never wiped it, but it's pretty clean.

I looked at the paper towel without any gray stains and sighed.

The Spring Festival is supposed to be a very lively day for every household, but everyone in our family seems to be smiling.

The Spring Festival Gala was on on TV, and everyone watched it absent-mindedly. During dinner, my mother specially prepared an extra set of bowls and chopsticks and put them aside. She secretly wiped away tears. None of us knew what to say.

The bell struck twelve o'clock, and the host of CCTV set said New Year's blessings.

I poured wine into everyone's glasses, stood up and said: "Chinese New Year, today is the real New Year for us Chinese. Although Berlin is gone, our family is still together, and Jiang Luo, I I want to thank you for helping me take care of my parents so well when I was powerless."

Since Berlin is a wound in everyone's heart, it is better to say it directly, and the pain will be more painful.

I saw my dad wiping my mom's tears with red eyes, and Jiang Luo biting his lips with his cup up, not daring to look at me. When I looked at them, my vision was a little blurred.

But what is this, so what.

I hope that one day, Berlin is no longer the person we are careful not to mention, but we can face him calmly without mentioning him. We miss him, but we don’t cry when we think of him.

"Let's have a drink, happy new year, my family." Each of us clinked glasses, and lightly touched the glass of wine belonging to Berlin that was set aside.

Drinking wine and tears together, I hope I don't have to taste that taste again next year.

After dinner, my parents cleaned up and went to bed.

Jiang Luo and I sat in the living room and continued drinking.

Because I remembered how drunk he was last time, and his stomach still needs to watch his diet, so I changed his wine to soft drinks.

One of us occupied one side of the sofa, and we didn't pay attention to etiquette as usual. We sat slumped with our feet on the coffee table, like two homeboys playing games all night.

"Where did you spend the Spring Festival before?" I took a sip of wine and asked casually.

Because before the Spring Festival, Berlin went to accompany his parents, and Jiang Luo didn't have any close relatives. Could it be that he was alone during the Spring Festival?

"I..." He held the cup, hesitated for a moment, and said with a smile, "I'm always alone in previous years. Berlin will call me at twelve o'clock."

I looked at him, there was a smile on the corner of his mouth, but I could see the reluctance.

"I won't be alone anymore." I raised my hand and rubbed his hair vigorously. On the TV screen, the subtitles of the Spring Festival Gala have already appeared, "Go to bed, I guess my mother will get up early tomorrow morning to make dumplings." .”

He looked up at me with a smile, stood up and followed me upstairs.

As soon as I returned to the room after washing, I saw a beautifully packaged small box at the door, and there was a painting next to the small box.

I bent down and picked it up. The painting was of me, with the words "Li Jiangluo" written on the lower right corner.

There was a burst of warmth in my heart. His New Year gift was the most thoughtful I have received in the past few years.

I went into the room with my things, and opened the small box. Inside was a pair of cufflinks. I hardly ever use these things. I never thought that Jiang Luo would give me this.

There is a small card hidden under the small box. I opened it and read it, and couldn't help but smile.