Confession of Rebirth

Zhao Shu said: "It's winter, you can grab a few old men and old ladies by the street to chat. Why don't you go to my grandma's house to chat with my grandparents."

"Let me tell you, our family lived in this area decades ago. It was only after demolition and my dad's business was doing well that we moved to Dongcheng District. But my grandparents are not used to living in high-rise buildings. I still bought a courtyard house on Yangwei Street to live in. I often come back during summer and winter vacations. The fried noodles made by my grandma are delicious.”

"It's a pity that it's winter now, so it's not easy to make noodles with fried sauce." Zhao Shu shook his head regretfully, dragged Gu Chen into the car without any explanation, and went directly to Yangwei Street.

Yangwei Street is located in the west of Xicheng District, about two stations away from the Confucius Temple.The alley is so narrow that Zhao Shu's SUV can't even drive in.Zhao Shu parked the car across the street and led Gu Chen into the alley.

In the middle of winter, the weather is extremely cold.A thick layer of ice was formed on the bluestone slabs, and a thin layer of snow covered it, making it slippery to walk on.Zhao Shu pushed hard and slid forward along the ice for a while.Turning to look at Gu Chen: "Will you?"

Gu Chen: "..."

Zhao Shu also felt that his sudden childlike innocence was somewhat inexplicable.He smiled at the moment and said, "What I mean is, be careful not to fall."

It was the evening rush hour after get off work, and the alleys were full of people coming and going.People riding battery cars and bicycles are tinkling non-stop.Some people hang the stewed and cooked food bought on the way home from get off work on the handlebars of the car.Even if it's freezing cold, it can't stop the bursts of fragrance from rushing to the face.

Gu Chen remembered that in his previous life, the generation in Xicheng District, including the Confucius Temple, Maoer Hutong, and Lotus Pond, were all demolished, and a new People's Square and shopping district were built.Every night, the neon lights flash, and the LED screens of the skyscrapers are on all night. It is a famous nightlife holy place in City A.Lively is lively, but without the smell of fireworks.

Zhao Shu's grandma lives in a courtyard house in the middle of the alley.Blue bricks and black tiles, the vermilion gate is slightly mottled.The couplets hung last year are still pasted on both sides and have not been removed.There are three stone steps in front of the door, and a dim yellow gourd lantern hangs under the eaves, emitting a faint light.Turn the three feet of snow in front of the door into warm yellow.

Seeing this, Zhao Shu casually said to Gu Chen, "Wait for me for a while", then ran to the door and took out a big broom to clean the snow in front of the door, then smiled and raised his voice Shouted: "Grandma, Grandpa, I'm coming!"

The old couple who were watching TV in the main room thought they heard their grandson's voice wrongly.It wasn't until Zhao Shu knocked on the door with Gu Chen that he realized it.

"It's so cold, why did you come here!" Grandma Zhao Shu, who was wearing reading glasses and a flowered vest, hurriedly let people into the room, poured another cup of steaming tea for Zhao Shu and Gu Chen, and asked Said: "This is your classmate?"

"My younger brother." Zhao Shu warmed his hands with a cup and said with a smile: "He is doing research with the professor. He needs to check some information, which is the folk customs of Xicheng District and old anecdotes from 40 to [-] years ago. I'm thinking about it. The two elders are the most familiar. Instead of standing on the street in the winter and catching people and chatting, it’s better for me to bring them here. We have a warm meal while listening to my grandparents tell the story of the past.”

"Poor again!" Grandpa Zhao Shu glanced at his grandson, got up and said, "Sit down, I'll go out for a while."

When guests come to the house, we always have to prepare some dishes.The old man wanted to go out and buy a duck, and half a catty of soy pork knuckles.

Seeing this, Gu Chen quickly said, "No need. I'll go buy it with Senior Zhao. The road outside is slippery, so it's not easy to walk."

Zhao Shu slapped his head: "Yes. You'd better not go out, I will go out with Gu Chen and buy some cooked food."

As he spoke, he begged Grandma Zhao Shu again: "I want to eat the pimple soup you made. Get some tomatoes and eggs, hey, it's delicious and appetizing. It's hot."

"Then make pimple soup." Grandma Zhao Shu agreed with a smile.Thinking about the first time Zhao Shu's classmate came to the door, it would not be good to just make pimple soup, so he added: "Grandma will make you another fried mutton with green onions. Then make a fish."

Zhao Shu clapped his hands, "It's all my favorite food."

After finishing speaking, he said to Gu Chen: "Just go to the countryside and do as the Romans do."

Gu Chen smiled and said nothing.

The two walked north from Grandma Zhao Shu's house.Zhao Shu introduced: "... there is a deli outside the alley, which has been open for more than 30 years. Our neighbors here eat their deli. If you say it tastes very good, it doesn't count. But if you change the place, It doesn't smell like that."

While talking, the two turned out from the alley, facing the frozen lotus pond.Counting nine winters, the ice in the pool has been frozen solid.There was a huge group of people on the ice, all skating back and forth on skates.There is also sitting on a homemade sledge and playing.

Seeing Zhao Shu bring his classmates to see his grandparents, the passing neighbors greeted him with a smile.Zhao Shu also called "three uncles, four aunts and two uncles" endlessly. He walked a certain distance for more than 20 minutes and spent more than ten minutes saying hello to people.

Zhao Shu said with a smile: "Just now we went to the lotus pond, skating in winter and swimming in summer. I used to go here when I was a child. You said that I didn't know how to be ashamed at that time, and the young man took off his clothes and jumped into it. Now I dare not."

Zhao Shu said, looking at Gu Chen: "I don't know what kind of paper you are going to write. But I know that Professor Xing has always advocated vigorously developing Xicheng District. Sometimes it is actually quite tangled. You It is said that this area of ​​Xicheng District is indeed very poor. All of them are bungalows and large courtyards. The environment is dirty and messy, and the pipelines are not good. It is very difficult to connect the network cables. Not to mention the heating in winter. If it can be demolished, I guess everyone Everyone has to applaud. Who doesn't want to live in a building and enjoy the blessings."

"But if it's really demolished! I'm still a bit reluctant. I always feel that people who live in high-rise buildings don't have this taste anymore." Zhao Shu shook his head and didn't say any more.

That night, Gu Chen had a meal of authentic local dishes at Grandma Zhao Shu's house.Including the sauced elbow and sauced duck from the deli that Zhao Shu specially recommended.It's just like what Zhao Shu said, outsiders don't think it's delicious, but the three members of Zhao Shu's family eat it very deliciously.

After the meal, Grandpa Zhao Shu began to tell the two children about ancient times.Among the celebrities in the business world that Gu Chen checked the information on, one of them really lived in the same alley as Grandpa Zhao Shu's family when he was young.Although the piece had been dismantled a few years ago, Grandpa Zhao Shu still remembered many old events.

"...When I was young, I would go to the Confucius Temple to play and swim in the lotus pond. I even competed with him several times, and he couldn't swim me at all." Grandpa Zhao Shu said with emotion: "He just studies well, and the rest Not at all."

"He just studied well, and now he can start a big company. What's the use of you being a good swimmer, you haven't swam out of this place in your life." Grandma Zhao Shu came over with melon seeds and peanuts, and when she heard Grandpa Zhao Shu bragging again, she couldn't bear it. Can't help snorting, hit the road.

Grandpa Zhao Shu couldn't hold back his face, and said, "My children want to listen to me tell stories, why are you always disappointing?"

"Okay! Okay! Okay! I don't want to spoil the fun, you can tell it slowly. Anyway, you can only tell stories now." Grandma Zhao Shu said, and greeted Gu Chen to eat melon seeds: "Come, taste the fragrance of these melon seeds." It's not fragrant. I fried it myself."

"Thank you grandma." Gu Chen took the melon seeds and asked Grandpa Zhao Shu: "...Do you have any other stories?"

That night, Gu Chen chatted at Grandma Zhao Shu's house until after nine o'clock.I was really sorry to delay the rest of the old man, so I left.Zhao Shu sent him back to school, and said with a smile, "If you haven't collected enough information, we'll go back tomorrow night. I'll ask my grandfather to take you to a few neighbors' houses nearby. You can hear any folk stories you want."

"No need." Gu Chen shook his head.The story is almost over.In the next few days, he will go to the library to check relevant historical materials.He also has some ideas about how to write this paper.

"Okay then." Zhao Shu smiled and said, "If you need me, speak up anytime. If I have time, I will definitely be there whenever you are called."

"Thank you Senior Zhao." Gu Chen said, "Thank you for your hard work today."

"I've already said, don't be so polite between brothers." Zhao Shu waved his hand: "Go back by yourself. I'm going to drive home and stay at home tonight."

Gu Chen nodded.After returning to school, I did not go back to the dormitory immediately, but went to the library and borrowed a few books on the protection and restoration of historical buildings, as well as books on the architectural history of Xicheng District.There are also some biographies of essays and memories of literary masters.

With everything ready, Gu Chen sat in front of the computer, trying to hold back an emotionally moving article about old buildings and childhood memories.However, he held back the blank document for more than an hour, and nothing came out except for an article title.

This is too difficult!It's even more frustrating and headache than him grabbing tens of thousands of pieces of data!

Gu Chen heaved a long sigh, and finally believed that there is a specialization in the art industry, so it's better not to embarrass yourself too much.Thinking of this, he wrote the words "Ask professionals to write articles to discuss the phenomenon" on the draft, immediately closed the document, turned off the computer, packed up and left.