Mindful

Pinghai TV station.

At the end of the internship period, Qiao Yuanlin got his official work permit and was assigned to the news interview department, the second group of reporters.

The news center consists of seven departments and nearly ten branded programs, among which the interview department is especially busy.After three months of internship, Qiao Yuanlin has not had a chance to have a meal in the cafeteria so far.

I'm free today, but I want to attend his father's wedding, the second marriage.

In fact, Qiao Yuanlin had a falling out with Qiao Wenyuan a long time ago. During the years of college and graduate school, Qiao Wenyuan didn't pay attention to him when he didn't go home. The father and son forgot each other.

After the remarriage was confirmed and the certificate was obtained, Qiao Yuanlin was notified by Qiao Wenyuan.And as always, domineering, not allowed to go.

Qiao Yuanlin set off slowly. There are three buildings in Taili, and the news center occupies one building exclusively.

The interior has just been renovated, and it is decorated with large mirrors. It is said that it is to let the employees take care of the bears after working overtime and staying up late, and tidy up in time, so as not to affect the image of the TV station.

He took a photo and found that the T-shirt was last year's model, the jeans were washed white, and the sneakers were limited edition, but the original shoelaces were not dried after washing, and they were tied with a pair of ordinary ones.He was casual from head to toe, and felt that he was especially suitable for attending his father's wedding banquet.

The phone rang, and Qiao Wenyuan called to urge him to die.

The signal in the elevator was poor, Qiao Yuanlin didn't listen when he connected, put it back in his trouser pocket, got out of the elevator on the first floor, took it out again, and said, "Okay, got it."

Qiao Wenyuan asked: "What do you know?"

An Audi was parked on the side of the street, Qiao Yuanlin hung up the phone, opened the door and got into the co-pilot.The driver was a pretty woman, his cousin, Yao Fu, who was four months older than him.

Qiao Yuanlin opened the navigation and said, "Sister, Vienna Hotel."

Before starting the car, Yao Fu handed him a red envelope and a bouquet of flowers, and said, "You give the money to uncle.

"Do you want to join in the second marriage?" Qiao Yuanlin said, "Give it to him yourself."

Yao Fu said: "My mother is on a business trip. I will see the client later, so I can't attend the wedding."

Qiao Yuanlin said, "Then I will go alone?"

Yao Fu smiled gloatingly: "Although I can't share the embarrassment for you, I have prepared a bouquet of flowers for you, here."

Qiao Yuanlin asked, "What am I doing with flowers?"

Yao Fu stepped on the accelerator and stepped on Xibin Avenue, and said, "I specially picked the forget-me-not, you give it to uncle, implying that he married a new wife and don't forget his son."

The cedars flew by the side of the road, Qiao Yuanlin leaned on the car door to watch, his tall nose touched the hot glass window, he realized that the weather was bright and suitable for weddings.

The bouquet lay bouncing on his lap, and the card sandwiched between the flowers was crumbling, and he stuffed it with his fingers.

Yao Fu turned the steering wheel and suddenly asked, "Have you met your stepmother?"

Qiao Yuanlin replied: "No."

Yao Fu said, "Then don't worry about it, you have to see who your stepmother is."

Qiao Yuanlin had heard a little bit that her stepmother was an obstetrician who had been single for many years and had a son who was a few years older than him.

Just passing by Ningyuan Street, Qiao Yuanlin stared silently at both sides of the street. He was a university student and graduate student in Beijing, and he had never been back during that time. The old street of Pinghai felt both familiar and unfamiliar.

The most advanced private hospital in the city stands at the end of the road. The white building is dignified and imposing. Qiao Yuanlin remembers that Qiao Wenyuan once said that this hospital is good.

As the vice president of a tertiary hospital, Qiao Wenyuan has always restrained his compliments, and "not bad" is quite a high evaluation.

Yao Fu asked: "Don't you hate hospitals the most, what are you looking for?"

"It's nothing." Qiao Yuanlin said, "The leader of my department is also the master who took me. His father was transferred to this hospital today."

In the towering building, team leader Wan of the medical department has been waiting on the corridor for 10 minutes. He is responsible for handling various complaints and is nicknamed "Magic Oil".

Liang Cheng had just undergone surgery, changed his clothes and came out of the locker room, ready to leave work.

Group leader Wan stopped him and said, "Dr. Liang, you've worked hard all morning, let's go have lunch together."

He didn't drink water for five hours during the operation, Liang Cheng's voice was hoarse, and he was rough and not gentle. He said, "My mother is getting married, how about I take you to a banquet?"

Team Leader Wan was stunned: "Then...congratulate Auntie for me!"

Liang Cheng unbuttoned the second button and coughed: "Speak directly, who complained again?"

Group leader Wan denied, "No, no, I'm here to tell you that Mr. Sun has transferred from the Third Court."

Liang Cheng thought about it for a while, the 80-year-old retired editor-in-chief didn't trust doctors, didn't cooperate with treatment, only obsessed with health care products, and tossed three hospitals back and forth.

The nursing staff who were crying out of anger could join the mahjong table, but they didn't dare to complain, otherwise the old man threatened to "publish in the newspaper".

Liang Cheng said, "What newspaper do you see when you retire?"

"That's a fake tiger's prestige." Team leader Wan whispered, "The old man's family members belong to the news department of the TV station."

Holding the car key, Liang Cheng scratched behind his ear, raised his leg and walked out, as if he didn't hear the subtext at all: "Let's go, we'll talk when we come back."

Group leader Wan hurriedly said: "Dr. Liang, the hospital is taking care of you. You must pay attention to your attitude this time!"

Liang Cheng didn't turn his head back: "Got it, let's see what kind of beast he is this afternoon."

The Vienna Grand Hotel sounds high-end, but its grade is also medium.Qiao Wenyuan has an administrative level, and it is not appropriate to be extravagant from the car to the banquet specifications.

Qiao Yuanlin took the flowers to the banquet hall on the fourth floor, stood at the door and didn't want to go in, the phone rang again, and Qiao Wenyuan called to remind him a second time.

He straightened his neckline and walked in. There were only a dozen or so tables in the banquet hall, and they were almost full. Most of them were Qiao Wenyuan's colleagues and friends, and there were few unfamiliar faces from Fang.

Qiao Wenyuan was wearing a formal black suit and walked over with strides. He still had a serious face on happy occasions and said, "Why are you so slow?"

Qiao Yuanlin said: "It's my first time participating in the second wedding banquet, so I'm nervous."

Qiao Wenyuan didn't bother with him, pointed to an empty table ahead, and said, "Go and sit, you don't need to entertain anyone."

Qiao Yuanlin asked, "A table by myself?"

"You and Aunt He's son." Qiao Wenyuan was afraid that he would complain, "Doctors can't control their private time, he hasn't come yet."

Qiao Yuanlin was originally dissatisfied, but more surprised: "What, your stepson is also a doctor?"

Qiao Wenyuan showed displeasure: "When someone comes later, please be more polite. He studied biology in the UK as an undergraduate, then entered medical school, and graduated from a prestigious school all the way. Now the future is bright."

Qiao Yuanlin was tired of hearing it, when a middle-aged woman in a red dress approached, she could not be called very beautiful, but her temperament was very attractive.

The woman walked up to Qiao Wenyuan and interrupted, "Old Qiao, this is Yuan Lin, right?"

Qiao Wenyuan softened his tone and said, "It's him. Yuan Lin, this is Aunt He Jie, call someone quickly."

Qiao Yuanlin said, "Auntie, hello."

He Jie was well maintained, and when she smiled, there were deep lines at the end of her eyes, and she said, "Hello, I often hear your father praise you for being outstanding, but I didn't expect you to look so handsome."

Qiao Yuanlin was not good at being polite, so he smiled.

Just as the atmosphere was about to cool down, a figure stepped into the banquet hall. He Jie waved her hand and called softly, "Liang Cheng, over here."

Qiao Yuanlin's smile froze: "Who are you talking about?"

Liang Cheng was 10 minutes late, striding all the way, forgetting to put down the sleeves of his shirt at the elbows, following the sound, he saw He Jie, Qiao Wenyuan, and a tall and thin person with his back to him.

Halfway, the man turned around.

Liang Cheng suddenly paused on the carpet, the person was still, the key ring on the base of his finger slipped down little by little, itching and numb.

Qiao Yuanlin looked at him calmly, without surprise or surprise, as if he was looking at a late and irrelevant guest.

Suddenly, He Jie said "ah".

A bunch of forget-me-nots fell to the ground, and I don't know when I let go of it.

Liang Cheng hooked back the car key that had slipped to his fingertips in time, and a light blue safety knot was tied to the buckle. He grabbed it in his palm and walked over.

Qiao Yuanlin bent down to pick up the flowers, raised her head to meet Liang Cheng's downcast eyes, they met and staggered, and no one looked at the other.

He Jie said happily: "Now everyone is here."

Liang Cheng said: "I'm sorry, I said a few more words to my colleagues, it's late."

"It doesn't matter, work is important." Qiao Wenyuan is always generous in front of people, "It's the first time I see you today, why don't you introduce me first?"

He Jie said, "Liang Cheng, this is Yuan Lin, younger than you..."

Liang Cheng said, "Four years old."

Seeing that Qiao Yuanlin didn't respond, Qiao Wenyuan said, "I'll be 25 after my birthday at the end of the year, and I'm not sensible yet."

Liang Cheng whispered: "The end of the year?"

Qiao Yuanlin blinked sluggishly, and said nonchalantly, "Don't delay the ceremony."

He Jie smoothed things over: "Old Qiao, let the children sit down first."

Everyone was paying attention to them, Qiao Yuanlin and Liang Cheng walked to the table reserved separately, and sat down roughly together, with forget-me-nots in the middle of the table.

Liang Cheng stretched out his hand to press the edge of the disk, his knuckle fingers were not wearing any jewelry, and there was only a faint smell of disinfectant hand sanitizer.He turned around and asked, "Will you drink juice or tea?"

Qiao Yuanlin let go of her clenched knees under the table, picked up the teapot, the wine was full, poured half a cup for Liang Cheng, and then poured it for herself.

Liang Cheng was thirsty and drank it all in one gulp.

Qiao Yuanlin pressed the rim of the cup to his lips and sipped until the dishes were served.He wiped his hands, began to peel the shrimps and crabs, gnawed on the grilled beef bones, and took half a plate of clams in juice.

Liang Cheng was holding a bowl of fried rice with eggs, as simple as eating in a cafeteria, with chopsticks sticking out, Qiao Yuanlin turned away the dishes he wanted to pick up.

After so many times, he still didn't get that dish, so he imitated Qiao Wenyuan's tone and said, "I'm almost 25 years old, can I have some insight?"

Qiao Yuanlin replied: "You don't like the sour ones."

Liang Cheng said: "I remember you like to eat everything."

The bride and groom gave a speech on the stage, applause after another, Qiao Yuanlin turned his head for a while and asked, "Is Aunt He really your mother?"

Liang Cheng: "Yes."

Qiao Yuanlin said, "Do you know that Qiao Wenyuan is my father?"

Liang Cheng said, "Now I know."

For the first time, Qiao Yuanlin felt that the world was really small. He used to think that the world was too big, and Ping Hai was too big. It was very difficult to find someone, and he could only rely on luck and fate.

Those who are lucky and destined will raise their eyebrows on the stage.

He applauded and watched the excitement.

From the corner of Liang Cheng's eyes was Qiao Yuanlin's side profile, with pointed eyebrows and eye corners, narrow and high nose, a smart look, but the round lips added a sense of innocence.

His throat felt dry after being moistened with green tea, Liang Cheng poured a second cup of tea, and glanced at his watch, it turned out that only half an hour had passed.

Qiao Yuanlin was already full and said, "Eat slowly, I want to go back to work first."

Liang Cheng didn't ask to stay, and asked: "Do I need to send you off?"

"No, it's very convenient to take a taxi." Qiao Yuanlin said, "By the way, do you still ride a motorcycle?"

Liang Cheng shook his head, and some long-ago clips emerged. At that time, Qiao Yuanlin was only in his teens, and he liked to ride his motorcycle all day long.

He suddenly said, "How long have we not seen each other?"

Qiao Yuanlin was quiet for a second, and replied, "It's not bad, it's only been eight years."

Liang Cheng asked: "So eight years is short?"

Qiao Yuanlin looked at him: "Before you left, you said you would never return to Pinghai. Compared with a lifetime, eight years is just one meal."

The surroundings were bustling, Qiao Yuanlin quietly left the banquet hall, he didn't want to wait for the elevator, he went into the stairwell and took the safe passage.

After going down two or three steps, Qiao Yuanlin stopped on the handrail.

He thought, with so many people in the world, why did Qiao Wenyuan marry Liang Cheng's mother?

Putting the last grain of rice in his mouth, Liang Cheng put down the bowl and chopsticks, and the velvet chair next to him bounced back and became smooth, without any trace of sitting on it.

He didn't feel awkward being alone, just a little bored, and reached out to fiddle with the forget-me-not that Qiao Yuanlin left behind.

The card caught in the petals fell out, and the flower language that no one had verified was printed-please remember me, please miss me, and please wait for me to return to give you happiness.

Liang Cheng turned his head, the huge banquet hall only took up less than half of it, most of the vacant ones were not turned on, and were covered by the light from the floor-to-ceiling windows.

He got up and left the table. His tall stature was very eye-catching, and everyone looked at him, the woman's son.

Liang Cheng walked through more than a dozen seats and the hall full of guests, walked to the other side of the empty space, and leaned against the window to look down.

It was hot summer in Pinghai City outside, the sun was shining brightly, and Qiao Yuan was lined up on the street in front of the hotel, with a soft halo covering his hair.

Very unreal, everything looks like an old out-of-focus photo.

Qiao Yuanlin hailed a taxi, got into the car, and was supposed to go back to the TV station, but said, "Master, I want to go to... Changlin Street."