All your life is gentle

After a long nap, Zi Shi felt that his toes were soft and he couldn't get up no matter what.The light is dim, and the mind is chaotic.For a moment, I couldn't figure out whether it was morning or night, whether it was a foreign land or my hometown, whether it was the past life or the present life.

So floating in nothingness.Lonely alone, free.Nothing to depend on, nothing to fear.

Voices came from outside.

Before thinking about it, the soul has returned to the flesh and is down-to-earth.

The five colors and all kinds of tastes in the world, the seven emotions secretly enter the six desires, and the body and mind are filled in an instant, and there is no gap.

sit up.Unconsciously, I recited a half-quee poem: "Water tunes several times, hold wine and listen, wake up in the afternoon and wake up worried. When will I send you back to Chunchun? The mirror at night, hurting the scene, remembering the past in the later period."

Youyou sighed.

——So far, the merits and virtues of this afternoon nap have been completed.

Squat by the water, wash your face, and go outside.Changsheng and Zizhou just finished a round.

"So slow today?" Ping Zishi finished his afternoon nap, and the two of them had almost finished their discussion.

"Brother Changsheng has lost for seven days in a row, and he lost again today, so he insists on adding another game." Zizhou said in a frustrated tone.Originally, his situation in the middle game was good, but unexpectedly, the opponent reversed the situation step by step, and finally gave up unwillingly, feeling extremely depressed.

"Winning or losing is a common thing for military strategists, but it's just a pastime..." Zi Shi said as he glanced at the board, laughing, "How can it be played like this?" The chessboard is entangled with black and white, complicated and complicated, with equal forces, and it is difficult to distinguish the winner from the loser.After counting, he looked at his younger brother with pity: "It's half an eye. No wonder you feel wronged." Look at the one that is implicitly proud: "Your wish has come true?"

Chang Sheng managed to win the round, he raised his eyebrows and said with a smile, "It's a long-cherished wish fulfilled."

The two began to replay.Zi Shi stood beside him.

Changsheng stopped and took a look at him: "Zigui said you were hurt while watching chess, it sounds so mysterious."

"At that time... I was young and energetic..." After comprehending it, he knew what he was worried about, and said, "At your current level, it's not enough to wrestle like a child."

A certain person's self-esteem was hit, and he was not convinced: "Tell me, what is the level of enough to watch?"

Zizhou also pestered him: "Brother, tell me quickly! You actually went to see "Fairy Chance" and didn't tell me about it. It's too much..."

This time it can't be better.Zi Shi sat down, grabbed two chess pieces and played with them in his hands, slowly recalling: "On the last day of "Fairy Chance", "Ghost" Yang Xian and "Chess Master" Guo Baixiang both scored 27 wins and three losses, so they added another chess piece. It was already late at that time, and if there is no time limit, the two of them may not know how long they would have played. The second young master of the Ding family brought a crystal hourglass, exactly half an hour. Then the governor announced that the winner will be decided in half an hour."

"Ah!" Both audience members exclaimed.A game of chess lasted half an hour, and the opponent's move was almost ready to respond immediately.Both sides are top players. After this round, how good the eyesight, how fast the calculation, and how accurate the intuition can win?Needless to say, I already feel the murderous aura of swords and swords.

"The young master of Chen Shilang's family happened to be standing next to me. He wanted to bet with me to see who could memorize this game of chess. I saw that he was arrogant and arrogant, and I made up my mind to kill his arrogance. If I can't ask for it, I agreed immediately." .” Zi Shi shook his head, criticizing himself, “Oh, young and frivolous…”

"Don't talk about anything else." Changsheng stopped him from sighing.

"Brother, wait a minute." Zi Zhou rushed out quickly, and pulled Zi Gui in to listen together.

Zi Shi went on to say: "As soon as I came up, I heard the sound of "cracking" and falling, and the knocking became faster and faster, like dense rain piercing through the forest, and ice knocking on bamboo leaves..." Suddenly he realized that the problem of storytelling had been committed again. stop.

"In short, because they played so fast, everyone was dizzy. They almost went out to drink tea and waited for the result. The hourglass was exhausted, and the game was over. No matter the chess players or the chess watchers, they were all sweating.

"I was extremely uncomfortable watching it, and Young Master Chen didn't get much better. But no one wanted to show weakness, so he replayed the game for them on the spot. After forty moves, he started to make mistakes, and I was left alone."

Zi Shi sighed softly: "Actually, I have already won at this time. But I seemed to have been bewitched by something in my heart, and I played it step by step until the last move... Guo and Yang had already killed a soul-stirring, tragic match. I can’t stand watching it once, let alone a second time? That night, I didn’t even know how I got home.”

"Little aunt said that it was the second young master of the Ding family who sent eldest brother back in person, so you didn't know, eldest brother." Zigui interjected.

Zi Shi pretended not to hear: "I heard that Yang Xian lost this game of chess. He vomited blood and died within a few months after returning home. I used to like the feeling of strategizing and winning in my hands when playing chess. After this After this incident, I was suddenly a little scared and didn't want to touch the chess pieces."

Hearing Yang Xian's death, the three of them all said "ah".Changsheng thought: "This guy surnamed Yang lost his chess and his life. I'm afraid he's not as good as others in skills, but he's also a bit weaker in stamina and tenacity. As for him...but his heart is too soft..."

This past is legendary and cruel, and it will take time for the speaker and listener to digest it.After being silent for a long time, Zi Shi said: "Now that I think about it, it's actually because I don't have enough cultivation, and I was born with a demon, so I was attacked by the murderous aura, and I was bewitched without knowing it." Laughed, "Also It’s not a bad thing. Since then, my ambition has faded a lot, and my studies have improved by leaps and bounds. It’s still the same sentence, the world is like a chess game, it is not a chess game after all, and there are other mysteries.”

This is the second time Li Zishi said this.Changsheng looked at him, recalling all the processes from the meeting to the present, and suddenly understood the meaning of it deeply.But... there is a game of chess that must be played in front of him, waiting for him to make every step.

He could only say silently in his heart: "Zi Shi, I'm sorry... No one can be an outsider. Tell me, how... can I make this dead game live?"

In the afternoon of the next day, Zi Shi called Zi Zhou to the side.The two brothers whispered secretly for a while, one went to bed, and the other came to play chess.

As a result, in this round, Changsheng was forced into a desperate situation and was very depressed.

"Zi Zhou, what did your elder brother tell you?"

"Hey..." The boy hadn't won so happily in a long time, and shook his head while laughing, "The secret must not be revealed."

"Don't do this with me, tell me honestly!" He began to extract a confession by force.

"No, I'll recruit." Zizhou jumped a few steps away, "Brother Changsheng, don't be angry if I tell you."

He cleared his throat, took out his elder brother's serious and nonchalant expression, and repeated Zi Shi's original words: "Just play your own game and ignore him at all. Remember, your chess moves He is born to be his nemesis. Go." At the end, imitating Zi Shi's movements, he patted Chang Sheng on the shoulder twice as a sign of encouragement.

Long-term angry knot.

After thinking about it all afternoon, they finally waited for him to take a nap, and the two prepared dinner together.

"What do you mean by what you said to Zizhou today? What do you mean by being born to be my nemesis?" asked a bit sadly.

"That... as the saying goes, "Those who don't fight and protect themselves win more, and those who kill and ignore lose more." From yesterday's chess game, Zizhou pursues solidity and stability, and you are determined to forge ahead. In terms of chess style, He is indeed your nemesis. It's just that you are too imposing and aggressive; he lacks confidence and his position is unstable. As a result, you lead him into chaos, and he fell into partial fighting and fighting, using his own weaknesses to attack the other's strengths, and finally It will lead to defeat. So I told him to calm down and build up his confidence, no matter how hard you kill, as long as he fights steadily, he will definitely win."

Speaking of this, looking at Changsheng: "Because the overall victory does not lie in "killing", but in "surrounding"..."

A few days later, Zi Zhou quietly grabbed Zi Shi and said pitifully, "Brother, I lost again."

"So fast?"

The boy drooped his head: "You don't know, Brother Changsheng is so powerful, as soon as I come up with a new trick, he can immediately treat him with his own way."

"how do I say this?"

Zi Zhou took out the chess pieces and put them on, showing his eldest brother a demonstration.

Zi Shi looked at it, and said: "If your brother Changsheng had learned chess a few years ago, he is probably already a national player. Even if you beat him now, you will lose sooner or later."

"Let's talk about it later when we lose, but it's fine if we win now."

Zi Shi thought about it: "You might as well do this, this... just try it."

The next day, when he went down to the fierce place, Chang Sheng used Zi Zhou's stupid tricks to chase and beat him fiercely, eating the tendons in his belly.Just about to take advantage of the victory to end the game, only to find out that the solitons planted by the opponent secretly at some point are horns of each other, echoing each other from a distance, and it has turned into a prairie fire.Shocked, he tried his best to make up for it.Struggling hard, finally unable to recover, sighed dejectedly.

This time, instead of extorting a confession from my brother-in-law, I went directly to my lover to settle the score.

"When did you give him such a dirty trick? Teach children badly."

When Zi Shi heard the words, he turned his face hard: "Although chess is a small way, it is actually compatible with soldiers. Soldiers are deceitful, but they change into fraud, robbery and killing, secretly combining yin and yang; victors and losers fight for justice. Fighting with wisdom, Ultimately fall into the lower ranks; entry into the secluded world is the top grade. A real master, wandering in the game, intends to be the first, the picture is better than the invincible, and the deed is before it happens... How do you call it "teaching bad children"?!"

Changsheng succumbed: "I can't say you..."

Zi Shi laughed: "Don't you hear that what is beneficial is harmful, and what is harmful is beneficial."It’s better to seek power than to abandon your son than to love your son.” According to your temperament, you are both used to seeking for gain and fighting for every inch of land. So I told him not to hesitate to lose, and to abandon his son to lure the enemy. You really fell for it.” And comforted him, "Based on Zizhou's ability, this kind of trick is only used once. Unless it is done more secretly... But it is not easy to calculate so deeply."

Chang Sheng secretly said: "You Xia people, you are really cunning... yes, you are also very hypocritical..."

The 24th of the first lunar month is the 13th birthday of the twins.

During the New Year's Day, the boys played chess happily, and the girls devoted themselves to archery.Zi Shi didn't mention anything, just came through so plainly.

I regretted it later.The days fly by quickly, and the Happy Hour in the Valley is about to come to an end.After going out, who knows what is waiting for a few people.Every day here is so precious...

In the morning, the two children obediently did their homework in "Wu Study Room" as usual.Zi Shi took a few steps and looked back.Someone who was thinking about the chess record stood up and said, "I'm dizzy, I need to be sober." Then he walked out.

As soon as he turned out of the cave, he grabbed the one in front, turned around in a wrong step, and pressed him against the mountain wall covered with white Du Heng flower buds.

Zi Shi was so kissed by Chang Sheng that he almost lost his breath, his face was blushing.Reflected among the white flowers and green leaves, the colors are endless.

"I'm going to die—" I wanted to scold a few words, but I was too close to my younger siblings, so I had to stop talking.I want to kick my feet twice, but my legs are weak, and I have more energy than strength.

"You hooked me out, didn't you want to do this?" Someone asked sincerely.He stretched out his hands to pick up the flower buds that fell on his shoulders, and straightened out the green threads hanging from the branches.He hugged again, ready to make persistent efforts.

"Who hooked you up...I have something to tell you...um..."

Oh, forget it.There is only one mouth, and it is impossible to use both at the same time.Let's talk about this end.

Finally completed the staged work, one was out of breath, and the other was in good spirits.

Chang Sheng lifted Zi Shi's waist, looked at the spring water in his eyes, his whole body tightened.Throat astringent, whispered: "How about... let's go to the edge of the bamboo forest?"

The body of the person being asked is as soft as sun-melted maltose, but his will is as strong as a stretched cowhide band.Patting him on the cheek, he said firmly, "Today is Zizhou and Zigui's birthdays, I asked you to come out, and I want you to help prepare for the toothbrush festival."

This reason is unexpected, but sufficient and justifiable.Changsheng had no choice but to give in, and acted as a loyal servant and handyman honestly.In my heart, I am also quite curious about how to play this tooth festival.You know, there are only a few kinds of food that come and go in the valley, no matter how you eat them in different ways, after so many days, I feel that he has already searched his brains and racked his brains, and he doesn't know what surprises he can come up with.

Sighing: "Why does this person have so many goofs..."

Zi Shi first sent Chang Sheng to dig a lot of kudzu roots—since he wanted to celebrate his younger siblings' birthdays, he deliberately left a few plump ones untouched.I cleaned it here, and asked him to take the pot to fetch water from the cold pool opposite.

Changsheng saw that he cut the kudzu root into the pot, picked up a round stone, washed it, and began to squeeze and grind it until the pulp was ground into a pot of white pulp.

A few clothes are hanging on the bamboo poles.Zi Shi stood up, tore off Chang Sheng's single shirt, and covered it over the pot.

"Hey, what are you doing? That's mine..."

"I know it's yours... Yours is the thinnest, just right for you, what an honor."

Set another empty pot aside.He held the pot of white paste with both hands, tested the amount, and put it down again: "It's too heavy. You should do it. Be careful not to let the cloth slip down, and shake it evenly, so that the paste can slowly filter out..." While explaining and making gestures, he thought to himself: "With his hands-on skills, it's just right for him to do this technical work."

After filtering once, add some water and filter for a second time.Finally, pour out the dregs. After the juice has settled for half a day, skim off the surface water and get a small half pot of wet powder.

"Pour in the boiling water. Remember, the water will flow slowly..." Chang Sheng obeyed the order, and poured the boiled water slowly.Zi Shi took a spoon and stirred gently in one direction, and after a while, the white wet powder gradually became transparent and sticky with his movements.

"Isn't this... a paste?" It's wonderful, but what does it have to do with the Teeth Ceremony?

"You'll know in a while." As he said, let him take the pot of paste to dry in a cool place.He casually asked, "When is your birthday?"

"The third day of March."

"Shangsi Xiuxiu Day? Such a good day is really rare."

On the third day of March, on the Shangsi Festival, folks gather men and women to ask for offspring, and literati do auspicious things to pray for auspiciousness.

Zi Shi laughed and said, "No wonder your name is the word "Changsheng". It's really a good name that suits the time and the situation."

"My mother gave it to me." If Zi Shi hadn't mentioned it like this, Chang Sheng would have almost forgotten that the nickname bestowed by his mother had such a long history.His heart was warmed by what he said, so he asked, "What about you?"

"The eighth day of April."

The eighth day of April... Isn't that the time when Fu Dinghe led his troops to besiege Tongcheng?In this way, the day the city was broken, he had only ten days to pass his 16th birthday...

Zi Shi looked at him in a daze, with a look of color on his face: "Does it sound familiar? Can't remember? Let me tell you, it's Buddha's birthday."

Changsheng came back to his senses: "So it's Buddha's birthday..."

What an absurd and stinging coincidence.

"Oh, I heard that I should be called "Zi Yi", but because I was born on this day, I changed it to "Zi Shi". You said "Zi Yi" is so good. Romantic, suave, unrestrained and affectionate... "Zi Shi", tough and old-fashioned..."

Li Mian's word "Mian" also means escape and release.Because he was born on the Buddha's birthday, Li Yancheng chose the word for his son, so he naturally used the word "Shi" which is related to Buddhism, which also means conforming to the weather.

Seeing him pretending to be depressed, he seemed to be several years younger all of a sudden.Chang Sheng felt that a heart boiled was no different from the pot of paste next to it.Pulling him over and wrapping him in his arms: "What's wrong with "Zi Shi"? You don't think you're romantic enough? Huh? You should use this name to suppress..." By the way, he pushed him into his arms One press.

Zi Shi leaned back following his movements, and the two slid to the ground taking advantage of the situation.

After a moment of silence, Zi Shi suddenly said, "It's a pity. This year's Grain Rain falls on the second day of March. I'm afraid I won't be able to celebrate your birthday when you leave this valley."

"...Then how will you compensate me?"

"Hey! I said, people can't be so shameless?"

"Why don't you play a game of chess with me?"

Unexpectedly, he would make such a request, Zi Shi was stunned for a moment.I don't have any formed thoughts in my heart yet, I instinctively reject this suggestion, and I can't help talking nonsense: "You are really addicted... I just gave my brother two tricks, why are you so grudges and revenge..."

Changsheng gradually figured out his problem: whenever he felt guilty and timid, he would change the subject more vigorously.Seeing him like this, I felt a "thump" in my heart.

Before he could think about it, the other party's flaws were fleeting, and he had already begun to respond to his own question positively: "In chess, some people rely on calculations, and some people rely on feelings. Whether it is calculations or feelings, playing well depends on both innate qualities. Gifts also need to be acquired. You have to study hard and practice hard every day. I have left it for almost three years, and now I am doing my best. I am afraid that you will be disappointed if it really ends. You want to grow Chess power, after you get out of the valley, there are many masters in the world..."

"It's not that I want to increase my chess power..." He muttered a few words and was stunned.

In fact, as soon as he found out that Zi Shi was talking about him, Chang Sheng subconsciously began to regret it.After listening to him say a few more words, he suddenly hated his proposal very much.Knowing that he was very allergic to this matter, why couldn't he help but say it?What exactly do you want to touch?get something?Still want to test something, prove something? ...

Immediately gave up, and added: "I don't rely on it for food, it's just for fun. Just put it like that..."

Zi Shi refused to let him go, and continued on his own: "No matter how much you declare to cultivate your morality, winning or losing is fundamental to the game of chess. The so-called "winning with a plan is better than no win" is just a matter of different scheming methods. If there is no win or lose You are not qualified to leave the field at all. Once you are off the field, you can't be perfunctory, you must concentrate, plan and do your best to win."

"Didn't I just say it, just for fun..."

Changsheng clasped his arms tighter, buried his head in the hollow of his shoulders, and didn't dare to say a word.He understood his latent thoughts so quickly, and immediately chose to reject this contest.What kind of soul collision is this?They understand each other better than they understand themselves, they retreat at the touch of a button, they are considerate of each other, and they are absolutely unwilling to kill them all.Is it because you dare not or because you don't want to?Out of fear or tolerance?Is it to never think about the future or to save the future? ... Changsheng forbade himself to think about it.

Zi Shi paused for a while, and said calmly: "Changsheng, to tell you the truth, I am too timid. I am afraid of winning, even more afraid of losing, and also afraid of being tired..." At this point, he turned his head and glanced at it out of the corner of his eye. The person behind smiled slyly, "Such a mind-consuming thing, unless...you promise not to bother me at night, or you can think about it."

After so many twists and turns, how could Changsheng agree?Having made up his mind, he put on a deliberate embarrassment on his face: "You can't have both... Well, the lesser of two evils, the more important of two benefits. I think I'd better—" Whisper into his ear.

Zi Shi didn't show any expression at first, but when he heard it, he blushed suddenly, turned around and punched him, "You beast..."

hole.After Zi Zhou finished the article, he stood up, "I'm going to see what Big Brother and Changsheng Brother are doing."

"Don't go." The girl didn't look up.

"why?"

Zigui put down his pen, propped his chin and thought for a while: "Maybe... Big Brother will remember what day it is when he sees you dangling around... He will be sad."

"Yes." The boy sat down.He couldn't write two words, and said: "But the eldest brother finds gifts for us every year. If he really forgets, he might be even more sad when he thinks about it in a few days."

Zi Guixin said, "I'm afraid I can't remember it." He remained silent.

The two were silent for another sentence, and then heard Zi Shi shouting outside: "Dinner is served—"

As soon as I got out of the cave, I saw sparkling balls in the four bamboo bowls on the stone.Surprised, he ran over to take a closer look, and found four bowls of crystal clear light brown noodles!

Zi Shi handed the chopsticks to the two of them, and smiled slightly: "Thanks to your brother Changsheng's good knife skills, he cut out longevity noodles that are worthy of the name—" He took a bowl by himself, and picked up the chopsticks: "Each bowl is a whole stick! This is the first time I have tasted the light of the two little birthday stars..."

"Brother..." The twins' eyes were full of tears.

Zigui was even more guilty, tears fell into the bowl, but he smiled brightly on his face: "I thought...you forgot..." Looking at the two brothers, he suddenly felt that saying nothing was superfluous.He just held the bowl and asked, "What is this made of? It's so special."

"The kudzu root powder is cooked, let it dry into a crystal jelly, and then use a knife to cut out long strips—" Zi Shi said while putting the pre-prepared cress and bamboo shoots into four bowls: "Scatter A little salt, stir it."

"good to eat……"

"There are better ones." Saying that, he nodded to Changsheng.

Only then did Zizhou and Zigui realize that there was a large round stone on the other side of the fire, which was roasting until it was smoking.

Changsheng grabbed a whitebait with his left hand, and with a dagger in his right, he cut out some thin slices of sashimi.Spread them flat on the stone, just hear "Zi La" a few times, and they will be cooked in a blink of an eye.The two children cheered and rushed over to taste it.After eating, I even did it myself, cutting and boiling it, talking and laughing, happily.

Changsheng put a piece of fish in his mouth, it was tender, fresh and delicious.Looking at the magical bowl of "Crystal Longevity Noodles" in front of me, I couldn't believe it was made by myself.I thought to myself: "In such a desperate situation, how can I still live like this... I don't know how he got here in the past 16 years..." Then I thought: "He said it's a pity that I can't celebrate my birthday. If he can, what will happen? ?” Just thinking about it without a clue, I can’t help but be fascinated.

Suddenly Ting Zigui said: "Brother, Brother Changsheng, why don't we set up a noodle stall in the future, we will definitely make money."

Changsheng's heart trembled.In the future... what a sad topic.

Zi Shi didn't look at him, but said to his younger sister, "Your elder brother Changsheng is so talented, you asked him to sell noodles with knives and sliced ​​noodles on the street..." Imagine that he couldn't help but laugh endlessly until the night.