recession

Tao Liyang saw that it was still early, so he first went to Shengtu to borrow two ancient books that he needed to refer to when writing the script, and then went to a Chinese dim sum shop in the north of the city to buy Xu Anru's favorite Qingtuan and Longxusu, and then went back home.

When I opened the door, I could smell the strong aroma of five-finger peaches, but when I entered the kitchen, I only saw my aunt.

"Aunt Zhang, where's my mother?" Tao Liyang found a plate and put out the snacks.

"On the balcony." The aunt said, "Your father is in the study."

Tao Liyang handed his aunt a piece of Longxu crisp: "I'd better go see my mother first, lest she get jealous."

Xu Anru was watering the flowers on the balcony, when she heard Tao Liyang's footsteps, she turned her head: "You're back? Why did you lose so much weight?"

Tao Liyang reached for the watering can in her hand, "Mom, can you change the sentence, it's the same sentence every time."

"I used to love you, but this time I'm really thin." Xu Anru frowned and looked him up and down, "What did you do during this time? Are you tired from work?"

"Yes. There are too many books to write, why don't you help me and my dad to help me write some?"

"Don't give me a cheeky smile." Xu Anru slapped him lightly, then hesitated for a moment and asked, "Are you having a bad relationship?"

Tao Liyang's eyelids twitched: "Mom, how did you say that?"

"What happened when you and Tang Ran were photographed a few days ago?" Xu Anru said.

"You still read entertainment gossip." Before Tao Liyang could figure out why he suddenly changed to this topic, he heard Xu Anru worryingly say: "Mom asked you, do you still like Tang Ran?"

"Ah?" Tao Liyang was taken aback, almost spilling all the water in the watering can, "What did you say? Return?"

"What did I say? Don't think mom doesn't know. After Tang Ran and Jiang Ning got together, you were depressed all year. I wanted to say it before, and I thought you were so old, so you were embarrassed to say it. Spring Festival At that time, I thought there was someone beside you who could be settled down, but it turned out that you never gave up."

Tao Liyang thought to himself that this was a great injustice. He was depressed because Xu Yunqing also got married at the same time.He couldn't explain this to Xu Anru, so he sighed helplessly: "Mom, you said it too. Tang Ran and Jiang Ning are together, and they have a very good relationship."

"I know." Xu Anru said sternly, "Tang Ran doesn't like you, but you like him. Liyang, it won't work. Our family has such a good relationship with your Uncle Lin, and he is only a child in Jiangning. You are not allowed to go blind meddle in these things."

Tao Liyang couldn't laugh or cry: "Tang Ran doesn't like me, I like him? You gave me such a miserable role. Mom, think about it carefully, from the time I met Tang Ran to when he and Jiang Ning reunited, it took seven or eight years in the middle , I want to like him, I’ve been staring at him for such a long time. You deserve to be married to my dad for so many years. Your screenwriting ability is not bad at all. I don’t need to ask my dad for the rest of my scripts. , you can do me a favor and help me write it."

"Where are you staring? You have done less absurd things in recent years?" Seeing Tao Liyang's helpless expression, Xu Anru looked at him suspiciously, "You really don't like Tang Ran?"

Tao Liyang could only raise his hand and swear: "I really don't like him. Don't talk nonsense, Jiang Ning will come back to find me desperately, I can't beat him."

"Then who do you like?" Xu Anru asked.

"I..." Tao Liyang was speechless for a moment, "I don't like anyone, okay? I just like you and my dad."

"Your father and I don't like you at all." Xu Anru rolled his eyes at him, "You really don't have anyone you like now?"

Tao Liyang turned his head and continued watering the flowers, Xu Anru just took it as his acquiescence, thought for a while and said, "Alright then, are you okay tonight? Go out for dinner with me."

Tao Liyang already felt bad when he heard Xu Anru say that he wanted to go out with her.But when I got to the hotel box, I still couldn't help but sigh when I looked at the young man across from me.He tilted his head and glanced at Xu Anru who was sitting not far away - Aunt Wang had dragged him to another table early on because it was inconvenient for them to chat among young people. Xu Anru winked at him, and Tao Liyang had no choice but to resign himself come back.

"Hello." The man on the opposite side introduced himself first, "My surname is Liu, Liu Lin. I teach biomedicine at N University. We met before at my uncle's 60th birthday party last year."①

Tao Liyang shook hands with him: "Well, I remember."

"Really?" Liu Lin looked at him with a smile.

Tao Liyang laughed, lowered his head and took a sip of tea: "That's right."

Liu Lin knew it was a lie, and didn't expose it: "It's great that you remember me. I speak more directly, so don't mind. Last time I met you, I guess you are probably the same kind. Ask my aunt, your name is Tao Liyang. I feel that this name is a little familiar. I just remembered that I have seen the movie you wrote."

He said the name of a work written by Tao Liyang a long time ago.

"I like that play very much. Sometimes I used it as the background sound when doing experiments. I never thought at the time that the screenwriter was so young. So I had the cheek to inquire with my aunt several times, but it was too difficult just to meet you." Liu Lin paused for a while at this point, "I'm sorry, didn't you know before you came here today?"

He said he was embarrassed, but his expression didn't mean that at all.Tao Liyang vaguely remembered that Xu Anru mentioned this person last time and said that he had a quiet and steady personality. Now it seems that the real person is really far from these four words.It's just that Liu Lin always spoke with a smile, like a spring breeze, not annoying.

Tao Liyang raised his hand to pour a cup of tea, "It's not too late to know now. It's just that the screenwriter is the kind who even has small screws in the whole play. If you really like that play, I can introduce the director and actors to you. "

"I want to get to know you better." Liu Lin shrugged, "So even though you didn't know it beforehand, you've already come here, so you don't intend to leave right away?"

"Let's go after dinner." Tao Liyang said casually, "I haven't had dinner yet."

Liu Lin pursed her lips and smiled: "Can I leave a contact information? Don't be nervous, although the way we meet is a little... I just want to make friends."

Tao Liyang took out his mobile phone and approved his friend application: "Are you sure you only want to make friends?"

Liu Lin answered fluently: "Of course it would be better if we can develop other relationships."

Tao Liyang raised the corners of his lips, looked at Liu Lin, put one hand on the table, and moved a little closer to him, until Liu Lin avoided his gaze first, then laughed out loud: "Look, I won't be nervous , you will."

"Well." He slowly leaned back on the chair, "It's better to make friends."

On the way back, neither mother nor son said a word.When the car drove out of the tunnel, Tao Liyang saw that Xu Anru had been looking at him secretly, and couldn't help but say, "Mom, just tell me what you have to say."

"It's not shitty, is it?"

Tao Liyang asked back: "Do you think I should be angry?"

"I don't think it should." Xu Anru glanced at him, "It's only natural for parents to take care of their son's life-long affairs."

"That's not what you said last time. You clearly said that if I don't want to see you, I won't see you. The point is that I like it and I'm happy. Old lady, you've changed so fast."

"I have said a lot. I also said that I don't want your son. I still have to raise it." Xu Anru said, "Your Aunt Wang mentioned it several times, and she said it again a few days ago. I think anyway You are also single, and you can meet once, so I agreed."

"A few days ago? When did you agree?" Tao Liyang remembered another thing, "After Tang Ran and I were shot down? You just think I like Tang Ran, so you have to find someone for me quickly, lest I mess up He and Jiang Ning, right? Mom, I really don't."

Xu Anru sighed helplessly: "Okay, if you don't like it, you don't like it, mom knows. Anyway, you have seen each other now, I think you had a good chat with Liu Lin today, talking and laughing."

"Otherwise?" Tao Liyang stopped the car in front of the traffic lights, "I'll slap him, isn't that a slap in the face for you?"

"Li Yang." Xu Anru turned her head, "Mom didn't make it clear to you in advance today. I still have to apologize to you. But I think Liu Lin is pretty good. If you really don't like it, let's find another one."

"Is this the concubine selection?" Tao Liyang laughed.

"Talking to you, be serious." Xu Anru pinched his face, "Mom still hopes that you can be well and have a companion by your side. People, you always have to take your time. When your dad and I first met, He chases me hard, but I annoy him. After getting along for a long time, I think he is nice. Now, who can leave him or me? Give each other a chance to get in touch more, maybe?"

Tao Liyang looked away, staring at the traffic light ahead in a daze.The numbers kept jumping, and many pictures suddenly appeared in front of his eyes, Liu Lin whom he had just met, Wei Xiao with red eyes on the way to the airport, Zhou Yecheng under the ambiguous lights of the bar, Tang Ran and Jiang Ning sitting at the dining table in the morning... Finally The frame was fixed on Xu Yunqing, the day they broke up, before Xu Yunqing left, he looked back at him with a gentle expression.

The signal light has turned green. Tao Liyang lowered his eyes and erased all the images from his mind. He heard himself reply in a low voice: "I will try my best."

The author says:

①: Appeared in Chapter 33 of Liu Lin