faint star

"What psychological preparation?" Xu Zhiwei asked.

Gu Heng didn't look directly into Xu Zhiwei's eyes, his voice was very cautious: "A man has been away for so long and doesn't contact his family... Usually he has a new woman, a new family."

Xu Zhiwei was stunned for a moment.

Gu Heng stretched out his hand and shook it in front of his eyes: "I didn't mean to scare you, but middle-aged men are just such things."

Only then did Xu Zhiwei recover from the freeze, and he even forced a smile: "Why are you so clear?"

Gu Heng seemed to hear a funny joke, he said: "Because I have seen too much. Haven't you heard about Gu Changsheng?"

His father, Gu Changsheng, has long been "famous" for stallions and is the idol of bad boys in this city.

"Haven't you heard of it?" Gu Heng flicked the cigarette with great interest, as if he was gossip about other people.

Xu Zhiwei asked: "Are those rumors true?"

"more or less."

Xu Zhiwei was shocked again, and the shock probably showed on his face.Gu Heng laughed: "Is it that shocking?"

Xu Zhiwei hesitated and said: "Because I heard... Gu Changsheng lived in the big courtyard with seven or eight mistresses... and several children... like a harem..."

Gu Heng laughed loudly: "What? It's so exaggerated."

He explained: "It's not enough to live together. There are not so many children. Apart from me, there is only one younger brother in the family. When he was very young, his mother died, so he took him back to live with us."

Xu Zhiwei didn't know how to evaluate it for a while—ordinary families rarely have such family relationships.Besides, he is not qualified to judge or pity.Gu Heng didn't care about it when he said it, but he seemed to be used to it just like him.

But he couldn't help stretching out his arms, and quietly leaned towards Gu Heng.

"Do you want me to look for it for you?" Gu Heng didn't notice Xu Zhiwei's movements.

Xu Zhiwei didn't understand: "What are you looking for?"

Gu Heng gave Xu Zhiwei a strange look: "Looking for your father. Although I don't want to use Gu Changsheng's money... But if it's such a big deal as finding someone, it doesn't matter if I have something to do with him."

Xu Zhi lowered his head slightly, thought for a moment, and said in a low voice, "No need."

He didn't explain why, and Gu Heng didn't ask.

They tacitly stopped bringing up the subject.

On the way home, Xu Zhiwei was still thinking about what happened today.

Gu Heng didn't show him the painting of him as a model, but covered it with a cloth first, the reason was that he didn't want people to see the half-finished product, and he must reveal it when he felt that there was no need to modify it.

Xu Zhiwei didn't expect Gu Heng to have such a side that worries about gains and losses.

He has already decided that as long as Gu Heng doesn't really paint him as a pig, no matter what strange shape he paints, he must praise him to death and praise him for his likeness.

Thinking of this, Xu Zhiwei couldn't help but smile as he squeezed into the subway crowd with his schoolbag in his arms.Seeing his face reflected in the car window, Xu Zhiwei immediately stopped smiling.

This brisk mood lasted until he entered the community.

six or seven o'clock in the evening in summer

Clock, it's not too late.Xu Zhiwei walked through the narrow green belt, and suddenly saw an old man on the side of the road, with a stooped figure, wearing an old T-shirt of "China Construction X Bureau", pushing a small tricycle, picking and choosing by the trash can.

Xu Zhiwei's heart ached, he walked over quickly, grabbed the handlebar of the tricycle: "Grandpa!"

The old man's ears are not good, and he looked up when he saw the tricycle being pushed: "...what are you doing?"

Xu Zhiwei raised his voice: "Grandpa, go home and rest!"

The older the old man became, the more stubborn he became. He ignored Xu Zhiwei and babbled: "You came just in time, help me move these things to the garage and tidy them up. Children, ignorant, are good things. Do you pick up trash and throw it away at you? One by one It's all like this..."

While talking, he snatched the handlebar from Xu Zhiwei's hand, his strength was not like that of a man in his 70s.

People walking their dogs passed by, so they couldn't help but look at them twice, and the puppy barked at them.

Xu Zhiwei's face was hot, he couldn't hold back his grandfather, so he could only push the tricycle to the garage by himself: "You rest, I'll do it."

The garage is small, and a lot of things have been stuffed in it—all kinds of packaging cardboards are piled up high, and there are a lot of plastic bottles and cans.Xu Zhiwei took today's spoils from the tricycle - a few large cardboard boxes.

The old man stood aside and wiped his sweat: "It's too hot during the day, and I'm in the elderly center. At this time in the evening, it's not so hot, and the sky is bright. Picking up for an hour or two, you will gain a lot!"

He was very loud and very proud of himself.

Xu Zhiwei remained silent.

Grandpa's money is enough, he has a pension.But why it became like this, I can only say that this is the situation of their family, the character of their family...

He knew it was useless to argue, so he could only finish these things as quickly as possible and go home.

Back home, both grandpa and grandson were drenched in sweat—although the night was cooler than the day, but it was very hot in summer, and the temperature at night was almost [-] degrees.Xu Zhiwei said, "Grandpa, turn on the air conditioner, I'm afraid you won't be able to take it."

The old man frowned: "What are you talking about! I'm not afraid of heat, are you delicate? Young people nowadays, it's really... It's very comfortable to blow on an electric fan."

Xu Zhiwei had nothing to say.

After taking a bath at night, he tossed and turned on the mat, and didn't fall asleep until twelve o'clock.

Before going to sleep, Xu Zhiwei thought in a daze, Gu Heng actually said that he would help him find his father, which is a bit cute.What does Gu Heng mean when he says that he is "suitable to be painted"... What does "all suitable" mean... Tomorrow we can meet Gu Heng again, what is this somewhat excited feeling?

Early the next morning, Grandpa went to the elderly center in the community to use the air conditioner.In the summer, there are old people from the nearby community. They can play cards, chess, read newspapers, chat, and have free tea.Grandpa will never waste electricity bills at home.He also urged Xu Zhiwei: "Aren't you going to make up lessons? Hurry up. Don't try to turn on the air conditioner while I'm away!"

Xu Zhiwei didn't say a word, and went out with his schoolbag on his back.He thought for a while, and then told his grandfather: "Don't pick up trash.

If you suffer from heat stroke, the money you spend in the hospital is several times more than the money you spend selling scrap products. "

Unconvinced, the old man muttered a few words, and then referred to Xu Zhiwei's father: "...it's all your father's fault." When he thought of his son, he became angry and couldn't help cursing.Xu Zhiwei thought, Grandpa couldn't stop the moment he opened his mouth, and he would definitely scold his son for being unfilial with others in the elderly center today.

Early in the morning, it was such a depressed mood.

However, when Xu Zhiwei entered the subway station, got on the subway, and drove all the way, but only a few minutes away, his mood became lighter and lighter.When he got off the subway, he was in a completely cheerful mood, as if an invisible gust of wind had taken away all the haze in his heart.

Today Xu Zhiwei sat in the model position, maintaining exactly the same posture as yesterday.

He stopped talking and was very quiet.

However, Gu Heng felt something was wrong, he looked at Xu Zhiwei, and then at yesterday's painting, of course it is impossible for a person to change his appearance overnight, but Xu Zhiwei does feel a little different from yesterday.He is confident in his eyes.

Gu Heng stared at Xu Zhiwei, and finally discerned the difference - Xu Zhiwei's expression was more relaxed than yesterday.

"Are you in a good mood today?" he asked.

Xu Zhiwei denied: "No. It's about the same as usual. Why do you think I'm in a good mood?"

Gu Heng said: "Your eyes are smiling."

He is simply stating the facts.

Xu Zhiwei couldn't bear these words for a while, he lowered his eyes, not wanting to write anything on his face.

"Zhiwei," Gu Heng whispered his name again, "Keep your eyes level."

Xu Zhiwei met his eyes, and both of them had twinkling eyes.

They still only painted for over an hour today.Gu Heng said that it will be completely completed in one day.In return, he will invite Xu Zhiwei to watch a movie.

Xu Zhiwei said, "You want to go to the movies, right?"

Gu Heng laughed loudly: "You saw through it."

So they made an appointment to finish painting tomorrow and watch the hottest movie together.

But the next day, when Xu Zhiwei arrived at Huayan Photography Studio, Gu Heng hadn't come yet.Brother Mao Mao and his assistant went out to shoot the location today, only Sister Ning was there.The business is not busy, and there are no customers coming to the door for the time being. She chatted with Xu Zhiwei while arranging the newly purchased wedding dress.

Xu Zhiwei didn't really want to talk about his own affairs, so the topic revolved around Gu Heng.

Sister Ning said that Gu Heng likes to paint, do handwork, and sometimes fiddle with the camera with his cousin.She thought it was great, and Brother Mao Mao also praised Gu Heng for his understanding.

She also said that Gu Heng is a nice person, but he is a little different.

"Gu's family is rich, relatives who run a big company, he doesn't like to play with. He likes to play with us, haha, Mao Mao said he was weird."

Xu Zhiwei listened intently.

At this time, Sister Ning's cell phone rang, and she saw the call: "Ah, it's the young master."

She picked it up, heard "hmm" twice, and handed the phone to Xu Zhiwei with a smile: "I'm looking for you, I want to talk to you

. "

Xu Zhiwei took the phone and couldn't help turning his back: "Gu Heng?"

Gu Heng's voice was close to his ears, and it sounded deeper and a little lazy, as if he was out of interest: "I can't go to Huayan today."

Xu Zhiwei's heart sank.He didn't take yesterday's agreement too seriously, nor did he say that when he was too hot to sleep last night, he kept thinking about going to the movies together today.

It's just that it's a little disappointing to hear it at this time.

He asked, "What's the matter? Are you unwell?"

Gu Heng laughed: "No. I was beaten, by my dad."

Xu Zhiwei instantly thought of the incident when Chen Ziyan's parents found the school. Gu Heng said that his father would beat him up at worst.

"Is it because of Chen Ziyan?"

Gu Heng said: "It has nothing to do with that matter, my dad and I have a bad relationship. He just found a reason to explode."

Hearing what he said, Xu Zhiwei felt more and more guilty: "Are you hurt?"

Gu Heng said slowly: "It's nothing, just a little flesh injury. Do you want to come to my house to play?"

Xu Zhiwei was disappointed, when he heard him ask this question, he hardly hesitated: "Okay!"

Gu Heng told Xu Zhiwei the address.

Xu Zhiwei hung up the phone, hurriedly greeted Ning Jie, and was about to go to Gu's house.

Before leaving, he suddenly remembered something - he wanted to see Gu Heng's paintings, but only glanced at them quietly.

He went to the storage room and lifted the cloth covering the painting.

Xu Zhiwei's hand holding Bu slowly lowered.It turns out that Brother Mao Mao said that Gu Heng has savvy, and he was not flattering.Every stroke on the paper radiates vitality, giving shape and soul to the subject.

Xu Zhiwei has only one doubt: Is his expression like this when he relaxes?How could he have such a cheerful and gentle expression.It's clearly him in the painting, but it doesn't look like him in any way.

Maybe Gu Heng painted him too well.