Attempted first love

The sky suddenly darkened, and the weak wind carried sparse raindrops and slapped the windows, making a rustling sound, which was soon overwhelmed by the music on the gramophone.

"It's really annoying, isn't it?"

After Xia Yan asked again, Lu Zhouyu seemed to be lost in thought. After a while, when Xia Yan thought he had acquiesced and was about to change the subject, he answered the wrong question, "What counts as a stalker?"

"I don't know." Xia Yan shook his head first, then glanced at Lu Zhouyu again, "It's literally like that."

Lu Zhouyu nodded slightly when he heard the words, and asked, "Do you find it annoying?"

"I……"

Xia Yan didn't know why the topic came back, and he couldn't tell if Lu Zhouyu was simply asking a question, or if he meant something. The latter surprised him, and he thought that he was quite self-aware, so he wasn't a stalker. , so he defended in a low voice: "It's not annoying."

Lu Zhouyu said "um", his eyes fell from his face to the mobile phone on his lap, he paused for a moment, and said, "I don't hate it, but it's quite troublesome."

The faint hope that had just risen was suddenly extinguished, Xia Yan forced a smile, lowered his head and fiddled with the phone, just in time to see Ji Qilin's WeChat, saying that the screen has been adjusted, and he came down to meet them.

Putting away the phone, Xia Yan said to Lu Zhouyu: "Teacher Ji is done with work, and will be here soon."

The two got up and walked towards the center of the hall. After walking a few steps, when they heard Ji Qilin's voice coming downstairs, Xia Yan suddenly remembered something, and hurriedly called a stop.

Lu Zhouyu stopped, turned his head slightly, and signaled him to continue with his eyes.

Xia Yan felt inexplicably embarrassed, but the footsteps were getting closer, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "If Teacher Ji says something strange later on, don't worry about him."

Following his gaze, Lu Zhouyu looked up the stairs and asked, "What strange words?"

"He misunderstood me and you a little bit," Xia Yan thought about his words, "In short, don't worry about things outside of work."

Ji Qilin had already gone down the stairs and walked towards them. Lu Zhouyu didn't ask any more questions, and nodded in response.

Near noon, Xia Yan proposed to eat and chat at a nearby restaurant, but Ji Qilin said that there was a temporary meeting in the afternoon, "I'm sorry, Xiao Lu." He rubbed his hands, feeling a little embarrassed, "Let Xia Yan treat you to dinner later Done."

Lu Zhouyu said, "It's okay."

Ji Qilin pointed to the bench they sat on just now, and said, "They are all acquaintances, and I won't be polite to you anymore. Go sit there, and make a long story short."

After he finished speaking, he asked Xia Yan again: "Are you listening? Or..."

Xia Yan immediately said, "I'll wait for you outside."

He knew Ji Qilin too well, and when he was alone talking about work, he would only talk about work, but if he was present, it was uncertain whether he would make some jokes about the two of them again.

"En." Ji Qilin responded, patted Lu Zhouyu on the shoulder, and walked towards the bench. Lu Zhouyu glanced at Xia Yan, raised his heels and walked over without saying anything.

The sky was very cloudy, with light rain pattering, Xia Yan walked to the gate and looked out.

The security guard at the side thought he was going out, and politely asked if he needed an umbrella. Xia Yan didn't hear clearly, and after asking again, he waved his hand and said, "Thank you, no need."

He couldn't help but think that Lu Zhouyu's reaction when he learned that he was invited to participate in the Biennale should be based on Ji Qilin's face, and said thank you tactfully, no need.

Thinking of this, he turned his face slightly and looked at the glass beside him.

The two figures not far away were vaguely reflected on the glass, and Ji Qilin was raising his hand to gesture something, it seemed that when it came to the intense point, his movements were a little too big.

When he talked about work, he automatically switched his status, Xia Yan couldn't help laughing, he felt that he was in his 20s, but he was not as energetic as Ji Qilin, who was nearly [-] years old.

Looking back at another blurry figure, it was still standing still, maybe it was an illusion, Xia Yan couldn't see the expression clearly, but Xia Yan felt that Lu Zhouyu was looking at him through the glass.

Before he could look away, the shadow shook his head slightly.

is to refuse.

With the expected answer, Xia Yan didn't feel very disappointed, but his heart suddenly sank, and he regained his composure.

He withdrew his gaze, put one hand into his pocket, and pushed the door out with the other. Standing in front of the porch, he stared at a tree trunk as bare as a fishbone for a long time.

In less than a month, he is about to celebrate his 28th birthday. Except for the few years in his early 20s, he often had a lot of trouble with his classmates and friends, and it gradually became normal every year. If it wasn't for Shen Qi on the phone this time Reminder, Xia Yan himself almost forgot.

Even though Shen Qi's behaviors were always unexpected and troublesome, Xia Yan still couldn't stop treating him.Shen Qi occasionally made him think of himself a few years ago, full of inexplicable courage and confidence, and fearless about everything.

It's like meeting Lu Zhouyu again at the bar at the age of 21, pressing him against the wall and kissing.

But at the age of 28, it is difficult to say even a word of retention.

Thinking of this, Xia Yan suddenly felt frustrated and irritable. He wanted to bite a cigarette to divert his attention, but searched in his pocket with his fingers but failed. After thinking that the box of cigarettes from Hongqi Canal had been given to Lu Zhouyu, he slumped his shoulders and leaned against the door frame to sigh softly. Take a breath.

Not long after, there was noise in the hall, and the morning exhibition ended.

Crowds of people in twos and threes flocked down the stairs, with different expressions, exchanging thoughts, or complaining about the weather, but this is undoubtedly an emotionally rendered exhibition, because most of them have red eyes.

As a curator, Xia Yan likes to mingle with the crowd during the exhibition. Listening to these trivial voices, he feels like stepping on the ground. Although this exhibition has nothing to do with him, it is inevitable that he will suffer from occupational diseases. He simply leans against the door frame Outside, eavesdropping openly.

I heard someone say: "Bringing the dead back to life is technology that benefits mankind."

Some people also said: "This kind of virtual resurrection is too cruel. When the living people wake up from the virtual world, it will only be more painful."

When the crowd dispersed, Ji Qilin and Lu Zhouyu came out side by side.

Walking to the door, Ji Qilin said that we will meet again next time, with the same tone as usual, seeing Xia Yan, he asked him to treat Lu Zhouyu well, and left in a hurry after receiving the call.

After walking down three steps, he turned his head again and said solemnly: "You can get reimbursed, and eat something good."

Xia Yan smiled and waved at him, saying, "Got it!"

"Let's go." With a lingering smile, he said to Lu Zhouyu, "What do you want to eat?"

Lu Zhouyu took two umbrellas from the umbrella stand on the side, opened them for him and handed them over, "You tell me."

"Then go out and have a look," Xia Yan suggested, "I'm not familiar with this area."

The two walked out of the exhibition hall together. Many cars were parked by the side of the road. The sycamore leaves that had been knocked down by the rain limply stuck to the car. Xia Yan glanced at them and asked, "How did you get here?"

"Walk," Lu Zhouyu said, pointing in a direction, "I've recently lived in a family home."

Hearing what he said, Xia Yan realized in bewilderment that this place is indeed not far from the family courtyard, and it belongs to the old city area.

"I came here by subway," he said, suddenly he had a flash of inspiration, "Do you remember the fried noodle shop downstairs from the studio?"

"Xiaolin Fried Noodles?" Lu Zhouyu asked.

"Yes," Xia Yan nodded, "The boss has made a fortune. He changed the noodle shop into a music restaurant. The environment is not bad. Do you want to go?"

"Yes," Lu Zhouyu smiled, and asked again, "Is there any seafood fried noodles?"

"Of course, this is the foundation of his fortune." Xia Yan snapped his fingers and took out his mobile phone for navigation.

After walking for about 10 minutes, the taxi app showed that there were more than 20 people waiting in front of me, and public transportation required three transfers, which was an embarrassing distance.

"Otherwise, forget it." Xia Yan said discouragedly.

"what happened?"

Xia Yan turned the phone towards him, probably because of his short-sightedness. Lu Zhouyu took away the umbrella in his hand, slipped his upper body under his umbrella, and looked down at the screen. Xia Yan's neckline felt cold all the way down his collarbone, making his umbrella hand tremble.

"Let's go over there." After reading it, Lu Zhouyu returned to his umbrella and suggested.

Xia Yan reminded him: "It's a long walk."

"Fortunately."

He was willing to walk, Xia Yan naturally had no objection, looked at the navigation again, pointed to the fork in front of him, "Turn left there."

The sidewalks in the old city are narrow, and there is no room for two people with an umbrella. Xia Yan walked in front and led the way until halfway through the distance, the buildings gradually decreased, and the open river bank was behind the road, so the two were able to stand side by side.

No one mentioned the Biennale.

Xia Yan told Lu Zhouyu about the history of Xiaolin Fried Noodles. He said that a certain popular movie star went to a fried noodle restaurant a few years ago, but he did not pretend to be dressed up. .

At first no one recognized him, until he asked the boss to open a bottle of soda, only to be recognized by several young people at the same table.

Afterwards, the noodle shop became a holy place for movie fans to check in. In a few years, it transformed itself, annexed three shops next door, and opened up a stylish restaurant.

The rain gradually stopped, but the wind was still a little strong.

Lu Zhouyu put away the umbrella, her hair was blown a little messy, after listening to Xia Yan's narration, she asked, "Do you go there often?"

"Occasionally." Xia Yan said, the button for retracting the umbrella seemed to be malfunctioning, and it didn't close after pressing it several times. While wrestling with the umbrella, he said, "I'm busy with work, so I don't come to Haicheng very much."

"Should I go as soon as I come to Haicheng?" Lu Zhouyu asked.

Xia Yan didn't know how he came up with this logic chain, he didn't want to admit it, and couldn't deny it, so after a vague "um", he concentrated on fighting against the umbrella.

But Lu Zhouyu obviously didn't intend to let him go, and asked again, "Why did you go?"

"Why, why, you didn't drive it."

The wind was very strong on the river bank, Xia Yan had to hold the umbrella handle tightly with one hand to prevent being blown away by the wind, and press the button on the umbrella handle hard with the other hand.

Lu Zhouyu reached out to him: "I'll do it."

"Need not."

Competitiveness was normal, he tried harder every time, but the not-so-secure umbrella was unexpectedly difficult to close.Another gust of wind blew up, Xia Yan's wrist felt sore, and the entire canopy of the umbrella flew upwards, like a kite with a broken string, it was blown far away with a whoosh, and finally landed tremblingly below the river bank.

After being silent for a while, Xia Yan said sullenly, "I'll go pick it up."

After speaking, he ran over, the umbrella was blown up for a while halfway, and he jumped to a farther road, Xia Yan had to speed up in embarrassment, before it was blown farther, he stepped on the umbrella, panting for a while gas.

The handle of the umbrella had been folded to the point where it was difficult to stand upright. He bent down to pick it up and walked back. Every step he took, he regretted the proposal of "revisiting the old place".

Xia Yan does come to the art park often, and occasionally sees some solo exhibitions of nearby students, occasionally goes to Xiaolin Fried Noodle Shop to eat seafood fried noodles, and occasionally sits in the studio upstairs. He never gives meaning to these actions, he is just idle and boring .

But when he was really questioned, this reason that he couldn't even convince himself made him feel embarrassed.

Carrying the useless umbrella like a drowned chicken, when he walked back to the river bank step by step, Lu Zhouyu was lying on the railing and making a phone call.

Because of the smooth wind, a few words fell into Xia Yan's ears.

"Not today."

"Not even at night."

"talk later."

Xia Yan didn't approach, and wanted to throw the umbrella in his hand into the trash can. The trash can on the riverbank hadn't been cleared for some time. The handle of the umbrella was a third of the way in, and it couldn't be pushed anymore. It was lying outside. Shattered plastic umbrella cloth rattled.

He kept adjusting the angle, trying to throw the entire umbrella in so as not to damage the appearance of the city. After several failed efforts, he finally gave up.

"Xia Yan." Hearing the voice, Xia Yan turned around, saw that Lu Zhouyu had finished calling, walked towards him, and said, "Let's go."

"Do you have other arrangements." Thinking of him coming out of the exhibition hall to answer the phone and checking the time frequently, Xia Yan felt that this guess was reasonable, and said: "If you have anything, go and do it first, we can make another appointment."

"There's still time." He looked at the water surface and sky behind Lu Zhouyu, so chaotic that the boundaries were unclear, he added.

"It's nothing, let's go." Lu Zhouyu repeated, his eyes and tone were a little solemn, "I have something to tell you."