half blind

Four or five-year-old children are already quite heavy. Logically speaking, they should be old enough to walk on their own, but Zhu Ting still struggled to pick up Xuanxuan and walked forward.

"For such a big child, it's better to let her walk by herself?" Zhang Qing couldn't help interjecting.

"If she loses her temper, she will keep crying if you don't hug her." Zhu Ting changed her posture and lifted Xuanxuan's little butt up.

"Why don't I hug her?" Zhou Nanchen suggested.

Zhu Ting glanced at Zhou Nanchen out of the corner of her eye, and put Xuanxuan down.

Xuanxuan stared at her big eyes with wonder, Zhu Ting squatted down in front of her, and said softly, "Xuanxuan, can you let the big brother next to you hug you?"

Xuanxuan still didn't speak, she stared wide-eyed as if she didn't understand.

So Zhu Ting repeated, "Xuanxuan, mom won't carry you home, let the elder brother next to you carry you, okay?"

This time Xuanxuan seemed to understand, she first widened her eyes, and then burst into tears with a "wow".

The movement of the crying sound was like killing a pig, which startled both Zhang Qing and Zhou Nanchen.If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Zhang Qing wouldn't have believed that a child could make such a terrifying sound.

Zhu Ting quickly knelt down to comfort her, "Okay, okay, don't let big brother hug me, mom hug, can mom hug me?"

Xuanxuan's crying gradually died down, and while she stretched out her hand to Zhu Ting, she let out a strange sob from her throat that no one could understand.Zhu Ting picked her up and walked forward while patting her on the back.

"She won't be hugged by strangers, even I can't coax her well sometimes." Zhu Ting walked forward with difficulty, "Let's go, the road is not far anyway."

Zhang Qing and Zhou Nanchen had no choice but to follow Zhu Ting forward.

It's really not far from home, but only a few minutes away.When Zhang Qing was a child, he walked on this road countless times. Whether it was the street trees on both sides or the old and mottled buildings, there was a strange and familiar strangeness.

For a long time, this road often appeared in Zhang Qing's nightmares, but when his feet really stepped on the hard stone road, Zhang Qing felt a little unreal.

While in a daze, Zhu Ting had already opened the door with the key and put Xuanxuan down, "Come in, sit wherever you want."

This sentence may have been said to Zhou Nanchen, but Zhang Qing felt that he was also treated as a guest.

Zhang Qing was actually a little afraid of seeing his father. After all, the irreversible conflict seven years ago mainly broke out between him and his father.But the room was quiet and there was no one else.

The house seemed much more empty than Zhang Qing remembered, and many familiar furniture were gone.Zhang Qing couldn't help but walked into the corridor, wanting to see what his room had become.

The room is still the same room, the bed and wardrobe are the same, but all my things are gone.The bed is covered with pink sheets, there are many plush toys on the bedside, and there are a few magnetic stickers for children on the wardrobe. The whole room has completely lost its previous appearance.

"Your things..." Zhu Ting said behind Zhang Qing, with a bit of guilt in her tone, "After you went to college, most of them were thrown away by your father."

"Oh." Zhang Qing was neither surprised nor angry. After all these years, it was quite normal.

"I still have some small items, which are stored in the basement. If you still want them, you can go and have a look."

Zhang Qing nodded and asked, "Where's my dad?"

Zhu Ting showed a helpless smile, "Your father divorced me."

"What?" The news really surprised Zhang Qing, "When did it happen?"

Just as Zhang Qing finished speaking, Xuanxuan's cry suddenly came from the direction of the living room. The ear-piercing sound like killing a pig made goose bumps all over her body.

But Zhu Ting looked as if she was used to it, and even her expression didn't change, "She wants to drink milk. You and your friend sit on the sofa first, and I'll pour you a cup of tea."

"That, don't worry—" Zhang Qing hadn't finished speaking before Zhu Ting turned around and left.Zhang Qing had no choice but to come to the living room. Seeing Zhou Nanchen sitting on the sofa, he felt a little funny.

"You don't have to be so nervous, do you?" Zhang Qing walked over and sat next to him, "My mother won't eat you up."

"I'm not afraid of your mother." Zhou Nanchen whispered, "I'm more afraid that she will eat me."

Zhang Qing followed Zhou Nanchen's gaze. The little girl named Xuanxuan was crying and making a fuss. Zhu Ting coaxed her patiently while heating milk in the kitchen.

Zhang Qing felt very strange to his mother's tired and gentle look, since she was a child, she had never shown such a gentle expression to him.

In his memory, Zhu Ting's expression was always serious, and she treated him no differently than she treated the students in her class, even stricter.

He never had a chance to act like a baby to his mother, no matter how hard he tried, all he got was a cold "you can do better".

After the milk was warmed up, Xuanxuan finally stopped crying and drank the warm milk by herself.Zhu Ting brought two cups of tea and placed them in front of Zhang Qing and Zhou Nanchen.

Before she could speak, Zhou Nanchen stood up first, "Auntie, I see the trash can is full, I'll help you take out the trash."

Zhu Ting was a little surprised, "No need, you—"

"It's okay." Zhou Nanchen smiled, picked up the trash and went out.

Zhang Qing watched Zhou Nanchen go out with some mixed feelings, knowing that he was deliberately leaving space for him, and wanted them to have a good talk.

"Drink some." Zhu Ting sat down opposite Zhang Qing, "This is the Longjing tea that my colleague brought back from West Lake, it's good tea."

"Okay." Zhang Qing picked up the cup and looked at the child named Xuanxuan in the mist from the tea.After drinking the milk, she curled up on the chair and fell asleep, and the empty bottle was thrown on the ground.

"Xuanxuan, is she..." Zhang Qing whispered.Even he, who is not very observant, can see that something is wrong with this child at this time.

"She's sick." Zhu Ting's tone was exhausted.

"what?"

"Down's syndrome." Zhu Ting said calmly, as if she had resigned herself to her fate long ago.

Zhang Qing looked at the little girl who was already asleep in surprise, but recalling all of Xuanxuan's behavior just now, it was indeed in line with the disease.

Down syndrome is a congenital chromosomal disease that will seriously affect the patient's intellectual development and physical immunity. There is currently no effective treatment. Many children with Down syndrome will not even live to adulthood.

"Then Xuanxuan, it's you and someone else..." Zhang Qing asked in a low voice.

"No. After your father divorced me, I didn't look for anyone else." Zhu Ting smiled, this was the first time Zhang Qing saw her smile, but it was a kind of ironic helplessness, "Xuanxuan Her surname is Zhang, she is your own sister."

Zhang Qing was shocked and speechless, feeling mixed feelings in his heart.

Xuanxuan was their child after he ran away from home.

Xuanxuan is his biological sister.

His surname is Zhang, and he has the same father and mother.

"Retribution, this may be retribution." Zhu Ting smiled, "After you applied for art school, your father and I were very disappointed in you. He said he would rather pretend that he never gave birth to your son, so We gave birth to Xuanxuan again, but we didn't expect... she turned out to be like this."

"mom……"

"I didn't believe in fate before, and I thought it was all feudal superstition." Zhu Ting continued, "But this time I guess it's really the reincarnation of heaven, which is very ironic. When Xuanxuan was young, the symptoms were not obvious. The more it grows, the more obvious it becomes. Seeing other people's children getting smarter and smarter, Xuanxuan can't even speak..."

Zhu Ting's eyes were a little rosy, "Since Xuanxuan's illness has become more and more serious, your father has become more and more alienated from her and this family. Until Xuanxuan was three years old, I found out that he was having an affair. I asked him Confrontation, in exchange for a divorce agreement."

Zhang Qing's head was dizzy, he felt angry and wanted to laugh at the same time.

For a long time, he hated his parents and wished they could experience all the pain he had gone through.

But when that day really came, seeing his mother's tears of pain, he just felt that life was like a bizarre and absurd drama, which made people want to laugh.

"I will return the 10 yuan to you as soon as possible." Zhu Ting lowered her head.

Zhang Qing sighed, "Don't worry. The money is for Xuanxuan's medical treatment, right?"

Zhu Ting nodded, "After your father left, I took Xuanxuan alone, and he refused to pay us living expenses on time, so I could only do part-time jobs. She contracted pneumonia some time ago, and I..."

"You don't need to explain." Zhang Qing shook his head and interrupted her, "I understand."

"Thank you." Zhu Ting's eyes were red again, and she reached out to wipe away the tears, "How have you been... all these years?"

"It's pretty good." Zhang Qing smiled, "You can find my name on the Internet, how can life be bad?"

Zhu Ting burst into laughter after hearing this, "That is to say, my son has grown up, is promising, and has become a big star."

As she spoke, Zhu Ting stretched out her hand towards Zhang Qing, as if she wanted to hold his hand, but Zhang Qing withdrew her hand all of a sudden, leaving Zhu Ting in a hurry.

Zhu Ting's hand was hanging in the air, she seemed a little embarrassed, and she put it back slowly after a while, "Zhang Qing, don't blame mom. Mom was so stupid back then, thinking that what your dad said was right, thinking that If you force you, you will become a talent, I didn't expect..."

"Okay, there's no need to talk about that." Zhang Qing sighed, "It all happened a few years ago, it's better for people to live with more focus on the present."

Zhu Ting was silent for a while, then nodded.

What's the use of apologizing now?Why is everyone so apologetic about the past?Zhang Qing thought absently.

Those past pains are like nails stuck in the plank.Even if the nails are pulled out one day, those holes on the board will not disappear.

"I will visit Xuanxuan when I have time, but it may not be convenient in the last few days." Zhang Qing said.

"I know the reason for work." Zhu Ting said quickly.

Zhang Qing nodded, "But you have my number, if you need anything, please send me a message."

"Okay." Zhu Ting nodded.

Zhang Qing stood up from the table, "Then, I'll go first."

Zhu Ting didn't even say polite words to pretend to stay, but just stood up, "Then I'll see you off."

Zhang Qing shook his head, "Don't give it away, in case Xuanxuan wakes up and sees that you are not by her side, she will cry again."

"Then... okay." Zhu Ting hesitated and stopped.

Just when Zhang Qing was about to open the door and leave, Zhu Ting stopped him from behind.

"and many more."

"What's wrong?" Zhang Qing turned around.

"Are you serious with that Zhou Nanchen?"

Zhang Qing didn't speak.

"It's been so long." Zhu Ting asked again, "Do you two still like each other?"

This time, Zhang Qing nodded.

A strange relaxed expression appeared on Zhu Ting's face, as if relieved, and she muttered, "It's good, that's good."

As soon as Zhang Qing walked out of the corridor, he saw Zhou Nanchen smoking a cigarette against the wall.He looked into the distance, but didn't notice Zhang Qing approaching.

"Let's go." Zhang Qing put on the mask and walked straight over.

Zhou Nanchen immediately put out the cigarette, "Are you finished talking?"

"Yeah." Zhang Qing took a deep breath, "Walk around with me, I'll tell you slowly."

By the time Zhang Qing finished talking about Zhu Ting, the two had already walked half a circle around the community.

Zhou Nanchen didn't speak for a long time after listening, and turned to Zhang Qing after a while, "Xuanxuan is not your responsibility."

Zhang Qing was startled, a little helpless, "Actually, you don't need to hit the nail on the head like this."

"Even if you hadn't run away from home back then, your family wouldn't have loved each other so much." Zhou Nanchen said, "The stubborn three views of your parents determined the tragedy of their lives."

"But Xuanxuan is innocent." Zhang Qing sighed, "If I hadn't let them down..."

"No child can satisfy their demands." Zhou Nanchen interrupted him, "It's not your fault."

"Yeah." Zhang Qing nodded slightly.

He took out his phone and checked the time, it was almost time for lunch.

It was time to go back to the hotel, Zhang Qing was still a little reluctant to leave.During this sensitive period, it was not easy to meet Zhou Nanchen. He really wanted to walk around the neighborhood with him a few more times on an empty stomach.

Just as he was thinking wildly, his cell phone rang suddenly, and he took a closer look, it turned out to be Jia's number.

"Hello?" Zhang Qing picked up the phone.

"Hey, Brother Qing!" Jia Hao raised his voice, "Where are you?"

"I... the hotel, what's the matter?" Zhang Qing was a little guilty when he answered.

"Would you like to have a meal together at noon?" Jia Hao said enthusiastically, "You have to have a new atmosphere in a new place. I heard that there is a time-honored mutton shop here that is very authentic. You must try it—— ouch Look, I forgot, this is your hometown, you must have eaten it, right?"

"Well, I've eaten it, it's pretty good." Zhang Qing knew which restaurant Jia Hao was referring to, "Who's there?"

"A dozen or so people! They're all here! Director Li is here too!" Jia Hao gushed, "You should come if you've eaten! Come and recommend for us, otherwise you won't know what to order for a while!"

Zhang Qing didn't know whether to laugh or cry, "You are really good at it. When will you bring out an apprentice with your foolishness, maybe you will be able to apply for intangible cultural heritage in a few decades."

"Hey, I will keep this skill and pass it on to my son in the future!" Jia Hao said, "Don't be silly, is there a word?"

"Come, come, I'm afraid of you." Zhang Qing shook his head, "I'll leave in a while."

"Okay, I love you so much."

Zhang Qing hung up the phone amid goosebumps, and within a few seconds, Zhou Nanchen's cell phone rang.

"I'll go." Zhou Nanchen picked up the phone and opened his mouth without waiting for the other person to speak.

"Hey, what are you—" Jia Hao was stunned for two seconds and suddenly realized, "I rely on you to be with Zhang Qing, right? You two won't be staying in the same hotel, right? This is in broad daylight..."

Zhou Nanchen hung up the phone decisively before he finished speaking.