Manhattanhenge

Su Hui's birthday cake plan was going very hard.

But he believed in heaven rewarding hard work, so no matter how many times he failed, he still worked hard to do it again, but during this time, Su Hui ate too many failed chiffon cakes, and he was not far from being mad.

The desire for success even forced out social phobia. In order to figure out what went wrong, Su Hui took the failed cake to the dessert shop near her home to ask for advice. Fortunately, the dessert chef in the shop was very friendly and gave advice carefully. Su Hui.

Walking out of the dessert shop, the cold wind of New York was blowing on his face, making Su Hui's vision blurred. He thought of the past and made a lot of desserts for Ning Yixiao. Although it was not easy to do at the time, it was better than a whole day cake.

Thinking of this, he found that he didn't seem to have changed, at least in the choice of gifts, he was always so lacking.

Last time I forgot to ask Ning Yixiao to take the medicine together, and he called to make trouble. Su Hui made a regular appointment every day, but he didn't dare to call casually, and he always sent messages to remind him, and took pictures of the pills before taking the medicine. , sent to him.

Ning Yixiao always replied to him quickly, and also took pictures of his appearance and sent them over, but like him, he didn't say unnecessary words, and he didn't say hello.

But he probably wasn't that busy today, so he posted a photo that had nothing to do with medicine. It was the sea view outside the floor-to-ceiling window, the blue water and the red bridge.

Su Hui took a closer look, a little curious.

[Su Hui: Is this the Golden Gate Bridge? ]

The answer came faster than he expected.

[Ning Yixiao: Yes. ]

[Su Hui: Where is this?Do you have a house in the Bay Area? ]

Ning Yixiao could almost imagine Su Hui's curious appearance, and the tone in which he asked this question face to face.

[Ning Yixiao: Office. ]

Soon he added another sentence.

[Ning Yixiao: My property here will be closer to the sea, and it only takes 10 minutes to walk to the beach. ]

10 minutes……

Su Hui imagined it for a while, and it was indeed very close, it could almost be called right by the sea.

[Su Hui: But don't you dislike living by the sea? ]

Ning Yixiao was in a meeting and chatted with Su Hui at the meeting. Before he saw this sentence, he was taking a sip of his coffee, but he choked when he saw it.

The programmer who was doing the demo also stopped because of his unusual behavior, "Shaw, what's the problem?"

Ning Yixiao clenched his fist and put it on his lips. After coughing, he raised his head, his expression restored, "No, continue."

He didn't know how to answer Su Hui's question.

After a long time, Su Hui did not receive a reply from Ning Yixiao, and later realized that she had said unnecessary words.

Ning Yixiao probably doesn't like others bringing up the past.

He thought about it, took a photo of an ice cream with a small toy in its mouth and sent it, changing the subject.

[Su Hui: The ice cream is cute, right? ]

Ning Yixiao received a new message, clicked it in and took a look, and felt that Su Hui's ability to change the subject was really poor, and also felt that the really cute thing was not the ice cream.

[Ning Yixiao: Well, very cute. ]

After trying for two days, I finally made a fairly good cake embryo with even gaps and no shrinkage. Su Hui was very happy, but his smoothing skills were limited, and the cream was not perfect.

With this improved cake, he went to the hospital to visit his grandma.Under the care of the nurses, grandma's condition is much better than before.

It's just that her memory is still very poor, and she often forgets many things.

"Has Xiao Ning been here?"

Su Hui fed her a small bite of cake and reminded, "He's already returned to the Bay Area. What you're talking about happened last week, right?"

Grandma thought for a while, but wasn't sure, "Are you two..."

When Su Hui heard this word, he felt as if he was facing a formidable enemy, and immediately interrupted, "No, we are just friends."

Even stranger and awkward than friends.

"Oh..." Grandma suddenly remembered, "Yes, I remember you said he was getting married."

Su Hui didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and after recovering, he explained: "He won't get married for the time being. It's quite complicated to say. It can be understood as an exchange of interests, a fake engagement."

"Then does he still like you?" Grandma said more directly.

Su Hui was dumbfounded by the question, but subconsciously denied it, "Why?"

"If you don't like you, why do you help us?" Grandma didn't understand.

Su Hui paused, and put the cake in his hand back on the table. He couldn't imagine this possibility. Such a small probability event would not happen to him.

He even evaded a little, "He is a very good person, very kind, so he must have a plan for helping us? Besides, everyone is abroad, so it can be regarded as taking care of each other."

Su Hui smiled, and said to the grandmother: "If it were him who needed help, we would help him, wouldn't we?"

Grandma seemed to think it made sense, she nodded, and then sighed with great emotion, "Xiao Ning is a good boy."

Su Hui was a little distracted, and softly agreed, "Yes, he is a very good person."

He is no longer the Su Hui in the past, he will not confidently think that the person he likes will definitely fall in love with him, and he must get what he wants.

As he grew older, he became more and more aware that he was not the type of person suitable for intimacy, that he was not stable enough, and that he caused more harm than comfort.

Life is already so hard, who would want to get along with a mental patient every day, take good care of him, and watch his words?

How tired.

On the way back, he felt a little depressed for no reason, so he sat down on a bench by the side of the road alone, lit a cigarette, and witnessed a couple quarreling. They spoke Spanish, and Su Hui couldn't understand it. I saw my neurotic side in my crying wife.

He thought negatively, if he had been with Ning Yixiao back then, it might have been the same. When there was a quarrel, no one backed down.

It's just because their original love was so short that they didn't even experience friction and fading, so it looked extraordinarily beautiful. Once the life of that relationship is really extended, who knows if it will end in an even more embarrassing and disgraceful way.

Sure enough, the friendship is longer and stronger.

In the next day or two, Su Hui tried to come up with some new concepts, trying to make a timely birthday present that would suit Ning Yixiao's current taste.

But he didn't have a clue, and he really didn't know enough about Ning Yixiao now.

Su Hui had no choice but to attribute all this to the lack of inspiration at home, so she decided to go back to school and close the studio to create.

After many days, he returned to campus feeling relaxed.At least he doesn't have to beg on the street to well-intentioned people like a real down-and-out artist like last time.

In the elevator of the Pure Art Building, he met Professor White, who cared a lot about him and sent him many emails.

"Is it a depression period recently?" Professor White asked.

"Well, it's a little better now, and it may be recovering soon." Su Hui replied.

Professor White nodded, "It just so happens that Ryan's game will be next week, and they are making final adjustments recently. If you are in good condition, let's go and see it together."

Su Hui thought about it and agreed. After all, he was the one who led the competition in the early and mid-term, and he also put a lot of effort into it.

He had just followed Professor White into the students' workshops when he heard Ryan's energetic voice shouting something like "That's a cool idea!"

"What idea?" Professor White walked in with a smile.

When Ryan turned around, he saw Su Hui who was following the professor, so he ran over enthusiastically. After briefly greeting the professor, he immediately came to Su Hui, "Eddy, are you okay? Are you ready to go to work?" "

The professor was a little helpless, "Sure enough, Eddy is the most popular."

Everyone booed and laughed.

Su Hui tried her best to appear happy and devoted herself to the finishing work with them.He spent the whole afternoon helping to check the final assembly of the work, so busy that he didn't even have time to drink water, and his mobile phone was left aside.

At [-]:[-] p.m., Ryan sensed that it was dinner time, and called everyone to eat together. While putting on his coat, he saw the mobile phone on the small table beside him was vibrating all the time. Seeing the Chinese notes on it, he thought it might be Su Hui’s mobile phone, so he shouted He said a few times.

But Su Hui was helping a girl finalize the lighting plan, so she was so absorbed in it that she didn't hear his voice.

So Ryan thought for a while, connected and quickly replied, "Hello, Eddy is not here now, you can call him later."

There was silence on the other end of the phone, Ryan thought it was a bad signal, "Can you hear me?"

"Is he at school now?"

The voice on the other end was very deep, and for some reason, it gave Ryan an unfriendly illusion.

"Yes, but we will go to dinner soon, what's the matter? I can tell him for you."

"no need."

The phone was hung up suddenly.

Ryan was a little inexplicable, stunned for a while, and put the phone back where it was.

Why is it a little scary?

After finishing work, Su Hui also walked towards them.Ryan told him the phone call just now, and saw Su Hui pick up the phone, check the call history, and then quickly showed a regretful expression.

He called back, but the other party didn't answer.

"Who is it?" Ryan was a little curious. He zipped his coat to the top and then pulled it down again and again, "I seem to have a bad temper."

Su Hui hesitated, "Someone you don't know."

"I know, that's why I asked you." Ryan was obviously not satisfied with this answer, and felt something vaguely.

"It's not someone you like, is it?"

Su Hui was stunned.

He didn't know why one or two people around him were like this, and he was very helpless.

"no……"

Ryan was very happy because of this answer, "That's good! Let's go have dinner together!"

"I..." Su Hui still chose to refuse, "I have something to do, you go and eat."

He chose to go back to the workshop alone to conceive of Ning Yixiao's gift, but found it difficult to settle down.

The self six years ago could easily be inspired by the various moments spent with Ning Yixiao, and he could draw a picture, a weird but interesting draft, or write a lot of strange stories for him. things, and hand them over to him without any burden, without worrying that Ning Yixiao doesn't like it.

But now everything is different.

Facing Ning Yixiao, who was better and more successful than before, Su Hui was like a cash-strapped child, wanting to give some good things as gifts, and searched his entire body, but couldn't find anything , nothing good enough.

Even himself, it seems that he has only become worse than he was six years ago.

Just as Su Hui was kneading the fifth draft, there was a sudden knock on the door of the workshop. He turned around and found that the door had been pushed open a small crack. Ryan exposed his head and smiled at him.

"May I come inside?"

Su Hui came back to his senses, "Of course." He stood up, "What's wrong? Is there any question?"

Ryan shrugged and stepped in, "About the dear teaching assistant who always skips dinner." He held a Chinese takeaway in a cardboard box and handed it to Su Hui.

Su Hui has no appetite, especially when faced with an American Chinese takeaway that doesn't look like Chinese food at all.

"Thank you." He still opened it politely and ate a piece of fried chicken.

"What are you working on?" Ryan glanced at the papers on his desk, as well as the crumpled waste manuscripts, "New work?"

Su Hui sighed, "Well, it's a gift I want to give to someone."

Ryan sat down and leaned against the table, resting his chin on his hand, "Very important person?"

Su Hui didn't answer clearly, "That's right."

Ryan pursed his lips, "Since he is a very important person, shouldn't you be able to think of some elements immediately when you think of him? This should be better than many vague themes."

is it?

When Su Hui thought of Ning Yixiao, he went there immediately.

Thinking of the many small moments when he was with him, forming the flowing time, he was very afraid of the passing time.

Su Hui couldn't find anyone to talk to, so he took Ryan in front of him as a subject of discussion, since he knew nothing about it anyway.

"Actually, I made one for him six years ago, but I didn't have time to finish it." Su Hui said, "I think...it's been so long, and everything has changed. Isn't it bad to use the semi-finished product from before?"

Ryan thought for a while, then shook his head, "I don't think so, don't you think this looks like compensation?"

"compensate?"

"Yes, you see, you wanted to give this gift to him six years ago, but it was not completed, and you will also give it to him six years later. If you complete this gift and give it to him, isn't it filling the gap between you two? Are you sorry?"

Su Hui hesitated, "But the meaning is different. You know, the relationship between people will change."

Ryan is very persistent, "You just need to send out your unfinished gift. As for the implication, the person who receives the gift will definitely interpret it from a new perspective. This uncertain information gap between people Isn't it wonderful?"

After hearing this, Su Hui raised her head, feeling that she was really about to be persuaded.

The phone vibrated suddenly, Su Hui reached out to touch it, and connected without looking at it, naturally speaking in English, "Hello?"

The other end didn't answer right away, but paused for a second, and then, with a hint of imitation, "Hello."

It was Ning Yixiao's voice.

Su Hui subconsciously sat down, the language system was a little confused, he took a moment to switch back to Chinese, "Why did you call suddenly?"

"I've called before, Mr. Su, you are very busy."

Ning Yixiao's voice is very gloomy. If it can be visualized, he must have an obvious cool tone, but with a very subtle, hoarse provocation.

"I forgot to look at my phone." Su Hui subconsciously began to argue, and touched her nose unnaturally.

Ning Yixiao didn't continue to question, "Have you taken your medicine?"

"Not yet." Su Hui's voice was very soft, "Go back and eat later."

Hearing his voice, Ning Yixiao felt that her mood calmed down quickly, and she was not so tired.It's just because Su Hui wasn't at home after noon, he couldn't resist turning on the surveillance camera several times, but he didn't see him, and he wasn't used to it.

Neither of the two continued to speak, but they also tacitly did not propose to hang up, listening to each other's breathing.

Suddenly, a somewhat familiar male voice came from Su Hui's end, speaking English, asking him if the takeaway was not good.

Ning Yixiao's mood fluctuated again.

He pretended not to care and asked, "Is there someone around? If it's not convenient to make a call, you can hang up."

"Oh, I..." Su Hui paused, "It's one of my students."

Ning Yixiao was able to sit on the right seat, and soon thought of the person who invited him to eat pizza last time.

"It seems that he is a very good student. You can have dinner alone with Teacher Su."

Su Hui felt that his speech was strange and uncomfortable, "It's not that we had dinner alone, he brought me food just now, for fear that I would be bored in the work room and not eat."

This explanation made Ning Yixiao even more dissatisfied.

"It's so sweet, then you should eat more."

Although this answer sounded within the normal range, Su Hui sensed something was wrong.

"I'm going to a meeting, hang up first, remember to go home and take medicine."

"Oh, bye-bye."

After hanging up the phone, Su Hui sighed unconsciously, and also planned to go home. Ryan wanted to drive him, but Su Hui declined.

But his suggestion has always lingered in Su Hui's mind.

Su Hui thought, what he said was indeed right, all he did was compensation, because he didn't do what he promised, and he was always full of guilt towards Ning Yixiao.

Even if their relationship is over, the gift that could not be given six years ago should belong to Ning Yixiao if it can be completed properly.

Back at the apartment, he took out the manuscript paper, and relied on his memory to restore the most detailed version bit by bit.The original inspiration came to him six years ago when he accompanied Ning Yixiao on his way back to Beijing to fulfill his mother's wish.

He filled a small can of sand there and brought it back. On the swaying train, Su Hui couldn't control himself to sit in place, so he walked through one carriage after another, looking at the same faces with minor differences. , as if caught in some kind of space-time loop.

He very much hoped that the six months with Ning Yixiao would really be a cycle, and when it came to an end, he could return to the beginning.

After drawing the blueprint, Su Hui's eyes also turned red.

It is actually very inappropriate to give this work to Ning Yixiao, and he understands it, but there is really no better one.

This may also serve as a period, marking the end of their failure to end well.

Time passed by so fast that it was not enough for Su Hui to fully present this work. He only made a basic modeling on the software, and it was already New Year's Eve.

He stayed up all night, modeling in the first half of the night, and baking the cake in the second half of the night. Fortunately, it went smoothly. It took about two hours, and finally the cooling and demoulding was successful. It took another two hours to slice, pour syrup and decorate flowers. , it was already bright, and it was nine o'clock in the morning.

Su Hui refrigerated the cake, cleaned up the messy kitchen, went downstairs to buy some semi-finished food, and prepared to cook at home.

He passed by a flower shop, went in for a stroll, and wondered if it would be better to buy some flowers since his birthday was going to be celebrated.

But in the end Su Hui gave up, thinking that flowers would cause unnecessary trouble between them.

It was already noon when we got home, Su Hui was worried that Ning Yixiao would come back too soon, so he seized the time to make some food, and put the cake into the box he bought in advance, preparing to confuse the real one with the real one.

Everything was ready, he turned on the phone, found out that it was out of battery and turned it off, quickly charged it up, put the food and cakes on the coffee table of the sofa, sat down by himself, and planned to take a rest.

Time passed by, and Ning Yixiao did not "come back at noon" as he said. Su Hui checked his phone and found that he had already sent a message, but he was in a hurry and didn't notice it at all.

[Ning Yixiao: The plane is late, don't wait for me. ]

Su Hui didn't feel hungry, but worried that the cream on the cake would melt due to the heating, so she put it back in the refrigerator, and sat down on the carpet in the living room.With nothing to do, he turned on the projector and planned to watch a movie.

Ning Yixiao didn't land until around five in the afternoon, but the traffic in New York was always desperate. He urged the driver four times along the way, but the streets were so jammed that there was nothing he could do.

Karl was a little surprised, checked the schedule several times, and found that Ning Yixiao didn't have anything urgent to do next.

"Shaw, today is Chinese New Year's Eve, do you need me to book a Chinese restaurant for you?"

Ning Yixiao refused, "No, I'll go home."

Are you going to spend time with your brother?Karl was inexplicably a little happy. It seemed that with his tireless help, they finally cultivated a bit of brotherhood.

"Do you need to order food? You should be able to order to the apartment."

Ning Yixiao thought for a while, "How long?"

Carl called to inquire and replied, "The restaurant said that there are a lot of customers today, and it will take an hour and a half to order."

"Let's order." He reported a bunch of Su Hui's favorite dishes, as well as many dishes that were very similar to the New Year's Eve dinner.

Fortunately, the car finally arrived at the apartment. Ning Yixiao got out of the car, and Karl followed him naturally, but Ning Yixiao suddenly turned around.

"Go back and rest."

Carl was stunned, "Huh? Don't I need to go up?"

"No need." Ning Yixiao said, "Tomorrow is also a day off."

Carl thought to himself, if you order so much, the two of you can't finish it.

But he didn't dare to say it, so he just smiled and said goodbye to his boss, "Okay."

Ning Yixiao went upstairs, and the moment he opened the door, ice cream came to welcome him. The house was very dark and the lights were not turned on. He even thought that Su Hui was not at home and went out.

But when he turned on the lights in the dining room and living room, he found that Su Hui was lying on the sofa and fell asleep.

He slept soundly, he didn't notice Ning Yixiao's return at all, even Ning Yixiao squatted down beside him, and he didn't wake up.

How sleepy is this?

Ning Yixiao wanted to wake him up, but Su Hui's sleeping appearance was so cute that he hesitated, so he looked at it quietly for a while.

Su Hui's eyelashes are very long.He was sitting on the ground, lying on the sofa, with his head leaning on one arm, and the other was stretched out.

Suddenly, he uttered some monosyllabic words vaguely, like talking in sleep.Ning Yixiao couldn't hear the exact content clearly, so she moved closer, but Su Hui became quiet again.

His skin exuded a faint woody aroma, coaxed soft and clean by the heating, it was a smell Ning Yixiao was very familiar with.

The distance is very close, so close that you can almost hear the end of Su Hui's breathing, your reason is overwhelmed by emotions for a moment, Ning Yixiao's mind is blank, and with hesitation, he approaches slowly, and he can kiss him with one more step.

But Su Hui suddenly moved, as if he woke up.

Ning Yixiao backed away immediately, pretending nothing happened, and returned to a safe distance.

Su Hui looked up in a daze, not yet fully awake, frowning, his eyes were very confused, the moment he saw Ning Yixiao, he thought it was a dream again.

So he stretched out the hand that was always outstretched, touched Ning Yixiao's face hastily, and poked the mole at the end of his eye with his fingertips.

"... so cold."