gentle reunion

In the afternoon, Lan Tianran returned to Ming City.

Xu Zan went down the mountain after staying on the mountain for seven days as originally planned. He went straight to the nearest high-speed rail station.

On the way to the high-speed rail station, he swiped his phone. During the few days when he left the world of mortals for a while, nothing major happened. The earth can turn around without anyone, and even without him, infinite technology can still function normally—" The number of users of "Xingzhe" continues to increase, and the development momentum is very good.

There was a change in Zhao Hong's side. He left a message saying: He found someone to check the Lixiao Information Consulting Company, and he gained a lot. The person who called the police and said they broke into the house was actually working for this company.

Zhao Hong made a meeting with the boss of this company, and the other party was very cautious. Whether he was talking about reason or money with him, he firmly refused to admit that he had taken over the business related to Xu Zan.

Xu Zan replied: When I return to Mingcheng, I will meet him.

After a while, Zhao Hong sent another message: I want to ask you something, does Xiang Xiang like men or women?

Xu Zan was very surprised, he didn't expect Zhao Hong to be such a person!

——to ask him such gossip questions.

Xu Zan: What are you asking for?

Zhao Hong: Didn't he come to our office the other day? A pretty girl here fell in love with him and asked me to introduce them.

Xu Zan: Don't introduce it, don't harm the little girl.

Xiang Xiang likes to play so much, but he is not yet determined, so he is not suitable for a serious relationship.

Zhao Hong understood it as: He likes men?He has nothing unclear with you, right?

Xu Zan was speechless: Old Zhao, are you bewitched today?

Zhao Hong probably also realized his abnormality. After a while, he sent a message: Today's customers are too difficult to deal with. Alas, money is hard to earn and shit is hard to eat.

Xu Zan shook his head and sent a message to Xiang Xiang: Do you remember Zhao Hong?

Xiang Xiang: (yawning) Brother, I was just about to sleep when you woke me up.

Ask again: Who is that?

Xu Zan: The lawyer who was arrested with you last time.

Xiang Xiang: He, remember, what's wrong?

Xu Zan: He wants to introduce someone to you, and asks if you like men or women.

Xiang Xiang: Huh?

Xu Zan: I don't know which nerve he got wrong all of a sudden.

Xiang Xiang: I know, he must see that I am handsome and wants to introduce himself to me.

Xu Zan was speechless, Lao Zhao was probably bewitched today, and Xiang Chang was often bewitched.

Xiang Xiang said again: He successfully broke out of the encirclement and caught my attention!

Xu Zan looked at Xiang Xiang's avatar in the chat software, and then at Zhao Hong's avatar.

Xiang Xiang's profile picture is a silly emoji, while Zhao Hong's is a real photo of himself—the kind that can be used as a ID photo.

Can such two people have a chemical reaction?

No.

But there will be a physical reaction, and it is certain to make a fuss.

Xu Zan imagined the scene of the two getting along.

Can't help but laugh.

If he didn't intervene, Zhao Hongke would be in trouble.

Xu Zan: Are you busy recently?Have nothing to do so want to toss people?

Xiang Xiang hurriedly said: How can I, I'm very busy!

Xu Zan: What are you busy with?tell me the story.

Xiang Xiang sat upright and began to "report work" seriously, Zhao Hong was temporarily left behind by him.

After the high-speed rail started, Xu Zan took a short video of the dynamic scenery outside the window and sent it to Lan Tianran, with a text explanation: I went down the mountain, and now I am on my way back to Nanfan.

Lan Tianran didn't return.

Xu Zan took out a few packs of snacks from the canvas bag, posed for a photo, and sent it: I'm a little hungry, but luckily I have the snacks you prepared for me.

After he finished eating two packs of dried tofu and one pack of preserved fruit, Lan Tianran still didn't reply to the message, probably busy.

Then let's sleep for a while, got up at 03:30 this morning, Xu Zan covered his mouth and yawned, adjusted the seat, and closed his eyes.

"Xu Zan." Someone pushed his arm.

Xu Zan looked up and saw a boy version of Lan Tianran standing by his desk, holding a big bag of things in his hand.

"Thank you for finding the pencil case for me yesterday." The teenager Lan Tianran put the big bag on Xu Zan's desk.

Xu Zan looked into the bag, there were all kinds of snacks, and they looked like expensive imported goods.

The boy Lan Tianran put down his bag and left.

Xu Zan was stunned for a moment, then got up and distributed the snacks in the bag to the classmates: "Come here, Lan Tianran invites everyone to eat."

"Wow, thank you, this is very expensive and delicious!"

"Why are you a treat?"

The students chattered around to get snacks.

"It's nothing, he's in a good mood today, isn't he?" Xu Zan smiled at the boy version of Lan Tianran.

The other party returned him a small smile.

"Travelers, hello..." the voice of the high-speed rail broadcast.

Xu Zan woke up, opened his eyes, and looked around. Of course, he didn’t see the young boy Lan Tianran. He only saw the platform outside through the window—the high-speed train stopped, but it hadn’t reached Nanfan yet. This was another station on the way.

He took out the mineral water, took a few sips, then leaned back on his seat, staring blankly out of the window.

He was dreaming just now, and what he dreamed about was when he was in high school.

That time, Lan Tianran's pencil case was hidden - it was a kind of nasty joke among classmates, but Lan Tianran didn't understand this kind of joke, and he couldn't deal with it.

Seeing that he was at a loss, Xu Zan helped him find the pen case.

The next day Lan Tianran brought a big bag of things to thank Xu Zan.

Xu Zan didn't want to take his things, but he didn't think it was necessary to return them, because Lan Tianran's family was in very good condition. Although those snacks were expensive, he probably didn't lack them, so he might as well share them with everyone.

Lan Tianran learned this trick from Xu Zan, and later often invited everyone to eat.

After eating his soft mouth, everyone felt embarrassed to make fun of him on purpose.

Xu Zan thought, what Lan Tianran said before "learn how to get along with classmates from him" should refer to this, Lan Tianran learned some tricks of "buying people's hearts" from him.

Xu Zan laughed, picked up the phone, opened the chat software, and Lan Tianran replied to his message: I was busy just now.Eat when you're hungry, don't eat snacks all the time.

Xu Zan replied with a smile: When you were in high school, why did you always give me snacks instead of inviting me to dinner?

Lan Tianran's input status was displayed, but there was no message sent. Xu Zan guessed that he probably didn't know how to reply.

Xu Zan laughed, he knew the reason, and the reason was very simple: Lan Tianran hadn't learned the skill of inviting people to dinner in high school.

Xu Zan couldn't bear to see him entangled, so he sent another message: When I return to Mingcheng, please treat me to dinner.

This time Lan Tianran's reply came right away: OK.

After arriving in Nanfan, Xu Zan went to the hotel to check in first, and then called his uncle: "Uncle, I'm Xu Zan, and I'm back in Nanfan. Are you free this afternoon? I'll see you."

Over there said in repeated voices: "There are some, come here."

Xu Zan's father is three siblings.The eldest is Aunt Xu Zan, she married far away from other provinces, and since her parents passed away, she seldom returns to Nannan; the second is Xu Changming, this is Xu Zan’s father; the third is Xu Changrong, the relationship between Xu Zan and this uncle Well enough.

In the afternoon, Xu Zan went to Xu Changrong's store to look for him.

Xu Changrong's store is a supermarket, which was opened four years ago with the help of Xu Zan.

Before opening the supermarket, Xu Changrong had been working outside the home.

After Wang Ting's family went bankrupt four years ago, Xu Zan went back to Nannan, and the two reached an agreement, Xu Zan paid for Xu Changrong to open a supermarket, and Xu Changrong took care of his father for him.

Of course, when they discuss this matter, they are more reserved. Relatives, the main thing is to talk about feelings and interests, as long as they know it well.

Four years ago, Xu Zan came back to deal with the aftermath of his sophomore dropout—his dropout had a lot to do with his father.

When Xu Zan was a sophomore, his father called him one day, saying that he was not feeling well and wanted to go to the hospital for an examination. Xu Zan naturally supported him.

Not long after that, his father became "ill". Xu Zan remitted all the money he had to his father.

After his father tasted the sweetness, he got sicker and sicker, and finally got cancer and needed surgery. The various expenses added up to nearly 50, and Xu Zan had to try his best to raise money.

At this time, classmate Xu Zan introduced him to a high-paying job in the club. It was "unexpected" that the owner of the club was actually Wang Ting.

——One day Wang Ting suddenly appeared in the store and called Xu Zan to accompany him for a drink. Only then did Xu Zan know that he was the boss.

Xu Zan didn't turn his face on the spot, because the salary has not been paid yet, and when people are short of money, their temper will be particularly good.

Wang Ting gave him the cigarette, and he took two perfunctory puffs, which didn't take his lungs.

Ask him to drink, he also drank, and drank a lot, then he pretended to be drunk and went crazy.

Wang Ting came here to do something, but seeing Xu Zan turned the box into a pigsty and turned himself into a wild boar that just crawled out of a mud pit, he lost his appetite and pinched his nose Shifted positions like fleeing.

Before leaving, he pointed to the two little followers who stayed behind to guard Xu Zan, who was still drunk.

As soon as Wang Ting left, Xu Zan stopped going crazy and "fainted" and fell on the sofa.

The two dog legs looked at each other: "Is he okay? I heard that alcoholism can kill people..."

Xu Zan turned over and started snoring.

"..." The two dog legs darkened.

Cleaning came in to clean up the box.

Xu Zan turned over again, this time in the right sleeping position, without being forced to breathe, and the snoring stopped.

The box fell silent.

The two doglegs are used to the lively environment, they can't bear this kind of stagnant silence, coupled with being idle and bored, they started chatting, chatting and began to maliciously gossip about Xu Zan.

They said that Wang Ting had known Xu Zan for a long time and had always wanted to get him, but he hadn't succeeded. The more he couldn't get him, the more itchy he became.

Finally, he came up with a good idea: let Xu Zan owe a huge debt first, and then Xu Zan had to bow his head in order to repay the debt.

How did Xu Zan owe a huge debt?Find a way to get his father to lie to him—what son would doubt his own father.

Hearing this, Xu Zan, who was pretending to be drunk, started to twitch his eyelids.

His father is not sick? !His father has been pretending to lie to him? !

The two doglegs laughed at Xu Zan's father who fell in love at an early age, the old house was on fire, there was no hope of salvation, and he even lied to his own son for the sake of a woman, it was so funny.

However, I heard that Xu Zan's mother is a prostitute, Xu Zan may not be Xu's father's biological son, which makes sense...

Hearing this, Xu Zan's fingers also twitched.

Anger was tormenting him, black smoke was billowing, causing his heart and lungs to ache, and his eyes were bloodshot.

The two dog legs are still chatting.

One of them said, what if Xu Zan can't be dealt with this time?

The other whispered that this time it must be done, because Brother Jiu planned to make a big deal, not only to make Xu Zan owe debts, but also to poison him to make him addicted to drugs. willing to do.

The person in front said, is the cigarette Brother Jiu gave Xu Zan just now poisonous?No wonder he kept persuading Xu Zan to smoke. I saw Xu Zan take two puffs. I don't know if he got the trick.

Another person said, I won it, won't it be uncomfortable for the first time to smoke?You see how he vomited so much just now...

Xu Zan's chest rose and fell, and anger gushed out from the bottom of his heart like a volcano erupting, expanding rapidly and covering his whole body.

He opened his eyes, got up from the sofa, lifted a chair with no expression on his face and put the two dog legs down.

The cleaning staff huddled against the wall, not daring to move.

Xu Zan ignored him, and pushed the door out on his own. He pushed open every box door along the corridor, and after opening the third door, he found Wang Ting. He walked in and put the person down.

In the midst of the chaos, Xu Zan left the clubhouse. Standing in the heavy night, he called home and asked his father if he was sick and if he was lying to himself.

Xu Changming hesitated, and Xu Zan knew the answer.

Xu Zan's eyes were moist and his throat was rolling, but he clenched his teeth tightly and did not make a sound.

He shook his fingers and hung up the phone.

The volcano is extinguished, the world is destroyed, and everything is in ruins.

Later, Xu Zan went to Yazhou with the help of Zhao Hong, and stayed there for several years. During that time, he lost contact with most of his acquaintances, and the few who had contact were only online. Expose whereabouts.

It wasn't until the Wang family went bankrupt that Xu Zan returned to the sun and resumed a normal life, and then returned to Nannan to deal with the long-awaited past.

He didn't go directly to his father, but first had a long talk with his uncle Xu Changrong, won him over to his side, and then the two went to talk to Xu Changming together.

Facing his younger brother and son, Xu Changming admitted the immoral things he did.

He told in detail how he fell in love and how he cheated his son of money with lard.

Xu Zan recorded the conversation and asked his father to write him an IOU.

It's not that his father has to pay back the money—his father can't afford to pay back 50—it's just that his father has to remember this lesson, or in other words, he has to prevent his father from making any mistakes, such as Sapo asking him for money in the future, He even deliberately made trouble and went to court to sue him or something.

There is no way, after being cheated once, I can no longer trust him, and will only think of him in the most bottomless place.

just now.

After entering the supermarket, Xu Zan looked around. The supermarket was a bit old, and it looked like it was covered with a layer of dark gray.

At this point, only Xu Changrong and a few shop assistants were in the store. His wife had her own job and was at work, while his son and daughter were working out of town.

"uncle."

"Are you here?" Xu Changming walked out from behind the cashier with a smile. He is of average figure and not fat. Although he is a little older, he is still a handsome guy.

"Does your dad know you're back?"

Xu Changrong took out two bottles of beer from the refrigerator and opened them, each with Xu Zan.

"I don't know, I didn't tell him." Xu Zan took a sip of wine, "Is he still with that woman?"

"Still together. You know, they broke up a few times, but they got back together."

Whenever there is something new about Xu Changming, Xu Changrong will call Xu Zan.

"That woman probably hasn't found someone as easy to handle as your father, so she won't let him go easily."

Xu Zan smiled: "It's hard to say about feelings. We have been together for so long, ten years, right? Maybe she really likes my dad."

Xu Changrong "tsk tut" a few times: "This kind of liking is unbearable for ordinary people. It costs 3000 yuan to buy a dress, and your father's salary is only enough to buy her two dresses. Your father is very proud."

"What are you proud of? Are you proud that his salary has increased? It seems like it was only enough to buy one and a half before?"

"Satisfied with his wife—" Xu Changrong suddenly remembered that Xu Zan's mother is also his brother's wife, so he stopped the car and changed his words, "He said he just likes to see his own women dressed beautifully."

Xu Zan raised his head to drink, took a few sips, and said, "As long as he doesn't cheat me, and makes his own woman look good, that's a good thing."

"He probably won't. I have persuaded him that he is only your son, and he can't rely on you when he gets old? What good will it do him if he and you are at odds?"

After all, Xu Changrong is Xu Zan's father's younger brother, and he is still towards his own brother. The words are both inside and out: Although your father has done wrong things, when he is old, you can't ignore him.

"It may not be necessary for me to raise him." Xu Zan smiled, "Maybe he and that woman plan to have another one."

Xu Changrong choked on the beer and coughed continuously.

Xu Zan's father is over 50 and can't save money. How will he support another child?

Moreover, that woman is in her late 40s, and the two of them had never had children before, so the possibility of having a baby now should not be high.

Xu Zan just laughed casually, and then changed the subject: "Uncle, have you seen my dad recently?"

"I've seen it. Last week, Lao Dong's daughter got married. We went to a wedding together, and we met."

"What have you been talking about?" In fact, what Xu Zan really wanted to ask was: Did you guys talk about me?

"Talk about the lengths of the family, such as a 3000-yuan dress."

Both of them laughed.

"Let's talk about whose child is the most promising?" Xu Zan asked.

"Yeah, let's chat. Old Sun's son is also in Mingcheng, and he seems to be a big boss already."

Xu Zan thought for a while: "The old grandson who drives for others?"

Lao Sun is a neighbor who lives in the same community as his father, and his son is Sun Zhe.

When mentioning Sun Zhe, Xu Zan inevitably thought of Wang Ting.

Sun Zhe has been hanging out with Wang Ting since high school, but in fact his high school and Wang Ting are not in the same school, and he doesn't know how these two people who seem to have no intersection got together.

"Yes, it's just him. He's still driving for others. Isn't his son a big boss? I'm still working as a driver for others. I don't know if he is bragging or his son is unfilial."

Xu Zan commented coldly: "Everyone has their own life."

Xu Changrong thought about the relationship between Xu Zan and Xu Changming, so he couldn't say much, so he could only nod: "Yes."

Not wanting to talk about his father anymore, Xu Zan asked, "Has my mother ever been back?"

"Not recently. The last time I came back was two years ago."

That time Xu Changrong called Xu Zan and told him that he thought Xu Zan would want to see his mother, but no, Xu Zan just responded "I see" and there was no follow-up.

After leaving Xu Changrong's place, Xu Zan took a taxi back to the hotel.

Passing by the high school he used to study on the road, his heart moved and he asked the driver to stop the car.

It's summer vacation and the school is closed, so I can't go in.

After Xu Zan circled the school wall for more than half a circle, he saw a row of buildings built with the back to the school. The first floor of the building was a storefront, and one of them was a restaurant.

Xu Zan walked into the hotel. There was a second floor inside the hotel. He chose a seat by the rear window on the second floor and sat down. From here, he could see the inside of the school, especially the playground.

Looking at the track surrounding the playground, a picture appeared in front of Xu Zan: under the setting sun, a teenager was running alone on the track.

That was Lan Tianran in high school.

Xu Zan took a photo and sent it to Lan Tianran: Do you know where this is?

Lan Tianran replied: Our high school playground is where you play football.

Xu Zan clicked on the photo and looked at it. Oh, the subject of the photo is indeed a football field, but there is a very obvious track outside the football field.

Xu Zan: I want to say, this is the playground where you used to run.

Lan Tianran returned a smile to him.

Xu Zan: Where are you running now?

Lan Tianran: In the neighborhood.

Xu Zan: I thought it was on a treadmill.

Lanranran: I use the treadmill when it rains.

Xu Zan: I watched you run, have you ever watched me play football?

Lan Tianran: I've seen the game.

Xu Zan: Did you go to see it?

Lan Tianran replied after a while: Yes.

Xu Zan rushed to the phone and smiled like an idiot.

The waiter came over to serve him and gave him several glances.

Xu Zan: Which game impressed you the most?

Lan Tianran: The scene where you were injured and hospitalized.

Football is a "barbaric" sport, and players have to take the risk of having their legs broken.

Xu Zan sent a GIF of an angry villain.

He also said: You know I was injured and hospitalized, why didn't you bring snacks to see me?

There was no movement from Lan Tianran for a while.

Did he think he was blaming him?Xu Zan wanted to undo the last message, but it was timed out, so he could only add one: Just kidding, don't mind.

Lan Tianran still didn't reply.

Xu Zan changed his mind, guessing that he didn't mind but was busy, so he put down his phone and had dinner first.

Halfway through the meal, Lan Tianran replied.

Xu Zan picked up the phone and saw a long message from Lan Tianran: I just answered a work call.I went to see you, you were sleeping, I didn't wake you up.But at that time, I didn't bring you snacks, but I brought you oral liquid.

Xu Zan thought about it, yes, he had received oral liquid during his hospitalization.

At that time, he received two special gifts: two boxes of expensive oral liquid and several class notes organized by a kind person for him.

The oral liquid is expensive, compared to the fruits and other gifts sent by others, the price of this is much higher.

Notes are expensive, thanks to them Xu Zan did not fall behind in his study progress.

The two gifts have never been claimed, and now Lan Tianran has claimed one of them.

No, it can't be that the other one is also a gift from Lan Tianran, right?

Xu Zan entered a question into the chat input box, and then deleted it.

Those notes were in his old home, along with his high school books, at his father's house, and if his father hadn't thrown away his old stuff, he should still be able to find it.

Xu Zan typed in the input box again: Are you working overtime?Remember to eat dinner.

Then I sent another one: It turns out that the oral solution was given by you, and it is quite unpleasant.

——followed by the emoji of a child sticking out his tongue.

Lan Tianran: Good medicine tastes bitter (smile), I didn't work overtime, I went home for dinner, and I'm on my way now.

Xu Zan narrowed his eyes slightly: Who will cook for you?

Lan Tianran: I asked my aunt to do it.

Xu Zan: It's nice to have someone cook for you.After I return to Mingcheng, I will go to your house for dinner.

Lan Tianran: Okay, you come (smile).

Xu Zan looked at Lan Tianran's profile picture and said with a smile, "Just wait, I will really go."

In the evening, Xu Zan went to visit his father.

He originally planned to go again the next day, but he wanted to finish the matter as soon as possible, and even more wanted to see if the notes that Lan Tianran had sorted out for him were still there.

Go upstairs and knock on the door.

Xu Changming came to open the door and was stunned when he saw that the person outside was Xu Zan.

Not seeing each other for a few years, Xu Zan felt that Xu Changming looked younger than Xu Changrong who was two years younger, probably because he paid more attention to appearance?

His hair was dyed black and neatly combed, his eyebrows were still handsome, and his figure was not fat - this was due to the good genes of the old Xu family.

"Changming, who is it?" A charming woman walked up behind Xu Changming and looked at Xu Zan suspiciously. She had never seen Xu Zan—never seen a real person, but she should have seen photos. However, she has not seen Xu Zan now. Match Xu Zan with the photo.

Xu Zan said, "Dad, Aunt Zhang?"

"...My surname is Gao." As soon as Xu Zan called someone, Gao Peilan knew his identity, and she turned cold, "What are you here for?"

Xu Zan looked at her for two seconds, and then looked at Xu Changming who was embarrassed and speechless and dared not look at him.

Okay, he knows his father's attitude, if someone comes to bribe him to deal with him, as long as his woman nods, the bribe will be successful.

Half of what he had to do on this visit was done, and the other half was left: to retrieve the notes that Lan Tianran suspected to have given him.

"Dad, are my old things still there?"

As soon as Xu Changming opened his mouth, Gao Peilan cut off the conversation coldly: "I threw it away a long time ago."

Xu Zan nodded, turned around and left, half a floor down, he could still hear Gao Peilan snorting coldly: "Smelly shameless, dare to come back!"

He almost rushed back: Who the hell is shameless!I want to smash your face!

But he held back.

The matter can be resolved peacefully.

——What Lan Tianran said.

After returning to the hotel, Xu Zan contacted his friend: Brother Liu, are you there?In a hurry.

Brother Liu's name is Liu Jin, the boss of Juxin Financial Management, with a net worth of tens of billions. When Xu Zan's rumors were flying all over the sky, someone once broke the news that Liu Jin and Xu Zan ate 30 yuan for a meal.

Liu Jin replied after a while: I'm here, you have been doing well recently, I saw the news on the Internet.

Xu Zan: (smiling) Just barely, when it comes to making money, I’m definitely not as good as you.

Brother Liu: Are you laughing at me?My hands are dusty, it's as clean as yours.

Xu Zan: If you wanted to wash your hands, you would have done so long ago.

Brother Liu: Well, people are in the rivers and lakes, and they can't help themselves.

He didn't want to say more, so he asked Xu Zan: You said something urgent?What's up?

Xu Zan: Do you know any reliable Nanfan people?I'm in Nantong now, and I need some local help.

Liu Jin is not from the south, but he has a wide range of friends and knows people from all corners of the country. He is very interested in his brothers, so his brothers are willing to sell his face.

When you need manpower, you can't go wrong asking him to borrow someone.

Brother Liu: What do you want to do?

Xu Zan: Don't do anything, I don't do illegal things, you know.

Brother Liu: You boy... wait a minute, let me ask.