A Certain Someone

Ten years ago, this courtyard was even more cramped than it is now.

The residential buildings outside the Indus have just been painted with new paint. At first glance, they are neat and beautiful, and the old houses in the corners are particularly dilapidated. Old man Ding is the most dilapidated one.

But at that time, he had not shrunk in size, and he was full of energy and strength.He will stack porcelain pots and pots in the corners of the eaves and walls to serve all kinds of flowers and plants. He also raises a raccoon cat named "Tuan Zhang" to keep mice from running around in the house.

"Leader" is the best cat Mr. Ding has ever brought. He is more humane than a dog, and he refers to where to fight.It was what tricked Jiang Tian into the house in the first place.

When he was five or six years old, Jiang Tian was as quiet as he was later, and always bored.But after all, he is still young, easy to attract attention, and easy to soften his heart. As long as the "head" lays on his feet, he will be fine.

The residents in this area outside Wutong have been neighbors for decades and know each other well.The old people don't have any entertainment, they just like to get together to chat and play chess.

Old man Ding didn't like to gossip, but he was addicted to playing chess for a while, and he heard everything about Grandma Jiang Tian's condition.He knew Jiang's family from the beginning, and liked Jiang Tian very much, so he almost regarded him as half of his grandson.

The old man often gave orders to the "head", and the "head" waited on the courtyard wall. When he saw Jiang Tian passing by, he would go down the mountain to touch porcelain.

Jiang Tian often walked, and suddenly the cat fell from his head.He had already slammed on the brakes, but the cat was still lying on his shoe, limp.

Old man Ding especially liked to watch that scene - the child was in shock and could not stay or leave, so he froze in place and confronted the cat.At this time, he would yell to make a rescue, and drag Jiang Tian into the yard by the way.

Sometimes it was wrapped wonton dumplings, sometimes simple porridge and side dishes, sometimes two fishes were steamed or some soup was stewed, and the old man tried his best to give Jiang Tian something to eat.

A child is thin-skinned and stubborn. When you ask him if he has eaten, he always nods and says in a low voice, "Yes."

When you ask him why he doesn't go home, he always says with a face that doesn't like to play: "Come out and play."

The old man's deepest impression was one evening, when he heard that the Jiang family's grandmother had recently been ignorant of anyone, and even the grandson would lock the door by mistake, and he saw Jiang Tian outside his courtyard wall.

He was very thin at that time, with long hands and long legs, and he could vaguely see the shadow of adolescence.He was carrying a schoolbag, and the key rope hanging around his neck was wrapped around his fingers several times, and it was tangled.It looked like it had been removed, but it didn't come in handy.

Old man Ding patted him on the shoulder, bent down and asked him, "Have you eaten yet?"

He showed some hesitation for the first time, but finally nodded and said, "I've eaten."

When the lights in the alley are first turned on at night, the smell of food is wafting from every house, which is the time when the smell of fireworks is the strongest in the world.

But he stood outside someone else's courtyard wall and said, "Grandpa, can I watch cats?"

Old man Ding was in a daze for a while, then stroked the raised edge of the album and said, "You know Xiaotian's character, it's very difficult for him to ask for something, since he was a child."

"He told me he wanted to see cats, and that meant he really had nowhere else to go."

The noon sun is supposed to be dazzling, but when it falls on this courtyard, only the few meters under the patio are there, and the rest is gray and gloomy.

This is the most inconspicuous corner outside Wutong, the only place Jiang Tian is willing to get close to now, and the only place where he will stay for a long time.

Sheng Wang suddenly felt very sad.

It was the first time he'd been in a mood bordering on loneliness entirely because of something another person had been through.

The person in the photo stays in that moment, ignorant of everything outside the photo.Sheng Wang looked at him silently for a long time, and said, "Aunt Jiang is very nice and gentle, I thought..."

"Have you met Xiao Jiang?" Old Man Ding asked.

Sheng Wang was speechless for a long time, and said, "Aunt Jiang is with my father. In fact, Jiang Tian and I are not just classmates, we are living together now."

"Oh oh oh." Old man Ding suddenly realized, and muttered again: "I said, Xiao Tian is not very good at bringing outsiders here. No wonder, no wonder. Then you two are brothers?"

For a moment, Sheng Wang felt that the word "brother" sounded a bit awkward.It's strange, obviously even he himself told Jiang Tian before that he once wanted a brother.

But I really can't find any other description.

He hesitated for two seconds, nodded and said, "That's right."

After finishing speaking, he added another sentence: "It's pretty close anyway."

Old man Ding laughed.He usually has a tiger face, frowning brows and eagle eyes, with a seven-pointed fierce look, but as long as he smiles, his kindness is revealed, and he even looks like an old urchin.

He said, "Who's older between you and Xiao Tim?"

"Him, my birthday is in December." Sheng Wang said.

"Oh, he's old." Old man Ding said, "Then you have to call him brother, why haven't I heard you call him before?"

Sheng Wang: "..."

The old man pulled his face down and feigned displeasure.

Sheng Wang coaxed: "Next time, I will definitely remember to call next time."

Old Man Ding: "You kids just like to lie."

Sheng Wang: "..."

The old man teased a few words, and fell into the memory again.He thought for a while and said, "It's great that Xiaojiang can change to someone else. That girl is also the one I watched growing up. She worked hard in school and was very strong. When she was in her twenties, she was very hot, but when she got older, she sank down. It seems that he has no temper, and it is also consumed by family affairs."

"Her father used to be a gambler and owed a lot of debts. Her mother was a teacher, so she couldn't afford so much. It was because Xiao Jiang started a business and slowly filled the hole. Later, her mother had a disease in her brain. The health is not good, the treatment costs money, and the child also costs money, how can she stop?"

"She felt very guilty towards Xiao Tian, ​​and she came to pick up the child twice, her eyes were swollen like walnuts, and she was crying." Old man Ding said twice, "I haven't seen her cry like that in the past twenty years. At that time, she actually developed better than Ji Huanyu, but Ji Huanyu is a thoughtful person who saves face."

He poked at the boy who resembled Jiang Tian in the photo album and said: "He was also suffering when he was a child. He had no parents. Later... Later, he was picked up with a few children and raised in a yard."

"Orphanage?" Sheng Wang asked.

"It's not that formal." Old Man Ding shook his head. "It's like picking up kittens and puppies. They look pitiful, give them food, and take care of them. His name was given at that time, and the person who picked him up Last name. After a few years, it was banned because it was not formal, and the children were all separated, only Ji Huanyu remained in this area."

"He was about to go to junior high school at that time, and he lived in the school all the time. He didn't know how to get together with Xiao Jiang in high school, and then he got married after graduating from university. He was often bullied when he was a child, and he always wanted to be famous. Province, go abroad, have to do big things, so I am not willing to take care of children at home."

"Anyway, they had quarreled several times over Xiaotian's matter, but they didn't make a name for themselves." Old man Ding said, "For a while, Ji Huanyu changed his mind and stopped letting Xiaotian run around, and took the initiative to come outside Wutong I lived with Xiaotian for a year, at that time Xiaotian hadn't graduated from elementary school, and Jiang's grandma had just passed away, so my father and I lived here."

"It was pretty good at the beginning, at least Xiao Tian won't be unable to enter the door, but later on." Old man Ding said: "How can that thing Ji Huanyu take care of people, Xiao Tian started running to me again. Once I saw a piece of scalding on the back of Xiaotian's neck. He lived with me for two days and had a fever and vomited. Later, he was picked up by Xiaojiang. Not long after that, I heard that Xiaojiang Just divorced Ji Huanyu."

Sheng Wang remembered the scar on Jiang Tian's back neck, frowned and asked, "It can't be Ji...his father burned it?"

"I asked at the time, and Xiao Tian said no, he doesn't seem to be the one with a stubborn mouth, I can tell he's stubborn." Old man Ding said, "Although Ji Huanyu is not a good person, he is really not very good at it. Do something like this."

"How did you get that out?" Sheng Wang was puzzled.

"I don't know." The old man shook his head and said, "Xiao Tian is very stubborn and tired of talking. If he doesn't talk, no one will know. I don't dare to mention it. If I mention it, he is in a bad mood. He has a hard time and is happy It's rare, how can I make him unhappy."

The old man likes to babble, talk about the old things in a messy way, and they are a little confused.But Shengwang still got a glimpse of Jiang Tian's childhood from these things.

He finally understood why the relationship between Jiang Tian and his mother was so weird, because there was no sense of belonging.He can understand Jiang Ou's suffering and guilt, so he always protects her, but he can't regard Jiang Ou's place as a writer.

It seemed that they were equally unhappy, Sheng Mingyang was only worried about whether Shengwang would ignore him, but Jiang Ou was worried about whether Jiang Tian would leave.

Because he is always leaving.

Sheng Wang suspects that for Jiang Tian, ​​neither his former residence nor the courtyard of Baima Lane may have the same sense of belonging as the school dormitory.At least in the dormitory, he can clearly know how many years he can live in, and how long it will take to unpack the luggage before collecting it.

Someone rode an old-fashioned bicycle slowly past outside the courtyard, and rang a bell when they turned into the alley.

Sheng Wang finally came to his senses and stood up straight.

The phone in his pocket vibrated suddenly, and he took it out to see that someone had added him as a WeChat friend through the class group, and the verification message said "Li Yu".

Sheng Wang clicked to accept, and the other party immediately played the message.

Colorful Koi: Sheng Wang, where have you been?A teacher came to check the discipline of the lunch break. I am on duty today.

There are regulations on the lunch break in the attached middle school, and students are not allowed to enter and leave the classroom at will.There are teachers patrolling every now and then, and disciplinary points will be deducted if they are caught.

It was only then that Sheng Wang remembered that his lunch break was almost over, and he had already slipped out for half an hour.

Sticker: I'm sorry, monitor, I'll be back in a while.

Colorful koi: Hurry up

Colorful Koi: I said you are not feeling well and went to the infirmary to get medicine, don’t wear it

sticker: thanks

Sheng Wang was going to put away his phone, but then he remembered something.

He asked: Class monitor, can I still apply for school dormitory?

Colorful koi: ...

Sticker: folded hands

Sticker: I know this is a bit of a joke

Colorful Koi: Also... OK...

Colorful Koi: But the room may have to be the last

Sticker: OK

Sticker: Thank you

He greeted old man Ding and hurried to the school.He stepped out of the door, then stepped back and asked, "Grandpa, where is the cat called the head?"

"Not here anymore." Old man Ding said, "The old cat is gone."

Sheng Wang lowered his eyes and nodded.

He threw the phone back into his pocket and ran all the way to the school.

Coincidentally, when I passed Duxing Building, I saw a familiar figure from the back.Jiang Tian just came out of the computer room and was walking in the direction of Mingli Building.

A stray cat ran across the flowers in front of Duxing Building, and jumped onto the window sill twice.Jiang Tian stopped for a moment, then looked up at the wild cat.

At that moment, Sheng Wang seemed to see the innocent boy in the old photo outside the parasol ten years ago, and suddenly became clear through time.

It's just that the cat that only touches porcelain to keep him is long gone.

Sheng Wang stopped for a moment, then quickened his pace and ran towards Jiang Tian.

The school that day was as peaceful as ever, the bell for the end of the lunch break had not yet rang, and even the birds were curled up in the shade of the trees and drowsy.The person rushing over from behind is the only living existence in this silence——

Jiang Tian felt that someone was hooking his neck, and both of them staggered a few steps due to inertia.He turned his head in surprise, and saw Sheng Wang's energetic smile.

He heard the other party say: "Jiang Tian, ​​let's live on campus together."

【Ome】