The Pentium Era - South to North

Zhang Chen rubbed his face with both hands, stood up, and walked out of the door. He walked to the sink, put his head under the faucet, rinsed it with water, then raised his head and shook it, water droplets splashed everywhere, and he used his hand to He drained the water from his hair and wiped his face with his hands.

But my heart was still filled with panic.

He walked back to the office, closed the door, and turned on the light. He walked to the cabinet, opened the cabinet door, and took out the large stack of Chinatown design drafts from the cabinet. He put it on the table and sighed heavily. .

He sat down on the chair and smoked one cigarette after another. Through the smoke that lingered in front of his eyes, he stared at the large stack of manuscripts on the table.

He finished half a pack of cigarettes, reached out, balled up the cigarette shells, and threw them into the wastebasket.

He stood up, picked up the lighter and the pile of drawings on the table, walked outside the door, found an open space, and lit a piece of drawing. The man squatted beside it, adding one piece to another, and the fire became more and more intense. The more prosperous it became, the more he had to back away.

The old man guarding the door saw the fire here and walked over. When he got closer, he saw that Zhang Chen was burning, so he stepped back.

Zhang Chen added the last drawing to the fire. He stood up and stared at the fire in front of him. The doors, walls, stairs, water pavilions, water curtains, bright lights, and the wide underground Parking lot, the gate sweeping up like waves...

Everything curled up in the firelight, first bubbling and swelling, turning into light brown, then into fire, and finally into smoke and ashes.

The watercolor paint and ink made a slight beeping sound in the firelight.

Zhang Chen stood there and watched for a long time. Many people also stopped. At the gate and under the work shed, they all looked at Zhang Chen from a distance.

Zhang Chen waited until the last spark of fire was extinguished in the ashes. He looked up at the sky. A burst of light smoke mixed with paper ashes swirled up. He saw a few stars in the sky, and in the bright light of the city In the middle, like beans that have been soaked in water for a long time, there is a layer of white foam and rough edges, hanging weakly in the white night sky, as if ready to disappear at any time.

Such a night was just like that night when he was riding his motorcycle alone through the small flying insects like a hail of bullets. When he arrived at that place, he saw the light mist. They called it a wetland. Soon, the wetland also became It won’t get wet and will turn into a concrete road. Those fireflies who accompany me in the dark, where will they fly to?

Everything disappeared, Zhang Chen still felt chest tightness. At this time, how he wished Xiao Wu was here. He would let Xiao Wu wear boxing gloves and hit his face hard, once, twice...

Zhang Chen heard the noisy noise coming from far away in the practice hall. He wanted to walk over, but he stopped after taking a few steps. Yilin said he would not hit him, and Cao Guoqing did not dare to hit him. Ah Zheng is here and won't hit him.

They would just think that it was Zhang Chen's joke and forget it after laughing.

Zhang Chen walked back to the office, sat down, took out a pack of cigarettes from the drawer, opened them, and smoked one after another. He really wanted to find a place to lean on and let himself relax completely. I understand why Liu Ligan said he was going to sleep, even if the sky fell.

As a habit, he wanted to call Jin Lili, but he felt that the name was already unfamiliar. Even after the call was connected, he felt that he could not say a word.

Zhang Chen stood up and slung his backpack on his shoulders. He felt that the office was too suffocating and he couldn't stay for a minute.

He walked out of the office, went to the parking lot in front, and got on his motorcycle, but he didn't know where to go.

He rode his motorcycle, turned right after exiting the parking lot, and walked straight along Haixiu Road. When he reached the triangle area, Zhang Chen suddenly felt that he knew where to go. He rode faster and faster along Shengfu Road, The wind is hunting in my ears.

When he arrived at the door of the hotel, Zhang Chen parked his motorcycle and went up from the residential building. When he reached the second floor, Zhang Chen saw a light coming from under the door. Zhang Chen knocked on the door. After waiting for a while, he heard the sound coming from the door. , someone came over here, the door opened, and the person standing in the door was Xiao Ning. Zhang Chen was stunned for a moment. After not seeing him for a few months, he saw Xiao Ning with a big belly and a little swollen face.

When Xiao Ning saw Zhang Chen, she was stunned for a moment. She smiled and nodded towards Zhang Chen, turned around slowly, and called inside: "Xiao Zhao, someone is looking for you."

The door to Xiao Zhao's room opened, and Xiao Zhao stood at the door, stunned.

Xiao Ning said softly: "Come in, Mr. Zhang."

Zhang Chen walked in and walked straight towards Xiao Zhao. Xiao Ning smiled at Xiao Zhao and went back to her room.

Zhang Chen walked to Xiao Zhao, and Xiao Zhao subconsciously stepped aside. Zhang Chen walked into Xiao Zhao's room, and Xiao Zhao followed.

"Why are you here?" Xiao Zhao asked in surprise.

Zhang Chen smiled reluctantly and said, "I miss you."

Xiao Zhao blushed and looked a little flustered. She said softly: "You shouldn't be here."

"I don't care." Zhang Chen shook his head, "I must see you today."

Xiao Zhao nodded, then shook his head in panic: "I miss you too, but... oh, you really shouldn't be here."

"Why?" Zhang Chen asked.

Xiao Zhao bit her lip, looked at her watch, and when she raised her head again, her eyes were already red, and she said urgently: "You should leave quickly."

Zhang Chen shook his head.

Xiao Zhao took two steps closer and hugged Zhang Chen. When Zhang Chen reached out to hug her, Xiao Zhao quickly let go of Zhang Chen.

"Go quickly!" Xiao Zhao said again, looking at his watch at the same time.

Zhang Chen still shook his head.

Xiao Zhao was anxious, her eyes were full of panic, and she shouted softly: "He's coming back!"

Zhang Chen understood and asked, "You mean Mr. Fu? Will he come to your room?"

Xiao Zhao nodded and turned his head to the side, unable to bear to look at Zhang Chen anymore.

Xiao Ning ran into the room panting and shouted: "Hurry up, he has already arrived at the hotel below."

Zhang Chen was almost pushed out of the room by Xiao Ning and Xiao Zhao. Just when the door was about to close behind him, Zhang Chen heard someone knocking on the door near the hotel. Xiao Ning turned towards it. As he walked, he shouted loudly, "Come on, come on."

She used this voice to cover up the sound of Xiao Zhao closing the door here. The moment the door closed, Zhang Chen saw tears flashing in Xiao Zhao's eyes, with shame and despair intertwined.

Zhang Chen stood blankly in the darkness, trembling all over. He resisted not turning around and kicking the door open. He heard Mr. Fu's laughter and Xiao Ning's coquettish voice inside the door.

At this moment, Zhang Chen understood why Mr. Fu didn't let him come here for work meals again. It must be that Xiao Ning was pregnant with his child, and Xiao Zhao had replaced Xiao Ning, replaced Xiao Ning's tasks here, and also replaced Xiao Zhao. Ning accompanies him outside to socialize.

Zhang Chen stood in the darkness for a long time, and all that flashed in his mind was Xiao Zhao's panicked face.

A door opened upstairs and someone came downstairs. Zhang Chen quickly went downstairs.

Zhang Chen rode the bike very fast, passing every red light. Xiao Zhao's panicked face and her voice swayed in his mind, "Let's go!" and Mr. Fu's laughter. .

Zhang Chen's heart was full of resentment. He hated both Mr. Fu and himself. He hated his own cowardice and timidity. He hated himself for not having the courage to say "Come with me" when Xiao Zhao said, "Come with me." When Xiao Ning came in and said that Mr. Fu had arrived at the hotel below, he didn't have the courage to stand there, waiting for Mr. Fu to walk in.

He even hated himself for not having the courage to kick the door open when he was standing in the darkness outside, or even turn around and knock again.

He heard Mr. Fu's proud laughter, which must have been intimidating Xiao Zhao at this time.

Zhang Chen returned to Wenmingdong in despair. He opened and closed the door. There was silence inside the door. There was no light in the whole house. He didn't know whether Caizhen and Xiaolin had not returned or had fallen asleep.

Zhang Chen walked to the patio on the first floor and looked up. He saw that in this small patch of sky, the stars were like Xiao Zhao's helpless tears. He heard Mr. Fu laughing, and the stars were shining in Mr. Fu's eyes. The laughter burst out one by one.

Zhang Chen reached the second floor in despair, and stopped at his door. He stood there for a while. He didn't open the door, but turned and walked upstairs. He had a ferocious thought in his heart, Fu, you dare to touch me. Xiao Zhao, I want to touch...

The third floor was also pitch black. Although Zhang Chen hadn't been up there for a long time, he was still familiar with this place. He walked past the kitchen and dining room and past the peonies on the platform, whether they were red, white or yellow. They are still pink, they are all huge white in the dark night.

The door of the living room was closed, and Zhang Chen walked over. He walked to the door of Gu Shufang's bedroom and stopped. He stretched out his hand and pushed it. To Zhang Chen's surprise, the door opened.

Zhang Chen stood at the door. The light inside the door turned on. Zhang Chen saw Gu Shufang sitting on the bed and looking at him blankly.

Gu Shufang's voice was trembling, and tears of excitement flashed in her eyes: "You are finally... here."