"Sir, we're here."
The taxi slowly stopped on the side of the road, and the driver reminded him.
"Huh? Oh, thank you! How much is it? "
Zhang Zian suddenly came back to his senses.
He noticed that he was sitting in an ordinary taxi. In the back seat, there was a faint smell of cigarettes coming from the driver's seat, and he was looking at him through the rearview mirror.
He must have been working at the desk for a few consecutive nights, and he was a little tired. So when he was dazed, it seemed like a long time had passed, so the process of sitting on the train only left a vague impression. It was like a montage technique in a movie, and when he came back to his senses, he was already here.
He couldn't help it. At the beginning, he might have been possessed and listened to the boss's nonsense. With the passion and dreams that every young person had, he joined a start-up company. As a result, after entering the company, he found that the so-called start-up company was a place where women were used by men, and men were used by animals. They got up earlier than chickens and slept later than dogs. The workload was very heavy every day, but the money they earned was very little. Maintaining their enthusiasm for work depended on the illusory options that might have real value …
Many colleagues who joined the company at the same time as him couldn't stand this kind of life and had left. He thought that since he was still young and didn't have a girlfriend, he might as well fight for it. Maybe one day the company would become bigger and stronger, and then he could achieve wealth freedom.
He used his mobile phone to scan the two-dimensional payment code that the driver handed over, thanked the driver again, and asked the driver to open the trunk. Then he got out of the car and took out his suitcase.
The taxi went away.
That's right.
It's here.
Zhonghua Road.
Amazing Fate Pet Shop.
He looked up at the sign of the pet shop, and then glanced around a few times to confirm that it was here.
Then he chuckled again. How could it be wrong? Binhai City was not a particularly big city, and taxi drivers generally wouldn't take him to the wrong place.
Many shops had promotional billboards in front of them, intending to use the Golden Week to boost sales. Even his pet shop had a sign that said "Golden Week Pet Bath Discount".
Thinking that tomorrow would be a long seven-day holiday, although four of the days were exchanged, and the wool still came from the sheep, men and women on the street were relaxed and comfortable. They either went home to reunite with their families, or dragged their suitcases like him, and used the long vacation to travel.
Crash.
The door of the shop next to the pet shop with the sign "Zhonghua Road Shoe Shop" was pushed open, and Grandma Gu said, "Little Tao, I don't want to criticize you, but you can't always default on the sanitation and management fees. Other shops have paid, but you are always delaying. Aren't you making it difficult for me?"
Xie Tao, who was a few years older than Zhang Zian, nodded and bowed as he saw Grandma Gu out. "Okay, okay, I won't be late next time. Grandma Gu, take care …"
Tao, Little Tao, you are back? "
"Yes, I'm back." Zhang Zian smiled. "Grandma Gu, Brother Tao, how are you?
Let's not talk about this anymore. I still have to go to the other shops to ask for payment. You've been on the train for a long time, you must be tired. Go home and rest. "
"Take care, Grandma Gu …"
Zhang Zian watched Grandma Gu turn to leave, and his shoulder was intimately hugged by Xie Tao.
"Hey, Little Tao, we haven't seen each other for a long time. Now that we are back, we must have a good get-together! Let's go out for a few drinks one night. That's a promise! "
The two shops were next to each other, and the two grew up together. Although they grew up to study and work separately, the foundation of their relationship was still there.
"Okay, but I can't drink much." Zhang Zian smiled and nodded.
Xie Tao suddenly lowered his voice and said with a satisfied smile, "By the way, we're brothers. Let me tell you a piece of good news. Apart from my family, you're the first person to know that I have a girlfriend, and we're already talking about marriage."
"Really? Congratulations! Remember to let me know when you are attending the wedding banquet! "Zhang Zian was sincerely happy for his good brother.
"You can't miss it!" Xie Tao gently punched his chest with his fist. "You also have to hurry up! Your sister-in-law and I are also waiting to attend your wedding banquet! "
"We haven't even started yet …" Zhang Zian helplessly laughed at himself.
His gaze passed Xie Tao's body and fell on the sign of the shoe shop. He asked, "How's business recently?"
"So-so … It's not like you don't know that I'm not cut out for business since I was a child." Xie Tao obviously did not want to talk about this topic. He took out his phone and looked at the time. "I'll go first. You should hurry home."
It was not that Zhang Zian wanted to deliberately spoil the mood. He sincerely asked for his good brother's sake. Since they were at the point of marriage, it must be a time when they needed money.
But Xie Tao's mind had already drifted away. His mind was full of the joy of the upcoming wedding.
Looking at Xie Tao's back, Zhang Zian sighed slightly. A man in love …
His hometown accent, the feelings of his hometown … The uncertainty in his heart finally disappeared. This was indeed Binhai City. How could he be wrong?
He pulled his suitcase and walked a few steps toward the door. Suddenly, he seemed to have caught something from the corner of his eye.
Butterfly.
A butterfly that looked like it had just drilled out of a chrysalis suddenly flapped its wings and shakily took off from the door of a shop next to him.
It was looking forward to the sky. Even if it was blown by the chaotic airflow above the roof, it still tried to fly into the sky.
With respect for life, he chased after the butterfly with his eyes.
Tomorrow was the 11th. This might be the last wave of butterflies to emerge in the local area this year … It was not easy to break out of the chrysalis before the weather became colder. What a tenacious life force.
His heart was filled with warmth, and he could not help but smile.
Walking to the door of the pet shop, he saw the familiar figures of his parents through the glass. His father was packing things, and his mother was standing next to the cashier talking to a customer.
The kittens and puppies were kept in the display cabinets. There was also a row of iron cages hanging on the wall with a few common parrots in them.
There was also an oblate fish tank opposite the cashier. A pair of red grass goldfinches were chasing and playing among the water plants. The shop did not sell fish. The pair of red grass goldfinches was just for luck.
There was no computer at the cashier because his parents did not know how to operate a computer. They were used to keeping accounts with paper and pens. They did not want to spend extra money to hire people, so there were only two payment codes for WeChat and Alipay.
Through the glass door, he suddenly hesitated. There was an inexplicable feeling in his heart, as if he was watching other people's lives through a screen.
His mother, who was talking to a customer, turned her eyes and saw him standing outside the door. She waved at him in surprise and asked him to come in quickly.
His hesitation was instantly defeated. As if he could not resist, he subconsciously pushed the door and went in.
"You're back? Tired from the car ride, right? Go upstairs and rest for a while. " His mother smiled and looked at him up and down. It was not a professional smile for customers, but it was not convenient to talk too much because the customer was next to them.
"Go upstairs. I will cook in a while." His father held a small shovel for cleaning pet feces in his hand. He straightened up and massaged his waist.
He could clearly see the white hair on his mother's temples and her overworked hands, the wrinkles on his father's forehead and white stubble, and their very familiar voice and happy eyes …
It was so real, so … nostalgic.
"I'm … not tired."
He pushed the suitcase to the corner, rolled up his sleeves, and wanted to take the small shovel. "Let me do it."
"No, no, go upstairs and rest!" His father waved his hand and hid the small shovel behind him.
"I'm really not tired …" he argued.
"Even if you're not tired, go to the side and rest. You don't know how to do it. You'll only make things worse if you help." His father pushed him to the recliner without any explanation.
He couldn't persuade his father, so he had to sit obediently. Since he was a child, his parents had never let him intervene in the daily affairs of the pet shop. They only asked him to concentrate on his studies.
However, he felt uncomfortable sitting in the chair. Maybe it was because the two old people were busy, but he, a young man, was sitting like a big boss and watching a show.
His eyes glanced at the cat tree, which was empty. Usually, the cats in the display cabinets were released after the business hours to let them move around.
He didn't know what he was expecting to see on the cat tree.
The side of the recliner was also very empty. If there was a dog lying on it, it would be better if it was a big dog, just like in the old American Western movies, where the cowboy with a knife and a knife went wandering around the world with an old dog after he retired.
"Next news …"
The TV was on, playing the local news, and the sound was relatively low. When there were no customers, his parents didn't have much to talk about, so they turned on the TV to relieve boredom.
He got up and walked to the TV, watching the news a few times, but he didn't stand in front of the TV, as if he was used to leaving the front of the TV for others to see.
"Then I'll go upstairs first."
Since he couldn't help downstairs, he might as well put his luggage away, and then help with the cooking.
He picked up the suitcase and went to the second floor.
The second floor was quiet, and the cats and dogs barking from the first floor seemed to be far away.
Anyway, he was only staying at home for seven days, so he didn't bring back too many things. He put the change of clothes in the closet in his bedroom, put the laptop on the desk in the living room, and opened the lid so that the computer could be turned on with a press of the switch.
But was it necessary to do this? He thought for a moment, then closed the lid.
Bang.
The wind started to blow.
The open window was rattling in the wind.
He closed the window, but he didn't lock it tightly at first. That way, if someone was locked outside, they could open the window by pulling from the outside.
He couldn't help but laugh, and then he realized — who else could come in through the window other than a thief?
It was getting dark soon. To prevent forgetting to lock the window at night, it was better to lock it tightly now.
After packing, he wanted to wash his face. He walked to the bathroom door and raised his hand to knock, but then he thought about it. His parents were downstairs, and there couldn't be anyone in the bathroom. So he pushed the door open, and his eyes subconsciously looked at the bathtub.
The bathtub was too troublesome to clean, and he didn't usually use it. At this time, there were some things in it, and there was not a drop of water.
After washing his face, he returned to the living room, pulled out a chair, and sat down, scanning the whole second floor.
He felt like … he had lost something very precious, but he couldn't remember what it was.
There seemed to be a piece of emptiness in his heart.
The dinner was very sumptuous, too sumptuous for a family of three, and they couldn't finish it at all. His parents kept urging him to eat more.
"Mom, our second floor … Has it been changed?" He took a bite of rice and asked vaguely.
"Changed?"
His parents looked at each other and shook their heads at the same time. "No, what do you mean?"
"Nothing, I'm just asking."
He stuffed the rest of the rice into his mouth. "I'll do the dishes."
After dinner, his parents sat on the sofa on the second floor, watching TV.
He cleaned the dishes, dried his hands, and sat on the sofa.
His mother moved next to him, and with a face full of expectation, she gave him a note.
"This is?"
There was a phone number on the note.
"It's the girl that Auntie Liu introduced to you. Add her as a friend, and it's best if you can meet her directly," his mother said. As if she was afraid that he would be unhappy, she added, "Don't feel pressured. Just take it as going out and making friends … I heard that this girl comes from a very good family, and she has always had high standards. If it doesn't work out, it's okay, we can find someone else."
Zhang Zian was mentally prepared before he came home, so he didn't say much. He nodded, took the note, and added her as a friend.
He sent the friend request, and after a while, the other party accepted it.
He first looked at her profile picture and WeChat Moments. They were all pictures of scenery, and he couldn't see any details about her life. Then he tried to type: Hello, I was introduced by Auntie Liu. I don't know if Auntie Liu has mentioned it to you?
The other party's reply came quickly: Let's meet at 10 o 'clock tomorrow morning at the Teahouse in Hidden Fog Mountain. How about that?
Zhang Zian was speechless.
To be fair, this girl gave him a good first impression. She was very straightforward, and she didn't hesitate. She let the man decide everything, and when the man made the decision, she was secretly dissatisfied …
But what was going on with this Teahouse in Hidden Fog Mountain? When did a teahouse open at the top of Hidden Fog Mountain? It wasn't there the last time he came home.
Forget it. Tomorrow was the 11th. The city was full of people, and people had to line up to go to any restaurant. There might not be that many people in the suburbs of Hidden Fog Mountain.
So he replied: Okay, see you tomorrow.
The other party didn't speak again.
He put down his phone.
"How is it?" His mother pretended to be watching TV, but in fact, she was peeping at his face.
"Let's meet at 10 o 'clock tomorrow morning," he replied.
"Good! That's great! Sleep more tomorrow morning. I'll wake you up. "His mother happily peeled an apple.
His father didn't say anything. He just picked up the teacup and took a sip.
The family of three sat on the sofa, watching a boring variety show. From time to time, they burst into laughter.
He even laughed until tears came out of his eyes.
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