slowly

During dinner, Zheng Qiudai hesitated to speak several times.

This is very unusual. Ever since she suffered from depression, her mood has been at a low ebb. She sits in a trance from morning to night, almost numb to external stimuli. If it is not for others to ask questions, she can be silent for eternity.

Ning Zhi was a little flustered, and asked tentatively, "Mom, what's wrong with you?"

"It's okay." Zheng Qiudai shook his head, and after a moment of silence, he suddenly said, "Jiang Chan's father came home today."

"Jiang Qiping?" Ning Zhi was puzzled, "What is he doing here?"

"He said he had a garden in Nanshan and invited me to live there for a while."

"He he he—"

"Don't worry," Zheng Qiudai patted the back of his hand to comfort him, "He didn't intend to separate you and Jiang Chan."

Ning Zhi blushed and was so embarrassed that he didn't know what to say. Zheng Qiudai smiled slightly: "I guessed it, it's nothing, Mom is thinking about it. This is your life, your choice, as long as you don't regret it."

"Thank you Mom." Her understanding was within Ning Zhi's expectations, and she only hoped that she really thought so, instead of crying in secret. Ning Zhi asked, "Then what did you and Mr. Jiang talk about?"

"Talked a lot. In the past, I only saw that he had a successful career, but today I know that he is also a hard-working person. Do you know that his wife died because of dystocia? It has been more than 20 years."

"Of course I know." Thinking of this, Ning Zhi couldn't help crying out for Jiang Chan, "What name did he give Jiang Chan, isn't the meaning obvious enough? He just hates Jiang Chan."

Zheng Qiudai looked over in surprise: "You think so?"

Ning Zhi was stunned for a moment: "Isn't it?"

"How could it be?" Zheng Qiudai smiled, and that smile seemed to say, you children are just ignorant, "He didn't blame Jiang Chan, he chose this name to blame himself."

Ning Zhi's heart was ups and downs, and it was difficult to calm down. When he returned to the bedroom, he called Jiang Qiping. .”

Ning Zhi was a little flustered, and said straight to the point: "Well, my mother said, you invite her to live in Xiyuan for a while."

"Yes, Xiao Ning, I went to see Teacher Zheng today and found that she is in a very bad condition and may have signs of self-harm."

"What?" Ning Zhi's eyes went dark, and he slammed on the door of the wardrobe: "When?"

"Don't worry, it's not serious." Jiang Qiping comforted Ning Zhi a few words, but his tone was unquestionable, "Xiao Ning, let Teacher Zheng come to live in Xiyuan. I dare say that all the nursing homes in Lujiang City have no environment. I am fine here. I will ask a doctor to see her and try to get her to take medicine, and she will be fine."

Ning Zhi hesitated: "But——"

"She is very lonely. You have to go to work every day, and you don't have much time to spend with her. Besides, you live in an old house with memories everywhere. Thinking about the past will make you sad, which is not conducive to her recovery."

Jiang Qiping said in a deep voice, "Ning Zhi, I'm from here, you trust me. I was also in pain at the beginning, but I finally came out, and I will help Teacher Zheng."

He is indeed a warm-hearted, considerate and generous elder, and Ning Zhi felt ashamed of his previous misunderstanding.

"But, Mr. Jiang, I am too much trouble for you."

"Don't say that, I also have selfish intentions. When Teacher Zheng moves here, you can live with Jiang Chan, and come back to Xiyuan to visit us on Saturdays and Sundays."

"Cough," Ning Zhi's skin burned, and he explained, "Uncle, we haven't reached that point yet."

Jiang Qiping laughed heartily: "Yes, I am optimistic about you."

A few days later, Zheng Qiudai packed a few suitcases and moved to Xiyuan for a temporary stay.On the day of leaving, Jiang Qiping came to pick her up in person, and the two of them talked in the yard with a natural and familiar expression, like a pair of old friends.The vegetable garden of the old house was neglected, and many fruits and melons were rotten in the soil. They were not too dirty, squatting on the ground to pick vegetables, and there were a few chirping birds beside them.

Looking at their backs, Ning Zhi dispelled the last trace of doubt. After sending Zheng Qiudai to the car, he said to Jiang Qiping, "Uncle, I'll leave it to you."

"Don't worry," Jiang Qiping pinched his shoulder, "come to Xiyuan as a guest."

Ning Zhi nodded, watched the car leave, and then left for Tan Guangsheng's appointment.On the way, he sent Jiang Chan a photo. In the photo was a bouquet of pink roses with baby's breath. It was so delicate and fragrant.Ning Zhi said happily: "Thank you for the flowers, but don't send them to the company anymore, it's a bit embarrassing."

Tan Guangsheng ordered a Japanese restaurant.When Ning Zhi arrived at the place, he suddenly felt withdrawn, and was about to leave when Tan Guangsheng saw him and chased after him calling his name.

The two sat down in the private room, and the surroundings were quiet. Ning Zhi stared at the sake on the table boredly, and asked, "Why did you come to me?"

Tan Guangsheng smiled kindly: "I just want to meet and chat with you."

"What is there to talk about between us?"

"Don't be like this, Ning Zhi, we were... obviously very good back then. Let's eat something first, and talk while eating."

Ning Zhi frowned and scanned the sashimi on the table: "I don't like Japanese materials."

Tan Guangsheng was not discouraged, and sincerely apologized: "I'm sorry, I didn't think carefully, should I switch to another one? I see there are..."

"No need." Ning Zhi ate a piece of sushi symbolically. While chewing, Tan Guangsheng's gaze kept on him, focused and delighted, which made Ning Zhi feel awkward.

He drank another glass of sake: "What's the matter, you can talk about it now, don't play tricks anymore."

Tan Guangsheng showed a hurt expression, he soon cheered up, and asked with a smile, "Do you still like the flowers I gave you?"

Ning Zhi shuddered, and an electric current ran along his back to the top of his head. He felt that his hair must have exploded, and the roots stood upright. "You sent it?"

"Well," Tan Guangsheng met his sluggish face, and expressed his intentions in one go: "I want to pursue you."

There was a dead silence in the room.In the silence, the air became colder and colder and quickly condensed into ice. Although Tan Guangsheng was mentally prepared, Ning Zhi's eyes mixed with shock and disgust still made him gradually lose his courage. He said again: "Ning Zhi, I like it." You, please give me a chance, okay?"

Ning Zhi poured himself a glass of wine, raised his head to drink it up, and placed the glass heavily on the table. With a "pop", the ice crystals in the air suddenly shattered, and fine cold rain fell on the shoulders of the two of them. With a sarcastic smile: "We haven't seen each other for four years, you say you like me?"

Tan Guangsheng leaned towards the opposite side, his eyes behind the lenses were moist and eager: "I know you don't believe me, but I have never forgotten you these few years. I came to work in Lujiang just to find you."

All of this is so ridiculous, Ning Zhi seemed to have a flame burning in his heart, he asked: "Aren't you fucking straight? Back then—"

He couldn't breathe, and opened his mouth to relieve the lack of air in his lungs. After a short pause, he felt that there was no need to mention it.

Tan Guangsheng shyly avoided his gaze, raised his head after a while, and looked directly at Ning Zhi: "Actually, I have always envied you, especially when you were in college, you were so brave, you were not afraid of gossip, and you never let go of your sexuality because of your sexual orientation. And embarrassing. But I dare not face my true desires, deceive myself and call myself heterosexual, and I didn't accept this fact until last year.

"You are the first person who clearly awakened my impulse. The day you confessed to me was the happiest moment in my four years in college."

He confessed and repented to Ning Zhi, peeled off his sincerity layer by layer, and begged for forgiveness and love, but Ning Zhi stood on the other side, separated from him by a turbulent and wide river, not moved, only sad.

He said: "I didn't confess to you. I lost the truth or dare. I sent you a message as soon as I left the dormitory, right?"

Tan Guangsheng couldn't deny it, and after a long time, he nodded slightly.

"At that time, there were only two of us in the dormitory. When I confessed my love to you, I even held up my mobile phone to let you know that I was making a voice call with Wen Xiao, right?"

Tan Guangsheng took off his glasses and blinked vigorously: "Yes."

"Although I said I like you, the expression on my face is obviously a joke, isn't it?"

Tan Guangsheng's Adam's apple trembled, he took a sip from the wine glass, and said, "Ning Zhi, that's over, I've come out to my family now..."

"It's over?" Ning Zhi raised his chin, his eyes full of contempt, "You know that I lost the game by confessing to you, why do you still spread rumors? Why do you tell others that I kissed you, sexually harassed you, and woke up in the middle of the night Sneaking at you?"

Tan Guangsheng blushed, and retorted without confidence: "I didn't say that."

"At that time, there were only the two of us in the dormitory!"

Ning Zhi couldn't bear it anymore, he had decided to forget about these things, but the flame in his chest lost control and burned through a long-standing door, endless grievances rolled in like thunder.

"I'm sorry, Ning Zhi, I was too naive," Tan Guangsheng panicked and apologized incoherently. He wanted to shake Ning Zhi's hand, but Ning Zhi threw it away.

"It's all my fault. In fact, I had feelings for you a long time ago, but I didn't dare to admit it. After you confessed to me, I was very happy. I was afraid that you would like someone else, so I spread the matter, thinking In this way, you will belong to me, I'm sorry, I didn't expect those unbearable rumors to arise later, that was not my original intention..."

"I almost got punished. The boys in the whole building avoided me. It's better for you, just say 'not my intention'." Ning Zhi looked at Tan Guangsheng indifferently. He thought that they would never confront each other, but really What happened, he was actually calmer than expected, and even felt a little bored.

Maybe it's because he is doing well now, his colleagues in the company are friendly, his mother is reasonable, and Jiang Chan is so good that he feels that he is not good enough.

"If my confession makes you realize that you are gay, I am very honored. I hope you will not harm innocent girls in the future." Ning Zhi stood up, took a few 100 yuan from his wallet and put them on the table, "Don't Come find me again."

"Ning Zhi!" Tan Guangsheng chased after him eagerly, "Did you really never like me?"

Ning Zhi stopped in front of the screen, thought about it seriously, and smiled: "No, but I once regarded you as a friend."