Ten years ago, the yard was even cramped than it is now.
The residential building outside the phoenix tree has just been painted. At first glance, it looks neat and beautiful. The old houses in the corners are particularly dilapidated. Old man Ding is the most dilapidated one.
But at that time he hadn't shrunk in size yet, he was full of energy and strong. He will stack porcelain pots and pots in the corners of the eaves and walls, and serve all kinds of flowers and plants. He also raises a raccoon cat named "Tuan Zhang" to prevent mice from running around in the house.
"The head of the regiment" is the best cat that old man Ding has ever brought. He is more human than a dog. He can fight wherever he wants. It was this that tricked Jiang Tian into entering the house at first.
When he was five or six years old, Jiang Tian was as reticent to talk as he was later, and was always bored. But after all, he is still young, easy to attract attention, and easy to be soft-hearted. As long as the "head of the regiment" lays on his feet, he will be fine.
The residents in this area outside Wutong have been neighbors for decades, and they know each other well. The old people don't have any entertainment, they like to chat and play chess together, and the parents are all in these after-hours.
Old man Ding didn't like to gossip, but he was addicted to playing chess for a while, and he listened to the development of Jiang Tian's grandmother's condition completely. He knew the Jiang family and liked Jiang Tian very much. He almost regarded him as a half-grandson.
The old man often gave orders to the "head of the regiment", and the "head of the regiment" would lie on the courtyard wall and wait. As soon as he saw Jiang Tian passing by, he would go down the mountain to touch the porcelain.
Jiang Tian often walked, and suddenly the cat fell from the top of his head. He had already braked suddenly, but the cat still fell straight on his shoe, soft.
Old man Ding especially liked to watch that scene - the child was in shock, either leaving or staying, so he had to stand still and confront the cat. At this time, he would shout to make a clearance, and pull Jiang Tian into the yard by the way.
Sometimes it was wrapped wonton dumplings, sometimes it was a simple side dish of clear porridge, sometimes two fish were steamed or some soup was stewed.
The child is thin-skinned and stubborn. When you ask him if he has eaten, he will always nod his head and say, "I have."
When you ask him why he doesn't go home, he always puts on a non-playful face and says, "Come out and play."
What impressed the old man most was one evening when he heard that Jiang's grandmother didn't recognize anyone recently, and even his grandson would lock the door by mistake, and he saw Jiang Tian just outside the wall of his own courtyard.
At that time, he was very thin, with long hands and long legs, and he could vaguely see the shadow of his youth. He was carrying his schoolbag, and the key rope hanging around his neck was wrapped around his fingers several times, tangled in a tangle. At first glance, it was taken down, but it didn't come in handy.
The old man Ding patted his shoulder, bent over and asked him, "Have you eaten yet?"
He hesitated for the first time, but finally nodded and said, "Eat."
In the alley, the lights are on at the beginning of the night, and the smell of food is wafting from each house. It is the time of the day when the smell of fireworks is the strongest.
But he stood outside someone else's courtyard wall and said, "Grandpa, can I see cats?"
The old man Ding was in a trance for a while, and then he rubbed the edge of the album and said, "You know Xiao Tian's character. It's very difficult for him to take the initiative to order something. It's been like this since he was a child."
"He told me he wanted to see cats, and that was because he really had nowhere to go."
The noon sun should be dazzling, but when it falls in this yard, only the few meters square under the patio, the rest is gray.
This is the most inconspicuous corner outside Wutong, the only place Jiang Tian wants to get close to now, and the only place where he would stay for a long time.
Sheng Wang suddenly felt very sad.
It was the first time he had fallen into a feeling that bordered on loneliness entirely because of what had happened to another person.
The person in the photo stays in that moment of time, ignorant of everything outside the photo. Sheng Wang looked at him silent for a long time and said, "Aunt Jiang is very nice and gentle, I thought..."
"Have you seen Xiao Jiang?" Old Man Ding asked.
Sheng Wang was dumbfounded for a long time and said, "Aunt Jiang is with my father. In fact, Jiang Tian and I are not just classmates. Our two families live together now."
"Oh oh oh." The 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 the two of you are brothers?"
For a moment, Sheng Wang felt that the word "brother" sounded a little awkward. It's very strange, even he himself told Jiang Tian before that he once wanted a brother.
But there is really no other way to describe it.
He hesitated for two seconds, then nodded and said, "That's right."
After speaking, he added another sentence: "Anyway, it's very close."
Old Man Ding laughed. He usually looks like a tiger with eagle eyes and falcon eyes, with a seven-point fierce look, but as long as he smiles, his kindness is revealed, even a little old urchin.
He said, "Who are you and Xiao Tian?"
"Hey, it's my birthday in December." Sheng Wang said.
"Oh, his age." The 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 lowered his face and pretended to be unhappy.
Sheng Wang coaxed: "Next time, you must remember to call next time."
Old Man Ding: "You kids like to lie."
Sheng Wang: "… "
The old man teased a few words and fell back into his memory. He thought for a while and said, "It's good for Xiaojiang to change to another family. That girl is the one I grew up with. She worked very hard in school and was very strong. When she was in her twenties, it was hot and hot, but then she sank as she got older. It doesn't seem to have any temper, and it is also consumed by family affairs."
"Her father used to gamble and owed a lot of debts. Her mother was a teacher, so how could she afford to pay so much. Later, Xiaojiang started a business and slowly filled the holes. Later, her mother got sick in her brain, Her health is not good, it costs money to treat a disease, and a child needs money to support her, so how can she stop?"
"She feels a lot of guilt for Xiao Tian. She came to pick up the child twice, her eyes were swollen like walnuts, and she cried." Old Ding said, "I haven't seen her cry like that in the past 20 years. At that time, she actually developed better than Ji Huanyu, but Ji Huanyu has a heavy mind and a good face."
He poked at the boy who looked like Jiang Tian in the photo album and said, "He actually suffered when he was a child. He had no father or mother. Later... Later, he was picked up with a few children and raised in a yard."
"Orphanage?" Sheng Wang asked.
"It's not so formal." Old man Ding shook his head, "It's like picking up kittens and puppies, look at them pitifully, give them food, and take care of them. His name was taken at that time, and he followed the person who picked him up. Surname. A few years later, it was banned because of irregularity, and the children were all scattered. Only Ji Huanyu remained in this area. "
"He was about to enter junior high school at that time, and he has been living at the school. He didn't know how to get along with Xiaojiang in high school, and then he got married after graduating from college. He was often bullied when he was a child, and he always wanted to stand out and think of ways to get ahead. To save and go abroad, I have to do big things, so I am not willing to take care of the children at home.”
"Anyway, because of Xiaotian's matter, they have made trouble several times, and they have not made a name for themselves." Old Man Ding said, "Ji Huanyu changed his nature for a while, and did not let Xiaotian run around anymore, and took the initiative to come outside Wutong. I lived with Xiaotian for a year, at that time Xiaotian had not graduated from elementary school, and the grandma of the Jiang family had just passed away, so the two of them lived here."
"It was fine at the beginning, at least Xiaotian won't be able to get in, and then it won't work." Old Man Ding said, "How can Ji Huanyu take care of people, and Xiaotian started to run to me again. Once I saw that Xiao Tian was burnt on the back of his neck. After staying with me for two days, he had a fever and vomiting. Later, he was picked up by Xiao Jiang, and not long after that, I heard that Xiao Jiang Just divorced Ji Huanyu."
Sheng Wang remembered the scar on Jiang Tian's neck, frowned and asked, "It couldn't be Ji... His father was hot, right?"
"I asked at the time, and Xiao Tian said no. It's not like he's stubborn. I can tell that he's stubborn." Ding old man said, "Although Ji Huanyu is not a thing, he really doesn't know much about it. do this kind of thing."
"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 has a hard mouth. No one knows if he doesn't say anything. I don't dare to mention it, he is in a bad mood. He has a hard life and is happy. It's rare, how can I make him unhappy."
The old man likes to ramble, talking about old things in a mess, and a bit upside down. But Shengwang still got a glimpse of Jiang Tian's childhood from these things.
He finally understood why Jiang Tian and his mother got along so strangely, because there was no sense of belonging. He can understand Jiang Ou's suffering and guilt, so he will always protect her, but he can't take Jiang Ou's place as a writer.
It seems that he is also unhappy. Sheng Mingyang is only worried about whether Sheng Wang will ignore people, but Jiang Ou has to worry about whether Jiang Tian will leave.
Because he is always leaving.
Sheng Wang suspects that for Jiang Tian, the residence he used to live in or the courtyard of the white horse alley may not be as good 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 collect the luggage after unpacking.
Someone riding an old-fashioned bicycle slowly passed by outside the courtyard gate, and when they turned into the alley, they rang the bell.
Sheng Wang finally regained his senses and stood up straight.
The phone in his pocket vibrated suddenly, he took it out and saw 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 sent the message.
Colorful Koi: Shengwang, where have you been? A teacher came to check the discipline of the lunch break. I am on duty today.
There are regulations for the lunch break in the attached middle school, and you cannot enter and leave the classroom at will. Every now and then, there are teachers patrolling, and if they catch it, disciplinary points will be deducted.
Sheng Wang then remembered that the lunch break was almost over, and he had slipped out for half an hour.
Sticker: Sorry, monitor, I'll be back in a while.
Colorful Koi: Hurry up
Colorful koi: I said that you are not feeling well, go to the infirmary to get medicine, don't wear it
sticker: thanks
Sheng Wang was going to put away his phone, but he remembered something.
He asked: monitor, can I still apply for the school dormitory
Colorful Koi:…
Sticker: Put your hands together
Sticker: I know this is a bit of a fight
Colorful Koi: Also... OK...
Colorful Koi: But the room may have to be last in line
stickers: good
sticker: thank you
He said hello to old man Ding and hurried to the school. He stepped out of the door with one foot, then stepped back and asked, "Grandpa, where's the cat called the head of the regiment?"
"It's gone." Ding old man said: "The old cat is gone."
Sheng Wang lowered his eyes and nodded.
He threw the phone back in his pocket and ran all the way to the school.
Coincidentally, when passing by Duxing Building, I saw a familiar back. Jiang Tian just came out of the computer room and was walking in the direction of Mingli Building.
A wild cat ran through the flowers in front of the Duxing Building and jumped on the windowsill. Jiang Tian stopped for a moment, then looked up at the wild cat.
At that moment, Sheng Wang seemed to see ten years ago outside the Indus, the unconscious boy in the old photo passed through time, and suddenly became clear.
It's just that the cat who only touched porcelain and kept him is long gone.
Sheng Wang paused for a while, then quickened his pace and ran towards Jiang Tian.
The school that day was as comfortable 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 and sleepy. The person who rushed over from behind was the only living being in this silence—
Jiang Tian felt that his neck was hooked, and both of them stumbled a few steps. He turned his head in surprise and saw Sheng Wang's high-spirited smile.
He heard the other person say, "Jiang Tian, let's live on campus together."
【Ome】