The rain outside the window is falling, and the pendulum on the wall is shaking.
The thin fingertips tapped on the table one after another, and the book was blown by the wind to turn a page.
Mom went inside and closed the window.
"It's raining, and you don't know how to close the windows, what to do if it rains in."
Bai Lu propped herself up from the desk and yawned.
Mom said again: "Are you sleepy, stop reading and go to sleep."
"Not sleepy."
"I can't even open my eyes, and I still say I'm not sleepy." Mom took the initiative to put away the books on the table, "You don't have to study so late during the holidays."
Bai Lu: "Other parents are watching their children study."
Mother smiled considerately, feeling that warmth is rare at this moment, touched Bai Lu's hair, and said: "Study is not as important as body, body is the capital of revolution... Hey, what is this?"
Mom glanced at something on the table out of the corner of her eye, and reached out to take it.
"Hey, the necklace is so pretty." There was a mirror on the table, and my mother compared it to her own neck with the necklace. Both mother and daughter have fair skin, and the silver necklace looks extraordinarily delicate.
"You bought it yourself?"
Bai Lu didn't answer, and her mother took it as her default.
"Okay, study is so hard, usually reward yourself." Mom put down the necklace, "Okay, go to bed, don't you have to go back to school tomorrow?"
Tomorrow, October 3rd, school starts the day after tomorrow. As a boarding student, Bai Lu had to return to school one day early.
Lie down on the bed, mother helps Bai Lu cover the quilt.
Turn off the lights, and mother leaves the room.
Almost at the same time, Bai Lu's phone vibrated.
It's Xu Hui's text message. He sent a photo, under the night, he was standing by the river, the river was glowing with microwaves, and Xinghuo's house was faintly visible opposite.
He was leaning against the stone fence, wearing a T-shirt and jeans, the corner of the shirt and the hair on his forehead were blown up by the river wind.
A girl beside him was smiling wildly, and wrapped his arms around his narrow waist.
In the autumn weather, she was still wearing ultra-short shorts, revealing a pair of white and firm long legs.
Bai Lu changed her position and lay with her head on her side.
He has sent many such photos, since yesterday.
During the November holiday, Xu Hui went out to play with his friends. He asked Bai Lu to come with him on the 30th, but Bai Lu refused.
Xu Hui's way of expressing dissatisfaction is always very straightforward.
Bai Lu typed: "Have you eaten yet?"
The call came in quickly, and Xu Hui was too lazy to send a text message.
"Hey?"
"Ok… "
"The voice is so low, what bad things are you doing?"
"No, the family is asleep."
There was a sound of wind on the phone, and the strong wind by the river made his voice farther away than before.
She heard the river rushing against the table, the rustling of leaves, and the hearty laughter of a girl not far away.
Bai Lu said, "Have you eaten yet?"
"have eaten."
After a pause, Xu Hui said nonchalantly, "What about you?"
"I ate it too."
"Oh."
After being silent for a while, Xu Hui asked, "Do you have anything to ask me?"
"Have."
Instead, Xu Hui paused, then adjusted his tone, and said with a light smile, "Ask, what do you want to ask?"
"Is it cold?"
"… what?"
"It's raining here, and the weather has turned cold. You're still wearing half-sleeves, isn't it cold by the river?"
"Oh." Xu Hui whispered, "It's okay, it's not very cold." He couldn't help but said, "Is there anything else to ask?"
Bai Lu: "Are you coming back tomorrow?"
"...Yes." Xu Hui's voice was a little restless, and he lit a cigarette. Through the phone, Bai Lu could feel him taking a deep breath, and when he exhaled, he laughed instead.
"You..."
Bai Lu: "What's wrong?"
Xu Hui whispered: "Just pretend to be with me."
Bai Lu blinked, "What?"
Xu Hui flicked the cigarette ash, "That's my friend, he came to play with me, an ordinary classmate."
"I know."
"you know?"
"My name is Xiaoye, she is very beautiful and speaks loudly.
After being quiet for a long time, Bai Lu heard the voice on the phone gradually fade away, and Xu Hui walked to a quiet place by himself.
He stepped on the low fence of the flower bed, lazily sighing: "Women are really scary."
Bai Lu: "What's the matter?"
Xu Hui thought for a while, then smiled and said, "Is it when I called that day? Her voice is so loud, you can hear it through the phone, right?"
Bai Lu lay in the dark room with the quilt covering her mouth, her voice was muffled: "Maybe earlier than that time."
"Then I can't think of it." Xu Hui supported his hips with one hand, lowered his head halfway, and said with a chuckle, "Did you call before, I don't remember clearly. Seeing that you don't ask this or that every day, it turns out that you are not Remember."
His tone was relaxed, and Bai Lu also smiled.
"Yes, I remember all of them."
"I'll go back tomorrow and have dinner together in the evening."
Bai Lu said, "Okay."
On the last day of the holiday, it was still raining.
Xia Yu is tired, and autumn rain kills.
The sky outside has been gloomy since early morning.
"It's better not to be later." After lunch, my mother looked at the weather outside, "It's so bad, it's still raining, let's go when the rain is lighter."
"It's okay." Bai Lu took the umbrella and put on her shoes at the door.
"Then..." Mom hesitated, "Take a taxi."
"No need." Bai Lu put her schoolbag back on her back and said goodbye to her parents, "I'm leaving."
"Be careful on the road."
The rain was too heavy, the traffic was bad, and the bus was crowded on the road for nearly two hours without arriving at school.
Passengers coming and going drenched the bus, and the smell of gasoline, exhaust and mud filled the nostrils. Bai Lu felt a little motion sick and got off the bus three stops early.
Walk to Xu Hui's house.
Her head was still hurting, and she felt dizzy. When Xu Hui opened the door, she had the illusion for a moment, as if time had flown back.
He had a morning shower, his hair was not completely dried, and he was wearing a T-shirt, long pants, and bare shoes.
"I'm late this time." He leaned against the door, looked down at her, and raised his wrist. "I can wear a watch."
Bai Lu took a look and said softly, "No."
Xu Hui chuckled, "Don't imitate me."
Then it was quiet again.
Bai Lu wondered if he also remembered the scene of their first meeting.
Thinking of this, he suddenly said: "It's a bit like that day..."
Bai Lu looked up.
Xu Hui, who went out to play for two days, looked a little tired.
Tiredness gave birth to memories, and he also remembered that day.
"I feel like it's been a long time..." He murmured, turning sideways, "Come in, haven't you eaten yet, are you hungry?"
Bai Lu followed Xu Hui into the house.
Before she sat down in the living room, Xu Hui dragged her to the kitchen.
"Just watch and do it."
Looking at the stove, Bai Lu felt her head hurt even more.
Xu Hui should have gone to the supermarket just now, but there was still rainwater on the plastic bag. He bought several large bags of vegetables and meat, as well as various seafood, fruits and beer drinks.
Bai Lu turned her head, "What is this?"
"Food." Xu Hui leaned against the kitchen door, "You cook for me."
Bai Lu lowered her head, "Why do you want me to do it for you?"
Xu Hui said, "You don't want to do it for me?"
Bai Lu smiled, looked back at him, and said, "Do you eat anything?"
Just as Xu Hui was about to nod, when he thought of something, he changed his mind and said, "I buy so many things, you should make something decent, don't fool me with a bowl of egg fried rice."
"I won't if it's too difficult."
"It's not too difficult, just look at it."
Bai Lu silently took out the vegetables, selected some convenient and quick ones, and put them in the basin to wash.
While Bai Lu was cooking, Xu Hui watched quietly from behind. She ended up making vinegared cabbage, braised eggplant, and a fish.
Xu Hui only opened his mouth once when Bai Lu was cooking fish, and Bai Lu opened a bottle of beer.
Xu Hui asked, "What are you doing?"
"Make fish."
Xu Hui raised his eyebrows, "Oh."
Since then, Xu Hui has been eager to try. Sure enough, after the food was served, Xu Hui came with a few bottles of beer.
"I do not drink."
"They're all adults."
Bai Lu shook her head, "I don't drink."
Xu Hui didn't force her, "Okay, if you don't want to drink it, I can drink it."
A potluck meal, the two of them ate quietly.
After eating, Xu Hui habitually took out his cigarette.
When he put it in his mouth, he thought of something, stopped his hand, and turned to look at Bai Lu.
Bai Lu was also looking at him.
"Aren't you going to stop me this time?"
He drank two bottles of beer.
Bai Lu didn't know how much he could drink, but only knew that he couldn't drink enough.
The face is getting whiter, the eyes are getting brighter, but the voice is getting softer...
Like talking to itself in the dust.
Bai Lu said, "I can't stop it."
"I didn't stop it last time."
Bai Lu smiled, "Who are you lying to?"
The humid weather even made her face seem to be covered with a layer of fog.
Xu Hui's blinking speed also slowed down, and then he lowered his head, like a child who was caught doing bad things, "Oh, you saw..."
"I'm leaving, it's too late."
Xu Hui looked at her, "Do you want to work part-time today?"
"I have something to do." The dormitory needs to be tidied up, and there are still exam papers that have not been finished.
"How much money do you need? Why does your sister need you to earn money for surgery? What about your parents, they have no money?"
Bai Lu paused, then turned her head, "What?"
Xu Hui didn't sit on the sofa, but sat directly on the ground beside the coffee table, leaning against the sofa with his legs bent.
He yawned and didn't hear what Bai Lu said just now.
The rain outside the window became heavier, shrouded in darkness, and the rain hit the window eaves, making the environment in the house more closed.
"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Bai Lu looked at Xu Hui and said softly.
"Ok?"
Now Bai Lu was sure that Xu Hui was a little drunk.
He likes to drink, but not a good drinker.
"Do you have a brother?" she asked more directly.
Xu Hui's eyebrows sank slightly, "What are you asking?"
"You heard clearly."
Xu Hui took a deep breath and looked aside. Bai Lu stood up, but he turned his head quickly.
"Did I say something before?"
Bai Lu didn't answer, Xu Hui said again: "That night, when I called you when I was too drunk, did I say something?"
Bai Lu still didn't reply.
"Can you fucking talk!?" Xu Hui stood up from the ground, he was dizzy because he was too anxious, and he shook.
"Be careful." Bai Lu said softly.
Xu Hui rubbed his face with his hands, it was raining heavily outside the window, and the room was cold and gloomy.
"I said it was right, or where did you know it?"
Youth is easy to be stimulated, and alcohol catalyzes all this.
Xu Hui's breathing gradually became short of breath. Before Bai Lu could say anything, he had already nodded frequently.
"Yes, yes... You remember everything, no matter how small you are. You also happened to meet in the hospital that time. These are easy to guess, and you can ask them."
Bai Lu: "Are you treating your brother well?"
"Shut up!" Xu Hui stared, "Who are you? Tell me what to do."
Bai Lu lowered her head, "No."
Xu Hui pointed at the door, lowered his voice, "Get lost."
Bai Lu nodded, "OK."
The thunderstorm covered his footsteps. When Bai Lu walked to the door, her shoulders were pulled back, and her heart skipped a beat.
She was pushed against the door by him.
Xu Hui looked down at her, but his face turned redder just now, which was caused by excitement.
"Why do you do this? Why do you have this attitude?"
Bai Lu looked a little dazed, "What's my attitude?"
"That's the attitude!" Xu Hui pointed at her, gritted his teeth, "You know my business, right? What do you mean? Blame me? Or blame me? What does it have to do with you—"
"Xu Hui."
Bai Lu interrupted him.
She gazed at him and said softly:
"I didn't interfere with you, I just asked, are you treating your brother well?"
After she finished asking, Xu Hui stood there in a daze.
His gaze was not on her, and he couldn't see where it fell.
With the help of the cold fluorescent lamp above her head, Bai Lu saw that the corners of Xu Hui's eyes were red.