The next day is New Year's Eve.
The snow that fell a few days ago added to the atmosphere of Jianghai this year. On the 30th day of the new year, it is a good day. Under the sunny sunshine, the streets are full of beaming people carrying New Year's goods. People rush home from get off work early. A sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner. The children have been counting the time long ago, looking forward to setting off fireworks when it gets dark.
On the roadside are pickles washed and dried by the elderly, and the air is full of the smell of reunion. The entire river and sea are surrounded by a strong New Year's Eve atmosphere.
Yang Lei returned to his home in the military area, and the home was very lively. His younger brother Yang Rui had arrived home the day before, and Yang Dahai and his wife were so happy. Yang Datian's family is also there. Every New Year's Eve, the two families spend together. On New Year's Eve, Yang Dahai has a busy schedule as a provincial and municipal leader, and he has to go everywhere to offer condolences, but this year's New Year's Eve dinner, he deliberately took time out and came back for dinner.
When Yang Lei returned home, it was almost dark. The two families were all there, waiting for him. The nanny has already prepared the dishes to go home for Chinese New Year. Here, Yang Datian and Yang Datian's wife are busy cooking in the kitchen. Yang Rui is sitting in the living room with his father and uncle chatting. Yang Datian's daughter is watching TV and gurgling happily from time to time. Laugh straight.
The house is cosy.
The New Year's Eve dinner was very rich, and there was a big table full. Yang Dahai was very interested and even opened a bottle of Maotai that he had treasured for many years.
Although the food was plentiful, Yang Lei couldn't eat much. The night before, there was a dinner party in the military camp, and the army was drinking heavily. It was very scary for the army to drink. There is a truth at the wine table. Don’t challenge the army or the police with anyone who drinks. A person like Yang Lei, known as "Yang Yijin", was also overwhelmed by his own. Now facing a table of food, I have no appetite at all, so I stopped my chopsticks after taking a few bites.
It was still the time of the news network, and people started to set off firecrackers outside.
Yang Lei told his family to eat slowly and smoked on the balcony.
Looking out from the balcony, thousands of lights are on, windows and windows are warm, and every kitchen is scented.
Tonight, every family is reunited.
Everyone is surrounded by their closest and dearest people.
After dinner, Yang Datian's wife greeted everyone to play mahjong. Yang Lei watched them play for a while and didn't want to stay at home, saying, "You guys play, I'll go out for a while."
"Where are you going? In your thirties, just stay home and don't go out."
Yang Lei's stepmother is really a real son to Yang Lei.
"Brother, it's rare for me to come back, and you still run out."
Yang Rui hadn't had time to talk to his brother.
"I just saw a few comrades in arms. They are in a hotel in the city. I'll be back in a while."
Yang Lei said casually.
"You go to Fang Mei's house to have a look. You must know the etiquette."
Yang Dahai instructed.
Yang Lei didn't say anything, went out the door and walked out of the military area.
Yang Lei just didn't want to stay at home and didn't know where to go.
On the evening of the New Year's Eve, there were very few people on the street, and they all went back for the reunion dinner. Many stores are closed, and only the sound of gongs and drums and the cheering voice of the host can be heard from the windows of every household.
Yang Lei listened to the scattered sounds of artillery battles and walked downstairs to the eighth-floor house. He wanted to find a quiet place to stay, and he came here unknowingly.
Yang Lei was about to go to the platform on the second floor when he saw a familiar face.
"Guo Zi!"
On the opposite street were three young men, looking for restaurants with their hands in their trouser pockets.
"Brother Lei?"
Guo Zi saw Yang Lei's face clearly and cried out in surprise.
Guo Zi was Yang Lei's brother back then. At that time, he was only fifteen or sixteen years old, and he followed Yang Lei. He is small and sweet, and people are likable. At that time, Yang Lei regarded him as a little brother and often took him with him. He and Fang Yu were also very familiar with him. Later, Fang Yu was imprisoned and Yang Lei went to school. After so many years, these little brothers didn't know their whereabouts. All of a sudden, I met here, and I was very surprised and pleasantly surprised.
"Brother Lei! I heard that you are an official in the army, that's cool!"
Guo Zi was still a jerk, and he looked like he was still messing around.
"What are you fooling around here for?"
Yang Lei saw that there was no one else on the street, only the three of them were wandering.
"Hey, isn't it 30 years old? My buddies and I were trying to find a place to eat, but we've walked three streets, and not a single shop has opened! Fuck, we're freezing to death!"
Guo Zi stomped his feet. When Yang Lei saw their appearance, he knew that they had no money. Only big restaurants opened in the 30th year. It was not easy for the poor to find a cheap restaurant for a New Year's Eve dinner.
"Okay! Come with me."
Yang Lei didn't feel well, he couldn't see his brother who couldn't even eat the New Year's Eve dinner.
Guo Zi happily followed Yang Lei. Yang Lei went up to the eighth floor, and this little big hotel is no longer available. He knows that there is a shop that delivers late-night snacks on the 30th and the first day of the new year. The restaurant brought wine and food.
Yang Lei took out the key and opened the door.
He entered the room, and before turning on the light, he saw a man suddenly sitting up from the wire bed in the bedroom in the dark.
Yang Lei stopped.
The man didn't move either.
"Why don't you turn on the lights, Brother Lei?"
Guo Zi and two buddies followed, and Guo Zi touched the switch on the porch.
light is on.
Guo Zi turned his face and saw the people in the room.
"... Brother Yu?!"
Fang Yu was dressed in black, and the sudden bright light made him uncomfortable and narrowed his eyes.
"Why are you, Brother Yu! Didn't you go to the south? When did you come back?"
Guo Zi Lao was excited. He really didn't expect that this New Year's Eve would meet the two eldest brothers from the past one after another.
"Guo Zi?"
Fang Yu also remembered him.
Fang Yu went to the south when he got out of prison, and the underworld in Jianghai knew it. In the past three years, no one has seen Fang Yu come back, and seeing him here is no wonder Guo Zi was so surprised. But Guo Zi soon realized.
"You came back to see Brother Lei! Brother Lei, you are not funny, Brother Yu is here, and I didn't say anything just now!"
Guo Zi is a rough man, and he can't see anything out of the ordinary.
"… "
Yang Lei and Fang Yu didn't say a word.
In such a sudden face-to-face, neither of them knew what to say.
They glanced at each other and averted their eyes. Fang Yu got out of bed and stood up.
"Brother Yu, why don't you turn on the air conditioner, it's cold enough!"
Guo Zi looked for the air conditioner with his arms folded.
"You sit first."
Yang Lei said that after looking around, Fang Yu didn't see what he was looking for, Fang Yu had already opened the drawer of the bedside table, took out the air conditioner remote control inside, and handed it to him.
"… "
Yang Lei glanced at Fang Yu and took it.
He turned on the air conditioner. There was finally a hint of warmth in the cold room.
"Brother Yu, why haven't you changed at all, you're still so handsome!"
Guo Zi was blunt. In the past, Fang Yu was a well-known handsome and handsome boy in Jiang Haida's hands. Guo Zi heard that people who have been in prison have changed a lot when they came out. I didn't expect that after not seeing him for many years, Fang Yu still looked the same as before, but his eyes were darker and he was more human. silence.
"Do you know who this brother Yu is? He is Fang Yu!! That's my elder brother Yang Lei!! I don't need to introduce these two!"
Guo Zite was proud, and his tone was terrific. The two buddies of them are both young rascals who have just entered the Dao. The names of Fang Yu and Yang Lei are really legends to them. They can only hear their deeds from the old people of Jianghu. Usually Guo Zi is proud of having been with these two people. His mantra from day to night is "I remember when I was with Lei Ge Yu Ge..." These two young people did not expect to see the real person now, and they were all excited and nervous.
"Brother Yu! Brother Lei!"
The two young men shouted quickly and came up to hand over cigarettes, looking at the two of them with admiration in their eyes.
"Okay, we don't mix anymore, what are we calling that for?"
Yang Lei didn't ask for their cigarettes, and asked them to keep some rations for themselves. He was about to take out his pocket, Fang Yu had already tossed one, Guo Zi and the others caught it gratefully, Fang Yu paused, and threw it to Yang Lei.
Yang Lei stood at the door, far away from them. But Fang Yu's toss, Yang Lei habitually raised his hand to take it, and then took it in his hand. Completely tacit, without a single mistake.
This is how many times they have done the familiar action, almost subconsciously, without the need to think about it.
"… "
Yang Leiyan took it in his hand, did not light it, and was silent for a moment.
"have you eaten?"
He asked Fang Yu.
Fang Yu hesitated.
"Eat together, Brother Yu! We and Brother Lei didn't eat either!"
Guo Zi and the others were starving.
Yang Lei saw Fang Yu's expression, lowered his head, took out his mobile phone, and called the fast food restaurant.
But Yang Lei didn't expect that the store would not deliver this year, saying that this year there are few staff, and it has already closed after get off work for the New Year.
"Then do you know where there are vegetables?"
Yang Lei asked on the phone. He knew this one.
"I know a place, I'll go check it out. You guys talk."
Fang Yu said, put on his coat and walked out the door.
"… How do you go?"
Yang Lei hesitated and asked. There is not even a taxi outside. I didn't see a parking lot downstairs, Fang Yu's taxi should have been returned to his friend.
"I got a motorcycle, downstairs."
Fang Yu said.
"Where. I'll go."
Yang Lei was silent for a while and said.
The place Fang Yu knew a few years ago may not be there now. What's more, in the past seven years, Jianghai's road has changed a lot, and it is not the previous Jianghai.
"Go in. I'll be right back."
Fang Yu whispered, closed the door, and the footsteps disappeared in the corridor...
Fang Yu didn't go for a short time, and when he came back, he was full of cold air from outside. Fang Yu took out a box of well-packed meals, and when he opened it, it was still steaming. In order to keep warm, Fang Yu wrapped it in a coat. He was only wearing a black sweater. He drove all the way, and his hands were blue with cold.
"Wow, Kung Pao chicken, ants on the tree, sweet and sour pork ribs... and salted duck! Brother Yu, you are really good! Where did you get so many good dishes!"
Guo Zi was happy as he opened the lid of the box.
Yang Lei looked at the table full of dishes. Everything is familiar.
Since joining the army, what is there in the cafeteria and what does Yang Lei eat.
What he liked to eat before, he had forgotten.
Yang Lei didn't speak...