Xu Ran didn't receive the party message either, he was busy working overtime at work to fill in the materials. Two days ago, a colleague left the job, leaving behind some big or small messes. They were working overtime to finish the unfinished work. By the time he knew that there was a grade party, it was already Thursday It's night.
No matter whether he received the invitation or not, Xu Ran didn't plan to go, especially when he saw the name Mai Xing in the list, his right knee started to hurt like a cramp.
He gritted his teeth and gave himself a massage, thinking, the person who organized the grade party is really talented.
He didn't think he would have anything to do with people like Mai Xing again in his life, but the memories still flooded his mind like a flood. The noisy sports meeting, the sharp and disgusting stares of his classmates, the obscene words, the closed and gloomy alleys, and the heavy, powerful and extremely cruel hands on his knees.
The sound of the joints rubbing along the body spread into the ears, Xu Ran exerted a little force on his hands, and snapped his knees with a click.
Shocked, he let go of his hand. It didn't hurt, maybe it was just a broken bone accidentally, he stood up and took two steps carefully, nothing serious happened.
Cold sweat oozed from his back at some point, and he sat down again, taking a deep breath.
It's hard to say whether Mai Xing's group still remembers hurting him. Perhaps to them, hurting him was like hurting a nest of ants.
Xu Ran tidied up the information on the table, pressed his temples with both hands, stared at the computer screen in a daze.
It's okay, he said to himself silently, there will be no more injuries.
But the nerves in his right leg still tingled without warning. He quickly pressed it down, as if he had accidentally leaked some important secret, and looked around in fear. But all the colleagues around him bowed their heads and were busy with their work, and no one cared what was wrong with him.
Xu Ran blocked the group of high school classmates on the chat software, thought about it, and chose to quit. In the past two days, everyone has been swiping the screen because of the party, and no one should notice that he has withdrawn from the group chat.
Even if you notice, what does it matter? As long as we don't meet each other, Mai Xing will always be just a character in his memory, the other party can't hurt him, and he can't live in fear.
While in a daze, the chat icon lit up, and it turned out to be Qiao An when he clicked on it. They also chatted a few times after meeting last time, but it was the first time that they sent messages during working hours.
Qiao An typed very fast, Xu Ran just clicked on the interface of the chat software, and a message popped up in the dialog box——
"Are you there? Quickly call He Cheng!"
"Wait, I'd better call Xiaobai first and ask him to tell you. As soon as possible!"
Seeing the two exclamation marks with an inexplicable eagerness, Xu Ran was at a loss. He had saved the phone number of Bai Jinming sent by Joan before, hesitated for a moment, stood up from his seat, walked to the corner of the corridor where no one was there, and dialed Bai Jinming.
The phone rang twice before being connected, and Bai Jinming's characteristic deep voice was on the other side, "Xu Ran?"
Xu Ran didn't want to ask why he knew it was him, and said, "Joan told me to call you, what happened?"
Bai Jinming was stunned, "Did he contact you?"
"Yes." Xu Ran was suddenly a little nervous, and couldn't help standing up straight, "What's wrong?"
"… Wait a moment."
A slightly noisy voice came from the phone, gradually drifting away, Bai Jinming left the crowd and came to the corner, lit a cigarette, "There is a guy named Mai Xing in our high school, do you know?"
Xu Ran's heart skipped a beat, his voice began to tremble, "I know, I know."
Bai Jinming "hissed" and took a puff of cigarette, "He came to talk to He Cheng this week to discuss business, and He Cheng was already upset. There was an incident just now, it's nothing serious, but..."
He paused, "Did he break your leg?"
"..."
Xu Ran staggered back a step, and accidentally bumped into the shelf behind him, making a loud bang. He quickly supported it, holding the cold iron frame in his hand, his heartbeat was as violent as a drum.
Bai Jinming didn't ask what happened, but just waited quietly for him to speak.
"I..." Xu Ran stammered, "I..."
He "I" didn't say a complete sentence for a long time, so he simply stopped talking, clenched the phone with both hands, and hummed lightly.
Bai Jinming let out a long breath, he didn't know whether to breathe out smoke or sigh, "He Cheng is angry now, don't go looking for him."
Xu Ran was taken aback, "He, is he angry?"
He didn't know what He Cheng was angry about, whether it was Mai Xing who caused trouble, or whether he let others know that they had known each other. It's okay for Bai Jinming to know about the legs now, but it was obvious that He Cheng instructed Mai Xing to do it back then, so why was he angry
Xu Ran was a little confused, unable to speak while holding the phone. Someone called Bai Jinming's name on the other end of the phone, and Bai Jinming answered, then turned to him and said, "I have something else to do, so hang up first, and pay attention to yourself."
Notice? Pay attention to what? Xu Ran listened to the busy tone on the phone in a daze, confused.
For so many years, he has never mentioned the reason for his leg injury in front of He Cheng. That man has a good face, if he mentions it in person, he may immediately turn his face. Xu Ran didn't want to hold anyone accountable for what happened so long ago, firstly, he couldn't afford to hold accountable, and secondly, he couldn't take the initiative to spoil his relationship with He Cheng.
The family didn't know that he had been with the man who crippled him for ten years. If they knew, they might scold him for being careless. In fact, Xu Ran also wanted to scold him. He was obviously an enemy, so why couldn't he leave him? Not only could he not leave him, but his own youth and future were also involved, and no outsiders could pull him out.
The love when I was young is an imprint engraved in my heart, which can't be erased for a lifetime, and can't be covered by anything. Xu Ran just liked He Cheng's appearance of daring to love and hate, his tall and straight back and his handsome profile reflected on the window. No one can give a definition to the feeling of liking. Some people understand more the more they love, but Xu Ran becomes more confused the more he loves.
What are you insisting on
Perhaps it was because of a change of heart that he didn't know when it would come. Xu Ran set a rule for himself when he was in college, and he must last until the day when He Cheng pays attention to the people around him.
What seemed hopeless turned into a bewilderment with the passage of time. Xu Ran, who couldn't even last three months of rehabilitation training, still had a love for this man in his heart. Can't forget, can't let go.
No matter why He Cheng was angry, he just pretended not to know. Xu Ran still had a little expectation, hoping that Mai Xing's appearance would remind He Cheng of his past madness, so that that person could look back and feel a little guilty towards him.
There is no need for a deep apology, just a little bit is fine. Xu Ran supported his still stinging knee and thought, as long as a little bit, he would be happy.
Before leaving get off work, I received a message from He Cheng, and there were only two words: go home.
He didn't even make an exclamation mark, probably because his anger had almost subsided, Xu Ran said hello very calmly, planning to go buy some more vegetables later, and cook He Cheng's favorite rice cooker.
He Yuxuan passed by Xu Ran's desk and found that he was staring at the computer in a daze, so he couldn't help but stop, but Xu Ran was too serious in a daze, and after a while he didn't notice that anyone around him was looking at him.
He Yuxuan shook his head, returned to his seat, and did not disturb him any more.
Xu Ran's unit got off work earlier, and he took a short detour to buy groceries before returning home much earlier than He Cheng. The house was deserted, so Xu Ran first boiled a pot of hot water, letting the dense water vapor evaporate the kitchen to give it a little warmth, and then began to pick vegetables and wash rice. The cold tap water was poured on the back of his hands from the faucet, and Xu Ran couldn't help but think of how he fled to the bathroom in embarrassment on the day of the wedding, and his palms were red from being poured by the hot water. That was probably a punishment for his cowardice, and he would never wait for the day when he could hold his head up high. If he could change easily, he wouldn't be him.
After a while when He Cheng came home, if he didn't say anything, then he wouldn't say anything either. If Mai Xing is mentioned, he will say that everything is over.
If he was more optimistic, maybe He Cheng would be happy too. Xu Ran thought, if He Cheng is happy, he doesn't care about anything.
After a meal, he was busy until seven o'clock in the evening, and He Cheng hadn't come back yet. The casserole has been cooked on the stove, and the aroma of rice mixed with the aroma of meat stimulated Xu Qing's taste buds for a long time. He was sitting by the window with a book spread out on his lap, but he didn't even turn a page, just looking downstairs.
At 7:40, He Cheng's car finally appeared in sight. Xu Ran got down from the window sill, tidied his clothes, and turned on the light in the living room.
The warm orange lighthouse softened his face, the man in the mirror was thin but hard to hide his handsomeness, Xu Ran stood with his back straight in the entrance, waiting to open the door for He Cheng.
As soon as the door opened, the cold wind rushed towards his face along the gap, Xu Ran shrank his shoulders back, but the moment he saw He Cheng, he smiled faintly.
He Cheng had a cold face, just like his usual expression. Xu Ran stepped aside, and He Cheng walked in, bringing in a burst of cold air.
"The meal is almost ready." Xu Ran looked deeply into He Cheng's eyes and said softly, "Is it cold outside? Let's change clothes first."
He Cheng glanced at him, didn't speak, just threw the briefcase on the sofa and went into the bedroom.
Xu Ran stood in the living room, a little at a loss.
He Cheng didn't stay in the bedroom for too long, when he came out, Xu Ran had already prepared the food and put it on the dining table. But He Cheng didn't come over, but sat down in front of the sofa, and said in a deep voice, "Come here."
Xu Ran was taken aback. He Cheng's voice was so deep that it had never been before, with a hint of hoarseness and irritability, which made people flustered.
He walked over obediently, but before he could sit down, a slap was thrown on his face suddenly.
Xu Ran was stunned, his head turned to one side, and his ears were buzzing.
He Cheng said coldly, "You can really do it."
Xu Ran couldn't understand what he was saying, he opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't make a sound.
He Cheng just looked at him like that, as if the slap just now had never happened, cold and restrained.
"You told others that I broke your leg?"
The place where he was slapped was hot and painful, Xu Ran didn't notice that his eyes were full of tears, he just stood there in a daze, slowly turned around, and looked at the man in front of him in disbelief.
For so many years, even if he got angry again, He Cheng never slapped him. He Cheng has always dealt with it coldly, and if he can make a move, it can only show that something has touched his bottom line.
Xu Ran moved his lips and uttered a few meaningless syllables. He didn't know what he wanted to say, and he didn't know what else to say. In the end, there was only one sentence left in his mind, isn't it you
These five words must never be said, unless he wants another slap.
He Cheng's eyes were as cold as ice, which made Xu Ran's remaining mood fall to the bottom. He could only stand there, like a child who made a mistake, not daring to look into He Cheng's eyes.
"say."
There was a lot of anger hidden in the calm tone, even if he didn't know what to say, Xu Ran had no choice but to speak.
He is afraid.
"I..." he murmured, and the wound on the corner of his mouth moved when he made a sound, and the pain was painful, "is... is it you?"
He threw the question to He Cheng, but He Cheng obviously didn't expect him to be so bold, he was silent for a while, and said coldly, "You mean, I and Mai are the same thing? Xu Ran, aren't you being too presumptuous?" point?"
He looked down at Xu Ran's leg and kicked it up.
"Mai Xing said in front of dozens of people in the company hall that I ordered him to do your leg. He also said that you said it yourself." He Cheng stood up and looked down at him, "This is your ability , use that bastard to frame me? Xu Ran, you can pretend."
Xu Ran fell to the ground, dazed in pain.
He Cheng looked away impatiently, as if he didn't bother to look at a piece of garbage, "Have you said it, answer it for me."
I've said it, I've said it, Xu Ran thought blankly, he never thought that He Cheng instructed Mai Xing to do it, but he never really cared about it either.
It wasn't him, it wasn't him.
"I'm sorry." Xu Ran gritted his teeth and said, "I thought..."
"You think." He Cheng sneered, "What are you?"
"sorry Sorry… "
Xu Ran struggled to stand up, but failed. He could only fall to the ground like a cripple, apologizing to He Cheng over and over again.
He Cheng didn't need such an apology. Mai Xing has already lost his face in front of the company people. Whether he can stop the rumors is one thing, but how to deal with Xu Ran is another.
He Cheng frowned, thinking, he didn't seem to owe this trash anything for so many years, and even thought of going home to confirm the answer when he was extremely angry. He thought that Xu Ran would not do that kind of thing and use the enemy to deal with him. He thought that Xu Ran's heart was really placed on him.
good very good.
He Cheng stepped over Xu Ran and left the house without looking back.
After the door slamming like venting anger, there was a deathly silence, Xu Ran lay on the ground, weeping silently.
He could no longer hear his own voice, and only remembered that when he opened the door, He Cheng said coldly——
"Don't let me see you again."