On the right was a decorative railing. Outside the railing stood Kou Huai, Tao Ling's fellow apprentice, and a man in his thirties beside it.
The man's temperament was gentle, and his face was full of shock.
Tao Ling shouted, "Senior brother."
Kou Huai smiled and patted the man on the shoulder: "What's wrong with Chaoyang? This is my little junior brother, Tao Ling." He looked at Tao Ling again: "Tao Ling, this is the colleague I told you about, Xia Chaoyang. Teacher, come to the meeting with me this time."
"Mr. Xia," Tao Ling stood up, "come and sit first."
The man named Xia Chaoyang quickly pulled away from his gaffe. In a blink of an eye, he couldn't see the difference. He smiled and followed Kou Huai around the railing to the table.
Tao Ling raised his arm first and shook hands with Xia Chaoyang: "Mr. Xia, it's a pleasure to meet."
Three people are seated.
As a senior brother, Kou Huai has always been used to taking care of people. After asking the opinions of two people, he took the task of ordering. He still remembered that Tao Ling couldn't eat spicy food, so he ordered a mandarin duck pot, and the red soup side specially told Wei Wei to be spicy.
"Senior brother, you don't have to be used to me, you can order spicy if you can." Tao Ling said.
Kou Huai continued to order food, and waved his hand with a smile: "I don't like you, who likes you? Nearly thirty, there is no one around to take care of you."
Tao Ling glanced at Xia Chaoyang, and Xia Chaoyang just smiled calmly.
They asked each other about work and school, and before they said a few words, the waiter was already on the pot. The steam was steaming up, melting the cautious atmosphere between strangers.
While waiting for the bottom of the pot to boil, Tao Ling asked, "Mr. Xia, do you recognize my brother?"
Xia Chaoyang nodded lightly: "Junior Brother Tao, don't be so polite. I didn't hear Teacher Kou say you have a brother before, but I was shocked when I saw you just now. It turned out to be Tao Jun's brother."
"Yes." Tao Lingying, "I look like my brother and I, more like twins. I am another Tao Jun, and others have said that since I was a child."
Xia Chaoyang looked at him through the white air: "It's similar, but it's still quite good. You look more energetic than your brother."
"I'm five years younger than him, so I can't show that much when I'm old." Tao Lingying.
"That's not what you mean, your brother is not old." Xia Chaoyang was a little helpless, but obviously it wasn't because he cared about the joke.
Kou Huai said with a smile: "I always said that Tao Ling has a lot of energy in him. Not only is he young, but other aspects are different from those of us approaching middle-aged men."
Tao Ling smiled: "Senior brother is saying that I'm immature, or that I'm stupid to study behind closed doors
Kou Huai shook his head: "You mouth."
"Immature or immature is better." Xia Chaoyang answered warmly.
Kou Huai suddenly remembered something, called the waiter, and said, "I forgot to order the most important thing. It's a rare occasion, and the three of us have two drinks? Both of you can drink and don't drive, so don't look for it for me. Excuse."
Xia Chaoyang smiled and asked, "Can Junior Brother Tao drink it?"
Tao Ling pushed his glasses: "Yes."
The three of them toasted each other and swallowed some of the hospitality that couldn't be melted away by the heat, leaving a little bit of inherent alienation that could not be easily felt.
Kou Huai asked Xia Chaoyang: "Chaoyang, how do you know Tao Ling's brother?"
"We are university classmates." Xia Chaoyang held the cup and turned it gently by the table, with a simple ring on the ring finger of his left hand.
Tao Ling thought for a while: "My brother's undergraduate graduation photo is here, and I don't see Teacher Xia on it."
Xia Chaoyang smiled: "I had something to do on the day I took the graduation photo, and I was not able to do it. It has always been a pity."
Halfway through the hot pot, Xia Chaoyang asked casually, "Brother Tao, where is your brother working now? Is he still in the same company?"
Kou Huai was a little surprised. He quickly glanced at Tao Ling and was about to speak, but Tao Ling smiled indifferently and replied naturally, "My brother died long ago, this season three years ago."
With a thud, the wine glass in Xia Chaoyang's hand suddenly fell, the bottom of the glass fell to the edge of the table, the glass overturned, and then rolled twice. Drinks spilled on the table, flowing to the side of the iron stove mixed with water under the hot pot.
sizzling sound. The wine is open.
"Hey! Are you wet?" Kou Huai took out the last few sheets of paper.
Xia Chaoyang stroked his body lightly: "It's nothing, nothing on me."
Tao Ling rushed over to the waiter and said, "Sister, help me with the wrapping paper."
After scribbling the table, Xia Chaoyang smiled hastily, and his face looked pale. He whispered towards Tao Ling: "I'm sorry, I didn't hold it steady."
"It doesn't matter." Tao Ling replied calmly, "The funeral was not held, my brother said no, so people who are not in touch with this matter should not know."
The atmosphere was cold for two minutes, and Kou Huai filled Xia Chaoyang with wine again and asked, "How is the progress of your project application? I don't know what the social science fund will be next year."
Xia Chaoyang responded, and the two discussed the issue of project approval for a while, as if the accident just now did not exist.
Kou Huai asked Tao Ling's research progress during this period of time, and finally told him: "Although I am temporarily in the administrative post, I still have to keep reading and writing papers. It is always right to read and write more. Academic conferences are also required. Actively submit manuscripts to participate, don’t think that this is a platform to draw circles is meaningless, I know you don’t like to form a group, but there are still many good opportunities in it, and you can also expand your academic horizons. Now it’s the same in all fields, and it’s too important to have innovative ideas Now, you can't just sit on the bench and work behind closed doors."
As soon as the cup collided, Kou Huai confidently said, "Don't think I'm annoying, these will definitely be good for you to officially go to teaching in the future."
"Okay." Tao Lingying, "don't worry, brother."
Kou Huai shook his head: "You're so happy when you agreed."
Tao Ling smiled.
Then, until the whole meal was over, Tao Jun's name was never mentioned again.
After leaving the store, Tao Ling said, "If I knew you were going to a meeting, you wouldn't eat hot pot."
"It's okay, I brought a change." Xia Chaoyang responded.
After chatting for a while at the intersection, Kou Huai patted Tao Ling on the shoulder: "Go back."
Tao Ling: "How do you go? I'll send you off."
"No," Kou Huai said. "The hotel we booked is right by Cade's side, and we'll be there in a few minutes."
The breeze was quiet, and the warmth from the wine on Tao Ling's face dissipated a little. He was about to say goodbye when Xia Chaoyang reached out to him: "Senior Brother Tao, see you again, it's a pleasure to meet you."
Tao Ling's smile on the corner of his mouth was hidden by the night. He nodded and shook hands with Xia Chaoyang again.
After saying goodbye completely, Tao Ling turned around and walked straight.
As he approached the East Gate, he hesitated for a while. Usually, it was close to the West Gate when he went home, but now he was outside the school, and if he went through the West Gate, it would take a lot of detours.
Before he could think about it, his legs seemed to have self-awareness, and he had already taken him into the school.
Walking along the road outside the campus, it was dark and the street lights were white. It was too late, and the flower shop must have been closed.
However, at the end of the west gate, Tao Ling saw Wen Qing's figure standing at the door of the flower shop at a glance. He seemed to be looking aimlessly, so he found Tao Ling as soon as he appeared.
Stepping on the zebra crossing, from a distance, Tao Ling saw a smile on his face.
Wen Qingying's smile had faded as he approached. No matter how the light changes, the face is always beautiful and quiet.
Tao Ling didn't even look at him, and looked down at the flower stand.
The business of the flower shop seems to be good, and the fresh cut flowers at the door are only a small half. Only the last handful of pale green daisies are left, and it can be seen that the condition is slightly worse, so no one cares.
Wen Qingying stood motionless by the door, watching Tao Ling walk around.
Two minutes later, Tao Ling smoked the daisy and walked to Wen Qingying. Looking at each other for two seconds, he raised his hand and pushed him.
Wen Qingying followed her strength and took two steps to the side, revealing the receipt code behind her. Tao Ling was expressionless and took out his mobile phone to scan the code.
Turn around immediately after paying the bill.
After walking a few steps, Wen Qingying suddenly followed. He grabbed Tao Ling's wrist from the side and shoved something into his palm.
The author has something to say: I will report to my friends who read the article~ This book has not been updated at a fixed time for the time being, because my work schedule is not arranged well (yes, in fact, my work and rest are messed up), so I am not sure every day When will it be updated. But it should be updated in a few days! (/≧▽≦)/