Chu Ci is actually a bit annoying these two days. He had already handed in his resignation letter, and the formalities were basically completed, so he just had to stay at home and wait for the news. Who knew that Mr. Liu called that day, wiped his sweat and told him with a smile that there was something wrong with the resignation procedure, and he had made some mistakes in the time limit for declassification, and he still can't completely leave his post for the time being. Of course, it’s okay not to want to go to work, although he can stay at home and have a good rest, and wait for the higher-ups to issue instructions.
Chu Ci was not in a hurry to leave Beijing, he just didn't want to work, and he didn't want to contact the outside world. Since he didn't go to work, he stayed at home every day, playing games, watching discs, and never read a single word of the professional books that he used to keep in his hands.
His life became very simple. He slept until he woke up naturally every morning, made some food, and then turned on the computer and TV, making the house lively and sitting quietly in front of the computer. Sometimes he can maintain this posture without moving for a whole day, playing all kinds of games and watching all kinds of discs. When I’m hungry, I order quick-frozen dumplings casually, and when I’m sleepy, I sleep in bed with my clothes together.
His well-cut and well-made shirts are no longer worn, and they are thrown away in the closet. In order to be comfortable at home, he bought a few cotton T-shirts, home wool sweaters and loose trousers online, and he was loose and lazy all day long.
He doesn't have any plans for the future, he has today and doesn't want to think about tomorrow. One day he booked a flight ticket back to Guizhou on a whim, but shortly after Mr. Liu called, the ticket company also called to apologize and said that there was some problem with the procedures, and his ticket hadn't been booked yet. Chu Ci has always had a mild temper, and he is not a master who can quarrel with people face to face. The staff of the airline ticket company kept apologizing to him, but he could only hang up the phone resentfully.
Since that day, if you don't count the short ten-minute journey to the supermarket to buy food, he hasn't gone out for a whole week. I don’t cook when I’m hungry, and there are all kinds of snacks everywhere in the house; when my hair grows, I don’t bother to cut it myself. The ends of the hair cover the tips of the ears, and the drooping bangs cover the eyes.
This kind of life continued for an unknown number of days, when Chu Ci opened the door one afternoon, and suddenly saw Han Yue standing at the door of his house.
This time, Han Yue was not peeping, but came to look for him on his own initiative, with his hand still maintaining the posture of just about to knock on the door.
Chu Ci was wearing a white cotton T-shirt, light gray long trousers, and was holding a garbage bag in his hand. He stared blankly at Han Yue for a few seconds. For him, he hadn't seen this man since he was discharged from the hospital. He felt that Han Yue was very different from before, as if he had a more dignified and solemn temperament, which was a bit similar to that of Old Commander Han.
Although he was quite majestic in the past, he was always a little domineering and impetuous. I can't explain why this feeling is gone now. Chu Ci wanted to recall what Han Yue looked like before, but she couldn't remember clearly, as if she was separated by fog. Maybe he hasn't observed Han Yue's appearance carefully since a long time ago.
Every time he saw this man, he was always followed by depression, violence, hatred and pain. Over time, he developed the instinct of self-avoidance, and gradually he couldn't remember exactly what kind of facial features he was.
"What do you want?" Chu Ci changed the heavy garbage bag to the other hand, and then asked.
Han Yue had never seen Chu Ci look so relaxed and at home, he was stunned for a moment, his eyes were glued to the wide neckline of his T-shirt for a few seconds and he didn't pull it out, and he prepared a set of speeches before coming here Forgot all about it in an instant: "... oh, I'll come and see how you are doing..."
Chu Ci was about to close the door: "I'm fine, you can go."
"Wait!" Han Yue pushed against the door, and at the same time half of his body squeezed into the gap, Chu Ci was forced to take half a step back, and his voice rose involuntarily: "Han Yue! What the hell are you trying to do! "
After all, Han Yue was relatively strong. He pressed against the door frame and pushed the door halfway open. Then he went to pick up the garbage bag in Chu Ci's hand, and said with a smile, "I want to help you take out the garbage. Look, even though we broke up , but how do you say that sentence? We can be friends even after we break up! After all, we’ve been better off for two years, right? We can’t even see each other all of a sudden, and we can’t even talk, isn’t it a little too unreasonable? ?... Don't, don't, don't look at me like that, I just heard that you recently resigned and I'm worried if you are in poor health, just come and have a look... I really don't mean anything else. "
He snatched the garbage bag with one hand, but Chu Ci dodged and didn't want to give it to him. As a result, the two fought and pulled it, and the bag burst, and all kinds of snack packages and dumpling bags fell all over the floor with a clatter.
This location is quite coincidental, half of the garbage fell on the floor inside the door, and half fell outside the door frame. Chu Ci's conditioned hand let go, and Han Yue took the opportunity to push open the door and firmly resisted: "It's okay, it's okay! Don't panic, I'll clean it up!"
Chu Ci frowned, went to the kitchen to get a broom and dustpan without saying a word, and threw them on the ground with a bang.
Han Yue hurriedly bent down to clean up, sweeping all the garbage that fell on the ground into the dustpan, and looked up at Chu Ci courteously. Chu Ci didn't want to be seen by him, and couldn't close the door, so she could only turn around and stride back to the study, slamming the door behind her.
He actually gave Han Yue more freedom in this way—then he finished the garbage bag very calmly, carried it downstairs and threw it away, and then went back to Chu Ci's house, visited every room, and knocked on it. The study door asked, "Why are you eating snacks all day long? Didn't you eat well?"
There was silence in the study for a while, and then the DVD was suddenly turned on at its maximum volume.
Han Yue smiled silently, although that smile looked a little sad.
He turned back to the kitchen, and after a while, he washed, cut and cut two stir-fried vegetables. He emptied the rice that had been left in the refrigerator for an unknown amount of time, and made a pot of rice noodles with frozen shrimp and a few handfuls of green vegetables. Although there was a lack of good ingredients, the two stir-fried dishes were hot and fresh. Han Yue put the bowls, chopsticks and plates on the serving plate, knocked hard on the door of the study, and said, "Chu Ci! Come out to eat!"
Although it was meal time at this time, Chu Ci slept until she woke up naturally every day, and her meals were very irregular. At this time, she didn't feel hungry at all, so she stayed in the study and pretended not to hear.
Han Yue slammed the door twice again, and said loudly: "If you don't come out, I'll kick the door! You know I'm a jerk, I can do it!..."
With a whoosh, Chu Ci opened the door violently, staring at Han Yue coldly.
"...I'm joking," Han Yue's voice lowered, his face was a little hazy after the heat of the food, and he looked very relaxed and even gentle, "...I'm not so muddy anymore."
Chu Ci pursed her lips tightly, and asked after a while: "You came here just to cook me a meal? Now that you're done, you can go."
Han Yue slowly put the tray on the small cabinet at the door of the study, lowered his head and did not speak, which made people feel very uncomfortable.
Chu Ci turned around twice in agitation, stopped and pointed at him and said, "We have nothing to do with each other anymore!"
Han Yue remained silent.
"You have already said that you will not come to me in the future!"
Han Yue still stood silently.
"Can you not just come out like this, it makes me really scared! As soon as I saw you, I remembered that you blocked me at the door of the house and handcuffed me! Even if we broke up, we can't be friends Yes, it will be the greatest comfort to me if you don’t appear in front of my eyes in this life, I guarantee that if I can eat two more meals, I can live for two more years!"
"..." Han Yue opened his mouth, wanted to say something but couldn't say anything, his throat was dry, a little astringent and swollen, as if some sour lump was blocked.
After a long time, he murmured: "I'm just used to cooking for you. Now I live alone in the hotel all day, and the food and drink are ready-made. It's been a long time since I got you food. I feel very uncomfortable." Get used to it, as if something is wrong there, the whole body feels uncomfortable... "
Chu Ci blurted out what to say, but stopped abruptly.
"... Well, since you don't like it, I'm leaving now." Han Yue turned around and took two steps, then turned around and forced a conciliatory smile: "Then what, don't think too much, just treat it as your own." I went crazy again, just wait for a while and it’s over. Then I said on TV that I can still be friends after breaking up, so don’t take it seriously.”
Standing at the door of the study, Chu Ci watched Han Yue walk out of the door slowly step by step, and paused at the gate, as if he was a little bit reluctant.
I don't know why Chu Ci looked at his back and felt very uncomfortable, even more uncomfortable than the moment he saw him at the door of the house, even a little sad.
This feeling made him inexplicably familiar. Chu Ci stood there, staring at the steaming fried vegetables and rice noodles for a long time, and then remembered that after the teacher, mother and son left, he went to the cemetery to look at their tombstones on Qingming Festival. There is also the same sadness as this time.
The feeling of watching someone leave me and drift away.
Chu Ci covered her stomach, and bent down slightly with a depressed expression. It took him a long time to straighten up, his fine bangs were soaked by water, and there was a slight glint of water on his forehead, which was the cold sweat from the pain.
Since leaving that day, Han Yue really never came again.
Chu Ci has always had no sense of security, but she was a little relieved in those few days. He knew that under normal circumstances Han Yue was a man who kept his word, and since he left by himself, he would not come back and call on him again.
But on the second day, a few bags of fresh fruit appeared at his door, such as apples, oranges, mangoes, cherries, etc. When they were brought in, the room was filled with aromas, juicy and crisp, very pleasant.
He knew that Han Yue got them from the farm. He has a lot of connections and face, and he can get a lot of good fresh fruits at this time of year. Sometimes it is too late to eat at home, so he uses it to squeeze juice for drinking, or make it for cooking.
Chu Ci looked at the fruit for a long time, but still kept it. The small supermarket downstairs doesn't sell fruit, and he likes to fill his stomach with snacks. He vaguely remembers that he hasn't taken vitamin C for many days.
Besides, he couldn't do it if he was asked to throw the things left by Han Yue into the trash can. Han Yue is a person who will come back to make sure if the things have been taken in. If he throws the fruit into the trash can, it is simply for him to see, deliberately to make him sad.
Chu Ci couldn't do this kind of thing like stretching out his hand to slap someone in the face.
Those bags of fruit were finally placed next to the refrigerator in the corner of the living room. The aroma was so attractive that Chu Ci couldn't help but eat an apple for a while, and cut a mango for a while. His stomach is already very bad at this time, and he doesn't want to eat those messy snacks after eating the fruit, so this is actually very good for his body.
A week after Han Yue stopped visiting, Chu Ci suddenly received a call from Old Commander Han.
When Old Commander Han said to him politely, "Hello, is this Xiao Chu? I'm Han Yue's father", Chu Ci was still a little dazed, and his tone was very cautious: "It's me, what do you want?"
Old Commander Han pretended not to hear the disgust in his tone, and said kindly: "That's right, I have something I want to talk to you alone. Tomorrow at the Xijing Tea House at noon, what do you think? Just me and you, nobody else."
"... It's the same if you say something on the phone."
"I can't make it clear on the phone..." Old Commander Han paused, and said, "I know you have suffered a lot. That kid Han Yue is not a thing, and I don't expect you to treat me as an elder. But Xiao Chu , I really just want to say a few words to you alone, just this once, do you think it's okay?"
"..." Chu Ci still hesitated, and there was no sound for a long while.
Old Commander Han didn't ask him to agree immediately, but still said kindly: "Well, I'll wait for you on the second floor of the Xijing Tea House at noon tomorrow. If you want to come, you can come. If you don't want to come, then forget it. That bastard Han Yue I'm really sorry..."
"I see." Chu Ci hurriedly interrupted Old Commander Han, and hung up the phone with a snap.
Chu Ci lay on the bed tossing and turning without sleeping for half the night, the next day it was dawn, he got up and sat on the bed for a while, and still planned to go to Xijing Tea House.
Before he went again, he did a lot of psychological construction. For example, the feudal society has passed for a long time, and it is no longer fashionable to pay the debts of fathers and sons; for example, Old Commander Han is a relatively upright and self-disciplined man Although people have failed in family education, there are many officials and parents who are more failed and depraved than him, so his behavior is nothing.
To be on the safe side, Chu Ci also took a tablet of paroxetine hydrochloride before leaving. After a few dawdlings like this, it was a bit late to leave the house, and it was already past one o'clock when we arrived at Xijing Tea House.
At this time, he was still a little hesitant, thinking that as long as he went up to the second floor and saw no one, he would immediately turn around and leave. Who knew that as soon as he walked up to the second floor, he glanced over there and saw Old Commander Han sitting near the window. He happened to turn his head to see him, and immediately stood up with a slight smile.
Chu Ci was hesitant at first, but when Old Commander Han stood up, his mind calmed down, he also coughed, and walked forward with a solemn expression.
He has been very thin recently, but his figure is very tall and straight, so he doesn't look depressed or depressed. He was wearing a very casual navy blue slim-fit pullover sweater with jeans, a large dark red plaid scarf around his neck, and an off-white windbreaker on his hands. Jia's gentle and rigorous style is completely different.
This difference gave Old Commander Han a feeling, as if he had lost a lot of weight after a serious illness, but after breaking up with Han Yue, he was in a good mood, and he looked very energetic and comfortable.
"Commander Han." Chu Ci walked up to him, bowed slightly, with a very considerate manner.
Old Commander Han beckoned him to sit down, and asked with a smile: "You young people may not be used to drinking tea, do you want to ask the waiter to serve?"
Chu Ci shook her head, "No need, I'll leave after you finish speaking."
"..." His obvious resistance made Old Commander Han silent for a while, and then he smiled wryly: "I think you have guessed it, I invited you here because of Han Yue's affairs. Did he go to you a while ago? ? Did he... disturb you?"
"No."
"... oh, so...you should tell him not to look for you again, right?"
"yes."
Old Commander Han sighed, with a worried look on his face: "The logic says that I know Han Yue's temper, and I know what stupid things he has done to you. I shouldn't ask you out to meet today. But since Han Yue that day He's been depressed since he got home, and he hasn't been this terribly low in the thirty years since he was born, so I'm really... really worried about him."
Chu Ci didn't know how to respond to the old man's worries, and felt a little funny and ironic, so he could only sit there silently.
"The apartment you lived in before you broke up, Han Yue wrote your name, and it should be yours now. I heard that you are still renting an apartment outside, why don't you just move back to live? It's more convenient to go back and forth to work, right? Is it? As for Han Yue’s problem, you don’t have to worry, I guarantee with my personality, he’s not going there at all now…”
When Chu Ci heard this, Old Commander Han was also a little awkward, so he knew that he still had some selfish intentions.
Such an old man who has been in a high position for a long time, he will definitely not calculate and calculate for a mere apartment. All he wants is for Chu Ci to live back again, to give Han Yue some psychological comfort, and to create a relationship between them. There is an illusion that it seems to be able to recombine.
He really felt sorry for Han Yue, and he was not adulterated at all.
Thinking of this, Chu Ci suddenly felt an inexplicable disgust flash in his heart, and couldn't help but ask coldly: "Commander Han, with all due respect, you will live again in the house where you have been tortured and humiliated, and where you once lived. Suicide attempt over the house?"
Old Commander Han froze for a moment.
"That day in your mansion, you said that you could promise me anything, as long as the Han family can do it. I told you that I wanted to break up with Han Yue, and I think you must know what happened. I don't believe you really can't control it." Living in Han Yue, you are just pampering him, because you think I can bear it. Since I have endured it for two years, it is not a big deal to endure it for two more weeks. Besides, maybe I will endure it, so I will change my mind and not break up. gone?"
As Chu Ci said, he sneered: "It's just that you didn't expect that I committed suicide in front of Han Yue before the news of my change of mind came. Let's ignore the damage I suffered, and the psychological impact caused by this to Han Yue The blow is much stronger than the separation."
Old Commander Han's face was already a little ugly. He was a powerful and powerful man in half his life, and it was probably the first time anyone dared to speak to him in such a tone.
"I just think that Han Yue really likes you. He is my son. I know him. He has never liked anyone so much since he was born. Even his own family members have to stand aside!...Of course I know he treats you badly." Okay, but he has never liked anyone since he was a child, and he has such a violent temper, he will definitely use the wrong method for a while. As long as you are willing to give him another chance... "
Chu Ci really sneered this time, and asked while laughing: "Commander Han, do you think I was planning to give Han Yue a chance when I committed suicide lying in the bathtub?"
Old Commander Han was speechless all of a sudden, so he had to pat the table hard.
After all, Chu Ci is still young. Although his nature is gentle and modest, the long-term depression and burden of life have caused him a rebellious mentality. It would be fine if Old Commander Han kept scolding Han Yue, maybe Chu Ci would get soft-hearted, and reflect on whether he was a bit too much; however, Old Commander Han was defending Han Yue with every sentence, and defending himself with every sentence Chu Ci became paranoid all of a sudden, thinking that Han Yue was extremely hateful, and he wanted to strangle him to death.
He knew that this emotion was very extreme, but he couldn't restrain it at all. Why can he do whatever he wants with a good background, and no matter what he does, someone will jump up to defend him? Why can a good father be so domineering, no matter what crime he committed, someone will take the initiative to wash him off
Chu Ci felt her heart beat faster and faster, her breathing was also a little short, and her voice was a little unsteady when she spoke: "Commander Han, it stands to reason that I shouldn't make irresponsible remarks about the Han family's family style, but with all due respect , who in this world is not a serious father and mother, is your own child a child, and someone else's child is a grass? If someone treats Han Yue like Han Yue treated me, you can still sit here Do you want Han Yue to give that person another chance?"
Old Commander Han was at a loss for words, and Chu Ci's voice became sharp: "Don't ask others for what you can't do! Han Yue is very sad now, yes, but I used to be a hundred times and a thousand times more sad than him, and the pain and despair are all It was imposed on me by the Han family, so where can I go to cry?"
"you… "
"Now Han Yue is sad and uncomfortable, so you jumped out and asked others. But Commander Han, have you ever thought that when Han Qiang was misbehaving outside and disregarding human life, he relied on your face, when Han Yue blocked my house? When I handcuffed me, he also relied on the golden title of Han Ershao! The two of them have fallen into this situation. In the final analysis, the reason is because of you. It is your connivance to them for decades that has caused everything today. !"
Old Commander Han sat there for a long time, as if he was frozen, but his hands on the edge of the table were tightly clenched together, and the veins under the old and loose skin were bulging, which looked quite scary.
Chu Ci stared at him coldly, her eyes were stained red by the surge of hatred, and her ears were buzzing, which was caused by the rapid impact of blood on the eardrums.
If Old Commander Han said that Han Qiang was innocent, maybe the string of reason in Chu Ci's mind would be snapped immediately, maybe he would jump up and kill immediately.
However, after the palpitating silence lasted for a long time, Old Commander Han slowly opened his mouth, his voice was unexpectedly old and deep: "...if you have such a son, even if you know what he did is wrong, you can't help it." Protect him, even if you know in your heart that it is immoral... "
Chu Ci repeated in a low voice: "Involuntary,..." He couldn't help sneering: "It's really involuntary!"
There is nothing more to say at this point, Old Commander Han sighed, he has aged a lot since this time, and this breath made him look extraordinarily depressed and helpless.
"Anyway, I have to apologize on behalf of Han Yue." Old Commander Han stood up and bowed deeply to Chu Ci.
Chu Ci sat motionless, accepting the gift abruptly.
"There will be two more days, it will be my sixty-second birthday." Old Commander Han straightened up, looked at Chu Ci calmly, and said, "You must also know that because of my eldest son Han Qiang... This year's birthday can't be held as big as in previous years. But it's impossible to do it at all, so I only invited some relatives and important old friends. I heard that you are leaving Beijing recently. I hope you can come to eat again before you leave Let's have a meal, or say goodbye to Han Yue at the end."
Just as Chu Ci was about to speak, Old Commander Han looked at him with some sadness in his eyes: "Please don't refuse in a hurry, just treat this as the last request I, an old man, make to you... Please agree to me."
As he spoke, he lowered his head again and bowed.
Chu Ci didn't accept the gift this time, but stood up, "...Let me think about it."
Although he didn't fully agree, Old Commander Han knew in his heart that he would probably come.
Just like he would come to the Xijing Tea House today, ever since he learned that he didn't throw the fruit Han Yue sent into the trash can, Old Commander Han knew that this young man was just like his name, a gentle and tolerant person by nature. A person who easily rejects someone's request.
After all, Old Commander Han lived decades longer than Han Yue, and he was more accurate in seeing people, and his vision was more vicious.
He said he would consider it, but after considering it, he would not refuse easily. As long as the stance of the request is low enough and the attitude is tactful and humble enough, he will not be able to hold on to his own line of defense, and will gradually follow the wishes of others step by step.
Han Yue suffered the biggest loss here. If he was more resourceful and patient, maybe he could completely break through Chu Ci's defense with just a little bit of aggression.
Before leaving, Old Commander Han thanked Chu Ci again and again, thanked him for coming to Xijing Tea House today, and thanked him for considering attending the birthday banquet. I felt that my attitude was soft enough, and I had said everything, so I took my leave first and left.
You can't talk too much, and your attitude can't be too much, otherwise it's too much.
After Old Commander Han left, Chu Ci sat in his seat for a long time, watching Old Commander Han's back as he walked down the teahouse, got into the red flag car, and soon the car drove away on the busy street.
He was very depressed, feeling very low, unable to control the restless anger and killing intent in his heart. After a long while, he took a deep breath, turned his gaze back from the window, and was about to get up and leave when he suddenly saw a young man sitting on the chair opposite him at some point.
That person was more eye-catching, his hair was tied in a bunch at the back of his head and fell down. Generally, men with long hair always give people an inappropriate feeling, but he looks strangely beautiful. Probably because his face is very three-dimensional and profound, his skin color is slightly darker, his eyes are very bright, and his jaw is very sharp, so he looks beautiful with a gender confusion.
At first glance, Chu Ci felt that this person looked like a minority, but he couldn't be sure. He hesitated for a moment, then just heard the man smile at him, and asked casually: "What's so interesting about the old man of the Han family? You are so engrossed that you didn't even notice anyone approaching?"
Chu Ci frowned slightly: "...you are?"
"My surname is Long." The man crossed his legs casually, changed to a more comfortable sitting position, and said, "My name is Long Jiwei."