As the end of the year approaches, the branches of trees in the community have also begun to be decorated with lights and festoons. The trees are full of small red lanterns, and the anti-theft doors of every household are also pasted with the word "Fu". These days, the supermarket seems to be free of money, crowded with people, and many things are sold out. There are obviously fewer pedestrians on the street. The students who are on winter vacation have all gone home, and the office workers in Beidiao have also gone back to celebrate the New Year.
This is Zhou Hao's sixth year in City A. To him, the Spring Festival is just an ordinary day out of 365 days, nothing special.
The apartment of more than 100 square meters was empty, very deserted, and there was no Chinese New Year atmosphere at all.
The conversation that ended last time seemed to have given Jiang Yuqian the courage to break the net. He seemed determined to draw a clear line with Zhou Hao. Except for some changes of clothes that were not taken away, those documents and books for office use were moved out, and they were moved out while I was away.
Zhou Hao went to the jewelry store a while ago and bought a pair of rings, planning to have one for each person, but he never met Jiang Yuqian and had no chance to give it away.
The old drama repeated itself, Zhou Hao followed what he did three years ago and went to block him at the gate of his villa.
The winter in the north is extremely cold, and the cold wind is like a piercing needle point. When it blows on the body, it can penetrate the skin through the seams of the clothes.
Zhou Hao put on a down jacket and covered his mouth and nose with a scarf, but he still felt cold. He stomped his feet and rubbed his hands, trying to relieve the coldness in his body with the hot air in his mouth.
Standing outside foolishly for an hour, until Jiang Yuqian's mother discovered his existence, and kindly asked him if he was looking for something
Zhou Hao was already terribly cold, the tip of his nose was flushed, and his jaw was trembling, "Hello, Auntie, I'm Jiang Yuqian's classmate, I have something to do with him."
In just a few words, I felt that the heat stored in my body was about to dissipate.
"Why don't you knock on the door? I see you've been standing at the door for a long time, come in quickly, it's very cold outside."
After entering, the villa has underfloor heating. Zhou Hao finally recovered from his frozen thoughts. He took off his thick down jacket and hung it in the closet at the entrance.
Mother Jiang entertained Zhou Hao warmly, pouring water and handing fruit plates.
"Yuqian will be back in a while. I'll ask my aunt to cook a few more dishes, and I'll stay here for dinner tonight."
Zhou Hao wrapped his hands around the hot porcelain cup and smiled politely, "Thank you, Auntie."
"What do you call it?"
"My name is Zhou Hao."
Jiang's mother smiled gently, her eyebrows and eyes were almost like Jiang Yuqian's. Sure enough, the son followed his mother.
"Sit down, I'll go to the kitchen and have a look."
This was Zhou Hao's first visit to Jiang Yuqian's house, and he looked around. The villa has three floors, European-style decoration, simple and clean, with a spiral staircase in the middle. Above should be the study and bedroom.
At about seven o'clock, Jiang Yuqian came back. Zhou Hao turned his head to look at the man changing shoes at the door, and he watched every move he made.
Jiang Yuqian first took off the outer coat, and wore a straight suit inside, and then pulled off the tight tie casually, his movements were casual and lazy, but the moment he saw Zhou Hao, his hands stopped abruptly.
His eyes also changed from calm and calm to hostile and guarded, as if the pores of his whole body were tense up to resist the enemy in front of him together.
In the huge living room, there were only the two of them.
"Why are you here?" Putting down his guard, he asked questions.
"You didn't come to me, so I came to you." Zhou Haoman said.
Jiang Yuqian raised his foot and sat next to Zhou Hao, and the sofa immediately sank into a large piece.
"go out!"
"Your mother asked me to stay for dinner."
Jiang Yuqian pulled him out with all his strength, but Zhou Hao sat on the sofa like a mountain, not moving a single step.
The two were at a stalemate, and Mother Jiang happened to come over.
"Go wash your hands and prepare to eat."
This meal, Jiang Yuqian had no taste, but Zhou Hao was quite happy, and even chatted with Jiang's mother.
"This is the first time a classmate has come to our family. Yuqian doesn't fit in with others. Xiao Zhou, you should take him to play more often."
Zhou Haomao glanced at Jiang Yuqian, and responded with a smile, "Of course, I like to play with Yuqian."
After the meal, Jiang's mother insisted on letting Jiang Yuqian see off his classmates, but Jiang Yuqian only sent Zhou Hao to the door of the house, and wanted to close the door.
Jiang's mother came over, first accused her son of being ignorant, and then told him, "You drive Xiao Zhou back."
Jiang Yuqian had no choice but to take the car keys. The distance is not far, and the drive is fast.
Arriving at Binjiang No. 1, Jiang Yuqian directly put Zhou Hao down at the gate of the community. Both of them looked at the window glass, and their bodies did not move at all.
"Can't you hang on?"
Zhou Hao unfastened his seat belt, took out a box from the pocket of his down jacket, and then picked up a small sterling silver ring from the box, with a solemn expression,
"For you."
Jiang Yuqian squinted slightly, but did not reach out to pick it up, "Do you know what imitation is?"
Zhou Hao's heart turned cold, he held his breath and asked, "What do you mean?"
"I don't understand, if I don't understand, go back and ask Baidu."
Zhou Hao forcibly grabbed Jiang Yuqian's hand and slammed it on his ring finger. After a long time of effort, he finally got it on. Before the ring was warm enough to wear, Jiang Yuqian immediately pulled it out and threw it out of the car window.
"I thought I made it clear to you last time!"
Zhou Hao's eyes fell on the ground following the ring in a parabola, and then opened the car door to look for the ring on the ground.
Jiang Yuqian was inexplicably agitated by the look of bowing his head and bowing, and drove away.
The ring was not found, so Zhou Hao had no choice but to walk home lonely. He ruthlessly took off the ring on his left ring finger and threw it in the grass in the community.
Three days later, on New Year's Eve, Zhou Hao was alone at home, with all the food bought, and waiting to cook.
As in previous years, except for Yan Ming sending a blessing, the phone has never been turned on again. At home, he can't count on it. He has been away for many years, and his mother has never called him.
Zhou Hao plugged in the induction cooker, prepared a big pot to simmer, and cooked some hot pot to eat.
Suddenly, the phone "clicked", and Zhou Hao picked up the phone. It was a message from Sun Yiwen——
"Happy Year of the Rooster!"
Zhou Hao remembered that this kid said that he would not go home for the Chinese New Year this year and would stay in City A.
"Alone?"
"yes."
"Let's celebrate the New Year together, Room 501, Unit 2, Building 5, Binjiang No. 1"
Sun Yiwen tidied up quickly for a while, then hurriedly went out.
The street was unusually quiet on New Year's Eve, and the usual traffic and traffic had all disappeared. Taking a taxi, it took less than half an hour to arrive at Zhou Hao's house.
Sun Yiwen was a little cautious, standing in front of Zhou Hao, his cheeks that were frozen red in the cold weather were now steamed by the heating in the room, and his face was flushed.
"Don't block me," Zhou Hao walked around him and went to the kitchen to get the dishes.
The TV in the living room was still playing the Spring Festival Gala, and the festive movement stimulated Zhou Hao's eardrums.
"Go, move the pot to the coffee table, and I'll find a socket."
So, the two sat on the carpet and watched the Spring Festival Gala around the hot pot.
"Why didn't you go back after Chinese New Year?"
Sun Yiwen hesitated, he didn't really want to say anything.
Zhou Hao saw it, and changed the subject, "The sauce I made is okay, how does it taste?"
Sun Yiwen is very well-behaved, answering every question, "It's delicious."
Zhou Hao stared at Sun Yiwen for a long time.
"What... what's wrong?" Sun Yiwen rubbed his mouth around, fearing that he might have gotten some meat sauce from his meal.
"Have you ever dated someone?"
Sun Yiwen showed his previous ambiguity again, he seemed to say, "No..." In fact, Zhou Hao didn't hear it very clearly.
"You should be quite popular with girls."
Sun Yiwen lowered his head, as if a little embarrassed.
"You're really thin-skinned."
"What about you? Have you ever been in a relationship?"
Zhou Hao was stunned, raised his eyebrows and asked, "What do you think?"
"I can't see it."
"I've been dating, I'm dating, but... it's a boyfriend."
Sun Yiwen stuffed a meatball with his mouth wide open, and then swallowed it suddenly. The hot meatball slid down his throat and esophagus, feeling burned by a hot iron. It hurt so much that his brows were furrowed in pain.
"You don't believe it."
"No... no." The head shook like a rattle.
Zhou Hao looked like a squinting fox, he raised the phone in his hand, "If you don't believe me, I'll call you."
The moment the phone was connected, Zhou Hao's eye sockets became moist, how sad, he was like that clown jumping up and down, desperately wanting to prove to others, what to prove? —
He has a boyfriend.
"Honey, happy new year." After Zhou Hao said this, he quickly put down the phone.
He raised his phone at Sun Yiwen again, "Look, I have a boyfriend."
Sun Yiwen didn't say anything else, just lowered his head to eat the food in the bowl, a strange emotion affected both of them at the same time, neither of them had anything to say.
There was constant sound of firecrackers outside, one after another, the hot pot was boiling, and the festive sounds from the TV were intertwined, hovering in the supposedly quiet living room...