The afterglow of the setting sun gradually softened, and the scorching heat of the day gradually dissipated. Zhou Hao stood on the balcony of his house with an old popsicle sticking out of his mouth.
In his vision, the old man selling jelly skins on the street was particularly eye-catching. There was a circle of people around the small stall, and the white jelly skins were packed into food bags one after another. The customers changed batch after batch...
The old couple went back last Saturday, and Zhou Hao sent them to Qingjiang County. Before leaving, grandma was still nagging that she was not used to living in the city, but the country was more comfortable. Grandma also asked, how much did it cost to go to a big hospital for a physical examination this time? Zhou Hao said, there is not much money, and it is cheaper to see a doctor in a big hospital.
Zhou Hao finished the popsicle in his mouth, emptied the suitcase from the wardrobe in the bedroom, opened the wardrobe, and took his clothes off the hangers, leaving them all on the bed. There are clothes for all seasons in spring, summer, autumn and winter.
He carefully folded the clothes neatly, opened the box, and prepared to pack them one by one from thick to thin.
As soon as the box was opened, Zhou Hao froze for a moment—
At the bottom of the box are two sweaters, one dark blue and one gray.
The most fashionable sweater at that time has become an old style now.
The owner used to flaunt his power and was not afraid of the cold weather in the north just to expose them, but now they are left by the owner at the bottom of the dark box, completely far away from their golden age.
Zhou Hao stretched out his hand to touch one of them, and it felt a little tingly to the touch.
"I'm going to find my ex-boyfriend. He treats me very well now, and I will treat him well in the future. It should be fine for you to be abroad alone. Ou Yi said that you went to Europe with your friends. Never been abroad…”
These are all from his heart, no lie.
Zhou Hao picked up the two sweaters, opened the door, and went downstairs. There was a green trash can diagonally opposite the corridor entrance, and he threw it into it with a "pop." He went home and continued to pack his things.
Ten minutes before eight o'clock in the evening, Zhou Hao sat back in the living room, waiting for Jiang Yuqian's call.
"Buzzing—" the phone vibrated slightly on the coffee table.
Zhou Hao bent over to pick it up and put it close to his ear, "Hello."
Jiang Yuqian had just had dinner and called for takeaway. He held his mobile phone in his left hand and chopsticks in his right hand, with a slight chewing sound in his mouth, "I just ate, fried pork with bamboo shoots, it doesn't taste very good, you can eat it tonight of what?"
"Eating popsicles."
"What's the smell? Haohao, I'm done here next Thursday, wait for me to come back."
"You don't want to come here anymore. I plan to resign. When I'm done here, I'll go to City A to find you."
Jiang Yuqian didn't seem to have reacted, and asked again in a daze, "What did you say?"
Zhou Hao repeated mechanically, "I'll resign and go find you."
Jiang Yuqian was surprised and delighted, "Why, so suddenly?"
"It's not sudden, I've been thinking about it for a few days."
"Then I will go to the suburbs tomorrow to see if there is any suitable house."
"Jiang Yuqian, how much did my grandma spend in hospital?" This is an unavoidable topic.
"Not much, really."
Zhou Hao's free other hand pinched hard into the flesh, "I will pay you back in the future."
The whole department knew about Zhou Hao's resignation the next day. They couldn't understand that a 30-year-old man wanted to go to City A to fiddle around without a decent job, and he was a rigid person. , I can't stand the set of big cities at all.
When it comes to this matter, Qian Weicheng is the saddest. He, brother Hao before brother Hao and after brother Hao, has been shouting for four years, and he has shouted out his feelings.
However, he is a person who knows the inside story, and he can understand Zhou Hao's actions intellectually, but he just can't bear it.
The resignation procedure is quite troublesome. You need to go to the department leader, the director in charge, the hospital secretary, and the director to approve it layer by layer. Director Zhang of their department regretted that he had finally recruited a talented student, but he left after all. Miao Xiao could not keep talented people.
When he was free, the doctors and nurses in the department were discussing this matter. Qian Weicheng, who was usually the loudest, was the quietest this time. Also, he seemed to be deliberately avoiding Zhou Hao all day long.
In the afternoon, the resignation procedures were finally approved. Zhou Hao packed his belongings in a cardboard box and took away. When he walked to the No. 4 clinic, Qian Weicheng was sitting in the consultation room, and he went in.
"Come to my house tonight, I'm busy ordering."
Qian Weicheng pretended not to hear and continued talking to the patient.
Zhou Hao knew that the kid was losing his temper, so he smiled and left with the box in his hands.
Before six o'clock in the evening, there was a knock on the door, Zhou Hao went to open the door, and Qian Weicheng stood outside.
"Finally, come in." Zhou Hao said with a smile.
Qian Weicheng swept away his usual flamboyance, now he was deeper than anyone else, he bent over to change his shoes, and walked in.
There was a table of dishes on the table, some of which were Qian Weicheng's favorites. Every time this kid came to eat, he always had to comment on them. Over time, Zhou Hao unconsciously remembered his favorite food. dishes.
"Wash your hands and eat, there is one last soup left, it will be ready soon." Zhou Hao said, pushing Qian Weicheng to the bathroom, and then went into the kitchen by himself.
The soup was served, and the dishes were all ready. Zhou Hao took off his apron and hung it on the chair at the dining table.
"Eat, why don't you move your chopsticks?"
Qian Weicheng picked up a piece of meat and put it in his mouth, but he couldn't chew it.
"Brother Hao, do you really want to leave?"
Zhou Hao nodded, "Yes."
"Just because of that junior?" Qian Weicheng looked full of hatred, "You are alone in city A, with no relatives or reasons, and you haven't worked yet. What do you eat? Rely on that man? If he is really reliable, Why did you come to Suchuan in the first place? I really don't know what you think."
"I've decided to live a good life with him. I can't hang on to him all the time. He's busy with work, so he has to run around."
"Then you go to City A to see him every weekend, it's fine if you don't."
"I don't have that much money. I go there once a week. Who will pay for the round-trip ticket for me."
Qian Weicheng took a bite of his meal and stopped talking. He had a vague feeling that Zhou Hao was just a fool when it came to handling private affairs, and he couldn't tell which was more important.
A little ignorant ambiguity between adults is perfectly normal, even if it is punctured, it is not a big deal, but he doesn't even want to work, and he runs all the way to find his love, it is unreasonable.
Qian Weicheng ate the meal without interest. He leaned on the sofa, frowning, looking preoccupied.
After Zhou Hao cleaned up the dishes, he went to work on his own affairs, and he will leave in a few days. He has to tidy up the things at home and mail a batch to City A first. At least, the model of that cabinet has to be mailed first.
At eight o'clock in the evening, the phone call came as expected, breaking the eerie silence in the living room.
Zhou Hao was still busy with his hands and couldn't free his hands, so he had to tilt his head and put the phone between his ears, "I've eaten."
After a while, he said again, "All the resignation procedures have been completed, and I will leave in a few days. Well, well, Jiangbei District is also very good. Well, you can send me the address later, and I will mail the things to you tomorrow. No, no, not much, I won’t tell you, I’m packing my things.”
In the end, Zhou Hao hesitated at the corner of his mouth and said, "I love you too..."
The disturbing phone call was finally cut off, and Qian Weicheng couldn't sit still any longer. He straightened up and put on a serious posture.
"It's so fast, when are you leaving?"
Zhou Hao glanced back at him, then leaned over to organize his things, "The day after tomorrow, I've checked the almanac, it's a good day to travel."
"Are you still doing your job in the future?"
"If you don't do this business, what can you do?" Zhou Hao didn't turn his head, Qian Weicheng asked him a question, and he replied, as if he was talking about family matters.
"Brother Hao, I really miss you." Qian Weicheng was rare and deep.
Zhou Hao turned his head back, grinning and grinning, "Is it because you are afraid that you won't be able to find someone for three missing ones?"
"Tch, it's not serious when you say it. What I said this time is true. From now on... oh, I don't know what to say. Anyway, when you arrive in City A, find a job and earn more money, man None can be trusted."
Zhou Hao kept his words in his heart, but said, "You made me say this, as if we are not men."
"What's wrong with your house? You quit your job, you don't have a provident fund, and you won't have to repay the mortgage every month."
"It's going to be sold soon."
Qian Weicheng really wanted to smash his head open to see if it was filled with paste. Now that housing prices are rising, he just wanted to sell the house at this time.
"Don't sell it, keep it. You can sell it when the housing price is saturated. They are all men in their thirties. They have a house, so they can be tougher when they say it."
The day before he left, Qian Weicheng asked Zhou Hao to soak his feet, and in the afternoon he played a mahjong game, saying that he would see him off.
Zhou Hao recollected the unique market life in these small Suchuan towns one by one.
================
After a three-hour flight, the plane arrived in City A. Zhou Hao took the two orange cats directly to the place where Jiang Yuqian lived, an apartment near the Fifth People's Hospital.
The sun was scorching, and after getting out of the taxi, Zhou Hao dragged his suitcase and walked into the community. The noise made by the gears rubbing against the ground made people even more stuffy. After walking a few steps, Zhou Hao felt that his back was stuck to his clothes. It was too hot this day.
When he got downstairs to the unit, he couldn't get in without a card, so he had no choice but to call Jiang Yuqian—
"Jiang Yuqian, I'm here."
The other side was very excited, "Are you at the airport? I'll pick you up right away."
"I'm downstairs in your community and I can't get in."
"Wait for me, I'll be right there."
Zhou Hao looked up at the sky. It was so bright that he couldn't open his eyes at all. He walked to the shadow of the corner and took off the backpack with the cat on his body.
The clothes were sticking to the body, and it was strangely uncomfortable. Zhou Hao picked up the collar and fanned it. The hot air rushed in from the collar, and the sticky feeling faded away, but he didn't understand the extreme heat.
At this time, a middle-aged couple walked out of the unit building. The glass door opened and then closed automatically. Zhou Hao was still standing in the shadow. He felt the eyes of the middle-aged couple. He raised his head to look Towards them, the couple walked straight away.
At this moment and here, Zhou Hao couldn't help being confused: why is he here? How did you come all the way here
But before he could think about it, Jiang Yuqian appeared.
The man was wearing a high-end custom-made suit. Except for the sweat oozing from his forehead, he was clean and upright. He walked over, carried Zhou Hao's suitcase, and swiped his card to enter the unit building.
In the elevator, Jiang Yuqian loosened his tie and took a long breath.
"Is it hot?" Jiang Yuqian looked at Zhou Hao with a smile.
"fine."
The twenty-eighth floor is here. Zhou Hao followed Jiang Yuqian with the cat on his back.
A couple of sandals were placed at the door, one pair of blue and one pair of black. Jiang Yuqian took out the key, opened the door and said, "The blue one is yours."
The door opened, Jiang Yuqian took off his coat, turned on the central air conditioner, and went to the kitchen to pour two glasses of iced juice.
Zhou Hao let the big hair and the second hair out, and the two guys jumped back and forth like having fun, and they were suffocated all the way.
"Don't call me earlier when you arrive." Jiang Yuqian handed over the juice.
Zhou Hao took it and gulped it all down, "Aren't you going to work, I don't want to make trouble for you."
A fleeting gloomyness appeared in Jiang Yuqian's eyes. He sat next to the little lunatic, put his arm around him, and rubbed against his cheek.
"Don't... be hot, my face is covered with sweat." Zhou Hao tried to push away the man beside him.
Jiang Yuqian didn't force it either, he carried Zhou Hao's suitcase into the bedroom, folded his clothes one by one into the closet, and placed them together with his.
Zhou Hao leaned against the door of the bedroom, his eyes following the busy man.
A man is rich, careful, and treats him well. There is nothing wrong with this kind of life, so he should be content.
"Jiang Yuqian," Zhou Hao suddenly hugged the man from behind, and put his face behind him, "Are you tired of packing your clothes?"
Jiang Yuqian turned his head and glanced at the little lunatic, secretly delighted, he deliberately took Joe, "Don't make trouble, it's hot..."
Zhou Hao really let go of the hug, and bent down to take out the remaining clothes in the box. At this moment, Jiang Yuqian threw him on the bed.
"I'm lying to you, I don't think it's too hot." Jiang Yuqian smiled innocently.
Because of the excessive range of motion, a button on the man's chest was undone, revealing the strong muscles inside. Zhou Hao seemed to have needle eyes, and his eyes were full of Jiang Yuqian's flesh.
"What are you looking at?"
Zhou Hao finally moved his eyes away, slightly nervous, "No, it's nothing..."
Jiang Yuqian lowered his head, and only realized later, he whispered into the little lunatic's ear and said, "I'll show you enough tonight."
Zhou Hao pushed him away vigorously, and pressed back, "I have what you have, what's so interesting."
Jiang Yuqian blinked, pretending to be pitiful and innocent, "I was wrong..."
In the next few days, Zhou Hao was running around looking for a job. He also knew that his personality was not suitable for foreign companies. Apart from the hospital, he couldn't think of any other better place to go.
Although his academic qualifications are not bad, the top three hospitals are not so easy to get into. It happens that many hospitals in City A are recruiting in July, and he signed up online.
On Wednesday, the mobile game developed by Jiang Yuqian and his company was released, and the press conference was followed by a grand celebration banquet.
Zhou Hao stayed at home alone, reading a book, when Jiang Yuqian called and asked him to come to the Sofitel Hotel in Sandaokou.
Zhou Hao was still explaining with nouns in his mouth, and without thinking about it, he directly replied "No", put down the phone, and continued to mutter.
Not long after, the sound of the key jack sounded outside the door. Zhou Hao was wearing earphones, but he didn't hear it.
Jiang Yuqian pushed open the bedroom door, and saw the little lunatic leaning against the head of the bed, reciting a book with his eyes closed, babbling. He walked over and pulled out the earphones of the little lunatic, and the man discovered his existence.
"Why are you back?" Zhou Hao was surprised.
Jiang Yuqian urged, "Relax today and stop reading. I'll take you to dinner and change clothes quickly."
"Just eat at home, don't bother to move."
Jiang Yuqian rubbed Zhou Hao's face vigorously, his mouth was squeezed out of shape, "Little heartless, didn't I tell you yesterday, the game is officially released today, and the company will have a celebration banquet tonight."
Zhou Hao patted himself on the head, he was almost dumbfounded by reciting the memorization, and he forgot about it.
"I'll just change my clothes right away."
The luxurious crystal chandelier is dazzling, and the five-story champagne tower is filled with light silver liquid, which is noble and elegant. The people inside are all in formal clothes and evening gowns.
Jiang Yuqian said a few words earlier, and the dinner began.
Zhou Hao was not used to this kind of bustle. He walked around with the plate, glanced at the food, and put a few pieces he liked on the plate.
Jiang Yuqian laughed at him, "You are not stupid, you only pick expensive things to eat."
Zhou Hao glared at him, "It's a waste if you don't eat."
Suddenly, Jiang Yuqian's phone rang, "Haohao, I'm going out to answer the phone."
Since Zhou Hao was holding the plate, Jiang Yuqian followed behind talking and laughing. Almost all the employees were speculating on Zhou Hao's identity. They talked and laughed happily on the surface, but they couldn't suppress their curiosity in their hearts.
It is a conservative guess that it is a friend of Mr. Jiang. If you are more courageous, you guess that Zhou Hao may be Mr. Jiang's or something. As for the next words, needless to say, everyone will understand.
Cheng Jinghao walked up to Zhou Hao on her seven-centimeter high-heeled shoes. She picked up a piece of sea urchin and put it on Zhou Hao's plate. You try it."
Zhou Hao put the piece of sea urchin on Cheng Jinghao's plate, "I don't eat seafood."
Cheng Jinghao stared at Zhou Hao with sharp eyes for a few seconds, then raised the corners of her lips and smiled, "That's a pity, this food is not something you can eat if you want it. But...you come to us Mr. Jiang, if you want to eat someday, he can get it for you."
Zhou Hao looked at the aggressive woman in front of him coldly, "You hate me?"
"This is serious. I just can't get used to people who get something for nothing."
Cheng Jinghao left a meaningful smile and brushed past Zhou Hao. She blended into other small circles and was chatting with colleagues around her.
When Jiang Yuqian came in from the outside, he saw the little lunatic standing in a daze, and he patted him from behind.
"What now?"
Zhou Hao came to his senses, "I'm full, Jiang Yuqian, I'm going back to read."
"Wait for me, I'll go back too."
Jiang Yuqian could clearly see the displeasure of the little madman, he walked over to Cheng Jinghao and explained the ending, then walked towards Zhou Hao, while no one was paying attention, he squeezed the little madman's face, "Let's go ,go home."
On the way back, Zhou Hao closed his eyes and leaned back on the seat, just at the red light at the intersection, Jiang Yuqian stepped on the brakes.
Zhou Hao's body leaned forward slightly, but he still didn't open his eyes. Jiang Yuqian rubbed the back of the little lunatic's hand with his thumb, not rushing, full of intimacy.
"Tired?" Jiang Yuqian asked in a deep voice.
Zhou Hao opened his eyes, "No, I was thinking what should I do if I don't get admitted to the hospital?"
"If you fail the exam, come to my company and be my secretary."
Zhou Hao disdainfully said, "I have higher education than you, why should I be your secretary?"
"Just kidding, how can we let our Haohao become a secretary?"
The unintentional words gave Zhou Hao the courage to fight back. He began to brainwash himself repeatedly, failed to get into the hospital and became an unemployed youth, and had to be sick at home every day.
The ruthless spirit of studying hard when I was a child has returned.
It was after midnight that night, Zhou Hao was still reading in the study, Jiang Yuqian got up to go to the bathroom at night, and found that the light in the study was on.
"Haohao, let's see it tomorrow, it's already one o'clock." Jiang Yuqian appeared at the door of the study with a confused and sleepy look on his face.
Zhou Hao looked at the time, and it was almost half past one. He responded to Jiang Yuqian's words, got up and went into the bedroom.
The two lay facing each other, and Jiang Yuqian, half asleep and half awake, subconsciously hugged the little lunatic into his arms.
Zhou Hao rubbed against his arms, "Jiang Yuqian, can you hear me?"
"Well... go to sleep..."
"You don't go to work tomorrow, so you give me a few questions."
"Well... go to sleep..."