"Every era has the imprint of each era. For example, in my grandma's generation, they were also poor, starved, ate big pots of rice, and went to the mountains and countryside. They suffered all their lives, and when they were old, they refused When I’m free, I get up every day before the sun comes out, and if I have nothing to do, I take a broom and sweep here and there in front of the gate, wishing to sweep the road down one floor.”
Ever since Jiang He came, Xu Qing had unknowingly become a chatterbox, blah blah blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
"Later, in my dad's generation, life began to improve... In fact, it's not very good, but it's much better than the previous generation, especially after he grows up, the state's distribution of house work and so on is very stable, and he can concentrate. Just do your own thing well, so they have a fanatical pursuit of the iron rice bowl, and they want their children to also enter the weaving, eat the imperial grain, and guarantee their income in drought and flood."
"What about you?" Jiang He seemed to understand, but only roughly knew that the establishment was equivalent to doing things for the government.
"I am the latest generation, and what I pursue is the meaning of life, the meaning of living."
"The meaning of life?"
"Yes, the meaning of life. I often reflect on why I live and what I live for." Xu Qing looked like a philosopher, stretched out his finger and pushed the non-existent glasses.
"What's the point?" Jiang He was confused.
"The meaning of life is to come and come."
"Are you all here?"
Jiang He was even more confused.
"Yes, we are here, so let's live." Xu Qing shrugged, "Then there is a second meaning, which is happiness, or freedom—everything is here, of course, we must live more nourishingly, let ourselves Don’t have too many regrets, don’t have to compare yourself with others, each family is bitter and each family is sweet, you know how warm you are, I know that I’m warm is enough, simply put, life is short, enjoy the moment.”
"Of course, this is not the thinking of the new generation, but this kind of thinking belongs to the new generation. It may not be obvious now, but after many years, the imprint of the times can be clearly seen."
He looked at Jiang He's ignorant expression, and said, "You also carry the imprint of your era, older than my grandma... Well, they are also older than them. For example, the word 'drought and flooded harvest', listen How does it feel to wake up?"
"It sounds... very reliable." Jiang He had an inexplicable fondness for this word.
"Protecting income from drought and flood is synonymous with reliability, because it means that no matter what, you will never go hungry. This is the common characteristic of those of you who have suffered. Because you have been hungry, you don't want to go hungry again.
But for many people nowadays, this is just a word, there is nothing special, this is the difference between us, different values. "
Xu Qing paused for a moment to give her time to understand, and then continued: "Of course, this does not mean that I am better than you, or that you are better than me. We have no distinction between high and low. Being hungry or not is just an experience, no one is wrong, and my grandma lives happily in her hometown every day, which is nothing.
But the point is, you have to learn to recognize new things, don’t resist instinctively, maybe you can discover new pleasures, there are so many beautiful things in this world that you have never experienced, it would be a pity if you stick to your previous thinking. "
"For example?" Jiang He asked.
"For example, can I hold your hand? Holding hands is very beautiful, and I can feel my heart beating." Xu Qing looked down at her hand, "It's a very small thing, I I really want you to experience that wonderful feeling."
?
Jiang He was stunned seeing his serious expression.
To discover new fun and new beauty, start from holding hands
"Do you want to try? Anyway, we are pretending to be boyfriend and girlfriend, so it's not a big deal to hold each other." Xu Qing asked.
"..."
"Try it, I don't want to do anything to you, hold hands... you should just hold the sword, my hand is the sword, the sword is as light as mine, and cut off all the bullshit." He waved his hands twice, really Like that.
"Then...you try."
Jiang He hesitated for a moment, rolled up his sleeves and handed out his hand.
Anyway... Anyway... It's not what to do.
"We're sitting here, this isn't called pulling, this is called touching, isn't it a hooligan?" Xu Qing got up and put on his coat, "Come on, let's go shopping."
"..."
In the twelfth lunar month of winter, the sun outside is not very warm, and it can only make people feel a little warmth.
The snow will melt during the day, then freeze at night, and continue to melt during the day. It is not yet noon, and the ground is smooth. Jiang He did not play the game of skating anymore, and Xu Qing held his hand and walked slowly on his beside.
"Do you feel different?" Xu Qing asked.
"No."
"What about this?"
He gently hooked Jiang He's palm with his little finger, and Jiang He retracted his hand in an instant, staring at him with wide eyes.
"That's how it feels... I'm just demonstrating it, so come and take it."
Xu Qing taught her how to fall in love... Bah, feeling the better things in the world, he took her hand and swayed slowly.
I don't feel like lying to ghosts. My palms are sweaty in winter, and my little hands are warm. Except for the hard calluses on the palms, the backs of my hands are still quite smooth.
"Uncle Zhao, good morning."
Greeting Uncle Zhao at the gate of the community, Xu Qing was about to leave cheerfully, when she remembered something again, "By the way, it seems that Aunt Cheng hasn't seen her for a while?"
"I heard that I'm going to live with Xiaoli at her family's place for a while, what's the matter?" Uncle Zhao shrank his neck and hid in front of the security booth, smoking a cigarette, "What do you want her to do?"
"It's okay, just ask casually."
Xu Qing took her little hand and left, "Uncle Zhao, smoke some cigarettes."
"I live on this cigarette."
Uncle Zhao joked behind him, Jiang He followed Xu Qing closely with small steps, and asked curiously after a little distance: "What is that smoke?"
"It's also a kind of pastime. It stimulates people's spirit and is addictive. It's not a good thing."
"Then why do you still smoke?"
"Because I like it." Xu Qing squeezed her hand calmly, "It's like my hands are a little cold, but I still want to hold you. This is liking."
"..."
Jiang He turned his head and looked away, "Don't say such things."
"I'm just explaining to you that this thing is unreasonable. It's like a moth to a fire, and it's because moths like fire."
While talking, Xu Qing took her to stop in front of the bus stop, "There are not so many reasons in this world, if you like it, just do it."
"Then what if I don't like it?" Jiang He asked.
"Didn't you say it yesterday? It's unreasonable to not like it. If you don't like it, you can reject me. It has nothing to do with anything else. Just refuse me." Xu Qing turned her head and smiled at her, " This is your freedom."
"I… "
Jiang He's fingers trembled twice, but he didn't make another sound, and looked elsewhere in confusion.
The bus came quickly, and Xu Qing pulled her onto the bus, took out two coins with the other hand and threw them into the coin box, and then walked to the empty seats in the back row together.
The car started, and the scenery outside kept flashing through the window.
"I'm experiencing the fun you said." Jiang He looked out the window and said.
"Ok, I know."
Xu Qing took her hand and nodded seriously.