6.
The appearance of Zhuang Nan was just a small episode.
After sending this stranger away, Lin Wen continued to shrink in his snail shell, living a life of escaping everything.
He has a lot of jobs. He writes novels on the Internet, he can also draw comics, he can play games well, and he can also write some small programs. His income is quite considerable.
He was afraid that his neighbor would come to express his gratitude, and he was nervous for several days, but Zhuang Nan did not appear again.
My heart is relaxed, but also a little dissatisfied - how can this person be like this.
After being dissatisfied, I was relieved - it seems that the neighbor is very interesting, seeing that he doesn't like being disturbed, so he doesn't come to the door.
Lin Wen's thoughts jumped out of his mind, and he quickly left his neighbors behind. Two days later, City A welcomed the cooling down again. Office workers and school students struggled painfully in the warm bed every morning and cursed their mothers.
Editor Lin Wen and Wen confirmed the delivery time. Seeing that it was too late, he suddenly thought of Mr. Zhuang who was at the door.
With Mr. Zhuang's occupation, he should go out at night and come back in the middle of the night, right
Maybe people in this profession have some kind of unknown past
The protagonist of the next book has been uninspired, maybe... Can you try to dig into Mr. Zhuang's career
After he finished thinking about it, he took the garbage downstairs and threw it away. When he came back, the footsteps thumped and the voice-activated light came on.
Mr. Zhuang held his hands and leaned against the door of his house. As the weather became colder, he also put on a scarf, as if he had just returned from work, his face was still tired, his slender legs were folded, and his silhouette facing Lin Wen was elegant and sculptural. Hearing the footsteps, he turned his face, the brilliance fell on his face, and finally turned into a smile, dazzlingly bright: "Mr. Lin, I thought you were not at home."
... Mr. Zhuang is like, perhaps, the top card
Lin Wen lost his mind out of time, looked at him blankly, and asked hesitantly, "You...forgot to bring your key again?"
Zhuang Nan had just finished a big project and welcomed a big client. He dismissed his secretary that day. Before he could find a new one, he continued to work for a week. Every day, he was busy from morning to night. The project team was so busy that he vomited blood. After thinking about other things, I finally took a breath today. When I got off work, my subordinates were still complaining: "Boss, you can just throw us all into the juicer and contribute the last drop of blood to you."
He was too tired, he wanted to come back and take a good sleep, but suddenly he remembered the little neighbor who had not yet come to thank him.
Hearing Lin Wen's whispered question, Zhuang Nan burst into laughter for a while, and the voice-activated light went dark again. He clapped his hands, just in time to move his cold hands and feet, and showed the things in his hands: "I've been busy for a while, and I haven't had breakfast yet. I can only invite you to a late-night snack. Would you mind having a late-night snack together?"
Lin Wen's refusal came to his lips, and when he saw the haggard and tired man, another thought popped into his heart: I'm a little busy... Maybe I've encountered some difficult guests
Although it is a job like that, it must be very tiring.
Lin Wen pressed the overflowing sympathy and avoided Zhuang Nan's gaze without a trace: "You're welcome, no need."
It was rare for him to say such a few words to outsiders. He thought that Zhuang Nan might have waited in front of the door for a long time before continuing to stammer: "I, I'm not hungry, Mr. Zhuang works hard, you can eat ."
Zhuang Nan thought about it, walked to Lin Wen, and handed over the late-night snack specially packaged, the bag still holding the heat.
"Don't be nervous." He bent down, wanting Lin Wen to look into his eyes, with a sincere tone, "It was so cold that day, you saved my life, I sincerely thank you."
Lin Wen didn't raise his eyes, avoiding his sight from beginning to end, his body tense.
"Take it."
Zhuang Nan didn't dare to get too close, so he quickly pulled away, said "good night" with a smile, opened the door on the opposite side, and walked in.
The voice control light went out again.
Lin Wen opened the door and glanced back at the house number on the opposite side. The doors of A2402 and A2401 looked at each other silently.
It was the first time he met such a considerate neighbor who didn't cast strange eyes on him because of his weird personality. After the voice-activated light went out, he said goodnight in a low voice and closed the door.
7.
Lin Wen seldom went out. Even when he went out, he would wrap his body in thick clothes, and every inch of his exposed skin made him feel awkward and scared and dared not raise his head.
So when he had to go out, Lin Wen would choose to go out at night.
And the very few times he went out, he would accidentally bump into Mr. Zhuang.
Sometimes it's at the door of the house, sometimes it's in front of the elevator.
Mr. Zhuang's work is very hard, and he may often have difficult guests. After all, he is very good-looking. He was always tired and looked like he could fall asleep leaning against the wall. When he saw Lin Wen, he would cheer up and say hello, knowing that this neighbor didn't like talking to people and never forced him to say anything.
With three or two greetings and a distance of one or two meters, he gave Lin Wen a comfortable and relaxed state of getting along.
Lin Wen has traveled to many corners of the city, and had all kinds of neighbors, some were old ladies who were too enthusiastic to eat, some were energetic students who didn't know what they were doing all day long, and some were bitter and mean-spirited. Young women... There are so many different things, he can't restrain his inner fear and can't communicate with people normally, so no matter what the neighbors are, after getting along for a long time, occasionally when he goes out, he will get a few whispers.
"Ah, that young man can't go out for a few months, he doesn't know what to do at home..."
"Never look up when talking to people."
"Those who shrink their necks and hands, don't see any work, can't they be thieves?"
"Looking strangely honest, gnawing old, and not talking about a girlfriend when you are old."
"Very strange temper."
"Could it be a psychopath? There are so many murderers like this on TV..."
"… tell the child to stay away from him."
So Lin Wen became more and more afraid of communicating with people.
The crowded places are like purgatory. No matter how thick they are, they seem to be stripped and thrown into the spotlight. Even editors who used to be able to make phone calls have to exchange information.
Zhuang Nan was the first person who had contacted him and didn't think he was strange... Or he thought he was strange but didn't show it.
So after meeting in the elevator again, and hearing Zhuang Nan's gentle greeting, Lin Wen pinched his sleeves, his throat was blocked by a nameless thing for a long time, his lips opened and closed, and finally he mustered up his courage, as fine as a mosquito. He replied in a low voice, "...Late, good evening, Mr. Zhuang."
The elevator just arrived, and a ding sounded.
It overwhelmed Lin Wen's voice and defeated his courage.
He pressed his hat, pursed his lips, and prepared to wait for Zhuang Nan to leave before going out.
He never thought that his eyes would suddenly go dark, and his neighbor who always kept a distance with restraint approached him. He took two steps back nervously, and Zhuang Nan's habitual magnetic and lazy voice sounded in front of him, with a little smile: "Mr. Lin, good evening."
8.
Zhuang Nan said good evening twice.
The first was a customary, polite greeting, and the second was a response to the neighbor who had the courage to greet him.
Lin Wen was like a little squirrel holding his tail cautiously, stepping on the slender and fragile branches of the wind and rain, full of vigilance for any movement around him, as if a slightly louder voice would scare him into a frenzy and fall down. tree branches.
Zhuang Nan looked down at him, remembering the delicate face he wore in soft cotton pajamas that day and opened the door shyly and looked at him shyly, his heart moved slightly, and he wanted to say something more, but he swallowed the words after noticing Lin Wen's slightly trembling shoulders. go back.
There is a degree of advance and retreat.
Mr. Squirrel was about to fall off his feet.
So he took two steps back, opened the space again, and opened the closed elevator door. Before leaving, he smiled at the tip of Lin Wen's furry hat: "Goodbye."
After a pause, he added, "Good night."
There are elites around him, and their exchanges are full of cold calculations. Compared with physical fatigue, mental fatigue is deeper, so he moved to this newly built apartment that is far from the city center.
Be quiet and be at ease.
Even Zhuang Nan can't bear the intensity of work these days. He can smoke half a pack of cigarettes a day, and his mood is always unbearable.
But every time he met the little neighbor, he would think of the sweet porridge and fried eggs that morning, and his mood was like the snow that meets the warm sun, melting one layer and another.
The introverted and shy Mr. Squirrel did not look gloomy.
Like the smell of the quilt, refreshing and warm.
Inexplicably, the resolute and unequivocal big devil in the company is full of goodwill towards the neighbors who have only met a few times.
9.
After Lin Wen responded once, when they met again, Mr. Zhuang, who took the initiative to say hello, would put his hands in his pockets and stand there, waiting for the young man to reply in a small voice, then he smiled and said "good night" and turned to leave - they The two usually only meet at night.
Even though Lin Wen was reluctant to speak at times.
But Zhuang Nan always waited patiently for him to respond.
The snow in City A is heavier, and the end of the year is approaching.
Lin Wen handed in the draft, went downstairs to pick up the courier, and when he came back, he bumped into Zhuang Nan again and said hello, only to realize that in the months since Mr. Zhuang moved in, he has spoken more often than in the past half a year.
There were also more brief conversations between the two.
"so late?"
"Well, the subordinate made a mistake and delayed the work."
Lin Wen quietly pressed his hat down again, and with his movements, he secretly glanced at Mr. Zhuang's handsome face - so Mr. Zhuang is still a small leader
Then why are you so tired
Does Mr. Zhuang have any family members or friends who are seriously ill...
The thinking hidden under the quiet skin can never escape. The writer's habit allows Lin Wen to naturally coherent a series of plots. He bit his lip and couldn't help whispering: "You, pay attention to your body."
Except that morning, Zhuang Nan hadn't received any treatment from Lin Wen who took the initiative to speak up, and was almost flattered: "Work is always tiring."
Lin Wen didn't know how to respond.
It's not that he doesn't want to communicate with people, but he is afraid to communicate with people.
How to speak? Which tone is right? Will this sentence irritate people, and does that sentence irritate
Is the other party's tone impatient? Is it well-intentioned? Or an angry prelude? Will there be words in the conversation, hiding some other meaning? Could it be that those words that sound good are actually lies that are given in good faith to not embarrass him
Sensitive and slender thinking is tied to self-esteem, and Lin Wen has forgotten the feeling of normal communication with people.
Therefore, at this moment, his nerves were tense, his mind was empty, and even his breathing became tight.
Does Mr. Zhuang think he is too busy
Fortunately, Zhuang Nan quickly took the next sentence: "But I'm really tired recently. When the work is over, I will have a good rest. Thank you, Mr. Lin."
A high-hanging heart fell heavily, Lin Wen exhaled a long breath, held the express bag tightly, and nodded randomly. He didn't dare to let Zhuang Nan see his abnormality, and stared at the elevator door. When the elevator door opened, he quickly rushed out without waiting for Zhuang Nan to speak again.
Just like the day the two first met.
Zhuang Nan swallowed his words, looked at Lin Wen's hurried back, and for a moment, laughed out loud for no reason.