Shi Hao does not live alone, he also has a teenage older brother with gray hair.
When Jiang Wang knocked on the door, Shi Hao only opened the door and looked at him warily: "What's the matter?"
"My surname is Jiang, you should have heard of it," Jiang Wang smiled and passed a cigarette: "I seem to have misunderstood you before Linqiu, let's talk about it before the Chinese New Year, so as not to be unhappy in the future."
When Shi Hao heard that, his face turned blue, but he still opened the door a little more.
"I really didn't mean it." He defended: "And it's a big deal, there's no need to remember it for so many years, is it necessary for us to be men?"
"It's not necessary. I told Lin Qiu on the way here, but it was just a small misunderstanding," Jiang Wang smiled generously: "Come on, let's go in and have a seat, won't it delay you drinking a cup of tea?"
Shi Hao first glanced at Ji Linqiu, and realized that he seemed to be listening to Jiang Wang, so he opened the door with confidence.
"No delay!"
Ji Linqiu dutifully served as the backdrop for thirty minutes.
Strictly speaking, they only chatted a few words when they opened the door, and then it was Boss Jiang and Shi Hao bragging about everything from the international situation to stock oil, and then a series of profitable transactions in the city.
In the beginning, Shi Hao was dubious and a little cautious, but in the second half of the chat, Jiang Wang completely bypassed him. Before he knew it, he laughed and called him brother and brother, and even called his brother to come and listen to the news.
Jiang Wang sent out a lot of red envelopes in the past two days, he talked generously and spent money, and his popularity grew extremely fast.
Shi Hao chatted comfortably and relaxedly. After staying with Boss Jiang for a long time, he felt that his face was glowing, and he was still somewhat respectful.
Ji Linqiu just felt that it was ridiculous for him to sit here.
"Since we have opened up the conversation," Jiang Wang slapped his thigh, looking very talkative: "If there is anything else that needs to be said, we should finish it together today, a new year and a new atmosphere."
Shi Hao was stunned, and turned to look at his brother.
The old man knocked on the crutches: "Listen to Boss Jiang, what have you done and what to say, don't make trouble with Ji's family again in the future!"
When Shi Hao was asked this question suddenly, he was stunned for a long time, never expecting the offensive to turn so fast.
Jiang Wang is very familiar with this kind of sloppy face, and he has a good-natured look on his face.
"If we have anything to hide from each other, it will be embarrassing if we meet again in the future, won't we?"
Shi Hao was heartbroken, and relying on his elder brother and Boss Jiang being here, he stood up and apologized to Ji Linqiu who had been silent all this time.
"Yes, I'm sorry, I shouldn't touch your sister."
Ji Linqiu's pupils straightened.
"What did you say?"
Shi Hao didn't notice his murderous intent, he lowered his head and said hesitantly: "Before she got married, I always teased her, pinched her butt, and I didn't do anything too much, trust me."
All of Ji Linqiu's forbearance and anger suddenly broke out, and his voice was chilling: "How dare you touch my sister?"
Jiang Wang turned around and said softly, "Brother Shi, a beating is not too much for such a bastard, right?"
Both the Shi family were shocked, and before Shi Hao could react, Ji Linqiu kicked him up.
"Hiss—" Shi Hao was fully on guard just now, and was caught off guard and kicked directly to the ground, howling loudly: "You!!"
The old man wobbled and wanted to stand up, but Jiang Wang pressed him down, and wrote lightly: "Your younger generation is fighting, so you don't need to get involved."
"Don't hit, don't hit!! Pain, pain, ah!! Face!!"
Ji Linqiu had never hit anyone before, but today his eyes were hardened and his movements were clean, accurate and powerful.
Jiang Wang slowly pointed at the side: "Don't kick your stomach, it's easy to rupture your internal organs."
"Well, this elbow strike is very steady, and the muscles are relaxed."
On the way, Shi Hao wanted to stand up or fight back several times, but he couldn't find a chance at all.
Nosebleed after a few blows: "You—you actually!"
Ji Linqiu sneered, kicked hard, turned his head and left.
He didn't even talk to Jiang Wang again, and immediately turned around and went home after beating him, letting the man follow behind him all the way.
The mountain road is rocky, weeds are growing wildly, and a large piece of wild oleander leans against the stream to hide the way.
Ji Linqiu stepped on the rocks and walked straight through the forest and chose the shortest path, as if the shackles around his body were untied one by one at this moment, ignoring his mother's surprised greeting at the gate of the courtyard, he rushed all the way to the back kitchen where the ashes were choking on firewood.
A group of sisters-in-law inside exclaimed: "Qiuqiu, why are you here?!"
"This is the kitchen, who are you looking for? Are you hungry? Why do you have a bad face?"
"I'm here to pick up my sister." He reached out and squeezed Ji Changxia's wrist, pulling her out of the endless clan banquet preparations: "Stop cooking, there are already enough dishes to prepare."
"Hey, Linqiu, why are you meddling in women's affairs all of a sudden!"
"Come on, she hasn't finished chopping the meat yet!"
Ji Linqiu's body was cold, and his eyes were extremely sharp.
"There are so many people going to restaurants for New Year's Eve dinner now, it's up to whoever wants to suffer."
"My younger sister Ji Changxia, she is not someone's servant."
After speaking, he led her and strode upstairs without giving anyone a chance to refute.
A few middle-aged women were still around the boiler, a little dazed and angry.
"What is it like to read some books, Linqiu fucking, why don't you come over and take care of it!!"
"There are still a few fish left, and he is not happy to find his sister?"
"That's right, take the gunpowder and go so fast, who owes him!"
Ji Linqiu pulled Ji Changxia into the study room for questioning alone. It took more than forty minutes after the door was closed, and he didn't know what was said inside.
In the middle, Ji's father and Ji's mother looked around worriedly several times, but they didn't dare to touch their son's sudden anger, so they had to check Jiang Wang's tone.
"Oh, I've offended someone again."
"Where are you going?" Jiang Wang laughed: "Young people are very angry, and if they can't agree with each other, they will fight and have fun, and they haven't knocked out a few teeth."
It's just that I have to rest in bed for half a month, and my muscles are bruised and painful, and I deserve it.
"Besides," he leaned against the wall, looked at the study and said, "Anyone like Linqiu who has eyes will give a compliment."
"Those who hate him don't have eyes, and if they try to please him a few times, the result will be the same."
Ji Guoshen thought about it, and felt that it made sense, so he continued to wait anxiously.
When the study door was opened again, the girl hugged her brother vigorously with red eyes, and said with a sob that she remembered.
Ji Linqiu nodded silently, sent her out and closed the room, staying alone until dinner time.
Jiang Wang had already said that he had a good network of connections, and he should know quite a few people.
The historian also knew that it was wrong, and sent someone to give wine to apologize that night.
The grandson who was beaten was still howling in pain on the bed. It is said that almost a whole bottle of Dieda wine was used.
Jiang Wang also didn't take the initiative to find Ji Linqiu, and watched "My Fair Princess 2" with a bunch of kids all afternoon.
He knew that Ji Linqiu needed to sort out a lot of things.
This person believed in order too much in the past, so that he strictly abided by the duties defined by the world, and never made a wrong step.
If he hadn't seen him again, Ji Linqiu might have lived like this for the rest of his life without a single thorn in his body.
Today's fight left blood on the back of his hand, and he seemed to come to life suddenly.
After the concubine Xiang on TV turned into a butterfly and flew away, Ji Linqiu finally went downstairs to have dinner with everyone in a calm and indifferent manner.
The gentle and friendly shell on his body has faded away.
As if the mountain fog cleared and the night snow melted, the whole person appeared to have a clear outline and a sharp aura.
Ji's parents had never seen him get angry, so they carefully picked up several pieces of goat meat and wild boar, and watched him serve the soup without saying a word.
Instead, Ji Changxia was all smiles.
"By the way, Linqiu." Chen Danhong didn't eat much, seemed a little relieved, and said in a calm voice, "After eating, come over here, Mom will show you something."
She noticed Jiang Wang, and was afraid that he would misunderstand that they were deliberately avoiding him, so she smiled and said, "It's just a piece of clothing, nothing, tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and we have to wear new clothes for the New Year, right?"
Jiang Wang didn't take it seriously at first, but at this moment, the chopsticks didn't catch the dried bamboo shoots, so he subconsciously said, "Can I follow and see."
"Yes, of course."
Jiang Wang's expression became complicated.
After dinner they went upstairs and into the bedroom of the old couple.
Chen Danhong opened the closet, and slowly said: "In the past, Mom always treated you like a child. When I saw you today, I realized that you are older. You are in your twenties, and you have started to protect your sister."
Her hands have gullies left by the well water over the years, and there are a few dark marks of frostbite.
"Mom actually has a coat all along. She made it a long time ago and wants to wear it for you for the New Year."
The new clothes carefully wrapped in red cloth were taken down from a high place, and carefully unfolded slowly.
"But you... didn't come back."
No return for one year, no return for three years, no return for five years.
Chen Danhong was a little self-deprecating when she laughed, and finally she was willing to say a few angry words half-jokingly in front of her son.
"I told your father, Guoshen, if our son does not have our two parents, I will give him the clothes after I die."
"I can't believe I might have to wait until that day to see you, to see you in this coat."
Standing beside them, Jiang Wang saw the overcoat being slowly unfolded.
The stand collar is well cut and the buttons are dark gray.
Double-breasted mid-rise in a wool-blend material.
The styles and sizes are all customized according to Ji Linqiu's body shape.
He has worn this coat for more than ten years, and he remembers every texture on his fingertips.
At this moment, it was completely intact, lying quietly in front of them with a brand new look.
Jiang Wang didn't dare to guess why Ji Linqiu gave him this coat back then.
In that year, he might not even know that this was the gift his late mother had been waiting for him, and perhaps out of more indistinguishable emotions, he temporarily took off the coat and gave it to a poor student, never to see him again.
He still remembers the Ji Linqiu he met at the train station when he was about to leave Hongcheng.
Desolate and calm, standing alone in the crowded waiting hall wearing the coat left by her deceased mother, like a long-forgotten carrier pigeon.
No letter, no way to go, no nest to return to.
Until he saw the fifteen-year-old student, his smile warmed up again, and he could still call out his name after not seeing him for a few years.
"Jiang Wang, how are you doing recently?"
Jiang Wang looked at the lost and recovered coat, his eyes flicked inch by inch from the neckline to the sleeves.
He stood at the beginning of the story again.
My heart is cold and my throat is hot.