I played with Li Runzhu and Tian Haosong until around 11 o'clock at night. They returned to the hotel and I took a taxi back to the apartment. The first thing I did after I got home was that I picked up my phone and called Luo Xiangdong without even taking off my clothes.
I couldn't wait to find out why he was in such a hurry to go to the United States without even telling me before. And when I sent a text message today, I clearly felt that he was not very enthusiastic.
Holding the phone, I felt anxious, but what I was waiting for was the mechanical and annoying words: "I'm sorry, the number you dialed has been turned off. Sorry..."
In my impression, Luo Xiangdong's mobile phone is almost never turned off.
The unspeakable boredom in my heart was like a hand passing through a skin bag, grabbing my heart. It hurt, but more of a suffocation.
Throughout the night, I called him every hour or even half an hour like a devil. Are you always worried that he is in an emergency or has lost his phone? out of battery? Left in a hotel room
It was almost five o'clock the next morning before I fell asleep with my eyes squinted. As a result, I opened my eyes before eleven o'clock. Rather than waking up naturally, it was better to say that I had been in a light sleep, as if I was asleep.
Li Runzhu and Tian Haosong were still in Night City, so I braced myself to contact them and continue to accompany them throughout the day.
When it was time to eat in the evening, Li Runzhu suddenly picked up a beautiful gift bag from under the chair and handed it to me. He smiled and said, "Zijin, this is for you."
I raised my eyelids and replied slightly surprised: "On what day will you give me a gift?"
Li Runzhu smiled and replied: "I remember your birthday is in winter, near Christmas, which is at the end of this month. Haosong and I will leave tomorrow. We don't have time to celebrate your birthday with you, so I will give you a gift first."
Hearing this, I immediately said: "Leaving tomorrow? Let's play for a few more days. Anyway, I'm on vacation, so I have plenty of time."
Tian Haosong said: "You have been with us for several days, and you are more tired from morning to night than at work. You should also have a good rest after we go back."
I glanced at him and said, "What are you doing with those useless things? Is it an errand?"
Tian Haosong said with a smile: "It's okay, it's okay. The key is that Runzhu and I want to go somewhere else."
I said, "Then when will you leave tomorrow? I'll see you off."
Li Runzhu said: "No need to worry, we will catch the seven o'clock train tomorrow morning and have to rush to the station at six o'clock. You should stay at home as soon as possible and don't come to see her off."
I sighed, and then said: "You are gone, and I am the only one left again."
Li Runzhu said: "Knowing that you are doing so well here, we won't worry about it. At the end of the month, you can invite a few colleagues and friends to have your birthday together to make it lively. Otherwise, it would be quite annoying to be alone in other places."
I said: "Thank you for remembering my birthday, I even forgot it myself."
Li Runzhu smiled and said, "I'm embarrassed to take the credit myself. I was chatting with Chen Chen and the others last night and they reminded me."
It feels really good to be away from Liangcheng for so long and still being remembered by friends at home. We talked a lot while eating, and we talked for a long time, because after knowing this separation, it is estimated that the next time we meet will be when they get married.
I took them back to the hotel in the evening and hugged each other before leaving.
I said to them: "Then I won't see you off tomorrow morning. Please be careful on the road."
Li Runzhu nodded: "Don't worry, I'll call you when I get there."
Tian Haosong also said: "You are not allowed to go home during the Chinese New Year. Contact us when you come back and we can get together again."
My old classmates left just as quickly as they came. When I returned to the apartment alone and sat quietly on the sofa, the lingering feeling of loneliness came over me again. The loneliness after joy is even more lonely.
I held the phone in my hand and dialed Luo Xiangdong's number again with almost no hope.
"Sorry, the phone you dialed has been turned off."
I pressed the hang up button without waiting to hear the rest.
I was looking at a certain place in a trance, motionless and not thinking about anything. I felt this was the most comfortable way. I don’t know how long it took, but the screen of my phone lit up, and it was a voice call from my mother.
I was very lonely, so I immediately answered the call and shouted: "Mom."
My mother’s voice came from the mobile phone: “Zijin, are you back?”
I said 'hmm' and then said, "They are leaving tomorrow morning. I just sent them back to the hotel."
After my mother chatted with me for a while, she said in a cooing voice: "Today, your aunt reminded me that your birthday will be at the end of this month. Mom wishes my daughter a happy birthday in advance."
I raised the corners of my lips and replied with a smile: "Fortunately, you told me earlier. Li Runzhu and Tian Haosong both knew that they gave me gifts before leaving. If you didn't mention it, I wouldn't be happy."
My mother immediately said: "Oh, Mom doesn't even remember her own birthday. Fortunately, your aunt remembers everyone's birthday, otherwise I would really forget it."
I rolled my eyes and deliberately asked, "Are you such a mother? Your daughter is alone, with no relatives or friends around her. You didn't even remember my birthday. It's so heartbreaking."
My mom said, "Okay, there's no need to say anything else. Mom and your dad will buy air tickets and fly to Night City tomorrow to celebrate your birthday with you."
I smiled and replied: "Come on, why don't I believe it?"
My mother also laughed, and she said aloud: "It's really not possible. My school is very busy at the end of the month. There is a cultural performance in the city, and the principal is urging me to do a chorus. I can't leave."
I asked, "What about my dad?"
My mother said, "Your dad is even worse. There have been a lot of things going on in the bureau recently. He was so busy the night before that he didn't even come home."
In fact, I didn't really want them to travel all the way from Liangcheng to Night City, but when I heard that they didn't have time to come, I was still extremely disappointed.
Before I could reply anything, my mother said first, "If Zijin wants something for his birthday this year, mom will buy it for me!"
I said, "Then buy me a dog."
I said this no less than fifteen times on my twenty-third birthday. And every time my mother replied to me with only one sentence: "Stop talking about useless things."
I deliberately said: "I am richer than you now, do you need to buy it for me?"
My mother snorted, and then said: "Now that my wings are really strong, I have forgotten who has provided you with pocket money for so many years?"
Without thinking, I immediately replied: "My dad!"
My mother and I chatted on the phone for about an hour and a half. Later, my mother was so tired that she asked aloud: "You won't go to work tomorrow?"
The smile on my face froze slightly, and after a few seconds, I replied: "I have to go to work, so we won't talk anymore."
After saying hello and hanging up the phone, I silently went upstairs to wash up and go to sleep.
It's time to go to work. The illness was cured, the friend was gone, and Luo Xiangdong... was not here either. I don't know what else to do besides go to work.
In the next week, I didn't make another call to Luo Xiangdong. I couldn't tell whether it was out of anger or something else. I always feel that if he cares about me, he will definitely call me. There is no need for me to be like a wife urging her husband to come home, making constant calls.
However, I have not been lonely this week. It can even be said to be... extremely fulfilling.
Although I have always been popular since I was a child, when I was a junior high school student and it was nice to have a few friends get together for a barbecue, I asked my dad to book the entire second floor of a good restaurant in this city. , I invited no less than sixty or seventy friends from the whole school to hold the first large-scale birthday party in my life.
The birthday gifts they gave me filled the last two rows of the class, which made even the head teacher look down upon me. That afternoon, he gave me a book he edited called "Complete Algebra Solutions and Junior High School Geometry".
But that was when I used to live in Liangcheng. Ever since I graduated from high school and went to Night City, I have always maintained no more than six or seven, seven, a, or eight friends around me. I can’t say less, but compared to before, I feel a little more lonely every birthday.
But I don’t know what happened this year. One week after another, first, major luxury stores called me to wish me a happy birthday and sent them valuable and exquisite gifts. Then, the entire Luo family’s employees, both senior and subordinates, called me to wish me a happy birthday. , people I know, people I don’t know, people I’ve met and people I haven’t met before, everyone gave me gifts.
When I enter the office every morning, the table and sofa are piled with flowers and gifts. If it weren't for the greeting cards on them all with my name written on them and wishing me a happy birthday, I would really wonder if they sent them to the wrong place.
As my birthday approaches, I receive more and more congratulatory calls every day. Some are family friends, but most are people I only met after entering society. Without exception, they expressed their blessings to me, and even CEOs of major companies personally called me to invite me to dinner.
I'm terrified of this.
Guan Yue and Han Xuetong both gave me five-digit gifts and organized a dinner. I couldn't refuse, let alone refuse, but at the dinner I actually saw Kitty and her fiancé Wu Yaohui, whom I hadn't seen for a long time.
When I came to Luo's, Kitty should be the first person to thank me, not to mention that Wu Yaohui was still working at Luo's, so during the dinner, Kitty held my hand and whispered to me: "Zijin, from now on Yaohui will be here with you." More care needs to be taken.”
I smiled and replied: "Anyway, Brother Yaohui is the one taking care of me."
After a dinner, I was very drunk. Kitty and Wu Yaohui drove me back to my apartment. There were many people outside on the road. Kitty said casually: "Tomorrow is Christmas Eve."
I said, "Really? Then the day after tomorrow is Christmas."
Kitty turned to look at me and said, "Isn't it your birthday the day after tomorrow?"
I was stunned for a moment, then nodded and replied with a smile: "Well, my birthdays are always around Christmas. In the past few years, they were one or two days behind. This time I finally caught up."
Kitty smiled and asked, "How are you going to spend Christmas Day?"
I raised the corners of my lips and replied with a smile: "Spend time with Santa Claus."
Kitty smiled and said, "Mr. Luo will definitely have arrangements for your birthday, right?"
When I heard the word Luo, the smile on my face became slightly stiff.
Luo Xiangdong, he has disappeared for more than a week and has never appeared again.