In the silent place

Chapter 22 Hua Nian

The sun was setting to the west, and half an hour later, Bai Yutang stood in front of his mansion and rang the doorbell.

"Second young master?" Aunt Wu who opened the door widened her eyes, she couldn't believe what she saw.

"Aunt Wu. Why do you still call me that?" Bai Yutang smiled.

"I'm used to it, I can't change it. Come in." Aunt Wu said, turning her head and shouting into the room at the top of her voice: "Madam, the second young master is back."

After graduating from university, my father bought this small western-style building. Thinking about it, he hadn't been in this house for more than two years, and there were still slippers prepared for him at the door.Bai Yutang couldn't help feeling guilty, especially towards his mother Jiang Ning.

Aunt Wu ran into the living room, ran upstairs along the semi-circular escalator and shouted: "Madam, the second young master is back."

"I heard it." Jiang Ning walked down the stairs with a smile, saw his son sighed, and complained: "I don't even talk about the Spring Festival."

"Mom, are you in good health?" Bai Yutang ran to his mother's side, and pulled her into the living room with a playful smile.

"Okay." Jiang Ning sat down on the sofa, turned his head and looked at his son carefully. "It's you, who runs around all day alone without anyone to take care of you."

"Don't you see that I'm quite strong?" Bai Yutang said, clenched his fists and stretched out his arms to tense up, then raised his sleeves and pointed to the muscles on his forearms with his other finger, raised his eyebrows and said, "Why? Sample?"

Jiang Ning was amused by his monkey-like appearance, and reached out to hit his son on the head. "How old is it, I haven't done it yet."

"Didn't I miss you?"

"You, I don't know who to follow with this mouth. You want to hide it from me just because you are so careful?" Jiang Ning gave her son a loving look. "How many days will you stay this time?"

"I have to go back the day after tomorrow."

"You're busy, I know. But even your brother can't see you. You two are in the same place, and mom expects you to take care of each other."

"Mom, my elder brother takes care of the family. I have nothing to do to join in the fun."

"That's your brother. He doesn't dislike you, but you are still picky. Your sister-in-law is not a picky person, and Yunrui likes you so much. If it's okay, go and see them." Jiang Ning saw The son looked absent-minded, and his anger didn't come anywhere. "I'm talking to you, do you hear me?"

"Understood, Mom." Bai Yutang replied impatiently.

"Let Aunt Wu cook some of your favorite dishes later."

Bai Yutang smiled at his old lady, then looked left and right, and asked, "Where is the old man? You haven't come back yet?"

"Why are you calling your dad so, your skin itches again?" Jiang Ning gave his son a look. "He's gone on a business trip and won't be back until a few days later."

Standing up, Bai Yutang rubbed his fists and said: "Mom, you don't need Aunt Wu, I'll show you something today, I'm a new learner, just wait and see." Saying this, he went to his room, changed into casual clothes, and strode into the room. kitchen.

After dinner in the evening, Jiang Ning chatted with his son for a while, then went back to his room to approve the test papers for the students.Bai Yutang sat in the living room bored, picked up his coat, greeted Aunt Wu, and walked out the door.March is about to enter, and the weather is slowly getting warmer, but it is still cold in the morning and evening.Walking on the street, with the cold wind blowing across his neck, he couldn't help shivering, and raised his hand to turn up his collar.On the opposite side of this Western-style building is the river embankment, which is different from the bare scene two years ago, and now there are rows of trees planted here.Crossing the road, stepping lightly on the bluestone path of the river embankment, he walked slowly, and finally sat down on a bench.The bright and clear moonlight reflected on the water surface, reflected into his eyes, and shone brightly.He took out a cigarette and lit it. He took a deep breath and then exhaled a long puff of smoke. The sparks on the cigarette butt flickered in the dark, bringing his thoughts back to the past.

The first time he smoked was when he was in the third year of junior high school. At that time, he was young and many new things were irresistible to him. After the first trial, he did not embark on the road of smoking.The second time he touched cigarettes was three years later, before the college entrance examination, he was full, and Zhan Zhao was also dragged into the water by him at that time.I still remember how hot that day was.

"Cat, I want to eat popsicles." Bai Yutang lay on Zhan Zhao's single bed, fanning himself with his hands to cool down.

Zhan Zhao looked at Bai Yutang's lazy look, looked up at the sky helplessly and rolled his eyes. "Get it yourself."

"The refrigerator is so far away..." Bai Yutang turned over, raised his chin, and continued to fan the wind while grinning at Zhan Zhao: "Cat, I just asked you to help me get a popsicle. It's such a small favor. You won't say no."

Sighing helplessly, Zhan Zhao stood up from the desk and stomped into the kitchen.After a while, he returned empty-handed. "Gone."

"Liar, you obviously don't want to give it to me. It's so difficult to serve me once. Cut..." Spreading his hands, Bai Yutang fell on his back on the bed again.

Zhan Zhao cast a glance at Bai Yutang and sat back at the desk.He clearly remembered that he just bought a box of jackfruit two days ago, but he just opened the refrigerator and looked, and there was indeed not a single one left, and he didn't eat a few of them, and the mouse probably gnawed them. "What are you cutting? You've eaten all of it, so I'm ashamed to cut it."

Turning his head to look, Bai Yutang saw that Zhan Zhao was still sitting upright on such a hot day, wondering if there was something wrong with this guy's sense of temperature from the outside world. "Cat, aren't you hot?"

"It wasn't that hot in the first place, but it's getting hotter even after making you yell."

When Bai Yutang heard this, he laughed, got up and lay down on Zhan Zhao's back. "Let's go buy popsicles."

"Get up, it's too hot." Zhan Zhao shouted.Bai Yutang's body was like a small stove, leaning against him with a trace of heat, it almost melted his back.

"Cat, why are you so cold? It's like a natural cooler..." Bai Yutang said with a chuckle.

"Get down for me." Zhan Zhao struggled desperately, trying to break free from the octopus on his back.Bai Yutang saw that his brows were gradually frowning, and obediently let go of his arms around his neck before he was about to be pawed.

Just as he was about to leave the house, Bai Yutang suddenly remembered something and ran back to the house, walked out after a while, and smiled mysteriously at Zhan Zhao.Zhan Zhao didn't know what the hell he was doing, so he pouted helplessly, locked the door, and the two went downstairs together.

Looking at the sky full of stars, Zhan Zhao smiled leisurely. "It's so late, the place where the popsicles are wholesaled is probably closed, let's go to the supermarket around the corner."

"okay."

After buying sorbet and drinks, the two walked while eating.Bai Yutang suggested to sit in the small park in front of Zhan Zhao's house before going back, and Zhan Zhao readily agreed.

In the midst of Yingying summer, although it is getting late, people still walk here in pairs to enjoy the shade from time to time.There were two swings not far from the entertainment facilities. Bai Yutang walked over and sat on the left swing with a popsicle stick in his mouth while leaning on the rope.Zhan Zhao followed and sat down on the right.He was wearing a white T-shirt with a pair of black knee-length cropped trousers underneath. The small black and white squares rolled up at the edge of the trousers made him look very innocent, but also a little silly and cute.The two of them didn't speak, and after a while, the popsicles were finished.Zhan Zhao grabbed the rope with both hands, stepped back a few steps, kicked his feet, and the swing began to swing.Gradually the summer wind blew past, puffing up his white undershirt and raising his black hair covering his forehead.Bai Yutang looked at him, his eyes catching the side of his face following the swing of the swing.Smiling, he also started to swing, but he was much taller than Zhan Zhao.

After the swing stopped, Bai Yutang suddenly turned his head and said to Zhan Zhao beside him, "Mao'er, join me in taking the entrance examination for Communication University."

Zhan Zhao looked at him, his two slender legs dangling. "I want to go to the Armed Police University."

Bai Yutang pinched the swing rope in his hand, although he knew that everyone has their own aspirations and can't be forced, but facing the imminent separation, he always felt depressed and unbearable.He swayed on the swing lightly, suddenly remembered something, stretched out his right hand and took out a pack of cigarettes from his breast pocket, then squeezed out two, one for himself, and one for Zhan Zhao who was next to him. "Take it."

Dazed for a moment, Zhan Zhao stretched out his left hand to take the cigarette. "I won't."

"There is always a first time, try it."

"Have you ever smoked?" In Zhan Zhao's memory, he had never seen Bai Yutang smoke before, so he couldn't help being curious when he suddenly said that.

"It happened a long time ago." Bai Yutang said as he took out the cheap lighter he just bought in the supermarket and lit the cigarette on his mouth, then handed the lighter to Zhan Zhao.After a while, there was no movement from the other party.He sighed and thought, what a dull guy, he took out his cigarette and pressed it to Zhan Zhao's lips. "Open your mouth." Seeing that Zhan Zhao turned his head and hid back, he got a little angry and stood up from the swing, regardless of Zhan Zhao's willingness or not, he forced the cigarette holder into his mouth. "Idiot, hold it."

"I don't like smoking." Zhan Zhao was also anxious, and pushed Bai Yutang's hand away.

"You haven't tried it, how do you know you don't like it?"

"I hate the smell of smoke."

"Really?" Seeing Zhan Zhao's slightly angry face, Bai Yutang frowned, as if he really hated cigarettes.

"Yeah." Zhan Zhao replied softly, and explained, "I really don't like it. You can smoke it yourself."

Bai Yutang sat back on the swing with a lack of interest, sighed and said, "Da Liu and the others said that smoking can relieve stress, and I want you to try it. I didn't expect you to hate smoking so much." The lighter in his hand, look at the sparkling cigarette in his hand, drop it on the ground, step on it with his foot, and the orange color disappears immediately.

Unexpectedly, Bai Yutang did it for this, seeing his displeasure, Zhan Zhao also felt quite sorry. "My dad likes to smoke, and the house was always full of smoke for a while..." He said lightly, slowly lowering his head.

"So it's because I'm afraid of second-hand smoke." Bai Yutang said with a smile. "Cat, let me tell you, the feeling I smoke is different from that one." Pointing to the cigarette in Zhan Zhao's hand. "If you don't believe me, just smell it."

Puzzled, he put the cigarette under his nose and sniffed it gently, the faint tobacco fragrance came from between his fingers, Zhan Zhao raised his head, his eyes sparkled. "It smells really good."

"That's right." Bai Yutang said, shaking the lighter in his hand. "Do you want to try it?"

Zhan Zhao, who was provoked by him, also became a little interested, and responded with a smile: "Okay."

Seeing him with the cigarette in his mouth, Bai Yutang leaned over to help him light it up, seeing that he took two decent puffs without choking, it was very strange. "Is this your first time smoking a cigarette?"

"Yes."

"Can you take a few more breaths and let me see?"

Looking at the cigarette in his hand, Zhan Zhao was also a little puzzled, didn't it mean that he would choke on the first time he smoked?He took two more puffs and exhaled a thin puff of smoke lightly. "Fake cigarettes?"

"Hahaha... Cat, you are so funny. Fake cigarettes can also choke people." Seeing Zhan Zhao frowning and scratching his forehead, Bai Yutang couldn't help laughing again. "What you called "smoking fake cigarettes" just now, the smoke reaches your lungs, and you spit it out after turning it around in your mouth, of course you won't be choked.Look..." As he spoke, he took out a cigarette and lit it, took a deep puff, paused for a few seconds, and then exhaled slowly. "Suck it in like breathing air and then spit it out. "

Dust off the cigarette ash, Zhan Zhao put the cigarette in his mouth and imitated Bai Yutang's manner, and took a breath bitterly. This time, it doesn't matter, the smoke rushed straight into his throat. When he got nervous, his throat moved, and he swallowed the cigarette with a thud Go down, followed by a puff of choking smoke from the nostrils.He coughed immediately, pinched his neck with one hand, and pressed his chest with the other, all the snot and tears came out.

"Why are you sucking so hard?" Bai Yutang immediately patted him on the back when he saw it. "I don't dare to be like you. You have to swallow when you smoke. Don't swallow it for me... and let me use your nostrils to get out the smoke. It's really you." He complained, but his hands kept stroking Touching Zhan Zhao's back. "Okay, I don't think you should learn from it, you're so stupid." He snatched Zhan Zhao's cigarette and threw it on the ground.He picked up the drink in the plastic bag and handed it to him.

Slowly stopped coughing.Zhan Zhao wiped his eyes and said angrily, "Yes, I'm just stupid!"

"Cat, I... I just said it casually." Scratching his head, Bai Yutang carefully poked Zhan Zhao's arm with his finger. "Are you really angry?" Seeing Zhan Zhao pouted and expressionless, he hurriedly said flatteringly, "Let's go, treat you to shaved ice."

Zhan Zhao felt that the muscles around the roots of his teeth were going to be sore, but he still held back his laughter, stood up, pointed at Bai Yutang at the plastic bag on the ground, and left without waiting for him.Bai Yutang picked up the bag and ran up, but missed Zhan Zhao's sly smile when he turned around.

The cigarette in his hand had already burned to the end before he knew it, and it was slipping quietly from between his fingers. The heat on his fingertips pulled Bai Yutang back from his thoughts. into the trash can next to it.Folding his arms, he rubbed his arms and stood up, then put his hands in his coat pockets, and walked back home the way he came.

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