In the silent place

Chapter 16

After a game, the clothes on the backs of Bai Yutang and Jiang Ping were soaked with sweat.After changing their clothes, the three of them rested for half an hour in the rest hall, and then marched towards Caomin Restaurant together.Before getting into the car, Zhan Zhao and Jiang Ping were polite for a while, and both wanted to give up the co-pilot position to each other.In the end, Bai Yutang made the decision, and the fourth brother sat in the co-pilot.After getting in the car, Bai Yutang looked at Zhan Zhao in the rear seat through the rearview mirror, and the other party gave him an appreciative smile.

Although the dishes at Caomin Restaurant are notoriously expensive, the business is still booming.There was no reservation in advance, and the three of them waited at the entrance for almost a quarter of an hour before they got a vacant seat.After exercising, Bai Yutang was so hungry that he quickly ordered food without looking at the menu.Zhan Zhao also randomly clicked on it, and only Fourth Master Jiang was still flipping through the pages carefully.

"Fourth brother, I'm going to be hungry, you should hurry up."

"What's the rush? Are you or me today?"

Bai Yutang was so choked that he couldn't speak, he could only grit his teeth angrily.Zhan Zhao watched the two brothers bickering, smiled lightly and remained silent.

After ordering the dishes, all four dishes and one soup are served in a short while.

"Don't talk about it, the food is really fast enough. It's worth waiting for so long." Jiang Ping praised.

Bai Yutang muttered while eating, regardless of his image: "This is the only restaurant in this city that is so expensive and has people waiting in line. It must have its strengths."

"Brother, this is the first time you have come here. It doesn't look like you have seen so many markets."

"It's Zhan Zhao's first visit too, isn't it?" Bai Yutang turned his head and asked Zhan Zhao.

Putting down the spoon, Zhan Zhao raised his head and replied, "Well, it's the first time."

"Did you hear that? Fourth brother. I don't even have such a good life, let alone bring me here, you preempted him before he came back to invite me."

Jiang Ping almost choked when he heard that.The fifth younger brother has always been open-minded, and can say whatever he wants, but there is still Zhan Zhao, so he has to take the other party's feelings into consideration.Turning his head to look at Zhan Zhao, he saw that his expression was calm, without embarrassment at all.After thinking about it, I understood the reason.Zhan Zhao only thought of him as Bai Yutang's fourth brother, but he didn't know that he already knew a certain special connection between the two of them. This subtle feeling, like secretly peeping into the privacy of someone else's heart, made Jiang Ping felt a little sorry for Zhan Zhao.Quickly found a topic to interrupt: "Coincidentally, today the table is full of light dishes, fifth brother changed his mind?"

"I'm not here to take care of you two?"

"Fourth brother also taboo?" Zhan Zhao asked.

"I have a bad appetite. I can't help it. Back then, I liked spicy food. Now I can only watch others eat it."

"The two of you have found a common language. Zhan Zhao is also good at this. But he suffered from gastroenteritis a while ago, so he doesn't dare to eat it now." Bai Yutang looked at the two of them while filling the soup and said, "Is this called sympathy? "

"You have been deprived of the right to enjoy delicious food. You can't understand this kind of pain." Jiang Ping sighed.Zhan Zhao's eyes darkened, he smiled and lowered his head.

After the meal, Bai Yutang and Jiang Ping were mainly talking, and Zhan Zhao occasionally said a few words.He is already used to the way these two brothers get along, even if he doesn't speak, there will be no moments of silence.

After dinner, Zhan Zhao got up to pay the bill, but Bai Yutang grabbed him. "I'll go with you."

"Need not."

"I'm afraid you don't have enough money, and it will be embarrassing." Bai Yutang raised his eyebrows and smiled wickedly.

Zhan Zhao didn't mind, smiled and punched him on the shoulder, turned around and went to the front desk.

"Old Five, what are you and Zhan Zhao now...?" Jiang Ping asked.

"Just friends." Bai Yutang interrupted Jiang Ping.

"Why didn't you ask him why he went abroad?"

"He must have his reasons for going abroad. He didn't want to tell me, so there's no use for me to ask. He didn't tell me when he came back. If he didn't meet me by chance, I don't think he would want to see me again." Bai Yutang sighed : "Actually, why he went abroad is not important to me, I just can't bear his sudden disappearance, without leaving a word, he disappeared."

Jiang Ping didn't know how to comfort Bai Yutang, so he raised his hand and patted Fifth Brother's shoulder lightly.

"You also know my temperament. Sometimes I feel that I am cruel to him. Although I say I am just a friend, everyone knows that is a lie. Knowing that he can't have anything to me, I still have such wishful thinking To him." Turning his head to look at the back of Zhan Zhao waiting in front of the counter, Bai Yutang said helplessly, "Actually, I was forcing him."

"Even if you force him, Zhan Zhao still has his own wishes. If he doesn't want to talk to you, doesn't want to meet you, he doesn't need to come out with you today, let alone see me, the fourth brother. In my opinion, he is quite I value you as a friend."

"Fourth brother, do you really think so?"

"Yes, I didn't chat with you." Jiang Ping saw that Bai Yutang's eyes were shining, and couldn't help reminding him. "Don't be poor and happy. Didn't you just say that you are just friends!"

"Fourth brother, can't you change your bad nature? Just give me a lump of candy, and you have to throw some bombs!"

Jiang Ping chuckled, took a bite of crispy tofu, and pursed his mouth on purpose, eating it deliciously.Bai Yutang saw smoke coming from his nostrils, wishing he could put a stone in the tofu.

After the meal, the three of them left the restaurant together.Standing on the sidewalk, Jiang Ping took out a cigarette and handed it to the two, Bai Yutang took it, and Zhan Zhao waved his hand.

"I don't know how to smoke." "He doesn't smoke." Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang said together.

"Zhan Zhao, I heard from Lao Wu that you want to open a bookstore?"

"There is such a plan."

"It just so happens that I have decorated books for someone. I will find some drawings and materials another day. You can take a look."

"Thank you fourth brother." Zhan Zhao thanked with a smile, but was a little puzzled. "Is there any difference between a book bar and a bookstore?"

"It's been a new trend in recent years. It has a wider and more diverse customer base than ordinary bookstores, and the decoration is more user-friendly. And most of them have a bar, where you can sell coffee and drinks. If you want to open a small bookstore, you might as well get one Book bar. The book bar I renovated before is only about 30 square meters, and the business is not bad. You can consider it.” Jiang Ping took out a business card case from his pocket, took out a business card and handed it to Zhan Zhao. "If you don't understand anything in the future, just ask, you're welcome."

"Okay." Zhan Zhao took the business card with both hands.

"Fourth brother, give me your phone number." Bai Yutang said to Jiang Ping. "You also leave a Zhan Zhao number, so we can contact you later."

Jiang Ping took out his mobile phone and handed it to Bai Yutang. Bai Yutang quickly pressed a few keys to dial out.As soon as Zhan Zhao's phone rang, Bai Yutang hung up. "alright."

"Okay, it's getting late, and I have to work overtime tomorrow, so I'll leave first." Jiang Ping said.

"No." Bai Yutang was not polite at all.

Jiang Ping cast a glance at Bai Yutang, stopped a taxi and got into the car.Bai Yutang and Zhan Zhao watched the car drive away before walking slowly towards the parking lot.

"Cat, you can also drive abroad."

"No."

Bai Yutang looked at Zhan Zhao in disbelief. "The second-hand cars over there are so cheap, and it's hard to walk without the car, why don't you drive the whole one?"

"I live on campus. I don't need a car." Zhan Zhao said with a smile.

"Then will you still drive?"

"of course."

Bai Yutang and Zhan Zhao learned to drive together during the summer after they graduated from high school.At that time, there were a lot of people who signed up, and only the big cargo class still had vacancies.In the scorching summer, the two sat in the back of the truck, enduring the high temperature, and laughed happily while listening to the coach reprimanding fellow riders in a funny accent.

"Then you come to drive later, I'll enjoy it." Bai Yutang snuffed out the cigarette that was burnt to the end, and threw it into the trash can beside him.

"Forget it, I haven't touched it for so long, my hand is raw."

"If you just touch it, you will be familiar with it."

"As far as your temper is concerned, it's better to avoid it. I can't stand your 'smart teeth'."

"Am I as 'powerful' as you said?"

Zhan Zhao didn't answer, but pulled the scarf up and covered his mouth.Bai Yutang turned to look at him, smiled slightly, and suddenly pulled Zhan Zhao up and ran forward. "Hey..." Zhan Zhao staggered from being dragged by him, and hurriedly ran after him.

The open-air parking lot was empty, except for a few dim street lights, which glowed yellowish in the cold wind.The footsteps of the two running one after the other and the panting caused by the running, seemed extraordinarily clear and abrupt in this quiet night.The car was parked not far away, and it arrived in a short while.Bai Yutang let go of his hands, looked at Zhan Zhao who was leaning against the side of the car, and said, "It's not cold anymore."

Zhan Zhao, who hadn't run like this for a long time, could only feel his heart pounding in his chest, and he could hear the sound of blood flowing in his ears.After calming down his breath, Zhan Zhao licked his dry lips and said, "It's late at night, and you have convulsions again."

This is Zhan Zhao, he always avoids slightly ambiguous questions, never answering them directly.Bai Yutang looked at Zhan Zhao whose breath was still a little shaky, and really hated and loved him like this.Walking to the other side, took out the key to open the car door, and Bai Yutang lay down on the car. "Mr. Zhan, get in the car. Do you need the small one to open the door for you?"

When Zhan Zhao heard this, he immediately stood up straight, opened the door quickly and got into the car.Bai Yutang lay on the car and grinned sullenly for a while, and waited for Zhan Zhao to sit still before slowly bending down and getting into the car.

Turning the key and starting the motor, Bai Yutang said to Zhan Zhao with a smile, "You sit still, let's start now." Zhan Zhao leaned on the car seat, staring straight ahead without looking sideways, not even bothering to glance at him.

The car was driving on the empty street, the neon lights were dotted outside the window, high-rise buildings and tree fences flew past in front of my eyes.

"Cat, have you read the book I gave you last time?"

"Not yet, it was taken away by my cousin."

Bai Yutang gritted his teeth, this dead Jiang Dong, why did he go against him. "What is he taking it for?"

"He said the book was very popular, so I borrowed it to read." Seeing Bai Yutang's displeasure, Zhan Zhao also felt a little sorry, after all, it was a gift from Bai Yutang. "After he finished reading, I will come back."

"Forget it, you don't plan to act anyway. It's the same when you have time later. Liu Xian has been busy working on the manuscript these days, and I made an appointment with her at Muguan at ten o'clock in the morning the day after tomorrow, and you will come directly when the time comes. "

"Okay." Zhan Zhao nodded. "By the way, I want to buy a laptop computer, what brand is good?"

"Don't buy it. I'm just going to replace my old one. If you don't mind, you can take it and use it." Zhan Zhao didn't say anything, and Bai Yutang hurriedly explained, afraid that he would think too much: "I've used that one for more than two years. Yes, I have long wanted to change it, and it would be a pity to throw it away. You like nostalgia so much, so keep it as an old antique, it just matches your mobile phone." As soon as he finished speaking, without waiting for Zhan Zhao to reply, Bai Yutang laughed to himself Happy.

Zhan Zhao glanced at him and said, "What's wrong with the old antique? You bring it, and I'll take it."

"I'll bring it to you tomorrow."

"I'm not in a hurry. I'll wait until you buy a new one."

"Well, I'll go shopping at noon tomorrow."

"I said no rush..."

"You are not in a hurry, I am in a hurry."

Zhan Zhao was speechless looking at the sky, this Bai Yutang really remembered something.Four years later, nothing has changed.

"Otherwise I will pick you up at noon tomorrow, and you go with me?"

"I don't know how to do it."

"It's okay. I'll choose the brand and model. You can give me advice on the appearance." Seeing that Zhan Zhao was a little shaken, Bai Yutang hurriedly added fuel: "If you collect an antique, you can get some money, right? I'll ask you to pay me for it." Give me some advice." Bai Yutang said, and stretched out his left hand to Zhan Zhao, his thumb and index finger slowly approached, leaving only a small slit. "Just such a little opinion, it's worth it."

Slapping on the back of Bai Yutang's hand, Zhan Zhao was dumbfounded by Bai Yutang's childishness: "Be honest and drive hard."

"Yes, Mr. Zhan."

With this shout, Zhan Zhao couldn't help being happy. "I see that the characters you play are quite serious, why didn't you learn a little bit?"

"Cat, have you seen my play?"

"Well, I watched it when I was bored to pass the time."

"How did I act?"

"So-so."

"Really?" Bai Yutang looked a little frustrated.

"But my aunt was very interested in it."

"Hey, I'm very sad when you say that!" Bai Yutang said seriously.

Zhan Zhao turned his head, put his elbows on the glass window and looked at the street: "You just need to act well, as long as you try your best, it doesn't matter what others say. Besides, I'm not a professional film critic. I still like some characters. .”

"Which characters?"

"Wang Xiaohan in "Applause", Feng Yugao in "Nothing to Do", and Guan Xiaowei in "Ling Chi". Well...just these few."

The neon lights outside the car window flashed on and off, dimly shining on Zhan Zhao's face, presenting an unreal beauty.Bai Yutang turned his head to look at him from time to time, wishing that this road would never end, so he drove along with him until he was old, until his temples were green.

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