Three or Two Things about Rebirth

The cargo ship sailed away, leaving only tiny waves lapping against the river bank. Gradually, the river returned to calm, and the muddy water became clear.

Lu Jiaming broke the silence and said with a smile, "Oh, it would be great if there was another sports meet in the fall. It would be so damn exciting and our No. 2 Middle School would be glorious again!" After saying that, he glanced at Qin Huifang again.

Qin Huifang remained indifferent and continued to look at the river.

Lu Jiaming walked over worriedly and reached out to pull her, "Hey, you're going to jump into the river."

"Get out!" Qin Huifang turned her head suddenly, scaring Lu Jiaming so much that he retracted his hand and retreated back.

"You're just flattering me!" Yang Dawei laughed.

Zheng Wei suddenly said, "Hey, I heard that the Public Security Bureau is going to the port for a spring outing this Sunday. They have rented two passenger ships, and each person can bring a family member. Qiu Luming, are you going?"

"I can't go on Sunday." Qiu Luming continued to look for Xiao Shitou.

"Well, you need to ask for leave! My second uncle is in the police station, and my second aunt took my sister back to her parents' home for the summer vacation. She said she would take me with her! You can go with your second brother too, so we can be companions!"

"Hahaha! He said they are a couple! Haha, a couple?" Lu Jiaming burst into laughter.

Qin Huifang also turned around and said, "Qiu Luming, you said something to me at that time, so I'll give it back to you. Why don't you two get together as a couple?"

Qiu Luming was not angry, "Haha, you can say whatever you want, it's not true anyway, who likes to complain as much as you do! Is it Lao Zheng?"

When he turned around, he saw Zheng Wei's face flushed. "Hey? What's wrong with you? Why are you so shy?"

"What's going on?" Zheng Wei turned his head away, his ears also red.

Yang Dawei sat on the beach, laughing and kicking his feet. Ma Mingjun laughed and threw a stone into the river, "Oh, this is ridiculous."

Qiu Luming was a little confused, but he seemed to understand something. He rolled his eyes a few times and said to Qin Huifang, "We are all grown-ups now. We should not joke around anymore. Otherwise, people will think that the six freaks of Jiayang are all very casual people!"

Qin Huifang snorted, "You've been the one saying all the good and bad things! Pay attention! I hereby declare that the six freaks of Jiayang are close friends from now on. Anyone who keeps talking nonsense will be kicked out! Also! No one is allowed to mention the name Xu again!"

"It's best if you don't mention it yourself." Lu Jiaming muttered.

"Can you say that again!"

"I won't tell you!"

"Okay, let's turn the page! Let's go eat some ice cream!" Ma Mingjun said, standing up.

Hearing about eating ice cream, Lu Jiaming was the first to rush to the embankment, "Then I'll go and order eighteen first!"

"Fuck, he becomes arrogant when it comes to eating. You said all the delicious food in his house is for him, but he hasn't grown any height. It's over, he still can't get enough of eating!" Yang Dawei scolded with a smile.

"Mind your own business." Qin Huifang rolled her eyes at him.

******

Until Friday, Qiu Luming had not heard his second brother mention the spring outing.

Spring outing, like Children's Day, is a term with a much broader connotation in Jiayang. Spring outing is not limited to spring outings, but also includes any outings with many people in spring, summer, autumn and winter, such as mountain climbing, swimming, fishing, and even work-study programs.

——Actually, it’s just a group of people who find a place outside their homes, sit down and eat and drink.

During dinner, Qiu Luming couldn't help but ask Qiu Jiashu, "Second brother, is your unit going to the port for a spring outing?"

"how do you know?"

"My classmate told me that, and also said that I could bring my family members."

"You've been to the new building at the port, haven't you? Besides, you don't know anyone in our unit, so I didn't tell you. It's very sunny there, and there's nowhere to sit when there are too many people."

"Who do you want to take with you?"

Qiu Luming noticed that after he asked, his mother also looked at his second brother. His second brother was already 26 years old, which was considered an older youth in Jiayang. Although she didn't urge him, she was actually very concerned.

"I didn't plan to bring anyone."

"Hmph, I don't have a day off on Sunday. I'm not going. Look how scared you are." Qiu Luming rolled her eyes at her second brother. She always felt that he deliberately didn't want to take her with him.

The phone rang. Qiu Jiashu put down his chopsticks, picked up the phone, listened for a while and said, "Hey, it's your phone!"

Qiu Luming quickly answered, "Hello? Huifang. What? You're going to the Grain Bureau too? The port is so small, how can it accommodate everyone? Haha, fine, fine, then I'll go too!"

After hanging up the phone, she said to her second brother who had been listening attentively, "I will ask the director for leave tomorrow and go on the spring outing with you! You are not allowed to agree to anyone else's!"

"Oh, the beach over there is not very good, and the water at the dock is very deep and dangerous. You'd better not go there." Qiu Jiashu said with a frown.

"It's not like I can't swim, and I'm not stupid enough to go into the water at the dock. Besides, I still have you, right, mom? Okay, second brother, it's settled!"

Qiu Luming noticed that her second brother actually exchanged glances with her father. She became suspicious and listened carefully for a long time after dinner, but she didn't hear any conversation between them.

The time came to Sunday.

Early in the morning, Qiu Luming carried the backpack he had packed in advance and followed his second brother to the riverside.

Because they were afraid that the bicycle would be lost if it was parked by the river for a day, the two of them walked there. When they walked out of the door, Qiu Jiashu took the backpack off his sister's back and carried it for her. "I'm telling you, there are a lot of people here today, so you better stay quiet. Don't run around, don't talk nonsense, and don't fight with others. Remember?"

"Remember, remember. You've told me this eight times. It's not a dangerous place. We're just going to have fun for a day. My classmates are going too. I'll play with them and won't disturb you from dating!"

With a creak, the door of Han Meifen's house opened, and a little head popped out of the door, "Deer Ming."

"Hey, Meifen, I forgot about you. Your father also works in the Grain Bureau! Are you going with your father?"

"He went to work first, I'll go to the river by myself."

"Oh, let's go together!"

Han Meifen walked out of the house happily and walked beside Qiu Luming.

When they got to the riverside, they stood on the embankment and looked down. Wow, the shore was crowded with people, half of whom were old people and children. Qiu Luming suddenly felt a little regretful and said, "I don't want to go anymore."

"No, Luming, what should I do if you don't go?" Han Meifen pleaded in a low voice.

"Look at those kids, they're making so much noise that it's killing me!"

Han Meifen tightly grasped Qiu Luming's arm and said, "Most of these are family members of the Grain Bureau. Those over there are from the Public Security Bureau. You are not in the same boat with them, so it doesn't matter."

Qiu Jiashu put the two backpacks at Qiu Luming's feet and followed his colleagues to the shore to unload beer. Qiu Luming suddenly saw Xie Zhi among the young people carrying beer boxes. She blurted out, "Why is he here too?"