soft hedgehog

After the quarrel that day, Liang Yuchen regretted it.

He is deeply responsible for love, and Ji Tong treats him hot and cold, and his whole relationship is as impatient as Dou Chukai, but he knows he is out of control when he is over anxious.

Ji Tong didn't want to live under the same roof with him, so he rode back to the dormitory again.Lying in bed at night and listening to the news, after listening to it for less than a quarter of an hour, it was still difficult to calm down.

He sent Ji Tong a message: "I'll pick you up after shopping tomorrow and take you to eat."

But Ji Tong said, "Tomorrow's trip has been cancelled."

Did not say why.

Seeing this answer, Liang Yuchen's heart felt hot.He thought that Ji Tong had listened to his words, and while he was overjoyed, he felt even more regretful.

He said, "I'm sorry, Tongtong, brother shouldn't be harsh on you today."

Unfortunately, we did not hear back.

—

Ji Tong never believed in ghosts and gods, but Wang Teng did.

The reason why the trip to buy game cards was canceled was because Hou Jin was ill last night and wanted to rest today.Although he didn't need to go to Yuexiu City, Wang Teng still called Ji Tong out.He wanted to take the postgraduate entrance examination and wanted to worship in advance, so the two of them went to Zheyun Temple, burning incense and kowtow all morning, and the Bodhisattvas in Manjushri Hall didn't know if they felt this pious heart to learn .

After paying homage to the side hall, Wang Teng rubbed his sore knee and asked him, "Didn't you say you didn't take the exam? Why are you kneeling too?"

"I'll pray first," Ji Tong said, "I haven't made a final decision yet."

For the first time, he knew that he was so indecisive that he had to consider for a month whether to take the postgraduate entrance examination.

Walking outside the hall, Wang Teng went to buy pendants again, less than three hundred ones, and Ji Tong followed suit.It is strange that Wang Teng fooled him, saying that it would be dishonest not to spend some money for the Bodhisattva after entering the door here, and the Bodhisattva would only hear it if he bought something and made a wish.

The pendant is a jade Buddha statue, it is said that it has been consecrated, and it may be effective. After getting it, Ji Tong somewhat believed it.

The two of them have done what they should do, and the rest is to resign themselves to their fate and go home separately.Before he reached the gate of the family courtyard, he received a text message from Liang Yuchen, with three simple words: "Where are you?"

But he didn't know how to answer.

The news from last night has not yet been answered.He could feel that Liang Yuchen was accommodating him, and he was also very nervous about himself, but the more he was like this, the more he wanted to escape.

Seeing Liang Yuchen's text messages, he could stand in place and be dazed for a long time. If this continues, how can he still study for graduate school?

While he was in a daze, several little boys who were chasing and running wildly bumped into him from behind, the pendant slipped out of his hand as he staggered, fell down the mouth of the iron well into the sewer, and disappeared immediately.

As soon as I thought of giving up, I lost the jade pendant. It was really wicked to think about it.

He felt uneasy, and immediately called Wang Teng: "I lost the pendant."

Wang Teng groaned: "You are too fast, why did you throw it away without covering it?" After listening to the cause and effect, he said: "This is a bad omen. After inviting the Buddha in the morning, you will send it away at noon. You are afraid of people. The Bodhisattva eats your rice?"

Ji Tong worried: "Does that mean that even if I want to take the exam, I won't pass the exam?"

"Then you don't have to think about it that way," Wang Teng reassured after complaining, "The postgraduate entrance examination mainly depends on determination and perseverance, and there is still more than a year left."

Ji Tong looked down at the mouth of the sewer well, and then looked up at the gate of the family courtyard in front of him, not having much confidence in his perseverance.

After returning home, he told his mother about it, with words showing that he didn't want to take the postgraduate entrance examination. Hu Aihua hated that iron could not be made into steel, and poked him on the head and said that he was careless and dared to lose the things he bought in the temple.

Liang Yuchen came back from the outside and heard it, and asked, "Mom, what's wrong?"

He has changed his tune.

Hu Aihua told him the whole thing again, and spread the scarf worn for more than a month on his knees, "You think Tongtong is so amazing, so careless."

Ji Tong shook his head in shame and said nothing.

He smiled: "It doesn't matter, Tongtong can do it on his own."

Still whispering in his ears, Ji Tong pursed his lips and looked up at him, staring blankly at him.The two looked at each other quietly for a long time, and the bad mood of losing the pendant faded away a lot in an instant.

After returning to the room at night, Ji Tong climbed up early to read comics, while Liang Yuchen sat at the desk and worked.

After ten o'clock, Hu Aihua came in and delivered a plate of fruit and two cups of hot milk. Ji Tong climbed down to drink, and sat on the edge of the lower bunk, which was rare and well-behaved.

Liang Yuchen asked: "When did you decide to take the postgraduate entrance examination, you didn't tell me."

"It's not a decision yet." He held the cup in his hand and sat with his legs crossed, staring down at the yellow halo cast by the desk lamp on the ground. "Not yet."

"So hard to decide?"

He paused and nodded.

After being speechless for a while, Liang Yuchen closed his notebook and took off his earphones: "Are you worried that if you continue to stay in the same school as me, I will continue to take care of you?"

He is like a mirror in his heart, he understands everything, just put it another way.

Ji Tong responded with silence instead.

Liang Yuchen said: "Then take the exam at another school. If you don't want to, I can take the exam at another school."

The most important thing for Dr. Nian is to choose a supervisor. Although he has received a verbal promise from the teachers of this institute, he is willing to give up everything for Ji Tong.

Ji Tong's heart suffocated, feeling unspeakably uncomfortable.

"No, you mustn't change schools for me." He muttered, "Actually, as long as you don't make fun of me casually in the future, it's not that we can't study together."

The joke that disturbed him that night, no matter what, he didn't want to go through it again.

Liang Yuchen didn't answer for a long time, then he raised his head again: "Brother, okay?"

Almost a plea, wishing that the brotherhood would never change.

Liang Yuchen sat at the front of the table, his back was very stiff, he turned around after a long while, and smiled at him: "Let's not talk about that."

Disappointment welled up in Ji Tong's heart, as well as a lot of fear of the unknown.

He didn't know how much courage he had left to get so close to Liang Yuchen.

After turning off the lights and entering the quilt, Ji Tong silently counted the stars on the curtains with his head resting on his arms, and made no other movements at all, for fear of causing any ripples, whether it was his or his brother's.Before he finished counting, he suddenly heard Liang Yuchen say in a low voice: "Don't worry about the loss of the pendant. What you want to do, what you don't want to do, and don't think about me."

Ji Tong's heart felt like someone had bitten him.Since you are not allowed to consider you, why do you consider me?

After being silent for a long time, Liang Yuchen said again: "Tongtong, say goodnight to me."

These words sound familiar.He suddenly remembered that before his elder brother said that he had someone he liked, he also asked his elder brother to say good night to him that night.

So when you care about a person, you will always try to comfort yourself through the other person's words and reactions.After figuring this out, he was almost defeated.

"Good night."

After saying this sentence, in the silence, I opened my eyes until dawn all night.

—

The weekend is approaching, and Christmas is approaching, and the neighborhoods on the street are full of joy.

Hu Aihua invited Ye Xiulan's mother and son to come to their house for dinner. The name is to get together, but in fact it is to take care of the two mothers and children, fearing that the orphans and widows will be lonely at home.

There are a large table of dishes for dinner, nearly ten dishes of meat, vegetarian, cold, and hot dishes, all of which are placed on the table to attract people's appetite.Zheng Beibei, Liang Yuchen, and Ji Tong sat next to each other, and the remaining three elders sat together.

The banquet was lively, several people were chatting and laughing, but Ji Tong was the only one who was worried.

Talking about Liang Yuchen's plans to study for a doctorate, Ye Xiulan said to the girl: "Look, look, let you learn from your brother Yuchen, and you will learn everything in the stomach of a dog."

Zheng Beibei gnawed on the ribs and said indifferently: "Mom, you have to think this way. No one wanted me in the first place. If I really become a female doctor, I will be a bachelor for the rest of my life." She threw away the bone and sucked her finger. "forget it."

Ye Xiulan threw a piece of paper to her in disgust: "It's no wonder that someone wants you to eat like this!"

The coming and going of the two mothers and sons made everyone laugh, even Liang Yuchen smiled, and turned around to talk to Ji Tong, but Ji Tong looked up with a sullen face as if he had made up his mind, "Aunt Xiulan , you said before that you would introduce me to a girlfriend, does that still count?"

Everyone's eyes were focused, and there was a crisp sound - Hu Aihua's porcelain spoon fell into the bowl.

"Are you..." She looked at her son, "Are you in a hurry?"

I just joked a few words before, but I didn't expect someone to take it seriously.

Zheng Beibei frowned: "Ji Tong, you are not sick." Ye Xiulan patted her quickly, then turned her head and smiled dryly: "Tong Tong, you are still young, these things are not urgent, but if you really want to find auntie, you must pay attention to it."

Noisy on the left, quiet on the right.Ji Tong held the bowl, not daring to turn his head to see Liang Yuchen's expression.

"Aunt Xiulan, I really want to find you."

Hu Aihua was puzzled for a moment, but he couldn't express any opinions.

"That's fine." Ye Xiulan hesitated, "I happen to have a high school classmate's daughter who is also in the city, and everyone at home knows everything about it, so I'll let you meet some other day."

Ji Tong lowered his eyes: "Thank you, Aunt Xiulan."

The chair beside him made a soft sound, and Liang Yuchen stood up: "Dad, Mom, Aunt Xiulan, I'm done eating, you take it easy."

Zheng Beibei asked: "Brother Yuchen, are you uncomfortable?"

When she asked Hu Aihua like this, she also looked over: "Yes, you have indeed eaten less recently, are you sick?"

Liang Yuchen moved the seat back: "It's okay, I'm a little bored, I'll go out to get some air."

It's been a long time since there have been so many people sitting in the restaurant. It's understandable to feel bored sitting next to each other.

Zheng Beibei put down the bowl: "I'll go too."

"What are you going with?" Ye Xiulan asked after her.

"I also want to get some air." Zheng Beibei turned his head, "It's boring here."

The adults looked at me and I looked at you, lamenting that old people are disgusting, so they let them go, only Liang Changlei ordered: "Put more clothes on."

The two walked out of the restaurant one after the other and went to the entrance to change their shoes.Until the sound of closing the door, Ji Tong didn't dare to look up at them.

After interrupting, Hu Aihua began to inquire carefully, where the other girl was studying, what age, and what family background, Ye Xiulan showed her the photos.

Hu Aihua waved at Ji Tong: "Tong Tong, come here, and take care of your own affairs."

But Ji Tong didn't care about it, and said perfunctorily: "It's fine if it's a woman."

Hu Aihua scolded: "Talking nonsense!"

He didn't argue any more, and turned his eyes to the living room.Although nothing can be seen, it seems that the air there is more attractive than the photo.

—

Liang Yuchen and Zheng Beibei went up to the roof.

In the early winter weather, the two of them didn't have thick clothes. Under the darkness, he walked in front, and Zheng Beibei followed behind with his hands trembling.

"What are you doing here?" He leaned his elbows on the edge of the building and looked up at the sky. "It's cold here."

Zheng Beibei stood next to him, a little shorter than him, and joked: "This is the place I dream of, how could I not follow?"

Liang Yuchen turned around: "What do you mean?"

"Ji Tong told me that you would bring him here occasionally." Zheng Beibei also raised his head, "He also said that you would drink here and read texts here. At that time, I thought, I can come anytime Here once."

She also wanted to break into this place that meant a lot to Ji Liang and the others.

Liang Yuchen withdrew his gaze and held the cold railing: "Anyone can come here, and you can too."

"You know that's not what I'm referring to." Zheng Beibei breathed on his hands, "I'm referring to your safe area. Ji Tong is your younger brother, I'm not, so I've been unable to get in here."

Liang Yuchen didn't speak, she said again: "Don't get me wrong, there is no affair between men and women, I'm just jealous of Ji Tong."

"It's envy." Liang Yuchen changed the explanation for her.

"Jealous," Zheng Beibei insisted on being honest, "I'm jealous of him, many things. It's my secret."

Liang Yuchen smiled and shook her head slowly, as if she had a childish temper.

Zheng Beibei, who finally said it, felt relieved.On the one hand, she is Ji Tong's best friend, and on the other hand, she is the person who most desires to have the same life as Ji Tong. Instead of using the word envy to excuse herself, it is better to admit that she is jealous.

But this jealousy is harmless and human.

Her chest was much wider, and she smiled at the person next to her: "You know my secret, in exchange you should tell me a secret about you."

"I have no secrets."

"How is it possible? Everyone has secrets."

In Zheng Beibei's mind, Liang Yuchen was like the sea, looking calm and blue, but below it was choppy.She felt that she knew his brother better than Ji Tong, even though he might not be convinced when she said it.

"You don't want to tell me, why don't you let me guess? I won't let anyone go easily with my mouth," she said.

The night is as cold as water, and the chill hits people.

After a long silence, Liang Yuchen left the railing with both hands, said "Okay", and took out two things from his jacket pocket - a cigarette and a lighter.

Zheng Beibei looked up: "You..."

She never expected it to be such a secret.

Liang Yuchen turned around and leaned against the railing.As soon as the silver cover of the lighter was opened, the tongue of flame lightly licked the mouth of the cigarette.He lit a cigarette but didn't smoke it right away. He held it between his fingers and waited for it to burn evenly. Then he put it between his lips, inhaled slowly, and exhaled white air slowly. He couldn't tell whether it was smoke or mist.

These actions have apparently been repeated many times.

"It's a secret." He lowered his hand.

"Brother Yuchen..." Zheng Beibei couldn't calm down for a long time, "Ji Tong said that you hate other people's smoking the most."

In the past, Ji Tong always seemed to show off, telling her everything.

Liang Yuchen said: "I just dislike him smoking, I don't care about other people."

"Including yourself?"

"Including myself."

There was no one around, and even the air was silent, except for the slight sound of smoking.

Zheng Beibei gradually calmed down from the shock, and did not leave an inch: "I will try it some other day."

Liang Yuchen turned his head and glanced at her, his face was shrouded in smoke rings: "As you wish."

Falling in love with a person not only did not make him a better version of himself, but instead made him sink into the mud and saw the worst version of himself.

This is his secret.