The Man Who Picked the Stars

After leaving the entrance of the bar, Jin Zaizhong touched the bulging coins on his body through his trousers, bit his lip, and walked towards the bus stop with three steps.

The car was bumping along the bumpy path, and the young man turned his head wearily, looking listlessly at the passing scenery outside the window.The successive blows prevented the boy from getting a proper rest, and there were two huge dark circles on his face.Jin Zaizhong was really annoyed, except for Zheng Yunhao, the last thing he wanted to face at the moment was the people there.But other than that, he has nowhere to go.Once again, the teenager is moping about his few options.

The main road leading to the village has not been repaired after being dragged for several years. After Jin got off the car, he took a tricycle and continued to stagger forward.As the familiar scene unfolded in front of his eyes, a trace of fear rose in the young man's heart.God knows, it wasn't because of being close to home, the boy unconsciously clenched his lips.

Jin Zaizhong stared at the dilapidated wooden door in front of him, his heart was like a rushing brook, meandering to reach the destination, but was bumped by the rocks on the shore, and became wobbly.Jin Zaizhong was still standing outside the door in a daze, when a trembling old man's voice sounded from behind.

"Xiao Zai, is it Xiao Zai? 』There was an unbelievable surprise in the voice.

Jin Zaizhong heard that his nose was sore, he didn't turn his head, but replied: "It's me, grandma." 』

"It's really you, Xiaozai, my God. Jin Zaizhong finally turned his head, and saw the old man throwing the firewood in his hand and walking towards him tremblingly, his frail body shaking even more violently because of the excitement.

Jin Zaizhong hurriedly stepped forward to support the old man: "Grandma, I'm back." 』

"It's good to be back, it's good to be back. The old man wiped his tears happily, "Have you eaten yet?"Hungry or not, it just so happens that dinner is about to be served at home, come in quickly, come in quickly. 』

"Grandma, I," Jin Jaejoong flinched a little, "Second Uncle..."

"What do you care about him?My grandson I control!He dare not say you! ’Grandma gave him a light look, ‘If you dare to kick out my grandson, I’ll beat him! 』The pretentiously serious tone made Jin Jaejoong relieve a little tension.

"Okay, come in quickly, or the dishes will be cold."You look thin, you must have suffered a lot outside, my good grandson..." Grandma squeezed Jin Jaejoong's delicate arms distressedly, "Stay here when you come back! 』

"grandmother……"

As soon as he entered the house, the first thing that attracted Jin Zaizhong's eyes was the scene of the second uncle's family surrounded by the dining table. Apart from the surprised eyes of the second uncle, Jin Zaizhong was surprised that his first reaction was a sore nose, not embarrassment.

After all, he still has family.

"Why are you back! 』The second uncle stood up from the chair with a groan, the expression on his face could not tell whether it was annoyance or anger, but surprise was clear at a glance.

"I asked you to come back!" Grandma took the lead and grabbed Jin Jaejoong's arm tightly to prevent him from retreating, "Why?do you have any opinion? 』

The second uncle ignored grandma's words, still staring at Jin Zaizhong and questioning loudly: "Didn't you go out to work? 』

"How do you know I'm working? 』Jin Zaizhong was puzzled.

"I……"

"alright!You don't even listen to me, do you? ! Before the second uncle could answer, grandma interrupted their conversation. The old man threw the firewood he had picked up on the ground, put his hands on his hips and said, "If you have anything to say, we can talk about it after dinner. Why are you arguing in the living room?" ! 』

The old man's sharp eyes swept across the crowd, the second uncle's face was red and white, he sighed, and sat back heavily on the chair, Jin Zaizhong pursed his lips, without saying a word.

"Xiao Zai, sit down. The old man dragged a chair with a smile, pressed Jin Zaizhong on it, turned his head and greeted the second uncle: "You!Bring another table and chopsticks! 』

"Okay, Grandma, I'll do it myself. ”Jin Zaizhong hurriedly stood up in embarrassment, deliberately ignoring the dark and shiny face of the second uncle, “After all, it is my home. 』

"You still think this is your home!" The second uncle sneered, the boy turned pale and responded.

"Two dogs! 』Grandma was so angry that she called the second uncle by his nickname and glared at him.

"Mom, can you be reasonable?He is my junior and I can't say anything about him. 』The second uncle also dropped the bowl and chopsticks, and the family fell into a condensed atmosphere.After a short silence, the second uncle spoke coldly.

"I ask you, what are you doing back here?" 』

Jin Zaizhong clenched the corner of his clothes tightly and remained silent.

"Don't you hate me so much, why come back?" 』

"..."

"It's not that you live comfortably in the city where you eat and drink spicy food. What are you doing back here, huh?" 』Anger and doubt made the rising end hiss, like a cold snake piercing into the boy's ear, Jin Zaizhong's whole body's cold hair stood on end.

"I thought... this was my home. 』After a long time, the boy raised his head pale and looked at the bloodshot eyes of his second uncle.

His lips moved, and he squeezed out two words: "Isn't it? 』

The second uncle closed his mouth for an instant and lost his words.Suddenly, he stood up suddenly, the chair rubbed against the ground and made a sharp sound, the food did not move, and he went back to the room.Jin Zaizhong's heart sank. Although his stomach was still twitching due to hunger when he first entered the house, he didn't even have the energy to lift his chopsticks when facing the table full of steaming dishes.

After eating a meal without taste, Jin Zaizhong took a bath, and was quickly rushed to bed by his grandma.Trapped in the soft quilt, Jin Zaizhong, with his wet hair on his head, listened to Grandma Chen chattering to him while sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Oh, you didn't know you scared the hell out of me the day you left, you know?From the east end of the village to the west end of the village, I asked each family, thinking what happened to you?As a result... oh..." When grandma reached the point where she was choked up, she couldn't speak anymore, but she couldn't stop crying.

"Grandma, I'm sorry I've been making you angry.It's all me..." Once Jin Zaizhong opened his mouth, he couldn't continue.

"However, you are still doing well. When you entered the city, you didn't hang out with some dubious people, and you found a good job.Last time your boss came over and said how hard you work there...』

"Who are you talking about?" ! ’ Jin Zaizhong cried out, his heart pounding hard on his chest.

"Your boss! Grandma Chen glanced at Jin Zaizhong inexplicably, "That lame young man, he is so handsome, but unfortunately he has a lame leg..."

Jin Zaijoong didn't hear the next words, his mind was buzzing.The man's smile, the man's voice, everything about that man surfaced noisily at this time, causing his brain to ache.

"Xiao Zai... Xiao Zai..." Grandma Chen's voice came from far away, and Jin Zaizhong couldn't hear it clearly.

The old man worriedly shook the distraught Jin Jaejoong. Her little Jaejoong, long time no see, was still so good-looking. Since she was a child, she was more upright than all the girls in the village.But at this moment, those eyes that were so clear that dripping water seemed to be at a loss, so hollow that it made people feel distressed.

The old man stopped his mouth sadly, and silently watched the child she had grown up with.She knew that the child was not bad-hearted, but his stubborn temper followed his parents who died young.It seems that the child of Shui Ling has lost his parents since he was a child. Who knows how much he has suffered outside.However, in the occasional conversation on the phone, apart from greeting the old man's life, he didn't mention anything about himself, and every time he asked, he was fooled by the clever young man.Presumably besides not wanting to admit defeat, he still feels somewhat resentful towards his second uncle.Thinking of this, the old man felt a pain in his heart again, and after struggling several times, he hesitated to speak.

"Xiaozai, actually don't blame your second uncle..." Grandma Chen opened her mouth to speak, with indescribable emotions flashing in the depths of her eyes.

The boy looked at her quietly without responding.

"Your second uncle didn't actually take your parents' money," the old man was embarrassed, rubbing the corners of the quilt with his hands, "Back then, your parents, actually, actually didn't have any savings, and almost spent all the money when they were buried.No matter how bad he is, no matter how bad he is to you, he still raised you up in a muffled voice. He may have a bad temper, but I still know what kind of person my own son is. 』

The old man stopped and stopped, thousands of words stagnated in his heart, and finally turned into a sigh at the end: "Xiao Zai, don't hate him..."

"It's really dishonest for him to let you drop out of school to pay for your brother's education, and I told him that too.After you left, your brother was taken care of by his elder brother, and it was pretty good, and the family was able to turn around... I was just worried about your life outside...』

His eyes fixed on the anxious and bewildered face of the old man, and Jin Zaizhong's mind went blank.Too many things tonight subverted his cognition, the dust on the surface dissipated, and the mist of confusion still separated him from the truth.The boy lowered his head, hiding the tiredness in his eyes.

Grandma Chen has already left, leaving Jin Zaizhong curled up in the quilt, savoring the emotions that were suppressed by him before and now they are coming back.The young man understood that he really fell in love with Zheng Yunhao, not just for fun, not because he was young and ignorant.Even if there is a [-]/[-] chance that he will fall in love with someone else in the future, the most sincere, passionate, and unfettered love of his youth has already been dedicated to the taciturn man who once showed him his warm back when he was living on the street. man.

Did you, did you ever like me?Jin Jaejoong bit his lower lip, asking inwardly over and over again.

As long as you like me... as long as you like me... The young man murmured in a low voice, and gradually sank into sleep.

The water pipe in the house leaked again, and the drips fell, which could be heard very clearly in the dark and empty room.The man was half lying on the cold floor, with a mess of wine bottles scattered around his legs.One half of his body was numb, and the other half was conscious——pain was biting it wantonly.

Are you looking at my face and thinking about him?

No wonder you can't keep your mouth shut, I really feel sorry for you.

The young man's eyes were red, and the sadness in his eyes could be seen clearly.The man knows that he should refute, just refute one sentence, and then refute one sentence.

No, all I think about is you, I never think of him because of you.

Not so, you trust me.

He should have refuted it, he should have firmly explained clearly while holding the boy in his arms.But he didn't, he just trapped the young man in vain, watching the light in his eyes disappear little by little, and endless darkness surged up, completely submerging himself and him.Because in the final analysis, the man himself is not sure, he really has nothing at all, looking for his shadow in the boy.

Even though he knew that that person and the boy were two completely different people.

He was never the same as him.

The man quietly closed his eyes and leaned on the sofa.