The Third Rose

"Shanghai?" Chen Xingze's words elicited questions from his parents. "Why go to Shanghai? Isn't Beijing good? It's still close to home."

"Beijing..." Chen Xingze racked his brains to make up a reason, "The traffic jam in Beijing is too serious."

"Shanghai is not blocked?"

"Beijing is too cold."

Wu Xingzhi began to chew dried radish.

Chen Xingze: "The climate is still dry, which is not good for the skin."

Chen He knocked on his rice bowl, "You're a big man, why don't you care about your skin?"

Chen Xingze: "Why don't you care?"

He was so anxious that his facial features wrinkled together, Wu Xingzhi patted Chen He on the shoulder, and said: "Be merciful, maybe people who are gay are more beautiful than ordinary boys."

Chen Xingze quickly said: "That's right, that's it! We agreed to understand and respect you!"

Chen He: "Then why don't I go to the beauty salon and get you a card."

Wu Xingzhi laughed, and Chen Xingze was so angry that his face was grim.Chen He got up, waved his hands, and said relaxedly: "Go if you want, it's good to go far while you're young."

Wu Xingzhi pinched Chen Xingze's dazed cheek, packed up the dishes and went into the kitchen.

Thus, on a certain day in midsummer in August, Chen Xingze landed at Pudong Airport with a suitcase full of luggage.This is not the first time he has come to Shanghai. When he was a child, he accompanied Wu Xingzhi to perform, but he didn't remember anything at that time.This time he will stay here for four years. On the way to school by taxi, he can even see the wild flowers and grass on the side of the road.

It is the season of welcoming new students, and the campus is full of vitality.Chen Xingze dragged his luggage and wandered around the campus several times, climbed up the rockery full of flowers, looked at the red lotus in the man-made pond, and smiled very brightly.

As everyone knows, his behavior was clearly seen by the two people upstairs in the dormitory beside him.

With the cool air conditioner blowing, Shi Kai leaned against the window and ate melon seeds.He is short and thin, with soft features.Pomade was smeared on the head, and the hair was meticulously brushed back, revealing a smooth forehead.When he eats melon seeds, his little finger is naturally raised, and his index finger and ring finger wear decorative rings.

All in all, he is a well-dressed person.

He has a relaxed expression, and his mouth is full of sticky Wu Nong language.

"Looking at the city of Hong Kong, I'm out of my mind, and I'm going to go sightseeing under the sun."

Next to Shi Kai is his childhood friend Lu Xiaofei. The two have been neighbors all the way to college, and now they went to the same university, entered the same major, and were assigned to the same dormitory.

Looking at the leisurely Shi Kai, Lu Xiaofei said dissatisfiedly: "Nong, please clear the bed first, this melon seed shell is in such a mess that Ning looks like a mess?"

Shi Kai was calm and composed, Lu Xiaofei seriously criticized: "Nong is still a gay, if you want to be so rigid and hygienic!"

Shi Kai rolled his eyes and turned his head away.

"If you don't think it's just hygienic, I will help you clean it up. Don't be a fool with me."

Lu Xiaofei instantly got goosebumps.

Just when the two were arguing about who would sweep the floor, the door was knocked.

Shi Kai opened the door, saw the person at the door, and opened his eyes wide.

"Ah, where did the totem pole come from? It's standing in front of my house."

Chen Xingze looked at the little man in front of him, smiled at him, and said, "Why is it a totem pole? Don't you usually say electric poles?"

"You're stronger than a telegraph pole."

"This is 403, I am also in this dormitory, why don't you let me in first?"

Only then did Shi Kai come back to his senses, and he turned sideways to let Chen Xingze enter the room, "Please come in, please come in."

"It's so messy." When Chen Xingze saw the messy room, he instinctively started to perform the task of worker bees. He put down his luggage, took a broom from a corner, and started cleaning.

Seeing that Shi Kai's eyes were growing on Chen Xingze's body, Lu Xiaofei poked him, and whispered, "What's the plan? Calm down."

Shi Kai smiled charmingly at Lu Xiaofei, and said, "Brother Galiang looks pretty handsome when you look closely."

After a busy day, the sun finally set.

In order to show his friendship as a landlord, Shi Kai resolutely invited Chen Xingze to have a meal.They went to an authentic Shanghai restaurant, and Shi Kai introduced it to Chen Xingze while eating, "This shredded eel in oil is very authentic, and fried snails are also good. This is drunk crab. I like it very much, but many outsiders can't eat it." Habit, you try it?"

Chen Xingze broke off a crab leg and chewed it.

"It's delicious and sweet."

Shi Kai smiled.

The place where they ate was not far from the Bund, and they went for a walk there after eating.

The banks of the Huangpu River are radiant and colorful, and the river flows slowly, like a beauty of the Republic of China who is strolling in the garden. The waving ginkgo is a fan, and the scattered buildings are the embroidered patterns on the cheongsam.The sparkling light, the flowing light and shadow, the quiet fragrance brought by the river wind, is intoxicating even without wine.

Chen Xingze stood by the river to rest.

Shi Kai came to him, "Lu Xiaofei went to the bathroom."

"Ah."

Shi Kai looked into Chen Xingze's eyes, and said quietly: "You are the same kind of person as I am..."

Chen Xingze didn't speak, Shi Kai said, "I just guessed, I had a feeling when I saw you."

Chen Xingze smiled and said, "Then you guessed right."

Shi Kai also smiled, and leaned against the stone railing by the river, stretched. "Hey, if Xiao Fei knows that the two in the dormitory are gay, he must vomit blood."

Chen Xingze stared at the river in a daze. Because of the heat, he sweated a lot, and he had to wipe his neck every once in a while.

"Aren't you used to the southern climate? Why did you come to Shanghai to study at a university? Your home is obviously closer to the Central Academy."

Chen Xingze didn't answer, and looked at the Pearl Tower by the river for a long time.

Chen Xingze went to university step by step and worked harder than any other student in his class.

Shi Kai discovered that Chen Xingze had a habit of going out for a walk.At first he thought that when Chen Xingze first arrived in Shanghai, he would feel new about everything.But one semester has passed, Chen Xingze has almost visited all the corners and alleys in Shanghai, and he still runs out when he has nothing to do.

"Why are you running around every day?" Every time Shi Kai asked, Chen Xingze would say, "It's nothing, I can't stay, I'm used to it."

Life went on without pain or itching, and Chen Xingze traveled to and from the streets and alleys of Shanghai in his spare time.Sometimes in time for the holiday, he wears earphones and can walk outside for a whole day.Under the wind and sun, his skin gradually darkened, his muscles gradually became stronger, and his lines gradually became tougher.Shi Kai joked that Chen Xingze is more like a sports academy than playing music.

Although he was complained so mercilessly, Chen Xingze's academic performance was actually very good, and he was among the best in the department.Due to his childhood influence and his own hard work, Chen Xingze's artistic accomplishment is very high.A series of repertoires he created for the clubs he participated in when he was in the second grade were posted on the Internet and were widely disseminated and praised.

He got a lot of job offers because of this set, from all walks of life, bits and pieces.Chen Xingze mostly refused and focused on the campus.Until one day, he received an email from "Junwen Media", wanting to cooperate with him on the soundtrack of the company's plays.

"This company is stingy." Shi Kai reminded him, "They often recruit students to work in order to lower the price. Don't be deceived."

Chen Xingze considered it over and over again, and finally agreed to the job, because he knew that Junwen Media was the company Song Boyang signed with.

He didn't force anything, he just felt that when he saw an opportunity, he should give it a try.

It wasn't until Chen Xingze's second semester of sophomore year that the filming of the TV series was finished and the follow-up soundtrack began. During that time, Chen Xingze was frequently called to the company for meetings.

One day, Chen Xingze left the Junwen Building after finishing a lengthy five-hour meeting.The sky was covered with red clouds, Chen Xingze didn't take a car, he chose a quiet path for a walk, hoping to filter the stale air around him.

The path is deep and quiet, lined with elegantly decorated cafes and antique shops.Chen Xingze stopped when passing by a small bookstore.There was a faint sound of music in the store, which was a melody he was very familiar with - Sarasate's violin solo "Song of the Vagabond".

Chen Xingze has played this piece countless times, and it has been heard by many people on many occasions.But at the moment when he accidentally heard the familiar melody, what flashed back in his mind was only that night in Jincheng.He borrowed a violin from a shabby street performer and played it on the path in front of the church.

What is it for?

Chen Xingze thought slowly, and walked into the bookstore automatically.The store is small, there are not many customers, and the bookshelves are filled with books in foreign languages.Chen Xingze walked towards the deepest part of the bookstore, turned around a luxuriant yew, and saw that figure from the back in front of a vertical rotary record player.

The man was wearing a light gray half-sleeve shirt tucked into black trousers.He is very thin, the belt is the tightest size, there are small spine marks on the back of the neck, and a clear butterfly bone can be seen on the back.He carried a checkerboard messenger bag on his right shoulder and a watch on his hand. From the back view, he looked like an elegant but tired office worker.

He remembered, why did he want to come to the street performer's musical instrument in the first place...

Chen Xingze put his hand on Mi Sheng's shoulder.

Mi Sheng turned his head and saw Chen Xingze, his normally normal eyes widened slightly.His eyes were still in the shape Chen Xingze was familiar with, and his eyelashes were still the length he was familiar with, not too thick, but each one was as thin and long as a needle.

Reunion after a long absence, we are speechless.

In the end, Mi Sheng first smiled at Chen Xingze and said, "Long time no see, brat."

After an absence of nearly three years, Chen Xingze finally heard the word "little ghost" from Mi Sheng's mouth again. The impact of this calm voice on his heart was far beyond his imagination.

Mi Sheng said, "Why are you here?"

Chen Xingze said: "I came to Shanghai to study in university."

Mi Sheng said softly, "Really, what a coincidence."

unfortunately.

Chen Xingze really wanted to tell the person in front of him, it was no coincidence.Now, he finally admits that this is the thin thread of fate that he has painstakingly woven together by holding countless coincidences tightly together.

He said, "Yeah, what a coincidence."

Mi Sheng smiled again, turned his eyes, and looked at the door of the bookstore, "Are you here to buy books? Then go shopping, I have to leave beforehand."

Chen Xingze stepped sideways to block Mi Sheng.

"Are you going now?"

"if not?"

if not?

Chen Xingze felt an urge to tie up this nonchalant person and lock him up somewhere.

"Give me your contact information."

"What do you want to contact for?"

"give me."

Generally speaking, when two people confront each other, the person who dare not look directly into the other's eyes will eventually lose.Mi Sheng reported his number to Chen Xingze, and Chen Xingze called on the spot just in case.Mi Sheng's hand rang, and Chen Xingze took it to save his name in the address book.

"Can I go now?" Mi Sheng asked.

Chen Xingze turned sideways, and Mi Sheng walked past him. When the two of them turned their backs, Chen Xingze grabbed Mi Sheng's hand.The thinness of the wrist surprised him.

Mi Sheng: "What are you doing?"

Chen Xingze: "You won't delete my number and then disappear?"

Mi Sheng: "No, let go."

Not only did Chen Xingze not let go, but he even took out his cell phone, taking advantage of his height and length, he took a photo of Mi Sheng.

Mi Sheng was a little anxious, "What are you going to do?"

Chen Xingze: "If you disappear again, I'll use your photo to post a missing person notice."

Mi Sheng: "Let go, someone is watching."

Chen Xingze turned his head, and the bookstore clerk was watching them cautiously, "If you have any problems, the two gentlemen, please go outside to solve them." It seemed that they had a conflict.Chen Xingze let go of his hand, Mi Sheng withdrew his arm and rubbed his wrist with the other hand.Chen Xingze realized that he was too emotional, apologized and said: "I'm sorry, I didn't pay attention just now, did I hurt you?"

It doesn't hurt.

But Mi Sheng didn't answer, so Chen Xingze became even more nervous.

"Does it really hurt? I didn't mean to, show me."

Mi Sheng turned his back and raised his eyes to look at Chen Xingze. There was no emotion in his brown pupils, and his tone was flat.

"Can I go this time?"

Chen Xingze slowly moved out of the way, Mi Sheng left, Chen Xingze ran a few steps to chase outside, and shouted at Mi Sheng's back: "I'm sorry, don't be angry! I'll contact you later!"

If Mi Sheng hadn't heard of it, he walked forward without squinting. He passed a crossroad and walked more than a hundred meters before turning back quietly.There was no figure of the young man behind him, he leaned against the stone wall beside the road without strength, and took out the cigarette from his arms.

The slender fingers failed to catch the fire several times.

Mi Sheng didn't lie to Chen Xingze, he did have something to do at night.Entrusted by Wei Kang, he took the script from the company and sent it to Song Boyang.

Although Song Boyang is an actor, his popularity has not been high, and he barely has a job.

Mi Sheng pushed open the door, Song Boyang was sleeping, and there were several empty bottles of spirits on the table.Mi Sheng felt lucky that he didn't need to communicate with him.He put the script on the bedside and left quietly.Unexpectedly, just as he turned around, Song Boyang suddenly stretched out his hand from under the quilt and pinched his wrist.

He couldn't control his strength after drinking, and he happened to pinch Mi Sheng's wrist bone, and Mi Sheng suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.But unlike when he faced Chen Xingze, he didn't let Song Baiyang let go.He understood him, and the more he begged, the more Song Boyang became worse.

"I'll send you the script." Mi Sheng managed to keep his voice steady, "Wei Kang asked you to read it at least once before going to the set."

Song Boyang's face was sullen.

"Wei Kang sent the schedule to your phone."

"roll!"

Song Boyang turned his head impatiently, then fell asleep.

When Mi Sheng left the room, he didn't think about how to deal with the still painful wrist at the first time, but took out his mobile phone first to see if there was any message reminder.The screen was as clean as new, so he put it back.The moment he put the phone back into his bag, he suddenly realized the strangeness of his behavior, suppressed the thoughts that were gradually flying, and left quickly.

When he got home, Aunt Wang, the nurse, told him that his mother had fallen asleep. Mi Sheng came to his mother's room and sat beside her, quietly watching her sleeping face.

"Mom, guess who I saw today?" Mi Sheng said in a very soft voice, "I saw that kid, the one I always mentioned to you... although you may not remember it.

In the quiet room, Mi Sheng's voice was flat.

"I thought I would never see him again. He said he came to Shanghai to study at university, but Shanghai is so big that we would meet in a small bookstore. Don't you think it's amazing?"

His mother fell asleep peacefully, Mi Sheng raised his wrist, the place where Song Baiyang twisted it was already red and swollen, and there was a faint tingling pain.His expression didn't change at all, just like looking at someone else's wrist.After a long time, he chuckled. "What to do, his appearance like this will make me misunderstand that God sent me to save me." His smile seemed more insincere than before, "...how is that possible."