detour

Xu You and Zhuang Shaodong officially moved to their new home on a weekend in June.

At the beginning of June, the Xifu Begonias in the yard had lost all their flowers, covered with a dense greenery.The green radishes are all over the cast iron railings that are one person high around the courtyard, and against the willows and flowers in the garden, they are full of vitality.

The grape trellis under the eaves of the backyard has been set up, but the newly planted grape seedlings are less than half the height of a person. It may take a few years to climb the wooden trellis above the head.A few large porcelain vats were placed next to the wooden frame. This is what Zhuang Shaodong heard from the housekeeper of the old house. He wanted to build several vats filled with water at the back of the yard.But it would be a bit silly to just put a water tank, so they plan to buy some goldfish and koi after a while to raise them.

The furniture ordered in early May has been delivered one after another. The furniture and curtains of the two candidates are very light in color, which looks very refreshing and neat when matched together.Xu Youyang's potted plants were also brought over, and they were placed neatly beside the stairs or in the corner of the living room.

The two chefs invited from the Sky Garden are busy preparing lunch in the kitchen. The guests are either sitting in the living room chatting, or blowing the air outdoors, and some of them went to the beach to catch small crabs.There are Xu You's friends and Zhuang Shaodong's friends.Zhao Xiaoqi had just been found out to be one month pregnant, and Huang Haitao almost treated her like a panda. She was sitting under the grape arbor basking in the sun, and he was sitting next to her with a fruit knife to peel fruit for her, like a 24-year-old husband.

Ever since Li Xiaowu knew that Xu You's name was written on the property certificate of their house, his impression of Zhuang Shaodong became much better.In his words: "Things outside the body can't represent anything, but at least you can see how much thought this person has put into it. Since Xu You has sold himself willingly, what can I say as a buddy?" What's more, Xu You's changes It was too obvious that the person who used to have a cold face wherever he went, now always had a happy smirk on his face.

Well, well, wasn't his original objection also because he didn't want to see his friend get hurt again?Even if they look down on the dealer, they have to admit that Xu You's current state is the best in several years.

That being the case, what reason is there to object?

The lively party lasted until the afternoon.Xu You and Zhuang Shaodong cleaned up the sundries in the living room and the yard, and each of them wore a doraemon apron and began to clean up the piles of dishes, chopsticks and plates in the kitchen that were half a person's height.The part-time workers they hired will officially start work tomorrow, but the weather in June, if the things in the kitchen are piled up until tomorrow, they will be rotten.

The window was open, and the sea breeze mixed with cool water vapor rushed in, making it warm and cozy.Outside the window is a vegetable field that Zhuang Shaodong asked the housekeeper of the old house to help open. The green peppers, western reds, and so on are less than two feet high, but they are so green that they look very cute.

It won't be long before they can eat homegrown vegetables free from chemical fertilizers and pesticides.When Xu You thought this way, he always felt that he should raise a few more chickens in the backyard.But Zhuang Shaodong said that the chickens would eat the vegetables in the vegetable garden, and they would coo and crow all day long. Although the distance between the villas was far, the neighbors would have objections.Xu You had no choice but to give up.Besides, they plan to raise dogs and cats. If there are chickens in the house, it will be too lively if a group of birds and beasts mix together.

Xu You put the washed dishes into the cabinet, and checked the remaining ingredients in the refrigerator by the way, "Don't go out at night, you're too tired. Let's do something at home."

Zhuang Shaodong nodded, "Okay." After agreeing, he realized a very crucial question, "Who will do it?"

"Do you need to ask?" Xu You glanced at him with contempt, "What would you do? You haven't even cooked instant noodles, have you?"

Zhuang Shaodong was amused by his arrogant demo, "You really guessed wrong. I'm good at cooking instant noodles. Anyone who has lived in a student dormitory can't make instant noodles."

Xu You ignored him, "There are also stewed ribs, let's have rib noodles tonight."

"Okay. I'll help you."

Xu You looked at Zhuang Shaodong who was diligently cleaning the sink, and smiled involuntarily.It was the first time he saw Zhuang Shaodong wearing an apron, although that silly doraemon made him look a little funny, but it is undeniable that this homely attire is really... charming.

The courtyard door creaked, as if blown open by the wind.Xu You looked out unconsciously. A woman's figure was pushing open the gate of the backyard, and walked in slowly while looking around.She was wearing a soft and comfortable floral dress, with big sunglasses covering half of her face. Xu You thought she looked familiar, but couldn't remember where she had seen her before.The woman in the yard looked towards him as if sensing something, the corners of her lips twitched slightly, and she reached out to take off her sunglasses.

"My mother..." Xu You moaned.

"Your mother is also right, but the accurate term is: your mother-in-law." Zhuang Shaodong appeared beside him at some point, and he patted his shoulder in a good mood.While pushing him to go out, he lowered his voice and quietly cheered him up, "Don't worry, we have been talking on the phone a lot during this time, and I have apologized to her long ago. Think about it, she even forgives me Are you going to embarrass you again?"

Li Yunxin stood on the gravel path, looking at her with a somewhat critical air.

Looking at their vegetable garden, "The front yard is still looking good, but the back yard is a mess."

Zhuang Shaodong said with a smile: "I asked Housekeeper Chen to make this. He said to grow some vegetables without pesticides, so you can eat without worry."

Li Yunxin disagreed, "You two, who knows how to grow vegetables?"

Zhuang Shaodong scratched his head, "Chen Steward said that he would find time every week to come and take a look."

Li Yunxin's eyes turned around on the aprons of the same style of the two, her expression was obviously a little dazed, "You are..."

"I'm washing the dishes," Zhuang Shaodong explained with a smile, "The part-time workers don't start work until tomorrow, so I have to do it myself today."

Li Yunxin felt incredible.Her son, who was spoiled and spoiled since he was a child and has never even been in the kitchen, is actually washing dishes by himself wearing an apron? !Sure enough, if you meet someone, will you be affected by his living habits?She looked at Xu You, with a somewhat ambiguous look in her eyes, "Long time no see, Xu You."

Zhuang Shaodong was at the side, and Xu You quickly calmed down. He nodded politely at Li Yunxin, "Hello, sit inside." Just before he opened his mouth, he was actually a little hesitant about what to call him.The lady is too distant, Zhuang Shaodong may not be happy to hear it.The aunt was too close, Xu You couldn't scream no matter what.

Li Yunxin naturally heard it, frowned slightly, and walked up the steps.As soon as she entered the door, she saw the crystal vase on the dark dining table and a large blooming rose inside. Li Yunxin paused, and suddenly felt that the lives of the two men were not as boring as she imagined.

Sometimes, our perception of something or someone will be completely changed because of a small detail.When Li Yunxin sat on the beige sofa in the living room, it was this kind of inexplicable emotion that came to her mind.Although it looked like they had just entertained guests at noon, the living room and dining room looked clean.The wood-colored floor is matched with off-white furniture and curtains. The living room feels open but not empty. The bonsai placed in the corner of the living room and the corner of the stairs are also well matched. Even the used ashtray on the coffee table and thrown on the sofa The car magazines in the world silently convey a comfortable atmosphere of life.

Therefore, Li Yunxin felt that she could no longer be picky.At least when she lived in the dealer's old house, she had never felt such a relaxed and comfortable feeling.

She believed that Zhuang Shaodong had never experienced it either.

Li Yunxin sighed slightly, she raised her head, and saw Xu Youzheng walking in with a pot of freshly brewed flower and fruit tea carefully, Zhuang Shaodong was beside him, holding a plate of cut fruits and a few transparent glasses cup.Li Yunxin suddenly felt that the two of them standing together were natural and harmonious.That feeling was very similar to the yearning she had for family life when she was a young girl.

She never expected that the picture she dreamed of would come true in life.Likewise, she never expected such a picture to materialize in her son's life.Because she and he both know that children in big families do not have the freedom to choose their desired lifestyle.

Yet it actually came true.

Li Yunxin took the teacup from Xu You's hand in a daze.The fragrance of fruit and the fragrance of flowers are intertwined, and it will be released with the transpiration of water vapor, which makes people relax physically and mentally.

After Zhuang Shaodong pinched his back for the nth time to signal him to take the initiative to please the old lady, Xu You coughed twice and asked a well-regulated question, "Did you just arrive today?"

Li Yunxin came back to her senses, and gave Xu You a slightly tired smile, "Yes, I left the luggage at the hotel and came over."

Xu You calculated in her mind when she would get off the plane, "Then have you had lunch? Do you want to..."

Li Yunxin waved her hand, "Don't be busy, I ate something for lunch. I'm just a little tired now, I'll come to see you and go back to rest."

Xu You imagined the situation of Li Yunxin living alone in the hotel, and began to feel unbearable, "There is a guest room upstairs, and the beds are all new. Why don't you... you should rest here."

Zhuang Shaodong also said: "Yes, Mom, why don't you stay in a hotel when you're here. Look at how quiet my place is."

Li Yunxin smiled slightly and looked at Xu You, "Don't disturb me?"

"Of course not." Being treated kindly by an elder who was once hostile made Xu You feel weird and unreal.

"You sleep for a while," Zhuang Shaodong said, "Xu You and I will go to the hotel to bring your luggage here."

Li Yunxin nodded slightly, "Okay."

Zhuang Shaodong is right, it is indeed very quiet here.The hustle and bustle of the city is blocked in the distance, and the open window only has the gentle ups and downs of the waves, like breathing.

Li Yunxin woke up leisurely from the aroma of food, feeling that she had not slept so soundly for a long time.She stretched and was about to sit up when she heard a vague humming sound coming from outside the window.It's an upbeat song, full of rhythm.Li Yunxin stopped stretching and listened unconsciously.

This is Zhuang Shaodong's voice, judging from the perspective of the voice, the person should be in the kitchen downstairs.The humming sound was indistinct and a bit out of tune, but the person who could hear the humming was in a happy mood.

Li Yunxin smiled involuntarily.

The humming sound paused for a moment, and there was a vague voice, and then the two laughed together.The slightly deep voice belonged to Zhuang Shaodong, and the other clear voice belonged to the man with peach blossom eyes named Xu You.

Li Yunxin's feelings are a bit complicated.This man is good-looking and has a good career. The external conditions really make it difficult to find any flaws.But there is such a kind of person in this world, we owe him something, but we still can't clear it up, so we can only see it out of sight, trying to ease the guilt in our hearts with alienation and forgetting.

This is an uncomfortable realization: in her character, that thing called a sense of justice is just maintained at an embarrassing scale value of no more, no less.If it was a little more, she wouldn't have done such an uncomfortable thing in the first place; if it was a little less, she wouldn't feel guilty.

However, things often play tricks on people like this.

Li Yunxin couldn't help but sighed.

Well, here's the problem before her: Her son liked this man, and this man had created a real home for her son.

Her son, from childhood to adulthood, has never smiled so heartily.

He loves him.

Well, well, Li Yunxin continued to sigh.The current situation is that her son is living with this man, if she still wants her son to continue to be happy-especially this kind of happiness is something that she has never let him feel as a mother.Then she can no longer bring up any topic about the past.This is actually not difficult to do.She could see that Xu You also had the same attitude as her.Perhaps in Xu You's mind, Zhuang Shaodong's happiness is equally important.Since they have a common goal, Li Yunxin feels that there shouldn't be any fundamental differences between her and Xu You.As for mutual accommodation in living habits, that would happen to everyone, and it couldn't be regarded as a problem at all.

After Li Yunxin figured out this section, she suddenly felt refreshed.

Isn't it just that the son has found a daughter-in-law who is not liked by him? What kind of thing is this?Even if Shaodong followed his own advice and married Zuo Yan, could she still expect Zuo Yan to wash dishes in the kitchen with him wearing a doraemon apron?Can Zuo Yan let his son hum happily while busy in the kitchen?

The world we live in is never perfect.However, some people can piece together their own perfect life from a pile of fragments.

A person who can make her son feel happy, why should she not accept it?

For dinner, Zhuang Shaodong and Xu You made pork rib noodles.

The ribs are stewed by the chef in the sky garden and placed in the refrigerator, and the vegetables are also ready-made.The two cooked noodles, blanched vegetables, and hot rib soup step by step according to the chef's instructions. Xu You took out the lo mei from the refrigerator and made a platter, cut two cucumbers and mixed it with a plate of refreshing cold dishes.

It's an ordinary, home-cooked meal, but one that satisfies the eater.

When Li Yunxin put down her chopsticks, she said to the two children, "I'm going back to France in a few days. If you two have time, come and spend Christmas with me."

Zhuang Shaodong and Xu You looked at each other, and they both keenly heard another meaning in her words.But Xu You still felt that he must have misunderstood her meaning.Think back then, how much thought did this woman put in to prevent herself from entering the dealer's door?Not so long ago, he wished that he would disappear forever in front of his son.

How could she admit him?

Zhuang Shaodong was also a little uncertain, he looked at his mother tentatively, and asked cautiously: "Mom, what do you mean..."

"I mean..." Li Yunxin lowered her eyelids and smiled self-deprecatingly.Then she raised her head, looked at Xu You and said softly, "It's better for the family to spend Christmas together."

Xu You felt like being struck by lightning.Does she mean that she and she are family? !

Li Yunxin looked at the eyes of the two young people on the opposite side of the dining table, each of them getting bigger and bigger, but she felt a sense of relief.It was easier to say those words than she expected.Anyway, this is actually the ending that the two children are looking forward to, isn't it?

Li Yunxin then smiled, "Come here together. No matter what, we are family."