Contention

After leaving the company, Lu Yue regretted not returning to Rongjin, and drove to Lu Min's gallery.

Recently, to promote the national style, the gallery has been hardcovered again. Two cloisonne folded lotus gilt-colored amphora vases are placed at the front desk, and several paper and silk imitation flowers of Xifu crabapple are inserted.

Stepping in, the corridors on both sides are hung with ink paintings.

She came here today to pick up a pair of porcelain that was going to be given as a gift in the business field. She asked Lu Min's friend to make it, and when it was finished, she sent it to Lu Min. She came to pick it up in person, and chatted with Lu Min by the way.

The lounge of the gallery has not been refurbished, it is still the same.The heater was fully turned on inside, and it was warm and warm, like a spring day.

Lu Min gave her the porcelain, and opened his mouth to joke, "You're busy, I sent you a message the day before yesterday that the goods had arrived, and I didn't see you coming."

"Isn't this my kid who has returned to China and is busy entertaining?" Lu Yuexi smiled, as if remembering something, and asked, "Didn't you say you met the fan You Zhenyi brought that day? Did you still keep in touch afterwards? ?”

Mentioning this, Lu Min felt a little uncomfortable, and said, "Young people nowadays are too fanatical..."

"That means there is still contact." Lu Yuexi just chatted casually and didn't mean to go into it. Afterwards, You Zhenyi said that Mr. Jing was very interested. I was at a loss, "Young people, they all like to chase stars, so you should just make friends."

Lu Min gave a vague "hmm".

Lu Yuexi lowered his head to take a sip of tea, glanced casually, and suddenly saw a string of Buddhist beads on a table in the lounge.

Dalagan tiger skin is fragrant, round and deep, and there is a little calm brown in the hidden part.

Deja Vu.

Lu Yuexi was taken aback for a moment, then turned to look at Lu Min and asked, "You bought it."

"No."

"That?"

"It's left by my fans."

The bracelet is placed on a pear blossom wood carving, which complements the Maitreya Buddha.

Lu Yuexi realized that she wanted to laugh for some reason.

Lu Min asked her why she was laughing, and she said, "No coincidence makes a book, it's all fate."

Lu Min didn't quite understand, but seeing her narrow-minded appearance, he became more and more uncomfortable, so he picked up his cup of tea, changed the subject, and asked, "Brother, did you take your little friend home yesterday?"

Mentioning this, Lu Yuexi smiled slightly: "Well, Dad always said that he wanted to talk to her."

"I remember you told me that her mother also knew about it, right?"

"Correct."

"The two families have accepted, why are you still worried." Lu Min laughed at her, "Are you afraid that she will run away?"

Lu Yue reluctantly said nothing, got up and picked up the gift box containing the porcelain, and said goodbye.

After going out and getting into the car, I still felt depressed, and lazily looked at the street scene outside the car window, and sighed.

Yesterday when he brought Zou Feiniao home, at the dinner table Lu Heng bluntly brought up the matter between the two of them, and asked Zou Feiniao about his future plans.

Zou Feiniao didn't feel embarrassed, let alone concealed that he planned to study for a Ph.D.

Asked how many more years.

Answer, three years if fast.

Ask again if you will stay in Oucheng to work after graduation.

Zou Feiniao is very frank, saying that he would like to go to Beijing or Xiamen to develop.

The atmosphere suddenly became dull.

Lu Heng loved his daughter eagerly, and after a long silence, he said, "Fei Niao, if we didn't know each other well, and your mother and I had that kind of relationship, I'm afraid you, son-in-law, would not recognize you."

The Lu family has a big business, and Lu Yuexi also has his own responsibilities.

If Zou Feiniao wanted to stay in the field all the time, the two of them could only get together less and leave more.

After eating, Lu Yuexi called Zou Feiniao to the rest platform on the second floor.

The terrace is cold, and when you breathe out, there is a mist like an indigo film.

Leaning against the log railing, she handed Zou Feiniao a bottle of hot drink, and she also had a bottle in her hand.

After opening the bottle cap and taking a few sips, Lu Yuexi smiled and said, "Oucheng has been undergoing reforms for the past few years, but after the economic crisis in 08, the economy has been unable to recover. Can rely on small industries to maintain vitality, let alone biological research, Oucheng has always been weak in these areas, and it is difficult to introduce talents and technologies... You have been to so many places, what you see Ye Duo, I must understand this matter..."

Be sure, patted her head, still smiling: "It's normal for you to want to go out. Since you want to do academics, you will definitely have better development if you stay in a bigger city. After all, you really like to study these things, and Not for fame and fortune."

The wind has passed, bringing a little spicy and hot vetiver and smoky coniferous taste.

It was the fragrance on Lu Yuexi's body, which was erratic.

Holding the hot drink in his hand, Zou Feiniao let out a muffled "hmm".

She was not in high spirits today, she never smiled, she was stunned for a moment, and then said: "I'm sorry."

"There's nothing I'm sorry about. You've fought for your career for so long, so it's a pity to stay here." Lu Yuexi straightened up and looked at her with soft eyes, and sighed deeply, "Finiao, go up, the farther you go The better."

"As for me." He said with a smile, "Love and work shouldn't be in conflict... If you go to other places, then I will ask Huiyan to develop a long-term project there, or open a branch company, and it's not a bad idea to follow along Can't……"

Zou Feiniao was a little surprised: "But, Uncle Lu, didn't he say..."

Lu Yue reluctantly said nothing.Taking another sip of the hot drink, he turned to look outside at the dark sky.In the shadows of the lights, it is difficult to distinguish the emotions on her face:

"All the foundations of the Lu family were laid by my grandfather and father... After I took office, I would be called 'Lu Heng's daughter' wherever I went. After a long time, I got tired of hearing it. I always think, If there is no Lu family, how can I develop myself?"

Zou Feiniao was stunned for a moment, recalled it for a while, and asked tentatively: "Do you want to..."

"Stand on your own." Lu Yuexi took her words and smiled lightly, "Nowadays, policies support the environmental protection industry everywhere, especially in the chemical industry. Huiyan's boat is deep and the water is deep, and it is difficult to reform in a short period of time, and the conditions given by Oucheng are not enough. , if you go outside..."

She paused, stomped her feet, and said coldly, "Anyway, I want to try."

Back in Rongjin, Lu Yuexi bought some vegetables on the way and stuffed them into the refrigerator.

Since the relationship between the two of them has been put on the bright side, there is no need to find any reason to live together.

When Zou Feiniao came back this time, Lu Yuexi planned to live with her in Rongjin's villa for a while and have a sweet time.

But today it was strange, the other party said from the morning that she had something to do, and before she got off work in the evening, Lu Yuexi sent a message to Zou Feiniao, asking her to pack some clothes and go to Rong Jin's, where they lived during the holiday.

As a result, I haven't received a reply until now, and I don't know if I am accompanying Aunt Fang.

Lu Yuexi hesitated for a long time, and called Zou Feiniao.

I did not answer.

She hissed and called Aunt Fang again.

Aunt Fang said: "Fei Niao came back in the morning, but went out after staying for a while."

She rested at Lu's house with Lu Yuexi last night, and when Lu Yuexi went to work in the morning, he took her back to her home and asked her to accompany her mother.

Lu Yuexi asked, "Haven't you come back yet?"

Aunt Fang heard something was wrong with her tone, and became anxious: "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing, she just said that she went to do something, and she doesn't know what she is doing." Lu Yuexi comforted her, "This child is busy, so she can do whatever she wants, so she won't lose it."

Aunt Fang thought so too, Zou Feiniao has always been steady and won't run around.

After waiting for about half an hour, Zou Feiniao called back.

Lu Yuexi breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "What did you do? There's been no news for a long time."

The person on the other side gave a quiet "hmm".There was the sharp sound of car horns, and the wind whistled and the night was silent.

It's already night, and I don't know where she is.

Lu Yuexi sighed: "Give me a place name, I'll pick you up by car..."

There was no response for a long time, and she frowned suddenly, "Not a bird? What's wrong?"

There was a small sound of exhalation.

"At the intersection of Lin'an Avenue." Zou Feiniao finally opened his mouth and said calmly, "The road sign of Huaxia Bank is here."

"Lin'an Avenue..." Lu Yuexi's mind was racing, Ye Huai's residence was on this avenue, "Then it's so far from your home, why are you running there?"

Zou Feiniao said, "See you."

"classmate?"

"It's your classmate." Her tone was cool, like ice cubes swaying in the glass, touching the glass wall crisply, coldly, "Talked with her, your high school days."

Lu Yuexi was stunned.

It was already twenty minutes after arriving there, Lu Yuexi was impatient, but luckily the traffic there was not so congested at night.

After crossing the street, I saw the figure standing alone under the road sign from a distance, and my hands were sweating.

She parked the car in front of her and said, "Get in the car."

Zou Feiniao didn't move.

Lu Yuexi's tone could not help but pleadingly: "Finiao, get in the car, be good, be obedient."

Zou Feiniao finally raised his head.She was wearing a loose corduroy hooded sweater under her coat today. The hood of the dress was worn on her head, covering her entire face. She didn't wear any glasses, and her jet-black phoenix eyes were drooping listlessly.

Lu Yuexi wanted to get out of the car, but Zou Feiniao took the initiative to come over and open the door, and sat in the passenger seat.

She hurried to hold her hand, but felt a cold, stone-like heart ache: "I was a bit of a jerk in those years, and I also thought I was ridiculous...but..."

She wanted to explain, to justify, but she couldn't speak.

In front of the girl's clear and clean mind, he is indeed too dirty.

Bullying, campus violence.She has a personality problem.

Lu Yuexi looked at her struggling, unable to speak, and didn't dare to ask more questions.

Zou Feiniao didn't withdraw his hand/back, just closed his eyes and sighed: "This is not a suitable place to talk, let's drive back."

Lu Yuexi leaned over and pressed her slightly pale lips stubbornly, and then he was slightly relieved and concentrated on driving.

Unexpectedly, not long after the car started, Zou Feiniao closed his eyes and said suddenly: "I really didn't expect that you like her so much."

"..."

"Do you really hate He Ying? The matter of letting her drop out of school..."

"I couldn't figure it out at the time, it was really hatred." Lu Yuexi drove back, not daring to look at her expression, "Now I let it go, I did do something wrong at the time, but since it was something I did, then I have no regrets statement."

Zou Feiniao glanced at her quietly, without saying a word, quietly making Lu Yuexi's scalp tingle.

Halfway through the journey, Zou Feiniao suddenly said, "I want to go home."

"But we..."

"I want to sleep at home for a while tonight." Zou Feiniao was sleepy, with a layer of deep fatigue in his brows and eyes, "I don't mean anything else, I just want to be alone and be fine the next day, really. "

As if to verify, she raised her right hand, "I'm wearing all the rings."

Hearing her weak tone, Lu Yuexi felt uneasy, but he managed to smile and sent her back to Zou's house.

The car stopped at the gate of Tongzilou.Zou Feiniao sat in the car, did not leave immediately, remained silent for a long time, and said, "Actually, I have always known about your contact with her...the last time I came to see you and called you, it was her Then, she said her name is Ye Huai, and you are with her."

"...I went to find her later, that afternoon."

"She told me that I don't know you well enough, and she seems to be quite resentful towards you." Zou Feiniao lowered his head and smiled, "When I delivered the handbag to you yesterday, I saw her leave the office building again. came to find you."

Lu Yuexi's mind was much clearer, and she explained: "She asked me for something, and after I helped her solve it, she came to the company yesterday to thank her, and you also came at that time, I think you don't want to see her, so..."

"I didn't mean to avoid you." No matter how eloquent a person is, he would be at a loss for words in such a moment, "I'm afraid you will be unhappy, that's all."

There was the sound of leaves shaking and rustling in the distance.

Zou Feiniao looked at her for a while, then looked away, and said softly, "Yes, I see."

Opening the door and getting off the car, she stood in the bitter cold wind.Because I don't wear glasses, it looks a little different, it seems to fall off immediately, a little fragile.

"I'm really not too happy." Zou Feiniao said, "Although I already know the specific situation, I'm just not happy when she said that about you."

Lu Yuexi watched her walk upstairs slowly, the cautious and restless expression disappeared, leaving only the indignation of sudden realization.

She thought of Ye Huai's ambiguous attitude these days, but she didn't want to be friends with her again.

It's just to make her uneasy.

Waking up slowly in the winter morning, the sky is still hazy.

Lu Yuexi stayed up all night, sitting on the sofa, listening to the clock hanging in the living room go by.

Around seven in the morning, she called Ye Huai.

After connecting, Lu Yuexi rubbed the center of his brows, and exhaled heavily: "You really didn't forgive me."

The person over there was not surprised, as if he had been prepared, he just smiled, his voice was slightly hoarse, but he said bluntly: "You have such a good life, I can't bear it."

Lu Yuexi was silent for a moment, and then smiled: "Understood."

"...I have never had any friends, so we shouldn't be in touch again." Lu Yuexi spoke slowly, in a daze, "But I never thought that you would want revenge too."

"I'm just an ordinary person, but you always look at me as if..." Ye Huai paused, and said, "A work of art."

Lu Yuexi remained silent.Ye Huai is indeed like this to her.Noble, lonely and cold, as if free from the world.

She was lifted up to the altar of her heart and gilded with gold paint.Now the gold paint is peeling off in layers, and there are chicken feathers all over the place.

"Originally, I wanted to get as close to you as possible, to make you fall in love with me again, and to disturb you and that little girl..." Ye Huai said slowly, and suddenly sighed, "But now I think it's boring."

"...You are indeed doing well now, and so is that little girl."

"It's just that if she can accept your past, then I wish you all the best of luck."

When Ye Huai said this, he paused for a while, and then said softly, "I'm going to apply for a foreign transfer, and I won't be back in the future."

"It's true this time, never see you again."

Lu Yuexi asked for leave and didn't go to work.

She was lying on the bed, like a serious illness.

Sleeping drowsily, he reached for his phone and sent a voice message to Zou Feiniao: "I miss you, come to Rongjin. The quilt is cold even when the heater is turned on."

After sending out, I nestled under the quilt to sleep again, curled up into a ball, a rare childishness.

Zou Feiniao also slept hard all night.

But she's figured it out.

After receiving the voice, my heart was slightly moved, and I went anyway.

When I got there, I took the key and opened the door to go in. As soon as I entered the house, I could smell a strong smell of burning smoke.

Not the taste of nicotine.It's the charcoal smell left after the paper is burned.

Zou Feiniao took a few steps forward and stopped suddenly.

On the tea table in front of the sofa set in the living room, there is a tin bucket containing candies.

Buried in the bucket was a half-burned notebook, with only the edges and a few scorched brown color pictures remaining, which were embarrassingly incomplete and very few turned to ashes.

It was that photo album that Lu Yuexi had cherished for more than ten years.