Temporary cohabitation

Cheng Shi hasn't been back to this town for a long time.

When we got out of the car, it was raining heavily.In just a few minutes, the suitcase was exposed outside the umbrella, not to mention the shoes and trousers.

The lens was covered with a layer of blurred rain. He couldn't see clearly and couldn't spare his hands to wipe it off. He could only barely distinguish the road, and walked with a deep step and a shallow step.

"Xiaoshi came home? Oh, it can be regarded as..."

Neighbors who haven't seen each other for a long time greeted each other under the eaves.He couldn't recognize who was who for a long time, so he nodded vaguely, "Well, I'm back."

"It's still the same. It's the same as when I was in school. It hasn't changed much."

He has shoulder-length, medium-short hair. In order not to delay the journey, he tied it behind his head with a small rubber band when he went out. It was a neat little bundle, and only a loose strand fell from the sideburns.There was a blush on her fair face, and the black-rimmed glasses made her look even younger.

He hasn't grown much since leaving school.If you don't pay attention, you will feel that he still looks like when he was in high school, carrying a suitcase home from the school dormitory during the monthly break.

People in small places are too humble to admire, so they can only say some gossip in the market, "You are so white and tender when you grow up, and you are more handsome than girls."

"..." Cheng Shi pursed the corners of his mouth, and responded with a half-smile expression to deal with politeness.

Neighbors gathered under the eaves, watching him staggering in the rain, but no one was willing to open an umbrella and come down to help him carry a box, only rustling voices.

"Less meddle in their family affairs."

"Oh, let's go, go to my house to play cards. It's raining."

Cheng Shi didn't take another look under the eaves, and walked forward on his own.

The fractured ankle was the root cause of the disease, and when it rained, he was so painful that he couldn't walk steadily. From the station to the old cement road, he followed his memory and turned bumpily into the street where he used to live.

The rain finally stopped.

After three years, he returned to this small town again to take care of his grandma's funeral.

In the past three years, he only talked with his grandma on the phone during Chinese New Year.Through the mobile phone, the old man's voice sounded very tough. I thought there would still be a lot of time for reunion, but I didn't expect a sudden illness to take her away by surprise, and I couldn't even see her for the last time.

In the previous phone calls, the uncles had a very negative attitude towards the funeral. After he came back, he fully understood that this group of people didn't want to spend a cent, and no matter what they mentioned, they said it was a waste of money.

He wasn't rich either, with only [-] yuan in working capital, all of which was put into the funeral, so that the elders who had worked hard all their lives could sleep in a dignified way.

It's March in Yangchun, but the chill is still chilly.

It has been two weeks since a new tombstone in the cemetery was inaugurated.

This day is not a special day, no one came to worship early in the morning.Cheng Shi led the little boy who was not as tall as his legs to the tombstone, and put down a bag of fruit.

There was silence all around.He said gently, "Xiaojun, this is grandma."

Cheng Xiaojun had a small face, and looked at the sky, the trees, and the lawn with dark eyes, looking around without focus, but he was indifferent to his voice.

Cheng Shi knelt down, held his hand, looked into his eyes and repeated patiently several times, "Xiao Jun, I want to call you grandma, look."

He was dressed a lot, but his tender fingers were cold, curled into fists unconsciously.Wrapped in Cheng Shi's warm palm, he pulled it up and pointed at the tombstone.

Too grandma.

Cheng Xiaojun turned his eyes, looked in the direction of the tombstone, and finally responded——

He spat at the tombstone.

Cheng Shi reluctantly took out a tissue and wiped his face, "You can't be like this, you are so impolite."

We met for the first time two weeks ago. When he walked into the house, the little nephew was still rolling under the eaves in crotch pants, and he ignored everyone.

It was bitterly cold in the spring, he pulled Cheng Xiaojun up from the cold and damp floor, patted the dirt on his clothes and pants, and received the same expressionless spit in response.

I don't know when it became a habit.Relatives said, "This child seems to have some mental problems."

"The children of other people's families in the town can jump, jump, and call people when they are over one year old. Cheng Xiaojun is almost three years old this year, and he walks unsteadily, and he never uttered a word."

Cheng Shi stood up, broke off a banana from the bag of fruit he brought, peeled it and handed it to Cheng Xiaojun.Then he carefully spread the windproof jacket on the base of the tombstone, and let him sit and eat slowly.

Apart from the copper censer, there are only two plates of cheap pastries on the pedestal.Cheng Shi bent down and swept away the fallen leaves that floated into the incense burner, took a deep breath, his throat was uncomfortably congested.

He thought he had a lot to say.He did have a lot to say.But when Cheng Xiaojun finished eating the banana and tried to chew on the banana peel, he could only choke out a sentence, "I should come back to see you sooner."

No matter how regretful it is, it is useless.

"I'll come to see you again during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Also, I will take good care of Xiaojun. Don't worry, I won't let him become...like me."

He took away the banana peel, wiped Cheng Xiaojun's fingers carefully, and held it in his palm.

"Hey, let's go home with little uncle."

**

Cheng Shi took the child who was less than three years old back to his home.

The place he can call "home" now is a rental house in the old city of Maohua City, with an area of ​​more than 40 square meters. He lives comfortably by himself and has not moved his nest for many years.

The landlord is a very kind elder sister who lives downstairs.The three-storey self-built small building, the first floor is a small supermarket and grocery store run by the eldest sister's family, and the second and third floors are rented out.

The neighbors have known each other for so many years. She has a little affection for this young tenant who has been living alone. She has not raised his rent very much, and occasionally knocks on his door when she cooks delicious food.

Seeing that he brought back a cub when he went to his hometown, the eldest sister of the landlord was a little surprised, "Is it your relative's child? Why are you raising it here?"

These days, children are sweethearts, and parents are anxious if they are away for a few minutes, for fear that something will go wrong.

"It's a child of my cousin's family."

Cheng Shi smiled shyly, pulled the suitcase in, and let Cheng Xiaojun, who was sitting on the suitcase, face him, for fear that he would suddenly "greeting" to the landlady in an impolite way.

"His parents are not around, and I will take care of him for a while."

The biological parents are not around, what about other relatives and friends?What about the child's grandparents, uncles and aunts?

How could it not be his turn to support a young man in his early twenties who only cared about his own food and clothing?

The landlord's eldest sister was obviously a little surprised. Seeing that he was reluctant to say more, she thoughtfully didn't ask any more questions, "Oh, it's like this."

Cheng Shi found out the key, turned around with a smile while opening the door, and said, "I'll eat at your place later, but I'll have two mouths."

"Hey, what's the matter? If you're too busy, just leave it to me and I'll cook rice porridge for the cub."

The landlady said heartily, "You are also very good at handling food, and you have a good heart, so you must not treat him badly."

"Well, I have to study what children eat." Cheng Shi pushed the suitcase into the house, and gently closed the door.

The moment the door was closed, the long-lost stability and familiarity rushed over.He carried Cheng Xiaojun down and put it beside the bed, and he couldn't help throwing himself on the bed, heaving a long sigh of relief.

The bumps and fatigue along the way seemed to be fleeing.Finally arrived at the safest base. After resting for half a minute, Cheng Shi got up and tidied up the small house where he hadn't lived in for many days, freed up the table for sketches and paints, and put baby bottles and diapers.

He has always been a quiet and introverted character since he was a child, and when he grows up, he looks weak and weak, without the slightest sharpness. No one thought that he would be firm in this matter.

Even himself, when he left half a month ago, he never thought that he would bring back a human cub.

The human cub just stood blankly at the place where he first landed, watching him busy.For a quarter of an hour, he didn't move half a step, as if he regarded himself as another suitcase.

Cheng Shi replaced the bed sheets with new ones, then picked up the "big luggage" he had brought back and put it on the bed, and took off his dusty coat for him, "Good boy, lift your legs, I Check if the diaper is wet..."

Cheng Xiaojun let him play around without even a symbolic struggle.Cheng Shi changed his diaper in a strange manner, and was taken aback when he saw his flushed buttocks.

He doesn't wear diapers at home.A child of his age could have started to wean himself from diapers and the like and control his bowel movements on his own.It's just that it takes three or four hours to travel from the small town of his hometown to the city. Cheng Shi was afraid that he would not be able to cope on the road, so he bought an emergency pack before departure.

It seems to be allergic to the material of the diaper.There were small spot-like rashes on the tender skin. Cheng Shi blamed himself a little.

"..."

Cheng Xiaojun didn't speak or cry, just lay on the bed staring at the ceiling in a daze, unable to see whether he was uncomfortable or not.

It was too late to pack the rest of the luggage.Cheng Shi took out a clean diaper and put it on for him, dressed neatly and went out again, "Shall I go to the supermarket with my uncle? Buy new pants to wear."

Although the street he lives in is a bit outdated, but fortunately, it has a strong atmosphere of life, and it is very convenient to buy groceries or general daily necessities.There is also a small clinic downstairs. When you come back, you can go to the doctor to have a look and prescribe some ointment.

The diapers bought in his hometown are not made of good materials, so he is worried about buying them in small supermarkets again.The nearest large supermarket is only three kilometers away, but the shipping fee is eight yuan.

After the funeral, he didn't have much savings left, so he could only spend money on a tight schedule. For the eight yuan freight, he chose to take the bus with the child.

Supermarkets are overcrowded on weekends, but there are not many customers in the shelves of baby products.The shopping guide's eyes lit up when he saw him, and his tone was kind but with some pitiful exclamation, "Are you taking care of the child alone?"

"Hmm." Cheng Shi avoided his gaze uncomfortably.

He seldom goes out, one of the reasons is that he rejects communicating with strangers.It is not too much to say that it is social fear.

It is probably obvious at a glance that he is a guest with little parenting experience and common sense, and needs to be taught a good lesson.The shopping guide was full of energy and enthusiastically introduced to him, "That's it, look, our two-year-old baby can drink three stages of milk powder..."

"For diapers, I recommend this brand. Ultra-thin and breathable, with a pH value of less than 7, weak acidity is more skin-friendly, the material is very good, and it absorbs without reverse osmosis..."

He didn't dare to choose too expensive imported brands, and he couldn't bear to use poor ones for such a young child. The balance in Alipay was only more than 100 yuan, so he had to use his credit card.

Fortunately, there is only one week left before the cash withdrawal of next month's salary, so it should be fine to make do with instant noodles for a few days.

Going out with big bags and small bags, Cheng Shi was calculating the living expenses in his heart, and had to turn his head to look at the little tail behind him from time to time - he didn't have any extra hands to hold Cheng Xiaojun, so he could only let him follow.

If all these "real world" wars and horses are exhausting enough, then the moment you walk out of the mall, the heavy rain that hits your head makes you want to give up your qualifications as a human being.

Because of the rain, the number of passengers calling for taxis doubled, the shopping mall was full of traffic, and the bus station was too far away.Cheng Shi hesitated for a few seconds, then moved the child with difficulty, and moved to the eaves of the cafe next to the gate of the shopping mall to temporarily shelter from the rain.

"Sorry... let's go home later."

He put down the shopping bag, unzipped the sweater jacket, squatted down and wrapped Cheng Xiaojun in his arms, and sighed deeply.

There was a dull pain in the ankle, "I hope the rain will stop soon."

He glanced back and imagined the leisurely and comfortable atmosphere in the cafe through the window.

In an instant, I can feel the mood of the little match girl, who leaned on the window sill and watched others eat turkey on a cold Christmas night.

The shower was accompanied by cold wind, his bangs were wet, dripping down his smooth chin, and he rubbed it with the back of his hand.I feel too sad, like a dog in the water beaten by life.

Will not pick milk powder, will not change diapers.Children's products are too expensive, and taxis are also expensive.

Half a minute just to go home and rest is not enough.After the first hour of raising the cubs alone, his energy was almost depleted.

Cheng Xiaojun didn't make a sound, but his thin body was trembling in his arms.

Cheng Shi hugged him tighter, thinking to himself, this is really unnecessary.What's wrong with just taking a taxi, it's only three kilometers, no matter how extravagant it is, where can it go?Just this once...

He took out his mobile phone and was about to call a car when the rain became heavier, and the momentum of falling to the ground was violent and intensive.

The rain curtain in front of him suddenly took on color, a grayish white that suited his mood.Occupational disease broke out, so he pulled out the camera and took a few pictures of the rain scene first, and collected them for material.

Disturbed by the wind, the rain blew in obliquely, and immediately the open space under the eaves was wet.He tilted the camera down and adjusted the angle to take pictures of the splashes when the raindrops hit the ground. He just took two pictures, and there was a pair of men's British handmade leather shoes at the top of the screen.

Cheng Shi was slightly stunned, subconsciously raised his face, and bumped into a pair of eyes wrapped in cold rain, against the gray sky, they looked more and more black.

"move back."

The author has something to say:

Come to Liao!

long wait

Make a new little move

A new wife has appeared!

Come to wish everyone an early year (bushi