Years are warm

The cold war is still going on, even if Xie Zhiyao took the initiative to put the report card in the study when he returned home after taking the grades, Xie Yuanhong never said a word to her.Instead, Xia Lan comforted her in private, saying that she had no intention of forcing her to change classes, and told her not to take it to heart.

Xie Zhiyao nodded obediently, but still felt that the atmosphere at home was too depressing.There was no other way, she could only run towards Xu Huai'an, as if she had the rhythm of using his home as a library.

After more than a week like this, Xu Huai'an suddenly said during lunch one day: "My dad wants me to go back to Huaichuan next week."

During the two-month summer vacation, they had no time to take care of their children, and the old people in their hometown were also idle, so they naturally wanted to let her go back to accompany the old people.

Xie Zhiyao bit his chopsticks and said, "Well, it's pretty good, what's the matter?"

Xu Huaian supported his face with one hand, hesitated for a moment and asked her, "Do you... want to go to Huaichuan with me?"

"Eh?"

"Anyway, you're here to go to the library or..." She thought for a while, then sighed, "You can just go to relax."

Xie Zhiyao tilted his head and smiled: "Are you taking me on a trip?"

"Well, it doesn't count." Xu Huai'an thought for a moment, then shook his head honestly, "Huaichuan is not a tourist destination, and there is nothing famous about it...but you can bring your drawing board with you if you want."

"Ok?"

"Take it as a relaxation to collect wind."

So it was settled.

When Xie Yuanhong heard that she was going to Huaichuan, he didn't say whether he agreed or disagreed, but asked Xia Lan to give her the money to go out.Xie Zhiyao secretly sighed in his heart, comforting himself that this is not bad.There needs to be a cooling-off period between them. Instead of dangling around in front of him this holiday, it's better to leave for a while.

The five-hour high-speed train journey from Shenning to Huaichuan was not long or short. Xie Zhiyao sat in the seat by the window and watched the scenery passing by outside the window change little by little.

When we arrived at the station, there were not many people getting off the train, and people in twos and threes scattered on the small platform. Looking from the far-reaching store, you can still see the rolling mountains and the looming fields.

There are no reinforced concrete buildings, and the rest is the breath of life in the city, and the rhythm seems to slow down when they set foot on this land.Xu Huaian flagged a taxi outside the high-speed rail station and gave the address of his grandfather's house.

The driver was a middle-aged man, he laughed when he saw the two of them dressed up, and asked her, "Girl, where did you study?"

He still speaks Mandarin, but with a strong accent, which is a little unaccustomed to hearing it at first glance.

Xu Huaian was stunned for a moment before replying: "Shen Ning."

"Hey, that's great, what about a big city." The car stereo played a song with a sense of age from the radio, echoing all the way, and the driver hummed along while chatting with her, "My daughter went there to go to college when she started school. "

Xu Huai'an responded, a little overwhelmed by such enthusiasm.She was not good at chatting, so she could only look at Xie Zhiyao for help.

Xie Zhiyao let out a muffled laugh, then took the bait and said, "That sister is very powerful."

There are many research institutes in Shenning and many affiliated postgraduate campuses of many universities, but there are only two serious universities, Nanjing University 985, and Polytechnic University 211. The province is slightly better, and it is not easy for candidates from other provinces.

The driver laughed twice, with uncontrollable pride on his face.

It took half an hour to drive from the high-speed rail station to the intersection outside the compound. Xie Zhiyao chatted with him all the way, and when he got off the bus, the driver stuffed him with a bag of sweet-scented osmanthus.

Xu Huai'an shook his head and said that she could really chat with anyone, and at the same time opened the suitcase and led her into the compound.

The setting sun elongated the figure, and the breeze swept across the alleys, blowing up the hem of the clothes.

The old man stood at the gate of the compound, his old face was full of kindness.

"Are you back?" Huai Chuan's dialect was soft and gentle.

Xu Huai'an responded, she walked two steps faster, and said with some reproach: "Didn't you say that you don't have to come out to pick it up?"

"It's just two steps, it doesn't matter." The old man stretched out his hand to pick up the salute in her hand, but Xu Huaian dragged him away before he saw the girl behind her.

"Is this the classmate you mentioned?" Her Mandarin was also not very standard, with a soft and gentle tone.

Xu Huaian nodded and said, "Her name is Xie Zhiyao."

"Hi, grandma." Xie Zhiyao greeted obediently, squinted his eyes and said with a smile, "You can call me Zhiyao or Yaoyao."

She looks like Zhou Zheng, with clear almond eyes when she smiles, a look that pleases the elders.The old man patted her hand with a smile, and while leading them into the house, he asked her, "Is it Qiong Yao's Yao?"

"No, it's far away."

The magnolias in the courtyard are in bloom, and you can still smell a faint fragrance of flowers in your breath. The old man is sitting on the rocking chair under the tree, gently fanning the cattail fan.

Xie Zhiyao followed Xu Huaian to call someone, and his eyes fell on the magnolia tree in the yard.

"This tree has been around fifty years now." The old man looked at the little girl in front of him with a smile, "This child looks really handsome."

Xie Zhiyao was overjoyed, and took two steps forward with his hands behind his back and asked, "Grandpa, is it me or Huai'an that looks better?"

"It's all pretty!" The old man waved his fan and pointed to the room inside, "Okay, you two hurry up and put your things down, wash your hands and eat."

In fact, it was only after five o'clock, but they ate early here, and the two of them didn't bother to refute. They obediently put their luggage and went downstairs.The old man moved the tables and chairs to the yard, and the evening wind blew in gusts, making it very cool, without the heat of being in the city at all.

It was rare for Xu Huaian to come back, and he brought his friends with him. The old man cooked a table of dishes and stewed lotus root soup.While eating here, I was talking about the two girls eating more, so as not to be too thin and unhealthy, which made the two of them dumbfounded. In the end, they could only wave their hands and say that they couldn't eat anymore.

After drinking and eating, the two of them went upstairs to pack their things.

The room on the second floor had been cleaned all the time. Grandma thought that they were all guests, so she asked Xie Zhiyao to live in another room, but Xie Zhiyao just shook his head and smiled and said it was okay, and took the suitcase and turned into Xu Huaian's room.

Xu Huaian shook his head amusedly, explained a few words to the old man before entering the door.

It is said to be a room, but in fact, there are many people during the Chinese New Year, and it is not strange for several children to squeeze into one room, so there are actually two beds in this room.

While the other party was making the bed, Xu Huaian opened the suitcase and found something and handed it over, "Here, I brought it for you."

It was the Polaroid that Xu Junyi gave her on her birthday last year. She took the time to buy photo paper online, but this time she thought she might be able to use it, so she brought it along with her.

Xie Zhiyao was pleasantly surprised and fiddled with it, "When did you buy it?"

"My dad gave it to me on my birthday." Xu Huaian paused, looked up at her and said, "Anyway, I'm not very good at taking pictures, so I used them for you."

While she was talking, she was still packing her clothes.Xie Zhiyao put the camera on the head of the bed, jumped over to wrap her arms around her shoulders from behind, "Huai'an, you are too kind!"

Xu Huai'an was originally squatting, but she almost fell on his back when he grabbed her.With her hands on the floor, she ground her molars and said, "Who do you want to scare to death!"

The latter jumped away knowingly, and stuck out his tongue, "I was wrong."

Of course, as for whether she has a good attitude of admitting her mistakes or not, only she knows if she refuses to mend her ways after repeated admonitions.

When I went downstairs, grandma had just made a pot of tea.The hot water pot at the feet was bubbling and steaming upwards.

There is a pile of sundries next to the yard. It is said that they have just been cleared out from the side room. See if there is anything unnecessary, just clean it up.

Xie Zhiyao moved a bench next to Xu Huai'an and sat down, raised his eyes for a casual glance but suddenly widened his eyes.

"Whose guitar is this, grandpa?" She got up and plucked the strings twice, with surprise in her eyes.

Although it looks quite old, it is obviously still well preserved, with a clear voice.

The old man shook his fan and smiled: "It belongs to her father."

Xu Huaian looked back in surprise, as if he couldn't believe it.

"He, when he was your age, he was very skinny, he touched everything, but he didn't study hard." Grandma brought a few plates of pastries from the house, and pushed them in front of the two girls with the prepared tea, " If you want to touch the same thing, forget it, and everything you do is 3 minutes hot, and your grandfather almost didn't talk about whipping him at that time."

The old man hummed twice, and gestured there with a fan: "When I was on vacation, I ran to the ridge of the field, and I didn't miss the work of going to the house to Jiewa and going down the river to catch fish."

But now... Xie Zhiyao thought of the few times he saw each other, always in suits and leather shoes, and always with a serious face.

Xu Huai'an lowered his eyes and said in a low voice, "He...hasn't told me this."

There seemed to be something flashing through the old man's cloudy eyes. He picked up the cup and took a sip of tea, and said meaningfully: "There are some things that you are still young, and you still don't understand them for the time being. There is a saying that what you have, you must have." Lost, but when you grow up, you will understand that sometimes you may lose something, but you may not gain anything, and you have to work hard to fight for everything. After a long time, no matter how tough you used to be, you will not be able to dance."

Xu Huai'an's heart skipped a beat, he opened his mouth and was about to ask something, but grandma changed the subject and opened her mouth.

"Besides, how can I tell you this? He still has the face to educate you?" The old man touched the back of her head and said with a smile, "It's thanks to our Xiaobao Xiangma."

Xie Zhiyao burst out laughing, she moved the chair closer, leaned close to Xu Huai'an's ear and lowered her voice teasingly, "Xiaobao?"

Xu Huai'an's face turned red instantly, she stretched out her hand to push the person away, and said angrily, "Don't call me that."

"Why can't it work? I'm older than you." Xie Zhiyao jumped up and hid behind the two elderly people, and said softly, "For more than half a year, you still have to call me sister, grandpa and grandma, right? ?”

"Thank you Zhiyao!"

"Okay, okay, stop making trouble." The old man smoothed things over with a smile.

The sound of music came faintly from the streets and alleys outside. It should be the old man and old lady in the compound dancing square dance while playing music.

Xie Zhiyao tuned the acoustic guitar in his hand a few times, "Want to listen to music?"

"You know how to play?" Xu Huaian tilted his head.

"It's a little easier." She rubbed her fingertips, "What do you want to hear?"

"It's all right, you can play whatever you want."

The two elderly people next to him clapped cheerfully, and there was the sound of cicadas singing in the courtyard.

Xie Zhiyao cleared his throat, plucked the strings of the acoustic guitar with his fingertips, and began to hum softly.

"Nanxia, ​​you come back to listen to the cicadas, and then swim in the north to know the cold. You will be a young man along the way, and you will have a happy ending..."

The author has something to say:

The song sung was "Beautiful Things" by the landlord's cat.