beyond the horizon

During the two-day journey back and forth, Hazabu and Luo Yunxi hardly dared to rest, but even so, they still missed Saiyin's funeral.

Saiyin was out of breath shortly after the two of them left.Luo Yunxi has always suffered from motion sickness. He was very nervous before, but he didn't feel much.After getting out of the car and hearing the news, the rope hanging from his spine snapped instantly, his empty stomach tightened for a while, his throat became sour, and his forehead was covered with fine sweat due to the discomfort.

He seemed to be in a really worrying state. Someone around him tried to help him, but before he could see who that person was, he was blocked by Hazab who was close to him.Hazab clenched his arm first. The young man was very strong, and his fingers almost hurt him, but his strength was very stable.

"Where's Wodele?" Luo Yunxi remembered and asked.

"He said he would stay at Sai Yin's house for a few more days." The answer came from behind Hazabu, and Hazabu moved to the side, only to find that standing there was Zhao Xiaoqin.It turned out that it was Zhao Xiaoqin who was going to help him up just now.

Luo Yunxi nodded, almost subconsciously accepting the answer.Tiredness made him unable to think too much, and even more inattentive to pay attention, Zhao Xiaoqin was patrolling the two of them with an indescribable gaze.He's really tired, it's getting late, and he needs a good night's sleep.

He patted Hazab's hand, "Let's go home."

This night, he didn't even have the strength to take off his clothes, and he lost consciousness the moment he touched the bed.In his sleep, he felt something hot on his face, and the smell of milk filled his nostrils.It was the lamb, whose thinking was like cotton wool floating in the water, full of falsehood and reality, and somewhat inexplicable.The lamb doesn't seem to have a name yet, he thought vaguely, I have to think of a name for it.

When he woke up for the second time, the darkness enveloped him gently.He heard the whimpering of the wind, as if someone was crying, his breathing was trapped in a square inch, and it became very hot and suffocating.Is it because the lamb hasn't left yet?But he didn't smell mutton, only felt another breath close at hand.The wind has not stopped, the wind tonight sounds more heartbreaking than ever, how many people are crying in this long night.

He moved slightly, and found that Hazab's arms were imprisoning his waist.Their positions were reversed for the first time, and it was Hazab who hugged him.The darkness blunted his senses, so he didn't notice anything wrong.The tip of his nose was facing Hazab's neck, and a small ball of breath was like a warm river, flowing down the boy's collarbone.This pose was too close, so close that it reminded Luo Yunxi of the kiss that Hazabu landed on his eyes.

It wasn't even a kiss, just a delicate touch.What does that represent?He tried to think, but sleepiness soon caught him again, and he didn't have time to think more, and fell asleep again.

At that time, Luo Yunxi didn't know that Hazab was actually awake.His sobriety was different from Luo Yunxi's, he hadn't slept all the time, and was thinking about the same problem as Luo Yunxi.

Early the next morning, Luo Yunxi did not see Wardler.He thought, maybe he hasn't sorted out his emotions yet and doesn't want to be disturbed.

Until the fifth day, there was still no sign of Wardler.Luo Yunxi realized later that something was wrong, and hurried to Sai Yin's house, only to learn that Ward Le only stayed at Sai Yin's house for one more day, and then left.

Wardle was gone, and no one knew where he had gone.

It took him a long time to figure out what the phrase meant.Wardler didn't even bring his luggage or clothes, and he didn't even inform Hazab. This wasn't running away from home at all, he was running away—from such a cruel reality, and from Luo Yunxi, who was helpless.

The warm wind blew across the fresh green pasture, but Luo Yunxi's hands and feet were cold, and his mind was numb.He lost a child, the grassland is so big, where can I find it?He has nothing, and Wardler is only eighteen or nineteen years old. After going through such a big thing, I actually let him stay alone. I didn't even think about checking whether he was still alive for five days. Well, how could this be such a dereliction of duty?If he had been able to take a moment to go to Saiyin's house to check if Wardler was okay when he was called back from Badagall, maybe he could have just run into Wardler who was about to escape—he was their teacher, so Isn't it the right thing to do?

but none.He was negligent.Wardler is an impulsive child, but he is not, he is already a mature enough adult, how could he still make such a low-level mistake.

He returned to the tent in a daze, opened the curtain, and saw Hazab standing by the boiler making a pot of tea.Hearing his return, the boy raised his head happily, but after seeing clearly that only Luo Yunxi came back, his eyes were slightly puzzled.

"Where's Wardler? Does he still not want to come back?"

A feeling of suffocation gripped Luo Yunxi instantly.That's right, Hazab and Wardler have always been dependent on each other, and the only remaining relatives of their brothers in this world are each other.And now, both of them are the same, there is nothing left.How could I, and how dare I let this happen.He promised Director Li and their uncle that he would take good care of the two children.He tied them with five-color silk and imitated the practice on the grassland to pray for their safety.But now, instead, he broke his promise.

"Ms. Luo, what happened?" Seeing that he hadn't answered for a long time, Hazab stood up nervously from his chair.The lamb who has not yet been named is also standing at Hazabu's feet, looking innocently at Luo Yunxi together with him.Luo Yunxi originally wanted to name it "Yunduo", but he didn't have time to say it.

"Nothing happened." Luo Yunxi was surprised by his calmness at this moment, and he continued, "Wodele went back to Qili with Mr. Zhao a few days ago, and he said he wanted to change places to relax." He had to say that , but every time he uttered a word, it was like swallowing a knife to punish him for the lie he was telling at the moment.

"He'll be back, right?" Hazab frowned worriedly.

"Yes, he will come back." Luo Yunxi's voice was firm, his fists hanging down were clenched tightly, nails dug into his palms, and he swallowed another sharp blade.

Hazabu trusted Luo Yunxi completely, and the matter about Wardler flashed through his mind, and was quickly forgotten.Because he found himself unilaterally caught up in a passionate relationship, which left him with little time for other things.For boys at this age, love rules everything, and it can even make them climb snow-capped mountains on foot.

But he didn't know why, Teacher Luo avoided him very much recently.

Hazabu noticed that Teacher Luo no longer looked into his eyes, and every time they looked at each other, Teacher Luo would look away in a panic.The temperature of the river gradually recovered, and he took Baisang and Xingguang to take a bath by the river. The river was below the horse's legs, and the current was turbulent. The lamb followed him, only daring to stick out a little pink tongue to lick the water.Hazab sat on a rock by the bank, the stone surface was scorched hot by the scorching sun, he looked up at the clouds in the sky, and thought that maybe he could name the lamb, that is, Yun Duo.

clouds.He inevitably thought of Luo Yunxi again.Will Teacher Luo like herself?This is for sure, of course Mr. Luo likes himself, but how far is the distance between this liking and love.These days, Mr. Luo stopped the children's classes, and always left early and returned late by himself, and asked him what he was doing, but he didn't say anything.Every time Hazab said that he wanted to ride a horse with him, Luo Yunxi began to evade, saying that his thigh was scraped by riding a horse last time, and it hurts from walking for several days, and he said that he would never try again.

Thinking of this, he jumped up from the rock again, took off his shoes, and plunged into the river barefoot.He took a handful of clear water and sprinkled it from Bai Sang's back. The fur on the horse's belly was moistened by the water, making it shiny and shiny.Probably because the skin on Mr. Luo's thighs is relatively thin, not as rough as his own palm.

He looked at his palm, the skin was wheat-colored, with deep palm lines.When Teacher Luo fell asleep, the skin exposed under the vest and shorts was much whiter than her own, and the whole person looked like it was made of milk.Inexplicably, he felt an irritating heat all over his body, and the cool river water overflowed his calves and couldn't take it away. Hazabu stood there helplessly, looked around, and of course Luo Yunxi was not nearby.He didn't know what he was guilty of.

Hazab had too many doubts in his heart, so he led Baisang and Xingguang towards home.Because of emotional timidity, the pace is also very slow, every time I take a step, I am afraid that I will break the newly grown grass.As far as the eye can see, there is no new grass all over the ground, it is clearly his vigorous and immature love, and the whole grassland will grow wildly when the wind blows.It would be great if Dad was still there, at least he could tell Dad what was on his mind, now his audience is just a silly lamb besides two horses, how could they know such a profound question.

But Wardler will understand.Ever since he was a child, he has always only told Wardle about his happiness and boredom.Hazab was deep in thought, when for some reason, Xingguang suddenly pushed him from behind, almost knocking Hazabu back.He turned his head, starlight black eyes were close at hand, and he saw his own confused shadow inside.

Go to Wardler.This idea hit him at once, and then intensified, taking root and sprouting in his mind.He was a little excited by the idea, as if he should have thought of this solution long ago, as long as he found Wardler, everything would be solved.

Teacher Luo said that Wardler followed Zhao Xiaoqin to Qili.From here to Qi County, it only takes more than an hour on a fast horse, and it's still early in the morning, even if he runs back and forth quietly, he can still return home before dinner, Luo Yunxi will not find out.

He acted almost immediately, and handed the lamb and starlight to a herdsman on a nearby mountain who was grazing sheep. He said that these were Mr. Luo's horse and sheep. Almost all the nearby herdsmen did not recognize Luo Yunxi, so they readily agreed to come down. Send the horse and sheep to Mr. Luo's tent for him.

Hazab stepped on the white mulberry, and the dampness of the river was still hidden deep in the white mulberry's cloudy mane, so he didn't care.It was as if he was too excited and didn't notice that there was heavy rain in the depths of the thick clouds above his head. The weather on the grassland changed in the blink of an eye. After living for so many years, he should have noticed it easily. The smell brought has undergone a subtle transformation.

Bai Sang ran wildly on the grassland, his heart beating the ground along with the horse's hooves.

When the first drop of rain fell on Luo Yunxi's face, it didn't arouse his vigilance at all.In the past few days, he has been hiding Hazab's knowledge, and he has come out alone to look for the traces of Wardler, leaving early and returning late every day, and even turned down the originally arranged courses.There were moments when he regretted why he told Hazab that lie.When a person tells a lie, more lies are often needed to make up for it, and the unequal status and age between him and Hazab make these lies easier and more convincing.But these didn't make him feel better, instead it made him feel like he was being roasted on the fire.

Not to mention the way Hazab looks at him every time, it is so trusting and full of longing.He couldn't meet Hazab's eyes at all.

In the past few days, he searched all over the nearby pastures, visited all the houses along the way, even the cowshed that had been abandoned for a long time, but found nothing.If you go deeper, you can only go to the forest.As a city dweller with no experience in living in the wild, he naturally shouldn't go up the mountain rashly, but he has no other choice.

His physical strength was rapidly drained under the dual mental and physical torments. When he got up this morning, his calves were still swollen due to walking too much.Luo Yunxi originally wanted to take a day off, but when he thought that, in this way, Wardle would have another day to wander around by himself, and he couldn't sit still at all.

The physical suffering he experienced when he was a teenager all came from his ballet practice. In front of the floor-to-ceiling mirror and on the leg press bar, he consciously gritted his teeth and survived that time, and there is nothing he can't resist in this life.But his current state of mind and body cannot be compared with the state of a teenager. There is no place in his body that is not sore, and his head is very dizzy.Before leaving, he looked up specifically, the sky was clear and the sun was warm, and it didn't seem like it would rain at all.

The first drop of rain, he thought it was the dew accidentally dripping from the dense branches and leaves above his head, but soon, the second and third drops, countless raindrops fell from the sky.He raised his head in disbelief, the rain quickly dripped wet marks on his face, and the small piece of sky exposed under the cover of the branches was completely filled with dark clouds.

This is not a good sign, and it can even be said that this is a rather dangerous situation.He had already seen how terrifying the weather on the grassland was. At this moment, he was drenched all over, and the cold came out of the wet soil and climbed up his body along his ankles.Without even a moment's hesitation, he immediately turned around and returned the same way, but he had walked in the forest for nearly an hour, and the weather was fine and the land was dry.

Now, Luo Yunxi only prays that this is an ordinary shower and it will end soon, or that he can find some shelter nearby that can provide temporary shelter from the rain.

Hazabu stared blankly at Zhao Xiaoqin, and opened his mouth to ask after a long time, "Huh?"

Zhao Xiaoqin was a little helpless. Seeing the big boy coming all the way, she had to repeat firmly, "Wodele is another student who lives with Mr. Luo, right? I remember clearly, he didn't come with us at all. Come back." Seeing that Hazab still looked helpless, she asked again, "Who lied to you that he was with me? It's really wicked to make you run so far."

Hazab didn't answer.He subconsciously turned his head and glanced out the window. The wind was blowing and the sky was a bit gloomy.

Wardle is not here at all, why did Mr. Luo lie to him, and what happened?He thought of Luo Yunxi's dodging in the past few days, and his daily departure early and late return, Hazabu easily guessed the answer.Wardler kept talking about leaving, but in the end he did.

He nodded at Zhao Xiaoqin, "I have to go first."

"Hey, wait!" Zhao Xiaoqin grabbed Hazabu's sleeve.Hazab was about to leave, but when she pulled him like this, he turned his head with a frown.

In the few days after returning from the prairie, Zhao Xiaoqin could hear her female students gathering together and talking about Hazabu, saying how tall and handsome he was, but looking at him now, Hazabu seemed to be in harmony with the bonfire There were two people at the party that day.

He was indeed tall and handsome, with a straight nose, and those extremely beautiful eyes looked down on the petite Zhao Xiaoqin, but the obedience and shyness of that day were completely absent from his face.There is a kind of vigilance belonging to wild animals in his brows, and his eyes can drive away vicious dogs.He just stared at Zhao Xiaoqin's face, Zhao Xiaoqin flinched, and let go of his hand involuntarily.

Hazab wanted to leave directly, but Teacher Luo would be very angry if he knew that he was so impolite, so he had to endure it.

"What's the matter, Mr. Zhao?"

As soon as he made a sound, Zhao Xiaoqin realized that he was also his teacher, so there was no need to cower in front of him.

"Don't go, I have something to ask you." Zhao Xiaoqin cleared her throat, and finally said the question that had troubled her for a long time, "Hazab, there are some things I wanted to say before, but because Mr. You can’t speak. Today is just a chance, you can regard this as a heart-to-heart talk between the teacher and the students—”

Zhao Xiaoqin's foreshadowing was very official, and Hazabu's patience was about to run out.

"Do you think that as a student, your behavior has crossed the line. Or, do you realize that you and Teacher Luo are too close?"

After hearing Zhao Xiaoqin's speech, he felt a fire rushing from his chest to the top of his head.He took two deep breaths, restrained himself from speaking, "Mr. Zhao, I think—" This is none of your business.

He couldn't finish this sentence, because the door of Zhao Xiaoqin's office was suddenly pushed open, and standing at the door was Director Li who hadn't seen him for a long time.

Director Li looked older and thinner than before.He also looked surprised when he saw Hazab standing in the office, but he obviously had more urgent matters than greeting Hazab at the moment.

Director Li looked serious, and said to Zhao Xiaoqin, "Just now the pastoral management and protection station called and said that there was a storm on the grassland, which caused a serious landslide. The bad weather is expected to spread to Qi County. You organize the children. , get out of school early today—Hazab, since you are here, please stay here one more night."

The sky is yellowish.Hazab has seen this dull color too many times, the dilapidated house where he and Ward Ledong lived in hiding, the corners of the juvenile prison that were covered with oily smoke and stains, and the leaks between his fingers when he buried his father. Under the loess.

"I have to go back to the grassland. Director Li, please send me back now." Hazabu said resolutely under the surprised eyes of the two people.His intuition told him that something very bad must have happened.