city ​​garden without flowers

Lu Chuanhuan's breathing was stagnant.

The pattern design is quite dexterous, slender, light and vivid, as if the beautiful swallow will flap its wings and fly away in the next second.

Lu Chuanhuan couldn't help but move a little closer.

"Does it look good?" Xia Yang asked childishly with a lot of expectation in his eyes.

Lu Chuanhuan stretched out his hand, as if he wanted to touch it, but in the end he didn't. His fingertips were hanging above the swallow, very close to its beak, like a kiss that was not given.

"It's beautiful." Lu Chuanhuan replied, and at the same time he withdrew his hand.

"This pattern was designed with the help of a friend at the time. He is a famous painter of Chinese descent. I met him once while watching an opera on Broadway." Xia Yang pulled up his collar and buttoned it up again.

"Is there no reason for the tattoo?" Lu Chuanhuan looked at him and asked.

Xia Yang's hand holding the buttons stopped moving, he lowered his eyes and his eyelashes trembled: "Of course there is a reason."

"Swallows are migratory birds. No matter how far away they are, they can find their way home. I also hope that I have a place to return to." Xia Yang forced a smile.

After learning about his parents' divorce, Xia Yang lost the peace amulet his grandma had asked for on his way back to New York, which seemed to be an ominous omen.

When picking up the luggage, a suitcase suddenly broke, and the contents poured out, spreading on the clean and bright floor tiles of the airport.

The luggage was placed by his mother. Xia Yang found that he could not do what she did. He knelt on the ground, trying in vain to restore everything to its original state, but there was always something left over.

It sucks.

Xia Yang raised his hand, threw the four-piece suit in his hand a little irritably, flipped his wrist, Xia Yang saw a crack on the surface of his watch.

This became the last straw that crushed him.

In the empty and cold airport where people come and go, Xia Yang covered his face with his hands and wept silently.

A watch was a coming-of-age gift from Dad.Every birthday, they will accompany him.Buy a big cake, cook a table of dishes, and let Xia Yang drink a little wine.

At that time they were the most ordinary and happiest family of three.

"Do you need help?" A staff member touched Xia Yang's shoulder very politely and with a concerned expression.

Xia Yang shook his head, he closed the suitcase heavily, buckled it with brute force and put it on the cart, he didn't wipe his tears, bit his lip and said, "Thank you, I don't need it."

He walked forward, throwing the watch into the trash can as he passed it.

Then he repeated: "Yes, I don't need to."

Lu Chuanhuan's hands were big and warm, as reliable as he seemed to be.

"Xia Yang, you have a home." Lu Chuanhuan said solemnly.

Xia Yang closed his eyes, his nose felt sour, and because he didn't want to lose face, he defended: "I don't usually do this."

Lu Chuanhuan smiled, like coaxing a child: "I know, but men can also be vulnerable."

Xia Yang nodded and asked softly, "Then can you give me a hug?"

"Of course." Lu Chuanhuan hugged him, patted him on the back very hard, "Xia Yang, you have returned to your hometown."

Lu Chuanhuan was much taller than Xia Yang. Xia Yang was buried in his embrace, with his shoulders resting on his arm, and the position of the tattoo was just touching Lu Chuanhuan's right atrium.

They were so close that Lu Chuanhuan felt that his heartbeat would pass along this thin skin.

At this moment, Xia Yang seemed submissive and dependent, and Lu Chuanhuan suddenly thought, was it the same when Xia Yang was with his ex-boyfriend?

Lu Chuanhuan didn't understand why he had such an idea.

But he knew very well that Leonard and Xia Yang would not stop at hugging. They should be able to kiss and touch each other. Lu Chuanhuan didn't dare to touch Xia Yang's tattoo just now, but has that person seen it, touched it, or even touched it? kissed?

Thinking of this, Lu Chuanhuan felt his heart beat faster, and even felt a lot of irritability.

Lu Chuanhuan didn't know that Xia Yang was a cute and coquettish ghost when he was a child, and he would ask for hugs from his family when he was a teenager.

But since that year, he seems to have lost the ability to ask for love from others with confidence.

Xia Yang let go of him, his eyes were a little red.

If a person carries too many things on his own, but has no outlet to vent, he will be broken.

This is what the friend who drew the manuscript of the swallow for Xia Yang said.

At that time, Xia Yang said indifferently: "I just want to be my own outlet."

The friend asked him: "Why don't you rely on your boyfriend?"

Xia Yang froze for a moment, then looked straight into his eyes and said, "I don't need it."

His friend is an artist, and he laughed heartily: "You don't read poetry. My favorite poet said that I am afraid that I am my only outlet. You are not afraid, you are more artistic than him."

Dependence is too cowardly, if you cannot leave this person because of this, it will be too painful to part.

Xia Yang didn't want to experience the second time.

He tattooed himself a swallow, but he knew in his heart that he had nowhere to go.

"I'm a little hungry." Lu Chuanhuan's hand slid down and wrapped around Xia Yang's waist, and he also relaxed.

Xia Yang came back to his senses and met Lu Chuanhuan's eyes.

Of course, Lu Chuanhuan didn't know what Xia Yang was thinking just now, he just felt that Xia Yang looked preoccupied.

So Lu Chuanhuan hugged Xia Yang vaguely, and used the coquettish way Tongtong often used to him, shook Xia Yang's waist left and right and said, "I'm so hungry, Mr. Xia, when can we have dinner?"

He wanted to divert Xia Yang's attention, and he also wanted to divert his own.

Xia Yang blinked his eyes and returned to a natural expression. He laughed: "Then you should plug in the rice cooker first."

Lu Chuanhuan nodded, let go of him, and said seriously: "Then I'll go wash the rice now."

This kind of dialogue is very common, but it has never appeared in the past life of the two people.

Lu Chuanhuan is really too busy with work, and it is considered not busy today if he can go home for dinner, and in order to spend more time with Tongtong, eating a meal is like fighting a war.

Although Xia Yang has a roommate in New York, they have almost zero communication. Leonard invited him to live with him. At first, Xia Yang felt that the house was not in trouble for subletting the house when it was due.

In fact, the life experiences and situations of these two people are very different, and it is a coincidence, perhaps also God's will, to meet in this old house in Chongqing.

Lu Chuanhuan gently let go of Xia Yang, and he suggested, "I'll help you later."

Xia Yang didn't know why, but Lu Chuanhuan always made him feel relaxed, so he nodded and said "OK" with a smile.

When Xia Yang changed his clothes and went out, Lu Chuanhuan had already washed the rice and put it into the pot, and made a "beep" sound after selecting the cooking function.

Xia Yang took out the apron from the cabinet and tied it skillfully.

Lu Chuanhuan turned around when he heard the movement, and blinked at him: "Mr. Xia, what do you need me to do, I will follow your instructions today."

When Lu Chuanhuan said this, he was leaning on the cooking table, his long legs dazzled his eyes, his hair was combed up, revealing a smooth and beautiful forehead, his sleeves were rolled up, and there were still drops of water on his forearms.

The kitchen is really crowded. The size of this old house is narrow, and every inch is filled with things to make use of the space.Lu Chuanhuan looked like he was shooting a magazine pictorial, but the background was so messy, it was a bit funny in comparison.

Xia Yang couldn't help laughing, and teased him: "Brother Lu, you are overqualified like this."

Lu Chuanhuan made a "cut" sound, and said plausibly: "There is no distinction between high and low professions, and even a single hand can be the champion."

Xia Yang handed him the Flammulina velutipes mushroom and baby vegetables, and said solemnly as if he was handing over an important task: "That's hard work, Brother Lu! Be sure to clean them up!"

The two looked at each other, laughed at the same time, scolded each other for being childish, and then began to prepare for dinner in a tacit understanding.

The kitchen is too small, and it is very difficult to squeeze two men over 1.8 meters tall, so they have to touch each other's bodies from time to time, and their contact seems natural and intimate.

There was a sound of boiling water, Xia Yang lifted the lid of the pot, hot and sour and fresh aroma rushed out, diffused in the kitchen, and the side dishes were poured down one by one, the aroma became more intense.

Lu Chuanhuan came over, sucked his nose and praised Xia Yang: "Mr. Xia, this is too fragrant."

Xia Yang put the lid on the pot and went to the chopping board to chop the onions, feeling very happy in his heart: "It's best if you like it."

"In New York before, I always cooked and ate alone, and I always felt that the taste was not as good as eating with others." Xia Yang said frankly, "Actually, I was quite afraid of being alone. After studying abroad, I tried my best to adapt myself, but So far, there seems to be no progress."

Lu Chuanhuan leaned on the cooking table to straighten his cuffs, and said naturally: "Then I will try my best to get off work on time and come to have dinner with you."

Xia Yang looked at him subconsciously, he didn't understand why Lu Chuanhuan's words made his nose sore.

"Forget it, you're obviously so busy." Xia Yang lowered his head, and the movement of cutting things slowed down. At the same time, he slowly withdrew his expectation and joy, "I don't want empty promises."

Lu Chuanhuan said: "I'm thinking about changing jobs. Actually, I've always had this idea before, but I always procrastinate from making a decision. After I met you, I suddenly realized that life is actually happier when I live slower. Anyway, I am now If you’re alone, it’s better to earn less and spend more time with your friends and family.”

"Just like today, I came home from get off work early and prepared dinner with you. It's such an ordinary thing, but it made me so happy." Lu Chuanhuan smiled, "It's my thank you to eat with you, okay? ?”

It was getting late, and the orange-red sunset glow was cut off by the window, and the glow came in and added a filter to the kitchen, making everything look normal and peaceful.

Xia Yang turned his face and met Lu Chuanhuan's gentle and smiling eyes, suddenly feeling like a lonely swallow returning to its nest.