Zhao Zheng was thinking about the work arrangement for the afternoon, Lu Zhiyuan took off his glasses, leaned on the back seat, pinched his eyebrows, and the ginkgo trees on both sides of the road that had lost their leaves fell backwards one by one, as if the time of these years was going back, and those memories like yellowed old photos suddenly came alive in his mind again, Lin Changning.

"Second brother, he is the Lin Changning I told you, we are in a dormitory."

The young man standing beside Jiang Yuan in his memory, there was a little arrogance between his eyebrows and eyes, but it was more bright and green, he should be young, he used to go to school early, Lin Changning seemed to be less than eighteen years old that year, two years younger than Jiang Yuan, he wore a white shirt that day, not new, but it was very clean, and there was a faint smell of soap on his body.

"Changning, this is my second brother, you can also call it second brother."

What did he say at the time? As if to say, "Since he is Jiang Yuan's friend, it is appropriate to follow him and call him the second brother." ”

"Second Brother Lu."

It was the first time they met, in a small restaurant near their school, the location of the restaurant was a bit remote, and there were a lot of French plane trees planted nearby, Jiang Yuan rudely put the meat slices and pork ribs in the dish into Lin Changning's bowl, "My second brother and I don't like to eat these." "In those days, how many people really rejected eating meat?

It seemed that the meeting was still dinner, at that time he had graduated from college, and he was doing a relatively easy job in the Ministry of Commerce, with a salary that was neither high nor low, and that salary could not be used for anything else, but it was still okay to take Jiang Yuan to improve his life from time to time. At that time, although college students were delicate, the general situation of the country was there, and it was not realistic for the school cafeteria to have enough oil and water.

Now I have forgotten what the reason is, anyway, he went a little late that time, and he didn't see the two of them after entering the door, standing in the window on the second floor, he could see the boulevard next to him, Lin Changning was riding a bicycle, and Jiang Yuan was holding the saddle in the back.

"Lu Jiangyuan, don't let go." Lin Changning's riding posture was very stiff, just like on the battlefield, and he looked like a beginner at first glance.

"Hold on, hold on, Changning, don't look back, concentrate on holding the handlebars."

"Then I'll get started."

"Rest assured to ride forward, it's okay, with me, I can't fall you."

At first, the car was crooked, but then it went in a straight line, and he saw Jiang Yuan quietly let go of his hand.

"It doesn't seem to be that hard." Lin Changning rode out of the distance alone without knowing it.

"It's not hard to tell you a long time ago. Before, you just didn't dare to touch it. ”

"Ah, when did you let go?" The car shook again.

"Hey, hey, Changning, handlebars, handlebars."

Lin Changning even took the car and fell into the green belt, but the person was not injured, because the person who ran up to help the car before this was forced to act as a meat pad, and he yelled over there, "Lin Changning, you hurry up for me, don't pin your leg to the front bar of the car, it hurts to death." If I'm crippled, you won't want to run for the rest of your life. ”

"Second brother, you don't know how stupid Lu Dao Changning is, he has been teaching for more than three months, and he is still at this level." During the meal, the younger brother chattered and complained, he had never seen his younger brother talk so much, his eyebrows and eyes were vivid and changeable, just like the most ordinary nineteen-year-old young man, the eldest brother has been disabled since he was a child, what ambition does he have in his career, the two younger brothers are young, and his father pins all his hopes on Jiang Yuan, Jiang Yuan is smart, has his own attention, and is bold. My father has always firmly believed that Jiang Yuan will definitely make great achievements in the future.

Lin Changning had been patient at first, but Jiang Yuan complained a lot, and he would quietly glance at him, and replied a little unconvinced, "Our people there don't ride bicycles." ”

At that time, he was also young, and he really thought that the two of them were best friends, but maybe they were just friends at that time, they had eaten together three times, the first two times he invited, and the third time was invited by Lin Changning. After so many years, he still remembers these small details, maybe the break after that was too painful, so those warm scenes are particularly precious.

"Second brother, we have eaten up the manuscript fee that Changning just got for this meal."

"Then why does he want a treat?"

"Maybe I don't want to eat white food, but I pulled him over before."

"I don't owe anyone at all, but I am a man with backbone."

After two years, he and Li Yi fell in love and got married, Li Yi met at a party, although the Li family's family background is very ordinary, but they are the first group of people to get rich after the reform and opening up, the family is strong, Li Yi is young and beautiful, and fashionable, he was really attracted at that time, but Jiang Yuan didn't want to see Li Yi at all, because the relationship between the two brothers was not as close as before, but it was okay, but after he got married, he didn't have so much time to see his younger brother, and Lin Changning met a few times one after another, and I heard that his studies were very good. He has always had a good impression of this man, who is diligent and promising, and has a bright future.

He began to notice that things had changed during the winter vacation of Jiang Yuan's junior year, thirty years ago Beijing felt much colder than now, he went to help Jiang Yuan move things in the dormitory during his vacation, because of the winter vacation, the people on campus had almost gone, and when he arrived at the dormitory, Jiang Yuan was immersed in washing bed sheets and a basin of laundry detergent at the faucet in the public bathroom. Lin Changning hadn't left yet, he was sleeping under the quilt, sleeping very deeply, on Jiang Yuan's bunk, in fact, the moment he entered the dormitory, he found that something was wrong, there was a smell, he was already married to Li Yi at that time, and he naturally knew what it was like, the doors and windows in the house were closed in winter, and the smell had not completely dissipated. There are some things he doesn't dare to think about, it is the age of blood and strength, maybe the two of them comfort each other and mess around, but he can't explain why there are so many traces on Lin Changning's neck, as well as the dodging eyes of the two.

He vaguely guessed that something that absolutely could not happen had happened, and during the Chinese New Year, he asked Jiang Yuan more than once, but the other party still refused to admit it.

"Among the five brothers, I love you the most, Boyuan and Rongyuan are both behind, what can't you tell me? If something really happens, let's discuss it, it's better than you sitting there alone. Can you hide it today, can you hide it for a lifetime? In case the family knows about this, you should know the consequences. ”

Jiang Yuan calmed down for two or three days, and then secretly came to his room to look for him, "Second brother, if I really like men, will you object?" At that time, he knew that he was believed.

It doesn't feel good at all that this kind of thing speculation comes true, it's just terrible, "It doesn't matter if I'm against it or not, but the family will definitely not agree, you should know what your father expects from you." ”

"I know it, but ......" Jiang Yuan looked very distressed, and he probably understood that there were some things that he couldn't control alone.

"If you want to enter politics, you must get married, and if you really like him, you can also maintain private contact after marriage, as long as you do it secretively, it's not impossible."

"How is that possible? He wouldn't agree. Second brother, your method doesn't work, I didn't say anything today. ”

*

"Dad, Jiang Yuan is also twenty-one years old this year, and he will graduate from college soon, is there something to think about now?"

"It's only twenty-one, and it's not too late for another two years." The old man was not retired at that time, he was in good spirits, he had experienced so many sports, and he could still ensure that he could stand, which is not something that ordinary people can do.

"It's better to settle some things early, settle down early, and take care of it early, so as not to cause complications. He is now young, he can't resist temptation, and he is prone to making mistakes. He said it a little emotionally.

Maybe it was his expression that betrayed him, and the old man immediately sensed something, "Is there something going on over there in Jiang Yuan?" He's always been closest to you, did he say anything to you? Does he have someone he likes? Is it his female classmate? ”

"It's not ...... I don't know, Dad. ”

"Zhiyuan, you tell me the truth, if I find out, Jiang Yuan made a mistake over there, and you as a brother don't report it, I can't spare you. You're not doing it for his good, you're doing him harm. He's so young and ignorant that you're watching him slip down the wrong path? ”

"Jiang Yuan seems to be very close to a male classmate." He swore that he really wanted to stop his brother from continuing to make mistakes.

It was about March, not long after the winter break started at the university.

The last time I saw Lin Changning was probably in April, it was already April, and he was still wearing a heavy homespun cotton coat, his face was very thin, his eyes were particularly big, his lips were cracked, and there were wounds on the part exposed on the outside of his clothes.

Seeing that he was still called Second Brother Lu, "He said that among all the brothers, you are the best to him." ”

But he was called to persuade him, "Lin Changning, you can not admit this matter, but you must guarantee that you and Jiang Yuan will break off this relationship from now on, you two are still young, do you know the consequences of you being together?" Being scolded is light, sentenced to hooliganism, your life is over, Jiang Yuan has family protection, there will be no trouble, what about you, your whole family is frugal, and it is not easy for a college student to come out, the reputation of hooliganism is not good, you are not afraid of yourself, what about your family, can they still raise their heads in the future? ”

He could see that Lin Changning was shaken when he mentioned his family, because his eyes were painful, but it was only for a moment, he still insisted, "I have nothing to do with Lu Jiangyuan, I have nothing to guarantee you." ”

The most embarrassing thing was his father's own departure, what they said in the house, he didn't know what to do, only that when his father came out, Lin Changning was trembling, and his face was very sad.

Father seemed to agree to a request from Lin Changning, and Jiang Yuan swore outside that day, "I will get married, and Lin Changning is just ......having fun" At that time, he was standing beside Lin Changning, Lin Changning's hands and feet were tied, and his mouth was blocked, but he still saw that when Jiang Yuan said these words, something that Lin Changning had always insisted on in his eyes collapsed rapidly, and the young man with bright and clean eyes when he first saw him completely disappeared.

He loosened Lin Changning's bonds, he knew that the purpose of the Tao had been achieved, this was the best result, the most correct, the most in line with the moral norms of this society, everyone had to live in a box, and no one would support those who went out. They didn't think of being ruthless to Lin Changning, because they knew that Dao Jiang Yuan was hard-natured, and no one wanted to gamble on the consequences.

Lin Changning's stomach doesn't seem to be very good, in the days when he was locked up, he was often seen vomiting, unable to eat, sometimes barely eating, and vomiting all of it as soon as he turned around.

"I will stay away from him, and I hope you will also keep your promise and stay away from my family." This is the last sentence left by Lin Changning, his eyes are cold, full of sarcasm, I don't know who this sarcasm is aimed at.

After another year, Lin Changning went to the United States and completely disappeared in front of the Lu family.

The third child seemed to have completely broken his mind, accepted his father's arrangement, first stayed in Beijing for a year, and then went to Jiangxi, and climbed from a deputy county magistrate to the mayor of a prefecture-level city in less than three years.

If it weren't for the leakage of the later incidents, the third child should have a place in the political arena now, at least not worse than Ji Fangping. Maybe there are some things in the dark that can't be hidden, and the jade Guanyin pendant that fell from the storage room of the old house was so coincidentally sent to the third child by the domestic helper.

After learning the truth, the third child resigned, left home, went abroad, and cut off all contact with the family, no one stopped him, and he went for seven or eight years, until his father was seriously ill, although the person came back, but he was not the person in his memory. Even with him, there is nothing to say, wandering away from everyone in this family, watching coldly.

"Minister, are you not feeling well?"

"It's okay, you go on, just talked about the EU's recent stainless steel pipe anti-dumping case, right?"

For so many years, it was the first time to see the third child lose control again, and the result was still related to Lin Changning.

The author has something to say: there should be no long extras about his fathers in the future