Shinjuku is a famous food gathering place, and there are delicious foods everywhere, because there are so many tourists that many restaurants have to queue up. Fang Yan and Qian Ning went shopping for a long time, and only chose a small noodle restaurant.

There is an old-fashioned automatic ordering machine in front of the shop, and you can get a meal ticket by dropping in banknotes and pressing a photo button on the food.

"I eat this. ”

Qian Ning looked at it for a long time and said, "Then I want udon." ”

The tall wooden bar is old, and underneath it is a narrow strip of clean tabletops. Sitting in front of the bar, you can see the busy figures in the back kitchen. Soon, the meal was ready.

Fang Yan ordered a large bowl of steaming ramen, and in the rich tonkotsu broth, there were several thick slices of round barbecued pork, and half a cut boiled egg, the yolk of which had not yet set. Qian Ning's udon cold noodles are very plain, a small bowl of ice-cold sauce with sesame seeds and chopped green onions floating on top. They also ordered a sashimi platter, 4 charcoal grilled chicken skewers, and 2 glasses of cold Coca-Cola.

Fang Yan sucked and ate noodles. Qian Ning bit his chopsticks and said with a smile: "You eat slowly, no one will rob you." ”

"Hmm. ”

Qian Ning carefully picked up the udon noodles with chopsticks, dipped them in the sauce, and tasted them. After the udon noodles are cooked, they are cooled and have a soft and elastic texture, and the cold taste of the sauce is very enjoyable.

She stayed up late and was busy with work, and only went to bed this morning, and she never ate. The first bite of noodles was released, and her appetite was instantly released, and she began to bury her head in eating noodles, regardless of it, the more she ate, the more hungry she felt, and she couldn't stop at all.

Snoring.

This bowl of udon noodles was very small, and Qian Ning ate it all like a cloud, licked his lips with satisfaction, picked up another chicken skewer, took a bite, and stretched out his chopsticks to clip a piece of salmon. As soon as she looked up, she found that Fang Yan was looking at her, with some fear in her eyes.

"You eat slowly, no one will rob you. Fang Yan said.

“……”

"You follow your grandfather, and he eats noodles like this. ”

“…… Oh. ”

"Another bowl?"

"Good. ”

In the second bowl of noodles, the two of them ate it separately without wasting a single bit of food. Qian Ning looked at the clean bowls and plates, and had mixed feelings. It's a very down-to-earth feeling, and it seems that everything is very good. It's just a little naïve. Qian Ning felt that sitting with Fang Yan had become naïve.

They circled the huge flyover. It's a pity that Lao Zhao was not found.

At dusk, Fang Yan went to the subway to pick up Yuan Yuan and Feng Lu, but he didn't find Lao Zhao.

After hurriedly finishing dinner, Fang Yan went to find Lao Zhao again.

"He's there!" Yuan Yuan stretched out his small hand and pointed to a dark figure in the distance.

The overpass extends forward to the second-floor exit of a giant shopping mall. Next to it is a row of low benches for customers to rest, and Lao Zhao sits on the chairs.

He was thin, wearing a long-sleeved black shirt, thin floral shorts, and a pair of torn slippers, dressed as a standard wanderer. Lao Zhao's gaze was dull, with a touch of sadness and a sense of chaotic joy in the flickering neon and laughter.

As night falls, the western sky is fading its last shade of red, and in the dimness, you can only see the outline of the skybridge railing. No blue doves fly. The streets were noisy, and the faces of passers-by were blurred.

"Sister Assistant. Fang Yan said.

"In. ”

"You go back and tell the hotel, let's not check out, and then stay for a few days. ”

"Okay, okay. ”

According to Feng Lu's travel strategy, they are going to leave Tokyo and go to the ancient city of Kyoto to play. But Fang Yan decided to stay a few more days and study Lao Zhao's problem.

Fang Yan felt that Lao Zhao should be a very sensitive and fragile person with a thin face and love face. He didn't want Yuan Yuan and a few girls to watch Lao Zhao and watch his jokes, so he walked over alone.

"Old Zhao?"

The wanderer looked up at him, and Mu Yu spoke. His face and body were covered in stains and dust, mixed with the marks of sweat rolling down. I don't know how many days I haven't taken a bath, and my whole body exudes a rancid smell.

"Brother Zhao, I'm here again. ”

“……”

"Look, what did I bring you?" Fang Yan took out a large box of pizza from the plastic bag, not long after it came out of the oven, the edge of the carton was still warm.

Lao Zhao nodded, took the pizza, and hid it behind his back.

"Well, I also brought you foreign wine. Do you want to drink it?" Fang Yan took out a bottle of black label whiskey and shook it. There was also a small sparkling glass on the bottle.

The wine is also hidden behind the back.

Fang Yan took a deep breath and said in the kindest voice, "How are you doing lately? This place in Shinjuku is quite chaotic, is anyone bullying you?" Tell me. ”

Wood has a reaction.

Lao Zhao has no scars on his face and body, so no one should bully him. Fang Yan thought, even if there are underworlds, gangsters or something in Tokyo, people will not pay attention to him. What's the use of bullying him. He took out his mobile phone and took a photo of Lao Zhao. The flash flashed, Lao Zhao did not dodge, and calmly faced the camera.

Fang Yan sent a photo to Yang Zhenyu and sent a message: "You help me identify whether he is Lao Zhao." ”

Yang Zhenyu replied: "Absolutely B is Lao Zhao!

Again: "I don't have international roaming, can I call you?"

Fang Yan dialed him: "Hey, Zhenyu." ”

"Master, Master, let me talk to him, he must be Lao Zhao. ”

Fang Yan stretched his mobile phone to Lao Zhao's ear, and said warmly: "He is Yang Zhenyu, do you remember? Wearing glasses, tall and thin, he is your friend." He's worried about you. Can you talk to him?"

On the phone, Zhenyu "fed" for 2 minutes, and Lao Zhao did not respond.

"You have to figure it out. I'm in a hurry. Yang Zhenyu said. "Master, you ...... Don't leave him alone. ”

“……”

Lao Zhao entered a magical state. No matter what Fang Yan said, he ignored it, but he was not stupid, he knew how to eat and drink.

"Old Zhao?"

Fang Yan and Lao Zhao looked at each other, their eyes made contact in the air, and Fang Yan only saw a soul vacuum. He's out of the question.

"I know you're having a hard time right now. I kid you not, I really know. Actually, like you, I've experienced this kind of thing...... I'll sit with you for a while. ”

Sit, don't speak. But the smell on Lao Zhao's body was too exciting, and Fang Yan sat a little farther away.

After being silent for a long time, Lao Zhao made a move.

He pulled out the pizza box from behind him, put it on his lap, lifted the lid, pulled out a corner of pizza with his dirty hands, and put it in his mouth with his neck tilted. Two bites, a corner of pizza is gone.

Lao Zhao chewed.

"Eat slowly, uh, no one is robbing you. I also bought drinks. Fang Yan took out a bottle of mineral water, unscrewed the lid, and handed it to Lao Zhao.

……

Yuan Yuan and the others had already slipped over and peeked from afar. Lao Zhao is still eating and drinking, his face is expressionless, let's chirp.

Channing looked angry and said, "I really want to kick him to death." ”

Yuan Yuan was more gentle and said, "He is very pitiful. ”

"I know he's pathetic. I just couldn't stand his half-dead look, and I watched it hold my breath. Or is it not a man? He's just dead. ”

"Artists are like that. ”

"Haven't heard of ......"

A 12-inch large pizza, Lao Zhao devoured it all, and there was not even any scum left. The mineral water was also drunk. Fang Yan thought, this is probably a necessary skill for wanderers, they can eat and bear, but they can bear it without food.

"Lao Zhao, have you eaten enough?"

Still no response.

Lao Zhao was quietly digesting food, like a python. But he sat there, like a bad sculpture. Fang Yan found that this was a philosophical proposition in ancient times: how to prove that Lao Zhao was Lao Zhao? This seems to be an unsolvable dilemma.

He stood up, let out a sigh of relief, and walked over to Yuan Yuan's side to discuss what to do.

"I don't know. Yuan Yuan was sullen.

"You go shopping, don't spend it here. Fang Yan glanced back at Lao Zhao and said hesitantly. "I'll sit with him a little longer. ”

"How about you beating him up? I'm serious, no kidding. Channing said.

"him?"

"He was beaten, and maybe he would be sober. A sharp warning. You persuaded him so well, it didn't work. ”

Several people looked at each other.

That's really the way to go. Fang Yan nodded silently, looked down at his right hand, and said, "I'm not familiar with Lao Zhao, I'm a little embarrassed, I can't do it." If it was Yang Zhenyu, I would definitely fight. ”

"Yang Zhenyu doesn't eat that much. ”

Yuan Yuan's eyes suddenly lit up, and he raised his hand and said, "I have thought of a way!"

"Huh?"

"Bad guy, you play the guitar for Lao Zhao. Play that sad music, and if he's moved to tears, then you've succeeded. ”

"What do you mean? ”

"If he listens to crying, he is Lao Zhao. Yuan Yuan said confidently. Her little face looks great in the light.

“……“

What the hell is this logic.

Why did he cry, he was Lao Zhao? Fang Yan couldn't figure it out. But there is no other way. Playing the piano is a very peaceful way, and it is better than beating him up.

He went back to get the violin.

Fang Yan analyzed Lao Zhao's strange mental state. He may have given up on himself to the extreme, and everything doesn't matter. Dead pigs are not afraid of boiling water, whoever you love, whatever you want. He didn't want to live, and he didn't bother to die. It's harder.

When a person is in despair, even if a burning meteorite falls from the sky, he doesn't bother to hide.

Leave everything behind and lie on a flyover in Tokyo, how comfortable.

The property is located at some distance from the overpass. After half an hour, he ran sweaty, carried his guitar, and hurried back to Lao Zhao.

"Lao Zhao. ”

"......" Lao Zhao looked at him in a daze, with more helplessness in his eyes.

"Do you smoke? I bought it the other day, Marlboro. Are you used to smoking this kind of cigarette?" Fang Yan squatted down, took out a cigarette, and lit it for him.

"Whew. ”

The cigarette burned, Lao Zhao took a deep breath and spit out the smoke, almost all spraying on Fang Yan's face.

"Shameless!"

Qian Ning was furious on the side, rushed up in a few steps, raised his legs high, and kicked Lao Zhao's chest, the soles of his slippers stepped firmly on his chest, and kicked hard. She's going to keep kicking.

"Don't do it!" Fang Yan was startled and hurriedly stopped. "Anger ...... Anger"

Lao Zhao fell.

Poured......

Like an old house, when a cold wind blows, he collapses. Lao Zhao lay on the ground horizontally, like a small sapling that had been cut off, and half a cigarette also fell aside. For the first time, he showed a look of astonishment and confusion, his mouth open, and he looked at several people in panic.

Qian Ning scolded angrily: "It's really useless, it's like a mess of mud! Look at yourself, what's the point of living? Are you worthy of your parents? Isn't it just a broken love, what's the big deal? I ...... You cheer me up!"

"Don't be impulsive. ”

"Do you still have dignity if you live a breath?"

There were people all around, and many people stopped to watch the excitement.

Fang Yan helped Lao Zhao up, patted him, and moved him to the chair. Lao Zhao was very cooperative and sat back to his original position obediently. Fang Yan said to Qian Ning: "You dissipate your anger......

Yuan Yuan hugged Qian Ning tightly and whispered comfort: "Didn't we say okay, play the piano first, and then play ...... if it doesn't work."

Qian Ning was born in a military family, and he was most unaccustomed to cowardly men. Lao Zhao has always been this half-dead virtue, she endured it for a long time, but she still couldn't help but explode.

Fang Yan has experienced a lot of things, and her understanding of human nature is much deeper than hers. In prison, he has seen the fragile and helpless side of many prisoners, and he has comforted many people with music. Sometimes, all one needs is a faint flame of hope.

He said, "You have to do this kind of thing little by little, why are you beating him, what if it is broken." ”

"I was angry when I saw him. You see, you see. ”

Lao Zhao regained his composure, bent down to pick up half of the cigarette on the ground, and smoked it again.

“……”

Just after 8 o'clock in the evening, Fang Yan asked Yuan Yuan and Feng Lu to accompany Qian Ning to the mall, buy some clothes and toys, and adjust his mood. He sat next to Lao Zhao, took out his guitar, and lit a cigarette.

"Old Zhao, Brother Zhao. I'll play with you for a while. ”

Lao Zhao glanced at the red Yamaha guitar, still expressionless.

It's really harder. Fang Yan suddenly remembered an ancient lyric, if there is no cigarette in his hand, then draw a match.

was tuning the guitar, Feng Lu lowered his head and walked back quietly. She silently picked up the piano bag and placed it in the open space in front of Fang Yan. She crouched down, gently opened the piano bag, and set it up neatly.

Feng Lu began to be in a daze. Ten seconds later, she pulled out a couple of 100 yen coins and put them in her pouch.

Fang Yan was very strange and asked, "What are you playing?"

"Don't you want to sing......" Feng Lu's face flushed slightly, and she raised her head, and the bangs on her forehead covered her eyes a little. "I, I'm your assistant. ”

“……”

Feng Lu floated away like a female ghost.

"Lao Zhao, look at it, what, I'm starting to sing. After making money, how about the two of us and half of each person?" Fang Yan glanced at the calm old Zhao again.

At the exit of the mall, there is a large flower pot planted with brightly colored flowers and plants. A few mosquitoes buzzed around. Fang Yan glanced at Lao Zhao's thin legs, which had been bitten by mosquitoes on his legs.

"'Classical Gas,' have you heard of it? Fang Yan said. He felt like he was talking to a telephone pole. "Translated as "Classical Fuel". Surely you've heard that. ”

It is a classical guitar song from the 1960s written by American musician Mason Williams. Gas is actually an abbreviation for Gasoline, not gas. The meaning of "Classical Fuel" is simple: add a little fuel to the classical guitar repertoire.

The theme of "Classical Fuel" is nice and exudes a stale atmosphere. Although it is called "classical", it has a very modern temperament. Its structure is simple, but the technical requirements are not low. Decades later, it became a signature track for fingerstyle guitar.

The strings vibrated violently, and one note after another exploded in the air, cutting through the air, and turning into bullets that shot towards Lao Zhao.

It's loud and brutal.

Lao Zhao's face was blank.

Fang Yan carefully controlled the timbre and played all the way along the melody, gradually deviating from the original theme. He kept picking up speed, his fingers crawling into the high register, pushing the strings from time to time, and the music became extraordinarily gorgeous.

He didn't want to make Lao Zhao cry. But maybe the music can heal him a little bit and make him less hopeless.

Playing the piano with Kong Lei every week also helped him a lot. In fact, playing the piano in the old man Ma Shengguang's house also has some kind of subtle improvement. Nearly 4 months after his release from prison, his playing skills have been steadily improving, becoming more delicate and simple.

Passers-by began to gather.

A boy looked at his piano bag, took out a 1,000 yen note from his pocket, and threw it in.

A middle-aged man smiled and threw in a few coins as well.

A big fat white man stood to the side, with a serious face, and did not give money.

At the exit of the second floor of a shopping mall in Shinjuku, a strange sight appeared, and dozens of people gathered in a circle, silently listening to Fang Yan playing the piano. Next to him, there was a dazed wanderer.

Fang Yan bounced for more than 10 minutes in one breath. As soon as the guitar stopped, the audience relaxed and applauded enthusiastically, and several young people cheered loudly.

"Thank you. Fang Yan said with a smile in Chinese.

What is more embarrassing is that Lao Zhao has not reacted yet.

Fang Yan didn't sing. He just wanted to stimulate Lao Zhao with music and give him a little strength, not wanting to attract too many onlookers. But people are getting together.

……

Yuan Yuan and the three of them wandered around the mall, bought a bunch of clothes, and quickly lost track of time. Customers who have a travel visa can get a tax refund, but they have to wait in a long queue and delay a lot of time. It was close to 10 o'clock that they came out satisfied.

Qian Ning kicked Lao Zhao in anger, and regretted it a little after she lost her anger, she bought Lao Zhao a cheap T-shirt and was ready to apologize to him.

When the three of them went out, they found that the overpass was empty, Fang Yan was sitting alone on the bench at the door, his guitar was put into a piano bag, and there was a lot of money on the chair.

Yuan Yuan asked, "What about people?"

"Lying down. ”

On the overpass, all kinds of wanderers appeared like tricks, and their cardboard boxes were set up one after another. Lao Zhao was lying far away in the old position last night, a lonely figure in the dark.

"What's going on?"

"Alas. ”

Fang Yan played the guitar for an hour and was warmly welcomed by the onlookers. But Lao Zhao has not changed. Later, perhaps suspecting too many people, he got up silently and left. Fang Yan was helpless, so he had to put away his guitar and sit messily in the wind.

There were a lot of mosquitoes, and he was bitten into several large bags.

"How much money did you make?" Feng Lu was curious, squatting in front of the chair and counting the money.

1 yen 10,000 yuan banknote, 5,000 yuan 1 note, 2,000 yuan 14 notes. More than 50 sheets for 1000 yuan. 2 for $100, 2 for 20, 1 for 10, 10 for 10. 3 pieces of 100 Chinese coins. There are also some colorful euros. And a whole bunch of heavy coins.

"So much. Feng Lu was surprised and sorted the banknotes into categories and lined them up neatly. "Do you want to give it to Lao Zhao?"

"Let's give him 5,000 yen first. Fang Yan pulled out a banknote and said. "There's too much money, it's easy to be robbed. ”

"Good. ”

A few people walked up to the overpass, Fang Yan put the money in Lao Zhao's hand, and said, "Brother Zhao, let's go back first." ”

Lao Zhao slowly picked up the money and showed a mysterious smile. He rolled over, took out the whiskey that Fang Yan had bought, unscrewed the lid, and raised his head to take a small sip.

He lay down again.

Qian Ning hated itchy. She wanted to apologize to Lao Zhao and give him the T-shirt, but now she turned around and left in a huff. She wanted to throw the T-shirt away, but couldn't find the trash can.

"I've got you. She tucked the T-shirt to Fang Yan.

"Uh, thank you. ”

……

At 1 o'clock in the evening, it was the dead of night. Fang Yan lay on the bed, listening to the breathing of the two girls, and couldn't sleep. Lao Zhao's matter was too weird, he couldn't figure it out. The breakthrough is in Lao Zhao's girlfriend. However, how can you find his girlfriend?

No, ex-girlfriend.

"Bad guys. Yuan Yuan summoned him in the dark.

"You haven't slept yet?"

"I want to drink water. ”

Fang Yan got out of bed, picked up a bottle of water, unscrewed it, and handed it to Yuan Yuan. Yuan Yuan leaned against the head of the bed and drank water.

"I thought of a possibility. The truth. ”

Maybe it was an illusion, Fang Yan felt that Yuan Yuan's tone was like a primary school student in a cartoon.

"Turn on the lights and I'll give you an analysis. ”

"Shhhh ”

On the folding bed by the window, Feng Lu's faint voice came: "I didn't fall asleep either." ”

“……”

The bedside lamp came on, giving off a soft glow. Feng Lu was riding on the quilt, a good-looking leg was completely exposed, her eyes were dark, and she looked at Yuan Yuan intently.

After staying in a room for 5 days, the initial awkwardness and discomfort were gone. Feng Lu was dangling around in her little pajamas, and Fang Yan was completely used to it. Gradually, he felt that this was natural.

"Say it. ”

"There's only one possibility. It's a reality show. Listen to me. ”

Reality TV? What kind of reality show.

Yuan Yuan lifted the quilt, sat up straight cross-legged, and said with a hundred times more energy: "Lao Zhao has come to Tokyo, a strange city, with a language barrier and no money. In order to get his girlfriend back, he has to earn money. But how can he make money? He participated in a reality TV show. ”

"Ahh ”

"The reality show will be broadcast live 24 hours a day, recording his daily life, there are many, many cameras watching him in the dark, and there are many viewers watching him on the Internet. It's like "Truman's World". You've seen "Truman's World," right?"

"Yes. ”

Yuan Yuan analyzed intently: "To participate in a reality show, you have to choose a career. Lao Zhao didn't know Japanese and couldn't communicate with others, so he chose to be a wanderer and spend the night on the overpass every day. The most important thing is that he cannot reveal his true identity. ”

“……”

"After participating in the reality show, he can win a lot of money. For example, 5 million yen...... So that he has the money to marry his girlfriend. So, he had to be a wanderer. He recognized you on the flyover, but he couldn't reveal his identity, so he couldn't talk to you. ”

“……”

"The mission of reality TV is to survive in the city as a homeless homeless person...... Well, let's say, a month. ”

“……”

"For the huge prize of 5 million, he has to keep acting. So, although he really wants to talk to you, he is forced to pretend not to know you. Lao Zhao's heart was very anxious. However, as a wanderer, he can eat what you give him. We beat him, and he could only endure it. ”

“……”

"That's the truth. All impossibilities are ruled out, and what remains is the truth. Yuan Yuan said with satisfaction. "I figured it out, and I was finally able to sleep. ”

It's so stupid, and even though you're cute, it's still too stupid. Where did a reality show come out of nowhere? 100% impossible. The world is crazy. Fang Yan felt dizzy. He would love to go out and run two laps.

He asked without changing his face, "Are you done?"

"That's it. What do you think?"

"I don't know......" Fang Yan said, slowly putting Yuan Yuan down, kissing him lightly on the face, covering the quilt and turning off the light.

After 5 minutes, Feng Lu said quietly in the dark, "Yuan Yuan, have you slept?"

Yuan Yuan was already asleep, she was breathing softly, very peacefully.

"Fang Yan. ”

"Hmm. ”

"I thought about it for a while, and what Yuan Yuan said made a lot of sense. Feng Lu said softly.

“……”