Everyone sat around the table until one o'clock in the afternoon, and the chairman said angrily, "Don't wait." Dinner! ”

At noon, the chairman's wife and Uncle Paul were about to blow up Liu Xingchen's mobile phone, but that bastard just didn't answer the phone. The chairman's wife had no choice but to tell a big lie and laughed very unnaturally: "Hehe, it may be that his mother left him to eat there." ”

The chairman of the board of directors "snorted", cast a sharp gaze, and immediately debunked her lie: "Why don't you answer the phone when you eat at your father-in-law's house!" Don't hide it for him, I guess he didn't go to Wu Jiao's house at all, your mother and son are making up nonsense in partnership! ”

The chairman's wife knew that her husband was saving face for her son, and the reason why she didn't expose the truth at the moment was to consider that there was Xiao Zhao at the dinner table, and besides, this kind of thing couldn't be hidden from people of their age at all. I thought that my son is now an adult and should be able to understand the hardships of his parents, but I didn't expect that this child would have an affair under the nose of his parents as soon as he returned to China, which is really ridiculous.

But in comparison, emotion is greater than reason, after all, it is his own son.

In the afternoon, while the chairman went out to play ball, the chairman's wife hurriedly called Wu Jiao and asked her to come to the house for dinner, in fact, she invited a shield for her son, because the son would definitely be interrogated after coming back at night, and he would be beaten by the chairman with a golf club if he said that he was not good.

Uncle Paul personally drove to the town to pick up Wu Jiao. After sending Paul away, the chairman's wife sat down on the sofa in a daze, and now she didn't know whether she was playing a good or bad role in the middle, and she didn't know what to do for her son's good.

At half past four in the afternoon, Liu Xingchen and Ai Mengmeng were so tired in bed that their stomachs cramped, only to find that they hadn't eaten lunch yet. It's rare that Ai Mengmeng suddenly said that she wanted to eat baked cold noodles, so Liu Xingchen took it as a birthday celebration for her and dragged her to the school area to find it. The store seven years ago has long been unrecognizable, they ordered one in the neighborhood from memory, there are very few people who eat at this time, and most restaurants are not open, but fortunately, the fast food restaurant is greeting everyone who comes, and the outdoor temperature is at least 30 degrees at this time, and the moment they see the super bad printing of the recipe, it makes people lose their appetite, they sit next to the air conditioner and only order a grilled cold noodle.

Liu Xingchen suddenly pointed out the window and said, "Look at that tree, do you still have an impression?" ”

Ai Mengmeng followed his finger and looked over, the tree was very thick and lush, but there was no impression at all, which reminded her of the small forest in the school, and she said with interest: "That's right! Liu Xingchen thought she remembered, anyway, he remembered, it was the first time he took the bus, the bus stop sign at that time was a crooked iron plate, just under the tree, but the tree didn't seem to grow very thick, seven years is too long for a lovelorn person, but for a ruthless and loveless tree, it is just a blink of an eye for the wind and birds...... In the few microseconds between Ai Mengmeng's words, Liu Xingchen's thoughts went in such a big circle, and Ai Mengmeng continued: "I'm going to go around the school after eating in a while." ”

"Okay." Liu Xingchen knew that as soon as he came to the school, he would inevitably have to go to the school, so he agreed quite simply, and he suddenly wanted to ask: "Have you ever been to school after graduation?" ”

Ai Mengmeng shook her head, her eyes were full of shame and loss, because she had not graduated at all, how could she be in the mood to go back to her alma mater alone. He knew that she had been grieving over it, and it might be a sadness that no amount of time could dilute for her.

She asked, "How many times have you been?" ”

"I've been back many times."

Perhaps, a firm obsession can really change the direction of the material world, for so many years, he has always stubbornly believed that one day he will walk hand in hand with Ai Mengmeng on the playground of his alma mater, even in the next life, in the next life, in the next life...... He was convinced that there would be a day, just as the memory always stayed on that warm morning, he stood behind her, watching her lazily finish each session, and then she disappeared into the crowd of the playground, no matter how long his vision was cut off by the crowd, he could accurately track her figure, and could catch up at any time and pat her shoulder from behind.

However, his obsession only ends here, and he does not follow up on the episodes of hugging her, kissing her, and loving her, because his yearning for her in high school only stays on Cheng Dù, which is deeper than liking and shallower than love, but he can't explain that every time he kisses her now, his heart will be hurt by a parting many years ago, at that moment, he feels that even if he hugs and kisses crazily, he can't express his strong attachment to her, doing/loving is just his highest form of expression of her, and it doesn't mean that he has her.

Even if they really walk hand in arm in the school grove at this moment, he will still be stabbed by many sad memories, it was one night a few months after she dropped out of school, Wu Jiao said that she wanted to go to the grove to do something, he couldn't guess what it was, so he prepared a condom in advance, the moon was particularly bright that night, he felt that he should take the initiative as a boy, just put his two hands on Wu Jiao's shoulders, and saw her take out a newly bought small carving knife from her schoolbag, and said to him seriously, Can you help her carve a sentence "I like you" on the trunk of the tree, he felt as if he was suddenly relieved, and agreed to her very boldly. He asked her if she needed to engrave her name, and she said, no, just know it in her heart. According to his style of acting, he will naturally engrave that sentence very high, and try to stay away from those "big fools", "big scratches" or so on, because there is no absolutely "clean" tree that can be found at that time. Who does this phrase "I like you" mean who likes whom? Everyone has a different answer in their hearts, even though they have become Wu Jiao's public boyfriend at that time, he still thinks that it represents: I like you, Ai Mengmeng.

But there was no Ai Mengmeng in that bright night.

He took her hand and walked to the foot of a tall and straight tree, pointed to the faint scars on the top of the trunk and said, "There, do you see what the words are?" ”

"I like you."

He nodded, put his arms around her and leaned against the trunk of the tree, letting his face against his collarbone and exhale and spray on his neck.

"What's the matter, did you engrave that?"

"Hmm."

"When was it engraved?"

"Seven years ago."

"Nonsense."

"Really."

"How can it be so clear?"

"Because, I carved a deep ......"

The golden light of the afternoon shone obliquely into the sparse groves, and there were many dust suspended in the light that was usually invisible to the naked eye, perhaps it was not dust, but the photons of time.

At this moment, it seems that time is not flowing, all the hustle and bustle is gone, and the sporadic birdsong is like a seashell in the sea of memory, disappearing with the golden ripples on the sea.

They are reminiscing about their past, there is an asphalt path at the intersection of memories, just across the playground, in autumn, the wind will blow that road rattling, in fact, the memory is wrong, it is the maple leaves talking to each other, and at night those crazy leaves are even more unscrupulous, no matter how bleak the mood is, every time he crosses the playground to send Wu Jiao back to the dormitory, when he goes back, he will walk that road alone, just like every time she crosses the playground to send Wu Jiao back to the dormitory, and then goes to the carport through there.

Ai Mengmeng suddenly raised her head and said, "I want to go to a place to see." ”

"Where?"

"That 'Mad Tree Street'."

He had long heard the story of "Crazy Tree Street" from Wu Jiao's mouth, which was a story about the two of them scaring people on a bleak autumn night. It is said that every maple tree on the street of the mad tree is an old tree spirit that has been sealed, and they stand very tall, and every day they can see all kinds of anecdotes in the school, and when they are inaccessible at night, they will open their mouths that have been closed for a day in a frenzied manner, and even if one or two people pass by them alone, they will not have the slightest fear, because they can erase that person's footprints from the street with their powerful minds, so that no one who passes by remembers what they said, Just remember the rattling sound.

If this story is unfounded, why is there only boundless desolation in his memory?

A familiar bell came from the school building in the distance, and the campus was gradually pulled back to reality by the chaotic shouting, but when they walked to Mad Tree Street, another class bell took the chaotic sound back into the silent school building, as if a magical magic bottle was hidden somewhere.

In the early summer, when the wind is not working, and the little asphalt is almost melted by the sun, but it is cool and pleasant in the shade of the trees, and they find a clean bench and snuggle together like a pair of lovers in love, not knowing that there are still a few old classmates at work in this school.

A person rode a bicycle slowly through the street, breaking the tranquility of the two worlds, they looked at each other carefully, Liu Xingchen recognized each other first, and involuntarily "ah".

The person on the bicycle also twisted his neck to look at them, and when Ai Mengmeng's head tilted on Liu Xingchen's shoulder was raised, the handlebar of that person's bicycle shook suddenly, and one foot supported the ground in time: "Ouch! I almost didn't recognize it, Xingchen, you're back!? ”

Liu Xingchen immediately stood up: "Senior, why are you here?" ”

Ai Mengmeng thought he was calling him a senior, but it turned out to be that Feng ...... Feng ...... Feng ......

The reason why Liu Xingchen called Feng Yanbin a senior was because he had tutored back then, but in fact, the title of senior was only used when teasing the other party, whether it was repeating a grade or tutoring, it was almost the same. But now, Liu Xingchen calls him a senior entirely out of enthusiasm and excitement to see old acquaintances. Ai Mengmeng symbolically waved her hand at Feng Yanbin: "Hi...... Learning ......"

Feng Yanbin pushed the car back a few steps: "Ah, you are ...... Are you the star girlfriend now? ”

Ai Mengmeng and Liu Xingchen exchanged glances, and Liu Xingchen took over with a wry smile: "No, no." ”

Of course, this kind of Tang Sai's explanation will not satisfy Feng Yanbin, and ordinary people will think of another answer, although it is a little unlikely, but there is a saying that miracles happen every day in this world, isn't it, he asked: "So, are you all married?" ”

"Hmm......" Liu Xingchen thought for a while and said, "I'm chasing her now." ”

"Oh—"

Ai Mengmeng glared at Liu Xingchen with his peripheral vision, Liu Xingchen had already felt it, and he replied with an indignant look, as if to say, then what do you want me to say, just now he saw the two of us hugging each other, really!

Ai Mengmeng knew what he was talking about, so she simply turned her face away and didn't look at him.

Feng Yanbin smiled and locked the bicycle on the bench that the two of them had just sat on, this move made them very puzzled, Feng Yanbin did not explain, in fact, this is a very common thing, now the bicycle is cheap, no one steals it, the teachers have changed to a four-wheeled means of transportation, the bus industry has also developed, students take the bus to school and get out of school, only the teachers who live in the school's single dormitory have bicycles, and in this civilian high school, teachers do not need to reach the realm of being teachers, It's better to leave your bike in the open than to defecate in the open.

Feng Yanbin locked the wheels and chair legs together with a chain lock, and then patted Liu Xingchen on the shoulder: "Go, I'll invite you to dinner!" ”

At this time, Ai Mengmeng turned her head and looked at Liu Xingchen, Liu Xingchen knew that she didn't want to go, so she hurriedly pushed and said: "No need, why are you so polite, they are all old classmates!" ”

Feng Yanbin looked at him and stretched out a finger to point at him: "You dislike old classmates, right?" ”

"No, no, we've already eaten, really." Liu Xingchen said.

Feng Yanbin said: "It doesn't matter if you've eaten, when I'm a buddy, drink with me!" I haven't seen each other for so many years, it's all fate! ”

Liu Xingchen smiled and said, "Okay, let the seniors break the bank." ”

"Say something like that!" Feng Yanbin thumped his chest muscles, and his fist was immediately bounced back.

Ai Mengmeng stood there motionless with her elbows in her hands, Liu Xingchen was a little in a dilemma, and pulled the corners of her clothes, meaning, let's go. Ai Mengmeng twisted to the side. Liu Xingchen turned around and looked at her unhappily. Feng Yanbin had already taken several steps, turned around and urged them: "Let's go!" Not far away! Right at the back door of the school, there is a newly opened restaurant, which is particularly delicious! ”

Liu Xingchen hurriedly said, "It's coming, it's coming." He said as he came back to pull Ai Mengmeng, Ai Mengmeng stretched out his arm, his hand slipped out, Ai Mengmeng hugged his arm again, he came to pull again, she stretched out again, but he didn't expect his hand to increase this time, and his face showed a disobedient gloom: "Do you listen to me?" ”

Ai Mengmeng shook his hand hard, but he couldn't shake it off, his arm was pinched by him very painfully, and let him drag him step by step.

"You big fool, Liu Xingchen!"

In a small broken restaurant, Feng Yanbin also pretended to be generous and ordered a bottle of foreign wine for Liu Xingchen, a returnee, Ai Mengmeng knew that it was fake as soon as he saw the label on the wine bottle, not even a high imitation, at most a hundred yuan, after reading the wine list, as expected, it was only eighty-eight, eighty-eight one bottle of Chivas Regal, Liu Xingchen's stupid drank three-quarters, Ai Mengmeng of course didn't know why he drank so much wine, because he could go home drunk without facing the interrogation of the chairman, but he didn't expect that this Chivas Regal was not Chivas Regal, Normally, he would drive with a full bottle of Chivas Regal, but this time he only drank half a bottle before he felt his head heavi, his hands and feet weak, and his eyes glazed, which were symptoms of alcohol poisoning.

Ai Mengmeng carried him almost all the way to the car, but fortunately the car was parked in the school. After resting in the car for a while, he felt better, but he couldn't drive. Ai Mengmeng was kind and gave him the most practical advice: "Why don't you go to my house to sleep." ”

He shook his head: "No, I have to go home and sleep today, my dad is at home." ”

No overnight stay outside before getting married is a family rule that is rare in modern times, and even more difficult to understand for a person who has no inhibited habits to go his own way. Ai Mengmeng slapped him lightly: "Then you sue me, how do you want to go back?" ”

He smiled and put his arm around her neck: "You send me back." ”

She pushed him away: "I don't know where your house is, besides, after I drive your car back, how can I get there by myself?" ”

He grinned and said, "Stay at my house." ”

"Fuck off, I'm serious, you see what time it is, hurry up, what to do."

He said, "You drop me off outside my house, and then you drive me back, and I say I'll take a taxi back." ”

"Then you can just take a taxi back, why do you want me to send you!"

He said, "It's not easy, I want to stay with you a little longer." ”

When he was drunk, he spoke straightforwardly, but he was not confessing to her through the wind of wine.

Because it was night, he was drunk again, and now the road conditions are not at all as straightforward and simple as when he went to school, at every intersection, he needs to think for a long time, and the route on the navigator is completely inconsistent with the route he pointed, Ai Mengmeng thought, it was a wise decision not to hand him over to the taxi driver just now, if he ran into an irresponsible car owner, an alcoholic who couldn't find a home like this was likely to be thrown to the side of the road, and his home was simply too secluded, and he didn't encounter any other cars on the road, And this winding mountain road is really weird, she has never known that there is such a road after more than 20 years of mixing in this city.