The next morning, I woke up with an uncomfortable feeling of dry mouth. I remember drinking too much hard alcohol last night and having too many dreams about the past, but I really have to remember it, but I can't remember the specific details. So, after thinking for a while, he got up and drank the cup of cold white beside him in one gulp.

I let out a "puff" and rolled up the floor where I was sleeping, and added some firewood to the stove, which seemed to be one of the few things I could do in the day. I didn't want to eat, I didn't want to socialize, I didn't want to talk to anyone, I didn't even want to wash, I just stood at the window and stared at the snow-white world outside the window for a long time...... And the snow that has been falling since last night has not stopped until now. So the radio kept broadcasting instant information that the highway had been closed and drivers were being diverted.

I've been in Shanghai for almost two years, and this is the first time in a city that doesn't snow a lot of snow has closed the highway to Suzhou and Jiaxing because of the snow, and everyone seems to have stopped because of the heavy snowfall, so that the whole city looks extremely tired.

I quenched my thirst with another cup of hot water, still idly staring at the monotonous world outside the window. It wasn't until the security guard walked through the window that I came back to my senses, opened the window and called out to him, then took out 500 yuan from my wallet and said to him: "Uncle Lu, go buy some fireworks and firecrackers, let's make some noise, and we will have a New Year's ......"

Uncle Lu, a security guard from Henan, took the money from my hand, and after he said "in", he followed the car in the company that happened to go out to run errands, and went to the firecracker shop closest to the "Dream Tree". And that's the only thing he did for half a day in the morning.

When it was almost ten o'clock, Uncle Lu finally bought the firecrackers and fireworks I wanted, and I gave him an extra red envelope, hoping that he would be loyal and honest in this year.

After Uncle Lu left, I didn't have a helper, so I lined up the red firecrackers in a line by myself, and the fireworks were placed behind the firecrackers and ready to go, but I was not in a hurry to light them, just lit a cigarette and sat on the steps in the distance and watched quietly......

I wondered what else was worth lighting these fireworks and firecrackers other than the excuse of the Chinese New Year......

At this time, a taxi drove in from outside, and this time the person who came out of the car was Yang Qu, who dragged her suitcase and walked towards me angrily. It's as if I've already put my going to Taiwan done, but in fact, I haven't done anything since noon yesterday.

Yang Qu bypassed the fireworks and firecrackers placed on the ground, then stood in front of me and said, "Brother, I didn't plan to go back to Shanghai today, I know it's snowing here!" The reason why I have to fly here at such a risk of my life is to dissuade you from doing stupid things! ”

I looked at her without emotion and replied, "Don't exaggerate, the plane is not as dangerous as you say." ”

"Why isn't it dangerous? Otherwise, we will land at the airport in Hangzhou temporarily! I came by bus again, can you imagine how early I got up today? ”

I replied impatiently, "It's almost noon, don't talk to me with your wake-up gas...... I told you yesterday that I'm not going anywhere. ”

Yang Qu said to me reluctantly: "If you don't go, it doesn't mean that you can really figure it out...... Who doesn't know that you came to Shanghai to learn to play the guitar for her! …… The devil knows if you will have a convulsion one day and run to her like crazy, but she will not talk to you because she has long stopped taking you seriously! ”

"I think you're more of a madman now...... You don't need to say it so ugly, you don't know how calm I am now! ”

"It's okay if you call me crazy. Anyway, in the past few days, I will follow you inseparably until Sister Jin Qiu comes back from abroad. ”

I was a little annoyed by what she said, and I couldn't help but be a little angry, and I replied, "You'd better not mess around with me until you figure out the situation!" I got up and left the staircase where I had been sitting, and I lit myself another cigarette. Then he lit the nearest firecracker with a cigarette......

Amid the deafening popping sound, I lit the fire faster and faster, until all the firecrackers were ignited, and I had a sense of release. My soul seems to be burning in the diffuse smell of sulfur! …… It burned the troubles that I caused in the mortal world, and also burned the shackles that wrapped around me...... I want to roar!

However, he kept watching expressionlessly, watching the fireworks that were supposed to shine only flash a small point of light in the snowy sky, and soon disappeared without a trace......

The sound of firecrackers disturbed the guests who were staying at the hotel, and they ran out of their rooms one after another, and then leaned on the guardrail to look at the place where the fireworks were set off......

This scene made Yang Qu shout loudly in my ear again: "If you don't have emotions in your heart that you can't vent, can you do such an out-of-tune thing?" …… You're a nuisance! Do you know it yourself? Immediately there will be customer complaints about your hotel...... Just wait and see! ”

I ignored the gloating Yang Qu, and when the firecrackers stopped, I turned around and shouted to the guests who were lying on the guardrail: "Those who are still staying in the hotel today must be brothers and sisters who didn't have time to go home to celebrate the New Year with their families, right?" “

Almost everyone was nodding in response.

I shouted again, "...... So let's make up another one in the dream tree tonight, what do you think? …… In the evening, when the snow stops, we have an open-air bonfire. I'm going to buy a few sheep from a nearby farm now, let's roast a whole sheep, and all the expenses for eating and drinking are my own, and everyone just needs to be responsible for having fun! ”

The residents, who were still angry because they were disturbed, stood on the balcony and applauded...... Yang Qu looked at me incredulously, and only after a while did he sigh at me: "A person who is reluctant to buy a few sets of new clothes has to pay out of his own pocket to invite so many people to eat and drink for nothing...... I guess, you're really crazy! ”

……

I've always been a good friend of the word when it comes to Dream Tree's clients, so after the snow stopped in the afternoon, I took two chefs and drove the company's truck to a nearby farm to buy five sheep in one go. Because I had done a similar bonfire party before, the equipment and materials for the barbecue were complete. Now, Dream Tree has the ability to organize such an event anytime, anywhere.

On the way, I called Liu Liu again and asked him to find a few singers who had previously sung in the bar to join the bonfire, and once I was so busy, my attention was diverted, and I gradually got rid of the state of panic that had been in place all morning.

And at seven o'clock in the evening, the bonfire party initiated by me also went on time. We sat in a circle, surrounded by all kinds of snacks and rows of wine towers, and the most appetizing thing was the whole sheep being grilled on the wooden shelf in the middle. Those who did not know each other chatted around the sound of fried "ziz" and the roaring bonfire, telling stories they had brought from afar......

In the course of the party, there were constantly guests who came to toast me, they said that I was righteous, and praised the "dream tree" This place has humanistic feelings, as long as there is a chance to come to Shanghai in the future, we will definitely regard us here as their other home.

So, although I spent a lot of money on this night, I felt that it was worth it, because I like to see people open their hearts, and I am proud that the "dream tree" is regarded by many people as another home in their lives.

However, it was me who was the most unhappy in the crowd, because I had already concealed too much of my emotions through this party, and even Yang Qu, who was guarding me like a "prisoner", couldn't notice it, she just thought I was drunk and talked drunk with everyone.

Halfway through the party, the phone I was using to take pictures rang in my hand. This time it was Jin Qiu who called. But for me, the call didn't come at a timely time.

I greeted a few of the guests who were toasting me and headed to the back of the quieter hotel. On the way, I answered Jin Qiu's phone. Then, as if nothing had happened, he asked her, "How was it to have fun abroad?" ”

Jin Qiu's tone of reply was not abnormal, she said: "I'm very happy, this time I met a lot of old classmates who haven't seen each other since returning from studying abroad." ”

"Well, just have fun." After a short pause, I asked, "When are you going back to Shanghai?" ”

This time, Jin Qiu on the other end of the phone fell into silence, and only said to me after a long time: "Wait for the Tulip Hotel in Nanjing, let's return to China on the day it opens." ”

This answer filled me with surprise. Because according to what we agreed in advance, this time she will only stay abroad for a week at most, but now the time has been extended to a month. Because it's a full 26 days before the Tulip Hotel opens. And I don't really know what prompted her to make this decision.

At this time, Jin Qiu smiled at me again and said, "Jiang Qiao, do you know why I didn't call you until now?" …… However, I am afraid that no one knows the blockbuster news that Xiao Ai has debuted in Taiwan earlier than me. ”

"I ...... I don't know what you mean! ”

Jin Qiu smiled again and replied, "Before I explain the reason, I have more important good news to tell you...... The source of the message is very reliable...... Xiao Ai's father, Xiao Mingquan, has his sentence commuted again, and if nothing else, he will be released from prison during this year's Chinese New Year......! ”

I was so shocked that I couldn't speak, I remember that with this commutation, Xiao Mingquan's sentence reduction has reached the highest standard. If this news is reliable, he will indeed be released from prison during the Spring Festival this year, which is a full 2 years shorter than the original sentence!

Although I don't know what his release from prison means to me, it is really shocking enough, he is a hero, he was framed and imprisoned by Li Zishan, and he will not give up......

After being silent for a long time, I finally put away my shock that Xiao Mingquan was about to be released from prison, and asked Jin Qiu, "Why did you know these news, but you didn't call me in the first place?" ”

"Because I don't want to be a burden to you...... Jiangqiao, do you understand? ”

"I don't really understand."

Jin Qiu replied in a deep voice: "Okay...... Then I'll make it clear...... Now that Xiao Ai has returned and made her debut in the entertainment industry, her world in your world is no longer as full of unknowns as before...... There will be a chance to meet her whenever you want to go to her...... So, go for it if you want...... Don't suppress the strongest ** in your heart...... That way, you're really going to be unhappy...... And I, too, took this time to relax and walk around several other countries in Europe. ”

I was silent for a while, and when the cigarette in my hand was about to run out, I said to Jin Qiu, "Is this your advice to me?" ”

"This is not a recommendation...... It's just because I know you that I want you to be your true self...... You have to remember that I am the person in the world who wants you to be happy! ”

I looked up, and then resisted the unconsciousness of this sudden drunkenness, until a cold wind blew, and I replied, "Maybe you don't believe it...... But I've already told Yang Qu that I won't deliberately look for her...... As much as I really wanted to meet her, reason told me I couldn't...... There is no need for this...... Therefore, my choice is to continue the peace that I have achieved with great difficulty in the past two years...... Just as Xiao Ai didn't come to me, she didn't want this peace to be ruined. ”

This time, Jin Qiu was silent for longer than me, and she said, "If this is really your innermost choice...... I also choose to respect, but I will not return to China for the time being...... You can change your decision at any time during the time I'm not back...... And I think I'm a very clear person, so I have to accept that you do it. ”

After Jin Qiu said this, she hung up the phone, but what she said lingered in my brain for a long time...... I unconsciously lit myself another cigarette......

I don't know how long later, the security guard led a middle-aged woman with glasses and a little chubby to me, and said to me: "Boss Jiang, this lady said that there are some things to talk to you about, do you know her?" ”

I watched her several times, but I didn't realize that I had seen her image, so I asked her with doubts, "Sorry, we don't seem to have dealt with each other before...... Don't know who you are? ”

The woman took out a business card from her bag and handed it to me, then said with a smile: "Hello, my name is He Meihui, and I am Xiao Ai's agent...... The purpose of coming to you this time is to talk to you about the performance venue...... I learned through some media friends that your dream tree has hosted several small concerts of artists, as well as a small music festival, and the performance effect is very good, and your peers have also given high praise...... So, I discussed it with the company that was hosting the show...... It was decided to hold Xiao Ai's first small concert in the mainland here...... I came to you this time to talk to you about the specifics of cooperation......"

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