As I walked down the tulip road at dusk with the blue guitar on my back, I saw the familiar vendors occupying both sides of the road, busy for their livelihoods.

I didn't expect to find a short-term rental today, so I booked a room at a hotel down the street. After putting all my luggage away, I walked down the street again with only my wallet. I went to Lao Wang's wonton stall to eat a bowl of wontons, went to the convenience store and bought two cooked corn and a pack of Nanjing cigarettes, and then sat down on the bench at the door......

I hadn't walked far before this, but I could still see the foundation of the five-star wedding hotel. And the place where the old alley used to be located has also broken ground according to the plan to build a new community known as a high-tech residence.

Only the streets are still the same as before, and every evening is bustling with activity, and everywhere there are dirty children playing with their parents and crying.

At this time, I lit a cigarette and smoked it while looking at the carved sign in front of the barber shop opposite, which was dyed golden by the setting sun.

A moment later, a white Cadillac XTS stopped beside me, and when the window opened, I saw Feng Yuan, whom I hadn't seen for a long time. When Xiao Ai and I opened a piano shop, as a music teacher in a foreign Chinese primary school, she introduced her students to us. More importantly, she and Xiao Ai have a sympathy in the field of music, so they are also very good friends.

But looking at her, I almost fell into the whirlpool of memories again.

To my surprise, the person who got out of the car first turned out to be Xiaofang, a child with a slight autism, but before she came to my side, she happily shouted to me: "Boss Jiang, Boss Jiang, you are back." ”

I snuffed out the cigarette in my hand, then smiled and said to her, "yes, it's been a long time, how are you studying lately?" ”

Xiao Fang put down her schoolbag, and then groped inside, she finally found out a few award certificates, handed them to me and said: "Boss Jiang, look, these are the award certificates I got this semester, I have them all in my schoolbag, and when I see Teacher Xiao Ai, I can show them to her immediately." ”

My heart was sour, but I still opened the award certificates one by one, and gradually seemed to look back and see those Xiao Ai who worked hard for Xiaofang to win the award in the "Xinghai Cup", and she devoted almost all her efforts to Xiaofang, a child. At this moment, looking at these results, how can I not have mixed feelings in my heart?

Xiao Fang kept looking at me with an expectant look, and she asked again: "Boss Jiang, Teacher Xiao Ai is your girlfriend, so you must know when she will come back, right?" ”

I really wanted to weave a beautiful lie to this child, but in the end I chose to be honest, I touched her hair and whispered to her: "Xiaofang, Teacher Xiao Ai, she is married, but she is not Boss Hejiang, but this does not mean that she is unhappy!" …… Like you, I have been waiting to see her again one day, and because of this waiting, I have always believed that she will definitely come back...... Xiaofang, can you understand what I'm saying? ”

Xiao Fang looked at me as if she didn't understand......

At this time, Feng Yuan walked up to me, lowered her voice and asked me: "Jiang Qiao, you're not joking, Xiao Ai really loves you, everyone can see it, how could you marry someone else?" ”

I was silent for a long time before I replied, "I don't know...... Some things may be much more complicated than what I can see in front of my eyes. ”

"Hmm...... It's a pity! ”

I didn't want to stay on this sad topic, so I changed the subject and asked her, "Xiaofang's family is okay?" ”

Feng Yuan shook her head and replied, "It's still the same, but I have more time lately, and I can devote some of my energy to take care of her, and her lessons in learning musical instruments have basically not stopped." ”

"Well, meeting you and Xiao Ai is the greatest luck in this child's life, I hope she can make achievements in the field of music in the future, and your ......cultivation will not be in vain," I said, taking out two thousand yuan in cash from my wallet, and then handed it to Feng Yuan, and said to her: "You can use this money to buy some New Year's clothes and school supplies for this child." ”

Feng Yuan excused herself: "No, I will prepare these for her." ”

I forcibly stuffed the money into her hand, looked at Xiao Fang, who was standing silent, and said again: "You buy it for her or I buy it for her, it doesn't really make a difference...... In the future, I will spend less and less time in Nanjing, please take care of this child, and that's all I can do. ”

Feng Yuan hesitated for a moment, finally accepted the money, and then sighed softly: "Jiang Qiao, I don't know why, I feel very sad when I hear you say these words." In fact, Xiao Fang, the child, is the closest to Xiao Ai...... Because Xiao Ai really poured too much effort into her. ”

My heart felt twisted again, but I just replied to Feng Yuan: "Each has its own life, each has its own choice, don't talk about this." ”

Feng Yuan nodded, I put my wallet back in my pocket, and after a while, I took out my mobile phone again, took photos of Xiao Fang's award certificates, and then said to Xiao Fang: "If in the future, Boss Jiang can see Teacher Xiao Ai before you, and show her these photos, she will definitely be very happy." ”

"Then you must remember to show her, and tell her that I will go to Teacher Feng Yuan's house every day to practice, and I have never been lazy for a day."

I forced a smile and touched her head, which I kind of agreed to.

After chatting a few more words, Feng Yuan took Xiaofang and walked towards her car, and I looked at the thin coat that Xiao Ai had bought for her, and my heart felt like I had been pricked by a needle...... Why doesn't she want me?

……

Before the night came, I received a call from Jin Qiu, who asked me to go to her house for dinner, and said that I would accompany her and Yang Qu to the mall after dinner.

I thought it was troublesome, so I refused. For me, all I needed for the night was a bowl of instant noodles and a stroll along the tulip road.

At about half past seven, she still came to me in the golden autumn. When she got out of the car, she was carrying a large metal insulated box.

She handed me the thermos box and said, "My mom said you like to eat her steamed sausages the most, let me bring you some...... There are a few other things that you like to eat. ”

I took it from Jin Qiu's hand, and she sat with me on a bench on the side of the street. While none of us had spoken, she tucked up her long purple coat, lit a lady's cigarette and smoked it down......

I asked her while eating, "What about Yang Qu, didn't you say that you wanted to go to the mall together?" ”

"She's gone to Nanyi's bar."

"Nanyi! What is she doing over there? ”

Jin Qiu smiled and replied: "Art has no borders, it's normal for a student of Shanghai Theater Academy to have a few friends at Nanjing University of the Arts, right?" I think what surprises you is not where Yang Qu went, but the place of Nanyi...... After all, you and Xiao Ai have a lot of memories there. ”

I didn't have words, because I didn't want to think of the woman who made me very sad everywhere as soon as I returned to Nanjing.

Jin Qiu said again: "Otherwise, when you finish eating, let's go to the bar over there in Nanyi to sit down, and finally have a long holiday for the New Year, and it's time to relax yourself." ”

"No, no."

In the face of my refusal, Jin Qiu replied unhurriedly: "Yang Qu is your sister, she is not familiar with the place in Nanjing, and the current students are worse than the other, so you are not worried at all?" ”

I put down the insulated box in my hand, glared and said, "If you kidnap me in this way again, I will turn my face!" ”

"Hehe, flip it...... The more you turn your face, the more sure I am that you eat this set. ”

I stared at her for a while, and replied very seriously: "Jin Qiu, I don't think it's a good thing to know someone too well, what do you think?" ”

"I don't know you too much, right?" Smiling, she said again: "I'm not kidding you...... In fact, Yang Qu went to Nanyi because there were a few students from good families there, and they learned about the dream tree on the Internet, so they also wanted to make something related to dreams in the dream tree. It happened that Yang Qu came to Nanjing this time, so he volunteered to go over and talk to them...... Hehe, students who engage in art are very fond of similar dreams and beliefs. ”

I looked at Jin Qiu in disbelief. She patted me on the shoulder and said with a smile: "Jiang Qiao, do you feel that you are getting closer and closer to success?" I've calculated that if the dream tree can recreate a few unique landscapes, then the plan to build a wedding photography base will be successful...... At most, we will have harvest season until next autumn. ”

"It's all your credit."

"No, it's your credit, and the decisive factor in the realization of this business idea is because you have unearthed the value of that land. Otherwise, even if I was given 100 million, it would be impossible to do this project in Shanghai...... The land in Shanghai is too precious! ”

I glanced at Jin Qiu and replied, "I think the happiest thing that made me feel after returning to Nanjing was not eating a bowl of wontons on Tulip Road, but that you Jin Qiu could accompany me to praise each other...... I'm really feeling pretty good, God knows how long I've been aggrieved! ”

"Then come with me, I believe that when you go to Nanyi's side later, there will be more people who praise you...... Actually, everyone is waiting for you to talk about the dream tree, beer and cigarettes! ”

Since Jin Qiu was in such a good mood, I didn't resist going to Nanyi, and after I put the last piece of sausage in the dish in my mouth, I took the car keys from Jin Qiu's hand, and then drove her in the direction of Nanyi......

...