Xiao Ai and I sat on the stone bench in the courtyard, I lit a cigarette, my emotions continued to ferment in the smell of smoke, I didn't open my mouth, there was already a warm feeling in my eyes, I sniffed, controlled the sourness, and took another puff of cigarette, and Xiao Ai sat beside me in a very quiet state for the first time and waited patiently.

The sunset has gradually sunk, and everything in the courtyard has begun to show its old state again, just like the old things that have been sealed for a long time, I finally said to Xiao Ai beside me: "I'm not a person who is too good at storytelling, so let's pick the key points." ”

Xiao Ai nodded.

"I have two playmates who grew up together in the alley, one is named Zhao Chu and the other is Zhao Mu, and they are brothers. My life is not very good, my parents divorced when I was 8 years old, my mother did not know where to go, my father took me for a few years, then left me alone in Nanjing, and went to Shenzhen to work, so I almost grew up eating hundreds of meals, but the best for me in this lane is still Zhao Chu Zhao Mu and their family. Since childhood, the three of us brothers have gone to school together and learned the principles of being human beings together...... I thought: If it weren't for their company, as well as the education of Uncle Zhao and Aunt Li, I would have gone astray all these years......"

I choked up a little and reluctantly took a deep puff of my cigarette.

"And then?"

"Later, we went to high school together, but in the second year of high school, Uncle Zhao and Aunt Li ...... When they were fishing in the river, they unfortunately encountered a strong wind and waves, the boat capsized, and neither of them could come up, and Zhao Chu and Zhao Mu suddenly became orphans......! ”

Speaking of which, I can't say any more, because two kind faces that have left forever flashed in my brain, making my heart ache, I smoked desperately, and waited for my mood to stabilize a little, and finally said: "At that time, no matter how heavy the rain was, it was Aunt Li who went to school to pick us up, she would always prepare three umbrellas, and never left me behind, they were not wealthy, but every year during the Chinese New Year, I and Zhao Chu and Zhao Mu would wear the same new clothes, They have never been favored by them...... I think they have played the role of parents in my upbringing, but I don't have the opportunity to repay them, the only thing I can do is to treat Zhao Chu and Zhao Mu as the most close brothers......"

Xiao Ai sighed softly and said to me for a long time: "If you want to smoke, just smoke another one, I can understand your feelings." ”

I lit a cigarette again, choked up and said: "My grades and Zhao Chu's grades are not too good, but Zhao Mu is an honor student, and only he can be admitted to a good university among the three of us, so Zhao Chu chose to drop out of school in his sophomore year of high school in order to let him continue to study, and then went to Suzhou to learn sheet metal craftsmanship, and did not return to Nanjing until the Chinese New Year, do you know how hard it is to do sheet metal?" ”

Xiao Ai shook his head.

"I remember clearly: Zhao Chu came back in the winter of the year, his hands were covered with chilblains, many places have ulcers, and his face is full of cracks blown out by the wind, but he himself doesn't care about these at all, and on the first day he came back, he took me and Zhao Mu to the street, saying that he wanted to buy us clothes, and he told us happily: In the past six months, he saved 5,000 yuan, and finally he bought Zhao Mu a business suit, hoping that Zhao Mu would become a business elite, and bought me a leather jacket, he didn't give me high hopes, I just think I'm handsome and energetic in a leather jacket like this...... The leather jacket cost him more than a thousand dollars, but he didn't feel distressed at all! ”

"I'm sorry...... I didn't know this leather jacket would have such a story, but it wouldn't make you lose your temper with me, would it? ”

"You know what? …… This is the last piece of clothing that Zhao Chu gave me in his life...... The following year, when he went to Suzhou, he ...... There was an accident...... A tanker truck converted from their sheet metal store exploded, and he was so close that he couldn't escape it...... He was only 18 years old when he left this world, only 18 years old! At this point, I finally shook my head and cried bitterly in a state of extreme grief.

Xiao Ai was silent in my crying, and finally there were tears in his eyes, this fate was too cruel to Zhao Chu's family, so I was afraid to talk about this past all these years, but I would think of Zhao Chu's childish face in the dead of night, now that Zhao Mu and I are adults, he will always leave us the memory of the year when he was 18 years old, let us feel sorry for him and pain for him......

The courtyard had been quiet for a long time, and after the sunset had left its last rays, I finally said goodbye to the world, and I gradually calmed down, but my fingertips were still trembling slightly as I pinched the cigarette......

Xiao Ai finally asked me softly again, "Later, did you get the compensation?" ”

"Later, the store closed down, and the boss ran away for several years, and although he was arrested the year before last, he had no financial ability to repay it...... Therefore, in the second semester of my sophomore year of high school, I also chose to drop out of school and started to work as a handyman for Zhao Mu to continue his studies...... Finally, God has not made us completely desperate, Zhao Mu is very competitive, he was admitted to Tsinghua University with the best grades in the school, and is now studying for graduate school, maybe he will stay in Beijing in the future to develop, but I absolutely believe that he has the ability to create his own career in Beijing, and then give his brother the most satisfactory answer. ”

Xiao Ai nodded, and said after a long time: "But don't you regret it?" After all, you and Zhao Mu are not blood brothers, but you have worked hard for him for so many years, and you have lost the opportunity to go to college because of this. ”

I replied without hesitation: "I don't regret it at all, on the contrary, it is the most correct choice I have made in my life!" …… You don't know the relationship between us, Zhao Chu and Zhao Mu are children without parents, I also grew up alone, sometimes I really feel that this world is lonely and only the three of us are outcasts, so after Zhao Chu leaves, I am Zhao Mu's only relative, I have the responsibility to take on his future, not to mention that he is much better than me, and he is more capable of grasping the same opportunity...... Tsinghua University, a top university that many people can hope for, but he was successfully admitted to ...... He is the greatest pride of me and Zhao Chu! ”

Thinking of Zhao Mu, my mood is finally better. Over the years, the reason why I have worked hard in Lao Jin's wedding company is because of such a belief to support me, and now Zhao Mu has some financial ability, and I should really think about myself, because my academic qualifications have seriously affected my own career development.

"Ehashi, give me that jacket, I'll find a way to restore it to its original appearance."

"No need, I want to open it these days, as long as this jacket is still there, the thoughts left by Zhao Chu are still there, and I don't have to wear it on my body...... It's just that I can't figure it out, why don't you pick so many clothes, but choose this jacket? ”

She looked at me apologetically, and then replied, "Only this brand of clothing is the most valuable in your cabinet, so ...... I'm sorry Jiangqiao, I really didn't mean to!

"You don't have to apologize to me anymore, I have forgiven you in my heart...... This is your student ID, you take it. I said as I took her student ID from my pocket and handed it to her.

She took my student ID from my hand, then looked at the cake I had placed on the floor and asked, "Is it your birthday?" ”

"Well," I replied, and then remembered Chen Yi in my heart, she promised me that she would personally call me today to say "Happy Birthday", but until now she has not fulfilled this promise.

Xiao Ai said to me kindly: "Seeing that you are so lonely, I invite you to dinner, you can choose the entire restaurant in Nanjing, and I apologize to you for my recklessness." ”

"I choose the hotel in Nanjing! Are you rich? ”

"I don't have any money, but it's okay to come to such an impulse consumption once in a while, so you just say you don't want to go, right?"

"I really want to go, but yesterday I already bought the food I want to eat tonight, and I have beer and everything."

Xiao Ai looked around at this small courtyard, then nodded and replied: "It's not bad to set up a table in your small courtyard and eat casually, this can make people calm down and eat." ”

My emotions have not completely calmed down, and I really want to drink, so I said to her: "What I lack today is a person who drinks with me, not a person who eats, if you don't drink with me, I think: I may turn my face and drive you away." ”

"Why don't you just drink, little meaning."

Her non-nonsense appearance made me smile, she was the only woman who would accompany me to drink in this small courtyard, and Chen Yi didn't like the taste of beer, so I was used to venting my emotions after drinking, and I never chose to say some pain in front of her, I was always worried about letting her see a negative and lonely self, but in fact I was a very lonely person.

At this time, the mobile phone finally vibrated in my hand, I picked it up and looked at it, it was Zhao Mu sent me WeChat: "Brother Qiao, happy birthday, I bought you a gift, but the express delivery was delayed, and I regret that I couldn't let you receive it today!" ”

I smiled and immediately sent him a message back: "Little thing, if you can remember my brother's birthday, my brother is very happy." ”

"Haha, I know that you are an informal person, and as for your birthday, I will definitely not forget it...... By the way, can you take me a few photos of our alley, I'm going to make a screensaver for my phone, I haven't been back for a long time, I really want to! ”

"No problem, you can wait a while."

After replying, I took my mobile phone and walked outside the courtyard, looking for the best shooting angle, suddenly a flash of inspiration, I remembered the scenery I saw when I stood on the courtyard wall that day, and thought that there should be no better angle than there, even if I was preparing to climb along the pile of debris to the courtyard wall, but I didn't want Xiao Ai to follow me all the time, and asked me: "Jiangqiao, which tendon are you wrong!" The door is open, what are you doing climbing the courtyard wall? ”

As I climbed, I replied: "Take a few photos of the alley for Zhao Mu and send them over, the angle here is the best." ”

"Then I'll go up too, I'll help you shoot, women's skills in this area must be stronger than men!" As she spoke, she caught up with me and climbed up the clutter pile. Then, the two of us staggered to the narrow courtyard wall, I was afraid that she would fall, so I subconsciously took her hand and tried to maintain balance with her......

"Why are you holding my hand?"

"I'm afraid you'll fall, I've never seen such an restless girl like you."

"Come on, I won't fall if you fall, don't take advantage of me!" Xiao Ai was about to withdraw her hand from my hand as she spoke, but the next moment, Chen Yi walked out of the corner in my unpreparedness, she stopped 10 meters away from us, and then looked at Xiao Ai who was holding hands with me......

She rushed back from Qingdao overnight!