Liu Jun entered the customs smoothly and went straight to the exit without distraction. His father was waiting for him in his hospital bed, he had already spent so much time on the formalities and the flight back that he had to race against the clock to get back to his hometown, which he had been away from for six years. He silently recited his aunt's instructions in his heart: domestic construction is changing with each passing day, don't be afraid, when you go out of the airport to find a taxi, you must find a yellow Johnson & Johnson or a green Volkswagen, and negotiate the price like this......

Liu Jun has a dark complexion, a sturdy body, and quick movements, and his only luggage is a bulging backpack that looks more like a traveler.

Stumbling through a small path let by the greeter, Liu Jun heard a somewhat hesitant voice, "Liu Jun? Is it Liu Jun? Liu Jun followed the voice and saw that the person who called him was a young man of medium stature, with a pair of black thin-rimmed glasses on his fair face. Liu Jun couldn't remember for a while that he knew such an elegant and dashing acquaintance in China, and his friends, in his mother's words, were all savages. "I am, may I ask you ......"

"I'm Qian Hongming." Qian Hongming didn't say a word of nonsense, only stretched out his hand to make a "please" gesture. But he didn't forget to capture the complicated look in Liu Jun's eyes, he came here today with a complicated heart, and he didn't know how to face Liu Jun, so it was better to have more than one sentence and one less sentence, so as not to change everything.

Liu Jun was dumbfounded, almost couldn't believe his eyes, the person with outstanding temperament in front of him was really Qian Hongming, who was like a muddy potato back then? He tried to find out the familiar shadow of the past from the back that had led the way, but no, it seemed that even Qian Hongming's height and weight were very different from the past. But he clearly decided in his heart that this was Qian Hongming, the one who skipped grades together from elementary school, occupied the top five in the grade list together, upgraded key junior high schools and high schools together, lived in the school as bunk beds, used to be like brothers, and fought the last fight before going abroad, and threatened to break off each other. He couldn't even recognize Qian Hongming, or rather, Qian Hongming was changing with each passing day and was completely renewed. Six years, time flies.

Qian Hongming, who was walking in front, also looked tense, he should have been in business for many years, and he was good at dancing with long sleeves, but he faced Liu Jun who seemed strange today, especially when there were so many inexplicable pasts between the two, he had no confidence in his heart. But he took a deep breath, deliberately rushed to the front and kept taking a deep breath with Liu Jun on his back, seeing that he walked to an open place, he stopped abruptly, and tried his best to calm down: "I happened to be in Shanghai on a business trip today, guess you should be the ...... of this flight" As he spoke, he stretched out his right hand with difficulty. He waited to be rejected by Liu Jun, the pride of the sky and the hot-tempered Liu Jun.

Liu Jun's face trembled slightly, but he still reached out without hesitation and met Qian Hongming's hand, and six years later, the two held hands together again. "Thank you for coming to Shanghai to pick me up. How's my dad doing? ”

Qian Hongming looked at the two hands, one black and one white, which were like symbolizing the great unity of Asia and Africa, and coughed lightly to hide the embarrassment of being recognized by Liu Jun, "Your father has been rescued, and he is no big problem now, and it doesn't seem likely to affect his future life." The doctor said that it was the news of your return that sparked the patient's strong desire to survive. ”

Liu Jun's heart fell to the ground. He wanted to speak and stopped, knowing very well what it meant for Qian Hongming to understand the situation so well, and now it was him who took a deep breath. "Thank you...... I was relieved. ”

Qian Hongming glanced at it silently, and opened the Santana 2000 door with his withdrawn hand to avoid the topic. After settling his luggage, he said: "You have worked hard all the way, rest for a while, this road is still very long, but there is already a section of the highway, and you can get there at night." There are drinks and bread in the back seat, so if you are hungry, please take it yourself. ”

Liu Jun relied on his past understanding of Qian Hongming, and he believed that the bread in the back seat was by no means just there, just like Qian Hongming didn't just come to pick him up when he was on a business trip in Shanghai, all of which was Qian Hongming's consistent finesse. But he will no longer debunk it as giggling as he did in the past, the past means history, and history cannot be replicated. Moreover, there are so many pasts that he is unwilling to face and uncover.

Outside the car window, there is a colorful Shanghai. "Hongming, what are you doing, are you married?"

"I got married, I got married last year, and I was a college classmate. I've been working in an import and export company since I graduated. What about you? Have you ever been your dream engineer? Qian Hongming took out his business card with one hand and handed it over.

"I have a girlfriend, a native German, beautiful and sexy. I'm living my dream since I was a kid and I'm now a SeniorEngineer. German boys have been playing with hammers since childhood, but fortunately, I have used the metalworking workshop as a game hall since I was a child, and I did not embarrass the Chinese. Have your imports and exports been affected by the financial turmoil? Liu Jun looked at Qian Hongming's business card and saw that it was written as the manager of the second export department of the Machinery Import and Export Company, "Ah, you lost your computer major?" ”

Qian Hongming felt Liu Jun's pride and straightforwardness as always, and at the same time depressed Liu Jun didn't mention his hard-won manager title and the special car he drove. He said duplicitously: "Yes, in front of livelihood, anything can be ......" He suddenly realized that he couldn't say this, especially not in front of Liu Jun, he swallowed the word "abandonment", "Heh, our company mainly exports to Europe and the United States, and the market over there has almost no big impact." I've heard that the phenomenon of glass ceilings (1) in Europe is very serious, and it looks like you're mixing better than you think. But will it be affected when you move up to a management position? ”

"I just need to do my technology well, manage my team, and don't need to think about the glass ceiling. Or maybe I'm not qualified. ”

The two spoke cautiously all the way, trying not to touch the scar that lay in the middle, and there was no more presumptuousness when they were children. Liu Jun was still curious at the beginning of the thriving along the road, but after a while, he got tired, the worries and fatigue of the journey, the good news of his father's recovery, and Qian Hongming's smooth driving, he began to seem to wake up. But in his consciousness, he was excited to return to China for the first time in six years, excited to see so many Oriental faces when he came out, and excited that the first acquaintance he met was Qian Hongming. He put down the car chair and lay quietly with his chest hugged, but his head began to flash back to the past fragments one by one, he thought he had forgotten well, but he didn't expect the picture to be so clear.

Qian Hongming looked at Liu Jun, who was quiet, as if he could hear Liu Jun's even breathing. He couldn't help but whisper to himself: "You are finally mature." He looked at his hands on the pitch-black steering wheel, which were well-maintained, with clean and fair skin and ruddy and shiny nails, and were obviously not the hands of working people. On the other hand, Liu Jun's, Qian Hongming deliberately observed carefully when he stopped and waited, and the hands that claimed to play the piano looked so rough, and even the bones were thick. He smiled, what if he gave up his major, he also gave up on escorting graduate students, but he earned back the world that was completely his own. He quickly stood out to increase the export business, quickly established himself in the company, quickly jumped from the company dormitory to the luxuriously renovated three-bedroom apartment, quickly owned his own car and changed from Xiali to the newly listed Santana 2000, he made his girlfriend look up to him with reverence for many years, so that she followed him to the coast without regrets, until he turned her into his wife. He didn't care if Liu Jun didn't know him today, he liked it instead, which showed that he had been reborn. What could be more revealing than not seeing an old brother for six years?

Qian Hongming's heart is singing. But he didn't take his pride lightly, he carefully raised the temperature in some of the carriages, so as not to catch a cold with the grinning Liu Jun. Liu Jun is now a senior engineer in a German company with a well-developed manufacturing industry? Qian Hongming calculated the time it takes to graduate from graduate school and promote to higher engineering in China, he didn't know what the German engineer assessment system was, it should be stricter. It seems that Liu Jun is also very good at working hard in Germany alone, and he deserves this good head. Although the two of them had sworn to break off their righteousness from now on, they were both children at that time, and they couldn't count. Qian Hongming saw his heart very clearly, and he was deeply proud of his old friends. Today, he drove five hours to Shanghai Airport to meet Liu Jun, seemingly forced by his sister, but in fact, why wasn't it half of his push? Looking at the way they met today, Liu Jun is no longer incompatible with him, it is Liu Jun who is mature. No matter what the reason is, and no matter what Liu Jun thinks in his heart, he hopes that the two will resume diplomatic relations, even if it is only on face. He owes no one in this world, only his sister and Liu Jun. He hoped that he would have the opportunity to repay his guilt, and he would do what he said, that he was no longer the little boy who had nothing in the past, that he was now a man who stood up to the sky.

It's just that do you need to say the apology from six years ago? This is a choice that Qian Hongming can't make no matter how deep he breathes. He thought about it and thought that he was lucky to think that he took the initiative to come to Shanghai to pick up Liu Jun now, which should be enough to explain an attitude, with the deep friendship between the two in the past, Liu Jun should understand what he meant.

But although Qian Hongming thought so, he couldn't let go of it in his heart, and he was entangled all the way. When he arrived at the highway intersection, he carefully came down to check the condition of the car, and just sat back in the driver's seat, he heard Liu Jun next to him ask him: "Hongming, you just said it again, I didn't hear it clearly." Qian Hongming was confused when he was asked, and when he saw Liu Jun's sleepy eyes, he knew it in his heart, and said with a smile: "Dream of me? Am I the same as I was in your dreams? ”

Liu Jun blinked his eyes suspiciously, and thought for a long time before he smiled: "I dreamed of apologizing to you, but I couldn't hear what you answered me, I was in a hurry." This apology has been buried in my heart for three years, and I can't help but say it. Liu Jun said and sat up straight, putting on a serious face, "Hongming, forgive me for years before I realized that it had nothing to do with you, you are innocent, I shouldn't have fought with you for this." I apologize to you. ”

Qian Hongming couldn't imagine that the biggest victim, Liu Jun, would apologize first, he was stunned, and it took a long time to come back to his senses: "You're right, you don't need to apologize." It's me who shouldn't ......" Liu Jun made a gesture to interrupt Qian Hongming and said, Qian Hongming was also difficult to talk about the past, so he changed the topic, "Then can you stop six years of self-exile and return to China?" ”

"I'm not banished, you see, I'm doing well. You're still so thoughtful, Hongming, will we still be good friends? ”

Qian Hongming didn't expect this knot to be untied so easily, he couldn't help but smile, "How could it be?" I know that when you come back, there is nothing else in your heart but joy. ”

The four hands were clasped tightly together.

Liu Jun no longer sleeps, and the two talk all the way, rushing to talk about their current life, as if there are no barriers in the middle of the six years. Arriving downstairs where Liu Jun's father was hospitalized, Qian Hongming couldn't help but put away his elation: "Liu Jun, I won't accompany you up." ”

Liu Jun understood, and after saying goodbye, he went upstairs with his bag alone. Not to mention that Qian Hongming didn't want to see his father, he himself left his hometown with deep contempt and hatred, if it wasn't for his father being hospitalized for a stroke, he would say that he would not come back. But blood is so magical, he received a call from his aunt, he was more anxious than anyone else, at that time he was gnawing on chicken wings, eager to put the pile of chicken wings behind his back, and fly home. And now, he couldn't wait for the elevator, so he rushed up to the seventh floor and appeared at the door of the ward out of breath. Seeing his father sitting on the bed and his aunt who was busy with something, Liu Jun felt inexplicably relaxed in his heart: there was no one else.

Liu Jun hugged his aunt who rushed up, he turned his head to look, his father didn't seem to be old, but he had gained a lot of weight, his face was smoother than in his memory, and he couldn't see that he was sick, if he wasn't sitting on the hospital bed, he was almost no different from ordinary people. So, Liu Jun hesitated in the face of his father's usual loud greeting and his father's eagerly outstretched hand. Seeing this, the aunt quietly withdrew and helped the two of them cover the door.

Liu Shitang withdrew his hand casually, still smiling. "Ah Jun, Dad didn't know when you came, and he didn't send a car to pick you up, making you work hard all the way. Actually, you don't have to, you see, Dad didn't have anything to do, and the doctor told me to get out of bed tomorrow and try to walk. Come, drink Coke, even your aunt remembers that you love to drink Pepsi, you can get it yourself. There are also persimmons, bean halva, mung bean cake ......"

Liu Jun's heart was full of turbulence, but he couldn't stop his father's surging care, especially his father's casualness, which made him unable not to express it, he simply moved a square stool to sit at the head of his father's bed, grabbed a bottle of Coke and opened it, and poured two mouthfuls before saying: "Hongming went to pick me up, he is still so thoughtful." After listening to his introduction to your condition, I was relieved. ”

Liu Shitang only looked at his healthy and strong baby son, and said nonchalantly: "Qian Hongying is on the road." ”

Liu Jun figured out the tolerance of his father's body before he said: "Dad, being rich is not everything, can you learn to respect others and truly love others." ”

"This matter has passed, I support their Qian family, Qian Hongming shouldn't arrest you again today. Ah Jun, dad is only sorry for your mother and you. ”

"Hongming didn't complain, he's not that kind of person."

"Who is he, he has more eyes than you, otherwise he wouldn't call you a brother and sister, and at the same time use the money in my hand to go to school. I don't owe them the Qian family, Qian Hongying is better than anyone else. ”

"Dad, but life is not just a transaction, some things need to be treated with the benefit of giving up."

"Stupid words, if there is no interest to open the way, you can't go anywhere. In this world, I only talk to you about interests, what is mine is yours, and I will not ask you to take yours. ”

"And what about Mom? You are the main culprit who drove your mother to death, Qian Hongying was only in his twenties at that time, and you were the main responsible. What benefits can you give in exchange for your mother's life? You didn't respect your mother before, and now you don't respect Qian Hongying! ”

Liu Shitang had thousands of reasons, but looking at his excited son, he did not hesitate to swallow all the reasons back into his stomach. "I'm most sorry for you and your mom. I often think of your mother, especially when I was sick this time, if your mother was there......" He put the body that was sitting eagerly on the pillow against his son, and sighed, "Ah Jun, do you see that Dad is old." ”

Seeing that his father suddenly became weak, Liu Jun suddenly lost all his will, and leaned over to grab his father's hand with concern and check his father's pulse. "Dad is not old, and the little stroke has not knocked Dad down."

Liu Shitang liked it with all his heart, but he didn't dare to make a mistake, "It's old, you can't see it." Now my father will especially think of the old days, thinking about the dormitory bungalow we used to live in, wanting to take you to swim in the summer, thinking about your mother squatting by the river to wash clothes and monitor me not to bully you, thinking that you can learn everything faster than others, and you don't even need me to teach you to swim, and you haven't choked on water when you go into the water. I often can't sleep at night, and it's still you who dream when I fall asleep. Ah Jun, do you miss your father in Germany? ”

Liu Jun lowered his head, he hated his father in Germany, how could he miss him. But he didn't want to lie.

Liu Shitang didn't care, he came back as soon as his son was sick, and he was satisfied. "Dad's physical strength is not as good as before. Since the beginning of last year, the market has been bad, the export list has been falling down, I am worried every day, today I am worried that the salary can not be paid, tomorrow I am worried that the payment can not be recovered, and the day after tomorrow I am worried that there is no rice in the pot, and I am worried to death. No, the tax came to me again, saying that if I have no profit this month, I will cancel my general taxpayer qualification, no matter how good things are said, your father only has his eyes rolled and went to the hospital. This old bone is not beaten. But how can a factory become a small-scale taxpayer, doesn't that mean I die? In the past few days, the accountant has done a good job of the annual report, and I am not at ease when I am lying on the hospital bed, and I dare not let the accountant submit the annual report. Sad, ......"

Liu Jun heard it in a fog, and basically knew that his father was in a hurry to fall, but he didn't understand what kind of large-scale and small-scale taxpayers were. "If it fails to meet the requirements, it will be converted to a small-scale taxpayer, and we will do a good job in the future, and then strive to do that large-scale."

"You don't know, being a small-scale taxpayer is tantamount to death. The prices in our industry are basically transparent, and the ex-factory prices of all products are generally calculated according to the 13% increase in the price of raw materials. Small-scale taxpayers don't care how much you cost or how much gross profit, I remember paying 3.0% per business. This knife is cut away, I only lose money and don't make money, what kind of factory do I open. ”

Liu Jun then understood a little, "The profits of the factory are so thin? "He couldn't believe his ears, it was the first time he had heard that finished products were priced according to raw materials, and it was unbelievable that he ignored the different process procedures that should be used for various processing." If I understand correctly, that is, screws and nuts, no matter what the process, as long as the material is the same, the material is the same, the factory is a price? ”

"Yes, if you make screws and nuts, you won't be able to work, and that thing will be sold by the pound now."

Liu Jun, who has always been in contact with cutting-edge electromechanical research and development, was dumbfounded, and finally said cautiously: "Dad, I have a good income now, if the factory is so difficult, it is better to let it go bankrupt, you go to Germany with me......"

But before Liu Jun finished speaking, he saw his father's face change greatly, and his eyes rolled again. He panicked and hurriedly rushed out to call the doctor.

While waiting outside the emergency room, my aunt and Liu Jun were so worried that their faces were pale, especially Liu Jun, who felt that kind of panic from the bottom of her heart for the second time in her life, the first time was when she heard her mother jump into the river. He has nowhere to put his hands and feet, he can't stand steadily, he can't sit still, he will only stare at his aunt stupidly, listening to his aunt's almost nervous repeated nagging words, "The factory is your father's lifeblood." The factory is your father's lifeblood......"

After a while, a gray-haired, tall, but thin woman came over and pulled her aunt to sit down against the wall. After being appeased for a while, my aunt calmed down a little and told Liu Jun that this was Aunt Fu, who used to work as a substitute teacher in the countryside with Liu Jun's mother, and later Liu Jun's mother was transferred back to the city, but Aunt Fu never came up, and now she is the nanny of the Liu family. Even though Liu Jun's mind is almost blank, she still feels kind when she looks at this Aunt Fu who has a relationship with her mother, especially Aunt Fu's words are correct and round, which is consistent with her mother who was also a teacher in the past. Aunt Fu simply said a polite word and asked him to sit down, and he sat down obediently.