February 4, 2009, Lichun.

Lin Nian, who walked out of the Municipal Children's Palace, carried a thick stack of money in his arms, and inexplicably felt that this year's spring came earlier than in previous years.

Earlier, when the little girl at the front desk counted the money to Lin Nian, he thought that the other party had taken too much, and after confirming it again and again, it was indeed so much, the part-time salary of 2,000 yuan, put it in a thick pile in his hand, which made people want to sing the song "Where is the Spring" that the music teacher has been teaching since elementary school.

Winter goes to spring and comes again, Lin Nian, the second year of high school, will turn seventeen at the age of sixteen.

He grew up in an orphanage, recognized a godsister in the orphanage, and moved out of the orphanage to live with him when he became an adult. For several years, the two siblings have relied on each other for their lives, and most of them are financially constrained, so he never let go of any opportunity to work illegally.

Lin Nian walked on the street and exhaled a white mist in his mouth, according to the current price of the world, although the two thousand yuan he earned this time is not much, it is definitely not a little, and his sister's monthly salary is only about 1,000, for a student who is still in the second year of high school, being able to earn 2,000 by himself can already be regarded as attracting the attention of others.

The coach gave himself the remuneration for the regular exhibition match, which Lin Nian knew, the appearance fee of two thousand yuan This specification and treatment in the industry can not be won without a three-board axe, he Lin Nian let alone a three-plate axe, the kendo rank has not been tested, and the two thousand are not performance fees, but favor fees.

For Lin Nian, the coach has always been interesting enough, probably just like the coach said, he has talent, so he has a heart of love, but it may also be one-sided sympathy.

The coach belongs to the capable people, who can open a training class in the city children's palace is not capable, kendo training is 5,000 yuan per person, 20 people per class, and this year alone, the coach has brought five classes.

Lin Nian had worked as a small worker in the Children's Palace a few days ago, and his interest was to touch the bamboo sword a few times, and he was seen by the coach that he had a talent and had a ride, so he took a class with him, and now he can achieve a little and rely on the coach's love.

The coach also asked Lin Nian if he wanted to go to him to develop, but Lin Nian refused, because his sister wanted him to take the university entrance examination, so the coach stopped mentioning this matter after that.

Every family has a scripture that is difficult to read, and the scriptures in his Lin Nian family are particularly difficult to read.

Out of the entrance of the Children's Palace is the bus stop, all the way to the subway station Line 2 to Line 3, sit at the terminal station out of the subway and then take the bus.

Lin Nian's family lives in the suburbs of this coastal city by the inland, and there is no so-called community property system in the old housing area, and there are some old houses in rows on the large vacant land, with seven or eight floors high, and four or five floors low, and some houses with mottled walls. There are also some owners who have a good face and have redecorated and pasted bricks, and the store has been rented out into a morning shop or hot pot restaurant, and the street is full of people.

Lin Nian entered the old house area and went straight to his house - an old house with a spicy hot open on the façade of the ground floor, went around the alley to the back door and entered, all the way to the fifth floor and knocked on the door.

"Knock knock."

After knocking three times, Lin Nian was waiting in his hands in his pockets at the door, and after a while, a girl's voice sounded inside: "Who?" ”

"Me." He simply answered, and the door in front of him was opened.

Behind the door stood a girl of the old forest, wearing fluffy pajamas and hanging a kitchen apron, with a pink cotton slipper on the soles of her feet, and a spatula in her hand when she opened the door.

Her name is Lin Xian, and she is Lin Nian's sister.

Lin Xian saw Lin Nian splitting his head and covering his face and asked, "Where did you run early in the morning?" I don't leave a single note, and if you don't come back after noon, I'm going to go to the Internet café to arrest someone. ”

"I didn't go to an internet café." Lin Nian crossed the threshold to change his slippers and piggybacking on the door: "I went to the Children's Palace, and the coach asked me to play an exhibition match." ”

Lin Xian glanced at him and sniffled, he really didn't smell the smoke, then he turned around and ran back to the kitchen to work on the lunch in the pot and asked at the same time, "The instructor of the Musashi training class?" ”

"What other coach could it be?" Lin Nian lay on the sofa in the living room and turned his head to see his sister stir-frying in the kitchen: "This time I owe a favor again, and I gave two thousand for an exhibition match." ”

"Two thousand? So much. Lin Xian's voice raised slightly, but it quickly fell, muffled by the sound of oil in the pot.

"At least next month's rent is enough." Lin Nian took out the money in his pocket and put it on the table.

"Aunt Wang said that our rent will be lowered next month." Lin Xian, who stir-fried vegetables, said.

"How much?"

"Five hundred."

"Good thing." Lin Nian nodded: "Then keep these two thousand for the family." ”

"Besides, save it first, and I'll go to the bank in the afternoon." Lin Xian turned off the gas stove and put the stir-fry on the table: "Don't sit lazy, go scoop the rice." ”

"Oh." Lin Nian got up honestly and trotted to the rice cooker, filled two bowls of rice and sat down at the dining table.

"School is about to start, how are you preparing for the opening exam?" Lin Xian's chopsticks knocked on the table and looked at Lin Nian and asked.

"So-so." Lin Nian said perfunctorily.

"So-so? You were admitted to Shilan based on your grades, and if you miss the entrance exam, you may not be given preferential treatment for next year's tuition. Lin Xian glanced at Lin Nian with the meal: "You know the stakes in it." ”

"Well, I know, I'll read at night." Lin Nian sighed, put a piece of bacon into the bowl and asked, "Where did the bacon come from?" Did you go buy it? ”

"This morning, Dean Li in the orphanage sent condolences... Don't change the topic, it's not enough to read at night, not only tonight, until the 19th school starts, you have to help you tutor at home, anyway, the year is over, you should have played enough, it's time to pay attention. Lin Xian said while chewing slowly: "Don't follow that surnamed Lu out to the Internet all day long, the smoky environment in the Internet café is not good." ”

"He paid me for the internet and nutrition fast." Lin Nian said solemnly: "Are you willing to see your brother malnourished? ”

"If you don't go to the DVD store a few times to rent that mess, you won't be malnourished." Lin Xian put a chopstick leek into the bowl and said.

"Sss Lin Nian instantly felt a chill in his heart that the crotch cloth was being pumped on the street.

Lin Xian glanced at him a few times and didn't continue.

There was silence at the dinner table again.

After a while, Lin Xian suddenly said, "I changed jobs." ”

Lin Nian paused and said, "Cafe?" ”

"How do you know?"

"The coach said that his daughter had seen you over there in the high-tech zone." Lin Nian said: "Why did you quit your previous job in the office? ”

"It's not appropriate." Lin Xian, who bowed his head to eat, said.

Square peg? Sitting in the office is not suitable for anyone, as long as there is a butt to sit on, anyone can be suitable. Lin Nian thought, but after a moment he sighed again in his heart.

How could he not know why Lin Xian said that it was inappropriate, most likely he was harassed by the workplace again, counting the last time, this was the third time. A girl in her early 20s, who has just graduated from college, has no social experience, her family is not good, and her life is very good-looking, so she doesn't harass you and harasses anyone.

"It's a good thing, it's a good thing, just get a job." Lin Nian didn't show any expression on his face: "You didn't suffer a loss, did you?" ”

"What if you lose?" Lin Xian glanced up at Lin Nian after eating.

"Then I'm going to beat someone." Lin Nian said without hesitation: "At most, define a mutual assault, I will not leave any injuries if I start lightly, and I will be fined and detained for a few days at most." ”

"Then you'll have a criminal record." Lin Xian smiled bitterly and shook his head.

"Do you think I seem like someone who cares about this?" Lin Nian said with a smile.

"You should care." Lin Xian shrugged his shoulders and shook his head: "Besides, I didn't suffer a loss." ”

You won't tell me if you suffer a loss, Lin Nian took a bite of food and didn't speak.

"By the way, you went out this morning when Dean Li came, and she said she wanted to see you." Lin Xian raised his chopsticks and diverted the topic.

"Look at what I'm doing, I'm not missing arms or legs." Lin Nian didn't seem to be very interested in Dean Li in Lin Xian's mouth.

"It seems to be talking about the college entrance examination." Lin Xian's action paused for a moment: "Dean Li said that if you haven't volunteered yet, she can recommend you to study abroad." ”

"Studying abroad?" Lin Nian looked up suspiciously: "When did our orphanage have anything to do with foreign universities, if you want to say that there is friendship with foreign orphanages, I still believe it." ”

"Dean Li doesn't look like he's making fun of us." Lin Xian hesitated for a moment and said.

"But even if it's true, it's still too early, and I'm only in the second half of my sophomore year of high school." Lin Nian was a little puzzled: "And studying abroad requires financial guarantees, right?" ”

"Dean Li said she was willing to be a guarantor." Lin Xian picked up the bowl and put it down, as if he wanted to talk about it well: "It is said that she recommended a private university in the suburbs of Chicago. ”

"The United States? That's not even more nonsense, what kind of family conditions can afford to study in the United States. Lin Nian seemed uninterested: "And I have to take the TOEFL, it's so troublesome." ”

Speaking of this, Lin Xian simply said directly: "Dean Li said that the school is willing to give scholarships. ”

Lin Nian was silent, lowered his head and shaved two bowls of rice, thought for a while, and said, "Dean Li is not going to sell me to the Middle East to dig coal, right?" ”

"It's possible." For the first time, Lin Xian did not condemn Lin Nian's rebellious speech, but was seriously thinking about this possibility - now this situation does look quite conspiratorial.

The two sisters and brothers have worked hard to survive all these years and know a truth, the pies that fall in this world are all added with Ecstasy, just like the free cocktails given by passers-by in the bar are not free.

"Listening to Dean Li, the name of the school seems to be called Kasai... Kassel? Lin Xian thought about it and said, "Why don't you go to the Internet café in the afternoon to check if there is such a school." ”

"You can't even remember your name, so make an excuse to be perfunctory." Lin Nian shook his head and said, "By the way, I will talk to a few people who have connections from other orphanages, and let them keep a few eyes on Dean Li, there may be nothing in the current world." ”

"So what university are you going to go to, and do you have a direction?" Lin Xian nodded and asked.

"No direction." Lin Nian said: "I can't afford to study after the school exam, and I don't want to study if I don't want to study if I don't take the exam. ”

"The college entrance examination volunteers are filled in well, and there is always a way to do the tuition fee." Lin Xian knocked on the edge of the bowl: "Whether you can go up is a matter of ability, and whether you can afford it is an economic problem." ”

"In the past, Huaicai didn't meet the sea of sour literati who were starved to death, but in the end it was still an economic problem." Lin Nian said indifferently: "It doesn't matter what I do. ”

"You know what to do." After Lin Xian said this, he didn't say anything more.

She has always known the art of blank space in speech, but this art often makes her think a lot about the person at the table, and the more she thinks about it, the more uncomfortable it becomes, until she understands, and then gives in.

"Hmm." Lin Nian replied.

"After eating, I clean up by myself, I still have work in the afternoon, and I won't come back to eat in the evening." Lin Xian put down the dishes and chopsticks, took off his apron, walked into his room, closed the door and changed his clothes.

Lin Nian at the table held the chopsticks for a long time, and finally put them down, he suddenly had no appetite.

The wind blows in the hall outside the large open window in the living room, this year's cold spring came a little earlier, the room is full of coolness, straight to the bottom of people's hearts, and it seems that you can smell a unique astringency of this coastal city.

February 4, 2009, Lichun.

Lin Nian is 16 years old, Lin Xian is 20 years old, and they are both lonely, and they depend on each other in this coastal city.