At eleven o'clock in the evening, Han Ding and Luo Jingjing returned to Beijing. Beijing, even late at night, is brightly lit. The taxi they took entered the second ring road, which was as bright as day, and the second ring road was full of traffic, and the meteor-like lights showed the prosperity of the metropolis that never sleeps. Luo Jingjing stared out the window, looking at the high-end cars of different shapes driving past behind them one after another, silent. Han Ding can realize that the wealth and liveliness of Beijing are obviously incompatible with her mood at this time.

Maybe they have been in Pingling for too long, Pingling does not have such a brightly lit night scene, there is no such a bustling crowd, there are not so many limousines that race one by one.

They came out of the second ring road where the lights flowed, drove to Chongwen Gate, and drove to the entrance of the building complex of Han Ding's house, where they felt the tranquility of the night.

They got out of the car. Han Ding paid the fare, picked up the travel bag on the ground, and reached out to help Luo Jingjing carry her suitcase. Luo Jingjing, who had been silent all the way, finally spoke.

"Han Ding, can you lend me some money?"

"Okay, what's going on?"

"I want to ...... I want to go out and live alone for a while. ”

Han Ding was stunned, and he vaguely understood something for a long time, but he still asked calmly, "Where are you going to live?" ”

Luo Jingjing lowered her head: "I don't know, I want to go to Sanyuan Bridge Li Juan first......"

Han Ding thought for a moment and said, "That's it, you live here, and I'll go to live with my parents." ”

As he spoke, he still picked up Luo Jingjing's suitcase and wanted to go to the building, but Luo Jingjing didn't move, she called him behind her.

"Han Ding, I don't want to live here, I owe you too much, how can I drive you away and live here by myself? I wouldn't stay here. ”

Han Ding looked at her calmly, and he said, "What do you owe me?" ”

"I owe you so much that I can't pay it back. Can you forgive me? I'm so confused right now that I can't live with anyone else. I know I'm so sorry for you, but I'm really in turmoil, can you let me live alone for a while? I'll look for you again in the future, and I'll definitely thank you in the future. ”

Luo Jingjing burst into tears when she spoke, and Han Ding's eyes turned red. Luo Jingjing's words stretched the distance between them so far. But Han Ding's tears did not fall, and he said, "Jingjing, I don't need your thanks, and you don't owe me." Although you promised me before, you promised to marry me and live with me, but I have figured out all these things now, I will not force you, no, and you don't have to remember the promises you made to me. Long Xiaoyu made you forget him, I know you can't do it, if you can't do it, don't force yourself, don't force yourself, especially don't force yourself for me, then I'm not happy. I just want to ask you: Do you still consider me a friend? Can I still be your friend? Even if it's the same friend as Li Juan who lives in Sanyuanqiao, can I still do it? If you can, you can live with me first, and then slowly go out to find a house and a job, and I will help you find it, and then move out when you can support yourself, okay? Before you leave, I can stay with my parents or in the study. Or I live in the bedroom, you live in the study, you can do it. As long as we make each other clear, I won't force you anymore, just be an ordinary friend, no problem. ”

Luo Jingjing cried, she sobbed loudly, she said: "Han Ding, don't be like this, the more you are like this, the more uncomfortable I feel in my heart, I don't know what will happen to me in the future, I really want to forget Xiao Yu, but I just can't forget, you forgive me......"

Han Ding walked over, gently hugged Luo Jingjing in his arms, and said nothing, nothing more. It wasn't until she slowly calmed down that he whispered, "Let's go, let's go in." ”

He slung his travel bag cross-body, dragged Luo Jingjing's box with one hand, and took Luo Jingjing's hand with the other, and walked back to his home. This used to be the home he and Luo Jingjing shared. Not anymore.

Although he and Luo Jingjing were basically in different beds after Long Xiaoyu appeared, they clearly lived under the same roof in a separate way, and from this day on, it started when Long Xiaoyu was already destined not to appear among them. Luo Jingjing no longer cooks for him, and she no longer gets up early in the morning to buy fritters and soy milk, she doesn't seem to be in any mood, and often stays closed all day. Originally, Han Ding let her sleep in the bedroom, her clothes were in the wardrobe in the bedroom, and it was more convenient to live in the bedroom, but she resolutely didn't stay. Han Ding had no choice but to build a bunk for her in the study. Luo Jingjing doesn't like to dress up anymore, she doesn't wear makeup on her face anymore, she just changes clothes in two, she seems to have lost interest in life, and she never gets involved in things like shopping and buying clothes and cosmetics that she used to be tired of. Han Ding had always objected to her spending money on these things in the past, but now he wanted to go out with her in a different way, and she would buy them back for her if she didn't go. He bought her Clinique, CD perfume, Chanel perfume, and so on, and took it home and showed it to her, but she frowned and said, "I don't want it, why do you buy these, I don't need it." Han Ding put these things in the bathroom, and she really didn't use them, so she didn't even touch them. Han Ding quietly checked that those face oils and perfumes had indeed never been used passively. The only thing that Han Ding brought back was used by Luo Jingjing was food and water. She didn't cook herself, and every night Han Ding brought back food and drink for her, she swallowed it indiscriminately, and she couldn't see any appetite or interest in those things.

Han Ding had returned to work at that time, leaving early and returning late every day as before. He didn't even know what Luo Jingjing did during the day, he sometimes came back from work at night and knocked on the door of the study only to find that Luo Jingjing was still lying in bed and hadn't gotten up. Luo Jingjing never seemed to clean up this room, and the house was a mess. Han Ding helped her clean up a few times, but at most she kept it for a day or two, and it was as difficult to get into it as hard as a pig's nest.

There were many times when Han Ding wanted to have a good talk with her, and if she continued like this, she would be ruined! But every time the words came to his lips, he couldn't help it. Maybe all she needed, he thought, was time. The wound in my heart can only heal with time, and it is useless to say anything now.

But in any case, Luo Jingjing's mental state made Han Ding depressed all day long. He rarely interacts with his former classmates and friends, even his parents' homes. He was not in the mood. Whoever gets married and has children in the office, he just buys something or gives a red envelope, and never goes out to attend their dinners. It's been two months since he came back from Pingling, and he has only gone out with Lao Lin once, and that time it was because Yao Dawei came, Lao Lin took him to invite Yao Dawei to dinner, and it was not good for him not to go. When he was in Pingling, Yao Dawei helped him a lot after all.

That meal, Lao Lin found a restaurant called Baylor Mansion, which was a Qing-style courtyard house. The courtyard is hidden in the depths of an alley, and it is said that it used to be the official residence of the younger brother or elder brother of the Guangxu Emperor or some relative. The door face is not big, the yard is not small, and there is a shadow-like rockery and a half-dead big cypress tree that you can see at a glance. They asked for a small ear room, and they had to take off their shoes and go to the kang to eat. The dish is home-cooked, but the price is a bit of the specifications of the royal relatives, and ordinary people will definitely not be able to climb it. Lao Lin said that coming here to eat is not to eat, what he wants is this environment, which makes people think of the ancient feelings, if you were born in that year, you can't wear a yellow robe and a horse coat, and you can go to this kind of house to get meaty? Han Ding didn't think so, looked up at the beams and rafters exposed on the roof, and said, "Come on, this house is occupied by Ma Ben at most." ”

During the banquet, Long Xiaoyu naturally talked about it. Han Ding came out to accompany Yao Dawei firstly, and secondly, he wanted to ask Long Xiaoyu. He didn't know why he wanted to know what happened to Long Xiaoyu before he was executed: did he say anything before he died? Any other last words? What was the mental state when you were escorted to the execution ground, was it nostalgic for life or just for a quick death?

Han Ding and Lao Lin didn't expect it, Yao Dawei replied with a smile: "Long Xiaoyu, hey, it hasn't been executed yet." ”

Han Ding was stunned.

Lao Lin said: "No, it's been more than two months, will it take so long to report to the Provincial High Court for review and then to the Supreme Court for approval?" It must be enforced within seven days after the Supreme Court's approval is provided. ”

Yao Dawei took a sip of wine and said, "Hey, this kid appealed later." The appeal has been filed with the Provincial High Court, which has not yet held a trial. ”

Han Ding was stunned and asked, "Didn't he not appeal?" He had already said he would not appeal. ”

Yao Dawei said: "Isn't the appeal period ten days? He brought it up again on the tenth day. He smashed the cell door early that morning, and the police on duty went over to ask him what he was going to do, and he was stunned for a long time and said that it was okay. At noon, it was smashed again, and the police on duty went over again, saying what do you want to do, it's still a few days away from being impatient. He was stunned and didn't speak, and the police turned around to leave, and he shouted: I want to appeal! ”

Lao Lin and Han Ding were dumbfounded when they heard this, and they both felt a little thrilled.

Yao Dawei took another big sip of beer, put down the glass and said, "No way, this is his legal right, and the detention center can only report him to the court." ”

Han Ding asked: "Then who did he hire to be the lawyer of the second instance?" ”

Yao Dawei said: "He didn't ask, and he didn't have the money to ask." The court of second instance appointed him a legal aid lawyer. ”

Lao Lin said: "Can that work? Ah, I'm not saying that the lawyers of the legal aid institutions are not careful, the problem is that we Han Ding didn't turn over this case after so much effort, and there is no room for changing the verdict. ”

Yao Dawei explained: "I heard from the people in the detention center that he didn't want to live, he was ready to die. When he was imprisoned, he had a pearl bracelet on his body, which was seized by the detention center for his safekeeping, and after the trial, he asked the police in the detention center for this bracelet, saying that he would wear it when he died. I heard that the bracelet was a family heirloom. He later appealed, but he only wanted to use the second trial to live a few more days. He told the police in the detention center that he had a girl outside, and the relationship between the two was very good, and he was reluctant to leave alone so early. It's a day to be able to stay in the same world with that woman for one more day. After all, there is the same sun and the same moon on your head, look at the sun and the moon, and you can still communicate in your heart. I've seen a lot of death row inmates, and a lot of them are like this, and they don't want to die when they die. No matter how ruthless a person is, no matter how inhuman a person is, when he dies, his heart is very simple, and all he thinks about is his parents, wife and children. Long Xiaoyu doesn't have any relatives, so he wants to be a good girl to him, this is normal. ”

This "royal meal" made Han Ding's heart heavy, and he couldn't tell the ups and downs in his mouth. Long Xiaoyu asked for an appeal at the last moment, and he was able to fully understand the psychology of using the method of appeal to live a few more days. He hated Long Xiaoyu, but for some reason he was moved by him from time to time. Long Xiaoyu's attitude towards death - from giving up the appeal and only seeking a quick death to asking for an appeal to survive - is all for the girl he loves, Luo Jingjing, he is really a lover, he can make a love word die like this!

On this day, Han Ding bought a few fried dumplings in Baylor Mansion and packed them with them, and went home to Luo Jingjing to eat. Luo Jingjing's spirit has begun to show signs of improvement in the past few days, and the first sign is that she has started to put on makeup, and she has begun to use Clinique and Chanel. The appetite also seemed better than before, and the box of fried dumplings was quickly eaten. Han Ding was happy in his heart and asked, "You are not enough, right?" Do you want me to go out for some supper with you? Luo Jingjing thought for a moment and said, "No, it's enough." Han Ding looked sideways and saw that the study had obviously been cleaned today, although it was not neat, but the quilt on the bed was folded, and there was no littering on the floor.

He really wanted to find something or something to make Luo Jingjing happy, he almost blurted out the news that Long Xiaoyu was still alive, but fortunately he didn't say it. Long Xiaoyu will eventually die, and he can no longer use this kind of news to stimulate Luo Jingjing, so that her mood that is about to calm will rise again.

After eating the dumplings, Luo Jingjing took the initiative to go to the kitchen to wash the dishes. Han Ding turned on the TV that he hadn't turned on for a long time. The music played on the TV, combined with the sound of running water in the kitchen, it made Han Ding feel like he was back in the past, and the sweet days when he and Luo Jingjing depended on each other in the past made him feel so good for more than two months.

Luo Jingjing came out of the kitchen, saw him turn on the TV, saw him sitting on the sofa, she stood at the kitchen door and didn't move, as if she was hesitating whether she should go back to the study or stay in the living room for a while. Since she and Han Ding separated, the living room between the two rooms has rarely been used, and both of them stay in their own rooms. Seeing her hesitation, Han Ding patted the cushion of the sofa and took the initiative to invite: "Come, sit for a while." Luo Jingjing didn't say anything, but the person came over and sat on a single sofa on Han Ding's side, I don't know if it was intentional, and kept such a distance from Han Ding.

They didn't seem to know what to say to each other, so they all watched TV. There was a symphony concert on TV, and after listening to it for a while, both of them were a little bored. Han Ding handed the remote control to Luo Jingjing and said, "Which station do you want to see, you change it." Luo Jingjing took the remote control and took it, without changing the channel, her eyes were still fixed on the symphony. To Han Ding's surprise, she took the initiative to open her mouth and say something else.

"Tomorrow, Li Juan asked me to go to the test bench of Shenzhen Building. There is a company holding a party, saying that it wants 20 models, Li Juan will try it tomorrow, let me go too. ”

This was the first time that Luo Jingjing wanted to go out to work after they came back from Pingling, and of course Han Ding was happy, he immediately said, "Okay, then you can go and try it." Do you want me to come with you? ”

Luo Jingjing said: "No. ”

Han Ding said: "What time do you go tomorrow, don't forget to bring some money with you." The money is in that drawer at the desk. ”

Luo Jingjing didn't speak, but nodded. Han Ding looked at her face with light makeup, and really wanted to go over and hug her and kiss her, but he didn't dare to go over.

Luo Jingjing said at this time: "Then I'll go to bed first, and I have to get up early tomorrow." ”

Han Ding smiled and nodded, "Sleep." ”

Han Ding also went to bed early that night and woke up early the next day. After he got up, he quietly went out and went to the soybean milk shop at the corner of the street to buy fried dough sticks and soy milk, and the pot was still hot when he brought it home. Luo Jingjing also got up, was drawing eyebrows in the bathroom, and when she walked out of the bathroom, Han Ding saw a slim fashion model, just like the first time he saw it on the catwalk of the Pingling Century Hotel.

Luo Jingjing saw Han Ding's attentive gaze, and smiled shyly, it was a smile that had not been seen for a long time, and it was extremely coquettish. She said, "I haven't done it for a long time and I can't draw, can you see it?" ”

Han Ding looked at her with a scrutinizing look, but in fact, the praise had already been prepared: "Why not, it's so good-looking." ”

Luo Jingjing looked at her watch and said that it was too late, but she still hurriedly ate half a fritter and two mouthfuls of soy milk at Han Ding's request. When she bent down at the door to put on her shoes, Han Ding stood beside her and helped her, and when she straightened up, the two of them said goodbye to each other almost at the same time. After staring at each other for a moment, they actually hugged each other suddenly, simply, and truly, just like Han Ding did before going to work every day in the past.

Luo Jingjing smiled, opened the door and left.

Han Ding stood by the door and was stunned for a long time, he didn't seem to expect this moment to come so suddenly.

Han Ding was distracted all day, looking forward to getting off work early. He didn't buy food on the street after work, and hurried home on the subway. When I got home, I saw that Luo Jingjing had come back and was picking out her clothes in front of the wardrobe in the bedroom. From Luo Jingjing's expression, he guessed that she had been selected by that company, and when he asked, he knew that it was a very good company, and he was engaged in a very good activity, and the models he picked all promised an appearance fee of 2,000 yuan.

Two thousand dollars! This is the price that Luo Jingjing has never had before.

That night, Han Ding and Luo Jingjing went to the street to eat together. Han Ding said that this matter is worth celebrating, not because of the appearance fee, but because a talented model will return to the runway. That night, Luo Jingjing also smiled, they found a very high-end restaurant outside and had a big meal, and drank some wine, and returned happily after being full. At night, Han Ding said: "You must rest well these days, just go to the bedroom to sleep, if you don't sleep well, be careful of eye bags." Luo Jingjing didn't speak, but she didn't object. That night was the first time Han Ding slept in bed with Luo Jingjing in months. After the lights went out, he hugged her and kissed her face and neck very gently, she let him kiss her, and took the initiative to touch him. It was only when he fumbled to untie her underwear that he whispered: "Don't do it, I'll perform in two days." But he didn't really resist his further movements, Han Ding was very unrestrained after entering Luo Jingjing's body, and he gasped loudly and said to Luo Jingjing in his arms:

"I love you to death, really! It's true! It's true! ”

Han Ding finally stopped, he leaned on Luo Jingjing's body, and looked at her face affectionately. Luo Jingjing didn't say anything. She wept, she let the tears flow down the corners of her eyes without restraint, and she also held him, letting him stay in her moist and warm body for a long, long time.

The day after Luo Jingjing returned to the stage, Han Ding suddenly received a phone call from Yao Dawei from Pingling. Yao Dawei told him on the phone that Long Xiaoyu's case had been tried in the second instance of the Provincial High Court, and the result was that the appeal was rejected and the original verdict was upheld. Because the facts of this case were clear, the evidence was sufficient, and neither the defender nor the appellant presented new evidence, the Provincial High Court directly pronounced the verdict without even holding a trial. Yao Dawei said that he was working in the court today, and heard that the Supreme Court's death order for Long Xiaoyu had also been signed, and it would be executed in the next few days. Haven't you always cared about this case, so, give a phone call and let me know. Yao Dawei saw that Han Ding was silent, and comforted him with a few words: "You can be regarded as doing your best for him." Don't say it's him, I even admire your seriousness. In the future, if I make a mistake, I won't look for Lao Lin, I'll look for you! Yao Dawei laughed, said a few more polite words, and asked Han Ding to go to Pingling to have fun, and then hung up the phone.

Han Ding let out a heavy sigh, he couldn't tell how he felt at this time, whether he was relieved or depressed. At that moment, he was really emotional, what did he feel? But he couldn't say anything.

That night, Han Ding said that he would take Luo Jingjing to see his parents. Maybe it was because of Yao Dawei's phone call in the afternoon to report the news of his death, and Han Ding behaved sullenly along the way. On the contrary, Luo Jingjing has been chatting in his ear about the grand occasion of last party, which celebrities are present, which supermodels are on stage, and so on. After they arrived at Han Ding's parents' house, the two elders still pulled Luo Jingjing affectionately and asked questions as before. Han Ding and Luo Jingjing had conspired before they came, and made up a set of lies in front of Han Ding's parents to explain why Luo Jingjing hadn't come to greet him for so long. Although Han Ding's mother repeatedly nagged and expressed her doubts: "Why did your model team perform for so long as you went to the show, and you were not afraid of being homesick?" But in the end, he believed his son's words. Han Ding's parents are intellectuals, and in general, they are easier to deceive. They had dinner at their parents' house, and after the meal, Luo Jingjing helped Han Ding's mother wash the dishes in the kitchen, and Han Ding's father chatted with Han Ding in the living room.

Dad asked, "What do you think about, and why don't you listen to our opinions?" ”

Han Ding was stunned: "What do you think?" Why didn't we listen? ”

Dad said, "Didn't I tell your mother earlier that you living together like this unmarried will not affect us well. You can either get married, or live separately, and you can live together every day if you live separately. No, you can all live here, your mother and I like Jingjing very much, you can live here. Jingjing lives in that little bedroom and you live in the living room. You're here to save me and your mom from being bored all day. ”

Han Ding thought for a long time before he said, "You let us go back and discuss it first." And he said, "What a trouble it is to be your son." ”

When he came out of his parents' house and waited for the train in the subway station back to Chongwenmen, Han Ding told Luo Jingjing what his father said. He asked, "What do you mean?" You definitely don't want to live with them, so how about we get married? ”

Luo Jingjing lowered her head and didn't answer, she looked at her toes and didn't know what she was thinking. Han Ding stopped asking, diverted the topic, and talked about something else. He vaguely knew in his heart that she must have thought of Long Xiaoyu again.

He also knew that Luo Jingjing would agree to get married, and she would agree to him sooner or later, sooner or later.

When they got home, Luo Jingjing took a shower in the bathroom. Lao Lin called, the phone was on Han Ding's mobile phone, and as soon as he opened his mouth, he complained: "Where are you, why is your phone not in the service area?" ”

Han Ding said: "I was in the subway just now, is there something urgent to find me?" ”

Lao Lin said: "Lao Qian came to call, and you can't get through to your mobile phone, so you went to me." He's handling a case in Hangzhou. He heard from the people in Hangzhou City Prison today that they had a prisoner there, and two days ago he confessed to another prisoner named Zhang Xiong, saying that Zhang Xiong had killed a man named Siping in Pingling City the year before last. Lao Qian sounded familiar, and felt that it was like the case of Baochun Pharmaceutical Factory, and he asked me to ask if you wanted to go to Hangzhou to have a look and find out. ”

Han Ding was stunned, and he was stunned for a long time before he let out a dull surprise from somewhere in his body:

"Zhang Xiong? Killed Siping? ”