As if experiencing a catastrophe of life and death, Zhou Ruikang felt a sense of prostration, lying on the bed in the boys' dormitory, holding Hugo's "Les Miserables" in his hand, he chose this book because he felt that the current China was very miserable, the Zhou family was very miserable, and he was equally miserable, and his own world was not an authentic Miserable World? After reading the first ten pages of the book, he was firmly attracted by the story in the book, it turned out that there had been such a similar human tragedy on the other side of the world, and human nature was so consistent between ancient and modern China and foreign countries.

It was quiet in the dormitory, because he was the only one, everyone else had gone out, and he needed this quiet, to let the lava in his chest cool down, and let his broken heart rest for a while.

He immersed himself in the world of the novel, reading page by page, following the ups and downs of the characters in the story.

However, this silence did not last long, and Xu Ziyan and the other two male classmates laughed and returned to the dormitory.

One of the male classmates, nicknamed "Elephant", patted Zhou Ruikang's bed when he came in and said loudly: "Hey, Zhou Ruikang, let's go, let's go play ball together!" ”

Zhou Ruikang turned around, faced inward, did not speak, and continued to have a relationship with Valjean in the book.

The nickname "Elephant" is only because his surname is Xiang, and he is very tall and strong, likes to play basketball, and is a good friend of Zhou Ruikang.

"Ouch, young master, you lie down from morning to night every day, you are not afraid of lying down, let's go, let's eat together!" Another skinny male classmate also said. Zhou Ruikang still didn't speak.

Xu Ziyan patted the two of them on the shoulder, smiled and said, "You go to the cafeteria first, I'll persuade him." ”

"Okay, well, you can persuade him quickly, if he sleeps like this, I guess he will get moldy." The "elephant" picked up the rice bowl and chopsticks, sighed, and walked out with the thin male classmate.

Xu Ziyan looked at Ruikang's back, shook his head, and closed the door.

patted Ruikang's bed twice and said, "Hey, Ruikang, no matter how unhappy you are, you still have to eat, and you still have to live your life." Why torture yourself so much? ”

"I'm not hungry. You go eat with them. ”

"Are you kidding, you haven't eaten breakfast, you want to become an immortal? Ruikang, let it pass. Everything will be fine, you go outside and you know that life is still very good. ”

He doesn't speak.

Xu Ziyan shook his head and said, "I really didn't expect you to be a lover, how could you fall so deeply?" ”

"Hey, don't say it, I don't want to hear it."

"Okay, okay, then let me ask you, do you plan to break off relations with the Cheng family brothers and sisters for the rest of your life?"

Ruikang closed the book, turned around and sat up with his back against the wall, scratched his head, and frowned, "They probably hate me to death." He looked up at the ceiling, sighed, and said, "What a failure I have made everyone rebel." ”

"Actually, the matter between you and Jiaqi is not so serious, Jiaqi is a woman with a Western-style education, and she is reasonable, how can she not understand the truth that feelings cannot be forced? Jiawei is purely fighting for his sister. It's just that the parents are caught in the middle, and it is both face and reputation, as if it is a big deal. I think if you can have a good talk with Jiaqi and Jiawei, everyone will be calm, the estrangement will be eliminated, and we can still be friends. It's better than now, it's so embarrassing every time we meet, and I have to pretend that I don't know each other, how awkward. ”

"I don't know, I don't have the strength to think that much right now. Let it be. ”

"Hey, how did you become so negative? This opportunity can always be created, things are man-made, as long as you have the heart to reconcile with them, I will arrange it, how about it? Xu Ziyan habitually pushed the glasses on the bridge of his nose.

"Whatever you want." Ruikang is not very eager to renew the relationship with the Cheng family brothers and sisters, his heart is full of scars, he wants to rest quietly, in the end, he is still full of Mei Ruojun, but he doesn't dare to touch, dare not admit, dare not turn, he can't be interested in other people and things at all.

"What do you mean by me....." Before Xu Ziyan's words fell, there was a knock on the door, Xu Ziyan opened the door, but it was Zhu Yafen standing at the door, a little angry, and when he saw Xu Ziyan, he said: "Hey, I waited for you in the cafeteria for half an hour, you are going to starve me to death." ”

Xu Ziyan slapped his head and apologized again and again: "Ouch, I damn it, I forgot." Don't be angry, go, I'll go with you now. ”

"No need!" Zhu Yafen gave him a blank look, picked up a big bag, and said, "I have already brought the food, let's eat it here!" He laughed out loud.

Xu Ziyan took the bag with a smile, saw that there were five lunch boxes inside, and said with a smile: "How many people did you buy?" How can the two of us finish eating? As he spoke, he took out the food inside, put it on the table, and said to Ruikang on the top bunk, "Ruikang, come down and eat together." Yafen bought enough for four people. ”

Zhu Yafen followed his gaze, caught a glimpse of Ruikang on the top bunk, glanced at him, pouted slightly, and said in an extremely mocking tone: "It turns out that the Great Love Sage is also there." Hey, I don't buy food for people who don't care about it. She and Cheng Jiaqi are close friends, the two are like sisters, and knowing that Jiaqi was divorced by Ruikang, she was naturally indignant and wanted to vent her anger for Jiaqi.

Xu Ziyan was embarrassed for a while, pulled her clothes, and said, "How do you know that people are inattentive and talk nonsense." ”

"You're still helping him, no wonder people say that men are all out of one nostril. It's not the first day he's been recruiting bees and butterflies. Hum! As he spoke, he poked Xu Ziyan's chest, pouted and gave Ruikang a fierce look.

"Yafen!" Ziyan complained: "If you don't know the whole story, don't give people a big hat!" ”

Saying that, the two were about to argue.

Zhou Ruikang was not angry, he just felt guilty, smiled helplessly, grabbed his hair twice, jumped off the top bunk, put on his shoes, took novels and textbooks, patted Xu Ziyan's shoulder, and said: "Don't quarrel for me, it's not worth it, to be honest, I really envy you, enjoy your lunch and love." Not everyone can have lunch with their loved ones. As he spoke, he turned around and walked out of the dormitory, leaving the dormitory to Xu Ziyan and Zhu Yafen.

He was indeed a little hungry, so he went to the cafeteria, bought some food, and sat alone in a corner while eating while continuing to flip through the book "Les Miserables".

"Can I sit down?" A cold female voice.

Ruikang looked up, a beautiful but indifferent face, and sighed in his heart, Xu Manlin, with pretty short hair, wearing an ordinary blue dress and black skirt schoolgirl clothes, without too much fat powder on her face, the whole person was refreshed, completely different from the charming and charming appearance that night, as if she had changed a person, the same was just the arrogant temperament on her body.

Zhou Ruikang couldn't help but recall the confusion of that night, the luxurious garden house, full of seductive cigarettes, alcohol, music, his own frivolity, of course, her carcass, oh, and the men in black with guns, who swallowed the food in his mouth with a dry throat.

He frowned and lowered his head, supporting his forehead with his hand, trying to block the view between him and her, he felt extremely embarrassed, and he also felt that it was very inappropriate to be so close to her in public.

Although he didn't answer, Xu Manlin still sat diagonally opposite him and began to eat. Zhou Ruikang sped up the speed of eating, wanted to finish eating quickly, and left quickly.

"If you eat like this, you'll choke." Xu Manlin said.

He didn't speak, but took a sip of water. Xu Manlin looked at him and said slowly, "You're afraid of me?" Just want to run away? ”

"Yes. I'm not a brave man. His face was expressionless, and as he spoke, he closed his book and prepared to leave.

"Zhou Ruikang, you have to be careful."

"Why?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I advise you to make less anti-Japanese speeches, participate in fewer demonstrations, and ......"

"Miss Xu!" He interrupted her, stood up, and wanted to leave, but he felt sincerely angry at her two words, and couldn't help but say: "The rise and fall of the country is the responsibility of the husband, I don't understand and don't want to understand why you persuade me like this, I just want to say that what I want to do has nothing to do with you." If one day I am caught and killed, I will be willing. His voice unconsciously raised a little, attracting strange glances from the surrounding students.

He looked around, frowned, and said, "I'm sorry, I'll go first!" With the book in hand, he turned his head angrily and left.

Just a few steps out of the cafeteria, I didn't expect Xu Manlin to catch up and call him behind him: "Zhou Ruikang......"

Ruikang felt very annoyed, once there was only one Mei Ruojun in his heart, and he was already full of troubles, and now his heart was broken into thousands of pieces, but these fragments have become thousands of Mei Ruojun, and they are doubly troubled, he is depressed, he is distressed, he is avoiding, and he has no intention of being entangled with any woman at all, but he knows that because of that night, his own frivolity, and Xu Manlin are estimated to be unclear anymore.

He opened his hand in frustration, turned to look at her, and asked impatiently, "Is there anything else you have to do?" ”

"Don't bite Lu Dongbin, you don't know the hearts of good people."

"Oh?"

"You're just talking on campus, you're demonstrating in the streets, and you don't know what's going on. Do you know what a war is about? Is it your patriotism or your slogans? Wrong! It's money! It's equipment! It's intelligence! ”

"Of course I know this, but China is weak, poor, and chaotic, but no matter what, we have to do something for our country."

"Why don't you want to think about industry to save the country?" She said. "With money, you can buy guns, planes, artillery."

It's not that he hasn't thought about it, but how easy is it to engage in industry, where does the capital come from, and where do the raw materials come from? Her words made him ponder.

"Zhou Ruikang, if you want, you can transfer to the Department of Finance and Economics first, and I will arrange a private teaching assistant for you, and at the same time arrange an internship for you in a bank. Or I can arrange for you to go to the factory, whatever you like. ”

He raised his eyebrows to look at her, hesitating in his heart, he was curious about her background, the luxurious and grand house that night, and the expensive Western furniture inside, and those people in black, who was she?

"Miss Xu, we ...... We don't seem to be familiar with ......," he said, with some underconfidence.

The corners of her mouth raised slightly, raised her eyebrows, and said, "It's because you're not familiar with me, but I'm very familiar with you." If you are interested in my proposal, then tonight, we will go to the 'Medusa Western Restaurant' for dinner. Then you will be able to get acquainted with me further. ”

Ruikang opened his mouth and wanted to refuse, Xu Manlin smiled and shook his head and said: "If a husband wants to achieve a career, he needs the support of nobles." You'd better think about it yourself and then refuse. I was waiting at the school gate at six o'clock. After saying that, he turned around and left lightly.

Who is this Xu Manlin? What kind of family background do you have? Why is she helping herself so much? Or to tempt yourself? Zhou Ruikang walked slowly to the edge of the unnamed lake, the long drooping willow silk was gently flying with the breeze, there were several pairs of lovers whispering in a low voice by the lake, the scenery was picturesque, and the strong love and sweetness between the lovers made Ruikang feel that he was incompatible with this scenery.

//

"Medusa Western Restaurant", a European style, the revolving glass door says big WELCOME, and when you enter the door, there is a sculpture of a flamboyant and bewitching Medusa witch, which is full of poisonous snakes and can turn every man who sees her face into stone, the sculpture is very beautiful, especially the charming eyes, mysterious smile and plump breasts, making people forget the slender and writhing snake-shaped curls on her head, and the sculpture is surrounded by green plants such as giant yucca, leaf orchid, and golden diamonds. It's rare for a restaurant to use the snake-ridden Medusa as its signature, but this one is bold and does a good job.

A blonde waiter respectfully opened the door and said gentlemanly, "Good evening, madam, sir."

The interior of the restaurant is dominated by gold and white, with white tables and chairs, golden tablecloths, plates with gold edges on a white background, shiny tall glasses, and shiny knives and forks. There is a small bouquet of red roses and stars in a small vase on each table, and a red lattice and light gold-edged curtain is hung on the window next to it, which is neat, elegant, romantic and comfortable.

Zhou Ruikang followed Xu Manlin to a table, she had already changed out of her student uniform, and Xu Manlin in front of her was wearing an aqua blue dress, with fancy short sleeves with a pile of yarn of the same color on her shoulders, and a diamond necklace flashing around her neck.

Before Ruikang finished looking at her outfit, Xu Manlin called the waiter and ordered, the two looked at each other with wide eyes, and after a while, the waiter brought an aperitif and poured it for the two.

“cheers！” She shook the golden wine in her glass and raised her glass towards Zhou Ruikang.

Zhou Ruikang raised his glass casually, and after the two took a sip of wine, Ruikang spoke first: "Miss Xu, I want to know, what do you mean by what you said this afternoon?" ”

"Since you are here, you have naturally accepted my suggestion, give up Chinese studies, transfer to the Department of Finance and Economics, and then study industry to save the country, right?"

"Not necessarily, all I can say is that your suggestion is attractive. I want to know where you came from. He said openly and honestly.

Xu Manlin took another sip of wine, took out a cigarette and a lighter from her handbag, skillfully lit the cigarette, leaned back on the chair, spit out a puff of cigarette from her lips, squinted charmingly and said: "My father has been doing business in Europe and the United States all the year round, and has returned to China in recent years to open some factories. ”

"Those who can call out a dozen bodyguards with guns with two clicks of their hands are probably not ordinary businessmen."

"Heh, you're quite vindictive. You were the one who made me angry in the first place. She laughed.

"Don't mention that night, I was drunk that night, you know." He frowned, reluctant to think back to that night.

The smoke that Xu Manlin spit out spread between the two of them, and it covered her with a veil of mystery.

"There are some things that you will know later. All you have to do now is learn about finance and business, and then do an internship. ”

"Why?"

"For your ideals."

"I don't understand, my dream is not to be a businessman."

"But if you want to revitalize China, you have no money, and you just risk your life to save the country, isn't it too stupid?"

"I don't think I'm a businessman."

"You're not." She raised her eyebrows and said, "You are impulsive, too hot-blooded, not calm and rational enough." But you're a great caller and organizer. I think my father and uncle will love you. ”

"You want me to join your father's business?"

"Yes. After you've learned enough. ”

"Why?"

She suddenly stopped talking, pressed the cigarette butt into the ashtray, took a sip of water, raised her eyelashes and looked at him deeply, and said slowly: "You asked a stupid question that you know by heart." ”

Ruikang was silent, yes, it didn't need to be asked, she liked him, she wanted him to join her father's business empire, let him be a part of them.