(The chapter about Zhou Junlan's past is longer, and readers can subscribe according to their interest level)

After saying this, Zhou Junlan obviously saw the expression on Aunt Zhao's face change, the corners of her mouth twitched, her hand involuntarily clenched the body of the cup, and pinched out a mark.

"What...... What do you say? A smile of extreme reluctance.

"Aunt Zhao, my mother is a classmate in college, right? No, to be more precise, she and you used to be best friends, right? ”

As if the sky was falling, Aunt Zhao's eyelashes trembled, dodging Zhou Junlan's gaze.

"Aunt Zhao?"

"Lan Lan, Aunt Zhao...... Aunt Zhao is tired today, otherwise, we ...... We'll talk about it tomorrow, right? ”

"No!"

Zhou Junlan was determined to figure it all out today, and her refusal voice was as sharp and decisive as a sword. Uncle Sun, the housekeeper, told her that when he was cleaning his master's office, he once found a photo in his father's drawer, which showed a group photo of his father, Aunt Zhao and his mother.

The three of them were smiling happily in the photo, Aunt Zhao and her mother were wearing bachelor's uniforms, looking at the gorgeous background and putting up lights, it should be an event such as a graduation ceremony, and the three of them stuck to their father and behaved intimately, that is, in fact, Aunt Zhao and her mother have always known each other.

Uncle Sun also told himself that every time a letter was not sent to the mailbox at the door of the house, every time, Aunt Zhao would check it first, whether it was a photo or a letter, she would open it and review it, and then put it back in another envelope, which she had done for more than ten years.

And this matter, as soon as Zhou Junlan was concealed, it was more than ten years.

"Miss." Uncle Sun said to her before, "Madame knows, the three of them know the secret of your mother's departure, as for what the secret is, please pluck up the courage and ask Madame." I'm going to retire next month, but I can't bear to let you be deceived for another ten years. ”

He cried again, but at this time, Zhou Junlan didn't have the heart to comfort her, after all, this matter was also a bolt from the blue for her, before she came to find Aunt Zhao, she promised Uncle Sun that she would not let him be fired.

"You got it?"

After digesting the shock, Aunt Zhao's eyes had lost their light, and she leaned softly against the wall next to her, her face like dead ashes.

Zhou Junlan nodded: "Yes, I came this time to ask this question clearly, what is it, what is it that made my mother leave, what is it, let Aunt Zhao peek at the letters that my mother wrote to me again and again, and what is it that makes you hide from me for so long." Her fists clenched unconsciously, as a way to express her resentment and incomprehension.

"So...... You must know that my mom and I were classmates? Aunt Zhao squinted at her.

"Yes, it looks like you're on good terms."

Aunt Zhao sneered twice, with helplessness in her voice, "Our relationship is indeed inappropriate to describe it as good, she and I are best friends who have known each other for ten years." ”

It was another shocking news, but Zhou Junlan was used to it.

"So what?"

Aunt Zhao sighed and leaned against the wall, so that her back was more erect, but she still couldn't hold her head up and speak.

"Lan Lan, if I tell you, I hide it from you for your own good, all to protect you. Will you choose to know the truth? ”

"Yes!"

met Zhou Junlan's firm eyes, Aunt Zhao knew that she couldn't hide it anymore, and after giving up the struggle, she seemed to have unloaded her burden and straightened her back.

She showed an expression of enjoying the memories and began to tell the past: "Your mother and I have been good friends for many years, we have played since childhood, I have to say, she is more lively and strong than anyone I have ever met, anyone, including boys." Back then, we were admitted to the same art school together, and she chose photography, while I chose ...... As you can see. She shook the paintbrush on the bench.

Zhou Junlan nodded, "But what about Dad?" ”

"You probably don't know that, your father, who was an art school teacher for a while."

"Oh my God!" Zhou Junlan covered her mouth.

"Yes, looking at his appearance of five big and three coarse, and he is full of the smell of money, you must not associate him with art. But in fact, he used to be a special professor of vocal music, and our school spent a lot of money to invite him to the school and let him serve for two years, when your mother and I were both 20 years old. ”

"Dad studied music?"

Aunt Zhao was amused: "Where is your attention?" ”

"Oh...... That...... You continue. Zhou Junlan curled her legs and hugged her, as if this would bring her a sense of security.

"He's a lot older than us, but sadly...... Your mom and I fell in love with him. ”

Zhou Junlan frowned, was her father really so popular with girls back then?

"But...... Daddy is more than a decade older than you......"

"That's true, but we didn't care about it at the time." Aunt Zhao shrugged, "At that time, the two of us, adhering to the principle of love first, began to carry out crazy overtures to your father. But your dad's attitude was always lukewarm, and we had a headache at the time. ”

"I guess dad must have been handsome." Zhou Junlan said with a smile, and suddenly, she found that the awkward atmosphere that the conversation seemed to deviate from at this time was developing in a relaxed direction.

"Your dad was really handsome back then!" Aunt Zhao said, with an indulgent expression on her face, "Of course, it is also very charming, knowledgeable and cultivated, at the beginning, I may still have a certain joking in it, if I thought that I would marry your father now, it would be really unthinkable." ”

"After all, age is there, isn't it?"

"It's not all! There is also experience, conversation, self-cultivation, in short, if I travel back now, tell me at that time, you will marry Teacher Zhou! I'll probably drop out of school in a scared way. ”

The two laughed, and the basement made their laughter hearty and free.

When the laughter gradually weakened, the smile on the corner of Aunt Zhao's mouth began to stiffen: "But I said before, your mother is a lively and strong person." She seemed to take it as a gamble, and she won against me......"

"So this is how my dad and mom met." Zhou Junlan opened her mouth slightly, she couldn't say that she wasn't shocked, but she thought it could be a little more romantic.

"Yes." Aunt Zhao nodded, and the corners of her mouth began to skim downward, "I thought at first that this teacher-student relationship would end without a problem, after all, there are so many obstacles ahead. With that in mind, I'm still your mother's best friend, but in the process...... I found myself in love with your dad. As time went on, my love for your dad grew. ”

Speaking of this, Aunt Zhao seemed to be a little embarrassed, she raised her head and began to look for something in the room, and then remembered that the red wine and glasses were placed at Zhou Junlan's feet. She crawled over and took it, and Zhou Junlan helped her hand it over.

When there is about half a cup, I drink it all with my head held high, this way of drinking is very unsightly, some of it is like a Liangshan hero drinking a lot of wine, Aunt Zhao let out a long breath, it seems that it should be very refreshing.

In the past, if you don't pour yourself a few sips of wine, you don't even have the courage to speak.

"Later...... They had been in a relationship for more than two years, and just a month after graduation, your mom secretly told me that she wanted to break up. To be honest, I ...... at that time" Aunt Zhao pursed her mouth, her voice was already a little choked, and her eyes were red, "I really ...... Some joy, no, it can be regarded as excitement, so that when I heard the news, I didn't suppress the happy expression on my face, so that your mother saw the clue. ”

"She found out?" The tissue was on Zhou Junlan's left, she handed the box to Aunt Zhao, she felt a kind of unwarranted judgment, Aunt Zhao must not have done anything bad, she misunderstood her.

"Yes, she was also very happy, she said that she felt a little sorry for your father, in two years, your father was going to propose to her, but your mother was unwilling. She said that life is still very long, she doesn't want to be bound by her family so early, and she still has an unfulfilled desire to travel around the world. ”

Zhou Junlan frowned, "But...... Mom and Dad are married, aren't they? ”

"Yes."

When she spit out the first word of "for ......", she found the answer in Aunt Zhao's eyes, who was staring at her tenderly.

"Yes." Aunt Zhao's blinking eyes kept flowing tears, "Before the breakup was spoken, your mother found out that she was pregnant, that is, you." ”

The head buzzed, like something was stirring inside. Zhou Junlan felt sad, she really couldn't accept this fact, her birth was not in a loving family, but an unexpected product, and in an instant, a sense of powerlessness mastered her body.

"I know, it's a bit cruel, but it's true." Aunt Zhao saw the changes in Zhou Junlan's heart, which was also expected by her.

"After ...... And then? ”

Seeing that Zhou Junlan was embarrassed, Aunt Zhao planned to give up: "Or ......"

"And then!" Zhou Junlan's tone was aggravated, with an irresistible majesty.

"Later......," Aunt Zhao continued, "when your mother found out, she locked herself in her room for several days, and she couldn't accept this fact, and I lived with her for a week, enlightening and accompanying her all the time, which made her feel at ease." She said she had no right to take your life, so she chose to marry your father, and even on the day of the wedding, she didn't laugh much. ”

Are you superfluous? Zhou Junlan held this idea, and the hope in her body was taken away little by little.

"After two years like this, it seems that your father saw your mother's doubts, so he has always treated her wholeheartedly and taken care of her, and at the same time, he also gave up taking the path of art, inherited the family business, and supported a family. But there are some birds that can't be closed in cages, and your mother is this kind of person who worships freedom. ”

"So...... For the sake of her life, she chose to leave, right? ”

At that time, I persuaded her for a long time, and I could even say that I was angry and mad and reprimanded her, but she didn't think so, and the arrogance and strength in her bones told her that when she came to the world, she would eventually see something different. She chose to leave ...... after all."

The reason why Aunt Zhao stopped was Zhou Junlan's pale face.

"Lan Lan!" Aunt Zhao crawled over on her knees and stroked Zhou Junlan's cold face, which felt like touching the surface of a delicate porcelain doll.

"Aunt Zhao...... Why ......"

"It's not your fault, kid, even us, haven't grown up yet, and you need to bear the mistakes we made...... What a wicked ......."

Maybe it was because she cried dry last night, and Zhou Junlan couldn't feel any warmth slipping through her cheeks.

"Son, go up and sleep for a while."

"No!" Zhou Junlan grabbed Aunt Zhao's hand suddenly, and that kind of resoluteness came from her hand, "I still want to listen to it, the rest part is about Aunt Zhao." ”

"Don't force it anymore."

"It's not reluctant, it's the truth that has plagued me for so many years, and no matter what the truth is, I choose to find out...... I'm also very confused now, very similar to Aunt Zhao's experience back then. I also gave up on a boy I liked, he was with my good friend, and now in front of me, it is also foggy. If I could, I would like to know, no, I must know! ”

The person Zhou Junlan said is Ke Yuhan, she has always pursued Ke Yuhan as a target, in order to protect him, in order to see him not hurt. Now whether it is Wei Sheng or Ke Yuhan himself, they have solved it without edges and corners, and at the moment when Zhou Junlan saw the video, Ke Yuhan and Xu Xuanyue were about to kiss, she instantly lost the way to the next step.

In comparison, she doesn't have her mother's character of daring to love and hate, and her taciturn self is more like Aunt Zhao in front of her.

What did she rely on to get to where she is now?

Aunt Zhao observed Zhou Junlan's expression, if she could see a trace of hesitation in her expression, a moment of retreat, she would immediately stop talking, but she didn't see it.

"You've grown up,......" Aunt Zhao smiled and stroked Zhou Junlan's hair.

"No, if Aunt Zhao brings this story to the end, I can let go of the burden that suppressed my growth."

"I see." Aunt Zhao nodded, she sat next to Zhou Junlan, next to her, in her impression, she had never been so close to Zhou Junlan, she was not only talking about the real distance between the two, but also between the hearts.

"Say it, Aunt Zhao."

"Your mother, who chose to travel the world and use her photography skills to make money by the way, this lifestyle is very chic, and many people envy her. If you've ever read The Moon and Sixpence, you'll think she's a bit like a ...... in a book."

"Paul Gauguin!" Zhou Junlan replied.

"Wow, you've read it?"

"I've read it many times." In fact, she didn't like the story very much, but because Ke Yuhan once gave her a copy, she took the trouble to read it again and again.

"Yes, your mom chose a great lifestyle, and no one can say she's not chic. But on the other hand, she did give up on her family. Later, when you were about to enter high school, I had liked your father for nearly 10 years, and finally under a bright night sky full of stars, he confessed and proposed. After speaking, she showed a shy and happy expression on her face, and even Zhou Junlan could feel the beauty of that night.

"I believe it must have been a good time."

"Of course, I can't forget it in my life, I know that if I get married, I will suffer from the eyes of many people, but I don't care, to be able to have him, you, and painting, the three most indispensable things in my life are all together, I have nothing else."

"What about the letter?"

"It all started a year after your mom left, when you started to remember, and you chased your dad every day to ask where was mom? Your father prevaricated every time, and then your mother's letter came, and she said that she was afraid that you would be laughed at by others and did not have a mother, so she took the letter and photos to prove it. ”

"Why didn't she come back?"

"She's scared...... When I came back, I didn't dare to take a step and leave, but she still cares about you silently, and I still contact her now, telling her your current situation, how tall you are, how heavy, how beautiful, and your heart secretly promises...... Aunt Zhao jokingly scratched Zhou Junlan's nose.

"How can there be ......" Zhou Junlan turned her face.

"Anyway, every time your mother writes a letter, I will go through it first, firstly to make sure that she doesn't leak anything, and secondly, I am also very concerned about her current situation."

"You don't blame her?"

"Blame her?" Aunt Zhao frowned suspiciously.

"Mom, she took away the person you like, and she said that if you abandon it, you will abandon it."

"But at the time, your dad didn't like me." Aunt Zhao had a natural expression, "Feelings have always been interactive, when you are young, you may like lively and unrestrained people; When I grow up, I feel that maturity and stability are good qualities; When you are old, feeling gentle is the greatest strength in the world. ”

"But Aunt Zhao, you have always liked and guarded your father."

"It's not that great, I just thought about it, I did it, and sometimes I wondered, am I tied down, and after summing it up for a long time, my answer is yes."

After Aunt Zhao finished speaking, she turned her head and saw that Zhou Junlan's face began to look ugly again.

"Haha, don't worry, you haven't heard me say it yet. But I never felt that this kind of life was bad, I had everything I cherished, so I never thought that the days I left would be happier than now, so I lied to you again and again, Lan Lan, don't blame Aunt Zhao. ”

However, when she moved her gaze to the side, Aunt Zhao found that Zhou Junlan's gaze was straight forward, as if she hadn't listened to herself just now.

Looking forward along the eyes, it was a painting that had just been poured wine on himself.

"Aunt Zhao, you say...... You've never regretted it, have you? ”

"Nope."

A relieved smile rippled at the corner of Zhou Junlan's mouth the moment she raised her head, and tears finally welled up in her eyes: "Then I think, I don't have any more worries." ”

"Concerns?" Aunt Zhao didn't understand what she was trying to say.

Zhou Junlan stood up and let out a long breath, her figure looked tall and tough in the light, and she turned her head.

"Aunt Zhao, I want to learn to paint, I have a foundation, I want to take it as a new direction in my life."

Aunt Zhao didn't think she was joking, she couldn't help but get serious, she stood up barefoot, and the cold touch of the drawing paper came from the soles of her feet.

"But if you go the art route......"

"Yes!" Zhou Junlan nodded, "It's time for me to leave this worry-free environment." ”

Her smile seemed calm.