The strict parents' home is located in a compound in Beijing's Xicheng, one of more than 20 independent villas. This season is the time when the peach and magnolia in the capital are in full bloom, and the peach and willow green in the yards of other homes are lively, and the yard of the rigorous house, except for a few persimmon trees in the corner and a wisteria that has just emerged with big new leaves, there is only a water of green bricks on the ground, which is cleaned cleanly, and even the grass in the brick cracks is shoveled clean.

Enter the living room on the first floor, and the interior layout is even more different. Compared to the exterior of this villa, not only is there no luxury at all, it can almost be described as plain. The four walls are white, except for the hanging of a wild grass of "Qinyuan Spring and Snow", there is no other decoration, a few pieces of furniture are all made of rattan, and the sofa cover is the oldest-fashioned white and blue-edged cotton jacket, but it is washed and ironed to snow white and straight. The sunlight squeezed in through the bamboo curtains on the floor-to-ceiling windows, sprinkling on the blue-gray floor tiles, making Ji Xiaoou sitting on the sofa feel in a trance for a moment, as if he had gone through the wrong time tunnel.

The nanny made her a cup of tea, opened the lid of the cup and burst out with the white water vapor burst out of a strange fragrance, she knew that it was a good tea, but the teacup was the most ordinary blue and white porcelain, and the lid and the wall of the cup were printed with the pattern of the Bayi red star.

Ji Xiaoou gently put the teacup on the coffee table. This home is too different from the high-level family she imagined, completely subverting her previous imagination. The people who live in this house seem to have a stubborn insistence on order and simplicity.

She couldn't help but smile when she thought of the living room of the apartment, which was as empty as an opera house.

When she turned around, she saw Yan Shen standing behind her, looking at her thoughtfully, and she didn't know how long she had been here.

"Sister!" Ji Xiaoou hurriedly stood up, "How is Rigor doing now?" At the mention of the word rigorous, somehow a sour stream of heat suddenly rushed to the base of her nose.

Yan Shen walked around the sofa and sat down across from her, saw her slightly reddened eyes and nose, and immediately waved his hand and made a pause gesture.

"He's fine. He's in a detention center in Hebei now, no, he's in the hospital now, pneumonia, but he's gone, you don't have to worry. Time is short, let's make a long story short. Bringing you to the house is something to tell you. Rigorous has entrusted lawyer Zhou, he wants to turn the 'third' of the legal representative into you, the lawyer has prepared all the materials, if you agree, the lawyer will apply to the detention center, sign and notarize on the spot. ”

"What?" Ji Xiaoou showed a shocked expression, "The legal representative is replaced by me?" Why? She knows very well what it means to change legal persons, which is equivalent to strictly transferring "one-third" of this prosperous store with an annual turnover of nearly 50 million to her for free. Even if the business is not good at the moment, the emaciated camel is bigger than the horse, and if she changes hands again after taking over, the transfer fee alone is a huge amount of income.

Examining her carefully and carefully, she looked at her for a long time without saying a word, and finally she retracted her gaze and smiled slightly: "Strict has always been like this, and the people he identifies are not hesitant to dig out their hearts and lungs." Fortunately, he is more accurate in seeing people, and no one has lived up to his trust for so many years. Hopefully he won't lose his eyes this time. ”

When Ji Xiaoou heard this, his heart sank like being pressed by a boulder, and he couldn't beat. I just remember that I haven't gone to the trouble for rigor, and this trust is too heavy. After a moment of dumbness, she lowered her head: "It's so unexpected, why did he do this?" ”

Yan Shen smiled abruptly, but this time he smiled coldly: "You can accept it, or you may not accept it." I have to make it clear to you before you make your choice. My dad has already gone through the procedures for early leave, and no one can predict what will happen in the future. If you accept the 'third', if something bad happens in the future, maybe you will be affected. And I know that it is not easy to take over this store now, and it is normal for you to refuse, and I believe that rigor can understand it, and I will not blame you. You think about it, and when you think about it, tell me, and I'll inform Lawyer Zhou. ”

Ji Xiaoou stared at her, his eyes were so dark that he seemed to have condensed all his heart in his pupils. Yes, this Yan Shen is the Yan Shen she knows, the Yan Shen who leaned on her shoulder in the corridor of the hospital, is nothing more than a stranger.

"Is it true that the change of legal person means rigorously?" She looked straight into her cautious eyes.

Yan Shen also looked at her, and did not timidly in her forced gaze: "Yes." Mr. Zhou has his engagement agreement there. ”

Then there was a long period of cold silence between the two, and the strict silence meant that Ji Xiaoou understood very clearly: Yan Shen did not want to see his brother's hard work change hands to others, especially to a strange woman who was not related by blood. In her heart, probably all the women from ordinary backgrounds who try to get close to rigor are because they covet his money and family background.

"I've figured it out." Ji Xiaoou finally spoke calmly, "I decided to accept 'one-third'." ”

Yan Shen put down Erlang's legs, and the expression on his face was written with the clear word "sure enough": "I knew that you would definitely accept it." Regardless of the hassle in the back of it, this store looks pretty tempting right now, right? ”

Ji Xiaoou didn't answer her stubble, but continued calmly: "I hope to complete the procedures as soon as possible, the sooner the better, otherwise I will be very embarrassed to do many things in the store." ”

"Good." Yan Shen smiled and nodded, "Strict is also considered benevolent, I hope he will not regret it in the future." Mr. Zhou's car is waiting for you outside the door, and I hope you are lucky enough to meet Rigor Rigor . ”

Ji Xiaoou stood up: "Thank you, goodbye." ”

The nanny brought her shoes over, Ji Xiaoou changed them at the door, opened the door and was about to go out, but Yan Shen shouted behind him: "Wait!" ”

Ji Xiaoou stopped: "What else do you have?" ”

Yan Shen looked at her and smiled again, but there was obvious sarcasm in that smile: "Remember? You told me that Zhan Yu's parents, they have the same dignity and bottom line, remember? ”

Ji Xiaoou was stunned for a moment, although she didn't understand why she suddenly mentioned this matter, she still replied cooperatively: "Remember! ”

"Then let me tell you, Zhan Yu's father came to us behind his ex-wife to talk about civil compensation. That is, if we meet his conditions, he will sign a victim forgiveness. Rigor has always insisted on the not-guilty defense, but lawyer Zhou said that the not-guilty defense may only have a 30% chance of winning, and we must be psychologically prepared to finally make a commutation defense. And in this kind of criminal case, if you get a letter of forgiveness from the victim, you should know how much impact it will have on the outcome of sentencing, right? ”

Ji Xiaoou only felt as if he had been slapped in the face, and his face was hot and painful. Biting her lip, she asked, "How much does he want?" ”

"Four million. You see, in his heart, his son's life is only worth four million, and the price of a house is still an apartment outside the Fifth Ring Road. One day you will understand that there is really no one in this world who can resist the temptation of money, the difference is only where his bottom line is. ”

Ji Xiaoou stared at her, with compassion in his eyes: "Yan Shen, I believe that one day you will also understand that if all feelings, dreams and responsibilities in a person's world can be clearly priced, then he will never have the opportunity to experience what is true love, what is loyalty, and what is eternity." ”

She walked out of the door of the rigorous house and into the spring drizzle. The rain falling quietly from the gray clouds is indiscernible in shape, and only makes people feel like a puff on their faces, with a subtle chill, seeping into the bare skin and also into the heart. At this moment, her heart was filled with joy and sadness. Rejoiced because of the trust that Rigor entrusted to her, but it was because of Rigor Prudence's last words. For a moment, she had the urge to turn around and go back, telling Yan Shen that she would give up, and then she could go back to her own life, run her own beauty shop again, and then reconcile with her mother and be a normal ordinary girl again. But then she sneered again, she had already walked so far, did she think she could go back? How can things that are connected by flesh and blood be cut in two? For example, her relationship with her parents, such as her heart for rigor.

Before she came, she originally wanted to tell Yan Shen about the financial difficulties faced by "One-third", but at this moment she completely dispelled this idea. Now that you have decided to accept a rigorous mandate, you can face all the problems yourself.

Although the lung damage caused by pneumonia requires long-term recuperation, the pneumonia has basically recovered and he can return to the detention center. However, after this intimidation, the detention center, coupled with the Beijing police's special emphasis on ensuring the safety of the suspect's life before the trial, did not dare to let him stay alone in the trumpet anymore. There are a lot of people in the large size, and they are more worried about accidents when they are mixed together, so after careful consideration, they feel that it is safest to leave him in the hospital temporarily. So he was transferred back to the prison hospital from the municipal hospital, still enjoying the treatment of a single ward.

Although the food in the hospital is lacking in salt and oil, it is even better than the food in the detention center. Especially for people who can bend and stretch like rigorous, they want to be able to swallow the vole meat and snake meat they were born when they are born, even if they are used to eating in a privileged environment, but he can make do with it when he has no conditions to enjoy it. After eating three meals a day, the rest of the time is to exercise in addition to reading the newspaper. When lawyer Zhou Zhongwen was brought into the ward, he was doing one-handed push-ups on the floor with his upper body, and the policeman, who had already been familiar with him, squatted next to him and reported to him: "Two hundred and forty-nine, two hundred and fifty, come on, it's almost breaking yesterday's record......

At the beginning of April in the north, it was raining lightly outside, and it was still very cold inside, and the others were still feeling cold and soaked in sweat while wearing woolen sweaters and thick jackets, only rigor was sweating, and drops of crystal sweat came out of his pores, resting on his muscular back, and his wheat-colored skin was shining with a healthy luster, only the long old wound at the lumbar spine seemed a little eye-catching.

Lawyer Zhou was silent for a while because of the accident. There are not 100 or 80 cases he has personally handled, but he has never seen such a lively and optimistic client in prison with an uncertain future.

Yan Yan saw his shoes and trouser legs from under his body, turned over and jumped up, and smiled while wiping his sweat: "Barrister, you are finally here." If I don't come back, I'm going to have a depression. ”

Lawyer Zhou saw that Cheng Cheng was still handcuffed on one hand. He lowered his head and took out the lawyer's card and power of attorney from his bag, and the police came and handcuffed both hands together, then stepped aside and sat down, picked up the newspaper and buried his head in reading, still without any evasion.

Rigor and Lawyer Zhou glanced at each other, and both smiled helplessly.

The purpose of lawyer Zhou's visit this time is not only to communicate with Rigor about the process of investigation and evidence collection during this time, but also to bring all the information required by the "one-third" conversion legal person to him for his review.

Looking at Rigor squatting on the edge of the bed, turning over the pages of those documents, Lawyer Zhou said, "You don't think about it anymore? Your family must tell you to be cautious. ”

Rigor stopped turning the page, turned his face and glanced at Lawyer Zhou, and at this glance understood the hidden subtext on that face. He put down the papers and stood up: "Family? Lawyer Zhou, you're talking about my sister, right? You see, that's why I'm in such a hurry to turn into a legal person. The few members of our family, my father and my mother, in this life, they don't believe in anything other than the Communist Party and communism, and they are very proficient in officialdom, but they have zero common sense in life, and they are 20 years behind the outside world, and they have no concept of money. My sister, who studied finance, is too sensitive to money and too shrewd. None of them have ever made a restaurant, they only know that this restaurant makes money, and whoever wins it will take advantage of it, but I don't know how many difficulties I have to face in this business, so I must do it while I am alive. Otherwise, when I am gone, 'a third' will surely die at their hands." ”

Lawyer Zhou spread out his palms and made an expression of "none of my business", and then said: "The final signature requires the presence of someone from the notary office, and I have already applied to the detention center for you, and I can proceed only after approval." You'll still have time to think about it. ”

"What else is on the table?" Rigor was very puzzled, "A girl is willing to take risks for me to do things that others dare not do, I may not be able to do anything else, and I can still do it by giving her a store." What's more, that store must be a mess now, and she will suffer a lot for taking care of this store after she takes over. ”

Lawyer Zhou smiled: "If you ask me for my personal opinion, your girlfriend is so young and beautiful, she really doesn't look like she can endure hardships." ”

"Hey, what's that! You haven't seen her fight with a man, I can see it, wait......" Speaking of this, Rigor suddenly stopped, "How do you know that she is young and beautiful, you have seen her?" ”

Lawyer Zhou looked back at the policeman who was sitting on the side and buried himself in the newspaper, and turned his back to him and glanced in the direction of the window.

Rigorous was stunned, and he couldn't quite believe the message conveyed by this action. He looked at Lawyer Zhou with an inquiring look, but Lawyer Zhou nodded affirmatively.

The muscles of Rigorous's body tightened, and he couldn't help but clench his fists. But instead of rushing at once, he sat down on the edge of the bed, rubbed his face vigorously, combed his five fingers again, and combed his long hair, which had not been cut for a long time, and had risen more than an inch above his head, and then slowly stood up, pretended not to care, and slowly approached the window.

The policeman looked up at him from the newspaper, and when he saw that he was acting calmly and serenely, and there was nothing unusual about him, he lowered his head again.

Leaning on the window of the ward on the third floor, looking out through the dusty glass window, the fine spring rain outside the window fell from the buds of the poplar trees, and the spring flowers and apricot blossoms were blooming brightly, and the flowers were red and willow green, a truly beautiful world. He saw his girl, standing in the rain with her head up, staring at her head and face, her head and face covered with sparkling droplets, and the long hair that had made him so much loved had become a pretty short hair, wet on her forehead and sideburns. She was so close to him, so close that she could clearly see the new gloom in her eyes, so close that she seemed to reach out and touch her emaciated cheeks. He really stretched out his hand, only to find that he and her were close but far away.

The vision blurred in an instant, he suddenly weakened to the point that the sky was spinning, and he quickly closed his eyes, he remembered for no reason that it was this time last year, Ji Xiaoou called him to help transport something, and he went happily, but saw Zhan Yu, who used to be named KK. He couldn't figure it out, he couldn't figure out how the girl who was simple and simple and never knew the complexity of the world could add a few wisps of misery and vicissitudes between her eyebrows and eyes. If time could be turned back, on the night of his birthday a year ago, he would rather be scolded to death by his friends than get a drop of wine, so that he would not meet Zhan Yu, let alone Ji Xiaoou, and she might be able to stay lively and simple. There is no interlacing, no relevance, the relationship between them, maybe this is the most correct way.

Ji Xiaoou tilted his face and searched carefully among the rows of windows. Lawyer Zhou only told her that the strict ward was on the third floor, but did not tell her which room. She could only find. There was no moment more than this moment that made her hate her myopia. Sweeping through the windows one by one, she hardly dared to blink, for fear that the moment she blinked would miss the rigor.

His eyes were sour, and he finally saw a rigorous and blurred figure. Her eyes froze, and she almost screamed, almost ran forward. In fact, it has only been more than three weeks since Yan Yan was taken away by the police, but she feels like ten years, or more. She misses him.

But she didn't scream or move after all, just stared at him quietly.

Through the window glass, the light in the room was relatively dim, and she couldn't see clearly, so she could only trace the imaginary outlines and facial features over and over again with her eyes. She remembered that the night before, when the two of them were closest to each other, it was just a hug. His chin rubbed against the sensitive part of his skin, and the tingling sensation seemed to have not faded to this day. If her skin was a little thicker at that time, if she could take the initiative to tempt him without being a little shameless, wouldn't she have to be like today, I don't know when the next meeting will be, I can't speak, I can't move, I can only relive the little light and warmth when the skin touched over and over again in my memories, look at it, it's a glance, she wants to imprint him in her eyes and engrave it in her heart.

Rigor stayed in front of the window for too long, so long that the police were suspicious, he put down the newspaper and walked over: "Hey, what is there outside the window to look at so attentively?" I'm telling you, don't use any more crooked brains, or you'll be the one who suffers......"

Rigorous but didn't seem to hear it, still looking out the window stupidly. It was as if the sky outside the window was shining in his eyes, and there was a glittering water in it.

The policeman finally went to the window and looked in the same direction with a stern gaze, and he saw a young woman standing in the increasingly rapid spring rain, her hair and blouse drenched by the slanting rain. She was making a strange gesture with her hands. The gesture the police couldn't read, but the rigor could understand it. Because that's the sign language of the special forces world.

Ji Xiaoou used the non-standard special forces sign language he had just learned to tell him clearly: You have to persevere, you can't give up. I'll wait for you.

Rigor finally walked away from the window, lay on his side on the bed and coughed for a while, the cough was hollow, as if it had come out of his chest, and finally coughed so blank that it seemed that he was only gasping for breath.

In the end, he pulled up the quilt and covered his head, and didn't even say goodbye to Lawyer Zhou's departure.

Lawyer Zhou returned to the parking lot of the hospital, and Ji Xiaoou was already sitting in the back seat of the car waiting for him. Seeing her with her head down through the car window, he thought she was crying, and when he opened the door, he saw an open book on her lap. The name of that book was "Restaurant Operations Management." Lawyer Zhou remembers that it was at this moment that he was deeply impressed by this girl. When he saw Ji Xiaoou's name again in a trial document a long time later, the first thing he recalled was the shot of her quietly bowing her head and turning the pages of the book. He also remembered that when most people believed that Rigor had really killed people and were convinced of the final death sentence, she was the only one who insisted on Rigor of innocence and was sure that he would one day be acquitted.

Ji Xiaoou is now in urgent need of a cash sum to meet "one-third" of daily expenses. In addition to wages, the cost of ingredients, public relations expenses, utilities and taxes, all of which need cash to settle the doors. The person who happened to want to take over the beauty shop of "Like a Year of Water" notified her to do the final handover, and after this procedure was completed, hundreds of thousands of transfer fees and a year's rent could be cashed out immediately.

Ji Xiaoou appeared in the store for the last time as the owner of the "Year of Flowing Water", gave a facial massage herself, and expressed her deep apologies to her regular customers. Then during the chat, she heard a shocking news from Fang Niya's neighbor: a few days ago, Niya actually committed suicide by swallowing medicine, but fortunately, the nanny found it early and sent her to the hospital in time for gastric lavage, and she was finally out of danger.

Hearing this, Ji Xiaoou's fingers stiffened in shock, and it took a long time to be able to curl up again one by one and return to softness and normality. Fontia asked her to wait for news of the house two weeks ago and hasn't contacted her since. Ji Xiaoou was embarrassed to call to urge, guessing that it might be that the original tenant contract had not expired and was difficult to deal with, so he had already rented a one-bedroom house through an intermediary. But she didn't expect that Fang Nia had not heard from her at all, and this was the reason.

She dialed Fang Niya's mobile phone, but no one answered several times, and the last time it was finally connected, but it was a strange woman with a thick Anhui accent.

"Xiao Fang can't answer the phone."

Ji Xiaoou anxiously asked, "Why?" ”

"Her man said that." The voice was rude and impatient, and then the phone was hung up.

Ji Xiaoou looked at her mobile phone, she was angry for a while, she came out of the beauty shop, and she rushed directly to Fang Niya's house.

Fontia's house is a row of townhouses. Each house has a small garden outside the door, and the doorbell is installed on the wooden gate of the garden.

Ji Xiaoou rang the doorbell, and only heard the sound of the door opening in the courtyard for a long time, the sound of heavy footsteps came from far and near, the wooden door opened a crack, and the face of a woman in her forties squeezed out of the crack in the door, looking her up and down with vigilant eyes.

"I'm a friend of Nia, come and see her." Ji Xiaoou introduced himself.

"Does her man agree?" The woman in the crack in the door said, "Her man doesn't agree that you can't come in." ”

Ji Xiaoou was stunned for a moment, she didn't know how to answer, thought about it and replied, "What do you call it?" ”

"What did you say?"

"Who are you from her family?"

"Auntie."

Ji Xiaoou took a closer look at that face, his dark complexion under the long-term sun, and there seemed to be a chaotic obscurantism between his eyebrows and eyes. I remember the last time I came to Fang's house, it was a Shaanxi aunt who served tea and poured water, although she was also dark and strong, but she spoke softly, unlike this one, as if she was still standing on the ridge at the entrance of the village. She frowned, not understanding why she chuckled in her heart, as if something was wrong.

"Eldest sister," she tried her best to convince the door god, "I have been friends with Nia for many years, and I have known her husband, I just heard that she is not in good health, and I am in a hurry to see her, and she can't answer her mobile phone, so you let me go in and take a look, as long as I know that she is okay, and promise not to harass her." ”

"No way!" The door god is very stubborn, "Her man said that she can't be allowed to meet outsiders." ”

The door slammed shut, almost hitting the tip of Ji Xiaoou's nose, she was so angry that she turned around and left, but she didn't take a few steps and came back. Because the moment she turned around, the little bit of unformed doubt in her heart suddenly swelled up, like a cloud of smoke, expanding bigger and bigger.

She rang the doorbell again, with a persistence that would not stop until she had achieved her goal. The door opened, and the face squeezed out of the crack in the door again, because the angry features were all crowded together, like an enraged she-cat.

"What's the matter with you? I told you no! ”

Ji Xiaoou was shocked by her loud voice and took a step back, almost messing up. She steadied herself and decided to scare the woman, who had obviously just come to the city from the countryside, so she straightened her face and made her voice gloomy and fierce: "I still have to go in and have a look today." Are you letting me in? If you don't let me in, I'll call the police. I'm telling you, you're illegally imprisoning someone, and the police can put you in jail when they come. Her husband will give you a salary at most, and if you really go to prison for this, he won't care about you! ”

She took out her mobile phone and dialed the number: "I called the police, you look, 1, 1, 0......"

Just when she pressed the second number, the "door god" softened, and while opening the garden door, she muttered: "I'm just a nanny, I've only been here for a few days, I have to listen to what the owner says, why should I go to prison?" You can come in, don't let her man know, or I'll lose my job. ”

Ji Xiaoou hurriedly reassured her: "Don't worry, I'll leave as soon as I see it, and I won't delay." If you don't say it, I won't say it, and her husband will never know. ”

Ji Xiaoou was taken into the bedroom on the second floor. It was a large south-facing bedroom, and the window was shining brightly, but the room was densely drawn with thick curtains, and a multicolored shell lamp was lit on the bedside table, and a woman with a cloak sat in the light. Hearing the footsteps, her face turned around, but her eyes were dull, staring at Ji Xiaoou fixedly, but there was no focus, and there was no change in expression on her face, as if she was just seeing a cloud of air.

Ji Xiaoou stretched out his fingers to cover his lips. The scene in front of her was quite strange, especially Fanya's pale cheeks, which were not a little bloody, and looked like a lifeless wax figure in the sparkling lights.

"Sister Nia?" She screamed softly, but the other party didn't react, just looked away from her, staring motionless ahead, landing on a void that didn't exist.

"What's wrong with her? Why is this happening? Ji Xiaoou couldn't help but turn around and ask the nanny. What can make a normal person who was talking and laughing more than ten days ago become like a demented child?

"I don't know." The nanny replied, "That's it for me, that's it for me to come back from the hospital." ”

When she spoke, Fang Niya, who had not reacted, suddenly shrank her body, and her eyes actually showed a little fear. Staring behind Ji Xiaoou, she let out a miserable scream without warning, and then grabbed Ji Xiaoou's hand.

Ji Xiaoou hurriedly hugged her, and was just about to speak, when she suddenly felt something transfer from Fang Niya's hand to her palm. She was stunned, subconsciously clenched her fists, and before she could react to it, Fania let out another shrill scream, the kind of scream that made people's blood clot, like a small animal that was on the verge of death by the throat.

The nanny was so frightened that her face changed color, and when she came over, she asked Ji Xiaoou out: "If you go quickly, her man will be back soon......"

Ji Xiaoou was pushed and shoved out of the bedroom, and he still heard Fang Niya screaming one after another behind him. And the soft mass, clutched in the palm of her hand, was almost soaked with cold sweat.

It wasn't until she left Fang Niya's house and got into the taxi back that Ji Xiaoou dared to open the things in her hand. What Fania handed her was a crumpled napkin. Looking at the paper ball, she frowned, thinking it was a piece of waste paper, but the moment she wanted to throw it away, she thought about it and took it back. The moment the napkin was smoothed out and unfolded, she let out a soft "ah", glad she hadn't thrown it away. There were 10 scribbled numbers on the paper, and two crooked circles, black handwriting, staccato strokes, colors sometimes blurry and sometimes clear. She looked at the sunlight for a long time, but found nothing but that it had been hastily written with a very soft eyeliner.

In the evening, she couldn't help but call Fang Niya again, this time instead of calling her mobile phone, she called Fang's landline phone. It was Fontia's husband who answered the phone. He explained to Ji Xiaoou in a calm and indifferent tone: "She has always had depression and has been taking medicine, but it has not improved. This time, it was my aunt who didn't take a good look at her and had an accident, so I quit my aunt and replaced it with another one. I don't know if it's a side effect of the drug, but she became like this when she came back from the hospital after washing her stomach. She is still very weak, and when she is better, I will take her to the psychiatric department for an evaluation. I don't want any outside factors to spur her on until she gets better. ”

The impeccable words answered all of Ji Xiaoou's questions, leaving her speechless. Pinching the napkin, she collapsed on the sofa, her heart like a lead ball, so heavy that she couldn't breathe. She couldn't figure out how a good person could suddenly go insane? And the piece of paper and the string of numbers handed to her, was it intentional when Fontia was conscious, or was it an unconscious act of a mentally ill person?

The house she rented in a hurry had all the old furniture, and the sofa under her had lost its elasticity and the spring was hurting her back, but she was too lazy to get up, and she was in a state of sleep, and her mobile phone rang. It was her new store manager who called.

"Sister Ji, the 'Fulong' company that sued us, I have already found out that in addition to us, it also provides long-term supply to three other seafood restaurants, two of which are legal persons Li Guoqiang."

"Li Guoqiang?" Ji Xiaoou was completely sleepy, and sat up, "Sure enough, it has something to do with the 'little beauty'!" ”

"Yes."

"Fulllong's boss, can you find a way for me to meet him?"

"He eats breakfast every morning at a Cantonese tea house near the seafood market."

"Okay, I'll meet him tomorrow."

Chen Fulong, the owner of the "Fulong" company, is a middle-aged man in his 50s, and the most conspicuous symbol on his face is a mustache on his upper lip like two mouse's whiskers. Ji Xiaoou crossed the heads of several tables and locked on to him at a glance. She walked straight over and pulled out a chair and sat across from him. Chen Fulong was concentrating on dealing with a chicken paw with his head down, and when he noticed that there was an extra person on the other side, he raised his head angrily, ready to see who was so ignorant of current affairs that he dared to disturb his sacrosanct breakfast time, but what came into view was a fashionably dressed young girl, and the annoyed expression on his face dramatically changed into a spring breeze.

"Yo, Sister Jie is familiar, what is the matter with me?"

Ji Xiaoou looked at him and smiled: "Uncle Chen, we are so familiar with each other, you just pretend to see the outside." I know very well who you are, who I am, I guess you know what you are in your heart. ”

Chen Fulong put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth and hands with a napkin, and spat out a mouthful of food residue at the ashtray with a "puff", then he raised his head and squinted his eyes to look at Ji Xiaoou: "The new boss of 'One-Third' is really amazing!" Say, Miss Ji, what are you looking for me early in the morning? ”

Ji Xiaoou shifted her gaze by ten centimeters, so as not to accidentally fall on the yellow and white residue, but the smile on her face was still maintained in the best state: "What am I looking for you, I am afraid that you know better than me in your heart, let's not waste time talking nonsense." ”

Chen Fulong leaned back, leaned back in the chair, then spread his hands upwards and made an inviting gesture to Ji Xiaoou: "Then please, I'll listen here." ”

Ji Xiaoou really didn't talk nonsense with him, and went straight to the point: "Uncle Chen, I am looking for you for one purpose, I want to understand that 'Fulong' and 'One-Part' have been cooperating for three or four years, and they have been quite pleasant, even if there is occasionally a little friction, for example, the seafood you serve is one grade worse than what we require, 'One-Third' will also settle the bill on time, and has never defaulted on payment, this time it's just that Brother Jin has encountered a little trouble, and our own people are not angry, but it is only a delay in payment for three months." As far as I know, other hotels that you have cooperated with have defaulted on your payment for more than two years, and you have endured it. So I'm wondering, what exactly is the reason for you to go to court and sue 'third'? ”

"What is the reason?" Chen Fulong sneered, "It is only right to repay debts. If you pay me back now, I'll go with you to the court right now to withdraw the lawsuit. ”

"Uncle Chen, you have been in this industry for more than ten years, and it is not easy to make it so big from a small fishing boat, right? I'm sure if you were really a very calculating person, you wouldn't be here today. 'A third' is now not good, and it used to be one of the best seafood restaurants here. Say that one day it will start again, business will get better again, you will lose a high-quality big customer, just say Tanggu this place, there are many restaurants, and there are many companies that supply seafood, who can guarantee that there will be no three disasters and six difficulties in a lifetime, you are not afraid of other families looking at the 'third' of the cold heart, and will not dare to cooperate with you in the future? ”

Chen Fulong's mustache was cocked, and he smiled: "Miss Ji, you are eloquent, but you are almost sophisticated." As you just said, I have been in this industry for more than ten years, and I know very well what I can and can't do, so I don't need you to remind me. ”

Ji Xiaoou was robbed, but she didn't feel embarrassed, on the contrary, the expression on her face was extremely sincere: "Yes, I know that you are an understanding person, so I especially want to find out, you want to sue 'one-third', is there any special hardship?" I would also like you to tell me what I can do so that you can withdraw the lawsuit? ”

Chen Fulong stood up suddenly: "I have other things to do today, I'm sorry." ”

Ji Xiaoou also stood up in a hurry, and grabbed his sleeve: "Uncle Chen! ”

Chen Fulong flicked it twice, didn't break away from her hand, and could only smile bitterly and said, "Miss Ji, looking at your age, you are a little older than my daughter, isn't it good to find a job with your family?" Do you have to show up for catering? Let me tell you, there is a saying that people can't help themselves in the rivers and lakes. This matter is not negotiable, unless you make up the payment immediately, otherwise I have no way and no reason to withdraw the lawsuit, I can't just cooperate with your family in this place, understand? ”

He pushed Ji Xiaoou away, so strong that she staggered back a few steps, and then left without looking back.

Ji Xiaoou looked at his back, chewed his last sentence several times, and then pouted fiercely, "No reason?" Okay, I'll give you a reason. ”

Although the business of "One-third" has not been good in the recent period, and the daily turnover is less than 30% of the peak period, because the income of the previous day can be shared every night, the mood of the employees is relatively stable, and the daily affairs store manager and floor manager can cope with it. Several seafood suppliers other than "Fulong", after she visited them one by one, they all agreed to supply them as usual, and made an exception to give her a three-month delay in payment. After several major events were finalized and the entire store was inspected, seeing that everything was normal, Ji Xiaoou decided to rush back to Beijing to give priority to the problem of Fulong's arrears.

As soon as she returned to Beijing, she received a text message from the bank informing her that the transfer fee and rent of the beauty shop had been called. This text message gave her a temporary sigh of relief, because the money was enough to cover "one-third" of a month's daily expenses. However, the 4.7 million yuan owed to the "Fulong" company could not be found, and the only asset she held in her hand that could be realized was the house that her grandmother left to her. For this reason, she went to a real estate agency to consult the price and closing period. The agent told her that because Beijing had just introduced a strict housing purchase restriction policy, her house was more suitable for commercial use than self-occupation, and it was currently the off-season for transactions, and unless she could list it at a price lower than 20% of the market, she might not be able to sell it for a month or two.

Ji Xiaoou was very helpless, and he thought that selling the house was already a good idea, because he had just spent more than 200,000 yuan to renovate it, and he had just collected the transfer fee of the beauty shop, if the house was sold, all this part of the cost would be lost. But even so, it couldn't solve her urgent need. She can only ask the intermediary to try it at the normal market price of 3.5 million yuan first, and then consider reducing the price if no one cares.

Out of the intermediary company, Ji Xiaoou sat helplessly on the roadside flower bed, at this moment she only felt trapped internally and externally, embattled. The former store manager Liu Wanning's escape with money has been officially filed after investigation and evidence collection, but Liu Wanning ran away without a trace, and his parents who are only in their 70s at home do not know anything about his actions and whereabouts. Although there is no movement from the media for the time being, because she has always suspected that Liu Wanning and "Little Beauty" Li Guoqiang are secretly colluding, he ran away with the money and the "Furlong" lawsuit is completely a set of serial schemes, coupled with the sentence that "Little Beauty" left down last time, she has been worried that "Little Beauty" may be holding back some big move in order to get "one-third".

At this moment, she really wanted to call Yan Shen for help, but when she remembered Yan Shen's eyes full of disdain and contempt, she dispelled this idea again.

Holding her chin for a moment, she pulled her wallet out of her backpack, which contained a rigorous photograph of a former sniper wearing protective glasses and a sniper rifle in both hands, looking intently at a target off camera. Perseverance, composure, calmness, all the masculine traits she likes, can be found in this photo.

"Look what kind of mess you're throwing at me!" She said to herself in front of the photo, "If I sell the house, my mother will never take care of me again in her life." But if you don't sell the house, what else can you do to get that guy to stop? Why don't you come out and clean up this mess yourself, I really don't want to care. ”

Rigor maintained a serious look, and could not answer her questions.

Ji Xiaoou smiled bitterly, then put away the wallet, stood up and walked back. As I walked and looked up, I found that I had subconsciously gone straight to the direction of my parents' house, and I could already see the outermost building in the community in front of me. She stood on the side of the road, originally wanted to laugh, laughing at her insincerity, it turned out that when she encountered a predicament, what she wanted to run to the most was the arms of her parents, but as soon as her eyes were hot, tears fell. She raised her hand to wipe away her tears, but the tears flowed more and more. It was as if this action had triggered a switch, and all the anxiety and grievances of these days had come up, and she covered her mouth, for fear that she would lose control and cry out on the crowded road, but the whimper still came through the cracks of her fingers.

She finally turned around and cried unscrupulously with her back to the passers-by, but fortunately, with the tears pouring out, there was still inner pressure and sadness. After crying, she raised her head, she felt that the whole person was like being washed with water inside and out, her heart was clear, and she could face all the accidents and blows again.

As soon as she wiped away her tears and looked up, she suddenly saw a person standing beside her, looking at her in a daze. The man was dressed in a seasonal white box coat, with long hair pulled back in a loose bun, and his complexion was cold and graceful, the same woman she had seen in the choir a few months earlier.

Ji Xiaoou was too impressed by this woman, and her face blindness did not attack at all. Even if I only met once, I will never forget her appearance, and I always remember that her name is May.

Straightening his hair and clothes, Ji Xiaoou's face barely floated a smile: "Sister May, why are you here?" ”

May gestured to the three-story building across the road, "There was an event in the choir today, and I saw you when I was parking on the side of the road." ”

Only then did Ji Xiaoou realize that the small building opposite was very familiar, and it was indeed the place he inadvertently passed by in January. That day, she was attracted by the choir's singing and went upstairs to meet the May in front of her. didn't expect to run into acquaintances when she was out of shape, Ji Xiaoou felt very embarrassed, she wanted to explain: "I just ...... Alas, you should pretend that you don't see anything. ”

May stepped forward and grabbed her arm: "The girls will come in a while, we can have twenty minutes to talk, do you want to go up?" ”

Since the last time I met, Ji Xiaoou always felt like a person who had experienced a lot of stories, although there was an indelible melancholy in her eyes, but also a calmness after seeing through the world. When she looks at you, her eyes have the power to calm and tranquil, so at first Ji Xiaoou misunderstood that she was a clergyman of the church. Facing her invitation, Ji Xiaoou nodded immediately, without any thought of refusing.

The empty classroom has barely changed from the last time. May lifted the lid of the piano, played a few notes, and asked, "Would you like to hear me play a few songs, or would you like to have a chat?" ”

"Let's play a song." Ji Xiaoou said, "Just play the song "Celebrate My Love Tonight" last time, is it okay? ”

May's eyes flashed visibly, "Do you like this?" ”

"I haven't noticed it before, but the last time I heard you play, I thought it sounded good. Recently, I encountered something and thought about this song, especially the lyrics, and it felt really ...... I can't say it, I just think that the world is impermanent, life is short, and when two people can love each other, every day is worth celebrating as a holiday. ”

May's fingers ran over the keys and played the first phrase, then she stopped and sighed: "Yes, every encounter is a reunion after a long absence, every separation may never see each other again in this life, life is a long farewell, and the most beautiful time is on the way." But because it's so long and there are too many interludes, we often forget the main theme for the sake of the interlude. ”

At this moment, I don't know if it was my own illusion, Ji Xiaoou seemed to see the faint tears in her eyes. She lowered her eyes and the piano sounded again, "Tonight I celebrate my love for you......"

After that, the two didn't speak again, Ji Xiaoou listened to her play one song after another without stopping, although she didn't know the names of those piano pieces, but it didn't prevent her from being deeply infected by the melody flowing out of her hand, which reminded people of the best fragments of her life in the past.

The choir girls arrived one after another, and May turned to playing a hymn, and the girls gathered around the piano and chanted softly to the sound of the piano. Ji Xiaoou silently stepped back, took May's mobile phone aside, dialed her own number with her mobile phone in order to leave her mobile phone number, and then left quietly without saying goodbye to her. Just because there is a kind of encounter and acquaintance in the world, it is like golden wind and jade dew, because it has gone through some similar years, precipitating some similar hearts and feelings, and there is no need for too many words.

But Ji Xiaoou never expected that this casual encounter would actually bring a chance for "one-third" to be reborn. A few days later, at noon, when she was in the city with a driving school sparring partner to familiarize herself with the road conditions, she received a text message from May, saying that she had an urgent matter to meet with her.

Ji Xiaoou immediately left the sparring partner and rushed to the appointment. The car she drove was the old Bora of Cheng Ruimin's house. She had already obtained her driver's license last year, and the only thing she lacked was road experience. After more than ten hours on the road with the sparring partner, he was eager to try to go on the road by himself. At the moment, there was no sparring, and I was careful all the way, and I actually drove to the date place unscathed.

Waiting for her in the café, May was not alone, there was also a man in his thirties next to him, in a gray suit and white shirt, and his temperament looked like a white-collar worker working in an office building.

Beckoning Ji Xiaoou to sit down, May said embarrassedly: "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have made such an appointment with you in such a hurry, Gao Yang just came back from a business trip, and I forced him out of the company." Because I think this matter is more important, I want you to meet and talk about it as soon as possible. She pointed to the man next to her, "He's Gao Yang, who works for a public relations company." Gao Yang, let's talk about it later. ”

The man named "Gao Yang" owed a business card: "Miss Ji, fortunately." Yes, our company recently helped an important client to organize a relatively high-end charity auction dinner, and we were looking for a suitable venue. As for this venue, it is required to be large enough and distinctive, and because there will be more special guests to participate, it must also be private. May recommended your floating restaurant. I was very interested and wanted to go and see the environment in the field. I wonder what you think? ”

Ji Xiaoou looked down at the business card, and his heart beat wildly a few times like an electric shock. It turns out that Gao Yang's company is one of the world's top ten public relations companies. Then listen to Gao Yang introduce the relevant situation of the dinner, not only will the heavyweight media follow the whole process, but also one of the main sponsors of the dinner will have a clear church background. If this business can be negotiated, it will not only inject a shot of strength into the "one-third" comeback, but even the dirty name about the men's sex trade that was rumored some time ago can be washed away by the way.

Excited, she said repeatedly: "No problem, no problem, Mr. Gao, you are welcome to visit at any time." ”

May gently pressed her hand and smiled: "You can't take the initiative like this, how can you negotiate the price with him when you go back?" This person is a well-known treacherous and cunning, and he has never recognized money but not people. ”

Gao Yang didn't think it was wrong, but looked at May and smiled, full of connivance. And Ji Xiaoou suddenly received such a surprise, and all that was left was a smirk.

The three of them made an appointment to go to Tanggu together, Gao Yang brought another subordinate with him, and May changed to Ji Xiaoou's car. The first time she was carrying someone else in the car, Ji Xiaoou was a little nervous, but she finally had the right opportunity to say thank you to May.

May said, "You don't have to thank me, but if you want to thank the Almighty Lord." I always felt like we met like providence. I never understood why I felt that if I didn't do you this favor, I would lose something and regret it for the rest of my life. ”

After inspecting the internal and external environment of "one-third" as a whole, Gao Yang was generally satisfied, and only needed to go back to the company to discuss with his boss, and then let the lawyer prepare the contract, and then he could finalize the conditions and price with Ji Xiaoou on the real details of cooperation. For Ji Xiaoou, she originally planned to make this business at any cost, as long as the price and details are not too outrageous, she can accept it.

Now that the two sides have reached a consensus, the subsequent dinner is full of guests, and Ji Xiaoou asked the manager to open a bottle of rigorous private white wine to add to the fun. But she and Gao Yang have to drive, so they can only let the wine glass touch their lips to make a meaning, and a bottle of white wine is basically enjoyed by May and Gao Yang's subordinates.

May's amount of wine was surprisingly good, and she was slightly drunk after half a bottle of wine, and there was a compelling style in her eyes. Gao Yang, who was sitting opposite her, once his eyes fell on her, he refused to leave as easily as if he was sticking to her. Ji Xiaoou watched coldly, and found that these two people were actually in the state of being a concubine with affection, obviously Gao Yang was deeply affectionate, but May had no distractions.

At this time, the waiter came to serve the food, accidentally tripped over the carpet, although she was well-trained, she stumbled twice and steadied her horse, and did not throw the plate out of her hand, but still hit May's chair, and the glass of wine in her hand was completely spilled on her chest. It just so happened that May was wearing a nude silk blouse again, and the soaked fabric was attached to the chest, and the shape of the underwear and part of the * inside was immediately clear.

The group was suddenly embarrassed, and the eyes of several men during the banquet didn't know where to go, Gao Yang stood up, his mouth opened but he didn't speak, obviously he didn't know what to do in a hurry. The waiter was busy apologizing, and Ji Xiaoou had already stood up and pulled May to the office.

Ji Xiaoou always wears sportswear when he goes in and out on weekdays, and he puts a few more formal clothes in the office in case an important guest suddenly comes to the store by surprise, and he just finds out the emergency at this moment. She handed May a small suit and trotted down the stairs to the bar to find a clean towel. When she came up with a pile of wet wipes, she knocked on the door and entered, only to see that May was still wearing the wine-stained shirt, and the buttons on her chest had been unbuttoned twice, but her hand stopped at the third button. She was looking up at the group photo of the three teenagers on the wall, and the expression on her face was strangely still for a moment, as if she had been struck by lightning suddenly, and her soul flew to nowhere in an instant, leaving behind only an unconscious shell.

Ji Xiaoou was frightened by her dejected look, put down the things in her hand, and was about to speak, but saw a round and big teardrop in the corner of May's eye, which rolled down her cheek abruptly and dripped onto the front of her shirt.

Ji Xiaoou stood at a loss: "Sister May, what's wrong with you?" ”

May didn't look back, still staring at the photo stupidly, Ji Xiaoou heard her ask in a trembling voice, "Who are you?" How do you have a picture of them? ”

"Huh?" Ji Xiaoou was stunned for a moment before reacting, "It's not mine, it's my boyfriend who hung it here." You...... Do you know them? ”

May's back to her, her voice drifting like a dream: "I don't know him, he has always been engraved in my heart." ”

Ji Xiaoou blinked her eyes, a little suspicious that she was drunk, and she didn't know how to answer for a while, so she could only ask instinctively: "Which one are you talking about?" ”

May finally turned her head, her tear-stained face still in a trance. Ji Xiaoou stared at her mouth, for fear that the word "rigorous" would spit out from those two soft lips. Even if it is not rigorous, it is troublesome enough to be Cheng Ruimin's predecessor. When she went to Cheng's house to pick up the car, she saw his wife Tan Bin, who was wise in the process, and the intellectual and tacit understanding between Cheng and Tan complemented each other, which made her like the couple very much.

May said, "His surname is Sun." ”

"Oh." Ji Xiaoou breathed a sigh of relief, it was not just these two people. She turned her head to look at the photo and saw the face that was so handsome that she didn't know which star it looked like: "The best-looking one?" ”

"Yes."

Ji Xiaoou suddenly covered his mouth. "Second son", the "second son" who has passed away, the "second son" who has a deep presence in the "third"! She remembered the first time she saw May in the choir, who said she was religious only so she could one day reunite with her lost lover in heaven. At this moment, Ji Xiaoou couldn't believe that there was such a coincidence in the world.

Because of the excessive shock, she stammered a little when she spoke: "You...... and him...... You ......"

"Yes." Maybe really drunk, May's cheeks were red, "When I left Ukraine, I burned all the photos, for so many years, sometimes I see him in my dreams, so close to me, clear, every eyebrow can be seen clearly, but when I open my eyes and recall his appearance, it is getting more and more blurry, I didn't leave a photo of him, not even a photo of him......"

She tried to get closer to the photo, but she stumbled a step, Ji Xiaoou hurriedly hugged her, and still heard her muttering: "He told me to forget him and move forward." But how is that possible? How could I have forgotten him? ……”

Ji Xiaoou observed her words and looks, and didn't dare to answer indiscriminately, so she could only carefully hold her arm: "Sister May, you are drunk, I will ask Mr. Gao to send you back." ”

The dinner ended in a hurry because May was suddenly depressed, and Gao Yang and the others were going to rush back to Beijing.

Ji Xiaoou sent them out. Helping May into Gao Yang's car, she leaned closer and whispered, "Sister May, I'll make a copy of that photo for you." Looking at Gao Yang in the front seat, she lowered her voice, "Don't worry, you won't let him know." ”

May turned her head, but her eyes were clear in the shadow of the lamp, and she didn't seem to be drunk. She smiled: "Thank you, I don't think I need it anymore, some people can just keep it in their hearts." I'm going to be fine because I know that's what he wants me to do. ”

The car drove away. Ji Xiaoou watched them gradually disappear into the boundless night, and the spring breeze in April rolled up the full water vapor and lifted the hair on her forehead. Some people are experiencing, some people are losing, it turns out that there are many people in the world who have stories in their hearts. And everyone who has a story in their hearts seems to have experienced the same loneliness and helplessness. His eyes were full of despair, but his heart was full of hope for a new life.

She stood in front of the "third" gangway for a long, long time, until she received a text message from May: "Dear sister, I finally understand why God arranged for me to meet you. Thank you. I will do my best to help you, and God will bless you with all your wishes.

That night, Ji Xiaoou did not return to Beijing, but made do with the bed in the office all night. When she woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't fall asleep, she turned on the computer on her desk and connected to the Internet, only to see an unexpected news: the procuratorate had made a decision to prosecute the 12.29 murder and mutilation case.

She looked at the Weibo that posted this message for a long, long time, and never had the courage to click on the comments below to take a look. She hadn't dared to surf the Internet for a long time, but she could guess what the more than 10,000 comments below were, the anger or malice from strangers that people couldn't bear.