When Cheng Yan saw that person again, it was when she was eight years old.

At that time, she was already in the third grade, and her younger brother Cheng Lin also started school, two levels lower than her. Two people are in the same school, go to school together every morning, get out of school together, and take each other's company, but they are also harmonious. It's just that this kind of day hasn't lasted for a few days, and Cheng Lin is reluctant to go with her. According to his words, it was a shame to go to and from school with the girls every day, and he had to go to school with the boys. Although he was young at that time, his stubborn temper had already been revealed, and he was very assertive in his heart. Cheng Yan responded, but didn't say anything. She is introverted, she has few friends, and she feels quite happy to go to school with her brother every day, but since he doesn't want to be with him, let him go, anyway, I'm used to it alone. So, the scene on the way to school became like this, Cheng Yan walked in front alone, and Cheng Lin mixed with a group of angry boys, occasionally Cheng Lin ran past her and said hello to her, and the group of boys would scream "whooping", and the tone was full of ridicule. It's just that Cheng Yan was still young at that time, and he didn't know what this laugh meant, and he never thought that a boy of this age would have some disgusting thoughts in his heart. She usually just looks up and smiles, then lowers her head and continues walking, quietly like a reed that only sways with the wind.

After school that day, it was her turn to be on duty. After cleaning, the students in the school were almost gone. She packed her school bag, saddled it on her back, and prepared to go home. The sun had only half of her face hanging in the sky, and in the dim sunlight, her figure was stretched long, moving slowly on the ground.

Cheng Lin has disappeared, and he is not in the classroom. Cheng Yan sighed, not knowing where this naughty brother ran to play again. Before it was dark, she had to hurry home, otherwise she would be reprimanded by her mother. He Tu was much stricter with her than with her younger brother, never allowing her to go out to play at will, and even if she did, she would tell her where she had gone and who she was going with, and then ask her to come back in a few hours. She quickened her pace and walked towards the house, and had just reached the gate when she suddenly heard a murmuring of men and women from inside.

Cheng Yan was stunned for a moment, at this time, his father had already found a job, he was helping to manage the store at a relative's house in another place, and he only came back once in two or three months, and the last time he came back was a week ago, could he come back so soon? Cheng Yan couldn't help but feel a burst of excitement and excitement in her heart, she couldn't help but smile, and almost trotted towards the house. Every time my father comes back, he will bring a lot of delicious and fun, I don't know if he brought it back this time, she remembered the braised chicken feet that her father brought back last time, and couldn't help licking her lips.

But the man sitting on the chair in the room was not his father. Hearing her footsteps running in, he hurriedly stood up and looked back at her, and when he saw that it was her, he breathed a sigh of relief and sat back down. The mother was a little faintly flustered, but she quickly covered up the panic and asked lightly, "You came back so early today?" Didn't you say you're on duty today? ”

Cheng Yan was stunned for a moment, disappointed with curiosity. This man was so familiar, she knew where she had seen it, but she couldn't remember it. Hearing her mother's question, she nodded hurriedly and said, "I saw that it was getting dark, so I hurried back." ”

"Where's your brother?" He asked again.

Cheng Yan shook his head, took off the schoolbag on his shoulder, and walked towards the bedroom in the kitchen. Because she is also old and can no longer sleep with her parents, Cheng Jiahua came out of a small room for her to live. Putting down the schoolbag, Cheng Yan walked out and asked, "Mom, is he-"

He Di sorted out the hair that fell on his sideburns, and said lightly: "This is your Uncle Zheng, who is in charge of the warehouse next to our house." ”

"Oh." Cheng Yan glanced at him again, and saw that the man's gaze was looking straight at her, although it was gentle, it made her feel inexplicably repulsed, she nodded, turned around to get food, and hid in the hut to eat.

It was only when it was completely dark that the man left.

As soon as the door was shut, Hetu walked in. Seeing Cheng Yan lying on the table doing her homework, she rubbed her hands, sat down on the edge of the bed restlessly, opened her mouth a few times before asking, "Is there a lot of homework today?" ”

Cheng Yan glanced at her mother puzzled, she never cared about her own studies, why did she ask today? But he nodded and said, "It's okay." ”

"Don't tell your father about your Uncle Zheng's coming to the house today." He said again, in a hurried tone, as if the sentence was a hot piece of coal, and she was anxious to throw it away. Hearing this, Cheng Yan raised his head excitedly and looked at her and asked, "My dad is back?" ”

"No, I mean wait until your dad comes back."

Cheng Yan suddenly felt disappointed, she nodded, and continued to bow her head to write her homework. He told her a few more times to make sure she remembered what she had said, and then she got up and went out.

"Your brother is a coward, and I don't know where to go." She cursed outside as she walked out the door.

It was late that Cheng Lin came home, covered with mud and didn't know where to throw his schoolbag. He couldn't be angry, scolded repeatedly, and took off his clothes while forcefully undressing him. Cheng Lin didn't say anything at first, just lowered his head and let his mother pull his body, and he didn't say anything when it hurt. It's just that later, Hetu's scolding words became more and more ugly, and somehow, he suddenly raised his arm and shook off Hetu's hand, while looking up at her hatefully, gritting his teeth and saying, "You shut up for me!" ”

He Tu was stunned for a moment, he didn't expect his son to speak to himself like this. Without hesitation, she raised her hand and waved it at Cheng Lin's face, only to hear a crisp slap, and she scolded in her mouth: "Who taught you to talk to your wife like this!" I think you're thick-skinned and want to be beaten, aren't you! ”

Cheng Lin was caught off guard by this slap, his eyes widened, he was six years old, this was the first time his family beat him, he remembered what his friends said to him, a man can't let a woman beat, otherwise it will be a top shame. At the thought of this, his little chest rose and fell more rapidly, and he let out a roar, turned and ran out. Cheng Yan was alarmed by this noise, and hurriedly walked out of the door, before he could speak, he saw Cheng Lin running back again, holding a brick in both hands, slamming it against the table, and roaring: "Believe it or not, I smashed your house!" ”

He Tu looked at him in shock, her hands were trembling with anger, she turned her head, saw Cheng Yan standing behind her, and scolded: "Go back to the house and write your homework!" Cheng Yan was startled and hurriedly retracted his body. Only then did he turn around, picked up Cheng Lin, ran back to the bedroom, didn't know where to find a rope, tied Cheng Lin who was desperately twisting to the chair, took a broom and whipped it hard. Cheng Lin also scolded bitterly at first, I don't know if he learned the swear words from the mouths of those boys, or from his mother, anyway, whether he can scold or not, he scolds them all. He Tu was even more angry when he heard it, and the beating became heavier, and then Cheng Lin was tired of scolding, and his voice was hoarse, and he couldn't scold anymore, so he cried, and the sound almost resounded throughout the sky, and even the neighbors next door were attracted.

"Mom, stop fighting." Cheng Yan finally couldn't help it and stepped forward to persuade.

He Tu panted and glared at Cheng Lin angrily, and chirped, "Little rabbit cub! Where did you learn the swear words? You don't scold others, you scold your own mother! I'm not going to beat you to death today, my name is written upside down! ”

"I didn't learn it from you! I didn't learn it from you! Cheng Lin kicked his legs and cried, "You scolded me and my father, but you didn't scold me like that!" ”

He Tu pulled the broom down again, and was stopped by the neighbor's woman in time. I don't know when she ran in, and at this time she persuaded: "Forget it, sister-in-law, don't fight, the child is still young, and it won't be long before you educate yourself?" ”

Seeing Cheng Lin's face full of tears, He Di also realized that he might have hit hard, mainly because outsiders are in front of him at this time, and it is not good to continue, otherwise she will be said to go out tomorrow, isn't it a shame for herself? She threw down her broom and said to the woman, "You are right, I will not fight, go back quickly." ”

The woman said a few more words of persuasion, and then turned and went back. He Tu sat on the bed, glared at Cheng Lin hatefully, and waved his hand to Cheng Yan to untie the rope on Cheng Lin's body.

As soon as he got out of comfort, Cheng Lin jumped down and ran out of the bedroom as if fleeing for his life.

"Look, this is the good son I raised, this is the good son educated by your father." He Tu said bitterly, turned his head and saw Cheng Yan standing aside with low eyebrows, and scolded with hatred, "You too, you can't beat a word with a stick, what's the use of I want you two!" It's better to throw it away or strangle it as soon as it's born, and I'm going to save the annoyance now! ”

Cheng Yan didn't know why her mother's anger was transferred to herself, she glanced at her mother in confusion, and listened to her mother count herself, her brows furrowed tightly. Mother's temper seems to be more irritable than before, and she can't stand it anymore when she starts scolding people at every turn. Taking advantage of the fact that her mother's words had not yet become more unpleasant, she hurriedly escaped and walked to her room, only to find that Cheng Lin was also in her room, and she was about to step forward to comfort her, but saw Cheng Lin raise his head and glared at her fiercely, got up and ran out again.

This kind of thing happened many times after that, and every time it was Hetu who beat Cheng Lin hard. But the light beating didn't seem to have any effect, and Cheng Lin seemed to be more and more resentful of her. He didn't know why he was so angry with him, but he was helpless.

Fortunately, Cheng Yan is more sensible, even if she scolds her, she never talks back. Gradually, Hedi went to Cheng Yan to tell Cheng Yan whatever was on her mind, and no matter whether she could understand it or not, she poured out everything anyway, and she felt a lot more comfortable in her heart.

That day, when she was tidying up, she accidentally pulled out a box from the deepest part of the cabinet, opened it, and saw that there was a skirt, a Walkman, and two tapes inside. Hedi's heart moved, and the whole person slipped to the ground, and couldn't help but be stunned. These things completely hooked her mind back to the past, and she remembered many things, but those things were so far away, as if they were from a previous life. Unconsciously, she shed tears all over her face, and she didn't even notice when Cheng Yan stood beside her. By the time she reacted, Cheng Yan had already picked up the skirt and asked with surprise on her face, "Look good!" Mom! ”

He Di hurriedly wiped away the tears on her face, she looked at Cheng Yan, then at the skirt, sighed, and asked, "Do you like it?" ”

Cheng Yan nodded hurriedly.

"Then take it and wear it."

Cheng Yan almost jumped up excitedly, from childhood to adulthood, she has always worn clothes that have been changed from adults to small ones, where has she worn such a beautiful skirt. The happy mood made her not pay attention to the look on her mother's face, turned around and ran into the bedroom, and after ten minutes, she finally came out, and the dress was worn on her, and she looked like a little fairy.

He Tu looked at her, as if she remembered herself that year, once upon a time, when she wore this skirt, she was also as happy as Cheng Yan.

And the person who gave her the dress, although he still remembered the general outline, his face had been blurred, and it seemed to have merged into the past, and it had become a distant dream.