Xu Jiheng paused, didn't look back, and continued to walk forward after a while, he didn't know who was talking to him, why did he ask him like this, and what was the purpose.

A person trotted to his side, the smell of meat attracted Xu Jiheng's attention, and he looked down to see that the person was holding a hot bun in front of him.

Xu Jiheng looked at the man, with a tall and thin figure, a face with Chinese characters, just looking at the person who was not very good at getting along, but with a smile on his face, he looked a little contradictory.

Xu Jiheng hadn't spoken for a long time, his voice was extremely hoarse, and he couldn't hear the original warm timbre, "... Thanks, I don't have any money. ”

This person is Brother Zhao, he smiled and said generously: "Don't want money, you can eat." ”

Xu Jiheng looked at him hesitantly, he was so hungry, and the aroma of the food was so close to him that he reflexively swallowed his saliva.

Brother Zhao patted him on the shoulder and said, "On the street in broad daylight, you can't do anything harmful, you can eat with confidence, there is nothing in it, just two ordinary meat buns." ”

Xu Jiheng paused, ate a bun in three or two bites, and no longer had to be as slow and logical as before, and he didn't care that he was penniless, and he shouldn't accept the patronage of others. He was only a sixteen-year-old boy at this time, even if he experienced the life and death of his loved ones, but he was carefully cared for by his sister when he was young, and he was pampered by Mrs. Zhou in the Zhou Mansion in the next few years, and he was far from having such strong self-control.

Brother Zhao patted Xu Jiheng on the shoulder, "If you can trust me, follow me to the door of the store and wait for me, I'll go in and pour you a cup of tea, it's not a way to always stand on the street." ”

Xu Jiheng looked at him and nodded.

He was indeed thirsty, he hadn't drunk water for too long, his throat was very dry, and he barely swallowed the last bite of the bun.

Xu Jiheng stood at the door and waited for a while, Brother Zhao brought a large cup of warm tea from the store, there was a small table at the door of the store, Brother Zhao motioned for him to go over and sit down, and he also sat opposite him.

Brother Zhao asked him, "Where are you from?" ”

Xu Jiheng shook his head silently.

Brother Zhao looked at him and asked again, "There is no silver on him?" ”

Xu Jiheng said: "Yes, I was robbed." ”

"Do you have any relatives at home?"

Under the table, Xu Jiheng's hand held the corner of his clothes tightly, "I have been a person since I was born, and I have never seen my family." ”

He was extremely hungry and received Brother Zhao's favor, and he had nothing to reciprocate for a while, so he had to answer Brother Zhao's questions one by one, even if what he said was not the truth.

Seeing that Brother Zhao didn't have any questions to ask again, Xu Jiheng got up and saluted, straightened up and said, "Thank you for your kindness today, and please tell me how much money this bun needs, and I will definitely return it to you in a few days." ”

Brother Zhao sighed and waved his hand, "How much money can you ask for two buns, I see that you have no place to go for a while, and your speech and demeanor are also very correct, like a person who has read a book, it just so happens that I still lack a hand in this store, you help to do things, I can pay you for your wages, and the money for the buns will be deducted from your wages." ”

Xu Jiheng thought for a while and nodded.

Since he has nowhere to go and no money on him, why don't he help in this store first, repay Brother Zhao's favor, and then make plans.

Brother Zhao said that there was a place for him to live in the store, and Xu Jiheng knew that it was also Brother Zhao's kindness to let him stay and do things, but he just looked at him pitifully, so he took the initiative to ask for no wages, and Brother Zhao promised to pay him on time every month.

Every morning is the most prosperous time for business, Brother Zhao is used to being a good man, how many people around him have received his favors, there are those who come to patronize his business on Thanksgiving Day, and there are also those who are shameless, and they want to have a third time after eating once or twice in vain, Brother Zhao does not tolerate such people, and has his own set of solutions.

In the afternoon, when he had free time, Xu Jiheng would read while guarding the shop, and sometimes he would go hunting in the woods with Brother Zhao.

Brother Zhao's salary to Xu Jiheng has not been used in one place, and he will paint some landscape paintings or paint portraits for others, so as to earn some money, his paintings are very good, not difficult to understand but also exquisite, and gradually become famous, and the number of people who come to him is gradually increasing.

Five months later, Xu Jiheng saved enough money, so he invited some people to build a simple hut in the place where he lives now, which Xu Jiheng accidentally discovered when he went hunting with Brother Zhao.

After the house was completed, Xu Jiheng said goodbye to Brother Zhao, and did not tell him about the money, but put it in the hut where he slept, and Brother Zhao would find out one day.

He didn't like others to know where he lived, so he agreed with others to meet in the town at a fixed time to finalize the content of the painting, and after the painting was completed, he also took the painting to the town and handed it to them.

Xu Jiheng bought some medical books to study by himself, at first he was with Brother Zhao, Brother Zhao was hunting, he went to look for medicinal materials, and then he gradually became familiar with these woods, so he went alone.

He picks the medicinal herbs he picks and dries them, and he keeps a small part for himself, and sells the rest to earn some food expenses.

After living alone for nearly a year, in addition to painting and receiving business or selling herbs in the town, or adding a book or two for himself, he was looking for Brother Zhao to have a meal with him, and chatting about the current situation in a few words, Xu Jiheng was used to this kind of life, and he was also happy to be clean and comfortable.

On this day, he went to the teahouse according to a person's words, the man first asked him to paint a portrait of his wife, and after the painting was made, the person paid him and said that there was a person who admired his painting very much, and asked him to meet in the teahouse the day after tomorrow, this person was generous and often helped Xu Jiheng introduce business, so Xu Jiheng did not shirk, and usually waited in this teahouse before the agreed time.

As soon as he sat down, someone hurried to his side, as if he had run anxiously all the way, still gasping slightly when he stood still, shaking his voice, with some disbelief: "... Jiheng? But are you? ”

Xu Jiheng raised his head suddenly, and standing in front of him was Zhao Yu'an, who had grown into a teenager like him.

I haven't seen him for many years, Xu Jiheng has already changed compared with when he was a child, and Zhao Yu'an has also become a handsome son, the two looked at each other and were speechless for a while.

The guests looked at the two with curious eyes, Zhao Yu'an coughed lowly, sat opposite Xu Jiheng, looked at Xu Jiheng, who was still a little stunned, and explained: "I asked someone to ask you to come over today, but I didn't expect it to be a little late, and it was my fault that you waited for a long time." ”

Xu Jiheng looked at Zhao Yu'an, his eyes became complicated, he hadn't had such obvious mood swings for a long time, he seemed to inevitably think of the things that happened in the old days, he was caught off guard, and his hands shook uncontrollably.

He got up and whispered, "I will plead with that man in the coming day, but you can tell him that I broke my appointment today and never came." ”

Zhao Yu'an stopped him, with a pleading and earnest apology, "I know that you will blame me a little, such a big thing happened in the Zhou Mansion, but I didn't even give you a letter, I..."

Xu Jiheng closed his eyes and quickly interrupted Zhao Yu'an, "There has been no major incident in the Zhou Mansion, you don't have to say it anymore." ”

To this day, Xu Jiheng is still avoiding those, he seems to have completely accepted everything indifferently, but in fact, this is a fatal scar that he cannot be revealed, he escaped from everything related to the Zhou family, like self-deception. But today, Zhao Yu'an's appearance reminded him again that his loved ones had left him one by one, without exception, he had no defense, and he was beaten back to his original form.

Zhao Yu'an looked at Xu Jiheng's embarrassed back in a daze, and quickly reacted and chased after him.

They came to this teahouse, they didn't order anything, and now you are chasing me away, and the guys in the shop look at them, as if they are looking at two people who have been demonic.

Gu Chen, who hadn't spoken for a long time, suddenly said, "You killed him." ”

Fu Rusi was immediately stunned, Gu Chen's tone did not fluctuate in the slightest as usual when he spoke, everything he said seemed to be a statement, and at this moment he was indeed stating a fact that he had already determined.

Xu Yun didn't deny it, sneered, and his words contained hatred that he didn't hide at all, "Someone told me that no one is born to die, but I think Zhao Yu'an is that kind of person." ”

Gu Chen stopped talking, Fu Rusi turned his head and glanced at Xu Yun, Xu Yun was extremely indifferent at this moment, which made Fu Rusi feel strange.

Xu Jiheng didn't go far, Zhao Yu'an quickly caught up with him, didn't care if anyone was watching, and didn't think about any courtesy, so he grabbed Xu Jiheng. His physical strength is not as good as Xu Jiheng since he was a child, and it is the same at this time, catching up with Xu Jiheng consumes most of his physical strength, he loosely grasps Xu Jiheng's sleeve, and Xu Jiheng can easily break free.

But Xu Jiheng didn't continue to move forward, Zhao Yu'an breathed a sigh of relief and walked around to Xu Jiheng.

"I don't want to explain anything for myself, and I know that you don't want to mention the past again, you..." Xu Jiheng asked rhetorically, he was talking about the facts, but looking at Zhao Yu'an's eyes, he looked a little aggressive.

Xu Jiheng has suppressed himself for too many years, disguised himself for too many years, he doesn't want to live like this, but he has to live like this, no one will ask him if he is happy, and even he himself doesn't care about this matter. He looked at Zhao Yu'an, who had been standing in front of him for many years, and suddenly revealed a trace of weakness. He suddenly wanted to talk to someone, he restrained his thoughts all the time, he missed the people who used to be by his side all the time. Or as Zhao Yu'an said, he simply began to accuse him, why didn't he appear, why was he so cold-blooded in the past that he didn't even have a word?