Life always keeps getting together, and then it keeps ending, one after another, and no one can stop it.

When will I grow up?

Tomorrow.

When will I be back?

Tomorrow.

Wen Xiaoguo, Liu Jun, and Ruiwen took a long-distance bus to the railway station of the provincial capital together after meeting in the county seat.

Before that, except for Liu Jun, who had been to Xinjiang, the remaining two had never been far away, and even the train station was the first time they had met. Three immature children, barely half a young man, big bags piled at their feet, drowning in the bustling flow of passengers.

Each of them didn't have much on them, and the ticket price for a hard seat to Ningxia was 78 yuan, Wen Xiaoguo stood under the huge electronic screen in the station hall, and secretly rejoiced in his heart, fortunately, he was going to a neighboring province, otherwise if he was a little farther, the two hundred yuan he took from Lao Zhao when he went out was not enough to buy even a ticket.

Liu Jun went to the ticket office to queue up to buy tickets, Wen Xiaoguo was responsible for watching the luggage of several people, and after a while, Ruiwen, who ran to find the toilet, came back.

"Why are you so fast? Did you find the toilet? Wen Xiaoguo asked in surprise:

"Found it, but didn't get in." Raven answers:

"Why didn't you go in? Is it a man who won't let you in? Or won't the woman let you in? Wen Xiaoguo made trouble with Ruiwen:

"What, isn't my male trait so inconspicuous? People charge a fee! Raven said:

"Do you have to pay for the toilet?" Wen Xiaoguo was surprised, it was the first time he had encountered such a situation.

"Do you think it's your village, letting your white ass run wild in the vast fields? I was just about to go in, and an aunt at the door was waiting to collect the money, five cents at a time! I hesitated for a long time, thinking that my urine was worth two cents at most, so I came back with a suffocation. Raven said:

Wen Xiaoguo looked Ruiwen up and down, it was hard to imagine that the person in front of him was still not the indulgent and unruly child he knew before, Ruiwen seemed to have changed a lot and matured a lot? Wen Xiaoguo suddenly smiled and said:

"Ruiwen, Madan, you've changed ......"

Ruiwen didn't understand Wen Xiaoguo's words for a while, thinking it was sarcasm, but it was actually Wen Xiaoguo's vague praise.

"Oops, it's okay, I'll pee after getting on the train for a while, I can hold it for a while, I can use the toilet on the train as I watch on TV, it doesn't cost anything."

The moment the train opened, Wen Xiaoguo stood by the window of the aisle of the carriage, he looked out the window, and said silently in his heart: Goodbye, my hometown.

After all, it was the first time for the three children to go far away, and there was sadness, anticipation, and a sense of excitement from freedom. In life, you will always inadvertently encounter something that is particularly beautiful, meaningful, and especially helpful for your future life, whether it is a book, a sentence, a song, a movie, or a person.

Sitting at the same table was a Fujian girl in her early twenties, with a thin build, gray half-sleeves, and light blue jeans. With a slightly dark complexion and a pair of rimless glasses, she wore a ponytail and two white front teeth when she smiled. This simple and somewhat lively girl took the initiative to chat with them on the way.

"You're students, aren't you?" The girl said:

"Well, a senior in high school, I just finished the college entrance examination." Liu Jun said:

"What about you?" Wen Xiaoguo asked:

"I'm a sophomore at Beijing Normal University." The girl replied with a smile.

"Beijing Normal University?" Liu Jun looked at the girl's eyes and asked again curiously.

"En, Beijing Normal University." The girl responded.

"Where are you?" Wen Xiaoguo said:

"Fuzhou, have you heard of it? in Fujian. The girl said,

"Oh, my name is Wen Xiaoguo, this is my classmate Liu Jun, this is Ruiwen." Wen Xiaoguo briefly introduced them.

"Cai Hong." The girl smiled and nodded.

"You're on a trip?" Cai Hong said:

"When I went to Ningxia, I went to work during the holidays. What about you? Liu Jun said:

"I went back to Beijing and went to the Tibetan area of Qinghai." Cai Hong said:

"Are you going to play?" Wen Xiaoguo asked:

"It's to do research, huh...... It's kind of fun. Cai Hong said:

She probably knows that the term 'research' can be a bit difficult for high school graduates in several mountainous areas to understand.

"In the two years I went to university, I went to Tibet every year. This time it was a program organized by the school teachers, and we went together, and when I returned, I stayed in Tibet for a few more days. Cai Hong explained:

"Senior sister, tell us what college life is like?" Liu Jun asked:

"Yes, when I was in junior high school, my teacher said that junior high school life was very difficult, and when I was admitted to high school, it would not be difficult. But when I got to high school, the teacher said that the junior high school teacher lied to you when he said that high school life is not hard, but I'll tell you now. College life is really good, so you must work hard to get into college. Can you tell us about it? Wen Xiaoguo said:

"Hahaha, the scope of this topic is a bit large, and different people have different views and plans for college life. I can only talk about my setting for university life, which is not necessarily right, but it is true in my heart and is being practiced in the present. Before Cai Hong could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Liu Jun.

"Okay, but can I wait a minute, before such a serious, important topic begins, can I go smoke a cigarette to prepare my mind. Hey, hey, hey......"

"Raven, let's go together. Senior sister, don't you mind if we come back in a while and smell of smoke? After Wen Xiaoguo finished speaking, he patted Rui Wen's shoulder, he found that Rui Wen's mood was not quite right after he got into the car, he didn't talk much, and he took out his mobile phone from time to time and tapped it.

"It's okay, go ahead, I don't hate the smell of smoke, although I don't smoke, I like the smell of smoke." Cai Hong smiled and said:

"Really? It's the first time I've heard a girl say she likes the smell of smoke. Wen Xiaoguo said.

Cai Hong's sharing all the way, for these three children, it seems that the door of a new world is opening to them little by little, although it is only a few bright and warm rays of light from the crack in the door, but it is enough to arouse Wen Xiaoguo's infinite imagination of college life.

Wen Xiaoguo felt very rewarded, and too many stories and cultures that he had never heard before made him quite novel. Cai Hong told them about the various clubs in the university, the meaning of travel, Zhang Hang's "Like" and "Children of the Southland", the Oscar-winning "Godfather" movie, and a real-name social networking site called Renren.

Cai Hong said: "Some people in the university have a repetitive and monotonous life, and some people have a rich and colorful experience. But I think that there are only four years of college, and these four years should be the best part of my life. Some people have been in the library for four years in college, some have been in love for four years, some have worked part-time jobs for four years, and some have played clubs for four years, but I don't really like the kind of life where I played games for four years in college. In fact, time is fair to everyone, you pass a second, he also passes a second, although the length of time we can't control, but the width can be decided by us. I suggest that when you go to college, it's best not to focus all your time and energy on just one thing, college is different from high school, studying is important, but there are many other things that you must also try and get in touch with. In short, it is necessary to make every day, every semester, and every year different. Sleep lazy when you want to sleep, read the books you want to read, go where you want to go, join your favorite clubs, talk about your favorite love, do your favorite part-time job, cry when you should cry, get drunk when you should be drunk, and don't leave regrets in life.

In fact, many times, you will feel that some trouble or pain is not because you did something wrong, but because you regret not doing it. ”

Wen Xiaoguo seriously thought about and understood what Cai Hong said, and at the same time he was a little inexplicably ashamed in his heart, he was almost the same age as the girl in front of him, but he understood far more truths than him, he felt for the first time that there was such a big difference between people and people in terms of thinking and pattern, he used to only think about living for food and clothing, and the problem of food and clothing at the spiritual level was also very important.

The train headed north into the night, and when it was about to enter the Ningxia Plain, it began to rain outside the window, and the noisy carriage gradually quieted down.

Like Wen Xiaoyang, Ruiwen was also sleepy, and when he was leaning in the aisle of the carriage and looking out of the window in a daze, Wen Xiaoguo came over.

"One?" Wen Xiaoguo took out a Hongta Mountain and handed it to Ruiwen.

"No, you smoke it," Raven refused:

"What do you think?"

"I didn't think about anything, I couldn't sleep, and I looked at the scenery."

"In the middle of the night, it's dark, there's something to see."

"Doesn't this pass by the town once in a while, and you can see some lights."

"You have something on your mind, I can see it, we are brothers, don't hold back if you have something."

"I know, but I don't."

Wen Xiaoguo smiled and said, "Homesick? ”

"Haha, yes, a little."

"Let's share a secret with you, Liu Jun, they don't know."

"What's the secret?"

"Do you remember the Wenchuan earthquake in 12?"

"Of course, that's a big deal! What's up? Don't tell me that you went to Sichuan to help the disaster? ”

"Haha, we were only in our third year of junior high school at that time. The State does not recruit scouts. ”

"What's the matter?"

"I didn't go to the disaster, but my dad did, and he never came back."

Wen Xiaoguo said, lit a cigarette, and took a deep breath.

"What! Really? Raven's eyes seemed to burst out, and he cried out in surprise. Wen Xiaoguo's words made his back feel a chill instantly, and his scalp was a little numb, and he felt that all his hair stood up on the top of his head.

"I've never heard you say that! What's going on? ”

"My aunt said that it was to protect his comrades-in-arms, and he became a martyr."

"I ...... My brother ......."

"Ironically, the comrade-in-arms that my dad protected later became my current adoptive father."

"Guoguo, I really didn't expect you...... Oops. Raven sighed, he didn't know how to comfort his brother.

Raven then asked:

"So, how is your relationship with your adoptive father? Is he good to you? ”

"It's good to me, but the relationship is not too good, I used to hate him very much, without him, my dad might not have an accident, although I don't hate it so much now, but, every time I see him, I always think of it, this knot, I think, may not die for the rest of my life." Wen Xiaoguo said:

"What about your mother?"

"I was born with a difficult birth, maybe my mother saw me, but I definitely didn't open my eyes when I was born, so I guess I haven't seen it. Sometimes I feel like I'm so bad that I can't even keep my parents in my life. ”

"Guoguo, don't say that, everyone has their own lives, and it has nothing to do with you." Raven comforted:

Wen Xiaoguo looked at Ruiwen and smiled, and took a hard puff of his cigarette, over the years, he had never revealed his heart to anyone like at this moment. When I said it, although it hurt a little, my heart was also somewhat relieved.

"Guoguo, I admire you, you carry so many things on your shoulders, so that everyone never sees it." Raven Says:

Wen Xiaoguo smiled and patted Ruiwen's shoulder, then took Ruiwen into his arms with the arm of his right hand, and lowered his head slightly,

said: "What is there to admire, many things, many tribulations, before it comes, you always think that you can't resist it, you can't bear it." But when it really happens to you, you can only defend it and resist desperately. Is there any other choice or way for you? No! Fortunately, if you carry it, you will get used to it, and you will feel that it is not a big deal, and it is not as bitter as we imagined. You tell me? ”

Maybe Wen Xiaoguo's words did not alleviate Ruiwen's longing for his father and home. But at least these words gave Raven a lot of strength in his heart and courage to live.

"Why did you choose to tell me these things?" Raven was a little puzzled.

"Because we are brothers, because I can understand your feelings about losing your father too, because I want you to feel more or less that you are not alone, and me, Liu Jun, and our brothers." After Wen Xiaoguo finished speaking, he snuffed out the cigarette butt, looked at Ruiwen, paused, opened his arms, and the two children hugged him tightly.

Let their brothers continue to fly in each other's worlds, whether they fight, abuse, wake up, get drunk, cry, laugh, no one will say to leave, and they will disperse......

When the train stopped at Yinchuan Station, it was five o'clock in the morning, before dawn, on the platform, you could hear the sound of rain hitting the visor on the dome of the platform, Wen Xiaoguo and Cai Hong hurriedly said goodbye before getting off the train, Wen Xiaoguo mustered up the courage to get to the girl's QQ number, he also hoped to have the opportunity to contact again, and did not want to lose his spiritual mentor like this.

Later, when the two met again by chance in Beijing, it was two years later.

"What now?" Liu Jun asked:

"It's too early, and there's no bus. We can only wait for the opening of the bus line at dawn. Raven said:

"Shall we take a taxi?" Liu Jun said:

"Big brother, are you crazy?" Wen Xiaoguo said:

"Do you know how far it is from the station to the Beicheng New District? What do you think is in our county? It's only four dollars to take a taxi from the southernmost to the northernmost side! I forgot that the history teacher joked with us at that time, 'In our small county, if you fart at Nanguan Cross, you can blow the dust of Beiguan Cross!" Raven cursed:

The rain was getting heavier and heavier, and there was no sign of stopping. The three children looked for a long time in the waiting hall and did not find a seat in the third company, and finally chose a seat in the corner, they piled their luggage together, and there were several newspapers scattered on the ground that I don't know which passenger left, Wen Xiaoguo spread the newspaper on the marble floor in three equal parts, Liu Jun lay on Wen Xiaoguo's lap, and after a while they all fell asleep, during which Liu Jun woke up several times, the ground was too cold, and he couldn't sleep well.

"Wake up, wake up." Raven said, nudging the other two.

"What's the situation?" Liu Jun closed his eyes and asked groggyly:

"It's past nine o'clock, and I don't think the rain will stop until the evening. Let's get out early. Raven said:

"How to get there?" Wen Xiaoguo asked:

"It's easy to find the bus stop, I know the address, and I'll call my relatives when I get there." Raven said, picking up his package.

After several twists and turns, they finally found a restaurant opened by Ruiwen's relatives, and when they were on the train, they used their limited social experience to analyze the next plan, it doesn't matter what work they do, as long as they can manage food and housing! Stand still and have a place to stay.

Raven found the boss, this middle-aged man is his distant cousin, the fourth in the family tree, Raven called him the fourth brother, but the age gap and geographical distance made the relationship between the two brothers not too close, and Raven only met this fourth brother a few times when he was a child.

After all, they are still relatives, and the fourth brother is still very enthusiastic, asking the master in the back kitchen to fry a few dishes, and inviting Rui Wen and his classmates to have a full meal in the store first.

At the dinner table, the fourth brother looked at the three gobbling up the food samples, and guessed that he should be hungry along the way. He pulled out two bottles of beer and struck up a conversation with the children.

"It's delicious, which of you wants to have some wine?" The fourth brother said:

"No need, we won't drink, thank you, big brother." Wen Xiaoguo and Liu Jun politely resigned.

"How did you all do in the exams, do you have any hope of going to college?" The fourth brother asked:

"I don't know yet, I have to wait more than half a month to check the results." Raven Says:

"Studying hard is the right way, otherwise you will be like me, you can only open a restaurant and make a living, and this is all you can do in this life. You're going to college, and our uncle can laugh out loud under the Nine Springs. The fourth brother made a joke with Raven, took a long sip of beer, and continued:

"Before you came, our aunt gave me a rough idea of the situation on the phone, what are your plans next?"

"I want to find a job to do here, as long as I can manage food and housing, I can do anything, we are not afraid of tiring work, we don't work hard, you can set the salary, you can do as much as you want." After Ruiwen finished speaking, Wen Xiaoguo and Liu Jun also put down their chopsticks, and the three of them stopped the rhythm of eating, looked at the fourth brother's expression seriously, and waited for his reply, at this moment, their expressions all looked a little nervous.

The fourth brother looked at the expressions of the three children, drank a few sips of wine, was silent for a while, and said:

"Eat first, and then speak when you're full."

A night's journey and the heavy rain that greeted them left the three children ravaged with hunger and cold, and a moment of rest and a free lunch brought plenty of comfort to their spirits.

"Fourth brother, when can we start working?" Raven asked:

After the fourth brother drank the remaining wine in the bottle, he hiccuped, looked at the three people in front of him, touched the short hair hooked on the back of his head with his hand, and said to Ruiwen:

"Brother, when my aunt called me, she only said that you were going to come here to work, I thought, that's easy to do, I'm just such a shop, even if you don't do any work for a month, it's not bad for you to eat. But my shop is not small, but it is not big, you other two classmates, the fourth brother really can't tolerate it. ”

Wen Xiaoguo and the others understood the meaning of the fourth brother's words, Ruiwen could stay, but Wen Xiaoguo and Liu Jun couldn't. The heart that was originally warm was instantly poured cold with cold water. Ruiwen didn't expect this to be the case, at first Wen Xiaoguo listened to his words and came to Ningxia together, but he also knew that his fourth brother's affection could only come here, and it would be good to contain him, after all, people also open shops to do business, not charity, and it is not appropriate to ask for anything.

"What now?" Liu Jun muttered in a low voice and secretly gave Wen Xiaoguo a look.

Although Liu Jun's voice was already very low, it was still heard by Ruiwen.

Rui Wen turned his head to the two of them and whispered slightly:

"Don't worry, I'll think about it."

The gloomy cloud of loss floated above his head for a few minutes, Wen Xiaoguo raised his head and said to Ruiwen and the fourth brother:

"Ruiwen, you just stay here with the fourth brother, and Liu Jun and I will find other jobs!"

"How's that going to work? The three of me came together! Raven stood up and shouted:

"It's okay, let's settle down with one of them!" After Wen Xiaoguo finished speaking, he got up and glanced at Liu Jun, and the two tacitly packed up their packages and prepared to go out.

Ruiwen's face turned red instantly, and he stood nervously and embarrassed, turning his head to look at the fourth brother's eyes, his eyes were full of pleading. But the fourth brother waved his hand, acting helplessly, avoiding Ruiwen's gaze and looking elsewhere.

In the blink of an eye, Liu Jun and Wen Xiaoguo had already walked out of the door of the restaurant, and Rui Wen suddenly picked up his backpack and ran out.

"Where are you going? You're back! The fourth brother shouted behind him, but he hadn't reacted yet.

"Fourth brother, goodbye......" Ruiwen didn't look back, and said goodbye to the last step of the door.

Wen Xiaoguo and the others turned around when they heard the voice behind them, and saw Rui Wen rushing over with a bag in his hand.

"You two wait for me!" Raven Says:

"Why did you get out?" Liu Jun asked:

"I'll go with you and find another job. We can't disperse. Raven said:

"You're not doing any reliable work?" Wen Xiaoguo teased:

"Hmph, I'm afraid that you two won't be able to get along without me, and I'll starve to death on the streets of Yinchuan!" Rui Wen said with a proud face:

Wen Xiaoguo and Liu Jun each punched Ruiwen in the chest with a smile, although it was not wise to speak rationally about Ruiwen's decision, but they had a feeling of achievement and happiness in their hearts.

"And now? Where are we going? Liu Jun asked:

"Let's walk, it's not raining much at this time, if there are any stores along the way with recruitment signs, let's go in and inquire." Raven Says:

"What if there's a recruitment, but it's the same as your brother, and only one or two people are kept?" Liu Jun said:

"Keep looking, there is always a place for our brothers!" Raven said firmly:

Wandering on Zhengyuan North Street in Yinchuan City, the rain in Yinchuan gently teased the three people, although the rain was falling, but the umbrellas of all kinds on both sides of the road still seemed crowded, and the splash of cars and cars urged the people in the city to speed up the pace of life. And this little rain can't stop anything for rural children who have grown up in the mountains and fields.

The sky was getting darker, the light rain was falling and stopping, and on the first afternoon of setting foot in the city of Yinchuan, they walked aimlessly through the streets unconsciously, and in trepidation they visited one place after another that might be left behind. The job search plan did not go well, not because there was no shortage of people in the service industry in the city, but because none of them were under the age of 18 and none of the restaurants were willing to hire child labor.

"Brothers, I really can't walk, it's all meals, why don't we find a place to eat first? By the way, take a little rest, this rainy day, there is no dry place to store my ass temporarily in such a big city! Liu Jun complained:

"I'm also a little hungry, there seems to be a ramen restaurant in front, where are we going, let's have a beef noodle." Wen Xiaoguo said and pointed to the street corner in front of the two people.

"Okay, good, just ramen! Just ramen! Liu Jun shouted, and immediately came to his senses.

After solving the problem of food and clothing, they thought about where they would live tonight. It was too expensive to stay in a hotel, they found several hotels, and the cheapest one cost a hundred yuan a night, and more importantly, they really couldn't walk. When he happened to pass by an Internet café, Ruiwen proposed that he would spend the night in the Internet café tonight, and if he stayed overnight, it would only cost a dozen yuan per person, and when he had rested, he would continue to look for a job tomorrow.

"Huh? What about my wallet? Liu Jun muttered to himself, rummaging through his backpack and all the pockets on his body at the bar counter of the underground Internet café, and fine beads of sweat oozed from his forehead in a hurry.

"No, big brother! Don't you tell me you've lost your wallet? Rui Wen gritted his teeth and scolded Liu Jun.

"Don't worry, look slowly, think about where was the last time you took your wallet?" Wen Xiaoguo said:

"The last time, it seems...... This morning, in the ...... station, time. Later, I didn't use my wallet anymore, and the meal at noon didn't cost money, and the meal in the evening was paid for by Raven. Liu Jun said as he fumbled with his backpack.

"No, the schoolbag is about to be torn by Lao Tzu!" Liu Jun muttered.

"It can't be stolen while we're asleep, right?" Raven was suspicious.

"All my family is in it, and I brought more than 500 yuan when I went out, as well as my ID card! No way! If it was really stolen, I would have to scold the ancestral graves of that man's old family! Liu Jun said:

"Why don't you go back along the road and look for it?" Raven Says:

"Forget it, it's definitely gone, it's easy to find a wallet without money, but it's hard to find a wallet with money. Let's open two computers tonight, survive tonight, and figure out a way tomorrow. Wen Xiaoguo comforted everyone and said:

is not only a fledgling, but also unfavorable, Liu Jun's ID card still doesn't know where the passive drift has gone. But fortunately, he quickly forgot about this trouble in the game, even if the computer he played in the Internet café was registered with Wen Xiaoguo's ID card, how could it be? Anyway, there are two people with me, don't worry, don't worry.

On the fourth day of exile on the streets of Yinchuan, the three still did not find a job suitable for them.

The problem is that they've run out of coils. The dark clouds that gripped them were not only unemployed, but also hunger.

The three of them, two wallets, rummaged through their pockets a few times, and concentrated the last five cents in Ruiwen's hands.

"Brothers, I'm hungry......" Liu Jun screamed like a court resentful woman, moving slowly and following behind the other two.

"Shout fart, you're hungry? In another three hours, we didn't eat or drink for two whole days. Raven said:

"Stop chattering, the more you chatter, the hungrier you get." Wen Xiaoguo walked in front, his steps were difficult, he stopped, and swung his head back like an owl, in order to conserve his strength, he didn't let his body turn around.

"I can't walk, I can't walk, let's rest for a while, rest for a while......" Before Raven could finish speaking, his butt was dragging his upper body and he had already fallen to the ground.

"No, no, no, I can't do it anymore, I want to meditate, I want to stand up for the ......corpse" Liu Jun has been insisting, he doesn't want to drag the team back, but when someone proposes to rest, he will not hesitate to choose to follow the pace of others.

"Ruiwen, thanks to you for borrowing my long sleeves last night, otherwise, even if I risked my life, it wouldn't be enough to feed the mosquitoes in Yinchuan." Wen Xiaoguo said:

"Yes, you're fine. But I woke up in the middle of the night by a mosquito bite, my two arms were so fat that I couldn't even recognize them, they were all bags, big brother, you said that this one or two are good to scratch, all the arms are itchy, where do you say it's good? I couldn't wait to jump into the lake and sleep last night! Raven teased them for sleeping on the street last night, but when he thought of the mosquitoes last night, he still felt a little panic and fear.

"It's all the same, I woke up in the middle of the night by mosquitoes last night, the light of the street lamp is still bright enough, and I saw that you have three mosquitoes lying on one ear alone, and then pretended to be yourself, I was scared to pee." Liu Jun's powerless complainer.

The rainwater that had accumulated on the road in the previous two days had already evaporated without leaving a trace. The city also quickly recovered to the scorching heat and dryness before the rains. The light of noon, through the swaying leaves of the ginkgo tree, hit their faces in small pieces. Behind him is a lush urban green belt, where the unkempt heads of the droppers turn in circles, watering the lawns in their respective spheres of influence. In the distance, under the skyline to the west of the city, there is the looming Helan Mountains.