On the last day of the year, I finally arrived at home before dinner.

Due to its proximity to mountainous areas, the altitude of County D is slightly higher than that of City C, and the temperature is also several degrees lower. I got off the bus, the cold wind lifted the bangs in front of my forehead, the white steam exhaled was quickly blown away, I tightened my coat, and looked at the familiar streets and alleys in the old days, brick by brick, flower and leaf, all the same as before, so cordial and familiar. It turns out that after so much time, there are always things that remain in the depths of memory and have not changed.

From afar, I saw a figure beckoning to me, wrapped in a thick down jacket in the street at dusk. The huge clothes almost submerged his figure, and he looked so small and thin standing in the endless crowd. My eyes were hot, and I ran forward in three steps and two steps, and grabbed his arm, "Dad, what are you doing running out so cold, it's not that I don't know the way"

"Ha, that's hard to say, some people haven't been back for a long time, I'm afraid she'll forget the way home" My father patted my hand and laughed, his face couldn't hide his joy.

"Dad!" I shook his arm in disgust, "Didn't you tell people to work hard before, don't you keep running home if it's okay, and now you're coming to weird people's houses again." Which one of you am I listening to? ”

"Haha, yes, yes, yes, blame me, blame me" The father laughed, "Aren't you worrying about your life's major events recently, your protagonist is always away, how can I complete the task?" ”

I couldn't help but be stunned, I see. I suddenly felt a little panicked in my heart, even though I had heard my father mention it last time, but I had never thought that this matter would be put in front of me so quickly.

"Dad, I've only been working for less than two years, and you want to marry me off so much?" I grumbled.

"Silly daughter, sooner or later everyone has to get married," the father sighed unconsciously, "Your mother left early, I finally look forward to you growing up, working, earning money, and being able to support yourself, you don't know, your father and me, but I can put my mind at ease." But our girl never bothered me, did she? Studying, looking for a job, dad can't help you, but my daughter didn't embarrass our old Li family, right? Your mother is also comforted by the spirit of heaven. My father spoke very slowly, and seemed to be very emotional.

"Dad, why are you talking about this for the New Year" Thinking of my mother who died young, I couldn't help but feel gloomy in my heart.

"Hey, I'm not thinking about it!" The father said, "So, I don't worry about you now, just this one, I hope my daughter can have a good home." You are adrift alone, and multiple people take care of you, so Dad can rest assured; Dad is old, how can he guard you for the rest of your life? If I see you early and get married, I will also count my merits as complete. ”

"What are you talking about, Dad, where are you old, look at your current body, people look at you from behind and say that you are my brother!"

"Stinky girl, not big or small," my father pointed at my head and smiled, "I will really make your dad happy, okay, I'm not old, I'm not old, even if I'm really old, I'm not old, okay?" ”

I laughed out loud, but my father's hand tightened. The sky is dark, the lights in the community are gradually lit up, sprinkling the warmth, behind every window there is a story of waiting and reunion, and the jingle of pots and pans, like a beautiful symphony, playing the laughter, joy, anger and sorrow of thousands of families.

When I opened the door, my favorite meal was already on the table, and I happily put down my luggage and sat down at the table with my father. Although it is not the thirtieth year of the Chinese New Year's Eve, it is also a reunion dinner, according to the convention, we will add an extra pair of dishes and chopsticks to our mother, as if returning to the scene of childhood, a family of three happy and happy, sitting around a table to eat and chat.

My nose was slightly sore, and I pretended to bow my head to cover up the rice, but my father put a chicken leg in my bowl and smiled, "Come, Yue'er, it's still like when you were a child, you want to eat chicken legs for the New Year."

I raised my head and smiled, "Dad, I remember it every year, I'm in my twenties now, and I'm not a kid anymore."

"So what, even if you are not a child in the eyes of your parents?" The father feigned anger and said, "Eat quickly, eat quickly, anyway, a chicken has two legs, let's have one for each person, it's enough." ”

My father was happy, and I didn't refuse, and put the remaining chicken leg on the plate into his bowl, and the two of us ate happily together.

"By the way, Yue'er, tomorrow I will go with my father to have a meal with your Uncle Zhao and their family."

I swallowed a mouthful of food and asked, "Uncle Zhao?" Which Uncle Zhao? ”

"Hey, you little girl, Uncle Zhao doesn't know, we used to live in the yard, and I used to share a unit with my father, but then their family moved away. When you were a child, you often went to their house to play, what is the name of that kid in his house, oh, Zhao Zhiqiang, when you were a child, you didn't always go to catch fish and tadpoles or something. ”

"Oh, he", my father remembered as soon as he said, "I know, I know, that Zhao Zhiqiang was shy when he was a child, he always ran behind us, he was very timid, he didn't talk much, he didn't look like a boy at all." Is he younger than me? ”

"How can there be, people are a year with you, people are different now, I heard that the military school I studied in college was the same as you, and now I am assigned to the army."

"Oh," I agreed, noncommittal, "Hey, Dad, how did you get in touch?" Do you have anything to do tomorrow and have dinner together? ”

"What do you mean and how do you get in touch? I've always been in touch with your Uncle Zhao, and I've kept my phone number. It's nothing, why don't the two families get together together in the New Year! ”

"Dad, can I not go? You know, I don't really like to eat with your friends," I said, biting my chopsticks.

"Why? Where did my friend recruit you and provoke you? ”

"No, Dad, you are all revolutionary comrades-in-arms, of course there are endless words, I'm just a child, that is, I just don't have much common language, I'm so bored," I squirmed, "And eating with you elders, I feel very restrained, and I can't eat enough." I shook my father's arm and said, "Dad, why don't I go?" ”

"No, I strongly disagree." My father knocked my hand off and said, "We are two families eating, and the family of three is here, you don't go, I'll go alone, I'm alone to the three of them, what do I look like, and don't say the number of etiquette, it's weird to look at this number." Besides, Zhao Zhiqiang is also coming, our old man and old lady say ours, you young people say yours, where is it boring? In short, I have made an appointment with you, Uncle Zhao, and they must go! ”

When my father said this, I knew that there was no hope of escaping, so I took a few bites of food, and suddenly as if I had woken up something, I turned to my father and said, "Dad! You can't be arranging a blind date for me, are you?! ”

My father was hit by me, "Hehe" and said with a dry laugh, "You know, it's okay, you have a preparation in your heart, behave better for me tomorrow, don't embarrass our old Li family, do you hear?" ”

"Dad! Didn't I say I don't want to get married yet! Sure enough, I guessed it, and I was immediately discouraged.

"Oh, daughter, didn't my father make it clear to you before, and I didn't want you to marry right away. It's just that you're at this age now, and it's time to think about it. Get to know a few more people, there are suitable places, and it is not wrong to be more than one friend if it is not suitable. And your Uncle Zhao's family is very good, we know the roots, both parents are relieved, I heard that Zhao Zhiqiang is also in C City, how much do you usually have a care? Father ordered the plate and persuaded as he spoke.

I understand that my father is right, for us who have entered the society, it is impossible to avoid the question of how to talk about marriage. Our parents, no matter what kind of family, will reach a high degree of agreement on this point, do everything possible to create one formal or accidental meeting after another for us, and then be happy or worried about the outcome of each meeting.

It's just that at this moment, I can't tell what kind of mood it is, Chen Ran's appearance is so direct and clear, as if he can't stop jumping in front of me, but he can't really see it under the bright light.

Lying in bed at night, listening to the sound of firecrackers outside, thinking about my father's words, I lost my sleepiness after tossing and turning.

For the upcoming blind date, I subconsciously resisted, but I also knew that there was no reason to resist. Although his steps are unconsciously slow when he thinks of Chen Ran, he also understands how ridiculous it is to refuse a marriage for the sake of a married male boss who has nothing to do with him. If Chen Ran is really different from me, at most it is just a little ambiguity of his own affection, and this seemingly beautiful melancholy is actually the most dangerous temptation, sinking step by step will only ruin himself in the end, and before I make a big mistake, wouldn't it be good to let others help me and pull me back on the right track, and finish this life smoothly and smoothly?

Yes, we are ordinary people, and the picture is just a stable and smooth one. Go, Li Yue'er, get to know more people, give yourself more opportunities, there is an open forest waiting for you to explore, don't look back at the tree that doesn't belong to you.

The bell rang in the distance, the New Year's cheers were heard on the TV, and I silently said to myself under the night sky full of flowers,

Li Yue'er, you have to let yourself go.

Chen Ran

The New Year's Day holiday is coming, and Xiaojuan arrived in City C as scheduled. When she saw me at the airport, she gave me a big hug, and she could see that she was very happy to arrive this time, thinking that she was very satisfied with my correct attitude of taking the initiative to seek peace, so she followed the steps regardless of the previous suspicions, after all, we are husband and wife after all.

Yes, a one-day husband and wife, Xiaojuan, is my pillow person.

On the way back to the apartment from the airport, Xiaojuan was very excited, telling me that her employment documents were about to be approved, and at the same time telling me all kinds of anecdotes in the unit. Xiaojuan is about to be promoted to deputy section chief, she finally got what she wants, and I am happy for her.

"By the way, Chen Ran, what are you going to do with the consulting company?" Xiaojuan turned her head and asked, "You can't go back here for a while, what about the company's business, recently a friend has been asking us if we want to take on the project, I said I have to ask you first." ”

Xiaojuan's statement reminded me that when I returned to Kairan in a hurry, the consulting company was temporarily held by several department managers, and when I needed to get an idea, they asked my opinion, and usually mainly communicated by phone, after all, the company is small, there are not many people, and they are all familiar old customers, and the annual income is relatively stable, several managers I have given shares, and the business is also skilled, and there is no problem to deal with it now. But if there are more lists, it may not be too busy, and it is really not good for me to be absent from the company for a long time, but what to do next, I haven't thought about it yet, after all, now Kairan is the top priority, and I don't have time to take care of anything else.

Thinking of this, I said to Xiaojuan, "Maybe the company's manpower is a little choked when I take over the project again, I have to think about it." ”

"Chen Ran, have you ever thought about simply selling the consulting company?" Xiaojuan seemed to suddenly think of something, sat up straight and said, "My friend seems to be quite optimistic about our company, once he seemed to mention it to me, I didn't care at the time, after all, you were still in the company at that time, and we didn't lack that money." Now that I think about it, you can't take care of it for a while anyway, so it's better to sell the shares, which is not impossible. ”

I couldn't help frowning, "What kind of friend are you?" I haven't heard you say that before. "I have always been quite disgusted by this kind of so-called friends who are not named, and I think of Xiaojuan socializing every day, who knows who these friends are.

"As far as the brother of a little girl in our unit seems to be a director of the Environmental Protection Bureau, you know, these government departments, there must be a lot of resources on hand, rather than introducing others to only a little tip, it is better to make a big profit yourself." Xiaojuan's head is the way, as if she knows the rules inside.

But I didn't have a big cold, "Why do you even know other people's brothers?"

"Hey, didn't you introduce friends to this little girl at that time, we met and had a meal together, and the little girl was accompanied by her brother on a blind date, and when we chatted, it turned out to be from the Environmental Protection Bureau, and we are still from the same major." Xiaojuan disagreed, took out the mirror and said while touching up her makeup.

"I'll think about it again, I'll have to think about it."

"Okay, you think slowly, but it's not too late, people are still waiting for me to reply." Xiaojuan put down the mirror, smiled and leaned over to hold my arm and said, "Husband, where are we going to play these days?" ”

"Look at you, you know the famous attractions in City C, whatever you want, I'm in charge of the escort anyway." I laughed too.

"Husband, I think why are you so good at sweet words now, not very like you" Xiaojuan looked at me and quipped, "But I don't want to walk around the city, I go around the metropolis every day, and I am full of exhaust gas, I don't want to fly thousands of miles here to continue to spoil my lungs." Hey, I said, is there anything interesting near this C city? ”

I thought about it, I have been nesting in the company every day for the past few months, not to mention the neighborhood, and I haven't even had a good visit to C City, so let me find a fun place at the moment, but it's hard for me.

Xiaojuan said to herself, "This time, I want to try the authentic C province cuisine, those restaurants in H City, our colleagues in C province said that they were not enough to taste!" ”

Speaking of taste, I can't help but feel moved, the taste of the dishes in Province C, is there still a lack of hot sauce in County D?

D County is her hometown, the woman who once recalled her college life by the Xiuhe River and counted the taste of her hometown.

Li Yue'er's figure broke into my mind so easily, on New Year's Day, she must have returned to her hometown, right? What is she doing at the moment?

"Chen Ran, Chen Ran, have you thought about it, where to go?" My thoughts drifted so far away in such a reverie that Xiao Juan screamed several times before I came back to my senses.

"Why don't we go to County D?" I opened my mouth and said, and I couldn't help but be stunned after I finished speaking.

Xiaojuan didn't seem to be aware at all, "County D, is it County D that is the hot sauce in County D?" All right! I heard that there is a hot sauce making workshop for tourists to visit, as well as authentic C Province snacks, you can Ah Chen Ran, it is a good place to go! Okay, let's decide, go to County D! ”

Xiaojuan was full of interest, but I was a little in a trance, the scenery outside the window passed by one by one, the people, cars and trees on the side of the road quickly retreated, the overpasses in front of me crisscrossed each other, one by one seemed to never see the end, I carried Xiaojuan forward in the connection of heaven and earth, as if there was no direction.

When I went to County D, was it because of Xiaojuan, or because there was her there-Li Yue'er?

I was a little afraid to answer.