Chen Ran

I returned to H City on Friday evening as scheduled, a station I never thought would have stayed in my life because of Xiaojuan. If you think about it, it's been more than half a year since I left here, and time is like an hourglass, endlessly changing and passing through, but in just half a year, my heart and life have been turned upside down. The last time I left, I was still stuck in the guilt and contradiction of Xiaojuan and struggled helplessly, and I set foot on the land of H City again, but I was already planning a real parting with her. The changes in this world are only a few thousand hours, but for each individual, it seems to have completed the journey of a lifetime. Alas, Xiaojuan and I, maybe fate really ends here. After all, I can't stand her, and if I can, I'm willing to do my best to compensate her, but it can only be something other than feelings.

Yes, it's not fair to Xiaojuan, I understand. But the matter of feelings is also the most unfair, otherwise there would not be so many heartbreaks in ancient and modern China and abroad. Suddenly remembered the signing in the empty temple last year, "come and go are fixed, and there will be a time to gather and disperse", it turns out that everything has long been doomed, I originally thought that the parting between me and Xiaojuan was just a wait between the two halves of life, but I didn't expect it to become a prophecy, but it also came to the point of "go and let it go". With a wry smile, I irritably took out a cigarette and wanted to light it, but I realized that I hadn't left the airport yet, so I had to stuff it back again, shaking my head, I can't even smoke cigarettes freely in life, let alone feelings, career, and life! That's it, let's deal with the things to be dealt with on this trip first.

Xiaojuan didn't come to pick me up, which was expected. Presumably, I am still haunted by the fact that I didn't greet her in time when she got off the plane, but it's okay, everyone is indifferent, everyone is disheartened, and when the final showdown comes, maybe they can get together calmly.

Walked out of the airport and hailed a taxi. After getting in the car, I first reported Yue'er's safety, and I was going to send a message to ask Xiaojuan, but after thinking about it, I still dialed her phone directly.

The phone rang several times before it was picked up, and I heard what seemed to be quiet in the background, with the slight sound of moving tables and chairs, and the sound of footsteps, and then Xiaojuan's voice came, "You've arrived?" I'm in a meeting" is so short that there is not a single superfluous word.

I frowned unconsciously, "Well, I just arrived." If you're in a meeting, let's make a long story short, how did Director Zhao arrange it? ”

"Oh, I made an appointment with him at half past six tonight, at the Four Seasons Garden Restaurant on Jiangnan Road, you go over first, and I'm going to pick up his daughter along the way, and I'll be there later." Xiao Juan's voice was unremarkable, without a little temperature.

I couldn't help but wonder, "Why do you still have to pick up his daughter?" You're too thoughtful, aren't you? His daughter also participated? Let's talk about things, is that convenient? ”

"Director Zhao is holding a meeting in the following districts and counties today, and she has to come back late, so she doesn't have time to pick up her daughter. Today is Friday, the child only comes back once a week, and he didn't let me pick it up when he said it, so I offered to do it. Xiaojuan did not shy away from it, "We have a request for others, such a favor is a top one for you to invite him to eat ten meals, not to mention that little girl is very cute, a child without a mother, it is distressing to look at it after all." ”

"That's okay," Speaking of children, I knew that Xiaojuan might have some feelings, so I didn't ask anymore. Look at the watch, "It's almost five o'clock now, so I'll go directly and arrange the food and drink," thought about it and asked, "Then Director Zhao has any taboos?" ”

"Nothing else, he doesn't eat seafood, allergies." Xiaojuan blurted out, "Director Zhao is from Nanjing, and he likes to eat osmanthus duck the most, the taste is sweet, you can peck it." Suddenly, as if he remembered something, "Oh, by the way, his daughter's favorite thing is to eat wine-stuffed balls and squirrel cinnamon fish, remember to order one for her." ”

I raised my eyebrows, Xiaojuan seemed to be very familiar with the tastes of Director Zhao and his daughter? After thinking about it, he thought that they had eaten a few times, and it was not surprising to know that the other party's diet was jealous, so he smiled, "If you don't eat seafood, it will save us money." Okay, I'll figure it out. ”

Xiaojuan didn't say anything more, promised to hang up the phone, I didn't think about it anymore, told the driver the address, and went straight to the Four Seasons Garden Restaurant.

H city is big, and the airport is far away from the city, so it took me an hour to get to the destination. As soon as she found the location and ordered the food and drinks, Xiaojuan arrived with Director Zhao's daughter. I went up and found that there was a burly man behind the two, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, a resolute face, and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, showing a bit of elegant temperament. Although the style of a black suit is simple, the cut is very decent, carrying a briefcase in one hand and the shoulder of the little girl next to Xiaojuan with the other, and talking kindly.

I didn't know what to call it, Xiaojuan took a step forward, stood between us and pointed at the man and said to me, "Chen Ran, this is Director Zhao, this is his daughter, Tingting." Fu turned his head and said to Director Zhao with the most generous and decent smile, "Zhao, this is my lover Chen Ran." ”

Oh, it turns out that the deity has arrived. It's just that I sat here alone and waited, and Director Zhao appeared with his daughter and Xiaojuan, and the three of them chatted while walking with a harmonious and beautiful appearance, which looked a little weird after all. At this moment, I don't want to think too much, listening to Xiaojuan's introduction, I hurriedly stepped forward and stretched out my hand and said, "Zhao, I have admired the name for a long time, I am really fortunate that you can appreciate the light today, welcome!" ”

Seeing this, Director Zhao also stretched out his hand and smiled, "Hello, Mr. Chen, I am Zhao Guangcheng, I often hear Xiaojuan mention you, and I have been looking up for a long time." ”

I couldn't help but be stunned, this Director Zhao and Xiaojuan are so familiar? It stands to reason that you shouldn't call Section Chief Yao, why do you call your name directly?

"Hello Uncle Chen, my name is Zhao Tingting. You're so handsome! A soft and glutinous child's voice sounded, and I saw Director Zhao's daughter looking at me with a generous manner, a pair of big eyes flickering, very cute, especially her last fairy tale Wuji, which amused everyone. I bent down and patted her little cheek, and said with a gentle smile, "Tingting, you are too good at talking, how old are you?" ”

"I'm seven years old and I'm in the first grade of elementary school!" Zhao Tingting replied aloud like a little adult.

I patted her head and smiled, "It's awesome to be so tall at seven years old, and so generous!" As he spoke, he beckoned, "Come, Zhao, please sit down, please, Tingting, come, sit next to your father." ”

"No, I'm going to sit next to Aunt Xiaojuan!" Zhao Tingting didn't seem to be satisfied with my arrangement, so she turned around and pulled Xiaojuan's arm, twisting the candy and coquettishly, "Aunt Xiaojuan, I want to sit next to you, okay?" ”

"Good, good!" Xiaojuan glanced at Director Zhao, and saw that the latter did not refuse, so she turned around and patted the child's hand and said, "Tingting is so good, Auntie also wants to sit with you." But aren't you afraid that Dad will be jealous? ”

That Tingting was really well-behaved and lovely, and immediately took Director Zhao's hand and asked, "Dad, can you be alone?" I'm sitting with Aunt Xiaojuan, aren't you jealous? ”

The childish words made Director Zhao stunned for a moment, and then laughed, pinching her little face, "Little ghost, do you know what it means to be jealous?" Even if Dad is jealous, he can't eat your child's vinegar! After speaking, he glanced at Xiaojuan as if he was nothing, and then turned back to his daughter and said, "Go, go and accompany your Aunt Xiaojuan, she likes children the most, be obedient, ah?" Don't trouble your Aunt Xiaojuan! ”

"Yay!" The child was the most happy and angry, and when she heard Director Zhao's promise, Tingting jumped up happily and took Xiaojuan's arm and sat on the other side.

Director Zhao looked at her dotingly, shook his head and smiled at me, "Laugh, Mr. Chen, my little girl is spoiled by me, no big or small, don't mind!" ”

"Where, where, Director Zhao is too polite," I hurriedly waved my hand and said, "Children don't know how to hide the most, who likes and hates who is the true feelings, it is Xiaojuan's blessing, and she is so loved by Tingting." While pointing to the seat and giving way, "Zhao, please sit, please"

"It's serious, it's serious, Mr. Chen, thank you, you can sit too" Director Zhao looked at the two of them and smiled, his eyes seemed to have a shimmering brilliance.

The four of them sat down, and the food and drinks were all together for a while, and everyone was a little more casual after a few polite times. After all, there was a child at the banquet who was active in the atmosphere, and the funny words often amused everyone, and Director Zhao was very happy, and he and I gradually became brothers.

At first, because of the Mayor Zhao of City C, I was not very interested in Director Zhao with the same surname, and I heard Xiaojuan say that he wanted to take over the consulting company several times, thinking that he was another master with a deep background, so I didn't have much favor. But after today's meal, I feel that the other party is still a very real person, unlike some other county and department-level cadres, the official said that the small is not big, and he takes himself seriously, and it is very troublesome to contact, I and Guo Kai have encountered too many such characters in the process of starting a business, and it is really difficult to say.

So when I told him that considering the actual situation on my side, I didn't plan to sell the consulting company for the time being, I was still a little hesitant and cautious, after all, I didn't know much about Director Zhao, and I still couldn't figure out his temperament. I know that it is not easy for Xiaojuan to hold this line, she is a person in the system, and she values network resources more than anything else, if this incident affects the relationship with Director Zhao, she must be doubly resentful of me. In view of this, in order to appease Director Zhao, I plan to give him 10% of the dry shares of the consulting company.

Unexpectedly, Director Zhao waved his hand, patted me on the shoulder and said, "Mr. Chen, you are seeing the outside world like this." He tapped the table with his hand, "To be honest, although I have a half-official position, I am actually not interested in officialdom, and I don't like to make friends with those so-called powerful people. He took a sip of the tea on the table, "It's rare to have a chance to get together with you today, although we are meeting for the first time, but I know in a few words, although Mr. Chen, although you are a businessman, you don't have the habits of those businessmen, I treat you as a friend!" After speaking, he pointed at Xiaojuan, "You said that Xiaojuan mentioned this to me before, I know, this is not a big deal, market economy, trading is voluntary, you are so polite that you have to invite me to dinner!" I told Xiaojuan before that today's meal is a friend's dinner, so I'll come, if it's a businessman's entertainment, then I can only excuse myself. ”

"Director Zhao, look at what you said, you treat us as friends, that's our honor! Of course, it's a friend's dinner, don't you see Tingting together" Xiaojuan patted Director Zhao's daughter's back and said tactfully, "If you really want to talk about business, I am a woman's family, how dare I come!" ”

"That's right!" Director Zhao took Xiao Juan's words and said gently, "Xiao Juan is right, we are friends today, otherwise how could I bring my daughter together" Fu turned his head to me again, "So, Mr. Chen, since it is a friend's dinner, let's talk about friends, the consulting company, I just go back and talk to those people, you don't have to mind; As for what to do, don't mention it, if I, Zhao Guangcheng, have to accept such a favor for such a thing, it will be in vain! ”

"Hey, hey, Zhao, you're serious!" I hurriedly denied it, "Actually, although it is the first time I meet Zhao Chu today, I also feel that Zhao Chu is an easy-going person, really, there is no fight, I also treat you as a friend in my heart, but I am afraid that you will dislike it and not say it." I have often heard Xiaojuan mention you before, saying that you are a person who values love and righteousness, and that such and such things at work often cause you trouble, which is really embarrassing, so I told me to thank you well, you see, this is actually a little heart between friends, and please don't shirk"

"Heh, Xiaojuan still said to trouble me?" Director Zhao smiled when he heard this, and turned his head to look at Xiao Juan, "Is it, Xiao Juan?" Fu turned back to me and said, "If you want to talk about trouble, but I have caused a lot of trouble to Xiaojuan, Mr. Chen, you know, I am busy with work all day, and I hardly have time to accompany Tingting, this daughter follows me, I really suffer a lot." Director Zhao seemed to be infinitely emotional, "She was sick last time, with a high fever of 39 degrees, but I was on a business trip, and I didn't even have someone to take care of at home, thanks to Xiaojuan, not only helped me contact the doctor, but also accompanied Tingting for injections and infusions, tossed for a night, I was so tired, I want to say thank you, I have to thank her first!" ”

"Zhao, you are so polite, this is just a gesture" Xiaojuan stroked the head of Director Zhao's daughter beside her, her eyes were full of pity, "Tingting is so well-behaved, everyone loves her, Auntie has no blessings, no children, if I have such a lovely daughter, I will die of happiness, how can I feel tired." ”

"Aunt Xiaojuan, otherwise, I'll call you Xiaojuan's mother" Director Zhao's daughter suddenly raised her head and said to Xiaojuan, but the little girl didn't smile this time, her expression was very serious.

Xiaojuan couldn't help but be stunned, as if she didn't expect Director Zhao's daughter to suddenly say this to her, and as if she had never heard a child call her mother, with an excited and unbelievable expression on her face, she looked at Tingting, raised her eyes to look at Director Zhao, and then looked at me, and didn't know what to say for a while.

"Heh, it's the first time that my little girl has been so close to other people, it seems that it's really fate, fate!" Director Zhao looked at his daughter, and then at Xiaojuan, couldn't help sighing, was silent for a long time, and finally said to me and Xiaojuan, "Mr. Chen, do you think this is okay." Since my daughter likes Xiaojuan so much, if you two don't dislike it, let her recognize Xiaojuan as her godmother. A girl's family does have to have a mother by her side, and those of us who are fathers, no matter how much we love her, we can't replace the role of a mother. After speaking, he sighed, "It's rare for my daughter to take the initiative for the first time, just now Mr. Chen said what to give shares and thank me, we won't talk about those, if you look contemptible, please accept this goddaughter, it's a little selfishness of my father, a little reluctant invitation!" ”

"Zhao, where are you talking! It's my blessing to have Tingting, my goddaughter! Xiaojuan took Director Zhao's words, reached out to Tingting, and seemed to wipe her eyes with one hand, "Good daughter, with your father's words, godmother, I'm happy to death!" ”

I was also quite moved when I saw this, and hurriedly raised my wine glass and said to Director Zhao, "Zhao is serious!" Tingting is so well-behaved and sensible, she can deign to be our goddaughter, we are high, thank you Zhao for raising love, I will do this glass of wine first as respect! With that, I tilted my head and poured the whole glass of wine into my mouth.

When Director Zhao heard me say this, he patted me on the shoulder, "Brother, it's all in the wine!" Thank! Thank! After speaking, he also picked up the wine glass and drank it all.

The meal was eaten very late, the guests and hosts were happy, and when they said goodbye, Xiaojuan hugged Director Zhao's daughter and asked for warmth, as if she was already a godmother's posture. I saw her and Tingting's reluctant appearance, and I couldn't help but sigh, for so many years, Xiaojuan has always wanted a child but failed to do so, and now there is an extra goddaughter by chance, although it is not her own, it can be regarded as a comfort.

On the way back, I was driven by Xiaojuan because I had been drinking. Leaving the joyful atmosphere of the dinner just now, Xiaojuan and I seemed to return to a relatively speechless state, and everyone didn't speak for a while, thinking about their own thoughts.

I leaned on the passenger seat, closed my eyes and rested, thinking about Director Zhao's business, and how to break up with Xiaojuan next. Suddenly felt a little heavy, opened her eyes and glanced at Xiaojuan beside her, only to see her holding the steering wheel blankly, her eyes staring ahead, with no expression on her face, this kind of appearance reminded me of our college days, she stood under the phoenix tree and confessed to me shyly, at that time she was enthusiastic, beautiful, carefree, far from the delicate face wearing a mask now, time flies, it has been ten years in a flash.

I suddenly felt a little unbearable, so I pretended to be casual and said, "Be happy today, I took in a goddaughter carelessly." ”

I didn't expect me to speak suddenly, Xiaojuan seemed to be stunned, and chuckled, "Yes, I didn't expect that I, Yao Xiaojuan, would have the opportunity to be called my mother in my life, even if I did it, I was content." ”

"Director Zhao feels pretty good, I thought he was no different from the officials we usually met," I couldn't help but sigh

"I told you a long time ago that he is a very affectionate person." Xiao Juan thought thoughtfully, "Sometimes I feel that he is actually pitiful." ”

"Oh? How so? I couldn't help but ask.

"I heard that he seems to be an orphan, his wife has already run away with someone, he is alone with his daughter, and he is busy with work, I really don't know how he has survived all these years," Xiaojuan shook her head and sighed, "He can have his current position, all by himself step by step, in fact, with his ability and qualifications, he should have been mentioned as deputy director a long time ago, just because he has no background, and he himself doesn't like the set of welcome and send-off horses, so he has been in the position of director for so many years." ”

I turned my head and glanced at Xiaojuan a few times, "You seem to know him quite well." Suddenly, as if remembering something, I continued, "You are already very familiar, I think he calls you by your name." ”

Xiaojuan glanced at me, but was noncommittal to my question, "I've had a few contacts before, and I have talked a little bit." Later, I heard his sister mention it. ”

"Didn't you just say he was an orphan? Why do you have a sister again? Oh, that's the one your unit introduced on a blind date last time, right? I wondered

"Well, I thought it was her own brother. Later, I found out that the girl was also an orphan, they were originally from the same orphanage, and the children in it were directly called brothers and sisters. Xiaojuan sighed, "So, there are many unfortunate people in this world, and many of them are around you and me." I was very sad when I heard the girl talk about this. ”

"yes!" I took a deep breath and sighed, "Everyone has their own story!" After speaking, I looked out the window, the neon lights of the night strung up the city's red and green, and quickly retreated, Xiaojuan and I moved forward in silence all the way in our respective hearts.