The middle-aged woman looked at the old man: "Uncle Zhang, why did Qingchen come to you to play chess again." ”

Uncle Zhang's tone was not so polite: "Your own son, you ask me? He has no living expenses, so he can only earn a little money for himself by playing chess." ”

Zhang Wanfang, a middle-aged woman, was stunned for a moment: "But I have living expenses for his father every month." ”

Uncle Zhang was stunned for a moment when he said this: "Then I don't know what's going on." ”

Uncle Zhang thought about it, Zhang Wanfang is not a poor person, and it seems that the living expenses for Qingchen are not small, but why does the young man still live a tight life?

Qingchen doesn't look like a loser, he lives his life every day, and he never takes a sip of his drink.

"But shouldn't he be studying on his own at this time?" asked Zhang Wanfang.

Uncle Zhang only remembered at this time: "He seems to say that he is waiting for someone." ”

"No, I have to go home and have a look," Ms. Zhang said.

As she spoke, she was about to leave quickly with the cake, but the man next to her suddenly said: "Wanfang, Haohao is on his birthday today, we have already booked a place, and we have to take him to the movies after eating!"

Zhang Wanfang looked back at the man: "Qingchen may have skipped class, I can't do it if I don't ask." ”

"He's seventeen years old and can take care of himself, besides, what about his own father," the man said and then eased his tone: "Actually, it's okay to wait until the weekend to see him, let's accompany Haohao today?"

Zhang Wanfang frowned when she heard this, but after a few seconds, she finally sighed: "Okay, let's celebrate Haohao's birthday today." ”

......

In the tree-lined path of the West Family Courtyard of the Municipal Government, Qingchen walked silently under the camphor tree.

Different from the style of high-rise buildings in modern cities, this courtyard is a four-story small building from the 70s of the last century, with no elevator, no gas, and sometimes the sewers will be blocked.

You can't use high-power appliances at home because they will trip.

Qingchen walked into the dim doorway, ignored the psoriasis-like unlocking and selling advertisements on the wall, and took out the key to open the door on the first floor.

76 square meters house, two bedrooms and one living room, the first floor of the house is very poorly lit.

He took out his mobile phone and dialed out: "Hey, Dad......"

The voice on the other side of the phone had already interrupted him: "I want to find your mother for living expenses, I don't have any money, she is very rich now." ”

While talking, there was also the sound of mahjong rubbing on the other side of the phone.

"I don't want money," Qingchen said in a low voice, "I haven't asked you for money for a long time." ”

The man said impatiently: "You're going to the school for a parent-teacher conference again? Find your mother, this kind of thing ......"

Before the other party could finish speaking, Qingchen took the initiative to hang up the phone this time.

He leaned lightly against the door, bowing his head and lifting the sleeves of his school uniform.

He stared at the white numbers and symbols on his forearm like an LCD screen: countdown to 5:58:13.

The white numbers were like fluorescent tattoos embedded in his flesh and skin, and no matter how much he rubbed them, there was no way to erase them.

Looking at them closely, Qingchen also saw that there were special and fine lines in the numbers, as if the parts of the machinery were biting each other.

The numbers moved silently, as if there was a clattering mechanical snap.

Countdown 5:58:12.

Countdown 5:58:11.

There are 5 hours, 58 minutes and 11 seconds left, and it all seems to remind Qingchen that when the countdown is over, something incredible will happen.

Qingchen glanced at the phone that hung up, and then at the empty room.

He didn't know what kind of life he would face in 5 hours and 58 minutes, he only knew that he could only rely on himself.

......

Time is a very heavy unit of measurement, and the length of life and the breadth of civilization are all used to mark it.

The concept of time exists in everyone's life.

So any countdown in your life gives you a sense of urgency.

What is the end of this countdown?

Could it be dangerous?

It could also be another life.

Qingchen couldn't be sure, he could only plan for the worst first.

So he had to prepare something before the countdown was over.

If danger is really coming, then he must at least let himself have some ability to resist danger within the scope of his ability.

Qingchen changed into a clean gray coat and covered his appearance with the shadow of his hood.

Take advantage of the night.

He went out and walked in the direction of the farmer's market, and it was dark early in October in Los Angeles.

The sound of stir-frying was heard in the residential building, the popping sound of vegetables colliding with the oil juice, and then an enticing smell wafted out.

The taste of eggs, pork, and mutton poured into Qingchen's mind like a piece of information, and when he needed this information one day, he could extract a certain "archive" from his mind.

He bought tongs and shovels at the hardware store, and a bag of rice and noodles and salt at the grain and oil store.

He also bought boxes of antibiotics at the pharmacy and batteries and flashlights and compressed biscuits at the supermarket.

When he didn't know what he was going to face, he had to be as prepared as he could.

These things have almost spent all of Qingchen's savings.

Qingchen went home with his things and went into the kitchen, and he first put all the knives available on the board in the most convenient place in the room.

The kitchen knife is placed under the pillow, and the boning knife is placed on the bedside table.

Countdown to 2 hours, 43 minutes and 11 seconds.

He made sure that the doors and windows were closed, so he sat down on the edge of the bed and began to ponder: Do you want to find a helper?

But who could he turn to?

My mother had a new family, and my father was a gambler.

In fact, when Qingchen found that a countdown appeared on his arm a few hours ago, he was only 17 years old, and he subconsciously wanted to ask his parents for help.

But he rejected the idea.

Qingchen took out his mobile phone and tried to take a picture of the white countdown on his arm, but found that the white lines visible to his naked eye did not appear on the mobile phone screen at all.

This kind of weird and outrageous thing, I'm afraid it's useless to ask ordinary people for help.

Wait, Qingchen seemed to think of something, he got up and went into the living room to rummage around.

Two minutes later, he silently looked at the Guanyin Bodhisattva pendant in his hand, placed it in front of him seriously, and bowed nine times.

The last preparation is done.