The semi-finals were divided into groups, and the essay topics drawn in each group were different, and the time limit was 90 minutes from getting the questions to handing in the papers.

After sitting in the hall and waiting, the students went up in order to draw lots.

Qi Xia was in the fourth group, and after the registration was confirmed, she stood with the members of the same group, lined up and was taken to the third floor.

She walked and watched, and when she reached the corner of the second floor, she suddenly swept into a familiar figure.

The middle-aged woman wore a floral over-the-knee dress and a plain white shirt, a bow tied on her chest, and a shawl with long curly hair, just like an urban beauty.

Just a side face made Qi Xia's breath stagnate.

The woman...... It looks really like Zhao Xiangqiong, it's too similar.

She was a little out of control, and she almost chased after her.

Fortunately, the volunteer next to her pushed her, and Qi Xia came back to her senses and had to go to the examination room, but she kept thinking about it in her heart.

The question of the fourth group was a very abstract cartoon, and after the invigilator shouted to start, only the rustling of writing could be heard in the examination room, and Qi Xia also threw away the messy ideas and threw himself into answering.

From the idea to the pen, the 2,000-word essay Time was very tight, and as soon as Qi Xia stopped writing, the bell rang.

When he walked out of the examination room, some people gathered together to discuss the topic, and some people called, Qi Xia remembered what had just happened, and looked around the venue but did not see anyone.

Qi Xia was a little disappointed, and there was a faint bad premonition in his heart.

Coming out of the Cultural Museum building, when passing the parking lot, Qi Xia was careless and crashed into a stroller.

The stroller was pure black, sturdy, and classy at first glance.

Fortunately, there was no baby in the stroller, but Qi Xia was still frightened, and she apologized to the adult next to her: "I'm sorry, I didn't pay attention to ......."

"It's fine." The woman's voice was gentle and she turned around.

Qi Xia felt that this voice was familiar, raised his head, and was stunned for the next second.

The woman in front of her wearing a floral dress and a white shirt is not Zhao Xiangqiong. Because she was outside, she added a camel-colored coat, and Qi Xia didn't recognize it at first sight.

I haven't seen her for two years, and Zhao Xiangqiong hasn't changed much.

She is outstandingly good-looking, and she is a well-known beauty on Yizhou Island. After starting a family, Qi Liguo made money, and Zhao Xiangqiong took care of the children at home, and she always found time to clean herself up beautifully.

When Zhao Xiangqiong saw her, she was puzzled for a moment, and she was also stunned.

In July, she returned to Yizhou Island to move her household registration, only to learn that her ex-husband had died and her two daughters were fostered by relatives. At that time, Zhou Mei hinted that she should take her two daughters over.

Zhao Xiangqiong refused, leaving 20,000 yuan, saying that it was inconvenient for her. Zhou Mei didn't say anything, accepted the money, and showed her the photos of Qi Xia and Qi Yuan.

At this time, Zhao Xiangqiong recognized Qi Xia, and her steps were a little unsteady, "Xia Xia? ”

"Mom, it's really you!" Qi Xia cried with joy, and her eyes immediately turned red, "I...... I've been looking for you for a long time, and you haven't come to see me and Yuan. ”

However, at this time, an untimely voice came from behind him, "Xiangqiong, Di Bao's hat has been found." Let's go, it's time to leave for the birthday party. ”

Qi Xia followed the prestige and saw a middle-aged man with a fat fortune walking over, holding a tightly wrapped little boy in his arms.

The boy's eyebrows and eyes were similar to Zhao Xiangqiong's, and he approached and stretched out his little hand: "I want my mother to hug me-"

Qi Xia was like being struck by lightning.

The man also noticed her and asked, "Xiangqiong, this girl is ......"

"Oh, students who came to visit the museum, ask me something." Zhao Xiangqiong smiled and said, "You take the children to the banquet first, don't let your parents wait, I'll come over later." ”

The man will be skeptical, "Really? Why don't you wait for you with Di Bao and me, our baby's second birthday, how can you be late as a mother? ”

Two-year-old –

Qi Xia remembered that Zhao Xiangqiong and Qi Liguo divorced in June 2011, so she was pregnant at that time.

She couldn't laugh anymore, she just felt bitter in her mouth.

"Okay, I don't care about work, you can go first."

Sending away her husband and son, Zhao Xiangqiong dragged Qi Xia to the café next to her.

She wanted to say hello, but she didn't know what to say, so she said lightly: "Xia Xia has changed a lot, if I hadn't seen your photos before, I wouldn't have recognized you." ”

Qi Xia stared at her, her fingers pinched into her palm and she didn't feel any pain, "I only ask you one thing, is that boy yours?" ”

Zhao Xiangqiong paused and admitted calmly: "Yes." ”

"You got pregnant with my dad before they divorced him?"

"Yes."

In just two "yes" words fell one after another, Qi Xia was dizzy.

Zhao Xiangqiong called the waitress and ordered two cups of hot cocoa latte, she sighed, as if compromised: "Xia Xia, everyone has the right to pursue happiness, you will understand in the future, how terrible it is to marry the wrong person." ”

"I'm still young, do I have to waste a lot of time on that small island, repeating three dishes and one soup every day, and continuing to buy clothes for half a day? Your dad is incompetent, and I can't blame him. ”

"My current husband, the leader of the municipal unit, has solved my job and household registration, and we only met him when he went to Yizhou Island on a business trip a few years ago."

Qi Xia didn't want to listen to it anymore, but felt that he was about to suffocate.

She held back her tears, "Then I...... What about me and Yuan? ”

"Didn't I leave you 20,000 dollars? Why, Zhou Mei didn't give it to you? Zhao Xiangqiong wrinkled her eyebrows and scolded: "I knew that the money would not reach you." ”

She impatiently took out her wallet, looked down and counted a few bills and handed them over, "Take it, don't come later, I'm very busy." ”

Qi Xia didn't answer, slowly stood up, and finally glanced at Zhao Xiangqiong, trembling all over, "The eldest aunt gave me the money, and I handed over the money to the cram school, and I will ...... in the future." Will pay you back. ”

With that, she walked out of the café.

It was so cold outside, the cold wind was blowing, and there were few people on the street.

Qi Xia shrunk his neck, tightened his neckline, and walked aimlessly.

She didn't know how long she had been walking, and she didn't know where she was going, until she bumped into a flower bed, and then she stopped and felt cold.

The whole body was almost frozen, Qi Xia took out her mobile phone to check the time, it was almost two o'clock, and she hadn't eaten since morning.

There happened to be a 711 next to her, so she didn't hesitate and pushed the door in with heavy steps. After turning around and not knowing what to buy, she simply sat down at the long table by the window.

Her emotions finally couldn't be controlled, and tears rained down.

In her memory, although her family was poor, her parents still loved each other very much. Every time she went out, the neighbors would say that her parents were a good match, and in those years she was sick and swollen......

But reality told her that those happy moments in the past were nothing more than illusions created by magicians.

What you see, what you feel, is not necessarily real.

The convenience store was deserted, and Qi Xia lay on the table, suppressing his crying, and his shoulders trembled from crying.

Suddenly, there was a "ding dong" sound, and the door of the convenience store opened automatically, and the sweet voice of the cashier's sister came from the ear: "Welcome——"

After all, it was a public place, and she didn't want to be too embarrassed. Qi Xia raised his head, and in the haze of tears, he saw a figure approaching.

She wiped her tears, looked up, impartially, and met Chen Xifan's eyes.

Obviously, he didn't expect to meet here, and Chen Xifan was stunned.

Seeing her red and swollen eyes clearly, Chen Xifan put one hand on the table and bowed his head, and said softly: "Qi Xia, why are you crying?" ”

At that moment, the tears were like a faucet that had failed to turn on and off, and the torrent kept flowing.

Qi Xia was very embarrassed, and quickly turned his head, his voice hoarse after crying, "No...... It's okay. ”

Seeing this, Chen Xifan did not ask again.

The convenience store was quiet again, the lights were shining, and everything was so warm and bright. Outside the window, the sky was gloomy and oppressive, and the black clouds were getting lower and lower.

After a while, Chen Xifan pulled out a chair and sat down beside her.

Qi Xia finally stopped her tears and looked back at him with a small heart. Only then did he find that Chen Xifan had a bruise on the left side of his face, and his neck was stained with bright red, winding deep into his collarbone.

He had a fair complexion, and the slightest wound was very noticeable.

This...... Was he beaten?

Qi Xia pinched his heart and couldn't help asking, "Your face ...... What's wrong? ”

"Huh?" Chen Xifan glanced at her, his tone was as bland, "It's okay, I fell." ”

Chen Xifan asked rhetorically, "What about you, why are you crying?" ”

Qi Xia's eyes were swollen like peaches, and he muffled: "It's okay, just ...... Today's essay competition, I don't feel like I played well. ”

"Is that so?"

I heard Hu Zhonghai say before that several people in the third year of high school entered the Qingpei Cup essay competition semi-finals, and Qi Xia was one of them. His intuition told him that he didn't play well in the essay competition, and that was not the reason why Qi Xia cried.

Both of them lied, but tacitly agreed that neither of them asked, following each other's boundaries.

Chen Xifan said, "Have you eaten?" ”

Qi Xia shook his head, and he said, "It's a coincidence, I didn't eat either, let's go, let's go pick something to eat together." ”

If it were placed in normal times, Qi Xia would definitely feel incredible. She actually met Chen Xifan at a convenience store and had the opportunity to eat with him.

But today's emotional consumption is too much, and Qi Xia has no strength to think. She stood up and followed Chen Xifan to buy food.

Chen Xifan took a red shopping basket and put what he wanted to eat in it.

"Teriyaki chicken steak rice or spaghetti with bolognese, which one to eat?"

Qi Xia said: "Let's have chicken steak rice." ”

So, he put two boxes of chicken steak rice in the basket and asked, "Where are the rice balls?" Which one do you want to eat. ”

In fact, Qi Xia couldn't eat so much, but she seemed to be very serious when she saw Chen Xifan's selection, and compared various flavors while looking at the ingredient list, and couldn't say anything to refuse.

She thought that maybe at this time, whatever Chen Xifan said, she would nod.

In the end, the two chose tuna rice balls, and took two boxes of blueberry-flavored yogurt, and Chen Xifan settled the bill together.

After heating, the convenience store is filled with the aroma of food. Back in their original position, they unpacked and ate their own.

Both have poor appetites and eat slowly.

At this time, there were suddenly several thunderous rumblings outside, and the sky became darker and darker, gray, and the wind carried the flying snow.

There is a screen in the corner of the convenience store on which a foreign animated film "Aladdin's Magic Lamp" is playing.

It's an old movie, and the picture quality is not very clear. Chen Xifan stared at the screen, Qi Xia's heart beat uneasily, and peeked at him from time to time.