tomb bed

11.

During the summer vacation, I stayed at home and drew. Xie Tian liked it, so I taught him some. Unexpectedly, he won the provincial award in a painting competition after school started. Lin Zheng said that I picked up a treasure.

I thought life would be like this, Lin Zheng and I graduated, looked for a job, and went to junior high school, high school, and university with Xie Tian.

Towards the end of that semester, I was called to school by the principal.

The principal is an uncle in his early fifties, looking very energetic.

He first greeted me politely, saying that Xie Tian is a very good student. After drinking a cup of tea, he sighed and asked me if Xie Tian was an AIDS patient.

He said that I am not discriminating against AIDS patients, but those parents made a lot of noise, so the child should go to another school.He also said that the tuition fee will be refunded in full, and if there is more, it will be his wish.

I begged the principal again and again, but he still said he couldn't help it.In the end, I said that at least until the end of this semester, he hesitated for a long time before agreeing.

After leaving the office, I walked around Xie Tian's school and looked at Xie Tian's classroom downstairs, which is not high, which is the second floor.He was sitting by the window, and I found him quickly, still in class.He listened so carefully that he didn't notice me.It was summer again, and the crickets on the grass on the campus and the cicadas on the poplar trees by the side of the road were singing happily. The playground was dazzling with red background and white lines, and the teaching buildings were magnificent with white walls and green windows.

I went to other schools, but when the school found out that Xie Tian had AIDS, they started to shirk and asked me to go home and wait for news.In the end, the news I waited for was nothing but a tactful refusal.

…In fact, the school understands this very well. Which parent wants their child to be with AIDS patients, which school can take this responsibility.

Lin Zheng said that he could hire a tutor, but I didn’t want strangers to come into the house, so I turned down everything that school could do, moved the usual practice at home, and planned to come by myself. Sometimes Lin Zheng would change shifts with me during holidays.

I didn't think about how to talk to Xie Tian, ​​and I didn't say anything until the end of the Chinese New Year.

In the living room of the house, there is still a certificate of his outstanding student, a trophy for his first long-distance running is placed on the desk, and a group photo of their class is placed beside the bed.

I really... oh.

The night on the ninth day of the ninth day was much cleaner. Xie Tian and I went for a walk in the community, but Zheng Lin hadn't returned from his hometown.

On the way, I met Xie Tian’s classmate, a cute little girl, her face was very red when talking to Xie Tian, ​​but she was called away by her mother before she said a few words.

I asked Xie Tian if that girl liked him, Xie Tian glared at me and said: No, don't talk nonsense.

When we were about to get home, Xie Tian stopped and said he wanted to see the stars, so he and I sat around on a nearby swing and watched.

The night sky in winter is clean and full of stars.

I chatted with him without a word, thanked God for silence at the end of the conversation, and finally said: Brother, I don’t want to go to school either.

I froze for a long time, exhaled slowly, and watched the stars gradually blur.