Dear Chen Jiu

I sent a message to Lu Yuan, saying that I will take a taxi to pick her up now.

She sent me a voice message back, saying that today's class ended early, and told me not to come by car, she just took a taxi to find us.

"That can't be done, you don't know the location yet, and besides the task that Lao Xiao entrusted to me, I can't break my promise."

I walked back to the school gate with a voice, hailed a taxi and reported the name of their school.

"Yo, this point is really congested, I'm afraid we won't be able to arrive within two hours."

Said the driver master.

I have never been to their university town before. To be more precise, I seldom go out after coming to Jiangzhou. As long as Chen Jiu is at home, I will rush home after class. I really don’t know the traffic jam between the two university towns at this point. It's so blocked.

I sent a voice message to Lu Yuan apologetically, saying that I might arrive a little later, and asked her to wait for me in the dormitory and tell her when I got to school.

Lu Yuan made a voice call directly, "You really don't need to come here, this time, let's say we have to be blocked for four hours, they waited too long."

I heard the implication, I dare not bear Lao Xiao to wait too long.

"Are you afraid that I will discover the surprise in advance? Then we can meet at a nearby location."

It's rare that Lu Yuan's tone is full of uncontrollable joy and joy.

"Haha, you go back to the dormitory first, I'll come over now, soon."

"No, I've already arrived at the school gate, just pick a nearby place and send me the address."

I think Lu Yuan was quite persistent, so he compromised.

--Then let's meet at the gate of the 'Old Tree Cafe'?

--OK.

The location of the birthday party that Lao Xiao prepared was near this coffee shop, and he also temporarily pulled a group called: 'Thank you, brothers', and the avatar was the name of that hotel.

'Didi—'I received a WeChat message from Lao Xiao.

It was a photo of Chen Jiu secretly taken by him. In the photo, Chen Jiu held a champagne glass and was putting the last layer on the champagne tower.

--Thank you, thank you, good man.

How is your arrangement?

--Almost, just waiting for you to come.

-- Lu Yuan just sent me a voice message saying that he missed you, so he took a taxi here in advance.

--Really?

Lu Yuan's character is not so exposed, even if he became more cheerful with Lao Xiao in the past two years, there are some things that he would never say.

But I deliberately teased Lao Xiao, - yes, the relationship is really good, envy!

--Then we have to hurry up and arrange, where do you meet?

--Old Tree Cafe.

--OK, then she told me.

--Um.

I re-reported the address to the driver, and when I arrived, I went into the cafe and ordered a cup of coffee to wait for Lu Yuan.

On the way, I sent another WeChat message to Lu Yuan, asking her to send me a location at her convenience.

But no reply was received.

I got up and walked outside the cafe to have a look, and then sent Lao Xiao a WeChat message, why didn't Lu Yuan reply to my WeChat message.

"She gets motion sickness, and usually doesn't look at her phone in a car."

Lao Xiao directly sent a voice message, listening to the sound, it seemed that he was struggling to hang something, and there was an unfamiliar background voice saying 'higher, higher'.

I don't know if Lu Yuan's motion sickness is serious, so I went to the nearby supermarket to prepare mineral water and plums for her in advance.

When it was almost seven o'clock, Lao Xiao called me, "You remember to cover her eyes when you go upstairs later."

"I haven't received anyone yet..."

"It's a bit of a traffic jam at this time, it should be soon."

Old Xiao said, "I'll rehearse here again."

"Row."

After hanging up the phone, I started to contact Lu Yuan, "beep beep beep..." No one answered the phone.

I stood on the sidewalk and looked left and right. It should be almost there.

I called again after 5 minutes, still no answer...

The time passed by every minute and every second, and the delay in contacting Lu Yuan made me feel a little uneasy. I called Lao Xiao again, but he should be busy there, and he didn't answer my call.

Or did the two have already met?

I began to hesitate whether I should go to the birthday venue first, maybe Lu Yuan went there directly, or they had already contacted them first?

But if I leave, what should I do if Lu Yuan arrives later and can't find me?

I kept calling Lu Yuan's phone number, but I never got a response. Finally, I decided to go directly to the venue to find Lao Xiao.

I went straight to my destination and called Lao Xiao again while waiting for the traffic light.

Thank goodness it finally got through.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"Is Lu Yuan with you?"

"No, don't you see me at the place you appointed?"

"I can't get in touch with her."

"Maybe the phone is on silent?"

"Well, I'd better go back to the appointed place and wait. If she comes to you directly, you can call me."

……

There were countless pedestrians and vehicles in front of the cafe that day, but none of them stopped in front of me...

I really don't want to recall that day, but the memory is very clear.

I remember that day I waited for a long time but did not get a call from Lao Xiao. When the phone rang again, it was Chen Jiu calling.

This seems to be the first time he took the initiative to call me...

But what he said next made me feel like I was poured cold water on my head. He said they were in the hospital, and I stopped the car and rushed to the hospital.

When I hurried all the way to the emergency room, I saw Lao Xiao and Chen Jiu at the door, standing on both sides of the corridor.

Chen Jiu was only wearing a T-shirt, which was strange. I remembered that in the photo Lao Xiao secretly took for me in the afternoon, he was also wearing a black coat.

And Lao Xiao squatted beside the chair very decadently. He was wearing a very formal suit today, and it could be seen that he was preparing for the birthday party with great care.

I walked up to him and asked what was going on.

He raised his head slowly when he heard my voice, his eyes were bloodshot, and he gritted his teeth and said "Get lost."

"You..." I knew that Lao Xiao was in a very unstable mood now, and I tried to organize my words to comfort him, "What did the doctor say, did he hit somewhere? Do you want my uncle to help--"

"Gu Zong," Lao Xiao interrupted me impatiently, "Why can't you do such a trivial thing? Ah!" He stood up suddenly, and I was unprepared, and he pushed me into the chair. On the armrest, he knocked heavily on the back of his head.

At this moment, it seems that we are no longer friends, but enemies.

I don't know what happened to Lu Yuan, but all I could think of was the car accident.

"Xiao Wenxi."

Chen Jiu calmly called Lao Xiao's name.

Old Xiao closed his eyes, and when he spoke again, his voice became thicker, "Gu Zong, I don't want to see you now, get out."

I know that I really can't help here, but I don't feel relieved that Lu Yuan is still in the operating room, and I am going to sit outside.

"Call me if something happens, I'll go outside."

Old Xiao ignored my words, turned around, scratched his hair and squatted by the wall.

***

"Hey, such a beautiful girl is really pitiful."

"Hey, what a beast. I heard from the little nurse that she was raped by a black car driver, or that two male classmates brought her here..."

"It seems that it was her boyfriend who brought her in, hey, what a nice couple..."

What are they talking about?

I feel like my brain is being hit by a heavy hammer. Who are they talking about?

Chen Jiu's coat, Lao Xiao's attitude...

"I heard that he is from Jiang University. He is a top student."

Did I just hit the back of my head and knock my brain out of my head?How did you hallucinate?rape?Jiang Da?Black car?

"Who are you talking about?" I asked.

"No, isn't that the one who was sent to the emergency room just now?" The woman in front of her pointed her finger in the direction I just came from.

a bolt from the blue…

I don't know how I walked out of the emergency room step by step. I sat on the steps at the door, feeling my scalp go numb, and the emotions of self-blame and guilt rushed out from the bottom of my heart belatedly...

Until the moment I saw Lao Xiao at the door of the emergency room just now, I thought it was a car accident. I made up my mind to ask my uncle to help transfer him to the best hospital in Jiangzhou.

But how could I think it was... rape...

I leaned on the pillar beside me, looked up at the dark sky blankly, originally we should be celebrating Lu Yuan's birthday at this time...

I took out my phone to look at the chat history with Lu Yuan, the last message she sent me was, 【OK】

I flipped up desperately, our chat history is really very little, and I quickly turned to the end.

I closed my eyes, it was indeed my fault, I didn't take her to the banquet properly, it was my negligence...

Lu Yuan has such a noble temperament, how much psychological shadow this incident will bring to her... If I was by her side at that time, this is obviously an accident that could have been avoided.

I promised to pick her up. I knew that this was a birthday party that Lao Xiao had carefully prepared. This was someone Lao Xiao had liked for so many years. He trusted me so much that he entrusted me to pick up his girlfriend...

Why can't I be more careful, why can't I set aside enough time.

If I skip class for the day, if I wait for her at the school gate long in advance, or if I don't help Joey carry those couriers.

As long as I was earlier, no, even if my attitude was tougher at that time, I only needed to contact Lu Yuan 10 minutes earlier, and tell her 10 minutes earlier that I was already on my way, wouldn’t she even go there? car gone...

I've thought a lot about what if...

It wasn't until I felt someone sitting down beside me that I opened my eyes and saw Chen Jiu from the side.

"I..." I finally came back to my senses, and asked nervously and stumbled, "She...how is she?"

"Out of danger."

I hurriedly stood up, "Then I'll go see her."

Chen Jiu gave me a hand, then shook his head.

I calmed down for a while before my mind recovered.

Lu Yuan definitely doesn't want to see anyone now, I'm really stunned.

I sat down again dejectedly. There were people coming and going at the entrance of the hospital, and everyone was in a hurry. No one cared about other people's sorrow.

At that time, I was dazed and helpless, and I turned sideways and put my head on Chen Jiu's shoulder.

I don't know how to face Lao Xiao and Lu Yuan next, I feel that the current situation has something to do with me.

"Let's go nearby and buy some food for them."

I thought about it and decided I should do something.

"Ah."

We went to a porridge shop opposite the hospital to buy some light and nutritious porridge. I had no appetite at all, but I was still thinking that Chen Jiu hadn't eaten.

"Sit down and eat something."

After I finished ordering, I pressed Chen Jiu to sit on the chair, "In a while... you can give it to them, Lao Xiao definitely doesn't want to see me."

"It was an accident."

Chen Jiu said.