Salted Toffee

Zhu Yu slept for a long time, he seemed to fall into a boundless dream, everything around him was blurred and entangled, and he couldn't distinguish or see clearly.

Wei Xia's voice seemed to come from the sky, sometimes laughing and sometimes crying.

There was the sound of glass breaking, followed by hurried footsteps.

It was a trophy, the national award of the Junior High School Olympiad.

The year was more than ten years ago, and Zhu Yu was still very young at that time.

"Oh, you're not hurt, are you?" Wei Xia put down the water glass and squatted beside Zhu Yu to check his arms and legs, "Why are you so careless? What if you bump into something?"

Zhu Yu felt a little warm in his heart, pursed his lips and shook his head: "No."

Most of the time, Wei Xia was still very good to him. She was like the mother in most families, she loved her children and cared about her husband, and took good care of their daily life.

But there are also some bad things, for example, Wei Xia occasionally goes crazy, causing a scene that can almost drop everything in the house.

"Xiao Yu's trophy was broken by him!" Wei Xia screamed in the living room, regardless of Zhu Qin's dissuasion, "How dare he! How is he worthy!"

Zhu Yu hid in the room and curled up into a ball, neither crying nor laughing, quietly listening to the woman roaring outside.

It was a very wonderful feeling, like that little bit of truth in the fake.

At this time, Zhu Yu even had a kind of upside-down cognition.

——It turned out that I was not Zhu Yu.

He has an older brother with the same name and surname.

To put it more bluntly, he took the person's parents and name.

Some people call him Zhu Yu, others call him Xiao Yu.

Even he himself would introduce himself over and over again.

- Hello everyone, I am Zhu Yu.

"My little Yu is dead..." Wei Xia's cries continued, "He's dead, dead!"

Zhu Yu died in the summer when he was 15 years old. He had just entered high school, and after playing wildly, he went home excitedly to celebrate his birthday.

July [-]rd.

A boy stopped in that summer.

"Crying again." Fu Cizhou sat beside Zhu Yu's bed, and gently tapped the tears from the corners of his eyes with the back of his index finger.

The lights in the room were not turned on, and the curtains were drawn, so it was a bit dark.

Fu Cizhou changed Zhu Yu into his pajamas and threw him on the bed, so he didn't forget to wipe his hands with a wet towel.

Zhu Qin is not at home, and he is probably still busy at the clinic, but that's good, at least no one will bother him.

The towel was soaked in warm water. Fu Cizhou grabbed Zhu Yu's wrist and wiped his fingertips bit by bit.

Zhu Yu's fingers are long and thin, and of course they are also very white.

He was thin, with sharp joints along with his fingers, like carved white jade, which felt as cool as porcelain in his hand.

Fu Cizhou couldn't accept the smell of spiced cumin all over his body after eating the barbecue. He could just sleep on the bed.

But Zhu Yu was drunk, and he frowned, seeming a little uncomfortable.

Fu Cizhou's heart was soft, so he let him sleep.

"You are still frowning while sleeping," he pointed at Zhu Yu's eyebrows with his index finger, and rubbed them lightly, "What did you dream about?"

What responded to him was Zhu Yu Mian's long and steady breath.

It was like sleeping peacefully.

"Drink a few sips of beer and you'll get drunk," Fu Cizhou suddenly felt courageous, and stretched out his hand to pinch Zhu Yu's face, "I'll bring you a drink next time."

He got up and poured Zhu Yu a glass of warm water, and when he put it on the bedside, he saw the downturned photo frame again.

Fu Cizhou helped it up, and the photos inside were no longer where they were.

Subconsciously lowered his head to search, but couldn't find it, Fu Cizhou looked at the empty photo frame and was silent for a long time.

Just half an hour ago, he still remembered Zhu Yu's words.

15 will die.

Because another person died at 15?

Fu Cizhou put down the photo frame and turned to look at Zhu Yu's desk and bookcase.

It was very clean and tidy, everything was new, and there were some books scattered on it.

There is also that glass cabinet, which is pitifully empty, as if it should not exist, and it is superfluous to put it there.

There is also one in Fu Cizhou's house, where Zhong Yan specially showed him the trophy.

But what about Zhu Yu?He has won no fewer awards than himself since he was a child, but where are those certificates?

Always keep it in one place.

Fu Cizhou walked to the glass cabinet and stood for a while, then squatted down and opened the double cabinet door under the cabinet.

As he thought, there was a thick stack of certificates and several smaller trophies inside.

The lights were not turned on, and the exact quantity could not be seen clearly. Those things seemed to be covered in dust, showing a sense of age.

Fu Cizhou took out the first book on the top, and opened his eyes to read it.

The outer casing of the certificate had aged, and when it was turned over, it made an overwhelmed light "creak".

The winner has Zhu Yu's name written on it, but the award date was more than ten years ago.

At that moment, Fu Cizhou's heart seemed to be grabbed by a hand.

Depression, shock, and disbelief.

As if all the doubts and dead ends were solved at this moment, Fu Cizhou suddenly understood Zhu Yu's unreasonable things.

how could this be?

He put down the certificate in his hand and went to get the second one.

The award date is still more than ten years ago.

Fu Cizhou read several books in a row, and finally saw a one-inch ID photo in one.

He walked to the window, opened the curtains a little, and carefully observed the boy in the photo in the thin dusk.

The junior high school finals should be about fourteen or fifteen years old.

This person is very similar to Zhu Yu, but upon closer inspection, he is stronger than Zhu Yu.

He was still smiling, although his lips were not hooked, but there was a smile in his eyes.

Same as Zhu Yu.

No, it should be said that Zhu Yu is the same as him.

Fu Cizhou lowered his eyes and closed the award certificate.

Through the window, he could see the flowers and plants in the yard, and he could also see his calm facial features.

Fu Cizhou seldom had such an expression.

He is either angry or happy, and there is always a little emotion in his eyebrows and eyes.

But now, he didn't know what mood to use to accept everything he knew.

In the past two years of high school, what Zhu Yu said and did seemed to have a deeper meaning after Fu Cizhou knew all about it.

Once he thought about it, his heart ached.

Standing at the window until dark, Fu Cizhou packed up his things and closed the cupboard door, then returned to the bed and sat down.

The warm water on the bedside table was getting cold, Fu Cizhou picked up the water glass and drank it clean.

Zhu Yu was still sleeping, his face the size of a palm was sunk in the pillow, and most of it was covered by the quilt.

Fu Cizhou helped him tuck the corner of the quilt, went out and brought back a glass of warm water.

Zhu Yu's brows that had been flattened were frowned again, and he turned over, pawing and pulling his arms on the pillow twice.

Where is his baby shark?

"I wish Xiaoyu."

Fu Cizhou covered the top of Zhu Yu's head with his palm and rubbed it lightly.

Zhu Yu heard it in a daze, and hummed in response.

It's clearly a homonym, but with the addition of "small", Zhu Yu knew it was another word.

It's like giving him a new name and becoming another person.

"You hold my hand."

Fu Cizhou's palm moved down, catching Zhu Yu's fingers resting on the quilt.

Zhu Yu curled up his fingers and grasped, and the fingertips clasped the back of Fu Cizhou's injured hand.

"It hurts."

Fu Cizhou's voice was hoarse, his hands hurt, and his heart hurt.

It's really Fu Cizhou.

Zhu Yu let go of his hand, and heard a trembling sigh from above his head.

He struggled to open his eyes, and saw a figure swaying in front of him, which gave him a headache.

"Are you awake?" Fu Cizhou pressed his palms on the bed, leaning over to look into Zhu Yu's eyes, "Are you thirsty?"

Zhu Yu was so disturbed that his brain hurt, he frowned and closed his eyes, then raised his hand to hold down the wobbly head.

Annoyed, can't let him sleep peacefully for a while?

Fu Cizhou's head was suddenly pinned down, and he was still pinched with both hands, pinching him left and right, immobilizing him.

Zhu Yuban closed his eyes and looked at him with trembling eyelashes.

With the smell of alcohol in his breath, he threw Fu Cizhou's face.

With his waist pressed against the quilt, he could hear his heart swell and heat in his chest, making a deafening sound.

Zhu Yu's lips moved slightly, and then pursed lightly.

Fu Cizhou swallowed his saliva, his Adam's apple slipped up and down.

Didn't he want to kiss me?

Fu Cizhou thought.

"Where's my baby shark?"

The little shark was still in the classroom, and when Zhu Yu wanted it, Fu Cizhou went to school to get it for him.

After going back and forth for ten minutes, Fu Cizhou took the key, and when he came back, he happened to meet Zhu Qin changing shoes at the entrance.

"Uncle." Fu Cizhou looked at Zhu Qin with complicated emotions.

When Zhu Yu went to Zhu Qin's clinic when he had a fever, it was not that Zhu Qin didn't care about his son.

It's just that Fu Cizhou couldn't figure out why Zhu Yu was treated like that.

"I took Zhu Yu's key and went back to the classroom to fetch something for him." He looked down at the shark doll in his hand, and felt that this reason seemed a bit awkward.

Run back and get a doll?

It seems a bit far-fetched for two boys to behave like this.

Fortunately, Zhu Qin just nodded and didn't say anything.

Fu Cizhou stepped on his shoes and entered the house, but was called to stop after not walking far.

"Have you been drinking?" Zhu Qin asked.

Fu Cizhou nodded: "Drink some beer."

"Xiao Yu also drank?"

"Have a few drinks."

Zhu Qin put on his slippers and walked a few steps into the room: "Xiao Yu is not in good health and cannot drink."

Fu Cizhou was silent for a moment, and suddenly realized that he seemed to have forgotten this.

Zhu Yu's heart is not good, and people with heart disease can't drink alcohol.

The sudden guilt and self-blame made him a little at a loss. Zhu Qin patted Fu Cizhou on the shoulder and comforted him: "You can drink a little, let me see."

In the room, Zhu Yu was still sleeping.

Zhu Qin didn't turn on the light, and Fu Cizhou didn't turn on either.

He stood at the end of the bed with the little shark doll, watched Zhu Qin touch Zhu Yu's face and hands, and finally pulled the quilt and stood up.

"Uncle," Fu Cizhou asked in a low voice, "is he okay?"

"Well, there's no problem," Zhu Qin went to the window and opened it, "it's better to drink less."

Fu Cizhou nodded and wrote down, thinking that there must be no next time.

Zhu Qin left the bedroom, and Fu Cizhou put the little shark beside Zhu Yu's pillow.

Seeing that Zhu Yu was still sleeping with his eyes closed, he boldly reached out and gently touched his cheek.

Covering the side of the face with the palm, the thumb brushed under the eyes, and the index finger lightly stroked the base of the ear, with distressed and long-hidden love.

"Zhu Xiaoyu," Fu Cizhou's vocal cords did not vibrate, and he said these words almost in a breathy voice, "see you tomorrow."

We met today, and we will see you tomorrow.

The day after tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, the day after tomorrow.

Zhu Yu is 25 years old, 35 years old, and 55 years old, and I will meet each other.

His heartbeat and liking are directed at this person.

This is his wish Xiaoyu.

Unique, like no other.

Fu Cizhou is enough to distinguish.

The door of the room was gently closed, and the curtains were moved by the wind, raising a little weak light.

The person on the bed moved and turned over under the quilt.

He touched the doll beside the pillow, grabbed the tail of the fish with his fingers, and dragged it into the bed.

All was quiet again.

If it wasn't for the little shark next to the pillow to go under the quilt, it would seem that nothing happened just now.

Zhu Yu curled up and hugged the doll into his arms.

The wind died down, the curtains blocked the last rays of light, and the house was plunged into total darkness.

After a while, there was an imperceptible voice muffled under the quilt.

"See you tomorrow."