no longer ordinary friends

After the two took a bath, they walked slowly on the evening streets of Nanri County. In the distance was a misty island. The setting sun painted a thin layer of red on the old street that they had walked many times.

Zhao Yanjia also bought a few cups of milk tea. On the way, he couldn't help taking a sip. It was still the same bad taste, but his taste buds seemed to be used to it, and he drank the whole cup unconsciously. concentrated saccharin brewing water.

He carefully observed the shops in the county, and couldn't help but said: "Brother, don't you hesitate to open a shop here? I think Nanri County's tourism industry is developing very well, and supporting facilities are slowly being built, but the county has no A large coffee shop, there are also young people here, it is impossible not to socialize, of course, barbecue shops and supper stalls can also provide social places, but these places are different from coffee shops.”

"Just like the 'third space' concept proposed by Starbucks, as long as we reduce the cost of coffee, the 'third space' can also work in the sinking market. Starbucks is expensive and aimed at urban white-collar workers, so we don't have to choose a lot. Good coffee beans and coffee machines are aimed at the consumer groups in the county. Anyway, no matter the city or the county, domestic or foreign, there are relatively few people who understand coffee. Most people like the atmosphere, where they can get together with good friends Get together, take pictures, post on Moments, and sit for a while.”

Zhao Yanjia continued: "There are more than 20 milk tea cafes in the county, and there is not a single coffee shop. Our opening will definitely bring a new trend of consumption. No matter how unique the decoration style is, tourists will come to consume it."

Jiang Xianghuai glanced sideways at him: "Didn't I ever think that it might be because I lost my pants?"

"How could it be? You see, the Italians, the coffee kingdom, only love Italian-style espresso, scolding Starbucks' American-style large cups of coffee as toilet water, and the whole people boycotted it, but now toilet coffee has also entered Italy. Nanri County lacks coffee culture, but You can be the first person to eat crabs, and the sinking of catering is the general trend, and county towns are the future investment direction of many catering companies.”

Zhao Yanjia thinks clearly about the business landscape: "The rent in Nanri County is low, and money is not a problem. We can rent a few more stores, with a cafe in the middle and a bakery, a flower shop on the left, and a tavern on the right. A new landmark in Rixian County.”

After he finished speaking, seeing that Jiang Xianghuai still didn't respond, he became a little anxious: "Brother, if you don't open it, I'll ask my dad to invest in it."

"You're not a lawyer anymore?"

Zhao Yanjia was discouraged: "That's not true. I still want to go back to Mindy to be a lawyer. Although being a lawyer in Kailun is quite interesting, I want golf courses, horse farms, handmade coffee, racing cars, airplanes and Cruise, miss my parents, miss my sister beating me..."

"..." Jiang Xianghuai said, "As a capital lawyer, I don't have time to do these things."

Zhao Yanjia bared her teeth and smiled: "I have, because I am a VIP through the back door."

"..."

Tonight, He Yanming came to Zhou's house for dinner again.

He and Zhao Yanjia robbed chicken feet to eat together, and the two of them squatted by the stove, you and I, eating so much oil, although the Zhou family had no rules when eating, but Cai Mei didn't see them like this, so they took pictures alone. With one hand, he scolded: "The starved ghost is reincarnated?"

Zhao Yanjia also took the opportunity to say: "Grandma Cai, pour me a glass of iced Coke."

He Yanming: "I want it too!" He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, exposing his arms.

Zhao Yanjia looked left and then curiously: "Lawyer He, didn't you say that you used to be a school bully, Mr. Kailun, the photos you showed me are full of big flower arms, why are they gone now?"

He Yanming coughed lightly: "...Being a lawyer will wash it off, otherwise you won't look like a reliable lawyer, right? I'm not joking with you. I used to have an eagle on my back, a tiger in my left hand, and a lion in my right hand. As soon as I went to talk about the case, the parties thought I was here to fight, not like a lawyer doing debt collection, like a gangster brother who lends money at usury, it affects the image too much."

Zhao Yanjia: "Really?"

"Fake." Zhou Zhicheng dismantled the stage mercilessly, "The tattoos in his photos are all fake. He wanted to be a school bully before, but he felt that not having tattoos would damage his reputation, and he was afraid of dying of pain, so he bought a bunch of tattoos. Sticker brother."

No matter how thick-skinned He Yanming was, he couldn't stand the ridicule of Zhao Yanjia and Ye Bai, and he became angry from embarrassment: "Tomorrow I will get two tattoos of tiger heads!"

Grandma Cai took a few cans of ice-cola and said with a smile: "Lao He said last time that if you dare to get tattoos and you can't find clients, he will let you dance in the Nanri Sea."

She took special care of Li Yafang who was sitting quietly and reservedly by the side, and said softly: "Yafang, eat more, don't be polite with grandma, grandpa and grandma like to be lively, you young people are willing to come, it is to give face to us two old people."

Li Yafang had a stupid mouth and didn't know what to say, but she was very grateful to Sister Zhou and Aunt Cai in her heart.

When she came out of the detention center, her parents didn't come to pick her up, and they were absent even at the trial.

I have probably forgotten that in order to meet their needs, she kept sending them money. The money she earned from crime was basically not spent on herself. At that time, her parents would still say that she was their pride. When she became a criminal , It became a disgrace to the parents at once, not even a daughter.

When she was in the juvenile detention center, she often heard some juvenile offenders scolding their legal aid lawyers in private, because they did not believe that lawyers would really do good for them.

"It's here to complete the task. Lawyers want to make money. Even our family members are unwilling to pay for us to hire a lawyer. Do we still dream that a lawyer who has nothing to do with us and only cares about business will help us?"

"That's right, our family members feel ashamed of us because of our crimes. Would lawyers treat us better than our family members? How can there be such kind people, and some people will be afraid of us."

"They are all afraid that we will commit crimes against them again." Someone laughed, "You social cancers."

"Besides, it's useless for a lawyer to come. You still have to go to jail. The role of a lawyer is very small, and it's almost like cheating money."

"If someone helped me, I wouldn't commit a crime..."

Li Yafang seldom joined their conversations. While she was waiting for the trial, she had already convicted herself. Isn't that right? They have committed crimes and harmed others. They are originally a social cancer. If you commit a crime yourself, how can you blame others? Do you blame the society for not helping yourself?She also asked herself silently in her heart, asking other criminals, why are there more people living a more miserable life, and why did they not embark on the path of crime?

She didn't know how many years she would be sentenced, and lawyer Zhou came to the detention center to see her several times.

Every time after talking with her, Attorney Zhou would tell her not to worry too much, but to trust her defense lawyer.

The first time she was touched by Sister Zhou was when Sister Zhou suddenly asked her: "Does your stomach still hurt?... I read what you posted before and said that you have a stomachache when you are so young. If it still hurts, I will Tell the police for you, let him contact the doctor, don’t ruin your body at a young age.”

She couldn't hold back her emotions and tears because of the care and love of this stranger.

Later, it was a court meeting. Among so many lawyers, she saw her sister Zhou at a glance.

Sister Zhou was sitting on the defender's seat, with a simple low ponytail, and was looking at the materials in her hands. She was different from the aggressive lawyer next to her in a suit and leather shoes. She didn't have a cold and sharp temperament, but was very gentle. , but it makes people feel very at ease.

In this kind of case where there are many co-criminals, you can meet all kinds of lawyers. Some are indifferent and perfunctory, some are so emotional that they almost have sex with the prosecutor, and some are forced to question by the prosecutor. She looked through the documents, but Sister Zhou was very calm and calm. During the court debate, she only presented evidence and said much less than other lawyers.

While waiting for the verdict, an abominable accomplice who was also her boyfriend at the time laughed at her: "This is a free lawyer, see? If you don't have money, you don't have a lawyer to help you fight the lawsuit."

She didn't intend to answer, and couldn't answer, because the bailiff had warned them: "You can't talk."

After a long time, Sister Zhou said to her: "Because you are a minor girl, and the other co-convicts are men in their 30s and [-]s, the public prosecutor already has a clear picture in his mind, and the judge and prosecutor are tired of hearing it. There are already so many lawyers making sensational statements in a trial, we only present factual evidence, and it is easier to gain favor, not to mention, you are just an accomplice."

She was indeed the one with the lightest punishment in the end.

While she was serving her sentence in the uncontrolled prison, sister Zhou would visit her regularly, teach her lessons, chat with her, and let her reform and study well, and start again after she went out.

She didn't think she could be reborn: "Sister Zhou, if you commit a crime and go to jail, you won't be able to integrate into society for the rest of your life. I'm a sinner, I did something wrong, and I'm a bad person."

She remembered sister Zhou's answer at that time.

"A sinner, but not necessarily a bad person."

She didn't understand.

"Sounds like a false proposition, doesn't it? But crime is the judgment of the law on you, and morality is the opinion of ordinary people on you. There is a saying that punishment consists of depriving people of their rights and imposing moral condemnation. There are more than 400 criminal laws. Each crime has a different degree of harm to society, and the matching punishment is naturally different, and the moral judgment of ordinary people on criminals will also be different. Some crimes of criminals cannot be morally judged at all. Forgive, such as maliciously depriving others of their lives, raping, abducting women and children, etc."

"But you just made a small mistake. In addition to the punishment function, the punishment also has the function of reform and education. After the child who made the mistake corrects it, of course it deserves to be forgiven."

She continued to ask: "But... people will look down on people who have been in prison."

"The criminal files of minors will be sealed. If people still find out, we will take it as the price for doing something wrong, and remind ourselves not to go on the wrong path, because there are more in this world, and we have not gone on the same path anyway." People who commit crimes." Sister Zhou's voice was calm, "Then, we tell ourselves that this is prejudice, and it is their regret that they did not have the opportunity to know you who have reformed themselves."

……

In fact, that's the truth, and she understands it, but she just needs someone to tell her clearly, comfort her, and let her sort out her emotions.

On the day she was released after serving her sentence, she walked out of the prison area. The person standing in front of her was her elder sister Zhou, and behind her was the slowly closing iron gate. Hearing the heavy rusting sound, she wanted to look back for a moment. , but sister Zhou told her: "Avon, don't look back, go straight ahead."

It was a hot day, and the light was so bright that it dazzled the eyes, and everything was coated with a halo of dreams and illusions.

She is going into the light.

……

After dinner, several people continued to sit and chat in the yard. Zhao Yanjia and He Yanming each occupied a bamboo and rattan chair, shaking the chair leisurely. Ye Bai also wanted to sit on it. After shaking a few times, he wanted to drive Zhao Yanjia down, but Zhao Yanjia His ass was glued to the chair, and his hands were firmly clasped to the rattan chair, so he couldn't get up.

On the other side, Jiang Xianghuai naturally took Zhou Zhicheng's hand under the table and held it secretly. She used to think his hand was very lustful, especially when he clasped his fingers tightly and slowly slid into it. When she was fingering, he squeezed her palm.

He felt that the only regret today was that he didn't kiss her. It was inappropriate to have Li Yafang around during the day with so many people.

want to get married.

Zhou Zhicheng turned her head and looked at him. The distance between the two of them was very close. She just said, "Jiang Xianghuai, I still have something to do. I haven't forgiven you yet."

"what?"

She is as honest as before. She loved him sincerely before, but now she tells him frankly: "Many people know that I was rejected when I confessed to you. Xu Mei'an still uses this to make fun of me in the classmate group."

The voice of her words was not too loud, the yard was so big, other people naturally heard it too.

Her family, He Yanming, straightened up, sat up, and became angry: "Well, you are a tall lawyer in Shangjiang, and you have bullied us Chengcheng. You want to walk out of Zhou's house upright tonight, and go to He Yanming, the tyrant of Nanri County, first." close."

Ye Bai stopped grabbing the reclining chair, turned his head and stared at Jiang Xianghuai with the eyes of a scumbag, and couldn't help complaining: "Lawyer He, bragging and self-improvement, the school bully has become the county bully."

Zhao Yanjia quickly came up with a bad idea: "Brother, learn from Brother Bingcheng, right now, kneel down and confess."

"Yes, you confess now, let Chengcheng refuse once." He Yanming said.

Ye Bai reminded from the side: "Big brothers, kneeling on one knee is a marriage proposal, not a confession."

Of course Jiang Xianghuai was willing to kneel down and propose, but he didn't wear anything, no ring, no flowers.

He was distracted for a while, Zhao Yanjia and He Yanming had already held him down on one knee.

Ye Bai gave him the pull ring of the Coke bottle, saying it was a ring.

Jiang Xianghuai took the pull ring, he knelt on one knee, looked up and saw Zhou Zhicheng's smile, the people around were all her familiar relatives and friends, this yard was where she lived for more than 20 years, she didn't feel any embarrassment at all, Like a child's heart came suddenly again, she asked him to confess in public, but she refused again, pursuing childlike fairness.

But it was his fault.

He sighed silently, and a smile gradually appeared in his brows and eyes. He held Chengcheng's hand with one hand, and held a silver zip-tab in the other.

"Chengcheng, I like you, no, I love you..."

This is what Zhou Zhicheng said to him back then, and he always remembers it.

Before he finished speaking, he felt that someone was kicking his trouser pocket, disturbing his thoughts and destroying the atmosphere he had finally brewed.

The man kicked his trouser pocket slightly again.

Jiang Xianghuai maintained a faint smile, with a dangerous warning in his eyes, and turned his head: "Zhao Yanjia, you don't want to live anymore, do you?"

Zhao Yanjia said in a low voice: "No, brother, the condom, the condom... fell... fell out..."

His feet couldn't hold up.

In the quiet night, with a "click", the condom wrapped in silver slipped down the pocket and fell to the ground.

All eyes looked over unconsciously.

"Beast!" Grandpa Zhou came out of the kitchen, half dead with anger, and picked up a fly swatter.