no longer ordinary friends

Both Zhou Bingcheng and Jiang Li returned home for the New Year holiday on the 28th of Chinese New Year.

Zhou's father also joked: "If Zhou Bingcheng has to go to work this year after Chinese New Year, then my son will only have Xiang Huai."

It's a pity that on New Year's Eve 25, his own son Jiang Xianghuai brought his own daughter back to Beicheng first.Father Zhou drove the two of them to the airport. He was wearing sunglasses, so no one could see his angry eyes. All he knew was that he frowned and pursed his lips angrily all the way. When they arrived at the airport lobby, they saw that they were about to go to the security check. He grabbed Zhou Zhicheng's wrist again, and repeatedly confirmed: "Come back with your brother on the 28th to celebrate the New Year, right?"

Zhou Zhicheng nodded: "Yes, Dad, we have already bought our air tickets, and we will come back on the same flight as my brother and Li Li."

"That's good." Father Zhou took off his sunglasses, and cast his fierce eyes on Jiang Xianghuai.

Jiang Xianghuai also solemnly promised: "Father, we will definitely celebrate the New Year in Nanri County this year, don't worry."

Only then did Zhou's father smile with satisfaction, and he still muttered: "I only have one daughter in my family, and I will definitely spend the Chinese New Year at home, Xiang Huai, if your parents want to keep you, then you can stay in Beicheng to accompany you Parents, Chengcheng, you go home with your brother, do you understand?"

Zhou Zhicheng nodded obediently.

Zhou's father was still reluctant: "Father and grandpa will make you a lot of delicious food at home together, all of which you like to eat. Your brother will be engaged to Li Li on the sixth day of the lunar new year. We have a lot of things to do at home, so you should come back early , Be safe, Mom and Dad will miss you."

The tone is like coaxing a child.

Jiang Xianghuai smiled and said, "Dad, don't worry."

What he didn't say was that even without Zhou Zhicheng, he hadn't celebrated the New Year with his parents for many years. After his brother passed away, the three remaining members of his family seemed to be trapped in that cold summer. On the contrary, it was more like death. He used to resent his parents inevitably, but he had decided to let it go. It was too painful to stay in the Mobius circle where the deceased died.

On the plane, Zhou Zhicheng asked him: "How have you spent the New Year these past few years? Did you go to Zhao Yanjia's house?"

"Do you really want to listen?"

"Can't you listen?"

"I'm afraid you think I'm too pitiful." When he said this, he was still laughing.

But with just this one sentence, Zhou Zhicheng could actually guess what he was going to say.

"In the first year, when I went back to Falun Dafa, I wanted to go to the hot pot restaurant, but I drove there in the middle of the night, only to find that the door was closed. Then I went to the school, and everything I saw, will always think of you..."

But he had already spent four years in this school before meeting her, but he couldn't remember any campus memories that had nothing to do with her.

"In the second year, I went to Nanri County. I didn't have the face to look for you. I was living a terrible life. I only saw a doctor except for work. But I saw Grandpa Zhou. He is healthy and the reexamination results are also very good. I was very happy on New Year’s Eve. I thought it was a solo trip. I sat by the beach all night, listening to the sound of the waves. There were many tourists there, with bonfires and dances. The psychiatrist simulated a lot for me before. The sound of waves."

It turns out that the sound of waves can really heal people's hearts.

"In the third year, you took your grandpa and grandma to visit relatives in Europe. I saw a video of you making a snowman in Lawyer Xia's circle of friends. I also built a snowman in the yard in Beicheng, just like you."

He naively thought that even if they were tens of thousands of miles apart, they could still do the same thing.

……

Zhou Zhicheng touched his face and couldn't help but spoil the atmosphere: "Are you touching yourself?"

She didn't know anything about what he did, and she didn't have any sense of participation. The biggest reaction she could give was a shudder at the apex of her heart.

Jiang Xianghuai chuckled, not denying that it was his self-impression, but only in this way would he be more comfortable. During the time she left him, he always had to do something, earn more money, and be completely independent from the Jiang family. Go out, fulfill brother's dream early, and wait for Grandpa Zhou's health to get better and better... He wants to stay away from the secondary harm caused by his parents, and can no longer hurt the people he loves.

Zhou Zhicheng's head rested on his arm, and the slight tremor at the tip of her heart slowly spread to the entire ventricle, filling her already soft heart.

He is the man she liked when she was young, without the bonus of the eye of the beholder, he is good enough and sincere enough.

She said: "You know, after I heard you say this, what is the emotion that moved me the most?"

Jiang Xianghuai knew her so well, but everything about her had a lover filter in his eyes, and there was no limit to his tolerance for her.

He smiled: "Do you feel relieved? Because you are not the only one who has suffered in the past few years. I, the one who caused the trouble, is more painful than you."

"Well, but you are doing it on your own." Her eyes were curved, and she was honest and lovely, "The pain and love of this relationship must be shared by us. I don't want to have only the spirit of sacrifice. It's too painful."

"After that, I will only bear the pain." He gently stroked her hair, tilted his head and kissed her.

She thought of something, raised her eyes, and stared at him with some boredom: "But, you can't help me bear the pain of pregnancy and childbirth."

Jiang Xianghuai was silent, his heart sank little by little.

Indeed, there is no real empathy in the world. How can a husband, as a bystander, truly experience the psychological and physical pain that childbirth brings to a woman.Moreover, once pregnant, Chengcheng's work will be affected, and her physical fitness will also decline. After busy work, she still has to learn to be a novice mother...

Old people often say that women have to go through this, but no, they can choose not to be parents.

"Then we don't want children." Jiang Xianghuai decided.

Zhou Zhicheng glared at him: "But, I want a soft and cute daughter."

"...then we'll have one."

"Would you feed her, change her diaper, take her up at night?"

Jiang Xianghuai chuckled, and said in a solemn tone, "Chengcheng, you are responsible for giving birth to her, and I will take care of the rest."

He will learn how to be an excellent father, better than Grandpa Zhou and Father Zhou, and their daughter will be happier than Chengcheng when he was a child.

Jiang Xianghuai took Zhou Zhicheng home to meet his parents.

The blunt knife of time has sharpened not only Jiang Xianghuai, but also his mother. She has been slowly accepting the fact that her outstanding eldest son is no longer there, but she has also realized that she can't even keep her second son. No, what she hates the most is herself, and she also hates Jiang Heng.

In the eyes of outsiders, the relationship between their husband and wife has always been very good, but no one knows that Jiang Heng returned to the family after the death of his eldest son Jiang Xiangqing. Only he himself knows which woman Jiang Heng was with on the day Xiang Qing had an accident.

She knew that she was sick, and her guilt and regret towards Xiang Qing, and her disgust towards herself and Jiang Heng were all transferred to Jiang Xianghuai in the end. They forced him to complete Xiang Qing's unfinished life. guilt will be alleviated.

She even told herself that it was like this. The car accident appraiser said that Xiang Qing died to protect Xiang Huai, so it was Xiang Huai's responsibility to live on for Xiang Qing.

She looked at Zhou Zhicheng in front of her with no expression on her face, she couldn't like Zhou Zhicheng.

This girl is not Xiang Qing's type, that's the reason she stopped them five years ago, Zhou Zhicheng was born in a county town, his parents didn't go to college, his grandparents are also very vulgar, his ancestors have no educated people, his genes are average, He would splash water on her before.

But she knew that she couldn't control Jiang Xianghuai anymore. Now he dared to resign directly and not become a lawyer, and even got a marriage certificate. What could she do?Beat him up again, or lower your status and go to that county town to make a fuss?She tried her best to control her emotions that were on the verge of collapse. She had just taken the medicine just now, and she told herself that Jiang Xianghuai was also her son, it was the same.

She only has this son.

Jiang Heng was smiling, wearing elegant glasses, his sharp eyes were hidden under the lenses, and he looked at Zhou Zhicheng coldly.

Zhou Zhicheng didn't seem to notice anything, she didn't care what the attitude of these two people was, if she and Jiang Xianghuai were married, she would call them: "Dad, Mom."

Jiang Heng's voice was light: "Don't call me that, we don't recognize you as a daughter-in-law."

"Okay, Dad." Zhou Zhicheng smiled.

Jiang Heng frowned: "I told you not to call me."

"Yes, Dad."

"Can't you understand human speech?"

"Understood, Dad, what are we going to eat tonight? Xiang Huai and I didn't eat anything on the plane. I'm a little hungry. Is the aunt at home cooking?"

Jiang Heng pursed his lips angrily, and then heard his wife scolding: "You poor girl."

Zhou Zhicheng had already gone to find his aunt at home, and her soft voice came from the kitchen: "Auntie, you can also cook this Beicheng dish. I ate it with Xiang Huai many years ago, and it was quite delicious. Missed."

She was so thick-skinned that she regarded Jiang's mansion as her home, and brought out two glasses of rock candy pears from the kitchen, and said, "Auntie gave it to me."

She gave Jiang Xianghuai a cup, and asked with a smile, "Father, Mom, do you want to drink? If you do, I'll get you a cup."

Jiang Heng was speechless, his face darkened: "This is the Jiang family, do you know the rules?"

Zhou Zhicheng humbly asked for advice: "What is the rule? Dad."

"Don't call me daddy!" Jiang Heng was so angry that the top of his head was smoking.

Jiang Xianghuai couldn't listen anymore, coldness and impatience appeared on his face, he held Zhou Zhicheng's hand, and stood up: "In that case, Chengcheng and I will leave first, parents, Chengcheng is me Your legal wife, you don’t have to respect me, but please respect her.”

"Jiang Xianghuai, you will regret it later." Jiang Heng snapped.

"I only know that I regret listening to you before, and I still expect something from you!"

Jiang Xianghuai had lived for more than 30 years, and this was the first time he said such words to his parents, so his parents were taken aback for a while.

"I'm in my 30s, I want to live my own life, not a substitute life manipulated by you, forget it, there's nothing to say..."

He put the meeting gift from Zhou's parents on the table, and was about to leave holding Zhou Zhicheng's hand.

"Where are you going?" He heard his mother's indifferent voice from behind, "To see your brother? Then stay at home, and we will go see him together tomorrow."

Jiang Xianghuai kept walking, and it was Zhou Zhicheng who asked him, "Do you want to stay regardless of my feelings?"

His silence is an expression.

Zhou Zhicheng didn't feel aggrieved, and they wouldn't get along with Jiang's parents for a long time, but they could call them parents even if they were perfunctory and coaxed.

After a while, Zhao Yanjia's family also came.

Before Zhao Yanjia got out of the driver's seat of his breezy bumblebee-colored sports car, the voice had already entered the room: "Uncle, my most generous uncle in the world, sister Chengcheng came to the door for the first time, what did you give me?" How many red envelopes?"

Jiang Heng was so angry that everyone was dying, he didn't give a dime, and he didn't even recognize his daughter-in-law.

The aunt was dressed elegantly, and when she came up, she took off a jade bracelet for Zhou Zhicheng, and forced it to her: "Chengcheng, you take it, of course, I also know that I am definitely no match for my brother-in-law, he is the one who makes the most of it." The most lavish, isn’t it, brother-in-law? Oh, Chengcheng, this bracelet of mine is to thank you for taking care of Yanjia for me, Yanjia likes you very much, and my aunt also likes you very much.”

The little uncle was even more amiable, followed behind his wife, stuffed Zhou Zhicheng with a big thick red envelope, and said, "Chengcheng, this is a small meeting gift from our husband and wife."

Zhao Yanjia's sister and brother-in-law were on a business trip and had no time to come over.

Zhao Yanjia held out a bag exaggeratedly, and said, "Sister-in-law, this is a meeting gift from my sister."

In the next second, all three members of the Zhao family looked at Jiang Heng eagerly, smiled and spoke in unison.

"Uncle..."

"Brother-in-law..."

"What's your meeting ceremony?"

Jiang Heng couldn't get off the tiger, his chest was sore with anger, and he felt that his seven orifices were already smoked. He was speechless for a long time, and he wanted to save face. He refused to admit that he was so stingy that he didn't prepare for anything. In the end, he was fooled by the Zhao family in a daze. Zhicheng's bank transfer was treated as a gift, and she also responded to her embarrassing "Dad".

Zhao Yanjia didn't dare to press his aunt, but his aunt sneered and said, "Zhao Yanjia, why don't you ask me if I have a meeting ceremony?"

He covered half of his face in fright, looked at his aunt pitifully, and said, "Auntie, it won't be another slap, right? Then... can you slap lightly?"

……

Zhou Zhicheng saw Jiang Xiangqing's photo on the tombstone. In fact, the two brothers look alike, but Jiang Xiangqing's eyebrows and eyes are gentler, and the edges and corners of the outline are softer. .

Jiang Xianghuai felt that he could no longer reconcile with his parents, and there was no need to reconcile.

In front of his parents, he said to Jiang Xiangqing: "Brother, this is my wife, your sister-in-law, Zhou Zhicheng, she is also a lawyer."

If you are still here, you will also appreciate her. Like you, she has legal ideals and professional warmth.

Even if my parents say that I am not worthy to come to see you, and that I am sorry for you, I want to tell you.

Brother, I have to go forward.

……

Zhou Bingcheng had a holiday one day earlier than Jiang Li. He cleaned up the house, mopped the floor, took out the trash, and took takeaway. After he and Jiang Li finished eating, he took it downstairs to throw it away. Lawyer Jiang continued to work. He went to take a bath, wrapped himself in a bathrobe, and went to bed to wait for Lawyer Jiang to finish his work.

He asked Zhou Zhicheng on the phone: "Go back together tomorrow? Are you staying at Jiang Xianghuai's house tonight?"

"At his aunt's house, I lived in his house yesterday."

He didn't ask any more questions.

He thought of something, opened the bedside table, took out the cover inside, lit another Qianye rose scented candle, and everything was ready.

Jiang Li was busy until after 12 o'clock before sending out the last bid. When she came out of the shower, she saw that Zhou Bingcheng was still asleep, leaning against the head of the bed with his chest open, staring at her. Is there anything I don't understand?

When he was on the bed, his eyes were always focused like this, staring at her, as if he could slowly peel off her clothes with his eyes, they started from sex, and gradually gave birth to love, she always doubted that this kind of love could last How often, when they've tried all the positions and are tired of physical interaction, what are they supposed to do?

But Zhou Bingcheng told her personally that he would never get bored, and he could do it forever.

The two are usually very busy, but they also contact each other on WeChat every day to share some interesting things at work. When they have time to meet, because they are both very tired, they just want to stay at home and sleep.

Jiang Li sat on him, he resisted not moving, and let her sway against him to vent, his face was a little sullenly red, but he looked like an innocent little boy who didn't know much about sex.

"Wet," he said.

She ignored him and stopped suddenly, not because she suspected him, but because she had seen too many pictures of venereal diseases on the Internet recently that she shouldn't have seen.

She suddenly asked: "Zhou Bingcheng, you didn't do anything wrong to me, did you?" She still wanted to check.

Zhou Bingcheng was so angry that his eyes were watery, his fists were clenched tightly, and he said angrily, "I don't! I'm very clean and healthy."