River City Story

The low-pressure atmosphere brought about by the "nightclub incident" was quickly washed away by the Lunar New Year.Xu Jialin never went out with his friends again, he didn't want to be caught by his son calling the police and caught in the police station again.

The new year in Xicheng is the 24th of the twelfth lunar month. Starting from NO.20, Lin Yan has already started the general cleaning in advance.During this period of time, Shen Han visited the old ancestral hall again, and it was still a large and small package of New Year's gifts.She was wearing high heels and wearing a fiery red windbreaker as soon as she stepped into the small courtyard, she was choked by the dust that hit her face.

"Cough cough cough! I wasted my time putting on makeup today. Is this how you welcome me?"

"Who said you would be welcome..." He Zhengxi passed by holding the quilt, "People who can't do things are not welcome in our family."

"You two brothers really have the same nostrils!" Shen Han patted his clothes with his handbag, trotted in front of He Zhengxi, and stretched out his hand to pinch his face, "You can't talk to my sister like this, you know? Be polite to me."

He Zhengxi raised his arms on tiptoe, handed the quilt to Lin Yan who was standing on the chair, and helped to dry it, then turned his head and said slowly: "Oh, Aunt Shen, I wish you an early year, I wish you You are as blessed as the East Sea, and your life is better than Nanshan."

"You brat, you've grown into the second Lin Yan, hurry up and call your sister to listen." Shen Han started to play with He Zhengxi's small face again, rubbing and rubbing He Zhengxi's face. Zhengxi was forced to retreat again and again.

He didn't refute Shen Han's words, being said to resemble Lin Yan, He Zhengxi was so excited that he was doing backflips in his heart.He was a magical little boy. When he was alone in front of Lin Yan, He Zhengxi would usually look like a serious and sensible student. If he acted like a baby occasionally, it must be the kind that Lin Yan couldn't resist.In front of acquaintances, he slipped like a loach again.In school, He Zhengxi was appraised as a "cool kid" by the teacher.He has never deliberately hidden these states, and Lin Yan knows them all.At the end of the year, the school held a psychology class. After reading some miscellaneous books, Lin Yan once worried that He Zhengxi might have a tendency to schizophrenia. There was something wrong with He Zhengxi, so he had to give up.

Lin Yan hung up the bedding and sheets, sat on the porch, basked in the sun, rubbed his hands and watched the play.Xu Jialin was fighting against the spider webs on the beams, this thing was Xu Jialin's old enemy, but there was no way, he had to do it once a year.The old ancestral halls cannot be equipped with ceilings. Although the old-fashioned beams are strong and durable, they have also become a breeding ground for various small creatures.Small scorpions, small mice, etc. are commonplace, and spider webs are one of the must-have landscapes. In the early years, there were things like swallows' nests and honeycombs.

When Lin Yan was 5 or 6 years old, he lived in the same room with Xu Jialin. In summer, he would be tossed by scorpions and bees several times.At first, he could cry a lot, but he gradually got used to it. Every time he was stung, Lin Yan would quietly take the initiative to find Lao Jiang to deal with him.Now, in the hut where Lin Yan and He Zhengxi lived, mosquito nets were hung all year round, and he would clean the beams with a homemade long broom from time to time.But Xu Jialin is lazy, he seldom takes care of his house, and by the end of the year, it will naturally accumulate into a big project.

He glanced at Xu Jialin who was in a hurry in the room, and then looked at his younger brother who was fighting wits with Shen Han in the yard, feeling a sense of ease and joy in his heart.The winter in Xicheng is dry, but the advantage is that the temperature will not drop below zero. The sun is very good this day, and the cotton coat on Lin Yan's body is warmed by the sun. Eyes closed, like a cat, unconsciously dozing off.

In the evening, Xu Jialin worked alone, moving back the furniture that had been bathed in the sun one by one.Lin Yan and He Zhengxi were too young to help, they squatted under the eaves and played backgammon while watching.Seeing this, Shen Han immediately rolled up his sleeves and went into battle neatly.Her sturdy appearance stunned the two children.Originally, I thought that Shen Han was just a playful and troublesome eldest lady, but I didn't expect that she had a sassy and hardworking side.Because of this little incident, her impression score in the hearts of the brothers was slightly raised to the passing line.

When Shen Han helped Xu Jialin finish tidying up, Lin Yan had already prepared dinner, and He Zhengxi was in charge of arranging the dishes, tables and chairs. The four of them performed their own duties and cooperated tacitly. There was actually a subtle taste of a family.

After several contacts, Lin Yan has begun to recognize Shen Han.He thought, if Xu Jialin really wants to get along with Shen Han, that's fine, he won't object anymore.It's just that Shen Han's family conditions are a big problem. He can conclude that Xu Jialin will not be able to become an elite in three lifetimes.I'm afraid they won't be able to be family members in the end, they can only become friends like family members.What's more, Lin Yan could tell that Shen Han didn't seem to have any feelings for Xu Jialin either. She regarded old man Xu as a buddy, and she didn't feel like falling in love at all.But Lin Yan soon became confused again, then why did these two people... still sleep together that day?

Lin Yan couldn't figure it out, and was so entangled that his brain was about to collapse.

After eating and clearing the table, Shen Han was still talking nonsense with He Zhengxi, and the topic changed again and again.Although the age and gender are completely different, the two of them seem to have a good temper.When you come and go, you don't have a serious word for each other, especially He Zhengxi, every word is full of sarcasm, so you can talk for an hour like this, Lin Yan thinks they are weird.

At 7 o'clock, Shen Han drove away in a sports car arrogantly.Xu Jialin turned on the TV to watch the news, He Zhengxi took out a book to preview the new course, Lin Yan was fascinated by the martial arts novel.The three of them don't pay attention to each other, each has something to do, but they are harmonious.

When Lu Chi pushed open the wooden door of the main room with the New Year's goods, what he saw was such a scene, and he was so surprised that he couldn't speak.At first, he didn't intend to go directly into the house, but he yelled a few times in the yard, but no one answered. Seeing the light, he had no choice but to walk in.

Xu Jialin was the first to notice Lu Chi. He was about to stand up and pour water for a drink, when he raised his eyes and saw Lu Chi standing at the door with a blank expression on his face.

Species like policemen are born with aura. As a half-hooligan who just visited the bureau, Xu Jialin always unconsciously wants to hide when he sees someone like Lu Chi.There is no way, this is the stress nature that comes with instinct, when he faces Lu Ming, he occasionally admits cowardice.So Xu Jialin followed the guidance of nature, he was about to slip away, but looking around, there was nowhere to go.He could only retreat sympathetically, and put on a very bright smile.

"Yo, the eldest nephew is here!"

Lu Chi also showed his bright white teeth: "Happy New Year, Uncle Xu, I'm late, I should have gotten together with you a long time ago."

Xu Jialin waved his hand and said, "The police are busy, so is your father."

Lu Chi nodded with a smile.

Hearing the sound, Lin Yan turned his head from the book and looked towards the door. He thought this "big nephew" looked familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen it.After greeting Xu Jialin, Lu Chi turned his head around and waved at Lin Yan.Lin Yan hadn't recovered from the plot in the book, and his expression was blank, which made Lu Chi laugh.

"Lin Yan has really grown up, as if he was not alone when he was a child." Lu Chi came over to rub his head, but Lin Yan avoided his hand and ran out, then said seriously: "I feel like I know you, but I want to I can't get up."

Lu Chi pretended to be heartbroken and said, "I'm your elder brother Lu Chi. You've watched cartoons at my house, remember?"

Lin Yan pawed on the door frame to recall for a long time, and finally dug out that little experience from his vague and incomplete memory.He nodded and said: "I remember, you still pushed me." Then he pointed to his forehead, "It hurts my head very much."

Lu Chi smiled helplessly: "Are you selective in remembering things? I even hugged you."

Lin Yan: "Hey, I even blocked Lao Lu's Maza for you."

Lu Chi: "That's right, you pinched my face very painfully."

Lin Yan said innocently: "Didn't Lao Lu beat that up?"

Lu Chi had nothing to say, this kid had already mastered the matter of taking care of his acquaintances, so it would be more appropriate for him to be willing to be defeated.

"My little brother's kung fu has reached perfection, I admire you for my brother!"

"You're welcome, my brother came to the door today, what's the matter?"

He Zhengxi silently watched them bow to each other as if they were acting in an ancient costume TV series, thinking in his heart that in the future, he must learn Chinese well, memorize more ancient poems, and play like this with Lin Yan when he has a chance.After he wandered for a few seconds, Lu Chi's hand stretched out to this side again, and began to harm He Zhengxi. Lu Chi rubbed and said, "This is Lin Yan's new younger brother? He looks very energetic, he is a good seed."

"That's right, she's quite sensible, and she's sure to be promising in the future." Xu Jialin replied with a smile beside him.

He Zhengxi's head shook back and forth following Lu Chi's movements, as if he had wound the wrong string.He didn't know Lu Chi before, so he behaved well for the time being.

After rubbing the two children enough, Lu Chi, led by Xu Jialin, walked to the Eight Immortals table and sat down.He has received very strict physical training in the Public Security University. He walks with style and has a hearty personality. He is a handsome and refreshing young man.Xu Jialin's three men, big and small, also look good, but under the baptism of 20-watt light bulbs for many years, the light is a little dim. Compared with Lu Chi's 100-watt light bulb, it's not worth mentioning.

There were guests at home, so He Zhengxi did not continue to read and study.Lin Yan also put away the novel, and sat quietly in a chair to listen to Lu Chi chatting with Xu Jialin.Compared with the summer vacation, he has grown a little taller, and his appearance has also undergone slight changes. A serious look fell on his face, making him look like an adult.

However, in Lu Chi's view, Lin Yan's changes are completely different, especially his appearance. When Lin Yan was 5 or 6 years old, although his body was thin, he had flesh on his cheeks, which felt good when pinched.Over the past few years, Lin Yan's baby fat has receded a lot, and his cheeks are very thin.Such thinness is very attractive on the faces of 18 or 9-year-old boys, but Lin Yan is still young, so Lu Chi was very surprised by his thinness.It's just that Lin Yan's eyes are very attractive, dark and transparent, quite radiant, not only the eyes, but also his facial features are delicate and soft, not aggressive, nor weak, the whole face looks like Very pleasing to the eye.

Lu Chi and Xu Jialin actually had nothing to say, everything that should be said had already been said in the bureau, and it was impossible for him to talk about those things in front of the children.What's more, when he came to the old ancestral hall today and saw Lin Yan looking so thin, he was completely disappointed in Xu Jialin.If it wasn't for his special job and young age, Lu Chi would have wanted to take the two brothers back to his home to raise them.

Before leaving, Lu Chi asked Lin Yan to take him to visit his room.Lin Yan immediately jumped off the chair, and together with He Zhengxi led Lu Chi to their hut.

As soon as he entered the door, Lu Chi's expression became even uglier.

"You two live here?"

His eyebrows were very sharp, and when he frowned, his emotions were undoubtedly revealed.The two children were extremely confused, and they didn't know why the eldest brother was angry.

The two sat side by side on the edge of the bed, staring at Lu Chi with wide eyes.

"No air conditioning?"

"I don't feel particularly cold, there are electric blankets and heaters."

"Is this window leaking?"

"Brother, don't underestimate the wisdom of the ancients in designing ancestral halls and the inventions of modern people."

"In what year do you still use this kind of light bulb?"

"The light is warm and yellow, very comfortable."

"Isn't it leaking rain? This beam feels like it's going to collapse."

"You can try it when it's raining."

"It's terrible. My dad is crazy. This adoption process is wrong."

"...We don't understand this either." The two replied in unison.

Lu Chi admired Xu Jialin so much that he had nothing to say at this moment, how could a child live in such a dark, closed and narrow room.

Lin Yan was also defeated. He thought that Lu Chi had a young master's disease. Why would this kind of person abuse himself to become a policeman? It would be good to be a pea brother at home.

Lu Chi shook his head and sighed, and left muttering.

Two days later, early in the morning, just after six o'clock, Lu Chi drove a small pickup truck straight into the alley and knocked on the gate of the old ancestral hall.He led the workers into the small room where Lin Yanhe Zhengxi lived, and worked for several hours, connecting wires, installing cabinets, setting up desks, changing desk lamps, and putting them inside and out. Only then did he feel a little I felt a little better.

The two children were woken up early in the morning, and squatted sleepily on the porch to watch. At noon, they couldn't stand it anymore, so they simply ran to Xu Jialin's room to catch up on sleep.Xu Jialin had no place to stay, so he had to light a cigarette to talk to Lu Chi.

"I said, nephew, you are too polite, I have no money for you."

Lu Chi was so busy that he was sweating profusely. Hearing what Xu Jialin said, he said angrily, "Don't worry, you don't need money!" Seeing that Xu Jialin just smiled cheerfully, Lu Chi said again: "Can you be more considerate? The two of them are your sons after all."

Xu Jialin leaned against the door frame and blew smoke rings: "Be careful, why don't you care?"

Lu Chi motioned Xu Jialin to step back: "Smoking farther away, children's rooms must not smell of cigarettes."

Xu Jialin smiled, and leaned forward: "Yo, I really can't tell, nephew, you are still a good young man."

Lu Chi crossed his arms and looked at Xu Jialin: "Compared to you, that's really five good. Do you know what you are?"

Xu Jialin still smiled and asked, "Let's hear it?"

Lu Chi: "Five poisons."

Xu Jialin stubbed out the cigarette, tilted his shoulders indifferently, and walked in the door.He looked around at this small bedroom that had been remodeled and became stale, and let out an old smokey voice and shouted:

"My dears, come out and have a look at the new home that Brother Lu renovated! It's so good!"

Lu Chi felt helpless towards Xu Jialin, he was so ignorant that he couldn't find a good place to shine.

Lin Yan and He Zhengxi yawned and stepped into their bedroom.The small room has indeed become brighter. The surrounding wallpaper is light beige, the lampshade is replaced with light blue, the cabinets and desks are all white, the wiring is well hidden from sight, and the bed is also new.The whole space looks even bigger.

It's just a little unfamiliar and lacks the original intimacy, but Lu Chi has no bad intentions. This is his kindness, and Lin Yan understands it very well.He Zhengxi didn't think there was anything wrong, he didn't stay here for a long time, and with a desk big enough, he and Lin Yan could occupy half of it and do homework face to face, the fool was very happy.

Just because of this incident, Lu Chi's impression in He Zhengxi's heart immediately improved.His mouth was so sweet that he said "Brother Lu" every time, he was more flattering than Xu Jialin, which made Lin Yan very dissatisfied.

He thinks that the kid is going around the mountain too fast, he is definitely a little white-eyed wolf.

Lu Chi came to the old ancestral hall not only because of his own intentions, but when he went back that night and told his family about the situation, his mother, Ms. Xin Huihui, couldn't sit still.It's just that she is not in good health, and Lu Ming treats her as a treasure all year round, and Lu Ming does it for her when she walks around during the New Year and holidays.Lu Ming's nerves are relatively thick, and he has never thought of these things in all these years.What's more, strictly speaking, Xin Huihui has never seen Lin Yan at all, and only glanced at it from the one-inch photo. Five years ago, the day Xu Jialin brought Lin Yan to her home, she went back to her mother's house and didn't even meet her face to face.

After being ordered by Xin Huihui all night, Lu Chi asked for leave to go shopping in the home furnishing mall the next day, and took the family financial fund he applied for to choose furniture for the two children.Although Lu Chi is a young man with a good temperament and looks very rich, in fact, as a new police officer, he has very little pockets.The shopping guide in the shopping mall served Lu Chi like a chicken with golden eggs. In the end, this handsome guy didn't buy expensive things.Moreover, although Lu Chi has a handsome face, he is actually quite good at bargaining, and his skills are not inferior to Lin Yan. Coupled with the addition of year-end discounts, Lu Chi successfully bought something that exceeded expectations with limited funds.

Lu Chi was very satisfied in Zhang Luo's small bedroom, especially He Zhengxi's small eyes, which he enjoyed very much.

He Zhengxi was much more difficult to deal with than Lin Yan. Lin Yan was a sensitive and strong kid, but he was very soft-hearted, but He Zhengxi was completely different from Lin Yan. He looked like a silly boy at first glance, but he actually had a lot of tricks in his heart.When Lin Yan babbled, he would listen quietly, but his eyes were very sharp.Naturally, the sharp targets were other people. To Lin Yan, He Zhengxi was just a pug, and he just nodded.But Lu Chi didn't care, he was a policeman, and greeting a seven-year-old child was not a piece of cake.

Lu Chi himself is not a very friendly personality. When he was in OUHK, he was always a "ruthless handsome guy from Lu".But since he was a child, Lu Chi had a dream of being an older brother, but the birth policy was in the forefront, Xin Huihui was not in good health, and Lu Chi could only think about things like younger brothers and sisters.Seeing Lin Yan again this time, the feelings of a big brother that had been hidden in his heart for a long time suddenly swelled up, and with the additional factor of Xu Jialin, it was impossible for Lu Chi to stand on the sidelines.

Until a few years ago, whenever Lu Chi was free, he would come to the old ancestral hall.In the past, Lin Yan must have disliked him for eating and drinking, but now it is different, his new bedroom is all made by Lu Chi, and that kid He Zhengxi is also rushing to call his brother, he must treat him well.During this period of time, Xu Jialin didn't go out to fool around anymore, Lin Yan felt that good things happened again and again.

On the 29th of the twelfth lunar month, Lu Chi was personally brought home by Lu Ming. Before leaving, Lin Yan wrapped him two pieces of rice cakes the size of a dictionary.This is a new technique learned by Lin Yan and Lao Li. There are walnuts, almonds, and peanuts in the rice cakes, which are cut into slices before eating and heated for a few minutes to make them sticky and sweet.Lin Yan knew that there were no valuables in the old ancestral hall, so the gifts he made with his own hands might be more thoughtful.

As soon as Lu Chi left, the small courtyard became much quieter.This was He Zhengxi's first Spring Festival in the old ancestral hall, Lin Yan had made a lot of preparations, even Xu Jialin was a little nervous.

He Zhengxi always spoke with a northern accent. Lin Yan asked the residents in the alley about the Spring Festival customs in the north. He didn't even know where to get two hollow sugar balls for He Zhengxi to eat.He Zhengxi was confused, he didn't seem to have eaten this kind of food, at least he couldn't find it from his memory.But Lin Yan's eyes were full of anticipation of "Taste it quickly", he smashed the candy ball open with his fist without hesitation, pinched a piece and tasted it, and wrinkled his nose in the end, it was too sweet!

Seeing his reaction, Lin Yan felt that this thing might not be the food of He Zhengxi's hometown. After all, the north is so big that it is impossible to find it right away.

He was disappointed yet relieved.Not sure, the small courtyard can still be lively for a while, which is very good.

On the morning of New Year's Eve, He Zhengxi gnawed the lotus root that Lin Yan had just fished out of the pot and said that he wanted Grandpa Jiang to come over for the New Year's Eve dinner. Lin Yan nodded in agreement, and then added that he would invite Lao Li over by the way.Both of them closed their doors to celebrate the festival, and they were quite lonely. There were only three people in the old ancestral hall, and it would be more lively if they gathered at a table.

He Zhengxi gestured to Lin Yan and ran away in a hurry.

He had learned a lot from Lu Chi recently, and Lin Yan felt vaguely unhappy.He is still too young, he is only three years older than He Zhengxi, his skills and experience are very limited, there are not many things worthy of He Zhengxi to learn.But Lu Chi has already worked, and regardless of his appearance, the profession of police alone is enough to be a hero in the hearts of children.Lin Yan also admires Lu Chi, but he is even more jealous of Lu Chi.

He Zhengxi ran all the way, first went to "Jianghu Doctor".Since childhood, the clinic has been closed and closed, but whenever he knocks on the door, Lao Jiang will definitely be there.Lao Li's breakfast shop is different, he will sell until the New Year's Eve.When He Zhengxi stepped into the store, Lao Li had just packed up and was about to have a tea break. When he heard that he was going to have a New Year's Eve dinner with him, he embarrassedly refused.It's just that He Zhengxi was too good at talking, so he couldn't stand up to his various offensives, so Lao Li had no choice but to accept, and didn't get a second sip of tea, so He Zhengxi directly dragged him to the old ancestral hall.

In the evening, Lao Jiang came to the door on time with a bottle of liquor.This wine is very expensive. Lin Yan has seen the price tag in the wine cabinet in the supermarket, but Lao Jiang, a poor doctor, can buy such expensive wine?Lin Yan felt curious that Lao Jiang himself was full of secrets, like a genius doctor, but very downcast.But this old man has a very strict mouth, Lin Yan's skills are shallow, and he can't pry it open.

Lin Yan was not in a hurry to ask, and tried to inquire after thinking about it. Lao Jiang started talking about him, and he shut up, which was very appropriate.

After dinner, the three elders drank tea and chatted at home, and the two children ran to the entrance of the alley to set off firecrackers and watch the fireworks.Linshui Street is a three-no zone, and there is no rule against setting off fireworks.The residents here come from all over the world, and they rarely go back to their hometowns. They are usually very busy, and they only have a little free time during the Chinese New Year, and many people come out to have fun.

Before the opening of the Spring Festival Gala, Lin Yan took He Zhengxi back, called Cai Hengyuan to celebrate the New Year, and chatted with Chen Shan for a long time.He often hangs out with very few friends in private. After Cai Hengyuan transferred to another school, it seemed that only Song Rui and Feng Bowen, whom he had known for half a year, were left. After hesitating again and again, Lin Yan still politely called them for New Year greetings.What's more, some time ago, they sent themselves and He Zhengxi home at night, and it was only natural to pay New Year's greetings.He Zhengxi didn't have this process. When Lin Yan was busy dialing numbers, he would sit beside him with his chin resting on his side, occasionally reaching out to make trouble, pressing buttons randomly or interrupting suddenly.

After finishing the New Year call, the two brothers stayed in the yard and played fairy wands and two kicks.He Zhengxi also liked to throw cannons, but Lin Yan's ears were afraid of this, so he squatted on the porch from afar to watch He Zhengxi play.

Occasionally at the entrance of the alley, fireworks rose into the air with flames. When they exploded, they exploded into big flowers, which could light up the small courtyard from time to time, making the cheeks of the two of them flush.

At around 9 o'clock, the two entered the main room to watch the Spring Festival Gala with Xu Jialin.Lin Yan listened to a few songs and felt a little bored. He got up and went to open the refrigerator to prepare for the dumpling after midnight.The family originally wanted to eat glutinous rice balls, but He Zhengxi loves to eat dumplings, which are eaten in many places in the north during Chinese New Year. Lin Yan has already prepared the ingredients, and even learned how to wrap them with Lao Li in advance.

Xu Jialin was in charge of kneading the dough, Lin Yan was good at making dumplings, as for He Zhengxi, he was still unknown, but he should be very good at playing with dough.

"Is this cabbage tofu?"

Sure enough, He Zhengxi kneaded a piece of dough, and while kneading, he asked, with an aggrieved expression on his face, "Brother...I want to eat meat."

Lin Yan mixed cooking oil into the stuffing, stirred it evenly with bamboo chopsticks, and said, "You can only eat meat stuffing on the first day of junior high school, and you have to eat vegetarian dumplings quietly on New Year's Eve. This is what Lao Lu who sold us clothes said." He picked up a little stuffing with bamboo chopsticks, tasted it, nodded in satisfaction, and said, "You will definitely be satisfied when the time comes. Although it looks bland, the taste will definitely not be bad, I assure you."

He Zhengxi said oh, no more playing with the dough.He imitated Lin Yan's action, pinched a new piece, flattened it, and put it back. Lin Yan would roll the flat dough into a dumpling wrapper.As novices, their speed is not bad, and they have filled the curtain in less than an hour.Dumplings stuffed with stuffing go out from the center to form a big circle on the whole surface.

He Zhengxi carefully studied how to arrange the dumplings, and asked after a while, "Why do the vegetarian dumplings form a circle?"

Lin Yan replied: "It means reunion. Our family is reunion."

He said "Tuan Tuan Yuan Yuan" twice, as if he was emphasizing something, and with some expectation, his eyes were shining brightly, which moved Xu Jialin beside him a little, while He Zhengxi's reaction was more innocent .

"Then let's eat like this next year!" He shouted excitedly, "Eat like this every year until we are a hundred years old!"

"You still need to say!"

Lin Yan stretched his body, wrapped his arms around He Zhengxi's shoulders, and happily took a few white handprints.

The author has something to say:

The next chapter will grow up.

Happy holidays, even if there is nothing to be happy about.