before and after

The feeling of slowly waking up from sleep is familiar yet strange.

Ye Ruixin woke up, but didn't open her eyes immediately.The delicate and soft touch comes from the skin, and the air in the tip of the nose has the smell of winter.All these subtle feelings will disappear due to the visual interference after opening the eyes.

The connection between the body and the brain is a subtle relationship that can be called art.It seems that at this moment, even if there is no movement at all, the brain can make the farthest toes vibrate slightly, and can clearly feel the temperature of the air behind the ears.

When she was bored, Ye Ruixin would hide and lie down for a while like today.He has so much time that he has nowhere to squander, enough to repeatedly experience the feeling of the moment when his soul wakes up.

Thinking of the word soul, Ye Ruixin smiled.

If Liang Xiao heard this sentence, he would laugh and say that it was not the soul, but the brain.As an atheist who studied medicine, Liang Xiao probably didn't have too many emotional things in his body.

Ye Ruixin reached for the watch on the bedside table, the hour hand had just passed nine o'clock.Liang Xiao should have gone out by this time.Realizing this, the sense of loss was like a crevice found in the water, making him at a loss as to what to do.

After getting up, Ye Ruixin pulled out the indwelling needle in his hand.Keeping something like this on the back of your hand looks a little bit of an eyesore during the New Year.After changing clothes and walking into the bathroom, Ye Ruixin touched her cheek in the mirror, and the stubble left a clear tactile sensation on her fingertips.But when he picked up the shaver, Ye Ruixin discovered that the low battery indicator light had been on.

Ye Ruixin remembered that when he moved here on the first day, Liang Xiao prepared a new razor for Ye Ruixin and placed it on the sink.Liang Xiao always used a blade-type manual razor, but Ye Ruixin was not used to it, so he was put aside casually at that time.It can be used today.

With a crisp clicking sound, the three-layer blade is installed on the knife holder.Ye Ruixin put shaving cream on his face, for those who are not skilled in using razors, they always put a little too much shaving cream.Ye Ruixin was the same, he was worried that his face would be scratched, and he didn't pick up the blade and start shaving until he was sure that all the skin was covered with foam.

The sharp blade will become gentle in the delicate foam, and slowly slides over the skin of the cheeks with the movement of the hand.The short beard was shaved off little by little with the foam, Ye Ruixin looked at himself in the mirror, but what appeared in his mind was the way he saw Liang Xiao shaving while he was studying.

From outside to inside, from top to bottom.

Warm towels are the finishing touch.Following Liang Xiao's example, Ye Ruixin took a deep breath of the warm air on the warm towel.While the hot towel removes the remaining foam, the steam rushes into all the pores and nasal cavity, injecting a fresh sense of life.

It's the taste of being alive.

Liang Xiao's house is not big, it is the most common two-story villa, much smaller than Ye Ruixin's.Today, for some reason, I feel particularly empty.

The coffee Liang Xiao made in the morning was still warm on the coffee pot.The drops of water on the glass jug grew bigger and bigger, and finally dripped back into the coffee.Eggs, butter, and bread lay neatly aside, and there was bacon in the fridge.Ye Ruixin picked up the eggs in the bowl and put them down again, and finally poured only a cup of coffee for breakfast.

When putting the coffee cup into the sink, Ye Ruixin's cell phone rang a notification tone.It was Liang Xiao's message.

'Are you up?remember to eat breakfast'

Ye Ruixin laughed.He put the bread in the oven and spread butter with a butter knife when it was hot.Although Liang Xiao couldn't see it, Ye Ruixin did reply to the message after putting the bread in his mouth.

'eat'

After the message was sent, Ye Ruixin realized that Liang Xiao was not used to seeing it, and then added another one.

'I ate.Do you like the gift anty? '

'she loves it'

'How to thank me? '

"what would you like'

'Anything? '

'whatever is reasonable'

'No sincerity! '

After sending this message, Ye Ruixin just finished eating a piece of bread.No one was with him at this point, so no one would ask him if the butter was salted or not.Even if asked, I am afraid he will not be able to answer.All his thoughts are on the other end of the text, which is probably another kind of tastelessness.

While waiting for a reply, the phone rang suddenly.

"Then how can you be sincere?"

Liang Xiao's voice came to Ye Ruixin's ears through the receiver, gentle and deep.

"Why did you call suddenly?"

The smile in Ye Ruixin's tone couldn't be concealed, like the rare moisture in a dry winter day, with a rare and warm breath.Liang Xiao originally wanted to say that it was more suitable for negotiation because of the phone call, but he changed his words when it came to his lips.

"What are you doing?"

"I have nothing to do, wait for Xia Yang to come over. What about you?"

"I'm going to make egg dumplings with my mother later, and bring some back for hot pot at night?"

"Okay!"

A human voice came from the other end of the phone, Liang Xiao responded and said:

"I'm going to help, I'll call you later."

"Well, bye."

After hanging up the phone, Ye Ruixin cleaned up the kitchen.Not knowing why Xia Yang arrived, Ye Ruixin sat on the sofa and flipped through the newspaper to pass the time.The mobile phone is placed at hand, where it can be seen at a glance.

The doorbell rang sometime after three o'clock in the afternoon.Xia Yang stood at the door with a fruit basket.He hadn't seen Ye Ruixin for several months since the last time they met.

Butler Liu helped Xia Yang deal with the expenses of the apartment and tutoring on time.Not seeing Mr. Liang all the time, Xia Yang was a little worried.Finally, after more than a month, I mustered up the courage to ask Mr. Liu Butler where he was going.Liu Guan replied that the husband had some personal matters, but didn't say much.

Intuition told Xia Yang that something must have happened to Mr. Liang.But Xia Yang didn't dare to call Ye Ruixin's phone number, he didn't know how he could care about him.The only thing I can do is study hard.When Mr. Liang appeared again, I did not disappoint his kindness.

"Mr. Liang." Xia Yang handed over the fruit basket, "Happy New Year."

Ye Ruixin took the fruit basket, thanked her, and asked Xia Yang to come in and sit down.As soon as Xia Yang sat down, Ye Ruixin gave him a red see.On the red envelope is printed golden Gong Xi Fa Cai, the taste of China.

"Good luck." Ye Ruixin said.

Xia Yang took it in a daze, a little at a loss.He still had a home when he took a profit last time.This kind of warmth has been too long, and Xia Yang suddenly didn't know how to respond.

Ye Ruixin understood Xia Yang's state of mind at this time, so he turned around and said:

"Shall I make you some hot cocoa?"

"it is good."

Ye Ruixin went to the kitchen, Xia Yang sat in the living room and waited.There are a lot of snacks and nuts on the coffee table, as well as a pot of black tea warmed by a candle and a stack of newspapers.Soon Ye Ruixin came over with hot cocoa and sat down beside Xia Yang.

"How have you been recently?" Ye Ruixin asked.

"Ah."

Xia Yang nodded while holding the hot cocoa, his eyes rested on Ye Ruixin.He always felt that there was something different about Mr. Liang, but he couldn't tell.He kept looking at it like that until Ye Ruixin asked with a smile: "What's wrong?" Xia Yang then moved his eyes away and hid his eyes in the hot cocoa in his hand.He said softly, "No, nothing."

"I'm recovering from drugs."

Xia Yang was shocked by Ye Ruixin's words.Xia Yang still clearly remembers the way Mr. Liang said "my money is enough to suck me to death". His emptiness and indifference at that time were completely different from the stability and softness in his eyes now.

Ye Ruixin poured himself another cup of hot tea, and said:

"What do you want to ask, just ask."

"Is it very difficult?"

This question brought forth all the pain, which made Ye Ruixin feel scared.He unconsciously clenched the cup in his hand, causing the tea to shake slightly and ripple continuously in the bone china cup.

"It's hard."

"Then why do you suddenly want to quit?"

When I put down the glass.Ye Ruixin looked down and saw the bruise on the back of her hand, which was the mark left by the IV drip.

"At that time, I thought I could." Ye Ruixin suddenly laughed, very lightly, "But I guessed wrong."

"What about now?" Xia Yang said cautiously.

"What do you think?"

"It's not the same as you before."

"Like a living person, isn't it?"

Although Ye Ruixin was laughing at herself, she said the answer in Xia Yang's heart.Seeing Xia Yang nodding politely, Ye Ruixin laughed again.What he liked most about this kid was his unabashed frankness.

"Are you alone?" Xia Yang asked without seeing Butler Liu and the others.

"This is my friend's home. If you can be admitted to the medical department of our university, he will be your senior."

"Doctor Liang?"

"Have you seen him?"

"No, you mentioned it."

Ye Ruixin nodded knowingly.

"He will come back in the evening. You can ask him if you have any problems. He can read better than me."

Ye Ruixin didn't know the smile in his eyes when he mentioned Liang Xiao.Xia Yang felt that this person must have a very important place in Ye Ruixin's heart.

Xia Yang knows very well that for those who have fallen into the abyss, they cannot rely on their own strength to get out of the cage.It was Mr. Liang who came out to redeem himself.

"Is it because of Dr. Liang?"

"What?" Ye Ruixin asked after drinking her lipstick tea.

"Detox."

Drinking tea is a habit that Ye Ruixin has developed recently.Black tea has a pure aroma and a strong taste.Swallow into the throat and still have the aroma in the mouth.

"Yes."

Hearing this answer, Xia Yang suddenly felt that part of his heart was missing and became empty.He realized that the distance between himself and Mr. Liang could not be bridged.No matter how I chased after him, it was too late to walk into his life.

"I haven't seen Ear for a long time, is it still afraid of people?"

Ye Ruixin's words prevented Xia Yang from indulging in that kind of lost emotion.

"Better. I'll show you a picture of it."

The topic gradually changed from a kitten to Xia Yang's homework.Although Ye Ruixin thinks she is not suitable to be a teacher.But his memory is really good. He can still clearly remember the principles and formulas of some questions Xia Yang asked.When Xia Yang didn't quite understand, Ye Ruixin used his own unique way of thinking to lead Xia Yang to sort out the structure.Later, the two simply sat in the study, and when they needed to find a theoretical basis, Ye Ruixin looked for it from Liang Xiao's bookshelf.Such a pure discussion was very interesting, and it was completely dark when the two of them came to their senses.It was only then that Ye Ruixin remembered that today was New Year's Eve, and Xia Yang was invited to have a New Year's Eve dinner.

Ye Ruixin doesn't know how to cook much, he almost copied the meal from many years ago.Sitting at the dining table, Xia Yang was somewhat surprised to see Ye Ruixin bring the dishes in front of him.Mr. Liang's appearance always lacks the breath of life, and it is too difficult to connect him with daily necessities.

"I haven't cooked vegetables for many years, and the taste is much worse. But there is still a side stove to eat later, just wait for the bones to cook for a while."

Looking at the three bowls and chopsticks on the table, Xia Yang asked:

"Doctor Liang will be back soon?"

"Well, he went to his parents and will be back later. We waited for him while eating."

Eating Chinese food in the United States is a luxury.Except for being a guest at Ye Ruixin's house, Xia Yang rarely had the opportunity to eat Chinese food.So even if Ye Ruixin's standard is not as good as before, in Xia Yang's opinion, it is already delicious enough.

Ye Ruixin, on the other hand, didn't eat much, and barely moved his chopsticks except for a bite or two of each dish.He poured himself some red wine, chatted with Xia Yang while drinking, and kept an eye on the mobile phone beside him for text messages from time to time.

Xia Yang could feel that Ye Ruixin was starting to feel a little anxious, and this anxiety became more and more obvious as time went by.Several times he had already picked up the phone, only to put it down again when there was no message.Xia Yang didn't ask too much, and continued to talk to Ye Ruixin about the recent trivia about the orphanage as if nothing had happened.

When the dishes were almost finished, the smell of bone soup came from the kitchen.The pork bones specially used for making soup have been stewed out of the bone marrow in a pressure cooker. Ye Ruixin poured the soup into the copper pot, and then put the copper pot on the copper pad on the table with gloves on.

"Have you seen this kind of pot before?"

Xia Yang shook his head.

"We found this at the flea market. Liang Xiao said that it would be interesting to eat hot pot with this."

This is really an old item, so old that Ye Ruixin can't use it.Until the hot bone soup gradually cooled in the pot, the charcoal fire did not start.Xia Yang had no choice but to sit aside and watch Ye Ruixin fight with a pot.

Mr. Liang in the past was almost emotionless.He is like the sea water on the mural, so calm that it is not real at all.Xia Yang couldn't imagine that in the past, he would roll up his sleeves to heat a pot, frown and keep trying.

But Ye Ruixin was not a very patient person, so he gave up after a while.

"Don't do it anymore, let him do it when Liang Xiao comes back."

At this moment the phone rang.When Ye Ruixin saw the caller, his anger turned into joy, and he immediately answered the phone.

"I'm going to drive back now, and I can get home in about an hour." Liang Xiao said on the phone.

"Well, I'll wait for you to come back and light the fire."

"Make a fire?"

"Yeah, I can't handle that copper furnace."

Hearing what Ye Ruixin said, Liang Xiao laughed: "Why are you so stupid!"

"What are you talking about? You have the guts to talk so many times!"

[What did you say?You can say it again! ]

Ye Ruixin was really angry when people said she was stupid, but she couldn't restrain the smile on her face.

"Okay, wait for me to come back. You... eat something else first. Don't be hungry."

Liang Xiao on the other end of the phone was obviously still laughing, until every sentence became intermittent.

After hanging up the phone, Ye Ruixin scolded Liang Xiao and put the cold dish into his mouth.

That phone call was like a special light, illuminating Ye Ruixin's heart again.Turn anxiety into hope.The hope was quietly stirring his heart, pulling his thoughts, making him look out of the window involuntarily.

Seeing Ye Ruixin like this, Xia Yang also laughed.Having seen so much unhappiness, Xia Yang can be sure that Ye Ruixin is very happy now.All these joys were brought to him by Dr. Liang.It is everything that is better than what I can't give.

Liang Xiao's car should be driving a little faster.Within four or ten minutes, car lights flashed outside the window of the house, and then the sound of a car pulling into the garage.Hearing the sound, Ye Ruixin put down his chopsticks, got up and waited for Liang Xiao.But he just walked out of the restaurant, instinctively hiding his urgency.

After the sound of the key, Liang Xiao opened the door.The moment the four eyes met.The two laughed in unison.

Liang Xiao took off his coat and walked towards Ye Ruixin, asking:

"Why can't there be a fire?"

"I know a little bit!"

[how could I know. ]

When Liang Xiao walked into the restaurant, Xia Yang got up and greeted him.Before seeing Liang Xiao, Xia Yang couldn't imagine what he looked like.But when this man slowly walked in front of her, Xia Yang suddenly understood why it was him.In Liang Xiao's eyes, Xia Yang saw a kind of gentle firmness that he had never seen in the eyes of other people.

"Hello, Doctor Liang."

"Hi, Ruixin often mentions you." Liang Xiao said.

Xia Yang had never heard of the word Ruixin before.The Ye Ruixin he knew was Mr. Liang, Liang Xiaogu.But it's not surprising to hear another name from Liang Xiao's mouth. Xia Yang identified this name as a nickname between them.

"Eat first, I'll take a look at this."

With that said, Liang Xiao took the copper pot aside.But it took a while to bring it back.Ye Ruixin stood up and looked inside from the chimney-like part of the copper pot. The red charcoal part had turned red.

"How did you do it?" Ye Ruixin was a little unconvinced.

"Just too much charcoal, not enough air circulation."

Ye Ruixin pursed her lips, and gave Liang Xiao some red wine.

"Can you still eat?"

"I can eat it, I'm hungry after driving back."

Liang Xiao didn't look like he was joking while waiting for the copper pot to boil, he was really hungry.

When I went to my parents' house today, Liang Xiao was questioned by Liang Xiu all afternoon.Liang Xiu has always been cautious in doing things. Before talking to Liang Xiao, he had already investigated everything clearly.

Ye Ruixin and Liang Xiu knew about it.When he was studying, Liang Xiu met Ye Ruixin.A few years later, I suddenly received a call from Liang Xiao.Ask him to help find out what happened to Ye Ruixin.The truth of the matter made Liang Xiu dumbfounded. He couldn't connect the beautiful boy who appeared in Liang Xiao's house with the wanted criminal.What Liang Xiu told Liang Xiao was only what was reported in the news.Cruel, double-faced, ruthless, and ungrateful, Ye Ruixin, who has been rumored in these rumors, didn't say much.

Liang Xiu had seen Liang Xiao's pain a few years ago, so when he learned that Liang Xiao resigned to help Ye Ruixin detoxify at home, Liang Xiu almost collapsed.Because he thought he knew the real Ye Ruixin better than Liang Xiao.

And Liang Xiao's resignation, the deep and shallow scars on the back of his hand, and the expression on his phone in the morning all confirmed Liang Xiu's worries.Liang Xiu felt that Liang Xiao had been lowered at all, and was infatuated with ghosts!

Not wanting his parents to worry, Liang Xiu didn't tell about Liang Xiao's resignation.Instead, he avoided his parents and locked Liang Xiao in the study, where he spent the whole afternoon persuading Liang Xiao with reason and affection, telling him not to have anything to do with Ye Ruixin.

Facing his brother's earnest words, Liang Xiao just listened without any explanation.This attitude made Liang Xiu even more annoyed, and Liang Xiao was finally saved until his mother called the two out to play chess with his father.

Liang Xiao's only consolation was that his parents didn't know about it, and the New Year's Eve dinner was fairly safe.But when Liang Xiao excused himself to be on duty at the hospital early tomorrow morning, so he had to rush home early at night, Liang Xiu's eyes definitely carried a huge lethal force.If today is not New Year's Eve, he will definitely have an attack on the spot.

Throughout the night, apart from dealing with Liang Xiu, Liang Xiao also cared about Ye Ruixin who was alone at home.Because of his brother's lecture, he didn't contact Ye Ruixin all afternoon.Liang Xiao's family has strict rules. When eating at home, other things are not allowed to be done at the table.The lie just now made Liang Xiu very unhappy. If he picked up the phone again at this time, even if his father didn't tell him, Liang Xiao was afraid that Liang Xiu would be so angry that he would hit the stage.

In this way, I am afraid it will not end.

In such a state, Liang Xiao didn't even think about eating.When he got into the car and called Ye Ruixin, Liang Xiao finally breathed a sigh of relief.Knowing that there is someone, a light waiting for you is enough to define the word happiness.

Liang Xiao glanced sideways at Ye Ruixin, and saw that he was happily sitting beside him.At this moment, for Liang Xiao, it was the real New Year's Eve.