Rust II

Lin An was startled, and after a daze, he raised his head almost immediately, and looked at the noisy crowd around him reflexively - the other party would naturally not appear in this noisy crowd.

Lin An couldn't help feeling a little ashamed and amused by his unreasonable conjecture. He looked away, looked at the text message in the phone again, and then suppressed the doubts in his heart, and simply replied: 11 o'clock.

The other end was quiet for a while, and after 5 minutes, another message came: Well, I will ask Xiaoding to pick you up at the station later.

Lin An was taken aback when he saw it, and subconsciously wanted to refuse, but before the words "don't bother" had time to be typed and sent, the other party seemed to have fully figured out his thoughts, and then came back with another message New news: No rejection allowed.

After a short pause, he said again: I can't let go of my heart until I see you with my own eyes.

Lin An looked at the vague and ambiguous sentence in front of him, and couldn't help but move in his heart.

Memories related to that person flooded into my mind one after another in the past few days: what Xu Xin asked him on the eve of the National Day, and the text message that the other party sent asking for the train schedule a few minutes ago, and even the "emergency" call from Director Chen that morning. The two came to mind together, and when they collided with each other, some kind of indescribable and secret connection came into being.Lin An was blushed by the unprovoked speculation in his heart, and almost couldn't sit still.While trying his best to keep calm and sober, he warned himself to deny this conjecture, but at the same time, he couldn't help letting the unspeakable joy that could only be released in the dark spread quietly.

Fortunately, the bus bound for City C came fast enough at noon, and the announcement to check in and get on the bus soon came from the radio.

Lin An restrained himself, queued up and got on the bus with the flow of passengers.

The scenery on the expressway is monotonous and boring. Within a few minutes, most of the cars are sleepy tourists.Lin An watched the green belts and vehicles of different sizes and shapes flashing by outside the window, but he couldn't easily feel sleepy like other ordinary passengers.

In fact, every time the bus gets closer to City C, the uneasiness and restlessness hidden in the bottom of my heart will increase.

Finally, an hour and a half later, the car stopped and stopped amidst the busy traffic in downtown C and arrived at its destination smoothly.

Lin An got out of the car to pick up his luggage, walked out of the underground pick-up area a little nervously, and followed the escalator to the bustling city station square. Seconds later, a familiar voice came from the direction of the ancient pavilion not far away for tourists to rest: "Xiaolin!"

Lin An followed the prestige and saw Ding Hua was standing in the north direction of the square, smiling and waving at him.

Lin An smiled slightly and walked towards the other party.

The two sides finally met smoothly, and Ding Hua chatted casually with him, and at the same time got into the car parked by the roadside with him.

On the way to Lin An's residence "Cuifangyuan", Ding Hua asked him: "Hey, the boss said that you went back to your hometown to accompany your mother on the National Day, why did you come back so early?" After asking, he made a joke: " Is your mother willing?"

Lin An's eyes moved, and he turned his head to look out the window with inexplicable guilt, and said lightly: "...the school has something to do, so it's a day earlier."

When Ding Hua heard the words, he couldn't help but fight for him and said: "Damn, don't bring such exploitative laborers, Lao Chen asked you to come back?"

Lin An just smiled and didn't answer. Seeing his acquiescence, Ding Hua muttered again: "Tsk, this old Chen is still the same as before. He likes to pick and bully people who talk well. It's not kind. I have to find another opportunity later. Talk to him well."

Hearing his angry tone, Lin An couldn't help laughing, and couldn't help but defend Chen Jianliang: "...Director Chen can't help it..."

Don't want to finish the sentence, Ding Hua turned his head and glared at him, pretending to be angry and said: "Hey, why are all of you turning your elbows out? Brother Ding is sorry for you and is speaking for you. The united front and the enemy are united, don't you understand? ?”

Seeing that he was still the same as when he was in the machinery factory, Lin An began to "emphasize reasoning" when he disagreed with him, and he had to convince people, so he couldn't help crying and laughing, so he had to keep his mouth shut and be a competent and loyal man like before. audience.

Ding Hua was still on the sidelines: "Thanks to the boss, it was noon, and he refused to stop when he was sick, so he had to call me, why did you drive here from X county to work hard? Damn, it's not hard for me to drive from the east of the city to the west of the city." Why don’t you just say that people are more angry than people, look, this is a vivid example of Xuelingling!" He said and cast a sideways glance at Lin An beside him.

However, Lin An didn't notice the jokes in Ding Hua's language that seemed to be complaints but were actually jokes. All his senses stopped functioning when he heard the first sentence the other party said about Xu Xin's situation.

Ding Hua talked alone for a long time, but Lin An didn't respond, so he couldn't help but glance at him again, "Why, stupid?"

Lin An came back to his senses, shook his head quickly, and couldn't help asking softly after a few seconds: "...is...is he sick?"

Ding Hua raised his eyebrows, pretending to be puzzled: "Who are you talking about?"

Lin An was anxious in his heart, and after dodging his eyes for a while, he replied, "...Xu...Brother Xu."

Ding Hua suddenly let out a smirk when he heard the words, "Yo, did you change your tune? You're not called Mr. Xu?"

Lin An blushed.

Ding Hua let out a long sigh.Said: "Oh, it really is differential treatment. Does Lao Tzu still have a place with you two?" As he spoke, he glanced at Lin An who was worried, and was about to answer his previous question. The cheerful ringtone of the mobile phone suddenly came from the dark cell.

Ding Hua took the mobile phone with one hand free, and couldn't help being happy when he saw the caller's name. He turned to Lin An and said, "Here, this is definitely for you, why don't you just answer it?"

Lin An looked at the word "Boss" flashing on the screen of Ding Hua's mobile phone, his expression moved slightly, but he didn't move for a long time.

Ding Hua rolled his eyes when he saw this, so he had to press the call button and put the receiver to his ear.In the next second, Lin An heard the other party complaining to the person on the other end of the phone with his naturally loud voice, "Hey brother, I said you two are in a relationship, you don't have to be so sticky."

Xu Xin didn't know what he said on the other end, but after two seconds, Ding Hua continued to say on the other end: "Brother, don't you worry about my work? You have already picked up the car, and you are sitting next to me in a good manner." Don't worry, you can't run away!"

After a while, he glanced at Lin An again, and said, "Why don't you tell him in person? It just so happens that he was worried about this just now. He heard that you were sick, so he was so nervous."

After speaking, the earpiece, which was still warm with a hint of warmth, was pressed against a slightly red ear.

Lin An held the mobile phone that had been forced into his hand, and stared into the microphone nonchalantly, not knowing how to react.Ding Hua's "outspoken" nonsense just now by his side completely broke the calm he was trying to maintain.

Xu Xin also noticed this quietness and silence which was completely different from Ding Hua's. After a while, he opened his mouth and called out tentatively: "Lin An?"

Lin An was shuddered by the excessively hoarse and exhausted voice, he tightened his hand holding the phone, and replied, "En."

Xu Xin seemed to be smiling over there, but due to physical discomfort, he suddenly coughed violently uncontrollably.

When Lin An heard this, he leaned on the back of the chair and couldn't help leaning forward, and couldn't hide his worry and asked, "You, are you okay?"

Xu Xin's slightly heavy breathing came from the other side, and it took a long time before he responded in a low voice.

Lin An frowned, licked his dry lips due to panic, and couldn't help asking: "...Did you catch a cold? Did you take any medicine? Did you have a fever..." After a short pause, he continued Ask: "Do you want to go to the hospital, I..."

Ding Hua was sitting on the side driving the car, already stupefied. From time to time, he would look in Lin An's direction in amazement.No wonder, since he knew Lin An, he had never seen the other party express so much concern to anyone in one breath.

Lin An didn't notice Ding Hua's gaze. He still asked and spoke softly into the microphone, but was suddenly interrupted by Xu Xin's slightly smiling voice. He didn't answer the series of questions he just asked, just meant Unknown and gently asked him: "Are you worried?"

Lin An suddenly stopped speaking, only then did he realize his gaffe, he sat in his seat for a while, and then replied timidly "En".

Xu Xin seemed to be very satisfied with the answer. After being silent for a while, he smiled and continued to ask in a hoarse voice, "Would you like...to come and see me?"

Lin An hadn't recovered from the panic just now, he just froze when he heard the words, and didn't answer for a while.

Xu Xin waited and saw that he didn't answer, so he couldn't help coughing twice more.

He randomly fiddled with the decorations placed on the table, and he expected that the other party on the other end of the call must have been nervous for a while, and with Ding Hua by his side, it was normal not to reply, so he stopped pressing. , took a step back at the right time, pretending to be regretful and said: "Forget it, let's wait..." Before he could speak, the person who thought he would be silent to the end suddenly reacted.

"Okay." The voice was soft and urgent,

On the contrary, Xu Xin was taken aback for a moment, then stopped his movements, and said "En?" uncertainly.

Lin An was sitting in the car, holding the mobile phone tighter and tighter. The whole figure was exhausted by the word that just couldn't help it, and it took a while to accumulate a new round of facing each other. courage.

He lowered his eyes, staring motionlessly at his other hand resting on his lap.

"I'll go..." After a long time, he opened his mouth again.

However, halfway through the speech, he stopped for no reason.

The brief silence that reappeared finally ended with Xu Xin's low laughter.

Lin An didn't go on with the rest of the content, and it seemed that there was no need to say any more. This short and vague conversation to the third person—such as Ding Hua who was confused from beginning to end—was like a worldly conversation to the two of them. The most easy to understand a code word.

After Xu Xin laughed, he quickly and accurately completed the conversation that was interrupted halfway.

--where to?

"The address will be sent to you later."

--how to get to?

"Take a taxi, or send me a text message when you get home, and I will ask Xiao Wang to pick you up."

As for when to go, the minutes and seconds, the hours and moments, Xu Xin's answer is even more straightforward.

There are only three words, "I'll wait for you."

When the mobile phone was handed back to Ding Hua, he naturally couldn't escape the other party's interrogation.

Lin An didn't say much, and even vaguely refused Ding Hua's call to have dinner together before getting off the car, which made Ding Hua scratch his head, and was even more curious about the unclear conversation between the two on the phone earlier, but it was a pity Lin An was stunned, no matter how much he joked, it didn't work. In the end, he had no choice but to watch him go upstairs with a face full of resentment, and then ended the "escort" mission with a sigh.

Xu Xin's text message was sent long after the call was hung up. When Lin An was in Ding Hua's car, he only had time to glance at it because of guilt, but he didn't read it carefully. He dug up the message again and read it carefully, but he didn't expect that the address mentioned in the text message was not the one that Xu Yuan had left in his home-school contact book in the past. Boai Road is only one kilometer away, and the distance to Cuifangyuan where he is located is only less than 2630 meters on top of that.

Lin An stared blankly at this address, a trace of doubt came to his mind.

Xu Xin's news flooded in again at this time.

"arrive?"

Lin An regained his composure slightly, put aside the doubt that had suddenly arisen in his heart just now, and replied: Yes.

Ten seconds later, the phone vibrated: Then... shall I let Xiao Wang go to your place now?

Lin An quickly replied: No, I can go there by myself, the distance is very short.

good.The other end said again, and a few seconds later, another sentence came: Be careful on the road.

Lin An smiled slightly at the news, then looked up at the rental house in front of him, then took a deep breath, turned around, closed the door and walked out.

Five minutes later, he returned to the gate of Cuifangyuan. There were many empty taxis shuttled by the side of the road. Lin An stopped one, got off within a few minutes after getting on the bus, and then followed the taxi left by the other party. After turning around my house number in the community, it took almost no time to find the specific location on the short message.

When the doorbell rang, my heart beat wildly again for some reason.

But this time, Xu Xin didn't give him too much time to adjust and calm down. He seemed to have been waiting for a long time. Even when Lin An raised his hand and just put it down, the door was eagerly pushed open from the inside out.

A slightly haggard and tired face appeared in sight.

Lin An obviously didn't expect the other party to appear so quickly, and was stunned for a moment. He raised his face slightly, looked at the slightly pale lips and face of the other party, and his dry throat couldn't help rolling.

Xu Xin held on to the doorknob with his hands, and took a panoramic view of all his subtle movements and the unconcealable worry in his eyes. After a while, he took a step back, looked at the other side and said softly, "Come in?"

The door closed behind the two of them.

Xu Xin casually found a pair of spare slippers in the cabinet at the entrance and handed them to him. After Lin An took them and put them on, he followed them into the house.

The apartment Xu Xin lives in is not very big, with two bedrooms and one living room, including the kitchen, bathroom and balcony, it is only about a hundred square meters, but because he is the only one living in it, and the decoration is too colorful The single style still looks a bit empty, not to mention that he is dressed loosely, has a sick face, and coughs twice with clenched fists from time to time.

Lin An has never seen Xu Xin like this before. In his memory, ever since the two met in the old machinery factory, the other party looked at him with an uncompromising coldness. In the movie, the man's attitude towards him gradually changed from contempt and rejection to involuntary acceptance, and that stubborn toughness has never changed at all—it was like this when I was victimized by rumors and trapped at the entrance of an alley by factory workers, This is the case when he can't fit into the circle of "speaking with fists" no matter how hard he tries, even when he can't bear it and wants to escape the trap set by him.The other party once told him under the pale lights in the dormitory: from now on, you follow me; made fun of him behind the smelly operating table: why, can you be so shy when you pick up a girl?He even yelled at him with burning eyes in the cold and windy night: Want to leave?Lin An, don't even think about it!

Everything is vividly remembered and engraved in the bottom of my heart, even when that person bestows these protections and kindness, he often uses evil spirits and idlers as cover-ups and packaging.

Seeing that the other party was staring at him blankly after entering the door, Xu Xin couldn't help but smile slightly and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Lin An didn't answer.

Seeing this, Xu Xin raised his eyebrows, lowered his face a little, pretended to be dissatisfied and said: "Regret?" He stared at the other party's eyes, and whispered meaningfully: "There is still time to go now."

Lin An seemed to be bewitched by the overly hot gaze, and shook his head lightly, "...No, I don't regret it."

Seeing his extremely serious appearance, Xu Xin suddenly couldn't help laughing out loud.

Only then did Lin An regain his senses, his face flushed instantly, he hurriedly withdrew the too naked gaze that he had inadvertently stared at the other party, and turned to his toes.

Xu Xin stopped teasing him, and asked him warmly after clearing his throat, "Have you eaten yet?"

After Lin An received Chen Jianliang's call, he rushed back non-stop, and then arrived at Xu Xin's place. Not to mention eating, he didn't even remember to drink along the way.

He shook his head.

Xu Xin asked again: "Are you hungry? Do you want Xiao Wang to pack some food nearby, or do you want to go out to eat?"

Lin An shook his head again.

Xu Xin was puzzled, "Huh?"

Lin An no longer dared to meet the other party's gaze, and his eyes drifted away. After a while, he explained softly: "...the things outside are too greasy," Yan Bifei quickly glanced at Xu Xin's neck, which was close at hand, and continued. : "It's not good for your throat..."

The smile in Xu Xin's eyes was even bigger. He took a step forward, bringing the two people who were already very close together closer together.

He watched the other party's face, neck, and ears turn red quickly, and suddenly took his words: "So what Teacher Lin means...is that he plans to cook himself, and make soup for my hands?"

As far as he could see, Lin An's increasingly red ears and neck visibly shrank.

His skin has always been a little pale, Xu Xin knew 12 years ago that it is easy to blush easily, he also knew, and when the redness gradually covered the other's cheeks, covering the paleness, the moving color emitted by him, he It is clearer than anyone else.

He even fantasized that when the red leaves what he sees with his eyes, it spreads to some hidden and unspoken directions.From a short moment to being uncontrollable; from being absent-minded occasionally to falling into a nightmare.

Perhaps it was because of the too short distance, or maybe it was the recent disturbing virus, Xu Xin's gaze stayed on that person, the playfulness in his eyes gradually disappeared, and he was a bit confused until the other person raised his hand He started to look at him, and then his mind shivered, and he slightly opened the distance that was too dangerous for both of them.

Lin An's response was simple and cryptic. He didn't answer Xu Xin's question that was too ambiguous, but only asked in a low voice in the embarrassment he tried his best to suppress: "...you, where is your kitchen..."

Xu Xinyan smiled slightly, looked at him for a while, and then led him to the kitchen on the side of the entrance, and then generously showed him the empty refrigerator standing in the corner.

Lin An looked at the refrigerator where there were only a few bottles of drinking water randomly placed, and his eyes showed a bit of surprise. He couldn't help but turned to look at Xu Xin who was leaning beside him, and opened his mouth slowly: "You ..."

Seeing his extremely surprised expression, Xu Xin lowered his head and smiled, ending the impromptu joke from the beginning, "Really?"

Lin An was slightly taken aback.

Xu Xin smiled again, and said softly to him: "It's rare for you to come here, and you just came from home, how can I have the heart to really let you run around?"

As he spoke, he straightened up from the cabinet, raised his hand and closed the door of the refrigerator, and was about to go out, "Let's go, I happened to have been to a few restaurants near the downstairs, the taste is not bad, although the craftsmanship is not as good as your mother's, but It’s okay, I’ll take you there.”

However, as soon as the words fell, his arm was gently grabbed from behind.

Xu Xin was taken aback for a moment, then turned around.

Lin An was looking at him.

"...It's okay." The man stared at him, and suddenly said softly.

"I... I can go buy it." Then he lowered his head, nervously but cautiously said: "...On the way here, I saw a vegetable market across the road..."

Xu Xin didn't answer.

Lin An didn't hear the response, and held the opponent's hand stiffly. After he quickly raised his face to look at the opponent, his eyes drifted away to another place. After a long while, he continued in a voice like a mosquito: "...if you If you are willing to wait..."

Xu Xin still didn't answer.

Lin An waited for a while, and finally couldn't bear the silent torment, and quietly turned his face - only to see that the other party's eyes were fixed on his knuckles whitened due to nervousness, but he still did not forget to hold his hand firmly. On the hand that caught him.

Only then did Lin An come to his senses, and his face turned even redder.He quickly let go of his hand, and stood there anxiously waiting for the other party's answer.

After a long time, I heard a chuckle in front of me, followed by a hoarse voice, "I'll accompany you."

For the next ten minutes or even several hours, Lin An felt unreal like a dream.

Xu Xin took the key, put on a coat casually, and went out with him. The two walked side by side along the green belt of the community, heading in the same direction. The intimacy of each other is always staggered in a flash, like a pretended alienation.

In such separation and reunion, they didn't speak to each other until they walked into the large vegetable market with a sign hanging outside the gate of the community.

The market in the afternoon is no longer as hot as it was earlier, and there are few people in front of the dense paving.After Lin An lingered in the vegetable section for a while, he finally couldn't help turning his face away, and asked Xu Xin, who was standing beside him, softly, a little shyly: "...what do you want to eat?"

Seeing his extremely cautious and nervous behavior, Xu Xin couldn't help smiling. After looking around, he casually reported the names of a few dishes.

After hearing this, Lin An's face blushed uncontrollably for some reason. He looked at the other party who was still thinking seriously and was about to continue reporting. There seemed to be something more in his eyes, which surged along with the hot tide gushing out of his heart.

Xu Xin's slightly pale lips due to illness kept opening and closing, and the names of dishes that Lin An cooked that could not be re-cooked, such as "Bixue Tofu", "Tangxin Lotus Root", "Sauce Tips Stir-Fried Pork", came out of his mouth. But he knew that these were far from that person's favorite. The Xu Xin in his impression loved to bring three or two brothers and friends with him at night after work, and nestled in the long alley of Yongning Street to cook a pot of spicy fish. He doesn't shy away from spicy food, and loves strong wine. On the contrary, what he is most uncomfortable with is the "clear porridge and side dishes" that he counts so dearly and which he has always listed as "bland and tasteless".

"That's all." After Xu Xin reported the last dish, he withdrew his gaze from searching the stalls, and turned his face back, only to see Lin Anzheng standing in front of him, looking at him intently without saying a word, and couldn't help but He smiled and asked, "What's wrong?"

Lin An looked away, letting the sudden sourness in his eyes stop the car in time, shook his head and said, "No, it's nothing."

Xu Xin smiled and didn't ask any more questions.

The two stopped and went in the crowded market, and quickly purchased the ingredients they needed. After that, they each carried two or three shopping bags and walked together on the way back.The way back was the same as when we went there, quiet and silent, except for the intertwined steps of the two people and the light noise made by the friction of plastic bags, there were no other unnecessary sounds.Along the way, Lin An was thinking about the matching and seasoning of the dishes after cooking, and his whole body was much more relaxed than the inexplicably tense state before.

Not long after, the two returned to Xu Xin's residence again.

Under the guidance of the other party, Lin An quickly figured out the structure of the kitchen, which was new and unremarkable compared with other rooms. He took out oil, salt and other condiments from the cabinets that had not been opened for a long time, and rummaged through them silently. A few bowls were produced that could be used for choosing and washing vegetables, and then the various preparations before starting the fire began.

Xu Xin stood quietly by his side all the time, lending his hand from time to time, such as passing some bottles and cans, or taking some empty dishes from the other party's hands.From the beginning to the end, the man focused on doing it, and he watched it attentively. Occasionally, the man would give him a nervous and shy glance when his fingers touched, and then he would give him a nervous and shy swipe at him. Quickly look away.

After more than 40 minutes, Lin An turned off the fire, and put the last small stir-fried dish into the porcelain plate that Xu Xin handed over in due course.

The bright dishes were steaming on the dinner plate, Xu Xin held it in one hand, leaned forward and sniffed it lightly, raised his eyes to look at the other party who looked at him with a look of anxiety and a little expectation, and said with a smile: "Not bad, very fragrant .”

Lin An's eyes flickered, and there was a hint of embarrassment in his expression, but the corners of his mouth raised uncontrollably.

The food came to the table quickly, and the two sat facing each other. Lin An held the chopsticks and ate quietly, but kept his eyes on the movement of Xu Xin on the opposite side from time to time—whether the other party was eating a bite of rice or holding a piece of food with chopsticks, Or when he took a sip of soup with a spoon, he would subconsciously stop the movements of his hands and secretly raise his face to look.I am afraid that the rice is too soft or too hard, the vegetables are too salty or too bland, and the soup is too hot or too cold.Obviously, I have already tasted all of them, but I still can't help it, and I want to make a second judgment based on the opponent's every move.

Sensing his gaze, Xu Xin ate a few more mouthfuls, and suddenly had a thought, and frowned slightly on purpose.Slow down the action of picking up vegetables.Seeing this, Lin An tightened his hand holding the chopsticks, and asked aloud, "What's wrong?...is...is it not to your taste?"

Xu Xin didn't answer for a while, just looked at him with a half-smile.

After Lin An asked, he felt a little regretful, he pursed his lips secretly, and looked at the food he had hurriedly prepared in front of him, stir-fried lettuce, steamed egg with minced meat, corn ribs, what the other party said in the vegetable market earlier , I bought it in a daze, but didn't think about it, all of these in front of me were my favorites, so how could I have an appetite for that person?

Thinking of this, the look of anticipation at first became a little sad for a while.

But he didn't want to be stunned when the other party suddenly called him.

"Lin An."

Lin An raised his head, and saw that the other party had suppressed the smile in his eyes at some point, and was looking at him very seriously.

"I'm glad you can come." Looking at each other, Xu Xin suddenly said softly.

Lin An was taken aback.

Xu Xin looked at him for a while, his eyes intertwined, as if he had understood the other person's inner thoughts in an instant.He glanced at the simple two dishes and one soup on the table, and slowly, the smile hidden in his eyes reappeared quietly.

So two seconds later, Lin An heard the other party continue to say to him at the other end: "What's more...hasn't Mr. Lin heard a word called 'Love House and Crow'?"

Lin Ping'an was so focused on Xu Xin's evaluation of the food that he couldn't fully understand the implied meaning in the other party's words for a while, and when he turned the corner after a few seconds, his face flushed instantly again.

The other party's words were so ambiguous, explicit yet reserved, like a heat wave carrying wind and fire, completely covering the person.

Lin An was holding the bowl, driven by this pressure, he didn't even dare to lift his head for a while.

Xu Xin saw his reactions one by one, smiled and stopped teasing him, and only said softly: "Okay, eat quickly."

The two of them stopped talking for a while, and the spoons and chopsticks were alternating, and the food on the table was wiped out in a short while. Xu Xin seemed to have a good appetite, and he didn't see the lethargy and tastelessness that patients should have. After eating the dishes, I drank two more bowls of soup.

Twenty or ten minutes later, the two of them crowded together again in front of the kitchen counter. The water rushed over Lin An's hands, washing away the dazzling white foam, and Xu Xin remained silent. Standing beside him, watching without saying a word.

"What time do you have class tomorrow?" I don't know how long it took before I suddenly asked.

Lin An's hands paused, and he turned to look at him.

Xu Xin smiled at him, "There is something wrong with the home of the counselor who was originally scheduled for the Nursery Cup." Frowning slightly, he asked again, "Didn't Chen Jianliang talk to you on the phone?"

Lin An nodded quickly, "Say it."

Xu Xin smiled: "That's good." He paused for a while, "Xu Yuan thought that she could miss one day of class, so she was very happy, and threatened that unless she brought you back to City C, she would be regarded as the Jade Emperor." Go ask her, she will never step into the training class."

Lin An's hand hanging under the faucet was completely motionless.

Xu Xin's words confirmed his previous guess about the origin of Chen Jianliang's phone call. For a while, the text message sent by the other party asking about the train number was also associated with it.But for some reason, after realizing this, his eyes gradually became a little disappointed and dim.

It turned out to be for Xu Yuan.

"That's why I would like to thank Teacher Lin... for being willing to help me today."

Lin Anne moved her frozen hands, and said softly with a little shame and embarrassment: "No...no need, if the school needs it, I...I..."

However, before he finished speaking, the other party suddenly made a move.

Xu Xin looked at his lowered gaze, and suddenly raised his hand to turn off the water source that was no longer necessary for him to continue washing, and continued in a low voice: "I haven't finished yet."

Lin An gently put down the bowl, and when the tiles collided, there was a soft "ding".

"……kindness."

Xu Xin looked at the bowl that had been put down, then turned his gaze back to the other side's slightly lowered side face, and continued: "But Xu Yuan's request can only be regarded as an excuse at best."

Lin An's hand that hadn't been wiped off shook, and the drops of water that were hanging precariously on the backs of his fingers completely slipped from his fingertips, as if he couldn't resist the temptation of the abyss anymore.

Xu Xin's hoarse voice sounded again from beside him, "Because the one who really wants you back is actually me."

Lin An turned his head.

Xu Xin caught his gaze and said after a while: "I'm really happy that you came to see me, I don't have to lie to you, but I have to admit that there is another thing that makes me happier. "

He said with a slight smile, "Do you know what it is?"

Lin An's throat rolled.

"Today is number four." Xu Xin looked at him, "I'm very happy, you saw me, not her."

Lin An was taken aback, and under the smiling and eager gaze of the other party, he almost immediately realized what Xu Xin meant by "she".

His eyes flashed, and for a moment, he felt absurd that he had unintentionally collaborated with the other party to complete a certain perfect plan.But he could not deny that what lurks behind this absurdity is not panic or pain, but some kind of indescribable joy, even a sense of relief.

When Xu Xin said this, he stopped at the right time, and after a little smile, he took a step back indistinctly, and his tone returned to the previous leisurely and casual tone, "Mr. Lin hasn't answered my question yet."

Lin An only looked at him.

Xu Xin raised an eyebrow, "What time is class tomorrow?"

Lin An still looked at him, "Eight o'clock..."

"when will it finish?"

Lin An thought about Chen Jianliang's explanation on the phone in the morning, and replied, "Three o'clock in the afternoon..."

Xu Xin smiled, "Okay." After a pause, he said, "Then tomorrow at three o'clock in the afternoon, I will wait for you at the gate of Cuifangyuan?"

Lin An was taken aback by the sudden agreement, but he didn't refuse. He blushed and lowered his eyes, looked at the dishes in the sink that hadn't been cleared in time, and nodded slightly.

Xu Xin smiled with satisfaction, looked down at the time, it was almost 16:[-].

He took the clean towel that was put aside, then suddenly stretched out his hand, wrapped Lin An's wet hands gently, and rubbed them dry.

The warm touch came through the soft fabric, and Lin An froze all over. He fixedly looked at Xu Xin who was drooping his head and earnestly wiped the water stains for himself. The illusion in the dormitory area of ​​Lian No. [-] Factory.

After a while, Xu Xin let go of his hand, put the towel back to its original position, and then said softly to the other party: "You have worked hard today, and I will do the rest." Said: "It's getting late, you just came from home, have you packed your luggage?"

Lin An shook his head.

Xu Xin smiled, pondered for a while and continued: "Well, there is class tomorrow, do you have to prepare for it?" He joked: "After all, students like Xu Yuan are not easy to deal with."

Lin An's nervousness was slightly dispelled by these words, and he couldn't help but also smiled when he thought of Xu Yuan's "tricky" appearance with dancing teeth and claws.Then nodded.

After laughing, the two suddenly fell silent again.After a while, I heard Xu Xin sigh reluctantly: "Go back early." After a pause, he said: "I'll see you off."

Lin An didn't say a word, and still stayed where he was, until he heard Xu Xin teasingly ask him: "Or do you think Mr. Lin wants to stay with me more tonight?" Then he blushed and hurriedly Get out of the kitchen.

Not long after, the two left Xu Xin's apartment and went downstairs.

Cuifangyuan was not far away, so the two of them seemed to have a tacit understanding, and agreed to the simplest but most laborious way of returning—walking.

When walking all the way back along the street, Xu Xin would softly introduce the various shops or scenery along the way to the other party from time to time. Lin An was worried about his voice and wanted to stop him, but was repeatedly stopped by the other party's eyes.