That night, it rained silently in City C, and there was a faint sound of thunder.

There was a very faint smell on Shao Zhan's bed, like lingering mint. Xu Sheng sent Shao Zhan a message before going to bed, and then he was embraced by this smell and had a dream that night.

He dreamed of the rainstorm a year ago.

For so many years, Xu Sheng and Xu Yaping had only quarreled about painting. Even if it was a quarrel, Xu Sheng would coax her in his own way afterward. How ruthless the teenagers were when they quarreled, kneeling on one knee and handing over flowers. As gentle as he looks, he secretly hides the thorns all over his body, and finally sighs, yielding to Xu Yaping's "expectation" and "control".

Xu Yaping actually didn't dare cry in front of Xu Sheng, she had to get used to it, but the moment the bunch of flowers appeared in front of her, all the pressure broke her reason: "Thank you, it's beautiful, Mom likes it very much."

No one is born to be a parent or a child. Concepts will inevitably collide, and not everything can find a quick and reasonable solution.

After Xu Sheng went to high school, she filled out the dormitory offer. Xu Yaping was busy with her work, and the education system of Linjiang No. 6 Middle School was closed management. Now, you have to learn to plan your own time.”

Xu Sheng joked: "I'm not at home, take care of yourself."

Xu Yaping smiled: "What did you say, am I your mother or are you my mother?"

The contact between the two has become less, in fact, it is also to reduce friction.

Therefore, Xu Yaping has always felt that her relationship with Xu Sheng is not bad. Apart from some problems with Xu Sheng's grades, there are also... problems in painting.

Xu Sheng's dream was very illogical. The time line began to reverse from the bouquet of flowers, and finally stopped at the pouring rain outside the window and a thunder that fell from the distant sky.

Lightning flashed, and a ray of light that brightened into the day broke out in the dark night, as if to split the sky in half.

That day, he locked everything related to painting in the warehouse. The key was not willing to throw it away. It was hung on the black rope and hidden in his chest. He lay on the bed, and a thought crossed his mind before going to bed: If there is a choice, he will Can not be Xu Sheng?

Shao Zhan also had a dream.

Maybe it's been too long since he called "Mom". He dreamed of the day his mother left.

Then dreamed of the police car and the rain.

Immediately afterwards, he seemed to hear a sentence, the sentence was indistinct, and the only thing he could tell was his own voice.

If there is a choice, can he not be Shao Zhan?

This was just a fleeting thought, and that thought quickly turned into another question: If Shao Zhan is not right, who can he become? What do you want to become?

Just like almost everyone would imagine a meaningless thought: Is there another me in the world, and if so, what kind of life is he living now?

Xu Sheng woke up the next day and found that it had rained last night. He scratched his hair. He couldn't remember the content of the dream clearly. Thinking back carefully, he seemed to hear thunder. He looked through the window and saw the wet street scene outside the window.

-Did you wake up?

-It rained last night.

After Xu Sheng sent a message to Shao Zhan, he went downstairs with an umbrella to buy breakfast. The nearest breakfast shop had a simple layout, and the atmosphere of the market was overwhelming. This point is the peak meal period, even if there are a few more tables and chairs outside, you still need to wait for a table.

Xu Sheng didn't feel bored waiting by the side. Just like when he was sketching, he needed to observe the scene. He used to use his eyes to capture the scene. The owner of the breakfast restaurant was a husband and wife, about fifty years old, with a simple appearance.

When the people at the table sitting outside paid the bills and left, Xu Sheng sat down and ordered: "Two buns, one serving of bean curd, thank you."

"Eight dollars."

After Xu Sheng paid, Shao Zhan just replied.

S: Got up.

Xu Sheng asked: Where is my mother?

S: She said she worked overtime on weekends and left early in the morning, leaving a note.

Xu Yaping often works overtime, which seems to be a good thing now. What she is afraid of is that she has been staying at home face to face with Shao Zhan, and it is easy to reveal her secrets.

Xu Sheng: That's good. If you want, you can go out for a walk. There are two exhibition halls nearby.

S came back with a screenshot, which was the screenshot of the chat interface between him and "self".

Xu Sheng: ?

S: You ran too fast yesterday to ask.

S: A note on when to change it.

The three-word note was changed by Xu Sheng himself, of course he remembered that the note was for himself before, but now that the identity has been changed, the subject of the note is inevitably a little ashamed of this note.

Xu Sheng overcame his shame and replied: Boyfriend, is there a problem?

S: No.

S: Xu is very self-conscious and deserves praise.

Shao Zhan occasionally makes a serious joke.

How could there be a problem? The only problem for the two of them now is that they want to use their identities to contact each other. Xu Sheng glanced at the time and found that the holiday had only passed for half a day.

Xu Sheng put down his mobile phone to eat breakfast in the middle of the chat. He didn't feel that something was wrong until later, a customer ordered the same meal as him, and that person was obviously a regular customer: "Ten yuan, the boss, I've calculated it for you, the whole thing. , don't bother you to look for it."

Xu Sheng looked down at his own, eight yuan, and an extra cup of soy milk.

Xu Sheng: Your auntie at the breakfast shop downstairs is very kind to you.

After Xu Sheng finished typing, she saw that the proprietress was bending over to clean the table, so she held the ladle in her hand and smiled at her. The proprietress knew that "Shao Zhan" was usually taciturn. Seeing the child take the initiative to say hello, he wiped his hands a little helplessly: "Is it alright to eat? Do you want to add more."

Xu Sheng: "No need, I'm full. The buns are delicious. Your cooking is much better than the breakfast shop outside the school."

In just a few words, the proprietress could not wait to give him a few more things.

Shao Zhan didn't know where he came to the conclusion.

S: What?

Xu Sheng: They give discounts and soy milk, don't you know?

Shao Zhan was sitting at the desk writing the papers. After reading the news for a while, he remembered what the lady boss of the breakfast restaurant looked like. He did go to that breakfast restaurant often, but he hardly said a few words, let alone anything. impression.

There are differences in the way people look at things. Shao Zhan is a pure rationalist.

Eating breakfast is really a small thing, but through Xu Sheng's eyes, he sees another side.

After eating, Xu Sheng plans to go back and do some homework. He is not familiar with this place, and there is nowhere for him to pass the time if he wants to play. It is better to go back to do his homework and make a video call with Shao Zhan.

Xu Sheng put his phone on the side casually, and no matter what angle he could only see half of the pen holder.

"Which paper are you writing?" Shao Zhan asked.

Xu Sheng had an earphone plugged into one ear, and the long earphone cable went around his hand: "Math."

"Why don't you like other subjects?" Shao Zhan asked suddenly.

Xu Sheng was stunned for a while, trying to say no reason.

Shao Zhan didn't miss any opportunity, and followed his instructions: "Sometimes, have you thought about subjects that you are more resistant to, but you just haven't found the right method for you."

Xu Sheng: "..." Why did it come again?

Shao Zhan: "Learning interest can be cultivated."

Xu Sheng: "Boyfriend, that's right. My internet is not very good."

Shao Zhan: "..."

Xu Sheng: "It's much better now. Change the subject and continue talking."

Xu Sheng confused Shao Zhan to laugh or cry. He finally sighed, thinking of mathematics, just mathematics, at least one class is up.

Xu Sheng was halfway through the question, and when Shao Zhan was flipping through the book to tell him the knowledge points of the second semester of high school in advance, the doorbell rang twice—

"Isn't there no one in your house?" Xu Sheng put down his pen, "Who is it?"

Shao Zhan is also unclear: "It may be express delivery."

Xu Sheng also felt that the possibility of express delivery was relatively high. He didn't think much about it. He took off his earphones and got up and went to open the door. As soon as the door opened, he just stared at the child standing outside the door.

The boy standing outside the door was almost as tall as his shoulders, with short shaved hair and big eyes.

Xu Sheng: "You..." The courier?

It doesn't look alike either.

Xu Sheng wanted to ask who you were, but in the next second he swallowed those words very rigorously, turning it into a vague question: "Do you have anything to do with me?"

The boy was obviously a little afraid of him, he hesitated for a few seconds before calling him timidly: "Cousin."

"Ah," Xu Sheng responded quickly, and responded with kindness, "Cousin."

It turned out to be cousin, but didn't hear Shao Zhan mention it, and there shouldn't be many exchanges in normal times.

He can still frighten a mere brat, it's not a big problem.

Thinking about it, Xu Sheng calmly glanced at the bedroom door that was hidden, and took the time to scold himself: Why didn't you bring your phone out.

This cousin simply felt that Shao Zhan was difficult to approach. He always looked cold and cold in his memory. He looked more terrifying than the teacher. He had heard of many legends of school bullies before, but his grades were so good. He also had close contact with Shao Zhan. But no matter how it develops, there is a sense of distance: "My mother asked me to ask you, did you eat or eat at our house at noon today, she deliberately stewed chicken and chicken soup."

It's still a stutter...

Xu Sheng didn't want to agree at first, one thing is worse than one thing less, but after the boy finished the last half of his sentence, he couldn't bear to reject the elder's kindness: "You wait a moment."

"What am I," Xu Sheng had to find an excuse to go back to the bedroom, "...I remembered that I have something for you."

Cousin: "?"

Xu Sheng went back to the bedroom, before the video call ended, he raised his hand and pulled the camera in and asked, "Your cousin came to you and said that your aunt cooked chicken soup for you specially, and your cousin stuttered when he spoke, none of this matters. , can I go?"

Shao Zhan obviously didn't expect this cousin.

The relationship between him and his cousin's family can't be said to be very close, but it is definitely not bad. There are occasional exchanges, and the relationship is maintained fairly harmoniously. During the vacation when his cousin just entered junior high school, he also helped him make up for a period of class.

Besides, it's not always good to refuse when people come to you: "Yes, just talk less, and they shouldn't ask too much."

Xu Sheng: "I think so too."

Xu Sheng simply wrote down the knowledge points: "What's your cousin's name?"

Shao Zhan: "Zhang Pengyu."

Zhang Pengyu waited in the living room for a few minutes. He really didn't expect that his cousin, who has never been very responsive to people, even prepared a gift for him.

Xu Sheng looked at the whole bedroom, and there was nothing that could be called a "gift". He was worried about how to end it. He saw a familiar set of "Question Library Daquan" in Shao Zhan's schoolbag, which he bought for him when he was chasing Shao Zhan. , and later Shao Zhan tried to let him do this set of questions.

So a few minutes later, Zhang Pengyu saw his cousin come out of the bedroom, and sincerely put the thick "Tiku Daquan" into his hand, holding his hand and greeting: "Pengyu, we haven't seen it for a while. meet."

Zhang Pengyu shook his hand.

Xu Sheng: "Actually, my cousin has always remembered you. Take a look at this set of questions, do you like it?"

Zhang Pengyu: "But this..."

The younger cousin's eyes fell on a line of small characters below "The Complete Questions Library": High School Edition.

This is a high school question!

There are no words that can't come back, Xu Sheng paused for a second and said, "Don't look at it as a high school question, what is important in learning is to cultivate the awareness of independent learning, previewing the content of high school in advance is very useful for you. help."

My cousin is a scholar.

What my cousin said was definitely right.

Although this "gift" was a bit unexpected, and it went straight to the next level, Zhang Pengyu was deeply moved, and even felt that the distance between him and his cousin... was getting closer.

Speaking of which, cousin today is indeed very cordial. Compared with before, always feel that it is different.

Xu Sheng originally had the mentality of having a meal in the past and coming back after eating, so he didn't take going to his cousin's house for dinner seriously.

Heart said that this task is very easy.

In fact, it was really easy. When Xu Sheng passed by noon, a woman opened the door. Her hair was curly and tied into a small bunch at the back of her head. She had a simple appearance with her face turned to the sky: "Here is Xiao Zhan."

Xu Sheng shouted, "Auntie."

Aunt Shao Zhan loves this child in her heart. After all, she has watched him grow up since she was a child, but Shao Zhan has closed her door too tightly in recent years.

He grew up very quickly in his own way. When he was not in class, he started to work part-time by himself. He also heard from the teacher that he began to study hard and fight all day long...

She could only call him over for dinner while she was on vacation and take care of him: "Just right, I just finished stewing this soup..."

Aunt Shao Zhan's cooking skills are good, and Xu Sheng drank two bowls of that pot of chicken soup.

Halfway through the second bowl, Xu Sheng was beating his belly, thinking about how to get away later, but Aunt Shao Zhan, who was across from the dining table, clenched the tissue in her hand, opened her mouth and said, "Actually, this time Auntie There is one more unkind request."

Xu Sheng: "?"

Aunt Shao Zhan: "Pengyu didn't do well in the final exam. When he was in junior high school, didn't you make up for him? He took the third grade in that semester. Thirty-eight... Aunt is also illiterate, can you help him make up lessons?"

Xu Sheng wondered if he had heard it wrong.

Make up what.

Make-up lessons?

No matter how the aunt started, she gave him the whole proposition.