It is easy to erase the past, but it is difficult to avoid the future. - Oscar Wilde
——
The sound of the key turning in the keyhole sounded, and Xiaochuan suddenly let out a long breath.
Maybe it was because he was anxious that he was in a hurry. The key was turned in the keyhole for a long time before the door was opened. As soon as Ruochu opened the door, he saw Xiaochuan who was bent over and sitting on the sofa smoking, "I'm sorry, Daddy, I
My phone is set to vibrate and I haven't heard your call yet. I'm really sorry..." Ruochu explained while changing his shoes.
Xiaochuan did not speak, nor did he raise his head to look at her. After Ruochu had changed her shoes, she felt that the atmosphere was not right. The smell of cigarette smoke in the room made her choke and cough, and then she stood at the door and was at a loss for a moment.
"Rousseau invited me to watch the drama club's performance. I didn't expect it to be so late and make you worried, cough." Ruochu calmed down and said softly. Along the way, she kept urging the taxi driver to go faster and faster, so many
Daddy must have been anxious when she didn't answer the call. Alas, because her head was so hot for a while, she forgot to call back first to report that she was safe, and just prepared herself mentally for being criticized by her daddy.
Xiaochuan still didn't speak, still smoking attentively. Ruochu stood for a moment, feeling a little aggrieved. She just forgot to call back. Daddy wouldn't be so stingy and ignore her, and what happened with Rousseau before.
, she hasn’t cleared her mind yet, and besides, she hasn’t recovered from her illness, her throat hurts again, and her whole body is losing strength. After thinking about it, since her father ignored her, she lowered her head and wanted to go back to her through the living room.
Go to room.
"Have you had dinner?" Xiaochuan said suddenly when Ruochu passed by the sofa. As he said this, he put out half the cigarette in his hand, stood up and opened all the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room, letting in the cool night wind.
Come on, the sudden change in the air made Ruochu cough a few more times unconsciously.
"Well, I ate it at school." Ruochu said weakly.
"Then go take the medicine. It's ready at the dining table. Take the medicine and go to bed early." There was no emotional change in Xiaochuan's voice. If Ruochu didn't say anything, maybe his father didn't want to talk to her now, but he
It can also remind her to take medicine, which can give her some psychological comfort. After all, it is not so bad.
She walked to the dining room silently, wanting to pour herself a glass of water and take medicine. Suddenly she saw a table of food neatly placed there without moving. Ruochu suddenly felt a sour feeling in her heart. She took a few steps back to the living room.
"Daddy, I'm hungry again, can you eat something with me?"
Xiaochuan was standing in front of the window and didn't know what he was thinking. Ruochu suddenly came back and made such a request. Obviously, he didn't expect it. He looked back at Ruochu and said, "Well, wait, I'll go get it."
The food is hot.”
"No, I'll heat it up. Daddy, wait for me. It'll be ready soon." Ruochu threw away his bag and rushed to the kitchen. When he opened the microwave, his nose felt sour. How could things be like this? What was wrong?
What? She couldn't explain why Rousseau and Daddy suddenly seemed not to be the two people she knew before.
"Daddy, let's eat." Ruochu heated up the food quickly and forced a smile to tell Xiaochuan to eat.
Xiaochuan nodded and didn't say anything when he came to the dining table. He picked up the bowl and started eating. He couldn't even eat anything.
Ruochu reluctantly took two mouthfuls of rice. She was not actually hungry. She just realized that Xiaochuan deliberately said that to accompany Xiaochuan to eat after she had not even eaten dinner. "Daddy, actually, you don't have to wait for me.
You have to eat first." Ruochu said cautiously.
Xiaochuan's chopsticks paused in mid-air for about 0.1 seconds and continued to its destination, a plate with vegetarian dishes. "Yeah." Xiaochuan agreed softly and said nothing else.
Ruochu bit his lip and stirred around in his bowl with a pair of chopsticks.
Xiaochuan suddenly put down his chopsticks and looked up at her for the first time since returning from Ruochu, "Ruoruo."
"Ah?" Ruochu thought Xiaochuan would ignore her, so he hurriedly raised his head and agreed.
"If you can't take it, you don't have to accompany me. Take the medicine and go to bed early." Xiaochuan's voice was calm and did not mean to be harsh.
Ruochu's tears began to well up in his eyes again.
"Daddy, are you blaming me?" A pair of big eyes looked at Xiaochuan timidly.
"Alas." Xiaochuan sighed softly, and casually took out two napkins and handed them to Ruochu. He hadn't seen this child for a day, so why did he look worse than when he was sick before? She didn't pay attention when she came back. Now look at her mood.
He was depressed, his complexion was sallow, and he looked weak. Did something happen at school? Logically speaking, he should be happy to come back from watching a performance with Rousseau.
"I'm not blaming you, I'm blaming myself. I'm overreacting. Your parents handed you over to me, so I can't let you make any mistakes. It's the same problem as last time. I always forget about you.
I am an adult now, and I know that nothing will necessarily happen, but I can’t help but keep calling you, always thinking about the worst, and torturing myself like this. I don’t want to, I don’t want to give you anything.
I don't want you to feel pressured, but maybe I haven't learned how to get along with you yet, so I..."
Xiaochuan talked a lot in one breath, which was a bit incoherent. You can imagine what kind of torture he went through during the period when Ruochu didn't answer the phone. On the one hand, he couldn't control his worries, and on the other hand, he kept telling himself that he was neurotic.
, such constant calling would make Ruochu feel disgusted, and he even began to suspect that Ruochu deliberately refused to answer the phone because he hated his control. In short, he thought about various possibilities, and he felt that he was going to be mentally exhausted.
Split.
He initially attributed his panic to Qin Bei's entrustment.
Later he discovered that this seemed to have nothing to do with Qin Bei's entrustment or his supervision of Ruochu. He was purely worried about this person. He suddenly realized that without Ruochu, he didn't know what to do next?
And Ruochu is just a child, she should rely on him. This is not normal, absolutely not normal. If he worries too much like this, not only will Ruochu be tired, but he himself will also bear a heavy burden. If that happens,
It would be better not to agree to Ruochu's request to come and live with him in the first place and to stay out of sight.
But how could he regard Ruochu as a burden? Xiaochuan was ashamed of his thought. The fact was that Ruochu had never been a burden to him. On the contrary, she brought him a lot of comfort and happiness. Waiting for Ruochu
During this period of time, his eyes never left the hand-painted wall. It was completed by the father and daughter together. Every time Xiaochuan passed by it, he couldn't help but take a look or two. It would make him remember
Remember that happy night.
She stirred up his withered heart, she rejuvenated it and brought it back to life.
Who would have thought that after experiencing so many ups and downs and ups and downs in the world, he could put down so many annoying things and draw and paint on a wall with peace of mind. Happiness is simple, but it requires
Someone comes to guide him, and if she was the one who led him out of the shadows, in a sense, she saved him. Maybe it was not complete, maybe not completely, but she at least cleared his entire hazy sky.
A gap was opened, allowing more or less sunlight to shine in, even if it was just a tiny bit.
What if he is dependent on this feeling of being led by her, if he is looking forward to every minute with her, if he is not used to not having her in front of him, then what should he do?
Fortunately, Xiaochuan didn't think so much, or subconsciously refused to think so much. In short, he was very conflicted about Ruochu, but he also made a determination to give her more freedom in the future, and to get used to not being in her way.
Pulling emotions, she has her parents and even her future husband to worry about. It is not his turn yet. She is just a passer-by in his life, and it is a very short one. This is already doomed, and he must understand
at this point.
"Daddy, thank you, thank you." Ruochu gently placed his hands on Xiaochuan's hand on the dining table, and Xiaochuan's arm froze slightly.
He looked at Ruochu and saw the purity and pure gratitude in Ruochu's eyes, and there was even something strange that he couldn't describe.
Xiaochuan smiled awkwardly, "Thank you for what?"
"Daddy, if it weren't for you, I don't know if I could grow up as healthily as many people do..." Ruochu paused, withdrew his hand, and looked down at the untouched things on the table.
"When I was a child, even though my mother always told me that I had a father, every time the children mentioned their father or were picked up by their father, I always thought of you. Because of you, I believe I am also like everyone else.
Same, I don’t lack anything..."
"Ruoruo..."
"Daddy, can you promise me something?"
"I promise you."
"Stop smoking so many cigarettes, five cigarettes, five cigarettes a day, okay?"
"..."
"Seven roots?"
"I promise you, starting from tomorrow, I won't smoke a cigarette."
"Thank you, Daddy."
"Thank you."
"Isn't it strange that we are so grateful? Ruochu suddenly made a face, and Xiaochuan burst into laughter.
"Ruoruo, did something happen at school today?" Even though the incident had passed, Xiaochuan had to take into account Ruochu's emotions when he came back.
"No, it's okay." Ruochu's face suddenly turned red, and he lowered his head and said nothing.
Seeing Ruochu's appearance, Xiaochuan strengthened his idea. He was invited by Rousseau to watch the performance. It was strange when he came back. Now it is so abnormal. It seems that it must have something to do with Rousseau. Rousseau is quite good. If
, and Ruochu's words were very suitable. Xiaochuan couldn't help but think of this level, but he didn't feel very happy in his heart.
"Okay, I won't ask anymore. Ruoruo, there is one thing I hope you won't misunderstand. You should go home and live on the weekend, okay?" Xiaochuan considered his words.
"Yeah, I understand, Daddy."
"Okay, don't force yourself to eat for me. Go take medicine. I'll take care of things here. Be good."