It was late at night, and the big clock in the city center struck a low and melodious eleven.
A few of the stars-like lights in the distance were extinguished from time to time, and then mostly dimmed one after another.
The whole city once again fell into a silent sleep.
"I really should go."
Minnie's fingertips gently brushed the hickey on the lower part of Li Mengnan's neck, and pulled the collar to cover it carefully, her movements as gentle as a little wife tidying up her husband's clothes before going out.
"It's just the room across the street, so there's no need to create such an atmosphere as if you're going on a long trip, right?"
Li Mengnan smiled and subconsciously touched his back, which was still a little hot.
He had noticed when he was at the KTV before that although Minnie looked arrogant and cool on the outside, she was actually a very wild girl in her heart, which was also known as the legendary "speech but body integrity" physique.
Perhaps even Minnie herself doesn't realize that her body's reaction actually represents her true nature, and her so-called reason is the culprit that has been suppressing her nature.
Of course, it doesn't mean that her nature is so wild, maybe she is just more proactive in some aspects, but the long-term accumulated depression is suddenly released in a short period of time, and a weak candlelight is enough to set off a huge flame.
"I really have to leave..."
Minnie didn't know why she didn't move her steps, but instead repeated these completely nutritious words again.
But she had a vague feeling that once she really turned around and left, her relationship with Li Mengnan would never return to what it was now.
Should you turn around without hesitation and continue to search for your ideal Mr. Right? Or should you follow your inner feelings at this moment and start a real ordinary love that belongs to you?
She still couldn't make a choice, so she subconsciously set her sights on Li Mengnan.
"You're so close, you don't need me to see you off, right?" Li Mengnan smiled as if he didn't notice.
"You...don't have anything else to say?" Minnie couldn't help biting her lower lip.
Say it, say you like me, say let me be your girlfriend... maybe I will still hesitate, still be embarrassed, still not know what is right or wrong, but at least I don't have to choose anymore.
The gap between ideal and reality is always very wide. The gentle and romantic young master in the illusion seems to have been knocked back to his original form of incomprehensible and charming hanging silk with the disappearance of the magic. Li Mengnan seems to not understand her hint at all, and just looks confused.
looked at her.
"Then... forget it, I'm leaving."
Minnie turned around with a lonely expression, and her heart suddenly felt as if a large piece of it had been hollowed out by something.
It's strange. There is obviously no right or wrong between the two choices, so why do I suddenly feel so sad? Chao Qin Muchu, am I really still too greedy?
Taking a deep breath in the cool night breeze, Minnie forcibly dispelled the sadness in her heart and showed her sweetest smile to Li Mengnan again.
This may be the best ending... Since you can't completely give your heart to him, then just continue to be a familiar stranger.
Minnie opened her arms, intending to end this short but infinitely beautiful night with a hug. Unexpectedly, the key sounded suddenly at the courtyard door. A moment later, Xiao Hui, who was tired of traveling, pushed the door in from the outside.
"Huh? Xiaonan, Nier, why are you two here?"
Xiao Hui was obviously a little surprised when she saw the two people in the courtyard.
"Oh, I couldn't sleep. I came out for some air and happened to meet him." Minnie quickly raised her open arms upwards, pretending to stretch.
"Oh, I thought you two were waiting for me in the courtyard."
Probably because the relationship between the two was nominally brother and sister, Xiao Hui didn't think about it being more complicated. It was just Minnie's uncharacteristic attitude toward Li Mengnan at the moment that made her a little confused.
However, it is what she has always hoped for that her parents and adopted children can live in harmony, and she can only feel gratified by this.
Minnie stepped forward and took several plastic bags from Xiao Hui's hand, closed the courtyard door and asked, "Mom, why did you come back so early today?"
In the past, Xiao Hui would close her stall at 11:30, and she would usually arrive home around 12:00. If it rained unexpectedly, it might be even later.
"I'm happy today, so I picked it up a little early."
In fact, even if it goes without saying, Xiao Hui's happiness is clearly written on her face.
"Are all the stews sold out today?" Minnie asked tentatively.
The last time my mother was so happy was when she unexpectedly received a donation of 100,000 yuan. However, it is impossible to take advantage of someone like Li Mengnan every day. Meeting one in a lifetime is like buying a lottery ticket, so she could only get one.
What I think is the most reliable guess.
Xiao Hui smiled and shook her head.
"Mom, don't you think...you also have a child who wants to come to our house?"
Apart from that windfall, Minnie remembers that the happiest time for her mother was only the few days when she learned that Li Mengnan was coming to visit her home.
"You kid! Where did you get so many kids? There are only three of you!" Xiao Hui glared at her pretending to be angry.
Minnie was relieved now. Li Mengnan alone had caused so many messy things. If there was one more person in the family, she really couldn't imagine what the future would be like.
Li Mengnan moved the small liquefied gas tank from the cart at the door into the kitchen. After returning, he interrupted: "It should be something related to Bao'er, right?"
Xiao Hui nodded in surprise and said: "Xiaonan is still smart! When I was out at the stall in the evening, I met a regular customer who often came to my place to eat stewed rice. He worked in the government's demolition office... He told me
I heard the news that the city government has changed its leadership this year and made some changes to the original city plan. It wants to build a new large-scale commercial circle similar to a pedestrian street, and the location chosen is in our area."
"In other words, our place is going to be demolished?"
For many years, they have watched many newer houses around them being demolished and replaced by modern residential areas with high-rise buildings. However, their shanty town, which was supposed to be in a good location, has not seen any movement. Many people have even moved there.
Having given up the idea of relocation, she didn’t even think that she could wait until the day when the house collapsed naturally and get a new house.
Now that she suddenly heard the long-awaited good news, Minnie could hardly believe her ears.
"Yes, and I asked about it, because this time it is a commercial area to be built, and the demolition compensation provided by the government is very high... If the land belongs to your own family, the demolition compensation per square meter is 10,000 yuan, or in a commercial area
After the area is built, it will be replaced with retail houses of the same area; if there are still houses on the land, an additional compensation of 3,000 yuan per square meter will be given based on the room area, or it will be replaced with a residence of the same area."
"Wait, let me do the math."
Minnie was shocked and quickly took out her mobile phone to open the calculator function, and quickly typed in rows of numbers according to the price her mother said.
"The length of our yard is about fifteen meters long and ten meters wide, which is 150 square meters. Calculated at 10,000 yuan per square meter, it is 1.5 million.
There are three bungalows with a total area of about 100 square meters. According to the compensation amount of 3,000 per square meter, it is 300,000.
In other words, when the demolition compensation is paid, our family will have 1.3 million?"
One moment she was still worried about her daily livelihood, and the next moment she suddenly realized that she had become a millionaire. Happiness came too suddenly, and Minnie suddenly felt a little dizzy in her head.
"Li Mengnan, tell me, these are all true..."
Minnie suddenly grabbed Li Mengnan's arm tightly, with a very complicated expression on her face, with anticipation but a hint of worry hidden in it.
"Ah?" Li Mengnan was stunned for a moment before he realized. Minnie was suspecting that she was still in the illusion and hadn't woken up, so she heard such good news. She couldn't help but feel a little funny. She shook her head and said, "This is not a hallucination. What you heard
It’s all true.”
"Great! This way, Bao'er can be saved! Our family also has a new house to live in!"
Minnie seemed to be going crazy, hugging Xiao Hui and crying and laughing at the same time. Xiao Hui also knew how much pressure Minnie had accumulated for this family, so she neither comforted nor stopped her, but just let her go with a smile.
Expressing his anger.
Not long after, Xiao Baoer in the room was also awakened by Minnie's voice outside, and walked out of the room in a daze. Minnie couldn't wait to share the good news with her, and the two sisters hugged each other and cried again.
As a new outsider who joined the family, Li Mengnan sympathized with and understood the difficulties of the Xiao family, mother and daughter, relying on each other over the years, but in the end he still could not empathize with them. However, despite this, he still felt sincerely for the turning point in the fate of his family.
feel happy.
"Okay, look, you two are turning into little lunatics... Go to bed early, I guess the news will come here tomorrow, and then everyone will set off firecrackers, and you two won't be able to sleep in like you used to.
Already."
Xiao Hui smiled and stretched out her hand, gently scratching the tips of Minnie and Xiao Baoer's noses respectively.
Just when the mother and daughter of the Xiao family were about to go back to the house, a dog barked from nowhere, followed by a drunken man banging on the door and yelling curses.
"Hurry up and open the door for me! You little bitch is stealing someone in the house? Your mother is just a slut, and you are not a good thing either! Ononaiko, who has grown so big just in junior high school, still says that she is not being rubbed by a man.
from?"
Although this man's voice was very popular, his drunken tone was very familiar. Li Mengnan remembered that he had heard it at noon. It was said that he was the father of Qingche, that little lolita.
Well, he's his biological father, not his stepfather.
Li Mengnan felt that it was necessary to emphasize this point again, otherwise when he heard this voice, he would always have the criminal impulse to follow behind him secretly, put on a sack and shoot black bricks.
Seeing Minnie's dark face as if she was about to have an attack, Xiao Hui quickly grabbed her, shook her head and said: "Forget it, it's not the first day this kind of thing has happened. I'm not going to do it by arguing with a drunkard. I'll just persuade him to leave."
After saying that, Xiao Hui walked to the courtyard gate and shouted through the gate: "Pizi, are you drunk again? Your house still has to walk two more doors! Hurry up! It's late at night, don't
It woke up all the neighbors!”
It was quiet for an instant outside the courtyard gate, as if the drunkard was carefully identifying him. A minute or two later, just when Li Mengnan almost thought he had left, he heard a curse outside the door: "Fuck! He's leaving again."
Wrong! This dilapidated road is a waste of time and energy, and you don’t even know how to put a light on it..."
The nagging curses quickly faded away along with the stumbling footsteps, and not long after, the same curses were heard again in the distance.
There was another burst of excitement.
Seeing that Li Mengnan was looking in the direction of the door with his brows furrowed, Minnie walked over and gave him a subtle tug, shaking her head and saying, "Ignore that drunkard, he is always like this, we are almost used to it."
"Isn't there anyone in charge?" Li Mengnan didn't believe that the surrounding residents could tolerate such a neighbor for a long time.
"Good porcelain has never touched a rotten earthen pot! That man's name is Qing Pei, but people who know him secretly call him Qing Pei... This man is just a piece of shit. If he thinks you are weak and can be bullied, he will dare to block you.
He scolds you at the door of your house all day long. If you give him a hard blow, he might give you a smile, puncture your car tires and throw shit at you, or he can do all kinds of disgusting things!
And even if you were caught, it would be useless. This kind of trivial matter is not even worthy of criminal detention. You can just give him a few words of education and write a guarantee letter, and you will be released. You will have to do whatever you want to do later.
There used to be several good families in the neighborhood, but he was forced to move in this way, which meant that because my family had some friendship with his family, he had to call my mother sister-in-law to be more polite to our family."
Minnie couldn't help but sigh. Apart from this small courtyard, this was probably the only benefit left by her bastard father to the three of them.
Seeing the disapproval on Li Mengnan's face, Minnie thought he was unconvinced and quickly reminded: "If you see him in the future, stay away from him. You can't afford to compete with such a person. Don't make it difficult for our mother."
"Hey? I seemed to have heard something just now...our mother?" Li Mengnan stared at Minnie with a half-smile. This was the first time she called her that.
Although the difference is only one word, the meaning is extraordinary.
"I...hum, this mother is not that mother, what are you proud of?"
Only then did Minnie realize that she had changed her words unintentionally. Although she knew she didn't mean it that way and was just acknowledging Li Mengnan's status as a formal member of the family, this ambiguous title still made her blush.
"Okay, okay, I promise you, I won't provoke him." Li Mengnan smiled and raised three fingers to Minnie as a promise, and secretly added in his heart - as long as this guy doesn't provoke me.
Evil people still need to be punished by evil people.
Perhaps in the eyes of many people, Li Mengnan is a good person who has no integrity, but in fact it is the opposite. He prefers to classify himself into a group of bad guys, so that he is the one who seems to have more integrity among the bad guys.
Although there may not sound much difference between the two, from a psychological point of view, people are more likely to accept a bad person with bright spots than a good person with stains.
The reason why good people always lose to bad people is because no matter what good people do, they will be criticized from all aspects and restricted by various restrictions, while bad people can do anything without restraint.
It's like two boxers in the ring. One was blindfolded and his hands and feet were trapped before he even got on the stage. The other was not only armed to the teeth, but also bribed the referee. He could do anything from eye-locks to throat-tickling.
, it would be really damning if the former could win.
But if you classify yourself into the bad guys, you don't have this scruple.
When facing bad guys, we are all on the same starting line. If you can use "Monkey Stealing Peach", I can use "Chrysanthemum Acupoint Pointer"; against good guys, it is just like playing a game to cheat, with a rhythm of beating.
.
Poor mountains and rivers breed unruly people, and people like Qing Pei, when Li Mengnan was still following the old man, which nearby village didn't have that few households?
He is simply too experienced in dealing with this kind of people. A random "ghost on the wall" can scare these guys out. If he suddenly plays on a whim and causes a few supernatural events, he can teach them to be a new person in minutes.
.
Therefore, what Minnie should really worry about is not him, but the drunkard named Qingpei.
After the brief farce, the night returned to silence.
As the excited whispers of the mother and daughter could be faintly heard from the opposite room, Li Mengnan hugged the quilt and fell asleep deeply.
…
Unless they create their own dreams, it is difficult for an illusionist to dream naturally.
The biggest advantage of not dreaming is that the quality of sleep is very high. Even if Li Mengnan does not need self-hypnosis, he can enter a deep sleep state in a short period of time.
Therefore, no matter how late he sleeps, he wakes up on time every day.
Every morning, a light or thick layer of smog hangs over the city. The air is far less fresh than in the small villages in Mongolia Province. This makes Li Mengnan, who is used to morning exercises, quite uncomfortable.
However, the crowing of cocks and the barking of dogs in this shanty town in the morning gave him an inexplicable sense of intimacy, and he more or less regained some of his previous feelings.
Last night, the mother and daughter of the Xiao family slept in the same room. At this moment, the room was quiet. It was obvious that the three of them had been thinking about the good news of the demolition very late.
Li Mengnan simply did a few yoga-like jujitsu movements in the yard to stretch his muscles. He turned around and walked into the kitchen to find something to eat to lighten his stomach, but found nothing. Apparently he had eaten enough for dinner yesterday.
Standing in front of the kitchen stove, looking at the empty bottom of the pot, Li Mengnan suddenly realized that in just a few days, he had been made a little inert by the Xiao family's mother and daughter - in the past, the first thing he did after getting up was
The thing is to cook, instead of looking for ready-made food in your own food bowl like a kitten or puppy.
Li Mengnan decided to make breakfast to prove that he was not just a freeloader.
But he quickly gave up this idea.
The reason is simple - he doesn't know the way to the vegetable market.
After all, this is not the village he lived in back then. If you run out of food, you can just go dig some radishes, potatoes, and pick some cucumbers and beans in the fields. If you want to make tooth sacrifices, you can even fish and smoke rabbits.
In the urban jungle of steel and concrete, there are only human beings. He can't tie up a living person and bring him back to mince meat?