Evolution Beyond the Stars Volume 1 The Beginning of Eden o11o7 Firecrackers Xu Kai and Lao Xu searched for several blocks before they found a B&B nestled on the mountainside.
The owners of the B&B are a retired couple. They didn't expect anyone to come stay during this big holiday, but seeing that they had nowhere to go, they kindly took them in.
After nightfall, Lao Xu was still busy. His mission on this trip was very heavy. Not only did he have to run around every day, but he also had to carry out the tasks assigned to him by You Gege in different periods of time.
So Lao Xu didn't talk much to his father Xu Kai along the way.
Xu Kai doesn't talk much. Most of his interactions are about daily matters, and he rarely talks about their past.
But that's okay, the father and son have a tacit understanding and don't want to expose each other's wounds at this time.
At around 7 o'clock in the evening, the old man of the hostel knocked on the door and said, "Hey, Xiao Xu, are you in the house?"
Xu Kai is sitting at the door sharpening his knife. He is a veteran. He was imprisoned for making mistakes a few years ago. He was just released recently, but the vigilance is still there.
Putting away the knife calmly, Xu Kai said: "Ah, here it is."
After saying that, he opened the door and saw the old man smiling outside the door and asked: "You two haven't eaten yet, have you?"
Xu Kai wanted to say no, but as he spoke, he looked back at Lao Xu.
Lao Xu was in the bedroom, but he could still see the entrance. He looked up, then lowered his head and continued working on himself.
"Uh... I've eaten."
The old man was stunned: "Hey? It's so early! What are you eating? It's such a big holiday? Why don't you have a drink together?"
Xu Kai smiled and declined: "Thank you, we have really eaten, so I won't disturb you anymore."
The old man was a little embarrassed, but he couldn't force it.
"Hey, my daughter is out of town and won't come back. It's rare that there are people here today during the Chinese New Year. I originally wanted to be lively and lively, hehe... Well, I won't disturb your rest," the uncle said.
Just left.
But just as he turned around, Lao Xu came out of the house: "I'm not full."
Xu Kai was startled, and so was the old man, but the old man immediately became happy: "Hey, that's just right, let's have a New Year's Eve dinner together!"
…
The four of them took their seats and exchanged glasses. Although there were few people at this New Year's Eve dinner, it was very lively.
Xu Kai, who usually talks little, opened up his chatterbox after learning that the old man was also a soldier.
Lao Xu stayed with me, helped wash the dishes after dinner, and then watched the Spring Festival Gala with her mother-in-law in the living room.
When Faye Wong and Eason Chan sang "Because of Love", Lao Xu looked at the screen blankly, tears falling involuntarily.
The mother-in-law was peeling oranges with a smile. When she saw Laoxu crying, she couldn't help but asked with concern: "What's wrong, baby? Why are you crying all of a sudden?"
Lao Xu came back to his senses and hurriedly wiped away his tears. He was not usually a sentimental person...but sometimes he couldn't help but fall in love with the scene...
"It's okay, I just feel a little homesick."
The mother-in-law heard this and said, "Son, where is your hometown?"
"From Xuzhou."
"Xuzhou? After all, we are still from the same hometown." My mother-in-law was very surprised.
Lao Xu had already noticed that the accents of this couple were not from the locals, but he didn't expect them to be so close.
"My mother-in-law is also from Xuzhou?"
"From Suqian."
"Oh... that's still very close."
"Yes, your grandfather and I left our hometown thirty years ago and came here, and we have basically never been back since then. But after all, we are not here at all. After thirty years, I still feel that the voices of people in my hometown sound friendly.
"My mother-in-law smiled and took Lao Xu's hand and said, "My child, it's normal for people to be homesick when they're wandering outside, but it's mostly because of helplessness. If you feel sad about something, you might as well say it. My mother-in-law is just someone you encounter along the way.
When a guest arrives, if you leave your story here, you will feel better."
My mother-in-law's voice is very gentle.
Lao Xu was moved when he heard it, but...he couldn't tell his story.
So he told a lie... and turned the unforgettable things into unforgettable ones...
That night, my mother-in-law listened quietly to Lao Xu's story.
It wasn't until the New Year's bell rang and the sound of firecrackers came from all around that Laoxu stopped.
Originally it was the old man who set off firecrackers at this time every year, but today he was drunk and it was Xu Kai who set off the firecrackers.
When Xu Kai and Lao Xu went out with firecrackers.
Xu Kai smiled and said: "Bottle cap, do you still remember that when you were a child, you had to set off the firecrackers yourself, but when you ran away, the firecrackers got stuck and the tooth bucket got stuck. You cried at that time."
Lao Xu also laughed after hearing this: "You're so embarrassed. I'm crying like that, but you still rush me with candy and other things! I'll always remember this!"
Xu Kai laughed and lit the firecrackers.
Hearing a series of crackling sounds, the two men hurried back to the house.
Lao Xu hurriedly wanted to close the door, but he found that Xu Kai had fallen down and was getting up now, so he hurriedly came out again and said with a smile: "Look, you are still laughing at me! Don't you also..."
Before he finished speaking, Xu Kai shouted at the top of his lungs: "Let's go!!! Let's go!!!!"
His mouth was full of blood, but it wasn't because he touched his teeth.
Lao Xu was stunned.
His body remained motionless.
And there were some strange sounds mixed into the firecrackers...
This time Lao Xu heard clearly.
Xu Kai protected him and pushed him into the house, where both men fell down.
Lao Xu's heartbeat increased and his whole body trembled.
"Let's go! Let's go quickly..." Xu Kai pulled out the knife and put it into Lao Xu's hand, while struggling to get up and block the door.
When he closed the door, another blood flower burst out from his heart.
This time Lao Xu could see clearly, but his heartbeat seemed to have stopped.
…
When the man in black broke into the house, Lao Xu was nowhere to be found.
The old couple in the room were both asleep. The man in black did not disturb them, but came and left quietly.
But when he left, he took Xu Kai's cold body with him.
The blood stains in front of the door were also cleaned up, as if nothing had happened.
…
New Year's Day
Yougege and Wang Yi were making dumplings in their house by the river.
Wang Yi's sister and her family are also here, but his mother is still outside as in previous years and has not returned.
Wang Yi's sister Wang Li is a freelancer, and her main source of income is cover design.
She had known Yougege for a long time, and she also knew that her brother liked her very much. Her own impression of Yougege was not bad... But like Wang Yi, she knew that it was impossible for Yougege to enter this family.
Because there weren’t many people, we didn’t make many dumplings, and everyone just came up with it on a whim, and felt that celebrating the New Year had to be a ritual of their own.
Remove the dumplings from the pot.
Wang Yi took You Gege to visit his room.
Most of the photos here are photos taken by very niche photographers.
They are all landscape photos without people.
As soon as Yougege saw these products, he liked them very much, and he was also very grateful to Wang Yi for his carefulness.
The room is not underground. There is also a balcony here with a view of the river.
Yougege walked to the balcony and stopped: "I'm going to write a book... but I don't know where to start."
Wang Yi's sensitivity to words was average, but he still gave some advice: "Then don't think about it, just go out first, and then walk forward, and enjoy the scenery wherever you go."
This is really beautifully said.
Yougege looked at Wang Yi in surprise, probably not expecting Wang Yi to have such an understanding.
Wang Yi laughed after saying this: "This is what my mother often said to me. If sometimes there is no goal, don't think about the goal and set off first. It's like a person who always plans to travel.
The biggest problem has been solved.”
After hearing this, Yougege was thoughtful and sighed after a long time: "If I have a chance, I really want to meet my aunt."
Wang Yi: "It's not difficult. My mother is going back to Nanjing next week. If you want to see her, I can make arrangements."
Yougege was quite surprised when he heard this, but immediately smiled and said: "Okay, but my aunt's time is so precious, can I really have a chance to see her?"
Wang Yi: "Don't worry, my mother will spend some time alone with me every time she returns to China. Although I am an adult now, this habit has not changed. I will leave this opportunity to you."
After hearing this, Yougege felt a little embarrassed.
"Is it really possible?"
"Of course, I will notify you in advance and then pick you up."
"Thank you." Yougege was really grateful.
While they were talking, a voice came from upstairs: "Hey, two artists, it's time to eat dumplings!"
…
After leaving Wang Yi's house, You Gege drove alone to the residence of Zhao Jie and others.
After they moved to Nanjing, they rented a floor in an older office building in the city as their base.
When the base was first established, several people were worried about funding issues.
But after Yougege, the original "parasite", became a guest, he solved all his worries.
Internally, she relies on Wang Yi for her rhetoric.
But in fact, since the last time he spoke to Wang Yi, Yougege has never taken a penny from Wang Yi.
Her financial resources are currently a secret that should not be made public.
But no matter where the money comes from, as long as you have money, things will be easier... At least for people like Zhao Jie, money is the most important thing.
Pushing open the door of the base, Yougege heard the noise of several people in the room.
Zhao Jie was holding a bottle of wine and was drinking with his men, but he was busy cooking in the kitchen with his head tilted.
Seeing You Gege coming back, he tilted his head and said with a smile: "Gege, have you eaten?"
"I've eaten." Yougege said, taking out a red envelope and throwing it over: "Catch it."
He tilted his head to receive the red envelope and was so happy: "Oh! You're welcome!"
"Happy New Year." Yougege said and entered the house.
Several people were sitting around the coffee table in the living room. The floor was in a mess, and the smell of alcohol mixed with smoke was very choking.
Yougege frowned and said, "You guys should clean it up too!"
Hearing this, Zhao Jie said: "Hey! Bah, bah, bah! It's the Chinese New Year, Gege, don't say any unlucky words! There's no... there's no such thing as the first year of junior high school... that kind of thing!"
Only then did Yougege react, smiled, took out a stack of red envelopes and threw them over and said, "It's my fault. Happy New Year, there are red envelopes."
Several people were drunk, but their eyes lit up when they saw the red envelopes.
They all took it and said in return: "Happy New Year, boss!"