The dazzling sun illuminated the two sheets piled on the ground, and the messy ground all revealed the presumptuousness of the two of them last night on the bright side.
“Dangdang.”
Seeing that no one answered, the person outside the door slammed the door panel twice more.
Shi Ran also regained her senses, quickly put on her clothes, and walked towards the door.
The heavy door was opened from the inside, and in the center of the door frame was a hunched old woman carrying a basket.
——This was the village chief who used to be very good with Grandma Shi Ran.
“Of course, he’s back.” The old man looked at the girl in her sight and smiled.
Shi Ran was also polite and said hello, “Grandma Xu, happy New Year.”
Grandma Xu smiled and pointed to Shi Ran’s back, which was still lit up in the kitchen: “I woke up this morning and saw the light in your kitchen was on, and I was still wondering. I’m not done with my family affairs. Just come and have a look. When you see such a nice car parked at the door, you know it’s your back.”
“I don’t think you have anything to eat at home, so I brought you some food. It’s all made by my eldest son, who does catering. The lunch box and chopsticks are also disposable and clean.”
She said that Grandma Xu took out a good lunch wrapped in a bag from the basket and held it in her hand. The white disposable lunch boxes were neatly stacked together, and the aroma of hot food rushed into Shi Ran’s room.
She was a little moved and said, “Thank you, Grandma Xu. The house has not been cleaned up and there is nothing to entertain you, so I won’t invite you in.”
“It’s okay, Grandma came here to see you, and she felt at ease.” Grandma Xu waved her hand, and her feet stood outside the threshold, never stepping in. “Shaohua is gone. I have to take care of you for her.”
Hearing this unfamiliar and familiar name, Shi Ran’s nose felt a little numb.
Shaohua was the little old lady’s boudoir name. Women of that era would call whoever they married their daughter-in-law, and then whoever was their mother. The name Shaohua would only be called by Grandma Xu if she remembered it.
When the voice fell, Grandma Xu did not intend to leave.
She looked at the two valuable cars parked at the door and then asked, “Of course. Who are you from?”
“My friend.” Shi Ran replied simply.
Grandma Xu sounded slightly relieved, nodded, and said, “Oh, friend.”
Then she paused for a while, and then asked tentatively, “Of course, you haven’t talked about friends yet?”
“Not yet.” Shi Ran shook her head, omitting the previous story between her and Song Yi.
“My mother’s brother’s child is in his twenties this year. I remember you were born in the same year, and I haven’t found a girlfriend yet. Would you like to meet me?”
Grandma Xu’s acting skills were not very good, and a few words reveal her purpose.
Shi Ran couldn’t refuse outright, but said politely, “Grandma Xu, I don’t plan to fall in love recently.”
Seeing that Shi Ran saw through her purpose, Grandma Xu changed the topic and said, “It’s just to make friends. I don’t mean to let you both go on a blind date. It’s all from the same village, isn’t it? What will happen to your grandma’s house in the future? Son, it’s best to contact you. We old people don’t use mobile phones very well.”
Shi Ran heard soldiers were coming to cover the water and soil, and she smiled and declined, “Grandma, it’s nothing. When I was renovating, I installed surveillance cameras in every room in the house. If there is any news, the surveillance will notify you immediately.”
After speaking, Shi Ran pointed to the two monitors on the top of their heads at Grandma Xu, and said, “And I also come back once a month, so nothing major will happen.”
Grandma Xu just raised her head and looked at the surveillance camera that was facing her at an unknown time. The dark lens was illuminated with a few silver-white dots, and the shadow of her old age was reflected in it. She couldn’t help but sigh with a smile: “Young, I’m not lucky to have this, and my old thing can’t keep up with the trend. You talk about how advanced this thing is, and you don’t need to keep a dog to watch the house.”
Grandma Xu, who probably understood what Shi Ran meant, waved her hand and said to her, “Okay, then I won’t disturb you and your friends. Eat while it’s hot. Next time you see me, you must let me in and sit down.”
Shi Ran nodded and replied, “Okay, Grandma Xu.”
Grandma Xu dragged her feet and walked on the road covered with red firecracker skins. Shi Ran just stood at the door and watched her leave as if she was watching her grandma walking side by side with her.
She still remembered that every noon the sun was so good.
Such good sunshine was rare.
Shi Ran sighed quietly in her heart until she watched Grandma Xu disappear into the alley and then return to the house with the food.
The aroma that was ignored when chatting with Grandma Xu just drifted again, and it was especially obvious in the cold winter.
Shi Ran sniffed the aroma of the mixed dishes, took them out and put them on the table, and carefully identified them: “Ah, this box is braised pork, and I can smell the sixi balls.”
Chen Ruoyu, who had been hiding in the house just now, packed up and walked out.
Shi Ran spruced the bowls and chopsticks and asked, “Are you hungry? Didn’t you eat well?”
“No.” Chen Ruoyu answered lightly, listening with a bit of fatigue from just waking up.
She sat in the seat opposite Shi Ran and asked vaguely, “Who is she?”
“My grandmother’s hair is short, and the two of them grew up together and married in this village. They have a very good relationship.” Shi Ran said, “When I was a child, the daughter of the village party secretary brought some people to scold me for having no father or mother. My grandma helped me be kind after beating them up.”
Chen Ruoyu was a little curious when she heard it: “The aftermath.”
“I just scolded those adults who came to me to settle accounts.” Shi Ran said with great joy, “They didn’t dare retaliate when they scolded me, let alone how relieved they were.”
Chen Ruoyu listened to Shi Ran’s tone, and gently hooked the corner of her lips. A faint smile flashed in her eyes.
This was Shi Ran, who could always squeeze out some sweetness from the pain and fade away all the unpleasantness.
Chen Ruoyu took the chopsticks handed by Shi Ran and asked again, “She wants to introduce you to a boyfriend?”
“Although I didn’t say it directly, that’s what I meant.” Shi Ran replied, “But I don’t have any interest at all, and it’s not about introducing me to a girlfriend. If there is a girlfriend, I’ll look.”
After Chen Ruoyu heard Shi and half a sentence, the hand holding the chopsticks stopped obviously, so obviously that even Shi Ran, who was sitting opposite her, could see it.
“Just kidding.” Shi Ran reassured her. “You don’t have to worry so much about losing your job as soon as you get a job.”
“I won’t want to fall in love in a short time. Isn’t it delicious to make money?”
“I went to return the coat to Yan Ning a few days ago, but I couldn’t help but buy the coat. I also bought her a pair of antique shoes and a necklace of antique-style pearls. It’s beautiful. Just let me have a look. I spent all the deposits that my father gave me. I’m in debt now, and I don’t know when I have to draw a new payment for my father.”
Shi Ran’s little face became like a poor little bitter gourd, but she digested these emotions in a moment and said with an extremely optimistic attitude: “But these are not problems. Only when there is an exit can you enter.”
“Look, when I was in a relationship before, my work was not going my way, and my father, the sponsor, didn’t come to see me for more than half a year. My work was going well, and I was making money. So some things are forced to be demanded. If you don’t come, it will backfire.”
Shi Ran spoke seriously, and she was unwilling to read between the lines. Chen Ruoyu sat across from her and saw the emotions in her eyes.
She understands what Shi Ran wants, and she also understands that she didn’t dare touch her after her hopes had been extinguished one after another.
Chen Ruoyu wasn’t an upright person, so she was selfishly grateful that she had the closest relationship with Shi Ran now, and she was even more greedy about using this relationship to go further with her one day.
“Don’t worry.” Chen Ruoyu said to Shi Ran, and also said to herself.
“Yeah.” Shi Ran nodded and said, with soup instead of wine, “Respect our first day of conspiracy.”
The sun was glaring, and the sound of someone setting off firecrackers came from outside the yard.
Chen Ruoyu picked up the soup at hand and silently touched Shi Ran.
The scorching sun that remained in the afternoon fell slantingly on the sofa in the living room, and the golden frame was like a touch of warmth in a quiet house.
Shi Ran returned home wearing the clothes she had left yesterday, sniffing the familiar smell of home as if she had been away for a few days.
Indeed, the events of yesterday were one after the other, as if several days of events had been compressed together.
Shi Ran’s body still didn’t recover, and after taking a shower, she collapsed onto the sofa.
The messages Shi Yu sent her during these hours filled the message box of her mobile phone, and Shi Ran was still a little relieved, so she called him directly.
The first sentence of the phone call was Shi Yu’s nervous concern: “Sister, how are you?”
“It’s fine. I’ve already gone home.” Shi Ran said.
“Sister Ruoyu, found you? How can you both not reply to my news? Do you know how worried I am about you? I didn’t sleep last night, and I waited for your news all morning!”
The more Shi Yu spoke, the more excited he became, and there was some grievance and anger in his voice.
Shi Ran was very guilty. She spent the night with Chen Ruoyu and just fell asleep when the sun came out.
“Sorry, I stayed up too long last night, and I slept until noon.”
“It looks like you slept well, and the news won’t wake you up.” Shi Yu complained, but he didn’t forget about Shi Ran: “How about the wound on your head?”
There was still a mirror on the table that had not put away the makeup yesterday afternoon, and the reddish-brown cut was obvious on the fair skin.
Shi Ran subconsciously raised her hand and touched the scabbed wound on her forehead. There was still a little pain, and more of it was the coolness of the icy wind by the lake last night.
In Shi Ran’s mind, Chen Ruoyu’s appearance couldn’t help but appear. She carefully and carefully helped herself with the medicine, and the breath she exhaled was gentle.
The memory repaired many details that were neglected, and a small mole was looking at Chen Ruoyu’s slightly drooping eyelashes.
And Shi Ran also saw that in her dark eyes, there was only herself.
Shi Yu saw that Shi Ran hadn’t answered him for a long time, and his heart tightened: “Sister? Why don’t you speak? It won’t be scary again! “
Shi Ran was pulled out of her memory by Shi Yu, and retorted, “Fuck you, I don’t know if you want me to be better.”
Shi Yu was wronged: “Then why don’t you answer me?”
“I took the mirror.”
When Shi Ran said that, she released the lifted forehead and said, “It’s not serious, it won’t leave a scar, it will be fine in two days.”
“That’s good.” Shi Yu was relieved and hesitantly said, “Sister, I’ll go to your house and get the car back later.”
When Shi Ran heard the words, she remembered something and said, “Shi Yu, speaking of this, do you still owe me something?”
“What?” Shi Yu forgot.
Shi Ran recalled: “Kaiseki cuisine.”
Shi Yu laughed dryly, “Sister, you still remember.”
“Of course.” Shi Ran said and played with the keys of Shi Yu’s precious car in her hand, “You invite me to dinner, and I return your car.”
“Okay. I’ll have to check the time.”
Shi Yu said and opened the calendar, thought for a while, and said, “On the fifth day of the first day, I’ll give you the whole day when I’m free.”
“Who wants your time for a day?” Shi Ran disliked it, but nodded and said, “Then on the fifth day, come pick me up.”
After the agreement was reached, Shi Ran happily hung up the phone with Shi Yu and counted how much Shi Yu would have to eat on the fifth day.
It’s just that she just got up when the phone on the table vibrated.
The person who sent the message was Chen Ruoyu: “Are you free on the fifth day of the first day? Let’s go to the mall and invite you to dinner.”