Chapter 5 chapter Five

The sun was at noon when Wu Changtian and Lin Xing walked into the pagoda courtyard of Tanzhe Temple.Towering pines and cypresses and dense ginkgoes lazily flicker thick branches and leaves, dazzle the fine sunlight on the soil, and shade the damp moisture of early summer.A long time ago, when Wu Changtian was physically and mentally exhausted, he came here for a walk quietly by himself.In this pagoda courtyard built close to the mountains, with no end to the bottom, dozens of pagoda tombs of eminent monks of past dynasties have watched quietly for thousands of spring, summer, autumn and winter. It has become a good place to rest your mind and bow your head to think about your mistakes.

His son's leaving in a fit of anger was just a moment of capriciousness, Wu Changtian would not have cared about it in the past.But when a person reaches the age of fifty, he naturally has a sense of twilight, and he begins to react to many things with an old man's mentality. Those things about the love of children that he had never paid much attention to in the past will suddenly touch a certain nerve and cause Come feel sad.He felt that his son was a bone in his body, and he was suddenly taken away, and he always felt a piece of collapse in his heart, as if the pain was unbearable.

The son ran away out of love. Under the circumstances that day, it was of course difficult to explain to Mei Qiliang's family.Mei Qiliang himself is fine, after all, he is a high-level leader, so he passed away with a smile, and even said something like "Let them deal with the children's affairs, let's not worry about them blindly" and let Wu Chang The words of the world's steps.But Mei Shan and her mother seemed to be stimulated, and when they left, one of them was still wet from tears, and the other was slightly sullen.Wu Changtian didn't do a good job, so he could only end up in such embarrassment.

In the first few days, he was really angry with his son. After rushing back to Jihai to finish the board of directors of Changtian Industrial Co., Ltd., he was busy with a series of legal and financial demonstrations to define the company's property rights. Go to the back of your head.He didn't remember which day he was sleepless late at night, and he suddenly thought of his son again, and he couldn't count how many days there was no news from him.Then I thought of my dead wife, and thought about my life's hard work, and now I feel a little bit like a wife and children, which makes people feel sore and want to cry without tears.When he got up in the morning, he immediately ordered people to look for his son. By noon, he got bad news: the young and beautiful female reporter had taken his son away from her former residence and eloped somewhere.

He originally wanted to find his son and tell him to stop hiding and stop being angry with his father.Everything the son is determined to do, including dropping out of school to play the saxophone in the past, and finding a girlfriend who is not suitable for the family now, even if the father objects, there is nothing he can do. He no longer needs to hide from his father.However, after he listened to the situation reported by his confidant cadre Li Dagong, the attitude he originally planned to express to his son suddenly became hesitant again. Li Dagong said: "Mr. Wu, this girl is suffering from severe nephritis and has already undergone dialysis in the hospital. This is the prelude to uremia. How many years does it take to get uremia? Even if she doesn't die in the end, she may not die." I can't have a baby. Mr. Wu, if you don't believe me, you can ask a doctor."

Wu Changtian's face changed slightly.He is a materialist. When he was young, his belief in communism was so unbreakable, but when he gets old, the most real and natural thought in his heart is still not wanting to die.If the Wu family is extinct in his generation, it seems that they can't explain to the predecessors of the Wu family and their wives; it seems that they have really done something wrong in the previous life. Li Dagong saw that his face was ashen, so he stopped talking, but on his expression, there were still obvious traces of unhappiness.Wu Changtian stared and asked: "What else?" Li Dagong hesitated to speak, Wu Changtian asked again sharply, and then he said: "Mr. Wu, this girl has to lead him astray after following Wu Xiao, and besides, spread her reputation." Not too good."

Wu Changtian was startled: "What reputation?" "I heard that this girl often hangs out in places like bars and nightclubs. Some of my business friends often see her in those places. Let me say something ugly. Maybe she used to be a 'chicken'!" Wu Changtian was shocked in his heart, he tried his best not to lose his face, he almost seemed to be defending himself and his son: "No way, she is a college student, she is a reporter, she can't be that kind of person." "Boss, you probably read the newspapers and never read the social news. It's nothing new to see how many female college students and graduate students do this kind of thing."

The first thing, Wu Changtian can start from morality, and he doesn’t dislike a daughter-in-law who is sick and even affects his fertility, and walks into his house;But when the two things added up, Wu Changtian's attitude towards his son became tough again. At this moment, he and this girl whom he really could not accept were walking in the solemn and deep pagoda courtyard, thinking about each other's silence.The dense branches cover the blue sky, and the four sides are shrouded in a sultry fresh green.Everyone knows that green symbolizes life and vitality, it can always unify many incongruous tones, and it is a role of reconciliation—at least at this time, it has a calming effect on Wu Changtian's mood, making him face the situation in front of him. When she was a girl who was said to be a little unhealthy both physically and mentally, she maintained a kind of optimistic honesty and prudence, and her tone was earnest: "If I remember correctly, this is the fifth time we have met, and we should be regarded as very close to each other. Now that we are familiar, we can talk straight to each other if we have something to say, okay?"

The girl said: "Okay." The girl probably thought that he was about to say something sharp, so her face looked tense and serious.But he didn't.He just asked about her body with concern: "How is your illness now?" The girl was taken aback: "How do you know I'm sick?" He looked at her puzzled and surprised face, and said, "Being sick is not a shame. You have to face it squarely. Especially this kind of disease, maybe..." He almost subconsciously said, "Fuck it." Maybe it will kill me", but fortunately, I took it and adjusted it to, "It might be very stubborn and troublesome."

Maybe it's because of illness, maybe it's because of his tactful but deliberate warning, the girl's face is a little excited, and her voice is trembling: "Thank you for your concern, I will take care of my illness , but it can’t be cured, it’s just a death. You don’t have to worry about me.” Wu Changtian mused, thinking for a while how to improve the atmosphere between the two that had been somewhat at odds from the very beginning.He said: "You have this disease at such a young age. After I heard that, I was still very anxious. Whether you need it or not, I still hope to do something for you. Do you need money now? In addition, I can help You go to a better hospital."

The girl stood down and looked up at him: "No need, Wu Xiao is taking good care of me now, and I don't think any disease is terrible when I have him." Wu Changtian paused for a while, feeling a little lost.It seems that he still hasn't figured out how to express what he wants to express, euphemistically, clearly, and without hurting the other party.Before he came here, he asked the doctor about some knowledge about kidney disease, so he said: "It's good that you have an optimistic spirit, but the disease is still a disease. The most important condition for treating this disease can also be said to be the only one. The condition is money. If the disease continues to develop, you may have to go to dialysis every day. If you don’t do it, you will vomit or even faint. If it continues, you will have to have a kidney transplant. , without hundreds of thousands or even millions of money bet on it, this disease cannot be cured. But as long as you have this money, this disease can be completely cured, at least your life can be saved. A young person like you Girl, if you encounter such a life-and-death event, you really need to treat it well." The girl lowered her head, as if she was thinking about something, and after a while, she looked up at him: "Mr. Wu, can I ask you a question?" Wu Changtian nodded: "Ask." The girl said, "Why do you care about me so much now?" Wu Changtian looked around, looked at the mottled and damaged stone pagodas, and then replied: "There is no reason, Buddhism is not about "no chance of great compassion, and great compassion with one body". There is no reason to be with him. Don't you believe that people are compassionate?" The girl's eyes were piercing, and she said unadornedly: "We are all ordinary people, we don't hate for no reason, and we don't love for no reason. Your compassion is for your son, right?" Wu Changtian was quite surprised by the girl's sharpness. He nodded wisely and said, "You are right. Although we Chinese all like to worship Buddha, in our bones, we still follow the Confucian ethics: Monarch and minister, father and son, three obediences and four virtues. Both love and hate are due to a certain relationship between each other. Your analysis is correct and it is in line with human nature. One of the important reasons why I care about you is because I love my son. " The girl sneered, and asked forcefully, "Didn't you disapprove of Wu Xiao being with me? Why do you still care about me because of him?" Wu Changtian hesitated a little, and simply said the most crucial sentence with the same frankness: "I care about you because of another relationship." "what relationship?" "A relationship of exchange." The girl's language suddenly choked, she forced him to be frank, but she couldn't bear him to be frank.She asked tremblingly for a long time: "What do you want to exchange?" "Give me back my son, and I will protect your life." The girl looked at him, and couldn't believe that what was going on between them was such a serious deal about life and death. Her eyes suddenly filled with tears, but she smiled miserably. Word by word, tearfully read: "Life is precious, love is higher……" Wu Changtian interrupted her, and he finished his attitude in an understanding tone: "I know, Wu Xiao likes you, and you like him too, I shouldn't interfere with the freedom of you young people. But I also ask for your understanding, After Wu Xiao's mother passed away, he was my only family member and only descendant. As a parent, I do it for the good of my child. I not only hope that he will have love, but also hope that he will be happy for the rest of his life. Love is short-lived after all. , and a person’s life is too long. I hope you can forgive me as a father, and use this method to exchange with you. With your current actual situation, it is really not suitable to rush to fall in love and get married. Your first One's mission should be to cure diseases, and you should live a good life. If your parents are still alive, they will agree with me. For a person, survival is always the first!" The girl's tears finally rolled down, but her voice became hard: "In order to survive, can I abandon love, belief, and conscience?" Wu Changtian was almost speechless, maybe he was too cruel, forcing a girl to exchange her precious life, a life that nothing could replace, for a love that might be unforgettable.Maybe it's too cruel, but everything is reasonable. His superficial ruthlessness is essentially a kind of reason.If they go on like this, it will not be beneficial to either party.It's a pity that he didn't have the heart to defend the girl's questioning, he could only sigh to defend his position: "This is not a book, this is life, a very real life...a very long life." The girl burst into tears, crying uncontrollably: "I love Wu Xiao, I love him, and I will love him even when I die..." She covered her face and ran away exhausted physically and mentally, Wu Changtian raised her voice behind her: "You really love him, please think about him!" The girl didn't stop, and her pace was even faster, but from her staggering movements, he knew that the last sentence obviously hit her! Wu Changtian stepped out of the empty pagoda courtyard alone, the canopy of pines, cypresses and ginkgos rubbing against each other closely behind him, making the wind sound like weeping.He walked straight to his car with cold eyes, and he didn't even see Li Dagong who was chatting with two fashionable girls at the rear of the car.The accompanying secretary opened the door for him.Seeing the boss's gloomy expression, Li Dagong didn't dare to ask any more questions, and got into the car in a hurry, and the two cars started together.Only then did Wu Changtian hear a slightly vulgar voice from an unknown girl behind him: "Hey, where's our guy?" ………… That night, Wu Changtian hosted a banquet at the Diaoyutai Hotel for the negotiating team of the Jianghan Oil and Gas Wharf Project led by Kazuo Yamada, the representative of Japan's Yamada Corporation.He was sitting on the main seat, drinking wine and wine, talking and laughing moderately, and there was no trace of the mood he had in the pagoda courtyard of Tanzhe Temple a few hours ago.He fully understands that career and achievement are the cornerstones of a man's self-construction, while personal feelings and children's affairs must be afforded and let go, not lingering.After the feast, he had a small-scale meeting with Kazuo Yamada, the Japanese decision-maker, for more than an hour, and handed over the basic conditions for cooperation between the two parties.It was almost eleven o'clock in the evening when the guest of honor left the hotel.Zheng Baixiang, the vice president of the group, said that he had something to talk about, so he took a car with him and went home together. On the way, they first continued to chat about the project, and then Zheng Baixiang said that the chief engineer of the special material company under the group died of a cerebral hemorrhage yesterday.Wu Changtian stated: I heard that the chief engineer fell ill and died while drinking with some colleagues after work. The family insisted that he used the opportunity of drinking and eating to do the ideological work of his colleagues. up.In this way, there will be a chain reaction in the future, and it will definitely make people laugh.It is still counted as an ordinary death, and I can attend his memorial service in person.Zheng Baixiang nodded and said yes, saying that only the heads of the personnel department and the labor union were arranged to go. If the head of the group went to the funeral in person, his relatives and friends should be satisfied. After talking about this matter, Zheng Baixiang changed the subject and was concerned about the arrangement of Wu Changtian's 50th birthday, saying that this birthday should be celebrated well.He said to Wu Changtian: "Mr. Wu, you can give me a principle on this matter, and I will take care of the details." Zheng Baixiang's enthusiasm and sincerity contained many meanings. The affection of a dear friend for many years.Wu Changtian completely understood.But because of his son, Wu Changtian's mood to celebrate his birthday was greatly reduced.In front of Zheng Baixiang, he did not hide his inner frustration. "Forget it. The business situation of the company is not very good now. It is not appropriate to celebrate birthdays. Let's wait until we are sixty years old." Zheng Baixiang didn't think so, but still tried his best to encourage: "Half a hundred years of life is absolutely unavoidable. You have worked hard for Changtian Group for so many years, and we have never celebrated your achievements. This time, everyone wants to take this opportunity to have fun. Since it is your auspiciousness, It is also the auspiciousness of all of us, and it must not be saved, it must not be saved.” Wu Changtian was silent for a while, but he was still not interested.But what Zheng Baixiang meant was to regard the birthday as a symbol, and the main purpose was to use this form to gather important ministers and veterans of the Changtian Group, boost morale and increase cohesion, and serve multiple purposes.If he had realized this meaning in the past, Wu Changtian would have done his part.But now, he thinks, forget it, you can't always submit your personal life mood to the needs of the collective cause for the rest of your life.Besides, the issue of Changtian Group's property rights is still unresolved, and it is still unknown who will rule the world in the future.If there is a day when you will be kicked out, why do you want to be so vain today? But Zheng Baixiang's next words made him change his mind: "Mr. Wu, Mei Qiliang will go to Beijing to study at the Party School next month. It may be a prelude to being promoted to the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee. When we came from Jihai this time, He also asked whether your birthday was celebrated in Beijing or in Jihai, if it was in Beijing, let us inform him." Wu Changtian thought for a while, finally nodded, and said: "That's good, let's have a small gathering. Please invite Secretary Shangmei, and you will also participate, and invite the oldest members of the group. You don't need to go outside, just in Beijing In the West Villa, I invite everyone to have a meal and chat, that's all." His tone was decisive, and Zheng Baixiang nodded in agreement: "That's fine." He said, "If Secretary Mei's wife and daughter don't come, we can ask Li Dagong to find some young lesbians to accompany Secretary Mei. Dancing. I know you are determined not to dance, Secretary Mei is addictive, please invite a few young ladies to have a good atmosphere." Wu Changtian smiled indiscriminately, and said, "Young girls, Li Dagong knows a lot." When Li Dagong was mentioned, Wu Changtian suddenly had an evil thought, which was almost a thought he had never had in his life.No one knows Li Dagong's three teachings and nine streams. He, Wu Changtiangui, is a business tycoon. Instead of secretly succumbing to the waywardness of a small female reporter and silently enduring the pain of taking her son, it is better for Li Dagong to find a few social friends. , use a little bit of common people's means to teach her a lesson, let her know the truth of the world, and pay a little price for her selfish behavior.Thinking of this, he couldn't help feeling somewhat relieved.But I also knew in my heart that it was just thinking about it. Everyone gets angry sometimes.Humans and beasts have the same origin, and everyone has some dirty thoughts hidden in the depths of their souls, and only they know it.What Wu Changtian didn't know was, if someone or something really pushed him to the point of death, would he also become ruthless and unscrupulous. From an open feminist and a potential celibate to a love supremacist, it is difficult for Lin Xing to define whether this is an abandonment of faith or an awakening of life.What she can be sure of is that this transformation is actually a process of surrendering everything about herself—independence, perseverance, confidence—one by one.All that's left is dependence and the fear that the love will fade away. After escaping from the pagoda courtyard of Tanzhe Temple, she hid for a long time in a deep bamboo forest on the side of the mountain, not wanting to see anyone.It was dusk that day when Ai Li and A Xin yelled loudly to find her and took her home in a taxi.The walls in the living room were painted pale yellow, and the setting sun looked a little glaring. Wu Xiao was washing his face and oiling himself in the bathroom. From his hair, which had been glued into shape, it could be guessed that he was preparing to go out.Lin Xing didn't even take his eyes off the mirror when he entered the door, he just asked casually: Have you seen that old Chinese doctor?How did you go for a day?Lin Xing sat on the sofa and didn't answer, but hesitantly responded. Wu Xiao came out from the bathroom and said, "We have a few friends who want to get together, I have to leave quickly." Lin Xing looked at him, she had a lot to say to him at this moment, but he was in a hurry.It had been a long time since she had seen him dress himself up so carefully.It made her unreasonably think of the kind of request he used to enjoy every night, and she didn't come again for many days.As a result, she suddenly had a major realization, which she should have realized long ago: the person who is most likely to take away their current happiness is not Wu Xiao's father, but themselves. Suppressing her anxiety and hiding her doubts, she asked, "Where are you going and who are you meeting?" "A few friends from the past, you don't know." Wu Xiao seemed to be thinking of something to bring, and hurriedly ran into the bedroom to search for it.His tone was so perfunctory that he didn't even explain why he didn't take her there.She insisted, "Where are you going to get together?" Wu Xiao ran out, not knowing whether it was on purpose or not, and answered irrelevant questions: "I have to go, get yourself something to eat." Lin Xing called him to stop, she didn't really want to let him go, but as a test, she said: "Wu Xiao, I'm not feeling well today, can you stay with me at home?" Wu Xiao frowned immediately, "Oh no, I have already made an appointment with him." Lin Xing looked at him with no sign of compromise in his eyes.Wu Xiao came up and touched her forehead formally, "Do you have a fever? No fever. I really have to go, I'll be back soon." Without her nodding, he actually left.She sat alone in the messy room, until it was dark, without moving.Their home has rarely been this disorganized these days.It was so chaotic that it was almost the same as Jingyuanli before Wu Xiao came to live with him.At the same time, the loneliness she hadn't experienced for a long time finally came back, bringing a strange kind of pain in her heart.The pain made her realize that she was inseparable from that fiery love. She knew that it would gradually become dull, but she still imagined that she might be able to break the routine.She has heard this routine more than once: a man does not love a woman because he is tired of the sexual life of both parties.The content of women's love is to spend time together, understand each other, and comfort and loyalty, appreciation and cherishing between each other, which is broad and poetic; Love is inseparable from sexual desire. She didn't get up to get food for herself, she curled up on the simple sofa with deep anger, sadness and grievance.There was no light in the house.very quiet.She couldn't hear the noise inherent in the city's nights.She knew that without Wu Xiao, she would die very quickly, because even if Wu Xiao left, she would not use a penny of his father's money.She couldn't help but cry out in grief at the thought of death.She thought she must be calm when she died, because she had nothing to regret, and she had already tasted the greatest happiness in life, that is Wu Xiao's love.Even if it is so short, it is brilliant enough.Even if Wu Xiao moves on in the future, she will still call his name when she dies, and she must take his name with her.She will always be grateful to him under the nine springs, he used to be so kind to her, without him she doesn't know what a beautiful life is! Because she thought of death, she cried for a long time. After crying, her mood unexpectedly changed a lot. She thought that maybe she really passed away without knowing when, so she should really love Wu Xiao in her lifetime.True love should not punish each other, but reward each other.So she wiped away her tears, got up from the sink of the sofa, walked to the bathroom, turned on the light to wash her face, and reapplied her makeup.Then tidy up the living room and bedroom that Wu Xiao had just messed up, and soak up the underwear and socks that should be washed for him.Then happily waited for him. It was almost twelve o'clock in the evening, and Wu Xiaocai came back with a tired face. It was very strange why she was still so radiant at such a late hour.He asked: "Are you feeling better?" Lin Xing said: "It's getting better." The two went to bed, Wu Xiao asked Lin Xing how he went to Tanzhe Temple to see a doctor today, Lin Xing said in detail, talking and talking Wu Xiao fell asleep, and Lin Xing was not angry.Usually, Wu Xiao not only speaks simply, but when Lin Xing talks about something, he is only anxious to hear the final result.Lin Xing, on the other hand, prefers to narrate the process and express details, and she thinks that is where the fun of the conversation lies. Just fell asleep that night.In any case, after all, she was still sleeping next to her lover, and she could still touch his breathing, hear his writhing and sleep talking.All the things that came for nothing in the past have become so precious now, as if they may be lost at any time.At dawn, she woke up early and didn't dare to wake Wu Xiao up. She didn't wake him until the sun cast the entire purple-red curtains, reflecting the room in colorful colors.Her movements were soft and deliberate, with a deliberate erotic desire, a desire to please him in order to show her worth.Under her caress, Wu Xiao's body quickly responded. He lay down and enjoyed it for a while, then suddenly got up and said: "I have to get up." Lin Xing couldn't figure out whether she had achieved it. The purpose is still nothing. Lin Xing asked him to get up, and the two of them dressed and washed in silence.She made the quilt, and Wu Xiao was in the kitchen reheating the leftovers from yesterday or the day before yesterday, and no one said anything.It turned out that when they were together, Lin Xing always took the initiative to stir up some topics. Her topics, consciously or not, were mostly memories of their first acquaintance and first love.For example, she likes to pull Wu Xiao together to list the first and most impressive thing between her and him.Wu Xiao said it was borrowing money, and it was the matter that he lent her fifty yuan to pay the fare.What impressed Lin Xing the most was that Wu Xiao ate her lunch box in Jingtian Entertainment City. "You are the boss's young master, how could you even snatch the employee's box lunch?" Lin Xing still finds it inconceivable when he thinks about it now.But Wu Xiao seemed to have forgotten it, and thought for a long time before he remembered: "Ah, I was too lazy to go down to eat that day, so I asked them to help bring a boxed lunch. Later, when I saw a boxed lunch on the podium, I thought They brought it up for me." In addition to the memories of the past, another topic that Lin Xing enjoys more is predicting the future.Looking far away, what will they look like when they are all old?Will they still be together, will they cook together, go to the streets together, and go to bars together like now?Will they have children?They don't expect their children to be filial, as long as they can be together.Just think about it, a kind of mutual affection can last for decades day after day, what a spectacular and touching situation that is.To put it closer, the turn of the millennium is about to come, at twenty-four o'clock at night on December 31, 1999, or at midnight on January 1, 2009, where are they? How to get through this moment when five billion people in the world won't sleep?Lin Xing said that they should go to the China Millennium Monument, which was specially built for celebrations.Wu Xiao said: That is where the state leaders go, and martial law must be imposed that day.Lin Xing mentioned another place: the Great Wall, the Great Wall is a symbol of China.But later they heard that the people of the world have regarded the Great Wall as a symbol of the whole earth, and the Great Wall was taken over by foreigners on the day when the century passed.Wu Xiao said: It's better to go to the "Paradise" bar, our band will definitely perform there that day.Lin Xing thought: Well, "Heaven" is a symbol of human ideals, and it is the place where she first met Wu Xiao, and it is her holy place of love.At the moment that spanned thousands of years, listening to Wu Xiao's "Heaven's Covenant" again in "Paradise" not only symbolized their beginning, but also symbolized their destination.Ok, deal. Now, there are fewer and fewer topics like this between the two, maybe it's because it's boring to talk all the time.After she finished making the quilt, she went to help Wu Xiao heat up the meal and put the bowls and chopsticks on the table. When eating, they just ate.There is nothing else to say except the clinking of the dishes and the chewing in the mouth. After eating, it was already eleven o'clock, and I didn't know whether this meal was breakfast or lunch.Lin Xing was washing dishes in the kitchen, and suddenly said to Wu Xiao: "Hey, I saw your dad yesterday." Wu Xiao was taking the dishcloth to wipe the table into the kitchen, he was of course taken aback when he heard this. "Where did you meet?" "In Tanzhe Temple, your father probably believes in Buddhism." "Have you talked yet?" "Said, he asked you to go back." Wu Xiao was stunned for a while, then dried the rag and said, "How about I go home and see him today..." Lin Xing could hardly hear whether his tone was a question mark or a period, whether it was asking for opinions or a decision.She said: "You go back, I will take care of myself." Wu Xiao said: "I just went back to see him, why do you say that?" Lin Xing had already washed and washed the bowl in his hand.She said: "Your dad won't let you come back. He asked me to leave you. Your dad is doing it for your own good. After all, I have this disease. It's too selfish to keep pestering you all the time." Wu Xiao stood behind her, not knowing whether she was messing with a rag or packing something, so she didn't answer in silence.Suddenly, he hugged her, and she leaned against his broad and warm chest, and everything floating in her heart returned to its place in an instant.She turned around, hugged Wu Xiao too, and only choked up a sentence: "Wu Xiao, I can't live without you." Wu Xiao finally didn't go home to see his father, Lin Xing was both relieved and worried for several days.Wu Xiao and his family still maintain the "elopement" relationship, although it is a proof of love, but the relationship between father and son is not something that Lin Xing can cover up, and Lin Xing has no right to cover up.Later, she began to take the initiative to persuade Wu Xiao to go home, deliberately fulfilling his filial piety.As soon as she said to let him go home, he looked at her vigilantly, thinking that she was duplicity, or even "leading the snake out of the hole", and then counterattacked by crying and getting emotional.In fact, even if Wu Xiao really went home, she could bear it completely.Sooner or later.Then one day Ai Li suddenly sent a suitcase to Wu Xiao, saying that Wu Xiao's father asked Mr. Li from the administration department to bring it here, and it was full of brand new fashionable clothes and daily utensils bought for Wu Xiao , and a few things he has always loved to eat, except that he has no money.Wu Xiao was overjoyed immediately after receiving the things his father sent, Lin Xing could tell.Especially clothes.Those brand-name clothes, belts and shoes are probably worth a lot of money each.Lin Xing watched him try it in the mirror endlessly, and he had mixed feelings on the side without saying a word.She really wanted to throw out all the "sugar-coated shells".But she knew that Wu Xiao didn't care about food, so she just liked to wear it.He is already beautiful but still dresses up endlessly, like a woman who always likes new clothes and hates old ones.Lin Xing really wanted to express his contempt for these malicious "material temptations", but he couldn't open his mouth.Because during the six months they lived together, Wu Xiao bought a few clothes for her, but he didn't buy any of them.It was only now that Lin Xing was able to reflect on it. It was a big mistake not to buy clothes for Wu Xiao, but what Wu Xiao likes are famous brands, what can they buy with their little money! Since then, Ai Li has been entrusted by Mr. Li to send some "material care" from Wu Xiao's father to his son every few days.Only now did Lin Xing understand the situation further.Wu Changtian's approach is not only to win over his son's feelings, but also to "spiritually cold war" against Lin Xing. On Sunday evening, Lin Xing finished dialysis in the hospital. When he came home, he saw that Wu Xiao was about to go out again, and there was no cooking in the kitchen.She asked suspiciously where you were going, and Wu Xiao said that the TV station has been filming an MTV for us, and today we invited the head of the program department to dinner.Go to the street to eat something by yourself tonight, there is nothing left at home.Lin Xing didn't ask any more questions.As soon as Wu Xiao left, she also went to the street. She didn't go to "eat something casually" when she went to the street, but stretched out her hand to stop a Xiali taxi, and quietly followed a yellow "noodle" taxi that had just picked up Wu Xiao. behind. Because it was Sunday, there was not much traffic on the road at dusk.When she got in the car, she paid the driver fifty yuan and asked him to follow the yellow "face" in front of him.Xiali chased "Nian's", of course he had some advantages in speed, and followed him all the way to the International Club Hotel, but he didn't get left behind. It was dark and the street lamps were lit.She saw Wu Xiao get out of the car and hurried into the hotel, so she followed him in, followed his back through the magnificent lobby, until she walked to an old American bar with old decorations at the corner.She didn't go in with him, but continued to walk along the floor-to-ceiling glass panes on one side of the bar. Through the glass panes, she saw a tall person sitting alone in the empty bar.When she saw Wu Xiao walk in, the man stood up, and the two were silent.Then the man hugged her Wu Xiao with his broad shoulders. That person is not the head of the program department of some TV station, but his father! The scene where the father and son met in secret made Lin Xing burn physically and mentally. She almost shed tears, not for Wu Xiao, but for herself.That scene seemed to indicate that he was destined to be an abandoned character in the future.She must reunite their father and son, otherwise in this cold war with Wu Changtian, she must be the loser. She walked out of the gate of the International Club Hotel alone, a little alone.She didn't eat anything that night, and she didn't feel hungry at all.Wu Xiao came back very late.She helped him pour cold drinks and hang up his clothes, neither mentioned the scene at the International Club Hotel, nor deliberately asked about the TV station and MTV.After going to bed, before turning off the lights, she just wanted to say that Wu Xiao and we need to talk, but Wu Xiao opened the mouth first. "In two days, it's my dad's birthday. I think I should go home and have a look." Wu Xiao himself brought it up first, which made Lin Xing somewhat passive and embarrassed.She immediately made it clear: "Okay, you should go back." After a pause, she took the initiative to say, "Let's go buy a birthday present for your father tomorrow. It can be given in our names." Add a sentence, "If your father is not happy, I can give it in your own name, that's fine." The tone of her words was very gentle, very businesslike, completely devoid of malice and emotion.Wu Xiao was obviously also very happy, he asked: "What are we giving?" Lin Xing noticed that as long as she talked about his father with him calmly, Wu Xiao's face would be radiant, her emotions would be excited, and she would talk more and actively.It was only gradually that she realized this, and gradually realized that he actually missed his father.She felt a little lost and upset, but she still asked rationally: "What does your dad like?" They lay on the bed discussing what birthday gift to give, and they discussed for a long time without any result.Lin Xing advocated giving some tonics, which can best reflect the filial piety of children.可吴晓说给他爸爸送补品的人太多了，他们家的补品一堆一堆的都处理不完。林星说那就送鲜花吧，中老年人都是喜欢花的。吴晓又反对：我们住的京西别墅常有专门的花工来，盆花、插花、地栽花，什么都有。林星说看来有一点权势地位的人一切都应有尽有了，你说你爸到底还缺什么？ 吴晓朝天叹口气：“我也不知道他还缺什么。” 林星支起身子，居高临下地看着吴晓，说：“我知道你爸还缺什么，他缺少别人对他的感情。他就你这么一个儿子，他最怕的就是失去你，所以他才这么恨我。” 吴晓说：“我爸才没那么儿女情长呢，他是个重事业的人，对我还不如对他的部下好呢，他和他们都很有感情。我在他心目中就是个小孩儿。” 林星说：“我不否认上级与下级也能建立很深厚的同志感情，但是上下级之间毕竟包含了很多利害关系，有时候让人看不清楚真假。父亲和儿子就不一样，你爸爱你是天生的。而且越老越在乎你。” 林星当然也怀疑自己说这种促进父子感情的话是否出于真心和本意。她作为真心爱吴晓的人，其实只是觉得自己应该如此说，应该有这样的态度而已。 关于生日礼物的探讨，一直持续到吴晓父亲生日当天的下午，最后终于由林星决定，买一件真丝的睡衣。人都说，女儿是妈妈的小棉袄，那么，儿子就是爸爸的小睡衣吧，反正都是那种贴身暖心的意思。下午四点多钟，吴晓就带上这件礼物往京西别墅去了。他一走林星就显得很无聊，一个人坐在窗前的斜阳下，猜想着他今天晚上会不会回来，因为吴晓走时林星说过让他陪他爸住几天的。但吴晓假如真不回来了，林星也许该睡不着觉了，她还从未一个人在这间屋子里睡过。 不知过了多久，她的BP机响了，明明知道不可能，可她还是满心希望是吴晓呼她。可惜不是，吴晓此时大概已经走进他父亲那间华丽的客厅了。现在呼她的，原来是那位她一直回避的吉海小伙子夏卫华。 这次她回了电话。 在电话里她才知道夏卫华已经到了北京。他已经拿到了前往芝加哥的单程机票，是来北京转机的，最多只能停留五个小时。晚上十点钟就要登机离境。她在电话里听不出夏卫华的语调是平静还是激动，他说他没想到她还能回电话，说他走以前无论如何要见见她。 正好吴晓不在。与夏卫华毕竟相识一场，不能拒绝朋友的告别。她于是坐出租车赶往机场。半年不见，夏卫华显得更成熟了，穿着新的衣服，也有那么一点意气风发。他见到她的第一句话就是：“跟我走吧！”林星就笑笑，说：“好啊，有我的机票吗？”夏卫华说：“你等着我，我会很快回来接你的。”林星说：“算了吧，我可受不了天天吃'麦当劳'。”夏卫华认真地说明着：“在美国有很多中餐馆的，唐人街里什么都买得到。”林星见他认真，就说：“你知道吗，我现在有病呢。” 夏卫华一愣，他沉着脸听完林星对自己病情的略带夸大的描述，然后说：“那我就更不放心你了，你一个人在这儿谁能照顾你呢？” 林星有点感动，想这世上还是好人多。她说：“你放心走吧，我有人照顾。” "Who?" “我男朋友。” “男朋友？”夏卫华半信半疑地冷笑一下，“总不会是那个吴晓吧。” 林星也笑笑，说：“就是他。” 夏卫华有点惊讶，也有点嘲讽：“他能照顾你？” 林星也搞不清夏卫华这样说是出于对豪门子弟的偏见还是对吴晓个人的醋意，她半开玩笑地用手点点他，警告道：“你可别说他坏话。” 夏卫华张开两手做投降状：“好好好，我不说他，就算看在他爸爸的面子上吧，我很佩服他爸爸的。你知道吗，上半年我们集团的长天实业股份公司的股市差点完了，是他爸爸进场护盘，一下子把天又翻过来了。长天实业不但没死，我们集团两个月内还净赚了七八个亿。全集团没有不服的。当然也有人说，这个神话全是吴晓他爸爸自己制造的，是他自己坐了一回狠庄，把成千上万散户全套进去了。不过，即使是这样，至少也说明他爸爸有这个本事，有这个气魄，把那么多人杀得片甲不留，自己还没露声色。” 这场股海恶战，在林星耳朵里当然并不陌生，刘文庆就是在这场恶战中沉下去的一只小船。但她搞不懂这些商海风云的是非曲直，无法呼应夏卫华的赞叹。只有当夏卫华接下来问她对长天集团的那份调查采访发表了没有的时候，她才得以答道：“还没有呢，因为我还摸不准对吴长天这个社会主义的老板，到底该怎么评价。” 夏卫华当然不会懂得她的惶惑，先是不解地问：“你不是采访了很多人吗？”继而恍然大悟，“噢，是不是觉得快成一家人了就不便再大肆吹捧了？那有什么，举贤不避亲嘛。” 自听到林星与吴晓真的交了朋友之后，夏卫华言语的口气就多少带了些讥诮，讥诮中当然又有几分的妒意，林星看得出来的。他们在机场候机楼的一面巨形落地窗下站着聊了半个多小时，分手时夏卫华依然表示了希望保持联系，希望他还有机会的心情。他告诉林星自从他开始办理去美国留学的手续后，就恨不得立即登上飞机，但如今走到了机舱的门口，却发现值得留恋的东西实在太多。特别是你，他说：作为我唯一喜欢过的女孩，你是让我最想留下来的原因。 她知道夏卫华此言是真情实意的，但他并不是吴晓那种冲动的人，接下来当然不会发生任何不计后果的浪漫故事。他们很正常地分了手，互相说了祝福的话，相约再见也都知道也许永远不会再见了。 她离开机场，直接回了家。在她家的门口，站着一个男的。天已经黑了，她从那一头披肩的长发上，认出那人是吴晓乐队里的键盘手。那键盘手一见她便先开口：“哟，吴晓没跟你在一块儿吗？” “没有，他去他爸爸那儿了。” “你和他……你们还在一块儿吗？” 林星差一点没听懂这话的意思，愣了半天才明白这年头男的和女的时聚时散已是最常见的事。她点头说：“还在一块儿。你找他有事？” “我们不是要拍MTV吗，今天晚上电视台的人来，要听听。可我们到现在也没找到吴晓呢，呼他也不回，大家都急坏了。你知道他爸爸那儿的电话吗？” 林星摇头：“我不知道。” 那键盘手又问她知道不知道吴晓爸爸公司的电话，林星又摇头。自从她和吴晓在一起生活以后，长天公司她就再也没有去过。键盘手一脸焦灼地走了，嘱咐她吴晓要回来一定叫他赶过去，这是很重要的一件事。 林星也知道这对吴晓来说是很重要的一件事，但她无法找到他，爱莫能助。她走进家门还听到吴晓挂在床头的裤子里，发出BP机的鸣叫声——他换裤子把BP机忘在家里了。林星突然想到了艾丽和阿欣，她们知道吴晓父亲手下那位李总的电话，找到那姓李的大概就可以找到吴长天，就可以找到吴晓了。她于是跑到外面公用电话去呼艾丽和阿欣，呼了三遍不见回音。她站在公用电话的书报亭外，眼睛下意识地盯着那一片花花绿绿的书刊封面，心里犹豫着要不要亲自去一趟那个正在进行着奢华寿宴的京西别墅。 京西别墅的寿宴此时刚刚结束。儿子吴晓在自己的房间里给他的那些狐朋狗友打了一通电话，就跑出来说要去和电视台的人谈什么MTV的事，匆匆忙忙和专程前来祝寿的梅叔叔告了别，坐了李大功替他安排的车子，不知到什么地方去了。吴长天没有多问，他想，不管怎么说，这个生日也算一举多得：儿子就此归来；父子之间的龃龉就此化解；几个多年来一直追随左右的老部下在一起轻松地聚一聚，对集团未来的发展，做了集体展望；而梅启良的临幸，又使整个儿晚上的务虚气氛中，得以加进了一些务实的话题。 梅启良是祝寿者中最后一个到的，他一看到吴晓，就悄悄附在吴长天的耳边，笑着说：“怎么，跟儿子和好啦？”吴长天也笑笑，几分安慰，几分尴尬，自嘲地说道：“我这个人，能带千军万马，管不了自己的儿子，教子无方啊。过几天我让他给梅珊认错去。哎，今天怎么没叫梅珊一起来，她不是还在北京吗？” 梅启良淡淡地摇了下头，不做回答。这副表情，吴长天是看得懂的，那意思是这还不明白吗。吴长天也清楚，梅珊要是来了，万一吴晓不懂事再冷淡于她，两个大人岂不都没了面子。于是他也不再多说，转个弯把话题引到寿宴的菜品上去了。 作为长天集团总裁的五十大寿，今天宴会上的派头远不像外人想象的那么奢华。除了头道的红烧鱼翅是从京天娱乐城调过来压席的之外，其余都是京西别墅的一位小厨师做的家常菜。大家喝了一点白酒，都没过量。饭后，几个老部下告辞走了，吴长天只留下郑百祥，让他陪着梅启良，和据说是李大功从下属单位请来的两位年轻女同志跳了跳三步四步。那两个女孩儿吴长天似曾见过，细一端详，则完全不熟。两人都生得人面桃花，顾盼之间百媚顿生。她们由李大功介绍，分别陪郑百祥和梅启良跳了几支曲子。陪梅启良跳的那个女孩他忘了叫什么名字，穿了一身黑衣黑裙，让吴长天觉得有些丧气。尽管他知道这些年女人的服饰似乎进入了一个尚黑的时代，但在吴长天看来，黑色无论怎样都给人一种死亡的隐示，颇不吉利。陪郑百祥跳舞的女孩儿则穿了一身时装化的中式外套，眉毛嘴唇画得也有点像古代的仕女，可人名却反其道而行之，取了洋文：艾丽，与服饰打扮驴唇不对马嘴。吴长天知道自己现在反正是看不懂这些年轻人了。 他最熟悉的，还是梅启良这些人。他们认识很多年了，对梅启良工作上的脾气和生活中的爱好，都是了如指掌的。甚至他爱吃哪几道菜，爱喝哪几种酒，也可一一道来。跳舞，是梅启良从不隐讳的一大爱好。梅家祖上，在当年上海的十里洋场，也算是个有名有姓的民族工业家。梅启良生在新中国，长在红旗下，虽未经历旧时代的西学教育、欧风陶冶，但毕竟世家出身，对吃西餐、打网球、跳交谊舞之类的海派嗜好，样样皆通。现在，也许是年龄渐长的缘故，几圈舞跳下来，他的额上就有了些微汗，嘴上也有点上气不接下气了。吴长天见状，便示意停了音乐，然后和郑百祥一起请他到书房去喝茶。李大功则领着那两个姑娘到楼后的游泳池去游泳。他们一走，楼里静下来。主宾三人，喝着刚刚泡起的一壶当年的碧螺春，开始了书房里的话题。