Chapter 17 Chapter Seventeen

The clouds are thin, like a sunny day, the bright sun shines down from the blue sky.A row of bungalows in the Sixian Town Health Center still looks as ordinary as it used to be. The white lime on the walls has not fallen off so hard, but there are still many spots.On an earth cliff near the town health center, the old marks on the two cave dwellings are clearly exposed in the sunlight. The old green wormwood on the roof of the kiln is pulled by the wind and shakes back and forth, whitewashing the white stone on the kiln surface. The gray is falling off in pieces here and there, like a few pieces of zebra skin that have been hung in the sun for many years, which makes people feel that it has a little more years of vicissitudes than the wall in the hospital.Xiao Mingchuan lived in the cave on the left, and the one on the right belonged to Liu Haitao.The wall of the kiln courtyard is as high as one person, and it is made of large bluestones. The desert king parked in the courtyard is shimmering under the sunlight.

Liu Haitao, smoking a cigarette, came across the street.Across the street, under a large canopy, there are a few dilapidated pool tables. When Liu Haitao is bored, he goes to poke a few poles.There was no idle table just now, and I didn't see any familiar opponents.The troublesome Liu Haitao, depressed for a while, took out a condom from his trouser pocket, tore off the seal, took out the condom, squatted at the gate of the courtyard and played with it.The sleeve bulged, the sleeve deflated, the sleeve bulged again, the sleeve deflated again, Liu Haitao looked like a naughty big boy, playing with a smirk.At this time, the black-haired dog from the small restaurant next door ran over wagging its tail and circling around Liu Haitao, then raised its two front paws enough for the condom in Liu Haitao's hand.Liu Haitao pushed the black-haired dog away, and shouted, "Go away, you fucking fuck, you still need to wear this?"The two front paws of the black-haired dog hung in the air and remained motionless, and its ears froze, as if thinking about Liu Haitao's words.Liu Haitao smiled, grabbed one of the black-haired dog's front paws, emptied the air in the condom, and put the condom on the dog's paw, here, put socks on for you.The black-haired dog didn't like the white rubber sock. After whining a few times, he turned his head and tore off the condom. After grabbing the condom in his mouth, he turned around and ran away.Liu Haitao stuck out his tongue, clapped his hands, stood up, and looked down the street in boredom.After an unknown amount of time, the walkie-talkie hung on the Desert King's rearview mirror rang. At this time, Liu Haitao, who was playing with burning ants with cigarette butts at the gate of the courtyard, suddenly stood up and ran towards the walkie-talkie.The caller was Jia Xiao, who said they were on their way and would arrive in town in twenty minutes.Liu Haitao immediately cheered up, hung up the walkie-talkie, and came to the cave to report to Xiao Mingchuan.Although Xiao Mingchuan couldn't get excited, he knew that there was no way to omit the entertainment in order to save face, so he followed Liu Haitao out of the cave.

Liu Haitao snapped his fingers and said, are you all right today, Xiao Chu?Well, I can drink at noon.Xiao Mingchuan could hear the sour taste in his words, so he smiled and said nothing.On weekdays, Xiao Mingchuan forbade Liu Haitao to drink, worried that he would be caught blind in an emergency, and Liu Haitao complained a lot about it.Once, Liu Haitao wanted to teach Xiao Mingchuan to drive with ulterior motives, but Xiao Mingchuan didn't take it seriously, he just said that he was not addicted to cars, so Liu Haitao had to pierce the window paper and said, "Teach you, sometimes I can spare my hands to have a few drinks." .Xiao Mingchuan glanced at Liu Haitao, his heart suddenly softened, and he realized that in the past, he felt sorry for him in some places, not to mention benefits, at least in terms of emotional communication, he was not careful enough.Two people stay together all day, if the heart is not touched frequently, the temperature of the relationship will naturally not rise.Xiao Mingchuan patted Liu Haitao on the shoulder, and said in a relaxed tone, at noon, treat them to a drink, and Jia Xiao will leave it to you.Liu Haitao gritted his teeth, rolled his eyes, and felt that the expression on Xiao Mingchuan's face became more and more awkward as he looked at it, as if it was pasted, and wanted to say something, but he didn't say it.Xiao Mingchuan felt that Liu Haitao didn't quite get used to his sharp turn, so he said in a self-deprecating tone, I have been squatting in the office all these years.Liu Haitao looked at Xiao Mingchuan and said with a smile, "Xiao Chu, please don't warm me. Once you warm me, I feel like I'm going to melt away, really."Xiao Chu, you're still the same as before, it's fine, I'm used to it.Xiao Mingchuan burst into laughter.Liu Haitao stuck out his tongue, opened and winked one eye funnyly.The two chatted a few gossips about not provoking anyone and not provoking anyone, both of them unexpectedly felt that they had something about each other in their hearts at this moment.What is it?It's really hard for the two of them to use words to describe. It seems that some feelings can only be understood but cannot be expressed in words.

Liu Haitao squatted down, and Xiao Mingchuan followed suit.Liu Haitao held his chin and said, "Xiao Chu, how about you, big or small, you are busy with your career, unlike me, one who turns the steering wheel, one person is full, and the whole family is not hungry. This life will be spent running around, at best, do it again." Last few sweet dreams, no matter what my son does.Xiao Mingchuan asked with a smile, how old is the son?Liu Haitao stretched out four fingers and said, four years old.Xiao Mingchuan said, don't be like you when you grow up.Liu Haitao laughed and said, what, you think I really have no ambitions, Xiao Chu?Xiao Mingchuan shook his head and said, he didn't see it.Liu Haitao straightened his neck and yelled towards the street, if I get rich in the future, I will drink soy milk every fucking day, buy two bowls once, drink one bowl, pour another bowl!Xiao Mingchuan pursed his lips and smiled.The two women who were passing by the entrance of the kiln yard stretched their heads to look into the yard, then quickened their pace in panic, lest they would be hurt by accident.Liu Haitao listened attentively and said, they are here.Xiao Mingchuan cast his eyes on the street, but he didn't see the shadow of the Mitsubishi Jeep, nor did he hear the movement of the sports car.Liu Haitao stood up, glanced at Xiao Mingchuan triumphantly, and stretched his waist.Xiao Mingchuan also stood up, and it was only then that he vaguely heard the vibrating sound of the tires rolling rapidly on the road.The Mitsubishi jeep came very fast, and when it reached the gate of the courtyard, there was a gust of wind, and the dust raised was thrown into the courtyard.Xiao Mingchuan shook hands with Guo Ziqin in the choking dust.When Jia Xiao got out of the car, he was pulled aside by Liu Haitao to tease him.

Xiao Mingchuan asked, Chu Guo, are you going to Chexi, or to the county?I'm here to see you, Chu Xiao!Guo Ziqin tucked his hands under his armpits, leaned against Xiao Mingchuan with his shoulder, put away the weird smile on his face and said, go back to the county.After entering the cave, Guo Ziqin looked around.In fact, he is no stranger to this cave dwelling, he has been here twice.Guo Ziqin said, your nest is better, warm in winter and cool in summer.Xiao Mingchuan said, it's better than living in the open air.Outside the cave, Liu Haitao and Jia Xiao laughed wildly for some reason.Guo Ziqin took out a letter from his handbag and handed it over, saying that someone from the project department brought it over.Xiao Mingchuan took the letter and looked at it, he knew it, folded it, and put it in his trouser pocket.The letter was sent from a poor mountainous area in Guangxi, and the handwriting on it was neatly written stroke by stroke.Xiao Mingchuan sponsored a middle school student from a poor family in Guangxi.Guo Ziqin said, I didn't expect your uncle to go to Guangxi. Do you have relatives there?His question was aimed at the title of uncle on the envelope.Xiao Mingchuan didn't want to reveal what was in the letter, so he slipped away as soon as he interrupted.A patch of sunlight illuminates the kiln window.Inside the vaulted cave dwelling, wisps of green smoke entwine with flickering light.After another gossip, Xiao Mingchuan twisted his cigarette butt and said, let's go, let's go eat.Guo Ziqin put down the mineral water in his hand, stood up, and turned his neck a few times.