Chapter 3 chapter 2

The train stopped for a moment.Because he was so absorbed in his thoughts, he didn't pay attention to which station he stopped.When he found that the words on the big sign hanging on the platform were Heidelberg, it was the last few seconds of the train's stop. He didn't even have time to think, he hurriedly put on his jacket, dragged his luggage, and got out of the car in a panic.As soon as I got out of the car, the long string of carriages moved forward, and disappeared in an instant. He picked up his rucksack, carried the bag, and walked out of the station slowly, but he was asking himself in his heart: "What am I doing when I get off the train nervously? Looking for old times, visiting friends, or trying to find a way to borrow some money?" money?"

He couldn't answer, as if none of these three items were the purpose; and it seemed that each of the three items had a little part.Speaking of searching for the past, he was a student at Heidelberg ten years ago. Where is there no trace of him in the mountains and rivers around here? ; The day is eligible to find. visiting friends?He used to have people who were closer than friends here, and of course he had friends, but he hasn't heard from him since he left. Who knows if they are still here?Remember him? borrow money?Subconsciously, he touched the fifty-seven and twenty-five cent mark in the back pocket of his trousers, thinking that it was necessary to borrow some money.Otherwise, even if you live in the smallest hotel, you can only survive for one day.

The question is where are his friends?Who will lend him money?A person who tried his best to bury all the "old" things, why bother looking for something old? He really regretted it: he shouldn't have gotten out of the car. Uninterested, he swayed outside the station door and stood on the sidewalk, looking at the Bergenheimer Avenue parallel to the station and leading directly to the center of the city. He had walked this road countless times in the past, and he was no longer familiar with it. There are several new high-rise buildings nearby. Has the road surface been refurbished?It seems to be widened a bit.The large winter jasmine trees on both sides of the road did not exist before.Ten years is a long time!What hasn't changed at all is the sky above his head, that blue, blue, serene and poignant sky that is unique to Heidelberg before dusk.

He let out a faint sigh through his nose, but his eyes were greedily moving on the surrounding scenery.After watching for a long time, a gentle expression finally appeared on his face with deep outline and delicate features, and even those eyes that always had an air of indifference showed a moving light. He figured: let it go, just turn around in Heidelberg, and catch the night train to Paris, so he can sit there overnight.After getting rid of it, I will spend the few money I took, and find a small hotel to stay overnight, and then go on the road tomorrow. Having made up his mind, he put his rucksack on his back, picked up the handbag on the ground, and took big strides towards Bismarck Square.

In early spring and March, the temperature has not yet shed the layer of coldness. The walnut and chestnut trees that have stood frozen in the woods for the winter are starting to sprout leaves. The cold wind is coming.At such a moment when the sun is setting and dusk is about to come, the wind crosses the greening hills and blows on the body, head and face of pedestrians. His rather old grass-green tweed cloth weatherproof jacket, once accompanied him like a companion in times of trouble, traveled all over the world, kept him warm, and protected him from wind and rain.But at the moment, it doesn't seem very useful.The cold wind poured in wantonly from the neckline, cuffs, and the gaps in the fibers, making him as cool as a fully inflated bellows, with wind blowing from every pore.

He shrugged his shoulders and continued walking. In front was Hoppert Street, a place he was most familiar with, and he would walk there two or three times a day when he was a student. As he walked and watched, he was so careful that he never let go of any pedestrian or any signboard of a small shop. Hopper Street is not only the main street in Heidelberg, but also the only street that can be called a bustling street, running through most of Heidelberg City from south to north.The street is long and winding, with shops of all sizes on both sides, including stationery, books, leather goods, cosmetics, wool, women's fashion, daily necessities, all kinds of newly opened or old shops with a history of more than 100 years.The beautifully arranged shop windows are the flowers on this street, which often attract passers-by to stop, stand in front of them, appreciate and appreciate them with joy.

This is a zone where cars are not allowed, and people can walk freely without any restrictions.Those students of all colors wearing half-length jackets and skinny jeans-white, black, mixed colors, and yellow-skinned students, some hurried past, some strolled leisurely, some brows showed happiness, some There was a blank look in his eyes.There are men, women, and family members of US military personnel stationed in Germany - Heidelberg is the headquarters of the US military.There are foreign tourists——Heidelberg is not big, but its reputation is not small. It is a tourist attraction, "Don't lose your heart in Heidelberg!"

yes!The romance and elegance of Heidelberg, the antique buildings, the rich atmosphere of books, and a unique refined atmosphere, no one can remain indifferent, especially those gray old buildings scattered on Hopter Street every day. In the old university building, students come and go, the best years of youth are spent here.These few years often become their sweetest memories in the future, perhaps enough to chew for a lifetime.The white-haired old man chatted with his grandchildren: "Ah! Heidelberg, I was a student there when I was young. That university is the oldest in Europe, founded in the fourteenth century, where I used to..."

Heidelberg is such a place that belongs to young people, where every plant and tree is romantic. When he came to Heidelberg for the first time more than ten years ago, he was also an out-and-out young man. He was very young in heart and appearance. In his eyes, the world was as beautiful as a colorful luminous body, full of light and hope.At that time, his name was Liu Weizu, and he was a graduate student in the Economics Department of Heidelberg University. Now he is here again, but he is not so young. The world in his eyes has also changed. His name has been changed to Liu Lang. What is his occupation?To put it bluntly, he is a wandering painter, but to put it bluntly, to be honest, he is just a tramp without a job.

If he doesn't come to Heidelberg, he still can't see how far the distance is?How much has it changed?Only when people came, did they clearly see that those days in Heidelberg belonged to another century far away. It was the same feeling that Taipei gave him, and it was the same feeling that any city he traveled to gave him. That feeling was that he didn't belong to this place at all, he was a stranger to this place, a complete stranger. Thinking of this, the gentle nostalgic mood when I first got off the car receded like a tide. "I don't know Liu Lang in this place, who knows what I'm here for? Who are my friends? What can I find?" He stopped walking after thinking about it, planning to turn around and go back to the station.

The burden on his back was too heavy, and the big tendons on the back of his neck were aching from the fall. The bag in his hand was full of painting utensils, and the weight was not light.He thought he should find a place to put them down to rest and drink something before going on the road. He entered a beer hall called "The Student Prince".This tavern is no stranger to him. He used to come here often when he was studying, sometimes to play poker with a few classmates, and sometimes to chat with Wang Hongjun and the others.At that time, his alcohol capacity was limited, and he was not even qualified to drink beer. He couldn't even finish half a liter each time, which made his classmates often tease him, saying that he was a weak "son", unlike their big bowls of wine. The meat comes boldly. There weren't many people in the tavern, so he picked a corner seat and sat down, putting his rucksack and bag on the chair next to him. This is his old seat.Every time he came back then, as long as this seat was not occupied, he would definitely sit here.He liked this seat, and always felt that hiding in a corner was a little safer than elsewhere. "Excuse me, how much do you want?" The bartender came over and asked.A large white cloth apron was tied around his barrel-like fat belly, and his red wine-stained face looked kindly. "Let's have a liter!" he said. "One liter—" the bartender raised his voice, his eyes flicking over his face. "Aren't you Mr. Liu Weizu? You always came here at that time, with Mr. Wang Hongjun, Mr. Guo Xinzhi, Mr. Guo, and some other gentlemen. You are here to play poker or to chat. You don't remember me? Mr. Liu. He pointed to his rosy nose, his fat face huddled together with a smile. "Ah—" he couldn't help crying. "That's right, you greeted us every time we came, what's your name?—" "My name is Klaus, and I've been working in this tavern for twenty years. At that time, my stomach was flat like yours, but now it's not good! It's bulging like a big ball. Look, the beer sellers drink Isn’t beer the most convenient? Hee hee, Mr. Liu, we are old acquaintances, I’ll treat you to this first glass. How much do you want? Half a liter? I remember you always ask for half a liter.” Klaus Said enthusiastically. "Ah, Mr. Claus, I'm very thirsty. I need at least a liter." "One liter?" Klaus made a circle between his index finger and thumb and blew on his mouth. "Shh, it's improved." He brought a one-liter transparent glass. "Where have you been for so many years? Later, when Mr. Wang and Mr. Guo came, I asked: 'Where is your Mr. Liu? Didn't he elope with some girl?' Hee hee, I really thought you were with someone else. I ran away, I was really personable and handsome at that time, I heard that some young ladies like you!" Klaus said enough jokes, and put on a serious face: "But they said you disappeared, where did you go? Say they I can’t find you either? Hey! How did you get this look? You don’t look like a son anymore? Did you go on an expedition to the South Pole or the North Pole? Where did you come from?” He gulped his beer silently and didn't answer what Klaus said.The feeling in my heart was strange, and I thought: "It's really weird, this Klaus still remembers me and knows me..." "Hey, really, where are you from? Didn't you escape from prison?" Klaus joked again, laughing. "I'm from Earth," he said mockingly. "From the earth? That's great, we came from the same place." Klaus was as measured as many Westerners. Seeing that he refused to say where he came from, he stopped asking.Just then a bunch of customers came in, and Klaus said, "Drink slowly, I have to greet the guests." "Hey, Mr. Claus, I'm leaving. Just a quick question, is Mr. Wang Hongjun still here?" "Yes, yes, he still lives in the old place. He is Doctor Wang now. There is no one in Heidelberg who does not know him..." Because the group of guests gestured for him to go, Klaus hurriedly went after speaking halfway. Pour wine. From "The Student Prince", he walked along Hopter Street.Before dusk comes, it is the busiest time in this area.On a narrow and long street, there are pedestrians coming and going, some in small groups, some walking alone, and there are also young lovers who are hugging each other and staggering slowly in one place.Among the passing crowd, occasionally a few oriental faces pass by.From the facial features, skin color, temperament and expression of those oriental faces, he is confident that he can correctly determine who is from where?There were several of them, and he almost bet they were from Taiwan. Traveling around the world, he has seen a lot of Chinese youths who look like this; they are neatly dressed, walk with a rather "handsome" posture, and their expressions are full of confidence and contentment, as if there is a bright future waiting ahead, and they live a happy life. Freshness.He couldn't help but think that when he was this age, he was once lively, happy, and loved sincerely.However, his world collapsed in an instant. ... At that time he was "silly happy", and the world of silly happy is vulnerable. "Is Lao Wang still being silly and happy today?" He was infinitely curious about this question, and felt that he must see Wang Hongjun immediately to see the truth. When he first arrived in Heidelberg and was looking for a place to live, Wang Hongjun, the president of the student union, introduced him to the owner, Mr. Baker, and rented an eight-foot-square room on the roof.Wang Hongjun's house is opposite him, and the size and rent are half of his house. Mr. Baker is a successful businessman in the city of Heidelberg, who owns two pharmacies and several houses. Mrs. Baker is the kind of woman who always wears a perfunctory smile on her face.Their two daughters, Elizabeth and Katia, were both high school students at the time.Elizabeth came to pester him at every turn and asked him to accompany her to the dance held by a classmate's house. He never agreed to be her dance partner. He is also an inch taller.At that time, Liu Weizu was not the Liu Lang of today. He hadn't seen through how ridiculous the hypocritical etiquette in the society was. He paid great attention to appearance. How unattractive would it be to dance with a girl who was taller than him?What's more, Elizabeth's face was unattractive. The pores on her face were thick and the hair was heavy. He didn't want people to mistake her for his girlfriend.So he always used various excuses to push back. Wang Hongjun was short, with a solid frame, and a face that was dark and rosy. It was suspected that he had just skied on a high mountain.Wang Hongjun worked very hard, but his homework was not the best.From his point of view, Wang Hongjun is not amazing no matter the appearance or the inside. He simply doesn't understand why Wang Hongjun is always so satisfied. He almost thinks that person lacks character. He refused to accompany Elizabeth to the dance, so Wang Hongjun volunteered to accompany her. When Elizabeth pursed her lips and said ungratefully, "I don't want you to accompany me. You are about half a head shorter than me. It would be ugly to dance together." At that time , he was not angry, and said with a smile: "Just dance well, what does it matter if you are tall or short?" Wang Hongjun got along very well with the old landlord and his wife, and they often volunteered to tidy up the yard or repair household appliances when they were free on weekends.Later, the landlord was too embarrassed to accept the rent.The rent expense was waived, and the economic pressure on Wang Hongjun was greatly relieved.Wang Hongjun had no source of income, no scholarship, and was very troubled by poverty. He had lent money to Wang Hongjun many times, and he had no intention of repaying it from the beginning.People like Wang Hongjun are not what he thinks highly of, but there is some genuine friendship between the two of them.Although he hadn't heard from him for ten years, he felt that he could still go and see him, and even borrowed some money from him. What he couldn't figure out was that Wang Hongshi was already a doctor and his income would not be very small. Why was he still a tenant of the Bakers' house instead of renting an independent apartment?He judged that it was still the old reason - to save money. Wang Hongjun was famous among his classmates for his frugality and hard work. As he walked and thought, when he looked up, the Baker family's classical style house with a steeple, white walls, and green shutters, half-hidden by clusters of big trees, was already in sight.