Chapter 15 Chapter Fourteen If You Can Live Together

That night, the Mu family made a surprise interrogation. Chu Hangsheng was driven home, and the suspect became Mu Xin himself.The advantage is that she feels that Chu Hangsheng's absence is more conducive to her acting coquettishly to her mother; the disadvantage is that because of the lack of witnesses, Liu Hongmei finds it hard to believe that Mu Xin's divorce has nothing to do with Chu Hangsheng. Mu Xin felt a little disappointed—how could a mother not trust her daughter?Is she, Mu Xin, the kind of watery person? Will she be unfaithful to her marriage?Xiao Yuhua, that petty bourgeoisie, was nothing more than her own mother, why didn't she believe that the daughter she brought out with her own hands was actually finally freed after bearing the burden of humiliation?

But she can understand her mother's position—ever since she decided to apply for the art college in her third year of high school, the neighbors upstairs and downstairs have speculated a lot, why the art college has so many beauties, most of them are unreliable, why such-and-such boss Mistresses and mistresses are both studying art. Why is it that a girl from an art academy was caught by 110 and made it onto the evening news...Mu Xin has heard a lot, so she doesn't think there is anything wrong: she is not afraid of shadows, and walks her own way , Let those who like to chew their tongues get mouth ulcers!

But can mother? Widowed in his forties, he worked hard to send his daughter to school, and finally her daughter got a good job after graduation, but she couldn't bear to be dragged down, and wanted to find a wife who could support and take care of each other, and was cheated into bankruptcy—oh no, finally there was Covering yourself with tiles is better than living on the streets. Thinking of this, Mu Xin could only re-emphasize patiently: "Mom, it really has nothing to do with Chu Hangsheng. Do you think I am that kind of person? You can't even trust your own daughter?"

"Then why do you want a divorce? You just said that your mother-in-law looks down on you, but since ancient times, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law have not been mothers and daughters-in-law, and you can't ask her to treat you like a daughter-in-law!" Liu Hongmei was heartbroken, "Even if you are now Divorced, but your Auntie Su is not your real mother... This mother-in-law is a mother-in-law, can you still divorce next time?" "Mom, if you really don't believe me, just ask Yang Qian." Exhausted, Mu Xin decided to give up. "If he still has a little humanity, he will naturally have to say something fair. If he is inhuman, I don't have to read it anymore." He's good—of course, I don't think he's that kind of person, otherwise he wouldn't have lent you money in the first place."

Looking at the stunned mother, Mu Xin hesitated for a moment, but reached out and took off the hair clips that had been used to tie her hair, and let her hair hang down.She lifted a lock of hair behind her ears, turned sideways, and exposed a piece of hairless scalp the size of a fingernail: "There will be no more hair here. Mom, since they held me down and beat me to death." At that time, even if I didn't want to divorce anymore, I didn't have the courage to live with them anymore." Liu Hongmei stared wide-eyed, looked at the scalp in disbelief, stretched out her hand tremblingly, stroked it lightly, but suddenly withdrew her hand as if it was burning, and replied in horror: "They hit you?"

"I didn't make it easy for them either." Mu Xin put her hair up again, with a calm expression, "I slapped my mother-in-law twice and bit Yang Qian a few times, otherwise I wouldn't be able to escape." "Why did they hit you?" Liu Hongmei was so distressed that she just wanted to hold her daughter in her arms - she had worked so hard to raise her daughter, she was not willing to slap her, so it's someone else's turn to slap her? "My father-in-law passed away, and they put the blame on me." Mu Xin finally had to tell the whole story, from quarreling for money to divorce for money. Chu Hangsheng, Mom, I should thank him."

She didn't mention the fleeting child, she didn't mention Lu Bingtang's threatening threats, and she couldn't repeat Xiao Yuhua's insulting words... But even so, Liu Hongmei still cried very sadly.She took her daughter's hand, but didn't know what to say. "Mom, don't cry, it's all over." Mu Xin knelt down slowly, and the landlord Liu Hongmei said, "In the future, life will get better and better. I'm still young, I'm not dragged down, my job is fairly stable, and it's okay to marry again." Not too difficult." "But how can you be with Chu Hangsheng? He has a wife!" Liu Hongmei looked at her daughter sadly, "Last time I asked you, Aunt Su, when the young couple planned to have children, and your Aunt Su said she would take care of it." I can't help it... Look how harmonious the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are, if there is a dispute because of you..."

Mu Xin smiled: "Mom, just like you would not want others to know that your daughter is divorced, Aunt Su would not be willing to tell others that her son is divorced." "What?" Liu Hongmei stared wide-eyed, "Chu Hangsheng divorced?" Mu Xin nodded: "Mom, now that Chu Hangsheng and I are in City G, we really depend on each other for life." "Haihong Jewelry Co., Ltd. uses seven cents per month as a bait to lend at high interest rates. You also know that it is impossible to sustain it. It is just for publicity in the early stage. Some people who joined at the earliest did make a profit. Join later The part of the people who can basically keep the investment and report balance, but when the company can't return the money on time, the person in charge will run away, so most of the investors in the middle and late stages are throwing money for nothing, and the total amount involved is 500 million Above. Now a task force has been formed, and a few people have been arrested, but the odds may have gone abroad, and most of the money will not be recovered.” A few days later, Yang Qian called Mu Xin and told her what he knew. , and told me another sentence: "You don't have to talk to my mother, I have a solution for her, just take care of the family."

Mu Xin squeezed her phone and smiled wryly: "Yang Qian, what can you do? Find someone to borrow money to make up the shortfall? Although fifty thousand yuan is only your annual salary, how will you explain to your mother this year? Phase two How to pay the loan?" "Don't worry about it, I said if there is a way, then there is a way." Yang Qian was categorical. Mu Xin couldn't help but sigh in her heart: Yang Qian, if you had had such strength, given me courage and support before we divorced, we wouldn't have come to where we are today. So, a week later, Mu Xin still sent the money back to Yang Qian. In order not to give Yang Qian a chance to refund, for the first time in a year, Mu Xin stood at the door of the rented house where he used to live, in front of Xiao Yuhua. and handed over 50,000 yuan in cash to their wives.

"Yang Qian, thank you." Mu Xin said to Yang Qian sincerely, and then looked at Xiao Yuhua, "The money is here, you can count it." Just as Yang Qian was about to stop him, Xiao Yuhua took the plastic bag from Mu Xin without saying a word, turned around and entered the room.Mu Xin was also polite, and immediately stopped her: "Just count here, I won't go in." Xiao Yuhua glared at Mu Xin fiercely, and counted down one by one seriously.She has done financial work, counted the money quickly, and quickly concluded that it was indeed 50,000 yuan, not a penny more, and a penny not a lot.

"From now on, your family's affairs have nothing to do with us, and I don't want to see you again, we'd better not see each other forever!" While putting away the money, Xiao Yuhua said harshly. Mu Xin smiled coldly: "That's great, that's what I want to say too." She took one last look at Yang Qian, and put her expression on a gentle face: "Yang Qian, thank you." She repeated this sentence again, turned around and went downstairs without looking back. Yang Qian stared blankly at her back, until he was dragged into the room by Xiao Yuhua and started a new round of scolding, he kept thinking over and over again: Where did she get the money?She won't have so much money in her account.Did her brother lend it to her?What is their relationship now?He also heard gossip that Chu Hangsheng often went to the police station to find Mu Xin, so are they together?In the future, this woman, this woman who used to lie beside me, will become someone else's woman?Her fair skin, deep collarbone, plump breasts, soft waist... and even her slowly blooming body will become the warmth in the arms of others? Yang Qian felt that he was going crazy. The money was indeed borrowed from Chu Hangsheng. There was no suspense at all - around Mu Xin, Hao Huinan, Meng Yueyue, Zhang Le, Zhao Xuhui... were all poor people.Although there is no need to worry about food and clothing, and a little support, it is basically impossible to spend all 130,000 yuan all at once.However, for Mu Xin, Yang Qian's debt must be repaid, and her own mother must be appeased. Apart from borrowing money, she has no other way out. It is absolutely impossible to be unconciled—when Liu Hongmei’s initial joy and sorrow, which was all spent on her daughter’s marriage, gradually dissipated, the huge sum of 130,000 yuan that disappeared out of thin air weighed on her heart like a stone again, making her unable to eat day and night. Can't sleep.In order to calm this anxiety, and to get back her investment funds as soon as possible, she began to stand guard at the gate of the municipal government with a group of old men and women, holding a large banner that read "Severely Punish Criminals and Return People to Justice". Persevere and persevere.In order to make everyone's guarding more targeted, they also went for legal consultation and learned that there have been similar cases in other cities before, and a certain degree of compensation was paid to the victims after forced payment of part of the stolen money.So while they continued to petition, they paid attention to the progress of the case day and night. Whenever they caught a "online" or "offline", they hurriedly inquired about the amount of recovery. I caught it, but I don’t have much money, girl, you are a policeman, you have to help us get ahead"... Mu Xin was exhausted by her mother's N times a day live broadcast on the phone. She really wanted to say that although she was a policeman, she was a policeman who said nothing.Even if she has the channel to inquire about the news, she is far from capable of interfering with the case. Really want to collapse. Naturally, Chu Hangsheng could see Mu Xin's appearance of pretending to be calm on the surface, but deeply entangled in his heart.He didn't talk too much, but one day after dinner, while Mu Xin was sitting on the sofa watching TV, he put a small package neatly wrapped in newspaper in front of her.Mu Xin opened it suspiciously: Several stacks of hundred-yuan bills suddenly appeared in front of her! "What are you doing!" Mu Xin frowned at Chu Hang's voice. "I know you and Hao Huinan can't raise that much money together in a short period of time. This is just a little bit of my heart." Chu Hangsheng sat next to Mu Xin, hugged her and sighed, "You can't be the first in everything. A friend who thinks of you instead of me." Mu Xin looked at the money and remained silent. Chu Hangsheng lowered his head to look at Mu Xin, touched her ear, and teased her: "Otherwise, if you think so, it's considered a bride price, okay?" Mu Xin wanted to laugh, so she turned her head to look at him. Seeing his serious look, she purposely complained: "Don't you think I'm just a drag..." Chu Hangsheng didn't want to listen to this, he gave Mu Xin an angry look, pulled her into his arms and pecked her lips: "Don't say useless things to embarrass me." Mu Xin smiled, stretched out her hand to push Chu Hang's voice.But her lips were so soft, Chu Hangsheng didn't want to leave. He gently grabbed her wrist, and pressed her down on the sofa. Seeing her gentle obedience, he even wanted to kiss her softly all the way without raising his head—— It was the first time for Chu Hangsheng to be so close to this once familiar and once unfamiliar woman, and he felt a bit like dreaming. In the dream, he didn't even know when he unbuttoned her home clothes, he only saw the gleaming white skin and the delicate pink under the light.The soft and delicate flowers were shyly hidden in the lavender bodice, and he kissed them one by one, and couldn't help lingering around the gradually blooming flowers.He gradually felt that the heating in the room was too hot, and it was no wonder that Mu Xin, who had just recovered from a serious illness, dared to hang around in the room wearing only a piece of home clothes, because at this moment there seemed to be a handful of people around him. Fire, burning vigorously. He took a deep breath, but it didn't help.His reason has long since disappeared, his calmness faded away, his body is more faithful than his mind, clamoring to instruct him to peel off those restraints that prevent him from cooling down... He finally felt so clearly the curves of her waist, twisting and turning, glowing under the light. Shine like white porcelain.At this moment, he didn't know whether it was his palms that were hot or her skin that was hot. In short, there must be something, it was so hot that it was about to melt! He raised his head and saw Mu Xin tightly closed his eyes.Perhaps because she was a little nervous, she even pursed her lips and subconsciously hugged his neck tightly.Chu Hang laughed, he kissed her trembling eyelashes again, and approached her unreservedly, he was finally about to bury himself in the land of tenderness...Suddenly, a high-pitched cell phone rang from nowhere: I am looking up, above the moon , how many dreams are flying freely, forgotten yesterday, the wind has dried up the sorrow, I want to meet you again on that boundless road... Loud and clear, coupled with a mobile phone of average quality but extremely loud, I wish I could penetrate the roof.Chu Hangsheng wanted to turn a deaf ear to it, but it was a pity that the music was too powerful in destroying the atmosphere. He watched Mu Xin's confused eyes gradually become clear, and saw a shy blush appear on her face, and then panicked. He frantically picked up the clothes that fell under the sofa, sat up and wanted to push him away, but after sensing his change, he lowered his head and blinked twice, then blinked twice, and then the corners of his lips curled up forbearingly ... Chu Hangsheng was indignant! He was really unwilling, and dragged Mu Xin who had just held the phone in his hand.He hugged her in front of him.He saw Mu Xin glance at the closed curtains guiltily before pressing the answer button on the phone.He wrapped her tightly in his arms as if revenge, she wanted to laugh, but was too embarrassed to laugh, so she had to answer the phone with a suppressed smile. "Auntie? Oh, yes, I got off work...I went home, yes, it's good, hehe, you are too polite, it's okay, don't worry, I've lived in G City for almost ten years, I'm used to it...Yes , it’s very dry, and the air humidity here is low..." Mu Xin made a serious phone call, with one hand still grabbing her home clothes top, trying to cover it up in front of her chest.At this moment, Chu Hangsheng has simply discarded the "gentle" coat, determined to be a "scum" - without hesitation, he lowered his head, lightly nibbled on the round and smooth shoulder in front of him, and his fingertips quietly crossed some futile Cover up and stay in the place as soft as a cloud.He felt Mu Xin tremble in his arms, and quickly pressed his hand tightly with the clothes in his hand, but it was just enough for his five fingers to wrap tightly.Thus, the pink flowers bloomed again at his fingertips... However, to his surprise, Mu Xin's voice became louder and louder during this good time that was finally recovered. "Auntie, it doesn't count if I say it... yes, this is indeed a good thing, but I can't help, I'm just an ordinary policeman, and I'm just doing my job in this job! It's not that I don't help, I Having said that, my abilities are limited, and I am beyond my control... What happened to the exam by myself? I also got in by my own ability, and I didn't need to spend money on treats and gifts. Not all civil service exams are as dirty as you imagine... I I know, I said it's not that I don't help, but that I can't help!" Mu Xin's face finally began to change, her body was trembling with anger, Chu Hang was taken aback, and quickly let go, took the shirt from her hand, stood in front of her, quietly embraced her in his arms, Give her a reassuring look while patting her arm lightly to signal her to calm down. "Auntie, my police uniform is just a symbol. It marks my profession, not the power I have. I really don't want to help. If you want, let my cousin find me online, and I can send her an email Some test materials. If she doesn't dislike my limited level, she can make more mock papers and send them over. I can help her revise them, and there should be improvement. Can't we take the test based on our ability? No one can really help you with the written test..." I don't know how much saliva was wasted, but when Mu Xin finally angrily threw the phone aside, the beauty of the room had disappeared.She leaned against Chu Hangsheng's arms wearily, and let him help her get dressed with rustling noises, and then wrapped herself around Zhengzheng before he hugged her back into his arms. "My aunt said that my cousin is going to be a civil servant in city C. The position she is applying for is the city's public security bureau. She will take the provincial exam after the year. Let me help my cousin find a way." Mu Xin sighed. "I can hear it." Chu Hang straightened Mu Xin's long hair and comforted her: "Many people who don't know what's going on will think the same way. In fact, it's not your aunt's fault. It's just some people's behavior that makes bystanders uncomfortable. There is no such prejudice.” Mu Xin was exhausted, she turned around, shrank herself into Chu Hangsheng's arms, and lay on his chest quietly, listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat, it seemed that she had found some support and comfort - it seemed that this was her home. After a long time, Chu Hangsheng heard her say: "You can save some of the money back. I have collected 40,000 on hand, and another 50,000 will be enough." Chu Hang was puzzled: "Isn't it 300,000, why did it become 90,000?" "Unless my mother is a fool, how can I believe that other people's money has not been returned, and only she can return the full amount? I will pay Yang Qian 50,000, and give my mother 40,000," Mu Xin put his arms around Chu Hangsheng's neck, She raised her head and kissed him lightly on the lips, "Thank you very much for this. I didn't intend to refuse, let alone write you an IOU or promise to repay the money at a certain time...that would be too hypocritical. So, you have to Trust me, trust me to be sincere, okay?" Chu Hang lowered his head, carefully looked at Mu Xin's cool eyes, and himself in those eyes, hugged her tightly, nodded, "OK". The lights are still so bright, although the passion has receded, but there is warmth rising. Mu Xin knew that there was no other feeling, and she would be more dependable than at this moment. Sure enough, after receiving 40,000 yuan, Liu Hongmei's mood improved a lot—although at first she wondered why the other old sisters who went to the meditation together didn't get their refunds, but Mu Xin said, "I have found acquaintances and dragged the relationship. Return ours, but only in part.”Liu Hongmei believed it, because in her heart she just felt that "someone in the court is easy to handle".She began to whisper to Song Xiyuan, saying how wise it was for her daughter to become a "public servant", especially wearing a police uniform, which is simply a guarantee of safety!Of course, when she said this, she would occasionally think of Yang Qian who once persuaded her daughter to engage in this industry, but immediately after thinking of the small wound behind her daughter's ear, distress and resentment would come to her heart again.She couldn't imagine what kind of life Mu Xin lived in the provincial capital in the past few years, and she didn't know how much she had suffered, but fortunately, she thought, with Chu Hang's voice, her daughter will finally have a good life, right? At the same time, Chu Hangsheng was discussing with Mu Xin: "Will you come to my house during Chinese New Year?" "This year?" Mu Xin was surprised, "Why are you in such a hurry?" "Are you in a hurry?" Chu Hang wondered, "At this age, what are you still doing? Do you have to follow the example of young people playing the Eight Years of Anti-Japanese War?" Mu Xin gritted her teeth: "What age? Who are you talking about?" "I'm talking about myself," Chu Hangsheng quickly explained, "I'm thirty-four this year, four years older than you!" Mu Xin really didn't want to admit that she was thirty years old.In fact, she wants to say that her birthday is young, and she is only twenty-nine years old now, but the people around her seem to have agreed that she is "thirty not standing" - neither a decent career, nor a reliable marriage, no home, No kids, no direction.In the part of her label that can be remembered, she still loses more than she gains. "Can you slow down a little longer?" Mu Xin thought about it, but she still didn't have the courage. "Why? We knew each other from the beginning!" Chu Hangsheng couldn't figure it out. "I'm not ready yet," Mu Xin said with a sad expression, "Well, I dare to fall in love because I feel cold, and you make me feel warm—as you said, I'm not too young, now It is also impossible to take the romantic route. Love is meant to be able to gain heat. But, I dare not meet your parents, I am afraid that they will talk about marriage, and I am even more afraid that they will look down on me..." "No." Chu Hang hugged her distressedly, "My mother likes you very much, I have already made insinuations, and I don't think she is stupid, but seeing that I didn't tell the truth, so she was tense and didn't talk too much. " "Give me a little more time." Mu Xin lowered her head and murmured, "Give me a little more time..." Chu Hang sighed, could he say no? After all, this year, Mu Xin still did not appear in Chu Hang's house. On New Year's Eve, the restaurant at Chu Hangsheng's house was filled with the aroma of the New Year's Eve dinner, and the broadcast time of the Spring Festival Gala on TV began to count down. No matter how much you try to enliven the atmosphere, you can only hear the mother chanting the same thing in various expressions from beginning to end: "When will you bring a girlfriend back", "When will you remarry son", "Son, you are not old enough I'm too young, I can't wait any longer", "When will I be able to hug my grandson"... During the chanting, Chu Hangsheng realized for the first time that he was quite childlike—every time his mother chanted, Chu Hangsheng counted a melon seed to his hand, and when he finally counted to the thirty-fourth melon seed, he heard his father protest: " For those who are celebrating Chinese New Year, don’t say a word.” Mother was silent. Chu Hang raised his head and saw that the Spring Festival Gala on TV started happily, but his mother was sitting on the sofa in a daze, so melancholy.He suddenly felt a little wronged—Mu Xin, what are you afraid of?It's good news for the New Year's Eve, but if you hold back, isn't this tormenting? He held back and watched TV for a while, and when his mother wasn't paying attention, he sneaked to the balcony to make a phone call. The phone was picked up quickly, and Mu Xin's voice contained a smile: "Are you at home?" "It's on the balcony." Chu Hangsheng looked at the fireworks in the distance through the glass of the balcony, and smiled when he heard her voice, "Do you have a lot of family?" "Many, my elder brother and sister-in-law over there brought their children, and my uncle accompanied them downstairs to set off firecrackers, and my mother was watching TV." Mu Xin thought for a while, and then asked, "Did you tell your mother?" Chu Hang let out a long sigh: "You won't let me say it, can I say it? She's been talking about me all night, and thinks I don't want to remarry quickly. I beg you, let's not be tense, you see your mother knows me Is it appropriate for you not to let my mother know about your existence?" "Wait a little longer, let me do more mental construction." Mu Xin begged, "OK?" "Mu Xin, you really have the heart!" Chu Hang continued to sigh, but before he could finish his sigh, he suddenly heard someone behind him interject: "Is it Miss Xin?" Chu Hang was startled, turned around in surprise, and saw his mother standing excitedly at the balcony door, pointing at his mobile phone: "Give it to me, I want to talk to the girl!" Chu Hang's voice was a little dumbfounded, and Mu Xin on the other side of the phone obviously also heard the high-pitched voice of Aunt Su who hadn't seen him for many years, and fell silent together. "Hurry up." Seeing Chu Hang's voice in a daze, Su Guifang snatched her son's cell phone, happily asking, "Is it Xinxin?" "Hello, Auntie," Mu Xin suppressed her nervousness, and greeted with a smile, "I wish you an early New Year greeting." "Don't make it ahead of time, let's come to play at home tomorrow." Su Guifang couldn't wait. "How many years have I not seen you? I still see your mother more times. Hang Sheng said that you both work in the same city, and you often 'meet'... you But don't look outside, my son has a good heart, and outsiders are eager to help, let alone our own people?" "One of my own"... Mu Xin blushed when she heard this: "Thank you, Auntie, I have troubled you a lot." "Why is it troublesome? You said that you are a girl living in another place, and you can't do without anyone around you. Xinxin, how old are you this year? Oh thirty... yes, our Hangsheng is four years older than you, It just so happens...ah no no no, I mean you guys just happen to help each other in the same city, haha, haha..." Su Guifang, who had slipped her tongue, glanced at her son guiltyly, only to see Chu Hangsheng wiped his face helplessly, waved his hand and entered the room She didn't plan to stop her from talking at all, and she suddenly became proud again, and continued to break up with Mu Xin, "Who is at your house tonight? Are they all there? It's really lively, and it seems like there are children making noise. Chinese New Year! I told you that Auntie’s place is going to be deserted. I’m not lying to you. Your uncle is too boring. He always thinks that this show or that show is not good, so he has to go to bed soon. I’m nervous Every year at this time, I can’t sleep because of the sound of firecrackers, so I can only watch TV, but what’s the point of watching TV by myself...Him? Does my son watch TV with my mother..." The phone call lasted half an hour.When Su Guifang returned to the room with her mobile phone in her pocket, Chu Hangsheng asked while cleaning up the dishes on the dining table, "Isn't it cold on the balcony?" "It's not cold, isn't there glass here?" Su Guifang handed the phone to Chu Hangsheng, not caring at all about her cold fingertips, and said with a smile, "Son, where are you going?" "Which step?" Chu Hangsheng thought for a while, and carried a few plates into the kitchen, "Let's leave." "Nonsense! It doesn't matter if there is only one who hasn't left!" Su Guifang continued to be proud, "I thought there was something wrong when you told me about Xinxin last time. It's not the person who I only care about, but I can still care about so many trivial matters. ?; He can even notice whether the heater in the police station is warm or not, my son is really careful!" "Mom, don't you watch TV?" Chu Hang turned back and pointed at the TV, "The party has started for more than half an hour." "What's so good about TV?" Su Guifang followed to the kitchen, "Son, when are you getting married? Can I bring my grandchildren to watch TV by this time next year?" Here it comes again... Chu Hangsheng replied helplessly: "Mom, you should watch TV, can't I bring her back tomorrow for a hundred years?" Su Guifang finally smiled contentedly for the first time that night. But Chu Hangsheng didn't expect that after his mother was quarreled with firecrackers all night, the next day, the small universe would explode even more. Early in the morning, Chu Hangsheng opened the bedroom door and saw Su Guifang fidgeting in the living room.Seeing Chu Hang's voice, she couldn't wait to urge: "I think it's better not to wait, you go to Mu Xin's house to pay New Year's greetings, let's go together!" "Ah?" Chu Hangsheng looked at her in surprise, and then at his father, who smiled and said nothing. Chu Hang said in a melancholy voice, "Aren't the juniors giving New Year greetings to the elders?" "What's the matter, it's normal for old neighbors to walk around each other." Su Guifang looked earnestly. Chu Hang looked at Su Guifang vigilantly: "Mom, you don't mean to bring gifts to propose marriage, do you? Let me tell you that we haven't..." "This imagination is too rich son," Su Guifang smiled and clapped her hands, "Look, I went there empty-handed, isn't it just to pay New Year's greetings? What do you mean? Besides, if you haven’t moved now, it’s customary to go upstairs and downstairs on the morning of the first day of the new year. Say something auspicious.” Chu Hangsheng was right after thinking about it, and nodded: "Then wait for me to wash my face." Have some food, father points to the dining table, dumplings, rice cakes, porridge, side dishes, your mother can't sleep, and cooks a table of meals. Su Guifang didn't appreciate it, and complained: "You got up too late son, it's already eight o'clock, will he go out to pay New Year's greetings... Are you hungry, or don't eat..." Chu Hangsheng looked back at his mother silently, and then exchanged a sympathetic look with his father, suddenly felt that the morning of the first day of the new year was very dreamy. On the first day of the Lunar New Year at Mu Xin's house, it was much quieter than expected. After breakfast, Song Xiyuan, his son and daughter-in-law went out to play with their beloved grandson.At around seven o'clock, the neighbors upstairs and downstairs began to pay New Year's greetings, and it came to an end around nine o'clock. Liu Hongmei stayed at home and had nothing to do. While watching the replay of the Spring Festival Gala on TV, she knit a sweater for Song Xiyuan, and occasionally looked up. I looked at the door of my daughter's bedroom, but there was no one there, but I could vaguely hear the sound of typing on the keyboard, which turned out to be surfing the Internet. Mu Xin was chatting with Hao Huinan. Hao Huinan's online name is "Sister, don't be afraid, you're a hooligan." Mu Xin disliked it: "Using this kind of online name when you celebrate Chinese New Year can only show that you have a heart ready to move." "I have to be able to move too..." Hao Huinan gritted her teeth and added, "I met the former office director on the road yesterday. Thanks to his slip of the tongue, I know why I was sent to the village as a Village head. Hey, I was wondering. You said that the village head is an official who has to make up his mind, and it is such a place full of contradictions. They are really embarrassed to let me come here as a woman! It is because of me I refused to drink with the leader, and repeatedly yelled and failed, which made the leader angry. I don’t give gifts during the Chinese New Year, and I don’t help out for nothing. As the saying goes, I’m not sensible. What's the use? But I don't drink well, and I'm not part of the funeral team in the office, and I don't know where the leader's home is, where to send the gifts, and I never thought about working in this place for the rest of my life. Since there is always a chance to leave. I Why do you have to pretend to be sensible in this corner and wrong yourself?" Mu Xin looked at the screen without saying a word. She suddenly thought of Lu Bingtang, the hand that Lu Bingtang held, the waist that Lu Bingtang held, and those provocative words. The time when you can be foreign... She just didn't have the courage to tell Hao Huinan, and she finally saw it through: it turns out that in the wine market, women really don't need to be wine barrels, but just a plate of appetizers. "It's just a bunch of hooligans anyway, plus they are illiterate," Hao Huinan threw a landmine and a bloody knife through the chat tool, "Didn't you see that there were typos in the materials reviewed by our section chief. Earlier I gave them Point it out, don’t you think I’m a brain-dead? In fact, it’s wrong. Since the chief of the department has tried it, and he’s the one who’s going to stand up for the sky falling, why should I pretend to be a villain? Even if I’m going to be implicated, it doesn’t matter, anyway, in this I didn't plan to have a successful official career. There is nothing to look forward to. Shouldn't it be "the same as doing good or bad, or not doing the same thing"? Isn't it that the original green youth and ideals have become dry? dehydrated vegetables? What a treat!" Mu Xin smiled, she thought, she really knew the feeling Hao Huinan was talking about.It's a feeling of nowhere: You don't know what the goal is, where the motivation is, who can support you, where to vent your grievances, panic, loss, and confusion... It's true. Only after experiencing it can I know that the most tormenting torment in the world is not only the physical pain and ravages, but also the spiritual homelessness. "It's useless to be depressed. We have to study quickly. After the Chinese New Year, we may have to sign up for this year's civil service provincial exam. Hurry up and leave the exam, and change the environment, maybe it will be better," Mu Xin flipped through the desk calendar beside him, "still You can study for two months." "Striving hard!" Hao Huinan threw another fist, "Come on, Zhang Le always texts, it's annoying me to death. I'll come to you after I finish scolding him." In an instant, the avatar turned gray, and Mu Xin looked at the screen and smiled——Zhang, this is really a persistent person. It was also at this time that there was a knock on the door, and Mu Xin heard her mother go to open the door while shouting "Come here".She stood up and tidied her clothes, put on a festive smile and went out, but she was stunned the moment she saw who was coming - she saw Uncle Chu and Aunt Su, whom she knew so well when she was a child, were with her Mother greeted warmly.And Chu Hangsheng stood behind a group of people and looked around, and smiled helplessly after seeing her stupid look. Su Guifang also saw Mu Xin at this time, and hurried over to hold Mu Xin's hand, her eyes were a little red: "Xin Xin is so old, I haven't seen you for more than ten years, right?" Mu Xin nodded obediently and said hello: "Happy New Year, Auntie, Happy New Year, Uncle." Chu Hangsheng's father smiled and nodded, raised his hand to touch his wife, Su Guifang quickly took out two big red envelopes from his pocket as if remembering something, and put them into Mu Xin's hands: "Here, girl, I haven't seen you for many years, Auntie's meeting ceremony." Mu Xin was startled, and quickly looked up at Chu Hangsheng, but saw that he also had a broken expression, so she had to smile and decline: "Auntie, don't be so polite, I have already joined the work, how can I ask for red envelopes!" Liu Hongmei also quickly declined: "Gui Fang, don't be like this, the family does not talk about two things." "How dare you keep it from me?" Su Guifang was not angry, and looked at Liu Hongmei with a smile, "You all know that we are a family, so why are you being polite to me? Even if you work, you are still a child. We parents celebrate the New Year with our children Isn’t it normal for you to get a lucky red envelope?” Speaking of which, Su Guifang took out her pocket again, and sure enough, she took out another red envelope, and handed it to Chu Hangsheng who was behind her: "Take it, you have it too, hurry up, you'll be ashamed to take it if you have Xin Xin." Chu Hangsheng had completely given up resisting, and obediently accepted the red envelope: "Thank you, Mom." "That's right," Su Guifang continued to stuff two red envelopes into Mu Xin's hands, "Here, girl, this one is for you, and the other is for my grandson..." 穆忻听着这话怎么这么耳熟，突然想起肖玉华送过她的那个“预先给大孙子”的长命锁，脸色微微一变。褚航声发现她的变化，只当是她想起了自己失去的那个孩子，心里道一无所忌惮“不好”，赶紧拦住自己的妈：“来来，给我，我替她拿着，免得她不好意思。” 苏桂芳笑了，把红包塞到褚航声手里，转身接着穆忻坐到沙发上。穆忻路过褚航声身边的时候，感觉到褚航声飞快地握了她的手一下，穆忻抬头看看他，微微一笑，神色重新变得温和。 褚航声松口气。 一上午很快就在老邻居们不断的叙旧、女人们不断的八卦以及母亲们此起彼伏的旁敲侧击中过去了，穆忻的脸不知道红了多少次，褚航声也不知道被她瞪了多少次，但显然他们的瞪与被瞪都被老人们自顾自理解为是眉目传情。到最后还是褚航声的父亲实在看不下去了，撵两人下楼：“出去走走吧，大过年的，年轻人不要憋在家里在。” 两人婉拒：“不用不用，我们陪你们聊天。” “不用陪，”苏桂芳一个劲地给儿子递眼色，“出去转转吧，中午别回来了。不是给你们红包了吗？去逛逛商店，我们老人家也好聚一聚。” 褚航声和穆忻面面相觑，几秒钟后齐齐败下阵来。起身闪人：“那我们出去了。” “去吧去吧，”苏桂芳摆摆手，顿一下，看穆析的眼神充满了温情和希翼，“析析，你明年过年就可以不叫我'阿姨'了，对不对？” 这话说得真煽情，穆析鼻子有点酸，却不知道该怎么回答。褚航生来解围，拖着她往门外走，敷衍他妈：“明年再说明年的。” 苏枝芳气得恨不得追上去楱儿子一顿才解恨…… 这真是一个混乱的大年初一，可是又不得不承认，这也是一个终于可以让自己的生活不再混乱的大年初一。 褚航声一边在心里感慨一边牵着穆析的手在小区里散步，看调皮的男孩子们跑来跑去地放鞭炮，看有些人家窗户上贴着应景的窗花，还有人在阳台上挂了一串串彩灯，此情此最真是温馨，他忍不住就脱口而出：“我们结婚吧。” 穆析吓一跳：“现在？” 褚航声笑了：“回G城以后我可能要出差，时间不长，最多一个月。等我回来，我们去登记，行吗？” 他一边说一边掏出兜里的三个红包，开玩笑：“看看我妈给了多少钱，够不够给你当一个月的生活费。” 先拆开属于穆忻的那两个，毎个六百元。褚航声点点头：“还行，我妈知道低调了，我还以为她真要瞒着我下聘呢。” 穆析笑了，没说话，看他拆属于他自己的那一个——倒是一下子就能看出来属于褚航声的这个红包又薄又小，他拆的时候还抱怨：“看见没有，她原来就想生女儿，没生出来，所以一直对女孩子比对自己儿子偏心。” 红包拆开，里面没有人民币，只有一张存款单。褚航声和穆忻对视一眼，打开，只见上面赫然印着“人民币壹万元整”，右上角还有一行铅笔小字：买戒指够不够？ 褚航声和穆忻再看对方一眼，“扑哧”一起笑出声。 穆析指着那行字感慨：“真不愧是幼儿园园长，这么多年过去了，苏阿姨还是童心未泯！” 褚航声笑着摇头：“存单上也敢乱写乱画，还真是我娘的风格。” 这时候远处有车驶近，小区里的路窄，褚航声把穆忻拉到身边。待车驶过，他想继续往前走，却突然想觉穆忻从他身后抱住了他的腰。 她把脸伏在他背上，过了好久才说话：“哥，我们算不算是在合适的时间又遇见了？” 褚航声握住她交叉在他身前的两只手，点头：“对，还好这次没迟到。” “戒指就甭买了，我等你回来，回来我们去登记。”穆忻躲在褚航声身后才好意思说这些话。 褚航声笑一笑，更紧地握住穆忻的手，想一想说：“还是买个吧，这就是注册商标，一有了这个别人就没机会注册了，不然我告他侵权。对了，要不要我再添点钱买个大石头的？” “要那么大干吗？我觉得简简单单一个圈就好了，不一定非得有石头。不过，好像多人都是买一对圈圈？”穆忻很迷茫，从褚航声背后探出头来，“真不好意思，上次结婚的时候图省事，随便买了一个应应景，也没买那种成双成对的，没什么经验。” “对戒是吧？那咱就更得买了，”褚航声越发坚定了信念，“虽然我们那儿戴婚戎的人也不多，不过有的场合戴上也好，就像注册商标一样嘛，少麻烦。” “你不是说女孩子们都看不上你吗，为什么会有麻烦？”穆忻迷惑地看看褚航声，“我就知道你骗我。女人离过婚就不值钱了，不像你们男人，事业成功点，家境好点，还是有很多小姑娘倒贴……” 她咬着下唇，是真开始踌躇，一直搂着他的手臂也微微放松。褚航声见她这副样子，只觉得有趣：他似乎隐约找到一些很久以前那个小女孩的影子，尤其是夏天里站在冰棒摊前，为到底买“鸭血糯”还是“小人头”而皱着眉头犹豫不决的时光。那时候他已经是中学生了，不太明白女孩子们为什么买个冰棒还要犹豫这么久。按他理解，什么都不如五毛钱一包的果味冰，一颗颗带着浓郁菠萝或水蜜桃的气息，爽滑沁凉，直达心底。 可现在，走过三十几年的路，他似乎有些明白了：女人在面对抉择时大多会犹豫，其实说到底不过是怕投资失败怕选错职业太辛苦，怕挑错丈夫太闹心，怕买错房子太危险，怕考错学校耽误孩子一辈子……因为在乎的亊情、惦记的事情越来越多，青春和勇气却随着年龄的增长越来越少，所以一根冰棍的犹豫不过是缘起，远不到高潮。真正的高潮也没法用年龄来界限，而只能说，就了业、结了婚、生了孩子，所有那些犹豫，没有终结。反倒是一波未平，一波又起。 更何况她这样，年纪轻轻却离过婚的女人呢？ 想到这里，褚航声转过身，伸手把穆忻紧紧抱在怀里。旁边还有来来往往的拜年人，有跑跳着放鞭炮的孩童，但他只想把她搂紧了，不松手。 她听见他在自己耳边说：“没有以前，只有以后。结婚是一辈子的事，所以我们这辈子才刚要开始呢！” 穆忻的眼眶湿润了。