Chapter 589 Repair
The lights in the subway station are bright.
In the empty station hall, there were only sporadic footsteps and the distant roar of trains entering the station.
Go through the security area and come to the gate.
Tang Song stopped, his right hand still holding her left hand.
The initial coolness in Zhang Yan’s hands has already been warmed by his cover, and it even feels slightly hot, as if she is carrying a small heater.
He lowered his head and looked at Zhang Yan.
She blushed, pursed her lips tightly, lowered her head, and her long eyelashes cast a small, quiet shadow under her eyes.
"Here we go, I'm leaving." Tang Song's voice broke the silence.
"Oh, oh..." Zhang Yan replied subconsciously.
Her eyes slowly moved up, staying on that handsome face for less than half a second, and then quickly fell down like a frightened deer.
The corner of his eyes unconsciously fell on the hands of the two of them.
They walked for more than ten minutes from the intersection to here, which is just a few hundred meters.
With every step and every second, she felt as if a weak electric current was coming from her palms and running through her body.
That unprecedented sense of reality kept her mind in a blank state.
Is this a dream?
But she had never dared to do such a scene, even in her most daring dreams.
Time seems to have frozen at this moment.
There were few people in the subway station. The two of them just held hands and stood quietly in front of the turnstile.
It took a while.
Tang Song finally slowly let go of his hand, and the warm touch suddenly disappeared, leaving Zhang Yan's heart empty.
"Have a good rest. I will come to play with you early tomorrow and Saturday."
"Yes." Zhang Yan responded in a low voice. She really didn't know what to say and didn't dare to say anything more.
Tang Song smiled and waved to her, took out his mobile phone and swiped his card to enter the station.
The gate opens and closes with a snap.
The hard-soled leather shoes hit the ground, making a crisp "ta-da" sound.
It was only then that Zhang Yan had the courage to completely raise her head and stare blankly at his leaving figure.
Just like that, just like those countless days and nights in the past, watching his back from a distance and quietly moving away little by little.
We met again after more than two years.
His change is huge and unfamiliar, but at this moment, it is familiar.
At this moment, the figure who had walked away suddenly stopped.
He turned around and looked at her from a distance.
The eyes met in the air.
Zhang Yan looked like a student who was caught by the teacher making cheat sheets for an exam, and she lowered her head in panic.
He clasped his hands in front of his body and his heart was beating fast.
Tang Song turned around, walked back to the turnstile, and looked at her.
“When I get to the hotel, I will send you a message.” His voice was clear and gentle, “When you get home, send me a message too.”
“Yes.”
“Be careful on the way back, pay attention. Watch the road."
"Yeah."
"See you tomorrow."
Zhang Yan's eyes trembled violently, her lips moved, and she silently replied: "See you tomorrow."
Only then did Tang Song really turn around and walk towards the depths of the subway station.
Until his figure completely disappeared around the corner.
Zhang Yan still stood there. She didn't come back to her senses until the roar of the train entering the station and the sparse flow of people coming out again.
She just followed the scattered people and walked out with erratic steps.
Through the dimly lit streets and through the humid night wind.
“Bang—click—”
The old security door was closed with force.
"Meow~meow~" Orange popped out from nowhere and rubbed her ankle affectionately with his head, seeming to wonder why the owner was standing at the door in a daze.
"Orange"
Zhang Yan murmured to herself, then suddenly raised her hand and pinched her arm hard,
A clear feeling of pain came.
It’s not a dream!
None of this is a dream!
Recalling the scenes that happened tonight, from him appearing downstairs holding an orange, to the two of them reading comics side by side, to the hot hand holding at the intersection.
She covered her hot cheeks with all her strength and leaned weakly against the cold wall, feeling like she was about to faint.
"How could this happen, how could this happen, what is going on?"
She murmured to herself in disbelief.
No matter how much she tried to escape in her heart, she realized that Tang Song really saw her message on QQ.
He knew all her thoughts over the years.
He even knows where she lives,
That’s why he can find her accurately and quickly after seeing the WeChat message.
He actually came to Yangcheng.
How did he become like this?
Numerous doubts, huge shame, and deep-rooted inferiority suddenly came over me.
But in the end, all the emotions were frozen in the scene when he held his hand and crossed the road.
Zhang Yan bit her lower lip hard and rubbed her fingertips on the seam of her pants unconsciously.
After a while, she seemed to remember something again.
He hurriedly took out his mobile phone from his pocket and clicked on the chat box of Tang and Song Dynasty.
His eyes first fell on the photo of the letter he sent, and he whispered "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" in shame, and then he dared to click on the input box.
Carefully tapped the screen and left a message: "I'm home."
After sending the message, as if she had exhausted all her strength, she slowly sat along the wall and sat on the ground, panting violently.
Then, an unexpected and huge surprise finally broke free from the shackles of shame and inferiority, completely submerging her like the rising tide of the sea.
She had imagined countless times, not only to meet him again, but also to be able to talk to him in her true name like now. Even if it is just a simple and ordinary greeting.
Not to mention, they actually held hands.
She slowly raised her left hand and looked at it with satisfaction. The temperature in her palm seemed to still be clearly there.
Orange came close to her, curled up, and occasionally brushed her with his tail, as if sharing his master's joy.
“Ding dong one—” the WeChat prompt sounded.
【Tang Song: "(() Got it, go to bed early."]
Seeing this reply, especially the emojis above, Zhang Yan rubbed her cheeks and smiled silly.
Then, she raised her head and looked at the rental house that was full of traces of mess after the dinner party. She stood up hurriedly and started to take action.
Sweep and mop the floor, pack and throw away the garbage left by friends;
Wipe the tables and chairs, and straighten the crooked sofa cushions one by one;
< br>Organizing the bookshelves and desks, stacking every book in order, she is like a tireless little bee, cleaning every corner conscientiously, trying to make this small house look more decent.
After all - he said he would come again tomorrow.
Then, when her eyes fell on the dilapidated bathroom and kitchen, the emotions that had just been ignited instantly dimmed again.
The bathroom and kitchen are the places where she uses the most water. Because there are no ceramic tiles or floor tiles, the humid environment causes mold spots that are difficult to eradicate to grow in the corners and vents.
There are also those old refrigerators, range hoods, and toilets that cannot be solved by simple cleaning.
Even the most skilled cleaning cannot make the worn hardware look brand new.
A strong sense of inferiority enveloped her again, and her tears fell on the old floor leather.
But she just wiped it off silently, put on gloves, then picked up the 84 disinfectant and used the brush to clean the stains bit by bit, stubbornly.
I don’t know how long it has been.
“Ding dong—” the WeChat prompt sounded again.
She quickly took off her gloves and took out her mobile phone.
[Tang Song: "I'm at the hotel, you should go to bed. Good night, Zhang Yan, have a sweet dream."]
Looking at the good night and the familiar title, Zhang Yan bit her lip.
I wanted to reply, but I was a little timid, afraid that he would know that I was still awake and waiting for news from him.
She put away her phone, tried to calm her heartbeat, and continued working.
Because she pays great attention to hygiene, the house is actually not dirty.
She was busy until about one o'clock in the morning before she finally cleaned the entire house thoroughly.
After Zhang Yan washed up, she lay on the bed tiredly and turned off the lights.
I closed my eyes, but couldn’t help but open them.
In the darkness, the blue light from the screen brightened her dull cheeks.
Clicking on the chat interface with Tang and Song, it seems that only by looking at those few lines of simple dialogue can we confirm that everything that happened tonight is true.
The room was dark again, and the screen came on again after several times.
She finally couldn’t resist the sleepiness and fell into a deep sleep.
Today is longer than the past month.
The conflict with the leader, buying the last two volumes of comic books, writing that letter, the miraculous reunion with him, chatting, reading comics, and holding hands...
I don’t know when, the sound of even breathing sounded in the quiet room.
She had a long, warm dream.
It was an afternoon in junior high school. The sunlight was filtered into fine spots by the poplar trees outside the window, and lazily sprinkled on the desks.
Jay's "Rainbow" is playing from the speakers in the classroom. The slightly sad melody flows in the air like the wind.
The windows were wide open, and the cool breeze that was unique to the teaching building, mixed with the smell of chalk dust and grass, passed through the corridor, gently blowing the math test paper in front of her, making a subtle "clatter" sound.
She turned her head, secretly glanced at her deskmate who was reading next to her, and asked in a low voice: "What score did you get?"
"93, the wrong one was given away. "It's a big question."
"Oh." Her head lowered, her eyes fell on the number "69" on her test paper, "Why am I so stupid? They are all the same questions."
There are less than two months left before the high school entrance examination, but my math scores can’t be improved no matter what.
Tang Song was very smart. He was among the top three in the class every time he took the exam, and he was able to pass the No. 1 middle school.
As for her, there is a high probability that she can only go to No. 2 Middle School.
In this small rural middle school, this is actually a very good result.
But she still wants to go to No. 1 Middle School.
The deskmate next to her knocked her desk with the penholder, then tilted her head and lowered her voice with a smile: "Zhang Yan, haven't you heard? This time the math teacher will write the scores backwards. If you rotate the test paper 180 degrees, that will be your real score."
"Ah!" She turned the test paper in surprise.
Still 69.
"Hahaha." The laughter at the same table was as clean and clear as ice-cold soda in the summer.
He touched her arm with his arm and said a few witty words, which made her cheeks heat up.
Zhang Yan followed him at some point and laughed softly.
The heaviness in my heart seemed to be blown away by laughter.
Then the deskmate put away the books, looked at her and encouraged her seriously: "It's okay Zhang Yan, the second middle school is actually not bad. If you study hard, you will definitely get into a good university, come on!"
"Come on."
November 4, 2023, Saturday, cloudy, 21~31°C.
The sun shines in through the gaps in the curtains, casting mottled light and shadow on the yellowed walls.
Zhang Yan slowly opened her eyes amidst bursts of rapid meows.
First, he looked at the ceiling blankly and looked at the time on the wall clock.
It’s almost 8 o’clock.
Orange was obviously hungry, and he jumped on the bed at some point to remind his owner that it was time to feed him.
Zhang Yan was shaken, as if she suddenly remembered something, and a panicked expression appeared on her face.
She sat up suddenly, grabbed the phone beside her pillow, and unlocked the screen.
On the mobile interface, the chat history with "Tang and Song" last night was lying there quietly.
The chest began to rise and fall violently, and the heart that had been calm due to sleep began to beat wildly again.
It’s really not a dream.
She looked down at the oranges beside her, and the dreamlike scenes from last night came to her mind uncontrollably.
The originally sleepy cheeks were quickly enveloped by the hot red clouds.
Then, she hugged Orange into her arms, rubbed it with her hot cheek, and rubbed it randomly, "I...this-""
"Meow~meow~" The starved Orange made a louder protest.
At this time.
“Ding dong one—”
The WeChat prompt sounded.
[Tang Song: "Good morning Zhang Yan, I will be at Lanxinyuan in about 30 minutes."]
Zhang Yan's heart skipped a beat, and she threw the orange directly on the bed and quickly replied "Okay".
Then, put on your slippers and run outside.
Like a wind-up rabbit, he started to pack it up in a hurry.
Make the bed, wash up quickly, and change clothes. I was so tired last night and slept so deeply that I even forgot to set the alarm clock.
But her brows and eyes were full of unconcealable, sparkling joy.
This was probably the best and most panicky morning she had had in so many years.
But when she stood in front of the mirror and looked at her slightly dull self inside, she couldn't help but lower her head in inferiority.
She has never had the habit of wearing makeup and rarely buys high-end clothes.
This one is already the most decent, but it is just a more expensive commuter outfit.
In front of the Tang and Song Dynasties, it was really impossible to take action.
But it’s too late to say anything now.
She could only wash her bangs in a hurry, straighten them with a splint, and carefully apply some skin care lotion on her face.
After doing all this, she sat in the living room uneasily.
Staring at the phone screen, I began to wait silently.
The time is getting closer and closer, and the heartbeat is getting faster and faster.
She couldn't sit still anymore, walked out of the door quickly, and came downstairs to wait.
At this time, the sun is just right, the air is slightly cool, and it is very comfortable.
Aunt Wang downstairs is watering the flowers. When she saw her, she immediately greeted her enthusiastically: "Oh, Yanyan, you are such a beautiful girl today, Shi Wei? (You are so beautiful today, have you eaten?)"
Zhang Yan blushed and shook her head, and whispered: "No."
When Aunt Wang saw her standing there, she immediately came over with a smile, "Are you waiting for a friend? (Are you waiting for a friend?)
"Yes""
Aunt Wang said excitedly: "I told you last time that I have a nephew, but today I came to my house and you had dinner together at noon! (I told you last time, my nephew came to my house today, and you were with me at noon. Let’s have a meal at home.)”
Aunt Wang is known to be a warm-hearted person. Ever since she found out that Zhang Yan was single, she has been thinking about introducing her outstanding nephew to her. Zhang Yan was frightened when she heard this. She shook her head vigorously and waved her hands with a red face: "No, Aunt Wang, it's really no need (No, Aunt Wang, no need.)"
"Oh, you're afraid of being ugly!" Aunt Wang pulled her. He held up his hand and praised gushingly: "Aguang is about the same age as you,
He is such a handsome young man, and his job is so stable."
Zhang Yan’s lips moved, wanting to say something, but she was too embarrassed to directly interrupt the elder’s enthusiasm.
At this moment, a gentle, smiling call came from not far away.
"Zhang Yan!"
Zhang Yan's body trembled suddenly, she quickly raised her head and looked at him, her eyes were a little dull,
Aunt Wang also followed curiously, and then she saw the young man walking towards this direction, her eyes widened in an instant.
Tang Song wore low-key casual clothes, but his outstanding appearance and temperament were still particularly eye-catching.
Standing in the early morning sunshine, it seems to be coated with a layer of light.
Tang Song stopped beside her, "This outfit suits you very well today."
Zhang Yan was at a loss for a moment and lowered her head with a blush.
Look at Zhang Yan’s appearance, and then look at the boy in front of her.
Aunt Wang had an embarrassed look on her face.
She is experienced and has been a "matchmaker" for so many years. She can see clearly what this girl is thinking at a glance.
Of course, the main reason is that the boy in front of me is really a bit too outstanding.
Compared with others, her nephew is not even a bit worse.
Noticing her gaze, Tang Song politely greeted Aunt Wang next to her.
Her eyes fell back on Zhang Yan and asked softly: "Have you had breakfast?"
Zhang Yan shook her head gently, "No."
p>
"That's good, take me around to taste the food around you."
"Okay" Zhang Yan looked up at him and nodded lightly.
The two of them walked towards the gate of the community one after another. Zhang Yan was always lagging behind him and followed suit.
Tang Song looked sideways at her and paused slightly in his steps. When Zhang Yan walked side by side with him due to inertia, she stretched out her hand again.
At this moment, Zhang Yan, who was completely awake, could feel it very clearly.
The slender, strong hand of Tang and Song Dynasty held hers little by little.
"Bang, bang, bang"
His heart beat like a heavy drum, and his cheeks were so red that steam was almost coming out.
Tang Song felt the softness and slenderness in his hands, and turned his head to look at Zhang Yan, looking at her so seriously for the first time under the sun.
This deskmate in junior high school may be because her mother is from the south. Her skin is white and moist, and her facial features are as delicate as a light-ink landscape painting.
Her eyes are standard almond-shaped eyes with slightly drooped ends and long eyelashes that always make her look innocent and gentle.
At this moment, due to nervousness and shyness, her almond eyes seemed to be filled with nitrogen and argon water vapor.
Zhang Yan finally noticed his gaze, and like a frightened deer, she quickly turned away, leaving him with only a red ear.
Tang Song chuckled, took her hand, took steps forward, and asked in a natural tone: "Where to eat?"
Zhang Yan still didn’t dare to look at him. She pointed in the direction of the street corner and said hesitantly: "There is a rice roll shop next to it, which is very, very unique."
"Okay, then you Lead the way, don’t go astray."
"Oh, oh——"
Zhang Yan quickened her pace and walked a little ahead.
Every time he turns, every time he gives way to a pedestrian, his hand will inevitably be pulled.
This hot and throbbing touch made her heart beat wildly. Turning left and right, they walked into a small and time-honored rice roll shop.
Order breakfast and sit down facing each other.
Zhang Yan immediately sat upright, her hands placed awkwardly on her knees, her head lowered, her eyes always falling on the old texture of the table, not daring to look at him.
Tang Song looked around and chatted with her about the scenery, landmarks and food culture of Yangcheng in a relaxed tone.
After all, Zhang Yan has lived here for more than two years and knows a lot about these things.
Gradually, I relaxed a lot and started chatting with him in a low voice with a blushing face.
Seeing her changes, the smile on Tang Song's face became brighter.
He actually knew it very well.
For the two of them today, the title "the most familiar stranger" may not be more suitable after so many years. There has been too much time and blank space in between. Even if they have the friendship of their youth, it will inevitably be a bit awkward to be alone together.
Especially for an introverted and sensitive character like Zhang Yan, I know that I have seen her secret thoughts on QQ.
The embarrassment and uneasiness require time to slowly adapt and digest.
Therefore, he just wanted to start with the most daily details and get acquainted with her again like an old friend reunited after a long separation.
Slowly regain the natural closeness that has been lost by time,
Soon, the steaming rice rolls were served.
The white and tender rice skin is so thin that it is almost transparent, and you can vaguely see the tender beef and green onions wrapped inside.
Drizzle with special, salty and sweet soy sauce, and then sprinkle with a layer of fragrant cooked oil and sesame seeds.
The alluring smell mixed with the aroma of rice, meat and sauce instantly aroused the appetite of the Tang and Song Dynasties.
I ate 3 portions in one sitting.
A smile finally appeared on Zhang Yan’s face.
After breakfast, the two went to the nearby vegetable market for a walk before returning to Zhang Yan’s rental house.
"Meow"" The orange popped out from under the sofa like a small cannonball.
Tang Song smiled and bent down, scooped up the heavy fat orange into his arms, scratched its chin, and teased it for a while.
Then, with a natural and casual tone, she said: "The weather is really nice today, let's go to the balcony to read comics together."
Zhang Yan subconsciously looked at the mottled walls and rusty old windows on the balcony, with an embarrassed look on her face again.
"The wall is not clean, don't, don't get your clothes dirty."
Because it is also an ordinary white wall, and it is exposed to the sun and rain all year round, the balcony wall is not much better than the bathroom and kitchen.
Tang Song looked at the wall and then at her, the smile in his eyes becoming gentler.
"It doesn't matter, let's sit closer so that we don't touch the wall."
Then, he took out the first volume of "Dragon Ball" from the bookshelf, and moved the two small wooden stools to the small balcony with familiarity.
Zhang Yan pursed her lips, looked at the two stools that were almost next to each other, and walked over with a blushing face.
She sat down next to him stiffly, their arms almost touching.
“Last time we saw that Bulma asked Goku to dress up as a little girl to trick Oolong, but he was found out because he was peeing while standing.”
As Tang Song spoke, he turned the comic book to that page and naturally placed it between the two of them.
The tip of the nose is Zhang Yan’s unique clean scent, a mixture of sunshine and soap.
He turned his head, looked at her delicate facial features, and felt the warmth of the girl next to him.
The heartbeat gradually began to accelerate.
Unconsciously, the first volume of "Dragon Ball" finally turned to the last page.
The story stopped, and there was a brief silence on the balcony,
Zhang Yan secretly and quickly raised her eyes and looked at Tang Song beside her, with a trace of unnoticeable inquiry and anxiety in her eyes.
After reading the book, should he leave?
Tang Song gently closed the comic book, turned his head, and met her nervous gaze, with a relaxed and natural smile on his face.
"I have to go out for something and will be back soon."
Zhang Yan really wanted to ask him where he was going and what he was doing.
But as soon as the words came to his mouth, he was blocked by the deep-rooted timidity.
In the end, I could only say "hmm" softly.
Tang Song waved to her and Orange and walked out of the door briskly.
Zhang Yan was stunned for a moment, and then, as if driven by something, she ran back to the balcony and looked downstairs through the old window.
She counted silently in her heart. When she counted to "13", the familiar figure finally appeared on the road in the community.
He walked on the path shrouded in the afternoon sun, walking briskly, even trotting.
The whole body is filled with a youthful and wanton vitality.
The warm, clean, and luminous "young man" in my memory finally got rid of the dullness and depression.
The Tang and Song Dynasties she saw this time were many times better than what she expected and imagined.
A layer of crystal tears gradually welled up in Zhang Yan’s eyes.
It’s great that he can live so well.
She was sincerely happy for him.
She just watched quietly, motionless, until his figure disappeared around the corner of the community.
I don’t know how long it has been.
That familiar figure appeared in sight again.
This time, he was holding a lot of things in his hands, and he couldn’t see clearly what they were.
Zhang Yan quickly recovered, quickly returned to the living room, and stood nervously by the door.
When clear footsteps came from the corridor, she gently opened the door.
Soon, Tang Song walked in.
"I'm back." As he spoke, he put the things in his hands on the ground with a clang.
"This is" Zhang Yan looked at the thing on the ground, and then she was stunned.
A large bucket is printed with "Powerful anti-seepage, waterproof and anti-alkali primer", and another bucket is printed with "Odor-free, environmentally friendly and waterproof latex paint":
There is also a shopping bag with the hardware store L0G0 printed on it.
Noticing her startled gaze, Tang Song explained with a smile: "I remember telling you before that my dad did some decoration. I just have nothing to do today, so I will help you repair the wall. I know a little bit about this."
"Ah!" Zhang Yan whispered, shook her head vigorously and waved her hands, saying incoherently: "No, no, no! I can find someone to repair it myself, I can't let you -. "
Tang Song smiled and interrupted her gently: "It's okay, it's not troublesome. And I haven't done this work for a long time, so I really want to try it. It's fun."
p>He paused and winked at her playfully, "Would you like to come over and help me? We match men and women, so the work will not be tiring."
Zhang Yan hesitated for a while, looking at his sincere and smiling eyes, but finally did not dare to refute.
Picking up the plastic bag with tools next to it, she followed him into the bathroom where she was most embarrassed.
The walls were not paved with ceramic tiles, but were painted with a layer of waterproof paint that had already turned yellow.
Due to years of humidity and poor ventilation, large areas of the wall have warped and peeled off, revealing the mottled and ugly cement underneath.
It was really bad. Every time Tang Song said she wanted to go to the toilet, she would get nervous.
Tang Song seemed not to notice her uneasiness, and naturally moved the scattered items in the bathroom to the bedroom one by one with her.
Then, he took out a blue coat from the shopping bag and put it on, then took out the roller, brush and putty knife, and started to clean the wall skillfully.
“Look, with this kind of old wall, all the peeling and loose parts must be removed first, otherwise the new paint will not last long.”
“Before painting, this waterproof base Paint is the key, especially in humid places like bathrooms and kitchens. It can prevent the walls from getting damp and moldy, and can also make the topcoat adhere more firmly -" As he worked, he shared some knowledge about decoration with her in a relaxed tone.
The bathroom area is very small, only about 4 square meters, and the wall that needs to be painted is only about 10 square meters.
With the current physical strength and coordination of the Tang and Song Dynasties, it is extremely simple and neat to do this kind of thing.
The mottled wall was shoveled off bit by bit in his hands, revealing the gray cement bottom.
In the Tang and Song Dynasties, the primer was evenly stirred and applied carefully with a roller.
Zhang Yan followed him, a little nervous and timid at first, not knowing where to put her hands and feet.
But slowly, I was infected by his relaxation and concentration,
Sometimes, she would help him deliver the tools; sometimes, she would help him hold the unstable little stool.
Most of the time, she just stood aside quietly, staring blankly at the figure stained by sweat and white latex paint.
The roller rubs against the wall repeatedly, making a low "rustling" sound.
The dilapidated bathroom is being covered and repaired bit by bit with a layer of clean, brand-new white.
She watched and listened.
I don’t know why she couldn’t help but call out his name, "Tang and Song Yiyi. This is the first time she called his name alone after many years.
Tang Song stopped and turned his head. His face was still stained with a few white paint, his smile was bright and clean, "Here, what's wrong?"
"No, it's okay, thank you." She lowered her head in panic.
In a trance, I felt that there was a similarly mottled and damp corner in my heart.
It is being repaired bit by bit by him in the most gentle and calm way.