Hunter and Hussar

Chapter 44 Ye Ruiyang's Gift
"By the way, you got an extra ticket last time, who did you want to give it to?" I asked.The three of us sat in the last row of the bus, and we swayed and swayed with the vehicle to the north of the bridge.Ye Ruiyang was busy stuffing himself into the innermost window seat, so he didn't have time to answer.

"Tell me, which little girl do you want to play with? If I know you, I will spare your life. If you don't, I will report to the teacher." Mi Le playfully flicked him with his fingers.

Boss Ye snorted and opened the window slightly.Unexpectedly, the cold winter wind could pour in without reservation through a small gap, so I had to pull it up again.

"No way, I want to give it to my cousin. You are a puppy. I have already told him that I will meet you at the gate of the playground tomorrow." He spread his hands.

"Ah? No, you still have to take care of the baby! How annoying that is!"

Mi Le had a disgusted expression on his face, but it was obvious that he also looked like a child.Perhaps in the eyes of older children, we are also a group of annoying children.

"Don't worry, my cousin is super obedient. And he's not young, okay? He's in sixth grade this year, and he's younger than you...nine months, not much difference!" Ye Ruiyang said, wanting to scrape the rice with his index finger Le's nose was blocked by his hand.

I will never forget Mi Le's birthday, July 7th.He is probably the youngest among my classmates.Ye Ruiyang is the biggest among all the classmates, whose birthday is September 11th.By the time we knew it, he had passed his birthday this year.It’s okay if he said it, there’s no need to make it up, it’s a very special day, the whole city will raise the air defense siren, and it’s always a bit uncomfortable to celebrate happily on that day.I understand what he means, Jiang Yuan will raise the air defense siren twice a year, once on September 9 and once three days later, both are serious moments.However, no matter how you say it is also your birthday, it is important to you, have you never celebrated your birthday since you were a child?I asked.He said that when he grows up, he spends mostly on the 18th and 17th, so he has to make time.

He and I are both 13 years old.It turns out that in Ye Ruiyang's eyes, both of us have grown up.What about 12-year-old Mi Le, and his 11-year-old cousin?When does a person really "grow up"?

"What kind of person is your cousin? I've never heard you mention him." I asked.

"Hmm...he looks a little like Mi Le." He raised his head and thought for a while, but he was interrupted by "I don't want to be your younger brother" in the middle of his sentence.The two choked on each other for a while, and he continued, saying that his cousin is a short but very cute boy with a good family upbringing and a little internet celebrity.

We came interested and asked him what type of internet celebrity he is.So Boss Ye gave a good introduction to Younger Ye, saying that his mother is a game fan and especially loves to play ancient martial arts games, so Xiao Ye has embarked on the road of cosplay since he was a child.Mom always dresses him up as a knight in the game, puts on clothes of various schools, and takes some photos or short videos, and Xiaoye has gained a lot of fans.Sometimes he holds a spear and looks heroic, guarding the gate of the country single-handedly; sometimes he hides a hidden weapon and wears a mask, lurking in the night.He has been a young swordsman who "killed a man in ten steps and never left him for thousands of miles". He was once reduced to begging on the street for a living. Under his ragged clothes was a well-practiced dog-beating club technique.Ye Ruiyang's superb mouth almost made me believe that his younger brother is a martial arts genius with extraordinary talent and amazing bones. It would be a shame not to let Zhou Xingchi accept him as an apprentice.

"After talking for so long, what's your brother's name? Ye Ruiyue, right?" Mi Le interrupted his chatter again.

"What Ye Ruiyue, he looks too girly. He has two names, and one of them really looks like a girl. That's right, he occasionally cross-dresses. When you put the picture on the Internet, everyone really can't tell the difference He is a man or a woman. The name, when I see him tomorrow, let him tell you. By the way, he is not only good at being a model, but also has other skills. In short, he is awesome, so I want to show it to you You have seen and seen."

"Come on, I'll give you some insight". You said it like a little pet, your brother will beat you to death." Seeing Ye Ruiyang's trick again, Mi Le's mouth became even more rude.But according to what Ye Ruiyang said, I really want to meet little brother Ye.It can be seen that the elder brother Ye Boss loves his younger brother very much.

As the road bumped and the sun set prematurely, our talking and laughing slowed down a lot, and finally it became the three of us leaning together, collapsing on the red floating bus seat.The afterglow of the setting sun enveloped us with the tired atmosphere of the closed car, and randomly kneaded us into a ball and piled them up in a small corner.The soles of the feet are a little cold, but there is a trace of warmth in the body.Staying with them both gave me a sense of solidity and safety that I never had before, a certainty that was consistent with the vehicle's drive forward without turning back.In a blur, I saw the river rising and sinking beside the bridge through the car window.Jiangyuan, a city spanning the north and south of the Yangtze River, I live in the south of it every day, surrounded by ancient city walls.Jiangbei and even the bridge are unfamiliar to me. It is the scenery on the way to and from my hometown every year. It is no different from other places, and it flashes chaotically outside the car window.The factories in the north are particularly obvious on the bridge. It is said that it was a symbol of glory and prosperity in the past, but now it has turned into a silent concrete forest in the sunset.Tall chimneys and tower cranes, how close they are to me, and how far they are...

When we were fully awake, we had passed the bridge, and the sound of the cold wind could be heard through the windows, and the sky was completely dimmed.Just like the time Mi Le took me to his house, Ye Ruiyang led us into a community. "Private gardens, do not allow idlers to enter," Ye Ruiyang used a small card to lift up the railing with these warnings written on it.There are not many pedestrians in the neighborhood, maybe it is not suitable for walking in the cold winter at night, there is only the silence of the wind blowing shrubs and withered grass, and the dots of lights.

Ye Ruiyang opened the unit building and led us to a security door on the second floor.Instead of a key, he entered the combination on the lock.Mi Le and I consciously turned our backs and looked at the opposite door. It was also a dull and stubborn door, which seemed to never open to us.

The house is not big, about 60 square meters, with one bedroom and two living rooms.But the decoration is quite new.He closed the door, unable to hold back the smile on his face.

"You know what I was thinking just now? I feel like I'm Tom, bringing a bunch of cronies home for a party."

"Ah, there won't be Jerry in the room, right?" Mi Le pretended to look around nervously.

"How is it possible, this is a new community. And don't worry, the 'hostess' won't come back suddenly and throw us all out." Ye Ruiyang handed us a pair of cotton slippers.

"So this is your house?" I asked.

"Yes, it's my house. It's a gift from my parents. Well, whatever, it's the same as being in your own home. No one cares about us."

He threw everything he had brought along with himself on the sofa.As soon as you enter the door, you can feel that there is no one else in the room, especially no adults, who can relax on the sofa with confidence.His sofa is L-shaped, neither soft nor hard, enough for each of us to find a place to lie down.The three of us were exhausted from the one-hour car ride, not to mention the whole class of training on Friday afternoon.

"Where are your parents? Don't they come to live here?" I asked looking at the ceiling.

"No, they all live in the city."

"Your family is so rich? Your parents gave you a house as a gift?" Mi Le whistled.

"Come on. After they got divorced, there are only two things they still do together. One thing is to celebrate my birthday every year. It's like Qixi Festival. The two of you can see each other once a year. If it's not for me, it's definitely I don’t even want to see each other. The other thing is to pay off the mortgage of this house in turn, saying that I will have a place to stay when I grow up.”

Lying down, he stepped on the back of the sofa deeply, making sparse noises, and speaking in a calm or indifferent manner.I was a little startled, and unconsciously turned over from the sofa and sat up after hearing the word "divorce".Looking away from the corner of the eye, Mi Le's reaction was similar to mine.

"What's the matter with you two, continue to lie down?" Seeing our actions, he smiled nonchalantly and a little bit complacently, "Why, didn't you guess that my parents divorced long ago?"

We said no.

He still stepped on the back of the sofa, but hugged his hands, showing a look that would make us feel calm.

"It's nothing. I'm lucky. At least after they left, I didn't become a child who didn't love me. They treated me very well. It stands to reason that I belonged to my father, but he also treated me Said to go to see my mother often. Hey, why are you two so serious, I am not doing well. There are several classmates in my elementary school whose parents are divorced, and it is not too miserable. In modern society, A lot of things are normal…”

"But... just, in our hometown, divorce is quite disgraceful. Of course, it's prejudice, and I don't agree with it. But, but, boss, did your parents discuss it with you before the divorce? They are not afraid of divorce. Do you have any bad influence?" Mi Le moved to Ye Ruiyang's side, reached out and squeezed his shoulder.Ye Ruiyang raised his arm and grabbed his palm.

"How should I put it? It's amazing. When they were young, the two of them often quarreled, and I was always very scared. At first, I hid in the room and wrapped myself in the quilt, not wanting to hear those terrible voices. Then I found that I couldn't escape no matter what. Even if the three of us sat at the dinner table and didn’t talk to each other, I could feel their dissatisfaction with each other. The food dropped, the soup was spilled, these little things It may cause conflicts. I don’t know how long that kind of life has been maintained. It’s quite long in my impression. I want to hide in school every day and don’t want to go home. Or I just run to my cousin’s house, and the longest time I live at my cousin’s house It’s been a month. So A Fang and I have a very deep relationship, we both share the same bed. No, why did I mention his nickname? No matter. Later, the two of them finally decided to divorce and live separately Well, my life is a little bit better, at least I don’t have to worry about it when I go home. Speaking of it, it was during the time I stayed at my cousin’s house that they made up their minds. I still remember, the second semester of the fourth grade , that night they drove me away from my cousin's house. On the way back, I sat in the back seat, wondering if they were going to quarrel in the car after a while. As a result, my mother turned around and told me Said, we two are divorced. When she said it, I cried. My child, I want to cry for no reason when I hear this kind of words. I stomped on the back of the car and threw pillows and cardboard boxes. Dad had to stop the car. On the side of the road. They explained to me that they have wronged me these years, and they will treat me well in the future. They also said that I don’t want me to choose who to live with, and I can take turns living on both sides. I can’t listen to anything, and I just cry. After I got home, my mother went out with the packed things and waved to me, saying that she would often come to play with her in the future. I ran up to her with snot and tears and wanted to keep her, but in the end I was My dad pulled it away. But it’s okay now, even when I think about it, I don’t feel sad at all, and I even feel a sense of relief. It’s really a long-term pain rather than a short-term pain. I only felt sad for a week, and then I gradually got used to it .Isn't it a good time now?

"It is said that children are the glue of the family. I think, if I hadn't hid at my cousin's house, they might not have made up their minds to divorce. Brother Chuan told me that his parents had a colleague in college who had been I didn’t divorce my husband until the child finished the college entrance examination. It’s quite scary to think about it. I said it was to not affect the child’s study, but is this okay? They only divorced in the fourth grade, and I couldn’t stand it at that time. Let me endure elementary school Two years, three years in junior high school, and three years in high school. That’s eight years of the War of Resistance. I’m going to go crazy, or I’ll hide in A Fang’s house for eight years. Besides, it’s not good for parents. After I finish the college entrance examination , They will both be 50 years old. At that time, it must be very difficult to divorce and start a new life. If it is just because of me, my parents have wasted their life and time, I am not very willing..."

Mi Le squeezed Ye Ruiyang's hand hard, explaining clearly.Ye Ruiyang was a little tired from speaking, kicked his legs on the sofa, looked at the back of Mi Le's hand researchingly, and let go.

"By the way, do you two think that children whose parents divorce are withdrawn and introverted, their grades are not satisfactory, and they even have some psychological problems?"

"No, no, no, no!" My reaction was a little more intense, I was shaking from head to hand, Ye Ruiyang was a little overwhelmed by my weird behavior, but luckily he didn't go into it.

"I've said it all, it's prejudice. I don't think so." Miller said.

"Not necessarily. My life is good. My parents got divorced, and life got better. There must be children who are not doing well. I can't tell whether there are more people like me or people like that, maybe There should be more of them, otherwise everyone would not have this impression. Alas. The past days were terrible, but fortunately I ran out. I also have to thank my parents. If you want me to say, the best gift they gave me was not This house, though without it we'd have no room to brag about..."

"So what are you talking about? Life?" I asked.

"Well...not really." He turned to look at me, slapped the sofa heavily with his palm, and made a sound that was neither crisp nor dull, "I have a good life now, but before the fourth grade, I really I feel that I am superfluous, life is boring, I quarrel all day and even curse at each other, only my brother can attract me a little bit, he is so lucky. So, I think many people in the school are very irresponsible Yes, no matter boys or girls. It doesn’t matter if you fall in love, get married in the future, or have children. It’s a big deal. You can’t do it casually. It’s so difficult to be responsible for your actions. You don’t know the price behind one thing. What, patronizing to do it..."

"Enough is enough, do you want to follow the grade leader to catch puppy love? Tell me quickly, what is that gift, I don't want to hear you give moral lessons here!" Once again, Mi Le interrupted him.

Ye Ruiyang looked at him and said that the best gift they gave him was parting.This taught him a truth, people should not be too hard on themselves, and sometimes it is good for everyone to take a step back.

That's right.It is a blessing to be able to step back, which shows that people still have a lot of leeway.But what if there is no way out?Just like on the court, when we have only the last line of defense left, where can Boss Ye retreat?And me, can I retreat into the goal?
He slapped the sofa again, switching from the slumped position.I thought he would stuff his feet into the slippers and stand up, and he did, but the next second he deliberately shook and kicked his cotton shoes away with his toes.

After several years, did Ye Ruiyang really "get better"?I have no idea.On that night we huddled together on the sofa, I guessed two possibilities.He was really well, so he could talk about his childhood experiences to both of us without seeming to mind.It is also possible that he is not well, or not quite well, and still needs someone to listen to his underlying distress.Maybe in the past three months, he would only say it to the younger brother who had never been mentioned before today.And on this night, he opened his heart to me and Mi Le.The two of us are the "hunters and dog friends" he is willing to talk to with peace of mind.And while listening, I found more and more that I am willing to listen to him and share his emotions—if I can share them.

We sat around the dining table munching on fried chicken from takeout, listening to the wind blowing endlessly outside the window.After that, you can take turns to take a comfortable hot bath, return to the living room warmly, and do your homework "rustling" on the table.You can ask them if you have questions that you don't understand. If they don't understand, we can discuss them together and we can always solve them.That's great.I took a deep sip of the Coke and water in the paper cup, almost choking on the thick taste of sugar.Suddenly, I wanted to tell them that I was so lucky to know you and be your friend.This kind of mutual companionship and trust is so precious.

If only I had understood this earlier.So far, where can I retreat?
With drooping eyelids and blurred lights, the homework is almost done, and it's time to go to bed.We lay back on the sofa and played two mobile games online.The thrill of fighting in a team gradually faded away the bitterness of being distracted.I still love to play, as long as someone is with me.

Everyone let out a long yawn.Mi Le asked Ye Ruiyang how to live tonight.Ye Ruiyang said it's all right, or you can sleep in a small room, and Ke Ke and I will sleep in a big bed.Unexpectedly, Mi Le's face darkened, and he asked why Ke Ke lived with you.Ye Ruiyang was stunned for a moment, and then counterattacked, how do you know that Ke Ke doesn't want to live with me.I was puzzled, there is still a day when I will be "contested" by others?It's like being a child whose parents are divorced, and the parents have clearly marked the price and offered benefits, asking me to follow them, which is a bit funny when I think about it.

Am I so welcome?I don't know what's good about me.On the contrary, Xianxian was indeed "robbed" by his teammates before.I remember that once Zhao Rui and Pu Yun had an argument in the locker room, and I asked Xianxian for a long time before I realized that what they were arguing about was "Who is Ke Peixian's best friend".Zhao Rui's reasoning was that Xianxian had said similar things to him, and Pu Yun's reasoning was that Xianxian had overreached for him and cleaned up the people who bullied him in the toilet.The two were arguing and almost fought, which made people dumbfounded.With a broken face, Xianxian was dragged by them to ask this question.In the end, he had an idea and said that his best friend was none other than my brother.I must have blushed and my heart was pounding.However, the problem was not completely resolved, and they began to fight over "who is Ke Peixian's second best friend".

We were both so young back then that we were willing to blow each other's hands over things like this.What now?It doesn't seem to be fully grown.

A compromise was found: the three of us slept together on the big bed, but Mi Le specifically asked me to cover him with a quilt, and Ye Ruiyang covered him with his own.The reason is very good: one out of three people likes to roll up the quilt, and the other two people have a nine out of ten cold cold.Ye Ruiyang said not necessarily, when he was very young, he slept with his parents, and no one had ever caught a cold because of rolling the quilt.

Well, cover it and cover it.Don't worry, son, Dad won't roll your quilt.Miller hopped into the room.Besides Brother Chuan, Ye Ruiyang has another father.Pull it down, what do you mean by that, Ke Ke is no more a man than you.Ye Ruiyang pouted.Hmph, forget it, just based on one point, I am more than Mr. Ke Ke.Miller speaks.Both Ye Ruiyang and I asked what that point was.Miller said.Impossible, Ye Ruiyang is full of surprise, Ke Ke is clearly taller and stronger than you.Stop talking nonsense!I was one point angry, and nine points pretended to be angry and shouted.Then you have the ability to prove it!Miller made a face at me.

Of course I didn't prove it.He is right, otherwise I would not hesitate to refute him with practical actions.

The two of them let me sleep in the middle, because Mi Le was afraid that Ye Ruiyang would roll over in his sleep and crush him.Three people have never slept together, and maybe there will be no such experience in the future.Looking at it this way, the experience tonight was quite special.After all, I had Xianxian when I was young, so I never slept in the same bed with my parents.I don't know if Ye Ruiyang will think of those nights when he slept with his parents in the distant past.They hadn't been arguing much then.

We are 13 years old, neither too old nor too young, but we really can't remember some childhood things at all.Maybe it was because life at that time didn't have much meaning, it was so flat and calm, with only repeated playfulness and peaceful sleep every day.It wasn't until we started to grow up and get to know the world that the endless hustle and bustle gradually wrapped us up.However, listening to their steady breathing, I didn't seem too sad.Maybe at this time I can "take a step back" and retreat to them.I can sleep safe and sound, have a dream with them that is not too long and not too short, and then look forward to the sunrise of tomorrow.

(End of this chapter)