Beijiao Primary School in Xihe City was Jiang Xiaoliu’s alma mater during his primary school days.
At Gu Ruoxi's invitation, Jiang Xiaoliu arrived at an alley at the back door of his alma mater at noon.
This alley named Jiangbeiguan Lane, located on the north side of Xihe River, carries the childhood memories of Jiang Xiaoliu's elementary school days.
In the past, he always carried a canvas schoolbag sewn by his adoptive mother and wore cheap clothes. He walked from the village in the city for half an hour to the alley, then passed through Jiangbeiguan Lane and entered through the back door of the school.
Today, Jiang Xiaoliu sets foot here again after seven years. As he walks, he looks at the alley that has changed beyond recognition.
In the alley, the residents on both sides have moved out and the houses are in a state of demolition.
Walking in the alley, Jiang Xiaoliu didn't meet anyone else. It wasn't until he arrived at the old store diagonally opposite the back door of his alma mater that he saw a few adult customers.
This old shop is a Malatang shop without a name. The owner has been doing Malatang business in the alley for decades, from a young man to an old man.
Today, Beijiao Primary School has been relocated, but the old store is still open.
The people who come here to eat spicy hotpot are all customers of Yeqinghui. Almost every one of them graduated from Beijiao Primary School.
Jiang Xiaoliu looked at the burning briquette stove at the entrance of the old store and smelled the unique aroma of Malatang in the air. He squinted his eyes happily and felt as if he had been transported back many years ago.
At that time, because Jiang Xiaoliu's family was poor, he couldn't afford to eat Malatang for only a dime per skewer. Most of the time, he could only watch other students eating with gusto.
Every time when Jiang Xiaoliu drooled from greed, his deskmate Gu Ruoxi would pull him and buy him ten skewers of spicy hotpot so that Jiang Xiaoliu could experience the fragrant taste of spicy hotpot.
The past is like smoke, still in front of you!
Thinking of Gu Ruoxi, a grateful smile appeared on Jiang Xiaoliu's face. Gu Ruoxi was very thoughtful and asked him to have dinner at this nostalgic old restaurant this noon.
"Sorry, I'm a few minutes late."
When Jiang Xiaoliu closed his eyes and reminisced, a woman's fragrance came to his nostrils. He opened his eyes and saw Gu Ruoxi running over.
She was still wearing the patrol uniform at noon, which surprised Jiang Xiaoliu slightly.
"It's okay, I just arrived." Jiang Xiaoliu pointed to Gu Ruoxi's uniform: "Why are you still wearing work clothes after get off work?"
Gu Ruoxi explained: "When lunch was approaching, I suddenly received a police order. A big shot came to Xihe City to maintain order on the road. It was only available ten minutes ago. I was worried that you would wait for a long time, so I rushed over in my work clothes."
Jiang Xiaoliu smiled and walked into the old store with Gu Ruoxi.
It's still the storefront from my childhood, with four old wooden seats placed inside.
The chairs are small stools, and the wooden tables are greasy after years of baptism, but the people who come here to dine don't care about these at all.
Gu Ruoxi sat down on the small stool carelessly, took the paper towel on the table and wiped the wooden table. She looked at the row of cabinets behind her and told Jiang Xiaoliu to go get the dishes without being polite.
At this time, some of the people dining at the table recognized Jiang Xiaoliu and took photos with Jiang Xiaoliu with their companions.
After taking a group photo, someone asked Jiang Xiaoliu: "You are already a famous person, why do you still come to this place to eat?"
Jiang Xiaoliu smiled: "You think I'm a big celebrity, but I'm just an ordinary person. I'm an alumnus of you, and I'm here to find Ye Qinghui."
"Yes, my youth is back!" Everyone smiled.
At this time, the store owner came over. He knew Gu Ruoxi and asked, "Miss Gu, are you bringing your boyfriend to dinner today? I have never seen your boyfriend before, and I didn't expect that he is a big star."
Jiang Xiaoliu, who was holding the dishes over there, scratched his scalp in embarrassment and said nothing.
Gu Ruoxi's face turned red and she explained: "Uncle Bai, you misunderstood. Jiang Xiaoliu and I were classmates in elementary school."
The owner, Uncle Bai, smiled, as if he knew everything, and said, "All customers at noon today are free of charge. Thank you for your care over the years."
Gu Ruoxi quickly asked why the order was free?
The people at the table over there also hurriedly said that there is no need to waive the bill. Nowadays, prices have skyrocketed, but after so many years, it is still a dime here. How much money can you make from this?
Everyone knows that what Uncle Bai sells is not Malatang, but what he sells is feelings.
"Because, my place is going to be demolished." Uncle Bai's expression became miserable: "Today's lunch is the last time for business. From now on, you students who are thinking about their feelings will no longer be able to eat my Lao Bai's Malatang.
.”
After saying that, Uncle Bai shook his head and sighed and walked out, sitting in front of the briquette stove outside the door, making spicy hotpot for the guests.
Gu Ruoxi's expression tightened and she followed him out.
She first looked at the relocated alma mater opposite, then looked around at the old houses around Uncle Bai that had long been empty, and asked: "Uncle Bai, have all the neighbors moved out voluntarily?"
Uncle Bai sighed again: "Where are the voluntary moves? The old neighbors here have lived together for decades, and no one wants to leave this old home. But the Qin Group came to demolish it, what can we ordinary people do?
Method?"
At this time, Jiang Xiaoliu happened to choose vegetables, walked out with a vegetable basket, and heard Uncle Bai's words.
He handed the dish to Uncle Bai, who stuffed the skewers numbered with wooden skewers into a large aluminum pot. There was hot and smoking Malatang sauce in the pot, and the sound of cooking was audible.
, the spicy flavor is tangy.
"Uncle Bai, do you think the Qin Group was responsible for the demolition of this area, or was it a forced demolition?" Jiang Xiaoliu asked: "Which Qin Group is it? Is it the one in Linshi?"
Since Jiang Xiaoliu's alma mater is here, he has nostalgic feelings. In addition, he is the spokesperson of the Qin Group's current public service advertisement, so Jiang Xiaoliu will of course be concerned about this matter.
"Yes, it's the Qin Group in Linshi. They came to demolish it a few days ago, forcing many residents in front of them to leave and destroying many old houses." Uncle Bai said bitterly: "As for the school,
We moved a year ago. After all, it is too small and not suitable for the current school environment."
"The school has moved, leaving behind us old neighbors with no background." Uncle Bai said: So the Qin Group used threats and inducements as soon as they arrived, so everyone had no choice but to leave their hometowns. As of this morning, the Qin Group issued an ultimatum. After one o'clock in the afternoon,
So we have to move."
"Well, by this time, my family is the only one in the entire alley that has not moved out yet." Uncle Bai checked the time on his phone and said, "You two, go in and eat quickly. In half an hour, I will be there."
The store is closed."
Gu Ruoxi felt angry when she heard this and said: "What age are we in this? The state has long issued a ban prohibiting forced purchase and demolition. Does the Qin Group still believe in the rule of law?"
Jiang Xiaoliu frowned. He was about to call Qin Shishi to inquire about the situation, but unexpectedly, a group of fierce-looking people walked over from the other side of the alley.
There were about twenty people in this group, half of them were holding demolition tools, and a few others were holding steel pipes and looked majestic. At first glance, they were demolition gangsters.
"Here they are, they are the bullies of the Qin Group responsible for the demolition of this area!"
As soon as Uncle Bai saw this group of people, he immediately became nervous, rubbed his left chest, and said to Gu Ruoxi and Jiang Xiaoliu: "You should leave quickly, they are so lawless. Yesterday, I refused to agree to the demolition, and they beat me until my chest was bruised.
It still hurts now."
When Jiang Xiaoliu heard this, he immediately became angry, but the person who was even more angry than him was Gu Ruoxi.
She raised her eyebrows, grabbed the briquette iron clamp near the briquette stove, and walked quickly towards the group of people.
"In broad daylight, you people are demolishing houses by force. Do you still have the right to do so?"
Gu Ruoxi rushed forward and angrily blocked the way of the group of people. This chapter has been completed!