On a summer night, the stars are shining brightly.
In the old-fashioned residential area in 2001, although the greening was not as good as it would be more than ten years later, it was still full of human fireworks.
Some people moved stools out to enjoy the cool air and waved cattail fans in their hands, both to fan themselves and to drive away mosquitoes.
Some people put a basin in front of them and gnawed the watermelon in their hands, throwing the rind and seeds into the basin.
They just chatted about common things, sometimes swatting mosquitoes or something like that.
Have wages increased? House prices seem to be a bit higher. Recently, the saltwater ducks have become fatter and fatter. Maybe they were fed some fattening drugs or hormones when they were raised in captivity.
Some people here cut a melon, which was unfamiliar to them. While cursing and complaining, they pulled their children over and let the children take the sweetest bite first.
The children were the happiest, running wildly around the adults chatting and chatting in the cool air, laughing and playing.
From time to time, I would be pulled over by my own adults and apply Fengyou essence on my arms and legs.
In this era, although we live in buildings, neighbors are not as alien and indifferent as they were many years ago.
Even the monthly water and electricity bills have to be read by the residents themselves.
A small notebook from the power supply bureau is given to a unit, and each household takes turns keeping accounts. On the day when the meter is read, the household who is on duty goes all over the building, knocks on doors, reads the meter, and collects the electricity bill.
.
Finally, it will be handed over to the Power Supply Bureau.
This is a job done by residents on a rotating basis.
They are all neighbors. When reading the electricity meter, they will inevitably exchange a few words, pass a cigarette, and gossip. Even if they meet someone eating, they will laugh and ask, "Have you eaten?"
Here’s a bite to deal with.”
We have a good relationship, and we even occasionally get together to play mahjong or something like that.
When Chen Nuo went downstairs, there was such a scene downstairs in the community.
After being stunned for a moment, Chen Nuo subconsciously stood at the entrance of the corridor.
"Little Chen Nuo from 504? Are you going out to make up classes so late?"
An aunt casually said hello to Chen Nuo, shaking her cattail leaf fan: "Cut the watermelon, can you eat a piece?"
As he said that, he casually pulled his child over: "Don't scratch the mosquito bite! It's scratched!"
Chen Nuo's mind was a little dazed, and he subconsciously replied: "If you don't want to eat, I'll go out and eat."
After taking just two steps, a middle-aged man in a white sweatshirt behind him shouted again: "Chen Nuo, it's time to pay your electricity bill next month. Tomorrow I will stuff the accounting notebook under your door."
"Oh, okay, okay."
Chen Nuo responded a little lostly and walked away quickly.
·
Outside the community, it looked different again.
In 2001, the economy was still in the process of taking off, and the slogan of vigorously developing the tertiary industry had not been shouted for a few years. Storefront houses were springing up on the streets like mushrooms after a rain.
Even if it is a residential building, every household will start to open up the house on the first floor facing the street and turn it into a facade.
Open a small cigarette shop, open a small restaurant, open a small noodle shop.
Even at night, a street begins to light up with lights and neon signs flashing.
This scene would not have been seen a few years ago.
Of course... ten years later, it will gradually disappear.
Alien Ma Nong’s e-commerce has completely wiped out the business of physical stores, and small-scale canteens like this have gradually become extinct.
Chen Nuo walked out of the community, not knowing what he was thinking, and just instinctively walked towards the road he was most familiar with.
After walking two steps, a bucket of water fell down beside the sewer on the roadside.
A small crayfish business owner raised his head and nodded to Chen Nuo with a bucket: "Xiao Chen, I'm sorry, I didn't see you. Didn't it splash you?"
Chen Nuo looked at this somewhat unfamiliar lobster shop owner. This shop had been open for many years, but in his memory, he had never patronized it due to financial constraints.
"...No, it's okay."
"I recently changed my chef. He's good at cooking, and he's also good at shrimps. I'll bring your sister over to eat some other time."
The boss said, nodded, and went back with the bucket.
Chen Nuo was stunned on the spot.
...He...what did he say?
lobster?
I don't like eating crayfish at all.
etc……
What else was he talking about?
Girl?
I'm a little transparent, where did this girl come from...
Chen Nuo smiled bitterly in his heart, but he couldn't figure it out. He hesitated, opened his mouth, and finally walked away without saying anything.
·
It took about half an hour to walk from his residence to No. 8 Middle School. Chen Nuo walked in a state of confusion and despair.
Summer vacation isn't over yet, it's night again.
The gate of No. 8 Middle School is closed, but the small iron gate of the side door next to it is open.
The concierge Lao Qin moved a stool and sat there, leaning against the wall and smoking.
There is no air conditioning in the communication room in this era. Let alone the communication room in the school, even the teacher's office does not have air conditioning. It would be nice to have a broken electric fan.
Seeing Chen Nuo walking to the school gate and standing there staring blankly, Lao Qin first squinted his eyes and looked at it, then waved, "Come on, come on."
Chen Nuo walked over and looked at Lao Qin blankly.
Lao Qin took out a pack of crumpled red plums from his shirt pocket, looked at no one around him, took one and handed it to Chen Nuo.
Chen Nuo was stunned for a moment.
I was about to say "I don't smoke", but my hand movements took over smoothly as if I was used to it.
Laohongmei cigarettes, the tobacco in the cigarette was soft, Chen Nuo turned the cigarette butt casually, and tapped the filter end on his thumbnail a few times.
"The school is empty at night, and the basketball hall is closed. What's wrong, Xiao Chen, do you want to go in and play?" Lao Qin asked casually.
This familiar "Xiao Chen" made Chen Nuo a little confused and looked at the old man without saying anything.
Lao Qin squinted his eyes and looked around again, and whispered: "Go in, come out before ten o'clock, I have to lock the door when I go to sleep."
"..."
"There are still some of your classmates playing on the basketball court. Please help me urge them to come out early. Don't go too late. My old man can't stay up late."
With that said, Lao Qin waved his hand, squinted his eyes and listened to Semiconductor, and ignored Chen Nuo.
"..."
Chen Nuo had complicated thoughts and walked into the campus with steps.
In the past six months, the main campus of No. 8 Middle School has not changed much, except that the newly built international campus in the distance has been completed.
Chen Nuo could only remember that in his own memory, there were still unfinished buildings there, the plastic on the playground had not been removed, and the roofs of the houses had not been capped.
Looking at it now, the buildings taking shape in the night look much more majestic.
On the basketball court of the old campus, people are still playing basketball. Under the dim street lights, some teenagers are still playing, chasing their basketball dreams.
T-shirts, sweatshirts, T-shirts, basketball shoes, running shoes, a mix of everything.
Chen Nuo glanced at it from a distance and walked directly to the teaching building without walking over.
Following the corridor on the first floor, I found the classroom in my memory.
The classroom door was locked. Chen Nuo pushed it twice but did not open it, but soon saw that the transom on the window was open.
After thinking about it, I climbed up, then turned over and got in through the transom window.
Jumping on the ground, Chen Nuo clearly felt that his physical fitness, jumping ability, and strength seemed to be much stronger.
I pinched my arm, and it seemed that I had gained a lot of muscle.
All of this made him feel strange.
After walking to the seat in his memory and sitting down, Chen Nuo seemed to let out a breath.
This is...a familiar feeling.
From home, to coming out, to all the way to school.
Familiar neighbors, familiar restaurant owners, and even the old school janitor seemed to be very familiar with me.
Not to mention, the three women at home.
Um……
very scary!
·
On the desk, the handwriting carved with a pencil sharpener is still there. Although you can't see it clearly, you can reach out and touch it.
all of these……
What is it...
What's going on...
Chen Nuo lay on his seat, suddenly wanting to cry.
·
The young man does not have a strong temperament. In recent years, the family has undergone tremendous turmoil and changes, coupled with the death of his grandma, his only support.
The young man is withdrawn and only uses this indifference to cover up his helplessness and cowardice.
He is not strong and does not know what courage is.
He just remained passive and endured silently.
Life punched him and he covered his face.
Fate gave him a kick, and he rubbed his butt.
That's all.
It's not that I haven't thought about some ideas...writing a love letter to Sun Keke, the school beauty, is a rebellious rebellion.
It was as if he wanted to defy fate for a moment.
In fact, when I wrote that love letter, I may not really like Sun Keke.
The words in the love letter were copied from books.
The reason why I chose Sun Keke is very simple.
Just a resistance.
Just like a spring that has been pressed for too long and has been pressed to the bottom, I always want to do something to prove that I am not a little transparent person with no sense of existence.
I also thought about it, one day I would make some big noise and startle the people around me.
Wow, that so and so, it turns out to be so powerful...
That's generally it.
An ordinary, ill-fated young boy couldn't think of anything more outrageous than writing a love letter to the school beauty.
An ordinary boy with no money, no power, no support, and no talent.
What else could he do?
It might also be effective to get first place in the exam... The problem is, it can't be done.
And...that time, there was a special reason.
After crawling on the table for a while, I don't know when it was, Chen Nuo got up and climbed out of the transom window again.
He landed in the corridor and walked out, back to the playground.
A group of people were playing on the basketball court. Chen Nuo was about to leave when he suddenly remembered what the old concierge said. He hesitated and walked a few steps over.
"that……"
Naturally, no one heard or paid attention to the low voice.
"Pass it, pass it! Damn it!"
"Get a rebound!"
"You voted for Nima! You can't pass it on!",
Chen Nuo pursed his lips and raised his voice: "Well... you..."
boom!
The basketball suddenly flew out of his hand and flew towards Chen Nuo.
Chen Nuo's subconscious reaction was to follow his own character and habit. He held his head with both hands and turned sideways...
The basketball hit his shoulder and bounced away.
A boy ran over and picked up the ball first, then turned around and said, "I'm sorry, are you okay?"
"No,...it's okay..."
Chen Nuo let go of his hand.
"Eh? Chen Nuo?"
A slightly familiar voice came, and a young man wearing a sports vest ran down the basketball court, his body was skinny and his head was covered with sweat.
Chen Nuo took a look, a little dazed, familiar, but also a little strange.
"Why are you here? Want to play together?"
"You..." Chen Nuo was stunned for a moment, then turned his head twice before remembering the other person's name: "You are..."
The other party was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said: "Why are you so stupid? Hi... I just had my hair cut a few days ago. Are you a little uncomfortable with it?"
As he spoke, he touched his forehead.
Seeing several other golfers coming over, he quickly whispered: "Brother Chen, please help me. Outsiders are trying to save some face by calling me squad leader."
After the monitor finished speaking, he turned around and said, "Add one more person! Add one more person! My classmates are here. Come on, Chen Nuo. I'll take a break."
After saying that, he turned around and hooked Chen Nuo's shoulder, making it look like the two of them had a good relationship.
Being covered in stinky sweat made Chen Nuo a little disgusted, but after all, it was his personality and he didn't avoid it and endured it.
"I, I won't fight." Chen Nuo shook his head: "The old concierge asked me to tell you, don't be too late, he will go to bed and lock the door later."
"It's okay. If it's late, we'll climb over the wall and go back." The squad leader waved his hand nonchalantly: "I'll tell Lao Qin later about buying a pack of cigarettes and let's continue playing."
I have to say that working with the school director as a follower during the summer vacation helped me develop a somewhat adult bearing.
"Hey, Chen Nuo."
"Wow, Brother Warrior, hahaha, where is your school beauty?"
Several other boys also greeted Chen Nuo cheerfully, and their words were very polite.
Chen Nuo had never been noticed by so many people before. He was a little flustered for a moment, opened his mouth and was speechless.
"Come on, come on, let's regroup! Damn it! I want to be in the same team as Chen Nuo!"
"You really want to win! Rock, paper, scissors!"
"Chen Nuozai will win for sure! I played against him in the last physical education class, and his shooting was so accurate!"
“It’s so picturesque!”
Chen Nuo became more and more at a loss.
Facing the enthusiastic crowd, his first thought was to escape!
"I, I, I won't fight, I really won't fight..." Chen Nuo swallowed.
Suddenly an idea came to him and he pointed to his feet: "I'm wearing slippers."
"That's it." The monitor glanced at him and said, "No, I'll change shoes with you, and you'll wear mine?"
"I, I really don't want to fight. I, I have something else to do, so I'll leave first."
Chen Nuo broke away from the squad leader's arm and left quickly as if running away.
The teenagers behind were stunned for a moment, but they didn't think too much about it. They didn't know who started first, so they continued to play their ball.
·
(I, what on earth have I done in the past six months? What on earth happened?)
·
The boy's pace is getting faster and faster...
When he walked out of the school gate, Lao Qin waved hello to him, but Chen Nuo almost tripped and staggered out of the campus.
·
Standing on the street, looking back at this No. 8 Middle School...
Familiar, yet strange.
My heart is full of complex thoughts and mixed feelings.
Chen Nuo tried his best to look at everything around him with his eyes wide open.
I always feel that all of this is extremely unreal.
·
After standing there and thinking for a while, Chen Nuo had an idea and turned around to leave!
·
Evening emergency at the district hospital.
Chen Nuo stood next to the registration desk, touched his pocket, and unexpectedly took out two crumpled bills.
Fortunately, it’s enough for the registration fee.
"Do you have a fever? Where do you feel uncomfortable?"
The person who came to the emergency room at night was a doctor from the internal medicine department. He had a little hair and a very cold attitude.
"No, no fever." Chen Nuo sat in front of the doctor: "I just..."
"Doctor, the test results are here for you to take a look at."
Another patient from outside rushed in and slapped a laboratory test sheet on the table.
This clearly means jumping in line.
The doctor first looked at Chen Nuo and found that he was not obviously dissatisfied, so he ignored it and picked up the test sheet and looked at it.
"The blood is normal. There is no inflammation. It should be a viral cold. Go back and rest, observe and take medicine..."
"We have all the medicines we have at home." The patient immediately interrupted the doctor.
Seeing that he could not prescribe medicine, the doctor's enthusiasm disappeared and he waved his hand: "Then go back and rest and observe."
After saying that, he wrote a medical record and threw it over.
After the patient went out, the doctor looked at Chen Nuo's medical record, strolled around and asked, "What's wrong with you?"
"I...I think, I may have lost..."
Chen Nuo didn't wait for the word "memory" to come out of his mouth.
"Nurse! Nurse!!" The doctor suddenly spoke again.
A fat nurse poked her head in from outside.
"What's going on? Why did this patient come in without taking his temperature during triage?" The doctor said, tapping Chen Nuo's medical record with his hand: "How many times have I told you! Take the temperature and triage first!"
The fat nurse said lazily: "I was not at the triage table just now, so should I measure him now?"
The doctor waved his hand: "Go and take your temperature before talking."
As he said that, he turned away from Chen Nuo.
Chen Nuo hesitated for a moment, stood up carefully, and then followed the nurse out.
In front of the triage table, the nurse wiped an oral thermometer and gave it to Chen Nuo.
"Keep it in your mouth and take it out in three minutes. Just watch the time."
After saying that, the nurse turned to her night shift colleague and muttered: "I'm angry again...he's the only one who has a lot to do."
"I was assigned to the night shift emergency department, which made me feel unhappy."
·
Chen Nuo sat on a chair in the emergency room, silently calling for the thermometer and lowering his head silently.
·
Outside the emergency room, standing by the window, Lu Xixi, Sun Keke, and Li Yingwan stood there quietly, quietly looking at the young man sitting in the chair with his head bowed in silence.
"...He..." Sun Keke looked sad.
The deer squinted his eyes carefully, but suddenly shook his head.
"wrong!"
The Queen took a deep breath: "No! He is not the Chen Nuo I know!"