between clouds and mud

Chapter 41

The honey pomelo in Linxi town has matured, and with Jiang Lele's help in opening up channels, the sales volume is considerable, but Zhang Fang is worried, and she has something on her mind.

Zhang Jiaxiang counted Miyou's bills. Seeing his wife's anxious look, he took the passbook and counted the change for her one by one: "Daughter-in-law, look."

"Ok?"

"We have enough money to buy a house." Zhang Jiaxiang smiled: "The down payment is almost enough, let me figure it out, and I will be able to make up enough for the down payment and buy a house after saving for another year."

Zhang Jiaxiang usually does the math with his bankbook from time to time, swipe his passbook with one finger, and it turns out that he is buying a house.

Zhang Fang took his passbook and looked at it: "I also have some savings, you don't have to wait until next year to buy a house."

"How can I do that? I bought the house to marry you." Zhang Jiaxiang said without hesitation, "I can't buy it with your money."

In the past few years when the two have been in love, Zhang Fang has often been scolded and wronged by Da Xiangniang. Zhang Jiaxiang can't help feeling guilty when he sees it.

Every time Zhang Fang comes to visit with a gift, Da Xiangniang finds it unpleasant and starts to find faults.

She always has to say a few words, a woman's family puts the family first, and she cares for her husband and children, so don't go out to show her face.

Zhang Fang did not refute, but listened silently, following the old man's instructions.

Taking care of housework such as cooking and washing dishes without complaint.

Before Da Xiangniang finished talking, Zhang Jiaxiang hurried to help, and refused to say anything to Zhang Fang.

The men in the village have never done dishwashing or laundry work.

But fearing that Zhang Fang would be wronged, he took the initiative to do the job.

"This is a woman's job. How can you do it as a man?" Da Xiangniang was furious.

"There are men and women in every job, and I like washing dishes." Zhang Jiaxiang was busy in the kitchen wearing an apron.

"Your mother has been washing dishes for so many years, but she has never seen you help?"

"Don't do it in the future, I will do it."

Seeing how worthless her son looked, Da Xiangniang felt even more displeased with Zhang Fang. She was picky and felt that Zhang Fang was inferior to Xiaolan in everything.

Which man in the village used women like this?
If you want to spread this, you have to laugh your ass off.

Zhang Jiaxiang was in a dilemma, and the mother and son quarreled endlessly over this matter.

The two women couldn't get along everywhere, and the only way was to separate. Daxiang planned in his heart that when he bought a house, the two would get married.

He is already in his early thirties, and it is inevitable that there will be gossip in the village, but he never mentions the matter of marriage, so in the past few years, the house has become a headache for him.

Zhang Fang was so focused on planting honey pomelo that she inevitably overlooked this point.

She went to the cabinet and took out her passbook, and opened it together: "I bought a house for two people to live in, and getting married is also a matter for two people. How can you bear it alone? I just sit back and enjoy the benefits."

"House prices are growing faster than wages now. When you save enough next year, the house price will be even higher. Let's start early, and it will be considered an investment, waiting for appreciation."

"Daughter-in-law, it's my good fortune to marry you." Zhang Jiaxiang hugged her with a moving tone.

"Let's take some time to get the certificate." Zhang Fang suggested.

Zhang Jiaxiang hugged her tightly, and wrapped his arms tightly: "A man should ask for a marriage proposal."

The two hugged each other, Zhang Fang leaned on his arms, gradually frowned, thinking for a while.

"Linxishan Tourism Development, the Avenue Group withdrew its capital."

"what happened?"

Zhang Fang seldom talks about work at home, but this time it's not just about business.

"Their vice president is Xiao Liu's target." Zhang Fang explained: "It is estimated that there is something wrong with the two of them."

"That's a pity." The prospective successor of the Avenue Group has a great background.

Zhang Fang shook her head: "The two of them are not the same way."

For the convenience of relatives and friends from other places, electronic invitations are popular on the Internet, but Zhang Fang still sent a paper invitation to each friend. Each card was handwritten, and the names of the husband and wife were solemnly signed. More like a promise.

In addition to sending letters, the couple received countless blessing calls, and Zhang Chengnian, who rarely communicated, also called.

Zhang Fang looked at the caller ID, and after talking about her and Daxiang, she counted the days of her marriage: "Brother Cheng, the wedding girl will be here, how about you?"

On the other side of the phone, Zhang Chengnian was silent for a moment. He didn't miss his hometown too much. Since the death of his only relative, he has become a rootless duckweed, drifting with the tide.

"Be sure to come back." Zhang Chengnian said.

After getting an affirmative answer, Zhang Fang smiled, with tears in her eyes: "Brother Cheng, we miss you very much. When Xiao Liu saw you, he probably should cry again."

When she was young, Xiaoliu cried the most, and Brother Cheng always protected her.The two have been going around for these years, and everything has returned to the original place.

As a bystander, Zhang Fang saw more thoroughly than the authorities.

Zhang Fang got married, and Zhou Song attended the wedding as a bridesmaid.She took leave of absence and set off from school a week in advance, intending to help prepare for the scene.

The family bought her a white Audi, which Zhou Song rarely drives.

In order to save the cost of renting a wedding car for the couple, she drove the car from Changsha, and she just felt happy.

It took more than three hours to drive from the city to Linxi Town, and the high speed was easy to drive, and she drove it with ease.

But the roads in the countryside are a bit bumpy, and this one accidentally fell into a mud pit on the side of the road.

Zhou Song went down to look around, tried several methods but failed to drive the car back on track.

She opened the address book, saw Chi Ye's name, and paused for a moment.

Continue to scroll down and make a call to Zhang Fang.

There is still a little distance from Linxi Town, about a hundred kilometers away.

After Zhou Song finished talking about her situation, Zhang Fang told her to wait in the car, and Zhang Jiaxiang went to pick her up.

Zhou Song hung up the phone, looked at the darkening sky, and estimated that he would have to wait for at least an hour.

While waiting, Zhou Song played with her mobile phone for a while, and she took out a pack of cigarettes from the glove box from memory.

A flame jumped up in his hand, went out four or five times, and finally lit a cigarette in his mouth.

Opening the car window, she was bored looking at the night and stars outside the window.

Silently counting the passing vehicles in my heart, it should be around this time.

Zhou Song caught a glimpse of the rearview mirror. She probably just smoked and used up her lipstick. She took out the lipstick in her bag and reapplied it. Looking at her bright red lips, she was only satisfied when the color was even.

Until a black SUV stopped in front of her, Zhou Song stretched his head to see the Mercedes-Benz logo, and knew it was not Brother Daxiang.

A little disappointed in my heart, I had no choice but to bite another cigarette, but the hand holding the lighter stopped.

On the opposite side of the Mercedes-Benz, two men got off, one was Zhang Jiaxiang, and there was another person beside him
Her heartbeat stopped, and when she saw the silhouette of the man walking towards her, memories flooded like water, and that figure became more and more blurred in her eyes.

After Brother Daxiang came over to confirm that he was all right, he stood aside in peace.

Zhang Chengnian stood outside the driver's car door, separated by the fallen car window, the hazy rain, and the time that they hadn't seen for four years.

Goodbye, it seems like a lifetime away.

His eyes were deep, and his tone was somewhat questioning: "When did you learn to smoke?"

Zhou Song's heart was turbulent, but his emotions were calm on the surface, showing a casual smile: "It's been a long time."

She pushed open the car door, shook the key, and threw it to Zhang Chengnian: "Excuse me."

Zhang Chengnian checked the situation around the ridge, got in the car and adjusted the seat, turned the steering wheel in his hands, and after a couple of tries, he easily drove the car back on track.

"Xiao Liu, your skills are not reassuring." Zhang Jiaxiang confirmed that there is no problem: "Then I will drive the car in front to go back, and you will go with Brother Cheng."

After finishing speaking, Zhang Jiaxiang trotted back to the Mercedes-Benz, turned on the lights, and started off quickly.

After Zhang Chengnian parked the car, he pushed open the door of the driver's seat and motioned to Zhou Song who was beside him: "You drive."

This person, who was thousands of miles away, suddenly appeared in her world, and he was beside her at this moment. A strong sense of unreality flooded her heart. Is this a dream or reality?

Zhou Song was calm and self-reliant on the surface, her mind was blank, her car was following Zhang Jiaxiang's car, and she was steering the steering wheel only by physical memory.

On the co-driver beside him, Zhang Chengnian's cold aura enveloped the entire carriage, his eyes glanced past her inadvertently, and there was a violently beating heart under his calm expression.

The road ahead is too narrow and there is some traffic jam.

Zhou Song stopped the car slowly, she held the steering wheel tightly, her palms were already sweating.

The car unknowingly slid forward, and when it was about to collide, Zhang Chengnian helped her pull up the handbrake: "Xiao Liu, how did you drive?"

After pulling the handbrake, the car body shook slightly and stopped.

Zhou Song noticed the sudden situation just now, she recovered and adjusted her mentality: "Sorry, it's not like this usually."

For the rest of the journey, she finally regained her sanity and drove steadily.

"How long have you had your driver's license on the highway alone?"

"More than two years." Zhou Song replied.

"Don't drive so far alone in the future." Zhang Chengnian told her.

"It's the first time for me too, before" her words paused, with profound meaning.

Zhang Chengnian knew very well, about that person named Chi Ye, he knew about the same from Zhang Fang.

In the past few years when he was not with her, there were traces of another person.

"It's quite courageous." He ignored the dense emotions in his chest and looked at her with his head tilted.

In four years, Xiao Liu is indeed different from before.

I can put on some makeup, dress more beautifully, and don't blush easily.

This transformation is from a girl to a real woman.

But the moment the two met, the moment their eyes met, her emotions rushed out of her eyes and gave him the answer.

In the face of her unreserved feelings, he hesitated to speak countless times, only forbearance and silence, and he never said a word of his heart in the end.

So, what are you waiting for.

Right now, do you still love me?

When he arrived at the hotel in the town, Zhou Song walked out of the bathroom after taking a shower and drying his hair.

She drove a small long distance during the day and was mentally exhausted, but her heart was hard to be quiet and she couldn't fall asleep.

She leaned gently on the head of the bed, on the other side was Zhang Chengnian's room.The distance between them at this time is no longer separated by mountains and seas, but just separated by a wall.

After tossing and turning for a long time, Zhou Song took a pack of cigarettes and found the nearest fire escape stairs.

The phone vibrated, as if it had sensed something, and the screen showed that it was Chi Ye's incoming call, and she hung up with her fingers.

But Zhou Song was a little annoyed by the continuous ringing of the mobile phone, so she simply turned off the phone.

When Chi Ye was drunk, he liked to call her unconsciously, and the next day, he would forget about it in a blink of an eye.

She bit her cigarette, flicked her fingers lightly, and the flames burst into flames.

This phone call also disturbed other people. Zhang Chengnian walked down the attic with strides. He walked to the stairs next to Zhou Song and sat down: "Why didn't you answer?"

Zhou Song couldn't help being amused, and glanced at the empty stairwell, where she could meet even while smoking a cigarette, she felt unhappy, and almost blurted out: "Boyfriend Cha Gang."

Zhang Chengnian's heart sank suddenly, and he mercilessly exposed her words: "You have already broken up."

She opened her lips slightly, and exhaled a puff of smoke lightly: "It has nothing to do with you."

"Smoking is not good." Zhang Chengnian took out the cigarette butt in her hand in an orderly tone, and then extinguished it: "Quit."

Zhou Song is not addicted to cigarettes. Normally, she can't finish a pack of cigarettes in a month. Today is just an accidental factor.

"Disappointing." Zhou Song ignored him, and picked out another one with his fingertips: "I'm not a child anymore."

The label on her cigarette pack was the one he used to smoke.

"Xiao Liu, be obedient."

Her hand holding the lighter paused for a moment, and the lights in the corridor went out.

The two fell into the darkness, and their eyes met. He looked at her, the depth like ink was turbulent, and the emotions in his heart spread at this moment.

He slowly approached her, but Zhou Song turned his head away.

He said in a low voice, "I'm sorry, Brother Cheng will make up for you in the future."

"Brother." Zhou Song interrupted him: "You will always be my brother, just like Brother Daxiang."

"In the future, we will not talk about these things." Zhou Song drew a clear line word by word.

I didn't sleep well at night, and Zhou Song woke up already in the sun.

Zhang Fang's wedding was originally planned to be held in a hotel, but Zhang Zhijun came to pick him up on purpose. After discussing all night, they finally reached an agreement, and Zhang Fang got married from home.

After breakfast, the group checked out the room and drove back to Wick Bridge.

Zhang Jiaxiang, Zhang Fang, and Zhang Chengnian were in a car, and Zhou Song followed behind with Zhang Zhijun.

After the honey pomelo in the village was sold out, the road was repaired and it could accommodate cars.

On the winding asphalt road, two cars, one black and one white, drove into the mountainous area.

Leaning against the car window, Zhang Chengnian looked out the window all the way. This time it was autumn again, and the scenery along the way passed by.

The coming heat wave is mixed with the familiar smell of wheat and soil.

Zhang Chengnian muttered to himself: "The rice is ripe."

In autumn, when the rice is ripe, harvesters are working in the rice fields instead of manpower.

Zhang Jiaxiang joked: "You scholars, the tone of your speech is literary."

After returning to the village, Zhang Chengnian first went to the mountains to visit the elderly.

The cemetery was not as barren as he had imagined. A grave stood alone, the tombstones were clean, and there was no extra grass beside it.

There are traces of worship in front of the monument, which shows that someone has taken good care of it.

He knelt down and kowtowed three times, burned incense, and said in a low voice, "Grandpa, the unfilial grandson came back to see you."

After coming down from the mountain, Zhang Chengnian returned to his former home.

It has been uninhabited all year round, and it has been dilapidated.

His nominal father also left long ago and did not stay here.

The eaves were covered with spider silk. Zhang Chengnian touched the key from the threshold, and when he opened the door, the sky was full of dust.

He looked at the furnishings of the main room, there seemed to be an old man sitting on the old furniture.

The wrinkles and ravines on his face were like rivers flowing across the earth, and he beckoned lovingly: "Brother Cheng."

Whenever the rice is ripe, the old man thinks that his grandson should go home, and he thinks to himself...

The voice of vicissitudes traveled through time and space, like a gun order being carried out in his ears, leaving a buzzing and vague aftertaste.

Dust is flying, and time is rushing.

Zhang Chengnian slowly closed his eyes, the man did not flick his tears easily.

At this moment, it was probably dust that got into his eyes, causing a liquid to slip from his jaw.

Zhou Song stood outside quietly, watching his desolate and independent back, she did not disturb him.

Zhang Chengnian came back to his senses, he brushed away the dust in front of his eyes: "Xiao Liu."

After the hazy dust dissipated, the slender figure outside the house clearly appeared in front of his eyes.

"Brother Cheng, my father asked me to call you." Zhou Song's tone was very flat: "This place is deserted, you go to live in my house."

The two walked side by side on the road, hearing the cicada's cry, as if the scene of their youth was just yesterday.

Zhang Chengnian said: "I have visited the old man's house, thank you."

Zhou Song nodded: "I often go to the mountains, it's a matter of convenience. Grandpa used to treat me very well."

"Does what you say count?"

"what?"

"Be the granddaughter-in-law of our family."

Zhou Song was silent for a moment: "I forgot."

In the evening, the family sat together for dinner, Zhou Laoliu and Fuying laughed from ear to ear, and the husband and wife looked at Zhang Chengnian as if they had found a treasure.

Holding a sea bowl, Zhou Laoliu looked curiously at his daughter with a cold face: "Xiaoliu, you cry when daddy mentions brother Cheng, why are you back, why are you embarrassed?"

"When did I cry, don't talk nonsense." Zhou Song argued hard.

"Every time you secretly hide in the room and cry." Zhou Lao Liu pierced her mind.

Zhou Song threw down the bowl angrily: "Don't eat."

"Why are you still angry?"

"Patriarchal, you don't have a daughter in your eyes, you just want a cheap son."

The corner of Zhou Laoliu's mouth smiled, half of a son-in-law.

After the meal, the sixth child deliberately left Zhang Chengnian behind. The sixth child got up and turned on the TV, and tuned to the channel to be broadcast.

"Brother Cheng, I saw you on TV these days." Zhou Lao Liu pointed at the TV.

"It was recorded in Hangzhou half a year ago." Zhang Chengnian didn't pay much attention, as the show had already started broadcasting.

"Then I've been back to China for a while, and I won't go home to have a look."

Zhang Chengnian paused, with an apologetic tone: "I will come back often in the future."

"Is there an object?"

"No." Zhang Chengnian thought for a moment: "Uncle Six, I only think about Xiao Liu. If I owe her, I will make up for her."

"Silly boy, why are you talking about debts? You are still young and you have a long way to go." The sixth child smiled: "Uncle Six, look after you."

When Zhou Song got up to wash in the morning, Zhang Chengnian was already waiting for her with his bicycle, and today he was going to help Zhang Fang's house together.

He propped the bicycle on one leg and urged: "Sister, sleep late."

Zhou Song glanced at him, brushed his teeth unhurriedly, went back to the room and put on light makeup: "What's the rush?"

She sat sideways on the back seat, Zhang Chengnian rang the bell, and drove her to Zhang Fang's house: "You are so beautifully dressed."

"My pleasure."

When the two arrived at Zhang Fang's house, the sun was already high.

Not long after Zhou Song was busy, he answered the phone and went out, and Zhang Chengnian disappeared after a while.

Only Zhang Zhijun was working with his head covered. The boy who loved being lazy since he was a child was extremely focused at this moment.

He set up the venue by himself, blowing up balloons with a semi-automatic pump, and carefully tied every place on the fence of the house.

After Zhang Fang finished trying on her makeup, she saw her brother who was working hard in the room, so she poured a glass of water and handed it to him.

Zhang Zhijun lowered his head and took a sip, the movements of his hands stubbornly did not stop.

"Where are Xiaoliu and Brother Cheng?" Zhang Fang asked.

Zhang Zhijun didn't answer, he hesitated to speak several times.

Zhang Fang knelt down and saw that her younger brother was already in tears.

Zhang Zhijun wiped his tears with his hand: "Sister"

"what happened?"

Zhang Zhijun shook his head, turned his back to Zhang Fang, and did not respond.

"Junzi." Zhang Fang smiled, and helped out together: "I'm so old, I still can't bear my sister."

Zhang Zhijun choked up and confided in his heart: "Sister, after you get married, we will separate. You and Brother Daxiang are one family."

"Fool." Zhang Fang couldn't help but her eyes turned red, and both of them felt a little silent.

Zhou Song drove to the town to pick up Jiang Lele, along with Chi Ye.

The two haven't seen each other for nearly half a year, a little suddenly.

"Why did you come together?"

With Chi Ye in his trouser pocket, his expression was a little loose: "Why, you're not welcome?"

Zhou Song nodded unabashedly: "Are you coming?" She lengthened the ending.

"Coincidentally, on a business trip."

Jiang Lele looked at the atmosphere between the two of them, and she stepped aside with a smile: "I'll take a taxi to the village by myself, you two can chat."

Zhou Song sighed, helplessly: "Don't you have a girlfriend?"

After the breakup, the women around Chi Ye were like watching flowers on a horse. For him, money and women were the most important things he lacked.

"It seems that they care about me." Chi Ye didn't deny it: "Come from afar, please treat me to a meal."

Zhou Song took him to a restaurant as a kind landlord. There are no luxurious restaurants in the town, but the taste is not bad.

This man is used to being picky, so Zhou Song asked the boss for disposable bowls and chopsticks for him: "You, just let it go."

In fact, the disposable tableware is not necessarily clean, but Mr. Chi Yi has a temper, and for him to enter such a restaurant is more than a condescension.

Chi Ye frowned, took the menu and ordered a few side dishes.

Every time we eat, there will always be fish on the table, without chopped green onion, the taste is more delicious, which is Zhou Song's favorite food.

The two have been together for three years, and the most tacit understanding is eating. The tastes of the two are quite similar.

Chi Ye habitually picked out the fish from the plate and brought it to Zhou Song.

"Actually, my taste is salty and spicy, heavy."

Zhou Song was stunned by the action of grilling rice: "I didn't notice that."

After the two of them finished their meal, she didn't eat a single bite of the fish Chi Yi picked from the plate.

After dinner, Zhou Song drove him to his residence. The atmosphere in the car was very quiet, Chi Ye asked, "Did you see him?"

This 'he' didn't say his name, but both of them knew who it was, Zhou Song nodded.

"Is it because of him that you broke up with me?" Chi Ye finally asked the confusion in his heart. He already had an answer in his heart, but he wanted to hear an answer.

Zhou Song didn't understand this question: "Why do you ask such a question?"

"We broke up, which coincided with the time when he returned to China."

It turned out that he had been back to China for so long, yet he still found out about it from Chi Ye.

"Chi Yi, the separation between us has nothing to do with others, I think I have made it clear."

"Excuses." Chi Ye's tone was a little sneering.

Zhou Song shook his head, without further explanation: "That's up to you."

The car slowly drove to the destination, Chi Ye didn't get out of the car, he said slowly: "I still have a question to ask."

Zhou Song looked at him.

"Do you love me?" Chi Ye's tone was unpredictable, and he laughed at himself: "Or, do you love him?"

"Chi Yi." Zhou Song said.

"Forget it." He interrupted her, and the thought that made him speak disappeared, and the two of them almost tacitly agreed on the answer.

"Take me to the station."

Zhou Song nodded and turned his head.

Jiang Lele didn't go very far when he bumped into Zhang Chengnian who was accompanying him.

He was riding a bicycle, and he looked a little more youthful.

As a good friend, she naturally wanted to attack Zhang Chengnian. She blocked Zhang Chengnian's way, with a smile on her face, and touched her camera case: "hello."

"Where is Xiao Liu, isn't he going to pick you up?"

"Hey, she went to the town to wash the car." Jiang Lele turned on the camera without changing his face: "I just happened to be picking up the wind, and you are very eye-catching, so I will take a few shots for you."

Zhang Chengnian thought in his mind, pondered for a moment: "Is there anyone else coming?"

Jiang Lele held up the camera, covering her face, and didn't respond.

He also saw it, and he knew it in his heart, so he didn't ask further: "Get in the car, I'll take you back."

Seeing his interest, Jiang Lele nodded quickly and sat on his back seat.

Observing Zhang Chengnian's expression all the way, he seemed to be very calm, showing no signs of happiness.

(End of this chapter)