Chapter 649 Change 4
After eating and drinking to their heart's content, the four of them walked slowly to the front desk to pay the bill with a sense of satisfaction and mixed emotions. During the billing process, Yan Jiecheng couldn't help but glance at the bill a few more times, secretly calculating the money spent on this meal, and the old man would have to nag at him for a while again, and a helpless smile appeared on his face. After paying the bill, they slowly walked out of the door of Bian Yi Fang.
The sunlight outside was like a golden veil, pouring down without reservation, still so bright and dazzling, the warm light gently fell on them, as if they were covered with a warm blanket, making their bodies warm from the outside to the inside. But at this moment, their hearts seemed to be filled with a mess, each of them had those things that made them worry, and they had completely lost the pure comfort and relaxation when they first stepped into this Bian Yi Fang. At that time, they were looking forward to the delicious roast duck being served, and they could still chat and laugh, but now, that relaxation seemed to be blown away by a gust of wind, and they could never find it again.
Yan Jiecheng stretched his body and slowly turned his stiff neck, his movements full of laziness and fatigue. His eyes casually swept across the shops on the street, looking at the dazzling array of goods and the customers coming in and out, and couldn't help but sigh: "Alas, this life is so worrying. I have to worry about the money and the face of the old man at home when I eat roast duck, and I am afraid that he will nag me endlessly when I go back. And finding a partner is also a lot of trouble. Every time, it's either because of money or I can't talk to the girl at all. I really don't know when it will end. It feels like this life is like a fog, and it seems that I can't go smoothly." As he said, he sighed deeply, and the sigh was full of helplessness and boredom towards life.
After hearing what his brother said, Yan Jiefang quickly reached out his hand and patted his brother's back gently. The force was neither too strong nor too weak, and it was a bit comforting. He said, "Brother, don't be too negative. We are still young and have a long future ahead of us. We will work hard slowly. As long as we work hard and make money down to earth, we will always live a smooth life. Just like eating roast duck today, although we had concerns at first, thinking about spending money and afraid that the old man would be unhappy if he knew, at least we had a good meal in the end. In life, we have to find some fun occasionally and can't just be tripped up by those troubles."
Liu Guangqi listened to their conversation quietly, his slightly wrinkled brows relaxed a little, then he nodded slightly, looked at the blurred skyline in the distance, his eyes were thoughtful, and he said slowly: "Yes, life is like this, with bitterness and joy, just like the five-flavor bottle, with all kinds of tastes. We can't just focus on those unsatisfactory things. If we keep getting stuck in troubles, then we really can't live like this. Although my blind dates are not going well, and every time they are quite embarrassing and unpleasant, maybe one day I will be lucky enough to meet the right person, and then these troubles will not matter. It's worth looking forward to it."
Liu Guangfu also nodded and agreed, "Yes, brother, you are right. Let's work hard now, do the things we have at hand beautifully, save more money, and make our pockets fatter. When we have the opportunity in the future, whether we want to start a family or do something else, we will feel more confident when we have money in our hands. At that time, we can buy whatever we want, and we don't have to think twice before eating a roast duck like we do now. How unpleasant."
As they talked, they unknowingly walked to the entrance of a small park. The gate of the park was open, as if warmly welcoming every passerby. Walking into the gate, you can see many people in the park taking a leisurely walk, taking a leisurely pace, enjoying this rare leisure time; there are also some elderly people sitting on benches, slightly closing their eyes, basking in the sun comfortably, and the wrinkles on their faces seem to have become much softer under the sunshine; there is also a group of children playing and laughing not far away, chasing each other, and their laughter echoes in the air like silver bells. The rosy little faces are filled with innocent smiles, and the whole scene is lively and leisurely. Such a scene is like an invisible magic, which makes them unconsciously lift their legs and walk in, as if they want to find a trace of comfort from this picture full of life, and temporarily forget the troubles lingering in their hearts.
After finding a bench to sit down, Yan Jiecheng leaned back to make himself more comfortable. His eyes fell on the children playing. Seeing them frolicking and playing carefree, a smile gradually appeared on his face. There was a bit of envy in that smile, and he said, "Look at these children. They are so carefree. We are not like us, who are entangled in the trivialities of life all day long. They don't have to worry about whether they have enough money to spend, nor do they have to worry about finding a partner. They just know how to play happily. How wonderful it is. I really hope to go back to my childhood when I had no worries and looked forward to having fun with my friends after class every day."
Liu Guangqi raised his mouth slightly, revealing a smile with some emotion on his face, and responded: "We were like this when we were young. At that time, every day we only thought about how to play for a while longer and how to have fun with our friends. When I opened my eyes in the morning, my mind was full of games that I could play during the ten minutes of break, thinking about whether to jump rubber rope or play marbles. After school, I threw my schoolbag and ran outside, not caring about the troubles of life. I didn't understand what those things meant at all. I knew that having fun was the most important thing. But now it’s different. We’ve all grown up, and the burden on us has become heavier without us noticing. We have to worry about various tasks at work, how to do the job well, how to make more money, after all, there are still a lot of things waiting for money at home. And we have to think about relationships, it’s not easy to find a suitable partner, and we have to consider all aspects. Naturally, there are more thoughts, and we can no longer focus on playing like we did when we were children. ”
Yan Jiefang listened to Liu Guangqi's words and nodded deeply, his face full of nostalgia for the past years and helplessness about the current life. He said, "That's right. When I was a child, I always looked forward to growing up quickly. I saw that adults could decide many things by themselves, buy whatever they wanted, do whatever they wanted, and I was so envious. I thought that when I grew up, I would have such freedom and could live the life I wanted as I pleased. But when I really grew up, I found that it was not the case at all. There are constraints everywhere in this life, whether it is the expectations of the elders at home or the various rules in society. I feel that I have to weigh everything before doing anything, and I can't be as reckless as I imagined when I was a child. And there are things to worry about everywhere. Today I worry that my salary is not enough to spend, and tomorrow I worry about how to deal with interpersonal relationships. One by one, just like that dough, I can't sort it out. This life is really tiring."
Liu Guangfu tilted his head slightly and cast his eyes towards a few old men playing chess not far away. Those old men were sitting at a stone table under the shade of a tree, concentrating on playing chess. Some of them frowned slightly, as if they were thinking about the next move; some of them smiled, looking confident, as if they had already won. There were also a few people watching the game, occasionally talking quietly, and the whole atmosphere seemed leisurely and full of the fireworks of life. Liu Guangfu looked at their comfortable appearance and could not help but yearn for them. He said involuntarily: "When we are old, if we can be like them, when we have nothing to do, we can find a comfortable place, put out a chessboard, play chess with old friends, and when we are tired, we can lean on a chair to bask in the sun, watch people coming and going around, and chat about family matters. It would be quite comfortable. We don't have to rush around for life like we do now, and we don't have to be entangled by all kinds of troubles all day long. Just thinking about such a life makes me feel that it is quite beautiful."
Liu Guangqi followed his gaze, with a hint of longing in his eyes. He smiled and said, "Then you have to live your life well first, otherwise you won't have the leisure to enjoy it when you are old. If we don't work hard now and make more plans for the future, we may have to worry about our livelihood when we are old. So, we have to work hard now, solve all the problems that need to be solved, save more money, and lay a good foundation for our old age. Only then can we live a comfortable life like those old grandfathers."
As they were talking, a furry puppy jumped out from nowhere and ran over happily. Its small and delicate body was very flexible. It circled around the bench where they were sitting for several times, running here and there. Its big round eyes were full of curiosity. From time to time, it would gently sniff their feet with its wet nose. It looked so cute. Everyone was originally immersed in the emotion of life, but they were all amused by the puppy's behavior. The troubles that had been lingering in their hearts seemed to fade a little at this moment. The laughter echoed in this small park, as if dispelling some of the haze that shrouded their hearts, making the atmosphere relaxed and pleasant.
Yan Jiecheng looked at the cute puppy in front of him, and the smile on his face became even more intense. He reached out his hand and gently touched the puppy's head. The action was very gentle, and he said with a smile: "Hey, little guy, you are quite likable. Seeing you so carefree, we feel much more comfortable. You just play happily without any worries. It's really enviable."
The puppy seemed to really understand what he said, and its tail wagged even more happily, like a little rattle, and it stretched out its pink little tongue to lick Yan Jiecheng's hand affectionately. The warm and wet touch made Yan Jiecheng laugh again. Seeing this, the others also laughed. This laughter was like a warm spring breeze, continuing to blow away the remaining troubles in their hearts, allowing them to temporarily forget all the unsatisfactory things in life and enjoy this moment of relaxation and joy.
After a long while, the cute little dog seemed to suddenly remember something and ran away happily. Its small figure shuttled among the green plants in the park and disappeared in a short while. Liu Guangqi, Liu Guangfu, Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang also stood up from the bench slowly, stretched their numb legs and feet, moved their stiff backs, and then patted the dust on their clothes and prepared to go home.
Along the way, the shops on the street were still bustling with people, but they didn't have the heart to pay attention to them at the moment. I don't know who started it first, but they talked enthusiastically about some collective activities that the courtyard was planning to organize recently. First, they talked about the general cleaning. When it came to this, Yan Jiecheng's eyes lit up. He gestured the action of sweeping the floor and said, "Oh, although this general cleaning is a bit tiring, every time we work together, we talk and laugh, it's quite interesting. You see, we can clean every corner of the yard and clear out all the debris. Then the yard will look much brighter and more comfortable to live in."
Yan Jiefang also nodded and added with a smile: "Yes, brother, and during the spring cleaning, everyone can help each other. For example, during the last spring cleaning, I couldn't reach the high places to clean the windows, and the big brother next door came to help me without saying a word. It felt really good. This time it should be no different. Let's clean those windows together until they are shiny. When the sun shines on them, they will be so dazzling."
Then, they talked about making dumplings together. Liu Guangfu couldn't help swallowing his saliva, as if he had already smelled the fragrance of dumplings, and said with anticipation: "Speaking of making dumplings, that's really exciting. Everyone in our courtyard has their own specialties. Some are good at rolling out thin and round dough, and some are very good at making dumpling fillings. The taste is so delicious. When the time comes, we can sit together, make dumplings, and chat about family matters. It will be lively and lively, and there will be a great atmosphere."
Liu Guangqi also agreed with a smile, "That's right, after the dumplings are wrapped, they are put into the pot and boiled. The steaming dumplings are served on the table, dipped in vinegar and chili oil, and the soup bursts in your mouth when you take a bite. The taste is wonderful just thinking about it. Moreover, when everyone shares the dumplings they made, the friendship between neighbors becomes deeper."
When talking about this, everyone's tone was full of expectation, and their faces were filled with smiles, as if all the troubles in life were thrown out of their minds at this moment, such as the unsuccessful blind date and the old man's control over their spending. At this moment, they only wanted to have some fun in these group activities, to add some different colors to the ordinary days and make their days more interesting, as if as long as they participated in these activities, they could temporarily get rid of the trivialities and pressures of life and enjoy the simple and pure happiness to their heart's content.
When he was almost at the gate of the yard, the familiar gate had already appeared in front of him. Liu Guangqi looked at the gate that carried so many memories, narrowed his eyes slightly, and said firmly as if he had made up his mind: "No matter what, life must go on, and we can't be defeated by those troubles. Just regard those troubles as tests given to us by life. Life is not supposed to be smooth sailing. It is normal to have some bumps and stumbles. As long as we don't give up, always maintain a positive attitude, work hard to deal with and solve problems, we will always get better and better. Just like the old saying goes, there is always sunshine after the rain. As long as we persist, we will definitely usher in good days."
The other three stopped and listened to Liu Guangqi's words quietly. They first showed a thoughtful look on their faces, and then nodded heavily as if they were injected with strength, indicating that they agreed with Liu Guangqi's idea. Then, the four of them walked into the courtyard with steady steps, carrying this expectation for life.
As soon as they entered the courtyard, they each walked towards their home. The afterglow of the setting sun fell on the courtyard, covering the entire courtyard with a layer of orange-red gauze. The light and shadow fell on them, casting long shadows. Their backs in the afterglow of the setting sun revealed a different kind of firmness, as if it emanated from their bones. There was no hesitation or hesitation in their steps, as if they were fully prepared to meet everything that life would throw at them, whether it was good or bad, a relaxing and pleasant thing, or a difficult and difficult trouble, they could face it calmly. The back figure gradually walked away, but left a picture full of hope and strength in the afterglow, as if foreshadowing their future days, even if there will still be wind and rain, it will definitely be full of sunshine, full of love and perseverance for life.