Trafford’s Trading Club

Tao Xiaman did not speak during the drive. This was the most out of state Zhou Zihao had ever seen.

Men know that at this time, no words can compare to silent companionship.

Finally, the car drove into Jihua Road and finally came to a five-story tenement building and stopped.

She passed by here... not long ago, but she couldn't go up. Zhou Zihao opened the car door for her, but she sat on the chair, raising her head, and didn't get off.

Suddenly, Zhou Zihao reached out and picked her up from the car, smiled and said: "It seems that you are right to keep exercising. I can still go up to the fifth floor."

"Put me down." Tao Xiaman said at a loss of whether to laugh or cry, "I'm so embarrassed."

This man can always think of ways to calm himself down.

Tao Xiaman said softly: "Help me up."

Just like that, the two of us were now walking up the stairs that we couldn't walk the last time we visited our old place alone. Step by step, even though my foot is injured and I have difficulty moving, it still feels much easier than before.

When he saw the familiar sliding door, Tao Xiaman realized that he had really grown up.

"Master Zhou, Master Zhou? Master Zhou, are you there? I am Zhou Zihao, Master Zhou?" Zhou Zihao flapped the gate continuously, but did not get a response for a long time. He couldn't help but frowned and said, "Could it be?" out?"

"Zihao, touch the top of the switch. There should be a key there." Tao Xiaman stretched out his hand and pointed to the left side: "It should be around here."

"Okay, let me look for it." Zhou Zihao nodded, and he could reach out and touch it without stepping on it. He touched it a few times, smiled and said, "It really does!"

"I always couldn't touch this place when I was a kid." Tao Xiaman suddenly said softly.

Zhou Zihao opened the door easily and helped Tao Xiaman into the house... Still no sound was heard in the house.

The last time Zhou Zihao came in, he had already taken a good look at the living room. As for the room, he naturally wouldn't look at it abruptly, "Well, it seems that no one is here. Xia Man, does your uncle have no family? Xia Man?"

But he saw Tao Xiaman holding on to the wall and walking towards the workbench... Standing in front of the workbench, Tao Xiaman could not move away.

She stretched out her hand and gently picked up a set of phoenix gowns and skirts placed here. The moment she touched it, she lost consciousness.

"It turns out it's already done!" Zhou Zihao came over, "No wonder Master Zhou called me yesterday. It seems he planned to let you try on the clothes."

"He...did he call you?" Tao Xiaman turned around and asked.

Zhou Zihao nodded and said, "Well, now I understand why he was so nervous at that time. But when I called that number back, I couldn't find anyone. It was an empty number."

Zhou Zihao also looked at the coat on the work table and said subconsciously: "It seems that Master Zhou was in a hurry when he went out. Did he go out without packing the clothes?"

"Maybe..." Tao Xiaman opened his mouth.

"Maybe what?"

Tao Xiaman shook his head, "Nothing...I think, I want to wait and see here."

"Okay." Zhou Zihao nodded, "I'll help you sit over there."

"No need..." Tao Xiaman said softly, "I want to take a good look at this place."

She turned her eyes to the corner of the wall and said, "Help me go over there and take a look."

Looking at the notches on the corner of the wall, Zhou Zihao knelt down. He knew the purpose of these notches, so he raised his head and asked, "Whose height is this being measured for? Your cousins ​​or your cousins?" Brother or something?"

"be mine."

Tao Xiaman stretched out her hand and touched the mark that was just over her height. Her fingers slid slowly and gently in front of this mark, as if touching an old man's face.

Same height.

Brand new.

"be mine."

Subconsciously, she moved closer to the corner and pressed her body completely against it. Zhou Zihao saw his fiancée's eyes were moist and heard her say: It's mine.

"It should have been carved on when Master Zhou measured your height last time."

Zhou Zihao thought for a while, then smiled and said: "It seems that your uncle is quite nice to you. But it's strange. Logically speaking, we should have never met, but he seems to have known me a long time ago. . But, I only found this old master based on the messages online?"

"Me too..." Tao Xiaman shook his head and said, "I also have many things that I can't figure out."

"Well..." Zhou Zihao said softly: "If you don't understand, don't think about it. Maybe when Master Zhou comes back, we can ask clearly. By the way, where is this toilet? Can I borrow it?"

Tao Xiaman directly pointed to a location... She was so familiar with this place that she could find the way even without turning on a light at night.

She started to hold on to the wall again, walked to the workbench, and sat down.

She slowly opened the wedding dress in front of her and straightened its corners... From the beginning to the completion of this step, she knew that it didn't take much time, but at the same time, it also meant that in this short period of time, In terms of time, it takes a lot of hard work to compress the long process to this point.

A row of needles on a box, still wearing different threads.

On the trash can next to it, there were a lot of crumpled tissues, with a little bit of dim vermilion. They were blood...the fingers that had been pricked how many times.

"You...who are you?" Tao Xiaman breathed hard.

She had a feeling... a feeling that the old man who once sat here and passed through the threads might never come back here again.

She seemed to have kicked something, and subconsciously looked down. They were packed food boxes that were placed under the workbench and stacked one by one.

Quite a lot, piled on top of each other, really a lot of weight... It seems that I have been eating this thing all the time.

I actually bought it for someone. I recently met a friend who often forgets to eat because of work. I'm worried that his body won't be able to endure it.

She bent down and reached out to pick up the food boxes. At the same time, some words began to ring in her ears... scenes of small episodes that she had encountered before.

Regardless of whether the toppings taste good or not, my friend will always finish them.

…

"Xia Man, are you hungry? How about we go eat something first and then come back?" Zhou Zihao walked out of the bathroom while wiping his hands.

But when he looked at the entire living room and even opened the doors to other rooms one by one, no one was there.

Zhou Zihao suddenly picked up the phone, and when he dialed Tao Xiaman's cell phone, he heard the ringtone ringing on the sofa next to her... Her bag and all the odds and ends were still here.

The person is missing!

…

…

Feeling the narrow entrance, Tao Xiaman limped into the noodle shop.

The gray-haired noodle shop owner was currently calculating and settling accounts. It was no longer the time for the restaurant market, and there was not a single customer in the small restaurant.

Seeing someone coming in, the owner of the noodle shop was stunned for a moment, "Hey, girl, we haven't opened the market here yet, we have to be late, and the noodles haven't been prepared yet."

But seeing that the girl was limping, the noodle shop owner kindly stood up and came over to help her, "Girl, are you okay?"

"No..." Tao Xiaman shook his head and suddenly said: "Boss, can I ask you something?"

"Ah, you say."

Tao Xiaman hesitated for a while, then gritted his teeth and asked: "Uncle, do you still remember the young man who often comes to your place to pack two portions of noodles recently?"

"Uh..." The noodle shop owner was startled, "Oh, the one with shaved noodles and noodles with toppings?"

"Yes, yes!" Tao Xiaman said quickly: "Have you seen him today?"

"Today...no one today." The noodle shop owner said casually: "I'm still wondering why I didn't see anyone today."

"When does he usually come?"

"Well, usually there are two meals, morning and evening." The noodle shop owner thought: "Yes, I will come for both morning and evening meals. But I didn't come at lunch today. I don't know if I will come for dinner. What, girl, are you looking for this? Young people?"

"Uncle, can I sit here for a while?"

"Ah, yes, you can sit down." The owner of the noodle shop helped Tao Xiaman sit down, "Girl, let me get you a glass of water."

"No need." Tao Xiaman shook his head and suddenly asked: "Uncle... did that young man who bought noodles say anything strange?"

"No?"

The owner of the noodle shop shook his head and said: "I remember that this young man seldom spoke and was very quiet. After the noodles were ready, he paid the money and left. He never said anything... Well, if there is nothing else, just sit back and think about it. Sit there for as long as you want, I still have to settle the score.”

"It's okay, you're busy."

Tao Xiaman sat alone. Only then did she realize that she was walking in a strange way, arriving at this place desperately, without even thinking of talking to her fiancé.

But when she was about to make a call, she realized that she didn't even bring her cell phone. Tao Xiaman couldn't help but smile bitterly and asked himself: Tao Xiaman, what's wrong with you.

She shook her head, thinking that she should go back. But when he just stood up, a football suddenly rolled in from outside the noodle shop, and then a child ran in too.

Next there was a woman, a slightly fat woman. This fat woman was a little angry and said: "How many times have I told you not to play football on the road, but you just don't listen! It's okay now, everyone is dancing." It’s their shop!”

"Mom! I didn't! It rolled in by itself! I didn't even kick it!" The child muttered and cried out.

"You also said, how could the ball run in by itself! You have started lying at such a young age, right?" The fat woman's eyes widened at this time, and she was about to hit her son.

But this child is a thief. He will hide behind someone when he sees him... He doesn't care that the elder sister's feet are tied like rice dumplings.

"Chen Cheng! Are you so disobedient? Come here! Stop harassing me!" The fat woman put her hands on her hips, but seeing her son harassing someone, she immediately apologized again, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. , my son has always been very naughty, he didn’t mean it. Are you okay...Xia Man? Feng Xiaman? You are Feng Xiaman, right! I am Meimei! Jiang Xiaomei!"

…

Two women and a child drinking Bozi soda started chatting in this small noodle shop.

"So you went abroad, no wonder..." The fat woman named Meimei sighed: "I didn't expect that I could still see you after more than ten years."

Tao Xiaman also sighed. She had already met Meimei once... The last time she visited her old place, she saw her at that time. Although she recognized her, she did not come forward to acknowledge her.

Tao Xiaman looked at the child hiding behind her mother's skirt and said softly: "Well, it's been more than ten years, and your son is already this old."

Meimei suddenly said: "Do you know whose child this is and I have?"

"who?"

"Amu! Chen Zimu!"

"That naughty king!" Tao Xiaman said in surprise: "You two actually got married! Oh my God, I really didn't expect it!"

"I can't think of it." Meimei shook her head, looking weird, but her smile was sweet. She said with emotion: "This is probably the so-called impermanence of the world? It's like you suddenly transferred to another school one day. , we have never thought of it.”

"Nothing." Tao Xiaman shook his head.

Meimei also suddenly stopped talking... She and the woman in front of her used to be very good friends, but they hadn't seen each other for more than ten years, but now they seemed so unfamiliar.

Perhaps this unfamiliarity is not due to the separation of more than ten years, but to some prejudices that existed more than ten years ago... among parents.

"By the way, why did you suddenly come back this time?"

"I'm getting married. My fiancé's hometown is from here, so I came back to have a wedding reception." Tao Xiaman said softly.

"Congratulations!" Meimei subconsciously grasped Tao Xiaman's palm, but soon felt something was wrong and retracted her hand in embarrassment.

Tao Xiaman grabbed it with his backhand, "Will you come that day?"

"Of course! I will definitely come!" Meimei said softly. She suddenly lowered her head: "Xia Man, I'm sorry. At that time I..."

"What is in the past is in the past." Tao Xiaman shook his head.

Meimei gave a bitter smile, and reached out to touch her son's head, "But I know how much I hurt you. It wasn't just me, but all the classmates in the class... At that time, we shouldn't have done that to you. Yes. Really, the older a person gets, the more things he knows, and the more he understands his own naivety. Especially..."

Meimei said softly: "Especially after having this little naughty boy, I understand this even more. Children's hearts are very fragile, they can hear a lot of words, and they can also remember far more words than we adults can imagine. Some things, they Maybe one mark will last a lifetime."

Tao Xiaman smiled bitterly and said: "Didn't I say, let the past be in the past? As it is now, it's already fine. I didn't even think about it, we still have a chance to sit down and chat."

"Yeah, maybe it's fate." Meimei said: "Like here, I got married early and became a full-time housewife. I pick up my children from school at this time every day, and then go to the vegetable market to buy vegetables. I live here. , I even pass by here every day, but how could I imagine that I could see you here again."

Tao Xiaman just smiled...it immediately relieved something.

"Oh, I remembered. In the past, Uncle Feng would often take you here to eat." Meimei looked up and looked around the noodle shop, "I really miss it. I haven't been here to eat in a long time... …I’m sorry that I talked too much.”

Tao Xiaman shook his head and said nothing.

Meimei hesitated for a moment, "By the way, Xia Man. Have you...have you ever gone to see your dad?"

"I haven't seen him for a long time." Tao Xia said quietly, "I haven't seen him since his accident."

"You...you hate him?"

"Hate." Tao Xiaman's expression was complicated: "In fact, I haven't hated it for long. It's just that as time goes by... I will be scared."

"You...don't you plan to go see him?" Meimei gently grabbed Tao Xiaman's palm, "I know I am not qualified to talk about your family affairs. But to be honest, I am also a parent, so I understand what it means to be a parent. Mood. This kid makes me angry every day. Sometimes I really want to throw him out and leave him alone. But, these angers can't last a night. If I can't see him all day, I always feel like something is missing. . I think Uncle Feng is the same. No matter what the previous generation did wrong, they have already received the punishment they deserve. Your mother passed away early, and he raised you alone and never let you suffer anything. Grievance. No matter what his status is outside, whether he is a tailor or a criminal, to you, he is just a father."

"Meimei..."

"Xia Man." Meimei said softly: "Don't you feel it? In fact, I have always lived in happiness. Something happened when I was a child, but I met a kind person to adopt me. When I grew up, I met my fiancé who loves you. You really You have always lived in happiness, but you don’t feel that you are happy. Why do you feel that these things will leave you? "

"I..." Tao Xiaman wanted to say something... but she found that she couldn't say anything.

"Xia Man! Xia Man! Great, you are really here!"

At this time, Zhou Zihao ran in panting from outside and grabbed her hand, "I didn't see it. I asked people along the way and found this place! Great, are you okay? Huh? My feet hurt. No pain?"

"I'm fine, someone is here." Tao Xiaman shook his head.

Only then did Zhou Zihao notice that there was a mother and son next to him, and he wondered: "This is..."

"My childhood classmate, Meimei."

"Hello, hello." Zhou Zihao said politely.

Meimei nodded, then looked at Tao Xiaman, smiled slightly and said: "I'm not wrong? For a man who loves you so much, who says you won't be happy? These things, do you still think they will run away? You just Ah, I never meant to let you go."

…

"What did your classmates talk to you about?"

It didn't take long for Meimei to lead her son and continue shopping for groceries. Inside the noodle shop, Zhou Zihao took a sip of water and asked curiously.

"Some common words." Tao Xiaman shook her head and sighed: "After more than ten years, people really change a lot. I didn't know she could talk like this before."

"Well, maybe you've learned to be nagging now that you've become a parent?" Zhou Zihao said seriously, "Will you be like this too?"

"Looking for death!" Tao Xiaman knocked Zhou Zihao.

Who said you are not already in happiness?

…

Returning to the old house again, Zhou Zihao hugged Tao Xiaman and sat on the sofa waiting. Wait until it gets completely dark, wait until nine o'clock in the evening, wait until eleven o'clock in the evening.

The two still didn't wait for Master Zhou's return.

It's as if Master Zhou has never existed here, because at night, there is no electricity here.

Unknowingly, Tao Xia fell into a sleepy state.

She had a very strange dream.

In the dream, she seemed to have become a transparent person. She is still in this old house, but there is a small lamp on. It is a small lamp on the workbench.

I'm afraid it's very late at night?

Everything was quiet, except for a slightly hunched figure in front of the workbench, squinting his eyes and working on his needlework.

On the red silk, golden auspicious clouds emerge line by line like this.

She just sat next to this figure and accompanied him silently for a long, long, long time.

Suddenly her eyes flashed, and she suddenly traveled to a strange place.

In a cave.

She seemed to hear something.

Familiar voice.

"...This dinner and this chat are already worth it. Besides, I have been out for such a long time, so I have already made money."

"Why should I, why should I let her finally happy life continue to be chaotic. I...I shouldn't appear in her life again..."

"Send me back..."

She saw the old figure disappearing little by little in the thick fog, and she saw that she was still asleep in the cave.

She woke up suddenly. A ray of sunlight shone through the blinds, and it turned out that it was already dawn. She is still here, and Zhou Zihao is also beside her.

It turns out that it has passed.

She touched her face subconsciously, thinking she had cried. (To be continued.)

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