Rows of street lights lined up on both sides of the lane illuminate the road ahead.
This residential community built halfway up a mountain was specially built by the government and is for government personnel to live in. There is strict security monitoring for entry and exit, and it can be said that everyone who can live here has a network of connections behind him.
Ethan Gu walked along the path. The mountain wind blew on the dense leaves, rustling and humming, melodious and quiet. From afar, he saw his three-story white and pink building standing in the darkness, with orange lights pouring out of the living room windows, exactly the same as he remembered.
Perhaps because he was homesick, Ethan Gu stood at the door of his home, which he hadn't returned to for three years, for a long time before ringing the doorbell.
There seemed to be a movement of a figure in the lighted window. A few minutes later, a sixteen-year-old boy in a T-shirt and shorts, kicking off his slippers, ran out and opened the door: "Who is it...Brother, brother?" He was so surprised to see the person standing outside that he almost cried out.
Ethan Gu nodded.
The other party seemed a little stunned. He wanted to make way but didn't know whether he should make way. After a long pause, he remembered to whisper, "Dad is not in a good mood." Just as he finished speaking, a majestic male voice came from inside, "Zhengjia, who is outside? Why are you so slow to open the door?"
Gu Zhengjia quickly winked at Ethan Gu, but Ethan Gu had already raised his voice and said, "Dad, it's me."
After a few seconds of silence, an angry male voice sounded again: "Close the door!"
"Get out of the way." Ethan Gu ignored him and said to Gu Zhengjia.
Gu Zhengjia, who was standing in front of the door, opened his mouth. On the one hand, he felt that he should listen to his father, but on the other hand, he felt that he had no right to block the position. After a slight hesitation, he quietly stepped back.
This three-story building, which is a bit old, has a large space, but the decoration is not very luxurious. The half-worn leather sofa and the wooden table against the wall all look quite old. Ethan Gu's eyes gently swept across the wall behind the dining table, where there were still traces of his mischievous childhood: a few crooked swords carved on the wall, and his signature on the back, also crooked, three big characters "Ethan Gu".
The two walked in one after the other, and when they turned around the entrance, they saw Gu Xinjun sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper.
Seeing his eldest son come in, Gu Xinjun's face immediately darkened. The first thing he did was to put down the teacup in his hand heavily, pointing at the two brothers and saying, "Who let you in?"
"dad..."
"I didn't ask you!"
"I wanted to come in on my own."
Gu Zhengjia was interrupted by Gu Xinjun just as he started to speak, and the next sentence was said by Ethan Gu.
Gu Zhengjia touched his nose and felt that he was really miserable. Every time he got close to them, both sides didn't appreciate it. He would have to get close to them again the next time, just like a sandwich.
Gu Xinjun was not the only one in the living room. Mrs. Gu was also sitting next to him. She was a woman in her forties with a serious face and a neat bun. Because she was at home, she did not wear a business suit, but changed into loose but conservative pajamas. Seeing that things were going in a bad direction again, she quickly put down the big law book in her hand, handed over a cup of tea, and said, "Okay, okay, Xiaozhou just came back, and you always talk about it. What are you doing now?" She winked at Gu Zhengjia.
Well, the sandwich is here again. Gu Zhengjia thought to himself, and did not delay the conversation: "Yes, Dad, my brother just came back."
"Who allowed him to come back?" Gu Xinjun just spoke in a deep voice, and Ethan Gu interrupted, "I am already 23 years old, I can decide where to stay by myself, Minister Gu."
The living room was quiet for a few seconds.
"You've grown your wings, haven't you?" Gu Xinjun seemed to want to stand up several times, but was held down by Mrs. Gu beside him. Finally, he picked up the teacup in front of him and threw it heavily at Ethan Gu. The cup hit Ethan Gu's feet. He pointed at Ethan Gu and said, "Get lost!"
The other two people in the living room looked unhappy after this outburst. Ethan Gu, who was the first to be affected, did not change much: "Dad, I just want to tell you that I'm back." He looked at Mrs. Gu who was sitting next to Gu Xinjun, and then looked at Gu Zhengjia who was not much shorter than him. After a pause, he said, "I'm leaving first. I'll come to see you next time."
As he said this, he bent down to pick up the pieces at his feet. Mrs. Gu, who was sitting next to Gu Xinjun, stood up quickly and said, "Xiao Zhou, what are you doing? Let Auntie do it!"
"It's okay, just a convenience." Ethan Gu said, turned around and walked out, throwing the debris into the trash can when passing by. Behind him, he heard Gu Xinjun's angry voice: "What are you two doing? Sit down and let him go!"
From indoors to outdoors, the cool night breeze refreshed Ethan Gu. He walked back the way he came and saw Jordan Wei's SUV parked there. Jordan Wei was really still waiting for him in the car.
Jordan Wei was sitting in the car with his chin in his hand, listening to the radio, when he heard footsteps and turned around to see Ethan Gu coming out. He and Ethan Gu looked at each other through the car door for a while: "Were you really kicked out?"
"You've seen the result, why are you still asking?" Ethan Gu said.
Jordan Wei was speechless: "Hey, Uncle Gu is such a calm person outside, he doesn't show his emotions, and you are not much different, why do you become like firecrackers when you meet at home...why don't you come home with me first?"
"Come on, what else am I missing, a place to sleep? I've already prepared it." Ethan Gu shook his head and answered Jordan Wei's previous question, "This shows that people who have a good career may not necessarily be able to manage their families well."
Jordan Wei thought, isn't that right? The father and son are acting like enemies. He said, "Where are you going? I'll take you there."
"You're going to send me off after you've already got home? Stop it." Ethan Gu waved his hand.
"That's fine." Jordan Wei said, "Give me your address and I'll come find you tomorrow."
"Yes." Ethan Gu said, "paper."
This thing... Jordan Wei turned around and searched the car but couldn't find it, so he said, "Just send it to my phone." As soon as he finished speaking, he saw someone running towards here from afar in the alley.
Jordan Wei glanced over there for a few times: "Your brother?"
As he was talking, Gu Zhengjia had already run to the SUV: "Brother, Brother Wei San is here too."
Jordan Wei just smiled, and Ethan Gu asked: "What's the matter?"
Gu Zhengjia said: "Brother, where are you going now?"
"Find a place to live."
"Where is it?" Gu Zhengjia asked persistently.
"That's a good question. Please write down the address for me quickly." Jordan Wei suddenly interrupted, obviously supporting Gu Zhengjia.
Gu Zhengjia immediately handed over the paper and pen in his hand, and was very prepared.
Ethan Gu glanced at Jordan Wei, took the paper and pen from Gu Zhengjia, wrote the address and handed it to him, then said to Jordan Wei: "I'll send you your phone later. How did you get out?"
After receiving the address, Gu Zhengjia paused for a moment before realizing that Ethan Gu was asking him. He said, "Go through the main entrance..."
Ethan Gu glanced at him and said, "Go back quickly."
"Well," Gu Zhengjia said, "By the way, brother, Auntie told you to come back for dinner in a couple of days."
"I understand." Ethan Gu said.
Gu Zhengjia repeated it again worriedly before turning back.
Jordan Wei in the car watched the figure disappear at the end of the path, and then said: "He must have climbed down from the window, his clothes and hands are covered in dust."
"Minister Gu is very angry and he can't come out through the main gate." Ethan Gu half explained and half mocked.
"I think your brother is pretty good," Ethan Gu rarely said a few more words about his brother, so Jordan Wei followed suit, "Who calls their mother auntie?"
"They knew each other before my mother died," said Ethan Gu.
"Are you still thinking about this?" Jordan Wei simply got out of the car and leaned against the door side by side with Ethan Gu. He took out a cigarette from his pocket and handed one to Ethan Gu. "I think this is really unlikely. Uncle Gu and Aunt Shen had a very good relationship back then."
Aunt Shen refers to Ethan Gu's mother. The two families are old friends and live next door to each other, so Jordan Wei knows almost everything about Ethan Gu. So even if he thinks Gu Zhengjia and his mother are good friends, he will occasionally talk to Ethan Gu about it, but when he really faces those two, Jordan Wei never does anything except to show his favor.
Everyone has a weak spot. Ethan Gu is Jordan Wei's childhood friend and a good friend for more than 10 or 20 years. In the future, they may be an ally in career and a life-changing comrade. The more he cherishes Ethan Gu, the more carefully he protects his weak spot.
Ethan Gu took Jordan Wei's cigarette and let him light it but didn't put it in his mouth. He just looked at the light of the cigarette B*tt: "You have always believed this, which shows that the Gu family has a good family tradition." He smiled and said slowly, "You know it, how could I not know it? Even if I don't believe in Minister Gu's character and his relationship with my mother, I have to believe in the Gu family's style and his high standards and requirements. The Gu family will not let a woman who rushes to be a mistress into the house, and Minister Gu will not marry such a woman with questionable character."
It was difficult to respond to this, so Jordan Wei remained silent.
Ethan Gu then stopped and said, "Okay, these are all things of the past. I'm leaving now."
"I'll come to see you tomorrow." said Jordan Wei.
Ethan Gu responded casually and walked down the slope. The trees on both sides of the road were shrouded in darkness, deep and gloomy. Under the light of the street lamps on both sides, it seemed that there were groups of light green mist floating above the treetops, like a layer of veil undulating in the wind, or like blue waves rippling with smoke.
He spread his hands in front of him, and the calluses and tiny scars covered the whiteness in his memory; he clenched his hands again, and they were no longer as empty and powerless as before.
Don't rush.
He just came back.
There is still time.
He can also verify and change.
Change those…possible futures.
On the other side, after getting the address, Gu Zhengjia quietly went back to the back of the small building and climbed up along the water pipe outside the wall. He had to tremble in fear to avoid the lighted master bedroom on the second floor, for fear that his father would be depressed and run to the balcony to smoke, and catch him.
After finally reaching the third floor, Gu Zhengjia had just put his hands on the windowsill when someone pulled him from inside.
Using this force, he climbed into the house in one go. Gu Zhengjia let out a long sigh and complained, "Entering my own home is like being a thief..."
It was Mrs. Gu who pulled Gu Zhengjia in the room. She looked serious when she wasn't smiling. "Did your brother give you the address?"
"I gave it to you," Gu Zhengjia said, waving the paper in his hand. "Big brother really didn't live with Brother Wei San. When I just went over there, Brother Wei San even said something to support me."
"It's not like we don't have a place to live, so how can we live in someone else's house?" Mrs. Gu said calmly. After taking the address from Gu Zhengjia and looking at it, she returned it to him and instructed, "Go to this address tomorrow morning and bring a jar of freshly pickled radishes from home."
I have to run errands again. Gu Zhengjia responded listlessly.
Mrs. Gu walked a few steps outside, and seeing Gu Zhengjia still lazily standing there, she frowned and raised her voice slightly: "What are you doing here? You're covered in dust, why don't you go and wash yourself?"
Gu Zhengjia was resting. Hearing this, he immediately said angrily: "Mom, are you really my stepmother? How come you treat my eldest brother better than me? You are so unprofessional!"
As a judge, even though she had listened to many debates between the two sides and all kinds of words, Mrs. Gu was choked by this sentence. She said, "You two are both my children, so of course I love you equally."
Gu Zhengjia curled his lips: "I treat you as my mother, but my elder brother may not."
Mrs. Gu frowned: "You are still in high spirits today, right?"
Really angry! Gu Zhengjia shrank his neck: "No, no, I'll just go wash it!"
"Go quickly." Mrs. Gu urged and walked out of the room.
The lights in the corridor have been used for a long time and seem a little dim.
This three-story building, which was built in the early years, has an area of about 600 to 700 square meters. Because they don't like outsiders, usually only Gu Zhengjia and Gu Xinjun live there, making it very deserted.
Mrs. Gu walked along the corridor for a while, her footsteps echoing quietly in the long corridor. The room near the stairs was closer to her. The dark solid wood door exuded the unique smell of time. It was Ethan Gu's room. Since Ethan Gu left three years ago, this room has been locked. The three people in the family have maintained a tacit understanding and never touch it.
She paused in front of Ethan Gu's tightly closed door for a long time before she sighed softly:
"Hey, Xiaorou..."
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