escape from the world

Chapter 36 Withering

The lilies are fragrant, the petals fall on the table, the leaves are withered, and the fallen flowers are lifeless and unable to survive, no matter how fresh they are, they will wither sooner or later.

Standing in front of the hospital bed, Fang Chen touched the cold railing with his hands, and suddenly turned around in a daze. Seeing Nie Shi talking with the doctor at the door, he felt a little relieved, then looked at the thin old man sleeping on the bed, lowered his head and his eyes were red.

He hadn't been to the orphanage for a long time, and his impression of the orphanage was very vague. All he could think of was the cold and dull corridor and the lilies that the dean loved.A few years ago, the dean called to tell him about the renovation of the orphanage, and his tone was filled with joy.

She really spent her whole life here, never married and had no children, and when it was time to retire, she still lived in a low house very close to the orphanage.This time she suddenly fell ill, and only her nephew took time to take care of her.

Fang Chen occasionally came to visit the director, but he never went to the orphanage, even if it was close, and he could walk there in 5 minutes.

"Fang Chen, why are you here?" The dean woke up, opened his eyes and looked at him with difficulty, "What are you doing here?"

Fang Chen forgot the last time he came to visit the dean. He was too busy, and the bustling city always made him forget the way back to the mountains.

"Come and see you." Fang Chen tried to relax his tone, but his voice was raised, "Grandma, why didn't you call me when you were sick..." After he finished speaking, he felt that it was his fault, that he was too sick. It's been a long time, he forgot.

"Hey, it's not a serious illness." The dean slightly bent his eyes and looked at Fang Chen and smiled, still very kindly, "It's not worth your while to run this way." She motioned Fang Chen to sit down, "Nie Shi also Come, come with you?"

"Well, here we come."

The dean suddenly smiled and then sighed, not because of melancholy, there were too many emotions mixed in, and Fang Chen couldn't distinguish it for a while.The dean patted his wrist slightly with his haggard hand, "This trip lasted three or four hours, are you both tired? Find a place to rest and leave me alone."

"How about that, I came to see you."

"What's there to see? It's just that people have reached their age, it's nothing." The dean saw everything clearly, "But you, how I see you are still like a baby, and you haven't grown much." She raised her hand and lowered it, "Do you still want to cry?"

"...No." Fang Chen couldn't help lowering his head as he spoke, and supported the bed with his hands.

"How is work?"

"pretty good."

"It's fine." When she looked back at him again, he had already finished talking with the doctor and was standing at the door waiting, just like the quiet and taciturn child many years ago.She used to pay attention to him, but there were too many children in the orphanage, and she only needed to turn around to forget him.Hearing his name again, it was still in Fang Chen's mouth. Xiao Douding, who had just entered junior high school, rushed back to report to her, saying that he met Nie Shi at school.

She was thinking, who is Nie Shi?She really loves this career, but not everyone can fall into her eyes.More children hiding in the corner were quickly forgotten after a quick glance.

They stayed in the ward for a long time, until the dean was tired and closed his eyes, Fang Chen stood up quietly and walked out with Nie Shi.

In fact, the dean didn't fall asleep completely, she woke up when Fang Chen got up and made some movement.The two children were whispering at the door, their hands touching each other as if away from each other, Fang Chen raised his head close to Nie Shi's ear, and kept touching Nie Shi's sleeve with his fingers, unable to hide the intimacy.

Until the two of them walked away, and the nephew who took care of her came back from fetching hot water, the dean said, "Open the window, it should be sunny and windy in such a fine weather." The window opened, she squinted, and the wind blew slightly A sigh was taken away on the cheek, and the sun fell on the quilt to melt the haze.

After that, Fang Chen and Nie Shi would go up the mountain to visit the dean every month. The dean kept advising them not to run back and forth, but there was reluctance in her tone of voice—she wanted someone to come, and she would inevitably be lonely alone.

When one person finds out, there will be a second one, and their small actions with each other are too deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.Fang Chen occasionally slipped into school to listen to Nie Shi's lectures, and had a meal with Nie Shi after class.He had met the girl who secretly took pictures of Nie Shi more than once, and gradually had some exchanges.

The sun was so warm that day, Fang Chen accidentally fell asleep on the last row, the girl poked him quietly, "Look at the teacher, I feel that the teacher has been looking over, it's pitiful. "

Fang Chen turned his head and rested his head on his arm.This girl is weird, and her thinking is so fast that he can't keep up.

The girl hesitated for a moment and then asked cautiously: "Are you and the teacher a couple?" There was only curiosity in her eyes and no malice.

He should deny it.No matter what the reason is, there should be no hidden dangers.Those light-colored eyes, the shining light in them dimmed with the movement of half-closed eyes, "We are relatives." He gave a half-hearted answer.

"What does that matter?" The girl leaned closer, "Isn't it enough to like each other?"

"Who told you?" Fang Chen wanted to laugh but didn't, the corners of his mouth were pulled halfway down, and he said softly, "No way."

"why?"

"I don't know. Most people think it won't work, so it won't work." Fang Chen finally smiled, a smile that didn't fit his characteristics, "The minority must obey the majority."

"Who ordered it?"

"...No one stipulates."

Are academics very brain-dead?The girl asked again: "Then do you like the teacher?"

Fang Chen buried his head in his arms, took a deep breath and raised his head.

"I know." The girl spoke before him, put her index finger on her lips, and smiled, "I'll keep it a secret."

"I haven't said anything yet."

"Well, so the answer is my guess, it has nothing to do with you, it's all my imagination!" The girl smiled sweetly with the corners of her mouth bent.

It was the first time for Fang Chen to see a girl smiling up close, so sweet, full of kindness and tenderness.He was a little flustered, thinking that the love he showed was not obvious, and that there were really many good solutions in the world, so he didn't know how to restrain himself.

Everything is developing in a good direction, the days are passing by little by little, there are new hopes every day, and all misfortunes will end in the first half of life.Fang Chen thought that he had exhausted all the bad luck in his life, but he forgot that he was just in his early twenties, and he still had a lot of hardships to taste.

In October, Nie Shi finally had time. The two of them discussed going on a trip. The plan was only halfway through, and Nie Shi couldn't go because of a temporary scientific research task.

At that time, Fang Chen thought that if this time didn't work, let's do it next time. Although he had prepared for a long time and discussed with great interest, but...there is always a next chance.

In those few days, Nie Shi came back very late, exhausted and cold, hugged Fang Chen into his arms, and buried his head on his shoulder to seek a sense of security.

Fang Chen was like a fool, he didn't notice that something was wrong, he was positive and optimistic about tomorrow.

One day at noon, when he was eating alone, he received a call from a girl. There was a lot of noise on the phone, as if he was still in the cafeteria: "The teacher hasn't come to school for two days, and it seems that he hasn't asked for leave from school. I'm a little worried. I was thinking of calling you..."

Reminiscent of Nie Shi's abnormalities these days, Fang Chen already had the answer in his heart.Along the way of running, he took a big breath and let the cold air pour into his mouth, feeling that his lungs were going to explode but couldn't stop.

He knew the address of Nie Shi's adoptive parents' home but had never been there once, and the person who opened the door was not a parent, but an eleven or twelve-year-old boy who asked with wide eyes, "Why are you looking for my brother?"

Probably because Fang Chen looked flustered and thought there was something important, the boy said again: "My mother said that my brother is sick, so take him to see a doctor."

Fang Chen was panting, his brain couldn't supply oxygen and he kept coughing dryly, every breath hurt.

They are held back by too many things.

Never been free.

Fang Chen couldn't get through to Nie Shi's phone number, so he waited from afternoon until late at night after returning home.He had waited too long, was cold and hungry, and seemed to be back in the orphanage again. On the cold corridor, his young self was wronged and punished. His grievances welled up in his throat, and tears fell along with him.

He didn't understand what he did wrong to be punished. He couldn't break free from the crimes imposed on him. Every time, Nie Shi handed him a tissue and pulled him out of the corridor and into the sunlight.

Now he can't do anything.

The author has something to say: When did I become sweet but two and a half chapters...

I thought I could write up to two chapters of memory, but now I have exceeded it