my name, your last name

Chapter 4 Dancing Alone
Nie Qian and Gan Lu have lived in the same residential area since they were young, but they are only familiar with each other. They are neither close neighbors nor childhood sweethearts. At least Nie Qian turned a blind eye to Gan Lu for quite a long time.

After falling in love with her, Nie Qian also admitted frankly that his previous impression of her was only that she had a father who graduated from a famous university but was very poor, liked to play mahjong and was an alcoholic.

"Let's add another mother who cheated early, divorced and left after making a lot of noise." Gan Lu added.

The residential area was very large. Before the demolition, there were various private houses on one side and old-fashioned dormitory buildings on the other. Each household had no privacy at all, and almost every household had its own difficult scriptures. Speaking of Other people's misfortunes are just for fun, without any malice. She is very aware of what others say about her family and doesn't mind, but Nie Qian hugged her sympathetically.

This hug carried mutual understanding and helplessness, they were in the same boat, and Nie Qian's family might be more embarrassed.

Before the demolition, his house was a four-story self-built private house. It was not small in size and looked grand, but it seemed that there was a whole family living there. Plus a sister, all of them have their own families and children, but they are all crowded here.Every day, you can hear arguments between father and son, mother and daughter, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, brothers and sisters-in-law, nephews, sisters-in-law, and cousins. Everyone’s situation is not good, and the cramped space increases the hostility. Little things can be turned upside down.

When Gan Lu was in middle school, she had to go downstairs to his house every day to go to school. She was used to the sounds of quarrels coming from there from time to time, and she was also used to the indifferent and stern expression of the handsome boy who came out of that house. .They went to the same middle school. He was three years older than her and two grades taller. When walking to school, he often walked one after the other, but never spoke.

She was disciplined by her father when he was not drinking, and he would not strike up a conversation at all; he was so disgusted with his home and the entire neighborhood that he didn't look around.

Nie Qian got into a prestigious school in the north with a high score, majoring in architecture, while Gan Lu continued to live a stressful high school life.She was really worried about her father, and never thought of applying for a foreign school.

In the summer vacation when she was about to enter the third year of high school, she braved the scorching heat to attend the school’s make-up classes as usual. One afternoon during the self-study time, Nie Qian, who was sweating profusely, appeared at the door of the classroom. He knew her face well and didn’t know her name. She raised her voice and called out, "Hey, come out quickly."

A handsome boy blatantly ran to find a girl in class. The tense and bored classmates in the classroom had a great time together, whispering, booing and whistling. The classroom order was chaotic for a while, and no one focused on their homework. up.The teacher saw that standing at the door was a proud student he had taught, and Gan Lu who stood up hesitantly was the quiet and quiet girl in the class. I'm sick, and I'm here to inform her to go to the hospital."

Gan Lu's head buzzed, she didn't even bother to take her schoolbag, let alone talk to the teacher, and ran out of the classroom in a hurry.Nie Qian caught up with her and held her back: "I came here by bicycle, let me take you there."

She sat on the back seat of Nie Qian's bicycle, and he told her that her father suddenly vomited blood when he was playing cards with someone in a small teahouse, and he had already been sent to the hospital. He happened to pass by and promised to help her to inform her.

When he arrived at the hospital, Gamble had been pushed into the operating room due to gastric perforation due to heavy drinking. Fortunately, he was conscious before signing the operation notice.

The poker friends who sent Gan Bo over had all dispersed, and Nie Qian was about to leave. He was about to politely ask Gan Lu if there was anything else he could do to help, when the nurse handed Gan Lu a bill.The company Gamble worked for had been merged long ago. Theoretically speaking, he had medical insurance, but the reimbursement amount was pitifully small. When he was seriously ill, he had to pay almost all of it out of pocket. Gan Lu ran away in a hurry and didn’t have much money with him. , holding the receipt, with a dazed look on his face.The nurse kindly said to her, "Hurry up and call your relatives to bring the money."

Gan Lu woke up like a dream, went straight to the IC card phone on the side of the corridor, dialed a number, said something softly at first, then suddenly raised her voice: "I don't care where you are, just send me the money right away, or don't blame me I won't recognize you again."

She hung up the phone heavily, walked back and sat down on the bench outside the operating room, covering her face with her hands.She kept running back and forth to do formalities, her hair was sticky with sweat, and the clothes on her back were also wet with sweat, making her look thinner and exhausted.

Although Nie Qian has a cold personality and has never been nosy, he can't help feeling sorry for him.He walked over and sat beside her, and said softly, "The doctor also said that your father sent it in time, so he should be fine."

"I've always felt that he's unhappy, and drinking can be regarded as a way to relax and vent, and I don't care too much." Her voice came out muffled from between her fingers, "Now his body is like this..." She choked up , Swallowed back a small sob.

Nie Qian said in disbelief: "Hey, your father is an adult, and he should be responsible for his own lifestyle and body. Is it necessary for you to review yourself like this?"

Gan Lu was silent, she couldn't explain to a strange boy that she had been taking care of her father's life for several years.

"Here...do you want me to buy you something to eat?"

She raised her face, her small face was wet, she didn't know whether it was sweat or tears, but she didn't realize it, and shook her head: "Thank you, no need, I've already troubled you a lot today."

"Do you have any other relatives who can come and help, you still have to go to class."

She shook her head again: "There are no relatives in my family here."

Nie Qian lived in a big family for a long time, surrounded by his parents and relatives. Apart from the quarrels that filled the eardrums, if someone had something to do, a group of people would come over quickly to give advice, and they would rush to talk about it. Help, the chaos was annoying but also reassuring, he had never seen such isolation.But Gan Lu showed no anxiety or fear except worry on her face, she just silently stared at the front in a daze.He didn't know what to say for a while, but he left in no hurry and sat quietly with her.

After a while, a beautiful woman with fashionable clothes and wavy hair strode over in high heels. She glanced at Nie Qian, then turned to Gan Lu: "How is he doing now?"

"The operation is going on, and a part of the stomach needs to be removed."

"According to his drinking method, sooner or later he will drink himself to death." She frowned and took out a bank card. "You used to be so virtuous that you refused to take my money at all. Now you know that you will die if you don't have money."

Gan Lu snatched the card and said stiffly, "You go."

The woman was stunned, and became annoyed: "Damn girl, the bridge was demolished before the river crossed, I won't give you the password, why don't you cry and show it to the doctor?"

Gan Lu was at a loss for words, paused for a while, moved the corner of her mouth, and smiled wryly: "Mom, please do me a favor..."

The woman covered her mouth and said angrily, "You can disgust me as hard as you can, and use all your ruthlessness to deal with me."

She bowed her head, while Gan Lu raised her head, and the two of them looked at each other without giving in. From Nie Qian's perspective, the two faces, one gorgeous and the other delicate, were not completely similar but had strange similarities.

Finally, Gan Lu tilted her head, and tears flowed down the corners of her eyes. The woman took out a handkerchief and wiped her tears and sweat from her forehead: "I'll hire someone to take care of him, and I promise to take good care of him. In the third year of high school, move to live with me and concentrate on studying and preparing for the college entrance examination."

"He won't accept that you find someone to take care of him, and I won't abandon Dad either."

"Who told you to leave him?" The woman seemed annoyed again, "Do you think I'm here to snatch you from him? You're such an eloquent daughter, it's just an excuse to snatch me back. What's the point? "

"I know you mean well, but I won't go to your place."

"You always act like you're against me to curry favor with him and comfort his fragile heart that is easily hurt. It's really addictive. He's been naive and paranoid all his life. You have to grow up one day. "

"Forget it, you go first, I don't have the strength to argue with you now."

The woman stared at her, but helplessly, she threw the handkerchief to her: "The password is your birthday, call me immediately if you need anything, don't hold on alone."

She was the same as when she came, her high heels made a small crisp sound on the marble floor, and she left like a gust of wind.Gan Lu held her handkerchief and bank card and sat blankly. After a while, she said softly, "She is my mother."

Nie Qian said "Oh", of course he could see it.

"Her surname is Lu, and mine is a combination of my father's surname and hers. I guess at least when I was born, they were very affectionate."

Nie Qian listened silently.

"In fact, she loves me very much. After the divorce, she often hides from my father, buys me clothes, or forcefully gives me money, for fear that my life will not be good."

Nie Qian could also see this. Although the woman spoke sharply and confronted her daughter tit-for-tat, without the usual intimacy of kissing and hugging, her words were full of concern.

"They are all good to me and good people, but they can't live together."

"It's equally possible for a good person to live with a good person to be a tragedy." Nie Qian answered her flatly.

Nie Qian sat with Gan Lu until Gambo was pushed out of the operating room and sent to the ward before leaving.After that day, when Nie Qian and Gan Lu met occasionally, they would nod and greet each other.The summer vacation passed in a blink of an eye, Gan Bo recovered and was discharged from the hospital, Nie Qian went back to Beijing to go to school, Gan Lu entered the third year of high school, and they had no contact with each other.

The doctor said that Gamble’s gastric perforation caused gastrointestinal bleeding, which was closely related to his long-term alcoholism. At the same time, the doctor solemnly warned that other indicators of his body were not optimistic. If he continued to drink like this, the part of his stomach that had been removed would continue to be damaged. Not to mention, the possibility of liver cirrhosis, liver ascites and even liver cancer will become higher and higher.

Gan Lu used to feel sorry for her father's depression, so she didn't bother him too much about drinking, and only asked him not to get drunk at all times.After listening to the doctor, she came back to check the information, smashed all the wine bottles in the house in front of Gamble, and said to him at the same time: "Dad, you choose. If you want to continue drinking, I have no choice but to leave this house , to live with my mother, I can't just watch you die."

She had already rejected the proposal of her mother, Lu Huining, whose financial situation was obviously better than her father's, to take her over, and she had never threatened her father with this sentence.Gamble knew that his daughter was not talking casually, so he finally agreed to stop drinking.

Then the block began to be demolished on a large scale. Gambo got used to living here. After discussing with his daughter, he chose to accept a completed and rebuilt apartment not far away; while Nie Qian, who was far away in the north, strongly insisted that his parents I chose monetary compensation, and then went to another new district to buy a house.

In winter, people moved out one after another, and the moving company's cars haunted the area all day long, and the number of houses with lights on at night gradually decreased. Gamble went to their new home every day to supervise the simple decoration.When Gan Lu came back from school that day, she saw a truck parked in front of Nie Qian's huge house, and his parents were directing the workers to move things out, so she stopped.

Nie Qian came out with a box, frowning and said: "Throw away these rags, it's useless to keep them." He was referring to a few pieces of old and damaged furniture, but his mother was obviously reluctant to throw them away and insisted that the workers put them in the car. move up.He dodged impatiently, but saw Gan Lu.

On a bleak and gloomy winter day, eyes were full of mess and people coming and going. When their eyes met, Gan Lu smiled slightly and spoke first: "Are you moving? Goodbye."

Nie Qian originally wanted to bid farewell to this place that he had inexplicably hated since he was a child, and never look back.However, at that moment, looking at the beautiful girl standing opposite in the cold wind, he suddenly realized that at least he didn't want to say goodbye to her and never see her again.

He hurriedly took a pen and paper, wrote his mobile phone and email and handed it to her: "Give me your number, we will contact you when we are free."

Their contact is not frequent. Gan Lu is facing the college entrance examination, so she has no time to surf the Internet or chat at all. They have a phone call once in a while, but the two of them don't know what to say.Nie Qian encouraged her to take the exam well, but she kept talking and put down the microphone, each feeling a little melancholy and secretly excited.

Gan Lu took care of her father and supervised him to quit drinking while preparing for the exam. However, quitting drinking was not easy, and she really couldn't concentrate.At that time, the college entrance examination was still in July, which was the time when the local area was as hot as a stove.Although there were fans in the examination room, all that was stirred up was the whistling hot air. One candidate passed out due to heat stroke because he could not withstand the double pressure of tension and high temperature. He was carried out by the medical staff.

After the exam, when I came out, my eyes were full of parents who came up to ask questions.Gan Lu sipped the iced mung bean soup that Gambo brought over, and smiled. She thought that her performance did not seem to be ideal, but no matter how well she did in the exam, she finally passed an important juncture in her life, and she can have fun next time.

In addition to being invited by her classmates to play together, she received the first date call in her life. It was from Nie Qian: "The recently released "The Matrix" is good, do you have time to watch it together?"

Gan Lu couldn't believe her ears.She was stunned for a moment, then quickly said, "I'm free, what time?"

"The Matrix" is beautiful, and Keno Reeves is handsome.More importantly, this is Gan Lu's first time watching a movie with a boy. She has to admit honestly that she didn't concentrate on the plot, and compared secretly in her heart, she felt that Nie Qian had the same eyebrows as the male protagonist, There are similarities.

After leaving the movie theater, Nie Qian asked her about her estimated score, and pondered for a while: "This score is enough for a book, which school do you plan to report to?"

"I want to stay local."

"Don't you have any desire to see the outside world?"

Gan Lu shook her head: "My father is not in good health, so it's more convenient for me to stay here."

Nie Qian said nothing more and sent her home.It was getting late, and the demolition area had become a construction site. The lights were bright, mixer trucks were constantly flowing, and the road was muddy and bumpy. There were no traces of the original alleys, but the two of them walked without hesitation. Unanimously, it is clear where to turn and which direction to go back to the right path.Gan Lu still lives in this area and didn't notice anything.Nie Qian realized this and was really taken aback.

He has always hated the life here, always thinking that his parents moved to the well-planned new district, and erased the unpleasant memories of the past, but the way and time for the memories to exist in the bottom of his heart can not be decided by himself, just like walking quietly on the road. Like the girls around him, it would come to his mind from time to time.

Sending her downstairs to her residence, he said: "In two days, my classmate will make an appointment to go swimming by the river, will you go?"

Seeing her nodding quickly made him feel happy.

They met frequently during that summer vacation. Every time Nie Qian braved the scorching heat and took a bus for more than an hour from the new district to the old town, he was a little puzzled by his behavior.Of course, he has been in college for two years, and he has also dated girlfriends who he has a vague crush on, but he has never been in the mood like some classmates. He has an attitude of being indifferent to love, and he doesn't intend to spend too much time on it. He has no regrets when he pursues someone with all his heart and effort, and when the love ends without a problem.

But facing Gan Lu, he felt a little different.After meeting more times, he found that there was something different about her from the first impression.Gan Lu just looks quiet, but she has a cheerful and lively personality. She never puts on airs or pretends to be reserved, and makes no secret that she likes being with him.

On the day she got the admission notice, she called him and told him listlessly that she had been transferred to the History Department of the Normal University, which she hadn't reported. She didn't know how to comfort her, but she smiled: "My father is very happy. He said that it is best for a girl to be a history teacher. The job is stable and she won't be too tired."

Putting down the phone, he found himself smiling. Originally, he should have looked down upon this pair of short-sighted father and daughter who had no plans, no goals, but he thought, maybe her attitude towards life is also good.

Gan Lu and Nie Qian started school separately, added QQ to each other, contacted more than before, and gradually talked about more than just school.However, they are located in two places, and they only communicate so plainly.Under strict interrogation by her new friend Qian Jiaxi, Gan Lu couldn't give her any satisfactory materials.

"So, are you going to fall in love with each other?"

Gan Lu confessed honestly: "He never said he liked me, okay?"

"Then do you like him?"

He had walked in front of her countless times, and his straight and straight figure was an eye-catching figure in her monotonous high school life; he once sat quietly with her in the operating room full of disinfectant smell, and spent nearly three hours of anxious time; He once gave her the first heterosexual date in her life, which made her heart beat...Gan Lu blushed and nodded.

Qian Jiaxi, who comes from a small city in an inland province, is small and has a face like a wise elf. She has been in puppy love since middle school, although it was just holding hands with boys in the same class, passing notes, and occasionally sneaking out. Watching a movie and playing arcade games, but she felt that she was qualified enough to play the role of a love director in front of Gan Lu, who was almost inexperienced.She made a quick conclusion: "I don't agree with love between the two places. Far away can't quench my thirst. But looking at your young girl Huaichun, if you don't confess your love once, you probably won't be willing to die."

"Confession?" Gan Lu shook her head hastily, "I don't want to confess anything, if he doesn't like me at all, wouldn't it be embarrassing to hear the confession, and then he won't even be able to be a friend."

"Then are you going to play secret love?"

Gan Lu giggled: "It's boring to be in love secretly, dancing alone is like a fool, it's fine now."

Qian Jiaxi rolled her eyes at her logic.

Of course it can't go on like this forever.A senior boy came to pursue Gan Lu. Although Qian Jiaxi felt that the boy was very ordinary, she strongly encouraged Gan Lu to accept the pursuit: "Don't give up to a love that has never started, okay?"

She protested weakly: "What's the matter? I... just don't think it's suitable for him. "

"If you don't have direct contact with a person, you will never know whether he is suitable for you."

Gan Lu felt that what she said made sense, so she went on a date with that boy. It was just a routine to eat fast food and watch an incomprehensible modern art exhibition. The boy studied politics, but obviously liked all non-traditional expressions , trying to explain to her the profound connotation of those works of art, she could only respond with "um" and "oh", feeling really boring.

After she returned to the dormitory, Nie Qian happened to be online and asked her what she was up to recently. She said that she had just come back from a date. There was a period of silence that made her uneasy. She added: "It's not interesting." Typing this line of words, I feel that it is superfluous.

However, a line of words suddenly appeared in the dialogue window: "Lulu, if you think he is boring, think about me."

Gan Lu couldn't believe her eyes, she sat there for a while, and brought Qian Jiaxi, who was surfing the Internet, over to look at it. Qian Jiaxi laughed, and stretched out her fingers to type on the keyboard. Before Gan Lu could stop her, a line of dialogue had already been sent: "Okay, you start pursuing me from today."

Gan Lu pushed the smirking Qian Jiaxi back to her seat. Her face was burning hot. She looked at the screen again, but there was no movement for a long time. When she was in a state of confusion, her phone rang. It was Nie Qian. Calling, she quickly took out her mobile phone and ran out of the dormitory to the rooftop before pressing the answer button.

"I don't have much experience in pursuing girls." Nie Qian's voice came from the receiver, "And we are so far apart, I hope it won't make you feel boring."

She held the phone and didn't speak for a long time. Nie Qian thought it was a bad signal, and said "Hello" a few times: "Are you still there, Lulu?"

"I'm still here, I'm very happy." It was winter, and the north wind was howling on the rooftop, making her voice a little intermittent.Her fingers holding the phone were cold, but her heart was warm, like being in spring.

Qian Jiaxi first praised herself vigorously: "If I hadn't pushed you, you wouldn't have gone out to see an art exhibition with others; if you hadn't gone out with others, you don't know how long it would have dragged on, this sullen boyfriend. Only then did he agree to speak; if he hadn’t finally opened his mouth, I don’t know when you two sullen people will be together.”

Gan Lu was still immersed in the feeling of love she had just tasted, listening to Qian Jiaxi's complicated reasoning, she just smiled absently.

Qian Jiaxi looked at her worriedly: "But the two places are in love..." She shook her head, "I don't even know whether I should bless you or not. Even if I can persist, it will be very difficult." But Gan Lu in front of her smiled It was so sweet, she finally swallowed the rest of the words with interest.

Of course, love between the two places is indeed difficult.They usually rely on mobile phone text messages and QQ to communicate, and they only get together during the holidays.After the initial excitement, no matter how much love is repeated, it can't be worth a real hug, not to mention that Nie Qian is really not a boy with leisurely feelings.He has excellent grades and clear goals. He has been an intern in a real estate company since his junior year, and he didn't even come back for vacation when he was a senior.

Seeing the rich and colorful life of her friends and classmates, Gan Lu had to doubt her choice many times. She did not hesitate to reject the pursuit of boys with excellent conditions. Lonely, Qian Jiaxi commented unceremoniously that there is no difference between having a boyfriend and not having a boyfriend. She could only smile wryly and comfort herself that after graduation, the two of them will be together.

Nie Qian’s major was a five-year program. In the last semester, he called Gan Lu and told Gan Lu that he was going to work in a real estate company in Shenzhen after graduation. That was really an announcement, and he didn’t mean to ask for her opinion at all.

Gan Lu's heart sank: "Aren't you planning to go back to work locally?"

"I originally wanted to go to Beijing, but the vice president of the company in Shenzhen personally interviewed me, job opportunities are rare, and there will be a lot of room for development." Nie Qian obviously never thought of coming back.

"Then what do we do?"

"It's very convenient to contact now. When you graduate next year, you can also consider coming to work."

She had no room to object, so he went directly from school to Shenzhen without even going home.

Nie Qian devoted himself to his work and was naturally busier than when he was studying, so he had no time to chat online.The two of them communicated by sending emails and making occasional phone calls, which was more sparse than when he was studying.Gan Lu painfully found that it was not easy for her to maintain a relationship by herself, and when she thought of him, it was not sweet at all, but more and more realistic problems lay between the two of them.

Gan Lu wrote long emails, telling interesting things about the school and the naughty students she met during the internship. His replies were usually so short that it drove her crazy.After getting through the phone, he also ended the topic in a few words.Both sides feel that there seems to be less and less common language.

More importantly, what Nie Qian talked about was all about his future career plans.He told her frankly that he had no intention of thinking about family issues before he had a successful career: "Lulu, I don't want to marry early like my parents and live a mediocre life for the rest of my life."

"So are you asking me to wait for you to succeed in your struggle?" She asked softly, her heart turned cold.

"If you have faith in me, give me time."

She saw with her own eyes how her parents' marriage failed step by step.The mother filed for divorce, and the father was humiliated and refused to let go. He tried clumsily and in vain to save him, but was despised and disdainful by the mother who set his goals far higher than him and ignored him, and was eroded in repeated quarrels. Lost the last bit of emotion.She thought she would not allow herself to make the same mistake.

The long-term uncertainty was suddenly confirmed at that moment, and she opened her mouth with difficulty: "I won't have confidence in a boyfriend who doesn't even discuss with me when making a decision, and you don't need me to give you time, Nie Qian. With your talent, will and determination, I have no doubt that you will succeed sooner or later, but I don't intend to wait for you, so let it be."

Nie Qian was obviously surprised, even shocked, but he didn't ask why, and after a long silence on the phone, he said, "Since you have decided, I can only accept it."

Gan Lu went to school very early, when she was in her senior year, but at the age of 21, she never considered marriage at all, and fully agreed to start a career before starting a family. She even thought that her father would be taken care of by Aunt Wang. She didn't have too many worries. He discussed it and went to Shenzhen to find a job, at least spending more time with his boyfriend.However, Nie Qian's actions and words made her decide to give up.

Qian Jiaxi has always been incredulous about her long-distance relationship that she has been talking about for more than three years, and after meeting Nie Qian once, she doesn't think highly of him.She fully agrees with her friend's decision: "You are stupid to run over. Such an ambitious man of course welcomes a ready-made girlfriend. He can enjoy love without being responsible. But he regards his future more than anything else." It's important, once you feel that you are an obstacle, you will be thrown away immediately. Why should you spend your youth waiting for him? He struggles over there, and you stand by the cold cave here. He regards himself as Xue Pinggui. .”

Gan Lu doesn't think that Nie Qian has such realistic thoughts about her. He does have ambitions, but he has always confessed that he will never lie to her. The love between two people always has sweet moments.It's just that she thought that she really couldn't compete with his ambition.Even if he is really Xue Pinggui, she also knows that she must not be Wang Baochuan, and has no intention of throwing herself into the cold kiln as a modern legend.

It is not easy for a history teacher student to find a job in the local area. She submitted her resume, participated in various recruitment, interviews, and trial lectures, and was finally hired by Wenhua Middle School.Although the school is located on the outskirts of the city, it is also a city-level priority and has a good working environment. She considers herself lucky.

Her father, Gambo, had already met and dated Aunt Wang when she was in college. Gan Lu decided on a job, and immediately rented a house and moved out to live alone, leaving the space at home to her father, and began to enjoy an unprecedented carefree life. .

A few months later, she met Shang Xiuwen.

(End of this chapter)