Rebirth 2009: Synthetic God

Tech Expo, somewhere outside.

Zhou Rui whispered something to Gan Yuan beside him, who nodded slightly and left.

Then Zhou Rui also sat on the bench and asked curiously: "Come to see the exhibition?"

Zhang Xin nodded: "I guess so, it's also work, the company needs materials for the Tech Expo."

Zhou Rui crossed his legs and said curiously: "It's been a long time since we last met, what are you busy with now?"

Zhang Xin smiled: "This is a long story."

It seemed that he didn't know where to start. He hesitated for a long time and decided to start from the beginning.

"After Du Quan's mess, I was detained for fifteen days for instigating others to pretend to be a policeman. Fortunately, I only found the appearance of security uniforms at that time. Later, I confessed and made meritorious contributions, so I was detained symbolically. But later the school still felt that the impact was bad, so they persuaded me to drop out, and I simply applied for withdrawal directly."

His voice was very flat, as if those thrilling things were other people's stories.

Maybe this is the power of time. No matter how special the past is, it will eventually become ordinary.

"Most of the money I saved at that time was gray income and was confiscated. I was left with about 100,000 yuan as my salary. I took the 100,000 yuan to Shenzhen, but I didn't make any money for a few months. After that, I went to Guangzhou and wasted two months, but I didn't make any money. Do you remember Guo Sheng?"

Zhou Rui was stunned. This name was even older and he couldn't remember it for a while.

"That guy worked in Guangzhou, and I stayed with him for a month."

Halfway through, Zhang Xin took out a box of cigarettes and handed one to Zhou Rui: "Do you want to smoke?"

Zhou Rui hesitated for a moment, but still took it, took out his special lighter from his pocket, lit it and took a puff.

Maybe it was because the cold wind was too strong, but Zhang Xin himself couldn't light it for a long time, until a hand reached out, turned his head and looked, it was Zhou Rui who was looking forward with one hand.

Zhang Xin used Zhou Rui's lighter to light it and took a puff. When he blew smoke rings, he realized that he was in front of the back of "Fu Rui Pavilion" and even facing the staff passage.

No wonder Zhou Rui passed by, he was busy turning around and came to such a "dangerous" place.

Or was he actually looking forward to someone passing by?

Zhang Xin continued:

"My dad wanted me to go back to Qinghe, but I wanted to try again, so I asked my dad to borrow 50,000 yuan to go to Jingbei. Sometimes I find it funny. I went to the four first-tier cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Yangshen, and Shenzhen. But Jingbei was lucky and joined a startup company that was engaged in social media."

Zhou Rui looked down at the cigarette in his hand, and it was indeed "Zhongbeihai".

No wonder it's so hard to smoke.

"Then what?"

"Then? Startup companies place more emphasis on execution. I may have seen more in the gray area before, and I have established myself with a 'college diploma'. Now I am responsible for some ground promotion, content management and so on."

Zhang Xin patted his belly, and the rebounding feeling made him laugh:

"From then on, I have settled down. Starting a business is not that easy. It is good to have a stable job and not let my parents worry about me. Now I am a standard Beijing drifting social animal. After two years, I have been promoted quickly in a small company. Now I am also a 'general manager', but the pressure is high. I work overtime and stay up late every day. It's hard not to get fat."

Zhou Rui also smiled and blew out a smoke ring.

"Very good, looks more stable than before."

"That's right, I have learned a lot, but my appearance is getting worse and worse. Just now a college student called me uncle and I was so angry that I wanted to kick him."

Zhou Rui nodded, indicating that he could understand this feeling: "I feel relieved if you have this mentality."

Zhang Xin glanced at Zhou Rui: "Reassured? Are you really worried about me?"

Zhou Rui told the truth: "If I meet you, it will bring back some memories. If I don't meet you, what do I want you to do as a grown man?"

Zhang Xin laughed: "That's good, your worry will make me more stressed. If I think of fighting again, I'm afraid I will die suddenly with my current physique."

The two fell into a short silence, both staring at the front in a daze.

Zhou Rui was still digesting Zhang Xin's past, while Zhang Xin was digesting the encounter with Zhou Rui.

When he was stunned, Zhou Rui saw a woman who looked like a reporter in the distance, introducing the situation of the exhibition to the camera. Looking at the LOGO, it seemed to be "Xinglang".

Zhou Rui suddenly felt that the woman looked familiar.

What's the name of the visitor? Yan... er... Aunt Yan Xue? It doesn't seem right...

He doesn't have "super memory", and it takes some time to remember some unimportant people.

It seems that this "Science and Technology Expo" that has attracted the attention of the whole country and millions of visitors may hide more people he once knew.

Or, those who have met along the way will subconsciously want to come to the "Science and Technology Expo" to take a look because of his leader Zhou.

Looking forward to a passing by, or an encounter? This feeling is hard to describe.

But not everyone, Zhou Rui is interested in recognizing.

Seemingly feeling that the silence has lasted a little long, Zhou Rui blurted out: "How is Uncle Zhang?"

"I'm fine, a small civil servant in the county, not fighting or competing. As long as my son doesn't cause trouble, it's all good."

After hunching his back for a long time, Zhang Xin stretched on the bench, his voice flat and straightforward, as if he was talking to himself:

"Before you stood out, I always didn't want to be compared with you, always felt that I was also special. To put it bluntly, it was some unrealistic fantasy. Then I felt uncomfortable with myself."

"Later I discovered that no one could keep up with the speed of your progress. We were all just an inconspicuous footnote in the era you pioneered."

Zhou Rui shook his head and said, "Don't say that. Everyone is their own protagonist and a footnote to others."

Zhang Xin smiled and said: "Maybe. Anyway, I have reconciled with myself now. I can finish my work peacefully, find a woman who is not so beautiful and not so ugly to get married, have a child, take good care of my parents, and finally get rid of the noise in my family." I'm getting older myself, well, I feel like I'm starting to get older."

Zhou Rui glanced sideways at the stubble on Zhang Xin's face and said, "Even if you shave, you are just a young fat boy."

"Then I'd better stop shaving, otherwise I won't be able to control the group of people below. They all graduated from prestigious schools."

After finishing the cigarette, Zhang Xin stamped it out, looked at his watch and said, "It's time for me to meet up with my colleagues. Let's chat next time we meet."

Zhou Rui nodded: "Next time I see you, if I call you, you might not recognize me."

Zhang Xin was about to get up when a tall figure looked over, his eyes lit up, and he ran over.

It was the college student who stepped on his backpack just now.

Wei Hang said with some embarrassment: "Uncle, I just spoke a little hastily and want to apologize to you."

Zhang Xin was stunned for a moment and could hardly remember which of the other party's "more aggressive" sentences.

Maybe this is the difference between adults and students. Things that adults forget about immediately, but students will hold on to and keep them in mind, so much so that they have to look for them in the Science and Technology Expo for a long time.

Zhang Xin smiled gently: "It's okay, it's all trivial, just be normal."

Wei Hang took a deep breath, and then said: "The life advice given by the elder brother is also very right. You should not set too high expectations for yourself, but I think it is also a good thing to have a goal to chase."

"Even if you can never catch up, at least you have moved forward, right?"

When Zhang Xin heard it for the first time, he felt that it was full of college students' pretentiousness, and that this kind of thing was incompatible with social animals.

Just as young people are unwilling to listen to fatherly life advice, adults cannot listen to young people's sentimental pretensions.

But after a while, he actually became a little lost in thought.

Wei Hang heard the urging from the teacher behind him and was about to apologize again and leave, but suddenly he felt a sense of familiarity to the figure wearing a baseball cap next to him.

After a while, he suddenly exclaimed: "Big brother? Are you the big brother from the Zhu City Air Show? Are you willing to do it?"

Zhou Rui raised his head in embarrassment. After several years, it was still so awkward to be called "big brother" by this guy.

"Well, it's me, we meet again? How is your Six Qigong practice?"

Wei Hang's excitement was beyond words: "My innocence is yours! I practice hard and I feel refreshed every time."

Zhou Rui looked at his clothes, which had the logo of "Harbin Institute of Technology" on them.

"As long as I can help you, if you have a chance, you can go to Qingcheng Mountain in Chengdu. This martial art was passed down from there."

Wei Hang: "Such a background? I said this thing must be unusual! Brother, are you watching the exhibition?"

After chatting for a few more words, the urging from behind became louder and louder, and even several classmates were shouting to help.

"Wei Hang! Hurry! We have to leave!"

"Wei Hang, if you don't leave, it will be too late!"

"Wei Hang! Everyone is waiting for you! Don't be unorganized and undisciplined!"

Wei Hang had no choice but to quickly take out his mobile phone and said: "Brother, can you leave your contact information? We will talk later."

Zhou Rui smiled and took out his mobile phone: "Then add WeChat."

His WeChat nickname is "A Rui", and his avatar is not him, but an internet picture, a fisherman's back. I forgot why he used this in the first place.

Anyway, it won’t be because I have the entry for [Aquaman].

After choosing "Block Moments", Zhou Rui passed the friend application.

Wei Hang waved his hand anxiously: "Brother, let's talk later! The teacher is going to explode!"

Then he stretched out his long legs and ran away all the way. It seemed that due to long-term exercise, his physical fitness was particularly good and his speed was extremely fast.

Zhang Xin asked curiously: "You won't tell him your true identity?"

Zhou Rui spread his hands: "Why bother? We met by chance. He already has a good starting point. We will meet again if we are destined."

Zhang Xin was still looking at Wei Hang's running back, the schoolbag behind him swinging up and down, and finally merged into the group of laughing classmates, and was scolded by the teacher in charge.

That figure gave Zhang Xin a sense of déjà vu.

I even remembered Zhou Rui’s song back then. What were the lyrics? run ahead? Where to run?

It seemed that it was sung at the mobilization rally for the college entrance examination that year, but he could no longer recall the content, nor could he remember the faces of his classmates or the names of the teachers at that time.

After a long time, Zhang Xin also put on his backpack and said to Zhou Rui:

"I'm leaving too."

"By the way, I received a lot of help from you back then, but I was too young and too thin-skinned to say thank you. Later, I became thick-skinned, and you reached a place that was too high. Your words only added to the laughter. But now that I have met Zhou Rui, thank you. ”

"I have been trying to catch up with you and didn't want to be compared with you, but I forgot that I am just an ordinary person. The most important thing is to learn to keep a normal mind, otherwise I will break my leg."

We will see each other again if we are destined, and it is not just by chance that we meet each other.

But after taking two steps, he still couldn't help but turn around and ask: "By the way, what song did you sing at the mobilization rally? It was the one who roared so loudly and had a ferocious face."

Zhou Rui curled his lips, feeling that the memories of his death were attacking him.

Helplessly said: "Chasing Dreams with a Pure Heart."

Zhang Xin wanted to go back and listen to it, but when he heard the name, he felt that it had nothing to do with his current appearance.

As a social animal, hearing "Chasing Dreams with a Pure Heart" made him feel disgusted.

He could only shake his head and said as he left: "I remember it was very nice, but it seems to be only suitable for students. I am a social animal now, and I can't get excited anymore. I'm afraid it will break my mood."

Behind him, Zhou Rui's voice came.

"A normal heart is a pure heart."

Zhang Xin turned his head to look.

The other party also had only a back figure.

So he smiled, took a step, and parted ways in the crowd, each going his own way.

Zhang Xin weighed his backpack and felt it was much lighter.