Number 8's palms were warm and strong, like the palms of a living person.
Lu Xin held his hand together, facing his happy smile, and there was a vague illusion.
It seems that this is really just a child who grew up together in an orphanage and now goes their separate ways due to their respective circumstances.
On a business trip, I thought of my old friends who were still living in this city, so I found them with deep longing. I hugged the people who had been with each other at the loneliest and weakest age, and expressed my longing for them that I hadn't seen for a long time...
... If the orphanage hadn't said goodbye in such a tragic way.
"Yeah, long time no see."
Lu Xin was stunned for a while before reacting. He also smiled at the other party and said, "No. 8, you have become an adult."
"I have a name now, Xu Jing."
No. 8 smiled cheerfully and kindly at Lu Xin and said, "It's like you have a name now, Lu Xin."
"We'd better call each other by our names. When we were called by code names in the past, the memories were not very good!"
"..."
Hearing No. 8 mention "memories", Teacher Lu next to him couldn't help but feel nervous.
But No. 8 didn't seem to have any special direction. He just mentioned it casually and complained to Teacher Lu, "The foundation of these children is not very good. I have conducted some basic tests on them in Chinese, mathematics, physics, philosophy and so on in the past few days. I found that except for Chinese, everything else is a mess. What kind of teacher taught them..."
Teacher Lu was startled for a moment, with a slightly ashamed look on his face.
No. 8 seemed to react for a moment, then slapped his forehead and said to Teacher Lu, "I forgot, your grades back then were not very good."
Lu Xin frowned and said, "Teacher Lu taught you very well..."
Naturally, he also knew that these children were taught by Teacher Lu, and he also knew that Teacher Lu's cultural level was actually not very high.
Probably not as good as myself, at least I still went to high school...
But then again, Teacher Lu's contribution to this orphanage was not here in the first place...
Listening to his excuse, No. 8 frowned, looked at Lu Xin, and said, "Your test scores were also very bad back then, right?"
"..."
Lu Xin was speechless for a moment.
It's actually not right to say that my test scores were bad that year...
I just often turn in blank papers.
No one dared to accept his homework anyway.
But seeing No. 8 tugging, I still wanted to say sarcastically, "It's just you..."
The words came to his lips, but he swallowed them back.
Because he thought about it, it seemed that No. 8 was indeed the top student in the class and got perfect scores in the exams.
Moreover, he is very obedient and always reports to the teacher about other students fighting, stealing, and having puppy love.
Because of this, I often got beaten by others...
"You came back this time..."
Lu Xin immediately changed the topic and cast a doubtful look at No. 8.
"I'm on a business trip, so I stopped by to see you."
Xu Jing answered naturally and looked at Lu Xin with a smile, "Xiaolu hasn't told you yet?"
Lu Xin frowned slightly.
The look in No. 8's eyes was very candid, not like he was lying or hiding something.
Could it be that you really think too much?
"Hey, when does lunch start?"
Compared to Teacher Lu who was on tenterhooks and Lu Xin who was full of doubts, Xu Jing seemed much more relaxed.
After chatting for a while, he looked at the children in the yard who were finally liberated and playing happily, and said with a smile, "I'm hungry too. Let's eat early. After eating, I can still rush to make up for half an hour of math for them."
"This..."
When this issue was mentioned, Teacher Lu hesitated and pushed the wheelchair out. "I'll go to the kitchen to have a look..."
"..."
"No need..."
Seeing No. 8 acting as if he had returned to his own home, Teacher Lu looked uneasy, and Lu Xin suddenly interrupted.
"Huh?"
Number 8, Teacher Lu, and the old security guard turned to look at him at the same time.
One has doubts in his eyes, one has worry in his eyes, and the other is slightly nervous.
Lu Xin met their gazes, a smile suddenly appeared on his face, and said, "You come back so easily, how can you eat in the cafeteria?"
"Come on, let's go out to eat."
"..."
Since No. 8 returned to Qinggang to visit an old friend as a former friend, no matter how many doubts he had in his heart, he could only receive him as an old friend first. Lu Xin thought so, and his attitude was very natural.
As a host, shouldn't you invite your former friends to a restaurant and have a good meal?
"In this case..."
No. 8 hesitated slightly, then suddenly turned to look at Teacher Lu and said, "Would you like to go together?"
Teacher Lu lowered his head slightly, then gritted his teeth without leaving any trace, and said, "Okay, I'll go too."
Seeing that Teacher Lu agreed, Lu Xin said nothing more.
In my heart, maybe I hope that No. 8 really comes back for a visit like an old classmate, right?
If this is indeed the case, then as former classmates in the orphanage, it makes sense for the three of them to go out for a meal together.
Speaking of which, it's really strange.
If he knew where No. 8 was, he would definitely look for him.
But No. 8 took the initiative to come to me, and I inevitably became worried...
No. 8 picked up his black suitcase and walked out of the elementary school with Lu Xin and Teacher Lu.
In the deserted street, Lu Xin pushed Teacher Lu in a wheelchair, and walked slowly along the street with No. 8.
The surrounding shops were all closed, and not a single passerby could be seen.
It seemed like there were only three of them left in this city, walking forward silently with each other.
"I didn't expect that you live in such a big house now, in a villa area."
After walking for a while, No. 8 smiled and said, "But there are many problems. For example, it is too remote and there is not even a hotel."
Teacher Lu bit his lower lip and looked back at Lu Xin.
Of course there are usually restaurants, but now the surrounding streets have been cleared and it seems remote.
Lu Xin didn't say much, but gently adjusted his glasses and said softly, "The hotel can open."
Han Bing's voice came from the built-in earphone on the left side of the glasses leg. "Turn left at the intersection ahead."
Lu Xin nodded, then quietly pushed the wheelchair and came to the intersection ahead with No. 8.
After turning around, I found a small shop here. It was a clean and ordinary shop.
There is a menu at the counter, just like an ordinary small restaurant.
It's just that the waiter is a tall woman with short hair, a capable and sharp temperament, and a brand new pink apron...
...Lu Xin didn't even know Chen Jing had this part-time job.
"What do you want to eat?"
The chef poked his head out. Gecko wore a tall chef's hat on his head, looking very professional.
It would look more professional if he didn't have those huge sunglasses on his face.
"Just stir-fry a few vegetables..."
Lu Xin smiled at Gecko. He had something on his mind, so he had no intention of ordering and just let him do what he wanted.
"Come on..."
Gecko smiled and said OK, then retracted his head, and soon there was the sound of clinking pots and spoons in the kitchen.
Chen Jing also professionally brought them dishes, chopsticks, cups and saucers, and even a pot of tea.
Gifted.
No. 8 seemed to be looking at this small shop with emotion, his face full of smiles and compliments.
Then, his eyes fell on Lu Xin's face, and he smiled, "Coming back this time, I really feel that many things are different."
"This is probably the feeling of coming back after being away from home for many years. Many things are familiar, but if you look closely, they are not the same as before. It is as if the beggar has become an emperor, the emperor has become a servant, and the big monster..."
His eyes fell on Lu Xin's face, but he didn't say any more.
"Yes, it has changed."
Teacher Lu took over the conversation and said, "However, many things have changed for the better."
Number Eight glanced at her, then just smiled.
Gecko This cook is actually very good at cooking, at least the food is served quite quickly.
After a while of clanking, Chen Jing personally brought out a few dishes.
A plate of lobster mapo tofu, a plate of Dongxingbanli sausage, a plate of stir-fried Yangbao with broccoli, and a plate of salmon mixed with preserved eggs.
I even made a bowl of seaweed, egg drop and haggis soup, and served a pot of stinky tofu braised noodles as a staple food...
Lu Xin looked at the meal and frowned.
This is both lobster and Eastern Star Spot. How much does it cost...
Number 8 had a good appetite, and he was not polite to Lu Xin and Teacher Lu. After the food was served, he took a small bowl and ate it in big mouths. Although he didn't look embarrassed, he did look like a person with a big appetite, and most of them were wiped out like a whirlwind.
At the end, I ordered a bottle of beer and drank it with Lu Xin. He smiled and said, "I have been traveling all over the place for many years, and I haven't had a steady meal for a long time."
Lu Xin and Teacher Lu ate very little, mainly watching Number 8 eat while each had their own concerns.
After No. 8 finished eating, Lu Xin looked at No. 8 thoughtfully and said, "What kind of job are you doing now?"
"Actually, I know you are all worried now."
No. 8 did not answer directly, but lit a Lu Xin cigarette, took a puff, and said, "After all, a lot of things happened in our orphanage. I am still alive and can come back. It may not seem normal to you."
"In addition..."
His voice slowed down a bit and he said with a smile, "You may also be worried about whether I have any other purpose when I come back this time..."
His eyes swept over Lu Xin and Teacher Lu, and he said slowly, "I do have something to do when I come back this time."
"..."
Teacher Lu suddenly became slightly nervous, while Lu Xin subconsciously looked up at him.
Even the waiter in the kitchen not far away and sitting behind the counter reading a newspaper seemed to prick up his ears slightly.
No. 8 looked at them, suddenly smiled, and said, "But what I want to do has nothing to do with you."
As he spoke, he took out a pocket watch from his arms, took a look at it, and said, "The time is almost up."
"Tonight, I have a business around Qinggang City."
Then he looked at Lu Xin and said with a smile, "Are you interested in going to see it with me?"