Chapter 1, The First Moment

He climbed over the railing, leaned out, and stared at the surface of the river

The girl, having achieved victory, does not linger in battle, straightens her slanted body, and places both hands into her pockets

Having filled half a bucket, she trembled as she lifted it up. Just as she was about to turn around, she raised her head.

The road surface is uneven and pockmarked, causing the wheels of the suitcase to occasionally get stuck.

The river has no name, as it is shallow, with a depth of only about 2 meters at its center. Over time, it has come to be referred to as "Six-Foot River".

Wu Yingrong smiled so broadly that her eyes were nearly closed, gently patted Jiang Xichi's head, exchanged a few pleasantries, and led him further inside

Grandmother Wu Yingrong took a few steps to reach Jiang Xichi and took the suitcase from his hands

Grandmother has gone out, and Jiang Xichi has drawn back the curtains

After taking two more steps, a woman's voice came from deep within the alley: "Achi!"

Jiang Xichi ignored him, washed his hands, casually filled a remaining half bottle of water, lowered his baseball cap, dragged a large suitcase with one hand, and headed into the alley

Exit through the side door on the east, and after a distance of half a meter, descend six steps to reach the Liuxi River

Once the car had left, Jiang Xichi furrowed his brow and tucked the three banknotes into the outer pocket of the suitcase

The alley is narrow, with a single ray of daylight at the top, allowing only a bit of sunlight to filter down at noon

As I brushed past Jiang Xichi, my gaze swept briefly across his face

She lifted the curtain, removed the plug, and went to push open the ornate window

Wu Yingrong chuckled: "Oh, what you said! I would love for you to be right in front of me! However, the teaching quality, school discipline, and ethos at Qingye Middle School truly cannot compare to No. 1 High School. My grandmother is worried that you might be delayed here."

Jiang Xichi: "I can get into Peking University or Tsinghua University no matter which school I attend"

While propping up the ice cream freezer and selling cold drinks with great interest, upon noticing Jiang Xichi's gaze, he awkwardly smiled and asked, "Little friend, would you like an ice cream?"

Dressed in a long black coat and long pants, holding a red plastic bucket in hand, he slowly walked down the steps to the riverbank and dipped the bucket into the water.

Jiang Xichi set down his luggage and stood upright: "Grandfather."

Vendor: "... ... The little ones are quite fond of cleanliness."

Take it

During the meal, Ruan Xuewen asked Jiang Xichi about his scores in the entrance exam for junior high school. Upon hearing the reported scores, he felt greatly relieved and served him several large pieces of braised pork, saying, "Eat more meat."

Jiang Xichi could not outmatch her, so he suggested, "Let each person propose one."

Is there mineral water

Jiang Xichi also cast a glance at her

The toes of the sneakers tapped against the stone pavement as they walked towards the alley exit

A motorcycle is parked by the street, and a girl dressed in a long black coat and pants is lazily leaning against the leather seat of the motorcycle, with a scattering of ceramic fragments around her feet

I will propose it myself

It's nothing, I'll take care of it.

Qiaohua Lane is divided into east and west, with the river serving as the boundary

I do not want it

Jiang Xichi has already recognized it

Dragging a trail of water, stepping on the uneven stone platforms, disappearing between the houses, within the half-meter wide gaps.

The plump woman was so angry that her face turned the same color as pig liver; if it weren't for someone holding her back, she would have likely rushed up to deal with her.

Wu Yingrong stood at the door, "Your grandfather has been tidying up for a week, and he is extremely happy to hear that you will be coming to live with us"

A hand rested on the stone steps, followed by half of the body emerging from the water. The arm embraced the steps, pushing upward, and climbed ashore

The plump woman was as furious as a broken bellows, huffing and puffing. Provoked by the girls, she suddenly felt a surge of fighting spirit, rolled up her sleeves, and picked up the firewood stick on the ground, ready to charge forward.

This is the girl from the alley just now

Wu Yingrong hurriedly drew the curtains shut

After the meal, Wu Yingrong led Jiang Xichi to see the room. The large room facing east had been carefully arranged, with a new set of stationery placed on the desk and the bedding on the bed also replaced with new ones

Wu Yingrong curled her lips and said, "You brought two large suitcases, and you expect to handle it all by yourself?"

Jiang Xichi initially wanted to say "It was sent by my dad," but after a moment's thought, he echoed Wu Yingrong's words with a simple "Mm," and added, "I took a taxi here"

In the night, the wind carries a chill as he sits on the wooden railing, his legs dangling in the air. Below him is a six-foot river, reflecting the lights of the houses along the bank

A vague outline of a person appeared on the opposite bank, followed by a sharp curse, and then a loud "splash".

The girl tilted her chin slightly, smiling as she uttered: "Son of a dog."

Did you come by yourself

The trunk lid went "bang," and Jiang Jiaping clapped his hands, "Is everything here?"

Wu Yingrong was even more displeased and was about to criticize Jiang Jiaping when she suddenly heard a crisp sound of something shattering coming from ahead

Jiang Xichi felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles, yet he could not utter a single word of comfort

Jiang Xichi then raised his head and glanced at Jiang Jiaping. His blue polo shirt was already soaked with sweat, and there was a dark patch of sweat on his protruding belly

Jiang Xichi paused for a moment and said, "I apologize for the inconvenience."

At this moment, someone went up to mediate, holding onto the arm of the plump woman and persuading her, "Don't argue with the young girl!"

Jiang Xichi settled down, glancing ahead, "Grandma."

Jiang Xichi saw the fleeting glimpse of pure panic in her eyes

The hair is cut to ear length, framing a fair and translucent face, with a bead of sweat on the tip of the nose, and the eyes are clear and devoid of any discernible emotion

By 10 o'clock, Wu Yingrong had also taken a shower and gone to bed

Wu Yingrong pulled his thoughts back: "Hurry up and leave, the food is about to be ready"

On the opposite side of the river, a figure suddenly appeared on the steps

A waft of fragrant rice drifted through the crack of the door. Wu Yingrong took out her keys to unlock the door, and her grandfather, Ruan Xuewen, emerged from the kitchen holding a large bowl.

At this moment, Jiang Xichi is walking under the sunlight, the wheels of two suitcases rumbling against the pavement, while someone peeks out from the storefront in the nearby alley.

The alley is home to a variety of shops, including convenience stores, barbershops, and hardware stores, all of which are present. The colorful banners have faded from exposure to sun and rain.

Jiang Xichi paused for a moment, realizing that someone had jumped into the water

The girl kept urging, "Whatever you do, don't hesitate; it would be best if you just knocked me out this time!"

The vendor opened the freezer door, took out a bottle of ice water, and handed it to Jiang Xichi. After receiving five yuan, he returned three yuan in change.

Jiang Xichi lowered his eyes and said thank you

"It belongs to the Fang family," Wu Yingrong pointed to the opposite bank of the river, "She's not someone to mess with, you should keep your distance from her..." With a sigh, she tapped her temple, "Her mother has some issues, so no one is there to discipline her. Otherwise, a girl like her wouldn't dare to speak out, wouldn't dare to speak out..."

In the evening, after having some chilled rice wine, Ruan Xuewen drank a few cups and felt a bit tipsy. He sighed deeply and was eventually sent to bed by Wu Yingrong.

Jiang Jiaping opened the car door, looking at his half-grown son who had his head down. He took out his wallet, retrieved three banknotes, and stuffed them into Jiang Xichi's arms, saying, "I will come to see you next week"

The girl, with her sleeves covering her hands, raised her fingers to rub her nose and made a provocative gesture, saying, "Come on, whoever lacks the courage is the one raised by a dog."

The day Jiang Xichi moved to Qiaohua West Alley was at the end of August

Aren't you going to greet your grandparents?

Wu Yingrong asked: "If the grades can all be listed, why must one come here to study?"

In the next moment, she swiftly rolled up the sleeve of her arm, completely enveloping her palm within it, lowered her gaze, and passed by him.

The voice of Ruan Xuewen came from the kitchen, and Wu Yingrong responded, "Achi, you tidy up first and take a nap. The air conditioning remote is in the drawer; turn it on if you feel hot."

Shaking his head, he spat the water out of his mouth, his damp sneakers stepping on the stairs as he lowered his head and walked up step by step

Then you can go in by yourself, and you must be obedient and filial to your grandparents. If you run out of money, give me a call

The buildings with white walls and black tiles do not exceed three stories, appearing somewhat haphazardly constructed

Jiang Xichi quickly lent a hand, the window frame was stiff, and with a creak, it opened.

Jiang Xichi was pulled into listening to a round of criticism about his father. In the end, Wu Yingrong wiped her tears and said, "The room you live in is the same one your mother lived in when she was in school... I never expected that we have become such old bones..."

Jiang Xichi raised his eyes to look

In the shop across the street, a plump woman pointed at her with a fan and shouted angrily: "You wretched creature! Your father and mother do not discipline you, so today I will teach you a lesson! You are a short-lived thing born of a father but not raised by a mother!"

Wu Yingrong was terrified and called out to the neighbors who were eager for excitement, "Quickly stop it, someone is going to get killed!"

It's nothing, my father is busy with work

In the Beicheng area, the residential houses near the Liu Chi River are all over thirty years old.

The sun has passed its zenith and is now slanting towards the west

Father Jiang Jiaping got out of the car and went to the back trunk to unload the luggage for Jiang Xichi

The drying rack of the east household is hanging the large shorts of the west household, while the balcony on the second floor is adorned with the golden pothos from the third floor

Four eyes facing each other

The figure is no longer present

This room was previously used for storage, and the window has not been opened for years. You will need to exert some force when opening it.

Grandfather laughed heartily, "No wonder he is my grandson, Ruan Xuewen!"

There is, there is, there is!

The sound of water gushed, and a head bobbed up and down under the moonlight, soon reaching the shore

In the street-side shop, someone initiated a conversation, "The child is truly considerate, understanding the need to care for their grandmother at such a young age."

Yet Jiang Xichi still stuffed the three coins into the outer pocket of the suitcase, squatted by the roadside, unscrewed the bottle cap, and washed his hands under the water.

Jiang Xichi took a shower, couldn't sleep, and quietly opened the side door to the corridor by the river

Ruan Xuewen planted wood fragrance next to the wall, with vines climbing on the anti-theft net, filtering a bit of coolness in with a few gentle breezes

A grayish shadow suddenly appeared on the ground, causing her to hold her breath in fear. She quickly looked up and discovered that there was a person standing by the railing.

Jiang Xichi did not even raise his eyes, "Mm."

Jiang Xichi: "Grandma, what is wrong?"

Jiang Xichi pulled the baseball cap down onto his head, leaning against the hot, pitch-black car body, and continued playing the game

"... ... I won't go today," Jiang Jiaping said, looking into the alley, but his steps were heading towards the driver's seat. "... ... Your Aunt Xu is going to the hospital for a check-up this afternoon, and I need to go help her out."

Such words are unworthy of mention

Suddenly, with a loud "bang," Jiang Xichi was startled and turned to look in the direction of the sound.

Wu Yingrong walked to the window, her fingers pinching the curtain, "This is newly hung, a layer of gauze and a layer of cotton and linen. The summer sun is fierce; if you want to sleep a little longer in the morning, just pull this cotton and linen curtain as well."

Jiang Xichi pursed his lips