Chapter 9 Nine

All the equipment in T Middle School is mediocre. I am not so much here to visit the school, but rather to visit Aurelia herself.I took the opportunity of the visit and talked a lot with her.I kept observing her words and actions very carefully, and I discovered a little secret, that is: she was very enthusiastic in entertaining me, and she answered all the questions I asked in detail, lest I have the slightest doubt.Her enthusiasm is obviously a bit beyond the normal state between a host and guest who have just met. After the visit, I said to her: I want to buy her a cup of coffee, I hope she will not refuse.

She said: She is the host today and I am the guest.If she went to a cafe, she had to be the host anyway, otherwise, she wouldn't go. She also said: She uses coffee coupons to drink, but only a few cents a cup, the cost is limited.If I treat guests, it will cost a lot. My purpose is just to find an opportunity to talk to her more.It doesn't really matter to me that I ask her or she invites me.I followed her advice. We went to the same coffee shop the night before. I suggest: still choose the two old positions on the corner of the east wall. She asked me why. As soon as I sat down, I told her:

You just asked why I chose these two old seats.There are three reasons for me: First, this location is on the east side, where the sun rises. Sitting here seems to be sitting with the sun, and my heart is indescribably bright and warm.In fact, in my eyes, you are the sun!Second, this location is in the corner of the wall. Many beautiful and mysterious things on the earth often happen in the corner of the wall. There is a kind of shadow here, like the shade of an oak tree, which is especially easy to arouse people's fantasy or dream.Thirdly, this is the place where we met for the first time. On the street, we can’t be regarded as acquaintances. At that time, we didn’t know each other’s names!I think it's fine if we don't go to coffee shops in the future, otherwise, we must go to this one, and occupy this old place. Doing so will arouse some beautiful memories and interesting emotions.

She smiled slightly. How strange, your speech is not like a soldier at all, but rather like a poet!She glared at me with a very mysterious look. Can't a soldier also be a poet?I ask her. The soldier and the poet are two opposite beings, and the two can never be combined. My opinion is just the opposite: the best soldier is also the best poet.The so-called poets are those who have the deepest understanding of life.A soldier is on the line of fire, hovering between life and death almost every second, and he has the deepest understanding of life naturally.Good poetry can be written any time he chooses to hold the pen.

However, this is not the case for ordinary soldiers. It's not that they can't, it's that they don't want to.Throughout the ages, among millions of soldiers, only two are willing to serve as poets. which two? One is Napoleon and the other is me.Napoleon was so lucky and resourceful in his life that he must also be a poet.As for me, I have been so unlucky and helpless in my life, so I must also be a poet. The servant brought coffee and refreshments. I took a sip of coffee and looked up at her: Do you know what I did the night before last after I broke up with you? She shook her head: She said she didn't know.

I ran back to drink coffee and sat for two hours. These two hours, you just drink coffee? Not for coffee, but for thinking. think? Yes: want to! I paused and said in thought: I'm sitting where you're sitting right now, thinking about it.I feel like there are endless things to think about. What are you thinking? There are many things to think about.For example: why did I come to Tomsk?And why didn't I watch the opera on New Year's Eve, and I ran into you on the street?I don't count meeting you once, I'll meet you twice!What is the meaning of our meeting?What else could happen?Will it be on this day next year that I will sit and drink tea under the window of an old tile-roofed house in southern or northern China, thinking about meeting you on this day last year?And a big gray button on your light gray fur coat?And you're sitting in a cafe in Tomsk drinking coffee and thinking about it?Thinking of a big black button on my black coat?Or think of something else?Why do strangers meet strangers?How did we meet?So what if we don't meet?Is it good to meet?is it bad?Is it good or bad?

Why do you have to think so much?It is not good to think too much! I also know: it is not good to think too much.But there is no way to think about it, and when you think about it, you will think a lot. Can't you think less? I shook my head, with a slightly sad taste: When it comes to the question of being able or not, it is very pitiful to say: there are very few things that a person can do.When we see cows and horses being whipped pitifully by farmers, we often have a question: Can’t they leave their masters and flee into the wilderness?However, they just can't escape!Looking at people from the perspective of the universe, they are not much different from cows and horses under the whip. You just asked me: Can't you think less?I wish I could, but in reality I can't.

After hearing what I said, she couldn't help thinking, and finally said sadly: You think life is too miserable! Too miserable? I ate a creamy snack and asked her back, but without waiting for her answer, I smiled sarcastically: My thoughts just now were actually optimistic thoughts, not tragic at all! I do not know what you mean!she says. You don't understand? I took a sip of coffee and said softly: According to what I said just now, when we play the tragedy of cows and horses, at least we still know that we are cows and horses.We will never pretend to be lions and tigers to others while acting like cows and horses.As for some people, they are obviously singing a cow show or a circus show, but they boast that they are singing a dragon and a phoenix dance. Isn’t this a real tragedy?

She sighed and said: Why do you think life is so terrible? Life is always scary, if it is not scary, it is not life! She listened with disapproval: Your words go too far.Life isn't all scary! I shook my head: My words are not at all over the top.In the experience of others, whether life is terrible or not, I dare not say.But in my own life experience, life is indeed terrible! Why? I don't want to tell you why.I just want to tell you a fact. As she drank her coffee, she glanced at me, waiting for me to tell her the truth. I solemnly said: Miss Aurelia, let me tell you very frankly: in my life, there are almost no things that have happened that are not terrible.Only once did I encounter a thing that wasn't scary, and it was the only thing that wasn't scary in my entire life!

What's up?she asked. This is how we met.I said softly. She listened to my words, looked at my solemn attitude again, and fell silent. Mr. Lin, I think you take life too seriously!she whispered. Do you really think so?I asked her: Do you think we don't take life seriously, is it possible? Of course it is possible. Well, then, now I make a simple request to you: Tomorrow night, I invite you to watch "La Traviata" at the Opera House, okay? this She hesitated a little. I laughed out loud: Just now you advised me not to take life too seriously, but now you yourself have to take life very seriously.You can always believe what I said just now, right?

What I used was the radical method.She was really excited by me.She finally smiled and said resolutely: Me, I can also be invited by you.It's just that we just met, I don't think I should be too presumptuous! I smiled: When you say that, you still take life too seriously!After a pause, I smiled and said: You are still a little bit frank! I don't confess?she asked with a smile. Yes, you are not confessing at all.What you just said was not what you meant to say.Your true words are actually: Sir, I hate watching La Traviata with you!Please stop pestering me!Yes or no? Her face immediately turned red, she lowered her beautiful head, and said in a low voice, very sincerely: Mr. Lin, you have completely misunderstood.I don't mean that at all.Me, I would love to watch La Traviata with you! Well, I've made it up: tomorrow night, I'll be waiting for you at the gate of the Opera House!