[Shenya] Aphasia

Chapter 1

For people from other continents, Britain in the 21st century is undoubtedly a bewildering cultural land.She has almost all the advantages and disadvantages of industrialization, construction workers and nobles walk side by side on the street, and almost every block in every city has noisy vagrants and mediocre white-collar workers.However, England is actually a country where lazy cancer is rampant. In fact, it is no wonder that the British - if you are in a country where you can get benefits even if you graduate from university and don't work immediately - they know how to enjoy it, and they will blow it up in the office Open a table full of documents and materials, make a cup of Earl Gray tea with an exquisite fine porcelain tea set, put a plate of muffins and cakes, and even drive directly to a certain park, where you can enjoy the whole life that is comfortable enough even though you haven’t finished your work. afternoon.

As an American named Bill Bryson put it after living in England for 20 years—a man who knows all about England's filth, but still loves her madly: a quiet but determined maverick.A country that enjoys its own pleasure but is self-centered.

The latter sentence is the impression of Yu Kanda gnashing his teeth after he walked out of Heathrow Airport.First, he was splashed with corn flakes by a British young woman who fell down while changing change, and then a wheel of the suitcase was stuck when it slid through the water spout. The owner of the bar almost wanted to shoot the case, because the owner of the bar cheerfully changed the asking for directions into his own topic, and had a good chat with the local residents next to him, but the protagonist was left alone.

"In terms of hotels, the hotels near the airport will be very expensive. The social housing in Kings'cross is a good choice for young people, and the average meal there is only 5 pounds."

"Actually, after the revitalization of the city, there are no particularly cheap neighborhoods in the city. What's more, the traffic there is extremely bad, and it will take longer to take the subway. I would rather choose an expensive but more convenient hotel."

"No, I will choose to transfer at the 'fork', then turn left and walk along the river... There is a small farmer over there, you know, the cheese there is very good."

"But Little Farmer's tuna is fishy, ​​you know that. I think the drive-thru is better, but there's always too many Scotches in there."

"Oh no Scotch - scotch eggs are delicious, the rest is a nightmare for me..."

"The food there is a nightmare in itself for an Oriental, don't you think, young man?"

The bar owner stroked his unshaven beard and giggled as he looked at Yu Kanda who was about to get angry.

Whatever words come to mind when you think of England, steam engines, castles, queens, football, argyle jumpers, Shakespeare, Conan Doyle, Adam Smith, clock towers, red telephone booths, top hats and canes, Cambridge And Oxford... must not forget one important element, gentlemen.

The word seems a little out of character now.It is true that this is a country that advocates self-restraint and restoration of etiquette. Etiquette and elegance have been scattered from the royal family to the bourgeoisie after the Renaissance, and are now deeply rooted in the blood of every British.Even the owner of a fascinator in the downtown area plays a ballad without lyrics on a computer loop with his eyes closed, will quietly lower the volume when you come to pay the bill, and send you a rose when you leave.

London has been exposed to all this, and even the climate is mild all year round, with drizzle in autumn.When Kanda arrived, London was drenched in autumn rain, so the whole city seemed to be wrapped in a layer of cotton candy, with only the back and forth headlights and the neon signs hidden in the brick buildings in the hazy sight.When he arrived at the designated motel, it was completely dark, and the room smelled of damp, but thankfully it was clean and tidy.The proprietress was also very kind, and as soon as he landed, he brought stomach-warming refreshments for supper. Kanda was too lazy to care about the environment, so he packed his luggage and prepared to go downstairs to take a hot shower to relieve the fatigue of the journey.

The wind was blowing outside, and the frosted glass of the window was rattled by the raindrops brought by the wind. Kanda opened the window and looked out. The gray sky was like a crumpled rag picked up from the water, waiting for someone to remove it. It's wrung out... Rather, Kanda has a feeling of being waiting here, whether it's academics, career, or something more distant and unknown, they are all brought to a place not far from him by this rain without making a sound , is about to change his 20 years of unchanging life, or, be changed by him.

"If you have finished the formalities and have nothing to do, you might as well come to me. My uncle can show you the things that the whole world is flocking to here - go to the London Eye to take panoramic views during the day, go to the British Museum to see the crystal skulls of the ancient Mayans, In the afternoon we had tea in Hyde Park. Then we had a good meal, and at night we went to see the colorful lights of Tower Bridge, and waited for the midnight bell at the foot of Big Ben. It was very romantic..."

"Of course, if you think the itinerary on the first day is not bad, we can find some remote but authentic things on the second day, such as delicious mashed potatoes, or lavender cake. There is a Mrs. Anderson in the west of the city. The garden is as beautiful as in a fairy tale, and I have some friendship with her, so I can..."

"Yu, are you listening?"

Kanda just frowned at the red-haired young man in front of him, and said "Shut up, I'm so annoying".

I met the rabbi on FB when I first applied for the school. This kid patted his chest and said that no matter which school you go to, you will be covered by me.It looks like a British pass.

Then with a shy face, he said that there is no need to pay, as long as you add me to your friend list.

"If you have to chatter, I'd be more willing to inquire about comfortable homestays in Manchester, the stock market or traffic conditions, rather than spending a lot of time on a trip." Kanda said impatiently.

"Straightforward guy." The rabbi was cut off and muttered softly.

"What did you say?"

"..."

That is to say, when Kanda, who arrived early because he was worried about the complicated procedures, settled down and opened the admission notice, he realized that there was still more than a week before the start date of enrollment.

Rather than spending a whole week watching the noisy Big Ben, it is really better to take a short trip.Kanda thought about it.The current situation still lacks a host family, but no matter how bad it is, there are student dormitories with good accommodation conditions. From this point of view, Kanda is not in a hurry.

Then the know-it-all Mr. Rabbi jumped out again like a rabbit who hears the sound of the cage door.

"Short trip? We can go to the Lake District together!"

"I know a Chinese girl who runs a hotel on Lake Windermere, you'll be more appetizing than these Brits... well don't stare at me, but her oriental food is delicious, just right for our romance Warm two-day trip!…”

Kanda grabbed a piece of cod with his bare hands and stuffed it across the table into the open mouth opposite.

So they picked a fairly good day and set off for the Lake District National Park that morning.

Although the so-called "good" industrial city will not have a breathtaking blue sky, but because the autumn rain has just ended, the air is full of water vapor, the trees exude a cool smell, and the fresh and pleasant weather is more suitable for travel. .

They soon reached the wide waters of Windermere.The clean air after the rain provides visitors with an excellent view. The blue-green foothills on the opposite side of the lake are impressive, with clouds coiled on the mountainside.There is a ferry moored in the lake, and the dark blue hull almost blends with the background board.Kanda walks along the wet boardwalk by the lake, looks away from the chattering rabbit in front of him, and sees migratory birds flying across the lake in a herringbone pattern, black and white swans beside the reeds in the lake Flapping its wings to play in the water.There are other tourists strolling by the lake, their leather shoes or sneakers squeaking on the plank road.Under the gaze of this vast natural moat, people are particularly prone to feel naked, ashamed, and tired, and they have a desire to abandon the luxury and return to the mountains and rivers.

Kanda felt that there was a picture of Beatrix telling a story to her three-year-old son in such a vast landscape, vividly and eloquently, like a long romantic poem.

The rabbi, on the other hand, was planning a "hospitality" lunch.Originally, this was not a difficult task for him, who has been immersed in sensuality for a long time, but due to the weekend holiday and heavy rain, most restaurants chose to entertain his oriental guest with closed doors.

Kanda scoffed at this.

"I'm going to eat meals here for a whole year, why should you rack your brains for this one meal."

"But this is the first meal I invite You to eat, at least I have to leave a good impression on you!"

Kanda wrinkled his nose, and was about to say, please bring me a piece of soba noodles, when he suddenly remembered the Chinese girl's craftsmanship that the rabbi had bragged about before.

"Li Nali is teaching paper-cutting outside today, and she won't be back until evening. Let's go to the hotel to rest first. ——I talked to her on the phone before." The rabbi scratched the back of his head.

However, the rabbi didn't find any food he wanted until after noon. Fortunately, some residents in the town still opened their own bars. Got a weird creamy minestrone and a gin.

"If you do this again next time, call me out if you don't make arrangements, and I will really beat you up."

Fortunately, the aftertaste of the wine in the mouth overwhelmed the unreasonable taste of the macaroni. The rabbi was able to escape the threat of violence from Kanda, and after passing through a small town, they quickly reached their destination.

It was a three-story brick and stone house, painted in typical Georgian reds, browns and whites, with flowers and potted plants on the verandah.The interior is a half-timber structure, simple and clean, all reflecting the delicate character of the owner.A solid wooden piano covered with clean white lace is placed in the corner, polished and polished.

Windermere Elf, it's really a name that girls will like.Kanda looked at the wooden sign above his head, and silently complained in his heart.

There was a huge clay doll of Peter Rabbit on the front desk, and someone beside him was sleeping soundly on his stomach. Peter Rabbit's sky blue short coat of the same color and style covered his angular shoulders, and his white hair hung softly on his arms.He was pressing an alarm clock in his hand—he had probably turned it off in a daze, and beside his other hand was an unfinished bag of potato chips, with crumbs spilled on the table.

"It's working hours, right? Can you sleep with snacks?" Kanda felt unreasonable.

"After all, it's a private hotel, so there's no need to..."

Before the rabbi could react, Kanda stepped forward with a frown and knocked on the expensive-looking nanmu table: "Front desk, should you wake up? How long are you planning to make people wait!"

The first reaction of the guy who was awakened by the noise was to rush forward and hug Peter Rabbit, who was displaced by the photograph, before raising his head.Then Kanda saw a pair of almond-shaped eyes, filled with the rare lead gray pupils filled with sleepy moisture, which seemed to be the brightest part of this young man.

The eyes stared at him for a while and then turned sideways. The owner of the eyes complained to Kanda: "This is the first time I have seen Dongfang who is so impolite. He woke people up as soon as he stepped through the door and almost broke other people's things." .”

"I'm so sorry, I should have stepped over your leg stretched to the aisle, and went upstairs to find a room for myself to rest." Kanda Wohuo said.The bad taste of lunch seemed to rise from his stomach again, making him very uncomfortable.

"No problem, but sir, have you paid the room fee?" He challenged, "Isn't it because you didn't bring any money and came here to make trouble?"

"What did you say..."

The rabbi's loud voice suddenly interrupted the quarrel between the two: "Alian, he is the friend I mentioned before... Stop arguing, I brought you and Li Nali some snacks."

Only then did Kanda focus on the guy in front of him... He looked even younger than him, and half a head shorter than him in height. After receiving the snack box, he unpacked a Black Forest cake and ate it, nothing more than biting Little Spoon rolled his eyes at himself.

Hot guy.Kanda made a conclusion in his heart.

However, this little episode didn't last long, and the rabbi forced them to shake hands and make peace, and they sat face to face at a small round table.The boy named Allen went into the kitchen to make coffee, and the three of them sat together and ate waffles with coffee for afternoon tea—although Allen gave more than half of his share to a crow named Clow at his feet. The golden retriever, that big dog's hair is as shiny as a lion's mane in the sun, and it seems to be taken care of exquisitely.

During the conversation, Kanda learned that the teenager is a friend of the hostess, who usually lives in Manchester, and comes here to help look after the store for a few months every year when he has nothing to do.When he learned from the rabbi that the Japanese student in front of him was all ready and only needed a host family, Allen's eyes lit up.

"I can give you the lowest price in Manchester without intermediary fees." The boy said with a smile.

"Yes, yes, yes," the rabbi slapped the table, "Allian's house is near the school. Although it's not big, it's no problem for two people to live there!"

Kanda noticed the "two people" and immediately raised his head: "Can you decide this kind of thing? You don't have to ask your family?"

"Need not."

Allen lowered his head and stirred his coffee with a silver spoon, and he raised his head after a long time, with a mocking smile on the corner of his mouth: "I live alone in my house."

So the matter seemed to be finalized, and Kanda and Allen made an appointment to go straight to Manchester after returning to London from the Lake District, and then they were puzzled by how quickly they had decided on a place to live.

The mistress of the Windermere returned to the inn when the clouds began to part in the sky.

It was a very cute Chinese girl with twin ponytails, delicate eyebrows and eyes, and a warm smile.She glanced at the remaining potato chips at the front desk and the chocolate sauce left by the cake on the table, smiled, took off her satchel, and swept towards Allen's ass.

"Ah! Li Nali...wait...I will clean...!"

The rabbi stood on the side in a leisurely manner, while Kanda got up and dodged with an annoyed expression.

"This bean sprouts is really annoying."

"What do you call him?"

"Bean sprouts," Kanda pointed out, "short and thin."

"Hey, the nickname is all set up," the rabbi stared in surprise, "You are really a very easy person to get along with."

In fact, for Allen, the description of "short and thin" is a bit exaggerated anyway.Five feet seven inches is not outstanding among Europeans, but he is by no means short.Because he likes to wear slim white shirts and large coats, he often looks slender, but when the sleeves are rolled up, he can also see his forearms covered with a thin layer of muscle.The only reason for leaving such an impression on Kanda is that Kanda is taller and stronger than him.

For example, Allen is squatting by the water with his sleeves rolled up, throwing the dry corn flakes in his hand to the swans not far away, watching them scrambling for food with their necks crossed, and spreading their snow-white wings intentionally or unintentionally. , making the guy giggle as they splashed over.The wind on the lake was slightly cool, and Li Nali put the sky blue coat on Alian's body, and the boy turned back into Peter Rabbit in an instant.

"Kanda, can you cook?" Li Nali asked suddenly when she learned that Kanda was going to stay at Alian's house.

Kanda raised his eyebrows: "What's wrong?"

"That would be great." The girl put her hands behind her back and smiled obediently.

The place for dinner is the agreed artificial island in the middle of the lake.There are not many residents in the Lake Windermere area, and the radius of the island they reached does not exceed 200 feet. There are only sparse vegetation and two benches on the island.Standing here just happens to have a panoramic view of the 360-degree pleasant scenery of Lake Windermere, and this pleasantness has doubled after Li Nali brought out the sandwiches and puddings she made herself-this point is from the rabbi You can see it with a mouthful of sauce and a happy expression.

"Whoever marries Li Nali is really a blessing from the previous life!"

"Does the rabbi want it?" another sauce-mouthed man grinned.

"Of course I want to." The rabbi didn't hide it.The girl just smiled lightly, her face flushed.

Even Kanda, who was silent, seemed to feel that compared with the disgusting macaroni meal at noon, he was a heaven and a hell.

At least it was a good trip.As he thought about it, he opened the curtains of the room—it was night when he returned to the hotel. Apart from the gentle wind, he could still see sporadic lights outside the window. The long Milky Way is like the footprints left by time, and people are thorny birds struggling to survive in the cage.

The rush of emotions that was most suitable for this situation was interrupted by a crisp knock on the door.

"Kanda, Li Nali made black tea."

Kanda took the tray and was about to close the door and turn around, but a hand blocked the door.

"You guys won't thank you?"

"Are you looking for faults?" Kanda said unhappily, "If I want to thank you, I won't be thanking you for this... bean sprouts."

"What an impolite person," Allen said loudly, "Is it your Japanese etiquette to call people casual nicknames, let alone we just know each other."

"For people who slander other countries at will," Kanda was a little annoyed, "I just told you that the bean sprouts were not chopped. You are really a conscience."

"God, you are such a person, I have to consider whether to let you live in my house."

"If I remember correctly, you invited me."

"I have the right to withdraw the invitation before the agreement is established." Ya Lianshu frowned and sneered, "Kanda Yu, I forgot to tell you that you must accept some conditions, otherwise you will leave without me."

He took out the pen and sticky note in his pocket, wrote something quickly, then tore off the sticky note and slapped it on the wall of Kanda's room, slamming the door and leaving.A series of movements are completed in one go like flowing clouds and flowing water.

Kanda continued to curse a few words in his heart, and returned to the house with black tea.Looking down from the window, you can see the warm light of the "Windermere Fairy" signboard. In the garden under the light, the girl is squatting down to comb the hair of the dog named Clow. The red-haired young man is standing beside them, and When the girl got up and went back to the house, he secretly took her hand.

The world is always changing, and life will never show respect for what you hold dear.In the vast universe, every creature longs for tomorrow to live as expected today. It is already a reversal of the natural ethics for human beings to be able to work and fall in love according to the rules.Some people are wise because they understand, while others suffer because they are confused.

The post-it note on the wall lost its stickiness and fell to the floor, and a line of flamboyant English was written on the side facing the ceiling.

"I'm queer."

-TBC.