The first week I met Chen Northwest, I learned about his two hobbies, boxing and long-distance running.
It is not difficult to see that he likes sports from the well-proportioned body and back abs exposed by his shirt, which, strangely enough, is not incompatible with his cleanliness.
In my junior year, I said to Northwest, who was watching the boxing match, "Northwest, sign up for the school's 5,000-meter race."
Northwest stopped swinging in the hands of the fist, take off the headphones, a serious face: "What?"
Northwest is like that, when I look for him to talk about things, he always takes it seriously.
"The school has a five thousand meter race in a month, a piece of sign up." I repeated.
"Aigoo five thousand meters, forget it, go what to go ah."
My character and past deeds made Northwest think I was joking.
"Hey, I'm serious, Northwest. I'll go myself if you don't go." I was ready to get up.
"Wait, give me my name too." Northwest laughed.
"Haha, Satoshi Dog, you heard me, put both our names on!" I said with a giddy grin and one of the housemates in charge of the game.
The laughter faded, memories whitened. Five thousand meters, officially kicked off.
We only had three weeks to prepare. I've been with the Northwest for a long time, and I've been influenced by him, so I've got a little bit of a "base" in me.
"The 5,000 meter race is no joke." NW reminded me.
"Don't bullshit me, you ran all ten kilometers in the first place." I replied.
"Cut the crap" is a phrase Northwestern often says, and "ten kilometers" is the longest mileage Northwestern has ever run in my memory."
"So how many meters are you going to train for on a daily basis?" Northwest changed into his white undershirt and wrapped himself in a black fleece jacket.
"Five thousand meters, I think." I slowly smooth out my headphones and put them on.
"Bullshit, you don't train for at least ten kilometers." NW strangled his shoelaces hard.
"Come on, let's run ten kilometers tonight." Northwest opened the door to the dorm and walked quickly ahead of me.
"......" I didn't have time to speak, so I just stepped up my pace to catch up.
Northwest's steps were always fast, making him always walk alone in the crowd.
The two figures in the corridor slowly disappeared.
A path outside the school was planted with willows, and the streetlights spilled through the willows onto the path.
I watched as Northwest ran easily ahead of me, arms swinging slightly. Every few moments, Northwest would stop and look at me, "Erdog, is everything okay, go, hurry up."
The first five thousand meters he could barely keep up, the further back he went the slower his pace became, how could he not take a step, relying on a little inertia to stagger forward.
"Northwest, how many meters ah?" I shouted with all my strength, but it was just the usual voice of speech.
"Almost eight kilometers, Erdog, can you do it, no rest." Northwest held my shoulders and removed the headphones.
"Go go go, all right, can, run to eight kilometers." I rush Northwest.
Northwest shook his head and laughed at me, patting me on the shoulder, "Good, two dog brother."
Running to eight kilometers, we happened to arrive at a park. A group of amazons are dancing in the square dance, and a group of practicing skating, Northwest at this time will talk about Lanzhou, the difference between Lanzhou and here, Lanzhou's parks.
Northwest said, "When you go to Lanzhou in the future, I'm going to take you to eat the best one with beef noodles, introduce my sister to you, and let her take you to drink in all the major bars in Lanzhou."
"Ha, why your sister." I laughed.
"She knows these places well, she has a membership card."
"Haha, no no no, I'd rather not go."
"You'll stay at my house then, I'll vacate that room on the second floor for you." Northwest said to me seriously.
"Well, good, when the time comes, will definitely go to your home once." I promised.
Northwest stood up, patted me on the shoulder again, and said, "Good, when the time comes, I will treat you to Lanzhou wine."
Lanzhou, what a place to aspire to, even though I know nothing about her.
We got up and headed for the school, two people walking past before we could get a closer look at the shadows under the streetlights.
Three weeks passed quickly.
On the day of the game, Northwest instructed me not to eat too much in the morning, and to bring a bottle of warm water to sip before the game to moisturize my throat.
The two of us waited for our turn to enter the tournament, and the sun was high in the sky at eleven o'clock in the morning. Luckily, Northwestern and I were in neighboring groups, and I happened to be on the field as a reserve while he was playing.
I had faith in Northwestern to finish in the top three of the group! I watched as Northwest stayed ahead of the others, and I stood by the bunker with about two dozen people in my group.
"Northwest! Go for it!" I yelled at Northwest, watching him run towards me at an even pace, wearing his child's white undershirt.
I watched as Northwest ran hard towards me, I held out my right hand, Northwest lifted it slightly, looked at me, squeezed a smile out of the corner of his mouth, high-fived, and continued on.
I looked at his back, and again continued to shout, "Northwest, go for it!"
For Northwest's strength, I am assured.
When it was his turn to play, Northwest had already exited the field.
The second lap down, one understands that the race and running are two concepts.
The sun was particularly, particularly high, and one's strength was rapidly being depleted, and as one passed the stands, one could hear others shouting, "Two Dogs, go for it!" It was interspersed with Northwestern's voice.
Himself waved his hand hard, thirty meters, only thirty meters away from himself to be able to look at those people, to be able to hear those voices. I looked down and smiled, hold on again, this is the seventh lap, there are still a few laps, it will be over.
I saw one person run past me, and I watched a fat man faint and be sent away. I thought of some things in my head, I feel like stopping, I want to close my eyes, and took the cup of the "water point" next to the students, and poured it on his head, and continued to bury the steps, time really passes so slowly, I heard the northwest in a trance shouted my name, but I don't have the strength to wave, and even the head is a little bit unable to lift, I put the slightest bit of energy to wave, and I can't see the head, I don't know if the head of the head, I don't know what to say. I took that ounce of energy I had to wave and used it on my legs, summoning up some more energy and stepping forward with difficulty.
For a long, long time, I found my head a little dizzy, and I knew I might have to give up, well, give up.
"Last lap, Two Dogs, come on!" NW's voice drifted in.
It was as if it was the last straw I was grasping at.
The last lap, well, 400 meters, look, it's right there, not far. I comforted myself and finally made it through the last turn.
I saw the victory not far away, and looked at the runner in front of me who was only a few meters away.
At that time, I felt that I had the strength again, and I put up a fight, so what the heck. A closed eyes, legs a force, desperately flinging arms, towards the end of the rush.
I felt myself crossing a white line, I no longer have a little strength ......
Staggering and stumbling toward the exit, suddenly a stranger to help me, that is the college for the players arranged for the post-game care staff, I nodded and said thank you, continue to walk forward.
Before I could take my next step, Northwest suddenly appeared, holding me up and smiling at the caregiver, "Thank you, I got it, it's fine."
"Erdog, all right." NW assisted me.
"Dude, probably going to die this time." I forced a smile.
"Haha, can't die. Can you still walk? Hang in there." Northwest laughed at me.
"It's fine, can still walk." Before the words left my mouth, I almost fell.
"Ai ai ai, all right? First walk two steps, to the front to sit down and rest." Northwest called out.
The two chatted as they walked.
"Dude can't die, you're number one in your group?" I asked.
"Don't mention it." NW scratched his head.
"What's wrong?"
"I tripped over a guy on the third lap, fell on the back of my head, and almost passed out." NW said awkwardly.
"Crap, why didn't I see that, this dog and calf thing." I broke into a curse.
"Okay, okay." Northwestern waved his hand and laughed.
"I wasn't going to run, but on second thought, let's finish."
"Well ......"
The two said walking to a place to sit.
Northwest took a bottle of water and slowly poured it over my head, patting me on the head as he did so, I looked like an intermission contestant in martial arts. I know that the northwest in, I am sure it is all right, even if it is dead, the northwest will also take care of their own bodies.
That day was very hot, the sun sunburned my eyes can not open, like a wobble like, a year past, I graduated with Northwest.
After graduation, I came to Shenzhen alone, and the northwest went to Xi'an.
When I'm alone, I always find the influence of the northwest on me, the straightforwardness of the northwest people, the flavor of Lanzhou, the unintentional swinging of the fist, the occasional running alone, like to add a few cloves of garlic when eating noodles, the daily dislike of Lanzhou outside of any "Lanzhou Ramen", and began to pay attention to some of the "Han culture".
I said I can't decide on the day, probably to the winter, go back and then I can go to you for a drink.
Northwest said I can't find anyone to drink in Xi'an.
I said I was alone in Shenzhen and didn't dare to drink.
I was afraid that I was drunk, no one cared, in the past, every time I was drunk, is the northwest send me back.
Northwest said he is quite difficult.
I said it was fine.
The two men talked some more, and the northwest asked me when to go back.
I sighed and said, winter.
Northwest said, good.
We wait for winter.
Northwest seldom talk about feelings, most of his words in the wine. We got drunk a few times, he cried a lot, I said it was fine. I have been drunk a few times, drunk out of shape, Northwest helped me back, said, all right, two dogs.
I feel that I and the northwest after graduation and ran a five thousand meters, stumbling, almost thought I could not hold out, but still two people encourage each other to run down.
Later, I booked a ticket home and sent a message to Northwest.
"Northwest, I'm going home tomorrow."
Scenes about the old days floated in my head.
"Dude, I'm afraid I'm going to die this time."
"Haha, can't die."
"Erdog, you can be sure to come to Lanzhou, I invite you to eat the best beef noodles in Lanzhou, I let my sister lead you ......"
"When are you coming back? "
"Winter it ......"
The day after the snow, I bought a ticket to Xi'an and called Northwest without saying much.
Northwest said, "OK, I'll pick you up in the morning.
Winter, it's coming.