In October, Songsong moved for the sixth time, which was the most traumatic experience since working in Shanghai.

Young people like me and Songsong, in our 20s, have stable jobs, go in and out of high-end office buildings, and often fly around on business trips. Compared to many of our peers, we have a hard-to-hide sense of superiority. However, whenever I talk to my classmates, I soon feel confused: "Although others only have 3,000 yuan in salary in a small place, which is not enough to pay half of your credit card consumption, they have already bought a house, a car, got married and had children. As for us, we have a bright appearance, but in fact we have nothing, even the house is rented."

In other words, I'll give you $3,000 now, and let you live in a small town that doesn't even have a book bar or cafe at night, are you willing?" Song Song always said so confidently.

Admittedly, she was right.

On the weekend, Songsong called me and said he wanted to go for a stroll at IKEA. I thought it was just a stroll, but Songsong bought a table, a sofa, rolls of wallpaper, and a few bits and pieces of trinkets.

I carried the table, looked at Song Song, and asked, "What are you going to do?"

"Why not? My room is too old. I can't feel at home lying in bed, so I have to start renovating it."

"Please, it's just a rented house, okay?"

"So what? The house is rented, but life is not."

From that day on, Songsong started "remodeling" her "boudoir" as soon as she got off work. After a week, the room was turned upside down. She put away all the old furniture, and the whole house was like a new home.

The other day, I was sitting with Songsong on her newly bought sofa watching a movie. Songsong hugged the pillow and said, "Why do foreign people live in rented houses and never limit their footsteps because of the house problem, but Chinese people can't It seems that you must have a house of your own and a real estate certificate with your name on it to be called a perfect life?"

"Because you have a house, you have a home."

"What is home?"

"There are loved ones, soft beds, breakfast, and dinner."

"My new mattress is very soft. If I find a boyfriend, I won't force my beloved to have a house, but he must have a heart that can fight to get out of the house."

"Don't be so artistic, okay?"

"I didn't! I'm just feeling casually, let's eat at my house tonight. I bought vegetables."

The dinner was simple. We sat at opposite ends of the table, and the whole room had a good atmosphere, perhaps because Songsong had specially "renovated" it. Songsong's dishes were not delicious, but they made people feel at ease. For a moment, I felt that we were not two people wandering around Shanghai, but good friends living at home, and this house did not have so much rejection of us, but rather a special tolerance.

Songsong and I have been in Shanghai for three years. During this time, are we really happy everywhere? The truth is not so. Like everyone who strives to live, we have spent a long time recharging ourselves, making ourselves three heads and six arms, and even stronger. We hope that every time we stand in front of others, we can show our best selves.

When Song Song was cleaning the dishes, he turned to ask me, "When taking a shower, have you carefully heard the sound of the shower head falling into the water?"

"Speaking of which, there really was."

"Do you feel that that kind of sound makes you feel especially calm? No matter how many irritating things are outside, when you take a shower, they have nothing to do with you, only the sound of water. Because at that moment, you know very well that no one bothers you, only you can hear your inner voice. I think this is life."

That night, the two of us walked slowly to the subway entrance, and the wind was so strong that we almost didn't dare to reach out at will. I turned around and said, "Go back, it's so windy." She nodded, ready to go back, and suddenly I thought, "By the way, it's your birthday soon." Songsong nodded, "It's the day after tomorrow. I'm on a business trip and can't make it, so I'll invite you to eat at home first. It's easy, but it's good to be happy."

"Ah! I didn't buy a cake."

"Formalism."

"Then do you have any wishes?"

"I think my only wish is to know myself a little more in the new year."

She smiled so brightly at the subway entrance where people came and went, as if the life in front of her was a flower blooming in optimism.