The world of film and television begins with university lecturers

When we left the Jiang family mansion, the city lights were already on, and the buildings were brightly lit.

Han Tao drove his Audi Q7 out of the garage, and Zhu Suosuo naturally opened the passenger door and got in.

The car's interior is understated and reserved, with glass blocking out all outside noise, a stark contrast to her life of living in a cramped balcony room at her uncle's house for many years.

This made her secretly clench the hem of her clothes, and a hint of inferiority flashed in her eyes.

But in the blink of an eye, she regained her usual cheerful and bright smile.

"Teacher Han, your car looks very understated from the outside, but the interior looks very high-end."

Zhu Suosuo tilted her head to carefully examine the car's interior, her tone filled with undisguised admiration:

"It's so comfortable to sit here, and the soundproofing is excellent; you can't hear any noise at all."

Han Tao smiled and turned the steering wheel. "It's just a daily commuting tool, not as good as you say."

And please don't call me Teacher Han anymore. I've been calling you Suosuo directly, so just call me by my name.

The vehicle quickly and smoothly left the alleyway, merging into the evening rush hour traffic. Zhu Suosuo's lips curved into a bright smile.

"You're a few years older than both Nan Sun and me, so I'll call you Brother Han from now on..."

Once she settled on the form of address, she launched into a long, rambling monologue about countless everyday stories from the old alleyway.

For example, when I was a child, there was the kind old lady who always sold osmanthus cakes downstairs from my uncle's house, the shoe repairman who always secretly slipped her fruit candies, and the tense and suffocating atmosphere in my uncle and aunt's house.

She speaks quickly and nimbly, with the unique vibrancy and spirit of a girl from the streets.

But whenever the topic of living under someone else's roof comes up, her tone involuntarily lowers, revealing unspeakable grievances.

She didn't stop until more than forty minutes later, when the car stopped on the side of the road in the middle of an alley.

Looking through the windshield, Han Tao saw colorful clothes hanging outside the buildings on both sides of the alley.

  

This place is a completely different world from the quiet and elegant detached villas on Fuxing Road.

Further in, the roads become quite narrow, making it inconvenient for motor vehicles to drive in.

He turned off the engine, locked the car, and followed Zhu Suosuo into the old town streets steeped in the warmth of time.

"I usually spend most of my time preparing lessons or organizing teaching and research materials, so I rarely have the opportunity to experience the old streets and alleys of Shanghai."

I must say, this alleyway is exactly as you described, full of life and warmth, and carrying the vicissitudes of old Shanghai.

"That's right, I wasn't lying!" Zhu Suosuo proudly tilted her head back and pointed forward:

"See that shop around the corner? That's the bakery I mentioned."

The owners are an elderly couple who have been running this place for decades and only know how to make a few old-fashioned breads.

They never follow trends or make popular desserts online; they bake a limited quantity each day, and if you arrive even a little late, they'll sell out completely.

As she spoke, she led Han Tao through the narrow alleys with familiarity, greeting the neighbors along the way with smiles and warmth, as if the entire alley was her home.

The two quickly arrived at the shop. The wooden glass display window was covered with a layer of warm white mist, and the sweet aroma of roasted wheat and butter wafted out.

An elderly couple with gray hair were tidying up their worktable when they saw Zhu Suosuo walk in. The old lady's eyes crinkled into crescent moons with a smile.

"SuoSuo's here, but you're late today. The bread's already..."

Before she could finish speaking, she saw Han Tao following behind her. He immediately grabbed a thick leather oil paper bag, picked up two old-fashioned sweet breads, and handed them to her.

"These were originally meant for Nannan, but since Suosuo brought friends, I'll give you two!"

"Thank you, Grandma! I love your and Grandpa's bread the most; I never get tired of it!"

Zhu Suosuo readily accepted the paper bag, making a promise as she spoke: "Tell Nannan that Sister Suosuo borrowed the bread, and I'll bring her more delicious food tomorrow."

The old lady smiled and raised her hand, lightly tapping her forehead. "You have such a sweet tongue!"

Okay, two loaves of bread are nothing, let your friend try them.

"Okay, thank you, Grandma. I'll be going now!"

After saying that, Zhu Suosuo turned back and winked playfully at Han Tao, with a hint of smugness in her eyes:

"I'm not kidding you, am I really popular in this alley? This bread is something you can't buy anywhere else."

"It is indeed different. There are no fancy shapes, no fillings or decorations. It has more simplicity and human touch than those exquisite Western pastries."

Han Tao looked down at the two round, old-fashioned breads in the bag in her hand. The crusts were baked to a golden brown and crispy, sprinkled with fine sugar granules, and had a strong wheat and sweet aroma.

Hearing this, Zhu Suosuo smiled even more brightly, as if Han Tao's words pleased her more than any other praise:

"Of course! The bread here tastes just like home with every bite."

Han Tao smiled but didn't reply.

The two continued walking side by side. As they passed a crooked old locust tree, she suddenly stopped and looked up at the dappled sunlight filtering through the branches and leaves.

"Brother Han, do you know? When I was a child, I would hide behind this tree and cry whenever I was wronged."

After I finished crying, I went to the old lady's to buy a loaf of bread. Taking a bite, it felt like I could swallow all the sadness.

Han Tao listened quietly, his gaze unconsciously falling on the profile of her face.

Those eyes, which were always full of smiles, were now covered with a thin, transparent layer of moisture.

He still didn't reply, but simply took a loaf of bread from the paper bag, broke it in half, and handed one half back to her.

"So today, let's taste the flavor of 'home' together."

Zhu Suosuo paused for a moment, then chuckled, took the bread, and took a big bite.

The crispy outer layer crumbles between your teeth, while the soft, warm, sweet interior slowly melts away.

She quietly wiped her eyes and mumbled, "Mmm, delicious, it tastes just like before."

Han Tao also took a bite. The soft dough was coated with a light sweet aroma of butter and sugar. It was simple and unpretentious, but it was reassuring. There was no need to worry about any high technology or grueling work involved.

"Wow, this flavor is truly amazing!"

He offered a sincere compliment and then sat down on a long wooden bench against the wall:

"This is the old-fashioned taste that no chain bakery in shopping malls can replicate anymore."

Zhu Suosuo sat down next to him, taking small bites of her bread.

The old alleyway had a strong sense of daily life, which diluted the awkwardness of Grandma Jiang's deliberate matchmaking at the Jiang family dinner table.

There was no idle chatter or probing from others, only the whispers of neighbors and the occasional bicycle bell from passing by.

After being tense all evening, she finally shed the facade of cheerfulness and generosity that she usually maintained.

Her fingers unconsciously rubbed the corners of the oil paper bag, her heart filled with grievances that had been building up for more than a decade, which she could not confide in except her best friend Jiang Nansun.

Han Tao keenly sensed her somewhat downcast mood and softened his tone, half-jokingly saying:

"I have two great hobbies in my life... listening to other people tell stories, and telling stories to other people."

When you were having dinner at Jiang's house earlier, and you talked about the warmth and human touch in the alleyways, your eyes revealed your genuine love for this place.

But when she mentioned staying at her uncle's house, her tone revealed a lot of helplessness.

If you don't mind, could I be a good listener and talk about what I experienced as a child?