The middle-aged bailiff paused again as he tore at the skewers, repeated it a few times, and then fell silent again.

“...... Sometimes, I really think I'm just a knife, at least the knife doesn't have a mind of his own, and he doesn't care what blood is on his blade. ”

After a long time, the middle-aged bailiff slowly raised his head again, looked into the distance and said,

“...... At that time, I asked the retired big brother if he had ever killed innocent people after working for so many years.

He looked at me, shook his head, and told me that he didn't know...... Then he told me...... Every one of them was a condemned prisoner at the time of his execution. ”

As he spoke, the middle-aged bailiff paused,

"When I finally left, the big brother persuaded me again, at least when I carried it out, every prisoner deserved it...... But I still can't help but think...... I remembered the young man's appearance before he died, and remembered his words...... Looking at my hand, I always feel bloody. ”

Spreading out his calloused hands, the middle-aged bailiff looked at it and said,

“...... Before that, I was used to it, and after that, I became unaccustomed again. ”

Turning his head, the middle-aged bailiff looked at the dark river, and after being silent, he asked aloud,

“...... Little brother, you say, if there really is a hell in this world, will I go to hell when I die one day?"

Hearing this, Lian Ge turned his gaze and looked at the middle-aged bailiff,

"Do you think that the butcher who kills the pig and the sheep will go to hell?"

Lian Ge retracted his gaze, looked into the distance, and said in a calm tone.

When the middle-aged bailiff heard this, he didn't answer, but raised his head slightly, like Lian Ge, looked farther away, and fell silent.

At the night stall, there was a lot of noise, but in front of the table, it became more and more quiet.

......

“...... I did the old man's execution with my own hands. ”

After a long time, the middle-aged bailiff's face calmed down, and he said again,

"I don't know if it's to ease those feelings in my heart, I took the initiative to apply for the old man's execution...... However, after the implementation, there was no improvement. ”

“...... After that, when I raised the hand of the gun again, I always had the appearance of the young man in my mind, and I couldn't help but wonder if it would be the same this time...... When I slept at night, I dreamed of something else, the woman I saw for the first time on the execution ground, the middle-aged man who was executed for the first time......

The appearance of the young man, instead of slowly blurring with time, has become clearer and clearer in recent years......

The night before yesterday, I dreamed of him again,

In the dream, on the way to the execution ground, I sat next to him, and he hung his head and kept thinking, I didn't kill her, I didn't kill her...... Don't kill me, don't kill me......

...... Every time like this, I would come here to sit, it's close to his house, he loves to eat barbecue so much, if he's still here, I think, at this time, he'll always come here......"

As he spoke, the middle-aged bailiff lowered his head, raised his hand, took the skewer, and ate it in one bite, silently, tearing, and chewing.

“...... However, there are some things that someone has to do, and my hands are already dirty, so I have to come, and it is better for me to come. ”

When the words fell, the middle-aged bailiff didn't speak again, his head was stuffy, silent, and he ate the skewers in one bite.

Lian Ge turned his gaze, looked at the middle-aged bailiff, and then looked along the bank of the river, at the night stall next to the street.

At the night stall, it is still lively.

Calling friends, men drinking wine with bare arms, families chatting and talking, hot and sweaty diners......

In front of the oven, the stall owner was still waving a fan, turning the skewers, rolling up the vest to his stomach, and the electric fan behind him was still whirring and turning.

In front of the stall, around the incandescent lamp, a few moths and mosquitoes surrounded,

A fresh breeze blew by, rolling down a few more fallen leaves, taking away a wave of heat.

......

"I'm sorry, little brother, I told you this, and it poured your appetite. ”

The middle-aged bailiff kept his head and was silent for a long time, then raised his head again and said in a loud voice,

Hearing this, Lian Ge retracted his gaze, looked at the middle-aged bailiff, shook his head slightly, and didn't say anything.

The middle-aged bailiff lowered his head and looked at the empty skewers in his iron plate, and prepared to get up.

"Brother, let's eat skewers again,"

Lian Ge took out a skewer from his dinner plate and handed it to the middle-aged bailiff,

When the middle-aged bailiff heard this, he paused when he got up, then looked at Lian Ge and shook his head,

“...... No, this skewer always tastes bad in your mouth, so it's not wasted. Little brother, you might as well eat it yourself. ”

The middle-aged bailiff spoke, stood up,

"After eating your skewers and listening to your story, I always feel a little embarrassed, brother, you better try it. ”

Lian Ge didn't withdraw his hand, but waved his other hand lightly.

Hearing this, the middle-aged bailiff looked at Lian Ge again, and still reached out to take it,

"Thank you. ”

thanked him, the middle-aged bailiff politely, crossed the grill, and bit down the barbecue on the grill.

Immediately after, the middle-aged bailiff paused, just chewing in his mouth, standing in place, a little trance-like.

Lian Ge looked at the middle-aged bailiff in the middle, didn't say anything, turned his gaze, and looked into the distance.

......

At the night stall, on the lively and noisy table, the steaming heat of the barbecue rose with the diffuse aroma, and the middle-aged bailiff who was stunned in place, the skewers in his hand, also overflowed with heat, lingering in front of his eyes.

Tilting his head slightly, his eyes were in a trance, as if pictures were emerging in front of him.

“...... Trouble get down. ”

After a long time, in front of a simple table inside, a diner got up and walked sideways, walking by the side of the middle-aged bailiff.

The middle-aged bailiff slowly came back to his senses,

"Little Brother ......"

"How's it taste?"

Lian Ge turned his gaze, glanced at the middle-aged bailiff, and said with a slight smile,

"The taste is the same, just ......"

The middle-aged bailiff looked at Lian Ge, looked at him, and paused on the mouse on his shoulder before looking at Lian Ge again, and said,

"It just felt, just like that, like a dream...... I dreamed of the young man. ”

Listening to the words of the middle-aged bailiff, Lian Ge smiled, turned his gaze, and looked into the distance,

“...... I don't think the young man blamed you. The tone was calm, and Lian Ge said loudly.

“...... yes, who would blame the knife, except for the knife itself......"

After a moment of silence, the middle-aged bailiff replied,

looked at Lian Ge again, paused,

"Thank you, little brother. ”

As he spoke, the middle-aged bailiff turned his head, looked at the steaming skewers again, and after a pause, put the skewers on the table.

"Little brother, I'll leave first, and I have to go to the court early tomorrow morning. ”

Raising his head, the middle-aged bailiff looked into the distance and said loudly.

......

Watching the middle-aged bailiff settle the bill and leave, Lian Ge retracted his gaze, picked up the skewers on the dinner plate, handed a greedy guinea pig, and then picked up the one himself and ate it.

"Squeak...... Squeak squeak. The little mouse, holding the skewers, turned his head and eyes, and while gnawing, he looked at the remaining skewers on the table and screamed twice.

"You want to eat too?"

When Lian Ge heard this, he said with a smile,

"In your dreams, there is something else but food. ”

"Squeak...... Squeak squeak!"

The guinea pig held the skewers and gnawed, and screamed twice,

Lian Ge heard this and smiled again.

......

"Boss, let's have ten more skewers of roast pork rind......"

"Boss, there are still vacancies and no ......"

"Yes, yes...... Come on, come on, come on......"

At the night stall, it is still lively.

Looking at the hustle and bustle beside him, Lian Ge stood up from his seat,

"Boss, check out. ”