As he gets older, he has officially entered middle age, thirty-four years old, and in a few months he will be thirty-five, and the passage of time has brought many changes, such as getting stronger and stronger economically, such as gradually increasing social status.

But middle-aged people naturally have their own troubles, such as the gradual weakening of physical fitness, the wrinkles that gradually appear on the face, the pressure of starting a family, and the need to accept the fate of their parents.

After all, no one can leave this world alive.

In the last four or five years, Lu Ze has forgotten how many funerals he has attended and how many cries he has heard.

All we can do is not wait quietly for that day to come.

At the airport, just out of the gate, today's imperial capital is a little windy, it is estimated that it will rain in the future, he glanced at his watch, it was already four o'clock in the afternoon, and I don't know why, the smoking area that should be full of passengers but there are few people, he found a vacant seat with people on his back, heated the cigarette lighter, looked up at the sky, and silently finished smoking this cigarette.

"Didi, Didi...... Hey, Lu'er, where is it?"

"I'm in the smoking area, under the overpass, 13, I see you, do you see me waving?"

Lu Ze raised his hand and waved at Wang Pushen, Lao Wang's eyes were also good, Lu Ze just shook like this, and immediately saw people, strode over with meteors, hooked two fingers to Lu Ze, and signaled to come to one.

The two stood on the side of the road, chatting and smoking the cigarette, then they called a taxi, and reported the address to the enthusiastic driver master who was full of Beijing accent, and heard that the address was a funeral home, and the master was not reluctant to pull, but put all the snorts he wanted to talk about back into his stomach, and took the two to their destination in silence.

This point is the time of traffic jam, go to the city is good to say, once on the fifth ring road, the basic five or six minutes to move a hundred meters, the two of them at this time are not in a good mood, after getting on the car, there is basically no language communication, each closed their eyes to recuperate, sat for more than two hours, it was dark, and finally arrived at the funeral home.

From the beginning, there are a lot of luxury cars parked on the side of the road, although the driver did not speak, but also curiously stretched out his head, the taxi drove slowly to the gate, there were many people smoking at the door, seeing Lu Ze and Wang Pushen get out of the car, their eyes looked at the taxi side by one.

It was also because it was dark, and Lu Ze also brought a hat and glasses, at first these people didn't recognize it, until Lu Ze took the initiative to take off these things, and the faces of these people, who had no expression, immediately changed.

"Hello Mr. Lu. ”

"Teacher Lu, are you here?"

For a while, the greetings continued, the voice was not flattering, but it could also listen to the good meaning, and looked at the faces one by one, some knew it, and some had never seen it, but even if they knew, they were all not good guys, otherwise they would not have blocked the door here for a long time and were unwilling to leave.

"Everyone, wait a minute, I'll go see the old man first, let's talk later, okay?"

"Yes, yes, the old man matters, it's me who is abrupt, Mr. Lu, please. ”

Soon, these people gave way to the aisle, and no longer stuck to Lu Ze like kraft candy, Lu Ze thanked everyone, and then followed Wang Pushen into the compound, asked a little, and walked into the farewell hall in the middle of the funeral home.

There are many seniors standing outside the hall, but the total number of people is not much, after all, it is the first day, and it is night, if it is not a particularly good relationship, it will basically come over the next day.

After shaking hands with the elders and saying hello, a girl who should be a member of the old Song family's side family handed over two chrysanthemums, the two stood at the door, sorted out their clothes, and heard mourning in their ears, Lu Ze sighed and stepped into the threshold that was half a knee high.

The crystal coffin was covered with a white cloth, and the old lady's face could not be seen, and there was no futon on the ground, which solved the troubles of many people whether to kowtow or not, and the old Song family was there, including Song Guiyuan's eldest brother and younger sister, their spouses and children.

Lu Ze looked at Song Guiyuan, he didn't cry, but he should have cried just now, his eyes were a little red, he nodded to Lu Ze, and whispered softly at the crystal coffin: "Mom, Lu Ze and Pu Shen have come to see you." ”

This sadness came from it, and it also aroused Lu Ze's sadness, he had seen the old lady a few times before, and once when the old Song Dynasty returned to Liao Province for the New Year, Lu Ze also made a special trip to the old lady to pay homage to the New Year.

In my impression, she is a very laughing old man, the second time I saw her, I also met her downstairs picking up water bottles, very thrifty, also very clean, especially kind, a few years ago obviously ruddy face, very energetic, I didn't expect such a short few days, it was suddenly gone.

Looking at the old lady's voice and appearance on the portrait, he took a step back, bowed to the old lady three times with Wang Pushen, and after thanking the family, he gently put the chrysanthemum in front of the coffin, and then walked in the direction of Song Guiyuan and gave Song Guiyuan a strong hug.

"The days have to go on, man, hold on. ”

He hugged Lao Song and slapped his back with a bang, Song Guiyuan pulled out a smile that was not ugly, and nodded vigorously at Lu Ze, he had said this to Lu Ze, this time, he returned this sentence and comforted himself.

Friends, when friends need comfort, they should shine in the form of a shield.

"Don't worry, don't leave if it's okay for the past two days, wait for me to send my mother away, let's have a drink, Pu Shen, you too." ”

"Okay, I'll accompany you as much as you drink, sister-in-law, give me a filial piety belt. ”

No matter when, Lu Ze admitted that Song Guiyuan was his eldest brother, so he also treated the old lady as his mother, and just now he saw Zheng Yi and a few of them at the door, with a white cloth tied around their waists.

Zhuang Xue didn't say a word, turned her head and brought it to Lu Ze and Wang Pushen, the two of them tied their filial piety belts firmly around their waists, and saw that someone came over outside, it should be the guest of Lao Song's sister, so the two of them did not occupy a position anymore and withdrew from the mourning hall.

People outside are standing, and funeral sheds are not allowed in the funeral home, and the October night is already cold, plus today's strong wind, and goosebumps will rise in an instant when the cold wind blows.

Because of this, the vast majority of people left after standing at the door for a while, and only a small number of people who had a good relationship with Lao Song, or people who wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to pull a relationship, did not leave, either waiting at the gate of the funeral home, or returning to the car to turn on the heater to keep warm.

"Pu Shen!

Zheng Yi sat in the car, put down the window and waved to Wang Pushen, seeing that Wang Pushen saw it, and there were unknown vehicles passing by on the side of the road, he closed the window again, and when Wang Pushen came closer, he leaned on the window to see, in the back seat, a group of old guys were playing poker in the back row.

There was no one in the co-pilot, he sat up, took off the scarf wrapped around his neck one by one, as soon as the warm wind blew, the snot flowed out, sucked it gently, pulled a tissue to wipe the slightly reddened nose of the cold, and put his hands next to the warm air outlet, waking up the fingers that had become a little numb.

Glancing at the old buddies behind me, the nature of playing cards is not high, purely to fool around with time here, the sound is not loud, and there is not much communication, just a number.

A few people said hello, Wang Pushen turned off the lights in the front row, leaned on the back of the chair and sighed, lowered the window slightly, gave Zheng Yi one, and lit it first.

"Hey, that's busy. ”

The two looked at the door of the funeral home, there was a crowd of people, surrounding Lu Ze inside, Zheng Yi couldn't help but sigh, he was from the old imperial capital, his accent was not light, and it sounded a little sour, but the brothers knew in their hearts that he definitely didn't mean that, just literally.

"Who doesn't say it, Wuyang Wuyang squeezed in front of him, what about Li Wei?"

"In Tianjin, isn't there a lot of people who come to see the old lady, the whole Dongcheng decent wreath has been sold, it just so happens that he is filming in Tianjin, so I asked him to bring our share by the way, by the way, did you order it here?"

"I finished ordering with Lu'er, there are still goods in Shunyi, and the list we placed on the phone is estimated to arrive in another hour. ”

Everyone has communicated before, they are all brothers and buddies, how much to buy is set by everyone, one person is ten wreaths, no one is more than whom, no one is less than whom, so as not to hurt the harmony, and buy too much, it is really difficult to deal with in the city, but it will cause trouble to Lao Song.

The two chatted in the car, and Lu Ze also shirked in every possible way, and his attitude was as tactful as possible, really because on this occasion, he was embarrassed to pout the faces of these people who came to pull the relationship.

He actually hates to socialize in the circle on this occasion, it is obviously a sad and very serious matter, and the main person is not these relatives and friends who participate in the memorial service, but today's atmosphere has turned the funeral into a social use of the working class, as if the last value of the deceased is to create connections for other people.

But it is precisely because this is the last value of the old man that no one will put on a dissatisfied face on such an occasion, especially a friend like Lu Ze, who is very close to the main one.

Listening to the other party's words, Lu Ze could only nod and accept it, he collected a lot of business cards, and he stacked them into a stack and stuffed them into his suit pockets, and when he got out of the crowd, he began to feel cold again, standing on the side of the road and looking around, looking for Wang Pushen's figure, until Zheng Yi's under-kicking hit two double flashes, and the LED headlights shone brightly into Lu Ze's eyes.

A Toyota Alpha, on this street can find out twenty cars and more than rich, since a few years ago, the domestic business circle has been popular with this car, it is said that the price increase is quite ruthless.

It seems that this car has become a ticket to what class, Lu Ze has long stopped playing in China, and I don't know how this thing became popular, but as long as you understand a truth, the more people buy it the more ruthlessly they ask, and if they don't increase the price, these people won't buy it, and you will understand what the tone of the people who buy this car is.

But don't say it, if this car is a wedding, it's also suitable for a funeral, and the team looks quite good, but no matter how it is, it can't be worthy of this beautiful price.

The back door was opened, and Lu Ze boarded this rich man's toy for the first time, and the space was not small, but two airline seats were placed here, plus three people were seated, and the space seemed a little aggrieved.

Zhao Xinxiang turned to the third row to give Lu Ze a seat, and he couldn't refuse, Lu Ze could only shake his head and sit on this airline seat, seeing that there were pokers in the gap between the armrests, and he was picked up to play together, so he didn't refuse the invitation again, joined the battle, and dismantled three decks of pokers, and played four punches with these three people.

I haven't eaten in the evening, and Lu Ze didn't go to the dinner to entertain the guests, for fear that there would be something to help my brothers, so I ate some bread and milk in the car and dealt with it.

It's raining.

A black A8 drove slowly, Lu Ze looked sideways, and through the lights in the A8 car, he saw Zhuang Yu and Wang Zhen opening the car door, holding up an umbrella and hurriedly getting out of the car.

"Brother Shen, you play two tricks for me first, this will stabilize me, and I'll go out. ”

"Okay. ”

found a substitute, Lu Ze also ran out of the car with an umbrella, strode towards the two, shouted on their lips, and the two stopped and turned their heads to look at Lu Ze.

"Lu'er?"

"Hey, Sister Zhen. ”

Wang Zhen was still very hearty, his expression was very surprised when he saw Lu Ze, and he gently hugged Lu Ze, which left time for Zhuang Yu, and he also hugged Lu Ze and showed a smile.

"When did you arrive?"

"I've been here for a while, where did you two come from?"

"I just came back from the magic capital, and when we received the letter, we were still in Tiancheng for a meeting, and the traffic jam began to start after leaving the company, and the plane was delayed, so I didn't catch up, how about the old lady?"

"It's very good, it's decent. ”

Looking at the hall, the lights are bright, very bright, just in another half an hour or so, the funeral home should be closed, now the big city has long been not allowed to build a private funeral shed, the wake is naturally not, the old Song family will also have to come out, if you want to go home, go home, if you don't want to go home, you will deal with it in the parking lot at the door for a night.

"Alright, go stay with me tonight. ”

"Don't, I'll take a look at the situation, if I use help, I'll sleep in the car, if not, I'll go to live with my master, the old man called me several times, I have to see the old couple when I get to the imperial capital." ”

"Okay, bring a good message to Old Man Chen for me, will you still go in?"

"I'm not going in, the wreath hasn't arrived yet, so I'll have to call and ask. ”

After saying that, Zhuang Yu and his family entered the hall, and Lu Ze also contacted the driver who delivered the wreath, it is said that the goods can not be delivered until the rain stops, so as not to damage the wreath by the rain, Lu Ze can only do it and return to the car to keep warm.

Until eight o'clock in the evening, the funeral home was officially closed, all the family members left, and it was at this moment that the sound of rain began to subside, Song Guiyuan's brother and sister found Lu Ze to express their gratitude to him, and the group stood at the door, discussing who should keep the wake tonight.

"Listen to my brother, you and my little sister go back first, I'll stay here tonight, you two go to my place, guard the house, and secondly, little sister, you accompany our dad more, the incense at home can't be broken, it's so decided, Brother Ming'er, you come to live for me again, daughter-in-law, you take Xiaoliang to live with your eldest brother, the child is also sleepy, hurry up and let him sleep, give the house key to the eldest brother, Lu'er, Lao Zheng, Lao Wang, you should withdraw and withdraw, let's go." ”

Although Lao Song is the second in the family, he is the hardest to speak, he made an arrangement, and the other two siblings didn't say anything, nodded, and packed up their things in silence and prepared to leave.

"Guiyuan, you ...... Can one person do it?"

In the end, the daughter-in-law hurts the man, this is indeed not a good place, sleeping in the car at the door of the funeral home, or alone, even if she is not superstitious, she should be worried at the moment, after all, there are many stories of a person going to the grave, or passing by the funeral home and being scared crazy.

"What's not going to work, ......? Who's here again?"

Not far away, two trucks, one large and one small, came, everyone squinted and looked over, and saw a man in front of the co-driver of the big car, jumped down from the car, threw the cigarette butt on the ground and stepped on it, the light was too dazzling, and the face could not be seen clearly, until he shouted a voice, and everyone found out who it was.

"Come here, come on!"

"Damn, Lao Li, why did you come back?"

"Don't mention it, it's raining heavily, I can't see clearly, I almost even took someone to the car in the ditch, master, you unload the car, unload it in the yard, whose car is behind?"

Lu Ze's mobile phone screen lit up, and he hurriedly beckoned to admit it, walked to the truck driver to sign, and paid the final payment, Song Guiyuan also finished talking to the doorman here, everyone worked together, resisted the wreath into the yard, and fixed all the wreaths in series with ropes, confirmed that the wind would not blow away, and finally covered it with a layer of transparent plastic sheeting, so as not to be repeated by God.

After the work was done, the group determined the itinerary again, but this time, Lu Ze and the old guys didn't agree, this place is really evil, a few big men are here to say, they must be scared here, Lao Song is a dead duck with a hard mouth, if everyone is gone, he will definitely regret it.

All of them were old brothers who had known each other for more than ten years, and no one had a second word, and they didn't live anywhere? These old men didn't live where they lived when they were young? They all came down, and none of them had any errands to slip their legs, so they arranged a place for the women and children who were present, left four cars for a few people, and the large army withdrew.

Lu Ze suddenly felt that this place was quiet all of a sudden, and there was not even a sound of cicadas chirping and frogs, too, it was almost winter, and the little insects had already frozen to death.

It's only eight o'clock, and everyone must not be sleepy, so they had to park the two cars side by side, and use the remaining plastic sheeting to clamp between the door and the car glass, and enclose a shed that can only block the wind, but there is no cover, and the game should continue to play poker by the headlights of the security room, and if you don't want to play, go back to the car to play with your mobile phone.

During the period, everyone also asked about Lu Ze's recent situation, but the questions were very basic questions, and they simply chatted about whether they were suitable for life abroad, etc., Lu Ze didn't like to play poker very much, mainly because he really didn't have any talent for this thing, who would still play if he always lost? Throwing down some bits and pieces of loose money, he lay down in a car with Song Guiyuan, took out his mobile phone and played for a long time, he came sleepy, the sound outside was too noisy, and he couldn't get into the system space, so he fell asleep.

I don't know how long I slept, in short, I subconsciously told Lu Ze that he didn't sleep for a long time, and suddenly the sound of the car door woke him up again, he turned his head and looked, it was Lao Song who opened the door and got out of the car.

"What are you going for?"

"Go to the toilet. ”

Lu Ze felt it, felt that he was also a little reserved, sat up and rubbed his eyes, and greeted Song Guiyuan.

"I'll go too. ”

This place is very deserted, it's almost in the mountains, the public toilet is in the funeral home, not to mention that the doorman has slept, they are embarrassed to disturb, even if the uncle is not sleeping, they are not so fat, dare to run to the funeral home in the middle of the night to go to the toilet.

There is no way to lower the quality, so it can only be solved on the spot, following Song Guiyuan's profundity, the two chose a roadside tree a little farther away, Lao Song handed over a cigarette, Lu Ze took the opportunity to light it, and then they each stood in front of a big tree and unbuckled their belts.

"When the day after tomorrow arises, you take a hand. ”

"Okay. ”

After speaking, the two of them stopped, no need to say a word of thanks, they each found a tree that was quite thick, and they couldn't see any variety when it was dark, and they opened the zipper and began to solve personal problems, because they were facing away from the road, their eyes would naturally look at the fields, and they couldn't see far at all, as for the ghosts, it was nonsense.

"Why do you say that this old man didn't even say a word, just said my mother, I went to have a meal, I didn't wait for me to come back and left, I didn't even see the last sight, you also know that my old lady has been thrifty all her life, and when she is old, her son and daughter don't want this, don't do that, or pick and search to live, this is down...... We brothers and sisters, we have thought about it for the rest of our lives, what do you say to eat again, can it still be fragrant?"

"An era has an era of life, a generation is destined to have the imprint left by that era, although our generation does not have to worry about food and clothing, but when the time comes, if the children are filial, and the day we die, they still have to feel that they owe us, this is the number of lives, parents gave a life, how to calculate the price of life. ”

This thing can't be paid off, they are not Nezha, and even if the bones are cut and the father is cut and the flesh is returned, even if the two are cleared, they will owe more, and the debt is owed, and they are destined to be owed in this life, so what else can be done? This is what Lu Ze sees clearly, we are destined to come with apologies to our parents, and similarly, our children will also send us away with apologies to us, or it is more appropriate to change the word, this is not a debt, but a reluctance to the family bond.

Shaking it twice and putting on the inner layer, Lu Ze suddenly heard Song Guiyuan sigh, and there was a slight snort with some sac gas, Lu Ze was stunned for a moment, and watched Lao Song put on his pants and turned to leave, but he didn't see his face, flicked the cigarette ash, and he also dragged his trouser belt and left together.

“......”