When Duan Whale's father and son returned to the gate of the Lin family, Lin Youqing also happened to arrive, and the three of them met on the road in front of the unit building.

Lin Youqing was still wearing the same clothes as yesterday, the collar was not neatly turned, and her hair looked a little messy. His face was still pale, and his eyes were visibly red and swollen, which was very different from his usual clean and fresh temperament.

Duan Xingze, who has always liked to stick to Lin Youqing, saw him like this, and even hesitated, grabbing the corner of Duan Whale's clothes and not daring to step forward.

"I'm sorry."

Duan Whale apologized for his impulsiveness: "I wanted to come over to see if there was anything I could do to help, but I caused you trouble." ”

“…… It's okay. Lin Youqing shook his head.

His expression was obviously a little sluggish, and he just looked at Duan Whale's father and son in a daze, and it took a while for him to come back to his senses.

"I'll take you into the house."

Unlike yesterday's warm and lively, the Lin family is empty at this moment. The living room was a little cluttered, full of footsteps on the shoes. There was still unfinished food on the table. A glass of wine shattered against the floor tiles, and the air still smelled of volatile wine.

Lin Youqing didn't say a word, only let Duan Whale lead Duan Xingze to the study to sit, and he himself went into the master bedroom.

Because the door was not closed, when Duan Whale came out of the study, he happened to see Lin Youqing put a new set of underwear into a paper bag.

Duan Whale hesitated for a while and then asked, "How is Uncle?" ”

Lin Youqing's hand paused: "My mother asked me to come back and get a new set of underwear for my father." Then go and buy ...... Buy clothes. ”

He was still dumbfounded, apparently trapped in a great state of astonishment.

The worst guess in Duan Whale's heart really came true, and he took two steps to Lin Youqing's side.

"Why so suddenly? Yesterday afternoon was fine. ”

"I don't know...... I don't know...... He has a heart condition, but he doesn't usually pay much attention to it. I had a few more drinks last night, and I was talking when I suddenly ......"

Lin Youqing didn't cry, his eyes were stunned, as if he was stupid. Only his hands clenched the sheets, so hard that the ten fingers of his hands were bloodless.

The more Duan Whale looked at it, the more heavy he felt, and when he came back to his senses, he had already reached out to hold him.

"I don't know what to say, but it's something that everyone has to go through, it's just a matter of time...... You don't have to face it alone, and you don't have to suppress your feelings. If you want to cry, cry out. ”

Lin Youqing still didn't cry.

He was hugged by Duan Whale, but he was so stiff that he seemed to be a dead tree. After a long while, he muttered softly to repeat what he had just said to Duan Whale yesterday.

"The tree wants to be quiet but the wind does not stop, and the child wants to raise but does not wait for ......"

This murmur made Duan Whale feel painful. He hesitated for a moment, then suddenly grabbed Lin Youqing's arm and stood up.

"Let's go, aren't you going out to buy something? I'll go with you, don't get stunned here, keep yourself busy. ”

Lin Youqing raised his head slightly, as if he realized that the person around him was Duan Whale.

“…… Aren't you going to catch a plane? ”

"It's delayed, at least nine o'clock in the evening. Let's go, let's go to the hospital together. ”

Lin Youqing was dragged by his arm and forced to stand up with a paper bag. As soon as the two turned around, they found that Duan Xingze was already standing at the door.

"Grandpa Lin, what's wrong with him?"

"I'll explain to you later." Duan Whale took out the majesty of being a father, "You will stay here for me obediently, and you are not allowed to go anywhere, do you hear?" ”

Xing Ze was very smart, and he knew that Grandpa Lin's affairs were not good, so he quickly nodded.

――――

Duan Whale accompanied Lin Youqing out of the house, found a small wreath shop near the community, and bought a set of shrouds and a pair of cloth shoes. A wreath and some other miscellaneous items for worship were also ordered. Then he took his shroud and cloth shoes and rushed to the hospital.

Lin's body is still in the morgue and will be transported to the funeral home the next morning. Taking advantage of this night, the Lin family had to wipe the deceased and change his clothes, and secondly, he had to negotiate with the funeral service who took the initiative to come to the door.

Duan Whale followed Lin Youqing into a single-story building at the back entrance of the hospital. After entering the door, there is a long hallway, and at the end of it is the morgue. At this moment, Lin Ma and Lin Youqing's younger brother were sitting on the plastic seats on the side of the corridor, surrounded by some relatives and friends who had rushed to hear the news.

Mother Lin was also a little surprised when she saw Duan Whale. Although she was immersed in great grief, she still did not forget to thank him for his care and return.

But Lin Youqing refused Duan Whale's desire to accompany him into the morgue to pay respects to his remains, and left him in the corridor. After several relatives of the Lin family learned that he was Lin Youqing's teacher and boss, they talked to him one after another, and sighed that it was nothing more than how Lin Youqing was sensible and obedient, and how bumpy the fate of their mother and son was.

About half an hour later, Lin Youqing and her younger brother helped Lin Ma out of the morgue and sat down on a plastic chair. Mother Lin's face turned pale, and she was helped to the front to see a doctor by everyone. The doctor arranged for her an emergency bed and gave her oxygen and fluids.

His father died suddenly, his mother collapsed again, and Lin Youqing's sky seemed to have collapsed all of a sudden. He walked around mechanically, going through the medical procedures for his mother, and by the time he stopped again, his lips were barely bloody.

His younger brother Lin Youquan couldn't stand it anymore: "Brother, you haven't closed your eyes all night and day long." I had a break this morning, and my mother asked me to take care of it, so you go back and rest first. ”

A group of relatives also responded in unison, saying that everyone in the hospital would take turns to watch, Lin Youqing is now the pillar of this family, and there can be no more mistakes.

couldn't resist them, but Lin Youqing proposed to come back in the middle of the night to change his brother's class. Everyone almost pushed and pulled him out of the hospital, and Duan Whale also dragged him by the arm all the way and led him in the direction of home.

It's a shame that Lin Youqing hasn't forgotten about Duan Whale: "Teacher Duan, your flight ......"

Duan Whale went to check his mobile phone. The flight notice had been sent a little earlier than the flight attendants had expected, and the boarding time was set for 8:30 p.m. tonight.

Check-in counters normally close 45 minutes before departure. In other words, it should be too late to leave for the airport now.

Duan Whale thought about it and still put the phone back in his pocket.

"I've canceled it." He said.

Lin Youqing's footsteps paused: "I'm sorry for delaying you and Xingze's time." ”

"We decided to stay for ourselves." Duan Whale interrupted him, "After all, Uncle only drinks to entertain us, and I'm uneasy. ”

“…… It has nothing to do with you. ”

In the blink of an eye, the two of them had already walked to the door of the house. Lin Youqing took the key and opened the door, and found Duan Xingze holding a mop, very serious about cleaning the footprints on the floor.

"Brother Youqing, don't be sad. No matter how sad you are, I'll cry too. ”

“…… Thank you Xiaoxing. ”

Lin Youqing touched his head, then took a deep breath and changed the subject: "I haven't eaten dinner yet." ”

"I'm not hungry."

Xingze shook his head, but in the next second, his stomach growled.

“…… Wait, I'll do it for you. ”

"I'll order takeout." As he spoke, Duan Whale had already picked up his mobile phone, "What do you want to eat?" ”

Lin Youqing shook his head: "Don't bother, let me do something, and I can also distract myself a little." ”

Duan Xingze immediately raised his hand: "Then I want to eat egg fried rice." ”

Lin Youqing put on an apron and walked into the kitchen, and took out the cleaned carrots and half a cabbage from the drain basket on the side.

In the next second, Duan Whale also followed, rushing to pick up the cutting board and kitchen knife.

"I'm going to do it, what are I going to do?"

Lin Youqing compromised, handed over a white planer, and explained a few words.

Duan Whale obediently washed his hands and began to chop vegetables.

Lin Youqing took out a bowl of shredded meat for pre-marinating and preparation from the refrigerator, as well as a few eggs, and began to beat the egg mixture.

The egg mixture quickly turned a uniform pale yellow, Lin Youqing put the bowl aside, and began to pour oil into the pot over the fire. When the oil temperature is right, he pours the marinated shredded meat into the pot and stir-frys, only to hear a crackling sound, and the aroma of the meat mixed with the smoke rises into the air.

Duan Whale was quick and immediately turned on the range hood.

“…… Thank you. Lin Youqing, who was in a trance, reacted at this time.

Under the heat, the shredded meat gradually changes color. At this time, the addition of egg mixture brought about a second movement in the pot. After the egg liquid solidified slightly, Lin Youqing gently swung the spatula to separate the egg pieces.

Duan Whale took the cut vegetables. Lin Youqing silently poured all the shredded cabbage and diced carrots into the pot, and finally added the rice in the rice cooker, stir-fried and seasoned.

The final product was quickly served. The colorful fried rice is topped with a little tomato sauce and a few slices of cherry tomatoes.

Duan Xingze was indeed hungry, so he said, "Thank you, Brother Youqing", and took a spoon and ate it in a big gulp. Lin Youqing asked Duan Whale to sit down first, and then went to make a big bowl of seaweed soup.

The three of them finally sat down and began to eat face to face, but did not speak. The living room was so quiet that only the gentle clash of dishes and chopsticks remained.

After the meal, Duan Whale helped Duan Xingze wash his face and brush his teeth, and let his son go into the study alone to rest. When he turned around, he found that Lin Youqing had opened the drawer in the living room, took out a photo album, and was wiping the dust on the surface.

He walked over and sat down beside Lin Youqing. The two did not communicate again, and Lin Youqing slowly opened the album.

"This is my original dad who died of acute leukemia when I was four years old. Seriously, I don't remember him anymore. ”

He spread the album out on the coffee table and pointed to an old, yellowed photograph.

"In order to treat him, my mother owed a lot of foreign debts at that time, and she did not pay them off for many years. Although she also wanted to start a family again, people at that time saw her as a widow with a child like me, and there were many people who wanted to take advantage of her, but very few were really willing to help. My mom works during the day and has to work an extra job in a restaurant at night to support the family...... But it was in that restaurant that she met my current dad. ”

Speaking of this, Lin Youqing took a deep breath.

"Although my dad is not my real dad, he treats me really well. Even if he had a younger brother later, he was never partial. When I went out to college, he went to ask the hotel buyer to buy the best quality seafood in Q City, and then carried it all the way to H City with my mother......

"I remember that, too."

Duan Whale sighed in a low voice: "I have been teaching for two years before teaching your students, but it is the first time I have met such a caring parent. At the time, I thought you must have been pampered at home, and I still had a little opinion of you. ”

"Really......"

Lin Youqing seemed to finally smile, and seemed to sigh.

"I also told them, don't do such embarrassing things, but they won't listen."

As he spoke, he continued to flip through a few pages of the album in his hand, muttering to himself. But it didn't take long for the eyelids to droop a little bit, obviously tired to the extreme.

It wasn't until this time that the whale found that Lin Youqing began to cry after falling asleep, and tears continued to roll down his cheeks.

Duan Whale didn't dare to disturb, just waited for Lin Youqing to fall asleep on the sofa, and then took a blanket to cover him. Then he returned to the study lightly and urged Xingze to go to bed as well.

The night was getting deeper, and it was so quiet that there was no sound in the surrounding area. Duan Whale opened his laptop and was about to deal with company affairs, but it didn't take long for him to close the computer and turn his head to look at Lin Youqing who was asleep.

I don't know how long I watched it, but the phone in his pocket suddenly rang.

Lin Youqing's arm moved, and Duan Whale quickly put down his notebook, took out his mobile phone and went to the kitchen to answer.

"Hello?"

"Brother Duan!" An anxious young man's voice came from the other side of the phone.

"As blue?"