The fiercest midday sun fell through the gaps between the leaves and the feet of Jin Qiu and Jinqiu, and I don't know how long it had been in a state of distraction, and I was a little scared to come back to reality.

I didn't smoke again, but Jin Qiu smoked nearly half a pack of cigarettes, so there were slender cigarette butts under her feet, and she looked as worried and sad as I was.

After another moment, she said to me, "Jiang Qiao, it's time for lunch soon, do you want to make it yourself, or go to Wutong Restaurant to eat a little?" ”

I remembered that I hadn't cooked for my grandmother in years, so I finally got up from the curb where I had been sitting, and replied, "I'm going to buy some food, make a pork rib soup for my grandmother, and bring it to her in the afternoon." "Stew more, my parents are too...... Why don't you cook their dinner too...... I'm with you. “

I didn't refuse Jin Qiu's suggestion, because at this time, the two families had gradually become one because of their friendship for so many years. They were my last recourse in the city.

……

We bought some vegetables and meat from the vegetable market and returned to the small courtyard, Jin Qiu was startled by the dilapidated inside, and wanted to say something to me, but in the end he didn't say anything. After placing the vegetables on the stone table, she began to clean up the pieces of the pots that had not been completely cleaned up.

When I entered the kitchen, I found that a lot of kitchen utensils had also been smashed by myself, and I stood a little overwhelmed, and remembered how crazy, hysterical, and painful I was that day......

Jin Qiu came to my side, looked at the gas stove that was completely unusable, and was helpless for a while. After a while, he said to me, "I'll go buy an induction cooker now." “

My mind was all on my grandmother, and I remembered again that when I was a child, she used a stove to cook breakfast for Yang Jin and us, and the stove has not been removed until now, it is in the utility room, and the utility room, more than ten years ago, was our family's kitchen.

I really want to use this stove to cook a meal for my grandmother at this time, just like she worked for the family more than ten years ago. Although this family is no longer a family, those friendships have always been deeply rooted in my heart.

I went into the utility room, and then began to clean up the dusty clutter, and Jin Qiu, who saw my thoughts, also began to help, so that the dust, which was drier in the summer, instantly rose up and fell on our hair and bodies.

After tidying up the space for cooking, I took out the rusty iron pot from the corner of the wall and put it in the yard to clean the rust from it. Looking at the rust falling one after another, I seem to see a kind of life after precipitation, if this pot also has life, will it be happy because it sees the light of day? Or am I doing it too much, and it's used to the silence of not asking about the world......

Returning the pot rack to the stove, I found some firewood and hay from last year's coal stove. I didn't intend to ask Jin Qiu to help, and I didn't expect her to help, but she squatted on the ground and said to me: "Jiang Qiao, you cook, I'll light the fire......" "Can you?" "No, but I want to do my part...... It's a big deal that you take a fire extinguisher and stand next to me, ready to put out the fire at any time! “

I looked at Jin Qiu, she hurriedly got up again, waved at me and said, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry...... I didn't mean to be on fire, I just didn't really have much confidence in myself. ”

"It's nothing, if you really want to help, just go and wash the dishes, there's no problem with me cooking by myself, because you don't have to worry about the firewood when you put it in."

Jin Qiu looked at me, then smiled and replied: "Jiang Qiao, these days, it's the first time I've heard you say two things in one sentence, this is a good start, in fact, I'm especially afraid that you will be silent, and then you won't be able to get out of such a relationship...... It turns out that you have to be stronger than most people. ”

"After venting, I won't do anything about myself...... Let's go wash the vegetables. ”

"Well, make a bite to eat...... It's been so long since I went back to China, and I haven't eaten your cooking again......"

I nodded, squatted down, took out the matches, and prepared to light the hay and firewood, and stew the pork rib soup first. And Jin Qiu also turned around and walked towards the place where the vegetables were chopping, and soon made a "ping-pong" movement. But compared to Xiao Ai, her hands-on ability is not much stronger, a good potato was cut into strange shapes by her, and then showed it to me, and asked me: "Jiang Qiao, do you look like you?" “

I wasn't in the mood to pay attention, and she asked me again.

I said to her, "You really don't need to amuse me in this way...... I can't be happy either. “

Jin Qiu put down the potatoes in his hand, then smiled and said to me: "If the person who was injured in the fire is me, and the person who accompanies you is Xiao Ai, when you face this qiē again, I'm afraid you can be happy in the bitterness, right?" “

I stopped what I was doing, and then imagined the picture that Jin Qiu had painted, but it stopped for a moment, because I didn't want anyone I cared about to be hurt in the tribulations of life, whether it was Xiao Ai or Jin Qiu...... I'm not as selfish as Jin Qiu thought, and I must replace someone with someone. For me, they all have their own appearance, so no one can really replace the other.

I picked out a larger firewood and put it in the fire pit under the stove, and then said to Jin Qiu: "The most important thing for cooking is how to take charge of the spoon, not the person who washes and chops the vegetables, so you don't have any psychological burden, just use your imagination ......."

Jin Qiu shrugged, pursed his lips and smiled again, then turned around and walked back to the place where the vegetables were chopping. And I looked at her resolute back, and I couldn't help but wonder: this woman doesn't seem to cry, never cry, which will give people the illusion that she never seems to be in pain.

……

After working hard for a long time, Jin Qiu and I finally made lunch and dinner. We didn't care about eating first, so we delivered the food to the hospital, and the old Jin couple didn't leave for a moment, they stayed by my grandmother's side and chatted with her.

After the meal was delivered, Jin Qiu's company had urgent matters to deal with, so she left first, and before leaving, she left her car to me, saying that it was convenient for me

After eating with Lao Jin and the others, Luo Sumei called me to the outside of the ward and said to me: "Before, I told you about the ward in Shanghai, and there will be a place at the earliest. The transfer here proves that your Uncle Jin has done it, and we will leave for Shanghai tomorrow morning, this condition cannot be delayed, so you hurry to the nursing home now and pack a few accompanying clothes for the old lady...... The duration of treatment will not be short. “

With doubts in my heart, I asked, "Everyone knows how tight the beds over there are, and it is normal to postpone them, and it is really unheard of to be able to book a bed in advance." Auntie, can you sue me, what kind of relationship are you looking for? ”

Luo Sumei looked at me, and then replied: "You kid, it's all this time, why are you still asking so much." Everyone is anxious about the old lady's condition, and all the relationships they can find have been found, and it is a good thing to be able to book a bed in advance...... Hurry up and do everything you need to do. ”

Luo Sumei's words made me unable to ask any further, plus I was in a heavy mood and didn't have a deep understanding, so I left the hospital after clicking it, and then drove Jin Qiu's car to the nursing home.

……

In the nursing home, I was alone in a wardrobe that was so old that it already smelled musty to sort out my grandmother's clothes, and I cried when I saw that there was no place for patches on many socks...... I cried until I couldn't help myself. When I was faced with these clothes, I realized how incompetent I had been over the years, and what kind of life my grandmother had lived......

I didn't bring any of my grandmother's old clothes, I went to the store and bought three new sets of clothes, not very extravagant, just just right...... However, these did not make up for my indebtedness. I don't know where Jiang Jiyou will feel when he knows this, and he obviously has more responsibilities to his grandmother.

I will not recognize this father again, no matter what hardships he may have.

Towards evening, there was another shower of rain, the air was very humid and mixed with the smell of earth, I opened the window, and finally a relatively fresh wind blew in, blowing away the smell of the potion......

I saw my grandmother resting in the glass window, and I thought of Xiao Ai who didn't know where she was. If it weren't for the fire in the piano shop, she would still be healthy by my side, which will definitely make my grandmother more down-to-earth...... Perhaps, my grandmother, who has fallen asleep, misses Xiao Ai more than I do.

In such a cranky thought, the door of the ward was gently pushed open, and it was Yu Xin who came with Xiaofang. Yu Xin put the fruit basket on the cabinet next to the hospital bed, and then whispered to me: "Brother Jiangqiao, go out, I'll talk to you about something." ”

Yu Xin and I stood in the corridor of the hospital, and after saying some comforting words, she said to me: "Tomorrow is the first day of the Xinghai Cup, I will take Xiaofang to participate in the competition, and the former students of the piano store are also very active to cheer for Xiaofang...... Brother Jiangqiao, I know you're busy right now, but can you take the time to go to the scene to cheer for Xiaofang in this first game? …… After all, this is what Xiao Ai cared about the most before leaving, and it is also the most serious thing she has done since I met her! ”

After thinking about it, I shook my head and replied, "Grandma will be transferred to Shanghai for treatment tomorrow, and I have to stay with her no matter what." “

Yu Xin was full of surprise and asked, "Transfer to Shanghai?" …… Grandma, what the hell happened to her, I thought it was just an ordinary hospitalization, very strict? ”

I felt a pang in my heart, and I lit a cigarette before replying, "...... It's advanced stomach cancer! ”

Yu Xin was silent, sighed, and silent, and said after a while: "It's really hard for you, Brother Jiangqiao!" ”

I didn't say anything, just turned and leaned on the railing of the bay window, looking out at the city in the distance...... Perhaps, there will be Xiao Ai's shadow there, and he is also silently cheering for Xiao Fang......

When I was about to finish a cigarette, I looked at Yu Xin earnestly, and then asked her, "Sue me, did Xiao Ai contact you after leaving...... You're her best friend, and if she still wants to know about Nanjing, she'll definitely get in touch with you! ”

Yu Xin looked at me with some sadness, shook her head for a long time, and replied, "No, she didn't contact me...... This time she's really gone! ”

I snuffed out the cigarette butt in my hand and stared into the distance without saying anything until the clouds in the distance had dispersed, revealing the outline of a sunset...... There is also a burning cloud by her side, which is really beautiful!