Suddenly, Xiao Jingtian's face turned pale, the withered palm held on the armrest of the sofa was fastened and fastened again, his nails were embedded in the wood, his hands were numb, and he didn't feel pain, but his heart hurt bluntly. Whether he is too naïve or selfish www.biquge.info has the impression that since he took over the power of the Xiao family, he has carefully safeguarded all the interests of this family and does not want it to be harmed in the slightest...... privately thought that he was the patron saint who could ensure the stability and order of the family and pass on the torch, but he did not expect that in the eyes of his dearest son, he became the most unkind executioner in the world.

Xiao Jingtian spread out his palms with a depressed expression, as if he had aged several years in an instant.

The three of them were silent, but they were silent.

That kind of silence that can devour people's hearts, almost drives people crazy.

"Dad, the first rule of our Xiao family's ancestral motto is: Rather die with your head held high, than live with kitsch." After a while, Xiao Rui raised his eyes and looked at Xiao Jingtian fixedly, confused with too many complicated emotions, and asked with an unusually resolute attitude: "Dad, where do you want to take the Xiao family?" ”

Xiao Rui is a rough man, but he is not a stupid person. What is the situation of the Xiao family, he couldn't be clearer. In this war with the Bai family, no one thought that the Xiao family would win, but that didn't mean he had to give up the fight.

I don't want to bend my knees to survive, but I want to die with my head held high.

"Where are you going...... muttered in a low voice, Xiao Jingtian tilted his head, cast his gaze out of the door, opened his mouth, and sighed softly: "Is that maple tree in the yard red?" I want to go there and see it. Xiao Rui, come and help me. ”

Xiao Rui still seemed a little dissatisfied with his father's evasive words, but just when he wanted to speak again, Xiao Jingtian waved his hand first, and from then on, he could only keep his mouth shut.

Shen Bo frowned tightly, and said in a deep voice: "Master, now that it's cold, it's not good for you to get sick again, it's better to rest more, and when you have enough strength, we don't need to be helped, isn't it better to go out for a walk by yourself?" ”

"Hehe, do you really want to keep me in a cage like a tiger? Don't worry, Uncle Shen, no matter how bad it is, you still have the strength to go to the yard for a long walk. Xiao Jingtian smiled bitterly and shook his head, after saying so many words at once, he coughed violently for a while before calming down.

"Come on, Uncle Shen, you don't have to say more, my dad is angry about what I just said." Xiao Rui laughed on the side. He's not the kind of person who stalks, and since the conversation is over, he doesn't want to hold on to it.

"That's it." Xiao Jingtian said again. The old man is the head of the family, in ancient times, it is estimated that he is the Kangxi Emperor, the Xiao family, no matter how big or small, it all depends on him.

"Okay! Dad, let's go! Xiao Rui responded.

The three of them walked slowly to the garden of their home, which was very large, with a wide view in front of them, and the autumn air was crisp.

Xiao Jingtian walked slowly on the cobblestone path in the middle of the lawn, this feeling is good, for more than 70 years of life, he has never stopped and stopped, and has been constantly chasing the black hole with no end in sight. At this moment, he really relaxed, maybe God did it on purpose, to stop and look at everything around him, the breeze was blowing, the autumn sun was warm, and his heart was warm.

Walking in front of a huge torch, Xiao Jingtian seemed to be infected by the pressure and abundant vitality of the maple tree, stretched out his hand and touched the trunk, and sighed with emotion: "The smoke rises in the twilight and autumn, Xiao Xiao Maple Forest." This maple tree is also an old buddy of our Xiao family, Xiao Rui, do you still remember it? ”

Looking at the tall maple tree in the courtyard, Xiao Rui was slightly stunned, and his eyes also showed a look of nostalgia, but the words he said were completely different from Xiao Jingtian: "I remember Bei'er Qing, when I was a child, my second brother and I always climbed trees, and you and my mother didn't beat us brothers and sons after they saw each other." ”

Hearing this, Shen Bo and Xiao Jingtian both smiled unkindly.

"Hehe, who called you and Xiao Che the most naughty at that time? Your mother and I are also afraid that you will climb high and fall, and we just want you brothers to have a long memory. The corners of his cold eyes softened into a gentle arc, and Xiao Jingtian said with a smile.

"Uh-huh, beating is kissing and scolding is love." Xiao Rui pursed his lips, a little interested.

"What's the matter, do you still hold a grudge against me as a father?" Xiao Jingtian hammered the maple tree twice like a brother for many years, and then his voice changed, pointing to the stone plate and stone bench not far away, and said, "When your mother is still there, our family always sits in this courtyard for dinner. I didn't expect that so many years have passed, and now ......"

At this moment, Xiao Rui suddenly had the urge to cry.

In the past, my father was always cold and strict. As the actual helmsman of the big ship of the Xiao family, he is issuing orders as a boss, which can be seen from the fact that he has always called himself by his name. Over time, the family members have also become accustomed to this kind of kinship that is more like a superior and subordinate, and has become accustomed to this slightly alienated but inseparable lifestyle.

Now, like an ordinary old man, he suddenly began to recall the past, his dead mother, his family who had not been reunited for a long time, and his second brother, whose life and death were unknown....... Even the ancient maple tree, which made Xiao Rui feel a sense of disappointment that his main heart suddenly collapsed and collapsed.

The twilight of heroes and the defeat of beauties have always been the saddest things in life.

"Mom has been gone for many years, Dad, don't you mention this stubble because you want to find me a stepmother? Hey, hey, old and strong! Xiao Rui reluctantly smiled, hoping to infect his father through his own inconsistency. The love of the old man is the most unforgettable, why doesn't he want the old lady?

Xiao Jingtian sighed as if he had been in trouble with the sea: "Alas... People in their seventies, are they still for this? It's just that there is no one who can speak, and it's a little lonely... I look forward to a few days of family reunion before I die. ”

"Definitely!" Xiao Rui said firmly.

"Your second brother has been away from home for more than 20 years, right? It's been so long, he hasn't called a single phone, and no one even knows if he's dead or alive, how can you be so sure? Hearing this, Xiao Jingtian couldn't help but shake his head helplessly. The son left home in a negative mood, which was completely caused by him, karma, and now he is asked to live alone in a lonely life, which can be regarded as a kind of atonement.

"Hehe, Dad, the second brother was also called the 'Polar Night' in Yanjing back then, are you still worried that he won't be able to live in another place? As long as you live well, are you afraid that the second brother will not come back to reunite with us? Looking at his father with a sad face, Xiao Rui's eyes also flashed with a touch of complexity, and he almost didn't spit out all of Xiao Che's recent situation.

But this thought was quickly suppressed by him.

Today's Xiao Rui is no longer the kind of stunned young man who has no scheming, and he clearly knows that the second brother needs an opportunity to return to Yanjing. This opportunity may be until his father is terminally ill, or it may be until the Xiao family can't support it, but no matter which one it is, now is not the time to have a showdown with his father.

"It was I who hurt Xiao Che, and I also hurt the Xiao family. Now, he and the rest of our family must hate me so much, right? Xiao Jingtian turned his back and couldn't help but burst into tears. I think back then, when he faced the horse leather shroud on the battlefield, he didn't shed half a tear, but when dealing with these trivial household routines, no matter how strong a person is, he becomes vulnerable.

"I've only heard of my brother settling accounts, but I haven't heard of a father and son having an overnight feud. Dad, you believe me, the second brother will never complain about you; As for the rest of the Xiao family, you can't afford to take their thoughts to heart. Xiao Rui said with a cold face.

For the people of the Xiao family, the resentment in his heart was not concealed at all.

This is how outsiders evaluate the leaders of the younger generation in Yanjing: they call the younger generation of the Cao family the most mysterious and unpredictable evil ghosts; called the younger generation of the Bai family a mediocre overlord, but no one alone relied on the Xiao family's generation. It's not that they disdain to evaluate, but that unadorned disregard hurts more than disdain.

And what about these people in the Xiao family? Every time they meet, everyone is indifferent, even if they have been home for a long time, no one has come out to be polite. Losing the brilliance above their heads, they live like captive poultry, eating and waiting to die.

Hate its misfortune and mourn it.

While Xiao Rui was thoughtful, Xiao Jingtian's faint laughter suddenly sounded in his ears, and then Xiao Rui quickly came back to his senses and asked, "What's wrong?" Father. ”

"Nothing, just a funny thing that suddenly came to mind." Xiao Jingtian waved his hand casually.

"Huh?" Xiao Rui raised his eyebrows and hummed curiously.

Xiao Jingtian couldn't help but smile and said: "Xiao Rui, do you remember when you were in elementary school and the teacher asked you what your ideals were, what did you say?" ”

"I said I'd rather fight with people, drink and take drugs, and be the talk of dinner at the end of my thirties, rather than live to be over 100 years old, but no one remembers me." is still that kind of frivolous tone, but Xiao Rui said it extremely seriously.

Xiao Jingtian nodded, and said solemnly: "Yes, the Xiao family has been silent for too long, and it has been forgotten for a long time. I think it's time to stand up. If you don't want to be forgotten, you have to make your voice heard in Yanjing, I want to see if I, the North China Tiger, can still roar in the mountains and forests now! ”

"Dad! What do you mean ......" (To be continued.) )