As the sun sets, the flow of people is moving. After dinner, people take a walk out of the house in the cool evening breeze.

Daddy Li sat alone in the store, like a pine and cypress that had experienced vicissitudes, with a pair of criss-crossing eyes, carefully watching and searching in the crowd. Every time I see the figure of a handsome young man swaying in front of me, there will always be a wave of moisture in my empty eyes. However, the most important thing is endless loss. After experiencing countless surprises and disappointments, Daddy Li's heart was tormented by pain. But his immortal heart was still persistent, and his eyes were as quiet as ever in the flow of people, hoping that a miracle would appear, hoping that the light, dexterous and lively figure would flash in front of him.

"Little stone, when will you come back, you made me wait so hard!" Seeing the weaving flow of people on the street, Father Li reluctantly guarded the narrow locked store, and secretly called out in his heart from time to time.

Unconsciously, a middle-aged man tiptoed into the store, looked at the lonely Daddy Li, and called softly: "Daddy Li, you are still guarding." It's getting late, and it's time for you to go home for dinner. ”

Father Li looked up and saw that it was the landlord of the lock shop, showing a look of disgust, and suddenly sank his eyes. Seeing that the person was just dangling in front of him, he sighed helplessly, and his hands were about to support his heavy body, but he sat for a long time, and he couldn't adapt for a while, and before he could stand firmly, his feet shook, and he staggered forward a few steps, and almost fell. When the middle-aged man saw it, he was frightened, stepped forward, and hurriedly held on. When Daddy Li stood still, brushed away the beads of sweat on his forehead, he couldn't help but open his mouth and complain: "Daddy Li, the lease of this store has arrived, what about the little stone." I haven't seen anyone for a long time. I don't think it's hopeless to renew the lease. According to me. You won't come again tomorrow. ”

When Father Li heard this, a wave of anger came straight to his head, he turned his head, looked at the man, looked at him with a solemn expression, and said in a trembling voice: "People say profiteers, profiteers, it's really good." The little stone doesn't come back, and I'm gone. So what about these things? You can't lose it. Father Li was worried about the small stone in his heart, pointed to the lock items placed in the store angrily, and asked with great reluctance in his heart.

"Daddy Li, you can't say that, I'm helpless. Think about it, although this store is not big, but my family still depends on it to make a living. As for these things, don't worry, when the new owner arrives tomorrow. I'll help him clean up and keep it. The man knew that Father Li was deaf and put his mouth close to his ear. Said loudly.

"But, if you sublease, won't there be no land to open a store after that little stone comes back? Besides, this place has always been a lock store, and after changing places, old customers can no longer find small stones? Father Li pondered for a while, and felt that the middle-aged man's approach was very inappropriate, so he slowly turned his head and questioned loudly.

Hearing that Daddy Li was so stubborn, the man shook his head at him with a wry smile and said, "Daddy Li, you have to think about it for me, if this little stone doesn't come back for a day, I will leave this shop empty for a day, if he never comes back, will it be so empty forever?" This is not the way! ”

When Father Li heard this, his anger rushed out of his head again, and he pointed at the man and said sharply: "What are you talking about, you say, 'Little Stone will never come back?'" ’”

The man, Daddy Li, had a protruding green tendon on his forehead, and he understood that he had inadvertently touched the old man's sore spot, so he timidly took a half step back, and explained with a smiling face: "Daddy Li, I know that you miss the little stone and feel anxious, I don't mean it-"

Father Li approached the man tremblingly and said loudly, "That's not what you mean? What do you mean! As he spoke, with a stomach full of anger, he pressed over step by step.

Just when the two were looking at each other, stalemate and tense, Zhang Yan hurriedly came to the store. When she asked the reason, she saw her grandfather looking angry, and she felt sad in her heart. Leaving the man full of grievances, he moved closer to his grandfather and said to him gently: "What this eldest brother said is that you stay here every day waiting for the little stone, and if he doesn't come back, you won't be of much use here." Grandpa, I think so, it's better for you to stay at home all the time, wait for the news of Xiaoshi here, and let them notify you as soon as possible, so that it will not affect others to do business, but also reduce your own mental pressure, wouldn't it be the best of both worlds? ”

When the middle-aged man heard this, he was overjoyed, and hurriedly echoed: "Look, the eldest sister can still speak, and when she thinks of the places that she can't say, you have broken it with a word." It's just that I'm stupid and stupid, I can't speak clearly for a while, and if I say something good, I will make your old man angry. ”

"What do you think of unspeakable places, I say you are mercenary! Think about it, if you sublease, if Xiaoshi comes back, what do you rely on to do business, and his master has ignored him to take care of him, pitiful, where does he go to make a living as a little baby? You unscrupulous businessmen, you are snobs! As soon as Father Li thought of the little stone, he couldn't bear it, and there were bursts of heat in his dim eyes.

"This-" When the middle-aged man heard this, the grievances in his stomach had already appeared on his cheeks, and he was about to step forward to argue, when he was stopped by Zhang Yan's rapidly blinking eyes, he turned his head angrily, walked out of the store, jumped down the steps, and went.

"Grandpa, you're unreasonable! Do you know the truth? This store belongs to someone else, the contract expires, and people can rent it to whoever they want to rent, and I'm here to tell you today, it's polite, otherwise-" Zhang Yan wanted to stop talking.

"Otherwise, I would have swept my old man out of the house, wouldn't I? He dared, as long as my old bones are still there, I must fight for the little stone to the end. Father Li's eyes were fixed on Zhang Yan and he roared indignantly. Due to the excessive force, as soon as he finished speaking, he coughed violently.

When Zhang Yan saw it, he attached himself to the front and gently patted his grandfather's back, and when he spit out a mouthful of thick saliva, his breath was slightly calm, and two lines of tears had already overflowed in this Zhang Yan's eyes.

Xiaoshi encountered an accident, Zhang Yan already knew that since He Xin was arrested, she jumped to another unit. But the earth-shattering rumors could not hide Zhang Yan's ears and eyes, not to mention that there was a Huang Keming who appeared from time to time beside her.

It turned out that Huang Keming and Zhang Yan were high school classmates, and since Huang Keming was transferred to Wuzhou City, by chance, they met, and since then, they have had contacts.

It's just that, considering that Daddy Li's feelings for Xiaoshi are too deep, she didn't dare to easily disclose it in front of her grandfather, and has been hiding it until now.

"Alright, alright, let's not talk about it, it's getting late, let's go home." Zhang Yan helplessly pulled her stubborn grandfather, slowly cleaned up, and the two went out of the store, seeing her grandfather struggling to close and lock the door, she couldn't help but feel even more sorry.

Walking on the road, Zhang Yan tried her best to find some light-hearted topics to amuse him in order to dispel the unhappiness in her grandfather's heart. Despite all his efforts, my grandfather was silent along the way. When he reached the fork in the avenue, Father Li seemed to suddenly remember something earth-shattering, took Zhang Yan's hand hard, and said to her eagerly: "Yanzi, if you really don't come, accompany me upstairs to look at the stone and see if the stone has come back." Good no good! ”

Zhang Yan knew that it was just a vain move, so in order to comfort her grandfather, she had to nod and say, "Okay!" ”

Hearing Zhang Yan's simple promise, Father Li patted Zhang Yan's hand and said with satisfaction: "Well, this is like my Yanzi." After speaking, together with Zhang Yan, he walked into the alley.

When he came to the staircase, due to the narrow corridor, Father Li let go of Zhang Yan's hand, stepped forward, grabbed the handrail, and climbed upstairs with difficulty. When Zhang Yan came to the door, Father Li was squatting on his knees, panting.

After resting for a while, Father Li stepped forward with anticipation on his face, and slammed the dusty door hard, and a huge roar sounded in the corridor. Zhang Yan knew that something was wrong, so she had to stand patiently aside, watching the movements of the residents up and down the building uneasily.

"Knock, knock!" Seeing that there was no echo inside, Father Li continued to knock on the door reluctantly, "Little stone, little stone, are you at home?" A chaotic cry came from his mouth.

People go to the house empty, the flowers fall, and the house is as silent as death, but no one responds.

"What is the noise, I thought this was a deserted grave, and there were still people living upstairs and downstairs! Just knock, knock, no one has been in and out of that house for a long time! Is. There was an irritated roar from upstairs, and before he could finish his words, the door was slammed shut with a "bang".

The loud "boom" completely shattered the remaining illusions in Daddy Li's heart, and his body trembled violently with the sound of the door closing, and his expression dimmed instantly. With Zhang Yan's support, with disappointment and sadness, Father Li walked downstairs step by step.

"It's been so long, where will the little stone go!" Father Li was worried, not only talking to Zhang Yan, but also as if he was talking to himself.

"Grandpa, don't worry, now, Xiaoshi has grown up, and he has his own world. Perhaps, he'd found a better place to go now. Zhang Yan saw the vicissitudes of indifference on her grandfather's face, her eyes were full of tears, and she couldn't bear to comfort her.

"Really?" Father Li seemed to understand all of a sudden, and shook his head as if he was confused all of a sudden: "No, no, even if there is a good place to go, he will come back to ward me." Little Stone is a child with affection and righteousness, and this child is not an ungrateful person. ”

Zhang Yan heard her grandfather say this, her heart became even more uncomfortable, in order to alleviate the pain in her grandfather's heart, she hurriedly agreed: "What my grandfather said is that Xiaoshi is a loving and righteous child, once he settles, he will definitely come back and give your old man a big surprise." ”

When Father Li heard Zhang Yan say this, he seemed to understand the reason why Xiaoshi didn't say goodbye, stopped, and opened his mouth happily to ask, "Is this really the case?" ”

"That's right, Little Stone must have thought so." Zhang Yan affirmed. Seeing that her grandfather nodded with satisfaction, she hugged Daddy Li's arm and said loudly, "Then let's go home and wait for Xiaoshi to come back at home, okay?" ”

"Hmm."

Soon after returning home, Daddy Li fell ill.

Every day when he was lying in bed, Daddy Li kept chanting the name that kept him thinking about him all the time - "Little Stone, Little Stone!" (To be continued......)