In the first three years of the first year, Nanton County. Late at night.

In the back room of the county office, the furnishings in the house are very old. The mottled desk was missing a leg and was upholstered with half a broken brick. The few brushes inserted in a broken pen holder on the table are also mostly bald.

There is a long couch in the corner, on which is lying a middle-aged man with a withered description.

Years of illness had tormented him for too long. Deeply sunken eye sockets and cheeks, a beard that was so thin that you could count clearly, and yellow, cloudy eyes half-open and half-closed, trying to see the two figures in front of him.

One is a tall and sturdy handsome young man, with a face as sharp as a knife and an axe. Instead of curling up into a bun, his long hair was tied in a sharp braid, which was half a foot erected and then sprinkled behind him like a waterfall until it reached his waist. The robe that was supposed to be loose was worn on his body, but it did not appear to be flowing at all, but was propped up by explosive muscles and tightened on his body.

It's just that the original uninhibited look can't be found on the face at the moment, and only deep sorrow remains.

The other, a young child under the age of ten, stared at a pair of big eyes, and was held tightly by the young man next to him in his left hand.

He bit his lower lip tightly, tears rolling in his eyes, but he always tried not to let it fall.

"Quick...... It's almost time......"

Liu Qin gasped violently twice, and stretched out his hand with difficulty and difficulty, wanting to touch the face of the young man next to the couch.

It was his eldest son, Liu Xuan. Being held by his side was Liu Qin's second son and Liu Xiu's younger brother.

Liu Xuan silently squatted down, brought his face closer, and stretched out his hand to hold his father's hand like a withered bamboo, which was tightly pressed against his face.

"I'm sorry...... I can't leave anything for you two brothers......" Liu Qin's eyes were gloomy, and his lips moved slightly: "Dad...... Impotent...... I can't take care of you growing up......"

"When I die...... Return...... Go back to Chung Ling and go to your second uncle...... He...... He can ...... Take care of your brothers' ......" Liu Qin beat his chest several times before he could barely finish this passage.

"Second uncle?" Liu Xuan frowned and snorted softly: "Dad, I'm eighteen years old." ”

Nanyang Chungling, although it is regarded as the ancestral home of the family, Liu Qin, who left his hometown in his early years, is still in contact with his younger brother Liu Liang. In Liu Qin's heart, it should be counted as an object that can be trusted.

"Yes...... Your brother is ...... Eight years old! Liu Qin's eyes widened hard, squeezed out the last trace of strength in his body, and held Liu Qin's hand tightly: "Even if it ...... Even if you can take care of yourself...... What about him...... What to do with him! ”

"Ah Xiu is so well-behaved, I can take him alone!" As soon as Liu Xuan's words came out, he saw his father clenching his teeth tightly, and the muscles on his face were twisted with anxiety.

But my father could no longer speak, and could only make a ho-ho cry from his mouth. The excitement just now had completely exhausted the last trace of his vitality.

"Yes...... The child got it...... The child will take Ah Xiu to Chungling to find the second uncle! Liu Xiu hurriedly clenched his father's hand, and the right hand on the other side also held his younger brother Liu Xiu's hand tightly in the palm of his hand.

My mother died three years ago. After that, only the father and son were left in the family.

And now, the father is about to leave the two of them. At the last moment of his life, Liu Xuan never wanted him to leave with regrets.

The three of them held hands and became one. Liu Qin looked at Liu Xiu's resolute face, and Liu Xiu, who was still at a loss and didn't know what was going on, and tried his best to squeeze out a smile.

Then, exhale your last breath.

Liu Xuan felt that the hand he was holding was light in an instant, and he lost the last trace of strength.

In this world, finally, only himself and his brother are left.

Liu Xuan held his father's hand, rubbed it on his face twice, and then gently put it back on his chest before standing up.

The younger brother next to him was still biting his lower lip, but the tears finally couldn't bear to slide down anymore.

Liu Jiu held back his tears, squeezed out a smile at his younger brother, hugged him in his arms, and walked towards the door.

Although he served as a county magistrate in Nanton for three years, Liu Qin really did not leave any money left. The father and son have always lived the poorest days.

What's more, in today's world, who is not living a difficult life?

And the funeral and burial, although they have used the most simple way, still emptied the last bit of savings left by the father.

When Liu Xuan took his younger brother and set foot on the road to Nanyang's hometown, he couldn't even afford to hire an ox cart.

At sunset, two figures, one large and one small, walked out of the gate of the county town hand in hand. The small burden behind Liu Xuan is the last property of the two brothers.

The road paved with loess stretches all the way to the west, until it reaches under the sunset that has sunset, as if it is far away and there is no end in sight.

"Let's go, Ah Xiu."

Liu Xuan patted his younger brother's head and took a step.

"Brother, how far do you have to go?"

Not long after leaving the city, Liu Xiu began to pout, raised her head and looked at her brother pitifully: "It's not fun outside...... It's getting dark, let's go home......"

"...... home?" Thinking of the sudden fire in his home before leaving home, Liu Jiu felt a little strange.

The fire burned all the house, if it weren't for Ah Xiu's anxiety and let himself accompany him, they should have died in the fire.

"We don't have a home anymore...... Ah Xiu. ”

……

The two men walked along the road, all the way to the west. Until the sun set, Liu Xiu's young legs finally couldn't hold on to the long journey.

Seeing that although his younger brother gritted his teeth and insisted, his pace slowed down a little, Liu Xuan patted his head lightly, stood silently in front of him and squatted down.

Liu Xiu cheered, jumped on his brother's back, and hugged him tightly.

Lying on his brother's back, just like his father...... No, that's a stronger, more secure place than Daddy.

My brother walked fast, but he was so steady that he didn't even feel the slightest bump. The elder brother under him walked forward step by step, Liu Xiu looked at the sunset on the horizon and set little by little, and his eyelids gradually sank.

When I open my eyes, I think I'll be far, far away......

With such a mood, Liu Xiu gradually fell asleep.

When he woke up again, he found that it was early in the morning.

Under a big tree, my brother was lying beside him, sleeping deeply. The elder brother's robe was untied and draped over his body, but only an undershirt remained on him.

The sun shines through the leaves, reflecting spots of light on his brother's chiseled face. His long black hair spilled on the ground, like a waterfall falling to the ground.

Even though it was early summer, it was still a bit cold in the morning. Liu Xiu shuddered, staggered up, put the robe on his brother's body, lifted a corner, and got into it again.

Sure enough, it's still my brother's side, it's warmer......

Just like the sun......

Holding his brother's arm, Liu Xiu closed his eyes and fell asleep again.

When Liu Xuan woke up, he saw his younger brother curled up beside him like a little rabbit.

He hugged himself tightly, as if he were his whole world.

Liu Xuan stretched out his other hand, gently stroked his younger brother's forehead, saw him squirm slightly, muttered something in his mouth, changed to a more comfortable position and continued to fall asleep.

Liu Xuan thought about it, did not wake up Liu Xiu, but simply put on his robe, hugged his younger brother in the crook of his arm, and continued to walk along the road in the direction of Chungling.

This road...... I think I'll have to walk for another three days.