Beitai is the most important industrial city in Jiangdong Province, and the mayoral candidate is extremely important, Xiao Lang's return to the position of mayor can be described as expected, and Chen Zikun's most important event has finally been implemented, and the implementation of the army reorganization has begun.

After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, the Kuomintang and the Communist Party signed the Double Tenth Agreement, agreeing to nationalize the army, dismantling and reorganizing their respective armies, although the thunder and rain were small, but finally made a peaceful appearance, Chen Zikun took the lead in setting an example, the 50,000 anti-Japanese salvation army was reduced to 20,000, leaving only 30,000 horses, reorganized into three traffic police corps, the first corps stationed in the provincial capital, the second corps in Jiangnan, and the third corps stationed in Beitai.

Although the soup was changed but not the medicine, this move still won a lot of applause for Chen Zikun, after all, he was the first disarmament among the local powerful factions. And with the reorganization of the army into a policeman, Chen Zikun also resigned from all his positions, and only retained the honorary rank, which is the most valuable.

At the end of the year, retired US General Marshall came to China as President Truman's special envoy to mediate the conflict between the KMT and the Communist Party, and Chen Zikun, as a representative figure of the pro-US faction in political circles, naturally went to Chongqing to meet with him.

At the personal invitation of Chairman Chiang, Chen Zikun, who was unofficial and light, took a plane to Chongqing, where DC3 hovered over the Huai River, looking at the brocade-like river below and the vast land covered with snow.

At the end of 1945, heavy snow fell in the north, and some sections of Jinpu Road resumed traffic, a passenger train galloped on the railway line, the whistle sounded, and the white smoke column dragged out of the distance.

After the victory, Beiping was much more depressed than the hometown in Li Yaoting's memory, the Qianmen building was in disrepair, many shops were closed, and when they came out of Zhengyangmen East Station, several foreign coachmen wearing tattered cotton jackets came over with their necks and hands: "Sir, do you want a car?" "The old Beijing dialect is more authentic.

"No, I want to go." Li Yaoting's kind smile, the local sound is really like heaven.

Outside the train station, a large group of Huazi surrounded the passengers to beg for money, Li Yaoting did not follow the group of passengers, but waited for a while before walking over, and suddenly a cigarette butt on the ground caught his attention, he was relying on the front of the station to pick up cigarette butts for a living.

Slowly bent down, about to pick up the cigarette butt, suddenly a small hand reached over, quickly picked up the cigarette butt, bright eyes looked at him, no fear, snort and said, "I saw it first." ”

This is an eleven or twelve-year-old child, the padded jacket is dirty and old, and his hair is unkempt, Li Yaoting seems to see himself, he reached into his arms and took out a box of expensive Oleic cigarettes: "Boy, take it." ”

Xiao Yaohua tilted her head and looked at this high roller, a pack of cigarettes for more than a dozen yuan was given away, but she wanted to pick up the cigarette butts on the ground, this person was hysterical.

Li Yaoting walked a distance in the snow, found a restaurant outside the front door, ate a bowl of boiled fire, drank two cups and two pots, and felt comfortable, so he took a foreign car and went straight to his hometown, the Willow Hutong Miscellaneous Courtyard outside Xuanwu Gate.

The miscellaneous courtyard has long been empty, his house has collapsed, the yard is empty, a gust of wind blows, the snow particles on the eaves are flying, and the spring is bright in a trance, the mother is wearing a red flower jacket and holding a drum, sitting at the door with a kind face and shouting to herself: "Xiao Shunzi, Xiao Shunzi." ”

Li Yaoting, who was wearing a mink fur, stood in the courtyard, with teary eyes: "Mother, Xiaoshunzi has come back to see you." He opened his suitcase, took out a stack of bills, lit them with matches, and the ashes rose into the sky.

After paying tribute to his mother, Li Yaoting walked all the way and went straight to the hair alley in Xuanwumen, where his hair and Xue Baoqing's family lived.

After eight years of the Anti-Japanese War, Beiping suffered a lot, the hair alley is still the same, but it is more dilapidated, a few strong dead grass on the wall comes out of the snow, shivering in the wind, a row of ice skates under the eaves, pedestrians rustle on the snow, there are patches on their clothes, their faces are full of vegetables, they hold their hands, and look at this brightly dressed foreign guest suspiciously, and they dare not take a stubble.

When Li Yaoting came to the Ziguang Depot, the plaque had long been worn out after the wind and rain, and the two doors could not see the color, and last year's couplet was still left on the door, and the upturned paper corners were shivering in the wind.

Knocking lightly on the door, no one answered, Li Yaoting walked in, and suddenly a six or seven-year-old child jumped out, blushing: "Who are you looking for?" ”

"You're Baoqing's child, isn't your father there?" Li Yaoting reached out and pinched the child's face, and noticed that his clothes were very shabby, with patches on top of each other, and it seemed that life was not good.

The child turned around and shouted, "Mother, someone is looking for Daddy." ”

A woman came over when she heard the sound, Li Yaoting looked at it and was startled, this is an apricot? looks haggard, gray hair, and a rickety back, where is there still the image of a beautiful girl in my memory.

Xing'er quickly recognized Li Yaoting: "Ouch, it's Xiao Shunzi here, Wubao, call uncle." ”

The child obediently shouted uncle, and Li Yaoting took out a small yellow croaker without thinking: "Come, uncle gave a meeting gift." ”

Wubao didn't dare to take it, and looked at her mother with dark eyes, Xing'er hurriedly dissuaded: "What are you doing, I can't afford such a valuable meeting gift." ”

Li Yaoting said: "My sister, aren't you scolding me, what do we have to do with it, I don't take this meeting gift lightly." ”

Xing'er half-jokingly said: "You gave Wubao, what about the first four children?" ”

Li Yaoting laughed: "Treat everyone equally, one per person." ”

Xing'er's eyes suddenly turned red: "Brother, you haven't changed, it's still the same as before, you really can't ask for this money, and it's not easy for you." ”

Li Yaoting also became sad: "Then let's wait for Baoqing to come back, by the way, where is Baoqing?" ”

Xing'er said: "Get out of the car with Hutou, we still have two cars left, and the two of us pull the car together, and we also have a care." ”

Li Yaoting said: "I came this time to stay for a while. Liuguo Hotel, I'm not rare, I just want to live in our old Beijing courtyard, Sister Xing'er, do we still have a vacant house? ”

Xing'er said: "Yes, you can live as long as you want, let's chat together, just like before." ”

Li Yaoting said happily: "That dare is good." ”

Xing'er pulled him up: "Patronizing and talking, go, go to the fire in the house." ”

When I came to the backyard, I saw that the house was surrounded by four walls, and the house was empty, but fortunately, the fire pit was still hot, and Xing'er said embarrassedly: "The Japanese snatched everything they could, and the people really had no way to live. ”

Li Yaoting nodded silently, his heart sour.

Half an hour later, a familiar voice came from the front yard: "Xing'er, I'm back." ”

Li Yaoting hurriedly went out, only to see Baoqing squatting on the ground to check the car bones, and the rubber tires were deflated.

"I'm unlucky today, I got a nail, this tire has been mended several times, I'm afraid it won't work." Baoqing was wearing an old cotton hat, wearing a torn cotton jacket, his shoulders were rotten, a puff of cotton wool was exposed, and a rope was tied around his waist, looking extremely down.

Li Yaoting's nose was sour: "Baoqing!" ”

Xue Baoqing's body trembled, turned around, and was overjoyed: "Xiaoshunzi, you are here, when will it come, don't take a telegram, I'll pick you up, what, damn it, hurry up and drink wine, and then fry two dishes in the second meat shop at the mouth of the alley, pig's head meat, fried kidney flowers, and a plate of peanuts." ”

Xing'er was empty-handed, a little embarrassed, there was no money at home, could it not be done on credit.

Baoqing hurriedly took out a handful of change from the blanket and stuffed it over: "A pound of good wine, if you want lotus white, don't have two pots." ”

Li Yaoting knew that Baoqing had a good face, so he didn't fight with him, the brothers went into the house to chat, not much effort, the wine and food were delivered, the two drank to each other, the children probed their brains to look outside, Baoqing smiled, called the four children in, and introduced them one by one, Wubao had just met, Sibao was a girl, nine years old, Sanbao was also a girl, thirteen years old, Erbao was still a girl, sixteen years old.

"Three girls, two boys, may have tossed." Baoqing's deep wrinkles are full of happiness.

After the children called out to their uncle, Li Yaoting took out four gold bars and lined them up, and the small yellow croaker shone under the kerosene lamp.

Baoqing was stunned: "Brother, what are you doing?" ”

Li Yaoting said: "Baoqing, you tell me the truth, how is your life?" ”

Baoqing was silent for a while, and his voice was low: "This old car, I have been pulling it for 20 years, and it has long been impossible to repair it, and now the tricycle is popular, the rickshaw is outdated, the business is not good, and it is not enough to mix the grain of the family all day, thanks to the eldest son, who is young and strong, and can help him, otherwise this day really can't go on." ”

Li Yaoting said: "These gold bars, count me as a shareholder in the car factory, you continue to do business, we will divide the account when you make money, and count me if you lose, what?" ”

There was a spark in Baoqing's eyes: "Brother, you are really my good brother!" ”

With hope, Baoqing was in a good mood, and the brothers drank happily until ten o'clock in the night, when the eldest son of Baoqing's family, Xue Dazhuan, who was in his early twenties, pulled the foreign car back with a snowflake.

The appearance of the big bolt is exactly the same as that of Baoqing when he was young, honest and silent, and he shouted uncle to help his father repair the car.

"This child, follow me." Baoqing picked up his wine glass: "Keep drinking." ”

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and Bao Qinghu wondered: "Who can come at this point?" ”

Xing'er worried: "It won't be Bai Er of the detective team." ”

Li Yaoting said: "What role? ”

Baoqing said, "A ruffian, who used to be a traitor, now follows the detective team as a crusher, and often blackmails his neighbors. ”

Li Yaoting sneered: "It's okay, I want to see this person." Saying that, he pressed the horse card pinned to his waist, he is a hero who has been on the beach for many years, so he naturally doesn't take this kind of small role in his eyes.

Li Yaoting accompanied Baoqing to open the door, Xing'er was not at ease, so she gave her son a look, and the big bolt picked up a pole and followed behind.

When I opened the door, there was a person standing outside, shaking with his hands and shoulders, and he kept stomping his feet, it was not Bai Er of the detective team, but Li Junqing, who he hadn't seen for a long time.

"Yo, isn't this Master Li, which gust of wind blew you here?" Apricot's tone was visibly gloating.

Li Junqing was wearing an old coat, the collar and cuffs were polished, the shoulders and head were covered with snowflakes, the beard on his face was unshaven, and he was extremely thin, and said with a sneer: "Sister-in-law, I'm here to join you." Suddenly, he saw Li Yaoting standing behind, and immediately said in surprise: "Oh, Hu Banxian didn't bluff me, the savior is really here!" ”