Zhang nodded with some reassurance: "That's good, Xiao Chi is a good boy, I remember that when he was young, he often went to your eldest brother's house to play, and you were neighbors with his parents at that time, and you had a good relationship with Su Ri." ”

Zhang Wang put down the wine glass thoughtfully, and nodded after a while: "Yes, at that time, he was running around with these children to play, and he was such a cheerful and lively child." After speaking, he picked up the wine glass and drank it all: "Hey, in fact, the day before he left, I went to him and prepared some silver taels and clothes for him, and my family couldn't help him much, but he refused, just thanked him and left." ”

Zhang Wang took the cup and pondered, as if he remembered the past, remembered the stubborn and strong boy, that night from the young man's lonely and desolate lifeless house home, tossed and turned all night and failed to sleep, and finally in the sky was still dark faintly only to see the faint light in the sky at the dawn, his heart was restless and put on his coat and went out of the door, standing in front of the courtyard door in the dark, looking at the young man he had seen since he was a child, and closed the door with his bags on his back in this night. Without hesitation, he strode into the deeper night, even though both of them knew that it was a road, and they had walked countless times, but watching the young man walk alone into the night, and finally blend into the night, Zhang Wang still couldn't help but feel a sudden desolation in his heart.

Until I can no longer see the unique immature shoulders of the teenager who has just grown into a teenager, a long, long time has passed, and the chickens in the yard are also lazily shaking their feathers and chirping, so long that I really can't see the lonely back of the young man, I know that the young man who has been smiling honestly will never come back. Zhang Wang just stood like that, standing in front of the courtyard gate, it was obviously early autumn, but he felt that the coolness slowly seeped in, from the feet, from the hands, and finally all over the body, so that Zhang Wang couldn't help but tremble for the biting cold, the cold that penetrated deep into the bone marrow, and then the tears fell silently.

After that day, Zhang Wang became ill and lay in bed for a long time, but he never got better. Sometimes I dream of the pair of deceased neighbors, the scene of Xiao Chi playing with his children, and the night when he finally leaves.

Zhang Wang couldn't help but sigh, poured himself another glass of wine, and barely suppressed the tears that came up again after drinking it in one gulp. Qiao Cheng also poured himself a glass of wine when he saw it, and drank a glass with him: "As long as the child is doing well now, it will be fine, and the Xiao family and his wife must be deeply gratified in the spirit of heaven." ”

Zhang also comforted: "Yes, isn't this what our adults are looking forward to?" As long as the children are okay, it's better than anything else. ”

Zhang Wang just nodded: "Yes, Xiao Chi's child is fine, let's do something, what else can we worry about!" ”

Qiao Yi also sensed that something was wrong at this time, put down his chopsticks and asked with a smile: "Uncle, I have always wanted to ask you, why didn't my aunt come?" We're all missing her. ”

Qiao Li also suppressed the worried look on her face, and put out a smile: "Yes, why didn't my aunt come with me today?" ”

Zhang Wang laughed lightly when she heard this, shook her head and waved her hand: "Your aunt is always thinking about a lot of things and busy, and there is no one at home, and she is not at ease, saying that it is now after the harvest, and she is afraid that there will be small goods aimed at our family's grain." ”

As he spoke, he couldn't help frowning and pointed to the door and said, "Look at it, isn't anyone who has just received food now, and no one goes out?" Besides, how can there be so many small goods to steal things in this village, and everyone goes to the market, your aunt is always worried too much, she is so worried, she looks tired. ”

Zhang laughed out loud: "Big brother, it's not right for you to say this about your sister-in-law, you are a person, you always don't worry about anything, you live freely, don't you have to worry more about your sister-in-law?" She doesn't seem to worry about anything like you, who in your family will worry about it? ”

Zhang Wang rolled up his sleeves, thought about it and laughed: "That's right, don't you have to be such a daughter-in-law to control the house, your sister-in-law said, when Yao'er comes back in a few days, we will come together as a family." ”

Qiao Liu immediately jumped up when he heard this: "Cousin is coming?" Really? It's great, I miss him, I haven't seen him in days. ”

Zhang smiled and said, "Okay, okay, sit down, it's true, it's so big, and it looks like a child." ”

Zhang Wang and Qiao Cheng also laughed.

Qiao Li also laughed, but after laughing for a while, she frowned and lowered her head and didn't know what to think. Qiao Yan watched from the side, turned his head silently, and accompanied Qiao Liu to talk to his uncle.

Zhang Wang had lunch, and despite the Qiao family's every effort to keep him, he still wanted to go back.

Zhang wiped his tears and said, "Look at you, you finally came once, and then left after staying for a while." ”

Zhang Wang saw Zhang's tears wiped away and said "Oops": "We are not far away, we will come when we want, this time I will go back, and soon I will come with your sister-in-law and Brother Yao, you can also bring a few girls and the fourth son to the eldest brother's house, it was nothing before, how can I cry now." ”

Zhang wiped away his tears and nodded: "Well, then big brother, you should slow down on the road." ”

Zhang Wang sat in the carriage and nodded, stretched out his hand and waved his hand: "Okay, you all go into the house, I'm leaving." ”

Watching the carriage disappear around the corner, the Qiao family turned around and went home.

Zhang calmed down, stretched out his hand to comb the hair in his ear, explained a few words, and went with Qiao Cheng to take care of the family's land.

Qiao Liu pulled Qiao Yi to sit down, and saw Lin Yi running in with a jump, and before entering the door, he stretched out his head to look inside the house, and only after making sure that there was no one else did he run in and sit on the chair.

Qiao Li had already removed the dishes and chopsticks and wiped the tables and chairs, Lin Yi was lying on the table, and his black eyes were rolling: "Sister Gardenia, your family has a guest today?" I wanted to come to play with you in the morning, but I heard him at the door, and I ran home again. ”

Qiao Liu unceremoniously pinched Lin Yi's little face and said, "Yo, you Lin Yi are still afraid of people?" I thought you were not afraid of anyone? ”

Qiao Yi secretly rolled his eyes helplessly, and said to Lin Yi: "Xiao Yi, have you done your homework?" Uncle Lin let you out? ”

Who knew that Lin Yi's sharp eyes found that Qiao Yi rolled his eyes, and immediately pointed at Qiao Liu and said: "Look, Sister Gardenia rolled her eyes at you just now, hum, let you always bully me, now even Sister Gardenia can't look at it." ”

Then he ignored Qiao Liu and turned to Qiao Yan and said: "That's it, why didn't I finish it, I finished all the homework left by my father, so I can have a good time today, so ah, it would be nice if Xiao Si was also there, we only played with the top for a while yesterday and it was dark." ”

Qiao Yi touched Lin Yi's little head: "Okay, I heard Xiaosi say that I may have to give a leave, I don't know what it is, when to give it, and how long it will be leave, so when Xiaosi is also confirmed, you can play with him well." ”

Lin Yi's eyes immediately lit up when he heard Qiao Yi's words: "Really? Great, then now Sister Gardenia, you can play with me. Both hands also grabbed Qiao Yan's sleeves tightly.

Qiao Yi pretended to hesitate and thought for a while, and nodded after a while under Lin Yi's nervous expression: "Okay, then I'll play with you!" ”

"Wow, that's great, Sister Gardenia, let's go play in the yard!" After Lin Yi finished speaking, he cheered and pulled Qiao Yi to rush to the yard, Qiao Yi smiled and followed him to the yard.

Leaving only the ignored Qiao Yi's face full of black lines, after waiting for a while, he saw that the two people who had already played in the yard did not mean to call themselves, but still helplessly patted the messy hair on his forehead, and pretended to walk towards the yard step by step as if nothing happened.

Qiao Yi saw that Qiao Liu still came over resignedly, and saw that Lin Yi was also having fun, so he said to Qiao Liu while the iron was hot: "Second sister, come and play together, Xiao Yi is so powerful, I can't even play with him, come and try it." ”

Sure enough, Qiao Liu and Lin Yi were not fighting, but playing together.

Qiao Yi wiped the sweat soaked from his forehead, sat on the low pier and wanted to take a rest, but saw Qiao Li standing under the eaves at some point, and at this time he was staring intently at Lin Yi, who was playing, as if he wanted to say something but held back.

Looking at Qiao Liu and Lin Yi who were shouting and playing, Qiao Yi turned his head and said with a smile to Lin Yi: "Xiao Yi, are you tired of playing?" Let's go inside and drink some water before we play? ”

Lin Yi put down the small whip and spinning top in his hand, reached out and wiped the sweat on his forehead and said, "Okay." Then she ran to the house, Qiao Liu also put down her things and ran to the kitchen, she felt hot and always liked to drink the deep well water from the kitchen, the deep well water was cooler and sweeter, Lin Yi was too young to drink more, it was better to drink hot tea.

Seeing Lin Yi running into the house, Qiao Li paused slightly and followed in, Qiao Yi stretched out his head to take a look, and gently walked to the eaves, just hearing Qiao Li's question: "Xiao Yi, my sister asked you, did your brother say when he would come back before leaving?" ”

I heard Lin Yi put down the teacup in his hand, and replied crisply: "I don't know, but my brother often comes home, and next time it should be soon, Sister Li'er, do you have something to find my brother?" ”

Then Qiao Li's voice came out again, but this time it was a little lonely: "Oh, it's nothing, there are some things I want to ask him, since you don't know either, then forget it!" ”

Lin Yi just replied simply: "Oh, I know." ”

Qiao Yi turned his head thoughtfully, but saw Qiao Liu, who ran over at some point, standing behind him, and Qiao Yan was almost screaming in fright.