Ten days passed peacefully. On Wednesday morning, Lao Wen told me a piece of news: Mrs. Zhao Wai had returned to the province from Waizhou County, and sent someone to pick up Young Master Hu yesterday afternoon, and made it clear that this time he would stay with Young Master Hu for a few more days, and asked Master Yao not to send a car to pick him up from time to time. I listened, frowning in disgust. I thought: Why do you come to disturb the peace of other people's families?

In the afternoon, Lao Yao came to inform me that he had booked a ticket for Saturday for me (he also handed me a letter of introduction to buy a ticket), and said that the couple would give me food in the restaurant outside for the second half of Friday. From his conversation, I knew that his wife was not feeling well today, and I knew that he would have to go to Zhao's house later. I asked him if Xiaohu was going to stay in Zhao's house for a long time this time. He first said that his grandmother had just returned to the province and picked up Xiaohu to accompany her, so it didn't matter if she stayed for a few more days, anyway, the school was already out for the summer, so she didn't have to review her homework; Later, he said that he would pick up Xiaohu the day after tomorrow to see me off. In the end, he said: "The weather has been hot in the past two days, and the car is very uncomfortable, so you might as well go in the cool autumn." ”

Naturally, I wouldn't listen to him. He's gone. When I think of Mrs. Zhao's strange temper, I am a little worried about Mrs. Yao and the happiness of this family. But Lao Yao himself didn't seem to notice this.

It was a really hot day. I didn't go out on the streets. I moved a wicker chaise longue to the stone railing under the window, and I sat on the chaise longue, holding a book, and let the hypnotic cicada noise drift in my ears monotonously, and thus passed my whole afternoon. It rained heavily from nine o'clock in the evening, and the weather turned cool again.

The rain fell for a long time. I woke up in the middle of the night and heard thunder and water. I was worried that the roof tiles would be broken by the rain, and that the flowers and trees in the garden would be knocked down by the rain. But when I opened my eyes the next day, I saw a room full of sunlight.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, Lao Yao was chatting with me in the garden. He took out the rattan chair I used to sit on and placed it next to the flower pot under the steps, where he sat leisurely listening to the cicadas and drinking the freshly brewed dragon well. Suddenly, Zhao Qingyun ran in with a nervous face, and said in a trembling voice: "Master, the old lady outside Zhao sent someone to invite the master over, and the young master Hu washed up the water and left." ”

"What!" Lao Yao was drinking tea, let out an exclamation, threw the cup in his hand and jumped up. The teacup shattered and water splashed on my feet.

"Young Master Tiger and several young masters of the Zhao family went all the way out of the city to float in the water [Note 1]. They also went yesterday afternoon. Today, the water has risen, Young Master Tiger is not careful, and something happened. The water is flowing so fast that I don't know where the people have rushed," Zhao Qingyun said excitedly.

Lao Yao's face was flushed, sweat was unstoppable on his forehead, his eyes didn't move anymore, and he stretched out his hand to scratch his hair. After a pause, he said in a hoarse voice, "I'll go at once." I didn't go in. You go and tell my wife that I'm out on business. Don't let your wife know about Young Master Hu, wait until I come back. ”

Zhao Qingyun promised "yes" again and again. He went out first.

I stood up and gently patted Lao Yao on the shoulder, comforting him and saying, "Don't worry, things may not be-"

"I know I'm responsible. I'm leaving. If you see Zhaohua, don't tell her about Xiaohu," Lao Yao frowned and interrupted, and after only a moment's work, his face turned gray. He gave me a blank look, said no more, and walked out.

I followed him out of the garden gate. I saw him get into the chartered car. I didn't talk to him again. I had a strange feeling. I chewed on his phrase over and over again: "I am also responsible." "That's what he really said. He is indeed responsible. But my calm state of mind was disturbed by this accident, and the day did not recover.

When Lao Wen brought dinner, I saw a gloating expression on his face. He blinked his little eyes and said, "Mr. Li, God can see clearly, and he has done a fair job, which is really retribution." I stared blankly at his wrinkled face, which seemed to be smiling rather than smiling. He went on to explain: "The Zhao family wants to harm our wife every day, but it turns out that he harms his own grandson. Which one is to blame? If the old man was willing to listen to his wife, there would be no such thing. My wife has suffered for a few years, and now it's time to come forward. ”

If he had said this to me a few days later, I might have been glad to hear it. But now that I hear it, I feel disgusted. I didn't want to refute him, I just reminded him lightly: "But your master only has this one young master!" ”

Lao Wen buried his head and was silent. I ate with a bowl, but my eyes often shot at his face. I saw him slowly raise his head, turn around and look out the window, and stealthily wipe his eyes. He walked to the door and stood there for a while. When he came over to collect the dishes again, he wiped the table and said tremblingly, "Just ask God to bless Young Master Tiger if there is nothing to do." "By his voice, I knew that the words came out of his heart.

"Maybe it won't be okay." I also answered. I deliberately comforted him with this phrase. In fact, I know as much as he does. The only hope is to be able to recover Xiaohu's body.

[Note 1] Floating: swimming.