When I returned home that day, I finally told Lao Yao and his wife about meeting Yang Laosan.

After showing pity and sighing, they unanimously advocated trying to save the man. Lao Yao conceited that he had a way, he knew that place, and he had acquaintances who worked there. His wife was the first to encourage him, and I urged him too. He was happy for a moment, so he asked someone to prepare the car at once, and he wanted to go out to find someone to find a way. He said he was sure about it.

After Lao Yao left, his wife talked to me for a while. She thinks that after that person comes out, we should arrange a "stable" life for him. I advocated that he be taken to the hospital first. She said that when he comes out of the hospital, her husband can always find him a proper job, and in the future, when his bad habits improve, we can try to reunite them as a family. We talk in our dreams and don't know we're dreaming. We believe too much in Lao Yao's "grasp".

In the evening, I waited for Lao Yao to report the results of his activities. But by ten o'clock I hadn't heard Lao Yao's footsteps. Tiredness began to strike at me. Mosquitoes also flew around me. For the first time in the year, I noticed the nastyness of mosquitoes. I saw a fly fluttering under the electric light. I lost the courage to resist. I hid in my tent.

This night I got a dreamless sleep. I woke up late in the morning and no one came to disturb me. I got up for a long time, and Lao Wen came to slap me in the face.

From Lao Wen's mouth, I knew that my friend came home late last night, and quarreled with his wife over Xiaohu's affairs, and went out in the car early this morning.

"It's not my wife's fault. Young Master Hu gambled money during the day at Zhao's house, watched plays at night, did not go to school to study, and did not want his family to pick him up. The wife naturally couldn't get used to it, but the master didn't care at all. My wife sent someone to pick it up, but she couldn't pick it up for two days. The old man said that he would pick it up, but he accompanied the old lady Zhao to take the young master Hu to the play, and after watching the play, he came back alone. The wife asked a few questions, but the old man started a temper and made the wife cry angrily," said Lao Wen in an uneven tone, and he opened his mouth without front teeth and looked at me in distress.

"What about your wife?" I asked him with concern.

"Most of them haven't gotten up yet. But when the old man went out this morning, he didn't look like he was still angry, and now it's mostly fine. We still heard what Aunt Zhou said. ”

Shortly after I had eaten breakfast, Sister-in-law Zhou came to collect the dishes and brought me all the original manuscript of my novel. She said: "Mrs. Li returned it, and Mrs. Li said thank you." ”

Mrs. Yao bound the manuscript for me, and she added the front and back covers of the white paper for me. I should be thankful to her. I told Sister-in-law Zhou what I meant and asked Sister-in-law Zhou to convey it. I asked Sister-in-law Zhou about the quarrel again. Sister-in-law Zhou's answer was similar to Lao Wen's report, but it was more detailed: they didn't quarrel much, and they reconciled soon after. As soon as the old man said good things, the wife stopped crying and gave in. The old man went out this morning, or for something else.

Sister-in-law Zhou, like Lao Wen, doesn't know about the Yang family. I couldn't find out from her that Lao Yao had run for results yesterday. But I guess that the other things that Sister-in-law Zhou said are probably Yang Meng's idiot. It depends on the situation that Mrs. Yao will not be in the garden today. I can only wait patiently for Lao Yao to come back.

It wasn't until three o'clock in the afternoon that Lao Yao came to see me in the lower flower hall.

"Alas, no, no! There is no way! As soon as he came in, he shook his head at me with a look of boredom on his face (I've never seen him look like this!). ）。 He walked over to the couch and sat down wearily.

"You must have found out his whereabouts. Then I think the same will happen in the future," I said.

"I just didn't know where he was! I found the place, but I couldn't ask the person surnamed Yang. There is no one with the surname Yang there at all! If I find someone, I'll have a way. ”

I looked at his face, and I wondered where his usual free smile had gone. I was disappointed and said, "Maybe they're deliberately shirking it." ”

"No, no," he said, shaking his head; "My friend came with me, and they wouldn't tell lies to perfunctory me." He paused, raised his hand and scratched his sideburns, and said in a deep voice, "Maybe he didn't use his real name." ”

"It's possible," I said, a light flashing through my head. "Yes, it must be. He was afraid of embarrassing his family when something happened, so he deliberately changed his name. Then maybe even if he recognizes him, he will not admit that he is Yang Mengzhi. ”

"That's going to be difficult," Mr. Yao said. He pulled out his cigarette case, lit a paper cigarette and smoked it, and collapsed on the back of the couch. I saw him puffing out smoke rings, and I remembered the quarrel he had with his wife. I was going to give him advice, but I didn't know how to get started. After a few minutes, he bent up a little and said, "I have another way." You give me a detailed description of Yang Laosan's appearance. I'd like to see it for myself in two days. As long as you find him personally, whether he admits it or not, bail him out. Or I'll look for you again, and you'll recognize him. ”

It's a good idea! I exhaled with relief. It was as if I had caught a glimpse of a big road on a rugged mountain road. I depicted Yang Meng's face in detail from memory, and he listened very carefully, as if he wanted to memorize every word of mine.

After talking about Yang Meng's idiot, we all felt a little tired. We sat quietly for a while. Lao Yao suddenly stood up and walked around the house for a while. He looked at me sadly and said, "Lao Li, I had a fight with Zhaohua yesterday. He turned and paced again.

"Why? It's the first time I've heard of you arguing. "I deliberately made a stunned appearance, but I already knew the reason.

He put his hand on his sideburns and scratched it, walked up to me and stood still. He frowned and said, "It's for Xiaohu's sake." Yesterday I went to Zhao's house to pick him up, but I didn't pick him up, and his grandmother left him to play for a few more days. Zhaohua felt that I was too indulgent to Xiaohu, and she complained about me, and we quarreled. Later, I gave in, and it was fine. Actually, she misunderstood what I meant. It's not that I don't take Xiaohu home. I can't beat his grandmother. Rich people have such odd tempers. She only has such a grandson. Look what I can do! ”

He stretched out his hands to me as if asking for help. I don't say a word. I don't like his attitude.

He walked back to the couch where he had been sitting and sat down. He went on to say: "I didn't get a good night's sleep all night last night. The more I thought about it, the more sad I felt. This is the first time we have quarreled. We have been married for more than three years and have never had a fight. It's hard to say now that it's the beginning, and it's hard to say later. Yesterday was also my bad, so I quarreled first. He took out another cigarette and took a few puffs.

I couldn't be patient any longer. I said, "It's really your fault." You shouldn't have let the Zhao family destroy Xiaohu at all, Xiaohu is your son. ——”

"You can't say that the Zhao family ruined him. The Zhao family loves Xiaohu more than I do," he interjected disapprerovingly. He threw a cigarette on the floor and put out the fire with his foot.

I got angry. This time it was my turn to stand in front of him and speak. I waved my hand and said loudly, "You still say you didn't destroy him?" Think about it, what kind of education Xiaohu received in the Zhao family! Gambling, going to the theater, ostentation, truancy...... In short, not a single good thing! Do you think that the Zhao family is rich now, so they will always be rich, and they will always watch others not even have enough to eat, they will not do anything themselves, they will buy land every year, and their sons, grandsons, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-grandchildren will always be rich, and they will always gamble, watch plays, eat, and sleep? Do you think that we all eat money, sleep with money, treat money as our parents, and hold on to money for the rest of our lives? "I felt like my face was flushed.

"Don't say it, don't say it," Lao Yao hurriedly shook his hand and said, "You also misunderstood what I meant." I never thought about money above. ”

My anger was not yet gone, and I stubbornly said, "I didn't misunderstand you. Last time I advised you, you told me plainly, you are not without money, and you don't need to be afraid that Xiaohu loves gambling money and does not study. In fact, when it comes to gambling money, a kingdom can also lose, not to mention your mansion and thousands of acres of land! We are old friends, I should remind you again, the Yang family used to be a wealthy family here, and now what is happening to Yang Laosan? ”

"Don't say it, don't say it," he said, waving his hand. He doesn't lose his temper with me and doesn't defend himself. He just lay on the couch in despair.

I didn't sympathize with him, and I continued to force him with words. I said, "You should also think of your wife, what should you do if you call her a stepmother?" You should have thought of the Zhao family's temper at the beginning, so you shouldn't have continued the strings; Since the strings have been continued, you shouldn't just think of the Zhao family. I'm afraid that it's not enough for you to ruin your own happiness for the sake of the Zhao family, you will also ruin your wife's happiness. "I only care about what I say, and I don't think about his pain. It was only when I saw him blindfolded with his left hand that I shut up.

None of us spoke after that. He took off his hand and finished a cigarette before leaving.

I had just had dinner that day, and Lao Yao suddenly came to ask me to watch a movie. I knew he was accompanying his wife. I thought that after the couple had a fight, I should let them have more time to be alone and not get caught in the middle of them, so I made an excuse and dismissed it. I casually asked him what film he was going to watch, and he replied that it was "My Son". I was pleasantly surprised. I've seen this film, and it's very old, but it's new to them. And it will certainly teach Lao Yao a lesson, perhaps more effective than my advice.

I put them in the car. Mrs. Yao smiled at me quietly and happily, and her smile was the same as usual. Lao Yao's face was also happy, and the previous tiredness had dissipated.

I hope that they will live in peace forever.