When I returned to Yao's house, I saw Lao Wen and Li Laohan talking at the gate. I asked them if they had any news about Young Master Tiger. They replied that there was no. He also said that the master took Zhao Qingyun out early in the morning and never came back. Lao Wen also told me that his wife asked him to tell me to feed me at home today.

"Actually, you don't have to. Something happened to Young Master Hu, your master is not at home, and your wife is sick again, so why be polite, "I don't think I want to say it to Lao Wen."

"Mrs. also said that this was ordered by the master, and the master also said that he would rush back for dinner," Lao Wen said respectfully.

"Can the master come back in time?" I asked casually.

"The old man ordered dinner to be opened and wait for him to come back to eat," Lao Wen said this, and immediately added: "Accompany Mr. Li to dinner." ”

Lao Yao rushed home before seven o'clock. He went with his wife to the Lower Flower Hall. He wore a white summer cloth undershirt and trousers, and his wife wore a cheongsam with white summer cloth and blue edges. The dining table is set in the center of the flower hall. The flask and bowl were already on the table. They asked me to sit on top and they sat on either side. Lao Yao poured me wine and filled his own cup.

The dishes are several delicate and delicious dishes, and the wine is the best rice wine. But none of the three of us had an appetite. We don't talk much, and we don't move our chopsticks. Lao Yao and I often raised our wine glasses, but I only took small sips, as if the taste of wine had become bitter. There was a somber atmosphere at the dinner table. Whether we (whether it's me or them) say a word, move our chopsticks, or cough, we all seem to be very reluctant. Both of them had a sad look on their faces. Especially Mrs. Yao, she wanted to hide this shadow, but instead made it more exposed. Her eyebrows were furrowed, her face was pale, and her eyes were lowered. Her husband's face darkened, his eyebrows furrowed, his eyes grayish-black, his eyes often fixed on one place, as if he were looking at something, and as if he was not looking at something. I couldn't see my face, but I thought it wouldn't look good.

"Mr. Li, please eat some food, why don't you move your chopsticks?" Mrs. Yao looked at me and said with a smile. I think there's a bitterness in her smile. She smiled differently than usual.

"I'm eating, I'm eating," I replied and immediately moved my chopsticks twice, but then my hands stopped moving.

"Actually, you should stay until after the autumn is cool this time. You're gone, we're quieter here. I just ran into Xiaohu again," she said slowly, and when she mentioned Xiaohu, she immediately buried her head.

I haven't asked Lao Yao about Xiaohu's whereabouts, not because I don't want to know, but because I'm afraid of touching his pain. Now when I heard his wife mention Xiaohu's name, I glanced at him, he was drinking with his head down, and I couldn't help but ask his wife, "What's wrong with Xiaohu?" Did you find anyone? ”

She lifted her face slightly to look at me and shook her head. "Nope. I went there to see the poem, and the water was flowing so fast, I don't know where it went. Now look for people along the river to salvage everywhere. He hadn't slept all night last night......" she said with a choked voice, tears shining in her eyes, and she lowered her head again.

"Did you rescue someone else?" It was for the sake of comfort that I said what I knew was meaningless.

Mrs. Yao was silent. Lao Yao suddenly turned his face to look at me, raised his glass, and said in a hoarse voice: "Lao Li, let's drink." He drank most of the glass in one gulp. Mrs. Yao looked at him silently with concern. He immediately filled the cup again.

"Old Yao, let's drink less today. Naturally, I don't drink. But you only have a limited amount of alcohol, and you drink on an empty stomach......" I said.

"It doesn't matter, I'm not going to get drunk. You're leaving, we don't know when we'll be able to drink together again, what's the matter with a few more drinks today! Eat something," he interrupted, and finally picked up his chopsticks and motioned to me.

"It's hot, so let's drink less," his wife interjected.

"No," he said, shaking his head; "I'm having a hard time today, I'm going to drink more." He turned his face to me again: "Lao Li, you can drink as much as you like, I don't advise you." I just want to drink, I don't want to talk, Zhaohua will talk to you. "One of his eyes was dry. But his countenance was more ugly than crying.

"It doesn't matter, you don't have to worry about me, you don't need to be polite to me," I replied. "Actually, I've lived here for so long, I'm no longer a guest."

"It's not a few months, how can you say it for a long time? Mr. Lai, you're coming next year! Mrs. Yao continued.

As soon as I agreed, Lao Yao suddenly stretched out his right hand to me and called "Lao Li". His whole face was red. I also stretched out my right hand. He squeezed it tightly, looked at me earnestly, and said two words vigorously: "Next year." ”

"Next year," I said movingly, only to notice that the two bottles were empty. But I haven't finished a glass of wine myself.

"That's enough friends!" As he spoke, he withdrew his hand, took up his glass, and drank it. After that, he smiled reluctantly at his wife and said, "Zhaohua, let's open another bottle of wine." Call Lao Wen to get it. ”

"Enough, you can't drink any more," replied his wife. She turned her face away again and glanced at Lao Wen. Lao Wen stood at the door, waiting for their decision.

"No, I haven't drunk enough, I'll get it myself." He pushed away the chair and stood up, he didn't stand firmly, his body shook twice, and he hurriedly pressed the table.

"What's wrong?" His wife stood up and asked. I also stood up.

"I'm drunk," he said with a wry smile, and sat down again.

"Then go back to the house and lie down," I advised. I saw that his eyes were red. He didn't answer me, but suddenly stretched out his hands to grab his hair, and shouted in pain and in a hoarse voice: "I have not done anything bad, I have ever harmed anyone!" Why can't even Xiaohu's body be found now? Is it just for him to soak in the water forever, how can I get by in my heart as a father! He covered his face and cried.

"Mrs. Yao, go in with him," I whispered to his wife, "he's drunk, and he'll be fine in a while." He was too tired for the past two days. You should be careful that you are sick. Rest early. ”

"Then we won't be with you, you'll be next year—" She said only these few words, and her two shining black eyes looked at me with a sense of farewell.

"I'll definitely come to see you next year," I said with some sentimentality. I saw a bleak smile on her face. Her eyes seemed to say: We are waiting for you! She stood beside her husband and looked down at him, about to speak.

Lao Yao suddenly stopped crying, took off his hand covering his face, stood up, patted me on the shoulder with his big hand, and said loudly:

"I'll take you to the station tomorrow morning. I have already instructed us to prepare the car as soon as it is dawn. ”

"You don't have to send me. I have less luggage, and I have bought a ticket, so it is very convenient to walk alone. You've been so tired for the past two days. ”

"I'll have to send you," he said stubbornly. "I'll see you off tomorrow morning." He asked his wife to take him by the arm and staggered out of the flower hall. I told Lao Wen to follow them in, and I was worried that he would fall halfway.

I sat alone in this empty hall, ate a bowl of rice, and drank the glass of wine. When Lao Wen came to collect the dishes, he told me that his wife had promised to send him to the station with me tomorrow. I thank him for his kindness. But I couldn't listen to him talk as much as I usually did, and my mind was dull. The wine took effect on me.

The wine calmed my nerves. I slept very well. I don't think about anything, and I can't really use my mind anymore.

When Lao Wen came to wake me up, the sky had just turned white, and he was still hiding in the corner of the house at night. He slapped me in the face and brought me an early one. By the time I packed my luggage, it was already past five o'clock. I decided not to wait for Lao Yao to come, and left for the station. As soon as I told Lao Wen what he meant, I heard someone whispering outside the window, and then I heard footsteps. I knew who it was, so I went out to meet her.

When I stepped out of the threshold, I saw Mrs. Yao and Sister-in-law Zhou walking towards me.

"Mrs. Yao, why are you up?" I asked, my words filled with surprise and gratitude. I also thought: Lao Yao is coming soon.

"We're afraid it's too late," she said with a friendly smile. She walked into the hall with me, and said, "I can't send you to chant poetry, he got drunk last night and vomited several times, and he really can't get up this morning, I'm very sorry for you." ”

"Mrs. Yao, why are you still so polite!" I smiled. Then I asked her, "Does it matter if you recite poetry?" ”

"He's sleeping well now, and he'll probably be back after today. But he was hit so hard, you know how much he loves Xiaohu, and he ran for two days in a row, and it was difficult to support his spirit. If you have time in the future, I will ask you to write more letters to persuade him to look away. ”

"Yes, I will write to you."

"Thank you then, you must write a letter!" She smiled, turned her face and asked Lao Wen, "Is the car ready?" ”

"Mrs. Hui, it's been all right a long time ago," replied Lao Wen.

"So, Mr. Li, it's time for you to leave?"

"I'll be gone." I looked at a letter in her hand again. I noticed this when I saw her outside the door earlier, and I asked her, "Mrs. Yao, do you want me to bring any letters?" ”

"No, this is our wedding photo, I found it that day, and the poem said that I haven't sent you a photo yet, so I took it out and brought it to you." She handed me the envelope. "Don't forget our two friends, we welcome you back at any time." She smiled again. This time I got her smile back that lit up everything.

I thanked her, but I didn't take out the photo to look at it, and even the envelope was in my pocket. Then I shook her outstretched hand: "Goodbye then." I won't forget you. Please tell me the hymn for me. ”

The four of us walked all the way out of the garden gate, Lao Wen took my luggage, and Sister-in-law Zhou followed behind Mrs. Yao.

"Please go back," I said as I stepped down from the patio and turned my face to Mrs. Yao.

"Wait until you get in the car. I'm sending you on his behalf today," she said, sending me to the second gate. I was about to get into the car when I heard her sigh slightly, "I envy you for being able to run freely." ”

I knew it was just a moment in her mind. I replied to her briefly, "Actually, everyone has his own world." ”

The car dragged me and the suitcase away, and Lao Wen followed, and he went outside to hire a street car. When the car turned towards the open gate, I looked back and saw that Mrs. Yao was still standing at the second gate talking to Sister-in-law Zhou. I waved at her with a little nostalgia, and in the blink of an eye, everything in the Yao Mansion disappeared in front of my eyes. The two basin-sized red letters "Rest Garden" still looked down arrogantly from the lintel. They looked at me and now they look at me again.

"Mr. Lai!" A familiar voice called out to me from behind, and I turned around to see Mr. Li running towards my car. I told Lao Li to stop the car.

Li Laohan ran angrily, and as soon as he stopped, he reached out and touched his bald head.

"Mr. Li, you must come next year!" He stammered, his face flushed, and his white beard shook slightly in the morning light.

"I'll come next year," I said gratefully. The car rolled forward again. It walked in front of the door of the Great Immortal Temple, and Lao Wen had just hired a car to sit on it. As for the Great Immortal Temple, I should mention here that the place I used to go to for a period of time began to be demolished four or five days ago, saying that it was going to build some kind of memorial. It's still being demolished, so when my car passes by, all I see is piles of rubble.