The old man wiped his cloudy eyes, took the half of the photo, and while looking at it, he slowly recounted the past that had been buried for twenty years:

"More than 20 years ago, I was the landlord of the small building in this picture, and there were three families in the house, one of whom was your father and mother. I lied to you just now, I actually know them, they are all my tenants. ”

Seeing that the old man was caught in memories, Lin Xiaoxiao and Fang Yu had a tacit understanding and did not disturb him.

The old man was silent for a while and continued, "When I first met them, they were all recent college graduates. Your father and a group of classmates rented a house on the ground floor of me, and they were supposedly tinkering with some kind of entrepreneurial project. Later, I heard that the project was not successful, and the people dispersed, leaving your father alone. ”

The old man took out half a bottle of liquor from under the dining table, poured himself a glass, and then said slowly:

"At that time, your father was said to have owed some money because of that business, so he wanted to quit the lease and return the one-year rent that was handed over to me. But at that time, as soon as I got the money, I sent it to my two children for living expenses, and I couldn't have that much money on hand. I couldn't help it, so I gave him an idea. That suite has two bedrooms, so you might as well rent out one and make some money first. ”

The old man smiled as he spoke: "Maybe it's fate, your mother came less than a day after the news of the house rental was announced." At that time, your mother was the same age as you are now, taller than your father, and very beautiful. ”

As the old man spoke, his voice became gentle, and he felt that the lively and lovely girl twenty years ago was standing in front of him again, and said to himself with a smile: "Big brother, my name is Lin Shuhua, are you the landlord here?" ”

"Taller than your father..."When the old man fell into a memory, Wei Zhen laughed in Fang Yu's mind, and passed a cartoon of Lin Xiaoxiao kneeling beside her, with a sign of "Daughter Like Dad" on her head, crying silently.

Fang Yu secretly glanced at Lin Xiaoxiao, she was completely attracted by the old man's recounted past, and she didn't notice the slots inside at all.

The old man continued: "Your mother's family is not in good condition, and I hope your father will reduce the rent a little. I can't stand your mother's coquettish appearance, but your father is not moved at all. It was only when I said I could provide your mother with a free dinner that she finally decided to rent it. ”

Fang Yu secretly admired Lin Xiaoxiao's father in his heart when he heard this, he was really a strong-willed and hard-hearted tough guy.

When I saw Xiaoxiao for the first time, I was defeated by her pitiful appearance like a stray cat, and immediately decided to take her in. Back then, if you changed yourself and met a girl who was more beautiful and lovely than Xiaoxiao, she was probably willing to rent it for free.

"And how did they get together?" Lin Xiaoxiao asked a little eagerly.

The old man shook his head: "Actually, I also wonder about this matter, although your father is a very good person, he is a person who does not know how to deal with others. Your mother was a cheerful woman who always liked to play pranks on your father, but your father never got angry. Later, they suddenly said they were going to get married, and they sent me candy, which really scared me. ”

"And then they had kids, right?" Fang Yu looked at it and asked.

Unexpectedly, the old man shook his head again, "They broke up inexplicably after less than a year of marriage."

"Ahh Fang Yu was taken aback when he heard this, wasn't Xiaoxiao born to his father?

The old man glanced at the pale Lin Xiaoxiao with sympathy, and said: "This incident had a great impact on your father, once he wanted to end his life, but after I stopped him, he got drunk all day long. ”

"Where did Xiaoxiao come from? You just saw her. Fang Yu suddenly remembered what the old man had said.

The old man looked into the void, his eyes became a little hollow, as if he had fallen into the memories of the past again:

"It was a cold and rainy night a year later, and your mother knocked on my door with a haggard face, and entrusted me with a baby child, and asked me to leave it in the hands of your father. In addition, your mother paid your father's rent for a year, gave me a large sum of money, and begged me to help your father in her own name. ”

"That kid is me, right?" Although Lin Xiaoxiao's face was pale, she still asked calmly.

Fang Yu looked at the old man nervously, and when he saw him nodding slowly, his hanging heart was finally put down.

At least Lin Xiaoxiao should have been born to her mother, Fang Yu thought secretly. Then he scolded himself again, what kind of logic did he have, that person was not born.

Lin Xiaoxiao continued to ask the old man: "Later, you handed me over to my father?" ”

"Yes," said the old man affirmatively, "although twenty years have passed, I can still vaguely see from your face, not to mention how you looked like your mother when she was young." ”

"Then when did my father leave Shudu, and did you see my mother after that?" Lin Xiaoxiao asked.

"Since your father had you, he has been like a different person, except for the day your mother leaves every year, he will get drunk, and he will not drink at any other time, and he will actively go to business to make money."

The old man twisted a peanut and put it in his mouth, and said as he chewed:

"It's just a pity that his luck is not good, and there have been several times when business has just picked up. Either the partner ran away with the money or the supplier suddenly broke the contract. After several setbacks, your father decided to leave Shudu and return to his hometown of Jiangnan Province. As he said goodbye to me and left, I saw your mother standing on the upper floor of a theater across from you, and when I looked more closely, she was no longer there. Later, half a year later, your mother came to say goodbye to me and said that she was going to Jiangnan Province. That was the last time I saw your mother. ”

After the old man finished speaking, he poured himself another half glass of liquor, took a dry sip, and let out a long breath.

Fang Yu stood up and bowed to the old man, "Old man, thank you for telling us these things, and thank you for your help to Xiaoxiao and his father twenty years ago. ”

The old man smiled self-deprecatingly: "You don't blame me for deliberately lying to you just now." After your mother left, someone came to me and gave me a sum of money, telling me not to tell anyone about your father or mother in the future, otherwise I would be careful with my own life. ”

"Then why are you..."Lin Xiaoxiao stopped talking.

The old man snorted and said, "I'm so old, I can live for a few days, what's there to be afraid of?" But when most people want me to speak, it's a no-brainer. ”

Then the old man ordered the dish on the table: "But I didn't expect that you young man could actually use those things I picked up to make me such a delicious dish, it is really very attentive, and it looks like a good boy who has suffered hardships." ”

Wei Zhen immediately said proudly to Fang Yu: "Look, I'll just say that 'Kung Pao Chicken' will be successful as soon as it comes out." ”

The old man pointed at Lin Xiaoxiao again: "Besides, I slowly recognized you later, I didn't say anything when others came, how could I not tell you what happened back then?" ”

Fang Yu laughed in his heart: "The cowhide has been blown early, today is the time to see you deflated." ”

Wei Zhen said depressedly: "Damn, this old man's routine is too deep." ”