Zekuan hurried home.

When he saw the withered grandfather, he almost couldn't recognize it, and his heart was full of grief.

The mother said: "I knew that it had been 10 days, and we knew that you were busy, so I didn't tell you right away, and the doctor said that the operation didn't have much effect, and our family couldn't afford that money, so we could only use medicine to relieve his pain, which was already frighteningly expensive." ”

Zekuan said: "Even if it is expensive, you have to use it for him." ”

Mother nodded and said: "The house has been built on the first floor, I discussed with your father, your grandfather's illness costs money, the second floor is only half built, and the roof does not use cement tiles, anyway, the bricks are already there, hurry up and build it to move in, otherwise as soon as grandpa leaves, it will take three years." ”

This is a custom in the countryside.

Zekuan nodded in agreement.

The doctor said that boiling porridge with geckos is good for his illness, and there are dried ones sold in pharmacies, but it is best to use fresh, and he also loves to eat freshly boiled porridge. ”

At night, Zekuan and his mother went to the neighboring village to catch geckos.

He was holding a long bamboo pole with a plastic broom tied to it, and his mother was holding a flashlight in one hand and a small basin in the other.

When he saw a gecko, he used a broom to tease his head, and when the gecko fell, his mother took it with a small basin and grabbed it into a bag.

"The doctor said that geckos are poisonous and can't be eaten too much, and we can only put three to five pieces of porridge, so we don't have to catch too many at a time."

Zekuan nodded, children know that geckos are beneficial animals that specialize in eating mosquitoes, but for the sake of grandpa, they have to catch them.

The mother and son chatted while catching geckos, and his mother asked him a lot about his work and life, but he just wanted to understand his love life and whether he was procrastinating; There is no girl you like; There are also previous emotional experiences.

Zekuan also told her about Qijing and Xinyun.

When the mother heard this, she said, "Although Qijing can't speak, she is kind and simple, and she will be a good wife and mother, which is a pity; As for Xinyun, although his temperament is a little weird, his heart shouldn't be bad, so you haven't heard from them all the time? ”

Zekuan shook his head.

His mother comforted him and said, "It's been so many years, don't think about it so much, people have to look forward." ”

Mother's eloquence and insight are obviously much better than before.

"Son, Mom knows that you are an honest and affectionate person, but you can't be too honest, especially for girls, you have to know how to please others."

"Now there are more men and fewer women, you have to hurry, don't be too picky about finding a wife, just live a good life."

Zekuan smiled and said, "Mom, your knowledge is much wider than before, and you can talk in a way." ”

My mother smiled and said, "Others also praise me like this, it's the radio you bought for me, and the TV, which has taught me a lot of things, and I am no longer as ignorant as before, and now your father scolds me, and I will refute him and scold me back." ”

Zekuan said: "Then I'll buy you a smartphone!" I teach you how to go online and you can learn more. ”

Mother said: "No need, I still have any Internet at my age, I usually work and listen to the radio, just go home and watch TV, if you want to buy it, buy it for your father!" ”

Zekuan was silent.

Mother said, "Your father has changed a lot, now he doesn't gamble anymore, he drinks less, and his temper is much better." ”

Zekuan just nodded.

Mother sighed softly.

During the day, he boiled gecko porridge for his grandfather, and watched him barely eat half a bowl before he could eat it.

The house was in a hurry, and he came to help, whether it was work or at the dinner table, he didn't say a word to his father.

The family lived in the old mud brick house where his grandfather lived, and at night, his grandfather was so tormented by the pain that he couldn't help but cry out in a low voice, the sound was terrifying, he couldn't sleep when he listened, and he burst into tears, and he hated to suffer for him.

This may be the biggest pain in life, watching a loved one being tormented by pain but unable to do anything about it.

He called Wu Yi, asked about the situation in the Internet café, and borrowed money from him.

Wu Yi agreed in one bite, and said: "You don't have to worry about the Internet café, it's really too busy, it's a big deal to invite someone, and your family is important." ”

But his mother persuaded him, "You can't help at home, it's still important to have business, go back and do your work." ”

Zekuan also understands that it is very difficult to have three people in an Internet café, and now it is a lot of money to invite multiple network managers, Wu Yi is nothing, and Zhao Wencheng's opinion must be very big.

So, he went back to Guangzhou and waited for the new house to be occupied two months later.

There was no much celebration, so three tables of banquets were set up and relatives and neighbors were invited.

Grandpa couldn't even get out of bed, Zekuan fed him porridge, but he said he wanted to eat meat.

When the time comes, I will listen to him and bring him fragrant meat from the banquet.

He actually ate a lot.

Grandpa, who has been poor all his life, has almost no chance to eat so much meat.

Zekuan held back tears while feeding him.

Two days later, Grandpa was gone.

After his funeral, after the first seven days, Zekuan went back to Guangzhou.

Walking to the gambling stall under the banyan tree at the entrance of the village, he saw his father.

He didn't participate in the gambling, squatting with his back to the gambling stall, holding half a piece of liquor in his hand, looking depressed.

He'd never seen him like this.

The business of Internet cafes has begun to decline, and there is no longer the pomp and circumstance that used to be full, although there is still a profit, but it is not as good as a month.

Zekuan said to Wu Yi: "You really said it, the impact of mobile phone Internet access and more and more people buying computers on us is really getting bigger and bigger." ”

Zhao Wencheng said: "There is no need to worry too much, how can playing games and watching movies on mobile phones be as cool as computers, how many people who work are renting houses and buying computers by themselves?" I think it's just that the factory is busy right now, and the part-time workers don't have so much time to surf the Internet. ”

Wu Yi shook his head and said: "I think the situation will get worse and worse, I used to ignore one point, now many factories are relocated, moved to other districts and other cities, and even other provinces, there are fewer factories, fewer migrant workers, and they are the main force of Internet café consumption, so the impact will come faster than I thought before, and it will be more serious in the future." ”

The cashier, Xiaoxuan, is pregnant and resigns.

The three of them sat together and discussed whether to hire another person.

Wu Yi said: "I don't think we need to invite people anymore, we have more than 40 machines left in our small Internet café, and the business is getting weaker and weaker, just the three of us are enough." ”

Zhao Wencheng was a little reluctant: "The business is lighter, but the work is not much less, suddenly there is one less person, don't tire us to death, this boss is regarded as coolies." ”

Zekuan said: "We usually just take a walk and see, not to mention how hard it is, business is not good, naturally we have to open up sources and reduce expenditure." ”

Zhao Wencheng said: "There must be a spectrum for opening up sources and reducing expenditure, usually there is nothing to do, but what to do if there is an emergency, like last year, the two of them fought for a girlfriend, and neither of them could control it." ”

Wu Yi said: "That's just an extreme few cases, you can't be afraid of this and just one more person's expenses, okay, that's it, everyone will work harder in the future." ”

In this way, there are three of them left in the Internet café, and the two of them take turns to be the cashier during the day, and only one person takes care of everything at night.

Although it is a little harder, it is not as hard as working in the factory before, reducing expenses and increasing profits.

Wu Yi said: "As long as there is still money to be made, this business can still be done, otherwise, we can only close the door and change careers, or go back to work in the factory." ”

Zekuan comforted him and said: "Business is lighter, but don't be so pessimistic, I don't think it will be unsustainable in three or five years." ”

Wu Yi said: "I hope so. ”

But none of them expected that a fatal blow was coming.