Strange to say, since then, the bottom of the lake has never been as clear as before, it is always like a crowd of filth, precipitating a layer of jet black, this layer of black is like a shadow, eroding everyone's heart, making them worried, everyone clearly feels that there are fewer fish and shrimp to catch on the lake. There are more dead fish and dead shrimp than before, and even lobsters that used to be able to dig up a lot of mud are now like evaporating and no longer exist.

Occasionally, some experienced old fishermen will find those lobsters, but more often, they will find rotting lobster carcasses and shells, and the stench emitted by these things gradually makes them no longer want to hunt, so the population of the village formed by the fishermen is getting smaller and smaller, and finally it becomes a poor and abandoned village, leaving only a few old and young women and children who have no way to leave to support it.

On the huge lake, the wind and waves are still the same, and the sun still reflects a strange light on the lake every summer, but the busy figure full of life is like turning the title page of history, and it can no longer be seen.

——

Thirty years after Nono's disappearance, in the largest city south of the fishing village

A young and handsome man, sitting in front of the window and looking into the distance, his pupils as clear as fine pearls, his skin slightly dark, and his short hair mixed with wisps of paleness, which should not be pale at his age.

The man just turned 27 this year, but he is already an old smoker. At this moment, while staring at the sky, he lit a cigarette for himself, which was a cigarette, not a good brand, and the man didn't care about it. After he lit it, he took a deep breath and tasted it in his mouth for a long time before exhaling white smoke in the direction of the sky.

This is a habit of his, after a few puffs, the man will put out most of the remaining cigarette butts on the table, there are already many black scorch marks on the dilapidated tabletop, the man does not even have an ashtray, he does not bother to go out to buy it.

He didn't like the hustle and bustle of the city, and in his mind, it seemed as if there was always a calm water gently undulating, and the red umbrella reflected on the water surface, making him feel that it was the most beautiful picture in the world.

Because of lack of sleep, he felt a little tired, the man threw the cigarette butt to the ground, closed his eyes and leaned on the small bed that had not been washed for many days, his body and the sheets under it emitted a slight smell of sweat, it was a summer, but the sun was not strong in the sky, so the man looked at it for a long time, and then felt a little dazzling.

I thought to myself, how should I spend the remaining half of the day? The man unconsciously fell into a light sleep, he has always been not in good health, and it is common to fall asleep in a muddy nightmare, and the reason for his poor health is not because he was born, but because he lacks exercise and his temperament is too depressed.

The faint smoke gradually formed a man's dream, and in the dream floating in the void, a pair of shabby men and women loomed. The woman has plain short hair, and there are pale strands of pale between the strands. The man, on the other hand, has a thin, cheekbones protruding face, a dark face, and wrinkles as deep as a knife.

At the same time, a familiar smell wafted into the tip of the man's nose, a smell he longed for, but could no longer really touch.

"Xiaodou, get up and eat fish, I made your favorite steamed fish today, and I didn't put cooking wine, you smell it, is the fishy smell very strong?"

As soon as the voice entered the room, Xiaodou immediately recovered from the dream as if he was ready. He got up from the bed with a bone, ran to the woman in a few steps and said, "Xiaogui, come here quickly, I'm waiting for you to be hungry."

"Why do you always call me Xiaogui? I didn't buy it from your family, if you're thinking that the food is too expensive, then I can't do it?! The woman pursed her mouth and said impatiently, she really didn't like men to call her like this, obviously she had a nice name, called Yueyue, joyful Yue, isn't it a name that makes people happy when they hear it?

But Xiaodou still went his own way, he took Yueyue's hand, regardless of whether Yueyue was holding something in his hand or not, and said happily: "I call you Xiaogui because among the people I miss, there is a person who is also called Xiaogui, not because you are too expensive or the food is too expensive, don't get me wrong." ”

"Yes, yes, I won't get me wrong, you've explained it many times, and I can hear the calluses coming!" Lele deliberately put on an impatient look, but when her appearance fell into Xiaodou's eyes, she didn't feel angry at all, but made Xiaodou's smile more and more relaxed.

Xiaodou said: "Hao Yueyue, thank you for making fish for me every day, the living expenses have been a little tight recently, can you give it to you next month?" ”

"Why?" Lele asked, not because she was nervous about Xiaodou's living expenses, in fact, Yueyue has always liked Xiaodou in her heart, even if there is no living expenses, Yueyue will take care of him as always. It's just that she wants to know the reason for what Xiaodou suddenly proposed.

"Actually, it's because I want to go on a trip." Xiaodou hesitated for a long time, and finally said his reason.

In an instant, Yueyue's jaw fell to the ground, she couldn't believe her ears, so sick and depressed Xiaodou actually wanted to go out for a trip! But at the same time, Yueyue was also very happy, because Xiaodou was finally willing to go out.

So she asked, "Xiaodou, where do you want to travel?" ”

"I want to go to the north side of the lake, I heard that there is an abandoned village there, now rebuilt, and I want to go there." Azuki said.

"The north side of the great lake, it's a long way off, and it's going through our whole city, all the way north, and you have to row a boat, and you have to go through the whole lake. I once went to see the big lake with my father, but I couldn't see the end at all, the bottom of the lake was jet black, and I heard that there were always wind and waves on it! Can a body like yours do it? ”

"It's okay, it's okay, as long as I want to do it, I can definitely do it, Yueyue, come with me, okay?"

"I can go, but where are we going to charter a boat? And the means of transportation through the city is also a problem, I only have a bicycle, you can't let me ride you through the city, right? Lele said seriously that the questions she asked were very realistic.

Her words made Xiaodou lower her head and remain silent again, and after a while, Xiaodou sat back on the edge of the bed like discouraged, and held it for a long time before saying to Yueyue: "Then I won't go, I don't have a strong body, and I don't have a suitable means of transportation, so I'd better stay at home!" ”

"You see, when you encounter a problem, you will only say such frustrating words, I just put forward a little suggestion, and the suggestion is not an opposition, there is always a way to solve it. You're a man, and men don't want to solve it, do you want me, a woman who cooks, to find a way to solve it? Yueyue crossed her hands on her hips and pretended to glare at Xiaodou angrily, trying to cheer him up.

Yueyue's words always have an effect on Xiaodou, and sure enough, Xiaodou, who was very discouraged just now, raised his head and said to Yueyue at this moment: "Don't be angry, I'm not thinking of a way?" I'm not saying I have to give up. ”

"You, that's it, an idea for a while, I really can't help you." Lele turned around and brought the rice and steamed fish to the broken table next to the bean's bed. As soon as she put down the plate, she saw the burnt mark on the table, and immediately became angry.

"Can you smoke less? I'm not in good health, and I'm going to destroy it myself, and next time I see you smoking, I'll ignore you. ”

This time Yueyue was really angry, so Xiaodou could only raise his spirit to apologize again, he was sorry and said too much, so it naturally became a habit, and he came casually. Yueyue knew that it was impossible for him to be obedient, so she had to sigh and say to Xiaodou: "You eat first, and then you have to open the window and ventilate more, which is good for your body." ”

"I know, Yueyue, I'll listen to you. By the way, you can also help me figure out a way to go to the north of the lake, um... Just this week, let me know if you have any great ideas. ”

"Okay, I'll think about it, now I'm going to the hospital, you hurry up and finish eating, and I'll come to see you in the evening." After Yueyue finished speaking, she picked up the empty lunch box bag and her canvas handbag, and prepared to go out. Xiaodou crossed her legs on the edge of the bed, and waved at her like Yueyue came, and the smile on her face was still the same.

——

The house where Shodou lives is narrow and small, right next to a bank building. After walking in from a deep and dark alley on the side of the building, about a hundred meters, you can see the door of Xiaodou's house. It was a dilapidated wooden door, which was supposed to be brownish-red, but after years of exposure to the wind and sun, it was now jet-black, and it looked dirty, with many cracks on it.

The squeak of pushing open the door was loud, the door seemed to be the stiff back of an old man, and it was feared that it would break at any moment, and there was a small patio inside the door, and there was a well in the patio, which had long since been abandoned and dried up, and no one was using it. The mouth of the well was covered with a wooden cover, and a stone was pressed.

It seems that superstitious people say that there will be bad things crawling out of the well, so they will press the stones, but in fact, Xiaodou himself doesn't care about this. Passing through the small patio, you can enter the dark and cramped room of Xiaodou.

In fact, when it comes to being dark and narrow, narrowness is real, but black is not always true. Because next to Xiaodou's bed, there is a large window. During the day, it's always well-lit, and it's only at night that it looks dim and a little eerie. A timid person shouldn't be able to live in such a house, but fortunately, Xiaodou is only frail, not timid.

Yueyue's original name is Mu Yuegui, he just turned 19 this year, his parents are nurses, and he works in a big hospital. Every day, they take on the heavy work of taking care of the sick, so Yueyue has been very capable since she was a child, always keeping the house clean and tidy, so that her parents don't have to worry about it at all.