For Chen Li's grandparents who live in the deepest part of the village, this New Year is a complete New Year for Shi Jiaojiao's family. Once upon a time in the tidal flats by the lake, when the young couple lost the direction of their distant uncle and suddenly lost their direction in their homeless life, thanks to this kind old man, they let Shi's father work in the forest farm, and asked his daughter-in-law to introduce the young Shi's mother to the garment factory. The friendship between Shi Jiaojiao and Chen Li also sprouted from such warm soil.

Maybe it's because Dad Shi hasn't been at home for many years for the New Year, or maybe it's because his son went to his in-laws' house in other provinces this year, in short, Grandpa Chen and his wife are especially happy to see Shi Jiaojiao's family. As soon as she arrived in the small courtyard in the afternoon, Grandma Chen put down the red beans she was sifting in her hand, greeted her and said, "I knew you were coming today, why didn't you come in the morning!" As he spoke, he pulled Father Shi to the well, pointed to a plucked chicken, and said, "Your uncle told me to kill the chicken early in the morning and soak the beef tendon and pork skin belly, and I actually came here at this time." ”

Shi's mother stood behind her husband with a red face and smiled, and gave Shi Jiaojiao a look, Shi Jiaojiao knew "oops", hugged the old man's neck, and said in a coquettish voice: "Isn't this trying to let you rest more!" I'm going to say New Year's greetings! First of all, I wish my grandparents a happy new year and a long life! "Haha!" The old man patted Shi Jiaojiao's hand and said happily: "Then your grandfather and I won't be old monsters!" Between the words, Grandpa Chen ran out of the house, walked up to Father Shi and said, "Hurry up, let's go into the house!" ”

At dinner, the old man took out the treasured rice flower fragrance, and just handed the wine cup to Father Shi, when he suddenly remembered something and asked, "Can I drink?" Father Shi was stunned for a moment, and said suspiciously: "Uncle, what's the matter, which old wine trip was not accompanied by my nephew?" Grandpa Chen patted his head, stretched out his hand and snatched the empty wine cup handed over by Father Shi, and said, "As I said, don't drink wine in the future, burns will be taboo!" ”

Dad Shi wasn't gluttonous, he just wanted to drink with Grandpa Chen, but the old man didn't let go no matter what, and then directly left Dad Shi and asked Shi Jiaojiao kindly, "Jiaojiao, did you get the award this year?" Shi Jiaojiao took a bite of the tender fish balls and happily replied: "Well! Grandpa Chen immediately laughed, waved his chopsticks and said to the adults: "We Jiaojiao have been smart since childhood, and we are college students!" Saying that, everyone looked at Shi Jiaojiao with expectant eyes, but they looked at her embarrassed.

The meal was eaten from half past five to seven o'clock in the evening, and although it was so close, people still reluctantly said goodbye at the door of the small courtyard. It was a clear night, the sky was clear, the empty fields without crops, and the bare branches without leaves lined the sky with a particularly wide sky, and the few cold stars were impossibly bright. There is only a family of three on the night road in the countryside, the father rides the old-fashioned big bar car to carry the mother, and the daughter follows leisurely on the old little blue car.

The sumptuous dinner that had just ended made the three of them warm. "Has Grandma Chen given New Year's money this year?" Mother asked Shi Jiaojiao, and the girl whispered, "Yes." "You took it?" Shi Jiaojiao said "um" weakly, and the voice of her mother taking a deep breath came from the opposite side, and asked, "How much?" "Twenty." Mom exhaled deeply, and her tone was really heavy, "So much! The older you are, the more ignorant you are, didn't I tell you you you can't take it? It's so big, how can you still collect the old man's New Year's money! ”

"I know, I don't want to take it! But grandma, she carried it into my arms all the time, and said that she didn't have to go to see them next time! How can I stand it? The more Shi Jiaojiao spoke, the more excited she became, "She said that she didn't give Lili's New Year's money because Lili went to work." But I'm still a student, and if I am a student for a day, I can get a day's New Year's money! How can I ...... this back" Hearing the grievances and intentions in Shi Jiaojiao's words, my mother laughed out loud with anger, and said to her husband who was silent: "It's still hidden, I just want it!" Shi Jiaojiao was ashamed and annoyed, so she could only pedal the car angrily.

At this time, Father Shi was playful, and suddenly yelled while his wife and daughter were not paying attention, speeding up the car, which frightened his mother and shook it with the car, and the man laughed when he felt it. Shi Jiaojiao also screamed like her father, and her naughty father followed...... On a whim, the father and daughter, despite their mother's loud protests, compared to the speed, you chased me and quickly arrived home.

The family laughed and pushed the bicycle to the hallway, and the mother took out the key early to open the door. Who would have thought that a shadow darker than the door stood in front of the dark door, moving towards this direction! "Who!" Father Shi shouted loudly, and couldn't help but pull his wife, who was standing in front of him and was about to open the door, behind him. "It's me." It was a clear girl's voice, and Shi Jiaojiao reflexively shouted: "Lei Lei! ”

Xia Lei pushed the four gift boxes from this end of the table to Father Shi, and said, "Uncle, these are all nourishing medicinal herbs for you to recuperate." Father Shi looked confused, looked at this beautiful girl, and then looked at his wife and daughter, and said, "Uncle can't accept such a valuable thing from a child." Xia Lei frowned and looked at Shi Jiaojiao, and replied: "You haven't seen me, but I'm half your daughter!" I have not been able to come to see you, I am guilty to death, these are the ones I have picked for a long time, both a New Year's gift and a compensation, but I can't shirk it! ”

The couple both had a car to say if they refused, they both opened their mouths, and were stopped by Shi Jiaojiao, "Don't shirk, keep it, I still have a lot to say to her!" Wouldn't it be nice to pack more money for the New Year! The couple smiled and looked at each other, nodded on the surface, and looked at this luxurious gift with a drum in their hearts, "How much does this have to be packed!" ”

Xia Lei seemed to be a little pale under the incandescent light, and she didn't know how long she had been waiting outside, her mouth was a little black. Mother Shi waited for the water to boil, hurriedly flushed the green rubber hot water bottle, hurriedly stuffed it into Xia Lei's arms, and said distressedly: "Silly girl, can't you call earlier?" This is the topic they just discussed during the woman's boiling of water, Shi's father scratched his head and said: "I played the game last night, and I forgot to charge the ...... when the electricity ran out" The woman looked at her husband and stared, and said: "Look at the harm you have caused the child, why didn't I move the mobile phone for a day!" ”

Father Shi stroked his hair, pointed at Xia Lei and Shi Jiaojiao, and said, "Don't tell me why they can play together, two stupid melons." Isn't this stupid enough to wait for someone else for hours? Shi Jiaojiao and Xia Lei pouted and looked at each other, and at the same time covered their mouths and smiled. The girl pointed to her father and said, "I have a genetic!" Father Shi raised his face and laughed when he heard this, clapped his hands and said, "Don't say anything, hurry up and wash and sleep, Mom will call again in a while!" ”

"Let's sleep today, I don't want to sleep alone!" Xia Lei wore the sleepiness she brought, sat on the end where Shi Jiaojiao was used to sleeping, hugged the pillow and begged. "Okay, you go inside." Shi Jiaojiao climbed into bed, Xia Lei hurriedly moved inside, and said, "Wow, it's so treacherous, take up the place I just warmed!" "That's the price of sleep, haha!"

The darkness after the lights went out kept the girls silent for a while. "Where have you been, I've been looking for you." Shi Jiaojiao pinched the quilt and said, Xia Lei did not answer immediately, making Shi Jiaojiao, who asked the question, feel that her words did not seem to reach Xia Lei's ears, but were swallowed up by this silent darkness. After a while, there was still no response, Shi Jiaojiao was a little embarrassed, turned around and tucked the quilt under her chin, and gave herself a round, "Whew, it's so cold today, hide your nose." ”

Xia Lei's eyes shone in the dark night, she looked at the roof in a daze, blinked her eyes, and tears quietly flowed down the corners of her eyes and fell silently into her hair. She waited for this emotion to pass, then exhaled and said:

"My grandfather died."