"yes." I nodded.?

Captain Yang's eyes widened, staring at me with a straight stare at me, his mouth open, and it took a long time for a trembling voice to come out of his throat: "Old thank him, he... He's dead! ”?

I suddenly shuddered, my throat was so dry, I felt my scalp feel cold, and my hair stood on end!?

Did I see—the ghost? Creeps!?

Is that a copy of last year's Beijing Times?

The headline of the newspaper is striking - a taxi driver died suddenly at Zizhu Bridge last night!?

In the early hours of yesterday morning, on Zizhuyuan South Road, a taxi driver died suddenly in the car, and was only discovered more than 6 hours later.

On the east side of a gas station on Zizhuyuan South Road, a red Beverly taxi with the number plate "Beijing BE6008" written "Xilafu Taxi Co., Ltd." is quietly parked there. The car was intact, except that the two front windows were rolled down. A driver with slightly sparse hair on his forehead, a purple complexion, a puffy face, and a breathless driver, with his eyes wide open and his right leg still stiffly bent on the accelerator, remained in this motion until 10:30 a.m., when the body was lifted onto the car. The driver's head was resting tightly on the right guardrail, and there were scattered instant noodles in the car.

…………?

It is understood that the driver who caused the accident is named Xie Guocheng and is 45 years old this year. After the initial diagnosis of 120 emergency doctors who rushed to the scene, the cause of death of the deceased was myocardial infarction caused by excessive fatigue. The police on duty at the scene said that the specific cause of death could not be known until the autopsy was performed.

The newspaper also published a photo of the deceased at the scene - it was Lao Xie!?

I was stupid, my brain was confused, my throat seemed to be on fire, and I swallowed hard one bite at a time.

Captain Yang and the rest of the company stared at me with frightened eyes, as if watching a patient in an insane asylum.

To tell the truth, I was born in a new society and grew up under the red flag, and I was influenced by materialist ideas since I was a child, and I didn't believe that there were ghosts and gods in this world at all. But what is happening in front of me is beyond my explanation.

I think back to the scenes last night, especially when Lao Xie wiped the car, it was indeed the deceased named Xie Guocheng in the photo.

Is my car really haunted? I repeated this suspense in my head over and over again. Slowly break away from the fog of panic. Rational thinking gradually returned to my mind. Don't say that there are no ghosts in this world at all, even if there are ghosts, ghosts like Lao Xie, I don't think it will be very scary.?

After coming back to my senses a little, I resolutely made up my mind that tonight, I must find out whether this Lao Xie is a human or a ghost.

The night was dark. On a moonless winter night, the streets are deserted, and occasionally someone hurries by, and in an instant there is silence again. The wind whistled like a knife and poured into the back of my neck, and I couldn't help but shiver again. I was wandering across the road from the gate of my neighborhood, stomping my feet to warm myself in the cold wind, and I was going to pretend to be a passenger and take my own taxi, which was incredible to think about.

In order not to let that old Xie recognize me, I changed into a black windbreaker that I hadn't worn for a long time today, with the collar up, the woolen hat wrapped my head tightly, and put on a big white mask, and I waited for more than an hour.

My eyes were staring at the entrance of the community, and I didn't dare to deviate for a moment, and that old Xie still didn't show up, as if he was fighting my patience to the death......?

At 12 o'clock in the middle of the night, I saw a Beverly taxi slowly driving out of the gate of the community, my heart beat faster, as if I was about to jump out, I could see at a glance that it was my car - Beijing BE6008!?

It was excitement, nervousness, panic, several emotions were intertwined, and suddenly it was not cold, but I felt that my blood was flowing rapidly in my body, and it was hot all over my body.

I hurriedly waved at the car, and my heart rose to my throat——?

The driver in the car seemed to see me, crossed the road and stuck to me, stopped there, and when I looked at the driver, wasn't that the old Xie in the newspaper!?

Ghost! When I thought of this, I couldn't help but panic, and even thought of running away immediately, feeling as if something was clamped around my neck, and I couldn't breathe. I swallowed hard, suppressing the fear and panic in my heart.

I opened the car door and visibly felt my hands trembling.?

A warm breeze came to my face, followed by a cry: "Hello! ”?

"Hey", I made up my mind, tried hard to control myself not to lose my temper, and got into the car.

Looking at the driver through the reflector again, the big head, the top is off, the eyes are small, the nose bridge is collapsed, the mouth is big, and the appearance is exactly the same as the photo. What the hell!?

"Where are you going?" Lao Xie asked with a smile. He didn't recognize me, and I don't know if he knew me or not. His smile is quite sincere, and he looks like a real person at first glance.?

Not only that, but when I saw this old Xie in front of me, I wasn't too nervous.

"Go to the Asian Games Village." I casually said the name of the place and began to slowly calm down.?

"Okay, Asian Games Village." Lao Xie repeated, turned around and drove north.?

Is he a human or a ghost? Seeing that Lao Xie was really sitting next to me and driving, how could I not associate him with ghosts.?

"Let me tell you a joke," Lao Xie first broke the silence with a smile: "A few days ago, I pulled up a foreigner at the West Railway Station, I said where are you going, he said to go to the capital, I said this is not the capital?" He said don't fool me, this is Beijing, and I'm going to the capital. You say that Coke is not fun. He said as he gestured with his right hand in the air. Look at me from time to time.?

"Yes." I responded, and my mood gradually relaxed.?

"Finally, guess what, he's going to the Capital Hotel. You said that this master saved two words, what a big misunderstanding. Fortunately, he didn't go to the Pacific Department Store, or the car wouldn't have driven to the beach! "Lao Xie amused me, and he laughed himself, and his humor in the Beijing accent made people think that this person was amiable.?

"I said you take off your hat and mask, it's warm in the car, or you won't catch a cold when you go out, F D has already passed, there's no need to be so careful. Our cars are disinfected every day. "Old Xie said to me.?

I took off the woolen hat on my head, but I didn't dare to take off the mask, for fear that he would recognize me in case. Fortunately, he didn't pay much attention to it.?

"Master, it's hard to drive on the night shift!" This time I took the initiative to steal the conversation.?

"No, it's not easy to rent, the car is too high, and all the money you earn is handed over." Lao Xie replied while driving.?

"You're working the night shift?" I'm starting to get down to business step by step.?

"Ahh Lao Xie responded.?

"Double shift, that's okay," I pretended to be absent-minded, "and you can rest well if you're driving alone during the day." ”?

"So-so," Lao Xie said with a smile: "Our fellow is really lazy, really lazy, I'll wipe the car for him." ”?

I think the "shifter" he said must be me, and I am most annoyed by wiping the car: "It's not easy!" "I actually justified myself on this occasion.?

At this moment, a big truck drove over with dazzling headlights, shaking the cab, Lao Xie panicked, braked suddenly, and crossed his arms to cover his face.

My heart suddenly tightened, and the legend says that ghosts are afraid to see the light, and there is no shadow. In the bright light, I tried my best to open my eyes and stare at Lao Xie, behind Lao Xie - there is really no shadow! Is he really --- ghost!?

The ghost, this must be Lao Xie's ghost, attached to the car, I started to get chills and goosebumps all over my body again!?

Creeps!?

The big truck roared and went wrong, and Lao Xie returned to his normal state of smiling and grinning, as if nothing had happened just now.

"Yes, it's not easy to open a rental." Lao Xie continued the topic just now, and told a joke while driving: "That day, a person got into my car and asked me why most of the taxis in Beijing were yellow before, and I said that at that time, our brother could still earn some money, so the car was the color of a bumper harvest; The man asked again: Why are the taxis all over the street red again, I said that the money is not easy to earn today, the drivers are bitter, the red of the car is dyed red by the blood of the drivers; The man said again, I heard that it was all changed to black again? I said yes, we'll all be scorched by then, can we not be dark! Haha...... "Lao Xie said that he laughed out loud first.?

Although Lao Xie was telling a joke, I couldn't laugh at all, but my heart trembled when I heard it. I just sat in a taxi driven by a soul, from the central axis road from north to south, through the city center, to the vicinity of the Asian Games Village. What's next, my mind is ...... messed up?

Lao Xie didn't seem to notice my panic and uneasiness, and asked, "When you get there, where do you stop?" ”?

"That's it." I didn't have time to think about it and said.?

The car slowly stopped on the side of the road, Lao Xie lifted the meter, the meter rattled for a while, and an invoice was printed.

I took the invoice handed over by Lao Xie, I couldn't see the handwriting on it, I looked at the invoice over and over again, or the white note, which confirmed my judgment: Lao Xie is not a person, he must be a ghost.?

Xu Zi, I call my name, don't you dare to face the reality??

"Sir, it's here, 31 yuan, make up a whole and give 30." Lao Xie said.?

I came back from my contemplation, and I didn't know where I got the courage, and slowly took off my mask: "You are—Old Master Xie, right?" ”?

I saw that the old Xie was shocked, his mouth was wide open, and he didn't close it for a long time.

My eyes were so calm that I looked at him, and my heart was indeed much calmer. Lao Xie seemed to have reacted to everything in front of him for a long time, and stumbled and said, "I, I, I didn't scare you, Xu, Brother Xu......"?

Sure enough, I don't think it's surprising that he's known about me for a long time.?

"I don't think you're going to hurt me." I said, seeing Lao Xie's panicked appearance, not only am I no longer frightened, but I feel funny - ghosts are also afraid of people!?

Although it was the first time, we both knew each other, so the embarrassment was like a cloud in the wind, which drifted away after a while, and Lao Xie also returned to normalcy and said: "How can I hurt you, how can I hurt you if you are my partner?" You forgot that one day I saved you, the migrant worker jumped over from the fence and you didn't see it, and you drove at full speed, if I hadn't helped you stomp on the brakes, then you might not know where you are today, ha. ”?

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, you saved a life and saved me." I say sincerely.?

"Yes, life is precious! How good it is to be alive......" Lao Xie sighed, he could see his loneliness and sadness: "You follow me in the middle of the night, I know why, brother, I'll tell you, I'm alone now, no, I should say that I'm a ghost, and I'm really lonely, I chatted with the passengers at night, it's better, it's better, it's better, that's right!" One night in the small street bridge seems to be I violated the rules, the day is almost dawn, I have to rush back, you know the ghost is afraid of the light, drive a little faster, I saw the monitor flashed, it must be recorded, I will give you a fine...... You must be wondering why I keep driving at night......"?

Seeing Lao Xie's excited appearance, I didn't interrupt him, only nodded.?

"I really can't bear to leave their mother and son, they haven't enjoyed any happiness with me......" Lao Xie immersed himself in memories and began to tell his own past——?

Lao Xie turned out to be a lifting worker at Beijing Heavy Machinery Factory. He said that their generation is the most miserable, when they were growing up, they encountered three years of natural disasters, when they went to school, they were catching up with the mountains and going to the countryside, and finally caught up with the reform and opening up, got married and started a family, and had a lovely daughter Jiajia, and the family was safe and stable, but a few years ago, the husband and wife were both laid off, and their lives were suddenly lost. Lao Xie has no education, and he is old, so he can't find a suitable job, so he works as a rental, and earns some hard-earned money with hard work. Lao Xie's daughter-in-law, Sister-in-law Xie, works as a cleaner in a restaurant. The couple's greatest wish is for their daughter Jiajia, who is in high school, to be admitted to college, so that she will be better than her parents in the future, and will no longer suffer from the suffering and tiredness of her parents.

Jiajia's grades in school are always among the best, and although the family is not wealthy, they are happy. But one day a year ago, Sister-in-law Xie suddenly said that she had a headache, thinking it was a cold, and the anti-primary antibody passed, and then the pain was unbearable, so she went to the hospital for examination. As soon as the test results came out, it was like a bolt from the blue: brain tumor!?

Since that day, Lao Xie has not slept for more than three hours, running between home and the hospital, one course after another, Xie's sister-in-law has not improved, and the only savings in the family have drifted into the hospital like snowflakes.

Lao Xie died the day before Xie's sister-in-law's surgery, when his daughter Jiajia was taking care of her mother who was in a coma, Lao Xie drove out to work again, in order to treat the disease, the family already owed a lot of debts, and the car was about to be paid, so if you don't do it, you can't do it.

This time it has become a farewell. Lao Xie said that he only felt a pain in his heart at that time, and he didn't know anything. There is only one step between the threshold between life and death, Lao Xie stared at the night sky for a long time, and said: "How good it is to be alive, only when people die do they know, life is so fragile." I really can't bear to leave their mother and son, they didn't think about any blessing with me, I died, how can they live with their mother and son...... The family still owes tens of thousands of debts, can't I do it......"?

I was shocked! What kind of ghost is this, after he dies, he has to work for his family, his wife and children, Lao Xie died suddenly under the Zizhu Bridge, his eyes were wide open, that was his sick wife, his daughter who went to school at ease, and he couldn't see it! People are tired to death, but the ghost is not gone, and they have to drive to support their families and pay off their debts, what is there to be afraid of such ghosts! Looking at Master Xie's slightly puffy old face, I really don't want to admit that the person in front of me is a ghost...... This is the heroic soul of a taxi driver!?

That night, on the side of the road in the Asian Games Village, I had a conversation with Master Xie and us, and we reached an agreement that people and ghosts would open a double shuttle bus together, so that all the suspense was clear, and it was not mysterious. Lao Xie was very grateful to me, and took out the money to give me a share of the car, so I refused, I joked that I heard that there are ghosts who also pay the car, Lao Xie said: "Yes, it's better to be a ghost, and the ghost doesn't have to pay the car." "The joke is poignant.?

It's a new day.?

It's still the wheels rolling, and the tide is flowing. The taxi drivers in this city are still surviving with their hard work, taxis shuttle through the big roads and alleys of the capital, they are busy, rushing, supporting the bustling ...... of Beijing?

More than half a year has passed in a blink of an eye, and my Lao Xie's double shuttle bus will blend into the sea of cars in Beijing every day, no matter day or night, our Beijing BE6008 sedan red Beverly taxi is constantly busy, with our hard work, to place hope on life.

When I picked up the car in the morning, the engine of the car parked under the small tree was still hot, the car was always spotless inside and out, the body felt more and more bright red as new, red and shiny, I knew that it was the credit of Lao Xie, he maintained the car like new, and the fuel consumption was significantly less, so that I saved worry and effort, I thank and admire this good partner from the bottom of my heart.?

I keep this secret in my heart, which is a secret between me and Lao Xie, a person and a soul. This secret shocked me for the rest of my life, and I knew and understood from Lao Xie what is ordinary, what is selflessness, and what is greatness!?

The days went on like this, day by day, until one day at noon, I was waiting in line at the airport, and suddenly the stereo in the car turned on automatically, and after a noise, Lao Xie's familiar voice came from the speaker: ?

"Brother Xuzi, eat, my brother will tell you one thing, I won't drive again tonight, and I won't bother my brother in the future, I'm going to go where I should go, my brother won't say anything to thank you, I've really caused you trouble these days, there is a red envelope in the trunk, even if it's a piece of brother's heart, you must accept it, otherwise my brother won't feel at ease in Huangquan." I really can't drive anymore, my blood is burned out......"?

I suddenly remembered that my car was becoming more and more bright red as new, and remembered the joke that Lao Xie said that day, he said that the color of the taxi was dyed red with blood, and it turned out that he was talking about himself; I remembered that my car's fuel consumption was significantly reduced, and the gasoline in my tank was red. My heart trembles! I finally understood that it was Lao Xie's blood that was burned!!?

"Old Xie! Old Xie! Where are you? Where are you? Old Xie! I shouted like crazy, my heart trembling, and I let my tears flow.

Lao Xie continued to say calmly on the loudspeaker: "Brother, pay more attention to your body, it's really good to live, although it's hard, but to be able to live a peaceful life with the whole family, it's very nourishing and happy." I really can't bear to let them two of them, the child's operation is very successful, and the child is also angry, but unfortunately I can't reunite with them, and in the end I have to trouble my brother for one thing, go to see them and their mother and son, and bring them the tape in the toolbox to keep a memory. Originally, our family of three planned to drive together for the Mid-Autumn Festival, but now we can only see each other in our dreams......"?

I couldn't help but cry, and my eyes were blurry......?

"Are you crying, brother, this is life, don't always be sad, brother will grasp it in the future, cherish it, and face it bravely, bear it bravely, the old man doesn't have so many tears. My brother hasn't sung for a long time, so I'll sing you a song today, and you can make do with it——?

He said in the wind and rain,?

What is this pain!?

Wipe away your tears,?

Don't be afraid?

At least we still have dreams.?

He said in the wind and rain,?

What is this pain!?

Wipe away your tears,?

Don't ask, why ......?

This day is the Mid-Autumn Festival, the people on the street are in a hurry, or leisurely, most of them are in a hurry to carry a box of moon cakes to their homes, most of them are lovers in pairs, and they are feeling the warmth and romance of reunion in the evening of this Mid-Autumn Festival.

It took me a lot of effort to find Master Xie's home. It was two very ordinary low huts in the north of Chaoyang Balizhuang, and a thin, pale-faced middle-aged woman let me in—she was Lao Xie's daughter-in-law, Sister-in-law Xie.

A sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl in the house politely called me Uncle Sheng, and then went to the back room to do her homework as *** instructed. I think she must be Lao Xie's daughter Jiajia. Sister-in-law Xie brought a chair for me to sit on and brought tea.

The portrait of Lao Xie on the cabinet in the room stood there, with a big head, a roof, small eyes, and a collapsed nose in the frame, Lao Xie was smiling with a big mouth, as if he had just finished telling a joke, and he looked like he was not finished. Looking at Lao Xie's portrait, how can you not think of driving a double bus with Lao Xie day and night.

Sister-in-law Xie listened carefully to the story of me and Lao Xie, looking at Lao Xie's portrait with two eyes blankly, sobbing and trembling all over, she tried to cover her mouth with a towel, so as not to let the cry come out, for fear of letting Jiajia next door hear.

Sister-in-law Xie said that every night Lao Xie would come to see her in a dream, ask her how her body was, I heard that Sister-in-law Xie's surgery was very successful, Lao Xie was so happy in the dream that he danced, in the dream Lao Xie said that I am busy now, open a rental to make money, and deposit the money on our peony card.

Sister-in-law Xie woke up and felt that something was wrong, so she really went to the bank with the peony card, and sure enough, there was really more money on the card......?

"I understand now, boy and his father, you haven't forgotten our mother and son when you died......" Sister-in-law Xie couldn't cry.

I handed the cassette to Sister-in-law Xie, who took it, her hand kept trembling, and her trembling hand finally stuffed it into the tape recorder, and Lao Xie's familiar voice immediately echoed in the room——?

"the child, Jiajia, I miss you too, but I really should go, even the ghost is going where it should be, I really don't worry about you two mothers, I am desperately earning money these days, I don't want to give a lot of debts to you two after I die, if that's really the case, how can you orphans and widows live, I put all the money on our peony card, and my funeral is all done with the money of the poor buddies who opened the rental, and it is not easy for me to return the people's - 'brother and sister'. I can only do so much for you mother and son, and I will have to rely on your mother and daughter to depend on each other in the future, so take care of yourself! child, since you followed me, I haven't let you live a good life, you two haven't enjoyed any happiness with me, I really can't stand you two mothers and sons...... I kept saying that when you get better, our family of three will go to drive the Kangxi grassland to play, I really didn't expect that this time, we can only be reunited in the next life......"?

Sister-in-law Xie burst into tears, sadness welled up on her face, and she kept sobbing ......?

"Jiajia, you are a good child, now that you have grown up, you must feel sorry for your mother, your mother is still weak, take care of your mother more. Your academic performance has always been good, Dad rest assured, when you go to college in the future, you won't suffer from Dad anymore, no matter where you go in the future, I hope you don't forget Daddy, don't forget that your Dad is a taxi driver, and you will always be the daughter of a taxi driver-"?

The door of the inner room was suddenly pushed open, Jiajia cried, knelt in front of her father's portrait, and cried out like crazy: "Daddy-Daddy-I miss you, Daddy, I miss you every day, Daddy!" Didn't you say that the family would drive to the Kangxi Grassland? Come back, Daddy! Do you know how much my mom and I miss you? You're back! Come back soon! Father! ”?

I saw Lao Xie in the portrait, the corners of his mouth trembled slightly, and strings of crystal tears poured out of his eyes......?

The sound of the neighbor's TV came from afar, which was the laughter and laughter of the Mid-Autumn Festival; A fireworks bomb spread out in the air, reflecting the colorful Mid-Autumn Festival night.

Lao Xie is gone, everything is back to the former calm, my car is back to its former appearance, the kilometer seems to be much slower, the gasoline has returned to its original color, the whole car is always dirty, I don't bother to wipe it, I shuttle in the bustling city every day, but I feel like the walking dead, always listless, can't lift my spirits, sometimes I feel like a ghost, wandering in the streets and alleys of the city, day after day