(a)

My mother often said that as a man, you must be promising.

Be like the eldest brother, work hard, and then get the fame and glory lintel.

The Yi family is not a famous family, and none of their ancestors have been big officials, although the family has a few acres of land, which is well managed, and it can be regarded as worry-free. But after all, he is inferior, so his brother will study so hard, thinking that one day he can add glory to the Yi family.

But I don't seem to have to, as the second son, and I don't like to read and learn words, my father and mother naturally don't value it. This childhood life is much better.

When he was eight years old, his eldest brother passed the examination, and since then he has been studying harder and harder, and when the spring of the second year is about to begin, he can't afford to be sick.

The illness came so quickly that the family was completely confused, and even the doctor invited from the city couldn't say why. Seeing that the eldest brother had been ill for several days and was already bedridden, it was a doctor surnamed Zhuo next door who prescribed a home remedies. I didn't expect that this taking is medicine to get rid of the disease. And when I went to Zhuo's house with my mother to thank me, I entered his door for the first time.

The Zhuo family hasn't been here for a long time, and they didn't know where they moved from before. The head of the house is a doctor, although he is not well-known, but it seems that his medical skills are still excellent. The hostess is a very kind and gentle aunt, not very old, and she speaks softly on weekdays.

I almost forgot to mention that he had just added Ding to his family, and their eldest daughter is already one year old this year.

Xin Yi, you must not know how bad your sleep was when I first met you. The small body was wrapped in a small quilt, with a round face, pink and tender, and a trace of sparkling saliva hanging from the corner of his mouth......

Xin Yi is the name of magnolia, Uncle Zhuo chose such a name for you, he must hope that you can be as beautiful as a flower in the future, gentle and elegant...... However, the current appearance is really not close to the word beauty.

Then you smack your lips and wake up, staring at me with big eyes curiously.

"Come on, come on, Xiao Xinyi, look, this is Second Brother Yi, come and call Second Brother~" Aunt Zhuo hugged you, your face was soft and tender, and people couldn't help but want to pinch it.

You open your mouth, as if you want to scream, but before you can speak, you turn your head to look at your mother. listened to her teaching over and over again, and then finally called "second brother" vaguely to me.

I never thought that a simple name could warm people's hearts so much.

To you...... After all, I can't tell which one I like.

I take you out to bask in the sun every day, lead you through every road in the village, and teach you to grow from babbling to being a little girl who is loved by everyone.

My mother often said that if I really had a sister, maybe I wouldn't be as good as you.

But I just like to look at the eyes you look at me, and I like to listen to the 'second brother' that comes out of your mouth."

If...... How good would it be if you could stay by my side like this for the rest of your life, follow me, hold my hand, and call me 'second brother'?

My father and mother saw my thoughts, and even Uncle Zhuo and Aunt Zhuo understood the truth, so they did not object, but simply pointed to the baby. Isn't that the most common thing to do?

I'm just looking forward to you growing up soon, growing into a big girl, and I can marry you in style.

But.

When I was fifteen years old, the war was spreading, and my eldest brother had already gone to the capital to serve as a junior official, and I could not let my elderly father go to the army.

At first, I resisted, but then I gradually saw through it, in fact, there is nothing wrong with joining the army. What my mother said about glorifying the lintel, it is not just a career like my eldest brother, I can also fight on the battlefield, and then one day I will return home.

It's just that I'm afraid I can only let you wait for me.

The night before leaving, my father and mother and the uncle and aunt of the Zhuo family held a wedding for us. In that wedding, it was just us and the four high halls. No one but us will know about our marriage.

Once this trip is gone, no one knows what the future holds. What the hell am I ...... I won't come back alive, so even if I want to marry you and fulfill my long-cherished wish, I still have to take care of your future.

You're only eight years old, and you're still a child. When I squatted down, you hugged my neck and replied that you were going to marry me, with a childish childlike voice.

So...... If I come back, I'll give you another lively wedding.

But if I can't come back......

Xin Yi, no one knows that you are married to the second brother, so you are just a woman who has not left the cabinet, and you can find another lover.

This is the best future I can have for you.

There is no wedding dress, no firecrackers, suona, only a pair of red candles, and a wedding letter.

You raised your eyes to look at me, and those eyes were unusually soft and delicate in the candlelight. Although she is only eight years old, she also has a youthful girlish attitude.

You hang your hand, hesitate for half a minute, and then put your fingertips in the palm of mine, timidly, not at all like the slightly naughty cuteness of your laughter when we grew up together.

I feel like you have something to say to me, but you don't say a word at all.

I keep the marriage book alone, and if I can come back in this life, I can renew our marriage.

Before dawn the next day, I packed my bags and set out on the road. I put our marriage letter on my chest so that I could feel it, as if my heart was full of you.

You also got up early and wore a tulle dress that you were so beautiful that you didn't want to wear it every day, which made your figure more and more petite and lovely. As if it was because of the cold weather in the early morning, your body shivered slightly. When I catch your fingers, it feels cold.

"What's wrong? If you wear so little, why don't you go back soon, what if you get sick? ”

You didn't speak, but hung your head, ignoring my blind persuasion to ask you to go back, but silently sent me to the entrance of the village, "Second brother...... I don't want you to go. ”

I suddenly didn't know how to answer, and crouched down, trying to persuade you, but first bumped into your tearful eyes.

"Second brother...... You'll be back, right? ”

"Well, the second brother will come back." Stretch out your hand and gently stroke your satin-like hair: "Xin Yi is waiting for the second brother, and when the little Xin Yi grows up, the second brother will come back." ”

A burst of joy suddenly flashed in your eyes: "Okay, second brother, don't lie to me!" ”

"How so?" I smiled at you, "How can I be willing to make Xiao Xinyi sad, the second brother will definitely come, and when Xiao Xinyi grows into a big girl, the second brother will definitely come back." ”

You lowered your head slightly, pursed your lips and smiled softly, this smile is so simple and pure, I can't help but gently curl the corners of my mouth.

"Then the second brother is gone."

Just as I was about to get up, you suddenly hugged my neck, as if you were a child who always coquettishly asked me for honey dumplings to eat, and kissed me gently on the cheek. "Second brother...... I'll wait for you to come back. ”

"Hmm."

Get up, pack your bags, and go all the way. When I turned around, I saw you standing at the entrance of the village, raising your arms, and your eyes kept falling on me, still looking at me stupidly. "Second brother, Xiao Xinyi will try to grow up faster, and the second brother will come back early!"

I withdrew my gaze, but I can't bear to tell you that I may never come back.

“…… Well. “