In the winter of 06, the Lantern Festival has passed, and the auspicious spring is still snowing heavily, shrouded in a snowy winter.

The north wind is like a knife, cold and biting.

The closed door creaked open, wearing a down jacket, a ponytail, a few strands of hair hanging on his forehead, and a pair of high-necked leather shoes under his feet, Zhou Ling, lifted the curtain behind the door and walked into the house.

"Whew!"

"This damn weather, it's cold to death."

Scolding in her mouth, Zheng Juan hurriedly greeted her, picked up the towel on the entryway cabinet, and patted the snowflakes attached to her body and jet-black hair for Zhou Ling.

"It's snowing outside, so I don't know how to put an umbrella." is already steamed and silver-haired, and Zheng Juan, who can't hide her old state, is worried and complaining.

"Mom!" Zhou Ling looked into the room: "Where is my dad?" ”

"Where's the study!" Zheng Juan looked behind Zhou Ling: "What about aiding the DPRK?" ”

"As for the things in the back, their unit has sent a lot of things, half of them are given to his parents, and half of them are brought back for you and my father to taste."

"Mom!" As soon as Zhou Ling's words fell, Guo Yuanchao, who was five big and three thick, walked in with two nets of apples, two boxes of canned food, and a box of supplements.

"Aid to the DPRK is coming!" Zheng Juan's face immediately showed a bright smile, and they all said that a son-in-law is half a child, which is true, and Zheng Juan is also very satisfied with Guo Yuanchao.

"Hurry up into the house and sit down, sit down."

Everything was put in the storage room, Zheng Juan cut a plate of frozen pears, a plate of apples, opened two grapefruits, and put a basket of oranges of a small size, and there was no shortage of melon seeds and peanut candy.

The mother-in-law looked at her new son-in-law, and the more she looked at it, the more satisfied she became, although Guo Yuanchao looked like a big and three thick, he looked like an iron Hanhan, but in fact he was a delicate person, and he was also very good to Zhou Ling.

"Aiding the DPRK, you and Lingling are not young, when are you going to have a child?" Zhou Ling is thirty years old, if it is delayed for a few more years, it will be an advanced maternal age, although the child can be born, but for Zhou Ling, the danger level is greatly increased.

"Mom! What are you talking about? Zhou Ling was too shy to look at Zheng Juan.

"Lingling and I have already started to prepare." Guo Yuanchao's face was also slightly red.

"That's good, that's good!" Zheng Juan was very satisfied.

After chatting a few words, Zheng Juan suddenly said: "By the way, have you seen your uncle in the hospital?" ”

Zhou Ling's attitude immediately changed one hundred and eighty degrees, and her expression was cold: "What am I going to do when I go to see him!" ”

Zheng Juan grabbed Zhou Ling's hand and said earnestly: "I know that you have always had a mustard in your uncle's heart, but he is your uncle in the end, and it has been so long since those things were at the beginning, it is almost time to let go." ”

"Mom!" Looking at the slight frowning brows and the concern on his face, Zhou Ling also sighed and said, "It's been so long, and I'm not a cautious person, how can I still hate him." ”

"I just don't want to have contact with him."

"Hey!" Zheng Juan shook her head helplessly: "You kid, you are carved out of the same mold as your father." ”

"I'm my dad's daughter, I must be like him!" Zhou Ling said complacently.

As soon as Zhou Ling's words fell, there was a shout outside: "Third aunt! Third uncle! Third uncle! Third aunt~~~"

"It seems to be a small word!" Zheng Juan said suspiciously.

"It's really like Hao Yan's voice." Zhou Ling also nodded and said.

Sure enough, a moment later, Hao Yan, who was covered in wind and snow, ran into the house.

"Third aunt!" As soon as he saw Zheng Juan, Hao Yan's eyes lit up, and he ran to him quickly: "Sister Lingling and brother-in-law are also there!" ”

Zhou Ling had a good impression of Hao Yan, and replied, and Guo Yuanchao also greeted Hao Yan.

"What's wrong, panicked." Zheng Juan asked.

Hao Yan is the adopted son of Zhou Bingyi and Hao Dongmei, the two discussed again and again, gave Hao Yan the surname Hao, let him inherit the incense of the Hao family, Hao Yan also has a younger sister, one year younger than him, called Zhou Yu, although the two brothers and sisters are one year apart, they are studying in the same year, and they both just entered the university last year.

"Third aunt, where is my third uncle?" Hao Yan's eyes swept around the room and he didn't see Wang Chong's figure, so he couldn't wait to ask.

"Where's the study upstairs!" Zheng Juan said suspiciously: "What are you looking for him?" ”

Hao Yan hurriedly explained: "It's my father, he wants to see the third uncle, and he has something to say to the third uncle." ”

"What is your dad doing with my dad?" Zhou Ling asked puzzled, the relationship between Wang Chong and Zhou Bingyi is very ordinary, and they basically don't have any contacts, and they don't have any contact with each other like other families during the New Year's holidays, even if their parents go, but every Spring Festival, brothers and sisters will still take their children and grandchildren to have dinner, sit together and chat or something.

But the old Zhou family is an exception, the three brothers and sisters, each living their own lives, especially after Li Suhua's death, the three of them usually have very little contact.

That is, the children, who occasionally get together.

But as the children get older, because of all kinds of relationships, the time to get together is far less than before.

Cai Xiaoguang often came to Wang Chong's house, but every time he came alone, Zhou Rong refused to come.

And Zhou Bingyi has been lingering on the sickbed since he was retired, and in the past few years, he has been either in the hospital or on the way to the hospital, and all kinds of recuperation have not been interrupted.

"I don't know." Hao Yan shook his head, "My dad only said something that he wanted to say to the third uncle in person." ”

"I'll go up and call you the third uncle······" As soon as Zheng Juan stood up, a voice came from the staircase: "No need! ”

I saw Wang Chong, who was wearing a Mao suit, combing his big back, his hair was silver and black, and there was no beard on his face, and he walked down the stairs without hurrying with his hands behind his back.

"Third uncle!" Seeing Wang Chong, Hao Yan hurriedly said hello.

"Dad!" Zhou Ling and Guo Yuanchao also quickly stood up to greet Wang Chong, and Zhou Ling greeted him directly, took Wang Chong's arm, and helped him to the sofa and sat down.

"Hmm!" Wang Zhong responded, looked at Hao Yan and asked, "What is your father's situation now?" Why do you suddenly want to see me? ”

Speaking of this, Hao Yan's face couldn't help but show a little sadness: "The doctor said that my father's time is running out, and it may be a return to the light." ”

Back to the light, that is, time is running out.

Wang thought about it for a while, nodded, looked at Zheng Juan and said, "Let's go together!" The tone was a little embarrassed and emotional.

The years are ruthless, and the disease is unforgiving.

Zhou Bingyi, who is only in his early sixties, has also come to the end of his life.

Hao Yan was overjoyed when he heard this, his face was full of sadness, and he smiled: "Thank you, Third Uncle." ”

Wang Chong raised his hand to signal that he didn't need to say this, and Zheng Juan also got up with a smile and said, "Okay!" ”

As he spoke, he got up and took a coat for Wang Chong, helped Wang Chong put it on, brought a scarf, put on a hat, and did not forget to stuff Wang Chong's thermos cup soaked in wolfberry tea leaves into Wang Chong's jacket pocket.

And then I wrapped myself up in the same tight.

"Are you going to stay at home or come with us?" Wang Zhong looked at Zhou Ling and Guo Yuanchao and asked.

"Aren't you asking nonsense, you and my mother have gone, I can't sit at home and wait!" Zhou Ling walked between Zheng Juan and Wang Chong, hooking one hand to the side.

Guo Yuanchao is also very diligent: "I'll go drive." ”

······

In the hospital, in the single ward, Hao Dongmei and Zhou Yu were in front of the bed, Zhou Bingyi was talking with his wife and daughter with a smile on his face.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the ward, and there were three rings, and Hao Yan pushed the door in.

"Dad! The third uncle and third aunt are here! Hao Yan was quite excited.

Hearing this, Zhou Bingyi was stunned for a moment, and then struggled to get up, Hao Dongmei hurriedly held his hand: "Don't get excited." ”

"That's it! If you can't move, just lie on the bed, don't hold on! It was Wang Chong's voice, as loud and low as ever, full of energy, not at all like a person in his fifties and almost sixty.

Zhou Bingyi looked at Wang Chong, who was walking towards him, and his heart, which was originally quite calm, suddenly surged out countless complex emotions.

"You····· There you are! Zhou Bingyi's tone was full of emotion, as if there were a thousand words.

"Juan'er, Lingling! Aid to Korea is also coming! But then Zhou Bingyi's face showed a rather bright smile.

Because of physical reasons, Zhou Bingyi was unable to attend the wedding of Zhou Ling and Guo Yuanchao, but after getting married, Zhou Ling and Guo Yuanchao listened to Zheng Juan's words and made a special trip to the hospital to come to see Zhou Bingyi, and also let Zhou Bingyi take a look at his niece and son-in-law.

Zhou Yu hurriedly got up and moved his position out of the way, Wang Zhong sat at the head of the bed, his back was straight, his hands were on his thighs and knees, he looked at Zhou Bingyi, and said, "Don't you have something to say to me?" ”

Zhou Bingyi looked at Wang Chong's calm gaze, and glanced at Hao Dongmei on the other side, Hao Dongmei immediately got up and said, "You brothers and brothers talk slowly, we ······"

But Hao Dongmei spoke normally, but was interrupted by Wang Chong: "You can't say anything to people!" Nothing to avoid! Wang Zhong looked at Hao Dongmei, raised his hand, and said.

As he spoke, he looked at Zhou Bingyi again: "It's all this time, why do you care about this, sister-in-law and children can accompany you for a moment more." ”

Zhou Bingyi didn't expect Wang Chong to say this at all, he was stunned for a moment, and Hao Yan and Zhouyu, who had just stood up and Hao Dongmei and were about to go out, were also stunned.

It was Zhou Ling, who took care of herself and helped Zheng Juan to sit down on the chair against the wall next to her, and didn't take out an orange from the fruit basket on the table that someone didn't know, peeled it and handed it to Zheng Juan.

"You're right!" Zhou Bingyi laughed at himself and shook his head slightly: "It's me who is in love." ”

As he spoke, he raised his eyes and looked at Wang Chong, his eyes were extremely complicated, and he felt that "in this life, there are too many places that are not as good as you!" ”

"Everyone has their own strengths, no one is inferior to the other, and the exploits you performed when you sat down in the military factory and our second in command Jichun are also beyond my reach."

Although Zhou Bingyi has many shortcomings, at this point, even Wang Chong can't help but admire him.

For more than ten years, he has worked diligently, worked hard, always adhered to serving the people, being fair and honest, abiding by the law, and always sticking to his principles.

"You didn't come to me to talk about this, did you?" Admiration is admiration, but this does not mean that the relationship between Wang Chong and Zhou Bingyi must be much better.

Zhou Bingyi shook his head: "Naturally not." ”

"Actually, there are some things that I wanted to say to you for a long time, but based on some inconsequential face issues, it has been delayed until now."

"It is said that people are the most sober before they die, and the things they did wrong before they died, and the problems they couldn't figure out would suddenly become clear before they died."

"I didn't believe it much before, thinking that it was just a rumor, and there was no scientific basis at all."

Wang Chong didn't interrupt, just listened to Zhou Bingyi quietly.

"Actually, in the last period of Dad, I had a lot of resentment against you in my heart, Dad was like that at the beginning, but you still didn't even want to look at him, and you didn't even want to reply to the light word, until Dad really left, you didn't appear."

"Because of this, I have always had an opinion about you in my heart."

Wang nodded and said: "This is normal, whoever changes this matter, everyone will think that I am not filial, after all, no matter what, the old man is also a father, gave birth to me, raised me, although he was a little partial when treating us a few times, but no matter how he is also a father, I am a son, but I don't even want to see him, I really shouldn't do it." ”

Zhou Bingyi was once shocked by Wang Chong's words, he thought that Wang Chong had always hated Zhou Zhigang in his heart, but he didn't expect Wang Chong to look so clear and thorough.

"If you know it in your heart, why did you do it at the time?" Zhou Bingyi didn't understand, and asked with a puzzled face, a little excited.

This is not only Zhou Bingyi's question, but also the question hanging in the hearts of everyone in the room at this moment except Zheng Juan.

All eyes converged on Wang Chong.

"That's the difference between me and you."

"In your eyes, the more time we are, the more we as children should be by their side, take care of them, accompany them, and spend the last period of their lives."

"Shouldn't it?" Zhou Bingyi asked.

Wang Zhong said: "I didn't say that it shouldn't. ”

"Why is that?"

"Filial piety is not foolishness, it also depends on the situation."

"One, I do have an opinion about the old man, and I don't have a small opinion, and I don't like to think about him, and besides, the old man had been delirious for several years, and he didn't remember who I was, and I didn't go to see him, it was no different to him, so why should I go there? I hired a nanny for him, took care of his diet and daily life, and served him feces and urine for him, isn't this filial piety? ”

"Isn't it filial piety for me to let him stay in the best hospital, hire the best doctor for him, and spend a lot of money to buy him the best medicine on the market at that time from abroad?"

Zhou Bingyi said: "This ······"

Zhou Bingyi didn't know how to refute for a while, Wang Chong's words sounded a bit strong at first glance, but if you think about it carefully, it makes some sense.

Zhou Zhigang completely forgot about Wang Chong's family as early as that time and after moving out of Wang Chong's house, not to mention Wang Chong, even his former favorite grandchildren and grandchildren didn't remember any of them.

After that, he became more and more dazed, confused, unable to recognize people at all, and even had problems with basic cognition.

I didn't even know that I was going to and pee, so I went straight to the crotch of my pants, and I didn't know anything else except for the instinctive eating, drinking, and lazing.

Wang Chong continued: "Is it filial piety that Zheng Juan and I have to put down all the work at hand, take the old man to our side, personally serve him feces and urine, and serve him day and night?" ”

As soon as these words came out, not only Zhou Bingyi was weak-hearted, but even Hao Dongmei blushed a little.

At that time, in the last period of Zhou Zhigang's life, it was said that the two of them were by Zhou Zhigang's side, but what happened, both of them knew it in their hearts.

At that time, Zhou Bingyi had just been promoted to the second-in-command in the city, he was busy with work all day, he couldn't get along, he went out early and returned late every day, and sometimes he had to deal with it even if he went home.

They did stay with Zhou Zhigang, but what really took care of Zhou Zhigang was the nanny invited by Wang Chong, a sister Hu invited at the beginning, and then Zhou Bingyi and his family were too busy and often not at home, Sister Hu had limited energy alone, in order not to worry Li Suhua, Wang Chong invited another one, two people worked in two shifts, one was responsible for the day, and the other was responsible for the night, and they were paid three times the market price every month.

Zhou Bingyi smiled bitterly: "I don't mean to accuse you. ”

"I just want to know what's going on in your mind, we haven't been able to sit down and talk for so many years."

Listening to Zhou Bingyi's sincere tone, Wang Chong was also a little surprised: "The ancients said, the Tao is different, not conspiring with each other, you and I have different views, and the pursuit of hobbies is also different, even if you really sit down, there is nothing to say, there is no need to get together." ”

Zhou Bingyi laughed at himself and said: "To be honest, now I am a little envious of catching up with them and National Day, and I can have such a friend as you who is sincere to them." ”

"Being friends is nothing more than exchanging sincerity for sincerity." Wang Chongdao: "Although there is not much culture in catching up and National Day, it is better in my heart, and I don't have any careful thoughts, and when I get along with them, I will only feel relaxed." ”

Saying that, he looked at Zhou Bingyi and said quite seriously: "But you are different!" It's too tiring to be with you. ”

Zhou Bingyi didn't expect this reason, and he couldn't laugh or cry.

"Surprised?" Wang Zhong asked.

Zhou Bingyi nodded: "A little!" ”

"Bingkun!" Zhou Bingyi suddenly became serious: "After so many years, I still owe you a thank you." ”

"Thank you, Bingkun, you have done a lot of things that should be done by me, the eldest in the family, in those years, if you hadn't taken care of my mother and our family, I wouldn't have been able to go to the army with peace of mind, let alone go to college without a little burden."

"There's no need to say thank you, because that's what I'm going to do."

"Thank you! Thank you! ”

Seeing that he insisted, Wang Zhong did not continue to shirk with him: "It's up to you!" ”

Zhou Bingyi showed a smile on his face, raised his hand, spread his palm, and looked at Wang Chong expectantly, Wang Chong thought about it, stretched out his hand, and held Zhou Bingyi's palm.

"Seriously, a lot of the time, in front of you, I'm a little ashamed of myself." Zhou Bingyi said with emotion.

Wang Chong didn't speak, only calmly withdrew his palm.

"I'm running out of time!" Zhou Bingyi's voice suddenly changed.

Wang Zhong looked at him: "What do you mean?" It's not that I want to ask what this sentence means, but what Zhou Bingyi means when he suddenly says it.

Sure enough, Zhou Bingyi's voice changed and said: "You and Zhou Rong have been working hard for so many years, it's time to find a time to sit down and have a good chat, how can you say that you are also sisters and brothers, and we are both so old, how many years can we live." ”

Wang Chongdao: "I can do it at any time, it is Zhou Rong who really can't let go, you should tell her this." ”

"Hey!" Speaking of this, Zhou Bingyi couldn't help frowning, sighed, and said: "Zhou Rong's temperament is like this, how tolerant you are of her!" ”

Wang Chong looked at Zhou Bingyi speechlessly: "Why did Zhou Rong's temperament look like that, you haven't figured it out yet!" ”

Zhou Bingyi's expression froze, how could he not hear what Wang Chong was referring to when he was such a smart person.

"We're all so old, and the amiable ones are not better than anything else? Why do you care so much! ”

Wang Chong stood up, put his hands behind his back, and said, "Look, this is the difference between me and you. ”

"In your eyes, harmony is more important than anything else, but in my case, right is right, and wrong is wrong."

"The ancients said, 'Who is without fault? After that, it can be changed, and the good is great! ”

"People are not afraid of doing wrong things, they are afraid that they will not realize that they have done wrong, and they will go further and further on the wrong road, but what is even more terrible is that they know that they have done wrong things, but for the sake of that so-called face and self-righteous self-esteem, they will stubbornly refuse to admit their mistakes."

"What the hell is going on with Zhou Rong, you and I have eyes and scales in our hearts."

Zhou Bingyi shook his head helplessly: "It seems that I can't convince you." ”

"It's a matter of principle!" As he spoke, Wang Chong looked around at the people in the ward, and finally stopped at Zhou Ling, and said: "You children are the same, you are all still young, and the road of life is still very long, on this long and difficult road, no one knows what will happen in the future." ”

"But there's one thing I want you to remember." Before Wang Chong finished speaking, Zhou Ling stood up and said: "People are not afraid of doing wrong things, they are afraid that they know that they have done wrong, but they will continue to be wrong." ”

"Yes, my dear father!"

Zhou Ling walked to Wang Chong's side and held Wang Chong's hand.

Wang Zhong looked at her and said solemnly: "Not only to remember, but also to put it into practice." ”

······

Three days later, at half past seven in the evening, Zhou Bingyi swallowed his last breath and passed away completely.

In the 19th year, at the end of summer, the scorching heat gradually faded, and the weather was already a little cooler.

On the hospital bed, the white-haired Zheng Juan was already dying, and her four children, niece Feng Yue, and grandchildren were all crying together, especially Zhou Ling, pear blossoms with rain, crying heartbreakingly.

Rao is Zhou Cong, who has always been calm and steady, and he didn't smile, and tears couldn't stop falling from his eyes.

"Dad! Why don't you go and take a break! Zhou Cong bowed down and whispered in Wang Chong's ear.

Wang Chong has been in front of Zheng Juan's hospital bed for seven full days, and since Zheng Juan fell ill and was hospitalized, Wang Chong has never left a step.

Looking at Zheng Juan, who had completely lost his breath and closed his eyes, Wang Chong's heart was originally full of grief, but suddenly calmed down, and as soon as he raised his hand and wanted to stand up, Zhou Cong immediately supported him.

"Take your mother home, I'm going to go back too, I'm going to take a shower, change my clothes, and send her on her last ride."

Wang Zhong is 67 years old this year, although his physical fitness far exceeds that of his peers, but in the end it does not exceed the limit of ordinary people, coupled with the perennial mental work of high intensity, it is inevitable that his hair is a little thin.

Zhou Cong hurriedly said: "Lingling, Yueyue, you send your father back, and we will take your mother home." ”

Back home, Wang returned to his and Zheng Juan's bedroom, took off his clothes, put on his sandals, went into the bathroom, turned on the hot water, and let it pour over his head.

Washing his hair, brushing his teeth, washing, wiping every position on his body with soap, and rubbing his back vigorously with a bath towel, this bath king washed very carefully, and washed for half an hour, Zhou Ling and Feng Yue were inevitably worried when they sat outside.

Half an hour later, Wang Zhong changed into a white vest, wore only underwear, and stepped on slippers before coming out.

The children have also arrived home, and Zheng Juan's body is lying on the big bed in the room at the moment.

Wang looked at Zheng Juan again and asked, "Where are the clothes?" ”

"Here!" Zhou Ling held a white long-sleeved shirt and black trousers and handed them to Wang Chong.

Wang Zhong took the clothes and pants, changed them directly in front of his two sons, put on socks and leather shoes, sat in front of Zheng Juan's dresser, dried his hair, combed all his long silver hair into a big back, stood in front of the standing mirror, and arranged his collar.

Seeing this, Zhou Ling hurriedly stepped forward to help Wang Chong arrange his collar.

"Alright, you all go out, let me be alone with your mother tonight! Don't bother me. ”

After speaking, he couldn't help but drive everyone out, closed the door, took out pens and letter paper from the drawer at the head of the bed, sat in front of Zheng Juan's dresser, and wrote a suicide note.

In the evening, at ten o'clock, the living room was full of people, Zhou Cong, Zhou Min, and their daughter-in-law, Zhou Ling and Guo Yuanchao, Zhou Feng's family, Feng Yue's family, and Guangming's three children's family, as well as Hao Yan and Zhou Yu's families.

"No, I'm not worried, I have to go see Dad!" Just let Wang Chong and Zheng Juan stay in the room, Zhou Ling was really relieved, and she had already stood up while speaking.

The eyes of everyone in the room also converged on Zhou Cong.

Zhou Cong is the eldest brother, and he has always been calm, and he is the backbone of everyone at this moment.

"Big brother!" Zhou Ling shouted.

Zhou Cong also stood up, with a solemn face: "I'll go with you." ”

The two walked in front, the others followed, went up to the second floor, and crowded into the living room, Zhou Cong and the four brothers and sisters walked to the door of the room, Zhou Cong raised his hand and knocked on the door, and shouted in a low voice: "Dad!" ”

"Dad!"

They shouted several times in succession, but there was no response from the house.

Zhou Cong immediately frowned, and Zhou Ming said, "Will Dad fall asleep?" Dad hasn't had a good night's sleep these days. ”

Zhou Ling was not at ease: "No, I have to go in and have a look." ”

After saying that, he twisted the handle and pushed the door in.

In the house, Wang Chong sat at the head of the bed, with his back to the door, and when several people saw this, they thought that Wang Chong was asleep, so they walked in lightly and wanted to carry Wang Chong to the bed.

Zhou Ling stood behind Wang Chong and shouted a few times, but Wang Chongren did not respond, Zhou Ling frowned, raised his hand on Wang Chong's shoulder, leaned over his head, and was about to wake Wang Chong up, when he suddenly felt that something was not right, and Wang Chong's body also leaned forward.

Fortunately, Zhou Cong was next to him, and he quickly grabbed Wang Chong's other shoulder.

"Dad?"

Zhou Ling suddenly panicked, screamed, stretched out her finger and probed Wang Chong's snort, and her heart instantly became cold.

Feng Yue hurriedly rushed forward and said anxiously: "I'll take a look!" ”

He probed Wang Chong's nose and neck one after another, and suddenly felt like a lightning strike.

Heart-rending cry loudly: "Little uncle! ”

······