Zhang Haiyang and Wei Hong's wedding was scheduled to be held in Taiyue Restaurant, and Zhang Haiyang strictly limited the number of guests to about a dozen people, all of whom were relatively close to each other. Wei Hong originally wanted to invite his classmates from the police university and his colleagues from the criminal police team, but Zhong Yuemin refused with a gloomy face: "Xiao Wei, isn't it just getting married, why are you so popular, can we not learn from those laymen?" I can state in advance, if you insist on inviting so many people in police uniforms, then find another place, I won't accept them here. ”

Wei Hong was very unhappy: "Brother Zhong, why are you like this, what's wrong with wearing police uniforms, aren't Haiyang and I both wearing police uniforms?" ”

Zhong Yuemin said coldly: "Xiao Wei, you have too many words, you let Zhang Haiyang speak." ”

Zhang Haiyang has been silent for a long time, he is very conflicted in his heart, as an old comrade-in-arms, he knows Zhong Yuemin too well, and knows that Zhong Yuemin has not yet been freed from the shadow of Ning Wei's death. Recently, he didn't like anyone, and even got angry at the sniper who shot Ning Wei for no reason, he thought that the sniper's psychological quality was too poor, and he shot before he figured out Ning Wei's intentions, otherwise, the ending of the day would not be so bad, at least that girl, she could survive. Zhang Haiyang knew that he was digging into the horns of the bull, and he couldn't get out of that depression for a while, so he was angry with everyone wearing police uniforms.

Zhang Haiyang said to Wei Hong calmly: "Xiao Wei, this is not a big deal, since Yuemin doesn't like the people of the criminal police team, let's invite them another day, why bother to recruit him." ”

In private, Wei Hong complained to Zhang Haiyang with jealousy: "Haiyang, is it a holy decree for your comrade-in-arms to say a word?" I've never seen you bow down to anyone other than him. ”

Zhang Haiyang was just silent and didn't give any explanation, he felt that his relationship with Zhong Yuemin was difficult to explain to Wei Hong. He cherished his friendship with Zhong Yuemin, and was unwilling to make trouble with Zhong Yuemin over this trivial matter.

Zhong Yuemin did not preside over Cheng Zhang Haiyang's wedding in the end. He suddenly received a phone call on the morning of the wedding, Gao Yue found that his face suddenly became gloomy when he answered the phone, and he had a premonition that something was happening, but she would not take the initiative to ask. She knew that if Zhong Yuemin thought it was necessary to tell her, he would take the initiative to tell her, otherwise, it would be useless for you to ask.

Zhong Yuemin hung up the phone, lit a cigarette in a daze, and he was silent for a while before asking in a low voice: "Xiao Gao, do we still have cash on hand?" ”

"There are more than 20,000 yuan, which is the operating money of yesterday's income."

"Bring them all to me."

Gao Yue didn't ask, and took out the cash and handed it to Zhong Yuemin. He glanced at Gao Yue gratefully and explained: "It was Li Kuiyong's younger brother who called, Li Kuiyong was just diagnosed with lung cancer, which is already in an advanced stage. ”

Gao Yue was shocked: "Have you been admitted to the hospital?" ”

"No, he didn't go to the hospital, I thought, maybe for financial reasons, I had to go see him. Today's wedding of Zhang Haiyang, you can help Zhang Luo and apologize to the couple for me. ”

Gao Yue put the cash into Zhong Yuemin's bag, she hugged Zhong Yuemin and kissed it and said, "Go quickly, don't worry about here, I will explain to Zhang Haiyang and his wife." Yuemin, I just want to tell you that if your friend needs money for treatment, you can sell the restaurant, after all, human life is at stake, and this matter is up to you, so you don't have to consider my opinion. ”

Zhong Yuemin hugged Gao Yue tightly and whispered: "Thank you, thank you, Xiao Gao, I really thank you very much......"

Zhong Yuemin has not been to Li Kuiyong's house for more than 30 years, and Li Kuiyong's house is still in the compound of Nanheng Street in Xuanwu District, which is still the same two houses back then. He was surprised that Li Kuiyong's home had not changed significantly compared to 30 years ago. This miscellaneous courtyard may have a history of 100 years, covering an area of not small, it is estimated that it used to be a large family's house, but now it is not possible to see the slightest bit of the former scenery, because the real sense of the yard has long disappeared, and there are disorganized houses everywhere, and there is only one path left in the former yard that is only enough for one person to walk. The straight-line distance from the courtyard gate to the Li family's house is estimated to be 30 meters, but Zhong Yuemin encountered five 90-degree right-angle bends on this path, his head rubbed off the pants of a woman hanging out of a family, and he almost crashed into a kitchen where cooking was being cooked. Zhong Yuemin wondered why there was no movement here and there was still the same as it was a few decades ago when Beijing was being demolished everywhere and high-end residential communities were rising from the ground.

Li Kuiyong's younger siblings have all moved out of the country, and only Li Kuiyong, who returned to Beijing from Shaanxi in the mid-80s of the 20th century, does not have a house, and his work unit also put forward a frustrating condition when accepting him, that he must sign a pledge that he will never submit a housing request to the unit, otherwise he will not accept him. Li Kuiyong's family of three and his mother live in two houses left behind by their father, his 12-year-old son and grandmother live outside, and Li Kuiyong and his wife live in the inside. Li Kuiyong's mother suffered from Alzheimer's disease two years ago, and all her memory was lost, and she sat on the edge of the bed without saying a word every day except for sleep, and at this time, the old man was lying on the bed and fell asleep.

Zhong Yuemin hadn't seen Li Kuiyong for more than a year, but he was taken aback when he saw him. Li Kuiyong has completely changed his appearance, his body is so thin that he is out of shape, and his clothes seem to be hanging on his body, looking empty. His face was puffy and deformed, and his skin was dark black, revealing an air of death. When Zhong Yuemin entered the door, Li Kuiyong was coughing violently, his wife Wang Shufen and eldest brother Li Kuiyuan were helping him beat his back, and Li Kuiyong spit out a few mouthfuls of bloody thick phlegm before it slowly calmed down.

Zhong Yuemin felt very sad, he didn't know what to say at this time, but just whispered: "Kui Yong, I just knew that you were sick, you should have told me earlier." ”

Li Kuiyong smiled: "Yuemin, are you here?" Let me introduce, this is my daughter-in-law Wang Shufen, my brother Kuiyuan, you have seen it, so I don't need to introduce it. ”

Wang Shufen is a rural woman who is relatively ugly, she nodded timidly to Zhong Yuemin, and walked to the outhouse with Li Kuiyuan.

Li Kuiyong said: "Yuemin, my daughter-in-law is a rural girl, she has never seen the world, and she doesn't dare to speak when she sees a living person, which makes you laugh." ”

Zhong Yuemin smiled: "It must be quite capable." ”

"Ugly, isn't it?"

"Generally, you just look good on the eye."

"The problem is that I don't look very pleasing to the eye, but she has a good heart, and I can only find such a daughter-in-law under this condition. Although this kind of girl doesn't look good, once she follows you, she will die hard, which is very reassuring. ”

"Your mother also needs to have someone to take care of, if you find a girl in the city, people are too lazy to serve the elderly, so you can't take all the good things alone."

"Yuemin, I still remember the last time you came to my house 30 years ago, you asked me to go to the Tianqiao Theater to buy tickets for the dance drama of "Red Detachment of Women", and you have never been here since. Time flies, 30 years have passed, and it feels like yesterday when I think about it. Yuemin, I don't have any other meaning to invite you here today, I just want to say goodbye to you, I'm leaving. ”

"Don't say that, if you get sick, you have to be cured, we all have to have confidence, I'm not here to say goodbye to you, I've already contacted the hospital for you, I'll accompany you in a while, anyway, you can't stay at home so passively."

"Yuemin, you don't need to comfort me, I'm afraid I won't believe what you say, it's already late, why spend this unjust money? The current hospital is dark, like a bottomless pit, and no amount of money can be thrown into it. Let's not be stupid, the result is the same whether we are cured or not. ”

"What is this called? You don't have to think about money, I'll take care of it. Let's have a friend, can you listen to me today, let's go to the hospital first, okay? ”

"Dude, you should know me, whatever I want to do, it's useless to persuade anyone, let's not talk about this, okay? You and I have known each other for decades, and there are few times when we don't quarrel when we meet, and now that I'm leaving, don't bother me, okay? ”

Zhong Yuemin was speechless, he didn't know what to say, in the face of such a poor family, he felt that no matter what he said, it was nonsense, and he couldn't help anything else except for a little money. Li Kuiyong's taxi company is a collective-owned unit, and its medical expenses are lump sum, with only 200 yuan per capita per capita medical expenses paid each year, and if the cost of medical treatment exceeds 200 yuan, he has to pay out of pocket. Zhong Yuemin knows that now the medical expenses of 200 yuan can't even afford to get a cold, and the rich don't care, they only suffer powerless people like Li Kuiyong. Li Kuiyong is right, there can be no equality in this world, and generally speaking, everyone's fate is predestined from birth. Zhong Yuemin remembered that Li Kuiyong was once very proud of his background as a worker, and once upon a time, the working class was so loud that it was still called the "leading class", although it had no practical benefits, but at least it was respected, but now workers like Li Kuiyong have helplessly fallen to the bottom of society and become a vulnerable group. Thinking of this, Zhong Yuemin felt very bitter.

"Yuemin, do you believe in Buddhism?"

"I don't believe it, I don't have any religious beliefs, but I absolutely respect religious beliefs."

"I didn't believe in Buddhism before, but then I met a few people who believed in Buddhism and talked to them a lot, and I gradually became interested in Buddhism, but I was too busy with work at that time. You think, I woke up every morning, and before I opened my eyes, I fucking owed the company more than 200 yuan for the 'car', how could I have time to think about anything else. It wasn't until I got sick that I had some leisure, so I thought about my life and then thought about Buddhism. It's also a great pleasure to be able to think about things in your mind, and I feel a little better. Yuemin, would you like to hear it? ”

"Of course, I'm here to chat with you today, how many years have we not had a good chat? It's rare to get together, let's talk enough today, you say, I'll listen. ”

"That time in the hospital, the doctor called my brother to the office to talk and closed the door, and I kind of understood in my heart that I was a little sick in the air. When Kui Yuan came out, I could see at a glance that he had cried, our Chinese hospitals are not good at this, whoever has a terminal illness will do everything possible to hide it, for fear that the patient will not be able to think about it, and some patients are also willing to cooperate with the doctor to pretend to be stupid and blindfold themselves. But I've long figured it out, since it's time to go, we have to go. At that time, I grabbed Kui Yuan and said, 'You kid is capable, isn't it?' Dare to hide something from me. I know I'm not cured, am I? If you don't say anything today, I'll beat you.'" Kui Yuan cried at the time and said, 'Big brother, the doctor has diagnosed it as advanced lung cancer, and the doctor said that he should be hospitalized immediately'. I said, 'Since it's already in the late stages, what kind of hospital are you still living in, isn't this throwing money into the water?' In the end, it's nothing more than people dying, and the living people are ruined, let's go, let's go home'. I had insomnia that night, first I couldn't sleep because I coughed, then I couldn't sleep when I stopped coughing. I thought about it a lot, and first I felt that this life was too poor. You think, I have never had a comfortable day in my life, when I was a child, there were many children in the family, and my father relied on my father to earn money to support the family, and the life was tight, but I caught up with the three difficult periods, I only remember that in those years, I was often so hungry that my belly was close to the back of my back, and there were always little stars flying in my eyes, and I couldn't forget that taste for a lifetime. ”

When I was 14 years old, as soon as my father left, my eldest son took charge of the family in place of my father, thanks to socialism. Do you know? This is the richest years in the history of our family, because the state stipulates that the pension is paid according to the size of the family, although each person is only a dozen yuan, but my family has a large population, so it takes advantage, adding up to more than my father's salary when he was alive, it is very poignant to think about it, such a cheap is actually exchanged for my father's life. Later, I went to Shaanxi to cut the queue, and you also experienced it during that time, we are a poor village, and the work value is 5 cents a day for many years, and I still owe money after a year of hard work. In order to earn some money to send to my family, I worked hard every day, and volunteered to carry stones on the reservoir construction site, and once I was buried alive by a project collapse, and after being rescued, I was in a coma for two days and two nights, and my left rib was fractured 3 times, and I vomited blood. I rested for a month, and before my injury healed, I went to the construction site again, but in fact, no one forced me to go, because I was reluctant to pay the few full meals and one dollar a day on the construction site. It took me four years before I was assigned to work in the field wiring team of the county power bureau in 1974. I finally got a salary, I was really content, I sent half of my salary home every month, I was reluctant to buy even clothes, I wore work clothes for many years, no matter how hard and tired, I firmly remembered that I didn't just fucking live for myself, there was still my mother and a large group of younger brothers and sisters at home, I was the eldest son, and I had to take this responsibility. During this period, I had a good look, is a Xi'an educated youth, although the appearance is average, but the character is not bad, we got along for 3 years, and finally broke up, this can not blame her, the situation of my family is obvious, which woman marries me can not have a good life, she hesitated for a long time, coupled with the pressure of her parents, and finally decided to break with me. I'm not afraid of your jokes, we've been together for 3 years, I haven't touched a finger from her, it's not that I don't have a chance, but I'm afraid that in the future, if I can't get married, she cried and told me to give me her body on the day of the breakup, and it was not in vain that we got along. I'm not a saint, if there is a woman you like crying and shouting that she has to sleep with you, can you hold on? At that time, my heart was horizontal, and my heart said, what's the matter with love, I'll do it first. But I'm sorry to say that I didn't get anything done that night. Do you think, a woman who has been with you for a few years is going to leave you forever, this feeling is too desperate, she and I were in this desperate state that night, and we even had the heart to seek death, how could we still have the heart to do that? It's no wonder if you're not impotent. We hugged each other all night, and the next day when she left, we were all calm, since we all know that it is impossible to be together in this life and this life, it is better to break up peacefully, the long pain is better than the short pain, I have never seen her again. Seriously, I can't forget her, she's the only woman I've ever loved in my life, and I don't think this feeling of love will ever be there again in the future. Later, I was introduced to my current daughter-in-law, and as you saw just now, she was ugly, her brain didn't quite understand, and she was basically illiterate. Her family is considered a poor household even in the countryside of northern Shaanxi, and my family is half a catty to eight taels, so no one can dislike anyone. This is my life, I have to accept my fate, what is the meaning of all thoughts, probably that's it, right? I have been a poor life in my life, no matter how hard I try, I can't get rid of this poor life, and now I really admit it, how can people earn their lives. I have struggled all my life, and in the end, not only has my current situation not changed, but also the status quo of my relatives has not changed, even among my friends, I am a useless person, and I should have been eliminated from this situation a long time ago.

Zhong Yuemin stopped his words: "Kui Yong, it is very unfair for you to evaluate yourself like this, you have done enough, not to mention your relatives, even my friend, I have accepted your help in the most difficult time." I, Zhong Yuemin, will never forget, I remember you said to me at that time, 'When everyone has bad luck, if you are a man, you have to grit your teeth and carry it'. Kui Yong, you know what? Just such a sentence, my tears flowed out at that time, and people are most vulnerable when they are frustrated. Kui Yong, we are friends, friends have to help each other, I used to accept your help, now my situation is better, and I have the ability to help friends, I hope you don't reject me. ”

Zhong Yuemin took out the 20,000 yuan in cash and said: "Kui Yong, since you don't want to be admitted to the hospital, I think I should respect your choice, please accept this money, the money is not much, you can only save the emergency, I will send some more money in a few days." ”

Li Kuiyong looked at Zhong Yuemin and said, "Yuemin, what if I don't accept it?" ”

"Then I'll turn around and leave, and I'll never have you as a friend again, remember? You said this to me before, and today it is my turn. ”

Li Kuiyong sighed and complained: "You, you always don't suffer, you still remember what I said, and you threw it back to me as it was, you have a strong sense of revenge, okay, I'll take it, let's talk about something else." ”

Zhong Yuemin asked, "You just mentioned that you are interested in Buddhism, what is going on?" I remember you were also a non-religious person. ”

Li Kuiyong coughed violently again, and Zhong Yuemin hurriedly helped him beat his back, and it took a while to calm down. Li Kuiyong vomited a lot of bloody phlegm, he wiped the blood on the corner of his mouth with a towel, and said: "I have a friend who believes in Buddhism, and he told me that Buddhism believes in reincarnation, and believes that everyone has a past life and a future life, and if you cultivate well in this life and do a lot of good deeds, then you will be reincarnated as a human in the next life, and you will live a happy life." On the other hand, if you do evil a lot in this life, then you may not be reincarnated as a human being in the next life, but may become some kind of animal. Of course, turning into an animal is not completely hopeless, after several reincarnations, maybe you can be reincarnated as a human, but the fate of this person's life will not be too good, I am afraid that he will suffer for a lifetime. Buddhism emphasizes karma, and evil deeds must be punished, just like a debt must be repaid, and if you don't pay it back in this life, you will have to pay it back in the next life. My friend said that his master has a very high level of cultivation, and he has opened the 'Heavenly Eye', and he can see people's past lives at a glance. Once, when his master was shopping for something, he entered a large shopping mall, and as soon as he entered the door, he saw that the mall was full of people and people, and then his 'heavenly eye' opened. It didn't matter if he opened his eyes, he found that the mall immediately turned into a zoo, full of animals, from rats to elephants. His master was very puzzled at the time, and said in his heart, there are many animals in this mall, although you can see some animals when you go to the mall in the past, but after all, people are the majority, and the proportion will not be too different. Later, the old gentleman thought about it and understood, it turned out that this shopping mall is located in the slum of this city, and the residents here are all people who are engaged in the lowest jobs, which is right, many people are animals in their previous lives, no wonder they have to suffer from poverty, this is cause and effect. When I heard it, I was furious,, is there such a bad thing? It's bad enough to be poor, and you have to be scolded, and even the fucking life is an animal, which is too hopeless......"

Zhong Yuemin couldn't help laughing: "According to Darwin's theory of evolution, human beings are originally animals, rich and poor are the same, the first are trilobites, or single-celled organisms, this is nothing to lose." ”

Li Kuiyong also smiled: "I originally wanted to ask that master to see my past life, even if it is an animal, it should be a little different, right?" Tigers and rats are both animals, but can these two types of animals be compared? One is a national first-class protected animal, and the other is the object of eliminating the 'four pests'. Later, I still didn't dare to let people see it, why? The main thing is that I don't have a bottom in my heart, if I am recognized as a mouse in my last life, and I was killed by a mouse medicine, then I really don't have the courage to live anymore, it's too desperate. ”

Zhong Yuemin didn't speak, he was a realist, he didn't care about the past life or the next life, he didn't care what reincarnation he had.

Li Kuiyong coughed again and continued: "Of course, this is all a joke. I asked the friend who believed in Buddhism, can people stop reincarnation? It doesn't matter if it's a human or an animal in the next life, I'm fucking annoyed, I don't want to do anything, it's better for me to never be reincarnated. He said that unless you reach a very high level of cultivation, then you can enter the world of bliss, and only when you reach this level can you stop reincarnation, which is not something that ordinary people can do. When I heard his answer, I immediately felt gloomy and unhappy. Do you think, just go on and on endlessly, what life is the head? This life is really boring, and if you want to say why people live, everyone can say a lot of reasons. If you want me to say, people live to survive, there is no other purpose, since you come to this world, you have to think about living, you have to work hard to earn money to support yourself, if you have a child, you have to raise the child, the child is older, you are old, and death is not far away, this life has passed like this, if you want to say what is the meaning, I don't think there is any point in bullshit. ”

Zhong Yuemin smiled: "Your conclusion is very straightforward, in fact, many things are originally so simple, but they are artificially complicated, as a person, when he comes to this world, he has neither the possibility of choice nor the purpose." ”

Li Kuiyong stretched out his hand to Zhong Yuemin: "Give me a cigarette." ”

"Dude, isn't that good, is it? Smoking will make you sicker, so you should bear with it. ”

"It's already like this, there's no difference between smoking one more cigarette and smoking one less, break the can."

"It's the same, my body has fallen into the well, and my ears are still hanging? At this time, you just want to smoke white noodles, and I can't refuse you. Zhong Yuemin lit the cigarette for him.

Li Kuiyong took a deep puff of cigarette: "I haven't smoked for a few days, my daughter-in-law has hidden all her cigarettes, as if I can get better if I quit smoking, or you are interesting enough, you can understand the mind of a person who is going to die, and I am very easy to chat with you." Yuemin, when I knew that I had an incurable disease, guess what I was feeling? ”

"Probably glad that you're so tired and impatient that you want to rest once and for all, aren't you?"

Li Kuiyong excitedly punched Zhong Yuemin: "That's right, you still understand me, you kid is quite smart." To be honest, I was very happy at the time, just like I was looking forward to the Chinese New Year when I was a child, I felt that I was too tired to live, not only tired, but also hopeful. I remember when I was in the queue, I was tired of doing work, and when I was most tired, I looked forward to calling it a day, because after finishing work, you could take a shower on the well platform, and the whole night was at your disposal, which was the most relaxing moment of the day, and this was the most specific hope, if I didn't have this hope, I might not be able to support it and lie down. But as far as the whole life is concerned, I can't find hope, no matter how hard I struggle, I can't change the situation, this is fate. I sometimes just stared at my son for an hour and I thought that maybe it was a mistake for me to bring this boy into this world. This kid follows me, he doesn't like to study since he was a child, he gets sleepy when he reads books, but he has some talent for fighting, you see what virtue I have now, what kind of virtue he will be in the future, it's not too much. Don't expect him to be admitted to college in the future and find a decent job, no fun, he is just a rough worker, and it would be good to be able to eat. In the future, social competition will be more intense, and a simple-minded young man like this will not have to suffer from poverty for a lifetime? When he gets older, it's time to find a daughter-in-law, and then this kid should follow in his father's footsteps, uneducated and poor, who will follow him from a girl from a good family? can only find an ugly and stupid daughter-in-law to make do, if he has a child, he will have to desperately earn money to support the child, and in the end, like me, he will be poor all his life, which is looked down upon. The more I think about it, the more discouraged I become, and the days without hope are really boring. Well, now that I've finally survived my life, no matter how fucked up the world is, there has to be an end. Yuemin, I'm so tired, it's time to go. ”

Zhong Yuemin was silent for a long time, he felt that Li Kuiyong seemed to talk a lot today, which seemed to be a return to the light, and when he realized that his life was coming to an end, he had some kind of understanding of life.

Li Kuiyong lit another cigarette and continued: "I read a book a few days ago, which was written after a person who had been in a car accident and was rescued. When he was sent to the emergency room of the hospital, his heart had stopped beating, he recalled the scene at that time, he felt warm all over his body, his whole body was in a state of relaxation, very comfortable, he felt that his body became very light, gradually floating, until it floated to the ceiling, he looked down from the ceiling, only to see that the medical staff were still desperately trying to give him artificial respiration, his body was lying quietly on the bed, and his family was crying and screaming...... Only then did he realize that he was on the ceiling at this time as a soul that had been detached from his body and could wander around...... This person was rescued in the end, and he probably belonged to the kind of person whose life was not over, otherwise those of us who were alive would never know what it was like to die. Yuemin, you read more books than me, have you ever heard of this kind of thing? ”

Zhong Yuemin nodded and said: "I have also read books on this subject, and it is said that there is a scientist in the United States who wants to verify whether people have a soul, and if so, whether the soul is material." He conducted an experiment in which he put a dying person on a special, extremely precise electronic scale, and at the moment when the person was dying, he noticed that the person's weight had suddenly lost a few tenths of a gram, and the scientist concluded that he believed that the human soul was material because it had weight. Of course, as for whether human beings really have souls, the scientific methods currently at the disposal of human beings are not enough to verify them, so they cannot draw conclusions. ”

Li Kuiyong's face suddenly turned pale and sweated profusely, he clutched his chest in pain, and his breathing appeared to be very short. Zhong Yuemin hurriedly helped him and asked, "Kui Yong, are you in pain?" ”

"Yes, it's painful all over my body, the pain is a little unbearable, it's really painful to have cancer, I really don't want to put it off any longer, it's better to end it sooner. Yuemin, I want to ask you for one thing, you have to promise me. ”

Zhong Yuemin shook his head: "Before you say your specific request, I'm afraid I won't be able to promise you anything." ”

"It's not a big deal, you can do it, find me some sleeping pills, okay?"

"Kui Yong, I understand your feelings, but I can't help you, your request makes me embarrassed, you can't let me go to jail for the sake of flying to the ceiling for yourself, and bear the notoriety of a murderer, it's too unfair."

Li Kuiyong sighed: "I knew you wouldn't help me, you kid, it's not fucking interesting." ”

"In addition to this request, I can promise you everything else, I can provide for your mother's old age, and I can also do my best to help your wife and children."

Li Kuiyong shook his head: "Friends can only save the emergency, but they can't save the poor." After I am gone, Kui Yuan will be the eldest son, and he should take responsibility. Yuemin, I came to you today, just to say goodbye to you, since you are a friend, there must always be a beginning and an end, now I'm a little tired, you go, don't come again. Kui Yuan will inform you when I leave. Goodbye, buddy, if we are fated, we will be friends in the next life. ”

Zhong Yuemin hugged Li Kuiyong with a gloomy expression: "Kuiyong, goodbye!" He stood up and walked towards the door, knowing that if he didn't go, he would lose control of his sadness.

"Yuemin ......"

Zhong Yuemin stopped, but he didn't look back.

"When I leave, I will wait for you on the ceiling, you can't see me, but I can see you, you wave to me, I will leave with confidence, that is our last goodbye ......"

Zhong Yuemin didn't look back, he replied in a low voice: "I know......" After speaking, he left without looking back.

Zhou Xiaobai called Zhong Yuemin and said that someone had given her tickets for two concerts, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony performed by the Berliner Philharmonic Orchestra in China, with maestro Zubin Mehta as guest conductor.

Zhou Xiaobai asked Zhong Yuemin if he was interested in listening.

Of course, Zhong Yuemin is interested, the Berliner Philharmoniker is a world-class symphony orchestra, not to mention the famous Zubin Mehta as the conductor.

Zhou Xiaobai's father, Zhou Zhennan, retired in the mid-80s of the 20th century as a principal in the military region, and his family moved into a small two-story building in a cadre retreat. Most of the children of the Zhou family work in other places, and only the youngest daughter, Zhou Xiaobai, is in Beijing. Among the many children of the Zhou family, Zhou Zhennan's favorite is the youngest daughter Zhou Xiaobai. When he was in power, he used his authority to transfer Zhou Xiaobai from the field army to the headquarters hospital in Beijing, and Zhou Zhennan made no secret of this: Lao Tzu is old, what if he is transferred back to take care of his children? Whoever likes to gossip can gossip, Lao Tzu can't hear it. It seems that Zhou Xiaobai was promoted to vice president of the colonel, and there are also factors in Zhou Zhennan's operation. Don't look at him has retired and has no power, but his residual power in the army is still there, his old subordinates are all over the army, and the old man's words still have a certain weight.

Zhou Xiaobai's two elder brothers both graduated from the Harbin Military Engineering Institute in the mid-60s of the 20th century and have been serving in the army. This seems to be a common practice, and it is normal for a lieutenant general like Zhou Zhennan, who was awarded the title in 1955, to have several generals among his children. Zhou Xiaobai was born in this typical military family, her father is a lieutenant general, her brothers are major generals, and her youngest daughter also has the lowest military rank, which is a colonel with two bars and four stars on her epaulettes.

These days, Zhou Xiaobai's second brother Zhou Huaihai held a meeting in Beijing, and he took his secretary and guards back to his parents' house. When Zhong Yuemin came to find Zhou Xiaobai as promised, he met Zhou Huaihai who was about to go out for a meeting. He is a handsome middle-aged man, who looks very similar to Zhou Xiaobai, with big eyes, double eyelids, fair complexion, and looks a little weak. He was wearing a woolen general's uniform, with a golden star on his epaulettes, and was about to drill into the Volvo car, when he saw Zhong Yuemin walking into the yard, he straightened up and asked, "Who are you looking for?" ”

Zhong Yuemin nodded politely to him and said, "I'm looking for Zhou Xiaobai." ”

Zhou Huaihai looked Zhong Yuemin up and down and asked, "Which unit are you from, is there anything to find her?" ”

Zhong Yuemin is a little annoyed, what's wrong with this person, he will check the household registration when he comes up, what's the matter? Can't you come if you're fine? He deliberately replied: "I don't have a unit, I'm self-employed, I have a little time to talk to Zhou Xiaobai today." ”

Zhou Huaihai actually didn't mean to be rude, he just had been a leading cadre for a long time and had developed the habit of being a leader, and he unconsciously had a condescending tone as soon as he spoke. But Zhong Yuemin's answer was also very bullish, looking at what he meant, it was that he finally took some time to talk to Vice President Zhou today, who did he think he was, the head of the Organization Department? What is this, where did Xiaobai know such a self-employed person. Zhou Huaihai was really a little angry, he disdained to be as knowledgeable as this kind of person, so he lowered his face and said, "Zhou Xiaobai is not at home. The implication is that he hopes that Zhong Yuemin will leave immediately.

Zhong Yuemin didn't know each other: "Isn't it?" She said that she would wait for me, how could she not believe her words? It seems that there are only two possibilities: either Zhou Xiaobai lacks integrity, or you don't tell the truth. ”

Zhou Huaihai's secretary was blocking his hand on the door frame of the car to prevent the chief from touching his head, he was annoyed when he heard Zhong Yuemin's words, and hurriedly shouted: "Hey, how can you talk to the chief?" ”

Zhong Yuemin replied without humility or arrogance: "I am a common man, and I am not under the control of your chief. Besides, I don't know if he's really the chief. Don't laugh at it, we ordinary people don't know the things on your shoulder tags, I have a cousin who just graduated from the military academy, and he also has a star on his shoulder tag, I remember he said that anyone who hangs a star is a second lieutenant, that is, a platoon commander, can a platoon commander be regarded as a leader? ”

Zhou Xiaobai was standing on the terrace on the second floor at this time and was listening to Zhong Yuemin's nonsense with great interest, she had already seen Zhong Yuemin walk into the courtyard, and before she could greet him, she saw that Zhong Yuemin and her second brother had a conflict, she simply didn't speak and looked lively. Zhong Yuemin hasn't been poor for a long time, once this guy comes, his emotions are often witty, and he is angry and alive. Zhou Xiaobai likes to listen to his nonsense, no matter how annoyed he is, as soon as he hears Zhong Yuemin's nonsense, the troubles in his heart will disappear immediately. When she heard that Zhong Yuemin deliberately took the major general for a second lieutenant, Zhou Xiaobai couldn't help but laugh out loud on the terrace.

Zhou Huaihai, who was about to have a seizure, and the secretary saw Zhou Xiaobai on the terrace leaning forward and leaning back, and they were puzzled, Zhou Huaihai asked, "Xiaobai, what are you smiling at?" Who is this? ”

Zhou Xiaobai covered his stomach and smiled: "Second brother, you should leave quickly, if you don't leave, you won't even be a second lieutenant, maybe it's a private." Ouch, Zhong Yuemin, you can kill me, my stomach ......"

Zhou Huaihai and the secretary smiled bitterly and got into the car and left.

Zhong Yuemin walked into the living room and complained: "Houmen is as deep as the sea, why is it so difficult for a self-employed person to meet Vice President Zhou?" That major general is your second brother, has he ever fought? ”

"It seems that he has never been beaten, he is from a technical background." Zhou Xiaobai was busy making him tea.

Zhong Yuemin said coolly: "In my eyes, only the generals in 1955 are genuine, and they are typed." Hmph, now...... What Major General? It's about the same as yellow sauce. ”

"Okay, you talk about virtue, and if you keep talking, all your bad words will come. Let me tell you for you, my dad is 'Clocksmith', my brother is 'Yellow Sauce', and I'm 'Two Mao Four', okay? ”

Zhong Yuemin's morale was not going well, so he opened his mouth and taught people a lesson: "Xiaobai, you are almost a colonel, don't let your father go to the door to become a general, if there are a few more female generals like you who haven't even touched a gun, where will we put the face of our army?" Besides, even if it's a general's family, you can't produce generals one litter at a time, I think your family is about to become a 'sauce jar'. 'Princely generals, would you rather have a kind? "You can't rely on genetics to be a general, if you are a doctor, you should be your doctor honestly, if you have to be a vice president, you really hang a colonel's brand, what kind of coaxing?" ”

Zhou Xiaobai was so angry that she couldn't speak for a long time, she held back for a while before she returned her mouth: "Zhong Yuemin, you bastard, your mouth is still so bad, my second brother offended you, and I didn't offend you, why did you bully me?" I was unlucky to meet you in this life, you bullied me when I was young, and half of my life has passed, and you still bully me. Hmph, no one else dares to talk to me like that except for you. I don't remember who said that it was better to be hung on a cliff than on Zhong Yuemin's tongue, that is amazing, it is definitely a disaster. ”

Zhong Yuemin thought of Zhou Huaihai again, and his mouth became more and more vicious: "Your second brother is quite arrogant, especially if he dresses up in an official uniform, like a canary, beautiful, he should go to command the guard of honor, then he can reflect the style of Chinese soldiers, foreign heads of state look at it, and think that millions of Chinese soldiers are this kind of elegant and handsome little white faces, can you fight alone, at least a handsome and beautiful army, so beautiful that the enemy is reluctant to beat you." ”

Zhou Xiaobai begged for mercy: "Okay, okay, you spare our family, I apologize to you for my brother, you can accumulate virtue in your mouth." ”

Zhong Yuemin felt that he had already said that he was happy, so he stopped talking.

Zhou Xiaobai sighed and said, "Actually, if you don't change jobs, you should be a colonel by now." Among our old friends, only you are the most suitable to be a professional soldier, and if there are a few more wars, you can really become a general, you have this potential. You, it's a pity that a person who originally had the hope of becoming a general and making contributions has now become a small boss, no matter what, it's a waste of talent. ”

Zhong Yuemin dislikes to listen to this kind of talk the most, and he retorted: "This is the idea of ordinary people, a person does not come to this world to make contributions. First of all, he had to come, because he didn't have a choice. Since you are here, you have to choose a lifestyle you like and spend your life happily. Your second brother thinks that being an official is happy, and that is his own business, but no one has the right to ask others to agree with his own values. ”

Zhou Xiaobai knew that he was not Zhong Yuemin's opponent, so he calmed down and said, "I'm a layman, okay?" You, the little boss, have been training me as the vice president for half a day, so it's time to stop. ”

"Xiaobai, don't put gold on your face, who said you are a layman? Are you so good, I think you look like an autocrat, fortunately you are still a little less powerful now, just a vice president, if you become the Minister of Health of the General Logistics Department, then there is a way for others to live? Zhong Yuemin sarcastically said.

Zhou Xiaobai was so angry that he picked up the water cup and wanted to splash Zhong Yuemin: "You still have ...... end?"

"Yuemin, you're here." Yuan Jun came out of the study and greeted Zhong Yuemin.

Zhong Yuemin walked into the study with Yuan Jun, and saw a large sand table in the study, on which were some models of tanks and artillery, Zhong Yuemin smiled: "In the end, he is the deputy division commander, and he still plays sand table homework at home." ”

Yuan Jun looked a little tired, he gently rubbed his temples with his fingers and said, "It's time to get off the army, you have to familiarize yourself with the business." At that time, my grades in the Armored Forces Command College were not bad, but when I was transferred to work at the headquarters, I felt that my major was not useful, so it gradually became deserted. In the past two days, I have been sharpening my guns on the battlefield, otherwise I will have to make jokes when I get to the army. ”

Zhou Xiaobai said: "Why did you go earlier?" After so many years in the headquarters, I have been messing around, and I haven't learned other skills, but I am good at eating and drinking, and I am used to the troops below. ”

Zhong Yuemin looked at the sand table carefully and asked, "This is the formation of the armored cluster division's attack?" It looks like that. ”

Yuan Jun smiled: "You are a layman when playing tank tactics, so it's best not to comment." ”

Zhong Yuemin fiddled with the tank model on the sand table like a toy and said, "How about we have an asymmetrical confrontation exercise between the Red and Blue Army?" ”

"Okay, how do you say to play?"

"You are a full-fledged tank division of the Red Army. I am for the Blues, a special reconnaissance group, I am the first to attack, where do you think my preferred point of attack should be in the Red Army? ”

Yuan Jun smiled disdainfully: "Pediatrics, do you still need to ask?" Special forces are good at sneak attacks, and their points of attack should be selected in critical places such as our army's command system, communications and information processing systems. ”

Zhong Yuemin said: "What am I doing with all that effort? Find a plumber to open the water pipes near your station and pour croton water into it, at most it will cost a few hundred kilograms of croton, and the rest is to watch the excitement, and it must be a very spectacular sight for a division of people to have diarrhea together on the same day. If I'm happy, plug up the sewage pipes at your station and let the feces come out of the toilets, and in less than a day, this tank division will be a big stinking manure field......"

Yuan Jun thought for a while and admitted: "This is a crooked trick, you can always come up with some crooked ways." ”

Zhou Xiaobai had already changed into a blue woolen skirt, a white-collar professional woman's outfit, she walked into the living room and said: "It's disgusting, this is Zhong Yuemin-style special warfare, only he can think of this kind of crooked trick." ”

Yuan Jun said seriously: "Don't underestimate this idea, this is real wisdom, the key lies in the flexibility of thinking, not to think about problems with fixed thinking." ”

Zhou Xiaobai said with a smile: "There is a rule here, any good boy who has been keeping to himself since he was a child, he can't think of so many crooked tricks to kill him; On the contrary, the person who can come up with such a crooked trick must have been a child who was disgusted by dogs when he was a child. ”

Yuan Jun agreed: "That's right, Zhong Yuemin was indeed not a good boy when he was a child, I can prove it." ”

Zhou Xiaobai urged: "Yuemin, don't talk about it, we should go, there are rules in the concert hall, latecomers must wait until the intermission to enter, let's not be late." ”

Zhong Yuemin said to Yuan Jun embarrassedly: "You can also go with us, otherwise it will be rude." ”

Yuan Jun waved his hand and said with a smile: "The concert hall is a place for you people with elegant tastes, I don't dare to go there to make up the numbers." Xiaobai said that for elegant music, I'm not afraid that you don't understand, I'm afraid that you don't understand it and pretend to be elegant. Go ahead, I'm too of low taste and don't like symphonies. ”

Zhou Xiaobai sarcastically said: "Our Yuan Jun is good at this, and he is definitely self-aware. ”

When Zhong Yuemin and Zhou Xiaobai walked into the theater, the lights dimmed, the fuchsia velvet curtain slowly opened, and the conductor Zubin Mehta, wearing a traditional black tuxedo, raised his baton with his back to the audience. Zhong Yuemin and Zhou Xiaobai kept apologizing to people in the dark, groping their way to find their seats. As soon as they were seated, the lights on the stage suddenly shone brightly, and Zubin Mehta's silver baton struck a lightning bolt in the light, and the first movement began, the introduction unfolding against a tremolo background......

Zhou Xiaobai whispered in Zhong Yuemin's ear: "It's really timely, as if there is a divine revelation, Zubin Mehta is like waiting for us." ”

Zhong Yuemin put his finger to his lips and whispered, he was engrossed in the first movement that unfolded, at this time the first theme had appeared, he felt that Beethoven's soul that had been lost for more than a hundred years had returned to the world tonight, and his arrogant and unyielding spirit showed his character of not being afraid of violence, this is really a man with great personality. As the first theme unfolded, a male breath came to his face, and Zhong Yuemin instantly felt the blood stirring around his body, and passion bursting out in the darkness......

Zhong Yuemin closed his eyes, as if he had fallen asleep. What is light and what is darkness in this world? Everyone thinks that they are looking for light, and they think that what they find is light, and this is what complicates the world, which is human nature. Human nature has set the world against each other, and this world has light and darkness, good and evil. Romain Rolland once made this judgment: "If a person listens to the beautiful chords of instrumental music, or listens to the gentle singing, and does not know how to appreciate it, does not know how to move, does not tremble from head to toe, does not feel relaxed, does not detach himself, then his heart is wrong, ugly, and depraved." ”

Zhong Yuemin smiled coldly, Mr. Romain Rolland, this is not true. An evil person can also be moved by music. History has a moment when, when the Nazi army occupied Warsaw, a mild-mannered German officer ordered the execution of a group of Polish citizens, and after the firing squad shots, the officer played the piano next to the pile of corpses, playing Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata". According to eyewitnesses, the officer's performance was extremely professional, his understanding of the music was very deep, and Beethoven's emotions were delicately expressed in a tender and sweet treatment, and the dreamlike piano music echoed through the streets of Warsaw, while the blood of the victims had merged into a red stream......

What is good and what is evil in this world? Different ethnicities and ideologies have different positions and perspectives, leading to very different conclusions. In this pluralistic world, there are multiple truths, and when truth and truth collide, human beings inevitably fall into confusion, and different ideas and positions collide and confront, leading to hatred, bloodshed, and war......

In the midst of emotion, the orchestra has already started the third movement, a variation on a double theme, like a song's adagio, the music is full of contemplation, dreams and expectations. Suddenly, the stern sound of the horn sounded, awakening the people's sweet dreams, and there was an extraordinarily sad sigh in the music, and the melody became weeping, melancholy and sad......

Beethoven's thought is profound and simple. He used the language of music to tell mankind that happiness is only possible when all men become brothers. The crashing wave of the fourth movement suddenly grabbed Zhong Yuemin's heart and caused him to reverie endlessly......

Although there are too many unsatisfactory things in this world, the rational thinking of human beings and the critical spirit of science are like lightning in the darkness piercing the night sky, passing through the dust of history with its huge penetrating power, and finally carrying mankind to the other side of the ideal. What a glorious other shore it will be, full of vigorous spirituality, boundless space full of creativity, galloping passion, vigorous will to life and admirable personality strength, all people live together like brothers and sisters, eliminate racial prejudice, eliminate hatred, no shackles of thought, only the free erection of the heart and the unbridled individuality, it should be an ideal realm worthy of our admiration for thousands of generations...... Man cannot live a life without hope, and how can the whole human race not be so?

The climax of the whole work is approaching, the form of the baritone lead, the male and female vocal quartet and the symphonic chorus are changed many times, alternating, and finally the powerful chorus suddenly bursts into a huge wave, majestic and enthusiastic chorus singing the theme of "Ode to Joy":

Hug up, hundreds of millions of people,

Everyone loves each other and loves each other

…………

The whole finale is splendid and magnificent, and the symphony orchestra and the jubilant chorus merge into a surging torrent, symbolizing the joyful crowd singing the joy and beauty of life in the ideal kingdom of heaven, where all darkness and ugliness will be drowned......

Zhong Yuemin was strongly shocked, he felt his heart burst open, and a hot liquid gushed out of his eyes, and at this moment, he saw Zhou Xiaobai also wiping his tears with a tissue......

Late at night, Zhong Yuemin was woken up by the rapid ringing of the phone, he sat up in shock, stared at the telephone blankly, and suddenly broke out in a cold sweat, the ringing of the phone in the middle of the night seemed to be some kind of bad omen, who called so late? Zhong Yuemin grabbed the phone: "I'm Zhong Yuemin, please speak." ”

"Brother Zhong, I'm Li Kuiyong's younger brother Li Kuiyuan, I'm sorry to bother you so late......"

Zhong Yuemin interrupted him unceremoniously: "Is it your brother's business, how is he?" Tell me more simply. ”

Li Kuiyuan sobbed: "My brother just passed away, and now our whole family is in the hospital, my brother has instructed you to notify you as soon as he leaves." ”

"Got it, I'll go right away." Zhong Yuemin hung up the phone and began to get dressed.

Gao Yue was also awakened, and she asked in a panic, "Yuemin, what's wrong?" Did something happen? ”

"Li Kuiyong has passed away, and now he is in the hospital, I have to go and see it."

"I'll go with you."

"No need, you can sleep."

When Zhong Yuemin rushed to the hospital's emergency room, the medical staff were removing the hanging bottles and monitoring equipment, Li Kuiyong's body was still lying on the rescue table, and his younger siblings were crying and scrubbing his body and changing clothes, and they looked extremely sad.

Li Kuiyuan told Zhong Yuemin that his brother had been in a dying state at home one hour earlier. Because Li Kuiyong insisted on refusing to go to the hospital for treatment after he fell ill, none of his younger brothers and sisters dared to go against his decision, because anyone who proposed to go to the hospital would have to be scolded, so everyone had to take turns to take leave to take care of this eldest brother, and only when he was in a dying state did they dare to call an ambulance to send him to the hospital for rescue.

Zhong Yuemin walked up to Li Kuiyong, looked at his lifeless face, and stared at him for a long time. He remembered the conversation he had with Li Kuiyong about the soul not long ago, and felt at a loss in his heart. He wanted to say something comforting to the family of the deceased, but he felt that his throat was choked, and he opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

He slowly raised his head, his eyes fixed on the ceiling, Li Kuiyong's words before his death sounded in his ears: "When I leave, I will wait for you on the ceiling, you can't see me, but I can see you, you wave to me, I will leave with peace of mind......"

Zhong Yuemin knew that at this time, Li Kuiyong's soul was silently watching him, waiting to say goodbye to him. He raised his left hand with difficulty, and only said: "Kui Yong, you go well, Zhong Yuemin said goodbye to you......"

Before he finished speaking, he was already in tears, and in the dark he seemed to hear a deep sigh, he knew that Li Kuiyong's soul was gone forever......