Siheyuan: Cao Liang's rise

1980 years.

summer.

At the entrance of the courtyard at No. 95 Tongluo Lane.

At this time, there were two figures, one big and one small.

The older one was a fashionable woman in her thirties, and the younger one was a boy of about twelve or thirteen.

"Mommy, does Daddy live here?"

The boy took the woman's hand and asked curiously.

“More than a decade has passed, and there has been no change here.”

The woman sighed, then rubbed the boy's head, smiled and nodded, "That's right, son, you will be able to see your father later."

"That's great! Daddy told me in the letter that he has prepared a lot of toys for me!"

The boy said happily.

The woman also smiled and pulled her son into the courtyard.

I happened to meet Yan Bugui who was watering flowers.

Yan Bugui has retired and now spends his days tending to his flowers and plants.

Although he is no longer the manager, his habit of "gatekeeping" has not changed.

Suddenly, he saw a fashionable woman and a young boy coming into the yard, and immediately asked, "Who are you? What are you doing in our yard?"

He always felt that the woman in front of him was familiar, but he couldn't remember who she was for a moment.

The woman chuckled and said, "Uncle, long time no see. I am Lou Xiao'e."

"Lou Xiao'e!?"

Yan Bugui's eyes widened immediately. "You, are back?"

Lou Xiao'e disappeared suddenly and remained there for more than ten years.

Later, Xu Damao also talked about his divorce with Lou Xiao'e.

"Well, I'm back."

Lou Xiaoe smiled and nodded, and gestured to her son, "Son, call someone, just call Third Grandpa!"

"Hello, Third Grandpa."

The young man greeted politely. He was Xu Damao and Lou Xiao'e's son, Xu Xiao.

"Eh."

Yan Bugui nodded subconsciously, and then asked curiously: "Xiao'e, who is this child?"

Lou Xiao'e smiled and said, "He is the son of Damao and me, his name is Xu Xiao."

"It's good to be back, it's good to be back!"

Yan Bugui sighed, and then said: "But I am no longer the manager now."

Even if he still is, he is still the second uncle.

"Then I'll call you Teacher Yan!"

Lou Xiao'e said with a smile.

"Anything is fine, everything is fine."

Yan Bugui smiled and said, "You guys go back first! Damao should be at home today."

"Okay then, Teacher Yan, see you later."

Lou Xiao'e nodded and was about to pull her son in.

"Xiao'e? Are you Xiao'e?"

After taking a few steps, I heard an uncertain shout.

Lou Xiao'e turned her head and saw Meng Xiaoxing standing at her door.

Although Meng Xiaoxing dressed very casually and was already 37 years old, she still looked as young and pretty as if she was in her twenties. She had hardly changed from before and you couldn't tell at all that she was a mother of two children.

Yes, at the end of 76, Meng Xiaoxing gave birth to a daughter for Cao Liang.

She is three years old now. Her full name is Cao Wanyi and her nickname is Tuanzi, which was also given by Cao Liang.

Cao Liang doted on his daughter.

Every time Yaya returns home, she always says that her elder brother doesn’t love her anymore now that he has a daughter.

Lou Xiao'e has changed a lot, but because of her dress, she looks very young.

It also has a bit more of a noble lady's temperament.

Looking at Lou Xiao'e, who had changed so much, Meng Xiaoxing was unsure for a moment.

But Lou Xiao'e recognized Meng Xiaoxing at a glance and shouted in surprise: "Xingzi?"

"It's really you!"

Meng Xiaoxing took a few steps forward, looked Lou Xiao'e up and down, and sighed: "Xiao'e, I haven't seen you for more than ten years. Not only have you not aged, you look younger."

Lou Xiao'e said angrily, "How dare you say that? You are only a few years younger than me. I am already an old lady, but you are still like a little girl. I don't know how you maintain your looks."

Speaking of this, Meng Xiaoxing's pretty face turned red.

You can't say that Cao Liang took good care of her, right?

In fact, she didn't know the reason, and the same went for her man, who was almost forty years old now, but still looked like a twenty-year-old boy.

When they take their sons out, people who don’t know would think they are brothers.

"Don't talk about this."

Meng Xiaoxing changed the subject and asked in confusion: "Xiao'e, why did you come back at this time? And you didn't even tell us?"

Cao Liang had already told Meng Xiaoxing about Lou Xiao'e's matter.

They would write letters to each other from time to time.

But Lou Xiao'e did not say in the letter that she would be back today.

"I just wanted to give you a surprise!"

Lou Xiao'e said with a smile that she met her best friend as soon as she came back and she was in a good mood at the moment.

"This is a really big surprise. Damao will definitely be so happy."

Meng Xiaoxing smiled and nodded, then looked at Xu Xiao, "This child is the son of you and Damao, Xu Xiao, right?"

Lou Xiao'e nodded and said to Xu Xiao, "Son, this is your Aunt Xingzi. Back then, Mom had no friends in the yard, and only your Aunt Xingzi was close to me."

"Hello, Auntie Xingzi!"

Xu Xiao shouted obediently.

"Eh, okay."

Meng Xiaoxing said to Lou Xiaoe, "Xiaoe, go back first! Come back for dinner later. I'll ask Liangzi to cook a few dishes for you."

"That's great! I've been thinking about these few bites for so many years!"

Lou Xiao'e smiled and nodded, then took Xu Xiao to the backyard.

I met several neighbors along the way, but none of them recognized Lou Xiao'e.

Lou Xiao'e and her son came to Xu Jiami's door.

Lou Xiao'e was a little nervous.

Xu Xiao was puzzled and asked, "Mommy, why didn't you knock on the door? Didn't that Third Grandpa just say that Daddy was home?"

A few years ago, Xu Damao went to Hong Kong once.

Xu Xiao had also met Xu Damao.

But it's only one side.

I am not very familiar with my father.

"Okay, I'll knock on the door now."

Lou Xiao'e took a deep breath and walked forward and knocked on the door.

I thought to myself, Damao doesn’t know that I’m back yet. If he knew, he would be so happy, right?

Thinking of this, Lou Xiao'e knocked on the door of Xu's house.

"...Who is this? Can't I sleep?"

After a while, Xu Damao's unhappy voice was heard.

It has been almost like this for the past ten years. Whenever Xu Damao doesn't have to work, he drinks so that he can fall asleep.

Every time I drink, I don’t get up until noon the next day.

Although impatient, Xu Damao still opened the door.

When he opened the door, Xu Damao's pupils shrank.

Bang!

Then, Xu Damao closed the door without saying a word.

"This... Am I still drunk? I saw a ghost in broad daylight?"

Xu Damao murmured.

"Xu Damao, you want to die! Hurry up and open the door!"

Lou Xiao'e's scolding came from outside the door.

Xu Damao then reopened the door. He looked at Lou Xiaoe and then at Xu Xiao.

Snapped!

Suddenly, Xu Damao slapped himself loudly in the face.

After feeling the burning pain on his face, Xu Damao exclaimed: "Fuck, this is real, I'm not dreaming!"