Siheyuan: I live next door to Xu Damao, my last name is Cao

In Beijing, the days still pass slowly and according to the routine.

Every morning, before the first ray of sunlight completely dispels the coolness of the night, Liu Haizhong has already woken up from his sleep.

He mechanically dressed, washed, and then hurried out, blending into the crowd of people rushing to their jobs and walking towards the steel mill.

As he stepped into the steel mill, he was instantly surrounded by the roar of machines.

In the workshop, the heat was rolling, the sound of metal colliding was endless, and the workers were busy shuttling at their respective posts.

Liu Haizhong skillfully put on gloves, picked up tools, and started his day's work.

However, ever since that inexplicable heart palpitations and injury, his heart seemed to be tightly pulled by an invisible and tough thread, always hanging high and unable to be let go.

During breaks at work, when he took a break, his eyes would inadvertently sweep across the heartwarming scene of his colleagues bringing their children to visit the factory, or he would catch a glimpse of some objects piled up in the corner of the workshop, which would inexplicably bring back memories of the past, and he would always think of Liu Guangqi involuntarily.

In my mind, those vague images related to Liu Guangqi flashed more and more frequently.

These images played around in his mind like a kaleidoscope, making him uneasy and causing him to make mistakes in the work at hand.

Naturally, Second Aunt noticed the strange changes in her husband and was worried.

In the past, when Liu Haizhong came home from get off work, he would always enthusiastically share with her the latest news in the factory and tell her about the interesting things that happened among his fellow workers, and the house was filled with laughter.

But recently, he seemed like a different person. He often sat quietly in a corner after get off work, not saying a word, and fell into deep thought alone.

One day, after dinner, the family sat around the slightly old dining table. The lights in the house were dim, but the atmosphere was a bit depressing.

The second aunt finally couldn't help herself and asked softly, "Dad, why have you been so absent-minded recently? Did something happen?"

There was concern and deep worry in her voice.

Liu Haizhong was holding a piece of food with chopsticks. When he heard this, he paused, slowly put down the bowl and chopsticks in his hands, and hesitated for a long time. The worry in his heart was like a flood that broke through the dam and he could no longer suppress it.

He raised his head, his eyes full of anxiety, and said, "How long has it been since Guangqi came home? How come there is no news at all? I feel uneasy."

The second aunt was stunned for a moment, and the bowl in her hand shook slightly. She quickly steadied it, forced a smile on her face, and comforted her: "Maybe he is too busy at work. Don't you know how serious our son is at work? Maybe he will bring us some delicious food in a few days."

But the worry that flashed across her eyes could not be hidden.

The sky gradually darkened, and the afterglow of the setting sun dyed the entire steel mill orange and red.

The bell for getting off work rang slowly, announcing the end of a day's work.

The workers stopped their work one after another, wiped the sweat from their foreheads, chatted about family matters, and walked towards the factory gate.

Liu Haizhong was extremely anxious, his heart filled with worry about his son. He hurried towards the Propaganda Department of the Machinery Factory where Liu Guangqi worked.

When he arrived at the Propaganda Department's office, the light from the room shone through the window onto the corridor, bringing a hint of warmth, but Liu Haizhong's inner anxiety and uneasiness did not diminish in the slightest.

The office door was slightly open, as if revealing to the outside world the story happening inside.

Standing outside the door, his mood was like a ball of wool that had been scratched by a cat, messy and difficult to sort out.

He took a deep breath and tried hard to suppress the emotions that were surging like raging waves in his heart, but the anxiety was like a thorn in his flesh and could not be shaken off.

Finally, he raised his hand and knocked gently on the half-open door with slightly trembling fingers.

"Come in." A young and crisp response came from inside the house, like the first cry of an oriole in spring.

Liu Haizhong slowly pushed open the door, and the moment he stepped into the room, a strong working atmosphere hit him.

In the spacious and bright office, several young faces were sitting around a large desk, and everyone was discussing the work at hand with concentration and enthusiasm.

Various promotional materials were spread out on the desk. The papers were like an unfinished painting, covered with rough or delicate sketch lines, and the rustling sound left by the rapid movement of pens on the paper, as if it were a silent symphony concert.

When these young people noticed someone coming in, their originally lively conversation came to an abrupt halt, and their eyes all turned to the bangs at the door.

Liu Haizhong's heartbeat suddenly accelerated, and he could feel his throat becoming dry, but he still pretended to be calm and said, "Excuse me, is Liu Guangqi's colleague in this office? I am his father, Liu Haizhong."

Although he tried his best to make his tone sound calm, the barely perceptible tremor at the end of his words mercilessly betrayed his deep anxiety and uneasiness at the moment.

At this moment, a young girl wearing black-framed glasses quickly stood up from her seat.

There was a hint of concern in her clear eyes, and her steps were light and quick. In the blink of an eye, she was next to Liu Haizhong.

"Uncle, Guangqi and I are colleagues, please take a seat."

As she spoke, she quickly stretched out her hands, pulled a chair over, and carefully placed it behind her bangs, her movements so gentle as if she was afraid to disturb the worried father.

Liu Haizhong didn't sit down. His eyes were full of anxiety and desire. He looked straight at the girl and asked, "Girl, Guangqi hasn't been home for a long time. I'm very worried. I heard that he asked for leave. Do you know what happened?"

The girl frowned slightly, with an embarrassed look on her face, and said softly: "Uncle, Guangqi said that there was an emergency at home and he needed to take a long vacation. He didn't say what it was. But he left in a hurry. He didn't even have time to organize the documents in his hand. It seems that something big happened."

A young man wearing a plaid shirt nearby also agreed, "Yes, uncle, Guangqi had several important promotional projects that he hadn't completed before he left, and the plans were supposed to be released next week. He is usually very serious and responsible, and he treats his work meticulously. If it wasn't really urgent, he would definitely not ask for leave so suddenly."

Liu Haizhong frowned, his face full of confusion, and his voice unconsciously raised a few notes: "Something happened at home? But how come I don't know anything about it?"

At this time, an older colleague came over, patted Liu Haizhong's shoulder, and said softly, "Uncle, don't worry. When Guangqi left, we saw that he was not very emotional, and his eyes were red. Maybe we didn't tell you because we didn't want to worry you."

Liu Haizhong asked some more details, but everyone said they didn't know.

His eyes gradually dimmed, like stars covered by dark clouds, and he turned and walked out of the office in disappointment.

Liu Guangqi applied for his transfer from Sijiu City himself, and together with Qi Tiancheng's application, they kept the matter very secret and only some leaders and their family members knew about it.

The people in the factory only knew that Qi Tiancheng had applied to be transferred back, and they didn't know that Liu Guangqi had also followed him.

Therefore, no one told Liu Haizhong about this.

"Guangqi, where did you go without telling Dad?"

Liu Haizhong muttered to himself, his voice full of helplessness and worry.

His figure seemed particularly lonely under the light, and every step he took seemed like he was dragging a heavy burden.

After leaving the machinery factory, Liu Haizhong was walking on the way home. Night had fallen completely and the street lights emitted a dim light, stretching his lonely figure very long.

There were very few pedestrians on the street, and everyone was running towards their own home. The sound of their footsteps was particularly clear in the silent night.

Occasionally a bicycle would pass by quickly, splashing the water on the roadside. The water splashed in the light and disappeared in an instant.

Liu Haizhong was filled with melancholy, and his steps were as heavy as if they were filled with lead.

He felt as if he was in the middle of a huge mystery, and at the core of the mystery was his missing son.

He passed by a grocery store where a radio was playing a radio drama. Cheerful laughter came from inside, which was in stark contrast to his mood at the moment.

Now, things have changed and the house is deserted, leaving only him and his second aunt’s worries.

Thinking of this, the eye sockets in his bangs became slightly moist, tears welling up in his eyes. He quickly raised his hand to wipe them away, not wanting anyone to see his vulnerability.

When Liu Haizhong dragged his exhausted body and slowly pushed open the door, a rich and tempting aroma of food instantly filled his nose and quickly filled the entire house.

It turned out that the hardworking and kind-hearted Second Aunt had already carefully prepared a sumptuous and delicious dinner, just hoping that her husband would come home early to enjoy it together.

At this moment, a slight sound of a door opening was heard in the house. The second aunt who was busy in the kitchen heard the sound, and hurriedly put down the work in her hands and walked out of the kitchen quickly.

She was wearing an apron that looked a little old but clean and tidy, with a few water stains on it.

However, these minor flaws could not conceal the expectation in her eyes.

"His father, how was your inquiry today? Did you get any news?"

The second aunt asked anxiously while staring at the face behind the bangs, as if trying to catch a glimmer of hope from the changes in his expression.

Faced with his wife's expectant eyes, Liu Haizhong's head sank. He walked silently to the dining table and slowly sat down.

He lowered his head slightly, reached out and picked up the chopsticks on the table without saying a word, but for some reason, at this moment the delicious food that should have been mouth-watering suddenly became tasteless.

He felt as if his throat was blocked by a heavy stone. No matter how hard he tried to swallow, the delicious rice could not slide smoothly into his esophagus.

When the second aunt saw her husband like this, she understood a little bit.

She didn't ask any more questions, but walked gently to Liu Haizhong's side and sat down quietly.

Her eyes, which had been bright and lively, were now shrouded in sorrow, and filled with the same deep worry as her husband's.

After a long while, the second aunt sighed softly, and that sigh was like the cold wind on a late autumn night, icy and filled with endless concern for her son.

Just like that, night gradually fell and everything was silent.

Outside the window, the wind was howling, the branches were swaying in the wind, and the shadows were projected on the windows like a monster with bared fangs and claws.

Liu Haizhong and the second aunt lay side by side on the not-so-spacious bed. Although their bodies were extremely tired, their brains were still in a state of high tension. They tossed and turned but couldn't fall asleep.

In the darkness, the second aunt's slightly trembling voice sounded faintly, revealing endless worry and fear in her words: "His father... do you think our Guangqi will really encounter an accident? What should we do if that happens!"

Liu Haizhong listened to his wife's words quietly, and finally spoke after a long silence. He looked up at the inky black ceiling above his head, and Liu Guangqi's sunny smile emerged involuntarily in his mind.

Where is that lively, lovely and energetic child now? Is he facing difficulties and dangers? A series of questions came to his mind, making Liu Haizhong feel more and more depressed.

He said slowly: "Don't think too much, Guangqi is a smart kid, he will be fine."

Having said that, there was not much confidence in his tone. He was just trying in vain to comfort Second Aunt and himself.

On the other side, the two brothers Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu also got together.

Liu Guangfu said worriedly, "Second brother, where can the eldest brother go? It's been such a long time, and there is no news at all."

Liu Guangtian sighed, shook his head, and frowned: "I don't know either. My brother is not an irresponsible person. Even if he wants to go far away, he should tell his family. He has been gone for so long, my parents must be worried."

The two brothers discussed the matter one after another, but they still couldn't figure it out. The atmosphere in the house was so depressing that it was hard to breathe.

In Liu Haizhong's mind, his thoughts involuntarily drifted back to the time when he had an argument with Liu Guangqi.

It was a sunny day and it should have been a peaceful and beautiful day. However, on this seemingly ordinary day, a fierce quarrel broke out between father and son.

The cause was just a trivial "little thing", but no one expected that this small dispute would be like a spark, instantly igniting the emotional powder keg that had been pent up in the hearts of the two people for a long time.

Liu Guangqi, a young man who is usually gentle and obedient, is now like an enraged lion and has lost his mind.

His eyes were bloodshot as he glared at his father, and he shouted out words that shocked everyone without hesitation: "I will never support you in your old age, even if you kill me!"

This sentence was like a thunder, breaking the originally quiet atmosphere in the home.

When Liu Haizhong, who was standing nearby, heard this, he became so angry that he started shaking all over, his face turned red, and veins bulged on his forehead.

He widened his eyes, raised his hand and slapped Liu Guangqi hard.

With a crisp "pop" sound, five bright red finger marks immediately appeared on Liu Guangqi's face.

However, Liu Haizhong's anger did not subside. He kicked Liu Guangqi in the stomach and knocked him to the ground.

Afterwards, fists like raindrops fell on Liu Guangqi's body, making him scream in pain and look very miserable.

Now, when Liu Haizhong sat alone in the room, recalling what happened that day, he couldn't help but feel a surge of regret and self-blame in his heart.

He began to doubt whether the harsh words his son said at the time were just angry words spoken in the heat of the moment.

After all, Liu Guangqi has always been a sensible and filial child since he was a child.

"Did Guangqi really run away from home just because I said I was going to beat him up and because of what he said? No, that's impossible..."

Liu Haizhong muttered to himself and shook his head vigorously, trying to deny this terrible thought.

However, no matter how hard he tried to convince himself, that question always weighed on his heart like a heavy stone, making it hard for him to breathe.

He knew very well that although Liu Guangqi might sometimes be a little bit temperamental and upset, at heart he was a kind-hearted and grateful child.

What's more, this is the home where they have lived together for many years, where his familiar relatives and friends are, and where he has grown up bit by bit.

If he really just left like this, leaving this city full of memories and everything familiar, where could he go?

Thinking of this, Liu Haizhong felt more and more confused and lost.

He seemed to be in a vast fog. Everything around him became blurred and he completely lost his direction.

..................

..................