Dreaming in the garden

four

As soon as the sun rose, Chang Nian was already standing in front of the gate of the "Peony Garden".At this time, facing this garden reborn after the catastrophe, his heart no longer had the peace and meaninglessness of yesterday.The doubts in my heart popped up one after another like bamboo shoots after a rain.

Chang Nian's left hand clenched the pocket watch tightly in his pocket, the rough texture of the surface ran across his fingertips, and the sound of time beating seemed to be faintly heard in his ears.Chang Nian calmed down and walked in.

On the stage in the atrium, Uncle Zhang was wearing a white exercise suit and was doing Tai Chi.Since his back was facing the door, he didn't see Chang Nian coming in.Chang Nian stood under the stage, and waited for Uncle Zhang to stand up straight before saying hello: "Good morning, Uncle Zhang!"

Uncle Zhang was startled when he heard the sound, turned around and saw that it was Chang Nian, he laughed and said, "It's the Chang family boy, he got up so early!"

Chang Nian replied with a smile: "If you can't fall asleep, get up and go out for a walk, get some fresh air."

Uncle Zhang led Chang Nian to walk under the osmanthus tree in the southeast corner, while muttering: "Our kid is still lazy on the bed. Today's young people, everyone wants to get up with their butts facing the sun."

There is a nearly one-meter-high rattan table and four rattan chairs under the sweet-scented osmanthus tree.Uncle Zhang opened a wicker chair and called Chang Nian: "Come, sit!" Chang Nian hurriedly thanked him, and sat down after Uncle Zhang took his seat.

Now that autumn has just entered, the tail of summer has not yet finished, and it is still some time before the sweet-scented osmanthus flowers show their charm.But sitting under the tree and feeling the soft breeze full of vitality in the morning has a special flavor.

Uncle Zhang picked up the white porcelain tea set on the table and poured Chang Nian a cup of tea: "Try it, pick it yourself, fry it yourself, it's delicious!" However, lingering in the nose.Chang Nian took a sip of tea under Uncle Zhang's expectant gaze.He didn't know much about tea, and he couldn't understand why, but he still smiled and praised: "Good tea!" The world is always used to measuring the value of things with money, but they don't know that the real value is measured with heart.

Chang Nian put down the teacup, clasped his hands on his lap and said solemnly: "Uncle Zhang, I actually have something on my mind, but there is no one I know well here to ask... So, after much deliberation, I'm here to bother you."

Uncle Zhang liked this gentle and polite young man more and more, and the smile on his face never faded. Hearing this, he said boldly, "Why are you being polite to my uncle? When you come back here, you are going back to your own home. Me , just like your grandfather, you can come to me if you need anything!"

Chang Nian felt warm and said, "Do you know Lin Yusheng?"

"Lin Yusheng..." Uncle Zhang chewed the name in his mouth, frowning as he remembered.

Chang Nian added another reminder: "He...may have passed away."

Uncle Zhang frowned, pursed his mouth, and thought for a while, then shook his head: "Although I am old, my memory is still good. Our town is not big, and I have been in and out all these years. They all count, but I really don’t remember anyone named Lin Yusheng. How old is he?”

"..." Chang Nian was silent, he didn't know.

"Are you sure he's been living here?"

"..." Sorry, he still doesn't know.Chang Nian looked at Uncle Zhang apologetically.

Uncle Zhang thought for a moment, stood up, and said, "Well, let me take you to meet someone. If the Lin Yusheng you mentioned lived in the town a long time ago, he must know about it. If he doesn't know about it, Then there's no one to help you."

Chang Nian got up and followed Uncle Zhang.He was very grateful that Uncle Zhang didn't ask him why he wanted to find Lin Yusheng.A dream that seemed like a dream but not a dream, a pocket watch that restarted... He himself was also full of confusion.

Chang Nian followed Uncle Zhang through several alleys and alleys, and walked into a secluded alley.Along the way, from the rambling words of Uncle Zhang, Chang Nian also learned a little about the person he was about to meet.The man's surname is Tian, ​​and the younger generation in the town call him Mr. Tian.With his [-]th birthday next year, he is the oldest person in this town, and he has seen all the ups and downs of the town, so it is really appropriate to ask him.

But Uncle Zhang also specifically emphasized. "Uncle Tian is often in a clear mind, but sometimes..." Uncle Zhang pointed to his head, "he would talk nonsense. You, ignore him, he said he will return to normal after he enjoys himself."

Walking to the bottom of the alley, Uncle Zhang pushed open the half-hidden door, stood at the door and shouted inside: "Uncle Tian, ​​are you awake?"

"Who is it?" An old and hoarse voice came out, but still full of spirit.

Chang Nian and Uncle Zhang took a step apart and looked in.Behind the door is a small aisle about two meters wide and two meters long.Eyes can see the courtyard and a corner of the main room through the space enclosed by the aisle.The yard is facing the stone road in the middle, and the two sides are full of flowers and plants.At the end of the road is a bamboo chair, and where the light is blocked, a silhouette with a cane can be seen.Presumably the old lady stood up after hearing the voice.

"I'm Shungui." Uncle Zhang replied.

"It's Shungui." After the old man finished speaking, he raised his crutches, probably ready to come out to meet the visitors himself.

The old man was quite old, no matter it was because of his health or etiquette, he didn't dare to let him leave.Uncle Zhang hurriedly stopped him: "Uncle, we're coming! Sit down quickly and don't come out."

The old man stopped obediently, stood there and asked, "What's the matter?"

Uncle Zhang pointed to Chang Nian beside him: "It's the young man next to me who wants to ask you something."

Only then did the old man notice Chang Nian.It's a pity that Chang Nian and Uncle Zhang were still in the dark corridor, and the old man squinted his eyes but couldn't see why.Chang Nian had a clear view of the old grandpa's rough and rough face.

The old man squinted his eyes, staring at Chang Nian who passed through the darkness and light and came to him.At that moment, the old man's cloudy eyes widened, and he blurted out "Second Master" with a trembling sound.

Chang Nian's body shook.

Uncle Zhang supported the old man, and said helplessly in his ear: "Uncle, you are confused again. What is the second master, this is the boy of the Chang family. Do you remember the Chang family, the one next to the theater." Uncle Zhang As he spoke, he gave Chang Nian a "Look" look.He didn't know that at this moment, Chang Nian's heart was full of waves.

"Chang family, Chang family..." The old man said several times in his mouth, and then he leaned over again and stared at Chang Nian.

Chang Nian introduced himself: "Grandpa, my name is Chang Nian."

"Chang Nian." Taigong repeated the name as if confirming it, then turned around and muttered: "Like, it's so similar..."

Uncle Zhang smiled apologetically at Chang Nian, helped the old man sit back on the chair, and then moved out another bamboo chair for Chang Nian from the back room.

After finishing all this, Uncle Zhang, who had no intention of staying to listen to the excitement, was about to leave. He asked Chang Nian: "Do you still remember the way? How about I come to you in an hour?"

"It's okay, I'll let Erwa take him back later." The old man had already spoken, and Uncle Zhang left in peace.

There is a yelling sound coming from a distance, rising and falling in the morning wind, faintly visible, so that you can't tell which time and space it comes from.Watching Uncle Zhang disappear at the door, Chang Nian's eager mood suddenly calmed down.

"Grandpa, is the 'Second Master' you are talking about called Chang Yin?" In fact, when the Grandpa called him "Second Master", a light had already lit up in Chang Nian's heart.If you want to say who he looks like, that person must be his grandfather.It's not like his father is just an outline, Chang Nian and his grandfather are almost carved out of the same mold. "Grandpa and grandson really look alike!" Everyone who saw their grandparents and grandchildren for the first time will say this from childhood to adulthood.

"What's the relationship between you and the second master?" This is a question that affirms Chang Nian.

"I am his grandson."

The old man was obviously stunned for a moment, his eyes showed surprise, but he immediately lowered his eyelids, but his voice was trembling: "Then, where is the second master? Are you back?"

Chang Nian shook his head. "Grandpa passed away eight years ago and was buried in the United States. This is his relic." Chang Nian took out the pocket watch and put it on the old man's trembling hand, "He always wanted to come back."

The old man looked at the watch in the palm of his hand, his hands trembled even more, the loose flesh on his face also trembled up and down, the tears in the corners of his eyes flickered twice and then fell down.

Chang Nian sat there, not knowing how to react for a while, any comfort was in front of true emotions

It all seemed so pale.

However, after all, the old man has gone through nearly ninety springs and autumns, seen all the vicissitudes of the world, experienced life and death, and his mood quickly stabilized.

Returning the pocket watch to Chang Nian, the old lady wiped the tears from her face with her sleeve, and said: "The most difficult thing for a person with half a foot in the ground to see through is the past. I made you laugh. Shungui said you have something to ask Me? Tell me, the old man is useless, he just sees too many people and things."

Just after that, Chang Nian was a little hesitant to continue asking.After all, the old man is old, and it is not good to have excessive emotional ups and downs.

The old man tapped his cane twice: "Young man, you can ask whatever you want."

Chang Nian gritted his teeth when he heard the words: "Have you always known Lin Yusheng?"

Hearing this name, the old man's gloomy expression lit up: "How can I not recognize you..."