[Rat Cat] Eternal Night

It was never easy to get rid of gangrene, so Bai Yutang simply packed up a few clothes, locked the door and left the house.

After leaving the corridor, I went to the property office and said hello.The master worker on duty was getting old, his ears were not so good, and the TV was turned on loudly, and he didn't understand that Bai Yutang was not traveling, so he casually said that there is no need to bring them special products, etc.

Bai Yutang shook his head and smiled, and just after leaving the gate of the community, he saw the concierge's wife swinging back with a basket of fruits and vegetables, and as usual, he was stuffed with two big apples.

"Xiao Bai, I haven't seen Xiao Jiang for a while, when will we come to the aunt's house for soup?" The old lady forced the young man back to eat a big bowl of noodles, and even gave the old man who was addicted to TV dramas a rebuke. pause.

Bai Yutang's fingertips trembled slightly, he put down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth, and said, "I just wanted to tell your elder brother that business here is not good, and fourth brother has moved to another city."

"Moved to another place? Why was there no news at all before?" The old man turned his face, "Don't you have any embarrassment?"

"It's nothing." Bai Yutang raised his hand as a sign of surrender, "What's the real thing, wouldn't I help?"

"That's right." His attention turned back to the TV again.On the screen, the young captain is saying his final farewell to his friends.

"So it's like this... I thought he was too busy and didn't have time to come." The old lady tidied up the dishes in confusion, "He didn't say anything when he left, you little heartless..."

"I left too quickly, I didn't have time to say goodbye, let me say sorry for him..."

"Hmph, since that's the case, I'll give you this siu mai." The old lady took out a bento box and stuffed it into Bai Yutang's arms, "Okay, I know you're busy, Xiaobai, so go ahead, don't worry about it." The old lady is spinning around here, remember to come to eat when you are done."

Bai Yutang was standing by the side of the street carrying a huge bento box, not knowing what expression to show.

That time, he also came out from the old lady's house, holding a large box of homemade siu mai, and followed Jiang Ping, who was dangling.

"Yutang..." Jiang Ping seemed to be tired from walking. He casually leaned against a bare tree and lit a cigarette. "The old Ou family are very good people. Let's move around more, after all..."

This is the precious "inheritance" that Jiang Ping left to him - lively, popular, and kindness that is like family and does not ask for anything in return.

In Bai Yutang's memory, he never had the appearance of his parents. Things that are commonplace in ordinary families are like dreams to him.When he realized that he had the ability to hide dreams, he also thought about what kind of relatives he had and how they would live.

His mother must have been a tender and affectionate woman.She may have her own book bar. Every afternoon at three o'clock, there will be a group of young people immersed in the sea of ​​books. They are discussing something enthusiastically, which infects everyone around them.She will hold the baby who is also attracted and smile aside, ask the child a few questions gently, and praise him without hesitation.When the sun was setting and the bookstore was closed, she and her son sat on the steps outside, watching the man who came down from the car and went home together.

His father must have been a handsome man.He is probably very busy at work, and he is mostly working overtime when others are resting, but once he is not so busy, he will definitely be with his family.He will hold the baby's hand, teach him to walk, and let go of the boy when he thinks he can ride a bicycle and laughs in surprise.He would stay up late watching football games with his teenagers, cheering when his favorite team scored a goal, and berating himself harshly when he found out that his son forgot to do his homework, and then sat on the sidelines and watched him complete it.

He should also have an older brother, who is obviously not a few years older, but looks like a little adult.With a serious face, he would compete with his parents for the qualification to participate in the younger brother's parent meeting. Under the surprised eyes of the teacher, he would seriously complain to her as a young parent, "How can I make my stupid brother study hard?" ah!When his father was kissing his mother, he would helplessly cover his forehead, drag his ignorant younger brother out, and mutter something "not suitable for children", but when the door closed, he blinked mischievously and rushed Dad gave a thumbs up.

He may also have a younger sister, a newborn, soft red girl.His elder brother, who was stiff all over, was standing beside his mother's bed holding the baby in his arms, with a cautious look, as if he was holding the whole world.And he stood on tiptoe, grabbed his brother's arm, asked in a low voice to give his sister a hug, and as expected received two health balls—don't pull, little ancestor, his arms are already stiff!Give you a hug, give you a hug, don't fall! ! !

He tried to outline such a family reunion scene in his dream.

However, it failed without incident.He couldn't see anyone's face, couldn't touch them—he was a bystander all along.

Therefore, after the dreams were broken again and again, he no longer longed for the thing that was destined not to be obtained. If he didn't get it, he might not be disappointed.

Under the dim light, the tree was already full of branches and leaves, but the faint smell of tobacco under the tree had long since dissipated.Perhaps at that time, Jiang Ping knew: One day, Bai Yutang would have to go on alone.Even so, he also hopes that the persistence and enthusiasm he once had can send a little warmth to the world.

But fourth brother, you know what...

After experiencing the scorching heat that is completely his own, how can anyone be willing to let go and return to this deserted world?

So, forget it.

Bai Yutang once again looked back at the lights when he came back, that's all, see you indefinitely.

Preoccupied, he carried his things and walked forward, completely unaware of a pair of probing eyes slowly sinking into the dead night in a corner not far away.

After jumping off the bus and walking through two dark alleys, the young man in white finally knocked on the mottled door before the curfew.Although the old nun who opened the door was a little surprised, after seeing the person coming, she still smiled and ushered them in: "It's been a while since I saw you, everyone misses you very much." This is a church-government joint The nursing home in China houses those who have contributed to the country in the early years but have no one to take care of them after their injuries.

Bai Yutang nodded, and gave the lunch box to the nun: "Nurse, I'll do it myself." He opened the door and looked at the room he and Jiang Ping had borrowed - two simple wooden beds, rough A pair of small pottery cups are placed on the wooden bedside table, and the clumsy patterns seem to be the work of little Luzhen.

Picking up one at random, I dropped it, and there were several words of different sizes engraved on the bottom of the cup, "Wish Uncle Bai a safe Lu Zhen".

Are you safe...

I don't know what's going on with that well-behaved child...

Bai Yutang glanced at the wall clock, frowned slightly, it was already late, and it would not be too late to go to the orphanage tomorrow.

Just surfacing from the dreamland, Bai Yutang thought that he would be unable to sleep all night, but he did not expect to fall asleep as soon as he touched the pillow, and he had no dreams all night.

When the first ray of sunlight in the morning passed through the gaps in the leaves and hit the window edge, Bai Yutang had already run around the outer wall of the nursing home.After taking a quick shower, Bai Yutang changed into clean clothes.The orphanage where little Lu Zhen lived was only ten minutes away from the nursing home. When they entered the gate, the children were lining up for breakfast.

"Fifth Uncle!" Lu Zhen rushed over quickly when she saw the relative she had missed for a long time, and plunged into Bai Yutang's arms, "It's been so long, I miss you so much!"

Bai Yutang took him into his arms, nodded to the life teacher who rushed over, and left the cafeteria with his little nephew.

"Uncle Wu, how long can you stay?!" Lu Zhen sat beside the young man, staring at him with round eyes without blinking.

"Try the dim sum, fresh out of the oven, it won't taste good when it's cold." Bai Yutang couldn't answer, so he pointed to the snack box that was stuffed into the child's arms as soon as we met to divert the topic, feeling uncomfortable——that boy My son is too thin to look like a seven or eight-year-old child.

Lu Zhen blinked her eyes, thanked her softly and obediently, picked up a piece of pastry and put it in her mouth, and stopped after eating only two pieces of pastry that were as big as fingers.

"Why eat so little, eat two pieces of almond cake..."

"I just drank a bowl of porridge, and I'm already full." Lu Zhen closed the snack box, lowering her eyelids as if she wanted to say something.

"What's the matter?" Bai Yutang is not very good at coaxing children, and Jiang Ping instilled his limited tenderness and tenderness in his face - he must be patient with children, and he must learn to listen.

Most of the children in the orphanage are sensitive. Little Luzhen hesitated for a while, and asked, "Fourth Uncle...wouldn't he come to see me again..." He raised his head, glanced cautiously, and instantly remained expressionless. The man bit his lip and continued to ask, "Fourth Uncle...is he dead?"

"Who told you what?" This didn't seem like something a child could know, Bai Yutang frowned, "Zhen'er, tell Uncle Wu, what do you know?"

"No one told me, no one! I saw TV!" Lu Zhen lowered her head and hunched her shoulders, like a wounded little animal. "It said on the TV that the building was on fire, and someone... Someone burned to death..."

"Zhen'er..." Bai Yutang hugged the child lightly, trying to make himself as gentle as possible, "Your fourth uncle...just went to a very distant place...oh, yes, he died."

In the face of such a precocious and transparent child, it would be too hypocritical to deny life and death.

Thin arms hugged his waist tightly, and the place where the little furry head was attached to his chest, some warm moisture was soaking up bit by bit, pressing heavily on his heart.Holding the trembling child in his arms, Bai Yutang looked up at the sky, a salty, sour and bitter liquid slid down his throat, forcing him to part his lips slightly and take a deep breath.

"Uncle Wu doesn't cry, Zhen'er will be very good, I will not leave Uncle Wu! I will always be by Uncle Wu's side! Uncle Wu also don't leave me!" Lu Zhen raised her head abruptly, her reddish eyes were like deep pools , "Uncle Wu, promise me, promise me!"

The child's sudden words warmed Bai Yutang's heart. He touched the child's back, smiled and choked up, and said, "Okay, Fifth Uncle promises."

The author has something to say: This year's Qingming Festival, there will be no knives, no knives, no knives~