Retreat

The original name of Xiangzhu Street is not Xiangzhu Street. There is an old and rusty street sign at the entrance of the street, which says Tongming Lane.The mighty urban transformation seems to have not had time to spread here. Both sides of the narrow road are low-shaded old-fashioned buildings, the highest of which is no more than five floors.The first floor is uniformly full of shops, most of which are selling joss sticks and paper money.

After Qiao Mudong's car drove in, it was difficult to turn around, so he had to stop before turning the corner and put it on the side of the road.

When He Yu opened the car door and went down, he felt ashes all over his face. The climate was dry and the roadside was very dusty. Whenever a car passed by, it would raise dust all over the sky.

Standing by the car door, Qiao Mudong lit a cigarette, took two puffs, and said to He Yu, "Come with me."

He Yu followed behind him, walking towards the narrow Tongming alley.

The street was originally narrow, and the shops on both sides had set up long stalls without exception. Next to the stalls were tall villas made of paper and boys and girls with red faces.He Yu also had to be careful when walking, for fear of bumping into other people's stalls.

Qiao Mudong took big steps, and he didn't stop until he reached the largest incense candle shop at the end.He Yu followed behind him, and seeing Qiao Mudong stop, the three or four young people sitting at the door of the shop all stood up with a clatter.

He Yu also stopped, and began to feel that something was wrong with the atmosphere.

He Yu was in prison at that time, and he had come into contact with such a kind of person, a young man who had just turned 20 years old, had not studied after graduating from junior high school, and worked part-time in a car repair shop.The young man didn't do anything bad. The reason he was locked up was because the auto repair shop brought his master into a fight with others. He helped the master fight with a stick, and took the opportunity to hit the man twice.Although nothing happened, he was arrested and charged with picking quarrels and provoking trouble.

He Yu was helping him in the kitchen at that time, and asked him if it was too uneconomical?He was full of disdain, saying what do you know, this is a brother, this is loyalty.

He Yu thought he was stupid, and he also looked down on He Yu.Later, when He Yu looked back and thought about it, he was indeed stupider than him, so stupid.

Just like that young man, there are many such young people in this city.They left school at a young age, left their families, and went out to work, but they were unwilling to work hard and poor, so they followed the so-called fellow villagers and elder brothers and began to hang out in this society.Those who do not do well, steal or rob, drug dealers and gamble, are accidentally caught by the police, and after a few years in prison, they continue to steal and rob, falling into an endless loop; If you earn more money, you can buy a house and invest in business, and you will become a successful person in society.

Of course the latter is a minority.He Yu always thought that Qiao Mudong would also be one of them, but he didn't expect that Qiao Mudong was born with a different fate. In the words of the game, it was a cheat, and ordinary people couldn't compare it.

But Qiao Mudong has always been among these people, this is not only clear to He Yu, but also to the domineering young people in front of him.

Qiao Mudong glanced at them coldly, and stretched out his hand to He Yu, "Come here, what are you doing standing so far away?" He thought He Yu was scared.

He Yu rolled his eyes secretly, he must stand close to him, in his opinion it would not be far away.

He Yu took two steps closer and was held by Qiao Mudong's hand.Qiao Mudong's palm was big and warm, and he held He Yu with great strength.He Yu felt a little awkward, but couldn't get rid of him.

Those young people glanced at each other, and one of them asked, "What do you want to buy?"

He Yu couldn't help but look at the incense candle shop in front of him. It seemed to be no different from the shops he saw in front of him along the way. There were incense candles of different lengths and sizes on the stalls, as well as various brightly colored Ming notes, which were placed on the ground. Paper-made villa cars, including a Mercedes-Benz.

An old man sat inside the shop, wearing a dark blue old-fashioned apron, with a large dustpan in front of him, dividing a large pile of paper money into several small piles, and then tying them up with white plastic ropes.He didn't look up, and he didn't seem to notice the movement at the door at all.

Qiao Mudong asked, "Has Kitten Hong come?"

Those young people suddenly changed their faces, and someone blurted out: "What the hell are you!"

At this time, the old man sitting in the shop suddenly put down all the things in his hands and stood up. He brushed off his apron and walked outside, squinting his cloudy eyes, looking at Qiao Mudong and He Yu, and then the wrinkles at the corners of his mouth widened. Come on, and said with a smile, "Who did I say? It turned out to be Dongwazi from Old Qiao's family. I haven't seen him for many years."

Qiao Mudong's attitude became more respectful, "Uncle Wang, I haven't seen you for a long time, how are you?"

Uncle Wang put his hands into his sleeves, "Okay, it's good."

After he stood up to speak, those young people stood aside silently, only staring at Qiao Mudong, and didn't speak anymore.

Uncle Wang said again: "You came to play with the kitten, he hasn't been here today, did you go wrong?"

His tone sounded like a kind old man chatting with a child, and He Yu wanted to laugh.Qiao Mudong didn't care, and said, "I've made an appointment to meet your kitten here, and I'll wait for him here."

After hearing this, Uncle Wang nodded and said, "Okay, come in and wait."

Qiao Mudong took He Yu's hand and walked into the shop. Uncle Wang ordered someone to bring them a stool to sit on.He Yu saw a cat lazily running past his feet. The cat was obviously not young. Its fur was thick and it didn't look shiny. It curled up to the side and fell silent.

Qiao Mudong was also looking at the cat, and asked, "Is this the cat that Hong Minhang used to have?"

Uncle Wang laughed "hehe", "It's hard for you to remember, old bear, you won't live for a few more days."

What Uncle Wang said was quite emotional, and Qiao Mudong couldn't help showing a smile, "Why don't you remember? At that time, Kitty Hong wore slippers and shorts every day, hugging the old bear and following his father and brother's buttocks. Do you call him Kitten?"

Uncle Wang stood up straight and shook his head, "Mu Dong, you forgot again, the kitten is an only child and has no brother."

Qiao Mudong didn't care, and said to himself: "I only met Li Tang two days ago, and I didn't recognize him. He has changed a lot. I met him two or three times when I was a child. After a long time, I almost forgot all about it."

Uncle Wang said: "You are the eldest young master now, and you are busy with affairs, so you should not recognize it."

As soon as the voice on this side fell, Hong Minhang on the other side appeared at the door of the shop and called out, "Uncle Wang."

Several young people stood up one after another, "Brother Hong."

Hong Minhang smiled and nodded towards them.

Qiao Mudong and He Yu also stood up.He Yu looked at Hong Minhang. He was wearing a suit and tie, and he was wearing gold-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose. He looked more like a company boy than Qiao Mudong. Comb back neatly, there are smile lines at the corners of the mouth, probably a person who loves to laugh.

He came over and patted Qiao Mudong on the shoulder, and said with a smile, "Not bad, he's getting more and more handsome."

Qiao Mudong snorted.

Hong Minhang looked at He Yu again, and asked Qiao Mudong, "Your friend? Why don't you introduce me?"

Qiao Mudong consciously stretched out his hand to embrace He Yu behind him, and said, "No need to introduce."

Hong Minhang watched Qiao Mudong's maintenance with great interest, but he didn't continue to ask, but said: "I remember you have no relationship with Li Tang, right?"

Qiao Mudong said, "Now there are."

Hong Minhang said "Oh?", "How come? Can you tell my brother?"

Qiao Mudong looked at Hong Minhang and didn't speak for a while.He and Li Tang really didn't have any relationship at all. When he was a child, he often came to play with Hong Minhang. He met Li Tang once or twice. At that time, Li Tang was seventeen or eight years old, and he was already quite tall. He wore a vest in summer. , tightly attached to the body, the muscle lines are smooth and tight.Qiao Mudong is still at an ignorant age, he only thinks that Hong Minhang's brother is very good-looking, especially the waist and buttocks, which are so good-looking that people can't wait to pinch them.As for what Li Tang's face looked like, he couldn't remember clearly, so when Shi Youwei met, he couldn't recognize him.

So now when asked what is his relationship with Li Tang, he really can't answer.Just because it was He Yu who came to ask him for help, he became hot-headed. According to He Yu's current temperament, there are very few opportunities to come to him for help, so he had to seize it.Even if He Yu said now that he wanted Qiao Mudong to give Ling Yun to him, he might be able to agree impulsively.

In the end, Qiao Mudong still said slowly: "You two are brothers after all, do you have the heart to watch them kill Li Tang?"

Hong Minhang folded his arms in front of his chest, "I don't believe that someone will kill Li Tang without telling me." After speaking, he turned to Uncle Wang and asked respectfully, "Here is Li Tang?"

Uncle Wang shook his head, "Not here."

Qiao Mudong said: "Someone watched you bring him here."

Uncle Wang smiled, "He came here once, and I heard that today is the anniversary of Xiang Feng's death, so let's follow the brothers to burn incense for him."

Hong Minhang made a stunned expression, "Today is my father's death day, Li Tang seems to be nostalgic, so I went to pay homage to his old man."

He Yu couldn't help it, and said, "Brother Li, is it worth smashing his own restaurant to pay homage to your father?"

Hong Minhang looked at He Yu.

Qiao Mudong held his hand tightly, and said, "Okay, then let's pay homage to Uncle Hong, and see if Li Tang is there."