Qingqingmoshangmulberry

Chapter 11

Ms. Huang Xiaohui was obviously very dissatisfied with me asking for leave twice in a row, and refused to explain the reasons clearly. After get off work, she dragged me directly to a bar near the magazine office by both soft and hard methods.

She pushed the wine glass towards me very boldly: "Come, let me have a drink with my eldest sister!"

I was startled: "Are you okay?"

She gritted her teeth: "What do I have, what can I do? One person is full, and the whole family is not hungry." She turned the cup in her hand, rested her forehead with one hand, and muttered to herself with a little drunkenness, "Hu'er will exchange for fine wine, and sell the eternal sorrow with you," she giggled, "Eternal sorrow? Ha, bones were buried in the loess ridge yesterday, and mandarin ducks are lying under the red silk tent tonight..."

I looked at her, and before I could utter my worried words, I heard her cell phone ring.When she heard the ringtone, her eyes widened like a deep hatred, she picked up the phone without looking at it, and crackled: "I warn you, Meng Shulou, if you dare to harass me again, I will call the police immediately!" The other end of the phone didn't know what to say What is it, her face was flushed red, and she cursed repeatedly, "Listen to me, you fucking, back then you wanted to rush forward to seek wealth, okay, I'll let you do it, why, now that you think about it, you'll turn your back on it?" She resentfully said , "I'm not as cheap as you!"

She hung up the phone with a snap and downed a large glass of wine.

I looked at her, but couldn't say anything, Meng Shulou was our boss, and usually he would come over to hang out in our department when he had something to do, and she always had the face of Huang Shiren's stepmother, never refusing to make a false statement.

Another bad relationship.

Sure enough, she drank and slumped, supporting her dangling head. Without any warning, tears flowed down like broken beads: "When I was 22, he left me and left. I waited for him for ten years." For ten years..." She wiped her tears and sneered, "What's the use!" She grabbed my hand, "Sang Xiao, don't be as stupid as I was back then..."

I didn't say a word, and patiently listened to her who was usually very aggressive, crying and laughing to vent.

It turns out that no matter how strong a person is, he will be full of sadness.

The next day, when I went to work, Miss Xiaohui was busy in the office as if nothing had happened. I couldn't help feeling that professional women in modern cities have to pay attention to even licking old wounds. efficiency.

She put a piece of paper on my desk in a businesslike manner: "Sang Xiao, the boss said that you have made great progress, and the manuscripts you have written recently are very good. I will give you the roll call for this special issue."

I looked at the piece of paper and was stunned for a moment. The title of the interview proposed on it turned out to be: rising medical star, otolaryngologist He Yanqing.There are also a bunch of dense points next to it.

She patted me on the shoulder: "I heard that this person has a long history of learning, and he will have a lot of potential in the future." She winked at me, "It's just that my temper is a bit weird, and I agreed to the interview this time because I sold a lot of face, Sang Xiao, It's all on you."

At four o'clock in the afternoon, He Yanqing and I sat face to face in his office, his expression was very surprised: "Sang Xiao? You..."

I took out the interview outline and recording pen, and said in a very professional tone: "Doctor He, I am Yu Sangxiao, a reporter from Linfeng Magazine, and our editor-in-chief has already made an appointment with you. I am sorry to take up an hour of your time. Please accept my appointment." interview."

He looked at me with a strange and helpless expression: "Sang Xiao, I really didn't know it would be you."

I took a look at him. He looked a little thin and tired, but he was still handsome and handsome as before. Under his white coat, he still wore his favorite light beige shirt and smoke gray trousers.I closed my eyes, there are so many unexpected things in this world, five years ago, how could I have thought that there would be today?

I smiled lightly, and pushed the recorder forward: "I'm sorry, Dr. He, may I start now?" He looked at me with deep eyes, and a trace of struggle and helplessness flashed in his eyes. After a while, Nod silently.

An hour passed quickly, and finally, I sorted out the interview scripts on the table, stood up, and said sincerely: "Thank you." He shook his head slowly, and said with some difficulty, "Are you... okay recently?" He Unspeakably, "He...to you..."

I reached out to touch the doorknob, and the moment I opened the door, I turned around and smiled: "I'm fine, and..." I stared at him, "I heard that you will be engaged soon, congratulations."

For a moment, his face hidden in the light and shadow twitched slightly, he looked at me fixedly, and after a while, said in an almost inaudible voice, "Thank you."

Just as I was about to walk to the entrance of the hospital, I heard a voice calling me: "Sang Xiao."

I turned around and saw that it was Long Feimo, Qin Shan, and a few people I didn't know, walking towards me.

He asked me, "Why are you here?"

After hesitating for a while, I replied, "...run the interview."

He looked at me sharply, as if he wanted to find something on my face, but in the end, he just asked, "Just finished?"

I nodded.

He turned around and nodded to those people: "Let's take a step first." Then he walked towards me alone, "Let's go, I'll take you home."

The few people looked at me in amazement, it was obvious that they did not whisper to each other out of politeness, Qin Shan stood where he was, and also stared at me without blinking.

I smiled awkwardly at them.

Long Feimo had already walked in front of me, seeing that I was still standing still, he frowned, and said impatiently, "I've been busy all afternoon, aren't you tired enough?" His gaze swept over to me again.

I bit my lip and followed him into the car.

It was very quiet in the car, and he drove without saying a word.

I bit my lip again, and after a long time, I realized that I should ask: "You...go to the hospital..."

He didn't wait for me to finish, without looking at me, he said succinctly, "The employee is sick."

"Oh." I lowered my head and sighed slightly in my heart. There is really nothing to say between us.

I simply looked out the window quietly, also without saying a word.

Suddenly, my cell phone rang loudly. I just picked it up and listened to a few words. I couldn't help but feel anxious: "I'll be there right away!" I hurriedly patted the back of Long Feimo's chair and raised my voice, "Quick! Nursing home!"

The car turned around and sped away.

When I arrived at the destination, I ran all the way without thinking about saying a word to Long Feimo.

The door of that ward was closed tightly, and in the silent corridor, only my footsteps and heavy breathing were heard.I stopped slowly and stood there in a daze.After a few seconds, and centuries, I heard a calm voice: "Sang Xiao, you'd better find a place to sit down."

I seem to have never heard of it.

He pulled me off and sat on the chair next to me.I don't look at him, I look at the ground, my body is shaking slightly, I just feel cold all over.Almost at the same time, the door of the ward opened, and an old doctor with white hair and a childlike face came out. He saw Long Feimo and called out, "Mr. Long."

I recognized him, he was the director of the nursing home.I saw him looking at me, and said softly and apologetically, "Serious cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications, sorry, we have tried our best." He paused, "Go in and see her for the last time."

I sat down in front of Aunt An's hospital bed.

She looked at me with a pale face, tried to force a smile, and said weakly, "Sang Xiao."

I also forced a smile at her: "Aunt An."

She looked behind me: "You are here too." She smiled at Long Feimo, "Thank you and Sang Xiao for coming to see me. She is too stubborn and doesn't know how to accommodate her. I will trouble you to take care of her in the future."

She took a deep look at me again, and then sighed softly: "Sang Xiao, don't let your temper go, you are already married, you should think carefully about everything and live a good life," she coughed a few times, her face There was a burst of flushing on the face, "Unfortunately, Aunt An can't see it..."

I tried my best to hold back my tears and interrupted her: "What nonsense are you talking about? ...you will help me in the future..."

She calmly said, "Sang Xiao, I can't wait for that day." She motioned me to approach Long Feimo, then, looking at us both, she smiled slightly, "I am already very satisfied to see you have a good home. Very satisfied."

She looked at me full of nostalgia, word by word, very weakly: "If...if..." She hesitated to speak, and finally slowly, "...will... be very happy... "

She closed her eyes tiredly.

I tucked my knees and sat in front of the window sill blankly.

Since Aunt An’s funeral, I have maintained this posture. I haven’t eaten or drank all day and night. There is a small carved box at my feet. It is the only souvenir Aunt An left me. I don’t have the courage to open it. I just stared blankly.

I will never be able to accept that she, who was fine last week, is now separated from me forever.

A figure approached: "Sang Xiao." I smelled chicken soup.

I ignore it.

He grabbed my wrist almost rudely, and dragged me directly from the window: "Drink the soup!"

I let him grab me, hung my head and said nothing, he stretched out his hand and squeezed my chin heavily, and immediately, a soup spoon appeared in front of my eyes.

With a blank expression on his face, he was about to pour a spoon full of chicken soup into my mouth.

For a while, I don't know why, I struggled desperately, venting all the anger and sadness in my heart through everything in front of me.

He let me struggle, and after a while, he suddenly said coldly: "What is this?" He threw the spoon away with a "clang" and said, "Death cannot be brought back to life, and you can't take care of her when she is alive." , what is the use of this now?"

I bowed my head slumped, numb for a while.

He can always easily step on my weakness.

Yes, he was right, the person who loved me the most in the world has gone, this is an indisputable fact, no matter what I do, what is the use? !
There was no movement for a long time.

I still sat stubbornly, motionless.After a long time, he said lightly, "Don't hold back if you want to cry." Almost at the same time, he stretched out his hand and hugged me gently.

In the dark, I quietly looked into his deep eyes.I still didn't cry, I just told him one by one:

"When I was three years old, Aunt An came to my house. When I was six years old, I had a high fever in the middle of the night and kept coughing. Everyone in the family fell asleep. My father was not at home, and my mother went out to play cards. On the way to see a doctor, she told me that if you cough on her when you feel really uncomfortable, the disease can be passed on to her, this is the custom in their hometown..."

"When I was nine years old, Youbo lost my father's favorite Tianhuang jelly seal. He was very scared and asked me to push it down. My father was furious and whipped me with a thick cane. It was An My aunt protected me with her arms, and after the beating, my father was still very angry, and threw a crystal ashtray over, and hit Aunt An on the head, causing her head to bleed, but she didn't make a sound."

"When I was 15 years old, I went to learn Chinese painting with Sang Tong. Later, Sang Tong stopped learning, and my family didn't let me learn anymore. Aunt An was very angry, and she also scolded me, saying that I was too stubborn and refused to bow my head. She refused to argue, and she said later that a person cannot be weak, I know, she has always disliked our family..."

"Later, one day, when I came back from school, I suddenly couldn't see her..."

Long Feimo has been listening quietly and patiently.

My eyes fell on the small box next to my feet: "I once thought that I will work hard to make money, and one day, I can pick her up from the nursing home with my own efforts, and ask someone to serve her and take care of her. "I picked up the box and put it gently on my lap, "But I didn't accumulate good fortune in my previous life, and even such a small wish couldn't come true."

I rubbed the little box over and over again, and didn't speak anymore.

I don't know how long it has passed, but that arm still wraps around me gently.

Long Feimo's face was almost close to mine, he stared at me: "When I was 15 years old, my father passed away, and when I was 16 years old, my mother also died of illness. Fei Ge and I did not return to China. I would like to stay in the United States to continue my studies." He tilted his head, his expression was very peaceful, "Ten years is very long, but also very short, I still remember that year, the winter in New York was really cold, and the ground was covered with thick snow. With a high fever, Fei Ge braved the snow and walked through Chinatown to see a doctor, and in a blink of an eye, it seemed that he came here overnight."

"One thought of hell, one thought of heaven." He paused for a moment, turned his head to look out the window, and said calmly, "If you really talk about setbacks and pain, Sang Xiao, I'm afraid you are far from qualified."

I looked up at him, and he looked back at me, his expression was still cold, his words were concise and even indifferent, but I understood that perhaps, he was comforting me in his own way.Before and after Aunt An's burial, I was in a trance. From the funeral arrangement, to the trivial details, and even the selection of the cemetery, he was completely in charge.

It was he who chose a final resting place for Aunt An, which was small but surrounded by mountains and rivers.

I hesitated for a moment, then stretched out my hand to touch his back lightly, and said in a low but grateful voice, "Thank you."

In the dead of night, I gently opened the box.

Inside was a letter, a passbook, and a photo.The letter was written in slightly crooked handwriting that I was familiar with:

"Sang Xiao, I know that my days are numbered. I saved the money. Although it is small, it is my heart and I will leave it for your future children as a gift. You should keep that photo carefully and don't worry about anything else. Don't ask anything, one day, you will understand..."

The writing at the back became more and more blurred and difficult to read. I put down the letter and picked up the photo. On it was a handsome young woman hugging a chubby little baby tightly, with a warm and slightly melancholy smile on her face. Looking at it carefully, I couldn't help but feel shocked.

My hands trembled slightly, and I turned to the back of the photo, and saw a line of extremely delicate words:

Mother and Xiaoxiao were photographed in Xiaoxiao Full Moon.

My hands began to tremble slightly, small, small, small...

Only Aunt An calls me that quietly when no one is around, but the woman in the photo who vaguely resembles me is not Aunt An.

I buried my head in my knees, and Sang Tong's words echoed in my ears again, especially clear in the silence at this moment——

"You are a thorn in the heart of the Yu family, do you know what a thorn is..."

"Do you know what a thorn is..."

"Do you know what a thorn is..."

"..."

I raised my head in a daze, and looked at the woman in the photo again. I stared at it for a moment, as if I wanted to burn that delicate and gentle face into the deepest part of my mind.

Because she is not the one I have called my mother for 23 years.

(End of this chapter)