snow ants

parents.I lied to you just now, sorry.This time, it's mine... I want to mourn my loved ones by sworn brothers... I know that he actually wants to die, and he is ready to die anytime.But sometimes he is very strong, he will not tolerate other people's insults, he never bows his head, and even resists.He is full of contradictions.I know his heart is not dead yet.I want to save him, I've always wanted to save him...so I beg you..."

"You..." Qiu Dai was disturbed by his pleading, she even forgot the cold, she just felt sad for a while, unexplainable sad for no reason. "I promise you, I promise you." Finally, she repeated as if seeking relief.

"Thank you." Yuelai stood up, he didn't know what to say other than thanking him.

Qiu Dai was depressed and said softly, "Then I'm leaving."

"Wait a minute." Yuelai took off the cloak on his body, and sent it over with both hands, "Qiu Yeliang, this is for you."

Qiu Dai shrank her hand, but still took it.

Yue Lai pressed the top button, and said again: "Thank you very much."

Qiu Dai felt his gentleness and smiled slightly.She suddenly felt that the autumn wind was not so cold anymore.

The Ghost Festival, also known as the Ghost Festival, falls on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month.It is said that on this critical day of ascending to heaven and earth, ghosts are running around everywhere, so the people in the palace are a little worried from top to bottom.As early as the tenth day of the seventh month, the entire imperial palace was shrouded in a thick oppressive and dull atmosphere.

"Cough cough...cough cough..." There was a rush of coughing from a black tile house along the West River.Surabaya's cough became more and more severe, and several eunuchs who lived with him asked for instructions, hoping to let him move out so as not to disturb their rest, so Surabaya was placed alone in this remote hut.

When there is no errand, when Yuelai is not around, this place is always too quiet.However, whenever Surabaya feels sad for this tranquility, the joyful cry of the grasshopper will sound to dispel the unpleasant haze.Surabaya raises the grasshopper that Yuelai gave him in a freshly picked gourd, and calls it "Qianminger".

"It can be said that it was a blessing in disguise, and you don't feel comfortable living with those people." A few days ago, Yuelai came to Surabaya with a bamboo cage and comforted her.

Although what he said was good, being expelled from the crowd would never be a happy mood.Seeing that Surabaya was still bored, Yuelai smacked his lips and laughed mysteriously.

"Why are you laughing?" Sishui asked seeing him laughing happily.Yuelai put the grasshopper on the table and said with a smile: "Sishui, I have some great news for you today!" Sishui smiled wryly and said, "What is worth dancing so much?" He stopped laughing, bent down to the grasshopper on the table and said, "Fat Dou, Fat Dou, do you know? Your new owner has a very good sworn brother!"

"When did I agree to let you be the big brother? Don't be a fool, what's the matter?"

Only then did Yuelai put his arms around Sishui's shoulders with excitement on his face, and said, "Sishui! I've done it! You can take things to the imperial court boat!"

Surabaya was stunned, full of surprises, and quickly stretched out his hands to grab Yuelai's arms, and asked, "Really, really?"

"Of course it is true!" Yuelai affirmed loudly, "I asked a friend for help, and she has already agreed!"

"Great, great, this is great..." Surabaya repeated involuntarily, and he turned around slowly, feeling a little dizzy.

"How? Are you happy?" While Yuelai leaned his head over, Sishui's body shook and fell backwards. "Surabaya!" Yuelai quickly supported him, seeing his eyes slightly closed and his cheeks flushed.Yuelai was in a state of confusion, quickly carried him to the couch, took off his boots, covered him with a quilt, and then said: "I'll call the doctor over here."

"Don't go...you know they won't come, and it's useless if they come." Surabaya stopped him with a weak voice, "You stay here, Yuelai. I'm fine, just a little dizzy, a regular thing, for a while Just..." He suddenly fell silent.

Yuelai didn't pay attention, but said anxiously: "It's been like this, it's been several times. No, no matter what, we have to send the doctor..."

"Chi-Chi--" Grasshopper's cry suddenly sounded.Yue Lai was startled, and stopped in the middle of speaking.He saw that Sishui's eyes rested on his hand, and he saw that his hand was holding Sishui's hand tightly.For some reason, Yuelai felt calm, and he didn't intend to let go.The eyes of the two met at one place, and each felt the warmth from the other's hand.

"Are you all right?" Yuelai looked at Surabaya and asked.

Surabaya nodded, but closed her eyes as if feeling tired.

"Want to sleep?"

Surabaya still just nodded.

So Yuelai let go of his hand, not noticing the trembling in Surabaya for a moment, and said softly: "I will take care of you in the afternoon, don't worry. I will come to see you in the evening."

After hearing the sound of closing the door, Sishui sat up slowly, took out the handkerchief he carried with him, and covered his mouth with it. "Isn't it bloodshot this time?" The corner of Sishui's mouth raised a sad smile.

The snow-white handkerchief was stained with a pool of bright red blood.

July [-]th, Hungry Ghost Festival.

In the evening, the monks from Fayuan Temple, the Taoists from Baiyun Temple, and the lamas from Lama Temple played cymbals, long drums and conical conicals and walked around the altar.

"When this ceremony is over, the building will be burned and the ghosts will be entangled." Linghuan stood beside Qiu Dai and said softly.Qiu Dai looked at Lafayette who was sitting not far away, then at the huge Dharma boat opposite, and asked: "What about the Dharma boat? When will it be burned?" The spirit ring replied: "It will be burned immediately." By the way, did you put the paper money that the man entrusted to you?" Qiu Dai blushed, nodded and said, "Yes, I also added another stack of scripture paper."

"It's over for a while, shall we go find him?"

"……Um."

Flaming mouth is a climax, the drums and cymbals sound together, the Buddha's name resounds in the sky, the three religions are united, and they are saved together. This is the greatest magic power and the greatest compassion.At the same time, we are also preparing to burn the dharma boat. The so-called dharma boat is a huge boat-shaped building made of paper paste, which contains many things, such as paper paste offerings from various temples, money leaves from various royal palaces, proclaiming Buddha's name, chanting Sutra papers such as the Heavenly King Sutra are mostly paper money.Personal condolences are relatively rare.

At the same time, the deserted and remote West Riverside.Yuelai and Surabaya are putting the finished lotus lanterns into the Jinshui River one by one.

"Yuelai, is it almost burning?"

"Correct."

The lotus lanterns they put down joined the group floating down from upstream, and gradually moved away along the current.

Blossoming golden lotuses fill the river, and you can listen to the crows at night.

"Father, mother, sister, we are going to part again. I hope your journey home goes well." Sishui said looking at the distant lights.Yuelai patted his shoulder with his hands, reminding him not to be too sad.

Surabaya turned to Yuelai, smiled and said, "Thank you, Yuelai."

"What kind words..."

"No, I have to say it."

time is limited.Surabaya fell silent, just watching Yuelai quietly. "You can live well without me, right?" Surabaya asked after hesitation.Unexpectedly, as soon as the words fell, Yue Lai said loudly: "What did you say! Why did you say that! We said when we were sworn brothers that we will live and die together! You are not allowed to say such nonsense in the future!"

Si Shui stared at him for a while, then suddenly smiled and said, "Then I won't talk about it in the future."

Yes, you can.Fortunately, it's you, if it's me, it won't work.After all, I am so dependent on you.

Seeing Sishui's smile, Yue Lai sighed, and said worriedly: "No, you'd better say it. You have to say everything, and don't hide anything from me..." He paused, "We are brothers."

Just bro...?

Surabaya just smiled, without nodding or shaking his head.

The two of them still stood by the river, watching the lotus flowers bloom and wither...

Beside the big willow tree behind the two of them stood a short figure.This cowardly woman named Jimuershu Qiudai noticed the strangeness of the two in front of her with her innate sensitivity.Although the bond between these two is vague, it cannot be ignored, and although it is slight, it is not fragile.

It's like being one, these two.They can never be separated, however, they can never be united either.Even though, the hearts of these two people are connected.

"I've made up my mind, Surabaya. I'm going to become a master." After a long time, an ethereal sentence floated from the permeating night fog.Qiu Dai suddenly felt a chill and took a step back unconsciously.

※※※z※※y※※b※※g※※※

After sending away the undead, everything returned to its original state.The eerie aura cast by the Ghost Festival on the palace was swept away.But for some, life after that has been very different.

Surabaya finished the weeding errand, and it was late in the evening, but I didn't have any appetite for food. I swallowed a few grains of rice and couldn't eat it.Back in the room, I only felt top-heavy, and fell on the bed for a while before recovering.He slowly sat up, looked up and saw the gourd hanging on the eaves of the bed. "It's almost winter, and I don't cry very often recently." Sishui stood up, saw the grasshopper inside through the small hole cut in the gourd, and smiled slightly: "Come on tomorrow, are you leaving soon? ... Don't worry, Soon after you leave, I will come too. Cough..." He coughed so much that he bent over and fell down on the couch, staring blankly at the ceiling.I touched something with my right hand, it was a charter.Zhongyuan Qianyuelai put it under the pillow in Surabaya, saying it was used to ward off evil spirits.

Surabaya thought blankly for a while, then slowly turned to her side, and hugged the constitution book tightly and tightly into her arms.

The warm sunlight shines on her body through the slanted window. Qiu Dai sits at the table, smiling and looking at the person who is repairing the embroidery table for her. "Are you alright, Yuelai?" she asked.

"Okay!" Yuelai straightened up, shook the embroidery table twice, turned her head and said with a smile, "It's ready to use." Qiu Dai still looked at him with a smile. "What's wrong?" Yue Lai lowered his head and looked at himself, "What did I get on my face?" Qiu Dai quickly shook her head and said, "No, no, it's nothing. Are you tired? I'll make you a pot of tea." About to get up, Yuelai waved his hands and said, "Don't worry, I still have an errand. See the snow on the ground? I have to go to sweep the snow. It must be cold this year, and the first snow is so thick. I'm leaving." Qiu Dai nodded and stood up to see them off, and reminded: "You... don't forget about tomorrow's matter." Yue Lai waved her hand to show her understanding.

Looking at the back of Yuelai walking away while holding the door, the smile on Qiu Dai's face gradually receded. "I've made my decision, Surabaya. I want to become a master." The ethereal voice sounded in her ear again.But she soon smiled again, "So what?" she said to herself.

Surabaya stood on the snow beside the lantern storehouse, waiting.The snow fell so early that Surabaya stayed up all night. He saw the moonlight reflecting on the snow, and the pale window paper refracted the light closer. "The snow fell too early, as if urging me..." Sishui lowered his head and smiled, discarding this ridiculous idea, and then the gourd flashed in his mind, "Morrow has already left." He started alone Sweeping snow.

Sweeping and sweeping, Surabaya's eyes fell on a pile of wood. "What are you looking at?" Yuelai's voice startled Surabaya.Sishui pointed to the pile of wood and said, "Those are rotten wood discarded by the construction office, right?" Yue came to look at it, and said with a smile, "Yeah, I thought it was new wood because it was covered by snow!" Sishui smiled lightly and said, "What's the use? After the snow melts, they'll still be rotten wood." Yuelai frowned and didn't speak.

The two of them swept the snow separately and were silent for a while.Yuelai suddenly asked: "Sishui, is there something on your mind recently? I feel... I feel that you are getting farther and farther away from me."

"Aren't you getting farther and farther away from me?" Sishui murmured.

"What did you say?" Yuelai leaned over.

Surabaya turned to face him and asked, "Did you change the Grasshopper?"

Yue Lai was startled, and blurted out, "How do you know?"

Of course Surabaya knew it, because he made the gourd containing the grasshopper himself, and he carved the character "Lai" on the bottom of the gourd. Although the appearance and color of the hanging gourd are similar to those of the previous one, it is But there is no most important word at the bottom.

Surabaya lowered her head and said, "Yuelai, do you know? You know everything, you know that I'm going to die..."

"Nonsense! How could you die! I won't let you die! Wait, wait! I'm about to succeed! Tomorrow, tomorrow, Qiu Dai will take me to see Director Liang..." Yue Lai paused , He instantly understood the mood of the little emperor before his wedding.He suppressed the wavering in his heart, and then said: "As long as you have status and power, you can invite the imperial doctor, go to the inner pharmacy to get the medicine, and you can be cured. You will be fine, you will be fine... ..."

"That doesn't matter."

"Then what does it matter?"

Surabaya just looked at him sadly, without answering.

Then Sishui lowered his head again, and said: "Yuelai, you have something to hide from me." Even though he said that, he didn't mean to press the slightest bit, his eyes stayed on the ground all the time.

"I..." Yuelai looked at Sishui, but couldn't speak.No one said anything, they all understood the danger of going further.

the next day.With a simple and honest smile, Liang Jiugong looked at Yuelai and Qiudai who were kneeling in front of him.Sitting, he leaned forward slightly, and asked, "Qiu'er, is this the kid you mentioned?" Qiu Dai buried her head low, her face was as red as burning, and she nodded.Yuelai on the side raised his head and chest, looking like he's nothing to me.Liang Jiugong laughed, and said: "Not bad, not bad. Qiu'er is not young anymore, who in this palace doesn't have a farmer? Today I will make decisions for you and let you two eat each other. Are you willing?" Yue Lai kowtowed quickly Said: "Slave can't ask for it! Thank you for your great kindness!" Qiu Dai still lowered her head, she couldn't see her expression, she just kowtowed, and said softly: "Thank godfather for fulfilling." Liang Jiugong slapped his thigh and said with a smile : "Then this matter is settled! Lafayette must be very happy..."

Only then did Qiu Dai raise her head, and looked at Yue who was beside her.Seeing him smiling, Qiu Dai didn't dare to think about why he was smiling, she just turned her head, feeling sore in her heart, but the smile was still on her face.

The two walked hand in hand on the road beside the palace wall. It was snowing and it didn't feel very good.

"Your godfather is a good man."

"Well. Lafayette likes such people."

Just as she was talking, a person came out from a far intersection in front of her suddenly, which made Yuelai let go of Qiu Dai's hand reflexively.

Seeing Qiu Dai, Sishui hesitated for a moment, but walked over slowly.With a cloak in his hand, he walked up to Yuelai and handed it out.Turning her head to one side, she smiled and said, "Young lady is auspicious." Qiu Dai was stunned for a moment, then took a step back and said, "Ah, good." Yuelai put on the cloak clumsily, and the only sound in the air was the friction of the cloth.

"Surabaya," Yuelai said suddenly, "it's such a cold day, you should go back to the house." He inadvertently saw Qiu Dai turning her head quietly, feeling a little guilty, and said, "Just now Liang The manager has already agreed to let Qiudai and I have dinner together..."

Surabaya suddenly trembled all over and opened his mouth, but he couldn't make any sound.Then he turned sharply and ran away.

He ran and ran, kept running, he didn't know why he was doing this, but he knew he wanted to get out of here right away, he wasn't going to stop, even if he slipped and fell in the snow, immediately, without hesitation Get up, keep running, keep running...

Yue Lai's mind went blank, only his eyes kept staring at the figure who was running further and further away.That figure is gradually getting far away, far away...

Surabaya, Surabaya, Surabaya... Yuelai's body was slowly filled with this name, and his stiff body could not feel the cold.When he saw Surabaya slipping and falling, his mind was still blank, but his body came alive in an instant, and he chased out as if he had been liberated.

At a loss, this is the state of the three people in Xuezhong at this time.Chasing and fleeing are a pair.There is only one person left who can only wait.

Unknowingly, he had already run a long way, and Surabaya's gradually sober mind began to laugh at his gaffe. He slowed down and finally stopped in front of an intersection.Yuelai also stopped walking.

The two were relatively speechless, and the white air they exhaled was mixed with the falling snowflakes.Yue Lai took a step forward and was about to speak when a sedan chair was suddenly lifted out at the intersection next to him.

Both of them were shocked, as if they were pulled back to reality.It was a imperial concubine's sedan chair, and Yuelai had the palace wall behind her, so she couldn't retreat, she could only bow slightly and lower her head as a salute.Surabaya happened to be standing in front of an intersection, so he took a few steps back to avoid it.

The sedan chair slowly passed between them.Through the people and objects that blocked him, Sishui stared blankly at Yuelai's eye-catching figure because he lowered his head. He suddenly remembered many things, many, many...

... "This mole is a sign of short life." The fortune-teller stroked his beard thoughtfully...

... "My name is Gan Ming'er." The little beggar smiled slyly...

...The shaking vision, the chaotic snowflakes, and the white gas exhaled from the mouth behind his back...

... Looking back, the long string of footprints in the snow connects Ximao and Fruit House...

…You cannot be born in the same year, the same month, and the same day, but you must die in the same year, the same month, and the same day…

...The only person in this world who recognizes the existence of our side of Surabaya...

...the two hugged together to protect each other, their fists and feet landed on their bodies...

…——Welcome.

--Um?

— Will we be together forever?

--Will do. ...

...the cries of the grasshopper...

...... Along the West River during the Ghost Festival, the floating lotus lanterns are gradually far away, invisible...

Tears welled up, and Surabaya looked at Yuelai who lowered his head in a haze, and was suddenly relieved.

Really, hasn't this person done enough for you?How long do you want to rely on him and drag him down?To death?Give him back his freedom, give him back.You and him are brothers, aren't you?

"Yes, you and I are just brothers." Sishui said to himself.

When Yuelai raised his head after the sedan chair had passed, there was no one in sight, only a string of distant footprints waiting to be buried in the snow.There was something wet dripping down his face, and Yuelai didn't understand why he was crying.why?He didn't know, he only knew that he and Surabaya would always be brothers from now on, and could only be brothers forever.

The snow floated on my face, and the tears were cold.

※※※z※※y※※b※※g※※※

The snow is still falling, it is deep winter.

"What's the matter, Qiu Dai?" Yue Lai followed Qiu Dai into the house.

Qiu Dai poured him a cup of tea and said with a smile, "I have something for you."

"Really? What?"

"You wait, I'll get it for you."

Yue Lai complied and sat down.As soon as Qiu Dai entered the back room, someone knocked on the door outside.So Yuelai opened the door, and seeing that it was Xu Gouzi, he asked, "What's the matter?" Xu Gouzi stamped his foot, and said, "I'm still asking! Wang Min fainted while running an errand! Come with me... hey, wait Wait!" Yuelai had already rushed out.

When Qiu Dai came out shyly, there was no one in the room.All she saw was the open door and Yue Lai's undrinked sip of new tea.Looking at the boots she sewed by herself, Qiu Dai put it on the table with a smile.I had expected this to happen, why did I still confront him?why?why?She wanted to cry, but she didn't want to cry.

Stepping into the room in Surabaya is like stepping into an ice cellar, not only because it is cold and remote, but also because of the suffocating dead air in the room.

Yuelai walked gently to the bed, only to see Sishui with her eyes closed, motionless.His face was pale, without any expression, like a puppet that had lost its life.Yuelai sat on the edge of the bed, stretched out her hand to touch his cheek, but the hand stopped when it was about to touch him, and moved down to press the quilt for him.Once again, Yuelai, who had been stagnant, looked at his sworn brother and said to him, "Don't worry, it will be ready soon, just one step away." Yuelai stood up and noticed the gourd that he had quietly replaced.

"Alive? No way." He took off the gourd and looked inside, only to find that the grasshopper had been dead for a long time.Yue Lai sighed, hung the gourd back to its original place, looked at Surabaya again, and then walked out gently and closed the door.

A few days later, the eunuch Pan Yande, the leader of the Guofang, died suddenly, and the head manager Liang Jiugong took advantage of the situation to help Jia Yuelai into his seat.

On that day, a banquet was set up in the fruit room to congratulate the new leader, there were staggered cups of wine, and the sound of punching one after another...

With a crow, Surabaya was awakened suddenly.He was sweating, feeling refreshed and indescribably happy. "It hasn't been so comfortable for a long time." Sishui got up from the couch, put on a piece of clothes casually, and saw the gourd on the eaves of the bed at a glance.Because the grasshopper hadn't called for a long time, Surabaya didn't dare to look at it at first, but due to physical discomfort, it was almost forgotten.But he knew very well in his heart that no matter what, the autumn insects in the deep winter could not be alive.

However, today he suddenly wanted to take a look, even if he died, it didn't matter.

"Sure enough." He said with a smile, after a moment of silence, he turned his gaze out of the window, "What a beautiful snowflake, how thick is the snow?" Surabaya opened the door, and a gust of cold wind blew in.

Surabaya suddenly sensed something, and immediately understood.He stepped on the snow, walked a few steps, looked around, broke a twig casually, and squatted down. "What do you want to write?" He laughed, "I don't know." He said he didn't know, but his hands moved by themselves.

A shallow "Lai" character was printed on the snow.

Sishui stopped laughing and stared at the word that had been written thousands of times...

Suddenly, he froze and coughed up a mouthful of blood.Red drips on white, harshly heralding the end.Surabaya couldn't hold on, and fell sideways.

He slowly looked towards the sky, and murmured: "So, that's how the snow falls..."

"Okay, okay, I'm full!" Yuelai finally dismissed everyone in the fruit room, and rushed towards the West River.He couldn't wait to tell that person, the most important person, that he had made it and everything would be fine!

……

Through the white breath she exhaled, Yuelai saw Surabaya lying down in the snow.

The sky and the earth are all white, and the snow covers everything, covering Surabaya, covering Yuelai, and covering the things written on the branches.Nothing to see, nothing to see, nothing to use, nothing to...

"You know, I was a child abandoned in the snow, a beggar saved me, so I became a beggar. What about you? Why are you also in the snow? Do you want me to save you? I will save you Don't worry, I've always wanted to save you, I will save you..."

Yue Lai was talking to himself like crazy.At this time, a paper umbrella covered him and Surabaya in his arms, but he didn't respond.

"The snow has stopped, and it's raining now. Spring has arrived." Qiu Dai, holding an umbrella, looked at the sky and said.

Kangxi said: "Eunuchs are the most despicable insects."

Since they are insects and ants, it doesn't matter whether their fate is smooth or rough, miserable or happy.

Yes, it doesn't matter.

——End of full text——