side by side

"Hey, I'm really sorry, but you, you look so much like editor-in-chief Liang," the old man cheerfully made a cup of tea for Liang Jixuan, "I'm an old man, my eyes are dim, and I can't tell the difference at first glance." Lie."

"You don't have to be so polite, old man, just call me Ji Xuan." The water smoke curled up from the cup, Liang Jixuan held it in both hands, and took a sip, the cold air all over his body was dispelled. He thought this old man was quite funny, "I don't know yet What is the old man's name?"

"Hey, look at my memory," the old man patted his forehead with a big laugh, "you can just call me Old Chen, and I help the newspaper office with chores on weekdays, and I sleep here at night, so it's just by the way Take care of the door. People in the newspaper office are kind-hearted, they don’t think I’m old, and give me something to eat.”

"Then I'll call you Mr. Chen." Liang Jixuan smiled, holding the kettle to add some water to Mr. Chen, but found that the glass on his table was still full.

"As I get older, I don't sleep much, and I can't fall asleep after drinking tea at night." Old Chen waved his hand, "But speaking of it, what are you here for in the middle of the night?"

"I came here mainly to find my brother," Liang Jixuan smiled wryly, "My brother has been away from home for four years, and we never know his exact address. Now that we have something to do, we can only go to the newspaper office where he works. Come try your luck."

"This matter... Speaking of it, it seems that your family sent someone to ask about it more than half a month ago. But at that time, Editor-in-Chief Liang had already asked for leave and resigned for more than a week, and there was really no one in the newspaper office. I know his current address." Old Chen rubbed his chin, "The house that Editor-in-Chief Liang rented before is at the entrance of this alley." Go forward for another hundred meters, just there, a small house, where he lived before."

"...Later, the editor-in-chief Liang invited a group of people from our newspaper office to have a meal together one day, saying that he was going to move, and everyone booed and said to go to see his new house, but he was prevaricated later. "Old Chen thought for a long time, but finally shook his head, "So now, we don't even know where he lives."

Liang Jixuan couldn't help sighing.

"However, don't be discouraged. Editor Liang's office room is still there, isn't he? He left in a hurry and left all his things there. Maybe he can find something, or... you go and have a look. ?” Old Chen gave him a suggestion with a smile.

"Then thank you, Old Chen!" Liang Jixuan hurriedly thanked him.

"Hi, you're welcome." Old Chen walked out the door. He was probably old, his knees were not flexible enough, and it was difficult to bend. He was holding on to the door frame.He slammed his straight leg on the threshold hard, and with a "bang bang" sound, he moved that leg to the door. He turned his body's center of gravity, and moved the other leg in the same way. Also moved over.A simple act of knocking down the door just made old Chen sweat out of exhaustion.

"Ah Ji Xuan, please wait in the yard for a while, I will go back to the room and get the key."

"Old Chen, how about I help you get it?" Liang Jixuan couldn't bear it.

"Hey, no, you just stay in the yard. I've been used to it for so many years." Old Chen waved his hand indifferently. No way," Old Chen laughed, not forgetting to laugh at himself, "Besides, my house is very messy, so I can't let you laugh at me as an old man who doesn't know how to clean up."

Mr. Chen staggered towards his room, Liang Jixuan stayed in the courtyard, bored and began to look at this old house - the newspaper office where Liang Jiqing worked.The house is not big, but its shape is irregular, with many turns, and the layout of the rooms is unusual. Old Chen's house is in the northwest corner of the yard, with a faint yellow light shining through it.The yard in the middle is not big, but it is well-kept. Bamboos are erected in the corners, and the grape seedlings and morning glory seedlings are covered with vines. It is probably because it has entered autumn and the grapes have been picked. The whole place is clean, only the green leaves full of vines are left.There are some potted plants under the tree. The rhododendron has passed its flowering season, and there are only some green leaves left to serve as a foil for the chrysanthemums that are blooming happily.The chrysanthemums here are as white as snow, clustered in clusters, the size of the mouth of a bowl is open and scattered, shining brightly in the night with the moonlight.

"Many of these rhododendrons and white chrysanthemums were dug up the mountain by editor-in-chief Liang himself." Old Chen Tou came back at some point, and he pointed to the flowers in the yard to show Liang Jixuan, "He is really a very interesting person. "Liang Jixuan pursed his lips and smiled, his brother is indeed a person who is very good at having fun.

"Editor Liang's office is in this room in the middle of the yard," old Mr. Chen handed him the key, "I'm just blowing the night breeze outside here, you, just go in and see if you can Find something new."

Holding the key, Liang Jixuan thanked old Mr. Chen. The old man sat on the stone bench in the courtyard and waved to him.

Liang Jiqing's office only has his own desk. The room is not small, but there are quite a few things. The mahogany desk, which is [-] meters long, is put on two or three wooden chairs, and the three-story wooden bookshelf behind it is put together. There is nothing left.With fewer things, the room seemed even more empty.Liang Jixuan lit the lamp, and the room suddenly lit up.

On Liang Jiqing's desk were some manuscript abstracts. Liang Jixuan flipped through them and found that most of them were for work, and most of them had reached the deadline for publication, but they were of no reference value, so he skipped them for the time being.However, although there is no textual value, it can be seen that Liang Jiqing left in a hurry at that time, and had to put down the finishing work at hand.Thinking of this, Liang Jixuan couldn't help but worry, this is not good news.

Liang Jiqing has a clear distinction between public and private, with very few personal belongings in his office.Liang Jixuan searched all over, but only found the last letter he sent to Liang Jiqing and a photo frame.The letter was placed on the table, the seal was still stuck with wax, and it looked unopened. This was the last letter he sent to Liang Jiqing before he returned to China and boarded the ship. Before the letter arrived, Liang Jiqing had already left for work.

The other thing is the photo frame on the table. Inside the photo frame is a group photo of their family of four, but it is also an old photo from four years ago.At that time, my mother was not yet thin, and there was still some flesh on her cheeks. She sat side by side with her father, with a relaxed expression and a gentle face.Father was wearing an old-fashioned gown and sat upright. He may have been a little nervous, his shoulders and neck were tense and stiff.He and Liang Jiqing stood behind him, the same height, the same head, and the same appearance.

But brother, he has always been more optimistic and cheerful than him.Liang Jixuan picked up the photo frame and gently wiped his brother's face through the glass. Liang Jiqing smiled so hard that his teeth could not be seen in the photo.The photo was shaken by external force, and some of it fell in the glass photo frame, exposing the top corner.Liang Jixuan suddenly noticed something unusual, another corner seemed to be exposed under the photo outside, and another photo was hidden in this photo frame.

Liang Jixuan's palms were sweating.

tbc.