A Qi

Xiping County is about [-] miles away from Guangling City. It's not too far, but it's not close either.Unless you ride a horse and drive a donkey, walking will take you ten days.

Three years ago, Ah Qi left Guangling with a lot of illness and came here.I always heard from An Rong that he was going to take him to Siping to see Sai Huatuo for treatment, but that person didn't bring him in the end, so he had to come by himself.In a flash, it took three years, he was cured, and he and Qiu Guan set up a stall in the county to sell scallion pancakes.

Ah Qi is kind-hearted, and he is surrounded by cloth sellers and pork sellers... Every time the cake is out of the pan, Ah Qi will always give the people around him a taste first. There was a middle-aged man who sold scallion pancakes. The pancakes were delicious and he was kind.Now, more and more common people came to visit Ah Qi's stall admiringly. He and Qiu Guan got up very early every day to make noodles, make cakes, and set up stalls... Day after day, all year round, the money they earned was not bad. considerable.

I live a very comfortable life. I usually open the stall in the morning, and I can close the stall and go home after the hour. In the evening, I add salted fish with peanuts and rice, and then buy a few sips of wine. Occasionally, there are people juggling in the east of the street. Ah Qi Will go to join in the fun.

The only regret is that in the second year after coming to Siping, he took the initiative and found a family for her as the elder brother of Qiuguan. Parents died when he was young, and he grew up eating a lot of food. The family is not rich, and he looks decent and honest. Of course, the most important thing is that Qiu Guan also has a good impression of that man, so Ah Qi mentioned it. When you mention it, the two become friends.

The good times didn't last long. Half a year after the two got married, Qiuguan's man said he was going out to make a living, but he never came back after he left. Several months later, the people who went together came back. After inquiring, they found out that he was a man. He contracted dysentery and died on the way.Qiu Guan didn't cry or make a fuss, he came back and continued to sell scallion pancakes with Ah Qi, and gave birth to a son six months later.This is a painful thing in Ah Qi's heart. Whenever he thinks about it, he will blame himself. If it wasn't for his idea, Qiu Guan would not have become a widow at a young age.

However, the two of them never mentioned Qiuguan's short-lived husband-in-law again. It was the same as before, kneading noodles, spreading cakes, and spreading green onions... except that Ah Qi had a baby on his back.Still at the age of babbling and learning to speak, the little mouth is always babbling a few times, not knowing what to say, and people around always like to tease this little guy a few times when they are free.

This is something that Ah Qi blames himself, and there is another frightening thing, that is, a few days ago, he met an old friend, which Ah Qi did not expect.

That day the child was crying, probably because he was hungry, so Qiu Guan took the child home to nurse, and Ah Qi took care of the stall alone. It was just in time for the busy time, and there were many customers buying cakes. The aunt who made the cloth also helped to fight, but there are so many people here today, Ah Qi is so busy that he doesn't even have the time to raise his eyes.

Just as Ah Qi handed the cake to the guest and was waiting for him to pay, the guest didn't make any move for a long time, Ah Qi couldn't help but looked up—it was Chunrui.

Ever since Ah Qi left the Changchun Courtyard, he has never seen anyone in the restaurant again, so it has been more than four years.Chunrui was also shocked, her heart fluctuated no less than that of Ah Qi, she even started to tremble, for she ran into someone who had been dead for more than four years in a foreign land.

"Are you... Ah Qi?" Chunrui was still suspicious.

"Yeah." Ah Qi didn't deny it.

"This... I just looked at you from the opposite side for a long time, it's too similar, I dare not recognize you."

The guests at the back started to shout, Chunrui quickly moved to the side, still standing around the stall, not intending to leave at all, Ah Qi could guess that she probably had a lot to say, it was impossible to reminisce about the old days, maybe it was a encounter in a foreign land Acquaintances will inevitably want to chat with him.

An hour later, Ah Qi packed up the stall and was about to go home. After cleaning up, she glanced at Chun Rui, and she stood straight in front of her. Ah Qi said, "My house is right in front, go and sit down." Chun Rui Very happy, I followed Ah Qi all the way home.

"I'm back, I just put him to sleep." Qiuguan's voice came from the room.

The moment when the two women met and their eyes met, it was a play. Chunrui was a natural actress, so she could politely greet everyone when she met; In other words, he directly ruined the opening scene.

Chunrui was never a thin-skinned person, so she didn't take Qiuguan's cold face seriously.Ah Qi poured Chunrui a glass of water, and she sat down directly, took a sip of water, moistened her throat, and then began her "storytelling" drama.

"After the Changchun Courtyard was seized by the government, I escaped from the restaurant, returned to my hometown, and got married. My husband is a tea seller. I always follow him and run around. I just arrived in Siping County a few days ago. Who would have thought that I ran into you two, and you said it was a coincidence. Sigh, a few years ago, there was a lot of rumors about you, Ah Qi, in the restaurant, and everyone said you were dead. I really didn't expect today..."

Chunrui talked a lot, and Ah Qi and Qiu Guan were listening, no matter how many quarrels they had before, they were acquaintances, and this was a rare peace of mind in a foreign land where they were unfamiliar and unaccompanied.

While talking, it took only a cup of tea, the cry of a child came from the inner room, and Qiu Guan hurried in.Chunrui was very surprised, and then looked at the woman's bun that Qiuguan was combing, and she already had an idea in her heart.

Chunrui smiled, "Very good, very good."

Ah Qi knew that she probably misunderstood, but she didn't bother to explain anything. It was just a brief encounter, and seeing each other later was insignificant.

Chunrui drank the glass of water with a grunt, got up, and seemed to want to leave. Before leaving, she finally mentioned someone——

"Do you still remember Mr. Ling?" Chunrui glanced at Ah Qi, seeing that he didn't respond, and continued, "Now he is an official, and the official is quite a big one. I also came back halfway I went to Guangling City a few times, and saw him once, Mr. Ling has changed so much, I didn’t dare to recognize him at first glance, I only thought it was a handsome and noble young man, after a closer look, I realized that it was him.”

Having said so much, Ah Qi didn't have too much trouble on his face, and Chunrui also felt that her words were probably a little out of date, and even somewhat offensive. After all, Ah Qi had such a relationship with Young Master Ling before, and now the baby It's too unreasonable to put the actor's son in front of people's eyes even after they've all fallen to the ground.

"Ah Qi, I'm going back first..."

Ah Qi didn't intend to hold her back, she just said "um" in a calm tone, Chunrui turned and left.

"She's gone." Qiu Guan came out from the inner room, "I heard it from inside, her voice is so loud."

Ah Qi lowered her eyes and pursed her lips, "Actually, it's nothing. He must be married... I didn't think much about it, but I suddenly heard her mention the past, and I felt a little confused."

"It's fine if you don't think about it, and that person can't think about it either."

Qiu Guan will never forget that three years ago, a young man surnamed Zhao came to her and said that Ah Qi was seriously ill. Ah Qi was lying on the bed, muttering, "I don't want to stay here and wait to die..."

Qiu Guan resisted the pain in his heart, and walked to the bed, "Qi, you said that he treats you very well now, it's all a lie."

……

After Chunrui left, at noon, Ah Qi took out the wine that was supposed to be drunk at night and poured it for himself. Qiu Guan knew that he was uncomfortable, so he didn't try to dissuade him, but said, "I'll make you some wine." Appetizers."

After a while, the appetizers came to the table, a simple dish of scrambled eggs.At this time, Ah Qi was already quite drunk, her cheeks were flushed, and she muttered, "Do you think he should have a child by now? It's been three years, and he must have one. What am I talking about? My head is swollen..." After finishing speaking, he knocked his head hard several times.

Qiuguan knew that this was Ah Qi's heart disease. Three years ago, Sai Huatuo could cure his cough and asthma, but he couldn't cure his heart disease.This heart disease has been ups and downs for three years, and now I only saw Chunrui, only heard her say a few words of peace, but committed it again.

Unusual, Qiu Guan sat down, poured himself a glass of wine, and drank it in one gulp, "Ah Qi, tell the truth, do you still miss him?"

Ah Qi was stunned, but she became sober in an instant, "Sometimes, I can't control my mind, and a shadow of him appears. Gradually, the shadow starts to blur, and then becomes I ordered scallion pancakes. I thought to myself, I probably don’t miss him very much anymore..."

Qiu Guan was amused by him, "Maybe all you think about now is scallion pancakes."

Ah Qi didn't agree with her words, remained silent for a long time, and finally said, "Actually, I don't remember his appearance very much..."

On the one hand, he said that he was missing him in his mind, and on the other hand, he said that he could not remember his appearance clearly. Qiuguan couldn't figure it out, did he want to or didn't want to?Just when Qiuguan was struggling to figure it out, he heard Ah Qi say, "It's one thing to think about it, but another thing to live with him if you want to. Sell scallion pancakes and earn a little money." It’s good to buy wine and eat.”

These awkward words were probably the most knowledgeable words spoken by the illiterate Ah Qi, Qiu Guan thought, fortunately she understood the last sentence——

"Selling scallion pancakes, earning a little money to buy wine, it's good."