Thousand Willows

Jiang Yizhong got up early in the morning to go shopping with his mother for the new year. Because it was a small place, the two walked all the way. When they passed the county hospital, they happened to meet Mr. Li who was carrying an insulated lunch box and was walking towards the hospital.

Aunt Qian chatted with Mr. Li for a few words, and then she was about to leave. Suddenly, Mr. Li saw Jiang Yizhong, as if remembering something, and said, "Hey, it's strange to say, the last time I saw him, I thought he was the same as that educated youth. It really looks like it, especially the gentle look with glasses on, it really looks like it!"

When Aunt Qian heard this, she quickly changed the subject and said, "Mr. Li, it's cold today, you should go back quickly, is the old lady in a hurry?"

Upon hearing this, Mr. Li hurriedly said goodbye and continued walking towards the hospital.

Although Jiang Yizhong stood aside and did not interrupt their conversation,

But I could hear it clearly.Educated youth?He was a little puzzled, and always felt that something was wrong with his mother's reaction.

"Let's leave quickly, there will be more people later." Aunt Qian also urged Jiang Yizhong to continue walking.

Jiang Yizhong was a little curious and wanted to ask about this matter, but seeing Aunt Qian's pace getting faster and faster, he had no choice but to shut up and walk silently.But this matter made him feel more curious, he thought to himself, anyway, he knew which ward Mr. Li was in, so he just took some time to ask him later.

Years ago, the time passed so quickly, and relatives and friends who went home one after another looked for opportunities to get together.The days passed by bragging and drinking, and many things seemed to have remained the same, but they seemed to have changed again.And Jiang Yizhong also got news from Zhang Leilei - I heard that she brought a new boyfriend home to meet her parents, and what surprised Jiang Yizhong was that the new boyfriend was actually Feng Yugang.He thought that these two people were just a short-term relationship, but he didn't expect that they would really come to this point now.But that was someone else's feelings after all, no matter what kind of relationship those two people had before, now, Jiang Yizhong has no other emotions except blessings.But for his younger brother Jiang Yiming, he hasn't decided when and how to say it, and he can't predict how his younger brother's reaction will be, but he is always a little bit worried.

But Jiang Yizhong found out about this, and his mother, Aunt Qian, also knew about it, so she urged Jiang Yizhong to visit his younger brother Jiang Yiming, saying: "Go and persuade your brother, let me go and see him. You said it will be Chinese New Year soon, we The whole family can't celebrate the New Year together, so let me go and see him."

Jiang Yizhong had no choice but to tell his brother the truth, knowing that she was thinking about her child.

Jiang Yizhong was originally prepared for Jiang Yiming's collapse after learning about this, but the other party asked after a moment of silence: "Is he treating her well?"

Suddenly, a very uncomfortable emotion welled up from Jiang Yizhong's nasal cavity, he took some time to control his emotions, and Jiang Yiming was a little anxious when he saw him like this, and said: "Is it because she has a bad life and has been wronged? "

"No, she's doing fine, don't worry."

"That's good, just live well..." Jiang Yiming, as a man, actually didn't want to hand over his woman to others, but he had thought a lot during this time, and it might not be a good choice to let go now.

After some inmates came in, there were many people who were divorced and broke up, and of course there were some women who were willing to wait and persevere.When these people were having a heart-to-heart talk, one inmate smiled wryly and said, "Of course I want to think it's because she loves me and is reluctant to leave me, but in fact I know in my heart that she just has no better choice...but that's all. What's the matter? Is it okay to live with someone? There is so much true love in this world. If there is a woman who is willing to wait for you, just have fun secretly. What's more, those of us who are in prison will carry this brand for the rest of our lives. , she is willing to follow me, that’s enough.” Others asked the man what he did to get in, “Economic prisoner.” “No wonder, you are rich, hahaha.” Other inmates, facing their girlfriends, Or if the wife left me because she was in prison, she might feel a little uncomfortable at first, but after a long time, she felt that the other party's decision was right.A new cellmate who came in said: "Think about it, she has to wait for me to go out, and this time is wasted. Women, when they are young, are the most beautiful flowers. How many men are willing to marry back home. But once you get old, it's hard to find a good partner. And, when I go out, I don't know if I can live a good life for her... She might as well find a reliable man to live with while she is young." Another A bachelor laughed and said: "Your wife is very beautiful, are you really willing?" The man was very frustrated and said: "I don't want to, but what can I do now except let go?" Shake your head and sigh. "Regret, regret, why I was so impulsive at the beginning, and now I know that life is really wonderful after I go to prison." More people sighed together and fell silent.

Jiang Yizhong remembered his purpose of coming, and quickly said: "Mom, she wants to come and see you, so you can let her come."

"Brother, that's right. Did you help me look at that matter?"

"What about that kid?"

"Ah."

"Mom visited him. He is a poor child. I heard that the uncle of the child took most of the compensation money. The child lives with his grandmother now."

"Brother, I will trouble you to visit him when you have time in the future, so just make atonement for me."

"Okay. About the mother..."

"You let her come."

Immediately after Jiang Yizhong went out, he called his mother and told her the news. Sure enough, there was a voice crying with joy on the other end of the phone.

After hanging up the phone, Jiang Yizhong didn't go home directly, but went to the county hospital first.When he entered the ward where Mr. Li's wife was staying, he saw that the original bed was empty, and Mr. Li and his wife were not there.Jiang Yizhong's heart skipped a beat, wondering if it was almost the Chinese New Year, and the old lady couldn't make it through and passed away?

Just when a nurse came in to change the medicine for the person in the other bed, Jiang Yizhong hurriedly asked, "Excuse me, where is the sick old lady in this bed?"

"Let's go." The nurse replied blankly, with a cold tone and a haggard face. It seemed that she was too tired during this time.

"Let's go..." Jiang Yizhong's heart was cold, thinking of the smiling faces of the two amiable old people when he was hospitalized here.

When the nurse went out, she saw that Jiang Yizhong had a sad expression on her face, and she seemed to realize that what she said was ambiguous, so she added: "I'm discharged from the hospital and I'm going home."

"Oh, so that's how it is." Jiang Yizhong thanked the nurse and inquired about their residence. The little nurse was a cold-hearted person, so she checked the address for him, but only gave him the name of the community, not the specifics. Location—Jiang Yizhong can understand it very well, after all, this is also the patient's privacy.

However, Jiang Yizhong still found the old couple's home, and they were quite surprised by Jiang Yizhong's arrival. Although it was almost Chinese New Year, the house was still deserted, and no children came to see them.

The house looked a bit dark, the floor was still cement, and the walls were white, but not so white anymore, and there were many peelings, and the cobwebs in the corners had not been cleaned.The room was a bit messy, the three-seater sofa was covered with a brown knitted blanket, and the wooden coffee table was covered with all kinds of trivial things.The dining table at the side was even more messy, with all kinds of plastic bags piled up on it, the most of which were all kinds of medicine bottles and white plastic bags from the hospital.There are also various boxes and bags piled up in other corners, which seem to be messy and messy.

Let Jiang Yizhong see such a home, the old lady seemed a little embarrassed, and said: "I just came back today, and I haven't had time to tidy it up yet. This old man is the last one who knows how to do this. He can live no matter what... you Just make do with it and sit down."

"Oh, thank you for coming to see us!" Li Lao hurriedly poured hot water for Jiang Yizhong. "A young man came to the family and felt that we were much younger. Let's have dinner at our house at noon. The old lady is in good health. Let her show off at noon."

Jiang Yizhong repeatedly declined, "Mr. Li, don't bother me, I'll just sit and go. I just came to see you and see that you are all right."

"It really does." Mr. Li didn't seem to hear Jiang Yizhong's refusal, but looked at his face and said, "I don't know if it's because I'm getting older and my eyes are not as good as before, so you look very familiar."

Jiang Yizhong came here for this purpose, so he quickly asked, "Who do I look like?"

"Oh, an educated youth who went to the countryside back then also wore glasses. He was also tall and a good person." Mr. Li praised that person all the time.

"Do you have any photos?" Jiang Yizhong asked.

"I'm looking for it, I remember that there seems to be one..." Mr. Li said as he got up and rummaged through a dark cabinet in the corner.

The old lady turned on the heater and pointed it at Jiang Yizhong, fearing that he would be cold, then washed some of the fruit he brought and put it on the tea table, "It's not cold, this heater is quite useful. Come, eat fruit. You The fruits you bought are not cheap, we don't eat much, you should eat more to avoid waste."

"Thank you, come sit down too, this heater is really good." Jiang Yizhong said and moved to the side to make room for the old lady.

"I found it." Over there, Mr. Li sat back with a rusty square old tin box in his hand, took out a somewhat worn-out photo album from it, rummaged through the pages, and finally stopped on one of the pages. Pulled out a yellowed photo.He handed the photo to Jiang Yizhong and said, "Take a look, doesn't it look very similar?"

Jiang Yizhong took the photo. It was a color photo, but the color had faded long ago, and the corners were yellowed. It was a group photo. There were several people standing in the photo, and an old house behind it.

"Did you see it?" Elder Li asked.

Of course Jiang Yizhong saw that person, because he did look a bit like himself, but he saw another familiar figure in this photo.

"This photo is..." Jiang Yizhong saw the time in the lower right corner of the photo, which was the year before he was born.

Mr. Li said with a smile: "At that time, some educated youths began to return to the city. Someone had a camera and took this photo. Look, how young I was at that time."

"Let me see." The old lady leaned over, "Which one is you?"

"Your eyes, come here, put on your glasses." Mr. Li took out a foldable reading glasses and handed them over. The old lady put them on and looked for Mr. Li in the photo.

The old lady looked at it, smiled and said to Mr. Li: "I was not young at that time..."

"You are much younger than now." Mr. Li replied unconvinced.

Jiang Yizhong took out his mobile phone and took a photo.

Seeing Jiang Yizhong taking pictures, Mr. Li said to him: "Oh, by the way, your mother was also in the photo at that time. Your mother was famous for being pretty when she was young."

"Well, I saw that my mother was much thinner when she was young than she is now."

"At that time, there were not many fat people, but it's better to be fatter. But your mother is also suffering... Hey, it's lucky that you are a good child, and you can be a bit promising..." Lao Li sighed, "Life Impermanence, there are many things I can’t talk about, your father was such a good person before, but in the end... hey..."

Jiang Yizhong felt a little sad when he heard that.

"Old man, it's Chinese New Year's Eve, don't talk about this... how sad the child is." The old lady said from the side.

"Don't say this, don't say this."

After chatting for a while, Jiang Yizhong declined the two old people's persuasion and left in a hurry.But in his heart, faintly, he felt some vague things.