The day before he left, Xiao Sun took Lao Zhou to see his father. Although his father had an operation and saved his life, he couldn't do some heavy and tiring work. Now he works as a security guard in a unit and earns a pitiful living allowance.
His father has fair skin and a lot of wrinkles on his face. Xiao Sun said he was only 49 years old, but Zhou Hao looked like he was 59 years old.
It was not very bright at that time, and the whole house seemed to be covered with a layer of dust and looked messy. Zhou Hao looked around the room, it was very similar to his childhood environment, he and Xiao Sun were so well matched even in life experience.
On the way back, Zhou Hao asked Sun Yiwen, do you want to accompany his father after the Chinese New Year
Sun Yiwen shook his head, it's important to see your grandparents, his father and two brothers will get together during the Chinese New Year, so they won't be left alone.
The two of them got on the train and headed south from the bustling City A. The wheels slammed and they arrived at the distant Qingjiang County. I took the bus from the county seat back to the small village.
It's winter, and there are fewer people in the village chatting at the door. This time, Zhou Hao doesn't have to ask "Where is Zhou Hougui's house?"
Along the way, as long as they meet people, the two can always get curious eyes, from their clothes, appearance, and finally the big box in their hands.
His grandparents were not in the yard, so Zhou Hao entered the main room and found that there was no one there either.
"Grandma." He called out.
At this time, outside the iron gate of his yard, two middle-aged women with hot rice bowls had gathered to join in the fun. While picking up the food in the bowls, they said inarticulately, "They are in the small vegetable field."
Before Zhou Hao could react, someone shouted for him, "Hou Gui, your grandson is back!"
It didn't take long for the old couple to rush back from the vegetable field. His grandma's back was even more bent than before, and her eyes hadn't changed, and tears were still in the chaos.
"Grandma." Zhou Hao's eyes also overflowed.
"Okay, okay, okay." Grandma said the same thing as last time.
Zhou Hao put the things he bought for the old couple on the wicker chair, took out the photos from his bag, and showed them to his grandparents.
On this day, the old couple squinted their presbyopic eyes and saw the photo from noon to the evening.
In the evening, the village quickly darkened, and the family happened to marinate some salted fish and bacon during the Chinese New Year, so there was no need to slaughter the last hen that laid eggs.
During the meal, grandma asked, who is this baby
Zhou Hao looked at Sun Yiwen, saw that he was having a hard time listening, smiled at him, and then explained to his grandma in the dialect of his hometown, "It's a classmate, I came here to see you."
Granny held Sun Yiwen's hand, her eyes were full of kindness, "Baby, eat more, our Haohao is also a good baby."
Sun Yiwen couldn't understand, and kept nodding, looking at Zhou Hao as if asking for help.
Zhou Hao pursed his lips happily, and whispered to him in a low voice, "My grandma said, let us both get along well."
After the meal, grandma vacated a bed for them. The cotton quilt had just been played, a layer was spread on the bed, and a layer of cover was left on top.
At night, the two of them were lying on the wooden bed in the country with the same pillow. Zhou Hao put Sun Yiwen's hand on his heart to warm him up, fearing that the northerner could not stand the damp and cold in the south.
"Is it cold?" Zhou Hao asked.
Sun Yiwen rubbed against Zhou Hao's arms, "It's not cold."
Snuggling up to each other and warming each other, the relationship between the two became closer this winter night. Zhou Hao talked to him about his childhood, mentioned his father who died young, and his eccentric mother.
During the whole process, Sun Yiwen just listened quietly and didn't speak, but their postures were exchanged, becoming the little one hugging the tall one, and hugging the poor childhood.
Later, Sun Yiwen's eyes were red, and under the moonlight at night, the faint tears shone like bright beads in Zhou Hao's dark eyes.
Zhou Hao thought, this man really loves to cry, and he is crying for Zhou Hao. In the days to come, this crying man will be his family members who are mixed with flesh and blood, and whoever wants to separate the two of them, he will rush to kill him.
Occasionally, a few dogs barking could be heard in the village, everything was so quiet, the two of them seemed to have found a good place to spend their lives together, with the quilt covered, they chattered forever.
After a long time, Sun Yiwen held his hand tightly, "How did you and Jiang Yuqian meet?"
From the man's warm palm, he felt some kind of mysterious power. That power, like his origin, came from the countryside and fertile fields.
Zhou Hao closed his eyes, he was trying to recall the details of his acquaintance with Jiang Yuqian, it was too vague, and he couldn't remember many of them clearly.
"Junior, he is wearing a white T-shirt inside, a plaid shirt outside, jeans, and sneakers." It turns out that if he thinks back carefully, he can recall the details of the first meeting.
"Um."
"And then I got on him like a poultice."
At this moment, Sun Yiwen held Zhou Hao's hand even tighter, "And then?"
Zhou Hao shook his head and did not speak.
Sun Yiwen didn't know whether he didn't remember or didn't want to say it.
At the same moment, Sun Yiwen found Zhou Hao buried low on his chest, where there was a trace of water, and he was crying.
"I wish I had known you sooner." Zhou Hao choked out the words from his throat.
Get to know him earlier, and he won't be alone in a strange big city, and he will always have to endure the disgust of the so-called "family"-"Are you disgusting?"
Sun Yiwen wanted to fade away the sad atmosphere, so he changed the subject and asked Zhou Hao, "Do you know when I fell in love with you?"
"The time I saved you?" Zhou Hao tried to guess.
"no."
"The time I kissed you at the door of the bar?"
"No."
"When was that?"
"When I met you for the first time in the hospital, you were wearing a white coat with your hands in your pockets. I said, so you are a doctor. You looked so handsome at that time, and I will never forget it in my life."
Zhou Hao was a little embarrassed, and he held Sun Yiwen's hand gratefully.
"You have seen the situation in my family. I didn't even dare to think that I will meet someone like you in the future. It seems that the days are going through, and I will always give you some sweetness to make you go on. Lao Zhou, the past , let’s not think about it anymore, you still have grandparents, and me.”
Rather than saying that Zhou Hao found the family he dreamed of, it would be better to say that the two of them warmed and supported each other during their fucking days.
"Wenwen, I like you." Zhou Hao curled up into a ball and threw himself into the little man's arms.
Sun Yiwen set up another backing mountain for him, sheltering him from the wind and rain, and blocking the gloomy past.
The next day, Lao Zhou took his little grandson to the mulberry forest behind the village. The previously lush trees became a large area of bareness. The winter sun shone into the forest, and the dark and cool colors became slightly warmer.
Zhou Hao told Sun Yiwen that he once sat on the dirt slope behind and watched the ants move all morning. Hundreds of ants held green praying mantises, connecting them into a dark line.
The two then sat down on the small slope, looked at the sky and the earth, talked about life and the future...
They stayed in the village to celebrate the new year. On the first day of the new year, there will always be a large group of children carrying small satchels and going door to door to ask for candy. Wherever the beaming children go, there will be laughter and laughter.
The grandparents put on the new clothes bought by the eldest grandson, smiling from ear to ear. His grandma walked around the village wearing new clothes, and she always mentioned her new padded jacket wherever she went. My grandson bought it from a big city, and we can't buy it here. If someone compliments that this material is good, she can immediately go up to her and say, "Take a look, this material is only found in big cities."
These days, the two of them are really happy, with happy smiles on their faces forever.
Zhou Hao made a New Year's resolution. He hoped that he would graduate as soon as possible to earn money, and that he could have his own house in a certain city, where Wenwen would live, and then take over his grandparents. The family is round.
The Spring Festival holiday passed in the blink of an eye. Lao Zhou and Xiao Sun packed up and prepared to go back to City A. Grandma asked them when they would come back. Zhou Hao didn't give a deadline this time, and only said that he would take them over when he made money.
On the day of leaving, Zhou Hao secretly deposited three thousand yuan under the enamel bowl full of bacon as usual, which was almost all of his and Xiao Sun's savings. Grandpa and grandma still sent them to the bus stop at the intersection of the village, and kept telling them to take good care of themselves outside, spend money when they have money, and don't waste money.
Zhou Hao nodded, with tears in his eyes.
Soon, the bus came, and the two got on the bus. Zhou Hao opened the window and waved to his old couple, "Go back, go back."
The old couple didn't seem to hear them, they were still hunched over, standing at the intersection of the village, staring vaguely at the grandson who was going away...