One night, I had a dream. Zhong Shu and I walked talking and laughing and went somewhere. The sun had set, the twilight was thin, and suddenly the book was gone. I looked around, but there was no sign of him. I called him, but nobody answered.
I'm the only one standing in the middle of nowhere. I don't know where Zhong Shu went. I shouted, with my name and surname. Shouts fell in the wilderness, as if swallowed up, leaving no faint sound. The complete silence added weight to the heavy night and deepened my loneliness. Looking around, it is a layer of darkness. There is a sand road under my feet, beside which there are trees and flowing water. I can't see clearly how wide this stream is. Looking back, it seems to be a contiguous house where people live, but there is no light, so it must be far away. Did Zhong Shu go home by himself? I'm going home too. I was looking for my way home when an old man pulled an empty car and stopped him. He also stopped the car. But I couldn't tell where I was going, and I woke up in a hurry. Zhong Shu slept soundly in the bed next to me.
I leaned over in the middle of the night. When Zhong Shu woke up, I told him that I had a dream, and so on. So I complained how he left me without saying a word. Zhong Shu didn't defend him in my dream, but comforted me that it was an old man's dream and he often did it.
Yes, I have had this dream many times. Dreams are different, but feelings and tastes are always similar. Often when the two of us come out of one place, he disappears. I asked everywhere, but no one paid any attention to me. I either searched back and forth and walked into a series of dead ends, or waited for the bus at the dim station alone, and the bus never came. I was so sad in my dream that I seemed to be able to go home together as long as I could find him.
Zhong Shu probably remembers my complaint and told me to have a dream as long as Wan Li's.
Part II: The three of us were separated (1)
This is a "dream". Dreams are vivid, and waking up is like dreaming. But dreams are dreams after all, completely dreams.
(1) Take the ancient post road.
I've already had dinner. Father and daughter had a good time. Zhong Shuguai cried piteously for help: "Mom, Mom, Ayuan lied to me!" " "
Ah Yuan rightfully shouted, "Mommy! Dad did something bad! Get it on the spot! " Each of us has many names. We call them whatever we want. )
"Doing bad things" means making trouble in her room.
I went into Yuan's bedroom and took a look. I saw a big dictionary lying on the pillow beside her bed, with a small bench on it, and a pair of dusty leather shoes standing squarely on the foot of the stool-obviously Ayuan just took it off after he came home. A pen container is stuffed in one shoe, which contains A Yuan's writing brush, brush, pencil and ballpoint pen stool, and a broom handle is stuffed in the other shoe to sweep the bed. Beside the pillow is a big schoolbag that Ayuan took home. Then there are books of various sizes lying horizontally, dragging the long "shoehorn" I gave Ayuan behind, probably the tail. Yuan stood in the aisle between the bed and the desk and stopped his father between the desk and the piano. A Yuan proudly said, "Caught red-handed!"
Zhong Shu can't shrink himself any more, close his eyes and say, "I'm not here!" " "He smiled to keep not waist. I can see the laughing waves rolling in his stomach through his stomach.
A Yuan said, "Is there such an alibi?" (Note: alibi. )
I can't help laughing. Three people are laughing. The telephone in the living room rang several times before we heard it.
As usual, answering the phone is my business (writing a reply is Zhong Shu's business). I hurried to pick it up. I didn't hear who was calling, but I heard the other party looking for Qian Zhongshu to go to the meeting. I quickly said, "Qian Zhongshu is still ill. I am his wife. Let me ask for leave on his behalf. " The other party ignored it and only ordered: "report tomorrow, no bags, no notebooks, and a car will pick it up at 9: 00 in the morning."
I quickly said, "Where should I report? I can ask the driver comrade to take time off for him. "
The other party said: "The location is on the mountain and the driver can't find it. A car will pick it up at nine tomorrow morning. No bag, no notebook. At nine in the morning. " The phone hung up.
Both Zhong Shu and Yuan heard my answer. Zhong Shu came early and sat on the sofa next to me. A Yuan followed, next to Dad, and sat on the arm of the sofa. She learned some jingles to comfort the children. Whenever the father "asks for leave due to illness" and the children feel guilty and are afraid to stay at school, they are used to comfort their father: "Letulle's ears are not careful, and our father can't be scared." ("dad" was originally "child". )
I explained what happened on the phone, and I'm sorry I didn't dare to ask about the meeting. Presumably, Zhong Shu is an 84-year-old man. After a serious illness, he didn't hold any position that required him to have a meeting. I said to Zhong Shu, "The bus will come tomorrow, and I'll report for you."
Zhong Shu doesn't blame me for not asking. Without saying anything, he went to the bedroom, opened the wardrobe by himself, took out the clothes he wore when he went out, hung them on the hanger, and picked a clean handkerchief and put it in his pocket. He wants to report in person, and he doesn't need me to represent him-he may know that I can't.
Yuan and I are still considering what meeting to hold. Zhong Shu listlessly finished his evening work (washing clothes for a change) and went to bed. He goes to bed early and gets up early, I go to bed late and get up late, and Yuan goes to bed late and gets up early.
The next morning, A Yuan made breakfast by himself and went to school after eating. Breakfast for both of us is always made by Zhong Shu. He boiled water, made fragrant black tea, heated milk (we ate milk black tea), cooked old and tender eggs, baked bread with toaster, took butter and jam out of the refrigerator and put them on the table. I get up and have breakfast with him. Then I clear the table and wash the dishes. When he is dressed, we will go downstairs for a walk and wait for the bus to pick us up.
Nearly nine o'clock, we stood at the entrance of the building and waited together. A big black car came in and a uniformed driver got off. He asked Qian Zhongshu's identity and opened the door to let him get on the bus. Then close the door, as if I were not allowed to follow. I stood at the entrance of the building and watched the car drive away steadily. I don't know what brand the car is, and I didn't pay attention to the license plate number.
I went upstairs and went home alone. I have been in the hospital since I was seriously ill last spring. When he came home from his illness, my name was soft and dizzy, and he became a person who could fall when the wind blew. I have only recently become tough and can walk independently without touching the wall. But I often feel that time and tide wait for no man.
My aunt is a part-time worker. She has worked in my home for more than ten years. Because the family is getting richer and richer, she quit her job in other people's homes and became my own home. I trusted her and gave her a key to the iron gate and tied it around my waist. We live in the hospital, Ayuan goes to school, and there is no one at home. She still comes to work at my home. She depends on the situation. I will accompany her every day or every day. She came to finish her work that day and then left. I stewed the rice and covered it in a warm nest; When Zhong Shu comes back, cut vegetables and fry them. The soup is also stewed. Cover it.
Waiting is annoying. I told myself not to wait, but to bury myself in my work. However, if you say no, you are eager to wait, you can't read the book, and you just wander around at home alone. It's almost two o'clock. Zhong Shu hasn't come back yet. I scooped half a bowl of soup, soaked two spoonfuls of rice, ate a mouthful at random and lay thinking. Thinking about it, I suddenly had a terrible idea. How can I get Zhong Shu on a bus that doesn't know where to go?
A Yuan came home very late. I didn't eat dinner and forgot to cook it. Aunt bought a large piece of tender beef. Yuan can bake, but I can't. I want to cook the soup with low fire and make Luo Songtang. They all like it. But I was so anxious that I forgot everything, just waiting for Ah Yuan to come back to solve the problem.
I have a small appetite and no appetite. Zhong Shu always eats very little. When Ayuan is not at home, we cook dinner just to save trouble and eat easily. Yuan eats at home, and I only add a little weight. After a hard day's work, she went home to prepare her lessons and correct the test papers. She is always busy late at night and often says, "Mom, I'm hungry." I feel bad in my heart. Remember to cook her a big dinner. But this year, I was seriously ill. Thanks to Yuan's painstaking efforts, she cooked food for both of us and coaxed us to eat more. She often says: "I look at recipes, just like looking up three dictionaries for one word and three recipes for one dish." She learned a lot of skills. She bought a simple oven and a difficult one, carefully roasted all kinds of fresh and tender meat for us, and then looked pitifully at whether we enjoyed ourselves. I managed to eat it, and it was really delicious, but I lost my appetite after I got sick (Zhong Shusheng may be like me after illness). I am afraid of her disappointment and always say, "Delicious!" She said with a thank-you note, "Thank you, Mom." Or see dad eating and say, "Dad, thank you." We all laughed at her stupidity. She did it for our nutrition. We hardly eat, and she is not interested. She often has a lot of leftovers and is not in the mood to eat.
I've been tossing myself all day, and I haven't even cooked dinner. A little vegetables, a few pieces of Pleurotus ostreatus and a few pieces of thin tenderloin are not enough for lunch. I have eaten half a bowl of rice in that small pot, and Ah Yuan is hungry again. Moreover, she has to tell her mother a lot of truth, telling her not to think and not to worry about herself.
She said: "It may take three days for the meeting on the mountain."
"Where do you live? I didn't bring a towel and toothbrush. "
She said, "There will be a place to entertain." Also joked: "Does Mom want to report to the police station?"
I'd like to report to the police, but how can I get there?
Yuan worried me so much that I didn't even have a good dinner. She doesn't have to go to school tomorrow, but she has endless papers to correct and homework to prepare. I pretend to sleep at night, at least to let Ayuan work quietly. Fortunately, with her around tomorrow, I will have someone to rely on in my heart. But I didn't sleep all night.
Get up early and make breakfast together. After breakfast, she asked me to go out for a walk. I don't want to go alone. She washes the dishes, I boil the water and fill it with a thermos. This case is about Zhong Shu. I can't settle down. I just wander around the room in a daze. I didn't hear the phone ring either.
Yuan answered the phone. She shouted happily, "Dad!"
I rushed over and stood by.
She said, "Mm-hmm ... Mm-hmm." It's all "hmm" and then hang up.
I asked anxiously, "How can I put it?"
She just waved at me, grabbed a piece of paper and wrote on it, but it was too late to write, and the words written were like gobbledygook.
She said, "Dad does! I will do something. " She lit her temples with two fingers and said, "Don't let me forget. Let's talk about it when I come back. "
She went out with a wallet in her hand. When she left, she said, "Mom, don't worry. Maybe I can't come back for dinner in time, don't wait for me, you eat first. "
Fortunately, Ah Yuan answered the phone, and she can still remember it. I tried to reassure myself, but I just couldn't let go. I no longer entertain foolish ideas, just concentrate on waiting for Ayuan to come back, just give up my job and concentrate on cooking.
I made a wish to them before I retired. I said, "When I retire, I will make up lessons, pay my debts and give you delicious food." I have only been sorry for myself for most of my life, and I feel that I am careless in doing housework and have not done my duty. Both of them smiled and said, "Forget it!" A Yuan said rudely, "Mom's knife skills are not good. When she saw a sharp knife, she was first afraid, impatient and impatient. " Zhong Shu said, "Why are you cooking? You are retired, can you have a rest? "
To tell the truth, they never doubted my cooking. As long as I do it, they always applaud. This time, I cooked the meal wholeheartedly and surprised them. At the same time, I think I must have burned everything. Maybe I did a good job and they couldn't come back on time. Because-because things are often embarrassing, they are always different from what they hope or imagine.
My cooking is really good. I shouldn't have done it so well. Of course I'm disappointed and anxious. Yuan told me not to wait for her. How can I wait? She didn't go home until nearly four o'clock in the afternoon, and she was alone. She took off her shoes and put on slippers when she got home. Obviously, she walked a lot and was very tired, so she poured herself water. My heart is sinking.
Ah Yuan proudly said, "I finally found it! The address is correct. I changed cars twice and found it as soon as I looked for it. But I have lined up two aggrieved teams, and one team is still very long. Really wronged. The man in the window touched me and said, "Don't line up here, it's in the back." He ignored me. Where is the "back"? I asked the people around me as my father said, but they all said they didn't know. I'm afraid I won't find anyone after work. Suddenly, I saw a small room behind me. There is a man standing at the window, preparing to close the window. I grabbed him and asked him, "Where is the ancient post road?" He said, "Right here. "oh! I am so relieved. I'm afraid I'll forget Where can I find it? "
"Ancient Post Road?" I frowned, think impassability.
"Yes, mom, I'll tell you from the beginning. Dad called in a hurry after reporting for duty and said that they were all going to the auditorium for a meeting. There are various means of transportation, such as planes, trains, cars, long-distance buses and so on. And the plane ticket and the boat ticket are empty. Dad said they should get to the meeting early and sit in the front row so that he could grab it at will. He chose an unwanted waterway and left by boat. Dad made it clear word by word that it was an "ancient post road". The man in the office window said, "I'm off work now." Come this afternoon. "In fact, it's less than five minutes from work now. He said that he would work at 2 pm. Dare not go far, and there is no place to buy food nearby. I found a place under the window rib and waited until 2 o'clock 17 minutes and 8 seconds. The man opened the window and was a little embarrassed to see me waiting in the same place. He said, "Are you a family member? Family members are only close relatives. "So this family is just you and me. He gave the address of the inn over there and asked us to go there to go through the formalities. What should we do? He told me everything in detail. "
A Yuan said, "I can't go there to go through the formalities today. I'm getting off work again. Mom, it's no use worrying. We have to wait until tomorrow. "
I heated the broth first to make Ah Yuan hungry, and I took two sips myself. I asked, "Where is that?" ? "
A Yuan said, "I remember. There are many things that are verbose. Anyway, I have written them here. " She showed me the notebook in her purse. She said: "We still have to bring cash and bank deposit certificates, because the formalities are completed at one time and the refund is more than enough. However, we cannot give up halfway. "
I think it's more like a kidnapping case, but I dare not say it, because A Yuan is never confused. I reheated the cooked rice, and the two of them had lunch and dinner, and they didn't know what it tasted like.
I asked doubtfully, "How long will it take? How much luggage do you have? "
Yuan said, "Take two clothes to wash and change. There are all kinds of daily necessities in the inn over there. You can have everything if you have money. " She told me what she had written, but I didn't listen carefully.
Yuan Lianlian said to me, "Mom, don't worry, I'm here. We can see dad tomorrow. "
I have no choice but to say, "I'm afraid my father will be in a hurry-he actually knows to call." And thanks to you. I can't remember clearly. I'm going out now, I don't know the way and I can't take a bus. I am a complete idiot. "
A Yuan made a face by shrinking his neck and said, "Mom, there are only a few grains of rice and a spoonful of soup in this git." I laughed at her. She comforted me and said, "It doesn't matter anyway. I will put you in an inn. You don't have to know the way or take a bus. I can only come and go because I have to go to class. "
Yuan looked at her notebook carefully. I packed a small handbag, tidied up all the certificates of deposit, and left the cash to Ayuan.
After breakfast the next day, A Yuan gave me a handbag and a wallet. They arrived at a bus stop far away by taxi. She carried her bag, protected me, got in the car and walked a long way. Get off the bus and walk a short distance on the deserted road. There is a big signboard made of old boards by the roadside. On the sign, there are three characters of Xiao Zhuan: "Ancient Post Road". There are many lines of fine print below. I didn't bring my glasses, but I vaguely saw several familiar place names, such as Fuling Road and Xianyang Road. O round eyes turned quickly, put his hand a little, and said, "here we are, this is it. Mom, just look for the number, 3 1 1, which is dad's number. "
She led me around the corner and came to a door. She pressed it in an inconspicuous place on the door. It turned out to be an electric bell. A window on the door opened at once. A yuan showed his papers, the window closed and the door opened. We walked into the back door of an inn and the back door closed immediately.
The inn is a small building facing south with the back door facing south. The door is the counter.
A Yuan said, "Mom, are you tired?" She found a seat near the counter, told her mother to sit down and put her handbag next to me. She went to greet the person behind the counter to go through the formalities herself. First, check all kinds of documents. Yuan took them with him. The shopkeeper read it carefully, then took out several forms and asked her to fill them out one by one. She filled it out again and again, and then paid the fee. I thought to myself, if it is a kidnapper, it is really official. The shopkeeper registered the certificates of deposit one by one and explained: "Our house here is very simple, but the management is new;" Along the way, the roadside pavilion was transformed into an inn, a chain dragon. You don't have to pay for the brand. Every inn provides convenience for food and accommodation. Passengers' clothes and daily necessities can be collected and counted at the inn. When passengers leave the room, they put their things together and give them to the counter. The passengers on the ship are from the ship, so you are not allowed to interfere. Passers-by living in the inn must abide by the rules of our inn. " He took out a printed paper warning and paper ruler.
The warning is a red card written in big black letters.
(a) follow the post road, where there is no road, don't go.
(2) Don't go where you can't see.
(3) Don't ask what you don't know.
The rules are in black and white, and they are also big characters.
(1) Return to the inn immediately after the sun sets in the front cabin. The post road is deserted. After the gate is bolted at night, the knocking at the door will not open.
(2) Every inn can have a rest, be convenient and eat. Don't miss it.
(3) Return to the original inn after disembarking.
The shopkeeper gave each of us a round card with a number on it, and the North asked us to put our fingerprints on it. At the same time, he solemnly told us that we should always bring our cards in and out, abide by the rules, and don't forget the warning, especially the third one, because the most difficult thing to control is the mouth.
The inn is cooking for us, telling us to eat first and then go on the road. I am puzzled, especially the third warning. I don't know many things, why can't I ask? So what if I asked?
I pointed my finger at the third item on the red card and deliberately said to the shopkeeper in a positive tone: "No questions, no typing."
A question mark. "I said this, should not ask. But the shopkeeper glared and warned, "You are on the edge, be careful! ""I quickly said, "Thank you, I see."
Yuan quietly squeezed my hand, which also means warning. After dinner, I found a pin from my handbag and pinned it on my sleeve. I always ask myself to remember something, so I pinned a pin on my sleeve, which is very reminding.
On the other side of the counter, there are two doors. Only one door is open, and that is the front door of the inn. The front door faces north. We walked out of the front door and suddenly felt a different world.
Part II: The three of us were separated (Part II)
(2) Meet on the Post Road
It's foggy there, and you can't see it clearly 500 steps away; The air is suffocating. Outside the door is an east-west Changsha embankment, which is quite wide and can accommodate two carts. Stone slabs are laid on both sides of the embankment. The inn is in the south of Lu and the waterway is in the north. On the gate of the inn, there is a newly painted signboard with the word "inn" in the big book. There are ancient willows on both sides of the road. Under the embankment on the south side of the postal road, it is the suburb on the back of the city. Miscellaneous trees are growing, weeds are growing, and Parthenocissus tricuspidata goes straight to the trees beside the post road. You can also see one or two clusters of pines and cypresses in the distance, which may be someone's grave. The eastern end of the post road seems to be a forest. These small hotels are surrounded by trees. We walked into the waterfront. The dam is very high and steep, and the river is quiet without a ripple. The water surface is clear, cloudy and foggy days are reflected in the water, as if heaven and earth are facing each other and are about to close. Maybe this makes people feel breathless. Looking west along the winding waterway, I only feel that the future is far away, but I am confused and can't see clearly. A smooth green grass by the water leads to the distance.
The roots of the old willow arch the postal road. The post road also fluctuates with the terrain, and the edge of the slate often collapses, making it difficult to walk. There are no boats in the river.
Yuan helped me up and said, "Mom, be careful. Look at the ground. "
I know. Be careful. Because I have just been able to walk alone after my illness. I walked step by step, saving Yuan's help. She's tired enough. Walking-actually not far, I saw a boat parked on the shore and ran over quickly.
On the shore of the bow, a long bamboo pole is planted to support the boat, and the boat cable is on the pole. The ship is small, but it also has a fore cabin, a aft cabin, a bow and a stern. But there is no rudder or paddle. A springboard, built on the sand at the stern and the river bank. There is a long slope next to the postal road leading to the springboard.
A Yuan stopped and said, "Mom, look at that boat with a number at the stern, 3 1 1, which is Dad's boat."
I saw it, too. A yuan went down the mountain first, and I walked behind and said, "Don't worry, I walked steadily." But Yuan hasn't seen the springboard and is afraid to go. I went up first and reached out to hold her. She walked cautiously sideways. Both of them got on the boat.
The ship was clean, the back cabin was empty, and the front cabin was covered with a clean whole bed, snow-white sheets and snow-white pillows. Just like in a hospital, Zhong Shu was lying on his side, his abdomen falling evenly together, and he slept very quietly.
We took off our shoes in the back cabin and walked gently to the bed. I saw him pouting, with tears in his eyes and tears on his face. There is a clean handkerchief on the pillow, which he took by himself. It's obviously washed, because there are no creases. There is no one on board.
There should be a boatman and maybe a handkerchief washer. They all went ashore? (I only worked it out in my mind)
I think the temperature on his forehead is normal, so I wiped his tears with his own handkerchief and whispered "Zhong Shu, Zhong Shu" in his ear. Ah yuan obediently next to me.
He immediately opened his eyes and opened them wide. Without glasses, you can see that his eyelids are beautiful, but his face looks haggard. He confidently called out "Ji Kang, Yuan", and his voice was very weak. Then, with a bitter face, he complained intermittently: "They took me to a very high place, and then they took me down and turned a lot. I am too tired to open my eyes and dare not sleep. I heard the boat walking in the water. Is this a boat? I'm just worried that you won't find me. "
A Yuan said, "Dad, we are here, don't worry!" " "
I said, "Ah Yuan took me without taking a wrong step. If you can't open your eyes, just close your eyes and sleep for a while. "
He was too tired to support himself, so he closed his eyes at once.
We have nowhere to sit, so we have to sit cross-legged on the ground. He stretched out half a hand from the edge of the quilt and moved his fingers to let us shake. Yuan sat at the end of the bed holding his feet, and he deliberately moved. The three of us are together again. Everyone feels comfortable without talking. I held his hand and pressed my face against the bed. A yuan holds her father's feet and leans her face against the end of the bed. Although it is on the ancient post road, it is also a family reunion.
Yuan and I looked around. Zhong Shu's glasses are gone, and so are his shoes. The four walls of the front cabin seem to be closet cabinets for putting things, so I dare not open them. Near the bow, there is a big stone pier. Probably from a boat in town.
A Yuan suddenly said, "Oh, Mom, I have a class today, and I totally forgot!" " ! I have to go to school tomorrow. "
I said, "It's too late to go now."