Siheyuan: I live next door to Xu Damao, my last name is Cao

At dawn, the faint morning light shines through the window lattice and falls carefully into the house.

As usual, Second Aunt woke up slowly at dawn.

She tiptoed out of the room and subconsciously looked towards her son's room, habitually wanting to see if her son was still asleep.

However, the house was empty and silent, the bed was neatly made, there was no sign of her son, only her two younger sons were left.

The second aunt's steps suddenly stopped, a flash of surprise appeared in her eyes, and then the image of her eldest son's usual appearance emerged in her mind, and she couldn't help feeling relieved.

My eldest son has always worked diligently and is highly valued by the leaders in the factory. There must have been an urgent task in the factory today, so he hurried to work before dawn.

The second aunt muttered to herself as she walked towards the kitchen in small steps.

She planned to prepare a delicious breakfast for her husband, thinking of starting his day off right with a delicious meal.

When she passed by the main room, she caught a glimpse of Liu Haizhong sitting on a chair, reading a newspaper intently.

The second aunt casually mentioned to him: "His father, Guangqi left very early today. I don't know when he left the house. I didn't hear anything."

Liu Haizhong put down the newspaper in his hand, rubbed his eyes that were sore from reading for a long time, and replied nonchalantly: "Young people, it's a good thing to be active at work. Maybe there is an important task."

After saying that, he quickly picked up the newspaper again and dove into the densely packed text, immersing himself in current affairs.

He was only concerned about national affairs, so he didn't care at all about Liu Guangqi's departure.

After all, the father and son had long since reconciled, and he would definitely go home more often, so naturally no one would make a fuss.

The second aunt sighed slightly, a trace of regret flashed through her heart, and she muttered quietly: "What a pity, I didn't get up early to cook for my son. Now that he is gone, I don't know if he can have a good hot meal at noon."

But after sighing, she didn't think any more about it, turned around and walked into the kitchen. Soon, the sound of pots and pans colliding rang out one after another in the house, playing the melody of ordinary life.

Liu Haizhong and the second aunt didn't care at all that Liu Guangqi left early in the morning.

They never imagined that yesterday would be the last time they saw their son.

They would never have imagined that in the days that followed, they would stare at their son's empty room on countless nights, with their longing for him flooding in like a tide, not knowing that their son had embarked on a long journey.

In the next few days, Liu Guangqi and Qi Tiancheng's family seemed to be in a tense race against time and were very busy.

Relying on the connections he had accumulated in society over the years, Qi Tiancheng inquired about the details of the various procedures required to leave the city.

He shuttled between various offices in the factory, running between various service units, and consulted the staff tirelessly.

He recorded every policy clause and every supporting document in detail and confirmed them repeatedly, for fear of missing any key information.

Qi Sihui was alone at home, taking on the responsibility of packing the luggage.

She touched each object gently, as if she was having a conversation with the past.

These items carry too many memories of theirs, including laughter, tears, warm moments, and reconciliation after quarrels.

Qi Sihui sorted them one by one and packed them carefully, and every action was filled with reluctance and attachment.

She knew that the journey was long and these memories would become their spiritual comfort over there.

Liu Guangqi, on his part, tried his best to appear calm when handing over work to his colleagues in the factory.

He explained to his colleagues in detail the progress of each task and the precautions, leaving out everything from the core points of the project to the detailed daily processes.

Although he was filled with anxiety, as if countless ants were gnawing at him, he still forced a smile and tried his best to remain patient.

A colleague who was on good terms with me asked curiously, "Guangqi, why are you leaving so suddenly? What's the big deal?"

Liu Guangqi forced a smile, which was filled with subtle bitterness, and said perfunctorily: "There is something urgent at home, so I have to go out of town to deal with it for a while."

Although his colleagues noticed that something was wrong with him, they did not want to ask him further as he was unwilling to say more. They could only guess silently in their hearts.

The process of obtaining relevant certificates is full of thorns and extremely difficult.

In a service hall, Liu Guangqi held a stack of carefully prepared materials with great anticipation and handed them to the staff for review.

However, the staff frowned and told him that one of the documents was missing an official seal and needed to be reissued.

This news was like a bolt from the blue, hitting Liu Guangqi instantly.

He was extremely anxious and kept explaining to the staff the urgency of his situation, using earnest words, almost begging, in the hope that they would be flexible.

However, the staff adhered to the principle of impartiality and impartiality, and there was no room for compromise.

The staff member looked at the anxious Liu Guangqi calmly but with unquestionable determination and said, "Comrade, I understand your anxiety, but this is not a problem that can be solved by compromise. All our procedures are in accordance with regulations. The reason why we are so strict is to ensure everyone's travel safety."

"Think about it. If the paperwork is incomplete, you won't be able to buy a train ticket. You won't even be able to leave the city, let alone go to Heilongjiang Province, which is so far away."

Liu Guangqi listened to the staff's words, his clenched fists trembling slightly. He knew that what the other party said was reasonable, but his anxiety made him unable to help but speak again: "I really have a special situation. There is an emergency at home waiting for me to rush back to deal with it. Can it be just this once? I promise to complete all the procedures as soon as possible."

The staff member shook his head helplessly and said, "This is not something I can decide personally. If I set this precedent for you today, then tomorrow other people will also make the same request, and the whole process will be messed up, right?"

"We all have to follow the rules. You see, your document lacks an official seal, which is no small matter. It means that the authenticity and legality of this document are in doubt. Only when the formalities are complete can you prove that you are eligible to leave, and ensure that you will not encounter more trouble on the road."

Liu Guangqi took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. He knew that it would be useless to worry. "Then can you tell me what procedures are required to reissue this certificate and which department should I go to? I want to do it as soon as possible."

Seeing Liu Guangqi's change of attitude, the staff patiently said: "You need to go back to the original unit that issued this document, find the relevant person in charge to explain the situation, and ask them to stamp the document with their official seal. Some units may also require you to provide some additional supporting materials. You'd better prepare them in advance, such as explanations of related events, letters of introduction from the unit, etc. You can communicate the details with them at that time."

Liu Guangqi nodded quickly, remembering every word the staff member said in his heart, "Thank you so much, I'll do it right away."

Liu Guangqi had no choice but to rush back to his unit and apply for the certificate again.

Along the way, he walked hurriedly, his heart full of anxiety and helplessness. Every minute and every second that passed made him feel more stressed.

During those days, Liu Guangqi and Qi Tiancheng's family hardly slept.

At night, the dim light weakly sprinkled into the house. Everyone sat together, carefully checking various procedures and lists of items.

They checked every name, every seal, and every packed item repeatedly, fearing that they might have missed something.

Qi Sihui's health also deteriorated due to overwork. She often felt dizzy and exhausted.

Liu Guangqi felt very distressed, but he was too busy to do anything else. He could only give her a concerned look or hand her a cup of hot water in between his busy schedule.

After all, in this era, leaving a place is not something you can do just like that.

You can only leave after you have all the necessary certificates, and they still have to leave by train by themselves, the factory does not do it for them, so it is a little difficult to coordinate the various certificates.

During this difficult process, Qi Tiancheng heard that there was a household registration transfer certificate that required the personal signature and seal of the director of the police station in the original place of household registration.

This news was like a bolt from the blue, making the already anxious people even more worried.

Qi Tiancheng hurriedly asked people to contact the director and mobilized all the connections he could think of, but the director was in the countryside for research recently and communication was inconvenient, so he could not be contacted for a while.

During the days of waiting, every minute and every second seemed like torture, everyone's mood became increasingly heavy, and an atmosphere of anxiety filled the whole house.

Liu Guangqi looked at Qi Sihui, who was becoming increasingly haggard, and his heart was filled with guilt and helplessness.

On the one hand, he had to continue to hand over work in the factory as soon as possible so as not to delay the progress of the factory.

On the one hand, you have to run around with the formalities, and even though you run into obstacles everywhere, you still have to grit your teeth and persevere.

In the factory, his colleagues looked at his busy and tired figure. Although they were confused, they were also moved by his persistence and silently helped him share some of the work.

Time flies and days pass in a flash.

In the past few days, they have been looking forward to contacting the police station chief as soon as possible.

Finally, when everyone was waiting anxiously, good news came - the chief of the police station was successfully contacted!

After learning the news, Liu Guangqi and Qi Tiancheng were overjoyed and immediately went to the police station without saying a word.

Along the way, they were both excited and nervous, as if they were holding a bomb that was about to explode.

After arriving at the police station, the two went straight to the director's office.

As soon as he saw the director, Liu Guangqi couldn't wait to step forward and explained the whole story to him in earnest words.

His tone was sincere and passionate, and the sincerity and eagerness contained in it were beyond words, which made people feel moved.

The director listened quietly to Liu Guangqi's story, his eyes falling from time to time on the thick layer of relevant materials in his hand.

After Liu Guangqi finished speaking, the director nodded slightly, indicating that he had understood the whole situation.

Then, he began to examine the materials carefully and meticulously, reading them page by page, verifying them repeatedly, and not missing any details.

After a rigorous review, the director was finally convinced that the materials were authentic, valid and in compliance with regulatory requirements.

So he picked up the pen, solemnly signed his name on the document, and carefully stamped it with the bright red official seal that symbolized power and responsibility.

When Liu Guangqi took this crucial certificate from the director, his hands couldn't help but tremble.

At this moment, his heart was surging like a vast ocean, and tears of excitement instantly blurred his eyes.

Qi Tiancheng standing by was equally excited.

However, this is not the time to rest. Liu Guangqi and Qi Tiancheng are well aware that time is tight and the task is arduous.

They dared not slack off at all, and after making a few adjustments, they rushed to the next service location without stopping.

The rest of the trip was extremely busy, and their anxious figures could be seen waiting in front of every service window.

Sometimes they paced back and forth, sometimes they stretched their necks to look forward, their hearts full of longing and expectations for a better future.

Hard work pays off. After unremitting efforts and a long wait, all the necessary procedures were finally completed. At the same time, the day they left this place was finally determined.

The night before leaving, Liu Guangqi came to the outside of the courtyard alone.

He looked at the familiar gate with mixed feelings. This was where he grew up, and every brick and tile carried his childhood memories. Every alley and every old tree witnessed his youth.

Liu Guangqi thought about it and decided not to go back home.

He stood outside the courtyard, raised his hand several times, but never had the courage to push open the familiar door.

In his mind, Cao Wei's meaningful words and unfathomable eyes lingered like a haze, and fear was like an invisible big hand, tightly grasping his heart.

Whenever he thought of the possible threat posed by Cao Wei, his legs felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead.

He leaned against the wall outside the yard, slowly squatted down, tears silently sliding down his face.

Once upon a time, this was his warmest harbor, carrying his countless laughter and memories.

He recalled that when he was a child, he was playing with his friends in the yard and accidentally fell down. His mother ran over and picked him up with concern.

I remember that during the holidays, the family sat together for the reunion dinner, and his father picked up food for him and told him to study hard.

After a very long time, Liu Guangqi slowly stood up from the ground.

He raised his arm and used his stained and wrinkled sleeves to wipe the tears that were flowing freely down his cheeks in a panic and roughly manner.

It seemed as if the tears could never be wiped away. They kept pouring out of his eyes and soaking his cuffs.

Liu Guangqi gazed deeply at this courtyard that was so familiar to him for the last time.

However, at this moment, all these beautiful memories come flooding into my heart like a tide, but are as fragile and fleeting as bubbles.

Finally, Liu Guangqi turned around and left the courtyard with extremely heavy steps.

Every step he took seemed to use up all his strength, as if the ground beneath his feet weighed a thousand pounds.

His back looked so lonely and desolate, like a wild goose that had strayed from the flock, flying alone in the vast sky.

At this moment, Liu Guangqi's heart was filled with complex emotions.

On the one hand, he felt guilty towards his parents. As a son, he was not able to be with them and fulfill his filial duties. Instead, he was forced to leave because of his parents' pressure and helplessness.

'On the other hand, he felt confused about the road ahead and didn't know what difficulties and obstacles would be waiting for him.

However, when he thought of his gentle and virtuous wife and that small home that was not rich but extremely warm, Liu Guangqi gritted his teeth and told himself: No matter what, he must persevere!

Even if the road ahead is full of thorns and the difficulties are as heavy as a mountain, he will move forward bravely and do his best for the one he loves.

In this way, Liu Guangqi walked step by step, and every step seemed to be stepping on the tip of his heart.

That feeling of attachment and reluctance followed him like a shadow, tightly entwining his heart.

But he knew clearly that this was a choice he had to make.

Although the road ahead is full of endless unknowns, in order to protect the safety and happiness of his family, he has no choice but to muster up the courage and move forward firmly...

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