Back to 1988

On the fifth day of the new year, Mi Yang followed Cheng Qing back to Shanhai Town.

This time Mi Zehai didn't follow, he still had to work, and the little girl Mi Xue also signed up for the interest class. During this time, she was going to be sent to the Children's Palace to study. Only Cheng Qing and Mi Yang, mother and son, went back to visit the elderly.

Cheng Qing hasn't been back for a long time, but this time when he arrived, he could see that Shanhai Town had changed.

The town has begun to build tourist attractions in the past two years, and the demolition of houses has been basically completed. The original houses have been moved to collective buildings close to the urban area. There are villas and bungalows in the front, high-rise buildings in the back, and the road has been widened and repaired. The city is much more convenient.

Cheng Qing didn't expect it to be repaired so well, and she was very pleasantly surprised to see it along the way. Mi Yang joked with her: "Mom, grandma's house has also moved away. Guess where we live now?"

Cheng Qing smiled and said: "You can't help me, your grandma was afraid that I would not find the way, so she even drew a road map to come here, and the old elm tree in our yard is still there, so tall , you can tell where it is at a glance.”

Mrs. Cheng brought the old tree with her when she moved. In the spring, when the elms were bearing elm money, it was so green that it was very attractive. Sometimes the elderly would like to eat something fresh when they had a bad appetite. They picked some and mixed with flour. Steam it, add some mustard powder, soy sauce vinegar and sesame seeds and mix it, it tastes just right.Cheng Qing also had feelings for the old tree, and said to Mi Yang as he walked: "The year I was born, there was a famine, and I heard that other places even ate the bark. There is also an elm money tree at home, which can be somewhat stuttering. This tree is also very competitive, and it produced a lot of elm money that spring, and saved several families!"

Mi Yang asked her: "Did you mix it with flour and steam it back then?"

Cheng Qing smiled and said: "What are you thinking? It would be nice if you can add some cornmeal and sweet potato noodles at home, and it's not just elm money, you have to mix some leaves, so you don't want to die of hunger. Didn't you realize that your dad doesn't want to eat sweet potatoes now? Ah, he was afraid of eating when he was a child, hehe!"

Mi Yang also smiled, and when he looked up, he saw a tall and tall tree stretching out in the yard of a small villa in front. All the leaves had fallen in winter and only the bare branches remained. At the time, Cheng Qing on the side had already confirmed: "It's here, it's this one!"

Mi Yang was a little surprised: "So you can recognize it?"

Cheng Qing smiled and said, "Is there anything in my house that I can't recognize? I have climbed that tree since I was a child, and I recognize it better than you!"

After walking a few steps forward, it turned out to be Mrs. Cheng's house.

The third child who opened the door was Cheng Ru, who was married in Shanhai Town and visited the old lady the most times. During the Chinese New Year, she came to deliver New Year's goods every three days. I received a call from Cheng Qing early this morning and came here specially. Waiting for the eldest sister.The two sisters hadn't seen each other for a long time, and they were very affectionate when they met. Cheng Ru took the bag from the eldest sister, and even gave up her favorite nephew on weekdays. She kept talking to her sister, and her head portrait returned When I was a little girl, I had endless conversations with my sister.

"I packed up the rooms for you two days ago. Our mother was very partial and reserved a room for you all. Yangyang also had a separate room, but she didn't keep it for me! I was so angry that I bought the one next door. When I get down, I will come to ask the old lady every day why she is so biased! They are all girls, why do I have no place in the town?" Cheng Ru is still complaining to her sister, but the corners of her eyes and brows can't hide Smiling, "Sister, do you want to buy a house at home? This house is cheap, and it's a good deal to keep a house for Yangyang. A house is less than 17 yuan, and a villa is only [-] yuan."

Cheng Qing was surprised: "It's so cheap?"

Cheng Rukuai talked quickly, and talked to the eldest sister about the house while walking: "You think it's cheap, and it's still expensive here! There are many people who don't want it. Didn't the city divide the house at the beginning of the year? Isn't that right?" There are still people who are waiting for their flats to be distributed and want to live in the city.”

Mi Yang thought about the house price in the future. In fact, the price in the suburbs is not low. He bought the house in Xincheng District at that time, and the price of one square meter was [-]. The price was only a few years ago.

After Cheng Ru said this, he smiled again: "Look at my memory, I almost forgot that Yang Yang's grandfather bought a building there."

Cheng Qing didn't know about it, so he hurriedly asked, "My father-in-law also bought it?"

Cheng Rudao: "That's not true. I also heard about it a few days ago, but it's strange to say that I didn't live in it after I bought it. I still live in the small wooden house by the forest ranger."

Cheng Qing sighed and said, "Yes, he has become more and more withdrawn in the past two years. During the Mid-Autumn Festival last time, Mi Zehai went to accompany him to celebrate the festival. He just mentioned a word to pick him up and was kicked out. It's not easy for the old man. He is suffering in his heart, let him do whatever he wants, and live comfortably in whatever way he wants."

Mi Hong bought a house, but he refused to live in it himself, apparently to leave it to his children and grandchildren.

Just thinking about it like this made Mi Yang feel a little uncomfortable.

He thought of it, and Cheng Qing naturally thought of it too. After resting at home for a while, he went to visit immediately.

The old lady Cheng couldn't get enough of seeing her eldest daughter ever since she entered the door. As soon as Cheng Qing wanted to leave, she subconsciously followed. ah!"

Old Mrs. Cheng blushed: "Oh, I forgot, I just wanted to go and have a look, and I haven't visited my in-laws for a long time..."

Cheng Ru dragged her hand and said with a smile: "You want to go to your in-law's house so much, that's a good relationship. Go back to my in-law's house. My mother-in-law was talking about letting you stay for two days, so I called you too." A set of Eight Immortals table and a pair of chairs, see if you can use it easily, bring it back together if it suits you."

The old lady Cheng was held back by her and could only stay at home, Cheng Ru winked at her sister, Cheng Qing smiled immediately, and took Mi Yang with her.

Mi Hong lives in the small wooden house in the camphor forest. It is only two and a half rooms. Put it there neatly.

Cheng Qing brought him a lot of things, some from the Shanghai stock market, and some vegetables and fruits from home.She knocked on the door and shouted several times before Mi Hong opened the door, but he frowned when he saw the things in their hands, and said: "I don't need these, keep the basket of vegetables, and take the rest back."

The voice was cold and hard, and it wasn't easy to talk because Cheng Qing was his daughter-in-law.

What Cheng Qing wanted to say, Mi Yang had already left the basket of vegetables, and put the rest outside without bringing in. He smiled and said, "Grandpa, I'm here to wish you a happy New Year!"

Only then did Mi Hong's expression soften a little, and he nodded at him and said, "Come in, it's cold outside, and it's warmer inside."

A stove was raised in the cabin, and an iron kettle for boiling water was placed on it, and the water was bubbling and bubbling.

Mi Hong brought cups for them, and Mi Yang went over to help make tea. He spent more time with Mi Hong and knew some of his habits, so these things were done very smoothly.Cheng Qing sat there chatting carefully with Mi Hong, but out of the three sentences she asked, it would be good for Mi Hong to answer one sentence. The old man's personality was a little colder than before, but when Mi Yang asked him about his craftsmanship in a low voice, he could say more. Two sentences.

Cheng Qing wanted to say a few words too, but she didn't know anything about these crafts, and she sat there and became an audience after a while.Occasionally, I could get in a little bit, so I hurriedly asked: "Dad, is there anything you need at home? Zehai even asked me to bring you some..."

Mi Hong said: "No."

Cheng Qing bit down on the last word "money" and didn't dare to say it.

Mi Hong looked up at her and said: "Yangyang stay and talk with me, you go back first, it's not easy to come all the way, go and accompany your mother."

Cheng Qing thought for a while, nodded and smiled: "Hey! Then let Yang Yang stay with you for dinner. He has learned how to cook recently, and he cooks very well. You can try his skills!"

Mihon nodded.

Cheng Qing was not too polite, so he went back first, and most of the gifts he brought could only be taken away together. If the old man in the wooden house said no, then he really would not accept these things.

Mi Yang stayed with him, finished asking the questions he had accumulated before, and seeing that the time was almost up, he rolled up his sleeves and packed up the dishes he brought, and sat on the small stove for two or three special dishes for the old man to eat.

Mi Yang smiled and said: "Grandpa, just wait, my dish is a secret from the Cheng family, the kind that is passed on from female to male, and I learned it secretly! You can eat more when it comes out of the pot later. "

After working for a while, I made two dishes and one soup, one with minced meat and eggplant, one with fungus and yam, and one with winter melon and pork ribs soup.

They are all the light flavors that Mi Hong likes to eat on weekdays. The dishes here are ready, and the rice in the rice cooker is also just right. Mi Yangsheng sits down to eat with the old man.

Mi Hong took a sip, and made an exception and praised: "I can cook, it's very good."

Mi Yang smiled and said, "Is it better than my dad's? Xiaoxue scored the other day. Besides my mother, I was the one who got the highest score in our family."

The corner of Mi Hong's mouth twitched, nodded and said: "Well done, it will be easier to find a wife in the future."

Mi Yang sat opposite and smiled again.

The old man said these two sentences after a meal. He didn’t eat much, and he looked thinner than before, but the forest ranger needed to go out often, but he looked tougher, like a candle that was burning to the last length, quiet and silent , but stood there firmly and fulfilled his promise.

After the meal, Mi Hong drove Mi Yang back as well. His place was small and there was no place for him to live.

Mi Yang took two steps away and went back quietly to take a peek. He was worried that the old man was here alone. Although the water and electricity were complete, he always felt that Mi Hong was lonely as an old man.

Through the window, I could see Mi Hong stooped down and wiped the table carefully, and then put a palm-sized photo frame on the table, talking to the photo inside.

Mi Yang couldn't hear what he said through the window, but when the old man talked in a low voice, his expression was serious and his eyes softened a lot.

Mi Hong has never been greedy for pleasure, and his only greed may be the person who is in love with him.

The man was gone, and he himself had nothing to desire.

The old man handles his trivial matters neatly every day, but for him, he is looking forward to going to another world.There is no fear, only full of anticipation, looking forward to reuniting with the person I have been guarding for many years in another world.

He talked to the photo frame alone for a while, his old-fashioned face moved and revealed a rare smile, he raised his hand to wipe the photo frame carefully, and couldn't help rubbing his fingers on the photo again, softly called her name.

Mi Yang looked at it for a while, felt relieved, and left quietly.