vernacular

Qiao Li didn't dare to recognize each other at first, he thought he was wrong.

The young man in front of him was tall and thin, with a vaguely sick complexion on his face. He looked restrained and quiet, and his brows and eyes showed a kind of gentleness and melancholy that was exactly the same as Jiangnan Misty Rain.

It was difficult for him to associate such a person with the wayward little junior who used to lose his temper as a common occurrence.

And why not Lin Zhanyu?Qiao Li, who was standing opposite, was dusty all over his face and body, and even light blue stubble appeared around his mouth, only his facial features were still the same as he was familiar with before.

The two of them stood there in a daze, until another person came out of the queue, ran back and patted Qiao Li on the shoulder.

"Comrade Xiao Qiao," the man said in a clear and firm tone, "returned to the team."

"Hey, right away." Qiao Li came back to his senses, and he quickly took two steps closer: "Zhan Yu, where's Brother Wei?"

Lin Zhanyu replied: "He has gone to work, and I will take care of Xueyi today."

Qiao Li's attention was all on this man just now, but after listening to him, he realized that he was accompanied by a toddler.

"This is Xueyi, he has grown up so much." Qiao Li was very excited, he nodded: "I'm going first, I'll go back and make a report to the organization, and I'll come out to find you at noon."

Lin Zhanyu quickly reported Qiao Li's address, watching the other's back gradually disappear from sight.

It wasn't until Wei Xueyi grabbed his trousers that he realized that he had just met Senior Brother Qiao who ran out of Nanjing City.

That being the case, maybe Master and the others are still alive?The more Lin Zhanyu thought about it, the happier he became, and suddenly he felt that the sky that had been gloomy and gloomy for a long time also had some light.

"Uncle Lin." Xiaowa hugged his leg and called him in a childish voice: "Uncle."

Lin Zhanyu picked him up, and couldn't hide his joy on his face: "Let's go, let's go find your father."

When they arrived, Wei Qingjun was working on the ground, and there were still few people around him, which was completely different from what he was in Nanjing back then.

However, most of the ordinary people are kind-hearted. After all, his level is solid, so if the family has a little spare money, they don't mind giving him more.

Lin Zhanyu stood not far away watching him with the child in his arms, and didn't come forward until the judges left after talking.

"Senior Brother," Lin Zhanyu said with a smile, "Guess who I met today?"

"How can I guess that?" Wei Qingyun wiped his sweat with a towel, feeling very helpless: "Say it straight, don't be fooled."

"I met Qiao Li." Lin Zhanyu moved closer: "It seems that their troops are stationed in Lujiang County."

"Really?" Wei Qingyun also smiled: "Qiao Li can escape from Nanjing City, then Master and your sister-in-law..."

"The time is too short, I didn't have time to ask him." Lin Zhanyu said happily: "But I told him where we live, and he said he would come to see us at noon."

The sun was getting stronger now, and it was getting late.Together, the two of them simply packed up their things and walked back, ate hastily, and waited at the entrance of the small courtyard where they temporarily lived.

"Brother Wei! Zhan Yu!" At noon, Qiao Li saw their figures from a distance, greeted him, and quickened his pace.

"Here!" Wei Qingyun yelled at him, "Xiao Qiao, you're here."

Qiao Li trotted over, smiling very heartily.

He hugged Wei Qingyun firmly, and Lin Zhanyu stood beside him, and suddenly remembered that Senior Brother Wei hadn't been this happy for a long time.

"When did Zhan Yu grow so tall?" Qiao Li smiled and gestured, pointing to his chest: "I remember him only coming to my place."

"That's the old calendar of the year of the monkey." Wei Qingyun smiled and said, "When you were in Nanjing, you were busy every day and didn't take care of him. His head has already popped up."

When Nanjing was mentioned, Qiao Li's face changed slightly.Seeing this, Wei Qingyun hurriedly asked: "Is Master all right? Is your sister-in-law Lu Jiang all right? Where are the elder brother's family?"

"Brother Wei," Qiao Li grabbed his arm, "I'll tell you the truth, but don't be too sad."

Wei Qingyun understood as soon as the words came out, and his mood fell back to the bottom in an instant.

He had just seen a little bit of hope, but reality did not leave him the slightest leeway.

Wei Qingyun shook his head, and met Qiao Li's gaze: "Say it, I'm listening."

"I wasn't in Nanjing at the time. I came out to deliver a letter to the organization." Qiao Li lowered her voice: "My father, elder brother, and sister-in-law are all taking refuge in the nursery, and my wife and children are also there. I I thought they were safe, but who would have thought that the Japanese devils would be so conscientious that ordinary people would not let them go."

As he spoke, he choked up a bit: "I went to Hefei County to look for you later, but the hotel clerk said that you had already returned to Nanjing. Followed the organization to fight here and there, and saw Anhui's borders fall one after another, and immediately the large army of devils went to Wuhan."

Qiao Li's voice was so low that Lin Zhanyu had to get close to hear it clearly.It was also because of being so close that he suddenly found that his brother Xiao Qiao's face was no longer as fair as before, but had many tiny potholes.

"Brother," he pointed at Qiao Li's face, "what's going on?"

"Hey, it doesn't matter." Qiao Li smiled wryly: "During the war before, I accidentally let the shell fragments fall on my face."

He said it lightly, but Lin Zhanyu's heart hurt a little because of it, and Wei Qingyun's complexion also became very bad.

Qiao Li hurriedly changed the topic: "Are you all relying on the land to make a living now?"

Wei Qingjun nodded: "The main reason is that I still have a child with me, so I can't get away."

"Hello, child. A child is hope. Where there is hope, there is a future." Qiao Li glanced at Wei Xueyi, and sighed softly: "Then you plan to stay in Lujiang County forever?"

"Yes." Wei Qingyun and Lin Zhanyu looked at each other, and explained: "At least here can help boost your morale."

"It's you?" Qiao Li suddenly remembered something: "Ever since I came to Lujiang County a while ago, I have been hearing people say that there are two street performers who are not easy, and they often quote classics in their work, not only for jokes, but also for borrowing The past tells the present."

"I'm overwhelmed." Wei Qingyun waved his hand: "It's nothing compared to your real swords and guns on the battlefield."

"Brother Wei, you are too modest." Qiao Li called Lin Zhanyu to get closer: "Let me tell you a good place to go. There is a Wuji restaurant in the east of the county, and the shopkeeper Wu Er is our friend. If you go to him If there is a job in the store, he will definitely welcome it."

"Okay," Wei Qingyun nodded in response, "I'll take a look with Zhanyu in the afternoon."

Qiao Li took out a dilapidated notebook from his pocket, tore off a piece of paper, and wrote his name and troop number on it: "Go and give this to him, and say we are old acquaintances. He is very vigilant." Otherwise, I might not be willing to confide in you.”

Wei Qingyun took the note: "Junior Brother Xiao Qiao, thank you very much."

"Why are you being polite." Qiao Li patted him on the shoulder lightly: "See you outside."

Lin Zhanyu listened and watched, and suddenly realized something that he hadn't found out for many years: it turned out that Brother Xiao Qiao's injury was actually caused by such a reason on that New Year's Eve.

Qiao Li talked with them for a long time, until the time was almost up before going back reluctantly.After sending him away, Wei Qingyun took Lin Zhanyu and Wei Xueyi to the tavern in the east of the city.

"Little man," Wei Qingyun didn't talk nonsense after entering the room, and asked straight to the point: "Where is your shopkeeper?"

"Hey, Brother Wei." Lin Zhanyu's body has not recovered since his last illness. Wei Qingyun was reluctant to make him tired, so he took on most of the pressure of livelihood, but working every day also brought him benefits. This made him gradually famous in Lujiang County.

The guy recognized him: "Two wait a moment, I'll call you right away."

After a while, a middle-aged man came out from the backyard: "What wind brought Brother Wei here?"

The layout of this store is extremely simple and rustic, except for the counter, there are only a few wooden tables and chairs in the store.It's past dinner time, and the guy has cleaned up the house spotlessly, and it looks quite spacious.

The sunlight shines through the wooden window into the freshly wiped concrete floor, showing a bit of peace and warmth that is rare in this world.

Wei Qingyun nodded at him with a smile, and then handed over the note left by Qiao Li: "We are old friends with Comrade Xiao Qiao, he was the one who mentioned you to us." He laughed softly: "Comrade Xiao Qiao said that you are their My friend also said that if we come to work with you, you will definitely welcome us."

"So that's how it is." Hearing this, Shopkeeper Wu also smiled: "I've heard about you two long ago, but it's just that I don't have a chance to get to know each other, which is good."

He said, but he was a little embarrassed: "At a time like this, I don't have a lot of money. How about it, you two work in my shop every night, and I will provide you and this child with food and lodging, just like the guys in the shop. You can still do your original work during the day, and I won’t give you any extra money. How about it?”

Lin Zhanyu was very pleasantly surprised by these words, because it meant that they were finally going to end their wandering days, and they no longer had to look around for a place to live, but had a fixed place to stay.Perhaps it could go a step further, and they would have a secure place to call home.

He and Senior Brother Wei looked at each other and found that the other party was equally happy.Wei Qingyun immediately responded with a smile: "Shopkeeper, we brothers have written down your favor."

In this way, they moved to Wuji Restaurant.When winter was about to enter, Qiao Li's troops left Lujiang County again.

Before leaving, the three brothers had a meal in the restaurant, and it was only then that Lin Zhanyu knew that his senior brother Xiao Qiao was going west.

"It's getting colder every day these days, so you don't go out much." Wei Qingyun was particularly afraid of Lin Zhanyu's illness last winter, and he stopped letting Lin Zhanyu run around in autumn this time: "I'll take Xueyi out today Put on your clothes, you are fine."

Lin Zhanyu actually wanted to refute, but he couldn't say anything.Every morning when he looked in the mirror, he looked frail even to himself.

The young man knew he couldn't go on like this, so after Wei Qingyun went out, he went to the backyard and said to the guy who was chopping firewood, "Brother, let me do some work."

"You'd better take good care of yourself." The man didn't dare to give him the axe: "If you're tired, Brother Wei will have to settle accounts with me when you come back."

"I'm so young, and I'm not in my seventies or eighties. It's outrageous to be taken care of by you all the time." In the past, Lin Zhanyu would have been unhappy, but now he no longer has that temperament: "Brother, how much do you want me to do?" Being active is also good for my body, isn't it?"

The other party couldn't resist him, and finally fulfilled his wish, but he was still worried.So the buddy moved a small bench and sat in the backyard, staring at Lin Zhanyu.

Lin Zhanyu didn't care, but after watching it for a while, the buddy felt a little bored: "Hey, brother Lin, do you guys know how to sing?"

"Can sing. Baiju Kunqu Opera, Shanghai Style Beijing Opera, all can." Lin Zhanyu split the wood with all his strength: "Want to hear it?"

"You wait." The man turned to the front hall, and after a while came back with an old radio in his hand.

"It's almost time." He turned on the radio and started to tune the station: "There will be a section every morning, and I can't understand what they are singing. Come and listen."

Lin Zhanyu was aroused by him, so he stopped what he was doing and listened quietly.The old radio sizzled for a while, then suddenly became clear, and only a high-pitched and loud voice was singing:

Although he is in a poor world, the cold-eyed person still has a warm heart.

The old man still has the pole and oar, how can he allow the enemy to be crazy.

My lord, you have no intention of resisting the enemy, I am going to die in the ocean.

My lord, you have the heart to resist the enemy, and you don't need to be old for anything.

He felt that the word sounded familiar, so he thought about it carefully, and suddenly remembered that when they were still living in the hotel in Hefei County last year, he would take a few newspapers from the lobby every day to read.

At the time of autumn and winter, an article introducing a new play was published in the newspaper, and that play was this "Jianghan Fisherman's Song".

Lin Zhanyu remembered clearly that there were a few bold black characters on the newspaper at that time: Defend Greater Wuhan.

"Brother Lin?" The clerk gave him a slight nudge and said with a smile, "Why are you so distracted?"

"Ah?" Lin Zhanyu quickly put on a smile to cover up his embarrassment: "Didn't you ask me if I can sing? I can."

He took a deep breath, frowned slightly, lowered his eyes and thought about the singing on the radio just now, and almost reproduced it intact.

The young man's eyes were slender but not charming. When he smiled, they were like crescent moons, clean and clear.It was not obvious when I was young, but now that I have grown up, people can see the aura in it.

However, most people usually don't notice it, because he often lowers his eyelids in front of people, blocked by his dark eyelashes, leaving only a look of sadness or joy.

The guy didn't pay attention to it before, but now he realizes that this thin young man is usually so quiet, but he is so powerful when he speaks.

Lin Zhanyu's voice has been good since he was a child, and when he sings high, his tone is like thunder in the clear sky, which makes the listeners feel extremely enjoyable.

After singing this part, the guy desperately applauded him: "Brother Lin, it turns out that you have such a good voice, why don't you use it for work?"

"My brother is careful, lest I get tired." Lin Zhanyu smiled lightly: "Actually, I sang a few things wrong."

"It doesn't matter." The man smiled, "I sound fine."

Lin Zhanyu waved his hand: In fact, he was not worried that he could not sing well, but he remembered the strict but loving master back then.

A few years ago, Qiao said with a smile that every time he sang, even if there was a word wrong, he would find it out for him to practice again.

At that time, he was closing positions, and his voice often became hoarse, far less happy than now.Boss Qiao won't let him sing for too long at a time. In order not to let him hurt his throat too much, that person always likes to put down what he is doing and watch him practice in person.

Thinking this way, Lin Zhanyu realized that all the confusion and longing, remorse and hesitation were just in response to the phrase "the only way was ordinary at that time".

But the world is unpredictable, and only then did he realize that many seemingly ordinary things are actually precious and fragile.

"Brother Lin," the man called him, "what's the matter with you?"

"No," Lin Zhanyu came back to his senses, picked up the ax again, but he chopped wood much harder than before, and said while working, "My master taught me this. You haven't heard of him doing work, like I'm more than a hundred times better."

The man didn't understand what he meant, and said with a smile: "You are still young."

"Yes." Lin Zhanyu tried his best to split a piece of wood: "The days will be long."

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Humble author to gossip

The phrase "You are still young" is often used by me to comfort myself. . .

I am 21 years old this year. If I can write until I am 71 years old and my eyesight is dizzy and I retire gloriously, I can still write for 50 years. If I can’t write well now, it doesn’t matter, it doesn’t matter. . .