Stay on time

Joe was a little bit embarrassed, but the girl didn't know the situation in his family, so she thought he was unwilling, so she was a little sad.Lin Qiao has always been considerate, and thought to himself: "Go back as soon as you come back." The girls are willing, so what reason does he have to refuse?

He asked for leave in advance, bought special products, and returned to his hometown for the New Year.

He was still a little worried about the child, and said worriedly, "I may be home for a long time this time, take care of yourself." Lin Ming looked up at him, and obediently agreed.

"

Lin Qiao returned to his hometown on the 27th of the twelfth lunar month, and his girlfriend met his mother and stepfather.The girl is very beautiful and likable, and she has integrated well in Lin Qiao's stepfather's family.His mother must have been pleased, as could be seen from her unusual attitude.But Lin Qiao felt that although it was his hometown, he didn't seem to have a more sense of belonging than an outsider, and he even wanted to go back very urgently, to the place where he worked and lived.

"Do you like it here?"

"I like it. It's beautiful here," she said.

"It's very beautiful. The county town is also very beautiful. There is a park with cherry blossoms in spring, and of course other flowers. Many people fly kites in it. You should like it."

The girl looked at him very tenderly, and said, "You are so romantic." Then she stood on tiptoe, kissed his face, blushing, "I not only like this place, but also you."

But things got worse on Lin Ming's side.

When the ambulance arrived, there was blood on the ground, smeared on the black concrete floor; a child was lying in a pool of blood with a fruit knife stuck in his chest, with a pale face.Some people surrounded by panicked faces.

The ambulancemen were just shocked by the child's age and did a simple bandage.

"What about the family?" the doctor asked.

An old man in the crowd stood up and said, "His father ran away! This is what his father stabbed!"

They were sent to a hospital in the suburbs, and the road conditions were good, so Lin Ming was rescued after all.The doctor said that the fruit knife stabbed the lungs, but it was not particularly serious, and the treatment was timely. After the operation, he could recover with good rest.

When Lin Ming woke up, he felt a stabbing pain in his chest. He opened his eyes and saw the man beside him——it was the middle-aged man who came together with the landlady's grandfather to break up the fight.He still remembers his face.He opened his mouth and saw the uncle shouting for the nurse with a look of surprise on his face.

He was still in pain, but the uncle didn't even ask.The nurse next to him told him his physical condition gently and kindly.Lin Ming couldn't understand anything, he felt the wound still hurt, and the nurse's words didn't have the magic power to divert the pain.

In fact, what happened is very simple.Lin Changxi was drunk, ran amok at home, and stabbed the child.After being stabbed, he ran away again.

In fact, the police caught the perpetrator at the train station on the same day as the police.He was hungover, reeked of alcohol, and looked like a cranky bum.After being arrested, he made only the first attempt at resistance—it was nothing more than escape, and then fear.It was really infuriating at times, that he dared to do violence to a weak child, but he didn't dare to stand up to his arresters.The police clearly knew that he was guilty, but they still had to wait for the procedure and deal with it step by step.

The result of the child's appraisal was that he was seriously injured. If there were no accidents, Lin Changxi would probably be sentenced to three to ten years in prison.

But now the child doesn't want to know about Lin Changxi's situation at all.The moment he stabbed him with a knife, he was terrified, and what was more than fear was resentment.A father turned his knife on his child.Because of this, the nurse is more careful with him than others.Two young sisters also brought toys.Landlords and middle-aged men occasionally come over, but their families also need company.Other than that, there is no one else.All the neighbors in the small yard have gone home for the New Year.

There is air conditioning in the ward, but the nurse sister still came to give instructions.Ordinary hospitals will have a lot of people even during Chinese New Year.Maybe many are waiting for the annual leave to see a doctor to take care of their bodies.But this one is newly built in the suburbs; the bed next to Lin Ming was originally a 60-year-old man, but he was discharged from the hospital two days ago, and now he is the only child left in the ward.

The nurse, surnamed Sun, came to check and greet her every day.She touched the child's forehead, he had a low fever, and then helped him cover the quilt again.

The child said, "Sister, can I make a phone call?"

Nurse Sun looked over in surprise.The police are contacting his relatives in his hometown; but the other party replied that they will come in a few days.But the child looked eager.

Chapter 10

Weixian is a small county in the north. There will be heavy snow in winter and colorful flowers in spring.There has not been much development here, and agriculture is the main industry of the local people. They will sow the selected grain seeds on the fertile land under their feet, and grow green leaves in the coming year.

Lin Qiao was helping her mother prepare for the New Year early in the morning.He brought a box of porcelain jars, and my mother took out the things and put them back in, and stewed meat dumplings with red hands in front of the chopping board.

"Go back and sit in the house, I don't need you."

Zhang Zhihua and his younger brother Zhang Jing put up Spring Festival couplets one after the other inside, talking loudly through the long empty room.Lin Qiao smiled and said, "I'm free, let's talk with you."

There was sadness in his eyes.But I'm used to it, after all, it's like this every year, they are like a harmonious and beautiful family, and he is an outsider who doesn't fit in.Neither the stepfather nor the younger brother isolated him intentionally, but the time they spent together was too short.Family love is like a cup of sugar water, if more and more impurities are mixed in, it will not be sweet anymore.

His mother asked him to carry the full dustpan, and while he was busy, he said, "That girl is very nice. She is tall and pretty, and the key point is that she is gentle and considerate."

The girlfriend had already returned home before the Chinese New Year.

"It's good."

"You don't want to give it off either. Let the little girl take the bus alone." With so many people, Lin Qiao couldn't even buy a bus ticket.

"As long as you like it, you're not very old anyway, so I won't rush you." She paused, "Just take your time. I don't care about you anymore."

There is also a six-year-old brother in the family, who is naughty and noisy occasionally, occupying all the adults' thoughts.Even Lin Qiao liked him very much. He was a child with a different personality from Lin Ming. He was lively and innocent, but the two brothers were not close.Lin Qiao went to other places when he was three years old.At the age he remembered, Lin Qiao was basically not by his side.

In the past, during the Chinese New Year, Lin Qiao's New Year's Eve dinner was not at Zhang's house, but went to grandpa's house to spend with the old man.The old man has no brothers and sisters, and his only son left his wife and son and ran away a few years ago.The old man was very stubborn, and he refused to recognize his son when he came back to see him. He only regarded Lin Qiao as his only descendant, but he loved him dearly.But he passed away three years ago, and Lin Qiao couldn't even cry.And his father by blood, the old man's son by blood, took a look at the funeral and left in a panic.This hometown is empty, and the only one who has a close relationship is the aging mother.

He helped Zhang Luo and was busy until night.Suddenly the phone rang.It's an unknown number.

"you are?"

"I'm Lin Ming." The voice over there was a little low, but the room was noisy.Lin Qiao went outside.

"Why did you call?"

The child is quiet for a while.Lin Qiao heard the noisy voice on the phone, with the sound of fireworks, probably someone had set off fireworks there to celebrate.

"Are you at home?"

"No."

"Where are you then? Where's your father?"

The child was silent for a moment; then he answered in a low voice, "He ran away."

"Run away? Why did he run away?" Lin Qiao raised his voice and asked nervously.

The phone on the other side was picked up by a young woman, "It's like this, Mr. Lin. Lin Changxi stabbed Lin Ming when he was drunk, and hurt his lungs. Now the child is in the hospital. He misses you very much. , offered to call you. Are you his brother?"

"Ah, yes, I am." Lin Qiao was in a daze, and then hurriedly asked, "Is Lin Ming okay?"

"The operation was very successful. The doctor said that he will recover after a period of time. You don't have to worry." The nurse looked at the child's sparkling eyes and continued, "The child misses you very much. He even has a caregiver by his side now." No. Now it's Chinese New Year again...but let's talk about it, I think the kid really wants to talk to you."

Quietly.

The child called out "brother".

The voice was still small, and Lin Qiao felt distressed.He still doesn't know what's going on, but how pitiful the child is alone!

The two talked again, but it was too late, and the nurse had to go home.Lin Qiao had no choice but to hang up the phone.In the room, Zhang Jing hugged the cup and lay down on the table to drink. Uncle Zhang smiled all over his face.His mother also smiled and said: "Come in quickly, you will set off firecrackers after dinner!"

Staring at the sofa next to him, he said, "Something. I have to go back tomorrow."

"It's so early to go back!"

"It's okay." He said vaguely.

"What's the matter? Is it important?"

Lin Qiao said without expression: "At work, the boss asked a few people to go back early to help. Now there is a shortage of manpower. I will arrive here in a few hours. Many people's hometowns are in Yunnan and Guizhou. It's too far away. One year is good. It's hard to go back and see my wife and son. I'll be closer and go first."

His mother looked at him for a while, "Then you go back."

Chapter 11

In the early morning of the next day, the ghostly shadows of dry branches in the village supported a deep blue sky.Lin Qiao met her mother who had just woken up. She was wearing the simple padded clothes she wore when she lived in the countryside, her hair was loose, and her face was tired.

"gone?"

Lin Qiao actually didn't sleep all night, but on the second day, it wasn't like that