【Strike Lotus】Silent City

7.

Sitting on the bench and sleeping all night, Xie Mie Tianlai woke up the next day with a sore back and a sore back. He took off the warm fur coat that Lianhua had covered him with step by step, and got up to relax his stiff limbs and waist after sitting for a long time.When he was wondering about Bu Lianhua's whereabouts, he suddenly heard a sound outside the house, as if someone was dragging a heavy object to walk.

He opened the door in three steps and two steps to check, and saw Lianhua with his back to the door in one step, bending over to pick up the shrubs that had been blown down by the sandstorm.The leaves of the dwarf tree are like thick needles, about two feet high, suitable for growing in the desert. According to the results of his visit two days ago, almost every house in Abel City has this kind of dwarf tree planted in front of the house to make the greening beautiful effect.

"What are you doing?" Cleaning the yard?It doesn't look like it.Although he didn't know the purpose of Yibu Lianhua, Xi Mie Tianlai still leaned over to separate the entangled bushes for him.

"You came at the right time," distracted from concentration, noticed Xi Mie Tianlai, stepped Lianhua to the other side of the toppled dwarf tree, and said to Xi Mie Tianlai: "Do you have a vacant basin bottom at home? I want to transplant this dwarf tree into a potted plant."

"Why? Even if it is re-transplanted, it won't survive." His mouth was yelling like this, but Xi Mie Tianlai seriously thought about where there is a pelvic floor. He had the impression that Azak's family should have it.

"I know that, I have another purpose." Yibu Lianhua smiled mysteriously, but her hands broke off some twisted and deformed branches without stopping for a moment.

"What's the purpose?" Asked curiously, Xi Mietian took out the communicator to contact Azak.

"Boss, what are you doing?" As if sensing what they needed, Mintel appeared at the door with some green basin bottoms in his arms, chewing the gum that Azak bought in the city.

Just in time!Xi Mie Tianlai conveniently took away one of the pelvic floor that Mintel was holding in his hand, and asked without answering, "Why did you bring these to my house?"

After all, if there are ready-made things, we should make the best use of them. He squatted down and shoveled a few handfuls of soil into the bottom of the basin, and then joined hands with Bu Lianhua to lift the collapsed dwarf tree and move it into the bottom of the basin.

"Mother asked me to bring it, she said boss, your house is too simple and eye-catching, it's rude to live in the doctor, so mother said to plant some drought-resistant flowers and plants here, and make it more beautiful... Boss , No one planted trees like this..." Seeing the strange behavior of the two, and seeing that their support was struggling and slightly swaying, Mintel rushed forward to give a helping hand.

"Minteli, go away." Unexpectedly, Minteli's flying body intervened. As soon as Xi Mie Tianlai detected the danger, his body automatically reacted and slanted to dodge. As soon as the center of gravity was lost, the entire short tree turned towards Minteli's direction Overwhelmed, he couldn't hold back for a while, so he shouted anxiously.

But Mintley couldn't dodge in time, his legs were crushed by the short trees, he closed his eyes and prepared to suffer pain, but the short trees pressed on his legs, but there was no pain as expected, and then he felt that there seemed to be a gap between his legs and the trees A layer of soft things... He took a closer look, and it was Xi Mie Tianlai and Bu Lianhua who put their four hands in the middle, relieved some of the pressure from the collision.

"Boss, doctor..." he exclaimed, and hurriedly broke free from the restraint and got up.

"Don't make a fuss, it's fine." Xi Mie Tianlai responded lightly, turned his gaze to Yibu Lianhua, and raised his eyebrows instead of asking.

"I'm fine." He replied with a smile, straightening the crooked pelvic floor.

"Mintelly, I saw you poking trouble from a long distance away, and you're already in a hurry when you're almost done." Mama arrived before the sound came, and from a distance, she shouted loudly at Minteli. "Fortunately, Xiao Mie and Lianhua are fine."

"Mum, don't miss him," said Melantha. He and Gorski came behind her. When Gorski saw her, he deliberately slowed down, taking advantage of Melanta's strong body. form to block himself. "He wanted to help the boss."

"Xiaoji? What are you doing hiding behind? I haven't seen you for several days, and Mommy wonders if you are hiding from me on purpose." Baodao Weilao's sharp eyes passed through the thick barrier of Merian Tower and caught him. Gorsky in hiding.

"Mommy, don't call me Xiaoji, it sounds awkward." With a wry smile, Gorski explained, "I didn't hide from you old man. The boss assigned me a task, and I have to finish it before the deadline." At this time, attacking the sky is the best shield.

"What's wrong with being called Xiaoji?" With a snort, Mother insisted on her own opinion, and suddenly sensed that something was wrong, she widened her old eyes and asked suspiciously: "It means that everyone has such a tacit understanding this morning, and they all went to Xiao Mie's house?"

"Uh... the sandstorm hit last night, so Ge ​​and I wanted to check everyone's safety." Merenta explained with difficulty, and Gersky nodded frequently behind Merenta.

"Yes, yes, me too." Mintel echoed.

"Really? But Mintel, when I asked you just now, didn't you say that you needed to find Azak? I just asked you to help bring the bottom of the pelvis to Mie."

"Ah?" Mintel scratched his head and said slowly when he heard that he showed his face, "By the way, I'm concerned."

The idiot!Everyone's eyes focused on Mintel, and he couldn't help but sweat.

Muma squinted suspicious eyes, first scanned the three of them one by one, and then settled on Xi Mie Tianlai, who pursed his lips tightly and did not speak, neither denying nor having the intention to comply with the excuse made by his companion.

"I think they should have gathered for business research for a plan two days later." The soft voice came from Yibu Lianhua.

"Doctor..." The three people at the scene howled inwardly. Bu Lianhua's unexpected blunt words caught them off guard, but they were attacked by Xi Mie Tian Lai, who always remained calm and stable.

"Plan? What plan? Why haven't I heard you mention it?" Mom's eyes were sharp, and she continued in a deep voice: "Xiao Mie, what are you planning to hide from me?"

"This time the operation is very simple, only three people are required to participate, and it will not be more dangerous than usual." Xi Mietian looked at his mother squarely, his tone was light, and his firm will was unshakable.

"It's not dangerous, why do you need to hide it from me?" Mother asked forcefully, unwillingly.

"Mom, Xi Mie doesn't want you to be careless."

Azak did not know when he came to the door of Xie Mie Tianlai's house, he said calmly and calmly: "Besides, you must make good use of the grain robbery when you come back, and hiding it in Abel City for too long will easily lead to more disasters." Big danger."

"You don't need to explain so much to me, I just want to ask, how long do you want to secretly fight against the government? When you planned to rob food last time, didn't you tell me that it was the last time? What would this do to Abel City? Substantial help? You are the hope of Abel City, if you are gone, what is the use of leaving an empty town and us useless old people?"

Mama's questioning was like a sharp arrow, piercing straight and accurately into the hearts of everyone present, Melenta clenched her fists, her dark face turned to a dark place that Mama couldn't see.

Knowing that she had spoken too seriously, Mommy sighed deeply, and said in an instant like a deflated ball, "Forget it, forget it, it's useless to say it now... Anyway, you won't listen to it... I'm going back "The sufferings these children have experienced are vivid in her eyes, and she can't bear to add insult to injury, especially since she knows that they are hiding it from her because they are afraid that she will be anxious and have no choice but to do so.

"Mom," a cry woke everyone up, Lianhua stepped over Xi Mie Tianlai's side, grabbed Mu Ma and said slowly: "Don't rush away, can you do me a favor?"

In the obviously frozen atmosphere, Yibu Lianhua made a weird request.

Full of doubts, Muma nodded blankly, not knowing what kind of medicine was sold in Lianhua Gourd with a smile on her face, but she had no reason to refuse.She glanced at the others, and everyone was also confused, including Xi Mie Tianlai, who was the most unmoved, with the same question on his face and eyes.

"Great, with Muma's help, it will definitely be completed faster." Yibu Lianhua said to herself.

"This... Lianhua, what do you want me to help you with?"

"I want Mommy to help me make Christmas tree decorations."

■

Everyone fell into a momentary silence when they first heard the term Christmas tree. So... what is it?

People in Abel don't know what Christmas is, and they have never held a similar celebration.

Yibu Lianhua explained that Christmas is a grand festival in the ancient Yapei country. Although few people celebrate this festival today, a small number of people still pass on this custom.

Christmas is the day when God was born. In the belief of Yapei people, God has many names, but there is only one God.So far, Yapei has tended to diversify religions due to its integration into many ethnic groups, and the importance and significance of this festival has gradually been lost in the torrent of history; and the country of Elis generally believes in nature. No research, no concept of Christmas.

After Yibu Lianhua's explanation, everyone seemed to understand but didn't understand, but the Christmas tree that got rid of religious connotations sounded quite interesting anyway, so they followed Yibu Lianhua's suggestion and started making the required decorations and light bulbs.

"I told you before that my mother is from Yapei. When I was a child, I often heard her mention the way Yapei people celebrate Christmas. It seems very interesting, but I have never had a chance to try it out." Xi Mie Tianlai, who was trimming the tree shape, said beside him, holding a box of small and delicate ornaments that Mama sewed by herself, including bear dolls, little stars, babies with wings, and some small animals. "Mommy's hand is so skillful, she can do it so perfectly just by listening to my description."

One step Lianhua grabbed a little angel, her smiling eyes were bent into two slits.

The actual situation is that he has not seen the Christmas tree himself. His impression of the Christmas tree comes from his mother's dictation and hand-painted drawings. His mother once drew the Christmas tree in her memory on the snow. After her mother died, her memory was removed Flowing into his own memory, it seems that he has never been far away from him.

"Why did you suddenly propose to make a Christmas tree? What are you thinking?" Xi Mie Tianlai turned his head and asked quietly, his hands were still trimming the branches neatly, and his eyes drifted to the mother who was bowing her head and concentrating on sewing ornaments from time to time, so as not to let her hear.

"You suspect that I have a plan?" What can a Christmas tree have? "You are too suspicious." He raised his brows and looked back at the sky.

"It's not suspicion," he thought for a moment, deciding to modify the words. "I just want to know your real intentions."

"Hmm..." Pretending to ponder, Lianhua took a step forward and said calmly, "Actually, Christmas is not only a religious festival, but also a festival for lovers and family members."

The last sentence stirs up layers of waves in Xi Mie Tian Lai Xin Lake, and after the water waves rippling away, there is a pool of softness that has not been exposed for a long time but longs to be touched.

Yibu Lianhua's warm eyes seemed to penetrate the lake and look directly at the soft side. He concealed the floating thoughts in his eyes and said softly: "Abel City is like a big family to me. The relationship between you is like a big family. Getting along is like a family member, I like this kind of interaction." For a long time, Christmas has been a lock in his heart, locking the past between him and his mother. "I think Christmas is right for you, and I hope that the blessings of Christmas will come to you."

Do you pray?Xi Mie Tianlai let out a soft hum from his throat, he didn't take it to heart, but said in a low voice: "You also have friends who are like family."

"Yeah, but we get together less and stay away more... It should be said that I don't have a fixed service base. Even if I successfully joined the Transboundary Physicians Organization, at best I am just a half-toned doctor who has not received formal and strict medical education. Really get into the system of orchestration.” Therefore, he often acts as the rescuer of the organization. Whenever there is a shortage of manpower resources or where the environment is too harsh and few doctors are willing to go, it is the turn of doctors outside the system to go into battle. Although working Less guaranteed, but the degree of freedom is relatively loose.

"You're not half-toned." Practical surgical experience is far richer and more adaptable than knowledge gleaned from books.

"Heh..." Feeling Xi Mie Tianlai's protection, Yibu Lianhua felt warmth in his heart. "I can't tell, your gardening skills are quite proficient."

Knowing that he wanted to change the subject, Xi Mie Tianlai followed suit and said, "Isn't it too cumbersome to hang so many ornaments on the tree?"

"Is it true? People can never have too many wishes."

Hearing this, Xi Mietian looked sideways at Lianhua and said, "These decorations represent wishes?"

Yibu Lianhua hung a delicate paper crutch with her hands, nodded and said: "From bottom to top, the wish at the top is more unattainable, but the more desired by people... I heard that according to the old habits, most people will be at the top of the tree. Hang up the stars."

"What do people want stars for?"

"Man longs for God."

"Tsk." Chick low, Xi Mie Tianlai made a concise comment. "unrealistic."

"Even if it's unrealistic, it still has a soothing effect. No matter who you are, no matter how bad the situation is, you need hope as a support, even if it's an unrealistic wish." After a short pause, Lianhua continued: "It's like no matter how difficult the situation is. No matter how difficult the real situation in Albert City is, you must give the citizens of Albert City a little hope.”

This man is really sharp.Self-deprecatingly ticking off the corners of his lips without responding, Xi Mie Tian Lai picked up a star, put it on the top of the tree with a small chair and stool, and then stretched out some distance with his arms around his chest to gaze at the whole.

"There are still some legends about Christmas. Yapei people believe that miracles will happen on Christmas."

"I'll wait."

The mocking tone made Bu Lianhua dumbfounded, and simply stopped talking about it.At the other end, Mintel ran excitedly to the tree with a decoration box in his hand.

"Boss, doctor, me and Mai Mai also made a box of decorations, and we want to put them on it too." He jumped up and down like a child, and before Xi Mietian could react, he hurriedly put his completed work One by one hanging on the tree.

Soon the whole tree was covered with a dizzying array of objects, including pipes, eagles, rattlesnakes, robots, lip prints, Prime Minister Ellis's head, chocolate bars, cannonballs, cigarette butts, and legs that were exposed. hot sexy girl.

"Mintelly, what the hell are you hanging on? Why don't you take it off quickly, and let the doctor see it as a joke." Mother, wearing her presbyopic glasses, yelled loudly while picking up the lighter on the table and throwing it at Mintel, hitting a red heart.

"It hurts," Mintley said innocently, grinning and clutching his forehead that was smashed red, "Mommy, it's made by Ge Hemai, it's not me, and..." The wonderful thing is still not hanging on, Muttering in his heart, Mintel dared not speak out.

"These two brats," said Muma, whose nimble movements were not restrained by her plump figure at all. She put down the half-cut calico, and lifted up the clothespin to try to find the brat she was talking about, but the two parties were early One step away. "Still running!"

While Mama was busy arresting people, Mintel seized the opportunity to hang up all the things that hadn't been arranged yet.

The so-called being entrusted by others and being loyal to others, he will not disappoint his brother's entrustment.

Xi Mie Tianlai stepped aside to give Mintelli his position, and slightly raised his lips in a shallow arc.

■

As the moon was rising, they moved the Christmas tree full of ornaments outside the house, and then circled the colorful light bulbs that Gorski hurriedly made according to Lianhua's words, and the Christmas tree was completed.When the light bulbs flickered and flickered, everyone was dumbfounded.

Mintel squatted on the ground, put his elbows on his knees and his palms on his cheeks, and muttered almost stupidly: "It's so beautiful..."

Gorsky rested his arm on Melenta's shoulder, leaning slightly on it as a fulcrum, enjoying the beauty that he had never seen before together with Melenta.

"There are still ten days before Christmas, and those who are interested still have time to put up a Christmas tree in front of their house before that day." Seeing everyone's happy expressions, Bu Lianhua added.At that time, at a glance, the whole row of lantern rivers will meander, and it must be very magnificent.

Not long after, people from the whole town received the news and flocked to Ximie Tianlai's house to watch the spectacle. Some women and their children came forward to touch the blinking light bulbs.In order to prevent the threshold of his own house from being trampled by the townspeople, Xi Mie Tianlai, together with Azak and others, drove the Christmas tree and the miniature power storage box to the square, so that the townspeople could watch it more happily.

Melenta temporarily proposed to set up a campfire to drink with grilled snake meat, and everyone responded. After drinking and eating, some people began to shake the cans of ale, opened the cans and sprayed them on their relatives and friends, and splashed themselves and their companions all wet. The overflowing joy is brighter than a multicolored light bulb.

The bloody massacre that had been staged in the square years ago was gradually diluted and covered by the taste of ale; the once silent town was filled with crazy noise.

If the hatred can be thrown away and the pain can be forgotten, can they also stay away from distress and live a happier life?

Xi Mie Tianlai sat beside the campfire with ale in his hand, sipping slowly one after another, asking himself in his heart over and over again.

He looked at the vigorous vitality in front of him, and Lianhua looked at him.

■

Time goes by, the night is deep and the moon is sinking.

The crowd in the square gradually dispersed, Azak and the other four were so drunk that they fell asleep on the other side of the fire.When Xi Mie Tianlai drove his mother home and returned to the square, Bu Lianhua was lying under the Christmas tree, looking up at the dark night sky.

Xi Mie Tianlai took off his coat and spread it on the ground, lying beside Bu Lianhua, facing the sky with him.

"Thank you for everything you have done for the city of Abel today... Muma's mood is much calmer." On the way to send Muma home, she leaned against the car window to take a nap, with a faint smile on her slightly drunk face.Muma didn't chat with him like usual, she only reminded him softly when she got off the car: "Be careful when you go out tomorrow morning, remember to come and see me first when you come back." 』He responded lightly, and didn't look at Muma's back any more.

"You don't need to thank me, I didn't help you with anything. If the external form lacks the inner emotional consensus, everything will be futile." Bu Lianhua took a deep breath of the cool wind with the smell of yellow sand, and said softly: " To be honest, I like the environment in Abel City, although sometimes it is too quiet. Especially, the people here are very nice.”

"None of them reject you," let alone his companions, they never regarded Yibu Lianhua as an enemy from the beginning, let alone Muma.Xi Mietian was silent for a moment, and then said with difficulty: "If you want to stay here, I don't think anyone will object."

"You mean, I can also be a part of you, your family?"

Bu Lianhua's question was like a stone thrown into a well, once it sank to the bottom, Shi Mie Tianlai's chest trembled for a while, but it was difficult to continue.

family...

"Hey, look, change the way." Ignoring Xi Mie Tianlai's silence, Lianhua stretched his right palm to mid-air and said, "You can touch the stars."

Hearing this, Xi Mie Tianlai did not say a word, but also stretched out his arms towards the sky. The palms of the two people were one in front of the other, one far away and the other close. The parallax caused by the distance made the palms of the two people overlap.

Seeing this, he smiled and put the shock in his heart behind him.

At this moment, silence is better than sound.