In 1917, at the end of January, just a few days after the New Year, the heavy snowfall for days finally stopped. In the yard of "Li Mansion", several plum blossoms in the northeast corner bloomed, and the fragrance filled the garden. Li Yu held her hands behind her back
, hunched over, standing quietly in front of the wintersweet flowers for a long time. Uncle Fu put on a thick cotton coat and began to sweep away the remaining snow under the wintersweet trees.
After a while, Li Li's tomb was revealed, a round earth bag and a small stone tablet. Uncle Fu stood up and said: "Master, it's getting cold. Go back to the house and stay there. You can see it from upstairs."
Master."
Li Yu said nothing, as if no one was there, still only staring at Li Li's monument.
A car stopped at the door of "Li Mansion", and a man wearing a black windbreaker, a black bowler hat, and a pair of black leather shoes got out of the car.
As he entered the room, a gust of warm air came to him. Li Wan, who had just finished her confinement and had a plump figure, came close to him and took off his black windbreaker and put on a blue cotton gown. Only then did he reveal his
His original appearance.
He is none other than He Qi.
"It's cold outside. Dad has been staying at my second brother's place. Uncle Fu can't call me back, so you can go and persuade me." Li Wan whispered, looked up, lowered her head, fastened the buttons of her gown, and continued.
: "The eldest brother wrote a letter and said that he wanted to come back to see the second brother. I asked, but dad didn't say anything. I guess he didn't agree. The eldest brother hasn't been back for several years. Dad only sees him once."
Thinking about his wife's words, He Qi couldn't help but look towards the front yard. Through the blurred window, he vaguely saw an old figure standing under the wintersweet flowers. He nodded and said, "Yes! I understand."
Then he asked: "Is Xiao Shu'er awake?"
"Old Huang wants to be a peacemaker. He secretly wants to invite me, an old guy, to play chess. He says that your chess skills are too high and he can't play. He doesn't even think about it. You are a powerful player and even the Dongyi people can't do anything to you.
, what can he do if he stays in the French Concession? The French Concession is in charge of the affairs of the French Concession. Zhabei, Nanshi, the county seat, the downtown area, Xujiahui, and Yangshupu are not under the control of the French Concession. This is the Chinese boundary. The Huizhou Chamber of Commerce will be in
Shanghai
The city government welcomes the establishment of a factory, and the people also support it. Jiangwan is the seat of the city government, the county seat is the old city, and the area around the Chenghuang Temple. There are many people living in Nanshi, and they are all houses. Xuhui is a muddy pond, so it can only be built on the Suzhou River.
A factory has been built in Zhabei. The pier is not allowed to be touched, so it is close to the train station and the transportation is convenient. This is reasonable and legal. If someone insists on stopping it and breaks the rules, then it is no one else’s fault."
Li Wan looked stern: "Is it necessary?"
"You can just smoke outside, why do you still smoke when you go home? Little Shu'er is still young and can't smell the smell of cigarettes. When you smoke, dad wants to smoke too. He is old, and Doctor Tang said he can't smoke."
"Smoking is harmful to health, both good and bad."
Li Wan replied: "Fu Ma is breastfeeding."
He Qi didn't want to expose it, so he put out the cigarette.
He Qi thought for a moment and said, "You ask Fu Ma to wait for a while, and I'll go and persuade the old man to go back to the house first."
He had already embarked on this road and had no regrets about taking the medicine. He Qi hugged his uneasy wife tightly and comforted her: "Don't be afraid, I'm here! Everything will be fine."
In the baby room upstairs, the old man was holding little Shu'er to feed her, with a doting look on his face. He Qi walked in quietly and whispered to Fu's mother: "Fu's mother, bring some clean diapers."
"Dad, there is not enough firewood to burn." He Qi touched his daughter's little hand while talking. Although the old man had handed over all the burdens in the past year, He Qi still seemed to have such a problem.
I will tell you beforehand.
Before He Qi could say anything, she saw that the old man had already turned around and hurried back into the house. Little Shu'er was the old man's lifeblood.
The matchstick was rubbed too much and it was not easy to light. He Qi had to rub it many times before lighting one. Then he lit three cigarettes in succession. He bent down and placed them in front of Li Li's tomb, collecting a pile of snow.
fixed.
He Qi turned around and took out a pack of "Hardman" from the pocket of the black windbreaker hanging on the hanger, which was the one Brother Xun loved to smoke. He walked towards the front yard. After seeing Uncle Fu and nodding,
Then he walked towards the old man.
For a moment, Li Wan's ten fingers were tangled together nervously.
"What you smoke is not cigarettes, it's human relationships."
There was still a half-smoked cigarette left in the snow. Li Wan muttered in a low voice: "Doctor Tang said smoking is not good. If you haven't smoked before, smoke less." He then said: "Mr. Zhongpu asked someone to deliver it just now.
I said that I would invite you to dinner at noon tomorrow, but some people from the Huizhou Chamber of Commerce have already made an appointment at noon tomorrow, so you can make up your mind."
"Oh! It seems that they know better than me, and they have started to smoke this."
Mother Fu understood the idea, so she put the dirty diapers on the floor into the basket and went out. He Qi closed the door and walked up to the old man. She looked at the peaceful baby sucking her daughter with a chubby face and smiled knowingly.
He Qi took a deep breath and said, "It's necessary."
He Qi said: "The Huizhou Chamber of Commerce will move to the evening and go to Mr. Zhongpu's place at noon tomorrow. The Chinese New Year has just passed and I'm afraid I won't be home these days. You push as much as you can. On the evening of the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, prepare your home.
I want to invite the editor of the newspaper."
Three cigarettes emitted scarlet sparks and white smoke curled up. The old man looked back at the room and saw that Li Wan did not follow him. He picked up a cigarette from the ground and smoked it while coughing.
"Yu Bai! If you smoke from now on, don't touch Xiao Shu'er. I don't smoke now. I don't see people or go out. You can take care of other things by yourself. Don't ask me again in the future. I'm serious.
I'm old, I can't accept it! In the past year, I have seen everything you did. I am not as good as you, and Li Li is far behind you, so I feel relieved. The Huizhou Chamber of Commerce is doing well.
To be able to defeat others without fighting without fighting is something I will never be able to do in my life. I can't do it, and naturally neither can these old guys."
Li Wan said: "Little Shu'er is crying, refusing to feed, and making a fuss. Go and hug her."
Li Wan smiled instantly.
The old man didn't make any trouble, turned around with little Shu'er in his arms, and walked to the window, preventing He Qi from touching little Shu'er's little hand.
"Can't you smoke something better?" The old man smoked furtively while burying the poor "Hardman".
The old man seemed to be fine.
The old man smiled happily, smoked half of it shakily, and suddenly threw the cigarette on the ground and stepped on it. Because Li Wan came and saw He Qi smoking, he immediately complained.
"You can play chess, I'm at ease."
"The venue will definitely be built in Zhabei."
At the bottom of Dongting Lake, there are still two boats sinking, with 17 lives lost. He Qi thought of Li Li, half of his body was gone, and Li Li was eaten to pieces by fish and shrimp, and he felt a heartbreaking pain in his heart.
"Nanny! Eat milk! Nanny! Go to sleep!" The old man hugged little Shu'er and hummed a nursery rhyme. He glanced at the two cigarettes under the wintersweet tree and in front of the tomb, which had been extinguished for a long time.