Feng Yanhong could tell that since autumn, the second grandfather's health has been getting worse and worse.
In the past, she always liked to take the birds to sit in the yard next to her small workshop, but now she hasn't gone there for a week. This morning she even saw the curvature of her second grandfather's back.
Grandpa Er met her worried eyes and smiled kindly.
"Yanhong, today is my day off. Please accompany me for a walk."
"Okay." Feng Yanhong agreed happily.
The second grandfather asked Feng Yanhong to carry the birdcage, and he walked slowly in front with his hands behind his back. His pace was obviously not as strong as before.
"Second Master, are you going out?"
"Well, let's go out for a walk."
Whenever someone greets someone, Er Ye still nods and responds as before.
The two of them walked slowly and leisurely all the way to the small workshop. The second grandfather took out the key and opened the door to the courtyard next door.
"I told you, I take care of this yard. I usually clean it myself, but now I'm afraid I can't do it myself."
Feng Yanhong immediately understood what the second grandfather meant, and immediately answered: "Then I can help you clean it up, can you come once a week?"
"Just come once every half month, there's no need to come too often." Second Grandpa nodded with satisfaction.
"I've been guarding this yard for decades, but I've never been able to bring anyone back."
There was endless loneliness and loss in the second grandfather's tone, which moved Feng Yanhong.
Li Boshan told her that the owner of this courtyard should be a woman. The second grandfather has been guarding this courtyard for decades...
Thinking about it, you know that that woman is a very important person to the second grandfather. Is it because of that woman that the second grandfather has always been single?
"For some reason, this yard is not popular all year round, but the pomegranate trees grow exceptionally well. They bear fruit every year, and they have grown again this year."
Second Grandpa pointed to the pomegranate tree on the porch, with joy in his eyes.
Feng Yanhong took a quick look and found that the courtyard was very small. With three rooms and a kitchen room, there was not much space in the middle.
There are indeed three red fist-sized fruits on the pomegranate tree, which look very gratifying.
There is also a red rose next to the pomegranate tree, which is still blooming vigorously in autumn.
There are many vacant flower pots under the eaves. It seems that the owner of this house is indeed a flower lover. As for whether she is a woman, it is hard to say.
"Can this pomegranate be eaten?" Feng Yanhong hung the birdcage in her hand on the hook under the eaves, turned around and leaned close to the pomegranate tree.
"I can't eat it, it's so sour." The second grandfather smiled and shook his head. He pulled out a small stool from the room and sat down.
"When I planted this tree, I didn't think about eating the fruit."
"To see the flowers?" Feng Yanhong arched her eyebrows and smiled softer.
"Haha~" Second Grandpa smiled, just taking it as acquiescence.
"You sit down first and I'll clean up." Feng Yanhong rolled up her sleeves, picked up the bucket to get water, and looked for a rag.
"There's no need to be too careful, I'm afraid I won't be able to wait for this person to come back anyway." The second grandfather looked at the small courtyard, and for some reason, a sense of sourness filled his heart.
During the decades when the country was in turmoil, he had never found life difficult. Ever since she took over the mission and left in a hurry, his life had become more difficult day by day.
When he was young, he always felt that there was hope, but at this age, he no longer knew what hope was.
There has been no news for decades, no one knows whether he is alive or dead...
Even if he is here, that little girl is almost eighty now, will she have forgotten him a long time ago?
Feng Yanhong was always quick at work, and there were no furnishings in this house, so it was easy to clean up.
The second grandfather seemed to be in a very low mood. She went in and out again and again, only watching him staring at the pomegranate tree in a daze.
Feng Yanhong picked up the broom handle and swept the yard again. The cleaning was complete.
"Num, drink some water. Let's go back after taking a rest." The second grandfather took the initiative to pour a glass of water for Feng Yanhong and put it on the low table.
"Second Grandpa, the owner of this yard must be a very important person to you, right?"
Feng Yanhong had actually always been curious about the owner of this yard, but her second grandfather never told her, and it was hard for her to ask.
She was very worried when she saw her second grandfather in such a lonely state today, so...
It seems like you shouldn't ask.
"Well, she is my unmarried wife."
Feng Yanhong saw his expression changing again and again, and thought that the second grandfather would not tell him.
No matter how much she had guessed before, she still looked surprised when she heard this answer.
"I am eleven years older than her, and she is my husband's daughter."
"I've been a jerk for half my life. No one in the Li family compound can do anything to me, except her..."
"During the student riot, his parents were both arrested, and later both committed suicide in prison. She followed her uncle's family south to seek refuge, and we haven't seen each other for five or six years."
"Later, the Li family also suffered a disaster. Before my father and brother left, they entrusted the whole family to me. According to my father and brother's instructions, I took the whole family to Haishi to seek refuge with relatives and friends."
"It was only in Haishi that I saw her again. I don't know what she went through in those six or seven years. In short, we couldn't help ourselves when we met again."
He would never forget in his life that when they met again, she shot the Japanese spy without any hesitation.
It was also at that time that he felt so powerless that he realized how useless he was!
"The country has been in chaos for decades. Although we were both in Haishi at the time, we only met very rarely. We agreed that when the country was liberated, we would return to the capital to get married..."
When the second grandfather said this, his eyes became cloudy and his tone became more and more choked.
"But just before liberation, she took another mission to Taipei. Until now, there has been no news from her..."
He always knew that she was in danger every time she went on a mission, but he could only be a bystander every time, waiting for news that she was safe day after day.
Since she went to Taipei, he has never heard from her again, until now.
Feng Yanhong's head was pounding when she heard it, and she just felt sorry for her second grandfather and grandma.
When the survival of the country is at stake, how many people are so helpless?
"Perhaps it's just because of the communication barrier..."
Second Grandpa waved his hand and said with slightly lowered eyebrows: "Since 1987, some people have come back. It's been almost three years."
Either the person is gone, or the agreement between them has been completely forgotten.
In fact, he would rather she forget, at least she is still alive and well. As long as she is still well, he has not waited in vain for these decades!
Why......
He didn't know how long he could wait, even if he could wait for a little bit of news.