When Sheng Yao and Bai Xiao came back from the cemetery, they had dinner outside. Bai Xiao also wanted to go to their parents' house to see it. This time was pretty good. The two of them could avoid the crowd during the day and not be discovered by the old neighbors, and they also saved the effort of disguising themselves.

Sheng Yao talked to Bai Xiao about the old neighbors of his father-in-law and mother-in-law's house on the road. Those people can be said to have grown up when they watched Bai Xiao grow up, and they have a close relationship with their father-in-law and mother-in-law, which is really in line with the saying "a distant relative is worse than a close neighbor". It is completely different from the unfamiliar neighborhood relationships in the newly built community. Sheng Yao has been in good relationship with the old man and the old man over the years, but those neighbors are the same generation as their father-in-law and mother-in-law. Most of them have passed away over the years, and their health is not good. Few people can often move in the community.

After some people die, their parents and younger generations sell their houses; some have moved into nursing homes long ago, or they are picked up by their children and grandchildren, so the houses are naturally rented and sold. There are always old people in the community, and new people will always come.

Kong Yajie's family moved in later. They were not familiar with their parents-in-law, so Sheng Yao did not know them. Among the remaining people, such as Lao Zhang, the father-in-law's chess friend, was born in this community like Bai Xiao, and grew up here. He was seven or eight years older than Bai Xiao, and was a boy. When he was a child, he couldn't play with Bai Xiao. Sheng Yao had heard Bai Xiao mention that her childhood playmate had someone else, but she moved in junior high school and gradually broke off contact. After Lao Zhang got married, he moved out for a while and only came to the community to visit his parents on weekends and holidays. About thirty years ago, because his father was paralyzed in bed and moved back to take care of his parents, he became closer to his father-in-law and his father-in-law. He became chess friends who had forgotten ages with his father-in-law and became familiar with Sheng Yao.

Speaking of which, Sheng Yao felt quite awkward when he saw Lao Zhang calling "Uncle Zhang".

Bai Xiao couldn't remember what Lao Zhang was doing, but was impressed by Lao Zhang's parents and was quite surprised. "Uncle Zhang is paralyzed?" Bai Xiao's "Uncle Zhang" was naturally Lao Zhang's father. After blurting out these words, Bai Xiao became a little sad. "He used to give me red envelopes every year during the Chinese New Year... The dumplings made by my aunt are very delicious..."

"Well..." Sheng Yao nodded. When he first came to meet his parents, his father-in-law even invited Uncle Zhang to come and see his future son-in-law. The following year, the Spring Festival, he went to his parents-in-law's house to pay New Year's greetings. When he entered the community, he met Uncle Zhang. Later, he went to his parents-in-law's house to give him a red envelope. His wedding with Bai Xiao naturally invited the Zhang family. At that time, Lao Zhang was a young man with a beer belly. Because of his mature appearance, he looked middle-aged. Now, Lao Zhang's beer belly shrank and his hairline shrank. His face had been as good as a day, and at this age, he looked young.

"It was a stroke, half of the body was paralyzed. Lao Zhang served him for more than ten years." Sheng Yao said with emotion, "Auntie and him are both right. After the two passed away, Lao Zhang did not move out, but continued to live in the old house and often played chess with his father at the subway entrance."

"Oh? There were so many people playing chess over there before. It hasn't changed for so many years." Bai Xiao's tone became a little relaxed.

"Lao Zhang raised a dog last year, a stray dog, but Boss Le gave him the name, "Gui Guai".

Bai Xiao was not particularly interested in Lao Zhang's affairs. It was not surprising. To her, Lao Zhang was the child of Uncle Zhang's family. When she was a child, she was a strange neighbor's eldest brother, and when she grew up, she was a strange "Uncle Zhang's son". On the contrary, Sheng Yao and Lao Zhang moved back to this community, he became familiar with Lao Zhang because of his father-in-law. However, he was just a familiar neighbor.

Sheng Yao talked about these to Bai Xiao at this time, and what surged in his heart was the memories of these thirty-five years. This was the thirty-five years without Bai Xiao. He was very lonely, but not completely lonely. He met many new "friends", but never met a lover again. The gap in his heart could not be filled by those "friends". But now, Bai Xiao stood by his side again and walked side by side with him. After the gap was filled, he found that the images of those "friends" became clear. It was like the fog covering his vision was blown away by the wind, and it was like a tulle that covered his eyes was pulled away, and he saw the vivid world in front of him again.

The joys, angers, sorrows, and happiness of others, and the joys, sorrows, separations and reunions of others can touch his heart again.

Sheng Yao turned his head and looked at Bai Xiao beside him, looked at her quiet side face, and couldn't help but smile.

Bai Xiao looked at him squintly, "What are you laughing at? What are you thinking?"

"Nothing. It's just... it feels so good." Sheng Yao blocked Bai Xiao's shoulder.

Bai Xiao widened his eyes, "Uncle Zhang's affairs are 'so good'?"

"No, no." Sheng Yao quickly corrected, "It's great to tell you these things."

Bai Xiao couldn't help but smile and leaned his head on Sheng Yao's shoulder.

Sheng Yao pursed the smile on the corner of his mouth. He turned around and looked behind him.

Behind me is an ordinary street. There are many shops on the street closed, and the convenience store is brightly lit for only 24 hours a day.

There are other pedestrians on the street, all of which are ordinary and nothing unusual.

Sheng Yao frowned and slowly withdrew his gaze.

"What's wrong?" Bai Xiao raised his head.

"It's nothing. I always feel restless today." Sheng Yao shook his head.

"Because of tomb sweeping?" Bai Xiao asked.

Sheng Yao still shook his head, but his movements became slow. He suddenly remembered the phone that had ringed several times during the grave sweeping. He hadn't seen who sent the message. He had not even glanced at the notification bar before, taking a bus, eating, and paying for mobile phones.

Sheng Yao took out his cell phone and clicked on the message, and was slightly stunned.

"What's wrong?" Bai Xiao asked again, his voice a little tense.

"Oh, nothing, didn't the phone ring when I was visiting the grave before? I was a former classmate. Isn't they all retired?"

These students have retired one after another, and then they remembered the old classmates who have not seen each other for many years and the past years, and clamored to organize a class reunion. The class monitor sent a group message that the class group that had been dead for many years has become active again, and the news kept scrolling.

"I'm afraid I can't participate in this way now." Bai Xiao immediately said regretfully.

Sheng Yao pinched his phone and looked at Bai Xiao. He could only see that Bai Xiao's face looked as calm as usual, and there was no expression of regret.

He opened his mouth, but closed his mouth again. Several names appeared in his mind, but he buried them in his heart.

...

Sheng Yao and Bai Xiao mentioned earlier that Lao Zhang was walking their dog near the community.

Because of taking care of Lao Zhang's parents, the couple lived a life of the elderly going to bed early and getting up early. In the past year, they adopted the stray dog ​​saved by Boss Le, and their time to get up was postponed. After dinner at night, Lao Zhang's wife went downstairs to dance square dance and took her around. At this time, Lao Zhang finished watching two episodes of TV series and took her downstairs to the bathroom.

"It's hot, hurry up, be nice. Don't run into it, it's all bugs." Old Zhang pulled the dog leash and muttered to Guaiguai.

After finding a good place and starting to solve the physiological problems, Lao Zhang looked around bored.

He was bald for many years, and due to obesity and family inheritance, he had hypertension and gastrointestinal diseases, but his vision was always excellent. Now, he took advantage of the dim street lights in the community and saw Sheng Yao and Bai Xiao not far away. However, he only saw Sheng Yao's side and glimpsed a young woman with long hair in his arms.

Old Zhang recognized Sheng Yao, but did not see the woman's face blocked by Sheng Yao. When he saw Sheng Yao walking with a young girl, he did not open his mouth. He glanced at him a little strangely and scratched his sparse temples, wondering why "Sheng Yao's nephew" brought his girlfriend here at this time. Did Sheng Yao lend the house of Lao Bai to his nephew after he went out for a trip? No one had moved in during the day.

Lao Zhang was puzzled and thought a lot.

Elderly people like him either "turn a blind eye to the outside world" or have extensive social interactions, and know everything about the family and family in the community. Lao Zhang is obviously the latter.

As soon as this thought spread, Lao Zhang was rubbed with his legs and came to his senses.

Sheng Yao and Bai Xiao had already walked away and could no longer see any figures.

Lao Zhang's curiosity was not so serious that he wanted to go over and see it. Seeing that Guaiguai had solved his physiological problems, he took out the paper and plastic bags he had prepared long ago and cleaned them up.

When he stood up with a plastic bag, he looked up and saw another figure on the path.

It was a young man in a shirt and trousers. His bangs covered his eyes, revealing only his straight nose bridge and his firm jaw. He put his hands in his pockets, his figure was straight, but he was careless. He looked like a leisurely walk, but soon disappeared from Lao Zhang's vision.

Old Zhang stared at the man's back and walked around a residential building in a daze, and subconsciously stretched his neck to look around.

"Wuwu..." Obediently urged, he ran forward two steps forward, pulling the dog leash.

Old Zhang looked down at me, and habitually wanted to scratch his temples, but his rough face touched the plastic bag.

"Oh hey!" Lao Zhang shouted in disgust and quickly took the bag away.

"Wang." He shouted softly.

"Okay, OK, I know, we're back." Lao Zhang agreed, but turned his head while walking, staring at the place where the young man disappeared before. He murmured, "It's so strange... Is it a dazzling look? Hiss... Why did you see two in this moment..."

I got to know the house and the road, and I arrived at the garbage room in the community.

Lao Zhang threw away the plastic bag, stood there for a while, suddenly pulled the dog leash and walked to the other side.

He looked at Lao Zhang obediently and confused for a moment.

"Wait first. Let's go back later." Old Zhang comforted Guai and walked straight forward.

He walked very quickly at first, and when he arrived at the building where the young man disappeared, he became hesitant, not knowing which fork to go to. He took two steps to the left, then retreated, walked a little to the right, looked forward, and then hesitated in the next second.

He circled around Lao Zhang in confusion.

Lao Zhang looked down at it, "Oh, forget it, what am I thinking..." As he said this, Lao Zhang pondered for a while and took another step.

His steps were very hesitant, and when he really saw the young man again, he was shocked.

He looked at the man's back, hesitated for a moment, and still took a few steps forward, opening his mouth to say hello.

After taking this step, he saw the man's face.

There was an extra cigarette on the man's mouth. He did not suck the clouds, but just burned slowly with the cigarette. Because of his head tilting, the man's eyes were exposed from under his bangs.

Those eyes were as dark as ink, but there was a scarlet reflection of cigarette butts falling deep in the eyes. The gloomy gaze was unconcealed and revealed a scattered malice.

Lao Zhang's steps were fixed, and his throat seemed to be pinched, and he couldn't make any noise.

He suddenly felt a sense of crisis.

The man's eyes rolled.

Before the man saw it, Lao Zhang turned around instinctively, buried his head, and pulled him, "We are going home! Hurry up! Don't stay outside! Hurry up! I'm going to be beaten when I get home!"

Guaiguai didn't know if he was particularly spiritual or felt something like Lao Zhang. It whimpered with its tail, making a low whimper, and was dragged away by Lao Zhang.

One man and one dog left the building in awkward shape, and left like flying.

After running far away, Lao Zhang breathed a sigh of relief and felt a layer of goose bumps appear behind him.

He touched the sweat on his temples, looked at the wilted gay, and comforted him: "Good, beg, I'm sorry, I'm not scolding you. Oh...this matter..."

He walked two steps weakly and stopped again.

He grabbed the dog leash with all his might, but he didn't move.

Old Zhang looked back with lingering fear, and was also a little worried.

After thinking about it, he took out his cell phone on the spot, searched through the chat records for a long time, found the name of "Xiao Sheng", and called Sheng Yao.

The phone rang a few times and was picked up.

"Xiao Sheng, I am Lao Zhang." Lao Zhang said anxiously, and after saying this, he got stuck.

"Hello, Lao Zhang, hello." The voice on the other end of the phone was a little vague.

Lao Zhang didn't realize what was wrong, he just stammered and asked awkwardly: "Well, are you traveling outside?"

"Um."

"Did you lend the house here in Lao Bai, uh, did you lend it to your nephew?" Although Lao Zhang is a gossiper, he called someone to find someone to ask questions for the first time. He was a little stuttering when he spoke.

"Well..." The other end of the phone still responded vaguely.

"That's right, I just saw him in the community...he...your nephew, have you known someone outside?..." Lao Zhang hesitated.

"Oh, it's okay. I know." The other end of the phone was vague, but the words were said unambiguous.

Lao Zhang wanted to speak but stopped, but in the face of such a decisive answer, he didn't know how to continue.
To be continued...