Chapter 78 1
A novel that begins well may not end likewise; just as a novel that begins poorly may end wonderfully.Hemingway said that his excellent works are like an iceberg floating on a sea of ice, two-thirds of which are hidden below the surface of the water.Is it the same for some people?Two-thirds of their desire for life has been submerged below the surface of reality for a long time. When two-thirds surfaced due to some seemingly irresistible external force, its form is so confusing and confusing to us. Shock.
Mr. Zhao, who taught Hao Mei's fashion design ten years ago, was so sympathetic and tireless in teaching.No one could have imagined that a good man like him would commit a crime of corruption worthy of being shot in his twilight years after retirement.
Zhang Meng came here to tell Hao Mei the news.Back then, Hao Mei approached Zhang Meng and begged her to introduce her mentor who taught her fashion design to Zhang Meng's company.In order to save Hao Mei's face, Zhang Meng decided to make Mrs. Zhao a consultant for the advertising department in her department.Teacher Zhao is very capable, and gradually he is also highly valued by the general manager.No one could have imagined that such an honest and kind person, while working silently, was also quietly corrupting.The incident happened recently, and after investigation, it turned out that nearly one million yuan was embezzled, and all of it was squandered.
When Hao Mei heard the news, she found out the passbook without even thinking about it, and wanted to make it up for Teacher Zhao, but only after hearing the exact amount of embezzlement did she realize that her 20,000 yuan deposit could not save Teacher Zhao's life, and she was completely desperate.A person hid in the back room and wiped away tears.
Just then, Han Debao came in.
Han Debao came out of the small one-story house, came to a row of trash cans, and threw in the plastic bags of dirt that had just been taken out of the sewer, and happened to run into Hao Mei and Lao Pan's son Yunyun.
It was Yunyun who forcibly dragged Han Debao home.Han Debao hadn't been to Hao Mei's house for a long time, so he just followed him. He didn't expect to encounter such a thrilling thing.
Han Debao raised his face in a daze, for a moment, let out a long sigh, and patted his knee heavily: "Man, man, he has been innocent all his life, been upright all his life, been kind all his life, and been a good person all his life. It's almost the end of the day, but you have to suffer such a big somersault, but you have to be shot... What's the matter with being crazy?"
Zhang Meng said: "Of course he is not crazy. Judging from his confession materials, he is fully prepared for such a day sooner or later."
Han Debao said: "How is this possible! There are millions, how can they be squandered?"
Lao Pan said: "In these days, there are many places for people to eat, drink and have fun. It's not the old days, when you have money, you don't have a place to squander it."
Han Debao said: "Yes, when my father-in-law was alive, he often told me how the first case he took over was solved. It was also a corruption case, and the neighbor exposed it, saying that the family ate fried steamed buns almost every day. It was from such a clue that the case was broken through..."
Zhang Meng said: "Nearly a million, and he squandered it in less than a year. Ask him if he regrets it? He said no regrets. Ask him if he is afraid of death? He said no. He said he didn't understand until he was sixty years old. It is said that people have only one life, and they would rather be rich and honored for ten days than a hundred years. They also said that they only want to die quickly and have no regrets. Of course, he is the kind of person who does not smoke, drink, or enjoy himself. Nearly a million wasted. Most of the money was spent on women."
Han Debao: "Needless to say, those women are beautiful?"
Zhang Meng shrugged: "How do I know? I haven't seen them before. He also refuses to reveal those women. At this point, he is still determined to keep their reputations from being implicated."
Han Debao said with emotion: "He is such a person."
Lao Pan said: "Debao, Hao Mei has been sad for a long time. Zhang Meng and I don't know how to persuade her. She listens to you, you can persuade her."
Han Debao said: "Then... I'll try."
He got up and went into the back room, and said to Yunyun: "Yunyun, go out for a while, let me say a few words to your mother." Yunyun went out.
Han Debao sat on the small bed, looking at Hao Mei who was sitting on the big bed.
Hao Mei turned her tearful face away.
Han Debao comforted her and said, "Hao Mei, you have repaid Teacher Zhao's kindness to you back then. Teacher Zhao himself has no regrets, so we don't have to feel too sorry for him. People are afraid that he thinks he understands. , I think I have seen it through. Mr. Zhao is not the kind of person who is confused for a while. I think...he must want to make up for the shortcomings of his life in such an undesirable way... Let's just think he did it Something that he himself is satisfied with. You write about people, and you should be better at analyzing this than me.”
Hao Mei slowly turned her face to Han Debao, saw him nodding.
Han Debao tentatively said, "Let's sit in the outer room." Hao Mei got up and went to the outer room.
Lao Pan hurriedly got up and wanted to give her the seat, but Hao Mei gently pushed him down.
Zhang Meng said, "Hao Mei, I'm really sorry for making you sad."
Lao Pan quickly said: "Don't say that, Mr. Zhao was introduced to you by us, but we are actually sorry for you. This incident will not affect your prestige in the company, right?"
Zhang Meng said: "It can't be said that there is no influence at all. Fortunately, I started a business with our general manager, and it has not affected the boss's trust in me."
Lao Pan nodded again and again: "That's good, that's good."
Hao Mei stood in front of the table, wrote a few words on a piece of paper and handed it to Zhang Meng.
What was written on the paper was: I feel so guilty about you.
Zhang Meng shook his head at her, saying it was nothing.
Hao Mei wrote a few more words on a piece of paper and handed it to her.
Zhang Meng glanced at it, and handed it to Lao Pan—after Lao Pan looked at it, he handed it to Han Debao——
What was written on the paper was: I want to see Mr. Zhao.
The three of them looked at each other...
Han Debao asked Zhang Meng: "Is it difficult?"
Zhang Meng said: "If you really want to meet, you can still meet. The Public Security Bureau will come to detain you in the afternoon."
Han Debao looked at Lao Pan and said, "Then, while it's still easy for Zhang Meng to help, let her wish come true."
Lao Pan nodded in agreement.
Hao Mei took Zhang Meng's car and quickly came to Zhang Meng's company. In an office, Mr. Zhao was sitting behind a desk.Everything on the table was left untouched, as if he were still its owner, still a departmental consultant to the company. He is older than he was then.The door opened, and when he saw Hao Mei coming in, he was surprised and stood up all of a sudden. Hao Mei watched him, walked slowly to the table, sat down and still watched him. He returned to normal, sat down slowly, and asked with a smile: "Xiao Haoer, why are you free to come and see me? I heard that you have published another collection? Haven't given it to me yet, when will you give it to me?" what?" Hao Mei silently took out a book of her own from her pocket and offered it with both hands. On the title page of the book is written: "Teacher Zhao as a souvenir - forever grateful to you Hao Mei." His hand holding the book trembled slightly. He suppressed his excitement and said as calmly as possible: "Every time you give me a book, I feel as happy as if I became a writer and published a new book... Back then, I also dreamed of being a writer!" He put the book in the drawer and took out a cigarette to smoke in a disguised manner, but because of shaking hands, he couldn't press the lighter several times. Hao Mei held out a hand to him. He hesitated, and put the lighter in Hao Mei's hand. Hao Mei pressed the lighter for him and reached out to him. He hastily smoked a cigarette. Hao Mei took out a red and blue pencil from the pen holder on the table, and wrote on a piece of paper: I see. Written in red letters. She pushed the paper over to him. His hand holding the cigarette trembled even more. He said, "Thank you, thank you for coming to see me..." Then he smoked heavily, one puff after another. Hao Mei also touched the cigarette case, took out one, and started smoking—this was her first time smoking. "I'm a person... I've never had fun in my life... I haven't paid attention... Those women are so young and beautiful. I can't help myself... When I'm with them, I really wish I was three years younger Ten years old... Maybe the older men are, the more they want to seize the time to have fun and enjoy themselves. Seeing these young people living freely, having fun, loving casually, and having fun, I am always jealous like a mouse. Bite!" Teacher Zhao's face seemed to have become very old and ugly at this moment.Tears kept flowing from his eyes, down his face, to the corners of his mouth, and moistened the cigarette. However, it is not or only a kind of tears of repentance, but also contains the despair of pleasure. Hao Mei, who was watching him while smoking a cigarette, was also crying silently. Hao Mei was choked by the smoke and coughed. Teacher Zhao leaned over to take the cigarette from her fingers, pressed it out, and said tirelessly: "If you don't know how to smoke, don't start learning. I also just started smoking in the past few days... Smoking is always a kind of problem, the more you do, the less you benefit... ..." He suddenly stared at the door and was stunned, and stopped talking. He stood up, opened the drawer, took out the book, and stretched out his hands holding the book Hao Mei gave him. Two policemen walked in.In front of Hao Mei, a pair of handcuffs were handcuffed to Mr. Zhao's hand. Teacher Zhao said, "Xiaohao, I'm going." Hao Mei didn't move, nor looked up at him. He was gently pushed towards the door by the police officers. He stopped at the door and turned his head - it was obvious that he wanted Hao Mei to look back at him for the last time, or on the contrary, he hoped that he could take a last look at Hao Mei's face. Hao Mei still didn't move, and didn't turn her head to him. He was pushed out of the door - which closed silently, shutting his face turned backwards. In the ashtray, half of the cigarette left by Mr. Zhao is still burning and smoking... Hao Mei slowly picked up the teacup, poured some water, and the cigarette butt went out with a "stab" sound...
Hao Mei took Zhang Meng's car and quickly came to Zhang Meng's company. In an office, Mr. Zhao was sitting behind a desk.Everything on the table was left untouched, as if he were still its owner, still a departmental consultant to the company. He is older than he was then.The door opened, and when he saw Hao Mei coming in, he was surprised and stood up all of a sudden. Hao Mei watched him, walked slowly to the table, sat down and still watched him. He returned to normal, sat down slowly, and asked with a smile: "Xiao Haoer, why are you free to come and see me? I heard that you have published another collection? Haven't given it to me yet, when will you give it to me?" what?" Hao Mei silently took out a book of her own from her pocket and offered it with both hands. On the title page of the book is written: "Teacher Zhao as a souvenir - forever grateful to you Hao Mei." His hand holding the book trembled slightly. He suppressed his excitement and said as calmly as possible: "Every time you give me a book, I feel as happy as if I became a writer and published a new book... Back then, I also dreamed of being a writer!" He put the book in the drawer and took out a cigarette to smoke in a disguised manner, but because of shaking hands, he couldn't press the lighter several times. Hao Mei held out a hand to him. He hesitated, and put the lighter in Hao Mei's hand. Hao Mei pressed the lighter for him and reached out to him. He hastily smoked a cigarette. Hao Mei took out a red and blue pencil from the pen holder on the table, and wrote on a piece of paper: I see. Written in red letters. She pushed the paper over to him. His hand holding the cigarette trembled even more. He said, "Thank you, thank you for coming to see me..." Then he smoked heavily, one puff after another. Hao Mei also touched the cigarette case, took out one, and started smoking—this was her first time smoking. "I'm a person... I've never had fun in my life... I haven't paid attention... Those women are so young and beautiful. I can't help myself... When I'm with them, I really wish I was three years younger Ten years old... Maybe the older men are, the more they want to seize the time to have fun and enjoy themselves. Seeing these young people living freely, having fun, loving casually, and having fun, I am always jealous like a mouse. Bite!" Teacher Zhao's face seemed to have become very old and ugly at this moment.Tears kept flowing from his eyes, down his face, to the corners of his mouth, and moistened the cigarette. However, it is not or only a kind of tears of repentance, but also contains the despair of pleasure. Hao Mei, who was watching him while smoking a cigarette, was also crying silently. Hao Mei was choked by the smoke and coughed. Teacher Zhao leaned over to take the cigarette from her fingers, pressed it out, and said tirelessly: "If you don't know how to smoke, don't start learning. I also just started smoking in the past few days... Smoking is always a kind of problem, the more you do, the less you benefit... ..." He suddenly stared at the door and was stunned, and stopped talking. He stood up, opened the drawer, took out the book, and stretched out his hands holding the book Hao Mei gave him. Two policemen walked in.In front of Hao Mei, a pair of handcuffs were handcuffed to Mr. Zhao's hand. Teacher Zhao said, "Xiaohao, I'm going." Hao Mei didn't move, nor looked up at him. He was gently pushed towards the door by the police officers. He stopped at the door and turned his head - it was obvious that he wanted Hao Mei to look back at him for the last time, or on the contrary, he hoped that he could take a last look at Hao Mei's face. Hao Mei still didn't move, and didn't turn her head to him. He was pushed out of the door - which closed silently, shutting his face turned backwards. In the ashtray, half of the cigarette left by Mr. Zhao is still burning and smoking... Hao Mei slowly picked up the teacup, poured some water, and the cigarette butt went out with a "stab" sound...