Chapter 2 The second part of the three of us lost

It was already after dinner, and the father and daughter were having fun.Zhong Shugui called for help pitifully: "Mother, mother, Ah Yuan deceived me!" Ah Yuan shouted outrightly: "Mom Mummy! Dad did something bad! Catch him on the spot!" (Each of us has many names, and we call them casually.) To "do bad things" is to make trouble in her house. I went into Ah Yuan's bedroom to see what happened.There was a stack of large dictionaries piled high on the head pillow of her bed, and a small bench with all four legs turned upside down on top of it, and a pair of dusty leather shoes were standing on the top of the stool—obviously Ah Yuan had just taken them off after returning home. For the next one, put a pen holder in one shoe, which contains Ah Yuan’s brushes, paintbrushes, pencils, ballpoint pens, etc., and put a broom handle for sweeping the bed in the other shoe.Along the pillow is the big schoolbag that Yuan brought home.Next came books of various sizes lying horizontally, with the long "shoehorn" I gave A Yuan dragging behind, which was probably a tail.Ah Yuan stood in the passage between the bed and the desk, blocking her father between the desk and the piano.Ah Yuan proudly said, "I caught it on the spot!!"

Zhongshu shrank himself as small as possible, closed his eyes tightly and said, "I'm not here!" He laughed so hard that he couldn't stand up straight.Through his belly, I can also see the rolling waves of laughter in his stomach. Ah Yuan said, "Is there such an alibi?" I couldn't help laughing too.All three are laughing.The phone rang several times in the living room before we heard it. As usual, answering the phone is my business (writing replies is Zhongshu's business).I hurried to pick it up.I didn't know who was calling, but I heard that the other party was asking Qian Zhongshu for a meeting.I hastily said, "Qian Zhongshu is still ill. I am his wife, so let me ask for leave on his behalf." The other party ignored him, and only ordered: "Report tomorrow, without a bag or a notebook, and there will be at nine o'clock in the morning." The car will come to pick you up."

I hurriedly said, "Where should I report? I can ask the driver comrade to ask for leave on his behalf." The other party said: "The location is on the mountain, and the driver can't find it. A car will pick you up at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. No bag, no notebook. Nine o'clock in the morning." The phone hung up. Both Zhongshu and Ah Yuan have heard my answer.Zhongshu came over quickly and sat on the sofa next to me.Ah Yuan also followed, sitting next to her father on the armrest of the sofa.She learned a few jingles to comfort the children. Whenever her father "asked for leave due to illness" and the child felt guilty and frightened, she would use them to comfort her father: "Tile Tile ears, Hulu Hulu Mao, our dad Don't be scared." ("Dad" was originally written as "Child".)

I made it clear what I heard on the phone, and I'm sorry I didn't dare to ask Ming what the meeting was.Ordinarily, Zhong Shu is an old man of eighty-four years old, after another serious illness, and he does not hold any position that requires him to hold meetings.I said to Zhongshu, "The car will come tomorrow, and I will report for you." Zhongshu didn't blame me for not asking.He got up and went to the bedroom without a sound, opened the door of the closet, took out the clothes he was wearing, hung them on the hanger, picked out a clean handkerchief, and put it in his pocket.He is going to report in person, without my representative—he may know that I cannot represent him.

Ah Yuan and I were still thinking about the meeting.Zhongshu finished his evening work (washing and changing) listlessly, and fell asleep obediently.He usually goes to bed early and gets up early, I go to bed late and get up late, and Ah Yuan goes to bed late and gets up early. The next morning, Ah Yuan made her own breakfast early, and went to school after eating.The breakfast for the two of us is always cooked by Zhong Shu.He boiled water, brewed strong black tea, heated milk (we eat black tea with milk), cooked soft eggs, baked bread with a toaster, took out butter, jam, etc. from the refrigerator and placed them on the on the table.I get up and have breakfast with him.Then I cleaned up the dining table, washed the pots and washed the dishes, and when he was fully dressed, we went downstairs for a walk together and waited for the car to pick him up.

Nearly nine o'clock, we stood at the door of the building and waited.A big black car drove up, and a driver in uniform got out of the car.He asked Qian Zhongshu's identity, opened the car door, and let him get in.Then he closed the car door, as if to prevent me from following.I stood at the door of the building and watched the car drive away steadily.I didn't know the make of the car, and I didn't pay attention to the license plate number. I went upstairs and went home alone.Ever since Chun Zhongshu became seriously ill, I stayed with him in the hospital for nursing care. When he recovered and returned home, my feet were weak and dizzy, and I became a person who could fall when the wind blows.Recently, I have become stronger and can walk independently without having to hold on to the wall.But I often feel that my age is not forgiving, and I can't do what I want.

My aunt is a part-time worker.She has been working in my family for more than ten years. As her family became more and more prosperous, she quit her job in other people's family and took care of my family alone.I trusted her, and gave her the key to the iron gate and tied it around my waist.We were in the hospital, and Ah Yuan went to school, but there was no one at home, so she still came to my house to work.She depends on the situation, come every day or every day, I will follow her.She came and finished her work that day and left.I stewed the rice and covered it in the warm nest; cut up the vegetables and fried them in the wok when Zhong Shu came back; the soup was also stewed and covered it.

Waiting is annoying.I told myself not to wait, but to bury my head in my work.However, he said that he would not wait, but he was eagerly waiting, and he couldn't read the book, so he wandered around the house alone.It was almost two o'clock, and Zhongshu hadn't come back yet.I scooped up half a bowl of soup, soaked two spoonfuls of rice, ate it indiscriminately, and lay down thinking wildly.After thinking about it, a terrible thought suddenly occurred to him.How could I let Zhongshu get into a car that didn't know where he came from and drove to where he didn't know? Ah Yuan came home late.I skipped dinner and forgot to make it.Auntie bought a large piece of tender beef, Yuan can roast it, but I can't.I want to simmer a good soup and make a borscht, which they both love.But I was anxious all the time, I forgot everything, and I just waited for Ah Yuan to come back to clarify my doubts.

I myself have a small appetite and have no appetite, and Zhong Shu always eats a small amount. When Ah Yuan is not at home, we only cook dinner to save trouble, and eat very simple.Ah Yuan eats dinner at home, I just increase the portion a little.After a tiring day, she went home to prepare lessons and correct papers. She was always busy until late at night, and often said, "Mom, I'm hungry." I felt sorry and remembered to make a big dinner for her.But in the past year, I have been sick and sick, all because of Ah Yuan's hard work and effort, cooking delicious dishes for the two of us, and coaxing us to eat more.She often said: "When I read recipes, it's like looking up a dictionary. I look up three dictionaries for one word, and three recipes for one dish." She has learned a lot.She bought a simple oven and another not-so-simple one, and carefully roasted all kinds of tender meat for us, and then looked pitifully to see if we appreciated it.I reluctantly ate it, and it tasted really good, but I lost my appetite due to illness (Zhongshu may be the same as me after his illness).I was afraid that she would be disappointed, so I always said, "It's delicious!" Believe it or not, she said gratefully, "Thank you, Mom." Or when she saw Dad eating, she also said, "Thank you, Dad." We all laughed at her for being stupid.She is for our nourishment.We eat reluctantly, and she is not interested, and often she is not in the mood to eat when there is a lot left.

I was so busy with myself all day that I didn't even make dinner.A few vegetables, a few slices of oyster mushrooms, and a few thin slices of tenderloin are not enough to prepare for lunch.I have already eaten half a bowl of rice in that small pot, and Ah Yuan has to go hungry again.Moreover, she had to explain a lot of truths to her mother, telling her not to think wildly and disturb herself. She said: "The meeting on the mountain may take three days." "Where do you live? You didn't bring towels or toothbrushes." She said: "There will be places for entertaining." She also joked: "Mom, do you want to report to the police station?"

I really want to report to the police station, but how to report? Ah Yuan was too worried for me to eat dinner.She doesn't have to go to school tomorrow, but she has endless papers to correct and homework to prepare.At night I pretended to sleep, at least so Yuan can work quietly.Fortunately, with her by my side tomorrow, I have a support in my heart.But I didn't sleep all night. When we got up early, the two of us made breakfast together. After breakfast, she asked me to go for a walk.I don't want to go for a walk alone.She washed the dishes, and I boiled water and filled thermos bottles.This is the case of Zhongshu.I couldn't make up my mind, I was just in a daze, running around the room.I didn't hear the phone ring. Ah Yuan answered the phone.She shouted happily: "Dad!!" I hurried over and stood by. She said, "Um...um...um...um...um." It was all "um."Then hang up. I asked anxiously: "How to say?" She just waved her hand to me, hurriedly grabbed a piece of paper, and wrote on it hurriedly, before she could write in time, the words she wrote were like heavenly scriptures. She said: "Dad has it! I'll go to work." She pointed her temples with two fingers and said: "Don't let me forget it. I'll talk about it when I come back." She hurriedly hung up a leather bag and went out. Before leaving, she said, "Mother, don't worry. Maybe I won't come back for dinner in time. Don't wait for me, you eat first." Fortunately, it was Ah Yuan who answered the call, so she could remember it.I tried my best to reassure myself, but I couldn't let go.I stopped thinking about it, and just waited for Ah Yuan to come back. I simply put aside my work and concentrated on cooking a good meal. I made a wish to them before I retired.I said: "When I retire, I will make up lessons, pay off debts, and cook delicious meals for you." I have spent most of my life just being sorry, feeling that I was sloppy with housework and did not do my best.They both laughed and said, "Forget it!" Ah Yuan said bluntly, "Mom's knife skills are not good. She is afraid when she sees a sharp knife, but also impatient, and impatient to wait for the fire." Zhong Shu said: "Why should I What about cooking? You retired, can you rest?" To be honest, they have never disliked the dishes I cook, as long as I cook them, they always applaud.This time, I will concentrate on cooking a good meal and surprise them.On the other hand, I thought, I must have burned everything, and maybe I did a good job, and they couldn't come back on time.Because—because things are often awkward, not always as hoped or imagined. My meal was really good, it shouldn't be that good.Of course I was very disappointed, but also very anxious.Ah Yuan told me not to wait for her, how could I not wait.I waited until almost four o'clock in the afternoon before Ah Yuan came home, she was alone.She went home and took off her leather shoes and put on slippers. She had obviously walked a lot and was very tired, so she poured herself a glass of water.My heart sank. Ah Yuan said proudly: "Finally I found it! The address is correct. I backed up the car twice and found it as soon as I looked for it. But I queued up in two wrong lines, one of which was very long. I was really wronged. When I came to me, the man in the window said: "You are not here, the back." Afraid that no one could be found after office hours, I suddenly saw a small room behind, and there was a man standing at the window, about to close the window. I rushed up to him and asked him, "Where is the ancient post road?" He said, "It's right here." Phew! I'm so relieved. I'm afraid I've forgotten it, and I can't find it anywhere." "Ancient post road?" I frowned and couldn't figure it out. "Yes, Mom, let me tell you from the beginning. Dad called in a hurry after registration, saying that they all got a meeting hall to go to the meeting. There are all kinds of transportation, there are planes, trains, and small cars. Cars, long-distance buses, etc. Air tickets and bus tickets are all sold out. Dad said, they want to rush to the meeting early, sit in the front row, let them grab it, he does whatever he wants. He chose a waterway that no one wanted , by boat. Dad explained every word very clearly, saying it was 'ancient post road'. The person at the office window said: 'It's off work now, come in the afternoon.' In fact, it's less than five minutes away from work. , he said he was working at 2:00 in the afternoon. I didn’t dare to go far, and there was no place to buy food nearby. I just found a place under the window and waited until it was 2:17 or 18. Then the man opened the window and saw I was waiting there, but I was a little sorry. He said: "Are you a family member? Family members are only limited to close relatives." So family members are only you and me. He gave the address of the inn over there and asked us to go there to do it. Procedures. He told me in detail what to do." Ah Yuan said, "I don't have time to go over there today to go through the formalities, and I must be off work again. Mom, it's useless to be anxious, we have to wait until tomorrow." I warmed up some broth for Ah Yuan to drink first, and I drank a couple of sips myself.I asked, "Where is 'over there'?" Ah Yuan said: "I remember it. There are many things that are long-winded, anyway, I have written them down here." She showed me the notebook in her purse.She said: "We have to bring both the cash and the bank deposit certificate, because the formalities are completed once, and the surplus will be refunded. If there is not enough, we cannot make up the formalities on the way." I think it's more like a kidnapping case, but I dare not say it, because Yuan is never confused.I reheated the cooked meal, and the two of them ate lunch and dinner together without knowing the taste. I asked suspiciously: "How long does it take to go through the procedure? How much luggage do you bring?" A Yuan said: "Bring two pieces of clothes for washing and daily necessities are available in the inn over there. Just bring the money. You can have everything you want." She briefly told me the long-winded things she had written down, and I Listening indifferently. Ah Yuan said to me again and again: "Mother, don't worry, I'm here. We can see Dad tomorrow." I said helplessly, "I'm afraid my father will be in a hurry—he actually knows how to make a call. Thanks to you who answered the phone. I don't remember clearly. When I go out now, I don't know the way, and I don't know how to take the car." , full of rice buckets." Ah Yuan shrank her neck and made a grimace and said, "Mom, there are only a few grains of rice and a spoonful of soup in this rice bucket." I laughed at her.She comforted me and said, "Anyway, it doesn't matter. I'll put you in the inn. You don't need to know the way or take a car. I can only come and go because I have to go to class." Ah Yuan looked at her notebook carefully.I packed a small handbag and sorted out all the certificates of deposit, leaving the cash to Yuan. After breakfast the next day, Ah Yuan carried the handbag for me, with her purse hanging on her shoulder, and the two of them took a taxi to a bus stop far away.She carried the bag, protected me, squeezed into the bus, and walked a long way.After getting out of the car and walking for a short distance on the remote road, I saw a big sign made of old wooden planks beside the road, with three big characters in small seal characters on the sign: "Ancient Post Road".There are many lines of small characters below. I didn't wear glasses, and I vaguely saw a few place names that I seemed to have seen before, such as Baling Road and Xianyang Road.Ah Yuan's eyes were quick, and he pointed his hand and said, "Here we are, it's here. Mom, just look for the number. 311 is Dad's number." She led me around a corner and walked towards a door.She clicked on an inconspicuous place on the door, and it turned out to be an electric bell.A window was immediately opened on the door.Ah Yuan showed her ID, closed the window, and opened the door.We went through the back door of an inn, and the back door was shut. The inn is a small building facing north and south, with the back door facing south.The door is the counter. Ah Yuan said, "Mom, are you tired?" She found a seat near the counter, told her to sit down, and put the handbag beside me.She herself went to greet the person behind the counter to go through the formalities.First of all, check all kinds of documents, Ah Yuan has them all.The shopkeeper read it carefully, and then took out several forms and asked her to fill them out one by one.She filled it out and filled it out, then paid the fee.I thought to myself, if it's a kidnapper, it's really official.The shopkeeper registered the deposit slips one by one, and explained: "The houses here are simple and simple, but the management is new; the long pavilions and short pavilions along the way have been converted into inns, which is a chain of chains. You have received the sign. There is no need to pay any more fees, and each inn provides food, accommodation, and all conveniences. Passengers’ clothes and daily necessities can be collected at the inn and kept for account. When passengers leave the room, they put their things together and hand them over to The counter. Passengers on the ship are under the control of the ship, and you must not interfere. Passengers staying in the inn must abide by the rules of our inn." He took out a printed warning and a rule. The warning is a red card and black letters, and the words are very large. (1) Walk along the post road, where there is no road, don't go. (2) Don't go where you can't see it. (3) Don't ask about things you don't know. The rules are written in black and white, and in big print. (1) When the sun falls to the front cabin, return to the inn immediately.The post road is deserted, and after the gate is locked at night, the door will not be opened even after knocking. (2) Every inn offers rest, convenience, and meals, so don’t miss it. (3) Return to the original inn after disembarking. The shopkeeper gave each of us a round card with a number on it, and asked us to put our fingerprints on the back, and solemnly told us to always carry the card when we go in and out, obey the rules, and don’t forget to warn, especially the third rule, because it is the most difficult to manage It's the mouth. The inn is serving dinner for us, and we are told to eat before we go on the road.I was puzzled, especially the third warning was puzzling.There are so many things I don't know, why can't I ask?So what? I pointed to the third line on the red card and said to the shopkeeper in an affirmative tone: "You can't use a question word, and you can't put a question mark." I said this, it should not be counted as a question.But the shopkeeper stared and warned: "Your words are already on the verge, be careful!" I hurriedly said: "Thank you, I got it." Ah Yuan squeezed my hand quietly, which also meant a warning.After the meal, I found a pin from my small bag and pinned it on my sleeve. I usually tell myself to remember something, so I just pin a pin on my sleeve, which is very useful as a reminder. On the side of the counter, there are two doors.Only one was open, and that was the front door of the inn.The front door opens to the north.We walked out the front door and felt like a different world.