"Brother Wu the Second?"
Su Jianguo called out, but no one answered.
The room was pitch black, and the plastic sheeting on the windows had several holes in it.
Su Jianguo carefully stepped over the threshold; the ground was uneven and he almost tripped.
Who is it?
A hoarse voice came from the inner room, followed by a rustling sound.
"It's me, Su Jianguo."
The inner room fell silent for a second, then erupted in a deafening scream.
"Brother Jianguo?"
Then, a disheveled man rushed out of the inner room and almost bumped into Su Jianguo.
Wu Ermaitai should be in his early fifties this year, but he looks like an old man in his sixties.
In this weather, he wore a tattered cotton-padded jacket whose color was indistinguishable, covered in oil stains and grime. His hair was a mess, like a bird's nest, and his unshaven face was marred only by his strikingly bright eyes.
"Brother Jianguo! It really is you! I've missed you so much..."
Wu Ermaitai was so excited that he danced around and spun in circles next to Su Jianguo like a child.
"Brother Jianguo, you've finally come to visit me again! For so many years, I've often dreamt of you, dreamt of you taking me fishing, of us collecting cow dung..."
Upon hearing this, Su Jianguo felt a surge of warmth in his heart.
He was a little younger than Wu Ermaitai, but not by much. Among that group of kids, he was the only one who didn't look down on Wu Ermaitai and played with him all the time.
Unexpectedly, decades have passed, and he has long forgotten Wu Er, his childhood playmate.
But in Wu Er's heart, the days he spent playing with him were the days he missed the most.
Although Wu Er is foolish, it is often people like him who cherish feelings the most.
"It's me, I've come back to see you."
Su Jianguo said softly.
Wu Er suddenly stopped, as if he had remembered something important, and anxiously said to Su Jianguo.
"Brother Jianguo, wait for me! I'll get you something delicious!"
After he finished speaking, he rushed back into the inner room, and there was a sound of rummaging through drawers and cabinets.
Su Jianguo took the opportunity to look around the "room".
If this can still be called a house.
The ground was littered with all sorts of garbage, thick cobwebs covered the corners of the walls, and several dirty bowls with leftover food from who-knows-when were placed on a rickety wooden table.
"Found it! Found it!"
Wu Ermai ran back excitedly, holding half a blackened apple with obvious teeth marks on it.
"Brother Jianguo, here you go! It's really sweet!"
Su Jianjun couldn't help but laugh out loud, but Su Jianguo couldn't laugh.
He looked at the half-eaten rotten apple in Wu Er's dirty hands, and then at the expectant look in Wu Er's eyes, and suddenly felt a lump in his throat.
This fool, he can't even feed himself, yet he saves the best things for him.
"Thank you, Second Brother."
Su Jianguo took the apple, a slight hesitation on his face.
However, upon seeing Wu Er's expectant gaze...
Su Jianguo gritted his teeth and took a big bite.
The sour and astringent taste immediately filled my mouth, along with a musty smell.
But Su Jianguo chewed without changing his expression, as if he were savoring something delicious.
Is it sweet?
Wu Er asked eagerly.
"Sweet, incredibly sweet."
Su Jianguo smiled and took another big bite.
Wu Ermai was so happy that he danced with joy and turned around to find "good stuff" for Su Jianguo.
Su Jianguo quickly grabbed him.
"Second Brother, don't bother. I've come to ask you for help."
"help?"
Wu Er tilted his head, looking confused.
"How can I help Brother Jianguo?"
Su Jianguo briefly explained his purpose, inviting him to stay in the city for a few days.
After hearing this, Wu Ermaitai's face showed a look of fear.
"The city? I'm not going! Last time I went to the city, someone beat me up, really badly, and called me a stinking beggar..."
"This time is different."
Su Jianguo patiently explained.
"You'll be staying at my daughter's house; no one will dare bully you there. Besides..."
He lowered his voice.
"I'll have someone deliver food to you every day; there'll be meat in it."
Wu Er's eyes lit up immediately.
"Really? There's meat to eat?"
"I promise."
Su Jianguo patted his chest and assured him.
Wu Er was very tempted, but in his heart, he was still very resistant to going to the city.
Finally, after taking a few serious looks at Su Jianguo.
He still chose to believe in his brother, Jian Guo.
"Then... let's pinky swear..."
Wu Er said with a hopeful look on his face.
Su Jianguo laughed heartily and extended his little finger.
"Pinky promise."
Wu Ermaita solemnly hooked his finger around Su Jianguo's, laughing like a child.
"Pinky promise, for a hundred years, never to be broken..."
After making the pinky promise, Wu Ermaitai happily jumped around again.
It was completely dark when we left Wu Er's house.
Su Jianjun, pushing his bicycle, suddenly asked.
"Brother, did you really eat that apple?"
"Um."
Su Jianguo responded with a faint "yes".
"Aren't you worried about getting dirty?"
"What's dirty won't make you sick."
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