Chapter 159: Scene 24: Ba Ergou carries his elderly father on his back...
"It really is an acceptance letter..." Ba Ergou stroked the envelope and the blank piece of paper. "I thought I wouldn't get to wait any longer."
"Meow?" the black cat called out in confusion.
"Liu Ye, my dad found me a job helping out at a restaurant. He said if there's no news by next week, I'll have to obediently follow his instructions and go work at that far-away restaurant."
“…”
"When the college entrance exam results came out, I told him that with my grades, I'd definitely get into college," Ba Ergou said, burying his head in his arms. "But he said I made it up and he didn't believe it was true."
“…”
“But now, now…!!”
"Liu Ye... I really, really want to cry..."
“…”
"As soon as I saw this letter, I thought of Liu Hui... I remembered that we had agreed to go to the same university and go to the big city together..."
"But, but how...how did it become like this..."
Ba Ergou was crying softly, and He Yuezhe saw that he was holding a small piece of paper tightly in his hand.
"Liu Hui... I, I haven't had time to tell you yet... I, I like you... How could you... "
"Meow."
The cat raised its paw and placed it on the boy's trembling head.
"Liu Ye...Liu Ye...I really miss her..."
"I, I always remember that she would come to our store to buy meat after school every day..."
"I also remember her, she helped me with so many things in school..."
"I remember, when we first met, she accidentally wet my pencil case, and she saw the love letter I wrote."
"But, but, why is it that when I finally received your answer, when I finally mustered up the courage to hug you, you, you just bled so much right in front of me, just like that...?"
"Liu Hui...you always stand in front of me to protect me...I, I'm too timid. I haven't had time to protect you, you, even once..."
Tears gradually eroded the boy's sleeves.
There was no crying or shouting, but the boy's thoughts were clearly yet heavily expressed drop by drop on the admission letter.
"Liu Hui," Ba Ergou raised his head. "I'm sorry. I made a fool of myself by showing you another joke."
He raised the corner of his mouth, shook his hand, and gently pinned the note with deep love written by He Yuezhe just from the back inside the admission letter.
"I'll take you with me and we'll go to college together."
"You said," he closed the acceptance letter, "that your dream is to become a police officer and protect everyone. Well, let me take you on that path."
"Student Ba Ergou, with the approval of the xx Admissions Committee, you have been admitted to our school's Public Security Program. Please report to our school on xx/xx/xx!"
^
"Meow."
"Again, begging for meat?"
"Meow."
"You were the one who took away Ba Ergou's admission letter, right?"
"Meow."
"Tsk, as expected, a low-class stinky cat."
"Meow!!"
"Okay, I'm too lazy to argue with you. The meat is in that bowl, go eat it."
“…”
"Why, don't you want to eat?"
"Meow."
"Tsk, you're really hard to please. How about getting you some chicken?"
"Meow."
"Picky."
"Meow!!"
"Come on, be quiet, it's hurting my ears."
“…”
"It tastes good, right? I'll deduct it from Ba Ergou's travel expenses."
"Meow!!!"
"I lied to you."
“…”
"You must be the black cat that little girl Liu Hui raised."
“…”
"She's quite pitiful."
“…”
“…”
“…”
"Hey, can you help me persuade Ba Ergou to stop liking that little girl?"
"Meow?"
"When someone dies, they should just die peacefully. This makes everyone uneasy."
“…”
This uncle seems to have a lot of secrets.
He Yuezhe narrowed his eyes and looked up and down at the man who was lying in a rocking chair, watching TV with a toothpick in his mouth.
"I still hate Ba Ergou very much, don't get me wrong." The man said as if he could read He Yuezhe's thoughts.
"Meow." It's been misunderstood.
"Are you full?" The man's left eye was covered with a piece of gauze. He looked at He Yuezhe with his right eye. "If you're full, come and help me look after the store."
“…”
"If you're not going, then why did you run out? Aren't you afraid that I'll beat you to death?"
"Meow."
"Hey, what's that nonsense you're talking about? I don't understand. Hurry up, it's up to you to go or not." The man waved his hands impatiently.
“…” She looked at the man deeply.
The man had dark skin, deep eyes, rough hands, and toothpicks that dangled from being bitten.
His room is outside Ba Ergou's room, and further outside is the store.
The man yawned out of boredom and scratched his head. The overly quiet environment seemed a little uncomfortable for him.
"Meow."
After confirming that the man was indeed suspicious, He Yuezhe said hello to him and jumped out of the window into the store.
There were no customers in the store at that time. The meat hanging on the iron hooks exuded a fragrance that made the black cat almost faint with happiness in this paradise.
"Hey, Xiao Gao, come and look, there's a cat here! So cute!!"
Outside the store, a girl's youthful voice caught her attention.
He Yuezhe walked out of the store following the sound.
The bright summer sun made the ground scorching hot. A faint fragrance came from the yellow horn tree not far away, but it was suddenly interrupted by a strong and pungent fragrance.
"cat?"
"Yes, yes," said a girl of about seventeen or eighteen, wearing a cute short skirt. "Look, it came out by itself!"
"A stray cat? Or the owner of this shop..."
"Meow."
"Oh my god, it's barking! So cute!!" The girl took out her cell phone from her cross-body bag. The phone was covered with various stickers, and a clicking sound was heard.
"Hiss, why does this cat look familiar?" Another girl in a denim skirt and a simple shirt walked over.
That's Ji Xiaogao.
"Oh, yes, doesn't your good friend live nearby? When you went to see her, you probably ran into this black cat."
The girl in the short skirt squatted down, picked up a branch and started teasing the cat: "Suck, suck, suck."
"..." Ji Xiaogao also squatted down, "I did meet a cat around here before, but it was a stray cat."
"Stray cats," the girl in the short skirt laughed. "Stray cats even have flower language. Xiao Gao, have you seen one on your phone?"
"Ahem, the flower language of stray cats?" Ji Xiaogao coughed a few times in shock and asked with a horrified look on his face.
"Yes, the flower language of stray cats is 'be slow or miss out'!"
The girl in the short skirt said, "Hey, Xiao Gao, you always said you wanted to get a cat, and you had your eyes on that stray cat nearby."
"Yes, that cat is very well-behaved. When my friend touches it, it rolls over. If others get close to it, it will bare its teeth and scare them!" Ji Xiaogao lowered his head and chuckled.
"Oh my god! Such a good cat, then why didn't your friend--"
“…”
"Ah, I'm sorry, Xiao Gao," the girl in the short skirt seemed to realize that her words were inappropriate. She covered her mouth and apologized repeatedly, "I'm sorry, I, I... I'm really sorry."
"It's okay. To me, she's not someone I can't mention again."
"Yeah, but I'm still sorry."
"..." Ji Xiaogao lowered his head and gently stroked the black cat. "Okay, let's not talk about this. Didn't you say you were going to the library? It's just right. I'll go back to school and accompany you."
"Ah, Xiao Gao, you're so nice, even though it's just the first day we met!"
"What's the big deal? Since we know each other, we are all friends."
"Great! Luckily you're here today, otherwise I can't imagine what that guy would do to me! Really, when we get to the library, I'll treat you to something to eat!"
"Okay, then I won't be polite, okay?"
"Of course! We're all friends, you're welcome!"
"Okay, thank you."
…
Watching the two people go away, He Yuezhe recalled the look Ji Xiaogao had given him just now.
Full of longing, heartache and love, those eyes were almost about to shed tears.
"Hey, you ran out just to see that girl?"
"Meow?"
"If Ba Ergou saw this, he would cry for a long time."
“…”
"Hey, Little Black Cat, that girl seems to be Liu Hui's classmate, do you know her?"
"Meow."
"I really know him..."
“…”
"Then why didn't you go with her?"
“…”
The man was like a curious baby, walking around the black cat and asking many questions.
"Hey, little black cat, why are you here with Ba Ergou?"
"Little black cat, do you have a lot of bugs on your body and it's very itchy, so you keep scratching yourself?"
"Little Black Cat, what was Ba Ergou's reaction when he saw the acceptance letter? Did he cry?"
"Little black cat, do you understand what we are saying?"
"Little black cat, is the meat delicious? If you are willing to help me watch the store, I can feed you every day--"
"Hey, how's my dad? Is he awake?!"
"Please don't disturb the medical staff! The family members are waiting over there, and the operation is still going on!"
"I, I don't mean to disturb them, I just, I just want to see if my dad is awake!"
Half an hour ago, amidst many nonsensical questions, He Yuezhe saw large beads of sweat appearing on the man's head, she saw the man's hands and legs gradually becoming weak, she saw the man struggling to cover his abdomen, and she saw the man's rapid breathing.
“Meow—!!! Meow!!!!!!”
"Liu Ye, what's wrong?! What happened—Dad, Dad, what's wrong with you!!!"
Phones that have been unpaid for a long time, public phones that cannot be dialed because of lack of money, and people who are afraid of being scammed and dare not help.
Ba Ergou had no choice but to carry his elderly father on his back and walk towards the hospital step by step.
For the first time, he discovered that his father was so light, almost as light as the homework books of all his classmates.
"Dad, Dad, hold on, we'll be at the hospital soon!"
"My dad, he's a good man. He has good living habits. What happened to him?!"
"Dad, Dad, don't fall asleep, don't fall asleep!!"
"Why did he suddenly faint? He usually sleeps... He usually sleeps a lot, and sleeps very well!!"
"Dad, please don't be in trouble..."
There was a loud noise and buzzing in my ears.
Looking at the words written in black on the thick white paper, "Noise-induced hearing loss", "Uremia", "Coronary heart disease"...
The lack of numbers made Ba Ergou almost miserable in being able to understand them.
“Cough cough cough…”
"Dad! You're awake!!"
"Ba Ergou...?"
"Yes, it's me!"
“…”
“…”
"...Go back to your university."
"Dad, but I still want to..."
"Go away, go away!" the man picked up the pillow, "You've been wanting to leave for a long time, right? Then go, go now, the farther the better!!!"
The pillow finally landed lightly on the man's own knees.
He turned his head away, tears flowing uncontrollably.
"Dad, but I still want to," Ba Ergou held the hand of this man who had been strong for most of his life, "I still want to be with you!"
The pair of hands that had not been held for more than ten years had become thick and strong, with swollen joints supporting the wrinkled and thick skin.
Only then did Ba Ergou realize that he had not taken a good look at this man, his father, for a very long time.
But Dad, Ba Ergou tightened his grip, you always look at me silently.
Your gaze is so warm and powerful, it turns out that is also...
Do you love me?
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The author has something to say: Tired...
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