The old man just looked at me quietly, without getting angry or questioning, but he couldn't hide the sadness in his eyes.
I don’t dare to say anything, but I have to say it. Maybe any excuses are of little use. After all, the final result of the matter is there, and no one will believe me. But I must say that according to the mistakes I made, I will be punished. Even if you cut it, there will be plenty. The old man came here in person because he was thinking about the relationship between father and son for so many years. I even thought that this might be the last time I see the old man, and I must not bear such a blame.
After dozens of hours of settling, my emotions had basically stabilized. At this time, like the Yellow River overflowing, I told the old man the truth about what happened. Except for concealing the part about meeting Cao Shi, I was sure that everything I said was true. It's the truth. When I told it, the old man kept staring at my eyes. He once told me that a person can perfectly hide his expression, movements and even psychology, but he can't hide his eyes. Change is almost mindless.
I don't know whether this theory is scientific or not, but the old man has always believed in this. He always judges whether a person is lying by his eyes.
After I finished telling the story, the corner of the old man's mouth twitched slightly. He wanted to say something, but he still didn't say it. He sat for less than ten minutes before someone pushed him back. From the beginning to the end, he didn't say anything to me. In a word, I couldn't tell whether he believed me or not. What I said was very different from what Lao Luo Weimian said. Lao Luo said that he was locked in a secret room, which was barely true, because he was indeed the first one to enter. Secret room, but what Wei Mian said was so nonsense that I couldn't accept it.
After meeting the old man, I seemed to be forgotten in a small dark room. For several days, no one took care of me. I couldn’t understand what the old man meant. This was not his past behavior. This is what I was most afraid of. This situation is very difficult to endure, and it would be better to give him a quick word whether he should be killed or chopped into pieces, rather than sitting in a dark room day after day thinking wildly.
After a few days of such chaos, Cao Shi finally showed up. He came over at noon and personally brought me food and two taels of wine.
"Lao Cao, is this a decapitation meal?" I made a bitter joke to him.
"Don't talk nonsense."
"Is the old man still... okay?"
"Baye is okay, you eat first and then talk after you finish."
I took a few mouthfuls of rice, drank two ounces of wine in one gulp, wiped my mouth and said, "Go ahead."
"Don't look down on death like this." Cao Shi handed over a cigarette. He hadn't smoked it for a few days and he felt a little dizzy after two puffs. He felt very comfortable. Cao Shi put two more unopened packs of cigarettes on the table. , said: "Master Ba has been investigating this matter these days, but you should also know in your heart that the situation at that time was really difficult to say because there was no fourth person present. Master Mian is still unconscious. Lao Luo spoke It's very serious, so I can't find anything at all in a short while."
I nodded. Actually, I didn’t care what Lao Luo said, or even what Wei Mian said. I only cared about the old man’s attitude and his thoughts. My own conscience knew that it was not me who caused Lao Luo and Wei Mian. I have a clear conscience about both of them, but the box was thrown out of my hands.
If the old man believes me, I will not die. One day he will find out the truth of the matter and clear his name. If he doesn't believe me, I might as well die early to save worry.
"Don't worry." Cao Shi looked back at the guard wandering outside the door, and said in my ear: "Your life has been saved. Yesterday, Mr. Ba talked with me for a full hour, and he talked about how to deal with it.
You, Master Tian, the matter is obvious. Even if Master Ba believes you, there is one thing. The thing was lost in your hands, and this matter has been spread, and many people are watching. You don’t know yet, Ba
All of my old friends, except Uncle Fang, have come forward."
I was a little surprised for a while. The old man and his original team were all too old to do big things. The old guys had their own fortunes, had no worries about food and drink, and had not been involved in business matters for a long time.
"What are they doing here?"
Cao Shi glanced at me, as if he was deliberately avoiding my gaze. He smiled, avoiding the important and taking the easy: "Several uncles used to work under the Eighth Master. They were all older generations and valued friendship. Lao Luo came out.
They all come to ask about something."
I smoked half of the cigarette in one breath, and my heart suddenly brightened. The purpose of these old guys couldn't be as simple as Cao Shi said. They came to ask for an explanation from the old man.
"Lao Cao, don't beat around the bush, just tell the truth." I sighed: "What did they say? I grew up at home, so you don't have to lie to me about some things."
"Do I even need to say this?" Cao Shi shook his head: "The uncles talked to Ba Ye for a while, but the words were not clear, but the meaning was clear. I hope Ba Ye will handle it with his heart. Lao Luo's situation is not bad, so a few
The two uncles left after chatting for a while. Master Tian, don’t blame them. Such a large group of people are all working for the Eighth Master to make a living. It’s impossible to do things without rules."
"Don't complain, don't complain to anyone..." I threw away the cigarette butt and leaned against the wall. I didn't know whether I felt sour or bitter. What on earth are human feelings and human hearts? I live every year.
On my birthday, several old guys looked at the old man's face and would come out to have a meal together, and they were very affectionate to me. But when something like this happened, everyone wanted to persuade the old man to deal with me according to the family law.
I don’t blame Cao Shi. He was caught between the old man and some old guys, and it was difficult for him to behave. When he first met the old man, his uncles had not washed their hands yet. They were his elders. In other words, that
At that time, Cao Shi was eating from the old man, but actually he was also eating from these uncles.
"Master Tian, don't think too much." Cao Shi said solemnly: "After the uncles left, Ba Ye and I talked for a long time. I couldn't figure out what he was thinking. Whatever he asked me, I just said
He told me his thoughts truthfully. Finally, he told me that he wanted to send you to our stall in Zhaotong."
"You want me to go to the stall?" I immediately cheered up: "How long will it take?"
This kind of distribution is also a kind of punishment, but it is very slight. It is usually given to those who are in charge of the stalls and handicaps. If they make small mistakes, they cannot ignore them or be too harsh and remove them from their original positions.
Come down and relocate to other places where there is no oil or water.
"I can't say for sure, but think about it, this time the matter is so big and it also involves Master Mian. It's beyond my expectation that Master Ba can deal with you like this. I think he still trusts you in his heart.
After all, you have been following him since you were a child, and no one knows you better than Master Ba. Assigning you to a stall in Zhaotong may be just a cover to silence everyone, and he will get you back after a while. Remember, when we arrive
You must be honest over there, even if you don't do anything, you must not mess around. On Master Ba's side, I will find an opportunity to intercede with him."
Obviously, my life was finally saved. Maybe the old man had been thinking about this matter these days and finally gave me a lighter sentence. I immediately became energetic, jumped out of bed and rushed out: "Where does Wei Mian live?"
!”
It’s very unfair to take the blame. I can’t make too much of an uncle of Lao Luo’s generation and confront him by pointing my nose at him. But I can’t be so polite to Wei Mian. To be honest, I’ve been in a very emotional state these days.
He was depressed, but as soon as he heard that his life had been saved, the anger in his heart bubbled up, and he wanted to confront Wei Mian.
"You can't go!" Cao Shi stopped me and his expression became serious: "Master Mian's injury is very serious."
"I'll wait! Wait until his injury is healed!"
"Master Tian!" Cao Shi's tone suddenly became much harsher. He dragged me back and said, "At this juncture, if you are still like this, what will Master Ba do if something goes wrong? Do you want to see Master Mian now?
, but Master Mian and others don’t want to see you, can’t you understand?”
I was very dissatisfied at first, but after hearing what Cao Shi said, I became discouraged.
"How many people have you blocked behind your back by Master Ba's treatment of you like this? Master Tian, to put it bluntly, if something goes wrong with you again at this time, no one can protect you. Listen to me, don't go to Uncle Luo for the time being.
With Master Mian, stay over at Zhaotong. When this matter calms down, I will try my best to speak for you. Until that day, you will still be Master Tian, and you will have time to investigate anything you want."
I was silent. What Cao Shi said was absolutely correct. Sending me to the stall in Zhaotong was indeed a minimal punishment, but my heart still felt clogged. A slight punishment does not mean that the blame on me has been removed. Everyone will
He said this is because the old man is showing favoritism to me. Although what I want to do most now is to wait for Wei Mian to wake up and confront him, but there is no such chance for the time being.
Cao Shi chatted with me for a while and then left. I lay on the bed and smoked half a pack of cigarettes. On the third day, someone released me from the dark room and said that the old man wanted me to have a meal with him.
When I saw the old man, I still couldn't think of what to say. The table was full of my usual favorite dishes. The old man had changed into a brand-new short-collar cotton-padded jacket, but he didn't look like he used to. We were face to face like this.
After sitting there for ten minutes, he pointed to a plate of squirrel mandarin fish on the table and said, "Eat it. You have always liked fish since you were a child."
I picked up a piece of fish with my chopsticks. Before I put it in my mouth, my eyes were red. Looking at the old man who was already dying, I thought more than ever before. I thought of the two most ferocious years between him and Xue Jinwan.
, the wind has been very tight. Uncle Fang took me to live in the countryside, and usually locked me in the house and was not allowed to go out. The old man would take time to quietly go to the countryside to see me every month. Only the moment I saw him, I was the happiest.
He played cards with me, let me ride on his neck to pick fruits, and fed rice to the chickens I raised... The old man was still very strong at that time, and he could lift me over with just a stretch of his hand.
The top of his head, and now, it seems that he can't even hold a walking stick.
In the past many years, I was not used to crying because nothing happened to me that could make me cry. But during this meal, every bite of food was mixed with tears when I swallowed it.
I finished the plate of squirrel and mandarin fish, then kowtowed hard to the old man, turned around and left the room.
The next day, I packed some luggage and set off from Jiangbei. Before leaving, Cao Shi told me about the situation in Zhaotong and gave some instructions about related matters. I told him that I would stay well because I wanted to go early