Panguan

The people in the shed haven't come yet, and the white linen filial piety clothes and white linen hats put away last night are hung on the wall of the shed, tied up in bags one by one, with hastily written names pasted on them. There are family members, there are neighbors, and there is a blank sheet, as if waiting for someone to fill it in.

This funeral affair lasted for several days and ended last night.

The remaining color sheds will be demolished today, and there will be no traces left after that. The blank piece of paper will be thrown into the last pot of fire together with the bag after another half a day of cold wind.

If anyone who knew the family was asked, who should have that blank sheet of paper. They will say that the person who missed this funeral is called "Lan Lan", the granddaughter brought up by the old man. The reason for this nickname is also because the old man's favorite flower is green onion orchid.

There is a large flower bed in front of Building No. 9, all of which were planted by the old man during his lifetime. It just happened to miss the flowering period, and none of them bloomed.

Just like the girl named "Lan Lan" didn't make it to the scene——

It's not because of any contradiction, it's just that it was delayed by mistake. So I missed the last time with the old man, and I couldn't seriously say goodbye to each other.

Similar to many things in this world... It seems that there is always such a regret.

But what outsiders don't know is that Lan Lan is actually back. When she arrived at home in the early morning, she saw the black cloth strip with the word "Dian" written on it at the door, cried, "Grandma, open the door", and then stepped into a dream.

—she was caged.

I can't tell if it's because she is heartbroken and can't let go, or because grandma has been waiting for her.

Maybe both.

After all, joys and sorrows are always two-way.

This is the 9th cage they entered this month at Wenshi. It is not special or complicated, just like the countless cages they have experienced before.

Even the reason for the cage formation is very small. To those who don't understand it, they don't even understand why it forms a cage. But I can't understand when I smell the time and dust.

Because this is the normal state of the world.

Be happy about small things, be sad about small things, can't let go of someone because of small things, and linger over small things.

Just like this early morning before dawn, in the cage that ordinary people can't see. Chen Bu lowered his hands, put away the puppet thread when he heard it, and stood quietly a little further away, waiting for the old man to hold Lan Lan's hand, rubbing it and saying goodbye.

Looking at the young girl's tears, she wanted to take out a handkerchief from her pocket, but found that her clothes had already been changed into shrouds, without pockets or handkerchiefs.

So she could only wipe it with the palm of her hand and coaxed, "Oh, don't cry, don't cry."

"Grandma has been waiting for you. How can grandma be willing to leave without seeing you?"

"I brought you up. From a little bit to such a height, you grow up to be a big girl. It's so cold this year, and you are so far away alone, grandma is worried."

"I told your parents not to tell you. Aren't you looking for a job recently? You said that you would take your grandma to eat delicious food after getting your first salary. Now, I can go out with you."

The tip of the girl's nose was red, she held her grandma's hand against her eyes, and was so choked up that she couldn't say a word. Finally, with a crying voice, he said: "Then you wait for me."

"I've found it. I'll have my first salary in a few days. Why don't you wait for me..."

"Isn't this waiting?" The old man said, "Actually, I can't play anymore. I just want to see you more. That night, they all gathered in my room and cried. I actually knew that I couldn't open my eyes. ..."

"At that time, I thought, what should I do? Lan Lan hasn't settled down yet, and I don't even know where my baby will live in the future."

The old man held the girl's face and said, "Grandma won't recognize your future home."

"Guangyuan..." The girl broke down in tears after hearing this, and reported the address in a sob: "Unit 2, Building 3... 504, I... just rented it, and I won't change it. There is a tree in the flower bed downstairs. ... There is a magnolia tree like the one downstairs, which is very big."

"Okay." The old man nodded.

"I also bought a lot of flower pots, and I'll buy green onion orchids when I go back." The girl said, "I... put them all on the balcony and put them in a row, so you can recognize them at a glance."

"Okay." The old man smiled: "Hi Cong Lan, grandma will remember."

The girl named "Lan Lan" cried for a long time, crying until she had no strength and was on the verge of falling. And the old man kept holding her face, covering her hands, and tucking her into his arms like countless old people like to do.

In the end, the old man patted her head and said slowly: "Grandma has waited for you and is satisfied, it's time to go..."

She looked up to the direction where Wen Shi and Chen could not reach, nodded kindly, and said, "Thank you."

Wen Shi also nodded at her, then turned to look at Xia Qiao who was squatting aside. He may also have thought of an old man from the past, and cried for an unknown amount of time.

Wen Shi was silent for a while, stretched out his hand and pushed his back gently: "You come this time."

When he turned back, he met the gentle eyes that could not be seen in the dust.

This is the first cage that Xia Qiao has untied by himself.

When he put his finger on the old man's shoulder, strands of black mist poured into his body along his fingertips, just like what he had done countless times before.

Many people who don't understand think this complex and thick black mist is "dirty", but to them, this kind of thing is called "mortal fate", which is the concern of mortals.