Zong Ying looked away from the book, raised his head, and saw the relics in the cabinet. Reading at zero

Yan Man passed away suddenly that year. They found a large number of antidepressant prescriptions in her office. Combined with her unhappy performance during that time, they all believed that she might have been influenced by drugs and made an unwise choice.

The scene of the incident was a newly built office building by Xinxi. At that time, there was no time to install the fence on the ring corridor of the building. Naturally, no one was working in the building, so there were no witnesses at the time of the incident.

During that time, Yan Man's marriage was also in jeopardy, and his life seemed to be besieged by various complex energies. In addition, the investigation results at the accident site did not show any signs of homicide. The speculation about the truth in the reports was more inclined to suicide.

Zong Ying closed the book and put it back in its place.

More than ten years have passed, and the traces of the past have been washed away in the long years. It is difficult to go back to find the truth, but there is one thing Zong Ying can be sure that Yan Man's departure should not be suicide.

She has always been tenacious and hard-working, responsible for academics, work, and children, and will not leave the world without a word for no reason.

Those accusations of "suicide and irresponsibility" against her back then, those meaningless pity and hypocritical sympathy, and those fighting over her inheritance after her death were clearly branded in Zong Ying's youth.

At that time, Zong Ying was frustrated and disgusted, but was unable to leave.

My grandmother suffered a severe blow and fell ill, so she was picked up by her uncle to go abroad to recuperate, and she could only stay here, spending day after day alone, living with a sullen face and taciturn, Zong Ying can't even remember when she was a child 's smile.

Her face was lightly imprinted on the glass cabinet door—a dull, lifeless face.

She tried to hold up the corners of her lips to express a smile, but she was unskilled and stiff, and finally had to give up.

Zong Ying tried his best to calm the turbulent waves in his heart, and searched for a thin address book for his grandmother among the relics of his mother.

My grandmother was born in the ancient city of Chun'an. My brothers and sisters went their separate ways to make a living. After many years of separation, it was difficult to see each other again. It was hard to find out about one or two. The phone numbers left at that time may have already changed hands. In fact, even if you find the address book, you may not be able to find the old person.

But when people are in a foreign country at the end of the day, thinking about their hometown and old people is the last attachment. Anyway, they still have to try.

Zong Ying almost rummaged through the bookcase, and finally found it in a pile of notebooks.

The thin paper is slightly brittle, and the ink is only slightly smudged, which does not hinder identification.

Zong Ying raised his hand to close the cabinet, and all kinds of emotions seemed to be blocked at the moment when the cabinet door was closed.

The grandmother's return also provided Zong Ying with an excellent excuse.

Xue Xuanqing went to her again at night and asked her the reason for her vacation. She simply replied: "Grandma has returned to China, and I want to accompany her to find relatives."

The reason for this is good and justified, beyond reproach.

But Xue Xuanqing didn't intend to believe her completely, saying: "It is indeed an important thing to find relatives, but the leave you asked for this time is bizarre. Apart from accidents and sick leave, I really can't think of any other reason for the above approval. Such a long leave for you. Zong Ying, I know it’s inappropriate to force you like this, but I hope to understand your difficulties. Although some things can only be suffered by one person, it may be easier for someone to share emotionally. Do you have any questions? reason?"

Zong Ying was silent when she heard the words, she understood that Xue Xuanqing was 100% kind, but now is not the time for a showdown, so she replied: "Xuanqing, give me some time, it will be very soon."

Xue Xuanqing thought about it seriously and agreed, but also said: "No matter what happens, you must not go to the horns and promise me."

"Okay." She also responded earnestly.

In Shanghai in August, the temperature did not drop at all, and every particle of dust floating in the air was hot. Towards the end of the month, there were finally two heavy rains in a row. The city was dry and rainy. After the rain receded, the world ushered in a damp and clean.

During this period, Zong Ying and Lawyer Zhang met and expressed their intention to deal with the property. However, due to the limited time for the conversation, the matter could not be deepened, and Lawyer Zhang could only make another appointment with her.

According to the original plan, she should finish this matter as soon as possible and be admitted to the hospital for surgery immediately, but her grandmother's return to China disrupted her arrangement, and she simply postponed everything.

On September 1, when my grandmother returned to Shanghai, Zong Ying went to the airport to pick her up.

My uncle is very busy with work, and he really can't make time to stay in Shanghai for a long time. He almost has to send his grandmother to return in a hurry. Therefore, the work of reception and companionship falls on Zong Ying's head.

Grandma is a very interesting old lady. She was very optimistic and lively during the rest of the year except for the years when Grandpa and Yan Man passed away one after another.

On the way Zong Ying drove her back to the apartment, the old lady looked out the car window and sighed, "Has everything changed, or am I so old that I don't even remember what Shanghai used to be?"

Zong Ying glanced out the window. She felt the same way when she returned from 1937 to 2015, so she replied, "It's Shanghai that has changed, grandma."

Grandma's eyes filled with some sadness that is unique to her age: "I don't know me at all anymore." Probably sensing that the atmosphere was wrong, as soon as the words fell, grandma changed the subject again, expressing apology with Zongying: "You Are you asking for leave today? It seems that I have delayed your work."

Zong Ying said, "I saved some annual leave to accompany you."

"It doesn't matter if I don't accompany me. I also know how to book tickets online. I have no problem going to Hangzhou by myself, but you think I'm too old to be able to do anything. In fact, it really doesn't matter." The unhurried old tone made Zong Ying suddenly think of Sheng Qingrang.

She hadn't seen him for a long time.

For so many days, he has never appeared in Apartment 699 once, and the letter and card she gave have not pushed any consumption reminders since August 21.

Sheng Qing let disappear like the world evaporates.

Is he unable to appear because of an accident, or because the loopholes in time and space have been repaired so that he does not need to travel back and forth between the two eras?

The separation on the Qixi Festival was vaguely like the Cowherd and Weaver Girl who parted ways again after meeting on the Magpie Bridge, and they will not meet again at each end of the Milky Way.

The difference is that the next meeting of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl has a predictable period, while they are separated, and there is no predictable period of meeting at all.

One is about to face high-risk surgery in modern times, and the other is dealing with various crises brought about by the war in Shanghai in the 1930s.

At this point, Zong Ying's eyes flashed inexplicably for a moment.

She was sure that she was worried about Sheng Qingrang, and she was also worried about the two children she brought to the Sheng family, and Qinghui...etc. She wished from the bottom of her heart that they would be free from the war and that they could get through the years of unrest in peace.

Thinking about it, her right hand trembled slightly.

The grandmother, who was sitting at the back, noticed a trace of unease expressed by Zong Ying.

The grandmother then looked at her carefully. Although have been able to learn about her recent situation through video or phone calls over the years, but now that have contacted face-to-face, grandmother's worries have become intuitive and strong——

No matter how she looks or how she does things, she looks more and more like Yan Man.

Grandma looked worriedly at her hand holding the steering wheel, and asked cautiously, "Ah Ying, are you unhappy?"

Although Zong Ying felt that the question was sudden, he quickly responded, "No."

Grandma asked again, "So do you have any troubles in work and life?"

Zong Ying thought about it seriously: "There are some, but I think I can handle it."

The answer was almost the same as Yan Man's back then, but then Yan Man finished talking and left quickly.

Grandma's worries became deeper, Yan Man's unannounced departure hit her hard, and she didn't want to see anyone take Yan Man's old path, especially Zong Ying.

When the two arrived at Apartment 699, it was already evening. When the grandmother returned to the long-lost old house, it was inevitable that all kinds of emotions were intertwined in her heart.

This apartment used to be the new house where she got married. She welcomed the birth of her children here, watched them go out to study, witnessed them start a new family, and sent them away one by one, and then she left here herself. , After a few years, things are different.

Grandma walked to the bookcase and stood for a long time, and then crossed the bookcase to the balcony. It was a brand new Shanghai in the twilight, which had nothing to do with her old sad story. All the past, in fact, for her, are also old sorrows and regrets that need to be controlled.

Zong Ying stood next to her and told her how she had been in contact with her relatives in Zhejiang these days.

She dialed the old numbers on the book one by one, but the first few couldn't get through, so she could only find them later. The one from aunt's house was still picked up, but was told that aunt has now moved to Nanjing with her daughter. She then made a phone call to Nanjing, where she said that her aunt and grandmother were also very concerned about her sister. If they could meet, they would arrange it as soon as possible.

Although can't get in touch with all of them, there is still one who can meet immediately, which is no small surprise for grandmother.

Zong Ying contacted the Nanjing side again. The two old sisters spoke in their local accent over the phone for a long time. Resisting the urge to cry, they quickly settled on the date of the meeting—September 3, Friday night.

From Shanghai to Nanjing, after lunch, we set off steadily and drove on the highway. When we arrived, we were just in time to meet the sunset in Nanjing. When we entered the city and encountered a small congestion, it was an unusual weekday evening peak. This is Nanjing in 2015.

So what about seventy years ago? The navigation prompt was three kilometers away from the destination. Zong Ying looked at the calm high-rise building in the distance and stopped himself from thinking about it.

The meeting place was at my aunt's house, an ordinary commercial building in downtown Nanjing.

Her daughter and son-in-law prepared a table full of dishes for the reception. They were very enthusiastic. They spoke with a Nanjing accent. Only the old sister spoke the Chun'an dialect. The two of them became a world of their own. joy package.

Reunion after a long absence, most of the time.

Nearly eight o'clock in the evening, the grandson's family who lived in Pukou and the granddaughter's family who lived in Jiangning also arrived one after another. There were more than ten people in a small room, and it was like a New Year's Day. The TV was broadcasting local news, the children were rolling on the sofa, some were helping in the kitchen, and some were setting the table in the living room... Zong Ying stood by, at a loss.

There will not be such a large number of people in her family, nor will there be such a dinner party, which is unfamiliar to her.

When my aunt and cousin saw her standing there awkwardly alone, she quickly called Xiaonan to greet her and sit down. Xiao Nan raised her head and called to her: "Aunt Shanghai, hurry up and sit down, it's about time to eat!" Zong Ying then regained his senses, walked to a pair of small sofas on the west side, and invited two elderly people to come and take a seat.

During the banquet, the grandmother naturally became the focus of attention, and some people wanted to inquire about Zong Ying's situation, but Zong Yingmao was very introverted at first glance, and they gave up the idea of ​​continuing to inquire about her after a few questions.

The meal ended happily, it was nearly ten o'clock in the evening.

At this point on weekdays, the elderly would rest early, but today is a special situation. The two elderly people have not been drowsy until now, so the whole family stayed by the side, cut watermelon and prepared cold drinks to watch TV.

Zong Ying sat in the corner for a while, the electric fan gave her a faint headache. Seeing her frown slightly, her aunt and cousin asked, "Is it too stuffy?" Then she said, "Are you going to the outside balcony to blow the air? ?"

Zong Ying nodded silently, and his aunt and cousin got up and led her to the south-facing balcony.

The other party opened the window and said, "The air conditioner has been on, and the fumes from the cooking have not been able to escape, which is uncomfortable."

Zong Ying didn't answer, took out the cigarette case from his pocket and asked her, "Can I smoke?"

"Well?" My aunt and cousin nodded, "It's okay, just be your own home."

Zong Ying stood at the window and lit a cigarette. From the thin smoke, he could see that the lights of Wanjia were twinkling like stars.

Very good, Zong Ying thought.

She subconsciously took out her phone and glanced at the time. It was 22:06, ten o'clock in the evening, but nothing happened.

"Five Dynasties Rivers, Mountains, Wind and Moon"

The aunt and cousin next to her noticed that she was a little anxious. Seeing her staring at the time again, she thought she was in a hurry to go back to Shanghai, so she said, "Are you going to stay in Nanjing for one night today?"

"En." Zong Ying deserved to be vague, she unlocked her phone, clicked on the search page, hesitated for a moment, and found the Shanghai War Memorabilia.

"On August 21, enemy reinforcements arrived, and the two sides fought fiercely and fell into a stalemate.

On August 22, our army at Huishan Wharf continued to advance towards both flanks, approaching Yangshupu Road in the east and reaching the Hengbang River in the west.

On August 23, Japanese planes bombed the Xianshi Company, killing and injuring more than 800 people.

On August 28, our army and the enemy of Luodian fought fiercely for more than ten days, with more than half of the casualties, and Luodian Town fell.

On September 1, the 12th, 18th, 21st, 22nd, and 36th brigades of the Japanese army arrived in Shanghai... Tongji University was bombed by the Japanese army. "

The major events recorded in a few pens show the direction of the war, but they cannot take into account the fate of every civilian who lives in it.

Just when she couldn't help but search for the three words she had given up, a "ding dong" sounded, and a consumption reminder suddenly came from the top.

Zong Yingfei opened it quickly, and the place of consumption showed that it was a local merchant called Baixiang Pharmacy in Nanjing.

Zong Ying frowned, and a sign with green characters on a white background immediately popped out of her mind. She suddenly turned around and asked her cousin, "Is there a Baixiang pharmacy outside the community? Is it a chain store or just that one?"

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