The night is silent and contains everything.

Because of the cover of the night, Li Zhi's expression could not be seen, and the blush on Yan Qiu's face faded a little.

In fact, he didn't understand why he was so bold just now?I just felt that Li Zhi was about to leave, so I did so subconsciously.

Although Li Zhi didn't say anything, he could feel that Li Zhi was not in a good mood today. In this case, he didn't want Li Zhi to stay alone.

So held his hand and wanted to chat with him.

Yan Qiu likes holding hands very much, probably because his aunt always held him when he was a child, he has always felt that holding hands is a very warm thing.

Unlike kisses and hugs, which are split at the touch of a touch, although only fingers are connected, they can continuously convey each other's warmth.

"So you like to eat apples?" Yan Qiu asked suddenly, remembering the conversation between Li Zhi and Master he heard when he came.

He also wanted to try to write down Li Zhi's likes and dislikes.

Hearing this, Li Zhi turned sideways and seemed to be looking at him, but he remained silent.

Yan Qiu couldn't see his expression clearly, but saw that he suddenly fell silent, thinking that he had asked something wrong, so he quickly wanted to change the topic.

But before he could speak, he felt Li Zhi suddenly raised his arms to wrap his arms around him, and gently hugged him into his arms.

His chin was lightly pressed against his forehead, like a dying swan hanging down its slender neck in winter, tightly encircling the dying fire, trying to absorb the last warmth.

"I don't like it." Li Zhi said slowly.

Yan Qiu was taken aback when he heard the words, he didn't expect this answer, but after hearing Li Zhi's answer, he remembered that when Mr. Li asked Li Zhi, Li Zhi had never said that he liked it.

Then why did Master say that?

Li Zhi seemed to sense his doubts, and explained to him, "My father told me before that grandma likes apples, so every time I go back to the ancestral house, I will pick the best apple."

"That's why Master thought you also liked apples." Yan Qiu suddenly realized, and only then did he figure out the ins and outs of the matter.

"Yes, they all thought I liked apples."

Memories are soaked in time, always revealing a vague and warm softness.

"Actually, it's not all the moment when swords are on the verge of breaking out." Li Zhi didn't know what came to his mind, and slowly talked to him.

"I had undergone three surgeries when I was a child, and the third time I was older and had some memories, so I remember that my grandpa and grandma came to see me secretly the night before the surgery, when it was very late."

Li Zhi didn't know how they supported his parents.

I only remember that when I was in a drowsy sleep, someone touched his face lightly, and heard the suppressed sobs.

Li Zhi opened his eyes, and then he saw his grandparents who usually avoided him, but they were sitting beside him.

Grandma's eyes were red, and she was holding an equally red apple in her hand, which had already been cut in half.

She took a knife and cut a small piece and handed it to Li Zhi's mouth. The surrounding lights were too dim, and Li Zhi couldn't see her expression clearly.

All could see were tears in her eyes, like a river of stars that was about to rain.

"Little Zhi, be good, eat an apple, and be safe."

Grandma was very close to him, and she smelled very good, a faint floral fragrance. He sniffed it lightly, but he couldn't tell the difference.

It wasn't until a long time later that Li Zhi saw the eustoma planted all over the mountains and plains in his ancestral house, blowing in the wind, with a faint floral fragrance, that Li Zhi knew what the smell he smelt on his grandmother when he was young.

"You must fast before the operation." Seeing this, Mr. Li quickly reminded.

"Just a little." Mrs. Li retorted in a low voice, but after thinking about it, she gave up and said to Li Zhi, "Just take a bite, don't swallow it."

Although the young Li Zhi didn't understand why, he still followed suit and took a bite, leaving a row of small tooth marks on it.

After grandma saw it, she covered her eyes and smiled.

It took a while for her to put down her palm, Li Zhi thought she was crying, but she didn't, only her eyes were red.

"Grandma." Li Zhi called her and grabbed her hand.

In fact, he could feel that grandma didn't hate him.

Although she can't knock on her door when I go home during the Chinese New Year, but when there is no one, she will always secretly give herself money and candies.

Occasionally, he would hold him in his arms, look at him carefully, and then say with emotion: "It's really like your father."

But as long as the parents are present, grandma will change her look towards him.

Pretending to hate him.

At that time, Li Zhi didn't understand why all this happened?As long as this is a game played by grandma and him, he has always been a grandma with two personalities.

"It's okay, I'm not afraid." Mrs. Li thought he was afraid, so she hugged him back.

"Grandma went to the temple to pay homage to the Bodhisattva, and asked the abbot to pray for you. In the end, she drew a lottery. It was the last lottery, so our little Zhi will be safe."

Speaking of this, Mrs. Li suddenly remembered something and asked: "Do you know why you are called Zhi?"

Li Zhi shook his head, his name is too complicated, he still can't write it.

Grandma smiled at him when she saw this, and explained to him patiently, "Zhi means the most, the best, I thought about it with your grandpa, our Xiao Zhi is the best, so don't be afraid, it's just a small fight."Operation."

In fact, Li Zhi is not afraid, his mother said that he will take anesthesia, as long as he sleeps, he will be fine.

It seems that grandma is more afraid than him.

"I'm not afraid." Li Zhi clenched Mrs. Li's fingers, "Grandma, I just want you to stay with me more."

"Okay." Mrs. Li's nose turned sore when she heard this, and she immediately responded.

After that, she raised her hand and patted him, "Grandma is with you, go to sleep."

When Li Zhi woke up the next day, his grandparents had already left, and only his parents were by his side.

Li Zhi sat up and looked around.

Seeing him looking around, Chu Yin asked curiously, "Xiao Zhi, what are you looking at?"

"Where's grandma?" Li Zhi asked.

Both father and mother were silent because of this sentence, Li Zhi scratched his head, seeing that they didn't see it, he thought last night was just a dream he had.

"I dreamed about grandma last night." Li Zhi said excitedly to them, "She let me take a bite of an apple and put me to sleep."

"Really?" Li Zhou smiled, but for some reason, the smile was a bit bitter.

Then he hugged him, pinched his nose, "Xiao Zhi had such a good dream last night."

Although it was a very warm story, for some reason, Yan Qiu felt a little sad when he heard it.

As a listener, it is so sad, let alone Li Zhi is a witness.

Yan Qiu used to wonder why Li Zhi didn't have a good relationship with his grandparents, but he was still influenced by them, liking lisianthus and woodcarving.

That doesn't seem to be the case today.

Each of them actually loves each other.

It's just that the threshold in my heart was too difficult to cross, and later on I may not be able to tell whether it is hatred or competition with myself. The hatred for many years is too long, and I may have regretted it, but it is no longer difficult to bow my head, so even loveThe meaning can only be expressed so obscurely.

"Then what's your favorite fruit?" Yan Qiu asked.

"apple."

Yan Qiu was confused for a while, "Why?"

Li Zhi couldn't explain why, in fact, he didn't like apples, he always felt sour.

But in the following years, he would always think of that night, when grandma was sitting in front of his hospital bed, that small piece of apple that was stuffed into his mouth was very sweet.

He tried many times later, but he never tasted such a sweet apple again.

But for some reason, apples have become the most special fruit for him.

He has been mild-tempered since he was a child, so for him, special is liking.

"I don't know." Li Zhi shook his head, "I just think apples are sweet."

On the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, Mr. Li was finally discharged from the hospital.

Sickness comes like a mountain, and goes away like silk.

Although Old Man Li seemed to be fine, but for some reason, Yan Qiu always felt that he seemed to have aged a lot suddenly.

After all, he was just recovering from a serious illness, so Yan Qiu went back to his ancestral house almost every day.

It was also at this time that he realized that something seemed wrong.

When he came that day, Mr. Li was looking for things, rummaging through boxes and cabinets, looking very anxious.

Seeing this, Yan Qiu hurriedly stepped forward and asked, "Master, what are you looking for?"

Mr. Li raised his head, his eyes seemed to be strange for a moment when he saw him, but he recovered quickly, then breathed a sigh of relief, and said to him: "Handkerchief, there is a platycodon flower embroidered on it, I don't remember putting it onWhere is it?"

Hearing this, Yan Qiu looked at the Tang suit pocket on Mr. Li's chest, a corner was exposed, it was the handkerchief.

So he said quickly, "Master, it's in your pocket."

Only then did Old Man Li stop his search and looked at his chest, and it was indeed here.

He carefully took out the handkerchief, unfolded it and held it in his hand, looked at it again and again, and then his brows relaxed.

"it is this."

After speaking, Mr. Li returned to his seat holding the handkerchief, as if he was holding some rare treasure and refused to let it go for a moment.

Yan Qiu also came over and sat down in front of him, just about to ask him if he took today's medicine?

I saw Mr. Li unfolding his handkerchief carefully, and asked him, "Does it look good?"

"nice."

"This is a gift from your teacher's wife when I first got married, and she embroidered it with my own hands."

Old Master Li smiled as he spoke.

Yan Qiu also laughed when he heard the words, but he didn't know what to think of, and the smile on his face suddenly fell.

He raised his head to look at Mr. Li.

In fact, it was only a few days, but Mr. Li seemed to have aged suddenly, and he was no longer in good spirits like before.

Although he knew that Mr. Li was already eighty years old, but his spirit was so good before, so Yan Qiu always felt that he was much younger than his actual age.

So Yan Qiu couldn't figure it out, it was just an illness, why did he suddenly get old?

"Master." Yan Qiu asked cautiously, "You told me, have you forgotten?"

Old Man Li was taken aback when he heard the words, his eyes were empty, as if he was trying to remember something.

However, I didn't think about it for a long time, so I could only give up in the end, waved my hands and pretended to be relaxed and said, "Really? I don't remember."

After Yan Qiu went back, he told Li Zhi about it, and Li Zhi immediately went to the hospital.

When came back, whole body was much lowered.

"What happened to Master?" Yan Qiu asked.

Li Zhishen didn't speak, but just reached out to hold him, and Yan Qiu instantly understood that the result must be bad.

really……

"It's Alzheimer's disease." Li Zhi said slowly, "It usually occurs in the elderly over 65 years old. The doctor said that grandpa is getting old. This is actually a normal thing."

When Yan Qiu heard this, his eyes turned red instantly.

Seeing this, Li Zhi patted the back of his hand and comforted him: "Don't worry too much, the doctor said it's still early stage."

Even with Li Zhi's comfort, Yan Qiu still couldn't sleep at night, so he took the tablet and started looking up information about Alzheimer's disease.

It is said above that Alzheimer's disease is divided into three stages. In the early stage, social function gradually declines and memory gradually declines, but basic life skills can still be maintained, which lasts for about 3 years.

In the middle stage, the patient begins to be unable to live independently, and may even die due to various accidents and complications, which lasts for about 2 years

Until the late stage, the ability to take care of oneself is completely lost, various behaviors degenerate, and most of them die of various complications within 1 to 2 years.

The above-mentioned symptoms gradually increased.

And as far as the current medical level is concerned, the development of Alzheimer's disease is irreversible, that is, it cannot be cured.①

Yan Qiu looked at the lines of words on the tablet, as if he saw the life of Mr. Li gradually slipping away.

Tears began to fall uncontrollably, he cried for a long time in the dark, then wiped away the tears and came to Li Zhi's room.

Li Zhi probably already knew these things, and he must be more sad than him.

Although it was still in the early stages, they didn't know when Mr. Li had shown early symptoms, and when would he enter the next stage?

They could only watch from the sidelines as Mr. Li's illness got worse and worse, but there was nothing they could do.

So the only thing we can do now is to have no regrets.

He knocked on the door, pushed it open and walked in. Li Zhi was still asleep, so he sat up from the bed and asked, "What's wrong?"

Yan Qiu didn't speak, and silently climbed onto the bed, threw himself into his arms and hugged him.

"Can't sleep." Yan Qiu tried hard to control his emotions.

Li Zhi naturally knew the reason, so he raised his hand and patted his back lightly.

"Li Zhi." Yan Qiu called him.

"Um?"

"Let's move back to the ancestral house."

The room was very quiet, so Yan Qiu could hear Li Zhi's breathing and heartbeat.

At this moment, they seem to be very close.

So Yan Qiu knew that he would definitely agree.

Sure enough, Li Zhi was silent for a long time, and finally replied: "Okay, let's move back."

Mr. Li's illness worsened faster than they imagined.

When Shen Guxuan's old man came to him to play chess with his frighteningly expensive mahogany chessboard inlaid with silver wire as usual, old man Li looked at him for a long time before he remembered who he was.

"Old buddy." Boss Shen Guxuan looked at him, smiled and set up the chessboard, "Let's play another game."

"Okay." Old Master Li smiled and picked up Hei Zi.

This game of chess was played chaotically and sloppily, but they still played a draw.

"Stinky chess basket." Old Master Li scolded with a smile, "My memory is so bad that I have never played against me."

Boss Shen Guxuan smiled, and slowly put away the chess pieces on the table, "It's not that I haven't played today, I have never played you in my life."

"Come again next time." Mr. Li said, standing up while supporting the table.

Boss Shen Guxuan put away the chessboard silently, while silently said: "I won't come, maybe next time you will have completely forgotten me, it will only increase your sadness."

"Isn't that what happens when you get older, maybe you forget me first."

"Oh." Boss Shen Guxuan picked up the chessboard, "You must have forgotten me first, old man, I come into contact with new things every day, and my memory is very good."

Having said that, it seems that can't go on anymore, so turn around and walk out.

After walking a few steps, he suddenly heard Mr. Li calling out to him, "Chengzong, come again."

Boss Shen Guxuan stopped, but didn't look back, he just waved his hand at him, and replied loudly: "I won't come."

After speaking, he strode out.

Mr. Li forgot more and more things, and it seemed that he even forgot all the kindness and resentment he had in the past.

Moreover, he suddenly became dependent on Li Zhi, and sometimes he couldn't see him, and would ask Yan Qiu to accompany him to the company.

He didn't say anything, just sat quietly on the sofa watching Li Zhi for a while, and then left.

Li Zhi could feel the change in him, and he tried his best to squeeze the time in the company every day, and would not go there unless necessary.

Stay with Mr. Li at home as much as possible.

Mr. Li was much more lethargic than before. After waking up, he would either be in a daze for a while, or just look at the wood carvings on the shelf.

If Li Zhi was by his side, he would get up and bring him an apple, and say to him, "Eat it."

Li Zhi would finish eating the apple every time, and then reply, "It's delicious."

Yan Qiu looked at their rare harmony and wondered if this was a kind of letting go.

But the matter between relatives is a messy account, how can we make it clear?

Time flies by, the weather is getting warmer and the windows are open more and more. As soon as the windows are opened, you can feel the breeze blowing gently, with a faint fragrance of flowers.

Spring is coming.

Mr. Li recently dug out a lot of old photos and struggled to identify them one by one.

There are old lady Li's, Li Zhou's, Li Wei's, and a few photos of Li Zhi when he was a child.

Yan Qiu watched from the side, wondering if he couldn't remember again?But he didn't dare to ask.

It's just that can't suppress the sadness in heart. For the first time, feel that old age is actually more terrible than death.

Time clutters your brain, taking away the memories that mean the most to you.

You look at those familiar photos and start to feel at a loss.

Obviously they are the most important people in your life, but you don't recognize them anymore.

You watched them get farther and farther away in your memory, but you were at a loss.

Although Old Man Li still tried his best to maintain everything normal, Yan Qiu could feel that his condition was getting worse and worse, so he followed him almost all the time.

When he came up this day, he went to take care of Mr. Li as usual, but when he knocked on the door, no one answered for a long time.

Yan Qiu's heart tightened suddenly, he didn't bother to knock on the door again, he just pushed the door and walked in, and then saw that Mr. Li was not in the room.

The quilt on the bed was neat and tidy, and there was no sign that anyone had slept on it.

Yan Qiu became anxious in an instant, and hurriedly asked everyone to look for it together.

However, he searched almost the entire ancestral house, but he did not see Mr. Li.

Li Zhi went to the company, and Yan Qiu didn't care if he would be disturbed for a while, so he called him quickly.

Li Zhi was in a meeting, but he answered it immediately. After listening, his tone immediately became serious, "Don't worry, I'll go back now."

Yan Qiu hung up the phone and sat down on the stone bench beside him from exhaustion. After walking for too long in the morning, his legs are now weak.

The breeze is gentle, and the air is filled with the fragrance of flowers and plants.

Yan Qiu smelled the fragrance of flowers in the air, and suddenly realized something, stood up abruptly and ran towards the back hill of the study.

Passing through the hollowed-out landscape wall, Yan Qiu saw platycodon flowers blooming all over the mountain, one cluster after another, one after another, covering the entire mountain as far as the eye can see.

The whole mountain is light golden yellow.

Yan Qiu couldn't see where Mr. Li was, but guessed from his feeling that he should be here, so he walked all the way to the depths of the platycodon flower.

He went down halfway up the mountain, and finally saw Mr. Li.

Mr. Li was wearing a thin Tang suit, sitting on the ground like this, with a handkerchief in his breast pocket and an old black and white photo in his hand.

Yan Qiu heaved a sigh of relief, walked over and sat down beside him.

"Master." Yan Qiu called him.

Hearing the sound, old man Li turned his head to look at him, a trace of confusion flashed in his eyes, he seemed a little puzzled, but he still gave him a friendly smile.

Looking into his eyes, Yan Qiu knew that he had forgotten himself too, his nose couldn't help but turned away hastily.

"Are you here to see these platycodon flowers?" Yan Qiu adjusted his mood before turning his head and asking.

"Well, I walked away unconsciously." Mr. Li looked at the sea of flowers in front of him, and slowly replied.

"Do you like lisianthus?"

Mr. Li seemed to be a little caught up in the question, thought for a long time, then shook his head, "I don't remember, I just think it looks good."

As he spoke, he looked at the old photo in his hand.

This photo is a black and white photo, which already has a sense of age. It is a photo of Mrs. Li when she was young.

In the photo, she is wearing a cheongsam, with her hair neatly tied behind her head, adorned with a beautiful lisianthus.

Yan Qiu didn't know how much Mr. Li had forgotten, so he asked tentatively, "Do you still remember her?"

Hearing this, Mr. Li picked up the photo, put it in front of him and looked at it for a long time.

Even after a long time, Mrs. Li in the photo still exudes the unique beauty of oriental women.

Unsurprisingly, Mr. Li shook his head, "I don't remember."

Yan Qiu was about to tell him that this is your wife.

However, Mr. Li slowly picked off a lisianthus and put it in front of the photo, then said with a smile: "But... she is very pretty."

"Although I don't know each other, I always feel that if I give her eustoma, she will definitely like it."

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