I don't know why, when I heard this sentence, I couldn't help but my eyes became wet.
Master is right. Since the last time we met, I have indeed been too busy and tired a lot. And the fact that Meng Dongxue left me also made me unable to cheer up for a while. Even when I stand in front of the mirror and look at myself, I feel a little thinner.
Master's question, which was completely out of my routine, was filled with concern, but it directly hit the most fragile and soft part of my heart. I couldn't hold back my tears, so I asked him with a smile, "You are still talking about me, but you don't even look at yourself, how thin you have become."
Although my appearance was a bit sudden for Master, the friendship between master and disciple for many years can never be broken. After hearing this, he smiled weakly and said, "As I get older, I slowly begin to shrink, just like flowers, plants and trees." After saying that, he probably thought his metaphor was interesting, so he laughed to himself. After laughing twice, he started coughing violently.
Every cough the Master makes seems to be particularly forceful and strenuous. The tail note is always accompanied by a dull sound. If Mr. Mo were with me right now, he would definitely say that he hurt his lungs because he coughed for too long. So I stood up and asked him to have a good rest, stop talking, and feed him some water.
Master held my hand and did not let go. It could be seen that although my arrival was unexpected, Master was still very happy. Even the aunt who knitted sweaters said that Mr. Lin's energy seemed much better after I came. Master told me that it was thanks to these neighbors this time, otherwise I would have died in that house, not only smelling like a pile of meat, but also making it impossible for people to live in the house in the future. I interrupted him and said, what are you talking nonsense about? This is not good. The doctor's opinion is also very optimistic. After the operation, you can rest for a while and you can jump around again.
Master chuckled, and I was really afraid that he would cough violently again. He sat up with his back against the pillows. I quickly stuffed the two pillows on the bed up to his waist so that he could sit more comfortably. After sitting firmly, the master suddenly sighed and said, I know my body well. This time, the master has caught up. Even if it can be cured, it will severely damage your vitality and will be of no use in the future.
I originally wanted to make a joke, saying that if it's okay and you're useless, I'll take you out to play and go for a walk. But I didn't say it out loud because I was afraid that if I said it, I would get it right.
Seeing that the topic was about to turn serious, I quickly interrupted and said, since you are awake, I will get you some food to eat. I heard this aunt say that although you are not in good spirits, you really have a good appetite. That's good, people, if you can eat, you won't get sick. If you don't even eat a meal one day, it probably won't be very fun.
My master and I often talk on a regular basis. Of course, we, master and disciple, understand each other and no one will think anything of it. After all, we have always been getting along like this from the beginning. If it changes, we will not be used to it. But these conversations were heard by the aunt who was knitting sweaters on the side. She probably thought that we, the old and the young, were a little funny, so she continued to knit sweaters and watched with a smile.
My aunt told me that these days, Master always goes to the hospital cafeteria to get food. His favorite food is fried shredded pork with potatoes, and he eats a lot these days. Stir-fried shredded pork with potatoes has always been Master's favorite dish, I have always known this. So I took Master's bowl and went to the cafeteria to buy some food, and then I prepared to feed Master, but he refused. He didn't want me to feed him, saying that he would eat by himself and not move his hands or feet, which would make people lazy. It would be fine in the future. Now that I have it, I don’t like to use it anymore. So I didn't insist anymore and asked my aunt if she wanted to eat something. I took her to eat and thanked my master for taking care of me these days.
The aunt repeatedly said no need, and also said that since I was here, she would go home first, and there was really no need for two people to take care of her. It just gave us master and apprentice time to talk. So I took the aunt downstairs to the health station and thanked her again and again until she walked away.
At this moment, there are only two people left in the ward: me and my master. Some things that are difficult to say in front of outsiders can be said with confidence and boldness at this moment. So after Master finished eating, I went to wash the dishes and chopsticks for him, then sat on the edge, looking at his haggard look, and asked worriedly, what happened to you in the past two years? Since you stay in one place, It's been more than a year, why didn't you write a letter to say something? Master sighed and said, the last time I went back to the mountain village, I saw how harmonious and warm Meng Dongxue and I were, and I began to feel that it would actually be cruel for me to learn from Master again. After arriving in Hubei, he quickly found the senior Qin and had dealings with him for a while.
Master said that although Senior Qin is a bit weird, he is not a bad person. Maybe when you saw me today, you thought I was a lot older, my hair was all white, and my body was not as good as before, right? I didn't answer, just nodded silently, because who could not see such an obvious thing. Master asked again, "Aren't you very surprised, why did it take two years to turn me into this state? Not to mention that we are people of metaphysics, and our lives can withstand hardships better than others?" I still didn't answer, just nodded.
Master said, I was thinking when I was eating just now that I deliberately did not tell anyone my new address, and since you have found me, you must be the only person who knows the address to tell you, and that is Senior Qin. And since you found Senior Qin, it means that you must have looked for Mr. Mo before coming here, right? Master said that his score was not bad, which meant that although he was in poor health, his wisdom was still there. However, Master did not expect that Meng Dongxue and I had completely separated and may never see each other again.
Master really likes this child Meng Dongxue, so in order to prevent him from feeling regretful, I did not tell him the truth. I told Master that since there was no news from you for so long, I had no choice but to go to Mr. Mo for help. Master smiled and said, but what I didn't expect was why Senior Qin would tell you my new address so easily? Could it be that you are also involved in the secret between us?
secret? What secret? Although I didn't ask, Master obviously read this from my stunned expression. So he said with a smile, it seems that he still hasn't told you this secret. No wonder, you are my apprentice, not his. It is normal for him not to trust you. So I couldn't help but ask what kind of secret it was and why it was so mysterious.
After hearing what I said, Master untied his hospital gown and exposed his chest to me. This time, I was shocked. On Master's left chest, there is a cross shape, which does not look like the Chinese character for "十", but more like a capital "X". It is about the length of a palm, and is surrounded by scars shaped like centipedes. Then Master said to me, this is what will happen if I go to explore that secret.
I know that centipede-like thing, it is the scar after the stitches were removed. But the cross scar reflected dark red on the master's skin and was still a raised shape, which looked particularly scary. So I asked in surprise, what's wrong with you? When did you get injured? Master said, don’t mention it. In the final analysis, it was all because I was careless and didn’t expect it, so I was caught off guard. At that time, there was a big hole in his chest, two ribs were broken, and his lungs were injured.
What I heard was a little thrilling. It turned out that Master's cough came from this. The master said that the injury was so serious that he could not be sent to the hospital, so he asked Senior Qin to help set the bones and then sewed it up. However, after all, it was a disembowelment, which damaged his vitality and his body collapsed all of a sudden. You have also seen this senior Qin. He has a peculiar personality, a physical disability, and his personality is distorted by it. I think it will be difficult for you when you see him.
I nodded and said yes. This madman actually asked me to prove that I was your apprentice, causing me to stay in the morgue all night with five dead bodies. After saying that, I raised my sleeves, smelled it, and said, I still have the smell of disinfectant on my clothes. But I don't mind if you say he has a strange personality, but where do you start talking about having a disability? Before coming here, Dr. Mo also said that he had a disability, and it was a disability that appeared on his face, but I didn't find anything wrong?
Master was also stunned, and then asked me, are you talking about the tall, bald senior Qin? I said yes! The master also said that he also raised a big white and yellow python named Ganmu, right? I said yes! Aren't we talking about the same senior Qin? Master said, didn't you notice his big beard?
I said of course I noticed it, such a thick beard is really rare. The master shook his head and said, you brat, I have taught you a long time ago to observe carefully and not miss any strange place. When you saw him before, didn't you find something hidden in his beard?
The more I listened, the more confused I became. Apart from fleas and acne, could there be anything else hidden in this beard? Master was probably losing patience with my understanding, so he stretched out his left hand, pointed at his left cheek and said, His beard is particularly lush here, right? Do you know why? I shook my head and Master said, because his disability is in this position, his mother was pregnant with twins when she gave birth to him. However, Senior Qin’s body was stronger this time, so he gradually lost his other child in his belly. One fetus was absorbed.
The master said that the absorption was not complete. There was a pair of eyes and a small mouth on his cheek, and that mouth could speak alone.
I opened my mouth wide, completely dumbfounded.
