Li He minded his own business, and the plate of stir-fried cabbage and meat disappeared in a short while. He took the steamed bun and dipped it in the soup. He dipped it in, took a bite, dipped it again, and took another bite. There was not much soup, and it was gone after a few bites. He was not satisfied. He took the steamed bun and wiped the plate several times until all the oil and soup were wiped away. The plate was shiny as if it had been washed clean. Only then did he put down the plate and stuffed the last piece of steamed bun into his mouth.
"What a pity." He was reluctant.
Only being stingy could make him overcome his panic. Whether he was rich or not, it was fine if he was capable. He was like this. A black chicken was black on the bone.
After eating, he sat next to the door. The door was not closed. He was afraid that he would not hear Old Man Zhang's phone call. The cold wind poured into his neck. He stood up and put on his jacket. He did not sit down again and went straight to Old Man Zhang's house.
Old Man Zhang's family was still eating. When he saw Li He enter, Old Man Zhang moved a stool for him and said politely, "Come over for a drink?"
"It's okay."
Old Man Zhang chuckled. "Food and wine. The more you drink, the better it is. Come, just pick up the phone when it comes. "
"You're welcome." Li He took the wine and sat around the stove. He saw that there was a bed in the pigeon shed and asked, "Why did you put it there?"
Old Man Zhang said, "It's too late to move the household registration. Put a bed there."
"I didn't hear about it being demolished." Li He was very sure that this area would not be moved. He remembered that it was developed into a tourist attraction. "Even if it's really demolished, it's still illegal."
"If we have a good relationship, it will be counted as a building area. Let me tell you, the opposite side of the road has been demolished. We're only a few hundred meters away. It's only a matter of time. "Old Man Zhang pushed a pot in front of Li He." Try this pigeon. "
Li He waved his hand. "It's okay. It's good food at home. "
"It's very nutritious. You'll feel better after eating it. Take some back with you." Mr. Zhang opened a pack of cigarettes and handed one to Li He.
"Yo, you even smoke such a good cigarette." Seeing that it was a Chunghwa cigarette, Li He couldn't help but tease the old man Zhang. "You are rich."
Old Man Zhang was usually frugal with his money. Although he still had a small shop, the cigarettes in the shop were bought with his capital. He had never smoked such good cigarettes.
"I can't lose face when I go to the Housing Authority to inquire about the matter, right? If it's really demolished, it'll be able to pull a truckload of Chunghwa. Won't we still be able to slap it? "Old Man Zhang had a single pair of eyes. When he spoke, his single eyelid kept twitching.
"Don't prepare so early. We haven't even seen the shadow yet." Li He kindly reminded.
Old Man Zhang laughed, "Of course you're not anxious. There's only you and your sister in your family anyway. Even if you wanted to add a household register, you wouldn't be able to. Besides, your house is so big. Demolishing it would be a huge advantage. I still have two daughters. Both of them need to be registered. That way, we can get more money. If we're late, when the news of the demolition comes, it'll be too late. "
The so-called demolition was suitable for the development of YC City. On the other hand, it was a good opportunity for many of the people who would be demolished to improve their living conditions. Only ghosts would want to live in dilapidated and old houses. Not many people cared about the feelings of historical architecture and culture.
Just as Li He was about to speak, the phone in the outer room rang. Just as he was about to stand up, old man Zhang's son had already gone to answer the call. When he returned, he said to Li He, "Teacher Li, it's really you."
Li He hurriedly went outside to answer the call. As expected, it was Shen Daoru.
"Mr. Li, we didn't find anyone named Zhang Wanting."
Li He tensed up. "How could it not be? Did your people look seriously?"
"Mr. Li, I sent two groups of people. The dormitory you mentioned only has two Asians, and they're both Thai." Shen Daoru probed, "Could they have an English name? Usually, people who go abroad will have an English name. Could it be that we got the wrong name? "
"Wantingzhang?" Li He always sent this name to the recipient of his letters.
"We've asked around for the phonetic alphabetical names, but the students said they've never heard of this name."
Li He said excitedly, "That's impossible. There must be! "
He sent out so many letters every year, and Zhang Wanting received them all. She even replied, so how could she not be around? Could it be that the name was really wrong? Zhang Wanting had never told him her English name. But even if she wanted to use an English name, it should at least be the same as her passport. According to regulations, the English spelling of a person with a permanent residence in China had to be Chinese.
Shen Daoru saw how agitated Li He was and hurriedly tried to calm him down. "Mr. Li, don't worry. I'll ask them to look at the school's academic affairs department. They were just asking around the dormitory."
"Hurry up, it's already nine o 'clock in London. I'll wait here. "Li He hung up after he finished speaking.
He returned to the table in the inner room, took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, and gave it to Old Man Zhang and his son.
Old Man Zhang said, "Continue drinking."
"Continue drinking." Li He picked up the cup and downed it in one gulp. Then, he let out a loud burp.
Old Man Zhang's son, Zhang Zhen, laughed. "Teacher Li, you're really good. That English is so crisp and clear, but I can't understand it."
"It's nothing. I've been studying for so many years, so I know a little bit. "
The few old men drank for about half an hour before the phone rang again.
Old Man Zhang said to Li He, "It's definitely still yours. Go pick it up yourself. "
Li He took a deep breath, put the cup on the table, and stood up to answer the phone.
"How is it?"
Shen Daoru hesitated. "There is such a person, but …"
"But what … When did you become a stutterer? Hurry up and say it." Li He was very impatient.
"I heard that he has already left the school."
"When did this happen?"
"She's in the postgraduate department. Postgraduates usually graduate around the beginning of December, so it's been more than a month."
"Do you know where he went?"
"I'm not sure about the school. He might still be in England, or he might have returned to China."
Li He said, "Then continue to help me find out."
He hung up and gave Old Man Zhang money for the phone.
Old Man Zhang gave him two pigeons. "Take them, I don't have any space at home. They're delicious when stewed. "
Li He took the pigeons, one in each hand. When he got home, the two dogs sniffed at the pigeons in Li He's hands. The two pigeons were so scared that they wanted to flap their arms, but Li He grabbed them tightly.
He was not interested in eating pigeons, so he threw them into the yard. Whether they lived or died, whether they escaped or stayed, depended on their luck.
The three dogs were so happy that they chased the pigeons in the snow. The pigeons could not flap high because their wings were cut off, so they fluttered their feathers all over the ground when they were chased. The three dogs were indeed a family. Their minds were connected, and they all used tactics to surround and intercept the pigeons. The two pigeons were blocked at the corner of the chicken coop while they were stunned. However, only one of the male pigeons was a man. He was half-squatting, flapping his wings and cooing at Big Yellow's teeth, looking like he was going to fight to the death.
Li He was so angry that he threw a broom at Big Yellow. "Hurry up and get back to your own nest."
Big Yellow's fat body actually dodged the broom nimbly. He whimpered a few times at Li He and brought his son and daughter back to his nest. If you want to eat pigeons, you have to look at the owner first. Previously, it also wanted to harm the chickens and ducks at home, but they were all treated like bamboo shoots fried with meat. It had experienced all the conventional weapons such as palm, flying feet, rolling pin, broom, and so on.
It was very dissatisfied with Li He's philosophy of "a good dog comes from a yellow thorn", but it could only whimper …
The two pigeons were overjoyed that they did not die. They excitedly ran in the direction of the rockery.
Four's eyes were red as he cleaned up the bowls in the central room. He ignored Li He, but he was very interested in the two pigeons. He grabbed a handful of millet to feed them.
Li He said, "Don't feed them rice. Don't we have mung beans? Feed them mung beans. Tomorrow, go buy some corn and feed them corn. "
"It's none of your business." Although Four said that, he still put down the millet and went to the kitchen to grab some mung beans.
The two pigeons were playing hide-and-seek in a small hole in the rockery, but when they saw the mung beans that Four scattered on the ground, they jumped down from the rock and pecked at the mung beans. They were not afraid even though Four was squatting in front of them. They were domesticated pigeons, so they were not afraid of people. Moreover, Old Man Zhang did not feed them much for the past few days in order to not lose money. They were not stupid enough to give up food to hide from people.
Li He felt weak all over. Just as she went back to the house to lie down, the door was slammed.
"What?"
"You didn't wash your feet!" It was Four's voice outside the door.
"I'm not washing them. Go to sleep."
Bang bang. Four continued to knock on the door. She did not respond.
Li He got up and opened the door in annoyance. "What are you doing if you're not sleeping?"
Four held a bucket in one hand and a kettle in the other. "I'm washing your feet."
Li He took it helplessly. He took out a foot basin from under the table, filled it with water, and put it in. Then, when he saw that Four was still standing there in a daze, he said, "Go back to the house and sleep."
"Brother, are you angry with me?"
"Why would I be angry with you?"
"Then you're not happy."
"It has nothing to do with you. Don't mind my business. Go to sleep."
Four pointed to the crook of Li He's long johns and said, "Yours are torn. I'll buy you new ones tomorrow."
"I'll buy them myself."
Four looked at the deformed leather shoes on the ground again. After a while, he said, "You always talk about buying them, but I've never seen you go shopping even once."
"Isn't there something wrong with a man like me going shopping?"
"Then I'll accompany you tomorrow?"
Li He waved his hand and said, "No need. I have something to do tomorrow. We'll go to the department store and buy them all at once when we're going home in a few days. "
"Okay." Four walked out of the house resentfully. Suddenly, he could not help but turn his head and said, "You're really not angry with me?"
Li He did not know whether to laugh or cry. "No, no."
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