1
“Hey, do you know about Lao Wan?”
“I have heard that Lao Wan has advanced liver cancer after falling from such a high mast.”
“Well, you know all that? Old man wise ah, dead Wells than dead home better! There were more than one million of them, not all of them for his son…”
“1.2 million. Lao Wan’s son has also been assigned a job. My son and his son have the same school, and he is still staying at home now. Lao Wan’s jump is worth it!”
Oil city scale is not big, interpersonal circle is closed, Zhang patriarch Li jia is short can spread quickly, what’s more, it is Lao Wan “because of work death” so big thing.
Wan and my family are family friends. Lao Wan’s name is jianguo, like that of many post-60s generation. He was my father’s friend when he was a child. Our two families lived side by side in the past years. On the day wan shu left, my father sighed and spent the night at the wine table talking to me:
“Before a wheeled son, once-ler just want to see me together, playing xiaohui left, the two of us drank together for a long time, on the day of the once-ler said a lot of things, and more surprises me, I thought it was because he worry about his son wan hai, but now I have a look, once-ler in hand over to treat yourself this life, he is he a walk, I actually remember these things more clearly.”
His father that night about thousands of tertiary in the past, I also know how much a little before: wan uncle grandpa that generation from hebei braving the journey to western liaoning, takes root in a small town to open a restaurant, is big business in a small town, and his father later on when the driver drive a cart, first sent to the front when the Korean goods, then assigned to the steel mill, then the oil battle, again to the deserted wetland on supporting the construction of city. Wait until ten thousand uncle was born, the oil city has begun to take shape, schools, factories, hospitals built one by one, ten thousand home also finally moved out of the difficult shantytown.
Wan Shu as oilfield children, the original work is not to worry about. After graduating from junior high school, he has to choose between “high school” and “technical school”, because this will determine his identity after work: technical school graduates can only be a worker for life, attend a high school can be an oil school attached to the oil field, after graduation according to the “cadre” allocation, become an administrator.
Wan Shu failed to pass the first oil school exam, and wanted to take the exam for another year, but caught up with his father to go to Jilin on a long-distance bus, will be a road to school riding a bicycle “painting dragon” child rolled into the cart’s rear wheels to be killed. Because of the accident, was deeply appreciated by the leadership, has been included in the list of wan Shu father, probationary party members to take, there is no political future. Wan shu father has been holding a fire in his heart, can only rely on the drink to discharge, drunk into the water lost his life, leaving his mother, brother and sister, the burden of the family fell on the shoulders of Wan Shu.
In 1988, at the age of 20, Wan shu took over and worked in the oilfield. There are high and low division of the work, the father did not, no one can talk to the leadership when the assignment, wan Shu was assigned to the work team when the work.
“Drilling is hard, the operation is tiring, and the oil extraction is not a team.” Youcheng people usually call the operation team “evildoers team”, joyed to come here are shangbeizi evildoers, just this beizi suffer. And in this unit is all “monk”, personal problems are not easy to solve, oilfield children and local people are not willing to do this kind of work, the oil city can only from the north of the poor mountainous area hired family farmers with more than a few fields as rotation workers, filling the establishment of the work team — all this is wan Shu after work to know.
2
On the first day of work, the captain asked the three new members of the team to go to Inoue with the squad leader to “get used to the environment first”.
For thousands of tertiary, “watch” is actually a duel: tractor buzzing, took the black smoke, each less than 10 meters long tubing from hanging up one or two kilometers deep underground, when each tubing, oil and water in the well is from spewing out over 10 meters high, the wellhead two workers poured with grease. Wan Shu looked at the side of a day, see the class of five people put a well of hundreds of tubing all up, in addition to the rotation to eat a meal, has been non-stop, endless repetition of the same action.
After that, uncle Wan went to the well and finished his work every day. When he came home, he would lie in bed, and the oil on his work clothes would condense into a lump, like a wild boar rubbing pine oil on a mountain forest and then rolling it all over the earth. The advantage was that it was waterproof, but it was extremely sour in hot weather. His monitor, also a teacher assigned to him on the team, tried several times to persuade him to wash his work clothes, but he did not respond.
Ten thousand uncle know class workmates look down on him, oilfield children are mostly spoiled, physical strength is not good, work than the two new points to the bad soldiers. When there is no work on the well, the workers like to play a poker blow a cow, wan Shu never communicate with them, in the corner of the classroom, worry heavy a squat. For a long time, they call him “sidelong shrimps”.
After working quietly for half a year, the bonus came down. The team held a little meeting, people can not help but discuss for a while, but is the number of hours, which class to catch up with more “pretty work”, how the leader is biased. Wan Shu did not care much about it, but he found that his bonus is more than the master — a fresh egg, what do not know, do not work, how can it be more than the work of the first old monitor bonus?
such as scattered, wan Shu for the first time to find a master to drink a meal of wine. A glass of white wine down the stomach, the master wine also rose:
“Low energy, I know why you’re drinking with me, watching your wining reward, right? You think I’m giving you extra hours? That’s beautiful of you! I’m working hard every day just to earn two more bucks. Do you know that I spent half a year’s bonus just to get on the team? You still don’t believe, children can’t understand you this kind of oilfield, it is ZuoYeDui inside most of the people, workers on rotation under this contract is above according to poverty indicators into villages, we the village, the families just a few acres of marginal, every village to a few places, three years in a rotation, not pay only three years…
“No matter how much work you do, the bonuses and salaries are not as good as those of you oilfield boys, not to mention the benefits, but that’s better than facing the earth and not having many harvests. When the villagers see you doing your homework, who doesn’t envy you? You are a high school student, high culture, look down on us these mountains kind of the earth, usually do not love Tisheng, but the teacher with your heart, work team this work, you do not have a high culture and do not necessarily dry spirit, you have enough education, not as good as to take an exam, looking for a chance to do…”
That meal master and wan Shu all drank big. the second day to wake up, Wan Shu to some light oil, brush to wash the clothes. However, he is very low on words, and is known as “low energy”.
3
In 1992, a large number of soe workers in northeast China were laid off, and the steel mill where Wan’s father had worked was gone. Most of the people in the oil city holding the attitude of the collapse of the sky we die, the public panic for a while, but found that the unit not only safe and sound, but also expanded production. “Big dry on produce” let the operation company expanded the team, the captain said at the meeting: “we are a central enterprise, oil is a national strategic resource, can say yellow stand on yellow stand? !”
Island city the welfare treatment is high, the iron rice bowl at one end, and timing to put rice, many laid-off workers and the local people in the city as a business, the south road opened a small restaurant, small restaurants to drum up business and miss a lot, a lot of workers off work will go there to drink and natural and unrestrained, also need not take what money, communities depend: the driver is out of the car put a pot of oil, oil production and workers from tinkering with some iron inoue, leaders at all levels to sign the bill PiTiao line.
Wan shu was 24 years old, and had reached the age to ponder over a lifelong event. Local girls mostly look down on the team to help dirty and tired oil devils, uncle million mother will entrust people to the local inquire. It is not difficult to find a place on the girl, the city of prosperity, the local people home girl to find the people of the city of oil, there will be a guarantee.
Before long, the old neighbor Pan uncle to play a drum a girl called Hsiao Hui: “from Heilongjiang to find relatives, small place, people that is very responsible, the girl looks handsome ah, early 18 years old, find time to come out to see.”
Blind date place about in the unit to ten thousand uncle’s two rooms in a hall. Hsiao Hui, with a long tail, white skin, and a petite figure, entered the room and flicked around with timid eyes, then immediately lowered her head and stood quietly against the wall. Aunt Pan dragged her by the arm into the room. “You young people talk well.”
the room quiet down, two people sitting relatively silent, wan Shu looked at Hsiao Hui low head with his hands gently with the braid of the end of the hair.
“What a beautiful house you have.” Ten thousand uncle shocked once, unexpectedly hsiao Hui opened his mouth to end the embarrassing sit-in.
“Ah, return line, the unit hair of, lived two years.”
“If I can live in such a nice house in my life, I’ll be content.” Hsiao Hui raised her head and felt a little lost. “Where I come from, there are adobe houses mixed with mud and straw. You don’t know how cold it is in winter. Aunt Pan must have told me all about me. My family is a farmer. My father gave the horses and cows to my brother. I went to visit my relatives after finishing junior high school, which would relieve their burden.”
“Oh.”
“Or you here good, there is a cinema, there is a playground, there is a park, I like to climb the park rockery, my home there can be no mountains, the lake is also good…
“Where are you going to live now?”
“My cousin’s family has a little restaurant down south Street, and I’m staying with them.”
“Are you going to stay here for a long time and not go back home?”
“Well, I want to stay here.”
Xiaohui’s long tail and big eyes, let uncle remembered a student girl sit at the same table, when the small feeling of brinkmanship as Jane after graduating from school to an abrupt end to oil – rose back became the cadres of the organs, million uncle saw her go to do procedure, listening to the heels of a little closer and closer, million uncle thought, a smelly ZuoYeDui female cadres of workers and an authority isn’t it funny? That humble self-esteem, so that wan Shu and deskmate did not wait to greet, from the side of the stairway quickly flashed down.
Wan shu said to his mother that xiao Hui is quite honest, but his mother said: “I see this girl is quite polite, seems to have a heart. If you meet again, marriage is for life. She has no job and the whole family will depend on you for support.”
wan Uncle think, oil city girls are expensive, the oil team girl oil men themselves can not come over, the same is to find no work of the local people, it is better to find a like it.
The wedding was a simple affair, with several tables of wine, some new furniture, and a twenty-eighth bar. Newlywed husband and wife, love sweet, before long Hsiao Hui was pregnant. Ten thousand uncle stroked hsiao Hui slightly raised belly, a face of love and pity to think what name to give the child.
“The boy call ten thousand sea, the girl call ten thousand bamboo, how kind?” Hsiao Hui said, “I haven’t seen the sea yet. Just thinking of the feeling of the sea breeze on my face makes me so excited. What does the sea breeze smell like?”
Wanhai was born in 1993. Although life has become tight, but wan Shu felt that with a son, days will have something to look forward to.
4
wan Hai was born this year, wan Shu team new points to an intern college students, called Sun Bo.
Oil city at that time few college students, assigned to the work team this grass-roots units is rare, the team to discuss a few old workers to give this “cultural man” point suffering, this is “welcome new person” reserved program.
“Don’t let anyone sleep at night. Look at this new college student? We’ve spent the night as eagles.” The monitor spoke, and the others knew what they were doing. Of course, the veteran workers were used to facing the cold wind and the sewage coming out of the oil pipe on the night of the third or ninth day, but Sun Bo could not carry it. The water poured on his body soon turned into ice, and he could only move his hands and feet by crushing the ice shells on the operating machine.
Wan Shu a little not endure: “or we rest, I have a little sleepy.”
“Wilt son you also too finish calf, this just arrive where? When it comes to the crunch, you pull your hips!” A nickname called “confused” workers took the opportunity to taunt million uncle.
But this one night, Sun Bo leng is a speechless, a few classes down, the old workers also ask for no fun, with wan Shu said: “wilted son, I see you this nickname to college students more appropriate.
Sun Bo is still silent, the only one who can communicate with him is wan Shu. The operation of the first line of the new people or have a lot of safety risks, and wan Shu reminded several times, are crucial to Sun Bo.
“College student, how much did you get into oil school?”
“I took the exam for petrochina, which I don’t know about in Beijing, the oil school in the oil city.”
The “petrochina” in Beijing is a school that Wan Shu can’t even dream of. In his mind, the definition of a university is oil school.
“Then how did you get assignment in this fucking place? It’s better to go to an oil extraction station than to go to a government agency research institute!”
“My family is from the countryside, with poor conditions and subsidies for petroleum majors. It’s not far from my hometown. It’s convenient to take care of my mother.
“Well — a few cigarettes! I was the same way, and no one knew what to say!”
“Then I won’t send it either.”
“Have no matter, you young have record of formal schooling, still cadre post, stay here not long, sooner or later go to an office.”
Sun Bo looked at the derrick in the distance and did not reply. Their conversation always ends abruptly in Sun Bo’s silence.
Now, who else can keep an oil well all their life
It was another night shift, several people in the class worked until after two o ‘clock in the morning. When the work was finished, the monitor went back to his room to drink some wine to warm himself. Just go down small half cup of wine, the door of the class room rang suddenly, the late night of wild country ridge, a few big men listen to this sound, also be a shock.
“Who? !” The monitor gave a shout.
Bang, bang, bang. No one answers.
“College student, you go over there and see which bastard! Are you so bold to steal oil now?”
Sun Bo turned on the hanging light in the outer room and pulled open the door lock. As soon as he made a crack, an old hand scraped in.
“Ah –” Sun Bo started back in fright. The door opened and an old man wrapped in cotton wool rushed into the room, clutching his chest with one hand and pointing to Sun Bo with the other. Er…”
“Monitor, the old man seems to have a heart problem!” Sun Bo hurried to help the old man up.
“Oh, oh, oh! Don’t go into the house! What bad luck in this house, get out of here!!”
“Press a few bosom to be able to save perhaps!” Sun Bo was still pulling the old man into the house.
“Are you out of your mind as a college student? ! An old blind night in the wild, the heart is not good, even if you saved, he fooled us how to do? ! Even if you saved his life this time, what about his future? ! No one will care for this disease, but you can take him home as a father? ! Will we ever be able to treat people in this house? You paid for our team to change rooms? The cops won’t spare us. What can we say in the house? Into the bureau can also have a good thing, do not peel the skin can come out? Better to do more than less. It’s definitely not appropriate to stick the bag on!”
“This how ground also is a living person, can’t the eye see him dead!” Sun Bo was also anxious.
“F * * k off, what a sight! In our village son so dead old man many, ga bang once did not have, how to save? Get the old man out of here at once!”
Sun Bo was indifferent to the squad leader’s words, but pressed hard on the old man’s chest from time to time.
“XXX, talk to you pretend to be deaf ah? !” Monitor a pull down sun Bo, “listless son, confused, you two give the old man whole out, away from our class room point!”
Sun Bo struggled to get up, and was the monitor down: “arrogant for you to lock the tool cabinet!”
“Sun Bo, we two give old man whole outside first, you continue to press.” Wan Shu side to appease Sun Bo.
The deep winter of the wild covered with a layer of mist, quiet is terrible, uncle and Sun Bo took the old man to a flat place, uncle wan lit a fire beside.
The old man was breathing harder and harder. His face in the firelight was blue and his breath was getting weaker and weaker. But Sun Bo seemed to have got the devil and was pressing on the old man’s chest like crazy.
“Sun Bo, don’t press it, people are dying… Sun bo!”
At last, exhausted, Sun Bo fell down beside the fire. Lao Wan hurried to help Sun Bo up, only to see two lines of tears streak across His face: “My father went out to work in a mine when I was 15 years old. He died outside in winter, so he brought back a jar of ashes. The fellow says he’s got chest trouble…”
The next day, the dead body with stiff old hair frightened the team leader who came to inspect the wellsite. The police came to check a circle, found that it was not a homicide, and they have nothing to do with it, also put the matter to the oil city to deal with their own.
Captain told the squad leader: “the leadership to grant 1000 dollars, you find a few ordinary people, to him to pull the river buried on the end.
“Captain, this fat water doesn’t flow to other people’s land, we this also get off work have no matter, this job za oneself take.”
“Line, body processing line, not afraid of bad luck?”
“It doesn’t matter, I have a lot of fire, drink some white wine to flush the line.”
“You buy two bottles of white wine pour in the well, the well of dead person all so neat.”
“Don’t worry, captain. I know how many years I’ve worked.” Monitor a beat chest, brimming with vigor, “the college students tall, withered son is the regular work, you two are certainly not to bury the body, that money I and confused points!”
Squad leader and confused borrowed a wheelbarrow to bury the body by the river, and went to the south to a “dragon” – all said that the dead money appropriate smallpox just lucky.
Before he left, he asked Uncle Wan for a drink: “Maybe I should leave here first. There is a shortage of staff in the geological Research institute of the head office. I have reported several times in the factory on behalf of the operating system before.
Later wan Shu heard, is sun Bo report when the elegant demeanour attracted a young girl, and the girl’s father happens to be a big leader of the geological system, The strength of Mount Tai sun Bo in the later career.
5
In 2000, the oil city established the engineering technology department, the operation system expansion, the cadre management post gap is very big, began to face all the staff recruitment.
that news, wan Shu extremely excited, 12 years of work, large and small technical performance also participated in many, numerous awards, on qualifications and quality he is some, unexpectedly hired as long as a little loose under joint, the problem should not be big. Monitor that day’s attitude also polite up: “you see thanks to I tell you, the test read a book or useful, when the captain don’t forget me!”
When wan Shu ready to run relationship, but his brother found him, said: “Brother, the unit just into a few cranes, have not arranged the driver, I want to borrow some money to you, walk to the door.
“Our dad said when he was here that he wouldn’t let us brothers be drivers.”
“Elder brother, this crane driver is different, this piece of place can have ‘big crane’ on our oil city, the place do a bit of what can’t beg us, crane driver go out casually a crane all get 500, 800 of, I just got married hand tight, but catch up with this fat job za also can’t let go, za dad that is unlucky…… Elder brother, the somebody else said 3000 dollars, the relation all whole understand, money sent the matter to do.”
But ten thousand uncle did not expect, brother to borrow money but let Hsiao Hui reaction very big: “My brother to buy a pig seedlings to borrow 1000 you are hesitant, what the situation at home you are not unknown. A month on your several hundred dollars, go to the restaurant to help you also don’t let me go, the child is so big, the old lady is not small, where does the family not spend money? I’ve been married to you for 8 years, and I haven’t traveled once. I’m just walking around in this farting place. Look at Xiao Liu’s wife, she goes out every now and then to relax, and Lao Zhangs have bought cars…”
Uncle Wan dashed out the door. In the years after his marriage, he did not drink or play cards, nor did he go out to fool around. An ordinary single-worker family, there is no other oil, food and clothing can be satisfied, as for the car what, wan Shu did not dare to think.
Hsiao Hui’s words stung his pride: “Poor couples are sad in every way.” He searched in his mind a circle to borrow money list, or give up after thinking about it, did not expect to return home, Hsiao Hui has put the money ready: “take it, brother head back open mouth, when the eldest brother can not give it, shout shout, it is all for the good of the family.
But ten thousand uncle in the end is not a cadre, personnel leadership through the bottom of the wind to go: “ten thousand promotion, one hundred thousand when the captain. This price makes Wan Shu flinch. The end of the competition, assessment of the leadership smilingly comfort Wan Shu: “this promotion, mainly arrange some of the older, experienced comrades, young men are still young, there are opportunities in the future, to improve the consciousness.” Wan Shu holding a thick competition certificate nodded.
These two things, let wan Shu know the importance of money, he decided to go to the oil city of Africa project team to earn a few years big money. After making the decision, Hsiao Hui tearfully prepared for his luggage: “pay attention to safety there, take care of your health, we are waiting for you at home.”
In the next five years, Uncle Wan only went home to visit a few times. Although the feeling with Hsiao Hui increasingly estranged, but wan Shu always firmly believe that he will give hsiao Hui a better life, but hsiao Hui can not wait until that day.
Million uncle got divorce agreement, the letter late xiaohui has a pleasant climate, beautiful spring in the south of the beach sun bath, although no longer young, but fascinated by the small hui or a young woman’s unique charm city investment projects to Hong Kong boss, and in the locals “unbelievable”, she can seize opportunities, changed the destiny.
During his five years in Africa, Wan spent his last five years on squandering capital, while his silent, disfitting “energy” disappeared and was replaced by “Lao Wan”, a man who spent most of his life in a drunken state and was very sociable.
“Hsiao Hui has changed Lao Wan too much, and I am becoming more and more strange to Lao Wan.” Father took a sip of wine.
Let million uncle did not expect, in 2008, after years of training in the head office, sun Bo transferred back to the oil city when the head. Sun Bo found him, after three rounds of wine, two people seem to go back to that year’s feeling.
“Did not think you are so big leadership still can seek me to drink, my this face have light.” Wan Shu patted a few times in the face.
“Jianguo, you’re too drunk.” “Sun Bo stopped him and said,” I almost forgot what I was doing. Now we have a job offer. I’m going to apply for it.”
“Come on, how old am I, what the hell am I talking about? When a worker is quite good, the heavenly King Lao Tze also does not manage, I now in ‘the work’ overhaul team, the work is not tired, to go to work when, under the class what heart not to worry, what matter ignore, this day have smoke have wine, za now is blood inside take wind, be wave!” Wan Shu did a big mouth again.
This is the last time sun Bo and Wan Shu drink. Wan shu told my father that he could understand Sun Bo. “A big leader has to deal with many social intercourse every day.” Later, when Sun Bo’s mother died, the remote village was crowded with vehicles with local license plates. At the funeral, all the officials in the city were in unison, crying loudly and loudly. Wan Shu just silently in the corner looking at the sun bo ushered in and sent to the figure, understand that ignoring the difference between the class of friends is just self-deceiving:
“You still have to get yourself in your place.”
6
Since 2010, when global oil prices have remained high, this may be the best time to be in the oil city. Every month to the end of the year is the most lively oil city when eating cards, bathing singing, wan Shu intoxicated.
Suddenly one day, his son Wan Hai found him: “Dad, there are only a few months to the college entrance examination, I am going to apply for the southern university, the major of finance.
“To the South! Let me tell you, just go to an oil school and come back to work in the future with an iron rice bowl and adequate food and clothing. It’s not better than working outside for someone else?” Ten thousand uncle drunk fume fume.
“I don’t want to come back. I want to go out.”
“Have you the skill? How nice to be back at work! What about the buyouts? Think oneself have ability, result bowel all regret green! Some time ago again, the result is a person a month to make up 1000 yuan. You a small whelp son what also don’t know, a cavity blood non-wait to encounter nail to give you pricked out!”
‘You toad at the bottom of a well,’ he said.
“It’s the other way around! I’m your father. How do you talk to me? !”
“You are my father. Do you care about me? Know to drink every day! You didn’t know what grade I was in growing up, did you? The college entrance examination is coming, at this time you tell me that you are my father! You know what people say about you? – A drunkard, who knows how to make dirty shoes every day! Are you worthy to be my father?”
Wan Shu directly gave his son a slap, wan Hai back bag, slam the door.
Wan Shu felt his abdominal pain, pain as if let his wine woke up — wan Hai said right, like a dead man living for several years, he really do not deserve to be a father. Dialing a few times his son’s mobile phone did not respond, seeing the night fell, wan Shu is finally worried about, out of the door, along the familiar street sweeping around, finally in a dim street light to see the wandering wanhai.
Looking at his silent son, Wan Shu could no longer restrain his tears: “Son, dad is wrong, dad will change in the future, in fact, dad is afraid of you go to the south, afraid of you leave me, without your father how to live……”
Looking at his father crying, wan Hai heart also soft, he hugged the old million: “Dad, I go to oil school, do not leave you.”
to take an examination of the oil school of the sea let Million uncle under the heart, home so large room on his own. His fair-weather friend asked him several times, but he just refused with a smile. His son’s promise made him at peace with his heart, and the anesthetic of alcohol was a burden.
The dull life went on, until one day Lao Wan heard the news that made him sad in class: Sun Bo had died.
“I heard that it was a newly constructed road at night. The sight was not good and the driver drove too fast. In order to hide the dirt pile, the driver hit the bridge pier, and Sun Bo and his driver were ruined.” Such a big thing has already spread in the small oil city, and everyone can describe a paragraph vividly.
Sun Bo’s funeral was a simple affair. His wife and son, who had gone abroad long ago, hurried off to take care of the funeral. Sun Bo’s grave was next to his parents. Wan Shu stood in front of the lonely tombstone, offered a bunch of flowers, opened a bottle of wine, poured a glass silently, and then poured himself a drink.
“Brother, I did not expect you to go first, your official son big social entertainment many, I am embarrassed to look for you to drink, now good, you are free, I can come to accompany you every now and then – you certainly do not expect your own cemetery is how shabby? Look, your old lady is much more handsome than you…”
Wan Shu more drink more, abdominal pain began, consciousness slowly blurred, and so he was awake again, has been in the hospital.
7
The death of sun Bo lets wan Shu feel the impermanence of destiny and the cool thin of human nature, but these have no the rolling wheel of history come ruthlessness. The international oil price started a precipitous decline in 2014, and by 2015 a barrel of oil could not afford a barrel of mineral water. The city has also begun cutting spending, canceling projects and laying off all but a handful of regular workers. Huge sense of crisis enveloped in the oil city, more make wan Shu anxiety is, oil city has significantly reduced the recruitment of students facing each major oil school, oil school’s golden signs were smashed to pieces.
I was lucky enough to get back to work in the oil city, so I’m more aware of the seriousness of the recruitment situation. Even more desperate are the rumors about the imminent collapse of the industry. Although I understand that we are only moving through the peaks and troughs, I seem to be able to see that the future of the industry is only the sunset. But where is the sun that does not set and the glory that does not fall? I can imagine the scene, when this huge thing falls to the ground, not with a bang, but with a whimper.
“That’s all I know about the old man, and it’s no secret what happened next.” When my father finished the last layer of wine in his glass, he looked sober.
“Ten thousand uncle left what words finally?”
“Lao Wan Gang fell down and was still a little conscious. I found the monitor who accompanied Lao Wan. He said Lao Wan kept saying two words at the end.”
“What is it?”
“Hsiao Hui.”
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