The short story | Yang Li: The Guide at the Three Forks of the Road

Text/Yang Li

Lu Fu opened a small shop, the small shop only sells water melon seeds and the like, inside and out is very simple, clear-eyed people do not look like they are doing business.

You're right, this Rufu store is just a cover, the means of really making money is the way. This is a fork in the road to the funeral home, and the first time the funeral car passes by here, it is often impossible to find the north and needs to ask for directions. Don't ask for the way, ah, there is a saying in the folklore, the funeral can not go back, otherwise it will be unlucky. Although there are some superstitions, most people believe that drivers care more about this. Lu Fu looked at this loophole, built a shed here, and erected a sign of "ten yuan to ask for directions", and the business was quite good.

On this day, a taxi was parked in front of the small shop. A young man with a tight face came down from the co-driver, and when he saw it, he knew that something was going on and choking him. He took a few steps to Lu Fu, "snapped" a hundred-dollar bill on the table, and said, "Big brother, if someone of my age comes to ask about the way to the funeral home, you will point in the opposite direction." As long as you rely on me, you will be rewarded another day! Without waiting for Rufu to speak, the young man ran back to the taxi and went to the funeral home.

Lu Fu listened inexplicably, he had been here for more than half a year, and he had never met such a strange person. The age is the same, isn't it just a brother? Since they are brothers, but they have to point to the opposite direction, they are clearly "cursing" others, is there any festival between brothers?

Before Rufu could figure it out, a taxi from out of town arrived in the air. The car arrived in front of the store, stopped, and the young man who came down in the co-driver was indeed the same age as the previous one, but he looked slightly older than a year or two, and his face was less resentment and more of Cangsang.

The young man paid Rufu and asked for directions to the funeral home. Lu Fu thought about it, pushed the money to him, and said lukewarmly: "Find your own way, this store is closed today, don't ask for directions!" When Lu Fu said this, he was thinking in his heart, although I did not tell him the direction, but I could not point to the opposite path, for no reason, how to curse others.

The young man ate the closed door soup, his face was full of anxiety, and he had to return to the car. But as soon as the car started, he ran down from the car again, came to Lu Fu, "pounced" and knelt down, hoarsely said: "Big brother, you are good, give me a way!" You don't say, the driver won't drive! ”

Lu Fu had seen this formation, in order to ask for directions, he didn't even want face, these two brothers were really stranger than the other. Lu Fu touched the hundred-dollar bill in his pocket and asked hesitantly, "What are you doing here?" I, a small common man who only wants to fill his stomach, can't afford such a big gift! ”

The young man knelt down, and even a little tear gushed out of his anxious eyes, and said eagerly: "The eldest brother does not know, no matter how long I delay, I will not be able to catch up with the time of my mother's cremation." Please understand the heart of a son who wants to take one last look at his mother! ”

Lu Fu's heart strings couldn't help but move, and the banknote in his pocket seemed to be much lighter. He insisted on not accepting the 10 yuan that had been handed over again, pointing the young man in the right direction to the funeral home. After doing this, Rufu felt an indescribable heaviness.

A week later, a small cart drove up to the shop, and it was the two brothers, the older of whom was dressed in military uniforms. Perhaps after the saddest days, the looks on the brothers' faces were much better. They walked up to Rufu, one handed him a gift, the other a red envelope, and the young man said, "I said that I would definitely reward you in the future, and today our brothers are here to cash in." ”

Lu Fu looked frightened, afraid that the other party had come to ask questions, and the big brother in the military uniform smiled and said with relief: "Don't be afraid, our brothers are really here to thank you." First, you pointed out the way in time that day and fulfilled the filial piety of a son, and second, you pointed out a correct path, untangled the knots between brothers, and fulfilled our brotherly feelings. ”

It turned out that the brothers had lost their father since childhood, and after their mother had grown up with a hard hand, the older brother joined the army and the younger brother worked. Just when her mother was supposed to be nursing, she was knocked down by the cancer demon. When his mother was dying, his brother called his brother countless times to urge him to come back, but the older brother failed to do so because he was participating in the exercise.

When his mother died, he kept saying his brother's name, which made his brother feel sad and resentful. On the day of the cremation of his mother, the younger brother, who hurried to the intersection, did not want to see his brother and deliberately asked Rufu to point in the opposite direction, but fortunately Rufu abandoned the "principle" at the last moment. After re-understanding his brother's brother, he sincerely hoped to work with his brother to thank their "guide".

As soon as his brother finished speaking, Lu Fu burst into tears, knelt down and prostrated his head to the sky while chanting: "Mom, I left you at home, I don't want to stay and do a little filial piety, run out to earn this kind of unclear money, I am not human!" ”

A few days later, passing vehicles found that the simple shop at the intersection had been completely removed, and the guide was gone. The only thing left was the "Ten Dollars For Directions" sign, which had arrows indicating the direction to the funeral home.

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