There is a quaint house deep in the alley. There are two stone lions standing in front of the house. The thick black lacquered carved door is half open. It was the house of a wealthy family in the 1930s and 1940s.
There is a small pool with clear water at the entrance. It is the season when the lotus flowers are blooming, and you can occasionally find a touch of fresh light pink in the green pool. Flat rocks emerge from the water and lead directly to the other side.
Beyond the green brick wall is a quiet little garden. There is a laurel tree in the middle, with lush branches and leaves. The sunlight shines through the gaps between the leaves, like the footprints after snow, mottled. There was a man lying on a wicker chair under the tree, over sixty years old, playing a song repeatedly with his eyes closed.
Yisheng knew that song was the only one sung by Xu Yu, a famous Asian movie star many years ago. The music is plain, soft and catchy. But Yisheng couldn't remember the name of the song, so she raised her head and asked, "Grandpa, what's the name of the song that grandpa always listens to?"
"A lifetime." The old man next to him was silent for a long time and finally spoke, his tone soft as if he was talking to himself.
"Huh?" Yisheng didn't know why the old man called her, his eyes widened with confusion on his face.
The old man lowered his head and smiled at her, then raised his head again and continued to stare at the tree without speaking.
The man under the tree pursed his thin lips slightly, and there was a faint glint in the corner of his eyes. The sun was dazzling, and the traces on his face disappeared in just a moment.
In the quiet afternoon, the deep voice accompanied by a hint of sadness accompanied him throughout his life. Just like before.