Chapter 6 Section VI

Marlo stretched out his thick black fingers, carefully picked up a piece of pastry, brought it to his mouth, and immediately put his right hand under his chin, so that the crumbs that fell off when he bit the pastry would not be scattered on the ground. Desserts, cakes, the taste of these foods is really good, and it has an insurmountable temptation to the stomach cavity filled with pumpkins, wild vegetables and bean dregs. "Drink!" Hui Chang bit off the tin lid on the wine bottle, took a sip, and handed it to Maro.There was no wine cup or glass, so I had to drink from the mouth of the bottle. Hui Chang laughed loudly, "What a wonderful world! What a wonderful life!"

"Write more...articles!" Maro said inarticulately, "Uncle and you... have a good time, eat snacks... drink soju..." "Thanks for you giving us barbecue buns!" Hui Chang said boldly, "You are a good uncle..." "I've seen...you are not...ordinary people!" Maro unconsciously said in a Qin accent, "Judging from ancient operas, the number one scholar has a time of disappointment..." Snacks and cakes totaled four catties. When the three of us ate them all, it seemed that there was still a lot of room in our stomachs.Marlo clicked his tongue in satisfaction, and took out the cigarette pack: "Oh! It's my birthday today."

Hui Chang had already sprinkled the tea leaves in a small iron pot, and took out half a bowl of bright red tea from the pot with Maro's only large bowl, drank a couple of sips, and handed it to me, he said, "Uncle Maro! I will read an article to you, and after you have listened to it, I will share my opinion." "That—I don't understand!" Marlowe shook his head. "It's okay! You can listen to it later." Hui Chang had already unfolded the newspaper, and began to read it by the light of the lantern. Ma Luoxiang and I smoked "Haihe" brand cigarettes, sat by the fire, and listened quietly to Hui Chang's "Xiaohe Qiugao".Marlow was very unnatural, probably flattered, he stared at his head with extra care, and even coughed in a low voice.

Hui Chang dared to read the novels he wrote to Maro, which also made me admire. I have never had such courage.For my manuscripts, in China, where the entire population is beginning to expand, there is only one reader, and that is Hui Chang; for the manuscripts I have sent out, I have always doubted whether the editors of newspapers or magazines have the patience to read them all, half an hour at most. reader.Although I know that many writers read their manuscripts to workers, soldiers or peasants, solicit opinions, and then revise and improve, I don’t even have the courage to show my father, let alone anyone else. One is the basis for its creation, that is, the work has reached a certain level.Hui Chang's works have already been published, no doubt they already have this level.I don't know how far I am from such a level!

Under the dim light, Hui Chang struggled to read the handwriting on the newspaper with concentration.When I looked back, Marlowe's neck, which had been straight and straight just now, was tilted, and his head was drooping.Maro, who is full of snacks, cakes and soju, is already snoring comfortably... I got a message that a private middle school will be established in the commune, and the teachers will be selected from the high school graduates of the whole commune, who will pass the exam.I went to the commune to ask, and it was indeed true, and it was a fluke that it was the last deadline to apply for the exam.Without thinking about it, I filled in my name, family composition, education, age, and place of origin in turn on the registration booklet, and then filled in Huichang.

The cultural and educational officer of the commune, surnamed Zhong, was wearing a pair of short-sighted glasses with yellow legs and a yellow frame, looking at the form I had filled out.This is a big black man, with a black oily face, glowing red; thick lips protruding outwards, really like a foreigner from the African continent.He stared at me with a pair of eyes with small black benevolence and many white benevolence, not harshly, but asked a little strangely: "Why did you fill in two people?" "I signed up for him as a piggyback, he is busy!" "No piggybacking, you have to come in person."

"He's in a hurry, his dad...is sick!" I had to lie, "He just asked me to sign up for him." "No." Lao Zhong shook his head, and said bluntly, "When signing up, he visually checked his body shape. What if he has broken legs and a bad waist?" The reason for not being allowed to sign up, but that’s it, I was relieved, and I blew it to him: "Do you know who Hui Chang is?" Lao Zhong raised his black face and blinked. "Hui Chang has published novels in provincial newspapers! Who can beat him as a Chinese teacher in a private middle school?" I said.

"Oh! It's him!" After a glint of surprise flashed in Lao Zhong's eyes, he became enthusiastic towards me. Only then did he think of asking me to sit down and ask me if I would like to drink water, "I have heard that Hui There is a returning high school student in Jiazhuang who can write articles, but I don’t remember his name..." The first contact between me and Lao Zhong started from then on, and I fell in love with him. His enthusiasm and respect for people who can publish a manuscript made me consciously eliminate many boundary markers in my heart. "No problem, the two you applied for are both valid." He sent me out, and when we parted in the commune yard, he earnestly urged, "Both you and Hui Chang come to take the exam, at 8 o'clock in the morning the next morning, in the primary school. Don't be late It's..."

"I won't go." He smiled lightly, but his tone was unquestionable, and he shook his head stubbornly, "I don't like the job of teaching." I was very frustrated and did not give up. I explained to him: "The labor in the production team is too tiring. After a day's work, it is difficult to stay up late at night. There is too little time for reading and writing. Besides, there are radios in the school. Newspapers, news, current events..." "Among all the jobs, teaching is the most annoying thing for me," he said. "Those snot-nosed babies can't communicate thoughts and feelings. They ring the bell for class, hold meetings after class, and have to prepare lesson plans and correct homework at night. Long-winded! Too long-winded! It's frustrating. Can't concentrate..."

"Of course...it's a bit long-winded, but it also has a bright side!" I said, "There are churches, and there are winter and summer vacations..." "I would rather work in the production team than do a job I don't like." He was not moved by the preferential treatment I said for teaching, "In fact, the production team is free! I am eager to write an article I don’t have to work on the manuscript. Anyway, the production team’s work points are not worrying about no one earning, and the captain doesn’t care about it! The school can’t do it. If I miss a class, I have to ask for leave... The key is that no one in the production team cares about me. I am too strict with the teachers, I am... just afraid that someone will be buzzing on the back of my ass all day long!"

"It is said that a salary of 30 yuan is set for the teachers of private middle schools." I said, "With this income, we can buy some books, some manuscript paper, and... a pack of cigarettes to smoke..." "Ha! I don't bend my waist for five buckets of rice..." I was at a loss for words at this point.My family's situation seems to be worse than his already very difficult financial situation, I have to bend down to earn the 30 yuan monthly salary.I can't forget how I embarrassedly asked my father for one yuan to go to the city to attend the literature lecture.I am in my early twenties, and I can no longer open my mouth to my father for a dollar. I would rather be a teacher, which I don't really like. "If you are willing to teach, you can take the exam." He said, "I want to take root in the countryside for the rest of my life! Of course, I don't take root in the countryside like Xing Yanzi. I want to take root for literature, and for the literary career I pursue." "Private middle schools are run by communes, and they are not separated from the countryside!" I heard the words about rooting, and I couldn't help defending my opinion, "Working in a private middle school in the countryside has a wider range of life than working at my own doorstep. I can see more of the world…” "Liu Qing has lived in Huangfu Village for almost ten years and wrote an epic poem. Wang Wenshi is in Weibei. I heard that in a village, he goes door-to-door to talk and visit. Look at the short stories he wrote. Absolutely! I'm determined now , there are three plans——" Hui Chang's recent ideological activities have obviously been greatly encouraged by the publication of "Xiaohe Qiugao", and he has bigger and farther considerations. Members of the commune went door-to-door to investigate and study, and wrote a family history for each family. First, to cooperate with the class education activities of the Youth League branch, and second, I can deeply understand the peasants and the countryside. To be honest, although I was born in this village, Everyone knows them, but they don’t know much about them, especially their life before liberation..." No matter how much his reluctance to teach frustrates me, and no matter how much he displeases me by saying that he will not bend his waist for five buckets of rice, I cannot help admiring his solid intention to further develop his creation.Yes, I was the same as him. How much did I know about the reality of the countryside when I went to school in the year of liberation and returned home after graduation?How much do you know, past and present, of all kinds of people living in more than a hundred peasant families in one village?After reading "The History of Entrepreneurship" and Wang Wenshi's short stories, I already know how superficial my knowledge and feelings about the countryside are!And Hui Chang's plan fits my thinking, so I strongly agree: "Of course...it's very good! It's very necessary!" "Second, train my wife." He said with a smile, "Think about it in the long run; you can't just ask her to sew and cook! I have already made a three-year study plan for her, starting with literacy, and reading five years in three years." Ten to one hundred novels. Write one page of big characters and one page of lower case every day, practice calligraphy, so that you can help me in the future. The plan has already started, Xiuhua, take out the big characters you wrote, let us appreciate..." Xiuhua raised her head from her needlework, blushed, pouted in anger and love, smiled shyly and happily, and said, "It's shameful... I'm only learning, what are you bragging about!" But he didn't take it seriously, and took out a book bound with black linen paper from the table, which was covered with crooked ink marks of beautiful flowers. I knew it was the handwriting of a peasant daughter-in-law who had studied in the fourth grade of elementary school, and encouragement was natural.From these two projects, I have already felt Hui Chang's strong will. How can the job of a private teacher with a monthly salary of 30 yuan compete with such a strong will? "I received a letter from the magazine yesterday. They are going to adopt my "The Sowing Story"." Hui Chang said calmly, as if it is commonplace, not surprising, and it is not the same as when "Xiaohe Qiugao" was published for the first time. It's crazy.He smiled, as if encouraging me, "They asked me to revise it, and the opinions I put forward were basically the same as yours. When the newspaper was published, that paragraph was deleted! You can see the problem very accurately..." The smooth progress of his creation prompted me to leave the village as soon as possible, hoping to teach in that private middle school.He has stepped onto the first step and is striding forward with confidence.I still lack confidence, and I don't know if I can publish a piece of work in my life.I am not afraid of heavy physical labor in the countryside. My physique, which is stronger than Hui Chang's, can fully adapt to the heaviest farm work in the countryside.I plan to spend more energy on reading and writing after teaching... I am determined to apply for private teachers. He took me to the entrance of the village. The water spring was the old place where we broke up. It seemed that we had been with us for a long time and finally came to a fork in the road. We all felt like we were breaking up. "Yang Qinru sent a letter not long ago. She also saw my novel in the provincial newspaper. She said that she cut and pasted the novel, so she couldn't help but take it out every evening after class..." Hui Chang said emotionally , then waved his hand, "There is still a long way to go for what we want to do! I can't let her mess up my thoughts, I want to concentrate and walk my way, so I want to get rid of her completely, I made up my mind to cultivate Xiuhua. Xiuhua is good—this girl is really good! I found that my feelings for her have grown deeper and deeper. She went to her mother’s house a few days ago, and I sat alone in the room reading a book, feeling lonely! I I suddenly missed her, for the first time—after more than a year of marriage, I felt inseparable from this woman for the first time! In the middle of the night, I rushed to her natal house, made a lie and said that my mother was sick, and gave her to her. Called back. As soon as I left her natal village, I smiled and said that no one in the house was sick, I missed her. She was so happy, hugged my neck and called brother, saying I missed her, she Be so happy... You see, people's feelings can be cultivated!" My direct feeling is that he has already made all preparations, including giving up on love, so that he can concentrate on going his own way, which undoubtedly gave me a strong impact. I took the exam for private teachers, and among more than a hundred candidates, I was one of the four lucky ones who were hired.I carried the simple roll of quilt I used when I was studying on my back, and went to teach in the middle school run by the society.Before leaving, I said goodbye to him and agreed to meet every Saturday night when I came home.Having said that, it is settled, but the reality of later life cannot be guaranteed.As a pioneer, as soon as his new work is finished, he is eager to send it to the mailbox and can't wait to hear my opinion.In addition, the private middle school I went to was simply unpredictable.Comrade Zhong only gave us the houses in the two ancient temples, saying that it was "hard work" for the time being. As for the desks and stools necessary for the students, he said that they must "rely on their own."So we used adobe to build mud steps, put wooden boards on it, and they were regarded as tables, and the stools had to be "self-reliant" for the students, and they brought them from home... Anyway, the private middle school opened, and in the dilapidated and desolate ancient temple, rumors The sound of reading. I can't promise to go to him on Saturday night, private middle schools are too busy.We often have no days off, and Sundays are used to do voluntary labor and renovate the school.In addition, I have just stepped onto the podium, and my business is unfamiliar, so I need more time to familiarize myself with the teaching.In this way, the opportunities for us to meet are decreasing day by day, and it is even rare to meet once a month or two.I often recall the scene with him, lying in the water, smoking the only "Shipping" brand cigarette left; sitting in front of Marlowe's hut, talking nonsense.That life is over, and I am a teacher by example! Thank goodness!In the spring of the following year, when the river was overflowing with greenery, I finally published a 2,000-word prose in the city's Evening News.As an example, he and I found Marlowe's shed again, had a picnic, and chatted late at night.Although it was a long time reunion, the atmosphere of that year could not be reproduced.Marlowe didn't fire a shotgun for me.Hui Chang wasn't surprised either, he had already posted seven or eight works, big and small, and he didn't feel anything new anymore.Even so, he warmly expressed his congratulations, saying that I was able to publish the work as soon as possible, and he felt more at ease. After all, we have shared weal and woe... No one could have predicted that at the moment of our joy, dark clouds were quietly gathering above our heads, and the "Four Cleansing Movement" was about to fire. The first to bear the brunt, our Hui Chang fell to the ground in response, and he was no longer able to raise his self-confidence. proud head... After class was over, I walked back to my dorm with the lesson plan in my arms, and I couldn't help being stunned. Xiuhua sat anxiously on my only office chair, holding a breastfeeding baby in her arms. Unexpected thing.When she saw me coming in, she hurriedly got up from the chair, moved to the edge of the bed, and vacated the chair for me.Everything is very difficult in private middle schools, and teachers cannot even be equipped with a second chair. Anyone who visits, there is only one chair to sit on anyway. She said that the child has a stomachache, and it has been more than ten days, and it has not recovered. She really can't resist it. Today, she took her to the commune health center for medical treatment. It is good to give medicine to the child. This is the legitimate reason for her to come to me, and it is obviously a very reluctant wording. I guess that she must have considered it after careful consideration, and it must be related to Hui Chang's situation.I have already seen this from the eyes she secretly glanced at Teacher Qiao, who lives in the same room as me, when she was speaking. It was a panicked look like a thief.I chatted with her first, and poured boiled water to her so that she could give medicine to the child. She gave medicine to the child, and the child cried and burrowed his head into her armpit in an attempt to hide.She gave two tactful persuasions and two harsh reprimands, both hard and soft, and she still withdrew a small half of the white powder on the child's chest. It is amazing how much she has changed.The shyness and charm contained in the eyes in the impression faded away completely.If I compare this change vividly, the impression she left on me in the past is like a small river filled with water vapor and mist, and a field in early spring and February; what about now?It's just like the bleak late autumn when the harvest is exhausted.She lost weight, perhaps because of breastfeeding, and the plump flush on her cheeks disappeared, and the yellow was tinged with blue.What made me feel the most obvious change was still the pair of eyes, in which there was an obvious look of confusion and panic.