Chapter 16 Chapter Fifteen

Just like the donkey that caused widespread disturbance in the village office, you, a bastard bred by mating a Simmental and a Mongolian ox, also got a lot of attention because you accepted my mother, Jinlong and Baofeng into the company at the meeting. Famous for making a fuss.The one who is famous at the same time as you is my elder brother Ximen Jinlong in Zhongshan. People have witnessed his heroic skill and manly demeanor when he subdues you.According to Huang Hezuo, who later became a husband and wife with me, her sister Huzhu fell in love with him the moment he stepped on the back of the bull.

Dad went to the provincial capital to appeal but did not return, and the family ate up all the grass. I followed my father's instructions before leaving, and I took you to the grain river bank to graze every day.When you were a donkey, you traveled wildly in that area for many days, and you should be no stranger to the terrain there.Spring came late that year, although it was already April, but the ice in the river had not yet melted, and the withered grass on the river beach was rustling, and wild geese often lived in it, and they could often startle fat hares, and inadvertently saw foxes with bright fur, like Flame flickered among the reeds.

Like my family, the forage in the production brigade ran out, and the twenty-four cows, four donkeys, and two horses raised collectively were also driven there to be released.The grazing people, one is the breeder Hu Bin, and the other is Ximen Jinlong.At this time, my elder sister Ximen Baofeng from Chongshan has been sent to the midwifery training class run by the County Health Bureau to learn midwifery skills. She will become the first educated midwife in the village.My older brothers and sisters were reused as soon as they joined the company.You may ask, Baofeng went to learn how to deliver babies, so it can be said that he was reused, but Jinlong was sent to herd cattle. work.Every night, in the work recording room of the brigade, under the oil lamp, he meticulously recorded the labor situation of each member during the day, holding a pen in his hand, what is it not for reuse? Brothers and sisters are reused, and the mother’s face is full of joy .When she saw me walking away with the cow alone, she let out a long sigh.After all, I am also her own son.

Well, don't talk nonsense, talk about Hu Bin.Hu Bin is short in stature, with an accent from outside the county. At the end of every sentence, he raises his voice exaggeratedly.He used to be the director of the post and telecommunications office of the commune. He was sentenced to hard labor for adultery with the fiancée of an active soldier. After serving his sentence, he settled down in Ximentun.His wife, Bai Lian, was originally an operator of a telephone switchboard set up by the Post Office in the village.Bailian Fantuan has a big face, red lips and white teeth, and a crisp voice, and has a close relationship with many commune officials.Outside the window of her house, there is a fir pole with eighteen wires on it, which enter her house through the window.A dresser-like thing, connected to those wires.When I was in elementary school, I could hear her dragging her voice in the classroom, shouting like singing: Hey, where do you want? I want Zheng Gongtun, please wait a moment——Zheng Gongtun is here—our boring children, I often lie in front of the window of her house and look in through the hole in the window paper. I see her wearing earphones, holding the baby to breastfeed with one hand, and inserting those elastic pins into the holes on the machine or from the other hand. Pull out those holes.This situation is so mysterious and wonderful that we see it every day and never get tired of it.The cadres in the village drove us away, and we would gather again.Not only did we see Bailian's working conditions here, but we also saw many scenes that children should not see.We saw the cadres stationed in the village of the commune flirting with Bai Lian and making hands and feet; we saw Bai Lian scolding Hu Bin in a high-pitched way like singing.We also know why several of Bailian's children look the same.Later, the windows of Bailian's house were covered with glass, and the curtains were drawn inside, so we couldn't see it, so we just listened to the movement outside.Later, they buried wires outside the window and switched on an electric current. The boy Mo Yan was sucked on the window sill by the wires, squeaking and peeing in his crotch.I squeaked too, but I didn't pee my pants.After suffering this loss, we never dared to listen again.

Hu Bin wore a velvet hat with earflaps, a pair of goggles used by miners, an old uniform inside, and a greasy military overcoat on the outside. There was a pocket watch and a code table in the coat pocket.Let him herd cattle, really wronged him.But who made his dick dishonest? He asked my brother to gather the stray cows together. He sat on the edge of the sunny river bank, flipping through the electric meter, chanting, and as he chanted, tears flowed from his eyes. Then he whimpered, and roared loudly: "It's killing me! It's killing me! Just for a moment, even less than three minutes, you ruined your future!"

The cattle in the brigade took off their reins and scattered on the river beach. Although they were all skinny and covered with dead hair, they seemed to be in a happy mood after being free for the first time.In order to prevent you from getting together with them, I hold your rein and dare not let go.I led you to those dry water grits, and wanted you to eat these nutritious and delicious grasses, but you insisted not to eat them, and you dragged me to the river, where last year's reeds stood upright, There are gray leaves on the tips, like sharp blades, and the cattle in the brigade appear and disappear there.Compared with your strength, my strength is so small that it is not worth mentioning, so even though I have a rein, I can't change your route. You can drag me wherever you think.At this moment, your body is basically that of a big bull. On your forehead, two blue horns have emerged, shaped like bamboo shoots and smooth like jade.Your eyes are no longer purely childlike innocence, but a lot more slippery and gloomy.I was dragged by you into the reed field, gradually approaching with the brigade of cattle.The reeds were shaking, and the cows in the brigade were tearing the dead leaves from the tops of the reeds, eating with their heads up, crackling, like chewing iron.I saw that Mongolian cow with a crooked tail, your mother.Your eyes met, and the Mongolian cow barked, but you didn't respond, just stared at it, as if it was strange and hostile.My elder brother was holding the last leather whip, and slapped the reeds, as if venting the repressed troubles in his heart.I haven't talked to him since the other party, and of course it is impossible for me to take the initiative to talk to him. Even if he took the initiative to talk to me, I decided to ignore him.I watched the pen on his chest gleaming in the sun, and I felt unspeakable emotions in my heart.Working alone with my father, I lacked thoughtfulness and had impulsive elements, just like a play lacking a character, the impulse to perform made me volunteer.Performance needs a stage and even more an audience, but now there is neither a stage nor an audience.I felt lonely, and I peeked at my brother, but my brother didn’t look at me, and turned his back to me, whip after whip, the reed snapped in response, as if what he was holding was not a whip but a saber.The ice in the river began to melt, and the ice surface was pitted, revealing the blue water surface, reflecting the dazzling light.Across the river is the site of the state-owned farm, a large area of ​​red-tiled bungalows, in stark contrast to the farmhouses in the village with earthen walls and thatched roofs, showing the country's rich and powerful style.From time to time, deafening roars came from there.I knew that spring plowing was about to begin, and that was the farm's mechanic crew checking the machines.I also saw the ruins of the earthen blast furnaces during the great iron and steel smelting, like deserted tombs that no one paid homage to.Brother stopped beating the reed, stiffened his body, and said coldly:

"Don't help the evildoers!" "Don't get carried away!" I said back. "From today onwards, I will beat you once a day until you lead the cow into the club!" He still turned his back to me and said. "Hit me?" Looking at his body, which is much stronger than mine, I said sternly, "You give it a try, hmph, if you dare to hit me, I will let you die without a place to bury you!" He turned around, faced me, smiled and said: "Okay, let me see how you make me 'dead without a place to bury'!" He stretched out his whip, gently picked up the cotton cap on my head, carefully placed it on a tuft of hay, and said:

"Don't mess up your hat and upset Mama." Then he hit my head with a whip. This whip hit me on the head. If I say it hurts, it doesn’t hurt that much. When I was in school, my head often hit the door frame and was often hit by bricks and tiles thrown by my classmates. The pain of those blows Much better than the whip, but none angered me like this blow.I felt the rumbling in my head, which was mixed with the roar of tractors on the east bank of the grain river, and the golden stars flashed and danced in front of my eyes.I didn't have time to think about it, I threw off the ox rein and rushed towards him.He dodges away from me and kicks me in the ass.I staggered and lay on the reed. There was a piece of snake skin at the root of the reed, which was almost eaten into my mouth.Snake skin, also known as snake slough, has medicinal properties. One year, Ximen Jinlong developed a teacup-sized sore on his leg and cried out in pain. His mother inquired about a folk remedy: scrambled eggs with snake skin.Mother asked me to look for snake skin in the reed field.I can't find it, go back and report.Mother scolding me is useless.Dad took me to find it.We found a snake skin two meters long in the depths of the reeds.The snake skin was very fresh, and the big snake that had just shed its skin was not far away, spitting out its long black forked tongue at us.My mother scrambled seven eggs with this snake skin, and the whole plate was full. The color was golden and exuded a tangy aroma, which made my mouth water.I tried not to look there, but my eyes wanted to slant there.What a benevolent little brother you were at that time, you said: Brother, come, let's eat together.I said: No, I won't eat it, it's for your treatment, I won't eat it.I saw your teardrops dripping into the bowl...but now you hit me...I picked up the snake skin with my lips, imagining myself as a poisonous snake, and jumped at him again .

This time he couldn't dodge me.I put my arms around his waist and put my head against his chin, trying to push him down.He cunningly inserted one leg between my legs, grabbed my shoulders with both hands, and jumped on one leg without falling over.Inadvertently, I saw you, the hybrid of Simmental cattle and Mongolian cattle, standing aside, standing quietly, with such melancholy and helpless eyes, I was very dissatisfied with you at that time.Why don't you help me in a duel with an enemy who has bitten off a part of your ear and cut your nose? You can knock him down just by hitting him on the back.If you use a little force, you can make him fly, he falls to the ground, I press on him, and he loses.But you don't move.Now of course I understand why you don't move, because he is your own son, and I am your close friend. Difficult to choose, I think what you want most is that we both stop fighting, separate, shake hands and make peace, as brothers as we used to be.Several times his legs tripped over a reed and he almost fell, but he regained his balance with a few jumps.My strength was about to run out, I was panting like a cow, and my chest was tight.In the panic, I suddenly felt severe pain in my ears. It turned out that his hands moved away from my shoulders and grabbed my ears.At this time, I heard Hu Bin's eunuch-like voice sounding from the side:

"Okay! Okay! Hit! Hit! Hit!" Then came the sound of Hu Bin clapping his hands.I was trapped by the pain and distracted by Hu Bin, and of course I was also disappointed that you didn't help me. My left leg was entangled with his leg, and I fell down, and his body immediately pressed up.He put his knee on my stomach, and the dull pain was unbearable. I felt like I peed my pants.His hands grabbed my ears and pressed my head firmly to the ground.I saw the blue sky, the white clouds and the glaring sun, and then I saw Ximen Jinlong's long and thin face with sharp edges and corners, the thin and tough lips, the black beard on the lips, the high bridge of the nose, and two twinkling eyes. Eyes with a gloomy light.This guy is definitely not a pure yellow man. This guy may be of mixed blood like that cow. From his face, I can imagine the appearance of Ximen Nao, who I have never met but is often rumored by people.I wanted to yell, but the skin on my cheeks was so tight that my ear was pulled, making it hard to open my mouth.Words came out of my mouth that even I couldn't understand myself.He lifted my head and pressed my head heavily to the ground, then said word by word:

"Are you joining the club or not?!" "No... I won't enter..." My words sprayed up together with my saliva. "From today onwards, I will beat you once a day until you agree to join the club. Moreover, I will beat you harder each time!" "I'll tell Mom when I get back!" "It's my mother who asked me to beat you!" "If you want to enter, you have to wait for Dad to come back!" I said compromised. "No, you have to come back before your father comes back, not only you, but also the cow!" "My father treats you well, don't be ungrateful!", "I dragged you into the People's Commune, which is just an expression of gratitude." While I was arguing with Ximen Jinlong, Hu Bin circled us.He was very excited, scratching his ears and cheeks, rubbing his hands and clapping his hands, chattering endlessly.This guy with a pile of green hats on his head is evil and conceited. He is full of hatred for everyone, but he dare not resist. We brothers fight, and he gloats.At this time, you show off your power. The offspring of Simmental and Mongolian cattle lowered their heads and pointed at Hu Bin's buttocks. The thin and thin Hu Bin flew up like a ragged cotton jacket, flying in parallel at a height of two meters from the ground, and then Attracted by the gravity of the earth, it landed obliquely among the reeds.When he fell into the reeds, he screamed, and the sound was long, long and curved, like the tail of the Mongolian cow.Hu Bin got up and bumped around in the reeds.The reed shakes, and there is a sound of plugging.My cow jumped on it again, and Hu Bin flew up again. Ximen Jinlong let go, jumped up, picked up the whip, and went to whip my cow.I got up, hugged his waist from behind, lifted his feet off the ground, and pressed him to the ground.You are not allowed to beat my cow! You are a traitor whose conscience has been eaten by dogs! You are a landlord who denies all relatives and will repay you with revenge! The landlord gave me a slap in the face, pushed me aside, got up, turned around and gave me a whip first, Then go rescue Hu Bin.Hu Bin scrambled to escape from the reeds, barking strangely, like a lame dog, with a distressed appearance and a funny appearance.The wicked will eventually be rewarded with evil, and justice is at ease in the heart.At that time, I felt that the fly in the ointment was that you should punish Ximen Jinlong first and then punish Hu Bin. Now I know that you are right, the poison of a tiger does not eat its own children, it is understandable.Your son Ximen Jinlong chased after him with a whip in his hand.Hu Bin ran ahead, saying that the running was not accurate.The buttons of his shabby military overcoat, which marked his glorious history, were all broken in flight, flickering like the broken wings of a dead bird.The hat on his head fell off and was trampled into the dirt by the hooves of the bull.Help... Help... In fact, he couldn't make such a sound at all, but I understand that the sound he made contained the meaning of asking someone to save his life.My cow, a brave and human cow, is chasing after him.The cow lowered its head while running, and its eyes reflected fiery red light, radiant and piercing through history, appearing in front of my eyes.The hooves of the ox lifted up the white alkaline soil on the ground, like shrapnel, and hit the reeds, Ximen Jinlong and me, and even reached the river surface far away, and fell on the bubbling water surface, making a puffing sound. sound.I suddenly smelled the smell of clear river water, rapidly melting ice, thawed soil, and hot cow urine.The stench of cow urine and the smell of estrus. Spring is here, everything is revived, and the mating season is about to begin.Snakes, frogs, toads, and many insects that had been dormant for a long winter also woke up, and all kinds of weeds and vegetables were also disturbed. When they woke up, the white air from the ground rose up, and spring came.In this way, the cow chased Hu Bin, Ximen Jinlong chased the cow, and I chased Ximen Jinlong. We ushered in the spring of 1965. Hu Bin fell to the ground like a dog grabbing shit.The cow pressed its huge head against him, reminding me of the scene of a blacksmith forging iron tools.The bull gave a push, and Hu Bin let out a pitiful scream, his voice gradually weakening.His body seemed to have become thinner, longer, and wider, spreading out on the ground like a pile of cow dung.Ximen Jinlong chased after him, swiped his whip, and slapped your butt.The tip of the whip cracked, and there was a bloodstain with each whip.But you didn't turn your head back, you didn't resist, I hoped that you would turn back suddenly, throw Ximen Jinlong into the air, let him fall directly into the middle of the river, smash the crisp ice, let him sink into the ice hole, and pour him Half-dead, freeze him half-dead, half-death plus half-death is one death, but it is best not to let him die, my mother will be sad when he dies, I know that his position in my mother's heart is far more important than mine.I broke some reeds and I whipped his neck while he spanked your ass.He was annoyed by my whipping, so he turned around and gave me a whip—oh, my mother—this whip was so vicious that it split my ragged cotton jacket, and the whip brushed my cheeks, and then blood oozes .At this time, you also turned your body. I look forward to you giving him a head.But you don't.He was nervous and backed away again and again.You let out a low growl.Those eyes are so sad.That roar of yours is actually a father calling for his son.Naturally, the son couldn't understand.You push forward step by step, you actually want to touch your son, but he doesn't understand.The son thought you were going to attack him, so he whipped you hard.The whip was fierce and precise, and the tip of the whip hit your eye.Your front legs softened and you knelt on the ground, and just knelt like this, the tears in your eyes dripped down one after another, beep-tick-tick-tick-drip-drip.I screamed: "Ximen Jinlong, you bandit, you blinded my cow!" He aimed another whip at your head, this time the whip was more severe, the skin on your cheek was ripped apart, and blood dripped down in strings.Cow! I will pounce on you and protect your head.My tears drop to your newborn horns.I use my thin body to protect you, Ximen Jinlong, you slap it, you slap my ragged padded jacket into pieces like paper, you slap my flesh like mud and splash it on the withered grass around you, but You can't beat my cow! I felt your head trembling in my arms, I grabbed a handful of alkaline earth and wiped it on your wound, I took a ball of cotton wool from my cotton jacket and wiped your tears.I'm particularly worried that your eyes will go blind, but as the saying goes: "Poke the leg of a dog that doesn't lame, poke the eye of a bull that doesn't blind", your eyes are not blind. In the next month, we repeated almost the same procedure: Ximen Jinlong persuaded me to take advantage of my father's absence to go home to the Cowherd Club.If I disagree, he hit me.As soon as he hit me, my cow hit Hu Bin.As soon as Hu Bin got anxious, he hid behind my brother.My brother and the cow faced each other, and a stalemate formed. After a few minutes, everyone retreated, and nothing happened for a day.At the beginning of this matter, it was life and death, but later it became a game.What made me feel elated was that Hu Bin was terrified of my cattle, and his mean and vicious mouth never dared to be so arrogant again.As long as my cow hears him whimpering, it will lower its head and moo, its eyes will be bloodshot, and it will look like it is galloping.Hu Bin was so frightened that he could only hide behind my brother.My Chongshan brother, Ximen Jinlong, has never beaten my cattle again. Maybe he felt something? After all, you are a biological father and son, so there should be a connection in your heart? His beating of me has also become ceremonial, because from then on After a fight, I had a bayonet in my waist and a steel helmet on my head. These two treasures were stolen from the scrap iron pile in the year when the steel was smelted. The bullpen now comes in handy.