Chapter 31 98 Thousand Paper Cranes and the Last Dying

Another unforgettable winter has arrived. The ward of East China Hospital was quiet.This year is Ba Jin's 98th birthday! The old man still lives in the hospital. Ba Jin returned from Hangzhou for the last time in 1998, and the old man has never left the hospital since then.His physique has obviously become weaker. This time when he returned to the hospital, his body became weaker and weaker, and he became critically ill from time to time during the treatment.Every critical illness was rescued by the medical staff with all their strength.After entering the winter of this year, Ba Jin didn't even have the energy to get up.Sometimes he speaks reluctantly, and now when Ba Jin's birthday comes, the doctors and nurses in his ward are all busy.

As early as the beginning of November, everyone began to prepare for the old man's birthday.Especially the female nurses, they all seemed to be preparing for their old man's birthday.Everyone took the initiative to spend money, went to the street to buy colorful colored paper, and then used their spare time to carefully fold colorful paper cranes.In the eyes of the girls, the paper cranes carefully folded by doctors and nurses are their sustenance for the improvement of patients and their blessings to Ba Jin.Because in everyone's eyes, these thousands of paper cranes in different shapes are the symbols of auspicious birds.The wishes of the female nurses are condensed on those colorful paper cranes!

Although Ba Jin has lived in this hospital ward for several years, all the doctors and nurses who have treated Ba Jin feel honored to be able to take charge of Ba Jin's nursing work.The girls take time out to fold origami cranes after work in the morning, and fold them non-stop during the lunch break. The nurses on the night shift should have a rest in the middle of the night, but they all spontaneously strive to fold more paper cranes that express their feelings and blessings. .Dedicated to Ba Jin's bed on November 25th. It is indeed unique that nurses love a patient so much.Their actions from the heart, of course, come from the infection of Ba Jin's personality charm.Several winters and summers passed, and they saw with their own eyes the perseverance and respect for the nurses shown by Ba Jin, a literary master, during his treatment.They found that Ba Jin was the best patient everyone had ever nursed, and he never showed himself with his social influence and prestige.In this ordinary ward, Ba Jin is always the most obedient patient, especially the nurses who have the most experience. Every time the nurses give Ba Jin a needle, because his blood vessels are dry, they have to prick the old man's skinny hands one after another. It takes a few times, and sometimes even the nurses around me can't bear it anymore.But Ba Jin didn't even frown.When he couldn't get in with his left hand, he took the initiative to change his right hand. He never complained, and even refused to hum when he was in the most pain.

Due to the torment of Parkinson's disease, the old man Ba ​​Jin would tightly hold his trembling hands together when he was ill.Whenever the nurses found that Ba Jin was suffering from unbearable pain, they all took the initiative to sew many small white balls with white gauze and put them in the old man's hands with concern.Let him hold tightly to relieve pain and build muscle tension.The medical team has changed several batches, but none of the medical staff took this job as a task, but as an honor. Everyone hopes to warm Ba Jin and return Ba Jin with sacred love! Ba Jin was still conscious.

The things that happen around them often make the sick old people feel sad.When he found so many doctors and nurses busy with his illness day and night, Ba Jin couldn't help sighing secretly: "If a person can't work well, then what's the point of continuing to maintain life?" There will be this idea that outsiders can't understand: "Longevity is what most people pursue, but for me, longevity is a punishment!" Of course, Ba Jin's pain is incomprehensible to ordinary people.After he entered the advanced age of ninety, with the gradual weakening of his body, Ba Jin was already lamenting that he could not continue to write as hard as before.Later, he took the donation to build a modern literature museum as his last sustenance and pursuit in life; when this wish was realized, Ba Jin began to donate the collection of books for many years as a return to readers and society.Today, however, he thinks that it is a waste of time for him to lie on the bed for such a long time, so sometimes the old man even asks the doctors and nurses not to continue treating and administering medicines for him.

The scenery outside the window has alienated the old man.He could only look up through the window and look at the white clouds that came and went.Next to his bed is the masterpiece of the old man in his later years - five thick volumes of "Caprice", which is undoubtedly the last confession of a writer.In these "Capricious Thoughts", he revisited many past events, and also had dialogues and conversations with those deceased people.But the vicissitudes of life in today's world are like passing clouds, slowly flowing past the old man, and disappearing in the distant sky.What makes Ba Jin feel extremely sad is that the friends who were with him day and night a few years ago have passed away one by one. It seems that this is just in line with the old saying "a hundred years in a blink of an eye"! After the "Cultural Revolution", the old man Ye Shengtao was the first to leave him. Then, in just a few years, Ding Ling went, Bing Xin went, Xia Yan and Cao Yu also went!Ba Jin never dreamed that he would live such a long life.

The old man fumed on the hospital bed.He closed his eyes slightly under the light winter light in the afternoon, and Ba Jin seemed to be back in the familiar courtyard at No. 13 Wukang Road.At a glance, he saw the two magnolia trees standing proudly in the winter wind.It was planted together by him and Xiao Shan in the early days of liberation, and now more than fifty springs and autumns have passed, and instead of withering and withering, the magnolia tree is flourishing and the scenery remains the same.The all-too-familiar English-style three-story building appeared before Ba Jin's eyes again. He had been away from here for three years.However, as long as Ba Jin closes his eyes, everything inside and outside the small building will appear in his mind.Especially the spacious living room downstairs and the corridor connected to the living room, which is the place where Ba Jin often rests and works after his left leg was broken in 1982.

He remembered that since he was discharged from the hospital with a broken bone, his relatives advised him not to continue living upstairs.Because everyone is worried that if the old man is careless when going upstairs or downstairs, stepping off his foot, will there be other accidents.So began work on the corridor downstairs.After the corridor is closed, the old man can write in a corner of the wide corridor, and at the same time, when he is tired, he can also sit on the rattan chair and face the sunlight projected from the window. A drop of clear tear dripped quietly on Ba Jin's cheek at some point.It was an emotional overflow that happened inadvertently when he missed his loved ones.Xiao Shan's ashes are still on the chest of drawers on the second floor?Thinking of her, Ba Jin would feel sore and speechless.Maybe soon he will also walk into the underworld with her, what will he greet her when he meets her there?Couples who have respected each other as guests for decades, after all, there are too many things they want to communicate with each other!What still makes Ba Jin feel painful is that in the past few years, two relatives in his family have passed away one after another. One is Ba Jin's twelfth younger sister Li Ruijue. She was born in 1916 and was younger than himself. He was a teenager, but his sister died before him.What surprised Ba Jin was that his favorite son-in-law also died young.Is it possible not to be sad when thinking of these unfortunate old people?What Ba Jin didn't know at all was that just after he was admitted to East China Hospital this time, the ninth sister Li Qiongru who had been dependent on them for many years also passed away quietly due to illness.It's just that the family has never dared to report this bad news to Ba Jin who is hospitalized, otherwise the old man will add a kind of grief from the bottom of his heart! ...

"Ba Lao! Old Ba Jin, we are all here to congratulate you!" At the end of this year, when Ba Jin's 98th birthday came, all the doctors and nurses in the hospital ward came to Ba Jin's house early ward.Everyone threaded the thousand paper cranes carefully folded over the past few days with red silk thread layer by layer, and then formed a huge Chinese character "Shou" on the white wall of Ba Jin's hospital bed, surrounded by English characters. The letters wrap around to form "Happy Birthday!" in large letters. Ba Jin woke up from the dream.The spirit of the old man showed a hale and hearty look this morning.He moved his mouth a little excitedly, as if he wanted to thank the doctors and nurses for their move, but the old man didn't say it like before, he just raised one hand.Ba Jin looked around the inside and outside of the ward, and there were colorful flower baskets lined up almost everywhere.Those were sent from Beijing by the leaders of the party and the state, and some were gifts made by readers in Shanghai overnight. Among them was a crystal glass dragon sent by the Chinese Literature Museum from Beijing. It is a symbol of the arrival of the new year!Ba Jin looked at the flowers, flower baskets, paper cranes and greeting cards and letters inside and outside the ward, his eyes became moist again.

Another year of Rui Xuefei. On November 25, 2002, on the day of Ba Jin's 99th birthday, Shanghai "Literature News" published an article entitled "Blessing Ba Jin--Ba Jin Xidu's 99th Birthday Documentary", which wrote: "Although there are no words, Although he couldn't express it, Ba Jin knew in his heart that today is his birthday. Throughout the day, he didn't sleep as much as usual, and often rolled his eyes, looking around. The medical staff around him said happily: "Ba Lao is in good spirits today." Better than ever.' Today is Ba Jin's 99th birthday, and blessings from all over the country have reached a climax.The reporter experienced the contribution and influence of a great man in the literary world, and the state of mind and sentiment of a respected old man.The cloudy and rainy Shanghai has cleared up today, and the golden sunshine warms Ba Jin's ward. The old man is lying peacefully on the bed.On the balcony, a little bee circled and danced in front of the 99 rose baskets that the Chinese Writers Association congratulated Ba Jin on his birthday.Outside the balcony is a piece of fragrant grass, vigorous cedar, verdant holly, full of greenery.

A few days ago, the medical staff around Ba Jin became busy.One cut, one fold;On the head of Ba Jin's bed, there are 99 paper-folded morning stars flashing, on both sides are thread-woven longevity fruits, and a bright red "shou" character is on top of his head.Door lintels, window spirits, tables, coat racks, wherever they can be hung and placed are festive lanterns and colored paper. Hu Jintao, Jiang Zemin, Jia Qinglin, Zeng Qinghong, Wang Zhaoguo, Chen Liangyu and other party and state leaders sent flower baskets to Ba Jin's ward as early as yesterday.This morning, the flower baskets of leaders and famous literary figures were delivered one after another, filling the wards, balconies, and aisles to the brim. On the afternoon of November 24th, Chen Liangyu, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee, and mayor of Shanghai, came to Mr. Ba Jin's bed to congratulate him on his 99th birthday.Chen Liangyu leaned over and said to Balao: "On the occasion of your 99th birthday, entrusted by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Hu Jintao, Jiang Zemin and other party and state leaders, we made a special trip to congratulate you on your birthday and sincerely wish you a happy birthday and a long and healthy life." !You are a leading figure in the Chinese literary world and a close friend of the Communist Party of China.You have pursued the truth, upheld justice, upheld science, and loved the people all your life. Your brilliant works and noble character have influenced and inspired generations of Chinese youth and readers, and contributed to the cause of literature in China and the world, and to the cause of human peace and development Excellent contribution! 'Ba Lao nodded happily and expressed his thanks. A group of Sichuan Provincial Party Committee also came to the ward early, and they brought the deep friendship of hundreds of millions of Sichuan fellows.A piece of Fragrant Mountain red leaves, a yellowed photo, a short note greeting card... The blessings from all over the country, at home and abroad, are full of people's respect for this great man in the literary world.On the north wall of Ba Jin's ward, there is a piece of bamboo weaving, which was sent to Ba Jin by four old people from Chengdu who rode six thousand miles.On the bamboo weaving is a full-shaped and bright red running script "Shou" woven with red and yellow bamboo strips. On the top is a line of small seal characters full of affection: fellow Ba Jin's 99th birthday, signed: 2,500 senior citizens in Chengdu Member of the Association Riding Club. Among the piles of congratulatory messages, there is a letter that is particularly immature. It is a blessing from all the young pioneers in Class 6, Grade 5, Primary School Attached to Shanghai No. 1 Teacher: "In the Chinese textbook of the fifth grade, there is an article written by you, titled It's "Stars".How beautifully written this article is, how sincerely feeling!Our classmates all liked it very much. Not only recited the text, but also selected music to read it aloud.We are all children living in the city. The high-rise buildings in the city and the lights at night cover the stars, and we cannot see the densely packed stars.However, reading "Stars", we seem to be there, as if we see stars dancing around us, and they seem to invite us to be guests in the starry sky. '99' is an auspicious number. All of us hope that miracles will appear in your precious life, you will overcome your illness and recover your health. We sincerely wish you a happy birthday and a long and healthy life. ..." Ba Jin's spirit today is stronger than when he celebrated his birthday the year before. When the winter sun poured into the ward through the floor-to-ceiling windows, 99-year-old Ba Jin woke up from his deep sleep.He has been plagued by illness for many years on the sickbed, and today he looks more energetic than ever.The doctor came to the ward early to give Ba Jin a physical examination and found that the old man's condition had improved greatly.Ba Jin's condition has been stable since the summer of that year.There were no new recurrences and critical illnesses. In view of the stability of the condition, antibiotics have been basically suspended.According to this situation.The doctor ordered the removal of the respirator and heart monitor in front of Ba Jin's bed. Ba Jin still couldn't speak, but he knew it very well.Since the old man had a tracheotomy in East China Hospital in the spring of 1999, he rarely saw clients again.Even with guests visiting, Ba Jin could not speak.Since 2000, Ba Jin's condition has been relatively stable.The hospital is equipped with 4 nurses in each shift, taking care of the elderly day and night.Nurses would give him liquid food every day, and in the morning they would bathe and wipe his body, and then read the day's newspaper or play VCDs for Ba Jin to listen to.His mind is still sharp, and when he hears the recording of his favorite Beijing opera, a faint smile will appear on the old man's face.It was a familiar look. Ba Jin takes liquid food five times a day, and what makes the nurses around him feel uneasy is Ba Jin's esophagus, which must be replaced every two months.The long esophagus had to be inserted from the nostril all the way into his stomach sac, and every time it was replaced, Ba Jin would show an extremely painful expression on his face.But the old man still gritted his teeth and persisted.Even when his condition was getting worse, Ba Jin was willing to let the nurse raise his bed slightly to watch the TV news and listen to the Beijing opera recordings that night.Amidst the beautiful melody of Peking Opera and the soft reading of newspapers by the nurses, Ba Jin would gradually fall asleep. In the dream, Ba Jin seemed to walk into a magical world.He seemed to have walked into a place he had never been to, a big school full of children's laughter.When those innocent children saw Ba Jin, they suddenly flocked to him, and surrounded him in the blink of an eye.Ba Jin, who liked to be in touch with children since he was a child, had a smile on his face, as if he heard the children chattering about asking him something.The old man quietly put his ear close to the child, and someone said to him, "Grandpa Ba Jin, working for money and studying for money, is this the biggest pursuit of young people of our generation?" What is the purpose of studying in the future?"... Amidst the loud voices of children, the smile on Ba Jin's face faded.He suddenly became very serious because the question the children asked him was a very serious one.He had to face it solemnly. Ba Jin thought for a long time before saying to the children: "My friends, to tell you the truth, even I sometimes feel puzzled by the colorful scene in front of me. However, everyone must Don’t lose your confidence in learning, I think, no matter how flooded and impacted by the torrent of money worship, it will never destroy our ideals. The problem is that everyone must resist. Everyone must dedicate their lives to their ideals..." The children's confused inquiries suddenly turned into warm applause.It can be seen that Ba Jin's words quickly resonated strongly in the hearts of the children. Ba Jin held the children's hands tightly and said sincerely to everyone: "You must cherish your precious time, as long as you connect your personal destiny with the collective destiny, and put the people and the country before the individual." You will never lose your way. You must know that ideals never abandon those who pursue them painstakingly. As long as you don’t stop pursuing them, you will be bathed in the brilliance of ideals. I believe that everyone’s future is bright!  …” There was another thunderous applause. but.What appeared in front of Ba Jin was no longer school children, but a full theater.There seems to be a wonderful drama being staged there.When Ba Jin saw the men and women on the stage, the various characters turned out to be those who had appeared in his works: Juehui, Juexin, Juemin, Ruijue, Cousin Mei, Mingfeng and the annoying old man Gao. ...Suddenly, Ba Jin's eyes lit up, and he realized that these actors were actors he was familiar with. The old-fashioned old man Gao.Mingfeng and Juehui also had new faces. Wang Shihuai, Xu Huanshan, Xi Meijuan, Kaili, Cheng Qian and many other actors all appeared in front of Ba Jin. What's going on? ! Just when Ba Jin fell into deep confusion, he saw another black painted door appear on the stage.It was the gate of the quiet compound on Zhengtongshun Street in Chengdu, which Ba Jin was all too familiar with.It's just that the actors have become new faces. They no longer use cadenced dialogues to unfold the plot, but use beautiful singing to interpret Ba Jin's almost handed down!That's right, the "House of Torrent" performed on the stage turned out to be the Sichuan opera that Ba Jin liked since he was a child!The tune and the chanting made the old man sleeping on the hospital bed listen to it, it was like drinking nectar, like drinking a mountain spring.He was completely intoxicated by the drama.He has been deeply attracted by the characters and their respective destinies that have appeared in his works. Ba Jin smiled gratifiedly in his sleep.It turned out that this weeping Sichuan opera aria appeared on the Shaw Stage in Shanghai.The grand performance of the Sichuan opera "House of Torrent" and drama has opened the prelude to the "Ba Jin Literature Week" in the 5th China Shanghai International Arts Festival.Next, scenes after scenes of inspiring dramas and operas were grandly staged on the big stage of the world... Ba Jin smiled in his dream. The old man smiled so brightly, so happy, and so happy.This is because a person who doesn't want to live too long actually lived to be a hundred years old; a writer who is humble and selfless all his life, when he fell into a deep sleep and couldn't wake up, the world was still performing non-stop. Famous adaptations of plays, operas and films.A writer can have such a grand ending, isn't it worthy of the old man's smile?