Chapter 18 Chapter Eighteen

We all know something happened to Baorun. Su Baozhen came to the fashion store to find Mr. and Mrs. Ma, hesitating, asking for an advance payment of rent for the second half of the year. Mrs. Ma forbade her husband to express his opinion freely, and asked her what the money was for.Mrs. Ma guessed that Su Baozhen was going to scoop up her son, and scooping up someone always cost money, and it might still be a bottomless pit.Mrs. Ma is an enthusiastic and shrewd type of person. She made a smart decision under balance, ensuring her own interests and taking into account human feelings.She claimed that the location of the clothing store was wrong and the business was sluggish. It was uncertain whether the lease would be renewed after half a year. The money could not be counted as an advance, but a loan.Su Baozhen nodded tearfully, she could count it as an advance or as a loan, she had never asked anyone for money in her whole life, we were also forced to do something, now only money can save Baorun.

A few days later, Baorun's father came and returned the money intact to Master Ma, saying that he would not need it for a while and that he and his wife could not sleep well at night because they had other people's money in their pockets.Master Ma was very puzzled, did you not save Baorun?Baorun's father was dejected and said, why don't you save your own flesh and blood?It's too late to save, and it's too late to raise any money now.Master Ma said, doesn't that girl love money?Baorun's father said, it's not that he doesn't love money, it's that he doesn't want our family's money.Master Ma was even more puzzled, strange, your family's money is not RMB?Bao Run's father seemed to have something to hide, and he confided the truth to Master Ma in shame. It was all because of my incompetence and failure to make connections. , Not even a ghost shadow could be found.

Baorun's parents have been complaining about their son's grievances, but after all, it is the opinion of the family, and one should not listen to one side, and the trust of the neighbors is naturally reserved.There are also people who don't like Bao Runsu, don't believe in the so-called grievances at all, and secretly say that they feel sorry for the parents all over the world, even if their son has become a gangster and a murderer, they should call him wronged a few times.People from the culinary school came to visit and wanted to discuss Borun's future with the parents, but unfortunately they didn't have the opportunity.The couple went out early in the morning, and three iron locks were hung on the door in one go.Even though life has been in dire straits, honest people always abide by the old rules. I remember that at this time, the water company is coming to read the water meter, and the power company is going to come to read the electric meter. row data, which are the readings of the electricity meter and water meter for this month.Electricity meter: 1797, water meter: 0285.I don’t know which naughty child without a tutor who specializes in doing evil things secretly added the word rape before the reading on the meter, and the data suddenly became 1797 degrees raped this month.When people passed by, they all noticed the writing on the door panel. The adults shook their heads and the children laughed. Fortunately, Mrs. Ma discovered the problem in time and took a rag to wipe off the dirty words. It was a good deed.

The neighbors frequently go to Ma's fashion store, not because they are interested in the new fashions in the store, but because they are interested in Baorun's case.Mrs. Ma scolded the neighbors, she usually didn't come when she asked you to come in, but now she has come, she didn't expect that my store would gain some popularity and enjoy the glory of Baorun.It's just that it's hard for a clever daughter-in-law to cook without rice, and if Su Baozhen doesn't reveal the progress of the case, Mrs. Ma can't provide any new clues. She just says, soon, the truth will come out.The neighbors actively analyzed Baorun's prospects based on their own knowledge, because they were all talking to themselves, so no one could convince the other.Later, someone mentioned my grandfather, alas, what should the crazy old man do now?No one in the family can take care of him, isn't he going to dig his soul again?In this way, the neighbors temporarily put aside Baorun and began to talk about grandfather.

Grandma Shaoxing said that she helped her grandfather hide a shovel behind her door last spring, but she hid it for three days. This year, there was always a strange noise behind her door, especially in the middle of the night. The noise of the shovel made it impossible for her to sleep.Grandma Shaoxing pointed to her dark circles and said, look at my eye circles, are they darker than a crow?Sansu didn't close his eyes again, how dare he close his eyes?As soon as I fell asleep, I dreamed of Baorun’s grandfather, who opened his hands and asked me for a shovel. Where is my shovel? Who took my shovel?I suspect that he is dreaming for me, the dead only dream of dreaming, do you think Baorun's grandfather just kicked his legs and left?Now the family doesn't care about him, maybe he has become a lonely ghost, we don't even know!

No one dared to speculate rashly about grandfather's life or death, but everyone agreed that whether grandfather was dead or alive, his lost soul must still be wandering on Toon Tree Street.Opinions vary as to what shape the grandfather's soul took, whether it was attached to his shovel, or whether it was hiding somewhere else.Auntie Sun, a female textile worker, goes home from night shift every day. As long as her bicycle is close to home, a white cat will definitely run over from the roof of Baorun’s house and meow on the eaves of her house. The key opened the door, and the white cat was already squatting by the door.Aunt Sun said, do you think it’s scary or not?I saw that white cat was skinny, with pitiful eyes, they were clearly Bao Run's grandpa's eyes!I said, cat, go away, the cat sits there and doesn’t move, I said Baorun’s grandpa, you should go back to Jingting Hospital, don’t wander around here, your room is gone, alas, you don’t believe me when you say it, that cat With a meow, he ran away!

Everyone couldn't tell whether Aunt Sun's description was embellished or not, and they all stared wide-eyed and let out high or low exclamations.Grandma Shaoxing concluded that cats have nine lives, and it would be merciful to lend one life to my grandfather.They were chatting intensely, and some people suddenly realized the embarrassment brought about by the grandfather's topic to Mrs. Ma, and they exchanged winks, so everyone kept quiet and secretly observed Mrs. Ma's face.Mrs. Ma said, you don't have to look at me like that, I know what you are thinking, are you afraid that my business here is not good for Feng Shui?Yes or no?Mrs. Ma has the demeanor of a general, and she has a calm and difficult smile on her face, telling you that Feng Shui is a great subject, and you don't understand it.If your Qi is upright, Feng Shui will follow you, and bad Feng Shui will be cured.If your qi is not right, you have to follow the feng shui, and the good feng shui will also turn bad.How could I not know that the crazy old man's room is evil, why would I dare to do business here?Those who have consulted with Xu Banxian know what is right.

The female neighbors still didn't know much about it. Aunt Sun expressed everyone's doubts. Mrs. Ma, how do you know that your anger is right?How do you know that your righteousness can overcome evil?Mrs. Ma hesitated for a moment, then untied her collar, revealing a golden necklace around her neck. She had to be upright, and she had to be willing to spend money, to buy gold!She showed the neighbors the length and width of the gold necklace, and patiently explained its mystery. I listened to Xu Banxian's words and bought a gold necklace to wear, which weighed two or three dollars.Xu Banxian said that if more than two taels of gold, you can restrain the evil spirits around you.Everyone leaned over to look at the gold necklace, envious, and jealous. Only Mrs. Ma can afford such a thick necklace. How can we be so lucky?Grandma Shaoxing wanted to touch the gold necklace, but she was blocked intentionally or unintentionally by Mrs. Ma's arm. She stretched out her hand in mid-air and retracted it. She turned around and left the fashion shop, saying in a strange way, the old saying that money can make ghosts Turn the millstone, who believes that wearing a gold necklace can cast down ghosts?There are good ghosts and evil ones. Baorun’s grandfather is also a good ghost even if he goes to the underworld. If you meet an evil ghost one day, try it, let alone a gold necklace, even if you wear gold thread clothes and a gold belt. Use, you are a woman, how can you restrain evil spirits?

It coincides with the eve of Labor Day, and the gray streets in the past look a little bit gorgeous and plump.There are sporadic flowers blooming along the street in good time. Cannas and cockscombs adorn the corners of the walls. Although most of the Chinese roses are planted in broken washbasins or old casseroles, they also carry forward the spirit of hard work and bloom light yellow or pink flowers.The sky is so blue that it looks like it has been painted with paint.The wind is soft on the face, it is the warm spring breeze mentioned in the children's composition.Lively on the ground, there are scenery in the air.Schools, stores, factories, and even scrap yards put up holiday banners.Someone was clearing a pile of rubbish on the stone pier, and the sound of various heavy objects falling to the ground echoed nearby, like an impatient holiday salute being fired ahead of time.On the south side of the street, chemical plant electricians climbed ladders and adjusted the colorful lantern decorations on the plant's arched doorways, while children huddled below to watch, screaming, lights up, lights up.

In short, a festival is a festival, and the Toon Tree Street is filled with festive melodies. There is only one middle-aged woman with a sad face. Excessive sadness makes her feel like no one is in the middle of the street. She is holding a wet handkerchief, crooked Walking obliquely, you can't see the flow of traffic and people, and you can't hear the car horns and bicycle bells.From time to time, cyclists scolded her, and some even pushed her in the car. This eldest sister, can you walk?Looking back, what she saw was a face swollen with tears, and two blue eye bags shaped like walnuts. She raised her head numbly, looked at the sky and asked, Comrade, what time is it now?The cyclist forgave the woman. With such a mood, it is true that there is no need to obey the traffic rules.

Since her son's accident, Su Baozhen rarely appeared on the street during the day.It has only been more than half a month, this woman's formerly handsome face has aged, and a few strands of white hair have fallen out, it seems that any misfortune has been settled.Her crying was actually a soft whimper, and she didn't intend to arouse sympathy from others.From the east end to the west side of Xiangchun Tree Street, many people recognized her, and their hearts of compassion were burned by her tearful face. Many people went to pull her and tried to comfort her, but Su Baozhen didn't appreciate her. Her grief is inviolable, she whimpered and asked those well-meaning people, who is crying?did i cry?What's there to cry about? Passing by the stone pier, Su Baozhen stopped suddenly. She found an enemy figure here, and a sharp light came out of her red and swollen eyes, so she really stopped crying.A group of activists of amateur theatrical performances gathered in the open space of the stone wharf. Most of them are women from all walks of life in Xiangtongshu Street. They are neither fat nor thin, neither tall nor short, with uniform clothes and uniform shapes. Under the command of Aunt Dai, they rehearsed group gymnastics.One click, two clicks.Three clicks.More than a dozen feather fans swayed in an orderly manner, and the neat wavy line suddenly changed shape. No one expected that Su Baozhen would barge in. She snatched the electric horn from Aunt Dai and blew into it , shouted repeatedly, neighbors, let me report to you the injustice case of my family Baorun, it is a big injustice case!Baorun didn't do anything bad, he was framed by others, and he did it on behalf of others! There was an uproar in the rehearsal team.Su Baozhen's voice was hoarse and angry, and after a burst of sobs, she fell silent. Aunt Dai wanted to take the opportunity to take back the electric horn, but was rudely pushed away.Su Baozhen said, Aunt Dai, don't worry, let me calm down, report a word and leave.Sure enough, she calmed down a bit, but it was hard to sum up that sentence.Everyone observed her eyes, and soon found that she was a drunkard, her eyes flew like a dagger to Shao Lanying in the rehearsal team, Liu Sheng, I have to report to you first, my son is about to be sentenced, At least twelve years, maybe indefinitely, are your family happy?Are you happy? Everyone suddenly realized, and their heads turned to Shao Lanying.Shao Lanying is a person who has seen the world. When she encountered such a predicament, she didn't panic at all. She slowly put away the feather fan in her hand, and said in a neither humble nor overbearing way, "Bao Run his mother, where did you say that?"I have no grudges or enmities with you. Regardless of age, your son is a junior and I am an elder. Why should I be happy when he is sentenced to prison? You can still pretend to be confused at this moment, I admire you!Why are you upset that your own son has done something outrageous and that it's okay, and someone else's child is going to jail for him?Su Baozhen's mournful voice was amplified by the electric speaker together with her breathing, and it sounded a bit harsh. My family, Baorun, was Liu Sheng's cannon fodder. Others don't know the truth, but you don't know it?You still say you are not happy?You're not happy and you're still doing yangko here?If you twist and twist here, aren't you afraid of flashing your waist? What does it matter to you if I twist yangko?Don't think that you represent the central government by holding an electric horn. What's the use of shouting and shouting?Shao Lanying showed disgust on her face, and she still spoke slowly, "Bao Run damn it, I always thought you were a reasonable person, why are you being unreasonable now?"Who should go to prison and who should be free, it doesn't matter what you say, and it doesn't matter what I say, girls are victims, and what the victim says counts, right? This remark hit the point, the electric horn was silent for a moment, and suddenly Su Baozhen screamed mournfully, whoever says it doesn't matter, the RMB has the final say, the back door has the final say, your family has a lot of money, a lot of back doors, and a lot of connections. Other girls bought it! The women rehearsing the group gymnastics covered their faces with feather fans and whispered to each other. Most of them heard that Liu Sheng and Bao Run were accomplices, who was the real principal criminal and who was the wronged accessory. They are qualified to judge Shao Lanying's performance. Everyone generally appreciates Shao Lanying's demeanor and thinks that Su Baozhen is too much.Auntie Dai went over to snatch her electric horn, and dissuaded her, Baorun, we all understand that you are in a bad mood, but we can’t keep shouting on the electric horn, we still have to rehearse, time is tight, May Day In the parade of floats, we also have a program on Toon Tree Street. This is a political task, and we cannot afford to delay it. Su Baozhen finally let go of the electric horn, a trace of guilt appeared on his face, you have finished rehearsing, and political tasks must not be delayed, why do I not understand?I saw her doing Yangko here, and I couldn't be more angry. I'm sorry everyone.Aunt Dai helped her to sit on her small square stool. Su Baozhen looked at the sky and said, what time is it?I don't have time to sit, I haven't eaten a grain of rice a day, and I have to go back to make dinner for his dad.She wanted to stand up, but she couldn't stand straight anymore, her body was like a shrimp, hunched over the wall.Aunt Dai asked, what happened to your waist?She said, to avenge the child, I have walked for eight lifetimes in the past few days, my legs are numb, and my waist is probably broken. It is important for you to rehearse. I will just bow like this and rest for a while. More than a dozen rose-red lupines quickly recovered their wavy shapes, and Aunt Dai's enthusiastic voice sounded again from the electric horn.One click, two clicks.left hand.Three taps, four taps, starting with the right hand.The interrupted rehearsal continued.Two Toon Tree Street mothers, one was in the rehearsal team, still dancing meticulously, vaguely demonstrating, the other was leaning against the wall with her waist, with a painful expression, a weak and sharp light shot out of her red and swollen eyes, obviously suffering.People watched coldly, the eyes of the two mothers came and went, and with the accompaniment of light music, they began to fight with each other's eyes. Later, Mrs. Ma from the fashion store broke into the rehearsal team. She pushed aside the crowd impatiently, and shouted at Su Baozhen, Baorun fucking, why are you still sitting here watching the fun?Go and see Baorun's father, it's not good!Su Baozhen froze for a moment, I'll take a breath here, don't scare me, why is he bad?Mrs. Ma said, how can I have the heart to scare you?Don't you have three locks on your door?Baorun's father opened two locks, but the third key was lost. I listened to him shaking the lock, shaking, cursing, and fell on the door with his eyes popping out again. Frozen, foaming at the mouth, I'm afraid I'm having another stroke! The rehearsal was automatically terminated this time. Everyone watched Su Baozhen leave in a panic. They all said that Baorun's family had a bad year, and the house leak happened to rain overnight. It was really pitiful.Shao Lanying next to her recognized everyone's compassion, but she added in a timely manner, saying that poor people must have something to hate.She speaks inscrutablely, and others are eager to hear her opinion, what is the relationship between pitiful and hateful.Shao Lanying said, I don’t have any theory. Anyway, our common people’s lives are the same. We grow melons and sow beans and we get beans. How does this family educate their children and treat the elderly?Don't all your neighbors see it?God also sees it, people are doing it, and God is watching.I'm not afraid of anyone sending her a message, that's my point of view, she can't blame anyone, it's all retribution.When Shao Lanying said this, she raised her finger and pointed at the sky. If you want to blame, you can blame God. This family must be condemned by God. Everyone was startled when they heard this, and looked up at the sky. The sky on Xiangchunshu Street was blue.The gods may be hiding behind a white cloud, maybe hidden in a beam of sunlight, but there are so many poor old people on this street, and so many unfilial descendants. If the gods uphold justice, many families will suffer retribution, why alone Why did you choose Baorun's family?Everyone was at a loss for this.Who should be punished?In fact, everyone has a list in their minds, but it is inconvenient for everyone to announce it because of the world's sophistication. I heard that Bo Run's father had a second stroke.Anyone with a little medical knowledge knows that a stroke can cause inconvenience in legs and feet, and a second stroke is very dangerous, and most of them are life-threatening.Some people don't understand the three locks, saying that their house is not a million-dollar household, so why are there three locks on the door?Some people also calmly analyzed that the loss of the third key should be the secondary reason. Baorun's father must have been more strongly stimulated. Maybe Mrs. Ma didn't clean up the child's graffiti on the door.Who doesn't get angry when they see it?Of course, there is no way to verify all kinds of speculation, and the verification is meaningless. I heard that Bao Run's father lay in the emergency room of the hospital for five days and five nights.The rescue effect was far from ideal, and the doctor ordered Su Baozhen to prepare for the funeral.Su Baozhen went to buy two sets of shrouds, one for her husband and one for herself, and she piled both sets of shrouds beside her husband's pillow.Su Baozhen patted the shroud, communicating with her unconscious husband.She said that I know what you are planning and want to die?Want to leave this mess to me?Don't think about it.You can die, can't I die?Let me tell you, there is nothing so cheap. Two sets of shrouds are prepared. If you don’t want to wear them, you don’t wear them. If you want to wear them, we will all wear them. Just wear mine, if I live ten minutes longer than you, I will not be considered a human being, we are going to go together, the old and the young, let them go! It was heard that Su Baozhen's desperation deterred her unconscious husband from daring to die.On the morning of the sixth day, he kicked his legs, only his left leg, and kicked very lightly. In the middle of the night of the sixth day, his left hand moved again, just pressing down on the shroud, and one finger slowly moved. Tilted up, as if begging his wife, don't get excited, discuss things slowly.On the seventh day, Baorun's father woke up, and Su Baozhen laughed through tears, but the doctor advised her not to be too happy, saying that although the patient's life was barely saved, the person had already become an empty skin, very brittle and thin. It will be broken at the first touch, and your family members must be careful in the future, and you must take care of it carefully at all times. Neighbors went to the hospital to visit, the patient spoke wulu wulu, no one could understand, only Su Baozhen could translate his language, she said, I am so pitiful, I have to educate you, he said, a family needs a wife Ping Ping, the first is to be filial to the elderly, and the second is to take good care of the children.The neighbors all nodded, thinking that what he revealed was based on experience, and his mind was still clear.Baorun's father continued to purr and purr, his expression became more and more agitated, but Su Baozhen refused to translate, not only refused to translate, but also began to cry.The neighbors guessed what the patient was complaining about, so they all went to persuade Su Baozhen, because husband and wife always quarrel, not to mention you are in a bad mood, if you don't translate, don't translate.Su Baozhen wiped away tears, gritted her teeth and said, just turn it over, turn it over and let you judge, he is blaming me, blaming me for not being filial to his father, blaming me for spoiling Baorun, blaming me for being greedy for money, do you make any sense in your comments?He doesn't blame his father for being a villain, he doesn't blame his son for not being up to date, he doesn't blame himself for being incompetent, a pot of dirty water was poured on my head. In the early morning or at night, people would occasionally meet Su Baozhen on the street. She looked haggard and her eyes were slack, as if she had accepted all the misfortunes bestowed by fate and had surrendered.Many people sympathized with her, saying that Su Baozhen must be the most miserable woman in the world. Thinking about it, she was exhausted. The three men in the family, one prisoner, one patient, and one lunatic, all depended on her as a woman.It is difficult for others to share Su Baozhen's suffering, so they can only care about it with words.Someone saw her buying walnuts at the dried fruit stand at the end of the bridge, and approached her cautiously, Baorun, who the hell are you buying the walnuts for, the old ones or the young ones?With red eyes, she sighed and said, I ate it myself, and the doctor asked me to eat some walnuts to supplement my brain. My brain was rumbling every day. I heard that before the onset of a mental patient, the rumbling sound was like this in the brain, and it continued like this , I also have to go to Jingting Hospital.Others immediately reassured her and said, no, no, I also often have headaches and the pain is hissing, so shouldn't I also go to Jingting Hospital?Su Baozhen said, you have a headache, I have a headache, the pain is different.I'm going to collapse sooner or later, one day is a delay, one day is a day later, if I collapse, I will feel relieved, even if I lose my home, I don't want to be reconciled to thinking about it. There is still a ray of smoke left in her house, but more than half of it has collapsed and is crumbling.One day the court sent someone to deliver the subpoena, but there was no one knocking on the door. Mrs. Ma ran out of the store enthusiastically. Seeing that it was a subpoena, she felt that the kraft paper envelope was unlucky and refused to accept it on her behalf.She helped someone push the subpoena through the crack of the door, and heard the man groan, "Is this an amaranth?"Mrs. Ma lowered her head and found that there really was an amaranth growing under the threshold of Baorun's house. It was tall and green, and there was an inexplicable drop of water rolling on the leaf.