Chapter 19 Chapter Nineteen Holding the Hand

Dawn of the desert, awakened from sleep.After a night of turmoil, it was extremely quiet at this moment.The blue sky, clear and dust-free, has faded away all the colors.The rolling sand dunes stretch to the far edge.This desolate land has endured thousands of years of loneliness.Although it whimpers, cries, and even gets angry every day, when it is quiet, it is painful and moving. Sanmao once wrote a paragraph about the morning in the Sahara Desert, which shocked people who read it. "The desert in the morning is as clean as it has been washed by water. The sky is blue without a cloud, and the gentle sand dunes continue to spread to the limit of sight. The sand at this time always reminds me of The carcass of a huge sleeping woman seems to be rising and falling with a slight breath, so serene, quiet and profoundly beautiful, it is almost painfully moved."

When he came to the desert, Sanmao not only appreciates the hardships of life every day, but also is full of infinite curiosity about the houses in this desert.Whether it is the way they walk, the way they eat, the color and style of clothes, gestures, language, marriage of men and women, and religious beliefs, they have unspeakable care.Her original intention of coming to the desert was only to witness the customs here, only to find another self in her previous life. In order to wait for the formalities for getting married, Sanmao had to walk for about an hour every day to read letters in the town.After three months in the desert, I know most of the people in this small town of Ayong, especially the post office and the court.

Finally, Sanmao waited for the notice from the secretary-general of the court: "The final Madrid announcement is over, and you can get married." After months of long waiting, Sanmao hardly believed that the document war was really over.Perhaps in Sanmao's heart, marriage is not so important to her.What she couldn't stand was this seemingly eternal process. But this paper marriage contract, after all, can afford her a sense of security and promise, even though, what she lacks is not these.The wandering Sanmao has experienced too many emotional ups and downs, and she needs to settle down.This man, whom she had never been able to fall in love with passionately, installed a solid home for her in the barren Sahara desert.From then on, there was one more person to accompany her wandering, to accompany her far away.

"Tomorrow at six o'clock in the afternoon." This is the time Mr. Secretary arranged for Sanmao.It just so happened that the driver of Jose's company was passing by in a jeep, and San Mao quickly stopped him and asked him to send a message to Jose.Get married tomorrow, tell him to come to town from get off work.The driver was puzzled, did Mr. Jose not know that he was getting married tomorrow?Sanmao replied, "I don't know, and he doesn't know either." People who don't know the reason will think that this Chinese girl is crazy about getting married.Sanmao sent a telegram to her parents in her hometown: "Get married tomorrow. Sanmao." For many years, her parents worried and suffered for her. Now, this prodigal son finally has a home.Marriage may be the only comfort Sanmao gave her parents.

After Jose heard the news, he rushed back immediately.Maybe it's because I waited too long, but I feel a little overwhelmed when I'm really close to getting married.That night, they went to the only five-rate desert cinema in the town and watched a good movie "Zorba Greek".In this way, even say goodbye to the days of being single. The next day, Jose went to work as usual.At half past five, he was holding a big box, which was a gift for Sanmao.When Sanmao couldn't wait to take it apart, she was amazed by what was inside. "Wow! The eyes of two skeletons were revealed. I pulled this unexpected gift out forcefully. I looked again. It turned out to be a camel's skull. The pale bones were completely joined together, and a large row of teeth were grinning. To me, the eyes are two big black holes."

Jose knew San Mao's intentions. In this desolate desert, there was nothing more precious than a camel bone.In order to find this complete camel skull, he searched for a long time in the desert.This man will always bring Sanmao unexpected surprises. Sanmao, who is about to be a bride, simply dressed herself up.A long gown of light blue linen, not new, had an air of homely elegance.Long hair shawl, wearing a straw wide-brimmed hat.Because there were no flowers, I went to the kitchen and took a handful of coriander and pinned it to the brim of my hat.Jose said that it is very rural, simple and beautiful.

They walked for more than forty minutes before reaching the town.In the vast and boundless sky, under the long yellow sand, there are only two small figures.The desert at dusk is so beautiful that people dare not breathe.Sanmao may be the first bride to walk and get married in the desert.Sometimes, people's imagination and arrangements can never match the reality.The woman who was once obsessed with love never thought that her wedding would be held in this wasteland. When they walked to the court, they realized that the people here were dressed more solemnly than they were.And this new couple seemed to come to watch the excitement.Sanmao was most afraid of such a ceremony in his life, but he had no choice but to resist entering the auditorium.In the small auditorium, there were many acquaintances without an appointment.The hand of the young judge was shaking while holding the paper.It was the first time someone had a notarized marriage in the desert court, and their feelings were self-evident.

After the ceremony, they finally got married.There is not a decent restaurant in the desert, all the people who came here dispersed, only the newlyweds, for a moment, I don't know how to arrange it.Jose proposed to stay at the National Hotel for one night as a reward for each other on the wedding night.But Sanmao does not advocate waste. She would rather go home and cook, because the money for one night in a hotel is enough for them to buy food for a week. They chose to go back on foot.The desert at this time has already faded the color of dusk.Under the night, the sky is full of yellow sand flying in the wind.The empty and lonely surroundings make the road under your feet seem to have no end.Sanmao knew that from now on, the man beside her would wander the world hand in hand with her.This woman longing for freedom hopes that her life after marriage can be the same as before.In her life, freedom and exile are more important than mutual support.

Later, Sanmao wrote a paragraph expressing the years she spent with Jose after marriage.She said: "Things between husband and wife are ups and downs, confusing, and they are just like people drinking water, knowing whether they are warm or cold. In this small world, there is also a full life. I will not tell you. Is the unfathomable lake as simple as what you see on the surface. I think you will not tell me what is hidden in your lake. Everyone's joy and sorrow, everyone should bear it! " Some people compare marriage to a siege of a dilemma, some to an unfathomable lake, and some even think it is a purgatory on earth.Maybe you can only know its true taste if you experience it yourself.Whether it is joy, anger, sorrow, or joy, you need to bear it yourself.Sanmao didn't think it was a mistake to combine with Jose.But no matter how perfect the love is, there will be unknown regrets.When you feel lost, you have to adjust yourself. After a long time, the marriage also has a certain state.

When they got home, they received a big cream cake.In the desert, this is a joyous and happy thing.Afterwards, Jose's company gave him furniture subsidies, rent allowances, a salary increase, and a half-month marriage leave.Sanmao, who had always been anti-traditional before, suddenly felt that marriage was something worth supporting. Jose's friend volunteered to take his place, so they had a month's vacation.During this long honeymoon, they left behind all the tedious affairs of the past.Hired a guide, rented a jeep, and went straight to the Sahara desert.For Sanmao, the honeymoon trip made her truly enter the soul of the Sahara.She said that they both fell in love with it, and could never leave this flowerless wasteland.

Along the way, they took cameras and became soul collectors in the desert.The desert, like a dream, presents a variety of strange scenes, which makes people confused and dizzy.Nature used its uncanny workmanship to create this dry river bed for thousands of years, and also created too many magical beauties in the wilderness. The endless desert is full of colors, and the endless sky is also endlessly changing.Many scenes, perhaps only one time, Sanmao put those beautiful moments she saw in the mirror and imprinted them in her heart.When thousands of people come to the desert, they will encounter thousands of different scenes and produce thousands of emotions. This mysterious and vast desert, no one can really see its full face.We are just insignificant scavengers here, looking for the lost civilization bit by bit in the barren sand dunes.Many ancient secrets and deposited stories will never be seen again.But we still have to give them life, put in love and hate, pour out emotion. Sanmao became the explorer of this desert, and she let herself walk into the boundless world, carrying loneliness and desolation.Although her strength is too weak, she still left deep and shallow footprints in the world's largest desert.How many times, it was the huge shock brought by this land that made her forget the pain of the bumpy journey and the pain given by the wind and sand that cut her skin. Perhaps this is the magical charm of the desert, so that everyone who walks into it is willing to pay for it without complaint or regret.You thought you were the explorer of the desert, unraveling its veil layer by layer.But I don't know that the desert has the style of a real king, and when you don't care, you can't help but hand over everything you have.Its thousands of styles are enough to make you taste it in your whole life. How many times, Sanmao was intoxicated by the magical scene of this land.She feels that every scene and thing here can buy your soul.No one can resist its temptation. Even if one day, they fall down on the road, even if there are no bones left and their whereabouts are unknown, they will have no regrets. This is the Sahara Desert, a place where even touching is superfluous.Those who come to the Sahara Desert will never be the earliest, and will never be the latest.