Chapter 13 look back

It was the first time that my daughter brought her partner to the house today.After tidying up everything, Liu Lanzhi sat down to knit a sweater and waited quietly.The hands that had knitted so many sweaters suddenly became clumsy, and they always poked the needle into the fork. There was the sound of her daughter's footsteps on the stairs. The door was pushed open, Liu Lanzhi raised her head, and her daughter stood inside the door with a smile, letting the young man behind her into the room.She stood up and went forward. Seeing that heroic face, Liu Lanzhi couldn't help being taken aback, this young man looks so much like Wu Kang!Wu Kang, that was her lover when she was her daughter's age.

The daughter smiled shyly and introduced, "This is my mother. Mom, he is Xiao Wu...Wu Nan." "Sit! Sit!" Liu Lanzhi gave way in a panic.Well!The last name is the same!What's going on? She hardly dared to look Wu Nan in the eye.When she let the guests sit down on the chairs and handed tea, she saw what a pair of bright eyes, they were the eyes of Wu Kang who had been flashing in her mind for more than 20 years...couldn't it be a hallucination? "Ma'am, sit down too." A strong accent in southern Shaanxi deepened her suspicion.In southern Shaanxi, Wu Kang was sent to the mountainous areas of southern Shaanxi.Liu Lanzhi sat down on the chair opposite the table, and couldn't help sizing up the young man carefully: the long thin face—like Wu Kang; up!The root of the long neck reveals the collar of the blue-striped homespun shirt... Yes, only the people in Wu Kang's hometown are used to weaving this kind of blue-striped homemade cloth...

The first time Liu Lanzhi saw this kind of blue-striped homespun shirt was her first day in high school.After arranging the seats, her deskmate, Wu Kang, a new classmate who was admitted to the provincial key middle school from the countryside of Guanzhong, was wearing such a starched blue striped shirt on the upper body.The daughter of a tailor who grew up in the city always wears fashionable clothes. How strange to see such a homemade dress!In a classroom full of urban students, the rusticity of such an old-fashioned shirt stands out.With a mocking tone, she asked the deskmate who was sitting on a bench just now: "What material is your shirt made of?"

There was a burst of happy laughter from the students around. Liu Lanzhi watched proudly, and Wu Kang's eyes showed a look of embarrassment.Suddenly she felt a little regretful, deeply afraid that this wild child from the countryside would swear something unclean.No, the look of embarrassment disappeared from his eyes instantly, and the whole long face showed a calm look, and he said in a steady tone; "It's 'country wool' material." Within a month, this country student quickly won the respect and trust of his classmates with his integrity and excellent grades, and Liu Lanzhi really regretted it.When their three-year term expired and they were admitted to the history department of the university together, she couldn't hide her love from the bottom of her heart.

One spring evening, under the weeping willows on the campus, she said to Wu Kang coquettishly: "When I write to my aunt, ask her to cut a 'country wool' shirt for me, okay?" "A homemade shirt with blue strips, do you wear it?" Wu Kang stopped, with a strange brilliance in his eyes, and asked in surprise. "I like it. It's pleasing to the eye, very good!" she said. He blushed, couldn't restrain his joy, and said loudly and naively: "All right! All right! It's not difficult to ask for a few of 'Country'!" He said, reaching out to grab her hands.She ran away in a hurry...

Now, Liu Lanzhi saw Wu Nan sitting across the table, his demeanor and clothes were exactly like Wu Kang in those days.She asked him, "Where is home?" "Shaannan." "Shaannan doesn't grow cotton or weave cloth." She pointed at Wu Nan's neck and asked with a smile, "You wear this shirt..." Wu Nan lowered his head and smiled.The daughter interjected, "His hometown is in Guanzhong. His father was labeled as a rightist, sent to southern Shaanxi, and settled down. The homespun cloth was sent by his grandmother." "This cloth is strong and wear-resistant, and our family likes to wear it."

Sure enough, it was Wu Kang's son, what a miracle.So far, Liu Lanzhi has completely confirmed her premonition when they first met, and she can't calm down no matter what.For more than twenty years, I had no chance to see him, but now I saw his son, who was going to be my son-in-law, her heart was trembling in her chest... She excused herself to prepare meals and went into the kitchen up. It's quiet here.Liu Lanzhi opened the stove door, threw the pre-cut vegetables into the small pot, turned to turn on the water pipe, rinsed her hot face, and opened the window of the small stove.

Blue sky, white clouds.The clear blue sky is rarely seen in spring in the ancient city.Passing the buildings of varying heights, Liu Lanzhi saw the spire of the pavilion in the park.It was also such a beautiful spring day, they were about to graduate, she and Wu Kang were discussing the outline of their graduation thesis on the lawn, and then they talked about aspirations, ideals, career, the sea and the sky... "The value of history lies in truth. Without truth, there is no history!" Wu Kang said as he paced on the grass. Sitting on the grass, with her hands on her knees, her head raised, she listened to her beloved one talking, and echoed, "It is the many fake things mixed in the historical materials that make it difficult for future generations to evaluate history."

"To scientifically evaluate historical events and historical figures, historical materialism is the best weapon. I am full of confidence..." "I'll be your assistant..." "You have to do it yourself, we drill together!" In the evening of spring, the mist shrouded the green willow trees, and the cold air surged.She followed him and walked slowly towards the gate from the path in the park. "The rice is overcooked! Mom!" The daughter jumped into the kitchen. Liu Lanzhi hurriedly turned around, lifted the small pot, and a burnt smell rushed into her nostrils.

The daughter giggled and sealed the furnace door. "Go get some soy sauce." "Isn't there?" "Go and buy some good ones, that one is not good..." The daughter was sent away.The small kitchen was quiet again, and her thoughts were like the flowing water of a small river, unbroken and unstoppable. "Draw a clear line! This is a matter of position!" Liu Jian, a classmate whose courtship letter had been torn up three times by her, came to talk to her again.He was the first person to expose Wu Kang's allusion to Qin Shihuang in his thesis in a class debate, and he joined the newly established anti-rightist leading group.He cared about Liu Lanzhi, and expressed anxiety and worry about her supporting Wu Kang in the debate.He talked to her several times, all of which were his concern and love for her. "The free debate is over, we need to organize a counterattack..."

"..." She was speechless.In the past two or three days, the atmosphere of heated debates going on day and night on campus and in classrooms suddenly cooled down, and Liu Lanzhi's heart also cooled down, and she became bewildered. "Everyone's history must be written by themselves. The change of attitude is a crucial step." Liu Jian analyzed. "..." Liu Lanzhi opened her mouth, but she was still speechless. It was difficult to say something that was different from her heart, but she had to admit that what Liu Jian said was the actual situation.She faltered and said, "I have to think again, is the point of view I insist on really wrong..." Liu Lanzhi looked at Liu Jian who stood up and walked, her mind was extremely confused.She wanted to cry, but couldn't. "Cut it off as soon as possible!" The old tailor waved the scissors at his daughter, who had obviously lost weight within a few days, and said admonishingly, "Father suffers in the old society, but in the new society, he can turn himself into a man, and he can't repay his kindness! This kid dares to attack... " "I don't like the rustic crops for a long time!" Mom muttered, and now she had something to say.She has long disliked that future country son-in-law, and now she has the most reasonable reason: "Hmph! The rightists..." Thus, Liu Lanzhi finally stepped up to the stage of the debate meeting (actually, it was already a one-sided criticism meeting), facing the teachers and students of the school, weeping bitterly, and making a generous statement... "In the storm, I want to stand with the leftists... "Her behavior became a story of struggle in the school for a while. Graduation assignments are delayed because of the movement.On this day, Liu Jian revealed to her quietly that she was assigned to be a history teacher in a middle school in the city.She was a little bit dissatisfied, in terms of academics, Liu Jian's grades were always lower than hers in every exam, and he was actually assigned to the Institute of History.Liu Jian flatteringly explained that she was originally assigned to a county middle school, but he stayed in the city after many efforts...Compared to remote mountainous areas, the city is much better.She made up her mind and was going to go home to tell the old tailor the news. At the school gate, she met Wu Kang. Dozens of students who were labeled as far-right, with quilts on their shoulders and book bags in their hands, lined up in a scattered formation and walked silently towards the school gate. Wu Kang was caught in this scattered queue, with a rolled... rolled homemade sheet wrapped around his shoulders. Was it the same loom as the blue striped homemade shirt he was wearing?What would the old lady in the Guanzhong village who spun cotton and weaving for him see her son who had returned like this?She slowed down, letting their queue go out first. Wu Kang followed the queue out of the school gate, turned around, stopped in his tracks, raised his head, and looked at the school emblem engraved on the old gatehouse of the school.Liu Lanzhi couldn't bear to look at his face anymore, she lowered her head and closed her eyes, she realized that the boundary between her and him was still unclear... When she raised her head, Wu Kang saw her too.The moment the two pairs of eyes looked at each other, Wu Kang's eyes shrouded in a fog of pain suddenly burned, and a contemptuous smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, what a condescending and dismissive mockery... She was powerless to look at each other Those eyes turned away hurriedly. When she turned her head again, the familiar figure from the back took long steps, raised her head, and walked away with the quilt wrapped around her shoulders. The rustling autumn wind raised the lower skirt of the homemade shirt with blue stripes... "Mom, soy sauce." The daughter jumped in the door, talking like singing. "Oh! I bought it back..." She agreed indiscriminately. The daughter squeezed to the chopping board and helped her cook.She saw a look of anticipation in her daughter's eyes, and she hoped that her mother would talk about her impression of her son-in-law for the first time?She should satisfy her daughter's request, but she can't say anything.What can she say? The daughter finally couldn't bear it anymore and said, "His father is fine." "You know?" She asked affectionately, thinking, I know much better than you! "His mother is fine too," said the daughter. "You know?" She asked eagerly, what kind of woman did Wu Kang find? "He told me." The daughter said proudly, "His father was sent to southern Shaanxi and settled in a mountain valley for labor reform. The commune arranged for the Secretary of the League Branch to monitor his actions secretly. The Party Secretary of the Model Youth League is very powerful. He is strictly controlled. He keeps a cold face all day long. He is afraid that he will commit murder, set fire and destroy the collective. I am also very nervous. Half a year has passed, and I have not seen this. The right-wing student was acting recklessly, but I saw him shaved his long hair, like a local farmer, with a blue veil wrapped around his bald head. The Communist Youth League secretary was a little discouraged, and her superiors advised her that these rightists are the most good at pretending on the surface, don't look She didn't speak all day, and the black ink in her belly was billowing! She never dared to let go of her fighting spirit and the concept of the enemy's situation. One day, the party secretary suddenly discovered that the rightist students were squatting in the corner and burning paper. Destroy stolen goods and evidence! How bold! She was so angry that she immediately burst into flames, ran to him, pushed him away, and snatched the unburned materials from the fire. She patted and beat, put out the fire, and sat on the ground to watch. Look, the party branch secretary started to cry, and finally started to curse..." "What's going on?" Liu Lanzhi was fascinated and asked impatiently. "Where is the stolen evidence!" The daughter said and laughed, "It's a love letter written to him by a female classmate of his in college, a love letter!" "Ah..." Liu Lanzhi gasped, her expression was dazed, and she was very nervous, so she quickly turned her face away. "The Communist Youth League Secretary stopped blowing his beard and staring at him, and proposed to marry him." "Ah... the League branch secretary is a woman?" "Men can still...hehehe..." "So fast?" "No way! He refused to agree, and he was terrified. Said that he would never marry again in this life!" "Then what happened..." "The secretary of the Communist Youth League has never changed his mind! He is getting better and better. Because of this, she was dismissed from the position of secretary of the Communist Youth League and expelled from the regiment." "what!" "What are you 'ah'!" After talking about this legendary marriage, the daughter looked at her mother's surprised and nervous expression, and solemnly commented, "This country girl is worth more than that female college student!" "What did you say?" Liu Lanzhi felt her daughter's words pierced her heart like a needle. "She's worth—more money than she is!" the daughter repeated. "Hmm..." Liu Lanzhi's heart throbbed with pain. "The Youth League secretary said that she really got to know him from the female college student's letter. He is not a rightist but a good person!" "Go... clean up... the table!" Liu Lanzhi couldn't breathe in her chest, and quickly pushed her daughter away.She could no longer stand a sharper remark from her daughter. The daughter started to clear the things on the table.Wu Nan, the son of Wu Kang, picked up the book he was reading from the table and held it in the air, keeping his eyes on the pages.The daughter wiped the table clean, but the kid was still holding up his book and staring blankly.The daughter snatched the book from his hand in reproach, spread it gently on the table, smiled charmingly, and ran back to the kitchen.Liu Lanzhi hastily retracted her body that was leaning out of the door. The daughter brought all the dishes to the table, and Liu Lanzhi had nothing to do, messing around in the kitchen.She felt that she did not have the courage to sit next to the young man again and meet his eyes. "Ma'am, you come to eat with me too." Wu Nan stood at the door of the kitchen, smiling cautiously. "Okay...ok..." Liu Lanzhi forced a smile and faltered in a panic. "Where's uncle?" "Not off work!" she said, and at this moment she mentioned her husband, feeling very dirty in her heart. "Then let's wait, uncle came back to eat together." "Don't wait!" Liu Lanzhi said decisively, "He has a meeting today and eats at the group stove." It's better if he doesn't come back.If he came back and knew that his daughter's partner was Wu Kang's son, how embarrassing the scene would be! The three sat down and moved their chopsticks. Wu Nan, Wu Kang's son, was sitting next to Liu Lanzhi, holding his chopsticks generously, eating happily.He even eats like his father Wu Kang!When Wu Kang and her went back to see the old tailor for the first time, they ate the meals made by their father himself, and they were so happy.From the beginning to the end, I didn't put down the chopsticks even once!On the way back to school, she joked with him, laughing at him as a country bumpkin, a hungry wolf!He laughed out loud when he heard this, and said mischievously: "All good things are eaten by city people! Country people take advantage of city people, and they are stupid bears who are polite!" stand up…… The daughter was eating, unwilling to be lonely, and probably didn't understand her mother's absent-minded appearance, so she interjected, "His father has been rehabilitated." "Oh!" Liu Lanzhi responded, and asked with concern, "Have you made any work arrangements? Which unit are you in?" "Institute of History." Wu Nan replied. "Okay, match his major." Liu Lanzhi said. Wu Nan smiled lightly and said, "At the beginning, there was a leader in the institute who didn't agree with my dad's going. This person is my dad's classmate, and he punished my dad because he was afraid that my dad would find trouble with him." Liu Lanzhi sighed involuntarily, of course she knew who this classmate who beat Wu Kang was.What a serious and serious joke life has played on the three of them... But why hasn't Liu Jian talked about it with her? "How bad!" the daughter scolded angrily. "Actually, my dad doesn't have the heart to think about these things!" Wu Nan said, "He just wants to have a quiet environment and wants to accomplish something. He is over fifty years old, and he is afraid to do what he wants to do." Endless..." "His father's two monographs on history have been finalized by the publishing house." The daughter boasted admiringly, "700,000 words." "Really?" Liu Lanzhi was really surprised.After Wu Kang was released, she completely cut off information from him. She could imagine that he must have suffered a lot, but she couldn't imagine that he was still writing historical papers.I have long been heartbroken, and I am only content with completing the task of teaching history in middle school.She asked in surprise, "He has been in the countryside for decades, and he hasn't given up his love for history?" "He couldn't let him go, so he asked me to read history books and tell historical stories to my mother. Our family has become a history research institute." Wu Nan smiled and said humorously: "In 1963, the superior arranged for him to go to middle school. Teacher, he wrote a book again. During the Cultural Revolution, he committed an anti-Party crime. One arm was broken and he was escorted home. That night, he asked me to take out the pen and paper. I thought he was going to write a confession Materials, I didn’t expect him to say, come on, start from scratch. Start writing a book again!” In Liu Lanzhi's mind, a picture like this unfolded: Under the green hillside, beside the gurgling spring, in front of a farmhouse with a straw thatch roof, Wu Kang and his wife and children are sitting around a bluestone table, listening to him tell the history of thousands of years ago. Heaven on top of the mountain... "Stop it, stop it!" said the daughter, "Wu Nan, show your family photo and let my mother recognize your parents." Wu Nan obediently took out a diary from the bag, found a photo, and handed it to Liu Lanzhi. Liu Lanzhi took the photo, her hands trembling slightly, she didn't dare to put the photo in front of her eyes for a moment... What does that lover she once swore to be like now? A pair of stern eyes pierced Liu Lanzhi like two sharp swords!The forehead, which has been stripped of hair, looks more prominent and rich.There is a deep wrinkle at the corner of the left mouth that is slightly turned down, reaching to the back of the chin, showing stubbornness, perseverance and tenacity. This is Wu Kang! Sitting next to Wu Kang is a woman dressed in rural clothing in southern Shaanxi, with serene and solemn eyes.This is the party secretary who met Wu Kang from her many love letters to Wu Kang!She took Liu Lanzhi's position, so reasonable and long... The daughter looked at Wu Nan from time to time, and Wu Nan smiled modestly.The daughter looked at her mother again, begging for happiness, longing for her mother to say some blessings to her and her lover... "You are still young..." Liu Lanzhi couldn't speak smoothly and stammered, "Being like you...Uncle Wu...that's the most precious..." The daughter really smiled contentedly. Wu Nan nodded solemnly and smiled happily. Liu Lanzhi suffered even more.This pair of young people seems to have successfully formed the foundation of their happiness!But how will she face Wu Kang?Facing the working woman in southern Shaanxi who knew Wu Kang from her letter to Wu Kang and formed a life-and-death love without hesitation?The shadow she and Liu Jian cast on Wu Kang's mind, once known to the children, she... The children said goodbye and went back to school.They studied in the history department of the old university where she and Wu Kang had studied.She doesn't force her to stay, let them go! Liu Lanzhi stood on the ground where the snow hadn't yet melted, watched the two children's backs disappear around the corner of the building, and turned around, unable to hold back the tide of emotion.She walked up the stairs slowly, her steps were very heavy...