Chapter 3 The first brilliant prison gate.2

"The fox is back." "I heard it said," Teacher Zhang said, "You ask him to come over for dinner." "How about that?" "How about it?" Teacher Zhang thought about it, "You should go back to the educated youth spot." "I'll come and have dinner with you one last time." After saying these few words, Mei, who was usually strong and resolute, suddenly burst into tears, as if someone wanted to break up the relationship between her and Zhang Tianyuan.At this moment, Teacher Zhang seemed to be really in the midst of parting, and his heart was heavy when he entered the kitchen.No one in the Zhang family can make Yuanxiao.Mixing the stuffing with the noodles had to be done by Mei alone.From the beginning to the end of the Lantern Festival meal on the 14th night, Mei didn't let Teacher Zhang's mother and son move their hands and feet. Like the housewife of this family, she made a full package of Lantern Festival.Each one is the size of a jujube, round like a walnut, like making a table of stars, until the fire is boiled, and the water is cooked, and she is very agile. Even where are the bowls and chopsticks at Teacher Zhang’s house, where are the spoons? Teacher Zhang’s daily habits Which bowl he used, which bowl the old man used to use, and which bowl he had been using for the past half month, were all very clear.Even Huang Huang, who has been following closely behind, was stunned by this kind of tacit cooperation with the Homeland House.However, when she served the Lantern Festival to the old man and Teacher Zhang, Teacher Zhang said:

"I'm going to call the fox to eat together." May said: "That will never work, you don't know him." If this is the case, you don’t need to cook the second pot. Teacher Zhang said that you can eat it with the fox when you go home. They came back specially to celebrate the Lantern Festival with you.The old man had already served the Lantern Festival and went elsewhere intentionally or unintentionally.The sun that will sink into the west will give the courtyard a thin and moist luster.Their faces are all blushing, as if it is also the last gleam of the setting sun, as if it is a decoration that has been painted on temporarily, and it will fall to the ground with a splash when you wipe it with your hands.

May said, "Can't I have a meal at your house at the end?" Teacher Zhang said, "What would the fox think?" May said, "Let him think what he wants." Teacher Zhang said, "I came back early because of you." May said, "You are driving me away." Teacher Zhang said: "You can't chill the fox's heart." May said, "Are you driving me away?" Teacher Zhang said: "Whatever you think, anyway, you should eat Yuanxiao with the fox tonight." After giving Teacher Zhang a cold look, the blush on Mei's face disappeared in an instant, replaced by ice-flavored anger, and she was covered with an ice-colored scarf.She ignored him, let her temper go unruly, and sat alone on the threshold of the kitchen, acting very much like a savage country wife.She didn't look at Zhang Tianyuan, and she didn't say a word, she ate the Lantern Festival wrapped by herself in big mouthfuls, as if she vowed to die that she would never leave this courtyard again.However, she didn't eat a few of them, and the tears splashed into the bowl, and a few bright white blisters floated on the Yuanxiao soup.The blisters exploded in the bowl in an instant.She watched the puddle made by her tears in the bowl, and quickly healed up again, protruding a bubble that reflected her shadow, and then listened to the bursting of the bubble, she was just so dazed for a while, and suddenly poured the Yuanxiao in the bowl on the wall In the basin by the side, let the yellow and yellow be swallowed, and went into the kitchen to wrap another pot of uncooked Lantern Festival with a face cloth, and came out and said:

"I believe what you say in the countryside; fate." 14 The prison has appeared in the distance, much like a temple at the foot of the mountain. The ditch we pass through has a strange appearance, and the steep cliffs are all composed of blood-red stone flakes, which are stacked like a thousand-layer cake, with occasional protrusions, like the brim of a hat.Above the brim of the hat, there is a piece of green grass and thorns, and occasionally a cypress tree stands on it.The tree is not big, but the scenery is amazing.There is a shallow stream under the cliff, which flows intermittently; when it meets the bottom of the red stone ditch, the stream is tinkling, making you feel like a gong is tapping on your head.When entering the ditch, first cross a stone bridge.Standing on the bridge, Huang Huang saw that the sound of the water was a round green ball, jumping out of the stream and rolling around on the red stones at the bottom of the ditch.When I walked down the stone bridge and went deeper into the ditch for a while, the sound of the water was ethereal and ethereal, and I could vaguely hear one or two sounds, sometimes disappearing like a spirit.Going deeper, the water simply disappeared.The bottom of the ditch is bright red, uniform and fine like black sugar.

Mei said, "The scenery here is nice." The mother-in-law said, "The prison is better." When walking across the second stone bridge, the silhouette of the prison has already appeared.It turns out that this deep ditch is a natural alley. As soon as you step over the first stone bridge, Huang Huang jumps around happily.Return to its nature, carefree.And the same is true of what it feels in the hearts of its owners.Yesterday, Yamei was worried about the long journey, so she was hesitant to come or not.But I also thought: It is because of the long road and traffic congestion that it will be more fresh to satisfy urbanites' curiosity about the countryside; moreover, it is precisely because of the long road and traffic congestion that there is such a prison and foxes On the one hand, a wish in life is fulfilled, and this is a decision.But unexpectedly entering the alley of this ditch cliff, it is a passage to another realm.When I was in the provincial capital, the field trip organized by the school was to Bishagang, the old course of the Yellow River. When I thought of it, it was nothing more than long sandy soil and weeds everywhere. Without thinking about it, he exposed all the innocence of his youth.How about getting here?You see, standing on the stone bridge, the prison in the distance, described at the other end of the alley, is really like a temple left behind by the world.And the stone bridge at the foot is a round hole, and fine water flows in the hole.The stones soaked in spring water all the year round grow a layer of hairy water plants, which wrap the angular stones like a blanket.The little red stonefish hid in the crevices of the rocks, with its pin-nosed eyes wide open.The stone bridge is made of local red stones, and the bottom of the ditch is fragmented stones. After thousands of years of wind and rain, there is no trace of mundane dust, exposing its original spirit.The cliff stones piled up on both sides of the ditch, illuminated by the maroon sunset, show their deep redness even more.Huang Huang stood on the bridge, and barked a few times happily, but what he saw was the hanging stone above his head, he was born with the appearance of a dog, when Huang Huang barked at it, he recognized it was a stone, with a dumbfounded smile on his face, Huanghuang's face turned into a relaxed and happy dull, making Huanghuang feel that he is not in this ditch, but standing in a cloud of blood; or, swimming in the clear red lake.Even the prison in the distant scenery was stained with the faint color of red blood by the crimson here."Prison is almost here," May said.

The mother-in-law said: "The Zhaozi Temple is just above the prison, and the scenery there is too good to describe." 15 The year has passed, and the fifteenth day of the first lunar month has also passed. Although the snow is still falling intermittently, people have begun to work protractedly.The so-called labor is not the daily farming of the fields, but the struggle between man and nature in that special era.Huang, who was walking in this blood-colored realm today, was standing in the crimson new soil at that time, watching people turn over the top of the hillside to make a flat raw land.When this kind of thing happened in Zhangjiayingzi, other villages were already in full swing, and the work was very hot.Repeated calls and orders from government departments forced Zhangjiaying to hold a mass meeting including educated youths, and assigned tasks that were very popular in the rural society at that time.Now speaking, it is nothing more than a laugh of history.But at that time, that matter had a very serious face:

Within one month, each person completed the half-acre terrace project. Of course, what the educated youths call rooting in the countryside is mostly just slogans.But at this time, whether to complete the half-acre terraced fields has become a condition for returning to the city.As a result, things have changed drastically. About that would be an unforgettable time.The educated youth spot suddenly boiled up, under the bed, inside and outside the house, there was smoke of rattling swords everywhere, and even the gossip between each other suddenly decreased a lot.Unexpectedly, at this critical moment, these students who were raised in the provincial capital suddenly became authentic rural farmers.Through the oldest form of lottery in the village, Mei's task caught the west side of Liangzi, while the fox caught the east side of Liangzi.The other educated youths were caught on another beam, adjacent to the large terraced field project in the village.After the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the snow will fall endlessly, and the cold air all over the mountains and plains is the color of green vegetables.Scattered all over the hillside by the north wind.Take a bowl of boiling water, and it will stop burning your mouth before you drink it. If you drink it one step later, it will freeze into ice cubes, which is definitely not the horror that city people sitting in their houses hear.On Liangxi slope, except that it was facing the north wind, the red soil was soft, and it was not very laborious to dig it.Feeling certain that she would be defeated, but sometimes feeling lucky, Mei took a deep breath, and like other educated youths, after losing their job, they hurriedly picked up their belongings and went to the red land.Because there is another rumor that female educated youths and female educated youths are the same standard, and those who stand out from each other may be able to get flexible indicators for returning to the city.This kind of labor without black and white, the Zhangjiaying people are caused by fate, and they are like this all year round.However, the educated youths were not classified as peasants in the rural society after all, and within three days they were exhausted.If everyone lays down their arms and lays down their hands to protest fate, there may be another ending.But they dragged their bodies and persisted.Seeing one, seeing the result of one, they finally bet their fate on this lifeless labor.On the afternoon of the fourth day, the snow seemed to be about to stop falling. Slowly, the snowflakes swirled on the hillside as if they were not yet floating, and the vast whiteness condensed the world into a white spot.On this white spot, the ground overturned by plum is the color of bleeding, and the white lines of ground temperature on the red soil are like the extremely thin veins of the land.Huang stood on the new soil where there was still a trace of heating, smelling the steamy smell of the land, and when he saw Teacher Zhang approaching, he jumped over happily.He carried the pole and the shovel, and came to stand on the terraced red soil that Mei had repaired, Huang Huang circled his legs and kept making intimacy.

May said, "Where are you going?" He said, "Come and help you for a while." She said, "Is your family finished?" He said: "We can't finish the penalty work, and you can return to the city if you repair more." "It's not good," she said. "There's nothing wrong with that," he said. From this day on, Teacher Zhang began to go back and forth between the two mountain ridges, working half a day in his own field and half a day in Mei's field.During this period, villagers kept passing by the fields, and they gradually got used to it.Due to concerns about the return of the educated youth to the city, occasionally villagers who finished work early came to work in the plum fields, or went to other educated youth fields to work for a while.But when they were alone, they cooperated very comfortably and tacitly. Teacher Zhang used a stick to plan in front, and Mei Yikai turned Huang Shang to the terraced dam. Sometimes they were silent for a long time, and sometimes there were endless topics to talk about. .But when it came to returning to the city, Teacher Zhang suddenly had an idea, saying Meizi, you call the foxes to work together, and at the end of the month it will be counted as one person's terraces, so that the most repairs will be guaranteed, and one of them will return to the city first.Mei stood there, thought for a while, clapped her hands, and turned over the beam.At that time, Huang also followed.Huang heard all of their conversations, and the few words of conversation so far are still flowing in Huang's mind, like the bubbling stream under his feet, jingling and beating his head, turning his brain into a field like a lake of red pulp.Mei went to rest for a while, then walked back slowly, stepped on the red pulp-like soil she turned over, and sat down softly.She said, "Tianyuan, the fox won't do it. The fox said that two people will be together, who will return to the city in the future?"

Teacher Zhang straightened his waist and wiped his sweat. "Then let him go first." "He said he was sorry," May said. He said, "The fox will let you go first." Mei said: "The fox said that the opportunity is rare, he is desperate, and he is sure to go first." 16 This time, it was another male educated youth who was hailed as a model worker for taking root in the countryside because of his terraced fields. He built a total of one-third of an acre of red soil terraced fields within one month, ranking first among the educated youths in the county.However, his girlfriend, the frail woman who just had a miscarriage, also works at sunrise and rests at sunset, and when she checks at the end of the month, her field is virgin without a shovel or a pick.Needless to say, from the beginning, they have cooperated to credit the fields built to one person's name.

That male educated youth has returned to the city. The educated youth only found out when they publicly filled out the form for returning to the city.The fox said that I would sue him, they played a conspiracy.Mei said forget it, it wasn't a conspiracy, it was people's sincere love for each other.It is said that if we also love each other sincerely, it is not them who will leave, but us.This is the middle of March, the scene of Yin Xie Yangshi on the mountain ridge.Behind the educated youth's room, there is a trace of wild plum withered and yellow, but the few flowers and plants he planted in front of the room, like the red flower Zhang Jiayingzi called pheasant, bloom as gorgeously as silk flowers.The winter jasmine and orchid grass that bloomed from the upper ground are now also scattered with clusters of green water like green water, which looks very happy.The orioles in the mountains never flock together, they always stay there one or two, and shuttle under the houses of the educated youth spot when the sound of chasing people is quiet.Mei has always had the characteristic of appreciating nature, no matter how complicated it is, she can still appreciate a coincidence of nature and human feelings.At this time, she was standing at the door, as if facing the fox, but actually she was looking at a pair of orioles among the flowers and plants.

The fox was in front of her, yelling at the sky: "Damn it, I repaired nine-thirds of the terraced fields, and I am the one who repaired the most! How many blisters and blood flowed on my hands! How many blisters and blood flowed on their hands?!" The fox said he must sue.God knows how many nights he didn't sleep when he was repairing the terraced fields, staying up all night, how much more effort he put in than the authentic farmers in Zhangjiaying.But suddenly he fell ill, with a high fever of thirty-nine degrees seven, when he was talking nonsense, he pulled the yellow ear that was crawling beside his bed, and said yellow, only you saw it, that night I passed out on the terraced fields , almost died, but we fell into the trap from the very beginning.When he woke up and saw Mei sitting beside his bed, he took Mei's hand and said, I missed a word from you, we want to cultivate together, we are terraced fields with 70% of an acre, 40% more than them. points, the one who returns to the city is you or me. May said, "You don't have a fever anymore?" "Much better," he said. "Now I don't really want to go back to the city," May said. He said, "I don't want to? You build the most terraced fields among female educated youths." Mei said, "Zhang Tianyuan did it for me." The fox folded up from the bed and sat up. "I wonder how you, a woman, can cultivate an eight-point field!" May withdrew her hand from the fox's. "If you can go back to the city, go back. If you can't, I will marry him." The fox grabbed the pillow cover with his hands and wanted to tear it off, but he didn't. "You are crazy, Yamei, what is Zhang Tianyuan?" May got up from the bed. "Zhang Tianyuan is a farmer, and I will be a farmer if I don't return to the city." The fox threw the pillowcase on the bed. "I burned down Zhang Tianyuan's house when he married you." Mei stared at the fox for a while, then turned and left the fox resolutely.Where is the fox chasing after her?Where are you going Li Yamei? Huang Huang still remembers that when the educated youth left, besides paying for a good meal and drinking three catties of white wine, Huang Huang's head was touched affectionately a few times.When drinking, there is joy like a thunderstorm, but when touching Huanghuang's head, it is very sad.At that time, Huang Huang was lying at Mei's feet. He stroked its head, but said to Mei, I'm sorry for you, my parents both have cancer, and I'm going back to the city first. There was also a flow during the terraced fields, please take care of it.Mei said you should go. They all came from the same place, just like coming from the same family.So, he carried his simple luggage and left.There is an ox cart in the village going to the town, waiting for him to ride on the beam.Most of the classmates came to see him off to the car, except Hu Hu and the girlfriend of the educated youth who had returned to the city.The fox was because of hatred and the integrity of a man, and the girlfriend couldn't bear the sadness of parting, after all, she had almost become a mother for him.When going up to the beam, the scenery in early summer is no less than that of this prison, it is nothing more than another taste.The grass on both sides of the road is dense, small flowers are everywhere, and wild insects are flying and buzzing.When I got to the beam, I thought there was only one round of ox cart alone, but it turned out that it was full of villagers.The men are holding the implements for working in the fields, and the women are holding their babies in their arms.Who would have thought that the folk customs of the country are as simple and strong as you standing on the edge of the frying pan.Putting the luggage on the bullock cart, and standing between each other like that, it was the captain who said first, saying that Zhangjiaying people are sorry for you, and made you work hard and sweat all these years in Zhangjiaying.When I got here, I finally cried, and I lingered on the ox cart, only to hear the captain continue to say, let’s go back to the city to do other jobs, and I have to do the job of managing chemical fertilizers. Don’t forget our Zhangjiayingzi The land is thin, buy some cheap fertilizers and send them here. 17 The prison that is finally approaching, in Huang Huang's eyes, is like an inn on the way, which makes him feel a kind of rest and comfort.It ran forward from time to time, and sat on the side of the road waiting for the owner.When the owner is near, it will go to their faces to find some unspeakable words.However, the mother-in-law said: "Take a rest, it's still early before dark." Saying so, she first sat on a clump of grass by herself.Then, Mei had no choice but to sit down and stare at the prison in front of her.Huang Huang lay in front of them, her eyes were a mixed white color.It has seen the light yellow on Mei's face, which is actually an unspeakable pain longing to see the fox.From then on, Huang heard an urgent voice from a few years ago again. "Get up, fox, you can't act like this." "You promised me May," "I'm not that cheap." "You have to promise me." "No. I would despise myself then." "You don't promise that I won't get up if I die." "Get up fox, I beg you." "I said I won't get up if you don't agree." "We can't belittle ourselves, fox," "Our family agrees that I will marry you," "Don't touch me!" "Mei, I'm going crazy, Yamei!" "Don't touch me!!" "Meizi, our family really agreed," "Don't touch me!" "Do you not agree to marry me?" "I have no idea." "You agree, you said you agreed." "I didn't say I agreed." "You really disagree?" "I have no idea." "You know but you don't tell," "You get up first," "I won't get up unless you tell me." "Don't make me, fox, please don't make me," "Do you think you are in love with Zhang Tianyuan?" "I have no idea." "Where is Zhang Tianyuan?" "I really do not know." "So...you were really with him those few nights?" "It's really together." "Where?" "On the ridge." "He touched you?" "He's not that cheap." "Then why did you come back in the middle of the night?" "Don't ask." "I want to ask. My family agrees that I will marry you." "Your family doesn't agree and you don't agree?" "I agree. I will marry you, Li Yamei, whether I live or die." "What if I don't agree?" "you will not." "How about meeting?" "Do you really want to marry Zhang Tianyuan?" "I thought about it." "You're crazy!" "It's fine if you're crazy." "You don't know he's a farmer!" "If he was from the city, I would have married him long ago." "Where am I better than Zhang Tianyuan?" "You are better than him in many ways." "Are you not planning to return to the city?" "Intend." "I plan to disconnect you from Zhang Tianyuan." "But if I don't see him for a day, I can't sleep." "He, Zhang Tianyuan, wants to harm you for the rest of his life." "It's me who wants to find people one after another." "I'll go find him Zhang Tianyuan." "fox……" "I let him die as soon as possible." "It's my heart that can't die." "You know you're going back to town sooner or later." "But I can't go back..." "Will not." "You know those who went to the countryside many years earlier than us are still there." "Maybe it's our turn soon." "Maybe it won't be my turn in a lifetime." "My uncle promised to take me back this year." "That's your uncle." "After I'm done, I'll let him take you back." "Going back to the city is not going to the vegetable market to buy catties of vegetables." "Anyway, you can't associate with Zhang Tianyuan again." "This is my business.? "Li Yamei, you are really crazy, Li Yamei!" "You let go of me!" "I'm not loose!" "Fox, I'm going to call someone to come, Hao Fox!" "If you want to find him again, I will castrate him!" "Don't force me to be with him." "Li Yamei, I, Hao Huli, beg you, Li Yamei." ... There was a muffled bang, like a hanging wooden stake suddenly falling from mid-air.Huang Huang saw the fox kneeling in front of Mei again. 18 The events of those nights are as clean as a spring.Before and after, Huang was very clear about the root and shoot of that matter.The night wind in early summer blows like river water flowing slowly.In such evenings, the countryside has its own leisure, and the urban society will never be able to appreciate the rural atmosphere.The children surrounded the old man and listened to Gu.The daughters-in-law gathered at the door to make irresponsible remarks.The men went to the village, smoking dry tobacco, talking about the Spring and Autumn Dynasties and spring planting and autumn harvest.Such leisurely scenery is actually a characteristic of rural society, and the educated youth from the city feel bored and ignorant.They will never understand why there are endless temptations for people in rural society.On that night with a sense of degeneracy, I couldn’t bear to pile myself into a pile of people who were truly mediocre in the countryside. In the educated youth’s room, there were those very familiar and plain faces, but there were fewer and fewer monotonous faces. There was no new content on the radio. She was really bored, and when she was so bored that she wished she could commit suicide, Mei would follow the example of a countryman, roll up a straw mat, and stroll to the beam, just to find a cool and clean place, but who would have expected that she would Found a new way of life. The moonlight melted, and there was a breath of fresh air under the cool shade.Every plant and tree on the mountain ridge is as clear as your index finger. Looking up at the vast sky, the moon and stars are scarce, and occasionally a few bats are flying overhead.The wind was strong, and the mosquitoes were blown into the village, and what remained on the beams were the secret and delicate whispers of the night.There is no one everywhere, only a few windows of lights in the village on the other side of the mountain ridge.In such a situation, people are eager to speak to others, and they also desire others to speak to themselves, but they absolutely hate the lively crowd.Mei walked thoughtfully, neither worrying about mountains and rivers, nor enjoying people and things, but was overwhelmed by a kind of tranquility, feeling lonely.She misses home when she is alone.Naturally, I also think of the fox from time to time.When thinking of a fox, one must think of Zhang Tianyuan.The fox is also really annoying. Suddenly, he goes to extremes. Every night, he sneaks into the room to play chess with another educated youth. When he is hungry and thirsty, he doesn’t want to play anymore, and then he remembers her room. Sit down. "No more." "Being defeated by him." "Come on, what are you looking for me for?" "I knew your face didn't have chessboard fever." Resentful, he took something and devoured it, and really went to play chess again.But then again, the fox really sat with him for a long time, but he really had nothing to say. "Have you heard? Chang Xiangyu has started singing again." "She sings, what's hindering us?" "You can't play chess every day." "What do you want me to do?" Thinking about it carefully, the fox's words are so hard that even a needle can't go in.What did you ask him to do?Isn't it hard to pass the long night.I have read the books I can read, and I have read the books I can’t read, so what else should I do?Thinking of this, I feel completely relieved, whatever I do, I have to let nature take its course.Living in this remote area, the people of Zhangjiaying just pass the time, not to mention the educated youth who are ready to return to the city at any time and start a new life.While thinking wildly like this, someone suddenly called Yamei, and when she looked up, it was Zhang Tianyuan.He sat alone under a persimmon tree, as if waiting for her specially.I asked him what he was doing here, and he said to just walk around and look at the moon.She said you still have this elegance?He said that he assigned an essay titled "Moonlight in the Countryside" to the students, and whoever wrote it well would send it to the newspaper office. An editor was organizing the page for the "Six Day" Children's Day, and he agreed to use an essay on mountainous areas. student essays.After a few words like this, Mei said that the room was hot and bitter, so she spread out the mat, took off her sandals, and sat cross-legged at one end of the mat.The spread skirt covers her legs, she is like a mushroom growing on the mat, and there is still the fresh air of the mushroom, flowing back and forth in the evening wind of the country. In the rural society at that time, everyone had seen skirts, but very few girls actually wore them, and this girl must be from a wealthy family, with relatives working in cities, so she was able to communicate with urban and rural clothing. bridge.When Teacher Zhang was studying in the county, two of the female students in the class wore skirts. One was the arrogant princess of the secretary of the county party committee; the other was the daughter of a rightist from Luoyang. It is said that even their diplomas are issued by foreign countries.Of course, skirts became popular in the county later, but in Zhangjiayingzi, wearing a skirt that sometimes exposed thighs was only the behavior of female educated youths.Mei sat like a mushroom, and the moonlight washed her like water.Her face was powder-like innocence.In the fields before and after the mountain ridge, there is the clamor of dry frogs, and the cry is like a green and yellow belt, which is pulled continuously on the mountain ridge.Teacher Zhang leaned on the persimmon tree, looked at the village called Xiaolizhuang on the other side, and said, Yamei, why did you come here to enjoy the shade.She said it was cool here, and she said I can't come here?Teacher Zhang smiled dumbly, and stepped on his other foot with one foot. "Sit down," May said. He replied, "I don't sit." "I know why you don't sit down," she said, "because it's just the two of us here, and you're afraid that I, Li Yamei, will eat you." "No," he said, "I don't want to sit." She said, "It's also because I'm wearing a skirt today." He laughed out loud, "What are you thinking?" "What are you thinking?" She asked him back, and then pulled the hem of her skirt to cover her exposed knees, "I never thought you Zhang Tianyuan would be so perverted." So he sat down, crossed his legs, and said, Whoever has a little evil thought will die tonight.She laughed loudly, and her silvery white laughter jingled and jumped up and down the beams, as if a few stars suddenly fell on the beams and rolled from the height to the ditch.Enough laughing, she stopped abruptly, and suddenly said Tianyuan, I'm going back to the city, will you write me a letter or not?He said: "That depends on whether you reply to my letter or not." "Why don't you come back?" "Why should I write a letter if I don't reply?" "Where are you going?" "Write as soon as you get back, people always come and go." So they kept silent for a long time, the silence was boundless and endless, until there was a noise around them, they were all startled suddenly, and when they turned around, they realized that Huang Huang had followed at some time and was listening quietly. Looking at them, staring at them, remembering the flaws in their lives. "Are you going back to the city?" "Think like this every day." "possible?" "Just think about it." A few gossips that have nothing to do with each other can't help but bring out many sad things.It's okay not to mention the matter of returning to the city, but Mei's mood is broken when it is mentioned.Thinking of the distant provincial capital, the prosperity of the provincial capital, and her lonely father amidst the crowds, Mei remained silent for a long time, feeling lost, as if she had fallen into a boundless abyss.In order to find something to say, I followed my train of thought, like picking up something casually on the side of the road, and said, have you ever been to Zhengzhou?He replied that he had never been to Luoyang either.Besides: Zhengzhou is the provincial capital.Teacher Zhang looked up at the sky and said, "I know Zhengzhou is the provincial capital, and I know Beijing is the capital.I know that Zhengzhou has the Erqi Memorial Tower, the Mang Mountain Tourist Area, the People's Park, the Yellow River Exhibition Hall, Zhengzhou University, the Governor, the Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and the Director of the Provincial Revolutionary Committee. Mei was angry. "What else do you know?" "Know that city people will always look down on country people." The words are very plain, but the meaning contained in them is full of bitterness, hotness and sourness. It's not that Mei doesn't know the depth of it.So, there was another silence, the silence was dizzy, like the moonlight and starlight, all dimmed in the silence, only the sound of the countryside at night, the sound of gongs and drums.The moon is really hidden behind the clouds, hazy and mysterious on the mountain ridge.The sound of the water at the bottom of the ditch was monotonous and beautiful.Occasionally, the cry of a nightingale sounded, as weird as absurd life.The cry of the frogs is long and long, as if they will cry until dawn in one breath.It was still Huang Huang who shook her body for a while before reminding them that it was already late at night and it was time to go back.Teacher Zhang said it was getting late, and Mei said let's go.The two rolled up the mat, he sent her to the educated youth's room, and watched her enter the courtyard, but when she was about to leave, she turned around and came out, saying Tianyuan, I'll be there tomorrow night, I have something to say.The next day, in the room, watching the time pacing at the door; lying on the bed, watching the time pacing under the bed; at the village head, watching the time pacing by the field.After finally getting dark, I hurried to the persimmon tree on the beam, saw him leaning against the tree without disappointment, suddenly felt that I had nothing to say, just wanted to pass the time like the night before. "Say what?" "Don't say anything." "If you don't say anything, let me out." "Can't I let you out without saying anything?" Stretch out the straw mat, sit like the night before, deliberately find some topics to pass the time. "I'm afraid I won't be able to return to the city for the rest of my life." He said, "No." She said, "You know my family, probably." He said, "I really can't go back to the city..." She said, "What should I do?" "The county will also arrange a job for you," he said. "I don't mean work. I'm in my twenties," she said. He said, "You mean home?" She said, "I can't help but have a family. What do you think I should do?" "That's up to you," he said. She stopped talking and stared at him blankly. "Zhang Tianyuan, I don't think you look like a man." Teacher Zhang was silent for a while, and sighed. "I really hope you can't go back to the city." she says: "Sometimes I also hope that I won't be able to return to the city." He said: "You can't think like this. This will discourage you from going back to the city. After all, the countryside is not where you should stay." After he said such words, thousands, thousands of sadness welled up in her eyes, and she unconsciously took his hand, and the two hugged each other sadly.At such an age, in such an environment, and with such a lonely heart, the following things are self-evident.The mountain range in the distance, its outline is clearly visible in the moonlight, but it is very quiet, and their breathing can be heard like a rushing river, flooding from under the persimmon trees to the foot of the mountain in the distance.But the sound of frogs and insects around him suddenly stopped, and only Huang Huang, who followed every time, opened his eyes brightly in the moonlight, and kept everyone's feelings in his heart.In this way, it stands to reason that things that continue are extremely brilliant and logical. It cannot be said that they must break the levee of human favor and let it flood the mountains and plains, flooding the mountains and plains, but the veins of the river between them, Needless to say, it will be a happy day.However, the next night, Meizi came, but he didn't.She stood there alone until the sound of footsteps returning to the village sounded.Second night still.Still on the third night.On the fourth night, she waited until she saw him coming out of the house, then picked up the straw mat and put it on the beam again. The first thing he said when he saw her was: "Mei, I, Zhang Tianyuan, am sorry for you." "It's up to me to say that," she said. "There is no such fate." He said: "I thought about it, a fox is suitable for any place." "Not to mention the fox," she said, "the main thing is that I have to return to the city sooner or later." Everything returned to the original, as if nothing happened.A straw mat was spread under the tree, and he took a bagful of roasted peanuts and dumped them in the middle of the straw mat, separating each other like a mountain, chatting about endless topics while eating.He told her some country jokes and stories passed down from generation to generation, such as "The Legend of the Fox Spirit" and "The White-eyed Cat Becomes a Spirit", and she told him some anecdotes about the city people, such as Chang Xiangyu, a master of Henan Opera, with a broken shoe hanging around his neck One of her classmates pulled off the wig on the headmaster's head, and the whole school suddenly knew that the beautiful headmistress turned out to be bald, so the headmistress hanged herself from the beam and so on.When it comes to their marriage, he said that Fox is really good, she said that she might marry Fox as soon as she returns to the city; she also said that if you have a suitable one, you should order one, and he said that if you have a match, you must let her go and have a look. staff. In this way, we lived in peace for many days. 19 "Time to go," May said. "Sit down a little longer," said the mother-in-law. "To get to Zhaozi Temple, you have to climb a mountain," "I can make it in time." It seems that Huang Huang is no longer impatient, it walks around the master, and looks at the prison from time to time.As far as the foot is concerned, the prison is one mile away from here, and in the gap between this mile and there is a huge lake.However, northerners call the lake water a pond, or pond.The water in the pond may not be deep, and it is covered with green reeds.In this spring season, the dead reeds of previous years have been poured into the water to make fertilizer, and the new reed seedlings have just drilled out of the water surface, and they are all as if cut by a knife.In the distance of the water, the setting sun plated a thin layer of gold on the water surface, shining with dazzling brilliance. At this time, from the other side of the pond, came the sound of a line of chaotic footsteps, from far to near, as if a line of troops was coming here without haste.The mother-in-law looked up at the setting sun, and said Meizi, there is a sentence that I don't know if I should say it or not?Mei stared at her mother-in-law and asked: What are you talking about? You said yes. "The fox is nice to you, you should go and see him." Mei turned around halfway, facing her mother-in-law, her face hardened and startled. "Where's the fox?" The mother-in-law turned around and looked towards the corner of the lake. “我想了三天三夜，一路上都在犹豫。你虽说是城里的人，总归也是女人，我觉我做婆的不该瞒你：狐狸他来了，他就站在那队伍的最末。” 从婆婆张望的方向，果然走出一行队伍，沿着塘岸小路，背对着将尽夕阳，朝监狱这边走来，距黄黄和主人们越来越近。梅已经看清，那是一行收工的囚犯，队伍着回他们如今的家园。他们走过的路上，不断有被惊飞的小鸟，还有数不清的青蛙，仓惶惶从他们脚下跳到水里。也许是落水的声音，也许是所谓的感应，连这儿一直躲在花草丛中的蛙儿，都扑扑通通地进了塘子。水里的图景立刻没了。水面上是一片被撕成碎布的波纹。梅子的脸，随着那队伍的接近，渐次呈出浅黄浅白，且那颜色也硬的很，如同凝在脸上的一层胶皮了。 说起来几年前的那场灾难，也是十分偶然，可你细思细量，连黄黄也觉必然得很，躲它不去，无非是迟早而已。正夏时候，又有两名知青返城，通过的途路，都非公众路道。临走大家同吃同喝一餐，人个酩酊是自不消说。然到了夏收时节，从公众路道上分来了一个返城指标，为了使留者心安，通知要求各知青点谁谁返城，必须由所在村庄百姓选举。那个时候，台子地的知青房里，仅还剩梅、狐狸和流产的那位女子，三人间于是有些紧张起来。一次吃饭时间，狐狸对人家说，你的男朋友已经走了，我和梅却还双双在这，干脆我俩这次退出来，让娅梅返城，咱们各领一张结婚证，就都可以迟早回去了。那当儿那同学一手拿着筷子，一手捂着肚子，说娅梅姐走了当然好，我也是求之不得，可我毁在了那次流产，到今天肚子还阵痛阵痛，我怕在这乡下再误些时月，缺医少药，我会落下不治之症。 那顿饭是不欢而散。话说完了，人家不仅一手捂着肚子，将筷子放在桌角，另一只手，也捂了肚子，模样疼痛如言而至，且痛得十分厉害。大家伙静默一会，梅说好端端一个知青点，今天四零五落，就剩咱们三个，再不能别别扭扭，你如果真是有病，这次你先返城，我和狐狸留下。她说：“梅姐，都是女的，你该知道大出血以后的女人是再不能干啥活儿，就让我走吧。” 梅说：“我没流过产，怎么会知道。” 静了一会，狐狸将碗推在桌上： “让张家营人选吧，选到谁谁返城。我已经是这个年龄，再不返城就该在张家营结婚成家啦，想必你们也不会眼看着让我变成农民吧。” 20 选举是在麦收将尽。回想起来，颇有一场梦感。那段时日，狐狸本来多像自暴自弃的脱缰之马，甚或渴念日夜过着放荡生活，若不是梅富于理智，始终不与其配合，或说梅的意志坚定，连他跪在面前，都没有答应他那不算无理之求，也许他早就对人生命运洒脱不羁了。早就一任自己的情感逐流随波了，哪还顾了许多事情。当然，另一方面，自始至终的娅梅总觉得他与她那些被说成爱情的东西，未免过于蜻蜓点水，走马观花，着实是肤浅一些。也因此她总对他保持距离，半冷不热。然而，到了收麦时期，狐狸突然大变，不仅下田割麦早起晚归，猫在田里半日不动，且还时不时去讨好一些张家营的庄户人家，还时常给经济异常拮据的家庭送去三两块钱，说是借给人家，却又说不要还了。有次，村里有个孩娃高烧，他顶着酷日，背那孩子二十三里山路，去求一位野医就诊，回来时自己累得瘫在床上。这样一些过激之举，使人一眼便能看穿他的目的。到了濒临选举的前几天，他更是无所顾忌，居然往镇上跑了一趟，买回许多小糖、香烟，每一夜都拿着东西，到张家营的村里走胡同串巷，大娘伯嫂地叫得低俗得十二分少见，那举止作派，已经很像乡间杂耍的小丑，直闹得每每回到知青点吃饭，梅和那位都懒得理他。 “没想到狐狸是这样的人。” “倒幸亏我和他没有滚到一张床上。” 她们议论起来，满是对男人们的不屑。然而，一次在他与梅子单独相处时候，他却说梅，准备准备吧，收完麦种完秋，你就可以返城了。见梅对此不解，嘴角还强隐了冷冷一笑，他便说张家营三十几户人家，我跑了二十七户，说好到时都选你返城，还余几户，你去说说情。 梅说：“狐狸，你怎么这样。” 他说：“我是真心想和你结婚。” 她就：“就为这个？” 他说：“不为这个我不会拿返城当彩礼，有良心你就不要再和张天元有丝毫往来。” 事情尽管又苦又涩，赤裸裸的如脱光衣服站在人前，可毕竟使梅从中感到他对爱的一份赤诚，且张天元私下也走了许多人家，也都说好选梅返城。收完麦子，选举也就到了。只因队长忽然接到一个口信，说给村里分来几吨化肥，让立马到镇上去拉。于是，劳力都拉上架子车，赶上牛车，往镇子上去了两天。将化肥拉回，是在一个中饭之前，选举是见缝插针在中饭之后，地点为村头的大树下。队长招呼一声，村里人便都聚拢在大树下面，零零散散坐成一片。 那时候，他们三个知青并肩坐在树荫里，情势很像要受到张家营人的无端审讯，彼此默默不言。而实际上，狐狸是暗藏了一脸红光，一身暗自操纵了会场的洋洋之得。梅手里拿一根柴棍，在地上胡乱画些字样，以掩抑内心的喜悦和担忧。虽说各户人家都说要选你，且你也已急急忙忙整理了两个返城的箱子，连准备返城的家信都已写过，然若要万一不能中榜呢？毕竟做了充分的返城准备，可由谁返城，却还没有水落石出。相比之下，倒是人家释然大度，手里拿一根勾针，在用白色的涤良线织一衬衣的套袋。不必去说，那针织的玩艺，是她爱的信物。在那个时代，城市风行着男人的衬衣领里，补缀一个雪白针织条带。不是为了装饰，主要是为了宣布爱情。她对梅说，横竖狐狸进行了秘密联络，我们参加选举，实是陪衬一下狐狸。所以她的超脱十分可以。而狐狸的窃喜，来自于胸有成竹，也是一样可以十分，唯梅，喜忧参半，慌慌的不安。 选举是一种古老而又古老的形式，标志了乡村社会的本来特色。队长将烟锅磕在地上，说他奶奶的，分这一个返城指标，你还不如不分，今天轮到我们张家营子来得罪你们城里人了，只求你们多原谅原谅我们乡下的人啦。接下去，队长从自己的口袋里，向外掏着玉米、大豆、花生仁，给每位户主各样发了一粒，又在一块石头上摆了三个碗，说花生代表狐狸，大豆代表娅梅，剩下的就不要说了；花生放一号碗，玉米放二号碗，大豆放三号碗，大家同意谁就来放吧！ 梅和狐狸们吃紧起来，三个人眼睁睁地看着石头上的三个白碗。会场上先是静了一会，队长又说都来放啊，张老师才忽然从一棵大树后面走将出来，在梅的三号碗里，丢下一颗大豆。大豆在碗里旋转许久，叮叮当当的声音，从碗里漫将出来，在乡村的会场上滚来滚去。 张老师丢完那颗大豆，先自离开会场去了，宽厚的背影，如一条逆风行驶的船，缓缓地划在午时的日光里。梅盯着那背影，静默凝固为瘦削的雕像，直到他拐进另一条胡同，脚步声渐渐失去。及至等她扭回头来，乡村的户主们，都已围过了石头，把其中一样东西丢进碗里，如张老师一样，朝着村子走去。 丢毕粮食是午饭不久。其结果大出人意：共是三十七户人家，狐狸的花生碗里没有一颗，梅的大豆碗里仅有一颗，而另一个玉米碗，恰好是三十六颗。 黄黄是那一风景的最好凭证。它卧在会场外的一棵小树下面，眼睛里呈出浅淡的灰黄。人家从队长手里接过返城表格时，它忽然站了起来，看着它的主人和狐狸，如两截枯树木在那儿。转来的日光，在他们脸上，照出蜡黄的颜色。似乎为了安抚，黄黄走去，在狐狸的腿上蹭了几下，狐狸便用力朝黄的身上踹了一脚。黄黄尖叫着，跑到梅的身边，梅便蹲下摸着黄黄的头，有泪落在它的脸上。于此间，狐狸莫名其妙地走到那石头边上，抓起盛了三十六颗玉米的白碗，将其摔碎在了石上。 队长急唤：“你别狐狸，那是借人家的饭碗。” 可是，队长话一出口，那碗片已经满地飞溅。碗里的玉米，成了一地金黄。 twenty one 塘子边的犯人走近时，黄黄看到了那天午时的一地血红。阳光里有汩汩的响声，塘子里的水泛滥着红浆浆的颜色，血味儿漂荡不止。 回到知青房的狐狸，没有往南房里走，径直进了梅的屋子。她在重新解着准备返城的箱子，将里边的衣服一件一件拿出来，摆在几年来一直摆放衣服的床头。狐狸的脚步很轻，他站在梅的身后，是一副极其潦倒的模样，说： “梅子，你不能返城，我决不先返城。” 梅没有扭头。 “留着陪我？” 他说：“我不会把你一人留在张家营。” 她说：“是怕我和张天元结婚吧。” 他说：“你不会。今天你已经看到农民没啥儿他妈的信用好讲。” 她说：“你没有看到只有张天元给我丢了颗返城的大豆？” 他坐在她的一个箱子上。 “我总觉得事情有鬼。” 梅转过身子。 “人家的男朋友来啦，给张家营买了五吨平价化肥。” 狐狸从箱子上弹将起来，说人在哪？梅说在人家屋里，他便风旋一个身子，就往外面走，梅一把拉住他的衣袖，说狐狸你干什么你疯啦？允许你到各家唤伯叫娘，就不允许人家替张家营人买几吨化肥？狐狸从梅的手中挣出胳膊，钉在屋子中央，说： “奶奶，这些狗日的农民。” May said: “你嘴上干净些，没准你我这辈子都要当农民。” 瞟一眼梅，狐狸就源得复杂得可以，好像要从她说的你嘴上干净一些中，看出其中很多意味。也许她就果真看出了什么，在梅面前站一会，他不言不语地走出屋子，到自己房里，从床头的枕下摸出那把日常宰鸡杀兔、间或也杀外村一只狗吃的匕刀，在袖上抹了两下，揣在怀里，出来站在梅的窗前。太阳酷热得死死活活。收割过的小麦田，还没来得及翻犁，黑雾雾的田野的气息和麦秆儿晒焦的糊味，从梁上卷进知青的院落。what are you doing?梅子隔着窗叫，大不了再在这儿守二年，我不气你有什么好气，回屋睡吧狐狸。狐狸隔窗望一眼梅子，独自出了知青的院落。黄黄在台子地上卧着，看见狐狸出来，就半跑着尾在他的身后。 狐狸往张家营的村落里走，步子又快又急，坚定得无与伦比。村落里静极，人都歇了午觉。狐狸来到村头，立在一条胡同口上，极其茫然地朝着村里张望。过来一个老人，说没睡？他说没睡。老人说大热的天，你该睡个午觉。便拐进了一个没有门的破院。从那院中出来几只母鸡，在他脚前啄着落地的麦粒。他死死盯着那些鸡看，仿佛想一脚朝鸡踢去。就这个当儿，从他身后传过来一声牛叫，粗糙而又响亮。他寻声扭头，便看见六头黄牛在村头的小林里卧着，化肥也在林地的牛棚下堆着。写着日本尿素的白色袋子，齐齐地码成一个方垛，刺鼻的尿素味儿，被忽然吹来的一股凉风载着，船样漂在他的身下。他捏了一下鼻子，猛然转过身子，朝那小林地里走去。林地都是榆树，最大不过小碗粗细，每一棵的树身，都有被牛绳拴磨过的红痕。满树林都是牛粪的臊气和尿素的异味，都是知了那烦躁无比的浑水流动似的叫声。他从那味道和叫声中趟过去，到那一垛化肥旁边，略略站了片刻，从怀里取出匕刀，说： “我叫你返城！” “我叫你返城！” “我叫你返城！” “我叫你返城！” “我叫你返城！” 他说一句我叫你返城，便用刀捅一袋化肥，轻松愉快如拿刀扎吃那削开白苹果片儿。一粒粒米似的肥料，随着他匕刀的抽出，凉荫荫地流到他的手上、裤上、脚上，就像一股凉水，始于他的双手，自上而下地流到地面。当他捅到第五袋化肥的时候，他听到身后有了响动，回身一看，是一头黄牛站将起来，鸡蛋似的双眼，正惊恐地望着他。他没有犹豫，反转身子，跨前一步，双手握紧刀把，朝着牛的脖下与前腿上方正中的一块地方就是一刀。He said: “我让你看我！我让你看我！” 将近尺长的匕刀捅进去时，就像捅破一个装满粮食的麻袋，先是刀尖遇到了一抵，然他在那刀尖被抵的瞬间，力气一运，刀也就呼地一声扎了进去。他以为那牛会阵——哞地怪叫，可那么大的牛，昂起头来比他高出许多，却只张了张嘴，没能叫出声音就四腿一软，倒在了地上。刀不是他抽出来的。他立着不动，又结实又硬邦地站着，在等着牛来(牛氐)他，或用四蹄踢他，然就那么一扎，它就倒下了。倒下去仿佛是为了从刀中退出身子。随着它身子的一歪，血便涌将出来，又热又腥地射在他的额门上。他歪了一下身子，刀便彻底出来了。接下去，一股黑红擦着他的衣服射至他的身后，那牛就倒在地上，朝半空蹬着四蹄。他忽然明白，他准确无误地捅到了牛那要害之处，也就这当儿，紧挨着这头黄牛的一头花牛站将起来，他不等花牛明白，又一次运足力气，瞄准花牛脖下的那方要害，将匕刀送了过去。 他咬着牙说： “土老农，我让你们去种地！” “奶奶的，我让你们去种地！” “我让你们去种地！” “我让你们去种地！” “我让你们去种地！” “我让你们去种地！”…… 如同是排列好的一般，他叫一句，捅进一刀，叫一句，捅进去一刀；一头牛重重地倒在地上，砸醒了身边的另一头；另一头倒了；又砸醒了身边的一头，及至他将四头老牛，两头牛崽全部杀死，统共才听到三声牛叫。倒是血涌的声音，红艳艳地又大又响，在林地波波涛涛，轰轰隆隆，滚过村落，翻过山梁，穿过沟壑，越过河流，腥鲜地响了个满山遍野。 twenty two 收工的囚犯们终于迫近。他们队伍成一行，一如往常地，荷撅扛锨，有的则扛了大锤，拿了绳子。最前面的是个大个，天蓝的麻袄上，沾满了红色的泥土。黄黄和它的主人们退至路边，半惊半恐地望着他们，从一号望到四十号，又从四十号望至七十号。他们走得不快，当然也不是悠然慢行。他们中间有许多犯人，到这里都禁不住要打量她们。主要是打量梅子。在这好风好光围定的监狱里生活，在这少有人烟的山洼里苦役着劳作，眼下冷了儿看见这么一位清清丽丽的城市女子，大家不禁猛然眼亮，一时间心里思想什么，大都可想而知。梅的脸是一种浅白色，如凝了一层早霜。她死死地盯着从她面前过去的一张张土灰的脸，被那脸上的疲惫也染得极为劳累，一整天的步行，使她觉得直想倒在地上。她说怎么没有狐狸？婆婆说那天他站最后。于是，她们的目光，重又一个不漏地从那队伍中搜寻过去。 太阳依旧，活力十足得很，红彤彤地烧在西山的一道沟口。塘子里的苇亩绿水，皆都成了血浆之色。塘子里的白乌，也成了飞上飞下的一团红球。从犯人与犯人的缝间去看，水里倒影的风景飘忽不定，时隐时现，更有一种玄玄妙妙的美，和中国泼墨画中的山色湖水、亭台楼阁极其相象。黄黄也许累了，它无力地卧下来。面前的国队，最终还是走了过去。走在最后的几个，仍然是穿着橄榄色的警察，他们各肩了一支长枪，腰间又插了一支短枪。而狐狸，却是一影人儿也没见。 婆婆说：“那天就站在最后呀。” 梅立着一动不动，脸上的冷硬忽然放松下来，有了一丝红润。她说我们这么立着，就是看不见狐狸，狐狸也该看见我们。婆婆把目光投到不远处的狱墙上，说来一趟不易，你进去看看他吧，也许他在里边，说是他的同学，会让见他一面。婆婆把肩上的小包取将下来，又说里边是天元的两件春夏单衣，你带给狐狸，不要说是天元的就成。接过那个包袱，梅怔怔地望望婆婆，就一道儿朝监狱的方向走去。 始料不及，监狱的门竟那么好进。两个哨兵问了几句，梅说是狐狸的同学，哨兵盯着她仔细打量一阵，有一个跑步进了狱里。不一刻，出来两个警兵，将梅领了进去，将婆婆和黄留在狱外。梅跨过铁；'〕时候，婆婆在门外叮嘱，说你快一些，太阳立马落了，我们还要上山。 前后算起，仅差三个时日。那次这狱门外只有红花点点。