Chapter 12 eleven

Thinking of the old man and the pony, Xiangzi let go of all hope, and thought that every day is a day, so why do you grit your teeth all the time and make it difficult for yourself? !He seems to understand the fate of the poor. It is a jujube stone with sharp ends. It is a good luck not to starve to death when I am young; it is very difficult to not starve to death when I am old.Only the middle section is young and strong, not afraid of hunger, fullness and hard work, and still looks like a human being.In this section, you dare not do it when you should be happy, you are a real fool; after this village, there will be no such shop!Thinking about it this way, he didn't even want to worry about Hu Niu.

When he saw the stuffy gourd jar, his mind turned around again.No, you can’t be casual; you can buy a car with only a few tens of dollars away, and you can’t waste all your work; at least you can’t just throw away the little savings in the jar, it’s not easy to save!Still have to go the right way, for sure!But what about Huniu?There is still no way, I still have to worry about that hateful twenty-seven. So sad that he had no choice but to hold the crock pot and muttered to himself: What is love, anyway, this little money is mine!No one can grab it!With this little money, Xiangzi is not afraid of anything!If you are in a hurry, I will stomp my feet and run, and if I have money, my legs will move!

The street is getting more and more lively, and the candied melons for offering sacrifices to stoves are all over the street, and the voice of "Tang come, Tang" can be heard wherever you go.Xiangzi was looking forward to the new year, but now he is not at all motivated. The more chaotic the street is, the tighter his heart is, and the terrible twenty-seven is just around the corner!His eyes were sunken, and even the scar on his face was darkened. Pulling the cart, the street was so chaotic and the ground was so slippery, he had to be extra careful.Concerned and vigilant, he feels that his energy is not enough, and he forgets the other when he thinks about it. He is often startled suddenly, and his body is itchy like a child with prickly heat in summer.

On the afternoon of the stove sacrifice day, the swaying east wind brought a day of dark clouds.The weather suddenly became warmer.When it was time to turn on the lanterns, the wind was even weaker, and there were sparse snowflakes falling in the sky.The candied melon sellers were in a hurry. The weather was warm and snowflakes added. Everyone was trying to sprinkle white earth on the candy, fearing that they would all stick together.The snowflakes did not fall much, and turned into small snow particles, which fell to the ground with a soft sound.After seven o'clock, shops and people began to sacrifice to the stove, and there was a dense light snow in the shadow of the incense sticks, creating a gloomy atmosphere amidst the bustle.People on the street looked a little panicked. Those on foot and in cars were eager to go home to worship the gods, but the ground was wet and slippery, and they dared not let go.The sugar peddler was eager to get out the goods for the festival, and shouted out of breath, which was really shocking.

It was about nine o'clock, and Xiangzi took Mr. Cao home from Xicheng.After passing the bustling market at the Xidan Archway, and entering Chang'an Avenue eastward, the crowds gradually became thinner.The flat asphalt road is covered with a thin layer of snow, which is a bit dazzling from the street lamps. Occasionally a car comes by, and the lights are far away, and the small snow particles are shining yellow in the lights, like thousands of golden sands sprinkled.When we approached the Xinhua Gate area, the road was already very wide, but with the thin snow, it made people's eyes wide open, and everything seemed more serious. "Chang'an archway", the gate tower of Xinhua Gate, and the red wall of Nanhai are all covered with plain crowns, matched with Zhuzhu red walls, quietly showing the dignity of the old capital under the light.At this time and here, it seems that there are no residents in Beiping, and it has always been a palace of jade, with only some old pines silently catching the snowflakes.Xiangzi didn't have time to look at these beautiful scenery, but when he saw the "jade road" in front of him, he just wanted to run home in one step; the straight, white, and calm road seemed to make his heart always see the door of the house.But he couldn't run fast. Although the snow on the ground was not thick, if he took his feet, a thick layer would stick to the soles of the shoes in a while;The graupel grains are very small, but they are heavy and heavy. They hold his feet and blind his eyes. He cannot run fast.The snow particles were not easy to melt when they hit his body, and a thin layer had already accumulated on his shoulders. Although it was nothing, the wetness made him feel uncomfortable.

There are no shops in this area, but the sound of cannons in the distance continues, and from time to time there are double bangs or five ghosts in the black sky.Sparks scattered, and the sky became increasingly black, almost terribly black.He listened to the gunfire, saw the sparks and darkness in the air, and wanted to be home at once.But he didn't dare to let go of his legs, it's awkward! What made him even more unhappy was that starting from Xicheng, he felt that there was a bicycle following him.When we arrived at West Chang'an Avenue, the street became quieter, and we could feel the pursuit behind us—the vehicles rolling over the thin snow, although the sound was not loud, but we could feel it.Xiangzi, like other coachmen, hates bicycles the most.Cars are hateful, but they are loud, and they can be avoided if they are far away.The bicycle is always going to see a crack, and it is swaying to and fro, making my eyes dizzy when I look at it.Don’t make mistakes with take-out, because if there is a mistake, the rickshaw driver is always wrong. The calculation in the police’s mind is that the rickshaw driver is easier to deal with than the rider, so it’s not right to send the rickshaw driver first.Several times, Xiangzi really wanted to pull the brakes to stop the car, and the kid fell behind him.But he didn't dare, and the cart driver had to hold back his anger.Whenever he wanted to stomp the soles of his shoes, he had to shout: "Stop the brakes!" When he arrived at the front gate of Nanhai, the street was so wide, and the bicycle was still following closely behind.Xiangzi became even more angry. He stopped the car deliberately and wiped the snow from his shoulders.He stood still as the bicycle slid past it.The people in the car looked back.Xiangzi was annoyed on purpose, and waited until the bicycle had gone a long way before picking up the handlebar, and cursed: "I hate it!"

Mr. Cao's "humanitarianism" made him unwilling to install the cotton car shed to keep the wind out, even the canvas car shed was not allowed to be erected until it caught up with the heavy rain, in order to save some effort for the driver.With such a little snow, he didn't think it was necessary to set up a carport, and besides, he was eager to see the snow scene at night.He also noticed the bicycle, and when Xiangzi finished cursing, he said in a low voice, "If he keeps following, don't stop at the door, go to Mr. Zuo of Huanghuamen; don't panic!" Xiangzi was a little flustered.He only knows that riding a bicycle is disgusting, but he doesn't know that there is something terrible in it - since Mr. Cao dare not go home, this guy must have a lot of background!After running dozens of steps, he caught up with that person; he was deliberately waiting for him and Mr. Cao.The bicycle let Xiangzi pass, and Xiangzi glanced at the people on the car.It was clear at a glance that the detective team was on board.He often met people in the team in teahouses, and although he had never spoken to them, he knew their looks and attire.This attire looked familiar to him: a blue coat, a felt hat, and the hat was worn very low.

At the intersection of Nanchang Street, Xiangzi took the opportunity of turning a corner and glanced back, but the man was still following him.He almost forgot about the snow on the ground, and the soles of his feet strengthened. On the long and white road, there are only some cold lights, and a detective is chasing after him!Xiangzi had never had this kind of experience, and he was sweating.When he reached the back gate of the park, he turned around and followed!When he reached the gate of his house, he dared not stop, and was a little bit reluctant to leave; Mr. Cao didn't say a word, so he had no choice but to continue running north.I ran to the North Exit in one go, and the bicycle followed!He entered the small alley and followed!Out of the alley, still follow!Going to Huanghua Gate, he should not have entered the small alley. He didn't realize it until he reached the north entrance of the alley. He admitted that he was a little lost, and he became even angrier.

After running behind Jingshan, the bicycle headed north to the back door.Xiangzi wiped his sweat. The snow was a little smaller, but there were a few more snowflakes in the snow grains.Xiangzi seems to like snowflakes, dancing in the air freely, not as annoying as snow particles.He turned and asked, "Where are you going, sir?" "It's back to Zuo Zhai. Someone asked you about me, but you said you didn't know me!" "Yes!" Xiangzi's heart started beating, but it was inconvenient for him to ask in detail. When we arrived at Zuo's house, Mr. Cao asked Xiangzi to pull the car in and quickly closed the door.Mr. Cao is still very calm, but his expression is not very good-looking.After giving Xiangzi instructions, he went in.As soon as Xiangzi pulled the car into the doorway and put it away, Mr. Cao came out again, with Mr. Zuo; Xiangzi knew him and knew that Mr. Zuo was a good friend in the house.

"Xiangzi," Mr. Cao's mouth moved quickly, "you go back by car. Tell your wife that I'm here. Teach them to come too, come by car, and call another one. You don't need to tell the one you take to wait. .Understood? Okay! Tell your wife to bring the things you need and the pictures in the study. Do you understand? I will call my wife right away to tell you again, lest she get in a hurry and forget what I said. Yes, please remind her." "May I go?" Mr. Zuo asked. "No need! The man just now may not necessarily be a detective, but I have something in mind, so I have to be on my guard. Can you call a car first?"

Mr. Zuo went to call for a taxi.Mr. Cao told Xiangzi again: "When the car arrives, I will give you the money. Teach your wife to pack up quickly; nothing else matters, just be sure to take the children's things, and those few pictures in the study, those few Zhang Hua! Wait for the wife to pack up, teach Gao Ma to call for a car, and come here. Do you understand? After they leave, you lock the door and move to the study to sleep. There is a phone there. You will call Electricity?" "I can't make calls, but I can answer them." In fact, Xiangzi didn't like connecting to the phone very much, but he didn't want to make Mr. Cao anxious, so he agreed. "That's fine!" Mr. Cao went on, still speaking very quickly: "If there is any movement, don't open the door! We are all gone, and you are the only one left, and they will never let you go! It's not good If so, you turn off the lights and jump to the Wang’s house in the backyard. Do you recognize the people in the Wang’s house? Yes! Hidden in the Wang’s house for a while before leaving. Don’t worry about my things, your own things, just jump over the wall and leave to save you Take it! If you lose something, I will pay for it in the future. I will give you the five yuan and keep it. Okay, I will call my wife, and you can tell her again later. Needless to say, take the person, the rider just now Maybe it's a detective, maybe it's not; don't panic!" Xiangzi was confused, as if he had a lot to ask, but because he was eager to remember Mr. Cao's instructions, he didn't dare to ask any more. When the car came, Xiangzi sat in it with his head kowtowed.The snow was not too big or too small, and the things outside the car were not very real. He sat with his back straight, his head almost touching the carport.He wanted to think about it, but his eyes were only on the red arrow in front of the car, it was so bright and lovely.The small brush in front of the car is automatically placed left and right, and it is quite interesting to brush the breath off the glass.Just seemed to be tired of seeing this, the car had already arrived at the door, and I got out of the car with a strange feeling in my heart. Just as he was about to ring the electric bell at the street gate, he grabbed his wrist as if he had come out of the wall.Xiangzi instinctively wanted to grab the hand, but he had already seen the man clearly, and he didn't move. It was the detective who was riding the bicycle just now. "Xiangzi, you don't know me anymore?" The detective smiled and let go. Xiangzi swallowed, not knowing what to say. "Don't you remember when you taught us to go to Xishan? I was that platoon leader Sun. Do you remember?" "Ah, Platoon Leader Sun!" Xiangzi couldn't remember.When he was dragged up the mountain by the soldiers, he didn't care who was the platoon leader or the company commander. "You don't remember me, but I remember you; that scar on your face is a good mark. I followed you for a long time just now, and at first I was a little afraid to recognize you. Look left and right, there is nothing wrong with this scar! " "Is there something wrong?" Xiangzi went to ring the bell again. "Of course there is something to do, and it's an important matter! Let's go in and talk about it!" Platoon Leader Sun—now a detective—stretched out his hand and rang the bell. "I have something to do!" Xiangzi's head was sweating suddenly, and he said with a ruthless heart: "It's not enough to hide from him, how can we invite him inside!" "Don't worry, I'm here for your own good!" The detective smiled slyly. When Gao Ma opened the door, he stepped in and said, "Excuse me!" Without waiting for Xiangzi and Gao Ma to say a word, he dragged him in and pointed at the porter, "Do you live here?" After entering the house, he took a look around: "The hut is so clean! Your work is not bad!" "Is there anything? I'm busy!" Xiangzi could no longer listen to these idle conversations. "Didn't I tell you? There's something important!" Detective Sun was still smiling, but his tone was very severe. "Let me tell you, Cao is a rebel, he will be shot if caught, and he still can't run away! We finally met once, and you served me in the barracks; besides, we are both people on the street, so I I’m here to send you a letter with a serious punishment! If you run a step late, you’ll be stuck in a hole when you come back, and no one can escape. Let’s work hard to eat, how can we file a lawsuit with them? Isn’t that right?” "I'm sorry!" Xiangzi was still thinking about Mr. Cao's entrustment. "I'm sorry who is it?" Detective Sun had a smile on his mouth, and his eyes were sharp. "The disaster was caused by them themselves. Who are you sorry for? They dare to act bravely, and we will suffer accordingly, so we can't get along! Needless to say, I will imprison you for three months. You are used to it like a wild bird. Leng will teach you Sitting in a dark room, can you bear it? Besides, they go to prison and have money to manage, so they can’t bear the crime; you, my good brother, have no hard hands, you must be tied to the urine bucket! This is a trivial matter, it just so happens If they spend money on a movement, they will be sentenced to several years in prison; if they can't explain it to the officials, it would be strange if they put you on the back. We don't recruit anyone and don't provoke anyone. Is it wrong to go to the bridge to eat black dates after the end? You are a sensible person, and a sensible person does not suffer immediate losses. You are worthy of others, again! Let me tell you, good brother, there is nothing in the world that is worthy of our bitter brothers!" Xiangzi was scared.Thinking of the suffering of being dragged away by soldiers, he would imagine what it would be like to go to prison. "So I have to go and leave them alone?" "You care about them, who cares about you?!" Xiangzi didn't answer correctly.After being stunned for a while, even his conscience nodded: "Okay, I'll go!" "Just leave like this?" Detective Sun sneered. Xiangzi lost his head again. "Xiangzi, my good fellow! You are so stupid! If I am a detective, will you let me go?" "Then—" Xiangzi was so anxious that he didn't know what to say. "Don't pretend to be stupid!" Detective Sun fixed his eyes on Xiangzi: "Maybe you have some savings, use it to buy your life! I don't earn as much as you do in a month, and I have to feed and clothe my family, so I just rely on some extra money." Find me, let me tell you something from the bottom of my heart! Think about it, can I let you go with a slap in the face? The friendship between friends is friendship. If there is no friendship, can I come to persuade you? But things are things, I don’t want to do anything, Do you want to teach my family to drink northwest wind? Outsiders don’t need to talk, tell the truth!” "How much?" Xiangzi sat on the bed. "Get as much as you want, there is no certain price!" "I'm waiting to go to jail!" "Is that what you said? Don't regret it?" Detective Sun put his hand into his padded robe, "Look at this, Xiangzi! I'll take you right away. If you resist arrest, I'll shoot you!" I want to take you away immediately, don't talk about money, even your clothes will have to be stripped off as soon as you enter the prison gate.You are a sensible person, you can calculate it yourself! " "Squeeze me if you have time, why don't you squeeze Mr. Cao?" Xiangzi groaned for a long time before saying it. "That's the principal offender. It's a reward if you catch it, but you can't hold it. You, you, my stupid brother, I let you go like a fart; I killed you like a bedbug!" If you take the money, you take yours; if you don’t take it, okay, see you at the bridge!Don't bother, come straight, such a big person!Besides, I can't take this money by myself. The guys have to make up for it, maybe a few cents.If I buy my life for such a cheap price and don’t do it, I will be helpless!how much money you have? " Xiangzi stood up, his brain jumped so high, and he clenched his fists. "I didn't do it without you, let me tell you first, there are a lot of people outside! Hurry up, take the money! I'll save face, don't be ignorant!" Detective Sun's eyes were very ugly. "Who did I provoke?!" Xiangzi said with a sobbing sound, and sat on the edge of the bed again. "You didn't recruit anyone; you just hit the spot! People are born rich, and we are all on the bottom. Don't say anything more!" Detective Sun shook his head, seemingly with infinite emotion. "Come on, since I wronged you, don't worry about it anymore!" Xiangzi thought for a while, but couldn't help it.With trembling hands, he took the stuffed gourd jar out of the quilt. "Let me see!" Detective Sun smiled, took the earthen jar and touched it against the wall. Looking at the money spilled on the ground, Xiangzi felt his heart burst. "That's it?" Xiangzi didn't make a sound, only trembling. "Forget it! I won't kill everything, a friend is a friend. You also have to know that this money buys a life, it's cheap!" Xiangzi still hadn't made a sound, and was trembling to wrap up the quilt. "Then don't move!" "It's so cold..." Xiangzi's eyes flared up. "I told you don't move, don't move! Get out!" Xiangzi swallowed, bit his lip, opened the door and walked out. The snow had already fallen an inch thick, and Xiangzi walked with his head down.Everything is white, except for some big black footprints behind him.