Chapter 3 third chapter

Before going to bed, Jin Gen took Ah Zhao out to pee.In the past, when his sister Jinhua was at home, the children were taken care of by Jinhua. Since Jinhua got married, he was the one who took care of the children himself, and he was not quite used to it yet. It's cold outside, breathing cold air, sour in the nostrils, the moonlight washes the sky, the sky is a light blue gray, supporting the big black shadow of the mountain, which is a solid black bud standing behind the house.Jin Gen bent over to pee the child, bragging.In fact, a child of Ah Zhao's age could already squat underground, but the cold air on the ground, he thought, would be harmful.

The dog is barking.When he heard a dog barking recently, he wondered if his wife had returned.He supported the child in both hands, while turning his head to look at the road.In the distance, an orange-red lantern came staggeringly. There was a big red letter on the lantern. It turned out to be from Zhoucun, so I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. I don't know who it is from Zhoucun?It wouldn't be his sister returning to her natal home - she just came back two days ago, and even if she came, she would never choose such a late time. But it seemed to be a woman, walking behind the bumpy lantern, holding a big white bundle in her hand.When the lantern was swinging and burning towards her face, Jin Gen seemed to notice something, which made him turn around suddenly, and the child didn't finish urinating.He kicked his feet hotly.He put the child down quickly, and ran straight for the road, and it was his wife who had returned.

Running, running, it could be seen that it was indeed her, and he immediately slowed down.She also saw him, smiling from afar.He shouted loudly: "I'll still be from Zhoucun first." "When we reached Zhoucun, it was almost dark, so I went to borrow a lantern from my sister." Yuexiang said. "Oh! You went to their house? Did you see my sister?" "I see. Her mother-in-law is so polite, she insisted on keeping me for dinner. I'm really sorry." He walks beside her.The sock on one foot was dripping wet, and now it has become cold, sticking to the instep, holding his instep tightly, it is fortunate that there is such a strange feeling, otherwise my heart would always be in a trance, suspicious. dream.

"Did you see my brother-in-law?" he asked. "My brother-in-law was not feeling well, and he was lying there. I didn't go into their room." "Why are you sick? Is it okay? How is my sister?" "Hello." She didn't feel unhappy. She hadn't seen her in these years, and she didn't greet her when they met. Instead, she greeted his sister he often met. She also knew that he had nothing to say. "Azhao is already asleep?" she asked accostingly. He yelled "Azhao! Azhao!" The child refused to come, but he ran to drag her by force.

"Nuan, it's grown so big!" Yuexiang said with a shy smile.She lowered the lantern and wanted to take a closer look, but Ah Zhao just twisted and avoided, but the more he hid, the more Yuexiang shone the lantern on her face.The child was anxious, and with all his strength, he broke free from her father's hand and ran towards the house, thinking that the house was always safe.She walked through the bluish-white courtyard in the moonlight.The long bamboo poles scattered on the ground in the yard, used for weaving baskets, were kicked by her, and they became bright and bright.The neighboring dogs barked more and more.

"Be careful, don't fall!" Yuexiang yelled, and hurriedly followed her into the courtyard gate.Moon Shadow couldn't see the truth, and the bamboo pole was kicked by her loudly and loudly.This big house with white powder walls is the ancestral property of the Tan family, and Jin Gen's house is divided into one and a half rooms.The next few rooms belonged to Boss Tan and the others.At this time, Mrs. Tan yelled loudly from behind the window: "Golden Root? Is Mrs. Golden Root back?" "Warm! It's me, ma'am!" Yuexiang agreed. "Hello, aunt! How are you, grandpa?"

"Hey! I was thinking of you just now. I was saying to the old man: What time is it today? Why haven't you come back?" The oil lamp behind the paper window moved back and forth, and the figure also swayed with the shadow of the lamp.The old man coughed and choked, and the children woke up from their sleep, crying. "Ma'am, don't get up when you're asleep!" Yuexiang said. "I'll come to greet you tomorrow morning. How is Mrs. Jin?" His family's daughter-in-law quickly agreed, "I'm fine, Mrs. Jin Gen." "Didn't sleep, didn't sleep, I'm talking about you here!" Aunt Tan shouted loudly.

As he spoke, he had already put on his clothes, pulled out the latch, and walked out.The old man also came out, holding a "fire chimney" in his hand, and a bamboo basket filled with two or three sticks of burning coals, covered with ashes, which became an economical hand stove and foot stove. "Come in and sit! Come in and sit!" said Yuexiang. Everyone came to Jin Gen's side, and Mrs. Jin You also came with the children.The room was full of people, and there was no room for them to sit down, but Aunt Tan forced Yuexiang to sit side by side with her on the edge of the bed. "Hi! Sister-in-law Jin Gen." She sighed with a smile: "I've been saying here, why are you so cruel--I've been there for three years, and I haven't come back once, the child is so old!" She stretched out her hand to pull A-Zhao, A-Zhao hid behind the blue-and-white-flowered homespun curtain, turned his face away, and held on to the bedpost desperately.

"Call Mom," Aunt Tan taught her. "Mom!" Sister-in-law Jin You squeezed her throat and cried, "Call me Mom! Ah Zhao." The old woman slapped on the Ah Zhao Pi cast. "Look, look, how tall you've grown!" With a condemning tone, it was as if a child was naughty and caused some trouble. Gold Root smiled and stood in the shadows.He often had this dream, dreaming that she came back, just like this, the room was full of people, many familiar faces, under the dim light.He felt a little dazed again, always feeling that they were dreams, and he was the dreamer.Sometimes it seems that I am in it, and sometimes I am not in it.For example, sometimes they talk lively; when he interjects, no one can hear him.

Boss Tan just sat there smiling, picking ashes in the basket with a bamboo chopstick.He only asked Yuexiang a word, and with a serious face, he raised his head slightly and stared at a place a foot away from her head. "When did the ship arrive in town?" "Arrived at noon." After walking forty miles back from the town, one must have a sip of water, Jin Gen thought.He went to the stove, but the fire had gone out.There was still some hot water left in the pot, just enough for a bowl.He brought the bowl, and when he looked up, he saw a room full of people sitting under the dim yellow light. He stood there stunned, wondering who to give this bowl of water to, it might not be appropriate. Watching these people deliver tea to their wives.He finally walked up to Boss Tan with a blushing face and handed the bowl to him.Everyone laughed.Aunt Tan snatched the bowl and passed it to Yuexiang, but Yuexiang refused to take it, so she forced her to take it.

"Look at how thoughtful you are, Mrs. Gold Root!" she said. Everyone roared with laughter.Even Mrs. Jin You, who always had a sad face, laughed along with her. Mrs. Jin You was a miserable person with a long yellow face and two straight slits in her eyes.Her smile is always a wry smile, but like now, when she smiles from her heart, it seems to be a sarcastic smile on her face, but in fact she has absolutely no ironic meaning. "Their young couple have always been close," said Aunt Tan with a laugh. "It's so good that they wear a pair of trousers together. It's warm and pitiful. We haven't seen each other for so many years—it's a crime!" "Look at this aunt," Yuexiang complained, "I haven't seen you in these years, and I don't speak serious words when I meet you!" "Yo! yo! I'm sick of it! Let's go, go, old man, don't stay here to be annoying, and let them talk to each other." "What are you talking about? We're old couples, and our children are so old!" Yuexiang held her tight, but Aunt Tan put on airs and said repeatedly: "Let's go, let's go! Old man, I need to be more sensible. " "Everyone laughed, Jin Gen also laughed, and at the same time helped Yuexiang try her best to stay. The guests finally stopped struggling. The host pushed them back to their original seats. Once they sat down, they continued to make fun of it. It’s like a room quarrel on a wedding night, Jin Gen thought to himself. His wife is indeed a bit like a bride, sitting on the hole in the bed, with the flowered cloth curtains drawn down in a herringbone pattern. She lowered her head slightly. Under the light, her face was almost silvery white, with a square face, slightly lowered forehead, red lips, thick eyebrows and eyes that seemed to be drawn with black ink. She reminded him of a An unknown lady was enshrined in a dilapidated small temple. He remembered seeing such a statue, pink, white and fat red, sitting with her head bowed in the gray and broken apricot god. She was so beautiful, He could hardly believe she was his wife, and sometimes he beat her when he got drunk or lost money at bets. Yuexiang mentioned the weather this year.She seems to interrupt intentionally, Jin Gen thought.Maybe she didn't want people to tease them all the time, and she didn't like to hear people say they were good friends.He felt a sudden pain in his heart. "It hasn't snowed this year," Yuexiang said. "How is the country? Has it ever snowed?" "The rain is good this year," said Aunt Tan. "The solar terms haven't arrived yet." "I'm afraid it won't be good if it blooms again after spring," Yuexiang said. "The beginning of spring is early this year." For some unknown reason, there was a short silence, and everyone looked embarrassed.Then Boss Tan seemed to protect his shortcomings, "It will be good to have a stable harvest next year, and there will be enough rain this year." "Too much rain!" Yuexiang thought in her heart.He didn't say it out loud.She didn't understand why they were so desperately protecting the weather, not allowing others to belittle a little bit, as if the weather was their son.Country people have always complained about poverty, bad weather, and bad harvests when they open their mouths. On the one hand, they are afraid that they will talk too much, which will attract the jealousy of ghosts and gods. endless exploitation.Regardless of whether it is the military police, tax collectors, or the masters who go to the countryside to collect rent, anyway, there is no one who does not have their ideas.So no matter who it is, when it comes to their harvest, it is always right to cry poor.Over time, I developed a habit, even in front of my own people, and it became a pessimistic tradition. But now they are actually praising this year's harvest in unison.Yuexiang couldn't get used to it, and felt it was very harsh, as if it was close to exaggeration and stupid.Aunt Tan sighed loudly, raised her throat and chanted: "Nuan, the countryside is doing well now! The poor have turned over! God will help, the harvest is better than ever. Sister Jin Gen, it's a pity that you came back one step late, Didn't catch up to see—you Jin Gen became a model worker! Sitting on the stage, wearing a big red flower on his chest. How majestic! The comrades in the district personally put the flower on him." Yuexiang is the most practical person.If this kind of glory happened to others, she wouldn't think it was a big deal, but because it was a golden root, she felt very excited and thought it was the most proud thing to do.She looked at Kim Root.King Root was very modest and pretended not to hear, as if the conversation had now grown dull and he had lost interest. "It's not that I just say good things about him now," Mrs. Tan continued to sing, "I've always told our old man—if you don't believe me, ask him—I said, you Tan family, even a child like Jin Gen is promising, I didn't say that!" Yuexiang smiled and said, "That's what the aunt said partiality." She asked about the distribution of the fields.They also told her how the landlord's furniture and household appliances were numbered during the land reform, and everyone drew lots.Aunt Tan and her family got a vase and a silk cheongsam, and Jin Gen got a big mirror. "Where's the mirror?" Yuexiang looked around. "Accompany my sister." Jin Gen said. Aunt Tan said: "Sister-in-law Jin Gen, that mirror of yours is really nice! It's really exquisite——" Mrs. Jin You has always been timid, but when she mentioned the mirror, she became so excited that she started talking to her mother-in-law. "Warm! Didn't you see, Mrs. Jin Gen—a large mirror with mahogany trim, about an inch wide, and carved flowers on it. The mirror is two feet high—"", "Warm! More than heh! More than heh!" Aunt Tan said. "On the day of the ceremony, red and green colors were tied on the four corners—it's so beautiful!" Sister Jin You sighed. The old man poked the ashes in the basket with bamboo chopsticks, and pointed the chopsticks at Yuexiang. "Those things drawn by lottery are the best in your family." "Nuan, everyone says you are very lucky," said Aunt Tan. Jin Gen asked his wife, why didn't you see that Yi didn't go to his sister's house just now? " "I didn't go to her room, my brother-in-law is not feeling well, he is lying down," Yuexiang said with a smile. "You have to go and have a look," Jin Yousao urged. "It's so beautiful!" She didn't even see it, but it was already given to someone.Of course, if you discuss it with her, she will never refuse, but you must always ask her.She continued to smile, but she was very unhappy in her heart, listening to them talking, and didn't bother to criticize. She sat there and kept silent, and Aunt Tan gradually felt it. "I really have to go this time!" She smiled and stood up. "If you don't leave, you will be scolded!" "What are you talking about? Ma'am! Sit down for a while, sit down for a while." Yuexiang held her arm tightly. "I really have to go, you are tired too, go to bed early! It's warm, it's not easy! The young couple are reunited, and finally met the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl!" Everyone burst into laughter again, and they filed out amidst the laughter.The master couldn't keep it, so he sent it to the door.The light gradually dimmed, and Jin Gen didn't add any more oil, but took out the stick of red candle left in the lantern, put it on the lamp and lit it, and stuck it to a saucer with a green edge.Lighting candles is a waste, but it seemed to be a red candle tonight, like a wedding night. Yuexiang bolted the door, turned around and whispered to him, "I've been wanting to ask you just now, but I can't say it in front of people. Why is the harvest so good, and how does my sister eat porridge at home?" Gold Root did not answer, he was turning the candle upside down, dripping the candle oil on the saucer. Their Zhou family was so poor," said Yuexiang. "We have been fooled by a matchmaker!" " Jin Gen laughed impatiently. "Why did you fall into the trap of a matchmaker! Every family is like this, and we have always suffered from the weak." Yuexiang looked at him in astonishment. "Why? Why is the harvest so good that you don't even have to eat?" Jin Gen suddenly turned his head away and looked out the window without moving.He didn't pick up his hands, and secretly made a gesture, telling her not to speak.But she walked to the window in two steps, and before he could stop her, she pushed the window open with a bang. At this moment, the bamboo poles piled up in the yard made a loud noise, and people from far and near The dogs started barking. The moonlight had moved over the whitewashed walls, and the yard was dark. She leaned out and looked around, but there was no one there. She closed the window and asked in a low voice, "Who was it just now?" He pretended not to care, and said casually: "It's not that those people have nothing to do, and they like to squat under other people's windows and eavesdrop." Eavesdropping on the play next door, she knew that the village has always had this habit, because life is too boring, and it is also a kind of pastime.But she looked at him and said, "Then what are you afraid of? Speak well. What did I say wrong?" He seemed troubled, "Let's talk about it later, after we get into bed." She looked at him and remained silent for a while.Then he walked away slowly, opened the bag and organized things.She took out a pair of socks and a pack of cigarettes, which she had bought for him.She knew his temper, so she deliberately chose these two things, both of which he could not give to his sister.She also bought a towel and a piece of scented soap for Jinhua, which she had given to her when she passed by Zhoucun just now. She brought almond cakes to Hezhao, but at this time she had traveled a lot and she was hungry.She opened the greasy newspaper packet. "A Zhao, call me," she said to the little girl. "If you don't call people, you don't have to eat." Ah Zhao stood far away, with dark eyes, staring at the almond cake. "Call me, otherwise they won't be eaten, everyone will eat, even the dumb ones won't get to eat! Call me quickly!" Ah Zhao is suffering, but she can't help it, her silence surrounds her, and she can't rush out again.And for an extra minute, the wall of silence was raised by several feet.The more you don't speak, the more embarrassed you are to speak. In the end, Yuexiang said, "Okay, okay, don't cry. If you cry, I don't like you anymore." Both mother and daughter ate cakes, and Yue Xiang handed another one to Jin Gen. "You eat," King Root said. "It was brought for you to eat." "Save it for Ah Zhao to eat." "There's more," said Moon Scent. "you eat." He took it very reluctantly, and ate it restrainedly.In the candlelight, she saw that his hand holding the cake was shaking violently.She didn't know it was because of hunger, but when she realized it, anger and warmth suddenly surged in her heart like a tide. Ke Zhao's cake is finished.If she hadn't been afraid of the stranger, she would never have kept the remaining ones overnight.Yuexiang urges her to go to bed, undresses her, and feeds her while taking off her clothes, saying, "It's warm! Look at this padded jacket, it's so torn that it doesn't mend, it's like a beggar. ——My God, it's dirty." Sad!" She laughed. "Look at this button! There isn't even a good one." Her jokes were actually directed at her sister-in-law.She is not at home, Jin Hua has always taken care of the children for her, of course these are all Jin Hua's affairs.But the child didn't understand this, and thought it was her. Tears welled up in her eyes again, and her lips parted tremblingly. "Hey, why are you crying again?" Yuexiang asked in surprise. "Why this time?" She pressed her face against Ah Zhao's wet cheek. "Huh? Why are you crying? Tell Mom!" Ah Zhao didn't answer.Yuexiang picked her up, sat her on the bed, and took off the cotton shoes on her feet. "Isn't it cold? Get under the covers! Come on! Tell Mom why you're crying. You're still thinking about those two almond cakes. Then go to bed, go to bed early, and get up early tomorrow morning to eat almond cakes. Huh?" Yuexiang sat on the edge of the bed, and spread Ah Zhao's clothes to cover the bed.Kim Gen came and sat beside her.He reached out and twirled the corner of her padded jacket, touching the fabric.It is a kind of stuffed cloth, with small squares intertwined with lavender and gray, with strips of red thread sandwiched between them.There seemed to be a slight smile on his lips.Does he think the fabric is too fancy?Or is it too wasteful?It was hard to tell what was going on in his mind.Perhaps he meant no disapproval at all, though he had the look of disapproval. He put one hand under the bottom of her padded jacket and held it.She let out a warm cry, shrank her body, and cried, "It's so cold!" "It's cold, why don't you sleep?" When he got closer, she put a hand on his head and stroked it slowly and vigorously.Her hands were rough, grasping the short, hard stumps of his shaved head, hersing, she whispered, "Everyone says the country is good, the country is good. Now the city is poor, Almost every family can’t afford to hire a servant. And the boss is not allowed to dismiss the servant. So our boss keeps telling me. Now your country is doing well! If I were you, I would go back to the country to farm. Now I know, it’s up when!" She regretted that she came back, Kim Root thought.I just came back, but I already regretted it.She doesn't think it's good for two people to be together, unlike him.He smiled and said slowly, "Yes, the countryside is suffering now. Otherwise, I would have written a letter asking you to come back. I am also afraid that you will not get used to it when you come back." "What do you mean by being unaccustomed?" She suddenly became angry, and her voice immediately raised. "What kind of happy life do you think I'm living in the city?" He was silent.She originally had a lot to say, but thinking about it being the first day she came back, she might not have quarreled on the first day, so she held back again.She bent down, picked up one of Ah Zhao's little padded shoes, patted the ashes, held it in her hand and looked at it over and over, by candlelight. "This is what my sister did?" She asked with a critical air. "Her grandmother made it for her." "Oh." She thought with satisfaction, "I mean! It doesn't look like his sister's sewing." On the other hand, she said, "My mother's eyes are not bad, and she can still make shoes. Tomorrow I will Go back and see mom." "I don't want to rest tomorrow, let's go in another day—it's another 30 miles to go back and forth." Ah Zhao suddenly called out: "Dad, I want to go too!" "Aren't you asleep yet?" King Root said. Yuexiang turned away to pull up the quilt for her, and then sniffed her cheek. "Go to sleep! If you are disobedient, I won't take you there tomorrow." But Ah Zhao was so excited that he couldn't sleep for a long time.Those few almond cakes seem to have a kind of vitality. With them in the room, the air is a little strange. Yue Xiang clenched her fist and thumped her knee twice. "Legs are so sore! I haven't walked much in the city for the past two years, so I can't walk anymore." "I knew you couldn't do it!" Jin Gen smiled happily.He was glad he had a chance to laugh at her. "I also said that I will go to your mother's place tomorrow, and the round trip is dozens of miles." She started to unbutton her clothes, and suddenly remembered, she put her hands into her pockets.He took out the money and counted it. He would like to know how much money she had left, but she didn't tell her, and he didn't ask.Anyway, there won't be much left, and she brings money home every month.He felt ashamed again. She counted and counted, as if the number was wrong.He didn't want to watch from the side, so he stood up suddenly and walked away. She suddenly looked up. "Hey, what are you doing opening the box at this time, it's midnight." There was a stack of boxes on the bedside. He took out a large piece of paper from the bottom of the box, spread it on the bed, and smoothed it out with his hands. He leaned on the corner of the table and looked down, waiting patiently for the money to be counted.Then he moved the deed to her and said with a quiet smile, "Look." The words on the paper were neatly written, covered with a huge round stamp and stamp "he could recognize the number, and he pointed out to her where his name was. They studied it carefully, with their heads on the edge of the blade. .In the small circle of light of the candle. She is very happy.He explained to her again, "This field is our own. The current life is more difficult because of the war. It will be fine when the war is over. Suffering is a temporary thing, and the field is always there. " Sitting there like this, with his west arm embracing her snugly under her padded jacket, she could easily imagine that happy future, generation after generation, like endless rice fields, stretching out in the sun.At this time she felt that she had infinite patience. But she had to break free from his arm, "Ah Zhao hasn't fallen asleep yet," she said. "Asleep," he said. "He was still talking there just now." "Asleep," and he said, "you weren't so afraid of her before." "She used to be little." He was looking at a "black spot" on the back of her neck. He reached out and felt it. "Thought it was a bedbug," he said. "There are a lot of bedbugs on the boat." "It's a mole. Hey, when did you have this mole?" "How do I know? I don't have eyes behind my back." "Never before." "Three years and can't grow one?" He smiled shyly, "Nuan, it's been three years." After the candle was lit, there was only a small puddle of red candle tears left, one petal upon another, piled up on the plate, like a small red plum blossom.A slender flame rose from the heart of the flower, rising very high and rippling in the air. Ah Zhao is dreaming, dreaming of eating almond cake at grandma's house.Her father and her aunt Jinhua were there, and many others.But her mother was still too strange to come into her dreams.