Chapter 2 Primer

In a deep valley, there is a forgotten plum tree. This common red plum tree in the south of the mountain was washed to the bottom of the valley by a sudden flash flood on a stormy night with thunder and lightning.The other plum trees that rushed down with it were all crushed under the collapsed rock formation.Only this one, because it was so big and strong, survived by luck.But it was so crippled that its whole torso split horribly, as if struck with an ax in the middle.The site of the wound is covered with scabs, which will never be able to overlap again.Half of it was dead, leaving a dark and rotten wooden prong, the other half twisted with difficulty, and struggled to sit up again, but couldn't straighten up anymore.So, it just hunched over and sat, year after year...

Gradually it became very old, and even the south wind could not revive it a little bit of vitality.It seems to be immersed in meditation all year round-what is it thinking about?Is it recalling the carefree childhood scene?Is it to relive the bitter and sweet teenage spring dream?Or pursue Ling Shuang and Aoxue's youthful feelings?None of this is known.It's just that its branches are drying up day by day, and its flowers and leaves are becoming less and less year by year. For a while, it seemed to be dead.However, after the winter solstice, the plum blossoms in Shannan bloomed one after another, and on its rough and stiff branches, a small haggard flower suddenly bloomed.It looked like a dying old man who suddenly opened a red, sticky eye...

The terrible scenes of floods and landslides back then must still appear before its eyes from time to time.It can't understand, what kind of power is governed by that catastrophic change that buried its ideals, youth and best partners?And why did it happen to be on my own head? !This eternal resentment is like sharp claws pulling at its heart.On stormy nights, it would turn on its side and cannot sleep, shaking its bony arm tremblingly, making a shrill roar, cursing the injustice of fate and the ruthlessness of heaven and earth... One day, a lone traveler passed by here, and this miserable old plum tree aroused his surprise.He looked around it repeatedly for a long time, and finally sat down, stroked Lao Mei's huge and disjointed torso, and talked to it silently with his heart for a long, long time.It wasn't until the red sun was sinking in the west, and the slowly rising twilight made the valley a vast expanse, that he stood up, shook the dirt off his clothes, picked up his bag, and strode away.

Since then, the old plum tree has been quiet, and it has become even more silent.For several years, it no longer bloomed or grew leaves, as if it was going to sleep forever... But a slow turning point finally came—the dead, iron-like tough skin was like a heavy protective collar. Armor, which was tightly wrapped around the body of the old plum tree, cracked silently.At first it was an inconspicuous crack, and soon the crack widened, and then there were second and third cracks... It seems that the old plum tree is desperately squeezing out from the inside of the body.It is trying to get rid of the suffocation of the remaining life by the old and dead cortex, and destroy the innate restraint of this part of the body on another part of the body!This is really a thrilling, tragic self-killing.In the dead of night, the heavy panting and tearful screams from the heart and lungs can be heard from a long distance in the valley.In the end, the old plum tree was bruised and bruised by himself.Once, it happened to see its own ugly shadow under the moonlight, and it trembled with fear.

Finally, the hard and thick armor disintegrated and peeled off! And it, the plum tree, is still curled up and suffering, still a mutilated and fragmented body, but it has gained a new life.A few years later, it unexpectedly pulled out dozens of thick and green new branches, and then, small bone-like buds densely covered the branches.On a desolate and slightly cold winter morning, it finally bloomed a tree full of bright flowers. Look how beautiful it is now!The plum blossoms in the south of the mountain are as bright as fire, and the plum blossoms in the north of the mountain are as clear as snow. What about it?It is neither red nor white, but a quiet and soft green.Undoubtedly, this green is very light and pale. At a glance, you will mistake it for a white plum. You have to put it together with the real white plum to distinguish that it is actually green.What's more special is that it doesn't look like much in the sun, but when it's dark or at night, every petal of it will glow faintly.At this time, it seems that it is not a plum blossom, but a beautiful elf.When the breeze blows, the shimmering light trembles, and it dances lightly... Its fragrance is also unusual, thin and cool.Surrounded by the strong aroma of red plums all over the mountain, it seems to disappear all at once.However, if you sniff it carefully, the cool fragrance will emerge again, and the longer it will be, the stronger and more vivid it will be.In the end, you will only smell this cool and delicate fragrance.

Word spread quickly.People come in groups to watch this wonderful flower in the valley.The desolate and silent valley suddenly became lively.Between the overgrown weeds, paths were soon stepped out.The elegant people even held a banquet under the flowers, and lighted up a few candles sparsely as a reward for the long night.It has become a good topic in poems, a beauty in paintings, and even a close friend in boudoirs.People often mention it, promote it again and again, say it is outstanding, extraordinary, divine and divine... How excited the poor plum tree is!It was surprised, doubted, overwhelmed, and finally cried with joy.

From then on, it became very hard work.It is simply overwhelmed by the constant stream of visitors.In order not to disappoint everyone, it smiles graciously all day long, spreads out the dense new branches as much as possible, and dedicates its splendor and fragrance to all directions without hesitation.I'm afraid it's not enough to express my gratitude and enthusiasm. After the first flower withered, it immediately bloomed for the second time.This time, the commotion was even greater.Tourists come and go one after another, and they all want to meet this rare event that scored twice.The valley is becoming more and more crowded and crowded.All kinds of teahouses, stalls, food loaders, jugglers and even theaters appeared one after another, and the bustling scene surpassed the grand temple fair.Later, even dignitaries from far and near came here with their families, saying that they "have fun with the people".Therefore, some people tried their best to join in the fun, offering a generous reward, soliciting titles and titles for plum blossoms.It is said that due to the controversy, it has always been unresolved...

The colorful days passed quickly.Gradually, the plum tree felt a kind of loneliness again, a kind of fly in the ointment.For some reason, it thought of the past more and more often, and thought of the miserable and bumpy road it had traveled.It suddenly felt that it had many stories and was ready to tell people.These stories are undoubtedly not beautiful, nor even pleasant, but each and every one of them is so true, so kind, and so important!Compared with everything in front of me, it seems much more realistic and interesting.Plum Tree was surprised that he had forgotten it for so long.Now every time I think about it, it can't stop my heart from trembling and tears welling up.Oh, tell the people, tell them!

So it did.But people's reaction was so lukewarm!They stared at the beautiful flowers with a look of admiration, and then, with a sudden burst of applause, interrupted the story that the plum tree had begun in its weak, trembling voice... Mei Shu was surprised and confused again, and fell silent helplessly.But not discouraged, it endured, waited, and bloomed more and more beautiful flowers year after year.Its fame spread farther, and admirers poured in from thousands of miles away, taking a glimpse of its style as a lifetime blessing.However, the spectators are like a cloud, and the years are like water. The bosom friend who is looking forward to and willing to listen to its heart has never appeared...

Oh, maybe there are such people?Maybe he just doesn't understand Mei Shu's mind?Maybe he was mixed among the crowd of onlookers, and Mei Shu couldn't make out it?Maybe he couldn't squeeze into the dense crowd of people at all, so he had to stand in the distance and take a few glances before leaving... who knows! The plum tree was visibly haggard.It became disheartened and depressed, and it seemed to be lost all day long, and it didn't even have the mind to take care of the annual flowering period. When another winter came, it died quietly. Shocked tourists were deeply disappointed and deplored!They lingered for a long time, reluctantly dispersed, and never came again.

The ancient valley gradually returned to its former desolation and silence.When the paths stepped by the tourists are covered with fragrant grass again, and the remains of the plum trees are decayed, moldy, and turned into dust, everything will be as if it never happened or existed. However, the marks on the heart are not easy to smooth out.Slowly, a saying spread among the local residents—— The plum tree is still there.As long as it is cloudy and rainy, or at night when the moon is dim, woodcutters and mountain people who are hunting late in the valley will often see that plum tree suddenly reappear in the old place.They can even see the light green flowers on the branches and smell the cool fragrance.When they tried to get closer, everything disappeared like smoke. So, the local people said: This is the shadow of the plum tree, and it is its soul.It refuses to give up and is still waiting to tell its story to someone who is willing to write it down...