one Nine years ago, I was demobilized from the military and came home.In my father's words, I've been out for four years, and I've been in vain: I haven't joined the party, and I haven't been promoted, except for some dense beards poking out of my cheeks, it's no different from when I left.But then again, nothing much has changed at home.It's just that the two younger brothers suddenly jumped up to be as tall as me, their faces were full of acne, and their bodies were full of the breath of a horse.Sleeping at night, there was a sigh in my father's room.The three sons, who are five feet and five tall, have all reached the age to ask him for a wife, which is enough for him to drink a pot.It was 1978, the second year of the college entrance examination in society, and I wanted to try my luck.Father disagreed, saying: "If you are not a good soldier, you can pass the exam? Besides..." When it comes to reviewing homework in the middle school in the town, you have to pay a review fee of 100 yuan.My mother supported my idea: "What if..."

Dad asked, "How much demobilization fee did you bring with you?" I replied: "One hundred and fifty." Dad spat a mouthful of thick phlegm on the door frame: "You can do whatever you want. As far as your money is concerned, the family doesn't want your money, and it won't give you money. It's your good fortune to pass the exam; if you don't pass the exam, you won't fall." Your complaint." In this way, I came to the middle school in the town, entered the review class, and prepared to take the university entrance exam. The review class is specially organized by the school for the older youth in the society to take the university entrance examination.When I entered the review class, I saw that many people knew each other. Some of them were classmates from middle school four years ago.When the classmates meet, they are very affectionate.There are only a small number of young students who failed the exam in 1977 and stayed for review.The teacher called these people together, squatted on the playground and had a short meeting, looking at everyone's bedding rolls and buns, and the review class was established.When it's the review class's turn, we need a monitor to collect homework for everyone and manage discipline. The teacher's

The eyes found me and said that I had been the deputy squad leader in the army, so they let me do it.I hurriedly explained to the teacher that I was working in the army as a breeding class and fed pigs all day long. The teacher waved his hand indifferently: "It's okay, it's okay..." Then there is the dormitory.There is a large room for male students, a large room for female students, and a small room for the monitor.Because there are too many people who come to review, the monitor's room is full.Add three people.After the dormitory was divided, everyone went to the yard next to the production team to hold straw, and came back to lay the floor and roll up the bedding.In the dormitory of the male students, there was a fight over the corner.In the small room, because I was the squad leader, everyone took the initiative to give me the corner.By the time they go to bed at night, the four of them will be familiar with each other.Wang Quan, who is in his thirties, and I used to be classmates in middle school. Back then, the one with the stupidest brain and the worst homework, now I don’t know which nerve has committed a crime, so he also comes to review.Another short young man, named "Mozhuo" (a dialect in northern Henan, describing a very short person) had a wide-brimmed leather belt around his waist.There is also a handsome young man nicknamed "Mouse".

Everyone got under the covers.Because of the new get together, they were too excited to sleep.So talking about everyone's motivation for reviewing, Wang Quan said: He didn't want to come to join in the fun, he already has a wife, and he is pulling two children, what is he going to study? You can see that the local atmosphere is bad, and corrupt officials eat it all Chick, I wanted to come here to review. Once I pass the exam in the future, I will send a prefect or county magistrate to punish these people. "Mozhuo" said: He doesn't want to be an official, but he doesn't want to cut the wheat, cut the wheat from under the sun's head, and kill the whole person! The little white-faced "rat" is holding a curly dirty book in his hand, leaning against the shop He looked at the kerosene lamp and told us: He is the son of a cadre (his father is in civil affairs in the commune), he likes literature, but he doesn't like mathematics, physics and chemistry. The girl Yueyue (the most beautiful one on the playground today, the one with a bow on her braid), also came to review, and he also came; in the past half a year, it’s another matter if she fails to pass the exam, but love must be talked about Success! Finally it was my turn, and I said: If I have a wife like Wang Quan, I will not come to review. If I am in love with a girl like "Mice", I will not come to review. It is because I have nothing that I will review. .

After saying these words, everyone made a summary, counting Wang Quan's noble motives, and then fell asleep.Before falling into the dream, he said that waking up is the beginning of a new life. two The town where the middle school is located is called Tapu.The origin of the name of the town is because there is a crooked brick pagoda on the west altar of the village behind the town.The pagoda has seven floors and has no top. It is said that a god wandered here, and accidentally brushed off the top of the pagoda with his sleeve.Standing on the top of the tower without a roof and looking around, it is not interesting.It's a pity that everyone didn't think so.The school is under the tower, without courtyard walls, with cornfields on both sides, and a small river to the west of the cornfields.Many boys get up in the middle of the night to relieve themselves, and they grow wildly at the crops.

On the first day of school, Chinese class. "Dangdang" a bell rang, and the classroom was quiet.The "mouse" at the old table twitched my arm and pointed out which one was his girlfriend Yueyue.Yue Yue sat in the second row, her braids were tied with bows, her little face was flushed, she was really pretty. "Mouse" gave me another idea to put him and his girlfriend at the same table, and I nodded.At this time, the teacher stepped onto the podium.The teacher's name is Ma Zhong. He is in his forties and has a pouty face. Everyone knows him. He is famous for being narrow-minded and sarcastic.He stepped onto the podium without saying a word, and first spent two minutes carefully looking at every student in the audience.When he saw that the freshman sitting in the front row was a freshman who didn't pass the exam last year and stayed for review, he nodded his face, smiled indifferently, and said, "Okay, okay, here we go again, again Sitting here. You didn’t pass the exam last year, and you took care of my job this year. I hope you will take care of me in the future.” Although the sarcasm is the gang of little brothers, all of us are in bad luck.Then he clasped his hands into fists and raised his hands in all directions.It's dumbfounding.Then I still didn't give a lecture, let me take out the roster and roll the roll.Every time a name is called, the students answer "yes", and Ma Zhong nods his head.After calling the names, Ma Zhong made a summary: "The names are all good." Then he started the lecture and wrote three words on the blackboard: "The Donkey of Guizhou." Showing his nose, he read aloud: "Today's donkey".There was a burst of laughter below.I saw Yueyue blushed and knew they were really in love.At this time, Wang Quan made another suggestion, saying that there were no textbooks and no review materials, and Ma Zhong became angry: "Then do you bring a nanny?" .” The class was about a tiger and a donkey fighting each other, and snoring came from the back of the classroom.Ma Zhong stopped talking, and followed the sound to find it.Everyone's eyes followed his gaze, and they found that it was the "mo table" sitting behind who was lying on the cement board and fell asleep.Everyone thought that Ma Zhong was going to lose his temper again.

But Ma Zhong stood calmly in front of "Mo Zhuo", watching him sleep, "Mo Zhuo" suddenly woke up, like a frightened rabbit, staring at the teacher with sleepy red eyes, very embarrassed.Ma Zhong bent down and stood in front of him, and at this moment comforted him: "Sleep, sleep, sleep well. Chairman Mao said that students are allowed to sleep if the class is not well taught." Then, he stood up, "Of course, therefore, you have the freedom to sleep, and I also have the freedom not to speak. I admit , my level is low, not worthy of everyone, I don’t speak, I don’t speak, can’t I!”

Then he returned to the podium, put the lesson plan and textbook under his armpit, and rushed away angrily. The classroom exploded.Some booed, some laughed, and some complained about "grinding the table". "Mozhuo" explained with a straight face that he had a problem. He moved to a new place and couldn't sleep for three days. He didn't sleep last night, so he was sleepy. "Mouse" said: "You are poor and have many problems!" Everyone booed again.I stood up to maintain order, and no one listened.At this time, I found that in the chaotic classroom, there was only one person who did not participate in the trouble and was studying hard on the cement board.She is a girl, she is at the same table as Yueyue, twenty-one-two.Age, haircut, double-breasted red jacket, just like a monk in meditation, looking at the book in front of him and reciting the text in a low voice.I can't help admiring, the pit is full of toads, and this one is a good student.

When eating at noon, "Mozhuo" was in a bad mood. He took out a steamed bun from the bun bag he brought home and hadn't finished eating it yet.In the evening, he was actually in the dormitory.Throwing on the floor, "Woooo" started to cry.I advised him not to listen.The "rat" who was crouching down next to him and writing something got angry: "Don't you fucking mourn here, okay, I'm writing a love letter!" Unexpectedly, the "grinding table" became more and more unstoppable, and simply let go of his sorrow sound, howled. My persuasion was fruitless, so I had no choice but to walk out of the dormitory and walk towards the cornfield west of the school.Out of the cornfield, came to the river.

The setting sun was about to end by the river, and a small stream of water, dyed blood red by the sunset glow, was slowly flowing silently.On the river beach in the distance, a peasant girl was harvesting grass with a chisel.I thought to myself that at the age of twenty-six or seventeen, it was really meaningless to hang out with these kids.But think about the huge world, the two fists are empty, there is no other way out, so I can only sigh and walk back.I saw that the grass harvesting girl had put away a large pile of hay.After looking at it carefully, I couldn't help but be surprised. This girl was actually the female classmate in the class who was reciting books alone.I walked over and said hello.Seeing that she is short and fat, but her face is red and white, she is very attractive.I said she did well in class today, but she didn't speak.She also asked why she mowed the grass, her face flushed, and she said that the family was in trouble, her father was sick, and she had a younger brother and a younger sister, so she had to mow the grass and sell it for money, so she could continue to learn.I sighed, it was not easy to say.She looked at me and said:

"It's much better now. It was even more difficult at home in the past. I remember one year, when I was only fifteen, I went to Jiaozuo with my father to pull coal. It was the end of the year, and when we arrived in Jiaozuo, the tires of the car were fired. It was midnight when we found someone to fix the car. We The father and daughter were pulling a cart on the road, and they felt bad when they heard people from nearby villages setting off firecrackers for the New Year. Now that they are going to school again, they have to work hard to be worthy of adults..." After listening to her words, I nodded silently, as if I suddenly understood a lot of truth. Back at the dormitory at night, "Grinding the Table" stopped crying and was quietly sorting something. "Mouse" was reading the dirty curly book again by the kerosene lamp, humming a little tune, probably the love letter had already been sent.At this time, Wang Quan came in hurriedly, saying that he couldn't find me after looking everywhere.I asked what was the matter, and he said that my father was here to bring me steamed buns, but he hurried back at night before waiting for me.Then he handed me a steamed bun that he put on the bed, and I opened the steamed bun to see that there were several wheat flour rolls inside.This paper is only eaten at home during the Chinese New Year.I couldn't help feeling hot in my heart, and thought of the female classmate by the river again. I asked Wang Quan who that person was. Wang Quan said he knew him. He was from Guocun. His name was Li Ailian. There were three quarrels.I nodded silently.At this moment, the "rat" stepped in: "What, the squad leader has taken a fancy to that girl? Hurry up! My book is "The Complete Collection of Love Letters", I can lend you a look. Do it, buddy, seize the opportunity—there is no such shop in this village, so I missed it." Steamed buns don’t have this stuffing…” I angrily threw the steamed bun on his head: "Fuck you!..." Everyone in the dormitory was taken aback.The frustrated "Mozhuo" also raised his head, stared at me in surprise. three It's winter.The classroom is ventilated everywhere, and the dormitory is ventilated everywhere.It was so cold that there was no place to hide all day long.Unfortunately, it snowed again, and it froze after the snow, and the weather was even colder. I slept at night and often woke up in the middle of the night.There are four people in our dormitory.They had no choice but to combine the quilts into two beds, and the two of them got into one quilt and slept on two ends, which was called "beating Lao Teng".There is no fire in the classroom.At night, each of them lit a small oil lamp and lay down on the cement board to review their homework.The cold wind blows through the cracks in the wall, and the lamps shake wildly.Rows of classmates huddled under the lamp with their sleeves folded, shadowy like ghosts in a temple.Looking out the window, the black and bald tower trembled in the cold wind, as if it was about to collapse.The class had the flu, and the coughing sounded one after another.The two little brothers in the front row finally fell ill, had a high fever and talked nonsense, so they had to drop out of school and be taken back by their parents. At this time, Li Ailian and I were at the same table.That's why "Mouse" proposed to share the same table with his girlfriend Yueyue, so they switched in this way.Seeing the sky together, we got to know each other better.I told her about being a soldier and how to feed pigs in the army. She told me how she climbed elm trees when she was a child. She climbed eight elm trees in one morning and picked elm money for cooking at home.The mother in the family is very kind, but the father has a bad temper, loves to drink, and beats people when he is drunk.His mother was pregnant, and he kicked her off the slope and rolled her a few times. The school meals are very poor.The families of the students are not rich, so they bring some cold corn buns from home, buy a piece of pickles on the table, and eat a bowl of glutinous rice paste.If you are willing to spend five cents for a bowl of cabbage soup, it can be regarded as improving your life: the "mouse" family in our dormitory is richer, and they often send some good meals.But he always invites his girlfriend at the same table to eat, and doesn't let us get involved.Occasionally let me taste it, and only Wang Quan and I are allowed to taste it, and the "grinding table" is not allowed to taste it.There was something wrong with him and "grinding the table".At this time, "Mozhuo" just stood there blankly, both greedy and sad, very pitiful.After sleeping in that class, he changed his ways and worked hard, and because of this, he became even thinner and smaller. It's spring.The willow tree sprouted rice buds.One day, when I was having dinner in the classroom, Li Ailian quietly pushed me a bowl.I looked down and saw that it was a few vegetable dumplings steamed with young willow leaves.I glanced at her gratefully, and tasted it hastily.I feel that the delicacies of mountains and seas are average.I was not willing to finish eating, so I left one and quietly stuffed it with the "grind table" in the dormitory at night.But "Mo Table" looked at me and shook his head.He has insisted on not eating other people's food. Wang Quan's wife came.It was a black-faced woman with a big and thick face, and she was very powerful. When she entered the door, she pointed at Wang Quan's name and scolded her, saying that there was no cooking at home, and her two children were screaming from hunger.and scold: "We girls are suffering at home, but you are enjoying the happiness here, you are so beautiful!" Wang Quan didn't answer, just stretched out his hand and pulled a stick to drive her out of the house.Like children, the two chased each other on the playground, and finally drove the black-faced woman away.The students stood by the playground laughing, and Wang Quan turned around and went back to the dormitory. The next day, Wang Quan's eldest son came to deliver steamed buns to Wang Quan again.At this time, Wang Quan pulled the black boy and sighed: "When Dad is admitted and becomes a high-ranking official, you and your mother will enjoy two days of happiness!" At this time, a strange thing happened, the skinny "grind table".Suddenly his face turned red.One night, when I came back late, my mouth was oily.I asked him where he was, but he fell asleep without answering.When he fell asleep, Wang Quan and I discussed it. It seems that this kid has gone to a restaurant. Otherwise, why would his mouth be so shiny? But where did the money come from? At this time, the "rat" interjected:. "It must have been stolen from someone else!" I gave a "consumed" look, and everyone stopped talking. This secret was finally discovered by me.One night after self-study get out of class, I returned to the dormitory, but there was no "grinding the table".I came out alone and looked for him quietly.I turned around and saw no one.I went to the toilet to relieve myself, and suddenly found a fire behind the toilet wall, flickering and extinguishing, like a will-o'-the-wisp.There was a figure in front of the fire, lying on the ground.Oh my god, isn't this "grinding the table"! I went over quietly and found a few pieces of torn paper burning on the ground.A few young cicadas just hatched were crawling in the fire. "Mo Table" stared at the fire, licked his mouth with his tongue, and threw the cicadas that crawled out into the fire from time to time.After a while, the fire went out, and the cicadas didn't know if they were burned to death or cooked. "Mozhuo" picked them up one by one and stuffed them into his mouth with great interest.Then he chewed with his mouth full. Seeing this situation, I felt uncomfortable, so I couldn't help but took two steps back, and unexpectedly made a sound. "Mozhuo" was startled, stopped chewing hastily, and turned to look at the person.When I saw clearly that it was me, I was afraid at first, then embarrassed, and said incoherently: "Squad leader, don't you eat one, it smells so good!" I didn't answer, and I didn't eat the cicada, but there was indeed a bitterness in my heart.I looked at him, and under the dim moonlight, he looked like a short and short animal. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I stepped forward to hold him, as if holding my own brother: "Mozhuo, let's go back." "Mozhuo" also had tears in his eyes, begging me: "Squad leader, don't tell others." I nodded: "I won't tell." "May 1st" is coming, and the school needs to improve life.Radish stew, fifty cents a piece.The poor years are endless, and the students generously bought a bowl each, and ate it loudly, shouting from time to time, pointing out who had an extra piece of meat in the bowl.I brought the food back to the classroom and found that Li Ailian was lying on her stomach alone in front of the desk, not moving.I guessed that she was in a financial crisis again, so I took two bites of that dish and passed it on to her.She looked up at me, her eyes were red, and she took the dish.I was both moved and a little sad, and I also had some noble thoughts and wanted to protect someone for no reason, so I wanted to burst into tears, and turned around and left the classroom.When I went to the classroom again at night, I found that she was gone. I felt that something was wrong, so I pulled Wang Quan out of the classroom and asked Li Ailian what happened.Wang Quan sighed and said: "I heard that her father is ill." "Are you seriously ill?" "It's not easy to hear." I hurried back to the classroom, borrowed a bicycle from "Mouse", bought two catties of snacks at the cooperative in front of the school, and rode to Li Ailian's village.Why this is done, I have no idea. Li Ailian's family was indeed very poor. The hut was a shabby hut, made of mounds of dirt, crooked; the yard was dark, and only the main room had lights.I yelled "Li Ailian", there was a sound in the room, and then the curtain was opened, and Li Ailian came out.When she saw it was me, she was startled: "It's you?" "I heard that Uncle is ill, I'll come and see." There was a grateful light in her eyes. In the lampstand on the wall of the house, there is a kerosene lamp, emitting a dim yellow light.On the bed against the wall lay a skinny middle-aged man, covered with messy straw crumbs.Surrounded by a few children with runny noses, there was a middle-aged woman with twisted hair standing beside the bed, probably Li Ailian's mother.One by one I entered the room, and everyone turned their attention to me.I am busy explaining: "I'm Li Ailian's classmate. Everyone knows that Uncle is sick, so ask me to come and see." Then he handed the bag of snacks to Li Ailian's mother. Li Ailian's mother woke up from a daze at this time, and hurriedly gave up her seat to me: "Oh, this is really true, and I bought such expensive dim sum." Li Ailian's father also got up from the bed, coughed, and pushed the dry pipe on the table to me. I quickly waved my hand, saying that I don't know how to smoke. Li Ailian said: "This is our class monitor. He is very popular. He bought this... bowl of meat and vegetables!" Only then did I realize that it was on the earthen table next to the bed.There was the bowl of meat dish that I ate half. It turned out that Li Ailian was reluctant to eat, and brought it to her sick father.The younger brothers and sisters in front of the bed stared eagerly at the slices of meat in the bowl.I couldn't help feeling bitter again. After sitting for a while, drinking a bowl of boiled water poured by Li Ailian, I learned about Li Ailian's father's illness—it was because he was drunk again and had a stomachache.After a few words of advice, I got up to leave and said to Li Ailin, "I'm going back first. You stay at home overnight and go to class tomorrow." At this time, Li Ailian's mother stopped me and said, "It's hard for you, her elder brother. The family is poor, and I can't cook you something delicious." Then she said to Li Ailian: "You can go back with your elder brother now. At home There are so many people, I don't need you to wait on me, go back early, and learn from your elder brother..." The night is vast, and the night road is like a snake.I was riding the bike and Li Ailian was sitting on the rear stand.After walking halfway, there was nothing to say.Suddenly, I found that Li Ailian was sobbing, then hugged my waist with her hands, pressed her face to my back, and called out: "elder brother……" I can't help feeling hot.Tears welled up in my eyes. "Sit down and don't fall off," I said.I secretly said: I must work hard this year, and I must pass the exam.