Chapter 46 Chapter 88

In the fall of this year, Lu Xiaolong returned to the county where he jumped in the line to go through the formalities of changing his household registration with the recruitment quota from the railway bureau.When he came to the county seat, he somewhat felt like returning to his hometown.In the past two years of Liubao's life in the queue, he has come to the county town several times, going to the market, buying things for the team and the educated youth, and occasionally visiting the county educated youth office. Liubao Village is not far from the county town. Ten miles away, standing at the long-distance bus station outside the county seat, you can see a mountain in Liubao Village from a distance.Looking across the yellow-brown autumn air, Lu Xiaolong felt an indescribable feeling in his heart.The breath of this mountain is still kind. He sniffed hard, as if he wanted to inhale the smell of Liubao Village into his lungs. He looked at the rustic and bustling small county town. He had to go to the county town first.

Because he didn't know how to recruit workers, he first went to the county party committee office.The director of the office, surnamed Shang, is a middle-aged cadre full of energy. It is said that he used to be a Chinese teacher in a rural elementary school, and he was very affectionate when meeting him.Director Shang met Lu Xiaolong in the past, and appreciated Lu Xiaolong's deeds in Liubao Village. As for why he failed to protect Lu Xiaolong at that time, he spread his hands and explained with a smile: "At that time, Beijing came with materials. We don’t understand the situation, and your relationship with the brigade and the commune has gotten a little worse, so you have suffered a lot, but it’s still training.” Knowing that Lu Xiaolong came back this time to recruit workers and change his household registration, he seemed obliged He immediately picked up the phone and called the director of the County Planning Commission, and then said to Lu Xiaolong: "You can go and do it in a while, there is no problem." Putting down the phone, he poured tea for Lu Xiaolong affectionately. Leave him to chat for a while.A box of Zhonghua Cigarettes specially for VIPs was also taken out of his drawer and handed to Lu Xiaolong.Lu Xiaolong lit a cigarette and sat there talking.In a few words, Director Shang talked about Lu Xiaolong's father, and he said: "Your father almost came to our area to be the deputy secretary of the local party committee, and now his area is next to ours, and he is in charge of more than a dozen counties. In the summer, I went to the province to hold an agricultural meeting, and I met your father, and I told him about you jumping in the queue in our county, your father is a very capable veteran cadre, very good."

During the conversation with the blushing Director Shang, Lu Xiaolong clearly felt that as Lu Tiehan's son, how he was respected in the county party committee office, this made him uncomfortable and unconvinced, and made him feel very comfortable Very warm feeling.From this point on, he knew that going back to the county to go through the recruitment procedures would not be as troublesome as he expected.Director Shang's long round face is full of smiles, and his pair of bright eyes reminds people of the word "fairy". His thin hair is spread thinly on the top of his head, and his high hairline reveals his full forehead.He greatly praised Lu Xiaolong's deeds in Liubao Village a few years ago, and sent Lu Xiaolong out of the county party committee office and out of the small courtyard with a smile, pointing to a courtyard not far away and said: "The county planning committee is here. In that yard." Just as Lu Xiaolong was about to thank him and say goodbye, Director Shang stretched out his warm, fat hand to put on Lu Xiaolong's shoulder, and said, "Go, I'll take you there." At this moment, Lu Xiaolong had a feeling Sitting comfortably in the sedan chair, Director Shang's warm body warmed him like an old hen hatching chicks.Probably because of the hygienic habit of washing and changing clothes frequently, Director Shang's clothes smelled of soap, the flesh of his neck under his sparse gray hair had loosened and cysts, and a fat black mole stood upright on his neck.

The County Planning Commission is also a round moon gate, inside a row of green brick houses half busy and half leisurely, two or three cadres are busy, and two or three cadres are chatting, the thermos is pouring water into the teacups, the teacups There is steam in the room, cigarettes are smoked in everyone's mouths, and the smoke permeates the public space.The surname of the director of the planning committee is Ji. This is a topic that everyone laughs out loud.Unlike Director Shang, he was so thin that his neck showed blue veins, his sallow face was carved with valley-like wrinkles, but his hair was thick, his eyes were piercing, and his fingers were burnt yellow from the cigarette.Seeing Director Shang coming in, he stood up and greeted him warmly.Director Shang introduced Lu Xiaolong to Director Ji, and Director Ji reached out to hold Lu Xiaolong's hands like chicken feet. Those hands were wet and hot, and it was very uncomfortable to hold them.Director Ji was also very affectionate to Lu Xiaolong, and Director Shang said to him very humorously: "Lu Xiaolong is a talent in our county. He suffered a little injustice in those years. I just told him that if he doesn't leave, We have to make good arrangements for staying in the county." Director Ji said: "Just let him come to the Planning Commission, and he will be the deputy director first. After two years, when my health is not good, he will be the director." Director Shang sat There shyly said: "If you really want to stay, then it doesn't have to be with you. The most ideal thing is to be a deputy director in my county party committee office, and then serve as a secretary of the commune at the bottom. Work out together."

Lu Xiaolong had the feeling of sitting on a sedan chair under the sun again. The sedan chair was warmed by the sun, and he was as soft and crispy as bread in an oven.Director Ji blinked those piercing eyes, and said: "Whenever you go back to Liubao, you must come to the county to have a look, and then invite your father to come and visit." Director Shang waved his hand with a smile and said: "His dad almost came to our area." Director Ji nodded and said: "I know, our area is small, but the area he went to is large." The three talked about it before they talked about the procedures that Lu Xiaolong had to go through.He took out the recruitment indicators and a series of related report materials that he brought with him, Director Ji called a square-faced officer, and said: "Little boy, you have to deal with these, and you can stamp whatever stamp you want." The little boy took the big kraft paper envelope from Lu Xiaolong's hand and took it to do it. After a while, the little boy handed a stack of report materials together with the kraft paper envelope to Lu Xiaolong's hand, and said, "The planning committee's seal is stamped for you. , you go to the county educated youth office to take out the file, and then you can go to the commune to change your household registration." Lu Xiaolong asked: "Is everything here over?" Xiaotong said: "Yes."

Then he turned over the stamped report materials page by page to Lu Xiaolong, finally folded them together, put them into a large kraft paper envelope, and said, "Don't lose it, it's all inside." Lu Xiaolong accompanied him again. Several people chatted for a while, and Director Shang and Director Ji sent him out of the small courtyard of the Planning Commission while talking and laughing. Lu Xiaolong waved goodbye to the two directors, one fat and one thin, and walked through a section of brick road sandwiched by brick walls, and entered an old courtyard gate, the threshold was almost knee high, and the black wooden door shabby exuded the smell of decades. Chen Wei, facing a broken screen wall blocking there.

Around the screen wall, a dark old tree casts a heavy shade on the entire courtyard. The houses on all sides are very old, and there are a few broken baskets and a crooked broken table piled up in the corner.He looked around and confirmed that this was the Educated Youth Office in the past. He remembered that the Educated Youth Office used to be the row of rooms facing the left, with a door and a window open, and it seemed dark and empty inside.Just as he was about to open his mouth to inquire, he heard voices actually speaking in the room.He stepped on the stone steps in front of the house, leaned on the old wooden door frame and poked his head in, and asked, "Is this run by the educated youth?" Someone inside replied, "Yes, what do you want?" There was a desk in the dark room A cadre who was writing was lying on his stomach, and there were three or four shadowy men and women sitting beside him.Hearing these men and women muttering and beseeching something, I knew from their accent that they were also educated youths in Beijing.

Lu Xiaolong stepped over another threshold that was half as high as his calf, and fell into a dark and damp room. The cadre who wrote raised his rectangular face with black-rimmed glasses and asked Lu Xiaolong: "What's the matter with you?" Lu Xiaolong walked forward He moved a few steps, stood behind a few educated youths in Beijing, and said, "I'm recruiting." Several educated youths immediately turned to look at him. With a plump oval face.The cadre lowered his head and said coldly, "Go to the Planning Commission." Lu Xiaolong said, "I've already gone to the Planning Commission." I have completed all the procedures of the Planning Commission, and Director Ji asked me to come here to get the files." Then the other party solemnly raised his head to look at Lu Xiaolong, and the educated youths also raised their faces to look at Lu Xiaolong again.Standing in the dark, Lu Xiaolong felt a little dramatic effect.

He handed over the brown paper envelope, and the other party took the envelope and asked, "Which village are you from?" Lu Xiaolong said, "Liu Bao." The other party asked again, "What's your name?" Lu Xiaolong said, "Lu Xiaolong." Before the cadre took out the materials in the envelope, he raised his face in surprise.The educated youths also stood up. Just now they looked at Lu Xiaolong full of jealousy and hostility, but now they were full of flattery. The cadre adjusted his glasses, stood up and said, "You are Lu Xiaolong, come here, sit down, sit down." Then, he stretched out his hand across the table.Lu Xiaolong shook hands with him, and the other party pulled him to sit down on a stool in front of the desk.The fair-faced male educated youth was sitting on this stool just now, but now three or four educated youths are standing at the side of the table watching them talking face to face.The cadre said: "My surname is Jin, so you can call me Lao Jin. I was transferred to be in charge of the Educated Youth Office last year."

Lu Xiaolong smiled politely, no wonder he didn't know him, he asked casually, "Where is the original Director He?" Director Jin waved his hand immediately, and said with a snort, "Don't mention him, he was sentenced." Lu Xiaolong asked: "What's the question?" Director Jin adjusted his glasses, as if the question was difficult to answer, then he waved his hand and said, "Hooligans persecute young female educated men." Lu Xiaolong understood right away, in order to get over this awkward topic and get close to Director Jin, he smiled cautiously and said, "I really didn't expect that, he looks quite honest." Director Jin He patted the table and said, "So you can't look at the surface when looking at people." He said to Lu Xiaolong, "Why haven't you returned to the village for more than two years?" Lu Xiaolong said, "Treat me, I can't bear it, so I ran away. Director Jin shook his head and said, "Oh, those people are really not good. After all, it's a lot of hardships for the nobles! Where are you recruiting this time?" Lu Xiaolong said, "The Railway Bureau."

Director Jin took out the materials in the big envelope and flicked through it, folded it and put it back in the envelope, and said, "Since this is the case, I can't keep you anymore, so I can only let you go." He asked: "You went directly to the County Planning Commission?" Lu Xiaolong said truthfully: "I don't know the recruitment procedure. I first went to Director Shang of the County Party Committee Office, and he led me to the County Planning Commission to find Director Ji." Director Jin repeatedly nodded At the beginning, Lu Xiaolong felt that the respect his narration aroused from Director Jin caused a much more complicated reaction than envy among the young intellectuals around him. He felt uneasy about such a privilege and turned his head to those few intellectuals An educated young man asked friendlyly: "Which village are you from?" They said: "We are not from the same village, we each talk about our own things." Lu Xiaolong pointed to the stool next to him and said: "Sit down too." He still stood and said, "You and Director Jin should talk first." They stood with their backs against the wall in the darkness.Lu Xiaolong and Director Jin faced each other, occupying the only hazy light from the window, and he felt more and more uneasy.Director Jin obviously forgot about the few educated youths around him, as if he had found a topic that excited him in the cold, he burst into endless chatter.He said: "Is your father going to come to our district as the deputy secretary of the local party committee?" Lu Xiaolong felt the eyes of several similar people around him, and replied uneasily, "No. I heard from Director Shang that he was going to come to our district." Jin The director touched his head suddenly, and said: "Oh, I know, I have gone to other areas, I know, I know." Then asked: "Where did you go when you left Liubao that year?" Lu Xiaolong Said: "Wandering away." Director Jin combed his hair with his hands, laughed energetically, and a smell of cigarettes and garlic came over him. Lu Xiaolong endured the inevitable conversation patiently, but Director Jin couldn't talk enough. He sensed Lu Xiaolong's waiting, so he stood up and opened a rickety four-door filing cabinet behind him with a key. , rummaged in it, took out a kraft paper file bag, looked at it and said: "Lu Xiaolong, Liubao Village, that's it." He took out a few printed forms and materials from it, flipped through the pages, and said : "Your files are all here, but there is actually nothing there." He looked at Lu Xiaolong with a smile, and said, "Don't you want to see it?" Lu Xiaolong shook his head. Personal carry-on is not allowed.Director Jin put the forms back into the file bag and said, "That's it." He tore a piece of white paper, put glue on it, and sealed the file bag tightly. The official seal of the County Educated Youth Office stamped several stamps on the seal and handed it to Lu Xiaolong: "You have completed the formalities in the county, then go to the commune to transfer your household registration, and then go to the grain station to complete the grain and oil relationship." Lu Xiaolong Xiaolong picked up the file bag and stood up. In order to make up for his uneasiness, he bid farewell to those young intellectuals affectionately and said, "I'm leaving first." Several people said anxiously, "Goodbye." Director Jin walked around the office The table came over, held Lu Xiaolong's shoulder and said, "I'll show you a few steps." Before the two of them walked out of the door, the long-faced young female intellectual boldly called out: "Lu Xiaolong!" Lu Xiaolong turned around, and the other party asked, "Why did you get this index? Does the Railway Bureau still need someone?" ?” Lu Xiaolong smiled in embarrassment, and said, “I don’t know, I didn’t want to come.” While pushing Lu Xiaolong out with his hand, Director Jin turned his head and said to the educated youths, “Ask him, He won't know." He and Lu Xiaolong stepped over the high threshold and walked out of the dark courtyard of the old tree. Director Jin said to Lu Xiaolong very friendly: "So the man named He, do you know how many women he has messed with?" Are you an educated youth?" Lu Xiaolong waited for him to continue, Director Jin looked left and right to see if there was no one there, first stretched out his hand to Lu Xiaolong for a 1, then extended his hand for an 8, and said: "18, two of them are qualitative. He was sentenced to death for rape." Lu Xiaolong was startled, Director He of the Educated Youth Office had a short stature and a sickly sallow face, like a cautious employee, but he did not expect to be so bold.In a vague way, he recalled a scene. Once he went to the Educated Youth Office, in the same dark room, and saw a female educated youth's white arm slipping out of Director He's hand like a loach.That was a very hasty shot, and it is this shot that now makes a little comment on the incredible. Director Jin supported his shoulder and said a lot of words affectionately, hoping that he would write a letter and establish contact after he went to work in the railway bureau. Having already walked out of the compound of the County Revolutionary Committee, the bustling streets of the county are just outside. Lu Xiaolong stopped and bid farewell to Director Jin, and said, "I'm going to the commune right now." Director Jin said with his black and red rectangular face "Are you still going to visit Liubao Village?" Lu Xiaolong said, "I want to." Director Jin nodded and said, "You should go and have a look. I have worked there for two years. I have feelings." Lu Xiaolong said: "Director Jin, go back, they are still waiting for you." Director Jin waved goodbye to him and said, "It's useless for them to ask me about those things." Lu Xiaolong put the kraft paper envelope and file bag Put it in a satchel, turned around and saw Director Jin waving at him at the gate of the County Revolutionary Committee, he waved again, and walked forward. Just in time for the county fair, there are stalls on both sides of the narrow street: vendors selling dates, persimmons, brooms, roasted sweet potatoes, haggis soup, peppers, and garlic.The hot peppers are hung in strings of red, the garlic is long braided there, the haggis soup is rolling in the big iron pot, and a fat hand is holding a big iron spoon to scoop the soup in circles For those who drink mutton soup, break up the cold steamed buns and cold wowotou pieces and soak them in the mutton soup, eating and drinking.While walking through the hot bazaar, Lu Xiaolong felt elated for the smooth handling of affairs today. Today, for the first time, he grasped a new term "going through the back door." He found that "going through the back door" is a very comfortable thing , he once again felt like he was sitting in a warm sedan chair. As soon as he walked out of this noisy street, he heard footsteps chasing up from behind, followed by a breathless call: "Lu Xiaolong." He turned around and saw that young female intellectual with a long round face running over with a flushed face. .She stopped in front of Lu Xiaolong, and said embarrassedly: "Lu Xiaolong, I'm from Wangcun, and my name is Li Huishu." Because of shortness of breath and embarrassment, she couldn't speak for a while.Lu Xiaolong smiled cautiously, waiting for her to speak.She finally took a breath, looked back, and said to Lu Xiaolong: "Lu Xiaolong, I want to ask you to help me, no matter what job it is, I am willing to go." She spoke very eagerly, and Lu Xiaolong just Can smile awkwardly.Li Huishu said again: "You go to Liubao, I will go with you." Lu Xiaolong quickly shook his head and said, "No need." Li Huishu explained: "I am riding a bicycle, I can carry you, I will push the cart now. Lu Xiaolong said: "It's really unnecessary. All the way to Liubao, uphill and downhill, it's not convenient to ride a bicycle." Li Huishu looked at Lu Xiaolong and didn't know what to say for a while.Lu Xiaolong thought of Director He who was sentenced to death. He smiled sympathetically and helplessly, and said, "Leave me an address. If I have a way in the future, I will contact you." He took out a pen and a small diary from his schoolbag, tore the paper and wrote his address and name on it, and stuffed it into Lu Xiaolong's hand. Lu Xiaolong folded this page of paper as solemnly as possible under the eager eyes of the other party, and put it in his pocket.He took a carriage along the way, and the carriage rattled up and downhill. Lu Xiaolong looked at the fields on both sides that had already harvested the autumn crops, estimated this year's harvest with an expert eye, and how to drive the carriage. The middle-aged peasants with blushing faces and thick necks took their time and arrived at the commune at noon. Yuanjia Road is narrow, and Liu Renxin, the former deputy secretary of the commune, has been promoted to secretary of the commune, and is training people in the yard with his hands behind his back.He was wearing a light black tunic suit with a small parted hair. He walked backwards while admonishing others. With a mouse face and a short stature, he still gave off a greedy and treacherous feeling.He recognized Lu Xiaolong at a glance, with a look of surprise in his eyes, and then he smiled unnaturally. He hadn't seen him for three years, and his cheekbones seemed higher.Lu Xiaolong immediately explained the purpose of his visit briefly, and Liu Renxin's tense expression relaxed, and the smile on his face became more natural.Knowing that Lu Xiaolong had already been stamped by the County Planning Commission, and took the file from the County Educated Youth Office, he waved his hand in a dignified manner and said, "The rest is our commune's business. I'll help you arrange it." With a yell, a girl ran out from the telephone room near the door. Liu Renxin shook his wrist authoritatively and said, "Go and call me the officer in charge." The girl twisted her sensual body and ran out of the yard. , Liu Renxin reprimanded the four or five people standing in front of him: "You are messing around all day long. After you go back, reflect on yourself and come to me tomorrow." The four or five men were tall and short, fat and thin, and the leader The one was wearing a blue gown, standing there tall, with hair shaved like a toilet seat, white all around, black on the top of his head, blinking and mumblingly explaining something, it seemed to be about the supply and marketing cooperative, and then, He led a group of people out of the yard. Liu Renxin still wanted to talk to Lu Xiaolong with his hands behind his back, obviously a little out of style. He kicked a few stones under his feet while pretending to be affectionate and said to Lu Xiaolong: "I wanted to find you a long time ago, so I told you to go back to Liu Xiaolong as soon as possible." Fort, the brigade, and the commune have adjusted their leadership several times in the past few years, and I have always wanted to arrange you." Lu Xiaolong was not so forgetful, he entertained this nonsense with a faint smile, but Liu Renxin seemed to be getting more and more calm , He said: "That year, '5.16', I was under a lot of pressure. I mean, you have performed well in the past two years since you came to Liubao. I received a lot of criticism.” At this moment, a tall, thin young man hurried into the commune compound.Immediately, Liu Renxin regained his energy, stretched out a hand and said to Lu Xiaolong: "Bring me the formalities." Lu Xiaolong took the kraft paper envelope out of his satchel, Liu Renxin took it and handed it to the young man, saying: "What should I cover?" What kind of seal should be stamped, what procedures should be done, and what procedures should be done quickly." The young man nodded and entered the office next to him. Liu Renxin continued to talk to Lu Xiaolong on foot. He said, "Director Shang of the county committee office met me this year and asked about your situation." Lu Xiaolong said, "I met Director Shang at the county committee this morning." Liu Renxin immediately said: " At the end of last year, it was rumored that your father would come to our district to be the deputy secretary. I was very happy when I heard that, thinking that you might come with your father and go back to Fort Liu.” Lu Xiaolong smiled faintly again. Listening to all this, Liu Renxin smelled the smell of a rat's den. He turned his head and looked at the black room where he was once imprisoned in the corner of the courtyard.He asked: "What is that house used for now?" Liu Renxin glanced over there, and said with a smile: "It's still empty." A place of commemoration." The two stood at the door, it was very dark inside, and the light streaming in through the door was more than half covered by the figures of the two.A damp smell overflowed from inside, as if facing a damp dump.He stepped in with his hands behind his back, the ground inside the house was lower than outside, and he fell in, and immediately felt that this was really a good place to imprison people.When my eyes got used to the darkness, I saw that the walls on all sides were still smeared with loess, empty, with some wheat straw on the corners, and a tattered cloth door curtain on it, as if it had been closed not long ago. He walked out of the dark room, and the young man came out of the office with a stack of materials that Lu Xiaolong took out of the envelope, and said: "Secretary Liu, everything is done." Liu Renxin said: "Check carefully to see if there are any omissions." The young man flipped through the pages one by one, and said, "It's all done." Liu Renxin pointed to Lu Xiaolong, and said, "Let Xiaolong check it again." Lu Xiaolong took it over and read it again, and then gave it to After checking the account I moved out of, I put all these materials in a kraft paper envelope and put it in my satchel.Liu Renxin saw the file bag in the satchel at a glance, and said with a smile: "Take the file too?" Lu Xiaolong nodded.Liu Renxin said again: "Didn't you eat? Let's eat here." Then he yelled: "Old man Cui." Walking on stilts, moving a little stiffly, wiping his hands on the black apron as he walked, Liu Renxin said: "Add two dishes to entertain the guests." Lu Xiaolong hurriedly said: "I have already eaten." Liu Renxin said Looking at Lu Xiaolong in disbelief, Lu Xiaolong said: "I really have eaten." Liu Renxin nodded and said, "Then why don't you go back to Fort Liu?" Lu Xiaolong said, "Go back and have a look." Liu Renxin said, "That's fine, I won't see you off, I have a meeting here this afternoon. .” Coming out of the gate of the commune, he walked on a gentle slope, walked a long way, and turned his head. Liu Renxin was still standing at the gate of the commune, waving his hands condescendingly.Lu Xiaolong walked a little further and saw the commune health center. He remembered the year when he was put through the recuperation, when he was released from the commune compound and went back to the village in the dark that night, he met Lu Jimin and Jia Ruoxi at the gate of the health center. He looked back and saw that Liu Renxin had disappeared, so he squinted his eyes and thought for a while, then turned into the health center.The courtyard is fairly tidy, there are several rooms in the front and back, a meeting seems to be going on in one room, Lu Xiaolong slipped through the window and looked in.Inside, it was like elementary school students listening to a class. Some rural women sat there, and two people sat on the podium, both of whom looked familiar.Presumably, he was noticed as soon as he showed his head. The two people sitting on the podium looked out the window and whispered to each other, and one of them came out.Lu Xiaolong saw that it was Jia Ruoxi. When she saw Lu Xiaolong, Jia Ruoxi's expression was very complicated. She was much fatter than before, her small face that used to be pretty was now very fat, and her buttocks bulged like a dough bag. Lu Xiaolong thought of Tang Beisheng telling him that Jia Ruoxi had been raped by Liu Renxin Had two miscarriages.Jia Ruoxi smiled unnaturally, walked up and asked, "Why are you back? Did you change your residence?" Lu Xiaolong nodded and said: "Yes." Jia Ruoxi asked: "Where are you going?" Lu Xiaolong said: "To the Railway Bureau." Jia Ruoxi asked: "Is everything done?" Lu Xiaolong said: "It's all done." Jia Ruoxi showed a look of envy but not envy, and said, "Lu Jimin is also in the room." Lu Xiaolong asked, "What are you doing?" Jia Ruoxi said, "We have a meeting for the directors of the women's federations of each brigade to talk about family planning. "Lu Xiaolong asked: "You two are still in the hospital?" Jia Ruoxi said: "I am in the hospital, and Lu Jimin is now the director of the women's federation of the commune." Jia Ruoxi still looked at Lu Xiaolong with a complicated expression, and said with some guilt : "That year you, I..." Lu Xiaolong said: "Don't mention the past." Jia Ruoxi looked back for help, and Lu Jimin's loud voice came from the room: "Everyone use your brains first." Make a note, and I will give you a test in a while." The door opened, and Lu Jimin came out, his face was still dark, his eyes were still dark, the same change as Jia Ruoxi, but he was much fatter, he was not tall, but his fat was very conspicuous.When she came over, she was unnaturally prepared for full intimacy.After chatting for a few words, Lu Xiaolong asked, "What are your plans for the future?" Jia Ruoxi said, "I haven't made up my mind yet, you can ask Lu Jimin." Lu Jimin said: "My father is dead." Lu Xiaolong nodded. Her father, Lu Xiangling, was a famous writer.Lu Jimin said again: "My third younger sister jumped in the queue in Shaanxi, and went back to Beijing to take care of my mother." Lu Xiaolong nodded again.Lu Jimin said: "Now I want to go to the Workers, Peasants and Soldiers University, but I didn't make it this year." Lu Xiaolong asked: "Where is Lu Minmin?" Lu Xiaolong frowned, and Lu Jimin explained: "The family planned to send her back as an illness, but my mother is not in good health, and Lu Minmin is mentally ill, so no one takes care of her." When Lu Jimin said this, There was uneasiness in his eyes, Lu Xiaolong didn't say anything more.Jia Ruoxi asked: "Have you eaten?" Lu Xiaolong nodded, and Jia Ruoxi asked again: "Will you go back to Fort Liu?" Lu Xiaolong said, "I'll go right away." The three of them seemed to have nothing more to say, Jia Ruoxi looked at Lu Jimin, Lu Jimin looked at Jia Ruoxi, and both of them looked at Lu Xiaolong.Lu Xiaolong said: "Okay, I'll go to the village." The two followed to the gate of the health center, looked at the gate of the commune compound, and when there was no one, they sent another piece, and then broke up. Passing by a small restaurant in the town, Lu Xiaolong bought two pancakes and ate them while walking along the road at the foot of the mountain.The yellow-yellow land and the yellow-yellow hillsides are laid out warmly in the sun, the villages are high and low, and the cave dwellings, adobe houses, and brick houses are lazy.The dirt road undulates from time to time, and the small trees on both sides are also yellow and downy covered with dust.As we walked, the ground became more open, and we could see the fort wall of Liubao Village from a distance. It was a tall and thick earth wall built hundreds of years ago, and weeds and weeds had grown on the top of the wall. Tree.In the terraced fields on the mountain, someone was driving oxen to plow the field, turning up waves of soil, turning up the half-foot-high corn stubble up to the roots and burying it in the soil.Some people drive cattle to step on the rake to rake the ground. It is a job that needs to be mastered. The rake is two meters wide and covered with spikes. When people step on it, they have to turn their feet from side to side to control the uniform pressure. Holding the reins and waving the whip in one hand, the plowed land will be flattened in one stroke. After a while, the corn roots that have been raked out will be thrown to the edge of the ground.This is preparing to plant winter wheat.A farmer who was plowing on a sloping field supported the plow and looked at Lu Xiaolong high, showing a puzzled expression.Lu Xiaolong recognized that this was a farmer from the first team of Liubao Village, and waved to him. The other party also recognized him, and smiled honestly. Lu Xiaolong used to be their production team leader, and he yelled: "I'm back!" ?” Lu Xiaolong replied loudly: “I’m back.” The other party asked again: “Have you moved to the commune?” Lu Xiaolong said: “Yes.” The other party said: “Go to sit at home when you have time.” Lu Xiaolong said: "Row." Walking all the way, old corn cobs are being spread out on the field beside the village, and men and women are working.Lu Xiaolong knew that most of the corn cobs were distributed to households as soon as they were harvested, and they were left behind by the team to be used as fodder and seeds.The golden corn cobs are spread out for a while, and when they are dried in the sun, they have to be crushed with a roller. After the crushed kernels are removed, they are put into sacks and weighed for storage.When he walked to the field, the farmers had already stopped what they were holding and looked at him from afar. People in the village cared about anyone from outside. Every family who came to the city would immediately spread the word to the whole village.Someone recognized Lu Xiaolong first and shouted happily, and then everyone recognized him and smiled.Lu Xiaolong jumped over the crops on the side of the road in three steps and two steps, and came to the field.People were very affectionate to him, asking questions, and Lu Xiaolong explained clearly what he was doing when he came back. Then he asked about the situation of the production team in the past three years, and everyone talked one after another.I don't know if it was because Lu Xiaolong had been away for too long, or because he was going to leave soon, everyone's intimacy became a little strange and polite, as if he was a cadre who came down from above to check the work.The sun shone golden on the field, the corn cobs were evaporating with fragrance, and the field was surrounded by new wheat straw piled up only in summer.Lu Xiaolong walked over and patted the wheat haystacks one by one. The wheat haystacks were very solid. He grabbed the corn cobs and picked them out with his hands. The moisture was still there, and it would take a few days to dry. He turned over the corn cobs a few times with a wooden shovel. , Everyone laughed and said: "Come back and be our captain!" Lu Xiaolong also laughed, and someone said: "If you come back again, you should be the captain of the team." People were talking and laughing. Lu Xiaolong casually took out two boxes of Haihe Cigarettes from his satchel, looked at the field, and said, "It's a pity that you can't smoke here." The men all said, "It's okay, we'll smoke when the wind blows." As they spoke, they all rubbed their hands Stepping on corn cobs to the outside, squatting down beside the ditch. Lu Xiaolong passed out a circle of cigarettes, sat with everyone and smoked.Looking at the cave dwellings in Liubao Village on the opposite hillside, Lu Xiaolong thought, it might be difficult to come back after leaving Liubao this time, and he felt nostalgic for this rustic small mountain village.Even if a dog has been lying here for two years, it will probably not forget this place.After the cigarette had been smoked, the conversation was almost over. Lu Xiaolong found that he and the peasants had no more enthusiasm for chatting, and he was anxious to leave the countryside.My career is no longer in Liubao, and I came back here just to say goodbye. All the educated youths in the village had left, and the only thing he needed to see was Lu Minmin.He patted the dirt on his buttocks, said goodbye to people, and said he was going to see Lu Minmin.Everyone told him, "At Laiwang's house." He nodded and said, "I know." He entered the village next to the fort wall, and the village was still the same. Started to talk, he took out a cigarette and explained one by one what he was doing when he came back to the village.The farmers were affectionate to him when he came back, and the intimacy was normal, just like meeting people who went to work in the city and returned to the village, but the smile brought out by a cigarette was more attentive, which made him somewhat disappointed.Thinking that after all, it was the place where he had worked for two years, and it would be difficult to come back in the future, he walked around the village. The machine mills and oil mills were still rattling, smelling of white flour, cornmeal, and the damp heat of cottonseed oil.Naturally, the pig farm has been closed long ago, and the tofu house has no fireworks, but the earthen house for making tofu is still there, and so is the pigsty next to it.Pushing open the broken wooden door, it was dark inside, and looked through the light that came in. The mill was still standing in the center of the house, and the stove without the pot was still squatting in the corner in darkness.Three years have passed, and the smell of tofu has disappeared. I heard that old man Ding, who ordered tofu, died last year.He numbly pulled the door and walked out, the sound of the small wooden door knocking reminded him that he was saying goodbye to something.这儿也有一个场院，也在翻晒玉米棒子，他和干活的人也是招呼着说笑了一阵，已经没有坐下来聊天的热情了，这伙人也都用又亲热又有点生疏的笑容目送他离开。下了坡，便看到生产队原来的饲养棚，远远看见饲养员田老头在饲养棚门口挪来挪去。田老头辨认了一阵，疑惑地打招呼，卢小龙走上去递了一支烟，说笑着聊了几句，低下头钻进了饲养棚。牛马都出去干活了，只有一匹马在里边嚼草，田老头进来说：“这是赶集回来刚卸了车的。”饲养棚里挺深，那盘大炕还在，过去点上一盏油灯，就是生产队召开全体社员会的地方。卢小龙想起当年自己盘腿坐在炕上，面对着一片黑乎乎面孔的开会情景。他拍了拍门边的水缸，伸手探了探，缸里水是满的，他捧起水洗了一把被太阳晒了一天的脸，清爽地抖了抖头，走出饲养棚和田老头告别。 他几上几下地走着坡路，最后来到知识青年过去住的院子。土崖上三孔窑洞现在都被大队占了，挂着生锈的铁锁，邻居大娘见他回来，亲热地招呼着，他也回了招呼，照例解释了自己为什么回来，而后趴在门缝中将三个窑洞都看了看，里边黑洞洞的，看不见什么，听说大通炕都拆掉了，里面堆着一些乱七八糟的东西。右边那间曾经做知青厨房的小房倒是敞着门，往里一看，堆着破缸破锅，邻居大娘走过来说：“前年麦收，在这儿开过一次集体灶，给收麦的人送蒸馍，后来麦收没再开过。”卢小龙看着小屋里布满的蛛网退了出来，和大娘告别后一路小跑上了一段陡坡，来到来旺家的窑洞前。 这里差不多算是村里最高处的窑洞了，几孔窑洞掏在一壁土崖上，住着三户人，土崖前一块平地，放着一盘石碾子，下面是水平的圆形碾盘，上面是围着碾盘中心滚动的石碾，碾盘上铺着一层刚刚开碾的玉米粒。推碾的人不知道去哪儿了，碾子旁边坐着一个纳鞋底的妇女，正是鲁敏敏，还是胖胖壮壮的样子。对卢小龙的到来，她似乎毫不觉察，仍旧聚精会神地纳着鞋底，先用锥子将厚厚的布鞋底扎一个眼，将长长的针穿过去，拉着长长的细麻绳一直穿过，最后将麻绳勒紧；而后又拿起锥子扎一个眼，将针穿回来，一把一把将麻绳拉过又勒紧。鞋底的两面都是白布，已经纳了一半，针脚密密的。卢小龙走到她身边，她没有什么反应，还是一针一针地纳着，偶尔还将锥子在头发上磨一下，使锥子被头油润得更光滑，看她干活的样子很利索，像是健全的人，可是看她对外界麻木的反应，就知道不是那么回事。 卢小龙想了想，推起碾子围着碾盘转了起来。碾子靠外粗，靠里面细，这样正好在碾盘上转起圈来，碾盘上的玉米在碾子的滚压下哗啦啦地响着，逐渐破碎。看着碾盘周围的石槽中有一溜碾碎的玉米碴，他就知道，主人是要把玉米都碾成这样的玉米碴，好熬粥喝。 鲁敏敏还是一动不动地坐着纳鞋底，他推了几圈扶着推棍站住了，叫道：“鲁敏敏，就你一个人在吗？”鲁敏敏慢慢抬起眼，看了看卢小龙，没有什么反应，又低头全神贯注地用锥子扎着鞋底。卢小龙又叫了一声：“鲁敏敏，我是卢小龙。”鲁敏敏过了好一会儿抬起眼，没有什么特别神情地看了看卢小龙。卢小龙说：“鲁敏敏，你现在好吗？”鲁敏敏直愣愣地看了卢小龙一会儿，朝窑洞门口转过头去，看了一会儿，又转过头，怔愣的眼睛中露出痴呆的疑惑来。卢小龙又推着碾子转了两圈，看着金黄的玉米粒在磨盘的碾动下微微起伏着，像是轧路机在轧马路。 这时，从窑洞里端着大簸箕走出来一个高高的小伙子，是来旺。他先是惊讶了一下，很快放下簸箕，高兴地走过来，说道：“是你回来了？”卢小龙赶忙递过烟去，来旺一见海河烟，先冒出一句话：“嗬，大海河。”喜滋滋地叼上，美美地抽了起来。他拉过一个小板凳让卢小龙坐下，自己则蹲在一边，看着一直在纳鞋底的鲁敏敏，对卢小龙解释道：“你们大个子走了以后，就把鲁敏敏交给我了，没有人管她，我就让她住到我这儿了。”他显得有些局促不安，好像偷了女儿的人遇到女儿的父亲一样。卢小龙平静地一笑，说：“她现在好点吗？”来旺摇了摇头，说：“她就这样，不见好，也不见坏，不认识人，也不说话。可是，你比划着教她干点什么，她就跟着干。让她纳鞋底，她就从早到晚坐在这里一针一针地纳。” 说着，来旺又站起来走回窑洞，过了一会儿，他端着一个笸箩过来，说道：“你看看。”卢小龙一看，里面已经放着一二十双纳好的鞋底，大大小小各不相同。卢小龙问：“纳那么多有用吗？”来旺说：“拿到集上换东西呗。”他把笸箩放下，又坐下和卢小龙说话。说了一会儿，看看山头已经没有太阳，远处的河滩地也都黄昏了，来旺说：“做饭吃吧，吃了就在我这儿住一晚上。”他跑到窑洞里点火做饭，锅碗瓢盆叮当响地忙碌着。卢小龙站起来又推开了碾子，推几圈，就将粗大的玉米粒往碾盘中间扫一扫，将下面的碎碴用小扫帚扫到四面的石槽里，再将聚在中心的粗大颗粒铺匀碾压。来旺屋里屋外地忙活着，冲卢小龙嚷道：“你放在那里，一会儿我推。”卢小龙说：“我推吧，以后想推怕是也推不上了。” 玉米粒碾成了碎碴，卢小龙将碾盘上的碎碴扫到四周的石槽里，又拿过簸箕来，将石槽里的玉米碴转圈从一个漏口扫到簸箕中，最后，再一次将碾盘上的玉米面打扫干净，磕打一下小扫帚，放到簸箕上。这件农家活就算做完了。来旺已经把饭做好了，现擀的面条，盛了几大碗端出来，在碾旁放了一个小方桌，叫卢小龙坐下，又拍一拍鲁敏敏的脊背，鲁敏敏停住手里的活计，抬起眼怔愣地看着来旺。来旺拿下她手中的鞋底、锥子和针，将一双筷子塞到她手里，又拍着她的肩膀连扶带推地让她站起来，走到小方桌旁坐下，然后将一大碗面放到她手中，他自己也端起一碗，对卢小龙说：“吃吧。”他把一小碗切碎的辣椒、一小碗盐还有一小碗醋推到卢小龙面前，说：“你自己加。”卢小龙一看这大碗的白面条，就知道来旺今天是盛情招待了。他也着实饿了，不再客气，端起一大海碗面条，加上调料拌和了一下，很香地吃了起来。鲁敏敏慢条斯理地吃着，目光直愣愣地看着桌子，好像在回忆往事。来旺对卢小龙说：“你吃你的，她吃得慢。” 一大海碗面条填到肚里，卢小龙觉得十成饱了，不在村里干活，饭量早已不行了。来旺伸手要拿碗给他添，卢小龙摇了摇手，说：“吃饱了。”来旺说：“那再来碗面汤。”卢小龙说：“我自己来吧，你照顾鲁敏敏。”他端着碗进了窑洞，灶台在炕头，掀开锅盖，拿起铁勺舀了半碗面汤，又盖上锅盖。扫了一眼，窑洞里边穷得叮当响，除了炕，贴墙放着一张紫色的长条桌、两个板凳，窑洞深处放着几个缸，卢小龙知道有的是水缸，有的是米缸，窑洞墙上挂着几串辣椒，几辫蒜。土炕上放着两床被子，有一床一看就是鲁敏敏的城里人的被子。卢小龙看明白了，端着碗又出了窑洞，在小方桌旁坐下，喝起滚烫的面汤来。 来旺也起身盛了一碗面汤，过来陪着喝。卢小龙问：“你吃好了？”来旺说：“那还不吃好？”窑洞前越来越暗了，下面的村子里也暗了，远处河滩地也都暗了，来旺说：“今天你就在我这儿睡一晚上吧，明天一早我送你进县城。”卢小龙摇了摇头，他要连夜赶回县城去。来旺说：“急什么，好不容易回来一趟。”卢小龙说：“明天一早我就得离开县城，办招工的事一天也不等人。”来旺又端上空碗回窑洞添面汤去了。卢小龙却想着要是再让他住窑洞，他会担心窑洞塌方，很难想象在插队的两年中能够一天一天睡在窑洞里，这死沉沉的窑洞一旦塌下来，还不把人闷死。那两年在刘堡，知识青年全被跳蚤咬得浑身起大包，他看了一下鲁敏敏粗糙的手腕和裤腿下露出的脚脖，刚才天还明时，就看见到处是被搔破的红肿疙瘩，看来，鲁敏敏至今也没有服跳蚤这一“水土”。 来旺端上大碗又出来了，说道：“你今晚当真要赶回县城去呀？”卢小龙说：“可不，要不就误了招工的日期了。”来旺说：“那我借辆自行车送你。”卢小龙说：“不用，这路上坡下坡也不好走。”来旺说：“不要紧，下坡和平路我驮着你，上坡你就下来，咱们推着车走。”卢小龙还想谢绝，来旺说：“就这样定了，我去借车。”他将面汤喝完，带着一头汗气跑到下面村里去了。周围的两户人都是鳏夫，这时才黑着从外面回来，认出卢小龙，打过招呼后，都问：“不在村里住了？”卢小龙说：“不住了，以后来时再住吧。”说话间来旺推着自行车上来了，见鲁敏敏已经把饭吃完，就给她盛了一碗面汤，等着她把面汤喝完，将碗收到屋里，又拍了拍鲁敏敏的脊背，扶着她站起来。鲁敏敏驯服地跟着他，挪着步子进了窑洞，卢小龙也跟了过去。来旺点着了油灯，卢小龙问：“村里不早都通了电灯吗？”来旺说：“那是你在那年通的电，这两年不知有什么费没交，又给咱们停了。”来旺扶着鲁敏敏在炕上坐下，将那只没纳完的鞋底连同锥子、针线塞到她手里，鲁敏敏又开始用锥子扎起鞋底来。 来旺问卢小龙：“你还坐会儿吗？”卢小龙说：“不坐了。”来旺说：“那咱们就走。” 来旺骑上车，卢小龙跳上了后座，一路下坡出了村，坡起坡落地朝县城骑去。遇到两个大坡，他们便下来走，走着走着，月亮已经明明地挂在头顶。他们又上了车，一路下坡地飞快骑着，很快到了县城外的长途汽车站。卢小龙说：“你回吧，我进城了。”来旺扶着车，擦着额头的汗，说道：“你以后有时间再来村里看看。”卢小龙抬头远远看着刘堡方向的山脉在月光下黑苍苍的，心中升起一股挺复杂的情感，他说：“有时间我一定再回来，鲁敏敏就拜托你好好照顾了。”来旺点点头说：“你放心。” 自行车颠响着越走越远，卢小龙站在那里目送着，来旺远远地又向这边招了招手，便拐下大路上了小路，隐没在一片土坡后面了。卢小龙遥望着刘堡村方向的山脉，那里连隐隐的灯光也没有，只有记忆告诉自己曾在那里生活过两年。他扭转身朝县城走去，他打算到县委招待所住一夜，天一亮，就到县粮站把粮食关系办好，然后立刻离开这里。