Chapter 35 people are also plants

So, do you believe in chance? Liu Hanxiang never expected that she would run into Lao Mei.In this city, Liu Hanxiang doesn't know anyone except that "him".It was like throwing a small fish in a ditch into the sea. After taking a few mouthfuls of sea water, she really didn't know what else she would encounter... In the end, she ran into Lao Mei. This old Mei is about sixty years old, tall and thin, with a whitish blue cap on her head, and a very old Chinese tunic suit, with woolen blue cloth on her arms. made sleeves.He walked slowly through the garden woods, and every time he passed a tree he would stop and murmur to the tree, "Hello, brother. Hello." Then , when he came to a small tree, he would pat the tree and say affectionately, "Hello, young man, hello." Then, from time to time, he would raise his broken hat , Say hello to every tree you meet... That demeanor is really not much different from a mental patient.

Liu Hanxiang met him in the woods of the gardening field.She is in this city.Wandering all night!When the sun was rising, almost due to an unspeakable reason, by mistake, she walked step by step along the road into this Linke office located in the suburbs... When it was convenient for her After that, she actually fell in love with this secluded gardening field covered with yellow leaves.She stood under a ginkgo tree for a long time... At this moment, she heard an old voice, which said: "My child, why are you so sad?" Suddenly, she turned around and saw Lao Mei standing beside her.That sentence "child..." seemed to open a floodgate, and she suddenly threw herself into the arms of the old man, crying sobbingly.

Lao Mei said: "I know, you want to talk to the tree. When people are bothered, they can talk to the tree. Trees also have hearts, and trees are better than people." After crying for a while and feeling better, Liu Hanxiang said, "I wish I could become a tree." Lao Mei said, "You can't become a tree. A tree never sheds tears. Have you ever seen a tree shed tears?" Liu Hanxiang said: "Isn't the tree planted by humans?" Lao Mei said: "In the earliest days, trees were not planted by humans. Trees were gifts from nature. People cut down trees from generation to generation, so God punished people to plant trees. People cannot live without trees."

Liu Hanxiang asked: "Old man, you, what do you do?" Lao Mei said, "Me, I am a tree planter." After that, Liu Hanxiang was puzzled by the fact that the people who were so close could even be said to be close neighbors!How could you become a stranger all of a sudden?And meeting by chance, just a one-time acquaintance, how can they suddenly become so harmonious that they have nothing to say? !Moreover, a single girl like her, facing an old man, how dare she live in this Lin Ke residence... Speaking of it, it was really like a dream.Perhaps, both of them need an interlocutor, an interlocutor who knows nothing and does not need to guard against anything.

It was only after she stayed here that she found out that Lao Mei used to be the director of the Forestry Institute.Laomei has a big yard behind the gardening field. The yard is full of plants planted in pots. Those potted plants are big or small, with all kinds of strange things. Those plants in pots also have their own shapes. Each posture, one place and one place are twisted and twisted... It looks like a miniature botanical garden. When Liu Hanxiang stared blankly at all this in the courtyard, Lao Mei said indifferently: "Don't look at it, this is another mistake I made."

Liu Hanxiang said, "Wrong?" "Yes, mistake." Then he said, "Girl, I tell you the truth, I'm not a good person. I've made many mistakes in my life..." After hearing this, and looking at the bonsai everywhere, Liu Hanxiang felt that the plants in the yard were quite deserted, as if no one had taken care of them for a long time, and there was a long waste, and it really smelled like an abandoned garden... But she still I can't understand, those bonsai look very peculiar in shape, how could it be a mistake?However, the old man's tone of voice made her feel kind.He actually said that he is not a good person?

What is even more unexpected is that such an old man, who is also the director of the Lin Ke Institute, can roll noodles!He made this lunch by himself, he didn't let her intervene, he cooked the noodles and rolled the noodles himself.When Liu Hanxiang was going to help him, the old man said: "Kneading noodles, rolling noodles, and cutting noodles are all very happy things. Don't deprive me of my happiness, okay?" Hearing what he said, Liu Hanxiang couldn't help laughing. The old man's knife skills are very good, and the noodles are cut very finely.It didn't take long for two bowls of hot egg noodles to be served, with a layer of oil-soaked green onion floating on top.Maybe it was because he was hungry, but Liu Hanxiang ate deliciously.During the meal, the old man told her: "My child, I think you are a kind person. You can tell whether a person is kind or not from his eyes. But you have a wound in your heart. If you don't mind, you can stay here." Come on, stay here for a few more days. Besides, you are a good match with me, an old man. We can also talk." Then, the old man said: "Words are poisonous. Sometimes, voice is an invisible knife , it will hurt people. Acquaintances can’t say things that are especially hidden in your heart. If you tell acquaintances, you will cause a lot of trouble; therefore, you can only tell strangers. In fact, the so-called strangeness is just a kind of distance. Just like a tree and another tree, if the two parties do not live in the same space and have no direct interest relationship, they will not be harmed."

For some reason, Liu Hanxiang immediately fell in love with this old man.The old man spoke strangely, but he was wise and open-minded.Maybe it's because he has been dealing with plants for many years, his words contain a kind of otherworldly elegance!At the same time, she could also see that he was the only one in the family, quite lonely. During these days at Lin Ke Institute, the night has eyes.Those dark nights are made up of words, the words flowing from the bottom of the heart become the eyes of the night, one heart looks at another heart, flowing in one pulse, appearing peaceful, optimistic and moist.When the past comes into memory, it is like a knife that has been worn bald by life. It no longer has the murderous intent to hurt people, but it is blunt and generous.For some reason, my heart suddenly relaxed.Words are the lock of happiness. Two strangers sat around the charcoal fire and began to get close to each other heart-to-heart.Liu Hanxiang naturally told the old man about herself without reservation, just like a child facing a strange and wise father; the old man even opened up his heart, telling all that he could and could not say. brought out...

The old man said: "In all fairness, in the early years, we were all people with ideals. Speaking of which, I am also the son of a farmer. I only went to university after liberation. At that time, there were very few college students, and things were rare. Right. I majored in forestry and graduated from university in 1957. As a forestry major, I used to plant trees, but I didn’t plant trees after graduation. Guess what I do? Cut down trees. I graduated in 1957. In 1958, it happened to catch up with the "Great Leap Forward". The whole people made steel. At that time, the slogan was "Thousands of troops and horses go to battle, one day equals 20 years, catch up with the Premier League" Beauty!' So I went to cut down trees. I cut down trees for a whole year. At that time, people rushed into the forest like ants, and cut down a mountain! Because of my good performance, I also invented There is a method called "cutting down trees along the mountain", which suddenly "cuts" myself into a model figure, joins the party and promotes it, and becomes an activist. Normally, I would not understand these words It is said. What is it for? It is shameful to say it. In fact, to put it bluntly, people are also plants. Every region has its special plants and vegetation, which are caused by climate and environment. Human growth is also determined by climate. It is determined. The climate I am talking about is spiritual, referring to the fashion of the times. What kind of fashion of the times produces what kind of spiritual climate, and what kind of spiritual climate creates what kind of characters. At the beginning , I also want to serve the country wholeheartedly, but I didn’t expect that I became a tree feller... If you say crazy, it’s not just a problem of one person. It can only be said that all people, old and young, are crazy. It’s for steelmaking and for the Premier League Mei, in the area where I live, all the trees have been cut down, not a single one remains, can this be someone's problem?"

Then, the old man said: "I have done some bad things. The so-called good and bad things can only be seen later. I didn't think that way at the time. I thought it was 'saving' at the time... It was the year when the tree was cut. After a while, the young commando leader. I remember that one evening, when the work was over, I gathered all the team members together and started roll call. At that time, it was militarized management, and roll rolls were required at the beginning and end of work, but it turned out that there were two people missing. One is Zhang Qiuyan and the other is Wang Xinping. Qiuyan is a woman and Wang Xinping is a man. They are both my college classmates. At that time, I was young and vigorous, and I also thought that I was an "upright person", so I ordered all the team members to find ...I found it as soon as I searched for it. The two were hiding behind a big tree hugging and kissing. Needless to say, there was a denunciation meeting between the two of them that night. This denunciation meeting was hosted by me Yes, let the two of them stand in the center of the meeting place, and criticize them for most of the night... The slogan of the criticism meeting that night was two words: Shameless. At that time, I was not the only one who felt that they were shameless. It can be said that everyone , They all think they are shameless. Everyone surrounded the two of them. At that time, fighting would be called "Guo Luo", which means a group of people surrounded. You push him from one side, and I push her from the other side. ... Later, at dawn, Zhang Qiuyan disappeared, so she mobilized people to look for her again, and it turned out that she was hanging on a tree! I remember very clearly that it was a crooked neck tree, and her eyes were wide open. It was very big, with panic in its eyes... That Wang Xinping was short-sighted at 600 degrees. Later, he put on a rightist hat and sent him to his hometown. When he left, he cried and said, I should have known earlier. , I don’t want to kiss that mouth anymore, just that one mouthful. The sixteen years of study have been in vain, and I’m wearing a “hat” (rightist hat)! Now that I think about it, isn’t it just a love affair? It’s worth it? I want It is said that when a nation has a fever, pouring two basins of cold water will not work. Understanding also requires a process. It was a time when struggle was advocated, and there was almost no one who did not participate in the struggle, right? Those who fight are the ones who are fought, without exception. This is the spiritual climate of that era. In such a climate, you can only progress if you struggle. You think, I am the son of a farmer, and I went to college with great difficulty. The most important thing is the bursary, I must improve, I am afraid that I will not keep up with the pace of the times, so I will rush to the forefront of everything, and suddenly become an active member in this climate..."

The old man said: "I have always been an activist. I am a person who does not want to be left behind and wants to be ahead of everything. So, in those years, there was a period when I was very popular. I organized the second The bad thing is that a big-character poster was put up during the "Cultural Revolution". At that time, big-character posters were overwhelming, and the whole China was a sea of ​​big-character posters. Everyone posted big-character posters...unexpectedly, it was this big-character poster that caused the Something happened. An old leader who admired me the most committed suicide by jumping off a building after I posted this big-character poster! Of course, at that time, a 'capitalist roader' died as soon as he died. No one said anything, but this matter has always been my heart disease. In fact, my big-character poster did not expose anything, but wrote about a small incident, saying that he ate steamed buns and peeled them... To be honest, in my heart, There is also the meaning of protecting him, because the problems written by others are much more serious than mine. At that time, there were all kinds of writings. Some wrote that he was a historical counter-revolutionary, some wrote that he was a KMT spy, and some wrote that he was messing around. There are many relationships between men and women. I also wrote about some small problems in his life. I grew up in the country. Once, I saw him eating steamed buns and peeling the skin. I was really surprised. He is a nine It is a fact that he eats steamed buns and peels their skins. But even if he eats steamed buns and peels them, he is not guilty of death, is he? But he died just like that. That night, he was locked up He jumped out of the window of that building. That building is a landmark building of the college, and it was built under his auspices. As soon as it was built, the "Cultural Revolution" began. The building has seven floors. He started from the highest I jumped down and fell on the concrete floor in front of the building... I think this is the story of a hungry man and buns. He was not full when he ate the first eight buns, but he was full by the ninth bun. Maybe it was me who made him sad. When other people put up big-character posters, they put them up. No matter what they say, he can still hold on. Desperate. In the late period of the 'Cultural Revolution', his family sued everywhere, saying that I forced him to death, and I was censored for a long time because of this incident. At that time, I was always dissatisfied. Now that I think about it, I really He is responsible. Perhaps, I was the one who forced him to death..." When the old man said this, he was silent for a long time.Then, he poked the charcoal fire in the soil basin with tongs, and continued: "I have been unclear about this matter. Later, I left my original post and was transferred to this Lin Ke Institute." Yes. At that time, I didn't want to deal with people anymore, so I chose trees. I was originally a forestry student, but I found trees after twenty-five years. After I found trees, I Made a third mistake." The old man said: "After I came to the Linke Institute, I left the original life track. I was like a fish thrown on the dry bank. I didn't adapt for a long time. Life has inertia. In the environment of struggle After soaking for a long time, I suddenly came to such a quiet place. When I faced the tree again, I really didn’t get used to it. This does not mean that I didn’t think clearly about what official position I still miss, no. Then At that time, I thought clearly... But, people are like trains, you keep driving in one direction, and then brake suddenly, the huge inertia will still take you forward, no matter what you think, it will Whether you like it or not...that's inertia. You've seen those bonsai in the yard, that's another mistake I made. That's also the result of leaving the struggle, the signal of the struggle is still working in the mind. If you don’t fight with people, you fight with trees. If you want to put it even worse, if you are not allowed to clean up people, you can clean up trees. At that time, I took advantage of the convenience of being the director and asked people to dig some tree roots from the mountain. There is a whole yard of bonsai. When those trees grow branches, I tie them up one by one with iron wires, bending and twisting them. One day, another tomorrow, artificially making various shapes... At the beginning, I was still complacent, thinking that this is self-cultivation and moral cultivation. However, one day suddenly, when I woke up in the morning, I looked at the "distortion" in the courtyard, that fold, that bend, that bundle, that tie, all , They are all sick! That is not the normal growth state of plants, it is a pain one by one! Is this how trees grow?..." The old man said: "Later, when I searched myself, I found that I had a 'poor spirit' in me, and the word 'poor' has always been with me. When a person is poor, his ambition must be short. The so-called 'progress' , It’s just a conspiracy hidden deep in the heart. For human survival, it is determined by the climate. In front of you, I don’t want to defend myself. What I want to say is that I have always been a follower People who follow the trend. From the concept of big time, the process cannot be surpassed. That is to say, in these years, a nation has woken up, and I have also woken up. It is difficult for people to know themselves without going through some repetitions. There is inertia in thinking, and that inertia is also very scary... At that time, during the "Cultural Revolution", I fought with my woman for many years, and the fight was very hard and pious. At that time, at home, we both Debating like the chairman, you side, I side, the two views debate, and then expose each other, God, after exposing and exposing, I feel that I am not a person...At that time, the two of us were comparing each other to recite quotations , You recite one, I recite one, I recite it, I recite it wrong when I am excited, and I apologize to the chairman when I make a mistake, bowing and pleading guilty again and again. In those days, she asked me to plead guilty almost every day... There is no love between each other, only hate. Then, we broke up. Since then, I have become a lonely family. Now that I think about it, how funny and terrible is the so-called "family revolution"! , People all yearn for purity, but the result of purity has gone to extremes. I really dare not think about it!..." The old man said: "Now, the climate of the times has changed, and people will change accordingly. I have become a tree planter. I like trees, and trees are my relatives. At that time, we had so many theories. Thinking about it now, eating It is the best theory to have enough food and live a good life.” Then, the old man actually said in a pleading tone: “Son, plant trees. Trees are the natural shelter of human beings. Think about it, in this world , What would it be like without trees? Trees are the source of oxygen, the source of water, the foundation of human breathing, and the only plant on the earth that can bring benefits to humans without any disadvantages...you If you want to plant a tree, come to me, come to me." Liu Hanxiang looked at the old man silently, and said, "A tree?" The old man said affirmatively: "Tree." Liu Hanxiang seemed to be talking to himself: "What can a tree give people?" Unexpectedly, Lao Mei immediately became angry and said: "What can a tree give people? Let me tell you—everything! Food, shelter, use, everything! In a sense, trees are the source of life. !" At this time, the old man's eyes were as bright as two lamps!He murmured: "Son, if you have patience, listen to me tell you about trees. Do you want to hear it? Do you want to hear it? Are you afraid of my nagging? Trees..." Liu Hanxiang was moved, she nodded solemnly.However, right after, she said, "Old man, I have a condition, can you agree?" Lao Mei said, "You say it, you say it." Liu Hanxiang said: "I want to be your student and study with you for a year here, learning about plants and planting trees. Is that okay?" Lao Mei looked at her and said, "One year?" Liu Hanxiang said: "One year. I can cook for you, wash your clothes, clean for you... This counts as my tuition fee, okay?" Lao Mei pondered for a moment, then said, "One more thing to add." Liu Hanxiang looked at the old man, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Just tell me, as long as I can do it!" Lao Mei said: "—Listen to my nagging. You can't be annoying!" Liu Hanxiang smiled and said, "Success." Lao Mei said, "Then it's a deal?" Liu Hanxiang said: "It's a deal."