Chapter 2 Chapter two
As soon as the summer vacation was over, Niu Yuyin returned to Shaxiang.Niu Yuyin's home is in Shawan Village, Huyang Township, Sha County. His father, Niu Genshi, used to be the branch secretary of Shawan Village.His mother, Su Jiaojiao, is a girl from Huyang Township with a big mouth.Su Dazuizi used to be a popular person in Shaxiang area. He studied in a private school when he was a child, and the Four Books and Five Classics are not a problem. The dead ones are called round ones.Whenever there is a trivial matter in Shaxiang, it is indispensable to ask him to talk it over.Therefore, Su Dazuizi travels around dozens of miles in Shaxiang all day long, with a good mouth, talking about the east and the west, mediating disputes between neighbors, quelling conflicts between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, and incidentally, securing a matchmaker or two.That year, I went to Niu Genshi's house to talk about a sand jujube tree. I saw that Genshi was really clever, and he was not lacking in words and deeds. Chai Zier, anyway, save the pain and don't let my parents and I work.Su Dazuizi made his own decision and betrothed his fifteen-year-old daughter Jiaojiao to Genshi.
When Niu Yuyin came home, his father, Niu Gen, was not there, so he must be driving the sheep to kill him.Niu Genshi raises sheep not for money, and it seems that he has never made money from sheep. It is just like a retired cadre raising flowers and birds for sustenance.Mother Su Jiaojiao lay on the kang and slept soundly, snoring so loudly that it could be heard all over the alleyway.Mother Su Jiaojiao's appearance is not worthy of this name at all. On the day she married, Niu's family moved into a water tank. The waist is as thick as you can grow, and a pair of big breasts are on the chest when she was a girl. The front dangled for a whole lifetime before it settled down and was tucked limply into the waistband of the trousers.
Niu Yuyin didn't call her mother, and she couldn't wake her up. If she couldn't sleep well, you would have nothing to do with needles and knives.When he was young, Niu Gen really thought she was too sleepy, so he brushed her with a pig hair brush, poked her nose with achnatherum splendens, and even used an awl when something important happened, but he didn't wake her up from sleep.Having lived her whole life, what Su Jiaojiao is most proud of is having a pair of plump tits and a sleepy body that cannot be blown away by wind or thunder.
Yuyin went out to her brother's house.Brother Niu Yuhu married his wife the year before last, and his sister-in-law didn't want to live with her in-laws, so they separated.From time to time, I ran into neighbors in the alley. When they saw that the graduate student had returned, they all greeted her out of curiosity, held her to ask questions, and praised her for her pale face, tenderness, and bulging breasts. Dare to let go.The water and soil in the provincial capital are good, and I forcibly made a sand bump into a painting. It looks pleasing to the eye at first glance, and I can't wait to hold my cheek and suck a few mouthfuls.
After finally walking to my brother’s house, the door was locked. The daughter-in-law who collected grain said that she had entered the city early in the morning, and the motorcycle creaked and disappeared in a flash.Yuyin was a little disappointed, and came back anxiously, but no one at home was waiting for her, as if whether she came back or not had nothing to do with this family.Standing in the alley, Yuyin was absent-minded for a moment.Sand Township in July is sweltering, the sun has steamed the ground, and the sandy date trees in the courtyard are drooping and their leaves are all blue-gray.The two fat pigs had no place to hide in the sun, so they ran to her feet to find shade.Yuyin's face was covered with sweat, she wiped it off, turned around and walked back.The grain-gathering daughter-in-law chased her out of the house and gave her some sour fruits, saying they were freshly harvested.Then he looked around and said bewilderedly: "Your aunt is sick, and she is lying alone in Shawopu and no one cares about her. I heard from Liugen." detailed.
Yuyin was impatient for a while, ran back to the house, picked up her bag, and rushed to Shawopu.
The sand nest is spread in the field forty miles away from the village. There used to be a sandbar, the place most fascinated by the people of the Sha country. Relying on the water of the north and south sand lakes, the green grass is moist and the wild ducks are flocking.According to their father Niu Genshi, they often went to the sandbar to pick duck eggs and smooth sand rice when they were young.It's a pity that time has passed, and as the sand lake completely dried up, the sand bar was completely annihilated.In Yuyin's memory, it is the place with the biggest wind and sand in the world. Thirteen sand ridges form a crescent shape. As long as there is a wind, the billowing sand waves will blow the sand nest into darkness, but you can't let the desert windy.
Yuyin left the village and looked around for a ride. No matter how hot the weather was, there were still people going to the desert. Those who hunted hares, those who smoothed the yellow hair seeds, those who picked up vegetables, and those who crossed the desert to go to the back of Montenegro. Coal, in short, some people keep sending their footsteps to the desert.After waiting for half an hour, there was no sign of the car.In fact, Yuyin didn't know that the county had issued a document saying that it was strictly controlling the desert, that the lettuce was not allowed to be caught, the yellow-haired firewood seeds were not allowed to be stroked, and the sheep were not allowed to be driven to Shahu in the next step.People in Shaxiang don't recognize documents, they only recognize death.There was a lot of trouble at the beginning, so you won't be allowed in, so you're up to it?Is the desert yours or mine? Our ancestors have lived here for generations, hated the desert, and ate the desert. If you say no, you won’t let it in?After yelling for a while, the people in Sha Township were still the same, and they did whatever they wanted, but the county was annoyed, and they sent policemen and work teams to guard the intersection leading to the desert. .The study class is very comfortable, but it allows you to talk about your understanding and write your thoughts.That's the work of scholars, and the cadres who have nothing to do love it. How can desert people bear it?Forget it, instead of spending your days in a cool room for nothing, you might as well think of other plans earlier.
As a result, there are fewer and fewer cars going to the desert every day.
Yuyin was wiping her sweat anxiously, Hongliu and the others came over, they had come back from the county seat, when they saw Yuyin, they surrounded her clamoringly, grabbing their hands and talking.It's also the words in the alley, saying that she is blunt and foreign again, and she is indistinguishable from the actors on TV.He also asked her where she bought the clothes, and why they fit so well, it matched her chest and waist, and the pocket on the bottom of the trousers was so pretty, it immediately caught the man's eyes.They pushed Yuyin back and forth, looked at and touched Yuyin repeatedly, just like people in Shaxiang buying livestock, looking back and forth.Hongliu was younger than Yuyin. When Yuyin was admitted to university, Hongliu was only a few years old. She howled all day long to touch Su Jiaojiao's big tits, saying that her mother's tits were small and not soft in her hands.Su Jiaojiao didn't mind playing, she lifted up her skirt in front of everyone, fished out a fat meat bag, and stuffed it into Hongliu's mouth.In the blink of an eye, Hongliu, who was drooling with snot and saliva, has grown into a big girl, and she is very handsome, but she has never studied, and her speech and behavior cannot do without the wild customs of Shaxiang people.
During the conversation, Yuyin learned from the mouths of the pickers that Hongliu was going to get married at the beginning of next month, and the man was Wang Simao from Xinjing Township.Wang Simao's name, Yuyin, has been heard before. His father also served as the village party secretary, but he stepped down earlier than his father Niu Genshi.I just don't understand why Hongliu wants to marry him.In Yuyin's sophomore year, there was an incident in Sha Township. Someone raped a female technician of the drilling team, knocked her head out with a stick, tied her under the derrick and raped her.The police quickly solved the case. This person was Wang Simao. At that time, he was learning the craft from the drilling team, and for some reason he fell in love with the female technician.In fact, the technician was not good-looking at all. Yuyin had seen her before. She had a typical flat chest and a pockmarked face. The only thing better than the Shaxiang girl was that she liked to wear jeans and her buttocks were always tight and round.It was probably that ass that made Wang Simao go to prison.
If Yuyin remembers correctly, Wang Simao has been sentenced for ten years and is still in prison, but she suddenly wants to marry Hongliu. She is really confused, but she is not good at asking. After rushing to Shawopu, she said to Hongliu, "I'll see you off then." Hongliu blushed, and hugged her neck gratefully.Yuyin bid them farewell, saying that she was in a hurry to go to Shawopu because her aunt was ill.
When they heard about her aunt, the girls all fell silent, their faces were full of spirits, they dropped their words and walked away.Yuyin felt strange, but she didn't bother to think about it, just as a three-yard car drove up and screamed suddenly, Yuyin waved her hand to stop the three-yard car, and jumped on it.
When they arrived at Shawopu, dusk had already dyed the desert blood red. Sanmazi turned in the middle of the road and threw her on the sandy road. She walked the 20-mile sandy road.The fire clouds in the western sky are blazing, making people sweat at a glance.The desert presents its unique beauty in the sunset, rough and majestic, making all life feel small.Standing on the sand beam, the wind blowing the sand and dust hit her face and body.Sweat flowed down his neck and into his chest, and there was sticky dirt when he touched it.Yuyin was too tired to lift her legs, and she was too tired to walk. She used to walk this way, carrying a bag of yellow hair firewood seeds without stopping.It's good now, I feel like I have followed a trip to Huashan.Yuyin slumped on the sand beam, staring at the red clouds in the western sky in a daze.
Suddenly, a burst of flowers sounded, as if a wild antelope rose from the desert, breaking the solemn and solemn silence:
Looking ahead is Jiayu Pass
Looking back is the Gobi Desert
I can't stop watching the road of life and death
I miss you and cover my heart
With stars on your head and feet on the beach
Brother Wang, it is really difficult for me to herd sheep
...
In the desert, under the setting sun, the air seems to be frozen, the wind is motionless, only this mournful flower pulls the world tighter and tighter.Yuyin listened for a while, and although the voice was rough, it was just right.I think it must be an infatuated shepherd who fell in love with someone's girl in the desert and shouted his thoughts to the sky.Sure enough, not long after, a group of sheep appeared faintly, sticking their heads out from the five beams, rolling down like cotton.
Yuyin suddenly got excited, picked up her bag, and walked towards the three beams.
There are nine Shaliangzi in Shawopu, also known as Jiubusha. It is also said that the nine widows of the Yang family guarded the sandy battlefield here.In fact, it was carved year by year by wind and sand in the past years. In a few years, it may become ten beams or twelve beams.Aunt Niuzaohua lives in Erdaoliangzi, which was originally a basin. When Yuyin came here when she was young, there were lush aquatic plants and dense reeds, but unfortunately she never picked up duck eggs.Yuyin couldn't figure out why her aunt had to guard this Shaliang for decades?My aunt's life is mysterious and legendary, a mystery left to Shaxiang people that will never be solved.
After turning over the three beams, the emerald green blooms in front of your eyes, the sunset glow fades, the night is shrouded, and the desert becomes more and more mysterious.Every step I take, I can hear the sound of quicksand rustling under my feet.Not long after, the breath of the tree rushed towards her face, and the leaves of the poplar rustled in the wind, as if sending an intimate greeting to her.Going further, the fragrance of the sandy date tree made her feel at home. The rich, warm sweetness seemed to have been deeply integrated into her life. Fragrance, the touch in life will be there.
Yuyin's footsteps quickened, and her heart was pounding.She couldn't imagine how her aunt would become ill. Deep in the desert, her aunt living alone has always been a pain in the depths of her life.
There was a sound of dog barking, it was Guoguo's voice, she must have smelled Yuyin's breath, the voice she shouted was excited and exaggerated.Sure enough, as soon as Yuyin's footsteps reached the mahogany house, Guoguo rushed towards her with a flick of her tail, and jumped into her arms.
"Who is it?" The jujube wooden door creaked, and my aunt's voice floated over.
Holding Guoguo in her arms, Yuyin came to the door in a few steps. With the faint light, she saw her aunt's frail body dangling at the door.
"aunt--"
"Is it Yin'er?!" The aunt hugged her tightly, just like a mother hugging her daughter, rubbing her hands tightly on her face. "It's such a hot day, why are you here?"
My aunt's body was hot, and her hands were on fire.
"You're burning so badly that you're going to catch fire." Yuyin became anxious, helped her aunt into the house, and asked about her condition.
"It's okay, I have a fever, drink more water and you'll be fine. Sit down quickly, and I'll pour water for you." Auntie's voice was very excited, it was because of Yuyin's sudden arrival.Yuyin stopped her aunt and scooped up a bowl of water to drink herself.
"It's vacation? Have you seen your parents?"
Yuyin shook her head, and told her aunt about going home.My aunt sighed and said, "Why did you come here without even eating, and see if your mother is not angry when she wakes up." She was about to cook for Yuyin, but Yuyin couldn't stop her, and her aunt seemed to be cured in an instant. Yuyin touched her face, and it really didn't burn so much.
A puff of cooking smoke floated up, piercing through the empty night, bringing life to the desert.Guoguo is not stable for a moment, so she clings to Yuyin, making Yuyin unable to help even if she wants to.The aunt smiled and said, "It misses you. I haven't seen you for a few months. I guess it doesn't recognize you anymore."
Guoguo barked twice, stuck out her tongue, and licked Yuyin's face.Yuyin made it tickle and forcefully put it on the ground.
The cooking was done in the small courtyard, and Yuyin discovered that there were more grape trellises in the small courtyard. The green grape bunches were very pleasing, and there were tall sunflowers around the grape trellis.The yard of less than ten square meters is covered with greenery.
A woman who loves green, but chooses to be celibate.
After a short time, the meal was ready, and the moon quietly rose, covering the small courtyard with white flowers. Under the moonlight, the two people looked at each other again and again. Auntie's gaze was tender, full of love, and Yuyin Every time we meet, I can't help but use this kind of gaze to probe, as if there are too many secrets hidden on my aunt's face, waiting for her to reveal.
A small stone table, two small wooden stools, the aunt and nephew sat facing each other.Zaohua kept adding vegetables to Yuyin, watching Yuyin eat sweetly.Looking at Yuyin who is getting more and more beautiful and intelligent, Zaohua's face is full of motherly happiness.
Just at this moment, loud flowers suddenly sounded outside:
The Chinese jujube flower in the first month, the first month is positive
My little sister and I watch the lantern
A bunch of lanterns are bright!
loose your heart little sister
The jujube flower dragon in February, the dragon looks up
My little sister and I are going to the Cailou
The colorful building is so high
Little sister, be careful to flash your waist
The date flower in March is March 3rd
Me and my little sister go to Gangnam
Jiangnan Road is so far away
little sister take a steamboat
Yuyin stopped her chopsticks and looked for the reputation, but saw the moonlight sultry, and the desert was deep.
"It's six roots." Zaohua lowered her head suddenly, and blushed for no reason as she spoke.
Yuyin looked away and continued eating her meal.But Shensi was not in the courtyard for a moment, thinking of the flowers she heard on the road, the name Liugen jumped in her mind.
The flowers outside the courtyard sounded again, loud enough to tear the night into pieces.
The jujube flower in April is the eighth day of April
me and my little sister pick cucumbers
Cucumber is big
Little sister only blooms when she is small
Jujube flowers in May, Duanyang
I lived with my little sister Duanyang
Realgar wine, go up
The little sister is drinking and doing homework
The jujube flower in June is unbearably hot
Me and my little sister sew clothes
Sew a blue singlet
Little sister, little sister, put it on
Yuyin stared strangely at her aunt's face, but her aunt pretended not to notice and got up to put out the fire.The flames sprang up from the ground, making her face extremely red.
Liu Gen sang for a while, but probably didn't get a response and fell silent.
The desert was uncomfortably quiet.
After all, Zaohua still didn't listen to Yuyin's words, and refused to go to the hospital desperately.Yuyin was in a hurry, so she said, "Whoever suffers from a headache and brain fever, goes to the hospital every day, can't make it through?" In fact, when she said this, her body burned uncomfortably.If it wasn't for Yuyin, she might have to lie in the house for another day.
"What kind of life do you live?" Yuyin was also a little angry, blaming her aunt for not treating her body as her body.
Zaohua smiled and said: "What is the body, isn't it just a lump of flesh? You let her idle, so she makes trouble with you. Let her be blown in the wind and sun in the sand every day, and she still twists with you? "
Yuyin made Zaohua choke so hard that she couldn't speak.
After a night of chatter, Yuyin had already learned about her aunt's life. Since Yincheng came back last time, her aunt locked herself in Shawopu and never went to the village once.Her father, Niu Genshi, had been here before, and wanted to borrow a foot from her to herd sheep with Liu Gen, but his aunt refused.The aunt said that she wanted to be alone, and she felt uncomfortable with others.Is the father someone else?Yuyin thought about it all night, but she still couldn't figure out what her aunt was thinking, but she woke her up with a word at dawn.My aunt said: "This man, after a long time, it becomes a cloud in that day. If you drive it to another day, the cloud will disappear suddenly." Seeing Yuyin staring at her, My aunt said again, "Just like this red willow and sandthorn, if you move it to a place, can it survive?"My aunt still felt that Yuyin didn't understand, so she sighed, "Those who live in the sky can't live underground, and those who grow in sand nests can't grow on the mountains. People are just like things, and they all have a fate. Let's say that person..."
My aunt suddenly stopped breathing and closed her eyes for a long time, looking very worried. When she opened her eyes again, there were already two deep tears.
Yuyin knew that that person was Zheng Dayuan, and her aunt hadn't escaped from Zheng Dayuan's death yet.
In the morning, my aunt struggled to go to Erdaoliangzi. She said that the wind blew a few days ago, and the plastic around it was blown into the tree. If it was not removed, the tree would be entangled to death.The tree in Erdaoliangzi was newly planted at the beginning of the year, nearly ten acres, and the money was paid by that person, but the survival rate is very poor.My aunt blamed the weather this year. It didn't rain even once, and there was no more grass for the dry sheep. These trees probably wouldn't be able to survive.It's also strange for the heartless city people, who can't play anywhere, but just go to the desert to join in the fun and bring all the messy things.Everyone hates playing in the desert. In fact, the desert is the cleanest. If you make it dirty and mess it up, it's no wonder it doesn't bother you.
As soon as the desert was mentioned, my aunt never stopped nagging.Yuyin forced her aunt to take some medicine, and felt that the fever was not too severe, so she accompanied her to Erdaoliangzi.The medicine was brought by the shepherd named Liugen. If Liugen was missing, my aunt would be overwhelmed by the disease.
The six sheep pens are under the two beams, and the fence surrounded by the date trees is densely planted with sour citrus and red willow branches, and the sheep are tightly penned.There is an adobe house next to it, which looks like a prop in a movie town.The first person to live there was Liugen's father, a man who only knew how to herd sheep or sing flowers in the desert all his life. A few years ago, he quarreled with the township cadres because of the shepherd tax.People in their seventies who have spent a lifetime of dissolute life can't bear to listen to such a sentence.Liu Genzi inherited his father's business and came from his hometown in Wufo County to pick up the sheep whip.
The sheep left the pen early in the morning. At this time, the two beams were quiet, the wind had not blown, and the piece of red silk cloth on the flagpole of the sheep pen did not move.The aunt pointed to the adobe house and said, "Liu Gen is a good shepherd, better than his father."
Yuyin's mind was not on Liugen, it didn't matter who Liugen was, she was thinking about how to persuade her aunt to leave Shawopu and go back to the village.If you continue to live like this, you don't know when you will die.My aunt is almost fifty years old. She has lived in Shawopu all her life and knows how to plant and guard trees. Trees are more important than her life.She doesn't marry, and doesn't have children. I really don't know what she wants?
As soon as I arrived at Erdaoliangzi, the flowers of Liugen came over:
Mention the red lights hanging around the city of Liangzhou
A girl from Zhang Yuan's family squatted in the embroidery building
Erming from the first day to the fifteenth and fifteenth month
The spring breeze swayed the tender willows
In March, the peach blossoms bloom and the groom plants the tree
I want a purse bag to send a book and a letter
If you want a purse, you have to do it yourself
Why do you take the book and the letter
Year after year, I stay outside every night and don’t come back
You can embroider a purse bag if you can’t see the face
If Lang wants a pouch, you can do it yourself.
To tell you the truth, bring a dozen taels of silver
When my aunt heard it, she blushed and said, "This six, at eight o'clock in the morning, what are you singing about?" Then she squatted down and carefully picked up the plastic bag.
The trees in Erdaoliangzi are indeed sick and crooked. They look like trees from a distance, but they are all firewood saplings with thick fingers.After picking and picking, my aunt scolded the county magistrate Bai, saying that he is really a white-mouthed cat, and he has caused her a lot this year.
It turned out that County Magistrate Bai provided these saplings through Zheng Dayuan. He said that the county had set up a psammophyte technology development company. It asked for a lot of sponsorship from the Desert Institute and sold these saplings to my aunt at a price of fifteen yuan each. .As a result, my aunt knew she had been fooled.However, Zheng Dayuan had a lot of trust in County Magistrate Bai, saying that he was also a person who wanted to control the desert well, so my aunt couldn't say anything else.But the saplings placed here are not good at first glance. They must have been planted randomly by the forest farm in the mountains to deceive people.
The aunt was talking and picking, and she was very devoted to it, but Yuyin was not interested at all. Looking at the vast desert around her, she was filled with melancholy for no reason.
At noon, his father Niu Genshi came.Wearing a broken straw hat and an undershirt, he shouted at Erdao Liangzi from a distance: "Zaohua—Yuyin—"
Hearing her father's voice, Yuyin hurried out of the woods. She saw her father's dark face covered in sweat.
"You son of a bitch, you know your aunt even if you don't even look at your father." Father was still used to speaking in his loud voice, as if he was sighing at a village member.
Yuyin's voice was choked, and when she saw her father, who was dark and thin, turned into a shepherd, tears came from her eyes.She walked over and called "Father" tremblingly. Niu Genshi smiled, took off his straw hat, and said, "My baby is out again." Then he asked: "How many days of vacation are you going to take? Go outside to investigate?" In the past few holidays, Yuyin always came back in a hurry and left again, saying that she was conducting social investigations, and she didn't even stay at home for five days.
"I'm not leaving, I'll be with dad this holiday." Yuyin's voice was full of emotion, she took out a tissue to wipe dad's sweat, but Niu Genshi stopped her. "What the hell, your father is not a cadre, so you can still resist the sun."
Niu Zaohua straightened up, stood in the woods, and did not move forward.Yuyin found that her aunt looked at her father with strange eyes, cold and full of doubts.Yuyin didn't know what happened to her father and aunt, but she thought, there must be some lump, it wasn't like this before.
Niu Genshi coughed and wanted to say something, but looked at Yuyin and held back his words.At this time, the sun was already very hot. As long as the desert sun jumped over one person's height, the poison would come out. Yuyin stood on the sand beam, sweat flowing from her neck.Dad said: "Yuyin, you go back first, I will discuss something with your aunt."
Yuyin stared at her father suspiciously, and her aunt came out suddenly, grabbed her arm and said, "Yin'er, don't leave, you should also listen to what your father said, does it make sense?"
"Look at you, what are you doing? It's none of your business. Tell her to go back."
"Why not, Yin'er is not a baby, let her listen." Zaohua seemed stubborn.Niu Genshi saw his younger sister's stubborn strength, and rubbed his head, "Forget it, let's not talk about it, you are very angry now, and I can't even talk to you."
"If you don't say anything, go away. Yin'er will stay with me for a few days. I miss her."
"Yo hey, stay if you say so? Her mother is still waiting for her." Niu Genshi told Yuyin to pack up his things and go back with him.He has a bitter heart for Zaohua, and wants to use Yuyin to show her off.Zaohua doesn't speak, but looks at Yuyin.Yuyin made her aunt look down, muttering inwardly, with an embarrassing expression on her face.
Just at this time, the six flowers rang again:
No flower picking in the first month
Pick a winter jasmine in February
Peach and apricot blossoms are like fire in March
I want to pick a peony to bloom in April
Pomegranate flower race agate in May
In June, lotus flowers float on the water
silver vase flower dragonfly love in july
Picking an osmanthus flower blooms in August
Everyone loves yellow chrysanthemums in September
In October, pines and cypresses turn green on the cliffs
There are no flowers in the twelfth lunar month
Wintersweet floats out of the snow
Niu Genshi listened for a while, then twisted his neck suddenly: "Liu Gen, get out of here!"
Yuyin didn't go back with her father. When the sun was shining, she helped her aunt back to the mahogany house.Unexpectedly, Liu Gen, the shepherd, was waiting at the door.
"It's a hot day, you don't want to die." Liugen the shepherd said in shock.Seeing Yuyin, Sheepherd Liugen stuck out his tongue.
"Who told you to come, let your sheep go!" Zaohua snarled, and entered the courtyard with a sullen face.Sheepman Liugen followed in and asked if Zaohua's disease was better and if he wanted to take some more medicines?Zaohua ignored Liugen and went straight into the house.Yuyin glanced at Liu Gen, and saw that there was a scar on his face, and there seemed to be scratch marks on his neck.
Yuyin helped her aunt lay out a wet towel, wiped off the sweat on her face, and handed her a glass of cold water.When she walked out of the house, the shepherd Liugen had disappeared.
When Yuyin came out, a lonely shadow was moving in the hot desert. The shepherd was a little hunchbacked, walking with a slanted body.All the shepherds Yuyin has seen are like this. It is said that the right hand often throws stones to hit the sheep, and throws the body sideways.
"Are you Uncle Liugen?" Yuyin rushed up to ask.
"Uncle or not, just call me Sheep Shepherd."
"I don't know you, but I have seen Grandpa Lao Zhuang herding sheep." Lao Zhuang is Liu Gen's father, an old shepherd in the desert.
Hearing this, Sheepher Liugen stopped, turned around and asked, "Are you Miss Yin'er, are you going to university?"
Yuyin hummed, and the two knew each other.
"I have something to ask you, so I won't delay you?" Yuyin stood in front of Liugen, and the scar on Sheepher Liugen was a bit dazzling.
"You won't ask me what's going on with this scar, will you?" Sheepman Liugen touched the scar jokingly, and then said self-confidently, "Your father hit it, and when you shovel it down, your face becomes like this."
Yuyin was very surprised, Dad took a shovel to shovel six?
"Where's the handprint on the neck?" Yuyin was suddenly full of curiosity about this person.
"Oh, I have to ask your aunt." Sheepman Liugen said casually, but soon he asked in a surprised tone: "Isn't she asking you to ask?" A smirk, but not annoying.
Yuyin has guessed something, but she doesn't care about it right now. "I want to ask what's wrong with my father and aunt. They seem to have hatred."
"Your aunt didn't tell me?"
"No."
The shepherd Liugen raised his head and looked at the sky for a while.The noon sun made people peeling, and the heat waves rising from the feet went straight into the trouser legs, and the sky was so quiet that there was no wind. "Let's find a shady place and talk, I'm afraid you, a college student, will get sunburned by standing like this."
Yuyin followed Liugen, turned a few turns, and came to an abandoned derrick, on which some dry red willows and Haloxylon were strung up to block the sun.
"You know, this well was almost completed." Liu Gen said.
Yuyin shook her head. She had been away from the desert for many years, and she didn't know many things that happened here.
"It's all the old Zheng's fault. He insisted that the groundwater cannot be exploited, and the well drilling team spent tens of thousands of dollars in vain."
"Old head Zheng?"
"It's Director Zheng from the province. We all call him Old Zhengtou. But he's right, wells can't be drilled in this desert." Liu Gen seemed to be caught in something suddenly, and his eyes became dazed.After a long time, he sighed, "In a few days, I should go too, the sheep are not allowed to be herded."
Yuyin was anxious to know about her father and aunt, and urged Liugen to speak quickly. Liugen rolled a dry cigarette and explained the whole story to Yuyin while smoking.
Yuyin stepped into her own house, and almost bumped into Su Jiaojiao, who was suffocating from peeing.
"Damn girl, you don't have eyes." Su Jiaojiao scolded as she ran with her trousers up, and her voice was still ringing in the alley when she entered the latrine, "You still know how to come back. Don't say a word to your mother."
Yuyin searched in several rooms, but couldn't find her father, so she squatted on the threshold in disappointment, she couldn't hear what mother said.
"What's the matter, I've made a fool of myself as soon as I came here, who messed with you?" Su Jiaojiao finally walked out of the latrine, looking indescribably relaxed.
"Where's dad?" Yuyin asked angrily.
"It's blocking sheep, and I'm making money for you." There was obvious dissatisfaction in Su Jiaojiao's words.For some reason, when the two of them get together, they always have bad things to say.Yuyin seldom told her mother what was going on, and the relationship between mother and daughter became more and more divided.
"You're making money for me, I'm afraid it's uneasy and well-intentioned." Yuyin was still angry, and her words were forced. Su Jiaojiao glanced at her daughter and found that her face was red and her chest was bulging, like Eat gunpowder.Then he said angrily: "It is said that female college students are not allowed to stay, and I think it is true. You are getting more and more educated, and your temper is getting bigger and bigger. How can you still treat your mother as a human being." As he said, he entered the room, He took off his shoes and lay down on the kang again.
Yuyin didn't bother to tell her mother that she wished she could go to Shahu and ask her father face to face.
Yuyin really didn't expect that her father actually fell in love with her aunt's Linzi, and insisted on pestering her to hand it over, saying that she would set up a tourist resort in the desert to earn money from the city people.When Sheepman Liugen said these words, Yuyin could only feel a fire in her chest, how could father be like this, is it not my aunt's life?
Before Yuyin was born, Aunt Zaohua left Shawan Village and lived in Shawopu.No one knew what she was obsessed with in Shawopu. At that time, the people of Shawan were fighting against each other, the flames of revolution were burning all over the vast desert, and the red flag had already been planted on the edge of the desert.Under the guidance of the spirit of learning from Dazhai in agriculture and learning from Daqing in industry, doing more quickly, saving more money, and making progress quickly, the trees in Shahu Lake were brought down one by one, the blue lake water was filled up, and the fragrant Jujube flowers became The poisonous weeds of capitalism must be eradicated.Niu Zaohua, the youngest iron girl of Shawan Iron Girl Team, carried a bag of fried noodles on her back, drove the camels, and came to Shawopu with her companions. It is going to be developed into the most extensive Dazhai field in the Tengger Desert.
When Yuyin was three years old, her mother Su Jiaojiao carried her to Shawopu. At that time, Shawopu was full of yellow sand and dead branches everywhere. The flame of revolution had been extinguished, leaving traces of burning fire everywhere.Aunt Niu Zaohua was wearing a sweat-soaked yellow military uniform, and she was pulling the frame cart to pull the sand from the flat ground onto the second beam.The one who pulled the cart for her was Zheng Dayuan, a rightist and a ghost and snake spirit from the desert institute. No one knew what they were doing with the sand beams. The field blows, rolls the sand and dust, and encroaches on their homeland without a little green.
Su Jiaojiao asked Niuzaohua to hug Yuyin, but Niuzaohua hid far away, her beautiful face had become the same color as the desert, and the fire from her eyes was as fierce as the desert.Su Jiaojiao sighed and asked her what else she needed?Niuzaohua didn't turn her head back, and ran wildly in the desert with a small cart, the three-year-old Yuyin choked on the dust behind her.
Although the past is not very clear, what is engraved on Yuyin's heart is an aunt who made the desert go crazy.When she was sensible, people in Shawan Village always called her a crazy girl when they mentioned her aunt, and then slowly they called her a crazy woman.The crazy woman's jujube flowers lived together with her trees. Who would have imagined that a woman in the desert could actually take decades to return the green that was destroyed that year.Yuyin still remembers what her aunt said when the famous host of CCTV interviewed her: "Don't ask me anything, just ask the tree!"
"Ask the tree!" When my father talked to my aunt, my aunt still said the same thing.Unexpectedly, Dad threw down the smoking pot: "I've already asked the tree if it can talk, and I don't need to ask you, you crazy woman!"
In father's eyes, aunt is crazy too!
Yuyin died of grief.How can dad say that about my aunt, my aunt has suffered enough in her life, just because she was a model back then, and at the age of seventeen she was regarded as a model for the whole county.Just because she cut down the most trees back then, she lost her whole life to the desert. How could dad cast prison on my aunt?
"Sigh, people's hearts are not enough, I can't understand your father more and more." Sheepherd Liugen's words rang in my ears again.
After dinner, Dad hasn't come back yet.But what wind brought her elder brother Yuhu here, and as soon as he entered the door, he yelled: "My college student is back, Mom, why don't you kill a sheep, he will win you glory." Yuyin glared at her elder brother, listening It was obvious that her brother was laughing at her.After graduating from university, Yuyin originally got a good job, entered the Academy of Social Sciences, and became a disciple of a famous water conservancy expert. Seeing that she could earn a lot of money for the family, she suddenly had a whim and wanted to take the postgraduate entrance examination.The courtyard didn't agree, so she ruthlessly took the exam at her own expense, causing her father to take out the money that Yuhu built a house for her.That's not counting, and later she went to donate blood for no reason, saying that she was saving some singer, but she infected herself and almost lost her life. She spent tens of thousands of dollars.Since then, the knot with elder brother Yuhu has been tied, and as long as money is mentioned, elder brother Yuhu will inevitably ridicule her.
"Graduate student, didn't you hear me talking to you?" Seeing Yuyin ignoring him, brother Yuhu stepped forward and teased her nose with his hand.
"Go aside, it's annoying."
"Yo, graduate students are also annoying sometimes, tell me, what dares to bother you?" Yuhu said carelessly, grabbing the corn cobs that his mother had just cooked and stuffing them into his mouth.
"Let me ask you, did you come up with Dad's idea?" Yuyin snatched the corn from Yuhu's hand and forced him to ask.
"What's your idea?" Yuhu didn't eat for a while, and his stomach growled with hunger, and he came here just to eat.
"What idea, what else can you come up with? Why do you want aunt's forest?"
"Are you talking about this?" Yuhu took another corn from the pot. Seeing his greedy appearance, his mother knew that he didn't eat it, so she made a fuss to cook for him.Yuhu said he couldn't do it, he still had important things to do, so he left Yuyin and disappeared in a flash.
Mother Jiaojiao blamed Yuyin, saying that she shouldn't mention the forest, it's just some broken trees, how much is it worth, look at your aunt, it's worth more than her life.
"Lin Zi is my aunt's life. You know it and insist on it. Isn't this bullying others?"
"Bullying? Oh, I bullied her? You go to the village to inquire about it, and I bullied her?" Mother yelled a few times, and suddenly the conversation changed, and Yuyin came to reprimand: "Your eyebrows are dry, you wings!硬了，会帮着外人说话了。你也不想想，谁拉大你的，供你吃，供你穿，供你念书，你倒好，学会帮外人说话了。”说着说着，母亲竟拉起了哭声。玉音知道，母亲只要一拉哭声，胜利就倒向她那边。果然，母亲的伤心越来越重，话也越来越重，仿佛受了天大的伤害，又仿佛跟玉音有几辈子的仇，不容玉音再插话，从头到尾将玉音数落了个遍。
玉音心里的那份委屈，甭提了。自个才回家，没一个人问问她的学习，还有生活，反倒像是他们的仇人，专门跑来受气似的。她抱了被子，躲到厢房里，一个人生闷气。
第二天一大早，母亲让玉音进沙漠赶骆驼。说是天太热，骆驼要是找不到水，会渴出病的。沙湾人有个习惯，农闲时间，会把骆驼赶进沙漠，让骆驼自己找草吃，多者一月，少则十来天，被赶出去的骆驼就像放了假的学生，会由着性子满沙漠乱窜，人不找它还不回来。玉音家养了三峰驼，一峰公驼，两峰母驼。听母亲说，大母驼马上要产了，母亲也是怕母驼把羔产到沙窝里。
玉音有点不想去，但又怕母亲的冷脸子，磨蹭了一会，还是出了门。正好碰上拾草，也是去赶驼的，两人便作了伴，一同进了沙漠。
拾草是沙湾村刘瞎仙的姑娘，瞎仙年轻时并不瞎，后来让炮炸瞎了，看不见了，跟着凉州城的师傅学贤孝，一学竟给出了名。方圆几十里，只要一提刘瞎仙，没人不知。不但曲儿唱得好，命也算得好，谁家大人娃娃有个毛病，拿着生辰八字，瞎仙一掐捏，准能给你说出个道道，照着他的话一禳解，准灵。玉音考大学那年，就让瞎仙算准过，是爹后来说的。爹拿着玉音的生辰八字，端了二升麦，赶早跑到瞎仙家，夺了个头彩，出来便笑嘻嘻的。瞎仙说：“这娃是河水命，天生不会窝在沙窝窝里，注定要依河而立，靠河吃饭。”玉音果然考到了黄河边的省城，学的又是水利。
瞎仙那么灵验，偏是把拾草的命给算到了一边。拾草比玉音小两岁，属羊的，老早就出嫁了。男人是平阳镇上的麻五子，高中生，娶拾草的时候，在平阳镇开个修理铺，修个电视机洗衣机啥的，也能捣鼓不少钱。娶了拾草，四年里生了三个丫头，铺子让镇计生办给罚没了，家里的麦子也让乡干部抬光了。把个麻五子气的，直骂娶了个扫帚星，老母鸡。两口子为生儿子的事天天嚷仗，后来便打捶。麻五子手狠，打时不打别处，专打拾草的下身，说是那儿是个瞎窟窿，多好的儿子种进去，一转悠就成了丫头。打了别人还看不见，都说没打。拾草受不住，只好跑到娘家，瞎仙不相信，说他掐过的，婚是金婚，命里有五个儿子，劝着让拾草回去，继续给麻五子生。拾草真就给回去了，这一去，差点没把命搭上。
麻五子正搂着裁缝店的葛美人，床上欢腾着。葛美人是平阳镇公认的美人，就是男人杀了人，吃了枪子，反把美人给孤单下了。隔空不隙，也跟乡干部上上床，缓解一下身体的寂寞。但乡干部毕竟不是常客，再说人家都是有面子的人，不会为了一个三十好几的寡妇毁了名誉。葛美人心里还是想找个能守得住的男人的，思来想去，惟有麻五子合适，便一来二去的，惹得麻五子上了火。拾草当时并没说啥，气也没敢生，悄悄关上门出来了，一个人蹲大街上抺眼泪。到了夜黑，实在没处去，便又怯怯地回去，看见麻五子正给葛美人下行面，桌上放着几个菜，都是平日麻五子舍不得让拾草吃的。拾草躲在屋角，等麻五子跟葛美人吃完了，拿了个碗舀汤喝，没想麻五子猛地抡起勺子，照头就给了一下，直把拾草给打愣了，站在锅边，傻傻地望麻五子。麻五子最见不得拾草这傻样，想想人家葛美人，眼睛扫一下，便能把水扫你脸上，这个婆姨望了他几年，甭说水，连丝凉意都没。这么一想又恨恨地掀翻锅，一锅热汤扣在了拾草身上。
拾草烫得妈妈老子乱叫，葛美人兴奋得大笑，她的笑的确很迷人，不但骚，而且勾魂。麻五子扔下拾草又扑葛美人身上了，不扑没办法，葛美人实在太迷人了。两人又在沙发上啃起来。拾草拖着烫伤的身子，去镇卫生院，不去她可能活不过这夜。
后来，拾草还是让麻五子撵了回来，不撵不行，家里不可能同时睡下两个女人。这一回来就是几年，到现在婚也没离。玉音问她为啥不离婚，拾草抹着眼泪说：“三个娃哩，离了交给谁？”其实那三个娃一直在娘家养着，麻五子根本不管，好像跟他没关系。再问，拾草就哭着不肯说了。
玉音叹了口气，沙乡的女子不光拾草这样，你要是细打听，十个里至少三个如此。都说是命，怪不得谁的。
两个人默无声息地走着，路越来越静，也越来越空旷。沙漠要是静下来，能把你的心压碎。玉音回头望了望，村庄已模糊得成了一缕烟，来时的路被风轻轻一吹，无踪无影了，剩下的只是零零星星的梭梭、刺蓬，却也那般的无生无色，就像让人家虐待欺凌的小媳妇。这么想着她便扭头望了一眼拾草，拾草的确不像个二十几岁的女人，那张脸冷不丁让人想起脱了毛的骆驼。玉音的心顿时沉甸甸的。走了一阵，拾草忽然问：“玉音，你有对象么？”玉音摇摇头，告诉拾草还没，拾草不相信，硬说玉音是有了，不跟她说。“你念了这么大的书，长得又这么洋气，准是能找下城里男人。”
拾草的话让玉音忍不住想笑，她问：“城里男人有啥好？”
“有啥好？多着哩，你瞅瞅他们，穿好的，吃好的，还不干活。”
"anything else?"
“一到放假，带着老婆娃娃，提着大包小包的东西，跑到沙漠里，吃一天，玩一天，人家那个日子，谁见愁过？”拾草脸上漾出一层神往，嘴唇咂得巴巴响。“我要是能过上一天那样的日子，这辈子也没白来世上。”
玉音突然无话，拾草的想法竟这么简单。想想看，沙乡女子真是没过过这样的日子。
日头爷跟着两个女子，越跟越紧，一刻也不放过，没多久，玉音热得就喘不过气。拾草笑话她：“念书啥也好，不好的就是越念越怕日头。”说着把头巾递给玉音，说你顶上吧，别嫌土，能把太阳遮住。
沙漠里空空荡荡的，哪见个骆驼。拾草说还早着呢，近处早没草了，骆驼要找到草，只少得跑一天的路。
“那晚上我们回不来？”玉音惊讶地问。
“你还想回来呀，你妈没跟你说，明个天能找到就不错了。”拾草这才发现玉音没背水，也没拿晚上挡风的东西。
玉音真是恨死妈了，晚上不回来，沙漠里咋过？也怪自个，也不动动脑子，骆驼出去快半月了，能在近处？
拾草说：“这不行，少了别的能将就，少了水要是三天两天找不见骆驼，还不把人渴死？”两人商量了一会，决定到最近的九墩滩去借水。九墩滩是个新开发的乡，住的多是苍浪那边搬来的移民，拾草有个姑姑在那儿。两人赶到九墩滩，已是下午三点，移民们全都懒洋洋地蹲在树底下，等着日头西斜。拾草告诉玉音，苍浪的移民最难缠了，热也受不了，忙也受不了，老是跑县上闹。说好好的在山里住着，硬是县上做动员，把他们搬到了这苦焦地方。玉音知道苍浪，那里尽是山，庄稼只要一撒进去，就不管了，全交给天爷，那儿的人便让天爷养出一身的毛病。没移民前沙县常有不少的苍浪麦客，专门给沙乡人割麦子。苍浪人骂沙乡人小气，西瓜就馍馍就算一顿饭。沙乡人却骂苍浪人耍奷耍懒，光要工钱不干活，真正的好吃懒做怕动弹。后来沙乡人不用苍浪人了，让岷县人割麦。苍浪人来了找不到活，便偷沙乡人的东西，偷羊偷牛偷骆驼，丫头也偷。甭看苍浪人穷，偷起丫头来却有一手，沙乡好些女子都叫苍浪人偷大了肚子，没办法，只好嫁过去。拾草姑姑的儿媳妇就是沙乡人，表哥割麦时偷上的。
装了水，拿了腰食，又跟表嫂要了件夜里避风的衣裳，两人原又上了路。这时的沙漠正是一天里最要命的时候，腾起的热浪从裤腿钻进来，很快蒸得人冒汗，汗从四处流下来，汇聚到一处，叫人说不出的难受。没走几步，玉音的衣服便紧贴着肉，半条裤子湿透了。
这天她们一无所获。黄昏时分，两人找到一个地窝子，许是以前抓发菜的人挖下的。地窝子四周的杆子还在，拾草掏出塑料布，绑在四根杆子上，一间凉棚便搭成了。玉音刚要坐下歇缓，拾草一把拉起她说：“缓不得，得赶紧拾柴。”玉音问拾柴做啥，拾草说夜里点火呀，点了火就不怕狼。一听狼，玉音的腿越发抖得站不住。“真有狼呀？”她的声音发着抖儿，身上的汗似乎瞬间沁住了。拾草说她也没见过，不过沙漠里过夜，柴火是少不得的。说着丢下东西，到远处拾柴。玉音只好学拾草的样，一根一根的捡柴禾。她记得小时到沙漠，柴禾堆的满地都是，随手就可以捡一背篓。七岁那年，母亲苏娇娇将她留给了姑姑，姑姑也让她捡柴禾，不是夜里点火，是要过冬。那时姑姑已决定要在沙窝铺住下来，爹劝也不听，气得爹直骂她：“你真是疯了，这荒滩野外的，鬼都不来，你咋个住？”姑姑横下一条心，硬要在这里盖房，说她就不信沙窝铺养不活她一人。爹后来还是妥协了，叫了几个社员，赶上骆驼，拿队上上好的沙枣木，给姑姑盖了两间红木房。沙湾人都说姑姑的魂叫沙狐狸给勾住了，回不到村里了。爹偷偷找了刘瞎仙，就是拾草的爹，瞎仙一掐八字，闷了半天，跟爹说：“她是沙狐子转生的，一辈子就该在沙里刨食吃。”
那个冬天，玉音是跟姑姑过的。皑皑白雪掩埋掉整个沙漠时，姑姑领着她在雪地里抓鸟，那是怎样一望无际的雪啊，白茫茫的世界，耀眼得让人透不过气，太阳一照，她小小的心灵里便耀满了亮晶晶的希望。
拾完柴禾，天完全黑下来，劳累让玉音失去了一次观赏沙漠晚霞的好机会。她把这话说给拾草时，拾草扑地笑了，说：“啥叫个晚霞，太阳天天要升，天天又要落，升了就该忙活，落了就该歇脚，你真是念书念邪了，正做的做不来，尽学城里人说些歪话疯话。”
玉音看着拾草忙碌的影子，心想自己是不是真的跟沙漠远了？
就着凉水，吃了些干粮，拾草说：“你先睡吧，我望风。”玉音说：“这阵哪能睡着，我还想看看月亮呢。”拾草说：“整天月呀星的，跟你姑姑一个样。”一提姑姑，玉音的兴头上来了，缠着拾草问这问那，拾草似乎心不在焉，她愁愁地瞪住夜空，半天不跟玉音说话。
玉音想，拾草定是想她的娃哩。
这夜的月亮终是没升起来，约摸十一点钟的时候，沙漠起了风，刮得柴火一点着就飞走了。拾草硬说是撞上孤魂野鬼了，便学她爹样嘴里念起了咒，还要玉音也跪在柴火旁。玉音不跪，拾草恨恨说：“鬼撵不走吃亏的可是你。”玉音觉得拾草真是让她爹给害了，这样子下去，一辈子哪能有幸福。
奇巧的是，拾草念了一阵，风突然就小了，柴火又旺了起来。借着柴火，玉音看见一片子乌云从北部窜过来，不多时，便将天空牢牢盖住了。拾草叹口气，像是为刚才那句话后悔，几次张口想跟玉音解释，终因嘴笨而把话咽进了肚里。
地窝子里燥热燥热的，拾草让玉音睡，玉音试了一下，躺不到沙子上，就叫拾草睡，说自己望风。拾草拿脚扫了下沙子，躺下了。头刚搁到沙子上，就呼呼打起了鼾，反把玉音弄得有点失望。原想跟拾草说会话，还想借机劝劝拾草，能离就离吧，趁年轻，早点找个可靠的人，幸福是靠自己争取的。
后半夜的时候，玉音睡着了。先是坐在柴火边打盹，一阵风吹来，身子轻轻一歪，倒在了沙子上。玉音梦见了姑姑，姑姑搂着她，绵绵的胸脯贴她脸上，那么柔软，那么温暖。玉音忍不住伸出手，握住姑姑的奶子，多么饱满多么香甜的奶子呀。玉音贪贪的，婴儿一般陶醉了……
柴火不知啥时已燃尽，漠风吹着灰烬，还有两个女子的香气，飘散在黑沉沉的大漠里。不知过了多久，玉音忽觉身上有了异物，先是轻轻的，像狗在挠她，又像是姑姑的手，充满爱怜地在她身上滑动。梦中的玉音挪了挪身子，感觉中跟姑姑更贴紧了些。一双手果真在她身上游走，那么贪婪，那么放肆，衬衣的扣子轻轻解开了，露出胸罩紧裹着的半片子胸。哟嘿，那是怎样的一片粉白呀，借着朦朦的夜光，那片子粉白像是一朵猛然开放的睡莲，透着娇羞，透着清冽冽的脆……沙漠似乎羞涩地打了个哆，夜空含羞地闭了下眼睛。那片子粉白便越发馋人了，似葱，似蒜，更似刚刚剥开的玉米，嫩，鲜，娇滴滴地往下滴水。又似乌云中钻出的半个月亮，晕儿晕儿的，能把整个世界迷醉。光儿先是白的，接着是一片子红，慢慢又幻成了几道子粉，到后来，便晕晕乎乎的说不清是啥色儿了，反正直觉得好，诱人，馋，非叫人扑上去，咬上它几口。
沙漠的味儿变了，真变了。这哪还是沙漠呀，偌大的沙漠，竟让这粉中透红，红中透白的半片子胸给彻底湮没了，那一息一息飘出的肉味儿，简直就是万物的精灵，淡淡的，似风，似露。怱儿又浓得化不开，久久地钻进人的鼻腔，把人迷幻得不知是在天堂还是在地狱。吸一口下去，整个人就被这味儿醉了，迷了，巅了，痴了……以至剥开衣服老半天，那双手突然不知该咋动弹，居然让这味儿给贪住了，怔住了。就像是罪孽深重的人见了菩萨，突然软得跪不下去。
好久好久，风终于把那人吹醒，他打了个喷嚏，突然就像狼一般扑向那片子白。一张嘴咬住它，一双手顾不上一切地往下扒玉音的裤子。
玉音被惊醒后，就发现一个身子牢牢压住了她，男人的身子，笨拙，有力，急促。她想挣扎，双手却被男人牢牢压在了膝盖下，她想喊，嘴却让男人死死封住了。一股子呛人的汗骚味熏得她想吐，胸腔却闷闷得像是着了火。男人见玉音睁开了眼，越发猛了，腾出一只手撕扯玉音的胸罩，刹时，那片女儿家的粉白便全暴露在了夜空下。那可是让岁月滋润了二十七年的身子呀，纯得还没让姑姑以外的任何人碰过。
玉音知道遇着了什么，绝不是狼，也不是鬼，而是活生生的想强暴她的男人！她奋力挣扎，双腿乱蹬，嘴里噢噢地发出呼叫。男人实在太猛了，简直跟骆驼羔子一样，玉音竟在他身下动弹不得。
就在男人奋力撕开玉音裤子的一瞬，老天爷让拾草醒了，她睡得真是死啊，外面这么大的动静都惊动不了她。她揉着眼，玉音玉音的喊，忽然就听着不对劲，跑出地窝子一看，妈妈呀，这还了得！
掉头抡起棒子，狠狠就朝男人头上砸去，幸亏男人躲得及时，要不，当场就能让他脑袋开花。拾草一声喝：“操你妈妈，你是哪里来的驴！”
男人定是听出了拾草的声音，猛地提了裤子，掉头就跑，眨眼间便消失得没了踪儿。
玉音这才从恐慌中醒过神，抱住拾草，半天才哇一声。
沙漠里哪有骆驼的影子！
转到第二天后晌，拾草和玉音都不敢转了，转下去也是闲的。拾草说得对，定是有了贼。她们在沙滩上发现了三码子的辙印儿，很清晰，就是这几天留下的。还在一个地窝子前发现一滩血，不用说，有人干起了偷杀骆驼的营生。这事儿前几年也发生过，沙湾村的十几峰骆驼让人偷了，有些活卖了出去，羔子索性就地儿宰了，卖肉。公安在沙窝里守了半个月，最后抓住的竟是几个赌博贼，输了钱跑沙窝里捞光阴。
“回去吧，一定是有了贼，赶紧报案。”拾草边收拾东西边说。
玉音因为昨晚的那场惊险，到现在还没缓过神，一听拾草说回去，脚步子就先朝村庄这边迈了。
路上玉音再三叮嘱拾草，回去千万别跟人说，就当自己吃了个亏，咽了算了。拾草说：“不用你安顿，这种事儿能说么，说了你还嫁不嫁人？”
玉音感激地憋了一眼拾草，到这时，玉音才感觉到拾草的沉着和老练来。昨晚那人跑后，玉音吓得再也不敢合眼，双手死死地捂着衣扣，生怕黑夜里猛地伸出一只手，再次剥开她衣服。拾草宽慰她：“放心，借他十个胆都不敢来了，这人是毛贼，不是大贼，偷女人怕是头次，要是换了大贼，你我都叫他睡了。”
玉音越发吓得不知咋是好，拾草便搂着她，像个小母亲，不停地给她壮胆。还说要是我睡外头就好了，你身上的味儿太浓，几十里路上都能把男人引来。一席话说得玉音心里稍稍松动了些，同时也感到一股子烫心的甜。拾草接着告诉她，这事儿她也碰上过，是抓发菜时，白日抢着抓发菜，把个身子累垮了，夜里跌倒在地窝子里，牛压身上也不知。
“那……？”玉音禁不住问，眼里充满疑惑。
“唉，我是女人了，三个娃的妈，又不像你，黄花闺女。”拾草丢下一句，眼就瞪住了天。
天黑黑的，啥也看不见。
“你念书不知道，沙乡的女人哪个不遇这号事。”拾草又说。玉音吓得不敢接话了。
沙窝里果然有了贼。
玉音她们赶回来后，就听说先头出去找驼的人家也都空着手回来了，有人还发现一只骆驼头，像是寡妇周喜兰家的。寡妇周喜兰闻声便哭，她也实在够可怜，寡妇拉娃娃，好不容易熬出个头，儿子姑娘去年双双考上了大学，一个在北京，一个在上海，都等着问她要钱呢。家里惟一的驼却让贼给杀了，能不急么？
支书当天就去报案，说是非要抓住这伙贼娃子。谁知派出所长说：“这两天忙得很，实在抽不开身，过几天再说吧。”支书说：“再过几天，沙湾村的骆驼就没了”。所长说：“谁叫你们把驼赶到沙窝的，再三跟你们做工作，要把驼圈起来养，你们就是不听，这阵急了吧？”支书一看所长发了火，忙陪着笑脸说好话：“圈起来养，人经几辈子，谁家的驼圈起来养了？那又不是个鸡儿，它得吃，天爷大旱，人都没吃的，圈起来给驼喂啥？”所长没心听支书的废话