Chapter 8 Chapter Three Eight

In the early morning of the fifth day of the fifth day of the lunar new year, there was a little drizzle, and the "dragon boat water" rose a little upstream, and the river water turned pea green.Grandfather went to the city to buy things for the festival. He wore a zongba leaf "cloak", carried a basket, a big gourd for wine, and hung a bag on his shoulder. He put a sling of six hundred coins in it and left.Because it was a festival, on this day, the small village brought copper coins and carried the goods to the city to handle the goods. There were a lot of lost goods, and these people got up very early, so after the grandfather left, the yellow dog accompanied Cui Cui to guard the boat.Cui Cui wore a brand new cloak on her head, sending the transitional people back and forth.The yellow dog sits on the bow of the boat, and every time the boat touches the shore, he must first jump onto the shore to hold the rope end, which arouses the interest of everyone in the transition.Some transitional rural people also brought their dogs to the city. As the saying goes, "A dog can't leave the house."When it's time to transition, Cui Cui's dog must walk over to sniff, and ask for a wink from Cui Cui, as if he understands what Cui Cui means, so he doesn't dare to do anything.After landing, finish pulling the rope, and see the strange dog go up the hill, and follow him.Either barking softly at the dog owner, or chasing after that strange dog, Cui Cui yelled angrily: "Dog, dog, what are you crazy about? You still have something to do, so run away!" So The yellow dog ran back to the boat quickly, and the boat was still full of smells.Cui Cui said: "What kind of frivolous behavior is this! Who learned it from! Why don't you squat over there!" The dog seemed very sensible, and immediately went to its original place, only occasionally as if remembering something, Gently bark a few times.

The rain kept falling, and there was smoke on the surface of the stream.When Cui Cui had nothing to do on the boat, she would count the old boatman's itinerary.She knew where he should go, who he would meet, what he would talk to, what the situation at the city gate and the river street should be like that day, "a book in my heart", she was exactly like Seeing so clearly.She also knew her grandfather's temper, when she saw acquaintances in the city, no matter if it was a groom or a fireman, she would always express her due blessings during the festival.One side says, "Master, you have enough to eat and drink during the festival!" The other person will also say, "Boater, you have to eat and drink!" If this side says the above, the other side will say, "What is there Can you eat and drink enough? Four taels of meat, two bowls of wine, you will neither be full nor get drunk!" Then, the grandfather must have sincerely invited this acquaintance to Bixiyu to drink enough.If someone wanted to take a sip of the wine from grandfather's gourd at that time, the old boatman was never stingy and would pass the gourd over quickly.After drinking the wine, the man in the barracks rolled his tongue and licked his lips, praising the wine as good, so he was forced to take a second sip.In this case, when the wine runs low, it will go to the original shop again until it is filled up.Cui Cui also knew that her grandfather would go to the pier to talk to the sailors on the boat who had just landed for a day or two, ask about the price of rice and salt going down the river, and sometimes bent down to get into the place that smelled of kelp and squid, and In other cabins that smell of oil, vinegar, and firewood smoke, the sailors grabbed a handful of red dates from the small altar and handed them to the old boatman. Cui Cui reconciles things.As soon as my grandfather came to the river street, there must be many merchants in the shops who gave him zongzi and other things. crush", but no matter what, these things have to be appreciated.Walking to the table where the butcher sells meat, he wants to "buy meat" but they don't want to take the money. If the butcher doesn't take the money, he would rather go to another shop, and he never wants to take advantage of that.The butcher said, "Grandpa, why are you so tough? I don't want you to plow the fields!" But no, he thought it was blood money, nothing more than other things. After calculating it, he threw the money into the big and long money tube, grabbed the meat and left.The butcher knows his temperament. When he weighs the meat, he always chooses the best part, and deliberately increases the portion. When he sees it, he will say: "Hey, big boss, I don't want your benefits! The meat here is the meat that people in the city use to stir-fry squid shreds, don’t be kidding me! I want the meat, I want thick and glutinous, I am a boatman, I want to use it to stew carrots and drink!” Got the meat, When handing over the money, he counted it first, and then asked the butcher to count again, but the butcher ignored him as usual, and threw the money into the mouth of the long bamboo tube, so he walked away with a charming smile.Butchers and other butchers would laugh when they saw his look...

Cuicui also knew that her grandfather would go to Shunshun's house on Hejie. Cuicui reviewed everything she had seen and heard during the two festivals and two days, feeling very happy in her heart, as if there was something like the elusive yellow sunflower she saw when she closed her eyes on the bed in the morning. It seems to be very clear in front of my eyes, but I can't see it clearly, I can't grasp it. Cui Cui thought: "Is there really a tiger out of Baijiguan?" She didn't know why she suddenly thought of Baijiguan.Baijiguan is a place name in the middle of Youshui River, more than two hundred miles away from Chadong!

Then she thought again: "Thirty-two people rowing six oars, stretching out a big tent when going up the water and walking in the wind, a thing made of a hundred sheets of white cloth, how ridiculous it is to cross Dongting Lake on such a big boat..." She She didn't know how big Dongting Lake was, so she had never seen such a big boat. What was even more ridiculous was that she didn't know why she thought of this question! A group of transitional people came, with burdens, some people who looked like they were running errands, and there were also two mothers and daughters.The mother wore freshly washed tough blue cloth clothes, the girl's face was smeared with red, and she wore new clothes that didn't fit well.After waiting for everyone to get on the boat and stabilize, Cui Cui watched the little girl while pulling the boat across the stream.The child was about thirteen or fourteen years old according to Cui Cui's estimate, but he looked very delicate, as if he had never left his mother.He was wearing a pair of spiked shoes with pointed toes that had been newly oiled, and they were stained with yellow mud.The trousers are made of that purple light green cloth.Seeing that Cui Cui was looking at her all the time, she also looked at Cui Cui, her eyes were as bright as two crystal balls.A little shy, a little uncomfortable, but also a little indescribably coquettish.The mother-like woman asked Cuicui how old she was.Cui Cui smiled and agreed unhappily, but asked how old the little girl was this year.Cui Cui couldn't help laughing when she heard the mother say that she was thirteen years old.The mother and daughter were obviously the wives and daughters of the rich master's family, as could be seen from their expressions.Cui Cui stared at the girl, and found that the girl was wearing a pair of twisted silver bracelets, shining white light, and felt a little envious.After the boat approached the shore, people came ashore one after another. The woman took out a copper coin from her body, stuffed it into Cuicui's hand, and left.Cui Cui had forgotten her grandfather's rules at that time, she didn't say thank you, and she didn't return the money, she just stared at the girl in the group in a daze.When the group was about to climb over the hill, Cui Cui hurried to catch up and returned the money to the woman on the top of the hill.The woman said: "This is for you!" Cui Cui didn't say anything, just smiled and shook her head, and before the woman had time to say another word, she quickly ran to her ferry.

When we got on the ferry, there was another call from the other side of the creek, and Cui Cui pulled the boat back.In the second transition, there were seven people, and there were two more girls, who also changed into clean clothes because of watching the dragon boat, but their appearance was not very good-looking, so Cui Cui couldn't forget the previous one. There were a lot of people transitioning today, including more girls than usual. Cui Cui was pulling the cable on the boat to ferry, so she saw something beautiful, very weird, good-looking, and her eyes were red. leave an impression.When there is no one to make the transition, waiting for the grandfather and grandfather to come again, I just review the expressions of these girls over and over again.And softly and indifferently singing:

"White chickens come out of tigers to bite people, and don't bite others. The young lady of the regiment is the first. ... The eldest sister wears a pair of gold hairpins, the second sister wears a pair of silver bracelets, only my third sister has nothing to wear, and her ears are long. Wear a strip of bean sprouts." Some people from the city went to the countryside. In front of a hotel on River Street, I once saw the old man who was pulling the ferry boat. People told her what they saw.Cui Cui laughs at her grandfather's generosity is not the time, not the place.The transitional people left, and Cui Cui was humming softly on the boat, playing the song of the shaman in December——

You great immortal, you great god, open your eyes and look at us here! They are honest, young, and disease-free. Adults can drink, work, and sleep; Their children grow up, they endure hunger, they endure cold; Their oxen are willing to plow, their goats are willing to give birth, and their chickens and ducks are willing to hatch their eggs; Their woman will raise a son, sing, and find the lover she likes! You are a great god, you are a great immortal, come and stand on both sides. Guan Fuzi straddled the red rabbit horse, Mr. Yuchi holds a big iron whip! You are a great immortal, you are a great god, descend from the clouds and walk slowly!

Zhang Guo's old donkey has to sit still, Tieguai Li, be careful under your feet! Bliss is the grace of God, The gods of wind and rain are kind, Good wine and good food are in the front line, Fat pig and sheep cooked on fire! Hong Xiuquan, Li Hongzhang, You are kings in your life, Killing and arson, all loyalty, all have their own way, Why not come to the seat now! eat slowly, drink slowly, The moon is white and the wind is clear to cross the river. When drunk, go hand in hand and go home together, I will sing for you again! The sound of that song is very soft, happy and slightly melancholy.After singing this song, Cui Cui felt a little desolate in her heart.She thought of the fire and horns beating in the fields at the end of autumn when the gods were fulfilling their vows.

The sound of drums started to sound in the distance, and she knew that the dragon boats painted with long lines in vermilion had already entered the river at this time, and the drizzle was still falling, and the stream was full of smoke.