Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Marriage Taboo

He sang to himself while imagining the fifteen-year-old Huang Daxian Huang Chuping encountering a fairy in Jinhua Mountain in the play, and felt in a trance that he was Huang Chuping, a white-haired and long-bearded fairy teaching him the way of ascension. One summer in 2001, in the woods behind the house, there were countless cicadas yelling "cicadas, cicadas".The wind is the waves in the air, beating the chaotic houses and dense forests, making the sound of rustling waves.Only by kicking in front of the door or leaning against the window can you see the shape of the wind on the opposite mountain, just like the water on the riverside, wave after wave.

Ma Jinlong's son, Ma Chuanxiang, came to the drunkard's house amidst the cicada's noise.The scorching sun made him panic.The alcoholic at that time hadn't fallen in love with drinking, and he hadn't returned from working in the city yet.The daughter-in-law he bought cooks tea and cooks meals in the house alone, and is extremely busy. "Is sister-in-law at home?" Ma Chuanxiang scratched his chest and called into the room.The door was actually open. Through the wooden door, Ma Chuanxiang saw a pouting butt swaying from side to side.The sound of the spatula being tinkered in the pot came from time to time, and the woman was frying something.The woman she bought had a bad face, but she had a good figure.In Ma Chuanxiang's words, if a plastic bag was used to cover her face, she would definitely be considered a peerless beauty.

"Here." The woman who bought it turned her head to look, her words had a strong foreign accent. "Oh, so it's Brother Chuanxiang. What's the matter?" This woman calls all grown-up men Brother and all grown-up women Sister.I don't know if it's the habit of their place, or to please the aunts and uncles in this place.She put down the spatula and wiped her hands on her apron.It was a pair of onion-like hands.He didn't know how this hardworking and hard-working woman had such delicate hands. Ma Chuanxiang stood outside the door and said: "Sister-in-law, let me borrow your kettle. My family is preparing to slaughter pigs, and there is not enough boiling water, so I come to you to borrow a kettle. Is that okay?"

"All right. Hey, don't keep standing at the door. Come in, I'll get you a water bottle." The woman smiled, "I'm already a member of the Ma family, not a stranger. You don't have to be so reserved Hey, look at me, I was busy at home, and I didn't find time to visit your house. When my husband comes back, I will go door to door to visit my neighbors and folks." Ma Chuanxiang stepped into the room and chanted: "Whether you have it or not, and be patient. When will you be free? People's hearts are twisted, and the world is full of mountains. There are many changes from ancient times to modern times, and there is a cycle of rich and poor. The future will pass at any time, and life is like bitterness and sweetness."

"What is Brother Chuanxiang talking about? Why can't I understand a word?" The woman asked with a smile, her tone timid. "I'm reading poetry. Hehe." Ma Chuanxiang said with a smile, his two mung bean-like eyes gazing at the woman. "Hey, brother Chuanxiang can also compose poems! Amazing!" the woman said in surprise. Ma Chuanxiang touched his smooth chin and said, "This is not my poem, it's the Buddha's poem. I'm just chanting casually." When the woman heard "Buddha", she was absorbed for a long time.Ma Chuanxiang thought that this woman was a pious believer, and suddenly felt a little cold. I am afraid that this woman will not be easy to get.Unexpectedly, the woman blinked her eyes, pressed her temples again, and asked, "Is the Buddha a poet? I've heard that Jing Yesi is a poet, but I haven't heard of the poet Buddha."

Ma Chuanxiang was taken aback, and asked, "Who is Jing Yesi?" The woman was even more surprised than before, and she opened her beautiful eyes and asked, "Oh, my family is poor, and I haven't taken a single class, so I know Jingyesi. I didn't expect you didn't know this poet!" Ma Chuanxiang showed a shy face, and said: "I was just chanting casually just now, and I haven't read a few serious poems." He originally wanted to show it in front of this woman from the backcountry, but he didn't expect to play a big knife in front of Guan Gong . The woman picked up the kettle on the stove, and said proudly: "Jing Yesi wrote a very famous poem, and the elderly and children in our area can recite it by heart. The bright moonlight in front of the bed seems to be frost on the ground."

Ma Chuanxiang suddenly felt dizzy. "Take the kettle. Remember to return it to me when you're done using it." The woman handed the kettle in her hand to Ma Chuanxiang. Until now, Ma Chuanxiang still remembers the original appearance of the kettle.The kettle was bought when the alcoholic married a woman, and when it was handed to Ma Chuanxiang, his face could be seen clearly on the lid.There is a red cloth strip tied on the handle, which still retains the joy of marriage. At the same time, he also saw the hands holding the kettle, slender and white, like porcelain, as if cracks would appear if touched lightly, and then shatter.

"Sister-in-law, your hands are so beautiful, you are born with wealth and honor!" Ma Chuanxiang stared straight at the woman's hands, swallowing with a gurgle in his throat. "How is it possible! Will I marry here if I am rich and honored?" The woman said sadly, "If I hadn't married here, I would still be eating millet bran mixed with pumpkin leaves. Where did I get rich and honored?" Ma Chuanxiang chuckled and said, "That's not necessarily true. Before Zhu Yuanzhang became emperor, he begged for food. Come on, let me show you palm reading. I will recite the formulas of the poor and the rich, and calculate for you whether you will be rich in the future." Go." Looking at the woman's hands, he wished he could grab them and put them in his arms to fondle them.

As soon as the woman heard that he could tell fortunes by palm reading, she suddenly became interested, and happily stretched out a pair of white and soft hands in front of him, and said expectantly: "Then you help me read palm reading to see what my fate is like." .” Ma Chuanxiang used the same method to deceive women's hands, but this uninnovative deception has won countless successes.He put down the kettle, carefully pinched the woman's fingers, and carefully checked the fingerprints on her fingers.The surface of the lake is as calm as a mirror, but the inside is torrents and undercurrents, which is difficult to control.

"Brother Chuanxiang, how is my palm reading? Will I be rich in the future?" The woman looked at Ma Chuanxiang, who was pretending to be deep, and then at her slender hands that were tightly held by him.She could feel cool sweat oozing from Ma Chuanxiang's palm. "One basket is poor, two baskets are rich, three baskets and four baskets open pawnshops..." Ma Chuanxiang pretended to read seriously, while scratching his head and ears anxiously, because he really couldn't remember how to recite the following formulas. "What is a basket?" the woman asked strangely.

Ma Chuanxiang said: "A basket is the fingerprint of a circle, like a basket. Unlike a basket, you see, this fingerprint is not a basket, but a shaukei. What is a shaukei? Look, the shaukei just doesn't form a circle and spreads out. If all ten fingers are baskets, or if ten fingers are all Shau Kei, it will be great! In the future, the husband will be rich and the son will be expensive!" The woman's enthusiasm was mobilized by him, and she hurriedly asked: "Then take a look, are my ten fingers all baskets?" Ma Chuanxiang kneaded the woman's cotton candy-like small hands, his eyes blurred as if out of focus, and his two frizzy hands gradually became dishonest, one hand grabbed the woman's wrist, and the other hand groped forward. The woman sensed that Ma Chuanxiang's movements were unusual, and timidly said: "Brother Chuanxiang, Brother Chuanxiang, what are you doing? You, don't do this, be careful that passers-by outside will see you." Ma Chuanxiang pulled a cold smile from the corner of his mouth: "What are you afraid of? Everyone cooks lunch at home. When their rice is cooked, we will also cook rice. Anyway, your man is not at home, maybe his stupid brother I'm looking for someone to ask for cigarettes right now." He said as he approached the woman's face. The woman dodged left and right, but his hand was held tightly by him, unable to escape.The woman trembled and said, "Brother Chuanxiang, don't mess around. My father-in-law's portrait is hanging there. Look, he is looking at us..." Ma Chuanxiang raised his head and saw a picture frame hanging on the opposite wall, with a black and white portrait in the picture frame.It was the deceased father of the alcoholic. Perhaps the person who painted the portrait was not skilled enough. The deceased father of the alcoholic smiled very stiffly in the frame, his pupils were like two dull buttons, and he looked at him and the bought daughter-in-law absently. Ma Chuanxiang cast his gaze towards him, and found that the dead man's eyes were directly facing him.He really was staring at him!Ma Chuanxiang felt a chill go down his spine, and he couldn't keep retreating! In a panic, my foot tripped over the kettle. So when the goblin put the jug at my feet, I saw a dent in the lid.According to Ma Chuanxiang later, it was the trace left by him when he was flustered.Although the bottom of the kettle leaked several times later, and was repaired several times, the kettle still did not belong to his family, but to the drunkard's family. However, the purpose of the "fairy" was not just to return the kettle. She approached the alcoholic's younger brother and said with a charming smile, "Do you think I'm beautiful? Does every man can't help drooling when he sees me? " The drunkard's younger brother shook his head: "I...I'm dead! Don't force me! Don't come here! You're beautiful! But I'm dead...Please...I'm dead..." The "fairy" twisted her wet hair, tilted her head and said, "Don't you feel impulsive when you see a woman? Why are you so scared now? Haven't you done it several times? You ruined my bottom Lah, I'm in pain, it hurts so much. Hey, I told you, you don't know how much it hurts." "I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." the alcoholic's younger brother begged cowardly, his back was already against the wall, and there was no way out.He put his hands with bruised nails together and begged the "fairy" for mercy. "Really, I'm in so much pain." "Fairy" bit his lip, with a pained look in his eyes. The alcoholic's younger brother shed tears like coffee: "I'm sorry..." His gauze-like voice seemed unable to say anything except for repeating the three words "I'm sorry". I still couldn't move, and my chest was unusually heavy.I seemed to have really turned into a stiff stone, and I could only lie silently beside them. Why is he saying sorry?What did she mean by those words?According to common sense, it should be this woman who would tremble tremblingly when she saw this ferocious-looking man, but why is it this woman pressing on every step of the way?What secrets do they have in common? Grandpa, come back quickly!I screamed desperately in my heart. "Aren't you very excited every time you see me? You don't care how much I hurt, you only know how to vent your animal desire! You are doing it again, what are you afraid of? You see, I used to be motionless and let you ravage me. Are you afraid now that I stand up?" The "fairy" held down the chest of the small-headed man with one hand, and his eyes were burning with rage. "I, I, I dare not..." The body of the small-headed man gradually shrank like a leaking balloon. "Look, I've only peeled half of your skin, so you're afraid of this?" The "fairy" poked his face with a finger, and sneered, "But my skinning skills are not yet skilled, so I made you suffer. According to the normal skinning method, the knife should be cut from the spine first, and the skin on the back should be divided into two halves with one knife, and the skin and muscle should be slowly separated with the knife, tearing apart like a butterfly spreading its wings. The most difficult thing is the fat person, because the gap between the skin and the muscle There is still a pile of fat, which is difficult to separate. You are not fat, but the skin is also difficult to peel. There is another method of peeling, burying the person in the soil, only revealing a head, and cutting a cross with a knife on the top of the head. After the scalp is pulled away, mercury is poured into it. Due to the high specific gravity of mercury, it will pull the muscles and skin apart, and the person buried in the soil will writhe in pain and cannot break free. The open cross jumps out naked, leaving only a piece of skin left in the soil...haha, it’s like a snake sheds its skin, and it’s like a frog in a restaurant being skinned, it’s really fun!" The more she said, the happier she was , and finally couldn't help but dance and dance, with high spirits. The alcoholic's younger brother was shivering, his body was still shrinking, and weak wrinkles had begun to appear on his face and hands.I'm really worried that if the "goblin" is pressed again, he will become a deflated piece. "Why are you so soft?" "Fairy" looked him up and down, and her fingers sank half an inch into his face, as if what she poked was not human skin, but a soft sponge. The sound of rain is like the noise when the TV cannot receive the signal.I glanced at the kettle at my feet, and there was a puddle of water in the hollow.The water surface is already higher than the depression, and the water surface at a slightly lower level has become an arc shape, and one more drop of water will flow out. The alcoholic's brother finally looked over the shoulder of the "goblin" and looked at me. His eyes were full of remorse and sorrow, full of disappointment and helplessness.His eyes are like a reed, caressing my face with its weak and rough fringe, making me feel a short-legged caterpillar with a small sucker moving on my cheek.Itchy, a little scared, but still afraid to reach out and touch it. Is he begging me for help?But I can't even move my fingers. The fingers of the "goblin" gradually moved down from his face, passed over his chin, slipped past his Adam's apple, crossed his chest, crossed his belly button, and went straight down... The "goblin" put his mouth close to his ear and murmured something.Those words were so soft that they were melted by the rain and blown away by the wind before they reached my ears. The alcoholic's brother gritted his teeth and stared straight at me with a feeble light, as if a lamp was about to go out in his eyes. I didn't dare to look at him, so I just closed my eyes. When the human eye is blind, the ear is much more sensitive than usual.My hearing avoids the noisy sound of rain, wind, clear sound of rain hitting tiles on the house and muddy water on the ground, and hears another strange sound.It was the panting of the drunkard's brother, panting like a plowing ox. "Liangzi, Liangzi!" A voice floated from far away.I wanted to answer, but I couldn't make a sound as if my throat was pinched. "I'm afraid it's a ghost," said another voice.Then, I heard the gasp again. A hand rested on my shoulder and shook it gently.I finally woke up.When I looked up, it turned out that it was Grandpa and the drunkard who had returned. "Why are you asleep? Has my brother come back yet?" The drunkard asked anxiously.Maybe he ran too fast, out of breath, and his chest heaved violently. "He—" I looked left and right, and the "goblin" and the alcoholic's younger brother disappeared under the eaves.Was it just a dream I had?I looked down and saw that the kettle at my feet was still there, and a small puddle of water had gathered in the hollow. "Has he been here? Where is he? Has he left again? Which direction is he going?" The drunkard asked, stamping his feet in a panic. "He—" I stammered, not knowing how to answer.The one who was here just now, why suddenly disappeared? "Why is this kettle still here?" I scratched the back of my head, unable to tell whether the scene just now was real or a dream. The drunkard looked down at the kettle and said, "This is my kettle. Just now I went to Ma Jinlong's godson's house. Their family was slaughtering pigs. Ma Jinlong's daughter-in-law saw me and handed me the boiled kettle. She said that she had borrowed it for many years and hadn't returned it, and had refilled the bottom many times. I never remembered to lend her the kettle. But since she said so, I will bring the kettle back." "Isn't she a new wife? How do you know that I borrowed your kettle many years ago?" Grandpa asked in surprise. "You ask me, tell me who to ask?" The drunkard spread his hands and said. Seeing that he didn't bring his son back, Grandpa asked, "Where's your son?" The drunkard said: "The doctor said that my son's wound is unusual, neither like a human bite nor a dog bite. You need to check again to determine what medicine to use." Grandpa shivered.My heart skipped a beat. "Where's Ma Jinlong? Where has he gone?" The drunkard asked his grandfather. Grandpa said: "He went to look for your brother elsewhere. We searched everywhere we could and asked everyone we could, but we didn't see your brother." The drunkard stomped his feet and said, "Wanqiao Village is such a big place, why can't I find it? Could it be that he has gone to heaven?" Grandpa comforted him and said, "Don't worry. In such a rainy day, he can't run very far. Maybe Ma Jinlong is on his way back with your brother right now. Don't worry." The drunkard sighed: "I hope I can find him. Although I have lost face among the neighbors and folks because of him, he is my brother after all, a brother of flesh and blood." Grandpa nodded and said: "I know. But it's useless to be anxious." Grandpa pondered for a while, and then asked: "By the way, you said that Ma Zhongchu's family killed a pig. They have nothing to do, and they have nothing to do. Why kill the pig? what?" The drunkard sneered, and said, "That woman of his is short-tempered." "What do you mean?" Grandpa asked, frowning, not understanding. "They're getting married tonight!" said the drunk. "marry?" "Ok." "tonight?" "right." "Why do you have to get married tonight?" Grandpa asked. "Who knows?" replied the drunk impatiently.He stretched his neck and looked into the rain curtain, expecting to see the shadows of Ma Jinlong and his younger brother. "Did that woman know that Ma Jinlong invited me to prevent her from marrying Ma Zhongchu?" Grandpa had a reason to think so.Because until now, grandpa has not seen Ma Zhongchu.Only when the "fairy" came to Ma Jinlong's house to borrow a kettle, he saw Grandpa and me who had just arrived.She was a little terrified when she saw grandpa. Did she know the purpose of the two strangers the first time she saw grandpa? The drunkard pinched his chin and said: "I guess, since she knows that this kettle that has been borrowed for more than ten years belongs to my family, it is not difficult to know the purpose of your coming here. Anyway, this woman is very weird." "Strange?" Grandpa asked. "That's right. On the first day Ma Zhongchu brought this woman back, he stayed at Ma Jinlong's house." "I know that. He told me this morning." Grandpa said. "The other day we heard that this ugly boy brought a beautiful girl from his part-time job because of his good fortune, so we all ran to see it. My stupid brother wanted to follow us to join in the fun when he heard that there was a beautiful girl to see. I was afraid of him He went and made some obscene gestures, and refused to agree. Unexpectedly, he sneaked behind us. What surprised me even more was that when he saw the woman, he screamed in fright, and immediately lost control of his urine." "Then why?" Grandpa asked. The drunkard looked at the rain curtain outside and said, "Listen to my brother, he has seen this woman before." "You mean, that woman is actually a local? But she pretends to be a foreigner and wants to marry Ma Zhongchu?" Grandpa took out a cigarette from his pocket and handed it to the alcoholic, and took out another one stuck in his own. mouth.He felt on his body and took out a matchbox, but the phosphor surface of the matchbox was wet, and Grandpa struck it several times without catching fire. Grandpa is not used to using a lighter.His hands were rough and cracked, and when he was lighting a fire, the heat-insulating iron sheet easily scratched the cracked dry skin.And matches are much cheaper than lighters. The drunkard quickly took out the lighter, blocked the wind with one hand, and sent the faint flame to Grandpa's mouth.The flame was trembling and almost extinguished, but it immediately sprang up under Grandpa's cigarette butt.Smoke rings came out of Grandpa's mouth. "But listening to that woman's accent, it's not from a radius of tens of miles. And in our area, which village is not related to which village? But I haven't seen anyone from any family come out to say that they know this woman." The drunkard himself did not light a cigarette, but put the lighter in his pocket.After speaking, he took off the cigarette and clamped it to his ear. Grandpa nodded frequently. "Even if she was pretending to be a foreigner, my younger brother wouldn't be afraid of being like that. That's why I was careful and intentionally threw charcoal on the road she often travels a few times." The drunkard said with narrowed eyes. I couldn't help asking, "Why throw charcoal?" "Don't people say that ghosts are weightless? If she was a ghost, she wouldn't crush the charcoal. But the charcoal I threw was crunched by her stepping on it." The drunkard shook his head. "Then she must not be a ghost." I said. The drunkard immediately raised his voice and retorted: "Why is she getting married at night if she is not a ghost? Why is my brother so afraid of seeing her if she is not a ghost?" When the drunkard said this, I remembered the scene in the dream where the "fairy" was pressing on the small-headed man.Sometimes people's sixth sense is more reliable than logical reasoning. "It's not unheard of to get married at night." Grandpa looked at the dark red cigarette butt and said casually. The drunkard and I immediately turned our heads to look at Grandpa. "I heard that in some places, there is a strange traditional custom. When a bride is married, the bride must go out at one o'clock in the middle of the night. It is said that the purpose of this is to marry the bride's ghost. If the bride is married during the day, the bride The ghost of my mother will still stay in her natal family, which is a big taboo in marriage." Grandpa's eyes flickered, as if he was recalling a long time ago. "Is that where she came from?" asked the drunk, staring gloomily at Grandpa. "However, I only heard about this kind of thing when I was very young. People nowadays have already eliminated this custom." Grandpa said. The drunkard wanted to ask something, but was attracted by the singing in the rain. "I'm so miserable—" The singing began with the style of shouting grievances in front of the Yamen in Huagu Opera. "It's Ma Jinlong." The alcoholic said with certainty, "Before the theater troupe in the village was disbanded, he was an actor. I have heard him sing. He likes to sing when he is happy or sad, and he also brings some operas when he is angry and curses. The jokes in the novel. His own son is not up to date, he often scolds, and his son sits at the door with his legs crossed to listen to the play and eat melon seeds." Grandpa laughed and said, "I've heard that he was an actor, but I didn't know he still had the habit of singing." While talking, Ma Jinlong came out of the rain with a sad face. "Master Ma, you have to help me no matter what. My unfilial son is going to have a bridal chamber with that goblin tonight! I beg you to save him, that woman is a goblin! To marry my unfilial son is to His blood! That stupid boy is fascinated by the goblin, I won't listen to anything!" Ma Jinlong grabbed Grandpa's hand and shook it desperately. The drunkard looked behind Ma Jinlong and said anxiously: "Jinlong, where is my brother?" He didn't care at all whether that goblin was going to kill Ma Jinlong's godson. younger brother. "Your brother?" Ma Jinlong stopped crying and froze for a moment, as if he just remembered that he went out to find the drunkard's brother.But he quickly returned to his previous appearance, and replied with a suppressed voice: "Your brother is dead!" The drunkard trembled all over, and asked inarticulately: "Dead, dead, dead...?" Ma Jinlong nodded and said: "I didn't find your brother's body, but I saw your brother's skin. Your brother is so miserable. An empty skin was left in Huagui's Den. The skin was stuffed with dogtail grass and bulging. Drumming, just like a living person..." If you open the "Baling County Chronicles", you can know that more than 400 years ago, there used to be a "pichang temple" in Wanqiao Village, which was specially used for skinning people. "Pichang Temple" can be regarded as a patent invented by the emperor of Ming Dynasty.Corrupt officials and anti-thief mobs are usually escorted here to be tortured by skinning. "Baling County Chronicles" also records that four hundred years ago, there was a very big official here, the official was the minister of the Ministry of Industry.Later, I don't know whether it was because of suspicion of corruption or being framed in the official battle, the minister of the Ministry of Industry was brutally skinned in this "leather temple". Before peeling the bark, the minister of the Ministry of Industry saw someone passing by carrying a load of lime and straw, so he asked, "What are the lime and straw used for?".The executioner said: "The lime is disinfected after you are killed, and the straw is used to squeeze your skin."The executioner said: "Your Excellency, you'd better save some effort, you will have a better time later." The minister of the Ministry of Industry cursed, why do you bother so much?Why didn't you kill me with one knife?Let me die quickly? The executioner said: "My lord, why don't I want to kill you with a knife and go back to eat early? But the prisoner died too quickly after the skinning, and I also have to suffer the crime of sitting." The minister of the Ministry of Industry's face changed greatly when he heard this, but he kept shouting and cursing. The executioner stopped talking nonsense, first tied the hands and feet of the servant of the Ministry of Industry, and then opened a knife from the back of his neck, cutting a slit along the back to the anus, and then tore the skin to the sides, and tore the back and between the arms. The skin separated from the meat is connected together and spread out left and right, like two bat wings. The executioner's knife skills were really good, and it took more than a day for the minister of the Ministry of Industry to die. After the servant of the Ministry of Industry died, the executioner completely peeled off his skin, after lime treatment, put straw on the inside of the human skin, and then hung it in the "Pichang Temple" for public display. The relatives and friends of the minister of the Ministry of Industry took back the skinless body and buried it simply without holding a funeral.Later, Fang Dun, who was also the official of Baling County and the secretary of the household department, wrote the epitaph for him. Although there are records in "Baling County Chronicles", few people have seen the tomb of the minister of the Ministry of Industry for more than 400 years. Until one day in May 2009, more than 400 years later, the tombstone of the minister of the Ministry of Industry was discovered by a nearby villager. The tombstone was not big, but both of them seemed to be struggling to carry it.Wipe off the soil on the stele with clean water, and the lines of text on the epitaph are still clearly visible.The time and person who wrote the epitaph were also signed at the place where the epitaph was signed: on December 26th, Bingchen, the 35th year of Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty, Fang Dundun, a Jinshi who was born in the Ministry of Household Affairs, was granted the first worship. The drunkard was dissatisfied: "Since you found my brother's human skin, why didn't you bring him back? After being soaked in rain, it might be deformed. If an eagle or wolf passed by, my brother might not even have a skin." There are no more left!" As he spoke, he began to cry like a child whose candy had been robbed. Ma Jinlong pushed the drunkard's chest, and said: "I think your brain has been burned by alcohol. How can there be eagles and wolves in this heavy rain? Besides, eagles and wolves disappeared ten years ago. Now if you search all over the mountain, you won’t find even a single rabbit hair.” The drunkard howled in a voice like a broken chant and said: "Then you should carry him back. He still calls you uncle in terms of seniority, and you have the heart to let him soak in the rain?" Wanqiao Village was founded by the original Several pioneers reproduced, so every household is more or less related. "You said it quite simply! I was so frightened that my legs went limp, and I almost couldn't get up. How could I have the strength to carry your brother back?" Ma Jinlong's hands were still shaking, and it seemed that he was really frightened. Alcoholics don't talk. Ma Jinlong said again: "Are you still talking about me? If it were you, you'd be so scared that you'd pee your pants!" The drunkard stopped arguing with him and said coldly, "Tell me where you found him? I'll go get him back myself." Ma Jinlong was stunned again. Suddenly, like a mad lion, the drunkard shouted hysterically at Ma Jinlong: "Say it!" Ma Jinlong murmured for a long time before saying: "...by the pond not far from my godson's house." After speaking, he covered his mouth with his hands and coughed twice. The drunkard tilted his head, gritted his teeth and looked at Ma Jinlong, sneered: "You still don't want to say yes? Are you afraid that I will suspect that your daughter-in-law did something good? Let me tell you, I will start on the first day your daughter-in-law comes. I doubt it. If I find out it is really a good thing for your beautiful daughter-in-law..." Ma Jinlong gave the drunkard a timid look, and immediately turned his gaze to the rain outside. The drunkard didn't finish the rest of the sentence, he shook his hand violently, and hurriedly ran into the pouring rain.The figure disappeared after a while. As soon as the drunkard left, Ma Jinlong immediately grabbed his grandfather and said, "Master Ma, come with me to my godson's house, and help me persuade him not to marry that goblin." Grandpa nodded and said: "Today is indeed not a good day to get married. But he even killed a pig, so he must be determined to marry that woman. Will he listen to what I say to someone who is neither relative nor relative?" I I also wondered in my heart, Ma Zhongchu, who had never met, didn't even listen to the words of his godfather who raised him, so would he still listen to my grandfather? But Ma Jinlong firmly insisted that what his grandfather said would have an effect on his obsessed godson. In fact, Ma Zhongchu himself felt strange, an inexplicable impulse prompted him to confront his godfather.A character like him really never had the dream of marrying a woman as beautiful as a fairy.He had no father or mother since he was a child, and his educational level was not high. How could this woman who was so beautiful that it made her eyes itch just fell in love with him? When my grandfather and I followed Ma Jinlong to the toad-like house, Ma Zhongchu was sitting in the hall looking at the strings of bright red pork in a daze. No one has lived in this house for many years, and the tiles on the roof have not been repaired in time, so the main room, back room, kitchen, and toilet are all leaking.His woman dug out pots and pans out of nowhere and leaked everywhere.The raindrops slammed into the porcelain bowls and iron pots, and there was a clanging sound, as if a poorly skilled band was invited to play at home. If his godfather hadn't opposed his marriage, he wouldn't have returned to his home.Godfather has always been very kind to him, treating his biological son Ma Chuanxiang equally.I really shouldn't make the old man angry.Thinking of this, Ma Zhongchu felt a little more guilty.But his woman's mood seemed to be unaffected by the outside world, and she happily ran to borrow a kettle, happily brought dry firewood, happily boiled water, and then happily handed the boiled water to the pig butcher. The joy of women was also unexpected to him.When he led this beautiful woman into a house that looked like a toad lived, his face burned hotter than when the woman first saw the patch on his trousers. To his surprise, the woman didn't have any resentment, instead he pushed open the creaking rotten wooden door first.She poked her head into the room and exclaimed, "It's so spacious inside! It's great!" Hearing the woman's words, his eye sockets immediately filled with tidal liquid. So when the woman proposed that she was going to get married tonight, he immediately nodded vigorously, and spent more than half of his savings to buy a piglet that hadn't fully grown up from someone else's house.He wanted to do his best to give the woman a reasonably lively wedding. It's a pity that the weather is not beautiful, and the rain has not stopped since the morning.The butcher's hands were wet from the rain, and he couldn't grasp the pig's feet when killing the pig, and the pig almost escaped several times.It took nearly half an hour to stab the dim sum knife into the pig's vitals.There was not even a bowl of pig blood, it was all spilled on the floor, and there was an unpleasant fishy smell in the air. Looking at the pots and pans all over the floor, hearing the jingling noises, and smelling the fishy smell in the air, he felt a sense of disgust in his heart.He wondered, how could his woman not be bored? No, this woman wasn't his before tonight. Ma Zhongchu's blood boiled at the thought of tonight.He sneaked a glance at the woman who was so busy, and his heart was pounding.He had only seen such a beautiful woman on the advertising screens in the city before, and never thought that such a woman would come out of the painting and enter his life. Ma Zhongchu looked around and found that there were not many things in the house.A few tattered chairs that smelled of decay were placed against the wall, an unstable wooden table was slanted aside, and a wardrobe with cracked paint stood alone in a damp corner. His father and even his father had slept in it. His bed was placed in another corner, and a few moisture-proof red bricks were placed at the foot of the bed. A layer of blue moss grew on the red bricks.All the things can be seen at a glance, I really don't know what that woman is busy with in this pile of junk. "She has such a good figure!" Ma Zhongchu sighed inwardly, looking at the back of the busy woman. The contractor also told him so.That time, the contractor in his early thirties was so drunk that he held up a bouquet of roses and shouted at Ma Zhongchu: "Damn it!" Then he stuffed the bright red petals into his mouth and bit them to pieces.It was a flower given to the woman by the contractor, but the woman refused. "Boss, you're drunk and confused." After drinking half a catty of liquor, Ma Zhongchu's head was also a little confused. "I...not...not confused..." The contractor hiccupped his nose and held up a rose, "Luo...Luo Lili was...just confused... unexpectedly...followed...you ...you...you idiot..." "What?" Ma Zhongchu was startled, most of the time he was sober.Luo Lili is the woman's name. 包工头举起手中的玫瑰花，在马中楚眼前晃了晃：“你……桃花运……不浅哪……” 马中楚怀疑自己的耳朵听错了，摇着包工头的肩膀问：“你没有搞错吧，骆……她会看上我？”女人实在太漂亮了，他都不敢从自己的嘴里吐出她的名字。 包工头没有回答他，呼噜噜地打起了鼾。 在马晋龙看来，包工头被拒绝是最合情合理的结果。追求骆丽丽的队伍中比包工头有钱有风度的人多了去了，比如工商局长家的公子、某某集团董事长家的大少爷都比这个土头土脑的包工头强千倍万倍。可他不敢把这话说给包工头听，因为自己还要靠他发的工资生活。 她会放着那些公子少爷不要，偏偏看上我？马中楚斜睨了眼去看趴在桌上打呼噜的包工头。恐怕是他喝醉了酒说胡话吧。自己被人家拒绝就拿我来开涮？Oh shit! “你……要我吗？” 当骆丽丽第一次主动问他的时候，他措手不及，显得非常慌乱，脑袋里“轰”的一声仿佛爆炸了。这一次他才真的感觉喝醉了，脑袋迷糊了。 他记得，那是一个阳光明媚的早晨，他左手拿着一把水泥砌刀，右手提着一个水泥桶，身上穿着黏附了许多水泥渣的蓝色工作服，正准备赶往半里之外的建筑工地。 而她身穿一袭浅红的长裙，脚穿一双红艳的高跟鞋，加上那个不涂口红也朱红诱人的性感嘴唇，简直比明媚的阳光还要耀眼。 她正对他站着。他抬头看了她一眼，迎面的阳光立即使他产生眩晕的感觉。他慌忙低下头来。这是梦，他对自己说。他有些缺氧，感到喘不过气。 他忽然不知道手该放在哪儿，脚该放在哪儿，站的姿势怎么改变都觉得不对，都觉得别扭。“我……要去……上班……”他心虚地说，仿佛是他做了什么见不得人的事，被人家堵住算账。他斜了一下身子，低着头要从她的侧面绕过去。那双红艳的高跟鞋还有那双白皙的小腿更加增添了他的慌乱。 那双白皙的小腿向侧面跨出一步，拦住他的去路。 他畏畏缩缩地收回蒙了一层水泥灰的黄色帆布鞋，也不答话，只拿了水泥砌刀轻轻地砍水泥桶，借以掩饰自己的窘迫，但却欲盖弥彰。 “你会把塑料桶砍坏的。”她漫不经心地说了一句。 他想告诉她，水泥砌刀是没有刀刃的，不会砍坏水泥桶。但是他的嘴像被缝住了似的张不开。 这是梦或者是喝醉酒后的幻想。他在心里一遍又一遍地告诉自己。她不可能问我这样的话，绝对不可能！我是什么人？也许一辈子就跟水泥打交道了，打个喷嚏都能喷出水泥味儿来，洗个澡剩下的水能直接砌墙。Who is she?在追求她的队伍里随便挑一个，以后就是“官太太”或者“钱夫人”，她呼出的空气都带着香水味儿。那些追在她石榴裙后面的少爷公子送的花，足抵上他一年的工资；他们开的车，他奋斗十辈子也买不起。 而这样一个女人，居然会喜欢他？ 他低着头，看着那双泛着晨光的高跟鞋，笑了一下。那个笑，有些苦涩的味道，有些冷嘲的意味。我怕是想女人想疯了吧？做梦也应该梦到自己中了彩票或者捡了五百万然后西装革履手捧鲜花去追她呀，怎么梦里的我还一身水泥味儿？ “你笑什么？”女人问道。 “我怎么会做这样的梦？” “梦？不，这不是梦。”马中楚看见女人的腿向她走过来，她要干什么？他感觉周围的空气比米粥还要黏稠，每吸一口气呼一口气都异常费力。 “你……”他说出了一个字，由于呼吸太困难，后面的话都说不出来了。他连忙张开了嘴用力地呼吸，他感觉自己就要被这黏稠的空气憋死了。 那双白皙的腿停在他蒙了水泥灰的鞋子前面。他低着头，看见她的腿和自己鞋子的距离实在太近了，近到能听见女人的呼吸声，能闻到女人散发出来的一种迷魂的体香。What is she going to do?她在看着我吗？她闻到了我身上的水泥味儿吗？ 他使劲儿地吸了吸鼻子，水泥灰尘在阳光下显得比任何时候都要冲鼻，灰尘末儿弥漫在空气中，像一根稻草在他的鼻孔里鼓捣，引得他几乎要打出一个响亮的喷嚏来。他强忍住要打喷嚏的冲动，忍得眼泪都出来了。 “你哭什么？”女人问道。 他知道，自己的脸上从未少过水泥灰尘，当泪水从眼角爬出，就会在脸上画出两条明显的沟渠。他连忙抬起手来，用胳膊蹭了蹭脸。 “不要哭。”女人温和地说道，像在劝一个丢了心爱的玩具的小孩子。 然后，他忽然感觉到一个湿湿的、暖和的东西碰到了他的脸，他浑身一紧，紧得如铁一般僵硬。那是一个吻！ 他活到这么大，还从来没有感受过吻的滋味。他的父母早早将他遗弃在这个世上，也许刚刚出生时，父母会时常因为惊喜而将充满慈爱的嘴唇贴到他的脸上过，可是他早已不记得。他没有兄弟姐妹，也没有恋爱经历，自然被过继到马晋龙家后也感受不到吻的滋味。他曾无数次幻想过一个女孩子将两瓣桃花一般的嘴唇凑近他的脸，可是从小到大没有一个女孩拿正眼瞧过他。即使村里的妇女见了他，也要用鄙夷的目光瞟一眼，然后感叹：“看这个没爹娘的孩子邋遢到什么程度了！啧啧！” 可是，在这个阳光耀眼的早晨，他穿着一身水泥味儿的衣服，提着水泥砌刀和水泥桶，居然被这么一个漂亮到妖艳的女人吻了！ 是我们的到来打断了马中楚的回忆。 当我们从石门槛跨进屋里的时候，马中楚还在傻傻地看着挂在堂屋里的猪肉。 “中楚！”马晋龙大喊一声，话语里透露出些许疼爱，也透露出些许愤怒。 马中楚听见他干爹的呼喊，从回忆中惊醒过来，连忙走过来迎接我们。“干爹。”他恭恭敬敬地喊道。我看见了这个走桃花运的男人，他的年龄跟我差不多大。对我来说，结婚似乎还是很遥远的事情，可是对于早早走入社会的他们，结婚已经是迫在眉睫的事。在我大学毕业之前，已经有很多初中同学、高中同学做了爸爸，甚至孩子都可以放在地上跑了，有的见了我都能稚稚嫩嫩地叫一声“叔叔”了。 他确实长得不怎么样，眉毛粗短，眼睛却像女人那样秀长，从相面术上来看，这是不好的短命相。当然我自己也不怎么相信相面这一说，人不可貌相嘛，但是那样的眉毛和眼睛凑在一起本身就不好看。他鼻子略塌，嘴唇显得有些厚，且有些外翻的趋势。 他个子跟我差不多，一米七二左右，剃一个板寸头。肌肉倒是挺发达，那是长期从事体力活儿的结果。 “你还知道我是你干爹啊？”马晋龙对他的恭敬不以为然，冷冷地道。 马中楚尴尬一笑，对我们说：“你们坐，我去泡茶。” 马晋龙给他介绍了我们。他马上满脸堆笑，走过来跟爷爷握手，又跟我握手。他的手上很多老趼，握手的时候就如握着松树的枝干。 “听说你们今天晚上结婚？”马晋龙冷冷地问道。 “嗯。”马中楚回答道。也许他知道干爹不满意，所以只是简短地“嗯”了一声。 “是你这么急还是她啊？”马晋龙斜眼瞟了他一下。 马中楚尴尬地笑了笑，从兜里掏出香烟来递给他干爹，道：“干爹，抽烟。”他干爹不接。他又弯着腰将烟敬给爷爷，爷爷接过。他又走到我身边，看了我一眼，说：“你是读书的人吧？” 我一笑，反问道：“你怎么就知道我还在读书呢？我刚刚毕业了。” 他呵呵一笑，道：“书生气是能看出来的。”然后他抽出一支烟，问道：“你抽烟吗？” 我摆摆手。 他点头道：“不抽烟好！” 他给我的第一感觉是太厚道了。男人不坏，女人不爱。当初我还想如果他是一个比较外向幽默的人，即使穷点儿丑点儿，也许也有死心眼的女人跟着他。可是见了他本人之后，我也不禁怀疑，那个漂亮女人到底看上了他哪一点呢？ 爷爷坐定，接过马中楚泡好的茶，啜了一小口，问道：“中楚啊，你是不是打算今天晚上结婚？” 马中楚点头道：“是。” 马晋龙不高兴地从鼻子里“哼”出一声，侧坐了身子不拿正眼瞧他的干儿子。 “准备几点结婚呢？”爷爷问道。 “九点吧。”马中楚老老实实回答道。 “按照十二建星的排法，今天刚好是满日，不宜婚嫁。按照《彭祖百忌》①的说法，晚上九点到十一点是亥时，也是不宜婚嫁。不利新郎你知道吗？”爷爷笑眯眯地对马中楚说道。 『①彭祖百忌：彭祖，传说中的养生家。据古代典籍记载，彭祖是颛顼的玄孙，相传他历经唐、虞、夏、商等代，活了八百多岁，后道教奉为仙真。道书依托彭祖撰者不少，除《彭祖百忌》外，还有《彭祖养性经》《彭祖摄生论》《彭祖导引法》《彭祖导引图》等，为中国大部分地区民间所信奉。彭祖百忌：甲不开仓财物耗散，乙不栽植千株不长，丙不修灶必见灾殃，丁不剃头头必生疮，戊不受田田主不祥，己不破券二比并亡，庚不经络织机虚张，辛不合酱主人不尝，壬不汲水更难提防，癸不词讼理弱敌强，子不问卜自惹祸殃，丑不冠带主不还乡，寅不祭祀神鬼不尝，卯不穿井水泉不香，辰不哭泣必主重丧，已不远行财物伏藏，午不苫盖屋主更张，未不服药毒气入肠，申不安床鬼祟入房，酉不宴客醉坐颠狂，戍不吃犬作怪上床，亥不嫁娶不利新郎。 』 马中楚微微一笑，点头道：“这个我也晓得。” 这时马晋龙插言道：“你既然晓得，为什么还要听那个疯婆娘的话？你干爹养了你二十多年，都不比那个妖精可信吗？”末了他又骂道：“没良心的犊子！” “我……”马中楚欲言又止。 “我什么我！”马晋龙不等他说话，又大声骂道，“父母之命，媒妁之言。你爹娘死得早，现在我是一家之主，要我答应的事才上算！我说了，你不可以跟那个妖精结婚！” 马中楚有些急了，反驳道：“干爹，你口口声声说她是妖精，可是你有真凭实据吗？虽说我也不知道她怎么会喜欢我这个又穷又丑的人，但是……”马中楚说到这里却又停住了，两只眼睛满含抱怨地看着他的干爹。 马晋龙也不相让，两眼喷火却极度压抑着声音吼道：“你忘了那个妖精住在我们家的头一天晚上发生的事情吗？” 马晋龙是在一个金黄色的夕阳铺满了这个村庄的每一个角落的时候看见马中楚带着女人回来的。 当时马晋龙正站在地坪里抽烟，双乳峰在夕阳的衬托下神圣得如同人间仙境，让马晋龙产生一种入山寻仙的冲动。他在双乳峰放过多年的牛，砍过多年的柴，可是此刻的双乳峰让他感觉非常陌生而神奇。 就在他突然兴致高涨，随兴哼起一曲《黄初平寻仙记》时，一男一女从村头走了过来。 马晋龙的眼睛不怎么好，所以没有注意到从村头慢慢走来的一男一女。他自顾自地边唱边想象戏文中十五岁的黄大仙黄初平在金华山遇到神仙的情景，并且恍恍惚惚觉得自己就是黄初平，一个白发长髯的神仙正在教他飞升之道。 这时一声“干爹”惊扰了他的升仙梦。 马晋龙回过神来，一看来者竟然是外出打工多年未还的干儿子马中楚，旁边居然还站着一个天仙似的姑娘，刚回过来的神立刻又重新失去，愣愣的不知是真是幻。 “干爹，几年不见，您不认识您的干儿子了吗？”马中楚喜滋滋地说道，说完推了推身边的女人。 女人经马中楚提醒，立即脆生生地叫了声：“干爹！” 爷爷跟我说，马晋龙这个人很特别，别人喝醉了酒稀里糊涂地乱说话，他喝醉了一句话也不说，嘴巴用筷子都撬不开。村里人个个觉得奇怪，问他为什么不“酒后吐真言”。他告诉大家说，他是怕喝醉了透露曾经犯过的丑事，所以即使脑袋昏昏糊糊了，心里还一个劲儿地告诫自己：千万不要说话！坚决不能说话！ 他还有一个特别的习惯，就是早晨起床后半个小时不说话。开始我很不理解他的这种行为。后来他解释说，自从过了五十岁之后，他经常分不清早晨与傍晚的区别，经常本来是脱衣要睡觉的，可是看看窗外的天色，以为雄鸡刚刚打过鸣天刚刚亮，自己是要穿衣起床的。于是，他往往把刚刚脱下的衣服又穿起来。反之，他也经常在早晨把穿了一半的衣服又脱下去，然后钻到被窝里做真正意义上的“白日梦”。 其实这样昼夜不分的情况在我身上也出现过。因为灰蒙蒙的傍晚和天刚蒙蒙亮的早晨本身差别就不大，而睡觉前和起床时人的意识本来就不太清晰，偶尔出现这种混乱的状况在所难免。 可是马晋龙对这种情况提心吊胆，生怕在人前说错了话，以至于后来他稍微觉得思维不清晰，便紧闭嘴巴老半天不说话。 几年不见的干儿子突然出现在眼前，还有一个漂亮得晃眼的女人叫他“干爹”，他立即用牙齿将上下嘴唇都咬住了。 马晋龙愣了两分钟，牙齿咬得嘴唇硬生生地疼了，他这才作出反应，将泛着黄色冒着烟味的巴掌掴到干儿子的脸上。马中楚对干爹的这一突然袭击没有任何防范，顿时脸上出现了五道红色的手印。马中楚呆呆地捂住脸，将眼睛瞪得不能再圆，条件反射似的要还一巴掌。 马晋龙一巴掌刮得太用力，自己的手板心都火辣辣地疼。他用另一只手揉着在干儿子脸上印过手印的巴掌，怒吼道：“你怎么这么不争气！” 刚要发火的马中楚被干爹没来由的这一句骂弄得有些蒙。他在外辛辛苦苦打工三四年，连春节都舍不得买一张回家的火车票，把钱都省着寄给老家的干爹，好不容易走了桃花运带着漂亮的女朋友回家来，干爹不但不替他高兴，却狠狠地刮他巴掌，还骂他不争气！ 不等马中楚有机会说话，干爹又骂道：“你太给我丢脸了！不在外面好好打工，怎么倒干起拐卖女人的勾当起来了！我前世作了什么孽哟，居然养出你这个不孝子来！” 马晋龙出现这个反应是正常的，因为那段时间拐卖妇女儿童的事情出现得比较多。不但湾桥村，就是爷爷的画眉村也走失过三个儿童一个妇女。那年头人贩子非常猖獗，敢在夜里像小偷一样钻进别人的屋里，用浸了迷魂药的湿布捂住小孩子的嘴，像偷其他物什一样塞进麻袋里，然后贩卖到外地做童工或者养子。而拐骗女人则是用虚假的待遇很高的打工机会引诱。等骗到的女人跟着离开家乡到达目的地后，才发现自己已经是瓮中之鳖，无路可逃了。当然也有女人主动要求被“骗”的，大多是因为家里条件不好或者夫妻不和，就像酒鬼买来的妻子那样。 我们隔壁村原来有个捡破烂的，后来居然也从外地骗来一个只有十八岁的女孩。按那个捡破烂的人自己说，他骗那个女孩说他家里非常富有，房子盖得像皇宫。那个女孩子就答应跟他来了。后面的情况就可想而知，不管是不是皇宫或者有没有房子，那个女孩都跑不掉了。后来那个女孩给捡破烂的生了个孩子。 捡破烂的有了孩子之后，倒像变了个人似的拼着命挣钱，两年之后居然真的给那女孩盖了幢别墅。当然那些都是题外话。 马晋龙生活在当时的环境中，而干儿子就那点儿本事，自然而然他想到的是干儿子做了见不得人的非法勾当。 干儿子没有发脾气，干儿子旁边的美女倒是发脾气了。她气得柳眉倒立，责骂马晋龙道：“你不过是他干爹，就是他亲爹你也不可以这样打他啊！” 马晋龙又咬住了嘴唇，他对眼前的状况完全没了把握。How is this going?那个被拐卖的姑娘怎么倒教训我起来了？不管是传香还是中楚，我生气了就要刮他们耳光，从来没有人提出过抗议，这个姑娘倒要替干儿子撑腰了？难道她跟酒鬼的媳妇一样，是心甘情愿被骗的？这是什么年头了？只要有白米饭吃，这些漂亮的姑娘都甘愿被骗了？ 马晋龙告诉爷爷，当时他确实想不明白。他无论如何也不会想到一个天仙似的女人会喜欢上他的干儿子，又穷又丑又老实的干儿子。这自然怪不得马晋龙。无论是谁，只要是见过马中楚的人，都绝对会朝那个方向想。没有到事情的最后，我也绝对想不到那个女人选择马中楚竟然是因为一个非常古怪的原因。 马晋龙还告诉爷爷，当时他觉得非常丢脸，简直像犯了偷窃罪或者强奸罪一样，好像从此再也没有了脸面见任何人。他的脸憋得像猪肝一样，愤怒地看了看儿子，又无可奈何地看了看那个女人。 马中楚见女人反驳了干爹，顿时吓得半句话也不敢说。他最熟悉干爹的脾气了，他知道此时干爹的肚子里憋满了火药，只要来点儿火星，他就会爆炸。 女人却不以为意地丢了一句：“怎么了？我说得不对吗？” 要是换了是马中楚说的这句话，他干爹立刻能在原地变成红眼的斗牛。但是，说这句话的是个女人，而且是个非常漂亮的女人，他干爹原来唱戏的时候最希望剧本里能让他演的角色跟花旦搭个手或者搂个腰什么的，所以也算有点儿“怜香惜玉”，他在这个女人面前是不会发脾气的。 马中楚见女人还敢跟干爹顶嘴，连忙打圆场道：“干爹，我没有坑蒙拐骗。这是我女朋友，这次回来跟我结婚的。” “结……婚？”马晋龙如遭当头棒喝。 干儿子点点头，那女人也点点头。 未料马晋龙并没有高兴，反而骂道：“结婚要遵循父母之命、媒妁之言。哪里能学戏里的张生与崔莺莺偷情！” 女人听“偷情”这词从未来的公公嘴里吐出，又羞又怒。 “现在都什么社会了，结婚还要遵循父母之命、媒妁之言？你恐怕是唱戏唱坏了脑袋吧？” 按照马晋龙对爷爷的复述，那个女人千真万确骂了他“唱戏唱坏了脑袋”。马晋龙还一把眼泪一把鼻涕地说，他唱了一辈子的戏，后来戏团解散了他还在山上放牛在田里收稻时放情地唱。可是那个女人居然说他唱坏了脑袋，简直是对他一生热爱的侮辱和诋毁！ 不过马晋龙的说法站不住脚，因为当时女人根本不知道马晋龙原来唱过花鼓戏，马中楚也没有跟她提起过这些事。所以那个女人不可能骂马晋龙“唱戏唱坏了脑袋”。 当时的真实情况，我无从得知。即使我怀疑他复述的真实性，也只能从他口里知道我所没有看到的情况。后来证明，他大体上讲的还是没什么问题的。 据马晋龙说，他是忍着愤怒和惊讶带着干儿子和那个女人进屋的。那时候马传香还没有回来，马晋龙亲自给干儿子和那个女人端椅子倒茶。女人这时倒是挺听话，马上从马晋龙手里抢过茶壶、茶叶、茶杯，要来帮忙，并且将马晋龙按在椅子上歇息。 她将几个茶盅摆好，纤手拈起几片干枯的茶叶放进茶盅，然后水壶嘴划出一条银亮亮的曲线，将沸水倒进茶盅里。整个过程一气呵成，甚至带着几分舞蹈的姿势。看得马晋龙有些发呆。而马中楚似乎早就习以为常，微笑而又镇定地看着眼前的女人。马晋龙心下想道，这个女人不简单！ “不过她泡的茶蛮好喝的。有机会你可以去尝一下。”马晋龙对爷爷说。 让马晋龙惊讶的不只是泡茶，女人炒的菜也非同一般。那次晚餐就是女人下厨做的。马晋龙说，自从不唱戏以后，他的饭量从三碗减少到半碗，可是那次晚餐他居然吃了四碗！等到第四碗吃完，再去揭开饭锅盖时，他才发现饭锅已经见底了，连块锅巴都没有剩下。 马晋龙吃饱喝足，肚子里的气也就消了许多，于是觉得一个这样漂亮又贤惠的女人喜欢上干儿子也不是没有可能。他摸着圆滚滚的肚皮，爬到自己的床上呼呼地睡了。 马传香是在马晋龙睡熟后回来的。马传香熟悉他老爹的作息时间，料定老爹此时已经睡下才敢抱着一个破烂的麻袋往家里赶。 可是他走到家门前一看，不对劲儿！家里的灯还亮着，并且有哗啦啦的水声！ 马传香心里纳闷，像这样的夏天，父亲习惯在鱼塘里游泳了事，根本不会待在家里洗澡。他自己则习惯在水井旁边洗淋水澡。为了防止虫蛀，木澡盆早就挂在火灶上熏烤了。 可是屋里传来的洗澡声听得清清楚楚真真切切。难道有谁趁父亲睡着了偷偷溜到家里来洗澡？马传香挠了挠头皮，想不出个所以然来。 他悄悄将破麻布袋放下来，小心翼翼的。 窗帘已经拉上，灯光从窗帘与窗棂之间的