Painting the Soul (short story) Zhang Baotong

Ding Shaoguang walked on the way back with tears in his eyes. Pen ~ Fun ~ Pavilion www.biquge.info At this time, the sky will not be dark, and there are pieces of wind-swept remnant clouds in the dark blue sky. The green mountains and green waters in the valley have fallen silent in the twilight, and you can clearly hear the sound of the rushing stream not far away. But he couldn't see or hear all this. His mind was full of humiliation and shame. He doesn't blame Yujuan's aunt, because you want to dissolve the marriage contract of other people's daughters, how can such a lovely daughter go out to meet people in the future? Of course, people will be very angry. However, he had no choice, he could only blame himself for not understanding other people's customs, so he recklessly ate other people's engagement chickens. Moreover, what made him even more disturbing was that people would soon know that he Ding Shaoguang was a treacherous and untrustworthy person. Thinking of this, he felt even more remorseful in his heart.

He was walking along the path between the valleys when suddenly it seemed as if someone was pulling at his clothes. When he looked back, he saw Yujuan chasing him with tears in her eyes, pulling at his clothes to make him stop. He turned around, looked at Yujuan's sad appearance, and said, "I'm sorry, Yujuan." ”

Yujuan held her finger out and told him not to say any more. Then, pulling him by the hem of his coat, he was pulled to a meadow next to the path. The two of them sat down on the grass.

Ding Shaoguang continued to apologize and said, "I'm sorry, Yujuan, I'm really sorry. ”

Yujuan said, "Don't say it, it's useless to say it." Things have passed. Don't talk about it again. As she spoke, she wiped her tears and explained to him, "Don't blame my grandma for being unkind to you, because repentance is a dishonest act in the eyes of our Dai people, and what we Dai people hate most is dishonesty." ”

Ding Shaoguang said, "But I'm not dishonest, I really don't know this custom of your Dai people." ”

Yujuan said, "I have explained it to my grandmother, and I have also expressed to them that I am willing to forgive you." So, you don't have to worry about it anymore. So saying, she got up from the grass and said, "Let this be the end of our business, and no one will talk about it again." ”

Seeing that Yujuan was leaving, Ding Shaoguang chased after him for a few steps, took Yujuan's hand, and said, "Yujuan, I want to go to your house again and beg your grandma, but it really can't be done, even if I kneel, I ask for their forgiveness." He still doesn't want her parents to embarrass her, nor does he want her parents to be too angry, and at the same time, he also wants them to know that he Ding Shaoguang is not the kind of person who does not keep his reputation and is not honest.

Yujuan stood there and asked, "Do you think this is necessary?" In fact, she also wanted him to explain to his parents, so that at least the misunderstanding and grievances between the two sides could be eliminated.

Ding Shaoguang said, "At least I don't want your parents to think that I am a dishonest person. "Because he's never done anything dishonest.

Yujuan hesitated for a moment and said, "Okay then." She didn't want him to leave like that. Because she really loved him.

So, Yujuan took Ding Shaoguang to her own bamboo downstairs, in order to make her mother mentally prepared, she first asked Ding Shaoguang to wait downstairs, and then went into the house to persuade her grandmother. After about ten minutes, Yujuan came out and said to Ding Shaoguang, "Come in." ”

Ding Shaoguang went up to the bamboo building. At this time, kerosene lamps were already lit in the house. In the light of the kerosene lamp, Yujuan's grandmother could be seen sitting angrily by the fire in the living room. And her Abba was just smoking with his head down. When they saw him come in, they did not look at him with their eyes. But at least they stopped yelling at him and yelling at him to get him out. So, he stood in front of them with his head bowed, and said in an extremely sincere tone, "Auntie, uncle, I'm really sorry." ”

Yujuan's aunt said, "Just say I'm sorry and it's over?"

Ding Shaoguang said in a low voice, "Auntie, what do you say to do, as long as you can forgive me, I am willing to do whatever you ask me to do." ”

Aunt Yujuan said, "Then follow the rules of our Dai people, you have to work in my house for three months." ”

Ding Shaoguang hesitated, then glanced at Yujuan who was sitting next to him, and saw Yujuan nodding at him hintly, so he said to Yujuan's aunt, "I agree." In fact, his decentralization of farming in the village is only a kind of labor reform, and it does not involve the issue of livelihood and livelihood. Because he came with a salary and food stamps. If he wants to work for Yujuan's family, he doesn't have to work in the production team anymore. Moreover, working here, not only does someone cook and take care of the meal, but also can stay with the beloved Yujuan girl all day long. Although he refused to agree to the marriage contract with Miss Yujuan, it did not mean that he did not love Miss Yujuan. It's just that he doesn't want his family background to affect others, and he doesn't want to affect his future because of this matter.

Aunt Yujuan saw that the young man in front of her actually agreed, so she said, "Okay, from today onwards, you will work in my house for three months." As he spoke, he said to Yujuan's father, "Prepare to eat." ”

After a while, the fragrant sauerkraut chicken was stewed on the fire. Yujuan asked Ding Shaoguang to sit at the small table, and there were a total of four dishes on the small table, including bamboo shoots and salted fish, potatoes and fried peppers, fried water spinach with chili peppers, and sauerkraut stewed chicken. This noodle is simply more sumptuous than the New Year. Ding Shaoguang felt very puzzled, when such a thing happened, Yujuan's parents would entertain him with such a grand meal. It really made him feel very confused and ashamed. Yujuan and Abba saw that he couldn't let go, so they sandwiched chicken thighs and salted fish for him. It made him feel more and more embarrassed.

Because everyone didn't speak, the atmosphere during the meal was still very heavy. As soon as she finished eating, Yujuan's grandmother left in a hurry, sat on the loom next to the living room and began to weave cloth, listening to the sound of the loom clattering, as if she was still angry. Therefore, this made Ding Shaoguang's heart still timid. As soon as he finished eating, he had to take the initiative to clean up the dishes and chopsticks and wash them. However, Yujuan only let him stay by her side, but did not let him do it.

Ding Shaoguang was very willing to work at Yujuan's house, but he didn't know what he should do. He asked Yujuan, but Yujuan didn't know, so he went to ask Grandma. While weaving the cloth, the grandmother replied, "Every morning, I go to the well in front of the village to carry water, and then remove the dung of the cattle and sheep under the bamboo building, and transport it to the field for fertilizer." Then they went out to work in the fields with the members, and after working at night, they had to water the vegetable fields, and they had to go into the forest to cut firewood every three to five days. All the work in the house must be done. ”

Listening to Grandma's words, Yujuan said to Grandma in a pleading tone, "Grandma, don't be so cruel to him, he just went to school and taught to college students in the big city of Kunming, let him do so much work, I'm afraid it will tire him." ”

Grandma turned her face to look at her. Because she is the only daughter in the family, she has been smart and beautiful since she was a child, and her grandmother has always been very spoiled by her. Listening to her baby daughter's words, of course Grandma understood what she meant, so Grandma hesitated, but still said, "You pity him, but he doesn't pity you." ”

Yujuan said, "He can't help it. ”

Grandma heard this and didn't say anything more.

Because if you want to work for other people, you have to live in other people's homes. The Dai family lives in the same room, and outsiders are not allowed to enter the bedroom. Therefore, Ding Shaoguang can only live in the living room. Moreover, guests should sleep with their heads facing the window and their feet facing outwards, which means that they cannot stay for a long time. Yujuan cleaned a corner of the living room and laid out mattresses and sheets. The sheets and bedding were old, but they were so clean that you could even smell the sun.

Thinking that he was going to stay at Yujuan's house at night, Ding Shaoguang felt very happy, even a little excited, and he said to Yujuan, "Great, so that I can be with you every day." "Because he really loves Yujuan in his heart.

Yujuan said, "Then why don't you want to marry me? When we get married, you can sleep in the bedroom with me." ”

Ding Shaoguang just smiled apologetically, but he didn't know how to answer.

After tidying up the bed, Ding Shaoguang remembered that he should bring some of his own things, because he had to paint every day, which had become the most important work of his day. Yujuan heard that he was going back to bring his easel and clothes, so she accompanied him. So, in the bright moonlight, the two of them talked and laughed, completely leaving the unpleasant things that had just happened out of the clouds.

They came to the hut where Ding Shaoguang lived affectionately. As soon as she entered the house, Yujuan felt that the room was too messy, with brushes, paints and paper all over the place, and a lot of dirty clothes piled up next to the bed that had not been washed. So, Yujuan cleaned up the house, the table and the bed, and then packed the pile of unwashed clothes into a piece of clothing to take home to wash.

After looking at Yujuan for a while, he cleaned up the house neatly, and Ding Shaoguang felt that Yujuan was not only beautiful and beautiful, but also capable of doing things, and couldn't help but love her even more.

(To be continued.) )