(xiii)

The rain poured down to celebrate his birthday for the first time, and the tears fell low and returned to the nightmare

The 28th day of the fifth month of 1971 was Ling Feng's birthday, which was told by his mother. When Ling Feng grew up, he used to check the perpetual calendar, but the solar calendar day corresponding to the 28th day of the leap month of July 1 was not the same day as the solar birthday on his ID card. Whatever, my mother said that whatever day was a birthday, it would be a birthday.

Ling Feng has never had a birthday since he can remember, and the day of the 28th day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar is no different from other days, eating and drinking as usual, not even a birthday wish. However, on the 28th day of the fifth lunar month of the 95th lunar calendar, all this changed.

The hot June is the busiest month for parents, the more popsicles and soda are sold, the more money they earn, and it is difficult to hide the joy of their parents when they are busy and tired. However, Ling Feng was looking forward to a few more rains in June, so that his parents would not be too tired. One day at the end of June, dark clouds were low and thunder was rolling, and as soon as Ling Feng arrived home on his bicycle, bean-sized raindrops fell from the sky. The parents were busy closing the stall, Ling Feng hurriedly ran to help, the popsicle cart was pushed back to the open space in front of the building and locked, the freezer cart was also pushed back to the backyard hut with a "squeak", and the cable with the thickness of the index finger was wrapped around in bundles and carried home, everything was cleaned up, and the waterfall rain had become a downpour.

"Feng, quickly wipe your head with a towel, don't catch a cold. Mother said as she handed over a towel.

"If it's going to rain, I'll harvest it early. Ling Feng muttered as he wiped his head.

The mother did not say anything and went to help in the kitchen. After a while, my mother brought a plate of scrambled eggs, a pot of cucumber mixed with dried tofu and cold vegetables, a plate of fried peanuts and a plate of sausages.

"Feng, come to dinner. Mother beckoned Ling Feng, who was lying on the kang.

"What day, so rich?" Ling Feng turned over and sat up and saw his favorite sausage.

"It's rare to close the stall so early today, let's have two cups together. My father walked into the house with a bottle of liquor and two bottles of beer.

Ling Feng knew that his parents drank a small amount of alcohol and rarely drank in general, but it must be a special day to be willing to drink and prepare drinks and food in advance today.

"Let's have a drink first, I wish Xiaofeng a happy birthday!" The father took a glass of white wine and made an opening remark first.

"It's May 28th?" Ling Feng turned his head to look at the wall calendar on the wall.

"That's right, today is the 28th day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, but the most important thing today is a day to unblock the vow. After the mother finished speaking, she drank half a glass of wine.

"What oath is unsealed?" Ling Feng finished a glass of beer and was anxious to know what was going on.

"Feng, you eat yours, you've been working for a day, let your mother tell you slowly. Father urged Ling Feng while picking up vegetables.

"Feng, do you remember what your mother said that she wouldn't let you find a partner before the age of 25?" Mother's face was kind.

"Remember, but I never understand, you urged your eldest brother to find a partner early, why do you have to wait until I am 25 years old?" Ling Feng said the question that had been holding back in his heart.

"Because I promised people before that you weren't allowed to find a partner before you were 25 years old, but now that the day has come, you won't be hindered from finding a partner in the future. Mother sighed deeply.

Mother's words gave Ling Feng a clue, his mother must have an agreement with others, but who is it, and what is it that makes his mother stick to the agreement? Ling Feng ate the food silently, watched his mother get off the kang and found a small bag in the big closet, untied the small bag and found a four-inch black and white photo from inside.

"Feng, look at this picture, I'll tell you a story. As she spoke, her mother handed over a photograph.

Ling Feng took the photo, which was the photo that his mother often looked at. In the photo, the mother and a curly-haired aunt are each holding a child about one year old, and the mother is holding Ling Feng when he was a child. There was nothing special about the photo, but the story told by his mother deeply shocked Ling Feng.

It turned out that my mother was a good sister when she was young and the curly-haired aunt in the photo, and they were both in the printing workshop of the ceramic factory, working together, eating together, and chatting very well. Later, her mother gave birth to Ling Feng, and that curly-haired aunt also gave birth to a girl. Ling Feng is more than a month younger than the girl, the adults work together, and the children play together. Slowly, the mother found out that the girl was very sensible, and she knew to let her younger brother at a young age. After being happy, they recognized each other's goddaughter and godson, and jokingly said that they would let the two children tie the knot when they grew up, and if anything changed, they would have to wait until they were 25 years old.

At this point, my mother was already in tears. Ling Feng was a little puzzled, what was there to be sad about? How could young people nowadays stick to a designated marriage?

When he saw that his mother was about to cry, his father took over and told him what had happened.

Aunt Curly's husband is a soldier, a native of Tangshan. In 1975, she returned to Tangshan, and her job as an aunt with curly hair was also transferred to Tangshan Ceramics Factory. On July 28 of the following year, an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale struck Tangshan, which shocked the world, leaving only the youngest girl in a family of five.

Ling Feng listened, his heart tightened, the nightmarish existence of the Tangshan earthquake was a shadow in his childhood heart. I remember that there was a time when I was a child, my mother always told me that some adults were not around, and children should be strong and independent, which scared Ling Feng to think that his parents didn't want him anymore, and often secretly hid in the bed and wept. Later, Ling Feng learned about the Tangshan earthquake through his friends, and also knew that his friends had also received a similar "education".

"How did you know there was only a little girl left in the family?" Ling Feng had doubts in his heart.

"The child's mother is from Mudanjiang, and the ceramic factory was transferred over, and the Tangshan Civil Affairs Bureau came to Han to inquire, and your father was the chairman of the trade union at that time. Mother answered Ling Feng's question.

"More than 400,000 people have been killed and injured in Tangshan, and more than 40,000 children have been orphaned. "My father still remembers the Tangshan earthquake.

"Dad, do you mean that little girl has returned to Mudanjiang?" Ling Feng was a little anxious to know what was going on.

"I don't know, I just know that the child is still alive, and I came to the police station where I lived. Father took a rare sip of wine.

"Poor child, I don't know where I live now, your father has made many inquiries after the earthquake and has not been found, and now the contract has expired, which is worthy of my good sister. Mother was in tears.

"Mom, don't be sad, the Tangshan earthquake is a natural disaster, no one can do anything, that girl Jiren Tianxiang will definitely live well. Ling Feng didn't know how to say anything to comfort his mother.

The rain outside the house was still falling heavily, and Ling Feng suddenly understood that his parents didn't celebrate his birthday probably because they were afraid of evoking sad memories, or the number twenty-eight itself was to miss the deceased aunt.

Poor girl, where are you? I don't want to meet you in this life, I just hope that you will live without hardships.

God, are you so sad at this time for the sake of the collapsed city? Don't be sad, the suffering is over, and a better life will come.