Early the next morning, Zhenhua went to change shifts, and his father really used a wicker basket to pick more than 20 red bricks to rush home.

There are more than 20 bricks, and there are also more than 100 catties.

If the road conditions are good, it is not a big deal for the crop man to pick this weight.

But on this muddy road, walking in rubber shoes, this weight of more than 100 catties can really kill people.

The difficulty is not only the pressure on the shoulders, but also the tugging and entanglement from the mud under the feet.

Zhenhua looked at his father's back with difficulty, sad and helpless, and felt unspeakably uncomfortable.

Almost every teenager once naively thought that he would be stronger than his parents, and when he grew up, he would change the situation of the family and let his parents enjoy their old age in peace.

Now, however, Zhenhua finds that he can't change anything.

In the face of reality, I am so small and incompetent.

Even, he still lives under the protection of his parents. Parents are still using their bony bodies to hold up a piece of the sky for themselves......

……

Zhao Chenghai only picked a load of red bricks, and was forced to abort the plan.

The load of red bricks was carried home, and his clothes inside and outside were all soaked with sweat.

He relied on his strong bones, drank a large scoop of cold water, and did not change his clothes, but waited at home for lunch, intending to pick up a load after lunch.

However, after lunch, Zhao Chenghai felt hot and lightheaded, and lay down involuntarily.

Cui Hong was stupid, and hurriedly ran to the brigade headquarters to find the barefoot doctor Zhou Guoming.

Zhou Guoming gave Zhao Chenghai two injections, prescribed some medicine, and instructed: "The wind is open, you are cold, and you can only get better after sweating." Don't do anything these days, keep it at home. I have nothing to do to pick bricks, but this time it's okay, I picked up thirty bricks, and I spent a hundred bricks on the medical bill!"

Cui Hong pursed her lips on the side and said, "I also tore a pair of rubber shoes, and they cracked like a broken scoop." ”

Zhao Chenghai was already heartbroken about the medical expenses, and was told a couple of words by Zhou Guoming and his wife, and his heart was even more unhappy, so he simply pulled the quilt and covered his head and fell asleep.

……

Zhenhua is still guarding those red bricks in the town, and he doesn't know anything about his father's illness.

In the evening, Qi Lei carried a big bamboo basket and struggled from the muddy road, shouting from afar: "Zhenhua, Zhenhua!"

Zhenhua hurriedly got out of the shack, caught Qi Lei, and asked, "Why are you here?"

"Your dad is sick and can't come for you tonight. Your mother doesn't worry that you are here alone, let me bring you food and spend the night with you by the way. Qi Lei handed the bamboo basket to Zhenhua.

"Is my dad sick?"

"It doesn't matter, it's just picking bricks in the morning, sweating and getting cold, and it's fine in two days. Hurry up and eat, or the food will be cold. Qi Lei said.

Zhenhua nodded, entered the shack, lit candles, and prepared to eat.

The meal was served in a large tea jar, wrapped in old cotton clothes, and it was still warm at this time.

Qi Lei had already eaten it at home, but he also brought more than a pound of shelled peanuts and a bottle of liquor to drink with Zhenhua.

Zhenhua was a little unconcerned, took out three yuan from his pocket, and said: "Qi Lei, the restaurant in the town sells braised vegetables, otherwise, I'll go buy some braised vegetables." It's too ...... for you to show me the bricks, it's too to drink like this."

Qi Lei hurriedly waved his hand and said: "I was working outside some time ago, and I was tired of eating braised vegetables, and I wanted to vomit when I smelled the smell of braised vegetables! It's not a delicacies from the mountains and seas, what's so delicious? That's it, just drink with peanuts, it's very good! Keep your few dollars, save for your wife!"

Zhenhua nodded: "Okay, let's drink it like this, I can't eat so many dishes, you can eat too!"

Qi Lei didn't eat vegetables, just drank wine and ate peanuts, while pointing fingers and bragging.

Zhenhua had dinner, the candles were burned out, and it was pitch black in the shack. Only when there is a car passing on the road and the light of the headlights shines in, there is a glimmer of light in the shack.

"Alas, the sky has been blown black by us, let's sleep, let's sleep!" Qi Lei was also tired, yawned, and slept under the covers.

Zhenhua took out a flashlight from under the pillow, pretended to inspect the outside of the shack, and also got into the bed.

In fact, Zhao Zhenhua and Qi Lei are looking at the bricks here, which is simply an ornament.

The young people are drowsy, not to mention that people have stolen the bricks, even if they steal the two big living people, they may not be able to wake up.

Fortunately, Zhenhua woke up the next morning, checked it, and found that the brick stacks were still neat, and there was no shortage of bricks, so he was relieved.

Qi Lei yawned, and in the ditch on the side of the road, he washed his face, pulled a few wild vegetable leaves, chewed them in his mouth, rinsed them repeatedly with a mouthful of water, and spit them out, even if he brushed his teeth.

Zhenhua was helpless, and also followed Qi Lei's example to wash his face and brush his teeth. After chewing several wild vegetable leaves, my mouth was really refreshing, and there was still a fresh fragrance.

"I'm going to buy breakfast. Qi Lei straightened his clothes and walked towards the town.

"I'll give you the money!" Zhenhua hurriedly shouted.

"No, I have money. Qi Lei didn't look back, just shook his hand.

Not long after, Qi Lei came over early, five fritters, five glutinous cakes, but he didn't drink it.

The two of them will choke sooner, and they are both too thirsty to stand it.

Zhenhua looked around, took his big tea jar, ran to the pond a little farther away, drank two sips of water, washed the rice jar again, and brought half a jar of water back to quench Qi Lei's thirst.

In the countryside at that time, there was no talk of environmental pollution, and the use of pesticides and fertilizers was rare, and even the water in the pond was clean and clear.

Zhenhua said: "Qi Lei, you are here to help me on duty, I will go home to eat, and then bring you food." ”

"No, no, you don't have to go back, we'll eat here at noon. There are two or three restaurants in the town, and we can just stir-fry two dishes...... This muddy road is slippery, walking back and forth, it's more tiring than a day cow!" Qi Lei said.

"Are you a cow?" Zhenhua couldn't help but smile, and said embarrassedly: "I only have three yuan in my pocket, and I eat at noon...... I'm afraid it's not enough. ”

"Look at your appearance!" Qi Lei waved his hand violently and said, "With me, when did you give money for dinner?" I have money, I'll solve the matter of eating!"

Zhenhua shrugged and stopped talking.

He knew that Qi Lei liked to brag and had an old problem. In fact, Qi Lei's father died early, and there were many younger brothers and sisters in the family, which made it even more difficult. Speaking of economic conditions, Qi Lei's family belongs to the middle and lower levels of Dongwan Village, which is still below the average.

The two were idle and had nothing to do, playing chess in the shack.

Qi Lei is a stinky chess basket, Zhenhua let him drive horses, but he still only loses and can't win.

Seeing that it was almost noon, Zhenhua was about to go to the town to buy food, and the figure in front of the shack flashed, but it was the old mother Cuihong who came with a bamboo basket.

"Dinner, dinner, Qi Lei showed us bricks, today I slaughtered a chicken and brought you wine. Cui Hong entered the shack, smiled and uncovered the bamboo basket, took out two large tea jars full of food and a bottle of wine, and laid them on the bed of the fence.

Suddenly, the smell of vegetables in the shack was overflowing.

Zhenhua hurriedly asked, "Mom, is my father better?"

In front of his father, Zhenhua is generally silent and rarely communicates. But when he met his mother, he still asked about his father's situation at the first time.

"It's okay, his old bones are so hard that he can't die, just lie down for two days. Cui Hong smiled and said: "I listened to the radio, and the weather forecast said that the light rain will turn clear this afternoon, and it won't take a few days to pull these bricks back." ”

"Don't worry, auntie, after the weather is fine, I will help you pull bricks!" Qi Lei had already opened his wine glass and filled it with wine.

"Then thank you Qi Lei, I'll go back first, you can eat slowly. Cui Hong nodded and smiled, and turned away.