Chapter 4 Tuition is gone

As soon as the sun sets, another day passes.

In a flash, it was the middle of August, and the day of leaving school was approaching. In the courtyard of Shanzi's house, there are piles of dried herbs. It smells of quiet hay. There was no one in the house, and a flock of chickadees landed on the grass and rested leisurely, chirping and singing songs of their own people.

Halfway up the mountain, Shanzi walked in front with a bamboo basket on his back, and Tie Dan led the ox to follow closely. The sun was overhead, and the two men were sweating profusely, beads of sweat playfully dancing on their faces.

Creature hid in the depths of the jungle, lazily calling, and without a hint of wind in the air, a herd of gadflies chased the ox and pinned itself to it, and the ox angrily whipped its tail to its back, and the gadfly fled, and then performed a second and third time with greater ferocity...... Attack.

In the reservoir below the mountain, a group of bare-bottomed babies are fluttering. On the ridge of the reservoir, the horse bolt lies bare, shielded from the harsh sunlight by a sycamore leaf.

This reservoir is a paradise for the children to spend their summer, but also a hell for them. Every year, there are always babies who can't get out of the hot and stuffy summer, and are buried in this calm water on the surface.

The fort of the reservoir is the only way down the mountain.

Tie Dan said: "Shanzi, let's go cool and cool too?"

"No, no, no...... I am an out-and-out 'landlubber!'" Shanzi looked at a pool of green water, fearful, and hurriedly refused.

"Oh...... Then forget it, let's go home and flush ourselves with well water!"

"Hey!"

"Walk with care, don't fall into the reservoir!"

"Hey, don't worry! I'm a 'landlubber', I'm going to walk on the dry road!"

While the two were talking, they had reached the fort. Shanzi saw a person lying naked in front of him, looking at the situation, like a horse bolt, his heart couldn't help but be timid, and his steps were not as reliable as before.

Ma Zhu'er had already seen Shanzi and Iron Egg coming down from the mountainside. He was lying on the hot scorch, pretending to be waiting for them. Tie Dan alienated him and took refuge in Shanzi, he has always been obsessed with it, suffering from the lack of time to retaliate, today is a godsend!

There was a plop, the water splashed high, and before the mountain could call, it had already fallen into the water.

Tie Dan reacted quickly, broke a corn stalk and pulled it towards the horse bolt in the water, and cursed in his mouth: "Horse bolt, you bastard, you want to kill people?"

The bolt dived into the water, avoiding the beating of the iron egg.

Shanzi fluttered in panic in the water, sinking and floating, whimpering in his mouth, and pouring water into his stomach in a big gulp. Ma Shu'er's head came out beside Shanzi, and he pressed Shanzi on the shoulders with both hands, and pulled him down and pulled him out of the water.

A group of babies were screaming and coaxing nearby.

Tie Dan hurriedly jumped to his feet and scolded: "Ma Xuan'er, you are a son of a bitch! You will come at me if you have a kind! What kind of ability do you have to bully Shanzi? He can't swim...... You bastard, let him go!"

Ma Xuan'er was getting carried away, and suddenly heard that Tie Dan said that Shanzi was not water-oriented, and looked at Shanzi intently, and he was no longer struggling. The people around had already fled to the shore, and some people exclaimed: "Ma Shu'er, Shanzi is dead!"

In a panic, he dropped the hill and fled to the shore. The iron egg jumped into the water.

Seeing this, the babies all hugged their clothes and walked around. As soon as the horse bolt climbed the fort, a corn stalk struck him hard. Although he has always been domineering and has done all the bad things, it is the first time that human life is at stake. At this moment, he was so frightened that he couldn't see who was pumping him, and he was holding his head. The corn stalk seemed to have long legs, and it followed him directly, and with a single stroke, he suddenly felt that his skin was open. In desperation, he fled naked into the corn forest, and his whole body seemed to have broken a thousand holes, and he was sprinkled with salt and peppers.

"Shanzi...... Shanzi ...... "The iron egg has carried Shanzi to the fort, pressing his chest hard, tears flying.

"Shanzi ......" Widow Qin threw away the corn stalks that remained in her hands and rushed over.

"Aunt Qin......" Tie Dan's whole body was wet, and the water droplets were dripping down, and he was instantly sucked into the stone and lost his trace. Widow Qin pushed him away and said, "Let me try!"

Widow Qin repeatedly pressed Shanzi's chest hard, and streams of water flowed out of Shanzi's mouth. Widow Qin leaned her face close to Shanzi's nostrils and felt a very faint snort. She parted Shanzi's lips with her hand, leaned down, and blew hard into it.

Juan'er, who rushed to hear the news, stood on the side of the fort in a daze, gritting her teeth, feeling aggrieved. She scolded secretly: Goblin, you are everywhere and everything!

After a long time, Shanzi let out a long breath and muttered, "Grandma...... Iron Egg ...... ...... home."

"Hey, go home...... Go home!" Tie Dan had tears on his face, picked up the mountain, and staggered away. His legs and feet were limp, and every step seemed like stepping on cotton and floating on clouds.

Widow Qin led the scalper of the Tie Dan family to follow behind, her face was tired, her eyes were pale and looking into the distance, no one knew what she was thinking.

Juan'er kept her head suffocated and walked at the back of the crowd of onlookers, each footprint venting the jealousy and resentment in her heart.

Shanzi had a long, long dream on the back of the iron egg:

In the dream, he saw his grandmother crying, he saw his father's fierce and evil appearance, he saw his mother's half-hidden face, Juan'er's angry expression, and Ma Bolt'er's naked body...... These people, near and far, finally flew into the clouds and went deeper.

Then, he saw Aunt Qin's smiling face, that smile was still very beautiful, suddenly, the wind was so strong, the rain was so fierce, the iron egg's strong body was in front of him, and his face was thick and lovely, within reach...... Shanzi stretched out his hand, but he couldn't touch his face...... So, he struggled and cried out, "Iron egg...... Iron Egg ......"

"Shanzi...... You're awake!I'm so worried!" Tie Dan hugged Shanzi excitedly and cried with joy. Shanzi squeezed out a smile weakly and sighed, "Herbs...... Today...... It's all in vain!"

"Shanzi, are you in a hurry...... There's still half a moon! You're resting, this thing is wrapped up in me!"

"Iron Egg...... I remember you in this life and this life!" Shanzi stretched out his hand to wipe away the tears on Tie Dan's face, but he was already in tears.

"Is there anyone in the house?" Widow Qin stood at the door of Ma Xuan'er's house, looking in. Ma Xuan'er patted the dust on her body and responded: "Who, hey sit in the house!"

"Second cousin-in-law, it's me, Yufen. Widow Qin stepped into the door, and a black dog barked and jumped over, pulling the chain rattling. Widow Qin stood in place, frightened.

"Cough, you animal, raise you to prevent thieves, why are you blind, and your own family also bites?

"Second cousin-in-law......" Widow Qin shouted respectfully.

"Yo, I'm afraid the eldest sister hasn't been in the house for a year and a half, right......? Sit down in the house!" Ma Xuan'er said politely, but stepped forward and blocked the road.

Widow Qin didn't see it, and excused herself: "Don't go in." I came here today to talk to my second brother and sister-in-law. ”

"You say. Your second brother wandered away, I listened, and turned around to give it to him. Ma Xuan'er Niang smiled and squeezed into a heap.

"Ma Xuan'er, this baby, if you don't teach it, I'm afraid that something big will happen!" Widow Qin said calmly.

"What? did that short-lived provoke you?" Ma Bolt'er's face quickly pulled away and tightened.

"Just now, he almost drowned Shanzi...... If he had caused a catastrophe, would he still be alive?"

"What......? I said, it's a cough that came to find fault, our Huagui brothers have only been gone for a few years, you can't keep the nest, change your surname to Gu?"

"Sister-in-law, you ...... I'm doing this for the sake of the horse!" Widow Qin was not ashamed.

"Ahem, joke! My baby wants you to be good for him? Who are you? Is it possible that he still wants to be his mother! Hmph...... Born with a ** like! itchy cough, thinking of a man cough...... Don't come here to hook up, or go and guard the little bastard of the Gu family, and make your commotion!"

Widow Qin listened calmly all the time.

The onlookers whispered: "Ahem, 'Dominatrix' meets 'shrew', it's so lively!"

People are waiting for Widow Qin to fight back, and that is the real show.

Widow Qin seemed to be at ease against everyone, and the more anxious they were, the calmer she became. She said: "Sister-in-law, it's useless for you to scold me! It will be Ma Xian'er and your family who will suffer in the future! I'll leave." ”

"Stinky woman, is it good or bad, Lao Tzu has a litter...... You cough, no one will cry when you die! When the time comes, the little mongrel of the Gu family...... Your little man...... I'm afraid I didn't want you a long time ago!"

Widow Qin calmly pulled away the crowd and calmly walked on the rural road as the sun set. The remnants of the sun on the distant mountain, like a new wound flowing with blood on the human heart, two lines of clear tears rolled down. She didn't understand why the people of this village were so low-level and ignorant, and a helpless child could become a tool for them to attack others. Is it true that men exist to stab women in the heart and break their dignity? Whether it is a child or an adult man, as long as you approach him, you will have to be bruised all over his body?

Juan'er hid in the depths of the crowd, initially gloating about this farce, and she even looked forward to Widow Qin opening the curtain and pushing the show to **, so that she could watch a play beautifully. However, Widow Qin walked away, and that calm expression made Juan'er resentful! Her fire-breathing gaze followed Widow Qin's figure and walked far away, and then, she quickly retracted and landed on Ma Bolt Niang, who thought she had taken the limelight. For a moment, she threw her braids behind her head and turned around. Under the sunset, Juan'er's steps were whirring.

She said in her heart: Shanzi, I won't lose to her!

Night gradually covered the village, and Ma Bolt's father was drinking in the house, looking like the sky had nothing to do with him. Ma Xuan'er was anxious to guard the door, just now she was majestic, but now she is full of worry. gave birth to four or five children, and finally gave birth to a handle, but it was a thing with no one in his eyes and no one knew the height of the sky. The first few daughters complained that she favored the baby, favored sons over daughters, and married one by one and no longer reached this threshold. Leave this single root, I can't control it!Alas...... I'm afraid it's a scourge!

The horse shuddered in the corngrove and slipped home naked, as the night wore on. Ma Xuan'er's father took advantage of the strength of the wine and copied the flat shoulder to block the door of the hall, and Ma Xuan'er's mother blocked in front of Ma Xuan'er and exclaimed: "His father!"

"Get out of the way!" I'll kill this thing!" said Daddy Bolt angrily stamped his pole on the ground. Ma Xuan'er wiped her tears and begged: "His father, you want to beat ...... Just hit me!"

"You spoil him, get used to him...... You just wait for Nachao to collect his body!" Ma Xuan'er's father angrily threw away the flat burden and led the black dog out. Ma Shu'er took the opportunity to sneak into the house, pulled a pair of trouser covers, grabbed the steamed bun and devoured it.

Ma Bolt looked at him covered in scars and sobbed quietly. said: "Zhu'er, you just listen to your mother's words, it's been two years since you didn't study...... Don't always mess around like this! Farm the land steadfastly, ask for a daughter-in-law in the future, and live in peace!"

Ma Bolt didn't answer, and only cared about filling his belly. Ma Xuan'er Niang was at a loss for what to do, so she could only wipe her tears one by one.

Ma Shu'er was full of food and drink, looked up at her, disgusted, and said impatiently: "Cry, cry...... Why are you crying? I'm not dead yet!" After saying that, he patted his buttocks, grabbed a sweatshirt and put it on his shoulder, and walked away.

Ma Xuan'er Niang chased to the door and shouted, "Xuan'er...... Where are you going?"

In the night, all she responded to was the barking of dogs in the distance. She leaned on the threshold lonely, tears welled up, and sighed: If you want to say, the child is too big to be a mother, but this bolt, why can't I help it as soon as it comes out of my mother's belly!

At this moment, she seemed to have a dream, and the dream was full of the scene after the bolt came to this home, and the chickens and dogs were restless all day long. Zhu'er is the overlord of this family, and the first few sisters have been beaten for him, and everything they eat and drink is occupied by him. The girls hate, hate the bolt, hate her as a mother......

Shanzi's body is weak, and after the toss of nine deaths and a lifetime, he can't slow down in a hurry.

The iron egg accompanies him every day, serving him to eat and drink. Then, lead the cow up the hill and pull the herbs while herding the cow. He also brought back a few mountain rabbits and fed them in the vacant chicken coop of Shanzi's house. Waiting for the day to carry the herbs to the village market and sell them, to make up for Shanzi's tuition.

Shanzi carefully gathered the herbs at home, tied them one by one, and stacked them under the eaves. When it was empty, he pulled a handful of grass and watched the mountain rabbits scramble for food. At this time, he would always think: this rabbit is also pitiful, and he has to be strong to grab food!

At night, Shanzi and Tie Dan lay on the bed chatting, and Tie Dan said, "Shanzi, when are we going to the market?"

"The day after tomorrow, the township will catch a big gathering. ”

"Sell all these goods, should you make up enough for your tuition?"

"Maybe that's enough!"

"Sleep! I'll go catch a few mountain rabbits tomorrow. ”

"Hey, sleep!" Shanzi turned off the light, and after a while, an even snoring sound came from the room.

Under the eaves, a dark shadow moved from the back of the house to the front yard of the house, and stuffed a handful of grass into the chicken coop. Then, he carried the bundled herbs under the eaves and wandered around to the river outside the village. Listening to the thud, he laughed twice, clapped his hands, and went into the woods.