There was no moon that night, and the sky outside the house was as black as the bottom of a pot. The village was quiet, and the house was quiet, father and son sat on the bed and the other on the bed, both with their faces muffled and silent. The reckless old man kept smoking leaf cigarettes, and the very strong smell of smoke smoked the love that was stuffy and coughed.

"This female doll, oh. Son, you girlfriend, she is, it's your own sister!" The reckless old man finally spoke after holding back for a long time. He thought that his son would be furious when he heard this, and he would cry loudly, or he would scold him. But the son still did not say anything, and he looked at his son's face, which was heavy and handsome, and his eyes were also dull and staring at the window, without any expression.

It seemed to be raining outside, and the sound of the dripping rain was like tears flowing from love. In fact, Xiai has long doubted Shushu's life experience, and now the truth is finally revealed, his heart is like a cloud floating in the sky, empty and unsettled. "I slept. He said in a low voice, and then climbed into bed, and without even taking off his shoes, he slept with his head covered under the cover.

The old man did not sleep, he gently took off his son's shoes, and gently walked to the door, sat on the threshold stone, and smoked a leaf cigarette while silently recalling the journey of his life over the past few decades.

When the sky was bright, Huang Chunhua walked into the courtyard, and when she saw the old mang, she laughed loudly: "Hahaha! Why are you sitting on the door and sleeping? Are you being kicked out by your son?" The old man opened his eyes and said dimly: "Hehe! I obviously slept with you!"

"Old and indecent thing!" Chunhua scolded and kissed him on the cheek, "Is our son still sleeping?" she asked quietly. The reckless old man picked up the cigarette stick that had fallen on the ground and asked, "Have you made it clear to my daughter?" Chunhua glanced at the room and said, "It's hard for me to speak! ”

Chunhua shouted into the house again, "Son." The sun is shining on your buttocks!Get up and have breakfast!" But there was no sound in the room. The old man said, "Hehe! He definitely didn't sleep well last night, so let him sleep for a while." Chunhua was a little panicked, she knew that cherishing love never slept lazy, so she shouted and ran into the house.

"Oops! The old man was a little unimpressed, he walked in slowly, looking at the bed where he loved to sleep, and felt that something was wrong; the quilt was neatly folded, and the bed was also clean, as if he had never slept at all. "When did he leave?" said the reckless old man, plucking at his head with a cigarette stick.

"Maybe he's going to work in the city. Chunhua went to open the wardrobe as she spoke, and found that all the clothes she usually wore had been taken away, and even the suitcase was gone, so she was in a hurry, so she ran out to look around, but until the sun rose from the hillside on the other side of the Tuojiang River, she did not see the shadow of Xiai.

"Love brother. Have you gotten up?" shouted Shushu Jiao as she ran into the yard squeamishly. Chunhua and Mangzi were a little at a loss, "I love him, I don't know when to walk the ball!" said the old mangzi. When Shushu heard this, she jumped anxiously: "Oh! Why didn't he run to the city without telling me?" I'll go to the city to settle accounts with him!"

After Shushu finished speaking, she turned around and ran on the road. Chunhua hurriedly chased to the door and shouted, "Shushu." Come back quickly! You haven't eaten breakfast yet!" The reckless old man also ran to her side, looked at his daughter's figure and shouted, "Good daughter." Aren't you busy walking? Let Lao Tzu take one last look at you!" Chunhua's heart shook suddenly, "This old man, why did you say such an unlucky sentence!"

A few days later, Chunhua received a letter from her love. The letter was written very short, with only one sentence: "Mom." You tell my two dads, don't worry about me, I went to work in the big city. Call me that dad, take care of my good sister!" Chunhua cried all night after reading the letter. The reckless old man was like losing his soul, and he didn't even want to smoke Ye Zi cigarettes.

Another piece of news hit the reckless old man even harder. His own daughter, Shushu, was arrested by the Public Security Bureau and said she would have to go to two years of re-education through labor before she was released. At this moment, the reckless old man not only lost his soul, he even lost his spirit, and sat at the gate of the courtyard every day, holding the cigarette stick with the embroidered cigarette pouch in his hand, staring blankly at the highway leading to the city.

Huang Chunhua has very little time to come here to see him, and three meals a day are all sent by her dwarf ghost man, "Lao Tzu owes your turtle son in my previous life!" Chunhua also complained in her heart, coming in vain, the former Mangzi brother was like a lion, but now he is like an eggplant sunburned, and he has no fun in life at all. The reckless old man also scolded in his heart: "Your turtle son and mother-in-law must have hooked up with other men!"

The reckless old man lived a lonely life like this.

Someday. A slender woman got off the bus, she was Li Cuihua. Although she is a woman in her fifties, from her back, she looks like she was when she was a young man here, and she is very attractive. It's just that her face has some wrinkles, and she has lost her former delicate and beautiful appearance. Cuihua didn't go to the old man's house, but knocked on Huang Chunhua's door. The two women talked in the house for a long time, until the sun set behind Ao Mountain, and then they came to the reckless old man.

The old man was still sitting on the threshold stone, his head resting on the mud wall, his eyes squinted, and the leafy cigarette stick in his mouth, the embroidered tobacco pouch that had become a little tattered, still hanging from the cigarette stick, and the old face was a little pale, and the clothes on his body were dirty, as if they had never been washed.

The two women looked at him like this, and their hearts were sour and uncomfortable. "Brother Mangzi. Cuihua shouted softly. She was so sad that she wanted to cry, but the reckless old man didn't seem to hear it, "Chen Damang." Chunhua said loudly: "Don't die so soon!" The reckless old man was awakened by her broken gong-like shout, he looked at the two women in front of him, and stayed for a long time before saying, "Hehe." Why are my two mothers-in-law coming to Luo? Am I dreaming?"

Chunhua laughed loudly and scolded: "Your turtle son is an old man, do you want to step on two boats until you die?" Why are you saying something unlucky!" The reckless old man wanted to stand up, but he didn't get up after a few attempts, "She just wished I had died sooner." He said a little breathlessly.

Cuihua helped him up, Chunhua also went to help his other arm, and the two women took a lot of effort to get him to lie on the bed, and the reckless old man had a little smile on his face, so he said: "This bed is a little small, just sleep three people, I'm afraid it's a little crowded! Tonight in the middle of my sleep, you two will squeeze one on the other." ”

Chunhua laughed and scolded, "Hahaha! You, your turtle son is not serious!hahaha!" She laughed so much that she couldn't even straighten her waist. Cuihua also sneered and laughed, and also scolded with a red face: "You old man, you are almost sixty years old, do you still want to 'step on two boats'?" "Hahaha! I'm afraid he can't even pretend to be a boat!" Chunhua reached out and patted the reckless old man underneath and said, "You guy is useless!"

The reckless old man used a cigarette stick to hit Chunhua's hand: "Your turtle son and mother-in-law know a ball! Lao Tzu, this guy can still give you two seeds! I don't believe it, I'll try it tonight." Cuihua immediately covered her face and smiled shyly. Chunhua really took off the clothes of the reckless old man, and said with a smile while taking them off: "Try it." If you can't plant the two of me tonight, I'll just tear off your two shitties and feed them to the dog!"

"Oops! Don't make a fuss, I'm about to die of shame!" Cuihua said: "Hurry up and get down to business, I'm going to rush back to the city when I'm done, it's getting dark!" Chunhua stopped and said, "Sister Cuihua." We are all women in our fifties, and we are still afraid of being ashamed. Don't go back tonight, there's a lot to do!"

The old man asked, "What are you two doing?" Cuihua said, "Da Mang." Have you really forgotten? Your 60th birthday will be in a few days. Chunhua laughed again and said, "I'll tell you a great news." Our son will come back to give you a 60th birthday!" Cuihua said, "There is good news! ”

The reckless old man was very excited when he heard this, "Then, what about our daughter Shushu, can she come back?" he asked Cuihua. "Oh. He said that he must come back to pay you a birthday. Hey, two years of education should be full! I just don't know if she'll be able to come back in time!" The reckless old man said with some sadness: "Alas! My own daughter! I want to see her for the last time, and I want to hear her call me Daddy!" The two women were a little shocked when they heard his words.

Chunhua said: "I have discussed with Sister Cuihua, and I will set up a banquet of twenty or thirty tables in that Huangge tree dam, invite every household in the village, and make you a 60th birthday in a lively and lively manner." The reckless old man hurriedly waved his hand and said, "It costs a lot of money to make so many banquets!" Cuihua said, "Don't worry about money! Xichun sent you a sum of money," Chunhua continued: "Our son Xiai also sent back a little bit, and if it is not enough, Sister Cuihua and I will fill it up." ”

The old man said happily: "Hehehe! That's about the same! Lao Tzu's little pension is only enough to buy leaves and smoke cigarettes!" Cuihua took out a piece of clothing from the bag he brought and said, "I bought you a set of clothes for longevity, I don't know if it fits or not, you get up and wear it, if it doesn't fit, I'll take it for another set." ”

Chunhua picked up her clothes and looked at them and said, "Hi." Sister Cuihua is really thoughtful! This dress is red, and there is the word longevity and blessing on it. It's really a blessing!" The reckless old man squinted his eyes for a while, and then said a little sadly: "Ho ho." You even have the old clothes ready for me!" The two women thought he was joking, and Cuihua said, "Brother Mangzi." Look where you are going? Now the old people in the city are wearing this kind of clothes. ”

"Old clothes" are also called "shrouds", which are clothes that people wear into coffins after they die. Chunhua smiled and said, "You should think of it as a shroud made for you!" I'll put it on for you. The reckless old man blocked her hand and said, "You, you take it away, I'm dirty, if you want to wear it, wait until I wash it before wearing it!"

Cuihua said: "The weather is a little cold, I'll go boil the bath water for you." So she got up and went to the kitchen, and Chunhua said to her, "Then you go and boil water, and I also made a pair of 'old shoes' with him, and I'll go over and see if they fit his feet." "'Old shoes' are also shoes that people wear after they die. Cuihua turned her head and complained to her: "Oh, Sister Chunhua, you should say less such unlucky words!" Huang Chunhua laughed and ran out of the door.

Cuihua boiled the hot water and scooped it into a large wooden basin, "Da Mang." Come out and take a shower!" she shouted into the room. Chunhua also carried a pair of cloth shoes, and walked over with a bright face and said, "Old mangtou." Take off the smelly shoes off your feet and put them on to see if they fit. Cuihua bent down to take off the rag shoes on his feet, "Look at his shoes, they stink! I haven't washed my feet in months, have they?"

The old man didn't speak, and Chunhua said a little embarrassedly: "Da Mang, he didn't have a woman to control him, where does he know how to wash his feet." Cuihua said: "The hot water is all ready, or take a shower and put on new shoes." "Ho ho. You have to get it. Wash my stinking body, lest he get to Lord Yama, who will hate me for stinking!"

The two women listened to the confused words of the reckless old man, and their hearts shook again.

The reckless old man wanted to get out of bed and take a bath, but before he could stand firmly, he collapsed at the feet of the two women. Chunhua and Cuihua were both startled, and Chunhua said in a panic: "Ouch! You really want to see Lord Yama, right?" The old man lay on the ground and said, "Ball! Lao Tzu seems to have a little numb foot." Cuihua went to help him up, but her strength was too weak, and she couldn't pull him after a few helps. Chunhua went to help him with his other arm, and it took a lot of effort for the two of them to help him to the bathtub.

Cuihua undressed the old man, and Chunhua was about to take off his pants, but the old man reached out and held it down and said, "Hehe, hey, you all go out." Before he could finish his words, he fell into the bathtub with a plop, and Chunhua smiled and said, "Look at your shy look! Haha!"

Cuihua also smiled shyly and said, "Hehe! You are only about to turn sixty years old, and you are so old that you even have to wait for us to take a bath!" The reckless old man did not say a word, and comfortably let the two women bathe him. The attentive Cuihua suddenly found that his gaze was a little dull, as if he was about to lose his breath with the dazed demeanor. "Sister Chunhua. He, his demeanor doesn't seem quite right!" she whispered to Huang Chunhua.

Chunhua smiled and said, "What's wrong with him, he's enjoying the blessings of our two women!" After speaking, he went to pat the reckless old man, and said, "Hi." Old mangtou, your turtle son has been blessed with a lot of happiness in his life! There are two beautiful women waiting for you until you die!haha!" The old man only glanced at him and closed his eyes again. But a happy smile appeared on his lips. "Quickly give Lao Tzu the 'old clothes' to wear and put them on. He said in a deep voice.

"Sister Chunhua. He just can't do it!" Cuihua said in shock. In fact, Chunhua had already noticed that his expression was a little abnormal, but she couldn't believe that he would die, "Hurry up and put on new clothes for him." She said alarmedly. The two women brought the slick old man to bed, and anxiously dressed him in new clothes, new pants, and new shoes.

Cuihua looked at the new shoes on the old man's feet and said, "Sister Chunhua." Your needlework is so good! These shoes are so beautiful and fit his feet!" Suddenly. The reckless old man sat up from the bed at once, got out of bed very quickly, walked to the mirror alone, looked at his own shadow in the mirror for a while, and said with a smile: "Ho ho ho! Lao Tzu put on this brand-new 'old clothes', even if the Lord of Yama sees me, he will not dislike it!"

The two women were shocked by his sudden demeanor and his funny voice, and they looked at him for a while, and then they rushed over together, hugged him one by one, and said excitedly together: "You pretending to be dead, you almost scared us all away!"

On the first day of his birthday, Xiai came back with his girlfriend. The girl looked a little like Shushu, with a chubby face, big black eyes, a beautiful figure, and a sweet cherry mouth, and as soon as she entered the door, she called "Dad" and "Mom". The reckless old man was a little confused, "Son, why are you still married to your sister?" he said accusatory.

The family laughed when they heard it. Chunhua pushed her future daughter-in-law in front of him and said, "Old mang. Do you see clearly, is your daughter as beautiful as her?" The reckless old man didn't believe it, so he reached out and touched his daughter-in-law's neck, and touched it for a long time before saying, "Oh." Enemies. There's a word on the back of Shushu's neck, she can't do it! Why hasn't my daughter come back yet?"

Evening. Cuihua also brought her son Xichun and a beautiful daughter-in-law from the city into the house together. Xichun's appearance hasn't changed much, and it's still the same polite appearance. When I entered the door, I shook hands with Xiai first, and then shook hands with the old man and Chunhua. The girl next to her was like a mute, Xichun introduced the family, she just nodded, and shrank behind Xichun without saying a word, restrained like a big girl who had never seen the world.

After dinner, Chunhua and Cuihua were in another room, talking about family affairs with their two new daughters-in-law. The two brothers, Xiai and Xichun, stood by the bedside of the old man, arguing about who would provide for the old man first. Xichun said that he lived in a big city, and his father had never been to a big city in his life, so he wanted to take him to live in the city. cherished love but disagreed, he said that he was the eldest brother and should take on the responsibility of raising the old man. After arguing for a long time, the two brothers finally came to an agreement: it would be fair for the old man to live in the city of Xichun for half a year, and then in the countryside of Xi'ai for half a year. But the reckless old man lamented: "You, don't fight with your two dolls! I'm afraid, Lao Tzu won't be able to enjoy your blessings!"

On his birthday, the sky of Fangshengba was exceptionally clear, and the autumn sun was warmly sprinkled on the land. In the dam under the yellow kudzu tree, dozens of square tables are placed. The original storage room of the production team has now been contracted by Aunt Jin's son and has become a very famous farmhouse. The birthday banquet of the old man was arranged here.

Xi Ai and Xi Chun supported the reckless old man on one side, followed by his two daughters-in-law who had not passed the door, and then behind his two women, Huang Chunhua and Li Cuihua, the dwarf winter melon man followed behind a group of relatives and friends who came to the birthday banquet, no one paid attention to him, it looked like a winter melon that was about to rot.

The group walked slowly towards the yellow kudzu tree, and the reckless old man glanced back at the people behind him from time to time, and felt that these people seemed to be mourning himself, and his somewhat pale mouth squirmed and said, "Why didn't my daughter Shushu come to mourn Lao Tzu?" He was already vague when he spoke, and his voice was so low that only he could hear it. The two sons beside him couldn't hear what he was nagging about.

When the people gathered under the Huang Ge tree saw their birthday star coming, they all clapped their hands and handed the red envelopes in their hands to the reckless old man, but they were all snatched by Chunhua. He sat down at a large square table, his already cloudy gaze roaming around, "What about my daughter? When Chunhua heard this, she said, "Old mang." You've said this dozens of times!" Cuihua said calmly, "Shushu said that she will definitely come back, so don't worry about it." ”

Dozens of tables were filled with guests, and with the crackling sound of firecrackers, the birthday feast began. Aunt Jin brought a bowl of longevity noodles to the old mangzi, she is also an old woman in her seventies. "Brother Da Mang. You have eaten this bowl of longevity noodles, Aunt Jin wishes you a long life and a hundred years old!" Aunt Jin said with a smile.

The old man seemed to be unable to hear anymore, he only waved his hand at Aunt Jin, and kept looking at the road outside the dam, the bus in the city set up a stop under the Huang Ge tree, and he was watching to see if there was his daughter Shushu among the people who got off the bus. His two sons fed him longevity noodles, and he couldn't even open his mouth.

"He, he's waiting for his own daughter Shushu!" Cuihua whispered to Chunhua. There were tears in her eyes, and they were also tears in anticipation of seeing her daughter. Finally, on a bus parked under the yellow kudzu tree, a girl who made everyone's eyes light up, she carried a box of big cakes in her hand, ran to the old man with a fork, plopped and knelt on the ground, raised the cake with both hands, and said in a trembling voice: "Dad." This box of birthday cakes, I wish my father a long life!"

Sook-sook began to cry as she spoke, and many people were moved to tears by her. The reckless old man's actions surprised everyone. He didn't pick up the cake from his daughter's hands, but picked up the bowl of longevity noodles at once, snorted a few times and swallowed his stomach, "Wow! Lao Tzu has to eat this meal, lest he be a starving ghost!" he said with a slight smile on his face.

People thought he was joking, and they giggled. The reckless old man was unusual, his two sons gave him vegetables, and whatever the meat was sweet and boiled white, he swallowed it and ate it in large pieces. His daughter Sook-sook fed him a cake, and he laughed happily while eating. Everyone came to toast him, but he didn't care about red wine and white wine, he took the wine glass and dried it up. A fat man came up to him with a wine glass and asked, "Brother Mangwa." Do you still recognize me?"

The reckless old man looked at him for a while, and then suddenly grabbed his hand and said, "Hey, your turtle son Fat Dun'er, that year, my two gangs sold river sand, and your turtle son hid it from me and swallowed the money of the three carts of river sand alone." Lao Tzu has been remembering it in his heart for decades!" Fat Dun'er was invited by Cuihua, and she invited all the people who were educated youths here back then.

Everyone laughed. Fat Dun'er was a little embarrassed and said, "Hey! I've forgotten the ball!Come, brother, I'll punish myself with three glasses of wine!" You have to take out the money from the three truckloads of river sand and divide it again!" Fat Dun hesitated for a moment and said, "Brother Mangwa." That's it. I'll take you a family photo later, even if you make up for it!" Aunt Jin also said beside her: "It's rare for your family to reunite, so take a family photo." ”

The reckless old man squinted his eyes and thought for a while before saying, "Then, let's take it now." Son, quickly take Lao Tzu to Huang Geshu. You all come here!" "Xiai and Xichun helped him to the bottom of the yellow kudzu tree, Chunhua brought a chair, she and Cuihua sat next to the reckless old man, behind him was his daughter Shushu, and on both sides stood his son Xiai and Xichun.

The whole family stood up, and waited for Fat Dun'er to bring a camera to take pictures of them. But Fat Dun'er drank a lot of wine, he was a little drunk, his hand holding the digital camera shook for a while, and finally "clicked" to take a photo, he opened the photo to see, but the eyes of the reckless old man did not open. "Ouch! This one can't be balled, you stand up and don't move! I'm going to take another picture. Brother Mangwa. Open your eyes and look at me! Come, attention, everybody, get ready... Oops! Tell you to open your eyes, you squint and I'll take a picture. ”

The reckless old man's head rested on the back of the chair, as if he was asleep, and there was a slight smile on his face. "Oh. Daddy is drunk, wake him up. "Cherish love said. Shushu put it in his ear and shouted, "Dad." Don't you want to take pictures? Wake up. Wait until you have a picture before you go to sleep. The reckless old man opened his eyes, looked at his daughter, and closed them again. The two women next to him felt that something was wrong, and Chunhua reached out to touch his nostrils, and jumped up from the bench in fright, "He, he's old and reckless, and he's out of breath!" she exclaimed.

There was a sudden chaos at the birthday banquet of more than 200 people, and the dwarf winter melon man clapped his hands and jumped his feet in the dam and shouted: "So comfortable! I just ate the birthday banquet, and I want to eat the funeral banquet......!!