When I woke up the next day, Jing Di and Lilan were lying on my bed, and the two of them hugged me tightly!

I watched my mother sit on the edge of our bed, looking at us with kind eyes.

The mother said, "Children! It's already noon! Get up! We're going to talk about things together! ”

After me, Jingtian, and Lilan got up and washed, Wei's mother prepared porridge and pickles for us in the kitchen at home.

After I fed my little sister breakfast, I ate it myself.

Then, the three of us kids went to the family meeting.

At this time, Mother, Wei Ma, Brother Jing Tian, Brother Wen Chang, Sister Lifen, Sister Wen Juan, etc. were already waiting for us in the living room at home.

The mother said, "In the future, you three children will not be able to sleep in." After the fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year, I want to go on a business trip to the provincial capital! Learn more about your father's death! Collect his relics! When I return, I'll take care of your father's funeral!" Jingtian, Wenchang, Lifen, Wenjuan, the four of you go to study as usual! During this time, there is still a holiday, you are at home to review your homework and help Wei's mother work! Jingcai, you have to help Mama Wei take care of Jingdi and Lilan at home! Don't run around! ”

Everyone looked at their mother and nodded silently.

After the family meeting, my mother went to work with her old briefcase.

My brother and sister went to their study room to review their homework.

I took Jing Di and Lilan to play on the grass outside the house.

......

On February 13, 1968, after the Chinese New Year, my mother went on a business trip to the provincial capital, and our family sent my mother to the highway not far from our home to make a long-distance bus to the provincial capital.

I tearfully took my mother's hand and said, "Mom! You must come back safely! We don't have a dad anymore! If, without you, I don't want to live! ”

My mother hugged me and said, "Ah Cai! Don't be afraid! Mom fought! Ordinary people can't hurt me! You wait at home with peace of mind, and your mother will come back when you are done! ”

Then, after a shuttle bus stopped on the side of the road, Mom took her duffel bag and briefcase and waited for the car to get in the car and left!

.....

After that, the older siblings went to school.

I, Jing Di and Lilan stayed at home with Wei's mother. Wei's mother has no children and no daughters, and my mother told me that Wei's mother lost her husband in the old era. She is not very literate, she used to do some small business, she is kind and cheerful, and she often tells us stories from the past.

One day, Wei's mother stood by the stove and looked at me and said, "Ah Cai! Let's eat! Wait a minute, I'll take you to the market and sell the chickens that I have at home, and the family is running out of money. ”

After I fed my little sister breakfast, Jing Di and I quickly finished lunch.

After eating, we went to the chicken coop in the backyard of our house with Wei's mother, caught seven or eight chickens in a bamboo cage, and prepared to sell them at the market. These chickens were originally raised for the New Year, but now, they can only be sold!

Wei's mother and I carried seven or eight cages with live chickens to the front yard of the house and loaded them onto a small board cart.

Then, Wei's mother carried her little sister Lilan with a strap, Wei's mother took Jingdi's little hand, and I pushed the cart and followed them.

We went out of the front yard of the house, and after Wei's mother locked the courtyard door, we went to the town market together.

This is a market in a small mountain town, and there is only one market a week, also known as "seven days and one wei". On the market, the locals call it Ganwei. The bazaar is not far from our house, a fifteen-minute walk.

It's not polder, there are very few people in the market, and when there is nothing to do, the children of the town often play here.

Today, it's bustling with people coming and going, and it's very lively! Nearby mountain people have already arrived here early to buy daily necessities, or sell some mountain goods such as leather, game, fruits, shiitake mushrooms, fungus, tobacco leaves, in short, everything in the market.

Wei Ma is very good at doing business and has a very good popularity! We quickly found a good spot in the bazaar and set up our stalls.

Next to our stall was a hunter who was selling furs and some wild boar bacon. He is very familiar with Wei's mother. This man has been to our house. He was a good friend of my father! In our family, he is often subsidized. Once he was seriously ill, and my mother and I went to the hospital to give him money. I don't know his name! However, everyone calls him "Uncle Lan"!

As soon as Uncle Lan saw me, he happily touched my head and said, "Ah Cai! You're going to be in business! It's a lad too! ”

I didn't talk to Uncle Lan as usual, and Uncle Lan was very confused.

He asked Wei's mother, "Wei's mother! Is there something wrong with the family? ”

Wei's mother said, "Alas! Your brother was killed in the provincial capital! We also found out on Chinese New Year's Eve! Ah Cai's mother went to the provincial capital to confirm the news just before yesterday! See if you can recover your brother's body? ”

Uncle Lan immediately burst into tears and hugged me and said, "Poor child! Don't be sad! These are troubled times! Your dad is a good man! God won't let those bad guys go! ”

......

Since there were a lot of people buying things in the market, when the sun was in the west, we sold all seven or eight chickens by selling. We bought about two cents a piece for each chicken, and Wei's mother got nine dollars and six cents.

Since Wei's mother couldn't write, I asked me to record this account on her notepad.

Wei's mother smiled and said to me, "Ah Cai! That's a lot of money! That's equivalent to a month's salary for an average worker! Before your mother came back from the provincial capital, we were not short of money! ”

When we were about to leave the market and go home, Uncle Lan gave Wei's mother a few yuan from selling mountain goods and some bacon. Wei's mother refuses to ask for it! Uncle Lan gave it to Wei's mother!

Uncle Lan burst into tears and said, "Mama Wei! Now, life is not easy! But you're more upset than we are! Take it, money is nothing! ”

Wei's mother nodded and accepted Uncle Lan's money and bacon.

After Mama Wei put the bacon on the cart, she put Lilan on her back again, pulled Jingdi, and I pushed the cart, and we went home like this.

......