No matter how uncomfortable the big hat on his head was, Shi Zhu was most worried about the future of his children.

The eldest daughter Shi Shuo has been married for many years, and the eldest son Shi Ye has also started a family, so they don't need to worry too much; The second daughter Shi Yan is now twenty years old, slender and lovely, with a handsome face, although she is the daughter of a "counter-revolutionary", there is an endless stream of people who come to the matchmaker, but Shi Yan's vision is quite high, and she can't look down on any of those people, which makes the Shi family a little worried, but I am afraid that the older I get, the more difficult it will be to find my in-laws; As for the youngest son Shi Xuan, when he was twelve or thirteen years old just now, the Shi family began to worry about whether he would be able to find a daughter-in-law in the future.

Whenever they see someone chirping, as long as they can take care of themselves, the Ji family and Shi Yu will always take the trouble to say, I really don't know if the little Xuanzi of the family can find a daughter-in-law at the end!

They turned upside down, upside down, nagging day after day, as if they were two "Xianglin sisters-in-law". At first, the members were reluctant to listen to their nagging, and they became more bored after listening to them a lot. However, the Ji family and Shi Yu family were still chattering happily, with a hint of lament in their words, and they always felt that others had heard too much, and there would always be sympathy for their own family.

After a few years, the ending is still the same, but Shi Xuan is still young after all, and the Shi family is most concerned about Shi Xuan's affairs at the moment.

Since the Red Guards disbanded themselves, the "educated youths going to the countryside" have reached a wave of climax, and the "educated youths" who have gone to the countryside to cut the queue often come to patronize the commune, and several groups of people have also come to the Guwei brigade. On this day, the commune sent another "educated youth" named Zhou Chengping.

Although the "Lianyungang City" established at that time has been promoted to a municipality under the jurisdiction of Jiangsu Province, its scope is limited to Xinpu, Haizhou, Lianyun, Yuntai and other places. Guanyun and Guannan counties belong to the "Huaiyin area", and Donghai and Ganyu counties belong to the "Xuzhou area". The geographical division is a little complicated, but in the eyes of many old people, they are still accustomed to regard the vast area of Lianyungang and many surrounding counties and cities as the "Haizhou region", and they are accustomed to calling themselves Haizhou people, not Guanyun people or Huaiyin people. In the mouths of the younger generation, they began to call themselves "Guanyun people". No matter where it belongs, it is still a small valley that has existed here for hundreds of years.

Zhou Chengping is a native of Qingjiang, and Qingjiang City is the residence of the Huaiyin District Special Administration, which can be regarded as a real city person. Just after finishing high school, Zhou Chengping was arranged by his parents to go to the countryside to exercise, he was medium to tall, thinner, slightly white skin, although he was not a talent, but compared with the rural people at that time, he was also a leader.

When he first came to Guanyun, Zhou Chengping didn't know much about the dialect here, and once made a big joke:

There was a bit of mist in the early morning, and Zhou Chengping was more excited when he first arrived in the countryside, and his enthusiasm was high, so he took the initiative to ask the secretary what he needed him to do. Secretary Tan pointed to the big field of drying grain and said, "Classmate Zhou, you just came, then scrape this big field!" "The secretary of the talk said "scrape the big field" is the meaning of "sweep the big field", but at that time Mandarin was not popular, in the Guanyun dialect, "scratch" is said to be "guàng guàng", which sounds the same as "shopping".

"Huh?" Zhou Chengping was naturally a little puzzled when he heard this.

"Scratch the big field!" Secretary Tan said it again. Seeing Zhou Chengping nodding, he left to do something else.

Because of the morning mist, Secretary Tan couldn't see what Zhou Chengping was busy with and whether the ground had been swept or not. When it was almost time to eat breakfast, he went over to call Zhou Chengping. When he went to the big field, he was surprised, not only did the big field not sweep, but he was also spit out of the sunflower shell. "You didn't make a big scene, did you?" Secretary Tan looked unhappy, but after all, he was a newcomer, and he didn't get angry.

"I've shopped! I've been around the big field for a few laps! You see, the ground is full of melon seed shells that I spit out when I went shopping! Hearing this, Secretary Tan was angry and funny, and said: "I'm asking you to scratch the big field, not letting you walk around the big field!" ”

This confused Zhou Chengping even more, what does it mean to "go shopping" and "shopping" on the left? Foggy!

At this time, Shi Yan happened to pass by and heard the conversation between the two, she laughed and said to Zhou Chengping: "Then who, Secretary Tan is asking you to sweep the big field, not "shopping"!" ”

This time, Zhou Chengping finally understood, and hurriedly ran to pick up the big broom, and said while sweeping the big field: "Secretary Tan, I'm sorry, I just came, I didn't understand what Guan Yun said, I thought you were letting me 'shop' on the big field!" I'm going to sweep the floor clean! ”

"Hmmm! Let's go to dinner when the big field is done! Secretary Tan said and left.

Seeing that Secretary Tan was gone, Zhou Chengfang said to Shi Yan: "This female comrade, thank you just now!" ”

Shi Yan felt very funny when he heard this person call her a "lesbian", but he still restrained his smile and said, "No thanks! Also, don't call me a 'lesbian', it sounds weird! My name is Shi Yan. With that, she left with her pigtails in her hands.

This is the first meeting between Shi Yan and Zhou Chengping. Because of the morning mist, and because of the reserve of young men and women, they didn't even dare to stare at each other to see each other's looks. But it is precisely because of this hazy feeling that there is a little more room for reverie between the two. Watching Shi Yan's graceful curves gradually disappear in the mist, Zhou Chengping's heart began to throb.

In the interval between labor, Zhou Chengping deliberately approached Shi Zhen, and Shi Yan was naturally willing to be close to him, but he was afraid that Zhou Chengping would know his family composition and be alienated from him. Fortunately, Zhou Chengping is not conservative, never cares about these, and does not care about other people's opinions on this.

Gradually, the two became good friends who talked about everything, and Shi Yan often came together with Zhou Chengping in the name of borrowing books and asking for teaching, or sat by the river, and sometimes the two stayed for half a day. Despite this, Zhou Chengping has never talked to Shi Yan about the situation at home, and even if Shi Yan takes the initiative to ask, he will divert the topic.

Shi Yan knew that Zhou Chengping was from Qingjiang, and she suddenly asked him that day: "You are from Qingjiang, Premier Zhou is from Huai'an, the two places are so close, and your family is surnamed Zhou, should you have relatives with Premier Zhou's family?" ”

After hearing this, Zhou Chengping hurriedly shook his head and said, "No, no!" However, it seems that there are, if you want to talk about seniority, Premier Zhou should be my uncle. But the two families are separated by several generations, and they are not relatives anymore! ”

When Shi Yan heard this, he deepened his good impression of Zhou Chengping. The Shi family also knew that Shi Yan was very close to the "educated youth" surnamed Zhou, and they were naturally happy in their hearts. But on the other hand, they also know that the "educated youth" is just a passerby, and they don't know how long they will have to leave, not to mention that they don't know anything about Zhou Chengping's family affairs. Therefore, the Zhou family often reminded Shi Yan intentionally or unintentionally, fearing that she would suffer if she did not do more.

Shi Yan would say every time: "Don't worry, I know it in my heart!" ”

As the Shi family thought, or they didn't need to think about it at all, the news that Zhou Chengping was going to leave was inevitable after all. On this day, Zhou Chengping made an appointment with Shi Yan to the small river, and at this moment the reeds on the embankment were full of reed flowers, and when the wind blew, it flew all over the sky, as if it had arrived in a fairyland. It's easy to get impulsive in a season like this.

Looking at the rippling river, Zhou Chengping couldn't bear to say: "Shi Yan, I have a letter from home." My parents said that I had been working in the countryside for more than two years, and they wanted to recommend me to Nanjing to go to university, so that I could go home early and write my application. ”

"Then you're gone, will you come back?"

"If you want me to come back to you, I'll come back!"

At this time, Shi Yan saw that there was no one around, so he half lay on Zhou Chengping's lap, closed his eyes, and fell asleep after a while. A gust of wind blew, and a few reeds fell on her face, and Zhou Chengping gently brushed them away with his hand. At the moment when his hand touched Shi Yan's cheek, as if he had been electrocuted, he couldn't help but touch it lightly twice, and his heart was both frightened and excited, like thousands of rabbits, popping and jumping.

The young heart is always full of curiosity and impulsiveness, and after touching his cheek, Zhou Chengping's hand unconsciously slid down, so that he reached under Shi Yan's clothes and wanted to touch her belly. Unexpectedly, as soon as his hand touched his stomach, Shi Yan sat up suddenly.

"What do you want to do?" I saw Shi Yan slap Zhou Chengping's already tanned face.

"I, I ......" Zhou Chengping wanted to say sorry to Shi Yan, but he couldn't hold back for a while. In the panic, he said, "I will be responsible for you!" ”

Shi Yan ignored him, picked up the book, didn't look back, and walked away, but with a bright smile on his face, like this beautiful scenery.

In the remaining days, Zhou Chengping didn't see Shi Yan go to him again, he felt that he had done something bad, and he didn't dare to take the initiative to find her, he only thought that this relationship was over. Unexpectedly, on the last day before he went home, Shi Yan finally came to see him.

Zhou Chengping asked in a low voice, "You, don't hate me anymore?" ”

"The slap that slaps you, it's time to rip it out! I've thought about it, I want you to come back to me! After Shi Yan said this, the two young hearts seemed to have cleared the fog and found their home in an instant. At eight o'clock in the evening, wait for me under the big willow tree, and I will give you a gift. Remember, you're alone! With that, Shi Yan ran away with his hair again, just like when the two first met.

In the evening, after Zhou Chengping packed everything he could pack, he went to the big willow tree as promised, and Shi Yan was already waiting for him there. "Zhou Chengping, let me ask you, would you like to be with me?" Shi Yan asked straight to the point. "Of course I do!" Zhou Chengping also replied without hesitation.

Shi Yan took Zhou Chengping's hand and said, "Okay, I'll give you my body tonight, do you want it?" ”

Zhou Chengping was stunned, standing there motionless, everything was so sudden, he never thought that Shi Yan would give such a gift to himself, you know, this is the most precious thing for a woman. "I think so, but, but it's ......" However, Zhou Chengping's reason is still no match for the restless and lustful heart of young people.

Shi Yan knew what it meant, but what she thought was simple: she had given him her most precious things, and he would definitely not fail her. Early the next morning, Shi Yan sent Zhou Chengping to the car, and only said one sentence: "I'll wait for you to come back to me!" ”

As in movies and novels, not all good beginnings can have a happy ending. Shi Yan waited in the valley for days and days, waited for the snowy winter, waited for the spring when the grass grew and the warbler flew, but no one came to him, not even a simple letter. So in the summer, it was time for the school holiday, Shi Yan decided not to wait, and only left a note at home: I went to Qingjiang to find Zhou Chengping. When he arrived in Qingjiang, he really let Shi Yan find Zhou Chengping's house, the courtyard was quite large, and it was not an ordinary family at first glance. It was Zhou Chengping who opened the door.

"It's been more than half a year, why don't you go look for me?"

Zhou Chengping lowered his head and said hesitantly: "I, I, I want to go to you every day, but my parents don't let me go, saying that your family is not good, and I am afraid that it will affect my future." Also, you belong to the big dragon and I belong to the small dragon, and the family said that I will definitely be pressed by you in the future and will not let me be with you......"

"That's the answer you gave me? I gave you everything, but I waited for such a result! ”

"Shi Yan, I'm sorry for you in my life! Actually, I want to be nice to you too, it's just ...... I'll pay you back in the next life......"

Every word and sentence is like a few thunderbolts in the sky, and like the dark clouds that follow, I don't know where the sun in the sky is hidden. Shi Yan didn't dwell on it, maybe she could understand him. The sound of the rain had long since drowned out her cries, and in this despair, Shi Yan ran away.

Since then, Shi Yan has disappeared, and no one knows where she has gone. The Shi family also went to Qingjiang to look for it like crazy, but in the end there was no news, so they had to give up. Maybe Shi Yan will be like Liu Shanxiu, and suddenly come back by himself one day, and the Shi family can only talk about **.

Decades later, the three siblings of the Shi family heard that someone had seen Shi Yan in Nanjing; Later, some people said that they had seen Shi Yan in Hong Kong; Later, some people said that they had seen Shi Yan in Tibet. After that, there was no more news. In any case, the three siblings of the Shi family would rather believe that these news were true, which was enough to make them feel relieved, as long as she was alive.

Shi Yan's disappearance was a heavy blow to the Shi family, and during that time, the Ji family didn't think about tea and dinner all day long, and washed his face with tears, so that at a young age, his eyes were a little blurry.

But Shi Yu's is a person who has come over after all, and she has seen too many joys and sorrows, and many things can be seen, she comforted Ji's and said: "Si'en, Shi Yu, this kid has liked to pick up high since she was a child, since she doesn't want to come back, then let her go, maybe one day she will come back by herself!" Think of the bright side of everything! ”

In addition to Shi Xuan's incident, the biggest problem facing the Shi family at the moment is Shi Xuan's future. With the passage of time, Shi Xuan has reached the age of eighteen, but in the major events of his life, no one has always been willing to marry into the Shi family.

"I really don't know if the little Xuanzi of the family can find a daughter-in-law!" , these only twenty words, Ji and Shi Yu have been talking for I don't know how many years, and everyone has heard calluses in their ears, and there has never been any good news. However, the two women still persevered and nagged, and finally one day, someone spoke-Liu Xufei's woman Bo, but her family's family composition is also "four types of molecules".

"How about giving the four girls to your little Xuanzi?"

The fourth girl of Liu Xufei's family is named Liu Shuqing, two years older than Shi Xuan, with single eyelids, small eyes, collapsed nose, and a slightly larger mouth, she doesn't look like a handsome person at a glance, but then again, not all girls in this world are beautiful. Although Liu Shuqing is not handsome, he is quite tall, and he is about to catch up with Shi Xuan, and he is slender, so the Shi family is naturally 100,000 willing.

Ji Shi got Bo's words and said happily: "Sister-in-law Liu, what you said is true? If I can really marry your young girl, it will be a blessing for my family's Shi Xuan! ”

"This can still coax you! It's just that both children have to nod their heads in this matter, and now the words of adults are not absolute! ”

"Yes, yes! You have to get the consent of the two children! Then trouble my sister-in-law to go back and talk to the young girl! ”

When Bo returned home, he told the four girls about the matter, but Liu Shuqing immediately said: "Well, I firmly disagree with this matter!" Shi Xuan's tada is a 'four-type molecule'! Well, he is already a 'four-class element', if he marries into his family again, then there will be no way out for the children! I just want to find someone with good ingredients......"

It seems that this was the common idea of ordinary people at that time.

Bo naturally understood the thoughts of the four daughters, but she still persuaded her with good words: "Girl, the composition of our family is not good, how can anyone with good composition want you now?" Look at you, you're twenty years old, you can't delay it any longer, let's set the pro first! When you're older, it's not good to have a child! ”

"Unless his family takes off the hat of the 'four types of elements', I will talk to his family Shi Xuan!" Liu Shuqing's attitude was still resolute, and the matter came to an end for the time being.

Soon, the sad news came that the whole country was saddened: Comrade Zedong, a great man of a generation, passed away in Beijing in the early morning of September 9!

This year is destined to be the year of the fall of the superstar of the Republic: on January 8, Premier Zhou passed away; On July 6, Marshal Zhu De died.

A month later, the "Four * Gangs" were smashed in one fell swoop, and this "*** revolution" that made China suffer deeply finally came to an end! There is no longer anyone who says who is the "four types of elements" and who is a "reactionary family", and there is no more endless humiliation and criticism. The hat on the head is taken off, and all they have to wait for is the "hat removal notice".

On this day, Bo asked the fourth daughter, Liu Shuqing, again: "Girl, does what you said about the relationship with Shi Xuan still count?" ”

Liu Shuqing lowered his head and thought for a while, and said in a low voice: "As long as you don't object, I agree!" ”

I saw Liu Xufei pick up the cigarette pouch unhurriedly, take a deep breath, and then said with a smile: "Me? Why should I object? In this way, the matter of Shi Xuan and Liu Shuqing was finally decided.

Since the end of the "Cultural Revolution", Gu Wei has also become lively, and relatives or relatives who originally did not dare to come and go because of scruples are now moving around generously, and there is no need to sneak around.

Just after the solar calendar year, a swarthy "red flag" car came to the village on this day, and a couple got out of the car, the man's hair was gray, but he still walked sonorously and vigorously, and he looked very energetic. The woman is Liu Shanxiu, she is also a lot older at the moment, but she is still recognized by the villagers at a glance.

Liu Shanxiu and the old couple first went to the eldest brother Liu Xufei's house, and then called the second brother Liu Xuyang to go to his father's grave, and the two old men were buried together. As soon as he arrived at the grave, he didn't care about the coldness on the ground, Liu Shanxiu knelt down with a plop, buried his head on the ground and cried bitterly: "Hmm, Mom, my daughter is not filial, I didn't come to see you until now!" I wasn't there when you left...... The cry of her daughter's unfilial ...... is simply heartbreaking, just because it is a heartfelt emotion.

Soon after the "Cultural Revolution" began, Liu Shanxiu heard about her parents' criticism, but she was worried that the Liu family's composition would affect the future of her husband and children, so she didn't dare to come back to see, and she didn't even dare to come back after her parents hanged themselves, which became the most guilty thing in her heart. But in those days, she was not the only one who had this experience.

It wasn't until her sister-in-law Bo and Chao persuaded Liu Shanxiu to pull her up that her emotions calmed down a little.

At this time, the sun was very good, and there was no wind in sight, and Shi Yushi was basking in the sun there. On weekdays, she always finds a leeward place in the yard, but today when there is no wind, she takes a small bench and sits outside the yard to bask in the sun. For an old man who is already 96 years old, it is already a great thing to be able to walk and sit down without being supported by others.

Shi Yushi lowered her head and fell asleep for a while, just as she met Liu Shanxiu and a few people coming back from the tomb, and the sound of their words woke her up. Shi Yushi squinted at them, her eyes were a little dizzy, and she couldn't see people clearly, but she saw a back, that back was so familiar, she often saw it in her dreams.

Before he could stand up, Shi Yu's crutches slammed into the ground and shouted in a trembling voice: "Who, whose kid?" You stop me!! ”

Several people heard Shi Yu's shout and looked puzzled, but out of respect, they still turned their heads. Shi Yu, the people of the Liu family, knew it, so a few people knew that the old man should be Liu Shanxiu's husband. Immediately, Liu Shanxiu walked up to Shi Yushi and said, "Grandma Shi, that's my husband, Xiao Jianguo's father!" ”

When Shi Yushi saw that it was Liu Shanxiu, he smiled and said, "Oh, it's Shanxiu!" Are you back from the battle? Ah, what's wrong with your swollen eyes? Come on, give the big a good look! ”

Liu Shanxiu knew that Shi Yu's was old, so he must be talking nonsense again, so he pretended to say: "Well, Shi Da Niang, I'm back from the battle!" ”

Shi Yushi was still happy, "It's good to finish the battle!" Shanxiu, let me ask you, what is your man's surname? ”

"Grandma Shi, my husband's surname is 'Jade', the 'Jade' of 'Baoyu', didn't I tell you when I looked at the photos at your house last time!"

"Oh, I remember! I'm old and I don't have a good memory! Shi Yu beckoned again, asked Liu Shanxiu's husband Yu Heping to come over, and asked, "Child, let me ask you, what are your father's and your grandfather's surnames?" ”

This question, everyone else laughed, this is really confused, doesn't the son follow Lao Tzu's surname? I don't need to ask! But Yu Heping didn't think it was funny, and said to Shi Yushi respectfully: "Grandma, why did you think of asking this?" Let me tell you, listen to my grandfather, our family was originally the 'Yu' surnamed 'Fu', and later changed to the 'jade' of 'Baoyu'. ”

Hearing this, Shi Yushi immediately stood up, "The 'Yu' of 'rich' is the same surname as me!" Tell me, are your father and your father still there? ”

"My dad died when he was fighting devils. My grandfather is still alive, and he is one hundred and one years old! It's just that I can't move my legs, so I have to sit in a wheelchair! ”

"One hundred and one!" Shi Yushi muttered in his mouth, "Five years older than me!" The age card is on! Is there a black bump the size of a soybean grain behind your ear, and is there a scar on the tiger's mouth on your left hand? ”

"Yes! How do you know this? ”

"Of course I do! Of course I do! Hehe! No wonder the back is so similar, no wonder! When I came back to the mountain show, I was very familiar with your photo, and I knew that it would be good to ask a few more words at that time! Shi Yushi seemed to be talking to herself, and then she stretched out her hand and touched Yu Heping's face, smiled, and couldn't suppress the excitement in her heart, and said: "Child, your father is my brother, and I am your aunt and grandmother!" ”

"My aunt?" Yu Heping thought for a while, "By the way, I often hear my grandfather say that he has a younger sister, but he was sent to the palace when he was thirteen years old, and he hasn't seen him since. Her name is Yujin! ”

"That's right, niece and nephew, I'm Yuzhen, your aunt and grandmother! Your father's name is Yuxi, and he participated in the Beiyang Navy Division with your grandfather back then! I stayed in the palace for seven years, and when the Eight-Nation Coalition entered the city of Beijing, I ran out and went to Haizhou with your aunt! ”

Hearing this, everyone understood, it turned out that the old lady of the Shi family was not confused, and her heart was like a mirror. Yu Heping felt even more incredible, it was like a dream to be able to meet his aunt and grandmother here. "Grandma, you are really my aunt!" With that, he knelt down and kowtowed to Shi Yu. Shi Yushi hurriedly pulled him up and said happily: "Child, I can't do it, I can't do it!" Let's go inside and talk slowly! ”

After sitting down, Yu Heping told a lot about his grandfather Yuxi: After Yuxi and his father joined the Beiyang Naval Division, he fought with the Japanese in Dadonggou with the Beiyang Fleet in the autumn of the second year. At that time, he was on the "Jingyuan", and he took Lin Yunsheng; 's father was on the "Zhiyuan", with Deng Shichang. In the battle, my father was martyred with the "Zhiyuan". After the "Jingyuan" was sunk, he was rescued by a fishing boat and suffered burns on his shoulder and legs. After Yuxi recovered from his injury, he went to Yanbian along the Yalu River. At that time, he was afraid that the Qing court would investigate him, so he changed his surname to the Korean "jade" surname, and later became a family there.

Speaking of this, Yu Heping said: "When I was a child, I heard my father's name be 'Jade Scarf', and I felt very strange, but later I learned that he had taken apart the word 'Xi' in his name and turned it into 'Scarf'. ”

"And where is your grandfather now?" Shi Yushi asked urgently.

"After the victory of the 'War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea', I was transferred to the Jinan Military Region, and my father was old and always wanted to go to his hometown, so I took him to Texas. I didn't expect the old house to still exist! We built a new one, and now he lives there, and someone takes care of him. ”

"Good, good! It's good to be in my hometown! I've never dreamed of going back again! Shi Yushi lowered his head and pondered for a moment, and then asked, "Child, then let me ask you, are the big jujube trees in front of the house still there?" ”

"Grandma, there is only one jujube tree left, and the others are all old and dead, and when we build a new house, my father will let us plane. But the hawthorn tree next to the house is still there, they are all over 100 years old, the branches have been pruned and shrunk, and now they can still bear hawthorn! There are so many changes in Texas now, if you go, you probably won't recognize it! ”

"Yes, there is a new society, and there are great changes everywhere! It's a pity that we are both this age, and I am afraid that we will never have the opportunity to meet my eldest brother again in this life! After Shi Yushi finished speaking, he let out a long sigh and fell into deep thought again.

Of course, Yu Heping knew Shi Yu's thoughts, so he said: "Auntie, I have other things to do this time, so it's inconvenient to take you to Texas with me." When I'm done, I'll go home and talk to my grandfather, and then I'll ask you to go." I look at my grandfather's body and bones, and I guess I can live for another two years! ”

"Hehehe......" everyone laughed when they heard it.

When the Liu family was about to go back, Shi Yushi took Liu Shanxiu's hand and said meaningfully: "Shanxiu, I didn't expect that we still became a family after all!" Oh, by the way, now it's kiss and kiss: you are now my niece and granddaughter-in-law, and your niece Qing Yatou is the daughter-in-law of our Shi family! In the future, as long as you have time, you can come! ”

Liu Shanxiu smiled and nodded. It's been decades, and she's been relieved.