"Big brother, I can't live at home any longer. I'm leaving! Juexin was alone in the room, and Juehui walked into the room and said to him excitedly. It was already dark, the room was shining with gray light, and the electric lights were not yet on. Juexin sat at the desk, his chin propped up with his hands, and silently looked at a small frame on the table, which contained a photo of him and Ruijue when they were newly married. Although the light in the room could not make him see the face in the photo clearly, Ruijue's face had already been deeply imprinted on his heart, the plump face, the kind smile, the flexible big eyes, and the two shallow dimples on the cheeks seemed to appear in the photo. He stared with tears in his eyes. Suddenly, Juehui's voice disturbed him. He turned his head and saw Juehui's radiant eyes.

"You're leaving? Where to go? Juexin asked in astonishment.

"To Shanghai, to Beijing, anywhere. In short, to get out of our home! Jue Hui replied proudly.

Juexin couldn't speak for a long time, he only felt heartache, and he pressed his chest tightly. Outside the window, the treetops screamed miserably.

"I must go, no matter what they say, I must go!" Jue Hui continued as if she had quarreled with someone. He put his hands in the two side pockets of his patriotic robe and paced around the room irritably. He didn't expect these steps to be stepping on Juexin's heart.

"Where's the second brother?" Juexin suddenly struggled out with this question.

He said he was leaving, and he was not leaving. I don't think he can leave for a while. He now has Sister Qin, and he will not leave Sister Qin alone. "It's still an irritated voice. But Juehui immediately added resolutely: "But no matter what, I want to go." ”

"Yes, you have to go, you can go, you can go to Shanghai, you can go to Beijing, you can go anywhere!" Juexin almost cried.

Jue Hui did not answer. He didn't understand what Juexin's words meant.

"What about me? Where am I going? Juexin suddenly covered his face and said in a sad voice.

Jue Hui was still striding forward, and he looked at Jue Xin with distressed eyes from time to time.

"Third brother, you can't go," Juexin said in a pleading voice, "you can't go anyway." He put his hands down.

Jue Hui still didn't speak, but he stood still, and he still looked at Jue Xin with distressed eyes.

"They don't want you to go! They must not let you go! Juexin said vigorously, as if he was arguing with someone.

"Hmph, hmph," Jue Hui sneered twice, and then said seriously: "They don't want me to go, I'll just go to show them!" ”

"And what can you do? They have a lot of reasons. Grandpa's coffin is parked at home, and before it has been laid or buried, you have to leave, and it is inevitable that you will not be able to say it. Juexin seemed to be asking for help from "them" at this time.

"What does my grandfather's coffin have to do with me at home? Isn't it going to be laid next month? After opening the coffin, I am about to be carried to the temple, can't I still go? I'm not afraid, they don't dare to deal with me like they do to my sister-in-law! As soon as Jue Hui mentioned the corpse, his anger was stirred, and he said the above words cruelly.

"Don't mention your sister-in-law again, please don't mention your sister-in-law again! …… She's not going to come back alive," Juexin said bitterly, waving his hand at Juehui with a pleading expression.

"Why are you so sad? When grandpa's mourning clothes are full, you can pick another one, no later than three years! Juehui sneered.

"I'm not going to continue the strings, I'm not going to continue the strings for the rest of my life. That's what I meant by asking my mother to bring the newborn Yun'er to Jiading to raise," Juexin shook his head and explained weakly, his voice as if it came from the mouth of an old man.

"Then why did you ask her to take Hai'er with you?"

"Hai'er will come back after two or three months. What do you think the air here is good for his motherless child? He asks for 'Mom' every day. There was no one to take care of him. When grandpa is buried, I'm going to bring him back. I devoted myself to raising him. He is my hope. I can't lose him again. I can't just give him to another woman. ”

"That's what it means now, and after a while, you'll change your mind again. You're all like that, I've seen a lot of them. Dad is a good role model. Mom just died, how sad he was, but he continued in less than two years. You say don't want to continue the strings, and they will tell you to continue the strings. They will tell you that you are still young and Hai'er needs someone to take care of you, and you will agree. If you don't agree, they'll force you to say yes," it was still Jue Hui's voice with a sneer.

"They can force me to do anything else, and I won't agree to it anyway," Juexin argued in distress. "And it's for Hai'er's sake that I can't even agree."

"Then I'll answer you in your own words: I must go!" Jue Hui couldn't help but sneer.

Juexin didn't speak for a long time, and then said angrily: "I don't care about you, I see how you go!" ”

"Leave it to you! But I'll tell you: by the time you open your eyes, I'll be gone! Juehui said resolutely.

"But you don't have the money."

"Money! Money is not a problem, my family does not give me money, I will borrow from others. I must go. I have a lot of friends who will help me! ”

"Can't you wait?" Juexin asked disappointedly.

"How long will it take?"

"Is it okay to wait two years? At that time, you had already graduated from the 'foreign college'," Juexin thought that things had taken a turn for the better, so he gently persuaded him. "You can go out and do something. If you want to continue studying, you can do it. All in all, much better than going now. ”

"Two years? So long! I can't bear it for a moment. I can't wait to leave the provincial capital right away! Jue Hui is even more excited now.

"Two years is not too long. You're always in such a hurry. You should also think about it. You have to endure all things. What harm did Yan two years do to you? You've endured it for eighteen years. Can't you endure it for another two years? ”

"I didn't have my eyes fully open before, I didn't have the guts before, and we still had a few loved ones in our family before! Now only the enemy remains. ”

Juexin was silent for a long time, and suddenly asked in a sad voice, "Am I also your enemy?" ”

Jue Hui looked at his brother with pity, and he felt his heart gradually soften. He said to Juexin in a gentle voice: "Big brother, of course I love you. There used to be a time when we were about to get to know each other, but now we're far apart. Naturally, you love my sister-in-law and Cousin Mei more than I do. But I don't understand why you're letting someone else manipulate them. Especially the sister-in-law's thing. At that time, if you were brave, you could also save your sister-in-law. But now it's too Yan. What else do you want to say to me, and you want me to follow your example. I hope that you will not persuade me with such words again, lest I hate you, lest you become my enemy. After Juehui finished speaking, she turned around and walked outside, but was stopped by Juexin. Tears welled up in Juehui's eyes, and he thought that this was the last time he would shed tears for his brother.

"No, don't go," Juexin said with a burst of crying. "We'll find out later. I have my own struggles, but I won't talk about them now. …… Anyway, I'll definitely help. I'm going to tell them. If they don't agree, we'll talk about something else. I'm going to help you succeed. ”

At this time, the lights suddenly came on. They looked into each other's teary eyes and exchanged words of understanding in their eyes. They are still loving brothers. They are separated, thinking they know each other well, but they are not. Jue Hui said goodbye to his brother, and he was extremely happy because he was about to leave the family. Juexin said goodbye to his brother, but hid in his room and wept, he knew that another dear person was leaving him. He would stay at home and live a more bleak and lonely life.

Juexin really fulfilled his promise. Two days later, he had another chance to talk to Juehui alone.

"You've failed," Juexin said to Jue Hui as he went to Jue Hui's room that afternoon. Two people sit on opposite sides of the square table. Juexin's voice was filled with disappointment, but not yet utterly hopeless. "I'll go and tell my mother first, my mother doesn't have a certain idea, although she doesn't approve of you leaving, but she doesn't insist on it very much. Naturally, she wants us well. She is very sad about your sister-in-law's death this time, and she regrets it too. It's also thanks to her and your mother-in-law that she and your sister-in-law's funeral are handled, and I can't do anything myself. I might as well treat your sister-in-law as well as Mei. I also saw Mei for the last time, and I also took care of Mei's funeral myself. He sobbed again. Jue is really pitiful. She died almost thirty-seven, and none of the elders in our family went to see her except for my mother and aunt. The fifth aunt didn't even allow the fourth sister to go to the temple, as if Jue was dead, and she was also an ominous ghost. I can't imagine that someone like Jue would end up like this. But the people at the bottom were kind to her, and they all went to see her in our room or in other rooms. Every time I see my mother, my heart is really like a knife, and every word she says seems to have a deep meaning, all of them are for me, and they are all reproaching me. You don't know how sad I feel! He said and burst into tears.

Jue Hui had been listening to Jue Xin talking about his departure from home, but his brother turned the conversation to his sister-in-law's death. This still caught his attention. He listened, biting his lip and clenching his fists. He forgot about himself. A plump face appeared in front of his eyes, and then a coffin appeared, and gradually the coffin shrunk, and became two, and three. So three more women's faces were changed: one plump, one sad, and one innocent and lively. The number of faces suddenly increased again, four, five, all of which he recognized, and then to many faces, but suddenly they were completely wiped out. There was only one face in front of him, his brother's thin face wet with tears. He whispered to himself, "I don't cry. He pressed his fist tightly against the table. He didn't shed a single tear.

The room was uncomfortably quiet. From the hall came the sound of monks chanting, accompanied by the beating of gongs and drums.

After a while, Juexin sighed, touched his handkerchief again to wipe away his tears, and then slowly continued: "I was talking about you, but who knew that the words were so far!" "He wanted to laugh, but he couldn't." Mom said that she couldn't call the shots, so she called me to ask the third father. I told the third father, and he sternly refuted it. He also scolded me for not understanding etiquette, saying that at least I would have to wait until my grandfather was buried before I could let you go. There were other people in the mourning hall, and they all echoed the third father. Aunt Chen also said some sarcastic things, and also mentioned the previous ghost hunting. She vaguely hinted that Grandpa's death had something to do with your actions. But she didn't dare to say it yet, and no one publicly agreed. ……”

"Hmph, even if everyone openly agrees, I'm not afraid," Juehui sneered. "Good! Let's see what they do to me! ”

"Against you?" Juexin continued, "No. But they have more material to attack me. They won't do anything to you. They won't let you go, probably because of me. He scratched his hair in pain. They also said that the road was not very smooth, that it was dangerous to take a boat or get out of a drought, and that it was even more difficult to meet a 'good guest'; they also said that Shanghai is too prosperous, and if you go there alone, you will learn badly; they also said that it is a very bad thing to send children to the school, and my grandfather fought hard to oppose it when he was alive; and they also said that the habits in the school in Shanghai are even worse, and if you study there, you will either be a son or a troublemaker. In short, they, you, I, said a lot of things, but in fact, they just didn't want you to go. And according to their meaning, not only to wait for grandpa to be buried, but also to ask you to never leave. ”

"Do you think I'll never leave?" Juehui asked suddenly.

Juexin was silent for a while, because he was thinking about whether there was any other way. He knew that Juehui had to go, and he had promised to help him. He groaned, "It's okay not to leave for a while. When the water rises next spring, it's not the same! ”

Jue Hui stood up, he clenched his fists and slammed them on the table, and said resolutely, "No, I must go!" I just want to go against them and let them know what kind of person I am. I'm going to be a traitor to the old rites. After he finished speaking, he walked around the room twice, and only said the word "traitor" in his mouth, as if he did not understand the meaning. Then he walked to the writing desk, picked up the lithograph that Juexin had just brought to announce the opening date, and doubled the "line statement" of his grandfather, which was printed on the back, and said angrily: "Say beautiful words: 'Read and then be polite, and be diligent and thrifty, so you keep your family.'" 'Which one of our families is Mingli?' ”

Juexin hurriedly said: "This is a sample that has just been printed and sent, don't tear it!" ”

Jue Hui smiled, put the "obituary" back on the writing desk, and said, "Why do you think I'm going to tear it up?" Then he asked Juexin, "What do you mean?" ”

"I advise you to wait until next year," Juexin said pleadingly, looking at him.

"No, no, I have my own way," Juehui said stubbornly; "You don't approve, you don't help, I'm still leaving! I will never see you again! He paced the room again.

Juexin raised his head and looked at Juehui stupidly, and after a while, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he said in a resolute tone that he rarely usually has: "I said I wanted to help you, and I will definitely help you now." …… What I can't do, you can do. …… We do it in secret. Didn't you say someone borrowed money from you? I can also raise money for your journey. It's good to have a little more money on hand. I'll talk about that later. If you're gone, I don't think there will be a big problem. ”

"Really? Will you help me? Jue Hui walked up to Jue Xin and grabbed her brother's arm and asked loudly in surprise.

"Be quiet, don't let anyone hear. Don't tell anyone I'm helping. You're gone, and I can say I don't know. You can also write a letter to reproach me. They won't be suspicious of me. We'll find a place to discuss the details later. It's good to go into the garden. It's a little inconvenient to talk here," Juexin whispered earnestly.

"Yes, it's really a little inconvenient," a crisp female voice came in from outside the door, and then the door curtain moved, and two people came in, a man and a woman, Juemin and Qin. The words were said by Jean, and she walked in with a laugh. Juemin then said, "Your plan is really good. ”

"Why don't you come in early?" Juexin said reproachfully.

"All we heard you say was that it was done in secret, so we stood outside the door and listened while we made a sentry for you. This was Qin Mei's idea. Juemin smiled at Qin as he spoke, and Qin also smiled faintly in reply, his face flushed slightly. Her blushing face was due to something else, but the blush disappeared immediately, and it was still a lively and beautiful face. Jue Hui's gaze paused on this face for a moment. Qin sensed that Juehui was always looking at her, so she looked back with anger. Juehui smiled wryly at her. A faint red cloud appeared on Jean's face again. She turned her head away. She walked over to the desk and sat down on a wicker chair.

"Sister Qin, I'm leaving, and you still won't let me look at you a few more times!" Jue Hui said with a smile and resentment. Juexin and Juemin both laughed next to them.

Jean turned her face back to look at Juehui, her eyes were so gentle, like an older sister looking at her dear brother. A bleak smile swept across her face, and she didn't say anything as if she wanted to say something. But her usual smile immediately returned to her face. She said kindly, "You have to look at it, but look at it." If you can't get enough, I'll send you a photo, okay? ”

"Well, this is what you said yourself, they are all witnesses," Juehui said happily, "I will definitely ask you tomorrow." ”

"Of course I will give it to you. You say, when did I lie to you? Jean said with a smile.

Juehui thought to herself: "You always have something to say, I must find a sentence to stump you." He said, "This one is not enough!" I will write back in the future to ask you to take a photo with your second brother. ”

His words worked, and Jean pretended not to hear, and turned around to flip through the book on the desk.

"Okay, I'll send you in the future," Juemin replied on her behalf with a smile, and then said to Juexin, "Big brother, we still need you to help us with our affairs." My aunt has already agreed, and my mother will not object if she wants to. As long as I am full of my grandfather's filial piety, our family affairs can be brought up. However, we hope to adopt a new style of wedding in the future. ”

Juexin frowned, and thought to himself: "The problem is here again!" Then he replied, "It's still early, let's talk about it then." Probably there is always a way. The last sentence was to comfort Juemin, but he was actually thinking, "I guess there won't be a way."

"Come down here, I'll meet you in Shanghai," Jue Hui said excitedly.

"But it's not certain. If my aunt refuses to leave, we can't leave her for the time being. And even if you have to leave, it will be two years at the earliest, otherwise I'm afraid that one of the two people will not be able to leave. ”

"So how to solve Sister Qin's reading problem?" Juehui asked with concern.

"She will graduate next year, and then the 'foreign specialist' may open the women's ban. Otherwise, she will have to prepare for herself for a year or two, and she will come down to go directly to the university for an undergraduate. Jean, what do you say? Juemin said and turned around again to ask Qin.

Jean raised her head and smiled slightly, not showing an unpleasant look, nor saying anything. She believed in Kyaw-min, and she understood that Kyaw-min was planning for her.

Juehui stopped talking. He silently looked at Geum-and-Juemin. He sometimes envied Juemin and felt that Juemin was happier than him; At times, he rejoiced that he could go to Shanghai and leave the home he hated to create a new business. Shanghai, full of unknown new activities, with a large masses and a thriving new cultural movement, and a few young friends who have not met through letters.

"Let's go to the garden and discuss. Second brother, you go with Qin Mei first. Juexin said this as if he remembered an important event. At this time, he suddenly heard Yuan Cheng's sand voice calling "eldest young master" outside, so he said to Juehui: "Third brother, you also go first." I'll come later. You can wait for me in the Evening Fragrance Building. With that, he hurried outside.

Jean and Brother Juemin remained in the room and talked a few words. Juemin accompanied Qin out first. After a while, Juehui walked out of the room. He saw Juexin standing in the patio, talking to Yuan Cheng, and opened a couplet while reading.

Jue Hui walked over to Jue Xin's side. Juexin is opening the lower link, and the words on it are like this:

"The family cried together, sang the pity of the talent, burned the beard to increase the pain, expected to haunt the children, did not get all the care, and waited for the end of the job."

He knew that it was his sister-in-law's brother who sent the couplet from Jiading, and he walked away with a sadness in his heart. He was going to the garden to find Qin and Juemin, and just walked out of the aisle and was about to turn into the garden gate, when he suddenly heard Huang's mother calling him.

"Third young master, I am making bird's nest cakes in the kitchen today, I know you love to eat, so I will keep it for you. If you want to eat, call me, and I'll bring you steam," said Old Huang's mother with a smile on her face.

"Okay, you can bring it to me when you play the second watch," Juehui replied with a touching smile, and went into the garden.

Juexin was still standing there looking at this couplet. Yuan Cheng knew that Juexin was missing the young grandmother, and he was also a little sad in his heart, so he buried his head and still waited for Juexin's instructions with the top line of the couplet. After a while, Juexin suddenly quickly rolled up the couplets and asked Yuan Cheng to put them in the house, but he walked towards the garden. He thought, "We need a traitor in this family." I must help my third brother succeed. He can breathe a sigh of relief for me, too. He couldn't help but say to himself, "Look at it." It's not all obedient people like me! ”