Although Yan Hong was not picking up customers, Xiao Shunzi was not willing to go home to stay, but entered Xing'er's house with Chen Zikun, and there was an indescribable strange smell in the house, Xiao Shunzi shrugged her nose and asked, "Sister Xing'er, what kind of smell is this?" ”

Xing'er said: "In the morning, Dr. Yang came again, gave my mother an injection, and gave two bottles of potion, one bottle mixed with water and sprinkled in the house, and the other bottle scrubbed the wound, the taste is strange, and it is good for my mother's illness." After a pause, he said, "Brother Kun, my mother has something to say to you." ”

Chen Zikun scratched his head: "What can my aunt do if she looks for me?" Saying that, she walked into the inner room, Xing'er Niang couldn't get out of bed after the operation, her face was pale and thin, half lying on the kang, with a forehead strap wrapped around her head, and a sewing basket in front of her. ”

The insole stitches are dense and thick, warm and thick, socks and gloves are also newly made, Chen Zikun holds the insoles, the corners of his eyes are a little moist, and his throat is a little astringent.

"Brother Kun, why are you crying?" Xing'er asked cautiously, Xiao Shunzi is also inexplicable, what is Chen Da, crying when he says he doesn't even need to brew emotions.

"I ...... No mother. Chen Zikun's tears fell down.

Xing'er Niang was also sad for a while, what a hard-working child, she beckoned: "Child, this will be your home from now on, Xing'er, pour tea for your brother Kun." ”

Xing'er was very nimble, took two large porcelain bowls, lifted down the iron kettle stewed on the stove, and made two bowls of tea for Chen Zikun and Xiao Shunzi to drink.

Chen Zikun was already thirsty after walking for a long time, so he picked up the bowl and drank it, and after smacking it, he wondered: "Xiao Shun'er, why is this water different from your family?" ”

Xiao Shunzi smiled: "It's delicious, isn't it, this is the tea that Sister Xing'er boiled with snow water, our house is the water from the bitter well, and the water used by rich people to wash clothes, of course it is not delicious." ”

Chen Zikun couldn't help but glance at Xing'er, Xing'er blushed, twisted the corners of her clothes, and went out of the house with a big braid, this scene was seen by Baoqing, who had just entered the door, and couldn't help but feel sour, but said: "Chen Da'er, Xiaoshunzi, Brother Dahai invites you to go over to discuss things." ”

The two didn't dare to slack off, greeted Xing'er Niang, and came to the north house of the sea house, two bright and one dark house, the windows were bright and clean, the fire was vigorous, Zhao Dahai sat cross-legged on the kang, and a little daughter-in-law with beautiful eyebrows and eyes sat next to the child with her child, and saw the little brothers come in, smiled and carried the child into the inner room.

Zhao Dahai beckoned them to sit on the edge of the kang, pointed to the two pots on the kang table, fried tofu and peanuts, and said, "If you don't eat it, use some." ”

Everyone said that they had eaten, but the sea did not follow, so they took a foreign iron cup printed with the railway logo and poured a full cup of two pots and said: "There is only one cup, let's take turns to drink." ”

Chen Zikun was the first to take the cup, tilted his neck, dried up, wiped his mouth with his sleeve and said, "It's strong enough, but it's still worse than burning a knife." ”

"Brother is from outside the Guan?" Zhao Dahai's eyes lit up.

"But isn't it, he went to Beijing from Mukden to join his family." Without Chen Zikun to speak, Xiao Shunzi told his experience with a flutter of eyebrows, Zhao Dahai listened, and said after a while: "Since you can't find relatives, you can live here first, Xiao Shunzi's house is inconvenient, you all live here with me, there are many people and it is lively." ”

"That's a good idea." didn't wait for Chen Zikun to agree, Xiao Shunzi agreed first, Chen Zikun had no reason to refuse, Yanhong's guests came to patronize at any time, and it was really embarrassing to live there.

Zhao Dahai said again: "Catch up early tomorrow, go to work with me, there is a lot of work at the end of the year, and it is not a problem to get a piece of money a day." ”

Everyone said that the dinner that day was the fried noodles eaten at Zhao's house, and while eating, they listened to Brother Dahai talk about things on the railway and the world of flowers in Hankou.

It was not until it was dark outside that Zhao Dahai took out a silver-shelled railway pocket watch and said, "It's not early, go to sleep, get up early tomorrow." ”

Everyone didn't sleep well at night, Brother Dahai and his daughter-in-law made a lot of noise in the back room, and the little brothers who listened to it were red-faced and hot-eared.

In the early morning of the next day, Chen Zikun was awakened by the wind in the yard, got up and lay down by the window to see that Zhao Dahai was only wearing a white cloth coat to practice boxing in the yard, a set of Shaolin boxing. Seeing that Baoqing and Xiaoshunzi were sleeping soundly, he quietly got out of bed and walked to the door to watch, and couldn't help but shout hello when he saw the highlights.

Zhao Dahai didn't look back, and continued to practice this set of boxing, his face did not change and his heart did not beat, a cloud of white mist rose on his head, he picked up a towel to wipe his sweat, and asked Chen Zikun: "Brother, have you practiced boxing?" ”

"Nope." Chen Zikun shook his head, he was telling the truth, when the beard relied on courage and marksmanship, he really didn't talk about any routines if he really wanted to fight hand-to-hand, in the words of the big scoop handle, boxing is all fancy and deceitful.

Zhao Dahai just asked casually, since Chen Zikun said that he had not practiced, he would not ask any more, put on a railway uniform, rubbed two snow eggs from the wall and walked straight into the house, stuffed them into the quilt of Xiaoshunzi and Baoqing, and shouted: "The ancients smelled the chickens and danced, and our young people in the new era should also get up early to exercise, and we can't waste our time in the bed." ”

The two reluctantly got up, washed their faces in the yard with sleepy eyes, the daughter-in-law of the sea had already prepared breakfast, and everyone ate pickles and drank gruel, wiped their mouths after eating, and went out to work.

The four of them walked in the alley in the early morning, the sky was cold and cold, but the hearts of the teenagers were hot.

"Brother Dahai, are we going to wait for work at the mouth of the mountain stream?" Baoqing asked thinking he was smart.

Zhao Dahai smiled disdainfully: "The job is not waiting to come, you have to find it, let's go directly to Yongdingmen Railway Station, I have friends there." ”

Yongdingmen Railway Station is a mixed passenger and freight station, it is winter, the largest amount of coal transport, every day needs a large number of coolies, Zhao Dahai's friend is working in the coal yard, a large front door handed over, anything is easy to say, the friend took four shovels and said: "Two people a wagon, unload it, I can't treat you." ”

The four brothers took the shovel and climbed into the car, spit and rubbed it on the palm of their hands, picked up the big shovel and started to practice, they were all strong young men with strong blood, and they were called a quick and good man when they worked, and their bodies were hot after half an hour of unloading, and they took off their big cotton jackets and cotton hats, and continued to throw off their arms to work, and the white mist was rising above their heads, like a small locomotive.

I worked like this until one o'clock in the afternoon, when the two wagons of coal were unloaded, and the steward came over and gave eight pieces of ocean, and Yuan Datou, who had two pieces of sound for one person, held them in his hand, and the beauty in his heart was that he walked with the wind.

"Where are you going?" Xiao Shunzi asked, holding the ocean in his hand.

"Tianqiao, take a bath, eat and listen to the big show." Zhao Dahai stretched out his hand and pointed to the south, arrogant and cloudy, and everyone suddenly became excited.

The overpass is between Zhengyangmen and Yongding Gate, west of the Temple of Heaven, teahouses, bathhouses, restaurants, and clothing shops on both sides of the bridge, there is a bird market in the west of the bridge, and the snack stalls, the performing arts, the cross talk, the singing and drumming, is the most fun place in old Beijing.

The four of them first found a small bathhouse, the door face is not big, the name is not small, and the sign is written with three words "Huaqing Pool". After entering, he took off his clothes and handed them to the men, each of them received a small wooden sign, and when he entered the steaming bathhouse, he saw a pool of gray hot water in the big pool, and there was dirty foam floating on the edge of the pool, which looked like a boiling hot pot

"It's best to mix soup to raise people." Zhao Dahai stretched out his hand to test the temperature in the big pool, he felt that it was not enjoyable, and then tried the water temperature of the small pool next to him, and smacked his lips: "The bathhouse has changed the soup pot today, is this going to kill the pig and remove the hair or what?" ”

Xiao Shunzi also came over to test the water temperature, and his hand quickly shrank back and blew straight: "It's scalded!" ”

Baoqing saw this formation, and he didn't even dare to touch it, but Chen Zikun's competitive spirit came up, and he stretched one foot into the big pool, feeling that it was not so hot, so he sat down in the small pool under the surprised eyes of the full bathhouse.

Xiao Shunzi's mouth was open enough to stuff an egg, Baoqing's eyes were as big as a cow's egg, and even Brother Dahai, who has always been calm, couldn't help but secretly admire, this kid is not an idle person!

Chen Zikun didn't feel anything, since the encirclement and suppression of Fengjun half a year ago, he had never taken a bath, he drilled around in the old forest all day long, and he didn't take off his clothes when he slept, in order to prevent freezing, he coated his feet with a thick layer of butter, and after a long time, he formed a hard shell, plus the metabolized skin, stratum corneum or something, and a layer of armor on his body.

After being scalded for a while, the hard shell on his body softened, Chen Zikun rubbed his whole body up and down with his hands for a while, rubbed off at least two catties of old dirt, and his skin was red, he climbed out and poured water on his body with a scoop of water, washed away the old ashes one by one, and then stepped into the small pool, and his feet retracted like lightning as soon as he entered.

"Damn, I'm burning to death!" Chen Zikun looked at his feet again, and they were all red.

Everyone looked at each other, what is wrong with Chen Da, he was still rough and thick just now, but now he is afraid of getting hot.

Only Zhao Dahai saw the mystery and asked with a smile: "Brother hasn't been in the bathhouse for a few days." ”

Chen Zikun grinned, jumped on the spot twice, and after the old gray was removed, he suddenly felt as light as a swallow.

A guy with clear eyebrows came over and greeted: "Brother Dahai, when are you coming back?" ”

"Ah, I came back yesterday, what, help me with the two meat shops opposite for two cents lotus white, a soft slice of meat, a shredded pork in Beijing sauce, a wide sauce, and then two catties of noodles, a big pot of high crushing." The sea lies in the pool and enjoys, casually commanded.

"Brother Dahai, you have been in Zhengzhou for half a year, and the amount of food has increased." The guy quipped.

"Nonsense, don't you see that I brought three brothers, numb, tired after a morning of work."

"Okay, I'll let the apprentice order some food for you, or I'll give you a press to loosen your bones and relieve your fatigue." Said the guy.

"That's a good idea." The sea squinted and said.

Lying not far away, the man with a towel on his face suddenly lifted the towel and opened his eyes: "How did you say this?" Don't you say that your hands are sore today, how can you loosen your bones if you give it to others, but you can't give it to your master? Co-author's money is not money? ”

As he spoke, he stood up, and his fat and dark body was covered with a tiger descending from the mountain with teeth and claws, and the grooved flesh behind his neck was shaking and shaking, which was very majestic.