After the completion of the teaching team, Liu Dong returned home again. The home is still the same home, but the people have changed a lot.

Liu Cao often went back to her parents' house to live, and Hu Xiaohu went home less and less. I used to come back once every ten days and a half months, but now I don't see anyone for a month. A well-wisher reminded Liu Cao, saying that he saw Hu Xiaohu have a woman in the town and rented a house in the town.

After Liu Cao found out, she didn't even blink her eyelids, she said to others indifferently: Whether he is a prostitute or a gamble has nothing to do with me.

At this time, the countryside had changed a lot, the commune was changed to a township, the brigade was called a village, and all the land was contracted to individuals. The ** who used to be the director is no longer the director, he is idle at home and grows his own share of land. Although the ** who has been a director is not a director, he still looks like he was a director. No matter how long he has eaten, he still has a toothpick in his mouth, and his tongue rolls up on the toothpick, and the toothpick reaches the corner of his mouth for a while, and then it goes to that side, as if the toothpick is a symbol of his status.

** has been clearly aware of the relationship between his son and Liu Cao, and the rabbit's tail can't grow. At the beginning, Liu Cao lived in his house with some patience, no matter whether Hu Xiaohu went home or not, she cooked three meals a day for **; Today, however, it is no longer the same. The village clinic where she is now is not the cooperative medical treatment she used to be, and after she was contracted, the villagers came to her for medical treatment if they had a headache and brain fever, and her life was quite hopeful.

** Seems to be unwilling to see such a relationship between his son and Liu Cao, he said a lot of Xiaohu's nos in front of Liu Cao, and swore that he would go to the city to find his son.

He did go once, and the next day he came back in disgrace. He saw not only his son in the city, but also the woman who lived with his son, a city woman, two years older than her son, who lived alone after her husband died two years ago, and after living with her son, life seemed to be very bright.

That night, Hu Xiaohu also drank with **. After a few glasses of wine, Hu Xiaohu said: Dad, you don't care about my business. My life is much stronger now than before, Liu Cao is something, hanging her face all day long, like I owe her.

**Just persuade: Okay, get together and disperse, or you will leave her.

Hu Xiaohu chuckled and said, "Dad, I left her, who will cook for you?" If you didn't help her brother become a soldier, would he be able to do it? I heard that Liu Dong's kid went to school, and he will do it when he comes back, and their family should thank you. What's wrong with letting her cook for a few more years? This is what her family owes us.

Listening to my son say this, I also feel that it makes sense. After returning from the city, ** kept silent about his son. Liu Cao cooked, and he ate it, and he ate it with peace of mind. He knew that the relationship between his son and Liu Cao was over, and it would be a matter of time before he could leave. There is no impermeable wall in the world, and he has also heard about Liu Cao and Houcun Dabao, thinking about his son's appearance in the city, he endured it without having a seizure. He knew that no one listened to him about the big and small things in the village now, and the seizures were also in vain, and there was no evidence, just heard about it.

Since then, his eyes have changed when he looks at Liu Cao again, whether it is good or bad before, she is his daughter-in-law after all, and emotionally speaking, she is a junior. Since knowing his son's true thoughts, Liu Cao has changed in his eyes, although he is still his daughter-in-law in name, he is no longer emotionally. She's just a woman, and she's a wild woman.

One night, he came back from outside with his clothes draped and a toothpick in his mouth, and when he saw that the light in Liu Cao's room was still on, he pushed the door and walked in. Liu Cao was reading a book under the lamp, and when he saw him coming in, he didn't think much about it, but just moved his body into the kang.

He sat on the edge of the kang, close to Liu Cao. **lit a cigarette and clipped it on his finger very magnificently: Grass wow, Xiaohu is not coming back, you are guarding this house alone, are you afraid?

Liu Cao didn't raise his head and said: What are you afraid of, there are no wolves and no tigers.

Liu Cao's words choked for a moment, he was speechless for a long time, thinking: This little girl, it seems that she has to give her something powerful. So, he said seriously: Grass, that's the case, I recently heard that you and Dabao in the back village often meet, which is not good. You are my daughter-in-law, and when you enter this family, your surname is Hu, but you can't do those indiscriminate things. I** am also a person with a head and a face, who in ten miles and eight villages doesn't know? If you are like this, our ** family can't afford to lose this person.

Liu Cao had already thought of the worst outcome, divorce was liberation for her, and she would be able to deal with Dabao justifiably in the future. So, after listening to the words of **, her face did not change color and her heart did not beat and said: Whoever wants to chew his tongue will let him chew it, I am not afraid of shadows.

There was nothing to avoid when she and Dabao came and went, they just sat under the tree and talked, reminiscing about the time when they were in school. She also persuaded Dabao to let him get along with his friends earlier. As soon as he said this, Dabao didn't say anything, just looked at her directly. She understands Dabao's thoughts, but after all, she hasn't divorced yet, and she can't promise him anything.

Seeing that the hard one didn't work, he changed it to a soft one, he leaned over and said: Grass, you know my son of a loser, there are women in his city. I don't think it's fair to you, he has a woman hugging him at night, but what about you? Alone in the empty room, I can't stand it.

Speaking of this, he was ruthless, screwed the cigarette butt to the ground, turned around and hugged Liu Cao, gasped and said: Cao'er, I know your thoughts, let me accompany you.

Liu Cao didn't expect ** to do such a thing, she was stunned at the same time, she struggled out of one hand and slapped ** hard. Then she put on her shoes, ran back to her parents' house in one breath, and threw herself into Wang Guixiang's arms and cried.

She only told her mother about this, but she didn't dare to tell Liu Shu, for fear that her brother would not be able to suppress his anger and make things bigger. Since then, Liu Cao has lived at home, and she is determined to divorce Hu Xiaohu.

During this time, Liu Shu was hit the issue of love. In the countryside, men in their thirties have not yet talked to someone, which means that they have missed the golden period and can only settle for the next best. Seeing that Liu Dong was able to be promoted after graduating from the teaching team, Liu Shu's heart was steady. He no longer rejects his mother's work for him, and he knows that he should have a home, even if he doesn't think about himself, he should think about his mother. My mother has worked hard for most of her life, and she has not enjoyed a day of happiness, that is, after the death of her father, her mother is in charge of the family inside and out. He didn't want his mother to worry about himself anymore, and besides, marrying a daughter-in-law into the house would somewhat share some of his mother's housework, which could be regarded as a son's filial piety.

When his mother mentioned again at the dinner table that he was looking for a partner, he did not object, his mother's eyes lit up, she rubbed her eyes and said: You listen to your mother, let's go and see it in a few days, it is your Aunt Zhang's mother's village, she has mentioned it to me several times.

After my father's death, my mother's eyes became weeping all day long, and I couldn't wipe them clean. Liu Cao said that her mother was teary-eyed and persuaded her to go to a big hospital to have a look, but she just didn't go. When she was in a hurry, she said: Let it flow if you cry, and you won't eat or drink by mistake, what are you spending that unjust money for?

Mother was next to each other day by day, and a few days later, she and Liu Shu walked more than 20 miles of mountain roads and met the girl who wanted to marry Liu Shu.

The girl's surname is Wang, and she is fifty out of twenty this year, and she is also a good match for Liu Shu in terms of age. It is a blind date, the girl is also dressed up, and it looks very pleasing to the eye, but as soon as she speaks, she is exposed, the girl is a little mentally retarded, and she always says half a sentence when she sees people, she smiled and said to Liu Shu: Your name is Liu ...... What is Liu...... Look at me?

After speaking, she laughed and walked up to look at Liu Shu back and forth, left and right.

The girl's mother said: There is nothing wrong with our girl, she can eat two bowls of rice at a meal, and she can do whatever she wants. When I was a child, I quarreled with her father and touched her under the kang, and my brain fell, leaving a little sick. Don't tighten, don't eat or drink by mistake.

That time, Liu Shu didn't say a word, picked up his mother and left. All the way to the outside of the village, my mother sat on the ground and cried profusely. Liu Shu stood beside his mother, and he knew why she was crying. When his mother cried, his heart was also sour, he had been arrogant for so many years, but he didn't expect to end up like this.

Mother cried all the way back on the way back, she cried and said: Shuwow, it's all this family that has burdened you, you can't find a good girl, Mom is dead, and she can't close her eyes.

Liu Shu said angrily: Mom, it's nothing. It's a big deal, I'm not looking for it, I'll be with you for the rest of my life.

When she was about to enter the house, her mother grabbed Liu Shu, she lifted her clothes, wiped her eyes, and said seriously: Shu, you have to promise your mother, don't go to your younger brother who has never met, our family is like this, I don't want to bother him anymore. Even if he is far away in the world, he is my son, your brother.

Liu Shu bit his cheek and assured his mother: Mom, if I don't look for him, what are you looking for him? Let him live cleanly in this world.

Mother nodded, and wiped her tears sadly.

Liu Dong, who returned home again, looked at the family in front of him, and felt more sad and helpless in his heart. Godu is in his thirties, and he still hasn't found a partner; And if he didn't become a soldier, his sister wouldn't marry Hu Xiaohu. Now his sister can only live at home, he can no longer see the smile on his sister's face, she seems to have become a wooden person, and she has nothing to say when she returns home. The first time I saw Liu Dong, I only said hello: You are back. Then he hid in his room. Early the next morning, she hurried to the contracted clinic again.

Looking at the current appearance of his brother and sister, Liu Dong's heart was suffocated. He said to his mother, "Mom, it's time for my brother to start a family."

The mother sighed, wiped her tears, and then looked at him and said, "Your brother is cold-hearted, and he doesn't want to see anyone now." They introduced a girl in Hexi, I heard that she was still a substitute teacher, but your brother said that he didn't see anything.

When Liu Dong saw his brother, Liu Shu was busy in his own field. Liu Dong didn't say anything, and followed his brother to do farm work. When the sun rose, they went to a shaded place on the ground to rest.

Liu Dong took the opportunity to say: Brother, you should start a family.

Liu Shu didn't speak, squatted on the ground and rolled a cigarette, he had now learned to smoke. A thick puff of smoke half-hid his brother's face.

Liu Dong also squatted down, looked at his brother and continued: Brother, you have sacrificed too much for this family, and if you don't have a family, we are all uncomfortable.

Liu Shu spat out a cigarette, his face was helpless and confused, he lowered his head and looked at the two ants under his feet: Brother doesn't want to start a family, but he can't look down on us, and we can't look down on Lai.

Brother, you should still go and see that substitute teacher in Hexi.

Liu Shu shook his head and said: It's useless, don't waste your feelings.

Liu Dong looked at his brother and shed tears, he said in a trembling voice: Brother, brother begs you, you can go, I will accompany you.

Liu Shu raised his head and looked at the bright sky, the sun was shining, he squinted his eyes, his face was numb and indifferent.

Brother, just for this home, you have to go. After speaking, Liu Dong suddenly knelt in front of Liu Shu.

Liu Shu threw down the cigarette in his hand, picked up his younger brother, and slapped the dirt on his knee for him: Brother, don't be like this, you are now an officer, let people see the joke.

He looked at his brother unrelentingly, with tears in his eyes: Brother, if you don't go, I will kneel down for you.

Saying that he was about to kneel down again, Liu Shu hugged him and replied helplessly: I'll go, and my brother will listen to you.

The next day, Liu Dong accompanied his brother to set off.

The two walked out of the house quite far away, and the mother chased them out in a panic, and when they got closer, she looked at Liu Shu carefully, smoothed the corners of his clothes for him, and said uneasily: Talk to others, but you can't lose your temper.

Liu Shu didn't speak, Liu Dong responded for his brother: Mom, I know, you go back.

After walking far away, Liu Dong looked back and still saw his mother standing there looking at them. Mother's tearful eyes must have shed tears again, and Liu Dong clearly saw that she was wiping her face with the placket of her clothes.

The substitute teacher looked like a woman who had seen the world and could speak well, and she boldly looked at the two brothers. Liu Shu didn't speak again after entering the door of the house, and sat there like a stone.

The substitute teacher glanced at Liu Shu, turned his gaze to Liu Dong, and asked: Are you his younger brother, called Liu Dong?

Liu Dong nodded: I came with my brother.

I heard that you are an officer? The substitute teacher looked Liu Dong up and down again.

Not yet. Liu Dong replied honestly.

The substitute teacher said bluntly: Can you take your brother to the city to find a job?

Liu Dong shook his head.

The substitute teacher seemed to be deflated, his eyes glanced at Liu Shu's face, and after a moment of silence, he said slowly: There are three girls in our family, my eldest sister and second sister are married, and I am also a working person now, working as a teacher in a primary school, you have also heard, it is impossible for me to marry you. If you agree, you can come to our house, my parents are old, and there is a shortage of labor in the family.

Liu Shu stood up, as if he had something to say.

Liu Dong hurriedly said on the side: Okay, I promised for my brother and asked him to come over.

Liu Shu on the side suddenly yelled at him: No!

Then, he said to the substitute teacher: This will definitely not work, I don't agree.

The substitute teacher shrugged his shoulders regretfully and said: If you don't agree, I can't help it, so I can only apologize.

After speaking, he stood up and made a send-off appearance.

Liu Shu grabbed Liu Dong's head and left without looking back, Liu Dong struggled to discuss it with the substitute teacher, and his brother used a lot of strength to push him out of the small courtyard.

Walking to the place where there was no one in the village, Liu Shu became angry, and he shouted at the top of his voice: How can I come to her house? This is obviously asking me to come to her house and work long hours for their family.

Liu Dong persuaded: Brother, don't say it so ugly, it's the eighties now, and it's the same everywhere you go.

Then I don't care about our family? Liu Shu was really angry, and the green tendons on his neck jumped and jumped.

When I'm settled in the army, I'll pick up my mom and stay there.

Liu Dong looked at his brother, licked his lips and said: Mom is our mom, I can't let you feed mom alone.

Liu Shu still blushed and said: You are not even married now, and you don't have a home yet, why do you pick up your mother? It's just that you took your mother away, and what about the grass, who cares about the grass?

Liu Dong stopped talking, Liu Shu didn't say anything after saying this, and walked forward with his head down. Looking at his brother's back, Liu Dong was suddenly moved, his brother really gave himself to this family. His eyes moistened all at once.

Liu Shu failed to go on a blind date again, which made the atmosphere at home very depressing. Mother wiped her tears with the placket of her clothes as always, and Liu Cao took the lead in breaking the silence and said: Brother, you don't have to worry about my affairs, when I get divorced, I will leave this house.

Liu Cao's words made Liu Shu's eyes red, and he said guiltily: I was the one who made you marry Hu Xiaohu, and I also promised you that I would be responsible for your happiness, and if you don't have a good day, I won't look for a partner.

As he spoke, he looked at Liu Dong and Liu Cao as parents: Don't worry about me in the future, just take care of yourself, brother's business, brother knows it.

Liu Dong stood up abruptly and shouted: Brother-

Liu Shu waved his hand: I know what you want to say, don't say anything. Remember, you only have to do your job well when you go back to the army, and you don't have to worry about anything else. You can make it, and our family has a light on our faces.

Mother raised her head and said to Liu Shu: "Shu, take Dong to your father's grave to have a look, and tell him what Dong Ti did, so that he will be happy and happy."

His father's grave was covered with deep roots and lush grass, Liu Shu silently took out a firecracker from his arms and let Liu Dong light it, and the firecrackers exploded in front of his father's grave very lively. Liu Dong knelt in front of the grave and wept quietly, and the past flashed in front of his eyes one by one. At that time, my father was a mountain, he was a grass growing on the mountain, and my father's life was steady, but then the mountain fell, and only his little grass remained, and it was my brother who stood up and carried the burden of the family on the shoulders of the eighteen-year-old. Since then, my brother has been sheltering the family from the elements......

He knelt there silently, and for a moment he felt that his father was very close and far away.

After Liu Shu set off the firecrackers, he also knelt in front of the grave, he choked up and said loudly to the grave: Dad, Liu Dong is about to become an officer, and his younger brother is out of breath, Dad, you should be happy too. You've never been happy in your life, and you should be happy this time.

At this time, Liu Shu was already in tears.

In the end, the two sat on the slope with their father behind them. They did not speak for a long time, still immersed in a sad atmosphere.

Finally, Liu Shu spoke: Dong, when you were asked to be a soldier, my brother was looking forward to this day, and when you came out, my brother was relieved.

Liu Dong cried out mournfully: Brother-

Liu Shu still said: You don't have to worry about my brother's affairs, I'm doing well now, I'm with my mother and Cao'er, and I'm down-to-earth. Don't worry about family affairs, doing a good job in your army is the best reward for your family.

Brother, I see.

Brother has this life in this life, and people sometimes have to accept their fate, so that life is not painful. Liu Shu said while pulling the grass around him: People are sometimes like the grass on this mountain, growing on the sunny slope, with more sunshine and rain, they will grow taller and stronger. Brother is grass that grows on shady slopes. Speaking of this, he smiled and said, It's nothing, it's not all grass.

Liu Dong said sincerely: Brother, I can't let you worry about this family alone, it's not fair.

Liu Shu patted Liu Dong on the shoulder and said: We are brothers, what are you talking about.

Brother-Liu Dong called out sadly again, and hugged his brother beside him.

Liu Shu also held Liu Dong in his arms, tears rolled in his eyes, and he choked up: Brother, do you know? We also have a younger brother, and you are twins, so let our mother give it away.

Liu Dong raised his head and looked at Liu Shu in surprise.

Liu Shu continued: Mom didn't tell anyone, she only told me when Dad died.

So where is he now? Liu Dong grabbed Liu Shu excitedly.

Liu Shu shook his head and said: Mom said she didn't know, and there were some things that my mother didn't want to say.

Liu Dong looked at his brother in front of him, and felt that everything was so unreal for a while, like a dream.

Our mother won't let me ask in detail, anyway, my brother lives in a good family, and he must be better than you and me. Looking at Liu Dong who was staying there, Liu Shu hurriedly comforted him.

Since then, Liu Dong has had more things on his mind. When he is fine, he will think of the younger brother he has never met, but in the vast sea of people, where is that younger brother?