According to the contract between the club and the labor association, the Chinese workers were given one day off every month and pocket money once every two months. On the morning of the rest day, they were allowed to go out for two hours, led by a Japanese instructor, and walked in a procession to the door of the Nakaiwa Department Store and announced the scope of the activity, no more than the station in the east, and no more than the optical shop in the west. You are only allowed to walk on this street, and you are not allowed to go anywhere else. In this area, there is a cinema and a playground for airgun and archery. A small canteen that only sells substitute food, plus a second-hand bookstore. It stands to reason that for the pocket money once every two months, you can watch a movie once, plus eat a "substitute meal", or buy a substitute combat cap without watching or eating. However, some people have already lost all their pocket expenses for a year in advance, and some people have lost their meals and used money to cover the bill. They gave up the opportunity to go out on the street once a month and lay down on the bunks to sleep. The winner can have a little fun on his day off. Yamazaki and other people in the labor association regarded Chinese workers as cattle and horses, and they frantically punished them for the slightest reason. The club only wants the Chinese workers to contribute with peace of mind, as long as it is conducive to production, and does not object to giving them some room for free movement.

Land Huzi lost five bowls of rice to Han Youfu, and he was only hungry for one meal. Answer: Use this month's pocket money to cover the two bowls of rice. Others went to play, but he couldn't sleep on the bunk, and although he had no money, he went to the street with the brigade.

Huzi didn't want to go to a department store. At that time, department stores bundled two floors of goods together, and there were not as many things as the smallest kiosk in "Isesakicho" today, and they were all things that were not needed by Chinese and not necessarily useful to Japanese. What kind of mahogany cane, the hanging board used to put the arm while sitting on the train, and the counting beads used to chant the Buddha...... Hell, can you still sit down and chant Buddha with a hungry stomach! If he wants to be rich, of course, he will first go to the cafeteria and line up, eat a plate of tofu dregs, and then go to the air gun to shoot five rounds, imagining the wooden movable target man to be Yamazaki or Big Tooth, a drying oven worker, a veteran, with a pair of fangs. He always boasted that he killed three Chinese soldiers in one bayonet fight in China. Huzi asked him, in that case, why are you missing a leg? He replied by scolding the street. He may go to see a movie, and it depends on whether there are Chinese in the film. Of course, these films were propaganda for aggression and boasted about the "great victories" of the Japanese army or the "royal paradise". If you want to play him in China, you will never watch it, and if you watch it, you will scold your ancestors. But here he looks, just to see the Chinese, the Chinese house. He would put aside the reactionary plot and say that there was a city gate tower inside, and a shaved man who was working shed tears. There is a film in which Beijing opera appeared, Li Wanchun sang "Ancient City Meeting", sold melon seeds, and threw hand towels...... To be honest, he grew up in the countryside and had never seen these scenes, but he felt kind and warm, as if he had suddenly returned to his homeland. His nose soured as he watched. Tears rolled out.

But today he has no money, so he can only wander the streets. He first went to a fortune-telling booth and looked at the 12 zodiac signs painted on the white cloth tent. Japanese people are also chickens, dogs, and monkeys, which is really interesting. Because of his young age, Youdao and others often sent him out to do some chores after work: either to deliver food to the injured people living in the hospital, or to pull rations of tobacco, stone soda and other supplies. Every time he passed through this door, he stood down and looked at it for a while. This old man has people who come to pretend to be ghosts, but when there is no one, he is full of love to take care of people. Once Huzi went to the hospital to deliver food, and it rained halfway, he went to the old man's hexagram shed to take shelter from the rain, and the old man was very bored, so he invited him in to sit down and said with a smile: "Is it a hexagram?" ”

"No, I don't have any money."

"Kid, I don't want money, No, what do you want to ask!"

"Me? Grandpa, do you think I can still go back to China? ”

The old man pushed over a wooden round box, pressed his left hand on it, muttered for a while, turned the box over, poured out a piece of turtle shell, looked left and right, and took the guide to the right and to, and said with a smile: "You can go back, but you can't marry a bride in Japan, you can't go back if you marry a bride!" ”

It was Sunday, and the house was bustling, so he didn't go in to disturb the old man. I turned around and saw a policeman scolding a hooligan. There are very few young people on the street, but this is a young man. The men all had shaved military bald heads, and he had long sideburns and a big back. Red shirt, suit pants, and a pair of half-foot-high beams on his feet. It was very conspicuous, the police just scolded him, not as if they were going to take him away, it didn't mean anything, and he turned to the optical store again.

The optical shop is also a place that Huzi must go to every time, not because he has any special hobby for glasses, but because he announced that it is the farthest boundary, and if he doesn't go there, he will live up to his right to act. The glasses store didn't come much on Sundays, and the few pairs of glasses on the counter hadn't moved for half a year, and no one could guess what the owner, Old Man Yoshida, relied on for food. Whenever I passed by his door, I saw him holding an old guitar, sometimes sitting at the counter in the store, sometimes simply sitting on the stone pier outside the store, and always playing the same tune: "The carriage walks slowly, slowly walks...... The carriage did not reach the destination until Lu Huzi returned to China.

Huzi walked to the door of the optical store and saw Youdao coming out of the store amid the sound of the guitar, taking off his new glasses and putting them on as he walked, and experimenting and admiring them by putting them on and taking them off. Huzi greeted: "Sir." ”

"Lu, do you also buy glasses?"

Of course, I know that he won't buy glasses, and Youdao likes to make jokes or two. At this moment, an old woman came from behind, carrying a very large and heavy bamboo basket of white potatoes on her back, and carrying a heavy cloth bag in her left and right hands. Take a few steps to put your pocket on the ground and take a break, and when you touch an electric pole, you can squeeze the bamboo basket on it to catch your breath. happened to be next to an electric pole not far from them, the strap of the bamboo basket was broken, and the sweet potatoes were scattered on the ground, and the old lady put down her burden in a panic to unload the bamboo basket. At this time, a rickshaw pulled over, ringing the foot bell, the rickshaw walked very fast, couldn't stop for a while, and said in a rough voice: "Take away the burden, I can't stand still!" Youdao hurriedly beckoned Huzi to move the burden together. As the rickshaw passed, I faintly heard a woman in the car cursing, wearing a green lotus purple kimono and carrying a brocade swaddle with gold thread[note 2] on her back, who seemed to be a geisha who had gone to answer the call.

The carriage where the guitar was played stopped, and Uncle Yoshida appeared at the door, spread his hands, and said in surprise, "Mrs. Watanabe, what's wrong with you?" ”

"It's nothing, I'll go to my brother's house in Hiroshima to get something to eat."

"How did you get so many things?"

"I'm sorry to go often, so let's get more if I go once."

"Tell the kids to help you!"

"Jiro is going to school, Chiyoko......" The old woman glanced at Youdao and said in a slurred voice, "I'm very busy, it's not easy to ask for leave." ”

Only then did Youdao recognize her as Chiyoko's mother. He said, "When you pass by Xingyaliao, you can ask her to come out and help you bring your things home." ”

"I called her, Mr. Yamazaki was not allowed to take leave, and reprimanded her, saying that since she is indispensable in family affairs, why should she come out to work!" The old woman sighed.

The sweet potatoes were picked up, and the belt was closed. Mrs. Watanabe begged Uncle Yoshida to store the baggage in his shop for a while, and she sent it back to the bamboo basket to pick it up.

"Yes, yes." Uncle Yoshida said, "We're old neighbors anymore, I didn't say it." ”

Look at the old lady, bent over the waist to pick up the bamboo basket, swaying forward, Huzi suddenly felt that the silhouette was very much like her mother, she went out to collect firewood and came back, so she carried the wicker basket and slowly moved her steps. I caught it in Japan, and my father suffered from tuberculosis as soon as it was cold, who would carry water for her? Who will help her push the mill and pull the mill? As soon as she picked up the grinding stick, she was dizzy!

"Mr. Yumichi," Torako pleaded, "can I help Watanabe-sama deliver the things?" ”

"Are you alright?"

"I don't have much to do on the street."

There is a way to say: "Don't gossip when you get there, come back as soon as possible." ”

"Watanabe-sama's house is on another street, right? I don't have an out-of-the-box card. ”

Youdao didn't bring the wooden sign of the Chinese worker to go out, he took out a business card of his own, wrote a certificate on the back and handed it to Huzi. Look at the watch and say, "You don't have to gather at the door of the department store, just go back to Xingyaliao after delivering your things." ”

Huzi shouted: "Auntie, please wait." So I picked up the bag that I had placed in Yoshida's glasses store and chased after him. Uncle Yoshida nodded in satisfaction, and for this reason the carriage stopped for two seconds before moving forward slowly, slowly......

The Watanabe family lives on a secluded side street behind the optical store. A small courtyard, rectangular white plank house with a black tiled roof. A small bamboo hut was erected at the entrance of the courtyard, with a few pairs of straw sandals and spoons made of shells and bamboo poles. This was made by Watanabe-sama herself in exchange for a few change. Jiro and a young classmate are playing army chess while guarding this stall. When I saw my mother coming back, I went up to pick up something. The eldest lady said, "Take the bag in the gentleman's hand first, thank you, sir." ”

Jiro looked at the Chinese with shocked eyes, bowed and said, "Good morning!" "I snatched one of my pockets and happily carried it into the yard. Huzi also sent the other pocket into the yard, put it in front of the entrance, and bowed to say goodbye, but the eldest lady immediately stopped him: "You can't go." We don't have such rules here, so please sit down for a while, have a cup of tea and ......."

That appearance reminded Huzi of his mother again, and he helped her take off the bamboo basket on her back, took off her shoes in front of the entrance, and went indoors with the eldest mother.

He helped the eldest lady distribute a few bags of things to the kitchen and small pantry, and then was let into the living room. The eldest lady took out some dried persimmons and corn bouquets from the bag she had just brought and gave them to Huzi, and gave some to Jiro, telling him to continue to guard the bamboo shed. She let Huzi rest casually and go to boil water to make tea by herself.

This room faces east, there are six or seven mats big, open the paper door, the room is cool, the paste wallpaper is the local customary powder paper with bamboo leaves in the middle, it has been yellowed over time, and the bamboo leaves are also exposed in some places. There are a few leaking traces of rain on the roof, there are no superfluous furnishings in the room, and on the recessed wall that is used to hang paintings, there is a photograph of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. Huzi felt very uncomfortable when he saw it. In a blink of an eye, there is a vase on the horizontal table, with a long body and a thin neck, a vermilion pattern, and a blue inscription on the mouth of the bottle: "Made in the Ming Dynasty".

"Robbers, every Japanese family has stolen goods!" Hu Zi snorted angrily. I regretted being kind enough to help this old woman move things. He stood up and said goodbye before putting on a shoe, and Jiro ran into the courtyard with a shout and a jump.

"My sister is back, Mom, my sister is back."

Chiyoko hurriedly walked in, shouting for her mother, but kept walking towards Huzi: "Mr. Lu, Mr. Youdao told me everything, thank you, I'm really troublesome to you." ”

"No, nothing!" It was the first time that Huzi was called by someone else, and he was a little frightened.

"What are you doing with your shoes? Do you want to walk around the hospital? ”

"It's time for me to go back."

"No, I asked Mr. Youdao, please go back after dinner, Mr. Youdao is so good, he agreed, and said that you can go back before five o'clock. Sit down, I'll be right there. ”

The eldest lady came out with a tea set and met Chiyoko, and the two of them whispered something excitedly. The eldest lady put the tea tray in front of Huzi and sat down on the side. "Lu Jun, please use tea, it's too simple and slow."

This family doesn't have a thief's appearance, maybe things aren't as bad as you think, right?

"Auntie," Huzi asked pretending to be chattering, "this vase is so beautiful, did you buy it?" ”

"No, this is Chinese porcelain, antiquities, my son sent it from North China."

"Is he a soldier in China?" Huzi's voice was a little awkward, ready to find an excuse to quit their hospitality.

The old lady's face also darkened, and she opened her mouth a few times before she said:

"I'm sorry, we're a disgraceful family."

"I don't understand ......"

"My son has committed treason!" The old lady buried her face in her hands, lowered her head, and after a while, tears seeped out of her fingers. She wiped it with her hand, looked up and said, "Lu Jun, we are not bad people, I want to ask you something, can you not tell others?" ”

"I don't tell anyone else."

"Have you seen the Eighth Route Army?"

"What do you mean?"

"Is there really a Japanese in the Eighth Route Army who are fighting their own troops with guns and opposing their motherland, Japan?"

“……”

"No, right? They said that my son had defected to the Eighth Route Army and was fighting against his own country, so there would be no such thing, would it? He died! Martyred. They couldn't find the body, so they made up such a set of words to shirk responsibility. What is the Eighth Route Army?**, will my son do that? He has been the most obedient and benevolent since he was a child, always winning awards, and always taking the first ......"

"Auntie, the Eighth Route Army is not what you say, they are good people......"

There was a sound of footsteps, and the eldest lady hurriedly made a hand gesture to cover her mouth: "Chiyoko is here, don't talk about these things." ”

Where a fragrant wind blew, an elegant, quiet, and bright lotus flower, swayed by the wind and floated into the house, she wore a lotus lotus color kimono with light red dots, tied a light lake-colored broadband, snow-white cloth socks like lotus petals floating on the water. How could this be Chiyoko? Is it the little girl who works silently with low eyebrows and eyes like a child daughter-in-law? Torako had never seen Chiyoko dressed like this. I didn't find that she was so handsome, her eyes always seemed to contain a pool of clear water, the corners of her mouth were crooked, and she seemed to be laughing if she didn't smile.

She greeted her, sat down next to Huzi's right shoulder, filled Huzi with tea, turned around and said, "Mom, is it time to cook?" ”

"You accompany the guest, I'll do it."

"No, I'm not hungry."

Chiyoko sat upright on her knees, pretending to be an adult and looking at Torako.

"You gave half of it to Han Youfu at breakfast. I see it. There is very little food in the first place, why do you always give half to others? Did you sell it to him? ”

"I owe him a debt, and I have to pay it back."

"You borrowed his food?"

Huzi shook his head and said embarrassedly, "Lost to him." ”

Chiyoko opened her good-looking eyes widely: "You also participate in gambling?" ”

Huzi bit his lip and nodded.

"Shall I not participate in the future? They are adults, and adults can do bad things. We don't want to learn, do we? ”

"That's right."

"They're going to lie to you, you're young." Chiyoko laughed, "You're stupid. ”

"Don't pretend to be an adult, maybe I'm bigger than you!"

"What are you? Is it a monkey? ”

"I am a sheep."

Chiyoko is also a sheep, but Japanese women taboo this genus and never admit that they belong to sheep: "I am a horse, sister!" Do you have a sister at home? ”

"Yes, much more than you. How can there be such a little sister as you! ”

The eldest lady brought the rice and the dishes were arranged, Huzi thought that the whole family would eat with him, but he didn't expect that only one meal was placed in front of him. He asked, "What about you?" ”

"The women won't eat until a while, Jiro has something."

"Then how can I eat alone?"

"I'll take care of you, and I'll be able to eat." Chiyoko pointed to a pair of chopsticks in front of her.

The eldest lady brought a porcelain wine jug and a wine cup.

"I don't dare to drink the wine, the head of the house knows what to beat."

"Sake, it's okay, drink less."

Chiyoko poured a cup, raised her eyebrows solemnly and said, "I am so grateful that you helped my mother carry things back, I thought that no one would help us." Mr. Yamazaki was not allowed to take leave, and I cried profusely. Thank you, thank you. ”

Huzi didn't expect Chiyoko to be so serious and grateful for a little favor, while saying that he didn't dare to be, he took the cup and licked it with his tongue first, not as spicy as Baigan. He raised his neck and drank it. Chiyoko bowed down and bowed, and while letting Torako eat food, she poured him full of wine. After the first cup went down, Huzi felt that his throat was sweet, his stomach was warm, and his mouth was full of fragrance. The second cup was brought to drink without waiting for the host. Chiyoko looked at him like that, Gege smiled and pushed him and said, "You respect me too!" Huzi said, "I forgot." He hurriedly raised the glass with most of the wine left in front of Chiyoko and said, "Chiyoko-kun, I wish you good health!" Chiyoko looked at the half glass of wine, her face flushed, she smiled and said a lot of words, and hid her face on her shoulder. Huzi is inexplicable, and he doesn't know what trouble he has caused. Because he didn't understand a word of what Chiyoko said. The eldest lady came in with a fried egg, and when she saw this, she looked at the half glass of wine in Huzi's hand and understood seven or eight points. Laughed:

"Lu Jun, pour a new glass of toast for the girl! You drank half of it to her, and it didn't make ......."

"Mom!" Chiyoko pushed her mother, and Gege ran away with a smile.

Huzi looked at the half cup of wine in his hand, and remembered that his sister and brother-in-law did drink a cup of wine together when they got married. patted the back of his head and said, "Auntie, I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to!" ”

"What do you two apologize to me for? Silly boy! The eldest lady put the empty dish into the wooden plate, and whispered before leaving, "She won't be really angry, pretending to play, girls are like this!" ”

Torako thought that she had offended Chiyoko, and she would not come to accompany him again, and might even ignore him from now on. Even though I was still eating the rice, I couldn't taste it anymore. Actually, after a while, Chiyoko came again, and although her face was flushed, she didn't look angry. Huzi wiped the wine glass, poured it to the brim, raised it respectfully and said, "Please forgive me, I was so rude just now." ”

Chiyoko still sat down on his right side, but he didn't take the wine, looked at the stove, and when he saw that his mother didn't come, he put his mouth close to Huzi's ear and said, "Call me sister!" ”

"Sister, thank you!"