The gray and yellow grass roots, rotten yellow rice stumps, and withered yellow reeds are the scenery of the countryside in late winter and early spring. Occasionally, a few green trees that are not afraid of the cold winter stand proudly on the hills of the fields, reflecting the green pines and cypresses, slowly passing in front of the car window.

Today is the 10th day of the first lunar month, and the school has not yet opened. After having another unpleasant encounter with his mother the day before, Miyang packed his bags overnight and got on the passenger shuttle bus to Xuncheng. She had nowhere to go but school.

The fuse of the contradiction stems from the proposal of marriage.

Since graduating from high school three years ago, every year during the Chinese New Year, there have been good deeds coming to the door, or laughing and talking, or formally proposing marriage, which can be described as an endless stream. And the mother also has the heart to let her marry out of her mother's family as soon as possible, which is probably one of the grievances between mother and daughter. Whenever he mentions family affairs, Mi Yang's unhesitating protest will attract his mother's resentment, and even words with guns and sticks. When there is nothing to do, Mi Yang even wonders if she is her own child, otherwise why is her mother so different from her sister and brother.

On the morning of the new year, the second uncle brought some food, and then went into the bedroom with his parents and closed the door to talk. After dinner, the family gathered around the carbon basin to keep warm, and the mother revealed the second uncle's intention on the spot.

“… Although Xiaobin did not go to college, he was down-to-earth, and I heard that he had been promoted to workshop supervisor; The aunt is an honest person and never has any superfluous gossip; My uncle has liked you since I was a child, and you won't have a hard time marrying into their family......"

Miyang was stunned and looked up at his parents. The father's smile showed his attitude. After a stiff for more than ten seconds, Mi Yang refused: "We are cousins, and the law does not allow marriage between cousins." Again... I'm only 21 years old, I don't want to get married so early, and this year I have to find an internship and prepare for my graduation thesis. ”

"When you're in your twenties and don't think about getting married, when do you want to get married? Look at Xiaohong, Yinggui... Anyone about your age is married, and the children can walk. You have to put it off any longer, and when you get older, only others will pick you. ”

The mother's tone was indifferent and slightly sarcastic. Mi Yang blurted out a retort: "Why do you always compare me to others? Marriage is my own business, why should I compare myself with others? ”

"Your own business? How long do you want to stay at your mother's house? This is your attitude every time you say it. You don't want to compare yourself with others, is your life better than theirs, or are you more capable than them? When everyone else goes out to work to make money, what kind of university do you want to go to, and what is the result? You didn't get into any good universities. Others send a lot of money home every year, and you are in your twenties, and you have to pay you money at home......"

Every time I talk to my mother, the ending is almost unhappy, as if it is a spell that cannot be solved. Before his emotions exploded, without waiting for his mother to finish speaking, Mi Yang got up and went into the bedroom. But the mother's unfinished words were hard to swallow back, and she said loudly through the bedroom door: "As far as you know how to be picky, as long as you have a high heart, Xiaobin is not bad-looking, has a good temper, and knows the roots." My aunt and I are not sisters, and you are not considered close relatives......"

Mi Yang opened the door: "Mom, don't force it, I don't agree ......"

The mother did not back down, even with anger: "Why don't you agree? Don't you still like Xiaobin? You also don't look in the mirror to look at yourself, pulling your face all day. Who do you want to marry? Do you still want to marry someone like Xia Zhi? ”

Mi Yang didn't answer again, and after ten minutes, there was no mother's voice outside. Mi Yang wiped the tears from his face, opened the door, and said to his mother: "Mom, I hope you don't embarrass me, I don't want to make a hasty decision so early." ”

Father must have fallen asleep. The younger brother was watching TV, he glanced up at Miyang, then at his mother, and then turned to the TV. The mother was silent for a while: "... Don't say it, have a good New Year, be noisy, don't make a noise about the luck at home. ”

Mother glared at Miyang. Miyang's originally suppressed emotions came up again, and he dropped a sentence: "Is it what I want to quarrel?" Then he closed the door. The mother lowered her voice and said something again, but she didn't hear clearly.

As soon as Chinese New Year's Eve passed, I began to visit relatives and friends. The two families of the reception aunt are scheduled for the ninth day of the first month because they want to bypass all kinds of happy events held in the first month. More than a dozen round tables were full of real seats, three tables were opened, and a large-scale eating and drinking was finally successfully completed through all the processes. In the afternoon, after everyone else had left, the eldest uncle and the second uncle stayed behind, went into the bedroom with their father and mother, closed the door and talked.

No one has mentioned the marriage proposal for nearly half a month, Mi Yang thought that she had already expressed her attitude, and the family affairs would not be resolved, but her uncle's attitude made her uneasy. As soon as he entered the house, he pulled her to ask long and short questions, and said a lot of words of concern. What made her even more uneasy was her cousin Xiaobin, who was red and red when he saw her, and he didn't dare to look at her, obviously looking shy with feelings.

“… Xiaobin is twenty-six years old this year, and the eldest sister is also in a hurry, if Miyang agrees, he will take advantage of the New Year to choose a good day and let the two of them get engaged first. ”

"Miyang graduated this year, right? I heard that she was going to go out for an internship in the New Year, and told her not to go out for an internship alone, and let her go to Guangzhou with Xiaobin when she got engaged, and you can rest assured that Xiaobin will take care of her, and you will get married and have a wine ...... in the first month of next year."

This is the conversation that Mi Yang overheard intermittently outside the window, and the water glass in her hand was not held, and it fell to the ground with a "clang".

In the evening, Miyang entered the bedroom early. She knew that her mother would come to her, and she couldn't help but feel a little uneasy, worried that she would not be able to control her emotions and have another argument with her. At nearly nine o'clock, my mother came out of the kitchen, went to her bedroom first, walked back and forth in the living room twice, and the sound of footsteps came towards Miyang's bedroom.

The mother pushed the door directly in, with an unnatural smile on her face, and walked to the desk: "... Today, my aunt's father said to himself, you should think about it, you won't suffer a loss if you marry into your aunt's family. Although Xiaobin can't compare... Xia Zhi, but marriage is to live a down-to-earth life, as long as he is good to you. I know you have a high vision, but we also have to look at our own conditions, we can't be worthy of being as good and handsome as Xia Zhi......"

"Just say what you say, don't compare irrelevant people at every turn, don't be untouchable... Cousin Chi is mentioned. ”

The mother seemed to be choked and paused for a few seconds: "... Then you think about it, the conditions of the aunt's house are also good, don't miss it and regret it in the future. ”

“… Mom, I never thought I would have something to do with Xiaobin like this, I think... It's really awkward. ”

The mother did not speak for a long time. Miyang didn't dare to look up, but she could feel her mother's displeasure. After a long time, the mother said, "... Awkwardness is also at the beginning, it won't be after a long time, your eldest uncle likes you so much, he said several years ago that he hopes you marry into their family, and today he said a lot of good things to ensure that you will not be wronged when you marry. Why can't you persuade you? ”

“… Don't persuade me, just tell your uncle... It's that I'm unreasonable, and they all push it on me, and they won't be reluctant anymore. ”

Mother sighed: "Why are you so stubborn? I've been working against me since I was a child, can I hurt you? You can't delay this matter any longer, if you don't marry Xiaobin, you have to marry someone else, and when you get older, you can only wait for others to pick you, and when the time comes... Do you pick up what others have left? Good people won't wait for you to pick. ”

"Are you in such a hurry to marry me off? Originally, I wanted to discuss with you about my preparation for the civil service examination......"

"Civil servants? So you're not looking for a job? Your brother is going to take the college entrance examination this year, you don't know how expensive the college tuition is, and you will be ready to get married after graduating from college in a few years, besides... Shouldn't you look for a job after graduating? Still reaching out to your family for money? ”

"Don't worry, you don't need any money to take the civil service exam, my internship unit hasn't settled yet, I want to go back to school early and leave tomorrow."

Mother was anxious: "No one will drive you away tomorrow, and you always turn your face without saying a few words." If you want to go, you can go, you can think about your own affairs clearly, and we will try our best to be worthy of you, if there is anything in the future, you don't come to us, I can't be busy with your brother's affairs. ”

"I'm going to stay at home any longer, my uncle will definitely come back, and it's you who will be embarrassed by then, so I'd better leave early."

The mother reluctantly turned around and went out. Mi Yang looked up at the window, and there was a bright waning moon hanging in the air. She sighed softly and began to pack.