Chapter 37

On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival in June 1, Ding Xiang took the children to visit her elderly father in the Baiying Brigade.

Looking at a large number of grandchildren and granddaughters, the seventy-year-old Jade Shiye was both happy and sad. My sister also came, and the eldest nephew was married and had a nephew and grandson.

At noon, Wu Ying looked at Nian Zu, who was already able to walk, and said tentatively with Lilac: "Sister, my sister is gone, and now it is not easy for you to pull a large family by yourself, and the sisters on both sides of the man's house and the mother's house can't help!" I think it would be better if there were suitable people to take the smaller ones out, and it would be better to give the little ones a way out. You know the Cao Yifu of the sixth team of Bai Ying, there is only one woman in his house, he has been a guest for more than ten years, his mother is so anxious, he also has a table with us when he sipps tea on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, and he said that there is a suitable person who wants to raise one. Sister, whether you are willing or not, you can first find out about the situation in his house before making a decision. Hearing Wu Ying say this, my sister and brother-in-law and the whole family also echoed and persuaded them.

Han Xiang, who looked at her grandfather's family and persuaded Lilac, was a little sensible, and secretly hid behind Lilac and grabbed the hem of her clothes with her hands, not daring to reach out, for fear that she would also be given away with her younger brother. Under the persuasion of everyone, Lilac had mixed feelings in her heart, and giving away the child born to her and Qiusheng was as uncomfortable as digging out the flesh of her heart with a knife, but now the famine with no end in sight made the children starve and even starved to death, and she was even more uncomfortable.

After a while, she muttered in a wooden voice, "Giving people away is a big deal, why don't you have to tell my mother-in-law about them, after all, they are the children and grandchildren of the Gui family." Hearing Lilac say this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and then Xu Zong said: "Sister Man, what you said is reasonable, or you put Sister Zou Long Hanxiang in my house for a few days, and it is not too late for you to go back to the house and ask the old man what he means!" Cao Yifu, they have seen it, and you are satisfied, and you are willing to do it, if you don't succeed, you should stay in the grandfather's house for a few days! ”

That night, Lilac sent Hanxiang Zou Long to Xuzong's house to stay, and before dawn the next day, he secretly left Zou Long and the two sisters home before dawn the next day.

When passing by the lilac tree at the entrance of the village, she finally couldn't hold back the pain in her heart, climbed under the lilac tree, hugged the lilac tree and cried.

Nianzu was still young, standing beside him in a daze, not knowing what was going on, at this time Youfu walked up to Lilac, and said to Lilac with firmness in his tone: "Mom, if you are reluctant to brother, you won't give it away!" With me and Yougui, we will never let Zou Long go hungry! ”

At this moment, Lilac suddenly jumped back into the river like a dying fish that had jumped ashore, and there was a bright light in her dim eyes just now. She turned around and pulled her blessed brother, and said with remorse in her mouth: "Cub, my mother almost made a mistake today!" I'm sorry for your dead dad! Even if my mother begs for rice, she won't break up your brothers, and we will starve to death and we will be together in a house! ”

Lilac had made up her mind, so she arranged for the blessed and noble to take Nian Zu home first, she couldn't take a breath, so she climbed the mountain and crossed the mountains for more than 20 miles and rushed back to Xu Zong's house.

Xu Zong saw that the cloves who went to the wind and dust were a little different, and said while busy pouring tea: "Look at you sweating profusely and taking a sip of tea first, why did you turn around so quickly?!"

Lilac didn't care about the tea of the Xu Sect, and asked eagerly, "Big brother, where are Zou Long and their sisters?" I thought about it for a long time along the way just now, even if I and the blessed few of them didn't give Zou Long away, I was afraid that I would die and I wouldn't know what to tell him when I saw Brother Da Qiu in the Hades house?! ”

Seeing this, Xu Zong silently handed over the tea, hesitated for a moment and said, "Sister Man! Even if you are reluctant, I will not force you, your personal life is only your own master, and in the future, if there is a difficult sister who can help, I will do my best as a big brother! Sister Zou Long, I will go to Cao Yifu's house to pick you up, and you will wait for me in the house. ”

After Xu Zong finished speaking, he left the house, and after waiting for a while, Lilac finally couldn't help but get up and rushed in the direction of Cao Yifu's house. When there was still half a mile away from Cao Yifu's house, I saw Xu Zong Wu Ying and his wife leading Zou Long Hanxiang over, and Cao Yifu and his family were still sending them off behind.

Seeing Lilac, Han Xiang couldn't wait to pull Zou Long to trot over, but Zou Long looked back at Cao Yifu and his wife with some reluctance, and said, "Uncle and aunt, my mother is here to pick me up, and I'll come to your house next time, okay?" Cao Yifu's wife waved her hand at Zou Long, and replied with a smile: "Zou Longcheng, if you are obedient, come back next and my aunt in the house will give you a few more potatoes!"

Ding Xiang felt a little sorry for Cao Yifu and his wife, so she greeted him and said, "Brother Yifu, brother and sister-in-law, the two of you are arguing in my house today!" It's just that the old people in my house don't know about giving it away, and I can't do it, and I have to discuss it with Zou Long, the two elder brothers, mother and son, and I'm really sorry to disturb it today! ”

Cao Yifu listened and hurriedly replied: "Sister Man, look at what you said!" I can't write a single Cao word, how can I say that I am also Zou Long's cousin, and I still talk about Zike after a few meals and two meals, you must not rest assured! We can afford Zou Long's nephew, but I can't afford to raise such a big dragon in the shallow water in my house. In the future, if your sister is willing to send Da anytime and anywhere, we will be a room of people who should help and can contribute, and I am a brother who has no words! ”

Ding Xiang and Cao Yifu, husband and wife, Xu Zong, and Wu Ying, went home after a few trips to the villagers and neighbors. When they left, Cao Yifu and his wife also sent some sisters Zou Long, and said to them earnestly that they would come to Uncle Yifu's house again when they came back to their grandfather's house.

Lilac insisted on not wanting their couple's things, and Cao Yifu said a little angrily: "Sister Man, this is yours!" It's not for you, my uncle should give it to my two nephews! Doing business and talking about business is not benevolent, not to mention that we are all descendants of the Cao family? When Lilac saw him say this, she couldn't excuse herself anymore, and waved goodbye to them after thanking them a thousand times.

On the way back, Zou Long still remembered the goodness of Cao Yifu and his wife, and shouted: "Mom, there are a lot of good things in that uncle's house, and that uncle also told me to go back to his house to make bows and arrows for me!"

Han Xiang was listening, and he had already slapped Zou Long in the face, and scolded in his mouth: "It's like you were like a starving ghost in your previous life!" The next time you go to his house, you won't be able to go back to your own house, do you know?! I only know bah, bah, bah! ”

Zou Long didn't know how to be cold, and after being slapped by Han Xiang, he cried, and cried in his mouth: "Mom, my sister beat me!" Don't take her to your uncle's house next time! ”

Lilac was sad for a moment, didn't speak, pulled Zou Long with her hand and left, tears overflowing her eyes in the wind.

When she arrived at the house, it was already dark, and the mother-in-law, who was blind in the dark, heard the sound and touched the courtyard where the earth wall had collapsed and was removed, and asked according to the sound: "Zou Long, cub, are you going back to the house?"

Lilac hurriedly greeted her and replied, "Mom, it's us, don't come out at night!" When the mother-in-law heard this, she touched Zou Long's hand and said to Lilac while returning to the house: "Cub, my mother is a blind man day and night, and she is so risky!"

After settling the children in the night, when Lilac was sleeping, the mother-in-law groped over, and in the darkness she took Lilac's hand and said, "Blessed is it to tell me about today's events!" In fact, if you are willing, it is good to give Zou Long away, many sisters drowned when they were born! Giving away people is also a few ways to live, and it is also a blessing for repair! The mother's blind eyes can't help you, and you really can't help you, and you really can't help it, or you will go back to your mother's house next time or send Zou Long away?! ”

In a stupor, Lilac stared at her mother-in-law's collapsed eye sockets and said word by word, "Mother, I think clearly, even if you starve to death, you won't give away the cub girl for a while, a strip of dew and a strip of grass, there is always a season for the day to open!" ”

At this time, the mother-in-law's sunken eye sockets secreted two lines of turbid tears, and she muttered: "Cub, it's just bitter for you!"

Since then, the mother-in-law always secretly pulled Zou Long in her hand when no one was around, took out the things hidden in the straw on the bed and stuffed it to him, and repeatedly instructed: "You hurry up, don't let others know!" Don't let your uncle know that they still offer it! ”

Many years later, when Zou Long fondly recalled the incident that his grandmother secretly gave him, he said with emotion, I can now be taller than the two brothers, all thanks to the mouthful saved from my grandmother's mouth.

A few days later, the Jinhua couple went back to their parents' house to see their mother-in-law, she usually got along with Lilac's sister-in-law, although her own children couldn't help much, but they often remembered to care about Lilac's orphans and widows.

In the chat, Jinhua said that her man Xiong Bosheng had a cousin named Xiong Jisheng, who was honest, loyal, and diligent, and had been married once, but had no children for many years after marriage. Later, his woman stole the village chief who had died of his wife, and after the incident, the woman went to the village chief's house and became the stepmother of three children. Xiong Jisheng tried to mediate with the commune secretary several times, but unfortunately the mother-in-law was determined to turn back, and later they had to negotiate a divorce, and the village chief was also dismissed due to work style problems.

In the spring of last year, a woman in Xiong Jisheng's neighborhood team died of her husband, and she was also sick in bed. The captain of that team saw that Xiong Jisheng was alone, so he set up a red line and became a matchmaker, and asked Xiong Jisheng to take care of the woman and marry her. That woman usually knew that Xiong Jisheng was loyal and reliable, so she relied on the captain, but since Xiong Jisheng married her, her condition has been getting worse day by day, and she has not improved. Poor Xiong Ji was busy for more than a month, and the woman still died after all, Xiong Ji's birthday night care was exchanged for more than a month of empty husband and wife!

Everyone said that the woman was blessed when she was dying, and there was a person who knew warmth and cold. There are also some old women who said that it was Xiong Jisheng who owed the woman a debt in his previous life, and he poured and urine to wipe his body and took care of him for more than a month, and begged him for a coffin!

Speaking of this, Jin Hua secretly glanced at Lilac, and seemed to say casually: "My little uncle has an excellent character, but his life is not good, and he has accumulated blessings in the small half of his life, I don't know that God will give him a peaceful day in the second half of his life in the future?!"

Lilac listened silently, and said with some feelings: "I believe in Guanyin Bodhisattva for half a lifetime, and I believe that there are still good people in this yang world who have good rewards!"

When Jin Hua heard this, she put down the needle and wire in her hand, thought for a moment and said slowly: "Sister-in-law, I don't know whether to say something about my sister or not, and I am afraid that you will misunderstand if I say it."

"If there is something in the family that should be talked about or not, you just have to say it!" Lilac replied. Jin Hua looked at Lilac, and said with pity in her eyes: "Sister-in-law, my brother has been gone for a year or two, and there is a man in the house, and there is a pillar in the house, and even a person who asks for ideas can take the risk, after all, it is not a way!" Otherwise, if you recruit that bear to come to the house, our sister-in-law will kiss each other and help each other better! That Xiong Jisheng is also a man in his forties, and he didn't come to your house to support this family with you, only in this way that he has something to rely on when he is old......"

Before Jin Hua finished speaking, Ding Xiang interrupted her and replied: "Sister, my sister-in-law knows your kindness, but after your brother dies, I am still in the world, and my heart has been buried with him in Fengxinggangda!" Last time, my eldest brother asked me to give Zou Long away, to be honest, I was moved at the time, but it is impossible for me to find a man's house to live again! I have been a person who has been suffering in the mud and water all my life, and I can keep the festival for your brother for a lifetime in this world, and it can also be regarded as my cultivation of some fate for the next life. ”

Jinhua didn't persuade her anymore when she heard this, and talked about some things on their team.

Since then, the relatives have known about Lilac's ambitions, and no one has mentioned those things in her ear, and relatives and friends have since respected Lilac more.

In the second half of '61, the Red Star Brigade ushered in the best harvest since '59, and everyone from the brigade to the production team was happy. Xia Sheng and the accountant held a meeting with the members of the organization and proposed to have a dinner party to celebrate.

At this time, Yi Lianyun said: "In the past three years, I have eaten a few times! If you want me to talk about the immediate dinner, you have to order the wine, and then invite Chen Zhishu and the leaders of the brigade to come together. As the saying goes, there is no banquet without wine, and if there is no excitement, we cannot arouse the enthusiasm of the majority of members to do a good job in the proletarian revolutionary line! ”

As soon as Yi Lianyun said this, everyone was emotional and agreed, and Yi Zhengzhu also joked: "The nephews in my house who have read are of a high level, and those who cook meals can attach the revolutionary situation, which is amazing!"

While everyone was laughing and scolding, Yi Jianping secretly attached himself to Yi Lianyun's ear and whispered: "Brother, if you want to eat a full meal, you can eat a full meal, what is the matter of the proletarian revolution!" At that time, Yi Lianyun's face was flushed.

As soon as Xia Sheng and the others saw everyone's wishes, they gritted their teeth and made hundreds of catties of sweet potato rice and handed them to Yi Dongyun, and asked him to brew a vat of good wine in the next few days. Xia Sheng repeatedly explained that brewing good wine was a glorious and great political task, and it was a matter for the 12th team to show up in front of Chen Zhishu and the leaders of their brigade.

Yi Dongyun is a landlord because his father is a landlord, and his dog legs are not good, and he has suffered a lot of disdain over the years. Today, the captain sent him an appearance, and he was very excited. He used the usual method of winemaking, day and night carefully, and finally made a good vat of wine a few days later.

On the day of the dinner, Chen Zhishu and several of their team leaders all came. Looking at the table full of meat that has not been seen for several years, and smelling the fragrant potato and rice wine in the courtyard, Chen Zhishu was a little floating.

He picked up a bowl full of potato and rice wine, and said in a high tone: "Fathers, fellow villagers, and members of the proletariat, I Chen Xinyun will borrow this bowl of potato and rice wine to say a few words today!" At present, the revolutionary situation is very good, and with the unity and hard work of all the members and comrades here, we have finally overcome the natural disasters of the past three years! Amazing, amazing! The results are gratifying, and the future can be expected! In the days to come, we will strive to move forward under the wise leadership of the great leader, and I am convinced that our days will be even better! Our great revolutionary cause will surely reach a higher level! Today, I borrow flowers to offer Buddha and hold the wine brewed by the great members, and wish all the male and female members and comrades good health and good work!! After saying that, he craned his neck and slipped a big bowl of potato and rice wine.

All the members applauded, and in the chaos, everyone opened their bellies and drank the wine of their hometown, and sipped the meals they made by themselves, and the adults and children were all happy. On weekdays, some villagers who have long chickens and ducks are short and contradictory have melted away between the staggered bowls of wine.

When the wine was halfway through, Yi Zhengzhu was a little drunk and hugged Yi Dongyun, who also had red circles under his eyes, and said, "Fifth brother, you have given me a long face in the Yi family today!" It's not that the dude is ruthless, who in the All-Red Star Brigade can make such a good wine?! This is a great credit, we want the captain's secretary to give you a credit! The fifth sister-in-law in your house helped my father carry the tea bag, and the elder brother scolded you before, you must not take it to heart, the elder brother knows how good it is! ”

Yi Dongyun was a little proud, his drunken eyes were hazy and he hugged Yi Zhengzhu's waist and said, "Fourth brother, don't talk about carrying tea bags for the third uncle, shame to death!" In your own house, you should be a good man to kill a rabbit behind closed doors! It's just that this wine is not a brother's boast, when my father was working in the house of the county magistrate of He, the officials of several county yamen near Shaoyang knew that my father's wine was good and famous! Today, my son inherits his father's business and serves the majority of members and the masses in vain! ”

When the men next to Chunsheng saw this, they saluted Yi Dongyun's wine, and everyone praised it!

When the Chen branch secretary and Zheng deputy branch secretary who toasted the male members with a circle of wine, they came to the table of Lilac and their women, he picked up the wine bowl and said: "The great leader said that women can hold up half the sky!" Here, on behalf of the brigade, I would like to give special praise to Comrade Cao Dingxiang, who has made a lot of brown ropes for each production team with her palm craftsman's skills, and has made great efforts! The other lesbians are also working hard! We toast you all! ”

Lilac saw that the branch secretary toasted in person, and they got up and poured a full amount of wine. The women, who don't drink alcohol on weekdays, swallowed it with courage.

The meal was lively, but it was also very happy and sad. Because they are hungry on weekdays, they suddenly let go like this, and many members of the club have some problems. Especially Yi Wu's second son, who has a hypertrophied intestine on weekdays, has eaten a full meal in the past few years. Today, I let go of my belly so much, I couldn't stand it, I rolled on the ground in pain and almost lost my life, but fortunately, I was sent to the commune health center more than ten miles away in time to save my life!

As for those men, they all drank and staggered, and they didn't care about the world! In particular, Chunsheng was so drunk that he didn't know who was going to go, and later the two cousins of Youfu and Xianzu carried it back to the house in an earthen basket.

Many years later, there is no longer a shortage of drinks in Hongxing Village, and people still talk about it when they recall the scene of that year.

End of Chapter 37