He fried a vegetarian shredded radish and put it on two plates, one plate was to be served to Jiang Lan, and the other plate was left for himself and his younger brother.

Another big bowl of porridge was served, ready to be sent to Jiang Lan.

Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a living creature on the ground slowly wriggling, and when he looked closely, he saw a white caterpillar lying on a small vegetable leaf in the corner of the wall. He put down the porridge and vegetables in his hand, pinched the caterpillar, suddenly rolled his eyes, provoked a sneer on his lips, and said in a low voice:

"Don't you want to eat meat, then I'll give you more food."

"Let's disinfect it first."

He threw the little insect into the pot of boiling water on the side and soaked it, then stuffed it into the porridge bowl with chopsticks, and mixed it again, and the white insect was immediately mixed with the white rice porridge.

He brought the porridge and vegetables to the hall and placed them lightly on the table, while he went to the kitchen to refill the bowl and sat down on a small stool in the courtyard.

Jiang Lan will not let them sit with her to eat, unless her husband Gao Liang comes back, there is money for her, she is in a good mood, and it is purely for Gao Liang to see, everyone will eat at the same table, as soon as Gao Liang walks on the front foot, Jiang Lan will drive the two brothers into the yard like a dog.

The Gao Gao brothers were also willing to eat separately from her, so as not to know when a bowl would fly over and smash on the brain. He will never forget that a three-inch-long scar on his younger brother Xiaole's left wrist was scratched by a splash of broken bowls.

Jiang Lan went out with a basket after breakfast, Gao Yuan cleaned up the dishes on the table, and went to the kitchen to secretly pack some porridge and vegetables and went straight to the firewood room.

The key to the firewood room was hung on the lock, but without Jiang Lan's words, he didn't dare to open the door, let alone give his younger brother food, if Jiang Lan found out, he would inevitably be beaten again.

The firewood room was small, with firewood and unused farm tools piled up inside, and there was a dilapidated window, the window paper was long gone, and only a criss-crossed window frame remained, which looked like a prison cell.

He whispered his brother's name outside the window: "Xiaole, Xiaole." ”

It was pitch black inside, and he couldn't see where his brother was, and just as he poked his head to look in, suddenly, a dirty little hand climbed up to the windowsill, and then a small head was exposed.

A pair of big eyes on the round little face, with long eyelashes curled, are almost exactly the same as the eyes of the elder brother Gao Yuan, the difference is that Gao Yuan's eyes have more coldness and worry beyond his age, while the younger brother's eyes are bright and bright, more agile.

Gao Le's lips were red and swollen, the skin around his lips was cracked, and there were traces of blood that had not been wiped clean.

He was born to laugh, with a round face, and when he smiled, there would be two small dimples looming on his cheeks, and although he was often beaten, and he was often hungry and fainted, he always laughed at people, as if he never knew what trouble was.

At this time, when he saw the plateau, the corners of his mouth were raised, wanting to show a pleasant smile, but his small mouth was swollen like two sausages, and he couldn't help but "hiss" and gasped twice under the pain, only a pair of big eyes showed joy, and he lowered his voice and called: "Brother." ”

Suddenly, there were tears in his big eyes, the corners of his mouth turned down, and he said, "Brother, I saw it just now, you were beaten again, your face was broken, does it hurt, let me blow it for you?" Because of his swollen mouth, he couldn't speak clearly.

Gao Yuan raised his hand and touched the wound on his face, and said lightly: "It's just a beating, what are you afraid of?" My face doesn't break for a day, don't cry, a man doesn't believe in tears. ”

It wasn't until he saw his younger brother that Gao Yuan's eyes had a soft luster, and he put the food in his hand on the windowsill and whispered, "Xiaole, eat quickly." ”

Gao Le stepped on the pyre, lay on the windowsill, and took a bowl of porridge and drank it in large gulps, obviously hungry.

And the reason why Gao Le was locked up this time is also very simple, yesterday, he sang a children's song he learned from the little girl next door to his brother, singing: "Mom got up to tie the soles of her shoes, sister-in-law got up to steam glutinous rice, the doll smelled the fragrance of glutinous rice, and played gongs and drums to pick up the girl", Jiang Lan suddenly rushed out of the house and scolded:

"You're having a good time, you can sing, huh? 'Mom got up and tied the soles of her shoes', is she making fun of me for not being able to have children? Who is to blame for not being able to give birth to a child? It's not that you're a little brute, you like to sing, don't you? Then I'll let you sing well! ”

Then he took off his shoes and slapped him in the mouth, until his small mouth was bloody, red and swollen, and he threw him into the firewood room in a state of confusion......

At this moment, Gao Yuan looked at his younger brother gulping down porridge, a gloomy color flashed in his eyes, and asked, "Xiaole, do you miss your father?" ”

Xiaole put a bowl of porridge into his stomach, stuffed the vegetables into his mouth, and said vaguely: "Yes." ”

Gao Yuan said: "Xiaole, when I have the opportunity, I'll take you to find your father, okay?" ”

Xiaole stared at the innocent big eyes and asked, "Okay, but where is Dad?" Where are we going to find him? ”

Gao Yuan's eyes swept over the courtyard gate, for fear that Jiang Lan would come back suddenly, and said in a low voice: "I know that my father is in the county seat, let's go to him, and then we will follow my father to stay in the county seat and never come back." ”

"Good!" Xiaole laughed happily.

In the past five years, perhaps only when Daddy Gao Liang is at home, the two brothers can live a normal life for a few days.

Today, Jiang Lan went out for a day, her mother's house was in the next village, and Xu went back to her parents' house to improve the food.

When it was almost time to arrive, Jiang Lan came back, she carried the basket to the kitchen, and suddenly opened her voice and let out a roar: "Gao Yuan-"

Gao Yuan, who was holding a brush in the room to practice calligraphy, heard this lion-like roar, and involuntarily trembled, hurriedly put down the pen and walked to the door.

Jiang Lan rushed over angrily, reached out and pinched his ear, and shouted, "Why don't you cook?" ”

Gao Yuan's ears were torn so painfully that it seemed that his entire ears were about to be torn off, and he gritted his teeth and replied, "There is no food in the kitchen." ”

"Out of food? You don't know how to pick some vegetables in the field? You're waiting for my mother to feed you, aren't you? ”

Speaking of this, Jiang Lan grabbed him by the hair, dragged him from the door to the yard, picked up the shovel on the ground and smashed it to the ground, and shouted: "Go dig potatoes!" ”

The blade bounced off the ground and the sharp tip slashed through his calf, "Ahhh Gao Yuan screamed and fell to the ground, holding his bleeding calves in his hands and trembling in pain.

"Brother! Elder brother! Gao Le's little face appeared in the window of the firewood room.

"Shut up for me, tell me to sew your mouth shut again!" Jiang Lan's eyes glared fiercely at Gao Le.

Gao Le hurriedly closed his sausage mouth in fright.

"Xiaole, I'm fine." Gao Yuan endured the pain and comforted his younger brother.

As for whether Jiang Lan would really sew Xiaole's mouth, Gao Yuan would not doubt it at all.

"If it's okay, just dig potatoes and cook quickly, I'm hungry." Jiang Lanyan went to her bedroom in a huff.

Takahara picked up the shovel and barely stood up, he did not rush out, but went to the kitchen first, he needed a basket.

He limped into the kitchen, only to see some fresh vegetables in the basket on the ground, which Jiang Lan had brought back just now, and every time she went back to her parents' house, she would bring some vegetables back.

This is strange, why did she ask him to dig potatoes in the field when she brought vegetables? But Takahara soon understood, because she just wanted to torture their brother, and that was all.

Takahara slammed the vegetables in the basket to the ground, threw the shovel in, and limped out with the basket.

Gao Yuan walked to the vegetable field behind him, and met Aunt Wang, who saw that his legs were full of blood, and hurriedly asked:

"Gao Yuan, what's wrong with your leg?"

Gao Yuan gave a salute and called lightly: "Aunt Wang." ”

Aunt Wang squatted down, looked at the wound on his leg, her eyes were full of distress, and said, "Child, go home with your aunt, and your aunt will give you some medicine." ”

Gao Yuan said: "No need. ”

Thanking Aunt Wang's kindness, he was expressionless, but politely bowed slightly, turned around and continued to walk towards the field.

Seeing his thin body limping on the ridge, Aunt Wang sighed heavily and said to herself: "This child is also stubborn." ”

……

In the evening, Gao Yuan saw Jiang Lan sitting in the yard washing clothes, as if he had no intention of letting his younger brother out of the firewood room, he secretly gritted his teeth and begged her again.

"Mother, please let Xiaole out."

Jiang Lan washed her clothes by herself, as if she hadn't heard it.

Gao Yuan had to kneel down again and said, "Mother, please let Xiaole come out." ”

Jiang Lan didn't look back, and said, "Okay, you go and let him out." ”

Gao Yuan's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly said, "Thank you, mother." ”

got up and was about to go to the firewood room, but Jiang Lan's voice came from behind him: "After being released, you two will kneel here for an hour." ”

Gao Yuan stared at the back of her head, a pair of big eyes oozed a thick hatred, he didn't say anything, first went to the firewood room to let his brother out.

He took Gao Le's little hand, slowly walked back behind Jiang Lan, and knelt down together.

Jiang Lan was slowly washing her clothes in the wooden basin, and the Gao Yuan brothers knelt silently behind her, and the courtyard was extremely quiet, only the sound of washing clothes.

Suddenly, the iron hoop of the wooden basin cracked, making a crisp sound of "pop", and the water in the basin gushed out and flowed all over the ground.

"Ahh Gao Le screamed in fright at the sudden sound.

Jiang Lan Huo Ran turned around, casually waved a hard object and smashed it at Gao Le's head, Gao Yuan was shocked, pushed his younger brother away, and took the blow with his own head.

"Boom!" With a bang, Gao Yuan only felt his head "buzzing", and after a whirlwind, he fell on Gao Le's body.

"Brother! Brother ......"

The suppressed voice of Gao Le was heard in his ears, but the voice was getting farther and farther away, more and more ethereal......

I don't know how long it took, but the plateau finally woke up.

"Brother, brother, are you awake......"

Gao Yuan was dizzy and said in a low voice: "Shut up!" ”

He shook his head vigorously, his head hurt, for for this kind of impromptu beating had become commonplace, and he had long been accustomed to it, and there was no difference between one beating and ten beatings.

Gao Le covered his forehead with a small hand, and said with tears in his eyes: "Brother, you always beat for me, and I will be beaten for you in the future." “

There was no longer Jiang Lan's figure in front of them, there was a pile of wooden blocks scattered on the ground, and one of the pieces of wood was thrown at their feet, it seemed that it was this piece of wood that Jiang Lan used to beat him.

Gao Yuan's eyes were full of hatred, and he sneered in his mouth: "You were beaten for me? Do you want to be beaten by her for the rest of your life? “

Gao Le's eyes were full of tears, his swollen lips hung his head, he spread out his little hands, his palms were full of blood, and he choked up: "Brother, you have shed a lot of blood." ”

Gao Yuan wiped the blood on his forehead casually, touched the wound, "hissed", gasped, and then stood up without care, first went to clean up the cracked basin to the corner of the courtyard, turned around and pulled Gao Le up, fetched well water to wash the blood on his hands, Xiao Le also used his wet little hands to help him wipe the blood off his forehead, and said with a bitter face:

"Brother, you're out of shape."

Gao Yuan sneered: "If you have a life, what are you afraid of?" I've left you food, you go eat first. ”

As soon as he heard that there was food to eat, Xiaole's eyes lit up and asked, "Can I eat?" ”

Gao Yuan glanced at Jiang Lan's closed door and said in a low voice: "I have already taken the rice to the house, no matter what, eat it first." ”

Gao Yuan took Xiaole's hand, and the two crept back to their room.

He brought out the hidden food, and Gao Le's big eyes suddenly lit up, "Wow, you left me so much food, thank you, brother." ”

Looking at Xiaole gobbling up, Gao Yuan's nose was sour, and he suddenly felt like crying, a bowl of dry rice and a serving of shredded potatoes, but Xiaole was more fragrant than eating meat......

After a while, Gao Le put down the empty bowl, burped, patted his stomach with satisfaction, and said with a smile: "Brother, I'm full." ”

Gao Yuan looked at him quietly and said in a low voice, "Xiaole, let's leave tonight." ”

Gao Le asked excitedly, "Are you going to find your father?" ”

Gao Yuan nodded and put his finger to his lips: "Shh, be quiet." ”

Gao Le lowered his voice and asked, "Brother, are you rich?" ”

Takahara shook his head.

Gao Le: "How can we go to the county seat if we don't have money?" ”

Gao Yuan's chin raised in the direction of Jiang Lan's house and said, "She has." ”

Gao Le's eyes widened, and he said incredulously: "Brother, you want to steal?!" ”

A sneer lifted on Gao Yuan's lips and whispered, "That's all our father's money." ”

"yes, it's Daddy's money." Xiao Le nodded as if he didn't understand.

……

Although it has entered spring, it will still be very cold at night, Gao Yuan put on a cotton jacket for his younger brother, and put a change of clothes on the baggage, stuffed a few cold steamed buns in the baggage, everything is ready, he asked Xiaole to stay in the room, and he gently opened the door, poked his head out, and saw that the light in Jiang Lan's room was out, so he tiptoed out.

Taking advantage of the night, he secretly walked outside Jianglan's door, stood straight for a while, and then walked out quietly.

Gao Le asked, "Brother, have you got the money?" “

Gao Yuan sat on the edge of the bed, shook his head, and said sullenly: "I don't want to steal, my father said that 'a gentleman loves money and takes it in a good way'." “

"Then there is no money, how can we go to find Dad?" Xiaole pouted.

Gao Yuan sighed: "I don't know what to do. ”

Gao Le's eyes rolled and he said in a low voice: "Brother, I have a way." ”

He whispered in Gao Yuan's ear, Gao Yuan's eyes lit up, and he nodded: "Okay, you wait for me." ”

With that, he snuck out. Gao Le leaned in front of the window and watched the plateau walk out of the courtyard

Half an hour later, finally, the familiar figure walked in again, it seemed that he was still carrying a rope in his hand, he did not go back to the house, but went straight to Jiang Lan's house.

Gao Le grinned with a sausage mouth, and his eyes sparkled, and he stuck his head out to look at it.

But seeing that Gao Yuan gently opened a crack in the window of the house, carefully stuffed the "rope" in his hand, then closed the window and crept back.

"Brother, it's done?"

"Shhh “

Without even taking off his shoes, he went to bed and lay down. Gao Le also lay down beside him, wrapped tightly in the quilt.

But in a quarter of an hour, Jiang Lan's exclamation and the sound of the cup breaking suddenly came from the east house, and Xiao Le, who was covered in the quilt, looked at his brother with blinking eyes, nervous with a hint of excitement.

Gao Yuan's eyes were dark, and he whispered to Xiaole: "Don't speak." ”

After a rush of footsteps, there was a "bang", the door was slammed open, and Jiang Lan's voice became more and more sharp due to fear:

"Gao Yuan, get up quickly, there is a snake in my house, go find the snake fighter in the village."

Gao Yuan pretended to be awakened, sat up, rubbed his eyes, and asked, "It's so late, the snake fighter is sleeping, right?" ”

Jiang Lan hurriedly roared: "Drag me over when you sleep, if you don't catch the snake, how can I sleep?" ”

Gao Yuan said: "It costs money to ask the snake man." ”

Jiang Lan angrily counted out twenty copper coins from his pocket, stuffed them into his hand, and said urgently: "Go quickly, go quickly." ”

Takahara jumped out of bed and walked out with the money.

Jiang Lan stomped her feet and scolded urgently: "You should hurry up, are you breaking your leg, walking so slowly!" ”

"Oh." The plateau obediently ran away.

But Gao Le's lips secretly flashed a smug smile, and the two shallow dimples rippled.

Jiang Lan didn't dare to enter the house, so she walked around the yard, scolding while waiting for the snake beater to help her catch the snake.

Gao Le lay on the bed and pretended to be asleep, for fear that a little movement would lead Jiang Lan over, and after a while, the back window on the south side made a slight sound, and then the window was gently pushed open.

"Xiaole, Xiaole!"

It was his brother's voice, Gao Le immediately turned over and sat up, and sure enough, his brother Gao Yuan was standing outside the window.

Gao Le jumped off the ground and ran over.

So a burden was thrown out of the window, and then Gao Le climbed out of the window. Gao Yuan carried the burden on his back, and the two of them trotted all the way along the ridge behind the house to the outside of the village.

When the brothers finally walked out of this large area of farmland and onto the main road, Gao Le asked Gao Yuan in a low voice: "Brother, can you speak now?" ”

Gao Yuan looked at the vast fields around him, and the wide road in front of him, breathing in the free air, and with a rare smile of relief on his face, he raised his head and said loudly at the dark sky:

"We're going to find Daddy!"

Gao Le smiled: "Brother, what about my idea?" She's most afraid of snakes. ”

Gao Yuan gave him a thumbs up and praised: "Xiaole, you are amazing!" ”

Gao Le said: "Brother, what kind of snake are you catching?" Don't be toxic, right? Don't bite her to death. ”

Gao Yuan shook his head and said: "The grass snake, it's not poisonous, the snake just woke up in the spring, there is nothing to eat in the house, and it will go out to find food by itself as soon as the morning dawns." ”

Gao Le smiled: "If you don't go to the snake fighter, how can she take the initiative to give us the money?" ”

Gao Yuan said: "That's right, we don't steal or rob, although this money is not much, but it is enough for us to buy some food on the road." ”

Gao Le looked at Gao Yuan with a smile and said, "Brother, a snake scared her like this, it's really relieving, if we catch a big tiger and throw it in her house, what do you think will happen to her?" “

Gao Yuan pouted: "She herself is a tigress, if she catches her, we will both die." Stop talking nonsense, let's go. ”

Discerning the direction, Gao Yuan pointed to the main road to the south and said, "See?" Follow this road all the way to the county seat. ”

"Oh, we're going to find Daddy." Gao Le jumped and slapped his hands, and he couldn't stop slapping his face.

"Let's go!" Gao Yuan took his younger brother's little hand, and the two children held their heads high, setting off towards their destination with antiquity.