New Year's Day 1967, two days off (plus one Sunday). The countryside is different from the city, the peasants do not celebrate New Year's Day, and it is the lunar year that is worshipped. The city is different, New Year's Day and Spring Festival are lively. Zhangjiaqiao Town is located between the countryside and the city. New Year's Day is still a holiday, and it is usually not very lively. But the Zhang family is different, and there are distinguished guests coming to the door today, which is different from other people's homes.

Zhaozhuang is about seven or eight miles away from Zhangjiaqiao Town. Young people can walk for less than an hour. Zhao Jinju got up in the morning. Sun Erniang told her daughter: change into clean clothes and go after breakfast. Zhao Jinju listened to her mother's words, not only changed into clean clothes, but also quietly dressed up. The so-called dressing up is not to apply grease and powder, and draw red eyebrows. I just combed my hair and tied two small short braids. Instead of black cloth shoes, he wore a pair of white sneakers. This was bought for physical education class, and Sun Erniang has an opinion. What kind of country roads are full of mud, and white shoes are easy to get dirty, and white ones will turn black. Zhao Jinju rarely wears it, and she is reluctant to take it to college. Today is special, find out and put it on. The weather is good, the road is good, and it will not get dirty and dark.

About nine o'clock. Zhang Ping'an stood at the door of his house and looked at the road. I arrived at about half past nine, and it's still nine o'clock! Zhang Ping'an thought, if you make an appointment with someone, you can't be late, I'd rather come out early and wait for someone, and I can't not know if someone is coming, how impolite it is! But waiting for people to be anxious, even if it is five minutes, it is difficult. The more anxious I am, the more I feel that time is slow. When Zhang Yifu saw his son like that, he said to him: "Don't be so anxious, I'm in the hall!" I'll know if there's someone at the door, go and do something for your mother! ”

"Alright, alright! There's nothing to help, you wait! Zhang's mother saw that Zhang Yifu said that she wanted Zhang Ping'an to help her, and she spoke: "Why didn't your second sister come?" ”

Zhang Ping'an's second sister is called Zhang Pingxin, who changed her name to Pingxin, graduated from secondary school, and married in the east of the town. Husband Huang Ximao, and Pingxin are classmates. Both work in the Leping County Taxation Bureau. said that I would go home early during the New Year's Day holiday. First, help my mother make the dishes and do it; Second, help my younger brother to work as a staff officer.

At about a quarter past nine, I heard Zhang Ping'an shouting at the door, "Second sister!" "The second sister is finally here.

"Ping, I'm late, right? I'll go to your brother-in-law's house first! After entering the door and calling for his father and mother, he continued: "We are a bus from the tax bureau." So let's go to the fine hair house first. Fine hairs will come back later! ”

Zhang Ping'an did not enter the house to go around, and continued to wait outside the door. After a while, I saw Zhao Jinju. Ping An shouted into the house: "It's coming!" So he hurried out of the porch to meet him.

"Jin Ju, here!" Zhang Ping'an didn't know how to call it well, so he could only call his name directly, he felt that it would be more cordial.

"Well, here we are!" Zhao Jinju's face turned red as soon as he agreed. In order to break the embarrassing scene, she humorously said: "Stand at the door and drink the northwest wind!" She had already found Zhang Ping'an standing at the door and looking.

"Where's the northwest wind? It's a southeast wind. The house faces south, and the northwest wind can't blow it. Zhang Ping'an's reaction was fast enough: "I'm standing at the door to borrow the east wind!" ”

The house has been cleaned up. Zhang Yifu stopped work today. The large square table leaning against the screen in the atrium was also set up. There are also four or five chairs with reclinings around. After shouting "uncle" and "aunt", he shouted "Second sister!" again. "The second sister is meeting for the first time, so I can't help but take a second look. Yes, the second sister is still beautiful, and she is about the same height as herself. can be dressed fashionably, worthy of being a person who works in the county. The temperament is almost good, and the cultural quality may not be high. Zhang Pingxin is a secondary school student, not even good at reading, but beautiful enough. It's not that pretty girls can't read. But if you like to dress up girls, you will be almost able to study, because it takes time and energy to dress up, which will inevitably be distracted, and you can't talk about studying hard. This is also a general rule, beauty is born, and parents give it. Deliberately dressing up can only make up for the innate shortcomings. Zhao Jinju is naturally beautiful, and she never dresses up to be natural beauty. She also read well and was admitted to university.

Zhang Pingxin carefully observed Zhao Jinju, and she found that Zhao Jinju: good facial features, melon seed face: white and tender, willow eyebrows: thin and long; A pair of large black eyes, inlaid in two white eye sockets, are bright. He is about 1.65 meters tall, two centimeters taller than himself. It is "too long to increase, too long to subtract" (describing Yang Guifei's height) is not fat or thin, slender figure, very well-proportioned. Two small short braids, and the hair is jet-black. Dressed like a student, she is a real little beauty embryo. If it's processed, it's a big beauty.

Zhang Pingxin watched for a long time without saying a word. only answered softly, and then excused himself and went into the kitchen with his mother. Zhang Yifu also said that he wanted to go out for a walk, so he slipped away.

After Zhang Ping'an greeted Zhao Jinju for tea, he felt that it was too early to leave the meal, and it was inconvenient to talk at home, so he asked Zhao Jinju to go out for a walk, and the two young people went out.

As soon as the front foot left, Zhang Pingxin began to say to her mother in the kitchen: "Mother, I don't think this family business is reliable!" ”

"How is it unreliable?" Zhang's mother said: "I think they are quite a good match!" ”

"Mother, you don't understand, this girl is too beautiful, my brother is not worthy!" Zhang Pingxin actually belittled her younger brother and said that he was unworthy.

"Look at what you said, your brother is also good-looking, why isn't he a good match?" Zhang's mother didn't believe that her son was wrong.

Zhang Ping'an is 1.76 meters tall and has a sturdy body, but his facial features are a little uncoordinated. The head is big and the back of the brain is slightly convex, maybe it is developed, and people who study mathematics must have a developed brain. In terms of physical strength, it is a very good labor force. But for people who read, they lack flexibility and are a bit bookish. Sun Erniang likes it very much, and Zhao Jinju won't hate it, otherwise Zhao Jinju wouldn't have come to visit.

But Zhang Pingxin thinks: "Mother, on the surface, it's still okay in front of you." First, the younger brother is okay and can deal with it; Second, Zhao - Zhao what? Zhao Jinju has not yet realized her beauty. Later, if she realizes that she is so beautiful, I am afraid that her brother will be abandoned. ”

"What's the matter, how could your brother be abandoned?" Zhang's mother was confused by her daughter's high-minded talk. I don't know what to do, so I'm speechless.

"Mother! You don't have to rush! I'll wait until I find out about her family. ”

It didn't take long for the yellow fine hair to come. With a few packets of snacks in his hand, he said hello and sat down on the table.

"Fine hair, let's put it in the room!" This is Zhang Pingxin's order. She didn't think it was right on the table and was about to be served. But the yellow fine hair is too lazy to move.

"What's your name, don't you usually put it like this?" It's just what he thinks in his heart, and he doesn't listen to it, and he doesn't object to it.

Gifts are placed on the table, which is called display. The more gifts, the better. The better it looks on the face. But now the eldest sister hasn't returned, there is no comparison! There are no gifts from the eldest sister's family, just for myself. Why are fine hairs like this? He looked down on his brother-in-law. The eldest brother-in-law is a coal digger, and although he is only a secondary school student, he looks down on coal blacks even more. Although his salary is not as high as others, every time he enters his mother-in-law's house, he puts gifts on the table to compare with his brother-in-law. But there was no comparison today, and she didn't want to take it away, so Zhang Pingxin had to take it to her mother's room by herself.

Zhang Yifu, Zhang Ping'an and Zhao Jinju came back together. Maybe the street is so big, maybe it's the opposite direction, and you just ran into it. Since I met, I said hello and said that I was going to eat, and I came back together.

There were seven or eight dishes on the table. Daughters, they came back like this. It's a family behind closed doors! But today, there is a guest who went to Zhang's house for dinner for the first time. Zhang's mother still politely added two dishes. Whether she can become a daughter-in-law is not certain. But since you invite people to dinner, you still need general etiquette.

The first to speak was Zhang's mother: "Child! You're welcome, my aunt doesn't know how to cook, I don't know if it's to your taste? You're going to be on it! ”

"Auntie, it's good! I can eat anything. Such a good dish, there is nothing bad about it! Zhao Jinju hurriedly said, there are many dishes, delicious!

"How old are you?" Zhang's mother asked.

"Mother, people are only children, just one!" Zhang Ping'an spoke.

"Ah, it's an only child! Then why didn't your mother give birth to a son? Zhang Pingxin answered.

"Second sister, I don't know, why my father and mother only gave birth to me, and they didn't give birth anymore." Zhao Jinju couldn't say clearly. In fact, she knows that she can't talk about things between men and women, so she pushes things off.

"And who else is in your house?" Zhang Pingxin asked again.

"There are fathers, mothers, fathers (grandfathers), and mothers (grandmothers)," Zhao Jinju's answer was very simple.

"Girl, eat vegetables!" Zhang Yifu was really embarrassed when he saw his wife and daughter staring at others and asking. He said, "Eat honestly." Talk after eating! ”

It's not good to ask again at the dinner table. I didn't ask again after the meal, and I was bored to sit. Zhang Ping'an invited Zhao Jinju to his room to sit down. Zhang Ping'an took out the graduation photo he gave to Zhao Jinju last time and held it to Zhao Jinju with both hands. Zhao Jinju accepted it and put it in the leather bag or wallet he carried with him. also took a graduation photo from it and gave it to Zhang Ping'an. Zhang Ping'an looked at it, and happily put it in his wallet like Zhao Jinju. The exchange of photos shows that the two people have begun to date and fall in love.

Zhao Jinju left Zhang's house under the escort of Zhang Ping'an, but Zhao Jinju insisted that he would not let Zhang Ping'an go further no matter what, and urged Zhang Ping'an to go back as soon as he left the town.

When Zhang Ping'an returned to the door, he heard the second sister's high voice: "Mother! Why didn't her father have another child? This is not normal! If a farmer does not want to have a son, there are those who have given birth to three or four daughters, and they all have to have another son. It's not normal to give birth to only one daughter and not give birth! ”

"Yes! There's some truth to what you're saying, and I can't figure it out, so when your brother comes back, ask him! Zhang's mother said.

"What do you ask me? I don't know! This is the truth, and it is angry, he feels that the second sister is asking too much!

"Brother, you can't fall in love with someone if you don't ask clearly, right?" Zhang Pingxin is the chief of staff. Staff officers need to be informed. So she said again: "Brother, Zhao, what is Zhao?" ”

"Zhao Jinju!" Zhang's mother interjected.

"Zhao Jinju's family has four adults, and when she gets old in the future, can she take care of it alone? Suffer with it. ”

"Yes! Yes! Zhang's mother was reminded by her daughter: "How is his father's health?" ”

This sentence reminded Zhang Ping'an that he had seen her father. Mother is okay, it seems that his father's feet are inconvenient and he is a lame, as for her grandparents, they are just ordinary old people, and they haven't found anything. Zhang Ping'an told his mother and second sister everything he knew and saw.

As soon as Zhang Pingxin heard that her father had a problem with his feet, she said, "Ah! I understand. It may be that his father has a physical problem and can't give birth anymore! ”

"Don't guess, ask clearly!" Zhang's mother told her daughter not to guess, but she guessed correctly. But now it's just speculation, and it's still unclear.

Zhang Yifu didn't participate in their conversation, he only gossiped with his son-in-law Huang Ximao. Huang Ximao is a son-in-law, only half a son. It's a family member, and it's an outsider. Outsiders are generally not involved in this kind of thing. Silence is the best policy. Yellow fine hair is the best policy. Their conversation was not open to the public, but Zhang Yifu and Huang Ximao heard it clearly. When Zhang's mother couldn't make up her mind, she nodded: "Dad, you can also say something!" ”

Zhang Yifu is a kind person, he speaks more steadily, and generally does not speak. Her son's affairs are in charge of her mother. But at a critical time, Zhang's mother had to ask him, he was the head of the family and had a very high status. Talking works.

"I hear you!" Zhang Yifu said: "I think what Pingping said makes sense, if you don't understand the other party's situation, don't talk blindly, let's understand it again!" He looked at the yellow fine hair, which means that you should also make a statement!

Huang Ximao didn't plan to say anything, but his father-in-law was waiting for him to make a statement! I'm afraid it's not good to talk about it. Let's say a few words.

"I think you're right. The purpose is one, to check for Brother Ping'an, staff and staff! He said as if he was making a summary report: "First of all, it's my neighbor Uncle Wang, Pingping knows." Uncle Wang's wife fell ill and died after giving birth to a son. The old man also has both parents. Life is hard. For the sake of his son, he never remarried. His son Wang Yunqi was brought up by his grandmother. Wang Yunqi is big, but it's hard to find a partner. The family is not very poor, and the main reason is that he has three old people to serve. The girl didn't want to marry him. Later, I was introduced to a rural area. The woman's family is also poor. It's nice to be able to marry in town. Life is better than her family, and she is used to it. Just serving the three old men, she was a little overwhelmed, but she still slipped away. Wang Yunqi had no choice but to guard the three old men. When the elderly are in good health, it is okay. As long as one person is sick, it will be bitter! Minor illnesses are staying up at home, and major illnesses are troublesome when they are hospitalized. Cooking, serving the sick, keeping vigil. There is not even a helper, there is no shift change. Huang Ximao looked around at everyone and then said: "Pingping said just now, there are four old people in Zhao, four old people, it's not easy to serve!" I'm just talking about things, not conclusions, for your reference! ”

This "for your reference" seems to have helped Zhang Ping'an calculate an account. Zhang Ping'an's math head is very fast. That's one to four, yes, although it's not a door-to-door son-in-law, but the wife's family is sick, you have to care! If he and Zhao Jinju become a family, two people are in charge of four people. If you don't have work around, you can't devote yourself to it. But you can't help but let her take care of your wife! If the two of them have children, the difficulty will be added to another layer, and the wife will have to take care of the elderly and the children, and she must not be tired! If you add your own parents, there are two more. Isn't it just that: two to six (one to three)? Of course, my parents and sisters help take care of it. But it's different on my wife's side. Having said so much, in fact, in Zhang Ping'an's brain, it was just a flash of thought.

"Listen to you, this object cannot be discussed. We just exchanged photos! What do you say? Zhang Ping'an had no choice but to ask everyone.

Father, mother, sister and brother-in-law sitting around the table, you look at me, I look at you, and they look at each other. Zhang Pingxin spoke: "What we mean, we didn't say that we couldn't talk about it, we said that we had to understand it clearly!" He looked at his younger brother again and said, "Zhao Jinju is really good-looking, and she is a little beauty who is loved by everyone." When I first met, I thought this person was amazing. If she is lucky, she will definitely have a bright future in the future! ”

No one makes conclusions, and it is impossible to make conclusions. Marriage is not child's play. Besides, Zhao Jinju is so beautiful. It's like a hot potato, it's hard to take it, and it's really reluctant to throw it away.

The Zhang family had no way to decide.