Life, back to the normal of the past.

Six years ago, Wang Shaoxiang sold the one acre and two cents of land before leaving for the West Sea, and there was no land to cultivate if he wanted to.

In order to support his family, Wang Shaoxiang had to weave cloth at home day and night and do some needlework.

In the troubled times, Zhang Shaofei gradually grew up.

In the evening of that day, Wang Shaoxiang had just finished eating, put down his rice bowl, and sat in front of the loom to weave again.

Zhang Shaofei saw that Wang Shaoxiang was weaving cloth day and night, very hard, and said with concern: "Auntie, don't weave like this day and night, it will exhaust your body." ”

Wang Shaoxiang sighed and said breathlessly: "Alas, if you don't weave cloth day and night, how can you have money to eat!" Could it be that money will fall from the sky for no reason?"

Zhang Shaofei said with determination: "A-Niang, from tomorrow, I will be rich when I go up the mountain to collect firewood and sell it, and I will raise A-Niang." ”

Zhang Shaofei, who had just taken off his childishness, did what he said, picked up the woodcutter, straw gun, and rope that Wang Shaoxiang used in the past, and followed the adults in the village to Taishan to collect firewood.

It is said that children who have premature periods are more changeable. Zhang Shaofei, who was only 16 years old, was not only smart, kind and clever, but also physically strong, and followed the adults up the mountain to chop firewood, and was able to chop forty or fifty catties of dry firewood at a time.

The villagers are very happy to teach him, hand in hand to teach him to tie the dry firewood cut from the tree into two bundles, and then in the two bundles of dry firewood about three thirds of a height point, use a straw gun to wear a bundle of back, and then in the other bundle of the same place to pass through, and then pick up it to become a load of dry firewood, finally, park it on the ground, and then use a rope to connect the two bundles of dry firewood from the top of the firewood and tie it well, so as to prevent the firewood from falling to the ground when one end is high and the other is low.

Zhang Shaofei is very eye-catching, and he can teach him, so the villagers love him very much and say that he has ideals.

Zhang Shaofei is also often grateful to his fellow villagers.

Time is like an arrow, Zhang Shaofei followed the adults in the village to go up the mountain to collect firewood, inadvertently, an autumn and winter have passed, and the annual Spring Festival is coming again.

Although Wang Shaoxiang's family is not rich, according to custom, it is indispensable to buy pounds of pork and slaughter a chicken for the New Year in the late Chinese New Year's Eve.

Chinese New Year's Eve Chinese New Year's Eve night, after Wang Shaoxiang finished worshipping the gods, he made the pork and chicken that had been worshiped by the gods into several dishes with all colors, fragrances and flavors and served them to the table, and asked Zhang Shaofei to come over to help open the stage.

began to eat Chinese New Year's Eve dinner, but Zhang Shaofei only sandwiched rape, not pig and chicken.

Wang Shaoxiang saw that Zhang Shaofei was always eating rape, so he put a chicken in his bowl, and said lovingly: "Fei'er, you are growing up now, a while ago you went up the mountain to collect firewood, and picked it up to the firewood market to sell, the body consumption is too great, take advantage of the rest of the Chinese New Year, eat more meat, and make up for your body." ”

Zhang Shaofei didn't seem to hear what Wang Shaoxiang said, he didn't move his chopsticks, his eyes looked at the chicken in the bowl, and he was in a daze.

Wang Shaoxiang couldn't help asking: "Fei'er, why are you still eating?" Is it to your liking or is it disgusted that your mother doesn't eat well? ”

"Auntie, no." Zhang Shaofei looked at Wang Shaoxiang and hurriedly explained.

"Then why don't you eat? As the saying goes: 'Full of Chinese New Year's Eve'. Eat more meat in the late thirties of the Chinese New Year's Eve to have a god of food. Wang Shaoxiang looked at Zhang Shaofei and talked about what her father and mother said to her when she was a child.

Zhang Shaofei looked at the fragrant chicken, it was really difficult to eat, and it was difficult not to eat. After being silent for a while, he finally told Wang Shaoxiang his inner thoughts: "Auntie, as soon as I see these pork and chickens, I will think of the tragic situation when the pigs and chickens were killed, and I feel very sad. ”

When Wang Shaoxiang heard this, he felt that the son in front of him was so kind, he really was: I don't know whether he is happy or sad.

As a result, Wang Shaoxiang thought of her husband again, and thought: If her husband can live until now, what would he think when he sees his son so kind? Is it happy or sad? Wang Shaoxiang thought of this, and couldn't help tears dripping down.

Zhang Shaofei looked at it and knew that A-Niang was thinking about A-Dad again, so he hurriedly stepped forward to comfort: "A-Niang, wait until you finish eating, I'll play chess with you." In the past, you taught me to play chess, but I couldn't catch Ah Niang......" Zhang Shaofei said this, paused, and then said quite proudly, "However, when I was studying in Hepu's private school, Mr. Ye not only taught me a few tricks of chess, but also taught me to play chess; Once I won sir, Ye Lao also rewarded me with a pair of Go! ”

Seeing that Zhang Shaofei was getting more and more excited, Wang Shaoxiang couldn't help but say: "Look at your happy appearance, where is the prize?" ”

"I've brought it back, and I'll show it to my mother after eating the New Year's dinner." Zhang Shaofei said that he was happy, and naughtily grimaced at his mother, "Auntie, wait a minute, you have to settle down and deal with it mentally!" Otherwise, don't blame my men for being ruthless. ”

Wang Shaoxiang said angrily: "Let's talk about it for my mother if I win!" ”

"Auntie, Brother Fei, are you talking about chess?" As soon as Wang Shaoxiang's voice fell, I saw Li Huilan wearing new clothes in front of Zhang Shaofei's mother and son.

When Zhang Shaofei saw Lu Huilan, he hurriedly said: "Sister Alan, you came just in time, I played chess with A-Niang, and you happened to be the referee." ”

Lu Huilan smiled and said, "Oh...... Then I might as well be respectful. ”

On the night of Chinese New Year's Eve, there was the sound of firecrackers outside, and Lu Huilan had a New Year's dinner at home, originally came to ask Zhang Shaofei to go out to play. Who knew that he became a referee in Zhang Shaofei's house.

Setting up the chessboard, Lu Huilan faced the criss-crossing chessboard and solemnly announced: "The chess game begins."

The vertical and horizontal chessboard is large, and thunder is hidden in the silent place. Zhang Shaofei sat down, stretched out his right hand and made a "please" gesture to Wang Shaoxiang.

Wang Shaoxiang gently pinched a white son (in ancient Go, the white son was the first) and pointed it on the small eye. As a result, Wang Shaoxiang's white chess attacked fiercely, and Zhang Shaofei's black son was on the defensive.

Wang Shaoxiang looked at the real space that he was far ahead, and his pride was overflowing.

Ancient national hand cloud: fat edge is easy to obtain, thin belly is hard to find. "Fei'er, it seems that you don't know how to do this!" Wang Shaoxiang said proudly.

Zhang Shaofei smiled slightly and said: "Water is impermanent, chess is unconventional, and Tao is impermanent." A-Niang, you only know how to attack, and you can't take the opportunity to rush through the level, and then you will have your own troubles. ”

Sure enough, Zhang Shaofei's black momentum began to exert force, forcing Wang Shaoxiang to hurry, but fortunately, Zhang Shaofei's subordinates showed mercy and everyone was happy.

……

In the past few days of the Chinese New Year, Zhang Shaofei stayed at home, played chess with his mother, and rarely went to the village and village with Lu Huilan like he did when he was a child, wearing new clothes to show off, to amuse Lisee, and to go to the lion and dragon dance.

After the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, after the Lantern Festival, the adults began to get busy.

Zhang Shaofei has just turned sixteen years old, and he has already taken on the burden of earning money to support his family.

Zhang Shaofei went up the mountain with the villagers to cut firewood every day, and went to the market with the villagers to pick it up and sell it.

At the beginning, Zhang Shaofei walked with the villagers, but the villagers were not very short of money, and they had to plow the fields and farm, so it was impossible to go up the mountain with him every day to collect firewood.

Later, Zhang Shaofei couldn't be together, so he went up the mountain alone to chop firewood and sell it at the market. Sometimes, Li Zhiwen, Chen Mushui, Pan Linghao and several other childhood friends who grew up playing sand pot together since childhood will also accompany him to the mountain to collect firewood.

Collecting firewood relies on hard work, water and sweat, hard work, and little reward. It can be said that the silver obtained by collecting firewood is made by condensing the sweat salt in the sweat.

Zhang Shaofei has a mother, and he has no land to grow crops, so he is not afraid of fatigue and makes a living by collecting firewood.

However, it was his heart that was most tired. He is a minor child, who has picked up the burden of life prematurely, an innocent childlike heart, has been weathered, suffered, experienced too many ups and downs, and has become extremely deep and dignified. His face was prematurely engraved with the heaviness of life, and he prematurely lost the joy that a teenager should have.

Mu Shui saw that Zhang Shaofei was silent all day long, so he said: "Brother Fei, you always keep your head down and ponder, and you don't speak for a long time, like a little old man." ”

"Alas!" Zhang Shaofei sighed helplessly, looked at Mu Shui, and said: "Ah Shui, although you and I both go up the mountain to collect firewood, you are collecting firewood out of kindness to accompany me, you have a father and mother, and you don't need to earn money to support your family." If you have not only a load of firewood on your shoulders, but also the livelihood of your family, can you still be so carefree? ”

Zhang Shaofei's reasonable words deeply touched Mu Shui's still innocent heart, and he felt more and more that Zhang Shaofei's experience was too unfortunate.

When spring turns to summer, the sun roasts the earth like a furnace, and the land in Taizhen Village also seems to have been roasted by fire, and the heat wave is pressing. Li Zhiwen and Chen Mushui's father and mother love their sons, so they will never let their precious sons go up the mountain with Zhang Shaofei to collect firewood in the hot weather.

This morning, Mushui and the others waited for Zhang Shaofei under the old longan tree by the river at the entrance of the village early in the morning.

Zhang Shaofei was as usual, carrying a straw gun on his shoulder and a firewood knife in his hand, and arrived on time to meet them.

But on this day, when Mushui saw Zhang Shaofei, they were very sad to repeat their father's words to Zhang Shaofei.

After Zhang Shaofei heard this, he comforted Mu Shui and them: "Ah Shui, Ah Wen, don't be too sad, your father and mother are doing this out of love for you!" I don't care, who told me that I don't have a daddy......"

When Zhang Shaofei said this, his nose was sour, he turned around, left Mushui and them, and walked in the direction of Taishan.

Zhang Shao flew for a while, and thought: Mushui, they are afraid of heat, so they don't go up the mountain with me to fetch firewood, why don't you go to Liang Village after quarantine and ask Lu Huilan to go with you?

Thinking of this, Zhang Shaofei involuntarily turned around and headed towards Houliang Village.

Zhang Shaofei just took two steps, but thought about it: Now is not the same as in the past, Alan Mei has grown into a yellow flower girl, and lonely men and widows are alone in the deep mountains and mountains, which will attract criticism......

"Alas! Or don't go to her, who calls their lives bad? It's all left to fate. Don't think about it so much, no matter how cranky you think, you won't be able to get firewood today, and A-Niang will be hungry. Zhang Shaofei turned around and strode straight towards the mountain.

In the deep mountains and old forests, there are a lot of wild fruits, Zhang Shaofei is tired of chopping firewood, hungry, climb the tree to pick wild fruits to satisfy hunger; When you are thirsty, go to the mountain stream and pick up flowing water to quench your thirst; Sleepy, take a nap in the shade of a tree.

The sun hangs like a brazier in the middle of the sky, but it is good to enjoy the shade under the big trees, and the mountain breeze blows from the mountain pass, which makes people feel comfortable.

Zhang Shaofei, who was too tired and sleepy, fell asleep and fell asleep in the shade of the tree, feeling that his face was spicy.

He stretched out his right hand and touched it, and it was a few mountain ants.

The black elves struggled with a few pairs of long, thin legs in the palm of his hand.

He thought about it for a while, and he must have eaten a few wild fruits before going to bed, and the sweet juice still remained in the corners of his mouth, which provoked mountain ants.

Zhang Shaofei saw that these mountain ants were quite pitiful, not only did he not strangle them, but put them back on the ground, then climbed to the tree, picked a few wild fruits, tore the skin, put them in front of the ants, and muttered: "Mountain ants, mountain ants, you must see that I am lonely and lonely, and I am here to accompany me, right?" ”

Zhang Shaofei said this, looked at the ants around him, and said, "You have worked so hard to find food, now that you want to eat, just eat enough......"

Seeing those shriveled mountain ants with shriveled stomachs bulging after eating, Zhang Shaofei forgot for a moment the scene of leaving with Mu Shui and them sadly a few days earlier, and actually laughed happily.

Although the mountain ants couldn't understand human language at all, in the end, Zhang Shaofei pointed at them and said, "In the future, I will come here to pick wild fruits for you to eat, remember. You should come here more often to stay with me! ”

After Zhang Shaofei finished speaking, he picked up two large bundles of dry firewood and went down the mountain. Dan went to Qiu County Chai City to sell.

Once, Zhang Shaofei encountered a firewood that grew in a crevice of a rock, full of knots, scars, and tree tumors.

Since ancient times, all those who go up to the mountains to cut wood have deliberately avoided knots, and specifically found smooth places on the body of trees to cut down with axes.

Because, in everyone's concept, there is no point in the coarseness of the knots, and the wood is hard, so it is naturally not easy to cut off.

And this firewood, up and down, is either a knot, or a scar, and there is no suitable place to put the axe.

I don't know how many woodcutters have never lifted an axe against such firewood when they see it. But Zhang Shaofei raised his axe and slashed at the knot.

Sure enough, the bark of the trees around them was cut off, and a dead nodule was stuck obliquely in the trunk wrapped in scars. Zhang Shaofei folded slightly, and the entire trunk was broken.

At this time, Zhang Shaofei seemed to have matured all of a sudden.

He was shorter than average, and his body was thinner. However, he became the most capable firewood picker.

Every day, he picks up much more firewood from the firewood market in Qiu County than everyone else. Those strong men with five big and three thick, big shoulders and round waists, and strong strength are naturally unconvinced, and they can't afford to lose people. So, they secretly competed with Zhang Shaofei.

Early in the morning, before it was dawn, they rushed to the mountains. Halfway through, even though they were exhausted and about to fall apart, they didn't dare to slack off. At the end of the day, they still didn't cut as much firewood as Zhang Shaofei.

They thought: Zhang Shaofei's strength is far less than theirs, and the time spent on chopping firewood is not as long as theirs, and he uses an ordinary firewood knife, which is not a magical and sharp tool, and the reason why he cuts more firewood than them must be that he is opportunistic, and he harvests some of the softest waste firewood, while they generally cut hard wood, which is more laborious and time-consuming. However, they quietly checked the opposite result. Zhang Shaofei's bundles of firewood are the best and hardest dry firewood inside and out, unlike them, with a layer of hard miscellaneous wood on the outside, and half-rotten softwood on the inside.

Therefore, the firewood sold by Zhang Shaofei to the firewood market is very popular.

"Could it be that Zhang Shaofei can't be helped by immortals?" They couldn't figure it out.

Zhang Shaofei's immortal is himself - a person who understands the magic of the mind and grasps the laws of nature.

Others chop firewood and always chop hard in one place, but Zhang Shaofei chops around; Others always do everything possible to avoid the knotted place to fall the axe, but Zhang Shaofei starts from the knotted place.

Where the trunk has no knots, the wood is softer, and they have great strength, so that every knife can cut deep into the wood;

However, it is precisely because of this that their woodcutters are always stuck, and they often use more force and effort to pull out the axe outward than to cut downward. Although knots mean that the wood is hard, the harder the place, the less the axe will be stuck, and the more brittle the wood, the easier it will be to cut off.

Truth, as ordinary as it gets.

Because it is too ordinary, although Zhang Shaofei repeatedly explained, other firewood people just refuse to believe it.

People's thinking is often trapped in the strange circle of inertia and refuses to extricate itself.