Brush –

The beige bed curtain suddenly opened, Zhang Yalan was surprised and delighted, her eyes were full of emotion: "Really? ”

Zhao Xiangwan nodded: "Hmm! ”

Zhang Yalan, who was wearing a sweater, jumped down from the top bunk and shouted excitedly: "Zhao Xiangwan, you are so good!" ”

On the weekend, Zhao Xiangwan and Zhang Yalan went home together.

Ms. Zhang's home is in a neighborhood in the west of the city, about an hour by bus.

After getting off the bus, the two walked side by side, and Zhang Yalan introduced the basic situation of her family as she walked.

"This is the housing that my dad used to allocate when he worked in the Municipal Engineering Bureau, and my family moved in when I was six years old, with two bedrooms and one living room, and although the kitchen and bathroom are small, it is still very good for a family of three to live in."

Zhao Xiangwan asked: "Before, in the Engineering Bureau?" So where does your dad work now? ”

Zhang Yalan replied: "Now Xu's Construction Company is working. Xu's construction company is the largest private construction company in our star city, the boss surname is Xu, he used to be a leader in the engineering bureau, and later resigned to open a company in the sea, and it is getting bigger and bigger, and half of the construction projects in the star city are undertaken by Xu. My dad used to be the foreman under Mr. Xu, and the relationship between the two was good, and he has been following him since Mr. Xu resigned and started the company. ”

Xu's Construction Group? Very familiar name. seems to be Zhao Chenyang's backer, Zhao Qingyun's future in-laws? However, the Star Market is only so big, and there will always be some intersection between people, which is not unusual.

Zhao Xiangwan shifted his attention to this unfamiliar community.

The community is an ordinary row-and-roll layout, but the greenery is very beautiful, the camphor and magnolia trees on both sides of the road are tall and lush, and the flower beds between the buildings are fragrant with plums, which can still make people feel full of vitality even in winter.

Zhang Yalan saw Zhao Xiangwan's gaze resting on the plum in the flower bed, and said with a smile: "Do you like the plum?" I like it too, it smells so good. ”

Zhao Xiangwan nodded: "We don't have Lamei in the countryside." ”

The first time I saw Lamei was in high school, Zhao Xiangwan remembered that there were a lot of plants planted in front of the school teaching building, and she was shocked when she smelled the fragrance of Lamei for the first time.

Zhang Yalan's attention was distracted, and she muttered and began to tell Zhao Xiangwan the story of visiting the park and enjoying the flowers when she was studying, and before she knew it, the two had come to the front of the 11 second-unit buildings.

Zhang Yalan's excited and cheerful mood just now suddenly fell.

"Well, my house lives on the first floor, and my mom should be cooking dinner at this point. I called home before I came back, and my mom knew I would bring my classmates. ”

Zhao Xiangwan looked at Zhang Yalan's uncomfortable appearance as soon as she approached the door, knowing that she wanted to escape from the family that suffocated her, she smiled and comforted: "Okay, then I'll try the food your mother cooks." ”

The two girls entered the house, and Zhao Xiangwan wore the cotton slippers handed over by Zhang Yalan and observed the furnishings in the house.

The floor of the old house is paved with light blue flower tiles, the door frames and window frames are painted with sky blue paint, the curtains are green and yellow, and the stained glass reflects the sunset, which has a different kind of beauty. The décor is a little old, but it is clean, the wooden sofa in the living room is padded with inlaid cotton cushions, and the red telephone on the square table in the corner is covered with a crocheted white gauze.

Hearing the movement at the door, a middle-aged woman wearing a floral thin cotton jacket slowly walked out of the kitchen. She tied an apron around her waist, held a spatula in her right hand, and smiled gently: "I'm back." ”

Seeing Zhao Xiangwan, her smile became more enthusiastic: "It's Zhao Xiangwan, right?" I often hear Aran mention you, welcome welcome. ”

[In the three years of high school, I didn't see Yalan bring a classmate home, but I didn't expect to make friends in just half a year after college, which is a good thing. This girl looks simple and calm, which is very good. 】

Hearing the heartfelt welcome from the classmate's mother, Zhao Xiangwan greeted politely: "Hello, Auntie, I'm sorry." ”

Zhang Yalan was originally a little worried, firstly, she was afraid that her mother would treat her classmates slowly, and secondly, she was afraid that Zhao Xiangwan would not like her mother. Now seeing that the two are getting along harmoniously, I am relieved: "Mom, is the meal ready?" We're all hungry. ”

Yuan Dongmei has a thin figure, there is no flesh on her cheeks, there is a deep line between her eyebrows, and there are bruises on the corners of her forehead and mouth. ”

Zhang Yalan stood in the hallway and glanced at it, and strangely pointed to the place where the dressing mirror was originally hung in the shoe cabinet and asked, "Mom, where is the mirror?" ”

Yuan Dongmei glanced at her daughter cautiously, and hesitated to speak: "I, I accidentally broke it, and I haven't had time to replace it with a new one." ”

[Her dad got drunk yesterday and moved again, and it took a day to clean up the house. Yalan said that she wanted to bring her classmates back, but I was busy shopping for vegetables and cooking, and I didn't have time to change the mirror, so I just hoped that I would ...... Don't blame me. 】

The broken mirror, the bruised forehead, the corners of the mouth, and the unnatural walking posture - all of this is combined, combined with Zhang Yalan's once saying that his father will do it as soon as he is drunk, Zhao Xiangwan is sure that Yuan Dongmei suffered domestic violence last night. No wonder Zhang Yalan shed tears when she was on the phone with her mother last night, both distressed and hateful, right?

Zhang Yalan is a little slightly short-sighted, but she usually doesn't like to wear glasses, so she didn't find the injury on her mother's face when she entered the door, and when she changed her slippers and walked into the house, she saw her mother face to face, and was stunned for half a second.

"Mom, you ......"

Yuan Dongmei lowered her head, raised her elbow to cover the injured cheek, and smiled reluctantly: "I'm fine, I fell without entering the door, the mirror was broken, and my face was bruised, I'm fine, I'm fine." ”

[Her father was not ruthless yesterday, only pushed me and slapped me twice, and I don't know if it was kindness, or finally knew that it was better to be a wife at home. He is afraid of a woman outside, as long as he doesn't dislike that I gave birth to a girl, and is willing to come home from time to time, I am satisfied. 】

Although he had heard Zhang Yalan talk about his mother's foolishness, but hearing what Yuan Dongmei was thinking, Zhao Xiangwan was still heavy in his heart.

Her husband is violent, but she is still grateful because she was beaten lightly?

The husband cheated, but he was still reflecting on the sins of not giving birth to a son, and he just begged him to come home from time to time to be satisfied.

Zhang Yalan obviously didn't believe what her mother said, walked up to her mother to carefully check the wound on the corner of her mouth, and hated it: "My dad beat her, right?" Mom, don't be obsessed, hurry up and separate from him! I will graduate in three and a half years, and when I graduate, I will be able to get a salary when I am assigned a job, and I will support you. ”

Yuan Dongmei unnaturally avoided her daughter's touch: "What kind of stupid thing to say, your classmate is still here." ”

Zhang Yalan couldn't help but press her mother's shoulders with both hands: "Mom, what I said is true, you are so pitiful." Zhao Xiangwan is a good friend of mine, and I won't hide anything from her. ”

Zhang Yalan's range of movement was a little large, and her knee was touching Yuan Dongmei's right leg, and after a muffled snort, Yuan Dongmei's face was deformed in pain.

Seeing that Yuan Dongmei's face suddenly turned pale, Zhao Xiangwan felt that something was wrong, so she hurriedly stepped forward to support her lower back, and only then withdrew her hand when she stabilized her figure, and said to Zhang Yalan: "Auntie's foot is injured, hurry up and help her sit down." ”

Unable to oppose Yuan Dongmei, Zhang Yalan pushed her into the sofa and sat down, rolled up her trouser legs, and found that a large piece of gauze was applied to her knees, and a trace of blood was oozing from the gauze.

Zhang Yalan squatted in front of her mother, her eyebrows twisted into a line: "Mom, why didn't you tell me last night when you were so seriously injured?" ”

Yuan Dongmei raised her hand and touched her daughter's head, and said softly: "I'm fine, it's just that the mirror is broken and a little skin is broken, and I will deal with it myself and it won't affect my work." I'm an idler, and I don't have anything to do at home, so what can I do if I don't buy vegetables and cook? ”

Zhao Xiangwan took the spatula from Yuan Dongmei's hand: "Auntie, I'll make dinner, you can take a rest." ”

Yuan Dongmei hurriedly waved her hand: "Don't."

Don't, you're a guest, and it's your first time at home, where is the reason to let guests do it. ”

[It's just scratched the crossing, it's nothing.] I broke two ribs the year before last, and my spleen ruptured last year, and I was cured in the hospital for half a month? 】

Hearing this, Zhao Xiangwan's heart shrank: "It's okay, leave it to me." ”

Zhao Xiangwan stepped on the bench and stood on the stove to cook rice when she was six years old, just stir-fried a few dishes, which was difficult for her.

Waiting until six o'clock, it was getting late, Zhao Xiangwan quickly prepared the three dishes and one soup prepared by Yuan Dongmei, and brought them to the dining room table and set them up.

Stir-fried yellow beef, shredded pork with flour, scrambled eggs with garlic leaves, pork ribs and radish soup.

Yuan Dongmei had only stewed one pot of soup before, and the rest of the dishes were cut and prepared, just waiting for her daughter to come back and stir-fry. I didn't expect Zhao Xiangwan, a guest, to act so quickly, and it only took ten minutes to serve the dishes, and I couldn't help but praise: "You kid is really capable." ”

After saying this, Yuan Dongmei turned her head and stroked the top of her daughter's head weakly, and sighed: "You, you, you can't do anything, what can you do in the future." ”

Zhang Yalan tilted her head unconvinced: "I want to be a career woman in the future, so that I don't want to be a housewife like you." ”

Yuan Dongmei's eyes dimmed a lot, obviously knowing that her daughter didn't look down on her mother.

[What else can a woman like me do besides housework? Aran can be admitted to university and become a police officer in the future to receive a salary, but what about me? I used to be a sweater salesperson, and after I was laid off, I did housework at home, and I didn't know anything but tidying up the house, buying groceries and cooking.

Her father often disliked me, saying that I would not even have a son, and that I was a sinner if I didn't leave a queen for Lao Zhang's family. What can a sinner like me do if I don't honestly do housework at home?

Yalan always said that she raised me, which is really child's words. She is going to fall in love and get married in the future, and the water spilled by her married daughter, with a useless mother like me, it is better to live alone in this family. As long as her father comes back every once in a while and gives me some money every month, I'm satisfied. 】

Hearing what Yuan Dongmei was thinking, Zhao Xiangwan probably understood the reason why she lived such a humble life.

First, there is a lack of a sense of worth.

Perhaps because after being laid off, being a housewife no longer had contact with society, Yuan Dongmei, who returned to the family, weakened her sociality, and it was difficult to gain a sense of value from the outside world.

Daughter Zhang Yalan lived in high school, only at home on weekends and holidays, and she had a big personality, so she didn't perceive her mother's inner needs at all, and couldn't give Yuan Dongmei the praise and affirmation she needed.

Her husband Zhang Shihu was accustomed to Yuan Dongmei's dedication, and he didn't think it was a great thing for her to clean up the house and have a steaming meal when she returned home, and there was a lack of respect between her words. After making money, his heart changed, he liked the new and hated the old, picked and chosen, and tried his best to suppress it.

In this way, Yuan Dongmei slowly accepted the message that I am a useless person, and I do not deserve the care, love and respect of others.

Second, Stockholm syndrome

Zhao Xiangwan saw a case when he was checking materials in the library, in 1973, there was a bank robbery in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, the criminals took four bank employees hostage, after six days of confrontation, the police rescued the hostages, but found that they had feelings of pity for the kidnappers, refused to accuse the kidnappers, and had a hostile attitude towards the police. Therefore, in criminal psychology, this kind of submissive and loyal relationship between the hostage and the kidnappers in order to survive in the face of death threats is named "Stockholm syndrome" [1].

Although Yuan Dongmei is not Zhang Shihu's hostage and has not experienced death threats, she has been subjected to domestic violence for a long time and has no way to ask for help, so she has to try to be obedient and loyal in order to survive, and gradually form a dependency psychology in her life.

once was beaten to the point that his ribs were broken and his internal organs were bleeding, and this time he only slapped him twice, which was a favor;

I was once humiliated and belittled, and occasionally giving a little money is love.

Although Zhang Yalan wanted to help her mother, she only knew that she didn't know what was going on the outside and was too demanding of her mother, so Yuan Dongmei faced her proposal: Divorce, I'll raise you, just as a child's words.

Raise? How to raise? With no house to live in and no money to spend, what does a recent college graduate take to support his mother? The days are so long, changes are everywhere, and the words "I raise you" are light to say, but they are extremely heavy to do.

Zhao Xiangwan took a sip of pork ribs and radish soup, and praised it with a smile: "It's delicious." "The soup stewed by Yuan Dongmei is really delicious, with a strong meat fragrance and sweet radish.

Zhang Yalan's mother stews all kinds of soup every time she goes home, she has long been accustomed to it, and when she heard Zhao Xiangwan praise her mother's stewed soup, she took two sips in puzzlement, raised her eyebrows, and muttered to herself in her heart: Is it delicious? That's just so.

Zhao Xiangwan's praise was simple and ironing, and Yuan Dongmei's heart slid through a warm current.

It's been so many years, and it's the first time I've heard someone boast about their cooking skills. Yuan Dongmei smiled brightly, and desperately put vegetables into her bowl: "Come on, come on, eat more if you like." ”

Zhang Yalan opened her mouth, but was stopped by Zhao Xiangwan with her eyes.

Zhao Xiangwan ate a lot of dishes, although she said little, her expression was relaxed, her eyes were slightly narrowed, her face was comfortable and enjoyable, and she expressed her affirmation of Yuan Dongmei's cooking skills with practical actions. Occasionally, one or two sentences of comments, each sentence stepped on the point that Yuan Dongmei was most looking forward to.

"The beef is tender."

Yuan Dongmei happily explained: "Yes, you have to shoot the starch in advance, and you have to grasp the heat, otherwise you will be old." ”

"The flour is so delicious."

Yuan Dongmei happily taught the cooking know-how: "Soak the noodles in advance, add soy sauce and salt, and then taste them." ”

"Zhang Yalan is so happy to have a mother like you."

……

This sentence pierced the bottom of her heart, Yuan Dongmei suddenly put down her chopsticks, hid her face and cried.

Zhang Yalan panicked, climbed on her mother's shoulder and asked, "Mom, what's wrong with you?" ”

Tears flowed from her fingers, and Yuan Dongmei's voice was muffled: "After so many years of hygiene and cooking, your grandmother, your father, you, no one has ever praised me." ”

Chapter 17 Paternity Testing

◎ I'll tell you what you should do ◎

As soon as Yuan Dongmei's words fell, Zhang Yalan was stunned.

[Grandma looked down on her mother who died early and was raised by her uncle and aunt before her death, and she picked and chose whatever her mother did; Dad is busy going to work every day to make money, and when he comes home, he stretches out his hand to eat and opens his mouth, and he takes his mother's contribution for granted; What about me? Didn't I ever boast about my mother? 】

Zhao Xiangwan raised his eyes and looked at Zhang Yalan.

Zhang Yalan blushed, leaned closer to her mother, took out a handkerchief to help her wipe the tears oozing from between her fingers, I wanted to say a few nice words, but I don't know why I always felt that I couldn't open my mouth.

[Isn't it normal for mom to cook every day? In the past, even if I went to work, my mother would go into the kitchen to be busy after work, but now I don't have to go to work, what is there to cook at home every day? Isn't it supposed for mom to clean up the house? Dad goes to work every day to make money, and he goes to school hard, if Mom doesn't clean up the house, will she let everyone live in the pig's nest? 】