Chapter 130 Poverty is a mountain that weighs on people and cannot be climbed

Xiang Licheng walked into the house with empty hands and a drooping head.

He sighed several times after entering the house, sat on the ground and wiped his tears.

Thinking of the scene where he went to borrow rice and money just now and was rejected, he became sad again.

The uncle's family said that there was no rice or noodles.

But he clearly saw his cousin Xiao Guazi eating with his mouth full and running into the kitchen with a bowl in his hand. He also vaguely heard Xiao Guazi shouting: "Dad, Mom, Xiao Qiuzi is here again, hide everything quickly."

The uncle's mother frowned when she saw Xiao Qiuzi. Before Xiao Qiuzi asked, she said there was nothing, nothing.

Xiao Qiuzi didn't even enter the door of the uncle's house.

Unable to borrow rice or money, Xiang Licheng walked back home sadly.

Along the way, he thought of many ways to get food and money.

He even had the idea of ​​stealing.

But when he thought about being discovered, he and his father would never be able to hold their heads up in the village for the rest of their lives, and they would be criticized, educated, or even sent to a labor camp.

No, he couldn't do that.

He was a twelve-year-old child without a mother, and now his uncle was gone too.

He was hungry, and his father was sick at home. He had no food and no money to see a doctor.

Walking helplessly on the path, he felt for the first time that the way home was so long. What should he do? What should he do?

In the past, his father had always gone from house to house to borrow money and rice to pay for his education. He had never told him that life was so hard and people's hearts could change so quickly.

In the distance, he saw the door of his home and thought of his sick father lying in bed, so he quickened his pace.

He would go back to see if his father's fever had subsided, and then go to the back mountain to dig wild vegetables and find wild fruits.

Xiang Licheng wiped his face and looked up to find two more people in the room.

It was the teacher!

"Teacher Ma! Why are you here!" Xiang Licheng shouted with joy. This was his favorite teacher. Although he had only taught him for a month, this teacher knew so much!

He liked the teacher to give him Chinese lessons the most. When he learned a new word, his classmates said they had never seen it before and didn't know what it looked like, but the teacher could draw it.

For example, when talking about "water buffalo", Teacher Ma drew it on the blackboard.

When the little friends saw the cute water buffalo, they all said they liked it very much.

Teacher Ma told them that water buffalo like to take a bath and need to keep warm in winter, so they can't be raised in Anling. She hoped that the students would study hard and solve this problem in the future, so that everyone can see water buffalo!

There are also various flowers, peonies, roses, orchids, and lilies.

The peonies drawn by Teacher Ma are particularly beautiful.

Ma Siqing saw Xiang Licheng and said softly: "Why didn't you tell the teacher about the difficulties at home?"

"Wow!" Xiang Licheng cried and threw himself into Ma Siqing's arms.

This made Xiang Licheng's father anxious and at a loss.

Ma Siqing took out twenty yuan from her bag and stuffed it into Xiang Licheng's hand.

"Take it, take your father to see a doctor, and then buy some food." Ma Siqing stroked Xiang Licheng's head.

She had also been hungry and knew what it felt like.

Both of them had experienced the situation of crying out to the sky and the earth but getting no response, looking around but no one could help them.

In this era, poverty can really kill people.

Xiang Licheng didn't dare to take the twenty yuan. The teacher gave too much.

It was two months' living expenses for an ordinary family.

"Don't be afraid to take it. I'll lend you the money for ten or twenty years. When you become successful, you can pay me back!"

Xiang Licheng's father was grateful and shed tears: "Teacher Ma, I can't thank you enough for your kindness. I will pay you back as soon as possible."

After saying that, he dragged his weak body and knelt down in front of Ma Siqing.

He had been ill for some time, but he didn't dare to tell Xiang Licheng, thinking that he would get over the illness by himself. He had a high fever last night and couldn't get up in the morning.

Xiang Licheng then discovered his illness.

He cried and said that he didn't want to go to school anymore and wanted to help with housework at home.

But he knew that Xiang Licheng wanted to study.

He must take this money. He can earn money only after he gets better. The child must at least finish junior high school, so that he can go to town to find a job and not have to return to this mountain valley.

Ma Siqing saw Xiang Licheng's father was about to kneel, and quickly helped him up.

"Brother Xiang, I don't deserve such a gift. The child wants to study and is a good student. No matter how hard it is, let him finish junior high school, and if conditions permit, let him continue to high school, just in case he encounters an opportunity!"

Xiang Dalong remembered this sentence firmly.

Ma Siqing suggested that the house was too far from the school, and Xiang Licheng could live in the school.

But he had to find a way to solve the problem of three meals a day.

Cheng Fuqing also said that the forest farm was short of temporary workers and could help Xiang Dalong apply for one, but the salary was not much, at most 20 yuan a month, and it was quite hard work.

Xiang Dalong excitedly held Cheng Fuqing's hand and said, "Please help me apply, I will definitely work hard and earn more money. I have strength, but I am not educated."

At this time, Tong Shiyu arrived at the entrance of Hezigou Village and found Xiang Licheng's family.

Xiang Licheng promised Ma Siqing that he would take his father to see a doctor and return to school tomorrow.

Xiang Dalong also said that he would go to the forest farm tomorrow and would not let the children suffer anymore.

Ma Siqing thought that the movement would end in a few months, Cheng Fuqing would definitely return to Beijing, and many educated youth would also go back. Xiang Dalong might be able to find a stable job in the forest farm.

So she asked Cheng Fuqing for help.

Cheng Fuqing asked Xiang Dalong to drink more hot water at home, eat well and sleep well, and the illness should be almost healed.

He reminded him that he was the pillar of the family, and if he fell down, it would scare the children, so he should be more alert on weekdays.

There are treasures everywhere in Anling, so go to the mountains to find food more often. The nutrition is not enough, but at least it will fill you up and you won't faint from hunger.

He also said that he had a good physique and would recover quickly, but he shouldn't force himself, otherwise there would be big problems.

The father and son thanked each other again. Ma Siqing said she was going home. She was relieved to see that Xiang Licheng was fine.

She told Xiang Licheng to speak up if he had any difficulties in the future and not to handle them alone.

Xiang Licheng and Xiang Dalong sent Ma Siqing out of the house. Tong Shiyu smiled when he saw that Ma Siqing was safe and sound.

"Brother Shiyu, why are you here?" Ma Siqing was surprised to see Tong Shiyu.

"I came because I was worried about you." Tong Shiyu smiled innocently.

"I'm fine. Uncle Fuqing came with me."

"Uncle, thank you!" Tong Shiyu thanked Cheng Fuqing.

"Don't be polite. Since Siqing's father is not around, I will take care of her and treat her like my own child." Cheng Fuqing said.

Xiang Dalong greeted Tong Shiyu, "Who is this?"

Xiang Licheng said that this was Teacher Ma's wife, who worked in the army.

Xiang Dalong wanted to invite Tong Shiyu into the house to drink some hot water, but Tong Shiyu said no, because he had something to do at home and had to go back first. Xiang Licheng said

goodbye to Ma Siqing and kept the money with Xiang Dalong.

On the way back to the army, at the Hezigou, the three of them encountered a small episode.