Chapter 57
â—ŽAfter leaving middle school, Bei Bitang did not go home.
Instead, we followed the ditch outside the alley and came to
After leaving middle school, Bei Bitang did not go home.
Instead, he followed the ditch outside the alley and came to the shantytown.
The sky in the shantytown seemed a degree darker than other places. The aisles were winding and made of mud, and could only accommodate two people walking side by side.
The sky in the Shikumen house is already small enough, and it is even larger here. The extended eaves block the aisle, leaving only a palm-sized sky.
In the small hallway, not only were there piles of clutter, but some kitchens were even built outside. Electrical wires hung low, tangled, and formed into clumps of varying sizes.
But the lighting in the house was dim, obviously the brightness of candlelight and kerosene lamp.
Yellow mud walls are everywhere. The roofs of the better houses are covered with black tiles, mostly asbestos tiles. The asbestos tiles are not a whole piece, but are scattered and overlapped.
A rare white wall, the color of which is no longer visible, with red, green, yellow, white and black dirty spots on it.
The sewer exposed at the corner was emitting black water and a pungent stench that could be smelled from far away.
Bei Bitang frowned and looked at the road carefully, trying not to step on anything she shouldn't.
Turning a corner, I saw a middle-aged man, shirtless, standing in front of a puddle. He was whistling with his pants unbuttoned.
Bei Bitang quickly turned her eyes away, with a cold face, and quickened her pace to turn into another path.
The shantytown is like a maze made of discarded matches. Fortunately, Bei Bitang also came out of another maze.
She did not get lost and came to a shed about fifteen or sixteen square meters, made of wooden boards and asbestos tiles.
A man with an abnormally dark face, hunched over, sat on a stool, coughing constantly as if he was going to cough out his lungs.
Next to her was a little girl of seven or eight years old, wearing loose and ill-fitting gray clothes. She had a numb expression and squatted in front of a small earthen stove, blowing hard at the firewood in the stove with her mouth. There was a homemade medicine jar on top of it.
Next to her was the crying middle-aged woman whom Bei Bitang had met last time in the street office, sitting and eating by the coal stove.
Bei Bitang hesitated for a moment before calling out, "Aunt Hu."
Hu Fener raised her head and looked at Bei Bitang blankly.
Her husband and daughter also looked at her when they heard the sound. Their pale and weak black eyes and expressionless faces were all gone. The sky was dim and the house was dark.
Bei Bitang was so frightened that she took a half step back. After calming herself down, she forced a smile and said, "Aunt Hu, has your Xiao Mao found a job?"
Hu Fener thought it was another person who was here to make fun of her family under the guise of concern, so she said coldly, "No."
Her daughter and husband turned their heads away and no longer looked at Bei Bitang. Some were boiling medicine, while others were coughing.
After Hu Fener finished speaking, she continued to fry the rotten vegetables she had picked up from the wok, unwilling to talk any more.
So Bei Bitang cut the Gordian knot and said, "Aunt Hu, I have a job here, do you want it?"
Three pairs of dazzlingly bright eyes stared at Bei Bitang.
Bei Bitang smiled and said, "It's like this. I don't want to do my current job anymore and want to find someone to take over. It's a job after all, I can't just turn it down."
Hu Fen'er's eyes dimmed instantly, and she said dejectedly, "It must be very expensive."
Bei Bitang said softly, "We can discuss the money."
Hu Fen'er's attitude improved a lot. She forced a smile and said, "Comrade, you see our family situation, and you know that even if it's not expensive, I can't afford to buy a job. I even want to sell myself, but no one wants me."
Bei Bitang had already thought it through before she came. She didn't give up and said, "You can write an IOU and pay it back slowly. I'm not in a hurry to get the money."
Hu Fener's eyes lit up, and she asked excitedly, "Comrade, how do you want to deal with this IOU?"
Before coming here, Bei Bitang overestimated Hu Fen'er's family situation. She thought about it and said, "Four hundred yuan, paid off within five years. This job pays seventeen yuan and fifty cents a month. What do you think?"
No matter how difficult Hu Fener's family was, she would not give this job to her son for free. Four hundred yuan was more than one-third of her total property.
If she had too much sympathy, she wouldn't be able to save even 200 yuan, let alone more than 1,000 yuan, and she would still be staying in the northwest.
The five-year bank fixed deposit interest rate is 5.04%. After five years, the interest on four hundred yuan will be twenty yuan.
Hu Fen'er couldn't wait to ask, "No interest?"
Bei Bitang said without hesitation: "No."
Ever since her husband became seriously ill, she has been supporting the family alone and has been the one making decisions on all the big and small matters in the family.
Hu Fener said quickly, "I've sold this job. Comrade, please wait a minute. I'll write you an IOU as soon as I get home."
Bei Bitang waited outside for a while, and Hu Fener searched for a long time before she found paper and pen in the corner.
She came out with a piece of paper and a pen, handed it to Bei Bitang, and said embarrassedly: "Comrade, you write the IOU, I don't know how to write."
Bei Bitang took the yellowed paper and the pencil stub, which was the length of her fingertip, and quickly wrote the IOU. She said to Hu Fen'er, "Auntie Hu, please find a literate neighbor to help you look at it."
Hu Fener said awkwardly: "No, no, I trust you."
A rich man in the mountains has distant relatives, while a poor man in the city has no close neighbors. How could her family be considered a better family?
Bei Bitang insisted on finding someone to look at the IOU, otherwise it would be difficult to understand what was involved.
The comrade in front of her was a kind person, so Hu Fener had no choice but to say, "Then comrade, please wait a minute. My little Mao will be back soon. He has been to school and can read."
As soon as they said they would, a skinny teenager came back with a big bamboo basket on his back and several younger brothers and sisters.
Xiao Mao looked at the stranger Bei Bitang curiously and asked Hu Fen'er, "Mom, who is this?"
Hu Fen'er didn't answer him, but pulled him in front of Bei Bitang and said with a smile: "This is my Xiao Mao."
Although his name is Xiaomao, he is indeed the eldest in the family. His shy younger brothers and sisters are very dependent on him, pulling on the corners of his clothes and hiding behind him.
Bei Bitang smiled and saw that the bamboo basket on Xiaomao's back was filled with some waste and coal cores.
She handed him the IOU and said, "Hello, Xiaomao. Please check for your mother. Doesn't it say that Hu Fen'er owes Bei Bitang four hundred yuan, payable within five years without interest, and the date of the invoice is today?"
Xiao Mao took it and looked at it. He couldn't help but look at Hu Fen'er and asked with his eyes: "Mom, what's going on?"
Hu Fen'er smiled a long-lost smile and said excitedly, "Xiao Mao, this is good news! Mommy bought you a job."
Bei Bitang suddenly remembered that she hadn't told her the content of her work yet.
She quickly added, "Auntie Hu, let me make it clear to you first. This job isn't a formal one. It's sweeping toilets in a small vegetable market. But Xiao Mao is a boy, so we'll arrange other work for him after he goes there."
Hu Fener felt even more relieved when she heard this. It was so hard to find a job these days. Bei Bitang didn't want a good job, she was afraid she was a liar, using her for fun. Turns out it was a job sweeping toilets. No wonder a young woman like Bei Bitang didn't want to go to work.
Hu Fener waved her hands and said, "What's the big deal? As long as I can get 17.5 yuan a month, I'll let my little Mao do anything!"
Xiao Maozi carefully read the IOU five times before returning it to Bei Bitang and saying to Hu Fen'er, "Mom, there's no problem with the IOU."
When the timid brothers and sisters heard that their elder brother had a job, they all became bolder and whispered, "Brother, if we get a job, we will be able to eat candy and meat next month."
The smile on Hu Fen'er's face grew wider. She patted Xiao Mao's back and said with a pout, "Why don't you thank Sister Bei quickly!"
Bei Bitang shook her head and said, "You're welcome. This is a mutually agreed-upon agreement. Xiao Mao, meet me at the back door of the small vegetable market at 8 o'clock tomorrow. Bring your personal file."
Xiao Mao answered seriously, "I'll remember that, Sister Bei."
Bei Bitang felt a little uncomfortable. Someone who looked no more than two years younger than her affectionately called her "Sister Bei".
Bei Bitang said, "You are about the same age as me. Xiao Mao, you should just call me Comrade Bei."
Xiao Mao readily said, "Comrade Bei."
Seeing that the matter was done, Bei Bitang smiled and said, "Aunt Hu, I'll go first. Goodbye."
Hu Fener relaxed her tangled brows and said, "Comrade Bei, wait a minute!"
After saying that, she turned and ran into the house. A moment later, she came out with a tightly wrapped oil-paper package in her hand. She stuffed it into Bei Bitang's hand and said, "Comrade Bei, you are a very kind person. You have helped my family so much. We don't have anything special to give you, so I came here to thank you. This is the braised pork that my eldest sister, Aunt Xiaomao, brought me from Zhenjiang. Take it back and try it."
Hu Fener's children all stared at the paper bag in Bei Bitang's hand.
Bei Bitang glanced at the children and declined, "No, Aunt Hu, my family has already had dinner, you can keep it for yourself."
Hu Fen'er looked at the children, raised her eyebrows, and shouted, "Come inside! You are so useless!"
Several greedy children reluctantly went into the house, but Hu Fener refused to accept the Zhenjiang braised pork that Bei Bitang handed over.
Bei Bitang was pushed out by Hu Fener, who said, "Comrade Bei, go home quickly. There's no light here, and it will be dark soon, and it will be difficult to walk!"
Bei Bitang thought of the man who had done it anywhere and felt an urgency to return to her Shikumen house.
She had no choice but to thank Hu Fener for the specialty and say goodbye to her.
Finally, Hu Fener stopped Bei Bitang and shouted, "Comrade Bei, wait!"
Bei Bitang turned around when she heard the voice, and looked at Hu Fen'er with doubt in her eyes, and asked, "Aunt Hu, is there anything else?"
Hu Fener stepped forward, gritted her teeth, and with an expression as if she was going to die heroically, she pulled out a house deed from her pocket and said with determination, "Comrade Bei, this is the deed to my house. It's the only valuable thing in the house, and it's worth a few dollars. Take it. If I can't pay you back on time, our house and land will belong to you! You can kick us out! Make us homeless!"
Bei Bitang shook her head vigorously, waving her hands in resistance and saying, "No, no, I can't accept this. Aunt Hu's money is not urgent. If your family encounters any difficulties in the future, we can still discuss the repayment."
How could she kick someone out of their home just because they didn't pay back their debt? Isn't this a despicable landlord who eats meat without spitting out bones? Not to mention that her conscience would be hurt, if she really did this, her future studies, work, and marriage would be in jeopardy.
Bei Bitang looked as if she was the one who owed the debt. Seeing this, Hu Fen'er couldn't help but smile slightly on her usually bitter face.
The next second, she forcefully stuffed the house deed into Bei Bitang's hand and held her wrist tightly to prevent her from pushing it back.
Finally, she gave Bei Bitang some life advice. She said earnestly, "Comrade Bei, you are too soft-hearted. Be a little tougher in the future, otherwise you will suffer losses too easily."
Bei Bitang met Hu Fener. Although life had been hard on Hu Fener for many years and the burden of life had almost defeated this middle-aged woman many times, she had managed to get through it several times, with a clear mind supporting her.
She believed that life would always get better, and she would not complain about the world or harbor resentment towards those around her who were better off than her. She wished that they would suffer a great misfortune and that their lives would become as miserable as hers.
If Bei Bitang met a bad-hearted person, she, as a creditor, would say in a bullying manner that there was no rush to pay back the money, as she still had money to use, and if she couldn't pay it back, she could postpone it.
Others might delay it for one day, two days, a week, a week, a month, and in the end, the debtor is left in the dust. Bei Bitang wants her money back, and she'll be skinned alive!
Bei Bitang brought the Zhenjiang braised pork into the house. Only Miao Xiuxiu and Xiao Maotou were in the house.
Miao Xiuxiu was sitting at the table, and the little boy was standing on a chair, holding a peach in his hand and putting it into his mouth. Miao Xiuxiu was protecting him.
Seeing Bei Bitang coming back, the little boy turned to look at her and said in a milky voice, "Auntie is back!"
Bei Bitang smiled gently at him and put the things Hu Fener gave her on the table.
Miao Xiuxiu took the little boy down and asked unhappily, "Where have you been all day?"
Bei Bitang's face was covered in sweat. She wiped her face and replied, "I went to chat with my classmates."
Miao Xiuxiu snorted and said, "You're popular with both male and female classmates."
Bei Bitang said casually: "Female classmates, what can I talk about with male classmates?"
Miao Xiuxiu curled her lips and said, "What's there to talk about? You're such a loser. If you could have a good conversation with the male classmates, I wouldn't have to worry about you."
Miao Xiuxiu got excited again, but Bei Bitang ignored her.
Miao Xiuxiu said, "That female classmate must have invited you to dinner. This will save some food for the family. She can leave the dinner for you and have it as breakfast tomorrow."
Bei Bitang said calmly, "I've eaten."
Miao Xiuxiu looked at the oil-paper bag on the table and asked, "What is this?"
Bei Bitang replied, "My classmate gave me Zhenjiang Yaorou."
When she heard it was a rare item, Miao Xiuxiu smiled brightly and pretended not to care and said, "You are a very generous female classmate."
Miao Xiuxiu put the little brat down and said, "You watch over it. I'll put it in an empty pottery jar and cook it again in a few days."
Bei Bitang nodded.
A moment later, Miao Xiuxiu came back. Bei Bitang wanted to take clothes to take a shower, but Miao Xiuxiu stopped her.
Miao Xiuxiu said mysteriously, "Hey, let me tell you something."
Hearing this tone, Bei Bitang's brows couldn't help but frown. She suppressed her impatience and said, "What's the matter?"
Miao Xiuxiu said happily, "I went back to your eldest sister's father's place and met an old neighbor. She has a son who is well-off. I'd like to introduce you to him."
Bei Bitang said coldly, "Mom, that's nonsense. What are their conditions? What are mine? How could they be interested in me?"
Miao Xiuxiu said in a positive tone, "Why not? I told them about your situation, and they agreed to let you two young people meet."
Bei Bitang's face remained calm, showing no sign of being moved. Miao Xiuxiu said seductively, "Her family is simple, with only my sister and her son. My sister is easy to get along with, and you can enjoy a happy life if you marry into her family. How can I deceive you, my own daughter? If you are so resistant, just meet her. If that doesn't work out, I won't force you."
After saying that, Miao Xiuxiu sighed with a sad look on her face.
After a moment of silence, Bei Bitang asked, "What's the situation with the people?"
She had sold her job, and sooner or later this matter would explode, and her family would be in turmoil! She went to meet with someone and try to get leniency.
Miao Xiuxiu's eyes lit up, there was hope.
She quickly said, "My sister's name is Fei Linjun, and her son's name is Fei Litong. It's a nice name, right? You can tell they weren't from an ordinary family. Fei Litong is only six years older than you, and he's not short, 1.72 meters. He has fair skin and looks young. He currently works in the message room of an elementary school, as a regular employee, and earns 32 yuan a month."
Miao Xiuxiu paused as she spoke and looked at Bei Bitang's expression.
Bei Bitang cooperated and asked, "What about his mother?"
Miao Xiuxiu smiled and said, "As for my old sister, she's quite something. She works at a cultural institute, a research fellow, and earns 90 yuan a month. If you and her son are attracted to each other, you won't have to get up before 5 a.m. to work as a laborer, then come home smelling like a housewife. Besides the two of us, her family has another income. They have dozens of rooms, most of which are rented out. The monthly rent is much higher than her salary."
Bei Bitang nodded and said seriously, "That's really a wealthy family."
Miao Xiuxiu smiled triumphantly, took out a photo from her trouser pocket, put it in front of Bei Bitang, and said, "Look, this is Fei Litong."
Bei Bitang took a look and found that Miao Xiuxiu was not lying and everything she said about Fei Litong's appearance was true.
The person in the photo has fair skin. If Miao Xiuxiu hadn't told her, she would have thought Fei Litong was only twenty-two or twenty-three years old. He also looks tall and you can tell at a glance that he's not short.
But he had a layer of fat on his chin, and the flesh on his cheeks was squeezed in the middle, and his nose was short. His eyes were small, but beautiful and clear.
An impolite word popped up in Bei Bitang's mind: fat but not greasy.
Seeing that Bei Bitang was silent, Miao Xiuxiu said, "He's gained some weight, but that's from eating too much saccharin. He's trying to lose weight now. Fei Li is quite knowledgeable. Fei Linjun showed me his high school textbooks. They're filled with writing. He can draw Western paintings and is also learning piano."
Bei Bitang remained unmoved, so Miao Xiuxiu continued to tempt her, saying, "Her family has connections overseas. Fei Linjun told me that her sister wanted to take her and her nephew abroad, but Fei Litong doesn't speak any foreign languages. Fei Linjun is considering his son, so he's staying in China. Think about it, Fei Litong learns quickly, and it's only a matter of time before he learns foreign languages. When the whole family goes abroad, will they forget about you?"
"This is the best Mom has ever found for you. Let's not talk about his family background, but Fei Litong himself is a hundred times better than He Dafei. If you don't marry Fei Litong, do you want to marry He Dafei?"
Bei Bitang said helplessly, "Do I have to choose one of them? Can't I just not marry either of them?"
Miao Xiuxiu slammed the table and said, "Are you going to meet this person or not?!"
Bei Bitang shook her head and said, "Mom, what you said is true. Fei Litong is a good person, and his family conditions are even better. I am not worthy of him. Forget it. Aunt Fei won't look down on me either."
She looked at Fei Litong's photo and felt nothing. She was still young and it was not time to accept her fate. Even if she got older, she didn't want to accept her fate. She wouldn't die if she didn't get married.
Miao Xiuxiu didn't give up and said, "Fei Linjun is very satisfied with you! Just because I saved her son's life, she couldn't be more satisfied with you."
Bei Bitang was surprised, but she didn't want to delve into the friendship between Miao Xiuxiu and Fei Linjun. She said, "Mom, if you want to use me as leverage to repay a favor, don't drag me into this. I won't go see them!"
After Bei Bitang finished speaking, she broke free from Miao Xiuxiu's hand and walked out of the house holding the washbasin.
Miao Xiuxiu threw the photo in her hand onto the table and muttered, "You don't want this, you don't want that, you want to go to heaven and pick a god-like husband!"
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