Chapter 61 Gu Weidong's Ideal 2
On this day, Miao Xiujiu pickled the eggs she had saved over the past few days.
In the countryside, every family has a pickle jar in their yard. Radishes, Jerusalem artichokes and other vegetables are pickled in salt water all year round in the jar. When the family eats, they just pick a piece and cut it into shreds. That is the pickle to go with the rice, and they don’t even have to eat vegetables.
People in the countryside don’t need to eat vegetables during the busy farming season. They can just eat dry food with pickles, which is free and goes well with rice.
As for pickled salted eggs, they are a luxury that is difficult to obtain in normal times.
Eggs can be saved and taken to the market to be exchanged for food, food coupons, or even money. Who would be willing to pickle them and eat them?
Normally Miao Xiujiu was reluctant to do so, but this time she was willing to do so.
She picked twenty-one eggs, just enough for one for each person, washed them, dried them, and put them in the pickle jar to pickle.
After being marinated for seven or eight days, take it out, steam it, and peel it open. The egg yolk inside will ooze out oil. The rich golden egg oil will make people drool.
This is what fragrance is, real fragrance.
Chen Hongying stared at the pickled eggs, her eyes wide open. She swallowed her saliva and said, "Mom, why are you so willing to give them away? There are more than 20 eggs here. They would have brought a lot of money if we traded them for sorghum. And you're just going to pickle them all like this? Are we going to eat them ourselves?"
Shen Hongying was used to being stingy, and when she saw so many eggs being shared among the whole family, she felt that she was not worthy. How could she eat them like this? Wouldn't that be a sin?
Miao Xiuju was muttering, "Fubao, Shengtian, and Xiuni went to the mountains to pick up insects and brought them back to feed the chickens. The chickens are growing well, and the egg yolks I've been saving lately are dripping with oil. I was thinking that such good eggs are being given away for free, so I might as well eat them myself to nourish my body."
As she lifted the heavy wooden lid and stirred the food with a spoon, she said, "We farmers have no time to rest all year round. When do we ever have a good meal except during the Chinese New Year? I feed my own chickens, but I can't even bear to eat an egg. What kind of life is that? I've come to terms with it now. I'm not going to starve to death anyway. I'll just eat what I have. Why think so much?"
Shen Hongying was stunned. Is this what her mother would say? Usually, it's not like this.
Liu Zhaodi was even more dumbfounded. Could it be that her mother was suffering from hysteria? Why did she become such a different person?
Miao Xiuju smiled coldly, but suddenly said, "You've never enjoyed a single day of happiness in your life. I gave birth to four sons and raised them with great difficulty. Now that they've grown up and I'm old, they're all just thinking about how to get money from me."
As she spoke, she sighed deeply. "How much can I save, even if I'm stingy? What's the point of keeping it? I might as well enjoy it sooner rather than later. As for you, your children and grandchildren will have their own blessings. Do whatever you want. You all have your own plans anyway."
…
The daughters-in-law below were speechless for a moment.
Mom, what do you mean by saying this?
They thought, could it be that their mother heard what they were mumbling in private?
But, but it doesn’t look like it…
In this state of anxiety, it was time for lunch. Each of us received a salted egg, which was then passed to each of us, and we kept it for ourselves to eat slowly. There was no other way. There were many people in the family, including many children. If we didn't divide it this way, some would eat faster and some would eat slower, and we would end up arguing over a mouthful of egg. So we had to divide it in advance so that no one would worry about the rice in other people's bowls.
The children in the family were given a salted egg, which they could keep for themselves and eat slowly and frugally. Naturally, they were all very excited. Boys like Niu Dan Yuejin, who were usually carefree, peeled the egg on the spot and ate it lightly with chopsticks. Sure enough, the egg yolk was full of oil when poked, and the yellow oil was rich and delicious. When the cornmeal steamed bun was dipped in it, the bun was also stained with a layer of butter juice, and it was really delicious when it was bitten.
These are pickled eggs. The yolks of eggs laid by chickens fed with insects are full of nutrients. The golden yolks are full of oil and are really delicious.
The children enjoyed their meal, but the adults looked at each other in confusion.
One salted egg per person, how do you eat it? Isn't life over?
They knew that salted eggs were delicious, but they had to live their lives. The sons looked at Miao Xiuju blankly, and the daughters-in-law each had their own doubts in their hearts and secretly glanced at Miao Xiuju.
After distributing the eggs, Miao Xiuju looked at her children, grandchildren, and their wives and said, "Before the busy summer wheat harvest arrives, you brothers won't have to make straw baskets and mats anytime soon. If you have nothing to do, go haul mud for me to make adobe bricks. I've already talked to Youfu about loaning us a few adobe molds from the production brigade. If you have nothing to do, go haul mud bricks and save them slowly. When you have enough, we'll build a house. Each of you can build one, and the old yard will be left for the two of us to live in. You can move out and live your own lives."
When these words were spoken, the entire family, including children, grandchildren and daughters-in-law, were all stunned.
Gu Weiguo, Gu Weimin and Gu Weijun had this idea in their minds before. They felt that the fourth child was too naughty and that they could not live with him. They also thought that the child would become a trouble sooner or later when he grew up, and they would have to separate.
But their thoughts are just thoughts, they won’t speak them out.
They are filial and honest, just like the simple and honest men in the countryside. They know that their parents have had a hard time, and while their parents are still alive, they are making a fuss about dividing the family property. How can this be?
So they had some plans in mind, but when Miao Xiujiu said it out loud, it was like a bolt from the blue for them.
Gu Weiguo, the eldest brother, was stunned: "Mom, mom, why are you talking about dividing the family when things are going well?"
Gu Weimin: "Mom, if you two are still here, wouldn't we be laughed at if we split up the family business?"
Gu Weijun: "Mom, what happened? Did Zhaodi say something to upset you?"
Liu Zhaodi: “…”
Why does my man have to involve me when we are talking about the same thing?
Gu Weidong didn't say anything. He knew that separation was inevitable. All the brothers had married, and each wife had her own thoughts. Sometimes they couldn't work together. Besides, the children were all grown up, so how could they not separate?
Separation is painful, and it will hurt sooner or later, so it is better to cut the Gordian knot.
Gu Weidong lowered his head, said nothing, and silently waited for the storm at home to come.
Miao Xiuju sighed softly and looked at her man: "Old man, please say a few words."
Gu Dayong had been keeping his head down, but when he suddenly heard his wife calling him, he looked up and saw his son and daughter-in-law staring at him. After thinking for a long time, he uttered, "Listen to your mother."
…
The sons were stunned for a moment, then quickly looked at their mother.
"You're silent, so that means you have no objection? If you have no objection, then this matter is settled. You two should discuss it carefully and decide how to divide our family. I'd also like to hear your opinions."
Not saying anything means no opinion?
The sons hurriedly said, "Mom, no, we can't divide the family!"
After hearing this, several wives hurriedly grabbed the corners of their husbands' clothes.
As for dividing the family... we don't know how to divide it yet. We have to listen first and then see whether we should divide it or not. Don't be so hasty to oppose it!
Of course, Miao Xiujiu saw the little movements of her daughters-in-law.
Well, of course the son is a good son, but the son has married a wife!
Although my daughter-in-law has some minor flaws, she cannot be called a bad daughter-in-law. It's just that the children are grown up, and it's always uncomfortable for them to live together. It's better for them to live their own lives.
She pretended not to see it and raised her hand, so they didn't have to say anything: "Stop talking, eat, eat. After you finish eating, you can discuss it with your wife first, and then we can talk about the division of the family in detail."
The impoverished family only had a few things, a few chickens, a pig, this small shabby house, and some stored food. It was not easy to divide the family property. The four sons' respective pots, pans, houses, etc. were not easily moved out.
Therefore, the division of the family business must be done step by step, with gradual discussions and additions.
So everyone lowered their heads and ate without saying anything else. The children didn't worry about anything. They didn't understand whether the family was divided or not, but they understood salted eggs and ate them happily.
However, several adults were worried.
After dinner, the men squatted aside thinking about things, while the wives followed Miao Xiujiu to wash dishes and pots, and then chopped vegetables and fed the chickens and pigs.
Fubao is not at the stage where she needs to worry about the division of the family. That is still very far away for her. She also does not understand that after the family divides up, everyone will live their own lives and there will not be so many brothers and sisters to play with.
All she could think about now was the salted egg.
Generally, farmers don't eat salted eggs one per person. Instead, the whole family eats one. Everyone uses chopsticks to dip some into their own bowl to taste a little. By the end, a salted egg will be covered with dense small traces of the chopsticks.
Being used to being stingy, Fubao certainly couldn't bear to eat a whole salted egg all at once.
Besides, this is salty. Wouldn’t you choke to death if you eat it all in one breath?
When Fubao was eating, she carefully cracked the skin a little bit and ate the salted egg white on the outside to taste it. As for the oily egg yolk inside, she didn't even peel it open to take a look.
She wrapped the salted egg, which had only a small hole in it, in a handkerchief and put it in her small bamboo basket. Then she went out to cut grass for the pigs.
Gu Shengtian was playing slingshot with his brothers. When he saw Fubao was about to go out, he shouted that he wanted to go too.
Fubao said very obediently, "Brother Shengtian, you play at home. I'll go cut grass for the pigs and be back soon."
Gu Shengtian hesitated for a moment, then looked at the slingshot his brother had just made. It was so fun, so he decided to keep the slingshot instead of his sister and let his sister go cut grass for the pigs by herself!
Fubao walked out of the Gu family's door happily, carrying a small bamboo basket.
Of course, she said this not only out of consideration for Gu Shengtian, she also had her own little calculations.
She couldn’t give the previous rice dumplings to Brother Dingkun, so she must save today’s salted eggs for Brother Dingkun.
Only chickens in the countryside that are fed with insects from the mountains can lay eggs with oily yolks. I heard that those in the city are not like that.
Brother Dingkun must have never eaten eggs with egg yolks that were oily, so she wanted him to try it.
——
Fubao carried a small bamboo basket as he walked through the streets. When he saw an old person, he called her grandma. When he saw a young person, he called her auntie. He also called unmarried girls "sister". His childish voice, sweet smile and soft little face made people like him at first sight. Fubao was praised all the way.
Who knew that as soon as she arrived at the educated youth site, she saw a small figure not far away, as if wandering outside the site.
She looked at it carefully and recognized that it was raw silver.
Why did Shengyin come out of the educated youth center? Was she looking for someone too? Who was she looking for?
Just as I was thinking about it, I heard a voice beside my ear: "Why are you looking at her?"
The voice was low and gentle. Fubao turned around suddenly and saw that it was indeed Xiao Dingkun. He was immediately surprised and grabbed Xiao Dingkun's big hand: "Brother Dingkun, what a coincidence! I came here to look for you. I was just wondering how to find you, and now you are out!"
Xiao Dingkun looked at her smiling face, raised his eyebrows, and said nothing.
Fubao was holding Xiao Dingkun's hand when he suddenly thought of Shengyin. He turned around and saw Shengyin still peeking out from under him. He hurriedly took Xiao Dingkun's hand and ran towards the south bank of the river: "Brother Dingkun, let's get away from here."
Xiao Dingkun frowned: "Why, you still want to hide from her?"
Fubao sighed: "I don't like her."
Xiao Dingkun looked at Fubao. He guessed that this little girl named Shengyin must have bullied Fubao in the past at Nie Laosan's house. Thinking of this, he looked at the little girl again with displeasure in his eyes.
If I had known earlier, I would have made her suffer a little more that day. Others may think she is just a little girl, but in his eyes, it is not like that.
But what's the story behind that white jade stone hanging around her neck?
Thinking of this, Xiao Dingkun frowned.
However, in front of Fubao, Xiao Dingkun lowered his eyes, concealed his thoughts, and said calmly: "If you don't like it, then stay away from it."
Fubao nodded vigorously: "Yes, yes, of course I hide when I see her. By the way, Brother Dingkun, I brought you some salted eggs, this is for you to eat."
Xiao Dingkun listened and smiled: "Go into the house first."
When I went in, I happened to run into Sun Lina and Su Wanru. Su Wanru saw that her lovely sister from last time was here again, so she came over with a smile and said, "Xiao Fubao, are you missing my cookies?"
Fubao didn't think about that. She touched her small bamboo basket and said, "Sister Wanru, I brought a salted egg for Brother Dingkun. Would you like to try it?"
When Su Wanru heard this, she pretended to be surprised and said, "Oh, so you're not giving it to me, but to your brother Dingkun."
I feel sorry for saying this, Defubao.
Su Wanru had given her delicious food, but Brother Dingkun had given her even more delicious food, so the first person she thought of was Xiao Dingkun.
Now that Su Wanru said this, she suddenly felt very sorry for her sister Wanru.
Su Wanru looked at her thoughtful expression and couldn't help laughing. "Pfft, don't worry, I'm not craving salted eggs. I guess your brother Dingkun isn't craving salted eggs either. You can keep them for yourself."
According to Su Wanru, this mountain village is quite poor. Everyone is pale and thin and looks malnourished. Only little Fubao looks pretty and cute. Such a good child should be fed well.
After hearing what Su Wanru said, Fubao felt even more embarrassed and looked at Xiao Dingkun for help.
Xiao Dingkun glanced at Su Wanru and said, "If I tell you to eat, then eat it."
Su Wanru: “…”
Looking at this attitude, is this how you treat people to food???
She glared at Xiao Dingkun secretly, then said to Fubao with a smile: "I have to go pick some locust flowers, you can eat them yourself."
Su Wanru went out, and Fubao followed Xiao Dingkun into the house. Fubao took off the small bamboo basket on his back and solemnly took out the handkerchief inside.
The handkerchief was made for her by Liu Guizhi, who said that the little girl loved cleanliness and should have a handkerchief.
The handkerchief was made of white coarse cloth with a small red flower sewn on the corner.
Xiao Dingkun watched Fubao open the handkerchief and take out the salted egg from it.
She held the salted egg like a big ingot, and then began to explain to Xiao Dingkun: "My grandma pickled the salted eggs, and there is egg oil in the egg yolk. This is delicious."
She looked very serious, as if this salted egg was the most delicious treasure in the world.
Xiao Dingkun looked at her without saying anything.
Fubao looked at the small crack on the salted egg and said embarrassedly, "I tried it. Everyone else was eating it, and I felt embarrassed not to eat it. Otherwise, people would ask me why I didn't eat it, so I just cracked a little bit of the skin and took a small bite."
Xiao Dingkun's eyes fell on the salted egg. The carefully collected salted egg indeed had a small crack on it.
This greedy little cat was so reluctant to eat it himself that he kept leaving it for her.
She had a lot of thoughts on her mind and was afraid that others would notice, so she just ate a little bit at a time.
Xiao Dingkun felt as if a string was gently pulling at his heart, causing a slight pain.
He didn't care about anyone in this world, and he didn't even care about his parents' love. He was born with such a lawless character. But fate led him to this remote and secluded mountain village, and brought Fubao into his sight.
Fubao is the debt he owed from his previous life.
Fubao presented the salted eggs to Xiao Dingkun like a treasure, but Xiao Dingkun just stared at the eggs without even touching them. She felt a little disappointed.
Brother Dingkun doesn’t like salted eggs?
Brother Dingkun disliked the egg because she had tasted it a little bit?
Brother Dingkun doesn’t like her salted eggs?
Fubao drooped his head and thought about nothing. His two little hands, which had been holding the eggs excitedly, shrank back. "Brother Dingkun, you, you don't want to eat it, right?"
Of course, Xiao Dingkun saw the subtle changes in Fubao's mood.
He collected his thoughts, reached out his hand, picked up the salted egg, looked at it, and smiled: "This seems to be salty. If you eat it like this, Brother Dingkun will choke to death."
When he said this, Fubao suddenly woke up and almost stamped his feet: "Oh, I actually forgot!"
Seeing Fubao's regretful look, Xiao Dingkun took out a cage cloth from the bag beside him and opened it: "This is perfect for eating."
After Xiao Dingkun took it out, Fubao was stunned.
This, is this a white flour steamed bun?
She had only seen white flour buns in the nunnery before. She was still a baby at that time and couldn't eat them, so she had never eaten them and had no idea what they tasted like.
Xiao Dingkun looked at her greedy look as she stared at the white flour buns, and couldn't help laughing: "Fubao, do you want to eat this?"
Fubao suddenly woke up: "Brother Dingkun, where did you get this?"
Wheat was also grown in the Pingxi Production Brigade, but the wheat harvest was not very good, the yield was low, and it had to be handed over as public grain, so it was particularly rare.
Even if there was any surplus after paying the public grain tax, some would be distributed to each household, but families generally would not be willing to eat flour made from wheat.
There is a saying in their rural area, "Is 360 enough for food?", which means that a person's annual food ration of 360 is obviously not enough to eat, so the wheat can be exchanged for food coupons or simply for sorghum rice, so that it can be eaten for a longer time.
So when Fubao was over six years old and about to go to elementary school, he had never seen what a white flour bun looked like.
She tried hard to control her greed and stop her saliva from flowing, but she couldn't help it and swallowed: "Brother Dingkun...you can eat it. It must be delicious with this salted egg and white flour buns!"
Facing Fubao, who looked greedy and had never eaten anything good, how could Xiao Dingkun bear to eat the white flour buns and salted eggs himself?
He broke off half of the white flour bun and handed it to Fubao.
"I went to the commune today for something and saw someone selling this. I bought it especially for you. You haven't eaten it before, so it's a good time to try it."
Of course he wouldn't say that he bought the white flour buns on the black market without food coupons, so the price was particularly high.
The Pingxi Production Brigade was too poor and had no food coupons to give to the educated youth. His parents and sister did have food coupons, but they were local food coupons and could not be used in Pingxi.
"I, I don't want to eat it!" Fubao said firmly in her childish voice: "Brother Dingkun, this salted egg is for you, you can eat it with white flour buns——"
Before she could finish her words, Xiao Dingkun fed the white flour bun into her mouth.
Fubao was stunned for a moment, then tried to chew it.
It turns out that white flour buns taste like this. They are so fragrant and delicious. They are not irritating to the throat at all. They are soft and elastic, and have a hint of sweetness when you chew them.
Xiao Dingkun peeled the egg and let her eat it with the egg.
Fubao hesitated for a moment, but still took a small bite. After eating, she shyly whispered, "This is for Brother Dingkun..."
She insisted on giving it to Brother Dingkun, but she couldn't help wanting to eat it...
Of course Xiao Dingkun could see through her little thoughts. She was greedy and sensible, and it was really not easy for the two thoughts to fight against each other in her little head.
He said helplessly: "Fubao and Brother Dingkun can eat together, okay?"
Fubao thought about it and finally gave up his insistence.
She was greedy, she couldn't help it, she just wanted to eat.
It’s better to eat it together!
So she smiled and said, "Let's eat together!"
White flour steamed buns with salted eggs dripping with golden egg oil, this is the most delicious thing in the world, right?
When the snow-white and chewy steamed buns are dipped in egg oil, they shine with golden oil and taste fragrant, sweet and chewy in the mouth.
It was only at this time that Fubao realized that dipping cornmeal buns in egg oil was far inferior to dipping white flour buns in egg oil.
After eating, Fubao came to the steps in the yard with satisfaction. At this time, the educated youth were all taking a nap. The yard was very quiet, with only the sound of someone reading in the room.
Fubao looked at the vast blue sky, the bright white clouds, the green trees in the distance and near, and the beautiful peach blossoms dotted among them.
Fubao felt that this moment was the happiest moment in her life.
She held her chin and said, "I remember when I was in a nunnery."
Huiru, the little nun in the nunnery, would carry her out to bask in the sun, and would pick peach blossoms to put on her little pigtails. The sky was like this, and the clouds were like this at that time.
Xiao Dingkun: "Nunnery?"
He remembered that she was taken out of the nunnery when she was less than one year old and sent to be raised in Nie Laosan's home.
Fubao was stunned when he heard this.
She bit her lip and whispered, "I just suddenly wondered what the nunnery I lived in when I was a child was like. Did it have such a sky and such clouds? Did I also eat white flour buns?"
Xiao Dingkun looked at her ashamed look and raised his eyebrows. He thought that it would be fine after noon. "Fubao, I'll take you up the mountain to find the nunnery where you used to live, okay?"
Fubao's eyes suddenly lit up with surprise, but then dimmed. "I...I don't quite remember the way, I just remember it was at the top of the mountain, and I heard it had been smashed."
The nunnery was destroyed, and the one she once lived in may no longer exist. The nuns inside also returned to secular life and got married.
As far as she could remember, when she was little, her elder sisters Huiru and Huixin had visited her and brought her delicious food. However, after Huiru and Huixin left, those delicious treats were put away by Nie Laosan, and she never got to eat them. Later, both Huiru and Huixin had their own children, and each had their own troubles and troubles, mired in the fatigue of the mundane world, and never found the time to visit her again.
In her feeling, when she thought of the nunnery, it seemed as if it should still be that small nunnery, with seven or eight little nuns and a steady and serious abbess. Everyone chanted scriptures and worshipped Buddha in an orderly manner, entertained believers who came to burn incense, and fetched water to wash clothes and cook.
Even in the corner of the nunnery, there is an old jujube tree with lush branches and leaves, and a tree full of small white jujube flowers, emitting a faint fragrance.
Sometimes she would dream that Huiru was holding her and nagging her about how there were fewer pilgrims recently and how life was getting tough.
After waking up, my eyes felt sore and I wanted to cry.
Some of them were afraid to go and see, fearing that they would feel even worse if they saw that the nunnery in her dream was no longer the same as it was before.
Xiao Dingkun looked at little Fubao.
Her eyes were like a clear sky, so clear and pure that all her little thoughts were imprinted in her eyes as clearly as wisps of clouds.
He saw the loss and timidity in her eyes.
He held her little hand: "Come on, I'll take you there to have a look. You really want to go back and have a look, don't you?"
Fubao thought about it and nodded: "Well, I really want to go back and take a look."
Xiao Dingkun stopped talking and took her hand and walked up the mountain.
Anyway, both of them had eaten and were not hungry. When Fubao came out with a small bamboo basket on her back, her family would at most think that she was going to cut grass for the pigs. As for him... he was a careless person, so even if he disappeared, at most his work points would be deducted. No one would think about where he had been, and no one would be suspicious or think too much about it.
So Xiao Dingkun led Fubao up the mountain, crossed the Dagunzi Mountain, and climbed another hill. When Xiao Dingkun was talking to Chen Youfu, he occasionally exchanged words and learned that the nunnery was on the opposite hill.
After climbing for a long time, Fubao felt a little tired and her soles were sore, but she gritted her teeth and said nothing.
She really wanted to see what the nunnery had become, but she had no way of finding her way back. Xiao Dingkun had finally decided to take her there, so she couldn't give up so easily.
If she misses this opportunity, it will be difficult for her to see it again. By the time she grows up, there may not even a trace of the nunnery left.
So she gritted her teeth, said nothing, and didn't even dare to slow down, lest Brother Dingkun notice that she was tired and say he couldn't go anymore.
At this moment, Xiao Dingkun stopped.
Fubao looked at Xiao Dingkun in confusion.
Xiao Dingkun: "Are you tired?"
She is still very young. Even though she often runs in the mountains, it is still not easy for her to climb over one mountain and then climb up another.
Fubao quickly shook his head and waved his hands, desperately saying, "I'm not tired, not at all. I'm used to walking on mountain roads. This is nothing!"
She was so anxious to deny it that her face turned red, and a drop of sweat slid down her forehead.
Xiao Dingkun squatted down and said in a deep voice, "Come up."
Fubao: “Ah?”
Xiao Dingkun: "You are so tired, why don't you tell me? I will carry you."
Fubao suddenly stopped talking.
It is not easy to climb such a steep mountain, it is quite tiring. She feels tired even though she is used to walking on mountain roads. I guess Xiao Dingkun feels tired too, right?
How could she have the nerve to let Xiao Dingkun carry her on his back?
She hurriedly said loudly: "Don't...don't, I can walk by myself, I'm not tired at all, really, look at me, I can still run——"
As she said this, she really got ready to run.
Xiao Dingkun didn't say anything else. He just picked her up and put her on his back.
Fubao was reluctant to let Xiao Dingkun carry her on his back. She was afraid that he would get tired, so she struggled to get down: "I really don't need it."
Xiao Dingkun stretched out his big hand and reached behind her, pressing it firmly on her back.
So Fubao was fixed in place, and it was useless for him to use his arms and legs.
She was just a soft and gentle girl. Even though she ran in the mountains every day, compared with Xiao Dingkun, she was like an ant and a tree in terms of strength.
Xiao Dingkun held her down with one hand and she couldn't move.
Fubao stopped struggling. She leaned on his shoulder and whispered, "I'm afraid Brother Dingkun is exhausted."
Xiao Dingkun smiled nonchalantly: "How much do you weigh?"
Fubao had no choice but to say nothing and lay obediently on his shoulder.
Xiao Dingkun climbed up the mountain with Fubao on his back. When he passed by thorns or places with dense branches and leaves, he would use the wooden stick in his hand to push away the thorns and branches first to prevent Fubao on his back from being scratched.
He walked fast and climbed up quickly, and soon reached the top of the mountain.
As soon as they reached the top of the mountain, Fubao yelled for Xiao Dingkun to put her down: "I'm not tired anymore. I can walk on my own now."
Xiao Dingkun put her down: "It should be around here, right?"
They had already reached the top of the mountain, and Fubao had remembered everything.
This now dilapidated path, covered with moss, is the path that the nuns used to take to fetch water. Further north, there is a stream with clear water. Fubao still remembers the coolness of the water occasionally splashing on her nose.
Fubao suddenly became excited. She excitedly pulled Xiao Dingkun and said, "Brother Dingkun, come with me. Here, here!"
She also forgot to hide the fact that she shouldn't have remembered this road or this nunnery, after all, she was still very young at that time.
She pulled Xiao Dingkun and walked along the path covered with weeds growing between the rocks. When they passed an elm forest, she saw the nunnery where she once lived.
It was still the original blue brick wall and the same vermilion temple gate, but weeds were growing wildly on the wall, and the vermilion temple gate had lost its original color due to wind and rain, and was in a dilapidated state.
Fubao was stunned for a moment and she was a little hesitant.
If she opens this door, is she destined to see desolation?
Xiao Dingkun asked gently, "Do you want to go in and take a look?"
Fubao nodded: "Yeah."
So the two men pushed open the temple door. The wooden door was shaky when it was pushed open, making a sharp "squeaking" sound, which was the sound made by the friction between rotten wood.
Stepping over the threshold and walking in, I saw that the weeds in the small yard were almost higher than Fubao's neck, and there were sparrows chirping and jumping around in it. They looked at the visitor curiously, as if they were looking at an intruder who had dared to break into their territory.
Xiao Dingkun waved the stick in his hand, and the sparrows fluttered away. He led Fubao into the yard.
When I walked into the main house, I saw that half of the house was leaking. Not to mention the old cushion, even the dilapidated and smashed Buddha statue had damp and moldy spots.
Fubao looked at the house for a while, then took Xiao Dingkun to the backyard.
The backyard was even more dilapidated, the house was almost collapsing, and there were some murals on the walls, but they were all scratched away with a hoe and iron, and their original appearance could no longer be seen.
The roof was also covered with weeds, and there were traces of rain in front of the house. A group of ants were happily crawling around in front of the threshold.
Fubao watched all this sadly.
The place where she lived as a baby was no longer what she had dreamed of. As time passed, the sound of the wooden fish could only be heard in her dreams.
At this moment, Fubao's eyes lit up.
She exclaimed in surprise, "My apricot tree!"
Xiao Dingkun looked over and saw an apricot tree with lush branches and leaves in the corner of the nunnery. Because no one took care of it or pruned it, the branches and leaves had grown so lush that they almost bent the trunk.
While he was watching, Fubao was already running towards the apricot tree excitedly.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
