Chapter 58 Mother
As soon as he walked to the front of the house, Tao Nanfeng felt the farmers' most sincere enthusiasm.
Liang Yinzhen had already tied on her apron, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, and brought a basin of hot water from the kitchen and placed it on the bench in the main room. The enamel washbasin with a bright red peony flower was obviously new, without even a single dent or chip.
Liang Yinzhen smiled and handed a brand new pink towel to Tao Nanfeng: "Child, does the cold wind hurt your face? Come, wash it with hot water first."
Xiang Yongfu was afraid that she didn't like the smell of cigarettes, so he hurriedly put out his pipe beside a brick pillar, stood up and greeted her, "Are you here? Come in and rest. It's cold outside."
A few villagers gathered at the entrance of the terrace and looked out. They pulled Yongfu's face and waved their pipes: "Go home, go home, don't join in the fun here!"
Although Xiang Yongfu is not tall, he has strong arms. He once knocked a wild boar that broke into the village to the ground. Everyone in the village knows how powerful he is. If he speaks loudly, no one dares to offend him.
Now seeing Xiang Yongfu driving people away, the villagers who tried to find out gossip retreated and dared not harass him anymore.
It was finally quiet outside, and Tao Nanfeng calmed down.
The layout of the main hall of the Xiang family's new home is the same as that of ordinary villagers. On the north wall hangs a picture of Magu offering longevity, with central halls on both sides and shrines, tablets and incense sticks on the long table.
The hot water in the basin was steaming up white vapor, which felt warm on my face. The towel in my hand was fragrant and soft, with a scent of sunshine.
Liang Yinzhen stood aside with a smile on her face, looking at Tao Nanfeng intently, and became happier and happier the more she looked.
This girl has beautiful eyebrows and eyes, a generous and friendly attitude, and a scholarly and elegant air in her every move. You can tell at first glance that she is a knowledgeable and well-educated scholar.
Scenes from the past flashed before her eyes. Liang Yinzhen felt a pain in her chest and her eyes turned red again. She hurriedly lowered her head, lifted her apron and pressed the corners of her eyes, explaining in a trembling voice.
"Don't be surprised, kid. When people get older, they have many problems. The happier they are, the more they can't control their tears. I'm just happy in my heart, happy..."
Xiangbei didn't expect his mother to be so happy that she lost her composure. He stepped forward, hugged her shoulders, and comforted her: "Okay, okay, don't cry, Mom. This is Tao Nanfeng, an educated youth from Jiangcheng, and... my girlfriend."
Tao Nanfeng lowered his head and soaked the towel in the hot water. His hands had just been immersed in the hot water when he heard Xiang Bei's words and his face felt a little hot.
Although it was the first time he met the parents, Tao Nanfeng felt the kindness and love from the elders.
Liang Yinzhen seemed to be even more nervous than her, with anxiety, anticipation and joy in her eyes.
Facing such a pair of motherly eyes, Tao Nanfeng smiled slightly, bent down and bowed, and said in a sincere and clear voice: "Hello, Auntie, I am Tao Nanfeng."
Liang Yinzhen had waited for so many years, and finally Xiangbei brought back a girl. This great joy had made her a little confused. When she heard Tao Nanfeng call her "Auntie" so politely, her heart melted, and she hurriedly responded: "Hey, hey, hey, good child, good girl."
Xiang Yongfu held a piece of bacon he had just taken from the beam in his right hand, and said with a simple smile: "Since you are here, you are a guest. Take a seat first. You have been busy all morning. Are you hungry? I will cook right away."
Tao Nanfeng bowed to Xiang Yongfu again obediently: "Hello, uncle."
Xiang Yongfu laughed so hard that his eyes were invisible, and nodded repeatedly: "Okay, okay."
He was the head of the family and was calmer than Liang Yinzhen. He stuffed the bacon in his hand into hers and said, "Yinzhen, go and steam a bowl of bacon. I'll help you watch the fire."
After saying that, the two old people went to the kitchen together, leaving the two young people alone.
Xiangbei stood aside waiting for Tao Nanfeng to wash her face, then he stepped forward, took the towel from her hand, wrung it dry, and hung it on a hemp rope on the west wall of the main room.
He washed his hands with hot water, bent down to pick up the basin, and splashed the water on the open space in front of the hall.
After completing a series of skilled movements, Xiangbei poured a cup of hot tea and handed it to Tao Nanfeng, holding her palms with both hands, his eyes full of smiles: "Nanfeng...you are really good."
The teacup was hot, and Xiangbei's palms were warm. Tao Nanfeng lowered his head and took a sip of tea. The tea tasted light with a hint of firewood. She raised her eyes to glance at Xiangbei and said with a smile: "This tea is very good."
Looking north, he saw her drinking naturally without any disgust, and the smile on her face deepened.
"This is the wild tea I picked in the mountains this spring. My mother fried it in an iron pan at home and then dried it. It's just ordinary farm tea. It's rare that you like it."
Tao Nanfeng is a girl from the city and the daughter of a professor. She has been spoiled since childhood. Her family lives in the countryside, her parents are farmers and have little education, but when she came to meet them for the first time, she was so natural and easy-going, without any airs at all. How could one not feel sorry for such a girl?
Although the north wind was howling outside, it was warm as spring inside the house.
Tao Nanfeng's attention was attracted by the incense burning in front of the main hall. He slowly walked closer and took a closer look.
There were more than a dozen wooden tablets on the table, with names written on them in regular script.
There was a hint of sadness in Xiangbei's voice.
"These are my grandparents, these are my two uncles, an aunt, and two uncles, these are my two brothers and a sister, and this is... my aunt and uncle."
Liang Yinzhu and Zhong Muyang, Tao Nanfeng silently recited these two names in his heart.
How come Liang Yinzhen’s sister and brother-in-law appeared in the ancestral tablet worshipped by the Xiang family? Tao Nanfeng felt a little surprised.
How come so many of Xiangbei’s family members died? The three names "Xiangdong", "Xiangnan" and "Xiangqian" that appear on the tablet are very eye-catching because they are too similar to "Xiangbei".
Tao Nanfeng turned his head and looked at Xiangbei in confusion. Xiangbei inserted three incense sticks into the incense burner and said softly: "Back then, the Japanese invaders entered the village and massacred people. Later, when the revolution started, my family members joined the army and fought against the Japanese invaders and the white dogs. Almost all of them died. My mother gave birth to four children, but I was the only one who survived. Alas..."
Tao Nanfeng's heart tightened and a sour feeling surged up in his throat.
Could it be that Xiangbei's family is small in number? So that's how it is.
Xiangbei's parents witnessed so many relatives die on the battlefield, but still sent their only surviving son to the battlefield. Such great and simple sentiments are admirable.
She bowed three times in front of the tablet and her attitude became cautious.
Xiangbei stood aside and watched her bow respectfully. He was moved. He stretched out his hand to put his arm around her shoulders, hugged her in his arms, and said softly, "It's okay. It's all in the past. Our lives will get better and better, right?"
Tao Nanfeng leaned lightly on his chest, feeling soft in her heart.
After chatting for a while, Liang Yinzhen and Xiang Yongfu came over to call Tao Nanfeng to eat. The main room faces the main gate, and the cold wind blows, so the dining table is placed in the main room of the west wing.
One steamed bacon, one fried bacon with bamboo shoots, one fried local eggs with garlic leaves, one pan-fried dried fish, one stir-fried cabbage sprouts, and one meatball tofu soup.
Five dishes and one soup, including fish, meat and eggs, is the most sumptuous lunch a farmer can prepare.
The more Liang Yinzhen looked at Tao Nanfeng, the more she loved her. She would occasionally put food into her bowl and said, "These are all made at home. If you like them, eat more."
Since the elders had given him a gift, he dared not refuse. Tao Nanfeng said thank you while eating with big mouthfuls. Fortunately, Tao Nanfeng is not picky about food and eats everything with gusto.
The rice cooked by my mother is soft and delicious, the fried dishes are salty and tasty, and the fat of the bacon becomes shiny after being steamed, like transparent glass, which makes people very appetizing at first glance.
Xiangbei saw that she was eating with relish and felt very happy.
After finishing the meal, he gave the wool scarf to his mother: "Mom, this is a gift from Tao Nanfeng that he brought from Jiangcheng for you."
Liang Yinzhen didn't expect that she had a gift, and she was stunned for a long time before she reacted. She hurriedly wiped her hands on her apron again and again, making sure there was no dirt before taking the scarf and examining it carefully.
The wool scarf was soft and warm, and felt light in the hand. The black and red plaid looked very festive. Liang Yinzhen was so happy that she praised it again and again: "Good, good, this scarf is really good, it's obviously a good thing at first glance."
She looked up at Tao Nanfeng and asked gently, "Isn't this scarf very expensive? I'm sorry for the expense. Thank you."
After that, she took out a red cloth bag from her bosom, took out a shiny gold ring and put it into Tao Nanfeng's palm. She held Tao Nanfeng's hand gently but firmly, with tears in her eyes: "Child, don't despise it. This is my gift to you. Keep it, keep it."
The golden ring felt heavy in his palm, but Tao Nanfeng didn't dare to take it, as his hand was held by Liang Yinzhen.
Due to years of hard work, the skin on Liang Yinzhen's palms was rough and her fingertips were covered with thick calluses. She held Tao Nanfeng's hand without saying a word, not allowing her to refuse.
"Xiangbei is a good kid. I'm so happy that you like him. Keep this. Don't worry, I have more of it."
Tao Nanfeng didn't know what he felt in his heart.
Although he had never met Xiangbei's mother before, they felt like old friends at first sight. Liang Yinzhen's simplicity, kindness, thoughtfulness and hard work all made Tao Nanfeng feel familiar.
Although she is different from her mother, they both love children equally.
Because I love Xiangbei, I hope he is happy; because I love Xiangbei, I love him and his family, and I love and care for myself. When you love someone, you want to give him the best things in the world. As long as he accepts it, he will feel very satisfied; as long as he likes it, he will feel infinite joy.
Such selfless dedication is the deepest love of parents.
Tao Nanfeng couldn't bear to refuse, and nodded with a smile: "Auntie, I'll accept it, thank you."
Seeing that she was willing to accept it, Liang Yinzhen felt relieved. She smiled with her eyes curved and all the wrinkles on her face were squeezed together: "Good child, you and Xiangbei should be harmonious and loving in the future. If he does something wrong, tell me and I will scold him."
Xiangbei chuckled at the side: "Mom, what are you talking about?"
Xiang Yongfu coughed at the side and said, "Xiang Bei knows it, so don't say too much."
Liang Yinzhen said a little embarrassedly: "Okay, I won't say anything. Child, come with me, I'll get a tape measure to measure your size, and I'll make you two flowery dresses. You're so pretty, you should wear more new clothes."
Liang Yinzhen took Tao Nanfeng to the inner room. With quick and light hands and feet, she rolled the tape measure around her body and measured her shoulder width, leg length, sleeve length, chest circumference, waist circumference, hip circumference, etc.
Liang Yinzhen was obviously a very experienced tailor. She chatted with Tao Nanfeng while taking measurements.
"Who else is in your family?"
"My mother died when I was seven, and now only my father is at home."
"Are there any brothers or sisters?"
"No, I'm an only child."
Liang Yinzhen felt distressed when she heard this: "You are such a pitiful child. It's okay. I will be your mother from now on. If you don't understand something, just ask me. Girls should learn how to take care of their bodies. Bring back some red dates and dried longans and eat them as snacks. It's cold in winter. If you have your period, don't use cold water. If you don't mind, bring it to me and I'll help you wash it."
For some reason, when Tao Nanfeng heard Liang Yinzhen say "Don't use cold water during your period", he could no longer control his tears and they rolled down.
I don’t know how long, the pain of losing my mother has been buried deep in my heart. I have never said it to anyone else, not even in front of my father.
But today, in front of the gentle Liang Yinzhen, his longing for his mother finally broke out at this moment.
Seeing her crying, Liang Yinzhen hugged her in panic, patted her back with heartache, and coaxed her softly: "Don't cry, don't cry. You are a good child, I will love you from now on."
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