Ordinary world (3) Chapter 15

When the "ignition ceremony" of Sun Shaoan Brickyard fell over Shuangshui Village, Tian Futang was lying alone on the broken grinding plate outside his courtyard wall, silently basking in the sun.

His condition looks very shocking.

futang's body is completely broken. He is as thin as a stick of dry wood, and the clothes that used to fit him now look as loose as a robe. Pale, still covered with a layer of gloom; I haven't shaved for a long time, and my face is surrounded by a circle. On the land next to the grinding plate, a pile of dirty phlegm was spit.

his eyes were half closed, and he curled up on the broken grinding plate that had been abandoned in his early years, and did not move. If the shriveled chest was not still undulating, we would think that he was no longer a living person.

the summer sun shines brightly on the earth. On such a day, people are eager to hide in the shade, but Tian Futang is dedicated to basking in the sun here. Only the diabolical sunshine and the hot stone grinding plate can make his cold and thin body get some comfort. He thanked the sunshine in summer for bringing him warmth.

He is not blessed to close his eyes quietly for a long time on this broken rice mill. After a moment and a half, a violent cough lifted him like a storm, making him have to lie on the edge of the grinding plate pitifully, throwing phlegm, snot and tears on the land next to him in the sound of vomiting. This kind of torture is terrible, and every time it seems to take out my internal organs from my chest.

After coughing, he stayed for half a day like an idiot, and then he lay down on the grinding plate and enjoyed a rare quiet time.

We didn't expect that the man of the hour in Shuangshui Village or the whole Shek Gejie area has become like this now. At such a time, we can't help but send our deepest sympathy to him. We suspect that this peasant politician who once aspired to be an eternal figure is probably sad for himself at the moment. He doesn't know if he understands that it's not just his own body that is declining. Futang, you are curled up here now, like an abandoned orphan. Yes, everyone can see that you are no longer so enthusiastic about the official business of Shuangshui Village. But fundamentally speaking, the public affairs in Shuangshui Village are no longer enthusiastic about your guidance. Now you can only lie here alone and ruminate on what you swallowed in the past.

Indeed, for Tian Futang, there is no place that makes him feel more cordial now than this broken grinding plate. Lying here, he can at least get a moment's peace. Looking for peace is like looking for a vigorous political movement in those days, which has become his wish today.

The broken grinding disc under him is like a Zhang Tianran bed, and the grooves that the rolling stones have been grinding on it for years just make his slimming board curl up in it. Lying in this stone groove is as comfortable and appropriate as lying in a cradle.

I can see that the broken grinding plate under him was once made of a good stone. The stone is as blue as water and does not contain any impurities. Judging from the deep groove rolled out in that circle, this grinding plate has a long history. It was probably after the rolling stone broke one side, that the grinding plate died, ended its mission and was moved outside the courtyard wall. Unexpectedly, it has been put to new use by its owner now.

Futang himself can't tell the history of this dish. As long as he can remember, this dish was used by his family. According to his dead father, he doesn't know when the millpan was first used. Then, its history can be traced back to the hands of Grandpa Futang at least.

However, regarding this mill, Futang still remembers that in 1947, when Kuomintang troops attacked here, General Hu Zongnan's soldiers used American flour to bake cakes on this mill. It was later heard from his grandfather. At that time, he was twenty-one years old, and his parents ran to the cliff kiln in the back ditch of the crying river to escape the war. Grandpa and grandma don't leave anyway, they have to stay and look after the house. I remember grandma wiped her face with ashes from the stove, which was disgusting-she was afraid of being bullied by the White Army. According to Grandpa, the troops caught fire under this millpan, branded foreign cakes on it all day, and gave Grandpa a few pieces. When these soldiers used their urinals to hold vegetables, Grandpa told them that this was a urinal. As a result, an officer with a big hat slapped him in the face and roared, "I haven't eaten yet, so you need a basin ..."

More than ten years ago, this grinding plate was finally worn out in his hand. A big piece fell off one side of the pan-perhaps General Hu Zongnan should be responsible for the destruction of the pan.

After the mill was broken, Futang had to move it to the present place, and asked a stonemason in Mijia Town to make a new one-the original rolling stone can still be used, and the mill he is using now is a combination of the old and the new.

Since his health completely collapsed, this broken rice mill that was abandoned here has become an important partner in his life. His own situation seems to be similar to this broken rice mill, and he was also abandoned here.

In the long days of the day, as long as the sun is shining, he always lies on this millboard, that is, in winter, when the weather is a little warmer outside, he will also take a dog skin mattress on it and lie on his back here for a long time ... At this moment, as soon as the cough subsided, he lost his sleep for a while and then lay on the millboard again. His eyes were half closed, and he seemed to be in an unconscious state under the hot sun.

In fact, under his thin chest, the emotion is surging endlessly. External movement and internal static, external static and internal dynamic, always like this. As long as the cough subsides, the mind will then be active. At present, it is no longer the "revolutionary movement" that is repeatedly thought about. It's about your children.

to a great extent, he was completely knocked down on this broken grinding plate by the successive disasters of his family. When Runsheng suddenly proposed to marry a widow with children, he couldn't stand the blow. Before that, the unfortunate marriage of his daughter and son-in-law had made him miserable. Then, as if there was a thunder in the sky, his son-in-law's legs were broken by a car. His daughter's return to her useless son-in-law did not bring him any comfort-although it was always his greatest wish to hope that they would make up. Runye finally lives with a cripple, which is worse than making a clean break with Li Xiangqian at the beginning! He knew that for his daughter, the real disaster just "officially" began ... For Tian Futang, the disaster never only came from his daughter's son-in-law, but what saddened the old couple most was that their son, who was regarded as the apple of his eye, was possessed and bent on getting married with that damn widow on the long road. They say it's crooked, saying it's impossible to talk to this boy. As a result, I don't know if there is something wrong with my nerves, or if I pretend to be crazy. This Runsheng cried and laughed all day, and traveled east and west, almost becoming the successor of the dead Tian Er. What is even more frightening is that my son finally ran away a few days ago-he left a message to his mother that he was going to find the widow and would never come back to this house ...

Fate, so cruel! How can the old couple live in this world?

He's lying here now, although he's still breathing, but he really looks like a dead man. He lived today and didn't know what to do tomorrow ... Tian Futang didn't know that Sun Shaoan was going to have a big show today. Yesterday, Sun Yuting dragged the pair of worn-out shoes that he had been given in those years, and came to the front of the grinding plate, asking him to "attend" today. Fuck you! Lao tze now this stall, what's the mind to catch your busy?

However, Yu Ting spat at him and tirelessly asked him to give a "toast" to his nephew on behalf of the Party branch of Shuangshui Village. He didn't even lift his eyelids and said, "I'm so sick, how can I go?" Are you blind to see? Tell Jin Junshan to go! "

"You are the number one in our village after all!" Yuting continued to persuade him. "Head is a fart! I only have a dry bone left now! " He said to his former assistant in disgust.

"The county magistrate Zhou will attend in person!" Sun Yuting reminded him again. "I haven't seen a county magistrate? I have prefectural party committee secretaries at home! Hurry up and kiss up to the county magistrate! See if he can promote you too! " He said viciously sarcastically to Sun Yuting.

Sun Yuting didn't dare to talk back to him, so he left angrily.

Tian Futang knows that at this time, Sun Yuting doesn't care if you call him a turtle. He's ignoring everything now, just trying to make this "happy event" happen. He will drag his rotten shoes, wade across the Dongla River in a moment, and appear in the courtyard of Jin Junshan excitedly ... "Dogs can't change and eat shit!" " Tian Futang scolded Sun Yuting in his mind.

But strangely enough, although Tian Futang didn't want to attend Sun Shaoan's "ignition ceremony" and scolded Sun Yuting, he was satisfied that Yuting invited him to give a speech on behalf of Shuangshui Village.

Hum, anyway, Tian Futang is still the first person in the village! This matter, whether you like it or not, you have to invite me. It's your turn to Jin Junshan if I don't go! Don't look at you, Jin Junshan has become the "Prime Minister" of Shuangshui Village, and * * leads everything at any time! The Monkey King can't turn out the Tathagata's palm in a somersault. Don't look at you ...

A violent cough interrupted his thinking-it was because of the intense inner activity that this cough came early.

Tian Futang threw a pile of sticky phlegm and snot on the ground beside him, groaning and lying back in the groove of the broken grinding plate. Alas, a strong mind is not strong! If there were not so many disasters at home, his body might not collapse, and the first prosperous person in those water villages might still be his Tian Futang. Sun Shaoan has a brick yard? He Tian Futang will set up an iron factory to show you!

However, from the heart, he still admires Sun Yuhou's big boy. This boy is full of courage! Dare to borrow ten thousand dollars from the bank, but also hired dozens of people in the village to set up a brick yard. Now, the county magistrate is invited, and thunder and drums are used for "lighting ceremony". Tian Futang admits that in rural areas, Sun Shaoan is a talented person. From this, he naturally remembered the "connections" between Shao An and Run Ye. Alas, now this boy is proud, and the land is ringing in the front and back ditch; And his poor daughter lives with a disabled person ... For Shao An and Run Ye who didn't get married in the end, Tian Futang has no regrets even now. Daughter's misfortune is another matter, but by no means that she didn't marry Sun Yuhou's son! Sun Shaoan, however successful he is, is also a mud-legged traverse to the child. His educated daughter should find a husband who eats official food-certainly not without arms and legs!

At present, his biggest heart attack on Sun Shaoan is not that he "made a fortune", but that he strongly realizes that the public in Shuangshui Village is gradually attracted by this boy. Although Sun Shaoan is not even a party member now, he has almost become the "leader" in the village. One day, will the "power" of Shuangshui Village fall into this guy's hands?

Although Tian Futang is no longer enthusiastic about public affairs in Shuangshui Village, and the "officials" in rural areas have little power now, he is not prepared to hand over the post of Party branch secretary to others as long as he is still venting his anger.

For people like Tian Futang, power is extremely important even if it exists symbolically. When alive, power is the best spiritual food; When you die, power is also the best requiem. What he is afraid of is that he will watch the power be handed over to others. No, he will never give up the position of Party branch secretary of Shuangshui Village, even if he lies on this broken rice mill and never gets up again! Hum, no matter how beautiful you live and how prosperous you are, I still care about you!

Tian Futang coughed for a while, but he couldn't help thinking for a while ... The sun has set to the west, and the shadow of the mountain behind Tianjiagelao gradually spread down the hillside like the giant wings of a strange bird. Tian Futang's mood is dim. He is like a chicken with no resistance, waiting for the black wings to envelop and engulf him with fear.

He struggled to get up from the broken rice mill, and saw many people coming out of the south highway one after another, making a lot of noise. Some of them waded through the Dongla River and headed for Jinjiawan. Some people scattered around in Tianjiagelao and walked back to their homes. Tian Futang knew that these people had just watched the "ignition ceremony" of Sun Shaoan Brickyard-the glorious paving scene was probably over.

Tian Futang couldn't help but let out a sigh from his phlegm-filled throat. He lamented the passing of history and the great and rapid evolution of life. Yes, back in those days, on the stage of Shuangshui Village, he Tian Futang was always the leading role. Now, someone else is playing this role. He is old and ill. Lying here alone. Became an insignificant "audience" in life.

At this time, as usual, his wife came to him from the foot of the courtyard wall outside the gate with his jacket in her arms. Only this person will not abandon him! She gave him warmth and care with her eternal feelings, and Tian Futang's eyes were filled with tears. He was sad to see that his mother's face was wrinkled and her hair was gray after endless suffering and years of exercise. He knew that in the past few days, she was crying almost every night for her runaway son ...

Now, Tian Futang no longer thinks about other things, and once again he is shaking with pain because of abrasive embellishment. The old couple finally failed to save the last situation, and watched their son leave this house in search of his "flower mother". Now, only the old couple are left in this empty courtyard. What's the difference between this and being buried in a grave?

Tian Futang was filled with indignation when he thought of his son. He loves Runsheng, but he hates him. He hates him because he failed to live up to his love. Look, he left his parents and went looking for a widow!

hum, you said you wouldn't go back to this home? Even if your boy comes back, I will beat you out of this house! You've ruined the family style of the Tian family, you black sheep ...

My wife came up to him, put a jacket on him and said, "The sun is going down, go home."

"Later ..."

"I'm worried about getting cold ..." She looked at him sadly.

"I can't die!"

She hesitated, and said to him, "Are you going out to look for us to make a living ... I don't know the doll ..." She couldn't stop crying, just wiping her tears.

"I'm not looking for him! It's none of my business if he lives or dies! Don't worry. Just think that you have never had a son in your life! " Tian Futang said, and a violent cough made him fall down on the edge of the broken grinding plate. He felt that it was not phlegm but blood in his throat.

His wife knelt beside him and hugged him trembling. After the cough subsided, the two lonely old people actually hugged each other on this broken millboard and cried aloud.

the sun set in the mountains. Boundless darkness suddenly enveloped the earth ...