all the way

Before you know it, the apricot blossoms bloom and wither, and the mountains and plains are covered with green and colorful wild flowers. Spring is here.

Throughout the winter, no one in Liujialing had eaten a single green vegetable. When they served noodles at most, they could put some pagoda flowers and wild vegetables that had been dried and saved in spring. Cat, the corners of everyone's mouths are rotten, and Sun Chang'e is the worst. There are pus spots in the middle of her mouth, big and small, and it hurts to drink saliva.

Lycium barbarum sprouts, yellow seedlings, cauliflower, noodle dishes, ground twigs... Now there are one or two green vegetables on the table for every meal at home, which makes the children feel that good days always come with spring.

In March, the first thorough spring rain fell, and Yuqianer gave the whole family a few full meals, and Liu Xia and the others were unable to go to school for a week; The flowers are blooming, and the fragrance of Sophora japonica is everywhere in the mountains.

And the cat started to recognize people.

At dusk, he won't let anyone hug him except Liu Xia and Chang'e Sun. Not only has he gained a little fat, but his face is chubby, and his voice is a lot louder, especially at dusk when Chang'e Sun really can't get up. When Liu Xia didn't come back and had to let others hold him temporarily, he always cried hoarsely and earth-shatteringly.

It was another Saturday afternoon, and it began to rain lightly. Although the teacher told Liu Ling and the others to leave school early and start running as soon as they left the school gate, they still hadn’t time. Let go and run again. Once such a big incident happened, they were told over and over again before going to school every day. They could be late in the morning and get home later in the afternoon, and they should not rush on the way.

It was already late, and a few people went to Zhangjiabao to milk the cows, and it was already dark when they got home.

Two ditches away, Liu Xia heard the hoarse cry of the cat. Liu Xia became anxious and ran away. He ran too fast and fell to the bottom of the slope. He was protecting the milk in his schoolbag with his arms He didn't care to protect his face, and when he turned down, the needle on the slope stabbed his face several times with blood.

Liu Ling and the others were terrified, and slowly slipped down the wild bushes on the slope, pulling Liu Xia up.

Xiumei was standing under the corridor of the west wing with Mao'er in her arms. Before Liu Xia could turn around the slope from her house, she started to shout, "Mao'er, uncle is back, stop crying."

The cat, who was crying out of breath, stopped at once, turned around and followed the voice to find someone, as soon as Liu Xia turned into the yard, the cat stretched out two small arms to him: "ah—— , ah ah ah—"

Liu Xia handed the schoolbag to Liu Hai, and ran over to hug the cat: "Good boy, stop crying, good cat, stop crying."

Xiumei breathed a sigh of relief: "If you don't come back, I'll be so embarrassing. When my eyes were black, I started to cry and cry. After crying for a while, I stayed out of the kiln. I kept looking at the way you guys left school. I hugged you." I watched him wander back and forth, but the more he cried, the harder it was, it's been almost two hours."

After entering the cave, by the light of the oil lamp, Liu Xia saw the snot and tears on the face of the cat, his mouth was still aggrieved, he took a deep breath from time to time, he wanted to wipe the cat's face with his sleeve, and saw , It was covered with mud, and he realized that the mud on his body rubbed the cat's body too.

Xiumei had already walked to the stove and was about to cook, when she suddenly saw the mud on the bodies of several people, she glanced at Liu Xia again, she was shocked, she came over and held Liu Xia's face up to the light to look carefully: "This Where did it fall? Is there something wrong with you?"

Liu Yu said: "I'm fine, I put it on the old crooked pear tree and slipped down. Yao'er was anxious when he heard the cat crying. Let me go down and pull him, and..." He was a little embarrassed. Most of them were washed by my sister-in-law, and I have to wash a lot today.

Xiumei spat and wiped the blood spots on Liu Xia's face side by side, then reached out and hugged the cat, "Okay, there's a little blood seeping, but it's not deep, it's nothing, you guys take off quickly." Oh, hey, cat, be good, my uncle will hug you when he takes off his clothes."

The cat didn't care, Xiumei's mouth deflated as soon as she hugged her, followed by a "wow" and burst into tears, she stretched out her hand to be hugged by Liu Xia.

Liu Xia unbuttoned the button with one hand, took the cat with the other, slowly put him on the kang, let the cat hold his hand: "Okay, good, my uncle hugged me."

The clothes inside of the few people were also soaked. Although their outer clothes were patched and patched, they had two changes, but there was only one inside. The night in the mountains was still cold, and the few people sat crowded together. On the kang, while doing her homework, she waited for Xiumei to cook.

The cat might be tired from crying for too long. Liu Xia hugged him to do his homework, and fell asleep after a while, choking from time to time in his sleep.

He Xiumei rubbed the steamed bun and said: "My uncle and your elder brother went to the brigade for a meeting early in the morning, and it may be midnight; the daughter-in-law of our fifth master's family Baozhu, who is in Shitougou, has been seen. Married on May 27st, the girl is not to mention how ugly she is, she is shorter than Heigou's wife, and her family originally wanted four quilts and two clothes, but a few days ago they asked a matchmaker to send a message saying that they wanted six quilts, Four clothes, otherwise you won’t get married, and you won’t be allowed to give away Haoer the day after tomorrow. Baozhu is [-], one year younger than your elder brother, if you don’t get married, you will be too old. Fifth master can’t help it. Baozhu's aunt and third sister called over and said that if they didn't get Baozhu's wedding things in order, he would crash and die in front of them. His aunt and third sister went back and borrowed it for a few days. Bring the quilt and flowers (cotton), and the fifth grandma came and asked our mother to help sew the quilt, and I had to catch up with the latter to send the good one, Xiaowei and Xiaorui also went to play."

Liu Hai asked strangely: "Our mother's eyes are blurred, why didn't Fifth Grandma ask you to go?"

Xiumei said: "You don't understand. There are special things about sewing quilts and making clothes when you get married. Only people with compatible zodiac signs and good offspring can do it. Generally, people who have both children and children are required. Although our mother is not a child Shuangquan, but our family's life is better than ordinary people, and they said that our mother gave birth to seven and became five, and the children and grandchildren are prosperous."

Liu Xia and the others have heard from his mother before that the eldest brother Liu Kui is not the boss at all, she gave birth to a daughter above, who died in six days, and Liu Ling also had another girl above, also a daughter, who disappeared in four days, they Many children here died a few days after they were born, saying that they had "four or six winds"; later they found out that it was actually neonatal tetanus.

Sun Chang'e has always said that she is destined to have no daughters.

While they were eating, Xiumei heated up the cat's milk again. When the temperature was right, Liu Xia didn't wake the cat up, but put the pacifier next to the cat's mouth, and the cat's eyes didn't open. He held the pacifier in his mouth and sucked it. After eating half a bottle, he opened his eyes and looked at Liu Xia. When Liu Xia took out the pacifier to breathe, the cat "giggled" at him with a smile.

Xiumei shook her head while eating: "He's happy when you just hug him with one hand. I held him for a long time in the yard, and my arms were sore from patting him. He still kept crying. This kid Ah, I don't know what's on my mind!"

Liu Xia originally wanted to say, Maoer knows that you don't want to see him, but he didn't say anything when he looked at the large bowl they had just put down on the stove and the pile of dirty clothes thrown on the ground.

Liu Xia knew that his sister-in-law was better than other people's sister-in-law, but thinking of her dislike of cats, Liu Xia still felt very uncomfortable.

Liu Yu is the worst at studying, but she is always the first to finish her homework every day. Today is the same. He put away his homework and said, "Sister-in-law, Xiao Ling will go to Rongze tomorrow to participate in the composition competition for junior high school students in the county. Prepare some good pancakes for him."

Xiumei's eyes lit up when she heard that: "Really? Are you going to the Rongze competition?"

Liu Ling has no confidence in his school, and even has doubts about his own level. He is afraid that if everyone is busy, he will not be able to get the ranking in the end, so he is a little embarrassed: "Well, if you win the first prize , you can enter Rongze High School without taking the exam, but I think I will definitely fail, sister-in-law, don’t make pancakes for me, I’ll just eat ordinary ones..."

Xiumei pushed the rice bowl that hadn't been finished: "That's not a hit. When I have dinner with others, my brother will mix corn and sweet potato noodles with pancakes. My sister-in-law is still upset! Besides, I won't hit it." You are also the best in our Wangning Commune." She went to look at the earthen jar in the corner, and cruelly scooped out half a bowl of good noodles: "Xiao Ling, do you eat sweet or salty? I eat sweet now. Just soak persimmons, and I will bake them for you tomorrow morning without delay."

Liu Ling said: "No need, sister-in-law, just take the two of us with the buns, you've been busy all day..." After eating dumplings at the end of the year, the family except Liu Wei, Liu Rui and Maoer mixed a little into the buns they ate. White noodles, other people can only eat corn and sweet potato noodles. He has seen the watan with white noodles at home, and there are at most two bowls of noodles, but there is still more than a month before the new wheat comes down.

Xiumei poured half a bowl of white noodles into the washbasin, and scooped up another half bowl of cornmeal: "If one of you is admitted to university and eats commercial food, my sister-in-law will be happy even if she is busy. Ling'er, if you don't tell me, I will make it for you." It’s too salty, you’re going to play tomorrow, the dried persimmon cakes are too porcelain, I’m so worried after eating too much, I happened to pick up a handful of wild leeks today, I was supposed to make two leek boxes for my uncle and your elder brother, first I’ll give it to you Forget it, eat more food, or you won’t be able to relieve yourself, when Xiao Wei woke up early to poop, her ass was bleeding, and it made my heart ache."

No matter how Liu Ling protested, it was useless, Xiumei insisted on making three vegetable boxes for him with the wild leeks that she planned to give to the family.

Liu Changqing was carried back by Liu Kui and Liu Changchun crossing their arms in the middle of the night, and he also slipped and fell to the bottom of the slope. Liu Kui and Liu Changchun rushed down to pull him, and his face was bloody like him. , but both of them are fine in other places, but Liu Changqing's left leg is so painful that he can't walk, and his calf is swollen and thick.

The whole family gathered in the kiln in the main room. Liu Kui was going to prepare a cart to take his father to the hospital, but Liu Changqing refused to let him: "Today, you must not walk on the big slope of the kiln. I'm fine. If I don't move, it won't hurt. Well, I guess the most is dislocated kneecap, tomorrow will be fine, go to your Wu Niang and get it right." Wu Yuni not only takes care of delivery, she also has to take care of other miscellaneous diseases.

Xiumei added water to the pot to be boiled, Liu Kui asked her, "Why boil water?"

"Give uncle a hot towel to cover it, and it won't hurt anymore."

Liu Kui said: "Now it is necessary to cover, and it is also a cold towel. I specially taught it when I was in the army. After 24 hours, you can use hot things to cover. You first go and hug our green flower quilt and wrap our uncle's legs. Stand taller."

Liu Changqing waved his hand: "No need, it's midnight, you all go back to your room and sleep, I'll call you if something happens."

Liu Changchun said to Liu Yu and Liu Ling: "It's raining today, you two can sleep here, I'm fine."

Liu Yu said: "Then I'll go back with you, Xiao Ling Ming'er is going to Rongze to participate in the composition competition, don't let him pass." Liu Yu was worried that his father would be alone at home, after the Spring Festival, he would finish his homework every night Afterwards, he went home to sleep, and Sun Chang'e was afraid that he would be lonely, so she asked Liu Ling to accompany him every day.

Both Liu Changqing and Liu Kui looked at Liu Ling, they didn't know about this yet.

Liu Ling talked about the possible results of participating in the competition again, and looked at his father excitedly and uneasy. It has always been his desire to make his parents proud of him. Being able to represent Wangning Junior High School in the competition is a result of his hard work all the time. After the result, he was worried about the ticket to Rongze. He was a few years older than Liu Xia, and he could feel that the family's financial situation was far worse than what his parents and elder brother said. Guilty.

Liu Changqing pulled Liu Ling to him: "Tomorrow is a good comparison. If you can go, it proves that you are better than others. If you can go to Rongze to go to high school, I will be happy if you can go to high school. It's really nothing better than getting good grades. There is no one in our family. Blaming you, I know that the quality of our teaching in Wangning is always poor." He turned to Liu Kui again: "You send Xiao Ling to Wangning tomorrow morning, and then come back after picking him up, don't worry about the brigade meeting, Xiao Ling's schooling matters are the most important thing." Liu Kui is a party member and one of the few people in the village who has seen the world outside.

Liu Kui hugged Liu Ling and said, "Okay, Brother Minger will buy you a biscuit to eat with you, and I'll give you fifty cents."

The high school in Wangning Commune also resumed a few years ago, but the college entrance examination was restored for four years, and they didn't even get into Rongze Normal School.

It’s too poor here. Not even one-tenth of them go to junior high school after graduating from elementary school. Like Liu Changqing, he let all the children go to school, and let Liu Xia go to school at the age of six (actually five years old), so people think it’s incredible. Because of Liu Changqing in Liujialing, for more than ten years, as long as the children who are not stupid or stupid have to graduate from the elementary school in the brigade, otherwise the relief food will be deducted; In Shitougou, almost no girls go to school, and very few boys go to school.

Liu Changqing not only let all the children go to school, but also sent them all to Wangning, but did not let the children live in school. His behavior was very outrageous in the eyes of the people around him, but no one dared to say anything, because he had been on the battlefield to resist US aggression and aid Korea. Everyone in the committee was very polite to him.

Liu Kui only went to junior high school, because at that time Wangning High School only had a campus full of weeds.

The high school in the county resumed classes two years earlier than Wangning, and the quality of teaching was much better, but they had to pass an exam to get in. Wangning, a mountain commune, hadn't passed the exam in the past few years.

Everyone in the Liu family feels that entering the county high school is a big step closer to university, and there is hope that they can eat commercial food and have cash every month. There are many people in their village. For decades, even five yuan is nothing. I don't know anything.

Liu Xia opened his eyes, opened his mouth and yawned, and covered his mouth violently halfway through the yawn, but it was too late, the corners of his mouth were cracked again, he wiped it, and there was a small piece of blood in his palm, he leaned over and turned sideways , Put your hand under the cat's little butt, well, there is no urine bed.

He got out of bed carefully, put on his trousers in the dark, and put them on on the kang for fear of waking the cat up.

But no matter how careful he was, he couldn't stop the "squeak" of the door, and the cat moved: "Ah—ka, ka ka!"

Liu Xia quickly ran back again, stretched out his hand to fish the cat out of the bed, skillfully separated his calf, whistled to pee for him, the cat obediently urinated a lot, Liu Xia touched the match, Lighted the oil lamp and began to dress the cat. The cat kept scratching his face with his small hands, and said "ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Liu Hai scratched his head a few times, sat up without opening his eyes, touched and put on his clothes: "Why is it only Thursday today, why is it not yet Sunday!"

Liu Xia hugged the cat and got off the kang: "It will be fine if we can have two Sundays a week."

When they came to the main room, He Xiumei and Sun Chang'e had already packed the food and let it cool. Liu Changqing was half lying on the quilt, his left leg was fixed by a wooden board and a few loops of cloth strips. As soon as he saw Liu Xia, he stretched out his hand: " Cat, come to Grandpa."

Mao'er quickly turned around and hugged Liu Xia's neck, and buried her face in the socket of his neck.

Sun Chang'e said with a smile: "I want to hug you every day, but my son doesn't give you face every day. Tell me why? It's been half a month. When Yao'er is not at home, you always look at him!"

Xiumei put a plate of dried pickled radishes on the table: "We were busy the day he was born, and it was Yaoer who hugged him. Until now, he is used to smelling Yaoer."

Liu Changqing asked Liu Xia: "Can you smell a cat?"

Liu Xia picked up a piece of tortilla soaked in milk and put it in his mouth, looked at the cat who was drinking vigorously with the bottle in his arms and said, "Yes, it's delicious, other children are full of urine smell. Son, cats have a milky scent, I can smell it even with my eyes closed."

Xiumei said: "It's the smell of milk. Didn't you see that the children here don't like goat's milk and cow's milk, it's old." Now Liu Xia squeezes two full bottles of milk every day, and it's still over two catties. Having already started to eat some rice and steamed buns, Liu Xia asked Xiaowei and Xiaorui to drink some milk, and they didn't even look at it: "It's not good to drink, it's fishy to death."

Liu Xia was not convinced: "It just smells like milk. Goat's milk is a bit fishy. The more you drink the milk, the more delicious it will be." Liu Xia now drinks half a bowl of milk every morning. He likes to soak corn buns in it, saying that it is the buns soaked in milk. It was soft and fragrant, but he gave Xiaorui a mouthful, and Xiaorui spit it out unceremoniously: "It's not delicious."

Liu Ling came in with Liu Yu and Liu Hai, and upon hearing Liu Xia's words, Liu Ling said, "I don't like milk either, but cats smell better than other kids. When I was sifting, I was choking so far away from Liu Mudan."

Sun Chang'e finished her work and came over to hug the cat. The cat looked back at Liu Xia and spat out the pacifier: "Ah—"

Sun Chang'e sat on the edge of the kang: "Ah, no, your uncle has to go to school. Be good, cat, let's drink milk."

The cat held the bottle and continued to drink. Chang'e Sun held a small piece of bun in her hand and stuffed it into the cat's mouth from time to time.Every time I steam buns, I always steam two mixed noodles (wheat noodles) for Maoer, Xiaowei, and Xiaorui.

Liu Xia and the others had to leave immediately after dinner. It was early morning, although it was not yet five o'clock, and it was already a bit dim. Sun Chang'e stood at the entrance of the cave with the cat in her arms, holding his little hand: "Goodbye, goodbye, Don’t go shopping on the road, don’t dare to walk by the side of the ditch, if it rains, ask the teacher for leave and come back early, let’s not walk in the dark!”

"Understood." Several people answered in unison, and their figures quickly disappeared into the misty and winding mountains.