grandfather's daughter-in-law

Someone once said, if you have two loaves, you have to exchange one loaf for a flower, this is life.I don't think he's right.People will meet all kinds of people in their life, and they will have all kinds of feelings with each other, whether they are unforgettable or casual acquaintances, but no matter how deep the feelings are, in front of life or in front of survival, It's all so insignificant.The person you once thought you loved all your life will only settle down into a rose in your heart in time, and you have to keep the other bread for tomorrow's breakfast.

Living in a big city like Taipei, this is the true meaning of life I have experienced.The first thing I think of when I open my eyes every day is where to find a job, which park to stay at night, and whether I will be chased away by the guards.I only ate one meal a day, washed in public toilets, and stopped in front of every shop that was recruiting workers, hitting walls again and again.I don't have a degree, and I don't expect to find a decent job, but even restaurants and laundromats dismiss me as too shabby.

That was perhaps the most desolate and difficult time in my life, but I didn't feel so pitiful or unacceptable at that time, because I was exhausted from running around without fruit every day.I even thought about giving up, giving up that distant and beautiful dream. I am as humble as dust, and she is as holy as an angel. We are not people from the same world.All this absurd and crazy thing should never have happened, or should have ended early.But on the tenth day, I finally got a bowl of Danzai noodles at the stall I had been patronizing for free.

In 1980, Taipei was in a period of rapid development, and many people from Tainan and Taichung flocked to Taipei for various reasons, hoping to find a place to settle in this bustling and overexpanded bustling city.The owner of the Danzai noodle stall is a man in his 30s. His hometown is in the countryside of Tainan. Like many young people who flock to Taipei, he hopes to settle down here. Bullied, so I sold Danzai noodle stall on my own.It has been in business for more than two years, has a fixed source of customers, and earns decent income, but because it does not have a license, it is often chased by the urban management and flees all over the city.That day, I helped him when he was hiding from the urban management, and we had the opportunity to talk.

Danzai noodles are only sold during breakfast and supper time, so I only come out twice a day, and I only go out to help during that time, and the reward is a bowl of Danzai noodles each time.When there are no guests, we will chat for a while, most of the time he is talking and I am listening.It can only be said that he is a good person, but in his bones he carries the ignorant arrogance of ordinary people.Other times I still roam the streets of Taipei, hoping to find a job, but in vain.As a result of economic development, a large number of laborers have flooded into cities, resulting in an oversupply market, and making money is the ultimate goal of all capitalists. No one is willing to provide accommodation for a foreigner, especially an uncompetitive woman.

Based on this point, I never thought of asking for a little more wages, that's just asking for humiliation.I only hoped to find Yu Minxiu before I sat on the mountain, and I haven't had time to think about what happened after that.Unexpectedly, a few days later, the owner of the noodle stall offered to give me ten yuan a day. I was so terrified that I dared not take the money.

He said to me like this, "I guess you should be a Beijing drifter like me. It's not easy, and if you are alone, you should have some money for self-defense. I can't give you more."

It sounds reasonable, but are there such good people in this world?I'm skeptical.

"Is it that simple?" I asked.

He had a look of embarrassment on his face, and after talking for a long time, he said falteringly: "Didn't you smell something?" Seeing that I didn't quite understand, he smelled it on himself, and then glanced at me .

Now I finally understand.His face burned violently.How is it possible, I take a shower in the public toilet every day!I hurriedly raised my arm and smelled it, and there was a strange smell.Probably because the laundry has not had time to dry, and it has been soaked between the noodles and the dishwater every day, and the smell is getting worse and worse.

"I know it's not easy for you to find someone by yourself. There is an hourly hotel near where I live, and the price is very cheap." He told me the name of the hotel very understandingly.It's just that this predicament only forced me to bow my head deeply, never daring to see anyone again.He put the money into my hand.

"Take the money. I did this for my noodle stall. People nowadays are more and more hygienic. Although we are just a small noodle stall, we can't let you drive away all the customers."

Before I had time to reply to him, I heard a vendor in the distance yell, "The city management is here," and all kinds of small vendors immediately went into chaos.The stall owner cursed in a low voice, and hurriedly cleaned up the bowls and benches, and all kinds of things were piled up on the cart.I helped push the car to another street.I didn't know how many streets to walk before finally stopping out of breath.

The stall owner supported the frame with one hand, panted for a long time before cursing: "Your mother!"

I didn't even have the strength to complain, I just half-bent my body and kept panting.

"It looks like it won't be sold today, you should go first."

I nodded, thinking that it was time to find a place to tidy myself up.Thinking that I had put myself in such a miserable state, I couldn't help but feel sad.Then a familiar voice sounded from behind, "Boss, is there still time?"

I imagined a lot of meeting scenes and many words that fit the occasion, but I never imagined that in such a dark alley, when I was so down and down, she came so quickly and so unprepared.The street lamp shone in from a distance, casting a mottled black shadow on the ground, like a surging black wave under the night wind.

"Yes, but we have to wait. This is just the beginning, and the things haven't been taken down yet." The stall owner greeted enthusiastically, and took the two small stools off the car. "Just sit down for a while, both of you. He greeted me again and said, "Hurry up and help me!"

I thought about turning around and running away, it was the most subconscious action in my past life.But I stared at the black shadow closely, and my steps seemed to be frozen, and I couldn't turn my head or move my feet.I don't want to face her like this, but it's so hard to meet her by chance, isn't it the fate arranged by God for us?I don't know how long it will take for me to see you again after I leave.What is face in front of her?

Just as I was hesitating for a moment, the owner of the noodle stall urged me twice before I turned around awkwardly.She is still so beautiful, even in this alley with mottled trees, even if I can't see her face clearly, I know she is so beautiful.

I called Xiuxiu softly.

"Afeng?" She was surprised, and stood up, "Why are you here? Aren't you in the troupe?" Ding Jianguo followed her and stood up.

"I'm leaving the troupe," I said.

"why?"

I suddenly felt very wronged in my heart. I came to her desperately, but she didn't know anything.I can't say anything to her.In this self-written, self-directed and self-acted play, even the audience is only myself.The curtain call is finally over, and I still have to find a grandiose reason to comfort myself and convince the world.

"I...I want to come here to see you, I haven't found a job yet, I lost my wallet, and I forgot your address." I said.

"You silly girl!" She seemed to want to say something, but didn't know how to say it, and scanned the surrounding environment.Seeing that we knew each other, the owner of the noodle stall didn't say anything, just cooking the two bowls of Dandan noodles.

"Then you are working at this noodle stall now?"

I lowered my head and didn't answer.Yes, but no pay, no long-term work, and I'm afraid that if I say yes, she won't have a reason to talk to me.It was so difficult for us to meet, I need a lot of time to look at her, to love her, how could I be willing to pass by like this.So when I looked up at her, my eyes filled with tears.

She sighed softly and said nothing.I sobbed lightly.For a long while, we didn't say anything.I remembered the sachet I embroidered for her before I left, and I still carried it with me, so I rummaged through the baggage and gave it to her.

"Last time you said you liked that sachet very much. I learned from Ah Mo later. I originally wanted to give it to you when you got married. Do you like it?"

The sachet with the pattern of mandarin ducks playing in the water should have been appropriate for the occasion as a wedding gift, but taking it out under such unexpected circumstances in this dark alley seemed a little out of harmony.Yu Minxiu seemed to be thinking about something with her head down, she just thanked her softly without saying much.

Ding Jianguo took the sachet from her hand, looked at it with the faint light, and praised: "I didn't expect your technique to be really good, you really can't be judged by appearances."

These words seemed to be both praise and derogation, I just smiled lightly and didn't reply.The atmosphere cooled down, and there was only a pot of hot soup bubbling. Fortunately, the noodle stall owner quickly broke the silence.The noodles had already been served, he brought them to the table and asked them to sit down, but after all he lost interest in eating noodles, Yu Minxiu almost didn't move a chopstick.

She asked me some more questions about the theater troupe, and I told them all. When it came to the possibility that the theater troupe might stay permanently in Taipei, the light in her eyes flashed and then dimmed again.

"I haven't asked you yet, when do you plan to get married? When I was still in the troupe, I said it was a postponement, and then I left without waiting for the time. Now that we meet again, you must tell me the time, and I will definitely meet you when the time comes." Go." I said.

Ding Jianguo replied: "It's scheduled for October [-]th. You must come then!"

I subconsciously thought of perfection, what a good intention! "What a day," I said.

Ding Jianguo chuckled twice, "The time is tight, because some things were delayed before, and now that they are settled, I want to get the wedding done quickly, and maybe I will be so busy after that." When it came to his work, Jiang Jianguo unknowingly talked too much, and his words were filled with high spirits.

I sneaked a sneak peek at Yu Minxiu, and saw her lower her head and suddenly raised her head, looked at Ding Jianguo and asked, "There are still many things that have not been prepared for the wedding, why don't you go and help me, Ah Feng. My mother is not in good health." Well, Dad has been busy again, and I am too busy alone."

It was Ding Jianguo who asked, but the words were addressed to me. Both Ding Jianguo and I were taken aback.Ding Jianguo didn't say anything, and I didn't know what to reply, so I just kept silent.She said again: "Didn't you just say, Ah Feng, that you haven't found a job yet and lost your wallet again?"

I still kept my head down and didn't answer, so I went to Yu's house just like that.